Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Mondays is hosted by Marcia at the Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.


There have been several books out since the beginning of October that I wanted and I have managed to get two of them. I did find another I really wanted but it was only in hardcover and I can't pay $25 for one book at the moment.


The Queen's Mistake, by Diane Haeger

This is a novel about Henry VIII's fifth wife, Catherine Howard. I have read one other of this author's works and wasn't too thrilled with it so I'm hoping this one is a bit better.




The Tudor Rose, by Margaret Campbell Barnes

This is a reprint/issue of one of her novels that was published back in the 50s (I think). The copy I got at Borders has a different cover on it though. It is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV, wife of Henry VII, and mother of Henry VIII. I'm looking forward to reading this one because I have become really fascinated with the Wars of the Roses over the past several months, though I have heard that Richard of Gloucester is not painted in a very favorable light in this version.

This Day in History...

An interesting day...I couldn't pass up these two tidbits I found!

October 11, 1216 - King John (Richard the Lionheart's younger brother) lost his crown and jewels whilst crossing 'The Wash'. This incident is portrayed in Elizabeth Chadwick's wonderful novel The Marsh King's Daughter which I read and reviewed.


October 11, 1521 - Pope Leo X conferred the title of 'Defender of the Faith' on King Henry VIII for his book supporting Catholic principles against Luther's attacks. In later years, Henry hoped that being on good terms with the Pope would help him get his divorce from Catherine of Aragon....it didn't.

This Day in History...

October 10, 1877 - The US Army held a funeral service with full military honors at West Point for Lieutenant-Colonel George Armstrong Custer. Custer had been killed the year before in Montana during the famous Battle of the Little Big Horn by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians.

Omg!! Look at that hair!!!

This Day in History...

October 9, 1470 - King Henry VI of England was restored to the throne after being deposed by the Yorkists in 1461. However, six months later he was deposed again when Edward IV regained the throne. Henry was lodged in the Tower of London and supposedly died from heartbreak.

Booking Through Thursday - Discuss

Booking through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Deb over at Wordpress. This week's "question" is a bit different as we're putting out questions to be discussed by other readers.

"I was wanting to try a certain author and wished I knew someone who had read her works so I could get a recommendation when it occurred to me that having a “YOU ask the question” Booking Through Thursday might be fun. Each participant could ask a question they’ve wanted to discuss with other readers. Perhaps, like me, you’d like a recommendation of a certain author’s best work, or perhaps you LOVE a certain genre or series but no one else you know does and you’d just like to discuss it with someone. Or perhaps you want to try a new genre and would like recommendations from seasoned readers."


It was incredibly hard to narrow this down to one question as I have so much I would love to discuss, as well as get recommendations from other readers. So, here is my question to other readers:

Do you prefer to read historical fiction that is only lightly based on historical fact or would you prefer to read one that is much more historically accurate?

I tend to lean a bit more towards having more things historically accurate in what I read, but if the book is well written then I will enjoy it either way. Some would say if a book sticks solely to known historical facts they're probably going to be dry and boring, like a history book. Not so. One of my favorite authors, Sharon Kay Penman, is very historically accurate in her novels and they are absolutely riveting reads. There has been a lot of discussion lately about Philippa Gregory's works. I enjoy her books (for the most part) and find them entertaining, interesting, and fun to read. I know that they are not the most historically accurate and that would be fine EXCEPT....she is really promoted as being such a wonderful and thorough historian. That bugs me. There are some other historical fiction authors that I have really loved and I know their books have plenty of historical inaccuracies but they do not promote themselves as impeccable historians so the inaccuracies don't bug me nearly as much. Am I saying a historical fiction author should always stick to only what is known? Goodness no. Most of what these authors write happened hundreds of years ago and there is no way of knowing for certain what someone said, felt, did, how certain events actually came about, etc etc, and the authors HAVE to fill in with what they believe is probable. That is what makes it FICTION after all.

Book Review: The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn

The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn, Robin Maxwell
5 roses

I do not give many books 5 roses but this is, hands down, my favorite book about Anne Boleyn. I love the way her story (the diary) is intertwined with her daughter Elizabeth's. Of all the books about Anne that I have read, this is probably the only one that doesn't portray Anne as a horrible, vindictive, almost evil person. She is shown as a very passionate and ambitious person, though. As with all historical fiction, I am aware that the author certainly took some creative license in the telling of her story but there is nothing that seems really out of place or too over the top for me.

