Jane Boleyn - the True Story of the Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox (nonfiction)

This book was a good read, especially because it had a few tidbits I didn't already know.  This period has been my obsession since I was a teenager.  It is certainly appreciated that the author argues against an anti-historical portrayal of Jane as a person who hated Anne and George Boleyn, and took her revenge on them.  There's simply no evidence of that; however, several times throughout the book, she accepts similar judgments about Anne.  Fox takes pains to point out when she is speculating about Jane's motivations, but again does not extend Anne that favor.

The Bull Slayer by Bruce Macbain (historical fiction)

A Plinius Secundus mystery, I liked this book.  It was fast-moving and exciting.

Little Green by Walter Mosley (fiction)

I like Mosley, sometimes I think he's a great.  Here, he's tired and out of it like Easy Rawlins.

The Rise of Rome by Anthony Everitt (nonfiction)

A truly talented historical writer makes connections, identifies conjecture, and judges.  This book is a joy.

Rome, Inc. by Stanley Bing (nonfiction)

Written for business people, I hated it's stupid jokes and flipped forward to find some good analysis.  So I went back and finally put it down for good because of the stupid jokes.

The Roots of Betrayal by James Forrester (historical fiction)

The second book in the Clarenceaux series, I liked the first, reviewed here.  This was even better, a suspenseful pirate yarn within a mystery.  Forrester is especially good at weaving historical detail into a long action scene.  His expertise is evident but doesn't interrupt the flow of the story. I also appreciated his frank author's note.

Scorpions' Nest by M.J. Trow (historical mystery)

Christopher Marlowe and other "real" people who worked for Walsingham as part of Elizabeth's spy network are the main characters here.  It was a fairly decent mystery, a little stupid with the jokes here and there.  I knew who the murderer was about 3/4 through the book.

The Last Sacrifice, Disciple, and Temple by Hans Hanegraaf and Sigmund Brouwer

The Last Temple was suspenseful.  I had to close it during my dinner so that I wouldn't have a heart attack.  Just so you know, it's written from a Christian perspective.  A lot of fun if you don't mind that stuff.

Medea by Kerry Greenwood

First, go get it and read it, then read my review if you like.  Gorgeous, inspiring, terrifying, funny and horribly sad retelling of the ancient legend.  I've always enjoyed mythology, however, it can be difficult to connect to the human aspect of tales of heroes' deeds.  This book was very enjoyable because of the characters.

The Creation of Anne Boleyn by Susan Bordo (nonfiction)

Analysis of Anne's characterization throughout time, including fairly extensive discussion of her portrayals in popular culture.  Beyond the one-dimensional characterizations put forth by Protestant and Catholic propagandists, the discussion of her role as a woman during the death of chivalrous culture is enlightening. 

Spartacus Rebellion by Ben Kane (historical fiction, last in a trilogy)

I saw this book in the NEW section with mixed feelings - excitement and sadness because the excellent trilogy had to come to an end.  It was a fun read, but not as gripping as the first two.  The character of Crassus was a little silly, but the book benefits from including the experiences of those around Spartacus.

Swoon: Great Seducers and Why Women Love Them by Betsy Priouleau (nonfiction)

Fun mix of relationship research, mythical and literary sources, and real-life interviews with ladies' men, then gets bogged down with repetition.