Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spineand spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
This week I am waiting for: Serpents in the Garden by Anna Belfrage
Anna has become one of my favorite authors and this is a favorite series of mine, can't wait for this book.
To be released in March 2014
After years of hard work,
Matthew and Alex Graham have created a thriving home in the Colony of
Maryland. About time, in Alex’s opinion, after far too many adventures
she is really looking forward to some well-deserved peace and quiet.
A futile hope, as it turns out. Things start to heat up when Jacob,
the third Graham son, absconds from his apprenticeship to see the world –
especially as Jacob leaves behind a girl whom he has wed in a most
irregular fashion.
Then there’s the infected matter of the fellow time traveller Alex
feels obliged to help – no matter the risk. Worst of all, one day Philip
Burley and his brothers resurface after years of absence. As determined
as ever to make Matthew pay for every perceived wrong – starting with
the death of their youngest brother – the Burleys play out a complicated
cat and mouse game, and Alex is thrown back into an existence where her
heart is constantly in her mouth, convinced as she is that one day the
Burleys will achieve their purpose.
Will the Burleys succeed? And if they do, will the Graham family survive the exacted price?
Serpents
in the Garden is the fifth book in Anna Belfrage’s time slip series
featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century
husband, Matthew Graham.
Abducted as a
child-heiress, Honor Larke escapes to London seeking justice from the
only lawyer she knows: the brilliant Sir Thomas More. With More as her
affectionate guardian, Honor grows to womanhood, when the glitter of the
royal court lures her to attend Her Majesty, Queen Catherine of Aragon.
But life at Henry VIII’s court holds more than artifice for an
intelligent observer, and Honor knows how to watch—and when to act. . . .
Angered
by the humiliation heaped upon her mistress as Henry cavorts with Anne
Boleyn and presses Rome for a divorce, Honor volunteers to carry letters
to the Queen’s allies. It’s a risky game, but Honor is sure she’s
playing it well—until she’s proved wrong. Richard Thornleigh may cut a
dashing figure at court, but Honor isn’t taken in by his reckless charm.
Only later does Honor realize that Richard has awakened something
within her—and that he, too, has something to hide. . .
For the
King’s actions are merely one knot in a twisted web that stretches
across Europe, ensnaring everyone from the lowliest of peasants to the
most powerful of nobles. Swept away in a tide of intrigue and danger,
the Queen’s lady is about to learn everything: about pride, passion,
greed—and the conscience of the King. . . .
Paperback, 500 pages
Published
December 1st 2009
by Brava
(first published September 1st 1994)
Here I sit and *sigh* as I type this review hanging my head, I can't believe that it has taken so long
to read this book The whole series has been sitting on my shelf for a number of years. Why did I wait so long? I am not sure if it was the cover that provoked a 'bodice ripping feel' or maybe I was thinking that I couldn't handle another Anne Boleyn story. How mistaken I was!
I was thrilled to hear that this book was going to be made into an audiobook with the author herself doing the reading. Barbara Kyle did a wonderful job of reading this book, she brought the story to life with her different accents and the right amount of emotion (not too much and not too little).
The first book in the Thornleigh series (there are 5 of them at present), set during the reign of Henry VIII during the time of his obsession with Anne Boleyn. I mostly like to read about real historical figures (it is fun to be entertained at the same time as learning some history). Though this book is based on real historical events, the theme here varied from Catherine of Aragon to the religious conflicts to Thomas More, Anne Boleyn and more. However, the two main protagonist are fictional and I wasn't sure what I would think of that. First introduced to Honor Lark when only 7 years old I was captivated. Thomas More becomes her guardian and so begins her story. Her journey was a pleasure to watch, it was written with feeling and showed the effect the time period had on the people of England under the rule of Henry VIII. She grew into a woman of conviction who took too many risks for what she believed in. This book moved along at a steady pace and I had a hard time stopping, there was a lot going on, mystery, intrigue, romance, conflicts and more.
