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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Review: Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham


Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 
Pages: 672 
Format: book 
Buy the Book: Amazon  


Goodreads: System alert: Inbox full of scandal, romance, and office hilarity!
Meet Holly Denham. It's her first day as a receptionist at a London investment bank and inexperienced Holly is struggling. How's a working girl supposed to have a love life with a demanding job, crazy friends, a dysfunctional family, and gossipy colleagues? Not to mention that Holly's been keeping a secret from everyone - and the past is about to catch up with her.
An affair with a sexy VP heats things up at the office, but when Holly's first flame (who, she thinks, left her in the lurch) gets a job at the same company, complications abound and Holly's inbox becomes a daily source of drama, laughter and scandal.


Kritters Thoughts:  Can you tell a lot about someone from their email inbox?  I knew this before reading this book, but I know it even more now!  The reader is swept into a story that is filled with unique characters and fun circumstances.  Through emails you meet the main character Holly and her friends and co-workers.  I loved the change in formatting, it was different from the usual novel and was beyond entertaining.


Yes, this book is over 600 pages, but never fear with emails being the format of this book, it breezes by you and you can't believe that you are 200 pages in and already a third of the way through the book.  Some may have some fear in this different formatting but with the subject of emails as headers, there is some distinction between each conversation and it gets so good that it is hard to put it down.


For your ultimate chick lit reader, this is a perfect book to swap among friends, even better for those readers that are in the work force who may enjoy the work humor a little more!


Rating:  absolutely loved it and want a sequel 
(need to get it in this case)


GR Cover Challenge 2012: Buttons



Monday, January 30, 2012

Review: Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant

Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant

Publisher: Greenforge Books 
Pages:  264
Format: ebook 
Buy the Book: Amazon  


Goodreads:  If you don’t have anything nice to say about motherhood, then… read this book. Robin O’Bryant offers a no holds barred look at the day to day life of being a mother to three, running a household and the everyday monotony of parenting.

It’s not always pretty but it’s real. Whether she's stuffing cabbage in her bra… dealing with defiant yet determined daughters… yelling at the F.B.I... or explaining the birds and the bees to her preschooler… you’re sure to find dozens of humorous and relatable situations.

From the creator of Robin's Chicks, one of the South’s most popular blogs on motherhood, misunderstandings and musings, comes a collection of essays that will not only make you laugh and cry, but realize that you’re not alone in your journey.

Sit back and relax, pour yourself some “mommy juice,” throw a fresh diaper on your baby and deadbolt the bedroom door to keep your kids out… because once you start reading you'll be too busy wiping away tears of laughter to wipe anybody's butt.






Kritters Thoughts:  Have you ever read a book and literally laughed out loud so hard that you started crying?  From page one this book had me laughing and crying and the boy starring at me strangely!  Although I am not a mom and this is most definitely a mom book filled with stories from birds and bees talk to horrible road trips with infants and toddlers, I found the humor through knowing a bunch of moms and how life can be out of control.  


This book starts with a perfect prologue to set up "the characters" and help the reader start out the book with full knowledge of who the author is and the family that she will be sharing about throughout the entire book.  Then through a collection of short stories, each with a theme or topic, you are taken through all of the hazards that moms encounter while trying to raise a family.  A perfect book for moms because each chapter is contained within itself, so you can start chapter one and finish the last chapter 3 years later!    


I immediately forwarded this title to all my friends and family who are moms and maybe even a few that aren't starting a family just yet.  I can't wait to hear how the can commiserate with her stories of life as a mom.  




Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel


Ebook Challenge 2012: 4 out of 25


GR Cover Challenge 2012: Recognized


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author via Women's Literary Cafe.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own. 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

It's Monday, What are You Reading? (56)


I am spending today in Richmond, VA, visiting with a great friend from college and her baby girl!  I haven't seen her in over a year so this will be a day full of fun girl chatting!


It was a quieter reading week with other things taking up time, but that is how life goes.


A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.


Finished this past week:
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany


Currently Reading:
Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
A Place to Die by Dorothy James


Next off the TBR pile:
The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson

In My Mailbox (60)



A wonderful week of review copies!  I love sharing what came across my way over the week, share what came your way in the comments below!


A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.


For Review:
The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson  (Goodreads  Amazon)
North of Hollywood by Rick Lenz  (Goodreads)
Best Seller by Timothy B Sagges  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Patchwork of Me by Gregory G Allen  (Goodreads)
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David  (Goodreads  Amazon)
The Red Book by Deborah Copaken Kogan  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Swapping:
The Stepmother by Carrie Adams  (Goodreads  Amazon)
True Love by Lurlene McDaniel  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Girl From the South by Joanna Trollope  (Goodreads  Amazon)



Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Ramble: Introvert or Extrovert?

