Book Review – A Love Letter to Black People (ARC)

A Love Letter to Black People,
Audaciously Hopeful Thoughts on Race and Success
Written By: Brian McClellan
Published By: Sherian Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 288 pages, hardcover
ISBN 978-0979567650
(Available NOW!)

“A Love Letter to Black People is uplifting and positive; a supportive and inspiring book written to encourage Black People around the world.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“I Love Black People! I Just Can’t Help It.’ A Love Letter to Black People: Audaciously Hopeful Thoughts on Race and Success’ by Brian McClellan is a book sure to challenge and inspire those who have this type of deep affection for the Black community but also deep concerns for its future. Inspired in part by the historic political success of Senator Barack Obama, ‘Love Letter’ explores the unique way high achieving African Americans view race and success and why, for the love of the Black community, all Black people must apply these lessons. The insightfulness of McClellan’s discussion in ‘Love Letter’ is bolstered by a supporting survey about race and success completed by more than 100 young, Black business and community leaders. Their opinions regarding provocative racially charged topics such as ‘acting white’ are inspirational, thought-provoking and sometimes more provocative than the questions themselves. ‘Love Letter’ is a must read for those who love Black people and just can’t help it!”

A Love Letter to Black People is a moving book. No matter what your skin colour is, this “Love Letter” really explains a lot about the inner workings of the Black community. It strives to build hope and a strong belief that there is every possibility, for a Black person to be totally and completely successful. By asking some tough questions and answering them with a flourish, Brian is hopeful about the future of the Black community, as he should be! This somewhat controversial book, inspires everyone to take some risks and dare to believe that you DO have the right, even the responsibility, to be everything you ever hoped you could be.
Some chapter titles include: Living Angry, The YSB’s, Carrying The Weight, The “Man” Is Dead, Keeping It Real, Can’t We Do Better? Responsibly Black, Who To Be, How To Be, Ignoring The Evidence – The Remix. There are lots of interesting testimonials from successful Black people and great quotes throughout the book.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (7 out of 10 Diamonds) – I really enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.bamstrong.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.sherianinc.com/

A special thanks to Bostick Communications for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Upcoming: Guest Author, Emily Bryan and Book Giveaway!! ** Tuesday, February 3rd **

 

The lovely and truly delightful  Emily Bryan (you’ll see what I mean) will be here as our guest author for the day as part of her Blog Tour, on February 3rd.  :-)

Emily will be talking about LITERARY “First Times” and providing us with an excerpt of her upcoming novel, Vexing The Viscount.

Emily is giving away (1) copy of Vexing The Viscount !

*Please ask Emily Bryan a question (on February 3rd) about her books, writing or any other type of romance or book-related question and you might be the lucky winner.

Please join us on: Tuesday, February 3rd !

You can pre-order your copy of Vexing the Viscount, today.

*Please note that entering a comment on this post will not enter you for the the book giveaway.

Book Giveaway of ‘Bound South’ (IS CLOSED!)

*** Congrats to Linda Howell(#161), Mel K.(#8), Ann Fantom(#44), Prplrush(#158), Sharon Jones(#71) ***

*Book Giveaway of Five(5) copies of Bound South by Susan Rebecca White*

A Special Thanks to Kelly at Simon & Schuster,Touchstone

By turns hilarious and poignant, the lives of three vibrant and unique Southern women — a proper Atlanta matron, her rebellious teenage daughter, and their housekeeper’s young daughter — intersect in unexpected and extraordinary ways in this richly compelling debut novel of family, friendship, and folly.

To Enter: Please make sure to leave a reply in the comment section of this post.

♦The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.
♦You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
♦The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.
♦Only one entry per household/IP address.
♦The contest ends at midnight on February 20th 2009.
♦Five(5) winners will be picked in a random draw and will be notified by 5pm (MDT) by e-mail on Saturday, February 21st 2009.

Good Luck Everyone and Have Fun!!

Book Review – Marked by Passion (ARC)

Marked by Passion
Written By: Kate Perry
Published By: Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 400 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0446541008
(Available NOW!)

