American Rose by Karen Abbott

I received a review copy of this novel from Random House. This in no way affected my opinions.


Gypsy Rose Lee is a lady I knew virtually nothing about. I have never seen Gypsy – the movie or the stage musical. And even if I had, I still wouldn't know anything about her, seeing as how most of it was fabricated.

This book tells about the real Gypsy Rose Lee: originally born Ellen June, but when her sister was born, her mother decided to give the new baby her name, so Gypsy's name became Rose Louise – Louise for short.

Gypsy, was always in the shadow of her talented younger sister June, but finally broke away from the shadows when her sister ran off and eloped. Circumstances then led Gypsy to burlesque where she was discovered by Billy Minsky who made her a star.

American Rose was a fascinating account of a time gone by, the 1930s and 40s, in the era where vaudeville had died and burlesque became more and more popular despite censors and raids. I was amazed how Gypsy seemed to transform once she started burlesque. Her personality came out and she discovered her strengths. She had a gift for capturing an audience and leave them begging for more.

Highly recommend for folks interested in the period, and people who want to know about the real Gypsy Rose Lee.

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2011

Hosted over at Historical Tapestry.

What's what:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

• everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

• add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

• any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

• you can overlap this challenge with others kind of challenges

• During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

Severe Bookaholism: 20 books

Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books

Struggling the Addiction: 10 books

Daring & Curious: 5 books

Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

The challenge will run from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011.

I'm going for it all and picking Severe Bookaholism.

My list:

1. Vienna Waltz by Teresa Grant
2. The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller
3. The Orchid Affair by Lauren Willig
4. I Am the Chosen King by Helen Hollick
5. To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick
6. Legacy by Jeanette Baker
7. A Race to Splendor by Ciji Ware
8. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
9. Where Shadows Dance by C.S. Harris
10. Escape Artist by Ed Ifkovic
11. Finding Emilie by Laurel Corona
12. Charlotte and Emily by Jude Morgan
13. The Dark Enquiry by Deanna Raybourn
14. The Mask of Night by Tracy Grant
15. Queen by Right by Anne Easter Smith
16. Portrait of Seduction by Carrie Lofty
17. The Blind Contessa's New Machine by Carey Wallace
18. Shameless by Anne Stuart
19. Love Child by Sheila Kohler
20. Catriona by Jeanette Baker

Mailbox Monday 12.20.10

Hosted this month by Let Them Read Books.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

England 1044. As dawn breaks over a summer's landscape. Harold Godwinesson is riding east. One of seven sons of the noble Godwine family, he is newly created Earl of East Anglia. But marrying for love sets him against his family and his King.

In France, William, the bastard son of a duke, is hungry for power. A charismatic leader, he cares nothing for the hypocrisy of court, only his next victory. Matched by his determined wife Mathilda, he casts his eyes toward England.

King Edward is alternately influenced and angered by his powerful mother, the Dowager Queen Emma. Manipulated into a marriage of convenience with Harold's sister, he is at the mercy of his nobles - and he lacks an heir...

From Sourcebooks. Release date: March 1st.

A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal's life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father-in-law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces a heartbreaking battle, fearing neither she, nor her marriage, is likely to survive the outcome . . .

From Sourcebooks. Release date: March 1st.

Mercy's Embrace Trilogy, a continuation of Jane Austen's Persuasion.

Time is running out for Elizabeth Elliot. She must find a husband soon, for her father's plan of retrenchment--and his health--are failing. She is left to choose between Sir Henry, a worn out man of fashion whose invalid wife is not quite dead, and wealthy, tiresome Mr. Rushworth.

But when a wondrous invitation arrives, Elizabeth throws caution to the wind. Alone in a moonlight garden, she encounters Admiral Patrick McGillvary, who is as disastrously handsome as he is opinionated.

As Elizabeth will discover, the course of love is anything but smooth.

Won from Laura Hile's blog. She even signed each one for me!

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig

I received a review copy of this novel from Dutton. This in no way affected my opinions.

A delightful holiday mystery and addition to the Pink Carnation series.

I love Turnip, who is the hero of this story and a Pink Carnation favorite, and was very happy to find out he was getting his own book. He's one of the bumbling, loveable sort that you want to see have a happy ending.

