Book Review: The Heir by Lynne Stringer

This is an engaging YA, Sci fi.

The Heir
by Lynne Stringer

• File Size: 494 KB
• Print Length: 242 pages
• Publisher: Wombat Books (June 1, 2013)
• ASIN: B00BS1O2RW

Genre: YA, Sci Fi
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: June 1, 2013
Sarah hates the prestigious high school she attends. Most of the other students ignore her. School is only made tolerable by the presence of Dan Bradfield, the boy she adores. Dan is the heir to his father’s multinational computer company, but he is dating Sarah’s best friend, Jillian. When tragedy strikes, Dan is the one who supports Sarah. But she can’t shake the feeling there is something strange about him. Is he protecting her from something? Is there something going on that she doesn’t know about? And did she really see a monster in the bushes?

Review:
Sarah is in her senior year of high school fantasizing about Dan, the boy she worships from afar. But he hangs with Sarah’s best friend, Jillian. Jillian is obsessed with all things space related, She continually tries to interest Sarah in her star gazing, including dragging her to the latest in alien movies. Sarah loves colors and painting and those give her pleasure as she muddles through her daily school life and tries to avoid one of the rich, privileged boys who continues to harass her.

Sarah lives with her distracted father who is a computer programmer. Her father and his best friend are on the verge of financial disaster as they argue over selling a new program they have developed.

Sarah gets the opportunity to go to an art exhibit with Dan. When they return home life changes completely for Sarah. She turns to Dan and his family for comfort and help. Suddenly danger arises and the next thing she knows she is put into a spaceship to be delivered to her ‘true home’, Verindon. Along the way she learns a  few of the rules regarding the nature of the two societies on her planet, her position and the duties of the guards who have protected her and are bringing her home.

The first half of the book is focused on Sarah’s teenage angst in school and at home. This sort of YA focus isn’t my cup of tea but I found the characters interesting enough as I waited to discover where the sci fi elements fit in. Finally the book becomes suspenseful with action and the challenges of social and political issues that Sarah must face on a world that is a surprise to her. Assassination attempts are immediate and characters are set up for the reader to wonder - are they alley or enemy?  I really liked the conflicts that exist in the different emotional and social rules of Verindon. This sets up the issues of intrigue that must continue in the next books. I recommend this to readers who like YA, scifi and series.

I received this ebook from the author for an honest review.

Lots Of Winners!

I am posting numerous Giveaway winners in one post tonight to save me some time. These DO NOT include the Midwinter's Eve Winners nor the Friday Pick Winners.

Thank you to everyone who entered all the different giveaways! 

I would ask ALL WINNERS to please email your mailing address to mesreads@gmail.com.

Here goes:

FIVE winners of Tempted by Fate (The Guardians of Destiny) by Kate Perry

1. minhchieu tran

2. Just Peachy

3. Brooke Anna

4. Moonlight Gleam

5. Vicky CK

THREE winners of the fabulous Forever Romantic Holiday Giveaway

1.  Laura H

2.  Lisa M831

3.  Elaing8

TWO Winners of The Heir 

by Grace Burrowes

1. Cindy

2.  Chilty1014

TWO Winners Plus ONE for my copy of The Remains by Vincent Zandri

1.  Lisa F

2.  Melanie

3.  (my copy) Jennifer

FIVE Winners of Duchess of Sin (Daughters of Erin) 

by laurel McKee

1. Kathy P

2.  Belle Decouverte

3.  tooncesmom

4.  emily l

5.  Lisa M

Guest Post - Research Tidbits by Grace Burrowes

Grace Burrowes Guest Blog, Author of The Heir

I was warned that the best, most fascinating research results are invariably the ones you can’t really use in your book. In one of my books, I’m going to find a way to show the grooms prancing around on the ladies’ mounts sidesaddle, because this was apparently not an unusual practice. This interesting little tidbit was unable to make it into my debut release, The Heir (in stores this month).

The whole business of riding sidesaddle intrigues me. So much of riding is based on balance and on correcting the asymmetries we carry around as a function of posture and minor congenital anomalies. Who decided it would be a good idea for women to ride like this and would we have put up with it for so long if it weren’t so lovely to behold?

I learned that sidesaddles have never been mass produced, but rather, to this day are built one at time, usually to the exact measurements of the prospective owner. While the sources conflict, some claim a wealthy woman would own two saddles, one built to the left, one to the right so she might alternate to keep her fundament from becoming lopsided. This would require two riding habits as well, since the wrap of the skirt is designed to maximize both modesty and maneuverability.

I also learned that proper etiquette is for the gentleman who gives a lady a leg up to arrange her skirts for her. This is a matter of safety, since the lady might be occupied with managing a lively horse, while her skirts were yet tangled with her boots and stirrup. No doubt, this was the motivation for all those Regency swains to assist their ladies into the saddle.

Riding sidesaddle required a fair amount of skill for the rider and some special training for the horse. As a matter of comfort, a sidesaddle mount would usually be ridden only at the walk or the canter, since posting the trot is made difficult by the construction of the horns the lady hooks her legs around. I’ve been told the convention among the wealthy was that only women rode mares, though a woman might ride a gelding but a man would seldom ride a mare. (I have flouted this convention in more than one book, because good mares are too wonderful to be limited to only the ladies.)