“Marked by Passion has a healthy does of magic, some martial arts and a ghostly guide; this novel keeps you hopping and sizzles with sexual tension.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“Out of the blue one day Gabrielle Sansouci Chin receives an ancient scroll that she discovers she was destined to protect. Her possession only means one thing…her father is dead. Gabe has no idea how she is going to balance her new responsibilities as a Guardian with being a painter by day and a bartender by night. Having just been contracted for her new ‘Enter the Light’ series, Gabe tries to handle it all. But it seems like her luck has run dry when she’s ill-trained to take her proper place as guardian, having a dry spell at painting, and for some reason can’t help but fall for Rhys Llewellyn, the sexy Brit who offers his help in more ways than one…”

Marked by Passion is a very engaging novel. The story is fascinating, with a set of highly detailed characters who are very striking and distinctive. The settings are described so well that you feel like you are in the room with the characters. The plot takes exciting twists and turns, making me wish I have super powers too! The pacing of the story was really great and the speed was quickened at just the right moments to propel the flow of the story into the suspenseful action scenes. Gabe (Gabrielle) and Rhys are steamy-as-heck and have a sumptuous chemistry; they sure made me hot under the collar!
I highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (8 out of 10 Diamonds) – Thoroughly enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.kateperry.com/

Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

A breath of summer…

I’m all bundled up in the coldness (-30′s) of Alberta right now and I wanted to share a photograph of some lilac blooms.

In most of Canada, blooming lilacs are the definitive herald of the summer’s warmth, so I hoped that by sharing this picture with all of you lovely readers and friends, I could impart some of the coming summer’s warmth, to you!

What reminds you most, of the soothing warmth of summer?

Enjoy! :-)

Book Review – The American Journey of Barack Obama

The American Journey of Barack Obama
Written By: The Editors of Time LIFE
Published By: Little, Brown and Company, a Division of the Hachette Book Group Inc., 2008, First Edition, 176 pages, over-sized hardcover
ISBN 978-0316045605

“The American Journey of Barack Obama is an absolute must have; a wonderful abundance of photographs, the history of Barack Obama’s personal life and his rise through the political ranks.”

Congratulations, President Obama!

Product Description: From Amazon.com
“For decades Americans have turned to LIFE to see, understand, and remember the most important events and people of our time. Just as LIFE once opened up the glittering Kennedy White House, LIFE now focuses its lens on Barack Obama. The American Journey of Barack Obama covers the candidate from his childhood and adolescence to his time as editor of The Harvard Law Review and his Chicago activist years, culminating with the excitement and fervor of the historic 2008 Democratic National Convention. The unfolding drama of Obama’s life and political career is cinematic in scope, and never has it been presented so compellingly. In addition to a powerful array of photographs that were taken by many of the country’s greatest photographers (and some that were snapped, in the quiet moments, by Obama family members themselves), this book also includes a Foreword by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, an incisive narrative biography and original essays by some of our finest writers, including Gay Talese, Charles Johnson, Melissa Fay Greene, Andrei Codrescu, Fay Weldon, Richard Norton Smith, Bob Greene and several others. Many readers will find a new understanding of Obama. All readers will feel that they are bearing witness to a singular, undeniably American story.”

The American Journey of Barack Obama is a rich collection of photographs and information about the new US President! I really enjoyed reading this book as there is not an over abundance of detailed political information and strategising, though it still talks about President Obama’s rise in the political arena. This book focuses on President Obama’s family and his diverse upbringing. It tells of his multiculturalism and his strong desire to unite the United States, for the betterment of all.
I was so pleased by the overabundance of the large, colourful photographs, which were so telling, all on there own. I was delighted to see so many photographs of President Obama as he grew up and of his own family including his wife and his two young daughters, his siblings, parents and grandparents.
This is a man with immense ability and an unstoppable drive; he’ll get the job done right!
I very highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (10 out of 10 Diamonds) – Absolutely LOVED it!!

Link to the Author Information:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/authors_The-Editors-of-Life-Magazine-(1527341).htm
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – Seeing Red (ARC)

Seeing Red
Written By: Susan Crandall
Published By: Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 432 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0446178570
(Available NOW!)

“Seeing Red is a fast-paced, fiery and extremely entertaining, romantic suspense novel; you don’t want to miss it!”

