Waiting on Wednesday: Born of Illusion

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: Born of Illusion by Teri Brown
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Publish Date: June 11, 2013
Genre: Historical

Goodreads Summary: Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City.

Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?

Born of Illusion is the first book in a new series. Each book in the series will introduce a new historical figure, whose legend is shrouded in magic, along with the young woman whose fate is irrevocably tied to his. The through line in each of the books will be The Ghost Club, the real life secret society that was founded in 1862 by the likes of Charles Dickens, Sir Conan Doyle, and W. B. Yeats to advance mankind’s knowledge of the paranormal. The first three books in the series will deal with Houdini, Aleister Crowley and Rasputin.

Why am I waiting on Born of Illusion? I love historical novels and have never read a YA historical about Houdini. Throw in the touch of paranormal and this is a must read for me! What books are you waiting on?

Book Review: Short-Straw Bride

Title: Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 365 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2012
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk.

Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can't bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again.

Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride?

I loved the beautiful, fun cover of this book the instant I saw it and was hoping it would be good. I’m happy to say that Karen Witemeyer did not disappoint!

Meredith (Meri) Hayes has had a crush on the reclusive Travis Archer since he rescued her when she hurt herself on his land when she was 10 years old. Twelve years later, she gets the opportunity to repay him for his kindness and ends up with much more than she bargained for.  

I love historical romances where the main characters are thrown into a situation where they are compelled to get married and then get to know each other afterwards. This one is even more fun since Meri already has a major crush on Travis and he is extremely lacking in the dating and courtship department.

Meri is a great main character! She is smart, spunky, brave and very likable. I also love the relationship she has with her cousin Cassie and the high road she takes with people who treat her poorly because she limps from an old injury. The dynamics with Travis and his three younger brothers is also great.

I’m a huge fan or well developed relationships and love the way Meri and Travis slowly fall for each other. There is also a really great message throughout the book about loyalty to family, friends and completely relying on God even when the circumstances look dire. This book is not all romance, however. There is some action in it as well as you would expect from a historical novel set on a ranch in Texas.

If you are in the mood for a really sweet, clean and romantic read, Short-Straw Bride is definitely the book for you! It’s well written and thoroughly enjoyable. I’ll definitely be looking out for more books from this author.

Content: Kissing and some violence

My Rating: Really Good!

Waiting on Wednesday: Chantress

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publish Date: May 7, 2013
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Goodreads Summary: Sing and the darkness will find you.

Shipwrecked on an island seven years ago, Lucy has been warned she must never sing, or disaster will strike. But on All Hallows Eve, Lucy hears tantalizing music in the air. When she sings it, she unlocks a terrible secret: She is a Chantress, a spell-singer, brought to the island not by shipwreck but by a desperate enchantment gone wrong.

Her song lands her back in England — and in mortal peril, for the kingdom lies in the cruel grasp of a powerful Lord Protector and his mind-reading hunters, the Shadowgrims. The Protector has killed all Chantresses, for they alone can destroy the Shadowgrims. Only Lucy has survived.

In terrible danger, Lucy takes shelter with Nat, a spy who turns her heart upside-down. Nat has been working with his fellow scholars of the Invisible College to overthrow the Lord Protector, and they have long hoped to find a living Chantress to help them. But Lucy is completely untrained, and Nat deeply distrusts her magic. If Lucy cannot master the songspells, how long can she even stay alive?

Why am I waiting on Chantress? This book sounds so good! Plus, this combination of historical fiction and fantasy wrapped up in this pretty cover is hard for me to resist. What books are you waiting on?

Book Review: Oliver Twist

Title: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Release Date: Originally published in 1838
Pages: 554 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction

Goodreads Summary: The story of the orphan Oliver, who runs away from the workhouse only to be taken in by a den of thieves, shocked readers when it was first published. Dickens's tale of childhood innocence beset by evil depicts the dark criminal underworld of a London peopled by vivid and memorable characters—the arch-villain Fagin, the artful Dodger, the menacing Bill Sikes and the prostitute Nancy. Combining elements of Gothic Romance, the Newgate Novel and popular melodrama, Dickens created an entirely new kind of fiction, scathing in its indictment of a cruel society, and pervaded by an unforgettable sense of threat and mystery.

I know most bookish types have read most of the classics but Oliver Twist somehow flew under my radar for all these years. I was recently given the opportunity to review it professionally and I jumped at the chance to read the story that I thought I knew through movies and popular culture. While I didn’t hate Oliver Twist, I didn’t like it that much either.

Oliver Twist is of course the story of the poor, starving orphan boy who has the audacity to ask for more food and feels the wrath of the workhouse administrators afterwards. He runs away, gets taken in by a gang of thieves and through a series of events, ends up with his own happily ever after.

