BOOK REVIEW: The Kiss of the Concubine by Judith Arnopp

Blurb:

28th January 1547.

It is almost midnight and the cream of the English nobility hold their breath as King Henry VIII prepares to face his God. As the royal physicians wring their hands and Archbishop Cranmer gallops through the frigid night, two dispossessed princesses pray for their father’s soul and a boy, soon to be king, snivels into his velvet sleeve. 

Time slows, and dread settles around the royal bed, the candles dip and something stirs in the darkness … something, or someone, who has come to tell the king it is time to pay his dues. 

The Kiss of the Concubine is the story of Anne Boleyn, second of Henry VIII’s queens. 

My Review:

“The Kiss of the Concubine” by Judith Arnopp was an outstanding read! I absolutely love anything that has to do with Anne Boleyn, and this was definitely right at the top of the list of books I’ve read about her life. I love that the focus was on the positive side of Anne Boleyn.  A lot of books focus  on her ambition, and make her out to be some evil woman, who purposefully went after King Henry VIII with the goal of becoming queen, and that she never loved him, just wanted the crown. This novel gives reader another view of Anne Boleyn. It shows her as a young woman who fell very much in love with King Henry VIII, and although she felt guilty because of what was happening to the king’s wife, Catherine of Aragon, she also was so in love with the king that she really wanted to be with him as his wife. She refused to be his mistress, because she did not want to end up like her sister, who was set aside and forgotten as soon as she became pregnant with the king’s child.

This novel was an easy read, really smooth flowing and interesting. You would think that I would get bored of reading books about Anne Boleyn, but every book about her is different and interesting in its own way. I always learn something new about her life, or get a different look at what she may have been thinking or what she may have gone through.

I would definitely recommend this novel to any historical fiction lovers, especially those who are as obsessed with Tudor history as I am!

I give this novel a FIVE out of FIVE stars!

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BOOK REVIEW: The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick

Blurb:

Young Eleanor has everything to look forward to as the heiress to the wealthy Aquitaine. But when her beloved father dies suddenly, childhood is over. Forced to marry Prince Louis of France, she barely adjusts before another death catapults them to King and Queen. Leaving everything behind, Eleanor must face the complex and vivacious French court. She is only 13. Barely out of childhood and forced to deal with great scandals, fraught relationships, and forbidden love at every turn, Eleanor finally sees what her future could hold if she could just seize the moment.

My Review:

“The Summer Queen” by Elizabeth Chadwick was absolutely fantastic. I might be a little biased, since I love anything to do with Eleanor of Aquitaine, but I really can’t say enough good things about this book! The great use of descriptions grabbed me from the beginning, and I was really able to picture what was going on through the use of great imagery. Also, the writing style flowed smoothly, so my interest was kept from beginning until end. I like how the focus was mainly on her first marriage, because had the author tried to fit the adventures of both marriages into one book, I think a lot would have been lost in the telling. I was surprised that the author described Louis and Eleanor’s marriage as somewhat passionate at the beginning. Other books I have read have shown that the marriage was pretty much doomed from the beginning, this novel showed that there possibly was the chance at love between them at first, but through different events in their lives, that chance was ruined. It’s sad that their marriage fell apart due to Louis’ poor advisors and overzealous religious beliefs. However, it is definitely easy to hate Louis in this novel due to the way he treats Eleanor! The adventures that Eleanor had during her lifetime are astounding, and it’s hard not to like someone with as much strength of character as Eleanor of Aquitaine! To think, this novel is only covering the FIRST half of her crazy life! I really like that the author ended the novel (the first in a trilogy!) at a positive point in Eleanor’s life. There are so many ups and downs throughout her life, with one of the major ‘downs’ happening during her marriage to Henry II, so it’s nice to end this first book with a little hope towards her future.

I would 100% recommend this novel to any lover of historical fiction. It has it all, romance, adventure, and intrigue! I give this novel a solid FIVE out of FIVE stars!

Praise for Elizabeth Chadwick:

“Like a fine wine Chadwick is to be savored all the way down to the last drop...”—Historically Obsessed

“I swear, each Elizabeth Chadwick book I read is even better than the last.”—Devourer of Books

“An author who makes historical fiction come gloriously alive.” —Times of London

“A star back in Britain, Elizabeth Chadwick is finally getting the attention she deserves here.” ―Deirdre Donahue, USA Today

Biography

Elizabeth Chadwick is a best selling, award winning author of historical fiction. A born storyteller, her first novel The Wild Hunt won a Betty Trask Award in 1990. She has been four times shortlisted for the RNA Award in the UK for the best mainstream romantic novel. Her book The Scarlet Lion was selected as one of the top ten works of historical fiction of the decade by Richard Lee, founder of The Historical Novel Society.