Product Description - From Amazon.com
“Ellis Greene remembers very little about the night of her cousin Laura’s murder, but she does recall the face of the murderer. Ellis was the key witness to the crime, and her testimony helped put Hollis Alexander in jail for a long time. With Hollis behind bars, Ellis should feel safe, but the memory of that awful night still haunts her. Determined to free herself from the fear of being attacked like her cousin, Ellis has become an expert in self defense. However, when Ellis hears that Hollis has been paroled, she feels like a helpless teenager again–and she isn’t the only one who notices that he’s free.
Laura’s boyfriend Nate was one of the prime suspects for her murder. After the court case, many still believed that Nate was guilty and he left town to reinvent himself. Now, fifteen years later, he has returned to protect Ellis from suffering the same fate as her cousin. As soon as Ellis and Nate see one another, sparks fly. But Ellis hasn’t let herself fall for a man in a long time, and she isn’t sure whether she can trust Nate. As Laura’s murderer zeroes in on Ellis as his next target, she must fight to stay alive while she finally discovers her true feelings about Nate.”

Seeing Red grabbed my attention right away and held it to the very last page! This story is unique and has a wonderful flow and momentum that kept me riveted; I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The plot twists were creative and suspenseful. The relationship between Ellis and Nate escalates quickly and the sparks fly between them as they try to find her cousin’s twisted and depraved rapist and keep Ellis safe from the ever increasing danger to herself. The characters are all very well written, each with a unique personality that makes them believable and all the more entertaining to read about. The Author has a fantastic ability to weave tales and I hope to read many more of her books, very soon!
I very highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (9 out of 10 Diamonds) – Loved it!
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.susancrandall.net/index.html

Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Giveaway – Hidden Truths (IS CLOSED!)

**Congratulations to Christina(#117) on Winning!! **

*** Book Giveaway of One(1) copy of Hidden Truths by Brenda Youngerman *** 

A special thanks to Brenda Youngerman for providing me with an extra copy to giveaway.

A bolt of lightning shatters his dreams and six-year-old Billy Foster finds himself blamed for his mother’s death as his father rages in mourning. His life irrevocably altered forever, Billy disappears into the night.
Billy’s guilt-ridden brother, Wayne, is left behind to deal with the real Foster family demons. He floats through life as an invisible speck of dust, rarely seen by the people he interacts with as he leaves his childhood behind.
Gwen Nelson is an unwanted child who never gives up hope despite people letting her down, time after time. All the adults around her, including her wasted mother, think only of what’s best for them, never giving Gwen a second thought, until an angel comes along to help her believe in herself.
Her sister, Grace, is spared this lonely life and grows up in a loving and caring home.
Follow the lives of these four children… two float through life, unnoticed and unheard, desperately keeping the secrets of their parents, two grow up in loving environments.
Their lives will converge in one unexpected moment… my review

To Enter: Please make sure to leave a reply in the comment section of this post.

♦The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.
♦You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
♦The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.
♦Only one entry per household/IP address.
♦The contest ends at midnight on Friday, February 6th, 2009.
♦One(1) winner will be picked in a random draw and will be notified by 5pm (MDT) by e-mail on Saturday, February 7th, 2009.

Good Luck Everyone and Have Fun!!

Book Review – Border Moonlight (ARC)

Border Moonlight
Written By: Amanda Scott
Published By: Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 432 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0446541350
(Available NOW!)

“Border Moonlight is an interesting and historically-rich, border romance novel”

Product Description - From Amazon.com
“Lady Sibylla Cavers is ripe for marriage, yet she’s rejected the first three suitors her father brought. When one of these suitors, the dashing Lord Simon Murray, rescues both Lady Sibylla and the small child she was trying to pull from the churning River Tweed, Sibylla begins to see Lord Simon in a new light. As he cares for her and the child until both are recovered from their near-deaths, she finds admirable – even lovable – qualities in Lord Simon. But political intrigue surrounding the powerful governor of Scotland will throw obstacles in the path if Simon’s and Sibylla’s budding love. Simon will fight for his inherited estate, while Sibylla will use all of her wits to protect their future together.”

