Blog Tour Review: To Die For

To Die For

Sandra Byrd

Series or Stand Alone: Ladies in Waiting series, book one

Release Date: August 2011

Publisher: Howard Books

Pages: 352 (paperback)

Author Site: http://www.sandrabyrd.com/

My Rating: 3.75/5

Source: Received for review from Historical Fiction Book Tours

Synopsis:

[from goodreads.com]

 
To Die For, is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne’s star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne’s favor rises and falls, so does Meg’s. And though she’s pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it.

Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history, her own calling to the Lord that she must follow, too, with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.

Review:

I still have a lot of catching up to do in the historical fiction genre and I just love discovering more and more with each book I read. And I'm quickly becoming a big fan of the Tudor time period. To Die For was a very interesting look into Anne Boleyn's rise and fall through the eyes of her very close friend Meg Wyatt. It seems most people either love or hate Anne Boleyn and I haven't read enough yet to form my own opinion. The last Tudor book I read was Diane Haeger's The Queen's Rival and the small portion of the book featuring Anne portrayed her as a temptress and I was all for being against Anne. While To Die For wasn't from Anne's point of view, it was still heavily centered around most of her life.

I know some basic facts about Anne and how she inserted herself into Henry VIII's court. She is often portrayed as manipulative, seductive, heartless, etc... Anne had power over men and she knew how to use it to get what she wanted. I liked that To Die For portrayed Anne as a not only a woman but as a human with emotions that can often lead us astray. I'm sure she wasn't the kindest woman most of the time, especially when she didn't get what she wanted. But it was nice to see how her feelings may have came into play regarding her ascension to being Queen of England. Having Meg's perspective furthered Anne's more vulnerable portrayal in this story. Sandra Byrd, while very Anne-sympathetic, still showed how Anne could be unkind and somewhat cruel in parts of the story and I appreciated Sandra being honest and still staying true to her opinion.

Meg's story was heartfelt and engaging as well. From her childhood to the tearful ending of the book I felt that I really got to know Meg and her strong personality. Her loyalty to Anne, along with her friends and family, is astounding. Her struggle with God and her own personal faith was an interesting addition to the overall theme of the English Reformation topic of the story. I strayed completely away from all types of history (European, US, etc) in school so it was nice to learn a little something about the Reformation. It was enough to get me interested even more in the time period in hopes of adding to my knowledge of what happened. I may not run to non-fiction right away to find out about certain topics but I love when a fictional novel can get my brain gears turning and my curiousity piqued.

I thought the characters were developed very nicely from Meg's servants to her brothers and her love interest. I became attached to quite a few of them and came to really dislike others. I also really enjoyed Sandra's writing style. The flow of her dialogue and writing worked well and it was hard to put down at times. I was so excited to learn that To Die For is the first book in a series. I think I'm going to really like the historical christian fiction that Sandra will put out and I think a lot of others will too!

*click here to see Sandra's book tour stops*

Waiting on Wednesday [85] - Sweet Venom

from goodreads.com:

Grace just moved to San Francisco and is excited to start over at a new school. The change is full of fresh possibilities, but it’s also a tiny bit scary. It gets scarier when a minotaur walks in the door. And even more shocking when a girl who looks just like her shows up to fight the monster.

Gretchen is tired of monsters pulling her out into the wee hours, especially on a school night, but what can she do? Sending the minotaur back to his bleak home is just another notch on her combat belt. She never expected to run into this girl who could be her double, though.

Greer has her life pretty well put together, thank you very much. But that all tilts sideways when two girls who look eerily like her appear on her doorstep and claim they're triplets, supernatural descendants of some hideous creature from Greek myth, destined to spend their lives hunting monsters.

These three teenage descendants of Medusa, the once-beautiful gorgon maligned by myth, must reunite and embrace their fates in this unique paranormal world where monsters lurk in plain sight.

