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#242 ~ Twilight of Avalon
Twilight of Avalon: A Novel of Trystan & Isolde
Published by: Simon and Schuster
Published on: May 2009
Page Count: 448
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: Review copy sent to me by the author
Availability: paperback and eBook
Giveaway: See the end of this review for more information
My Review
England is in upheaval. It is still trying to recover from the double cross that ended with King Arthur’s death. Constantine, Arthur’s heir, was just a boy when he became the High King and married to Isolde, the daughter of Arthur’s traitor. Isolde is distraught when Con dies in a war with the Saxons and Lord Marche has planted himself and his troops in such a way as to be named the next High King. Isolde has reason to be suspicious of her husband’s death and has barely a friend in the world because of her father and her supposed ties to witchcraft. She tries to keep sane by tending to the wounded and dying troops, but even they distrust her because of her past. She longs to save her country but, being a woman without the protection of a husband, faces more obstacles than she thinks she can withstand. Could the connection she makes with one of the Saxon prisoners be the key to saving her country and herself?
I liked the following aspects about this novel:
- You can tell by the writing that Anna Elliot is passionate about her characters and the subject matter.
- Trystan was such a great character. His sense of honor and justice felt right for that time period.
- The way that Isolde used caring for the wounded soldiers to take her mind off of her troubles and the troubles of England. I also admired the way that she bore the combined burdens left to her by her father and her husband.
- Brother Columba was hands down my favorite character. I loved the simplicity that grew out of what was most likely a very tough and violent past.
- Lord Marche was an interesting villain. It’s interesting how men will be suspicious of a woman manipulating them in whatever means available to her, but readily take the snackiest of men at face value.
- The cover is lovely, isn’t it? It certainly sets the mood for the novel very well.
The following were issues for me:
- Isolde was always getting the cold shivers. I understood why, but it got old after a while.
- Although she apparently did, I never really understood why or found it believable that Isolde loved Con. Perhaps she loved what he meant to England, but I never got a sense of her love for him as a man.
- The time period. I can’t help it. This story had all the elements that would normally interest me. I am not sure what it is about this time and place. This is by far my biggest complaint, but I really can’t fault the book for the time period in which it takes place. It is what it is.
My Final Thoughts
Arthurian England just is not very interesting to me. I kind of hit the same wall while reading Helen Hollick’s The Kingmaking. This is a personal preference, though. I never thought to set the book aside and not finish it. As you will see in my Other Voices section, I am well in the minority here. Readers loved this novel.
+++++++
This review is my first for Caribousmom’s Random Reading Challenge! I found it to be a lot of fun to leave my next read up to the Random Number Generator on Random.org. I book down, 5 to go by August. I wonder what the ol’ Random Number Generator will scare up for me next.
Giveaway
Twilight of Avalon is the first novel in Anna Elliot’s trilogy about Isolde and Trystan. I would love to send my gently read copy of this novel to someone who loves this story or Arthurian England. It just might be perfect timing, because Dark Moon of Avalon, the second book in this trilogy, is being published in May. To enter this giveaway, tell me what your favorite novel is from this time period. Leave your comment here by 11:59 PM EST. I’ll announce the winner later that week. Good luck!
Other Voices
Trish’s Reading Nook
S. Krishna’s Books
things mean a lot
Devourer of Books
Book Nut
Medieval Bookworm
Charlotte’s Library
#241 ~ The French Mistress
The French Mistress: A Novel of the Duchess of Portsmouth and King Charles II
Published by: Penguin Group
Published on: July 2009
Page Count: 400
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: eBook read on my Kindle
Availability: paperback, eBook,
My Review Louise’s father was of noble birth, but his political affiliations caused him to lose favor with the French crown, diminishing the family finances and the opportunities available to his children. Scraping together the funds to create a modest wardrobe for her, they sent Louise to King Louis XIV’s court in hopes of her finding a husband that would advance her and provide opportunities for her family as well. Raised as a proper Catholic girl, she was a naive addition to the household of Henrietta, Duchess D’Orlean. Fortunately Louise finds the favor of her Madame, sister to King Charles II of England and sister-in-law to Louis XIV. This early placement in the French court links her to her destiny.