It’s easy to see that Dickens used this story to highlight the injustices of England’s Poor Laws and his disdain for economically advantageous marriages. Admittedly, it is shocking to read how deplorably the poor and homeless people were treated and this aspect of the book I thought was very well done.

My issues with the novel involve the length, unnecessary plot lines and mostly importantly, the bigoted and highly stereotypical character, Fagin. This book is unnecessarily long. I had no idea until KM from One Page At A Time told me that Dickens was paid by the word and that explains a lot. The novel was also published in chapters so I guess Dickens had to have enough story for each chapter but this novel could really have been much shorter to get the point across. I also thought the entire story line of Rose and Harry was used to show us what a ‘good’ love marriage was supposed to be like as opposed to all the ‘bad’ arranged marriages in the novel. It could easily have been cut.

And of course, there is Fagin: the devilish, greedy, conniving leader of the gang of juvenile pickpockets. I’m not overly politically correct you guys. If Fagin was the villain who happened to be Jewish, I wouldn’t really be an issue for me. BUT, Fagin’s villainy and the fact that he is Jewish seem to be tied together and it did not sit well with me. The fact that he is referred to as “the Jew” bothered me every time I read it. I’m not sure what the reaction to this stereotype was in 1838, but it certainly would not be OK if this was written today.

Overall, I can see why this book was impactful at the time but it is also a bit fantasy like in the serendipitous way that Oliver, in the large city of London, just happens to connect with exactly the right people he needs to uncover the mystery of his identity and life. I know a lot of people adore this story but it was not for me.

Content: Kissing and violence.

My Rating: Just fine

Book Review: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Title: The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 412 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian

Goodreads Summary: Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

The more historical Christian fiction I read, the more I love it and it’s all because of books like The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. I need sweet and swoony books like this to break up the monotony of all the paranormal romance and dystopian books that I read. Plus, its summer and light, fun reading will always win with me on a hot day.

Twenty-four year old Margaret Macy is a privileged, shallow and spoiled woman who will come into a significant inheritance on her 25^th birthday. Her stepfather (who married Margaret’s mother for her money) intends to keep that inheritance under his control so he moves his nephew into their house to woo her, plotting to have the couple married before Margaret turns 25. Margaret had unsuccessfully tried to escape her stepfather before but when she overhears a plot to force her into marriage by any means necessary, including having the nephew force himself on her, leaving her no choice but to marry him to save her reputation, Margaret takes desperate measures to hide away until her birthday.

An interesting set of circumstances leads Margaret to work as a maid in the home of Nathaniel and Lewis Upchurch. Years before, bookish and slightly nerdy Nathaniel had courted Margaret, fell in love with her and proposed. Margaret had liked Nathaniel well enough until she met his dashing older brother Lewis. Hoping for a proposal from Lewis instead, Margaret turned Nathaniel down, breaking his heart. Now that Nathaniel is back from working his family’s plantation in the Caribbean and is considerably more buff and tanned, Margaret gets to see exactly what she missed out on.

While The Maid of Fairbourne Hall shows the harsh way people of means treated their servants, the book is light as it focuses on Margaret’s epic fail as a maid and the lengths she goes through to keep up her ridiculous disguise so she won’t be recognized (notice the bad hair of the cover model? Yep, it’s a wig!). Margaret’s circumstances are rough but she totally deserves it for the way she treated people prior to her going into hiding. Margaret’s character goes through tremendous growth and maturity throughout the book and it is great to see. I love how she gets to covertly observe both brothers and realize just how wrong she was to judge them on appearances. The secondary characters, especially the brothers, are also very well developed.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is a well written book with a sweet, wonderful romance, lots of humor and even a bit of action. Reading this book made me happy and kept me thoroughly entertained. I highly recommend it to romance lovers of all ages.

Content: Kissing, some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Breath of Eyre

Title: Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
Release Date: March 27, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 342 pages
Genre: Historical, Social Issues
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

When I first read the summary for Breath of Eyre, I was expecting some literary time travel, sweeping romance and honestly, a light, fun YA fantasy novel. Breath of Eyre is a well written, unique story that instead tackles some heavy issues that took me by surprise.

Emma has a poor relationship with her father and stepmother. She attends a prestigious boarding school where the scholarship students (including Emma) are bullied by the rich girls. Emma’s new roommate (another scholarship student) has a major chip on her shoulder and the boy Emma likes just so happens to date the meanest of the mean rich girls. Needless to say, things in Emma’s life are not all that great.

Emma is a very sympathetic character. She is smart but has a lot of real issues in her life and she is trying to sort them all out. In Breath of Eyre, relationships are very complicated. At home, Emma wants to have a close relationship with her father and be able to talk to him about what’s going on in her life, but she doesn’t know how. At school, Emma tries to blend into the background and not attract the attention of the mean girls. I’m a character driven reader and am happy that the characters are well written and complex.

