Monday, February 04, 2013

Richard III is confirmed at Leicester

Today is the day, Richard III has been found and DNA confirmed! I am elated that he has been found because now it has been decided that a tomb and monument tomb of some sorts will be made for him at Leicester. This is a archeology find for a generation and hopefully the new findings on Richard will bring to light some new insights on him. Richard is a king that deserves respect and in historical fiction he is always a dark evil character or the radiant white knight for Anne Neville. If you read any historical novels then you understand the turmoil of the War of the Roses. If you know that then you also know that most there is a fierce debate between history junkies, professors, historians, novelist and just all history lovers alike about Richard. Was Richard so evil that he murdered his two nephews? These were the children of his favorite older brother. Richard had sworn to protect them. I think it logical to think outside the box and theorize that many other fractions and distant relations had their own motives to try and bring Richard and Anne down from their pedestals. Margaret Beaufort and her husband Lord Stanley had motive and most important Lord Stanley had the keys to the tower. The duke of Buckingham also, and any one with the house of Lancaster ties could have done it. For more on the boys check out the post I did on the The Bloody Tower and The Lost Princes it covers a report on the mystery bones found under the stairs that have been rumored to be the York boys. It has been a long time Richard and hopefully very soon Richard will be reburied with all the honors that England's last king to die in battle deserves.


BBC News 
Richard III dig: Facial reconstruction shows how king may have looked


My Top picks on Richard III
From the award-winning author of The King's Daughtercomes a story of love and defiance during the War of the Roses.

It is 1497. The news of the survival of Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, has set royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocked the fledgling Tudor dynasty. With the support of Scotland's King James IV, Richard-known to most of England as Perkin Warbeck-has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Stepping finally onto English soil, Lady Catherine Gordon has no doubt that her husband will succeed in his quest.

But rather than assuming the throne, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would be stamped as an imposter. With Richard facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, must find the courage to spurn a cruel monarch, shape her own destiny, and win the admiration of a nation.

History remembers Cecily of York standing on the steps of the Market Cross at Ludlow, facing an attacking army while holding the hands of her two young sons. Queen by Right reveals how she came to step into her destiny, beginning with her marriage to Richard, duke of York, whom she meets when she is nine and he is thirteen. Raised together in her father’s household, they become a true love match and together face personal tragedies, pivotal events of history, and deadly political intrigue. All of England knows that Richard has a clear claim to the throne, and when King Henry VI becomes unfit to rule, Cecily must put aside her hopes and fears and help her husband decide what is right for their family and their country. Queen by Right marks Anne Easter Smith’s greatest achievement, a book that every fan of sweeping, exquisitely detailed historical fiction will devour.

The Stolen Crown by Susan Higginbotham
Trapped in the Wars of the Roses, one woman finds herself sister to the queen...and traitor to the crown. Katherine Woodville's sister never gave her a choice. A happy girl of modest means, Kate hardly expected to become a maker of kings. But when her sister impulsively marries King Edward IV in secret, Katherine's life is no longer hers to control...






What happened to the lost princes of York Debated for more than five centuries, the disappearance of the young princes Edward and Richard from the Tower of London in 1483 has stirred the imaginations of numerous writers from Shakespeare to Josephine Tey and posited the question: Was Richard III the boys' murderer, or was he not? In a captivating novel rich in mystery, color, and historical lore, Robin Maxwell offers a new, controversial perspective on this tantalizing enigma.

The events are witnessed through the eyes of quick-witted Nell Caxton, only daughter of the first English printer, William Caxton, and Nell's dearest friend, "Bessie," daughter of the King of England, sister to the little princes, and founding ancestress of the Tudor dynasty.

With great bravery and heart, the two friends navigate this dark and dangerous medieval landscape in which the king's death sets off a battle among the most scheming, ambitious, and murderous men and women of their age, who will stop at nothing to possess the throne of England.

Sandra Worth 
From the BBC related stories
Car park skeleton is Richard III 04 FEBRUARY 2013, LEICESTER
The bloody last moments of a king 04 FEBRUARY 2013, LEICESTER
'The individual is Richard III'Watch 04 FEBRUARY 2013, UK
The twisted bones of Richard III 04 FEBRUARY 2013, LEICESTER
Where did Richard III go wrong? 03 FEBRUARY 2013, LEICESTER
Who was the real Richard III? 01 FEBRUARY 2013, BBC HISTORY
How does DNA testing work? 01 FEBRUARY 2013, BBC SCIENCE
The people who want everyone to like Richard III 14 SEPTEMBER 2012, MAGAZINE
Tough history of regal remains 13 SEPTEMBER 2012, LEICESTER
Hunting a king: Diggers' story 12 SEPTEMBER 2012, LEICESTER
The search for the car park king 07 SEPTEMBER 2012, LEICESTER 
~Lizzie~
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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Mailbox Monday

