The Printed Page

Oh man I so didn’t want to be writing this about Becoming Queen Victoria by Kate Williams but its another for the DNF pile. I did make it to page 82 before making this decision. And this wasn’t an easy decision as I usually enjoy reading about the British monarchy. I’m sure the author has her reasons for spending so much of book (140 pgs or a third of the book) recounting Princess Charlotte’s life and times but my interest isn’t with her. My interest is with Queen Victoria. Becoming Queen Victoria is non-fiction which means loads of detail which I’m fine with except when most of its too dry for me to plow my way through. I’ve read plenty of non-fiction which grabs me from the start but this isn’t one of those. What I can tell you from reading 82 pages is Princess Charlotte was born into a family that puts the ‘dys’ in dysfunctional.

Here’s what others are saying: ARC – release date is August ’10

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, monarchies across Europe found themselves in crisis. With mad King George III and his delinquent offspring tarnishing the realm, the English pinned their hopes on the only legitimate heir to the throne: the lovely and prudent Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince of Wales and granddaughter of the king. Sadly, those dreams faded when, at age twenty-one, she died after a complicated pregnancy and stillbirth. While a nation grieved, Charlotte’s power-hungry uncles plotted quickly to produce a new heir. Only the Duke of Kent proved successful in his endeavor, with the birth of a girl named Victoria.

Writing with a combination of novelistic flair and historical precision, Williams reveals an energetic and vibrant woman in the prime of her life, while chronicling the byzantine machinations behind Victoria’s struggle to occupy the throne—scheming that continued even after the crown was placed on her head.

Upon hearing of the death of her predecessor, King William IV, Victoria—in her bold first act as queen—banished her overambitious mother from the room, a simple yet resolute move that would set the tone for her reign. The queen clashed constantly not only with her mother and her mother’s adviser, the Irish adventurer John Conroy, but with her ministers and even her beloved Prince Albert, all of whom, in one way or another, attempted to seize control from her.

Last Snow by Eric Van Lustbader has been sitting on my review shelf since February. Every time I went to reach for it my hand stalled passing it by for something else. Unusual for me as each time I reached for it I’d been in the mood for a thriller. Finally I decided it was time to stop messing around and see what the hesitation was about. The hesitation was all about a book that never caught my interest. First I felt I was missing too much background from First Daughter even though others will say that this book stands alone. Not so for me. Then I never really connected with the author’s writing style. Thinking I might give it another try I re-shelved Last Snow which is unheard of but I did. Its been sitting there another month now and I just don’t see myself picking it again so off to the library it goes. Another for the DNF pile – I know I read more than my 50 page rule but I don’t remember where I left off – oh well.

Here’s what others are saying:

• Mysterious Reviews
• A Good Addiction
• Reviewing the Evidence

After saving the daughter of the president of the U.S., McClure now has a role as a special advisor to the president. When he’s asked by his new boss to investigate the mysterious death of a U.S. senator on a diplomatic mission to Ukraine, McClure can’t say no. His comrades on the investigation include a rogue Russian agent and the president’s daughter. Meanwhile, stateside, both McClure’s home life and new job are in danger of falling apart.

I want to thank author Jennifer Colt (also Jennifer Colt blogspot) for introducing me to Kerry and Terry McAfee her twenty-something PI, crime fighting twin sisters. In all my searches at Amazon these books never popped which is sad because I’ve really enjoyed reading this series. These ladies are a riot. Terry lives to live on the edge and Kerry lives to keep Terry from going over that edge. The twins are completely besotted with their rescued four-legged children so I had to love ‘em. Their sleuthing practices are a bit unorthodox but somehow, some way, usually stumbling across clues, they manage to get the job done. And just when you think the twins have solved the crime(s) and everything is tied up in a neat little package bow and all Ms. Colt throws in a twist or two that you won’t have seen coming. Knowing  The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills is the 5th installment in this series I went back and read books #1 (The Butcher of Beverly Hills), #2 (The Mangler of Malibu Canyon), and #4 (The Con Artist of Catalina Island) though you certainly don’t have to. I skipped book #3, The Vampire of Venice Beach. If the word vampire is in the title or synopsis I am so not going any where near it. Actually Hellraiser should have been book #3 in this series but due to publishing issues became book #5. This is a fun, light-hearted PI mystery, with some chick-lit moments, making it a perfect beach read and a great escape from your hard-core blood and murder mayhem mysteries. After reading 4 of the 5 books I actually found The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills to be my least favorite for a couple of reasons. 1) I’m not a tabloid junkie so the story line wasn’t my fav and 2) I really, really missed not having great-aunt Reba and Cousin Robert around. Talk about two of the most over the top characters one can meet in a murder mystery. Hopefully Ms. Colt’s publishing situation will improve because I’m definitely looking forward to meeting up once again with the McAfee twins.

