Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly The Printed Page) where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday is now on tour, and this month’s host is Diary of An Eccentric. Visit all other Mailbox Monday posts at her blog for the month of March!


My giveaway ended this weekend, and the whole point of obtaining followers didn't exactly work out so I grabbed some of those books and I went to HalfPrice Books and traded them in.

I purchased:
Love's Pursuit by Siri Mitchell (2009) I read some reviews of this one, and it was said to be centered around tough and surprising plot lines and that it is well-written and thought provoking. This is not Amish fiction, although the cover evokes that feel. The brief synopsis gives it little justice:

In Stoneybrooke, Massachusetts, Susannah Phillips obeys the rules.
Dress the right way. Believe the right things. Live the right life.
But when love interferes, she faces a choice:
Follow the rules or follow her heart.


She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell (2010) I picked this one up because of the back cover touting the era of the Gilded Age..
For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage in the late 1890s, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Yet Clara wonders if this is the life she really wants.


The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen  (Winner of 2011 Christy Award for Historical Romance) After reading Klassen's newest release, The Lady of Fairbourne Hall, (one of my favorite reads of 2012!) I knew I had to find every single Klassen novel ever written.
Miss Mariah Aubrey, banished after a scandal, hides herself away in a long-abandoned gatehouse on the far edge of a distant relative's estate. There, she supports herself and her loyal servant the only way she knows how--by writing novels in secret.

And I was lucky to have a friend pass on some goodies, and here is a sampling:
The Glass Harmonica by Dorothee E. Kocks (2011)
Dorothee Kocks steals intimate details from American history to craft a novel of sensuality, ecstasy and music that reads at the pace of a thriller.Young Chjara Vall is exiled from Corsica sold as a servant to an opium addict in Paris. Music paves the way for her to flee with Henry, her love, to post-revolutionary America.
Read Arleigh's review at http://historical-fiction.com/?p=4387


The Golden Hour by Margaret Wurtele (2012) I've had my eye on this one for a while!..
In this stunning debut set in the summer of 1944 in Tuscany, Giovanna Bellini, the daughter of a wealthy aristocrat and vineyard owner, has just turned seventeen and is on the cusp of adulthood. War bears down on her peaceful little village after the Italians sign a separate peace with the Allies-transforming the Germans into an occupying army.
Read Arleigh's review at http://historical-fiction.com/?p=4345



The Secret Keeper by Sandra Byrd (2012)
The author of To Die For returns to the court of Henry VIII, as a young woman is caught between love and honor.
Juliana St. John is the daughter of a prosperous knight in Marlborough. Though her family wants her to marry the son of her father’s business partner, circumstances set her on a course toward the court of Henry VIII and his last wife, Kateryn Parr.


Mr. Bishop and the Actress by Janet Mullany (2011)
Janet Mullany, Little Black Dress's historical star, returns with another fantastic Regency page-turner.

What could be more important than a lady's reputation?Although initially alarmed by their unconventional ways, strait-laced Harry Bishop is content in the service of Lord Shad and his family. But when he is sent to London to rescue Shad's wayward relation from debt and self-destruction, he also has the dubious honor of dealing with the man's illicit lover - troublesome actress Sophie Wallace. A man of dignity and decorum, Mr Bishop is desperate to disassociate himself from the scandalous Sophie. Unfortunately, avoiding her proves harder than he could ever have imagined and soon she's causing him all kinds of bother...


And last but certainly not least, an e-reader from a generous friend made its' way to my house.. this one is a Pandigital Novel tablet, and it takes some work arounds and technical patience to go forth and conquer.. but after a few nights of wigging out with its' medieval Android firmware, I think we will learn to be fast friends. I have already read one e-galley off of NetGalley! Thank you to my best blogging buddy! =)

Edge of Dark Water by Joe R. Lansdale
Mulholland Books, March 25, 2012
Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
304 pages Hardcover
978-0316188432
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: Creepiest 4.5 Stars EVER

Mark Twain meets classic Stephen King--a bold new direction for widely acclaimed Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale.

May Lynn was once a pretty girl who dreamed of becoming a Hollywood star. Now she's dead, her body dredged up from the Sabine River.

Sue Ellen, May Lynn's strong-willed teenage friend, sets out to dig up May Lynn's body, burn it to ash, and take those ashes to Hollywood to spread around. If May Lynn can't become a star, then at least her ashes will end up in the land of her dreams.

Along with her friends Terry and Jinx and her alcoholic mother, Sue Ellen steals a raft and heads downriver to carry May Lynn's remains to Hollywood.

Only problem is, Sue Ellen has some stolen money that her enemies will do anything to get back. And what looks like a prime opportunity to escape from a worthless life will instead lead to disastrous consequences. In the end, Sue Ellen will learn a harsh lesson on just how hard growing up can really be.

