Mailbox Monday

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll illustrated Camille Rose Garcia
'Down,
down,
down.
Would the fall never come to an end!'

Since its publication in 1865, Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has delighted the world with a wildly imaginative and unforgettable journey, inspiring children of all ages to suspend disbelief and follow Alice into her fantasy worlds. This new gift edition presents Carroll's tale fully unabridged with a unique visual interpretation by renowned artist Camille Rose Garcia.

A Scandalous Life The Biography of Jane Digby by Mary S. Lovell
The biography of Jane Digby, an ‘enthralling tale of a nineteenth-century beauty whose heart – and hormones – ruled her head.’ Harpers and Queen


A celebrated aristocratic beauty, Jane Digby married Lord Ellenborough at seventeen. Their divorce a few years later was one of England s most scandalous at that time. In her quest for passionate fulfilment she had lovers which included an Austrian prince, King Ludvig I of Bavaria, and a Greek count whose infidelities drove her to the Orient. In Syria, she found the love of her life, a Bedouin nobleman, Sheikh Medjuel el Mezrab who was twenty years her junior.

Bestselling biographer Mary Lovell has produced from Jane Digby’s diaries not only a sympathetic and dramatic portrait of a rare woman, but a fascinating glimpse into the centuries-old Bedouin tradition that is now almost lost.

The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Kimberly Cutter
It is the fifteenth century and the tumultuous Hundred Years War rages on. France is under siege, English soldiers tear through the countryside destroying all who cross their path, and Charles VII, the uncrowned king, has neither the strength nor the will to rally his army. And in the quiet of her parents’ garden in Lorraine, a peasant girl sees a spangle of light and hears a powerful voice speak her name. Jehanne.

The story of Jehanne d'Arc, the visionary and saint who believed she had been chosen by God, who led an army and saved her country, has captivated our imagination for centuries. But the story of Jeanne - the girl - whose sister was murdered by the English, who sought an escape from a violent father and a forced marriage, who taught herself to ride and fight, and who somehow found the courage and tenacity to convince first one, then two, then thousands to follow her, is at once thrilling, unexpected and heart-breaking. Rich with unspoken love and battlefield valor, The Maid is a novel about the power and uncertainty of faith, and the exhilarating and devastating consequences of fame.

The Queen's Rival by Diane Haeger
As the beautiful daughter of courtiers, Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount is overjoyed when she secures a position as maid of honor to Katherine of Aragon. But when she captures the attention of the king himself, there are whispers that the queen ought to be worried for her throne.

When Bess gives birth to a healthy son the whispers become a roar. But soon the infamous Boleyn girls come to court and Henry's love for her begins to fade. Now, Bess must turn to her trusted friend, the illegitimate son of Cardinal Wolsey, to help her move beyond life as the queen's rival...

The Queen's Bastard by Robin Maxwell
Historians have long whispered that Elizabeth "the Virgin Queen's" passionate, lifelong affair with Robin Dudley, Earl of Leicester, may have led to the birth of a son, Arthur Dudley. In this exquisite sequel to The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, Robin Maxwell fashions a stunning fictional account of the child switched at birth by a lady-in-waiting who foresaw the deleterious political consequences of a royal bastard.

Set against the sweeping, meticulously rendered backdrop of court intrigues, international scandals, and England's battle against the Spanish Armada, The Queen's Bastard deftly juxtaposes Elizabeth and Leicester's tumultuous relationship with the memoirs of the adventurous son lost to them -- yet ultimately discovered.~Lizzie~

The Jewel in the Crown of Cornwall: St Michael's Mount

St Michael's Mount is a top priority on my bucket list. I have found it to be one of the most interesting places in the world. I first became inthralled with this unique island castle when I read "The Pale Rose of England" by Sandra Worth. In Sandra's novel Catherine Gordon and her husband Richard Plantagent aka Perkin Warbeck take refuge there upon landing in England to try and regain her husbands disputed crown. What drew me into the mount was the causeway that leads to the formidable island castle. The causeway is man made of granite slabs that are only acessable during low tide. During high tide the causeway is underwater and uncrossible but the National Trust has a amphibious vehicle named 'St Michael' that can get you across or you can ferry a boat.

"Perched on top of a great granite crag, St Michael's Mount rises majestically out of the sea in Mount's Bay. St Michael's Mount is an island at high tide and a romantic sight. The island has a small harbour on its northern shore, with picturesque houses, shops and restaurants. The island is approached via a causeway at low tide, or by boats, which land in the harbour. The terraced gardens offer superb views across the bay to Penzance, Newlyn, Land's End and the Lizard Peninsula".

History of St Michael's Mount: The legend, "Step foot in a land where giants once walked. Legend says that a mythical giant named Cormoran once lived on the Mount, and he used to wade ashore and steal cows and sheep from the villagers to feed his gargantuan appetite. One night, a local boy called Jack rowed out to the island and dug a deep pit while the giant was asleep. As the sun rose, Jack blew a horn to wake the angry giant who staggered down from the summit and – blinded by the sunlight – fell into the pit and died".

For more on the Mount's history.

Current history of the maintenance and up keep: "In 1954, Francis St Aubyn – the third Lord St Levan – gave most of St Michael's Mount to the National Trust, along with a large endowment fund for its upkeep. He retained a 999-year lease for the family to live in the castle and a licence to show the historical rooms to the visiting public. While the National Trust now ensures the preservation and conservation of the Mount, the St Aubyn family continue to live on and manage the island, as they have done since the middle of the 17th century".