What surprised me the most about Breath of Eyre is that the book is more of a contemporary story than a paranormal one. Most of the story is told in the present with short sections being set within the Jane Eyre novel. The story deals heavily with themes of loss, grief, depression, mental illness, suicide, classism and discrimination: weighty issues that I did not see coming.

If you like contemporary YA novels or issues books, Breath of Eyre is definitely for you. The issues are handled well and the book has a satisfying ending but still leaves you looking forward to the second book in the series, A Touch of Scarlet which comes out in April of next year.

Content: Kissing, profanity, attempted suicide, underage drinking and drug use.

My Rating: Just Fine

Book Review: Sixty Acres and a Bride

Title: Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 366 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian

Goodreads Summary: With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay. Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

I love the biblical story of Ruth and Boaz. It’s a perfect illustration of finding love and happiness after loss and devastation. Regina Jennings takes Ruth’s story and weaves a wonderful historical novel that delivers with a great plot and well developed characters.

Rosa Garner was only married for a month before her husband and father-in-law died in a mining accident in Mexico. Now a year later, she and her American mother-in-law, Louisa, return to the Garner’s Texas homestead hoping to start over and make a life for themselves. Unfortunately, they find out that they owe years of back taxes on the property and only have three months to pay it before the ranch is sold at auction and they are homeless.

I love Rosa! She is easily one of my favorite characters in Christian fiction. Rosa is beautiful, smart, spunky, hard working, resourceful and determined. She is also flawed and has issues with doubt and rejection stemming from experiences with her Mexican family and her first marriage. I did not like Louisa. She is the kind of woman that leaves all the tough decisions, especially the financial ones, up to her husband and since her husband was dead, the burden fell to Rosa. Louisa also made some inconsiderate decisions throughout the novel that really annoyed me.

Weston, our Boaz in the story, was the swoon worthy, tortured hero and I loved it! The relationship between Weston and Rosa is very well developed and filled with lots of romantic tension. The author writes the couple’s chemistry well and I could not wait for them to work through their issues and be together.

The story is a wonderful mix of romance, cultural differences, missteps in etiquette and a beautiful illustration of how God provides and redeems. I highly recommend Sixty Acres and a Bride to anyone who loves romance, historical or Christian fiction. This is Jennings’ debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

Content: Kissing and some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Sound of the Heart

Title: Sound of the Heart by Genevieve Graham

Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Historical
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Sweeping and epic. Those are the words I will use to describe Sound of the Heart. Genevieve Graham has weaved a story that captivates the reader with characters that you genuinely care about and a plot that will keep you reading, desperately wanting to know how it will all turn out.

The story carries you from the battle scarred Highlands of Scotland to the filthy streets of London and the wilds of a young North American territory. Graham’s descriptions are vivid and lush and exactly want I want when I’m reading a historical novel.

Dougal and Glenna, our main characters, are so well developed. I loved that these two were simply friends before they became more than friends. Their overall relationship is wonderfully written and secondary characters are also well done. Dougal’s paranormal ability is subtle and does not take away from the historical setting of the storyline, it only adds to it.

Graham does not sugarcoat the harsh and violent realities of living in the 1700’s, especially for women. Rape, murder and corruption were normal for the time and places and though tragic and heart breaking, they work for this story.

If you love historical romance, Sound of the Heart is definitely for you. If you mostly read paranormal romance but have not read much or any historical, give this a try. The story has its dark portions but the romance and adventure aspects of the novel are awesome and not to be missed! Tomorrow, I will feature an interview with Genevieve Graham where she talks about the book and there will be a giveaway! Make sure you come back and enter to win.

Content: Kissing, sex, attempted rape and actual rape, profanity and violence. This is not a YA novel and I recommend it for 18+.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Love Amid the Ashes

Title: Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Release Date: March 2011
Publisher: Revell
Pages: 411 pages
Genre: Christian Historical

Goodreads Summary: Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job's life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family? Through painstaking research and a writer's creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him. Drawing together the account of Job with those of Esau's tribe and Jacob's daughter Dinah, Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.

I’m a huge fan of Christian historical fiction and love books based on people from the Bible. It takes a lot of creativity for a writer to take small bits of history and weave entire stories out of them and when it’s done well, it’s really enjoyable. Most times, the story is great and completely believable, other times if falls short and misses the mark. Unfortunately, Love Amid the Ashes missed the mark for me.

A story based on the Biblical account of Job is great material to work with. Mesu Andrews makes good use of the potions of Job’s story that we are very familiar with but Job is not really the main character in this book, Dinah is. Honestly, this surprised me as I thought the story would focus on Job more than anyone else.