Oh my creepiness. This is a crazy fun story in a sick kind of way - and if you go for that sort of thing, this is absolutely awesome. It's a Stephen King macabre style of a tale that doesn't let you sleep once you get past the initial set up. I admit, since this is not my normal sort of thing the last few years, I was a bit taken aback for the first fifty pages or so. What we've got here are themes of abuse and poverty set in East Texas somewhere circa the Depression and then a whole lot of Scary Sh*t.

A thriller being what it is, I can't really give out too much of the story because you'll be thrilled for yourself once you get your trembling hands on this one. But I will tell you it is the story of some teenagers who set out on the murky Sabine River escaping their cruddy lives (so they think) to head out to California to bury their murdered friend May Lynn. The narrator's speech of Sue Ellen was a bit rough to get used to, but in those days she didn't get much of an education. I was bothered by the tone of the book simply because of the abusive/violent culture that I had to get my head wrapped around. Once I did that, I was totally scared speechless and had to keep reading to see which evil would find them first: the evil enigma of the legendary Skunk the murderous human tracker or Sue Ellen's crazy family folk with the crooked lawman.

Along for the journey with Sue Ellen are friends Terry and Jinx (and May Lynn's ashes and a bunch of money). Terry, "a sissy boy", holds them all together. And Jinx was the "colored girl" who sure had some colorful thoughts that she had no reason to hold back. I even found myself laughing out loud at Jinx. Add in the crazy folk chasing them, and we've got ourselves a page turner. I have a new found respect for lard cans. Slipped in throughout are revelations of faith, death and family bonds. Somehow, I loved it. Stomach twisting kind of love, that is.

Baroness (Daughters of Fortune Series, book 2) by Susan May Warren
Summerside Press; March 6, 2012
360 pages paperback
978-1609366315
Review copy (I begged for it!) from the publisher, many thanks!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars!

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, the weekly meme created by Marcia from A girl and her books (formerly The Printed Page) where book lovers share the titles they received for review, purchased, or otherwise obtained over the past week. Mailbox Monday is now on tour, and this month’s host is Diary of An Eccentric. Visit all other Mailbox Monday posts at her blog for the month of March!

Last week I got a few goodies that I wanted to share.. a bit of everything! And where to begin! Illusion & Cove both look awesome! I had read a sneak peek of the first chapter of Illusion, and I was hooked. Can't wait to get to it. (There will be a giveaway coming for it also with my review, so stay tuned!)

ILLUSION (March 6, 2012) by Frank Peretti

Dane and Mandy, a popular magic act for forty years, are tragically separated by a car wreck that claims Mandy’s life—or so everyone thinks. Even as Dane mourns and tries to rebuild his life without her, Mandy, supposedly dead, awakes in the present as the nineteen-year-old she was in 1970. Distraught and disoriented in what to her is the future, she is confined to a mental ward until she discovers a magical ability to pass invisibly through time and space to escape. Alone in a strange world, she uses her mysterious powers to eke out a living, performing magic on the streets and in a quaint coffee shop. Hoping to discover an exciting new talent, Dane ventures into the coffee shop and is transfixed by the magic he sees, illusions that even he, a seasoned professional, cannot explain. But more than anything, he is emotionally devastated by this teenager who has never met him, doesn’t know him, is certainly not in love with him, but is in every respect identical to the young beauty he first met and married some forty years earlier.

The Cove (April 10, 2012) by Ron Rash

Publisher's Weekly Review: "Veteran novelist Rash (Serena) knits his newest rustic yarn in North Carolina during WWI. Located near the hardscrabble village of Mars Hill, the cove is shrouded in superstition, “a place where ghosts and fetches wandered.” Nearby, the alienated Laurel Shelton lives with her wounded war veteran brother in an isolated cabin. While out doing laundry by the creek one day, Laurel discovers Walter Smith, an illiterate, mute flutist en route to New York City, who has been incapacitated by hornet stings. As she nurses the mysterious Walter back to health, Laurel begins to fall in love. “Waiting for her life to begin,” she clings to Walter and the future he represents. However, local Army recruiter Chauncey Feith threatens to ruin all that Laurel and Walter hope for. A rabid anti-German agitator, he begins to suspect that Walter is not who he claims to be. Driven by fear, patriotism, and bloodlust, Chauncey progresses from arrogant drunk to a craven yet dangerous force. The gripping plot, gothic atmosphere, and striking descriptions, in particular of the dismal cove, make this a top-notch story of an unusual place and its fated and fearful denizens."

To Marry An English Lord (March 15, 2012) by Carol Wallace and Gail MacColl Reissue from 1989

Empress of the Seven Hills (April 3, 2012) by Kate Quinn

I didn't expect this one to come.. I still haven't read the others.. but I did agree to an upcoming guest post =) Powerful, prosperous, and expanding ever farther into the untamed world, the Roman Empire has reached its zenith under the rule of the beloved Emperor Trajan. But neither Trajan nor his reign can last forever . . .

