Recent Reads {King Alfred's English}

King Alfred's English (A History of the Language We Speak and Why We Should Be Glad We Do) by Laurie J White - I can't say enough about how entertaining AND educational this book is!  It was reviewed by the Schoolhouse Review Crew in the summer, and although I wasn't chosen to receive it for the review, I bought it right away.  (Please visit the Schoolhouse Review Crew post King Alfred's English and visit links to the detailed reviews posted by Crew members.)  I was going to read it immediately, but always had other things going on, and I wanted to read the whole thing at one time.  So although I skimmed through it, I didn't read it cover to cover until this past week. 

Author Laurie J White has been an English and History teacher and homeschooled her own children.  Her love of the history of the English language began when she took a course in college.  She wrote this book as a fun and engaging guide to history, linguistics, and English literature, and the history of the English Bible; and it's geared to students in grades 7 through 12 or interested adults.  The book itself is a tour through the history of Britain and how each wave of invasion, immigration, alliance, invention, and religious movement affected the development of the English language.  It makes for fast-paced and entertaining reading, written in a conversational and often humorous style.  She includes stories of several English authors whose writings greatly influenced the development of our English language, and explains why and how the English Bible had a huge impact on the language.  There are also sections about linguistics and word histories, showing how words have morphed and changed over time, and how grammar has shifted and simplified.  

Free supplemental materials for students are available at the author's website, The Shorter Word, and by using them, this book can become the basis of a half-credit history course for high schoolers, or a combined 1/4 credit history and 1/4 credit English course.

I enjoyed the book from beginning to end, and I know it's one I will re-read.  I have been looking at the supplemental materials just for my own interest, and I am pretty sure this will find a place in our homeschool curriculum in years to come.

Recent Reads {Sarai: A Novel}

Sarai: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith - The Biblical story of Abraham and Sarah is well-known, but to our western and 'modern' way of thinking, many parts of it are hard to understand.  Sarai doesn't always seem like such a great role model - it's her idea to give her maid to Abram in order to get her pregnant, then she blames Abram when that's what happens; for example - yet throughout the New Testament she is honored as an example of a godly wife and a woman of faith.  This novel imagines some of the background and the details of Sarai's story that give insight into the culture of the times and the possible reasoning behind some of the actions and attitudes that we find difficult to relate to.  I found this an enjoyable read right from the beginning, as Smith combines solid research and compelling story-telling to make Sarai come alive as a real woman who struggled with insecurity, fear, vanity, jealousy, and faith.  And the story remains faithful to the Biblical account - yes, I did check a few details!

Recent Reads {Veil of Pearls}

Veil of Pearls by MaryLu Tyndall - I'm not sure how this book initially escaped my notice, because I've  been interested in Tyndall's novels since I first discovered her.  To me, the appeal in her novels is that they usually involve pirates or sailing ships somehow.  This one, set in 1811, is no exception, although the sailing plays a smaller role in the story.  The main character is Adalia, a young woman who manages to escape slavery in Barbados and is trying to build a new life in Charleston.  Adalia has changed her name and says as little as possible about her past, hoping that with her light skin color, no one will realize that she is part black and was a slave.  Working as an assistant to a kindly but prejudiced doctor, she is noticed by the second son of a prominent society family, Morgan Rutledge.  Morgan pursues Adalia, despite knowing she is a commoner and how his own family and society reacts.  Adalia initially rejects his advances, but as she gets to know him, she develops feelings for him, and is caught up in the glamour and excitement of moving in society.  How long can she keep her past a secret, and how much will she compromise in order to win him?  How much of his wealth and position is he willing to sacrifice to be with her?

The story keeps an exciting pace, and builds plenty of tension as Adalia's rivals try to uncover enough of her past to drive her and Morgan apart, which may also send her back into slavery.  As with Tyndall's other novels, many of the circumstances stretch belief and are rather improbable, but the settings are vivid and it's easy to get drawn in and be sympathetic with the main characters.

By the same author: Surrender the Dawn, Surrender the Night, Surrender the Heart, The Falcon and the Sparrow, Charles Towne Belle Series (The Red Siren, The Blue Enchantress, The Raven Saint), The Legacy of the King's Pirates series (The Redemption, The Reliance, The Restitution)

Recent Reads {Death in the Floating City}

Death in the Floating City by Tasha Alexander - I have read - and loved! - all the previous Lady Emily Mystery series, and had been eagerly awaiting the next installment.  This has been out for a couple of months and I'd missed it!  Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, are called upon to assist an old acquaintance of Emily's in the city of Venice.  Emma and Emily were not ever close friends, but when Emma's father-in-law is found murdered and her husband disappears, she calls Emily and Colin to lead the investigation.  A fifteenth-century ring and page of manuscript are found on the body, which are clues to a centuries-old love affair gone horribly wrong and to the motive behind the murder.  Emily makes a new friend, Donata, who is by her side through much of the adventure, as they try to piece together story of an ancient feud and lovers kept apart by it, convinced that these secrets from the past will help them uncover the murderer.  

As usual, the very likable and intrepid Lady Emily narrates the story, but interspersed is the account of the Renaissance period lovers.  The ancient love story is a tragedy somewhat reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet.  The identity of the murderer turned out to be a surprise (to me, anyway!), and I couldn't help but be a little skeptical of some of the happy-ever-after aspects of the resolutions at the end of the book.  However, Alexander delivers another delightful story peopled with fascinating characters, and with an intriguing possibility for yet another follow-up.

