Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Beginning in 1502 (when Mary is about six years old) with the events surrounding the death of her older brother Arthur, Mary is quickly put into situations where she encounters the much older Charles Brandon, twelve years her senior. The son of Henry VII’s standard bearer at the Battle of Bosworth (who was killed during the battle), Charles was taken in by the king and raised at court where he became a close friend to prince Henry. This friendship would lead the lowly born Charles to be given titles, honors and royal favor and earn him the jealousy of much of the nobility. Charles is ambitious and always looking for ways to increase his standing – and his available funds which are usually lacking.
Mary is sweet, charming and beautiful. She idolizes her brother Henry who in turn adores his baby sister and can deny her little. As Mary grows older and Henry seeks to gain political advantages wherever he can, they both know that eventually she will be forced into an advantageous (for England anyway) marriage. This turns out to be with the elderly King of France. Mary is appalled but realizing she has little choice and wanting to make her brother happy she agrees – with one condition: that when the old king dies, she will be free to marry whoever she wants.
That Mary and Charles were in love with each other before her marriage is most likely true given their quick marriage following the death of the French king. Given that their wedding happens in the last 25 pages of the book, most of what preceded it should have been the building of their relationship. It wasn’t. Instead, we get a series of incidents between them that shows they have the hots for each other but little else. I never got a sense of what it was between them that made them both risk so much by secretly getting married – it had to be more than just lust, but sadly, I have no idea of what it could have been. Some of the scenes between a pre-pubescent Mary and Charles seemed rather far-fetched and bordering on a little creepy (yes, I’m sure that’s my 21st century sensibility coming into play there!). But had they actually added something to the development of their relationship I could have overlooked the “ick” factor.
There were parts of the book I enjoyed – mainly Mary’s relationship with Henry. It was nice to see him as the doting brother and loving husband (during the early days of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon) and not as the obsessive tyrant for which he is more well known. I also liked Mary’s treatment of King Louis as she develops a real affection for him and tries to be kind even though her heart belongs elsewhere, and Charles shows some concern for someone other than himself in trying to help take care of his sister.

I read Haeger’s Courtesan a few years ago (about Diane de Poitiers who makes a cameo in The Secret Bride) and enjoyed it but I had a hard time really getting into this one and didn't find it very engaging.  It seemed rather rushed.   I have a couple of other books about Mary – hopefully, one of them will tell her story with more passion.
The perks of having an older husband:  “Old men must be mindful to give beautiful young women better gifts than the handsome young men do, by half.” King Louis to Mary as he gives her a large diamond necklace.
Rating: Disappointing (2 stars)

The Twelfth Transforming by Pauline Gedge.  US reissue April 20, 2010.  Part of a popular line of historical thrillers set in Egypt, this second volume in Gedge's bestselling series reconstructs the court of Akhenaten, one of ancient Egypt's most controversial and colorful rulers, whose reign lead to the near-collapse of his empire some 2,500 years ago.








The Hostage Queen by Freda Lightfoot.  UK release April 1, 2010;  US release June 1, 2010.  A brand-new historical novel from a well-loved storyteller - Marguerite de Valois, the most beautiful woman in the French Court, is the subject of great intrigue. She loves Henri of Guise, but is married off to Henry of Navarre, which – her mother hopes – will bring peace to the realm. But, within days, the streets of Paris are awash with blood, and Marguerite and her new husband are held hostage by her own family. Can they ever hope to escape alive? In a court rife with murder, jealousy and the hunger for power, it will not be an easy task.


The Plantagenets by Jeffrey Hamilton.  Non-fiction.  UK release July 2010.  This title offers a complete account of the rulers and politics of the Plantagenet reign. The story of the Plantagenet dynasty is the story of one of the pivotal ages in English history. Attitudes and outlooks were formed with regard to a vast array of profoundly important issues. Such fundamental issues as the relationship between church and state, the nature of government/governance, the interaction of social and economic classes, and ultimately the idea of what it means to be English were all shaped to a great degree by the events of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.


Henry VIII (British History in Perspective) by Dale Hoak.  Non-fiction.  UK release January 1, 2011.  This new study of Henry VIII and his court provides a fresh, clear introduction to the king's enigmatic character - his brutality, insecurity, and charm - as well as the significance of the great developments of his reign - his warfare, diplomacy, break with Rome, and seizure of monastic wealth.