When Trajan falls, the hardened soldier, the enigmatic empress, the adventurous girl, and the scheming politician will all be caught in a deadly whirlwind of desire and death that may seal their fates, and that of the entire Roman Empire . . .



From Paperbackswap:

Shannon: A Novel (February 2009) by Frank Delaney

In the summer of 1922, Robert Shannon, a Marine chaplain and a young American hero of the Great War, lands in Ireland. He still suffers from shell shock, and his mentor hopes that a journey Robert had always wanted to make—to find his family roots along the banks of the River Shannon—will restore his equilibrium and his vocation. But there is more to the story: On his return from the war, Robert had witnessed startling corruption in the Archdiocese of Boston. He has been sent to Ireland to secure his silence—permanently. As Robert faces the dangers of a strife-torn Ireland roiling in civil war, the nation’s myths and people, its beliefs and traditions, unfurl healingly before him. And the River Shannon gives comfort to the young man who is inspired by the words of his mentor: “Find your soul and you’ll live.”

At The Mercy of The Queen (January 2012) by Anne Clinard Barnhill

A sweeping tale of sexual seduction and intrigue at the court of Henry VIII, At the Mercy of the Queen is a rich and dramatic debut historical about Madge Shelton, cousin and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn.

At the innocent age of fifteen, Lady Margaret Shelton arrives at the court of Henry VIII and quickly becomes the confidante of her cousin, Queen Anne Boleyn. But she soon finds herself drawn into the perilous web of Anne’s ambition.

Desperate to hold onto the king’s waning affection, Anne schemes to have him take her guileless young cousin as mistress, ensuring her husband’s new paramour will owe her loyalty to the queen. But Margaret has fallen deeply in love with a handsome young courtier. She is faced with a terrible dilemma: give herself to the king and betray the love of her life or refuse to become his mistress and jeopardize the life of her cousin, Queen Anne.

Ya love her or hate her... but ya gotta read her.. ;)
Spotted on Amazon:

Coming August 14 2012:

This is a Spread the Love Follower giveaway.. the more followers I get, the more giveaways I will hand out!

At the time of this post, I have 466 Followers...
If I get to 480 followers:
Giveaway Prize One for one lucky follower:

Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart
Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes

If I get to 500 followers:
Giveaway Prize Two for a second lucky follower:


Where Wildflowers Bloom by Ann Shorey
Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin

Get the word out about the giveaway, and don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect!
   

The only mandatory entries are a blog post comment with your email address, and follow.
Ends 3/24, open to USA. My wallet can only handle so much with the shipping fees.
BUT of course extra entries are available (my very first RaffleCopter Giveaway!!)

If you don't see the rafflecopter form, hit the READ MORE link below to enter for more entries via Rafflecopter

With the piles and piles of review books that I feel like I have been drowning in, I decided to make a true effort to read something of my own personal library. Yet, the only way to do that was to physically pencil it in my calendar.. and with a little help from my friend.. the Forever Amber Read A Long was born!

A Parliament of Spies: A Mystery by Cassandra Clark
Minotaur Books, January 31, 2012
320p hb $25.99
ISBN 0312595743
Review copy provided by the publisher via HNR, thank you!
Review originally written for Historical Novels Review Magazine
Burton Book Review Rating: three stars

Description:

All the danger and intrigue of 14th-century England spring to life in this "compelling" (Publishers Weekly) series about the brave, incorruptible Abbess of Meaux.

Abbess Hildegard may consider herself  “just a nun with no useful skills or connections,” yet her loyalty and intelligence have brought her to the attention of King Richard II himself—not the safest place to be, when the king has enemies on all sides. As Hildegard wrestles with her role as a spy in the parliament that is hastily gathering at Westminster, Cassandra Clark shows us the human side of history, giving readers new reason to follow Publishers Weekly’s rallying cry: “Medievalists rejoice!”

This fourth installment featuring Abbess Hildegard is a historical mystery set against the tumultuous times during the reign of Richard II in the 14th century. The Abbess of Meaux series focuses on Hildegard and some of her loyal friends as they try to uncover various treasonous and murderous plots. The mistrust between the barons and the King are emphasized as Hildegard investigates the mysterious deaths that occur around Archbishop Neville’s retinue. The Archbishop trusts Hildegard with secrets and relics as she progresses through England looking over her shoulder for her husband who was once declared dead.

While there certainly could be interesting history to Hildegard’s character, newcomers to the series are left wondering who exactly she is. While one would believe the term “abbess” as referring to a devout person, the actions of Hildegard do not represent the trait although her thoughts portray her doubts of faith. The dramatic times of unrest in which Henry Bolingbroke made a name for himself were downplayed enough to make the entire story appear dull and lackluster, as the connections of the commoners and the nobles very slowly unraveled. The tone of the book suggests well researched material, but the lack of empathy for the characters makes it a tedious read and the generalization of the politics and characters did not live up to the story’s full potential. The novel is best suited for those readers who have introduced themselves to Hildegard with one of the previous works by Cassandra Clark, with a prerequisite of knowledge of the political machinations among the factions surrounding Richard II’s courtiers.

