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Category: Genre Fiction

Blog Tour & Giveaway: The Sumerton Women by D.L. Bogdan

[ 46 ] April 15, 2012

Please join D.L. Bogdan, author of The Sumerton Women, as she tours the blogosphere with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours!

Enter to win a copy below – open internationally!

Reviewed by Colleen Turner

When Lady Cecily Burkhart’s parents die of the sweating sickness in 1527, the orphaned eight year old is sent as ward to the Pierce family at Castle Sumerton. The Pierce family – Hal Pierce (Lord Sumerton), Grace Pierce (Lady Sumerton) and their children, Mirabella and Brey – are kind and loving to their new addition. Cecily is a girl with a great fortune and they plan to align their families by marrying her to Brey. Even with their exterior happiness, however, there seems to be a secret sadness lurking below the surface at Sumerton, one that innocent Cecily lifts with her joy and affection.

As a child Cecily loves Brey and is happy with her planned future of marrying him and becoming Lady Sumerton. Mirabella is determined to have her own dream of becoming a nun and escaping the world she sees as shallow and corrupt come true. Both of the Sumerton Women are captivated by Father Alec, the family’s tutor and chaplain, and both grow under their special relationships with him. But when the dark secret lurking below the surface of Sumerton is revealed it starts the downward spiral of the family, one that seems to see no shortage of betrayal and vengeance. Will any of them be able to seek forgiveness and make a life for themselves when the many lies are finally revealed?

Set against the backdrop of Henry VIII’s reign, his break from the Roman Catholic Church and the religious reformation that occurred, this was an interesting new angle to a time period I love. Having Mirabella ensconced in a monastery that is brutally ransacked and dissolved around her and seeing her fear for what else she can do with her life and for her God, as well as having Father Alec at the forefront of Archbishop Cranmer’s reformation work, gave insight into a part of Tudor England I knew little about.

That being said, the amount of sadness, death and destruction in The Sumerton Women became almost too much to bear at times. I kept wondering when something good would happen to the family and, when a ray of hope would shine through, it was almost instantly extinguished with another depressing event. Mirabella might be one of the vilest characters I have encountered in a while. She reminds me of the Evil Queen from Snow White, beautiful but bitter and cruel while always finding a way to justify her hatred. Cecily, in contrast, is a wonderful character that at times almost seems too forgiving and kind. The other characters fall somewhere in between, all flawed, relatable and well developed.

It is easy to see the grand message of the book once finished: that forgiveness, both for yourself and for others, is the only way to heal your life, let go of the past and move on. That being said, I just wish The Sumerton Women could have come to the message with less heartache for all the characters. All in all, the book was definitely well written and I would be happy to see what other books the author has to offer.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Colleen lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband, son, their dog Oliver and their fish Finn. When not working or taking care of her family she has her nose stuck in a book (and, let’s face it, often when she is working or taking care of her family as well). Nothing excites her more than discovering a new author to obsess over or a hidden jewel of a book to worship.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Kensington. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.
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Review: The Leaping by Tom Fletcher

[ 5 ] April 14, 2012

Reviewed by Amanda Schafer

Jack and Francis live in a house with several of their friends from college. Most of them work at the same place, but on different shifts. Late one night, Jack sees their boss, Kenny, in an alley with blood all over him; Jack pretends not to notice out of fear.

Jack’s girlfriend, Jennifer, is a girl with a sad past whom he met at work. Jennifer decides to buy a house up on a mountain, and Jack agrees to go with her. Francis has fallen for Jennifer, but tries not to show it. When the gang decides to throw Jack a birthday party up at the new house, strange things start to happen. Jack and Jennifer notice some strange things about their new house as well, but they ignore them. Sadly, they shouldn’t have ignored them because when people start disappearing from the party, they are all shocked at what they find. After tracking bloody prints and horrifying screams, they come across The Leaping.

When I first started reading The Leaping, I was immediately put off by the amount of foul language that seems to permeate the pages. As a person who reads primarily Christian fiction, I knew this book would be a stretch for me in terms of genre. I’m not naïve or sheltered enough to be shocked by a few bad words, but The Leaping had an over-abundance of words that seemed to be just randomly placed for the simple sake of having curse words in the text. The author seemed to put them there “just because” he could. However, the more I read, the more humorous the book became to me. I kept picturing a B-movie that was terribly low-budget with poor acting. The plot was thin, the characters poorly developed, and the idea so ludicrous it couldn’t be believed.

