Book Review AT THE KING'S PLEASURE by Kate Emerson

I always gush about Kate Emerson and it is because I really enjoy her novels. I love how each one centers on one juicy Tudor court secret. At the King’s Pleasure is no exception to that either. I know I am really behind on this one but I admit once I got into about page 3 or four I was hooked into the story completely. I ended up not being able to put it down and finished it in only a few days. I have to mention that I am extremely honored to be quoted in the first few pages because this series is a near and dear to my heart with Pleasure Palace, Between Two Queens, By Royal Decree, and the latest addition At The King’s Pleasure. Releasing this summer on August 8 is another addition to the series “The King’s Damsel”. Thank you Kate for the mention it is a pleasure to continue reading your delicious novels. I hope that there are many more secrets in the Tudor court.

I have tried not to inhale all the Tudor stories because once you read them you cannot undo what you have read and I want to save some of the better stories for authors I hold near and dear. The 3rd Duke of Buckingham I really held back and waited on. When I heard Kate was working on him I could not wait to see what she came up with. Kate is a Tudor Queen and really has done her historical homework and to verify this check out her who’s who of the Tudors site. It does have some spoilers so be warned. Kate does the Duke the justice he deserves. The 3rd Duke of Buckingham son of Henry Strafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham. King Richard II had executed his father for treason. Did I also mention that his mother was Katherine Woodville who was sister to Edward IV’s queen Elizabeth Woodville? Katherine and Henry’s story is one of the most compelling Wars of the Roses stories. For a really good read on the Dukes parents “The Stolen Crown” by Susan Higginbotham is amazing. It will forever change your perception of the Dukes father and mother and what hand they had in the war.

The Duke of Buckingham was a headstrong man and did not take his position as head of the family lightly. His two younger sisters Anne and Elizabeth would be forever under his watchful eagle eye of their lives. With Henry VIII fresh on the Tudor throne the Duke was the highest-ranking noble in land. He felt it was his duty to live up to the title in an arrogant jerkish fashion by basically bullying everyone around him. Good thing this novel was not only about the Duke because I probably would have worn out on him pretty fast. I am glad that the focus most of most of the novel is on his stubborn sister Anne.

Anne Strafford what a woman she is someone I could like in real life, brave, intelligent, and fun-loving Anne was a beautiful addition to the Tudor court. Having been previously in a loveless marriage Anne was sent to Queen Katherine of Aragon after her brother secured her a place at court. I love Reading about king Henry’s early reining years everyone at court at the time was so happy and carefree. There was no distrust, Jousts, Masks, banquets, and all the hunting the court could ever want. Anne of course took part in all of it she reveled in it. Anne knew her brother was demanding that she remarry. Her choice ended up on the “stable suitor” rather than the “passionate poor suitor”. Anne married Lord Hastings aka George and their marriage would be anything but rocky at best. To me it seemed that George never really had any confidence in his marriage. I think he must have felt like the wolves of court were always lurking right behind his wife. The wolf this time around happened to be one of the king’s close companions William Compton. William was a notorious womanizer but neither he nor Anne could help the fact that this magnetic pull was something that neither of them could ignore forever.

In a surprising twist the whole novel took a big turn when the King began to take notice of Anne, While Queen Katherine was “breeding” King Henry wandered and this time around the court he sent William Compton to settle the water with Anne. With one thing leading to another William was found in Anne’s chambers in an uncompromising position. Figures that her bully of an older brother walked in just the wrong moment. Being the biggest jerk ever he did not even ask her the truth an instead he just locked her up and spoke with her husband about what had happened. Both men ended up locking Anne up and taking her to a despicable nunnery.

I felt sorry for Anne she was so venerable just for being a woman. Guilty with out even being questioned or allowed to speak. The really sad part is they never even asked or wanted the truth. When her husband finally came to his senses his marriage was in complete shambles and the distrust between the pair was rife. Some couples would never survive this amount of distrust but some can grow from it. Anne and George had to find their own way with out outside influences Tudor or not. Determined to make it Anne and George would have to wade their way through the court intrigue, amorous love masked as a courtly love and the execution of a loved one you never realized how much was loved until it was too late.