Dinah is Jacob’s only daughter, the one who, according to scripture, was raped by Prince Shechem and whose brothers took revenge by killing the prince and all the men in the city. Andrews’ book puts a different spin on the situation. Instead of being raped, Shechem approached 15-year-old Dinah, proposed to her and the two eloped, all on the same day. In Love Amid the Ashes, Dinah was actually in love with her husband, her brothers slaughtered him and she was labeled and an evil temptress by everyone who heard the rumors. This is the first portion of the story that I had an issue with. I have a hard time believing that with the culture she lived in, this girl, with Jacob for a father and those 12 men for brothers, would be crazy enough to run off with a man from a different culture and religion who she had just met.

Now an adult, Dinah is pretty much unmarriageable because of her reputation but her grandfather’s dying request is that she become the second wife of Job’s oldest son. Job, being a distant cousin and a faithful man who trusts God decides to honor the request and takes Dinah on a lengthy trip to his family’s home.

The middle part of the book does focus on Job and his trials including his wife’s inappropriate relationship with another man, her idolatry and a host of other things, but the point of the story is muddled with the fact that Dinah is constantly in the picture, people treat her like a whore, a bad luck charm and the reason why calamity has befallen Job in the first place. I also have an issue with the fact that Dinah’s looks (she is tall and thin with blond hair and blue eyes) are mentioned several times, especially the blond hair. Her description sounds more like European supermodel than Middle Eastern woman but maybe that’s just me.

This book also has a lot of secondary characters, many of them I thought were unnecessary and the extra made this book way too long. Another thing I found surprising is the author’s extremely unflattering portrayal of twin brothers and patriarchs of their families, Jacob and Esau. I know Jacob did some conniving things but I would like to think that circumstances in his life, including physically wrestling with God, humbled and softened him. Not according to Andrews. She writes them as two of the biggest jerks and meanest fathers ever.  

Love Amid the Ashes is not a bad book by any means and this review may be coming out harsher than I intend it.  There is a very good message in the book that regardless of your past is, after you seek God’s forgiveness, you are free from the shame and embarrassment of whatever you did. But Job did not sin against God and so there is the second message that you should praise and trust God in all your circumstance.  The story just felt like several books mashed together and there is too much going on. Most reviewers seem to love it but it just was not the book for me.

Content: Kissing, some violence.

My Rating: Just Fine

Waiting on Wednesday: The Friday Society

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress

Publisher: Dial
Publish Date: Dec. 6, 2012
Genre: Historical, Steampunk

Goodreads Summary: Be your own hero . . .

Set in London at the turn of the last century, the novel follows the stories of three intelligent and very talented young women, all of whom are assistants to very powerful men: Cora, lab assistant to a member of parliament; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant to a martial arts guru; and Nellie, a magician's assistant. The three young women’s lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man.

It’s up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder—and the crimes they believe may be connected to it‐‐without calling too much attention to themselves.

Told with Adrienne Kress's sharp wit and a great deal of irreverence, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike--well, relatively ladylike--heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Why am I waiting on The Friday Society? I love the cover of this book! It reminds me of a steampunk Charlie’s Angels. Additionally, the story sounds really fun, original and exciting. What books are you waiting on?

Book Review: Scarlet

Title: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Release Date: Feb. 14, 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Pages: 292 pages
Genre: Historical
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

If you think you the story of Robin Hood has been done so many times, there can’t be anything new about it, think again. A.C. Gaughen writes a story that’s fresh, exciting and romantic and puts a new spin and the story you thought you knew!

Scarlet in set in Nottinghamshire, a small town ruled over by the evil and corrupt sheriff who oppresses the people beyond the breaking point. Robin is a nobleman who has had his title, lands and possessions unjustly taken from him. Of course, he loves his people so he steals for them so they can eat and pay their taxes and break them out of the jail when they are locked up. Everything is going as well as usual until the sheriff hires a new thief taker, one that even has the unflappable Will Scarlet terrified.

The story is told from Scarlet’s perspective, and she is the best and most daring thief in Robin Hood’s band. Very few people know that Scarlet is actually a girl, one with a chip on her shoulder and a shadowy past. The boys, Robin, Little John and Much, know what she is and are fiercely protective of Scarlet who hates being fussed over and treated differently.

The first thing you notice when you start reading the book is Scarlet’s dialect and since the book is told from her first person perspective, it’s constant throughout the book. It took me about two pages to get used to it and it seemed so natural after that.

I loved Scarlet! She had so much emotional baggage and a past that was a complete mystery, but it was slowly revealed throughout the book. The pain and angst the character feels is very well written. The fact that she is deadly with the knives made me love her that much more.

There is a of a love triangle of sorts among Scarlet, Little John and Robin. Robin is gallant, swoon worthy and utterly frustrating! He jealously accuses Scarlet of sending John mixed signals when he pretty much guilty of doing the same thing to her. Regardless, I liked Robin a lot and raced through the book to see how the romance would play out.

