New Release: Victoria: A Life by A.N. Wilson

Victoria: A Life by A. N. Wilson
Released October 10.23.2014 ~ Non-Fiction

"When Queen Victoria died in 1901, she had ruled for nearly sixty-four years. She was a mother of nine and grandmother of forty-two and the matriarch of royal Europe through her children’s marriages. To many, Queen Victoria is a ruler shrouded in myth and mystique, an aging, stiff widow paraded as the figurehead to an all-male imperial enterprise. But in truth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was one of the most passionate, expressive, humorous and unconventional women who ever lived, and the story of her life continues to fascinate.
A. N. Wilson’s exhaustively researched and definitive biography includes a wealth of new material from previously unseen sources to show us Queen Victoria as she’s never been seen before. Wilson explores the curious set of circumstances that led to Victoria’s coronation, her strange and isolated childhood, her passionate marriage to Prince Albert and his pivotal influence even after death and her widowhood and subsequent intimate friendship with her Highland servant John Brown, all set against the backdrop of this momentous epoch in Britain’s history—and the world’s.

Born at the very moment of the expansion of British political and commercial power across the globe, Victoria went on to chart a unique course for her country even as she became the matriarch of nearly every great dynasty of Europe. Her destiny was thus interwoven with those of millions of people—not just in Europe but in the ever-expanding empire that Britain was becoming throughout the nineteenth century. The famed queen had a face that adorned postage stamps, banners, statues and busts all over the known world.

Wilson’s Victoria is a towering achievement, a masterpiece of biography by a writer at the height of his powers".

Amazon - Victoria: A Life by A.N. Wilson
~Lizzie~

Book Review: DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE by Stephanie Dray

Cleopatra Selene, Queen of Mauretania co-ruled with her husband Juba II over their exotic lands. Named the resurrection by her mother Cleopatra magic had always been a part of their lives. Her mother had magical abilities and so did her little brother and her twin Helios. Cleopatra’s children had met death and destruction at the hands of their Roman captor Augustus Caesar.  Augustus’ obsession with Selene was deranged and she had fought him off in the previous two novels in this series but she could never truly be free of him because she now had a daughter forced upon her by him. Isidora was wholly accepted by Juba as his daughter but it was an unspoken truth behind her conception and paternity that was all done by the hand of the Emperor of Rome.

In this third installment of the “Cleopatra’s Daughter” series we pick up where the last novel left off. Selene is once more free of the emperor for a period of time. Juba and her are still at odds but we find them growing closer together through their past shred struggles. Selene opens her heart to Juba and they welcome a new prince to Mauretania. Name Ptolemy for his Egyptian heritage he is the light of his parents lives until the fateful day when Augustus called them back to Rome to ruin their family bliss back in Mauretania.

Never able to leave Selene alone for too long the Emperor does not just summon her to Rome he commands it and one does not just ignore the emperor of Rome before the common era. Forced to return to the land she stolen away to as a child Selene realizes his obsession with her will never end. Reaching a new height of disillusionment the emperor now has the audacity to think that her sweet little Ptolemy is his son. This is too far for Selene but she is already fighting off her mother enemy King Herod on one front and the disillusioned Caesar with his vile wife working against her in a dangerous struggle for power. Liva has already proved that she is capable of murder and if she were given the chance she would murder Selene in a heartbeat.

Selene had an edge against them all she had magic, the power of Isis and also a gifted daughter to help her navigate the treachery that now surrounded her whole family. Years of fighting had taken a toll on Selene and her son’s birth had its price she was getting older and she found herself more distant from Juba.  Juba was not just any man he was a scholar, a long time favorite of Caesar, and deep down inside he knew he had made mistakes with Selene yet he still loved her. Drawn together the couple could be unstoppable against Rome and anything else that came their way yet they found the hardest obstacle to conquer was the ocean between them.  Selene found she was still not ready to admit how much she truly loved this man she married and instead she chose to fight her battles alone like she always has. Fighting his way into her heart and her battles Selene cannot deny Juba forever.

4/5  I HATE HATE HATE HATE the Emperor; he is the vilest man ever to grace historical fiction. He is like the enemy that cannot die. It sure makes for good reads though. I fell in love with Selene’s daughter Isidora; she was like a combination of her mother and famous grandmother Cleopatra. I would recommend this to historical fiction lovers that do not mind a bit of fantasy in their history. I however would not recommend reading this as a stand-alone novel because you will miss too much of the history behind it all.

