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Tudor Rules: How Anne Boleyn Helped Me Survive High School
Can't get enough of the Tudors?
Read Tudor Rules, a modern-day tale with plenty of Tudor intrigue and romance
Find out what happens when Amanda, a suburban teen, attempts to use Tudor rules of behavior to win the boy of her dreams and get back at the boy who rejected her
Tudor Rules echoes much of the drama of the Royal Tudor court, with betrayals, low-cut necklines, and a not-to-be missed musical theater production. With the help of her ladies in waiting, Amanda succeeds in transforming herself into the kind of girl that attracts Brandon, the King of her high school, but learns, when it's almost too late, that in getting what you want, you can lose everything you care about.
Praise for Tudor Rules
"Amanda's attempt to live by a series of outrageous but surprisingly useful 16th-century maxims leads her on a journey to self-knowledge and bravery that's filled with romance, competition, and costume design. Giggly with backstage gossip and stinging with sibling rivalry, Tudor Rules is a delightful read." -E. Lockhart, author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and The Boyfriend List
"Tudor Rules was an amazing book. I had the hardest time putting the book down. I loved this book so much!" -Aurelia Polly, Teen Reviewer.
In Tudor Rules, Libby Schmais brilliantly captures the fun, effervescent side of teenage angst. In Amanda Berenson’s slightly nerdy, funny, and believable teenage voice, Tudor Rules explores the arcane courtship rituals involved in a high school theater production, a period version of High School Musical, complete with a plague epidemic. Distilling the lessons of Ann Boleyn’s ill-fated relationship with Henry VIII, Amanda applies Tudor logic to our Facebooking century, finding her way through the highs and lows of high school drama to a surprising but satisfying conclusion. -- Abby Bardi, author of The Book of Fred.
"Ever stylish and wry, Libby Schmais tells the tale of a teen obsessed with all things Tudor. Experiencing high school through the lens of Anne Boleyn, a "nobody" is propelled from her shell into the limelight. She learns invaluable lessons of love, fashion, friendship and self esteem along the way". -Debbie Hrbek, Entertainment Lawyer
Read Tudor Rules, a modern-day tale with plenty of Tudor intrigue and romance
Find out what happens when Amanda, a suburban teen, attempts to use Tudor rules of behavior to win the boy of her dreams and get back at the boy who rejected her
Tudor Rules echoes much of the drama of the Royal Tudor court, with betrayals, low-cut necklines, and a not-to-be missed musical theater production. With the help of her ladies in waiting, Amanda succeeds in transforming herself into the kind of girl that attracts Brandon, the King of her high school, but learns, when it's almost too late, that in getting what you want, you can lose everything you care about.
Praise for Tudor Rules
"Amanda's attempt to live by a series of outrageous but surprisingly useful 16th-century maxims leads her on a journey to self-knowledge and bravery that's filled with romance, competition, and costume design. Giggly with backstage gossip and stinging with sibling rivalry, Tudor Rules is a delightful read." -E. Lockhart, author of The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks and The Boyfriend List
"Tudor Rules was an amazing book. I had the hardest time putting the book down. I loved this book so much!" -Aurelia Polly, Teen Reviewer.
In Tudor Rules, Libby Schmais brilliantly captures the fun, effervescent side of teenage angst. In Amanda Berenson’s slightly nerdy, funny, and believable teenage voice, Tudor Rules explores the arcane courtship rituals involved in a high school theater production, a period version of High School Musical, complete with a plague epidemic. Distilling the lessons of Ann Boleyn’s ill-fated relationship with Henry VIII, Amanda applies Tudor logic to our Facebooking century, finding her way through the highs and lows of high school drama to a surprising but satisfying conclusion. -- Abby Bardi, author of The Book of Fred.
