The Maiden's Court

Cover Crush: The Rain Watcher

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Jun 2018 06:00:00 +0000

We can all say that you should never judge a book by its cover, but I guarantee that we all have done so at least once! Cover Crush is designed to feature some of those covers that have caught the eye as a standout on the bookshelf.

I have always loved the covers of the novels of Tatiana de Rosnay but this one is really pretty. I love that it is very evocative of the title. And I would LOVE to have that view from my own window!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (to be updated as they go live).

Cover Crush: The Pearl and the Carnelian

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

While I can’t really read what it says, I LOVE the writing going down the side of the woman’s face! I want to assume it is a letter that was written or received by this woman and was so important to her being that it feels imprinted on her. Right?! And the pop of color on her lips is really the only color here, the rest is the just shades of black/gray and the cream of her skin. Very sharp.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (To update after they go live)

Cover Reveal: The Blue by Nancy Bilyeau

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 May 2018 11:17:00 +0000

Good afternoon everyone!!! I'm so excited to share this cover reveal with you today for the upcoming historical novel, The Blue, by Nancy Bilyeau. Her novels in the Joanna Stafford series were a delight, and I’m sure this one will be the same.

To drag out this cover reveal just a little bit more, I first want to share the blurb to whet your appetite!

What would you do to possess the most coveted color in the world? The year is 1758, and a headstrong woman artist, 24-year-old Genevieve Planche, is caught up in a high-stakes race to discover the ultimate color, one that threatens to become as deadly as it is lucrative. When Genevieve’s mission is complicated by her falling in love with the chemist behind the formula, she discovers the world of blue is filled with ruthless men and women and how high the stakes really are. The story sweeps readers from the worlds of the silk-weaving refugees of London’s Spitalfields and the luxury-obsessed drawing rooms of Grosvenor Square to the porcelain factory of Derby and, finally, magnificent Sevres Porcelain in the shadow of Versailles. And running through it all: the dangerous allure of the color blue.

This sounds like such a cool concept for a book and reminds me in some ways of The Ruins of Lace by Iris Anthony in how a trend for a specific artistic element can drive the world crazy! But I know you are here for the cover reveal, so here it is!!!

**COVER REVEAL**

It’s it GORGEOUS!!!!! I would pick this one up to read more about it because it sure is eye catching (and never mind totally appropriate).

About the Author

Nancy Bilyeau has worked on the staffs of InStyle, DuJour, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Good Housekeeping. She is currently a regular contributor to Town & Country and the editor of the digital magazine The Big Thrill. Her screenplays have placed in several prominent industry competitions. Two scripts reached the semi-finalist round of the Nicholl Fellowships of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

A native of the Midwest, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. THE CROWN, her first novel and an Oprah pick, was published in 2012; the sequel, THE CHALICE, followed in 2013. The third in the trilogy, THE TAPESTRY, was published by Touchstone in 2015. The books have also been published by Orion in the UK and seven other countries.

Nancy lives in New York City with her husband and two children.

Find Nancy Bilyeau: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cover Crush: Longbourn

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

This cover reveals things the longer you look at it. It took me quite awhile to notice the young woman standing at the back/far right with the white apron and basket. By contrast the woman in the foreground stands out vividly against the green of the wall. I wonder if this dichotomy plays out in some way in the story?

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (To update after they go live)

Cover Crush: My Notorious Life

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

I love that this cover is mostly the reflection in the mirror (which took me awhile to realize that I wasn’t looking right at her!). You can see just a little sliver of her shoulder and head in the lower right corner of the cover. The red slashes across the cover where the title and author’s name are hint at scandal (as the title implies) because it is so stark against the rest of the cover. And a hint at a naked woman in a bath certainly brings to mind the title as well. I feel like this matches with the title nicely.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (To update after they go live)

Cover Crush: The Silent Fountain

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

I think this cover is so striking to me because of how crisp the colors are (and of course they are jewel tones!). I also really like how the archway frames out the cover and how the girls dress mirrors the color of the archway. Very pretty cover!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (To update after they go live)

Wish List 5: Presidential Mistresses–Nonfiction & Memoir

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Once a month I am planning on sharing with you all 5 of my biggest wish list books broken up by theme. I know that you all need more on your TBR!!! One thing that you find when reading about the Presidents is that there were quite a few that had mistresses! There is a new fashion for novels being released about these ladies, but I wanted to read some nonfiction about them – and there are a few that are even memoirs!

Past Forgetting: My Love Affair With Dwight D. Eisenhower by Kay Summersby Morgan

Here, at long last, is the true story of the passionate, moving secret love affair between General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, and Kay Summersby, the beautiful English fashion model who became his driver in wartime London, his staff aide, by his side through every crisis and high-level meeting of the war -- and the woman he loved.

Written by Kay Summersby Morgan herself, Past Forgetting is the intimate account of a relationship that began, haltingly, in 1942, when Kay was assigned to drive the then unknown two-star general, and ended in heartbreak when Ike, victor and war hero, returned home to face a disapproving General Marshall, the adoring American public, Mrs. Eisenhower -- and the possibility of becoming President of the United States.

Yet Past Forgetting is never a bitter or malicious book; it is the story of two people deeply in love, sharing together the great experiences of the Second World War. Here are intimate accounts of Ike at play and at work; raging against Field Marshal Montgomery; displaying his famous temper against Patton; occasionally revealing to Kay the lonely responsibility of a commander who must send his men into battle to die, and sharing the tense hours before D-Day in intimacy with Kay. Here too are portraits and memories of the great men whom Kay met at Ike's side -- Churchill, Roosevelt, King George VI and De Gaulle. Kay Summersby Morgan has a perfect gift for intimate detail, an eye for men, places and events, total recall and a marvelous wit.

