The Maiden's Court

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Giveaway - The Boleyn Inheritance

I just had a moment of realization yesterday, as I was posting my review of A Rose Without A Thorn by Jean Plaidy and comparing it to my review of The Boleyn Inheritance. I recently acquired a gently used copy of The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory at my library's book sale. I am very excited to be able to offer this up for giveaway this week to coincide with my Katherine Howard theme.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only and the winner of the giveaway will be announced on February 28, 2010.

Rules for Entry:
• Leave a comment with your email address for 1 entry
• Leave a comment of my review of A Rose Without A Thorn or The Boleyn Inheritance for 2 entries each (if you previously commented on either of these, just let me know!)
• (Re)Tweet or Blog about this giveaway for 1 entry each (leave a link)
• Become a follower of this blog for 1 entry (let me know if you already are)

Good Luck everyone!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Book Review: The Rose Without A Thorn by Jean Plaidy

The Rose Without A Thorn by Jean Plaidy

Book 11 in the Queens of England series

Paperback, 288 pages

Three Rivers Press

June 24, 2003

★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal collection

From the pen of legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy comes an unforgettable true story of royalty, passion, and innocence lost.

Born into an impoverished branch of the noble Howard family, young Katherine is plucked from her home to live with her grandmother, the Duchess of Norfolk. The innocent girl quickly learns that her grandmother's puritanism is not shared by Katherine's free-spirited cousins, with whom she lives. Beautiful and impressionable, Katherine becomes involved in two ill-fated love affairs before her sixteenth birthday. Like her cousin Anne Boleyn, she leaves her grandmother's home to become a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII. The royal palaces are exciting to a young girl from the country, and Katherine's duties there allow her to be near her handsome cousin, Thomas Culpepper, whom she has loved since childhood.

But when Katherine catches the eye of the aging and unhappily married king, she is forced to abandon her plans for a life with Thomas and marry King Henry. Overwhelmed by the change in her fortunes, bewildered and flattered by the adoration of her husband, Katherine is dazzled by the royal life. But her bliss is short-lived as rumors of her wayward past come back to haunt her, and Katherine's destiny takes another, deadly, turn.

I read this book immediately following Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance, which made sense seeing as they both cover the same characters. You can see my review of Gregory’s book here. I liked reading them back to back in order to get a more well-rounded view of the character of Katherine Howard.

Plaidy's Katherine is looking back on her life retelling all of the events that have led up to her present state of confinement. You even get some little side notes like "if I had only known" or "I would have done that differently". It's refreshing to see someone of that time period recognizing their faults, but I’m not sure that, in reality, Katherine actually realized what was happening. Plaidy makes Katherine likeable, naive, and comes of age very quickly at a time when one needed to fully understand the world around them. I actually enjoyed Katherine in this novel, where as in some other books, she is whiny, overly sexual, and just unlikable.

This was my first Plaidy read and it definitely made me a Plaidy follower. Her characters feel very real and there are so many little details about the world around them that you don’t get sometimes in other books. A wonderful read.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Jean Plaidy:

Jean Plaidy also has written many other historical fiction books under several pen names. The other books in this series include:

Loyal in Love (Book 1)

Queen of this Realm (Book 2)

Victoria Victorious (Book 3)

The Lady in the Tower (Book 4)

The Courts of Love (Book 5)

In the Shadow of the Crown (Book 6)

The Queen's Secret (Book 7)

The Reluctant Queen (Book 8)

The Merry Monarch's Wife (Book 9)
[My Review]

The Queen's Devotion (Book 10)

My other reviews by this author:

Find Jean Plaidy: Royal Intrigue Blog

Monday, February 15, 2010

Mailbox Monday #28

Mailbox Monday is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page. Intentional or not, your wish lists will grow exponentially.

I received one book this week and I can't wait to get to read it.

Wild Romance: A Victorian Story of a Marriage, a Trial, and a Self Made Woman by Chloe Schama - received from Inkwell Management (thanks Allie!)

Here is a video clip of the author talking about her upcoming book:

Did anything interesting come in your mailbox?

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Winner of O, Juliet

Happy Saturday everyone! What better way to start of a Saturday morning than to announce the winner of the O, Juliet giveaway. There were 65 entries into this giveaway, which is a very good turnout. Now without further adieu, the winner is...