For more on St. Michael's Mount check out these interesting sites:

St Michael's Mount official site
National Trust Visitors Information: St Michael's Mount 
Check it out on Google Maps
Wikipedia

The Pale Rose of England by Sandra Worth 

"From the award-winning author of The King's Daughter comes 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 thundered across Europe, setting royal houses ablaze with intrigue and rocking the fledgling Tudor dynasty. Stepping finally onto English soil, Catherine arrives at the island of Saint Michael’s Mount, along with her husband and young son Dickon, their second child already on the way. With the keen support of Scotland’s King James IV, Richard—known in England as Perkin Warbeck—has come to reclaim his rightful crown from Henry Tudor. Based on a prophecy given Catherine by a seer that she would be loved by a king, she has no doubt Richard will succeed in his quest. But rather than assuming the throne she believed was their destiny, Catherine would soon be prisoner of King Henry VII, and her beloved husband would, unimaginably, be stamped as an imposter.

Nothing could shake Catherine’s belief in Richard and her loyalty to the man she loved. She became a favored lady-in-waiting to the queen, Elizabeth of York, but her dazzling beauty only brought her unwanted affections from a jealous king and enmeshed her in a terrifying royal love triangle. With her husband facing execution for treason, Catherine, alone in the glittering but deadly Tudor Court, finds the courage to spurn a cruel monarch and shape her own destiny, winning the admiration of a nation".

~LIZZIE~

Hot Historical Fiction February 2014

2.11.2014
Girl on the Golden Coin: A Novel of Frances Stuart by Marci Jefferson
Impoverished and exiled to the French countryside after the overthrow of the English Crown, Frances Stuart survives merely by her blood-relation to the Stuart Royals. But in 1660, the Restoration of Stuart Monarchy in England returns her family to favor. Frances discards threadbare gowns and springs to gilded Fontainebleau Palace, where she soon catches King Louis XIV’s eye. But Frances is no ordinary court beauty, she has Stuart secrets to keep and people to protect. The king turns vengeful when she rejects his offer to become his Official Mistress. He banishes her to England with orders to seduce King Charles II and stop a war.

Armed in pearls and silk, Frances maneuvers through the political turbulence of Whitehall Palace, but still can’t afford to stir a scandal. Her tactic to inspire King Charles to greatness captivates him. He believes her love can make him an honest man and even chooses Frances to pose as Britannia for England’s coins. Frances survives the Great Fire, the Great Plague, and the debauchery of the Restoration Court, yet loses her heart to the very king she must control. Until she is forced to choose between love or war.

On the eve of England’s Glorious Revolution, James II forces Frances to decide whether to remain loyal to her Stuart heritage or, like England, make her stand for Liberty. Her portrait as Britannia is minted on every copper coin. There she remains for generations, an enduring symbol of Britain’s independent spirit and her own struggle for freedom.

2.11.2014

The Queen's Bed by Anna Whitelock

Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558, restoring the Protestant faith to England. At the heart of the new queen’s court lay Elizabeth’s bedchamber, closely guarded by the favoured women who helped her dress, looked after her jewels and shared her bed.

Elizabeth’s private life was of public, political concern. Her bedfellows were witnesses to the face and body beneath the make-up and elaborate clothes, as well as to rumoured illicit dalliances with such figures as Robert Dudley. Their presence was for security as well as propriety, as the kingdom was haunted by fears of assassination plots and other Catholic subterfuge. For such was the significance of the queen’s body: it represented the very state itself.

This riveting, revealing history of the politics of intimacy uncovers the feminized world of the Elizabethan court. Between the scandal and intrigue the women who attended the queen were the guardians of the truth about her health, chastity and fertility. Their stories offer extraordinary insight into the daily life of the Elizabethans, the fragility of royal favour and the price of disloyalty.

2.11.2014
The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki 
A riveting historical novel about Peggy Shippen Arnold, the cunning wife of Benedict Arnold and mastermind behind America’s most infamous act of treason . . .

Everyone knows Benedict Arnold—the Revolutionary War general who betrayed America and fled to the British—as history’s most notorious turncoat. Many know Arnold’s co-conspirator, Major John André, who was apprehended with Arnold’s documents in his boots and hanged at the orders of General George Washington. But few know of the integral third character in the plot: a charming young woman who not only contributed to the betrayal but orchestrated it.

Socialite Peggy Shippen is half Benedict Arnold’s age when she seduces the war hero during his stint as military commander of Philadelphia. Blinded by his young bride’s beauty and wit, Arnold does not realize that she harbors a secret: loyalty to the British. Nor does he know that she hides a past romance with the handsome British spy John André. Peggy watches as her husband, crippled from battle wounds and in debt from years of service to the colonies, grows ever more disillusioned with his hero, Washington, and the American cause. Together with her former love and her disaffected husband, Peggy hatches the plot to deliver West Point to the British and, in exchange, win fame and fortune for herself and Arnold.

Told from the perspective of Peggy’s maid, whose faith in the new nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress’s affairs even when it could cost her everything, The Traitor’s Wife brings these infamous figures to life, illuminating the sordid details and the love triangle that nearly destroyed the American fight for freedom.

2.18.2014
A Burnable Book by Bruce Holsinger
In Chaucer’s London, betrayal, murder and intrigue swirl around the existence of a prophetic book that foretells the deaths of England’s kings. A Burnable Book is an irresistible thriller, reminiscent of classics like An Instance of the Fingerpost, The Name of the Rose and The Crimson Petal and the White.

London, 1385. Surrounded by ruthless courtiers—including his powerful uncle, John of Gaunt, and Gaunt’s flamboyant mistress, Katherine Swynford—England’s young, still untested king, Richard II, is in mortal peril, and the danger is only beginning. Songs are heard across London—catchy verses said to originate from an
ancient book that prophesies the end of England’s kings—and among the book’s predictions is Richard’s assassination. Only a few powerful men know that the cryptic lines derive from a “burnable book,” a seditious work that threatens the stability of the realm. To find the manuscript, wily bureaucrat Geoffrey Chaucer turns to fellow poet John Gower, a professional trader in information with connections high and low.

Gower discovers that the book and incriminating evidence about its author have fallen into the unwitting hands of innocents, who will be drawn into a labyrinthine conspiracy that reaches from the king’s court to London’s slums and stews--and potentially implicates his own son. As the intrigue deepens, it becomes clear that Gower, a man with secrets of his own, may be the last hope to save a king from a terrible fate.

Medieval scholar Bruce Holsinger draws on his vast knowledge of the period to add colorful, authentic detail—on everything from poetry and bookbinding to court intrigues and brothels—to this highly entertaining and brilliantly constructed epic literary mystery that brings medieval England gloriously to life. 

2.18.2014
The Museum of Extraordinary Things: A Novel by Alice Hoffman
Mesmerizing and illuminating, Alice Hoffman &The Museum of Extraordinary Things is the story of an electric and impassioned love between two vastly different souls in New York during the volatile first decades of the twentieth century.

Coralie Sardie is the daughter of the sinister impresario behind The Museum of Extraordinary Things, a Coney Island boardwalk freak show that thrills the masses. An exceptional swimmer, Coralie appears as the Mermaid in her father's museum; alongside performers like the Wolfman, the Butterfly Girl, and a one-hundred-year-old turtle. One night Coralie stumbles upon a striking young man taking pictures of moonlit trees in the woods off the Hudson River.

The dashing photographer is Eddie Cohen, a Russian immigrant who has run away from his fathers Lower East Side Orthodox community and his job as a tailors apprentice. When Eddie photographs the devastation on the streets of New York following the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, he becomes embroiled in the suspicious mystery behind a young woman's disappearance and ignites the heart of Coralie.

With its colorful crowds of bootleggers, heiresses, thugs, and idealists, New York itself becomes a riveting character as Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a sizzling, tender, and moving story of young love in tumultuous times. The Museum of Extraordinary Things is Alice Hoffman at her most spellbinding.

2.25.2014
The Boleyn Bride by Brandy Purdy
From carefree young woman to disillusioned bride, the dazzling lady who would become mother and grandmother to two of history's most infamous queens, has a fascinating story all her own. . .

At sixteen, Elizabeth Howard envisions a glorious life for herself as lady-in-waiting to the future queen, Catherine of Aragon. But when she is forced to marry Thomas Boleyn, a wealthy commoner, Elizabeth is left to stagnate in the countryside while her detested husband pursues his ambitions. There, she raises golden girl Mary, moody George, and ugly duckling Anne—while staving off boredom with a string of admirers. Until Henry VIII takes the throne. . .

When Thomas finally brings his highborn wife to London, Elizabeth indulges in lavish diversions and dalliances—and catches the lusty king's eye. But those who enjoy Henry's fickle favor must also guard against his wrath. For while her husband's machinations bring Elizabeth and her children to the pinnacle of power, the distance to the scaffold is but a short one—and the Boleyn family's fortune may be turning. . .

2.25.2014
The Daring Ladies of Lowell: A Novel by Kate Alcott
From the best-selling author of The Dressmaker comes the warm-hearted and enthralling saga of a bold young woman caught between two worlds-the vibrant camaraderie of factory life and the opulence that a budding romance with the mill owner's son affords-as the murder of her best friend sends shock waves throughout the town.

Determined to forge her own destiny, Alice Barrow joins the legions of spirited young women better known as the Mill Girls. From dawn until dusk, these ladies work the looms, but the thrill of independence, change in their pockets, and friendships formed along the way mostly make the backbreaking labor worthwhile. In fact, Hiram Fiske, the steely-eyed titan of industry, has banked on that. But the working conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous and after one too many accidents, Alice finds herself unexpectedly acting as an emissary to address the factory workers' mounting list of grievances.

After traveling to the Fiske family's Beacon Hill mansion, Alice enters a world she's never even dared to dream about: exquisite silk gowns, sumptuous dinners, grand sitting parlors, and uniformed maids operating with an invisible efficiency. Of course, there's also a chilliness in the air as Alice presents her case. But with her wide, intelligent eyes and rosy-hued cheeks, Alice manages to capture the attention of Hiram's eldest son, the handsome and reserved Samuel Fiske.

Their chemistry is undeniable, soon progressing from mutual respect and shy flirtation into an unforgettable romance. But when Alice's best friend, Lovey, is found strangled in a field, Alice and Samuel are torn between loyalty to "their kind" and a chance for true love.