Well, here we are again – the end of another year (almost) and time to look back at my year in reading. I managed to read 62 books this year – short of my goal (again!) of 75 but I did move twice (again!) and all of the packing and unpacking seriously cut into my reading time during those months. Twenty-two of the books I read were released in 2009 and I read eight non-fiction books.  I did not finish two additional books – Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Philipps and The Courts of Illusion by Rosemary Hawley Jarman.


My top 10 books (in no particular order):

Legacy by Susan Kay (although I really would have to say this was my ultimate favorite)
A Time of Singing by Elizabeth Chadwick
The Sisters Who Would Be Queen by Leanda de Lisle (non-fiction)
The Master of Verona by David Blixt
Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran
Born of the Sun by Joan Wolf
A Place Beyond Courage by Elizabeth Chadwick
Elizabeth the Great by Elizabeth Jenkins (non-fiction)
The King’s Mistress by Emma Campion
The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert Massie (non-fiction)

I managed to complete the three challenges I signed up for: The Pub Challenge, What’s In A Name and the Paperback Swap Historical Fiction Challenge. I don’t sign up for a lot of challenges since I’m pretty particular about what I read and the challenge has to fit within my overall reading plan for the year as set out on my Excel spreadsheet! I will tweak the plan occasionally if necessary but overall, I’m pretty good about sticking to it, although I do have to find room for all of those new releases!!

So, what’s ahead for 2010? I’m hoping to make it to my 75 book goal during the year and I’m going to participate in a few challenges. Inspired by a souvenir I picked up on our trip to England this year, I started making bookmarks which I will be giving away beginning in January. I am one of those people who needs something to “do” all of the time (and watching TV doesn’t count – I have to be doing something else at the same time). Reading and trying to pay attention to plot lines on my favorite TV shows wasn’t working out too well, so the bookmarks give me something else to do. Look for the first giveaway in early January.

I’m planning on continuing my regular features – Monday Mosaic, Weekly Wishlist, New This Week, Monthly Mailbox, Following on Friday and Cover Slut. Those tend to keep me pretty busy, so I’ll probably not add any more this year unless I just happen to think of something entirely fabulous!! I will have at least a few books to give away and will also be contributing reviews to the Royal Reviews blog throughout the year, so watch for those.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year and at midnight, toast to another year full of great books!

The Seventh Wife by Kelly Hart.  US and UK release January 1, 2010.  I haven't been able to find a cover or a description about this book but it is rumored to be about Catherine Willoughby. 

Paperback releases of previous hardcovers:

The Virgin Queen's Daughters by Ella March Chase.  US and UK release December 29, 2009.
Mistress of the Monarchy by Alison Weir.  US release December 29, 2009.

Tanzanite and I are on a little break for Christmas - over the weekend we drove from Denver to Indianapolis to spend the week with my daughter.  So things will be a little quite around here for the next week or so as we are busy shopping, wrapping and visiting family.  We hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that you are spending time with the people you love.

Young Claudette Laurent enjoys her life in Paris – she’s the daughter of a successful dollmaker and she has secretly agreed to marry her childhood friend Jean-Philippe who adores her. But when a fire rages through her neighborhood and destroys her home and her family, Claudette finds herself in an impossible situation. Unable to find Jean-Philippe and with no money and no idea what to do, she takes advantage of an offer to go to England where she might be able to find employment.

Claudette soon finds herself (along with a woman and her daughter she befriends on the journey from France) as a kitchen servant to an unbearable social climbing woman who eventually decides Claudette’s French ways may increase her own social standing. Not content to be used in this way, Claudette relies on the skills she learned in her father’s shop to begin to build a new life for herself and her friends. Still harboring feelings for John-Philippe and the hope that she will return to France one day and find him, she rebuffs the attentions of a handsome Englishman, William Graycliffe.

As Claudette’s reputation and business grows, a chance customer brings her dolls to the attention of Marie Antoinette and eventually a return to France. A reunion with John-Philippe forces Claudette to decide where her home – and her heart- really belongs. But when she unwittingly becomes involved in a plot as France hovers on the edge of revolution, she finds she may lose everything.

Claudette’s life in England and the events in France at the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are woven together throughout the story, only crossing a couple of times but each has a great impact on Claudette. The growing unrest in France and the ultimate fate of its king and queen are important to the overall storyline, and they are often presented in a matter of fact way that doesn’t get too detailed or take away from Claudette. Marie Antoinette is fairly sympathetic as a queen who tries hard to win over the French people but who doesn’t understand why all of her efforts fail.

