I’ve been a bad blogger this week. I’ve found myself watching hours of The Tudors and researching historical novels in that time period. Here is what I have found…

Secrets of the Tudor Court

The Pleasure Palace

This is the first of the series and looks very good, I will let you know. This starts out when Henry VII is still on the throne…

Beautiful. Seductive. Innocent. Jane Popyncourt was brought to the court as a child to be ward of the king and a companion to his daughters — the princesses Margaret and Mary. With no money of her own, Jane could not hope for a powerful marriage, or perhaps even marriage at all. But as she grows into a lovely young woman, she still receives flattering attention from the virile young men flocking to serve the handsome new king, Henry VIII, who has recently married Katharine of Aragon. Then a dashing French prisoner of war, cousin to the king of France, is brought to London, and Jane finds she cannot help giving some of her heart — and more — to a man she can never marry. But the Tudor court is filled with dangers as well as seductions, and there are mysteries surrounding Jane’s birth that have made her deadly enemies. Can she cultivate her beauty and her amorous wiles to guide her along a perilous path and bring her at last to happiness?

Catherine of Aragon by Jean Plaidy… I have heard alot about Jean Plaidy and I am excited to read another book about Katharine of Aragon. I read ‘The Constant Princess’ by Philippa Gregory and really liked how she was portrayed. I still need to write a review for that book, I started ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ but it didn’t keep my interest for some reason. Maybe because I watched the movie first, I’m not sure…

For the first time in paperback—all three of Jean Plaidy’s Katharine of Aragon novels in one volume.

Legendary historical novelist Jean Plaidy begins her tales of Henry VIII’s queens with the story of his first wife, the Spanish princess Katharine of Aragon.

As a teenager, Katharine leaves her beloved Spain, land of olive groves and soaring cathedrals, for the drab, rainy island of England. There she is married to the king’s eldest son, Arthur, a sickly boy who dies six months after the wedding. Katharine is left a widow who was never truly a wife, lonely in a strange land, with a very bleak future. Her only hope of escape is to marry the king’s second son, Prince Henry, now heir to the throne. Tall, athletic, handsome, a lover of poetry and music, Henry is all that Katharine could want in a husband. But their first son dies and, after many more pregnancies, only one child survives, a daughter. Disappointed by his lack of an heir, Henry’s eye wanders, and he becomes enamored of another woman—a country nobleman’s daughter named Anne Boleyn. When Henry begins searching for ways to put aside his loyal first wife, Katharine must fight to remain Queen of England and to keep the husband she once loved so dearly.

The Last Queen by CW Gortner

This one is about Katharine of Aragon’s older sister Juana. I think it will be very interesting to learn more about her…

One of history’s most enigmatic women tells the haunting, passionate story of her tumultuous life. Juana of Castile is just thirteen when she witnesses the fall of Moorish Granada and uniting of the fractured kingdoms of Spain under her warrior parents, Isabel and Fernando. Intelligent and beautiful, proud of her heritage, Juana rebels against her fate when she is chosen as a bride for the Hapsburg heir – until she arrives in Flanders and comes face-to-face with the prince known as Philip the Fair, a man who will bring her the greatest of passions, and the darkest despair. One by one, tragedy decimates Juana’s family in Spain. Suddenly, she finds herself heiress to Castile – a realm on the verge of chaos, prey to avaracious nobles and scheming lords bent on thwarting her rule. Juana vows to win her throne, until the betrayal of those she loves plunges her into a ruthless battle of wills – a struggle of corruption, perfidy, and heart-shattering deceit that could cost her the crown, her freedom, and her very life. From the somber majesty of Renaissance Spain to the glittering courts of Flanders, France and Tudor England, Juana of Castile reveals her life and secrets in this captivating historical novel of romance, grandeur, power and treachery by the acclaimed author of “The Secret Lion.”

The same author has another book out called ‘The Secret Lion’ It starts out while Edward VI is on the thrown. I have way too many books to read! I don’t know where to begin. I did take a break from historical fiction and read ‘Holly’s Inbox’ This is a fun chick lit! I will give a review this week. It was a fun and easy read, I didn’t have to think hard!

Holly Denham has a lot on her plate. It’s her first day as a receptionist at a busy London corporate bank and, frankly, she can’t quite keep up. Take a peek at her email and you’ll see why: what with her crazy friends, dysfunctional family, and gossipy co-workers, Holly’s inbox is a daily source of drama. But it’s the laughter, friendship, and a hint of romance that keep Holly going.

Don’t forget about my giveaway that ends on Wednesday! I have had a huge response, I’m glad that Random.org will be making the decision for me.

Also, I have a new guy on my list (you know the one). I’ve had to bump off Superman (Tom Welling) for Henry Cavill (Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk) on ‘The Tudor’s’ series! Oh my! He can eat crackers in my bed any day!!!

So I will leave you with a little bit of eye candy, but I will be back to review ‘The Constant Princess’ and ‘Holly’s Inbox’.

What are some good historical fictions that you have read? I would love to hear from you!!!