Can be read as a stand-alone, makes me want to read the others!

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin (Wings of Glory Book #3)
Revell, August 2011
427 pages, paperback
Christian/Historical
Review copy provided by the publisher via HNR, thank you!
Review originally posted in Historical Novels Review Magazine
Burton Book Review Rating: 3.5 stars

Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit, but at least his stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life. As he courts Helen Carlisle, a young war widow and mother who conceals her pain under a frenzy of volunteer work, the sparks of their romance set a fire that flings them both into peril. After Ray leaves to fly a combat mission at the peak of the air war over Europe, Helen takes a job in a dangerous munitions yard and confronts an even graver menace in her own home. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?

Filled with daring and romance, Blue Skies Tomorrow will capture readers' hearts.

Helen Carlisle is almost the merry widow, until secrets of her heroic husband who died in WWII start coming back to haunt her. Helen was always happiest doing volunteer work, yet she worked for a paycheck which became commandeered by her in-laws. Wanting to leave the stressful situation behind, Helen strives to better herself and her situation. Ray Novak, older brother to the Novak brothers featured in previous Wings of Glory books, is happiest being a pastor. With a war going on, Ray feels obligated to face his fears of combat and signs on for combat duty where things take a drastic turn.

What could have been a wonderful relationship developing between Helen and Ray becomes close to impossible given all the obstacles that continually worked against each of them. As a woman in the forties, Helen faced issues of the times such as the plights of women and black people, while Ray ended up fighting for his life in his enemy's hands. Sundin's writing is fluent and natural, with a story of many facets that is entertaining and emotive. World War II enthusiasts would learn a bit from Ray's experiences, while the romantic reader will enjoy the journey of Helen and Ray. Enjoyable enough to make me want to look up the first two novels in the series.

Wings of A Dream by Anne Mateer
Bethany House, September 2011
Ppbk 319 pages
ISBN 0764209035
Review copy provided by the publisher via HNR, thank you!
Review originally written for Historical Novels Review Magazine
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars, Fabulous read!

Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.


But the Spanish flu epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebeka is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

This impressive debut novel is an inspiring and descriptive story with a heroine who manages to captivate from the start. Rebekah takes a short trip to Texas to help her ailing aunt, where immediately she is thrust into the lives of four young lovable children as the Spanish flu epidemic takes a hold of the small community. She cares for the children and becomes instantly devoted to them as she is the sole caretaker for them while their father Frank is away during World War I, known as the Great War at that time. Told in first person, we experience Rebekah’s fears and dreams, making the story more endearing and powerful as death and faith intertwine.

Rebekah enjoys her life with the children for the time being, but has always told herself there were more options for her. She clings to the dream of the unknown, and shuns the everyday life she is unknowingly carved out for. When Frank finally comes home to claim his spot as head of household, Rebekah has to choose which path is best for her. Could it be impetuous Arthur, or the kindly Sheriff, who always knows when Rebekah needs a helping hand, or should she just go on back home to her parents in Oklahoma? I really enjoyed this Christian historical and the supporting cast of characters. I especially enjoyed it when I recognized the scenery, as it was set in East Texas where I live.

To Have and To Hold by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller (Bridal Veil Island Book #1)
Bethany House Publishers, September 2011
Christian Fiction/Historical Romance
Ppbk 352 pages
ISBN 0764208861
Review copy provided by the publisher via HNR, thank you!
Review originally posted for Historical Novels Review Magazine, February 2012
Burton Book Review Rating: 3.5 stars

When Audrey Cunningham's father proposes that they move to Bridal Veil Island, where he grew up, she agrees, thinking this will help keep him sober and close to God. But they arrive to find wealthy investors buying up land to build a grand resort on the secluded island—and they want the Cunninghams' acreage.

Contractor Marshall Graham can't imagine why the former drinking buddy of his deceased father would beckon him to Bridal Veil Island. And when Boyd Cunningham asks him to watch over Audrey, Marshall is even more confused. He has no desire to be saddled with caring for this fiery young woman who is openly hostile toward him. But when Audrey seems to be falling for another man—one who has two little girls Audrey adores—Marshall realizes she holds more of his heart than he realized. Which man will Audrey choose? And can she hold on to her ancestral property in the face of overwhelming odds?

A popular writing duo returns to historical romance with this formulaic novel focusing on faith, tragedy and hopeful triumph. After conquering alcoholism, Boyd has found God but not in time to save his ancestral home. He faces hard times while his daughter Audrey feels the burden of his mistakes during her struggle to secure her own future.