Above all, this is the true story of two people in love, snatching a few moments of happiness in the midst of the cares of war and command. The Eisenhower who emerges from these pages is a man of charm, wit and passion, deeply affectionate and loving, torn between his loyalties at home and his love for Kay. More than a document, this is a beautiful, powerful love story.

The President's Daughter by Nan Britton

The President's Daughter, America's first major kiss-and-tell political biography, caused a sensation when it was published in 1928. Nan Britton described her six-year affair with the late Warren G. Harding, most famously including trysts in a White House coat closet. President Harding's paternity of Britton's daughter Elizabeth Ann, born in 1919, was proved by DNA testing in 2015.

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath by Mimi Alford

In '62, Mimi Beardsley was a naive teen, a product of her class & time. She'd attended the same exclusive girls' school as Jackie Bouvier, now installed in the White House as the first lady. Which is also where Mimi found herself, as an 18-year-old intern. JFK's White House was a place for which she wasn't remotely prepared, dominated by the charismatic & sexually rapacious figure of the president. Within four days, they'd started a relationship.

There are several extraordinary things about Mimi's story. One is that she'd evaded notice from any of the biographers of JFK & other chroniclers of the heady days & sexual shenanigans of Camelot. Only by chance did a reporter in 2006 follow up a mention of her name in a JFK book, & doorstep her--a married NY grandmother--to find out whether she was the Mimi Beardsely mentioned in a passing reference. This is all the more surprising given the length of the affair--18 months--& the fact that it was ended only by his death.

Mimi Beardsley Alford has decided, after decades of silence & reflection, to tell her story. This is not just a memoir of a young woman of her generation & class coming of age in the 60s, & her relationship with JFK. She also examines the significance it had in her life & relationships since, why she chose to be silent for so long & why she feels this is the time to speak out.

A Very Private Woman: The Life and Unsolved Murder of Presidential Mistress Mary Meyer by Nina Burleigh

In 1964, Mary Pinchot Meyer, the beautiful, rebellious, and intelligent ex-wife of a top CIA official, was killed on a quiet Georgetown towpath near her home. Mary Meyer was a secret mistress of President John F. Kennedy, whom she had known since private school days, and after her death, reports that she had kept a diary set off a tense search by her brother-in-law, newsman Ben Bradlee, and CIA spymaster James Jesus Angleton. But the only suspect in her murder was acquitted, and today her life and death are still a source of intense speculation, as Nina Burleigh reveals in her widely praised book, the first to examine this haunting story.

The Harding Affair: Love and Espionage During the Great War by James David Robenalt

Warren Harding fell in love with his beautiful neighbor, Carrie Phillips, in the summer of 1905, almost a decade before he was elected a United States Senator and fifteen years before he became the 29th President of the United States. When the two lovers started their long-term and torrid affair, neither of them could have foreseen that their relationship would play out against one of the greatest wars in world history--the First World War. Harding would become a Senator with the power to vote for war; Mrs. Phillips and her daughter would become German agents, spying on a U. S. training camp on Long Island in the hopes of gauging for the Germans the pace of mobilization of the U. S. Army for entry into the battlefields in France.

Based on over 800 pages of correspondence discovered in the 1960s but under seal ever since in the Library of Congress, The Harding Affair will tell the unknown stories of Harding as a powerful Senator and his personal and political life, including his complicated romance with Mrs. Phillips. The book will also explore the reasons for the entry of the United States into the European conflict and explain why so many Americans at the time supported Germany, even after the U. S. became involved in the spring of 1917.

James David Robenalt's comprehensive study of the letters is set in a narrative that weaves in a real-life spy story with the story of Harding's not accidental rise to the presidency.

If you are looking to add more books to your list, here are some of the wishlists from a few of my friends this month: (to be updated as they go live)

Magdalena @ A Bookaholic Swede –
Colleen @ A Literary Vacation –
Erin @ Flashlight Commentary –
Holly @ 2 Kids and Tired Books –
Stephanie @ Layered Pages –

Cover Crush: The Romanov Empress

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 May 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The colors of this cover are beautiful: blues, golds, and whites. They are in the woman’s dress, the room decorations, and also way in the background the scenery is in the same tones. Even the color of the title and author’s name are in those tones. Can’t wait to read this one!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: (To update after they go live)

Book Review: Lord of Fortune by Darcy Burke

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 14:00:00 +0000

Lord of Fortune by Darcy Burke
Book 3 in the Legendary Rogues series
e-Book & Paperback; 366 pages
Intrepid Reads
April 24, 2018

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Received from publicist for review tour

Dashing adventurer Penn Bowen is dedicated to preserving Britain’s history and his carefree, bachelor lifestyle. He’s happiest when he’s in pursuit of knowledge and the occasional liaison with the right woman. So he’s more than a little perturbed when the wrong woman inserts herself into his latest quest—proving that a valuable artifact in Oxford’s museum is a fake. Amelia Gardiner is smart and capable...and determined to prove that Penn is wrong about the treasure her grandfather found.
Amelia won’t allow Penn to denigrate her family’s legacy, and she certainly won’t join the ranks of women who throw themselves at his feet. As secretive and dangerous factions infiltrate their hunt, Amelia and Penn must work together to stay one step ahead. But passion ignites between them and suddenly their alliance is more than a simple convenience. When peril strikes too close, they’ll risk everything they hold dear: family, honor, and a chance for the greatest treasure of all—love.

