Fiction Addict

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication date: February, 2012

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

Taylor M. Polites’ debut novel, The Rebel Wife, is set in the post-Civil War South and involves the struggles of Augusta Sedlaw Branson, or Gus, against the poverty and deprivation she faces in the wake of war.  Married to Eli Branson for the financial security of her, heretofore, wealthy family, Gus discovers upon Eli’s death from the mysterious ‘blood fever’ that she is in dire straits, money-wise.  Her cousin, Judge Heppert, takes on the role of advisor so that Gus and her child can live on what’s left of their estate.

Heppert’s son, Buck, has come home from the war and wants to court Gus, who loved him before the war started.  But now, Buck seems to side with his father in telling Gus that, though the mill her husband owned is making good money, her husband debts will get most of it.  Gus cannot believe she’s left in such a mess and her servant, Simon, once her slave, agrees with her.  It seems Eli has left a chest filled with gold and everyone wants to find it.  In an unlikely partnership and a dangerous one, Gus and Simon try to get to the truth about Eli and his shady business dealings. Polites does a fine job of describing the ruined South:

And now my husband has died and left me a widow.  The first pale hints of sunrise creep into the sky to color it a hard gray like gunmetal.  Simon’s lamp still burns in his bedroom window.  He has waited up all night.  But I want to linger with Eli.  I do not want to move.  I do not want to leave this room. Why do I wait? The word widow vibrates in my head.  It rolls on my tongue.  Widow. My mouth shapes the word silently.  I have counted so many days until I could call myself by that name.  Widow.

My one quibble with the book is that the story is told in present-tense, which seems an unusual choice for historical fiction.  Using present tense does not add to the immediacy of the events, nor does it seem to fit.  But the dark, frightening moments in the novel evoke a bit of Faulkner and the atmosphere is just right–thick with the smell of magnolias and honeysuckle.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Date: March 2012

Reviewed by Jen Roman

In the early 1920s, cousins Rosie and Lilly long for different things. Rosie wants to travel the world and become famous; Lilly just wants to return to her childhood home: a buffalo ranch in Montana. Rosie gets part of her wish as she and Lilly are in France to learn to be proper young ladies. After Lilly’s mother passes away and Rosie falls for the wrong man, each must face difficult decisions, and return to their faith, before they are able to move forward and be truly happy in their lives.
Warren, a bestselling novelist, weaves a novel that drops little historical references here and there: Lilly is enamored with wearing pants in public and Rosie is amazed at the people who dare to have alcohol at a party. Charles Lindberg is a household name and short hairdos on ladies are all the rage. This makes the story both believable and entertaining at the same time. Readers will love reading about what technological “advances” people have in the 1920s and they will love how spirited Rosie and Lilly are for women of their era. Both characters are likeable but flawed, and they are easy for readers to sympathize with them. They both make big mistakes in their lives but eventually turn to God and learn from those mistakes. While the ending isn’t exactly happy, it is a good resolution that shows that life isn’t always wrapped up in a pretty bow. Any reader who enjoys period novels will find Baroness fun, interesting, heart-wrenching, and entertaining.

Genre: Alternate History, Historical

Publisher: Quirk Books

Publication Date: January 2012

Reviewed by Jen Roman

How cool would it be to interview a President from 100 years ago? In Heller’s Taft 2012, not only is it possible, but William Howard Taft’s legions of fans create a Taft Party and encourage him to run for another term. The story unfolds from Taft’s perspective as he wakes up in the present day, realizes he is underground, and more importantly, hungry. He moves around, is able to unearth himself (on the White House Lawn, no less), and is promptly chased and shot in the leg by a Secret Service Agent. He is interrogated and subjected to many medical and DNA tests and is declared to be a healthy former President of the United States. Gaining instant notoriety, Taft is followed around as though he is a rock star and even has his own Secret Service Agent protecting him. He eventually meets his biographer and great-granddaughter and is encouraged to run for President with his great-granddaughter as his running mate. As the story moves along, Taft embraces modern conveniences and learns how to function in the year 2012. He also gets a lesson in modern politics.
Taft 2012 contains an interesting subject idea, but this is becoming the norm for Quirk Books. Heller manages to intersperse history with complete fiction and has fun resurrecting one of our lesser-known and less effective Presidents. He peppers the book with newscasts, both real and fabricated, about Taft and his actions. He clearly demonstrates his knowledge of Taft’s personal and political lives by mentioning some lesser-known facts. One thing that is still puzzling, however, is how Taft ended up buried on the White House Lawn. According to the biographer, he just vanished on Roosevelt’s swearing-in day, never to be seen again. It would have been nice if Heller had taken some literary liberties and just made up some kind of story. Otherwise, the story is fun, easy-to-read, and informational. While it is a historical novel, it does maintain a lot of historical integrity about a lesser-known President. Readers of historical fiction and anyone just interested in politics should have fun with this book.
Taft 2012 does contain some sexual situations, so it may not be appropriate for younger readers. Other than that, it is pretty safe for just about anyone.

Genre: Drama

Publisher: Dafina Books – Kensington Publishing Corp

Publication Date: June 1, 2011

Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Deception, lust, and murder are a few of the ingredients that will keep readers turning the pages of Mama Ruby, by New York Times Bestselling Author Mary Monroe.

The story opens in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana – and is the prequel to Monroe’s The Upper Room, and takes place during Ruby’s formative years – and boy how influential those years were in shaping Ruby into the character she became.

The down-home Southern names are earthy to match the thickness of the characters – Ruby Jean, Othella Mae, Beulah, Simone  are just a few of the names that are used to express the time period the story is set in.  Ruby is the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter – supposedly meaning she has mystical abilities she wants nothing to do with. She didn’t need or want the responsibility, after all just being the daughter of a preacher was enough of a burden as far as Ruby was concerned.

You would think by being the daughter of overly religious parents it would have had a positive influence on her but it did not. Instead Ruby was the promiscuous ignorant young daughter of a preacher and the horrific and somewhat unbelievable consequences that occurred throughout her childhood followed her into adulthood and only seem to be compounded by her own actions.

The human elements of this story may cause many readers to become angry and perhaps even sympathize with the characters.  I was angered enough to put the book down, but had no sympathy for the characters; I did not like the characters, their lifestyles or what they represented. However, I wanted to know what happened, how the characters did or did not prevail over their grim circumstances.

This book contains some gritty as well as offensive language therefore; the recommended audience should be mature readers of ages 18 and older.

Review copy provided by author.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

Publication Date: Feb 2012

Reviewed by Melody Ballard

When Owen Allen began his journey from England to America, he left with the hope  of a new life for his sister Annie and himself.  Owen, selfless and optimistic knew that this new beginning would release his sister Annie from the tyrannical grip of their aunt, Eleanor Hargrave.  And so he sailed on that fateful voyage of the Titanic with shoots and seeds that he so carefully cultivated in order to renew the garden that was both his life’s work and his heart’s desire.  It was in America that 30 acres of Owen’s land was being cared for by his Aunt Maggie and it was here that he knew he would fulfill his destiny.

Owen’s journey intersects with that of Michael Dunnigan, a young stowaway on the Titanic from Shannon Ireland.  Michael was also a victim of  cruelty and was tormented by the fate that had befallen his mother and young sister. Michael’s life was forever changed by Owen’s kindness and strength that was a manifestation of Owen’s strong and unwavering faith. As Owen saw that Michael was safely in the lifeboat of the Titanic, he asked him to promise that he would continue his journey, would see that the garden in America would prosper, and that he would take care of his sister Annie.

Annie Allen, Owen’s sister was devoted to her brother.  She endured the difficult  times with cold-hearted Aunt Eleanor by believing that she would somehow complete Owen’s dream in America.   Her will was fueled in part by her anger toward Michael because he lived and Owen died. The fact that she had never met Michael had little effect on this grief and anger.

Twists of fate continue to impede Michael’s promise to Owen of bringing Annie to America. In time, through correspondence with her Aunt Maggie and later with Owen himself, Annie found that she could forgive. Her heart once hardened, opened through her faith; and hope and anticipation took the place of the darkness that had so consumed her. World War I soon changed all this.

Promise Me This is filled with characters so complex and alive that one might believe they are members of ones own family. This riveting story is mesmerizing and compelling  as well as historically accurate. Cathy Gohlke has extensively researched the times and lifestyles of those who may have lived during them; Owen was an actual person on the manifest of the Titanic. This novel of hope, redemption and promise amidst profound despair is one that will bring the story of the Titanic alive during her 2012 centennial.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Historical Noir Crime

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication Date: September 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Turn of the century Detroit, Michigan was once called the New Paris. But by 1911, it is a town embroiled in wars between the visionary owners of the fledgling automobile industry, mob sponsored unions, and corrupt law enforcement. Finding himself at the center of everything is Will Anderson whose family owns the Anderson Electric Car Company.

Motor City Shakedown by D.E. Johnson continues Will Anderson’s story begun in The Detroit Electric Scheme. In that installment, Will and his fiancée barely survived a vicious encounter with crime boss Vito Adamo. The aftermath was the murder of Will’s best friend, a disfigured hand, horrible pain, and a nasty morphine addiction.

We pick up Will’s story here as he finds himself suspect for a murder he did not commit. The DA and police are convinced Will carried out a murder of revenge and there a few willing to take his side. As Will awaits trial for months, his family’s company teeters on the edge of bankruptcy and the mob, using the unions, looks to take control.

A trial that seems all but lost comes to a sudden end and Will is released. But he is far from free. What ensues is a classic noir story of crime bosses putting the squeeze on an innocent man caught in the middle. With the lives of his former fiancée and his family at stake, Will soon comes to believe the enemy of his enemy may be the best ally he has.

Author, D.E. Johnson, spins a thrilling story of the Motor City a century ago.  His description of characters and settings captures the essence of a city and population in a headlong dash toward both wealth and the price they will pay for it. Civic corruption, labor unions, organized crime, violent teenage gangs, and families intent on remaining united and strong combine to make the perfect platform for the story of one man’s determination to survive against all odds.

Historically based novels are always a tricky affair. Balancing story and plot with factual intrusions require a skilled writer and Johnson proves to be just that person. He does a great job of including recognizable and historic figures like Henry Ford, William Anderson of Detroit Electric, Edsel Ford, and Vito Adamo (Detroit’s first crime boss) in a story line that is seamless. Will Anderson is the perfect flawed hero. With all of his faults, failures, and addictions, you will root for him all the way as he puts his life on the line to avenge the murder of his friend and protect his family at all costs from the crime ridden labor unions.

As one might expect in this kind of story, there is a good deal of graphic violence and some decidedly non-family friendly language. But if you love a rousing good crime story where you learn something about another time in the process, Motor City Shakedown is an excellent read indeed.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: New American Library – Penguin Group
Publication Date: April 2011
Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Lynne Bryant grew up in rural New Hope, Mississippi – outside of Columbus – and admits she had little interaction with “Black folks”, yet it was not until she reached adulthood and moved away, that she became intrigued with the history of her hometown and her obliviousness of the issues of race raging around her and uses many of the events as inspiration for her debut novel, Catfish Alley.

Catfish Alley is about a White woman in the South whose research into local Black history introduces her to several elderly Black women, and their stories of tragedy and endurance in the days before Civil Rights. In Clarksville, Mississippi, Blacks and Whites live largely separate lives, and racial prejudice maintains a powerful hold.  Although she claims not to have a self-serving motive, Roxanne Reeves didn’t take on the task of adding African-American history to the town’s famous annual Antebellum House tour, because she had an interest in, or some deep desire to examine Black history, no, she did it so that she could get the contract to do the restoration at Riverview  – the most beautiful property in Clarksville. Not only would it be a feather in Roxanne’s cap, but the money she’d earn from getting the contract  to restore it, would be substantial.  However, she thought it was going to be some simple little list of places that Grace Clark would come up with and they’d be done- Roxanne never thought she would get so pulled into their lives and their history.

Catfish Alley is a story involving Grace Clark, a retired Black schoolteacher who mysteriously owns one of the grand plantations of Clarksville.  She becomes Roxanne’s guide to undistinguished places that are sacred to the Black community because of what happened there – even a senseless photographed hanging used as an initiation into the Klan.  Grace and a few of her friends share stories of the past, especially 1931, when they were young, happy and full of hopeful promise – yet a racist’s hatred for Grace’s brother, Zero, led to events that changed all their lives, and continued to touch people decades later.  Bryant manages to do a good job of maintaining the White characters’ tone of entitlement throughout the novel with ease; and sadly during this journey much is revealed about how the majority, if not all of the Black characters suffer terrible tragedies at the hands of White people. Yet they continue to pursue their personal dreams, refusing to allow grief and loss to make them bitter, resentful or angry.

Books of this nature generally depict Blacks living with the expectation that law enforcement would offer little if any protection against violence so they try not to make waves or seek help against their oppressors – but instead opt for the old turn-the-other-cheek mentality, and Lynne Bryant vividly expresses how her characters in Clarksville, Mississippi are content to preserve the status quo.  In the beginning chapters, the multiple points of view, and multiple time periods are slightly distracting, but evidently the reader can become accustomed to it and follow along easily, as the author’s writing skill kicks in and demonstrates how  she can readily maintain the flow quite well.

As Bryant wraps up the story, Roxanne and Del have gained a whole new perspective about the Black community in Clarksville Roxanne so easily dismissed, and her life opens up in unexpected ways;  thereby making Catfish Alley a somewhat heartwarming story of hope, self-discovery, and friendship.

This book contains extreme racially offensive content, strong language, and descriptions of horrible scenes of White brutality.  This book can also be considered extremely insulting and a challenge for anyone, but more so if the reader is African American.

That said,  I’m not certain if there was a need for yet another derogatory book written by a White woman about Blacks in Mississippi – after all,  The Help managed to stir up enough controversy surrounding this subject to last the readers for quite some time.  The two books may not be exact in their content, but they are not far off the mark from one another.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Romance / Historical Fiction

Publisher: Doubleday

Publication Date: October 2011

Reviewed by Jen Roman

After being abruptly dumped by her childhood love, Gideon, Mattie Eash leaves her home in Apple Ridge, PA, to Berlin, OH. She rebuilds her life around a bakery, which is famous for her decorated cakes. She also finds a new steady, Sol. Unfortunately, her bakery is destroyed by a fire and she is forced to go home to stay with her family until the bakery can be rebuilt. Being at home again is wonderful, until she sees Gideon interacting with the English girls. She believes he is establishing a romantic relationship with this new girl until she learns the horrible truth: he dumped her when he found out he had a rare form of leukemia and didn’t want her to have to deal with the knowledge and his possible death. He believed he was setting her free to find a new love.