Scarlet is a fast paced, exciting book with some awesome plot twists thrown in and I loved it. Gaughen has written a solid debut novel that left me wanting more. I have no idea if there will be a sequel as the book works well as a standalone novel, but I would love to go back to this world. Fingers crossed that I will.

Content: Kissing and heavy violence

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: The Merchant’s Daughter

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson

Release Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Publisher: Zondervan
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

I’m a sucker for fairytale retellings and when I saw that The Merchant’s Daughter was from a Christian author and publisher, I knew I had to read it. The Merchant’s Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in England during the fourteenth century.

As the title implies, Annabel was born the daughter of a wealthy merchant and was raised with money and privilege. The story suggests that Annabel’s father doted on her and indulged her, even allowing her to learn to read which was rare for most people and especially for women at that time. Annabel’s family looses their wealth when their ships are lost at sea and her father dies from the plague. Now 17-years-old, Annabel gets lots of unwanted attention from men who want to take advantage of her beauty and the idea that she must be desperate to marry so she can return to the lifestyle she was accustomed to.

Annabel’s mother and two older brothers are selfish, lazy and manipulative. In order to save the family home, Annabel volunteers to become an indentured servant to lord of the area, Ranulf, the story’s ‘beast.’ Ranulf is a rich man who has been scarred from a childhood encounter with a wolf. His first wife married him for his money and then rejected and cheated on him, telling him that no woman could ever love him because of how he looks. Ranulf is angry, bitter and especially unkind to Annabel because, like his wife, she is pretty. Annabel hates the kind of lecherous attention she gets from men and wants to go to a convent where she can read and study the bible. Both characters feel intense betrayal from their families and both need to love and be loved in order to be made whole.

Annabel and Ranulf are very likable and you root for them to find happiness after so much loss and betrayal. The romance between these two is well developed as we see how they get to know each other’s hearts through Annabel’s nightly Bible readings to Ranulf. There are very strong Christian elements throughout the story as we see how God heals both physical and emotional hurts and how He wants what’s best for us; we only have to trust Him. This being a story of Beauty and the Beast, we also see how a person’s good character always trumps the physical appearance.

The Merchant’s Daughter is a quick and romantic read that I recommend to anyone who likes sweet love stories, fairytales or Christian fiction. I enjoyed this and look forward to other books by Dickerson.

Content: Kissing, attempted rape and some violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: The Gathering Storm

Title: The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

Release Date: Jan 10, 2012
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead. No one knows. Not her family. Not the girls at her finishing school. Not the tsar or anyone in her aristocratic circle. Katerina considers her talent a curse, not a gift. But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe's royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina's strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar's standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina's help to safeguard Russia, even if he's repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

With the combination of historical and paranormal elements plus a beautiful cover, The Gathering Storm is the kind of book I adore. In theory. In reality, this book did not deliver for me like I wanted it to.

Prior to reading, I thought The Gathering Storm was a historical novel with some paranormal elements, but it’s more of a paranormal novel in a historical setting. Almost all the characters are fey, witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies or necromancers with our main character, Katerina, being one of the most powerful necromancers in Russia.

The historical setting of Tsarist Russia is wonderful: the balls, glittering jewels and gorgeous dresses are wonderfully described. Robin Bridges also does a good job of introducing really interesting folklore to the story line and for using real people from history in her story. These are the elements that I liked. Unfortunately, there are more that I did not.

Katerina has known about her supernatural ability since she was a child and she has taken great care to hide it from everyone. She is a person of science, wanting to be a doctor, an occupation that was not thought to be inappropriate for a woman at that time. While Katerina is book smart and has bravely chosen and unpopular occupation (which I admire), she does some really stupid things.

She has a hard time believing that other supernatural beings exist even though as a necromancer, she is one of them. She is repeatedly warned about a certain family and seen members of the family doing evil things including hurt her own family and friends, yet she still hangs out with them so as not to upset them. Katerina is also specifically warned that a certain boy is evil and is given a talisman to help protect her from him, but she falls victim to him anyway because she only wears the talisman sporadically. She gets really angry at people who tell her she can’t be a doctor because she is a woman, but is annoyingly meek to the people who blackmail, kidnap, drug and use her as a blood donor for their crazy rituals.

Most of these issues stem from Katerina believing that she can fix everything herself and refusing to tell those close to her what’s going on or ask for help. I’m so frustrated with book-smart girls who make dumb decisions and bury themselves in deeper and deeper. You know this girl, she has been showing up more and more in YA books lately.

