New to Dot Scribbles Shelves

I had some lovely packages waiting for me when I returned from my holiday, three books for review this week:

Juliet by Anne Fortier (Harper 19th August) When Julie Jacobs inherits a key to a safety deposit box in Siena, she is told it will lead her to old family treasure. Soon she is launched on a precarious journey  into the history of her ancestor Giulietta, whose love for a young man names Romeo inspired Shakespeare's unforgettable story. As Julie crosses paths with the families who turned medieval Siena upside down, she begins to realise that the notorious curse- 'a plague on both your houses'- is still at work.


Glee The Beginning by Sophia Lowell (Headline 5th August) All great performances deserve a warm up! Enroll early at McKinley High to discover what went on before New Directions was even a glimmer in Mr Schuester's eye. When did Rachel first decide Finn was more than just a jock? When did Puck and Quinn start their secret romance? And how did the fledgling Glee Club function without a fearless leader? Hint: It wasn't exactly a perfect melody.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster 19th August) Following the No. 1 best selling The White Queen, Philippa Gregory moves to the story of a determined woman who believes she is destined to shape the course of history. Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her House is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin, Henry VI of England, fails to recognise her as a kindred spirit, and even more when he sinks into madness. Worst of all for Margaret is discovering that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales. Married to a man twice her age, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son Henry on the throne of England regardless of the cost. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty she sends Henry into exile and pledges him in marriage to the daughter of her enemy Elizabeth Woodville. She feigns loyalty to the usurper King Richard III, marries one of his faithful supporters and then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time- all the while knowing that her son is growing into manhood , recruiting an army, his eyes on the greatest prize.

I also bought one book this week after the cover caught my eye:

Shadows and Lies by Marjorie Eccles (Allison & Busby) It is 1910 and the bloodstained body of an unknown woman is found in the grounds of Sir Henry Chetwynd's Shropshire estate. It is a murder that unveils dark shadows of the past, and has an unexpected impact on the lives of Sir Henry Chetwynd and his family. But it is not only the Chetwynds whose lives lie under a shadow: Hannah, living in London, has lost part of her memory after being involved in a serious accident. As she attempts to piece together the fragments of those missing years, it seems that the events in Shropshire could hold the key.

Do let me know if you have read any of these or heard anything interesting about them!