I really liked Claudette – hard working, resourceful, loyal, creative and a little bit stubborn - and enjoyed her story immensely. I also found the detailed information on the doll making process to be fascinating. Although there is a romantic element to the story, this is no romance novel or bodice ripper – in fact, the one real “love” scene that exists is so vague that I’m not sure if they did anything or not!  Since the focus was more on the historical context of the story than on romance, the relationships between Claudette with both Jean-Philippe and William are not fully developed and I'm not sure I was 100% convinced at the lengths either of them went to for Claudette.  I also thought the ending was a little abrupt and it definitely wasn’t where I expected it to end, although an Epilogue nicely ties up everyone’s story. An Afterword by the author sheds some light on some things in the book that actually did happen - and those that did not.

My thanks to Christine Trent for sending me an ARC and I will definitely be reading her next book – The Waxmaker’s Apprentice in 2011.

Rating: Very Good (4 Stars)

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for a copy of The Queen's Dollmaker by Christine Trent. The book will be released later this month. Christine will be mailing the book directly to the winner and she has graciously agreed to sign it! And the winner (as determined by Random.org) is...........

 
Dolley - I'll send you an email to get your info.  I hope you enjoy the book!

Update:  Dolleygurl has already obtained a copy of the book, so Random.org selected another winner:    Rachel! (I've sent you an email).

Maria was the eldest daughter of Jose I and Mariana de Bourbon and was born in 1734. Although the monarchy had absolute power, the church was extremely powerful as well and at times, the two institutions became virtually inseparable. This changed when Maria’s father became king as power was consolidated in the hands of one of his ministers and the church was placed firmly under government control – a change that would cause the very religious Maria a great deal of torment later. Despite her place as the eventual heir to the throne, Maria’s education although broad in religion, the arts and languages, was sorely lacking in matters of diplomacy and state affairs. Portuguese law contained an interesting provision that if the king’s eldest daughter married a foreign prince she basically gave up her right to the throne and so Maria was required to marry a Portuguese nobleman. In following what appeared to be a family practice of sorts, Maria was married to her much older uncle (her father’s brother). Despite the “ick” factor that brought to my mind, Maria and her husband were apparently quite happy together and had several children.

But much of Maria’s life was not happy. At forty-three, Maria became the first queen regnant of Portugal but she was ill-prepared to be queen, and often had trouble dealing with the daily stresses her role brought.  A series of personal tragedies in a very short period of time overwhelmed her with grief and she slowly began losing her grip on reality. Eventually, her eldest son became regent for her.

Since Maria did not involve herself much in politics, the book focuses mostly on her personal life – her family and friends, time spent on pastimes she enjoyed and in particular a visit she made to a local glass factory owned by a man of English descent (it was the account of this visit by the owner's sister that sparked the author’s interest in Maria). Relying heavily on letters and accounts by the British Ambassador, Robert Walpole, we see Maria’s life as a series of snippets and vignettes which give a glimpse into a life of formality, privilege and responsibility. Major political events are included to the extent they are necessary to explain Maria’s actions, decisions or their impact on her. Not knowing much about the period though, there were times I wish a little more context had been included.

When hostilities between France and England break out in the early 1800’s, Portugal finds itself in the middle and eventually the royal family is forced to leave for safety in Brazil (at that time a Portuguese colony). It is here that Maria lives out the rest of her life, tormented by demons and retreating further and further into her own reality. This part of her life is covered pretty quickly since there probably isn't a whole lot to tell.

I found Maria’s life to be quite interesting and heartbreakingly sad. The book is engaging, as well as easy to read and understand. A family tree, glossary of unfamiliar Portuguese words and a list of characters was very helpful.  I enjoyed the opportunity to have learned about Maria and her life.

Rating:  Very Good (4 stars)

The French Blue by Richard Wise.  UK release December 15, 2009; released in the US in November.  Between the years 1630-1668, the French gem merchant, Jean Baptiste Tavernier made six voyages to Persia and India. His true exploits by land and sea go far beyond the ink and paper exploits of fictional adventurers. Tavernier met and did business with some of the world's most powerful princes and romanced some of the most beautiful women. Sometime during his later voyages, Tavernier acquired a magnificent 116 carat blue diamond. Upon his return to France, he sold the diamond to Louis XIV, for the equivalent of 147 kilos of pure gold. The Sun King made him Baron of Aubonne. The remains of Tavernier s blue gem is known today as the Hope Diamond, but for the first 200 years of its history it was called simply The French Blue.