4.5/5 Loved it but since I have been out of the Tudor loop for a bit it was a little hard to keep mental notes on all the titles that were thrown around. I found this one was a great addition to the series because it seems each novel has a completely different type of relationship. Plus I loved reading about the children of the War of the Roses. Scandal always seemed to touch that Stafford family but this time Anne and George had each other’s love and that is what matters the most even if you are a Stafford.

Amazon

Kate Emerson
~Lizzie~

Book Review Re-Read: THE MAN IN THE PICTURE by Susan Hill

For the first time EVER in my reading history I have re-read a novel. That for me translates to it must be pretty dang good novel or the urge to re-read it would not be there. This one is a really unique gem. So much so that I had to re-read it when I finally got my hands on a copy. It only took me 3 years to get it but when it showed up I inhaled it all over again like it was the first time. If you like a good short mystery with a touch of Venetian mystery then this is your novel. I implore you all to at least check out this novel it is so short that you could inhale it in one night. Just trust me if I had to wait almost three years for a copy on paperbackswap.com and finally gave up on my efforts there and resorted to buying it from Amazon instead then I must not be the only one who wanted it. The PBS wait does prove that I am not alone in my feelings that this novel is a very intriguing mystery.

In modern day England, Oliver who lives in London, pays a visit to his old Cambridge professor whom over the years he has developed a genuine deep-rooted friendship with. During his visit to Oliver he notices a painting that has an unusual masquerade scene in it. Creepy and eerie would not even begin to describe the painting Oliver had never noticed before. Oliver was instantly drawn to it like a magnet and he began asking Theo questions of how he acquired the piece. Theo in response told him, "I would like to tell you a story, mostly for my sake, to alleviate some of the burden". Theo's story started with how he came across the painting at an auction, & won the painting. Immediately afterwards a mysterious man appeared and wanted to purchase the painting for any price Theo named. He refused and the man told him he would regret it. After some time he had the painting at his home when one day the light hit it just right and a mysterious man appeared in the masquerade scene he had never seen before. The man was being dragged to a boat on the canal by two men, with a distressed look of horror about him. Theo had never noticed him before in the painting and he found it rather particular that it would randomly show up after so many long years.

After a series of spooky happenings to Theo an unknown duchess extended an invitation to him at her country estate to discuss the painting. Wearily he arrived and met the duchess, who was probably well into her nineties. She wanted the painting and Theo knew it, but the story she told of the painting and the history behind it was astounding and down right creepy. Theo never could have foreseen what the paintings history was when he bought it and he truly already regretted purchasing but yet he could not part from it. It had drawn him in and it would not let him go. Never would Theo have foreseen the dark events that were to come in the not too distant future involving not only him but also others around him that he cared dearly about.

5/5 I cannot give any more details because it will ruin the mystery for you. I wish I could but I can say it is well worth it to read this tale of the mysteriously creepy masquerade painting. If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how many words a painting is worth. What secrets can lie beneath the oil and canvas of a sinister carnival scene? Your imagination will run wild with this read and you will just have to read this one to find what really happens.~Lizzie~

Mailbox Monday

Memoirs of Mary Queen of Scots by Carolly Erickson

"Queen of Scotland at six days of age, married as a young girl to the invalid young king of France, Mary took the reins of the unruly kingdom of Scotland as a young widow and fought to keep her throne. A second marriage to her handsome but dissolute cousin Lord Darnley ended in murder and scandal, while a third to the dashing Lord Bothwell, the love of her life, gave her joy but widened the scandal and surrounded her with enduring ill repute.

Unable to rise above the violence and disorder that swirled around her, Mary escaped to England—only to find herself a prisoner of her ruthless, merciless cousin Queen Elizabeth.Here, in a riveting first-person account, is the enchanting woman whose name still evokes excitement and compassion—and whose death under the headsman’s axe still draws forth our sorrow".

The Queen's Lover by Vanora Bennett

"Catherine de Valois, daughter of the French king Charles VI, is born into troubled times. Though she is brought up in a royal court, it is a stormy and unstable environment. Before she is out of her teens, Catherine is married off to England's Henry V as part of a treaty honoring his victory over France. She is terrified at the idea of being married to a man who is a foreigner, an enemy, and a rough soldier, and is forced to leave her home for England.

Within two years she is widowed, and mother to the future King of England and France--even though her brother has laid claim to the French crown for himself. Caught between warring factions of her own family and under threat by the powerful lords of the English court, she must find a way to keep her infant son safe. In Owain Tudor, a childhood friend for whom Catherine has long had affection and who now controls the Royal household, Catherine finds both strength and kinship. As their friendship turns to love, however, she risks not only her life and that of her son but the uneasy balance of power in England and France that will be forever changed.

History comes alive in this lyrical and moving true story of one woman's courage and the inception of one of the most famous royal lineages of all time".

The King's Damsel by Kate Emerson

Releasing August 7 2012

In the fifth novel in Kate Emerson's highly acclaimed Secrets of the Tudor Court series, a young gentlewoman catches King Henry the Eighth's roving eye.In 1533 and again in 1534, Henry the Eighth reportedly kept a mistress while he was married to Anne Boleyn. Now, that mistress comes to vivid life in Kate Emerson's The King's Damsel.
A real-life letter from Spanish Ambassador Eustace Chapuys, written on September 27, 1534, reported that the king had "renewed and increased the love he formerly bore to another very handsome young lady of the Court" and that the queen had tried "to dismiss the damsel from her service." Other letters from Eustace reveal that the mystery woman was a "true friend" of the Princess (later Queen) Mary, Henry's daughter by Catherine of Aragon. Though no one knows who "the king's damsel" really was, here Kate Emerson presents her as young gentlewoman Thomasine Lodge, a lady-in-waiting to King Henry's daughter, Princess Mary. Thomasine becomes the Princess's confidante, especially as Henry's marriage to Catherine dissolves and tensions run high. When the king procures a divorce in order to marry Anne Boleyn, who is suspicious and distrustful of Mary, Mary has Thomasine placed in Anne's service to be her eyes and ears. And that's when she gets the attention of the king...
Rich in historical detail and featuring a wealth of bonus material, The King's Damsel is sure to keep readers coming back for more in the exciting series!
~Lizzie~

Gothic in Blue

Done completely in color Prisma color pencils "Gothic in Blue" is maybe 5x7.

~Lizzie~

Big Mailbox Monday Catch Up

By the Kings Design by Christine Trent
"Annabelle "Belle" Stirling inherited the family draper shop from her late father, only to have it sabotaged by her ne'er-do-well brother, Wesley. Belle travels to London to seek redress, and while there, the Prince Regent, future King George IV, commissions her to provide fabrics for his Royal Pavilion. As Belle's renown spreads, she meets handsome cabinetmaker Putnam Boyce, but worries that marriage will mean sacrificing her now flourishing shop. When Wesley plots to kidnap the newly crowned King, Belle finds herself entangled in a duplicitous world of shifting allegiances, where every choice could have unexpected consequences for her future, her safety, and her kingdom..."


I was rendered speechless when I discovered this honorable mentioned in the acknowledgments : "In particular, my thanks to Liz at Historically Obsessed...."

Secrets of the Tudor Court: At The King's Pleasure by Kate Emerson
"Married to one man. Desiring another. Beautiful Lady Anne Stafford, lady in- waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, is torn between her love for her husband, George, Lord Hastings . . . and the king’s boon companion, the attentive Sir William Compton. But when King Henry VIII, amorous as always, joins the men clustering around her, Anne realizes she has become perilously enmeshed in the intrigues of the court. Will she be forced to decide between the two men she desires—and the one she doesn’t?Kate Emerson charms again with a heroine who steps out of the pages of history to win our hearts in this sumptuous novel of Tudor scandal and intrigue."

I am honored to have been review quoted in this novel twice: "I love this series and continue to be awestruck by each and every book..."


"Another beautifully written Tudor secret love that before I never even knew existed. It was everything I could have hoped it to be and more."

The Royals by Leslie Carroll
Since the Middle Ages, the lavish world of the English monarchy has fascinated the public. The Royals: The Lives and Loves of the British Monarchs uncovers the most colorful characters ever to wear the crown, from William the Conqueror, the Norman duke who invaded and took England as his own, to William of Wales, the second in line to the modern throne. Nearly 1,000 year of the British rulers are chronicled, including the notorious kings and queens of the Tudor dynasty, up to the royal wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Beautifully illustrated, this visual history brings the royal family to life.
Includes removable reproductions of:

• letters from Henry VIII's wives 
• the execution warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots
• a ticket to Queen Victoria's Jubilee Ball
• Edward VIII's official letter of abdication
• the wedding program for Charles and Diana
• and the official invitation to William and Kate's wedding

Leslie Carroll is the author of several works of historical fiction and three books about the European royals. She has been published in Jane Austen Regency World magazine and appeared as a royalty expert on the CBS Evening News in London during the week of William and Kate's Royal wedding. She and her husband live in Vermont.