Not long after her coronation, Elizabeth receives a visit from an elderly lady who served her mother, Anne Boleyn, during her last days in the Tower. This lady gives Elizabeth something priceless: her mother's secret diary, which she had kept for most of her life. The rest of the story switches back and forth between the entries in Anne's diary and Elizabeth's life. Through the reading of her mother's diary she learns a great deal about the woman she never knew and realizes Anne was not the horrible person she had always been told she was. In the diary Anne recounts her time spent in France, her love for Henry Percy and the heartbreak over their forced separation, Henry's wooing, the rise of her power along with her family's, her marriage to Henry and Elizabeth's birth, and the events that lead up to her imprisonment and execution. While reading her mother's diary, Elizabeth is embroiled in an affair with Robert Dudley which threatens not only her reputation but possibly her Crown as well.

This story was beautifully written and in such a way that I could almost feel what some of the characters were feeling. Anne's portrayal here is much more in line with what I believe: that she was a fairly innocent but extremely intelligent young girl who, because she was thwarted in her one true love, became a bit bitter and wanted revenge on those who caused the hurt. Once she was caught up in the relationship with Henry she probably felt she had no way out and enjoyed the power that it did give her. I have never believed she was really evil or mean but certainly ambitious. She does come to realize that her anger and need for revenge have come back to haunt her. There were some powerful and emotional scenes in her diary, especially in her feelings for Elizabeth and when she realizes that Henry has lost interest and means to be rid of her. One of my favorite moments was when Anne was describing how afraid she was at her coronation - until she felt her child kick in her belly. I thought that was a very touching moment. As her story began to wind down to its ultimate conclusion, I could feel Anne's desperation and panic as she tried to keep Henry's affections and then her resignation as to what was going to happen to her. It really made me wish things had turned out differently for her.

As for Elizabeth, she does change while reading her mother's diary. Probably the main thing she realizes is that she does not want to give up power and control to any man (though that doesn't stop her affair with Dudley), as she has seen what it did to her mother. I think she also benefits from learning that Anne did love her and while she was certainly no saint, she was not a horrible person. One of the most telling of Elizabeth's comments was when she was talking to the elderly woman who had brought the diary to her:

"It is you who have done me the honor, good lady. You have returned to me a treasure I had no idea I had lost. And a love I had forgotten I owned."

For me however, the two most emotional parts of the book were towards the end. The first was when Elizabeth discovered a small room that was filled with what remained of her mother's possessions - shoes with her the imprint of her foot still in it, a dress, cosmetics, books. The second moment almost had me in tears. Elizabeth goes to the Tower to stand in the Great Hall where her mother was condemned, to stand at the spot the scaffold stood and her mother lost her life, and finally, in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. While standing there she is first overcome with grief knowing that her mother's body was beneath the stones and then she finally has a memory of her mother's scent, laugh, and her smiling eyes. I was almost in tears as she cried out for Anne (and I do not usually get emotional while reading).

This was a marvelous and emotional book. Maxwell is able to pull the reader into the story and you can really sympathize with some of the characters. Writers should all strive to elicit some emotional response - be it laughter, anger, or sadness - in their readers; Maxwell succeeds in this book. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth.

*If anyone is interested in more about Anne, Maxwell also wrote Mademoiselle Boleyn which is a look into Anne's life at the Court of France.

This Day in History...

October 8, 1871 - The Great Chicago Fire breaks out, lasting 2 days, killing between 200-300 people, destroys 17,450 buildings, and doing $200 million in damages (in 1871 dollars; now it would be over $3 billion) . It was supposedly started by a spark in Patrick and Catherine O'Leary's barn.


And something a bit literary as well....

October 8, 1908 - Kenneth Grahame's classic children's book The Wind In The Willows was first published. It has never been out of print in its entire history.