2.25.2014
The Harem Midwife by Roberta Rich
Hannah and Isaac return in this opulent, riveting, and suspenseful tale--a continuation of the hugely successful Midwife of Venice.
The Imperial Harem, Constantinople, 1579
Hannah and Isaac Levi, Venetians in exile, have set up a new life for themselves in Constantinople. Isaac runs a newly established business in the growing silk trade, while Hannah, the best midwife in all of Constantinople, plies her trade within the opulent palace of Sultan Murat III, tending to the thousand women of his lively and infamous harem. But one night, when Hannah is unexpectedly summoned to the palace, she's confronted with Zofia, a poor Jewish peasant girl who has been abducted and sold into the sultan's harem. The sultan favours her as his next conquest and wants her to produce his heir, but the girl just wants to return to her home and the only life she has ever known. What will Hannah do? Will she risk her life and livelihood to protect this young girl, or will she retain her high esteem in the eye of the sultan?
An adventurous, opulent and deliciously exciting read, peopled with fascinating, unforgettable characters (a court eunuch; the calculating sultan's mother-in-law; the beguiling harem ladies; and a very mysterious young beauty from Venice who shows up on Hannah's doorstep causing much havoc), this novel is sure to please fans of The Midwife of Venice and extend Roberta's reputation as one of Canada's most loved historical fiction authors

2.27.2014
Blood Royal by Eric Jager
A riveting true story of murder and detection in 15th-century Paris, by one of the most brilliant medievalists of his generation.

On a chilly November night in 1407, Louis of Orleans was murdered by a band of masked men. The crime stunned and paralyzed France since Louis had often ruled in place of his brother King Charles, who had gone mad. As panic seized Paris, an investigation began. In charge was the Provost of Paris, Guillaume de Tignonville, the city's chief law enforcement officer--and one of history's first detectives. As de Tignonville began to investigate, he realized that his hunt for the truth was much more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.

A rich portrait of a distant world, BLOOD ROYAL is a gripping story of conspiracy, crime and an increasingly desperate hunt for the truth. And in Guillaume de Tignonville, we have an unforgettable detective for the ages, a classic gumshoe for a cobblestoned era.
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday: Christine Trent

Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent
"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…"

More From Christine Trent, 

The Queen's Dollmaker

A Royal Likeness

By the King's Design

Lady of The Ashes mystery series:

Lady of Ashes

Stolen Remains by Christine Trent releases 10.28.2014

A Virtuous Death by Christine Trent releases 10.28.2014

~Lizzie~

Hot Historical Fiction January 2014

1.7.2014
The Lion and the Rose (The Borgias, #2) by Kate Quinn
"From the national bestselling author of The Serpent and the Pearl comes the continuing saga of the ruthless family that holds all of Rome in its grasp, and the three outsiders thrust into their twisted web of blood and deceit . . .
As the cherished concubine of the Borgia Pope Alexander VI, Giulia Farnese has Rome at her feet. But after narrowly escaping a sinister captor, she realizes that the danger she faces is far from over—and now, it threatens from within. The Holy City of Rome is still under Alexander’s thrall, but enemies of the Borgias are starting to circle. In need of trusted allies, Giulia turns to her sharp-tongued bodyguard, Leonello, and her fiery cook and confidante, Carmelina.

Caught in the deadly world of the Renaissance’s most notorious family, Giulia, Leonello, and Carmelina must decide if they will flee the dangerous dream of power. But as the shadows of murder and corruption rise through the Vatican, they must learn who to trust when every face wears a mask . . ."

1.14.2014
House of Bathory by Linda Lafferty
"In the early 1600s, Elizabeth Báthory, the infamous Blood Countess, ruled Čachtice Castle in the hinterlands of Slovakia. During bizarre nightly rites, she tortured and killed the young women she had taken on as servants. A devil, a demon, the terror of Royal Hungary—she bathed in their blood to preserve her own youth.400 years later, echoes of the Countess’s legendary brutality reach Aspen, Colorado. Betsy Path, a psychoanalyst of uncommon intuition, has a breakthrough with sullen teenager Daisy Hart. Together, they are haunted by the past, as they struggle to understand its imprint upon the present. Betsy and her troubled but perceptive patient learn the truth: the curse of the House of Bathory lives still and has the power to do evil even now.

The story, brimming with palace intrigue, memorable characters intimately realized, and a wealth of evocative detail, travels back and forth between the familiar, modern world and a seventeenth-century Eastern Europe brought startlingly to life.

Inspired by the actual crimes of Elizabeth Báthory, The House of Bathory is another thrilling historical fiction from Linda Lafferty (The Bloodletter’s Daughter and The Drowning Guard). The novel carries readers along with suspense and the sweep of historical events both repellent and fascinating".

1.21.2014
Butterfly Palace by Colleen Coble
"Lilly secures a job as lady's maid in a grand manor in Austin, Texas. But even far from home, her past lurks around every corner.
When Lilly Donnelly arrives at the Cutlers' famed Butterfly Mansion in 1899, the massive house and unfamiliar duties threaten to overwhelm her. Victorian Austin is lavish, highly political, and intimidating, but with the help of the other servants, Lilly resolves to prove herself to her new employers.

Then, while serving at an elegant dinner party, Lilly recognizes one distinguished guest as Andrew, the love of her life, who abandoned her without a word back home. He seems to have assumed a new identity and refuses to acknowledge her, leaving her confused and reeling.

Before Lilly can absorb this unwelcome news, she's attacked. Could it be the sinister Servant Girl Killer who has been terrorizing Austin? Or is it someone after something more personal--someone from her past?

