The Favored Queen by Carolly Erickson

Born into an ambitious noble family, young Jane Seymour is sent to court as a maid of honor to Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s aging queen. She is devoted to her mistress and watches with empathy as the calculating Anne Boleyn contrives to supplant Catherine as Queen. Anne’s single-minded intrigues threaten all who stand in her way; she does not hesitate to arrange the murder of a woman who knows a secret so dark that, if revealed it would make it impossible for the king to marry Anne.

Once Anne becomes queen, no one at court is safe, and Jane herself becomes a victim of Anne’s venomous rage when she suspects Jane has become the object of the king’s lust. But Henry, fearing that Anne’s inability to give him a son is a sign of divine wrath, asks Jane to become his next queen. Deeply reluctant to embark on such a dangerous course, Jane must choose between her heart and her loyalty to the queen. (from the cover flap)

Book Details Title: The Favored Queen, Author: Carolly Erickson, Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, ISBN: 978-0-312-59690-3, Format I read: Hardcover, $25.99, Source: My personal collection, Rating: 4 Crowns

My Thoughts:

Given the title, The Favored Queen: A Novel of Henry VIII’s Third Wife, I was expecting this to be about Jane Seymour’s life. Although rather than being an account of her life, it is Jane’s account of the happenings around her starting towards the end of Katherine of Aragon’s reign and ending with Jane’s death.

Jane is present for every argument, every birth, and every important diplomatic visit all the while falling in love twice (neither time with Henry). She gives in-depth accounts of the end of Katherine’s reign and Anne’s yet there is little about her time as queen. To my surprise, most of Jane story was wrapped up in the two men that she loved, which on occasion felt forced, and the hate she held for her father. What also surprised me was the fact that Henry took Jane into his confidence and fully trusted her.

While the novel is engaging and pulled me in, I had to ignore my knowledge of Tudor history as the author tells readers that this is a ‘reimaging of the past’ and while some details are historical accurate, most have been pulled from the author’s imagination.

Overall, I found that I could not put this book down. I was thoroughly engaged in the story that unfolded, which surprised me considering that I am a Tudor history buff. While most of the events that occur in The Favored Queen are purely fictional, some have their roots in Tudor myths giving the book an interesting turn. What bothered me the most was the fact that Jane’s brother, Thomas, was absent throughout while Edward was front and center almost as much as Jane was. Also, I was a bit irked that she portrayed Henry as having gold hair when it has been proven that he had red/auburn hair.

Read For—The flowing descriptive story that takes you inside the intrigue Tudor court.

Overlook—The historical inaccuracy. In a note to the reader, the author does caution that reader that ‘The Favored Queen is a historical entertainment, in which the authentic past and imaginative invention intertwine. Fictional events and circumstances, fictional characters and whimsical alterations of events and personalities are blended. Fresh interpretations of historical figures and their circumstances are offered, and traditional ones laid aside.’

If you are eager to feed your Tudor-addiction with a healthy dose of Tudor fiction, you should give this book a go.

If topsy-turvy reimagings of history drives you up the wall, perhaps you should check this out from your local library before purchasing it.

*review also posted on Royal Reviews

The Island House by Posie-Graeme-Evans

In 2011 Freya Dane, a Ph.D. candidate in archaeology, arrives on the ancient Scottish island of Findnar. After years of estrangement from her father, himself an archaeologist who recently died, Freya has come to find out what she can about his work. As she reads through his research notes, she sees he learned a great deal about the Viking and Christian history of the island. But what he found only scratches the surface of the discoveries Freya is about to make.

In 800 A.D. a Pictish girl named Signy loses her entire family during a Viking raid. She is taken in by the surviving members of the Christian community on Findnar, but when she falls deeply in love with a Viking boy, she is cast out. She eventually becomes a nun and finds herself at the center of the clash between the island’s three religious cultures. The tragedy of her story is that, in the end, she must choose among her adopted faith, her native religion, and the man she loves.

Centuries apart, Freya and Signy are each on the verge of life-changing events that will bring present-day and Viking-era Scotland together. The Island House plunges the reader into a past that never dies and a love that reaches out across a thousand years. (taken from Goodreads)

Book Details:

Title: The Island House, Author: Posie Graeme-Evans, ISBN: 978-0-7432-9443-0, Publisher: Atria, Format I read: Trade Paperback, $16.00, Source: Publisher, Rating: 4 Crowns

The bones of the brothers lay in the dark. Dust thick as cloth covered them, for the air was ancient and dead.

It has been a different world then, in the days of the Wanderer. A time when people turned from the old Gods, and slaughter stalked those of the newer ways. Gods are never replaced without blood.

The younger had died for love, seeking justice. The older was cut down as he’d expected to be, surrounded by his fighters. They were both betrayed.

-Taken from page 1of The Island House

My Thoughts:

Crossing between present day and 800 AD, the story is essentially a book about relationships. The relationship between the present and the past. The relationship between Signy, a Pictish girl, and Bear, a Viking boy. Dan and Freya. Freya and her deceased father. Freya and her father’s girlfriend.