"Ever stylish and wry, Libby Schmais tells the tale of a teen obsessed with all things Tudor. Experiencing high school through the lens of Anne Boleyn, a "nobody" is propelled from her shell into the limelight. She learns invaluable lessons of love, fashion, friendship and self esteem along the way". -Debbie Hrbek, Entertainment Lawyer
- GenresYoung AdultTudor Period
243 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 29, 2012
84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 10, 2012
I am a huge fan of the Tudor period and mid-evil history,so I settled on this book simply because of the title. I am so glad I did! I was thoroughly entertained by the picture of teenage girls in period wear,as I was of our main character's finding herself and blossoming throughout the book. The characters are believable,lovable and so totally high-school dramatic,that I could see them in my mind. I loved the sprinkling of historical facts within,and our girl,Amanda likening herself to Anne Boleyn. It isnt a case of obsession,more a wish,the wish to be noticed and appreciated,projected into real life. Very well written and leaves you wanting to know what happens next to Amanda! We can hope there is a sequel!
posted on Amazon.com
posted on Amazon.com
December 16, 2012
My father bought me this book and at first I thought that it as going to be the type of boring book youread for class. Boy, I was so wrong. This book is about fashion, love, and family.
March 4, 2012
It's actually quite hard for me to review "Tudor Rules" by Libby Schmais because I'm just not the book's target market. This book is written for the Young Adult market and is about a high school teen who becomes fascinated with the Tudors after reading books by Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir. Yes, I'm obsessed with history but unfortunately I no longer count as a "Young Adult"!
The main character, Amanda, is fed up of her life, particularly her love life, and so embarks on a mission to bring the Tudor rules of behaviour into play at her High School. She makes Tudor stomachers for herself and her friends and uses her new-found knowledge of Tudor costume, remedies, courtly love and traditions to make costumes for the school theatre production, to handle the challenges thrown at her, to land the man of her dreams and to heal him of possible 'sweating sickness'. Like her heroine, Anne Boleyn, Amanda goes from being a nobody to being the most talked about girl at the court, or rather school, but fame has its cost and is Amanda willing to pay the price and has she really got the life she wanted after all?
I won't spoil it by giving any more details of the story but I think this book would make ideal reading material for a teenage girl interested in Anne Boleyn and the Tudor period. I'm sure it will resonate with any teenager who has become obsessed with the Tudors as a result of watching "The Tudors" or reading Philippa Gregory, and it is a light-hearted and entertaining reading. Haven't we all wishes that we could swan around in Tudor gowns and bring back chivalric traditions?!
As an adult, being many years away from teenage angst, I could still identify with Amanda and her thoughts and feelings, so Schmais has certainly done a great job at getting inside Amanda's head and bringing her thoughts and feelings to life. A fun read.
The main character, Amanda, is fed up of her life, particularly her love life, and so embarks on a mission to bring the Tudor rules of behaviour into play at her High School. She makes Tudor stomachers for herself and her friends and uses her new-found knowledge of Tudor costume, remedies, courtly love and traditions to make costumes for the school theatre production, to handle the challenges thrown at her, to land the man of her dreams and to heal him of possible 'sweating sickness'. Like her heroine, Anne Boleyn, Amanda goes from being a nobody to being the most talked about girl at the court, or rather school, but fame has its cost and is Amanda willing to pay the price and has she really got the life she wanted after all?
I won't spoil it by giving any more details of the story but I think this book would make ideal reading material for a teenage girl interested in Anne Boleyn and the Tudor period. I'm sure it will resonate with any teenager who has become obsessed with the Tudors as a result of watching "The Tudors" or reading Philippa Gregory, and it is a light-hearted and entertaining reading. Haven't we all wishes that we could swan around in Tudor gowns and bring back chivalric traditions?!
As an adult, being many years away from teenage angst, I could still identify with Amanda and her thoughts and feelings, so Schmais has certainly done a great job at getting inside Amanda's head and bringing her thoughts and feelings to life. A fun read.
June 4, 2012
I'm a huge Anne Boleyn fan. I'm a huge Tudor fan, actually. And so being the big fan that I was, I was immediately intrigued by the idea of Tudor Rules applied in high school. So I read the sample in Amazon and even though my gut told me it wouldn't be worth it, I still bought the copy. And I usually don't shell out for kindle books. And boy, was I disappointed!
I really, really wanted to give this book a chance but dear god, the heroine was absolutely... crazy, childish and immature. She's assuming and goddamit, annoying! I hated her. And the part about her friends being HER ladies-in-waiting, it was kind of demeaning. I don't know. She should've just gone into this by herself. Anne gone into this by herself. She didn't have ladies-in-waiting when she attracted Henry VIII. In fact, she was a lady-in-waiting herself! So why does this main character get her ladies-in-waiting before she is even queen? GOOD GOD.
