Combines Tudor and Modern England into One Captivating Story
596238
I am a long time fan of Beverly Swerling and was disappointed at first that she was not writing another book in her New York historical fiction saga.  In fact, I still hope that she will!  However, this novel was far from disappointing.  She uses her extraordinary skill to link a story taking place in Tudor times with one in London today.  It has many twists and turns that command your attention and the plot development is artfully combined with her talent for drawing interesting characters.  To bridge the two eras she uses the device of the paranormal - although I am usually not a fan of that genre, in this case, it works wonderfully to allow characters from different centuries to interact to advance the plot.  This book shows the breadth of her talent and I look forward to her future works!
4531385
At first, I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book and I blamed that feeling on the fact Id picked up the sixth book in a series. However, after a few chapters, I fell into the story  partly helped because many of the characters are based on actual historical figures, so I already had a sense of who they were and the real-life roles they had, but also because the tale itself is so engaging.
Chisolm does a marvellous job of bringing to life the latter years of Elizabeth the Firsts reign and the rise of her favourite, the Earl of Essex, and the various politicking that went on. Her lead character is Sir Robert Carey, a courtier and cousin of the queen who, in this instalment is in Oxford where the queen is on progress. Determined to wrest from her Majestys tight fingers wages hes owed for being Deputy Warden of the West march with Scotland, Carey converges on Oxford as well. Instead of getting his fee, Carey is given a task  to find out what really happened to the Earl of Leicester, Robert Dudleys first wife, Amy Robsart, thirty years earlier.
The death of Amy has always been considered mysterious and cast aspersions not only on the queen but her favourite, Leicester, and is long read (and hotly debated) as one of the reasons Queen Elizabeth didn't marry him. Effectively a cold case, Carey begins his investigation, but all too quickly discovers there are those who don't want the truth to come out. Soon, Carey is in as much danger as it seems young Amy was as well
Parallel to this story is that of Careys trusted man, Sergeant Dodd, who coming to join his master, is waylaid in violent circumstances and held captive. Its not only the mystery of Amys death Carey has to solve, but of Dodds disappearance too. Carey must find his man before its too late  for Dodd, Carey and the queen.
This ended up being a rollicking good read. Historically accurate with lovely fictive embellishes, it should please lovers of history and those after a page-turning murder-mystery. I liked this so much, I went and bought the first few Carey adventures and cannot wait to read them
6620
Crow Hollow was chosen as my free book of the month from Amazon. There were no YA titles offered, and I was intrigued by the description of this adult historical fiction title. I was not disappointed in my choice.

James Bailey, on the commission of the King of England, arrives in Boston harbor in December of 1676 along with his Indian/Quaker friend, Peter Church. Though they traveled in secret, they are met at the docks by a dour group of men with muskets. These men assume that James and Peter are there to look into the death of one of the king's agents. Told to stay on the ship and return to England, James tells them that he and Peter are on the King's business. James has been given license by the king to discover what happened at Crow Hollow when the agent, Sir Benjamin Cotton, and most of the residents were attacked by the normally peaceful Nipmuk Indians and the village almost destroyed - but this is their business.

The agent had a wife who was taken by the Nipmuk, and a 1-year-old, Mary, who was, it was believed, killed by them. Prudence was convinced that her baby was still alive and was determined to find a way to get her back. James has his reasons to learn the truth, and when he tries to leave Boston quietly, he is joined by none other than Prudence Cotton. She demands that he listen to her story, and though he does not know what to believe about her daughter, Prudence's experience with the Nipmuk, her observations about the Godly men who exist in her world, and her own conclusions about the death of her husband confirm to James that there is more to the story than what meets the eye.

