Review - Zenobia: Challenging a Legend by Russ Wallace + GIVEAWAY

Wrapping up his blog tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours is author Russ Wallace. Here today with the second in his new series: Zenobia - Challenging a Legend.

TITLE:    Zenobia: Challenging a Legend
AUTHOR:    Russ Wallace
INFO:    Historical Fiction, 512 pages
PUBLISHED:   Geode Press LLC, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Sequel to the award-winning Zenobia – Birth of a Legend.

The continuing saga of the deadly young warrior who will one day challenge Rome for the supremacy of her world.
As the dynamic girl continues her education in Egypt, for a time she is diverted from her warrior path. Complicating Zenobia’s life is a budding romance with her brilliant and charismatic instructor. The challenge – he is the scholar, she the warrior. Can they blend their worlds to become the most exciting couple in Alexandria?
Learning of a slave trade in kidnapped young women, Zenobia determines to free the oppressed. Warrior skills will not be enough. Her new challenge – to become a pirate, then a temptress in her fight for justice.

MY TAKE:   I like reading original and creative takes on actual people or events in history. It makes it so much more enjoyable to learn about the past when you can imagine along with the author what the characters may have been like in their personal relationships or situations. 

I was lucky enough to be able to read and thoroughly enjoy both this second book in the series and the first: Zenobia - Birth of a Legend. While you could be satisfied with just reading this book, I found it to be very rewarding to start at the beginning and follow along her journey into the second story. 

Zenobia is another of the historical warrior women who became a legend and a true inspiration to her people. Much has been written and theorized about her. I found this book/series to be a refreshing change from many of the other books as we are introduced to the person she may have been and we see what things may have shaped her and the world around her. 

There is a lot of action, emotion and adventure in this tale along with plenty of historical figures and events. The author has done a fine job of blending fact and fiction to create a lovely story that most any reader will find enjoyable. I highly recommend this series and am looking forward to the next installment.
  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Both books are available now at Amazon

  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   Russ Wallace is an avid student of history and religion. Zenobia, one of the deadliest and most fascinating women of history, comes to life in his series about her. Russ is working on future releases in the Zenobia book series.

Russ and Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours are giving away a copy of these first two books in the series to one lucky winner. Rules are simple:

~Must be 18 or older to enter.

~Giveaway is open to the US & UK only.

~Only one entry per household.

~All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion. 

Entry is easy, just leave a comment on this post. Drawing will end Saturday, Dec 5, 2015 at 11:59pm PST. 

Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour to learn more about this series.

Blog Tour Schedule

Saturday, November 14 Tour Kick Off & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Monday, November 16 Character Interview at Boom Baby Reviews
Tuesday, November 17 Review at History From a Woman's Perspective Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews
Wednesday, November 18 Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More Thursday, November 19 Excerpt & Giveaway at Unshelfish
Friday, November 20 Excerpt at Let Them Read Books
Saturday, November 21 Spotlight at Svetlana's Reads and Views
Tuesday, November 24 Excerpt & Giveaway at Room With Books
Thursday, November 26 Excerpt at Just One More Chapter
Friday, November 27 Review at Book Nerd
Saturday, November 28 Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
Sunday, November 29 Interview at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

~~~~~ 

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own. I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links. I may receive books in order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one. Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Hidden by Amy McKinley + GIVEAWAY

TITLE:    Hidden

AUTHOR:    Amy McKinley

INFO:    Paranormal Fiction, 243 pages

PUBLISHED:   Champagne Books, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review 

ABOUT:   Cursed since birth, hunted by gods, and desperate for love—Jade never stood a chance.

Half-demon, half-goddess, Jade’s fate makes her a pawn in an epic battle among the gods. Hidden on Earth with her sisters, she successfully avoids the Oneiroi—the dream gods—bent on her destruction until the prophecy, long dormant, awakens a dark shadow within her.

Roen, a reclusive Worr demon known for his battles against the Oneiroi, is called to protect Jade. Together they must unlock their mysterious connection and find a way to beat back destiny. Can she outsmart the prophecy, change her fate, and find love—even when she learns who is connected to her destruction?