Oh, and let's not forget her "Tudor" rules. She's stupid. She babbles on about the Tudors and how everything she does is related to the Tudors--the way she dresses, behaves and even what she cooks! Any REAL Tudor courtier would know that thou shall not babble all thy secrets to the whole school! If you really want to be Anne Boleyn, you must be mysterious and no one can know your intentions. But noooo!! This character TALKS about the Tudors all the time, babbling to her friends, family, Brandon and Cat about TUDOR THIS, TUDOR THAT, ANNE BOLEYN THIS, ANNE BOLEYN THAT. I was as if she was already giving out all her plans for the whole school to know!
I just really don't like this book. And I'm regretting the payment I made to buy this.
I really, really wanted to give this book a chance but dear god, the heroine was absolutely... crazy, childish and immature. She's assuming and goddamit, annoying! I hated her. And the part about her friends being HER ladies-in-waiting, it was kind of demeaning. I don't know. She should've just gone into this by herself. Anne gone into this by herself. She didn't have ladies-in-waiting when she attracted Henry VIII. In fact, she was a lady-in-waiting herself! So why does this main character get her ladies-in-waiting before she is even queen? GOOD GOD.
Oh, and let's not forget her "Tudor" rules. She's stupid. She babbles on about the Tudors and how everything she does is related to the Tudors--the way she dresses, behaves and even what she cooks! Any REAL Tudor courtier would know that thou shall not babble all thy secrets to the whole school! If you really want to be Anne Boleyn, you must be mysterious and no one can know your intentions. But noooo!! This character TALKS about the Tudors all the time, babbling to her friends, family, Brandon and Cat about TUDOR THIS, TUDOR THAT, ANNE BOLEYN THIS, ANNE BOLEYN THAT. I was as if she was already giving out all her plans for the whole school to know!
I just really don't like this book. And I'm regretting the payment I made to buy this.
July 16, 2016
I really tried to like this book, but I just couldn't. I had gotten it for my own YA and she only got through about two chapters before she gave it up. I was curious why, so I picked it up to read. It started off interesting in the prologue, then it went downhill. I felt like I was reading a book not only about a teenager, but written by a very young one, and it was just sort of tossed together. The end gets better, but I had to really try to get through the first few chapters, I decided by the second chapter that I didn't like it and knew why my daughter had tossed it aside for a different book. It's a shame, I had been hoping for something a little more age appropriate in the historical fiction genre, but this was not it.
The book is essentially about a girl who is a bit of an outcast, trying to fit in. She decides she's going to take a leaf out of Anne Boleyn's book and emulate her in an attempt to become popular. She acquires ladies in waiting, decides to make modern Tudor clothing, and begins trying to convert everyone into behaving, talking and dressing this way through the school play, which she has become costume designer for. It all seems a bit far fetched, the ladies in waiting part with her friends borderlined ridiculous, and would have been more at home with girls in elementary school rather than high school.
The book is essentially about a girl who is a bit of an outcast, trying to fit in. She decides she's going to take a leaf out of Anne Boleyn's book and emulate her in an attempt to become popular. She acquires ladies in waiting, decides to make modern Tudor clothing, and begins trying to convert everyone into behaving, talking and dressing this way through the school play, which she has become costume designer for. It all seems a bit far fetched, the ladies in waiting part with her friends borderlined ridiculous, and would have been more at home with girls in elementary school rather than high school.
August 16, 2012
I got this book (Kindle edition) for free in a promotion. Thank you, Libby.
Though the basic idea is intriguing, the story was too flat for my taste, like aimed at younger-than-high-school readers, and quite predictable. I felt a lot with Amanda, but she isn't altogether likeable, and I couldn't sympathize with anybody in the book.
Though the basic idea is intriguing, the story was too flat for my taste, like aimed at younger-than-high-school readers, and quite predictable. I felt a lot with Amanda, but she isn't altogether likeable, and I couldn't sympathize with anybody in the book.
March 29, 2012
Fun! Wonderful! Great ending
January 14, 2013
Loved it!!!!
October 15, 2014
Potato chip reading.
Good story, had nice flow.
Good story, had nice flow.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews