A Bookish Affair

Literary Locale: Provence, France

2012-03-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

Last week, I reviewed The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot. Both of the main characters, Marguerite and Eleanor, were from Provence. Provence is a place I dream about visiting someday. It sounds so peaceful and so gorgeous. I can see why the sisters missed such a gorgeous place as they were at court with their husbands.


From Frogprop.com


I've visited Umbria before in Italy, land of hill towns and this looks a lot like that. (from wallcoo.net)


From panaramio.com

Yeah, I can totally see why Eleanor and Marguerite would have not been happy to leave this place!

Feel free to grab the Literary Locale banner and play along!

Review: Sex at Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha

2012-03-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Title: Sex at Dawn
Author: Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jetha
Publisher: Harper
Publish Date: June 29, 2010
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a non-fiction fan.
You're interested in science (specifically evolution), psychology, and human sexuality.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Since Darwin's day, we've been told that sexual monogamy comes naturally to our species. Mainstream science--as well as religious and cultural institutions--has maintained that men and women evolved in families in which a man's possessions and protection were exchanged for a woman's fertility and fidelity. But this narrative is collapsing. Fewer and fewer couples are getting married, and divorce rates keep climbing as adultery and flagging libido drag down even seemingly solid marriages.

How can reality be reconciled with the accepted narrative? It can't be, according to renegade thinkers Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá. While debunking almost everything we "know" about sex, they offer a bold alternative explanation in this provocative and brilliant book.

Ryan and Jethá's central contention is that human beings evolved in egalitarian groups that shared food, child care, and, often, sexual partners. Weaving together convergent, frequently overlooked evidence from anthropology, archaeology, primatology, anatomy, and psychosexuality, the authors show how far from human nature monogamy really is. Human beings everywhere and in every era have confronted the same familiar, intimate situations in surprisingly different ways. The authors expose the ancient roots of human sexuality while pointing toward a more optimistic future illuminated by our innate capacities for love, cooperation, and generosity.

With intelligence, humor, and wonder, Ryan and Jethá show how our promiscuous past haunts our struggles over monogamy, sexual orientation, and family dynamics. They explore why long-term fidelity can be so difficult for so many; why sexual passion tends to fade even as love deepens; why many middle-aged men risk everything for transient affairs with younger women; why homosexuality persists in the face of standard evolutionary logic; and what the human body reveals about the prehistoric origins of modern sexuality."

My Two Cents:

I read this book in one night. It's a great book. This book has a bit of science (specifically having to do with evolution) and a little bit of psychology. As much as we like to think that we're smart and intelligent and capable of making our decisions. As this book points out, so many of the things we do and feel are due to nature and thousands and millions of years of our ancestors learning how to get it right. Not those really intelligent thoughts that we're sure that we totally and utterly thought of ourselves. It's almost mind blowing to think of things that way.

And sex being one of our most base behaviors is most definitely not immune to our animal behavior. While I don't agree with everything that the authors had to say (monogamy does work for some couples and they don't address same sex relationships really but obviously those happen out in the world so there has to be some reasoning). I learned a lot from this book.

I know a lot of people don't like to read non-fiction because they feel that the books are often dry and feel like reading textbooks. This is most definitely not the case with this book. It's engaging and written in a sometimes amusing but always informative way that even those who have an aversion to non-fiction will probably still get something out of this book.

Reminder About Ride With Me Give@away!

2012-03-03T16:08:00.000-05:00

There are still no official entries for the Ride With Me Giveaway! This is a great book! It's fun. It's sexy. It's a great read!!! Hop on over to the giveaway and leave a comment with your email (you can post it like name(at)whatever(dot)com).

Don't miss out on this great book. I'll leave the giveaway open for an extra week. It'll close on March 12th!

Historical Fiction Tour Stop: The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot

2012-03-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Sister Queens
Author: Sophie Perinot
Publisher: New American Library
Publish Date: March 6, 2012
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a historical fiction fan.
You like well rounded characters.
You like family stories.
You like a bit of romance with your historical fiction.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Patient, perfect, and used to being first, Marguerite becomes Queen of France. But Louis IX is a religious zealot who denies himself the love and companionship his wife craves. Can she borrow enough of her sister's boldness to grasp her chance for happiness in a forbidden love?"

My Two Cents:

This book was fascinating. I had not heard much if anything about the Savoyard sisters. The book really only focuses on the reigns of Eleanor (who became Queen of England) and Marguerite (who became the Queen of France) but history shows that their sisters, Sanchia and Beatrice, became the Queens of Germany and Sicily respectively. Can you imagine having four queens in one set of siblings? It's pretty amazing from that perspective.

I thought that it was interesting that Perinot chose to focus on the relationship between Eleanor and Marguerite as their two countries, England and France, were often at odds with each other. Yet you can see that the sisters only let this get in between them for just a little bit before they are able to overcome it through the power of sisterhood.

Even though they were both queens during powerful times in their countries' histories, their lives are very different. Eleanor seems to have made a relatively good love match with Henry while Marguerite's marriage to Louis is lacking of so much of what she wants. I loved that you get to kind of see what each respective sister is going through in the letters that they write to each other at the beginning of each chapter. I though that this was a really good touch. You kind of get to see another side of the sisters this way and it definitely makes them feel a lot more real.

This book will definitely appeal to historical fiction lovers like me that love good stories with bright characters and rich detail. Perinot is a great writer and I'm anxious to see what other books she comes out with in the future.

Don't Forget to Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Monday, February 27th

Review at Just One More Paragraph

Tuesday, February 28th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, February 29th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Just One More Paragraph

Friday, March 2nd

Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, March 5th

Review & Giveaway at Bippity Boppity Book

Tuesday, March 6th

Review at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, March 7th

Author Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Thursday, March 8th

Review at Debbie's Book Bag

Friday, March 9th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Monday, March 12th

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Tuesday, March 13th

Review & Giveaway at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Wednesday, March 14th

Review at Luxury Reading
Author Interview at CelticLady's Reviews

Friday, March 16th

Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, March 19th

Author Guest Post at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Tuesday, March 20th

Review & Giveaway at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, March 21st

Review & Giveaway at The Broke and the Bookish

Guest Post & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, March 23rd

Author Interview at Ageless Pages Reviews

Monday, March 26th

Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, March 28th

Review at Broken Teepee

Thursday, March 29th

Review at Books, Belles and Beaux

Friday, March 30th

Review, Author Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Libraria

Monday, April 2nd

Review & Giveaway at The Maiden's Court

Wednesday, April 4th

Review at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi
Review & Giveaway at To Read or Not to Read

Review: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

2012-03-01T06:00:00.000-05:00

Title: The Weird Sisters
Author: Eleanor Brown
Publisher: Berkley Publishing
Publish Date: January 20, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the publisher. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like family stories.
You like quirky characters.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "The three Andreas sisters grew up in the cloistered household dominated by their Shakespearean professor father, a prominent, eccentric academic whose reverence for the Bard left its imprint on his daughters' names: Rosalind (As You Like It), Bianca (The Taming of the Shrew), and Cordelia (King Lear). The siblings eventually left home and escaped their ponderous monikers with nicknames, but their mother's medical maladies brings them back. Before long, their unwelcome reunion reveals that they all have problems: Rose is force-feeding a troubled relationship; Bean is entangled in a big city case of embezzlement; and unmarried Cordy is pregnant."

My Two Cents:

This book had been on my TBR list for awhile but I just hadn't gotten around to reading it. So when I got a copy from the publisher, it was a sign that I needed to get to this book sooner rather than later. And I was definitely glad that I finally read this book.

The stars of this book are really the three Andreas sisters: Rose, Bean, and Cordy. Each of them are very different from each other. All of them have their own set of problems and find themselves back in their hometown where their father teaches English at the local college and their mother is suffering from breast cancer. I'm one of three girls so I know how important the relationships that you have with your sisters is and this book really made me think about those relationships that I hold so dear. While the Andreas sisters don't get along as well always as I do with my sisters but you can tell that they have a real bond. I could definitely see a little bit of myself in each of the sisters, especially Rose. I would have liked to see a little bit more about how things turned out for the sisters.

Another interesting thing about this book is that it's written in the first person plural from the point of view of the three sisters. I think that's an incredibly hard point of view to write. It doesn't always work well. In this case, it works really well. I think it really helps to show that even though all the sisters are so different, they still grew up in the same house and have a lot of the same experiences and thoughts because of it.

Eleanor Brown is definitely an author that I'll be on the look out for!

Review: Under the Same Sky by Genevieve Graham

2012-02-29T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Under the Same Sky
Author: Genevieve Graham
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publish Date: January 3, 2012
Source: I received a copy from the author and publisher. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book?:

You're a historical fiction fan.
You like great, well developed characters.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "The year is 1746. A young woman from South Carolina and a Scottish Highlander share an intimacy and devotion beyond their understanding. They have had visions of each other their entire lives. And yet they have never met.
Now, with their lives torn asunder, Maggie Johnson and Andrew MacDonnell's quest to find each other is guided only by their dreams—and by the belief in the true love they share.

On the Carolina frontier Maggie Johnson’s family struggles to survive. Maggie’s gift of “the sight” and her visions show her a presence she calls Wolf. She watches him grow from a boy her age to a man even as she goes from child to woman.

Andrew MacDonald has always wondered about the girl he sees in his dreams. He is able to talk to her through their thoughts and vows that even if he must cross an ocean he will find her. They are thrust into different situations: Andrew fights for the doomed Jacobite cause and Maggie is captured by slavers, then rescued and brought into a kind, loving Native American tribe. They each believe in destiny and the power of the love they have shared forever."

My Two Cents:

Oh, I really liked this book! It's a historical fiction mixed with some mystery and paranormal with some romance or in other words, a truly delicious combination and the type of book that you can get lost in. And lost I got. This book found me lazing on the couch for the entire afternoon because I couldn't bear to put it down. I really liked how the author wove the paranormal details with the historical details. It really made the book come to life for me!

This is also a tale of how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I saw the cover before reading the synopsis and said "oh, this is a bodice ripper." And I like bodice rippers sometimes but this book is not a bodice ripper at all. There is romance but not the... uh... sort that you would be expecting from the cover.

This book explores the idea of soulmates, an idea that I really like. I loved Maggie and Andrew as soulmates. I loved that both of them seemed to know each other even though they were literally an ocean apart (Maggie is in the Carolinas and Andrew is a Scottish Highlander).

I really wish that we would have gotten to see more about them once they finally meet in real life. I'm still holding out hope for a sequel that features more of Andrew and Maggie together (Graham has another book coming out later this spring that features Andrew's brother back in Scotland; there's a sneak peek in the back of Under the Same Sky). I think one of the signs of a good book is when you aren't ready to let go of the characters at the end of the book and I was so not ready to let go!

Bottom line: This is a story that will hold on to you until the last page (and beyond).

Historical Fiction Tour Stop: Guest Post by M.J. Rose

2012-02-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today, I'm excited to have M.J. Rose, author of The Book of Lost Fragrances (which I reviewed last week) to A Bookish Affair to talk about a classic fragrance.

M.J. Rose: I've been fascinated with lost fragrances since long before I started writing The
Book of Lost Fragrances... since I found a bottle of perfume on my great grandmother's dresser
that had belonged to her mother in Russia. Here is one of those lost fragrances that stirs the
senses and the imagination... (researched and described with the help of the perfume writer
Dimitrios Dimitriadis)

GUERLAIN - EAU DE VERVEINE

Guerlain first focused on verveine (verbena) varieties to use in perfumes in the mid-late 1800's.
Eau de Verveine was released first in the 1870's and made brief reappearances in the 1950s
and the 1980s before being retired from Guerlain's perfume portfolio. Eau de Verveine is the
scent of high summer… sharp, uplifting notes of citrus-green lemon verbena flood the mouth
with saliva with their crisp, energizing aroma. Below is a prickle of something darker - perhaps
carnation or clove - which adds incredible depth. There is a dry, tea-like quality that emerges
as the scent dries on the skin. This impossibly rare scent evokes feelings of long days at the
summer's end with the chirrup of cicadas ringing in the ears.

Note from Meg: Sounds like summer to me!

Don't Forget to Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Monday, February 20th

Review at Savvy Verse & Wit

Review at Attack the Stacks
Guest Post at From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, February 21st

Review at By the By Books

Review at The Literate Housewife

Guest Post at Teresa's Reading Corner

Wednesday, February 22nd

Review at Let Them Read Books

Review at Reading the Past

Guest Post at Savvy Verse & Wit

Thursday, February 23rd

Review at A Bookish Affair

Review at Elle Lit

Guest Post at The Literate Housewife

Guest Post at Love of Books

Friday, February 24th

Review at Teresa's Reading Corner

Review at Greetings from the American Girl

Review at From the TBR Pile

Monday, February 27th

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Review at The Bookworm

Guest Post at Elle Lit

Guest Post at By the By Books

Tuesday, February 28th

Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Review & Guest Post at The Book Faery Reviews

Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, February 29th

Review at Books & Other Creative Adventures

Review at The True Book Addict

Guest Post at Greetings from the American Girl

Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, March 1st

Review at A Novel Source

Guest Post at A Chick Who Reads

Guest Post at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, March 2nd

Review at As I Turn the Pages

Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Monday, March 5th

Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Review at Workaday Reads

Guest Post at Reviews by Molly

Tuesday, March 6th

Review at The Book Garden

Review at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Guest Post at Books & Other Creative Adventures

Author Interview at A Novel Source

Wednesday, March 7th

Review at Books Devoured

Review at Misfit Salon

Guest Post at Literary Marie

Thursday, March 8th

Review at Life in the Thumb

Review at Bippity Boppity Book

Guest Post at Workaday Reads

Guest Post at Mrs. Q Book Addict

Friday, March 9th

Review at To Read, Perchance to Dream

Review at Reviews by Molly

Guest Post at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Guest Post at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Monday, March 12th

Review at Daisy's Book Journal

Review at To Read or Not to Read

Review at Reflections of a Book Addict

Guest Post at Books Devoured

Tuesday, March 13th

Review at Debbie's Book Bag

Review at Book Lovers Book Reviews

Guest Post at Bippity Boppity Book

Wednesday, March 14th

Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Guest Post at Life in the Thumb

Guest Post at To Read, Perchance to Dream

Guest Post at Book Fan Mary

Thursday, March 15th

Review at My Reading Room

Review at Man of La Book

Guest Post at Reflections of a Book Addict

Friday, March 16th

Review at The Owl Bookmark Blog
Review at Mrs. Q Book Addict

Guest Post at Daisy's Book Journal

Guest Post at To Read or Not to Read

Monday, March 19th

Review at Broken Teepee

Review at Under the Boardwalk

Guest Post at Debbie's Book Bag

Guest Post at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Tuesday, March 20th

Review at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

Review at Kelsey's Book Corner

Guest Post at My Reading Room

Wednesday, March 21st

Review at Girls Just Reading

Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at Love of Books

Guest Post at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Guest Post at Under the Boardwalk

Thursday, March 22nd

Review at Bags, Books & Bon Jovi

Guest Post at Man of La Book

Friday, March 23rd

Guest Post at Broken Teepee

Guest Post at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

Author Interview at Unabridged Chick

Monday, March 26th

Review at Books by the Willow Tree

Review at Booksessed

Review at Ravishing Reads

Guest Post at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi

Tuesday, March 27th

Review at Books and Needlepoint

Review at The Paris Blog

Guest Post at Girls just Reading

Guest Post at Kelsey's Book Corner

Wednesday, March 28th

Review at Just One More Paragraph

Review at My Bookshelf

Guest Post at vvb32 Reads

Guest Post at CMash Loves to Read

Thursday, March 29th

Review at Layers of Thought

Review at Ravishing Reads

Guest Post at Books and Needlepoint

Friday, March 30th

Review at vvb32 Reads

Review at Muse in the Fog Book Reviews

Guest Post at Books by the Willow Tree

Guest Post at My Bookshelf

Monday, April 2nd

Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Review at Book Den

Review at Alexa Loves Books

Guest Post at Diary of an Eccentric

Tuesday, April 3rd

Review at Diary of an Eccentric

Guest Post at Muse in the Fog Book Reviews

Guest Post at Just One More Paragraph

Wednesday, April 4th

Review at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews

Review at Little Miss Bookworm

Guest Post at Book Den

Thursday, April 5th

Review at Bellas Novella

Review at Drey's Library

Guest Post at Layers of Thought

Guest Post at Alexa Loves Books

Literary Locale: Odessa, Ukraine, Part Two

2012-02-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm taking you back to Odessa, Ukraine, the city that Catherine the Great (who was featured in The Winter Palace) built. Part one of Literary Locale: Odessa can be found here.