Struggling with her faith in God, Audrey is forced to deal with her family's changing circumstances of both financial hardship and the loss of loved ones. Bridal Veil Island is to become a resort town, and Audrey has to help see this plan come to fruition. As host to contractors and investors, forcing a Southern welcome so soon after the Northern Aggression is hard on Audrey’s family. When Marshall Graham arrives at Bridal Veil Island, Audrey is quick to judge and oblivious to Marshall's admirable qualities.

What is left for Audrey when the construction is over is up to her, but will she be able to see past her resentfulness and skepticism? Written in a slow fashion with a few twists, the reader follows along as Audrey battles obstacles and interacts with shady characters; those who don’t love Audrey’s stubbornness won’t love the novel. Audrey could come off as unreasonably righteous and stereotypical while she tried to determine what path to take, and as the main protagonist this was difficult to ignore. Aunt Thora and her shotgun was an amusing element, and I wouldn't mind hearing more of her own story. I would be interested to see what comes next in the Bridal Veil series.

The Last Storyteller by Frank Delaney

In the trilogy’s conclusion (following THE MATCHMAKER OF KENMARE and VENETIA KELLY’S TRAVELING SHOW), the path to true happiness does not run smoothly for Ben: lost love Venetia is now married to a brutal but popular man, and Ben finds himself entangled with an IRA gun-runner against the backdrop of their campaign along the Irish Border.

The 1950s was a period in which Ireland was impoverished—financially, emotionally, and intellectually—and national survival was no sure thing. It was an era of Irish history that laid the groundwork for the nation's current outlook—and as Ben fights to recapture his halcyon days with Venetia, he must finally reconcile his violent, flawed past with his hopes for the future.

Brimming with fascinating historical intrigue and legendary love, The Last Storyteller is an unforgettable novel as richly textured and inspiring as Ireland itself.

There is something about the prose of Frank Delaney that makes me feel like a dunce. It flows so effortlessly, but spews intelligence with a simple phrase. Dripping with wisdom. And I hate how some authors get lauded with the overused phrases of 'lyrical prose' or something like that.. but here it is warranted again. Frank Delaney writes with passion, and his gift with words is unlike any other I have known. Granted, there are times I am wondering what the third layer is to some of his words, as it takes me awhile to catch up, but this series about Ben MacCarthy and the storytelling of Ireland has me sold on Frank Delaney (in case you hadn't noticed).

Where I would say:
"The sun came out. They kissed."

Frank would say:
"A lemon-colored light from the watery sun ran like a child across the bogland. Somewhere in that calm after the storm, Jimmy Bermingham leaned across and kissed Elma Sloane, and she made no move away."

(Frank and I are indeed on an imaginary first name basis because I said so, and I managed to snag an autographed copy. I feel extra special, even though I am sure there were fifty being speed autographed, but no matter.. because you will feel extra special too if you win one in the giveaway!)

Ben MacCarthy is the traveling Irishman scouring the countryside for stories and storytellers, and his lost wife. There are several books featuring Ben, one was Venetia Kelly's Traveling Show, which I hadn't read yet, and the last was The Matchmaker of Kenmare which I read and thus fell in love with Ireland and Frank (review).. and which is why I jumped at the chance to read this next installment, The Last Storyteller. There are a myriad of things going on here with stories in a myth of a story, but the magic of it all is the first person narrative of Ben MacCarthy. And since there is a bit of a plot line to the three books that ties them all together, I don't want to spoil much for you because I know you are going to go out and get all of the books as soon as you are done reading this review. (You can read more about all of his books on Frank's site.) Although I had jumped right into the series with The Matchmaker of Kenmare, I would definitely recommend reading one of the previous books before starting with this newest book The Last Storyteller. The way this narrative is put together is really Ben coining a memoir of sorts to his children and as he describes the things that are occurring around him, the reader is slowly peeling off layers of the character of Ben, and there would be a lot more appreciation of Ben if you could see what he went through during the previous novels.

Ben grows throughout the novels, and this installment is the fruition of all the stories combined and how he translates the lessons learned from his treasures of folklore. After twenty-five years of being haunted by his wife's disappearance, with the cause and reaction being a slowly unfurling theme throughout all of these novels, the reader is finally gifted with a stunning masterpiece of a conclusion.

One of Frank's storytellers teaches us that a story's form must have the three A's: Appetite, Authority, and Address. Give the listeners appetite for the story. Storyteller must have authority over the story in all ways. And address the listener as the listener becomes the slave to the story. (Mildly put.) Frank Delaney has captured that with his story of Ben MacCarthy, but in a much more eloquent way.

Powerful, emotive, and full of Irish grit, The Last Storyteller weaves the lives of the Irish unlike any tale, as the narrator pulls us in and out of story after story as we get a sense of the land of the Irish that isn't just whimsical leprechauns and glittery rainbows. Poverty, politics, violence, love and desperation are just some of the components, with the reality of human indignities at the forefront. I've enjoyed this so much I have already bought Delaney's earlier work, simply titled Ireland.