Woodsmall demonstrates her knowledge of the Amish world by the peppering of Amish words in the conversations and shows how idyllic life in the Amish community can be. She also shows the hardships and support the community shares. The story itself is not new, but it is charming and simple. This one is particularly charming because it occurs at Christmas, and readers get to feel that special Christmas magic. The characters are likeable, and even though Gideon breaks Mattie’s heart, the reader still feels sympathy for his situation. The only drawback is that Amish families are so big, it is hard to keep the characters and their relationships with one another straight. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the large families offer opportunities for more stories. The book, at only 189 pages, is a quick and easy read. For those tempted by the descriptions of Mattie’s famous cakes, there are some recipes at the back of the book.

Because the book is about the Plain folk, who live upstanding, decent lives, this book doesn’t contain any offensive language or sexual situations. Teens are just as likely to enjoy this book as adults because it is a sweet romance that is not inappropriate. In fact, it takes us to a time when dating and courtship involve a lot of interacting and getting to know one another. This book would make a good read for anyone interested in romance and the Amish way of life.

Genre: Drama
Publisher: Random House
Publication Date: 2011
Reviewed by Chrystal Dorsey

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Shanghai Girls, Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (which has been adapted into a film), Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year.

In her most powerful novel yet, Lisa See returns to the timeless themes of mother love, romantic love, and love of country. She continues the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl’s strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy.  Dreams of Joy provides a glimpse of the cold, cruel damage to the humanity of people that was caused by war and the Communist regime in China in the late 1950s.  In this segment the return to Shanghai shows the Paris of Asia, may have been lost forever.

Acclaimed for her richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling, Lisa See once again renders a family challenged by tragedy and time, yet ultimately united by the resilience of love.

Dreams of Joy is the sequel to Shanghai Girls which revisits sisters Pearl and May and the continued development of their relationship while telling the story of Joy, a Chinese-American at the time of the inception of Mao’s “Great Leap Forward“.  It is an epic historical drama with strong characterization and authenticity – the reader is taken on an emotional journey to China and into the lives of the Chin family.  Joy is an idealistic and naive college-student hell-bent on helping China’s “Great Leap Forward”.  However, what Joy finds is not the communist paradise she thought she wanted to be a part of;  Instead, what she finds is that her commune is more or less a refugee camp – her marriage and life in the countryside are so deeply disturbing and the “Great Leap Forward” is an actual  “Great Leap Into Famine”.   Some may consider this to be a beautiful coming of age story, while others may view it as a story of a hardheaded teen defying her mother and trying to escape the guilt of her step-father’s suicide, while at the same time trying to process the newly uncovered family secret of her parentage that has scattered her emotionally and placed a wedge of anger between her mother, aunt and herself.

The adventure, if one can call it that, begins after naïve Joy flees to China to seek out her biological father – the artist Z.G. Li, with whom both May and Pearl were once in love. Devastated by Joy’s flight and terrified for her safety, Pearl is determined to save her daughter, no matter what the personal cost.  Against better judgment, Pearl leaves the comforts of L.A. on a quest to find Joy; once there she confronts old demons and challenges as she tries to reunite with Joy.  Added to the stress of trying to locate her daughter is the realization of the perils of the new China – including not being allowed basic freedoms of wearing a bra, sending and receiving mail, possession of her own passport, or even worst, not being allowed to leave China once there.

This story is permeated with the most vivid descriptions of sights, sounds and smells that transport the reader to a time and place where no one in their right mind would willingly want to go - yet, one will find themselves eagerly leaping forward through the story, to discover the moral fabric of China’s society as it unravels, with the abuse of its people, which sometimes resorted to cannibalism.  Readers will find themselves transfixed and perhaps emotionally invested, as old, new and restored relationships are woven within the dangers of this sage.  Not only fear for the safety of the main characters, but will root for their survival, but will Joy, Pearl and May survive the devastation of China’s new regime or will they perish along with millions of others?

Sometimes you come across a book that touches your heart, whether through a moving story-line, a narrative so beautifully heartbreaking it smothers you emotionally or a character or characters so absorbing you can’t quite put the book down – Lisa See’s Dreams of Joy is one such book.

This is a must read and highly recommended for anyone who wants to be vividly transported historically back in time – Lee allows readers to explore the details of the Maoist era (1958-1962) without restoring to dull dry statistical facts, as she unleashes a story about the worst catastrophe in China’s history, and one of the worst anywhere; but at the same time provides a story about the love, loyalty, devotion and strength of a family.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: August 2011

Reviewed by: Melody Ballard

Childhood friends Meg and Anne share many adventures and much of their young lives together. Born in a time when women’s destinies were controlled by men, both longed for a future filled with love and happiness.  Beginning with in 1518 with the mischievous escapades of their youth, and ending in 1536 at the tower of London, we follow the story of Meg Wyatt and her closest friend, Anne Boleyn.

Both Meg and Anne were born into titled lives of privilege, but it is here that the similarity ends. Meg’s father, Lord Wyatt was a vicious, cruel and demanding man. He did not hesitate to abuse Meg with frequent beatings.  She was also subjected to the maliciousness of her brother Edmund. Her brother Thomas sympathized with her plight but would offer little support as he often stood silently by. Meg once said that both her father and brother Edmund responded to torment by tormenting others.

It was at the wedding of Anne’s sister Mary, that both Meg and Anne begin their journey within the court of King Henry VIII.  Anne was as ambitious as she was beautiful and her charms and courtly manners soon caught King Henry’s eye. Anne was as loyal as she was charming and she saw to it that Meg was in the protective embrace of court and away from the stranglehold of her family to the greatest extent possible.

As Meg watches the transformation of Anne’s life she is acutely aware of the precarious nature and dangers of the court. Meg sees Anne rise in favor with King Henry, become his Queen, and succumb to treachery; we see those around her as they really are. Throughout this novel there is woven the silver thread of possibility for what Meg has always wanted: a future filled with love and happiness. Throughout this novel there is an even greater story woven within: the Reformation.

Written from Meg Wyatt’s point of view, this well researched and historically accurate novel is mesmerizing.  Filled with elegant prose, vivid imagery and an expert blending of fiction and fact, author Sandra Byrd presents a refreshing point of view on the life of one of the words most fascinating women, the Reformation Movement, and the court of King Henry VIII.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Viking Adult

Publication Date:  May 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Set on the small islands of New England during the time of early American colonization, Caleb’s Crossing depicts how the early settlers, sponsored by Christian groups from England, try to “civilize” the Native Americans already living on the land.  Bethia, the daughter of the highly-regarded pastor on the island, secretly befriends Caleb, a young Native American, through their love of the land.  He teaches her to hunt and to preserve food for her family, and she teaches him English.  After Bethia’s father heals Caleb’s relative from a life-threatening illness, Caleb renounces the Indian way and accepts Bethia’s father’s tutelage.  Bright and eager, he quickly learns enough to move on to a preparatory school so he may attend Harvard.  After the untimely death of her father, Bethia is forced into servitude in Cambridge in order to pay for her brother’s Harvard tuition, where she again encounters Caleb.  Together, they all learn not only academics, but also human decency and loss.

Caleb’s Crossing is fictional but is based on the story of a real-life Caleb, the first Native American to go to Harvard.  While the writer takes liberties with history, it is somewhat justified because so little is recorded on what really happened.  Brooks identifies many themes that young people encounter during those times and shows how cruel life can be.  She also illustrates how decent people can be and how far they will go to help a fellow human.  The story is entertaining and inspiring.  Readers catch a glimpse of Bethia’s spunk and determination despite her place in society.  While outwardly forbidden to go to school or to be friends with a male, let alone a “savage” such as Caleb, she is bright enough to get what she wants while still following the rules of propriety.  How she does this is both clever and encouraging.

Because the book is based on the lives of early colonists, there is very little in the way of sexual situations or profanity.  In fact, many will laugh at what the people of the time considered to be profane.  However, the book is realistic in how life was, so there are some scenes that could be disturbing.  People died untimely deaths by means that were not always pleasant, and those scenes are described.  Women and Native Americans were treated poorly, and that too is described in detail.  Many readers will find this objectionable, but need to keep it in perspective.

Overall, this work of historical fiction is inspiring, entertaining, and educational.  After reading the story, I was inspired to find out more about those first Native Americans who studied at Harvard and about life in the early days of the Cambridge area.  When done properly, as Brooks has done, history can be interesting and educational.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Europa Editions

Publication Date:  August, 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

On her way home from work at a restaurant one Saturday night in August 1997, Lou is sideswiped by another car in a tunnel just outside of Paris.  Panicked, Lou leaves the scene without reporting the accident.  She later learns that the accident was the one that killed Princess Diana.  Afraid and alone, Lou leaves her apartment and runs to avoid the media frenzy that is sure to follow.  She is momentarily relieved to learn that the authorities do not have any idea that her car was involved, until the mechanic who repaired her car puts two and two together, and kidnaps her in hopes of cashing in on her situation.  Roaming throughout France, Lou doesn’t know what to do.  She questions and rethinks every decision she makes due to the fear and guilt building up inside of her.  She truly feels helpless and out of options.

An Accident in August is interesting because in addition to being part of one of the largest stories of this century, it allows us the opportunity to think, “what if…”  We can put ourselves in Lou’s position and see if we would do the same thing.  We can also honestly sympathize with the girl: she was innocently driving home from work late at night, and was hit by another car.  Her guilt was not in causing the accident, but instead in not reporting it.  How she manages to live with the guilt and respond to it show that strange situations could happen to anyone.  It’s how one handles them that makes the difference.

This book does discuss adult themes, so it is not recommended for young readers.  The story is quick and interesting, however, and doesn’t contain a lot of profanity or sexual situations.  People especially interested in Princess Diana’s untimely death will enjoy reading Cossé’s version with a twist, but it is a fascinating story for anyone who enjoys human behavior.

Review copy provided by publisher. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Zondervan

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Tim George

Day of War is the story of a restless mercenary and the warlord rumored to one day be king to whom he pledges his allegiance. Benaniah’s troubled spirit has not been satisfied with skirmishes with Amalekites, Philistines or even one-on-one contests with man eating lions. But in the mysterious warlord David, he senses something of destiny. Something worth living and dying for.

By way of disclaimer I must admit Biblical novels are not my favorite. Too often writers, in an effort to spin a good story, try to one-up the sacred account. Plus, telling a story in which anyone who has read the original already knows the plot and giveaways is seldom done with the effect of great fiction. In this case debut author Cliff Graham has not only managed to stay true to the Scriptural and avoid the usual pitfalls of such novels but has raised the bar to level that will take quite a while for anyone else to surpass.

Once joined with David’s men, Benaniah soon becomes acquainted with what the troops call, The Powerful Three, Josheb, Eleazar, and Shammah. They have all been on a campaign far from their home base of Ziklag bolstered by iron weapons from the Hittite Keth, a master forger. We are warned in the preface that this is a story of war written by a man who has seen it firsthand. There are pulse pounding battles with killer lions, terrifying raids on helpless civilians and heroic charges against overwhelming odds. This is the story of David’s Mighty Men, a diverse and disaffected group of warriors held together by their leader’s charisma, military leadership and the unyielding sense he hears from a God that has become a dim memory to those he leads.

What sets this story apart, however, is the depth Cliff Graham plums, in exploring the nature of manhood and the relationships forged between those men in the most horrific of circumstances. Benaniah is a great warrior but he is also a man beset by guilt, insecurities and nagging frustrations.  Many of David’s band of misfits simply follow him for the sake of plunder and women. But Benaiah perceives something more in the warlord many call The Lion. He sees a man of purpose with a supernatural destiny. He sees a man who hears a voice he wishes he too could hear and understand.

For those who say fiction from Christian publishers do not touch on the realities of life enough, I suggest they might rethink that after reading Day of War. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Romance/Historical Fiction

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: June 2011

Reviewed by Elizabeth Olmedo

The world holds hope and promise for young Esther. As a Jew, she may be considered inferior to her Persian counterparts, but she has a freedom they can only dream of. That is, until she is presented as a candidate for the king. Suddenly, Esther is not only a prisoner to the Persian regulations, but to protocol too. The difference between her and the other girls in the harem is that she doesn’t want to be chosen queen.

King Ahasuerus is tired of the same flighty women and their power grasping families. Then he meets Esther. For the first time, he has met someone who eases his loneliness. Esther sees him for who he is, and not what he is. She is too good to be true.

That is what tortures Esther the most. She isn’t true. Not only has she concealed her Jewishness from her husband, but also the fact that she was sent to the palace in hopes of having a Jewish advocate in the king’s ear. When Haman, the king’s right hand and best friend, issues a decree that calls for the annihilation of the Jewish people, it is up to Esther to speak. If she does, Esther could lose the husband she has come to love. If she doesn’t, thousands of innocent people — her people — will die.

A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf is the story of Esther as never told before. And I mean, as never told before. This novel left me with very conflicting emotions. On the one hand it’s a great story that maintains a comfortable pace and keeps the reader’s interest from cover to cover. Wolf creates likeable and convincing characters that will attract the readers. That said, it is not historically or Biblically accurate. While I still would have read it, I wish I’d known this beforehand. If I had been prepared for all the liberties the author took with the story of Esther I don’t think I would have felt so let down. I understand that in historical fiction, an author has to fill a lot of gaps with just that…fiction. But when the writer starts changing actual facts that are known, then I have a problem. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Mystery, Historical

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: August 2010

Reviewed by P.J. Coldren

Bess Crawford is on her way back to England having survived the sinking of the Britannic with only a broken arm.  She is on a mission.  One of the patients she nursed until he died has asked her to deliver a very specific message to a very specific family member, with the obvious intention of righting an old wrong.  She is rather surprised that the family does not intend to do anything in response to her message.

Due to some circumstances that don’t seem unlikely, given the time period, Bess begins to have some idea of what that wrong might have been.  Based on her upbringing and her career, she feels an obligation to pursue an investigation that nobody else wants pursued.  All the while, she is trying to keep her father from finding out what she is doing; he would almost certainly not approve.  She is further driven by a feeling that she failed another patient (not related to the family in question) and succeeding in righting this wrong will go a long way toward assuaging the guilt she feels about her perceived failure. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: Risen Books

Publication Date: May 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Professor Cassie Larson’s life isn’t spectacular. It’s not glorious or amazing. It just is. She’s got a husband she depends on, students she mostly enjoys and there’s a pattern to her life. It all runs with simple expectation and understanding. Even if it’s not perfect or heart pounding, it’s still her life and she’s okay with it. Until the day she meets the man with the brooches. Then everything turns upside down. Literally.

Her husband tells her he’s leaving her. As she tries to absorb this devastating news, she ends up in the water with her brooch and in the arms of a 10^th century Viking named Alarik. Of course he can’t speak English and she understands barely enough to get by, so the initial meeting between the two doesn’t exactly create textbook teaching material.