Reason: I love all things related to greek mythology...even if it sounds a bit sketchy I'll give it a try. I'm not loving the sound of the synopsis but I still want to give it a go. Plus anything about Medusa is a winner in my book...

Cover Discussion: A little on the plain jane side for my tastes.

Expected Release Date: September 6th

 

Blog Tour Q&A with Sandra Byrd & Giveaway

Please join me in welcoming author Sandra Byrd to P.S. I Love Books while on her blog tour!

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd persevered and has now published more than three dozen books. Her adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, was widely acclaimed, and was followed by two more books in the series. Her most recent 4-book young adult fiction series is London Confidential. Publishing her Tudor Series, beginning with Book 1, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn, is a lifelong dream come true.

A former textbook acquisitions editor, Sandra is also an accomplished non-fiction writer and author. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications and periodicals. Sandra is also passionate about helping new writers develop their talent and their work toward traditional or self publication. As such, she has mentored hundreds of new writers and continues to coach dozens to success each year.

Sandra resides in Washington State with her husband Michael, a chaplain, their two children, and a circus dog named Brie.

Welcome Sandra! I appreciate you taking the time while on your book tour to visit P.S. I Love Books. Can you tell us a little bit about To Die For?

To Die For is the story of Meg Wyatt, pledged forever as the best friend to Anne Boleyn since their childhoods on neighboring manors in Kent. When Anne’s star begins to ascend, of course she takes her best friend Meg along for the ride. Life in the court of Henry VIII is thrilling at first, but as Anne’s favor rises and falls, so does Meg’s. And though she’s pledged her loyalty to Anne no matter what the test, Meg just might lose her greatest love—and her own life—because of it.

Meg's childhood flirtation with a boy on a neighboring estate turns to true love early on. When he is called to follow the Lord and be a priest she turns her back on both the man and his God. Slowly, though, both woo her back through the heady times of the English reformation. In the midst of it, Meg finds her place in history with consequences of her own. Each character in the book is tested to figure out what love really means, and what, in this life, is worth dying for.

What was one of your favorite and least favorite things about writing it?

I mentioned in the Author's Note how hard it is for me when people view Anne as a harlot, a vixen, a man eater. There is real hate in some corners for her. She was certainly a smart, ambitious, and witty woman. But she was also a loyal daughter, a true friend, and I believe she loved Henry. She was a positive power in the English reformation. I do think she was somewhat deceived, and to some extent, allowed herself to be. But perhaps that could be said of anyone at some point in life.

Which of the characters did you enjoy working with the most?

Oh, Meg, for sure. Because she's the point of view character, I got to "be" her, and so I grew closest to her. Also, because less is known of her life I got to spin her story a bit more - though I definitely tried to keep it all true to the time. So of course, then, I adored working, too, with Will, her love.

If you had the chance to do it all over again would you change anything in To Die For?

No, I don't think so. I got to write the story I really wanted to write. I might smooth out a few things in the language, because this was my first historical novel, and I was learning. But it pretty much ended up just how I wanted it to.

What do you think of the cover?

I adore it. I think the designer/art director is a genius!

If To Die For were made into a movie who would be your ideal cast for the main characters?

I would love to see Jordana Brewster as Anne and Alexis Bledel as Meg.

What is your favorite time period in history to work with?

I especially like Britain from the medieval years through the Victorian Age, and France from Louis XIV till the present age.

If you could write a book about absolutely anything with any other author (dead or alive) what would it be about and who would you choose?

Oh, so many to choose from. If I had to pick, today, I'd probably choose Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy, because she stoked my love of all things historical. Plus, she pretty much knows everything about everyone in the periods I most enjoy so my facts would likely be right on.

If you didn’t have a passion for writing books what do you think you’d be doing as a career?

I'd love to own a French tea house. I miss seeing people every day, face-to-face, and I love to bake!

I’m always looking for books to add to my ginormous TBR (to be read) pile. What books are you currently reading or have read recently? Any good recommendations?

