[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars I didn't know a lot about William Phipps so I was excited to read about him in this book. It was researched well and was invested in what was happening. Leon Hopkins was able to create a strong nonfiction book and thought worked well in telling the information that I was expecting.
NetGalley, Kathryn McLeer

“...there are real insights on the great turning points of English history… a hugely absorbing book, scholarly, wittily and elegantly written. I learnt a lot."
Country Life Magazine - May 28, 2025

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars A well-researched in-depth analysis of the various facets related to Anne Boleyn’s life. This narrative addresses the royal biases around Anne and the way media has rewritten pivotal facts. This is a deep dive into the truest accounts to this date that we know of related to Anne. A narrative that demystifies centuries of rumors and a King’s attempt to write Anne out of history. Genuinely interesting read for those interested in the Tudors. Each essay focuses on a central aspect related to Annes life or the way Anne’s life has been portrayed through various medias. Considerations are made for missing information, cultural context, and the current artifacts that remain from Anne’s reign as Queen. This is a great example of a non-fiction narrative that pulls the passion from their fingertips in riveting essays.
NetGalley, Mariah F.

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars Royal Favourites of Medieval England is my first work by Taylor and something that I feel compelled to point out is that I absolutely love this writer’s sense of humor. As I started reading, I must admit that I was expecting something a bit drier, but the author manages to work in some amusing observations and subtle sarcasm that gives the text a little bit of extra flavor, which I found to be a nice thing. Taylor’s style is straightforward, and a lot of information is thrown at the reader, but in a very digestible way. Through the period covered, the author provides a biography of each monarch highlighting memorable moments of their reigns followed by shorter biographies of those courtiers to whom they gave their trust and favor. This volume is an excellent overview of English history during the medieval period and offers great, quick insights into each king from William the Conqueror to Richard III. A lot of interesting and figures emerge in the book,.. Read more
NetGalley, Nicholas Artrip

In [i]Prince Rupert of the Rhine[/i], Mark Turnbull offers an impressively detailed and long-overdue reappraisal of one of the most fascinating figures of the English Civil Wars. Drawing on a vast array of primary sources, including fascinating newly-discovered research of his own, Turnbull presents a richly nuanced portrait of Prince Rupert. His biography cuts through centuries of myth-making, political propaganda, and selective misquotation to challenge the enduring image of Rupert as merely a swashbuckling cavalier. Turnbull’s achievement brings fresh clarity and scholarly balance to Rupert’s life and career. Far from the one-dimensional Royalist warlord of popular legend, Turnbull’s Rupert emerges as a complex, often contradictory figure: intellectually curious, scientifically minded, loyal to a fault, and yet frequently at odds with his own cause. This is no hagiography, though the author’s sympathies are occasionally evident. Rather, it is a scrupulously researched and persuasive.. Read more
Elizabeth St.John, Author - The Lydiard Chronicles