Does she dare trust Andrew to help or is he part of the danger threatening to draw Lilly into its vortex"?

1.21.2014
The Queen's Dwarf by Ella March Chase
"It's 1629, and King Charles I and his French queen Henrietta-Maria have reigned in England for less than three years. Young dwarf Jeffrey Hudson is swept away from a village shambles and plunged into the Stuart court when his father sells him to the most hated man in England--the Duke of Buckingham.
Buckingham trains Jeffrey to be his spy in the household of Charles' seventeen-year-old bride, hoping to gain intelligence that will help him undermine the vivacious queen's influence with the king. Desperately homesick in a country that hates her for her nationality and Catholic faith, Henrietta-Maria surrounds herself with her "Royal Menagerie of Freaks and Curiosities of Nature"--a "collection" consisting of a giant, two other dwarves, a rope dancer, an acrobat/animal trainer and now Jeffrey, who is dubbed "Lord Minimus."

Dropped into this family of misfits, Jeffrey must negotiate a labyrinth of court intrigue and his own increasingly divided loyalties. For not even the plotting of the Duke nor the dangers of a tumultuous kingdom can order the heart of a man. Though he is only eighteen inches tall, Jeffrey Hudson's love will reach far beyond his grasp--to the queen he has been sent to destroy.

Full of vibrant period detail and with shades of Gregory Maguire's Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and Philippa Gregory's The Queen's Fool, The Queen's Dwarf is a rich, thrilling and evocative portrait of an intriguing era".

1.28.2014
Ravenscliffe by Jane Sanderson
"For fans of Downton Abbey . . . The peaceful beauty of the English countryside belies the turmoil of forbidden love and the apprehension of a changing world for the families of Netherwood

Yorkshire, 1904. On Netherwood Common, Russian émigré Anna Rabinovich shows her dear friend Eve Williams a gracious Victorian villa—Ravenscliffe—the house Anna wants them to live in. There's a garden and a yard and room enough for their children to play and grow.

Something about the house speaks to Anna, and you should listen to a house, she believes...Ravenscliffe holds the promise of happiness.

Across the square, Clarissa and her husband, the Earl of Netherwood, are preparing for King Edward's visit. Clarissa is determined to have everything in top shape at Netherwood Hall—in spite of the indolent heir to the estate, Tobias, and his American bride—and much of it depends on the work going on downstairs as the loyal servants strive to preserve the noble family's dignity and reputation.

As Anna restores Ravenscliffe to its full grandeur, she strikes up a relationship with hardworking Amos Sykes—who proposed to Eve just one year ago.

But when Eve's long-lost brother Silas turns up in their close-knit mining community, cracks begin to appear in even the strongest friendships.

As change comes to the small town and society at large, the residents of Netherwood must find their footing or lose their place altogether".

1.28.2014
The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress by Ariel Lawhon
"A tantalizing reimagining of a scandalous mystery that rocked the nation in 1930-Justice Joseph Crater's infamous disappearance-as seen through the eyes of the three women who knew him best.
They say behind every great man, there's a woman. In this case, there are three. Stella Crater, the judge's wife, is the picture of propriety draped in long pearls and the latest Chanel. Ritzi, a leggy showgirl with Broadway aspirations, thinks moonlighting in the judge's bed is the quickest way off the chorus line. Maria Simon, the dutiful maid, has the judge to thank for her husband's recent promotion to detective in the NYPD. Meanwhile, Crater is equally indebted to Tammany Hall leaders and the city's most notorious gangster, Owney "The Killer" Madden.

On a sultry summer night, as rumors circulate about the judge's involvement in wide-scale political corruption, the Honorable Joseph Crater steps into a cab and disappears without a trace. Or does he?

After 39 years of necessary duplicity, Stella Crater is finally ready to reveal what she knows. Sliding into a plush leather banquette at Club Abbey, the site of many absinthe-soaked affairs and the judge's favorite watering hole back in the day, Stella orders two whiskeys on the rocks-one for her and one in honor of her missing husband. Stirring the ice cubes in the lowball glass, Stella begins to tell a tale-of greed, lust, and deceit. As the novel unfolds and the women slyly break out of their prescribed roles, it becomes clear that each knows more than she has initially let on.

With a layered intensity and prose as effervescent as the bubbly that flows every night, The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress is a wickedly entertaining historical mystery that will transport readers to a bygone era with tipsy spins through subterranean jazz clubs and backstage dressing rooms. But beneath the Art Deco skyline and amid the intoxicating smell of smoke and whiskey, the question of why Judge Crater disappeared lingers seductively until a twist in the very last pages".

1.28.2014
The Ghost of the Mary Celeste by Valerie Martin
"In 1872 the American merchant vessel Mary Celeste was discovered adrift off the coast of Spain. Her cargo was intact and there was no sign of struggle, but the crew was gone. They were never found.
This maritime mystery lies at the center of an intricate narrative branching through the highest levels of late-nineteenth-century literary society. While on a voyage to Africa, a rather hard-up and unproven young writer named Arthur Conan Doyle hears of the Mary Celeste and decides to write an outlandish short story about what took place. This story causes quite a sensation back in the United States, particularly between sought-after Philadelphia spiritualist medium Violet Petra and a rational-minded journalist named Phoebe Grant, who is seeking to expose Petra as a fraud. Then there is the family of the Mary Celeste's captain, a family linked to the sea for generations and marked repeatedly by tragedy. Each member of this ensemble cast holds a critical piece to the puzzle of the Mary Celeste.