The Typewriter Girl, Alison Atlee
"A passionate historical debut novel about a young woman in turn-of-the-century England who finds love and independence at a seashore resort.
In Victorian London, there’s only so far an unmarried woman can go, and Betsey Dobson has relied on her wits and cunning to take herself as far as she can—to a position as a typewriter girl. But still, Betsey yearns for something more…so when she’s offered a position as the excursions manager at a seaside resort, she knows this is her chance for security, for independence, for an identity forged by her own work and not a man’s opinion. Underqualified for the job and on the wrong side of the aristocratic resort owner, Betsey struggles to prove herself and looks to the one person who can support her new venture: Mr. Jones, the ambitious Welshman building the resort’s pleasure fair. As she and Mr. Jones grow ever closer, Betsey begins to dream that she might finally have found her place in the world—but when her past returns to haunt her, she must fight for what she’s worked so hard…or risk losing everything.

This eloquent debut novel displays firm propriety barely restraining seething passion—a sizzling combination reminiscent of Downton Abbey".
~Lizzie~
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Sunday, January 06, 2013

Mailbox Monday

The Italian Woman by Jean Plaidy

"The second book in the classic Catherine de’ Medici trilogy from Jean Plaidy, the grande dame of historical fiction When Catherine de’ Medici was forced to marry Henry, Duke of Orleans, her heart was not the only one that was broken. Jeanne of Navarre once dreamed of marrying this same prince, but, like Catherine, she must comply with France’s political needs. And so both Catherine’s and Jeanne’s lives are set on unwanted paths, destined to cross in affairs of state, love, and faith, driving them to become deadly political rivals.
Years later Jeanne is happily married to the dashing but politically inept Antoine de Bourbon. But the widowed Catherine is now the ambitious mother of princes, and she will do anything to see her beloved second son, Henry, rule France. As civil war ravages the country and Jeanne fights for the Huguenot cause, Catherine advances along her unholy road, making enemies at every turn".
~Lizzie~
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Monday, December 17, 2012

Mailbox Monday

Madame Bovary's Daughter by Linda Urbach

"Picking up after the shattering end of Gustave Flaubert’s classic, Madame Bovary, this beguiling novel imagines an answer to the question Whatever happened to Emma Bovary’s orphaned daughter?
One year after her mother’s suicide and just one day after her father’s brokenhearted demise, twelve-year-old Berthe Bovary is sent to live on her grandmother’s impoverished farm. Amid the beauty of the French countryside, Berthe models for the painter Jean-François Millet, but fate has more in store for her than a quiet life of simple pleasures. Berthe’s determination to rise above her mother’s scandalous past will take her from the dangerous cotton mills of Lille to a convent in Rouen to the wealth and glamour of nineteenth-century Paris. There, as an apprentice to famed fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth, Berthe is ushered into the high society of which she once only dreamed. But even as the praise for her couture gowns steadily rises, she still yearns for the one thing her mother never had: the love of someone she loves in return.

Brilliantly integrating one of classic literature’s fictional creations with real historical figures, Madame Bovary’s Daughter is an uncommon coming-of-age tale, a splendid excursion through the rags and the riches of French fashion, and a sweeping novel of poverty and wealth, passion and revenge".

The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener

"From nineteenth-century London’s elegant ballrooms to its darkest slums, a spirited young woman and a nobleman investigating for the Crown unmask a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of its gold.

Chance led to Charlotte Raven’s transformation from chimney sweep to wealthy, educated noblewoman, but she still walks a delicate tightrope between two worlds, unable to turn her back on the ruthless crime lord who was once her childhood protector.

When Lord Edward Durnham is tapped to solve the mystery of England’s rapidly disappearing gold, his search leads him to the stews of London, and Charlotte becomes his intriguing guide to the city’s dark, forbidding underworld. But as her involvement brings Charlotte to the attention of men who have no qualms about who they hurt, and as Edward forges a grudging alliance with the dangerous ghosts of Charlotte’s former life, she faces a choice: to continue living in limbo, or to close the door on the past and risk her heart and her happiness on an unpredictable future".

The Queen's Vow by C.W. Gortner

"No one believed I was destined for greatness. So begins Isabella’s story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise to the Inquisition, and the visionary who sent Columbus to discover a New World. Acclaimed author C. W. Gortner envisages the turbulent early years of a woman whose mythic rise to power would go on to transform a monarchy, a nation, and the world.

