Wordless Wednesday~ Chatsworth, Part Two~ Inside the home of Bess of Hardwick

Today, 2 Wordless Wednesday pictures.

Inside Chatsworth.. same as my header photo which is explained in my profile also, and see last week's Chatsworth photo. Read history here. Sadly, I have never been.

GIVEAWAY & GUEST AUTHOR: "The Other Mr. Darcy" by Monica Fairview

The Other Mr. Darcy: Did you know Mr. Darcy had an American cousin? by Monica Fairview
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1402225130
Review copy via Sourcebooks
See other Sourcebooks Austen/Historicals
The Burton Review Rating:

The Tour Stops:
September 28: Fallen Angel Reviews Guest Blog
September 29: The Review from Here/ScribVibe
September 30: Everything Victorian
October 1: The Good, the Bad, the Unread Guest Blog
October 2: A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf
October 5: Grace’s Book Blog, name change to Books Like Breathing
October 6: The Burton Review
October 7: Austenprose
October 7: Bloody Bad Books
October 8: The Long & Short of It
October 9: Love Romance Passion
TBA but some time this week: Curious Statistical Anomaly
October 12: Good and Bad Books
October 13: Lib’s Library
October 16: Fresh Fiction

The Other Mr. Darcy Synopsis: "In this highly original Pride and Prejudice sequel by British author Monica Fairview, Caroline Bingley is our heroine. Caroline is sincerely broken-hearted when Mr. Darcy marries Lizzy Bennet— that is, until she meets his charming and sympathetic American cousin…
Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find the beautiful Caroline weeping at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's nearly love at first sight. But these British can be so haughty and off-putting. How can he let the young lady, who was understandably mortified to be discovered in such a vulnerable moment, know how much he feels for and sympathizes with her?"

Find it at Amazon
Read my Review which posted yesterday.
Please welcome Monica to The Burton Review with this Guest Post:

Monica Fairview Guest Blog, author of The Other Mr. Darcy
Thank you so much for hosting me. I’ve always found this blog very restful, with its grazing sheep and rolling green hills, so I’m more than happy to be here grazing with you. {{Marie squeals from over here!!}} I’ll admit, though, that the question you posed was challenging. What are the similarities/differences between the two Mr. Darcys? I had to really think about it. But then it occurred to me that the title says it all, in a way.

When I thought of the title, I had in mind an idea of otherness, of being different, as a kind of theme that came up again and again in the novel. From the beginning, Robert is the other Mr. Darcy, with Fitzwilliam as the standard by which Robert is to be judged as a hero. And as heroes go, they really can’t be more different.

Fitzwilliam Darcy is very much the quintessential conventional hero. He is initially arrogant, standoffish, and full of his own importance. He snubs everyone including the heroine. He needs to be brought down a peg or two, and who better than Elizabeth to do it? As she herself puts it, “he had yet to learn to be laughed at.” Jane Austen invented this type of hero, and it was then picked up by Bronte and others after her, and became in many ways the “blueprint” for many of the romances we have now.

In the case of Robert Darcy, his position as conventional hero is shot right from the beginning. In some senses I was toying with that convention when I started. In The Other Mr. Darcy, it’s really Caroline who occupies Darcy’s position. She is arrogant, standoffish, and full of her own importance. And it’s up to Robert to bring her down a peg or two. Robert, in a sense, resembles Elizabeth, who is able to break through Darcy’s reserve and bring out the best in him.

One would expect that, because the novel starts this way, there could be nothing in common between Fitzwilliam and Robert. But then there would have been no need to make both of them Darcys. One of the aspects of writing the novel I enjoyed a lot was playing them against each other, particularly since Robert meets Caroline when she’s shattered by Fitzwilliam’s marriage to Elizabeth.

Fitzwilliam Darcy represents the privileged England gentleman who was spoiled by his parents, and encouraged, in his own words, “to be selfish and overbearing – to care for none beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world.” He is, however, a well-liked and respected landowner. For Elizabeth, Mrs. Reynold’s high praise of her master means a great deal, since dealing fairly and generously with your social inferiors when they depend on you indicates an inherent sense of integrity and kindness.

Robert, like Fitzwilliam, was raised in privilege. He has had the advantages of the best schooling in Boston and knowing he comes from prestigious families on both sides. But he is a rebel. He takes after his father, who left England because he was an adventurer and because he wanted to engage in trade, something a gentleman of his position wasn’t supposed to do. Consequently, Robert is able to thumb his nose at society, and to make fun of people who follow convention blindly.

However, with a business to run, he is very well aware how quickly a wrong decision can ruin his own and other people’s lives. In this sense, he is like Darcy. He’s aware that his position of power makes others dependent on him, and he takes this responsibility very seriously.

Like Fitzwilliam in Elizabeth’s case, Robert is the kind of person that can be trusted to get you out of a scrape. Which is a good thing, because Caroline gets into a number of them in The Other Mr. Darcy, and Robert shows his resemblance to his cousin in the way he quietly works to extricate her. But then, even Fitzwilliam comes to Caroline’s assistance at one point, in very much the same way that Robert does.

Another apparent difference between the two is that communication and openness are very important to him. He pushes Caroline constantly to talk about herself, and is attracted to women who are unconventional and more open in their manners. In reality, however, he guards his feelings carefully, and doesn’t let people in. He is more private than he seems. We could almost say that Fitzwilliam is less reserved than Robert, because in spite of everything, Fitzwilliam manages to express his love for Elizabeth quite early in the novel.

Along with that, Robert has the Darcy family trait, which is pride. This is so very entrenched in him, that his pride takes over completely at a crucial point in the novel when it’s essential for him to communicate. Funnily enough, in a kind of role reversal at that point, Fitzwilliam tosses convention aside and acts in a manner reminiscent of his cousin. As you can imagine, this really throws Caroline off, since she isn’t used to seeing this aspect of Fitzwilliam’s personality.

But of course, the other Mr. Darcy has to be different from Fitzwilliam. It’s a precondition already set up by the title. Perhaps he is most different in that he is able to find joy in adversity. There’s a cheerful carelessness to Robert Darcy that you don’t find in his cousin, a willingness to laugh at the ridiculous and to laugh at himself as well that brings out the laughter in Caroline, too. He brings to Miss Bingley a great gift; the ability to laugh. Not to mock, not to snark, but to be able to throw back her head and laugh unreservedly. And that is how, quite simply, he wins her heart.