Soon Cassie realizes that she’s not having a dream and that she’s not going to wake up from this. She’s really honest to goodness in the 10^th century and she’s experiencing history up close and personal.

As for Alarik, he wishes that he was in the middle of a dream too, but he’s not. He’s being blamed for a murder that he’s sure he didn’t commit. At least he’s mostly sure. See when he woke up, he couldn’t remember anything that happened and he knew that he was angry when he went to bed the night before. So is he guilty? Or no? Until he figures it all out, he sees escape as the best option. It will give his faithful friend Ragnar the opportunity to do some investigating and keep Alarik out of further trouble. That is until he meets Cassie. Their destinies become intertwined and neither of them is very happy about it.

I’m a sucker for time travel. It all started with my deep and abiding affection for Quantum Leap and it hasn’t stopped since. If a book has time travel in it, I’m on board. This was a fun romp through time that provided adventure, romance and a lot of fun. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: Center Street

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Sheila McGee has never known anything outside her small Irish village. Abandoned by her father at a young age and almost always ignored by her mother, she’s never understood anything of joy, happiness or peace. In her mind, those things do not happen in her village.  She has no hope at any of these things unless she leaves town. So when the linen mill where she works holds a contest to be crowned The Linen Queen, she hopes, prays and begs for the chance to participate. With a huge cash prize, she’s convinced that will be what gets her out of her village.

When, through a series of misunderstandings and ‘office’ politics, she finally does get crowned The Linen Queen, she’s ready to blow town. She has no idea that the world outside of her village has exploded into World War II and that even her gorgeous looks and a purse full of money won’t help her get out. So after a failed attempt at leaving, she decides to bide her time, hold on to her cash, and find a man who can get her out.

There’s her best friend Gavin, but she’s never felt that way about him. And Gavin loves their small village. He would never help her leave. When an entire battery of American soldiers comes to town to be housed while they stage operations against the Germans, Sheila sees her chance. She’s going to find a man that she can love who will get her out and then she’ll leave him and go off on her own. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisabeth Kerr is a gentlewoman. She’s beautiful, gracious, and part of a long line of well known and highly regarded members of society in the family of her husband, Donald Kerr. But when Donald is killed fighting alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie in his bid for the throne, the Kerr family suddenly finds themselves on the wrong side of society all the way around. With no money, no home, and a loss of title, Elisabeth and her mother-in-law, Marjory, must return to Marjory’s hometown of Selkirk.

Though it seems like it would be a comfortable return, it is a sobering experience for both women. Marjory left Selkirk a wealthy and titled woman and has returned with nothing at all but her daughter-in-law and her name. Unfortunately, even her name causes her grief as the actions of her past and those of her sons (in supporting the interloper) come back to haunt her. Marjory, a woman humbled to her core, must deal with things she’d done that have previously caused harm and destruction in people’s lives.

As Elisabeth settles back into the life that she remembers from growing up poor, she becomes the mainstay for the small Kerr family, supporting both her mother-in-law and a relative from Selkirk who is also poor. Sleeping in a chair by the fire, cooking and cleaning without complaint, and working hours a day as a seamstress, Elisabeth’s faith shines through her daily tasks, showing Marjory all that she’d been missing when she had her title, wealth and her sons.

When a wealthy Admiral comes to Selkirk and employs nearly the entire town at his estate, Elisabeth finds her chance. She immediately finds a job and settles into a life that doesn’t require scraping and saving every penny just to survive.

But what happens when she catches the Admiral’s attention? And when a former friend who wants to be more shows up at the estate, is she safe? And what about the fact that she and her mother-in-law are both considered traitors to the crown? Will the British come to track them down and hang them as Prince Charlie’s sympathizers?

Liz Curtis Higgs builds this two part story into a beautiful climax with this, the sequel to Here Burns My Candle. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Waterbrook Press

Publication Dates: March 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisabeth Kerr is beautiful, charming, and she hails from the Highlands. This normally wouldn’t be an issue except that her husband is a very well known and highly placed Lowlander and loyalties are now being tested because Bonnie Prince Charlie is marching to claim his place as King.  The British Crown is the reason that the Kerr family holds their place in society and Elisabeth’s mother-in-law, Dowager Lady Marjory Kerr, is keenly aware of that fact.  This makes for a highly charged and passionate political debate running through the Kerr household which, unfortunately, has Elisabeth at its center.

On top of that, Elisabeth’s husband Donald (Marjory’s son) hasn’t been as upright and faithful as he could have been through the years of their marriage. Though his mother has no idea, his beautiful wife is beginning to discover that all has not been perfect in their marriage. Even through his indiscretions, Donald has always loved Elisabeth deeply and been plagued with guilt over his own failings. So when the opportunity comes to pledge his love and affection to her through a pledge to Bonnie Prince Charlie, Donald barely hesitates. He wants to win back his wife and show her the true depth of his devotion. His brother, always excited about war and potential glory, doesn’t hesitate at all.

With two sons fighting against everything she believes, Marjory makes a calculated decision to try and secure their safety and their future. Unfortunately, it’s a decision that nearly destroys them all.

With grace, style and beauty, famed author Liz Curtis Higgs puts her pen to the Biblical story of Naomi and Ruth, bringing it not into modern times, but into a beautiful setting full of political upheaval and danger. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Touchstone/Simon and Schuster

Publication Date: February 2011

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

Priya Parmar’s debut novel, Exit the Actress, is a frothy tale of romance and life in the theater during the English Restoration, when King Charles II, a renowned philanderer, falls for Nell Gwyn, comedienne and actress.  Ellen, as she is called in the book, comes from a poor family whose main support, the father, has died, leaving the mother distraught and unable to cope with the demands of raising two daughters with no money.  So, she turns to the “oldest profession” and to drink as a way of numbing herself to the pain in her life.  Her girls, Rose (the elder) and Ellen, make do the best they can.  Eventually, the mother uses Rose as one of her “girls” and Rose’s life is cast in one direction.  Ellen, on the other hand, refuses to become a prostitute and gets a job selling oranges at one of the local theaters.

While selling her wares, Ellen catches the attention of several of the theater people and when they see  her dance, she wins a place among the actors.  Over time and with training, she learns to sing and dance and act, becoming something of a sensation.  This helps her support her mother, her dear grandfather who has come to visit, and her sister. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Dates: March 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elisa Lindheim Murphy is a world famous violinist who is also married to a famous American journalist. She and her husband, John Murphy, make their home in London after leaving the terrifying life she lived in Germany and Austria behind.

Now Elisa’s had to face even more fear and terror. London’s being bombed. It’s no longer a safe place. She and Murphy are required to make a decision that wrenches every parent’s heart. Do they keep their children close and try to make them safe or should they send them on to America with Murphy’s family? When the bombs begin to fall she knows what they have to do. So it is with a heavy heart that she says goodbye to her children, not knowing when she’ll see them again.

And thus begins their journey through another harrowing adventure. Their home in London is bombed, destroying everything and causing agonizing loss in her family. She and Murphy find a new place, and it too is destroyed. Soon Elisa is encouraged to go to the United States on a mission helping other people’s children get to safety in the United States. But the journey is dangerous and she’s going on her own without Murphy. How will she make it?

For fans of Thoenes’ beloved Zion series, the names Elisa and Murphy are not only well known, but well loved. Having met them first in Vienna Prelude, we were able to follow their journey through romance, love and danger. The Thoenes have revisited these much cherished characters and wrapped their stories around new characters that we met in their most recent outing, The Gathering Storm.  It’s hard for the Thoenes to go wrong when they bring us new adventures in this time period and setting.

Though the story is based on characters that we’ve already met, the Thoenes include new glimpses into the tales we’d already experienced in their previous books and they don’t leave new readers confused. Intermingled in the timeline they have included diary entries so that even if this is your first Thoene book, you can understand the past history.

At times it feels like the story moves faster than you’d like. I miss the days of rich depth and description that the Thoenes used to infuse in their tales. The books were heavy, solid, and the storylines spanned every detail you could ever want. These books move more quickly than those classics but thankfully with no less heart. Emotion rolls through you with the incredible situations that Elisa, Murphy, and those around them experience.

Once again, the Thoenes have made a war that happened generations ago and oceans away relevant to here and now. Today isn’t so far removed from then. If you’re a Thoene fan, you’ll love this book. If you’ve never read their work, this is a great place to begin.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: April 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lewton Paterson is a gambler with a wild reputation. He’s grown up on the streets and he knows all the different ways of the law – inside and out. But as he’s begun to edge farther away from his teens and deeper into his manhood, he’s realized he’s bored with the life of a gambler. He’d like to settle down, marry into a respectable family and become a respectable man. The problem is that as much as everyone in town likes him, they also see him as an unsavory gambler with few honorable qualities. This makes it hard for Lewt to step into the life he so desires.

Duncan McMurray is one of the only men that Lewt can even begin to call a friend. He’s a Texas Ranger and he loves his life in the outdoors. When he bumps into Lewt, he has two things on his mind. One is his unmarried female cousins. Duncan had just put a plan into motion to bring several eligible bachelors into town by train to meet his cousins so that he could get them married off and consequently, out of his hair.  Duncan’s task was to escort these fine gentlemen to his family’s ranch. The other thing on his mind was the group of Mexican criminals that his unit was in the middle of pursuing. In his mind, the fine gentlemen could find their own way to his family’s ranch. The criminals and the men he served with wouldn’t wait.

So when these strange men started arriving in town, Lewton Paterson took it upon himself to help his friend Duncan with his problem. He would meet these fine gentlemen, figure out what it was that they had (and he didn’t) and he might just be able to catch himself a McMurray wife in the process. He sends one of the ‘fine gentleman’ packing after a hard night of gambling and takes his place. Hopefully by the time Duncan finds out, it’ll be too late. Read the rest of this entry »

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date:  December 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer Roman

Olivia lives a quiet, “normal” life in suburban America until her Chinese father reveals on his deathbed that he has a daughter, Kwan, who still lives in China.  Olivia’s mom and latest boyfriend decide to bring eighteen-year-old Kwan to the United States, where she and young Olivia will grow up together.  Kwan regales Olivia with stories about her life in China and her ability to see ghosts through her “yin eyes.”  As the story progresses, she shares the story of her “previous lives” with Olivia as well.  Some stories are funny, some are out-there bizarre, and some are sad and touching.  Olivia doesn’t know whether to believe her sister until she and her husband Simon go to China to do research for a magazine article and take Kwan with them.  There Olivia finally understands Kwan’s superstitions, stories, and undying loyalty.

The Hundred Secret Senses follows Olivia’s upbringing with Kwan and proceeds into her adult life.  Periodically, it is peppered with Kwan’s stories that include the difficult history of China.  Narration easily changes from Olivia to Kwan and back, illustrating their perspectives on life.  Olivia sees her flaws and the down side of things, while Kwan tells how it really is, either oblivious or not caring how other people react to her stories.  Many times Americans think of foreigners as people who are silly or clueless, even stupid, because they do not behave the way Americans do.  Olivia certainly thinks this of Kwan, but when she gets to China and lives in Kwan’s world, she realizes just how wrong she is.  This is a great story of love and understanding, and any fan of Amy Tan will thoroughly enjoy it.

This story, because told candidly through Kwan’s perspective, contains a lot of violence.  It is not gang-fight or shoot-‘em-out violence; rather, it is about daily living violence.  She describes how people kill and eat livestock or wild animals.  She spares no detail when, for example, explaining how to kill and dress a chicken.  She talks about how the native Chinese reacted to the Christian missionaries and how the war affected them.  Kwan describes in detail a compound fracture on a woman’s leg.  In summary, she tells about life how it is: gory, violent, and difficult.  It is not meant to offend, merely to enlighten readers who may never see anything as difficult as the characters have.  One must consider this if faint of heart.  In addition, there are a few profane words throughout the story, including the “F-word.”  Readers who don’t want to expose themselves to such vulgarity should not read this book, but if one takes the situations and language in context, it should be a wonderful read.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date: October 2010

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

One handsome man, two women in love with him–this is not a new story but, when the man is Lord Robert Dudley and one of the women, Queen Elizabeth I, the tale becomes more than interesting–it becomes historical intrigue of the heart.  The other woman in Carolly Erickson’s novel, RIVAL TO THE QUEEN, is the Queen’s own cousin, Lettice Knolleys, grand-daughter of Mary Boleyn, infamous sister of Anne Boleyn.  Prettier than the Queen, a lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty, Lettice garners fame as Robert Dudley’s wife and mother to the ill-fated Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.

In this novel, told in first-person from Lettice’s point of view, the story unfolds as Lettice and her sister, Cecelia, take their places at chamber women for the Queen.  This is thankless work and difficult, for Erickson’s Elizabeth is irascible and demanding.  When Cecelia, who is plump as well as vengeful, becomes object of the Queen’s sharp tongue, the girl takes what she thinks is secret revenge: she puts camphor in the Queen’s perfumes and sets her precious jeweled watch on the edge of the table so that the next person passing would knock it off, shattering the new-fangled creation.

However, nothing escapes Elizabeth’s eye and soon, she exacts her own punishment; she demands a new wig made from Cecelia’s own hair.  This, Cecelia gives, thanks to her mother’s prudent advice.  And Lettice learns to fear the Queen.  And to despise her.

Erickson is an expert in Tudor history and has written many nonfiction books on the subject.  I admit to being one of her biggest fans.  That said, this novel did not work as well for me as some of her previous books.  She writes well and here is an example:

The first time I saw Robert Dudley he was laughing very loudly

and joyfully and carrying a squealing squirming piglet into the

queen’s large, sumptuously decorated throne room.

Everyone watched Elizabeth to see what her reaction would be–

and then she burst into laughter and the rest of us joined in.

Lord Robert took his place to the right of the queen, a magnificent,

tall figure, handsome and debonair, seeming not to care a whit that

his costly blue velvet doublet with its gleaming golden stars was

being scratched and dirtied by the little pig or that my father, who scorned

trivial jests in the throne room, was shaking his head in disapproval.

I could not look at anyone else.

Though Erickson seems to be as at home in the Tudor world as she is in our own, my main quibble is the depiction of Elizabeth I.  In this novel, the queen is portrayed as cruel, vain, small-minded in her relationships and one-dimensional.  Granted, the story is told from the point of view of the queen’s biggest rival, and surely, Elizabeth could be all those things; however, the book would have been richer if Elizabeth’s character had been more rounded.