Young Isabella is barely a teenager when she and her brother are taken from their mother’s home to live under the watchful eye of their half-brother, King Enrique, and his sultry, conniving queen. There, Isabella is thrust into danger when she becomes an unwitting pawn in a plot to dethrone Enrique. Suspected of treason and held captive, she treads a perilous path, torn between loyalties, until at age seventeen she suddenly finds herself heiress of Castile, the largest kingdom in Spain. Plunged into a deadly conflict to secure her crown, she is determined to wed the one man she loves yet who is forbidden to her—Fernando, prince of Aragon.

As they unite their two realms under “one crown, one country, one faith,” Isabella and Fernando face an impoverished Spain beset by enemies. With the future of her throne at stake, Isabella resists the zealous demands of the inquisitor Torquemada even as she is seduced by the dreams of an enigmatic navigator named Columbus. But when the Moors of the southern domain of Granada declare war, a violent, treacherous battle against an ancient adversary erupts, one that will test all of Isabella’s resolve, her courage, and her tenacious belief in her destiny.

From the glorious palaces of Segovia to the battlefields of Granada and the intrigue-laden gardens of Seville, The Queen’s Vow sweeps us into the tumultuous forging of a nation and the complex, fascinating heart of the woman who overcame all odds to become Isabella of Castile".

The Vampire Armand by Anne Rice

"Armand's life unfolds in rich, velvety prose.... This is a sumptuous addition to the series." - Library Journal

"Anne Rice fans will no doubt be thrilled.... [Armand] until now has played a small role in the Vampire Chronicles. Here he assumes center stage, relating his five hundred years of life to fledgling vampire David Talbot, who plays amanuensis to Armand as he did to Lestat.... It's not just the epic plot by Rice's voluptuary worldview that's the man attraction.... Elegant narrative has always been her hallmark.... Rice is equally effective in showing how Armand eventually loses his religion and becomes 'the vagabond angel child of Satan,' living under the Paris cemeteries and founding the Grand Guignol-ish Theatre des Vampires. In the twentieth century, a rehabilitated Armand regains his faith but falls in love with two children who save his life. By the conclusion of Armand, the pupil has become the mentor." - The Washington Post
A Race to Splendor by Ciji Ware

"Early in 1906, the ground in San Francisco shook buildings and lives from their comfortable foundations.
Amidst rubble, corruption, and deceit, two women-young architects in a city and field ruled by men-find themselves racing the clock and each other during the rebuilding of competing hotels in the City by the Bay.

Based on meticulous research, A Race to Splendor tells the story of the audacious people of one of the world's great cities rebuilding and reinventing themselves after immense human tragedy. Filled with courage, passion, and conflict, Amelia Bradshaw's spirit will capture your imagination as she strives to redraft her life amidst the ruins with both help and hindrance from a wayward son of privilege who pulls her into worlds she'd never have known".

~Lizzie~
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Sunday, December 02, 2012

Henry VIII goes Gangnam Style

I could not help myself so sit back and have a good laugh.
~Lizzie~
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Monday, November 12, 2012

Hot HF November and October

November 2012
11.6.2012 Royal Romances, Leslie Carroll
"More breathtaking than any fairy tale, here are seven scandalous, seductive centuries of all-for-love royal desire . . .
Elegant palaces, dazzling power plays, shimmering jewels, and the grandest of all-or-nothing gambles—nothing can top real-life love among the royalty. Louis XIV defied God and law, permitting his married mistress Madame de Montespan to usurp the role of Queen of France, then secretly wed her successor, Madame de Maintenon. Grigory Potemkin was a worthy equal in Catherine the Great’s bed as well as in Russia’s political arena. Dashing Count Axel von Fersen risked everything to save Marie Antoinette’s life more than once—and may have returned her passion. The unshakable devotion of the beloved late “Queen Mum” helped King George VI triumph over his, and England’s, darkest hours. And the unpretentious, timelessly glamorous—even relatable—union of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton continues to enthrall the world.

Full of marvelous tales, unforgettable scandals, and bedazzled nobles who refused to rule their hearts, this delightfully insightful book is what the sweetest royal dreams are made of..."

From nineteenth-century London’s elegant ballrooms to its darkest slums, a spirited young woman and a nobleman investigating for the Crown unmask a plot by Napoleon to bleed England of its gold. Chance led to Charlotte Raven’s transformation from chimney sweep to wealthy, educated noblewoman, but she still walks a delicate tightrope between two worlds, unable to turn her back on the ruthless crime lord who was once her childhood protector.

