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Thursday, March 3, 2011

Book Review and ARC Giveaway: My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas

This book contains wonderful descriptions, characters and an interesting plot.
My Love, My Enemy by Jan Cox Speas
  • Paperback: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1402255772
  • ISBN-13: 978-1402255779
     Genre: Historical Fiction
     My Rating: 3.5 but please note my comments in the review.
Product Description

Casablanca Classics presents this runaway bestseller, a swashbuckling historical romance by a beloved author

A passion for adventure...

Beautiful, naïve, and impulsive, Page Bradley inadvertently rescues English spy Lord Hazard in Baltimore during the tumultuous War of 1812. Now she must put herself at the mercy of her country's enemy.

An aptitude for deception...

Lord Hazard is no stranger to the atrocities of war, but he never imagined the beauty that could come of it until he meets the fiery and irresistible Page. Now he finds himself questioning every loyalty he's ever felt for King and Country.

Amidst the turmoil of war and the peril of the high seas, these two sworn enemies are destined to discover that denying love may be worse than treason.
Review: As I prepare this review I must acknowledge that the elements to this story are wonderful.

In the summer of 1813, during the War of 1812, 18 year old irrepressible Page sneaks out from her family home on the Chesapeake for a stolen day in town. As she is returning to meet the Captain of the sloop she stowed on, she rescues an Englishman from an angry mob. Lord Hazard and his gentleman’s gentleman, join MacDougall and Page to head back to Bradley House where the gentlemen will pick up their horses and be on their way.
 
But fate has other plans. The sloop is cornered by British ships. Lord Hazard is able to take responsibility for Page, although he may not be able to stop the British Captain from impressing MacDougall into service. Lord Hazard assures Page that, even though she is surrounded by enemies, he will get her home safely.  Later they are overtaken by a Union ship. This is just the start of Page’s misadventures which are to include several more boat transfers, storms at sea, and  travels from Bermuda to France to London.

Lord Hazard is always quietly, but surely, in control and asserting his interest over Page although he doesn’t express his feelings for her until late in the story. Can Page set aside her loyalty to her family and country to accept that she loves an enemy spy?  The characters are developed with a nice subtlety that allows you to see depths from their reactions and words. It is interesting to think how the lines of country loyalties are challenged by personal friendships and relationships.

I believe the normal quote is “The whole is greater than the sum of the parts".  But that didn’t work for me with this book. Although I enjoyed the descriptions, the characters and the plot line, the story seemed very slow to me.  It seemed driven by descriptions rather than action and I really didn't feel pulled into the story until the last 50 pages. Where I might rate the individual parts as 4.0s, the overall effect was less to me.

I want to share just one scene as the descriptions of scenery and ship life and  swashbuckling are wonderful. The author places you in the setting and it seemed the author had first hand experience with all things related to ship travel.
The Caprice, like all Baltimore schooners, was a wet ship, her deck awash with green fingers of water that swirled about Page’s feet; but she ran before the storm like a gull, heeling gracefully to the gusty squalls that marched across the sea in the wake of white flaring lightning and rolling thunder, surging through the water with all the joyful abandon of a porpoise.  From the crew, batting to take in more sail, came a tattered shred of laughter blown on the wind, and Daniel Mason’s face as he walked toward Page was exhilarated rather than apprehensive.  p 127.
The romance is lovely and sweet. I do recommend it. Just be prepared for a lot of descriptive detail even though the story travels with storms and sea battles.
xxx
Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.
TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

1. Tell me if you have had this experience with a book where you liked the elements but it was a slow or difficult read which you didn't expect it to be.
Please leave your e-mail!

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

(Four total entries possible.)
It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

* This contest is open to US and Canada only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011. The winner will be randomly selected from all entries

    Wednesday, March 2, 2011

    Guest Post: Digging for Gold. Choosing the People I Want to Write About by Elizabeth Chadwick

    Please welcome Elizabeth Chadwick to Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf as a Guest Blogger today. 

    Many thanks to Martha for inviting me onto her blog to talk about how I choose my characters.

    Digging for Gold. Choosing the people I want to write about.

    I was eleven years old and on the family summer holiday at an English Coastal resort called Hunstanton in the county of Norfolk.  It stands on a shore line known as The Wash, notorious in legend for being the treacherous stretch of sands, mud and quicksands where King John lost his treasure when his baggage train was caught out by the tide while taking a short cut.  My father, with a twinkle in his eye said: ‘You know, if you dig in the right place, you might come across King’s John’s lost treasure.’

    That was it.  I spent every spare minute at the beach, digging holes all over the place, searching for the missing gold – without much luck it has to be said.  The land has been reclaimed from the sea in this area, and what was the original tidal crossing for King John’s baggage train, is now somewhere several miles inland.  Nevertheless, I did find treasure of sorts in a couple of ways, because that incident led to two novels and a slight change in my career path.