But how was a lady’s horse to be kept in condition if she couldn’t ride for a period of time? The grooms rode the animal, sometimes with a conventional saddle, but also occasionally in the side saddle. There are specific cues for sidesaddle equitation, with the lady’s whip taking the place of her second leg, and the horse must be trained to comprehend those cues. The grooms would also be responsible for this training and for teaching the animal to carry its rider in a side saddle in the first place.

Finally, I came across a piece of side saddle lore that says only royalty rides to the right, while the rest of us ride to the left. On a recent trip to London I toured Buckingham Palace, where the sidesaddle Queen Elizabeth II rode in to view the Trooping of the Colour was on display.

Her Majesty, at least, rode to the left… Now how do I get that into a book?

THE HEIR BY GRACE BURROWES – IN STORES DECEMBER 2010

An Earl Who Can’t Be Bribed…

Gayle Windham, Earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the Duke of Moreland. To escape his father’s inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper.

A Lady Who Can’t Be Protected…

Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle that she works as his housekeeper.

As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna’s secrets threaten to bring the earl’s orderly life crashing down—and he doesn’t know how he’s going to protect her from the fallout…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grace Burrowes is the pen name for a prolific author of historical romances whose manuscripts have so far won, finaled, or garnered honorable mention in Romance Writers of America-run contests in Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, and Florida. Burrowes is a practicing attorney specializing in family law. She lives in rural Maryland and is working on her next book, The Soldier, set to release in July 2011. 

Thank you Grace for sharing some interesting tidbits with us today.Please see my review and Giveaway post too.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Heir by Grace Burrowes

Two words to describe this story: lush and engaging.
The Heir by Grace Burrowes

• Mass Market Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca; Original edition (December 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402244347
• ISBN-13: 978-1402244346
• Price 6.99

Genre: Historical Romance - Regency
My Rating:  4.5 of 5.0

Product Description from Sourcebook An earl who can’t be bribed...
Gayle Windham, earl of Westhaven, is the first legitimate son and heir to the duke of Moreland. To escape his father’s inexorable pressure to marry, he decides to spend the summer at his townhouse in London, where he finds himself intrigued by the secretive ways of his beautiful housekeeper...

A lady who can’t be protected...
Anna Seaton is a beautiful, talented, educated woman, which is why it is so puzzling to Gayle Windham that she works as his housekeeper.
As the two draw closer and begin to lose their hearts to each other, Anna’s secrets threaten to bring the earl’s orderly life crashing down—and he doesn’t know how he’s going to protect her from the fallout...

Review: I really loved the deep characters, the tender romance and the voice of this story!

Westhaven is a strong primary character.  He is a staunch, British Earl/Duke to be with dedication to his business affairs and a fairly strict routine.  He seems a bit cold, almost crude, in the relationship with his mistress. But, after all, it is a business arrangement as he meets with her by appointment two days a week. He does not express his affections easily but he is deeply caring and loving to his family - except for his father pushing him to pick a bride.  His younger brother, Val, a gifted pianist, and his half brother, Dev, both end up residing with him.

Anna is a strong female character to match the Earl. She is a suburb housekeeper who goes beyond the day to day chores by adding style and personality to the house through flower arrangements, special meals and personal touches.  Her own warmth shines through in her efforts. But Anna has secrets. She is much more refined and educated than a usual housekeeper.  She is protecting another maid servant, Morgan, who is deaf and mute, and they are both hiding from something in their past.

Westhaven is planning to enjoy a quite summer but an unexpected misunderstanding gets his head bashed by his housekeeper. As Anna cares for the wounds she inflicted, he begins to notice how lovely and competent she is.  They first develop a companionable friendship which grows progressively closer.  Anna sees beyond his gruffness and soon succumbs to his gentle seduction. Although she begins to trust him with more than friendship, she continues to reject even his good intentions, as she is not willing to trust him to solve the problems of her past.  I had to agree with the Duchess’ sentiments at one point about knocking their heads together as Earl and Anna withdraw from each other for the wrong reasons.

I think the story has a wonderful depth of feeling to it from the Earl’s sternness to his edgy, almost wicked, sensual campaign, which is balanced by Anna’s lighter nature and the warmth of the family. There is a touch of legal issues which I liked too.

The writing flowed very nicely.  There is some rough language and fairly steamy sexual scenes but they seemed to fit the hero’s character and were consistent with the rich underlying passions of the protagonists. I am glad I did not get turned off  by it as the overall package was a good read.  I highly recommend this book and I hope to get to read the sequels or other works by this author.
Caution: Language and edge of erotic sexual content.

Thank you to Sourcebooks for the book to read and review and for providing TWO copies of The Heir for Giveaway!

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY  - TWO COPIES:

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

2.  Comment on the Author's Guest Post for TWO entries.

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

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

(Seven 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 and Canada only.
* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.
* This contest will close 10:00 PM (Central) on December 21, 2010. The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.  TWO WINNERS!