The Plantagenet Chronicles 1154-1485 by Derek Wilson

"The Plantagenet Chronicles tells the fascinating story of a forgotten dynasty. Ascending the throne just after the decline of the Normans in 1154 and retaining their grip on power until the rise of the Tudors in 1485, the Plantagenets oversaw a remarkable array of political, social and economic changes: parliament, trial by jury, civil rights, the English language and even the emergence of a distinct British national identity all came about under their reign.

The Plantagenet Chronicles is a compelling, year-by-year account of a tumultuous and critical period in the development of the English nation. Each year is covered by a concise, informative and accessible narrative, amplified by extensive quotation from contemporary sources and accompanied by stunning images of the period — including illuminations, portraits, maps, royal seals, tapestries and other artifacts.

The Amber Room by Steve Berry
"The Amber Room is one of the greatest treasures ever made by man: an entire room forged of exquisite amber, from its four massive walls to its finely crafted furniture. But it is also the subject of one of history’s most intriguing mysteries. Originally commissioned in 1701 by Frederick I of Prussia, the Room was later perfected Tsarskoe Selo, the Russian imperial city. In 1941, German troops invaded the Soviet Union, looting everything in their wake and seizing the Amber Room. When the Allies began the bombing of Germany in August 1944, the Room was hidden. And despite the best efforts of treasure hunters and art collectors from around the world, it has never been seen again.

Now, two powerful men have set their best operatives loose in pursuit, and the hunt has begun once more. . . .

Life is good for Atlanta judge Rachel Cutler. She loves her job, loves her kids, and remains civil to her ex-husband, Paul. But everything changes when her father, a man who survived the horrors of World War II, dies under strange circumstances—and leaves behind clues to a secret he kept his entire life . . . a secret about something called the Amber Room.

Desperate to know the truth about her father’s suspicious dealings, Rachel takes off for Germany, with Paul close behind. Shortly after arriving, they find themselves involved with a cast of shadowy characters who all claim to share their quest. But as they learn more about the history of the treasure they seek, Rachel and Paul realize they’re in way over their heads. Locked in a treacherous game with ruthless professional killers and embroiled in a treasure hunt of epic proportions, Rachel and Paul suddenlyfind themselves on a collision course with the forces of power, evil, and history itself.

A brilliant adventure and a scintillating tale of intrigue, deception, art, and murder, The Amber Room is a classic tale of suspense—and the debut of a strong new voice in the world of the international thriller".

The Alehouse Murders by Maureen Ash
"A Templar treasure for mystery readers!

An honorable-yet world-weary-Knight Templar solves the mysteries of Medieval England.

After eight years of captivity in the Holy Land, Templar Bascot de Marins escapes with injuries to his body and soul. Now on a sojourn at Lincoln Castle, he hopes to regain his strength, and mend his waning faith-but not even the peace of God's countryside is safe from the mortal crimes of man. For what appears to be the grisly end to a drunken row is in fact a cunning and baffling crime".

Madame du Barry by Jean Plaidy
"Marie Jeanne Becu was but the illegitimate daughter of a humble cook, yet by the time she was 23, she had become Madame du Barry and the official mistress of King Louis XV of France. This is the dream-like story of a woman who, by virtue of her exceptional and seductive beauty, her enchanting wit and her unfailing good nature, came to govern the monarch.

Yet her life at court had its setbacks for Madame du Barry incurred the jealousy of Madame du Pompadour and many other who constantly sought to usurp her. Then, when Louis XV died, her power dissipated and it was not long before she was obliged to retire to the beautiful mansion of Luciennes which the King had built for her. Even so, there was worse to come for in 1789 the French Revolution cast its long shadow and her very life was in danger.

In her own inimitable and masterly fashion, Jean Plaidy relates the moving story of this remarkable beauty and wit who dazzles king and commoner alike". 

