Fawkes by Nadine Brandes | Review

Title: Fawkes
Author: Nadine Brandes
Pages: 448
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Goodreads Rating: 4.03 stars
Published: July 10th, 2018
Source: Hardcover/bought

Description:

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back. 


My Thoughts: 

Historical fiction is my first love.  And historical fiction with some fantastical, magical elements is quite possibly my first love, returned and looking like something I could have never imagined.  You know when you see a character in a movie reminiscing about their first love from childhood, and suddenly that person shows up and its like WHOA, this person is more than they could have even dreamed of!

Nadine Brandes is a word wizard, and her novel Fawkes is a spell she's cast over all of us lucky enough to read it.  I love how she takes things from history, twists them up so tightly and perfectly with her fictional world, and presents them in the bindings of this book.  While I have her Out Of Time trilogy, this is actually the first book of hers I've read.  I plan on rectifying that soon.

Thomas Fawkes is such a complex character with so many things going against him... but one thing that ends up being the best thing for him {don't worry, no spoilers as to what that is!}.  Thomas does all he can think to do to help rid himself of the Stone Plague and get his color power.  He befriends an Igniter, and slowly starts to question everything he's known was true and right.

I love the Lutheran twist this story takes with the color powers.  I don't want to give too much away, but its fun to read through and know some of the history that Nadine ties in with her magical fantasy.

The Animal Under The Fur release blitz and GIVEAWAY!

I love helping shed light on amazing authors and fantastic books, and today I'm doing that with other bloggers and Giselle at Xpresso Book Tours.  I just wrote up a review for this book the other day, but here's a little more info on it, as well as E.J. Mellow, the fantastic author behind this amazing work.

Book & Author Details:

The Animal Under
by E.J. Mellow
Publication date: March 30th 2017
Genres: Action, Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

From award-winning author E. J. Mellow comes an action romance dripping with vengeful delight.
Orphaned on the streets as a baby, Nashville Brown, a.k.a Kill Operative 3, knows better than to rely on anyone. With heightened senses and superhuman strength to survive, she’s been raised as the perfect assassin.

The trick to her success? Keeping everyone, even her best friend, at arm’s length.
Losing his entire family in the span of a year, Carter Smith left his ability to love buried deep in their graves. His only concerns now are completing his missions and effortlessly charming the next temptress to warm his bed.
The key to his accomplishments? Working alone mixed with a Casanova smile.
But when a deadly weapon needs to be stopped from falling into the wrong hands, the lone wolves find themselves thrown into an explosive partnership. Can Carter and 3 lower their guns aimed at one another long enough to succeed, or will their unwillingness to compromise end up destroying more than their perfect records? Whatever their differences, both agree on one thing—in the game of lies and deceit, the line between friend and foe is often blurred by blood splatter.
The Animal Under The Fur is a hate-to-loath-to-love standalone novel filled with savagery, secrets, and enough angst to wrinkle the pages you’ll find gripped in your hands.

Add it to your Goodreads shelf by going here:

The Animal Under The Fur

You Can buy it here:

Amazon

AUTHOR BIO:

E.J. Mellow is the award-winning author of the contemporary fantasy trilogy The Dreamland Series and The Animal Under The Fur. With a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, E.J. Mellow splits her time between her two loves – visual design and writing. Residing in NYC, E.J. is a member of Romance Writers of America and their Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter. She has no animals but loves those who do.

Author links: 

Website: www.ejmellow.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13651527.E_J_Mellow
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ejmellow
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ej_mellow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ejmellow

GIVEAWAY

Thank for reading through my post, so here's the giveaway {this giveaway is set up and sponsored by the author, I'm just helping to spread the love}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Only You {Mephisto Mark} by Stephanie Feagan Giveaway!

How would one of you lovelies like to win a fabulous book by the fabulous Stephanie Feagan?  Her Mephisto Covenant series is on its third book {first two written under her YA pen name Trinity Faegen}.  I freakin' love her books, and her third Mephisto is the best so far!  So, with that, I have an extra copy to give away!  This copy is kinda special... its from the first printing, back when Only You was titled The Mephisto Mark and was still under her YA/NA pen name Trinity Faegen.  So, while it looks like this on Goodreads and Amazon:

You will be getting this lovely copy{!}:

So what do you need to know about this giveaway?  Well, here are the rules:

• One person will win The Mephisto Mark book.
• I will be checking all the entries.  If you say you commented, and I don't see a blog comment, your entry will be invalid.  Ditto with Twitter posts and following via twitter.  If I can't verify it, that entry is invalid.
• This is open to US and Canadian readers only.  Sorry, guys, not international, because I really don't have the money to do that!
• The winner will be contacted via email and will have 48 hours to respond. If I don't hear back within that time frame, a new winner will be chosen.
• Must be 17 or older to enter {this is technically a New Adult book, and covers some pretty tough/graphic material... please keep that in mind when entering!}
• By entering this giveaway, you're agreeing to the terms/rules listed above.

 {Also, I know this doesn't end for a while... I'm going to be on vacation starting the 25th for several days, and I want to be able to mail in out to the winner as soon as it's over, not have you wait a week!}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Midnight Garden | Anne of Green Gables Giveaway

I'm trying not to write too much about other giveaways on here, as I would like to promote my own {when I actually do them}.  But this one is too good not to share!

The Midnight Garden has a discussion of Anne of Green Gables, which I've always loved the miniseries, but never actually read the books {its a shame, I know... I'm hoping to fix that soon!}.  Along with the discussion, they're giving away two sets of the six Anne books... you should hop on over and enter!  And the books are those gorgeous new covers from Sourcebooks Fire:

My first giveaway!

Yes, it's true!  I'm doing my very first giveaway on this blog!  I will be having a couple more in a few weeks as well, and those will be slightly more YA than this one.  I definitely wouldn't consider the Outlander series YA, but I also don't think its too freakishly adult themed {so far}... at least not in the way a lot of Adult books {or even some New Adult books} are.  What could you win, you'd like to know?  Why, the first two lovely books in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon!  And, at the moment, its pretty darn hard to find the first Outlander book in used bookstores {I generally shop used books since they're cheaper and I'm a stay-at-home-mom}.  I digress... to the giveaway!

 

One lucky reader will be winning these two beauties.  Guys, they're ah-maz-ing!  I put off reading these for a while because I was a little nervous about reading an almost 900 page book, plus I usually read YA paranormal or fantasy {although I do have a soft spot for historical fiction}... so Outlander seemed like something I generally wouldn't get hooked on, but I was so incredibly wrong!

So what do you need to know about this giveaway?  Well, here are the rules:

• One person will win the first two Outlander books.  And possibly some swag {Pocket Jamie, anyone?}
• I will be checking all the entries.  If you say you commented, and I don't see a blog comment, your entry will be invalid.  Ditto with Twitter posts and following via twitter.  If I can't verify it, that entry is invalid.
• This is open to US readers only.  Sorry, guys, not international, because I really don't have the money to do that!
• The winner will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond. If I don't hear back within that time frame, a new winner will be chosen.
• Must be 18 or older to enter {these are technically adult books, so I think it would be good if you were an adult, eh?}
• By entering this giveaway, you're agreeing to the terms/rules listed above.

Now, all you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck everyone! I can't wait to see who I get to share these with!

In My Mailbox {10}

This is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  Its a great way to show what you won/bought/borrowed each week {or so}.  I might write one each week, but most likely every couple/few weeks... you'll just have to come and check it out!

This post isn't for the week... This is basically the books I've purchased or my hubs has bought for me since Christmas, so it's going to looks like a LOT, but this is basically 3 months worth of books {some are pre-Christmas purchases as well}. And almost all are books I have not read yet, so my TBR pile is pretty much gigantic now!  I need to get reading like crazy...

John Green boxed set, featuring Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars.  I read TFiOS a while ago {well, listened to the audiobook courtesy of my local library}, and I just loved the tragic beauty of the story of Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters.  My husband go me the boxed set of John Green works for part of my Valentine's Day gift!