    Down the years, I often thought about that holiday in Hunstanton, and wondered what had happened to the treasure.  What if some of it was washed up the next day, or rescued at the time?  We know that one of the items lost around the time was a crown that King John’s grandmother, the Empress Matilda had brought from Germany.  I began asking myself what would have happened if someone had found the crown.  What would they have done with it?   It’s not the sort of item you can easily sell, display round the house or wear. You could melt it down, but at that time, you would have to be a person of rank to have access to gold and jewels and you would immediately arouse suspicion.  It would be difficult for other than the king or an aristocrat, to do anything with such an item.  I was fascinated by the idea of an ordinary person coming into possession of the crown and sundry other bits of the treasure and decided to explore the ramifications in a novel.  The book became The Marsh King’s Daughter.  The hero and heroine were imaginary, but the historical background was real and most of the historical incidents.  While writing, I needed to find out about a person called Eustace the Monk who had really lived and in his day was a mercenary pirate and the scourge of the English Channel.  I discovered what I was looking for in a book titled Two Medieval Outlaws: Eustace the Monk and Fouke FitzWaryn by Glyn Burgess.  It was a translation of two medieval chronicles/tales about these men who had turned outlaw.  Being as I had the book anyway, I read Fouke’s story too and realised that here was a tale bursting to be told.  Fouke, or Fulke FitzWaryn, was a Shropshire baron who rebelled against King John, and with his small band of men, ran rings around the king for several years until John finally made peace with him, buying him off with privileges and a great heiress to wife.   Some scholars say that this is where the Robin Hood tales originate.  Up until this point I had never written about real protagonists, but I was keen to write Fulke’s story and taking a chance, dipped my toe in the water.  The result was a novel titled Lords of the White Castle, which wound up being shortlisted for The Best Romantic Novel of the Year Award in the UK.  Another author on that shortlist was Philippa Gregory with The Other Boleyn Girl.  The readers seemed to like my new direction; I certainly did.  Writing Fulke’s story had given me a taste for finding out about people who had actually lived in the middle ages and for bringing their forgotten life stories to modern readers.

    The Greatest Knight: The Unsung Story of the Queen's ChampionMy subjects are usually chosen from something that sparks my interest about them, and it usually happens as a ‘ping’ moment when I am writing the previous novel.  My books about the Marshal and Bigod families have all worked in this way.  The Greatest Knight, which begins the series came about because I had heard so much about William Marshal’s rags to riches story while working on research for my other 12th century novels.  I thought he might be interesting to write about, but when I began delving into the research, I realised that beyond just a good story, what a great man he truly was.  He made Fulke FitzWaryn’s life look like a staid social picnic.  William’s life was so full, that I needed 2 books to tell his tale, and even then I had to leave bits out.  Further on, For The King’s Favor and To Defy A King grew out of the two novels I had written about William Marshal.  I became very interested in his eldest daughter’s story. Rather like my curiosity about King John’s lost crown, I started asking questions about Mahelt Marshal.
    What was it like to be a girl growing up within the rigid social structure of the aristocratic Middle Ages?  How would it feel to be married to someone you barely knew when you were 14 and he was 25?  How would you cope if your family saw you married to this man and then went abroad and left you with your in-laws?  What would you do if your family was threatened and you had a way to help them out but knew if you were caught, the consequences would be terrible?  What would you do if your husband left you and the enemy showed up beneath your walls and took your child away from you?  Who would you blame and how would you deal with the aftermath?

    Behind every historical event, behind every dry fact in a history book, there are people with feelings, emotions and motivations.  That is what I seek to bring to the fore.  Their hidden histories, told as fiction.  All I need is that first spark of interest, and I’m away with my bucket and spade!

    **************************

    Elizabeth Chadwick
    To Defy a KingElizabeth Chadwick lives near Nottingham with her husband and two sons.  She is the author of novels such as The Greatest Knight, The Scarlet Lion, A Place Beyond Courage, and For the King’s Favor. Much of her research is carried out as a member of Regia Anglorum, an early medieval re-enactment society with the emphasis on accurately re-creating the past.  She won a Betty Trask Award for The Wild Hunt, her first novel. 
    To Defy a King is a brilliant story of a vibrant woman in a tyrant’s world.

    Please see my review and giveaway and announcement about a sale for the ebook!

