Book Review -- The Enemies of Versailles

I read the first two books by Sally Christie in the Mistresses of Versailles series and enjoyed them, but my favorite might be this final book The Enemies of Versailles. The books stand alone, but it's intriguing to read them in order to see how King Louis XV evolved from a religious, devoted husband to a man who resisted the efforts of his family to force him back to the church as his guilt ate away at him.

But the books are not told through the viewpoint of the king, instead, for this final book, we see the world of Versailles through one of his daughters, Adelaide, and his last mistress Jeanne du Barry. Perhaps there were never two women more different. Adelaide was born as a princess of France. She avoided marrying so she could stay in the luxury of Versailles, and although she tried to do good works, she always followed etiquette and thought the poor should stay in their place. She never had any sympathy for the plight of those outside the chateau.
Jeanne, however, was born into a poor family and went to school at a convent. Her beauty propelled her into the wealth of Versailles and the arms of the King, but she always had a kind heart, even for those who hated her.

This book is full of rich details that help the readers feel as if they are at Versailles, sharing the gossip and the intrigue, but also the emotions of the historical characters. Good historical fiction is a great way to get a grasp on the times the characters lived through, and this one does that. It has stuck with me through the end when (spoiler alert/not really) the French Revolution sees the next king Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette beheaded.
The actions of the king and all of the people in Versailles feel so real as I finished the book last week and saw the health care plan and the budget put out by  the Congress and President of the United States. It makes me realize that the people in power, again, have no idea what middle class and working people are going through.
This book is a fast read and whimsical escape into the past, at least until the end when the reality of repeating history might jar the reader.
I highly recommend it.
If you live in the U.S. or Canada, you can win a copy of The Enemies of Versailles by leaving a comment on my blog and letting me know you'd like a copy.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Sally

Website | Goodreads

Blog Tours -- Paris Runaway

I'm busy forcing myself to write these last few weeks of July -- write novels that is, instead of blog posts. So I might not be around as much as I should, but you can read some blog posts by me and some Q&As, if you're interested, on FranceBookTours this week.

Just click on the banner to see the entire schedule. So far this week we've had spotlights, which means book bloggers are kind enough to run the banner, along with a bio of me and some information about my novel. And throughout the online blog tour, there are chances to enter a copy of my novel. So if you are hoping to win a copy, visit all the blogs and enter to win. So far, it has been 

A Holland Reads

Just One More Chapter

Fuonlyknew

Thursday will be another spotlight and chance to win at The Silver Dagger Scriptorium.

On Friday, you'll see an interview that really taxed my brain. I didn't notice until after I finished that the blogger said I could feel free to skip questions. Instead, I dug deep to come up with my scariest experience and how my first trips to France connected with early boyfriends. Well, on Friday you should visit Library of Clean Reads to see if you can read the entire interview. Make sure you leave a comment so I don't feel so alone.

The reviews begin this weekend, so I'll be sure to update you. 

Thanks to everyone for your support for Paris Runaway. So far, it's a favorite of many people who have read my other novels. 

If you don't want to wait to see if you won, you can find it available on ebook at Amazon, or in paperback at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

Now, I'd better get back to writing. 

Well, just a hint first, I'm working on a sequel to The Summer of France that's called Autumn in Aix. No secret from World War II this time, but an American with a plan to change the world wanders into Fia's bed and breakfast. Will she help protect more precious art or lose herself in her new French life?

Goodreads Giveaway

If you're on Goodreads, enter for a chance to win a paperback copy of my novel, I See London I See France. I'd love it if you'd friend me on Goodreads too.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

I See London, I See France

by Paulita Kincer

Giveaway ends May 26, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Winner of Amazon Gift Card

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the $50 Amazon gift card.
The winner was Pam, who isn't on Facebook, but who emailed me with her book receipt.

Congrats, Pam.
Hope you buy lots of good books to read.
In a few weeks, I'll have an Amazon giveaway for everyone who has written a 4- or 5-star review about my novel I See London I See France on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Wait, you may say. What about Goodreads? Just copy and paste your review from Goodreads onto Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Thanks to everyone for their support.

$50 Amazon Giveaway -- One Day Only

Buy my novel I See London I See France on Amazon ($4.99) by noon on Saturday and share it on Facebook, tagging me, Paulita Kincer,(Writer) and you’ll be entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. The contest runs from now until noon on Saturday, March 15 (Eastern Standard Time). Enter now!

Contest details: Buy my novel in Kindle or paperback form from Amazon (or Barnes & Noble). After you check out, Amazon offers the opportunity to share your purchase on Facebook or Twitter. Share, tagging my author page, Paulita Kincer(writer). 

If you don’t/can’t post on Facebook, take a screenshot of your receipt and send me an email at paulita at paulitakincer dot com. The odds of winning depend on how many people participate. If you’re the only one who plays, you’re the winner of the Amazon gift card. If two people play, your odds are 50/50. If 100 people play, your odds are 1/100.  I’ll enter all the names in a random name selector and select the winner at random on Saturday, March 15.

In a few weeks, I’ll do another giveaway for everyone who posts a 4- or 5-star review on my novel on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, so if you don’t win this time, you’ll have another chance. 

Giveaway Winner

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway in honor of Paris in July. I had 118 entries and Rafflecopter randomly chose the winner Femto Femto.
The giveaway also helped me climb to 118 followers on my blog and 73 likes on my Facebook author page.

Giveaway Winner for M.J. Rose manuscript page

From the comments left after my review and the interview of M.J. Rose for France Book Tours, I entered everyone on a random name selector app and it chose the winner -- Harvee at Book Dilettante.
Congratulations, Harvee.
You'll get a signed manuscript page from M.J. Rose's Seduction and  you'll be entered in the contest to win the necklace on the cover.
Oooh. I hope you win the necklace.

My Novel Free on Kindle Friday and Saturday

It seems weird to give away a book that I've spent hours writing and revising and now marketing, but that's just what is happening today and tomorrow. My novel, The Summer of France, is free on Kindle.
I have to honestly say that I don't understand how it works, but somehow, giving away my novel increases my chances of being seen by buyers after the giveaway is over.
I did an ebook giveaway in February and the number of sales have doubled in March. So here I am again, offering my book for free. I'd love to get a double double in April (That's basketball talk in honor of March madness.)
If you don't have a Kindle, which I don't, other options abound. You can go to the link and there's a place to click on "Get your kindle here free" and what that means is the Kindle reader is free to download to  your computer. So you might have to download the Kindle reader before downloading my book.
I have a Kindle reader on my iPhone and download books there.
If you haven't read my book, I hope you'll take this free chance to try it and then tell me what you think.
Even if you don't plan to read it, I'd appreciate it if you'd download it anyway just to help my numbers.
Here's the link to The Summer of France -- free Friday and Saturday.
Update: Thanks for your support everyone. How can I convey my excitement as I tell you this?
Squeeeee!!!
In the category of France, I'm #1 in the UK and #2 in the US. In the category of Family Life, my novel is #10.
So exciting to see my book move up the list.
Another update: Okay, now I'm #1 in the UK and the US in the category of France and #6 in the category of Family Life.
Double squeeee. Here's the screenshot to prove it. Click on it if you need the print bigger!