Lord of Fortune is the first book by Darcy Burke that I have read outside of her Untouchables series. I was very interested to see how this series would be different from the other and was also concerned about diving into a new series at book 3. I am happy to say that I enjoyed this book and it was definitely very different from the books I have read from the Untouchables series.

With the Untouchables, I began that series at book 3, so some things come full circle it would seem! In that other series it felt like Burke regurgitated the stories from the first two books in too much depth, which resulted in my limited interest in reading those books because I feel like I know too much about them. I did not find that at all the case in Lord of Fortune. There were just enough references for me to determine who I thought were the hero/heroine of the first two books and just a tiny bit of detail about the vague storyline, but this resulted in me actually WANTING to read the first two books, which should always be the end goal for an author.

There is quite a bit of adventure in this novel, with the romance tied nicely into it, but the adventure is the primary focus for much of it. I liked seeing our hero and heroine enmeshed in something with more than the drama of the ton and they were out there searching for adventure like an Indiana Jones! Climbing through caves, gunshots, bad guys stealing artifacts, and more are all part of the mix. The romance is sizzling too! This felt very much like the Adventurer’s Quartet from Stephanie Laurens. I loved Penn and Amelia and all their subordinate characters. They are at times mysterious and others straight-forward and complex. I loved being able to unwrap them and discover the deeper layers of who they are.

I am glad that I took a jump into this series and look forward to being able to pick up the prior books in this novel and the book that is certainly coming next!

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Also by Darcy Burke:

Lady of Desire (Legendary Rogues Book 1)

Romancing the Earl (Legendary Rogues Book 2)

Cover Crush: These Shallow Graves

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

This is a cool looking cover! I love the whole concept. The color of the flowers against he dull wood and the way they are wrapped around it all makes it sort of spooky or creepy. Never mind the hand at the top – is it digging up the grave or coming out of the grave?!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: A Literary Vacation; A Bookaholic Swede; Flashlight Commentary; Layered Pages; 2 Kids and Tired Books.

Book Review: The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen by Victoria Alexander

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The Lady Travelers Guide to Scoundrels and Other Gentlemen
by Victoria Alexander
Book 1 in The Lady Travelers Society series
ARC, e-Book, 544 pages
HQN Books
May 23, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Requested a review copy via Netgalley

Embark on the breathtaking romantic adventures of The Lady Travelers Society in the brand-new series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander
Really, it's too much to expect any normal man to behave like a staid accountant in order to inherit the fortune he deserves to support the lifestyle of an earl. So when Derek Saunders's favorite elderly aunt and her ill-conceived—and possibly fraudulent—Lady Travelers Society loses one of their members, what's a man to do but step up to the challenge? Now he's escorting the world’s most maddening woman to the world’s most romantic city to find her missing relative.
While India Prendergast only suspects his organization defrauds gullible travelers, she’s certain a man with as scandalous a reputation as Derek Saunders cannot be trusted any farther than the distance around his very broad shoulders. As she struggles not to be distracted by his wicked smile and the allure of Paris, instead of finding a lost lady traveler, India just may lose her head, her luggage and her heart.

I can certainly tell you that I did not see this missing person case transpiring and resolving in the way that it did! Curveball to the extreme, but in a really good and unexpected way that I enjoyed immensely! The missing cousin storyline is heavily featured throughout the entire thread of the novel and is not lost at all in the romance storyline, the two elements play together nicely and in this story I don’t think that one could thrive well without the other.

If I had to pick one thing that brought the rating of this book down a little in my opinion it was the early characterization of India Prendergast. She is quite a pain-in-the-neck and unapproachable, not someone I could see myself being friends with at all. While she does grow on you and her transformation is believable, I found her difficult to really get to like through much of the novel. Derek Saunders on the other hand, who is certainly a rouge, has nothing but admirable qualities, from the perspective of the reader, even if India can’t see that until toward the very end.

While this is certainly a lengthy novel, it didn’t feel that way at all as the story kept moving forward and the missing person’s case picked up steam. This novel is certainly a strong stand-alone, and while I haven’t read the other books in the series I think that will define the series, just based on how it appears framed. I look forward to checking out others in this series.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

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

Also by Victoria Alexander:

The Proper Way to Stop a Wedding in Seven Days or Less (Lady Travelers .5)

The Rise and Fall of Reginald Everheart (Lady Travelers 1.5)

The Lady Travelers Guide to Larceny with a Dashing Stranger (Lady Travelers 2)

The Lady Travelers Guide to Deception with an Unlikely Earl (Lady Travelers 3)

Find Victoria Alexander: Website | Facebook | Twitter

New Book Alert: The Lord of Fortune by Darcy Burke

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 12:30:00 +0000

Lord of Fortune by Darcy Burke
Book 3 in the Legendary Rogues series
e-Book & Paperback; 366 pages
Intrepid Reads
April 24, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

Dashing adventurer Penn Bowen is dedicated to preserving Britain’s history and his carefree, bachelor lifestyle. He’s happiest when he’s in pursuit of knowledge and the occasional liaison with the right woman. So he’s more than a little perturbed when the wrong woman inserts herself into his latest quest—proving that a valuable artifact in Oxford’s museum is a fake. Amelia Gardiner is smart and capable...and determined to prove that Penn is wrong about the treasure her grandfather found.
Amelia won’t allow Penn to denigrate her family’s legacy, and she certainly won’t join the ranks of women who throw themselves at his feet. As secretive and dangerous factions infiltrate their hunt, Amelia and Penn must work together to stay one step ahead. But passion ignites between them and suddenly their alliance is more than a simple convenience. When peril strikes too close, they’ll risk everything they hold dear: family, honor, and a chance for the greatest treasure of all—love.

