Post Civil War South has a lot to learn from sexy Ridley Cooper

To Whisper Her Name (Belle Meade Plantation) by Tamera Alexander 
Zondervan October 23, 2012
Paperback 480 pages
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars LOVED IT

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a murdered carpetbagger, gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation and the dearest friend of Olivia’s late mother. Expecting to be the Harding’s housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned once again when she learns the real reason why Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Caring for an ill Aunt Elizabeth, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a southern-born son who—unbeknownst to her and everyone else—fought for the Union. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him while harboring secrets that threaten his life. As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again…

Set within the remarkable history of Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, comes a story about enslavement and freedom, arrogance and humility, and the power of love to heal even the deepest of wounds.

I loved Tamera Alexander's last novel, A Lasting Impression, and was all set to pre-order this on Kindle when I was offered a review hard copy. Definitely jumped on that one, as I now have all of Tamera's books. Her writing is smooth and subtle.. never pretentious or overly dramatic, it's just like a perfectly relaxing read. This one is about Olivia and Ridley as they each are struggling to imagine their futures, when their lives are beginning to rebound after the American Civil War. They meet each other at the Belle Meade Plantation, the stud farm owned by the Confederate General Harding, and circumstances draw these two together that make the reader tingle with anticipation.

Ridley Cooper's dream is to head west.. and yet he finds himself with a job at the prestigious stud farm at the same time that Olivia does. Olivia has nowhere else to go, and even as she is supposed to be a grieving widow she finds herself drawn to Ridley. Neither one of these two have any idea that cupid is at work here, as they have their own harsh reality to deal with. Olivia's dead husband was a scoundrel, and no one wants to have anything to do with her now. Elizabeth Harding opens her home to Olivia, but she still faces many obstacles in society.

Ridley was a Union soldier, not someone to be welcomed in a Confederate General's business, so he is forced to hide that fact. As a reader, we know that secrets of such importance will rear their head in a bad way, bringing heartache and threatening the potential romance. Meanwhile, we get to know both Ridley and Olivia's characters and we watch them grow and become closer as they adapt to their new surroundings. Ridley and Olivia are both likable, and they seem to bring a new life to the plantation with their presence. I loved how the author based her novel on such an inspiring setting, and I really loved the overall tone and the romance angle. The relationships between the two protagonists with the servants (freed slaves) was commendable and heartwarming. I recommend this newest Tamera Alexander to anyone who appreciates a realistic historical romance, and especially to horse lovers!

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and can be found here for October.


In the Mail....
Awww, nothing new, just a repeat review book (I smell a giveaway! see below)..I did order some books so I'll be sharing those with you soon!

What I've Read and Am Reading:
Not a whole lot different to report from last week, as I've joined a new church and bible study group so I've been reading the bible as opposed to novels at times. I'm helping with the Church School for my youngster as well, so I'll have less free time but it's for a very good cause.

I read and reviewed Here Be Dragons... a book that was on my shelf for almost four years, so it was nice to get out from the Review Pile of Guilt and read something from my personal library. My review is here.. and now I am looking forward to the rest of her series!! (Note to self: No more read alongs, since no one can keep up with me!) wink wink...


The next book I picked up to read is To Whisper Her Name by Tamera Alexander, a new release which featured the Belle Meade Plantation, the origin of the famous Belmont racehorses.. I've read her last one, A Lasting Impression (loved it!) and this is turning out just as good. Handsome wannabe horse whisperer and a disgraced widower meet at the Belle Meade Plantation..will sparks fly? I absolutely love this cover, plus it's a nice chunky book too at around 475 pages. It's out now, so you can purchase yours at Amazon today. My mother is a horse owner, so I think she will enjoy this one too! I now have all of Tamera Alexander's novels, I can't wait to read her earlier releases as well.

Thirteenth-century Wales is a divided country, ever at the mercy of England's ruthless, power-hungry King John. Then Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, secures an uneasy truce with England by marrying the English king's beloved, illegitimate daughter, Joanna. Reluctant to wed her father's bitter enemy, Joanna slowly grows to love her charismatic and courageous husband who dreams of uniting Wales. But as John's attentions turn again and again to subduing Wales--and Llewelyn--Joanna must decide to which of these powerful men she owes her loyalty and love.
A sweeping novel of power and passion, loyalty and lives, this is the book that began the trilogy that includes FALLS THE SHADOW and THE RECKONING

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and can be found here for October.