The Mistress of Nothing by Kate Pullinger

"Lady Duff Gordon is the toast of Victorian London. But when her debilitating tuberculosis requires healthier climate, she and her lady's maid, Sally, set sail for Egypt. It is Sally who describes, with a mixture of wonder and trepidation, the odd menage marshalled by the resourceful Omar, which travels down the Nile to a new life in Luxor. When Lady Duff Gordon undoes her stays and takes to native dress, throwing herself into weekly salons, language lessons, excursions to the tombs, Sally too adapts to a new world, affording her heady and heartfelt freedoms never known before. But freedom is a luxury that a maid can ill-afford, and when Sally grasps more than her status entitles her to, she is brutally reminded that she is mistress of nothing.

In 1862, the real Lucie, Lady Duff Gordon, a well known writer and hostess, traveled to Egypt with her maid. Her letters form the basis for this historical novel".

Lady of the Butterflies by Fiona Mountain

"They say I'm mad and perhaps it's true.
It is well known that lust brings madness and desperation and ruin. But upon my oath, I never meant any harm. All I wanted was to be happy, to love and to be loved in return, and for my life to count for something.
That is not madness, is it?

So begins the story of Eleanor Glanville, the beautiful daughter of a seventeenth-century Puritan nobleman whose unconventional passions scandalized society. When butterflies were believed to be the souls of the dead, Eleanor's scientific study of them made her little better than a witch. But her life-set against a backdrop of war, betrayal, and sexual obsession-was that of a woman far ahead of her time".

~Lizzie~

Hot HF January

 

December

12.1.2011

 

Sprig Muslin, Georgette Heyer

12.6.2011

The Unexpected Miss Bennet, Patrice Sarath

12.27.2011

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great, Eva Stachniak

January

1.1.2012

April Lady, Georgette Heyer

1.1.2012

The Queen and the Courtesan, Freda Lightfoot

1.3.2012

At the Mercy of the Queen, Anne Clinard Barnhill

1.3.2012

Eclipse: A Novel of Lewis and Clark, Richard S. Wheeler

1.3.2012

Secrets of the Tudor Court: At The Kings Pleasure, Kate Emerson

1.10.2012

 

The Crown, Nancy Bilyeau

1.31.2012

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile, Julia Fox

1.31.2012

By The Kings Design, Christine Trent

1.31.2012

The Witch's Daughter, Paula Brackston

February

2.1.2012

Pistols for Two, Georgette Heyer

"Affairs of honour, affairs of the heart, and all the gallantry, villainy and elegance of the age that Georgette Heyer has made her own are exquisitely revived in these eleven short stories of the Regency".

2.7.2012

 

The Turning of Anne Merrick, Christine Blevins

"A tale of love and espionage from the author of Midwife of the Blue Ridge...

She spies for General Washington, betrays the Redcoats and battles for America's independence...

It's 1777, and a fledgling country wages an almost hopeless struggle against the might of the British Empire. Brought together by a fateful kiss, Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton are devoted to each other and to their Patriot cause. As part of Washington's daring network of spies, they are ready and willing to pay even the ultimate price for freedom.

From battlefields raging along the Hudson, to the desperate winter encampment at Valley Forge and through the dangerous intrigue of British-occupied Philadelphia, Anne and Jack brave the trials of separation, the ravages of war and an unyielding enemy growing ever more ruthless.

For love and for country, all is put at risk-and together the pair must call upon their every ounce of courage and cunning in order to survive".

  

2.7.2012

The Last Storyteller, Frank Delaney

"Frank Delaney, New York Times bestselling author of Ireland, Shannon, Tipperary, Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show, and The Matchmaker of Kenmare, is the unparalleled master of Irish historical fiction, bringing Ireland to life with exceptional warmth, wisdom, and wit. Now, in The Last Storyteller, Delaney weaves an absorbing tale of lasting love, dangerous risk, and the healing power of redemption".

2.16.2012

 

The Garden Intrigue, Lauren Willig

"As Napoleon pursues his plans for the invasion of England, English operative Augustus Whittlesby gets wind of a top secret device, to be demonstrated over the course of a house party at Malmaison. The catch? The only way in is to join forces with that annoying American socialite, Emma Morris Delagardie, who has been commissioned to write a masque for the weekend’s entertainment. Even so, it should leave plenty of alone time with Augustus’ colleague (and goddess), Jane Wooliston, who has been tapped to play the heroine. Or so Augustus tells himself. In this complicated masque within a masque, nothing seems to go quite as scripted… especially Emma".

