HFVBT: Review of Seduction

Seduction: A Novel of Suspense By M.J. Rose

Published by Atria Books

To be released on May 7, 2013

384 pages

Historical Fiction

Received from Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis: From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost journal of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening mystery that spans centuries. In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus – and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed. Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey – where Hugo conducted the séances – hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different – Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher. What follows is an intricately plotted and atmospheric tale of suspense with a spellbinding ghost story at its heart, by one of America’s most gifted and imaginative novelists.

M.J. Rose has written a very interesting story on reincarnation and mythology that will leave wondering about your own past lives. Seduction tells us three stories that are intertwined, and at times, difficult to understand. Overall, I really enjoyed this book but it was a tad disjointed and I didn’t know how everything would be resolved.

The book begins with Victor Hugo and his attempts to connect with his deceased daughter, Didine. I found these scenes to be incredibly spooky. His connection with the Shadow of the Sepulcher gives you chills. Hugo’s pain and struggle dominated his life where nothing else mattered except to communicate with his lost daughter. The Shadow was able to feed off that pain and his temptations to Hugo were so compelling.

Next, we meet Jac and Theo, two very troubled souls; both questioning their sanity. I’ve always enjoy reading about journeys of self-discovery, and Jac’s journey doesn’t disappoint. In the beginning, Jac is skeptical of everything, including past lives. Her journey comes full circle with a very surprising end. I found it fairly interesting how Theo and his family fit into her journey. It took me awhile to figure it out, but I finally did at the end. However, I’m not sure it made sense to me.

Last, and this is where I felt the book lose it focus, is the introduction of the ancient Celtic family of Owain, Gwenore, and Brice. I really didn’t like how this storyline was brought into the book. I think I would have been happier if the focus remained on Hugo and Jac/Theo.

I thought this was a very interesting read. I don’t regret reading it and I would recommend it if you enjoy reincarnation.

Review: Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni

Angelopolis by Danielle Trussoni (Angelology #2)
Published by Penguin Group (Viking)
Released on March 26, 2013
302 pages
Fantasy
Received hardcover from publisher for review

Synopsis:

Hailed by USA Today as “a thrill ride best described as The Da Vinci Code meets Raiders of the Lost Ark,” Danielle Trussoni’s bestselling first novel, Angelology, wove biblical lore, the Orpheus myth, and Milton’s Rebel Angels into a present-day world tinged with the divine supernatural. The novel plunged two endearing loners—art historian V. A. Verlaine and Evangeline, a beautiful young nun—into an ancient battle between a secret society and mankind’s most insidious enemies: angel-human hybrids known as the Nephilim.

Now a decade has passed since Verlaine saw Evangeline alight from the Brooklyn Bridge, the sight of her wings a betrayal that haunts him still. The Nephilim are again on the rise, scheming to construct their own paradise—the Angelopolis—and ruthlessly pursued by Verlaine in his new calling as an angel hunter. But when Evangeline materializes, Verlaine is besieged by doubts that will only grow as forces more powerful than even the Nephilim draw them from Paris to Saint Petersburg and deep into the provinces of Siberia and the Black Sea coast. A high-octane tale of abduction and liberation, treasure seeking and divine warfare, Angelopolis plumbs Russia’s imperial past, modern genetics, and the archangel Gabriel’s famous visitations to conceive a fresh tableau of history and myth that will, once again, enthrall readers the world over.

In Angelopolis, Danielle Trussoni continues her wonderful Angelology trilogy that will take you places that you never dreamed of. The war continues but who are the heroes and the villains? After you read this book, which side will you be on?

The story begins with Verlaine, ten years after he last saw Evangeline. He is now a extremely dedicated angel hunter. He hunts, captures and kills every angel that he comes across. His mission is clear until he sees Evangeline again. I love his internal conflict. Once again, which side will he choose. Ms. Trussoni has written his character to be obsessive in dealing with Evangeline. She is his addiction. Can he hunt her down like all his other conquests or will he submit to her seductive and beautiful nature? His struggle is intense and will take him to Russia and delve deeper into angelology lore.