• FTC ~ this novel was sent to me by the publisher for review. I received no compensation for this review.
• PG-13 Rating for mild violence and sexual references.
• Amazon: Daughters of the Nile by Stephanie Dray

~Lizzie~

Kings, Queens, and Horses

Close up of "Queen of Hearts" mixed media

This beauty was a printed canvas my husband bought for me at the art supply store. In the pack it came with two pieces one with the queen of hearts and the other with the king of hearts. I used a variety on this as usual. From colored pencils, to water color pencils, ball point pens, and felt tipped pens. I just basically colored it, painted, high lighted, and then re-did the black. It took awhile to do both but it was worth it but now all I have to do is get them in frames.

"Queen of Hearts" mixed print media on canvas.

"King of Hearts" mixed print media on canvas.

Quick little sketch inspired by the "Dolce & Gabbana fashion show on Capri". Ink sketch with Prisma markers.

"Spotted pony love" ink sketch with Prisma markers.

I hope you all enjoyed my art work hopefully I will have more coming soon.
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday: Robin Maxwell

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell large print edition
"Entertainment Weekly wrote, "History doesn't come any more fascinating -- or lurid -- than the wife-felling reign of Henry VIII". Robin Maxwell re-creates this chapter in history to perfection in an exuberant and bawdy novel of lust, betrayal, love and murder.When the young Queen Elizabeth I is given her mother's diary, she discovers the truth about her lascivious and despotic father, Henry VIII -- and vows never to relinquish control to any man".~Lizzie~

Book Review: LITTLE BOOK OF BOOK MAKING by Charlotte Rivers

This is a cool little book it is a creative trigger for artists alike. From the anatomy of a book with folded and sewn bindings all the way to artists in Egypt, Brazil, Canada and even in my neck of the woods artist Monica Holtsclaw in Beaverton Oregon. This book is filled with artistic examples of page and covering treatments, which featured another local artist Scantron Press in Portland Oregon.  Experimental packaging art from Lime Rot in Seattle Washington and Hinged Strung Stitched in Portland Oregon.  I was told a long time ago once that Portland and Seattle are home to some of the most creative artists in the country making the two cities a hub for artistic minds. Now I can really see it thanks to this lovely little book. 

Not just a gallery of beautiful works of books this book also will teach you how to make your own books from the beginning. With sections covering tools, materials, how to make an instant, accordion, flag, dragon, carousel, secret message books and it does not stop there it goes on to cover a pamphlet, long, Japanese stab, Coptic, French link stitch, case binding, suminaga’s shi paper marbling, paste papers, frottage, natural plant dyeing, book cloth, woven covers, fabric covers, and pillow books. With a wealth of information this book will give any aspiring artist the knowledge to reach all of their creative dreams.

4/5 Loved this book with its beautifully crafted books that are art pieces all so unique. My favorites were all the ones that used maps in the bindings and also the intricate colorful ladder stitch, and last but not least a set of books shaped like pie slices. Every one of the featured books was beautiful making it hard to narrow down a favorite. I would highly recommend this book to all creative gurus because knowledge can be an inspiration.

• FTC ~ this novel was sent to me by the publisher: Blogging for Books for review. I received no compensation for this review.  
• G-Rating
• Amazon: LITTLE BOOK OF BOOK MAKING by Charlotte Rivers

~Lizzie~

Book Review: VITTORIO THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice

In this last novel of the “New Tales of the Vampires” series we are introduced to a new vampire Vittorio. Vittorio was a young boy on the verge of manhood during the 15^th century Italy. His family ruled on high from their mountain top castle in northern Tuscany. His ideal life was shattered in one tragic night of murder. The family castle was invaded in the dead of night by what Vittorio would later find out is the ghastly Order of the Ruby Grail.  Every single man woman and child was murdered except Vittorio. He was the only one spared by the super natural killers. Vittorio fought valiantly to protect his little brother and sister but could not stop these freakishly strong killers from their mission of death.  Spared by the woman who had helped destroy his family Vittorio became obsessed with vengeance and finding out more about this supernatural woman Ursula and the Order of the Ruby Grail.