While each relationship was interesting, I felt that I couldn’t quite connect with Signy and Bear. While their story was heart wrenching and well plotted, the connection just wasn’t there. Surprisingly I felt more of a connection to Freya, Dan, and the story of the present.

I would describe this book as a cross between Susanna Kearsley and Bernard Cornwell. And like Cornwell’s novel Stonehenge, the story of the past, while entertaining, fails to connect.

Overall, I was hooked from the opening. The flowing prose pulled and kept me glued to the book until the very last page.

Read for: The amazing way Posie Graeme-Evans weaves the story of the past into the story of the present.

Overlook: The lack of regional dialect and the fact that Fraya and Dan go from chalk and cheese to sugar and spice in under sixty seconds.

*review also posted on Royal Reviews

An Amish Love By Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long

 

Two of today's most popular genres--Romance and Amish fiction--together in one volume.

"Healing Hearts" by Beth Wiseman: Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman are alone for the first time in 30 years. When Naaman left to visit cousins in Ohio, Levina wasn't expecting him to be gone a year. Now that he's back, will they be able to move beyond this estrangement and fall in love again?

"What the Heart Sees" by Kathleen Fuller: A tragic accident rocks a peaceful Amish community, leaving Ellie Chupp blinded and Christopher Bender's future shattered. But they find love and forgiveness in a place they least expect.

"A Marriage of the Heart" by Kelly Long: Rachel Yoder is tired of her Amish lifestyle and her domineering father's ways. When handsome Joseph Lambert comes back from the Englisch, she lies to force a marriage of convenience, providing the perfect means to escape her father's rule. But Rachel never imagined she'd fall in love with Joseph so quickly or irrevocably.

My Thoughts:

This book would make the perfect gift. Containing three Amish novellas penned by three different authors, An Amish Love was an enjoyable read.

Each author has a unique voice that makes each novella truly stand out. While I did not have a particular favorite, the book was amazing. I look forward to enjoying more from these lovely authors.

Mailbox Monday

 

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

January Host is : Lori's Reading Corner

For Review:

Georgette Heyer by Jennifer Kloester—The groundbreaking biography of one of the world’s best-loved and bestselling

After The Rain by Karen White

Purchased:

The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer

The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer

Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer

The Foundling by Georgette Heyer

Received as Gifts

The Favored Queen by Carolly Erickson

Rival to the Queen by Carolly Erickson

Mary Tudor: Princess, Bastard, Queen by Anna Whitelock—nonfiction

Duchess: A Novel of Sarah Churchill by Susan Holloway Scott

Head In The Clouds by Karen Witemeyer

I received a lovely book filled gift basket, which contained the following:

Bath Tangle by Georgette Heyer

Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

Friday’s Child by Georgette Heyer

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullough

Edmund Bertram’s Diary by Amanda Grange

Colonel Brandon’s Diary by Amanda Grange

A leather bound book journal

A “Keep Calm and Carry On” Ceramic mug

A Tin of Rose Petal Gypsy Tea

The 1969 Version of Jane Eyre starring George C. Scott and Susannah York

I also received numerous gift cards to B&N and Amazon.

What little lovelies arrived at your house?

Best Wishes & Happy Reading,

2013 Read-A-Latte Challenge

Are you a book addict? Well, are you? Are you that person who is always seen with your nose buried between the pages and never without a book or two nearby? Perhaps, your looking for the ultimate reading challenge?

Well then, the 2013 Read-A-Latte Challenge is just for you!

This is the place where I challenge you to read... -a- latte!

Here are some of the challenge details:

TIME FRAME: This challenge will begin on January 1st, 2013 and end December 31, 2013.

HOST: Kimberly’s Bookshelf

Books for this challenge can be from any genre and may include print books as well as e-books and audio books.

This challenge can cross-over to your other reading challenges.

Choose a Level:

Latte 75 books

Cappuccino 100 books

Double-Espresso 150+ books

MY GOAL: Cappuccino—although I am hoping that I will make it up to Double-Espresso

Best Wishes & Happy Reading,

Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a firm believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her?

Having raised his nephews since their parents’ untimely deaths, Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council has hired a female teacher. His sons could use a woman’s influence. But he sure didn’t bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel. Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods. Of course, Joel can’t help but notice that she’s also mighty pretty—and just might make a good mother for his boys.

When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the woman’s suffrage amendment, the town’s outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn’t sure he can support her new fangled ideas any longer. And is he can’t trust her to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart? (From the back of the book)

Title: Courting Miss Amsel, Author: Kim Vogel Sawyer, ISBN: 978-0-7642-0784-6, Publisher: Bethany House, Released:2011, Format: Trade paperback, $14.99, How I Read It: Trade Paperback that I purchased, Rating: 4 Cups

My Thoughts:

Edith Amsel decided that her purpose in life was to teach, thus she sworn off marriage, left her father and her siblings, and headed to Walnut Hill, Nebraska where her teaching style pushes the limits of the locals.

Joel Townsend—a gentleman to his core—is raising his brothers sons by himself. Needing to find a wife to mother his children, he finds himself drawn to the new schoolmarm yet when he discovers something about Edith his feelings start to change.