...Helen! Congratulations to the winner, and thank you to everyone that entered. I will be sending out an email to the winner for their address.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

William Marshall and… Robin Hood?

As I was reading through The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick, I kept thinking that King Richard and Prince John sounded like the King Richard and Prince John of Robin Hood lore. And guess what? I was right! So I figured that if William Marshall was actively involved with Richard and John, and they were involved in the tale of Robin Hood, maybe the Marshall and Robin would come together at some point? Right again!

I’m sure many of you have seen or heard about the new Robin Hood movie coming out soon staring Russell Crowe. But how many of you knew that William Marshall would be in this movie? I certainly didn’t. William Hurt will be playing William Marshall. Here is the trailer for the movie – I couldn’t tell if Hurt was in it or not, I’m not too familiar with him, but maybe some of you might spot him.

If I wasn’t completely convinced of seeing this movie before, I have to now, just to see how they present William Marshall.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Book Review: The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

Book 2 in the William Marshall series

Paperback, 552 pages

Sourcebooks Landmark

September 1, 2009

★★★★½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Personal Collection

“A penniless young knight with few prospects, William Marshal is plucked from obscurity when he saves the life of Henry II's formidable queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. In gratitude, she appoints him tutor to the heir to the throne, the volatile and fickle Prince Henry. But being a royal favorite brings its share of danger and jealousy as well as fame and reward "

The Greatest Knight is the first part of a tale about William Marshal. He begins his life as a lowly hearth knight scrabbling his way up the social hierarchy of the medieval period.

When this book first came out, a bunch of my blog friends were reading this book and raving about it, and I felt left out because I didn’t have the book or have any time to read it. Then, when I heard about the sequel coming out, The Scarlet Lion, I knew I had to read this before I could read the sequel.

I really enjoyed reading about the life of a knight during the medieval period. I had not read anything from this time period so the whole world was very new to me. Chadwick did a phenomenal job at describing all the aspects of this world. I gained an entirely new vocabulary as well (like mesnie!). After reading about the Tudor period for so long – it is a very, very different world – which was very refreshing.

The characters were so well rounded and very real. I loved all of the women in his life – Clara, Isabelle, and Eleanor. Each one brings out a different part of William and contributed to the growth and evolution of his person. Without all of them, he wouldn’t be the same person. William is definitely someone you can admire.

The pages just flew by and before I knew it I was finished with 500+ pages. I luckily have The Scarlet Lion on hand to jump right into, and it feels like I am reading one continuous book. The only complaint I have is that almost each chapter jumps at least 2 years. I found it difficult to remember how much time had passed between events and had to keep flipping back to figure out the year. I will need to become a little more familiar with the layout of France (where many of the events take place), I don’t know the map all that well. Other than that, a fantastic introduction to the medieval period and William Marshal.

If you are interested in this book, why not check out a sample?

Why not check out this video trailer too?

Other great reviews of The Greatest Knight:

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Elizabeth Chadwick:

Elizabeth Chadwick has written many wonderful novels, among those in the William Marshall series are:

A Place Beyond Courage (Book 1)

[My Review]

The Scarlet Lion (Book 3)

[My Review]

For the King's Favor (Book 4)
AKA - A Time for Singing

[My Review]

To Defy a King (Book 5)

[My Review]

You can find a complete list of Chadwick novels here.

I have also reviewed the following other novels by Elizabeth Chadwick:

Find Elizabeth Chadwick: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

Winner of A Tale of Two Demon Slayers

On this snow day off from work, I have the pleasure of announcing the winner of the Angie Fox giveaway for a copy of A Tale of Two Demon Slayers. And the winner is...

...Llehn (otherwise known as Two Date Tessa No Brakes - I love that one!) I am sending out an email now to gather your mailing info.

Thanks to everyone that entered!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Mailbox Monday #27

I had a slower week this week in the mailbox.

I received 1 book from a publicist for review - which is not anything like I would normally review - but it sounded like me and it will be a very quick read (lots of pictures) so I decided to go for it.

