Review - Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare

TITLE:    Never Been Bit
AUTHOR:    Lydia Dare
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 363 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Lydia Dare's paranormal historical romances feature the hottest theme in paranormal combined with the most popular time period in historical romance. This is the third in a trilogy of vampire Regency romances, where the glittering world of English high society is a playground for the rich, titled, and undead.


Vampire Alec McQuarrie's heart was broken long before it stopped beating. Now Alec's after-life is an endless search for pleasure. Young witch Sorcha Ferguson has come to London in search of a man, beast-or even a blood sucker-of her very own...

MY TAKE:    Once again Lydia Dare has entertained me immensely.  I reviewed In the Heat of the Bite earlier this year and was thrilled to get a chance to check out this book as well.  


The author has continued her hot streak with Alec and Sorcha.  Alec is a gentlemanly vampire who has known the fiery witch Sorcha all of her life.  When she announces that she is determined to ensnare a Lycan for her husband, Alec goes into protection overdrive.  The story that follows is hilarious, romantic and fun.  


Ms. Dare has a knack for creating characters that make you laugh and root for their success.  I love the fact that she has storylines occurring in the background the entire time.  The machinations of some of the secondary characters is fascinating.


This is a fun series with stories that stand well on their own but also make great additions to the entire collection.  I'm looking forward to the next Regency vampire story and to reading more about the wolfy men of her companion Lycan series.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

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~~~~~ 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 - Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

TITLE:   Lady of the English
AUTHOR:    Elizabeth Chadwick 
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 497 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

MY TAKE:    Elizabeth Chadwick is a name that is synonymous with fantastic historical fiction.  Her latest masterpiece Lady of the English, is yet another justification for this well-earned reputation.  

Daughter of Henry I and mother to Henry II, Empress Matilda's story is told in alternating viewpoints with that of her widowed stepmother Queen Adeliza and several male characters.  This technique allows the author to show us a much more human side of the abrasive Matilda than what has previously been told.  Her loving relationship with the pious peacemaker near her own age is an effective background for the tale of the strong woman who really should have become Queen of England.  Instead, she paved the way for one of its more colorful Kings to finally take the reins after many years of strife and open war.


I really enjoyed learning about the Empress, as she liked to be called.  I can't imagine how hard it would have been for her to be the beloved Empress of Germany, married to a man who loved and respected her and then to lose it all in a second.  She came home to a place she hadn't seen since she was 8, now at the ripe old age of 23, to be used as a political pawn by her father King Henry I.  To solidify his rule and further his machinations, she was married off to the Duke of Anjou who just happened to be an obnoxious boy of 14!  Getting a glimpse into this early life explains a lot about Matilda's behaviour and character in later years.  Her single-minded drive to claim the crown after her father's death, first for herself and then on behalf of her young son Henry, was amazing as well as disturbing.  


Ms. Chadwick's style of writing pulls the reader in immediately and doesn't let you go.  I was so engrossed in this story that I stayed up almost all night reading.  My emotions ran the full range while I was immersed in this book. I became very invested in many of the players.  The fact that Matilda and Brian were in love and couldn't act upon it was very sad.  Their devotion to honor and faith were amazing. I felt sympathy and outrage at the way Matilda was treated by her father and her husband; sadness at many of the atrocities that were committed against innocents and women; but I actually did find quite a bit of humor in young Henry's antics.  


One of my favorites was when he was 14 and gathered a band of misfits to unsuccessfully try to take a couple of the border castles from the English king.  Neither of his parents were aware of his misguided plans.  The fun really got started when he didn't have the funds to pay his outlaws or to get back home.  He decided to just waltz into the King's camp and ask his cousin Stephen for the money.  Stephen was highly amused by Henry's daring and after hosting him for many days sent him home to his father with many gifts and the requested money.  Since Stephen is the very king that Henry and his parents are trying to wrest the English crown from, this little escapade was that much more exciting and funny.


I also have to admit that I became very attached to Adeliza.  She was very diplomatic and made the perfect political wife to King Henry.  She became very protective of her stepdaughter Matilda and was a loyal friend to her for decades.  Her charity and goodness were well-known and she provided a calming and reasonable voice for Matilda. There is a point when she is saying goodbye to her second husband Will and doesn't know when or if she will see him again that had me bawling my eyes out.  Theirs was a love match and my heart was breaking for her and him.  He was also a character that I enjoyed.  The author shared his thoughts with us many times regarding his struggle between his loyalty to the current King (Stephen) and his love of Adeliza, friend and champion to Empress Matilda.  He has a few instances when he battles his own sense of honor in order to protect his wife and her stepdaughter.