GIVEAWAY OVER
Are you ready for some fabulous folklore? If you think you would enjoy some old fashioned stories of Ireland, you can enter the giveaway for an autographed copy of The Last Storyteller. Enter here by leaving a comment with your email address, or find the specific giveaway post on Facebook under the page for Burton Book Review and 'like' it there. Open to the USA only, and I'll close the giveaway when I remember to =)
GIVEAWAY OVER

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller
Paperback, 316 pages
Published October 1st 2011 by Revell
Review copy provided by the publisher via HNR, thank you!
Reviewed originally for Historical Novels Review
Burton Book Review Rating: Four glittering stars

The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway's Georgia home conflict still rages. To protect herself and her young brother from her violent and unstable husband, she flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as the cook in a Northwoods lumber camp. The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he's hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie wonders if she can keep her past a secret from a man she is slowly growing to love.

Hypnotizing storyteller Serena Miller writes such atmospheric writing that it deftly absorbs the reader into the story of the loggers and the plight of Katie Calloway.

While the straight and narrow character of Katie lacks emotional development, the plot makes up for it with both tragic and endearing situations. She is taking care of her young brother and desperate to escape an abusive marriage which is a political clash of North and South in post-Civil War Georgia. Katie seizes the opportunity to run away, taking little Ned with her to parts unknown. Traveling to Michigan, she meets up with Robert Foster who gives her a respectable job as a cook for the loggers whom he employs, offering a sanctuary for Katie that she has never had. The lines eventually begin to blur between the boss and cook, but the secret that Katie hides threatens everyone's security at the logger camp.

Katie’s story is made more enticing with the scenery and supporting characters of the camp: a surly head cook, the many loggers at the camp, and Robert and his children. Robert battles his own demons, but can Robert save Katie from her marriage and still feel like an honest Christian? A captivating story, that will almost make you believe that you can smell the white pine forest from your bedroom.

2012 RITA Finalist for Inspirational Romance!

With the strong theme of survival after loss, Marjorie Kowalski Cole dramatizes the life of a family who moves to Northern Michigan to permanently stay in their resort-style vacation home. A mother to five young children, Mary is suddenly a widow and is forced to raise her children on her own. The biggest decision of her life is to move to the rural town, raising her kids in the 1960’s to be strong, independent and without prejudice. The beautiful setting of their home in Pinestead is a character in itself, as the author portrays her love of nature’s beauty through her descriptive writing of the sounds and sights where Mary Leader’s family lives.

Instead of embracing the idyllic life the small community had to offer, Mary succumbs to alcoholism and puts her family and others at risk. We watch her children grow up while in turn they watch her with trepidation, with the hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

With a unique writing style, the author’s prose begins to grow on you after a while. At first it felt stunted and without form, seeming like a runaway train that we couldn’t catch. The bounce from a stream of conscious rhythm back to the past tense was initially jarring but soon became natural. At times the writing mimicked a memoir rather than a novel, except the narrative also shifted point of views between mother and children. With this shift, it was hard to grasp empathy for one character alone, but the hope for the family’s survival was always there. Instead of romanticizing the family’s struggles, this is a plainspoken story of a family’s intertwining faith and grief, coupled with teenager angst and alcoholism that speaks from a hopeful heart.

The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott (pseudonym for Patricia O'Brien)
Doubleday February 21st 2012
ISBN13: 9780385535588
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 3.5 stars for Enjoyable read

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat. Tess’s sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon’s questionable actions during the tragedy. Others—including the gallant Midwestern tycoon—are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumors about the survivors begin to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic. Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period's glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love.

This is the story of Tess Collins who is eager to leave her life as a maid behind in England. She has talent at being a seamstress with an eye for design, and as she looks for a new life in America she conveniently bumps into one of the biggest designers of her time, Lady Lucile Duff Gordon. They both sail together to America on the Titanic, where Tess is immediately thrust into the world of haves and have-nots. She finds herself stuck somewhere in between, with two men from opposite ends of the social class who take notice of Tess.

While Tess tries to piece together what she is capable of and where she belongs, she is at the beck and call of the imperious Lady Duff Gordon. Lady Duff Gordon is the epitome of a snobbish shrew with a dash of psychosis tendencies, with a husband who does nothing to improve upon this picture. Tess realizes their duplicity but she struggles with the fact that this woman is the only one who can immediately offer Tess a dream come true.