I’ve never read anything by Tom Fletcher before this book and I have no plans to read anything by him again. The only thing that was more annoying than The Leaping was seeing (at the end of the book) that there is already a sequel out with the same plot ideas.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Amanda lives in Missouri with her engineering husband, two sons, and one daughter. In between homeschooling and keeping up with church activities she loves to read Christian Fiction, Women’s Fiction, and any Chick-Lit. She never goes anywhere without a book to read!

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Quercus. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King

[ 2 ] April 12, 2012

Reviewed by Meg Massey

The Lambright family is well known and respected in their Amish community. The eldest daughter of the family, Abby, runs a popular sewing shop, and lives on her own. Abby has been in love with buggy maker James Graber for years, but he is to marry her younger sister Susanna.

But when their wedding day arrives, Susanna has disappeared. At first, they all believe that she just has cold feet, but they are shocked when they discover her alarming secret. Suddenly there is a rift in their once very close community. Abby struggles to help her sister while trying to maintain relationships with those around her, including James. Can she help her sister find redemption? Will her family ever recover from Susanna’s mistake? And will she ever find love for herself?

Abby Finds Her Calling is a moving story about the power of forgiveness. Abby is a wonderful character who strives to make others happy, often neglecting herself. Her ability to forgive her sister and accept her mistakes is something that we can all learn from. If you’re a fan of novels about the Amish community, this is a story you’re sure to enjoy.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Read Naomi King’s guest post, “Do the Amish DO that?“

Meg lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Ryan. Library professional by day, freelance writer by night, Meg writes about life, entertainment and everything in between on her blog.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by NAL Trade. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Blog Tour: The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

[ 4 ] April 11, 2012

Please join M.J. Rose, author of The Book of Lost Fragrances, as she tours the blogosphere with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours!

Reviewed by Colleen Turner

“She remembered, when she was little and things were still good, she’d sit on her father’s lap, here at the organ, and he’d tell her the story of the book of lost fragrances that their ancestor had found. She’d close her eyes and see the scenes play out. Her own private theater of the mind.” – Jac L’Etiole in The Book of Lost Fragrances.

Jac L’Etoile surrounds herself with facts and realism. Even her work deals with bringing the truth regarding ancient myths to light and showing that every myth has its base in reality. Jac’s family, a long line of famous French perfumers, has built their lives on the fantastical and the belief that their ancestor had discovered evidence of a scent of soul mates that could conjure up a person’s past lives. The fanatical passions and beliefs of her family has destroyed them and this, along with the terrifying hallucinations that Jac has had since childhood and which only got worse after her mother’s suicide, has caused her to escape into a world of staunch realism far from the memories and the city of Paris she once loved. But, as fate would have it, she will not be able to stay away forever.

When Jac’s brother, Robbie, who was searching for a way to save the family business after their father nearly destroyed it, goes missing along with an Egyptian artifact he believes contained traces of this secret memory tool fragrance, Jac must do whatever she can to find him. She discovers that the only man she has ever loved was working with Robbie to decipher the hieroglyphics on the pottery and she must not only work to find her brother but must also face the unresolved feels she has for Griffin. As the two continue their search they discover that others are looking for Robbie and the artifact as well, people who will do anything, even kill, to get it. This artifact is a powerful tool, one that could help the Tibetan cause to prove reincarnation, and the Chinese government will stop at nothing to keep that from happening.

As the race to find Robbie and the artifact continues, Jac cannot control the hallucinations as they get stronger and stronger. But are these hallucinations or visions of the past, ones that might help her on her current quest as well as help her to reconcile her own life?

The Book of Lost Fragrances is dense, dramatic and full of excitement. So many themes are tackled that it is hard to discuss them all in one small review. It deals with reincarnation and the Chinese government’s attempt to regulate it, with the concept of fate vs. choice and belief vs. fact, and delves into the ideas of how far someone should go for what they believe in and when they should let go. My favorite aspect of the book dealt with the theme of soul mates and the idea that these joined souls would find each other in each lifetime. It highlights love’s many faces and showcases, although not as extensively as I might have liked in some instances, some truly remarkable pairings.

This is one of those books that you want to take your time and savor. With all of the heavy themes explored it is not something to be rushed and it will likely make you think about what you believe about the topics. This is my first time reading an M.J. Rose novel and I have to say that this magical, sensory experience will ensure this is not my last.