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About the Author: Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Join her reader club at http://www.darcyburke.com/readerclub. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.

Book Review: As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 15:57:00 +0000

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
ARC, e-Book, 387 pages
Berkley Books
February 6, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received the book via Netgalley request

From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and A Bridge Across the Ocean comes a new novel set in Philadelphia during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which tells the story of a family reborn through loss and love.
In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters--Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa--a chance at a better life.
But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it.
As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world, not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

What an interesting read! There are so many angles to this story, areas that are not frequently explored in fiction, that this story felt fresh and new throughout. There aren’t many novels that deal with the Spanish Flu, even when they are telling the stories of WWI, but Susan Meissner handled the effects of the Flu on Philadelphia masterfully and wove it into several critical story plot twists that have lasting implications for the Bright family. The full effects of the Flu are explored from the symptoms, how it seemed to come about, how many people were dying, and how it really contributed to the rise of the funeral home business. It’s always interesting to me to see how major events affect areas that you wouldn’t even consider, like funeral homes. And speaking of the funeral homes, we get an inside look in how they would have operated and what was needed to be done to preserve bodies.

The only part of the novel that was a bit of a struggle for me was the beginning; it felt very slow and I put it down/picked it up several times. I think part of the issue for me was the multiple narrators and I couldn’t connect with anyone right away. Once the story got rolling and they were in Philadelphia and each was their own distinct person, it was much easier to enjoy and I raced through those pages. I understand the importance of those early scenes, but they didn’t do anything for me in terms of getting me into the story. Each of the Bright women and girls have their own unique set of struggles with the move to Philadelphia and the effect of the Flu and the subsequent directions their lives take and I enjoyed exploring their storylines. The twists and turns of this story I did not see coming and feel that they paid out well for the reader.

I would definitely read more works by this author as I loved the depth that the author was able to bring to both the characters and the events of the time explored.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

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

Also by Susan Meissner:

Secrets of a Charmed Life

A Fall of Marigolds

The Shape of Mercy

A Bridge Across the Ocean

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

The Girl in the Glass

Lady in Waiting

A Sound Among the Trees

Find Susan Meissner: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Cover Crush: Tallgrass

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

This cover gives off such a gritty, western feel to it. Like a wind is blowing in and the dust is blowing around. Even those clouds look dirty. The house appears isolated, especially from this perspective low to the ground. Very different from a lot of what we tend to see.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: Layered Pages; Flashlight Commentary; A Bookaholic Swede; Layered Pages; 2 Kids and Tired.

Wish List 5: Historical Crime–Nonfiction

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Once a month I am planning on sharing with you all 5 of my biggest wish list books broken up by theme. I know that you all need more on your TBR!!! This month’s wish list had a couple different sources of inspiration. Growing up I was a much more devoted reader of modern day mysteries and crime dramas. I haven’t read as much of this genre recently, but love catching them on TV. My husband recently asked me to help him find non-fiction books about Victorian Era serial killers, based off of his reading of Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Finally, I have been inspired by Erin at Flashlight Commentary’s recent delve into high profile murder stories. So this month’s feature is non-fiction on historical crimes – early 20th century or before.

Hell's Princess: The Mystery of Belle Gunness, Butcher of Men by Harold Schechter

In the pantheon of serial killers, Belle Gunness stands alone. She was the rarest of female psychopaths, a woman who engaged in wholesale slaughter, partly out of greed but mostly for the sheer joy of it. Between 1902 and 1908, she lured a succession of unsuspecting victims to her Indiana “murder farm.” Some were hired hands. Others were well-to-do bachelors. All of them vanished without a trace. When their bodies were dug up, they hadn’t merely been poisoned, like victims of other female killers. They’d been butchered.

Hell’s Princess is a riveting account of one of the most sensational killing sprees in the annals of American crime: the shocking series of murders committed by the woman who came to be known as Lady Bluebeard. The only definitive book on this notorious case and the first to reveal previously unknown information about its subject, Harold Schechter’s gripping, suspenseful narrative has all the elements of a classic mystery—and all the gruesome twists of a nightmare.

Bestial: The Savage Trail of a True American Monster by Harold Schechter

FROM SOCIAL OUTCAST TO NECROPHILE AND MURDERER -- HIS APPALLING CRIMES STUNNED AN ERA.

San Francisco, the 1920s. In an age when nightmares were relegated to the fiction of Edgar Allan Poe and distant tales of the Whitechapel murders, a real-life monster terrorized America. His acts of butchery have proved him one of history's fiercest madmen.

As an infant, Earle Leonard Nelson possessed the power to unsettle his elders. As a child he was unnaturally obsessed with the Bible; before he reached puberty, he had an insatiable, aberrant sex drive. By his teens, even Earle's own family had reason to fear him. But no one in the bone-chilling winter of 1926 could have predicted that his degeneracy would erupt in a sixteen-month frenzy of savage rape, barbaric murder, and unimaginable defilement -- deeds that would become the hallmarks of one of the most notorious fiends of the twentieth century, whose blood-lust would not be equaled until the likes of Henry Lee Lucas, John Wayne Gacy, and Jeffrey Dahmer.

Drawing on the "gruesome, awesome, compelling reporting" (Ann Rule) that is his trademark, Harold Schechter takes a dark journey into the mind of an unrepentant sadist -- and brilliantly lays bare the myth of innocence that shrouded a bygone era.