I love that Ms. Trussoni took the readers to Russia. To me, angels and Romanovs fit perfectly together. Her references to the royal family and Rasputin pulls you further into the war between angels and humans. During the Romanov reign, Russia seemed so Gothic; the perfect backdrop for angelic warfare. Ms. Trussoni's choice of Russia fits perfectly with the struggle of angelic resurrection; the rise and fall, and rise again, of Russia.

Unlike in Angelology, I found more sympathy for the Nephilim in Angelopolis. The horrific methods of angelologists put their justifications in doubt. Even Verlaine, at a specific moment, was able to feel some guilt and sympathy about their treatment. Specifically, there is a angel prison deep in the Siberian tundra. The conditions are horrible and treatment of the angels is even worse. Experimentation and torture are the norm. Even in war, is that acceptable? It makes you think, which side am I on?

New angels are introduced that will further confuse your loyalties; pure angels whose goals are unknown. In the end, Verlaine and Evangeline must make difficult choices. Will their choices end the world as they know it? The third book should answer that question and I can't wait to read it!

   

Review: Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen by Sally Smith O’Rourke

Published by 2012

Published in Victorian Essence Press

261 pages

Historical/Austenesque Fiction

Synopsis:

Was Mr. Darcy real? Is time travel really possible? For pragmatic Manhattan artist Eliza Knight the answer to both questions is absolutely, YES? And Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley Farms is the reason why!

His tale of love and romance in Regency England leaves Eliza in no doubt that Fitz Darcy is the embodiment of Jane Austen’s legendary hero. And she’s falling in love with him. But can the man who loved the inimitable Jane Austen ever love average, ordinary Eliza Knight?

Eliza’s doubts grow, perhaps out of proportion, when things start to happen in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England; events that could change everything. Will the beloved author become the wedge that divides Fitz and Eliza or the tie that binds them?

Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen is a delightful and sweet story about the modern-day Mr. Darcy that may have inspired Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is the sequel to The Man Who Loved Jane Austen and I wish that I had read that book before diving into this one. This book could be read as a stand-alone book; but, I would not recommend it. By reading both, you would get a better understanding of the story and the characters.

At its heart, this book about time travel, love-at-first-sight, and Jane Austen. There are three parallel stories going on throughout the book, past and present. All three are sweet and converge together at the end. First, you have Jane Austen missing her Mr. Darcy. Second, you have Simmons traveling through time to find Mr. Darcy. And finally, you have Eliza and Fit, the present, trying to find each other. All of them are intertwined and all of them touched by Ms. Austen.

I really enjoyed Ms. O’Rourke’s Jane Austen. She is a fun and loving aunt and sister. She is also extremely humble and modest about her work. However, at the same time, she is very proud of it. My favorite part of the book is when a man confronts her at a party saying that she has no business writing novels. She is very passionate in her response in defending her writing. To her uncle says one of favorite quotes:

I think a person who does not take pleasure in a good novel must be intolerably stupid.

I love that! This scene is also, indicative of her position as a woman in the Regency Period. She would have loved to say that to the rude man but she couldn't; she had to rely on her uncle to give the insult.

As you can probably tell, my favorite parts of the book were about Jane. However, I did enjoy the budding romance between Fitz and Eliza. They are so tentative but at the same time passionate about each other. I really like that love-at-first-sight meant, to Fitz and Eliza, being home. I thought that was so romantic. Big sigh!

If you enjoy Austenesque fiction, I would definitely try Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen. But remember to read The Man Who Loved Jane Austen first. I think you will have a better experience.

  

About the Author:

“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808)

That I reside in the Victorian village of Monrovia, California; a mere two miles from my place of employment, The City Of Hope. COH is a cancer research hospital where I spend most daylight hours in the operating room as a scrub nurse.