    Book Review and ARC Giveaway: To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

    A powerful character portrayal in a wonderful historical fiction.
    To Defy a King by Elizabeth Chadwick

      To Defy a King
    • Paperback: 544 pages
    • Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (March 1, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 1402250894
    • ISBN-13: 978-1402250897
    Genre: Historical Fiction
    My Rating:  4.75 of 5.0
    Synopsis

    The privileged daughter of one of the most powerful men in England, Mahelt Marshal’s life changes dramatically when her father is suspected by King John. Her brothers become hostages and Mahelt is married to Hugh Bigod, heir to the earldom of Norfolk. Adapting to her new life is hard, but Mahelt comes to love Hugh deeply; however, defying her father in law brings disgrace and heartbreak. When King John sets out to subdue the Bigods, Mahelt faces her worst fears alone, knowing neither she, nor her marriage are likely to survive the outcome. A story of huge emotional power set against the road to Magna Carta and the fight to bring a tyrant king to heel.
    Review: This is wonderfully rich.
    Mahelt is eldest daughter of the powerful Marshal family who has allies in England and Ireland.  The story opens with 10 year old Mahelt trying to play soldier with her brothers. They ridicule her but then consent to let her pretend to “protect the keep.” When they attack she manages to defeat them. Immediately the reader sees the determination and stubbornness of this fiery girl. 

    Mahelt is betrothed to another strong family, the earl of Norfolk,  with lands along the French borders. When her brothers are taken hostage by King John and her own father travels to Ireland to protect his interests there, the 14 year old Mahelt is wed to 25 year old Hugh with the promise that she will live with the family for a year before the marriage is consummated.

    The author weaves the growth of friendship between Mahelt and Hugh and his mother. But also  Mahelt faces difficulties obeying the instructions of her strict Father-in-Law.  At every turn it seems that Mahelt is defying some rule and trying to add her input into the business of the men. She hates King John for taking her brothers and she chafes at the political balance that the two fathers try to maintain in their dealings with a cruel and faithless King who does not keep his promises.

    Mahelt is a wonderful character growing from a spoiled girl to a proud (still spoiled) determined wife, mother and chatelaine.  She is not always a pleasant or easy woman or character. Hugh is a wonderful husband for her because he is more mature and he is a calming influence to her volatile and almost termagant personality.  Mahelt is prepared to defend the Bigod fortress against the King’s attack but as a woman she is too often powerless.  Her marriage is severely challenged when Hugh fails to keep his promise to always protect her and their children.  I loved the slogan that Hugh gives to Mahelt: "Ne vuz sanz mei, ne mei sanz vus" or "No you without me, nor I without you."

    I expected this might be long to read but it flowed beautifully and moved at a very good pace. This was the time of the drafting of the Magna Carta and the noble rebellions against the King. I really enjoyed learning about the different approaches of the two families in their efforts to honor their commitment to the King and yet maintain their power and their relationship with other powerful noble allies.  It was refreshing to read a story where the spouses were faithful even though they were separated quite a bit.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves strong female characters and/or historical fiction. This is the first book I read by Ms. Chadwick -- I know it won't be my last.

    Additional Review Note: I listened to this on Audible. Initially I did not like the narrator’s attempt to imitate a man’s low voice but after an hour or so I didn’t even notice that problem. The narrator does a good job evoking the emotions of tenderness, confusion and pain from the characters.
    xxx
    Thank you to Sourcebooks for this book to read and review.

    Sorry but this giveaway is limited to US entries because of the weight of the book. 
    BUT GOOD NEWS.
    There is a special going on for Elizabeth Chadwick’s To Defy a King and Sarah Bower’s Sins of the House of Borgia. You can now pre-order/purchase the eBooks for only $2.99! This offer only goes until Monday March 7th so hurry!
    Click here for the links to purchase through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and BooksOnBoard
    P.S. To Defy a King is only available in the US & Sins of the House of Borgia is available in the US and Canada.

    TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

    1.Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you find there.
    Please leave your e-mail!

    2.  For two extra entries - comment on the Author guest post.

    3. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

    4. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

    (Six total entries possible.)
    It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

    * This contest is open to US only.
    * No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
    * This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011.
    The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
    CymLowell

    Tuesday, March 1, 2011

    Book Review and ARC Giveaway: 13, rue Therese by Elena Mauli Shapiro

    This is a beautifully written and marvelously different read.
    13, rue Thérèse: A Novel by Elena Mauli Shapiro

    • Hardcover: 288 pages
    • Publisher: Reagan Arthur Books; 1 edition (February 2, 2011)
    • Language: English
    • ISBN-10: 0316083283
    • ISBN-13: 978-0316083287
          Genre: Fiction
          My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

        Hachette Description:
        American academic Trevor Stratton discovers a box full of artifacts from World War I as he settles into his new office in Paris. The pictures, letters, and objects in the box relate to the life of Louise Brunet, a feisty, charming Frenchwoman who lived through both World Wars.