Here’s what others are saying: Because this novel is hot off the presses I wasn’t able to find any other independent blog reviews when I posted. Feel free to leave your post link in the comments if you’ve read and reviewed The Hellraiser of the Hollywood Hills.

While on a stakeout in a sketchy corner of Hollywood, twin detectives Kerry and Terry McAfee are mistaken for paparazzi by none other than pop music phenom Bethany. The girl is totally annoying, not to mention certifiably nuts, but when a gang of goons makes a grab for her, the twins reluctantly come to her rescue. Their heroics are rewarded with a job offer: keep an eye on the unpredictable pop princess until she leaves on her world tour. Desperate to improve their cash flow, the twins agree. Yet what begins as a glorified babysitting gig quickly devolves into a high-stakes game of murder, stolen identity, and blackmail. Fueled by high-octane action, suspense, and humor, the fifth installment of Jennifer Colt’s addictive McAfee Twins series will have readers perched on the edge of their seats one minute and howling with laughter the next. Together, Kerry and Terry tackle the seedy underbelly of Hollywood celebrity as only they can, with sass, nerve, and that infamous hot-pink Harley.

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Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

*** RIF: Donating to my local library The Ninth Step: Jack Leightner, book #4 by Gabriel Cohen (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

Homicide detective Jack Leightner’s brother was killed in a mugging in 1965, an incident Jack always blamed on himself. Now a stranger tells him that he was a member of a gang that had been hired by a local Mafioso to mug the two boys. The man doesn’t know why. The next morning, Jack is investigating a murder in a local deli by a Pakistani man. A security camera taped the assault, and Jack is confident he will soon wrap up the case. Then Homeland Security steps in, saying the man is an Islamic fundamentalist wanted for terrorist activity. Jack struggles to stay in the loop, while also seeking the true cause of his brother’s death.

RIF: ARC – adopted by Staci The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn by Alison Weir (publicist contact)

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.

RIF: Donating to my local library The Book of Spies by Gayle Lynds (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

Ann Blake, a rare-book expert and conservator, was imprisoned for a drunk-driving accident that she doesn’t remember, one that resulted in the death of her husband, a famous rare-book expert. But she is freed from prison by CIA undercover agent Tucker Anderson in exchange for her help and expertise on the Library of Gold, a legendary collection of books that have been lost to the world for over a century. Sent to an exhibit on the Library of Gold at the British Museum, Ann sees the one person she never expected to see again: her dead husband, Charles. After Charles first flees, then tries to kill her, Ann finds herself in the midst of several powerful, secret forces who either want her dead or want to use her to find the Library of Gold. The only person unequivocally on her side is Matt Kelly, who is seeking the people responsible for his father’s death.

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What books came into your house last week? You have the choice of using inlinkz or Mr. Linky. With inlinkz you can include a book cover if you’d like along with the link to your Mailbox Monday post (clicking on the image takes you to the blog post.)

Don’t forget to fill out either inlinkz or Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out a link feature.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

***

Read It Forward details

Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran is a sure thing for my favorite books list come year end and for a debut novel that’s an quite an accomplishment. Your first clue that I loved Watermark is in knowing that right after turning the last page I wanted to immediately start reading Ms. Sankaran’s second historical novel which she’s currently in the midst of writing. I loved everything about Watermark – the characters, the setting, the historical details of the inquisition and papermaking but most of all the story itself. As I was unsure if I’d enjoy Watermark I downloaded the sample to my Kindle (Chpts 1-4) but I needn’t have worried that I’d DNF this one because right from the very beginning Auda’s story drew me in. Auda’s unique in that her looks and lack of speech combined with her profession set her apart from most female characters in historical fiction. Watermark doesn’t read like a debut novel. It reads like the author is a seasoned writer taking bits of historical fact and weaving them into interesting and entertaining fiction. I simply couldn’t put Watermark down. Historical fiction fans shouldn’t let Watermark drift on by.

Here’s what others are saying:

• Raging Bibliomania
• S. Krishna’s Books
• Devourer of Books

The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320—mute from birth and forced to shun normal society—young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda’s very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable “sins” and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda—newly grown to womanhood—is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self . . . and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father’s art.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

If you’re new to Mailbox Monday welcome! Thank you to everyone who stops by Mailbox Monday. Whether you comment or visit I appreciate your taking the time to drop in.