That I am a native Californian, having been born in Glendale, and spent most of my life here with a relatively short span of years in Reno, Nevada where I attended school. Returning after graduation I have remained in sunny SoCal.

That I was widowed some time ago. That I have very domestic hobbies like sewing, cooking, baking, candy making and cake decorating. Oh, yeah I write, too. Mike, my late husband and teacher, taught me that writing has to be treated like a job so every day no matter how tired I am I edit, research one or more projects and write.

That presently I am finishing up the sequel to The Man Who Loves Jane Austen with Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; have started a story of reincarnation that takes place in Pasadena, CA and am making notes for a ghost story set in San Francisco. Three stories running around in my head and often colliding but I untangle the debris and continue on.

There you have a few of my nothings.

Visit Sally at her website: Austenticity ~ The Everything Austen Site
and on Facebook Sally Smith O’Rourke and Twitter @Chawton1810

HFVBT: Review & Giveaway of The Bruges Tapestry

The Bruges Tapestry by P.A. Staes
Published by CreateSpace
Published on August 29, 2012
254 pages
Historical Fiction
I received this book from Historical Fiction Virtual Blog Tour in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis:

Following a 500-year-old mystery concerning a Flemish tapestry is routine work for Detective Claire DeMaer, since she’s employed by the Newport Beach Art Theft Detail. But, unlike past cases, this one involves arresting Paolo Campezzi, lover to her best friend Nora. Mr. Campezzi is a distant descendant of a Florentine Duke, who commissioned the tapestry in 1520 in Bruges, Belgium.

Claire finds that she must explore the true provenance of the tapestry, free Mr. Campezzi in order to re-establish her friendship with Nora and depend on the expertise of a textile expert she doesn’t know. All this must occur in 72 hours, before the Vatican takes the tapestry back.

But Claire isn’t the only one with the Vatican looking over her shoulder. Claire’s story intertwines with a 1520 diary by Beatrice van Hecke, the tapestry-weaver’s daughter. Only Claire can discover the secret that is woven in time.

I found The Bruges Tapestry to be a very engaging story from the very beginning. I loved the story of the tapestry; however, I wish the book focused more on the tapestry rather than the other subplots. The tapestry's story makes a wonderful story all in itself.

The story begins in 1544 with a very distraught girl named Beatrice, the daughter of a tapestry maker. Her story is heartbreaking and it reeks of the abuses of the Catholic Church. To me, Beatrice should have been the main character of this book. She is such a strong young girl for her time and faced tremendous horrors. I wanted to read more about her life. Her story ended much too abruptly.

Next, we meet Claire who I'm not too crazy about. She is an art theft detective in present day. She investigates the alleged (yes, I'm an attorney) theft of the tapestry. I really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the tapestry. Her unraveling of the tapestry's history was so intriguing. It kept me engaged in the book when her life issues bogged me down. I thought Claire's issues with her family and her former lover distracted from the story of the tapestry.

Overall, I enjoyed this book with some distractions. I loved the tapestry and I wanted more. I wanted to know more about Beatrice and her Duke; less about Claire and her issues. This is a fun historical mystery and I think readers will enjoy it.

About the author:

 

 

P.A. Staes is the author of The Bruges Tapestry; the first of the Clare DeMaere series of historical mysteries. To lend veracity to The Bruges Tapestry Ms. Staes traveled to Stirling Castle in Scotland, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, The Cluny Museum and Gobelin Factory in Paris, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Cloisters to bring alive the rich and romantic world of tapestry. Ms. Staes lives in Southern California with her husband and two dogs.

 

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Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, March 18
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Tuesday, March 19
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick
Wednesday, March 20
Review at Turning the Pages
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise
Thursday, March 21
Review & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook
Friday, March 22
Review at A Book Geek
Monday, March 25
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, March 26
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Wednesday, March 27
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Thursday, March 28
Review at The Book Garden
Interview at The Maiden’s Court
Friday, March 29
Guest Post at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, April 2
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, April 3
Guest Post at A Chick Who Reads
Thursday, April 4
Review at Book of Secrets
Review & Giveaway at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Friday, April 5
Review at Broken Teepee

Review: French Milk

French Milk by Lucy Knisley
Published by Touchstone Books (Simon and Schuster)
Published in 2007
193 pages
Graphic Novel/Memoir
Purchased paperback from Amazon

Synopsis:

A place where young Americans can seek poetic magic in the winding streets of a beautiful city. The museums, the cafs, the parks. An artist like Lucy can really enjoy Paris in January. If only she can stop griping at her mother. This comic journal details a mother and daughters month-long stay in a small apartment in the fifth arrondissement. Lucy is grappling with the onslaught of adulthood. Her mother faces fifty. They are both dealing with their shifting relationship. All the while, they navigate Paris with halting French and dog-eared guidebook.

About a month ago I read Relish by Lucy Knisley and instantly became a huge fan of her work. After I read Relish I had to get her earlier, French Milk; and I'm so glad I did. Lucy has a way of telling her life experiences with a sharp wit that you just want to know more about her life. You can completely empathize with her.

The entire book is about her trip to Paris with her mom. When I was twenty-two, my mom and I went to Europe. We had such a great time. But, at the same time, we had those mother/daughter spats and so did Lucy and her mother. This book brought back such great memories for me. The mom/daughter bonding is something that you will treasure forever. Lucy is hardly ever critical of her mom which I find rather refreshing. They had such a great time in Paris. I thought that Lucy really illustrated how close her mother and her really are.

Another thing I really loved was how Lucy was able to show her angst on her soon to be graduation from college. I rememeber when I was twenty-two and trying to figure what I was supposed to do with my life. Her depressive fits were fitting for her time in life. To me, every college-graduate feels the uncertainty after graduating from college. It's scary and depressing.

I loved Lucy's Paris. It was all about food and art. She is a milk and foie gras affionado. She loved the milk in Paris so much that she named her book for it and I totally get it. I remember when I was in Paris and I thought the vegetables never tasted better. It's probably all the nasty preservatives Americans use. But the food DOES taste better in Paris! Most of her memories centers around food. She documents most of her meals during her trip. I loved that her most favorite meals were at their apartment. Lucy and her mom have such a great bond over food.

Lucy's illustrations are fun and fairly simple. I liked how she attempted to portray some classic pieces of art. I found it really amusing.

French Milk is a fun graphic memoir about a twenty-two year women coming age in Paris with her mom. It is funny and sweet. I highly recommend it!

Review: The Last Runaway

The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
Published by Penguin Group
Published in January 2013
301 pages
Historical fiction
Gift from my father

To read my review of The Last Runaway head over to Oklahoma Women Bloggers where I'm the Blogger of the Month.

Why I Love to Read: Book Blogs

Why I love to Read

Book Blogs

When I began my blog in May 2012, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't know what a weekly meme, blog hops or blog tours were. All I wanted to do was write about the books I was reading. At that time I was completely immersed in supernatural fiction. I wasn't venturing beyond that genre.

Once I started posting regularly, I discovered that there is this amazing book blog community. I had no idea how many people had blogs that talk about how much they to read. What’s even better is that these blogs cover every genre imaginable. I have found so many new books and authors by visiting all of these amazing sites. Each blogger has his/her own favorite books and authors. I've read so many great reviews about books that I thought I would never try.

I remember when I started I had to Google the definition of a blog tour. I had no idea what it was. Now I participate in several. I love that blog tours introduce readers to new authors and releases. I, also, love giveaways that are included in the tours; not to mention all the wonderful author interviews and guest posts. You are exposed to so many different aspects of a book during a tour. It just makes you want to read that book even more.