~~~~~

EXCERPT:  Hades kissed his wife, Persephone, one last time before reluctantly relinquishing her above ground, where her mother impatiently waited.

“Behave while I’m gone, Hades.” Persephone traced a pink-kissed nail along her husband’s dark jawline.

He was loathe to shave too often as the rough stubble against her skin excited her. “Six months is ridiculously long,” he murmured against her lush lips. “Find a way to meet me at the meadow.”

Mischief danced in her eyes as she stepped onto the boat which would ferry her along the River Styx, leading her out of the Underworld. “It’s a date,” she purred, blowing her husband a sultry kiss.

That woman slays me. He watched until she was out of sight. Once his bride was gone, his attention returned to his beloved Underworld and the current state it was in.

Hades leapt onto his chariot. A resounding crack split the air as he commanded his four black horses to lead him past boiling lava pits and stalagmites to the deepest, fiery pits of the abyss—Tartarus.

Creatures scampered out of his way. Fallen angels and demons went about their business—lest they draw his anger—as he thundered past. Tormented screams echoed off cavernous walls and pools of fiery despair. His pulse roared in his veins. He reveled at what he was about to see…

The Fates’ curse had begun.

Reining his steeds to a halt, he dismounted, his black boots crunching on a mixture of bones and jagged pieces of rock. Amidst the prisons, the things of nightmares tortured imprisoned souls.

A laugh rumbled up from his gut and rolled out. He threw back his head then ran his hands through his black hair, freeing it from its tie. Pers wasn’t here right now, due to his brother, Zeus’s, acquiescence to Demeter.

Hades ignored the slow burn in his chest at the thought of his wife being gone for six long months and focused on the game of persecuting his brother instead, for he knew a thing or two about Aiesa’s offspring that Zeus did not.

An ear-splitting scream rent the air, snapping Hades out of his thoughts. New souls.

He knew who sent them. Although he benefited from so many entering his domain, his brother would not be happy.

What a perfect time to pay Zeus a visit.

MY TAKE:   I must say I really enjoyed this book. From all signs it is the first in a new series and I am very much looking forward to the next installment. 

Mythology has always been something I've liked to read. New twists and additions to the old stories many times just don't cut it. Amy McKinley has created a tale (or series of tales) that seem like they sprang up at the same time with the originals. She blends her "new" characters and threads seamlessly with the "old" and known gods and underlings.

I liked Jade and was fascinated with the back story and the history that the author created for her and the other characters. It was interesting to watch the different factions fight for dominance and control while she was learning to fight for her own control of herself and her own inner "demon/goddess". Roen was definitely our questionable "hero" type without going overboard with it. Their chemistry was well written without being too much or too "vivid".  

As many first stories in a series will do, there is a lot of world building going on. This by no means takes away from Jade and her tale, it actually makes it even more of a great story by leaving the reader wanting much, much more. 

  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at AMAZON

Amy McKinley is a freelance writer and author. She lives in Illinois with her husband, their four talented teenagers, and three mischievous cats. Her debut novel, Hidden is the first in the Five Fates Series.  Connect with Amy:

WEBSITE / TWITTER / FACEBOOK / PINTEREST / WORDPRESS

Amy is generously giving away a $20 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble to one lucky reader. After you enter below, be sure to check in at the other tour stops to learn more about this lovely story and to gain more entries into the drawing. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Of Love and Betrayal by Louise Lyndon + GIVEAWAY

Today's review is for a lovely historical fiction full of romance, 

Of Love & Betrayal by Louise Lyndon.

TITLE:    Of Love & Betrayal

AUTHOR:    Louise Lyndon

INFO:    Fiction, 231 pages

PUBLISHED:   Wild Rose Press, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review 

ABOUT:   Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?

Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?

EXCERPT:  “What have they done to you?” Troy’s deep, baritone voice rumbled through her. She could not look him in the eye. “You needn’t be scared of me, wee fille. You have my word I will honor and protect you. I am not like those other men. I will do you no harm.”