I don’t like bashing books, especially from hard working debut authors, so I won’t keep nitpicking at all the things that frustrated me about The Gathering Storm. While it’s not a bad book, it had all the ingredients to be an awesome read, it just did not deliver for me. I think I’m so disappointed because I had such high expectations for it. If you read it without expectations, you will probably enjoy it more than I did.

Content: Kissing and violence.

My Rating: Disappointing

Book Review: Fateful

Title: Fateful by Claudia Gray

Release Date: Sep. 13, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 356 pages
Genre: Paranormal, Historical
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In Fateful, eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, overbearing family she works for. Once the ship they’re sailing on reaches the United States, she’ll strike out on her own. Then she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets....

Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves are real and they’re stalking him—and now Tess, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over.

Featuring the opulent backdrop of the Titanic, Fateful’s publication is poised to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the ship’s doomed maiden voyage. It is sure to be a hit among Titanic buffs and fans of paranormal romance alike.

When I read the summary for Fateful a few months back and saw that Claudia Gray was writing a book about werewolves on the Titanic, I knew I had to read it. While, I loved the historical aspects of this book, I was a little disappointed with the romance.

In Fateful, it’s clear that Gray did her research on the Titanic and it’s reflected in both the big and small the details about the ship. I love how Gray subtly and effectively combines the historical and paranormal aspects of the book.

Tess’s character is likable. She is a maid for a rich family whose matriarch treats the help very poorly. Tess, being smart and ambitious, plans to quit as soon as the ship gets to New York and make a new life for herself. She handles herself with grace even when being bereted by her employer. She is brave when the people she cares about are being threatened. The secondary characters are also well written and I loved how their stories were slowly revealed throughout the book.

As much as I liked Tess, I just was not enthusiastic about her relationship with Alec. Alec is the rich, handsome passenger from first class and Tess unwittingly gets involved in a dangerous situation he has going on with another passenger on the ship. Alec is dark and brooding throughout most of the novel. I understand that he is unhappy about his situation, but I really wanted him to stop moping and work just a little harder to keep Tess safe from Mikhail.

I was bugged by the fact that Tess does most of the ‘heavy lifting’ in this book while Alec is mostly sad. She thwarts the bad guy on several occasions, comes up with some of the better ideas to help Alec and pretty much saves him from himself. I’m all for strong female characters but I don’t think we need kick-butt heroines at the expense of strong male lead characters.

Their romance also happened a bit fast for me and before you say it, I know that a shipboard romance on the Titanic means that the couple has to meet and fall in love over a four day period. And yes, while I bought the shipboard romance in the movie Titanic, Alec and Tess are no Jack and Rose. I just was not feeling it. 

Fateful is original, has lots of action, forbidden romance and a dramatic and well written setting. Hardcore historical and paranormal romance lovers may like this more than I did. While not bad, this was just an OK book for me.

Content: Kissing, sex (no graphic descriptions) and violence.

My Rating: Just Fine

Book Review: A Reluctant Queen

Title: A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

Release Date: July 5, 2011
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pages: 400 pages
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical
Source: Publisher through NetGalley

Goodreads Summary: An inspired re-imagining of the tale of Esther, a young Jewish woman thrust from a life of obscurity into a life of power, wealth, intrigue . . . and tender love.

See the story of Esther in an entirely new way-with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King Xerxes was a powerful but lonely man. Esther's beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart.

Imagine anew the story of Esther, one of our faith's great heroines, destined to play a key role in the history of Christianity.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Biblical story of Esther, how an ordinary girl could rise up to become queen of Persia and save her people from genocide. While A Reluctant Queen mirrors the main highlights from the Biblical account, it is important to point out that this book is VERY loosely based on the biblical book of Esther.

In order to properly enjoy and review this book, I decided not to compare it to the real story in the Bible. Standing on its own, A Reluctant Queen is very romantic, hopeful and filled with political intrigue.

Esther is a beautiful girl of mixed heritage (her mother was Jewish while her father was Persian) living in Susa with her uncle Mordecai. Fearing a plot to annihilate the Jewish people, Esther, at the request of Mordecai and other Jewish leaders, goes undercover into the King of Persia’s harem and competes with other girls to become his wife.

Young and scared, Esther never expects to actually like the handsome King Ahasuerus and is even more shocked when he chooses her to be his queen after only meeting her once. Ahasuerus is gorgeous, smart, kind, noble and completely swoon worthy. In other words, he is a perfect leading man. What starts out as a physical attraction grows into an awesome love between these two. The characters are very well rounded, especially Esther and Haman (the villain of the story). I loved getting to know Esther and seeing how she worked through her fears to get to the point of knowing that she was going to save her people or die trying. The political storyline in the book is very interesting as well.

I liked A Reluctant Queen and I think readers who like Christian fiction and romance would enjoy it as well. Just keep in mind that it is a retelling and there are significant differences between the historical account of Queen Esther and this book. 