4/5 I enjoyed a brand new vampire and a new romantic one too! I wish Anne had written more of this branch of the Vampire Chronicles because I would read those too. This one was a short, fast paced read and I enjoyed it. I would recommend this one to historical lovers alike because it does not really tie into any of the other novels in the series, it defiantly can be read as a stand-alone novel.

• FTC ~ this novel is from my personal collection.
• R-Rating for sexual reference and violence.
• Amazon: VITTORIO THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice

~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday: Diana Gabaldon & Elizabeth Chadwick

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
"The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding Highland clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.
Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into intrigues and dangers that may threaten her life...and shatter her heart. For here she meets James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, and becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives".

Lords of the White Castle by Elizabeth Chadwick FitzWarin, #2
"Westminster, 1184-- in the court of King Henry, playful competition is about to turn into something far more serious. Young courtier Fulke FitzWarin would not be an obvious companion for Prince John, but the boy from the Welsh Marches is there as a reward for his family's loyalty to the crown. The FitzWarins are as proud as they are true, and when Fulke is accused by John of cheating during a game of chess, he cannot help but respond. Thus begins a bitter rivalry that will resonate throughout their lives.
The FitzWarins dream of reclaiming their family estate and title, Lords of the White Castle. After this quarrel with Fulke, however, John's vindictiveness leads to Fulke renouncing his allegiance and becoming a rebel outlaw.

In romance, too, Fulke is no closer to fulfilling his heart's desire. A youthful dalliance means nothing compared to his love for the spirited Maude le Vavasour, but marriage in medieval England is more about alliance than about love, and Fulke can only watch helplessly as Maude's father arranges a more suitable match. After all, what can Fulke offer Maude apart from a lifetime on the run....

With all the intrigue and pageantry that bring the twelfth century vividly to life, this award-winning novelist spins us an irresistible tale of a deadly rivalry and an impossible love".
~Lizzie~

New Historical Fiction Release: The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones

In stores today! The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones
"Among the young women of 12th century Paris, Heloise d’Argenteuil stands apart. Extraordinarily educated and quick-witted, she is being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess in the service of God. But with one encounter, her destiny changes forever.
Pierre Abelard, headmaster at the Nôtre Dame Cloister School, is acclaimed as one of the greatest philosophers in France. His controversial reputation only adds to his allure, yet despite the legions of women swooning over his poetry and dashing looks, he is captivated by the brilliant Heloise alone. As their relationship blossoms from a meeting of the minds to a forbidden love affair, both Heloise and Abelard must choose between love, duty, and ambition.

Sherry Jones weaves the lovers’ own words into an evocative account of desire and sacrifice. As intimate as it is erotic, as devastating as it is beautiful, The Sharp Hook of Love is a poignant, tender tribute to one of history’s greatest romances, and to love’s power to transform and endure".

More From Sherry Jones:

Four Sisters, All Queen's

White Heart ~ e-book

Jewel of Medina

Sword of Medina

~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday: Sherry Jones and Posie Graeme-Evans

The Sharp Hook of Love by Sherry Jones ~ autographed ~ releases 10.7.2014
"Among the young women of 12th century Paris, Heloise d’Argenteuil stands apart. Extraordinarily educated and quick-witted, she is being groomed by her uncle to become an abbess in the service of God. But with one encounter, her destiny changes forever.
Pierre Abelard, headmaster at the Nôtre Dame Cloister School, is acclaimed as one of the greatest philosophers in France. His controversial reputation only adds to his allure, yet despite the legions of women swooning over his poetry and dashing looks, he is captivated by the brilliant Heloise alone. As their relationship blossoms from a meeting of the minds to a forbidden love affair, both Heloise and Abelard must choose between love, duty, and ambition.

Sherry Jones weaves the lovers’ own words into an evocative account of desire and sacrifice. As intimate as it is erotic, as devastating as it is beautiful, The Sharp Hook of Love is a poignant, tender tribute to one of history’s greatest romances, and to love’s power to transform and endure".

The Exiled by Posie Graeme-Evans
"In this windswept story set in the lusty fifteenth century, the enchanting Anne faces the challenge of raising her child in exile. Always resourceful, she flourishes as a merchant and is able to support her household. But the local businessmen aren't pleased about competing with a woman and her foes are multiplying around her, desperate to put her back in what they believe is her rightful place.