The only reason that I did not jump right into the next book (The Queen's Daughter) was that I didn't have enough credits left at Audible. Once I have that I will definetely continue with this series.
Shocking
family news forces Madeline Wetherby to abandon her plans to marry an
earl and settle for upstart Manchester merchant Nash Quinn. When she
discovers that her birth father is one of the weavers her husband is
putting out of work—and a radical leader—Maddie must decide which family
she truly desires, the man of her heart or the people of her blood.
An earl’s second son, Nash chose a life of Trade over Society. When
protest marches spread across Lancashire, the pressure on him grows. If
he can’t make both workers and manufacturers see reason he stands to
lose everything: his business, his town, and his marriage.
As Manchester simmers under the summer sun, the choices grow more
stark for Maddie and Nash: Family or justice. Love or money. Life or
death.
Publication Date: December 20, 2013 Musa Publishing eBook ISBN: 9781619375963
This is a book that I was surprised with, pleasantly surprised. I am not really sure why I even agreed to review this book because romance is really not my thing, so I am really glad that I did. Yes there is romance but not in an over powering, mushy, unrealistic way, there is also the historical aspect (which I love). Real life events take place which I think the author did a nice job portraying the situation in a real and honest way. Her characters are believable, they struggle with so many emotions, love, fear, anxiety, relationships and loyalty (just to name a few) They make mistakes and are not perfect, they are human. Again this is another part of history that I did not know about, the author wrote about the conflicts with enough emotion and accuracy to make this book very convincing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am grateful that the author, Nicky Penttila has stopped by the answer a couple questions that I had for her.
Where did your inspiration for this
book come from?
A secondary character in my previous regency, A Note of Scandal, kept trying to take
over that book. That novel was about the newspaper business, and the character
was a reporter (the kind that investigates and observes, not parrots what
people say), so I read the histories to find an important story for him to
cover. The event I found —a mass demonstration in Manchester—had many of my
hot-button issues: rights for women and all people, freedom of speech and
assembly, how technology changes the mind and society, how great social change
can divide families. But what it didn’t have was a big role for my reporter.
By the second draft, I knew I needed a new male protagonist,
and when I saw a way that Nash could straddle the peerage and the working
classes, I knew I had something good—and much, much more ambitious than I had
planned.
What do you hope your readers will
take away from this book?
Mainly, I hope readers feel that they got a really good ride
in the story. The book includes a range of people, some easy to sympathize with
and some that are more difficult; I’m hoping that even if readers don’t like a
character they can see some merit in the other’s point of view.
This book is not as much 'romance'
as your others, was that your intent or did it just evolve that way? If
so why the change?
It evolved. I started writing romances because I like to
read them and because in my day job (newspaper editor) we so often need to take
the emotion out of the story. I wanted to write a lot of emotion! But my idea
of a lot turns out to be not as much as standard. In many straight romances,
when the people are falling in love the rest of the world seems to fade away;
in my romances, love sets the rest of the world in sharper relief. My people
see their world in a new way, not just themselves or their lover.
I've read that you like to travel to
where your books take place. Did you travel to Manchester? How long
would you spend there, what would you do and do you take the family with you or
is this something you need to do on your own.
I did travel to Manchester, for about 10 days. I’d like to
take the family, to get their different impressions—and use their luggage
space!—but it wasn’t practical. While there, I took three walking tours of the
city, including one specifically on the mass protest that I write about. I went
to the People’s
History Museum to see artifacts from “my” time,
and to the Museum
of Science and Industry to see
how weaving was done. I went into the amazing John Rylands Library and filled
out “visiting scholar” forms so they would fetch a book for me to look at that
I couldn’t get at home—and it turned out to be in the city’s main library,
available to all. I walked everywhere to see how long it took to get places,
and tried to match my mental map from reading Elizabeth Gaskell and Isabella
Banks with the streets and buildings here now. There are only a few buildings
from that time still standing, so it wasn’t hard to visit each one. I took a
couple day trips, to Liverpool and to Hoghton
Tower, the basis (partly) for the Earl’s estate
in my story.