Book Review: The Queen's Bastard

The Queen's Bastard, Robin Maxwell
3.5 roses

This was the sequel to Maxwell's The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn (which I have read and loved and intend on posting a review here) and it covered a controversial subject - the idea that Elizabeth and Robert Dudley had a child, Arthur. The book is set up almost like a frame story: part is Arthur's memoirs and the other part is an omniscient third-person telling of Elizabeth and Dudley's story. While I really don't buy into the theory (and I have now read three books that present this theory as part of the plot) this was an enjoyable, interesting, and well written read.

It is still early in Elizabeth's reign and she and Dudley are indeed lovers. When she discovers that she is pregnant, Elizabeth is determined to have the baby and hide it until she can name the child as her successor. She then sets about hiding the fact that she's pregnant and arranging to travel around the country on progress to remote manors when it is impossible to hide the fact. However, her loyal lady Kat Ashley and William Cecil think that the Queen's plan will never work; that she'll never be able to hide the child and enemies might be able to use him or her against the Queen. They come up with a plan to protect Elizabeth and England: to switch the baby at birth with a stillborn child and place Elizabeth and Dudley's child with an adoptive family. Amazingly, they are successful and Elizabeth and Robert believe their child died at birth. This loss cements their love for each other and, despite the turmoils their relationship goes through over the years, they remain devoted to one another.

Meanwhile, Arthur is brought up by a close friend of Kat Ashley - Robert Southern. While Arthur's "father" loves him his "mother" hates him and really makes his life difficult. He is quite the horseman and the highlight of his young life is when he gets to show off his skills for the Queen and Leicester. Arthur eventually joins the military and goes to fight against Spain in the Netherlands, where he meets William of Orange. This meeting seems to have a profound influence on the young man's ways of looking at things in the world. It is while he is in the Netherlands that he learns that his father is dying and he hurries home. On his deathbed, Robert Southern reveals to Arthur the circumstances of his birth. Obviously in shock, Arthur debates what to do and finally goes and presents himself to Robert Dudley. It doesn't take long for Dudley to realize this is his son but cautions Arthur not to reveal himself to Elizabeth yet. Arthur then becomes a spy, working for his father and Walsingham in Spain. In Spain he is injured and falls in love with the lady that nurses him back to health. Eventually he is caught and thrown in prison, left to die when Phillip realizes this most likely is Elizabeth's son and thus a threat to his plans for the English throne. Arthur manages to escape, thanks to the family of his lady love, and ends up on a ship in the Spanish Armada where he is able to do some sabotage before finally being discovered and jumps overboard to be picked up by an English ship. It is after this that Dudley and Arthur go to Elizabeth and reveal his identity. She wants to name him as her heir but he, politely, declines saying it just isn't the life for him. She gives him money and he sets off for the New World in order to find his lady and her family, where they have moved to avoid persecution for their religion.

Maxwell is a fantastic storyteller and this was a well written book with characters that had enough depth that you actually cared what happened to them and you wanted to keep reading to see what would eventually be the outcome. There is an Arthur Dudley in history who claimed to be the son of Elizabeth and Dudley but there is not much about him and he disappears from history after he ends up in a Spanish prison. Maxwell managed to take what little information there was and weave a very intriguing background for this young man. There was nothing in the story that made me think it was too over the top or far fetched. The characters all behaved in a way that I would pretty much expect from those known so well to history and the fictional characters were quite believable. This book only received 3.5 roses, however, for just a few reasons. One was some of the pages and pages of Arthur's memoirs dealing with his time in the Netherlands, some of which I felt really didn't need to be in there as it didn't move the storyline along any (only some of it, other parts of his time there is essential to his development). The second reason was because of the ending which I felt was a bit abrupt. I would have liked a bit more of Arthur's story once he got to the New World and since there is no more record of him in history there would have been nothing wrong with extending his tale a bit further. Overall though it is a good read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in Elizabeth, especially if they are interested in reading stories that play into the pregnancy theory (and this one, in my opinion is better than the other two that I have read that use the possible pregnancy as part of their storyline). Maxwell takes a rumor and, through excellent writing, makes it seem like it could be possible.

This Day in History...

October 7, 1765 - Delegates from nine of the thirteen American colonies protested against the British Stamp Act which placed a tax on all forms of paper (legal documents, newspapers, playing cards, etc) used in the Colonies. The purpose of the tax, in British eyes, was to pay for troops still stationed in America after the victory in the Seven Years War and, since the Colonists were benefiting from the military presence, Parliament felt they should pay for some of the expense. The Colonists saw this as "taxation without representation" and was more fuel on the fire that lead to the American Revolution.

