This week I’m on the blog tour for False Lights by KJ Whittaker, it’s slightly off track to my normal reads but as it’s based in Cornwall, my home I was intrigued.
Book Review & Tour: Bourbon Creams and Tattered Dreams
Here is another book review for you. I’m so glad I have made a few spare hours a week to have the time to get back into my reading. This past week I have been engrossed in Bourbon Creams and Tattered Dreams by Mary Gibson. Below is my review, blog tour banner (so you can see who else is on the tour!) and giveaway to win your very own copy!
Book Description
Frank Rossi promised Matty the world. The Cockney Canary would become a world-famous movie star. As his wife, she would be one half of a power couple, feted and adored by all. But the Wall Street crash puts paid to that and as Frank becomes more violent and unstable, Matty knows she must escape and so she flees at dead of night.
Once home in Bermondsey, she goes into hiding and starts desperately looking for work. But only the hated biscuit factory, Peek Frean’s, is hiring. Then, as a secret from her past comes back to hurt her, Matty learns that Frank is on the move, determined to find her and get her back.
Book Review: Six Tudor Queens – Katherine of Aragon by Alison Weir
I was ecstatic to receive a hardback copy of Katherine of Aragon The True Queen by Alison Weir in the post the other week from Bookbridgr. I am a huge fan of British history especially the Tudor era. I get my love of history from my mum. She has hundreds of history books and I’m definitely going to pass this book onto her.
I have never heard of the author Alison Weir before I came upon this book. I am more familiar with Philippa Gregory’s series of books. I am so glad I discovered the first book of The Six Tudor Queen series. That’s right, this book is the first of six, detailing the lives of all Henry VIII’s six wives.
Do you remember the rhyme from school to remember how they all died? It’s one of the things I still remember from history class funnily enough.
Katherine of Aragon – Divorced
Anne Boleyn – Beheaded
Jane Seymour – Died
Anne of Cleves – Divorced
Catherine Howard – Beheaded
Catherine Parr – Survived
Book Description
A Spanish princess. Raised to be modest, obedient and devout. Destined to be an English Queen.
Six weeks from home across treacherous seas, everything is different: the language, the food, the weather. And for her there is no comfort in any of it. At sixteen years-old, Catalina is alone among strangers.
She misses her mother. She mourns her lost brother.
She cannot trust even those assigned to her protection.
She cannot trust even those assigned to her protection.
KATHERINE OF ARAGON. The first of Henry’s Queens. Her story.
My Review
Katherine of Aragon The True Queen is a very beautiful book. My first impression was wow! It’s got a stunning inside cover beautifully designed. A lovely portrait of Katherine of Aragon. As you turn the first couple of pages you come across her family tree. One side is of her Spanish ancestors and the other is of the English Tudor period of 1501. This book tells us her life story from when she first came to England in 1501 to marry Henry VII’s son Arthur who wasn’t a very well person.
She then moves on to marry Henry VIII of course and they have a daughter Mary. Katherine tries to give him a son but is unsuccessful. So Henry decides to divorce her and move on to someone who can. Anne Bolelyn.
Alison Weir is a fantastic historian writer. She makes you feel as if your are right there in the book. You must remember though its a novel not a non-fiction book. Weir puts her own spin on Katherine of Aragon and makes her the centre of the story. This is her journey not Henry VIII’s which I really love.
I really cannot wait until the next book is out. Anne Bolelyn’s story is probably the most famous one and I have to admit my favourite.
Thanks to Bookbridgr for my advanced copy.
I have given Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon by Alison Weir 5 out of 5 stars.
Hardback Edition 597 pages
Published 5th May by Headline Review
Are you a fan of The Tudors?
*I am a part of the Amazon Affiliate scheme so if you click on a link to Amazon and buy, I will receive a little bit back, so thanks if you do.
Book Review & Giveaway- The Traitor’s Mark by D.K Wilson
I read The Traitor’s Mark by D.K. Wilson last year and recently came across another copy so I am offering it up in a little giveaway. It’s a great historical mystery novel set in Tudor England and based on a real unsolved Tudor Mystery.
Book Description:
The Real Crime: Hans Holbein, King Henry VIII’s portrait painter, died in the autumn of 1543. A century later a chronicler reported that the artist had succumbed to plague, yet there is no contemporary evidence to support this. Suspicions have been raised over the centuries, but the truth behind what actually happened remains a mystery.
Our Story: Young London goldsmith Thomas Treviot is awaiting a design for a very important jewelry commission from Hans Holbein. When the design fails to turn up, Thomas sends a servant to track Holbein down, only to discover that the painter has disappeared.
In his hunt for Holbein and the lost design, Thomas is led into a morass of dangerous political intrigue, Spanish spies and courtiers that is more treacherous than he could ever have anticipated . . .
My Review:
A really fantastic read, good characters, with a great setting. I love any books set in the Tudor period. The Traitor’s Mark is well written, describing how people used to live during those times. I love the fact that there is an element of real life to the book it gives it that special feeling. There is a perfect sense of mystery in the air while reading it.
I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything with not reading the first book in the series, this could have easily been a standalone novel. Its an intriguing read for people with a love of history and mystery.
I gave The Traitor’s Mark by D.K Wilson 4 out of 5 stars
Paperback 400 pages
Published 1st August 2014 by Sphere
To Enter the giveaway to win a paperback copy of The Traitor’s Mark by D.K Wilson please fill in the rafflecopter with as many entries as you wish below.
Due to postage costs this will be a UK only giveaway
Good Luck!
If you would like to buy The Traitor’s Mark here is the link.
Terms and Conditions: There is one prize of the paperbook shown in the image above the prize is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter.com from all valid entries and be notified by Twitter. The winner will have 14 days to respond with a valid UK postal address before a new winner is selected. Open to all UK entrants aged 18 or over only. Facebook and Twitter are in no way associated with this giveaway.
Entry to this competition confirms that participants have read, understood and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
Disclosure I am also a part of the Amazon Affiliate scheme so if you click on a link to Amazon and buy, I will recieve a little bit back, so thanks if you do.
See more competitions at: www.theprizefinder.com
Book Review: The Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson
My first thoughts on this book was that it looked like a really interesting read. I haven’t read that many historical crime fiction, but was totally absorbed and intrigued by the cover of this one.
Book Description
Spring, 1728. A young, well-dressed man is dragged through the streets of London to the gallows at Tyburn. The crowds jeer and curse as he passes, calling him a murderer. He tries to remain calm. His name is Tom Hawkins and he is innocent. Somehow he has to prove it, before the rope squeezes the life out of him.
It is, of course, all his own fault. He was happy with Kitty Sparks. Life was good. He should never have told the most dangerous criminal in London that he was ‘bored and looking for adventure’. He should never have offered to help Henrietta Howard, the king’s mistress, in her desperate struggles with a brutal husband. And most of all, he should never have trusted the witty, calculating Queen Caroline. She has promised him a royal pardon if he holds his tongue but then again, there is nothing more silent than a hanged man.
Based loosely on actual events, Antonia Hodgson’s new novel is both a sequel to The Devil in the Marshalsea and a standalone historical mystery. From the gilded cage of the Court to the wicked freedoms of the slums, it reveals a world both seductive and deadly. And it continues the rake’s progress of Tom Hawkins – assuming he can find a way to survive the noose…
When I decided I wanted to read this novel, I didn’t realise that it was a sequel to The Devil in the Marshalsea, but anyway I decided to give it a go. I am really glad I did, and felt that it didn’t matter that I hadn’t read the previous novel.
The setting of the novel is in the deep grotty slums of London in the 1700’s. The way the book is written gives you a great picture of this time with the corruption and violence that seems to be all around you. The main character Thomas is such a likable character, and I was rooting for him all the time as we try to discover who actually dunnit?
The one thing I enjoyed about the book was that it is actually loosely based on real events, this to me gives it a sense of reality and truth behind the story.
My overall thoughts is that you will be taken on a fabulous ride with this thriller through grimy London and be guessing all the way! I have enjoyed it very much and look forward to going back and reading The Devil in the Marshalsea.
I have given The Confession of Thomas Hawkins by Antonia Hodgson 4 out of 5 stars.
Hardback Edition
Published 4th June 2015 by Hodder & Stoughton
Rachel xx
Disclaimer I was given this hardback edition to read and review free of charge from Bookbridgr. All opinions and views expressed are my own.
3 Books and a Treat!
I have my day off from work every Wednesday, so each week I pop round to my parents to collect my delivery wins. This is the most exciting day of the week for me as It’s like Christmas! I’m like a big kid opening my packages to see what’s inside. I always enter my parents address for delivery details as I’m never home to collect them. My mum always looks out for the postman everyday to see what he’s got for me. She is even now on a first name basis with him and they talk about my competitions and wins!
So these are my wins from the past week. I was a runner up in a Wagg pet food competition and I was able to choose whether I wanted cat or dog food treats. I don’t have a cat so I chose dog treats. The flavour is chicken and cheese! Sounds a bit of a weird combination to me!
The books I won are from Goodreads first reads giveways. I wrote about winning A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex Marshall in my blog post last Thursday and here it is in the top right of the picture. Its possible the cover will change once its properly published as this is an uncorrected bound proof copy. I can’t wait to get stuck into this one with a hot chocolate and some biscuits, I think I’ll start this book on Sunday while the husband is watching the first Formula 1 race of the season!
The other two books are the Lament of Sky by BB Wynter which is a dark, fantasy and very intriguing read. It came with a gorgeous little note by the author on the inside pages which I thing is a lovely cute personal touch. The third book is called The Traitors’s Mark and is written by D.K Wilson. It’s a historical Tudor mystery based on the death of Hans Holbein in 1543, which to this day is still an unsolved real Tudor mystery. Looks a fantastic read to add to my never ending lists of books to read!
Rachel xx