I'm just starting a season of reading Japanese historical books, many of which were recommended to me by members of Passages to the Past Historical Fiction group on Facebook. For a look at the current Japanese royal family, you might read The Commoner: A Novel. It's not a happy read, but really insightful, and I believe, close to the truth. First up, though, is Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham. I've been looking forward to reading that for some time. Then, Cutting for Stone by Verghese.

What are some of your favorite things to do when given a break from the writing life and other work-related things?

I love to bake and cook, listen to music, hang out with my friends and family (and dog!), and especially, travel. I live in a really scenic area, too, so I enjoy walking the trails.

source

Are you currently working on any projects that we may see from you in the future?

Yes! There will be two more books in the Ladies in Waiting series. The second book, The Secret Keeper, takes place during the queenship of Kateryn Parr. She was a strong woman, given to the reformation, and a best-selling author. But she had a soft spot for a bad boy and it led her, and those under her care, into trouble and distress. I hope readers will find a deep, witty, and nuanced Parr in this book with perhaps a surprise ending.

The third book in the series will take place in the court of Elizabeth, and will also be told from the point of view of one of her ladies. We often hear about Gloriana, her power and amazing intellect, but not as often about Elizabeth's softer side as it intersected with her friends and her loves. Elizabeth was loyal but could also be a tempestuous friend, which made being her lady in waiting a bit of a balance walk and dangerous in its own right.

Thank you so much for stopping by Sandra! Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

Please visit me online at my website; you can also link to me on Facebook and Twitter from there. I hope your readers will also sign up for my e-postcards (where I am also giving away two Kindles) so I can keep in touch! If you’d like to visit some of the castles and palaces “virtually,” please visit the "Castles and Palaces" page on my website where there are lots of wonderful photos.

Click here for a chance to win a copy of To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn 

(Thanks to Amy from Historical Fiction Book Tours and the publisher)

Giveaway ends September 12th

Open to US, CAN, UK, AUS & NZ entrants

Good Luck!!

Be sure to check back soon for my review of To Die For

Click here to see Sandra Byrd's book tour schedule!

Winner Announcements *UPDATED*

 

The 5 winners of Dracula in Love by Karen Essex are:

Marjie Pride
(claimed =D)

Erin L.
(claimed =D)

Meredith Miller

Donna

Mary D
(claimed =D)

2 new winners:

Ivy

&

Vivien

The winner of Bleeder by LK Rigel is:

Daniela

new winner:

Aleetha

Thanks so much to everyone who entered! I've emailed everyone so please respond by Thursday, August 25th. Friday, August 26th

Blog Tour Review: Dracula in Love

Dracula in Love

Karen Essex

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Release Date: July 2011 (hardcover: August 2010)

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Pages: 384 (paperback)

Author Site: http://www.karenessex.com/

My Rating: 3.25/5

Source: Received for review from Historical Fiction Book Tours

Synopsis:

[from goodreads.com]

In this wonderfully transporting novel, award-winning author Karen Essex turns a timeless classic inside out, spinning a haunting, erotic, and suspenseful story of eternal love and possession.

From the shadowy banks of the river Thames to the wild and windswept Yorkshire coast, Dracula’s eternal muse, Mina Murray, vividly recounts the intimate details of what really transpired between her and the Count—the joys and terrors of a passionate affair that has linked them through the centuries, and her rebellion against her own frightening preternatural powers.

Mina’s version of this gothic vampire tale is a visceral journey into Victorian England’s dimly lit bedrooms, mist-filled cemeteries, and asylum chambers, revealing the dark secrets and mysteries locked within. Time falls away as she is swept into a mythical journey far beyond mortal comprehension, where she must finally make the decision she has been avoiding for almost a millennium.

Bram Stoker’s classic novel offered one side of the story, in which Mina had no past and bore no responsibility for the unfolding events. Now, for the first time, the truth of Mina’s personal voyage, and of vampirism itself, is revealed. What this flesh and blood woman has to say is more sensual, more devious, and more enthralling than the Victorians could have expressed or perhaps even have imagined.