        As Trevor examines and documents the relics the box offers up, he begins to imagine the story of Louise Brunet's life: her love for a cousin who died in the war, her marriage to a man who works for her father, and her attraction to a neighbor in her building at 13 rue Thérèse. The more time he spends with the objects though, the truer his imaginings of Louise's life become, and the more he notices another alluring Frenchwoman: Josianne, his clerk, who planted the box in his office in the first place, and with whom he finds he is falling in love.
    Review: This is a haunting, imaginative and lyrical story.

    Trevor, an American scholar and translator, finds a box of mementoes belonging to a stranger. He proceeds to describe each article from the box as if placing a puzzle piece to form a picture. Yet, it is a life that he creates as he goes along.  There are photos of Louise and her father; photos of soldiers from WWI. Letters telling about the experience of the young man at war, including horrors and fears. There is a uniquely crafted gift made from the instruments of war and a silk handkerchief. Each has a story that Trevor shares - each a meaning in Louise’s life.

    Don’t expect a romance as the love affair in the real time life of Trevor is merely a flash in the story. The portrayal of Louise is more a memoir then a simple romance.  There is love and pain and longing and guilt – lots of very normal emotions the reader can relate to. There is an early distance romance with a cousin who dies at war. There is sadness over never bearing a child. There is a teen girl, Garance, who Louise has been giving piano lessons to for years and who is a friend and an admirer. There is the sexy neighbor and sensuality and ultimately sin. There is Louise’s mischievous nature making false confessions and later making true confessions when the sins become real.

    Trevor becomes so wrapped up in the story he creates for Louise that he enters her life in cameo, ghostly appearances. The life he (and the author) creates is such a real image that you have to remind yourself that it is all a fiction. It is interesting to think that the character created is presented from the view of a man imagining the longings and lustful thoughts of a woman. Although it is really a female author inside the mind of a man imagining the life of a woman.  Sort of a layered picture you could say.

    I really enjoyed the clean, lyrical flow of the writing and the historical details and images that were revealed in the puzzle pieces.  The whole story portrays a slice of life in a time and in a country that I don’t read much of.  The author uses an unusual method of presentation through the objects found in the box of keepsakes.  I may not agree with the morality of the fantasy but still I found this to be a unique reading experience. I recommend that you read the print book because the pictures add impact and visual focus to make the life of Louise even more real.

    The bullet pencil case:
    Thank you to Regan Arthur Books division of Hachette for the book to read and review.

    TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR THE ARC COPY:

    1.Mandatory entry: Visit the author's website - you will see many of the pictures from the story!  Tell me a picture you like or tell me something of interest you find there. (Maybe you will listen to one of the French audio/video clips.)
    Please leave your e-mail!

    2. For an extra entry: Tell me what memento might be found in a box of your keepsakes. I have some foreign coins and some shells in mine even though they wouldn't mean anything to anyone but me.

    3. For an extra entry: look at the reading guide found on the Hachette book page (you have to download the document) and tell me a question you liked or something you find in the interview there.

    4. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

    5. For two extra entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

    (Six total entries possible.)
    It is not necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.

    * This contest is open to US and Canada only. (So sorry this can't be international. The book is available at Book Depository though.)
    * No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
    * This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on March 18, 2011.
    The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
    CymLowell

    Help Me Pick March 2011 Next Reads

    My Bad - In February I announced the winner for a book pick but forgot the international winner. Now some of you didn't say if you were international so hopefully I got everyone included.  Mariska gets the $5.00 GC for the February pick.

    Here are my unscheduled review books for March.  Please help me pick the order I will read these in.
    The Linen Queen: A Novel

    The Linen Queen by Patricia Falvey

    The Healing Code: 6 Minutes to Heal the Source of Your Health, Success, or Relationship Issue
    Highland Heat by Mary Wine               Merely Magic by Patricia Rice
    Merely MagicHighland Heat

    Taste Me by Tamara Hogans            Legacy by Jeanette Baker
    Taste Me


    Late Harvest by Suzanne Barrett - ebook reading for the author
    Late Harvest

    Here's how this Giveaway works:

    Make a comment picking the TWO books you want me to read next. I will read the book that gets the most votes, then probably (no guarantee) the book with the second most votes.  (I reserve the right to pick the second read from the remaining choices.)
    I will do a random draw to select TWO commenters.
    US or Canadian winner will get their choice of a book from the February Love Books for Giveaway OR from the back review and ARC lists. (Scroll down at that post to see those lists.)
    International winner will get $5.00 Gift Card, PayPal or Book Depository selection. MAKE SURE YOU SAY IF YOU ARE INTERNATIONAL PLEASE.

    Ends March 5th at 10pm Central cause I think I will be ready for the next book by then

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