Before she could say she truly wanted to believe him, Troy pulled her gently toward him and positioned her so she sat between his thighs. She did not lean back against him, her distrust like a solid piece of ice wedged between them. She gripped the edges of her blanket tightly and held it against her like a shield.

“You have only my word I will not hurt you.” The fine hairs on her arms stood on end as his warm breath danced across her neck. She closed her eyes and kept her back ramrod straight. Heat burned her cheeks as he nuzzled her neck. “And I pray in time you will accept my word as being truthful.”

She leaned ever so slightly against him. And when he wrapped his strong arms around her, she released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“It’s late. We should go back to bed.” Yet, she made no move to leave his embrace. Instead, she placed her hands on his thighs. The heat of him seeped into her palms, up her arms, and straight in to her heart. While she believed Troy when he said he would do her no harm, physically, Aveline knew there was more than one way to hurt someone.

~~~~~

MY TAKE:    This is the second book I've read by Louise Lyndon and I think she just keeps outdoing herself. I really enjoyed this story right from the beginning. She captured my attention and never lost it. 

The characters of Aveline and Troy were very well written. The interplay between them as well as the very obvious chemistry began building and just kept getting better. The fact that they were thrown into a relationship before they were in love. It really put an interesting spin on the tale.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

AMAZON  /  BARNES & NOBLE  /  KOBO

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.

In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.

When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!

EMAIL  /  WEB   /  FACEBOOK  /  FACEBOOK 2 
TWITTER  /  PINTEREST  /  GOODREADS

Louise is generously gifting one lucky winner with a $10 gift card from either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can enter below. Be sure to visit all of the other tour stops for extra chances to win as well as to learn more about this lovely book. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Tour Stops

November 2: Unabridged Andra's
November 2: Straight from the Library
November 9: Romance Novel Giveaways
November 9: The Snarkology
November 16: LibriAmoriMiei
November 23: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Brian Boru: Freedom Within the Heart by Mark Mahon

Great historical fiction full of action, romance and adventure.

TITLE:    Brian Boru: Freedom Within the Heart

AUTHOR:    Mark Mahon

INFO:    Historical Fiction, 245 pages

PUBLISHED:   M.I.P Ltd, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Author for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   952 A.D. With infighting among the Irish clans throwing Ireland into turmoil, the pagan Vikings invade the region with little resistance. After watching both his father and mother murdered, a young Brian Boru and his brother, Mahoun, swear to revenge their Norse oppressors. 

A man, a simple man, whose bravery captivated a nation, was killed on Good Friday in April of 1014, but Brian Boru’s spirit lives on in every Irishman until this present day. This is his story of bravery that inspired a nation against all the odds.

MY TAKE:   I was very happy to be contacted by the author regarding a review of this book. I had read a bit about Brian Boru in the past and jumped at the chance to get to know him in a new light. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed. 

This is a story full of fascinating history. The exploits of Brian and his brother as boys and then as men are filled with action and adventure. We are taken along with them as they seek revenge for the murders of their parents and village. 

The author has created a lovely story of what actually was and what might have been in this fictionalized version of an Irish hero and legend. It was very easy to feel that I was learning while being entertained - my favorite kind of story.

I highly recommend this book to history lovers and I think it would be an excellent way to get reluctant readers (especially of the young male variety) interested in a great tale.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at AMAZON 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Jewell by Tina DeSalvo + A $50 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

TITLE:   Jewell

AUTHOR:   Tina DeSalvo

INFO:   Fiction, 347 pages

PUBLISHED:   Amazon, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   "Tender, tense, a sweet yet sexy love story. In Jewel, Tina DeSalvo takes us inside our deep fears and fantasies in a tale as poignant as it is innovative and satisfying." Stella Cameron, New York Times Bestselling Author of the Alex Duggins Mysteries. 

Once invited into New Orleans’ historic mansions to evaluate prized antiques, Dr. Jewell Duet held a coveted professorship at a top university. With her deep 