About the Author
As a literature professor, Monica Fairview enjoyed teaching students to love reading. But after years of postponing the urge, she finally realized what she really wanted was to write books herself. She has lived in Illinois, Los Angeles, Seattle, Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Boston as a student and professor, and now lives in London. To find out more, please visit http://www.monicafairview.co.uk/

To celebrate the release of The Other Mr. Darcy, Monica Fairview and Sourcebooks Landmark are running a month-long contest in October on her blog!!

Sourcebooks is sponsoring a giveaway for my readers: 1 copy of The Other Mr. Darcy, US and Canada only (no PO Boxes)!

1. Follow Me
2. Comment with your Email Address.
3. 1 extra entry each for a Twitter, Blog Post or Sidebar Graphic Link, or Facebook Share (max. 5 total entries). Please provide links.
4. For an extra bonus +2 entries, comment on my review post. Let me know that you did this, and if you did yesterday let me know that too, additional comment today not required.

Contest ends October 26, 2009, Good Luck and thanks for entering!

Book Review: The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

The Other Mr. Darcy: Did you know Mr. Darcy had an American cousin? by Monica Fairview
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1402225130
Review copy via Sourcebooks
The Burton Review Rating:

Synopsis: "In this highly original Pride and Prejudice sequel by British author Monica Fairview, Caroline Bingley is our heroine. Caroline is sincerely broken-hearted when Mr. Darcy marries Lizzy Bennet— that is, until she meets his charming and sympathetic American cousin…
Mr. Robert Darcy is as charming as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is proud, and he is stunned to find the beautiful Caroline weeping at his cousin's wedding. Such depth of love, he thinks, is rare and precious. For him, it's nearly love at first sight. But these British can be so haughty and off-putting. How can he let the young lady, who was understandably mortified to be discovered in such a vulnerable moment, know how much he feels for and sympathizes with her?"

This is another Pride and Prejudice sequel that I enjoyed very much. If you have any tender thoughts for Jane Austen, then you simply must read this book. There were so many events and all of our favorite characters from the original, yet this novel focuses on Caroline Bingley, and her relationship with The Other Mr. Darcy, who is Fitzwilliam's cousin, Robert Darcy from Boston.

The book opens to Caroline sobbing uncontrollably at the wedding of our favorite Mr. Darcy and Eliza Bennett.. and unbeknownst to Caroline, Robert Darcy is witnessing Caroline's loss of composure. You remember Caroline Bingley, right? She was the snotty one who made her brother Charles stay away from Jane Bennett, even when she knew the two loved each other. Luckily, we know that plan didn't work. So fast forward and now Caroline is dealing with another Bennett girl pushing her way into high society with Mr. Darcy and totally ruins Caroline's plans to have Mr. Darcy all to herself. And at that moment, another Mr. Darcy, is watching Caroline's distress and when she finally notices it she sends him on his merry way with a huff and a puff, Caroline Bingley Style.

Much to Caroline's chagrin, she later meets up with this same gentleman who witnessed the sobbing, and quickly the hijinx begin. Caroline is sure to keep her composure this time, and is relieved that Robert Darcy doesn't tell the world about her sad event. Pretty soon, that issue evaporates as there is yet another scrape that Caroline finds herself in, and quick-witted Robert is to the rescue. This other Mr. Darcy is a wonderful character who loves to find humor in life, whereas Caroline is more of the stiff type. (Kind of like the original Mr. Darcy, who is so stiff in this novel I wonder what Eliza ever saw in him?) So this time Caroline finds herself in a pretend engagement to Robert Darcy, all to save face, and it is a wonderful charade that is complete with the normal Regency style balls and quaint chess games with some robbery, duels and death thrown in. It read well, I enjoyed the writing, the style seemed right and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Pride and Prejudice. And it was fun to see Caroline turn into a normal person instead of the picky snob she is in P & P, but the gradual way in which the author did this was appreciated.

For those who want to know the cast of characters this time around, we have Caroline Bingley and her sister Louisa who are featured together a lot in the beginning, and then Louisa goes traipsing off to events to find herself a man as she is now widowed; we have their brother Charles Bingley and his wife Jane, whose characters are not totally intriguing but they are there, and the other Mr. Darcy as a sexy, steamy kind of guy where I wouldn't mind seeing some hot romance going on with this stud, (alas, no); and of course we have the original Mr. Darcy and his meek wife Eliza.. yes, she is meek this time around as she has just lost a child and the fact that Mr. Darcy is floundering for an heir makes the other Mr. Darcy a little queasy because he is next in line; we have the supporting characters of the Bennetts and their enjoyable nit-picking regarding the children, because we have Lydia, Mary and Kitty traveling along with them as well with Lydia's pathetic husband Wickham off having an affair with a married woman; we have Col. Fitzwilliam who is smitten with Caroline, and Caroline who is hoping for Sir Cecile who is a total pompous ass... oh, you'll just have to read the rollicking fun yourself!! Go pick it up at Amazon today!

To celebrate the release of The Other Mr. Darcy, Monica Fairview and Sourcebooks Landmark are running a month-long contest in October on her blog!!

Stay tuned to The Burton Review, tomorrow I will have a guest post from the author Monica Fairview, and a Giveaway for this title!

Mailbox Monday~ Back to Moderation, but Goodies!

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week. And I am adding what I purchased, swapped, etc.

Last week I had something like 21 awesome books to report... and I got lots of comments on that post too!

This week, I only have three books to show you. Thankfully.

In a giveaway win at The Tome Traveller (thank you!!)
The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer "Bright and clever with a sharp-tongued, adventurous heroine who offers a candid and often funny look at the business of nursing babies in Victorian England, this is a debut novel that will have everyone talking.

Susan Rose isn't the average protagonist: she's scheming, promiscuous, plump, and she is also smart, funny, tender, and entirely lovable. Like many lower-class women of Victorian England, she was born into a world that offered very few opportunities for the poor and unlovely. But Susan is the kind of plucky heroine who seeks her fortune, and finds it . . . with some help from, well, her breasts. Susan, you see, is a professional wet nurse; she breast-feeds the children of wealthy women who can't or won't nurse their own babies.

But when her own child is sold by her father and sent to a London lady who had recently lost a baby, Susan manages to convince his new foster mother, Mrs. Norbert, to hire her as a wet nurse. Once reunited with her son, Susan discovers the Norbert home to be a much more sinister place than she'd ever expected. Dark and full of secrets, its master is in India, and the first baby who died there did so under very mysterious circumstances. Susan embarks on a terrifying journey to rescue her son before he meets the same fate."