Also by M.J. Rose: The Hypnotist

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Colleen lives in Tampa, Florida with her husband, son, their dog Oliver and their fish Finn. When not working or taking care of her family she has her nose stuck in a book (and, let’s face it, often when she is working or taking care of her family as well). Nothing excites her more than discovering a new author to obsess over or a hidden jewel of a book to worship.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Atria Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Illusion by Frank Peretti

[ 3 ] April 10, 2012

Reviewed by Christen Krumm

Who is Mandy Whitacre? She thinks she is a 19-year-old living in 1970, who has been transferred to the twilight zone, but when she wakes up in a hospital she is confused to see the calendar read 2010. Spokane County Medical Center’s staff thinks she is a mentally insane woman with no records—no driver’s license, no birth certificate, and no living relatives. Dane Collins thinks she looks uncannily like his late wife did…40 years ago. Would the real Mandy Whitacre please stand?

Frank Peretti’s latest novel, Illusion, follows Mandy as she tries to discover who she really is. She finds a home with a family that rehabilitates women, changes her name to Eloise Kramer, and tries to make money as a magician. Shockingly, she discovers an impossible ability within herself—she can move objects mentally. After getting a gig at a local café, her repertoire of amazing magic tricks astounds costumers and helps her make a more-than-modest living.

Enter Dane Collins. The 60-year-old popular magician is mourning his wife, who recently passed away in a tragic car accident. His friend convinces him to meet Eloise, and when he watches the talented young woman perform, he is struck by her resemblance to Mandy, his wife. When he begins mentoring her, he loses his ability to see her as anyone other than Mandy Collins…but that is impossible. For Mandy to discover who she really is, she will need to learn the secrets of her past. These secrets lead to dark, disturbing nightmares…but they are her only hope to discover her true identity.

In the back of Illusion, Peretti’s author’s note summarizes the novel’s far reaching symbolization: “Being lost in this weird and sinful world, trying to discover who we are and where we belong.” As I read Illusion, its 497 pages flew by. Frank Peretti’s fast paced style held me captive while his deeply personal glimpses into the characters’ hearts touched me deeply.

Illusion is a must-read for the Christian suspense/romance lover—seriously, run out and buy this book now!

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Christen graduated from the University of Arkansas Fort Smith with a BA in English. She’s a coffee drinking stay at home mom by day and a freelance writer/editor by night. She currently resides in Arkansas with her husband and daughter and is excited to welcome a son in August.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Howard Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult

[ 6 ] April 5, 2012

Reviewed by Vera Pereskokova

Some called Luke Warren a genius, while others considered him insane. A renowned wolf researcher and conservationist, Luke ingratiated himself into wolf packs – living with them, feeding with them (often on raw meat) and playing a pivotal role in the pack dynamics. In some ways, Luke understood the animals better than he ever understood his own human family. Following his stunt/two-year departure to live in the Canadian forest with wild wolves, Luke’s wife, Georgie, walked away from their very one-sided marriage and his 18-year-old son, Edward, ran away from home and the father who never understood him. Luke’s only connection to his family was his daughter Cara, who chose to live with him instead of Georgie and her new family.

The disjointed family is unwillingly brought together when Luke crashes his car while driving Cara back from a party. Cara is seriously injured but quickly recovers, while Luke suffers traumatic brain injuries and remains unconscious.

Georgie rushes to the hospital to be with her daughter and Edward flies home to a family he left six years earlier. He must face his mother whom he chose to protect from the truth by fleeing, and the sister who blames him for the breakup of their family. More importantly, as his father’s of-age next of kin, Edward must make difficult decisions about Luke’s life. Should he continue his father’s life support in spite of doctors’ opinions about the hopelessness of the situation, or let his father die?

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult – as can be evidenced by my previous reviews of Sing You Home and House Rules – but Lone Wolf fell flat for me. To begin with, I had a difficult time believing the whole wolf man/Mogwli aspect of the book. However, Picoult thanked Shaun Ellis, author of The Man Who Lives with Wolves, in her acknowledgements, so I’ll acquiesce that the concept may be plausible.

The wolf man aspect aside, I could not connect with any of the characters. Luke’s chapters describing his experiences with the wolves were the most compelling, if somewhat unbelievable, but it’s sad to say that the most exciting character was the one in a coma…

Picoult’s books have always surprised me with twists that were thrown in in the end, just when I thought I had everything figured out. The “big” family secrets that were continuously hinted at throughout the book were not all that “big” when they panned out. And while some twists were still present in Lone Wolf, they were not particularly surprising, and neither was the ending itself.