Another very European part of Odessa: a grand promenade.

Here's another picture of the Catherine the Great statue. These guys around the base of the statues were all her lovers at some point. Scandalous!

One of the main parks in Odessa. A lovely place for a walk.

One of the gorgeous Orthodox churches. Those onion domes are unreal in real life!

At the top of the Ptolekin steps with a fantastic view of the Hotel Odessa, a very fancy hotel, and the Black Sea.

Where are you reading? Feel free to grab the logo and play along. Don't forget to leave a link to your blog so I can come visit.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?: The It's Been Awhile Edition

2012-02-27T08:32:00.000-05:00

Oh boy, it's been awhile since I've participated in It's Monday, What Are You Reading? or really any meme except for Literary Locale. Things have been really, really crazy with work and life and such.

Just Read:

Looks like a bodice ripper of sorts. Totally not and totally awesome.

Currently Reading:

Loving this one so much!

Next Up:

What are you reading?

Review: Anything is Possible by Thomas Bahler

2012-02-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Anything is Possible
Author: Thomas Bahler
Publisher: Self-published
Publish Date: May 30, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the PR. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a historical fiction fan.

What's the Story?:

From the Author's website: "Thomas Bähler has just released his first novel, Anything is Possible . This inspiring and heartwarming story follows the life of Æsop. For centuries the world has studied Æsop’s Fables. Whether you’ve read The Tortoise and the Hare, The Lion and the Mouse, The Goose Who Laid the Golden Eggs or so many others, we have all enjoyed the magic of his words. But it may come as a surprise to learn that Æsop was, for much of his life, a slave. A beautiful, richly wrought story, it re-imagines the life of the great storyteller, Æsop. Born a slave in the house of Theseus, Æsop understands early on that though the world may see him as a slave, in his heart he is free.

Through countless hardships, cruel masters and the loss of everything he loves, Æsop holds fast to those immortal words his mother taught him and finally finds a way to achieve his dreams of Freedom. So rarely does a story like this cross our paths, with such a perfect message for these difficult times. Powerful though simple, it is a profoundly inspirational tale that teaches us that ... Anything is Possible."

What's the Story?:

Most people are familiar with Aesop's fables. I know that some of his stories were some of the most beloved of my childhood. They were some of the first ways that I learned life lessons that I still carry with me and think about today. There's a good reason that his stories are still so well-known and loved.

I can't say that I ever thought much about Aesop as a person. I never really separated the man from the stories and really I did not know much about his life at all. I've said before that I love how historical fiction can introduce you to people and at least give you a little bit of a flavor for a historical figure that you may be familiar with.

Bahler spins a great story about Aesop growing up as a slave in Greece. It's a station in life that is incredibly hard to rise above but if anyone can, it's Aesop! Through his personal philosophy of "anything is possible," he's able to do a lot of amazing things.

In a lot of ways, this book itself feels like a fable of sorts. By definition, a fable is a short story used to teach a lesson usually with animals or inanimate objects. While this story doesn't involve animal characters, it does have a message with an undeniable force of nature behind it.

Bottom line: This is a great story that introduces who Aesop really was to the rest of the world and will be loved by historical fiction fans.

Review: Tris and Izzie by Mette Ivie Harrison

2012-02-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Tris and Izzie
Author: Mette Ivie Harrison
Publisher: Egmont
Publish Date: October 11, 2011
Source: Netgalley

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a young adult fiction fan.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "A modern retelling of the German fairytale "Tristan and Isolde", Tris and Izzie is about a young witch named Izzie who is dating Mark King, the captain of the basketball team and thinks her life is going swimmingly well. Until -- she makes a love potion for her best friend Brangane and then ends up taking it herself accidentally, and falling in love with Tristan, the new guy at school."

My Two Cents:

This book is a retelling of the Wagner opera Tristan and Isolde with a paranormal twist. It definitely sounded like an interesting premise but the execution was not great. I really do love retelling of classic stories but I like when the story blends into whatever is the new time period is. With this story, it just seems like it was plopped into modern times with no real adaptation. The names have been modernized a little bit but not much, which sort of takes you out of the world of the book.

The paranormal element of the book really has to do with the different powers that some of the characters have. Izzie's mother is a witch who can make magic potions for a variety of maladies. Izzie steals a love potion meaning to get her best friend, Branna, together with the guy of her dreams. But instead she and Tristan, the new guy at school, inexplicably drink it instead and fall in love, which is sort of strange. The magic is sort of sprung on you and isn't really woven into the story at all.

Also, none of the characters are really likeable. Izzie is sort of naive and doesn't seem to care that her best friend, Brenna, seems to really hate her. Tristan is just a little strange. Not long after she gives Tristan the potion, she's trying to figure out ways to get rid of him, which is also very strange.

This book was just not my cup of tea.

Congratulations!: The Turning of Anne Merrick and Stationary Bundle

2012-02-25T10:24:00.000-05:00

The winner of the copy of The Turning of Anne Merrick is:

CarloSchmarlo

The winner of the 18th century stationary bundle is:

Lilian

Both of the winners should have received an email from me by now. They have 48 hours to respond.

Review: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

2012-02-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Title: A Moveable Feast
Author: Ernest Hemingway
Publisher: The publisher of the copy I read was Scribner (Restored Edition)
Publish Date: Originally 1963
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a classics lover.
You're an armchair traveler.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Published posthumously in 1964, A Moveable Feast remains one of Ernest Hemingway's most beloved works. It is his classic memoir of Paris in the 1920s, filled with irreverent portraits of other expatriate luminaries such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein; tender memories of his first wife, Hadley; and insightful recollections of his own early experiments with his craft. It is a literary feast, brilliantly evoking the exuberant mood of Paris after World War I and the youthful spirit, unbridled creativity, and unquenchable enthusiasm that Hemingway himself epitomized."

My Two Cents:

Ah early 20th century Paris! Land of cafes and writers. Can you imagine having a drink in a cafe while sitting across the table from Ernest Hemingway or F. Scott Fitzgerald while discussing their latest work? A Movable Feast gives you the chance to do just that. Hemingway takes us to glamorous Paris where the writing elite of the time have all descended to fine tune their craft. This book is so awesome. It's sort of a who's who of the cafe culture of Paris during the 1920s, a time period that I'm absolutely in love with.

This is really my first experience with Hemingway and as far as I know, this is one of his only non-fiction books. Even from this book with his friends and familiars as his focus, you can see why he's still so beloved by readers today.

Probably my favorite parts of the books were the parts about Hemingway's family and also F. Scott Fitzgerald and his family. This book is rare as it isn't too often that you get to hear first hand information about people that I really admire like this.

What I can say is that this book definitely whet my appetite to read more Hemingway.

Romance at Random Book Tour Stop and Give@way: Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox

2012-02-24T04:00:00.002-05:00

Title: Ride With Me
Author: Ruthie Knox
Publisher: Loveswept
Publish Date: February 13, 2012
Source: Romance at Random

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You love a good, steamy romance.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica Trail with. Instead, she gets Tom Geiger—a lean, sexy loner whose bad attitude threatens to spoil the adventure she’s spent years planning.

Roped into the cycling equivalent of a blind date by his sister, Tom doesn’t want to ride with a chatty, go-by-the-map kind of woman, and he certainly doesn’t want to want her. Too bad the sight of Lexie with a bike between her thighs really turns his crank.

Even Tom’s stubborn determination to keep Lexie at a distance can’t stop a kiss from leading to endless nights of hotter-than-hot sex. But when the wild ride ends, where will they go next?"

My Two Cents:

Sometimes you just want to sink into a book with a great, steamy romantic story and some great characters. This book totally fits the bill. Lexie wants to spend a couple months riding a bike on the TransAm trail, a cross-country trail. It doesn't seem to fit in with her usual persona: a relatively staid schoolteacher who doesn't like to take a lot of risks and likes to follow the rules exactly (a girl after my own heart really). Riding the TransAm trail that goes from Oregon all the way to Virginia would be a grueling and very lonely trip for anyone but would it be more bearable with a partner? Lexie isn't necessarily forward when she advertises for a riding companion but will the end justify the means? In this case, its a resounding yes.

Enter Tom. He's a little rough and definitely someone that Lexie has to work a little on to crack. And he is exactly the kind of romantic hero I like. He's strong. There's way more to him that meets the eye. I love that Lexie has to kind of work a little bit to figure out what his story is, why he's so offstand-ish, and what he might be hiding from her. I think through that whole process, you really get to find out a lot about the characters and they become more 3D. I think that a lot of times that flat characters are a real issue in a romance. This is definitely not the case here! And on top of it all, Tom's dreaminess factor is definitely high. The steam factor is even higher.

Bottom line: This is a great romance with great characters to pull it along.

And Now a Word from Lexie Marshall, star of Ride With Me:

Have you ever been camping alone?

I'm going to guess most of you are women, and the answer is probably “no.” Women don't usually camp alone. I've done it, and I have to say, I can't recommend it. It's one thing to walk the streets of Seattle or New York or Boston by daylight, strong and unafraid, and quite another to lie awake in a tent in the woods alone and manage not to worry about, well . . . everything. Every noise could be a stranger come to kill you, or a rampaging bear, or a cougar, and you find yourself breathing too fast and wondering, Do they even have bears here? Just how big does a cougar have to be in order to eat someone? And was that guy back at the filling station by the park entrance really leering at me the way I thought he was, or was that my imagination?

It's not really funny, actually. It's just one of those things about being a woman that we have to put up with.

My problem was that I wanted to ride 4,200 miles across the United States on the TransAmerica Trail, and I didn't have anybody to ride with. My parents met and fell in love on the trail back in the BikeCentennial summer of 1976, and I can't even remember a time when my brother and I weren't planning to retrace the journey when we were old enough. We grew up, moved out, went to college, and every year, we'd say, “This is the summer we're going to ride the TransAm,” but every summer we'd put it off. Then last year I was turning thirty, and my brother got married to a very nice woman with acrylic fingernails who wouldn't be caught dead on a bike. And I thought, This is it. I have to go now, or I'm never going to do it.

So I put an ad for a cycling companion on Adventure Cycling's website. They have this “Companions Wanted” column that's like the personals for long-distance cyclists. I figured I could find somebody to ride with -- probably some man, since most of the Adventure Cycling folks are middle-aged, upper-middle-class white guys -- and it wouldn't be a problem. I'm easy to get along with. We could swap stories and share dinner and all that, and we wouldn't have to be best friends or anything. I set up an e-mail account, TransAmAlex@gmail.com -- my name's Alexandra, and my family always called me Alex, rather than Lexie, which is what my friends call me -- and I waited for the replies to start rolling in.

And they did, which was cool. But everybody I corresponded with assumed I was a man, and when they found out I was a woman, they backed out. Apparently, the wives of the country's fifty-something intrepid adventurers don't want their husbands crossing the country with a hot young thing.
Which, okay, fine. I can understand that. But damn it, I'm not a sexual predator or anything, and I really, really wanted to ride across the country. So when the next guy e-mailed me about wanting to ride the TransAm with me -- a guy named Tom Geiger -- I just . . . didn't mention my complicating gender at all. Let him assume wrong, I thought. He'll figure it out on the beach in Seaside, on our first morning, but by then it'll be too late.

Not my finest moment, I know. I felt guilty about it for months. I felt guilty about it right up until I met Tom, actually, and discovered he didn't deserve my guilt, because he was a jerk. He was a bit, fat, tall, dark-eyed, incredibly good-looking jerk, and all of a sudden he was my jerk, and I was stuck with him for 4,200 miles.

And when I told him I just wanted a warm body to pitch my tent next to, you know what he said? He said, “I'm not going to sleep with you, either.”

So I told him I was married. Because, well . . . screw him, right?

That's how I met Tom. As for what happened next . . . you'll have to read the book.

Introducing Ruthie Knox:

Ruthie's Website: Http://www.ruthieknox.com

Ruthie Knox figured out how to walk and read at the same time in the second grade, and she hasn't looked up since. She spent her formative years hiding romance novels in her bedroom closet to avoid the merciless teasing of her brothers and imagining scenarios in which someone who looked remarkably like Daniel Day Lewis recognized her well-hidden sex appeal and rescued her from middle-class Midwestern obscurity. After graduating from Grinnell College with an English and history double major, she earned a Ph.D. in modern British history that she's put to remarkably little use.

These days, she writes contemporary romance in which witty, down-to- earth characters find each other irresistible in their pajamas, though she freely admits this has yet to happen to her. Perhaps she needs more exciting pajamas. Ruthie abhors an epilogue and insists a decent romance requires at least three good sex scenes.

GIVEAWAY

Do you have any meet-cute or meet-awful stories of your own? Tell us about it.