That said, this novel is one worth reading; the conflict between these two amazing cousins has not been explored as fully elsewhere to my knowledge.  This, plus Erickson’s immense wealth of knowledge about the era, makes the book a fascinating read.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date:  January 2011

Reviewed by Jennifer Roman

Sally is a personal handmaid to Lady Duff Gordon in mid-1800s England.  Her Lady has taken ill (Tuberculosis) and decides to travel to Egypt to enjoy the warmth of the sun, which she at first believes will make her better.  She takes Sally with her for an adventure of a lifetime but leaves her husband and family back in England.  Always an energetic, social person, the Lady quickly befriends several people in Egypt and frequently hosts dinner parties and social engagements.  To keep up with her social commitments, the Lady hires a local, Omar, to be her dragoman.  Expected to be single and childless her whole life, Sally breaks the cardinal rule of ladies’ maids by quickly falling in love with Omar and becoming pregnant with his baby.  Rather than address the issue with her Lady, Sally just hides her growing belly and keeps putting off the inevitable until she goes into labor on a boat on the Nile and is forced to ask the Lady for her help in delivering her child.  Afterwards, the Lady is angry and will not speak to Sally; in fact, she makes arrangements for Sally to leave her employ.  What follows is a heart-wrenching tale of how Sally must live and cope with her situation.

The Mistress of Nothing is a fictionalized version of true events of the Lady Duff Gordon told from her maid’s perspective, and it’s obvious that Pullinger has put a lot of research into the story.  She discusses the current events of the time in great detail and provides a look into both Egyptian and British society at a critical moment in history.  She describes the Egyptian lands in great detail so that the reader can feel the oppressive heat, the stifling humidity, and the stinging sand storms.  The reader also gets the chance to feel the social restrictions placed on people, especially women, during the mid-1800s.  Even casting off a hot, formal British dress with stays, gloves, and bonnet in favor of traditional Egyptian tunics and pants is viewed as immoral and rebellious.  Sally knows that her life will be limited because people just will not hire a mother with a “mixed” baby.  In addition, she has married Omar, who already has a wife, because it is permitted in Egypt, but her peers and potential employers find her actions deplorable.  Her Lady even goes so far as to accuse Sally of corrupting Omar by seducing him.  This is truly a work that covers social mores in a true-to-life format.

The Mistress of Nothing is a wonderfully-written, well-researched book that captures the reader’s imagination, sense of right and wrong, and sympathies.  Sally is a likeable character in a tough situation, and the Lady seems to put prudence ahead of caring for another person.  This is probably true to how things really were back then, and it raises interest in women’s history.  The book is not preachy, yet readers will find themselves rooting for Sally despite her social indiscretions.  Because of the premarital sex, which is not described in detail, the book is not for young readers.  There is little to no violence and profanity.  It offers a great insight into history, however, and should be enjoyed by most people.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Realms

Publication Dates: January 2011

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

When Brian Sinclair was lost at sea, everyone believed he was dead. Little did they know that he was being nursed back to health by a beautiful woman with a scarred face and a painful past.  Unfortunately, this is something that even Captain Sinclair doesn’t realize.  A case of amnesia mixed with blindness that everyone hopes is temporary.

Nurse Lorenna Fields knows that she’s not pretty. She knows that she isn’t marriage material. The horseshoe shaped birthmark that covers the side of her face has assured that. People don’t often see past the birthmark. If they did, they’d see a capable strong woman who is stunningly beautiful through and through. Yet as she cares for her patient, she feels herself drawn to him, not even knowing whether he is a Christian or not.

As Brian Sinclair begins to remember his previous life, he knows that he’s not a good man. He also knows that his accident wasn’t something that happened by chance. The accident at sea that took the life of his mother and his fiancée was something that was crafted by someone. His life and the lives of his family might still be in danger.

Having read several of Andrea Boeshaar’s previous books, I felt that I had a pretty good grasp of what to expect. I was wrong. The characters, the dialogue and the plot twists were all so much better than I’d imagined.  I loved Lorenna Fields needing to explore her own insecurities before she could move forward in her romance with Brian. I enjoyed the experience of Brian, a former scoundrel, leave his past behind and work through his new faith. The writing was easy to read but at the same time, the subject matter challenged. Who doesn’t understand the feeling of not being worthy of the life they’ve been given or the blessings they’re receiving? And all of us know what it’s like to stumble at some point in our faith and perhaps have our past confront us in an unpleasant way.

With each successive book in this series, Boeshaar’s writing seems to strengthen, building to what I’m sure will be a fantastic climax to the series in the next book. I’m excited to see how she draws out the series finale.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Mystery/Historical Fiction

Publisher: Viking

Publication Date: January 2011

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

Heartstone, the fifth mystery featuring Tudor lawyer, Matthew Shardlake, is an epic tale set in the later years of the reign of Henry VIII, when England is at war yet again with France and the social problems–debased coinage, food shortages, all able-bodied men conscripted to the army–plague the populace.  Against this sweeping historical background, Matthew Shardlake finds himself in the middle of the action, at Portsmouth, where the French navy is about to invade.

Shardlake and his assistant, the likeable Jack Barak, have gone to Portsmouth as part of an investigation for Henry’s queen, Catherine Parr, about a possibly corrupt situation regarding a ward, young Hugh Curteys, who is in the care of a Master Hobbeys.  The Queen’s old servant has a son, Michael, who served as tutor to Hugh, and her son has told her there have been “monstrous wrongs” done to the boy.  A few days later, Michael is found dead, a suicide.  Or at least, that’s what the coroner says.

Add to this situation one Ellen Fettiplace, a woman housed in the Bedlam, infamous hospital for the insane.  Shardlake is a friend of Ellen’s and visits her regularly–these consistent visitations have made Ellen fall in love with the lawyer.  Hers is a sad case and, while he’s in the country investigating Hugh Curteys’ situation, he decides to look into the dreadful events that put Ellen in the Bedlam nineteen years ago.  Since he’s in the neighborhood….

This is my first Shardlake mystery and I was able to follow along easily.  The book stands well on its own.  I am particularly impressed with the delicious details and the complexity of the characters–nothing is simple, yet the plot fits together beautifully.  Obviously, Sansom is very much at home in the world of Tudor England and has the gifts to bring that sweating, boisterous, bubbling, brimming world alive for the rest of us.  Here is a sample:

I stepped out into the sunlit courtyard.  The astronomical clock over the

arch in front of me showed four o’clock.  The red-brick buildings cast

barely a shadow on the courtyard; the paving stones shimmered in the heat.

Sweat pricked at my brow.  A messenger in the King’s livery rode fast

through the courtyard, under the opposite arch, perhaps with some message

for the military commanders.

Then I saw two men standing in a doorway, looking at me.  I recognized

both, and  my heart sank.  Warner had said Sir Thomas Seymour was at

Hampton Court and here he was, in a bright yellow doublet, black hose

on his long shapely legs, the handsome face above his dark red beard as

hard and mocking as I remembered.  He stood with his hands on his hips

in a pose of courtly arrogance; the stance in which Holbein had painted

the King.  Beside him, short and neat in his lawyer’s robe, stood Sir Richard

Rich, his fellow member of the Privy Council, the King’s willing tool in the

dirtiest pieces of State business done these last ten years.

Shardlake is filled with dread seeing these men for two reasons: first, he has had dealings with them before and they are enemies; and second, he is a hunchback.  This physical flaw had particular significance in Tudor times–such deformities were considered signs of bad luck and lax moral character–the sign of the devil.  Shardlake takes much abuse because of his condition and others often use it against him, trying to make him feel less secure and less of a man.  In the ambitious world of the Court, any means to advance oneself is justified, even if it means taunting an enemy.

Though this is my first Shardlake mystery, it will not be my last–I intend to procure the others as soon as possible–I suggest you do the same.  A marvelous read!

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: October 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Sarah McCabe is ready for a different life than what she’s had. With older brothers who love and adore her, but stifle her just a little and a small town that doesn’t give her room to stretch and grow, she’s ready for adventure. So she takes a job in a big city being a governess for the children of Captain Brian Sinclair.

Captain Sinclair is everything that Sarah’s never experienced before. Handsome to a fault, wealthy, dashing and an adventurer to the core, Captain Sinclair has had little to no time for his children since the death of his young wife. His hope is that Sarah will become not only a governess for his children, but part of his family as well. This is an odd wish considering the state of Captain Sinclair’s family. His mother, striving to be young and beautiful, refuses to be called grandmother and only takes the children once a week. There’s little love and affection in her time with the children and they well know it. Captain Sinclair, a man who reminds me of Captain Von Trapp from The Sound of Music, has little knowledge of his children and what they need, though he does hope the best for them.  All of these things add up to a strange situation that has chased an alarming number of governesses not only away from the Sinclair home, but completely out of town as well. (At one point, she’s offered credit at a prominent store and when it’s discovered that she’s a governess for Captain Sinclair, it’s immediately revoked because there’s no way of knowing if she’ll even be in town next week!)

Sarah is overwhelmed with life in a big town. Saloons populate many more corners than what she’s used to and a home with a housekeeping staff, cook and even indentured servants running around makes her feel out of place and unsure of her position. Yet she promises to do what she can with the children. When they begin to flourish under her tutelage, everyone realizes how special she truly is, including Captain Sinclair’s indentured servant, Richard Navis, who has befriended Sarah. Richard helps Sarah through her transition into big city life and becomes a close friend. But is there a chance he could be more than that? And what about the affections that Sarah feels coming from the Captain? Can Sarah handle all of this or will she have to give in and call to her very protective brothers for help?

Boeshaar’s second outing in the Seasons of Redemption series manages to outdo the initial outing by a long shot. Though I enjoyed reading the first story of Valerie Fontaine and her adventures with the McCabe family, I absolutely fell in love with this book. Full of adventure, romance and the very real question of how one knows who they really love, this book was a delightful journey. In fact, I’ve already purchased a couple of copies of the book for friends of mine as gifts. I loved the voice that Boeshaar gave Sarah and the quandaries in which she found herself. Though it’s historical fiction, the situations can be very easily compared to a dating situation today.

The voice, the plot, the characters and the consequences to Sarah’s choices were all well written and played out with fantastic pacing in this book. If you’re looking for a good romance with Biblical values, Boeshaar has hit a home run with this one. I must admit though, the ending and the tease into the next release has left me chomping at the bit for more.  Thankfully, my advanced copy of Unexpected Love, the next book in the series, arrived this weekend!

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical, Mystery

Publisher: The Berkley Publishing Group

Publication Date: October 2010

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

In her debut novel, Judith Rock spins a tale of intrigue set in the sumptuous Paris of the Seventeenth Century, when the religious wars between the Huguenots and the Catholics were roiling beneath the surface of everyday life.  Maitre Charles du Luc, now in the scholastic phase of his Jesuit training, has been appointed to the prestigious Louis le Grande as a rhetoric instructor who will also assist with the ballet performances at the school.  In the Jesuit tradition, rhetoric is expressed via the body as well as the mind and intricate ballets are the pride of the school.

Maitre du Luc is not exactly what he seems on the surface.  A former soldier wounded in battle, he is also sympathetic to the Huguenot cause.  His family is split: one side Catholic, the other Huguenot.  Maitre du Luc is also split; he cannot condone the brutal behavior of the dragoons who torture their captives in order to bring them back to the Roman church.  As a matter of fact, he has helped his beloved, Pernelle, escape to Geneva.  This action is what has caused him to be sent to Paris for a new start.

Rock brings Paris of the 1600′s to life, the shouts of the market, the smells of the narrow streets and the political intrigue that infiltrates the holy Mother Church.  When one of Maitre du Luc’s ballet students is murdered, he is lured into trying to solve the mystery while protecting the victim’s younger brother, 8-year-old Antoine from meeting a similar fate.

While I won’t reveal the twists and turns of this well-considered plot, suffice it to say du Luc finds himself involved in every level of Parisian life and must guard against attempts on his own life.  Rock has crafted a believable mystery as richly colored as any Renaissance tapestry.

Here is a brief example:

The cacophony that was Paris traffic–voices, feet, hooves, rattling

wheels, barking dogs–beat against Charles’ ears as he walked.  Everyone

and everything shared the square cobbled pavement, and shouting matches

erupted constantly…Charles wove his way among the high-wheeled, painted

carriages, students in short gowns, white-, black-, and brown-robed clerics

on foot and on mules, professors lost in private fogs of thought, coiffed

and basket-laden servant girls, the scavenging dogs, ragged street porters

with loaded wooden carrying frames on their backs, and bewigged gentlemen

whose ice-white linen gleamed against the jeweled colors of their skirted coats

as they swept iron-tipped canes before them to clear a path.

With such wonderful details, the reader cannot help but become immersed in the detective work of Maître Charles du Luc.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Fantasy/Historical

Publisher: Touchstone Books

Publication Date: September 2010

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

In Dark Moon of Avalon, the second book of the trilogy, Twilight of Avalon, Anna Elliott continues the tale of Tristan and Isolde, the ill-fated lovers of Arthurian legend.  The fields of Camelot have been mined by many writers throughout the centuries, from Mallory’s Morte D’Arthur to Tennyson’s Idylls of the King to White’s The Once and Future King to Bradley’s Mists of Avalon.  Elliott’s rendition pales when compared to these masters of the tale, both in characterization and writing elegance.  One more run through with a sharp eye to editing would improve the book immensely, dispensing with redundancies.  And while Elliott reinvents the traditional tale in an interesting way, the characters don’t seem particularly authentic–they seem, instead, interchangeable with other like books.

Perhaps the book gave me pause because I did not read the first book in the trilogy, also titled Twilight of Avalon.  As I began the novel, I was impressed with the writing in the Prologue where Morgan, grandmother of Isolde, prepares the reader for the story to follow.  Unfortunately, we don’t see more of Morgan (well, she is dead when the book begins) except in bits of memory when Isolde is struggling to save Britain from King March, her former husband from whom she has escaped.  I confess I was confused by all the names introduced at the very beginning, the complex political alliances and enmities, the sense that much had happened to which I was not privy.  Again, possibly a problem for a reader coming into the middle of the tale.

The story is told from both Isolde and Tristan’s point of view, though Isolde’s perspective bears the heavier load, which is unfortunate because Tristan’s voice is filled with self-deprecating humor and a charming romantic quality.  Elliott’s use of humor is natural and easy and enhances the book a great deal.

Rather than the usual tale where the lovers inadvertently drink a love potion that begins their passion, Elliott uses the true aphrodisiac of youngsters who bond early in life.  Isolde and Tristan grow up together, best friends.  Of course, as they mature, their friendship catches fire.  But there is more to the story than love.  Isolde is a healer and Seer, having traces of her grandmother’s magic.  She is part of the old world, the Druidic tradition.  Some of the characters have embraced the new Christian faith.  Elliott does a good job with this juxtaposition, respectful of both.