By the same author: A Crimson Warning, Dangerous to Know, Tears of Pearl, A Fatal Waltz, A Poisoned Season, And Only to Deceive

Recent Reads {Glamorous Illusions}

Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T Bergren - This is the first in a new series set in the early 1900s, the Grand Tour series.  The main character, Cora, comes home from a term at Normal School to find that her papa's health is rapidly deteriorating and the family is in imminent danger of losing their farm.  But a surprise is in store - a wealthy stranger shows up to provide for her parents and to offer her the chance to see Europe in grand style.  It turns out this stranger is really her father - she is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy copper king.  Cora faces a mixed reception from her father's family, and her reactions and emotions are a roller coaster ride as she tries to find her place in their family and fit in with her half-sisters and half-brother and their friends while on the Grand Tour.  Cora must navigate these new experiences and some dangers while trying to determine who she really is.  She finds a friend in the apprentice tour guide, Will, but the other relationships are uncertain and sometimes hostile.  Will does his best to help and protect Cora, but has to suppress his growing feelings for her, because he knows that the relationship between guide and client has to remain just that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have the other novels by Bergren that I've read.  While I love historical fiction, I normally lose interest in any setting more recent than 1900.  This storyline and its characters held my attention and drew me in, and I am already anxiously awaiting the next in the series, Grave Consequences, slated for release in spring.

By the same author: The Blessed, The Betrayed, The Begotten

Recent Reads {A Christmas Homecoming}

A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry - It turns out there was at least one of these Christmas novellas by Anne Perry that I had not yet read.  I remedied that recently, and enjoyed this murder mystery which features Caroline Fielding as the sleuth instead of supporting character.  Caroline is the mother of Charlotte Pitt (main character in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series), who has been widowed, and married an actor, Joshua Fielding.  In this unusual mystery, Joshua and his theater troupe are spending the holidays at the estate of a wealthy sponsor preparing to present a play.  The sponsor's daughter has written a stage adaptation of the recently published novel Dracula, and it is Joshua's job to polish the play and have his troupe present it for the family and close friends.  A winter storm brings an unusual stranger to the estate seeking shelter, but he turns out to be an asset to the production of the play.  However, not everyone welcomes his presence, and he is later found murdered.  Snowed in and unable to summon help from police, Caroline draws from her knowledge of her son-in-law's detective methods and determines to find out which of them is a murderer.  

As with the rest of Perry's short "cozy" mysteries, the crime itself isn't terribly difficult to figure out, but in this one the motive is kept as a bit of a surprise.  

By the same author:  A Christmas Beginning, A Christmas Guest, A Christmas Odyssey

Recent Reads {A Christmas Beginning}

A Christmas Beginning by Anne Perry - Perry is a favorite mystery author of mine, and I've read a large number of her novels, and I think I've read all the Christmas novellas too.  However, it has been a couple of years, and when I glanced through the titles at the library, I couldn't clearly remember this one so I decided to read it again.  As I read, it came back to me, but was still an enjoyable and cozy read.  Perry's Christmas novellas are short mysteries set during the holiday season, and usually feature one of the minor characters from one of her other Victorian mystery series.  (William Monk series and Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series)  This one stars Superintendent Runcorn from the William Monk series.  Runcorn is often at odds with Monk in those books, but here we get an opportunity to sympathize with Runcorn and get to know him a little better.  He is taking a Christmas holiday on an island off the north coast of Wales, and while there finds the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered.  Runcorn is prevailed upon by Melisande Ewart, one of the victim's friends who happens to have been a witness in one of Runcorn's London cases, to assist in the investigation.  The tiny island community and its law enforcement officials are unprepared for the unpleasant work of uncovering secrets and possible scandals that will lead to the murderer.  As Runcorn moves through the investigation, he faces his own personal struggles in finding how he can fit into the society of the island gentry given his background and occupation.  He strives to be a man of integrity and is surprised to find that maybe he has a chance at a new beginning that he couldn't have dreamed possible.

Since this is a short story, the mystery isn't terribly difficult to solve, and everything is tidied up neatly without very many plot twists, but Perry still delivers a mystery novella that manages to be heartwarming and hopeful despite beginning with a murder!

By the same author:  A Christmas Guest, A Christmas Odyssey

Novel Crossing

It's wonderful timing that just as I got this new blog set up, I found out about a new website - Novel Crossing.  Think Goodreads or something along that line, but focused on Christian authors.




I'm just getting started exploring the site and building up my bookcase, but I'm looking forward to discovering all kinds of neat things!  With a free membership, you can track the books you're reading and would like to read.  There are interviews with authors - well-known veteran authors like Karen Kingsbury and up-and-coming authors like Daniel Blackaby.  There are book reviews (so I can make my "to read" list even longer!) and the books are arranged by genre which can be very helpful.  There are community features and contests, and lots more!

It looks like you can connect with other users on the site as well.  This link will take you to my profile page if you'd like to try that out!   Kym's Novel Crossing profile

Recent Reads {The Cellist of Sarajevo}

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway - This is one of those books that I wouldn't normally choose on my own, but having read it, I am very glad that I did.  It is a work of fiction, but is based on some actual events that took place during the conflict in Sarajevo.  The story shifts among four main characters that live in the war-torn city, their struggles to survive and to stay in touch with their humanity.  What ties the separate narratives together is a cellist who plays each day in front of what remains of a building that was hit by a mortar, killing the people who had been standing in line for bread outside.  A sobering and compelling book that I highly recommend.

Recent Reads {The Perfect Bride for Mr Darcy}

 

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen - I couldn't resist going back to more Jane Austen Fan Fiction for a bit, and this one was a very good choice.  Simonsen retells a story very similar to Austen's original Pride and Prejudice, but gives Georgiana Darcy and Anne  de Bourgh much more ink.   These and a few other characters have their personalities developed more fully, and have a hand in bringing Darcy and Elizabeth together.  Anne de Bourgh has a very warm and affectionate friendship with her cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy, and suspects his growing attachment to Elizabeth while he is at Rosings.  After he leaves, Anne takes it upon herself to further her own friendship with Elizabeth and find out just what has happened between the two prospective lovers.  She puts a plan into place to bring to two together again in hopes that they can mend their differences and overcome their misunderstandings (and pride, and prejudice, of course!).  Anne has help from Georgiana, who has suspected her older brother is in love ever since he first returned from Netherfield, but it is some time until she can find out just who is the object of his interest and what has happened to part them after the disastrous proposal at Rosings.  The two ladies join forces in a delightful matchmaking effort that I felt stayed true to Austen's original characters and settings.  This is a piece of JAFF that I really enjoyed, and didn't descend into anything cheap and tawdry for the most part.