However, the aftermath of the Titanic must be dealt with as inquiries and testimony are required from the survivors. What happened on Lifeboat One is one of the most scandalous and newsworthy topics, as it is rumored that the Duff Gordons bribed the men on their lifeboat as they sailed to safety, not allowing any stragglers from oily blackness of the sea on their boat. And covering all of the news is Times reporter Pinky, a name I detested, as she was deserving of much more. Pinky was the character who strung them all together, from Tess to the crewmen and the rest of the personal stories she covered, who had a side story of her own.

A strong plot line and always an intriguing historical event is the fate of the Titanic. The Dressmaker has a lot to live up to, and even though some of the characters bear the factual names of those in reality, the driving force of the story is the romance between Tess and her wishy-washiness between her two loves. I cannot think of anything to complain of writing-wise, but the characters that the author created surrounding this tragic event could have used a bit more fleshing out. While there is still a lot of potential for this debut author, this is the one story that could have been treated as an epic saga given all the famous notables and the look at human nature in the face of tragedy (as well as corporate cover up, etc). With the many lives lost on the Titanic, this should have been a story that pulled at my heart and make me go through a box of tissues, but instead it was simply what the titles implies, a story of a dressmaker. And even with the hope for something more, I did enjoy the dressmaker's story as it was set against that intriguing backdrop of the Titanic with a broad spectrum of characters.

I also wanted to add that I had read another review before reading the book which stated there were French phrases, or conversations, which encumbered her enjoyment of the book. I was so looking forward to these French phrases, but I remember only seeing two.

I read Danielle Steel's No Greater Love back in the '90s which was my first real intro to the Titanic, and I remember being deeply moved by it, reading it several times. Then of course came the blockbuster film with DeCaprio. What novel would you recommend that really knocked your socks off that was set against the Titanic? I would love to read more about it and the real people aboard the ship, and I need your help finding that story, as The Dressmaker didn't fulfill that need for me. Edited to add that I found out after the fact that Patricia O'Brien actually wrote this.. and knowing that, I am even just a bit disappointed. She needs to dig a little deeper and pull out some real emotions on these big topics. I know she can do it!

The Darlings by Cristina Alger
Viking/Pamela Dorman Books
February 16, 2012
Hardcover, 352 pages
9780670023271
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars

A sophisticated page-turner about a wealthy New York family embroiled in a financial scandal with cataclysmic consequences.
Now that he’s married to Merrill Darling, daughter of billionaire financier Carter Darling, attorney Paul Ross has grown accustomed to New York society and all of its luxuries: a Park Avenue apartment, weekends in the Hamptons, bespoke suits. When Paul loses his job, Carter offers him the chance to head the legal team at his hedge fund. Thrilled with his good fortune in the midst of the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression, Paul accepts the position.
But Paul’s luck is about to shift: a tragic event catapults the Darling family into the media spotlight, a regulatory investigation, and a red-hot scandal with enormous implications for everyone involved. Suddenly, Paul must decide where his loyalties lie—will he save himself while betraying his wife and in-laws or protect the family business at all costs?
Cristina Alger’s glittering debut novel interweaves the narratives of the Darling family, two eager SEC attorneys, and a team of journalists all racing to uncover—or cover up—the truth. With echoes of a fictional Too Big to Fail and the novels of Dominick Dunne, The Darlings offers an irresistible glimpse into the highest echelons of New York society—a world seldom seen by outsiders—and a fast-paced thriller of epic proportions.

Wall Street crumbles, the financial crisis consumes every one's retirement, and the American dream as we know it has become a nightmare. To stay off my soap-box to write this review is tough, as I blame these exact movers and shakers of Wall Street and their business partners as the reason most of us are struggling to pay our bills. In the wake of Bernie Madoff, the author brings us a fictional wealthy family, the Darlings, and all of their acquaintances and co-workers to bring us the story we thought we knew. And even though we find it difficult to feel sorry for these overbearing and pretentious people, the author writes it so well that we really want to know what happens to the Darlings when the bottom finally drops out. And we all know it will, because we are living in the recession that Wall Street helped create for its fellow Americans.

With each introduction of yet another character, the inevitable drop doesn't come quick. Instead we watch via the myriad of characters with bated breath.. waiting, reading, and somehow falling in love with the story that we know ends with the tragic fact that just one victim of millions is that the widow down the street no longer has a life savings to live off of. Paul Ross, General Counsel, is married to his boss's daughter, and Paul is the one we focus on, as he is the one who was innocently roped into this intense financial mess the firm created. We can easily root for this gentle Southerner who was inadvertently trapped in a New York minute by his wife's family. Some of the intricate details of the financial world come into play here, but I was lucky enough to have passed two securities exams back in the day, so much of it was old-hat to me. And a lot of New York and Long Island are featured, which is where I grew up (as a figure of speech). These behind-the-scenes montages could become boring to some, but I was sucked into the story from the opening scene when Morty jumped off the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The story develops around the investigation of Morty's hedge fund business, with the SEC closing in on this fraudulent business and the media itching to get out in front of the looming debacle of what Morty left behind.. which is the Darling family business.. except who was going to take the fall? Would they set the innocent Paul up as the sacrificial lamb? Or is everyone going down? As a New Yorker herself, the author gives us a refreshing angle at how the other half lives - making no apologies, and leaving nothing to the imagination and simply writes it in a matter-of- fact style. She doesn't try to force empathy onto any of the characters, she simply tries to shed light on the puzzle of how the dominoes may fall. There were so many characters I was impressed with the weaving of them all, as the web threatened to snag them all. Cristina Alger deftly writes us an evocative story that is a bit like a taste of forbidden fruit.. you know it's not going to be a happy ending, but still it's one you know is going to have a twist.. and it is so much fun getting there. Even though the final scene seemed a bit abrupt and contrived, this was an enticing story and I would definitely be interested in what comes next from this author.