I don’t remember where I heard about this book, but since it was about Richard III I thought I would give it a try. The book however is mostly about Anne Neville, Richard’s wife. Not that that’s a bad thing, I was just expecting the focus of the book to be a little different.


Despite this slightly different focus, the book is clearly a “pro-Richard” one. He and Anne have been in love with each other since they were children and the actions of her father in placing his future in the hands of Margaret of Anjou make them both wonder if they will ever be together. Anne worries about her father’s ambitions and where it lead them. She figures it can’t be anyplace good and she is furious when she finds out that she will play a considerable role by being married to Edward of Lancaster.

Most of the story follows Anne while she travels to France with her father and then back again to England. One of the interesting aspects of the book is the characterization of Margaret of Anjou. She hates Warwick and extends that hatred towards his daughter, even as she loathingly agrees to the marriage between Anne and Edward. I didn’t really get why she was portrayed this way and her hatred goes so far that she actually tries to kill Anne. Maybe it was to show how evil the Lancastrians (in the author’s opinion) really were.

But Anne is no wimpy victim here. She’s largely portrayed as a strong willed young woman whose fate is caught up in circumstances beyond her control. She's more than capable of holding her own against her evil mother-in-law and gets the upper hand in a nasty little cat fight with Elizabeth Woodville.  Her captivity in the cookshop (where she is hidden by her brother-in-law) covers several chapters as she learns to fend for herself even as she wonders if Richard will ever find her (he does of course). Richard is pretty saintly and wracked with guilt over every bad thing he can’t prevent and his relationship with Anne is sugary and sweet – too much so (as I’m typing this Def Leopard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” started playing on the radio station I listen to at work– somehow it seems appropriate!). George of Clarence and Elizabeth Woodville are also “baddies” to balance the goodness of Anne and Richard ( at one point the Woodvilles are described as a "dung heap filled with maggots"), and Edward IV means well but just doesn’t seem to have it all together.

According to a note at the end of the book, the first half of the book was published previously and at some point the author became ill. The second half of the book was unfinished (and never published) and so her husband and daughter made some revisions and published the entire work as one book. This is somewhat apparent as there is a difference in writing style and level of detail in many parts of the second half. In particular, there is a lot of telling in the second half and the sort of descriptive writing that marked many of the early chapters is also missing.

As a straight forward love story, Desire the Kingdom has its moments and might have worked, but the one dimensional characters make for a one dimensional story.  The book does include a list of characters, a family tree and a variety of maps (including ones which show battle positions for several of the battles that took place). 

The perils of being noble:  "... this is not a simplistic world.  Right and wrong are not clear choicesl  Loyalties shift with the tides.  Circumstances change, and events are turned around to suit the times."  Warwick as he tries to explain to Anne his choice is backing Margaret of Anjou.

Priorities:  "No woman leaves her clothes behind."  Isabel  when Anne is missing, which convinces Richard that she did not leave volunatarily.

Rating:  Disappointing (2 stars)

The Virtual Advent Tour (started by Marg and Kailana) has been going on for a few years now but this is the first year that I have participated.  When I signed up for it I had no idea what I would write about, but I thought it might help me feel more in the Christmas spirit.  This is our first Christmas away from "home", our family and our daughter and even though we'll be leaving for Indiana next weekend, for me, Christmas has always been a month long event!

I have always loved Christmas.  My mom made a big deal out of the season when I was a kid.  The day after Thanksgiving we always put up our tree and we (my brothers and sister) began checking to see when our favorite Christmas specials would be on - Frosty, Rudolph, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Little Drummer Boy and my favorite, The Year Without A Santa Clause!  As I got older, my mom would let me help her shop and at some point I became the official "wrapper".  I loved picking out the perfect paper and matching ribbon and bows - it was a job I took very seriously!  When I was in high school and had become very picky about my clothes, my mom would take me shopping to pick out what I wanted for Christmas.  She would always end up getting me a few surprises, but I loved those shopping trips with my mom as they were about the only time all year that I had her to myself. 

Visiting relatives for Christmas was always hectic in my family - not only were my parents divorced, but both sets of their parents were divorced.  As a kid I thought that was pretty cool since it meant we had six Christmases!  Now we still have four on my side of the family plus my in-laws and now, my daughter and her fiance - so we are back at six!  We have always had to fit my side of the family into one day since they all lived fairly close to each other but at least 2 hours away from us.  This year won't be any different and we will have the added complication of having Tanzy with us (it should be interesting to see how she gets along with my dad's four cats!!).