One lucky commenter will be randomly chosen to win a digital copy of Ride with Me. Winners will pick up their copy through Net Galley. Good luck to all! Make sure you leave an email address so you can be contacted. Giveaway extended until 3/12.

Historical Fiction Tour Stop: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

2012-02-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

Title: The Book of Lost Fragrances
Author: M.J. Rose
Publisher: Atria Books
Publish Date: March 13, 2012
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Why You're Reading This Book?:

You're a fiction fan.
You like your historical fiction with a side of mystery.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances—and of her mother’s suicide—she moves to America, leaving the company in the hands of her brother Robbie. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing—leaving a dead body in his wake—Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac discovers a secret the House of L’Etoile has been hiding since 1799: a scent that unlocks the mysteries of reincarnation. The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past."

My Two Cents:

This book takes you to America, Paris, China and Ancient Egypt. Add a scoop of the supernatural and a handful of mystery and a little bit of romance and you have all the makings of a book that will have you entranced. Once you get into the thick of the book (and it does take a bit to get there so be patient), you won't be able to put it down. The last third of the book found me straining my eyes to read on my Kindle up the dark escalators of the DC metro because I couldn't bear to put the book down quite yet.

The subject matter itself is fascinating. I didn't realize how important perfume had been to civilizations like the Egyptians. It's so interesting that such a thing is so enduring. I'm a bit of a scent junkie myself so to read about all of the different scents was pretty awesome. Jac L'etoile has an amazing nose in the book. She can smell just about anything. The way that Rose describes what Jac is experiencing throughout the book through scent is sort of a cool, different feature. Scent doesn't usually seem to make its way in to too many books. On the downside (but not really), the book made me sort of wish that it was a scratch and sniff book of some kind so I could experience some of the more amazing smells!

This is definitely one of those books where you're going to be anxious for all of the different story lines to come together and eventually they do fall together but it takes awhile for Rose to lay everything out and put everything all together. The wait is definitely worth it!!! I've talked about my love of authors being able to keep readers on their toes with anticipation of how all of the story lines are going to come together. I thought I started to figure out what was going on sort of with how things were coming together but Rose still managed to surprise.

Bottom line: This is a great book for history lovers who like a bit of mystery.

Don't Forget to Follow The Rest of the Tour:

Monday, February 20th

Review at Savvy Verse & Wit

Review at Attack the Stacks
Guest Post at From the TBR Pile

Tuesday, February 21st

Review at By the By Books

Review at The Literate Housewife

Guest Post at Teresa's Reading Corner

Wednesday, February 22nd

Review at Let Them Read Books

Review at Reading the Past

Guest Post at Savvy Verse & Wit

Thursday, February 23rd

Review at A Bookish Affair

Review at Elle Lit

Guest Post at The Literate Housewife

Guest Post at Love of Books

Friday, February 24th

Review at Teresa's Reading Corner

Review at Greetings from the American Girl

Review at From the TBR Pile

Monday, February 27th

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Review at The Bookworm

Guest Post at Elle Lit

Guest Post at By the By Books

Tuesday, February 28th

Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Review & Guest Post at The Book Faery Reviews

Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Wednesday, February 29th

Review at Books & Other Creative Adventures

Review at The True Book Addict

Guest Post at Greetings from the American Girl

Guest Post at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, March 1st

Review at A Novel Source

Guest Post at A Chick Who Reads

Guest Post at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, March 2nd

Review at As I Turn the Pages

Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Monday, March 5th

Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Review at Workaday Reads

Guest Post at Reviews by Molly

Tuesday, March 6th

Review at The Book Garden

Review at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Guest Post at Books & Other Creative Adventures

Author Interview at A Novel Source

Wednesday, March 7th

Review at Books Devoured

Review at Misfit Salon

Guest Post at Literary Marie

Thursday, March 8th

Review at Life in the Thumb

Review at Bippity Boppity Book

Guest Post at Workaday Reads

Guest Post at Mrs. Q Book Addict

Friday, March 9th

Review at To Read, Perchance to Dream

Review at Reviews by Molly

Guest Post at Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf

Guest Post at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Monday, March 12th

Review at Daisy's Book Journal

Review at To Read or Not to Read

Review at Reflections of a Book Addict

Guest Post at Books Devoured

Tuesday, March 13th

Review at Debbie's Book Bag

Review at Book Lovers Book Reviews

Guest Post at Bippity Boppity Book

Wednesday, March 14th

Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Guest Post at Life in the Thumb

Guest Post at To Read, Perchance to Dream

Guest Post at Book Fan Mary

Thursday, March 15th

Review at My Reading Room

Review at Man of La Book

Guest Post at Reflections of a Book Addict

Friday, March 16th

Review at The Owl Bookmark Blog
Review at Mrs. Q Book Addict

Guest Post at Daisy's Book Journal

Guest Post at To Read or Not to Read

Monday, March 19th

Review at Broken Teepee

Review at Under the Boardwalk

Guest Post at Debbie's Book Bag

Guest Post at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Tuesday, March 20th

Review at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

Review at Kelsey's Book Corner

Guest Post at My Reading Room

Wednesday, March 21st

Review at Girls Just Reading

Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at Love of Books

Guest Post at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Guest Post at Under the Boardwalk

Thursday, March 22nd

Review at Bags, Books & Bon Jovi

Guest Post at Man of La Book

Friday, March 23rd

Guest Post at Broken Teepee

Guest Post at Confessions of a Book Hoarder

Author Interview at Unabridged Chick

Monday, March 26th

Review at Books by the Willow Tree

Review at Booksessed

Review at Ravishing Reads

Guest Post at Bags, Books and Bon Jovi

Tuesday, March 27th

Review at Books and Needlepoint

Review at The Paris Blog

Guest Post at Girls just Reading

Guest Post at Kelsey's Book Corner

Wednesday, March 28th

Review at Just One More Paragraph

Review at My Bookshelf

Guest Post at vvb32 Reads

Guest Post at CMash Loves to Read

Thursday, March 29th

Review at Layers of Thought

Review at Ravishing Reads

Guest Post at Books and Needlepoint

Friday, March 30th

Review at vvb32 Reads

Review at Muse in the Fog Book Reviews

Guest Post at Books by the Willow Tree

Guest Post at My Bookshelf

Monday, April 2nd

Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Review at Book Den

Review at Alexa Loves Books

Guest Post at Diary of an Eccentric

Tuesday, April 3rd

Review at Diary of an Eccentric

Guest Post at Muse in the Fog Book Reviews

Guest Post at Just One More Paragraph

Wednesday, April 4th

Review at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews

Review at Little Miss Bookworm

Guest Post at Book Den

Thursday, April 5th

Review at Bellas Novella

Review at Drey's Library

Guest Post at Layers of Thought

Guest Post at Alexa Loves Books

Friday, April 6th

Review at Mari Reads

Guest Post at CelticLady's Reviews

Guest Post at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews

Monday, April 9th

Review at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Review at Reading in Winter

Guest Post at Drey's Library

Tuesday, April 10th

Review at Book Nook Club

Review at Cheryl's Book Nook

Guest Post at Mari Reads

Wednesday, April 11th

Review at My Bookish Ways

Guest Post at Reading in Winter

Thursday, April 12th

Review at Lesa's Book Critiques

Review at Luxury Reading

Guest Post at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Guest Post at Cheryl's Book Nook

Friday, April 13th

Review at Alexia's Books and Such

Review at My Shelf Confessions

Guest Post at My Bookish Ways

Guest Post at Lesa's Book Critiques

Historical Fiction Tour Stop: Guest Post with Anne Clinard Barnhill

2012-02-22T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm pleased to welcome Anne Clinard Barnhill, author of At the Mercy of the Queen, to A Bookish Affair. Today she's talking about something that I've always wondered about as a fan of historical fiction.

Tudor Fascination

What is it about Tudor England that continues to attract the attention of later generations? Is it the lurid details of Henry VIII's marital history? Is it the tenuous yet tenacious hold Henry VII had on his nascent dynasty? Is it the pathetic young kingship and death of Edward VI? Perhaps it is the debacle of Queen Mary's marriage, the old maid queen and the handsome Spaniard. Or has the Virgin Queen bewitched us with her charm? No doubt, all of these characters intrigue us, for they are larger than life. Their stories have the elements of Greek tragedy as well as high comedy. Look no further than Queen Mary for the tragic, a woman very much in love with a man who did not love her, a queen desperate to give her country an heir, yet the child she imagined in her belly turned out to be a cancer instead. As for the comedic, Henry VIII's middle-age pursuit of Catherine Howard has its moments of mirth, though my favorite funny story about Henry is his sudden appearance to the quite bewildered Anne of Cleves, his romantic gesture resulting in a less than ideal reception. But it is not just the characters that draw us into the English Renaissance--it is the times themselves. England in the 16th century was changing quickly. The New Learning, as it was called, gave those with the ability to read much to consider. The religious uproar caused by Martin Luther in Germany, along with the corruption of the Church and the availability of the Bible as well as other books, brought the questions of religion to the people rather than the priests. The invention of the printing press a century earlier led to the spread of ideas, a free interchange that had not been possible in earlier times. Successful merchants and trade with the Netherlands helped create a rising middle class; again, a change from the earlier feudal days of lord and serf. With this increase in wealth came education and exposure to the new ideas expressed in books and pamphlets.

In so many ways, 16th century England resembles our 21st century world. The internet has made the spreading of information almost instantaneous, to huge effect, much like the invention of the printing press 500 years ago. Technology and science are threatening to some because they seem to contradict traditional religious teachings. And religion, at least Christianity, has done exactly what Henry VIII feared--it has splintered into different denominations, each claiming to have found 'the truth.' Finding common ground becomes more and more difficult as the fabric of one's culture is stretched. In such a climate, some cling to the old ways while others walk boldly into the brave, new world. This conflict expresses itself in politics and the law as well as in churches and colleges.

In Shakespeare's plays, we find characters who impersonate the opposite gender, often to comic effect. Girls pretend to be boys and vice versa, at least on-stage. Even in real life, gender- bending occurred. There's Moll Cutpurse, a famous London thief who dressed as a man and even performed at the theater. She was good with a sword and smoked cigars. In our world, we have similar examples of gender-bender-ing. For some, this boundary blurring is frightening and fear often gives way to violence against those who do not conform to the norms.

Violence is something Shakespeare knew about--he incorporated it in his plays and made the action look as real as possible, using animal parts to squirt blood at the appropriate times. He wrote of murders, suicides, battles--sounds very much like our current movie fare.

Because we are in the middle of great socio-economic changes in our own time, we look back to Tudor England, also a time of cataclysmic change. Many elements in our modern-day problems had their beginnings back then: the crumbling of the established Roman Catholic church and the upsurge of Protestant creeds; the shift from an agrarian society to a society of merchants and skilled workers is much like our own shift from Thomas Jefferson's dream of an American farmland to an industrialized nation and world; we watch celebrities play out their lives with at least as much interest as Londoners observed the antics of their monarchs; and, we are as confused and uncertain as the times we live in, just like many of the common folk in Tudor England. All of these elements sometimes express themselves in protest--like the Pilgrimage of Grace, when Henry VIII's northern citizens protested the changes he had made in religion and the closing of the monasteries. Right now, the Occupy Movement gives expression to socio-economic dissatisfaction.

One final reason we are so intrigued by Tudor England must be the works of Shakespeare himself. His work, the very flower of the English language, helped create a sense of national pride and identity. Who can read these plays and remain immune to the beauty of their language? This is the language of the age and so that age becomes of universal. The stories, the social problems that mirror our own, the great blossoming of English literature, the strong characters of the Tudors themselves all combine to make this one of the most interesting ages of all time. That, and the clothes.

TLC Book Tour Stop: Late For Tea at the Deer Palace by Tamara Chalabi

2012-02-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Late For Tea at the Deer Palace
Author: Tamara Chalabi
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publish Date: June 1, 2009
Source: TLC Book Tours

Can we talk about how gorgeous this cover is???

Why You're Reading This Book:

You are a non-fiction and memoir fan.
You like family stories.
You like history.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "The Chalabis are one of the oldest and most prominent families in Iraq. For centuries they have occupied positions of honour and responsibility, loyally serving first the Ottoman Empire and, later, the national government.

In ‘Late for Tea at the Deer Palace’, Tamara Chalabi explores the dramatic story of her extraordinary family’s history in this beautiful, passionate and troubled land. From the grand opulence of her great-grandfather’s house and the birth of the modern state, through to the elegant Iraq of her grandmother Bibi, who lived the life of a queen in Baghdad, and finally to her own story, that of the ex-pat daughter of a family in exile, Chalabi takes us on an unforgettable and eye-opening journey.

This is the story of a lost homeland, whose turbulent transformations over the twentieth century left gaping wounds at the hearts not only of the family it exiled, but also of the elegant, sophisticated world it once represented. When Tamara visited her once-beautiful ancestral land for the first time in 2003, she found a country she didn’t recognize – and a nation on the brink of a terrifying and uncertain new beginning."

My Two Cents:

I love history but I really don't know too much about the Middle East. Furthermore, I don't know too much about Iraq outside of the wars of the past couple decades. Late for Tea at the Deer Palace gives a picture of the people of Iraq before the time that I'm familiar with. The Chalabi family was one of the most prominent families in Baghdad during the beginning of the 20th century. This family is not the average Iraqi family. They are privileged and some of the family members were in the upper echelons of Iraqi society, a very unique point of view. Eventually the country will become too chaotic for any of the family to hold on. Will they ever be able to return home?

I thought it was so cool to see the changes in the country of Iraq through the eyes of the family. The book covers from before WWI to almost the present day. This time period was a great time of change for the Middle East and especially for Iraq itself. It was so interesting to see the juxtaposition between the changes in the country and the changes in the family.

I do wish that we got to know more about Tamara's journey from hearing all of the family stories, writing down all of the stories and going back to where her family came from. I would have liked to know a lot more about the connections between where she is today and the family stories that she recounts.

At its core, this book is a really good family story perfect for those interested in the crossroads between history and personal stories.

Don't Forget to Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Tuesday, January 31st: BookNAround
Monday, February 6th: Books Like Breathing
Tuesday, February 7th: The Whimsical Cottage
Thursday, February 16th: Broken Teepee
Friday, February 17th: Boarding in My Forties
Monday, February 20th: Library of Clean Reads
Tuesday, February 21st: A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, February 22nd: Man of La Book
Thursday, February 23rd: Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorm
Friday, February 24th: Book Club Classics!
Monday, February 27th: Bookstack
Tuesday, February 28th: Luxury Reading

Literary Locale: Odessa, Ukraine, Part One

2012-02-21T05:30:00.002-05:00

So back in January, I reviewed The Winter Palace by Eva Stachniak, a historical fiction about . Most of the book takes place in what is now firmly within Russian borders; however, remember that Russian power used to stretch much further. One of the places that was covered by Russia is what is now Ukraine. I had a chance to visit Ukraine back in August 2011. It was definitely an eye opening experience.