Read an excerpt.

Sister Queens: The Noble, Tragic Lives of Katherine of Aragon and Juana, Queen of Castile by Julia Fox
Non-Fiction
Random House, January 31, 2012
Hardcover 432 pages
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating: 4.5 stars


We know of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand through their legacy of Christopher Columbus and the Inquisition. Yet, they also brought forth the legacy of their predecessors, and two of them are daughters Katherine of Aragon and Juana of Castile. Juana of Castile is the tragic figure we recognize as the mad woman scorned and betrayed, and her sister Katherine of Aragon is the pious yet strong willed first wife of Henry VIII whom he famously cast aside for Anne Boleyn. The men created the events around their lives, and helped shape their legends. But exactly who these women were five hundred years ago is the subject of Julia Fox's newest non-fiction work, Sister Queens.

When reading about historical figures in the biographical context, I am used to the terms would-be, could-be, may have.. but I did not find an abundance of those phrases here - a refreshing change of pace that is unlike Alison Weir's writing. (Refreshingly absent is Weir's over-used eye-rolling phrase "we'll never know"). Leaving no stone unturned, Julia Fox seemingly examines and discusses all the details that she unearthed from her research from the Spanish Archives and the chronicles of the times, as apparently there are many letters and accounts which still survive. Katherine of Aragon's plight of being a widow is discussed thoroughly as she awaits the approval of her marriage to the future Henry VIII, while Juana's supposed madness is slowly wrapping its web around her reality as she finds herself in extreme isolation which began with her husband's ways and continued with her own father and ultimately her own son, Charles the Holy Roman Emperor.

Getting to the heart of the characters of the two sisters is a complex feat, but is accomplished as realistically as possible through the author's eyes. The leadership traits of their mother, Queen Isabella, are easily seen in both Juana and Katherine, and one wonders how far they would have gone if it were not for the chains of male prejudice holding them back. The author clearly wants this realization to come to light as she shows time and again how the men in their lives continued to wreak certain havoc with no regard for the thoughts of Katherine or Juana. And their father Ferdinand really seems like the type of man one would love to hate.

There is more evidence available for Katherine's life, as she was not as secluded and pushed aside as much as Juana was. Juana's husband began the rumors of her madness, and sadly enough her father King Ferdinand perpetuated these rumors which led to Juana's imprisonment. When Juana was given a rare chance to come out of her seclusion for the sake of Castile, she dissembled and lost the opportunity. Thus, Juana's story is one of rumor and innuendo, with no one on her side to plead her case, and when certain red flags were waved, they were ignored. Essentially shut up, Juana was easily forgotten. Bred to be a Queen, she had the foresight to be a great one, yet she chose to not display her mother's traits to those who mattered. She was reduced to tantrums at times, which provided enough fodder for those who liked to denounce her abilities. Juana's disappointing trait (downfall?) was her stalwart defense of her family. In contrast, Katherine was busy being the Queen of England, and epitomizing it in every sense of the phrase due to her extreme faith in the fact that Queen of England was what God had wanted for her. This faith, and the upbringing of Katherine, propelled Katherine into a woman to be reckoned with, someone who would even oppose her King of a husband in order to protect her soul and her constant belief in what was God's will.

Readers interested in the details of Katherine and Juana could not be disappointed with this telling of facts. It is well researched, well written and brings forth the hearts and souls of the sisters where we once only felt shadows. The author explains the traits we know these woman had and helps to flesh them out using many details and events of their lives. To get to the pathos of these women, we are obliged to touch on the details from the politics of England, Spain, to France and the Netherlands and onwards even to Burgundy, and throw in the many pregnancies and the many advisers and everyone in between and there is a complete a picture of these two sisters and their family dynamics. Katherine's great-nephew Philip marries Katherine's daughter, Mary, in what should have been a triumphant final stamp of Spain on England, yet we know that it is this same Philip who unsuccessfully wages war on England. Sister Queens is an exhaustive and detailed work surrounding these sisters, as I look forward to the next Julia Fox work with more anticipation than I would one by Alison Weir.