In the Mail:




Goodies!!

Swapped for:
 After All by Deborah Raney (Hanover Falls #3, May 2012)
Eighteen months after the tragic Grove Street Fire took the life of her husband, David, and four other heroic firefighters, Susan Marlowe thinks she’s finally beginning to heal. But then she discovers that David carried a secret to his grave.

A secret that changes everything she thought their marriage had been.

For the sake of their sons, can Susan forgive the unforgivable?

Andrea Morley lost her closest friend in the fire. But she has no right to mourn him. Instead, she must forever grieve in silence—because her dearest friend was someone else’s husband. Peter Brennan carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. As Hanover Falls’ fire chief, he was responsible for the brave firefighters

who lost their lives that awful November night.

Can he ever shake the feeling that he should have somehow prevented the tragedy?

As he tries to rebuild the team at Clemens County’s Station 2, it seems he might find comfort in the arms of the woman he least expected.


I purchased:
The Flower Reader by Elizabeth Loupas (April 13, 2012)
Rinette Leslie of Granmuir has the ancient gift of divining the future in flowers, but her gift cannot prepare her for the turmoil that comes when the dying queen regent entrusts her with a casket full of Scotland's darkest secrets. On the very day she means to deliver it to newly crowned Mary, Queen of Scots, Rinette's husband is brutally assassinated.

Devastated, Rinette demands justice before she will surrender the casket, but she is surrounded by ruthless men who will do anything to possess it. In the end, the flowers are all she can trust-and only the flowers will lead her safely home to Granmuir.


And finally, for review, a boo hiss huge ugly galley (which makes me hate reviewing and I kick myself every time I accept an ARC dangit) .. and this one was on NetGalley for those interested..

Flora's Wish by Kathleen Y'Arbo (February 2013)

...
this is a test..

Just a test, and I hate populating my blog with silly posts that serve no meaning..

so here's a fun picture to share:


Sweetie 'helps' me read Penman's Here Be Dragons

 Just in case you were wondering, I'm testing my new MailChimp email service (oh my goodness new gray hairs from this thing) as I switch from FeedBurner which I later found out was unneccessary but since I like to do things the hard way here we are. Crossing fingers. If this doesn't work I will officially go ape sh*t (chimp style). But if it does work, I'll clap heartily, but still yell at Google Feedburner for scaring us all for nothing. Geez.

If you are seeing this in your mailbox, do the happy dance with me. I'd also love it if you would click on over and tell me that yes, indeed, the chimps did work and my job here is done.

And if you are here visiting the blog, subscribe to my new mailchimp email service.. maybe.. (do I sound ultra super positive about this?) Link is in left sidebar =)

(And during this transition my current email subscribers missed my last review, boo..)

Ya know, I really didn't need to have all this drama.. cuz I am dealing with a fun IRS AUDIT HULLO

Audit Prep.  The beginning.  (& the end of my sanity).



Can romance survive the heavy chains of family obligations?

The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer
Zondervan October 23, 2012
Paperback 345 pages
Review copy provided via LitFuse/NetGalley, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 stars

Every year, 30-40 young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides. Sarah Shelter has lived in West Kootenai for the last ten years and wonders if she will ever fall in love. Since the tragic death of her best friend, she carries her memories in a jar along with the small items connected to them. For just as long, she's also been carrying around her emotions instead of allowing them to penetrate deep into her heart. Now she's met a kind and gentle man who may be able to break down the wall. But can Sarah risk her heart to finally achieve her dreams?

Tricia Goyer is a popular Christian fiction author and I've wanted to read her books for at least a year. I finally was able to read By The Light of The Silvery Moon, a Titanic themed romance, which I did enjoy so I did want to try another one of hers. Add to the fact that I've been scared of Amish fiction, I figured let's mark that off my bucket list too. I normally do not read contemporary fiction because I do not feel an affinity with modern characters, but since the Amish are famous for their simple and basic way of life, I had a feeling the modern setting would not exactly be glaring, and I wasn't wrong.