At first, I was not sure about choosing a story that took place during the days of the Puritans. It seems like the very story would be so constricted by the values, virtues and strictness of that time. I was pleasantly surprised that even though it was Puritanical through and through, there was plenty of room to make it a good, three-dimensional tale. It is very interesting, too, to hear the differences in beliefs when James, who is Church of England, and Prudence, whose own sister is married to the local reverend, speak of the differences between the religions. I am glad I am not the only one who thinks that the Puritans are a humorless lot. But to learn that they didn't celebrate Christmas (too pagan!); that everyone, and I mean everyone, had to attend church services, no excuses (they'd come find you!); and, if they were wrongdoers, they had to submit to lashings and being pilloried and put in the stocks for various offenses (read from the pulpit!). It makes you wonder how people waited until almost three hundred years later to become hippies.

The tale is wonderfully written, and I certainly felt transported to that time period. There's a wonderful mystery or two, and the cover is quite striking. If you like historical fiction, you will enjoy this book.

Crow Hollow by Michael Wallace was published today, June 1, 2015 by Lake Union Publishing. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page by Amazon.

Rating: 4

Genre: Adult Fiction Historical Romance
2329027
Love it!  If you've liked the Tudors or any of these historical fiction adaptations you'll love this one as well.
1247089
In The King's Sisters author Sarah Kennedy once again brings us back to Tudor England and the fate that has befallen Catherine Havens Overton. Catherine is a wealthy widow serving at Richmond Palace in the house of Beloved Sister Anne of Cleves. It's 1542 and Henry's young queen Catherine Howard has been beheaded for treason. Suspicion and danger hang on every word and in every corner, but Catherine is in more peril than most as she hides a secret. She has attracted the attention of the power hungry Martin David Martins and she must use her wit to stay one step ahead of the foul man.

I have read The Altarpiece, the book that introduced us to Catherine Havens and thoroughly enjoyed it. This third book, however, dragged considerably at the beginning. I understand that the mood of the house and that of England had to be conveyed, but nothing really happened until 40% into the book. Snippets of what had happened to Catherine since the first book were revealed and I think if I had read City of Ladies, I would have been more invested in Catherine's character. When the action finally started, my interest in Catherine's fate was piqued. Without going into any spoilers about the fate of the characters, I was not pleased that this book ended on another cliff hanger.

Ms. Kennedy clearly has researched Tudor England well and while I appreciated that, I was not very interested in the day-to-day drudgery of the kitchen maids which took up too much of the beginning of the story. I would recommend reading both of the previous books before reading this one as it will allow the reader to fully immerse oneself into Tudor England.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
417162
As much as I love stories about Anne Boleyn, we know the ending is always (unfortunately) the same...so I've been waiting for a book like Olivia's to come along.  Between Two Kings is a beautiful reimaging of what Anne's life might have been like had she escaped her dreadful fate at the business end of a French sword.  I was surprised and delighted by the journey the author set Anne off on and I thoroughly enjoyed the important role that Francis I played.  Olivia's love for the French Court is evident and it's clear that she did her research! The scenes are filled with rich details that bring the sixteenth century alive and the author's version of Anne is complex and sympathetic without being portrayed as a saint.  I appreciated the well-rounded characterization of Mary Boleyn and Jane Seymour and found myself hungry for more from their perspective.  Olivia's debut is a breath of fresh air and I eagerly await her next offering to see how this marvelous story plays out!
624241
I have loved reading Alison Weir's histories for years and was a bit nervous about her foray into fiction, but I was pleased to find that her narrative style easily translated to this winsome rendition of Elizabeth's youth and rise to power. Truly enjoyable read. Highly recommend for fellow English/Tudor history fans looking for an escape.
3460130
I am a sucker for historical fiction about the Tudors. I find them to be fascinating. I have read several of Weirs other books and found them to be interesting and enjoyable. Elizabeth of York:  A Tudor Queen and Her World was too, but not because she was the a lively and clever queen. She just happened to be there at the beginning of years of high intrigue in Englands court. The most interesting thing about Elizabeth of York is that she was part of the Tudor family of monarchs. Weir did not make her out to be more than that. Her story is that of a complacent woman who serves her family and her king as expected. Her tale is interesting, for sure, but in the context of everything else that was happening and her descendants that took the throne in the years to come. Weir did a nice job of incorporating all the goings on at court and made this book into a good read for this fan of Tudor stories.
2867806
Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.
The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