Available for PRE order at Amazon.com!

REVIEW: The White Princess (Cousin's War) by Philippa Gregory

Blurb:

Caught between loyalties, the mother of the Tudors must choose between the red rose and the white. 

Philippa Gregory, #1 New York Times best­selling author and “the queen of royal fiction” (USA Today), presents the latest Cousins’ War novel, the remarkable story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of the White Queen.

When Henry Tudor picks up the crown of England from the mud of Bosworth field, he knows he must marry the princess of the enemy house—Elizabeth of York—to unify a country divided by war for nearly two decades. 

But his bride is still in love with his slain enemy, Richard III—and her mother and half of England dream of a missing heir, sent into the unknown by the White Queen. While the new monarchy can win power, it cannot win hearts in an England that plots for the triumphant return of the House of York.

Henry’s greatest fear is that somewhere a prince is waiting to invade and reclaim the throne. When a young man who would be king leads his army and invades England, Elizabeth has to choose between the new husband she is coming to love and the boy who claims to be her beloved lost brother: the rose of York come home at last.


My Review:

Philippa Gregory is one of my all time favorite authors of historical fiction. I have read every one of her books, and have yet to be disappointed. She is able to bring historical characters to life in a way that makes you believe that things happened exactly as she writes. I also appreciate that she researches her novels so well. Of course she takes some creative license when writing her novels, but overall she sticks with the facts, and creates a story that’s hard to put down.

I loved Elizabeth’s (Henry VII’s wife/queen) character. She’s passionate and loyal; whish is exactly as I would imagine her to have been in real life. Philippa Gregory did an amazing job of brining her character to life in this novel. I wasn’t really a fan of how she portrayed King Henry VII, but that is just my bias. I’ve read so many books where he is described as a loyal, faithful, loving husband to Elizabeth, that it’s hard for me to see him as a jerk, for lack of a better word!

Her descriptions allow the reader to imagine everything that is going on clearly, whether it is a characters dress or personality, or the landscape they are travelling through. I would recommend this novel, and really any Philippa Gregory novel, to lovers of historical fiction. It’s definitely a page-turner.

I give this novel a FIVE out of FIVE stars!

Purchase The White Princess (Cousin's War) Here!

Feud by Derek Birks

Blurb:

It is 1459 and England stands on the brink of chaos. York and Lancaster go to war for the throne. As the Wars of the Roses begin, the rule of law breaks down and in the heart of Yorkshire an old local score is being settled.

"From the eye-catching cover to the last page, Feud is an exciting story of survival through personal upheaval during a vicious war, where the outcome is not always certain." Historical Novel Society.

Young Ned Elder, a Yorkshire knight, finds himself caught up in the civil war when his family is brutally attacked by their neighbour, Lord Radcliffe.
For the Elders, nothing will ever be the same again. With only a few loyal companions, Ned is hounded across the land by the Radcliffes. His sister Emma is forced into a loveless marriage with Radcliffe's heir whilst his younger sister, the brash Eleanor, is confined within an austere nunnery.

With their father and older brother dead, it falls to Ned and his sisters to fight back. But they are young, they make mistakes and they will need help if they are to survive, for once the Feud begins, no-one is safe...

FEUD is the compelling story of Ned Elder, his sisters and the girl he loves. They fight for survival and, whilst the civil war rages across a snow-covered battlefield, the bitter feud is played out to its bloody conclusion.

FEUD is the beginning of a story - the story of the Elder family's struggle through the Wars of the Roses - and the story continues in the next book of the Rebels & Brothers series, A Traitor's Fate, which is out on November 1 2013.


My Review:

“Feud” by Derek Birks is a great novel for lovers of historical fiction. It has the perfect mixture or action, adventure, and romance. The War of the Roses in English history has always interested me, and I’ve read several books from author's who write from the perspective of one side of the other. I like that Birks writes from the point of view of the ‘regular’ people of that era. It was interesting to read the story from the different perspectives of the nobility, servants, as well as men and women. I love historical fiction that is told from more than one viewpoint, and “Feud” does a great job at this.