From Paperbackswap: Pilate's Wife: A Novel of the Roman Empire by Antoinette May

"A daughter of privilege in the most powerful empire the world has ever known, Claudia has a unique and disturbing "gift": her dreams have an uncanny way of coming true. As a rebellious child seated beside the tyrannical Roman Emperor Tiberius, she first spies the powerful gladiator who will ultimately be her one true passion. Yet it is the ambitious magistrate Pontius Pilate who intrigues the impressionable young woman she becomes, and Claudia finds her way into his arms by means of a mysterious ancient magic. Pilate is her grand destiny, leading her to Judaea and plunging her into a seething cauldron of open rebellion. But following her friend Miriam of Magdala's confession of her ecstatic love for a charismatic religious radical, Claudia begins to experience terrifying visions—horrific premonitions of war, injustice, untold devastation and damnation . . . and the crucifixion of a divine martyr whom she must do everything in her power to save."

To review in January: reissue by Sourcebooks Feb. 2010:

Island of The Swans by Ciji Ware

Another bigger book, but not huge at over 500 pages.

"In this resplendent love story a dazzling era comes vividly to life as one woman's passionate struggle to follow her heart takes her from the opulent cotillions of Edinburgh to the London court of half-mad King George III . . . from a famed salon teeming with politicians and poets to a picturesque castle on the secluded, lush Island of the Swans. . . .

Best friends in childhood, Jane Maxwell and Thomas Fraser wreaked havoc on the cobbled streets of Edinburgh with their juvenile pranks. But years later, when Jane blossoms into a beautiful woman, her feelings for Thomas push beyond the borders of friendship, and he becomes the only man she wants. When Thomas is reportedly killed in the American colonies, the handsome, charismatic Alexander, Duke of Gordon, appeals to a devastated Jane. Believing Thomas is gone forever, Jane hesitantly responds to the Duke, whose passion ignites her blood, even as she rebels at his fierce desire to claim her.

But Thomas Fraser is not dead, and when he returns to find his beloved Jane betrothed to another, he refuses to accept the heartbreaking turn of events. Soon Jane's marriage is swept into a turbulent dance of tender wooing and clashing wills--as Alex seeks truly to make her his, and his alone. . ."

The Sunday Salon~Pumpkins, Bookmarks & Events

Happy Saturday evening and then Sunday! It is fabulous Texas fall weather, which means it can change from one day to the next, but this weekend has been quite tolerable. The pumpkin patch had its opening day, and the kiddos enjoyed the fresh air and the multitude of pumpkins! We were the first customers, spending $20 while everyone else was paying attention to opening ceremonies (we wanted the best pumpkins!) See another photo here.

I then tried my hand at some Bookmark-making, and I am just not as talented as Laura from I'm Booking It. She had a giveaway for her bookmarks and will again in a few weeks. I've got to get my hands on a bookmark of hers so I can see how she does it. See hers here and here, and then see my crappy ones:

The wire I used was 28 gauge and was thin and curly ($2.99). Those heart charms were $4 for 4 of them. I had all of the other beads already from earlier bracelet making days, but those charms and ribbon are expensive. And it was a hunt looking for sheer ribbon that was less that $4.00. The whole crimping bead at the ribbon side is aggravating for someone who is all thumbs like me. I think I put too many beads on there also. Laura has instructions here if you are in the mood to try this yourself. The first one shown has pretty glass beads that look simply white in the picture, but they are muted pastel shell colors. My favorite is the last one I did, the red beads. Maybe I'll find some other bookmark-making sites and get some inspiration for paper-type bookmarks.

Reading wise this week, I finished The Wildest Heart brick of a book and that review is scheduled to post the 19th. That took almost two weeks to finish! I am now working on Elizabeth's Women by Tracy Borman which is reading well so far. I wish historians would expand on all theories, but I guess once they form an opinion on something, they believe it full force.

The New York Times announced the third annual New York Times Great Read to be held rain or shine on Sunday, Oct. 14. www.nytimes/greatread. Did you know it will be Teen Read Week October 18 - 24th? I wrote a little article about it here, stop by! And then, the 24 hour-read-a-thon is coming October 24. Are you participating? You can even sign up to be a much needed cheerleader if you don't want to commit to reading. I will try to participate as much as possible, which means I'll just have to commit to staying off the iPhone and the computer! Last spring I was a cheerleader and was amazed at how much reading some bloggers did. I also noticed that a lot were wiped out after that, so I am going to be happy if I can fit in 8-10 hours of reading. With two kids and a house to take care of, I can't expect to ignore motherly duties altogether.

Luckier people got to visit the National Book Festival in Washington D.C. this week, and there are some fun pictures at RhapsodyInBook's blog here. All I've got to say is Dallas is a big place, so why can't we have a book festival here?

So that brings me to a Book Event that I WAS able to attend. Even though I was working, sssshh.. I attended a Teleconference on Wednesday that featured authors Cathy Marie Buchanan and special guest Sandra Gulland (author of the Mistress of the Sun and the Josephine B. trilogy). Cathy had recently written the bestseller The Day The Falls Stood Still, (see my review & her guest post) and to wrap up her blog tour they did this conference via telephone. I got to hear her voice and some of our fellow bloggers voices as well! If you want to hear what we talked about, and hear my voice (at about 36 minutes you will hear me & at the very end saying good luck to Cathy, sometimes I am a total dork).. then click this link for the audio version. You can easily scroll through and fast forward and rewind at your leisure. Participating bloggers other than myself included Margaret from Historical Novels.info, Marci from Serendipitous Readings, Julie from Booking Mama, & Nicole from Linus's Blanket. Since I was working I kept my phone muted most of the time so all of my background noise at the office wouldn't bleed through. It was a lot of fun and I'm glad I did it! Go listen to it now, and learn about the historical background behind the Niagara Falls, the main characters, and the writing process for Cathy! she is now going on real-life tours at bookstores etc, and you can see her list of signing events here in NY and Canada.

This week I added a new giveaway also, for a reissue of Margaret Campbell Barnes' "The Tudor Rose". A last minute idea from Sourcebooks, so I had edited my previous review post to include the giveaway details. To enter for this book giveaway, visit the post here. And congrats to Amy at Passages To The Past on her newest electronic acquisition, who will now be as hopelessly addicted to the iPhone as much as I am. Don't forget to find a snazzy cover for it like I did =)

Happy reading!