• Alphatudes by Michele Wahlder

I also received my first book from SwapTree

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Did anything good show up in your box?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Sunday Salon - Superbowl Edition

Happy Sunday everyone! While some of you may be digging out of a lot of snow right now, I am so thankful that it actually missed us this time. We did not get a single snowflake despite what they were telling us to prepare for. So, this time we got lucky.

I finished reading The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick last night. I was so tired, but I had just 12 pages left, so it couldn’t wait until today. It was a great read – I haven’t read anything medieval before and this was a great introduction to the period. A review will be upcoming later this week. I have finally seen what all of the excitement over Chadwick is about. Thanks Amy for getting me interested in this book. I will be moving on to reading Chadwick’s new book, The Scarlet Lion, next for our upcoming March event at the Historical Fiction Round Table.

I am officially registered for the Book Blogger Con and will be going to Book Expo America as well. I am very excited – I will only be there for 1 day each (that’s all I can get off from work) but it will be awesome. Allie from Hist-Fic Chick and I are going to meet up and hang out – another exciting thing. I can’t wait to take part in this experience.

An exciting thing I was able to do this weekend was drive up to the beautiful Dorset Inn located in Dorset, Vermont. Leslie Carroll was hosting a lovely tea event there, dressed as Marie Antoinette. My boyfriend and I got to have some delicious tea and desserts, listen to Leslie read a chapter from her book Notorious Royal Marriages, and talk to some interesting people. After the event we had the opportunity to chat with Leslie and her husband for a little while before she had to go and transform herself back into Leslie for another event. She is a wonderful woman and I am so glad that we got to meet. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

I did a little shopping today and now we are getting ready for the Superbowl around here – just with the fam, nothing too crazy. I'm rooting for the Saints - they have always been my team (I chose them based on their insignia years ago, lol).

BIP Week 1: To Do List

I decided to take part in the 2010 Blog Improvement Project because it has been about 8 months since I started my blog, and even though I like what I see, there are some areas that I think could be even better. Every 2 weeks there will be a new task to complete and you can tailor it to your needs.

This week's task is to make a to do list of things that you would like to accomplish thoughout the year. I have a few things that I have thought of so far and will probable add more as time goes on.

So far, here is what I have:

~~Find out what an RSS Button is and possibly add one (I have never known what it is)~~
~~Add the option to subscribe via email~~
~~Add a Tweet this widget (having some problems with this)~~
Add a seach box
~~Work on having some back up posts to post when I am very busy~~
~~Add to my About Me section (I used to have a better one, but then something happened and the widget disappered so this one is lacking)~~
~~Add a shared items gadget from Google Reader~~

I admire the way Marie did a massive overhaul at her blog last year during the Blogista event and that is one of the things that inspired me to take part in this challenge.

Keep you eye out for some changes for the better around here this year and let me know what you think!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Movie Review: The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones

DreamWorks SKG

136 mins

January 15, 2010

Rated: PG-13

I enjoyed The Lovely Bones so much when I read it this summer, that I couldn’t wait for the movie to come out. You can read my review here. I had prepared to go see it December 11th with my boyfriend and his parents – and right before we went, I found out it was limited release, and not showing near me. Talk about depressed. So I waited another month until it came out to a wider audience and I wasn’t let down.

The casting was impeccable – not one poorly selected role. Stanley Tucci as bad guy Mr. Harvey was AMAZING! He looks nothing like his usual roles, and I have to tell you, he scared me in the two big scenes. I also enjoyed Susan Sarandon as Grandma Lynn – she had me absolutely cracking up. The trailer below highlights Tucci and Sarandon who I think had the best roles.

The plot was halfway decent. It stuck to the details of the book, but as is typical of page-to-screen transitions, a lot of things were left out. Most reviews point out the fact that the main issue of the rape of Susie Salmon is completely neglected. It is, but you sort of get the impression from the mood and characterization. My problem was not with the fact that this was left out – my problem was that the last half of the movie felt squished into the time remaining. There was a lot more to Susie’s afterlife world that was not explored and her connection with Ray and Ruth (which was significant in the book) was sort of glossed over. They also didn’t develop why Susie’s mother left – she just left, and then came back – it didn’t have the same effect.

Overall, I really did enjoy this movie – I think that if you have read the book first, you will be able to fill in the blanks and enjoy it. For those who haven’t seen the movie – there will be gaps that feel like something is missing. If you need a reason to see it, go for the amazing characters by equally amazing actors.

