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Apr 15, 2009

Waiting on Wednesday

Sponsored by "Breaking the Spine"

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
"The Mistresses of Henry VIII" by Kelly Hart; releases June 1, 2009, now available in the UK

The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Mistresses. Seventeen-year-old Henry VIII was 'a youngling, he cares for nothing but girls and hunting'. Over the years this didn't change much. Henry was considered a demi-god by his subjects, so each woman he chose was someone who had managed to stand out in a crowd of stunning ladies. Looking good was not enough (indeed, many of Henry's lovers were considered unattractive); she had to have something extra special to keep the king's interest. And Henry's women were every bit as intriguing as the man himself. In this book, Henry's mistresses are rescued from obscurity. The sixteenth century was a time of profound changes in religion and society across Europe - and some of Henry's lovers were at the forefront of influencing these events. Kelly Hart gives an excellent insight into the love life of our most popular king, and the twelve women who knew the man behind the mask. A thrilling account of love, lust and betrayal, to coincide with the 500th anniversary of Henry's accession to the throne.

Among the ladies featured are Bessie Blount; Mary Boleyn; Lady Anne Stafford; Jane Popincourt, (from Kate Emersons' new novel), poet Mary Shelton; Elizabeth Amadas a ‘witch and prophetess’; Elizabeth Brooke; Étienette; Anne Bassett, Henry’s daughter-in-law; and other women that he kept in secret houses and the wives of two of his close friends...

Footnote: I did want to mention that I received Ted Dekker's "Boneman's Daughters" yesterday. I guess I was on the tail end of the wave of mail out; since many others have had the chance to review it and have posted about it already. I was looking forward to reading it and reviewing it here but since it got here late I am going to do the others that are in priority on my succession list first & sneak this one when I am more caught up. If it got here just a few days before then I would be reading it now. And the book is now available for purchase (for about $17 at Target). But I wanted to say I was thrilled that I had finally had gotten it, I had seen some great reviews on it and I knew it was going to be a goodie. I am the type that stays more in my preferred genre of Historical Fiction/nonfiction but I do enjoy a once-a-month off my beaten path look at something different, and this one looks to be an exciting world of horror and suspense; I haven't done one of those in a very long time. So even though we are not in Pre-Publication status anymore, I am definitely Waiting on Time to be able to delve into this one!