I also listened to the people talk and tried to match it,
but Mancunian dialect is difficult—not just the words and slang, but the
structure. I have a hard enough time keeping the American bits out of standard
RP English! I decided not to even try putting dialect in my book, except in a
couple tiny instances that I had help with.
What are you working on next?
Next is a
story set in 1808 in Spain, with reporters, soldiers, printers, and more. And,
of course, another field trip: I’m traveling to the Galician region this
spring.
Nicky Penttila writes
stories with adventure and love, and often with ideas and history as
well. She enjoys coming up with stories that are set in faraway cities
and countries, because then she *must* travel there, you know, for
research. She lives in Maryland with her reading-mad husband and amazing
rescue cat.
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spineand spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
This week I am waiting for: The Queen's Exiles by Barbara Kyle
Paperback, 448 pages
Expected publication:
May 27th 2014
by Kensington
1572.
Europe is in turmoil. In the Netherlands the streets are red with the
blood of those who dare to oppose the brutal Spanish occupation. A
vengeful faction of exiled English Catholics is plotting to overthrow
Queen Elizabeth and install her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots on the
throne. But amid the unrest, one resourceful young woman has made a
lucrative enterprise ...
Scottish-born Fenella Doorn rules like a
queen over a privateer's haven on the Isle of Sark. Her success at
salvaging crippled vessels affords her gold and security, and it is on
one of these ships that she meets wealthy Baron—and privateer—Adam
Thornleigh. Secretly drawn to him, Fenella can’t refuse when Adam
enlists her to join him in war-torn Brussels to help find his traitorous
wife, Frances—and the children she’s taken from him.
But
Fenella’s own bold actions have put a price on her head. Now Adam and
Fenella’s lives are in peril as they race across Europe in an attempt to
rescue his young ones, defend the crown, and restore the peace that few
can remember.
The
book follows the story of three generation of women from 1900 through
1970, seven decades of wars and hardship. At the turn of the century, an
era of strict moral codes, Angela falls in love with a priest who
abandons her and her unborn child. She overcomes rejection and
misfortunes, including losing her right hand, and brings up her
daughter, exuberant, stubborn Ilonka. In spite of the stigma of her
illegitimate birth, the girl finds happiness in love and marriage,
raising five children, among them Sarika, independent and high-spirited,
much like herself. With the outbreak of WWII, however, their lives
change drastically, followed by equally hard times as the country falls
under Soviet-style dictatorship. When an attempt to free the country in
1956 fails and people start to flee retributions, Sarika and her
brothers join the exodus to the West. With her family torn apart Ilonka
never recovers her strength.
Years of fear and political pressures hasten her descend into
depression, and when she loses her husband too, she finally gives up.
Alone and completely on her own, Sarika finds her way to America, and
begins a new life full of opportunities and most importantly, free of
fear.
Publication Date: June 19, 2012 Mill City Press Paperback; 574p
"Only in Sopron, a small gem of a midsize town on the border where Austria and Hungary mingled together did the sun decide it was not a day for it to shine."
And so begins the story of Angela, in the year 1901. Spanning approx. 70 years this book begins with 18 year old Angela, thrust into the job of caregiver to her 9 younger siblings after the passing of her mother. Its a heavy responsibility with her ambitions and dreams of the future put on hold. Without giving away too many details the story continues with her daughter (Ilonka) and then granddaughter (Sari). There is a lot of history in this book, not just World War I, but also the collapse of the Austria-Hungary Empire, economic
depression, World War II and then the political situation when Hungary converted
to Communist rule and then the mass exodus out of the country.