One of the cities that I visited was Odessa, which is a port city on the Black Sea. As far as Ukrainian cities go, it's pretty rich and fairly large. It was also designed in large part by Catherine the Great, the star of The Winter Palace. There are statues and plaques to Catherine throughout the city. It is said that Catherine wanted a Russian city on the Black Sea in order to be able to better engage with its resource rich Black Sea neighbors and the port is still quite busy today.


The Black Sea.


This is sort of weird statue that was put up in the city once the city hit a million people.


Odessa was definitely the most western European influenced city that I saw in Ukraine.


This is the opera house. Gorgeous!

And here's Catherine the Great in her older years.

One of the main architects that Catherine used to build the city was French and the style of the buildings is indeed very French. It's definitely a lovely city with a lot of love for architecture and the arts. Come back next week for another installment of Literary Locale!

Feel free to grab the Literary Locale logo and join in the fun! I'd love to see where you're reading about!

***All the photos in this blog post are my property***

Who's Playing:

Hop on over to Write Meg's blog to take a trip to a French flower shop!

And The Copy of The Crown Goes To...

2012-02-20T18:04:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Nan, who won the copy of The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau!

Review: Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

2012-02-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Damned
Author: Chuck Palahniuk
Publisher: Doubleday
Publish Date:
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a Chuck Palahniuk fan.
You don't mind being grossed out.

What's the Story?:

From Amazon.com: "'Are you there, Satan? It’s me, Madison,' declares the whip-tongued thirteen-year-old narrator of Damned, Chuck Palahniuk’s subversive new work of fiction. The daughter of a narcissistic film star and a billionaire, Madison is abandoned at her Swiss boarding school over Christmas, while her parents are off touting their new projects and adopting more orphans. She dies over the holiday of a marijuana overdose—and the next thing she knows, she’s in Hell. Madison shares her cell with a motley crew of young sinners that is almost too good to be true: a cheerleader, a jock, a nerd, and a punk rocker, united by fate to form the six-feet-under version of everyone’s favorite detention movie. Madison and her pals trek across the Dandruff Desert and climb the treacherous Mountain of Toenail Clippings to confront Satan in his citadel. All the popcorn balls and wax lips that serve as the currency of Hell won’t buy them off.

This is the afterlife as only Chuck Palahniuk could imagine it: a twisted inferno where The English Patient plays on endless repeat, roaming demons devour sinners limb by limb, and the damned interrupt your dinner from their sweltering call center to hard-sell you Hell. He makes eternal torment, well, simply divine."

My Two Cents:

I like Chuck Palahniuk's writing in general. It's funny. It's off-kilter. It's unique. I loved Fight Club and Survivor so much that he's been elevated in my book so that every time he has a new book coming out, it ends up on my TBR list so adding Damned was no question. While I finished the book, I'm a little sad about the time I spent on reading the book.

The storyline sounds funny. In practice, it's not so funny. On top of that, throughout the book, I felt like Palahniuk was trying to see just how far he could go in either grossing the reader out or just pressing buttons in general. Or was it just to see how much shock factor you could fit in a book? Yes, I know that many people feel that Palahniuk just likes to shock and even in the books of his that I loved, the shock factor is present but I feel like there is a ton more there. There's great, witty writing, which did not seem present here.

It takes a lot to shock me and my philosophy when it comes to books is that if the shock serves some higher purpose, I'm usually okay with it but if it's shock for the purpose of shock, it gets a little ridiculous quickly.

Bottom line: I suggest skipping this one.

Review: The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin

2012-02-19T10:34:00.001-05:00

Title: The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb
Author: Melanie Benjamin
Publisher: Random House
Publish Date: July 26, 2011
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like historical fiction that focuses on people a little more off the beaten path.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "She was only two-foot eight-inches tall, but her legend reaches out to us more than a century later. As a child, Mercy Lavinia “Vinnie” Bump was encouraged to live a life hidden away from the public. Instead, she reached out to the immortal impresario P. T. Barnum, married the tiny superstar General Tom Thumb in the wedding of the century, and transformed into the world’s most unexpected celebrity.

Here, in Vinnie’s singular and spirited voice, is her amazing adventure—from a showboat “freak” revue where she endured jeering mobs to her fateful meeting with the two men who would change her life: P. T. Barnum and Charles Stratton, AKA Tom Thumb. Their wedding would captivate the nation, preempt coverage of the Civil War, and usher them into the White House and the company of presidents and queens. But Vinnie’s fame would also endanger the person she prized most: her similarly-sized sister, Minnie, a gentle soul unable to escape the glare of Vinnie’s spotlight.

A barnstorming novel of the Gilded Age, and of a woman’s public triumphs and personal tragedies, The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb is the irresistible epic of a heroine who conquered the country with a heart as big as her dreams—and whose story will surely win over yours."

My Two Cents:

It's fun to read about major characters in history through historical fiction books. But sometimes it's even more awesome to read about some super interesting minor characters in our history. Vinnie is one of those characters. I had heard of General Tom Thumb before in conjunction with P.T. Barnum but Vinnie, also known as Mrs. General Tom Thumb, was a totally new persona to me.

The mid to late 1800s were not kind to anyone who had some sort of physical or mental abnormality. As a little person standing only 2 feet and 8 inches tall as an adult, Vinnie worries that she's destined for a life of being hidden away and never leaving home. However, unlike a lot of other people in her situation, she does get out to see the world as part of a show. First she's on a riverboat and then she's hired on as part of P.T. Barnum's American Museum, a pre-cursor to his infamous circus.

It's not exactly glamorous work but it gets Vinnie out of what she thought her life would be. Vinnie is an amazing character. Even though the reason that she gets the jobs with the show and the museum is because of how she looks, she doesn't let size define her. I can only imagine how brave that must of been at a time where there were not many opportunities whatsoever for people who didn't fit an average mold. She is determined to make sure that although people may initially be drawn to her for her small stature, that her height is not the last thing that they remember about her.

I really enjoyed this book. At some points it does get a little long winded and I would have liked to know more about Tom Thumb himself. Even though Vinnie and he were married, she seems to think him almost infantile and their marriage doesn't seem to be a true one.

Bottom line: A great pick for a good historical fiction that covers people unknown to many of us.

Historical Fiction Virtual Tour Stop: At the Mercy of the Queen by Anne Clinard Barnhill

2012-02-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: At the Mercy of the Queen
Author: Anne Clinard Barnhill
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Publish Date: January 3, 2012
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You're a historical fiction fan.
You like really vivid characters.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "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."

My Two Cents:

Okay guys, now before you shake your head and say something along the lines of "Not the Tudors again," just listen. I myself have been suffering from Tudor fatigue myself and while this does not mean that I'm at the point where I will not read anymore books about Henry the VIII myself (I love it still but some of the books have been a little... well... blah). If you are feeling that way at all, let At the Mercy of the Queen remind you why so many of my fellow historical fiction fans fell in love with the Tudor court (myself included) in the first place! Seriously! This book has everything we loved and so much more!

At The Mercy of the Queen packs a punch with the intrigue and secretiveness of the Tudor court. There's also a great cast of characters. Madge Shelton is a little naive when she first comes to court but she very quickly catches on to what she needs to do in order to rise to the top of the court. And of course, she has a little help from the infamous Anne Boleyn, who just happens to be Madge Shelton's cousin. While Anne Boleyn has been at the focus of a great many books recently, I never get tired of reading about her. I especially like Barnhill's portrayal of her in the book. I think you really get a good sense of how meticulous Anne had to be in order to try to hold on to the throne as long as she could. You can almost see the wheels turning in her head throughout the book. I love it.

Another thing that I loved is that the author is actually related to Madge Shelton, the main character. I thought that was really, really cool. Madge herself is another great character. Madge's transformation from naive girl to a lady of the court. It was so fun following that journey!

This is definitely a book that I enjoyed savoring in order to fully enjoy the grandeur of the time. Ah, this was a great book to just get lost in!

Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Tuesday, January 3rd
Book Highlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, January 5th
Review at Broken Teepee

Monday, January 9th
Author Interview at The Maiden's Court

Tuesday, January 10th
Author Guest Post at Broken Teepee

Friday, January 13th
Author Guest Post at Passages to the Past

Monday, January 16th
Review at The Broke and the Bookish

Wednesday, January 18th
Author Guest Post at Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Friday, January 20th
Review at Tina's Book Review

Monday, January 23rd
Author Interview at Reading the Past
Author Guest Post at Bippity Boppity Book

Wednesday, January 25th
Review at Bippity Boppity Book

Friday, January 27th
Review at Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Wednesday, February 1st
Review at From the TBR Pile

Friday, February 3rd
Review at A Musings Review

Monday, February 6th
Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, February 8th
Review at Unabridged Chick

Friday, February 10th
Author Guest Post at A Musings Review

Monday, February 13th
Author Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Friday, February 17th
Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, February 20th
Author Guest Post at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, February 22nd
Author Guest Post at A Bookish Affair

Friday, February 24th
Review at CelticLady's Reviews

Monday, February 27th
Review at A Bookish Libraria

Wednesday, February 29th
Review at Luxury Reading

Monday, March 5th
Review at Reviews by Molly

Wednesday, March 7th
Review at The True Book Addict

Friday, March 9th
Author Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Important Links:

Tour Schedule: http://hfvirtualbooktours.blogspot.com/2011/12/anne-clinard-barnhill-on-tour-for-at.html
Link to Anne Barnhill's Website: http://www.anneclinardbarnhill.com/
Anne Barnhill on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/acbarnhill
Anne Barnhill on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/acbarnhill
Twitter Event Hashtag: #MercyOfTheQueenVIrtualTour

Interview with James Conway, Author of The Vagabond King

2012-02-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm very excited to have James Conway, author of The Vagabond King, on A Bookish Affair for an interview.

James Conway

1. How did you come up with the idea for The Vagabond King?

Wow, it's kind of an odd situation. In college I had an assignment to write a paper on Napoleon using either the "Great Man" theory which took the position that Napoleon and only Napoleon could have affected history the way he did or the "Wave" theory which would be the position that had Napoleon not lived someone else would have replaced him and history would have happened in the same way. Now, it may not seem like a big deal to most people but I could not write the paper simply because I saw both things as being true at the same time. That affected me very profoundly because if those two opposite theories could be true at the same time then all other opposite thoughts (such as right and wrong, good and evil) could be true at the same time. I began questioning everything I had held as true and my world and all my beliefs unraveled around me.

So, a the questions that the main character Chris is asking about his life are the same questions I was asking about mine. However, I had to find a way to portray this and so I developed Chris who, like the typical teenager, is questioning his role in the world but even more so when his mother dies of cancer and he discovers the man he was raised to believe was his father is actually not.

2. Mythology plays a role in The Vagabond King. What's your favorite mythological story? What drew you to weaving mythology into The Vagabond King?

I don't really have a favorite story. But, I find mythology fascinating. After college I discovered the work of the mythologist Joseph Campbell whose fundamental contention was that mythology is a mirror of human psychology. Myth reveals the inner workings of a people's or person's mind. I tried to use myth in a few ways in The Vagabond King. First I used it because Chris was rebuilding his psychological world, he was reformulating it after what he had believed to be true had collapsed around him. I also used mythology to portray the fact that we are all, to one extent or another, enacting mythological archetypes. When we realize that we are all playing these roles on a daily basis life becomes a much richer and deeper experience.

3. What advice do you have for aspiring writers? What advice do you have for those interested in self-publishing?

Take your time. Put one foot in front of the other and don't give up. You will get to where you are going. Failure is an illusion. The only people who fail are those that give up before success.

I highly recommend self publishing. You could spend years trying to find a publisher and then they are going to take the majority of the profits and still leave you responsible for marketing. If you are going to be spending all that time on marketing you may as well make more money.

4. Do you have any future projects in the works?

I am currently collecting notes for a work in progress called The Mythological History of Chicago which portrays 300 years of history simultaneously in what quantum physics calls the eternal moment of now. I'm having some trouble wrapping my head around it so I won't burden anyone with the details but the generalities are that the poet Carl Sandburg is trying to discover the real cause of the Chicago fire at the same time the Chicago Cubs and White Sox are in the 7th game of the world series and Robert De La Salle is trying to establish an empire in the New World for France a few hundred years earlier. Oh, I almost forgot. It is a noir novel narrated by a trickster god.

5. If you could bring any three fictional characters with you to a deserted island, who would you bring?

I have learned some of the most important lessons of life from children's literature. And, there is a Russian fairy tale called The Fool of the World and the Flying ship. I think he would come in handy because he's got the means to get off the island. But, I think Sherlock Holmes would be particularly fun as well as Gandalf the Wizard. Kind of an odd assortment of chaps isn't it?

Thank you, James! I personally wouldn't mind having Sherlock Holmes with me on a deserted island!

Review: The Vagabond King by James Conway

2012-02-15T06:00:00.003-05:00

Title: The Vagabond King
Author: James Conway
Publisher: Self-published
Publish Date: September 10, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like coming of age stories.

What's the Story?:

Synopsis: "When his mother dies and he discovers the man he believed was his father is not, sixteen year old Chris is haunted by a mysterious apparition that forces him to question his pampered existence and embark upon a quest to find himself. Hoping she will “make a man of him”, he seeks sanctuary in the home of Magda, a middle aged waitress with a penchant for sex, only to discover she lives with her father, a cigarette smoking, beer swilling immigrant.

Chris hates his shabby new surroundings at the end of the street and the shabby old man at the end of his life who spends his days listening to old blues records and making Chris fetch him fresh cans of beer. But, when the old man tells tales of Communism, torture, escape and the mysterious medallion he wears, Chris learns that, like the old man’s skipping records, history repeats itself and the roles we play have been played many times before. "

My Two Cents:

This is the story of a teenager, Chris, who turns his own life upside down after the death of his mother and the uncovering of a family secret. Although Chris is 16 years old in the book, I wouldn't consider this book a young adult book as it deals with some pretty adult topics.

Chris lives a fairly pampered lifestyle with his parents before his mother's death. He's spoiled. He doesn't seem to understand how things work in the real world. He doesn't understand why everything and everyone doesn't simply bend down to his will. It's more than just being a typical teenager. He just seems to have no real concept on how must or should act in order to be treated the way that Chris feels he should be treated. He pretty much just invites himself into the lives of Magda and his father when Magda is trying to work in order to just maintain their meager lifestyle. He believes that they should do everything to help him since his life is soooo bad (he runs away from his father under his own volition). It's a bit of an overkill maybe. Chris finally does grow a little bit and becomes a lot more tolerable throughout the book.