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Atria/Emily Bestler Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Ganymede by Cherie Priest

[ 2 ] April 4, 2012

Reviewed by Elizabeth Talbott

Josephine Early is the madame of a New Orleans bordello, known in more polite circles as a lady’s boarding house. She also conducts even more covert dealings as an informer and advocate for the United States in the Civil War. Her newest project involves a gigantic underwater craft named Ganymede, stolen from the Confederacy, that could be the deciding factor in the war. The only problem? Anyone who worked on it or knew anything about it is either dead or in jail.

In desperation, Josephine asks an old flame, Andan Cly, to pilot it. A (mostly) reformed pirate, Cly decides to help out his old friend while simultaneously completing a legitimate deal in Seattle. As Cly makes his way to New Orleans, another threat presents itself to Josephine: zombis. Can Cly pilot the Ganymede without dying and can they transport the craft to the U.S. before zombis or the Confederacy get to them?

Ganymede is the fourth installment in Cherie Priest’s Clockwork Century series. An alternative history of the Civil War is built with zombies, fantastical machines, and steampunk elements. I loved Boneshaker and I had to get my hands on Ganymede. It definitely doesn’t disappoint!

The individual characters are dynamic and interesting to read about. Cherie Priest is especially skilled in creating a believable web of characters. Josephine is a bi-racial madame with a heart of gold. She’s incredibly strong and fiercely protective of her loved ones, including her ladies and her brother. Able to handle herself in a fight, she even successfully fights off zombies. I liked that she was strong, but didn’t lose her femininity or become completely emotionless because of it.

Although I really enjoyed Ganymede, I would have loved to see more of the social implications played out between the characters. Many of them are from different backgrounds and wouldn’t really get along so well right away. The mixed race brothel led by a bi-racial woman would have turned a few heads or incurred scrutiny or conflict from the Confederates. All of the interactions were a little too smooth, including that between Josephine and Andan. Madame Laveau, an aged and powerful voodoo practitioner based on a real person, was also a wasted opportunity that could have had larger implications.

Ganymede is a fun adventure story with interesting characters. Although there are faults, the battle scenes were exciting and suspenseful. It’s not my favorite book in the series, but it’s still a fun steampunk novel.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Elizabeth is a student at Cal State Long Beach. She laughs a lot, loves cats, and lives for music and books. You can read her blog here: http://titania86-fishmuffins.blogspot.com/.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Tor Books. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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Review: Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

[ 2 ] April 3, 2012

Reviewed by Jennifer Jensen

Susanna Kearsley made a fan out of me with The Winter Sea, and I have happily been reading every other novel of hers that I have come across. Mariana is the newest Kearsley title that I had the pleasure to read, but it lacked a lot of the magic and enchantment I discovered in The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden.

Mariana is the second book of Kearsley’s to be published, and explores similar themes to that of The Rose Garden. After Julia Beckett was given a sizable inheritance, she could not resist purchasing the historical Exbery home that she remembers from her childhood. Julia is drawn to this home, and the history of its former inhabitants, particularly that of Mariana.

Greyweathers, Julia’s new home, is said to have once been haunted by a specter called the Green Lady, who has not been seen for nearly 30 years. As Julia becomes acquainted with her new home, she starts to experience the past through Mariana’s eyes, discovering that she is Mariana reincarnated.

As always, I adored Kearsley’s beautiful prose and poetic language, as well as the vivid descriptions of countryside and landscape. Mariana didn’t have a lot of the romance that can be found in her later works; I just never felt fully invested in Mariana’s forbidden love affair with the dashing Richard de Mornay, or Julia’s interest in Geoffrey de Mornay, whom she believes to be Richard reincarnated.

I wish several of the supporting characters had had more page time, especially Julia’s fast friend Vivien, and Julia’s brother Tom. Those who are reincarnated are said to surround themselves in their new lives with people from their past, and I was a bit confused by who everyone was supposed to be. Some I figured out, but I was clueless to the rest.

Mariana has quite a few twists and turns, and an ending that I had considered, but never thought would come to be. Once it did, though, I couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me in a lot of ways, but mostly because I felt it wasn’t developed well enough to be a true reality.

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Also by Susanna Kearsley: The Rose Garden and The Winter Sea

Jennifer graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She occasionally dabbles with her own fiction writing, particularly with the Young Adult and Paranormal genres. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and daughter.

Review copy was provided free of any obligation by Sourcebooks Landmark. No monetary or any other form of compensation was received.

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