The Fatal Fashione

The Fatal Fashione by Karen Harper is an Elizabeth I mystery. This is book number 8 in this mystery series. I read this book for The Royalty Rules Challenge. I believe that this book is appropriate for an young adult. If my daughter was interested in murder mysteries I would let her read it and she is 11.


One of Queen Elizabeth's starchers is found died in a vat of starch. Queen Elizabeth with the help of her Privy Plot Council hunt for the murder. The evidence points to someone that she trusts. Can she prove that this person is innocent?


When I found this series, I was looking forward to reading it as I love the House of Tudor. I was a little disappointed. I had a hard time believing that Queen Elizabeth I would be running around London trying to solve murders and still have time to run the country and other social obligations. I felt that I was reading a mystery set in modern times not in 1566. I felt that the historical aspect was thrown in as an after thought not part of the setting. But the historical aspect was sparse. The language was very modern and I kept thinking would the Queen say that. I was about 100 pages in when I was able to let all that go and started to enjoy the mystery. I found the mystery part very entertaining. Toward the end I was unable to put the book down until it was finished. The ending was satisfying. If you like murder mysteries then you should like this, if you read this book for any historical value you would do better to read Jean Plaidy or Alison Weir.


I am know going to read my last book for this challenge The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy which is also on my list for the TBR Challenge. Killing two birds with one stone.

Booking Through Thursday

While acknowledging that we can’t judge books by their covers, how much does the design of a book affect your reading enjoyment? Hardcover vs. softcover? Trade paperback vs. mass market paperback? Font? Illustrations? Etc.?

If a cover catches my eye I will pick up the book and read the back blurb to see if it is something I want to continue reading and then I will buy it or check it out at the library. Sometimes I will study the cover of a book to see if it will give me answers to questions that come up as I read the book, esp. murder mysteries.

I will buy soft covers because they are cheaper. There have been times I buy hardcovers because I like the book so much I want to keep the book, like the Harry Potter books, the Little house books, and any books buy Anne McCaffery.

I prefer mass market books again because they are cheaper. But some of my favorite authors are in trade paperback books like Philippa Gregory and Jean Plaidy. So I have no choice if I can't find them in the library I have to buy them.

I don't like font that is too small It does make it difficult read.

Sometimes illustrations will distract from a story and sometimes they enhance a story.

Chance to Win A Book

Kristi from one of my groups mentioned this. So I thought others maybe interested as well.

Julie Leto is posting a chapter a day for seven days on her site Plot Monkey's She is celebrating the release of her book Phantom Pleasures on April 1. Just leave a comment for a chance to win a 20 dollar gift certificate from Amazon or Borders.com. Also if you visit Passion for the Page and make a comment to her post, you will get a chance to win a signed copy of Julie Leto's new book.

Good luck

Innocent Traitor

Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir is about Lady Jane Grey. I read this book for the Royalty Rules Challenge. This is another chapter in the Tudor history. It is told in the first person by the people that are involved in Lady Jane's life as well as Lady Jane herself. Each chapter is someone else's point of view.

The story opens with the birth of Lady Jane Grey and the birth of Prince Edward who will be King. Lady Jane's parents are very disappointed that their first born is a girl. After the birth of Prince Edward, Lady Jane's parents believe that Lady Jane was born to marry Prince Edward and become Queen of England.

Lady Jane is educated and trained in the hopes of marrying Prince Edward thus becoming the Queen of England. Their hope dies when Prince Edward dies. But another plan has been developed to keep England Protestant. John Dudley, Duke of Northumerland, decides that Lady Jane is the best candidate for being the next ruler of England. He believes that he will be able to control her and he will run the country. With the help of Lady Jane's parents, he marries her to his son Guilford Dudley. What more can a power hungry man want. His son will be King.

But imagine his surprise when all of his plans fall apart. Lady Jane stands up to him. He is unable to find Princess Mary. All of his hopes come to naught. Princess Mary becomes the Queen of England. Lady Jane becomes a prisoner and is held in the Tower of London. She was Queen for nine days.