By the end of the book, I was at least invested in the love story and found that resolution satisfying.  Given the enormous popularity of Arthurian fantasies, I would rate this one a C+.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Romance, Historical

Publisher: Baker

Publication Date: November 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Major Jack Novak is really good at most things. He flies like he was born with wings. He leads men with style and grace that makes them happy that he’s their leader. And he’s rarely, if ever, failed at a challenge. When he gets injured by shrapnel throughout his backside, he lands in the same hospital where his brother, Walt, had his arm amputated. He also meets the same nurse who helped his brother, Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. Doherty is, in every way shape and form, a challenge to the suave handsome Major.

For her part of the story, Ruth Doherty has a past that she just can’t seem to leave behind her. From her early childhood, she’s never been able to escape the mistakes she made. Though her mother taught her to always trust in God and what He will bring into her life, she’s never felt that He was really there for her. For this reason, she’s decided she’ll never fall in love and she won’t let anyone near her heart.

When things begin to progress between Ruth and Jack, it turns both of these consummate professionals on their heads. Both of them, certain that they can both handle their feelings and that they both know what’s best, stubbornly take off on their own paths.

Sarah Sundin’s sequel to A Distant Melody does not disappoint. Some authors are guilty of writing a romantic story and just dropping it into a historical era. There’s little to actually tie these characters into their moment in history. With painstaking research into the era, the jobs and the techniques used by each character, Sundin manages to bring us realistically into a fascinating era and tell us the story of people in that era. This isn’t a story that’s been shoehorned into a popular time or place to entice people to read it. Instead, this is a detail rich experience that leaves the reader with a better understanding of what life was like back then.

With realistic explorations of sin, pride, and not letting go of mistakes, Sundin leaves no doubt in the reader’s mind as to what the consequences of these actions are. I love that she lays out the consequences plainly and clearly. Not giving grace or extending mercy will lead you down a dangerous path. Having pride or faith in yourself can cause harm to you and to others. And love is not just an emotion. It’s a choice. What will you do with it and how will you handle it?

Sundin’s books are a delight to read. You know as you’re reading that she has done her research. More than just romance, these books have a spiritual depth and understanding that, if given a chance, may be life-changing.  Dear Sarah, may I have some more please?

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical, Romance, Adventure

Publisher: Summerside Press

Publication Dates: August 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Loralei Kepler is a Texan born American living in Europe during the horrors of World War II. Her father, a German resistance fighter, is her world since her mother passed away. And then there’s Eben. Tall. Strong. Handsome. The subject of Loralei’s schoolgirl crush, he’s more than just a resistance fighter. He appears to know and understand more than anyone should in this type of situation. When Lora shares her love with Eben, it seems that both of their hearts are destined to break. He says she’s too young. She feels the sting of his rejection.

All around them, war is simmering and stewing, ready to burst into a full blown boil that threatens to drown everything good in Europe. Along with her sister, Jessica and her niece, Lora and her father flee their home and begin a journey across Europe that will open Lora’s eyes to the world’s suffering and heartache.

Brock and Bodie Thoene are artisans of storytelling. Their books tend to cut through the history and straight into the hearts of people who lived it. This helps separate it from grainy black and white pictures or words written on a page. It feels, while you’re reading, that these characters are very real. They live and breathe as much at Thoene’s incredible plots and storylines do. Reading one of Thoene’s books is like stepping into a time machine and traveling to the past. A wealth of knowledge and information transport you into the story and in many instances, make you come out a different person on the other side. (I know of no one who has read Thoene’s incredible Zion series that has not come out affected and changed when looking at modern day politics.) This story is no different.

When we begin the story, we are as innocent as Loralei Kepler herself and yet, by the end, we’ve grown with her through the trials and traumas of war. We’ve watched as Eben, a mysterious and enigmatic character, weaves his way in and out of the story and also, Loralei’s life. As she struggles with her feelings of being a young widow, she also struggles through the loss and depravity of war. When she finally sees Eben again after many years apart, it is with a sigh of relief at the familiar caring man that she knew when she was young. We, as the observers of her story, also breathe a sigh of relief, though we all know that Eben is much more than just a handsome man. We may not know what exactly he is, but a prophet is at least one of his many titles.

At times it feels like Eben is trying to hold back the waves of the ocean with a teaspoon and still he fights.  Loralei, determined to stand up against the war in any way she can, fights at his side and we get to witness their love story ripen and grow.

For anyone who loves Brock and Bodie Thoene’s previous work, this book is a must read. A magical nearly mystical tale of romance, history and drama, it is a delight to devour. To join the Thoene’s in their world is a superb honor and you’ll find it difficult to put down. Be prepared to set aside time in your schedule do devour this new tale. You’ll be glad you did.

Review copy provided by Wynn Wynn Media.

Genre: Historic, Religious, Romance

Publisher: Moody Press

Publication Dates: September 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Rahab the Harlot. Most people know the story of this woman who sold her body for a living but ended up changing her life drastically to become one of the only women mentioned in the genealogy of Christ.  Rahab saved her family and herself from the destruction of Jericho by the Israelites. Mentioned throughout the Bible as having great faith and having been saved by that faith, Rahab saved two Israelite spies prior to the fall of Jericho and in return, they saved her and her family.

This story has always intrigued me though. There are only a few short verses in the Bible about Rahab, but they are always significant and filled with impact. Rahab is mentioned in the New Testament as a woman of great faith. She’s also mentioned in the gospels for her significance in the lineage of Christ.

Tessa Afshar brings this story to vivid and brilliant life. She delves into the idea that Rahab was not a common prostitute and that she was sold into slavery. She creates a back-story for Rahab that is rich and deep with understanding. Instead of choosing prostitution (which may be the case in reality- I don’t believe it’s mentioned in the Bible why she’s a prostitute) as a way of life, Rahab is sold into prostitution by her parents in order to keep the family afloat. It’s horrible and painful, but it helps lead to Afshar’s journey of faith in Rahab’s life.

Unlike other authors who have tackled Rahab’s story, Afshar doesn’t end it with ‘happily ever after’ upon the pronouncement of Salmone’s marriage to Rahab. She delves into the process of how it may have been that Rahab and Salmone met and came to the point of marriage and then beyond that, what might marriage between a prostitute and a leader of the Israelites looked like. Certainly there wasn’t some magical Disney type ending where everything became perfect with the words ‘I love you.’ There must have been some trust issues, concerns, and fear to work through on both sides of the equation.

I love how realistically Afshar portrays the feelings and emotions of both Salmone and Rahab. With heart-wrenching twists in the story, vivid descriptions and beautiful moments guaranteed to remind you of your own faith, Afshar breathes modern day relevance into a story that shapes the image of the greatest story ever told.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publication Date: September 2010

Publisher: WaterBrook

Reviewed by Anne Barnhill

In her latest book, Lady in Waiting, Susan Meissner uses the familiar technique of the frame story; that is, a story within a story.  In this instance, the outer layer of the tale is set in current-day Manhattan, where Jane Lindsay owns an antique shop.  Her husband of twenty-two years, Brad, has just told her he needs some “time to think” about their marriage and has taken a job in New Hampshire.  Her only child, Connor, is in college, and her nearby parents continue to let her know their opinions about her life in no uncertain terms.

In the second part of the frame, the story revolves around Lady Jane Grey, great-niece of King Henry VIII, deceased, and cousin to the boy-king, Edward VI.  Lady Jane has been portrayed through history as a young girl who was used to stage a coup after Edward’s demise.  She, along with her 16-year-old husband, Guildford Dudley, was named as Edward’s successor, rather than Princess Mary, old Henry’s daughter.  She reigned as Queen for nine days before Mary took back her throne.  Jane Grey ended up losing both the crown and her head.  Meissner’s version adds the hope that somewhere along the way, Jane Grey had more control over her life than it seems.  She also gives Jane a dear friend, her seamstress, Lucy, who becomes important to Jane as someone in whom she can confide.

The devise on which these two stories turn is an antique ring that shows up in some new merchandise arriving from England.  Jane Lindsay discovers the ring in the spine of an ancient prayer book and is fascinated by it, primarily because the inscription has her name on it–Jane.  In Latin, there is also a verse from the Song of Solomon, “You have captured my heart, my sister, my bride.”  Jane becomes obsessed with finding out more about her ring.

As the stories unfold, we see some similarities emerge between the lives of these two women separated by five hundred years.  Both women seem helpless in the face of what happens to them.  Both seem overpowered by their parents’ expectations and the mores of the time.  Both have strong faith and both end up making a life-altering decision and taking the responsibility for that choice.

Meissner is a competent writer whose prose takes on more energy in the historical portion of the story than the contemporary.  And this is one of the difficulties with the frame story.  Both stories should have equal intensity and sustaining interest.  Unfortunately, this balance is very difficult to achieve.  Meissner does not quite master it and the historical portion of the book carries more danger, more heartfelt characters and a better plot.  I find it hard to care much whether Jane Lindsay’s marriage works out or not.  In fact, I discover a large part of me is disappointed with the outcome of her story.

On the other hand, the story of Lady Jane Grey and her seamstress, Lucy, is fraught with life or death situations, arranged marriages and intrigue.  There is much more at stake here than the survival of a mediocre marriage.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Touchstone

Publication Date:  July 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer Roman

In Southeast Africa, the village of Kura is one of several tribes of prehistoric peoples living under a matriarchal system.  The Mother is the leader of the tribe, and every summer, the men go hunting or trading to provide for the families while the women stay behind and prepare for the upcoming winters.  In spring, there is a Bonding Ceremony in which a woman, based on seniority, chooses a mate.  Whistle, the leader of the Kura, has to choose a new mate because her traditional one does not come back from the previous year.  This year, she chooses Bapoto, a male who is previously unfamiliar to the tribe.  He brings with him new ideas about mating, leadership, and society in general.  The tribe eagerly goes along with his ideas, but Snap, Whistle’s oldest daughter, does not.  It is frowned upon to question the Mother, who also goes along with Bapoto, and eventually, Snap, pregnant and alone, sets off on her own to be away from Bapoto’s ideas.  Snap learns to live on her own and in whom she can trust when she creates her own society.

Told from a very interesting perspective, Daughter of Kura attempts to provide insight into people when they are still evolving from animal.  These people have body hair and can run on all fours.  Rather than speak, they can only make noise or communicate through a sign language.  They do not yet have the ability to start their own fire, so they must protect and transport whatever fire they have.  It is a very difficult world in which people are still very much prey in the chain of life.  At times it is difficult to figure out what is happening because the characters use sounds to express themselves, and the reader may not always pick up on the intent.  Also, Austin makes a point of saying, “she signed” or “she made the motion of arguing” instead of just saying “she argued.”  While this is probably very true to historical data, at times it can cause confusion or interruption on the part of the reader.

This story is rich in history and in standing up for what one believes.  It is admirable that Snap is willing to risk her life and the life of her baby in order to leave what she believes to be an oppressive force overcoming the village.  What Snap finds to be an oppressive force, however, rings of the beginning of spirituality and religion.  Bapoto suggests that it is important to pray to the Great One before a hunt; while someone is recovering from an illness or injury; or during a festival.  He wants to change the mating system so that women have the same man for life.  He also creates a mourning time for people who have died.  Some things he does, however, are unpopular with the tribe.  He chooses a mate for Snap and in trying to force the union, allows the new mate to rape Snap.  He creates a feeling of oppression in the entire village by not allowing others to talk to Snap when she challenges his opinions.  He starts to take over the entire village and usurp Whistle’s power.  He just seems to want to take over everything.

Austin succeeds at describing prehistoric humans and what their everyday ordeals are; the story seems to make sense.  Considering how difficult the topic could be, and the historical accuracy issues, Austin does a great job with this book.  It is educational and entertaining at the same time.  It’s not necessarily a “feel good” book with a perfectly happy ending, but issues do get resolved in a “real-world” manner.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Publisher: David C. Cook

Publication Date: June 2010

Genre: Historical, Romance

Reviewed by Kaci Hill

Sometimes, I break out of my “comfort genres.” I’ve read one of Linda Windsor’s Moonstruck books, and I know she tends to bounce back and forth between historical and contemporary romance. So I accepted the book because, my preferences aside, the woman can write. That, and what’s not to be intriguing about a book that combines Celtic lore, Arthurian lore, a lost line of Davidic kings (yes, King David), and Joseph of Arimathea?

Oh, but then it gets complicated: A family feud began when an enchantress came between two brothers and one brother became so angry he massacred the woman’s clan. She prophesied that, by way of her daughter, the end of their hate would come—then killed herself. The daughter escaped. Twenty years later, a young healer named Brenna and her wolf rescue a prince from an attack that would have killed him. She nurses him back to health, alone in a cave, while the rest of the world faces the repercussions of a supposedly murdered prince.

I liked the story. It was difficult to put down. And I really don’t want to criticize it too much.  The characters are inviting and quite amusing at times.  Ronan, the prince, is quite ill for a good portion of this story—which means Brenna is left to talk to the wolf or to a nightmare-riddled patient bound by fever and tormented by inner demons for  several chapters of the book.

Now, and it may just be that I really read mostly fantasy and suspense (or a good old adventure story), but I will say, the problem was, there was no real fear of how things would turn out, because I was told in advance and the characters don’t ever fully question it. (Ronan does, to a degree, but he lives off Brenna’s faith sometimes.) Moreover, I had a hard time believing Ronan or Brenna could fall in love so quickly. Sure, he was with her for months—but mostly at death’s door during those months. To me, that was far too quick, and a bit forward for a young healer squeamish about having a man in her cave (even unconscious and . . . drugged).  Likewise, Brother Martin is a likeable character, but pages of sermon slow it down.

On top of all this, I counted at least three exorcisms as a means of ending the conflict. An exorcism by itself isn’t the issue. I believe demons exist and that they can oppress and possess people, and I believe that they can be exorcised. The problem is that exorcisms are a bit like faked death or resurrection scenes: You can pull it off once, pretty much, with little to no complaint. Its okay to trick the audience into thinking a character is dead, but if you do it with five characters you break the suspension of disbelief. Likewise, an exorcism is a perfectly legitimate option (and, in dealing with oppressive spirits, not a bad option in this book), but if too many conflicts peak with an oppressing or possessing demon that much be extracted, you’ve effectively broken the fourth wall.

And yes, I understand that’s part of who Brenna is: She can heal body and soul. She’s a restorer of sorts. She purges evil the same way she purges infection from a wound.  But I needed something there.

I suppose, in the end, my thought is this: Brenna is a woman of immense faith. She’s a prophetess and a healer, and she’s a unique breed who understands both her strengths and her weaknesses, knows when to take up her bow and when to become the peacemaker.

