Title: What's Left Behind
Author: Lorrie Thomson
Format: ARC
Publisher: Kensington
Publish Date: August 26, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "When the person you’ve
built your whole life around is gone, what do you do? It’s not the first
time Abby Stone has faced the question. At eighteen, she envisioned a
future with her childhood sweetheart, Charlie, only to have him go off
to school and leave a pregnant Abby behind. But that pales beside a
second loss, when her eighteen-year-old son, Luke, falls to his death
from his third-floor dorm.
Abby throws herself into running her
thriving B&B on the coast of Maine. With the help of Rob, a local
landscape architect, she plans a backyard labyrinth as a memorial to
Luke—a place to find peace and solace. Even as Charlie begins hanging
around again, looking for a chance to do right by her, Abby resolves to
look forward, not back. And then Luke’s girlfriend arrives on Abby’s
doorstep—pregnant, as alone as Abby once was—bringing with her the
unexpected gift of a new beginning, one that celebrates the past."
My Two Cents:
After Abby loses her son, Luke, in "What's Left Behind," she is unsure how she can go on. She throws herself into her work at a bed-and-breakfast in Maine but she knows that her life will never be the same. When Luke's girlfriend, Tessa, shows up pregnant with bloops child Abby can't help but to feel that this is a sign from Luke. This book definitely tugged on my heartstrings. I was thoroughly engaged by the story and the characters.
I'm not a parent but I can only imagine how hard it must be to lose a child. It's so hard to lose somebody very close to you. I really liked how the author was able to capture the raw feelings of Abby and the feelings of Tessa. Most of the book focuses on how Abby deals with her son's death and the reemergence of his college sweetheart. She is definitely one tough lady but even she is going through something absolutely devastating. I really enjoyed reading about her because she was such a strong character! I felt that the author did a good job of making her seemed really real.
I really like the writing of this book I thought that the author was able to create dialogue and situations that felt very realistic. I love when a book can really move you and this book definitely moved me. I know that in the future I'm going to be on the lookout for more by this author. This would be a great book for her when you're looking for a book that I takes you through all different emotions but leaves you with a happy ending!
Friday, August 29, 2014
Review: What's Left Behind by Lorrie Thomson
Labels:
2014,
fiction,
Lorrie Thomson
Thursday, August 28, 2014
HF Virtual Book Tours Review and Giveaway: The Duel for Consuelo by Claudia H. Long
Title: The Duel for Consuelo
Author: Claudia H. Long
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Booktrope
Publish Date: June 2, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
What's the Story?:
History, love, and faith combine in a gripping novel set in early 1700’s Mexico. In this second passionate and thrilling story of the Castillo family, the daughter of a secret Jew is caught between love and the burdens of a despised and threatened religion. The Enlightenment is making slow in-roads, but Consuelo’s world is still under the dark cloud of the Inquisition. Forced to choose between protecting her ailing mother and the love of dashing Juan Carlos Castillo, Consuelo’s personal dilemma reflects the conflicts of history as they unfold in 1711 Mexico. A rich, romantic story illuminating the timeless complexities of family, faith, and love.
My Two Cents:
"The Duel for Consuelo" is a historical fiction novel set in 1700s New Spain, now more commonly known as Mexico. I really love reading historical fiction set in Latin America and I don't find enough of it! The book is set in a time and a place I haven't read very much about. I love when historical fiction can teach you something new! Consuelo's lives with her family in New Spain. This book is both a love story and a story of family. There is also a heavy religious influence in this book since they acquisition is also taking place in new Spain. This is a fascinating book with very memorable characters.
I have read a lot of historical fiction set during the Inquisition; however, most of day historical fiction has been set in Spain. I really liked that this book looked at New Spain. It was interesting to see how the Inquisition affected those people of New Spain both similarly and differently than those people of Spain. Consuelo's family is hiding a major secret. Although the Inquisition seeks to punish those that are practicing Judaism, Consuelo's mother still practices in secret. Consuelo knows that her mother practices and is forced to keep her secret even though it means that she could possibly get in trouble by her self. I really liked the family aspect of this book and loved the relationship between Consuelo and her mother, Leila.
The writing of the book was good. The narrative is told from several different perspectives including that of Consuelo and Leila. I really liked having the different narratives in the book because it allows you to see how various members of society felt about what was going on with regard to the Inquisition. Each character truly had their own voice! Overall, I thought this was a very interesting historical fiction look at an event that changed the course of history.
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Author: Claudia H. Long
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Booktrope
Publish Date: June 2, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
What's the Story?:
History, love, and faith combine in a gripping novel set in early 1700’s Mexico. In this second passionate and thrilling story of the Castillo family, the daughter of a secret Jew is caught between love and the burdens of a despised and threatened religion. The Enlightenment is making slow in-roads, but Consuelo’s world is still under the dark cloud of the Inquisition. Forced to choose between protecting her ailing mother and the love of dashing Juan Carlos Castillo, Consuelo’s personal dilemma reflects the conflicts of history as they unfold in 1711 Mexico. A rich, romantic story illuminating the timeless complexities of family, faith, and love.
My Two Cents:
"The Duel for Consuelo" is a historical fiction novel set in 1700s New Spain, now more commonly known as Mexico. I really love reading historical fiction set in Latin America and I don't find enough of it! The book is set in a time and a place I haven't read very much about. I love when historical fiction can teach you something new! Consuelo's lives with her family in New Spain. This book is both a love story and a story of family. There is also a heavy religious influence in this book since they acquisition is also taking place in new Spain. This is a fascinating book with very memorable characters.
I have read a lot of historical fiction set during the Inquisition; however, most of day historical fiction has been set in Spain. I really liked that this book looked at New Spain. It was interesting to see how the Inquisition affected those people of New Spain both similarly and differently than those people of Spain. Consuelo's family is hiding a major secret. Although the Inquisition seeks to punish those that are practicing Judaism, Consuelo's mother still practices in secret. Consuelo knows that her mother practices and is forced to keep her secret even though it means that she could possibly get in trouble by her self. I really liked the family aspect of this book and loved the relationship between Consuelo and her mother, Leila.
The writing of the book was good. The narrative is told from several different perspectives including that of Consuelo and Leila. I really liked having the different narratives in the book because it allows you to see how various members of society felt about what was going on with regard to the Inquisition. Each character truly had their own voice! Overall, I thought this was a very interesting historical fiction look at an event that changed the course of history.
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Labels:
2014,
Claudia H. Long,
fiction,
giveaway,
HF Book Tours,
historical fiction,
Mexico
Review: I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks by Gina Sheridan
Title: I Work at a Public Library: A Collection of Crazy Stories from the Stacks
Author: Gina Sheridan
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Adams Media
Publish Date: July 31, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the PR; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Straight from the library--the strange and bizarre, ready to be checked out!
From a patron's missing wetsuit to the scent of crab cakes wafting through the stacks, I Work at a Public Library showcases the oddities that have come across Gina Sheridan's circulation desk. Throughout these pages, she catalogs her encounters with local eccentrics as well as the questions that plague her, such as, "What is the standard length of eyebrow hairs?" Whether she's helping someone scan his face onto an online dating site or explaining why the library doesn't have any dragon autobiographies, Sheridan's bizarre tales prove that she's truly seen it all.
Stacked high with hundreds of strange-but-true stories, I Work at a Public Library celebrates librarians and the unforgettable patrons that roam the stacks every day."
My Two Cents:
"I Work at a Public Library" is a collection of anecdotes from the Tumblr page of the same name. I wasn't familiar with this site were before reading this book; however, after reading this book, I know that I need to look at it. These stories are so funny! This book recounts some of the funny experiences that librarians working in public libraries have had to deal with. The Tumblr page of the very same name has become a haven for librarians wanting to talk about some of the crazy and ridiculous things that have happened in their life.
Even if you are not a librarian I think that you will fall in love with this very funny book. It's one of those books where you either need to be not embarrassed to get caught laughing in a public place or you just need to read it in the comfort of your own home so that nobody can hear you laughing! Luckily, I read it at home and was able to laugh as much as I wanted to! Some of the anecdotes definitely had me laughing out loud.
I know that this is a book that I'm going to want to read it over and over again just because it was so funny. I think that this book would make a great gift for either the librarian or the book lover in your life who wants a good laugh and doesn't take things too seriously. After reading this book I really wish that there was a sequel!
Author: Gina Sheridan
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Adams Media
Publish Date: July 31, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the PR; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Straight from the library--the strange and bizarre, ready to be checked out!
From a patron's missing wetsuit to the scent of crab cakes wafting through the stacks, I Work at a Public Library showcases the oddities that have come across Gina Sheridan's circulation desk. Throughout these pages, she catalogs her encounters with local eccentrics as well as the questions that plague her, such as, "What is the standard length of eyebrow hairs?" Whether she's helping someone scan his face onto an online dating site or explaining why the library doesn't have any dragon autobiographies, Sheridan's bizarre tales prove that she's truly seen it all.
Stacked high with hundreds of strange-but-true stories, I Work at a Public Library celebrates librarians and the unforgettable patrons that roam the stacks every day."
My Two Cents:
"I Work at a Public Library" is a collection of anecdotes from the Tumblr page of the same name. I wasn't familiar with this site were before reading this book; however, after reading this book, I know that I need to look at it. These stories are so funny! This book recounts some of the funny experiences that librarians working in public libraries have had to deal with. The Tumblr page of the very same name has become a haven for librarians wanting to talk about some of the crazy and ridiculous things that have happened in their life.
Even if you are not a librarian I think that you will fall in love with this very funny book. It's one of those books where you either need to be not embarrassed to get caught laughing in a public place or you just need to read it in the comfort of your own home so that nobody can hear you laughing! Luckily, I read it at home and was able to laugh as much as I wanted to! Some of the anecdotes definitely had me laughing out loud.
I know that this is a book that I'm going to want to read it over and over again just because it was so funny. I think that this book would make a great gift for either the librarian or the book lover in your life who wants a good laugh and doesn't take things too seriously. After reading this book I really wish that there was a sequel!