Friday Fill-In~ A Knight, and perhaps a Wanderer?

Join in the Friday Fill-In Fun~ They provide the basics and we fill-in the blanks with whatever we want! So that means I get to use famous dead people or fave characters..

Can you guess who this person is?

1. I have a history of courtly manners.
2. The unclenching possessiveness of my favorite Queen is something I wish I knew.
3. I'm eating (or recently ate) stale bread offered by my gaoler .
4. The passion of my life was when I was on the road (or on the seas!).
5. So that's it, that's all there was, and there will never be a better Captain.
6. Establishing a colony in Virgina was better than nothing!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to traveling to Guiana, tomorrow my plans include attacking the Spanish and Sunday, I want to hang on to my head!


See older Friday Fill-In's here

Giveaway Announcement!

I read and reviewed The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes a few weeks ago, and now Sourcebooks is offering one of my lucky readers a giveaway for this book.

Please go to the original review post here and follow the instructions given to enter for this new book giveaway for The Tudor Rose! Good Luck!

Remember the Sourcebooks Promotion and Giveaway?

My link is here.

These two ladies won the giveaway, and they get to choose any book from the list on this link

I had asked what your favorite Georgette Heyer moment was:

Wanda said...
My favourite Heyer moment was finding "The Unfinished Clue" at a book sale.

Emily said...
My favorite Heyer moment was finding out that one of my favorite regency novelists also wrote mysteries too!!

Congrats to these winners, and now everyone needs to go enter The Tudor Rose giveaway!

Booking Through Thursday~ Tell the TRUTH!

Booking Through Thursday is hosted by Deb.

Deb asks:
Suggested by Monibo:
Saw this article (from March) and thought it would make a good BTT confessional question:
Two-thirds of Brits have lied about reading books they haven’t. Have you? Why? What book?

Wow, I was astounded to learn about lying Brits, that's pretty strange and I would love to know why, and the reasoning behind that. I can't think of any book I would have lied about reading, and can't think of why I would in the first place; certainly not as an adult.

Even in school I can't imagine why I would come across the need to say I've read something when I really had not. I'd be interested in the circumstances for why someone would feel the need to lie about something mundane as this.

From the article:

"According to the survey, 65 percent of people have pretended to have read books, and of those, 42 percent singled out "1984." Next on the list came "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy and in third place was James Joyce's "Ulysses."
The Bible was in fourth position, and newly elected U.S. President Barack Obama's autobiography "Dreams from My Father" came ninth."

Ok I've never read any of those books listed. Snippets from the Bible in my earlier days but nothing in the last 15 years, and I doubt I'll ever be able to say I've completed it. I think that would be good to do when I'm done reading some of the biblical fiction I have now, so that I would be able to discern the many different characters better. And of course there is the whole faith thing, I need to be in the right mind for that as well and be ready to put on my thinking cap for that one. My heart is open but I know I'll need a 'philosophical' aspect for that important read.

I also believe I was forced to read Ulysses in high school but I may not even be right about that, so I wouldn't put that on my have-read list along with most of those I was forced to read in high school. We read The Odyssey, I do remember, but the ones that I enjoyed were Shakespeare and To Kill A Mockingbird, Cheaper by The Dozen (AWESOME!).. and those were the ones I can recall. We read an Agatha Christie in ninth grade which was great also. I've never read Tolstoy, Chekov, etc. I think I did study James Joyce in college but couldn't tell you what, I just remember the professor really really loved him. My mind was on other things.

But back to question.. NO is the short answer =)

Wordless Wednesday~ Chatsworth, Part One~ home of Bess of Hardwick and the Cavendish family

Today, a Wordless Wednesday picture:


Chatsworth.. same as my header photo which is explained in my profile also

Teaser Tuesday~ The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Ives

TEASER TUESDAYS is hosted by ShouldBeReading and asks you to:
♠Grab your current read.
♠Let the book fall open to a random page.
♠Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
♠You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
♠Please avoid spoilers!

I am STILL reading the book from last week's teaser.. I warned you it was a big one.. so I picked a teaser from Eric Ives' book The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn, which I really want to read soon.

In the Chapter titled FINALE:

"It stood three of four feet high, draped in black, surrounded by perhaps a thousand spectators: the lord mayor and alderman come to see the king's justice done, and behind then 'certain of the best crafts of London' - no foreigners- Englishmen and women come to see the first English queen executed. And around the scaffold itself the faces she knew so well: Thomas Audley, the lord chancellor, whom she had seen at her last trial; Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk, whose life had been so entwined with her own, ever since her journey to France as a 13-year-old attendant on the king's sister Mary, who had married Brandon, had hated her and was now dead; Henry Fitzroy her 17-year-old stepson, who had only nine weeks to live; and Thomas Crowmwell, who had climbed to power behind Anne, and now had to destroy her in order to retain that power."

Anne's speech at the scaffold:

"Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul....To Jesus Christ I commend my soul; Lord Jesu receive my soul."

Mailbox Monday ~ Buried in FANTASTIC Books.. squeee!

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week. And I am adding what I purchased, swapped, etc.

Monday started off with a bang .. one of those old US MAIL crates was on the front porch waiting for me when I got home from work, and it was of course full of books!! WOWZA

I have no problems having a huge TBR pile, its the Books to review now that stress me out. Thankfully, there are only a few of those.

From Paperbackswap, I received:
The Madonnas of Leningrad : A Novel :: Debra Dean
"One of the most talked about books of the year . . . Bit by bit, the ravages of age are eroding Marina's grip on the everyday. And while the elderly Russian woman cannot hold on to fresh memories -- the details of her grown children's lives, the approaching wedding of her grandchild -- her distant past is preserved: vivid images that rise unbidden of her youth in war-torn Leningrad.
In the fall of 1941, the German army approached the outskirts of Leningrad, signaling the beginning of what would become a long and torturous siege. During the ensuing months, the city's inhabitants would brave starvation and the bitter cold, all while fending off the constant German onslaught. Marina, then a tour guide at the Hermitage Museum, along with other staff members, was instructed to take down the museum's priceless masterpieces for safekeeping, yet leave the frames hanging empty on the walls -- a symbol of the artworks' eventual return. To hold on to sanity when the Luftwaffe's bombs began to fall, she burned to memory, brushstroke by brushstroke, these exquisite artworks: the nude figures of women, the angels, the serene Madonnas that had so shortly before gazed down upon her. She used them to furnish a "memory palace," a personal Hermitage in her mind to which she retreated to escape terror, hunger, and encroaching death. A refuge that would stay buried deep within her, until she needed it once more. . . .
Seamlessly moving back and forth in time between the Soviet Union and contemporary America, The Madonnas of Leningrad is a searing portrait of war and remembrance, of the power of love, memory, and art to offer beauty, grace, and hope in the face of overwhelming despair. Gripping, touching, and heartbreaking, it marks the debut of Debra Dean, a bold new voice in American fiction."