knowledge of Louisiana history and antiquities, she was the go-to person for anyone requiring professional appraisals. But, one hasty decision cost her both her reputation and possibly her freedom. Now, as she waits to discover if her future includes prison, Jewell knows that taking the job at Sugar Mill is necessary if she is to support her beloved grandmother who has advanced dementia. 

Charming, sexy lawyer Beau Bienvenu's attraction to the intriguing historian vies with his distrust of her motives. Beau has one simple goal when it comes to the family that rescued him and made him part of their clan…protect them at all costs. He doesn't trust Jewell, nor her reason for taking the lowly job at Sugar Mill Plantation. What is she really up to? Is it possible Jewell and her quirky grandmother are there to try to profit from a Bienvenu family mystery? If so, both women are out of luck. 

Jewell and Beau are at odds about almost everything. The only things they agree on are that family is everything…and that their mutual attraction is inconvenient. 

Hope, Love and Second Chances Continue in the heart of Cajun Country 

EXCERPT:

“That’s really clever, Jewell,” Beau said, annoyingly complimenting her again, for the fiftieth time in the last ten minutes, on something mundane she’d done. “Did you paint those red wood wedges you placed under the tires to keep the camper from rolling?”

“Are you trying to inveigle me?” Jewell asked, hands on her hip, looking at the tall, lean, handsome Beau Bienvenu—still wearing his New Orleans Saints jersey like another man would wear an Armani suit. “Geez. Enough with the compliments on how well I set up the camper, take care of Mimi, handle the flashlight and the other dozen things you have been sucking up to me about. She shook her head. “Look. I get why you used the belt-and-suspenders approach with the restrictive clauses in the contract. I don’t like it but I get that you felt you were protecting Elli and Ben’s exposure, vulnerability. It was unnecessary, but you wouldn’t know that. I’m a stranger.” She sighed. “That is done. You did your job. This insincere complimenting on triviality is something else.” She looked at him directly in the eyes. “What, Beau? What’s this all about? What do you want? And, if you say sex, I want you to know, I have given you much more credit than to be so prosaic.” She shook her head, again. “No. I can tell this isn’t about that.”

MY TAKE:    I found this to be an enjoyable story with some exceptionally great characters. The author really sucks you in with Mimi and Jewell's relationship. You feel as if they are your own family members or dear friends. Their back and forth quips make you laugh out loud while still tugging at your heartstrings with the tenderness they share.

Beau is a perfect match for Jewell. They're sparring from the start and it is fun to watch the progression of their relationship. His lawyer's mind and personality haven't quite prepared him for her setting his world completely upside down.

I highly recommend this story as it's fun, touching and thoroughly entertaining.

  Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at:

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE

Tina DeSalvo enjoys using her imagination, humor, empathy and personal experiences to turn characters and situations into books that she hopes will entertain readers. Her first book, Elli, brought her in close contact with so many readers with whom she has loved sharing stories, laughs, tears and hugs. Tina has always been inspired by the people she meets and by hearing their personal journeys, not to mention the people she just observes along the way…so, watch out. You could be a character in her next book! 

Tina is married to her handsome Cajun hero, and they live in Louisiana. They have two sons, a wonderful daughter (in-law) and four delightful grandchildren.

If you'd like to know more about Tina DeSalvo, including info on her newest work, latest contests, where she’s speaking or having a book signing, where she gets her ideas, or to see her photos from when she meets her cherished readers…please visit her at her website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Tina is generously giving away a $50 giftcard to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble to one lucky winner. Enter below and be sure to check out the other stops on the tour for more entries and to learn more about Tina's books. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Blog Tour Stops

November 19: One Book Shy of a Full Shelf
November 19: Romorror Fan Girl
December 3:   The Reading Addict
December 10: Unabridged Andra's
December 17: Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
December 17: Paranorma lRomance and Authors That Rock
December 17: Romantic Fanatic

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Castles, Customs and Kings: True Tales by Historical Fiction Authors (volume 2) + GIVEAWAY