my review: I feel bad for The White Queen having to follow my reading of Wolf Hall; that's a hard act to follow and it did not do well.
Though I'm familiar with this part of English history, I had not read anything specifically with this period. I'm not sure what Gregory's intention was but I felt Elizabeth Woodville came off as quite unsympathetic. How easily she switches from a Lancaster to a York and moves her family to prominence, making enemies along the way. She really put her ambitions before her children. And what is with having one son from a first marriage named Richard and then having a son by the king and naming him Richard? Of course I know there were only about 5 names used at that time, but that annoyed me.
Gregory also choose to play up the witchcraft accusations that were levied against Elizabeth by Richard III when declaring her marriage to King Edward invalid. However she did not do this in a very subtle manner and  that was a bit of a turn off for me. And the curse that Elizabeth puts on the killers of the missing princes, covers a couple possible suspects. Did Henry VII have them killed and that is why his oldest son died before ascending to the throne? Or is that why the son of Richard III died, ending his line? It was a bit of a silly way do deal with a fascinating historical mystery.

On the other hand, this was a quick read and rather engaging for some of it's faults. But I don't think I will be reading the second in this saga. It just didn't have enough depth for me.

rating 2.5/5
reread: nope
recommend: not really
798394
I really enjoyed this book, mainly because it showed a side of the Tudor court not often covered, the seemingly insane tyranny of Henry VIII in his later years. I also felt a great deal for the Heroine and could keenly feel the despair and disbelief she must have felt as her family was murdered around her with never a word said against it.
I have never felt much sympathy for Mary (later Mary I) and usually have admired Thomas Cromwell for his intellect and ability which aided his rise to prominence but this book will make me think differently about them from now on.
As ever, a great absorbing read from a lady who is rightly regarded as the master of this type of fiction.
3096293
This was a wonderful, satisfying read set in England when Cromwell was purging England of its Catholic monasteries and convents. Joanna Stafford is a novitiate at a Dominican convent that was well endowed by Prince Edward. She has not taken her final vows as a nun when she learns that her beloved cousin is to burnt at the stake for treason against King Henry VIII. Joanna leaves the convent and heads for London, hoping to help her cousin in some small way. Instead, she is caught and sent to the Tower of London with her father and with an innocent man, a bystander caught in her escapade.
Bishop Gardiner, a former Catholic, now politically allied with Henry VIII, takes Joanna deep into the bowels of the Tower, where she bears witness to her father being torn apart on the rack. Gardiner releases Joanna and authorizes her return to Dartford Priory with two monks on the condition that she act as his spy at the Priory, searching for the long lost crown of King Athelstan, worn when he united England.  Gardiner believes that this precious relic, believed to be endowed with mystical powers, has been hidden for centuries and may be the key to ending the division between the Protestant Church of Cromwell and the Catholic Church - if it even exists. Joanna allies with one of the monks, Brother Edward, and scours the priory and other places for clues about the existence and the location of the crown. There are clues at Dartford Priory, in its architecture, its libraries and in the tapestries woven by its sisters, clues that lead Joanna through castles, abbeys, ruins, and graveyards.
Joanna finds herself in a position where she must sacrifice her father, her faith, or even her life to recover the relic. It does exist, may have powers beyond belief and the future of her beloved convent, friends and family hangs in the decisions that Joanna must make.
4380367
The author uses a style that is perfectly in tune with the setting of the time: knights, ladies, and William the Conqueror. The story is set up as a research paper by one of Robert's (the main character) descendants. In fact, there are several places where the descendant makes reference to the Latin translation. I found the language and reference notes charming although it bumped me out of the story in the beginning. Emily Tilton constructed her characters carefully and in a way that explains the heroine's masochistic desires and her need to be dominated. It was a refreshing take on domestic discipline and spanking, and as a lover of historical romance, I admire Emily's dedication to maintaining an authentic voice for the time period.