Sarah Shelter still suffers from grief over the death of her best friend, and it isn't until she meets Jathan that she sees there is life outside her humble world and the memory jars. Sarah is a strong willed person and easy to admire and feel sorry for, but as a reader we immediately want more for her..such as a love interest. Jathan has his own issues as well, as he deals with the Amish tradition of being the one to care for his large family when his father falls ill. Opportunities arise that allow Jathan and Sarah to explore new avenues, but while doing so they wind up alienating those who cling to the Amish tradition, forcing Jathan and Sarah to make difficult decisions.

Sarah loves to bake, and she is quite good at it. As it turns out, Jathan does too.. and has a business head for it as well. Will his family loosen their reins on Jathan to allow him a chance at happiness? I loved how the story played out; it started off slow but this allowed for the greater appreciation of these characters and their dynamics to grow and feed off each other. There were some ups and downs to the story, and I loved the realistic way Tricia Goyer seemed to handle the story arc. Not everything can have a happy ending, but we can work towards something even better. I love the idea of memory jars, and I am not going to be afraid of Amish fiction anymore either. This was one of the first 'contemporary' reads I enjoyed in a long time, probably because the setting was more nature related and character driven.

Thank you to Litfuse for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Royal blood curses these women as their hopes and dreams are shattered

 A Dangerous Inheritance: A Novel of Tudor Rivals and the Secret of the Tower by Alison Weir
Ballantine Books October 2, 2012
Hardcover 528 pages
Review copy provided from the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 3.5 stars



The setting: c.1553-1563; Lady Katherine Grey during the reigns of Lady Jane Grey, Mary I, Elizabeth I
The other setting: c.1483-1486; Kate Plantagenet, during her father Richard III- later known as the usurper's reign- and Henry VII

The quick review: The 'same-old same-old' given an updated look through the eyes of two different women; great stuff for those who adore fan fic of Wars of the Roses and the Tudor Dynasty, but could be a long drawn out bland blah blah blah to those who have read all about the R3 + Princes events over and over and over again.


The long review:
A Dangerous Inheritance features an interesting format with the narration, as it brings us the story of two women about seventy years apart. Katherine Grey will be somewhat familiar to Tudor fans as the younger sister of the ill-fated Lady Jane Grey (the Nine Days Queen), and Kate Plantagenet brings us a 'new' look at the reign of Richard III and the nephews he is rumored to have killed in the tower. The events are the same as we know of history, aficionados may find themselves bored for the lack of 'new' material, but one can take comfort in the fictionalized account of these women who typically fade in the background of other novels of their respective eras. It was an interesting format with the switching back and forth of Kate and Katherine, and only a few times I had to readjust the time frame in my mind to get back on the same track. Even though the women are living in a different century, Weir presents their story as a simultaneous timeline so it was easy to get confused as to who was pining for who amongst the endless list of titles of the lords of the realm.

The themes of the women are the same: they each fall in love with a man that due to their royal blood could not be allowed to love freely but each of them handle their woes differently. Katherine Grey, a cousin to Elizabeth I, eventually finds herself in a treasonous love affair with Ned Seymour, and Kate Plantagenet is like a tumbleweed in the midst of the warring factions of the Wars of the Roses. What is most intriguing about Kate is I have barely heard mention of her at all in the other novels, so even though I could barely stomach the redundancy of the Richard III events I was still intrigued by what happens to Kate because that was one thing I had no prior knowledge of. During the story of these women, they each try to discover what happened to the Princes in the Tower; Kate being a staunch supporter of her father, and Katherine fearing their fate and her own will meet somewhere.

When Katherine Grey comes across possible places where Kate could have been decades before her, Katherine gets the heebie-jeebies and all distraught and full of sudden despair until she steps out of the draft kinda thing.. and that can get old after the second instance...but I think along with the Princes Mystery this was supposed to be the underlying theme that connected the two women. (It was perhaps the only silly part of the novel, which is lame because was this really supposed to be the main thing??) I think if Weir added a little more oomph and didn't try to downplay the ghost thing maybe she could have filled it out more instead of making it seem like a half-hearted attempt at creativity and too fluffy for a Weir novel.

This attempt of ghostly reincarnations/visions/manifestations was thrown in to perhaps make this a different kind of Tudor/Wars of the Roses type of novel, and the fact that the two women's stories are presented together also makes it different; but I still think you really have to be in the mood for this one since Weir likes to add many details that tend to bog down the actual novelization. Even though it focuses on the important events of their times, it also focuses on their loves and losses which humanizes these two women in a fantastic fashion. The title A Dangerous Inheritance implies these women who are born too close to the throne for comfort, and their travails were well fleshed out as such. I could truly empathize with these two young women, and I appreciated their stories very much.