When we moved to Colorado, we were leaving a 4,000 square foot house and moving into a 1,000 square foot apartment.  As a result, we had to sell/get rid of a lot of stuff - including Christmas decorations.  I think I had about 20 very large plastic storage bins for Christmas (which was trimmed down to 8).  At the time, my daughter's fiance had just bought his first house and so we sold him our tree and I gave him a bunch of decorations - it's going to be very strange seeing "our" stuff in their house!!  After going without a tree last year, I went and bought a four foot one this year and hung a wreath over the fireplace.  All of the snow and cold weather we've had in Denver the last few weeks has made it seem more like Christmas, but I haven't done much shopping yet (most of it we'll do in Indiana so we don't have to transport it all there!).

As I've thought about the changes in our lives and how it impacts the holidays (and especially Christmas), I can't help but think back to a couple of Christmas mornings when my daughter was about three years old.  On Christmas morning she came running out of her room to see what Santa had brought and upon seeing all of the gifts piled in front of the tree, the first words out of her mouth were "Mommy, Santa uses the same paper as us!".  I remember looking at my husband and thinking her days of believing in Santa were over.  The following year I bought special "Santa" paper and used it only for wrapping her presents.  Imagine my shock when Christmas morning my daughter immediately observes, "Mommy, Santa got his paper at Target too!".  Oh dear.  We should have known then that she was going to be one smart cookie!  My husband and I still laugh about those moments and for me, they will always represent the pure innocence and awe of children and Christmas.

So, to everyone who reads my blog (both old and new readers), I want to wish you a very happy holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  If I can get this to work, here is one of the things I always loved during Christmas as a child.  And truth be told, I still do!!

Back in August, Weekly Wishlist included The Boleyn Wife by Brandy Purdy (the story of Jane Rochford, George Boleyn's wife).  A few weeks ago I was browsing Amazon UK and noticed a book titled The Tudor Wife by Emily Purdy with a similar description.  I contacted Brandy Purdy and asked if this was her book and she said that it was.  Apparently the UK publisher wanted not only a name change for the book but also wanted her first name changed!  Today she posted the new cover as well.  Even though this one is headless, I do like it!  The book will be released in the US in January and in the UK in April.

A few weeks ago I posted a black and white cover for the upcoming book Poison by Sara Poole.  Here is the color version (slightly modified).  I really like this one!  The vines down the side make it look like it might have some texture.  This cover would definately make me want to buy this! 


Poison will be released August 3, 2010. 

1325 the word goes out that Cangrande has died and that the question of succession is in the air. And the only other option to Cangrande’s unpleasant nephew, Mastino, is the longrumored bastard son. In Ravenna, hidden forces suddenly start making attempts against Cesco’s life and at stake is more than the life of one little boy—the tentative peace of Italy is in the balance. To preserve everything Pietro must match wits with the unseen mastermind pulling everyone’s strings: one who stands to lose, or gain, the most.

 
 
 
 
 
















The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis.  US and UK release July 6, 2010.  Novel about a countess whose passion and willfulness knew no bounds—Caterina Sforza, Daughter of the Duke of Milan and wife of the conniving Count Girolamo Riario, Caterina Sforza was the bravest warrior Renaissance Italy ever knew. She ruled her own lands, fought her own battles, and openly took lovers whenever she pleased.  Her remarkable tale is told by her lady-in-waiting, Dea, a woman knowledgeable in reading the “triumph cards,” the predecessor of modern-day Tarot. As Dea tries to unravel the truth about her husband’s murder, Caterina single-handedly holds off invaders who would steal her title and lands. However, Dea’s reading of the cards reveals that Caterina cannot withstand a third and final invader—none other than Cesare Borgia, son of the corrupt Pope Alexander VI, who has an old score to settle with Caterina. Trapped inside the Fortress at Ravaldino as Borgia’s cannons pound the walls, Dea reviews Caterina’s scandalous past and struggles to understand their joint destiny, while Caterina valiantly tries to fight off Borgia’s unconquerable army.

Maria I of Portugal was the first queen regnant of Portugal.  Born in 1734, she became queen in 1777 after the death of her father, Jose' I.  She married her uncle Pedro, who was several years older, and they had six children.  She suffered from mental illness for several years and in 1799 her son was named regent.  She died in 1816 in Brazil.  I am currently reading a biography of Maria and wish I could have found the picture on the cover of the book for the mosaic, but this one will have to do.

Here are covers for a couple of upcoming releases (in black and white). 

