I've often wondered about the captivating woman painted several times by Thomas Gainsborough and others. Now my curiosity is satisfied by this biography of Sarah Siddons, the first "celebrity actress". She grew up as a member of a family troupe of travelling actors, always poor and often hungry, resorting to foraging for turnips to eat. But before she was 30 she had become a superstar, her fees greater than any actor - male or female - had previously achieved. The book is full of period detail and I really enjoyed Sarah's story.
NetGalley, Gail Hanlon

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars The last climb of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, towards the summit of Mount Everest on 8 June 1924, has been shrouded in mystery for a century. Were they the first humans to stand at the highest point in the world? The discovery of Mallory's body in 1999 did nothing to resolve the mystery. Until now, accounts of their climb have been driven by speculation and preconceived narrative. I’ve always been fascinated by this story. Something of the old pioneer/explorer in it really appeals so I was delighted to read this excellent book. It’s well researched and presented. It describes in detail just how Mallory prepared for the climbing of the highest mountain in the world. It also gives an insight on the man himself but, sadly it cannot answer the inevitable question. Did Mallory and Irvine reach the summit or not? It’s a great read however.
NetGalley, Steve Cripwell

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars While, unfortunately, not much is known about Jane Seymour, Carol-Ann Johnston takes what is known about her life, family, and the happenings around her and gives these facts to us in an interesting, easy to read format. Much of Jane's existence is often speculated, twisted in unfair narratives (in my opinion), so it's nice to read about what kind of woman she really was.
NetGalley, Christina Childers

Review as featured in Highlight: 'Exciting and interesting. I found it hard to put down.'
Infantry

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars This is the first full biography of Sir Terry Pratchett ever written, and Pratchett fan Marc Burrows did an excellent job distilling the life of Sir Pratchett. The humble, Sir Pratchett. It was a quick read, one that had me going back to my library app and Goodreads often to flag books that I need to read. I read a few of Pratchett's work years ago, starting with Good Omens and going into some of the Discworld series, but there are so many that I got overwhelmed and gave up. However, I feel The Magic of Terry Pratchett gave me a list of Pratchett's "greatest hits". I appreciate that. This book also inspired me creatively. If you've read Terry Pratchett's books and like his work, give this book a read.
NetGalley, Andrea Toole