Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I'm a history whore and rather obsessed with the Tudors and all things revolving around them. So, this was my cup of tea, floated my S.S. Georgie, and all that jazz. It took me down a pleasing and worthwhile rabbit-hole of further investigation and learning and the like (I ended up adoring Anna of Cleves). This was my first Weir novel and I enjoyed both it and her style enough to read more of her work. The pace was adequate, the language was engaging, the romance/sex scenes tasteful, and the characters intriguing, irritating, heartbreaking, so on and so forth. If you're a historical fiction buff, I recommend this.

I have read many books on the Tudor era of Britain's history, both historical fiction and non-fiction. Kathryn Howard is often the most overlooked, with many authors focusing on Katherine of Aragon and the infamous Anne Boleyn. Weir's novel takes a somewhat sympathetic approach to the short-lived, young queen who was the fifth wife of Henry VIII. Katheryn is a young and very naive queen who was constantly taken advantage of due to her great beauty by not only men, but her own family, as was custom and seen a lot during this time as families used their daughters to gain advantageous court positions and the kings favor. I pitied Kathryn in the end, and it wasn't until she was at her death that she finally grew up and left her youth behind.
The writing was juvenile at times and sometimes unbearable in her depictions of the love, lust, and passions felt by Katheryn and her suitors. The novel seemed to move quickly through her years before Henry VIII, focusing more on her short-lived marriage (like many other author's takes). Therefore, I didn't feel like there was anything new added in this most recent take on the life of the next to last wife. I don't regret reading this because she's constantly overlooked and ignored, but I was left wanting something more, some new insight or take on her short lived life.

As you know, I'm a great fan of Alison's and am always eager to read her next book. I cherish a little hope that she'll bounce back to the Plantagenet era after she's done with...EGADS! Mistress Parr's book doesn't have a title yet! Well, anyway, I'd like to read her historical fiction take on Elizabeth Woodville, so I hope she'll consider it.

Catherine Howard (I will not call her Kitty...that's a weird nickname) is the last of what I call the "Shadow Queens"—not much is known about her, Jane Seymour and Anna la Marck because all the focus seems to be on Catalina Trastámara, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Parr. In fact, until this book, I didn't know anything about Catherine before her marriage, other than the fact that she was a wild child at Lambeth and she was pushed into Henry's path. To see her fleshed out more deeply and to learn about her family was fascinating, even if it was hard to keep track of all the character names because the Howards have as many members as...well, maybe the Kennedys are the appropriate American equivalent, at least in terms of size!

My only surprise was of one little line, which I'm not going to spoiler because I don't think it ruins the rest of the story: according to Alison, "I may die a queen, but I'd rather die the wife of Culpepper" is the Renaissance equivalent of "let them eat cake".

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I understand the skepticism, since she states the quote's source doesn't have many dates and seems to mess things up.

But she also said that the author of...I think she called it "The Spanish Chronicles" or some such...appeared to work closely with Ambassador Chapuys. Which means that the odds are good that he knew a lot, either firsthand or via Chapuys. Which also makes it hard to completely discount the book.

I find it hard to believe that with Catherine's mercurial moods and changing loves that she didn't harbor the hope of marrying Thomas Culpepper if she could outlive Henry. Do I think she said her famous line on the block? Probably not. Do I think she might have said something like it during one of her breakdowns; perhaps leaving out the queen bit, since she already knew her title had been stripped? Absolutely. People say crazy things when they're freaked out.

Overall, ⭐⭐⭐½—and an itch to know the title of the next book, naturally!

We’re five books into a six book series. And, despite the title of this one, I honestly didn’t think it could get more scandalous than Anne Boleyn. But that’s only because I didn’t know all that much about Katheryn Howard. If you like historical drama, you’ve come to the right place.

The thing I love most about this series is that Alison Weir truly makes each queen the protagonist of her own story. You read about Katherine of Aragon and hate Anne Boleyn, but then read Anne’s story and completely understand where she’s coming from. With Katheryn’s story, this was especially evident. Because she definitely did some pretty scandalous things for her time, but, reading this, I kept thinking “I get it”. Because what sixteen-year-old hasn’t done some pretty stupid things? And tell me your eyes (and hands) wouldn’t wander if you were married to a fifty-year-old Henry VIII when you were a teenager and stuck in a palace with all the handsome knights. The only problem? When you’re married to a king who is still upset about his four previous wives, that might be considered treason. You think Katheryn would have learned her lesson from family history. Yup, that’s right, Anne Boleyn and Katheryn Howard – the two wives Henry had beheaded – were first cousins. History is funny like that sometimes.