But, there was indeed another 'silly part' was the amount of time Sir Edward Warner (jailer!) spent with Katherine as they picked each other's brains regarding the lost princes. In prison in the tower, Katherine would not have had opportunity to do much of anything at all, so Edward Warner was used by the author to give her a bit of life behind those walls, but the extent - and content - of the discussions started to feel a bit over the top. And when Katherine is thinking 'in her head' about the princes, it sounds awfully like it would from a book the author would write herself (perhaps The Princes in the Tower by Alison Weir?).

I am kind of on the fence about this one because it was well written and it does offer a lot of insight with it being over 500 pages, but as a novel goes I just wish I were a bit more entertained. I think maybe those readers who are just getting their feet wet with the two eras would enjoy this novel because Weir does a fabulous job of depicting the eras and the important events surrounding Katherine and Kate. She holds true to the typical portrayals of the rulers: Richard III is the crown grasping ogre, Henry VII is an ugly little miser, Lady Jane Grey is the proud victim, Mary I is the Spaniard loving burner of heretics, Elizabeth I is shrewd/powerful/paranoid. And I am beginning to hate Richard III just about as much as the author, so even though I love the many facets of the Wars of the Roses, after reading this one and Gregory's The Kingmaker's Daughter I am making a mental note to not read another Richard III book for at least a year.

I am also of the opinion that 'famous' authors who are viewed as historians have to be near perfect in order to please many readers (I am thinking of Philippa Gregory, of course). If this novel were not written by Alison Weir but someone a bit more obscure, perhaps it would be seen as a triumph. We always have such high expectations for the big name type authors. Again, this is why I am on the fence. I am so sorry this is such a long rambling review, I tend to do this when I can't decide which way to go with it. =)

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and can be found here for October.


In the Mail:

Alice: Princess Andrew of Greece by Hugo Vickers

  In 1953, at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Alice was dressed from head to foot in a long gray dress and a gray cloak, and a nun’s veil. Amidst all the jewels, and velvet and coronets, and the fine uniforms, she exuded an unworldly simplicity. Seated with the royal family, she was a part of them, yet somehow distanced from them. Inasmuch as she is remembered at all today, it is as this shadowy figure in gray nun’s clothes...”

Princess Alice, mother of Prince Phillip, was something of a mystery figure even within her own family. She was born deaf, at Windsor Castle, in the presence of her grandmother, Queen Victoria, and brought up in England, Darmstadt, and Malta.

In 1903 she married Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark, and from then on her life was overshadowed by wars, revolutions, and enforced periods of exile. By the time she was thirty-five, virtually every point of stability was overthrown. Though the British royal family remained in the ascendant, her German family ceased to be ruling princes, her two aunts who had married Russian royalty had come to savage ends, and soon afterwards Alice's own husband was nearly executed as a political scapegoat.

The middle years of her life, which should have followed a conventional and fulfilling path, did the opposite. She suffered from a serious religious crisis and at the age of forty-five was removed from her family and placed in a sanitarium in Switzerland, where she was pronounced a paranoid schizophrenic. As her stay in the clinic became prolonged, there was a time where it seemed she might never walk free again. How she achieved her recovery is just one of the remarkable aspects of her story.


To Whisper Her Name (Belle Meade Plantation) by Tamera Alexander (Squeeee Excitement!)

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a murdered carpetbagger, gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation and the dearest friend of Olivia’s late mother. Expecting to be the Harding’s housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned once again when she learns the real reason why Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Caring for an ill Aunt Elizabeth, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a southern-born son who—unbeknownst to her and everyone else—fought for the Union. Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him while harboring secrets that threaten his life. As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again…

Set within the remarkable history of Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, comes a story about enslavement and freedom, arrogance and humility, and the power of love to heal even the deepest of wounds. 

Read my review of her previous novel, CBA and ECPA Bestseller and 2012 Christy Award Nominee, A Lasting Impression.

What I've Read:
A Lady in the Making by Susan Page Davis... Reviewed here... and this was a great addition to the series that I recommend!

I also reviewed the fabulous new release, Illuminations by Mary Sharratt last week, it seems to be a big hit elsewhere too!