This book is already residing on my keeper shelf and I highly recommend it.  Plan on being drawn into 12th century England and staying there a while with some magnetic characters that you won't want to leave.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Get a copy for yourself at:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

~~~~~ 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 - Mary of Carisbrooke by Margaret Campbell Barnes

The Girl Who Would Not Betray Her King

TITLE:     Mary of Carisbrooke: The Girl Who Would Not Betray Her King

AUTHOR:    Author Margaret Campbell Barnes
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 327 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:    The moving, tragic story of Charles I, the last absolute monarch of England, during his imprisonment in Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight. Richly drawn and inspired by the New York Times bestselling author's own experience living on the Isle of Wight, this dramatic retelling brings to life the cavalier king whom Cromwell deposed. But even more fascinating than the account of royal hopes and misfortunes is the tale of a charming servant girl who is as romantic and tender in love as she is bold and resourceful in plotting the king's escape.

MY TAKE:   Margaret Campbell Barnes has always been a favorite author for me in the historical fiction genre.  She had the ability to bring her fictional characters alive as well as making the real historical figures more human and accessible.  Her stories do what historical fiction is designed to do: educate and entertain.  Mary of Carisbrooke was no exception. 

This was a very charming story about an unremarkable girl who would get a chance to serve her king in an unusual capacity.  While she began as a simple servant, she ends up being a trusted ally and basically, a spy.  I couldn't help but be charmed by Mary.  She was loyal to a fault and wanted to believe the best in everyone.  When King Charles comes to the Isle of Wight to hide from Cromwell and those who wish him harm, Mary has no idea that she will become a true friend to the kind monarch.

Full of twists and turns, romance and adventure, this book was a pleasure to read.  I definitely learned quite a bit about Charles I, even going so far as to look him up on the Internet after finishing the book.  The author painted a sad and beautiful tale about a doomed man and those around him.  While Mary was the central character, the supporting cast was very well written.  It was easy to get lost in this story for a few hours.  I definitely recommend it to any fans of a good tale with historical facts and events as a foundation.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon and The Book Depository

 

~~~~~ 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 - Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl

TITLE:    Prisoners in the Palace: How Princess Victoria became Queen with the Help of Her Maid, a Reporter, and a Scoundrel
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Michaela MacColl
INFO:    Hardcover, Fiction, 362 pages
PUBLISHED:   Chronicle Books, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-8118-7300-0
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from the Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  London, 1838. Sixteen-year-old Liza's dreams of her society debut are dashed when her parents are killed in an accident. Penniless, she accepts the position of lady's maid to young Princess Victoria and steps unwittingly into the gossipy intrigue of the servant's world below-stairs as well as the trickery above. Is it possible that her changing circumstances may offer Liza the chance to determine her own fate, find true love, and secure the throne for her future queen?   

Meticulously based on newly discovered information, this riveting novel is as rich in historical detail as Catherine, Called Birdy, and as sizzling with intrigue as The Luxe.

MY TAKE:   I enjoy historical fiction and this book is a lovely addition to the this genre as well as that of young adult reading.  It is listed as an appropriate book for ages 12 and up.  I think young readers and adults alike will find this a very satisfying look into Queen Victoria's young life.

Liza is mercilessly thrust into the life of a servant after being catered to and pampered her entire existence.  She is 16 years old and doesn't know how to undress herself!  When she lucks into a position as a maid to Princess Victoria at the run-down Kensington Palace, she must learn to do everything for her lady that she was used to having done for herself.

There are several colorful characters that are introduced in the telling of the tale.  Several are people that you instinctively dislike such as Victoria's mother, the Duchess and her ally, Sir John.  The author writes their personalities in such a way that you can't help but root against them in favor of Liza and the Princess.  In contrast, Will and Inside Boy are two of the supporting cast that you immediately like.  

I always enjoy when an author incorporates real people and real events into a fictional story.  It gives these historical figures a much more human appeal and a reality to them.  Ms. MacColl wove fiction and fact into a lovely tale of two young ladies in different circumstances who are thrown together to make their way as they can.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this debut author. 
      
MY RATING:    4/5

WHERE TO BUY IT: Amazon, IndieBound, The Book Depository, Powell's Books

 

~~~~~ 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.