Honestly, part of the reason I love reading these books is the drama. The Tudor court was… a lot. And it’s fun to read. But with this one, I also really felt for Katheryn. She was stuck between her family’s ambition and being able to follow her heart. Sure, she had her own ambitions when it came to becoming queen (who wouldn’t?) but that was completely irrelevant in a world entirely controlled by men. If this series has made one thing clear to me, most of these women were caught in a world controlled by men and things didn’t end well when they tried to live their own lives, or another pretty girl walked past the king. And I think Alison Weir does a brilliant job of illustrating that, of making these women seem human in a way modern readers can relate to. And I really enjoy reading it.

Ah! My Tudor era obsessed heart immediately clicked request as soon as I saw this become available on Netgalley!

I have been fascinated by the Tudor era since middle school, and have in fact been a fan of Alison Weir’s work for just as long, as it was one of her non-fiction books on the Tudor era that helped start my obsession with all things Tudor related back in the day, so naturally, I have been eagerly devouring each and every one of the books in her ‘Six Queens’ series as each installment has come out. No matter how often I delve into the world of the Tudors, I never grow tired of reading about that period in time, especially Henry VIII and his reign in particular. I especially have a fascination with Anne Boleyn, but i’ve also always found myself wanting to know more about Katheryn Howard.

Katheryn Howard was a cousin to Anne Boleyn, and eerily, both women shared similar sad and tragic fates, that ended with their executions at the command of Henry VIII. Katheryn’s circumstances and tragic fate was perhaps even sadder than Anne’s though, for the simple fact that she was so very young when she was used as a pawn by her family in their scheme to get her closer to the king and the throne.

Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to reading Alison Weir’s take on Katheryn Howard’s story, perhaps more so than any of the other queens. I very much enjoyed Philippa Gregory’s perspective on Katheryn in her novel “The Boleyn Inheritance” which is also one of my favorite Tudor fiction books, so I was curious to see how Weir’s take would be in comparison.

I found that I really enjoyed this novel, and so far, its probably my favorite of the ‘Six Queens’ novels yet.

Weir’s writing was spectacular as always, and as I delved into the story, I felt my surroundings melting away and I was transported into the pages and the world of Tudor England.

Alison Weir is gifted in the way of breathing Tudor England to life, and making you feel as if you have traveled back in time and are right there amongst these hundreds of years past historical characters that we history lovers all wonder about and marvel over.

The way in which she penned this story was compelling, so even though it was long, there was never a dull moment, as I was completely drawn into the story of Katheryn’s life, as well as immersed in the politics and political intrigue of the time.

The book starts early in Katheryn’s childhood, and follows her through her romantic relationships with a series of men, before she becomes the Queen of England, a couple of whom will come back to haunt her after she’s married to the king and caught up in a dangerous scandal.

The action of the story really picks up when Katheryn and King Henry are married, and she finds herself entangled in an affair with a former lover, Thomas Culpepper. To anyone who is familiar with Katheryn’s story and scandalous affair with the infamous Thomas Culpepper, it comes as no surprise that the discovery of this affair is what ultimately leads to her downfall and demise.

At times while reading, its almost difficult to remember just how young Katheryn was, and I almost found myself wanting to scold her through the pages for being so naive and foolish enough to think she could get away with having a lover on the side while married to the King of England. And not just any king for that matter-the king who already had a well known reputation for not only being cruel, but discarding wives with a simple command, whether it be through divorce or death.

The fact that she was so young made the story of her brief life that much more difficult to read, and my heart broke for this young girl who was forced into circumstances in which she had absolutely no control or say in the matter whatsoever.

Despite the fact that this was a fictionalized account of Katheryn’s life, this book gave me a deeper understanding of Katheryn Howard, and no matter what the truth is, my heart bleeds for this young girl from so long ago who never stood a chance in determining her own fate.

Alison Weir once again painted a detailed, compelling portrait of life in the Tudor world and what it may have been like to be one of the ill fated queens of Henry VIII.

Alison Weir has a gift for bringing history to life and making history fascinating to read about.

I will continue to read her novels, and I am more than excited for the next and final installment in her ‘Six Queens’ series!

Highly recommend for fellow Tudor fanatics!