I have yet to come across the nastiness of book blogging. I haven’t had any mean confrontations with other bloggers or authors. No jealousies either! For that, I’m very grateful. What I have experienced is a remarkable community who want to share new releases, covers, authors or whatever else he/her discovers in the book world. It makes me want to read more and more. With every new book recommendation, my TBR list is turning into Mount Everest. I will never be without something to read next.

Finding new authors is another pleasure of starting my own blog. Some people don’t like when they receive a cold email from an author wanting you to read and review their book. Actually, I enjoy it; but I don’t receive many. Maybe if I received tons I might get a little jaded. That being said, the authors that have sent me their books have been really good and the authors have been really kind when I didn't like their book.

So far, I've had a very positive experience with my book blog. I’m reading more than I ever have before. I’m reading new genres (graphic novels) and going back to my favorite genre (historical fiction). I've found some amazing blogs and met some great people.

In case you’re curious, here are some of my favorite book blogs: ·         Passages to the Past
·         The Relentless Reader
·         Oklahoma Women Bloggers
·         Indie Jane
·         Workaday Reads
·         Book Journey
·         (un)Conventional Bookviews
·         Peace Love Books
·         Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
·         Booklover Book Reviews
·         I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
·         Historical Tapestry
·         Austenprose
·         Austenesque Reviews
·         English Historical Fiction Authors
·         Austen Authors
·         My Jane Austen Book Club

Review: The Dovekeepers

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Published by Simon and Schuster

Published in 2011

504 Pages

Historical Fiction

Purchased from Amazon

Synopsis: Blends mythology, magic, archaeology and women. Traces four women, their path to the Masada massacre. In 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean desert, Masada. According to the ancient Historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Four bold, resourceful, and sensuous women come to Masada by a different path. Yael’s mother died in childbirth, and her father never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker’s wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her twin grandsons, rendered mute by their own witness. Aziza is a warrior’s daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman, who finds passion with another soldier. Shirah is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power. The four lives intersect in the desperate days of the siege, as the Romans draw near. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets – about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.

The Dovekeepers is a masterfully told tale of tremendous sadness and strength. Alice Hoffman captured, with great skill, the stories of four amazing women trying to survive Roman brutality. As you read, their stories will break your heart but also give you hope that the spirit cannot be destroyed.

Each woman had their own incredibly sad story to tell. Each lived with their own shame and pain on what they had done in the past. Ms. Hoffman created a Masada that was able to heal each woman’s pain even amongst tremendous violence and death. Yael, Revka, Aziza, and Shirah found their true destinies in a deserted palace in the middle of the desert. Their stories were so beautifully and tragically written that, at times, the words just took my breath away. I was, also, amazed at the bravery and strength each woman was able to find within themselves.

These four characters epitomized the incredible abuse and degradation that women faced during this time. Women were possessions for men; not individuals with their own intelligence and courage. Yael, Revka, Aziza and Shirah were able to rise above their treatment and glorify in what is meant to be a strong woman; to live and protect their loved ones.

Love is a predominant theme throughout the book. Each woman will go the depths of their own personal hell to be able to love and save their lover or children. At the same time, they have to deal with the shame that this love has caused. It seemed that, to Ms. Hoffman, brings great pain but also tremendous strength.

I really loved this book. It is so rich in historical detail that you could actually picture the desert and Masada in your mind. I read that Ms. Hoffman actually traveled to Masada and this book was the result of that trip. It must of have been an amazing trip.

February Rewind

 

February Rewind

 

 

It's been another wonderful month of book blogging! I really love this stuff. It's just so much fun! This month I was able to write five book reviews, participate in two blog tours and write four posts on Why I Love to Read. I would say that was a successful month!

 

 Reviews

 

Searching for Captain Wentworth by Jane Odiwe

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Austenland by Shannon Hale

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson

 

Blog Tours

 

A Tainted Dawn by B.N. Peacock

The Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard

 

Why I Love to Read

 

My Family

Kindle vs. Print

Snowy Days

Book Club

 

And last, but not least, I became a Countess for supporting Austen Admirers! Thanks, Angie for all your hard work for an amazing Austen app!

 

 

 



HFV Blog Tour: Review of The Thwarted Queen

I'm happy to be a part of the Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tour of Cynthia Haggard and her novel The Thwarted Queen. For my stop I have provided a review of her wonderful book.

 

 

The Thwarted Queen by Cynthia Haggard

Published in 2011

Historical Fiction

I received this book as part of the HFVBT in exchange for an honest review.

 

Synopsis:

 

THWARTED QUEEN is a portrait of a woman trapped by power, a marriage undone by betrayal, and a King brought down by fear.

Cecylee is the apple of her mother’s eye. The seventh daughter, she is the only one left unmarried by 1424, the year she turns nine. In her father’s eyes, however, she is merely a valuable pawn in the game of marriage. The Earl of Westmorland plans to marry his youngest daughter to 13-year-old Richard, Duke of York, who is close to the throne. He wants this splendid match to take place so badly, he locks his daughter up.

The event that fuels the narrative is Cecylee’s encounter with Blaybourne, a handsome archer, when she is twenty-six years old. This love affair produces a child (the “One Seed” of Book II), who becomes King Edward IV. But how does a public figure like Cecylee, whose position depends upon the goodwill of her husband, carry off such an affair? The duke could have locked her up, or disposed of this illegitimate son.

But Richard does neither, keeping her firmly by his side as he tries to make his voice heard in the tumultuous years that encompass the end of the Hundred Years War - during which England loses all of her possessions in France - and the opening phase of the Wars of the Roses. He inherits the political mantle of his mentor Duke Humphrey of Gloucester, and become’s the people’s champion. The rambunctious Londoners are unhappy that their country has become mired in misrule due to the ineptitude of a King prone to fits of madness. Nor are they better pleased by the attempts of the King’s French wife to maneuver herself into power, especially as she was responsible for England’s losses in France. But can Richard and Cecylee prevail? Everywhere, their enemies lurk in the shadows.
This book is filled with many voices, not least those of the Londoners, who forged their political destiny by engaging in public debate with the powerful aristocrats of the time. By their courageous acts, these fifteenth-century Londoners set the stage for American Democracy.

 

The Thwarted Queen is a powerful and intriguing piece of historical fiction. In the past, I've read many novels about Edward IV and his queen, Elizabeth. However, I've never read anything from the perspective of his mother, Lady Cecylee. I found Lady Cecylee to be a very strong lady and someone I wanted to read more about.

Ms. Haggard wrote this book from the first person perspective of Lady Cecylee. In fact, Lady Cecylee calls it her memoirs. The first person perspective worked really well with the telling of this story. You are able to really see inside all her schemes and emotions. You know her insecurities, how proud she could be and how, at times, unforgiving she could be.

This book, also, reminds readers how awful women were treated. It didn't matter if you were noble-born or peasant-born. Each woman felt her own kind of helplessness. Young, noble girls were basically sold to the highest bidder inexchange for wealth and power. Sometimes a young lady would be married as young as four years old. The child would be taken from her mother's care and live with her new husband's family. There was much abuse during those times. Lady Cecylee fought against marrying her daughters off at such a tender age. She didn't always succeed. Ms. Haggard gave us an idea how brutal life could be for a woman in 1400s.

It's nice to see another strong woman during that time. I loved all the references to Eleanor of Aquitaine who happens to be my favorite historical figure. I liked that Lady Cecylee fashioned herself after Eleanor. However, Lady Cecylee was far from perfect. She was supposedly responsible for some truly horrific things. But she seemed, in the end, to be sorry. I don't think she would have changed a thing if she had to do it all over again.

The Thwarted Queen is a wonderful book. I highly recommend it for any historical fiction fan. It is an interesting take of the reigns of Edward IV and Richard III.