The Thames Torso Murders by M.J. Trow

Dismembered corpses are discovered scattered along the banks of the river Thames, a calculating clinical multiple murderer is on the loose, and the London police have no inkling of the killer s identity and, more than a century later, they still don t. In this, M.J. Trow s latest reinvestigation of a bizarre and brutal serial killing, he delves deep into the appalling facts of the case, into the futile police investigations, and into the dark history of late Victorian London.The incredible criminal career of the Thames torso murderer has gripped readers and historians ever since he committed his crimes in the 1870s and 1880s. The case poses as many questions as the even more notorious killings of Jack the Ripper. How, over a period of fifteen years, did the Thames murderer get away with a succession of monstrous and sensational misdeeds? And what sort of perverted character was he, why did he take such risks, why did he kill again and again?

The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James

Using unprecedented, dramatically compelling sleuthing techniques, legendary statistician and baseball writer Bill James applies his analytical acumen to crack an unsolved century-old mystery surrounding one of the deadliest serial killers in American history.

Between 1898 and 1912, families across the country were bludgeoned in their sleep with the blunt side of an axe. Jewelry and valuables were left in plain sight, bodies were piled together, faces covered with cloth. Some of these cases, like the infamous Villasca, Iowa, murders, received national attention. But few people believed the crimes were related. And fewer still would realize that all of these families lived within walking distance to a train station.

When celebrated baseball statistician and true crime expert Bill James first learned about these horrors, he began to investigate others that might fit the same pattern. Applying the same know-how he brings to his legendary baseball analysis, he empirically determined which crimes were committed by the same person. Then after sifting through thousands of local newspapers, court transcripts, and public records, he and his daughter Rachel made an astonishing discovery: they learned the true identity of this monstrous criminal. In turn, they uncovered one of the deadliest serial killers in America.

Riveting and immersive, with writing as sharp as the cold side of an axe, The Man from the Train paints a vivid, psychologically perceptive portrait of America at the dawn of the twentieth century, when crime was regarded as a local problem, and opportunistic private detectives exploited a dysfunctional judicial system. James shows how these cultural factors enabled such an unspeakable series of crimes to occur, and his groundbreaking approach to true crime will convince skeptics, amaze aficionados, and change the way we view criminal history.

The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime that Scandalized a City and Sparked the Tabloid Wars by Paul Collins

On Long Island, a farmer finds a duck pond turned red with blood. On the Lower East Side, two boys playing at a pier discover a floating human torso wrapped tightly in oilcloth. Blueberry pickers near Harlem stumble upon neatly severed limbs in an overgrown ditch. Clues to a horrifying crime are turning up all over New York, but the police are baffled: There are no witnesses, no motives, no suspects.

The grisly finds that began on the afternoon of June 26, 1897, plunged detectives headlong into the era's most baffling murder mystery. Seized upon by battling media moguls Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, the case became a publicity circus. Reenactments of the murder were staged in Times Square, armed reporters lurked in the streets of Hell's Kitchen in pursuit of suspects, and an unlikely trio — a hard-luck cop, a cub reporter, and an eccentric professor — all raced to solve the crime.

What emerged was a sensational love triangle and an even more sensational trial: an unprecedented capital case hinging on circumstantial evidence around a victim whom the police couldn't identify with certainty, and who the defense claimed wasn't even dead. The Murder of the Century is a rollicking tale — a rich evocation of America during the Gilded Age and a colorful re-creation of the tabloid wars that have dominated media to this day.

Here is another non-fiction historical crime book that I have read and enjoyed:

Devil in the White City
★★★★ ½☆

If you are looking to add more books to your list, here are some of the wishlists from a few of my friends this month: (to be updated as they go live)

Magdalena @ A Bookaholic Swede -
Colleen @ A Literary Vacation –
Erin @ Flashlight Commentary – Author Backlists
Holly @ 2 Kids and Tired Books –
Stephanie @ Layered Pages –

Audiobook Review: A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 10:14:00 +0000

A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt
Book 2 in the Dr. Genevieve Summerford Mystery series
Unabridged, 12 hr. 20 min.
Recorded Books
Carly Robbins (narrator)
August 8, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Source: Received from publisher for review

To stop the trafficking ring plaguing her city, Dr. Genevieve Summerford must dive into New York’s underworld
In early 1900s New York, the formidable crime syndicate known as the Black Hand has been terrorizing the city's Italian community with bombings and kidnappings. When a young Italian girl is found drowned and sexually defiled, Dr. Genevieve Summerford suspects the organization has expanded into forced prostitution, and she won't rest until the trafficking ring is brought to justice.

While A Deadly Affection (book 1) very much had its roots in the medical field that Genevieve was making inroads into, in A Promise of Ruin it plays second string to the kidnapping and trafficking storyline. Genevieve still attends to her clients and uses the knowledge to help some of the other characters cope with things they are dealing with, but it was not the focus here. Genevieve actually struggles with the fact that her psychiatry practice is not taking off and she is spending more time providing actual physical medical assistance, which felt very real. While this was something that I enjoyed in the first book, the characters held my rapt attention here and I didn’t miss it.

And oh the characters! I love the Genevieve and Simon back and forth. Their relationship is full of fun banter and tension between them that keeps the reader on their toes. We also get to know more about the retainers in the Summerford household who worry about Genevieve as one of their own; Katey is quite the spitfire and I loved how she helped resolve the mystery. Even the men and boys who are a part of the world Simon moves in were well fleshed out and entertaining. You gotta love those little boys!