Recent Reads {A House for My Name}

 

A House for My Name ( A Survey of the Old Testament) by Peter J. Leithart - This was at least the third time I've read this study which was my introduction to Leithart's work.  As the subtitle suggests, this is a "survey" of the Old Testament, giving an overview of the themes and how they are related, not just throughout the Old Testament, but how they relate to the New Testament as well.  It is full of insight on the construction of the narratives, and how the literary construction subtly enhances the teachings.  I read the Scripture passages alongside Leithart's analysis and was amazed (again) at the way the entire Bible works together despite the multitude of authors and their backgrounds and styles, and the span of centuries over which the various books were written.  Only the inspiration and instruction of the Holy Spirit working in and through each of the authors to harmonize the themes could account for this.  Although this is what I would consider a scholarly work, it is an interesting and engaging book to read.  Each chapter is followed by a set of review and discussion questions, so the book could be used as the basis for personal or group Bible study, or as a Biblical literature course for high school students.

By the same author: Miniatures and Morals

Recent Reads {The Forgiven Duke}

The Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie - Just like the first in this series, I won the book in a blog giveaway! I'm thinking that's the best way to acquire new books for my collection.  LOL  After finishing The Guardian Duke a few months ago, I was looking forward to finding out what would happen next in the story of Alex and Gabriel.  At the close of the first book,  Gabriel had just missed catching Alex before she sailed away from Ireland on her way to Iceland, accompanied by a man who had just become her fiance.  Alex is unsure about her promise to become John's wife, but since he is willing to go with her and continue the search for her missing parents, she believes she did the only thing she could.  She spends a lot of time convincing herself that it will all work out and that she could be happy with John, but as events continue, she is less sure and realizes that her heart really belongs to another.  Gabriel is determined to find Alex and hopes to win her love as well, but he finds himself in great danger and prevented from from following.  And even if he does catch up to her before she comes to harm, and before she goes through with the marriage to John, will she be interested in the love he offers her? His deafness continues to undermine his confidence, as well as his ability to act independently.

Alex's reckless decision to evade Gabriel yet again, and to accept John's proposal puts her in danger and demonstrates the tendency that many of us have - we make our own decisions and rush headlong into what we think is best, and then ask God's blessing on it, thinking that we've followed His leading.  But as Alex discovers, praying and waiting for God's answer might open doors that we don't expect.  Alex and Gabriel both learn lessons about trust and forgiveness in this story, and it looks like more adventure awaits them in book three, which is expected later this year.

Even though the situations in the second book seemed even more unlikely and unbelievable than in the first, I still enjoyed the read, the characters, and the settings.  And I will definitely be picking up the third book (third time lucky? can I win it in another giveaway?) to find out how the story continues.

By the same author: The Guardian Duke

Recent Reads {The Guardian Duke}

 

The Guardian Duke by Jamie Carie - I was lucky enough to win this book on a blog giveaway, and I really enjoyed it.  It is the first in a trilogy set in the early 1800s.  The story opens with the title character, the Duke of St. Easton (Gabriel) receiving the news that he has been appointed the guardian of a young woman named Alexandria Featherstone, whose parents have been missing and are presumed dead.  On the same day, Gabriel suddenly finds that he has lost his hearing.  Alexandria is living at her family home on a remote island in Northumberland, and when she receives the news about the guardianship, she refuses to believe her parents are dead.  They have been treasure hunters and their long absences are not unusual, but it has been a very long time since she had a letter from them... so she runs away, determined to track her parents down and equally determined to not allow the duke's men to take her to London.  What follows is a grand chase across England and Ireland, with Alex doing her best to elude Gabriel and stay one step ahead of him, while the two of them correspond and start a friendship through their letters.  The more clues Alex finds leading her to her parents, the more she finds herself in danger, and it's not only Gabriel that is pursuing her.

I enjoyed the characters and found that I liked them and sympathized with them, and I appreciated the settings and sense of adventure and romance throughout.  I found many of the situations to be unrealistic and with a sense of the fantastic, but I was drawn into the storyline and turned pages eagerly.  The cliff-hanger ending left me anxiously awaiting the second installment.

 

Recent Reads {A Crimson Warning}

A Crimson Warning by Tasha Alexander - Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, have recently returned to London after their stay in Normandy, where their involvement in solving a murder threatened Emily's life.  Emily is hoping to simply enjoy the London season, but she is also drawn into the movement to gain the vote for women, and is still interested in antiquities and the study of ancient Greek.  However, a clever vandal begins terrorizing London society by splashing bright red paint on the fronts of the homes of some elite families.  Colin and Emily get involved in unraveling the case, which includes arson, murder and kidnapping, in a race to discover how all of it might be connected and capture the criminal before more lives are destroyed.  Another exciting mystery with the likeable and eccentric Lady Emily and her friends tempting fate and doing the unexpected in order to bring a criminal to justice.