Many of the historical fiction novels that I have read over the years are more geared towards a female reader, and put a lot of focus on the character’s romance. “Feud” has the element of romance in it, but I think the story line, which is packed full of action and descriptive battle scenes, will be of more interest to a male reader.  Birks has a gift when it comes to describing the battle scenes, and is able to put the reader right in the battle with the characters.

I enjoyed reading “Feud”, but at times the number of battles and general action were a little much for me, but that’s just my taste. Also, as a reader you need to have a little background knowledge of the War of the Roses, or there’s a good chance you’ll be a little lost. However, I definitely recommend this novel to historical fiction lovers, especially those who enjoy reading about the War of Roses.

I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars!

Purchase FEUD here!

The Queen's Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle

Blurb:

Widowed for the second time at age thirty-one Katherine Parr falls deeply for the dashing courtier Thomas Seymour and hopes at last to marry for love. However, obliged to return to court, she attracts the attentions of the ailing, egotistical, and dangerously powerful Henry VIII, who dispatches his love rival, Seymour, to the Continent. No one is in a position to refuse a royal proposal so, haunted by the fates of his previous wives—two

executions, two annulments, one death in childbirth—Katherine must wed Henry and become his sixth queen.

Katherine has to employ all her instincts to navigate the treachery of the court, drawing a tight circle of women around her, including her stepdaughter, Meg, traumatized by events from their past that are shrouded in secrecy, and their loyal servant Dot, who knows and sees more than she understands. With the Catholic faction on the rise once more, reformers being burned for heresy, and those close to the king vying for position, Katherine’s survival seems unlikely. Yet as she treads the razor’s edge of court intrigue, she never quite gives up on love.

My Review:

The Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle was an all around, excellent book. I loved the author’s writing style, and also how she portrayed Henry VIII's sixth queen, Katherine Parr. I also enjoyed reading about the lives of the two people closest to Katherine, Dot and Meg. I’ve read a few novels about Katherine Parr’s life, and prior to this book I viewed her as the ‘boring' one of Henry VIII's six wives. Elizabeth Fremantle was able to really bring her to life in this novel. I also love how she brought Dot’s story into the novel to show how the normal people who inhabited the world of kings and queens lived. Dot’s character was easy to get attached to, because she was very likable, and it was sweet to see her love affair progress.

The author’s writing style was fantastic. She was so descriptive, and used a lot of figurative language as well as imagery in her descriptions of people and places. As an English teacher, I can appreciate good use of figurative language!  I applaud the author for staying as close to historical fact as possible, yet still keeping the novel extremely interesting. I love when an author of historical fiction relies more on fact than fiction, but is still able to really bring the characters to life for the reader. I really enjoyed how the novel was ended, it gives the reader something to think about, kind of a 'what if' scenario.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It’s a wonderful read for lovers of historical fiction, especially those who enjoy reading about the Tudor era.  I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about the past.

I give this novel FIVE out of FIVE stars!

Shadow on the Crown by Patricia Bracewell

Blurb:

A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen


In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances

with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life.

Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

My Review:

I absolutely loved “Shadow on the Crown” by Patricia Bracewell. Not only because of her captivating writing style and thorough research, but also because I had never heard of or read about Emma of Normandy before this novel, so it was great to learn about a different historical figure! The author’s writing style is very fluid and detailed, as well as interesting. It was difficult for me to put the book down once I started reading it, and it was easy to lose track of time once I started. I loved that Patricia Bracewell stayed true to the historical facts, but also incorporated things like forbidden love and intrigue within the novel. I also enjoyed the rivalry between Emma and Elgiva. It added drama to the novel, and provided a foil for Emma.

I think of myself as a knowledgeable person when it comes to knowing about kings and queens of England, so coming across a novel about a queen I had never heard of grabbed my interest right away. I definitely fell in love with Emma’s character in this novel, and my interest in this time period has been piqued. This novel is the first installment in a series of three, so I am anxiously awaiting the next book in the series!

I would definitely suggest this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, especially those who are tired of reading the hundreds of books about the Tudors or Plantagenet’s. It was refreshing to read about a different figure in England’s history, especially one as captivating as Emma of Normandy. Like I said, I had never heard of her before, and I had no problem understanding what was going on, so don’t feel as though you need to ‘read up’ on Emma before buying this novel.

I gave Shadow on the Crown a five out of five stars! I have a feeling that I’ll be giving all of the books in this series a five out of five!

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