This isn't a small book, coming in at 574 pages (over sized softcover, small print) to me it felt like a cross between fiction and non fiction. The author really knows her history, though how could she not, she lived it. There were times I felt it dragged a little and also confusing with so many names and dates thrown at me. This I felt mostly during the last part of the book while reading about the Communist rule before the mass exodus. However I do understand that a lot was happening at the time and to omit something would have been difficult. Her descriptions of the changes in Hungary were vivid and I couldn't help feeling compassion for the people. This is also a part of history that I know very little about, so reading this book was a real eye-opener for me.
The author has an easy going writing style and I really enjoyed following the lives of the whole family, not just the 3 girls. This book emphasized the importance of family and good friends, of staying true to oneself through the many turmoils endured. I was sad to see it end, was looking forward to seeing Sari's future play out.
This book will appeal to those that like historical fiction, family saga as well as non fiction.
A great debut.
About the Author
As
a young woman, author Shari Vester fled her native Hungary in 1956
after the defeat of a patriotic uprising against the country's
Soviet-dictated regime. She was granted asylum in the United States to
begin a new life. After a year living in New York she moved to Los
Angeles, married, and worked as an insurance account manager. Recently
retired, she and her husband relocated in the Palm Spring area, where
she finally found time to write. Her debut novel, Degrees of Courage, is
a historical fiction drawn on her family history. It paints a sharp
contrast between life as we know it in America, versus a time and place
where today's "Let it be" mentality was simply impossible.
For more information please visit Shari's website.
Publication Date: January 27, 2014
Carina Press
eBook ASIN: B00F93X7ZI
Aria Whitney has little in common with the delicate ladies of London
society. Her famous father made his fortune hunting archaeological
treasures, and her rustic upbringing has left her ill prepared for a
life of parties and frippery. But when Gideon Whitney goes missing in
Egypt, Aria must embrace the unknown. Armed with only the short list of
highborn men who’d backed her father’s venture, she poses as a woman
looking for a husband. She doesn’t intend to find one.
Adam Willoughby, Earl of Merewood, finds London’s strangest new
debutante fascinating, but when he catches her investigating his
family’s secrets, he threatens to ruin her reputation. He doesn’t intend
to enjoy it so much.
When their lustful indiscretion is discovered, Adam finds that he
regrets nothing. But now, as Aria’s father’s enemy draws near, Adam must
convince his betrothed that she can trust him with her own
secrets…before it’s too late.
About Jeannie Ruesch
Jeannie Ruesch wrote her first story at the age of the six, prompting
her to give up an illustrious, hours-long ambition of becoming a Dallas
Cowboy
Cheerleader and declare that writing was her destiny. That journey to
destiny took a few detours along the way, including a career in
marketing and
design.
Her first novel, a fairy-tale like historical romance, was published
in 2009, but the darker side of life had always captivated her. So after
a dinner
conversation with friends about the best way to hide a dead body, she
knew she had to find a way to incorporate suspense into her writing.
(The legal
outlet for her fascination.)
Today, she continues writing what she loves
to read – stories of history, romance and suspense. She lives in
Northern
California with her husband, their son and an 80 pound lapdog lab named Cooper.
She is also the creator of the WIP Notebook, a writer’s tool to help stay organized while you write, which you can find at her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest.
She was taught to obey. Now she has learned to rebel.
Isabella is just twelve years old when she marries Edward II of
England. For the young princess it is love at first sight - but Edward
has a terrible secret that threatens to tear their marriage - and
England apart.
Who is Piers Gaveston - and why is his presence in the king’s court about to plunge England into civil war?
The
young queen believes in the love songs of the troubadours and her own
exalted destiny - but she finds reality very different. As she grows to a
woman in the deadly maelstrom of Edward’s court, she must decide
between her husband, her children, even her life - and one breath-taking
gamble that will change the course of history.
Does she submit to a lifetime of solitude and a spiritual death - or
seize her destiny and take the throne of England for herself?