Review:

While I have the original story of Dracula sitting on my bookshelf I have yet had the chance to read it. The only prior knowledge I have of Bram Stoker's work is through the movie featuring Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder...(yes, I liked it). Having said that I think I would have liked to have the prior knowledge of the original story. But even without it, Dracula in Love was a really interesting story from Mina's point of view. Not only was the point of view different but the entire idea of Mina and the Count being lovers through time was a twist I came to enjoy.

Looking at Dracula in Love without basing my opinion on any other adaptation is rather easy. I found the beginning of the novel more enjoyable than the ending and that sort of disappointed me. I liked the description of Mina's past and how she grew up. I found myself really liking her simple and calm personality though her childhood wasn't favorable. I didn't mind the overall feminist feel of the story either. Mina even goes as far to tell the reader that everything we know about the tale is false... It was an interesting twist.

But the let down started happening when the Count and Mina finally came together...The intrigue, passion, and mystery surrounding their relationship was built up so nicely. But I felt their relationship sort of fell flat after a while. The passion was still between them and the obvious love between the Count and Mina was present and it was even romantic...but I just didn't feel the "oomph" I felt in the beginning. I was quite surprised at how much I actually got into reading about the women in the asylum. I can only imagine what the research was like for Karen Essex.

Overall, Dracula in Love was a nice read. I liked the characters but never really got attached or involved with them. I liked some of the things Karen Essex with with the mysticism and lore of vampires and magic but sometimes things got a little lost for me. I'll definitely be reading more about Dracula and Karen's other work. I like her writing style and I'm looking forward to reading the other time periods she has written about. I think a lot of people will enjoy the different adaptation Karen provides in Dracula in Love.  
 
 
 

Book Arrivals

For Review:

• Broetry by Brian McGackin
• Bedbugs by Ben H. Winters
• To Die For by Sandra Byrd (for blog tour)
• The Immortality Virus by Christine Amsden

Won/Miscellaneous:

• Dragonbound by Jade Lee (from Paperbackswap)

Blog Tour Q&A with Karen Essex & Giveaway

I'm very excited to welcome author Karen Essex to P.S. I Love Books while on her blog tour!

Karen is an award-winning novelist, journalist and screen writer. Her novels include the internationally best-selling Leonardo's Swans, Stealing Athena, and two novels on the queen of Egypt, Kleopatra and Pharoah.

Essex was born and raised in New Orleans. She was graduated from Tulane University, attended graduate school at Vanderbilt University, and received an MFA in Writing from Goddard College in Vermont. She’s appeared on The Today Show and A Word on Words hosted by John Seigenthaler, as well as other PBS and NPR programs. She’s lectured at the Chicago Museum of Art, and extensively at universities. Her books are taught in many college courses from creative writing to history to women’s studies.

Leonardo’s Swans, a runaway bestseller in Italy, won the prestigious 2007 Premio Roma for foreign fiction. Essex’s novels are published in twenty-seven languages. She lives in London.

Welcome Karen! I appreciate you taking the time while on your book tour to visit P.S. I Love Books. Can you tell us a little bit about Dracula in Love?

Dracula in Love is a reimaging of the original tale from the perspective of the vampire’s muse and obsession, Mina Murray Harker. I wanted to turn the story inside out and expose its underbelly by explicating all the things that could not be expressed in the 19th century—namely, female sensuality and desire, and the realities of a woman’s life at that time.

What was one of your favorite and least favorite things about writing it?

I love every aspect of composing a book. The research process is enthralling to me, and for this book, I moved to London to absorb the atmosphere. I suppose my least favorite part of writing anything is having a deadline to meet. But if left to my own devices, I’d still be researching my first novel (Kleopatra, published in 2001!).

Which of the characters did you enjoy working with the most?