When Lord Edward Durnham is tapped to solve the mystery of England’s rapidly disappearing gold, his search leads him to the stews of London, and Charlotte becomes his intriguing guide to the city’s dark, forbidding underworld. But as her involvement brings Charlotte to the attention of men who have no qualms about who they hurt, and as Edward forges a grudging alliance with the dangerous ghosts of Charlotte’s former life, she faces a choice: to continue living in limbo, or to close the door on the past and risk her heart and her happiness on an unpredictable future".
11.27.2012 The Gilded Lily, Deborah Swift
"England, 1660. Ella Appleby believes she is destined for better things than slaving as a housemaid and dodging the blows of her drunken father. When her employer dies suddenly, she seizes her chance--taking his valuables and fleeing the countryside with her sister for the golden prospects of London. But London may not be the promised land she expects. Work is hard to find, until Ella takes up with a dashing and dubious gentleman with ties to the London underworld. Meanwhile, her old employer's twin brother is in hot pursuit of the sisters.

Set in a London of atmospheric coffee houses, gilded mansions, and shady pawnshops hidden from rich men’s view, Deborah Swift's The Gilded Lilyis a dazzling novel of historical adventure".

October 2012
~Lizzie~
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Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Book Review: THE COUNTESS by Rebecca Johns


A compelling case would be a gross understatement. “The Countess” tells Elizabeth Bathory’s side of the story like no one else can; from her own mouth she will tell you the truth. This novel brings to light a whole new prospective, a very unexpected one that will leave you aching to do your own research on histories most notorious woman serial killer.  Elizabeth in the past has been made out to be one of the darkest characters. I also heard that The Brothers Grimm was so compelled by Elizabeth and her wicked ways that they based the Evil Queen in Snow White after her. This book is different from the stereotypical stories of Elizabeth. In this one it explores the fact that maybe just maybe a woman who becomes so powerful in her own right that everyone might turn on her like a pack of jackals in the jungle. They all had their motives but was Elizabeth really that bloody thirsty maniac in a corset or a woman that needed to be brought to head because she could undo everything the men did not want her to be a part of.  After all men ruled the world and women too back then.

Elizabeth Bathory lived a privileged life from the beginning. Her parents were both of the highborn nobility of Hungary. Just like the norm of the times she was married off you to a rich heir, Ference Nadasdy. She was sent to Ference’s household years before the actual wedding as per request of Elizabeth’s future mother in law. She was to learn the Nadasdy way of running a household. After Ference and Elizabeth’s wedding the previously strained relationship did not get any better. It was noticeable even by the servants that their relationship was defiantly not all blushing roses. The couple finally had a breakthrough. By chance the two had bonded over the punishment of the servants. Violence reared it ugly beginning here. But it was able to break down Elizabeth and Ference walls and they became a real husband and wife to each other. Life took a very positive turn at that moment. Their relationship blossomed and they added three girls and two boys to the family household. 

It came across to me that Elizabeth’s cruelty to her servant girls started out as a kind of legitimate thing. There is a reason why they still use the saying “medieval punishment”. It was not exactly backed by human rights groups back then. I fear as things rapidly spiraled out of control when Elizabeth lost Ference. It was very suddenly that he passed and she had not made plans for a life with out him. Twenty-nine years of marriage had taken a toll on Elizabeth and she was not exactly young anymore. She was nearing her fifties and Ference had wished for her to remarry. Not just to anyone but his closest boon companion Gyorgy Thurzo.

Elizabeth did pursue Thurzo but she also attempted to collect a very large debt she inherited from her husband. At the time she thought she was doing the right thing but all it did was bring attention to her. She found her relationship with Thurzo satisfying. But her continued confrontations with her ladies and servants were escalating even more on a daily basis.  Elizabeth’s life was intense and living as a strong independent widow in a world ruled by men she was an anomaly.  The bad part for her was many of them were in debt to her. Elizabeth was cruel but it was a cruel world and she just wanted to survive it.

4.5/5 Really compelling it really opened my eyes to maybe there be another side of this monster of history. I dare anyone not to read this book and not look it up on the Internet when you are done. The only other book I can remotely relate this one to is “The Last Queen” by C.W. Gortner. This book really was not as violent as I thought it would be but it does have a few nasty scenes. I would highly recommend this book on Elizabeth Bathory  because it is an excellent take on an old story that maybe we all miss understood…or maybe it is all the delusions of a demented violent woman.
  • FTC- Book was sent to me for review.
  • Rated R-Violence


 ~Lizzie~
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Saturday, November 03, 2012

Lady Washington’s Reception by Daniel Huntington

The Republican Court: Lady Washington's Reception Day by Daniel Huntington (c. 1861). This fanciful painting depicts the Macomb House. The Alexander Macomb House at 39-41 Broadway in Manhattan served as the second Presidential Mansion. President George Washington occupied it from February 23 to August 30, 1790, during New York City's two-year term as the national capital.
The Republican Court (Lady Washington's Reception Day) containing sixty-four careful portraits.
 Daniel Huntington 1816-1906
Date 1861
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions 167.7 cm (66 x 109.1 in)
Current location Brooklyn Museum
Signed bottom left: D. Huntington / New York 1861

Sketch for the Republican Court
Between 1859 and 1863
Oil on canvas
Current location Brooklyn Museum
Signed bottom left DH

"He studied at Yale with Samuel F.B. Morse, and later with Henry Inman (painter). From 1833 to 1835 he transferred to Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he met Charles Loring Elliott, who encouraged him to become an artist. He first exhibited his work at the National Academy of Design in 1836. Subsequently he painted some landscapes in the tradition of the Hudson River School. Huntington made several trips to Europe, the first in 1839 traveling to England, Rome, Florence and Paris with his friend and pupil Henry Peters Gray. On his return to America in 1840, he painted his allegorical painting "Mercy's Dream", which brought him fame and confirmed his interest in inspirational subjects. He also painted portraits and began the illustration of The Pilgrim's Progress. In 1844, he went back toRome. Returning to New York around 1846, he devoted his time chiefly to portrait-painting, although he painted many genre, religious and historical subjects. From 1851 to 1859 he was in England. He was president of the National Academy of Design from 1862 to 1870, and again in 1877-1890. He was also vice president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art".
~Lizzy~
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Book Review: THE KING'S DAMSEL by Kate Emerson

“The King’s Damsel” makes reading about the pious princess Mary Tudor a real treat. Normally I am not too fond of the disowned princess Mary but I think this novel really changed my prospective of Mary. I love that Kate always manages to out does herself because she took a very hard to love historical figure and showed just how innocent she really was in her parents fighting. This novel just made me see how young she was and especially brought to light that Anne Boleyn could be so cruel to even to an innocent child. Mary’s only fault in life was the travesty of who her mother was.

Thomasine Lodge rapidly became a very wealthy heiress when her brother and father passed away suddenly. With the men in her life gone Thomasine was left with her stepmother and a substantially large inheritance. Her official “ward ship” was bought by a man she had never met…Sir Lionel Daggett. Sold by the only person who had the right to, the King had sold her one year before she had reached her majority. There was nothing Thomasine or her stepmother could do the deed was done and worse by the king. Sir Lionel had made arrangements for her to be placed in the Princess Mary Tudor’s household as a lady in waiting. Nasty Sir Lionel had more sinister plans for Thomasine and he needed her to try and help him advance at court.

When Thomasine’s arrived at princess Mary’s household she at first struggled with her new position as a lady in waiting. But after a time she developed a true bond with the Princess. They shared a deep real friendship that even Anne Boleyn could not even break.

It was out of love for the Princess Mary that Thomasine made the drastic choice of going to Anne Boleyn’s household as a spy for the Princess Mary. The plan worked and with the help of the very handsome silk merchant’s son Thomasine was able to warn the princess of the events that were unfolding between her parents and Anne Boleyn. Thomasine’s loyalty never waivered from princess Mary because she was a true friend and always would be. Anne Boleyn really tried to trip her up at later times but it did not work. Thomasine managed to catch the eye of the King and Henry always got what her wanted especially when it came to women.

Thomasine became King Henry’s mistress to help further Mary’s plight but she also incurred the famous wrath of that witch Anne Boleyn. The walls began to close in on Thomasine and she set out to do what she should have done a long time ago. It was time to get her inheritance. She needed help to do it and had no one to turn to but where there is a will there is a way and it was Thomasine’s destiny to fight this battle against anyone who stood in her way.

5/5 I enjoyed this one so much more that some of the other novels in this series. I really enjoyed that this time around Kate’s main character is a made up one that is surrounded by real historical characters. Typically Kate dose not do that but I enjoy that she chose to do something different this time around, it really work out good for the reader.
  • FTC- This novel was sent to me by the publisher for review 
  • PG-13 Rating mild sexual reference
~Lizzie~
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Monday, October 22, 2012

Mailbox Monday

Royal Romances by Leslie Carroll 11.6.2012

"More breathtaking than any fairy tale, here are seven scandalous, seductive centuries of all-for-love royal desire . . .