There is much more focus on the police investigation (and Genevieve’s meddling in it), but it felt very well set in the time period and not out of place at all. I’m a huge fan of police procedurals and this worked here, although I hope the books to come to not all feature this. I have done some studying of the Black Hand and the Italian camorra and I enjoyed how these elements were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story here. Additionally, a lot more of this novel is committed to Genevieve helping those from the lower classes, whereas previously we were more set in the upper class – it was very different.

I really enjoyed spending time with Genevieve and friends again and look forward to seeing where the next book take her – especially in terms of her relationship and her medical profession.

★★★★ ½☆

My opinions on the narration are very much in line with my thoughts on book 1, as they are both narrated by the same person, Carly Robins. Robins was able to relay the author’s pacing well in this audiobook presentation. There is an interplay between slow or fast reading based on the need of the scene. I appreciated the appropriate pause length between sentences – just the right amount of time. Robbins imbues her Genevieve with an earnestness, but also demonstrates fear or hesitation when appropriate. It certainly feels like she spent some time getting to know the characters before recording the passages. There is some voice work here to make characters unique, and this is one of the few times I have found myself feeling comfortable with a narration of characters of the opposite sex from the narrator. Additionally, I feel that she handled the variety of accents well as we have American, Irish, and Italian among the characters. An admirable job that never felt jarring or out of place.

You can check out a sample from the audiobook below (links to Audible):

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

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

Also by Cuyler Overholt:

A Deadly Affection (Book 1)
[My Review]

Find Cuyler Overholt: Website | Twitter | Facebook

New Book Alert: The Earl in My Bed by Stacy Reid–Excerpt & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

The Earl in My Bed by Stacy Reid
Book 2 in the Rebellious Desires series
e-Book; 191 pages
Entangled: Scandalous
April 9, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

For years, Daphne Wentworth, Countess Carrington has loved her powerful, enigmatic husband, despite the fact that they married under less than ideal circumstances. But no more. Finally at her breaking point, Daphne intends to create a scandal so big, her austere husband will have no choice but to divorce her. Except everything goes awry when he surprises her with the last thing she expected.
Sylvester Wentworth, Earl of Carrington, has returned to London for one reason—to seduce his wife. After a near-death experience, he is in need of an heir and means to make his marriage a real one. To his shock, though, his wicked, beautiful countess wants the exact opposite, and he must now do everything possible to entice his countess to stay forever.

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About Stacy Reid:

Stacy is an avid reader of novels with a deep passion for writing. She especially loves romance and adores writing about people falling in love. Stacy lives a lot in the worlds she creates and actively speaks to her characters (out loud). She has a warrior way, never give up on her dreams. When Stacy is not writing, she spends a copious amount of time drooling over Rick Grimes from Walking Dead, watching Japanese anime and playing video games with her love.

Find Stacy Reid: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Check out this excerpt from The Earl in My Bed

It was unbearably tempting to press her mouth to his. If she allowed the intimacy of a kiss, wasn’t that the doorway to her undoing? She was already so very aware of him. That echoing emptiness crept from the corners of her heart and darted through her. Daphne knew the press of his lips, the scent of him, the comfort of touch, the thrill of passion would suppress the chasm.

She should be doing everything in her heart to resist whatever this was, for if she allowed him close enough, he would soon be in her bed, and that way led to disaster, she knew it with a certainty that defied logic. Her lips paused a whisper below his, and the fingers on her hips tensed. A rush of fierce anticipation flowed through her veins, yet the dratted man did not press his advantage at her evident willingness. Instead, he waited, an odd sort of tension riding the air.

He kissed her. She made a soft sound and parted her lips. He tasted of mint, spice, and Sylvester himself. His tongue lightly skimmed along her lower lip, and she softened more against him. Then it was over.

Her lids fluttered open, and she stared at him in bemusement.

“Thank you,” he said.

She suddenly knew with a shattering certainty that their marriage as it had existed in that cold, indifferent state was over. What stood on the other side of the invitation, pain or happiness, she did not know, but she was willing for the next several weeks to discover it.

Giveaway!

In celebration of the release of The Earl in My Bed and its tour, I can offer entries to a giveaway for a $15 Amazon gift card! This is a tour wide giveaway and entries can be made at any hosting site. All entries will be made via the Rafflecopter app below. Any questions should be directed to the tour coordinator, Author’s Pal. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour!

Cover Crush: 1929

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

I love the clothing from this time period – men were so dapper in their suits and the ladies so daring. As this novel is set surrounding the events of Black Friday, I think the grey overtones are perfect to set the mood. And the NY skyline just puts us right into the setting. I think this was a great choice all around.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: A Literary Vacation; A Bookaholic Swede; Flashlight Commentary; Layered Pages; 2 Kids and Tired Books.

Book Review: The Duke of Ruin by Darcy Burke

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 12:30:00 +0000

The Duke of Ruin by Darcy Burke
Book 8 in The Untouchables series
ARC, e-Book; 304 pages
Darcy Burke Publishing
March 27th, 2018
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Received from publicist for review

With her betrothal to a duke in tatters and scandal imminent, Diana Kingman has two choices: live in certain ignominy or flee into obscurity. Diana wants solitude. She never wished to wed in the first place. However, her father will stop at nothing to betroth her to one of the finest titles in the realm...no matter how loathsome the bearer. Escape is Diana’s only option, and she’ll pay any price to achieve freedom.
Universally blamed for the death of his wife and unborn child, Simon Hastings doesn’t dispute his guilt over an accident he cannot even remember. He hasn’t had a drink since, nor a moment’s peace. Determined to be a better man, Simon rescues a young woman in need—only to be accused of kidnapping. They must marry to save him from prison. But how can a man haunted by the love he lost and a woman afraid to get too close find happiness together?