Labels:
2014,
Gina Sheridan,
humor,
non-fiction
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Review: Encircle Africa: Around Africa by Public Transport by Ian M. Packham
Title: Encircle Africa: Around Africa by Public Transport
Author: Ian M. Packham
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Bawdy Zebra
Publish Date: November 14, 2013
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this didn't affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Encircle Africa: Around Africa by Public Transport is the account of Ian’s attempt to complete the first solo and unassisted circumnavigation of Africa using public transport. The decision to travel using transport only available to local populations ensured immersion with populations across the continent. It led Ian to cross Africa riding in battered minibuses and bush taxis, on the backs of flatbed trucks, over rivers in dugout canoes, and along the coast of South Africa in a van delivering freshly-made meat pies.
Travelling 25,000 miles (40,000 km) – equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth at the equator – with no communications but an old mobile phone, and all his kit for more than a year of travel hauled onto his back, Ian was as reliant on some of the one billion people that call Africa home as he was on his own wits.
Lasting more than 13 months his journey took Ian along the coast of 31 countries, where he discovered for himself the daily struggle of living in and travelling through Africa. Starting his journey in Gibraltar before crossing to Tangier in Morocco, he travelled westward, experiencing Africa at its most raw and real.
He is forced to fight off thieves in Senegal, is mistaken for an undercover UN official during Liberia’s presidential election, refused entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo, and while in Sudan becomes perhaps the only person teargassed trying to visit a museum. Travelling during an electrifying year for Africa, he is one of the first tourists to visit the Libyan capital after the revolution that wrenched Colonel Gaddafi from power."
My Two Cents:
"Encircle Africa" is a travel memoir of Ian Packham's travels through the continent of Africa. Packham decides to travel throughout Africa using only public transportation. He decides to stick to the shore of Africa and visit all of the countries around Africa's edges. If you are in armchair traveler like me, you will enjoy this book!
Each chapter of the book takes on a couple different countries throughout Africa. I really liked how Ian was able to give us a little bit of information about the feeling of each place along with some of the history of each area. There are many countries within Africa that I don't know much about so it was interesting to get a first-hand point of view of what those countries are like. I found myself wishing that some of the chapters were longer because each of the places seem so interesting. This book really only gives you a very brief taste of each place.
Overall, I found the writing of this book to be very good. The author definitely knows how to bring the people of all of the different countries in Africa he visits to life. There were a couple grammar and punctuation issues with this book; however, I chalk this up to this book being a debut book. With a little more fine-tuning, This author will make a very good travel author!
Author: Ian M. Packham
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Bawdy Zebra
Publish Date: November 14, 2013
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this didn't affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Encircle Africa: Around Africa by Public Transport is the account of Ian’s attempt to complete the first solo and unassisted circumnavigation of Africa using public transport. The decision to travel using transport only available to local populations ensured immersion with populations across the continent. It led Ian to cross Africa riding in battered minibuses and bush taxis, on the backs of flatbed trucks, over rivers in dugout canoes, and along the coast of South Africa in a van delivering freshly-made meat pies.
Travelling 25,000 miles (40,000 km) – equivalent to circumnavigating the Earth at the equator – with no communications but an old mobile phone, and all his kit for more than a year of travel hauled onto his back, Ian was as reliant on some of the one billion people that call Africa home as he was on his own wits.
Lasting more than 13 months his journey took Ian along the coast of 31 countries, where he discovered for himself the daily struggle of living in and travelling through Africa. Starting his journey in Gibraltar before crossing to Tangier in Morocco, he travelled westward, experiencing Africa at its most raw and real.
He is forced to fight off thieves in Senegal, is mistaken for an undercover UN official during Liberia’s presidential election, refused entry into the Democratic Republic of Congo, and while in Sudan becomes perhaps the only person teargassed trying to visit a museum. Travelling during an electrifying year for Africa, he is one of the first tourists to visit the Libyan capital after the revolution that wrenched Colonel Gaddafi from power."
My Two Cents:
"Encircle Africa" is a travel memoir of Ian Packham's travels through the continent of Africa. Packham decides to travel throughout Africa using only public transportation. He decides to stick to the shore of Africa and visit all of the countries around Africa's edges. If you are in armchair traveler like me, you will enjoy this book!
Each chapter of the book takes on a couple different countries throughout Africa. I really liked how Ian was able to give us a little bit of information about the feeling of each place along with some of the history of each area. There are many countries within Africa that I don't know much about so it was interesting to get a first-hand point of view of what those countries are like. I found myself wishing that some of the chapters were longer because each of the places seem so interesting. This book really only gives you a very brief taste of each place.
Overall, I found the writing of this book to be very good. The author definitely knows how to bring the people of all of the different countries in Africa he visits to life. There were a couple grammar and punctuation issues with this book; however, I chalk this up to this book being a debut book. With a little more fine-tuning, This author will make a very good travel author!
Labels:
2014,
Africa,
Ian M. Packham,
non-fiction,
travel
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Pulitzer Prize Winner Offers Free Insight Into Literature of American Slavery
Hi everyone! I just wanted to let you know about this great online course through MOOC on literature of American Slavery. This sounds super interesting! Now you may be asking yourself what a MOOC is, right? A MOOC is a Massive Open Online Course. I've taken a couple through the likes of Coursera.org and they are a super fun way to learn something new!
Here is the press release:
"John Jay Online Brings History Alive: First-ever MOOC on the Literature & Law of American Slavery Opens for Registration
Here is the press release:
"John Jay Online Brings History Alive: First-ever MOOC on the Literature & Law of American Slavery Opens for Registration
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Biographer John Matteson to Teach Free, Eight-week Online Course
NEW
YORK CITY (August 12, 2014) – John Jay Online, the online education
department of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, today opened
registration for its first-ever MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on the
Literature & Law of American Slavery.
This unusual and in-depth look at one of the seminal periods of
American history brings these two worlds together to paint a richly
faceted picture of the era, examining how American life today is still
haunted and shaped by slavery. The free, eight-week course will be
taught by Pulitzer Prize-winning John Matteson, Distinguished Professor
of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The course begins on
Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Registration is now open at johnjayonline.com/slavery.
Professor Matteson won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for his book, Eden’s Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father.
Professor Matteson has designed the MOOC as an immersive experience;
students will discover what it was like to live in the troubled decades
leading up to the Civil War from one of the foremost experts on that
period.
“We
are still processing the effects of the slaveholding era today,” said
Professor Matteson. “While most of us acknowledge and understand our
history, we don’t think about, or examine, how the debate over slavery
changed American law and influenced literature. With this MOOC, we’re
taking American slavery out of the typical textbook context to explore
not just how the people who lived through it were impacted, but how it
still impacts us today.”
The MOOC will address many atypical questions about American slavery, including:
- What were the legal principles behind slavery, and what were the arguments both for and against its legality?
- How did the leading American writers of the time respond to slavery, both in fiction and in nonfiction?
- What was slavery like from the perspective of the slave, and how did African-American writers take up the war of words on the subject?
- How did the Civil War inspire the authors who lived through it and saw it firsthand?
-
Why does the institution of slavery, which was abolished in the United States in the 1860s, still matter to us today?
Students
can anticipate spending up to five hours per week in the eight-week
course, which will include video lectures, readings and discussions.
While of educational value to all those interested in the subject and
era, the MOOC will be a particularly effective way for post-graduate
candidates and those considering full-time enrollment as students to
further invest in their education.
“We’re
very proud to be able to offer the public a free course of this
caliber,” said Dr. Feng Wang, director of John Jay Online. “Even a
decade ago, this would not have been possible. Thanks to today’s
technology, anyone with an Internet connection, no matter where they
live, or what their educational level is, can participate in a rich
academic experience with classmates from around the world, taught by one
of the brightest thinkers of our time.”
Labels:
author event,
Bookish News
Review: Flight of the Sparrow by Amy Belding Brown
Title: Flight of the Sparrow
Author: Amy Belding Brown
Format: Paperback
Publisher: NAL Trade
Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1676. Even before Mary Rowlandson is captured by Indians on a winter day of violence and terror, she sometimes found herself in conflict with her rigid Puritan community. Now, her home destroyed, her children lost to her, she has been sold into the service of a powerful woman tribal leader, made a pawn in the on-going bloody struggle between English settlers and native people. Battling cold, hunger, and exhaustion, Mary witnesses harrowing brutality but also unexpected kindness. To her confused surprise, she is drawn to her captors’ open and straightforward way of life, a feeling further complicated by her attraction to a generous, protective English-speaking native known as James Printer. All her life, Mary has been taught to fear God, submit to her husband, and abhor Indians. Now, having lived on the other side of the forest, she begins to question the edicts that have guided her, torn between the life she knew and the wisdom the natives have shown her.
Based on the compelling true narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Flight of the Sparrow is an evocative tale that transports the reader to a little-known time in early America and explores the real meaning of freedom, faith, and acceptance."
My Two Cents:
In Amy Belding Brown's "Flight of the Sparrow," Mary Rowlandson was captured by Indians. At first she is very afraid but eventually she learns a lot from her captors and is forced to walk the line between the white man and the Indians. What makes this book so amazing is that it is based on a true story. Brown draws heavily on a lot of historical fact in order to create a narrative for Mary.
One of the most interesting parts about this book is how Mary comes to terms with both understanding her life as a white woman in the Massachusetts Bay colony and the ways of the Indians. We see how Mary lives her life as a family woman and the colony. She enjoys her life and is very scared when she is captured by Indians. When she returns though, she finds that she never really understood the Indians in the first place and finds herself supporting some of their ideas and the ways that they live, which makes her an outsider within the colonist group. This is definitely a story about knowing oneself and knowing what is the most important things in one's life. She finds that she may not have been as free in the colony as she was during her time with the Indians.
I love historical fiction; however, I especially love when historical fiction is based on an actual historical figure. I think that it really helps you to understand some of the personalities of times past. You can tell that Brown put a lot of care into gathering details of Mary's life in order to put together the story. And some points you can see how Brown is almost stymied by some of the information that she gathers, which makes the narrative stiff in some parts. However, overall the book is very nicely written and really gives you insight into how people live during that time.
Author: Amy Belding Brown
Format: Paperback
Publisher: NAL Trade
Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1676. Even before Mary Rowlandson is captured by Indians on a winter day of violence and terror, she sometimes found herself in conflict with her rigid Puritan community. Now, her home destroyed, her children lost to her, she has been sold into the service of a powerful woman tribal leader, made a pawn in the on-going bloody struggle between English settlers and native people. Battling cold, hunger, and exhaustion, Mary witnesses harrowing brutality but also unexpected kindness. To her confused surprise, she is drawn to her captors’ open and straightforward way of life, a feeling further complicated by her attraction to a generous, protective English-speaking native known as James Printer. All her life, Mary has been taught to fear God, submit to her husband, and abhor Indians. Now, having lived on the other side of the forest, she begins to question the edicts that have guided her, torn between the life she knew and the wisdom the natives have shown her.
Based on the compelling true narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Flight of the Sparrow is an evocative tale that transports the reader to a little-known time in early America and explores the real meaning of freedom, faith, and acceptance."
My Two Cents:
In Amy Belding Brown's "Flight of the Sparrow," Mary Rowlandson was captured by Indians. At first she is very afraid but eventually she learns a lot from her captors and is forced to walk the line between the white man and the Indians. What makes this book so amazing is that it is based on a true story. Brown draws heavily on a lot of historical fact in order to create a narrative for Mary.
One of the most interesting parts about this book is how Mary comes to terms with both understanding her life as a white woman in the Massachusetts Bay colony and the ways of the Indians. We see how Mary lives her life as a family woman and the colony. She enjoys her life and is very scared when she is captured by Indians. When she returns though, she finds that she never really understood the Indians in the first place and finds herself supporting some of their ideas and the ways that they live, which makes her an outsider within the colonist group. This is definitely a story about knowing oneself and knowing what is the most important things in one's life. She finds that she may not have been as free in the colony as she was during her time with the Indians.
I love historical fiction; however, I especially love when historical fiction is based on an actual historical figure. I think that it really helps you to understand some of the personalities of times past. You can tell that Brown put a lot of care into gathering details of Mary's life in order to put together the story. And some points you can see how Brown is almost stymied by some of the information that she gathers, which makes the narrative stiff in some parts. However, overall the book is very nicely written and really gives you insight into how people live during that time.
Labels:
2014,
Amy Belding Brown,
fiction,
historical fiction,
Massachusetts
Monday, August 25, 2014
Stillhouse Press launches with new DC cultural series, "The Stillhouse Sessions"
Hi everyone! Happy Monday! I wanted to draw your attention to a great cultural series that has just been launched for D.C. area book lovers! The Stillhouse Sessions series is meant to bring together local book lovers from around the region who want to celebrate the independent spirit of the written word. From Stillhouse's website: "Stillhouse Press (www.stillhousepress.org)
is dedicated to craft publishing, seeking out writers whose work
affirms the enduring power of the written word to inform and delight.
With the student-directed support of George Mason’s MFA program,
Stillhouse Press was founded by Relegation Books Publisher Dallas
Hudgens, as a way to give graduate students an opportunity to gain
experience in small press publishing through hands-on application."
There are two upcoming events. Here are the descriptions:
There are two upcoming events. Here are the descriptions:
- The inaugural edition of the Stillhouse Sessions will be held Tuesday, Aug. 26 at 7:00pm at Politics & Prose Bookstore and will feature readings from D.C. native, Maxwell Neely-Cohen (Echo of the Boom) and Ronna Wineberg (On Bittersweet Place, forthcoming from Northern Virginia-based Relegation Books this Sept.), with musical entertainment from Melodime and drinks courtesy of a local craft distillery.
- The second edition of the Stillhouse Sessions, “The Salon,” will be held in conjunction with Northern Virginia’s Fall for the Book festival on Saturday, Sept. 13, at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts and will feature a donation-based reception with craft cocktails and light refreshments, followed by a conversation on craft publishing, moderated by independent publicist and Potomac native, Lauren Cerand, and featuring authors Roxane Gay (An Untamed State, Bad Feminist), Ronna Wineberg, and Mary Kay Zuravleff (reading from Wendi Kaufman’s Helen On 86th Street and Other Stories, for which she penned the introduction).
Labels:
author event,
Bookish News,
odds and ends,
washington dc
#SRC2014 Review: Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family by Melissa Hart
Title: Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family
Author: Melissa Hart
Format: ARC
Publisher: Lyons Press
Publish Date: August 5, 2014
Source: BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Melissa Hart, a desperately lonely young divorcée and L.A. transplant, finds herself stranded in rainy Eugene, Oregon, working from home in the company of her two cats and two large mutts. At the local dog park, she meets a fellow dog owner named Jonathan: a tall, handsome man with a unibrow and hawk-like nose. When he invites her to accompany him on a drive to Portland to retrieve six hundred pounds of frozen rats and a fledgling barred owl, sparks fly!
Their courtship blossoms in a raptor rehabilitation center where wounded owls, eagles, falcons, and other iconic birds of prey take refuge and become ambassadors for their species. Initially, Melissa volunteers here in order to “sink her talons” into her new love interest, but soon she falls hopelessly in love with her fine feathered charges: Archimedes, a gorgeous snowy owl; Lorax, a fractious great horned owl; and Bodhi, a baby barred with a permanently injured wing. As “human imprints,” these birds see themselves and people as the same species yet retain a wildness that hoodwinks even the most experienced handlers. Overcoming her fears, Melissa bravely suffers some puncture wounds to get closer to these magnificent creatures.
Melissa and Jonathan start out convinced they don’t want children, but caring for birds who have fallen from their nests triggers a deep longing in Melissa to mother an orphaned child. Thus they embark on a heart-wrenching journey to adoption. Every page sparkles with vivid imagery and wit in this beautifully written memoir of parallel pursuits. Wildness Within is, above all, about the power of love—romantic, animal, and parental—to save lives and fulfill dreams."
My Two Cents:
"Wild Within" is a memoir about love, animals, and what it means to be a family. Sometimes family are the people that we choose and not the ones that we are born with. In this book, Melissa Hart talks about how she comes to love raptors. Raptors are not dinosaurs but birds like hawks and owls that hunt for their food. Melissa meets Jonathan who works at a raptor rescue organization and he teaches her about all of these amazing birds. While she is falling in love with the birds she also falls in love with Jonathan. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. I think it will appeal to people who love animals!
I have always been fascinated by owls. But the more that I learn about them and other birds the more that I began to love all the raptors. In this book, Melissa doesn't know anything about raptors before she meets Jonathan. I really liked how she was able to show how she developed a passion for loving these animals. I was very interested in the parts where Melissa talks about her work with the raptors at the raptor rescue organization. She shows how much work and dedication goes into rehabilitating each of these amazing creatures. If you have ever been interested in working with any of these animals, this book would give you a first hand look at what it is like to work with these birds.
I also really like the family aspect of this book. When Melissa and Jonathan first get together and get married, they know that they have a passion for rescuing raptors however they don't think that they want to have any children of their own. That changes when they realize how amazing it can be to rescue someone who really needs you. So they decide to adopt a child. Part of the book is dedicated to talking about everything that they go through in order to adopt. They look at international adoption, which doesn't work out for several reasons. They also look at domestic adoption but even that road is quite hard. As somebody who is interested in the topic of adoption, I found it very interesting to read about their point of view.
Overall, I found this book to be very well written and very interesting. I know this is going to be a book that I want to reread in the future when I'm looking for a book that both teaches you something as well as is very uplifting!
Author: Melissa Hart
Format: ARC
Publisher: Lyons Press
Publish Date: August 5, 2014
Source: BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Melissa Hart, a desperately lonely young divorcée and L.A. transplant, finds herself stranded in rainy Eugene, Oregon, working from home in the company of her two cats and two large mutts. At the local dog park, she meets a fellow dog owner named Jonathan: a tall, handsome man with a unibrow and hawk-like nose. When he invites her to accompany him on a drive to Portland to retrieve six hundred pounds of frozen rats and a fledgling barred owl, sparks fly!
Their courtship blossoms in a raptor rehabilitation center where wounded owls, eagles, falcons, and other iconic birds of prey take refuge and become ambassadors for their species. Initially, Melissa volunteers here in order to “sink her talons” into her new love interest, but soon she falls hopelessly in love with her fine feathered charges: Archimedes, a gorgeous snowy owl; Lorax, a fractious great horned owl; and Bodhi, a baby barred with a permanently injured wing. As “human imprints,” these birds see themselves and people as the same species yet retain a wildness that hoodwinks even the most experienced handlers. Overcoming her fears, Melissa bravely suffers some puncture wounds to get closer to these magnificent creatures.
Melissa and Jonathan start out convinced they don’t want children, but caring for birds who have fallen from their nests triggers a deep longing in Melissa to mother an orphaned child. Thus they embark on a heart-wrenching journey to adoption. Every page sparkles with vivid imagery and wit in this beautifully written memoir of parallel pursuits. Wildness Within is, above all, about the power of love—romantic, animal, and parental—to save lives and fulfill dreams."
My Two Cents:
"Wild Within" is a memoir about love, animals, and what it means to be a family. Sometimes family are the people that we choose and not the ones that we are born with. In this book, Melissa Hart talks about how she comes to love raptors. Raptors are not dinosaurs but birds like hawks and owls that hunt for their food. Melissa meets Jonathan who works at a raptor rescue organization and he teaches her about all of these amazing birds. While she is falling in love with the birds she also falls in love with Jonathan. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. I think it will appeal to people who love animals!
I have always been fascinated by owls. But the more that I learn about them and other birds the more that I began to love all the raptors. In this book, Melissa doesn't know anything about raptors before she meets Jonathan. I really liked how she was able to show how she developed a passion for loving these animals. I was very interested in the parts where Melissa talks about her work with the raptors at the raptor rescue organization. She shows how much work and dedication goes into rehabilitating each of these amazing creatures. If you have ever been interested in working with any of these animals, this book would give you a first hand look at what it is like to work with these birds.
I also really like the family aspect of this book. When Melissa and Jonathan first get together and get married, they know that they have a passion for rescuing raptors however they don't think that they want to have any children of their own. That changes when they realize how amazing it can be to rescue someone who really needs you. So they decide to adopt a child. Part of the book is dedicated to talking about everything that they go through in order to adopt. They look at international adoption, which doesn't work out for several reasons. They also look at domestic adoption but even that road is quite hard. As somebody who is interested in the topic of adoption, I found it very interesting to read about their point of view.
Overall, I found this book to be very well written and very interesting. I know this is going to be a book that I want to reread in the future when I'm looking for a book that both teaches you something as well as is very uplifting!
Labels:
2014,
animals,
Melissa Hart,
memoir,
non-fiction,
SRC2014
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Odds and Ends: Concerts, Dangerous Cooking, and Street Teams
It's been a busy but (mostly) fun weekend in ABookishAffair-land. Last night, I went to go see the Miranda Lambert/ Justin Moore/ Thomas Rhett concert with my mom, aunt, and sisters. My sister had gotten tickets for everyone for Mother's Day and I think both of the mothers were of the opinion that the concert was a great gift to wait for!
The concert was outside and we had lawn seats. I had been watching the weather all week to see if it was going to rain at all and up until late in the week, it looked like the weather was going to be just fine. Unfortunately for us, the weather had other plans and it absolutely poured all day. By the time it was almost time for the concert, the rain was still spitting a little bit but it was mostly okay. We had a great time with a lot of dancing. It was a great concert to end the summer with.
This morning, I woke up and started doing some cooking to prepare for the week. I made banana ice cream, tropical granola, and cucumber chips. I was feeling industrious but unfortunately for me, I cut my finger pretty badly on a mandoline (ouch, those things are sharp)! Luckily, no stitches were necessary but my poor finger just bled and bled and bled. It really hurts! My pinky is probably going to have to be wrapped up for a good couple days. Hey, at least all of the food was tasty!
And then on to book news, I did want to let you all know that I am taking a part in Sherry Jones' street team. Jones is the author of such books as "White Heart" and "Four Sisters, All Queens." She has a really exciting book coming out in November called "The Sharp Hook of Love." You will want to check out her site where she is giving away copies of "White Heart!"
I also got some pretty good book mail this past week. As you all may know, I have absolutely loved Stephanie Thornton's historical fiction books! She is coming out with yet another book that looks absolutely fabulous. It's called "The Tiger Queens" and it is about the women of Genghis Khan (ooooo! ahhhhh!). Look at what my copy of the book came with:
The concert was outside and we had lawn seats. I had been watching the weather all week to see if it was going to rain at all and up until late in the week, it looked like the weather was going to be just fine. Unfortunately for us, the weather had other plans and it absolutely poured all day. By the time it was almost time for the concert, the rain was still spitting a little bit but it was mostly okay. We had a great time with a lot of dancing. It was a great concert to end the summer with.
This morning, I woke up and started doing some cooking to prepare for the week. I made banana ice cream, tropical granola, and cucumber chips. I was feeling industrious but unfortunately for me, I cut my finger pretty badly on a mandoline (ouch, those things are sharp)! Luckily, no stitches were necessary but my poor finger just bled and bled and bled. It really hurts! My pinky is probably going to have to be wrapped up for a good couple days. Hey, at least all of the food was tasty!
And then on to book news, I did want to let you all know that I am taking a part in Sherry Jones' street team. Jones is the author of such books as "White Heart" and "Four Sisters, All Queens." She has a really exciting book coming out in November called "The Sharp Hook of Love." You will want to check out her site where she is giving away copies of "White Heart!"
I also got some pretty good book mail this past week. As you all may know, I have absolutely loved Stephanie Thornton's historical fiction books! She is coming out with yet another book that looks absolutely fabulous. It's called "The Tiger Queens" and it is about the women of Genghis Khan (ooooo! ahhhhh!). Look at what my copy of the book came with:
How cute is that scroll?
Here's to making it a good week!
Labels:
odds and ends
Friday, August 22, 2014
Review: The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy
Title: The Presidents Club
Authors: Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish Date: April 17, 2012
Source: Library
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "The Presidents Club, established at Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration by Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, is a complicated place: its members are bound forever by the experience of the Oval Office and yet are eternal rivals for history’s favor. Among their secrets: How Jack Kennedy tried to blame Ike for the Bay of Pigs. How Ike quietly helped Reagan win his first race in 1966. How Richard Nixon conspired with Lyndon Johnson to get elected and then betrayed him. How Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter turned a deep enmity into an alliance. The unspoken pact between a father and son named Bush. And the roots of the rivalry between Clinton and Barack Obama.
Time magazine editors and presidential historians Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy offer a new and revealing lens on the American presidency, exploring the club as a hidden instrument of power that has changed the course of history."
My Two Cents:
I've always been intrigued by what former Presidents do after they retire. Here they are, the former commander-in-chief and the former leaders of the free world, and after a maximum of eight years, they go from being arguably the most powerful people in the country back to private life. I've always wondered how they felt about that. Some of the Presidents have been very much in the public eye after their presidency ended (Jimmy Carter has done so much as an ex-president) and others have largely stayed out of the public eye (we haven't seen too much of George W. Bush since he left office).
Whether or not they stay in the public eye, these men are part of a special club. Arguably, they are the only other people that really understand the pressure and the pulls that the POTUS must face and it seems like a lot of former presidents are really willing to come in and support and give advice where wanted or needed to current Presidents. In this time of great partisan divide, it was kind of nice to see some of the top dogs transcending party for the good of the country.
This book focuses largely on the Truman and Eisenhower administrations to the present and it covers a lot of the relationships between various Presidents. I absolutely loved reading about these friendships (or enemy-ships as it were). It shows a side of a lot of these great men that you wouldn't normally get to see in a history book. Some had or have very close relationships (I didn't realize how close George H.W. and Bill Clinton were) and others had very bad or at least very tenuous relationships (Reagan and Nixon). I think this book was definitely a good reminder that when it comes down to it, Presidents are still just people.
Overall, I think history fans who want a more intimate look at some of our recent Presidents will really enjoy this book.
Authors: Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish Date: April 17, 2012
Source: Library
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "The Presidents Club, established at Dwight Eisenhower’s inauguration by Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, is a complicated place: its members are bound forever by the experience of the Oval Office and yet are eternal rivals for history’s favor. Among their secrets: How Jack Kennedy tried to blame Ike for the Bay of Pigs. How Ike quietly helped Reagan win his first race in 1966. How Richard Nixon conspired with Lyndon Johnson to get elected and then betrayed him. How Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter turned a deep enmity into an alliance. The unspoken pact between a father and son named Bush. And the roots of the rivalry between Clinton and Barack Obama.
Time magazine editors and presidential historians Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy offer a new and revealing lens on the American presidency, exploring the club as a hidden instrument of power that has changed the course of history."
My Two Cents:
I've always been intrigued by what former Presidents do after they retire. Here they are, the former commander-in-chief and the former leaders of the free world, and after a maximum of eight years, they go from being arguably the most powerful people in the country back to private life. I've always wondered how they felt about that. Some of the Presidents have been very much in the public eye after their presidency ended (Jimmy Carter has done so much as an ex-president) and others have largely stayed out of the public eye (we haven't seen too much of George W. Bush since he left office).
Whether or not they stay in the public eye, these men are part of a special club. Arguably, they are the only other people that really understand the pressure and the pulls that the POTUS must face and it seems like a lot of former presidents are really willing to come in and support and give advice where wanted or needed to current Presidents. In this time of great partisan divide, it was kind of nice to see some of the top dogs transcending party for the good of the country.
This book focuses largely on the Truman and Eisenhower administrations to the present and it covers a lot of the relationships between various Presidents. I absolutely loved reading about these friendships (or enemy-ships as it were). It shows a side of a lot of these great men that you wouldn't normally get to see in a history book. Some had or have very close relationships (I didn't realize how close George H.W. and Bill Clinton were) and others had very bad or at least very tenuous relationships (Reagan and Nixon). I think this book was definitely a good reminder that when it comes down to it, Presidents are still just people.
Overall, I think history fans who want a more intimate look at some of our recent Presidents will really enjoy this book.
Labels:
2014,
history,
Michael Duffy,
Nancy Gibbs,
non-fiction,
Politics
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Review: Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow by Jennifer Eremeeva
Title: Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow
Author: Jennifer Eremeeva
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Small Batch Books
Publish Date: January 20, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this did not affect my review.
Why You're Reading This Book:
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "For American writer, Imperial Russian enthusiast, and veteran expatriate, Jennifer Eremeeva, this is just one of many observations about Russia, where she has lived for twenty years with “HRH” her “Handsome Russian Husband,” (although there are days when she thinks of him as her “Horrible Russian Husband”) and their daughter, Velvet. When Jennifer quits her job to write full time, she’s inspired by the grey dingy building across the courtyard, which houses a research institute dedicated to preserving Vladimir Lenin’s embalmed corpse. The result is LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR.
Based on Eremeeva’s two decades in Russia, LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR knits together vignettes of cross-cultural and expatriate life with sharp observation, colorful historical background, and engaging humor. Each thematic chapter is an anecdotal exploration of an aspect of life in today’s Russia, told with the help of a recurring cast of delightful Russian and expatriate characters. LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR introduces readers to Russians in their everyday milieux: at their dachas, in three-day traffic jams, and celebrating their 300+ public and professional holidays with mayonnaise-based salads. LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR is Russia with just enough air let out of its tires!"
My Two Cents:
In "Lenin Lives Next Door," Jennifer Eremeeva literally lives next door to Lenin (well, sometimes when he's removed from his mausoleum to get a chemical bath and a change of clothes so that he can look fresh every couple of months - how did I not know that he needed to get a chemical refresh???? This makes the story of how he will spend eternity even creepier). Part travelogue, part comedy, Eremeeva gives us a front row seat as to what it is like to be an American fascinated by Russian history, married to a Russian man, and living in Russia and she does it in a thoroughly entertaining way.
In this book, we see how Eremeeva got to Russia (studying) and why she stayed (love). She came to Russia during a very volatile time in the country (the fall of the Soviet Union) and stays to see the country change and grow. Yes, this could be a boring historical tale but not when you have Eremeeva at the helm. The author explores some of the wonders (both the good and the bad) of Russia and does so with a great sense of humor and panache.
I loved the writing in this book. You feel like you're getting really funny stories from a friend. This book had me laughing out loud in some parts (there is one part about name stereotypes that had me giggling out loud). It is always a sign of a good book when I'm laughing out loud. I definitely could not help it with this book. I was definitely ready for more when this book ended! I adored this one!
Author: Jennifer Eremeeva
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Small Batch Books
Publish Date: January 20, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the author; however, this did not affect my review.
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You like armchair traveling.
- You want to laugh.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "For American writer, Imperial Russian enthusiast, and veteran expatriate, Jennifer Eremeeva, this is just one of many observations about Russia, where she has lived for twenty years with “HRH” her “Handsome Russian Husband,” (although there are days when she thinks of him as her “Horrible Russian Husband”) and their daughter, Velvet. When Jennifer quits her job to write full time, she’s inspired by the grey dingy building across the courtyard, which houses a research institute dedicated to preserving Vladimir Lenin’s embalmed corpse. The result is LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR.
Based on Eremeeva’s two decades in Russia, LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR knits together vignettes of cross-cultural and expatriate life with sharp observation, colorful historical background, and engaging humor. Each thematic chapter is an anecdotal exploration of an aspect of life in today’s Russia, told with the help of a recurring cast of delightful Russian and expatriate characters. LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR introduces readers to Russians in their everyday milieux: at their dachas, in three-day traffic jams, and celebrating their 300+ public and professional holidays with mayonnaise-based salads. LENIN LIVES NEXT DOOR is Russia with just enough air let out of its tires!"
My Two Cents:
In "Lenin Lives Next Door," Jennifer Eremeeva literally lives next door to Lenin (well, sometimes when he's removed from his mausoleum to get a chemical bath and a change of clothes so that he can look fresh every couple of months - how did I not know that he needed to get a chemical refresh???? This makes the story of how he will spend eternity even creepier). Part travelogue, part comedy, Eremeeva gives us a front row seat as to what it is like to be an American fascinated by Russian history, married to a Russian man, and living in Russia and she does it in a thoroughly entertaining way.
In this book, we see how Eremeeva got to Russia (studying) and why she stayed (love). She came to Russia during a very volatile time in the country (the fall of the Soviet Union) and stays to see the country change and grow. Yes, this could be a boring historical tale but not when you have Eremeeva at the helm. The author explores some of the wonders (both the good and the bad) of Russia and does so with a great sense of humor and panache.
I loved the writing in this book. You feel like you're getting really funny stories from a friend. This book had me laughing out loud in some parts (there is one part about name stereotypes that had me giggling out loud). It is always a sign of a good book when I'm laughing out loud. I definitely could not help it with this book. I was definitely ready for more when this book ended! I adored this one!
Labels:
2014,
Jennifer Eremeeva,
memoir,
non-fiction,
travel
Review: Housekeeper's Tale: The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House by Tessa Boase
Title: Housekeeper's Tale: The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House
Author: Tessa Boase
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Aurum Press
Publish Date: August 12, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Working as a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs a nineteenth and early twentieth century woman could want - and also one of the toughest. A far cry from the Downton Abbey fiction, the real life Mrs. Hughes was up against capricious mistresses, low pay, no job security and grueling physical labor. Until now, her story has never been told. The Housekeeper's Tale reveals the personal sacrifices, bitter disputes and driving ambition that shaped these women's careers. Delving into secret diaries, unpublished letters and the neglected service archives of our stately homes, Tessa Boase tells the extraordinary stories of five working women who ran some of Britain's most prominent households."
My Two Cents:
If you've watched Downton Abbey, you know just how important the housekeepers were to running grand houses in England. "The Housekeeper's Tale" is the story of some of the real life housekeepers throughout the decades that ran the houses of England. If you're interested in some of these amazing residences (which I most definitely am), this would be a great pick for you!
This book introduces us to several women starting with Dorothy Doar who lived during the Regency era all the way up to a housekeeper of today, who was also fascinating. I guess I never really thought about the idea that there may still be jobs for people to run these huge houses today! Each of these woman are very different. Boase looks at their personalities, which play a huge role in how they run the house. Some of the women are beloved by the people whose houses they run. Others are terrors (and those may be the most fun to read about!!!).
I really liked how the author wove these women in with a lot of good historical detail. The times in which the women live in definitely affected the way that they ran the houses. In times of war or economic issues, these women had to change the ways that they were used to in order to make sure that things still ran smoothly. I really liked the pictures that were included in the book. They really helped to give you a great sense of these women's lives. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Author: Tessa Boase
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Aurum Press
Publish Date: August 12, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "Working as a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs a nineteenth and early twentieth century woman could want - and also one of the toughest. A far cry from the Downton Abbey fiction, the real life Mrs. Hughes was up against capricious mistresses, low pay, no job security and grueling physical labor. Until now, her story has never been told. The Housekeeper's Tale reveals the personal sacrifices, bitter disputes and driving ambition that shaped these women's careers. Delving into secret diaries, unpublished letters and the neglected service archives of our stately homes, Tessa Boase tells the extraordinary stories of five working women who ran some of Britain's most prominent households."
My Two Cents:
If you've watched Downton Abbey, you know just how important the housekeepers were to running grand houses in England. "The Housekeeper's Tale" is the story of some of the real life housekeepers throughout the decades that ran the houses of England. If you're interested in some of these amazing residences (which I most definitely am), this would be a great pick for you!
This book introduces us to several women starting with Dorothy Doar who lived during the Regency era all the way up to a housekeeper of today, who was also fascinating. I guess I never really thought about the idea that there may still be jobs for people to run these huge houses today! Each of these woman are very different. Boase looks at their personalities, which play a huge role in how they run the house. Some of the women are beloved by the people whose houses they run. Others are terrors (and those may be the most fun to read about!!!).
I really liked how the author wove these women in with a lot of good historical detail. The times in which the women live in definitely affected the way that they ran the houses. In times of war or economic issues, these women had to change the ways that they were used to in order to make sure that things still ran smoothly. I really liked the pictures that were included in the book. They really helped to give you a great sense of these women's lives. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Labels:
2014,
England,
history,
non-fiction,
Tessa Boase
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
HF Virtual Book Tours Review: Revenge and Retribution by Anna Belfrage
Title: Revenge and Retribution
Author: Anna Belfrage
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Silverwood Books
Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "'Revenge & Retribution' is the sixth book in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. Life in the Colony of Maryland is no sinecure - as Alex and Matthew Graham well know. But nothing in their previous life has prepared them for the mayhem that is about to be unleashed upon them. Being labelled a witch is not a good thing in 1684, so it is no wonder Alex Graham is aghast at having such insinuations thrown at her. Even worse, it's Matthew's brother-in-law, Simon Melville, who points finger at her. Not that the ensuing hearing is her main concern, because nowadays Alex's entire life is tainted by the fear of what Philip Burley will do to them once he gets hold of them. On a sunny May afternoon, Philip finally achieves his aim and over the course of the coming days Alex sees her whole life unravelling, leaving her family permanently maimed. As if all this wasn't enough, Alex also has to cope with the loss of one of her sons. Forcibly adopted by the former Susquehannock, Samuel is dragged from Alex's arms to begin a new life in the wilderness. How is Alex to survive all this? And will she be able to put her damaged family back together?"
My Two Cents:
You all know how I like reading about local places, right? When I heard that Anna Belfrage's Graham Saga took place in the colony of Maryland (Maryland, my Maryland!!!), I knew that I had to jump on the tour for the latest book in this series, "Revenge and Retribution." This was a great tour for me to jump on for sure! I really enjoyed this book and while it works perfectly fine as a stand alone novel, I really wish that I would have had the opportunity to read the first five books in the Graham Saga first! Alas, I must fix that in the future. For now, this book made for a great introduction.
In "Revenge and Retribution," time traveling Alex finds herself having lived in the colony of Maryland for a couple decades by now. She and her lovely Scottish born husband, Matthew, have several children, some of whom are fully grown. The story discusses their lives and really centers a lot on how Alex and Matthew are coping with their children growing and carving out lives for themselves, to include Samuel, their son, who is torn between living his life in the colonial town or in the wilderness with the Native Americans (called Indians in this book, of course) who surround the town. His plight was really fascinating to me.
This book was set in a really interesting time where there were a lot of questions about religion in Maryland. Maryland was actually established as a haven for Catholics but this book really shows how many questions there were about whether or not that should remain during the late 1600s. The book also centers on the great fear that witches were present in that time period. Anyone labelled a witch during that time was in great danger as Alex quickly realizes! I loved the element of historical detail in this book. I loved learning a little bit of new information about my state! Overall, this was a very good story that I ate up!
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Friday, August 15
Review at Just One More Chapter
Monday, August 18
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Tuesday, August 19
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 20
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Friday, August 22
Review at Layered Pages
Monday, August 25
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, August 26
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, August 27
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Friday, August 29
Review at Book Nerd
Monday, September 1
Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog
Tuesday, September 2
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, September 3
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Thursday, September 4
Review at Kincavel Korner
Friday, September 5
Guest Post at Kincavel Korner
Guest Post at bookworm2bookworm’s Blog
Author: Anna Belfrage
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Silverwood Books
Publish Date: July 1, 2014
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "'Revenge & Retribution' is the sixth book in Anna Belfrage's time slip series featuring time traveller Alexandra Lind and her seventeenth century husband, Matthew Graham. Life in the Colony of Maryland is no sinecure - as Alex and Matthew Graham well know. But nothing in their previous life has prepared them for the mayhem that is about to be unleashed upon them. Being labelled a witch is not a good thing in 1684, so it is no wonder Alex Graham is aghast at having such insinuations thrown at her. Even worse, it's Matthew's brother-in-law, Simon Melville, who points finger at her. Not that the ensuing hearing is her main concern, because nowadays Alex's entire life is tainted by the fear of what Philip Burley will do to them once he gets hold of them. On a sunny May afternoon, Philip finally achieves his aim and over the course of the coming days Alex sees her whole life unravelling, leaving her family permanently maimed. As if all this wasn't enough, Alex also has to cope with the loss of one of her sons. Forcibly adopted by the former Susquehannock, Samuel is dragged from Alex's arms to begin a new life in the wilderness. How is Alex to survive all this? And will she be able to put her damaged family back together?"
My Two Cents:
You all know how I like reading about local places, right? When I heard that Anna Belfrage's Graham Saga took place in the colony of Maryland (Maryland, my Maryland!!!), I knew that I had to jump on the tour for the latest book in this series, "Revenge and Retribution." This was a great tour for me to jump on for sure! I really enjoyed this book and while it works perfectly fine as a stand alone novel, I really wish that I would have had the opportunity to read the first five books in the Graham Saga first! Alas, I must fix that in the future. For now, this book made for a great introduction.
In "Revenge and Retribution," time traveling Alex finds herself having lived in the colony of Maryland for a couple decades by now. She and her lovely Scottish born husband, Matthew, have several children, some of whom are fully grown. The story discusses their lives and really centers a lot on how Alex and Matthew are coping with their children growing and carving out lives for themselves, to include Samuel, their son, who is torn between living his life in the colonial town or in the wilderness with the Native Americans (called Indians in this book, of course) who surround the town. His plight was really fascinating to me.
This book was set in a really interesting time where there were a lot of questions about religion in Maryland. Maryland was actually established as a haven for Catholics but this book really shows how many questions there were about whether or not that should remain during the late 1600s. The book also centers on the great fear that witches were present in that time period. Anyone labelled a witch during that time was in great danger as Alex quickly realizes! I loved the element of historical detail in this book. I loved learning a little bit of new information about my state! Overall, this was a very good story that I ate up!
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Friday, August 15
Review at Just One More Chapter
Monday, August 18
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Tuesday, August 19
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 20
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Friday, August 22
Review at Layered Pages
Monday, August 25
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Tuesday, August 26
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, August 27
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews
Friday, August 29
Review at Book Nerd
Monday, September 1
Review at Dianne Ascroft Blog
Tuesday, September 2
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, September 3
Review at CelticLady’s Reviews
Thursday, September 4
Review at Kincavel Korner
Friday, September 5
Guest Post at Kincavel Korner
Guest Post at bookworm2bookworm’s Blog
Labels:
2014,
Anna Belfrage,
fiction,
HF Book Tours,
historical fiction,
Maryland
HF Virtual Book Tours Book Blast: Close to the Sun by Donald Michael Platt
Publication Date: June 15, 2014
Fireship Press
eBook; 404p
Genre: Historical Fiction
Close to the Sun follows the lives of fighter pilots during the Second World War. As a boy, Hank Milroy from Wyoming idealized the gallant exploits of WWI fighter aces. Karl, First von Pfalz-Teuffelreich, aspires to surpass his father's 49 Luftsiegen. Seth Braham falls in love with flying during an air show at San Francisco's Chrissy Field.
The young men encounter friends, rivals, and exceptional women. Braxton Mobley, the hotshot, wants to outscore every man in the air force. Texas tomboy Catherine "Winty" McCabe is as good a flyer as any man. Princess Maria-Xenia, a stateless White Russian, works for the Abwehr, German Intelligence. Elfriede Wohlman is a frontline nurse with a dangerous secret. Miriam Keramopoulos is the girl from Brooklyn with a voice that will take her places.
Once the United States enter the war, Hank, Brax, and Seth experience the exhilaration of aerial combat and acedom during the unromantic reality of combat losses, tedious bomber escort, strafing runs, and the firebombing of entire cities. As one of the hated aristocrats, Karl is in as much danger from Nazis as he is from enemy fighter pilots, as he and his colleagues desperately try to stem the overwhelming tide as the war turns against Germany. Callous political decisions, disastrous mistakes, and horrific atrocities they witness at the end of WWII put a dark spin on all their dreams of glory.
Blogger Praise for Close to the Sun
"Donald Michael Platt's Close to the Sun is an amazing story told from the perspective of average male fighter pilots in the onset and during WWII, juxtaposing between various men from many sides of the war. The details in this novel were spectacular, creating imagery and depth in the scenes and characters, as well as the dialogue being so nostalgic and well-written it felt right out of a 1950s film. The romantic nuances of his storytelling felt incredibly authentic with the tug and pull of the men being called to serve and the women whom they loved who had their own high hopes, dreams, or work. I loved how he portrayed this women the most strongly and fiercely independent. I've read several other books by Platt, and this is the best one I've read yet! I couldn't stop reading. " - Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, Hook of a Book "Donald Platt's Close To The Sun, is nothing short of Historical Fiction gold. Platt's flair for emotionally provocative storytelling makes this book attractive to both male and female readers. Seamlessly weaving the threads of action and feeling into a brilliant tableau of humanity. This is a masterfully penned tale of war, ambition, love, loss, and ACES!" - Frishawn Rasheed, WTF Are You Reading? "Fast-paced and riveting I couldn't get enough of Hank, Karl and Seth's exploits! CLOSE TO THE SUN is a thrilling novel that leads readers through idyllic dreams of heroism and the grim reality of war. Platt provides readers with a unique coming-of-age story as three adventure-seeking boys discover far more than how to be an aerial combat pilot. CLOSE TO THE SUN is an amazing tale of adventure, heroism, war and the drive within us all that keeps us going when things look bleak." - Ashley LaMar, Closed the Cover "I found Close to the Sun to be an entertaining read, it was well written, with well developed characters, these characters had depth and emotion. A unique plot, told from the point of view of pilots prior to and during World War II. It was a well researched and interesting book" - Margaret Cook, Just One More ChapterBuy the Book
Amazon Barnes & NobleAbout the Author
Author of four other novels, ROCAMORA, HOUSE OF ROCAMORA, A GATHERING OF VULTURES, and CLOSE TO THE SUN, Donald Michael Platt was born and raised in San Francisco. Donald graduated from Lowell High School and received his B.A. in History from the University of California at Berkeley. After two years in the Army, Donald attended graduate school at San Jose State where he won a batch of literary awards in the annual SENATOR PHELAN LITERARY CONTEST. Donald moved to southern California to begin his professional writing career. He sold to the TV series, MR. NOVAK, ghosted for health food guru, Dan Dale Alexander, and wrote for and with diverse producers, among them as Harry Joe Brown, Sig Schlager, Albert J. Cohen, Al Ruddy plus Paul Stader Sr, Hollywood stuntman and stunt/2nd unit director. While in Hollywood, Donald taught Creative Writing and Advanced Placement European History at Fairfax High School where he was Social Studies Department Chairman. After living in Florianpolis, Brazil, setting of his horror novel A GATHERING OF VULTURES, pub. 2007 & 2011, he moved to Florida where he wrote as a with: VITAMIN ENRICHED, pub.1999, for Carl DeSantis, founder of Rexall Sundown Vitamins; and THE COUPLE'S DISEASE, Finding a Cure for Your Lost Love Life, pub. 2002, for Lawrence S. Hakim, MD, FACS, Head of Sexual Dysfunction Unit at the Cleveland Clinic. Currently, Donald resides in Winter Haven, Florida where he is polishing a dark novel and preparing to write a sequel to CLOSE TO THE SUN. For more information please visit Donald Michael Platt's website. You can also connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.Close to the Sun Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, August 18 Review at Forever Ashley & Closed the Cover Wednesday, August 20 Spotlight at A Bookish Affair Thursday, August 21 Review at Tribute Books Mama Friday, August 22 Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews Saturday, August 23 Review at Beth's Book Reviews Monday, August 25 Review at Jorie Loves a Story Tuesday, August 26 Interview at Jorie Loves a Story Wednesday, August 27 Spotlight at Princess of Eboli Thursday, August 28 Guest Post at The Writing Desk Friday, August 29 Review at Queen of All She Reads Monday, September 1 Review at Book Nerd Tuesday, September 2 Review & Guest Post at My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews Wednesday, September 3 Review at Book Babe Thursday, September 4 Spotlight at Layered Pages Spotlight at Kinx's Book Nook Friday, September 5 Guest Post at Cynthia Robertson Blog
Labels:
book blast,
Donald Michael Platt,
HF Book Tours
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Review: Brutal Youth by Anthony Breznican
Title: Brutal Youth
Author: Anthony Breznican
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "With a plunging reputation and enrollment rate, Saint Michael’s has become a crumbling dumping ground for expelled delinquents and a haven for the stridently religious when incoming freshman Peter Davidek signs up. On his first day, tensions are clearly on the rise as a picked-upon upperclassmen finally snaps, unleashing a violent attack on both the students who tormented him for so long, and the corrupt, petty faculty that let it happen. But within this desperate place, Peter befriends fellow freshmen Noah Stein, a volatile classmate whose face bears the scars of a hard-fighting past, and the beautiful but lonely Lorelei Paskal —so eager to become popular, she makes only enemies.
To even stand a chance at surviving their freshmen year, the trio must join forces as they navigate a bullying culture dominated by administrators like the once popular Ms. Bromine, their embittered guidance counselor, and Father Mercedes, the parish priest who plans to scapegoat the students as he makes off with church finances. A coming-of-age tale reversed, Brutal Youth follows these students as they discover that instead of growing older and wiser, going bad may be the only way to survive."
My Two Cents:
Luckily, I was able to kind of do my own thing in high school without anyone bothering me. I had a great group of friends and those that weren't exactly friends were still fairly nice. "Brutal Youth" made me happy that was my experience rather than what some of the nicer kids at crumbling St. Mike's had to go through in this book. This book almost feels like a movie in some regard and reminded me a lot of some of the darker high school flicks (which I am still totally into, by the way) like maybe "Heathers" or something along that line so if you are in the mood for something along that vein, this might be a really good pick for you!
Branded as YA, this book will definitely appeal to adults as well. It's right on that line and if being read by teens, would probably be most appropriate for older teen readers. I love the way that this book was written. Told in third person, we get a great overview of what each of the students and some of the teachers are struggling with. There is a lot of inner turmoil here.
This is very much a character driven story and I absolutely loved the main characters (Peter, Noah, and Lorelei) as you really get to know them. You will definitely be pulling for them throughout the book! On his first visit to St. Mike's, Peter gets a taste of what he's in for and he isn't sure he likes it but he knows that he has to go in order to fill in for his disappointing brother. When he returns for the fall, he and his new friend Noah are thrust in the middle of St. Mike's annual freshman hazing where none of the adults are really paying attention. The hazing is really at the center of the book.
Overall, I really liked this book. The storytelling is good and kept me well entertained!
Author: Anthony Breznican
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Publish Date: June 10, 2014
Source: I received a copy from the publisher; however, this did not affect my review.
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "With a plunging reputation and enrollment rate, Saint Michael’s has become a crumbling dumping ground for expelled delinquents and a haven for the stridently religious when incoming freshman Peter Davidek signs up. On his first day, tensions are clearly on the rise as a picked-upon upperclassmen finally snaps, unleashing a violent attack on both the students who tormented him for so long, and the corrupt, petty faculty that let it happen. But within this desperate place, Peter befriends fellow freshmen Noah Stein, a volatile classmate whose face bears the scars of a hard-fighting past, and the beautiful but lonely Lorelei Paskal —so eager to become popular, she makes only enemies.
To even stand a chance at surviving their freshmen year, the trio must join forces as they navigate a bullying culture dominated by administrators like the once popular Ms. Bromine, their embittered guidance counselor, and Father Mercedes, the parish priest who plans to scapegoat the students as he makes off with church finances. A coming-of-age tale reversed, Brutal Youth follows these students as they discover that instead of growing older and wiser, going bad may be the only way to survive."
My Two Cents:
Luckily, I was able to kind of do my own thing in high school without anyone bothering me. I had a great group of friends and those that weren't exactly friends were still fairly nice. "Brutal Youth" made me happy that was my experience rather than what some of the nicer kids at crumbling St. Mike's had to go through in this book. This book almost feels like a movie in some regard and reminded me a lot of some of the darker high school flicks (which I am still totally into, by the way) like maybe "Heathers" or something along that line so if you are in the mood for something along that vein, this might be a really good pick for you!
Branded as YA, this book will definitely appeal to adults as well. It's right on that line and if being read by teens, would probably be most appropriate for older teen readers. I love the way that this book was written. Told in third person, we get a great overview of what each of the students and some of the teachers are struggling with. There is a lot of inner turmoil here.
This is very much a character driven story and I absolutely loved the main characters (Peter, Noah, and Lorelei) as you really get to know them. You will definitely be pulling for them throughout the book! On his first visit to St. Mike's, Peter gets a taste of what he's in for and he isn't sure he likes it but he knows that he has to go in order to fill in for his disappointing brother. When he returns for the fall, he and his new friend Noah are thrust in the middle of St. Mike's annual freshman hazing where none of the adults are really paying attention. The hazing is really at the center of the book.
Overall, I really liked this book. The storytelling is good and kept me well entertained!
Labels:
2014,
Anthony Breznican,
fiction,
young adult
Monday, August 18, 2014
#SRC2014 Review: The Curse of Van Gogh by Paul Hoppe
Title: The Curse of Van Gogh
Author: Paul Hoppe
Format: Paperback
Publisher: SparksPress
Publish Date: July 29, 2014
Source: BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge
Why You're Reading This Book:
From Goodreads.com: "Tyler slides into a simple life of bartending in New York City, living his life day to day. And then at the hottest art opening of the season he meets Kommate Imasu, a Japanese billionaire and famed art collector, who seems to know more about Tyler than his own mother does. With serious threats against his family and friends, Tyler has to decide how much risk he’ll take to protect them. He quickly learns that gambling against a billionaire is never a good idea. Tyler plunges headfirst into a world of art forgers, hit-men, Yakuza, a femme fatal named Chanel No. 5, and the legendary curse of Van Gogh, in order to pull off the greatest art heist in history."
My Two Cents:
In "The Curse of Van Gogh," Tyler has just gotten out of prison. He isn't sure that he ever wants to go back but he gets an offer that he can't refuse and it involves stealing major pieces of art from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He knows that it is a high-stakes game but he doesn't think he can say no without bringing harm to him or his family.
I was drawn to this book because of the setting (I absolutely love reading about my beloved hometown of Washington, D.C.) and because I am an art lover. I don't read a lot of mysteries or thrillers but this one piqued my interest because it seemed to have something a little bit more to it, which I ended up really appreciating.
The storyline was definitely interesting to me and I enjoyed it. There were some parts that were really unrealistic to me though and I really had a difficult time getting over them. First off, Tyler has just gotten out of prison and he really doesn't want to go back there because of his girlfriend, his best friend, and his brother who he all feels responsible for in various ways. My logical mind says that he probably would not want to get involved with the heist because of that. Tyler is also able to move very freely around the entire country, no questions asked, which did not fit with him just having gotten out of prison! The suspension of disbelief here was really a little difficult for me!
I did like the excitement of the story though. Hoppe gives the book lots of little twists and turns in order to keep the reader engaged, which I really liked! Overall, this book was a mixed bag for me. I think some of the book could have been tightened up somewhat.
Author: Paul Hoppe
Format: Paperback
Publisher: SparksPress
Publish Date: July 29, 2014
Source: BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You're a mystery/ thriller fan.
- You like art.
From Goodreads.com: "Tyler slides into a simple life of bartending in New York City, living his life day to day. And then at the hottest art opening of the season he meets Kommate Imasu, a Japanese billionaire and famed art collector, who seems to know more about Tyler than his own mother does. With serious threats against his family and friends, Tyler has to decide how much risk he’ll take to protect them. He quickly learns that gambling against a billionaire is never a good idea. Tyler plunges headfirst into a world of art forgers, hit-men, Yakuza, a femme fatal named Chanel No. 5, and the legendary curse of Van Gogh, in order to pull off the greatest art heist in history."
My Two Cents:
In "The Curse of Van Gogh," Tyler has just gotten out of prison. He isn't sure that he ever wants to go back but he gets an offer that he can't refuse and it involves stealing major pieces of art from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He knows that it is a high-stakes game but he doesn't think he can say no without bringing harm to him or his family.
I was drawn to this book because of the setting (I absolutely love reading about my beloved hometown of Washington, D.C.) and because I am an art lover. I don't read a lot of mysteries or thrillers but this one piqued my interest because it seemed to have something a little bit more to it, which I ended up really appreciating.
The storyline was definitely interesting to me and I enjoyed it. There were some parts that were really unrealistic to me though and I really had a difficult time getting over them. First off, Tyler has just gotten out of prison and he really doesn't want to go back there because of his girlfriend, his best friend, and his brother who he all feels responsible for in various ways. My logical mind says that he probably would not want to get involved with the heist because of that. Tyler is also able to move very freely around the entire country, no questions asked, which did not fit with him just having gotten out of prison! The suspension of disbelief here was really a little difficult for me!
I did like the excitement of the story though. Hoppe gives the book lots of little twists and turns in order to keep the reader engaged, which I really liked! Overall, this book was a mixed bag for me. I think some of the book could have been tightened up somewhat.
Labels:
2014,
art,
fiction,
mystery,
Paul Hoppe,
thriller,
washington dc
Review: HRC by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes
Title: HRC
Authors: Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes
Publisher: Random House
Publish Date: February 11, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Source: Blogging for Books
Why You're Reading This Book:
From Amazon.com: "Hillary Clinton’s surprising defeat in the 2008 Democratic primary brought her to the nadir of her political career, vanquished by a much younger opponent whose message of change and cutting-edge tech team ran circles around her stodgy campaign. And yet, six years later, she has reemerged as an even more powerful and influential figure, a formidable stateswoman and the presumed front-runner for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, marking one of the great political comebacks in history.
The story of Hillary’s phoenixlike rise is at the heart of HRC, a riveting political biography that journeys into the heart of “Hillaryland” to discover a brilliant strategist at work. Masterfully unfolded by Politico’s Jonathan Allen and The Hill’s Amie Parnes from more than two hundred top-access interviews with Hillary’s intimates, colleagues, supporters, and enemies, HRC portrays a seasoned operator who negotiates political and diplomatic worlds with equal savvy. Loathed by the Obama team in the wake of the primary, Hillary worked to become the president’s greatest ally, their fates intertwined in the work of reestablishing America on the world stage. HRC puts readers in the room with Hillary during the most intense and pivotal moments of this era, as she mulls the president-elect’s offer to join the administration, pulls the strings to build a coalition for his war against Libya, and scrambles to deal with the fallout from the terrible events in Benghazi—all while keeping one eye focused on 2016."
My Two Cents:
"HRC" is one of the latest in an onslaught of books that will probably come out about probable Presidential candidates for 2016 (it's not that far away in political terms, guys!!!). I had been wanting to read this book for quite awhile as Hillary Clinton is absolutely fascinating to me. She is definitely a divisive figure. Some really, really like her and have very high hopes for her chances in 2016. Others absolutely hate her and are terrified what another Clinton administration (this one presided over by the first Clinton's spouse) could mean for the country. This book looks mostly at Clinton's years during the 2008 election and her being chosen to be the chief diplomat for the country, the Secretary of State.
All in all, I thought this was a very even keeled book about Clinton (a lot of other books out there are not so balanced). The authors do make some leaps to conclusions in some places but for the most part, it is left up to the readers to make a decision on how they feel. I think this can be incredibly difficult to do with such a polarizing figure like Hillary Clinton. The authors definitely succeed here. I really appreciated that the authors drew on a lot of interviews with people who have known and worked with Clinton. Not all of the sources have been named but you can tell what kinds of people that the authors were dealing with.
Although Clinton did many things before her time presiding over the Department of State, I think her years there most clearly show how she worked and made strategic decisions that changed how people saw both her and the Department of State. You get some insight into her psyche here. I also liked all of the recounts of her stories from the road. Clinton traveled a lot when she was Secretary of State and seemed to strongly believe in the ability to "reach out and touch" rather than conducting business all of the time from Washington. Overall I thought this was a pretty good book.
Authors: Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes
Publisher: Random House
Publish Date: February 11, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Source: Blogging for Books
Why You're Reading This Book:
- You want to be a Washington Insider.
- You like politics.
From Amazon.com: "Hillary Clinton’s surprising defeat in the 2008 Democratic primary brought her to the nadir of her political career, vanquished by a much younger opponent whose message of change and cutting-edge tech team ran circles around her stodgy campaign. And yet, six years later, she has reemerged as an even more powerful and influential figure, a formidable stateswoman and the presumed front-runner for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, marking one of the great political comebacks in history.
The story of Hillary’s phoenixlike rise is at the heart of HRC, a riveting political biography that journeys into the heart of “Hillaryland” to discover a brilliant strategist at work. Masterfully unfolded by Politico’s Jonathan Allen and The Hill’s Amie Parnes from more than two hundred top-access interviews with Hillary’s intimates, colleagues, supporters, and enemies, HRC portrays a seasoned operator who negotiates political and diplomatic worlds with equal savvy. Loathed by the Obama team in the wake of the primary, Hillary worked to become the president’s greatest ally, their fates intertwined in the work of reestablishing America on the world stage. HRC puts readers in the room with Hillary during the most intense and pivotal moments of this era, as she mulls the president-elect’s offer to join the administration, pulls the strings to build a coalition for his war against Libya, and scrambles to deal with the fallout from the terrible events in Benghazi—all while keeping one eye focused on 2016."
My Two Cents:
"HRC" is one of the latest in an onslaught of books that will probably come out about probable Presidential candidates for 2016 (it's not that far away in political terms, guys!!!). I had been wanting to read this book for quite awhile as Hillary Clinton is absolutely fascinating to me. She is definitely a divisive figure. Some really, really like her and have very high hopes for her chances in 2016. Others absolutely hate her and are terrified what another Clinton administration (this one presided over by the first Clinton's spouse) could mean for the country. This book looks mostly at Clinton's years during the 2008 election and her being chosen to be the chief diplomat for the country, the Secretary of State.
All in all, I thought this was a very even keeled book about Clinton (a lot of other books out there are not so balanced). The authors do make some leaps to conclusions in some places but for the most part, it is left up to the readers to make a decision on how they feel. I think this can be incredibly difficult to do with such a polarizing figure like Hillary Clinton. The authors definitely succeed here. I really appreciated that the authors drew on a lot of interviews with people who have known and worked with Clinton. Not all of the sources have been named but you can tell what kinds of people that the authors were dealing with.
Although Clinton did many things before her time presiding over the Department of State, I think her years there most clearly show how she worked and made strategic decisions that changed how people saw both her and the Department of State. You get some insight into her psyche here. I also liked all of the recounts of her stories from the road. Clinton traveled a lot when she was Secretary of State and seemed to strongly believe in the ability to "reach out and touch" rather than conducting business all of the time from Washington. Overall I thought this was a pretty good book.
Labels:
2014,
Amie Parnes,
biography,
Jonathan Allen,
non-fiction,
Politics
Friday, August 15, 2014
HF Virtual Book Tours Author Guest Post: The Typewriter Girl
I am very excited to welcome Alison Atlee here to A Bookish Affair today!
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Monday, August 4
Review at Peeking Between the Pages (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Mina’s Bookshelf
Book Blast at Princess of Eboli
Book Blast at Literary Chanteuse
Book Blast at What Is That Book About
Tuesday, August 5
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews (Print)
Book Blast at So Many Books, So Little Time
Wednesday, August 6
Book Blast at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, August 7
Book Blast at Mari Reads
Book Blast at Book Lovers Paradise
Friday, August 8
Book Blast at Book Blast Central
Saturday, August 9
Book Blast at Caroline Wilson Writes
Sunday, August 10
Book Blast at Book Nerd
Monday, August 11
Review at Just One More Chapter (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Tuesday, August 12
Book Blast at Queen of All She Reads
Wednesday, August 13
Review at Historical Tapestry (Audio Book)
Book Blast at The Lit Bitch
Book Blast at CelticLady’s Reviews
Thursday, August 14
Review at A Bookish Affair (Print)
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry
Friday, August 15
Review at Brooke Blogs (Audio Book)
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Saturday, August 16
Book Blast at Broken Teepee
Sunday, August 17
Interview at Closed the Cover
Monday, August 18
Review at The Maiden’s Court (Audio Book)
Tuesday, August 19
Book Blast at Layered Pages
Book Blast at Always with a Book
Wednesday, August 20
Book Blast at Literary, Etc.
Thursday, August 21
Review at Books in the Burbs (Print)
Book Blast at Bibliotica
Friday, August 22
Review at Bibliophilia, Please (Audio Book)
Saturday, August 23
Book Blast at Reading Lark
Book Blast at Ageless Pages Reviews
Sunday, August 24
Book Blast at Passages to the Past
Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection
Tuesday, August 26
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 27
Book Blast at Susan Heim on Writing
Thursday, August 28
Review at Luxury Reading (Print)
Review at The True Book Addict (Audio Book)
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (Print)
Friday, August 29
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
A notion exists out there in the world of fiction-writing: the story you want to tell in your book already exists, fully formed, within your subconscious. Getting the story to the page is merely a matter of accessing that subconscious knowledge enough times.
Well, who knows? I don’t think writing a book is “merely” one thing or another, but there are moments when that detail I thought didn’t matter at all suddenly, serendipitously makes me feel a little brilliant: “So that’s why I did it that way!”
Three “throwaway” details from The Typewriter Girl that ended up being rather important:
1. Lillian hearts Tennyson: Why did I have Lillian Gilbey give John (the male lead in The Typewriter Girl ) a volume of Tennyson’s poems? Wealthy Lillian sees John as potential husband material, but he needs, in her opinion, “remodeling,” including some cultural education. Tennyson was a quick choice when I was drafting, little thought behind it other than knowing he fit Lillian’s tastes—contemporary and intellectual, but not too much of either of those.
Much later, when my editor at Simon & Schuster asked me to add another scene with Lillian, I wasn’t sure what to do, but I started by browsing a volume of Tennyson. Turns out, Tennyson wrote a poem entitled “Lilian.” Reading it filled me with glee because I knew my Lillian would hate it, and that became the basis of the new scene.
2. Buttoned Up: I have a particular fondness for the fitted, buttoned bodice silhouette of the late-Victorian era, so when Betsey’s new supervisor requires her to wear a uniform, of course I made sure it had lots of buttons going down the front. But I didn’t know those buttons would keep turning up in the story. By the time I reached the last chapter, I realized Betsey’s journey and development as a character could be followed through her buttons.
3. This is embarrassing: Betsey needed to have some job, and I picked typewriting probably because I was in front of a keyboard. “I can always change it,” writers tell themselves, but sometimes the Jell-O sets before you get to stir in the canned fruit. The qualities of a good typist, what it took for a poor woman in Victorian England to learn to type and then get a good job doing it—those things helped me discover Betsey’s character.
Still, when my agent was discussing revisions with me and suggested changing my beloved-but-awful original title to “The Typewriter Girl,” I knew: “There needs to be a lot more typing in this book!” Having that one detail helped me revise to a stronger character arc for Betsey.
Maybe my subconscious knew all along I was making good choices. Maybe it needed time to make sense of what I was throwing at it. Either way, the discovery that makes things snap together is pure magic for a writer.
See the places and fashions that inspired The Typewriter Girl on Pinterest; connect with Alison on Facebook or Twitter: All the links are at her website, www.AlisonAtlee.com
Follow the Rest of the Tour:
Review at Peeking Between the Pages (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Mina’s Bookshelf
Book Blast at Princess of Eboli
Book Blast at Literary Chanteuse
Book Blast at What Is That Book About
Tuesday, August 5
Review at A Bibliotaph’s Reviews (Print)
Book Blast at So Many Books, So Little Time
Wednesday, August 6
Book Blast at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, August 7
Book Blast at Mari Reads
Book Blast at Book Lovers Paradise
Friday, August 8
Book Blast at Book Blast Central
Saturday, August 9
Book Blast at Caroline Wilson Writes
Sunday, August 10
Book Blast at Book Nerd
Monday, August 11
Review at Just One More Chapter (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Tuesday, August 12
Book Blast at Queen of All She Reads
Wednesday, August 13
Review at Historical Tapestry (Audio Book)
Book Blast at The Lit Bitch
Book Blast at CelticLady’s Reviews
Thursday, August 14
Review at A Bookish Affair (Print)
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry
Friday, August 15
Review at Brooke Blogs (Audio Book)
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Saturday, August 16
Book Blast at Broken Teepee
Sunday, August 17
Interview at Closed the Cover
Monday, August 18
Review at The Maiden’s Court (Audio Book)
Tuesday, August 19
Book Blast at Layered Pages
Book Blast at Always with a Book
Wednesday, August 20
Book Blast at Literary, Etc.
Thursday, August 21
Review at Books in the Burbs (Print)
Book Blast at Bibliotica
Friday, August 22
Review at Bibliophilia, Please (Audio Book)
Saturday, August 23
Book Blast at Reading Lark
Book Blast at Ageless Pages Reviews
Sunday, August 24
Book Blast at Passages to the Past
Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary (Audio Book)
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection
Tuesday, August 26
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 27
Book Blast at Susan Heim on Writing
Thursday, August 28
Review at Luxury Reading (Print)
Review at The True Book Addict (Audio Book)
Review at Jorie Loves a Story (Print)
Friday, August 29
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Labels:
Alison Atlee,
Author Guest Post,
HF Book Tours
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