2.21.2012

 

"Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes".  

2.28.2012

 

The King's Agent, Donna Russo Morin

"The King’s Agent is based loosely on the life of Battista della Palla-a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue-of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo.

As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe". 

~Lizzie~

Top Picks For 2011

I know this is so beyond late it is not even funny. Normally I would have this up with in the first week of the new year but alas life has not been working in my favor lately and I have settled upon the fact that I can only do so much. I am in the middle of searching for a new job because this whole working graveyard thing has ruined me and not only is my blog suffering but my family and I are also. So just hang in there my ever patient readers and book lovers I promise I am going to find a way to make things work out it just is going to take some time. With out further delay I would love to mention my top picks of 2011, granted  I did not get much reading done this past year so it is a short list this year but in no particular order here they are starting with my favorite categories. 

~Most Beloved~
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 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" AMAZON
~Most Beautiful~
To be Queen by Christy English
Chosen as one of the Top 10 Historical Fiction Novels of 2011 by the Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner
The author of The Queen's Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine in her new historical novel.

After her father's sudden death, fifteen-year-old Eleanor is quickly crowned Duchess of Aquitaine and betrothed to King Louis VII. When her new husband cannot pronounce her given name, Alienor becomes Eleanor, Queen of France.

Although Louis is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by the church and a God that Eleanor doesn't believe in. Now, if she can find the strength to fight for what she wants, Eleanor may finally find the passion she has longed for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen. AMAZON

~Most Compelling~

Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith
From the award-winning author of A Rose for the Crown, Daughter of York, and The King’s Grace comes another masterful historical novel—the story of Cecily of York, mother of two kings and the heroine of one of history’s greatest love stories. Anne Easter Smith’s novels are beloved by readers for their ability “to grab you, sweep you along with the story, and make you fall in love with the characters.” In Cecily Neville, duchess of York and ancestor of every English monarch to the present day, she has found her most engrossing character yet.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. AMAZON

~Book Review: VLAD THE LAST CONFESSION By C.C. Humphreys~
"Dracula. A name of horror, depravity and the darkest sensuality. Yet the real Dracula was just as alluring, just as terrifying, his tale not one of a monster but of a man... and a contradiction.

AMAZON

~Book Review, MADAME TUSSAUD by Michelle Moran~

"The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

AMAZON

 

~Book Review, THE QUEEN'S RIVAL by Diane Haeger~
From the author of The Queen's Mistake comes the untold story of King Henry VIII's first well-known mistress.

AMAZON

 ~Book Review, THE DARLING STRUMPET by Gillian Bagwell~ 

A thrilling debut novel starring one of history's most famous and beloved courtesans.

AMAZON

 ~Book Review, SUNRISE OF AVALON by Anna Elliott~
She is a healer, a storyteller, and a warrior. When Britain is faced with threats both old and new, the strength of her love may be the kingdom’s downfall . . . or salvation.

AMAZON

~Lizzie~

Mailbox Mondays

Sex with the Queen by Eleanor Herman
"In this follow-up to her bestselling Sex with Kings, Eleanor Herman reveals the truth about what goes on behind the closed door of a queen's boudoir. Impeccably researched, filled with page-turning romance, passion, and scandal, Sex with the Queen explores the scintillating sexual lives of some of our most beloved and infamous female rulers".
~Lizzie~

Fun Book Pictures

~Lizzie~

Giveaway: THE SEPTEMBER QUEEN by Gillian Bagwell

"Charles II is running for his life-and into the arms of a woman who will risk all for king and country.

Jane Lane is of marrying age, but she longs for adventure. She has pushed every potential suitor away-even those who could provide everything for her. Then one day, adventure makes its way to her doorstep, and with it comes mortal danger...

Royalists fighting to restore the crown to King Charles II implore Jane to help. Jane must transport him to safety, disguised as a manservant. As she places herself in harm's way, she finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. And despite his reputation as a breaker of hearts, Jane finds herself surrendering to a passion that will change her life forever".

The Giveaway info: US and Canada only and up for grabs is one large ARC copy of The September Queen. Giveaway will end on 1.4.2012

For 1 entry enter your name and email

For 2 entries be a follower and say so in the form

For 3 entries share this and add a real link to where you shared it.

~Lizzie~