*** RIF: Gwen (I loved it!) The Heretic’s Wife by Brenda Rickman Vantrease (publicist contact)

Tudor England is a perilous place for booksellers Kate Gough and her brother John, who sell forbidden translations of the Bible. Caught between warring factions – English Catholics opposed to the Lutheran reformation, and Henry VIII’s growing impatience with the Pope’s refusal to sanction his marriage to Anne Boleyn – Kate embarks on a daring adventure that will lead her into a dangerous marriage and a web of intrigue that pits her against powerful enemies. From the king’s lavish banquet halls to secret dungeons and the inner sanctums of Thomas More, Brenda Rickman Vantrease’s glorious new novel illuminates the public pageantry and the private passions of men and women of conscience in treacherous times.

RIF: Kindle eBook (Another great book) Watermark by Vanitah Sankaran (new-to-me author)

The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320—mute from birth and forced to shun normal society—young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda’s very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable “sins” and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda—newly grown to womanhood—is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self . . . and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father’s art.

RIF: Adopted by Amy Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir (publicist contact)

Nearing her thirtieth birthday, Eleanor has spent the past dozen frustrating years as consort to the pious King Louis VII of France. For all its political advantages, the marriage has brought Eleanor only increasing unhappiness—and daughters instead of the hoped-for male heir. But when the young and dynamic Henry of Anjou arrives at the French court, Eleanor sees a way out of her discontent. For even as their eyes meet for the first time, the seductive Eleanor and the virile Henry know that theirs is a passion that could ignite the world.

Returning to her duchy of Aquitaine after the annulment of her marriage to Louis, Eleanor immediately sends for Henry, the future King of England, to come and marry her. The union of this royal couple will create a vast empire that stretches from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees, and marks the beginning of the celebrated Plantagenet dynasty.

But Henry and Eleanor’s marriage, charged with physical heat, begins a fiery downward spiral marred by power struggles, betrayals, bitter rivalries, and a devil’s brood of young Plantagenets—including Richard the Lionheart and the future King John. Early on, Eleanor must endure Henry’s formidable mother, the Empress Matilda, as well as his infidelities, while in later years, Henry’s friendship with Thomas Becket will lead to a deadly rivalry. Eventually, as the couple’s rebellious sons grow impatient for power, the scene is set for a vicious and tragic conflict that will engulf both Eleanor and Henry.

RIF: Adopted by Amy Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch by Kate Williams (new-to-me author/publicist contact)

Toward the end of the eighteenth century, monarchies across Europe found themselves in crisis. With mad King George III and his delinquent offspring tarnishing the realm, the English pinned their hopes on the only legitimate heir to the throne: the lovely and prudent Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince of Wales and granddaughter of the king. Sadly, those dreams faded when, at age twenty-one, she died after a complicated pregnancy and stillbirth. While a nation grieved, Charlotte’s power-hungry uncles plotted quickly to produce a new heir. Only the Duke of Kent proved successful in his endeavor, with the birth of a girl named Victoria.

Writing with a combination of novelistic flair and historical precision, Williams reveals an energetic and vibrant woman in the prime of her life, while chronicling the byzantine machinations behind Victoria’s struggle to occupy the throne—scheming that continued even after the crown was placed on her head.

Upon hearing of the death of her predecessor, King William IV, Victoria—in her bold first act as queen—banished her overambitious mother from the room, a simple yet resolute move that would set the tone for her reign. The queen clashed constantly not only with her mother and her mother’s adviser, the Irish adventurer John Conroy, but with her ministers and even her beloved Prince Albert, all of whom, in one way or another, attempted to seize control from her.

***

What books came into your house last week? You have the choice of using inlinkz or Mr. Linky. With inlinkz you can include a book cover if you’d like along with the link to your Mailbox Monday post (clicking on the image takes you to the blog post.) Duplicate links will not count toward the fundraising efforts.

Don’t forget to fill out either inlinkz or Mister Linky or leave a comment with a list of books if you don’t blog. If you’re interested in Read It Forward you will need to leave a comment in addition to filling out a link feature.

• In the “Your name:” box, please enter either your name or your blog’s name.

• In the “Your URL:” box please enter the URL/link that will lead directly to the post you are submitting (also called the permalink). This is not the URL to the blog’s home page.

***

Read It Forward details