- This novel was the February selection of my Historical Fiction Lovers book club. I was excited to get an eBook copy of it because I’ve wanted to read Susan Holloway Scott for almost as long as I’ve started reading historical fiction.
- I enjoyed the juxtaposition between the monarchs and their respective courts.
- For more than half of the book, Louise holds on tightly to her virginity. Knowing that she is to become Charles II’s mistress from the very beginning, there was no question as to whether she would remain a virgin throughout the book. I think I was more impatient for her to give it up than the king was. This goes hand in hand with my other chief complaint – the novel’s focus.
- I would have preferred a novel about the Duchess D’Orlean or a novel about Louise and Charles II. This was a novel about Louise and Henrietta and then Louise and Charles. That is what made this novel seem long and why what would be the most interesting parts of Louise and Charles’ relationship were rushed through. Had this been a novel about Henrietta and Louise was a minor character, it would have been fantastic. Had this novel been about Charles and Louise’s relationship alone, it would have also been a great read. Instead, we got a play by play of Louise’s life with Henrietta and her last days as a virgin, but the political and emotional upheaval at the end of Charles’ life were told in retrospect. Even Louise’s family’s reaction to her move to England was spoken of as an afterthought. Those are the things that I would have cared to read about in more depth.
My Final Thoughts
Although The French Mistress was a missed opportunity for me from a historical standpoint, I enjoyed Scott’s writing overall. I would try another one of her novels. Have you enjoyed one of Scott’s novels? If so, which would you recommend?
Other Voices
#240 ~ Raven Stole the Moon
Raven Stole the Moon
Published by: HarperCollins
Published on: March 9, 2010 ~ reprint
Page Count: 440
Genre: General Fiction
Format: Review copy sent by Sarah at Terra Communications
Availability: paperback and eBook
If you are interested in reading this novel, please check back later this week. Thanks to Sarah at Terra Communications, I will have a copy to giveaway. Stay tuned for more details. Update: I’ve posted the giveaway, which will be open until 11:59PM EST on 3.18.10.
My Review
Jenna lost her son, Bobby, in a tragic drowning while on a business-related vacation with her family at a soon-to-be-opened wilderness lodge. Two years later at home with her husband Robert in Seattle, Jenna has yet to recover. She’s seen numerous psychiatrists, but has yet to come to terms with Bobby’s death and the changes their loss made to their marriage. After a fight at yet another business related event, Jenna takes off in Robert’s car. At first she just wants to get home. In the end, she just keeps driving, running away from Robert by default. Eventually, she ends up headed on the ferry to Alaska, the home of her Tlingit grandmother and the place where Bobby died. Can returning to the source of so much pain in her life help her move forward, or will it send her further into depression and despair?
The first half of this novel had all the makings of a great episode of “The X Files.” After Jenna lands in Alaska after leaving Robert, she has the most creepy experiences. Because she doesn’t completely trust her sanity, she’s not sure if she believes what she sees. What she may have experienced is creepy and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the potential of kushtaka, the otter people gifted with the ability to shift their shape and “convert” souls. When Jenna wonders if the kushtaka are real and if they may have some connection to the death of her son, I could just imagine Mulder and Scully investigating and having a field day with all the possibilities. During that first half, I was in heaven. I felt that I could relate to Jenna and I wanted her to find her way to where ever it was that she needed to go.
The second half of the novel didn’t work as well for me. I grew impatient with Jenna and her attitude about anyone other than herself. The story became much less suspenseful because it featured Robert and his attempts to find Jenna more prominently. This weighted the novel down and was distracting. I wanted the novel to be about Jenna and her discoveries. I wasn’t so much concerned about Robert. It’s not that he didn’t matter, but I wish there could have been more a more concise way to bring him back into the story without the play by play. Robert also put enough normalcy and reality back into the story that when the kushtaka arc built back up, I missed it. I was no longer prepared for it. Had I recognized it immediately, the end of this novel really would have packed a punch.