Wordless Wednesday

Anne Hathaway's Cottage, 2001

Book Review: The Last Boleyn

The Last Boleyn, Karen Harper
4 roses

I was so happy to finally snag a copy of this off Paperbackswap.com. It was originally published under the title Passion's Reign and is the story of Mary Boleyn, sister to Anne and George. For those of you who have read Philippa Gregory's version The Other Boleyn Girl you are probably going to be a bit surprised at how Harper presents Mary's story. While the basic story is the same, there are differences in some of the details, relationships, and character behavior. I really liked this version of Mary's story. Harper seems to have stayed more within the known facts about Mary's life (little though there is) than Gregory did in her version. While I have nothing against Gregory's version (and I enjoyed it quite a bit) I enjoyed reading something a bit more historically accurate (though of course there are some instances where Harper has taken some liberties but they don't really bother me as Harper hasn't promoted herself as an impeccable historian).

The story starts when Mary is about 8 and learns she is to be sent to France with Princess Mary Tudor. She forms a friendship with Mary that lasts throughout the novel. While in France she meets Leonardo Di Vinci, falls in love with the King, and eventually becomes Francois's mistress. It doesn't turn out how she expected as she's seen as the King's possession and is passed along to his friends. During one of her father's visits to France she meets William Stafford and thus begins their long and slightly rocky relationship. Eventually Mary returns to England, King Henry marries her off to William Carey, and she becomes Henry's mistress. She gives birth to a son but the true identity of the father is unknown. By this time Anne has come to court and caught Henry's eye and Mary has fallen in love with William Stafford, despite still being married to an unloving William. After William dies she and Stafford secretly wed and are able to keep it a secret until she becomes pregnant. When she tells Anne (who has now been Queen for some time) she and Stafford are banished to his manor, which is what they wanted anyway, and they have a peaceful and happy life there.

Mary seems much more worldly and wise in this telling of her story and, based on what happens to her, its no wonder she "grew up quickly." She matures from a naive girl, foolishly thinking that the King of France really loves her, to a young woman who knows when to "cut her losses." Her overwhelming love for her Father and her desire to impress him and make him proud of her influences a lot of her decisions until she is finally able to see that he does not care about her and is only interested in gaining more power. The big eyeopener for Mary is when she sees how her Father is trying to use her son as a pawn with King Henry (though it is asserted throughout this book that his father's identity is uncertain). Once she is able to let go of the devotion to her Father, she is more easily able to make decisions that make her happy and content. She knows she is being used as a pawn by her Father and husband and she hates it; as the story progresses she is able to take more control of her life. I really like Harper's portrayal of Mary (more than Gregory's) because Mary's character seems much stronger, more able to make decisions for herself, while at the same time still a sympathetic character because of the circumstances surrounding her.

Thomas Boleyn seems as ambitious and cruel here but Elizabeth Boleyn's character is much more caring and sympathetic to Mary. George doesn't play nearly as big of a role in this novel as he did in Gregory's version and Anne does come across as a bit more sympathetic. Will Carey's character is hideous and I felt incredibly sorry for Mary since she was stuck with him. King Henry is obviously around but there isn't as much of him and there is only one nice little scene between Mary and Queen Catherine. Mary's second husband, William Stafford, is quite likable, is always there when she needs a shoulder or a hand, and is quite wise in the ways of the Court and politics. While I liked Staff's character he sometimes comes across as a bit too perfect.

Overall it was a good book that I would highly recommend, especially to those that have read The Other Boleyn Girl and would like to see another version of the story. If you are looking for a book that has a lot about Anne in it, I wouldn't suggest this one as it is truly about Mary's life.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!! (Make sure that what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

Dreaming the Eagle, Manda Scott

Airmid spat. She had forsaken the grey cloak of Mona and armed herself with blade and helmet. Of itself, it said she would not be taken alive as a slave. If they died, it would be together: a dreamer and her warrior.

Breaca reached down and pulled Airmid up behind her on the grey. A shadow moved to her left. She thrust out with her shield and drew back her blade for the swing. The red mare moved ahead of her and the enemy warrior died in a plash of blood and splintered bone.