I'm a history buff and this book grabbed hold from the first couple of pages and held on til the end. Katheryn is depicted with accuracy and warmth by the author and the reader is given a detailed glimpse into to her brief life. I greatly enjoyed this one and came away from it with a deeper understanding of a young and naive woman, who lived her entire life in situations beyond her control, a helpless pawn, pushed into a marriage with a husband who would order her execution.

Alison Weir has a gift and her readers are fortunate, indeed, that she shares that gift. I've read a number of her books and will continue to as long as she publishes.

Many thanks to Alison Weir, Random House - Ballantine, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

Weir is working through the wives of Henry VIII, to tell their story. A noted author in the field, Weir has delivered yet again. Told through Katherynks eyes, we see her early years, rise to status, and eventual downfall. A very good read, well written and researched.

This is terrible! I cannot go on with it DNF 30%. I love historical fiction, it can be so much fun, but this is awful. How many titles and names can one fit in a paragraph? I cannot even keep up.

Then the sex, ok I know everyone has it no matter what time period the live in, but the characters in this book are tremendously worldly and very free. There is no discretion at all and it seems like the only thing anyone talks about. Katherine bounces from one bed to another and professes her love continuously. Virtue isn’t even a thought and back then a “lady” isn’t so free.

The whole story that I read reads like a tawdry romance with a heroine that is just too stupid to live. It really is a disservice to Katherine on so many levels. She doesn’t seem to have a brain in her head. The story is worded too modern and one forgets what time period it is. I am so disappointed in this book.

I received a copy from the publisher for an honest review.

Katheryn Howard, the Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir is a novel about the fifth wife of King Henry VIII. I don’t ever remember reading or hearing much about her whenever I read about the Tutors, so I was curious. I have enjoyed Alison Weir’s novels in the past, so I decided to dig in. What I found both surprised me and reinforced the mercurial level of the king.

Katheryn was born poor with a father who gambled constantly. Her mother was the key figure in her life who kept her children fed and clothed. When she died Kathryn was passed on to other relatives and then to others. In each place she was looking to be loved and adored. Much was made of her beauty and her vivacity. She ended up in a household with the Dowager Duchess.

She caught the eye of the King while he was married to Anne of Cleves. Her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk encouraged the King’s interest and counseled Katheryn on her behavior and demeanor. What was not known was that Katheryn did have an amorous past with other lovers, which continued to haunt her, even while married to the King. Katheryn was young and foolish with her actions which led to her demise.

I have always found that the history books are rather critical and unforgiving of Katheryn’s character. Alison Weir’s portrayal of Katheryn has reminded me that history is almost always written by the winners. I found Katheryn to be more complex and while she was indeed capricious and flighty, she was also a teenager who thought more about herself than others.

I did enjoy the book, although it seemed long, but thorough. I found the characters well drawn and felt immersed in the politics and political intrigue at the time. Katheryn Howard, the Scandalous Queen by Alison Weir was a thoughtful read about a time in history of political upheaval and intrigue with a mercurial man as king.

Alison Weir is one of my favorite authors and I have read all of her books including the other four books in this series on the six wives of Henry VIII. So many books have been written about these women fact and fiction and yet I am still not tired of reading about them. This latest offering by Ms. Weir is historical fiction about Kathryn Howard, Henry's fifth, and I think the saddest wife.
The book begins when Kathryn is seven years old and her mother has just died in childbirth. Her father, Edmund Howard, a spendthrift has spent his wife's fortune and now must farm his many children out to relatives as he cannot support them. Katherine is first sent to her maternal aunt and then after two years, she is sent to the Great house of Lambeth, the home of her step-grandmother, the dowager Duchess of Norfolk. At Lambeth, Kathryn is to be educated to be a lady and wait for her family to arrange a marriage for her. At Lambeth, many young girls are sent to be educated as was the custom but oversight and discipline are lax and the girls get the wrong kind of education. Kathryn was pretty, young, foolish, but also kind-hearted and generous.
Kathryn's family is politically powerful and they see an opportunity to use her to seize power with disastrous results for Kathryn as they hide her past indiscretions from Henry. I liked this book the best so far about Henry's wives with the book about Katherine of Aragon as my second favorite. I was fortunate to receive this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

This is one of the series the author is writing about the six wives of Henry VIII and is a work of fiction. It is the first in the series that I have read. It was not at all what I was expecting. This is poorly written soft porn at best. The author's writing style did not resonate with me and I found the book very boring, but I plodded through it as I made a commitment to Net Galley and the publisher. I am sure that fans of the Fifty Shades series (which I did not read) will find enjoy this book as it is on the same level.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook  page.