Nell Gwyn: Mistress to a King by Charles Beauclerk
"Written by a direct descendant of the union between Nell Gwyn and King Charles II, Nell Gwyn tells the story of one of England's great folk heroines, a woman who rose from an impoverished, abusive childhood to become King Charles II's most cherished mistress, and the star of one of the great love stories of royal history. Born during a tumultuous period in England's past, Nell Gwyn caught the eye of King Charles II, the newly restored, pleasure-seeking merry monarch of a nation in full hedonistic reaction to Puritan rule. Their seventeen-year love affair played out against the backdrop of the Great Fire of London, the Great Plague, court scandals, and the constant threat of political revolution. Despite his other lovers' Machiavellian efforts to win the king's favor and humiliate Nell, the self-proclaimed Protestant whore earned the devotion of her king and the love of her nation, becoming England's first people's princess. Magnificently recreating the heady and licentious, yet politically charged atmosphere of Restoration England, Nell Gwyn tells the true-life Cinderella story of a common orange salesgirl who became mistress to a king."

From Sourcebooks to review "Arabella" by Georgette Heyer
"One Little White Lie . . .
Armed with beauty, virtue and a benevolent godmother, the impetuous but impoverished Arabella Tallant embarked on her first London season with her mother's wish in mind: snare a rich husband. But when fate cast her in the path of arrogant, socially prominent Robert Beaumaris, who accused her of being another petty female after his wealth, the proud, headstrong ingenue made a most startling claim -- she was an heiress! Suddenly Arabella found herself the talk of the ton and pursued by every amorous fortune hunter in London. But would her deceitful charade destroy her one chance for true love . . . ?"

And some of these from Historical-Fiction.com, before the horrific flood.. so devastatingly sad!

Reluctant Queens (Queens of England Series, The: 8th Volume) - by Jean Plaidy, I won from Royal-intrigue, thank you!
"In 1470, a reluctant Lady Anne Neville is betrothed by her father, the politically ambitious Earl of Warwick, to Edward, Prince of Wales. A gentle yet fiercely intelligent woman, Anne has already given her heart to the prince’s younger brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Unable to oppose her father’s will, she finds herself in line for the throne of England—an obligation that she does not want. Yet fate intervenes when Edward is killed at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Anne suddenly finds herself free to marry the man she loves—and who loves her in return. The ceremony is held at Westminster Abbey, and the duke and duchess make a happy home at Middleham Castle, where both spent much of their childhood. Their life is idyllic, until the reigning king dies and a whirlwind of dynastic maneuvering leads to his children being declared illegitimate. Richard inherits the throne as King Richard III, and Anne is crowned queen consort, a destiny she thought she had successfully avoided. Her husband’s reign lasts two years, two months, and two days—and in that short time Anne witnesses the true toll that wearing the crown takes on Richard, the last king from the House of York."

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende "An Orphan raised in Valparaiso, Chile, by a Victorian spinster and her rigid brother, young, vivacious Eliza Sommers follows her lover to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. She enters a rough-and-tumble world whose newly arrived inhabitants are driven mad by gold with the help of her good friend and savior, the Chinese doctor Tao Chien-California opens the door to a new life of freedom and independence for the young Chilean. Her search for the elusive lover gradually turns into another kind of journey, and by the time she finally hears news of him, Eliza must decide who her true love really is."

Harriet & Isabella (for review) by Patricia O'Brien
"It is 1887, and Henry Ward Beecher lies dying. Reporters from around the world, eager for one last story about the most lurid scandal of their time, descend on Brooklyn Heights, their presence signaling the beginning of the voracious appetite for fallen celebrities we know so well today.
When Henry Ward Beecher was put on trial for adultery in 1875, the question of his guilt or innocence was ferociously debated. His trial not only split the country, it split apart his family, causing a particularly bitter rift between his sisters, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, and Isabella Beecher Hooker, an ardent suffragist. Harriet remained loyal to Henry, while Isabella called publicly for him to admit his guilt. What had been a loving, close relationship between two sisters plummeted into bitter blame and hurt.
Harriet and Isabella each had a major role in the social revolutions unfolding around them, but what happened in their hearts when they were forced to face a question of justice much closer to home? Now they struggle: who best served Henry -- the one who was steadfast or the one who demanded honesty?"

Queen of Shadows: A Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II by Edith Felber
"In fourteenth-century England, beautiful Queen Isabella-humiliated by her weak, unfaithful husband-is emerging from the shadows to take her revenge. But her newly arrived, twenty-oneyear-old Welsh handmaiden, Gwenith de Percy, also seeks vengeance-against the English invaders who crushed her beloved Wales. Isabella's once-golden marriage is now her penance. Due to his rumored relations with men, Parliament forced Edward to share his throne-a demeaning arrangement that torments Isabella.
With the help of her secret, noble lover, Roger Mortimer-an enemy of her husband, imprisoned in the Tower of London-the queen plots to take control. Thrilled by this turn of events, Gwenith realizes that a king cannot afford to be weak-especially when his formidable, discontented queen seeks his power as her due."

From another win, at Jane Austen Today they had a fun soiree last week, and I won Lady Susan by Jane Austen. A short read at 80 pages, a collection of a letters detailing: "Beautiful, flirtatious, and recently widowed, Lady Susan Vernon seeks an advantageous second marriage for herself, while attempting to push her daughter into a dismal match. A magnificently crafted novel of Regency manners and mores that will delight Austen enthusiasts with its wit and elegant expression."