Anne has a secret that her enemies could use to destroy her. Her beloved son is the product of a passionate affair with the king, Edward IV, who knows nothing of his existence. If this information were to fall into the wrong hands, it could prove lethal for Anne and her child. She struggles to find peace in a world of duplicity and suspicion, where adversaries masquerade as allies, and someone very powerful wants her dead. Yet, despite the pressure of her enemies, what pains Anne the most is that she is unsure when or if she will see her darling Edward again".~Lizzie~

Book Review: PANDORA by Anne Rice

The ancient vampire Pandora has lived for millenniums and finally tells her tale. Roman by birth during the height of the great Roman reign, Pandora was an anomaly in the world of men. She was educated, articulate, strong and not to mention beautiful. You can say she is defiantly the love of Marius’ life from the moment they met. They had first met as mortals and Marius had begged Pandora’s father to be allowed to marry her. Her father told Marius “you are destined to be a roaming historian” and he was deemed unfit for marriage. Marius and Pandora aka Lydia back then went their own paths but had never forgotten each other.

In a horrific turn of events Pandora is forced to flee Rome in fear for her life. Alone she is secreted away to Antioch to start a new life. With no family or friends to comfort her Pandora grieved terribly for her loss and ended up turning to the only comfort she could think of, the temple of Isis. Finding new friends with her goddess Isis she felt compelled to share her tragedy and the freakish dreams that had been plaguing her ever since she left Rome. The dreams were disturbing to the temple and they did not know what to make of them but they knew someone who might be the only person that could help her to understand them. The “mysterious mind reader” as they called him turned out to be none other than Pandora’s lost Marius. This was just the beginning of Marius and Pandora’s love that endured for millenniums. This time around there was no way Pandora would give Marius up and not with out a fight.

3/5 Not my favorite, it was really short and basically only gave the beginning of Pandora’s tale. I would not recommend this novel unless you have read “Blood and Gold” because the two novels really tie in together. And if you want the whole story you have to read them both.

R~ Rating for sexual references

FTC ~ this novel is part of my personal collection.

Amazon: Pandora by Anne Rice

~Lizzie~

Book Review: BLOOD CANTICLE by Anne Rice

The adventures of the southern gentleman turned vampire, Quinn Blackwood and the Brat prince Lestat continue on with Blood Canticle. This time around Lestat could not help himself and he made a new vampire. Mona Mayfair has always been the love of Quinn’s life yet she was dying. The only way to save Mona was to give her the dark gift or say goodbye to her forever, which Quinn could not bear. After Mona was given a new life the deadly trio set out to find out the truth about Mona’s mysteriously missing daughter. Mona’s daughter was a “taltos” which was an alien race that over the years had been born to only the women that were witches. Mona’s family had a dark extensive history with the taltos, which is all covered in the series The Lives of the Mayfair Witches.

Mona’s cousin Rowan was the matriarch of the family and she was also a super genius doctor. At times Rowan had a history of mental instability that all stemmed from her history with the taltos. Mona wanted answers from Rowan about her daughter but Rowan did not really have any clear answers for her, which made the trio all the more determined to find out the fate of Mona’s daughter. Coming together in this novel the Mayfair witches and the vampires contact the only ancient being that Lestat knew would know the truth. The ancient vampire helped locate the daughter and what they find is shocking to say the least.

3/5 Not my favorite, out of all the books in the Vampire Chronicles this one is by far my least favorite. That does not mean I did not enjoy reading because I did enjoy the novel. I think if I had read the whole Lives of the Mayfair Witches series first then this novel would have been much better. I also felt that since I have not read that series that if I had I would have more fully grasped everything that was going on with Mona and Rowan. I would highly recommend reading the Lives of the Mayfair Witches before reading this novel.

X-Rating for sexual references
FTC- I borrowed this book from my local library

Amazon: BLOOD CANTICLE by Anne Rice
~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday: Kate Quinn, Eleanor Herman, and Anne Rice

Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn
"An exciting debut: a vivid, richly imagined saga of ancient Rome from a masterful new voice in historical fiction
Thea is a slave girl from Judaea, passionate, musical, and guarded. Purchased as a toy for the spiteful heiress Lepida Pollia, Thea will become her mistress's rival for the love of Arius the Barbarian, Rome's newest and most savage gladiator. His love brings Thea the first happiness of her life-that is quickly ended when a jealous Lepida tears them apart.