The heroine in this story is a Arabella Dempsey, a young lady who after her aunt's interesting marriage, ventures forth to form her own future as a schoolmistress. On the day she goes in to Miss Climpson’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies to inquire about the job, she runs into Mr. Turnip Fitzhugh – literally – and comes across a Christmas pudding with a mysterious message tucked inside.

This Christmas pudding turns both their world's upside down. Before they know it, there is mysterious goings on at Miss Climpson's: folks sneaking around at night, Arabella's room being ransacked, and someone out there who seems to think Arabella has some sort of list that they are devilish eager to get their hands on.

Everything comes to a head at the Dowager Duchess of Dovedale's 12 day Christmas celebration. For those that have read the series, they will notice a familiar setting, as this part of the book takes place during the same time as the fifth Pink Carnation book: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe was an absolutely charming and hilarious book. Turnip is a hoot and a half and Arabella was a great heroine who seemed to be just fine at taking care of herself, thank you very much.

Highly recommended to Pink Carnation fans.

Breathless by Anne Stuart

I received a galley of this novel from NetGalley for review. This in no way affected my opinions.

Breathless is the last installment in The House of Rohan trilogy. And it is definitely my favorite.

The heroes in the first two books were described as 'dangerous,' but they were nothing compared to Lucien de Malheur, otherwise known as The Scorpion. Lucien is as deadly as his name. He's also a dark, scarred, anti-hero hellbent on revenge.

His revenge is targeted at the Rohan family and he develops a plan focused on Miranda Rohan, the daughter of the hero and heroine from Reckless. Miranda is a fallen woman, an outcast, and Lucien sees her as an easy target for him to finally get his revenge on the Rohans.

Enter an old gothic home. This is where Lucien takes Miranda, threatening her to elope or he'll kill one of her brothers. The old, moldy, dark house is similar to its master. Miranda tries to make the best of her situation while trying to think of a scheme to get herself out of there.

As in the previous books, there was a secondary romance: that of Jacob Donnelly, an infamous thief, and Jane Pagett, the daughter of the secondary hero and heroine from Reckless, who is also Miranda's best friend. Donnelly and Jane meet when Jane unexpectedly interrupts him in the midst of stealing some very expensive jewels. Jane, who is engaged to a dead bore, gets caught up in the adventure. The thief and the upper class lady are so different from each other and they both know it.

The House of Rohan trilogy both started and ended on good notes. This is a great series from those who love dark historical romances.

Mailbox Monday 10.18.10

Hosted this month by she reads and reads.

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week (checked out library books don’t count, eBooks & audio books do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England, cannot give up on her husband-even when he goes insane. And as mother to the House of Lancaster's last hope, she cannot give up on her son-even when all England turns against him. This gripping tale of a queen is at its heart a tender tale of love: passionate, for her husband, and motherly, for her only son.

From Sourcebooks. Release date: January 1st.

With her outsize personality, Julia Child is known around the world by her first name alone. But despite that familiarity, how much do we reallyknow of the inner Julia?

Now more than 200 letters exchanged between Julia and Avis DeVoto, her friend and unofficial literary agent memorably introduced in the hit movie Julie & Julia, open the window on Julia’s deepest thoughts and feelings. This riveting correspondence, in print for the first time, chronicles the blossoming of a unique and lifelong friendship between the two women and the turbulent process of Julia’s creation of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, one of the most influential cookbooks ever written.

Frank, bawdy, funny, exuberant, and occasionally agonized, these letters show Julia, first as a new bride in Paris, then becoming increasingly worldly and adventuresome as she follows her diplomat husband in his postings to Nice, Germany, and Norway.

With commentary by the noted food historian Joan Reardon, and covering topics as diverse as the lack of good wine in the United States, McCarthyism, and sexual mores, these astonishing letters show America on the verge of political, social, and gastronomic transformation.

From Netgalley. Release date: December 1st.

And while not a book, I'd like to share what else I got in the mail last week. I was excited to find out that I won the September contest on Deanna Raybourn's website! I won a Tea For Me set and a pack of loose leaf Darjeeling Tea from Kungaloosh! I haven't tried the tea yet, but the Tea For Me set is so cute and nifty. Here are some pics:

Win a copy of The Bells by Richard Harvell from Read It Forward

Read It Forward has giveaways going for three books, one of which is The Bells by Richard Harvell, one of my favorites books of the year. Read my review of this fabulous book, then I suggest you get on over to Read It Forward and enter to win a copy.