I loved this book. I had heard about Lady Jane Grey when I watched the movie Lady Jane. I always felt sorry for Lady Jane. Her life was never her own. Almost everyone she knew was manipulating her for their own aspirations. This book did not disappoint. It made Lady Jane into a sympathetic character. The best part was when she became queen and started to find her own voice surprising the people who thought they could control her. Reading this book made me wonder what kind of Queen would she have become is she had the chance.

Royalty Rules Challenge is geared towards young adults. I would recommend that Innocent Traitor for ages 16 and up due to sexual content.

This is Alison Weir first historical fiction book. She has written about 10 non fiction books that relate to English royalty esp. the Tudors. I plan to read her non fiction books and I look forward to her next historical fiction book, The Lady Elizabeth; which is about the early life of Queen Elizabeth I. If you like historical fiction read this book.

Happy Easter

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter.

I hope your Easter Basket is full of

chocolate and contains a book.

Two for One 3

Turbulence by Jessica Matthews is another book in the Code Red series. This time a team of emergency personnel leave Courage Bay, CA and got to Turning Point, TX to help the town when a Hurricane is about to hit.

This book focuses on firefighter Dana Ivie and Pilot Micky Flynn. They are sent to rescue a group of boy scouts. The find the boys and try to fly them to the hospital. The winds become to strong so they have to land the plane. Will Dana and Micky "have the courage to risk love?"

I did like reading this book. As this is a series there is a back story, but Jessica Matthews fills the reader in nicely if you had not read the previous book that relates to this book.

Hard Rain by Darlene Scalera is another book in the Code Red series. This time it is

about ER doctor Amy Sherwood who is from Courage Bay, CA and sheriff Jesse Boone who lives in Turning Point, TX.

Amy comes to Turning Point with three other colleagues to help the town out as the hurricane approches. She meets Jesse. He has the same name as her teenage love, who disappeared. Could this man be the father of her son?

This one was not one of my favorites. I felt that the ending was to quick. I felt that there should have been more development in the relationship between father and son, before the son accepted the father.

The End, BTT

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?
(Obviously, there can be more than one answer, here–a book with a cliff-hanger is going to engender different reactions than a serene, stand-alone, but you get the idea!)

It depends on the book. If it is a awesome book, like The Other Boleyn Girl, I like to savor it for an hour or two. If it is a book that is part of a series, like Cup of Clay, I want to read all the books in the series right away. I also put a book down because I did not want to continue because I was shocked like in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince but I had to keep reading because I had to find how the book was going to end. If you read the book you know what I am talking about. If it is an average book, pick up the next book right away to continue the search for that awesome book that stays with you for a little bit.

My Computer and My Cat

My daughters are spending spring break with their grandparents. I thought that I would get a lot of blogging done since I would not have to share the computer with my eldest daughter. I was wrong. My third child, my cat, Baby, made it impossible. Everytime I came to the computer, Baby would jump on the table and lay across the table making it impossible to reach the keyboard. I would have to move the keyboard away so she would not lay on it.

I would get up and walk away; she would follow me. As soon as I sat down in front of the computer, here she would come and lay down so I could not type. She has done this for the past five days. She finally has jumped off the computer and gone her own way. I understand that she may be lonely for the other girls, but she could've cuddled up with my husband as he sleeps. (He works nights, so sleeps in the evenings)

She's back. On the bright side, I have been getting alot of reading done.

Reading Protects The Brain

According to realage.com, reading a book will help protect your brain. Reading not only makes you smart, but it makes you mentally tough. Reading protects your brain from exposure to pollutes and toxins. Reading builds up a "cognitive reserve". The extra reserve helps your brain stay strong when the brain cells are exposed to toxic substances.

(painting by Mary Casset)

So read a book to keep your brain healthy and strong.

The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette

I read The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette by Carolly Erickson for the Royalty Rules Challenge. I decided to expand my horizon and read something else that does not relate to the Tudors, my favorite era of royalty.


This book is told form Marie Antoinette's point of view. I did like the diary format. Erickson wrote about her life form a naive girl to a mature woman on her way to her execution. Even though I knew how the book was going to end I kept hoping her rescue would be at hand. The book implied that Marie Antoinette was a scapegoat for the unhappiness of the French people. Her expensive life style and her being from Austria are some of the reasons for the French Revolution.