Elegant palaces, dazzling power plays, shimmering jewels, and the grandest of all-or-nothing gambles—nothing can top real-life love among the royalty. Louis XIV defied God and law, permitting his married mistress Madame de Montespan to usurp the role of Queen of France, then secretly wed her successor, Madame de Maintenon. Grigory Potemkin was a worthy equal in Catherine the Great’s bed as well as in Russia’s political arena. Dashing Count Axel von Fersen risked everything to save Marie Antoinette’s life more than once—and may have returned her passion. The unshakable devotion of the beloved late “Queen Mum” helped King George VI triumph over his, and England’s, darkest hours. And the unpretentious, timelessly glamorous—even relatable—union of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton continues to enthrall the world.

Full of marvelous tales, unforgettable scandals, and bedazzled nobles who refused to rule their hearts, this delightfully insightful book is what the sweetest royal dreams are made of..."

The Borgias by Jean Plaidy

For the first time in one volume, Jean Plaidy’s duet of Borgia novels brings to life the infamous, reckless, and passionate family in an unforgettable historical saga.

Madonna of the Seven Hills:

Fifteenth-century Rome: the Borgia family is on the rise. Lucrezia’s father is named Pope Alexander VI, and he places his daughter and her brothers Cesare, Giovanni, and Goffredo in the jeweled splendor—and scandal—of his court. From the Pope’s affairs with adolescent girls, to Cesare’s dangerous jealousy of anyone who inspires Lucrezia’s affections, to the ominous birth of a child conceived in secret, no Borgia can elude infamy.

Light on Lucrezia:

Some said she was an elegant seductress. Others swore she was an incestuous murderess. She was the most dangerous and sought after woman in all of Rome. Lucrezia Borgia’s young life has been colored by violence and betrayal. Now, married for the second time at just eighteen she hopes for happiness with her handsome husband Alfonso. But faced with brutal murder, she's soon torn between her love for her husband and her devotion to her brother Cesare… And in the days when the Borgias ruled Italy, no one was safe from the long arm of their power. Not even Lucrezia.
Dictionary of the Word Origins A History of the Words, Expressions, and Cliches We Use, Jordan Almond

"Answering the age-old question, "Why do we say it?" this handy dictionary gives the intriguing origins of hundreds of everyday words and expressions.

Useful for reference and fun just for browsing, Dictionary of Word Origins is also a great way to expand vocabulary and enjoy doing it".
~Lizzie~
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Thursday, October 04, 2012

Book Review: LADY OF THE RIVERS by Philippa Gregory

Book number three in the cousin’s war series “The Lady of the Rivers” is mother to “The White Queen”. PG has completely made up for the previous novel in the series “The Red Queen”. To be fair though I have to give her some credit for writing a novel about Margaret Beaufort because she is not exactly as likeable character during the war of the roses. The lady of the rivers is now a new favorite of mine but I am beginning to think none of her novels will ever topple “The Queen’s Fool” from its high-ranking pedestal because it is after all my favorite novel of hers. But on the other hand I am waiting for the next book in the series to arrive “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” to arrive in the mail. Who knows what Gregory has up her sleeve for the future of this series. I will continue to enjoy the benefits of her hard work cousins’ series or not.

Jacquetta, the Duchess of Bedford was a figurehead in the war of the Roses. Her daughter Elizabeth Woodville would become King Edward IV’s queen and we all know how quickly fortunes wheel turned on Elizabeth but what about her mother? In a war between cousins’ that spanned generations. Jacquetta was at the center from the very beginning. Married at what we today would deem a young age Jacquetta married the very much older uncle to the king of England. The Duke of Bedford was the English regent in France. To the powerful Duke Jacquetta was a tool that he planned on using for his benefit. It had been said that since her family had originated from the line of the water goddess Melusina. The women of the family were especially gifted when it came to the gift of sight. The Duke would awaken the sight with in Jacquetta and also introduce her to the dashing Sir Richard Woodville. Richard was the Dukes right hand man. The duke knew he was not long for this life and when he passed. Jacquetta and Richard married in secret. It was a true love match and the newlyweds went back to England to face the possible wrath of the young King Henry VI. They made it through and even found favor with the young king and when it came time for him to marry it was Jacquetta he called upon to befriend her distant relation and future Queen Margaret of Anjou.

Jacquetta became very close with the bratty queen Margaret and with her constantly stirring up problems with the nobles it was no wonder Jacquetta could feel the tension mounting to something horrific. She finds herself worrying about what the future holds because the constant shifting of power never stops. I have to admit that Philippa Gregory has given the greatest spin EVER on why and how King Henry VI because so suddenly ill. Gregory really blew me away this time and it made for excellent reading.