There is a giveaway going on at Lions and Men for a paperback copy of the book The Lovely Bones. Check it out.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Guest Post by Angie Fox and Giveaway

As I promised this morning, I have a wonderful guest post from author Angie Fox. Angie Fox is the author the The Accidental Demon Slayer, The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers, and the newly released A Tale of Two Demon Slayers. You can visit her blog for some wonderful content. Giveaway information will be at the bottom of the author guest post. Take it away Angie!

Writing Paranormal Fiction

Guest Post by Angie Fox, author of

The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers

Thanks so much to Heather for inviting me here today. I’m a huge historical reader, but when it came to writing my own books, I found myself writing paranormals. There are a lot of similarities, actually, because both types of books take you to an entirely different world. At least that’s what I love about them.

As for the rest? Well, let’s just say I always knew writing would be an adventure. Still, I never predicted my writing would put me on the back of a coal black Harley Davidson, with an Irish Setter in tow.

I’d set out to write a paranormal about a straight-laced preschool teacher turned demon slayer who has to run off with a gang of geriatric biker witches. But my heroine has a smart-mouthed dog that, thanks to her new powers, can talk…and talk…and talk. And I really loved that dog. What’s a writer to do? Well, I went online and learned that there is a nationwide club of Harley bikers who ride with their dogs. So my heroine could have her pink Harley, and her Jack Russell Terrier too.

And of course I had to meet these Harley riding dog lovers. I called up a few of the members of a Biker Dogs Motorcycle Club and the adventure began. They invited me into their homes, introduced me to their dogs and, like my heroine, the bikers hoisted me up on the back of a Harley, with a dog in tow.

Things I learned right off the bat:
• After an hour on a Harley, you’ll walk like John Wayne for a week
• Helmets hurt when they are worn backwards
• Dogs love riding motorcycles

Stone, the biker who spent the most time making sure I didn’t fall off his hog, showed me how to ride, invited me to some biker rallies (note to self: don’t wear pink next time), and helped make the A Tale of Two Demon Slayers as real as it could be (for a book about a somewhat sheltered preschool teacher turned demon slayer).

So just when I thought I was writing fiction, it seemed my made-up characters weren’t so imaginary after all. One of the bikers I met even has a wife who is a biker witch. I’m wondering if she, like my heroine’s biker witch grandma, wears a “kiss my asphalt” t-shirt and carries a carpet bag full of Smuckers jars filled with magic. Maybe I’ll find out on my next adventure.

To celebrate the release of A Tale of Two Demon Slayers Angie is giving away a copy today. This giveaway is open worldwide. The giveaway will run until Tuesday February 9, 2010.

Here are the rules for entry:
1.) Take the What’s Your Biker Witch Name? quiz, post your answer below (mine is Owl Eyed Olive Fast Pants!), with your email address and you’re entered!
2.) For 1 additional entry - Become a follower of this blog (if you are already a follower, just say so)
3.) For 2 additional entries - Leave a comment on my interview with Angie

Best of luck everyone!

You can visit Angie at her website for more information about her and her books.

Author Interview with Angie Fox

Today is going to be a day devoted to Angie Fox and her paranormal romance books. Not quite my normal historical fiction - but I love the books none-the-less. So to kick start the day I have an interview with the author - and later on today, stay tuned for a guest blog and giveaway!

How did you get started writing paranormal romances?
I've always loved fairy tales and, really, that's what paranormals are - grown up fairy tales. Today's paranormal romances take all of the adventure and otherworldliness of books like Harry Potter and add the clashing, dynamic excitement of an emerging romance. I mean, who doesn't enjoy a good love story?

As far as how The Accidental Demon Slayer began, I started with a kernel of an idea that amused me. What if a straight laced preschool teacher suddenly learns she's a demon slayer? And what if she has to learn about her powers while on the run from a fifth level demon? And wouldn't it be interesting if she's running with her long-lost Grandma's gang of geriatric biker witches?

I started writing and let the story evolve based on the characters and that central issue of what happens when a reluctant heroine is thrust into a series of extraordinary situations. And I knew the story was working when I couldn't wait to get back to the keyboard every day.

