Thursday, April 28, 2011

April Movie Release: The Princess of Montpensier English Subtitles?


Released on April 15th 2011 "The Princess of Montpensier". I heard that this is to be a limited release in the US and that it more than likely is in subtitles. But I think it will be more than worth it once it hits DVD so then I can buy it watch it all the time. I want to watch this one so bad the Princess of Montpensier  is very very pretty no wonder they are all fighting over her.
"La princesse de Montpensier (original title)
Bertrand Tavernier is in top form with this gripping, superbly mounted drama set against the savage Catholic/Protestant wars that ripped France apart in the 16th century. Based on a novella by the celebrated Madame de Lafayette, the action centers on the love of Marie de Mezières for her dashing cousin Henri de Guise, thwarted when her father's political ambitions force her into marriage with the well-connected Philippe de Montpensier, who she has never met. When Philippe is called away to fight, she is left in the care of Count Chabannes, an aging nobleman with a disdain for warfare, and soon becomes exposed to the sexual and political intrigues of court". Written by Palm Springs Internation Film Festival
~Lizzy~

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Summer Release: The Borgias by Jean Plaidy

I happened to come across this on in my web browsing and I am super excited to see what the cover will look like. It says on Amazon that it is two novels combined into one which can only refer to Light on Lucrezia: A Novel of the Borgias and Madonna of the Seven Hills: A Novel of the Borgias. Both are books that I have been dying to get at but have not had the chance to read yet.

Here is the Amazon link to it but there is no cover art yet: The Borgias: Two Novels in One Volume

Madonna of the Seven Hills: A Novel of the Borgias"The most beautiful woman in Rome, Lucrezia Borgia, was born into a family—and a destiny—she could not hope to escape . . .
Fifteenth-century Rome: The Borgia family is on the rise. Lucrezia’s father, Pope Alexander VI, places his illegitimate daughter and her only brothers, Cesare, Giovanni, and Goffredo, in the jeweled splendor—and scandal—of his court. From the Pope’s affairs with adolescent girls to Cesare’s dangerous jealousy of anyone who inspires Lucrezia’s affections to the ominous birth of a child conceived in secret, no Borgia can elude infamy.

Young Lucrezia gradually accepts her fate as she comes to terms with the delicate nature of her relationships with her father and brothers. The unbreakable bond she shares with them both exhilarates and terrifies her as her innocence begins to fade. Soon she will understand that her family’s love pales next to their quest for power and that she herself is the greatest tool in their political arsenal.

From the inimitable pen of Jean Plaidy, this family’s epic legend is replete
with passion, intrigue, and murder—and it’s only the beginning".

Light on Lucrezia: A Novel of the Borgias
"Some said she was an elegant seductress. Others swore she was an incestuous murderess. It didn’t matter what they called her. She was the most dangerous and sought-after woman in all of Rome. She was Lucrezia Borgia.

Born into Rome’s notorious Borgia family, young Lucrezia led a life colored by violence and betrayal. Now, married for the second time at just eighteen, she hopes for happiness with her handsome husband, Alfonso. But faced with brutal murder, she’s soon torn between her love for her husband and her devotion to her brother Cesare . . . And in the days when the Borgias ruled Italy, no one was safe from the long arm of their power. Even Lucrezia.

In this compelling story of a beautiful woman caught up in a tortuous web of fear and love, Jean Plaidy sheds light on the much maligned Lucrezia and vividly brings her to life".

Amazon
Light on Lucrezia: A Novel of the Borgias
Madonna of the Seven Hills: A Novel of the Borgias
For a Queen's Love: The Stories of the Royal Wives of Philip II (A Novel of the Tudors)
Katharine of Aragon: The Wives of Henry VIII
The Queen's Secret: A Novel (A Queens of England Novel)
~Lizzy~

Monday, April 25, 2011

Mailbox Mondays

Queen By Right: A NovelQueen By Right: A Novel 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".

Three Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey SistersThree Maids for a Crown: A Novel of the Grey Sisters, Ella March Chase

"In the second novel from Ella March Chase, we meet sixteen-year-old Jane Grey, a quiet and obedient young lady destined to become the shortest reigning English monarch. Her beautiful middle sister Katherine Grey charms all the right people--until loyalties shift. And finally Lady Mary Grey, a dwarf with a twisted spine whose goal is simply to protect people she loves--but at a terrible cost.

In an age in which begetting sons was all that mattered and queens rose and fell on the sex of their child, these three girls with royal Tudor blood lived under the dangerous whims of parents with a passion for gambling. The stakes they would wager: their daughters' lives against rampant ambition".

False ColoursFalse Colours by Georgette Heyer

"Reading Georgette Heyer is the next best thing to reading Jane Austen."- Publishers Weekly

"A missing twin ...

Something is very wrong, and the Honourable Christopher Kit Fancot can sense it. Kit returns to London on leave from the diplomatic service to find that his twin brother Evelyn has disappeared and his extravagant mother's debts have mounted alarmingly.

A quick-minded heiress ...

The Fancot family's fortunes are riding on Evelyn s marriage to the self-possessed Cressy Stavely, and her formidable grandmother's approval of the match. If Evelyn fails to meet the Dowager Lady Stavely in a few days as planned, the betrothal could be off.

A fortune in the balance ...

When the incorrigible Lady Fancot persuades her son to impersonate his twin (just for one night, she promises) the masquerade sets off a tangled sequence of events that engage Kit s heart far more deeply than he d ever anticipated with his brother s fiancée who might know much more about what s going on than she cares to reveal...
"

Venetia (Hqn)Venetia, Georgette Heyer

"Determined to woo and win the lovely Venetia, a twenty-five-year-old hopeless romantic, Lord Damerel, an infamous rake, pursues her with passionate abandon, but Venetia will only marry for love".


~Lizzy~

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Cover Alert Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

Hitting Bookstores everywhere October 11th 2011 The Lady of the Rivers (The Cousins' War)! This is the third book in the series and after the last on Margaret Beaufort I am sure this one will be much more interesting.

"Jacquetta, daughter of the Count of Luxembourg and kinswoman to half the royalty of Europe, was married to the great Englishman John, Duke of Bedford, uncle to Henry VI. Widowed at the age of nineteen she took the extraordinary risk of marrying a gentleman of her house-hold for love, and then carved out a life for herself as Queen Margaret of Anjou's close friend and a Lancaster supporter - until the day that her daughter Elizabeth Woodville fell in love and married the rival king Edward IV. Of all the little-known but important women of the period, her dramatic story is the most neglected. With her links to Melusina, and to the founder of the house of Luxembourg, together with her reputation for making magic, she is the most haunting of heroines".

I also found this other cover on goodreads.com and I really am not sure which on is the US one and which one is the UK one but as soon as I know I will make sure to display the for sure US on on my sidebar. Juding by the styles I would say the top one is the US one and the below on is the UK one. Either way both of them are beautiful and I can not wait to read this one when it comes out. How about you readers?
Amazon
The Constant Princess
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Boleyn Inheritance
The Queen's Fool: A Novel
The Virgin's Lover
The Other Queen: A Novel

Cousins' War Series
~The White Queen: A Novel
~The Red Queen
~Lizzy~

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sourcebooks British Babes Celebration with Heyer Giveaway!

From Sourcebooks:
If you haven’t already checked out the Sourcebooks British Babes Book Brigade Facebook Page (where you can participate in giveaways and interact with authors like Elizabeth Chadwick, Jill Mansell, Helen Hollick, Sarah Bower and Phillipa Ashley and more…) then you should before next week because the page is about to go royally mad!!

The royal wedding is only a week away and we are going to be celebrating all next week. Starting Monday we will be doing a giveaway every day until the big celebration on Friday. But these are no ordinary giveaways – these are royal wedding prize packs!

3 winners will be randomly picked each day:

- The 1st place winner will get a William & Kate wedding memento (it is top secret for now (just like Kate’s dress J) but check the page out on Monday to find out – oh and they are all different so there will be a different memento each day). Along with that they also get their choice of three books from any of our British Book Babes.

- The 2nd place winner will have their choice of any two books from any of our British Book Babes.

- The 3rd place winner will have their choice of one book from any of our British Book Babes.

You can visit the page here:
http://www.facebook.com/britishbabesbookbrigade

Heyer on Amazon: Search Amazon.com for georgette heyer



~Lizzy~

Monday, April 18, 2011

Hot HF April

A Race to Splendor4.1.2011
A Race to Splendor, Ciji Ware
" For her sixth novel (after A Light on the Veranda), Ware returns to historicals with an unlikely romance framed around San Francisco's devastating earthquake of 1906. New architect Amelia Bradshaw returns to the city to claim what's left of the Bay View, her grandfather's hotel next to Chinatown, only to find that her drunkard father has lost it to J.D. Thayer in a poker game. After an unsuccessful court battle—at a time when women had no right of possession—Bradshaw takes a job as junior architect under Julia Morgan, the first licensed female architect in California history. When Morgan's firm is selected to rebuild the Bay View, along with its competitor, the Fairmont, Bradshaw is put in charge of the former, forcing her to work closely with Mr. Thayer, her adversary, who is determined to beat the anniversary of the quake and the opening of the Fairmont. In time, Bradshaw and Thayer learn that they have more in common than they think, and Bradshaw grows close to some of the Chinese workers, giving Ware a chance to chronicle the despair faced by that community during the disaster. Ware's trailblazing woman is a feisty host for an affecting story of the struggle to rise above the wreckage of mankind".


Mary of Carisbrooke: The Girl Who Would Not Betray Her King4.1.2011
Mary of Carisbrooke: The Girl Who Would Not Betray Her King, Margaret Campbell Barnes
"The moving, tragic story of Charles I, the last absolute monarch of England, during his imprisonment in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight. Richly drawn and inspired by the New York Times bestselling author's own experience living on the Isle of Wight, this dramatic retelling brings to life the cavalier king whom Cromwell deposed. But even more fascinating than the account of royal hopes and misfortunes is the tale of a charming servant girl who is as romantic and tender in love as she is bold and resourceful in plotting the king's escape".

The Confession of Katherine Howard4.1.2011
The Confession of Katherine Howard, Suzannah Dunn
 "A historically obscure lady-in-waiting provides a window into the rise and fall of Henry VIII's young fifth queen in the competent latest from Dunn (The Sixth Wife). The teenage Cat Tilney is raised in the company of the attractive and sexually precocious Katherine Howard in the household of a distant relation, the well-connected dowager duchess of Norfolk. Cat becomes Katherine's confidante and eventually follows her to court when she is made queen, and, as one of the few privy to the queen's secret affairs, Cat lands in a dangerous position when Katherine's romantic history becomes known and a ruthless investigation spreads to include Cat's own lover, Francis Dereham. Working from only a few references in the surviving records of the investigation, Dunn constructs the tale of a teenage girl in thrall to a more charismatic friend and the test of her loyalty. Though Dunn's modernization of the language can result in anachronistic turns of phrase, this is a convincing portrayal of young women made pawns in the dangerous politics of the Tudor court".

Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle 4.1.2011
Sylvester: or The Wicked Uncle, Georgette Heyer
"This is Heyer's only romance novel to feature a female writer in the Regency world where a young lady didn't usually have those aspirations.
Sylvester, Duke of Salford, falls in love with a feisty young lady who wants nothing to do with him and aspires to be a writer-in fact she has written a scandalous novel that portrays him as the villain. Then a ballroom encounter launches a real scandal..."


Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain (Elizabeth I Trilogy)4.1.2011
Elizabeth and the Prince of Spain (Elizabeth I Trilogy), Margaret Irwin
"Young Elizabeth, half-sister of Queen Mary has a hazardous path ahead of her. Reports of her as a heretic, a rebel and a potential enemy with 'a spirit full of enchantment' have reached the queen's reluctant bridegroom, Prince of Spain. Elizabeth must advance warily towards her destiny, amid courtly machinations, running the gauntlet between Bloody Mary's jealousy and Philip's uneasy ardorâ

This is the final volume installment of the evocative trilogy charting young Elizabeth's precarious path to the throne".

 
Knight's Ardor4.4.2011
Knight's Ardor, Teresa Swift
 "Twelfth-century England is an untamed land of medieval strongholds, forests, and feudalism. In a country where a battle over the throne leaves the nobles of the land free to fight amongst themselves for power, Rosamund Galleia, daughter of a lesser nobleman, is sent to become a lady-in-waiting at Duloe Castle. When battle with an unruly neighbor seems inevitable, the lord of the manor calls upon his most trusted man-at-arms to help defend his province. That man is Alexander Ringewar, a loyal knight and reticent heir to an earldom.
Rosamund feels a powerful attraction to Alexander but struggles against her feelings. In a world of arranged marriages and political unions, a girl of minor nobility should not dream of a future with such a high-ranking noble, especially one who is uncompromisingly wedded to his chivalric duty".


To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine4.5.2011
To Be Queen: A Novel of the Early Life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Christy English
"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"

Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet4.5.2011
Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet, Stephanie Cowell Paperback Edition
"Behind every great artist stands a woman driving him to inspiration, aspiration, and desperation, according to Cowell (Marrying Mozart), who bases her latest novel about an artist and his muse on the life of Claude Monet. Beautiful bourgeoise Camille Doncieux leaves her family and fiancé for Monet, whom Cowell depicts early on as a rebellious young man trying to capture in his paintings fleeting moments of color and light before he matures into the troubled genius whose talent exceeds his income. In an art world resistant to change, Camille remains Monet's great love as he and fellow unknowns Renoir, Pissarro, and Bazille struggle to make ends meet, but, eventually, parenthood, financial pressure, long separations, career frustrations, and romantic distractions take their toll, and even after Monet finally achieves commercial success, the couple still faces considerable difficulty. While glimpses of great men at work make absorbing reading, it's Camille who gives this story its heart. A convincing narrative about how masterpieces are created and a detailed portrait of a complex couple, Cowell's novel suggests that a fabulous, if flawed, love is the source of both the beauty and sadness of Monet's art".

Daughters of Rome4.5.2011
Daughters of Rome, Kate Quinn
"A.D. 69. The Roman Empire is up for the taking. The Year of Four Emperors will change everything-especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome. Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister Marcella is more aloof, content to witness history rather than make it. But when a bloody coup turns their world upside-down, both women must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor...and one Empress".

The Philosopher's Kiss: A Novel4.5.2011
The Philosopher's Kiss: A Novel, Peter Prange
"Cafe Procope, known as a meeting place for dangerous freethinkers, and meets outspoken philosopher Denis Diderot. The two are instantly taken with each other, but Diderot is married and Sophie wants security more than anything else. Diderot has taken up the monumental task of editing a Bible-like encyclopedia "containing all human knowledge," a book which, as this is the mid-18th century, is a direct threat to the monarchy and the church. Diderot is quickly persecuted, placing the lives of all around him—Sophie included—at risk. Care for him though she may, the likelihood of Sophie or any other freethinker saving Diderot grows dim. This historic tale is compelling and well written, and Prange particularly brings Paris to vivid life. Unfortunately Sophie, his heroine, is less interesting than the supporting characters, particularly the king's mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Still, fans of historical fiction will find plenty to like".

Finding Emilie4.12.2011 
Finding Emilie, Laurel Corona
"Six days after giving birth to a daughter, Lily, the marquise du Châtelet dies, leaving Lili in the care of her friend Julie, who's just given birth to her own daughter, Delphine. The marquise was noted for her intellect and free spirit (indeed, there are questions as to the identity of Lili's father), two qualities Lili inherits, along with the trouble they cause a young noblewoman navigating the tricky 18th-century court of Louis XV. Eager to determine their own destinies, Lili and Delphine make mistakes and raise many an eyebrow, testing Julie's resolve. Lili protects and defends Delphine, ultimately bringing about the girl's happily ever life, leaving Lily alone to ponder, and soon discover, her own ambiguous identity. Unlike many historicals with "strong" heroines, Delphine and Lili complement and support each other, which deepens them more than enough to make readers care (especially for the strong-willed Lili). And by telling the marquise's story along with her daughter, Lily's, Corona brings a changing world, peopled with fascinating historical figures like Diderot and Voltaire, to vibrant life".

The Bird Sisters: A Novel4.12.2011
The Bird Sisters: A Novel, Rebecca Rasmussen

"Rasmussen's debut novel begins like a typical coming-of-age story, but reveals itself to be a singular portrayal of familial sacrifice and loss. As elderly women, sisters Twiss and Milly live alone in the house where they grew up in Spring Green, Wis. They spend their days tending to injured birds and roaming their land, lost in memories. For Milly, there is the constant reminder of what could have been. Twiss spent her childhood happily trailing behind their golf-pro father, but Milly dreamed about a family and children that never happened. There was hope for a young Milly, until an accident strips their father of his golfing abilities and sets in motion a series of events that rips apart the already unstable family. Dad retreats to the barn, and mom bemoans her choice to marry for love, leaving behind her wealthy family; a cousin who was thought to be a friend becomes an unexpected rival; and the sisters are left with only each other. As young women, and as old ones, they learn that their relationship is rewarding, but not without consequence. Achingly authentic and almost completely character driven, the story of the sisters depicts the endlessly binding ties of family"



Delilah4.14.2011
Delilah, Eleanor De Jonge
"Maligned as the courtesan who revealed the mighty Samson's secret for money, Delilah has become synonymous with treachery. But behind the myth is a tale far more tragic! From the moment they met, there was a fire in their relationship, with Samson pitted against Delilah's family. But Samson soon develops an overwhelming passion for Delilah; entranced by her beauty and passionate nature. Meanwhile the Israelites and the Philistines are in a state of constant conflict, with Samson a seemingly unbeatable warrior. The Philistines are desperate to learn the secret behind Samson's power and enrol Delilah as a pawn to bring him down. Driven by misplaced anger, Delilah agrees to use her wiles to discover the secret of his strength. But Delilah finds that Samson is far from the ogre that she had assumed. But a sequence of events have been set in motion which both of them are powerless to stop. The consequences of her mistake have gone down in history and this wonderful novel is as alluring and beguiling as Delilah herself. The perfect treat for fans of Anita Diamant and Helen Dunmore".

Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine4.19.2011
Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Alison Weir
"Nearing her thirtieth birthday, Eleanor of Aquitaine has spent the past dozen frustrating years as wife to the pious King Louis VII of France. But when Henry of Anjou, the young and dynamic future king of England, arrives at the French court, he and the seductive Eleanor experience a mutual passion powerful enough to ignite the world. Indeed, after the annulment of Eleanor’s marriage to Louis and her remarriage to Henry, the union of this royal couple creates a vast empire that stretches from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees—and marks the beginning of the celebrated Plantagenet dynasty. But Henry and Eleanor’s marriage, charged with physical heat, begins a fiery downward spiral marred by power struggles and bitter betrayals. Amid the rivalries and infidelities, the couple’s rebellious sons grow impatient for power, and the scene is set for a vicious and tragic conflict that will threaten to engulf them all".

Jane Austen Education, A: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter4.28.2011 
Jane Austen Education, A: How Six Novels Taught Me About Love, Friendship, and the Things That Really Matter, William Deresiewicz
"Former Yale professor William Deresiewicz has been reading, teaching, and writing about Jane Austen for decades; now, at the conclusion of his academic career, he describes his almost lifelong personal encounter with an author whose insights transcend those revealed by mere scholarship. A Jane Austen Education illuminates the novelist's craft by showing how her mastery of everyday relationships still speaks to our times. Deresiewicz's unconventional memoir helps explain Austen's extraordinary appeal among readers otherwise immune to classic literature".

~Lizzy~
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