This is the story of Isabella, the only woman ever to invade England - and win.
Publication Date: September 3, 2013 Cool Gus Publishing Paperback; 218p
I love reading a book that begins with a young girl that I can watch grow into a strong women, where I can witness her change from childhood to adulthood. That is what Colin Falconer has delivered with Isabella: Braveheart of France. Introduced to Isabella when she is just 12 years old and marries King Edward II, she knows her role in life, her father, the king of France, made sure she understood her place. She wants to be a good wife, a good queen and most of all she wants to be loved and cherished.
There were times in this book that I had to stop and remind myself that Isabella was raised in the French court, she was mature beyond her years and she proved that in the English court. It's too bad that Edward II had issues, some serious issues. Where Isabella is self confident and strong, Edward II is the opposite.
I enjoyed the fact that I knew nothing about Isabella before starting this book. For me the book started off a little slow and I had a hard time getting into it, but at the half way point I was engrossed and finished it the next day. This book is only 218 pages long, however I think that it could have benefited from some more details and maybe more interaction with their children, I was interested in their lives also since very little is mentioned about them.
But all in all, I am glad that I read it and enjoyed it. This is my first novel by Colon Falconer and I will check out more of his writings. This book will appeal to those that like historical fiction with emphasis on the royal family.
About the Author
Born in London,
Colin first trialed as a professional football player in England, and
was eventually brought to Australia. He went to Sydney and worked in TV
and radio and freelanced for many of Australia’s leading newspapers and
magazines. He has published over twenty novels and his work has so far
been translated into 23 languages.
He travels regularly to research his novels and his quest for
authenticity has led him to run with the bulls in Pamplona, pursue
tornadoes across Oklahoma and black witches across Mexico, go cage shark
diving in South Africa and get tear gassed in a riot in La Paz.
His most recent novels are Silk Road, set in the 13th century, and
Stigmata, set against the backdrop of the Albigensian Crusade in
Southern France in 1209. He currently lives in Barcelona.
For more information please visit Colin Falconer's blog. You can also find him on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spineand spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
This week I am waiting for: Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan
I love the cover and the synopsis of the book.
Hardcover, 496 pages
Expected publication:
January 21st 2014
by Ballantine Books
In
her masterful new novel, Nancy Horan has recreated a love story that is
as unique, passionate, and overwhelmingly powerful as the one between
Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Cheney depicted so memorably in Loving
Frank. Under the Wide and Starry Sky chronicles the unconventional love
affair of Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson, author of
classics including Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll
and Mr. Hyde, and American divorcee Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. They
meet in rural France in 1875, when Fanny, having run away from her
philandering husband back in California, takes refuge there with her
children. Stevenson too is escaping from his life, running from family
pressure to become a lawyer. And so begins a turbulent love affair that
will last two decades and span the world.
A captivating, atmospheric return to historical fiction that is every bit as convincing and engrossing as Martin's landmark Mary Reilly.
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.
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication:
January 28th 2014
by Nan A. Talese
(my copy provided by Edelweiss for a honest review)
I love a good mystery, I love a good ghost story and this book has both. Beginning with the very first chapter I was drawn right in, finishing this book in a matter of days. There are so many layers to this story and I liked how they were all woven together.
This book starts with an action packed first chapter and then evens out for the rest of the book. There is a lot going on in this book, however the way the chapters are laid out, with appropriate titles (with year) it isn't hard to follow. At times I wondered what Arthur Conan Doyle had to do with this story, but the writing style kept me going and I was soon to get the connection.
Does did book answer the question of what happened to/on the Mary Celeste, well no it doesn't but it is a wonderful 'it could have happened this way'. My first time reading Valerie Martin and I will be on the look out for more by her.
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 . . .