I have now read 5 of the 8 books in this series and I can comfortably say that this is among the strongest in the bunch. In a series of this length (with more on the horizon) it can be easy to fall into the belief that all of the books need to fit nicely together in some ways, and I felt like some of the earlier books in the series relied on this convention FAR too heavy handedly. ALL the ladies from prior books popped in and out and we had a conversational recap of pretty much everything that came before, which I felt entirely unnecessary. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think that The Duke of Ruin absolutely should be read after The Duke of Ice as it essentially picks up there the predecessor left off, but these two books are connected to the series MUCH more loosely and without all the added baggage of the prior novels. There is a sense of freedom when reading this book, especially if you have read others in the series. I didn’t sense like I knew what was going to happen at any given time. The majority of the characters are fresh and new and I was happy to continue turning the pages on this one.

As I stated, while this is technically a standalone novel within the series, I highly recommend reading The Duke of Ice first. While you are given the necessary details to start of this book and set the scene, that would be the one part of the book that I would describe as slightly clumsy. I have often struggled with how the books in the series interconnect or how much is told to the reader, and while it was still not quite on the mark here, it was must more successfully executed than in earlier novels. Simon and Diana were secondary characters if The Duke of Ice, however with significant roles, and I was happy to see them back in this novel as I enjoyed them both immensely in the prior book, even in their separate spheres. The characters motives will make much more sense to you if you read these books in order as you will have a complete sense of what led them to the point they are at upon the opening of the book.

In a sense I feel like this book is almost like a “bottle episode” of a sitcom – where the majority of it takes place between very few characters (Simon and Diana in this case) and within tight settings (mostly in a coach or at coaching inns). This setup, much like its television counterpart, really sets you up for a character driven narrative that can just build and build. Simon and Diana do not know much about each other as the novel opens, but that changes as their journey both literally and figuratively progresses.

One interesting aspect of the romance factor here was the “lesson” style, at least in the first instance, but it was one that I felt was done right. As with many historical romances, it is usually the first time for the heroine, but the hero has been well experienced in his past; that is no different here. When was most successful here is the authors use of “show vs. tell”, both for the reader as well as the characters. Nothing has been more awkward than to read a first encounter scene where it reads like a textbook and you walk away feeling grossly voyeuristic. That was NOT the case here and while it was a little surprising how it arose between the two characters, it was well handled in my opinion.

I look forward to reading more in this series and hope that they continue to follow in the style of The Duke of Ruin.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

Buy the Book: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

Also by Darcy Burke:

The Forbidden Duke (Book 1)

The Duke of Daring (Book 2)

The Duke of Deception (Book 3)
[My Review]

The Duke of Desire (Book 4)
[My Review]

The Duke of Defiance (Book 5)
[My Review]

The Duke of Danger (Book 6)

The Duke of Ice (Book 7)
[My Review]

Find Darcy Burke: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Crush: The Little Shop of Found Things

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Apr 2018 06:00:00 +0000

Wow this one is a beauty! I love the rich blue jewel tones and the swirls give off the magic that the blurb suggests. I always am drawn to doorways or windows that have overgrown flowers above them (I have a painting like this in my house). So beautiful!

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: A Literary Vacation; A Bookaholic Swede; Flashlight Commentary; Layered Pages; 2 Kids and Tired Books.

Book Review: Radium Girls by Kate Moore

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 17:04:00 +0000

Radium Girls by Kate Moore
ARC, e-Book, 496 pages
Sourcebooks
April 18, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Received via Netgalley for review

The incredible true story of the women who fought America's Undark danger
The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.
Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive — until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.
But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.
Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives...

As soon as I saw Radium Girls up on the Netgalley platform I knew I NEEDED to read it. While I had never done extensive reading on these girls I had heard of them in passing while reading various other non-fiction works, especially when taking a class on social reform and women’s rights. However, after having received the book, life happened and like so many other things, it quite literally was shelved for awhile. But I still knew I WANTED to read this. So when a weekend arrived where I wasn’t feeling great and was going to be spending my time on the couch, it was time, finally, to pick up the book! And I absolutely devoured the pages in the course of the weekend!

What immediately caught my attention in this book was the girls themselves. The author doesn’t focus on just one of two key players, but quite the handful of women who endured a lot at the expense of radium. These women were fleshed out and their reasons for working at the various radium dial painting factories and the effects of the radium on their lives and bodies were detailed in full. Each woman had different reasons and different ailments and this book gave the full picture. Not something you want to be reading while eating, it can be gross at times as the author pulls no punches, but it was very appreciated because I could truly identify with these women and the pain they endured even while fighting their battle legally.

Even the companies themselves, the author dug under the covers and we are treated to what they knew and the lengths they went to in order to hide what they knew about the effects of the radium. What shocked me was how these women underwent exams by the company doctors, but were not given access to the results and the company men already knew they were suffering from radium’s effects early on.

I also appreciated the legal process that the author took us through as the women struggled to find anyone that would be willing to go up against the industry or assist them with their case. These were women who suffered some horrible workplace injustices, but at the time the jobs they were doing were considered to be top of the heap and THE jobs to be had, which made for considerable backlash. This reminded me to some extent of some of the garment workers in NYC, how those jobs were better than many others that women could have and there was high competition for the jobs, and the only way that their workplace situations were improved was unfortunately through a major fire that killed many women (at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory).