On the other hand, I really liked Magda's father, the Old Man (as Chris calls him). He's grumpy but he really tries to teach Chris about the way that the world really works and that it's not too early to try and grow up a little bit if Chris so badly wants to be out on his own. The Old Man's stories about his life back in Hungary are what really pulled me in.

I also liked all of the mythology in the book and how Chris is able to take all the stories that Magda and the Old Man tell him in order to bring his own life into perspective. Some of the mythology I was familiar with and some was new to me, which was very cool.

This is definitely a coming of age story with some great smaller interwoven story lines.

And the Copy of Oleanna Goes To...

2012-02-14T19:47:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to:

Terry M.

Who won the copy of Oleanna by Julie K. Rose.

Literary Locale: Chocolate Chocolate

2012-02-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

This is the first installment of my new feature, Literary Locale. Basically I want to tell you all about where I'm reading and if you're so inclined, feel free to grab the graphic and tell me about where you're reading either here in a comment or on your own blog.

So if you remember, a couple weeks ago, I reviewed Chocolate Chocolate by Frances Park and Ginger Park. I pretty much gushed over the book and went a little fan girl (confession: when I was at the library this weekend, I saw the book on the new book shelf and decided to turn it with the cover facing out to the world so someone might take more notice of it. Seriously, read this book!).

Anyhow, when I realized that the chocolate shop that the book was based on is right here in Washington, DC, I knew I had to go take a visit so just a bit ago, I did just that! I was lucky enough to be in the store while Frances was there so I got to meet her!

I had a really nice visit with her. Frances is just as sweet as her and her sister's book. We talked all about the book and she told me more about some of the characters in the book. It was so cool to be able to talk about the book with the author. This is really the first author that I've gotten to meet in person, definitely since beginning book blogging!!! So cool!


Of course there are copies of the books in the store. I bought my own and got Frances to sign the book.


Mmm, candy.


You can see that they were just starting to get ready for Valentine's (my valentine and I had an early Valentine's day celebration and yes, I did get a little something from Chocolate Chocolate. Happy day!!!)

Miles and miles of treats. Exactly how I like it.


Here's a picture of Frances and I.

Of course, I need to meet Ginger and to get her to sign my book :) All I can say is that I'm glad that I have a legit excuse to go back to the store and perhaps indulge in more chocolate.

Where are you reading this week?

Jennifer White: Author Interview and Reviews for Otherwise and Dead Asleep

2012-02-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today I'm very excited to be able to review two great books for you on A Bookish Affair today. I'm also very excited to have the author, Jennifer White, here for an interview! Both Otherwise and Dead Asleep have a heavy dose of paranormal that's really fantastic. This was perfect cold winter day reading for me!

Reviews:

Title: Otherwise
Author: Jennifer B. White
Publisher: OakBluffs Press / OakIvy Publishing
Publish Date: December 21, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the publisher. This did not affect my review.

What's the Story?:

Publisher Synopsis: "Delilah has returned to the ramshackle cottage she once called home, but the spirits of Green Lake, including her hoarding grandmother, refuse to let her stay in peace. In a town that is “in-between”—a portal to the worlds of the supernatural—Delilah soon learns that nothing is what it seems. There’s life, death, and then there is OTHERWISE."

My Two Cents:

You can be alive, you can be dead, or you can be otherwise. Some of the residents of Green Lake are more aware of this phenomenon than others. Delilah isn't quite sure what's going on. I loved that the reader kind of gets to figure out what's going on as Delilah, the main character, does. There's so many twists and turns in this book is that it definitely keeps the reader on their toes. I love not being able to figure out what comes next in a book.

It took a bit to get into the meat of the story but once you're in, you're sucked in. You can tell that there's something a little bit off about Green Lake from the beginning. The citizens of the town seem to be hiding things. I really liked Delilah's character. She's trying to sort of rebuild her life in Green Lake in the house where she grew up with her grandmother whose house still bears her... uh... touch. Delilah struggles with whether or not she can make a home there with so many memories surrounding her. It was interesting to follow her to see how she deals with the burgeoning mystery around her.

This is a great book for those that like a little mystery thrown in with their paranormal!

Title: Dead Asleep
Author: Jennifer B. White
Publisher: OakBluffs Press / OakIvy Publishing
Publish Date: November 11, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the publisher. This did not affect my review.

What's the Story?:

Publisher Synopsis: Kevin Macy wakes to discover that strangers are sharing his dreams. He soon discovers that while he sleeps he must undo events from the past to prevent an impending disaster. With Claire, a narcoleptic, he’ll take a sleep-journey into the past and future affecting so many lives, including his own. DEAD ASLEEP rides the razor’s edge between dreaming and wakeful states, the past and the future, and the lines between life and death.

My Two Cents:

I almost read this whole book in one sitting. It's the type of book that you curl up on the couch with with the simple intention of simply starting the book and before you know it, you've almost devoured the whole thing. The premise is really interesting and original. You have Kevin, a character whose life is sort of falling apart. His marriage is dissolving or maybe its already dissolved, Kevin doesn't seem to be quite sure himself as things seem to be going way too quickly for him to keep up. His ex-wife is already ready to get married again. Then you have Claire, a woman with narcolepsy, who seems to be able know all about Kevin's dreams. Add a cup of paranormal and a pinch of time travel and you have a great story to get sucked into.

This book was also another one where there are tons of twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. I really thought that White did a fabulous job of getting into Kevin's head and showing the reader what he was feeling and what he was experiencing. I really liked that this book was told from the first person point of view as I think that it was so fun to see everything from Kevin's perspective.

Bottom line: Jennifer White is an author I'll be watching for more from!

Author Interview:

1. You’ve written five books. Do you have a favorite or one that was the most enjoyable to write?

I like all of my books for different reasons, but Dead Asleep was an especially fun project, since it was written in the first person as a man. (Talk about getting in touch with your inner dude!) I also love exploring subjects that deal with dreams and the lines between life and death.

Books should be as enjoyable for the author to write as they are for the reader to read. While Otherwise, a character-driven story with a tricky plot, had to be “mapped” to ensure that every loose end was tied-up, like Dead Asleep, it moved very quickly for me. When you’re fingers struggle to keep up with how fast the story is coming to you, you know you’re in the zone. Novelists savor those moments!

2. How did you come up with the idea for "Otherwise?"

The story rolled around in my head for years. After a while it was like eavesdropping on old friends. You know a story was meant to be when it won’t go away!

Otherwise delves into supernatural themes like reincarnation, ghosts, and alternate realities. But the subject of hoarding that weaves throughout the story was just as interesting to write about. Having an M.Ed in psychology, I wanted to make sure this disorder was handled realistically. I spent a lot of time researching how hoarding not only affects the person suffering from it, but their family, as well.

There’s an uncanny incident that happened to me while I was writing Otherwise. One day, a character, an elderly woman named Winifred Hunter, came to me as I was writing. It was as if I’d known her my entire life. As I typed her name, my house phone rang. I didn’t recognize the phone number, so I picked it up. A woman on the other end asked, “Is Winifred there?” It sent chills up my spine. (It still does.)

3. What's up for you next? Do you have any other projects in the works?

I’m writing a movie script about a conspiracy theory. It’s a thriller, who-done-it, with, of course, supernatural elements weaved throughout. It’s intended to be an independent film that could go into pre-production as early as mid-2012. But if we option the movie before then, that will be great, too.

Last summer, I started writing the first novel in a trilogy about a girl named Ratty Snickles. It’s a dystopian adventure about a wayward girl who joins a group of young misfits after opening a magic doorway in a stone wall.

I’m also giving a final edit to my book, Hummus for the Holidays that was adapted for film, and is currently being reviewed by a major Hollywood film company. (The release date on that book will depend on the movie.)

While I live near Boston, Massachusetts, I continue writing taglines, and pitching movies to film production companies, so I travel to L.A. quite a bit.

4. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Everyone knows the adage, “writers write.” That’s because to be a good writer—and eventually a great one—you have to do it all the time. It’s like being an athlete or a musician. The really great ones don’t occasionally shoot hoops, or strum a few chords on a guitar. They train every day. Writing is no different.

While I’m passionate about storytelling, I don’t romanticize the hard work and perseverance that goes into writing, selling and marketing my work. I write at least five hours a day, every day—often more. To aspiring writers, I’d suggest taking the word “aspiring” out of that phrase and simply write.
And never look back.

5. What 3 literary characters would you bring with you to a deserted island?

Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings, Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island’s Jim Hawkins. Between those three characters, I figure I’d at least be able to eat and somewhat comfortable on a deserted island. And with a little help from a wizard, I’d eventually be transported home.

Tag! You're It! (Come Play With Me!)

2012-02-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

I was tagged twice to answer questions by two bloggers: Kate at Musings of a Book Lover and Shirley at My Bookshelf! This is such a fun way to get familiar with other book bloggers. The idea is to answer the questions from the blogger that you were tagged by and then to tag 11 other book bloggers. I have too many book bloggers that I love to ask just 11 so I'm tagging all you guys. That's right! If you're looking at this post, you're tagged.

Let's play a game!

Not this one.

How to play:

You must post the rules.
Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
Let them know you’ve tagged them!

Now because I'm playing a little differently, feel free to answer my questions either here in the comments section or on your own blog (but make sure you let me know that you answered the questions so I can come and see your answers).

Here are my questions for you all:

What's your favorite book ever?
What book would you recommend for
If you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go?
What's your favorite kind of music?
What would you pick as your last meal?
What's your favorite animal?

Here are Kate's questions:

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? I'm a big fan of mint chocolate chip.
What’s in your purse? Oh man, you don't want to know. I have my life in my purse. Any situation, I will be prepared!
If you could meet one author, who would it be and why? That's such a hard question. There are so many that I want to meet. I was really hopeful that I would get to meet Augusten Burroughs this week or at least watch him record a radio show. He's going to be in DC this week recording a show but I don't think that I got tickets... at least I haven't heard whether or not I've gotten tickets.
If money were no object, what is one thing you would buy yourself right now? I'd buy a trip to Europe for my husband and I. I'd go all out!!!
What do you want to be when you grow up? When I grow up? I'd love to own a coffee shop/ bookstore. I think that could be fabulous.
What’s another hobby besides reading? I love, love, love to travel. There's nothing like just wandering around a brand new place.
Favorite recipe (link to it, if you can!)? Oh man, probably something my mom or my husband makes and both are fab cooks and therefore, it's too hard to pick just one thing.
Sweet or Sour? I'm a sweets lover!
What is one movie you could watch over and over again? Forrest Gump is one of my very favorite movies.
Have you ever been to a play? I've been to tons of plays. Growing up around DC, a fab cultural center, there were many opportunities to see plays. I've also been to tons and tons of musicals.
Why did you start blogging? I started book blogging basically because I had already been skulking around other book blogs and said "Hey, I think this would be fun." And it is so much fun!

Here are Shirley's questions

Who is your favourite author and why? What is your favourite book(s) written by him/her? One of my favorite authors is Gabriel Garcia-Marquez and I love Love in the Time of Cholera.
When did you begin blogging and why a book blog? I've been blogging for years and years but I've only been book blogging for just under a year. I love books and loved the idea of connecting with other readers.
If you were to aspire to being a writer, who would you like to be compared to and why? I'd love to be compared to so many different authors. Augusten Burroughs comes to mind. He's fabulous.
What is your favourite genre? Please explain. I love historical fiction. I'm a huge history buff so historical fiction is a natural fit for me.
What is your all-time favourite book? Please explain what makes it your favourite. This is another hard question. I have so many favorites. Running With Scissors by Burroughs and The Time Traveler's Wife by Niffenegger come to mind.
Which book do you feel has had the greatest influence in your life? Yeah, this is another hard one. I first read the Time Traveler's Wife right after going through a really hard break-up in college and it was one that sort of made me see that everything could turn out okay love-wise.
Which book have you re-read the most? Explain. Probably Running With Scissors.
If you were stranded on a tropical island, what items would you want with you? Which book would you want to read? I'd definitely bring my Kindle, which is already loaded with tons of books and I would be very hopeful that I'd have a wifi signal just in case I ran out of books ;)
Do you have a favourite spot to read in? Describe. I love reading in this gorgeous park by my house. It's so nice when the weather is nice.
Do you make reading selections according to your moods? What influences your reading choices? I find that I read a lot more serious books when the weather is cold and dreary. I read lighter books during the summer!
E-books or physical books? Why? Physical books, definitely. I love the feel of the paper and the experience

Review: A Million Suns by Beth Revis (Across the Universe #2)

2012-02-12T08:44:00.001-05:00

Title:A Million Suns
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publish Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You're a young adult book fan.
You're a sci-fi fan or looking to take baby steps into the world of sci-fi.
You liked Across the Universe by Beth Revis.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship.'"

My Two Cents:

Across the Universe (the first book in the Across the Universe trilogy) is a book that I reviewed pre-blog on Goodreads (click the link to see what I had to say about that one). Ever since I read Across the Universe, I've been anxiously awaiting the next book in the trilogy. Last week, I happened across A Million Suns at the library and felt like I won a prize. There it was, just waiting for me!!!

This is one of those books that you just don't want to rush through too quickly because you just want to savor the story. This book picks up not long after Across the Universe ends and follows the continuing mystery of why the Godspeed, the spaceship, seems to be so far away still from Centauri-Earth, an earth-like planet that the Godspeed was on a mission to land on. You'll definitely want to read Across the Universe first as there is almost no explaining of what happened in the first book in A Million Suns so you might be a little lost!

There's a good dose of mystery in this book and it's fun to put all the pieces together. There are so many twists and turns. I was so surprised by some of the things that happened and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

The world building in this book is really fantastic. Revis does a fabulous job with world building so you can really feel what it's like to be on the Godspeed that Amy, Elder and the rest of the characters are all on.

This book is great for those that want to step into the world of sci-fi but still want something that isn't too "out there." I would call this book sci-fi light. Yes, the story is most definitely sci-fi based story but Revis does a really good job of sort of "normalizing" the world of the Godspeed to where it's accessible to those who may not be all that into sci-fi.

My only regret about this book is that I have to wait another year to read the final book in the trilogy! Sigh... this is exactly why I like waiting until ALL of the books in a series come out before I start reading! It's so hard to wait!

Pre-Order Your Copy of The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose!