This Day in History...

October 6, 1536 - William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake for heresy. He was a religious reformer and translated the Bible's New Testament into English.

Book Giveaway - The Tudor Rose

A great giveaway over at Passages to the Past for Margaret Campbell Barnes' novel The Tudor Rose about Elizabeth of York. Click the link below for the entry details. :)

The Tudor Rose

This Day in History...

October 7, 1947 - President Harry Truman makes the first-ever televised presidential address from the White House. In his speech he asks Americans to cut back on their use of grain in order to help the people starving in Europe. At the time of this speech, Europe was still recovering from World War II and many were suffering from famine.

Mailbox Mondays

Mailbox Mondays is hosted by Marcia at the Printed Page. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.


As I was out of town all last week (and my husband cleverly kept me away from any bookstores!) I have no new goodies to add here. Sad face. But I plan on hitting the bookstore this week as there are several books that have come out or will be coming out this first week of October that I have got to get my hands on!

This Day in History...

Not much going on today throughout history, though I missed some interesting events while I was out of town all week!

October 4, 1941 - Best selling author Anne Rice is born in New Orleans. Rice is best known for her Vampire Chronicles and other books on the occult.

Book Review: The Marsh King's Daughter

The Marsh King's Daughter, Elizabeth Chadwick
4.5 roses

This was my first time reading the wonderful Elizabeth Chadwick and I have to say I was not disappointed. I could not put the book down and I was up until 3am so I could finish it. So why only 4.5 roses and not 5 if I enjoyed it that much? Just personal preference, really. I think Elizabeth Chadwick did a wonderful job with this story and she was able to blend fictional characters, historical fiction, and historical romance together beautifully.

The story was about Miriel Weaver and Nicholas de Caen, fictional characters set at the beginning of Henry III's reign in the early 13th century. Miriel has been imprisoned in a convent by her stepfather and Nicholas is a rebel against King John. They meet when Nicholas ends up sick and injured at Miriel's convent and she nurses him back to health. She then runs away with him when he leaves, seeing him as her only way out. Miriel then steals something of Nicholas's (which happens to be part of the royal regalia that HE snatched) and runs from him, setting herself up in Nottingham, hoping for a new life. The rest of the story is about their two separate lives until they eventually meet up again. Miriel ends up married to a really evil man, though she doesn't realize it immediately, and Nicholas becomes a very successful sea captain. The events at the end of the novel really rush along and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

While this wasn't about any historical people (though of course they are mentioned, they just don't play any major roll in the story) I really enjoyed it and I thought it was incredibly well written with well developed characters. You can feel sorry for Miriel as she suffered the way most women suffered during the middle ages - being at the whim of the males in your life, be it father or husband. I was a bit surprised that she really didn't have any inkling about how horrible her husband, Robert, really was and the lengths he would go to in order to get what he wanted. I did feel a few of her decisions were poorly made but she was doing what she felt she needed to in order to survive. I really enjoyed the bantering between Miriel and Nicholas as they tried to hide the fact that they already knew each other when they were finally thrown together again.

The part that interested me the most was how Chadwick "explains" what happened to King John's royal treasure, which really did disappear around this time. As no one ever found it or knew what happened to it, it was fun to see her way of explaining its disappearance (though what happened to the Empress Mathilda's crown at the end made me want to cry).

I would certainly recommend this to anyone interested in the time period. I would also recommend it to readers who would like to start reading historical fiction; this is an easy step into the genre as it doesn't throw a ton of historical information at you all over the place.

Book Giveaway - The Heretic's Daughter

Here is a great book giveaway over at Peeking Between the Pages. This one is a bit different from my usual posts as it is dealing with the Salem Witch trials. I can't wait to read it. Please click the link below for all the information!!

The Heretic's Daughter Giveaway

This Day in History...

October 2, 1452 - The future Richard III, England's last Plantagenet King, was born to the Duke of York and Cecily Neville, the youngest of seven children. Richard would eventually become King after the death of his oldest brother, Edward IV. He only reigned for about 2 - 3 years and was killed by Henry Tudor (Henry VII) at Bosworth Field. Richard is, unfortunately, best remembered as the King who killed his two nephews in the Tower of London, though it has never been discovered what actually happened to the little Princes.