My Final Thoughts
I didn’t like this novel as much as The Art of Racing in the Rain. However, Raven Stole the Moon was more challenging and in some ways more interesting. I enjoyed the Alaskan setting, history, and spirituality that were infused throughout. I liked that Jenna and Robert were a mess and were prone to making rotten decisions when under stress. It made them human. The highlight for me was the section where Jenna relives her last moments with Bobby. They were incredibly heartbreaking and powerful. Had Stein maintained the same pacing and level of suspense consistently throughout, this novel would have been absolutely incredible.
Please Benefit from My Experience…
One would think that a person who loves books as much as I do would pay attention to the copyright information. One would be wrong. I dive right to the story and don’t look back. I also apparently assume that a novel published today takes place in modern time unless explicitly told otherwise in the context of the story.Yeah, well that bit me in the back-end while reading Raven Stole the Moon. From the very beginning I had a lot of niggling questions about why Jenna and her lack of a cell phone and why Robert didn’t just go online and check his bank and credit card accounts when Jenna was being so illusive. Eventually, there were some Seattle musical references that finally clued me in to where I was in time. However, had I bothered to read the copyright information I would have clearly seen that this edition is a reprint, not the original publication. Stein published this novel originally in 1998. Copyright information is your friend, people. LOL!
#239 ~ Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel
Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel
Published by: Simon & Schuster
Published on: October 2009
Page Count: 288
Genre: Historical Fiction / Imagined Memoir
Format: Hardcover purchased from Powell’s
Availability: Hardcover, audio book, and eBook
My Review
Lily Casey is a firecracker of a girl. She is brave enough to keep her younger siblings safe during a flash flood, to face up to her parents’ weaknesses, and to take off on her horse by herself at the age of 15 for a multi-state journey to Arizona in order to begin a teaching career. As a woman, she knows what she wants and she knows what is right. She won’t back away from either. She is flexible and won’t let life and it’s messy circumstances paralyze her. Most of all, Lily Casey has a way with half broke horses.
I read The Glass Castle in 2007. I absolutely loved it. It’s the kind of memoir I find the most fulfilling to read. The author experienced a difficult childhood. Instead of being cynical and perpetually bruised, she finds her inner strength, takes responsibility for herself, and makes a great life for herself. So, when I heard that Jeannette Walls wrote a novel, I knew I had to read it. I wasn’t sure what to think about the “true life novel” aspect, but I didn’t let that stop me. It did make me stumble a bit over defining its genre. It is historical fiction as it takes place in the early 20th century. That part was easy. What was difficult is that I couldn’t really just leave it at historical fiction. Half Broke Horses was written in the first person from the perspective of an actual woman, making it feel like a memoir. Walls calls it a “true life novel.” I settled with Historical Fiction / Imagined Memoir.
As with The Glass Castle, I loved Walls’ writing and her ability to bring the past to life. Although she only knew her grandmother as a young child, the voice she gave to Lily Casey was authentic and powerful. What touched me the most was the sense of place. I felt I grew to know the farmland of Texas and Arizona where Lily lived. I see how it shaped her. This novel is just as much a love letter to Walls’ grandmother as it is to horses, farming, and the American West. It was interesting to read this along side of Mudbound. In Half Broke Horses, the love of the land was natural and life affirming whereas in Mudbound, it was destructive force. Half Broke Horses made me long for a good deep, clean breath taken in wide open spaces while Mudbound made me feel dirty. While I loved both Lily Casey and Laura McAllen as characters, I respected Lily more for the way that she took action when times got tough. I very much admired her moxie and spirit.
I loved Half Broke Horses. As, with any life, there wasn’t consistent action over the course of the novel, it worked better for me as a pre-cursor to The Glass Castle than it did as a straight out novel. Knowing that Lily Casey was the author’s maternal grandmother before I began, I read this book from the beginning more as a family history than a novel anyway. Anyone who has read and loved The Glass Castle would enjoy this. If you haven’t read The Glass Castle and have wanted to, you could read them in either order. I don’t think you could go wrong either way. If you like to read about strong women who make the most out of their lives, you will love Lily Casey as much as I did.