2012-02-11T13:32:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to pass along a special offer for a great book. If you pre-order The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose, they will receive a sample of Âmes Sœurs, the scent of soul mates, an exclusive, mystical fragrance, inspired by M.J.'s novel, which is due for release in March and which Publishers Weekly called a “deliciously sensual novel of paranormal suspense…”
This is a mesmerizing read, a provocative fragrance, a unique collaboration and something special for you to share with your readers. Please let me know if you’ll be running this offer on your site or if you have any questions.

M.J. Rose is asking if you've ever smelled a story?

“He struggled to separate out the notes he recognized from the ones he didn’t, searching for the ingredients that gave the blend its promise of hope, of long nights and voluptuous dreams, of invitation and embrace. Of an everlasting covenant ripe with possibility. Of lost souls reunited.” —The Book of Lost Fragrances

Discover the perfume inspired by The Book of Lost Fragrances

Pre-order The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose and we'll send you a free sample of Âmes Soeurs, the Scent of Soulmates. This exclusive fragrance, inspired by the novel, was created by Joya Studios and is not yet for sale. Joya’s Âmes Sœurs hints of Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange Blossom and Jasmine. It’s smoky uncommon finish suggests the past and the future, and lost souls reunited.

Just use one of the links at http://mjrose.com/fragrances/scent.asp and follow the directions there.

Offer ends March 1, but pre-order now since we have a limited number of supplies! US and Canada only.

*** My review of The Book of Lost Fragrances will be up on February 23!!!***

Review: How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

2012-02-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Title: How to Save a Life
Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publish Date: October 18, 2011
Source: Library

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a young adult book fan.
You're a fiction fan.
You like issue centric stories.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Jill MacSweeny just wishes everything could go back to normal. But ever since her dad died, she's been isolating herself from her boyfriend, her best friends--everyone who wants to support her. And when her mom decides to adopt a baby, it feels like she's somehow trying to replace a lost family member with a new one.

Mandy Kalinowski understands what it's like to grow up unwanted--to be raised by a mother who never intended to have a child. So when Mandy becomes pregnant, one thing she's sure of is that she wants a better life for her baby. It's harder to be sure of herself. Will she ever find someone to care for her, too?
As their worlds change around them, Jill and Mandy must learn to both let go and hold on, and that nothing is as easy--or as difficult--as it seems.

Critically acclaimed author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr delivers a heart-wrenching story, told from dual perspectives, about the many roads that can lead us home."

My Two Cents:

This book is told from two points of view. One is Jill, a teenager who is still reeling from her beloved father's death and her mom's sort of crazy idea that she wants to adopt a new baby. The other point of view is Mandy, a midwestern girl struggling with a bad home life and being pregnant as a teenager.

Both characters really grow and change throughout the book, which I liked. Jill and Mandy both have some pretty unlikable traits. Mandy is naive and thinks that the only way to take care of yourself is to be vulnerable and almost coerce people into taking care of you by sometimes lying. Mandy gets really annoying in the beginning of the book. Her mother has taught her that if she wants anything out of life, she needs to make herself attractive to men to take care of her. Mandy is not a stupid person so it seemed a little crazy to me that she would keep that idea in her head for so long especially seeing the position that both she and her mother were in. I would think seeing people in those situations would make you realize that you can and should take care of yourself and I wish Mandy would have .

Jill is going through a lot but doesn't seem to see the forest for the trees. She pushes everyone around her away and seems to be fighting with herself to let anyone back in her life. They grow and definitely become more likable as the book goes on. I love when an author is really able to write a good character transformation, which is exactly what happens in this book.

I also really liked the setting. Most of the book takes place in Denver, CO, a place that is near and dear to my heart as my parents both came from Colorado and much of my family still lives out there. It's a place that I love to visit. Zarr incorporates some great Denver scenes including a trip to Casa Bonita, a real-life restaurant in Denver that is probably one of the cheesiest restaurants on earth (but it is so much fun and just one of those things you have to sit back and enjoy for what it is).

This book covers a heavy topic but I thought Zarr did a really good job showing the effects that it had on the different characters in the story. And I loved, loved, loved the ending, which I'm not going to tell anything about because I don't want to spoil the surprise.

Anyhow, this is a great book for YA lovers.

Historical Fiction Virtual Tour Interview and Give@way: Christine Blevins

2012-02-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

Today I'm happy to welcome Christine Blevins, author of The Turning of Anne Merrick, to A Bookish Affair!

1. What's the best thing about being a writer? What's the most difficult?

The best thing for me is hearing from happy readers who enjoy my stuff.

The most difficult thing for me is maintaining the high quality of research and writing I am compelled to strive for, all within deadline.

2. I love historical fiction but have come across very few books that cover the American Revolution whereas times and places like Tudor England have been covered extensively. Why do you think not a lot of historical fiction has been written?

Beats me! The American Revolution is such an exciting, romantic and pivotal event in world history, I am surprised that there are not more books and movies that use it for a setting. In book publishing though, publishers tend to buy a sure thing, and that is how trends develop, and how the marketplace gets saturated with one thing or another. If publishers aren’t buying American settings, literary agents aren’t interested in representing it, and authors don’t bother writing it. I often hear from American readers who have enjoyed my work, freely admit to knowing way more about British or ancient Roman history then they do about their own country’s history.

3. Which of your three books (The Turning of Anne Merrick, The Tory Widow, and Midwife of the Blue Ridge) is your favorite and why?

That’s a hard question. Midwife of the Blue Ridge is my debut novel, and so it holds a special place in my heart. The American Revolution is also near and dear, and a huge subject to tackle, and I love The Tory Widow as the first book in that challenge. But since The Turning of Anne Merrick is my latest, I think it is my favorite right now. The characters are such good friends of mine now after two books.

4. What is your advice for aspiring writers?

The best advice I can give is to learn to seek out and be open to constructive critique. Writing is such
a solitary, in-your-head endeavor, that writers can often become mired in their process. When I first
began writing I joined a writer’s workshop at my local community college. The friendship and advice I
gained by that experience only improved my abilities to craft a compelling story and develop interesting characters.

5. If you could bring any three literary characters with you to a deserted island, who would you bring with you?

If limited to literary characters from books other than my own I’d bring Hawkeye, from Last of the
Mohicans, for his courage and survival skills, and general hunkiness. My second choice would be Gandalf from The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, because I imagine magic would help to make the deserted island experience more comfortable, and he is a very wise and interesting old guy. And last, I couldn’t imagine a better gal pal confidant than Elizabeth Bennet, from Pride and Prejudice. She would be good company.

But if the rules allow me to choose characters from my own published works, I’d choose Maggie Duncan from Midwife of the Blue Ridge. She’s strong and funny, and her healing and herbal knowledge would be very valuable on a deserted island. I’d also bring Sally Tucker, from The Tory Widow. She’s fun, a great cook, hard worker, and as a fellow Scotswoman, I think she’d get along very well with Maggie. For my third choice, I’d choose brave, smart and handsome Neddy Sharontakawas, the Oneidan scout from The Turning of Anne Merrick, who is also an expert hunter with mad wilderness survival skills.

Giveaway:

Today, I'm pleased to be able to host two great giveaways.

What's up for grabs:
- One winner will win a copy of The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins.
- One winner will win an 18th Century Stationery bundle. ("Just the sort of sundry Anne Merrick peddled to those bloodyback scoundrels in Burgoyne’s camp. Supplied with a quill pen and wrapped for convenient stowing amidst your gear, these sheets and envelopes are perfect for scrieving all manner of secret messages – invisible ink not included."


Picture of the bundle.

The Fine Print:
- You must be 13 and over
- Open Internationally!!!
- You must be a follower of A Bookish Affair
- Giveaway ends February 22, 2012!!!

Just fill out the form below!

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TLC Book Tour: What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas

2012-02-09T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: What Happened to Hannah
Author: Mary Kay McComas
Publisher: William Morrow
Publish Date: February 7, 2012
Source: TLC Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like family stories.
You like dysfunctional family stories.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "As a teenager, Hannah Benson ran away from home in order to save herself. Now, twenty years later, the past comes calling and delivers life-changing news: her mother and sister have passed away, leaving Hannah the guardian of her fifteen-year-old niece. Returning home to bitter memories and devastating secrets, Hannah must overcome her painful past to pave a future with her niece, the last best chance at a family for both of them. She begins to create a new, happier life with her niece and rekindles a relationship with Grady Steadman, one of the few people she's ever called a friend.

But she can't forget what she cannot forgive, or lay to rest those ghosts that will not die. Will love and trust--and the truth--give her the strength to stand her ground and fight for what she deserves?"

My Two Cents:

Overall, I liked this book. Hannah ran away from home as a teenager to get away from the horrible events of her past. As an adult, she's called back to her small Virginian town to become the guardian of her niece, the last living member of her family and one she has never met.

I really did not like Hannah in the beginning. She grudgingly travels from Baltimore to southern Virginia to meet her niece, Anna, who she automatically seems to not like because of her connection to Hannah's sister and mother, none of which is Anna's fault at all. I didn't like how sort of cold Hannah was in the beginning. Hannah eventually thaws a little bit and becomes a lot more likable and human. The transformation does seem to sort of happen overnight though, which seemed really quick to me.

The story itself was really interesting. It was interesting to see how Hannah feels when she comes back to a place where so many bad things happened. I would have liked to know more about Ruth, Anna's mother and Hannah's sister, and why Hannah didn't seem to feel any bound to her little sister. I also thought that some of the scenes were sort of rushed through and came to too neat of an ending that kind of pulled you out of the story wondering why things ended in that neat way.

Overall, this is still a good read about the different definitions of family.

Don't Forget to Follow The Rest of the Tour:

Tuesday, February 7th: Life in the Thumb
Wednesday, February 8th: Tina’s Book Reviews
Thursday, February 9th: A Bookish Affair
Monday, February 13th: The Book Bag
Wednesday, February 15th: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Thursday, February 16th: A Cozy Reader’s Corner
Monday, February 20th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Tuesday, February 21st: Book Hooked Blog
Wednesday, February 22nd: Raging Bibliomania
Thursday, February 23rd: Library of Clean Reads

Author Guest Post and Give@way: Nancy Bilyeau, Author of The Crown

2012-02-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

Today I'm very excited to have Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Crown here at A Bookish Affair for a guest post!

It was at my first bookstore reading that the question came: “Did you know many nuns before you
wrote this book?”

I answered her at once, with the truth: “No, none.”

I’ve written a historical thriller about a young Dominican novice in the reign of King Henry VIII. The
entire story of The Crown is told in the first person, through the perspective of Sister Joanna Stafford.
She is someone who very much wants to be a novice and serve God as a sister in an enclosed priory.

And yet before I wrote this book, I had no familiarity with monastic orders. I am not a practicing
Catholic; my parents were agnostic and occasionally attended the Unitarian Universalist Church in Ann
Arbor, Michigan.

So what drew me to Sister Joanna and the Dissolution of the Monasteries?

When I set out to write my first novel, I wasn’t sure what kind of story I wanted to tell except for one
thing: It must be set in the 16th century.

I saw the television series The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R as a child and fell in love with the 16th century. I read everything I could. I remember when I was 12 years old, at the public library in
suburban Michigan, trying to check out a book about the divorce of Katherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, and the librarian wouldn’t let me have it because it had the word “divorce” in the title and I was too young! Luckily that didn’t stop me from building my own library of 16th century books. I had my time period, but what sort of book would it be?

I’ve always adored mysteries and thrillers. I decided to fuse my two passions, and write a historical
thriller set in the 1500s.

I wanted to tell a woman’s story. It seemed the shelves were bursting with books written about
medieval and Renaissance queens and princesses. I thought a nun would be interesting, and what could
yield richer drama than a nun in the midst of the Dissolution of the Monasteries?

I spent the next five years researching and writing. I took a series of online courses through Gotham
Writer’s Workshop. I needed the feedback and the deadlines. I didn’t work on my book every day—I
have two children and held fulltime editing positions at various magazines, most recently, InStyle. To
finish my manuscript, I began to get up at 5 a.m. and write my book until it was time to wake up the
children at 7 a.m. We did not travel anywhere for most vacations. I took those precious days and spent
them on research.

The more I learned about a nun’s life in Tudor England, the more it fascinated me.

It is not easy in our secular age to enter the mind and heart of a 16th century nun—or to appreciate the
vital importance of faith in the lives of everyone.

As Eamon Duffy says in his great book, The Stripping of the Altars, “Late medieval Catholicism exerted an enormously strong, diverse, and vigorous hold over the imagination and loyalty of people up to the

very moment of Reformation.” After immersing myself in this very different world for so long, I feel a
great deal of admiration and sympathy for the nuns and monks and friars who struggled to cope with
the Dissolution. And I very much hope that this is what readers will come away with after finishing The
Crown.

Oh, and I hope the thriller plot keeps them up at night too.

Thank you, Nancy!!!

Giveaway:

I'm pleased to be able to give away a copy of The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau!

The Fine Print:
- You must be 13 and over
- Open to US only!
- You must be a follower of A Bookish Affair
- Giveaway ends February 17, 2012!!!

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Historical Fiction Virtual Tour Stop: The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins

2012-02-06T09:50:00.001-05:00

Title: The Turning of Anne Merrick
Author: Christine Blevins
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Publish Date: February 7, 2012
Source: HF Virtual Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You're a historical fiction fan.
You like a little thrill that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "A tale of love and espionage from the author of Midwife of the Blue Ridge... She spies for General Washington, betrays the Redcoats and battles for America's independence...
It's 1777, and a fledgling country wages an almost hopeless struggle against the might of the British Empire. Brought together by a fateful kiss, Anne Merrick and Jack Hampton are devoted to each other and to their Patriot cause. As part of Washington's daring network of spies, they are ready and willing to pay even the ultimate price for freedom.

From battlefields raging along the Hudson, to the desperate winter encampment at Valley Forge and through the dangerous intrigue of British-occupied Philadelphia, Anne and Jack brave the trials of separation, the ravages of war and an unyielding enemy growing ever more ruthless.

For love and for country, all is put at risk-and together the pair must call upon their every ounce of courage and cunning in order to survive."

My Two Cents:

The Revolutionary era in America is not something I've read about a lot in historical fiction so I was really, really interested to get into this book to see this change of scenery from a lot of my usual historical fiction fare. I was most definitely not disappointed. This book definitely filled my want for adventure and a good story full of some good twists to keep you reading.

The Turning of Anne Merrick is a fantastic foray into the intrigue of the American Revolution. Anne Merrick is a really great character. She's sort of in a precarious position. She's a widow and thus she's looked at a little bit differently than other women of that time period. Everyone feels sorry for her but she shows very quickly that she's strong and more than capable of making her way through everything. I really liked how Blevins wrote about the women of the American Revolution in this book. In history classes, you hear a lot about the men of the Revolution but there really isn't a large focus on what the women were doing at the same time. Anne Merrick is a spy. She spies for the Americans and the information that she is able to garner from the British and the Loyalists is vital to the American forces. It was really nice to see the sorts of contributions that women were making to the Revolution.

