tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5038776169109159552024-02-19T08:23:23.297-08:00Books By The Willow Treemzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.comBlogger164125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-75995431831664108102015-05-19T20:47:00.000-07:002015-05-19T20:47:44.853-07:00"Felt and Fibre" by Val Hughes<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://instagram.com/p/2jkyXDwDh8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1432093466678.2546" src="https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hphotos-xaf1/l/t51.2885-15/e15/11256103_407971886069505_1233233354_n.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another great new title thanks to one of my favorite publishers, Search Press. Val Hughes has been one of my favorite art craft authors and this book does not disappoint. I have been making quilted felts for many years, but this is the first time that I have seen something like them in a book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ms. Hughes always manages to,present clear, concise, well illustrated instructions along with an excellent recap of necessary tools and supplies as well as the basics to get you going. If you like felt and are interested in creative ways to use your felts then this book will not disappoint.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Other areas covered are excellent, well presented illustrations about the basics and tools used in wet felting. Many unique techniques for taking your felt work to the next level are included. As always with Search Press books...look for beautiful, well done illustrations and rich colors.</div>
<br />
<div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;">
<a href="http://blogsyapp.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Posted with Blogsy" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" height="20" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Posted with Blogsy</a></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-13745601145683896912014-08-09T14:45:00.000-07:002014-08-09T14:45:48.092-07:00"Flight Of The Sparrow" by Amy Belding Brown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvZEBRmWppQcEjyuAisDfolg9-hrIteN_Qg_G825lRgkNHuGvyfulhnnORJCrflzUmLIk-96iPuWaGJAq5NZLco_IicF1QkwGEmOMnuPPWYOVfrkO8uZn-YQdxTuR4gM276NiZ8SFqpY/s1600/Flight+of+the+Sparrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGvZEBRmWppQcEjyuAisDfolg9-hrIteN_Qg_G825lRgkNHuGvyfulhnnORJCrflzUmLIk-96iPuWaGJAq5NZLco_IicF1QkwGEmOMnuPPWYOVfrkO8uZn-YQdxTuR4gM276NiZ8SFqpY/s1600/Flight+of+the+Sparrow.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 368 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> NAL Trade (July 1, 2014)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0451466693</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Dimensions: </span>8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I was offered the opportunity to review this book by a wonderful publisher's representative. She had not been sure that I would like "Flight Of The Sparrow" since she had read (and how cool is that she actually looked and read!) my preferences, and had noticed that I tend to 'specialize' in European historical fiction from the 10th through 19th centuries. I am SO glad that she contacted me since is a true gem of a book! I would have been unfortunate had I missed this chance to read it!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">"Flight of the Sparrow" recounts the story of <a href="http://www3.nd.edu/~kcanava1/Mary%20Rowlandson.html">Mary Rowlandson</a>, nee White. Mary was was born in Somersetshire, England. Her family left England around 1650 and settled in Salem in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. After another move to the frontier village of Lancaster, she met and married the puritan Reverand Joseph Rowlandson in 1656. During the time of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Philip's_War">King Philips war</a> (sometimes called the first Indian War) there had been a dramatic increase in hostilities. On February 10, 1675 the town of Lancaster came under attack by several tribes. The loss of life was large, the settlement was burned and many women and children were taken as hostages. Mary Rowlandson was one of those women. She and her daughter Srah were both seriously wounded during the raid. Despite Mary's attempts to heal her daughter along the way, Sarah died from her injuries some days later. Mary survived her wounds and became the slave of one of the ruling women in the tribe. In May 1676 Anne was ransomed back to English for the tidy sum of 20 pounds.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Once I picked this book I could not stop reading it. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">"Flight Of The Sparrow" begins with Mary's life slightly before her capture. It then recounts her captivity, her 'redemption' and her life after her captivity. Amy Belding Brown narrates Mary's struggles; both to survive and prosper during her captivity, as well as the pain and frustrations that she contends with after her return to English life. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Mary discovers that she experienced more freedom as a captive than she had even been able to achieve as a 'good wife' in her own, Puritan English, community. She appreciated the relative freedoms that women were allowed within the Indian communities. Mary was even allowed to become a bit of an entrepreneur; sewing clothes in exchange for food, shelter and other small comforts that made her captivity more easily managed. She also meets a "Praying Indian named James Printer. James becomes Mary's protector within the Indian community and, over time, Mary develops a deep, but forbidden, respect and love for this intriguing man.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">When Mary is 'redeemed' by the English her husband does not come to meet her. He had raised the money for her redemption but shows no happiness when Mary returns to the family home. He treats her as if she is 'tainted'. Mary's confusion leads her to feel as though she has no place in English society any longer nor is she able to return to the Indians whose way of life is fast fading. Mary feels adrift, alone and lonely.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">After I read the book I did a bit of research to see how well the story followed the actual events. I have to say that I have seldom read too many other historical fiction books that follow the reality as faithfully as this book does!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">This is a riveting read, with seamlessly intertwined plotlines and characters that are beautifully portrayed and exceptionally well developed. The realities of everyday life in the colonial period are exceptionally well portrayed. The grinding routines; the daily tasks of hearth and home, garden and house keeping. You can 'feel' the pain of loss through starvation and ill health; you can relate to the constraints that were put upon the people by their strict faith, and the physical constraints that the women of the community, especially, experienced. They endured the actual constraints of their clothing as well as the societal constraints of being a good, puritan wife and, upstanding member of the community. The community left no room for any personality variations. It must have been a suffocating existence for many.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Amy Belding Brown knows this history and portrays it will all of its good and bad points. She does not flinch from the realities of the time</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I was so pleased with this book that I ordered Ms. Belding Brown's first book,<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Emersons-Wife-Belding-Brown/dp/0312336381/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y"> Mr. Emerson's Wife</a></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-80649722591898920962014-07-04T14:37:00.000-07:002014-07-04T14:37:44.833-07:00"The Dreaming; Walks Through The Mist" by Kim Murphy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyav8Fa2eyGku-9_H4xOvERxatPQAG2n4RrolkOew2b2mpKKVL1K-1VtukIm3rBqzVPyLng8RelcWh8JJ74zx054UdLysC9L8OTOttbi9RQxOgcuUXkFcWmmnUrejXGoyn-dmLe2Q_Qfk/s1600/jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyav8Fa2eyGku-9_H4xOvERxatPQAG2n4RrolkOew2b2mpKKVL1K-1VtukIm3rBqzVPyLng8RelcWh8JJ74zx054UdLysC9L8OTOttbi9RQxOgcuUXkFcWmmnUrejXGoyn-dmLe2Q_Qfk/s1600/jpeg.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: xx-large;">* * * * *</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<em style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: start;"></em></div>
<div id="detail-bullets">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="productDetailsTable"><tbody>
<tr><td class="bucket" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; padding: 5px 0em;"><div class="content" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0em 25px;">
<ul style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Paperback:</span> 330 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</span> Coachlight Press, LLC (January 1, 2011)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0971679092</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">or as a Kindle e-book</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">File Size: 573 KB</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><br /></li>
</ul>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">This book was an unexpected treat, and I am grateful to the author, Kim Murphy, for reaching out to me to suggest that I might like it. I am a pushover for anything 'time travel', and when it combined with historical fiction I am totally hooked! </span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">This book, "The Dreaming; Walks Through Mist"" follows the story of Phobe Wynn, aka "Walks Through Mist" and her startling journey from the early 17th century to 21st century Virginia. She is found by the roadside with whip marks across her back and injuries from being hit by a car. She claims to be from the 17th century. She acts the part, and she speaks a native dialect that had been considered 'dead' for some 200 years. Can she be believed?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phobe / Walks Through Mist, is befriended by the detective who was assigned to case. He himself feels like a stranger in a strange land because he had been adopted by a couple after he was discovered in the woods as a toddler. No one could ever find out where he had come from or who had left as a vulnerable child alone in the woods.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Walks Through The Mist was a cunning woman in her time, and, in an effort to explain how she arrived in the 21st century, and how and why Lee had been deserted in the woods, they venture into "the Dreaming" (a scrying tool used by cunning women). They are aided in their search by Lee's ex-wife, Shae, a psychologist who specializes in regressions and her fiancé Russ.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Will they come to accept that Phobe/ Walks Through Mist really is who she says she is? Can a person from the 17th century simply 'appear' in the 21st? Is this some hoax or is it reality? What is the true story and true identity of the man who was abandoned in the woods at a young age? Can two people from another time and place really find each other again? These questions are all answered in a most unique way. This book is a page turner!</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">This is an absorbing story. I did not want to put it down. The plot is well organized, the characters are very well developed, and the intertwined stories all flow flawlessly.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">This book will have a wide appeal for anyone who loves well turned historical fiction, fiction that highlights early Virginian history, or just excellent fiction in general! Now I am off to find the next Kim Murphy book to read!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>FROM THE AMAZON PAGE</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">"...Witch trials in Virginia? Salem wasn't the first...</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Psychologist Shae Howard treats a patient who claims to recall nothing of the current century. Under hypnosis, Phoebe Wynne tells an astonishing tale of an ocean crossing to Colonial Jamestown, followed by near starvation and a daring escape to a nearby Indian tribe.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Although Shae's ex-husband, seasoned police detective Lee Crowley, is intrigued by Phoebe's story, he remains skeptical regarding her claim that she's from the seventeenth century. A Native American himself, he does, however, admit to feeling a kinship with Phoebe. How is it that she seems to understand his pain and anger at being caught between two cultures?</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">Phoebe shows Lee "the dreaming," which reveals a misty world where the Powhatan people and Colonial Jamestown come to life... and connects him to his own past. Is Phoebe delusional? A </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: start;">witch? Or has she indeed traveled through time? ..."</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-33080887631015541072014-06-29T15:36:00.000-07:002014-06-29T15:36:44.618-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb5s3wFzDtlic65raWieoxo1z_aspSsgWl-N_zEKik4zlBd2QIwdfuR51sAONDyHZrXjlXQ5SRo6xdibakfmwTmvvHyhwvIBKAabfYzmhbbh5ooIMok0YadQz5wDqwqBB0J9syHXk90U/s1600/jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWb5s3wFzDtlic65raWieoxo1z_aspSsgWl-N_zEKik4zlBd2QIwdfuR51sAONDyHZrXjlXQ5SRo6xdibakfmwTmvvHyhwvIBKAabfYzmhbbh5ooIMok0YadQz5wDqwqBB0J9syHXk90U/s1600/jpeg.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><b><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * *</span></b></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Series:</span> Lucy Campion Mysteries (Book 2)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 352 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Minotaur Books (April 22, 2014)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-1250007889</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t1" style="text-align: justify; width: 656.0px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td1" valign="middle">