Earlier today I posted a review about a book that describes a change in our country where extroverts are now the only hire able personality and introverts don't feel as accepted.


As I believe most of my followers are book people, we are stereotyped to be introverted, less sociable.  Maybe that is a generalization, but when I took my Meyers Briggs before I headed off to college, I was a pure bred EXTROVERT.  As I get older I can see my need for quiet time to recharge the batteries and my quiet time usually includes a book.  Although, I still think I am as extroverted as the day I headed off to college.  


In the same breath, some of my closest friends and maybe even the boy are introverted and crave that time at home and it is even a necessity.  I respect that we all can't have an activity to go to every night of the week and a full schedule isn't a positive thing in everyone's minds, but just maybe we are all both.  


Yes, I tend to lean towards the extroverted ways and love to be in a group and around people.  But thank goodness for those quiet nights with the pup, fireplace, chai tea and a wonderful book - some weeks the mere thought of that list makes me cry happy tears of joy.  I guess I have a little introvert tendencies.  


Where do you stand on this issue?

Review: Quiet by Susan Cain

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking 
by Susan Cain

Publisher:  Crown
Pages:  352
Format: ARC 
Buy the Book: Amazon


Goodreads:  At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled “quiet,” it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society—from Van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer. 

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with the indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Susan Cain charts the rise of “the extrovert ideal” over the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects—how it helps to determine everything from how parishioners worship to who excels at Harvard Business School. And she draws on cutting-edge research on the biology and psychology of temperament to reveal how introverts can modulate their personalities according to circumstance, how to empower an introverted child, and how companies can harness the natural talents of introverts. This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.






Kritters Thoughts:  After reading this book, I feel I must say, Yes, I admit I am an extrovert and I like it.  I have moments where I need to take a break from it all and hibernate, but in my heart, I love to be out and around people.  I am surrounded by introverts on a daily basis and maybe I don't quite understand what makes them tick and what they need on a daily basis.  


This book not only shows what introverts need in relationships, but also at the workplace.  The final chapter is a complete source for parents and teachers on how to interact with introverted children.  I think the author does a great job of making valid points and using interesting research to back up and explain each point.  Although this is non-fiction and has a little bit of an academic approach, it reads much easier than a textbook and is a worthy read.


I would recommend this book to both introverts and extroverts.  I think the extroverts need to learn how to adapt around introverts, while the introverts need to find the confidence in their own personality traits.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row


GR Cover Challenge 2012: It Matches!


Off the Shelf Challenge 2012: 2 out of 50


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Review: The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

Publisher: Tribute Books 
Pages: 
Format: ebook 
Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.






Kritters Thoughts:  A book that starts at a low point in a depressing situation and slowly but surely gets weirder and weirder.  A family of five siblings - one girl and four boys, have buried their mother, grandmother and now their father, so they must band together and create a new family unit.  Throw in a noisy neighbor that works for Child Protective Services and a priest who uses all sorts of stories to explain away many a things - this book is just cooky.


This weird mix of characters and plot line that takes place all within a week is such a rollercoaster that I just wasn't enjoying.  The writing was awkward and at times I was drawn in and then other hand it was choppy and not entertaining.  A little historical and an interesting cast of characters, this book is made for those who need a little entertainment, but are not your serious readers.




Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more


GR Cover Challenge 2012:  Love You Like a Long Song


Ebook Challenge 2012: 6 out of 25


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author and Tribute Books.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Review: Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris
Publisher: Smashwords
Pages: 148 
Format: ebook
Buy the Book: Amazon


Goodreads:  Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school, mostly because of her ex-best friend turned mean popular girl, Ariel, but maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!


Kritters Thoughts:  Every now and then a YA book review is sent my way and I accept because with each read, I enjoy the YA genre more and more.  This is another example of a highly entertaining YA read that us adults can also enjoy.  From the beginning the reader is introduced to Kait, a high schooler who has lost her mom to cancer and finds a connection with her when she crashes funerals.  This may sound crazy, but when she attends a funeral she ends up in the middle of a murder mystery that makes her confront all sorts of fears.

I absolutely love books that have twists and turns and the reader is kept in the loop throughout.  Nothing like the killer being a character that shows up in the end - no good.  Not the case with this one, this author had the ability to give out facts, but let the reader take their imagination to find out who our killer is in the end.  This is worth reading to the very last page.


A book that is perfect for the high school reader who loves a little mystery, a little romance and may even be a reluctant reader.  A warning to the the young readers, there is mention of heroin overdoses and through the reading, these are proved wrong.  I in no way condone the use of any illegal substances, but I think that the topic is covered well in this book.