With an ailing King and a vengeful foreign-born Queen, England was in trouble and depending on your point of view Richard Duke of York was either a troublemaker or had legitimate issues with the king and queen but mostly it was the queen. The rift between the two house of Lancaster and York more volatile than it had ever been in the history of England. Jaquetta and Richard would defend their king and queen to the very end if need be. The couple had found that Margaret was leading them down a dark path of revenge. She would stay true to her allegiance but if Margaret kept on behaving like a spoilt brat the future of Jacquetta’s children could be put into jeopardy. She could never let that happen. Choices would have to be made and when it came time for sacrifices her family is what mattered the most.

5/5 I loved this novel. It is by far my favorite in the series. Once again I will say of course it is not 100% accurate nothing PG writes is. But I guess that is why they call it historical fiction and not non-fiction. Nonetheless I loved this read and I cannot wait for “The Kingmaker’s Daughter” to show up in the mail. I cannot wait to dig into that one and see what the future holds for Jacquetta and Richard. This is a historical fiction must read if you are not a stickler for complete historical accuracy.

  • FTC-This novel was sent to me by the publisher for review.
  • PG-13 For mild violence


 
~Lizzie~
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Monday, October 01, 2012

Mailbox Monday

Rival to the Queen, Carolly Erickson

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Wife of Henry VIII comes a novel about the bitter rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I and her fascinating cousin, Lettice Knollys, for the love of one extraordinary man.

Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson’s novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen— her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage.

When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband’s love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen’s headsman.

This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England’s most charismatic men".

The Shadow of the Lynx, Victoria holt

"Nora Tamsin was fascinated by the ruthless Charles Herrick, but she discovered that he deserved his name "The Lynx". His love for her was overwhelming and frightening. By the time she realized that his plan for her was part of his obsessive desire for revenge, it seemed too late to escape.

Seduced by the power of the strange man called Lynx, Nora soon finds herself very much in love with him. And with his son . . ."~Lizzie~
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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Hot HF Releases July, August, September


July
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Sunday, September 23, 2012

Cover Alert: Leslie Carroll and Christine Trent

"Royal Romances" by Leslie Carroll Release Date 11.6.2012

"More breathtaking than any fairy tale, here are seven scandalous, seductive centuries of all-for-love royal desire . . . 

Elegant palaces, dazzling power plays, shimmering jewels, and the grandest of all-or-nothing gambles—nothing can top real-life love among the royalty. Louis XIV defied God and law, permitting his married mistress Madame de Montespan to usurp the role of Queen of France, then secretly wed her successor, Madame de Maintenon. Grigory Potemkin was a worthy equal in Catherine the Great’s bed as well as in Russia’s political arena. Dashing Count Axel von Fersen risked everything to save Marie Antoinette’s life more than once—and may have returned her passion. The unshakable devotion of the beloved late “Queen Mum” helped King George VI triumph over his, and England’s, darkest hours. And the unpretentious, timelessly glamorous—even relatable—union of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton continues to enthrall the world.

Full of marvelous tales, unforgettable scandals, and bedazzled nobles who refused to rule their hearts, this delightfully insightful book is what the sweetest royal dreams are made of..."
"Lady of the Ashes" by Christine Trent Release Date 2.26.2013

"In 1861 London, Violet Morgan is struggling to establish a good reputation for the undertaking business that her husband has largely abandoned. She provides comfort for the grieving, advises them on funeral fashion and etiquette, and arranges funerals.

Unbeknownst to his wife, Graham, who has nursed a hatred of America since his grandfather soldiered for Great Britain in the War of 1812, becomes involved in a scheme to sell arms to the South. Meanwhile, Violet receives the commission of a lifetime: undertaking the funeral for a friend of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. But her position remains precarious, especially when Graham disappears and she begins investigating a series of deaths among the poor. And the closer she gets to the truth, the greater the danger for them both…"~Lizzie~
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Tuesday, September 04, 2012

New Release: Hemingway's Girl by Erika Robuck

Fresh into stores today, "Hemingway's Girl" by Erika Robuck.

“She remembered when Hemingway had planted a banyan at his house and told her its parasitic roots were like human desire. At the time she’d thought it romantic. She hadn’t understood his warning.”

In Depression-era Key West, Mariella Bennet, the daughter of an American fisherman and a Cuban woman, knows hunger. Her struggle to support her family following her father’s death leads her to a bar and bordello, where she bets on a risky boxing match...and attracts the interest of two men: world-famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, and Gavin Murray, one of the WWI veterans who are laboring to build the Overseas Highway.