Well written. Not a lighthearted book if you are looking for something light to read. The book is about Catherine Howard, one of Henry VIII's wives, who died when she was beheaded. I am puzzled by the different spelling of her name as Katheryn instead of Catherine /Katherine. Perhaps the original documents spelled her name as Katheryn ?

The book covered her life before she met and married the King of England. I wonder if she was born in the 21st century, would she have been diagnosed with dylxesia or Attention Deficit Syndrome?

It was really tough being a woman in these days. No wonder Queen Elizabeth I never married!s

Highly recommended for people interested in reading about the Tudor Queens.

A wonderfully written book by Alison Weir. Her best yet! Don't miss this one. But be sure you read them in order!

Another wonderful read by Alison Weir! Well done!
I don't really know much about this queen, I felt like I knew her by the time I was done reading this novel.
I thought Weir did an excellent job in bringing her to life once again. Poor girl. At times I felt so sorry for her and others I just wanted to choke her. Really, no one deserves what she got in the end.
Everyone has a past. It defines us who we are. Kathryn was no different.
Just like her cousin she was used as a pawn for political reasons which was wrong on so many levels.
Throughout most of the book, the way Weir has written I felt like I was in the story. I loved imanging the sights and sounds of Henry's court.
For fans of historical fiction and particularly the Tudor dynasty this is a must read!
I highly recommend this book and I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own

For lovers of Philippe Gregory, check our Alison Weir and this phenomenal read about pretty Kitty Howard. Masterfully written, it takes you to the time of King Henry VIII and his fifth wife. Descriptive and emotionally charged, you are left in awe of the life, secrets and undoing a of Queen Katherine Howard.

Thank you NetGalley, Alison Weir and Ballantine Books for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I've been eager to try Alison Weir's historical fiction because she has such a stellar reputation for her knowledge of the Tudors. Over the years, I've breezed through Jean Plaidy's and Phillipa Gregory's versions of the Tudor family, and I was anxious to read Weir's take on Henry VIII's many wives.

Katheryn Howard's story is just as compelling as Anne Boleyn's, and in some ways it's even more tragic. Howard wasn't particularly ambitious, especially when compared to Boleyn, and I can't help but feel sorry for her even though I wanted to scold her for being so dumb as to think she could have a lover on the side, when she was married to a king with a reputation for discarding his wives, either through divorce or death, whenever the mood suited him.

The book starts early in Katheryn's childhood and follows her through her romantic relationships with a series of men, a couple of whom will come back to haunt her after she's married to the king. The action picks up once Katheryn and Henry are married and she becomes entangled with former lover, Tom Culpepper. Anyone who's familiar with Howard's story will know what's coming, and in some ways that made the story even more suspenseful. You know it's going to end badly. And every time Katheryn makes a stupid move, you want to yell at her to be more careful.

At times, the story reads like a wanton bodice-ripper, which is the reason I'm deducting one star. Some of the love scenes are a bit much, even if they fit with Katheryn's character. But I'm still eager to read Weir's other books about Henry VIII"s sixth wives.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have always loved Alison Weir books and this one is no exception. I have always found the Tudor family very interesting. I love how the story came from Kathryn Howard's point of view. I thought the book was amazing and I cant wait to read more book from Alison Weir.

I knew how it would end but still enjoyed the read. Classic Weir at her best showing different layers of the main character. Engaged entire time reading this.

This is a hard one, I was really excited for it when I got approved for it on net galley but it was a struggle to get through. I understand why it was written the way it was but because of the way it was written I couldn’t bring myself to care about Kathryn at all. I was bored and found myself rolling my eyes more and more the further I got into it. I tend to love everything I read about the Tudors but this one unfortunately just didn’t do it for me

I want to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and author Alison Weir for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

Agh, this series! I love it! If you have finished The Tudors TV show and have a severe emotional hangover, turn to these books! They will help to somewhat soothe that void. Katheryn Howard is Henry’s fifth queen who is somewhat of a mystery. Weir has brought her back to life and I am so thankful for that. Howard is quite honestly a child, interested in boys and sex. We get to follow her through her journey filled with mistakes, misjudgments and betrayal. I can’t give these books enough praise, and this one doesn’t disappoint either! I really believe this will change your opinion on Katheryn Howard.

Thank you again to those named above for the opportunity to read and review this novel!