I finished reading Alison Weir's A Dangerous Inheritance, and the review is going to be a long one, bwahahaha.. for Tudor fans, and Richard III non-fans, this is the book for you! ETA: here is the review.

Currently reading:

 The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer (Amish fiction), hoping to finish by the time this posts.. and then it'll be time for the Here Be Dragons read along finally!! See the details here for the brand new read along, there is still time for you to join in.

Hope you all have a fantastic reading week!!



Another entertaining historical romance from Susan Page Davis

A Lady in The Making (Prairie Dreams #3) by Susan Page Davis
Barbour Books October 1, 2012
Paperback 320 pages
Review copy via NetGalley, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4 stars



This is the second novel I've read from this author, and I love her quick pace and realistic storytelling. This is book #3 in the Prairie Dreams series and follows along with the characters that were previously introduced to us in the prior book, Lady Anne's Quest, which I reviewed here on Burton Book Review. This is a series that I would recommend reading in sequential order, even though I had not read book one I felt I missed out on something while reading book 2.

Lady Anne's Quest followed the storyline of Anne in pursuit of her Uncle David in America, and now A Lady in the Making features David making his way back to England to claim his estate as Earl of Stoneford. Millie Evans is back, but better than ever as a reformed woman making her way back to Pennsylvania to make a new start for herself. Coincidence puts both David and Millie on the same stagecoach, and when an accident occurs it falls to Millie to take care of David.

Millie is still in love with David, but David wants nothing to do with her as she was the woman who almost brought him to his death in book two. The story follows the two as they are forced to deal with each other during their travels though they hold each other at arm's length. Behind the scenes, a greedy cousin wants David to not make it to his destination in England, and it is only a matter of time before a showdown occurs. Millie and David are brought together as a tentative alliance, and only time will tell if they can overcome their past and look towards the future. A romance between a common woman and a potential earl would certainly raise a few eyebrows back in England, and David may have to choose between love and the status quo if he can open his eyes to Millie's redeeming qualities.

I loved the atmospheric western tone of traveling through America in the 1850's with fear of outlaws, and this was another entertaining and quick read from Susan Page Davis. Those who fear a preachy tone from a Christian or inspirational genre should not be wary of this novel, as it is something that is lightly laced throughout the novel but not a major plot point. The series is a fun western historical romance with a touch of British class that I would highly recommend.



An inspiring story of a very strong woman

Illuminations by Mary Sharratt
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 9, 2012
Hardcover 288 pages
Review copy provided via Saima Agency, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: Four stars

Illuminations chronicles the life of Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), who was tithed to the church at the age of eight and expected to live out her days in silent submission as the handmaiden of a renowned but disturbed young nun, Jutta von Sponheim. Instead, Hildegard rejected Jutta’s masochistic piety and found comfort and grace in studying books, growing herbs, and rejoicing in her own secret visions of the divine. When Jutta died some three decades later, Hildegard broke out of her prison with the heavenly calling to speak and write about her visions and to liberate her sisters and herself from the soul-destroying anchorage.

Like Anita Diamant’s portrayal of Dinah in The Red Tent, Mary Sharratt interweaves historical research with psychological insight and vivid imagination to write an engaging and triumphant portrait of a courageous and remarkably resilient woman and the life she might have lived. Deeply affecting, Illuminations is a testament to the power of faith, love, and self-creation.

Anchorite: a person who lives in seclusion, esp a religious recluse; hermit.

Author Mary Sharratt brings us a story of  Saint Hildegard beginning when she was given to the church at an early age as a tithe, accompanying a wealthy young woman. I cannot imagine the sacrifice of being an anchorite, and being walled in with little sustenance for a young girl around nine years old. Somehow housed within this prison of sorts, Hildegard finds her own peace with the lot of her life and embraces any sort of past time that comes her way, from books to herbs to embroidery. Her beautiful companion, Jutta, is portrayed as perhaps a bit mad as she is eager to be cloistered away from the evil hands of her brother. Hildegard is portrayed as being made of stronger stuff than Jutta, and ably survives being shut within walls for what seems to be eternity, as Jutta is happy to be viewed as pious and full of grace as she starves herself.