These three elements—a ship found sailing without a crew, a famous writer on the verge of enormous success, and the rise of an unorthodox and heretical religious fervor—converge in unexpected ways, in diaries, in letters, in safe harbors and rough seas. In a haunted, death-obsessed age, a ghost ship appearing in the mist is by turns a provocative mystery, an inspiration to creativity, and a tragic story of the disappearance of a family and of a bond between husband and wife that, for one moment, transcends the impenetrable barrier of death".
~Lizzie~

Celebrate DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE with authour Stephanie Dray

Daughters of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

"Based on the true story of Cleopatra’s daughter…

After years of abuse as the emperor’s captive in Rome, Cleopatra Selene has found a safe harbor. No longer the pitiful orphaned daughter of the despised Egyptian Whore, the twenty year old is now the most powerful queen in the empire, ruling over the kingdom of Mauretania—an exotic land of enchanting possibility where she intends to revive her dynasty.

With her husband, King Juba II and the magic of Isis that is her birthright, Selene brings prosperity and peace to a kingdom thirsty for both. But when Augustus Caesar jealously demands that Selene’s children be given over to him to be fostered in Rome, she’s drawn back into the web of imperial plots and intrigues that she vowed to leave behind.

Determined and resourceful, Selene must shield her loved ones from the emperor’s wrath, all while vying with ruthless rivals like King Herod. Can she find a way to overcome the threat to her marriage, her kingdom, her family, and her faith? Or will she be the last of her line"?


"In commemoration of the opening of the Ara Pacis on January 30, 9 BC and in celebration of Daughters of the Nile, I'm hosting a mega-event for history and book lovers to talk about ancient Rome, Augustus, and win goodies just for showing up from some of the genre's hottest authors.

Stephanie Dray 12pm-10pm

Jeannie Lin at 12pm

M.m. Bennetts at 12:30pm

Kate Quinn at 1pm

Erika Shephard Robuck at 1:15pm

Heather Webb at 1:30pm

Vicky Alvear Shecter at 1:45pm

J.F. Ridgley at 2pm

Kristina McMorris at 2:15pm

Donna Russo Morin at 3pm

Amy Phillips Bruno at 3:30pm

Eliza Knight at 4pm

Gillian Bagwell at 4:15pm

Sophie Perinot at 4:30pm

Kathryn Kimball Johnson (aka Mary Hart Perry) at 5pm

Audra Friend at 6pm

Helen Hollick at 6:15pm

Alma Katsu at 7pm

Roberta Oliver Trahan at 8pm

Marci McGuire Jefferson at 8:15pm

Stephanie Thornton at 8:30pm

Stephanie Cowell at 9pm

Sabrina Darby at 9:45pm

To participate, just join the event now, and pop intomorrow at your convenience.

Also Stephanie will be signing books at Turn the Page bookstore in Boonsboro, Maryland this February 15th, 12-2pm. People come out from all over the country for this particular signing, so if you're in the area, you've got no excuse not to come on out and join the fun!

~LIZZIE~

GRAMMARLY the ONLY editor you will ever need

Hey all I had to share this new website I got to try. It is an editor that is kind of like Word but a million times better. I will be the first to admit that I have a track record of bad grammar. I swear I try to not go there but what is a girl to do when Word just is not enough? Word gives you no explanation and misses common issues. When I started using Grammarly I noticed right off the bat there is a button to scan for the dreaded plagiarism! I used Grammarly's plagiarism check because I always have this nagging feeling that I am saying the same things over and over. What if I was copying myself? The plagiarism button checked the web and compares your document to text on the internet to see if there is anything else like it out there. If it finds something, it gives you the site link to view it.  I was please to see that there was a similar one detected, but it was not mine. The link it pulled up was so distantly related it really was not the same as my review, but it was nice to know. 

To start you pick your different paper type like general, business, academic, technical, creative,  and casual. Then you hit the review button and a report covers your document and editing categories appear like citation audit, use of articles, use of adjectives and adverbs, comparing two or more things, verb form use, wordiness, passive voice use, and commonly confused words. My second favorite feature is the synonyms button. It loads the text with underlines on all major words then if you click a word a pop up window shows up and you can change your word with choices like a thesaurus.

When you are all done editing you can do a report and save it as a pdf to your desktop or you can go over its sections like plagiarism, contextual spelling check, grammar, punctuation, style and word choice. When I used my most recent book review to practice on I was shocked by how many grammatical errors I had. I think to start it had at least 40 errors. I re-edited my review then I uploaded the new review, and it is so much better than before. Thank you Grammarly for letting me try it out I love that it actually gives a real explanation for us grammar dummies.

More on Grammarly
"You can now use Grammarly on your computer
s well! Grammarly for Desktop includes MS Office™ integration and other features. As a Grammarly member, you will have FREE access to Grammarly Answers - ask any English grammar or usage-related question and get free advice from Grammarly experts".

FTC-this is a sponsored advertisement.

~Lizzie~

Book Review: ROYAL SISTERS by Jean Plaidy

Revolution was in the air, and the new King James II was about to be the victim of his own ignorance. England made a call for “no popery” yet James refused to hear the wishes of the people of England.  James was firm in his Catholic beliefs, and he would bring about his own destruction. England demanded a Protestant ruler, and they cried for James' Protestant daughter Mary. Mary and her husband the “Protestant usurper” William of Orange was invited by the people of England to rule in place of her father. William greedily accepted but only after he made one condition on his wife. William would be co ruler with Mary because his ego would never let him tolerate being merely a royal consort.

James daughters betrayed him for the crown, and he was forced to flee with a broken heart. James was a good father. He loved his girls even in a time when male children were favored. He doted on his girls particularly Mary. Upon Mary’s coronation, she received a scathing letter from her father cursing her for taking the crown from him.  Mary still went on with the coronation, and since she was never blessed with a child her sister Anne was proclaimed heir. William and Mary’s reign began with turbulence, and their reign was not a free loving one like her uncle Charles II. England hated William; he was cold and never did anything fun. Worse yet he was severe to not only Mary but also everyone else around him. Just like in the previous novel, William continued to ill-treat Mary with his cruel uses.

Sadly the sisters had a falling out not long into Mary’s reign. Childhood friend Sarah Churchill was the source of this falling out. Mary did not like Sarah, and she also was clever enough to see that Sarah Churchill directed the Princess Anne in all things. Mary became determined not to let Sarah Churchill arise any farther than she already had. Anne was determined not to lose her long time best friend and moved from the palace cutting off all communication with her queenly sister. At that point, the only thing the two sisters shared was the love of Anne’s only surviving child, the little Duke of Gloucester.

The “little Duke” was the little treasure of the family and oh how he twinkled. The whole family doted on the boy and were in perpetual worry about his health because his “head was abnormally large”. It was said that he had water on the brain, and he hardly walked without the aid of others. As the little Duke grew he became a “serious soldier”. The Princess gave her son his own “soldiers”; imagine ninety little nine-year-old boys in uniform under the little Duke’s command. These good times for the royal family were eventually marred by the bad, and it seemed there would be no peace for any of the Stuart's unless it was in the grave.

4/5 I enjoyed this one, but there were too many people to hate in it. William of Orange I have already established my dislike for him, but the overwhelming Sarah Churchill reared her ugly head. She has taken William’s place as my most hated person during this period. I unquestionably loved the little Duke and his “army of men” they were so bad and funny all at the same time. I even found myself laughing out loud at his antics. Jean Plaidy is highly recommended here. This novel is one you have to read just to read about Gloucester because he made this novel great.

FTC-this novel is from my personal collection

PG-13 some violence

Amazon
"Royal Sisters" by Jean Plaidy
The Stuart Saga by Jean Plaidy
~LIZZIE~

Send the Seal Contest: Diana Gabaldon

Fresh from Diana Gabaldon's newsletter:

"Dear Outlander fans,
Have you Sent the Seal yet? Send an excerpt of OUTLANDER to your friends on Facebook and unlock the first chapter of WRITTEN IN MY OWN HEARTS BLOOD. You'll also be entered for a chance to win a flyaway to meet Diana Gabaldon herself, get a sneak peek at the new STARZ TV show, and hang out with other OUTLANDER fanatics. Also, tell all your friends that OUTLANDER is only $1.99 in eBook for a limited time. So what are you waiting for? Send the Seal today"!

Amazon 

Diana Gabaldon

~Lizzie~

Book Review: THE THREE CROWNS by Jean Plaidy

In Post-Restoration England Princess Mary was the favorite niece of King Charles II. Her father James the Duke of York heir apparent doted on his favorite daughter. Her uncle Charles sadly had no legitimate male heirs making Mary’s father next in line for the throne and her second if her father had no male heirs. Mary’s parents married for love and besides her fathers affairs with numerous mistresses her childhood was a happy one. Mary’s younger sister Anne and her grew up in a close family. Both girls had it all, beauty, titles, wealth, family, education, and good health except for bad eyes, they were all very happy together. Mary was a daydreamer and she knew she had an ideal life; she was a beauty at court that was petted and loved by her father, uncle, and handsome illegitimate cousin Duke of Monmouth. She could have gone on living that way forever and been happy. She had never really given any thought to marriage or the fact that princesses were normally married off for the political gain of their country. Princesses were political bargaining chips and all of that went completely over Mary’s head. She never thought she would be subject to the same fate as most before her.

When Mary was 15 Charles decided it was time for Mary to be married and it had to be a Protestant bridegroom for Mary. Mary and her sister had been raised in the Church of England and since her father had converted to being a Catholic and re-married a Catholic woman; Charles concluded Mary had to marry a protestant for a few reasons. One reason was to please the people of England because there was unrest all over England about the heir apparent being Catholic. The second reason was King Charles needed Holland on his side and the prince of Orange (his nephew) had already met Mary and wanted her for his wife. The deal was sealed even though her father was forced to submit to the marriage he never wanted for his daughter.

Poor Mary her whole life fell apart the moment she was told she was to marry the Prince of Orange. William was ugly, rude, reserved, and could not be more opposite from Mary’s sunny disposition. She sobbed all the way to the wedding vows and William would never forgive her rejection of him. William was emotionally abusive and over the years he degraded her yet he constantly kept his eye on his one true ambition, the three crowns of England. The only thing in William’s way was James Duke of York his own father in-law. Pit between father and husband Mary must choose between the love of a father or the love and approval of her husband.