TITLE:  Castles, Customs & Kings: True Tales by Historical Fiction Authors (volume 2)

AUTHOR:    Authors - Various

INFO:    Historical Facts & Fiction, 638 pages

PUBLISHED:   Madison Street Publishing, 2015

SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  An anthology of essays from the second year of the English Historical Fiction Authors blog, this book transports the reader across the centuries from prehistoric to twentieth century Britain. Nearly fifty different authors share the stories, incidents, and insights discovered while doing research for their own historical novels.


From medieval law and literature to Tudor queens and courtiers, from Stuart royals and rebels to Regency soldiers and social calls, experience the panorama of Britain’s yesteryear. Explore the history behind the fiction, and discover the true tales surrounding Britain's castles, customs, and kings.

Visit the English Historical Fiction Authors blog & Facebook page.  

MY TAKE:  This is a BIG book! A BIG book of fascinating historical goodness. I have to admit that I have not finished this giant masterpiece. I'm taking my time, reading an essay or article at a time - and thoroughly enjoying myself. 

The amount of research these fantastic authors do always impresses the heck out of me. I am really finding it interesting the many things they come up with that don't end up making it to the actual stories they're writing. The way this book is compiled makes it easy to stop and start and pick and choose whatever you're in the mood for reading at the time. One of my favorite parts of book reviewing is doing interviews with the authors and/or having them write guest posts for the blog. This book, along with the first volume, are like candy for me in that respect. I feel like I'm getting "behind the scenes" glimpses into the process in a big extra helping. 

The varying emotions that are evoked from many of these offerings were also a surprise for me. I pretty much hit the full range from sadness and tears to full belly laughs. 

Any lover or writer/wannabe writer of  historical fiction needs to have this tome on their shelf. It is a fabulous reference as well as a place to go for an entertaining and informative look into the early times of Britain. Those who are just in search of some great stories to while away a winter's night will also benefit from getting this/these books. 

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at:

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / KOBO

Below is an excerpt/example from the book:  

Seven Surprising Facts about Anne of Cleves

By Nancy Bilyeau

Everyone thinks they know the story of the fourth wife of Henry VIII. She was the German princess whom he married for diplomatic reasons, but when the forty-eight-year-old widower first set eyes on his twenty-four-year-old bride-to-be, he was repulsed.

With great reluctance, Henry went through with the wedding—saying darkly, “I am not well handled”—but after six months he’d managed to get an annulment, and the unconsummated marriage was no more. Although Anne had behaved impeccably as Queen, she accepted her new status as “sister” and lived a quiet, comfortable existence in England until 1557, when she became the last of the wives of King Henry VIII to die.

And so Anne of Cleves has either been treated as a punchline in the serio-comic saga of Henry VIII’s wives or someone who was smart enough to agree to a divorce, trading in an obese tyrant for a rich settlement. But the life of Anne of Cleves is more complex than the stereotypes would have you believe.

1. Anne’s father was a Renaissance thinker. The assumption is that Anne grew up in a backward German duchy, too awkward and ignorant to impress a monarch who’d once moved a kingdom for the sophisticated charms of Anne Boleyn. But her father, Duke John, was a patron of Erasmus, the Dutch Renaissance scholar.

The Cleves court was liberal and fair with low taxes for its citizens. And the Duke made great efforts to steer a calm course through the religious uproar engulfing Germany in the 1520s and 1530s, earning the name John the Peaceful. He died in 1538, so his must have been the greatest influence on Anne, rather than her more bellicose brother, William. In Germany, highborn ladies were not expected to sing or play musical instruments, but Anne would have been exposed to the moderate, thoughtful political ideals espoused by John the Peaceful.

2. Anne was born a Catholic and died a Catholic. Her mother, Princess Maria of Julich-Berg, had traditional religious values and brought up her daughters as Catholics, no matter what Martin Luther said. Their brother, Duke William, was an avowed Protestant, and the family seems to have moved in that direction when he succeeded to his father’s title.

Anne was accommodating when it came to religion. She did not hesitate to follow the lead of her husband Henry VIII, who was head of the Church of England. But in 1553, when her step-daughter Mary took the throne, she asked that Anne become a Catholic. Anne agreed. When she was dying, she requested that she have “the suffrages of the holy church according to the Catholic faith.”