What authors and genres do you enjoy?
I’m one of those people who always have a book on hand. Right now, I’m addicted to the Southern Vampires series by Charlaine Harris. I like Jim Butcher's Dresden series about a modern-day wizard. I'd also recommend the Amelia Peabody mystery series by Elizabeth Peters. It follows a family of British Egyptologists in the late 1800's. The excavations are as interesting as the mysteries. I also enjoy single title books by authors like Philippa Gregory (loved The Virgin's Lover especially), Barbara Michaels (a favorite is Greygallows) and Agatha Christie (my favorite is They Came to Baghdad). And, yes, Dewey The Library Cat made me cry. In fact, I'm really glad I read it after I did this big signing right next to the Dewey display in Barnes & Noble because otherwise I would have been sniffling the whole time.

You have a third book, which just came out in January, as part of the Accidental Demon Slayer series, is this going to be the last in a trilogy or will there be more to follow? Can you give us any hints as to what it is about?

A Tale of Two Demon Slayers comes out at the end of January, which used to seem like a long time, but now it really doesn’t! A Tale takes place on the Greek island of Santorini, where Dimitri (one of the main characters in the books) has an estate. Think of it as kind of a gothic Pemberly. There, Lizzie and her grandma’s biker gang (who don’t really belong in Greece) learn more about Dimitri's family and a threat that could destroy them all. I had a ball writing because I was able to explore this amazing estate, Dimitri's griffin heritage and his family's juicy past. Oh and somehow (I didn't plan this), Pirate the talking dog gets his own pet. It's my editor's favorite part, I think.

Oh and to answer your series question, A Tale of Two Demon Slayers will be the third book in the series. There will be five books total. I’m currently writing the next one, tentatively titled The Last of the Demon Slayers.

What has been the most exciting thing/best moment you have had in regards to your writing career?
That's a tough one. The first thing that comes to mind is when my agent called to tell me The Accidental Demon Slayer had made the New York Times bestseller list. The phone rang on a Friday afternoon, as I was writing the climax of The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers. I almost didn’t answer. After all, who would call in smack dab in the middle of a demon invasion?

Luckily, I picked up because Jessica had such great news - that my first book would be on the NY Times list the next day. I didn’t know what to think. Heck, I’d just wanted to sell enough books so that I could keep writing about biker witches, demon slayers and talking terriers. I had to ask my agent to please email me too, just to make sure I wasn’t phone-hallucinating.

Anyhow, I’m very thankful that it is all going so well and I really appreciate you having me on the blog today!

Angie Fox is the New York Times bestselling author of books about demon slayers, werewolves and things that go bump in the night. She claims that researching her books can be just as much fun as writing them. In the name of fact-finding, Angie has ridden with Harley biker gangs, explored the tunnels underneath Hoover Dam and found an interesting recipe for Mamma Coalpot’s Southern Skunk Surprise (she’s still trying to get her courage up to try it).

Angie earned a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. She worked in television news and then in advertising before beginning her career as an author. You can visit Angie on her website and blog.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Mailbox Monday #26

Welcome to another edition of Mailbox Monday, the quickest way to grow your TBR pile!

I received several books this week - some through the mail and some awesome ones that I bought.

• Roeing Oaks by Kristina Emmons (from author for review)
• Mistress Shakespeare by Karen Harper (won from Enchanted by Josephine)
• The Queen’s Pawn by Christy English (galley copy from author for review)

The books that I bought this week were:
• The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (from my local library's book sale)
• Alice, I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (purchased at Borders because I couldn't help myself!)
• A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (purchased at Borders)

Overall, a very good book week for me!

About Me

Heather, 30, USA. Hi everyone! I started my blog, The Maiden's Court, in May 2009 as a creative outlet for my reading and it has completely taken me to new places. I love sharing my reading and the things that I learn.

On my blog you will find my honest reviews of historical fiction books, historical movie reviews, and interesting historical content among other things. If you would like to know more about me, check out the About Me. Feel free to contact me at any time - best way is to use the contact form at the bottom of the Review Policy page or email me at dolleygurl[at]hotmail[dot]com.

Attention Authors, Publishers, Blog Tour Organizers! I would love to hear from you if you have a book that you would like for me to consider for review. Check out my review policy and then contact me with the pitch.