Other Voices
Age 30+ … A Lifetime of Books
A Novel Menagerie
Bibliophile by the Sea
Bookworm’s Dinner
Scobberlotch
#238 ~ The Wives of Henry Oades ~ Review & Giveaway
The Wives of Henry Oades
Published by: Ballantine Books
Published on: February 2010
Page Count: 384
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: ARC snagged through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewer program
Availability: paperback and eBook
Today it is my great pleasure to be Johanna Moran’s host on her TLC Book Tour for her novel, The Wives of Henry Oades. I would like to thank LibraryThing and her publisher for sending me a review copy. I would also like to thank Random House for a copy to giveaway on this blog! Please see the end of my review for a list of the blogs who are on this tour with me.
I have a lot of fun working as a tour host for TLC Book Tours. They always have great books and authors on tour. Check out their website for more information on this tour and the others that they are hosting.
My Review
During the late 19th century, Henry Oades was looking to get ahead in his career and make an even better life for his family when he agreed to take a position that required he move his family from England to a much less civilized New Zealand. His wife Meg didn’t really want to leave her family, but supported her husband because it would only be for a few years. What neither of them anticipated was the hostility between white settlers and the native Maori increasing after their arrival. One evening, in revenge of a Maori beating, Henry’s family is kidnapped while he is away at work. From there begins a heart wrenching nightmare almost beyond comprehension. After holding out hope longer than most people felt sane, Henry eventually leaves New Zealand for America. In San Fransisco, he discovers a love for farming and eventually falls in love with a young widow. Shorty after Henry and Nancy marry, Meg brings her family out of captivity. When Henry and his first family reunite, a struggle of a much different kind begins.
When I saw information about The Wives of Henry Oades while reviewing the list of Early Reviewer books last year, I knew it was one that I’d have to read. I could not imagine what it would be like to be in Henry Oades’ shoes. He believed he had lost his entire family and it was only reluctantly that he set off to start his life over again. Just when he found purpose and contentment, he learns that his original family was alive and well. What would you do? Worse yet, what would or could a woman in the late 19th century do if she was given up for dead and her husband remarried? What would or could a young widow with a small baby do when her new husband’s dead wife shows up on her doorstep. I was so thrilled to learn that I had snagged it because I was going to be able to find out.
This book was a perfect match for me. I love that it was told mainly through the voices of Meg and Nancy, Henry’s two wives. I was intrigued from the very first when Meg and Henry set off to New Zealand and I didn’t want to put the book down until it was finished. Some parts were difficult to read, especially the scenes of the kidnapping and the direct aftermath, but I could not stop reading. I also found it interesting how Berkeley society, now seen as such a liberal, accepting place, could not see the difference between purposeful bigamy and an accident of fate that fell upon both halves of Henry’s family. The community was too busy titillating themselves with what might be happening behind the Oades’ doors to take take stock of what really did.
The Wives of Henry Oades was inspired by a legal extract about the Oades case that Moran’s father brought home to her mother. What an interesting launching pad of a novel. I enjoyed it all the way through. I do have one lingering question about a decision Henry makes along the way, but mentioning that here would give too much of the story away. My question aside, there would be an evening’s worth of topics to discuss after reading this novel. It would also be interesting to read this novel and The 19th Wife back to back and discuss the impact of bigamy on the women involved during the 19th century. I highly recommend this novel. There are so many ways to look at this novel and the events it brings to life. I would love to hear what you think.
*****
Giveaway
I am excited to offer one lucky reader an opportunity to win a copy of this novel from the publisher. To enter, leave a comment to this post with your thoughts about how bigamy impacts the women involved. There is so much to say about it. As much as I could never see myself coping well with that kind of living arrangement, I wonder how much cleaner my house would be if I had a sister wife around here…
This giveaway will be open for entries until Thursday, March 18 at 11:59 EST. I will use the wonderful Randomizer to select the winner and will make the announcement soon thereafter.