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I saw this book at the library and decided to give it a try. I'm very glad that I did! It's a fascinating, mostly historically correct, tale of a murder that occurred just after the great London fire of 1666, they year that many resident's considered the year of the devil. This devastating fire occurred on the heels of the great plague.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A corpse is discovered in a barrel outside of a burned tavern. The tale follows the investigation of the murder by one Emma Campion; maidservant, love to the master's son, printer's apprentice and bookseller as she works with constable Duncan.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ms. Calkins spins a solid plot with deftly managed twists and turns. I discounted one star for some of what I consider a bit stilted dialogue.Ms. Calkins states in the afterward that she 'modernized' old English. That was a good decision but I felt that some of the dialogue felt strained. That being said I found this to be a very enjoyable read, and I will now be looking forward to reading her fist book and waiting for the third!</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ps: I thoroughly enjoyed the afterward to this book which should not be missed. It defines what parts of this novel are straight from the history books and what parts of the history have been fictionally 'massaged' to make the story flow.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-9425806164543870542014-06-26T15:52:00.001-07:002014-06-26T15:52:35.276-07:00"A Triple Knot" by Emma Campion aka Candace Robb<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w-ey0EAvRIsniGfAF5AXdyEj5w7EjKsvb1uYAwRabl3XFLy7ZVJTn6SxGWgTA3LDC-xfiAAoai7bRXeiBbQ4aZrBTgtvzb2j81hCce-iahh0E8wGPFXcid8J1MLB7WIAEih9D7sywl4/s1600/18759930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7w-ey0EAvRIsniGfAF5AXdyEj5w7EjKsvb1uYAwRabl3XFLy7ZVJTn6SxGWgTA3LDC-xfiAAoai7bRXeiBbQ4aZrBTgtvzb2j81hCce-iahh0E8wGPFXcid8J1MLB7WIAEih9D7sywl4/s1600/18759930.jpg" height="400" width="260" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 480 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Broadway Books (July 8, 2014)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Language:</span> English</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0307589293</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Oh my! It's been way too long since I have posted ! Sincere apologies. Life just took me away, and the days pass so quickly. I have been reading a lot though and some more reviews t do soon. On to the review of this most excellent read....</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I had a hunch that I would like this book when I received it, but one never knows does one! Emma Campion is a pen name for Candace Robb who has a host of earlier historical novels to her credit. As Emma Campion she also penned the excellent, to my mind, noteworthy, novel "The King's Mistress" which is a novel based on the story of Alice Perrers, mistress to King Edward III.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
This is the story of Joan of Kent who was the niece of King Edward III. Joan, who was considered quite a beauty in the middle ages, fell in love for all the right reasons with Sir Thomas Holland. He was, unfortunately, much older than she , and he was also below her in rank. This match was challenged and she was forced into a second, loveless marriage to another nobleman who was chosen by the men in her life who used her as a political tool. Her second husband and her cousin, The Black Prince, all refused to allow her to return to Sir Thomas, who was, in reality, her legal husband.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
This book covers the prolonged, political battle that is waged in order to support her claim that her marriage to Sir Thomas should be legally upheld. The struggles that Joan and Sir Thomas had in maintaining their love throughout their struggle is well depicted and the characters in this book are well developed. The dialogue flows smoothly between characters and scenes.The political forces of the time are highlighted and the daily life in medieval times is well presented and is quite historically correct.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and had to read it straight through. I look forward to more books under this pen name, and I can recommend this book to all lovers of historical fiction - or fiction in general!</div>
</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-57972871864289383712014-06-04T17:03:00.000-07:002014-06-04T17:03:42.295-07:00"Nails: The Story Of The Modern Manicure" by Suzanne E. Shapiro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTJ_x1ghARCLtjdCA9o659A-bINwm9qp1-edqxzAE-PRLQtk6Pg4KBdQiYG9exig1HEh7tZgUIvvo_xKZEYibqNLv2VDihW6x-8CfzsmZJ261bWC3FwYIv8tsy0I42YoYwnFoopBiVu0/s1600/Nails_The_Story_of_the_Modern_Manicure_143659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMTJ_x1ghARCLtjdCA9o659A-bINwm9qp1-edqxzAE-PRLQtk6Pg4KBdQiYG9exig1HEh7tZgUIvvo_xKZEYibqNLv2VDihW6x-8CfzsmZJ261bWC3FwYIv8tsy0I42YoYwnFoopBiVu0/s1600/Nails_The_Story_of_the_Modern_Manicure_143659.jpg" height="640" width="504" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 176 pages</li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Prestel (April 25, 2014)</li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-3791348353</li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Product Dimensions: </span>9.6 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I have so many reviews to get done at this point, but this book struck a note with me and so here it is. I used to have acrylic nails but had them removed 25 years ago when I moved to my rural island. Now, at gently riper age, I am more intrigued than ever with nails, nail art and color,color, color on my nails. I am a wee bit obsessed I think, but hey, nails can be nice at any age!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Why a review on a nail book, when I have novels and non-fiction and craft books to review? Well, this book fits better than you may think with my passions. It's HISTORY! The history of nails and manicures. Aside from enjoying my nails I am always curious about my passion - history. This book reinforces that the more we change the more we all remain the same. I love the art and vintage advertisements that wreathe the pages of this lovely, well done book.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">First let me say that I am astounded that I have bought a book about nails, much less that, at a ripe older age, my nails are in the best shape that they have ever been, and I have been enjoying nail art, and vibrant nail lacquers tremendously. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">This book appeared at the perfect moment for me to want to grab. It is the only nail/manicure book that I have ever bought, and most likely, that I may ever buy, but I love this book! </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">This book is a delight! It combines my enduring love, that of history, with a new love, artful manicures. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">The book traces the history of manicures and nail colorants through the ages. It has really only been since the 1920's, 1929 more specifically, that the use of bolder nail shades has been popular. It makes me wonder if I would have been a shy bloom or a bold vixen back then!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
This is a richly illustrated book with wonderful images of paintings and advertisements from past decades. It's a beautifully done, well researched and historically accurate book (not that I am an expert on this sort of history mind you). I think that it will hold wide appeal for anyone who loves manicures and nail art of course, <i>but it should also bring a smile to history buffs like me who always want to know how a fad, or style, came to become so popular</i>. I am tickled pink...make that neon pink....with this book!</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Well done Ms. Shapiro!</div>
</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-89533391155797041222014-05-18T16:16:00.000-07:002014-05-18T16:24:53.823-07:00"The Mountain: My Time On Everest" by Ed Viesturs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzQxuAxN9TfNWD4a6En1DVfn4NXx6SIhU-WMvOiNZ-nmWuDIBTP_mjg6ECBQyojbSW76aj0_PWjsrCFcEm1N-ihC4NBGa3XO2YjT4hhgbuEXyk2rGJ8JhxpKUkQXsfg3MZmuE3IkpU7I/s1600/9781451694734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzQxuAxN9TfNWD4a6En1DVfn4NXx6SIhU-WMvOiNZ-nmWuDIBTP_mjg6ECBQyojbSW76aj0_PWjsrCFcEm1N-ihC4NBGa3XO2YjT4hhgbuEXyk2rGJ8JhxpKUkQXsfg3MZmuE3IkpU7I/s1600/9781451694734.jpg" height="640" width="424" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></div>
<br />
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 352 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Touchstone; Second Edition edition (October 8, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-1451694734</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Although not exactly in my normally preferred reading genres, mountaineering has always intrigued me. I had vague aspirations in my younger year of climbing mountains, but as age advanced, my hopes to ever actually do it became fainter and fainter - eventually evaporating as a cloud on a summer's day. I do still enjoy reading about climbing though. I stopped for awhile after the 1996 tragedy. I have to agree with the Sherpas that were there at that time - mountains have spirits and become displeased with men/women and their ambitions at times. Perhaps that has something to do with my own Buddhist beliefs.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">As well as a gifted mountaineer and one of the most celebrated high a;altitude climbers in the world, , Ed Viesturs is also a rather good writer, and I am finding that I am enjoying reading more of his books after I finished reading this book. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">He writes with clarity; his words are economical, but they mange to convey the lure and the threats that climbing this legendary mountain exerts on it's acolytes. He does mention the tragedies of the 1996 season, but not in detail as there have been so many books written about that sad time by both himself and other members of the teams. Perhaps it is Jon Krackauer's "Into Thin Air" that most people seem to have read abut that pre-monsoon climbing season.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">What I admire most about Mr. Viesturs is his pragmatism and his unalterable , fundamental, belief that that summiting is only half the journey. You have to have enough juice left in you to get back down. I think he says that summiting is optional, getting down is mandatory. Best of all he follows his own rules, which has probably been what has always brought him home to his family. I have respect for his will, his abilities, and for his "sticking" to his own mountaineering philosophy.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This book provides a lot of background on high altitude climbing on Everest from time of Mallory in 1924. You will learn a lot abut the great high altitude mountaineers that stretched their endurance and climbed Mount Everest by almost unimaginably difficult alternate routes, men who challenged the mountain in an unheard of winter ascent and received little more for this feat that a footnote in Everest lore. This book is inspiring, and it goes a long way to explaining why this particular mountain consumes the drams of the ambitious and saps the reason from the most reasonable of minds. I did not want to stop reading - but I am now reading Ed Viesturs book about K2 with equal enthusiasm. Well done! </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I wonder what effect this year's (2014) April 27th avalanche disaster on Mt. Everest will have on future climbing excursions. Will it change the way people climb this goddess mountain at all?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-65824448818419346942014-04-18T14:25:00.002-07:002014-04-18T14:25:24.979-07:00"The Collector Of Dying Breaths" by M.J. Rose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4lCPn6ajoo1hEimXjN07R4Gp8K2lQe39sev7vTD8GcglEtKHrvhfnh5dl2FhhTG_Z4EKrL7L4TXo4JDPjzL7enoOKgkvF84aRIXccIIj_AeCxZd0aheirGVHgxMQX_31soCb8g7PVtA/s1600/jpeg-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4lCPn6ajoo1hEimXjN07R4Gp8K2lQe39sev7vTD8GcglEtKHrvhfnh5dl2FhhTG_Z4EKrL7L4TXo4JDPjzL7enoOKgkvF84aRIXccIIj_AeCxZd0aheirGVHgxMQX_31soCb8g7PVtA/s1600/jpeg-1.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 384 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Atria Books; First Edition edition (April 8, 2014)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-1451621532</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">What is worse that starting to read a book that you know you will love, and also know that you will hate how you will feel when it ends? When you actually get to finish! Every time I read a book by M.J. Rose, that's what happens. I had looked forward to the publication date for<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collector-Dying-Breaths-Novel-Suspense/dp/1451621531/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397853319&sr=1-1&keywords=collector+of+dying+breaths"> "The Collector of Lost Breaths"</a>, and eagerly began to read it. I could not put it down! The only thing, aside from awe, that I felt when it ended, was 'when I can read the next book in this 'series'<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="82956def-1523-4e95-a74d-18f60f704019" id="701b9d4a-da6a-4482-9c41-63a5a458829d"> ?</span>?!!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I have always enjoyed each and every book from the pen of M.J. Rose, none of them has ever been a disappointment. I do, at times, tend to anticipate that the more an author continues to write a series, the less fulfilling the books may become, but M.J. Rose seems to go in the opposite direction! "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collector-Dying-Breaths-Novel-Suspense/dp/1451621531/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397853319&sr=1-1&keywords=collector+of+dying+breaths">The Collector of Dying Breaths</a>" is better that <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2901fc17-dfcb-421a-90d5-87fd760e2edb" id="fb89b75e-fcb6-47cd-b0eb-c4edb4478249">it's</span> predecessor "Seduction" which was the sequel, of sorts, to her wonderful read, "The Book of Lost Fragrances". All three of these books have been delights, but this latest offering really riveted me. It is divinely suspenseful, with a plot that is intricately interwoven with a raft of interesting, well rounded characters. I simply could not put this book down. As predicted, when I finished reading it, I was, indeed, sad! The problem with finishing such a good read is that no other book holds my interest for very long. I have to wait for my enthusiasm to re-ignite!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This book continues the story of Jac L'Etoile and her brother, Robbie, both of whom are well known <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="58f6beee-8e37-4429-bc09-dd6b030db640" id="257c8108-817d-4c7c-84f6-89558cd324bb">perfumers</span>. I love perfume myself and so this series of books has really held my interest. Ms. Rose obviously knows her stuff when it comes to the perfecting of scents! The books spans the 16th century to the present. It is, in part, a love story which adds to the interest of the book - but this is no bodice ripper - the bonds of love in this story are much too delicious just for that! The romance is perfectly interwoven within the plot which is about the concept of collecting the last breaths of dying people in order to reanimate their souls.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I am also a time travel fan as well as a lover of historical fiction and no one manages this writing style more artfully than M.J. Rose. Her books are very well researched and the historical facts blend beautifully with the fiction. This book is a love story, a tale of reincarnation (which will please both believers as well as non-believers), a book of complete suspense right to the end, and it is also a book that presents some interesting historical facts about the indomitable Queen of France, Catherine deMedici and her predilection for all things alchemical and astronomical.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">My only problem now is that I have to wait for the next book! I just want to keep reading<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2a9a8172-c001-40a5-be87-a35d18681e67" id="331d579d-0d43-4a25-a289-ba6bf211d10c">...</span>maybe I should just begin to re-read the entire 'Reincarnationist' series from the very beginning<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2a9a8172-c001-40a5-be87-a35d18681e67" id="a1d88ebb-e25b-4320-b758-220fd95d77be"> ?</span>!!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;">The 'series' includes: The Reincarnationist, The Memorist, The Hypnotist, as well as these last three, amazing, volumes, The Book of Lost Fragrances and Seduction, and now "The Collector of Lost Breaths". Each is a perfect stand alone book, but if read in order you simply are more aware of some of the small nuances of the series.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: start;">The author's website,<a href="http://www.mjrose.com/"> http://mjrose.com</a>, is very interesting. Check it out!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-16788380103483132552014-04-08T15:17:00.000-07:002014-04-08T15:17:05.005-07:00Two New Noteworthy Titles From Search Press<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgAo5bJxU35Ptj5eeV81HuUFnU58f8Q_tBKVhZsL-7xFRYtev1JsNeGPFdc541uR2bG0TUDOUyEppkU1sjo-f8KtRk8ohR0qduQi2XluFErItbRuO11uO2CZjyShklR_McB9yCSaFwu0/s1600/P1030451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBgAo5bJxU35Ptj5eeV81HuUFnU58f8Q_tBKVhZsL-7xFRYtev1JsNeGPFdc541uR2bG0TUDOUyEppkU1sjo-f8KtRk8ohR0qduQi2XluFErItbRuO11uO2CZjyShklR_McB9yCSaFwu0/s1600/P1030451.JPG" height="640" width="592" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
I believe that I have mentioned in the past that one of my favorite craft book publishers is Search Press. The books that they publish are always premium quality and I find that their new titles always manage to entice me. The following two have done just that! Thanks to the great people at Search Press I have been able to take a peek at two of their upcoming releases. Have a look. I bet you will want to add them to your pre-order list!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.jennydean.co.uk/"><span style="color: #65cea9;">Jenny Dean</span> </a>is one of my favorite authors who writes about all things natural dye. The first book of Jenny's that I fell in love with and use consistently is called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Color-Revised-Updated-Complete/dp/0823058794/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396992814&sr=1-1&keywords=wild+color">"Wild Color"</a>. I love this book. The photography is perfect, the directions are all wonderfully written for ease of comprehension - and they are easy to follow. Nature affords us so many beautiful options for colors of dye!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
This new little gem of a book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heritage-Colour-Natural-Dyes-Present/dp/1782210369"><span style="color: #65cea9;">"A Heritage of Color"</span> </a>covers the colors that are possible to obtain from 50 rather ordinary plants. Plants that have provided our world with color for more than 2000 years. Different ways of processing, using a variety of mordants and "eco-dying" are covered. This little 160 page gem offers a lot. It will have its permanent place on my bookshelf next to "Wild Color" and, I know, it will be an often used, much dog eared book! The release date in June 10, 2014, but this title is available for pre-order now! Get yours reserved!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2dJ_Tg2_IP0u5dWiPJ17QUlyyJ8VtHyaSswOhr9-AJOh5v5U0qs16RTjMi9Zhnp1biN_kNXBFio5DHR5bwPNyFBvGsevuhkRZVuvO0SQKpWaznbADMJCqwa-_g-rSZfwHZz4HarirBI/s1600/P1030450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2dJ_Tg2_IP0u5dWiPJ17QUlyyJ8VtHyaSswOhr9-AJOh5v5U0qs16RTjMi9Zhnp1biN_kNXBFio5DHR5bwPNyFBvGsevuhkRZVuvO0SQKpWaznbADMJCqwa-_g-rSZfwHZz4HarirBI/s1600/P1030450.JPG" height="552" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">I have heard the word 'Zakka' a lot recently, but really wasn't sure just what it meant - or what the style was. In all honesty, I had not been interested enough to find out more about it. That is, until I saw the cover of this book. I had been looking for a pattern similar to the one on the cover for some time. I am so glad that I got to have a look at this book and learn more about</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;"> </span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="780271e8-1b14-4ec5-ad60-5b2457623c1b" id="67ae2611-84c2-42ec-95b3-5e2ae115e4cc" style="font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="525f14eb-c4dd-400f-8fd6-f8c59a2728f4" id="966cb425-3422-456c-bdc4-89287ed94550">Zakka</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">!</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
According to author Cecelia Hanselmann, the word <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4b4cfd4f-ae68-4023-a70c-b05b4363a203" id="c4d0b6cf-c3cc-4fcf-8b12-9b89534c1654"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="80b3d149-e014-4a8c-86e0-c0da06a3de7d" id="95903214-4dca-4a8f-bc00-3486999edefa">Zakka</span></span> "<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4b4cfd4f-ae68-4023-a70c-b05b4363a203" id="c0dbacbe-1380-4293-8aea-12928b89a71b"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="80b3d149-e014-4a8c-86e0-c0da06a3de7d" id="cb566c77-ae42-496e-bf77-b01b4d2496f4">...</span></span>originates from a Japanese word which originally meant 'household items', ... In recent years, it has increasingly been used to mean home made everyday items...". </div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
The 'everyday items' in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Love-Sew-Zakka-Style-Gifts/dp/1782210598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396994770&sr=8-1&keywords=zakka+style+gifts">"Love To Sew <span style="color: #65cea9;">Zakka Style Gifts</span>"</a> include (a partial list<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="f6ef6f88-7cf5-48d2-9170-89d0871f4949" id="c22d9433-9fb2-4249-a8d7-42fc6edc1d63"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="33cee551-6d3c-40b1-81b9-e6a89a8f13c8" id="be597bcb-a772-4383-af21-9883fbf4d802"> )</span></span> the 'Sakura Box Bag' (on the cover), a camera pouch, a tissue holder, an owl paperweight, a mug wrap, a coin purse, table baskets and more. If you like to sew and also like to make and gift handmade items, then this book would be a perfect addition to your library! </div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Bentham; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24.639999389648438px; text-align: justify;">
This <i>very modestly priced book</i> seems to be available for purchase now, although the official release date is May 13, 2014.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-21938932884643898222014-02-11T14:35:00.000-08:002014-02-11T14:35:57.260-08:00Marie Antoinette's Head: The Royal Hairdresser, The Queen and The Revolution" by Will Bashor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVV6dC0-aKYt0EJKAr_8pwv8iq_A0HUKlrONJn-VqQ0Mk3uh6qQ1NqRUW5FMFL25mupdc-EfMeTX-GwDaWz7GWBSV9Obh_2wYe_h9qHSETPwdfRcdWp1ZvwX_KMDW2LkSqf4pvoO1tcgk/s1600/61tneBIpYnL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVV6dC0-aKYt0EJKAr_8pwv8iq_A0HUKlrONJn-VqQ0Mk3uh6qQ1NqRUW5FMFL25mupdc-EfMeTX-GwDaWz7GWBSV9Obh_2wYe_h9qHSETPwdfRcdWp1ZvwX_KMDW2LkSqf4pvoO1tcgk/s1600/61tneBIpYnL._SY344_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="400" width="267" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 320 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Lyons Press; First edition (October 16, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0762791538</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I was browsing the "new non-fiction" stacks at the library when I discovered this book. I took it home not really expecting much since the time of French Revolution, as tumultuous as it was, is not really "my" taste in historical readings.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Imagine my surprise when I could not put this book down! It's a fascinating look at the French Revolution and the demise of the French Monarchy from the view of Marie Antoinette's hairdresser, Leonard Autie.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have read my share of historical accounts of the last days of the Monarchy in France, and I have read even more about the life and death of Marie Antoinette, but this book managed to fill in some details that I had never known, and I learned a lot that I had not previously known. This book provides fascinating historical details that always manage to provide a broader picture of a particular time in history.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Leonard arrived in Paris in 1769 with nothing in hand except his "magical comb", a few francs and his ambition. He swiftly became the queen's hairdresser, hobnobbing with the powerful nobles of the land. In the years that followed his arrival as a penniless coiffeur, Leonard even had hopes of becoming ennobled himself.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> It was Leonard who developed those towering head dresses that always seem to be a part of my collective image of Marie Antoinette. As I looked through the plentiful illustrations of this book (something I truly appreciated) I noticed that these outrageous head dresses manage to balance the equally outrageous fashions of the era, something that I had never considered before. Leonard became fast friends with the Queen's milliner and dress maker, Rose Bertin. I wonder if they planned it all in advance? The "too-wide-to-go-through-a-door" hoops in the dress in sync with the "too-tall-to-go-through-a-door" hair styles!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had not known that there were actually three royal hairdressers named Leonard (nor had I had ever known the name of the person who created these towering hair styles for that matter). Leonard had also employed his relatives and all three were known as 'Leonard'. I had not known that one of these Leonard's actually had a hand to play in the Royal family's disastrous attempt to flee Paris. The book goes into some very interesting detail about the multiple calamities that doomed this chance at safety, there were so many things that went wrong with the planned escape. If even one of these things had gone right history might well have played out so much differently. The flight of the Royal family is one detail that I had, heretofore, not paid too much attention to, but I found that these details were riveting as I read this book.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This book is filled to the brim with fascinating, little known, information that is, obviously, the product of many long hours of meticulous fact finding and precise historical documentation. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have often wondered what I would have done had been alive during either the American or the French revolutions. In the past I thought that I might have been more of a Monarchist, but after reading this book I think that I underestimated the reckless expenditures of the royals in France with the destitution of the multitudes. This was a French storm that had been brewing for a long time; similar, but also quite different, from the American Revolution. In hindsight it seems as if these tragedies were almost fated to happen. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Royals knew no other life but that of wealth and privilege. They thought of money as an endless stream that procured their pleasures and pomp, while the general citizens knew only lives of dire, desperate, poverty that left many dead of hunger. The time of the French Revolution was a flood that washed away the foundations of every belief that had once been known as the law. By the time the Royals knew the extent of the problem it was already too late I think.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This book really helped me to see the Revolution in a very different light than I had previously. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it written in a very 'readable' style. As I said, I could not put it down!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-14275713960138507762014-02-04T16:07:00.001-08:002014-02-04T16:07:27.939-08:00" A Kings Ransom" by Sharon Kay Penman<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdG8kH_cpf9LZOGo6prTyOIZcrlns1uuODAyJ_vLRh3Zy6Bgu1I4MbqcFt-aKg5qIRNKx_4hG40ETjYgetRP-5VS9pcxFaRIrGOtLHZv0cfiUuTkiz2-vGPHz0MJJtPYO_tOiQNdf3Iw/s1600/51LgyRmWukL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdG8kH_cpf9LZOGo6prTyOIZcrlns1uuODAyJ_vLRh3Zy6Bgu1I4MbqcFt-aKg5qIRNKx_4hG40ETjYgetRP-5VS9pcxFaRIrGOtLHZv0cfiUuTkiz2-vGPHz0MJJtPYO_tOiQNdf3Iw/s1600/51LgyRmWukL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 704 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> A Marian Wood Book/Putnam (March 4, 2014)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0399159220</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have to admit to having a particular penchant for large books. The thicker the better as far as I am concerned! Often, when I am looking for something new to read, if I have an option between a book with fewer pages and one with more, I will choose the thicker of the two.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sharon Kay Penman's "A King's Ransom" does not disappoint in any way . I loved this book!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's an unstoppable novel that pulls you in and keeps you right smack dab in the middle of the action. I could almost believe that I 'knew' Richard, Eleanor, Joanne and Berngaria, Mariam, Morgan and all of the other 'major players' of Ms. Penman's other novels as I read this amazing account of "Richard, the man". </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
(The author likens her previous book, "Lionheart" as the story of Richard, the legend, while this book recounts the story of Richard, the man")</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are not too many authors who can bring me into the time period of which they write. I can count the ones that do on less than two hands. I sharpened my love for 'historical fiction" when I began to read Ms. Penman's earlier works, and I still feel, that to some degree, I judge other authors by her work - as well as by about three other superior historical fiction authors who I think are write exemplary, historically accurate, fiction. My devotion to history (non-fiction) sprang largely from my love of historical fiction. I read non-fiction now with as much relish and excitement as I read historical fiction - all thanks to authors such as Ms. Penman. That's an inspiring debt to have!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is the tale of the last seven years of Richard's life. These years were filled with torment for Richard, his family and the Kingdom. Held as a prisoner of Henrich, The Holy Roman Emperor, Richard was kept in a torturous dungeon that almost sapped his spirit as well as his life. Richard and his mother, Queen Eleanor, overcame every obstacle that was put in their way - regaining both Kingship and Kingdom through paying a huge, punitive ransom that was followed by years of subterfuge and political rankling. Ricahrd was always at war with France, and the many other dutchies and kingdoms that made up the royal world of the time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is also the story of his faithful, but beleaguered Queen Berengaria of Spain; of her loneliness and self-recriminations for not providing Richard with an heir. It is the story of Lady Miriam (a Saracen woman from the Holy Land) and her Welsh love. A love that Miriam came close to losing because of surprisingly modern concerns - those of mixed race children and peer discrimination. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Richard's sister Queen Joanna features heavily in this book as does her love for the 'heretic' Raimond of Toulouse, a man known more for his tolerance than for his prowess on the battlefield. It is also of course, the story of the strength, courage and remarkable intellect of Richard's mother, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. A woman who would have been considered remarkable in our own time, but was truly unique and unexpected in her own time. I would give a lot to have more historical background available about this amazing woman!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I could probably write a short book about all of the reasons why I loved this book, and why I am so sad that I have finished reading it. I hate it when a superb books ends, because then nothing that comes after, for a while at least, quite seems to measure up! This book became a place for me to get lost in, a place where my imagination could spin clothing and colors, odors and fear.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Richard's death came as almost an after thought. It was happenstance . It came from a wound not acquired in the heat of battle or from a disease contracted in the mire of an infested camp ground, but it came as a 'bolt from the blue' as he was inspecting his sappers. A wound that he almost missed! How history might have different but for a few inches! I was especially pleased at the finesse that Ms. Penman used in NOT finishing the book with this wound, for the pages continue to flow for a time after, and follows the lives of the main characters just a bit further down the paths of heir lives. Perfectly done!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One of the things I like the best about Sharon Kay Penman's work is the historical basis upon which she creates her novels. I love reading her "Afterwords" and her "Author's Note's", although it has been said that the Authors Note is not one of the aspects of writing that she looks forward to. Ms. Penman's background in the history about which she writes is formidable, as well grounded as any historian can be. I can read with a good amount of certainty that most of the salient facts of the book are truth-based, and every time I read her Author's Notes I learn something more about the historical novelist's burden of accuracy, for a burden it must surely be to so skillfully weave the facts into the thin veil of fiction.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Had Richard lived today he would be hailed as the worlds foremost commander and political strategist. Had Eleanor lived today she would be running for President or Prime Minister. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book has been one of my favorite reads in some time. It offers something to please everyone, and, I believe, will become one your favorite new read too!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">I was thrilled to be able to read and review an ARC of this amazing book.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-small;">My opinion and review are true to my personal feelings about this amazing book! </span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-32379812005166690742013-12-29T12:50:00.004-08:002013-12-29T12:50:54.129-08:00World Enough and Time On Creativity and Slowing Down by Christian McEwen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVecOMvM7wQEZzxSr4uygQA89JQM8H6PzoXID70rGJCf7qMdd4yT_g-OB7ALWq6l_50NM2CsfHHDM50qUujJucx-Bh_n_m6nNzuo_UprEbUFW9BRGYkSmpcnNKx_dnhAAby01tQsyDFY/s1600/WETcoverweb1-231x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVecOMvM7wQEZzxSr4uygQA89JQM8H6PzoXID70rGJCf7qMdd4yT_g-OB7ALWq6l_50NM2CsfHHDM50qUujJucx-Bh_n_m6nNzuo_UprEbUFW9BRGYkSmpcnNKx_dnhAAby01tQsyDFY/s400/WETcoverweb1-231x350.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 368 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Bauhan; first edition (May 11, 2011)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0872331464</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My dear friend, Janet, gifted me with this book for the holiday. She could not have chosen a more perfect gift! I began to read it as soon as I opened it and, having the luxury of time alone this Christmas, I spent the best part of the day reading it. It's been an inspiration for me, and I think that many of you might also benefit from reading it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most of the creative people that I know experience times when the muse flees the mental coop, leaving us brooding about "what now"? We wonder if this will be a short hiatus from our internal creative dialog or if, a paralyzing thought, the muse has left on a more permanent basis? Who are we if not one with our muse? I have personally found that more I give in to these thoughts, the more ludicrous and self-perpetuating they become. I have learned to accept, as benevolently as possible, these fallow times as a gift. A pause, if you will, in my internal need for accomplishment. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is an important book! Important for all human beings - not just those of us who aspire to create.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is a book in which author, poet, teacher, <a href="http://www.christianmcewen.com/">Christian McEwen</a> applauds the pauses, the fallow times, the quiet, and the stillness. The book hails the mindfulness of those who take note of the world around them, who can open their eyes and absorb the sounds that exist even in 'silence'. It gives a nod to slowness and reflection, it provides a relief filled bow to an appreciation for the stillness that can lead us to lead a more healthy, fulfilled life. Indeed, it is these slow times that can leave us more inspired rather than less so. For expressives it goes a long way to clarify why these untilled periods that we all experience in our creative lives, when the muse seems to have taken flight, are actually opportunities to dwell within and reflect, to recharge and to slow down and appreciate what 'is'. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had been feeling that I was not producing enough art work and that I should be working faster and more efficiently. In short, I felt that I was floundering just a bit. In the back of my mind I also acknowledged that I seem to be uniquely suited to retirement. I treasure my first morning hours now when I sit and read, taking the time to 'really' read, to makes notes, to study the history books that I enjoy so much. Also, I have a lot of interests and my days are almost never dull. I just kept feeling that I needed to go faster, even though I really did not want to! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In retrospect I think that those weeks of slight worry were symptomatic of my "monkey mind" at work and also, possibly, a part of the whole internal process of retiring. I do believe that there are stages that one goes through when you leave your work of many years and bid adieu to your 'work family'. It's a loss in a way, and because of that perhaps a bit of mourning comes into play. I was giddy for the first couple of months, giggling to myself over the wee bit of luscious lazy that I continue to luxuriate in each morning as I read away an hour or two. Occasionally, truth be told, I do experience a sporadic bit of fear over the future of my finances, and for me, the occasional, yet insistent thought that I must put forth some additional effort into being more social. Yes, I have to admit that human contact is a necessary thing. Hitherto, my 'work family' filled that social need for me, but now I will have search for that connection a bit further afield. As a true introvert this is not really much an issue for me most of the time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"World Enough & Time" has become a powerful ally for me. It gives credence to my inner beliefs that 'slow' = 'good', not slothfulness. I am savoring my slowness to it's fullest at this point in time. I am at peace with my life as it is and my 'word' for 2014 is going to be 'savor', or if I were to choose a New Year's phrase it might be "savor life in the slow lane".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
" World Enough and Time" is available on<a href="http://www.amazon.com/World-Enough-Time-Creativity-Slowing/dp/0872331466"> Amazon</a>, as a book or e-book and, as always, your Indie bookstore would, I am sure, be most happy to provide you with a copy!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-27179549301839300932013-11-30T12:28:00.000-08:002013-11-30T12:28:30.450-08:00"Bellman & Black" by Diane Setterfield<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTa5e5PtemhiCkBCO4zBc1eJ7I-WfZ_QQH7fErwcZIxyL4ajQh_0fLasElzqJlMgYwadk7knYen1IV4hVsUsEJd122f4Hhib9xG05o2IMJ_z8CTfwCkkoeg_-G40Y04lEniU4nS-Ccyw/s1600/519ecNsqWwL._SS300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTa5e5PtemhiCkBCO4zBc1eJ7I-WfZ_QQH7fErwcZIxyL4ajQh_0fLasElzqJlMgYwadk7knYen1IV4hVsUsEJd122f4Hhib9xG05o2IMJ_z8CTfwCkkoeg_-G40Y04lEniU4nS-Ccyw/s400/519ecNsqWwL._SS300_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">* * *</span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 336 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Atria/Emily Bestler Books (November 5, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-1476711959</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is one of the few times that you will see a 3 star rating from me. Generally I don't review anything that I don't feel is worth 4-5 stars, but since I made it to page 130 of this book I thought that I would my impressions. I am a fan of Diane Setterfield's work, but I don't think that his is the best of it. Of course YMMV and you might be someone who loves this book!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I consider it to be a tale of one deed committed early in life repeating, like ripples on a still pond, into your future..</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I admit to having looked forward to reading this book because I had thoroughly enjoyed "The Thirteenth Tale", and also because I am a push over for a good 'ghost tale".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I borrowed this book from our library, and was one of the first to get it in my hands. I kept reading this book thinking that I just needed to give it a chance to pick up. I made it to page 130, and decided that my reading time was better spent on something that would be more enjoyable.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I kept thinking of Poe's quote "quoth the Raven nevermore" as I read this book for some reason.... the book features rooks. While this book does present some fascinating historical information about the running a cloth mill of yesteryear, the plot itself felt rather weak to me. Deaths. A Lot of deaths, in some way linked to the sling shot killing of a rook in the protagonist's childhood. Had I read further I might have learned more about how the death of that rook figures into the story, but I took it to be more of an allegorical meaning and decided to part way with the pages and move on.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is not a bad book, and perhaps I really did not give it enough of a chance. I had just finished reading book that I found riveting - perhaps I just wasn't ready for this book at that time? I did not feel that this book represents the best that the author can do, and I look forward to her next book.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-13894222574015835472013-11-27T13:56:00.004-08:002013-11-27T13:56:57.875-08:00Hild by Nicola Griffith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM938rF3oC9mxysCqrwqZEa2uWOORbG6Xu0DWlpp2bmw9EMZ9CHIvFUXux6YqEGZH1GYxWykjgQi9QmeE47xnrPp7MO0f_eC-ufDOz7Wj0-U91z0gH3a-f-si0wEhsz4eIBfTAI1Wsb3I/s1600/hild-cover-9780374280871-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM938rF3oC9mxysCqrwqZEa2uWOORbG6Xu0DWlpp2bmw9EMZ9CHIvFUXux6YqEGZH1GYxWykjgQi9QmeE47xnrPp7MO0f_eC-ufDOz7Wj0-U91z0gH3a-f-si0wEhsz4eIBfTAI1Wsb3I/s400/hild-cover-9780374280871-1.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">* * * * * </span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 560 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Farrar, Straus and Giroux (November 12, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0374280871</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I don't know where to start. I read a lot, generally at least two books a week. I love large, thick books that can take awhile to read. When I love a book, the longer it lasts the better it is! I read with enjoyment. I don't spend my reading time with anything that I don't enjoy, which is why I seldom give books less than 3 stars here or on any other site on which I post my reviews. Actually, most of my reviews are 4-5 stars. This one should have at last 7 stars by that reckoning. Some books, very few actually, are finished but stay with me, like the after taste of a particularly fine something .. wine, chocolate, a favorite dessert or meal. This book is staying with me, and I am wishing that the sequel was already available so that I could continue to savor the reading.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Ms. Griffith is a master at prose. This book, in places, reads more like poetry, each word so finely tuned that they sing like a finely tuned violin or as the voices in a perfectly pitched acapella.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I have to admit to having a few issues with the uniqueness of names and places in this seventh century world that we enter when we open this book, but it did not take long for me to fall into the book and become one with the pages and the story. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">We step into the story of St. Hilda, but this story gives so very much more. We walk in the life of the seventh century. We go to the dairy house and help make butter, we smell the torches, hearth lights and the blood of war. We feel the tensions of King and thegns, the stress as the old, polytheistic, religions give way to the new, Christ, religion. As a female I weigh the place of women in this ancient society; the withering work of simply 'being' in this cold, calculating, somewhat viscious time, the offering of wine and mead - and sometimes of something more.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This book is lyrically written, each moment poignant. Hild, the daughter of a would-have-been king is a person who is patient, who sees and hears things and uses knowledge to uphold her position as the King's trusted seer. Her mother, a women, the widow of the 'would-have-been-king' has not standing, no property. She who is a healer and she uses nothing more than her wits to preserve the life of her children.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This is a book that takes hold of you and transports you. I simply could not put this book down! Well done Nicola Griffth! Let there be more ! I can't wait!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This book should appeal to everyone because of how well it is written, but it will hold special interest for those of us who have an affinity for historical fiction and, more than that, anyone who appreciates perfectly wrought fiction.</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-68195515960141275392013-11-17T12:36:00.000-08:002013-11-17T12:36:42.142-08:00"The Spanish Queen" by Carolly Erickson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPx7tPqCaw-30MaOGOLQAEdKpQlH_XzCWJS89K8vCgVhtH_wyzEsitqoVgqqREGJdKn-4atFUAXln0nRdAfHJvoi0tcIG7Vepoi9Dy6BMM7M7BL7tuwMq-ZQbW90lCxUbU9-DVR_UFimI/s1600/51lNLV7BGCL._SS300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPx7tPqCaw-30MaOGOLQAEdKpQlH_XzCWJS89K8vCgVhtH_wyzEsitqoVgqqREGJdKn-4atFUAXln0nRdAfHJvoi0tcIG7Vepoi9Dy6BMM7M7BL7tuwMq-ZQbW90lCxUbU9-DVR_UFimI/s400/51lNLV7BGCL._SS300_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">Also available as an e-book</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Hardcover:</span> 288 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (October 22, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-1250000125</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I have been so negligent in posting reviews lately! I just keep reading it seems and forgetting to review! Bad on me! I considered dropping my book blog, but will continue and see how it goes. I love the books that I read and enjoy sharing my reactions with those of you who read these few reviews. I also add craft book review to my 'other' blog sometimes.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I digress again. SO onto this excellent book ....</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: justify;">
I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating story of Catherine. Told in the first person it brings a much more personal feel to the life of this much abused Princess and Queen. I couldn't put it down and ended up reading it in two late evenings!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
As always with Ms. Erickson's work, I found the details to be quite exacting (if you compare the events in the book with recorded history that is) and the human spirits of the people involved is well reflected in the pages.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My hallmark of a great read is if it pulls you in enough to feel as though you are "in" the story yourself, and this book did that for me. I was sorry when I reached the end! I felt as though I had just read about a much more approachable, less rigid, person, who circumstances set the tone for her life - and her death. Their is a lot 'human-ess" in these pages, and I was quite riveted. Well done! Anyone who loves historical fiction, British history, Tudor history or just an interesting fictional read will , no doubt, enjoy this book</div>
</li>
<li style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px;"></li>
</ul>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-58197109317723063812013-10-10T14:28:00.002-07:002013-10-10T14:28:55.054-07:00"Wolfsangel" by Liza Perrat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdFCqMUd3VLFJpEZ_bv3yrluQUQ3uHW-kxJEu9NFFvDnOW5IAm1bowxQWjrLkTd1tkCWKINyCJVYkk62EouEGBL9JBmguJArZepcinAUwxxdsfR2Qt8dZSRJdwPC_wDQUuasEwYxDPn4/s1600/41REtTMfrML._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-70,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdFCqMUd3VLFJpEZ_bv3yrluQUQ3uHW-kxJEu9NFFvDnOW5IAm1bowxQWjrLkTd1tkCWKINyCJVYkk62EouEGBL9JBmguJArZepcinAUwxxdsfR2Qt8dZSRJdwPC_wDQUuasEwYxDPn4/s400/41REtTMfrML._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA278_PIkin4,BottomRight,-70,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
World War II and the French Resistance is not an area which I generally choose to read about, but when I heard that one of my favorite authors had published a new book that concerned just those areas I had to read it!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I read, and reviewed <a href="http://lizaperrat.blogspot.com/">Liza Perrat</a>'s first book <a href="http://booksbythewillowtree.blogspot.com/2012/10/spirit-of-lost-angels-by-liza-perrat.html">"The Spirit of Lost Angels"</a> last year and it was at that time that I became hooked on Ms. Perrat's writing. In my opinion her work should be far more well known than it is. While I do not know Ms. Perrat, I am a fan of her work!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolfsangel-ebook/dp/B00FKWIY7Y/ref=la_B008385OF2_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381437834&sr=1-2">"Wolfsangel'</a> is a sequel of sorts, but not really. It is a perfect stand alone book. The story line revolves around a small French town during the German occupation of France during World War II. Celeste (Celestine) Roussel is the main character. Her mother runs the centuries old family farm. Aside from running the farm, her work involves assisting women who find themselves inconveniently pregnant, often due to being raped by members of the occupying German forces. Celeste's father had volunteered to go and work in Germany, where the purported pay was good. They had received no word from him though in many months and they had no way of knowing if he was even still alive. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Celeste's sister is nun based in a convent that takes in families at risk from the Germans, and her brothers are part of the Resistance movement, but do not allow Celeste to join them because they fear that she may not be able to withstand the rigors of questioning were she to be found out. The town itself is acknowledged to be a 'hotspot' for Resistance activity. The Germans 'requisition' the best food stuffs from the town has, they take what they want and blackmail those who they suspect may be Jews hiding under the pretext of false papers and new, more French sounding, names. Women are raped, people go hungry, and the German's loot at will.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After one Resistance expedition, Celeste's brothers and friends are arrested and imprisoned. The prison is a place from which most never return. The firing squads make short work of the inmates after they are questioned and severely tortured. We follow Celeste as she matures, becoming involved with the Resistance in her own way as she formulates a plan with other Resistance workers to free her brothers from prison. The brothers are provided with just enough of an infectious serum to make them ill enough to be transferred to a hospital where Celeste has been placed. In a gripping series of chapters their escape is effected and Celeste and her long time friends become well known as good Resistance operatives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, Celeste becomes involved in a romantic diversion with an unlikely man. A German officer named Martin Diehl. Martin does not relish being in the Army and provides Celeste with a few small luxuries and the security of his protection. They fall in love and talk of a future after the war. This dalliance causes a lot of conflict for our heroine since any sort of relationships with the hated "Boche" is decried by all town members, other than the few who are profiting by the largesse that the Germans can provide.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a moving chapter, after Celeste is raped by two German officers while Martin is away and cannot provide any protection, her mother shares her own dark secret that had never been spoken of. She too was raped in her youth, perhaps explaining her seemingly cold and aloof manner. Celeste forms a plan as she quietly plans her revenge.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The last part of this book reveals Celeste's plan for revenge, but does her successful plan manage to backfire on the entire town? I just cannot say more without revealing too much of this intricate plot that would spoil it for your reading!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book is simply wonderful, and I could not stop reading it. I finished it in a day because I could not put it down! The plotline is well constructed, they story is taut and gripping, and the characters are more than well fleshed out. I felt as though I too was a member of the Resistance. The only problem is that the book had an end, and I wanted to read more!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The book is factually based on a real village, true resistance heroes, and a massacre that remains a reminder of the brutality that war can bring. Ms. Perrat provides an excellent epilogue that was also spine chilling reading for me in which she presents the facts from which her story is based.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I learned a lot from this book, one thing is that perhaps I should read more about this brutal period of history. It's really quite amazing to me what the human spirit can survive. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Wolfsangel" is currently available as an e-book, but the paperback edition is soon to follow. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This book will appeal, I think, to all readers of excellent general fiction as well as those who enjoy historical fiction, and fiction that revolves around World War II. I cannot imagine that reading this book will not move you, and perhaps, as it did for me, teach you a thing or two about what people can, and do, endure in the name of freedom. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-85710895662127616932013-10-08T12:59:00.000-07:002013-10-19T12:08:39.071-07:00The WInter Mantle by Elizabeth Chadwick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrFRKR6OaveLIKRqdbCKjZabcLwBpqqBzKqnhJKbFjrLO-MM-3sMJZrAivTF5FAUUcc_yrJEWe0sFDPpBahvQnhrbENTYEs1P_aXiuZoVLhX0uqJoypmhDqc0vj3GZ2DwaEeczIq9WUg/s1600/1306835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNrFRKR6OaveLIKRqdbCKjZabcLwBpqqBzKqnhJKbFjrLO-MM-3sMJZrAivTF5FAUUcc_yrJEWe0sFDPpBahvQnhrbENTYEs1P_aXiuZoVLhX0uqJoypmhDqc0vj3GZ2DwaEeczIq9WUg/s640/1306835.jpg" width="374" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 512 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Time Warner Paperbacks (October 3, 2002)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0751529586</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">I'm not sure what it is about Elizabeth Chadwick's work, but it never fails to mesmerize me, and transport me back in time. When I purchased this book I was not aware that it was one that I had obviously had missed somewhere along the path of reading Ms. Chadwick's work. It was originally published in 2002. I can't imagine that I would have forgotten reading it when it was new!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">This book follows the path of William of Normandy and begins with the year 1067 following the great Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror is establishing his rule over Britain, and in doing so retains custody of many captured nobles, Earl Waltheof Siwardsson of Huntingdon being one of them. Although he did not fight in the war, Earl Waltheof retains his title but fights to regain his pride of place and his lands from William. Waltheof falls in love with one of Willaim's daughters, Judith. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Reluctantly, after the threat of an uprising against him, William restores Waltheof's lands and grants him marriage to his daughter,Judith. In the years that follow, Judith feels that Waltheof is engaged in some activities that are contrary to his fealty to William, and, through familial treachery, Waltheof is executed. His eldest daughter falls in love with the man who is sent by William to take control of Waltheof's earldom, one by the name of Simon de Senlis, who had been a long time friend, and former squire to, Waltheof. He is also a person for Judith, Matilda's mother, holds no love. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Simon follows the Crusade, leaving Matilda behind to question his fate. Simon;s first love had followed her husband on the Crusdae trail until he is drowns.A dire injury almost takes his life, and Simon is tended to by his first love, who he had taken under his wing. During his convalescence they have a one time resolution to the desire that was founded in their younger years.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">After his return from the Crusade, his first love becomes a nun, and Simon returns to his lands and his family. Simon and Matilda long for peace, a commodity that is difficult to come by during this turbulent time. Tension builds in their marriage, but the truth of Simon's "one-night-stand" comes out due to the birth of his bastard child; a child that Matilda must accept and raise in their home after she meets with, and grudgingly accepts, the confession of Simon's early love. </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">The epilogues for Ms. Chadwick's books are always one of my favorite parts. There she provides the history behind her stories. Much of what she writes is structured on solid historical facts, and I find it utterly fascinating the she "fills in the blanks" so convincingly. Elizabeth Chadwick is one of my favorite historical fiction writers and this book is a credit to her!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Anyone who loves historical fiction, British historical fiction, the history of William the Conqueror, or just a great read, will undoubtedly enjoy this excellent book!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 14px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<span class="a-color-base" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"></span></div>
<div>
<span class="a-color-base" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-8356477430483479512013-08-31T11:35:00.000-07:002013-08-31T11:35:10.942-07:00"The Angel Stone" by Juliet Dark (aka Carol Goodman)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgVzxAesKqLKdU3rDGR_jXjlwZOcISJe1GIyof82Ab87G0KHg2CEd5qmUl2h-DB4KLR9UtgwnYOQQLw9nsAv4QrI56UgHtkYPI_5CpW4pxZ2BZZ1JucF47wr7ru1ZSrdGt2_cZIZco5c/s400/17365139.jpg" width="258" /></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * *</span></span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 320 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Ballantine Books (</span><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">September 3, 2013</span><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13</span><b style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">:</b> 978-0345533395</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I have been a life long fairy tale fan, and I have been a big fan of this fantasy series by Juliet Dark (aka <a href="http://www.carolgoodman.com/">Carol Goodman)</a> since the Fairwick Trilogy began with "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Demon-Lover-A-Novel/dp/0345510089/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377973614&sr=8-2&keywords=demon+lover">The Demon Lover</a>". Each of these books works well as a stand alone book though so you don't have to read the entire three book series, but I think that once you read " The Angel Stone" you will want to read the other two books!</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the course of the last two volumes I have become enthralled with the quirky world of Fairwick College,<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">and the delightful mix of it's inhabitants. The witches, demons, fey,</span>nephilium, and<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> humans are all rife with </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">possibility</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">. The plots all contain what could be considered an allegorical </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">basis in the truth of all humanity</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> and they contain the best elements of what makes up all good, timeless fairytales.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">I would have loved to have gone to a college like Fairwick! What I could have learned from it's very quirky professors! The mixed of 'real world' and 'fantasy world' is well balanced, and the books moves readily, without any 'dead zones' to slow you down!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
With <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Angel-Stone-Fairwick-Trilogy/dp/0345533399/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377972335&sr=8-1&keywords=the+angel+stone">'The Angel Stone',</a> this trilogy sadly comes an end. I will miss waiting for the next book in the series,but I will console myself by reading more of Carol Goodman's other novels.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
'The Angel Stone' was a delightful read that held my interest. I almost read it all the way in a day! I love the creativity that comes through in this tale of love lost and found again- of just causes fought for well and won. Although this is a tale of fantasy there are bits of real world wisdom to be found as well </div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Although YMMV ( your mileage may vary) I suspect that any fantasy/ paranormal or escapist reader will thoroughly enjoy this creatively written , totally delightful read.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
PS: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Water-Witch-Fairwick-Trilogy/dp/0345524241/ref=pd_sim_b_1">'The Water Witch',</a> the second book of this trilogy was my personal favorite!</div>
</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-70006412548765623482013-08-27T16:52:00.001-07:002013-08-27T16:52:23.274-07:00My Most Recent Historial Reading List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmWt14qI1vfql29I9uBnkAV90kr0vgqIx6r3oIB7vKWP539Y7W19q-nXo7r0eJVbFk9R811VeHqZQBsSIM1Gb8UjDkYmRP5fuUFfK6woNJlgv08tOkxMdwj3jKAOUc2CSUyO5FQ0p960/s1600/5124G7X790L._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmWt14qI1vfql29I9uBnkAV90kr0vgqIx6r3oIB7vKWP539Y7W19q-nXo7r0eJVbFk9R811VeHqZQBsSIM1Gb8UjDkYmRP5fuUFfK6woNJlgv08tOkxMdwj3jKAOUc2CSUyO5FQ0p960/s320/5124G7X790L._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These four books represent my most recent reading list. I just finished "England After Elizabeth" by Leandra D'Lisle this morning. I have learned a lot from these books, especially about politics after the death of Gloriana, Elizabeth I. I have not read much about Jacobean England, for some reason King James and his reign have left me quite cool. I was interested, however, in how the rise of King James affected the politics and the people of his day, and how the citizens of England felt upon his arrival.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had not understood, as I began this reading series, how thoroughly Bess of Hardwick would figure throughout all of these books. What an amazing woman she was - in so many ways. Bess really was a woman who was centuries ahead of her time. I can see her in the present day as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHzZ0qxcIGaJgvA2HnpjTipBBp7-rcP2KJzJ4EzepJtn8A859PfmY-ND3YvdchLfEW2dFVf_eTWQW1mIjv-8uUg13a0XsMs-6sc-E87ukOv_NahJvyrxlZ_gGz4SU2rwImDXTRjQYLN4/s1600/61v62hvajAL._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNHzZ0qxcIGaJgvA2HnpjTipBBp7-rcP2KJzJ4EzepJtn8A859PfmY-ND3YvdchLfEW2dFVf_eTWQW1mIjv-8uUg13a0XsMs-6sc-E87ukOv_NahJvyrxlZ_gGz4SU2rwImDXTRjQYLN4/s320/61v62hvajAL._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My first read of the series was "Arbella: England's Lost Queen" by Sarah Gristwood, followed by the new work of historical fiction by Gillian Bagwell, "Venus In Winter" which is a most excellent, riveting book that I highly recommend.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I was pleased and amazed, when I read "Bess of Hardwick" by Mary Lovell, how closely "Venus In Winter" (reviewed here on August 17, 2013) follows the true facts of the life of the redoubtable Bess of Hardwick. I highly recommend reading both of these extraordinary books. You will derive a lot of pleasure and a lot of learning. The non-fiction "Bess of Hardwick" makes for pleasurable reading - this is not dull history at all and the biography reads as readily as fiction.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHC08I5AhZuB8fOvRT9kGxcKQEjp8vqhW4gpLolbcDwV0_5FHZWhLRsn_t6cUkbxcRcV2PesWM1M0RkPxBsrXjc-lcw_dB1P36jEhPA3GXRut9V9_roRxMZsyP8NDuWsn6GFhIVi5vdU/s1600/51TSZ3BQU+L._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMHC08I5AhZuB8fOvRT9kGxcKQEjp8vqhW4gpLolbcDwV0_5FHZWhLRsn_t6cUkbxcRcV2PesWM1M0RkPxBsrXjc-lcw_dB1P36jEhPA3GXRut9V9_roRxMZsyP8NDuWsn6GFhIVi5vdU/s320/51TSZ3BQU+L._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I had "After Elizabeth" by Leandra D'Lisle on my shelf for some time and decided, after finishing "Bess of Hardwick" that it was time to learn a bit about the court of King James and what really did happen after Gloriana's death in March of 1603. Although this book was a bit drier (though not that much so) than "Bess of Hardwick" I found that I learned a lot from the book and looked forward to reading more of it every day. What I had not anticipated was that Bess and the Shrewsbury family also figured prominently in the time of James accession to the throne. This book brought together a lot of loose historical threads for me, and provided me with a much more complete idea of just how important this family, and it's matriarch, were enmeshed in the political landscapes of their time. Remarkable!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
This was a wonderful series of books, each one of them is highly readable and very informative. History really is amazing. What is the saying that the more things change the more they stay the same? Read these books and see why I think this is so true! You will also find a much enjoyment and much learning. I highly recommend any, or all, of these fascinating reads if you are a history fan - especially if you, like me, like nothing more than learning more about British history!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjDaguiieqW0AZxlWl8ElBL5rwcdumBcCvoC2IGPzJh0Xn5rcLVm1ELKc-3oq3n1VttUuzSwCJjw5CErTXptqKWhgPzeYlhhOR8WcOVFmhucyVfGj3iPJ298lquuzay7grRRA1ORLQZY/s1600/51tq5HfgEmL._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjDaguiieqW0AZxlWl8ElBL5rwcdumBcCvoC2IGPzJh0Xn5rcLVm1ELKc-3oq3n1VttUuzSwCJjw5CErTXptqKWhgPzeYlhhOR8WcOVFmhucyVfGj3iPJ298lquuzay7grRRA1ORLQZY/s320/51tq5HfgEmL._SL200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA200_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-71176017825628327872013-08-17T12:54:00.000-07:002013-08-17T12:54:05.764-07:00"Venus In Winter" by Gillian Bagwell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX_nNPv9dXWjzwOqDfiHv1ofhe_xAAlLepKUgq2skLDrP214g1CnMlyVICcZzuCCnJ9GSySuXlxWY1DUxyY9V2I6VZrSG5jC8AG0qWtGC4GLmKrirsgcVG1EbAER6ju62fgU7xjb4UHQ/s1600/61v62hvajAL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtX_nNPv9dXWjzwOqDfiHv1ofhe_xAAlLepKUgq2skLDrP214g1CnMlyVICcZzuCCnJ9GSySuXlxWY1DUxyY9V2I6VZrSG5jC8AG0qWtGC4GLmKrirsgcVG1EbAER6ju62fgU7xjb4UHQ/s400/61v62hvajAL._SY346_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></b></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback</span><b style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">:</b> 448 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span> Berkley Trade (July 2, 2013)</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13</span><b style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">:</b> 978-0425258026</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This is a novel about the formidable Bess of Hardwick, a woman who forged her way through some of them the most perilous times in British history. She and her husbands built an enviable life and Bess came close to losing it all several times in her life, but somehow always managed to hang on to her property and her dignity. Bess was born of lower, though by no means low, means, and through advantageous marriages she built a personal worth that was enviable. This is a riveting read that closely follows the historical facts.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I worked a bit backwards. I had just finished reading "Arbella: England's Lost Queen" by Sarah Gristwood and, after reading about Bess by reading "Venus In Winter" I am currently reading "Bess Of Hardwick" by Mary Lovell.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ms. Bagwell weaves a delightful, highly believable, tale around the historical facts. Bess of Hardwick was a truly amazing woman who was quite ahead of her time. Intelligent and canny - she made a good life for herself and he family despite the tenuous times in which she lived. She came close to losing everything that she and her husbands had worked so hard for, but came back from the brink and prospered.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is one of those books that I found difficult to put down. It made me interested enough to read her biography by Mary Lovell. If you love historical fiction, Tudor fiction, British historical fiction or just great fiction in general I think that this book will appeal!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I always look forward to Ms. Bagwell's books - they have never failed to please. I hope that there another in the works !</div>
</span></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-63315387022259183902013-08-08T11:00:00.000-07:002013-08-08T11:00:04.238-07:00"Making Wire and Bead Jewelry" by Janice Berkebile and Tracey Stanley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6D1Anqgqiz3g3Lu0xSLiKAm-0pIBpQ68X76qCa1hkCsx646TrrZemlZ26jcK1PVraVvEYQFjKYXqtxetE63vwW-EQxfLFk1vq8uoIV3JlL_hWxgf2mR8HTCxGC9Huj3SeOt0bLI066g/s1600/61sTMHXVU5L._SX260_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC6D1Anqgqiz3g3Lu0xSLiKAm-0pIBpQ68X76qCa1hkCsx646TrrZemlZ26jcK1PVraVvEYQFjKYXqtxetE63vwW-EQxfLFk1vq8uoIV3JlL_hWxgf2mR8HTCxGC9Huj3SeOt0bLI066g/s400/61sTMHXVU5L._SX260_PJlook-inside-v2,TopRight,1,0_SH20_.jpg" width="339" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Paperback: 144 pages</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Publisher: Lark Crafts; 1 edition (May 1, 2012)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">ISBN-13: 978-1454702870</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This review that is long overdue. I was graciously provided with a copy of this book for review purposed, and it languished on my bookshelf until I decided that I really wanted to learn to make wire and bead jewelry. I pulled this book off the shelf, and then discovered what a really wonderful, well done book it really is!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">If you want to learn the basics of beautiful wire work with beads this is <u><i>THE </i></u>book for you. The projects are all interesting and well worth making.The instructions are clearly written,beautifully illustrated, and easy to follow. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">What initially drew me to this book was a desire to make the earrings that are featured on the cover. I was a real beginner at wire work at the time, but thanks to this book and it's clear instructions I was able to make several pairs of these earrings in an afternoon!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I took this book down from my shelf and began to use it I have read and used other books on wire work, but this book still remains a favorite. It's really a keeper! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The book begins with a particularly well done overview and description of all of the tools and materials of the trade. What pliers to use and why you use them for specific projects. Valuable, necessary information about various wires, stones, beads and baubles. The next chapter is so perfect - a particularly well done section on the basics of wire work. It will tell how to make eye loops. wrapped eye loops, spirals,caps, clasps - all you need to know to get going on your wire work journey.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">A section on finishing follows and then the project chapters begin. The projects follow in other in teaching skill sets as you go.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes! I really am this thrilled about this book and I am so sorry that it took me so long to realize what a gem I had ben given. This book is a real winner and I will look for any further titles by these wonderful authors!</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-67712365187883153552013-08-07T15:37:00.000-07:002013-08-07T15:37:07.984-07:00"The Confessions of Marie Antoinette" by Juliet Grey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ69E9b0ItYnxVlcsqbFvGe3XlrVQbS4RzrD4DP-rty3a_O09djwbaFNa405097cJ8s8lI3-kO8zL6g_yL3FV20YgiqgXQV77izcBJo-bsq8wtFYXFtd_XgVWeh1EOls4OWvVVJLeGfVQ/s1600/51WbZXfVM2L._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ69E9b0ItYnxVlcsqbFvGe3XlrVQbS4RzrD4DP-rty3a_O09djwbaFNa405097cJ8s8lI3-kO8zL6g_yL3FV20YgiqgXQV77izcBJo-bsq8wtFYXFtd_XgVWeh1EOls4OWvVVJLeGfVQ/s400/51WbZXfVM2L._SY346_.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">* * * * * </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b>AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW</b></span></div>
<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Paperback:</span> 464 pages</li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Publisher:</span><span style="background-color: white;"> Ballantine Books </span><span style="background-color: #ffe599;">(September 24, 2013)</span></li>
<li style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">ISBN-13:</span> 978-0345523907</li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I was thrilled to have been provided with an Advance Reader copy of this book to read and review!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Not too many books are powerful enough to bring a tear to my eye, but this book certainly did do just that!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
I have always been dumbstruck at the savage brutality of the French Revolution. In my eyes it seems to have been bloodier, more disorganized and more devastating than America's own Revolution. I've read many non-fiction histories about the French Revolution and biographies of Marie Antoinette. I believe that it can be difficult to portray a historically tragic figure well, without overdoing either empathy or villainy, but Juliet Grey breathes life into this book. The characters grab you into their lives and keep you riveted to the pages. I began by reading this book in the morning as I had coffee and quickly began to just sit and read, and read through to the end in a day and a half (I had to do some regular life things inbetween the pages!).</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
The characters are brilliantly portrayed. The French Revolution and the devastation that it brought, not only to the nobility, but to the revolutionaries themselves, are portrayed so well that you feel as though you are a part of it all. It is as if you are a part of the destruction of so many priceless artifacts, you are standing by the scaffold as men and women are swiftly dispatched by the new nation's "razor" (the infamous guillotine) . The perils and fear that the royal family endured is palpable in the pages of this book, it no wonder that Marie Antoinette's hair turned white almost overnight. It is impossible to comprehend the terror that existed during these riotous times.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Juliet Grey paints her word images artfully, and I was pleased to find so much historically correct information. I suppose that it was the historical veracity that caused this book bring a tear to my eye now and then, knowing that the reality of those dire times was so close to the story the book presents. I have no doubt that Marie Antoinette arrived in France as a royal ingenue. I have no doubt that she did spend far too many gold Louis' on her wardrobe and her homes. That was, however, the life to which she had been born, the fetes and baubles were de rigueur for the time period, and she was so very young. I doubt that any one could have imagined the maelstrom that was about to descend upon France and the Royal Family. Marie's perceived extravagance became an easy scapegoat for the masses who were starving and had no right to expect anything better for their lives. Ms. Grey's portrait of Marie Antoinette is wonderfully complex. The Queen; both defiant and powerful and the mother and wife whose purpose was to protect and stand by her family. In this book she is portrayed as coming to love her royal husband late in their relationship, as the struggles of the French Revolution played out on the international stage. Loius comes across with passivity, and bewilderment but also as a King who finally understood the issues of his troubled Kingdom. He is noble and true to his honor and his word.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
This book made me consider the two Revolutions - France's and America's - governments were overthrown for similar reasons, but one just seemed so much more blood thirsty, and so much more erratic. Liberté, égalité, and fraternité were altruistic and ambitious aims, but in France it seems that even the revolutionaries experienced a revolution within their own ranks as the power changed hands so often. With each change in the power struggle the fates of Marie Antoinette and her family hung in the balance. Mercy and exile seemed like an option for some time, until, in the end, all was lost.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
At the end of the book there is an excellent section that provides short biographies of the characters as well as some facts about the times. An excellent bibliography is included as are 'questions for discussion' perhaps for a book club setting. i think that these were excellent additions.</div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
In my opinion, this is a worthy rendering of the French Revolution and the family that was at the center of rebellion and hate. This book should have a wide appeal. Obviously, for those of us who love historical fiction, but it will also appeal to readers of very well written general fiction and also for those who are history buffs as well. There are also parts of this book that are history lessons, rendered in excellent, compelling prose.</div>
</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-62863503767084701612013-07-28T15:02:00.000-07:002013-07-28T15:02:37.766-07:00"The Sisterhood" by Helen Bryan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstbx-JSsmndbl6RyETSjAYPrZBn0e7_vDRkBlh4SRYWVWMUXm8taYluKJXNxeAMnkShY1BtVbSkENxO5ua2wp0GeqYdpGMmVP7R6tVRZwFhizS9WySLJCwsq2lZDkJjvyZaPstPe9ceY/s1600/url.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjstbx-JSsmndbl6RyETSjAYPrZBn0e7_vDRkBlh4SRYWVWMUXm8taYluKJXNxeAMnkShY1BtVbSkENxO5ua2wp0GeqYdpGMmVP7R6tVRZwFhizS9WySLJCwsq2lZDkJjvyZaPstPe9ceY/s320/url.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>* * * * *</b></span></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">File Size: 681 KB</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Print Length: 420 pages</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1611099285</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Publisher: Amazon Publishing (April 30, 2013)</li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This book is one of those thoroughly unexpected treats that should not be ignored! It was suggested, and provided to me, by the publicist who thought it might be a book that I would enjoy. I have to admit to being skeptical. How could someone that I don't know at all possibly know what I might like or not? What a shock! She nailed me and my interests perfectly, and I am so happy that she did!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a book that deserves a lot more attention that it has, perhaps, received. The author, Helen Bryan, is a barrister, and she is the author of another best selling book, "The War Brides". Perhaps it is her background in the law that facilitates her ability to blend time and space flawlessly and logically. The prose is so well done, and the flow of the book is perfectly paced. It's engrossing! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a book that will stay with you. Once I finally opened it I could scarcely put it down. I looked forward to getting up in the morning to read a bit more, and then more at night. Yes, it really is that good.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I suppose one of the things that I really like about this book is that the story straddles two different times in history; the modern day and 16th century Spain during the throes of the Inquisition. Sometimes when authors write books like this, that span different time periods, there seems to be a slight catch or hitch as the book flows from from time period to time period. There is none of that little hesitance in this book, however. The chapters, and time periods, flow seamlessly from one to another and back again, and it all makes perfect sense as you read it too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The story begins with the modern day and South American orphan girl who is adopted from a South American Convent. The only memories of her birth family are a curious medal and an ancient chronical (written in both Latin and vernacular Spanish). These artifacts are given to the American Southern Baptist adoptive parent with the understanding that, upon her sixteenth birthday, the girl, Menina, would be presented with these mementos of her beginnings in life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">From the present you are sped to Spain in the 16th century. To a convent and to the lives of five orphans who were secreted to the sanctuary of a convent where all women and orphans were accepted regardless of past sins or religious upbringing. The names of these hapless orphan girls are Esperanza, who is 16 years old and whose parents are Muslims. Luz, a dwarf, who is also an heiress, but is not able to speak. Marisol, 14, incorrectly believed to be the misbegotten daughter of a Courtesan and the mad royal prince. Pia, a child of Scandinavian descent whose hair glows like the moon and whose beauty is difficult to ignore, but her mother is a courtesan. Last there is Sanchia, the daughter of Jews who barely escapes the burning that claimed the lives of her parents.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Eventually, as the Inquisition spreads, these children are sent on a journey to the new world in South America. They are sent away in order to protect them because the Inquisitor's are expected at the convent gates at any time, and the sisters do not want their various histories to be discovered lest the be taken by the Inquisitor's and tortured. They are sent with both the chronicle and the medal in the hopes that they will found a new convent dedicated to the healing arts and acceptance of all women no matter their religious beliefs or color. It is also hoped that they may find men to marry and will be able to carry on the mission of the convent.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Swallows, which are so plentiful in Spain, are the symbol that is used to mark both the old convent and the new; they also mark the cover of the chronicle and the medal. The journey takes so many unexpected turns. No one at the main convent knows what became of the orphans nor do the orphans know what happened when the Inquisition came knocking.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in the present time, after braking off her engagement to a local political maven's son, Menina ,</span><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span> decides to travels <span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to Spain; both to heal her broken heart as well as to do research for a thesis on the artist Tristan Mendoza. Menina now suspects that her ex-finacee wanted to marry her only for the Hispanic voters that she might bring to the political relationship. She wants to escape also from the forced, premarital rape that left her bereft of her future and split her exceedingly 'safe' life apart at the seams. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">After an unexpected, severe, storm leaves Menina stranded in a mountainous village just after her arrival in Spain, does her life begin to find renewed meaning, albeit not willingly at first. Due to the storm's effects the phones in the village are not functioning and preclude her trying to contact her parents or the tour director who she was supposed to meet up with in Madrid. The local</span><span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> police officer at first thinks that Menina is a prostitute that has come to the town to join in a yearly celebration. Menina is taken to the mountainous convent where she will find safety and a place to stay until needed repairs are made to the telephone system and allow Menina to leave the village.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point the story, along with Menina, blossom with kismet, and the telling of the tale is beautifully done! The separation between past and present becomes a thin veil as Menina uncovers some long lost paintings by the artist, Tristan Mendoza, who she is studying and whose only known works were thought to be found in the Prado Museum in Madrid.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">This is how these two diverse stories begin, but the telling is what is entrancing and is what will hold your attention from the first page to the last. I was sorry to have this book end, and I don't too often feel that way no matter how good a book may be.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the publication that was sent to me with the book was particularly interesting and contained some comments by the author about her work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the questions concerned what lasting impression she hoped that the book would leave readers with. Part of her reply included ".. the book is set in two periods of tension, hostility and mistrust between Jews, Christians and Muslims, four hundred years apart but with many parallels..." This is a really relevant comment, but you will simply have to read this gem of a book for yourself to understand what the parallels are! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Read this book! I cannot help but think that you will not regret it. The book should have wide appeal for historical history fans as well as for readers of wonderfully written general fiction.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-54481494855316402942013-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:002013-06-18T11:00:35.846-07:00"Seduction" by M.J. Rose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIC3hvbN90lvzkAJYIqZbGKXP2JPGE1VJxNUW8loePUxgDLrscO5Nvyz6NfDsyr973dMT9qiarOffkwpMa23i6eW8QyjCybp9AZquceeeAk1B97pyXbYd0If8b2ZgvfN2N_dGT7kfP5A/s1600/cover_seduction_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIC3hvbN90lvzkAJYIqZbGKXP2JPGE1VJxNUW8loePUxgDLrscO5Nvyz6NfDsyr973dMT9qiarOffkwpMa23i6eW8QyjCybp9AZquceeeAk1B97pyXbYd0If8b2ZgvfN2N_dGT7kfP5A/s400/cover_seduction_sm.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Hardcover: 384 pages</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">Publisher: Atria Books (May 7, 2013)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;">ISBN-13: 978-1451621501</li>
<li></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Historical fiction is “my thing”, and I have been a huge fan of <a href="http://www.mjrose.com/">M.J. Rose</a> since I first read her book “The Reincarnationist”. I am also a fan of books that deal with the paranormal, time travel, memory travel, ESP etc. No one does this particular genre better than M.J. Rose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was thrilled to read her latest book, Seduction”. It did not fail to delight me, and as usual when I read her books, I could not put it down. Last year when I read “ The Book of Lost Fragrances” I did not think that M.J. Rose’s writing could get any better, but she has proven that she has with this, her latest book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jac L’Etoile is the main character in this book. She is a mythologist, and she is skeptic who tries to stay grounded in the world of science and reality. Her character will utterly captivate you! Jac has ‘gifts’; she has visions that are often precipitated by scent, visions that speak of memories, and ESP . As a skeptic, Jac has struggled to live with her gifts and she tries to deny her talents, and does not want to acknowledge them. Her family was well know perfumers in times past and scent is the main sensory tool for Jac (more on that in “Fragrances”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might consider reading “The Book Of Lost Fragrances”. Reading ‘Fragrances’ might help you to ‘flesh out’ Jac’s character which in turn might make reading “Seduction” even more enjoyable for you. That being said these are truly stand-alone books as well and you will enjoy reading them in what ever sequence you choose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The plot of “Seduction” moves between the present (on Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands) and the 1840’s during the life of Victor Hugo. Hugo has moved from Paris to Jersey after the death of his beloved daughter, Leopoldine. She had drowned in the Seine River when she was 19. Unable to recover or find any consolation Hugo is introduced to the world of mediums and séances. He spends many years trying to contact Leopoldine through the use of séances, mediums and trances; with Hugo carefully transcribing his ‘conversations’ with the in a series of long lost journals. One of Hugo’s communicants is, perhaps, the most troubling, as well as the darkest. An evil entity who calls himself the “Shadow of The Sepulcher”. He fears he may have gone too far and eschews the mystic world for a time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jac, who in the present, is struggling to deal with some of her own personal demons is invited to Jersey by her one time love Theo Gaspard who asks for her assistance as he investigates Jersey’s long lost secrets of an ancient Celtic culture. Additionally, Theo’s grandfather believed that Hugo had been entangled with the dark spirit of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the Shadow of the Sepulcher (aka the devil?). Theo knows of some neolithic monuments and some hidden water side caves that he <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>believes are important to his research about the Celtic societies and his grandfather’s belief in the dark evil of the ‘the shadow” that, he feels, may have somehow cast a long tinge of shadow over the spirit of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>islands.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I think that it is difficult to blend two, nearly separate, stories, as well as expertly blend fact and fiction, and yet Ms. Rose manages it with great aplomb. There were just a few moments in the book when I felt that the stories were a bit too separate, but in mere sentences I felt the continuity once again. Rose has such a talent for superlative story telling! I love how historical facts are expertly interwoven with her fiction. You have to go and review the real history behind her work to understand how factual some of her work really is !<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I look forward to each of her books with great anticipation, and her writing seems to just keep on getting better! Her characters are well developed and captivating, her plots are well constructed and beautifully connected. Yes, I really AM a fan and I do believe that this book will appeal to readers who love great fiction in general, historical fiction, paranormal fiction, time travel, and romance.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<!--StartFragment--><!--EndFragment--><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-503877616910915955.post-48715528056421382832013-06-09T14:56:00.001-07:002013-06-09T14:56:52.602-07:00Cast On, Bind Off: 54 Step-by-Step Methods; By Leslie Ann Besto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaSEGwB8u3qx0VND2Z4wIbyJ2P8yIzilWdUPe1lisWVPFh9-WK1LZ5CVDP3nwPBuRvt7sQIaiJUY48fLtxwVIkqdV9hXN0dqbTyvegC3Ki4Csp8jwQvHNX9kdrMfu7T-CYEn7XeTVAQo/s1600/612GnyxJtqL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaSEGwB8u3qx0VND2Z4wIbyJ2P8yIzilWdUPe1lisWVPFh9-WK1LZ5CVDP3nwPBuRvt7sQIaiJUY48fLtxwVIkqdV9hXN0dqbTyvegC3Ki4Csp8jwQvHNX9kdrMfu7T-CYEn7XeTVAQo/s400/612GnyxJtqL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<ul style="background-color: white; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">* * * * *</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spiral-bound: 216 pages</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Spi edition (June 19, 2012)</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ISBN-13: 978-1603427241</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 7 inches</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t1" style="text-align: justify; width: 656.0px;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="td1" valign="middle">
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm sure that there other, possible larger, books out there that contain cast on and </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">bind off techniques, but I really like this one.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I find it to be well organized, well thought out and well illustrated. I have already </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">learned a lot about cast-on and bind-off methods - I've even learned some </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">new things about my "go to" methods that I had not known before.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Methods are organized into categories . For cast-ons: basic, stretchy, decorative, </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">circular, double sided, multi-color, provisional and tubular and mobius;</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for bind-offs: basic, stretchy, decorative and sewn.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like the size because it's easy to keep in my knitting basket and, as always,</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I really like the fact that it has a spiral binding so it lies nice and flat or folds </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">over easily.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For me, this is a very useful book and contains information and instructions </span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">that I used to have to go searching the web for. It's a definite keeper for me !</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you knit? Then you really might want to check this book out!</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I bet you too will want to keep it handy!</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Disclosure: I review books for authors and publishers for the sole purpose of an honest review. No other sort of renumeration was provided or anticipated.</div>mzjohansenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09099656264060749484noreply@blogger.com1