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Review: Black Diamonds: The Downfall of an Aristocratic Dynasty and the Fifty Years That Changed England by Catherine Bailey
Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. Catherine Bailey chronicles the rise and fall of the Fitzwilliam coal mining dynasty in Yorkshire England. The Fitzwilliam family was at one time, one of the wealthiest families in all of England. So how does this extensive fortune and massive house end up on the real estate market in 2014 in need of mass repairs? Well that’s what Bailey decides to find out. What follows is this outstanding narrative about the rise and fall of this aristocratic family, a fortune worth 3 billion pounds by today’s standards, and a family full of salacious scandal, family feuds, and dark secrets. This book was scandalous and…
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Guest Post: The Blood of the Fifth Knight by E.M. Powell
TITLE: Medieval Medley When it comes to writing historical fiction, you can keep your Tudors and your Regencies. Yes, they might be wildly popular but I know of no other time period in history that is as fascinating as the medieval, which in my opinion is sadly neglected. If you’re not yet a fan, let me give you a flavour in my Medieval Medley. You may change your mind! Medieval Mate My hero is Sir Benedict Palmer, a chain mail-wearing knight. There may be some eye-rolling at this as appealing dress from male readers, who are possible envisaging a wimpy Sir Lancelot type. Gentlemen, a suit of chain mail and…
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Review: The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag
That would look beautiful on you. Why don’t you try it on? How often do you hear that when you are shopping for the perfect dress? Is it just fluff that the sales clerk is trying to make us believe or would it truly look beautiful on us? What if that statement was more like a promise? Etta Sparks owns a dress shop where dreams actually do come true. A place where one dress could change your life. Etta has the ability to make your dreams come true with the perfect dress and a little stitching to give you some courage. Her granddaughter Cora has been grieving her parents death for…
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Review: Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
2015 promises to be a big year for books into movies, one of which that caught my eye was Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. The trailer looked beautiful and intriguing, not to mention the description of the book itself. A love….square I guess….three men one woman….a tale of love and unrequited desire? Plus cute little sheep? I’m in! I haven’t read anything by Thomas Hardy before so getting used to his prose was difficult. Very descriptive and flowery, and thick at times but after getting used to it, it wasn’t too bad. Bathsheba Everdene is everything a bad-ass heroine should be….strong willed, bold, and independent. She has come into possession…
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Review: Die I Will Not (John Chase Mystery #3) by S.K. Rizzolo
British mysteries are some of my favorite books to read….especially those set in either the Victorian or Regency eras. Who doesn’t love a good murder by gaslight novel? The John Chase series intrigued me. I often gravitate toward British mysteries/detective novels with female protagonists, so a series that boasted a male detective grabbed me. Penelope Wolfe has married the wrong man. She tried to break away from her father and in her attempt at ‘independence’ she has found herself very unhappily married. Jeremy is basically gambling himself into the ground.
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Pink For All Seasons: Flower Symbolism in The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig
Many of you die hard ‘Pink Carnation‘ fans will undoubtedly notice that flowers play a huge role in the books and are meant to convey some symbolism and foreshadowing in the series and books. Each character embodies the title flower in some way or another. For me, one of my favorite Pink heroines was Mary Alsworthy from The Seduction of the Crimson Rose. The rose is not only beautiful and alluring but thorny and at times dangerous to an inexperienced handler. It’s a classic flower long associated with beauty and love. It’s chic, regal, and alluring, while at the same time the thorns remind us of suffering and sacrifice.
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Review: The Tudor Vendetta (The Spymaster Chronicles #3) by C.W. Gortner
Tudor lit is always a favorite sub genre for those who write historic fiction. And why not, it’s a ruthless age full of romance, intrigue, and political unrest. There is a lot for authors to draw inspiration. One of the things I love best about C.W. Gortner as a writer is he tends to pick strong women in history to write about which is unusual for a male author. I think having a male write about these women provides readers with a unique perspective. In this novel he utilized a male as the POV character which was different but no less entertaining. Queen Mary is dead and the young Elizabeth takes the throne. One…
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Special Feature: First Impressions Book Club Kit
In a few short weeks 11/21/14, I will be posting my review of FIRST IMPRESSIONS by Charlie Lovett. If you are a fan of Jane Austen….which let’s face it, that’s pretty much everyone, then you will probably enjoy this book. I haven’t even read it yet and I already love it! I had the pleasure of reviewing one of Lovett’s other books, THE BOOKMAN’S TALE, earlier this year and loved both the story and his writing style! So when this came up to review, I jumped on it! In eager anticipation of reading this novel, I am thrilled to share this wonderful book club kit with you! This book club…
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Book Blast/Giveaway: The Typewriter Girl by Alison Atlee
Author Alison Atlee’s The Typewriter Girl is now an audiobook, narrated by Audie winner Rosalyn Landor, and in celebration she’ll be touring the blogosphere from August 4-29 with HF Virtual Book Tours! Audible Audio Book Edition Audible.com Release Date: April 4, 2014 Listening Length: 12 hours and 39 minutes Publisher: Audible Studios Language: English ASIN: B00JH0L9HW Genre: Historical Fiction A Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year pick: The Typewriter Girl is a “spectacular debut, set in a perfectly realized Victorian England.” When Betsey Dobson disembarks from the London train in the seaside resort of Idensea, all she owns is a small valise and a canary in a…
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Special Feature: FREE Audio Sample of THE FORTUNE HUNTER by Daisy Goodwin
I recently had the pleasure of reviewing the latest book by Daisy Goodwin, THE FORTUNE HUNTER. This book had a distinct Downton Abbey feel to it, not to mention lots of horses, scandal, and upper crust opulence to keep readers engaged. I am thrilled to announce that the novel is also available as an audio book! The charming Clare Corbett narrates this story about the conflict between love and duty. You can listen to the first chapter narration for free by clicking the link below. https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/the-fortune-hunter-by-daisy-goodwin