Meanwhile, ever since Hildegard can remember, Hildegard is the one who is seemingly touched by God as she sees prophetic visions that are difficult for anyone to understand. She is immediately rebuked as being mad and learns to hides her visions as many view these visions to come from the devil. It is not until later that she is able to use them to help guide others, although she always had many detractors. Once she is out of the stifling grip of Jutta, whom everyone loved more than she, Hildegard was able to exert herself over those in the monastery who oversaw her care. She began to speak out against the severe treatment of girls brought to the anchorage and to discourage very young girls from being forced into the anchorage at such an early age.

Although the book seems to be a short one, there was a lot packed into it. The novel brings to light all of the struggles that Hildegard faced beginning from her enclosure all the way into her last days as an abbess, and it speaks to the enormous sacrifice that nuns and those of religious vocation make. It also hints at the debauchery that hides behind the walls once Bernard of Clairvaux dies and how the times changed as money instead of God becomes the driving force behind the monasteries and abbeys.

I really enjoyed this story and the telling of Hildegard's difficult life; it is not sugar coated with her piety but shows Hildegard as a true woman with real desires and needs. Her intellect seems to have known no bounds, as she is remembered for her music, poetry and scientific writings. The people of her life were also intriguing characters, especially the beautiful Jutta and Richardis, and Volmar, the one monk who was never failing in his support of Hildegard. What an honor to have read this dramatic story of a woman who is well deserving of her recent recognition as a Doctor of the Church which comes much too late.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and can be found here for October.
Just one on my mailbox this week, YAY!!

The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer

Every year, 30--40 young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides. Sarah Shelter has lived in West Kootenai for the last ten years and wonders if she will ever fall in love. Since the tragic death of her best friend, she carries her memories in a jar along with the small items connected to them. For just as long, she's also been carrying around her emotions instead of allowing them to penetrate deep into her heart. Now she's met a kind and gentle man who may be able to break down the wall. But can Sarah risk her heart to finally achieve her dreams?


Reviews posted the previous week:

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley (recommended, I am now looking for more of her work!)
Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson (too many improbable circumstances for my tastes)

What I've just read:


Illuminations: A Novel of Hildegard von Bingen
I really enjoyed this story of a strong willed nun who is just now being recognized in October as a Doctor of the Church;  my review is coming this week. In the meantime, you have an opportunity to win this one over at my sister site HF-Connection.


No Safe Harbor: Edge of Freedom Series #1 by Elizabeth Ludwig
This was an intriguing historical romantic suspense.. Irish lass in New York City has no clue how to keep a secret and has zero judgement of character.. but still a good story! Review to come soon.


What I'm reading:
A Dangerous Inheritance: A novel of Tudor Rivals and The Secret of the Tower by Alison Weir

Don't read this one too close to reading Philippa Gregory's The Kingmaker's Daughter or you'll find your eyes glazing over during the 'Kate' Plantaganet parts. This novel has a double timeline, featuring Richard III's bastard daughter Kate (who?) and then Lady Jane Grey's younger sister Katherine Grey. It pretty much starts with Richard III seizing the Woodville brothers who he later executes with no legal reasoning and since I just read Gregory's book about all this I am finding myself very, very bored of Richard III. And I never thought I would say I am looking forward to the Tudor part of the book that features Katherine Grey; she and the younger sister Mary have always intrigued me. I still haven't read The Sisters Who Would Be Queen featuring the Grey sisters, even though I bought it in November 2009. Story of my life.

What I'm reading next:
I hope I won't have to set this Weir aside to prepare for the Here Be Dragons read along! That would mean book #3 that I still have to finish before 2013 comes knocking. Yuck. If you haven't read Here Be Dragons by Penman, you should join us at HF-Connection! Here are some details of the event.

What are you reading?

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley
Sourcebooks reissue October 2012
Originally published 1997
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars

THE INVINCIBLE NINTH ROMAN LEGION MARCHES FROM YORK TO FIGHT THE NORTHERN TRIBES. AND THEN VANISHES FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY.
Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea.
Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it—not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.
Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason.

I really loved this story set in Scotland during a small archaeological dig that featured several lovable and quirky characters. Verity's name means truth, and that's exactly what she is looking for in regards to the history of the land that Peter Quinnell and his team are excavating. Most endearing is the Scottish accent which came through vividly and easily, making me wonder how the author was able to effortlessly set this scene for us. This novel is making me think twice about men in kilts.