This is actually a follow-up to Blevins' The Tory Widow, which I have not read (but I will; oh yes, I will after reading this one) but The Turning of Anne Merrick is most definitely a great standalone book.

This is a great story and definitely made me anxious to read more by Christine Blevins!

Follow the Rest of the Tour (And don't forget to come back here to A Bookish Affair on February 10 for an interview with Christine Blevins and a very special giveaway!):

Tuesday, January 31st

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Historical Tapestry

Wednesday, February 1st

Review at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Thursday, February 2nd

Review at Medieval Bookworm

Friday, February 3rd

Review at Historical Tapestry

Monday, February 6th

Review at A Bookish Affair

Tuesday, February 7th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Review & Author Interview at A Bookish Libraria

Wednesday, February 8th

Review at Just One More Paragraph

Thursday, February 9th

Author Guest Post at A Writer's Life: Working with the Muse

Friday, February 10th

Author Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Monday, February 13th

Review at Luxury Reading

Tuesday, February 14th

Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Wednesday, February 15th

Review & Giveaway at The Broke and the Bookish

Thursday, February 16th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Just One More Paragraph

Friday, February 17th

Author Guest Post at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Monday, February 20th

Review at History and Women

Tuesday, February 21st

Review at Books, Belles and Beaux

Wednesday, February 22nd

Author Interview at Just One More Paragraph

Thursday, February 23rd

Author Guest Post at Books, Belles and Beaux

Friday, February 24th

Review at Unabridged Chick

Monday, February 27th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Reading the Past

Tuesday, February 28th

Review at The Maiden's Court

Wednesday, February 29th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Thursday, March 1st

Review at Let Them Read Books

Friday, March 2nd

Author Interview & Giveaway at The Maiden's Court

Monday, March 5th

Review & Giveaway at CelticLady's Reviews

Tuesday, March 6th

Review at The Eclectic Reader

Wednesday, March 7th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, March 8th

Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Friday, March 9th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at The Eclectic Reader

Monday, March 12th

Review at The True Book Addict

Tuesday, March 13th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, March 14th

Review at Reviews by Molly

Thursday, March 15th

Review at Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Friday, March 16th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Reviews by Molly

Monday, March 19th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Tanzanite's Castle Full of Books

Critical Links:

Christine Blevins' Website: http://christineblevins.com/
Christine Blevins on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christine.blevins
Christine Blevins on Twitter: @Author_CBlevins
Tour Event Twitter Hashtag: #TurningofAnneMerrickVirtualTour

Review: The Legacy by Katherine Webb

2012-02-04T21:33:00.000-05:00

Title: The Legacy
Author: Katherine Webb
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publish Date: August 30, 2011
Source: Netgalley

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You're a historical fiction fan.
You like dysfunctional family story fan (I've been reading a lot of these lately; wonder what that says :P )
You like stories about family secrets.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "When they were children, Erica Calcott and her sister, Beth, spent their summer holidays at Storton Manor. Now, following the death of their grandmother, they have returned to the grand, imposing house in Wiltshire, England. Unable to stem the tide of childhood memories that arise as she sorts through her grandmother's belongings, Erica thinks back to the summer her cousin Henry vanished mysteriously from the estate, an event that tore their family to pieces. It is time, she believes, to lay the past to rest, bring her sister some peace, and finally solve the mystery of her cousin's disappearance.
But sifting through remnants of a bygone time is bringing a secret family history to light--one that stretches back over a century, to a beautiful society heiress in Oklahoma, a haunting, savage land across the ocean. And as past and present converge, Erica and Beth must come to terms with two shocking acts of betrayal . . . and the heartbreaking legacy they left behind."

My Two Cents:

This book takes place in both America in the early 1900s to present day England. This is a book full of family secrets and untruths that have affected four generations of the Calcott family and how those secrets can change everything. It took me a little bit to get into the book. I definitely liked the story about Caroline in turn of the century Oklahoma better than the present day storyline. Caroline (who is Erica and Beth's great grandmother) is not a strong character. She's weak and she's frightened about everything. She's scared of the unknown and there's a lot of unknown in the relative wilderness of Oklahoma for the pampered East Coast socialite.

The characters in here are not all likable. I guess out of all of the characters, I liked Erica the best. She's the one that really begins to put the family mystery together. She has to take care of her sister, Beth, who is fighting with her own demons. Erica is the only relatively stable main character in the book. Beth sort of got annoying at some points as she never seems to have gotten over something that happened in their childhood. While I can see how you would be affected, Beth doesn't seem to be able to even cope.

I loved that the reader can start putting together all of the pieces in the family mystery before the characters start figuring out what's going on. And I love even more that the pieces don't totally come together until the very end of the book and there is still sort of a surprise ending.

And The Books Go To....

2012-02-03T09:24:00.000-05:00

The copy of Night Swim by Jessica Keener goes to:

Anna

The ebook of The Dragon and the Pearl by Jeannie Lin goes to:

Inga

Congratulations! Both winners have been contacted and have 48 hours to contact me back.

Historical Fiction Virtual Tour Stop: The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

2012-02-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: The Crown
Author: Nancy Bilyeau
Publisher: Touchstone
Publish Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Historical Fiction Virtual Tours

Why You're Reading This Book?:

You're a fiction fan.
You're a historical fiction fan.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past."

My Two Cents:

I've read plenty about the Tudor era but usually its from the point of view of someone either within the monarchy or very near to the monarchy. This is Nancy Bilyeau's very first novel so going with a less standard type of character in a setting that has become so familiar for so many historical fiction readers could have been a risk. In this case, it was one that really paid off in my own humble point of view.

I enjoy reading about this era but it was nice to see sort of a different point of view. Joanna Stafford is still close to the monarchy in a way. Her mother was one of Katherine of Aragon's ladies. But as a nun, she's has a very different point of view. She's definitely a fascinating character. I wasn't sure how exciting it would to be to follow a nun but the mystery that Joanna finds herself chasing most definitely kept me reading.

This book is part historical fiction and part mystery. This is not so much of a thriller though. The excitement was definitely a little more subtle to me. The storyline was very interesting. The Dominican order is a form of Catholicism, which of course was under fire during the reign of King Henry the VIII. Remember that the King really wanted to be able to divorce his wife and divorce was not allowed to take place in the Catholic church and therefore the King wanted his own church in order to make sure that he was allowed to do what he wanted to do. It was interesting to see the changes happening in people like Joanna's life because of this.

Bottom line: This book is a scoop of historical fiction and a pinch of mystery and an all around decent read!

Don't Forget To Follow The Rest of the Tour (And don't forget to stop back by A Bookish Affair for a guest post by Nancy Bilyeau and a giveaway of "The Crown"):

Thursday, January 5th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, January 10th

Review at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, January 12th

Review & Giveaway at Bippity Boppity Book

Monday, January 16th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Wednesday, January 18th

Review at Bags, Books & Bon Jovi

Friday, January 20th

Review at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Monday, January 23rd

Review at The Book Garden

Wednesday, January 25th

Author Interview & Giveaway at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Friday, January 27th

Review & Giveaway at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Monday, January 30th

Review at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews

Wednesday, February 1st

Author Interview at Bags, Books & Bon Jovi

Friday, February 3rd

Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, February 6th

Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, February 8th

Author Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Friday, February 10th

Review at Just One More Paragraph

Monday, February 13th

Author Guest Post at The True Book Addict

Wednesday, February 15th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Just One More Paragraph

Friday, February 17th

Review at Unabridged Chick

Monday, February 20th

Review & Giveaway at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell

Wednesday, February 22nd

Author Interview & Giveaway at Debbie's Book Bag

Friday, February 24th

Review & Giveaway at A Musings Review

Monday, February 27th

Author Interview & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Review & Giveaway at Book Drunkard

Wednesday, February 29th

Review at Debbie's Book Bag

Review & Giveaway at Raging Bibliophile

Friday, March 2nd

Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee

Review at Historical Tapestry

Monday, March 5th

Review & Giveaway at CelticLady's Reviews

Wednesday, March 7th

Review, Author Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Libraria

Thursday, March 8th
Author Guest Post & Giveaway at On The Tudor Trail

Friday, March 9th

Review at The Broke and the Bookish

Monday, March 12th

Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Wednesday, March 14th

Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Friday, March 16th

Review at Luxury Reading

Monday, March 19th

Author Interview at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Review: All Her Father's Guns by James Warner

2012-02-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: All Her Father's Guns
Author: James Warner
Publisher: Numina Press
Publish Date: January 10, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like authors like Chuck Palahniuk.
You like a bit of quirk with your books.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Cal Lyte, a gun-loving venture capitalist, is tired of paying alimony to his ex-wife Tabytha. Plotting to blackmail her and derail her campaign for Congress, he enlists the help of their daughter's boyfriend, British academic Reid Seyton, to unearth some Lyte family secrets. But the results turn out to be more than anyone bargained for, in an escalating cycle of revelations that will leave nobody's life the same."

My Two Cents:

Snappy writing and a great sense of humor are the draws for this book. The humor is not going to be for everyone (think of Chuck Palahniuk's type of humor; not for everyone but it's right down my alley) but for me, it was spot on. In fact, I would liken this book to Palahniuk's writing if he started writing about politics. Now this is a really highly honored comparison for me as I'm a huge Palahniuk fan. Warner has a great sense of humor and makes some really keen observations through his characters about the state of politics in the United States.

This book has a great story line and is totally irreverent and I liked it. The characters aren't exactly likable. Some of them are a little full of themselves. Some of them are more than just a little ridiculous. Some of them are flat out crazy but they make for a great story that will definitely keep you engaged. The characters are definitely not role models and this is by no means a morality play. Warner shows, rather than tells through the characters how ridiculous the political world is. I read this book at a particularly timely time with everything happening on the campaign trail right now.

This book will not be for everyone but if you have a good sense of humor (if not a bit off kilter) about things, this one is for you.

Review and Give@way: Oleanna by Julie K. Rose

2012-02-01T06:00:00.002-05:00

Title: Oleanna
Author: Julie K. Rose
Publisher: Self-Published
Publish Date: January 23, 2012
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a historical fiction fan.
You're an armchair traveler.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Set during the separation of Norway from Sweden in 1905, this richly detailed novel of love and loss was inspired by the life of the author's great-great-aunts.

Oleanna and her sister Elisabeth are the last of their family working their farm deep in the western fjordland. A new century has begun, and the world outside is changing, but in the Sunnfjord their world is as small and secluded as the verdant banks of a high mountain lake. With their parents dead and their brothers all gone to America, the sisters have resigned themselves to a simple life tied to the land and to the ghosts of those who have departed.

The arrival of Anders, a cotter living just across the farm's border, unsettles Oleanna's peaceful but isolated existence. Sharing a common bond of loneliness and grief, Anders stirs within her the wildness and wanderlust she has worked so hard to tame. When she is confronted with another crippling loss, Oleanna must decide once and for all how to face her past, claim her future, and find her place in a wide new world.

Oleanna was short-listed in the 2011 Faulkner-Wisdom novel competition."

My Two Cents:

I really liked this book. It had a good story, good characters and an interesting setting. I think one of the marks of a good book is when you aren't ready to leave the characters when the book ends. I was most definitely not ready to leave Oleanna when the book ended. I wanted to see what happens to her. Is she happy? Will she ever change her mind?

Oleanna is a fabulous character. She's strong but personable and definitely the sort of character that you find yourself rooting for. While Oleanna is a thoroughly fictional character,she is based on one of Rose's real life relatives, which I thought was infinitely cool. Rose took some of the very little details about what she knew of two of her spinster aunts in Norway and turned it into something really amazing. I really liked that Rose included this information in the afterword of the book. It's so awesome to see where authors get their ideas.

Norway is not a country that I'm too terribly familiar with. I'm even less familiar with the country's history. And I'm not sure that I've ever read a fiction book about the country. I definitely learned a little bit from this book (definitely a bonus when reading something). I had no clue that Norwegian as it is today is such a nascent language. I found Rose's afterword about the context of this story really, really interesting. This book definitely made me interested in learning a little bit more about the history of Norway. I do wish that Oleanna would have included a little more information about the suffrage movement. I thought that would have been a really interesting arc especially in light of the country separating from Sweden.

Historical fiction lovers will eat this book up!

Giveaway:

Thanks to the author, I am pleased to be able to offer a giveaway for a paperback of Oleanna.

The Fine Print:
- You must be 13 and over
- Open to US only!
- You must be a follower of A Bookish Affair

- Giveaway ends February 13!

Just fill out the form below!

Review: Corporate Ties by Ben Woods

2012-01-31T06:00:00.003-05:00

Title: Corporate Ties
Author: Ben Woods
Publisher: Spumoni Press
Publish Date: August 19, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You've ever worked in an office.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Jason Harris has found the perfect job as a web developer with a Fortune 500 financial subsidiary. He meets his cool and quirky co-workers and even scores a date with an Indian princess/database administrator.

This lasts all of eight days. Due to “organizational restructuring,” the parent company announces that all employees at Jason's location are being relocated to corporate headquarters in another state.

Each person mulls the idea of exchanging a laid-back, business casual dress environment for a cafeteria, a fitness center, and a strangling — by a necktie (corporate attire only, please) and organizational bureaucracy.

The men and women in suits arrive to document the documents, proactivate the buzzwords, and cage the project managers.

Is the job really worth it? And why exactly do people give up their independence to become company drones?"

My Two Cents:

This story is something that has happened to a lot of people in corporate America, especially with the Recession. Corporate restructuring happens. And this is exactly what happens to Jason and the rest of the people at Mettle when they're told they have to move to be with the new parent company.

I really like Woods' style of writing. It's fast paced, funny, with a splash of cynicism (just how I like it) and kept me interested in the story. The writing is most definitely the highlight of this book. The humor is subtle, which I liked.

This is a workplace comedy, workplace being the operative word. Some of the business talk may be above and beyond what some people like. I used to work in IT so I was okay with it but other people who aren't so familiar with that world, you may be a little bit lost. This may limit the audience for this book. Throughout the book, I kind of felt like I was waiting for something big to happen and when the turning point in the book finally comes, it was a bit more subdued than I was expecting.

Bottom line: Read this one for the writing!

World Book Night!

2012-01-30T11:06:00.000-05:00

World Book Night is a celebration of all things reading. It was originally started last year in the UK. Basically volunteers sign up to give away copies of some notable reads. The idea is to spread the love of reading with the people around you.