Rating:  definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

GR Cover Challenge 2012:  Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Ebook Challenge 2012: 3 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Interview: Heather Wardell


Today, I have the pleasure of sharing the answers to some questions I sent to Heather Wardell.  I have reviewed two of her books here on Kritters Ramblings - Live Out Loud and Blank Slate Kate.  I am definitely a fan of hers and loved sending questions her way.  Without further ado . . . 

1.  What do you find yourself rambling about?

Crocheting, which I love and do constantly. I'm nearly always wearing something I've made (currently I have on fingerless mitts and a shawl) (and other clothes :). I play clarinet and two years ago took up drumming, so I talk about music a lot. I run half-marathons and talk/complain about running with my sister, my main running buddy. My cat Trinity, who is gorgeous and elegant in a chunky way. :) My books, to anyone who'll listen and when they've all run away to anyone who can't escape me. :)

That was a free-form rambling session. This explains why I edit out any ramblings from my books. :)

2. You have written quite a few books that I would categorize in the chick lit genre, would you ever consider writing in another genre?

I would consider it if the right idea came along, but at this point my ideas just seem to come out in my usual genre. Someone once asked Stephen King why he writes horror novels and he said, "What makes you think I have a choice?" I feel rather the same way: the ideas that catch my attention have all been under the chick lit/women's fiction umbrella.

3. When becoming an author, did you have any speedbumps along the way?  If so, how did you overcome them?

I'm unusual in that only months after finishing my first book in 2005 (which is now my free-to-download book "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo") I became a full-time writer by the grace of my husband. I had no idea how difficult it can be to sit down at the desk every morning and go to work inventing people and a world for them. Over the years I've gotten better at shaking off the "what if today's the day I learn I have no idea what I'm doing?" feelings, and I have worked hard to get myself into that desk chair nearly every day (Monday to Friday, I take weekends off) but there are days when I just can't do it. On those days I go to Starbucks - something about being out of the house makes it easier for me to work (or maybe it's the caffeine!)

Other than that, I had a lot to learn about how to plot a book, effective editing, and character development, and once I began self-publishing there were all those "little" things like creating book covers and formatting text for ereaders. I read at least one writing-related book a month to keep developing my skills, because I want each book to be better than the one before it.

4. When looking at your female leads, do you put a piece of your own personality into the characters?

Most definitely, even when I try not to. :) Writing in the first person, I really feel what's happening to my lead character, and I think because of that we end up connected enough that part of me ends up in her. It's only part, though; each of the lead characters is (I hope) her own woman.

5.  Which book do you hold near?  Which one was the hardest to complete?

Will it surprise you to know that the answer is the same book? "Planning to Live", in which the main character Rhiannon is trapped in a car in a blizzard, is probably the book with the most like-me lead character. She is goal-oriented to a fault and obsessed with her weight, and while writing that book I toned down both of those things in myself. That book literally changed my life, and so I will always have a deep connection to it. But oh, was it ever hard to write. I had to look at what Rhiannon did, at what I also did, and articulate why it wasn't right for her. It wasn't right for me either and I came to learn that, but it was a struggle just as it is for Rhiannon. Interestingly, "Planning to Live" has the most mixed of my reviews. The people who love it, LOVE it, but its haters are equally vehement. I still love it, though, and I always will.

6.  What is your favorite part of the writing process?  And why?

I love the brainstorming and outlining stage. It's like a big puzzle with the pieces spread all around the room and no picture on the box, and I have to dig through all the bits and somehow form a coherent plot out of it. It's occasionally wildly frustrating but overall it's a crazy and fun ride.

My least favorite part is actually the first draft, I think because the translation of what I see in my head to words is not always easy or perfect. Once the words are written, though, I can edit and polish and tweak them, and I greatly enjoy that.

7. What is next on your plate?

My plate has three sections, like one of those little-kid plastic plates. Since I work on multiple books at once, I give them codenames so I don't get confused. Flying Squirrel, in second draft at the moment, features a doormat of a woman who finds her inner and outer strength while training for a marathon. Gemstone, done in first draft and waiting to be edited, focuses on an Internet columnist who takes on a project to be "good to herself" for thirty days and soon realizes that "good to yourself" is a much deeper concept than she'd thought. Finally, in early January I started the first draft of Hippo, in which a woman arrives on what's to be her wedding cruise only to realize she's dated both her fiance's brothers and still has feelings for them both.

Thank you so much for letting me share my ramblings with your readers! My book "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" is always a free download, and "Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many" is available for free this week (Jan 23-27) exclusively on Kindle. I'm happy to answer any questions or comments your readers have, so I'll pop back in between writing sessions.

Thank you again to Heather Wardell for answering questions.  



