I end this penultimate week before my launch with a pair of reviews in blog-land.  The first at Dolce-Dolce and the second at Writer Writer Pants on Fire.  It is, I will admit, a balm for my pre-launch nerves to hear phrases like:

Kingly ambitions and sibling rivalry, love and lust all come into play between the pages, unfolding in a mesmerizing story about two Queens who were sisters above all else. 

and

The novel captures the nuances and intrigues of court life, as well as the excitement and danger of forbidden passions in the torrid Middle Eastfrom a fascinating feminine perspective.

spoken by people who are not my kith and kin.  Perhaps that bag I’ve prepared to wear over my head when I go to the grocery store will NOT be necessary.  At least this week.