By the same author: Dangerous to Know,  Tears of Pearl, A Fatal Waltz, A Poisoned Season, And Only to Deceive

Recent Reads {Dangerous to Know}

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - In this installment of the Lady Emily mystery series, Emily and Colin return from their honeymoon to visit Colin's mother in Normandy.  Emily had a brush with death while on their honeymoon in Constantinople and needs time to recover her health.  Not long after their arrival, things get exciting - and dangerous - again! Emily stumbles across the body of a young woman that has been murdered and soon she and Colin are involved in the investigation.  Emily is determined to bring the killer to justice, but as events unfold she begins to wonder about her own sanity.  She hears a child's voice but can't find her, and even finds blue ribbons that the child has supposedly left behind.  The killer is devious and manipulative, and Emily must keep her wits about her and use all her instincts and intelligence to outsmart him and avoid being his next victim.

By the same author: Tears of Pearl, A Fatal Waltz, A Poisoned Season, And Only to Deceive

Recent Reads {The Witch from the Sea}

The Witch from the Sea by Philippa Carr -  This will catch me up on this series for now!  I didn't read them all this weekend, just to be clear!  The third in the Daughters of England series tells the story of two women - Catherine's daughter Linnet, and Linnet's own daughter Tamsyn.  In Part One, Linnet journals her experiences beginning with her family's meeting a young man that is considered an excellent suitor for her.  She is very interested in the kind, peace-loving Fennimore Cooper, but on a journey with her mother to visit the Cooper family, fate intervenes.  Linnet is noticed, and pursued by the powerful Colum Casvellyn, and she is forced to accept her role as his wife and the life she has at his castle on the rocky coast.  For a time all is well, but Linnet begins to suspect her husband of foul play both past and present.  Things only get more dramatic and dangerous when she rescues a mysterious woman from drowning on their shore and takes her into their home.  Linnet learns more about her husband than she wishes to know and becomes very fearful for her own life as he becomes more and more detached from her.

Part Two begins quite abruptly, with Tamsyn's remembering her mother's death.  As Tamsyn grows up, she realizes there was more to her mother and the intrigues in the castle than she had thought, and her strange relationship with her 'sister' Senara is often enigmatic.  Tamsyn eventually uncovers the secrets of the castle and her mother's unexpected and sudden death, and must make decisions about what she must do to keep herself safe and to bring some kind of justice for the crimes that have been committed.

More dark Gothic novel intrigue with dramatically drawn characters and fantastically imagined storylines, but (for me, anyway) hard to put down.  The series continues through many more generations, all the way to the early 1900s (if I remember correctly), and once restarted on the road of re-reading the series, I will be at it for awhile to come.

By the same author: The Miracle at St Bruno's , and The Lion Triumphant

Recent Reads {The Lion Triumphant}

The Lion Triumphant by Philippa Carr - This is the second in Carr's Daughters of England series, and if I thought The Miracle at St Bruno's was far-fetched, this is over the top! This story focuses on Damask's daughter Catherine and her adventures.  The story opens with some background and almost immediately Cat meets Captain Jake Pennlyon, and is repelled yet fascinated by him.  He is crude and aggressive and makes it clear that he intends to have her as his own.  Cat takes great delight in trying to outwit Jake and his advances.  Her adventures become outlandish when she and two other women from her household are kidnapped by a Spaniard intent on having revenge.  They wind up living for quite some time with their Spanish captors and to a great extent are resigned to their new life, since there doesn't seem to be a way of escape.  Then Jake appears on the scene again and rescues them, while setting up even more danger and adventure.  Back in England, and married to Jake, things don't settle down easily because there is always a threat to the country from Spain, religious intolerance, and in Cat's own home she fears that someone is trying to destroy her.

By the same author: The Miracle at St Bruno's

Recent Reads {The Miracle at St Bruno's}

The Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr - This is the first novel in a series that I discovered several years ago, rather by accident.  Author Philippa Carr has also written a number of biographical novels under the name Jean Plaidy, and historical romance novels under the name Victoria Holt.  In my opinion, this series (Daughters of England) is a middle ground between the two genres -  a historical setting epic in Gothic novel style, but not necessarily romance.  The series opens during the reign of King Henry VIII in Britain, before the rise of Anne Boleyn.  The main character, Damask, is the only child of a well-to-do London businessman who is also a devoted father.  Their estate neighbors an Abbey, and in time Damask and her cousin develop a friendship with the young boy that lives at the Abbey and is named for the patron saint.  Bruno's background and parentage is unknown, and his coming to Abbey was regarded as a miracle.  The saga follows Damask and her contemporaries as they grow up during this very unsettled time in Britain - the wives and intrigues of Henry VIII and his court, and the persecutions of Catholics.  Damask eventually marries Bruno, but in true Gothic novel style, they certainly do not live happily ever after.  Mysteries and intrigues abound and Damask finds herself in the middle of one unlikely scenario after another.

The story continues in the sequel novels, each of which centers on a female descendant of Damask's, and is an interesting - if rather fantastic - view of the history of Great Britain, not from the royal court or from truly 'ordinary' folk.   As colorfully imagined as the characters and storylines are in the series, it still offers a glimpse of the life and times of Britain's history and how people may have been affected by world events and shifts in political power and royal attitudes.

 

Recent Reads {Madame Tussaud}

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran - Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel by Moran that I read, I was at first reluctant to read this one.  After all, the French Revolution was bloody and violent, and I wasn't sure how much I wanted to get into that.  Once I started, I was drawn into the story of the talented wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and her family's business in Paris during the time of the French Revolution.  I didn't even realize that there was a real, historical Madame Tussaud until I read this outstanding work of historical fiction that brought her to life!  Marie's family had a wax museum, the Salon de Cire, in Paris and were working towards greater fame and wealth.  They had the attention of the royal family, and Marie was summoned as an instructor in wax sculpture to the sister of King Louis XVI.  The times are troubled, and there are risks, but as Marie spends time with the princess and at the royal court, she sees all the facets of the escalating political troubles.  Even while she spends time at court and her older brothers serve in the Swiss Guard which protects the king, the Salon de Cire often hosts meetings that include the leading revolutionaries of the day, so the Tussaud family and their dearest friends walk a dangerous tightrope.  As France descends into the Reign of Terror, Marie is called upon by the revolutionaries to make death masks of beheaded aristocrats - does she dare refuse?  When opportunities arise for her to escape to England, will she take the chance?

By the same author:  Cleopatra's Daughter

Recent Reads {The Blessed}

 

The Blessed (A Novel of the Gifted) by Lisa T. Bergren - In the final installment of this epic story of the Gifted, the group comes to Provence in France and comes under the protection of a powerful noble family there as they await an audience with the Pope in Avignon.  Meanwhile, the enemy forces, led by Lord Amidei, are strengthening their position and making their own alliances.  Very soon after their arrival in Provence, the Gifted find themselves with opportunities to use their gifts for God's glory, by miraculous healing and by preaching the Gospel to nobles and commoners in the area.  Sir Gianni and Lady Daria are finally wed, but their happiness and safety continues to be threatened by the powerful Lord Amidei, seeking vengeance and greater power and control.  He even gains influence with some of the Cardinals and hopes to control the Pope himself.   Cardinal Boeri has declared himself an ally and supporter of the Gifted, but can he be trusted?  The Gifted are still seeking the last member of their group, a prophetess, and are hoping to reunite with Hasani if he is still alive.  When all are together, they must continue to follow where God directs them, trusting Him in the face of great danger.  This powerful conclusion to the trilogy is full of suspense and action that kept me eagerly turning pages.  Bergren weaves a great story, full of drama and surprises, combining authentic history with compelling fiction.  And she does it in a way that doesn't compromise on the Gospel or demean the Church.  I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy historical fiction of all kinds, as it includes suspense and mystery, and a little bit of romance as well.

By the same author: The Begotten, The Betrayed

Recent Reads {The Betrayed}

The Betrayed by Lisa T. Bergren - This is the second novel in Bergren's trilogy, and continues the adventures of the group of fourteenth century Christians known as The Gifted.  In the first novel, The Begotten, the group was brought together by circumstances and a portion of a mysterious illuminated letter from centuries earlier.  Each has a remarkable spiritual gift, and together they are learning to use their gifts for God's glory and to work together as a Body to discover God's calling for them, while facing the opposition of a dangerous enemy.  As The Betrayed opens, the band of believers is fleeing to Venezia where they hope to find more clues about their purpose, and the villain Lord Amidei and his allies are in pursuit with the goal of destroying the Gifted completely.  Many adventures await in Venezia, and the Gifted find some trusted friends and another of their number, all the while trying to discern what God is leading them to do, and keep each other safe from the enemy's increasingly vicious attacks.  They face some very difficult trials and great danger, and the suspense and drama of this compelling historical novel kept me on the edge of my seat.

By the same author:  The Begotten

Recent Reads {Tears of Pearl}

Tears of Pearl by Tasha Alexander - I'm finding the Lady Emily novels very enjoyable, and rather hard to put down once I've started!  They are generally a quick read as well.  This is the fourth in the series, and opens with newlyweds Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves on their wedding trip.  They are looking forward to a relaxing and exotic honeymoon in Constantinople, but on their first night there one of the harem girls is found murdered.  It turns out the girl is the daughter of one of the British diplomats and had been kidnapped many years earlier.  Emily and Colin launch an investigation to find her killer, with Emily given access to the mysterious world of the seraglio so she can question the sultan's concubines and eunuchs.  The answers aren't easy to find, especially as new twists and turns - and more victims - keep bringing new questions into the investigation.  Emily's friend Margaret comes to Constantinople as well, and assists Emily with her investigation while providing the comfort and support of a trusted friend as Emily deals with some very personal questions and fears as well.  In this mystery, I had my eye on the suspect much earlier than in the previous installments, but was kept wondering how everything fit together and how Emily would find the solution and capture the killer.  Another winner in the series!

By the same author: And Only to Deceive,  A Poisoned Season, A Fatal Waltz

Recent Reads {A Fatal Waltz}

 

A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander - in the third novel of suspense featuring Lady Emily Ashton, she and Colin Hargreaves attend a house party at the estate of a powerful member of the British government.  Lady Emily expects the event to be uncomfortable and tedious, as she despises the powerful Lord Fortescue, and attends only as a favour to her best friend Ivy, whose husband is a protege of Lord Fortescue.  It certainly is uncomfortable - one of the other guests is Kristiana von Lange, an Austrian countess who has a past relationship with Colin.  But the party is not tedious.  Lord Fortescue is found murdered and Ivy's husband is arrested and charged with the crime.  Lady Emily is determined to clear his name, and her investigation takes her to Vienna.  There she must continue to deal with the countess and her husband, and she matches wits with an anarchist, all in a race to find the real murderer before Ivy's husband stands trial.  In the end, Lady Emily must also trust the countess for Colin's safety as well.  An intriguing murder mystery and lovely romance all in one!

By the same author: And Only to Deceive,  A Poisoned Season

Recent Reads {The Skin Map}

The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead - Most years, when I get birthday money, I spend at least part of it on books.  This year I purchased my own copies of The Skin Map and The Bone House with birthday money.  I had read The Skin Map very shortly after it was first published, but now that I had the second book in the series to read, I thought it would probably be a good idea to refresh my memory of the first.  I enjoyed it every bit as much the second time through, but then again, Lawhead is one of my favorite authors and I never seem to get tired of reading his work.

The Bright Empires series is an intriguing combination of science fiction, suspense thriller, and historical novel.  Kit Livingstone lives a rather dull existence in a dead-end job and a lackluster romance, but all that changes when he unexpectedly meets with his great-grandfather and is introduced to the adventures of ley line travel.  Kit tries to show his skeptical girlfriend Mina what happened, but they become separated - she finds herself in Bavaria of long ago, while Kit returns to the London of the 17th century where he had been with his great-grandfather.  And so begins their quest to find Mina in whatever alternate universe she has landed in, while eluding the bad guys in the race to find the skin map.  At the same time, Mina is adjusting to the surprising changes in her circumstance and making the best of things.

My comments from my first read of The Skin Map.

By the same author:  The Pendragon Cycle: Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail;  Patrick.

Recent Reads {A Poisoned Season}

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander - This is the follow-up to And Only to Deceive, and follows  the adventures of Lady Emily Ashton as she finds herself involved in another investigation.  Emily is being very choosy about the invitations she accepts as the London season gets under way, and soon finds herself gaining attention of a man claiming to be the heir to the French throne - attention she does not want!  She has a rather low opinion of Mr Berry, and is skeptical of his claim that he is the decendent of the dauphin who escaped the French Revolution.  At the same time, jewelry and other valuable items that once belonged to Marie Antoinette are being stolen from London homes by a clever cat burglar.  And Emily finds that she has a mysterious secret admirer.  Are there connections? Emily sets out to find out, and the urgency intensifies when a young man of her acquaintance is found murdered after he reports that a valuable diamond of Marie Antoinette's was stolen from him.  While navigating the social scene and dealing with gossip about her own character, Emily continues to pursue the investigation with valuable help from Colin Hargreaves.  And Colin is pursuing Emily with clear intent to marrying her.  By the end of this clever novel of intrigue and suspense, Emily identifies her admirer, unmasks a murderer, finds the truth about the dauphin's descendents, and makes a decision about marrying again.

By the same author:  And Only to Deceive

Recent Reads{The Begotten}

The Begotten by Lisa T. Bergren - This book was recommended to me by a friend at least two years ago, and has been on my to-read list ever since.  I finally got around to reading it this past week, and I'm so glad I did!  This is historical fiction that deals with the Church of the middle ages and spiritual gifts and calling.  The setting is fourteenth century Italy, and the main characters are a noblewoman with the gift of healing, an unusual priest with the gift of wisdom, and a knight of the Church with the gift of faith.  They are brought together by divine circumstances with an ancient prophetic writing and its illumination that challenges them and encourages them to use their gifts as God directs them and to trust Him alone.  The story is definitely a page-turner, something of a mystery and a thriller, because these main characters are being pursued by a powerful enemy that they don't identify until very late in the book, and there is danger and intrigue all around.  I found it to be inspirational as well as entertaining.

Although I do wish my friend had told me it's the first part of a trilogy! Now I have to track down the next two in the series so I can find out what happens next!

 

Recent Reads {And Only To Deceive}

And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander - Tasha Alexander titles have popped up a few times on Amazon as suggested books after searching for other historical fiction, but when I quickly skimmed past a review on a Jane Austen fan blog I thought I would give it a try.  The setting and many plot elements actually remind me far more of Deanna Raybourn's novels, her Lady Julia Grey series being a favorite of mine.  This one opens with the young society widow Lady Emily Ashton reflecting on her brief marriage and very superficial relationship with her late husband, Philip.  She readily admits that she accepted his proposal in order to escape her mother's home, and although she liked him well enough, she certainly wasn't deeply in love, nor did she feel a great loss at the news of his death while on a safari in Africa.  As information about Philip's regard for her, and his interest in Greek antiquities comes to her, she begins to regret his loss more keenly and especially that she never really got to know him.  However, her interest in her late husband's dealings in antiquities also stirs up danger and intrigue and a number of questions about how he might have been connected to a black market in antiquities and engaged in fraudulent activities.  Determined to remain free of her mother's influence and resistant to any thought of marrying again, Emily sets out to unravel the mysteries and decide which, if any, of Philip's friends she can trust.  She also decides to follow up on rumours that her husband may still be alive somewhere in Africa, and her quest places her in more danger than she realizes.  Emily is an interesting character, and while there are many elements of this story that are strikingly similar to the Lady Julia series, I think Raybourn's characters are more eccentric themselves, and certainly have a more unusual supporting cast of characters.  Alexander's novel has a lot of flair in its suspense and mystery, with just a hint of romance, so it was an easy read and left me wanting to read the follow-up novel.

Recent Reads {Arthur}

Arthur by Stephen R Lawhead - The third novel in the Pendgragon Cycle picks up the tale with a young Arthur pulling the legendary sword out of the stone and laying his claim to the High Kingship of Britain.  Many of the small kings refuse to accept his claim and he starts out as the war chief of Britain and the staunch support of a few powerful allies.  The story is told in three parts, with three different narrators.  Pelleas, the faithful steward to Merlin the magician, opens the story.  Pelleas and Merlin knew of Arthur's parentage and arranged to keep him safe until the time was right for him to come forward as the rightful heir to Aurelius.  Then Bedwyr, Arthur's loyal sword-brother and ally, takes up the story, telling of the wars against the barbarians trying to invade Britain and of the alliances forged and victories won that finally earn Arthur his title as High King.  The final part of the tale is told by Aneirin, who joins the retinue as an assistant to Merlin.  At this point, Arthur has had his kingmaking, and work has begun on the Round Table that is part of Gwenhwyvar's wedding gift.  During Aneirin's narration, the wicked Morgian finally meets her end, and we are introduced to the traitorous Medraut.  Throughout the story, Arthur keeps his focus on holding Britain in peace and as the Kingdom of Summer that the bard Taliesin had dreamed about.  Despite Arthur's great faith, the power of darkness and evil is great as well, and Arthur comes very near to losing his Queen and the Kingdom itself, and the book ends with Arthur's and Merlin's mysterious disappearance.

By the same author:  Patrick, The Skin Map.  Other books in the Pendragon Cycle are: Taliesin, Merlin, Pendragon, and Grail.   My comments from the previous time I read Arthur are here.