About the Author

 

Born and raised in Surrey, England, CYNTHIA SALLY HAGGARD has lived in the United States for twenty-nine years. She has had four careers: violinist, cognitive scientist, medical writer and novelist. Why does she write historical novels? Because she has been reading them with great enjoyment since she was a child. Because she has a great imagination and a love of history that won't go away. And because she has an annoying tendency to remember trivial details of the past and to treat long-dead people as if they were more real than those around her.

Cynthia's biggest influence was her grandmother, Stephanie Treffry, who had a natural story-telling ability. As a widow in 1970s Britain, Grandma Stephanie didn't drive a car, so would spend time waiting for buses. Her stories were about various encounters she had at those bus-stops. Nothing extraordinary, except that she made them so funny, everyone was in fits of laughter. A born entertainer, Cynthia tries to emulate her when she writes her novels.

In case you were wondering, she is related to H. Rider Haggard, the author of SHE and KING SOLOMONS'S MINES. (H. Rider Haggard was a younger brother of her great-grandfather.) Cynthia Sally Haggard is a member of the Historical Novel Society. You can visit her website at www.spunstories.com.



VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, February 11
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Tuesday, February 12
Review at The Book Garden
Wednesday, February 13
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Thursday, February 14
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Friday, February 15
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Guest Post at Flashlight Commentary

Monday, February 18
Review at The Lit Bitch
Review & Giveaway at Confessions of an Avid Reader

Tuesday, February 19
Interview & Giveaway at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, February 20
Review at A Book Geek

Thursday, February 21Review at Psychotic State Book Reviews
Feature & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Friday, February 22
Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Monday, February 25
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Tuesday, February 26
Review at Kinx’s Book Nook
Interview & Giveaway at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Wednesday, February 27
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, February 28
Author Guest Post at A Chick Who Reads

Friday, March 1
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

 



Review: Full Blooded

Full Blooded by Amanda Carlson

Published by Orbit Books

Published on September 11, 2012

322 Pages

Urban Fantasy

Received as a gift from the author

                                                         

 

Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different—she’s feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamoring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

But not everyone is on board. The werewolf Rights of Laws is missing text and the superstitious werewolves think that Jessica means an end to their race. It doesn’t help when Jessica begins to realize she’s more. She can change partway and hold her form, and speak directly to her wolf. But the biggest complication by far is that her alpha father can't control her like he can the rest of his wolves.

When a mercenary who’s been hired by the vampires shows up to extract information about the newly turned werewolf only days after her change, they find themselves smack in the middle of a war and there's no choice but to run together. When it’s up to Jessica to negotiate her release against her father’s direct orders, she chooses to take an offer for help instead. In exchange, Jessica must now swear an oath she may end up repaying with her life.

 

Let me start by saying that I love urban fantasy and especially werwolves. I have very high standards when it comes to books about both and Full Blooded didn't disappoint. I loved the story and the characters. Ms. Carlson created a world of supernaturals that I truly emjoyed and definitely want to read more.

 

Jessica McClain makes a wonderful werewolf. She's strong, bold and with a touch of feminine guile. Her transition from human to the only female werewolf makes for some really good reading. There is action at every turn and a little bit of sex to make it really entertaining and fun. Jessica has a great personality and loyal beyond anything else.

 

One of the main I love werewolves is their sense of Pack. The loyalty really gets to me. I don't care for the absolute authority in the Alpha but the tight bonds that holds the Pack together is really amazing. Jessica has a tight family bond inside the Pack. Her father and brother plus several other Pack members would die to protect her and she for them. I respect that very much.

 

Full Blooded briefly touched upon an intense relationship for Jessica. It's a very interesting match and sparks definitely fly between the two of them. I can't wait to see how it develops. The book ends with a little bit of a cliffhanger that centers around her potential love interest. Usually, cliffhangers drive me crazy and this one did as well. However, the second book, Hot Blooded, comes out in two months. I don't have that long to wait. Thank goodness!!