I did enjoy this book. Erickson reached her goal by creating a sympathetic Marie Antoinette. I now have to go find biographies of Marie Antoinette to see what was truth and what was fiction. I also have to read about the French Revolution so that I can learn more about it. And yes, the Tudors are still my favorite.

Happy Reading

Booking Through Thursday

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

Who is my favorite male lead character? Acheron from the Dark Hunter/Dream Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I just love him. He is the leader of the Dark Hunters who fight daimons who are vampires. He is mysterious and a immortal. No one is sure who or what he is (we will find out in August when his book will be released). He is very tough but has a very kind heart.

Harry Potter also comes in mind. I like how Harry is vunerable but yet he is strong. He does not realize that he is strong and that he is capable of more then he thinks.

My reasons seem so simplistic, but it boils down to that I like the books and these male lead characters help make the books so enjoyable.

Happy Reading

Two for one 2

Crossfire by B. J. Daniels

I loved this book! I have read 6 books in code red series. So far this is my favorite in the series. I loved that Daniels used a timeline to help tell the story. Also Daniels incorporates flashbacks to explain the relationship between the two main characters.

Anna Carson had just returned to Courage Bay after being gone for 5 years. She is coming back to be a SWAT paramedic. Her ex- fiance Flint Mauro will be her commander. He is not happy. He did not want Anna to be in SWAT. One her first day back a hostage-taking occurs at City Hall. Can Anna and Flint save the hostages and repair their relationship?

Spontaneous Combustion by Bobby Hutchinson

This is another book in the code red series. This is about Shannon O'Shea and John Forrester. Shannon is one of two female fire fighters in Courage Bay. John Forrester is a fire fighter from New York. Shannon gets disoriented in a warehouse fire after rescuing a dog. She is rescued my a mystery stranger in Silver, protective gear for fire fighters. Is John her rescuer?

This was a good read. I do enjoy the code red series. This one did not let me down.

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

My favorite picture of Dr. Suess.
(from http://www.seussville.com/)

Today is Dr. Suess's Birthday. Celebrate by reading a book by Dr. Suess. If you go to http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/marchholidays/l/blmar2nd.htm it will give you more ideas on how to celebrate Dr. Suess's Birthday. You can also go to http://www.seussville.com/ to learn more about Dr. Suess. He had a very interesting life.

My favorite fact about Dr. Suess (Ted Geisel) is that during WW II he worked for Frank Capra’s Signal Corps. During his time with the corp he made movies. He developed a cartoon character Private Snafu to help train the new recruits. He also won two academy awards for films that he developed in the corp: Your Job in Germany and Your Job in Japan few copies are left.


One last FYI Suess is his middle name, not made up and I thought Suess was made up.

What is your favorite Dr. Suess book? When I was young I loved The Cat in the Hat. As a preschool teacher I love Green Eggs and Ham. I basically know it by heart and when I read it to my class I can really act it out. Please comment on what is your favorite.

Happy Birthday Dr. Suess

A New Earth

I just finished A New Earth: Awakening to your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle. This is a very enlightening book.

From back cover blurb:

"In A New Earth, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness and show reader's how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence." I believe that the back cover blurb explains the book better than I could.

This is a book about spirituality. It does not focus on any specific religion, but Tolle incorporates different leaders of religion into his explanations, esp Jesus and Buddha. He also use little stories that usually involves monks to help illustrate his points.

The first part of the book, which is about the ego and the feelings that the ego can create; I understood. I could relate to what Tolle was saying about the ego. But the second part of the book, which talks about the pain body and finding your inner purpose is where he lost me. I am thinking if the ego is you thoughts how can you find your inner purpose. Because if you self dialogue to find your inner purpose; is it your ego talking? I am just confused about this part of the book. Hopefully when I take the Internet class with Tolle and Oprah it will clear somethings up

I chose this book because I am trying to find my happy place again. Somewhere down the ages, I lost my happiness, my life purpose so I am reading books that will help guide me back. I was just tired of being mad. angry, frustrated all the time. I will continue down this path until I find who I am again.

Enjoy the moment.