Then from Books Up For Grabs, I selected:

Stealing Athena by Karen Essex
"Stealing Athena is the story of two women, separated by centuries but united by their association with some of the world's greatest and most controversial works of art. Aspasia, a philosopher and courtesan to visionary politician Pericles during Athens's Golden Age, defies societal restrictions to become fiercely influential in Athens' power circle. Mary, the Countess of Elgin and a beautiful Scottish heiress, charms the fearsome men of the Ottoman Empire to make possible her husband's costly acquisitions, all the while brazenly defying the social conventions of her time. Both women prevail yet pay a heavy price for their rebellion. A tale of romance, intrigue, greed, and glory, Stealing Athena interweaves the lives of two of history's most beguiling heroines."

The Heretic's Daughter: A Novel by Kathleen Kent "Martha Carrier was one of the first women to be accused, tried and hanged as a witch in Salem, Massachusetts. Like her mother, young Sarah Carrier is bright and willful, openly challenging the small, brutal world in which they live. Often at odds with one another, mother and daughter are forced to stand together against the escalating hysteria of the trials and the superstitious tyranny that led to the torture and imprisonment of more than 200 people accused of witchcraft. This is the story of Martha's courageous defiance and ultimate death, as told by the daughter who survived.Kathleen Kent is a tenth generation descendent of Martha Carrier. She paints a haunting portrait, not just of Puritan New England, but also of one family's deep and abiding love in the face of fear and persecution."

Whew. That was all on Monday.

The rest of the week I received some more absolutely awesome titles (plus roses two days in a row as a surprise from the hubby!):

For Review I received:
(lots of goodies here, hence the roses to divert attention.. I am triple-blessed)

Elizabeth's Women by Tracy Borman (SQUEEEEE!!) "In this original chronicling of the life of one of England's greatest monarchs, historian Tracy Borman explores Elizabeth's relationships with the key women in her life. Beginning with her mother and the governesses and stepmothers who cared for the young princess, including her beloved Kat Astley and the inspirational Katherine Parr, "Elizabeth's Women" sheds new light on her formative years. Elizabeth's turbulent relationships with her rivals are examined: from her sister, 'Bloody' Mary, to the sisters of Lady Jane Grey, and finally the most deadly of all her rivals, Mary, Queen of Scots who would give birth to the man Elizabeth would finally, inevitably have to recognize as heir to her throne."

Secrets of the Tudor Court: Between Two Queens by Kate Emerson "Pretty, flirtatious, and ambitious. Nan Bassett hopes that an appointment at the court of King Henry VIII will bring her a grand marriage. But soon after she becomes a maid-of-honor to Queen Jane, the queen dies in childbirth. As the court is plunged into mourning, Nan sets her sights on the greatest match in the land . . . for the king has noticed her. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Henry has chosen to wed one of his queens’ maids of honor. And in newly Protestant England, where plots to restore the old religion abound, Nan may be the only one who can reassure a suspicious king of her family’s loyalty
But the favor of a king can be dangerous and chancy, not just for Nan, but for her family as well . . . and passionate Nan has a deep secret she must shield from the king and all others, for it could put her future—and her life—in grave jeopardy should anyone discover the truth.
Based on the life of the real Anne Bassett and her family, and drawing extensively from letters and diaries of the time, Between Two Queens is an enthralling picture of the dangers and delights of England’s most passionate era."

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir
"The imprisonment and execution of Queen Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife, was unprecedented in the annals of English history. It was sensational in its day, and has exerted endless fascination over the minds of historians, novelists, dramatists, poets, artists, and filmmakers ever since. Mystery surrounds the circumstances leading up to Anne's arrest and imprisonment in May 1536. Was it Henry VIII who, estranged from Anne, instructed Master Secretary Thomas Cromwell to fabricate evidence to get rid of her so that he could marry Jane Seymour? Or did Cromwell, for reasons of his own, construct a case against Anne and her faction, and then present compelling evidence before the King? Following the coronation of her daughter Elizabeth I as queen, Anne was venerated as a martyr and heroine. Over the centuries, she has inspired many artistic and cultural works and has remained ever-present in England's, and the world's, popular memory. Alison Weir draws on her unsurpassed expertise in the Tudor Period to chronicle the downfall and dramatic final days of this influential and fascinating woman."

In a deal from Celticlady's Ramblings:
The Virgin's Daughters: In the Court of Elizabeth I by Jeane Westin "In a court filled with repressed sexual longing, scandal, and intrigue, Lady Katherine Grey is Elizabeth's most faithful servant. When the young queen is smitten by the dashing Robert Dudley, Katherine must choose between duty and desire-as her secret passion for a handsome earl threatens to turn Elizabeth against her. Once the queen becomes a bitter and capricious monarch, another lady-in-waiting, Mistress Mary Rogers, offers the queen comfort. But even Mary cannot remain impervious to the court's sexual tension-and as Elizabeth gives her doomed heart to the mercurial Earl of Essex, Mary is drawn to the queen's rakish godson..."

Brief Gaudy Hour: A Novel of Anne Boleyn reissue 2008 by Margaret Campbell Barnes, original 1968; "The enigmatic Anne Boleyn comes to life in this charming, brilliant portrayal by acclaimed British novelist Margaret Campbell Barnes. The infamous love of King Henry VIII and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, Anne Boleyn undertook a rocky journey from innocent courtier to powerful Queen of England. A meticulous researcher, Margaret Campbell Barnes immerses readers in this intrigue and in the lush, glittery world of the Tudor Court. The beauty and charms of Anne Boleyn bewitched the most powerful man in the world, King Henry VIII, but her resourcefulness and cleverness were not enough to stop the malice of her enemies. Her swift rise to power quickly became her own undoing. The author brings to light Boleyn's humanity and courage, giving an intimate look at a young woman struggling to find her own way in a world dominated by men and adversaries."

And before the good mailbox finds I went on a mad retail therapy dash during lunch and I bought at the used bookstore:

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks "When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer. Through Anna's eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love. As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a "year of wonders."
Inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged hill country of England, Year of Wonders is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history. Written with stunning emotional intelligence and introducing "an inspiring heroine" (The Wall Street Journal), Brooks blends love and learning, loss and renewal into a spellbinding and unforgettable read."

The Captive by Victoria Holt "Veteran novelist Holt (The India Fan) returns to a familiar scenario by depicting a hardy young 19th-century Englishwoman who is embroiled in murder and exotic adventures. When a ferocious storm off the African coast capsizes the vessel on which she is sailing, Rosetta Cranleigh is rescued by a deckhand who admits, after their lifeboat drifts to a remote island, that he is actually Simon Perrivale, a nobleman's illegitimate child, forced to flee England after being wrongly accused of slaying one of his father's other sons. Taken hostage by pirates, the pair escape after being sold to a Turkish pasha."