But as a believer myself, I don’t need explanation. Ronan’s struggle between faith and pride, between his old life and his new, don’t need exposition.  The story stands on its own without it, and if everyone accepts the deceased prophetess’ oracle as deeply as Brenna, then it releases some of the tension and doesn’t allow her to stand out quite as much as she should.

I will say, when Ronan’s ultimate enemy was finally revealed, I had dismissed him from the list, even though he made sense, so I was as surprised as everyone else. Like I said, Windsor can keep you reading.  She writes believable characters, puts a ton of research into her novels, and can pull you along as long as she wants.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Tyndale House

Publication Date: September 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

When we last left these beloved characters, the future looked bleak. Hildemara Rose, Marta’s daughter, was ill with tuberculosis again and needed Marta’s help. It was a hard battle that she fought to keep her sanity together while asking her mother for help. She knew that it would be difficult. Even knowing that, she didn’t realize how long she would struggle with the mistakes that were made or how far the tendrils of these roots would grow.  Generations would feel the ripples from this decision.

As we weave through the lives of Hildemara, her daughter Carolyn and later, Carolyn’s daughter, May Dawn Flower, we get to experience the heartache and joy that comes from being a parent. Because of the way that Rivers crafted the stories of these five women, she gifts the reader with insight into the characters that she wraps in the powerful emotions that come with parenting.   Patterns of behavior erupt into circles of dysfunction throughout the generations but never with spite or malice. Everything’s based on simple miscommunication and misunderstanding.  Sometimes, as a reader, it’s frustrating to see the mistakes being made. You might want to yell or shake the book a little as you go, but the moments of amazing beauty and grace outshine these frustrations.

Her Daughter’s Dream reminds me of a poem about the way God works in our lives. The poem states that as we live our lives and God does his work, it’s like a tapestry. We can only see the underside of the tapestry which isn’t neat or pretty or beautiful. But when it’s done, we can see God’s perspective and it’s a masterpiece. This book felt that way. There were moments when I was reading and I had to stop because it was too painful for me to move on. My heart was heavy for these characters and I couldn’t shake the heartrending emotion of the moments. But then like a magnet I would be drawn back to the story and would find myself so enraptured in the story that I could not put it down. Once I’d completed the book, I could see the painful twists and turns in the story for the beauty they added to the whole. To say the least, it was stunning.

Made up of gorgeous characters and painfully real dialogue and plot twists, Rivers does not shy away from the hard topics. She plunges into the heart of these difficult issues much like opening a painfully infected wound. She gives them fresh air and covers them in the healing grace of God’s word so easily that it’s hard to remember that this is fiction. This is a book crafted by someone and yet it feels as if you’re watching someone’s life unfold before you.

With incredible passion, and a deftness of word, Francine Rivers takes mother daughter relationships and transports them away from the perfect fantasy that is so often seen in books and movies and brings it home to a gripping reality that is sure to touch mothers and daughters everywhere. These two books, Her Mother’s Hope and Her Daughter’s Dream, are perfect gifts for anyone in your life who is a mother, daughter, grandmother or granddaughter.  Few books these days really change your life as you’re reading. Her Daughter’s Dream accomplishes this and more.

Review copy provided by Tyndale.

Genre: Historical, Romance

Publisher: NAL

Publication Date: August 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Elizabeth I. If you have had a single history lesson on the British monarchy, it’s likely you can spit out several well known details about her. She was the Virgin Queen. The daughter of infamous Henry VIII. The sister of Mary, Queen of Scots. What many people don’t know about Elizabeth is the deep bond that she held with lifelong friend and childhood playmate, Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester. Though she remains firmly ensconced in history as the queen who refused to take a husband and allow a man to steal her power, Elizabeth shared a bond with Robert Dudley that runs deeper than many marriages throughout history.  Certainly it was longer lasting and more substantial than any of her father’s relationships with the many women in his life. Now here is where I must caution that though Elizabeth is known as the Virgin Queen, there is some discussion of a physical nature and some scenes depicting physical acts. Though very sparse throughout the book and nowhere near overwhelming, they are there so for the sensitive reader, be aware.

While doing any research on Elizabeth, you quickly realize that many people know a little about her, but not many know much beyond that.  Fewer still understand or recognize the depth of her relationship with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester. Author Jeane Westin, based on much research and a deep abiding knowledge of Elizabeth’s life, bases this book on the love story and romance that held during the lifetimes of Elizabeth and Dudley. With beautiful scenes and a fast moving yet easy to follow storyline, Westin masterfully weaves the tale between letters and historical references to fill in the gaps of this breathtaking romance. Though we know in the first moment of reading that Elizabeth will be left mourning Dudley, still, we follow the tale that Westin weaves and fall as deeply in love with the two of them as they fall for each other.  It is a testament to Westin’s writing that when we reach the end of this tale, we’ve become so wrapped in the story and the characters that we can feel Elizabeth’s pain almost as keenly as she does.

For anyone who is even mildly interested in history, the Elizabethan era or the monarchy itself, this book is a delight to read. Westin’s style, pacing and storytelling keep you interested in the story.  Then she wraps little known historical details in well rounded characters and dialogue that give the reader an education while thoroughly entertaining him or her along the way.

If you are a history buff and love to learn while you read or enjoy books that spark questions and imagination in your mind, then you must add this book to your reading list. Westin’s intelligence shines through her work and allows these historical figures to breathe, walk and talk in front of the reader.  His Last Letter is guaranteed to be a pleasure for anyone who has even a passing interest in history or historical figures.

Review copy provided by NAL.

Genre: Historical Fiction/Chick Lit

Publisher:  Algonquin

Publication Date:  January 2010

Reviewed by Jen Roman

In 1907, widower and wealthy businessman Ralph Truitt places an ad in the paper for a “reliable wife.”  Catherine Land’s response is chosen because she mentions that she is an honest woman and includes a photo of a plain woman.  When she arrives on the train platform in winter in Wisconsin, however, Ralph is surprised to see that she is actually very attractive.  She explains that she used her cousin’s photo so he would get to know the “real” Catherine instead of bypassing her because she is beautiful.  Each person agrees to the marriage because of a desire: he wants someone to track down his long-lost son, and she wants to poison him and take his money.  She then plans to reunite with her lover (who is Ralph’s long-lost son!).  Along the way they change their perspectives and get involved in suspenseful and dangerous situations.

A Reliable Wife starts out slowly, and without reason.  There is a great deal of time spent on how Ralph feels about what the townspeople think of him, both in general and because he is sending away for a new wife.  Catherine’s thoughts are also described in detail.  While it is good for the reader to get to know the characters and encounter some suspense, it does not work in this case.  The story flows well once the two meet, however, and the reader quickly gets engrossed in the story.

It’s hard to believe that there is such rampant drug use in the early 1900s, but there is.  That, combined with the prominence of prostitutes, makes for some less than innocuous reading.  There are descriptions of the sexual act throughout the book, and prostitutes are not glossed over because of what they do.  For one not initiated comfortable in that world, the reader should exercise caution.  One especially difficult scene shows Catherine’s sister, an addict and prostitute, dying of what one would assume is AIDS.  She is cold, hungry, and desperate for drugs.  When Catherine tries to help her, all she can ask for is money for her next fix.  Sadly, when Catherine leaves money and a new fur coat with her sister, someone else takes the money and coat without any regard for the dying body owning those items.  The less desirable traits of human nature prevail in some very depressing situations.

What starts as a slow novel quickly turns into an interesting, colorful, and suspenseful read.  It is not a difficult book, so it would make an excellent choice for a weekend.  Readers caught up in A Reliable Wife will enjoy it once they get past the first couple of chapters.

Review copy provided by Algonquin.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror, Audio Book

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

Publication Date:  March 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Reading as a biography, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter follows the late President’s journey from a young boy on the frontier to his success as a politician and attorney.  Inspired by his dying mother’s last wish, Abraham studies, works hard, and hunts vampires.  At times he wants to just leave the vampire issue in the past, but he knows he has to rid the world of these evil creatures.  Aided by a vampire friend, Henry, he learns to identify and destroy his new enemies.

While the story follows closely with the actual history of Lincoln’s life, Grahame-Smith takes liberties with prominent events that happened in Lincoln’s history.  For example, instead of his mother dying of “milk fever,” as is recorded in the journals of history, Grahame-Smith indicates that she has actually become the victim of a vampire’s razor-sharp fangs.  A large gang war in New York is credited to the vampires, and even John Wilkes Booth is identified as a vampire.  These changes provide some entertainment in an already colorful life.

While the story of Abraham Lincoln is very interesting in itself, somehow something gets lost with the addition of vampires.  Not one to disregard a good vampire story, I found that it just didn’t work here. In fact, I read Grahame-Smith’s Pride and Prejudice and Zombies with happy results.

The narrator has a nice voice for this story, but does not read in much of a dramatic fashion.  There were times when it was difficult to tell if the narrator was speaking or if Abraham was speaking.  The idea to introduce vampires into Abraham Lincoln’s life is interesting, but something in it just falls short.

Written true to the vernacular of the times, the speech is sometimes stilted.  Still, there is nothing offensive in the writing; any “swearing” done in the times is seen as mild, acceptable usage today.  There is no sexual activity, and even when Abe is courting his wife, it only mentions his desire to “be near” the woman.  Again, for today’s readers, it is refreshingly charming and clean.  Abe’s favorite weapon to kill vampires, though, is an axe, so there are some scenes in which people are beheaded or struck in the back by said axe.  It is not overly bloody or gruesome so most readers should have no problem stomaching the “violence.”

Overall, the attempt to write vampires into Abraham Lincoln’s life is interesting, but it doesn’t quite work.

Review copy provided by Grand Central Publishing.

Genre: Historical, Adventure, Literary

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Released: March 2010

Reviewed by Jonathan Schindler

“How is this night different from all other nights?” This night, Passover 1862, is the night Jacob Rappaport will assassinate his uncle.

Rappaport, in order to escape an arranged marriage to the daughter of one of his father’s business associates, joins the Union Army. But when his senior officers discover that he is related to Harry Hyams, a man plotting to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, they exploit his family tie and send him to New Orleans to infiltrate his uncle’s Passover seder and poison him at the table. Having successfully dispatched this mission, Rappaport is given what might be his most dangerous mission yet: marriage to Confederate beauty, actress, escape artist, and spy Eugenia Levy. But when Jacob’s personal life and professional duty are so intertwined, where will his loyalty lie?

All Other Nights raises issues of faith, family, and fidelity with wisdom and wit, and it does so without getting bogged down in needless discursions or overabundant details. Dara Horn is adept at plotting her novel, keeping things moving but also allowing the reader to become attached to the characters. She earns the reader’s attention and desire to continue. While the chapters are fairly short, enabling unintentional over reading, they are also engrossing, making the most schedule-conscious readers reconsider whether they have time for another before errands call them elsewhere. She is able to keep the reader’s attention without using tricks and gimmicks, teasing interest without being coy. (For an example of the coy way to keep readers’ attention, I remember reading the Goosebumps series when I was younger, and almost every chapter ended with an ellipsis—keeping the reader fettered to the book by withholding information.)

What separates All Other Nights from many other plot-driven books is the author’s craft in the details. Forming a plot can become a macro enterprise, often at the expense of the micro, creating a book intended to be consumed in one sitting and never revisited. But Dara Horn has done both. Not only does she keep the plot moving, but each individual sentence shows that it has received the author’s attention. The result is a well-written novel that is enjoyable on the first read, but deep enough to merit rereading. It combines the best of adventure fiction with the careful observations characteristic of literary fiction, and the result is a success.

All Other Nights also succeeds in capturing interesting historical details by creating a believable atmosphere for the novel’s setting. In order to enjoy a novel, and perhaps especially a historical novel, the reader must trust the author to have done her homework. Anachronisms and faulty phrases disrupt the flow of the story, but more importantly they break readers’ trust, forcing readers to contemplate the details with closer scrutiny rather than allowing them to become engrossed in the reading experience. Thankfully, Horn establishes trust early in the book and maintains that trust throughout. The author’s note following the story reveals the painstaking research Horn has done to bring this book into being. Not only will casual readers appreciate Horn’s research, but Civil War buffs should be placated as well.

Dara Horn’s All Other Nights is worthy of attention, and I’m glad I read it. I will be seeking her other books out in the future.

Review copy provided by W. W. Norton & Co.

Genre: Historical Romance, Inspirational

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: March 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Allie Miller’s life seems to be nearly perfect. Her father owns a prominent ball bearing company and she’s set to receive a fortune from her family. She’s also engaged to a fine upstanding young man. When she leaves for a short trip to be in a friend’s wedding, she realizes very quickly how unhappy she really is in her life.

Walt Novak has never been considered as handsome or talented as his two older brothers, but still, he’s an essential part of the Army Air Corps and he’s ready to lay down his life for our country. He’s also a mess when it comes to women. He can’t even speak to them without a near panic attack unless he knows that they’re ‘taken.’

So when Allie and Walt meet on a train, things become very interesting. First, Walt believes that she’s married with young children. By the time he discovers that she’s not, they’ve already developed a very comfortable rapport. Imagine the surprise that they both experience when it’s discovered that they’re both going to the same place for the same wedding. Subsequently, the two of them spend a week together for all of the wedding activities and their friendship and attraction grows. So what happens when Walt returns to war and Allie returns to the marriage that her parents have arranged for her?

Sarah Sundin’s debut novel is not your regular every day romance. If you’re looking for boy meets girl, falls in love and all is perfect, you won’t get it here. Walt and Allie both struggle with issues in their lives when they meet each other. Dishonesty, miscommunication, and stubbornness on both of their parts stand between them at every turn. And then there’s Baxter, Allie’s future husband. Oh and the war. That’s a big one too.

Sometimes, when you’re reading inspirational fiction, the mentions of Bible study, church, and every day faith feel like a misstep. It can sometimes feel as if someone crafted the story and threw all of the ‘inspirational’ parts in as an afterthought. Sundin has woven these every day moments in a Christian’s life into the story in great detail without being preachy or overbearing. As Allie struggles with obedience vs. sacrifice, we also see Walt learning the dangers of ‘little white lies.’ It doesn’t cause the story to stumble. Rather, it helps to deepen the story. There is no simple moment of revelation that drastically changes the characters from one second to the next. It’s a process that we, as the reader, follow throughout the story. So when the change does happen it’s something for which we’ve all been waiting.

The plot is fast paced, easy to follow and packed with fantastic details from the time period. From serving in the Red Cross to fighting overseas, you never once struggle with the details of the story.  Sundin’s debut novel proves that she is an excellent storyteller who gives her readers adventure, history and romance with style and grace.