Recent Reads {Tchaikovsky}

Tchaikovsky by Roland John Wiley - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a colorful and tragic character in so many ways, so I thought that his biography would be very interesting. I was a bit surprised that my own library system didn't have much choice at all when it came to biographies of this great composer, however. This one by Wiley may have been the only one written for adults, if I remember correctly. It was held by the college branch of the library, which should have tipped me off that it was more textbook than anything. I hesitate to say that it was painfully boring, because if I had been a college student and had this work as assigned reading, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it compared to most textbooks. But compared to the enjoyable biographies of composers by Jeremy Siepmann that I'd recently read, this was much too dry and detailed to hold my interest. Wiley followed a similar format to the Siepmann books - a chapter describing his life, activities, and correspondence during a particular time period; then a chapter describing the music composed during that period. However, this book was so densely packed with minutiae and footnotes that I skimmed over large portions of the "everyday life" chapters, and actually skipped most of the "music" chapters. It was just too much detail. And without the compositions to listen to, I wasn't much interested in reading page upon page of description of the musical devices used in an opera or song cycle I wasn't even familiar with. I now know a lot more about the background and character of Tchaikovsky, and a great deal about what he and his correspondents thought and felt about his music and life circumstances. As a detailed and annotated biography and description of his compostions, this is a very thorough study, but it is not exactly an attention-grabber.

Recent Reads {Already Compromised}

Already Compromised by Ken Ham & Greg Hall with Britt Beemer - As a follow-up of sorts to the eye-opening book, Already Gone, this book examines what Christian colleges are really teaching, and it might surprise many Christian parents to find out!  A research team put together an extensive questionnaire and took it to the presidents, academic deans, vice presidents, and department heads of 200 Christian colleges and universities.  The results reveal some disconcerting news - while these schools overwhelmingly reported that they believe the Bible is true and that God created the earth, what they actually mean by these statements, and what might be taught in the classrooms, are not necessarily the same thing.  For example, more than 90% said they believe in the flood of Noah's Day, but less than 60% believed that the flood was worldwide.  Or how about this one - more Science Department heads believe the Genesis 1-2 account of creation is literally true than do Religion Department heads.  And almost 60% of Science Department heads consider themselves to be young-earth Christians, while less than 15% of Religion Department heads would say the same.  What does this mean?  Well, for parents and students searching for a college to attend may want to ask some harder questions and consider what is really believed and taught at these institutions of higher learning.  Just because they have reputations as Christian colleges or are associated with a particular denomination may not mean they respect the authority of Scripture in practice.  And it means that Christians, and the Church, need to sit up and take notice of the slippery slope we find ourselves on.  We need to speak up and we need to pray, and we need to stand firm on God's Word as the ultimate authority and source of truth.

It's weighty subject matter, but it's not a difficult read at all, and is explained well.  Along with Already Gone, I believe this book should be read by Christian parents, Christian educators, and pastors.  And I think this one should be read by college-bound teens as well, preferably before they choose their school.  There is a very encouraging and practical chapter towards the end of the book written specifically to students.

By the same author(s):  Already Gone, The New Answers Book 1

Recent Reads {A Darcy Christmas}

A Darcy Christmas - A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen - by Amanda Grange, Sharon Lathan, and Carolyn Eberhart - This was a quick read, and although I don't think it would win any literary awards, I appreciate that it doesn't try to be something that it's not.   It is just a light, seasonal set of stories, not deep and without any mysteries to unravel.  It's a collection of three brief novellas based on Austen's beloved characters within a Christmas season setting.  The first places Darcy in a similar position to Scrooge - he meets with three spirits on the Christmas Eve after his first disastrous proposal to Elizabeth, and is encouraged to learn from her criticisms and try again to win her rather than give up.  An interesting premise, although I didn't necessarily agree with all the characterizations.  The second story in the collection is basically a narrative of a Christmas in which the Darcys are expecting their first child and spend the holiday with the Bingleys.  Not much in the way of a storyline, but I had no complaints either.  And the third is sort of a collection of their Christmas memories over the long years of their marriage.  None of the three vignettes were offensive, but none were particularly memorable or wonderful either.  But as it is clearly intended to be light seasonal reading, I wasn't entirely disappointed that it didn't contain anything that stood out as particularly valuable or worthy of comment.

Recent Reads {Merlin}

Merlin by Stephen R Lawhead - This is the second in Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle, and is the story of the son of the great bard Taliesin and the Atlantean princess Charis.  Merlin tells his own story, of growing up with the "Fair Folk" of Atlantis, spending time with his Celtic grandparents and the Christian druid priests.  As a young man, he is kidnapped by the Hill Folk, and lives with them for several seasons.  The central part of the tale is quite dark, as Merlin withdraws into the forest by himself to mourn the loss of his wife and many of his friends and sword-brothers in a Saxon raid.   Many of the characters refer to him as being mad during this time, and he doesn't deny it.  However, he is able to return to those of his family still living and take up his place as Briton's prophet and kingmaker.  We are introduced to young Arthur before the story's end, and events are set in motion for Arthur to return as Briton's High King who ushers in the "Kingdom of Summer" foretold by Taliesin.  Throughout the story, there is an underlying theme of the One True God and Merlin is among the characters that find their purpose in serving God and doing His will.

By the same author:  Patrick, The Skin Map.  Other books in the Pendragon Cycle are: Taliesin, Arthur, Pendragon, and Grail.   My comments from the previous time I read Merlin are here.