The love story between Sophia and Robert is touching, and at the same time, titillating, but if you're daunted by archaic terms or language then this book isn't for you.
356540
Great read for those who enjoy historical fiction of Henry VIII and his entourage.  It is written from the prospective of Thomas Cromwell who is depicted as a most honorable and beloved man in contrast to other historical novels in which he is depicted as an aggressive, heartless adversary to all those defending the Roman Catholic faith during the 1500's during the reformation of the Church of England.  For those who know little of the history of the Tudor dynasty, it will appear to be more suspenseful, albeit, those who are more versed in the history will still find suspense in attempting to predict Cromwell's reaction to events and the intrigue associated with learning details of his life and his rise to power.  Initially, Mantel's style of writing from the protaganist position was confusing but after a quick reread of the first chapter it became readily apparent who was speaking (mainly Cromwell) when she refers to "he says" throughout the novel.  Just purchased the sequel, "Bringing up the Bodies" and find it equally enjoyable.  There is also a version of the novel for sale with photograph illustrations of the upcoming PBS series Wolf Hall.
4877268
Crenshaw weaves a story that will keep you reading late into the night. She is a master storyteller and takes care with historical detail and descriptions of places. This story is set in 12th century England during Henry IIs reign. He was married to the famous Eleanor of Aquitaine and both are featured characters in the story at the time when Henry was still a young king.

Norah of Ramsay, a girl of 15, has been betrothed to the neighboring lord, Jervais Le Strand, Earl of Conniebrook, since she was a young child though she has never met him. Jervais has become a knight and a friend of King Henry. Somewhere in his battles in the Holy Land, he fell in love with Eleanor when she was married to the King of France. Though their relationship could never be consummated, Jervais harbors love for Eleanor in his heart. All other women are just bedmates to him.

When she is 15, Norah's dying father decides to give her to the church as penance. So Norah ends up in a cloister that is more like a prison. Her only dream had been to marry Jervais and she hates the cloistered life. Norah is special, one of those people uniquely gifted with extra sensory powers. She sees visions of things to come, shadows of the future. On the day she is to take her vows, her 16th birthday, she plans to escape over the wall having seen it in a vision. Meanwhile, Jervais wants her lands and is angry that her father would thwart his plans to use the Ramsey wealth to fortify his castle. So, he breaks into the convent to steal his bride and captures her as she is running away. When she realizes who it is, she gladly marries him and soon falls in love with the handsome knight. But he sees her only as a mission accomplished; he doesn't even remember her eye color.

When his squire tells Norah that Jervais is in love with another, very beautiful woman, Norah (who sees herself as plain) flees. Then the story gets even more interesting. With the help of a witch, Norah takes on another life, a disguise--one of amazing beauty.

I highly recommend this one. I think Nadine Crenshaw was one of the early great romance authors and deserves to be on your keeper shelf.

Her books:

MOUNTAIN MISTRESS (Golden Heart Winner; 1987)
CAPTIVE MELODY (1988)
EDIN'S EMBRACE (1989)
SPELLBOUND (1990)
DESTINY AND DESIRE (1992)
THE HIGHWAYMAN (1993)
VIKING GOLD (1995)
CELTIC TALES: BALOR OF THE EVIL EYE (1995)
FIELDS OF THE SUN (1997)

I believe the book of hers you'll see on some lists titled CITY OF DREAMS and published in 1992 is actually DESTINY AND DESIRE, as the City of San Francisco is described in that novel as "the city of dreams."
251582
Jane Seymour (1508-1537) was the wife of Henry VIII and Queen of England for a very short time, 1536-1537. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as Henry's wife and bore him a son...and died a few days later from birth-related complications.

In The Haunted Queen, Allison Weir continues her Six Tudor Queens saga with Jane's story. The book is a mix of historical fact and fictional story, recounting what might have happened from the time Jane was about 10 years old until her death.

I am a sucker for all things Tudor. And Jane's story, while being less exciting or morbid than the divorces, two beheadings and a survivor, her tale is still fascinating to me. The struggles between the catholic church and the monarchy, the King's long fight for divorce from his first wife, Katherine, the short reign of Anne Boleyn.....and her own marriage to Henry..... Jane lived in very exciting time of change, violence and political rivalries. While I'm glad that I don't live in a similar situation, it is interesting to read about those who did. I can only imagine how scared Anne Boleyn was when she realized her triumph at being named queen was going to end in disaster. And Jane's short-lived joy at birthing a son.

I loved this book! I've read a couple other books by Allison Weir and always enjoy her mix of fact and fiction. It brings Court and all the intrigue to life. I'm not sure why I enjoy reading about Henry VIII's reign so much. He really was a bad king and a narcissistic man bent on having a male successor no matter what the cost. Let alone the irony that most likely it was his sperm and health that caused the problems in the first place.

Fabulous book for those who enjoy historical fiction. This is NOT a romance novel disguised as historical fiction, but a fictionalized account of historical events. Don't expect steamy sex scenes....it's not that sort of book. If you want to read about political intrigue, the jealousies of court, and Jane's short lived marriage to one of the most famous rulers of England....then this book is perfect!

I will definitely be reading more by Allison Weir. I haven't read the first two books in this series yet -- Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen and Anne Boleyn, A King's Obsession. There are also several Novellas in the series, including one about Arthur, Henry's younger brother and Katherine's first husband. I will definitely be reading this entire series! I can't wait for the next book! Anna of Kleve is up next -- another divorce. (At least she kept her head!!)

**I voluntarily read an advance reader's copy of this book from Random House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
4155485
Since most of us have little awareness of history beyond the Civil War, this book takes us back to the start of the Tudor Age in British history in a very real and human way.  The feisty princess, heroine of the story, establishes the foundation for generations to come.  No spoilers here.  Read the story!  It is well worth your time.
4465301
Yes, another Anne Boleyn novel. They seem to be coming off an assembly line. Mistress Bolyen has been explored so much lately in popular fiction, TV and nonfiction lately that I'm getting a little sick of her. Not only is Anne being overused, but so is Henry VIII and his entire Tudor court. Sure, it's hard to not enjoy the soap opera-like life of Henry VIII with his six wives and countless mistresses, but really- enough already!

This was exactly what I was thinking when I saw To Die For. How could it be worthwhile when I already know how the story is going to end, and there isn't any way they could change it? But, since I had the opportunity to read the book through Simon & Schuster's Galley Grab program, I thought it would be worthwhile to at least check out. May be a good summer read, and I could get my Anne on.

But, To Die For was different from the multitude of Anne Boleyn novels out there. Instead of following Anne's story exclusively, To Die For tells Anne's story through the eyes of her best friend, Meg Wyatt. The sister of the somewhat famous Thomas Wyatt, Meg had lessons alongside Anne, her sister Mary and her brother George in their younger years. While Meg hears or sees little of Anne after she Anne goes to France, their paths cross again when Anne and Meg is married off in a loveless marriage. Though she is soon widowed, Meg finds herself at court, and thoroughly pulled into the tangled threads of Anne's intrigue with the king, and her ambition to get rid of Katherine and take the crown.

What fused this novel so much refreshing originality was the use of Meg as the narrator, so readers could enjoy something unexpected by experiencing her story. Though it was mostly fictional, Meg's tale is based on some known facts about her life, and naturally and easily intersects with Anne's well-documented rise to power and ultimate fall from the king's favor.

Told in excellent prose, author Sandra Byrd weaves together fact and fiction do perfectly, that most readers won't be able to tell the difference. Byrd does a great job of painting the period while ] exploring the character's world and portraying Anne as a sympathetic, yet ambitious woman whose luck simply ran out.

Highly recommended for fans of Tudor-era fiction.