Review copy provided by Revell.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Touchstone

Publication Date:  May 2010

Reviewed by Jen Roman

In New York in the early 1900s, Ruby Thompson has faced many tragedies in her young life.  By the time she is thirteen, her parents and brother have died from Spanish influenza.  Her other brother, Nick, survives but has personality-altering damages from the flu.  He and his wife, Evie, have two small girls, and they take in Ruby to live with them.  Not long after, Evie is in a train accident and dies, leaving Ruby to fend for herself AND to care for the two girls, Allie and Amanda.  She takes on a lot of unsafe factory jobs and does all she can to make ends meet.  Finally, fed up with not being able to take care of her family, she goes to a side show owner and ends up getting a job.  She has an amazingly fast pitch, so her new boss sets up a booth where people can come in and challenge her for the fastest pitch.  She is so impressive that eventually she is asked to play on a minor league team, and in the process garners the attention of Babe Ruth, Lou Gherig, and the famous boxer Jack Dempsey.  Even though she finds a good-paying job doing something she loves, she still has to face challenges: her brother, Nick, is caught up in bootlegging; the Klan is out to make her stop playing baseball because she is a girl; and a bookie blackmails her to throw some games or he will harm the girls.  Rather than being a sad and depressing story, however, Diamond Ruby shows pluck, spunk, and smarts.  She handles things with grace and nerves of steel.

It’s interesting to read a book about a female baseball player in the early 1900s because the reader sees just how far women have come.  Rights and privileges we take for granted are not even dreamed of by those women.  Diamond Ruby shows what people, no matter their gender, can achieve when they set their minds to it.  They can overcome despair and manage to triumph even with the odds stacked against them.  While there are people who succumb to tragedy, it’s nice to read about someone who overcomes the odds to manage and do well in life.  Who doesn’t love to root for the underdog?

There is very little objectionable content in Diamond Ruby in the way of profanity and sexual situations.  While there is not graphic violence, there is a lot of blackmail.  People get beat up or knifed, and in one scene, Ruby is badly beaten.  This is not described in great detail, but it is enough that it could upset people sensitive to violence against women.  In general, however, most readers should not be offended by anything in this book.  It is gritty and downtrodden at times, but it shows how the human spirit can overcome so many tragedies to succeed.

Review copy provided by Touchstone.

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Viking

Publication Date: May 2010

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Mary Sutter, a young 19th century midwife living in New York state, wants more. She longs to be a doctor. Sadly, medical schools will not accept her because of her gender. In desperation, she turns to James Blevens—a doctor whose aid she came to during a dangerous delivery. But Blevens, who has enlisted as a surgeon in the approaching Civil War, turns her down.

Then Dorothea Dix, a national figure, issues a call to the North’s women: nurses are needed. Mary hurries to the capitol, despite the fact that she is too young for service under Ms. Dix. Rejected once again, she finds a role in the Union Hotel Hospital, a squalid, filthy hovel where she assists Dr. William Stipp, who, ironically, is the man who trained Blevens. There, Mary strives to care for the flood of injured and ill men who arrive, but with so little known about medicine, both Stipp and Mary struggle to save lives. Torn between returning home to help deliver her twin sister’s child and the overwhelming needs in Washington, Mary must make the difficult choice between familial duty and her dreams of medicine.

In My Name is Mary Sutter, a historical piece set during the opening of the Civil War, Robin Oliveira creates a bitter, chaotic world where blood, filth and perseverance dominate. The wounds of war scar everyone and she portrays this clearly in this work. Historical details abound, sure to please the most avid amateur historian—Lincoln, John Hay and McClellan are featured among the cast of characters included here—although, these scenes read more slowly and this reader hurried through them to reach Mary’s story.

A bit disappointing was Mary’s persistent stoicism; it prevented the reader from truly empathizing with this character at a deep level. Understandably, this is a prime trait of this character, but readers would have benefitted from an occasional lapse in Mary’s outer restraint as a means of character growth. However, the ending does show a crack in this demeanor which was a relief.

Oliveira’s debut novel offers a wealth of period details and is a well-crafted look at the horrors of the Civil War from the rare perspective of a female medical professional. Readers feel immersed in the wretchedness of the war; our sense of helplessness easily parallels what Mary feels as she tries to treat patients at a time when little is known about treatment.

Review copy provided by Viking.

Genre: Historical, Romance, Adventure

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: May 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Valerie Fontaine is a beautiful young woman with the world at her feet. Daughter of a wealthy business man, she is educated beyond the average of most girls her age, she has grown up in comfort and she is self assured and filled with everything that society holds in high regard. And yet, when her mother passes away, everything that she had planned for her life gets swept away and lost in a tumult of grief and misunderstanding. Not sure of what she should do next; she leaves school without her father’s permission and ventures home. Her travels take her across several states in a land that is preparing for civil war.

When she arrives, she is bitterly disappointed to discover that her father, lost in his own grief, wants nothing to do with her. Instead, he pushes her toward a relationship with a young man that she has known for her entire life. Unfortunately James Ladden is not the gentleman that either of them imagined. Rough and completely disrespectful, Ladden assumes that Valerie will be his and he has no problem treating her as if she already belongs to him.

Enter Benjamin McCabe. The opposite of James, McCabe is the son of an acquaintance of her father. With her father indisposed by his grief and increased drinking and gambling, the task of entertaining Mr. McCabe is left to Valerie. Unsure of what her role should be and how to handle this unexplained acquaintance, she discovers very quickly that Ben McCabe is a man she would like to know better. Her young tender heart turns very quickly toward the handsome and gentle man and she discovers, as their friendship progresses, that the two are more compatible than they’d realized.

When I started reading this book, I was certain that it was going to be a typical period romance where the two very attractive people that, at first, don’t look like they belong end up together. Then we get the happily ever after…yadda yadda yadda. You know what I mean. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was much more to this than the typical romance. With some intrigue, twists and surprised, Boeshaar has crafted an enjoyable tale that takes us not only into the opening stages of a romance, but into the depths of what happens after ‘I do.’ And she’s done it in a delightful way that will keep you entertained and engaged with these wonderful characters. She’s done a great job creating not only a tense storyline with a mysterious plot, but building into the love story in a very real and honest way. I am very happy to see that we have more work from Boeshaar to look forward to this fall.

Listen to our interview with Andrea Boeshaar here.

Review copy provided by Realms.

Genre: Historical, Romance, Adventure

Publisher: Tyndale

Publication Date: March 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Marta Schneider is determined to succeed. She knows what she wants in life and even though she’s young, nothing is going to stop her from getting everything that she wants. She refuses to allow anything to move her from that path. She certainly won’t let a frightened sister, a sick mother or an abusive father do that to her. Determined to rise above the roadblocks and speed-bumps that would slow or stop others in her situation, she turns everything into an opportunity to better herself.

I was completely entranced with Marta’s story through the stages of her life as she blew past outrageously difficult circumstances to succeed at nearly everything she attempted. By the time that she got married, settled down and started a family, I was firmly ensconced in the world that Rivers had created. And then the focus shifted.

Hildemara Rose, Marta’s young daughter, has just as much determination as her mother and unfortunately, just as many obstacles. She fights for everything she gets and has, at the best of times, a rocky, strained relationship with Marta.

When the perspective shifted to that of Marta’s young daughter, Hildemara Rose, I was admittedly a little jarred. My first thoughts were that I wanted to see more of Marta. This was, after all, her story! I had spent hours getting to know her, understanding her, and watching her overcome obstacles. I wanted to follow her and not this young girl who hadn’t been truly granted much of a part in Marta’s story. But as I kept reading, I discovered, once again, the brilliance of Francine Rivers. With the intimate knowledge of Marta’s past, we as the readers are able to experienced Hildemara’s life in a deeper, richer way than if we had only met one or the other of these women on their own.

Francine Rivers is a master of the heart. She cuts right to the center and passion of what drives people and creates an amazing connection between her readers and her stories. This book is no different. She brilliantly pulls together heartache and passion and wraps it around one of the deepest relationships in existence; that of a mother and a daughter. Written from her own family history, Rivers pulls no punches as she examines the mistakes that parents can make as they raise their children. Moments in this book were difficult to read, heartbreaking and at times, I found myself with tears rolling down my face. Again, this is where Francine Rivers excels in her writing. When reading her work, it’s nearly impossible to keep yourself from becoming personally entrenched in the story. With this beautiful multigenerational tale, this is doubly heart-wrenching. As I experienced Hildemara’s heartbreak in her relationship with her mother, I also ached at knowing where Marta had been and why this was happening. Rivers’ writing gave me a deeper understanding of every aspect of this story and really opened her own heart and family to me. My heart rolled when I reached the end of this book and I realized I was going to have to wait to see what would happen next.When does it release? Not nearly soon enough.

Review copy provided by Tyndale.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Publication Date: October 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Sir Thomas Cromwell. Most people recognize the name but not many could tell you exactly who he is, what he did or how he impacted the course of history.  Let me fill you in just a little. To start things off he was the 1^st Earl of Essex. He was also Henry VIII’s chief minister from 1532-1540. Do you have a better idea of how he impacted history now? Yes. So do I after reading Hilary Mantel’s book.

It’s hard to cover new ground when it comes to Henry VIII. With hundreds of books and movies and television programs based on this time period and this famous monarch, very little is fresh ground. Mantel, however, has found a way to make even Henry’s popular story new and exciting. She has shared the tale through the little known and far less understood Thomas Cromwell.

The book follows Cromwell’s rise from poverty and a drunken abusive home to arguably the most powerful and influential man in the free world. How did he shake off the past and move beyond it? What about his family and love life? Did he have one? Mantel addresses these questions with stunning description and a tense driven storyline.

The writing style can be off-putting during the read though. Sometimes it’s difficult to shake out who is doing what or who is speaking and it takes several reads to get back into the pacing. This can be hard on the reader since the book is so long and the plot details are thickly woven. The book is not an easy weekend read by far, but when you’ve completed the story, you have far more information regarding this period in history and specifically, this man and what he did to impact history.

If you are a fan of history or historical fiction, this is a book you might enjoy reading. I enjoyed the story and finding out more about Henry VIII through the eyes of this little known character, but as I said, it was not an easy read. I garnered lots of information and appreciated the characterizations that Mantel put forth and wished that it could have been shared in a little easier manner. I don’t shy away from difficult reads. I love stories that are complex and multilayered as this one is. I just had some issues with the writing style and the complexity of the read itself.

Mantel supplies the reader with a wealth of information that casual researchers, historians or readers wouldn’t normally know, therefore leaving the reader more knowledgeable and hopefully, entertained along the way.

Review copy provided by Henry Holt.

Genre: Graphic Novel, Historical

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Released: September 2009

Reviewed by Jonathan Schindler

Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth is a fictional retelling of the life of mathematician, logician, and philosopher Bertrand Russell and his quest to discover the foundational underpinnings of mathematics. A book about a mathematical quest may not sound appealing and certainly not deserving of the word “epic” in its subtitle. But Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H. Papadimitriou, using the graphic novel format, have successfully created an engaging, clever, and ultimately satisfying foray into the world of logic and math that should keep readers engrossed even after they’ve finished it.

The book opens with author Apostolos addressing the reader directly, explaining what he’s hoping to accomplish in a book he’s working on concerning the quest for the foundation of mathematics. He wants to tell a good story whose heroes happen to be mathematicians and logicians, but in order to tell it well, he consults with a computer scientist friend of his, Christos, who can explain the deeper mathematical subjects as they arise in the writing. Apostolos and Christos meet in the studio where the artists are working on the preliminary sketches for this book, and Apostolos relates to Christos the story that Logicomix will tell. This is the first frame of the story: a group of friends in modern-day Greece telling the story of Bertrand Russell’s quest for the foundations of mathematics to each other.

The story Apostolos tells begins with Bertrand Russell in the United States in 1939, three days after Hitler invaded Poland, soon to give a lecture on the role of logic in human affairs. Russell is intercepted on his way to the lecture hall by a group of American anti-militarists who want Russell to rally others to their cause: keeping the United States out of World War II. Russell gives his lecture as planned, inviting these people to hear him. This is the second frame: Bertrand Russell tells a group of Americans his story to help them make decisions regarding World War II.

Russell’s story begins in childhood and ends at the Americans’ decision point. He relates how his childhood was filled with uncertainty, and mathematics provided the only stable grounding for his life, at one point even saving him from suicide. Discovering that there are portions of mathematics that even mathematicians accepted on faith, Russell devotes his life to establishing with certainty the roots of math. The story follows him through both his personal and academic life as he begrudgingly realizes that things in the real world do not always have a rational explanation.

While the discussions in Logicomix focus on sometimes heady subjects, the frames in this story provide a way for the authors to explain the concepts to the uninitiated. (As I mentioned before, Russell’s story—and the story of mathematics—is told among friends, who are not shy in interrupting the narrative when a concept doesn’t make sense to them. There is a “Notebook” section as well, which follows the story and provides additional information on key players and ideas in the quest.) By telling the story in frames, the authors are also able simultaneously to show the real-world implications of what Russell relates in his own tale and to explore the themes of logic and madness, belief and certainty, and temperance in all things in a variety of contexts that might not be possible in a straightforward narrative style.

Even if the story in Logicomix were not interesting, the book’s art would make it worth reading. Logicomix is a true graphic novel. The drawings are not just illustrations; they help to tell the story. In one place, for example, when young Bertrand Russell is learning Greek, the authors use different letterings for Russell and for his teacher to show their varying mastery over the language. Because the full-color art, beautifully rendered, does part of the storytelling, Logicomix is not overrun with bulky text. Even though the subject matter is harder to digest than some other graphic novel fare, this balance between pictures and words helps it avoid getting bogged down.

Logicomix presents foundational ideas of logic and math in a reader-friendly way that is both informative and enjoyable. Readers who like their fiction unencumbered by detailed (sometimes technical) discussions may prefer to look elsewhere for their next fix, but for readers who have an interest in philosophy, graphic novels, or just interesting and clever storytelling, Doxiadis and Papadimitriou’s book is the logical choice.

Review copy provided by Bloomsbury USA

Genre: Historical, Thriller, Suspense

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: April 2010

Reviewed by Jake Chism

Gina Lazarescu is preparing for a final showdown with the Akeldama Collectors. So much has happened in her life recently, especially the revelation that her son Jacob is alive. Cal Nichols, her father, has kept this secret until now to protect Jacob from the Collectors, who will stop at nothing to destroy the Nistarim and Those Who Resist. While Gina wants to go to Jacob now, Cal insists she wait for the right time when the Nistarim can band together to destroy the Collectors. In the meantime, Gina focuses on rebuilding her relationship with her husband, Jed, and preparing for the imminent battle. Unfortunately, for Gina and the Nistarim, the Collectors have deadly plans of their own and are confident they will be victorious.