Recent Reads {Beethoven: His Life and Music}

Beethoven - His Life & Music by Jeremy Siepmann - Since I thoroughly enjoyed Siepmann's biography of Mozart, I was quick to grab his similar work on Beethoven.  Siepmann tells Beethoven's story in the same engaging, readable style with chapters about his life alternating with chapters describing his music.  Siepmann draws from letters and writings of Beethoven and his family members and associates to give a well-rounded view of this often troubled, but brilliant composer.  The chapters about the music were also very interesting, and accessible even to readers without an education in music.  The book captures the tragedy and the triumph of Beethoven's life well, without passing judgment.  The books comes with two CDs of the music referenced in the book, and sidebars throughout the book direct the reader to the track mentioned.  Unfortunately, the library copy I read had only one of the two CDs with it, so I missed out on some of the music.  I highly recommend these books, and wish there were more in this style about other composers.

By the same author:  Mozart: His Life & Music

Recent Reads - Disappointing JAFF

I'm going to combine three books in one post, because I'm not prepared to endorse any of them.  There is an overabundance of Jane Austen Fan Fiction out there, and the quality varies widely.  Most are what I call "fluffy" novels and while I've read several that are quite entertaining and well done, it seems that a large percentage of this genre are cheap attempts by mediocre authors to capitalize on the popularity of Austen's characters and are a waste of time.  I do read reviews by readers in order to choose which of these novels are what I would consider trash and avoid those.  Of the following three books, I rather wish I'd completely avoided one of them, and I could have lived a full and happy life without having read the other two.

Darcy and Fitzwilliam by Karen V. Wasylowski - This book completely failed to live up to the reviews I saw, and honestly I wonder if the editor that wrote the blurb for the book jacket even read the book.  The premise is supposed to be the friendship between Mr Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the events follow those of Pride and Prejudice. The book cover indicates that Fitzwilliam assists Darcy in his 'botched marriage proposals' but there is only one proposal that is botched and Fitzwilliam didn't help with it.  Furthermore, that happened in P&P and is only referred to briefly in the past tense in this novel.  Fail.  None of the P&P characters in Wasylowski's story act in keeping with the characters given them by Austen, with the possible exceptions of Col Fitzwilliam and Caroline Bingley.  Elizabeth has been turned into an irrational, screaming battle-axe without any of the wit or intelligence for which she is known, and this was most disappointing.  The dialogue is flat and childishly vulgar, often laced with what I call potty-mouth.  Little attention was paid to the customs and manners of the period, which indicates that the author did not bother to research.  For example, throughout the story she has characters referring to each other using only first names.  While this may be acceptable between husband and wife alone, or between the two cousins, proper manners would never have allowed Darcy or Fitzwilliam to refer to Lady Catherine deBourgh as simply "Catherine", or for Elizabeth to call her husband anything but "Mr Darcy" in company.  Wasylowski had a few good ideas for moving her plots, but with such poor characterization, sketchy timelines, and far-fetched nonsense, she would have been much better off, in my opinion, in creating her own characters for the story rather than cheapening those that Austen gave us.  Of course, the book probably wouldn't have found an audience then...

Bottom line: don't bother with this book.  I sincerely wish I hadn't.

Mr Darcy Takes A Wife and Nights and Days at Pemberley by Linda Berdoll - I did know what I was getting into when I decided to read these P&P 'sequels' because the reviews were clear that Berdoll treats Darcy and Elizabeth to an extremely passionate marriage life, but those reviews also extol Berdoll's top-notch storytelling and sweeping plot.  Berdoll does tell a good story, and her plots were complex and covered a lot of ground in the narratives.  My complaint about the plots themselves would be that there were really just too many of them.  Each of the two books run 400+ pages, and have multiple complex subplots with many additional characters.  All the characters are quite well-developed, and for the most part the characters from the original P&P are true to their form.  I was not happy with the way Darcy was portrayed in the first, however, because in about half the story he is reduced to little more than a lecher, and the reader is given the impression that he is a most honorable man by virtue of his abilities in bed and his unusual decision to give his lustful attention only to his wife.  Of course it's honorable to be faithful to marriage, but the author seemed to be saying that Darcy was to be admired because he stopped sowing his wild oats once he fell in love with Elizabeth, and that it was wonderful that he had all that past experience because it made his marriage so much better.  I didn't really buy it.  But, as Berdoll's goal seemed also to combine a tawdry bodice-ripper with a plenty of intrigue and drama, she needed plenty of bedroom scenes in order to show off her ability to be graphic without using modern or medical terms. (Imagine me rolling my eyes for effect here.)  I need to be fair in saying that the plots and characterizations are very good, but I could have done with a little less detail in all those subplots, and a lot less drollery and detail in the scenes meant to convey just how 'satisfying' a relationship Darcy and Elizabeth have.

Bottom line: Pretty good books, but for adults only, and if you're prepared to skim and skip stuff along the way.

Recent Reads {A Christmas Guest}

A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry - Perry is one of my favorite mystery authors, and this is another in her series of cozy Christmas-themed mysteries.  In this one, Mariah Ellison (Charlotte's sharp-tongued Grandmama from the Thomas & Charlotte Pitt mysteries) spends Christmas with relatives and she is not happy about it.  To further her dismay, another house guest arrives and Grandmama is determined not to like her.  Maud Barrington does make an impression on her, however, but unfortunately she also dies a few days into her stay.  Grandmama is suspicious of foul play and decides to get to the bottom of things herself.  Like all of Perry's Christmas mysteries that I have read, the novel itself can stand alone, so readers don't need to be familiar with her other novels in order to follow these.  And because they are essentially novellas, the plots are generally simple in order to wrap up the mystery within a quick read.  This one was a simple, but well-constructed mystery plot, just clever enough that I wasn't sure I had solved it much ahead of Grandmama.  Grandmama does make some pretty rapid character changes, which seem a little hard to believe, but perhaps no more than the "turn over a new leaf" New Years Resolutions that are so common.  A quick and satisfying read, which reminded me that I have yet to read through the entire Thomas & Charlotte Pitt series.  Maybe I should make that one of my New Years Resolutions!

 

By the same author:  A Christmas Odyssey