Isabella of France (wife of England’s Edward II) seems to suffer from the same problem as Richard III – people either love her (she was the victim of an uncaring at best or homosexual at worst husband) or they hate her (she was a jealous, hateful shrew) and you can find books on both sides. Those that are “anti-Isabella”, often include the words “she-wolf” in their title, pretty much conveying which way the book will go.


I will admit to persuading myself to buy this book largely based on the cover (delightfully cheesy!) and Bennett’s’ Isabella pretty much lives up to the sultry, conniving bitch image the cover conveys. The book covers a fairly short period of time – from right before Isabella goes to France to try and make peace between England and her brother (Charles IV) to shortly after her son Edward (III) decides enough is enough and puts his mother and her lover, Roger Mortimer, in their place.  Recollections of King Edward fill in some of the back story of his relationship with his wife and with Piers Gaveston.

With the exception of the king and his two advisors (father and son both named Hugh Despenser), everyone else sees Isabella as the poor, neglected wife. Her women in particular feel sorry for her and Isabella pulls off the charade with alarming skill in a performance worthy of an Oscar! She is charming, soft-spoken, and modest with just the right amount of righteous indignation. But under it all she is a master manipulator and shrewdly manages to stay a step ahead of the Despensers. Only Mortimer is aware of her dual personality and even he is amazed at times at how well she plays her part. Also working in her favor is the utter adoration of her son. Young Edward sees his mother as beautiful and worships the ground she walks on. Isabella dazzles him with her sweetness and by claiming she needs him to help her. He is putty in her hands.

The only one Isabella can’t control is Mortimer. They sometimes have a love-hate relationship and Roger often reminds her that she can’t manipulate him. But once they have managed to force the king’s abdication in favor of his son, Isabella’s “poor-little-me” act loses its luster. Before long the people realize they have traded one set of tyrants for another and even the young king (now a little older and a little wiser) begins to see his mother for what she is.

I really enjoyed reading this. Isabella is deliciously evil – mostly because she manages to hide it so well from everyone. She wants to see Edward suffer and she takes every opportunity to humiliate him – her treatment by her husband and the Despensers have turned her into a hateful, vengeful woman. Edward is really pretty wimpy here – he can’t make a decision for himself and relies on the Despensers to tell him what to do. Unfortunately, he realizes too late what that reliance has cost him.

Rating: Very Good (4 stars)

Living the History – Blog of one of my favorite historical fiction authors Elizabeth Chadwick. She includes information on her books, her research sources and methods, detailed historical “the rest of the story” about her characters and great pictures of places associated with them. She also participates in a re-enactment group and often posts information and pictures of their events.


Bookalicious – Pam is a new mom and reads mostly young adult, fantasy and historical fiction.  A couple of days ago she had a great post about some of the new e-readers (top of the line = pricey!).


Carla Nayland Historical Fiction – Another author, Carla’s interest is largely the early medieval period in Britain and she has great posts about people I’ve never heard of but then want to learn more about! She also has monthly recipes (yummy), book reviews, and often includes pictures of the local landscape and changing seasons.


FU Penguin – Another one for fun and the anti-LOL Cats and Dogs. Apparently annoyed by the humanity and “cuteness” factor being attributed to animals, this guy decided to take it to a new level! Be warned: profanity and prolific use of the “f” word dominate his posts, and not everyone may appreciate his humor, but I think they are hilariously funny - especially when I'm having a bad day! He even got a book deal out of it (I won a copy of it earlier this year).

Richard III by David Hipshon.  Non-fiction.  US release February 1, 2010;  UK release June 1, 2010.  Richard III is one of England’s most controversial monarchs. In this new biography, David Hipshon introduces us to a more nuanced Richard than has previously been portrayed, analyzing both his reign and the controversies around it that have endured to the present day. The fascination with the riddles surrounding Richard’s seizure of the throne in 1483, the supposed murder of the Princes in the Tower and Richard’s defeat and death on the battlefield at Bosworth in 1485 are placed in the wider context of the period and of the ever growing debate over Richard’s character. Placing Richard's character at the centre of analysis of his actions, the book explores his early life, his period as a lieutenant of Edward IV and then his reign as king, examining his influences, his faith, literary interests and devotion to chivalric ideals. This fascinating new biography is a must-read for all those interested in both Richard III as king and the development of the English monarchy and society at the end of the medieval era and the beginning of the early modern period.

Interested??  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment (how simple is that?) by the end of the day on December 15, 2009.  Please, please, please  include your email address so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner.  International entrants are welcome!  Good luck!