4/5 I liked this one but it really got old that William just heaped abuse upon abuse on Mary. I wanted to kill him yet I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book “Royal Sisters” because it really cut off at the ending.

PG 13 for slight sexual reference.
FTC this novel is from my personal collection.
Amazon
"The Three Crowns" by Jean Plaidy
The Stuart Saga by Jean Plaidy
~Lizzie~

Book Review: THE MURDER IN THE TOWER by Jean Plaidy

Robert Carr fell from his horse in front of King James I and became his longtime favorite from that day on. Handsome as he was he was not very bright yet James was very forgiving of his faults. With help from an old friend working as his secretary Robert became the most powerful man at court for decades. He had never really given too much thought about relationships with women until he crossed paths with Frances Howard.

Frances Howard was rotten even as a child. She was cruel to her servants and was used to getting her way. Her uncle and parents made her a child bride; she was married at court then sent back home for a while to “grow up”. Regret sank in while her husband studied abroad. She wanted to return to court and eventually she was allowed to return. Frances was the type of woman that knew she was beautiful and used it as a weapon. She would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. At that moment Frances wanted to be free. She was married to one man but that did not stop Frances from falling madly in love with the only man at court that could compete with her beauty the kings long standing favorite Robert Carr.

She set her hopes high on Robert yet he was only half warm towards her. Robert was a man that did not want conflict in his life and avoided it whenever he could. Francis wanted the one thing she should not have. She wanted to be married to Robert even though she belonged to another. To keep the man she loved and get rid of the one she did not want, Frances would go to any means to get what she wanted. She would let no one stand in the way of what she wanted but could she be capable of murder?

5/5 Plaidy, Plaidy, Plaidy we all love Plaidy. I enjoyed this novel but found so hard not to hate Frances with every fiber of my being. I feel like Robert got all tangled up in a black widows web of deceit and paid the ultimate price. I am bound and determined to finish Plaidy’s Stuart Saga and I am elated that I can finally do it. I would highly recommend this novel because Plaidy novels are always perfectly blended historical fiction novel. Plaidy just makes sense of everything historical fiction and I cannot recommend her more highly.

PG-13 Sexual reference and violence.
FTC-This novel is from my personal collection.

Amazon

The Murder in the Tower" by Jean Plaidy
The Stuart Saga by Jean Plaidy
~Lizzie~

Book Review: THE KING'S DAUGHTER by Christie Dickason

Elizabeth Stuart daughter of king James I of England was born in Scotland. She eventually moved to England when her father became King of England upon Elizabeth I’s death. Elizabeth had a very sheltered childhood. Her father was adamant that she would not have any knowledge of the court’s happenings. He even went so far as to make sure she was not educated too much because he believed educated women were trouble. Even though her father forbade her many things including a loving mother, Elizabeth gathered court information from her beloved older brother Henry Prince of Wales.

Henry and Elizabeth were thick as thieves because their mother was not exactly all there and James was abrasive to say the least. That made their relationship solid but with their parents it was very awkward. The siblings literally had no relationship with their mother Queen Anne of Denmark and their relationship with James was brutal. James was cold, calculating, and hardly missed a beat. His children were terrified of the things he did. In the political world James wanted to play peacemaker in the courts abroad. To appease all fractions James promised one child would marry Catholic and the other Protestant. As Elizabeth came of age her list of suitors was long and always changing, which made it very hard for her to gather information about who was on the list. She was literally in the about any negotiations until a new unlikely friend was forced upon her.

This new friend showed up after Elizabeth had a disastrous reunion with her mother after she arrived in England. Her mother had treated her strangely. She was shown no love and later her mother gifted her a peculiar gift of a human being flesh and blood. Her name was Tallie and she showed up unannounced and had put Elizabeth on edge because she really had no idea what to do with the gift of a person. Tallie was a slave and had dark ebony skin yet it was not the color of her skin that made Elizabeth uneasy. Elizabeth did not care much for appearances she wanted the one thing no one else would give her, the truth. Elizabeth's “herd” of ladies were never completely honest with her and she knew it. Elizabeth became friends with Tallie because they made a pact that they would always be honest with each other. After the ground rules were established for their new friendship the two conspired together on gathering information on the ever-changing court objectives of the moment. Top on the courts priority list was finding a suitable suitor for Elizabeth.

Tallie would do anything for Elizabeth and Elizabeth the same because no one else ever seemed to care about the two girls except for Prince Henry. Henry was Elizabeth’s everything and he wanted to make sure Elizabeth married well. He genuinely wanted his sister to be happy. There were new suitors being added to the list daily for her hand. Then there was one suitor that the siblings became immediately smitten with, Frederick Elector of the Palatine. When he arrived in England Elizabeth immediately knew he was meant for her heart and soul. But in a tragic turn of events Elizabeth could loose the man she never had and the best friend she never asked for. She had to be brave and take her future into her own hands or loose everything she held so dear to her heart.

4/5 Light, fun read some might find this a “fluffy” novel. I enjoyed it and that is all that really matters in the end. I have not read much on James I’s court, which is a problem I am quickly working to rectify. I have a feeling this novel was more on the dramatic side of the historical fiction spectrum so if accuracy is your thing this might not be your cup of tea. I would recommend this novel to newbies of James I’s court and Elizabeth Stuart.

R-Rating for sexual reference
FTC- this novel is from my personal collection.
Amazon 
The King's Daughter by Christie Dickason
~Lizzie~