When Mariella is hired as a maid by Hemingway’s second wife, Pauline, she enters a rarified world of lavish, celebrity-filled dinner parties and elaborate off-island excursions. As she becomes caught up in the tensions and excesses of the Hemingway household, the attentions of the larger-than-life writer become a dangerous temptation...even as the reliable Gavin Murray draws her back to what matters most. Will she cross an invisible line with the volatile Hemingway, or find a way to claim her own dreams? As a massive hurricane bears down on Key West, Mariella faces some harsh truths...and the possibility of losing everything she loves".

Amazon

~Lizzie~
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Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Book Review: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY by E L James

It has been on the lips of masses that Fifty Shades of Grey is the next best thing after Twilight. Very recently it was announced that a movie based on the books would be in the works a.s.a.p. Hunky Tatum Channing has even offered himself up for the part of Christian Grey. I just could not help myself I had to know what everyone was raving about.

Ana (Anastasia) Steele is an unrealistic mess; she is naive woman that has never known a man and suffers from the dreaded indecisiveness. She has a Bella from Twilight feel that tends to be on the whiny side. Ana a senior at college got manipulated into taking her roommate and BFF’s interview for the school newspaper. BFF Kate sent Ana to Seattle to interview some well to do CEO who was a benefactor for the college both girls attended. Things did not go as planned for Ana and just like every other woman who came across the super handsome, outrageously rich, and super successful Christian grey. The perfect specimen of a man and like a moth Ana was drawn into Christian’s magnetic personality.  Feeling that she left the interview with a sour taste in her mouth Ana did not dare pursue Christian. That did not keep her from thinking of him though. Maybe it was just fluke that Kate got sick and could not make it to do the interview herself but Ana doubted she would ever see Christian again.

Ana could not forget Christian and his face became a permanent fixture in her mind that is until one-day at work she looked up and there was the college benefactor in all his fleshy glory. Baby steps at first and that day led to him giving Ana his card with his personal info on it including his cell number.  The next day Kate suggested that she should call him and ask him if he would mind doing a photo shoot to follow up on the article for the school news paper.

The shoot went off great with Christian staying in Portland Oregon for a time being. Christian was to be a speaker at the graduation ceremony. It was on this second meeting that it was confirmed to Ana that there was defiantly something there between Christian and her. Even best friend Kate noticed the chemistry but they also both notice a dark and mysterious side to Christian. Ana became determined to know this man and find out what it really was that made him so different from every other man she ever met.

The truth is that everyone has secrets; some are darker than others and more sinister than others. Ana was about to be launched into a downward spiral that is Christian Grey’s dark side. She may or may not like what she finds when she gets there but she did have a choice. Her life became the dilemma of love the man and become a part of his darkness or move on and try to forget he ever existed. Just like touching the light in darkness the moth gets burned and the burns leave their marks on the delicate wings. She has a choice to make and he is waiting for the answer. This will be the hardest choice of her romantic life and it could cost her the only man she has ever known or loved.

2/5 First the positive, yes I enjoyed that this book was super sexy. Christian is a man worthy of dreaming of. I really enjoyed that most of this book is set in an area around me Portland Oregon. I loved that when places that were mentioned I knew where it was and had actually been there like The Heathman Hotel in Downtown Portland. Besides that it did have it’s hang ups though. Okay so on with the hang-ups. From here on out I will be completely frank because I know no other way but keep in mind my option is just one in a sea of endless reviews. Not everyone will see this book the same but this is just me being honest. First off I really do not think this book should be laid out as a romance or erotic romance this should be considered a genre of only erotica. I feel this way because one scene in particular where hot Christian asks Ana if she is on her period and Christian plucking it out for “her” so they could do it kind of falls across the line as erotica. Another hang up for me is the coincidence of the two main characters reminiscent of other famous series like Ana is a likeness to Bella in Twilight and Christian Grey is distinctly characteristic of the TV show “Nip Tuck” Christian Troy.  Nip Tuck is a now discontinued show that was on FX. For one the name Christian Grey versus Christian Troy there are so many more similarities like the constant discussion of the size of the men’s very large male member. The fact that both Christian’s share the same freakishness, arrogance, super rich, super hot, and just down right nastiness. It kind of made me wonder the whole time if it was just more than a coincidence.  I hate to say this but this book was like watching a train wreck it was bad and you just cannot help but stare at it.  I think this is the rare case where the movie will be better than the book. My curiosity has been appeased and I will not be reading the next to books

Amazon

~Lizzie~
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