3. Anne’s brother had a marriage that wasn’t consummated either. Duke William was not as interested in peace as his father. What he wanted more than anything else was to add Guelders to Cleves—but the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V had other ideas. William took the bold step of a French marriage so that France would support him should it come to war.

His bride was Jeanne D’Albret, the daughter of Marguerite of Angouleme and niece of King Francis. The “high-spirited” Jeanne was only twelve and did not want to marry William. She was whipped by her family and physically carried to the altar by the Constable of France. But when Charles V took hold of Guelders, France did nothing to help William of Cleves. The four-year-old marriage was annulled—it had never been consummated. Jeanne’s next husband was Antoine de Bourbon, whom she loved. Their son would one day become Henry IV, King of France.

4. Hans Holbein painted Anne accurately. The question of Anne’s appearance continues to baffle modern minds. In portraits she looks attractive, certainly prettier than Jane Seymour. A French ambassador who saw her in Cleves said she was “of middling beauty and of very assured and resolute countenance.”

It is still unclear how hard Thomas Cromwell pushed for this marriage, but certainly he was not stupid enough to trick his volatile King into wedding someone hideous. The famous Hans Holbein was told to paint truthful portraits of Anne and her sister Amelia. After looking at them, Henry VIII chose Anne. Later, the King blamed people for overpraising her beauty, but he did not blame or punish Holbein. The portrait captures her true appearance. While we don’t find her repulsive, Henry did.

5. Henry VIII never called her a “Flanders Mare.” The English King’s attitude toward his fourth wife was very unusual for a sixteenth century monarch. Royal marriages sealed diplomatic alliances, and queens were expected to be pious and gracious, not sexy.

Henry wanted more than anything to send Anne home and not marry her, which would have devastated the young woman. He was only prevented from such cruelty by the (temporary) need for this foreign alliance. But while he fumed to his councilors and friends, he did not publicly ridicule her appearance. The report that Henry VIII cried loudly that she was a “Flanders mare” is not based on contemporary documents.

6. Anne of Cleves wanted to remarry Henry VIII. After the king’s fifth wife, young Catherine Howard, was divorced and then executed for adultery, Anne wanted to be Queen again. Her brother, William of Cleves, asked his ambassador to pursue her reinstatement. But Henry said no. When he took a sixth wife, the widow Catherine Parr, Anne felt humiliated and received medical treatment for melancholy. Her name came up as a possible wife for various men, including Thomas Seymour, but nothing came of it. She never remarried or left England.

7. Anne of Cleves is the only one of Henry’s wives to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Henry himself is buried at Windsor with favorite wife Jane Seymour, but Anne is interred in the same structure as Edward the Confessor and most of the Plantagenet, Tudor, and Stuart rulers. In her will she remembered all of her servants and bequeathed her best jewels to the stepdaughters she loved, Mary and Elizabeth.

GIVEAWAY TIME!  

Enter now to win an eBook copy.

Rules

– Must be 18 or older to enter.

– Giveaway is open internationally.

– Only one entry per household.

– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

To enter, just leave a comment on this blog post. Drawing will close 11/30/15 at 11:59pm PST. Winner will be notified by email. Good luck! 

Be sure to visit all of these other lovely sites on this blog tour for even more chances to win and learn more about Castles, Customs and Kings!

Monday, November 16
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Tuesday, November 17
Review at Kinx’s Book Nook

Wednesday, November 18
Review at One Book Shy of a Full Shelf

Thursday, November 19
Review at Unabridged Chick

Friday, November 20
Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book

Saturday, November 21
Spotlight at The Reading Queen

Monday, November 23
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Spotlight at HF Connection

Tuesday, November 24
Spotlight at So Many Books, So Little Time

Wednesday, November 25
Review at BrokenTeepee

Thursday, November 26
Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Friday, November 27
Review at Bookish
Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Saturday, November 28
Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Monday, November 30
Review at Impressions In Ink
Review at Celtic Lady’sReviews
Review at The True Book Addict

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.