Border Moonlight is a historical romance novel that gives you a fairly realistic sense of border life. The Author’s attention to detail and the authenticity of the time period is a nice treat. I have to admit that the use of Scottish some language and their way of speaking is a significant interruption to the flow of the story and I found it necessary to stop frequently and re-read sentences so that I could figure out a particular word’s meaning. The pacing is fairly good, other then the ‘language’ issue. The characters are very likable and well developed. I really enjoyed the interactions between Sibylla and Simon, they are a feisty couple.
I would have liked this book to have had a more romantic feel and I really think that the author could have marketed this book, with a little more development, as historical fiction, not as a historical romance novel. 

♦♦♦♦♦♦ (6 out of 10 Diamonds) – I enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://home.att.net/~amandascott/

Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – For the Love of Pete (ARC)

For the Love of Pete
Written By: Julia Harper
Published By: Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 400 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0446619189
(Available NOW!)

“For the Love of Pete is a witty, fast-paced novel about one woman’s dangerous mission to rescue her niece and an FBI Special Agent who needs to protect them all.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“Dante Torelli is an undercover FBI agent assigned to protect a mob informant and his family. But when the informant’s hiding place is blown, a baby girl is snatched by a ruthless hitman. Now, Dante must save the toddler, uncover the traitor in his department, evade various bad guys, and deal with the toddler’s sexy aunt, all before the biggest mob trial in Chicago history, set to begin in just three days.
When Zoe Adler’s stepsister went into the witness protection program because of her sleazeball boyfriend, she wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. Except the two sisters have always been close, and Zoe has been babysitting her niece, Pete, since her birth. What harm could it be to secretly get Zoe an apartment in the same building where the FBI is keeping the family under protection? So when someone inside the FBI turns and a hitman snatches Pete, Zoe is right there. During the shootout, she jumps into a sexy, uptight FBI agent’s car and hangs on as he pursues the hitman. No matter what it takes, Zoe is going to bring her niece back.”

For the Love of Pete grabbed my attention on the first page of chapter 1 and held it! You’ve got to love it when an Author has the ability to hook you in that quickly. As Zoe and Dante try to rescue Zoe’s niece Pete, they become involved in shootouts, car chases and other tension-filled situations. The main characters are very like-able and sexy; with just the right amount of humanity to make them realistic. I have to admit that I fell for Dante with his masculine charm and incredibly strong, protective instinct. Zoe’s colourful, free-spirited ways and her cheeky mouth are a wonderful counterpoint to Dante’s controlled stoicism. The sexual tension is lovely and palpable throughout most of the book. The other characters are just as fascinating and make you wish for a longer story that delves deeper into the lives of many of the supporting characters.
This book reads much like a movie with great pacing, flow and plot twists that kept the story fresh and exciting.
I highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (8 out of 10 Diamonds) – Thoroughly enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.juliaharper.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – Simple Wishes (ARC)

Simple Wishes
Written By: Lisa Dale
Published By: Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, 2009, First Edition, 384 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0446406895
(Available NOW!)

“Simple Wishes is a brilliant story full of hope and love; it has a depth and sincerity that will satisfy the romantic in all of us.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“GOING HOME IS THE LONGEST JOURNEY OF ALL…
Adele Matin couldn’t wait to put her lonely childhood and hometown behind her. Amid the bright lights and hustle and bustle of New York, she built a life for herself–until one terrible mistake brought it crashing down. Now Adele is running again, this time to a cottage she inherited from her mother in rural Pennsylvania. And she’s about to realize that a small town has more to offer than she ever dreamed.
An artist and woodworker, Jay Westvelt knows a thing or two about living in the country. Adele is intrigued by her mysterious and sexy green-eyed neighbor, a man who took care of her house and soon cares deeply for her. But even as Adele’s heart begins to soften toward him, secrets from her mother’s past threaten to send her fleeing back to the city. Can Jay convince her to stay with him?
Only if she can learn an important truth: that happiness begins with SIMPLE WISHES.”

Simple Wishes was a really delightful surprise. This book has restored my faith in contemporary romance novels! The author is clearly a very gifted storyteller. The characters are well written and very down-to-earth. This is a fantastic story that left me with a warm feeling of contentment.
It has a very thought-provoking story, written very ingeniously to keep the reader entertained and yet it doesn’t give away too many details too soon. I was really pleased with the plot twist and it caught me completely unawares; what a pleasant surprise that was!
I highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (9 out of 10 Diamonds) – Loved it!
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.lisadalebooks.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/

A special thanks to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – The Queen’s Fool

The Queen’s Fool
Written By: Philippa Gregory
Published By: Simon & Schuster, A Touchstone Book, 2004, First Edition, 512 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-0743246071

“The Queen’s Fool follows the life of Hannah Green as she questions and manoeuvres in emotionally-charged times as Elizabeth plots for the throne and Queen Mary holds fast to her faith; can Hannah find a life and love of her own?”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“It is winter, 1553. Pursued by the Inquisition, Hannah Green, a fourteen-year-old Jewish girl, is forced to flee Spain with her father. But Hannah is no ordinary refugee. Her gift of “Sight,” the ability to foresee the future, is priceless in the troubled times of the Tudor court. Hannah is adopted by the glamorous Robert Dudley, the charismatic son of King Edward’s protector, who brings her to court as a “holy fool” for Queen Mary and, ultimately, Queen Elizabeth. Hired as a fool but working as a spy; promised in wedlock but in love with her master; endangered by the laws against heresy, treason, and witchcraft, Hannah must choose between the safe life of a commoner and the dangerous intrigues of the royal family that are inextricably bound up in her own yearnings and desires.”

The Queen’s Fool is very compelling because of the main character, Hannah Green. When someone has gone through so much and lost loved ones in such a violent manner, it would scar you and should teach someone like Hannah, to ‘duck and cover’. This wonderfully-crafted character overcomes many fears and does what she has to do to survive, regardless of her own, internal struggles. Hannah’s goodness and her big heart endears her first to the young King Edward and then to Queen Mary. As the story unfolds and Hannah finds herself in Queen Mary’s service, thanks to the cunning Robert Dudley, she does the best that she can with her limited courtly talents and skills. Her integrity helps her to navigate her way through the perfidious court life and the dangerous schemes which she becomes embroiled in.
The story is skilfully written to give us time with Hannah Green while still supplying us with a very generous helping of the royals; including Robert Dudley, Elizabeth and Queen Mary. There are some interesting plot twists and the characters are vividly drawn to sweep us back to the times when your choice of faith and your loyalties could mean your unimaginable success or your plunging ruin and a traitor’s death.
I highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (8 out of 10 Diamonds) – Thoroughly enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.philippagregory.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.simonsays.com/

A special thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

The Butterfly Award…I Won, Twice!

 

I want to thank Teddy of So Many Precious Books, So Little Time and Cindy of Cindy’s Love of Books for each giving me this wonderful award.  How lovely of you both!! :-)

Rules:
1. Put the logo on my blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Award up to ten other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on yours
5. Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs

 

I would like to give The Butterfly Award to the wonderful:

1. Emily Bryan of Emily Bryan Romance
2. Terra of Yankee Romance Reviewers
3. Shoshana of Coz I’m a Book-aholic
4. Fyrefly of Fyrefly’s Book Blog
5. Stephanie of Stephanie’s Written Word

Book Review – The Virgin’s Lover

The Virgin’s Lover
Written By: Philippa Gregory
Published By: Simon & Schuster, A Touchstone Book, 2004, First Edition, 448 pages, hardcover
ISBN 978-0743256155

“The Virgin’s Lover reveals the stirring, emotional struggle of the new Queen Elizabeth I; a forbidden love affair, remorseless treachery and the new Queen’s precarious, first years on the throne.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“In the autumn of 1558, church bells across England ring out the joyous news that Elizabeth I is the new queen. One woman hears the tidings with utter dread. She is Amy Dudley, wife of Sir Robert, and she knows that Elizabeth’s ambitious leap to the throne will pull her husband back to the very center of the glamorous Tudor court, where he was born to be. Amy had hoped that the merciless ambitions of the Dudley family had died on Tower Green when Robert’s father was beheaded and his sons shamed; but the peal of bells she hears is his summons once more to power, intrigue, and a passionate love affair with the young queen. Can Amy’s steadfast faith in him, her constant love, and the home she wants to make for them in the heart of the English countryside compete with the allure of the new queen?
Philippa Gregory’s The Virgin’s Lover answers the question about an unsolved crime that has fascinated detectives and historians for centuries. Philippa Gregory uses documents and evidence from the Tudor era and, with almost magical insight into the desires of Robert Dudley and his lovers, paints a picture of a country on the brink of greatness, a young woman grasping at her power, a young man whose ambition is greater than his means, and the wife who cannot forgive them.”

The Virgin’s Lover is a really interesting take on the romantic entanglement between the devastatingly handsome, Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I. I enjoyed this story because it showed me how naïve a young Queen can be; how her fallibility and her weakness against the lustful pulls of the flesh could lead to a loss of power and control.
As the new Queen comes to power, the married Robert Dudley comes racing to be at Elizabeth’s side, as her favourite and as a passionate and all-consuming lover. By charming and seducing the Queen, Robert believes he will have control over the throne of England. Lady Dudley, Robert Dudley’s wife, is such a wonderfully morose character until her husband is near, when she shines like a beacon of unrequited love and hope. You can not help but feel badly for her state of affairs.
The story has wonderful flow and the plot is well written and well timed. The characters and their personalities are very carefully carried through from one novel to another. I love Philippa’s writing as she moulds and shapes the characters, developing and changing them because of their experiences and interactions. Some of the great highs and lows that the characters feel are often mirrored by my own emotions as I cheer for the victory of some and dearly wish for a humbling fall, for others.
I highly recommend this book!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (8 out of 10 Diamonds) – Thoroughly enjoyed it
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.philippagregory.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.simonsays.com/

A special thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Review – The Boleyn Inheritance

The Boleyn Inheritance
Written By: Philippa Gregory
Published By: Simon & Schuster, A Touchstone Book, 2006, First Edition, 544 pages, softcover
ISBN 978-0-7432-7251-3

“The Boleyn Inheritance is a skilfully-woven story of a families’ deceit, divided loyalties and ill-fortune that binds three women together.”

Product Description – From Amazon.com
“ANNE OF CLEVES She runs from her tiny country, her hateful mother, and her abusive brother to a throne whose last three occupants are dead. King Henry VIII, her new husband, instantly dislikes her. Without friends, family, or even an understanding of the language being spoken around her, she must literally save her neck in a court ruled by a deadly game of politics and the terror of an unpredictable and vengeful king. Her Boleyn Inheritance: accusations and false witnesses.
KATHERINE HOWARD She catches the king’s eye within moments of arriving at court, setting in motion the dreadful machine of politics, intrigue, and treason that she does not understand. She only knows that she is beautiful, that men desire her, that she is young and in love — but not with the diseased old man who made her queen, beds her night after night, and killed her cousin Anne. Her Boleyn Inheritance: the threat of the axe.
JANE ROCHFORD She is the Boleyn girl whose testimony sent her husband and sister-in-law to their deaths. She is the trusted friend of two threatened queens, the perfectly loyal spy for her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, and a canny survivor in the murderous court of a most dangerous king. Throughout Europe, her name is a byword for malice, jealousy, and twisted lust. Her Boleyn Inheritance: a fortune and a title, in exchange for her soul.”

The Boleyn Inheritance is a marvellous story! The characters are so full of life and are superbly detailed. The story has a wonderful flow and the plot twists make you love the book all the more. I felt such a strong sense of loyalty to the new Queen Anne of Cleves and I very much wanted her to succeed on the throne. I was also very intrigued by the beautiful young and naive Katherine who was too immature and dense to realize that she was being manipulated by her betters, to influence and manoeuvre the king to their advantage. Jane is perhaps the most fascinating character in this novel because of the mysteriousness of her past and her absolute determination to rise in importance. She seems to live in a somewhat warped reality, no doubt caused by trauma of her husband’s death, for treason. The plot is very intriguing and I enjoyed all the stealthy manoeuvring and arrogance of many of the characters in this story; all vying for attention, riches and importance in a kingdom run by the overbearing tyrant, King Henry. The three main characters in this story are bound together by their connection to the throne of England. Anne, Katherine and Jane all have their duties to see to and family titles to enrich through their skillful work and scheming determination. One woman must spy on the new Queen. Another is involved in a plot to draw the kings attention away from the Queen, to herself. And one woman wants nothing more then to be a good queen to her people and have a happy, peaceful home and kingdom to live in.  Either through marriage or blood, they are  all a part of the Boleyn family.
This entertaining story will pull you in and satisfy your cravings for some mystery and romance, while stuffing you to bursting point with the scandalous delights and terrors of the Royal court.
I very highly recommend this book!!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (10 out of 10 Diamonds) – Absolutely LOVED it!!
 

Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.philippagregory.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.simonsays.com/

A special thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to review.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy

Book Giveaway of ‘Sundays at Tiffany’s’ (IS CLOSED!)

*** Congratulations to: Sarah(#98), Leigh Nichols(#250), David Cosgrove(#67), Cathy W.(#13), Kathy Yohanna(#253) ***

 

 *** Book Giveaway of Five(5) copies of Sundays at Tiffany’s by James Patterson *** 

A special thanks to Valerie at Hachette Book Group.

As a little girl, Jane has no one. Her mother, the powerful head of a Broadway theater company, has no time for her. She does have one friend-a handsome, comforting, funny man named Michael-but only she can see him.

Years later, Jane is in her thirties and just as alone as ever. Then she meets Michael again-as handsome, smart and perfect as she remembers him to be. But not even Michael knows the reason they’ve really been reunited.

SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S is a love story with an irresistible twist, a novel about the child inside all of us-and the boundary-crossing power of love.

To Enter: Please make sure to leave a reply in the comment section of this post.

♦The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents only.
♦You must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
♦The winner’s mailing address: NO P.O. Boxes.
♦Only one entry per household/IP address.
♦The contest ends at midnight on January 30th 2009.
♦Five(5) winners will be picked in a random draw and will be notified by 5pm (MDT) by e-mail on Saturday, January 31st 2009.

Good Luck Everyone and Have Fun!!

Book Review – The Other Queen

The Other Queen
Written By: Philippa Gregory
Published By: Simon & Schuster, A Touchstone Book, 2008, First Edition, 439 pages, hardcover
ISBN 978-1-4165-4912-3

“The Other Queen sees Mary Queen of Scots at her most cunning and manipulative; can her hosts survive ‘The Other Queen’s narcissistic plotting and manipulations?”

Product Description – From Simon & Schuster.com
“The newly married couple welcome the doomed queen into their home, certain that serving as her hosts and jailers will bring them an advantage in the cutthroat world of the Elizabethan court. To their horror, they find that the task will bankrupt them, and as their home becomes the epicenter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question. If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treachery and treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman.”

The Other Queen is a very interesting historical fiction novel. Philippa Gregory’s clever writing style and her attention to historical detail is clearly evident. The story has good flow, momentum and transports you back to a time when revolutionary Queens ruled the land, leaving little room for error.
This is the most recent book released from the author and I believe it is more focused on the historical and less on the romantic side, for those who disliked the romantic elements of some of her previous books.
I was captivated by the whirls of subterfuge, the spies, treachery and underhanded machinations going on in Queen Elizabeth’s court, surrounding Mary Queen of Scots and her caretakers as well. Heaven help anyone who got caught in between these two, great Queens.
I fell under Queen Mary’s spell as I read this novel and at the same time I felt badly for her hosts, George and Bess. There subsequent state of affairs was a definitive case of  ‘being careful what you wish for’.
While reading the story, I found myself compelled to switch sides, my own loyalty in question and I felt torn by making the choices. As a reader, I wondered which of the Queens I would have followed. Could I have made a choice where thousands upon thousands of others had struggled?
They were glorious women, Queens in their prime, competing for a crown and utterly willing to die for its sake.
I really enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it!

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦ (8 out of 10 Diamonds) – Thoroughly enjoyed it

 
Link to the Author’s website:
http://www.philippagregory.com/
Link to the Publisher’s Website:
http://www.simonsays.com/

A special thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy to review and an extra copy to give away.

Copyright ©  Book Reviews By Bobbie — Bobbie Crawford-McCoy