The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America's Most Public Family by Amber Hunt

The Kennedy Wives: Triumph and Tragedy in America's Most Public Family by Amber Hunt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Kennedy Wives is a biographical book about the five Kennedy women that were married to Joe, Jack, Bobby and Edward Kennedy. Every woman gets her own chapter and in the chapters, their lives are described from their childhood to how they met their husband and how their lives turned out.

For me, this book didn't really contain much of new information when with it come to Ethel, Jackie or Joan since I have read Taraborrelli's Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot. I have also read part of Rose Kennedys autobiography (that I own and must finish some day) so I knew much about her also. Vicki Kennedy, however, was a woman I hadn't read so much about and her relationship with Ted Kennedy actually made me soften up a bit to him. Ted Kennedy has never really been a Kennedy that I cared so much about. For me, it has always been Bobby and Jack. Well, mostly Bobby.

This book put the wives in focus, sure they are mostly known for their roles as wives, but I think it is nice to read about them, about what made them tick, and their influence on their husbands and the tragedies they suffered in their lives. 

I think Amber Hurst and David Batcher has done a really good work, this book is informative and it never gets boring reading it. I admit that I didn't think the chapters about Joan and Vicki would interest me so much, but they were just as interesting to read as the other wives chapters.

A great book for people that are interested in the Kennedys or for those who want to know more about Rose, Ethel, Jackie, Joan and Vicki Kennedy!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!

Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas? by Bryce Zabel

Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas? by Bryce Zabel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What if Kennedy survived Dallas?

President John F. Kennedy has lived through the ambush in Dealey Plaza. America holds its collective breath, seeing its president nearly executed in broad daylight. But as the country marches on, the office of the President finds itself under a much more insidious type of fire. Political scandal, an endless war, and a country coming apart at the seams take the 1960’s in a terrifying new direction, and both John and his attorney-general brother, Bobby, struggle to stay ahead of their enemies, political and otherwise, and steer America toward a greater future.

Bryce Zabel is a master of the cover-up and the conspiracy, creating the Emmy-award winning series DARK SKIES. SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES is the first novel in the new Breakpoint series—each book exploring seminal moments in popular history and taking readers on a journey into a mirror world where events are both unexpected yet startlingly believable.

This savvy, fiercely intelligent novel, perfect for readers of Harry Turtledove, brings together elements of political thriller and page-turning history, enthralling readers with a sharply written take on the America that was, and the America that could have been.

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What if JFK had survived the attack on his life in Dallas?

This book was really intriguing and well written. Instead of dying in Dallas in 1963 JFK survived and one get a chance to see how his life and those around him change with him alive. But it is not a fairy tale with everything ending well. His involvement with women, especially affairs with women of questionable reputations that are something everyone knows about nowadays but something that was not public knowledge during the 60's is the thing that in this "what if story" will come to light during his presidency. And that combined with his ill health that he has been hiding from the general public and orders he has given to alleged assassinations of foreign leaders will, in the end, lead to his impeachment.

In the end, when they could not kill him they tried in every way to kill his political career instead.

I enjoyed this book immensely. A favorite subject, the Kennedys told in on of my favorite ways of telling a story; a what if story. It helped that it was really good and it felt like it could have happened if JFK had lived. Well except one thing, in the end, something that has to do with John-John was a bit too much and that made me remove a half star.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!