Welcome to Book Lovers Paradise

Welcome to my attempt at blogging. I am a true to heart bibliophile. Here I will discuss and review books as I read them. You are welcome to do the same. The only rules are no profanity, no politics, no religion, and have fun!
Donna

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Anne of Cleves plus a GIVEAWAY



Title: Anne of Cleves: Henry's Luckiest Wife
Author: D. Lawrence-Young
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 292 pages
Release Date: July 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0615827377
Imprint: Celestial Press - GMTA Publishing

Book Description:
It is winter 1539. King Henry VIII is galloping through the night to Rochester to meet a young woman. Just arrived in England from Germany, Anne of Cleves is destined to become his fourth wife. He has never met her before. He has only seen her portrait – the portrait of a sweet, demure and innocent young woman. The impatient and lovesick king must see her before their marriage. But this rushed and unplanned rendezvous will shock them and the country both. It will also lead to some completely unexpected and fatal results.

my thoughts
I was thrilled to read this book.  I am fascinated by Anne of  Cleves.  Henry's luckiest wife?  Not certain about that.  I think anyone unfortunate enough to be involved in anyway with such a vain, pompous man can hardly be considered lucky.  
Henry chose Anne based on the famous Holbein portrait.  When he met her, he felt he was misled. 
Judge for yourself.  Below is the famous portrait


I know you can't see the actual Anne to compare, however, Holbein has a history of painting his subjects in a realistic manner.  

On to the book-
Fantastic!  I loved this book.  Couldn't put it down.  I was fascinated to read about Anne's life in England.  I'm not certain whether she truly cared for Henry, but she was grateful to get out of Cleves.  
The author created a real person.  I felt as if I was getting to know Anne while reading these pages.  I found her to be a likable and friendly person.  She was sheltered as a child, but grew into a knowledgable, charming and intelligent person.

The author, Mr. Lawrence-Young, was able to create 16th century England.  In my mind, I was able to 'see' the places he described.  I 'heard' the voices of the individuals from the story.

As you may have guessed, I completely enjoyed this book and I thank GMTA tours for allowing me to participate in this book tour.



About the Author:
David Lawrence-Young

D. Lawrence-Young takes the often pompous and frequently silly “Shakespeare Authorship Controversy” and turns it into a fast-paced page-turning detective story. All the nooks and crannies of rival candidates and claims are traversed in interesting locations and often funny encounters. The SAC has got under the Shakespeare-loving and teaching David Young’s skin and he has turned this irritant into a pleasure to read and from which there is much to learn.
Connect with D. Lawrence – Young

Links to buy the book





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Sunday, November 3, 2013

ANVIL OF GOD by J.Boyce Gleason


Twitter Hashtag: #AnvilOfGodTour

About ANVIL OF GOD

Publication Date: July 26, 2013
iUniverse
Paperback; 440p
ISBN-10: 1475990197

It is 741. After subduing the pagan religions in the east, halting the march of Islam in the west, and conquering the continent for the Merovingian kings, mayor of the palace Charles the Hammer has one final ambition-the throne. Only one thing stands in his way-he is dying.

Charles cobbles together a plan to divide the kingdom among his three sons, betroth his daughter to a Lombard prince to secure his southern border, and keep the Church unified behind them through his friend Bishop Boniface. Despite his best efforts, the only thing to reign after Charles's death is chaos. His daughter has no intention of marrying anyone, let alone a Lombard prince. His two eldest sons question the rights of their younger pagan stepbrother, and the Church demands a steep price for their support. Son battles son, Christianity battles paganism, and Charles's daughter flees his court for an enemy's love.

Based on a true story, Anvil of God is a whirlwind of love, honor, sacrifice, and betrayal that follows a bereaved family's relentless quest for power and destiny.


my thoughts

8th century Carolingian history is unfamiliar to me.  For those of you also unfamiliar with the time period- remember your high school history.  Charles "The Hammer" Martel...grandfather of Charlemagne.
I'm glad I read this amazing story. Historical truths with a story weaved into it.

Gleason did his research. The story is unforgettable. Basically, Charles the Hammer dies and leaves his vast empire to his three sons. His has promised his daughter in marriage to a man she wouldn't chose as a husband. Trudi is her name, in my opinion, she was the best of The Hammer's four children. She was a sword yielding, fighting individual- don't mess with her. 

The three sons, two Christians and one pagan, are fascinating characters. Pippin, is my favorite. (He's not the pagan) Pippin and Trudi are two characters who will grab your heart. As a reader, I became emotionally involved in their lives. They are both multidimensional characters who add a great deal to the story.  

In short, this book will just pull you into the plot. It is action packed from the beginning to the end. For those of you unfamiliar with Charles "The Hammer" Martel, he is the grandfather of Charlemagne. He started the Carolingian empire in what is now France.

I cannot wait for book two! I look forward to reading more about these characters. 

For those of you who love reading period pieces, ie- The Tudors, The Borgias- you will love this series.!



About the Author

After a 25-year career in crisis management and public affairs, J. Boyce Gleason began writing historical fiction and is publishing his first novel ANVIL OF GOD, Book One of the Carolingian Chronicles.  With an AB in history from Dartmouth College, Gleason brings a strong understanding of the past to his historical fiction.  He is married, has three sons and lives in Virginia.

For more information please visit www.jboycegleason.com.