Oh and let me not forget to mention, that although this is a non-fiction book, it certainly doesn’t read like one. While the material might be heavy in concept, the writing style is fluid and reads more like a novel, seamlessly moving from one thing to the next. An excellent book that I would highly recommend.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

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

Also by Kate Moore:

Felix the Railway Cat

Find Kate Moore: Website | Twitter

New Book Alert: The Pursuit of Mrs. Pennyworth by Callie Hutton & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 13:30:00 +0000

The Pursuit of Mrs. Pennyworth by Callie Hutton
e-Book & Paperback; 352 pages
Entangled Publishing
March 26, 2018
Genre: Historical Romantic Suspense

Book Blurb:

From USA Today Bestselling Author Callie Hutton is a new captivating and suspenseful historical romance...
Recently widowed, Charlotte Pennyworth is relishing her independence and it rankles to have to rely on a man to help her with an increasingly sinister stalker. Former Yardman, Elliot Baker, is reluctant to take on Charlotte’s case but despite himself and his history with another woman, he is drawn to the bright, attractive widow.
Sparks smolder between the PI and his client but neither is looking to form an attachment. Elliot thinks Charlotte is hiding something. Charlotte has no desire to marry again, especially to a private investigator, no matter how handsome, brave and kind he is. The risk to his life and her heart is too great. But more dangerous than a menacing stalker is secrets and when Charlotte’s come to light, even the passion between them might not douse the flames of Elliot’s distrust.

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

About Callie Hutton:

Callie Hutton, the USA Today bestselling author of The Elusive Wife writes both Regency and western historical romance, with “historic elements and sensory details” (The Romance Reviews). Callie lives in Oklahoma with several rescue dogs and her top cheerleader husband of many years. Her family also includes her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law. And twin grandsons “The Twinadoes.”

Callie loves to hear from readers.

Find Callie Hutton: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway!

In celebration of the release of The Pursuit of Mrs. Pennyworth and its tour, I can offer entries to a giveaway for a $15 Amazon gift card! This is a tour wide giveaway and entries can be made at any hosting site. All entries will be made via the Rafflecopter app below. Any questions should be directed to the tour coordinator, Author’s Pal. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour on the Author’s Pal webpage

Cover Crush: What is Left the Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 06:00:00 +0000

While I don’t understand the title of this one, and that could turn me off from it in and of itself, the cover is engaging. It still feels disconnected from the title, but it would draw me over to take a further look at it. It’s creepy. The boat looks abandoned and not in the best shape – it reminds me of the Cover Crush I did a few weeks ago for The House on Foster Hill – same sort of vibe.

What are your thoughts on this cover?

I wonder what my friends are crushing on this week? Let’s check it out: A Literary Vacation; A Bookaholic Swede; Flashlight Commentary; Layered Pages; 2 Kids and Tired Books.

New Book Alert: The Duke of Ruin by Darcy Burke

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 12:15:00 +0000

The Duke of Ruin by Darcy Burke
Book 8 in The Untouchables series (stand alone)
Publishing Date: March 27th, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

With her betrothal to a duke in tatters and scandal imminent, Diana Kingman has two choices: live in certain ignominy or flee into obscurity. Diana wants solitude. She never wished to wed in the first place. However, her father will stop at nothing to betroth her to one of the finest titles in the realm...no matter how loathsome the bearer. Escape is Diana’s only option, and she’ll pay any price to achieve freedom.
Universally blamed for the death of his wife and unborn child, Simon Hastings doesn’t dispute his guilt over an accident he cannot even remember. He hasn’t had a drink since, nor a moment’s peace. Determined to be a better man, Simon rescues a young woman in need—only to be accused of kidnapping. They must marry to save him from prison. But how can a man haunted by the love he lost and a woman afraid to get too close find happiness together?

Buy the Book: Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

New Book Alert: The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 13:18:00 +0000

The Confessions of Young Nero by Margaret George
Book 1 in the Nero series
Paperback; 544 pages
Berkley Publishing
March 20, 2018 (Paperback)
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Blurb:

Built on the backs of those who fell before it, Julius Caesar's imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman or child.
As a boy, Nero's royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son's inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero is dealt a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead.
While Nero idealizes the artistic and athletic principles of Greece, his very survival rests on his ability to navigate the sea of vipers that is Rome. The most lethal of all is his own mother, a cold-blooded woman whose singular goal is to control the empire. With cunning and poison, the obstacles fall one by one. But as Agrippina's machinations earn her son a title he is both tempted and terrified to assume, Nero's determination to escape her thrall will shape him into the man he was fated to become, an Emperor who became legendary.
With impeccable research and captivating prose, The Confessions of Young Nero is the story of a boy's ruthless ascension to the throne. Detailing his journey from innocent youth to infamous ruler, it is an epic tale of the lengths to which man will go in the ultimate quest for power and survival.
The author will continue Nero’s story in a second book this fall, THE SPLENDOR BEFORE THE DARK, which picks up during the ill-fated, final four years of his young life, as he faces his biggest test and challenge: the Great Fire of Rome.

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

About Margaret George:

Margaret George is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels of biographical historical fiction, including Elizabeth I, Helen of Troy, Mary, Called Magdalene, The Memoirs of Cleopatra, The Autobiography of Henry VIII, and Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles. She also has written a children’s book, Lucille Lost.

Find Margaret George: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Giveaway!!

In celebration of the paperback release of The Confessions of Young Nero, I have one copy in which to giveaway! This is only open to the USA as it is being sent out by the publisher. All entries will be made via the Rafflecopter app below. The giveaway is open until March 30th 2018. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway