2019 Reading challenge: a book written by two female authors

My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton by Stephanie Dray

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was surprised how much I liked this book. I'm the first to admit that I'm not one of the masses that got swept up in the the whole Hamilton Phenomenon. I just did not (and in many ways still do not) get it.

So I went into this book with a strong bit of skepticism and even reluctance and was pleasantly surprised. The storytelling abilities of the authors kept me engrossed and the reading ability of the narrator made the words come alive and I became totally sympathetic to Mrs. Eliza Hamilton.

I liked that while this book was about the life of being a political wife, it was not ram down your throat political. Yes politics is central to the story and the character but it felt right, not preachy. I liked that it was 100% told from her point of view.

I would very much recommend this book for someone looking for a historical novel that feels very real. I would put this on par with any of Alison Weir or Phillipa Gregory's books for the historical novel genre - just in America not England.



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2019 reading challenge: A book with a plant in the title or on the cover

Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


3.5 rating actually so I rounded up.

A fun quick reading retelling of Beauty and the Beast with Usula Vernon's usual humor and quirkiness.

There's not much to describe - it's Beauty and the Beast with slight changes to make it not boring or "yet another version".

I recommend.



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Glad Game - March 12

* water goal achieved

* non-scale victory: I noticed over the weekend that my jeans were not only loose but I could actually pull them off without undoing the button or zipper. So I pulled out an old pair of pants a size smaller and found they fit! in fact they had a bit of room too. I will have to look later to see if I can find a pair the next size down to try. That's the thing with depression - you don't pay attention to details such as your clothes are getting rather bagging and you might be bordering on the fashion statement of "walking pile of fabric"

* messy art