Eve: A Novel of the First Woman by Elissa Elliott "It is the world’s oldest tale: the story of Eve, her husband, Adam, and the tragedy that would overcome her sons…. In this luminous debut novel, Elissa Elliott puts a powerful twist on biblical narrative, boldly reimagining Eve’s journey. At once intimate and universal, timely and timeless, this unique work of fiction blends biblical tradition with recorded history and dazzling storytelling. And as it does, Eve comes to life in a way religion and myth have never allowed—in a novel that explores the very essence of love, motherhood, faith, and humanity.

In their world they are alone…a family haunted by banishment, struggling for survival in a harsh new land. A woman who has borne and buried children, Eve sees danger shadowing those she loves, while her husband drifts further and further from the man he was in the Garden, blinded by his need to rebuild a life outside of Eden. One daughter, alluring, self-absorbed Naava, turns away from their beliefs. Another, crippled, ever-faithful Aya, harbors a fateful secret, while brothers Cain and Abel become adversaries, and Dara, the youngest, is chosen for a fate of her own."

The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook "With its family secrets and hallowed texts containing explosive truths, The Night Journal suggests A. S. Byatt’s Possession transplanted to the raw and beautiful landscape of the American Southwest. Meg Mabry has spent her life oppressed by her family’s legacy—a heritage beginning with the journals written by her great-grandmother in the 1890s and solidified by her grandmother Bassie, a famous historian who published them to great acclaim. Until now, Meg has stubbornly refused to read the journals. But when she concedes to accompany the elderly and vipertongued Bassie on a return trip to the fabled land of her childhood in New Mexico, Meg finally succumbs to the allure of her great-grandmother’s story—and soon everything she believed about her family is turned upside down."

Shield of Three Lions: A Novel by Pamela Kaufman "The return of a classic, by bestselling author Pamela Kaufman. Richly rewarding, superbly written. . . . The richness of the characters, the historical details, and the story as a whole make this novel a memorable reading experience. Eleven-year-old Alix is the daughter of the baron of Wanthwaite, whose lands along the Scottish border are among the best in England. But when her family is killed and her lands seized, Alix is forced to flee from the only home she's ever known. Her one hope of restoring her inheritance is to plead her case to King Richard the Lion Heart, who is far away in France, preparing to go on his Crusade. Alix resolves to follow him. She cuts her hair, dresses as a boy, and takes the road south to London. Disguised as a beautiful young boy, Alix is more than befriended by the handsome and mysterious King Richard, even becoming his favorite page. Their relationship sets tongues wagging and places Alix in considerable danger as the battle for Jerusalem unfolds."

The Winding Stair: Francis Bacon, His Rise and Fall by Daphne du Maurier "An engaging biography of lawyer, writer, and philosopher Sir Francis Bacon.
"All rising to great place is by a winding stair," wrote Sir Francis Bacon. It wasn’t until he was forty-five that Bacon’s feet found the first step on that staircase, when King James I made him Solicitor-General, from where he rose through the ranks to become Lord Chancellor. Many accounts of the life of Sir Francis Bacon have been written for scholars, but du Maurier’s aim was to paint a vivid portrait of this remarkable man for the common reader. In The Winding Stair, she illuminates the considerable achievements of this Renaissance man: as a writer, lawyer, philosopher, scientist, and politician."

This post took me an hour and a half to create. And you are skimming it, aren't you?! I'm WATCHING you!!

The Sunday Salon~ Updates and Stuff & Winner!

Happy Sunday to all.. As some of you are aware, one of my favorite bloggers, Arleigh, (historical-fiction & Royal Intrigue) has been affected tremendously by the recent floods in Georgia. I am happy to report that everyone is alive and well, but as she puts it, "her house is not." So sad, I hope that she has Wonder Woman strength to rebuild and recoup. The event has saddened me, and made me think. Not only do I feel so helpless for Arleigh's situation, it makes me thankful for the simple things that I have, for which I have taken for granted.

This week I have been busy selecting winners for the Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table Event, which was fabulous fun during the BBAW week. If you missed some of the interviews and guest posts, you can see them all here through this label link. The 7 bloggers interviewed each other and each had special posts and giveaways, and a good time was had by all.

I updated my blog to a new address to http://www.theburtonreview.com/, and so I am trying to keep up with the broken widgets etc. that it caused but it's always hard to tell if blogger in general is acting up or if it was the custom domain. It's been a slight pain in the butt. I've attempted to update my gravatar and blog graphic links as well, I'd love for you to grab a new banner and put the logo on your blog. You can do it the old fashioned way by right-clicking and saving the image to your hard drive, or if you know how to add the HTML/Javascript option to your sidebar you can link from my own storage at photobucket by copying the code that is below my button on the left sidebar. I hope you like the Graphic, pretty simple, isn't it?

I even managed to update my favicon. The favicon (when it is working properly, as some browsers do not recognize it) would be the orange B that you see either in an internet tab or the teeny image before the web address in the address toolbar, when viewing a blogger blog. I had my old button there which was kinda cool but now I just put that teeny little swirl there. Also, in IE, when you save a specific site into your bookmarks section, the favicon image shows up next to the website listing in the bookmarks. So delete your current bookmarks for The Burton Review, and add it again so that you get the current http://www.theburtonreview.com/ address and the cute little teeny tiny swirl next to it. The whole favicon thing is the biggest pain in the butt also to do, & please don't ask me to explain it because I am so darn lucky I got it right this time. But I googled favicon and took it from there, and found this site to create the file type.

Have not seen the newest widget on the left sidebar? It is the one underneath the Technorati button. This newest thing is Shared Items From Google Reader, so whenever I am within my Google Reader I click the "share" link for those posts that I enjoy the most or simply want to share. All I do is click that share link, and boom it shows up in that widget on my blog for all to see. If I type a comment when sharing, some of the comment will show as well. Isn't that the neatest thing? See this post here on how to add it to blogger which tells you to go here.