There's still time to sign up for World Book Night!!! See more details on World Book Night here and how to sign up to be a giver. You have until February 1st to sign up!

Are you participating in World Book Night?

Review: The Secret of Lies by Barbara Forte Abate

2012-01-30T06:00:00.002-05:00

Title: The Secret of Lies
Author: Barbara Forte Abate
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC
Publish Date: April 1, 2010
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fiction fan.
You like family stories (especially dysfunctional families).

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.

Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 - The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control - torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled."

My Two Cents:

This is a story of how family secrets can change everything. Hiding those secrets can make things so much worse. This is exactly what happens to Stevie is this book. As a young teenager, she watches her sister, Eleanor, and the adults in her life make decisions that will change everything and hurt people. We see all of this through Stevie's eyes. She's still not an adult but understands enough that she knows the implications of everything that's going on.

I liked this book. The story is good and definitely kept me interested throughout the book. I thought that the story could have been streamlined a little bit. At one point, I wondered where the story was going to come back together after Stevie was a few years removed from the situation that happened at her aunt and uncle's beach house. It almost seemed like there could have been less "setting up" of the second part of the book. I spent a lot of time thinking about where the book was going and why some things were so unresolved from the first part of the book and I think it took away from the book a little bit. The story does come back together nicely eventually but it takes awhile.

I definitely felt bad throughout the book for Stevie. When the book begins, she's at that age where she wants to be more adult-like and to be taken seriously but she doesn't know how to. I kept wondering what would have happened if she spoke up about the things that she saw earlier. Would things have come out better? Worse? Later in the book, she still seems almost childlike. She sticks behind to live with her mother instead of forging out on her own as a young adult. I wondered also if that was tied to what happened at the beach house.

Bottom line: This is a good read for fiction fans!

Unputdownables: A Moveable Feast Read-Along

2012-01-28T21:04:00.000-05:00

I'm taking part in the A Moveable Feast Read-Along for February through Unputdownables (sign up here). This is another classic that I've been very excited to read!

Book to Movie (Plus Author Interview): The Big Year by Mark Obmascik

2012-01-28T13:58:00.002-05:00

I was very happy to get a chance to take a look at The Big Year (out on Blu-Ray/DVD on January 31, 2012) compliments of Think Jam (this did not affect my review). The Big Year was originally a book by author Mark Obmascik. It was adapted for the big screen and stars Steve Martin, Owen Wilson, and Jack Black.

Summary:

From Goodreads.com: "Every January 1, a quirky crowd storms out across North America for a spectacularly competitive event called a Big Year—a grand, expensive, and occasionally vicious 365-day marathon of birdwatching. For three men in particular, 1998 would become a grueling battle for a new North American birding record. Bouncing from coast to coast on frenetic pilgrimages for once-in-a-lifetime rarities, they brave broiling deserts, bug-infested swamps, and some of the lumpiest motel mattresses known to man. This unprecedented year of beat-the-clock adventures ultimately leads one man to a record so gigantic that it is unlikely ever to be bested. Here, prizewinning journalist Mark Obmascik creates a dazzling, fun narrative of the 275,000-mile odyssey of these three obsessives as they fight to win the greatest— or maybe worst—birding contest of all time."

My Two Cents:

A Big Year is something that every birdwatcher dreams of. And some are willing to go to any lengths in order to beat the records of the birds that previous watchers have seen. Enter three men: Brad (played by Black) who is ready to do something with his life even if his father is not convinced that The Big Year is really doing something with your life. There's Stu (played by Martin), the affable, over-worked businessman who is finally ready for his Big Year. Finally there's Kenny (played by Wilson) who is willing to do just about anything to make sure that no one beats his record.

I loved Brad and Stu! They are both nice, really well meaning guys. They really in the Big Year for the fun of it (although the glory is an added bonus as well). Kenny on the other hand is less than a nice guy. This is really the first movie that I've seen Owen Wilson in where I haven't really liked him. He's usually a pretty nice guy and funny. In The Big Year, he's less nice and very arrogant. It was definitely believable but I like Wilson as a kinder, gentler character.

The supporting cast is awesome too. Brian Dennehy is great as Brad's father. Anjelica Huston is hilarious as a crazy boat driver. John Cleese plays a narrator (I love his voice). It was such a nice surprise to see all these people in this movie.

This movie is funny. My husband and I both sat down to watch it last night. We both really liked it. It's good for a laugh and is a little bit off the beaten path. Comedy lovers will enjoy this movie.

Author Interview:

I'm pleased to have an author interview with Mark Obmascik on A Bookish Affair today.

1. How does it feel to have your book adapted into a movie?

I feel like I've been struck by lightning three times. The first was when Simon and Schuster took on my book about competitive birdwatching. The second lightning strike was when the movie rights were optioned. Actually making a movie of it was the third lightning strike. This explains my current hairline.

2. What sort of input did you have the writing of the screenplay? Did you
wish you could have had more input of any kind?

I had very little input. I never talked with the man who wrote the screenplay, and I never saw the screenplay that was put into production. I did have a nice phone talk with the director about characters, themes, and locations. Because my book is a non-fiction account of three living guys, I asked the director to change all names for his fictional movie, but I think he was going to do that anyway. A pet peeve of birders is the way Hollywood does stuff that would never occur in nature -- say, having the call of a red-tailed hawk come from the beak of a robin -- so I asked the director to hire a birding consultant to clean up the script. The director, David Frankel, hired one of the birders I wrote about, Greg Miller, to work on the set, and I think they all enjoyed it. I always figured that the book was my thing, and the movie was the director's thing.

3. Is it easier to tell a story through a book or a movie? Why?

I wrote the book myself, and it was edited by one great woman, Leslie Meredith, at The Free Press of Simon and Schuster in New York. By contrast, the movie was made by more than 200 producers, actors, photographers, editors, carpenters, electricians, make up artists, truck drivers, publicists, caterers, location scouts, etc. At one point, when our family was visiting the movie set in Vancouver, the director was planning to send the whole production up to the Yukon via a three-day caravan of semi-trailers on the Alaskan Highway. To me, the logistics of the movie business are staggering. To do my stories, I need only a cell phone, laptop, access to an airport, and caffeine.

4. Who is your favorite character in The Big Year? What was it like seeing

them on the big screen? (and now small screen with the upcoming DVD/Blu-ray
release?)

As a longtime newspaper reporter who made a career out of reporting on murderers, rapists, and politicians, I was grateful to get a chance to write about people I liked. As a writer, I really enjoyed how the three guys seemed to bring out the best -- and sometimes the worst -- in each other. In different ways, Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller each decided that having honesty and integrity was just as important as winning. I wish I could have covered a U.S. Senate campaign like that! As for what it's like to see it on the big screen, I'll put it this way: When the studio announced this movie would star Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson, my three young sons looked at me for a fleeting millisecond as if I were actually cool.

5. If you could bring 3 fictional characters with you on a deserted island,

who would you bring with you.

I think that Raskolnikov, Peeta Mellark, and Hannibal Lecter would make for a fun picnic.

More Info:

Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2012-01-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Publisher: My version was published by Scribner.
Publish Date: Originally published 1925
Source: Owned

Why You're Reading This Book:

It's a classic. Do you need another reason?

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald announced his decision to write "something new--something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned." That extraordinary, beautiful, intricately patterned, and above all, simple novel became The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald's finest work and certainly the book for which he is best known. A portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its decadence and excess, Gatsby captured the spirit of the author's generation and earned itself a permanent place in American mythology. Self-made, self-invented millionaire Jay Gatsby embodies some of Fitzgerald's--and his country's--most abiding obsessions: money, ambition, greed, and the promise of new beginnings. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther.... And one fine morning--" Gatsby's rise to glory and eventual fall from grace becomes a kind of cautionary tale about the American Dream.
It's also a love story, of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby's quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The pair meet five years before the novel begins, when Daisy is a legendary young Louisville beauty and Gatsby an impoverished officer. They fall in love, but while Gatsby serves overseas, Daisy marries the brutal, bullying, but extremely rich Tom Buchanan. After the war, Gatsby devotes himself blindly to the pursuit of wealth by whatever means--and to the pursuit of Daisy, which amounts to the same thing. "Her voice is full of money," Gatsby says admiringly, in one of the novel's more famous descriptions. His millions made, Gatsby buys a mansion across Long Island Sound from Daisy's patrician East Egg address, throws lavish parties, and waits for her to appear. When she does, events unfold with all the tragic inevitability of a Greek drama, with detached, cynical neighbor Nick Carraway acting as chorus throughout. Spare, elegantly plotted, and written in crystalline prose, The Great Gatsby is as perfectly satisfying as the best kind of poem."

My Two Cents:

The last time that I read this book, I was in high school. This was one of the books that I read in school that I absolutely loved. I was excited when Unputdownables named it as their January Read-along book. It is so hard to get back to reading a book that you've already read. My TBR is massive that I almost feel a little guilty going back and reading some of my old favorites. The read-along gave me a perfect opportunity to read this old favorite!

It's easy to see why this book is a classic. Fitzgerald paints a picture of the roaring 20s. This isn't really a happy book but Fitzgerald does such a fantastic job with writing his characters that you can't help but to be pulled in. The characters are also not all that likable. They're forced together by fate and everyone seems to have their own connection with all of the other characters. This is the sort of book that shows you that you don't have to necessarily like the characters to enjoy the book.

This is definitely a classic that should be on your list!

Review: Exmortus by Todd Maternowski

2012-01-27T09:43:00.001-05:00

Title: Exmortus
Author: Todd Maternowski
Publisher: Self-Published
Publish Date: August 1, 2011
Source: I received a copy from the author. This did not affect my review.

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a fantasy fan.
You like a good adventure story.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "A group of battle-weary knights from the ancient monastic fortress of Exmortus Abbey have unearthed something... unholy.
A new star hangs low in the horizon, directly over the hellhole where half the Abbey's knights lost their lives, a star that some of the men claim is following them...

And back at Exmortus, Ash Xavier, an impatient young knight-in-training, is beginning to unearth ages-old secrets beneath the Abbey's vaults, oblivious to the horrors hurtling at him through space...
EXMORTUS, BOOK I: TOWERS OF DAWN is a work of dark fantasy in the mold of George R.R. Martin or Gene Wolfe, in which every standard fantasy cliche is skewered and boiled alive, and where the heroes and villains are not what they seem."

My Two Cents:

This is the perfect book for anyone who likes a good adventure story. It is a fantasy and while I don't usually read fantasy, this one is not overwhelming with its fantasy elements. This book could be one to get me to read more fantasy! I liked that Maternowski was able to sort of "normalize" the world so that the reader was not bombarded with all these different creatures and powers that you have to then remember what they are and what they do, which can be overwhelming(a factor that has turned me off from many a fantasy book in the past).

Ash is a young knight. He belongs to an order of great knights who he greatly respects. He also believes that he is destined to be among the greatest of the knights when he gets a little older. He's very arrogant at first and looks down on a lot of the younger knights in the order. He eventually grows and changes and becomes way more likable throughout the book, which is sort of a neat transition. He goes on an adventure with several characters after the order of the knights are attacked by a mysterious demon who appears first as a star.

There were definitely some parts that were pretty crude and I was a little grossed out. This book is not for the weak of heart (or stomach for that matter). I almost felt like the crudeness of Steed, another character in the book, was over the top and I'm not sure if I understood the reasoning behind being bombarded with just how crude Steed was.

I would say that this book is a good cross-over for those who don't usually read fantasy books but want to try a good one.

TLC Book Tour Stop: Our Man in the Dark by Rashad Harrison

2012-01-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Title: Our Man in the Dark
Author: Rashad Harrison
Publisher: Atria Books
Publish Date: November 15, 2011
Source: TLC Book Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

You're a historical fiction fan.
You like a story that moves quickly.
You like interesting characters.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "Feeling underappreciated and overlooked, John Estem, a bookkeeper for Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), steals ten thousand dollars from the organization. Originally planning to use the money to seed a new civil rights initiative in Chicago, he squanders the stolen funds.

To the bookkeeper’s dismay, the FBI has been keeping close tabs on Dr. King and his fellow activists—including Estem—for years. FBI agents tell Estem that it is his duty, as an American and as a civil rights supporter, to protect the SCLC from communist infiltration. The FBI offers Estem a stipend, but in case he has any thoughts about refusing the assignment, they also warn him that they know about the stolen money.

Playing informant empowers Estem, but he soon learns that his job is not simply to relay information on the organization. Once the FBI discovers evidence of King’s sexual infidelities, they set out to confirm the facts to undermine King’s credibility as a moral leader and bring down the movement. This timely novel comes in light of recent revelations that government informants had infiltrated numerous black movement organizations. With historical facts at the core of Our Man in the Dark, Harrison uses real life as a great inspiration for his drama-filled art."

My Two Cents:

A couple months ago, I saw the movie J. Edgar. I really enjoyed it. J. Edgar Hoover was just a strange character that you almost can't believe that he was a real person. He was incredibly paranoid and was very afraid of the red scourge taking over America for much of his career. He was notorious for gathering informants to gather information about anyone he wanted. I'm not sure if he really thought that all of the people he had informants on were Communists or not but nonetheless, he got tons of information on some very famous people. It's still sort of crazy to think about.

Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the people that Hoover deemed as having red ties in real life. In "Our Man in the Dark," two G-men (FBI agents) come to lowly John Estem, an accountant with Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), to get him to pass them information about Dr. King. John agrees. He thinks it's a way to make a little money and he thinks he knows how to game the system. It's the 1960s and the world is changing. John thinks nothing of the consequences.

This book is billed as a historical noir book and dark it definitely is. It's fast moving and the characters are great, especially the character of John Estem. He's very realistic and so well written. He isn't exactly likable but Harrison does a fantastic job of showing his motives and his thinking. You can at least see where he's coming from.

This is a great book about real events. The author pulls the reader into the world of the late 1960s and the time of MLK. This is great book for historical fiction lovers and thriller lovers!

Follow The Rest of the Tour:

Tuesday, January 3rd: Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, January 4th: Life In Review
Thursday, January 5th: Mockingbird Hill Cottage
Monday, January 9th: Wordsmithonia
Tuesday, January 10th: Sidewalk Shoes
Wednesday, January 11th: Broken Teepee
Thursday, January 12th: Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms
Monday, January 16th: “That’s Swell!”
Tuesday, January 17th: Reads for Pleasure
Monday, January 23rd: A Bookish Way of Life
Wednesday, January 25th: Reflections of a Bookaholic
Thursday, January 26th: Layers of Thought
Thursday, January 26th: A Bookish Affair
Friday, January 27th: Joyfully Retired
Date TBD: Man of La Book