Verity's GQ-style ex-boyfriend is among the team, and is a bit protective of Verity as she falls head over heels in love with David. David and his mother are a fixture in Peter Quinnell's life, and it was like a small family that Verity found herself a part of as she joined the archaeological dig. All of the characters brought their own element to the storyline and I loved their banter back and forth. Most surprising of all, the ghostly 'sightings' were magnificently told. A young boy Robbie seemed to have a bit of a second-sight, and it went against Verity's logical judgement to believe that a member of the famous Ninth Legion was trying to contact the team through Robbie.

Great story, great plot, fabulous characterizations made this a fantastic read for me. As far as the suspense and details go, there were some things that were either taken for granted or glazed over which left me wondering what exactly just happened, as if we got from point A to point C without stopping at point B. But, even with the conclusion tying things up as far as the mystery goes, I would love to read a sequel because I adored all these characters. I took some extra time just to make this novel last longer because I just knew I would not want it to end. I was right. This one is going in my keeper pile as I may want to re-read it just for the way the Scots talk.

A rags to riches romance set on the Titanic

Queen of The Waves by Janice Thompson
Summerside Press, October 1, 2012
Paperback 336 pages
Review copy provided for free from LitFuse in exchange for this review
Burton Book Review Rating: 3 stars

When pampered Jacqueline Abington secretly elopes with the family gardener, she asks another woman to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime—a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there’s a catch: she must assume Jacqueline’s identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and two women’s lives are forever changed.

From the synopsis I knew it would take a lot of faith in the storyline for me to enjoy this one. I absolutely love Titanic novels even though it was such a tragedy, there is something about it that I love to continue to explore in novels. The major issue with this plot point is that of a pig farmer's daughter impersonating a wealthy young lady in a very wealthy first class on the Titanic, with only two weeks 'training'. As a pig farmer's daughter, Tessa apparently has only tended to pigs and barely left the farm in her life so the believability factor is a major stretch. Impersonating the well-bred Jacquie, it is amazing that Tessa is able to form intelligent words and mingle with the best of the best who are traveling on the epic Titanic.

Tessa is impersonating Jacquie so that Jacquie can stay behind to marry Peter, Tessa's brother. Peter is the gardener at Jacquie's estate, and even though Jacquie should be engaged to a very eligible and sweet young man, she follows her heart and sends Tessa on the Titanic so that Jacquie can stay behind with Peter. Of course, the fact that a beautiful high society London girl falls in love with a lowly gardener is yet another unlikely thing to happen in real life. She hides her intentions from her parents, so while the story follows Tessa's journey to riches on the Titanic, we also follow Jacquie's possible path to eventual rags.

Ignoring the incredulity of the plot in itself, the events on the ship and the people described were all well done. There were several conversations with crew members and the staff of the Titanic offering details of the Titanic adding to the atmosphere which tingled with excitement. The normal mentions of the famous people aboard such as the Astor's and the Straus' were here as well, along with an eccentric fashion designer Edith Russell.

Jacquie sits at a hotel waiting for Peter to visit her, while on the Titanic Tessa-now-Jacquie catches the eye of Nathan Patterson, the same scripture quoting man who had admired the real Jacquie once before. He notices immediately their eyes are different shades, and another man Tessa-now-Jacquie meets remarks on this as well, but she somehow is able to reassure the men. Nathan's character offers a side story as well, with the odd relationship of his mother and another gentleman which offers a bit of mystery.

The total amount of believability required of a reader such as myself renders this story a bit contrived. There were no faults with the author's writing or the tone, and I really wanted to like this one, but I couldn't bring myself to feel invested in the characters, probably because of the improbability of the basis of the story. The plot twists of who will end up with whom were what kept me reading, and the emotionally charged ending with the sinking ship was my favorite part of the book. The awakening of faith in a merciful God for Tessa was another theme, so there is a strong Christian element with both Tessa's and Nathan's character and I only mention it for those who were strictly looking for a Titanic themed novel. Those who do not like the preachy tones of Christian novels will certainly get a dose of preachiness from another traveler who acts as a bit of a confessional for Tessa and Nathan.

I am intrigued by the American Tapestry series that Summerside Press has created: novels that focus on epic moments of our history such as the Oregon Trail, and an upcoming novel on the Alamo. Queen of The Waves has been well received in the historical romance market, and you can follow along the blog tour to gauge differing opinions. If you can easily get past the improbability of the rags to riches storyline, this could be an exciting romance set amongst a tantalizing setting of the great ship Titanic.