Paperback, 464 pages
Published
January 7th 2014
by Berkley Trade
(my copy provided by Edelweiss for my honest review)
The first book in this series, The Serpent and the Pearl, was an audio read (via Audible) for me. The readers did a wonderful job of telling this story, I fell in love with Guilia, Leonello and Camelina, their accents fit the characters perfectly and really brought that story to life. I was hoping that this book would also be available in audio, but alas it isn't (at least at the time of this review).
Set in the late 1400's Rome during the reign of the Borgia's, Kate Quinn has delivered yet again. Reading this book I could still visualize the accents and mannerisms of the 3 main protagonists. Continuing where The Serpent and the Pearl left off in the lives of Guila, Leonello and Carmelina. It was written in such a way that I had a hard time putting this book down. Full of corruption, deceit, murder, romance, mystery, power and much more at the hands of Rodrigo Borgia (also known as Pope Alexander VI) and his children (who could do no wrong). A book that shows the power of one family and the control and impact that they had over Rome. A book that is fast paced and had me reading late into the night. But at almost 500 pages, not a quick read though worth every one of them.
Kate Quinn has been a favourite of mine ever since reading Mistress of Rome, I love her writing style and the way she develops her characters. She brought them to life with the right amount of scandal, drama and a touch of humor. Told from the point of view of Guila, Leonella and Carmella I couldn't wait to see how their characters evolved and where the author was taking them. Also watching minor characters from The Serpent take on a larger role here, specifically Bartolomeo (I will never look at spuds the same way again) was enjoyable.
You can read this as a stand alone, but why? Read the first, you won't be disappointed!
Acclaimed
and beloved historical novelist Norah Lofts brings to life the danger,
romance, and intrigue of the Tudor court that forever altered the course
of English history.
The king first noticed Anne Boleyn as a
heartbroken sixteen-year-old, sullen and beautiful after a thwarted
romance with the son of the Earl of Northumberland. "All eyes and hair,"
a courtier had said disparagingly of her, but when King Henry VIII fell
for young Anne, nothing could keep him from what he desired. Against
common sense and the urgings of his most trusted advisors, Henry defied
all, blindly following his passion for Anne, using the power he held
over the bodies and souls of all who reside in his realm and beyond.
Anne's ascent to the throne elevates her from lady-in-waiting to the
highest position a woman could attain, but her life spirals out of
control when Henry is driven to desperate acts of betrayal and violence.
The consequences of Anne's rise to power and eventual demise are felt
well beyond the inner circle of the court. Loyalties, to church, to
queen, to country, are tested, and — in the wake of the king's volatile
passions — can be an unpredictable matter of life and death.
First
published in 1963 and adored by readers for generations, Lofts' lush
and moving portrayal of the ambitious and doomed Anne Boleyn will
continue to reign as a classic retelling of this epic chapter of history
vividly brought to life.
Paperback, 464 pages
Published
June 10th 2008
by Touchstone
(first published 1963)
I've read enough books about Anne Boleyn, I am so familiar with her story now that I figured anything more would be boring and mundane. Coming up to December I really wanted to clear off my shelves, plus having read Norah Loft's book on Eleanor of Aquitaine I basically thought 'what the heck'. Audible had the audio version and away I went.
Not a short book, coming in at over 16 hours (or 464 pages long), I dug in. The reader did a wonderful job, she set a pace that was not too fast or too slow. Pleasantly surprised and thoroughly drawn into this story, I can honestly say that it is one of my favorites about Anne Boleyn. This book showed a side of Anne that is not written about much. A side that showed some compassion and feeling, I found myself routing for her and somehow hoping history had changed.
This book also showed the relationship between Anne and her sister Mary in a sensitive light, which was very believable. This book has a lot going for it and I encourage any Tudor fan to give it a try (I will help you do that too, see below).
Like I stated in my review of Eleanor by Norah Lofts, will definitely be reading more of her books.
Somehow I ended up with 2 copies of this book, so I am offering a paperback edition to one lucky reader.
Open international, ending on January 10th at midnight.