So the title is Courting Miss Amsel, and while Joel fancies Edith and she reciprocates the feelings, there was little to no courting going on. When they shared a page you could plainly see the sparks flying between them. Although for an inspirational romance there was little interaction between the two of them without it being in a social setting, (church, school, general store) I was hoping that there would be a bit more courting in the book.

What I enjoyed about the book was the fact that it was more so a book about finding oneself and Edith’s journey to self-discovery was an interesting one. Joel’s realizations were a bit more subtle but just as interesting.

The only thing that I was a bit annoyed with was the fact that every book set in the era makes mention or revolves somewhat around woman’s suffrage. I know that at the time it was a hot topic and I am all for woman’s independence, yet not all women would be casting off their aprons so occasionally I would love to see this omitted from novels in this era.

Overall, I found that I enjoyed this novel. It reminded me of the Christy novels I read as a teenager.

Courting Miss Amsel was the first novel I read by this author and I have to say I am looking forward to reading more from her.

Until We Meet Again,

Best Wishes & Happy Reading,

Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer

Rank, wealth, and elegance are no match for a young lady who writes novels…

Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has exacting requirements for a bride. Then he encounters Phoebe Marlow, a young lady with literary aspirations, and suddenly life becomes very complicated. She meets none of his criteria, and even worse, she has written a novel that is sweeping the ton and causing all kinds of gossip…and he’s the main character!

Book Details: Publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011, 937-4022-3880-2, Trade Paperback, $13.99, 386 pages Source: Purchased from B&N

 

When Sylvester, the Duke of Salford, first meets Phoebe Marlow, he finds her dull and insipid. She finds him insufferably arrogant. But when a series of unforeseen events leads them to be stranded together in a lonely country inn, they are both forced to reassess their hastily formed opinions, and begin a new-found liking and respect for each other.

Sylvester calls to mind the satirical genius of a Jane Austen novel and is adored for its wit and a fast-paced plot, which ranges across a myriad of settings.

Audiobook Details: Naxos Audiobooks, 2009, 9626349255, mp3, $9.80, 4 hours 51  minutes, Narrated by: Richard Armitage Source: Purchased from Audible.com

My Thoughts:

When Sylvester Rayne, Duke of Salford, decides to marry, he makes a list of requirements that his bride must have then runs off and seeks his mother’s advice. Knowing that he does not love any of the five women on his list, she tells him not to marry until he falls in love, then sends him to his godmother who tells him about her eligible granddaughter, Phoebe Marlow.

Phoebe Marlow does not meet any of the Duke’s requirements and when she discovers that the Duke may ask for her hand, she run’s off with aid of her friend, Tom who happens to be the squires son. Although when nasty weather throws the Duke and Phoebe together, Phoebe starts to realize that Sylvester is not quite the villain she made him out to be in novel she wrote.

Fate intervenes even further when Sylvester’s young nephew—and ward—Edward is kidnapped by his eccentric mother and Phoebe tries to retries the boy, leading to even more time spent with Sylvester.

Misunderstanding, arrogance, and the wicked wit that is woven into Sylvester, or The Wicked Uncle, is highly reminiscent of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. With characters both realistic and eccentric this novel thoroughly entertains. One of my favorite Georgette Heyer novels.

As I have been on a Georgette Heyer kick for the last few weeks, I thought that I would give the audio version a try, plus Sylvester was this months pick for my book club. Seeing that it was read by none other than Richard Armitage (North & South, Robin Hood, MI-5/Spooks, The Vicar of Dibley) I knew that I *had* to purchase the audiobook. I made my mistake in not reading the description so I failed to realize that this was the abridged version.

While I could listen to Richard Armitage velvety voice all the days of my life (and he does a brilliant job at brining the characters to life), I still could not get over the fact that huge chunks of the book were omitted. While some of the omitted bits were nothing more the minor descriptions of the setting, others were key scenes that made the book grand. And I noticed that the omissions became larger after chapter 19, meaning that most of the ending was cut from the audiobook.

Having read the book countless times, to me these omissions were pronounced. I wondered what fresh listeners would think of the book and during my book club discussion one of the ladies said that she had listened to the audio version rather than read the book and the book felt incomplete to her, so apparently I was not the only one to notice the injustice the audiobook does the actual book.

Book or Audiobook? Definitely the book, especially for newbie readers. Sadly, I am afraid that not even the lovely Richard Armitage could save the unabridged audiobook.

Best Wishes & Happy Reading or listening,

Tuesday Intros: Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling

Every Tuesday, Diane @ Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph(s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along!

Chapter 1 The Unraveling of Nanny Prum

Every night I dreamt of the dead. In dreams those who have been lost can be found, gliding on fragments of memory through the dark veil of sleep to ensnare themselves within the remains of the day, to pretend for a moment like a lifetime that they might still be alive and well, waiting by the bedside when the dream is done. They never were, but I could not stop myself from wishing for the possibility that everything I remembered was a mistake, a nightmare taken too literally by the imagination. But morning always came, and with it the startling realization that the dead continued to be so, and that I remained alone.

Would you continue reading? I know that I am eager to devour the secrets of Charlotte Markham and the House of Darkling by Michael Boccacino.

Best Wishes & Happy Reading,