Monday, January 23, 2012

Review: Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

Publisher: CreateSpace 
Pages: 232 
Format: ebook 
Buy the Book: Amazon  




Goodreads: Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen years of your life overnight? That's terrifying. With her memories from seventeen to thirty-two gone, Kate has no idea who she is and where she belongs. As she begins to fall for the man who found her, she wonders if she forgot those years for a reason. Should she keep trying to retrieve her original self, or start a new life?




Kritters Thoughts:  Have you seen the movie 13 Going on 30, well this book starts quite close to the main theme - missing out on a few years and now trying to live in a whole 'nother world.  The comedy of someone waking up and missing out on 15 years and going from a world with very little technology to our world of tweeting, iphones and internet was very fun to read.  This is where the story begins, but it ends in a different spot - and I am all the more glad for it!


With twists and turns, this book ended up being much more than I thought it would be and I enjoyed the deeper story that was beyond her losing her memories.  Kate, the main character, has two men who are trying to help her find her memories and make new ones.  She is trying to unlock the past to find out why she has such a strained relationship with one of the men.  This review may sound general, but there are some great aspects of this book that I just don't want to spoil, so I don't want to be too wordy in my review.    


A perfect chick lit read for the new year to remind us to keep our memories close because they can be easily lost.  I would definitely recommend this book to all my readers who love a great chick lit with a little love triangle action.




Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sunday, January 22, 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (55)


What a great crazy week!  I celebrated a one year anniversary for One More Page bookstore, my local independent on Thursday.  But with a quieter week, I got quite a lot of reading done!


A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.



Finished this past week:
Smitten by Assorted Authors
Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson
Lovesick by Spencer Seidel
Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt
Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd


Currently Reading:

A Place to Die by Dorothy James
Catch and Release by JT Twerell


Next off the TBR pile:

Why I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt

In My Mailbox (59)





A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.


For Review:
Left for Dead by JA Jance  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Goodwill trip:
Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Every Boy's Got One by Meg Cabot  (Goodreads  Amazon)


One More Page Anniversary trip:
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Goodreads  Amazon)
(ARC) A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Swapping:
Dating Without Novocaine by Lisa Cach  (Goodreads  Amazon)
The Summer Kitchen by Lisa Wingate  (Goodreads  Amazon)
I'm So Happy For You by Lucinda Rosenfeld  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Acts of Love by Emily Listfield  (Goodreads  Amazon)

Friday, January 20, 2012

Review: The Secret of Lies by Barbara Forte Abate

The Secret of Lies by Barbara Forte Abate 

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC 
Pages: 304 
Format: eARC 
Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.

Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 - The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control - torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled. 




Kritters Thoughts:  A story that poignantly centers around two sisters who spend each summer at their aunt and uncle's idyllic beach house that is mere steps away from a beach paradise.  They meet many people during the summer that in each way help them grow into young women until one summer where scandal and tragedy strike.  As I am not a spoiler of good books, you will have to read this one to see what tragedy these girls endure during one fateful summer.


What starts with a prologue full of wordiness, continues to a heartwarming story of two sisters who vacation on Long Island with their aunt and uncle and through the summers come to grow up and venture into young adulthood.  With the use of many big words, it didn't make the book read quite easily, instead I felt as though the big words weighed down the book, but once you passed the prologue and got into the heart of the book the extreme wordiness disappears.


I fell in love with these girls, their family and their story with each chapter.  It was so interesting to see how adulthood is completely shaped by the occurances that happen in their younger years.  It makes you reflect on your childhood and think about what happened then that may create roadblocks or change how you may interact with others into your older years.


Rating:  definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row


GR Cover Challenge 2012:  Heads or Tails

Ebook Challenge 2012: 1 out of 25

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Review: The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

Publisher: Touchstone 
Pages: 448 
Format: ARC 
Buy the Book: Amazon  


Goodreads:  Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.
The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.
But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.
With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.




Kritters Thoughts:  Have you ever wanted to be swept up into a mystery from another time?  Pick up this book.  From the beginning, the reader is taken to a different time and place to experience England after the demise of Anne Boylen.  But the special nuance of this book is that you don't spend your time reading about the magical times at court, instead you are in a nunnery with a girl who came from a family of stature who has decided that a calling from God will take her in a different direction.


As I don't read a ton of historical fiction, I am always swept away by a book that can easily take me to another time and place and I fall in love with characters no matter what time it is.  A mystery with murder and intrigue with the backdrop of the fight between the church with nuns and monks and the kings and dukes was a page turner from beginning to end.  The twists and turns made for a deep story that could be read twice and be enjoyed again and again.


Normally, I don't compare one book to another or say if you like this then you should read this, but this book is a perfect companion to The Other Boylen.  As this story takes place after Anne Boylen has taken the heart of Henry the Eighth, this story continues the history of England and the battle between church and state.


Rating:  absolutely loved it and want a sequel


GR Cover Challenge 2012: Heads and Tails

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon and Schuster.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.