++++
Check out Johanna Moran’s other TLC Book Tours Tour Stops:
Monday, February 15th: Luxury Reading
Wednesday, February 17th: Book Club Classics!
Thursday, February 18th: My Friend Amy
Friday, February 19th: Beth Fish Reads author guest post
Monday, February 22nd: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Tuesday, February 23rd: The 3 R’s Blog
Thursday, February 25th: It’s All About Books
Friday, February 26th: Thoughts of an Evil Overlord
Monday, March 1st: Rundpinne
Tuesday, March 2nd: Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, March 3rd: A High and Hidden Place
Friday, March 5th: Stephanie’s Confessions of a Book-aholic
Monday, March 8th: Bibliofreak
Tuesday, March 9th: A Lifetime of Books
Wednesday, March 10th: Starting Fresh
Thursday, March 11th: Savvy Verse and Wit
Monday, March 15th: The Calico Critic
#237 ~ Mudbound
Mudbound
Published by: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Published on: March, 2009
Page Count: 340
Genre: Historical Fiction
For Consideration: Violence and racist language
Format: audio book purchased through Audible.com
Availability: hardcover, paperback, audio book, and eBook
My Thoughts
Mudbound is the story of a woman who falls in love with a man whose one true love is the land. Laura gives up all hope of marriage until Henry McAllen comes along. This was a relief to her because, just after World War II, spinsters were still seen as a hardship on their families. While Henry is a nice gentleman, he’s not what anyone might call passionate. He’s especially not passionate like his brother Jamie is. Still, Laura finds contentment in her married life to Henry, living not too far from her family in her hometown. She soon becomes a mother of two daughters. Her world is turned upside down, however, when Henry moves the family along with his father from the city to an isolated farm in rural Mississippi. A farm Laura and her girls call Mudbound.
- Meghan at Medieval Bookworm recently wrote the best review I’ve read of this novel. I agree with everything she says about it and I’m not even going to try to match it.
- I read this book on audio. The narrators were all really good, although the narrators for Laura and Ronsil were by far the best.
- I spent most of my time with this novel angry. I was angry at the injustice that 1) a man could drag his wife to hell and back if he wanted to because he was her husband and 2) that a simple difference in pigmentation meant the difference between coming and going as you pleased and being forced to exit a store by the back door.
- Although he wasn’t an outwardly or maybe even purposefully evil man, I truly hated Henry McAllen. He took advantage of every situation – a young woman nearly a spinster, the tenant farmers on the land he bought, the racial climate of his age. He may have thought he was a good man, but he made his happiness king and punished those who didn’t bow to his will. I cannot recall ever wanting to shoot a character in a book before Mudbound.
The amount of emotion this novel stirred up in me says more about Hillary Jordan’s writing than anything else I can say. This is not an easy read, but it is quite worthwhile.
Other Voices
In addition to Meghan, you can check out reviews of Mudbound by the following bloggers:
The Boston Bibliophile
Lesley’s Book Nook
The Sleepy Reader
Fyrefly’s Book Blog
A Bookworm’s World
Dolce Bellezza
An Adventure in Reading
Farm Lane Books Blog
#236 ~ O, Juliet
Published by: NAL Trade
Published on: Feburary 2, 2010
Page Count: 338
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: ARC sent to me by the publisher
Availability: paperback and eBook
Giveaway: see below for details
My Review
O, Juliet is the first novelization of Shakespeare’s famous play. Although Robin Maxwell maintained the key plot points, she did modify the location, opting for Florence over Verona. The main characters are much the same, however their last names and circumstances are shaped by the history and feel of Florence. Therefore, the Medici family plays a large roll in the relationship (or lack of) between Romeo and Juliet’s families. In addition to the Medicis, Dante is also front and center. The love of his poetry is what brings the two young lovers together.
What I enjoyed most about this novel is the romance between Romeo and Juliet. Their stolen moment outside of the Medici palace painted such a wonderful picture of young love. It reminded me of how my husband and I bonded over R.E.M. We could talk about music for hours. Having an obvious impediment also seems to draw young couples together. It makes for a quicker, tighter bond, regardless of how wise the relationship might be in the long run. When you don’t think that you can have something or someone makes you want it all the more. You can see very easily how these two characters could get so involved so quickly.
I had some difficulty with the change in Romeo and Juliet’s last names. They were changed, I presume, due to the different settings to make them authentic to the time and place. For whatever reason, I never grew comfortable enough with Monticecco and Capelletti to stop looking for Montague and Capulet. This didn’t prevent me from enjoying the romance, but it did take me out of the story from time to time. Besides, I liked Maxwell’s selection of Florence over Verona over all, too. Florence is such a fascinating location and the Medici involvement added so much to the family rivalry.
If you are in the mood for romance, I strongly suggest picking up and reading O, Juliet. I loved the way Maxwell retold such a familiar story, adding details and fleshing out scenes. Although I knew the ending to this story before I ever opened, I held out hope in the end. With this love story, I always do. Now, when I think of Romeo and Juliet, I will think of two things: how the young lovers got to know each other in the Monticecco vineyard in this novel and visions of Mr. Sommers, my freshman English teacher, acting out the play his classroom with his wispy white comb-over bobbing up and down on top of his head.
Robin Maxwell’s Site and a Giveaway!
If you are interested in reading this novel or entering the author’s poetry contest, you should really check out Robin Maxwell’s website. Or, you can also enter my contest! I want to thank Robin Maxwell and NAL for providing me with a copy of this novel to giveaway to one of my lucky readers. Between today and March 4th, leave a comment here telling me about your best Romeo and Juliet memory – your first read, first theater experience, etc… I will use the great Randomizer to select the winner.
Other Voices
Devourer of Books
Booking Mama
S. Krishna’s Books
In Bed with Books
So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Tanzanite’s Shelf and Stuff
#235 ~ The Kitchen House
The Kitchen House
Published by: Touchstone
Published on: Feburary 2, 2010
Page Count: 384
Genre: Historical Fiction
Format: paperback review copy from the publisher
Availability: paperback and eBook
My Review
Imagine fleeing with your family from your home country as a 7 year-old child only to land in a strange new country as an orphan soon to be separated from your only living brother when he is sold on the block as an indentured servant. Lavinia herself was brought into the household of Captain James Pyke as little more than a slave. The only two things that separated her Lavinia from many thousands of Africans brought to the United States as slaves is that she is white and would be given her freedom at the age of 18. This meant nothing for the scared little girl with nothing left in the world. She soon clings to Mama Mae, who shows her unconditional love, even though she lives with Belle, the mulatto daughter of Captain Pyke, in the kitchen house. Over time, Lavinia and Belle’s relationship grows and solidifies. While she was young, she found comfort in her slave family, but it was only inevitable that what made Lavinia different would tear her away from Mama Mae and Belle.
Lavinia’s plight from the very beginning of this novel had me hooked. From the moment I started reading, I didn’t want to put it down. I was always wondering what was going to happen next. There is so much happening on the plantation around her. Captain Pyke is often away from the plantation, at work on his ship. Even though Captain Pyke is a decent slave owner, those he puts in charge of his plantation and family while he’s gone make life hard for all. Mrs. Pyke, a woman who grew up in Willliamsburg, has never become accustomed to life separated from her husband while alone on the plantation. She turned to opium long before Lavinia arrived. In a way, the Pyke children are nearly as motherless as Lavinia. Marshall Pyke is especially affected by his father’s physical and his mother’s emotional distance. Mama Mae is the heart of all that is good on the plantation, but even she can’t keep the inevitable away.
Kathleen Grissom divides the narration of The Kitchen House between Lavinia and Belle. This is an important part of the story because each woman has her own perspective on the events unfolding. Although Lavinia was truly loved by her adopted slave family, she was equally sheltered. The truths kept from her may have protected her while she was young, but brought harm to her and the plantation as she grew older. Belle is more experienced and knowledgeable about what is taking place, but even she is blinded by her place. It is the combination of voices that make this story as compelling as it is.
Just when I thought that there were new stories to tell about plantation life in Antebellum South, Kathleen Grissom has given us something unique with her first novel. She gives her readers a look at that life through the eyes of an indentured servant. I couldn’t help putting myself in Lavinia’s place, feeling her deep need for finding a home and understanding her inability to see and accept that one race of people is lesser than another. The Kitchen House brought me out of a reading slump as if it never existed and reignited my interest in American historical fiction. There is so much that has happened just outside my own back door.
My Final Thoughts
The Kitchen House would make a terrific book club selection. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
About the Author
Kathleen Grissom was born in Saskatchewan, Canada and has loved to read her entire life. She was inspired to write The Kitchen House while researching the history of the plantation house she restored with her husband in Virginia. She is currently at work on her second novel.
I have the good fortune to be attending Kathleen’s Lynchburg stop on her book tour on 2.13.10. I will report back on my experience and hope to have a signed copy of The Kitchen House to giveaway with that post.
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#234 ~ A Reliable Wife
A Reliable Wife
Published by: Algonquin Books
Published on: March 2009
Page Count: 291
Genre: Historical Fiction / Gothic Fiction
For Consideration: graphic sexuality
Format: paperback review copy from the publisher
Availability: hardcover, paperback, eBook, audio
My Review
Ralph Truitt, a man who is the virtual king of his small Wisconsin town, put an ad in the the paper looking for a “reliable wife.” Although he has all of the wealth and power he could ever need, he can’t get away from his past. He spent many years celibate and sober in hopes of making right the mistakes he made with the wife of his youth and their children. Ralph, now at a distinguished age, wants to try a different tactic. For that, he needs an honest, simple wife. Catherine Land answers Ralph’s ad for her own reasons. She uses deceit to get what she wants, believing that the transition from living in 1904’s Chicago to Ralph’s rural community worth the sacrifice to satisfy her needs and fulfill her fantasies. Despite the best laid plans, things do not go as planned for Ralph or Catherine. They both find that when you use someone to reach your own ends, things get messy.
A Reliable Wife is a book that requires discussion. There are so many themes and topics ripe for conversation and debate.Thankfully I have been able to participate in a thoughtful Twitter book club as well talk about it in more depth with a friend. I think I could be happy spending hours talking about the interplay between Ralph, Catherine, and Tony, the distinction between nature and nurture, and the role of weather, gardens, and dark sexuality. As much as I want to dig down deep into every little crevice, the story is enjoyable and accessible at the surface level.
I couldn’t have been more than two chapters into A Reliable Wife when I wondered where it had been all my life. I was drawn into the characters immediately and my interest never let up for a moment. The writing was beautiful throughout and I consider its conclusion to be among the best I’ve read. I relished every bit of this novel, finishing it with a sense of satisfaction that can only come from the knowledge that I will read it again many times over.
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#233 ~ Tainted ~ Blog Tour and Giveaway
Tainted by Brooke Morgan
Published by: Avon A
Published on: December 2009
Page Count: 429
Genre: Women’s Fiction / Suspense
Format: paperback review copy from publisher
Availability: paperback and eBook
Giveaway: open until February 15, 2010; see the end of the post for more information
Today it is my great pleasure to be Brooke Morgan’s host on her TLC Book Tour for her novel, Tainted. I would like to thank her publisher for sending me a review copy. Please see the end of my review for a list of the blogs who are on this tour with me.
I have a lot of fun working as a tour host for TLC Book Tours. They always have great books and authors on tour. Check out their website for more information on this tour and the others that they are hosting.
My Review
Holly is a terribly shy 23-year-old single mother who has never had a boyfriend. Her beautiful daughter Katy was conceived with Billy, her best friend’s ex-boyfriend, during a one-night stand on the beach near her parents’ summer home in Shoreham, NY. A couple of years after Katy was born, Holly’s parents died. Holly retreated from Boston and moved to the summer home permanently. Her grandfather Henry lives next door and takes care of his girls. Holly is lonely for romantic companionship and Henry worries about how isolated she is. That changes suddenly when a handsome, English stranger sits next to her on a bus trip from Boston. When Jack asks her out on her first ever date, Holly is swept off her feet. She gives into the warmth of being loved and cherished, overlooking the fact that she knows nothing about him. At what cost does she give her heart away to a stranger?
Here are my thoughts about Tainted:
- Tainted is a cautionary tale about moving too quickly into a relationship. Holly is the prime target for a controlling man: she’s shy, she lacks self-confidence, and she’s lonely. It is such a relief to her to have found love that she puts up with behavior other women might not. Men who would take advantage of this seem to pick up on that so quickly. In that respect, I found Jack and Holly’s relationship very realistic. It made me think of how important it is to instill a healthy self-esteem in our daughters.
- When I thought of Holly, these lyrics from U2’s “So Cruel” kept coming to mind:
Desperation is a tender trap
It gets you every time
- Katy and Henry were the characters that made this novel for me. I loved their relationship. I can see a lot of my father-in-law in Henry as a person and as a grandfather. I also wish that my father lived close enough to be that close to my daughters. Grandparents and grandchildren are such treasures to each other.
- Up until last night if you had asked me how suspenseful I thought this novel was, I would have said somewhat. There was enough suspense to keep me reading, but nothing that would keep me up at night. Subconsciously, it really did get to me:
- First, I was reading the book and about 2/3 of the way through around 11:30 the other night. Allison woke up with a growing pain in her leg and knocked on her bedroom wall to get our attention. The girls do this all the time, but I was so startled that the book flew out of my hand and landed on the other side of the couch.
- Second, I had a dream last night about going along with two friends on their honeymoon to make sure that everything went okay. Bizarre!
- There were a couple of things that didn’t work well for me in this novel:
- My biggest issue was with internal dialog. Every time a character talked to his or herself, it was printed in italics. There was a great deal of internal dialog in this book and I found it very distracting. As the story picked up, I was able to get past it. Still I couldn’t help noticing it even on the last page.
- I had some difficulty with the way that characters seemed to overreact to things. It was as if everyone was unnaturally on edge from the very beginning of the novel. The example that comes to mind is when Billy, concerned with how little anyone knows about Jack, calls his friend, Jack’s boss to find out more about him. While Billy was invading Jack’s privacy and putting his friend into a tough spot, it was overkill to have this friend tell Billy that he was acting “creepy.” In some ways, this took away from those things that truly were concerning.
- It took me a while to get into this book. About a quarter of the way through, the story picked up substantially. I wanted to know what made Jack tick. I wanted to see how long it would take Holly to open her eyes. I was truly concerned for Katy and needed to know what happened. It was a quick read and I am glad I finished it.
My Final Thoughts
Despite a few quirks, I enjoyed reading Tainted. As this is her first novel, I think that Brooke Morgan has a lot of potential.
Brooke’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS
Monday, January 18th: I’m Booking It
Wednesday, January 20th: All About {n}
Friday, January 22nd: Savvy Verse & Wit
Tuesday, January 26th: Café of Dreams
Thursday, January 28th: Clever Girl Goes Blog
Monday, February 1st: Dolce Bellezza
Thursday, February 11th: Life in the Thumb
Thursday, February 18th: Bookworm With a View
Tuesday, February 23rd: Cozy Little House
Wednesday, February 24th: In the Shadow of Mt. TBR
Giveaway
Thanks to Kendra at HarperCollins, I have a copy of Tainted to give away to one lucky winner in the United States. To enter, tell me who you think is the most evil fictional boyfriend ever.
I leave you with “So Cruel” by U2:
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Book Blogger Con
Have you heard about the 1st Annual Book Blogger Convention that will be held in NYC during the BEA? You should check it out. I know it will be a fantastic experience. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend due to family obligations, but I'll be trolling blogs for up to the minute news.
WE Magazine’s A Woman Blogger to Watch
Literate Challenges
What's in a Name? 3
Random Reading Challenge