Marie Lu's Legend Trilogy.  I've heard great things about this set, and it was an Amazon Lightening Deal a few months ago, so I picked it up.  I will probably do the "read when I can, listen when I can" with this set, like I've done a few of the books I've read since Little D was born {thank you, KCLS, for having so many audiobooks available so quickly!}.

A huge Half Price Books haul, along with two from Amazon!

Daughter of Smoke & Bone and Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor.  Again, I've heard great things and they were less than $5/each!  Plus, I love the UK DoBaS cover that Half Price Books had!

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen.  Because everyone in the book blogger world seems to be in love with her, and it was only $2, so why not?

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs.  One of my Amazon purchases, I used some of my Christmas cash to order this one.  I really want to find out what happens next to the Peculiar Children.

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.  My other Amazon purchase.  If you've read the series, you know why I needed to get this one.  If you haven't read the series, them you need to go pick up Shatter Me.

Withering Tights by Louise Rennison.  I saw this at the library a long time ago, and have had in on my TBR list for just as long.  When I came across it at Half Price Books for only $2, I knew I should pick it up!

Ruby Red, Sapphire Blue and Emerald Green, aka The Precious Stones/Ruby Red Trilogy by Kerstin Gier.  A series about time traveling teenagers?  I'm a total Whovian.  I love time travel!  So, yes, yes, and yes!  It was originally written in German, so only Ruby Red has an English description on Goodreads.

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate.  I have this whole series, and read most of this a while ago.  I though this should be added to my library {and, hey, on of the only ones on this list that I've actually read!}.

Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs.  This has been on my Goodreads TBR list for a while, and when I saw it in the discount section at Half Price Books, I thought I would just pick it up.  Lord knows I could probably rack up $2 in overdue fines pretty quickly, I might as well just buy the book!

Hereafter by Tara Hudson.  Another that's been on my Goodreads TBR list for a while.  And, again, only $2 at HPB?  Yeah, I'll pick that up!

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis.  I've been wanting to read this since I read Under The Never Sky {I keep seeing them being compared to each other in very good ways}, and, while I don't actually have the first two in the series, how often can you pick up a hardcover for less than $5?

Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin.  Have you seen the previews for the movie?  This looks to be outstanding!! {Plus it was a nice Costco find!}

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale.  Loved Austenland {both the book and the movie... Jennifer Coolidge, you rock!}, and because of how intriguing this book sounds is the whole reason I picked up Austenland in the first place.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon.  I read/listened to Outlander a few weeks ago.  I put off reading it for SO long {a friend recommended it to me years ago}, but, my word!, its SO good!!  I have the audiobook from said friend and am listening to it and reading it as I can.  Love these books so far!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  I borrowed this from the library a couple years ago, and I LOVE it.  If I ever have a daughter, I hope she loves it as much as I did.

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L Armentrout.  So far I've loved everything I've read by JLA, and when this went on sale via Amazon for $5.99, I ordered it.  Can't wait to read it!

BabyLit primers!  Costco had all of these, and I just needed to pick them up for my sweet boy {and, again, if I ever have a girl...}.  Pride & Prejudice {a counting primer}, Sense & Sensibility {an opposites primer}, Jane Eyre {a counting primer}, Wuthering Heights {a weather primer}, Romeo & Juliet {a counting primer}, Moby Dick {an ocean primer}, Dracula {a counting primer} and Alice in Wonderland {a colors primer}, all by Jennifer Adams and illustrated by Alison Oliver.  These came as two-piece sets, hence having several counting primers {or maybe that's just my subconcious wanting to give Little D a head start on math, since I'm so bad at it?}.

My last fun mailbox item is actually a Kindle I won from Christy at The Reader Bee as part of her awesome blogoversary giveaways {she had three awesome giveaways that took place over the entire month!  Woot!}.  If you follow my twitter, you know I tend to tweet quite a bit about various giveaways.  I really don't ever tend to win anything, and the fact that I'd entered all three and won this... WOW!


So, yeah!  Loads of books, but this was all over the last few months!  I have a lot of reading to do, so I'll sign off with that!  What did you get this past week/month?

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New cover! And a giveaway!

Okay, so you know how I've been kind of fangirling over Trinity Faegen's Mephisto books {you know, here, here, here, here and here}?  You know, Mephisto Covenant, Mephisto Kiss and, most recently, The Mephisto Mark?  Well, I guess not everyone feels the same way about them as I do {seriously guys?  Why ever not?  They're awesome!}... Long story short, the amazingly awesome cover {which you can see here} wasn't fairing so well {it is a New Adult book, and has New Adult themes}, so Trinity {aka Stephanie} revamped it and put it under her actual name {seeing as she has a pretty good fan base under that name}.  I know, stop jabbering, and show us, dang it!  Here you are:

 

Wowzers!  I know, kinda steamy... but, you have to remember: New Adult.  And it is kinda steamy at some parts.

Okay, now the giveaway part.  Stephanie has a giveaway going on her blog here.  Its for a $100 Amamzon or B&N gift card!  How about another "Wowzers!" for that one?

Lets help try to get the word out!  Its a pretty fabulous book {series, really, because the first two, which are YA, are amazing as well}.  So, go add this book on Goodreads {its still under the previous title}, like her Facebook Page {under Trinity Faegen still}, Tweet about this... you know, just in general, be awesome *winks*.

Seriously, I hope you guys pick these up... check them out at your local library, and you'll find that you love them so much you just HAVE to have them in your own personal library!

And another one!

One of the few things I've won while blogging was something from Wendy at the Midnight Garden, so whenever she hosts a giveaway I feel like I have better odds at winning {can you tell I didn't major in math?}.  She's at it again, this time with several good-looking January releases!  You can read more about it here:

January 2013 Prize Pack!

And, just in case you were wondering what was up for grabs, let me show you {photo belongs to Wendy}:

Why I love YA

As part of a giveaway on Beth Revis' blog, she asks us to say why we love YA.  Honestly, this all sprang from one little book, prior to which I pretty much solely read classic literature and christian romantic fiction {mainly historical fiction}.  Then I read Twilight {yep, Twilight}.  That sparked my interest for the paranormal YA genre, which just kind of grew.  I do enjoy the ease of reading that YA usually brings {especially since most of my reading is done during work breaks or at night after I get off work and before I go to bed}.  The nice part about YA?  Despite what a lot of people think, the various genres under this broad umbrella still do make very enjoyable reads for adults {maybe because they're mostly written by adults?}.  I've noticed the ones I really don't enjoy are the ones written by teenagers.  YA also tends to have more humor in their paranormal/fantasy/scifi fiction than their adult counterparts, and I like it when the books I read aren't too serious.  I read to escape, and if what I'm reading is too much like a normal life, well, I really don't escape do I?

Giveaways at Sparkles and Lightning

One of the blogs I read {and mostly keep up on by following the blogger on Twitter} is Sparkles and Lightning.  Annabel has been having some awesome giveaways for her blogiversary, and among them she's having...

A Black Friday Giveaway!
This one is kind of just full of awesome.  She's giving away an ARC of your choice from 10 preselected ones, along with a $50 gift card of your choice!  This would be pretty awesome to win, no?  I highly suggest you go enter this one, as its only open until November 30th.

A Mystery Box Giveaway!
Yep, just like it sounds!  She's getting rid of a bunch of her books, so you'd get a mystery box of books, swag, etc!  Just click on the link, darlings!

Her blog is a great one to read, too.  Wonderful reviews and author interviews... plus she's pretty fun to follow on Twitter!

Giveaways

No, not mine... yet.  I've had a lot of stuff come up lately, and blogging had to be put on the back-burner.  But I'm back now!  And I thought I would share some giveaways with all of you that are going on at some of the book blogs I like to read.  Each little blurb has a link to the giveaway =)

First, Kari P-Ku Reads is hosting a 50 follower giveaway, which ends June 20th, so jump on over there {also, she's gained 100 followers since she started the giveaway!  Yay!}.  This one is international, and you can win up to 4 books of your choice!  Sweetness!

The second giveaway is over at Tales of a Ravenous Reader.  This one is a Fierce Reads giveaway {remember how I won Of Poseidon?  Well, that's one of the books you can win!}, and all the books that you can win have been signed by the authors.  How cool is that? {I can guarantee that if I win this, I will be giving away my ARC of Of Poseidon to a lucky reader!}

Lastly, Sparkles and Lightning is hosting a 500 followers giveaway!  This one ends on Annabelle's {the lovely host's} birthday, June 19th!  So go over, enter, and wish her a happy birthday!  This giveaway is for ANY book she's reviewed... and if you've read them all, just comment on one and let her know another book you would like.  Pretty sweet, huh?


And, guys, I'm hoping by the end of this week to have my giveaway up!  So come back and check in often!

Another Giveaway at the Midnight Garden!

The lovelies at The Midnight Garden are giving away two books on their blog!  They both look really good, and you can win either one {I can't choose between either one... they both look great!}.  The books they're giving away are Revived by Cat Patrick and The Last Princess by Galaxy Craze {each link will take you to the Goodreads page for the two titles}.  Like the last giveaway I posted about from their site, posting about his on my blog is a way to earn extra entries.  Crossing my fingers and hoping to win one of these interesting books!

In My Mailbox {6} + news!!

This is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.  Its a great way to show what you won/bought/borrowed each week {or so}.  I might write one each week, but most likely every couple/few weeks... you'll just have to come and check it out!

This week my physical mailbox was sad and lonely {on the upside: no bills!}, although I did have at least one awesome surprise: Enchanted by Alethea Kontis finally came from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for review.  Guys, this is the first physical book I've received from a publisher to review!  Yes, it was solicited {via Twitter, in an "I really want to read that!" tweet, which was responded by a direct message saying "we'll send you one!"  I think I almost died of excitement!}.

I also received One Moment by Kristina McBride from NetGalley.  I saw this on a few people's WoW posts this week, then found it on NetGalley, requested, and was approved!

I  picked up Insatiable by Meg Cabot from my local B&N from their bargain section.  Now, in all honesty, I thought I was grabbing Abandon, which has great reviews/rating on Goodreads.  I obviously don't know my Meg Cabot books seeing as I got those two confused.  But I actually picked up two copies of this because I want to add one to my blogiversary giveaway pile...

Wait... what?

Yep.  I've had this blog for almost three years now!  While I haven't been blogging on here consistently for those three years, I did want to celebrate it.  Plus, my birthday is a little over a month after that.  So, what I've decided to do is *deep breath* host a giveaway!  Now, there are some stipulations.  Like, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to host a giveaway for 15 people.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the fact that you all are subscribing to my blog, reading and commenting, but I want it to be a little more fun.  When you have a one in 15 chance of winning {which is more like maybe one in 13 at most, since some of those who subscribed did it years ago and won't enter}, its not that thrilling.  So, the stipulation is this: I will put the giveaway up on my blog between June 2nd and July 13th {my blogiversary and my birthday} if my blog reaches 50 followers.  Yep. 50.  And I'm thinking probably 4 book and some nice swag.  Or possibly even a book of your choice.  Let me know what kind of giveaway you would prefer. {Remember - I don't really get ARCs yet, so I don't have any books that have yet to be released.  It would have to be something that is out now.}

Giveaway at The Midnight Garden!

The lovelies at The Midnight Garden are giving away a copy of the mermaid book Of Poseidon!  Yes, that's right!  There are numerous things you can do to earn entries, and one of which is blogging about it.  So, while I'm slightly more coherent at the moment since my meds are wearing off a bit, I thought I would seize this time and share this awesome giveaway news with my fellow bloggers =).  Hop on over to their site, and you might be getting a copy of this awesome book!

Unraveling giveaway!

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

Sound interesting?  Yeah, I thought so too.  So I marked it on my virtual TBR shelf so I would remember to pick up a copy when it comes out.  Then I found out, via the book blogging interwebs, that the author, Elizabeth Norris, is giving a copy away!  So, of course, I had to enter.  You can too.  You just have to fill out a form on her blog!

Another giveaway!

I've been kind of looking forward to this release since Taschima posted about it on her blog... Julie Kagawa is giving away a signed ARC of her son-to-be released book The Immortal Rules.  Looks very interesting...

 Want to enter to win as well?  Just go over to Julie's blog and comment!

Because I'm always a sucker for giveaways

This weekend has been full of highs and lows... one of the highs was seeing my favorite book blog {Bloody Bookaholic} it having another giveaway!  Yes!  I love it when that happens...

Its called Good Bye 2011 Contest, and she's giving away 40 books.  I love books.  And one thing I've noticed is I generally like the same kind of books she does.  Yay!  Three lucky people will be winning books from her: one will win 20, the next 15 and the last 5.  So, pretty much no matter who you are if you win, you score!

{source for photo}

The Tudor Throne by Brandy Purdy

Title: The Tudor Throne
Author: Brandy Purdy
Pages: 376
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
My rating: 4 stars
Goodreads rating: 3.49 stars
Published: June 3, 2011
{Won in a Goodreads giveaway}

Description:

In the wake of King Henry VIII's death, England's throne is left in a precarious state—as is the peculiar relationship between his two daughters. Mary, the elder, once treasured, had been declared a bastard in favor of her flame-haired half-sister, Elizabeth, born of the doomed Anne Boleyn. Yet the bond between the sisters was palpable from the start. Now reinstated, Mary eventually assumes her place as queen. But as Mary's religious zeal evolves into a reign of terror, young Elizabeth gains the people's favor. Gripped by a tormenting paranoia, Mary is soon convinced that her beloved Elizabeth is in fact her worst enemy. And the virginal Elizabeth, whose true love is her country, must defy her tyrannical sister to make way for a new era. . .

A brilliant portrait of the rule of "Bloody Mary" and her intricate relationship with Elizabeth I, the adored "Virgin Queen," here is a riveting tale of one family's sordid and extraordinary chapter in the pages of history.

Henry VIII is dead. His own children sat in his chamber and watched him die. Now, his young son, Edward, is promptly named king, though he has little to do with any ruling. Mary and Elizabeth are both put aside, though Mary begins to fear for her life as she is still a practicing Catholic during her brother's Protestant reign. Edward's health is decent at its best, and he begins to have problems shortly after ascending the throne. At his death, Mary becomes queen and begins her quest to save her sister from scandal and her Protestant ways.

Mary and Elizabeth seem to switch roles towards the end of this book. Elizabeth is seen as a reckless child, a youth who does what she will regardless of the consequences. Mary is devoted to her God and her religion above all else, even when the threat of death hangs over her when her brother declares no other religion should be practiced but his father's Protestantism. After a barely concealed scandal between a young 13-year-old Elizabeth and a thirty-something Thomas Seymour, Elizabeth swears off love of anything other than her country. Mary, a few years later, after being shown a portrait of a man, swears off love of anything other than him and God {although, I must say, I think she would swear off God for him}.

I got this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I really enjoyed it, although sometimes it was a tad difficult to follow. It went back and forth between Mary and Elizabeth, every other chapter taking the point of view of the other woman. Sometimes I honestly got confused why Mary would be talking about her lover, and then realized it was the next chapter and was in fact Elizabeth. Although, honestly that was only a little hindering in the reading. The love scenes between young Elizabeth and Thomas Seymour were more on the disturbing side, although it was honestly difficult to remember he wasn't a young man following his lust instead of reason {he is written much like an idiot, actually}.  Those scenes definitely make this book an adult book - I would not recommend this to anyone under 17!

The author did a good job capturing my attention and holding it. While it did take me a while to read it {I have a lot on my "to-read" list}, I really enjoyed it. If you like any of Phillipa Gregory's Tudor books, you would probably like this one. Its a bit of an easier read than hers, and just as captivating.

Sucker for Giveaways

Okay, I swear I will review Mr Darcy, Vampyre... just give me a little time ;-).  At the moment, while cleaning out emails, I clicked on one blog that lead me to another blog that lead me to another... and stumbled across this:

If you click on the link, it will tell you everything about the giveaway!  I'm hoping to either win prize pack 1 or a book from 4... One of these days, when I enter to win a giveaway, I might actually win!