Content: Kissing, drinking, some violence and implied sex but nothing even remotely graphic. 

My Rating: Really Good!

Book Review: Darker Still

Title: Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

Release Date: Nov. 8, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebook Fire
Pages: 320 pages
Genre: Historical, Horror
Source: Publisher

Goodreads Summary: The Picture of Dorian Gray meets Pride and Prejudice, with a dash of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

New York City, 1882. Seventeen-year-old Natalie Stewart's latest obsession is a painting of the handsome British Lord Denbury. Something in his striking blue eyes calls to her. As his incredibly life-like gaze seems to follow her, Natalie gets the uneasy feeling that details of the painting keep changing...

Jonathan Denbury's soul is trapped in the gilded painting by dark magic while his possessed body commits unspeakable crimes in the city slums. He must lure Natalie into the painting, for only together can they reverse the curse and free his damaged soul.

Darker Still is such a unique novel, in a very good way! After witnessing her mother’s death at a young age, Natalie Stewart stops talking. Now 17-years-old, Natalie communicates with other people through sign-language and writing on notepads. The story is told through Natalie’s journal entries which is very appropriate for this story. While it may seem odd to read an entire book made up of journal entries (a first for me), Ms. Hieber makes it work very well and the story flowed wonderfully.

I am a character driven reader and Natalie is a very likable character. She is brave, spunky and smart. People don’t expect much of her because she is mute, but she proves them wrong. She stands up for herself and refuses to be bullied or put down for her short comings. The women in Darker Still, Natalie and Ms. Northe, are the heroes of the story, the ones who do the sleuthing and the saving. I liked Denbury’s swoon worthy character and I hope we get to know him better in the next book.

The setting of Darker Still is perfectly Victorian and the story is awesomely dark and gothic. The circumstances that got Denbury stuck in the painting and keeps him there are scary. Filled with dark magic, a gorgeous man trapped in a painting and an evil, possessed body, this is a great creepy read for this time of year when the weather is cold and gray. If you enjoy gothic stories like the Picture of Dorian Gray, you will love this book.

The ending of Darker Still is satisfying with no cliffhanger but there is more there to explore. I was very happy to find out that there will be a sequel coming out next year. I can’t wait to read it! If you have not done so yet, enter to win a copy of this great book here.

Content: Kissing, violence.  

My Rating: Really Good!

Waiting on Wednesday – The Merchant’s Daughter

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson
Publisher: Zondervan
Publish Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Genre: Historical, Christian

Summary: An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude to Lord Ranulf, a recluse who is rumored to be both terrifying and beastly. Her circumstances are made even worse by the proximity of Lord Ranulf's bailiff---a revolting man who has made unwelcome advances on Annabel in the past. Believing that life in a nunnery is the best way to escape the escalation of the bailiff's vile behavior and to preserve the faith that sustains her, Annabel is surprised to discover a sense of security and joy in her encounters with Lord Ranulf. As Annabel struggles to confront her feelings, she is involved in a situation that could place Ranulf in grave danger. Ranulf's future, and possibly his heart, may rest in her hands, and Annabel must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

I adore fairytale retellings and lately, I have been reading (and loving) more historical fiction. The Merchant’s Daughter is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and I am very excited about reading it. What books are you waiting on?

Waiting on Wednesday – A Breath of Eyre

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine, and specifically spotlights upcoming novels we can't wait to read. This week’s choice is:

Title: A Breath of Eyre by Eve Marie Mont
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: April 1, 2012
Genre: Historical

Goodreads Summary: Emma Townsend has always believed in stories—the ones she reads voraciously, and the ones she creates in her head. Perhaps it’s because she feels like an outsider at her exclusive prep school, or because her stepmother doesn’t come close to filling the void left by her mother’s death. And her only romantic prospect—apart from a crush on her English teacher—is Gray Newman, a long-time friend who just adds to Emma’s confusion. But escape soon arrives in an old leather-bound copy of Jane Eyre…

Reading of Jane’s isolation sparks a deep sense of kinship. Then fate takes things a leap further when a lightning storm catapults Emma right into Jane’s body and her nineteenth-century world. As governess at Thornfield, Emma has a sense of belonging she’s never known—and an attraction to the brooding Mr. Rochester. Now, moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane’s story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own…

I have really been enjoying historical fiction lately, especially the ones that have some supernatural element to them. A Breath of Eyre sounds so awesome and I love the cover! This is exactly my kind of book and is pretty much a must read for me....

Book Review: Wolves Among Us

Title: Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett
Release Date: April 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 304 pages
Genre: Christian, Historical
Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: Library

Goodreads Summary: In this richly imagined tale, Ginger Garrett takes readers to a tiny town on the edge of the Black Forest in 1538. In a medieval German village, a double murder stirs up festering fears. The overworked sheriff is baffled, so the village priest sends for help to solve the mystery. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings with him a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, ordinary village fears and resentments take a deadly turn, and soon women are the targets of his crusade. Terror mounts. Dark secrets come to light. But in the midst of it all, a man and woman—the priest and the sheriff's unloved wife—somehow dare to listen to another Voice ... and discover what it means to love instead of fear.

Wolves Among Us is one of those books that starts out slow and you may be tempted to put it down in the first few pages. I know I wanted to but I’m glad I didn’t because it got more exciting as the story progressed and I did enjoy it.

Set in 1538, Mia is married to the small town sheriff. She spends her days taking care of her sickly three-year-old, Alma, and her husband’s sick mother. Mia attends Mass and prays constantly for Alma to be healed from what appears to be asthma. She works hard to be a good wife and keep a good house in the hopes that if she is perfect, only then will God heal Alma. I wish I could say Mia came up with this misconception on her own but unfortunately, this is what women were being taught by the church.

Mia lives a sad, lonely life. None of the women in the village will befriend her or even speak to her with the exception of the town gossip who Mia avoids. Her husband is harsh and unloving but all the men in this book are horrible, even the village priest who thankfully redeems himself.

Wolves Among Us is a darker novel than I expected. Yes, I realize the book is about witch hunts and innocent women being wrongly accused and burnt alive so what levity could I have expected? In addition to the accusations and persecutions, the life of the women in the story, the Inquisitor’s hypocrisy, the truth behind the murders and the real evil in the town is depressing. Thankfully, there is a much greater story/message beyond the darkness and I appreciate it.

Like I said, the book does pick up the pace and the ending is neatly wrapped up. While I was not sure what to expect when I began reading, I do like the story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Christian historical fiction. I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Content: Violence and references to rape.

Book Review: Waterfall

Title: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
Release Date: Feb. 1, 2011
Publisher: David C. Cook
Pages: 352 pages
Genre: Historical, Christian
Rating: 5 stars
Source: Purchased

Goodreads Summary: Lisa Tawn Bergren's new YA series, River of Time, is romantic, historical fiction in which the plucky heroine doesn't have to fear a vampire's bite but must still fight for her life.

In Waterfall, American teenager Gabi Betarrini accidently finds herself in Fourteenth-Century Italy . . . Knights. Swords. Horses. Armor. And Italian hotties. Most American teens want an Italian vacation, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives there with their archaeologist parents. Stuck on yet another hot, dusty dig, they are bored out of their minds... until they place their hands atop handprints in an ancient tomb and find themselves catapulted into the Fourteenth Century and in the middle of a fierce battle between knights bent on killing one another.

Bored and annoyed that they are going to spend yet another summer at an archeological site and not allowed to touch anything, Gabi convinces her sister Lia to sneak into the site with her where Gabi is accidentally sent through time and finds herself in the middle of battle between neighboring castles. The action starts right away as Gabi is rescued by the swoon worthy Marcello and his men. Not knowing if Lia traveled through time as well, Gabi works to find her, find a way back home and protect herself from falling for Marcello…

I have seen tons of glowing reviews for Waterfall and have been dying to see what all the hype is about but it’s not hype if the book really is that good! Waterfall is an awesome mix of time travel, romance, fast paced action/adventure and political intrigue.

Gabi is a very likable character. She is smart, resourceful and can ride a horse and wield a sword like it’s nobody’s business. Having archeologists for parents, she speaks Italian and has a decent grasp on medieval history. The novel is told in first person from Gabi’s point of view so while she has to speak in a manner appropriate to the time period, her thoughts are that of any modern teenager and she is hilarious. Gabi is devoted to her family and I love her relationship with Lia (who is very Katniss-esque with a bow and arrow). Clearly, the girls in Waterfall rock and while Marcello is clearly the leading man in this story, his older brother Fortino and his cousin Luca are awesome as well and I can’t wait to learn more about them.

The one and only thing that I did not love about the story is that when Marcello meets Gabi, he is engaged to someone else and despite the relationship being arranged by their parents and the girl being not very nice, it still bothered me just a bit.

Waterfall is the kind of book that as soon as you finish it, you need to read the sequel right away so I am very happy that Cascade has already been released. The books are classified as historical Christian fiction, a genre that I like a lot. I know many readers avoid Christian fiction like the plague but the Christian elements in Waterfall are not overwhelming and flow very well with the story.

From other reviews I have seen, Waterfall has immense crossover appeal and I hope publishers are taking note. Christian YA can have the heart stopping romance, adventure, cool supernatural elements, be fun and successful and still stay true to the genre. Waterfall, and the entire River of Time Series by Ms. Bergren, are exactly my kind of books and I would love to read more like them.

Content: Kissing and violence.