Another change for this past week has been some links to the Amazon Store I created. I started working on this awhile ago by adding text links to certain blog posts, but I now have enough stuff going on there to officially mention it now. How the amazon associates program works is that I will get a small percentage of qualified purchases that are made by you if you purchase it from my store. Most important, check out the different sections where the book titles are broken up into different categories, from Tudor Fiction, Other Historical Fiction, to Jane Austen and Sequels. A preview here of the store:


The actual theme may change as I grow bored with the current one; I am trying to find a color scheme and set-up that I really like still. But the main items are up and running, which is the most important thing, and I will add more items when I get a chance to; so bookmark the Store when you feel the urge to buy your next book. I would greatly appreciate the support.
If I ever get a penny I will let you know (& thank YOU in advance!).

I reviewed Barnes' The Tudor Rose for you last Monday, and I started reading The Wildest Heart by Rosemary Rogers. Not even halfway through with that brick of a book. So there may be a while before my next review posts here, as this one is 748 pages. Then on Wednesday I lamented about Elizabeth's Women by Tracy Borman, I can't find it online in the USA, but I was overjoyed when it appeared in the mail on Thursday! Definitely awesome, so The Maiden's Court and I are going to do a sort of group read with this as my next read in October. I am looking forward to interacting with her about the book, it is chunky non-fiction book that looks full of information. See my Wednesday post for the rest of the information and synopsis.

In fun across-the-pond news, the Pope is meeting with Queen Elizabeth II next year, which is to be a grand event over there.. and I just found out there is a new book coming out in October:

The Queen Mother: The Official Biography by William Shawcross

The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, grandmother of Prince Charles—and the most beloved British monarch of the twentieth century.Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon—the ninth of the Earl of Strathmore’s ten children—was born on August 4, 1900, and, certainly, no one could have imagined that her long life (she died in 2002) would come to reflect a changing nation over the ourse of an entire century. Now, William Shawcross—given unrestricted access to the Queen Mother’s personal papers, letters, and diaries—gives us a portrait of unprecedented vividness and detail. Here is the girl who helped convalescing soldiers during the First World War . . . the young Duchess of York helping her reluctant husband assume the throne when his brother abdicated . . . the Queen refusing to take refuge from the bombing of London, risking her own life to instill courage and hope in others who were living through the Blitz . . . the dowager Queen—the last Edwardian, the charming survivor of a long-lost era—representing her nation at home and abroad . . . the matriarch of the Royal Family and “the nation’s best-loved grandmother.” A revelatory royal biography that is, as well, a singular history of Britain in the twentieth century.

This one sounds like a potential interesting read.

Although I am moving at a snail's pace as far as reading and reviewing goes, on October 5 and 6, I will have the review and guest post with giveaway for The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview, as part of a blog tour. (I enjoyed the book!) The tour is starting now, so follow along if you want to win this book:

September 28: Fallen Angel Reviews Guest Blog
September 29: The Review from Here/ScribVibe
September 30: Everything Victorian
October 1: The Good, the Bad, the Unread Guest Blog
October 2: A Bibliophile’s Bookshelf
October 5: Grace’s Book Blog, name change to Books Like Breathing
October 6: The Burton Review
October 7: Austenprose
October 7: Bloody Bad Books
October 8: The Long & Short of It
October 9: Love Romance Passion
Date undetermined, but some time this week: Curious Statistical Anomaly
October 12: Good and Bad Books
October 13: Lib’s Library
October 16: Fresh Fiction

I will soon have another fantastic Mailbox Monday post to share; it took me a long to time to compile it, so stay tuned for that fun on Monday! I am so swamped with books to review I feel so behind. But I can only do so much, and having a family and working full time and doing the blogging thing takes away actual reading time. But I'll read what I can, when I can, and blog about it, when I can..

Also wanted to say thanks for The Super Scribbler award from Robin at Lady Gwyn's Kingdom. I appreciate the mentions from awards! I've seen this one already given out at my favorite blogs and I don't want to inundate them with the same award. I've got End of month and Quarter close out (taxes!) to do this week, plus have to figure out how Cobra works for an ex-employee, so I don't have very much fun coming towards my way this week as far as work goes. And I am hoping the rest of the family and I do not catch the toddler's flu. He is driving me crazy, needless to say. Hope everyone in blogosphere is well and reading a lot!

The lucky Winner of my Robin Maxwell 2 book giveaway that ended Sat. PM was ibeeg of Mom-Musings! It was her Blog posting that got her the winning entry. If she doesn't respond to my email then Tutu is up next. That's the last of my HF Bloggers Round Table giveaways, whew! One last giveaway for the Sourcebooks promo, I'll draw that this week.

Friday Fill-In~ Guess this Famous Lady

Join in the Friday Fill-In Fun~ They provide the basics and we fill-in the blanks with whatever we want! So that means I get to use famous dead people or fave characters..

Can you guess who this person is?

1. One week ago I sent many to their deaths.


2. I would never have thought I would grow up to have an awful nickname when I was younger.

3. Mama told me never to forget her, even though I soon had four stepmothers.

4. The shame of it all is I should simply be remembered as the first queen, between you and me.

5. Take your time learning my history, there is a lot of it to learn, from being loved as a Princess, then not loved, and persecuted for my religion..

6. I am hoping my lonely life without my own family will pass!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to pining for Philip, tomorrow my plans include making my little sister observe my religion and Sunday, I want to attend mass all day!

The Winner to the giveaway for THE SEPARATE COUNTRY by Robert Hicks is Nea's Nuttiness!
Nea's Blog posting won it for her!

Next up was Susie and Jasmine if she has won it already.
ANNE BOLEYN 2- Book Giveaway still going on!

Winners & Booking Through Thursday~ Recent Saddest Book

Booking Through Thursday is hosted by Deb.

Deb asks:
What’s the saddest book you’ve read recently?


I've read some books that have "sad" themes, and some disturbing ones.. but today I'm thinking of the one that made me cry more than once and was my most recent. Those who haven't read it, will be surprised. Those who have read it, won't be. It is Cleopatra's Daughter, by Michelle Moran.
See my review here if you would like.

I am a little late this AM posting, since I've drawn two winners from two different giveaways from the Historical Fiction Bloggers Round Table event, which is time consuming!! See sidebar for other giveaways.

THE WINNERS ARE:
The winner for Kathy Lynn Emerson's Historical Mystery, Face Down in The Marrow-Bone Pie is
Susie from All Things Royal.

The winner for Martin Dugard & James Patterson's The Murder of King Tut, the new non-fiction thriller, is Deidre from Gothic Asylum Reviews
Emails going out after I do payroll..