Well, it was a blast to revisit Bram Stoker’s memorable characters both male and female and reinterpret them according to the immense amount of research I did into the Victorian mind and culture. But my very favorite thing was to include Bram Stoker himself as one of the characters. I am so happy that I came up with that idea because it seems to delight readers to watch Mr. Stoker discover the material that inspired his novel Dracula.

If you had the chance to do it all over again would you change anything in Dracula in Love?

Perhaps the title. I think, in retrospect, that I should have called it Dracula’s Lover, which would have been slightly more accurate. Also, I might, just might, have changed the end, or rather, how I wrote the very end, because I think readers misinterpret my intention. I can’t say more because it would mean revealing a SPOILER. However, what happened in the very end will be dealt with in a sequel.

What do you think of the cover?

Adore, adore, adore.

If Dracula in Love were made into a movie who would be your ideal cast for the main characters?

The actress Rooney Mara from The Social Network embodies physically and in her essence everything I imagined when I wrote Mina. I completely adore Emily Blunt too. That is as far as I have gotten in casting it in my mind. Maybe Javier Bardem or Clive Owen as Dracula?

What is your favorite time period in history to work with?

Gosh, I love them all. I have written about the 1950s (Bettie Page: Life of a Pinup Legend), Graeco-Roman Egypt (Kleopatra and Pharaoh), the High Italian Renaissance (Leonardo’s Swans), classical Athens and the Napoleonic period (Stealing Athena), and the late Victorian era in Dracula in Love. I cannot say that one period grips me more than another. I can say that I have been utterly enthralled studying each period. When I study history, I don’t look at it as a fait accompli. I see it as revealing itself to me as I learn about it.

If you could write a book about absolutely anything with any other author (dead or alive) what would it be about and who would you choose?

Frankly I would like to sit down with every historian who ever wrote and make them let me put in the women’s stories!

If you didn’t have a passion for writing books what do you think you’d be doing as a career?

I would be making films. I write screenplays and I’ve produced as well. I’d really like to have a parallel life to devote to that exclusively. But I cannot, would not, give up writing books for anything.

I’m always looking for books to add to my ginormous TBR (to be read) pile. What books are you currently reading or have read recently? Any good recommendations?

I’m not good on this because I am always reading exhaustively for my research. At the moment, I am revisiting the Italian Renaissance and reading a lot of court documents, things like that. Not leisurely reading. For fun, I just read a memoir by a new friend, Maria Dahvana Headley, The Year of Yes, and it was hilarious and wonderful! I can also recommend another friend’s book, Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran. Absolutely masterful!

What are some of your favorite things to do when given a break from the writing life and other work-related things?

Play! I love to socialize with my wonderful friends in London or spend time with my daughter in Los Angeles. I’m a voracious culture vulture, so I devour theater, exhibitions, opera, and film. I also love to travel. By the time this is posted, I will be roaming around the Carpathian Mountains (Transylvania!!) and stalking the streets of Bucharest. After that, Greece. In the autumn, India!

Are you currently working on any projects that we may see from you in the future?

Well, I am gong back to Italy for my next book and I am also pondering a sequel to Dracula in Love. Those are the two things competing for attention in my brain these days.

Thank you so much for stopping by Karen! Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

Please visit my website: http://www.karenessex.com/, and while you’re there, check out my new blog, Women, History, Sex & Power: http://www.karenessexblog.com/.

Please join me on Facebook too: https://www.facebook.com/people/Karen-Essex/1060811184

Twitter: www.twitter.com/KarenEssex

I’m also a goodreads girl! http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/51533.Ask_Karen_Essex_

Click here for a chance to win one of five copies of Dracula in Love

(Thanks to Amy from Historical Fiction Book Tours and the publisher)

Giveaway ends August 19th

US Entrants Only

Good Luck!!

Be sure to check back soon for my review of Dracula in Love

Click here to see Karen Essex's book tour schedule!