As Lepida goes on to wreak havoc in the life of a new husband and his family, Thea remakes herself as a polished singer for Rome's aristocrats. Unwittingly, she attracts another admirer in the charismatic Emperor of Rome. But Domitian's games have a darker side, and Thea finds herself fighting for both soul and sanity. Many have tried to destroy the Emperor: a vengeful gladiator, an upright senator, a tormented soldier, a Vestal Virgin. But in the end, the life of the brilliant and paranoid Domitian lies in the hands of one woman: the Emperor's mistress".

Mistress of the Vatican by Eleanor Herman
"Today's Roman Catholic Church firmly states that women must be excluded from church leadership positions, but they neglect to mention that for over a decade in the seventeenth century a woman unofficially, but openly, ran the Vatican. Now, Eleanor Herman, author of Sex with the Queen, exposes one of the church's deepest secrets, laying bare facts that have been concealed for 350 years.
Beginning in 1644 and for eleven years after, Olimpia Maidalchini, sister-in-law and reputed mistress of the indecisive Pope Innocent X, directed Vatican business, appointed cardinals, negotiated with foreign ambassadors, and helped herself to a heaping portion of the Papal State's treasury. Unlike the ninth century's Pope Joan, whose life is shrouded in mystery, Olimpia's story is documented in thousands of letters, news sheets, and diplomatic dispatches.

Knowing of Pope Innocent's absolute dependence on his sister-in-law, Cardinal Alessandro Bichi angrily declared on the day of Innocent's election, "We have just elected a female pope." Mischievous Romans hung banners in churches calling her Pope Olimpia I. Cardinal Sforza Pallavicino bewailed the "monstrous power of a woman in the Vatican." One contemporary wrote that women might as well become priests, since one of them was already pope.

Born in modest circumstances, Olimpia was almost forced into a convent at the age of fifteen due to the lack of a dowry. She used deceit to escape, and vowed never to be poor and powerless again. Throughout her life, Olimpia exacted excruciating vengeance on anyone who tried to lock her up or curb her power. But her grisly revenge on the pope who loved her would be reserved for after his death. . . .

Seventeenth-century Rome boasted the world's most glorious art and glittering pageants but also suffered from famine, floods, swarms of locusts, and bubonic plague. Olimpia's world was kleptocratic; everyone from the lowliest servant up to the pope's august relatives unblushingly stole as much as they possibly could. Nepotism was rampant, and popes gave away huge sums and principalities to their nephews instead of helping the poor. Dead pontiffs were left naked on the Vatican floor because their servants had pilfered the bed and stripped the corpse.Mistress of the Vatican brings to life not only a woman, and a church, but an entire civilization in all its greatness . . . and all its ignominy".

Blood Canticle by Anne Rice 

"Fiery, fierce, and erotic, Blood Canticle marks the triumphant culmination of Anne Rice’s bestselling Vampire Chronicles, as Lestat tells his astounding tale of the pleasures and tortures that lie between death’s shadow and immortality. . . .

Surrounded by its brooding swampscape, Blackwood Farm is alive with the comings and goings of the bewitched and the bewitching. Among them is the ageless vampire Lestat, vainglorious enough to believe that he can become a saint, weak enough to fall impossibly in love.

Gripped by his unspeakable desire for the mortal Rowan Mayfair and taking the not so innocent, new-to-the-blood Mona Mayfair under his wing, Lestat braves the wrath of paterfamilias Julien Mayfair and ventures to a private island off the coast of Haiti. There, Saint Lestat will get his chance to slay his dragon. For Mona and the Mayfairs share an explosive, secret blood bond to another deathless species: a five-thousand-year-old race of Taltos, strangers held in the throes of evil itself".

Taltos by Anne Rice
"In the third chronicle of the Mayfair Witches, the Talamasca seek to preserve the nearly extinct Taltos race by bringing together a male and female. Their searching catches the attention of an ancient Taltos named Ashlar entwined with Lasher's identity. Ashlar reveals the taltos mythology and lineage and enlists the help of Michael and Rowan in his battle againsst evil. Ashlar longs to make right the sufferings of his people. To help Ashlar, Michael must keep his coupling with Mona Mayfair (a precocious teenager who loves sex and computers equally) a secret, for it has produced a new female Taltos. Rowan attempts to assist him, but the task is difficult given that Morrigan, the Taltos, has been named the heir to the Mayfair fortune. Morrigan becomes the new monster of the Mayfair family".

~Lizzie~