Books
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Review: A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy by Helen Rappaport
The romance between Prince Albert and Queen Victoria is legendary–a love that bordered on obsession. Helen Rappaport’s latest non-fiction book, A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy explores how a fairy tale romance turned into a dark melancholy that altered the course of the British monarchy. I won an ARC of this book through Goodreads. Non-fiction is normally not my review genre….non-fiction is more The Lib Bitch’s area than mine :). But I love Queen Victoria and was thrilled when I won the giveaway. I haven’t read a lot of books on Queen Victoria but I know the love story like I know any classic fairy…
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Review: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
Richard Mayhew has no idea what awaits him in London on the eve of his going away party in Scotland. His friends pitch in to get him a going away gift, a white umbrella with a map of the London Underground. He can’t help but stare at the umbrella with an eerie omen of impending disaster….little does he know how right he is. For three years, Richard’s life is more or less normal. He works in business and he is engaged, but he still can’t help but feel disenchanted. One night, Richard’s life changes drastically….he encounters a girl bleeding on the streets of London. With his decision to help her,…
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Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Abnegation. Amity. Candor. Dauntless. Erudite. Where faction do you belong to? On Choosing Day Beatrice (Tris) Prior must decide but first she undergoes an aptitude test to see which faction she will most likely gravitate toward….then she must choose to define her identity for the rest of her life based on that information. Born into the Abnegation faction, she is supposed to be selfless and think only of others….but she feels like a square peg in Abnegation. Hoping the test will shed some light on her conundrum, the worst happens—her aptitude test is inconclusive. She is Divergent. Being Divergent is dangerous….if anyone find out, her life will be in imminent danger. She is a threat to…
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Review: The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
What is a “weekend” you ask?… Like you I’m having Downton Abbey withdrawls, so I turned to Nancy Mitford to give me a fix. Nancy was one of the famous Mitford sisters, members of an aristocratic and eccentric English family who became quite famous for their exploits. There is a very interesting biography about them that I plan to tackle at some point by Mary S. Lovell called The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family. Nancy Mitford bases many of her fictional characters and stories off of her infamous family. The book I picked up is called The Pursuit of Love (for all of you cover whores out there…
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Review: Maisie Dobbs (Maisie Dobbs #1) by Jacqueline Winspear
War changes everything. In 1910, the world is a different place. England is still at peace, the aristocracy rules Britain’s social scene, and the life of Maisie Dobbs changes forever. At thirteen, young Maisie goes to work as a maid in the London household of Lady Rowan Compton, a wealthy suffragette and philanthropist. Though she is poor, Maisie is rich in intelligence. One night, Lady Rowan finds Maisie reading in her library and not just reading but teaching herself Latin and philosophy. Recognizing that Maisie has an aptitude to do something useful with her life, Lady Rowan begins sponsoring private tutoring under her friend Dr. Maurice Blanche. Before she knows it, Maisie is…
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Review: A Stranger in Mayfair (Charles Lenox Mysteries #4) by Charles Finch
Charles Lenox’s is the quintessential armchair detective. Being a highborn well funded gentleman has it’s perks and one of them is being allowed eccentricities. For Lenox, his ‘eccentricity’ is….wait for it….a J-O-B! Being a detective is something most of Lenox’s friends frown upon, he frequently finds himself on the source of a good many jokes and though he is well liked, his profession isn’t deemed proper by his social circle. This fact is beginning to wear on Lenox though, after all he is an Oxford chappie and well liked in London society and with his older brother holding a seat in Parliament….Lenox longs to be truly respected. In the last…
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Giveaway: Devoured by D.E. Meredith
Do you have the luck of the Irish? Enter the giveaway to find out! To celebrate St Patrick’s Day on March 17th we are giving away THREE SIGNED HARDBACK 1st EDITION COPIES of DEVOURED by D.E. Meredith. plus a Hatton and Roumande book mark! This giveaway is open to US residents only Giveaway is for: Signed hardback 1st edition copy of Devoured by D.E. Meredith and bookmark (3 available). Runs though: 3/13/12 to 3/19/12 How to sign up and details: Sign up using the Rafflecopter widget below. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on my blog, Twitter, and Facebook page. Winners will have three days to claim their prize. What the book about: Read my review of Devoured Questions? Email me at thelitbitch@me.com…
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Review: Pierre and Luce by Romain Rolland (a short story)
On the war torn streets of Paris 1918, two lovers meet by chance on a subway. Pierre is a modern day ‘Hamlet’….depressed, hopeless, and disillusioned by the world in which he lives–in his reality, he is an 18 year old middle class boy who has just received his conscription papers. But when he sees Luce on the subway, she is his ray of hope–a promise of a better life than the one destine to be his future. But does she see him? Does she know? Does she feel it too? Why would a girl so full of hope and life look twice at him? Before he can make his introduction,…
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Review: Timeless (Parasol Protectorate #5) by Gail Carriger
Agent Blue Bonnet here with a transmittal from the Parasol Protectorate secret society: Timeless by Gail Carriger is finally out! I discovered this series last year while I was participating in the Steampunk Reading Challenge over at Bookish Ardour. I absolutely loved Soulless (Book #1) and it has been an interesting series to watch evolve overall. Timeless is Book #5 in the series–which seems to be the last installment I am sad to say. The first four books take place in rapid secession but this book is set two years after Book #4. Alexia Tarabotti AKA Lady Maccon, is settling into her new life–as best she can considering she is married…
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Review: The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott
Do you find yourself wasting countless hours a day, day dreaming of the Edwardian era? Do you suddenly find yourself longing for a corset, button up boots, and an ostrich plum hat? You my friend are in good company and clearly suffering from Downton Abbey withdrawals. If like me, you are looking for literary tale to satisfy your need…then look no further than Kate Alcott’s novel, The Dressmaker. The Dressmaker is a Cinderella-ish tale reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada set against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster. Tess Collins spontaneously quits her job with the hope of gaining last minute employment on the Titanic the day it is to set sail.…