I’m always anxious to see how an author will end a series, and it seems that very few are able to really nail it. Often it’s a combination of reader expectations and the writer’s unwillingness to fully let go of the story. Admittedly, I had high expectations going into Valley of Bones. Eric Wilson blew me away with the first two installments and I was hoping he would do so again. Thankfully, my expectations were met and quickly exceeded.

All of the elements that make Field of Blood and Haunt of Jackals so appealing are on display. From the attention to historical detail, to the strong characters and crisp dialogue, to the balanced action and tension throughout, everything really comes together to hook the reader. What I wanted the most is what everyone is no doubt anticipating: an all out throw down between darkness and light. And boy do we get it. All throughout the series I’ve felt the story building toward something big and Wilson holds nothing back in giving his fans a huge payoff.

Eric Wilson’s devoted readers will of course recognize characters from his earlier novels, and they play more of a role here than in the previous Jerusalem’s Undead books. I can see where fans unfamiliar with these characters and stories might feel left out at times, but as a fan I loved spending time with Josee and Sarge again, checking up on Clay Ryker, and even getting a nice little nod towards Aramis Black. To his credit, Wilson does a great job of winking at his fans without taking any important plot details away from new readers.

In the end, I was left with a bittersweet feeling. On the one hand, I was amazed at how well the plotlines were pulled together and I was floored by the powerful conclusion. On the other hand, I was sad to see the curtain close on so many characters that have become so special to me since I discovered Eric Wilson’s writing. I’ve always thought it was a shame that these novels seemed to fly under the radar of the masses, and I can’t help but wonder how great it would be to see the Five Senses and Aramis Black series fleshed out the way Wilson originally imagined them.

Even though the Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy has come to a close, I do hope new readers will discover these remarkable novels for years to come. I stated this in my review of Field of Blood, but I feel that it bears repeating: Nowhere else will you find the redemptive power of Christ’s blood explored so brilliantly in fiction.

This has truly been an incredible journey and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Eric Wilson and his devoted fans.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher:  Touchstone

Publication Date:  January 2010

Reviewed by Jennifer S. Roman

Verna is born into a difficult life in rural eastern Pennsylvania’s coal towns in the late 1800s: her father is a dreamer who can’t hold down a job, and her mother just manages to survive and raise her children.  The family is considered by most to be “poor white trash.”  By the age of 14, Verna is pulled from school so she can work at a neighboring farm to support the family.  The farmer rapes her and she gets pregnant.  Verna and her mother are relieved that a local midwife gives her some natural herbs that induce an abortion, which is illegal during the time.  Eventually, through a series of unfortunate events, Verna loses her job and is forced to move to the city to find a new job.  With just a seventh grade education, Verna ends up working in diners, as a housekeeper, and even in a factory.  Along the way, Verna meets a few boyfriends and gives birth to a baby boy, who she leaves in her mother’s care so she can continue working.  Eventually, Verna becomes a caretaker for an elderly woman.  When the elderly woman dies, Verna is at her wits’ end until the lady’s son offers her money to go to nursing school.

Verna is bright despite her lack of education and makes a good name for herself in nursing school.  She and her roommate review their daily lessons and quiz each other on nursing techniques.  They graduate and find jobs working at a local mental hospital.  Dismayed by the horrible conditions and bad pay, they look for better opportunities.  Verna’s friend finds a job first, working for an African-American general practitioner named Dr. Crampton.  For the time, a white woman working for an African-American is unheard-of.  Verna doesn’t think it’s a big deal, and after a while helps her roommate take care of female patients recovering from “surgery” in their apartment.  She gets a share of the income, and it’s more money than she’s ever seen in her life.  She comes to find out that the “surgical” patients are actually undergoing abortions and are waiting for the fetus to pass and the subsequent post exam.  Eventually Dr. Crampton meets Verna, is impressed by her, and offers her a job too.  They are able to expand the business (discreetly), and Verna creates a whole new life for herself with this newfound wealth.  Dr. Cranston’s political contacts keep things safe- for a while.

This is a moving, raw story of an ambitious young woman looking to better herself.  She finds an illegal job that serves people, and she doesn’t see anything wrong with it.  Verna learns how hypocritical people are when they publicly denounce abortions but they, or someone they know, end up seeing Dr. Cranston.  The story is well-told and captures the reader’s attention immediately.  Verna’s no-nonsense perspective makes the reader want to read more.  It is obvious that Jackson Taylor did a lot of research when writing The Blue Orchard, as the cities and people come to life with historical relevance.

Even though this is a wonderful read, it is not for those who cannot stomach abortion in any form.  While it is not graphic, per se, it does describe the procedures and the subsequent effects on the body.  There is mention of body functions that some people may find distasteful.

While the book in general does not use a lot of profanity, it IS used in places for effect.  In addition, the terms used to describe African-Americans are common to the period, so they may be offensive to today’s reader.  Overall, if one reads the book objectively, it is a fascinating and historical journey to be enjoyed.

Review copy provided by Touchstone.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Putnam

Publication Date: February 2009

Reviewed by Marianne Peters

The Help, Kathryn Stockett’s first novel, is compelling, poignant, funny, and suspenseful – in short, impossible to put down. Ask me – I tried!

In 1962, Jackson, Mississippi’s rigid society is defined by Jim Crow laws that keep blacks and whites separate. But those laws are losing their hold thanks to the growing Civil Rights movement, and during this turbulent time, Stockett’s characters begin to question the rules they have taken for granted their whole lives.

Three voices narrate the novel. Dignified Aibileen and sassy Minnie have been serving as maids in white households for years. When Skeeter Phelan, a wealthy college graduate, asks them to help her write a book about their experiences, they are both reticent. As domestics, they are good at being invisible, keeping their mouths shut and absorbing the constant indignities of racism. However, telling their stories allows them to tell the truth about their lives for the first time – a truth that their white employers would rather not acknowledge.

Skeeter is as trapped as the black domestics she interviews. Squeezed into her family and society’s expectations of a Southern woman, she is yearning to write, not just decorate a husband’s arm. She’s also missing her own maid and confidante, Constantine, who has mysteriously disappeared while she was away at school.

Stockett’s skillful writing allows us into the minds and hearts of these three women, who are risking their reputations, their livelihood – perhaps even their lives – to share their stories. Through them we see that despite the boundaries between the races, a deep interdependence existed between blacks and whites. Skeeter’s truest friend was her black maid. Minnie’s white employer sees past her sharp tongue to her kind heart. And Aibileen, raising her seventeenth white child, reminds the girl of her worth and whispers stories in her ear about brave black people occupying the Woolworth’s counter. True, whites needed the labor, blacks needed employment. Stockett reminds us, though, that women will always need other women, and friendship knows no boundaries.

Review copy provided by Putnam.

Genre: Historical, Drama

Publisher: Center Street

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Eileen O’Neill is a warrior. She knows about the O’Neill legacy and that she’s part of it. If it wasn’t already in her blood then dealing with the turmoil of life in Ireland during the early 1900’s would have made her one regardless.

That being said, the best times of Eileen O’Neill’s life happened when she lived in the bright yellow house with her mother, father, brother and baby sister. When her comfort and life come crashing down around her in a series of unfortunate events, Eileen decides then and there that she will not stop until her family is living back in the yellow house and happy again. This sets her off on a life course that takes her to places she’d never imagined and across paths that change her life.

Falvey’s writing is at once heart rending and beautiful. Her descriptions clearly place the reader in the story with the O’Neill family. With historical figures to help cement the storyline in fact and discussions of daily life at the time, Falvey keeps the reader grounded in the story. When I was reading, I had a hard time pulling out of the story. I became immersed completely and fully in Eileen’s life and what would happen next.

When I’m reading, I’m usually very quiet. My husband does whatever he’s working on and I sit quietly in my spot reading to myself. With this book, I shouted out loud a couple of times and wanted to shake this character. (I did at one point slam the book shut and take a walk around the room. What else can you do when you’re angry with a completely contrived character that you’re unable to advise or counsel!?)  Like what happens so often in books (and in life) sometimes we can see the mistakes that a character is making and we wish that they wouldn’t! I felt that way about Eileen’s character.

My husband, at one point was startled by my outburst and asked what on Earth I was doing and I told him that I was reading possibly one of the most frustrating romances I’d ever experienced. This book reminded me in some ways of Jane Austen’s writing (and you all know how I love Austen’s work!) when Austen’s characters were pushed one way or another not by their feelings, but by society’s restrictions.  Though not as prim and proper as Austen’s work, Falvey’s writing does include some adult situations. I can say though, that they are well written and experienced as an everyday part of Eileen’s life rather than being glorified or over shadowing the characters and their journeys.

Review copy provided by Center Street.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books

Publication Date: December 2009

Reviewed by Ashley Barrett

In the early 1900s, Peter Force leaves his rural Idaho home and the memories of his deceased father to start over in New York City. He finds work as a tunnel digger for the upcoming subway project. After a few weeks in the city, Peter encounters Cheri-Anne Toledo, who claims to be the princess from a frontier kingdom in Ohio. The United States government seized her kingdom seven years ago and a scientific misfire may make her the first unintentional time traveler.

Even though he believes she is crazy, Peter agrees to help Cheri-Anne unravel the mystery of her experiences. Cheri-Anne’s story quickly grows into a tangled plot involving some of the most famous figures of history, including Thomas Jefferson, Nikola Tesla and J.P. Morgan. In the midst of discovering the truth about Cheri-Anne, Peter loses his heart to the beautiful princess and finds himself fighting time itself to be with her.

For a book that presents so many exciting elements—time travel, romance, conspiracy and history—The Kingdom of Ohio left me unmoved. The pace didn’t increase until the last fifty pages and I found myself disliking the morose and overly-introspective characters.

Implied sexual activity and coarse language in the book may concern some individuals.

Although I didn’t enjoy this book much, those who appreciate a slower pace and enjoy historical books and time travel may like The Kingdom of Ohio.

Review copy provided by Amy Einhorn Books.

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Publication Date: February 2010

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

In June of 1876, a gifted young Lakota Indian boy named Paha Sapa touches a dying white soldier at the Battle of Little Big Horn, little realizing that he is “counting coup” on the fallen General Custer himself. In that moment, the boy’s life changes forever, as the ghost of the slain war leader mysteriously enters his soul, where it will reside, speaking to him at odd moments, for the next sixty-plus years.

Black Hills comes from the vivid imagination of Dan Simmons, author of previous lengthy best-selling historical novels The Terror and Drood. The book is long, entertaining, and wonderfully descriptive, though it lapses into excessive wordiness at times. The epic story encompasses seven decades of Paha Sapa’s life and treats the reader to diverse settings ranging from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the “White City” of the Chicago World’s Fair. Told in a nonlinear fashion, much of it in present tense, the story can be difficult to follow, particularly toward the beginning of the book before the reader is accustomed to the back-and-forth, decade-skipping flow of the narrative.

The main plot centers around the construction of the Mount Rushmore memorial, carved into a mountain sacred to the Lakota tribe. Paha Sapa signs on as a powderman on the blasting crew, hoping to fulfill a destiny revealed to him as a child in a vision: to stop the wasicus—the white “fat takers”—from destroying the Black Hills. Other story lines include Paha Sapa’s wonderful coming of age as a Lakota visionary, a too-brief romantic interlude in Chicago, and the underlying saga of America’s growing-up years through the early twentieth century.

The book’s key strength, aside from Simmons’s often beautiful descriptions of vivid settings, is its imaginative retellings of actual events, most notably the construction of Mount Rushmore. Simmons tips his hat to other key historical events as well, including the building of the Brooklyn Bridge in a well-researched and fascinating chapter. Lakota culture, language, and spirituality is explored throughout.

The book contains a fair amount of language, though most of it fits the settings and characters. Less appropriate are a number of bizarrely and unnecessarily explicit accounts of marital intimacy from the point of view of Custer’s ghost.

Unfortunately, like many long books, Black Hills fails to end when it should; the last fifty pages are a strange departure from the lyrical beauty of the rest of the book, as the author launches into a seemingly agenda-driven tirade against humanity’s affects on nature.

Overall, however, the book is highly enjoyable and well worth the not inconsiderable time it takes to complete. Flawed yet replete with flashes of brilliance, the book will entertain, educate, and move readers ready to enjoy the stark literary brilliance of the always strained but occasionally beautiful relationship between a nation’s past and its future.

Review copy provided by Little, Brown and Company.

Genre: Historical, Adventure

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date: August 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

The War of the Roses. No, I’m not talking about the movie with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. I’m talking about pre-Tudor England. Everyone knows the stories of Henry VIII and his wives. The War of the Roses is what happens before Tudor England. And Philippa Gregory is, once again, a master of the period.
The book opens with a poor widow standing next to the side of the road with her two sons. She’s hoping that she can catch the eye of the man who is about to pass by. He’s the King of England and her family fought against him in the battle to become king. Nonetheless, she’s now in need of his service. Her lands and her children’s inheritance have all been taken from her and she’s determined to get it back. So, looking beautiful, a little bit lost, and very determined, she stands with her boys and waits for him to pass by. He doesn’t pass by. He stops, speaks to her, and history is born.

King Edward is constantly battling for his throne. The Lancaster’s, York’s and Tudors are all within sight of the throne and all believe it to be rightfully theirs. His reign is rife with battles, war and rumblings from other areas about him not being the true king. His own mother and brothers put this idea into the public perception. It’s a vicious world where the rumor mill can make or break kingdoms. And then he meets Elizabeth waiting at the side of the road and he has no idea that she holds the shape of his reign and the future of his kingdom.

In this tale, Philippa Gregory once again handles the heavy subject of kingdoms, war and monarchy with a light hand and a deft touch. She brings to life characters that most have only read about in schoolbooks and history classes. As opposed to the amazing queens and women in the book I just finished, The Other Queen, Elizabeth’s queen is not born to the throne. She doesn’t understand all of the ins and outs of the court and she learns as she goes. She grows into a woman who doesn’t care about the throne for herself, but everything in her life revolves around her children.

It’s amazing to watch how fluid kingdoms are throughout the course of the story. No kingdom or reign was safe during this time in history. The pace of the story is breathtaking at times, but it’s a vivid reminder of how easily a king could be overthrown. One moment characters are on the throne and the next they’re shivering in sanctuary wondering if their lives are at stake.

Once again, Gregory’s retelling of history is vivid, beautiful and heartrending. The only disappointment in the entire book was my woefully lacking knowledge of the history. This made for wonderfully tense drama and build up as I couldn’t quite remember what happened in the reigns of each of the monarchs mentioned. The book ended on a delicious cliffhanger that left me eager and waiting for the next adventure from Gregory’s brilliant mind.

Review copy provided by Touchstone.

Genre: Historical, Adventure

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication Date: July 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

The Elizabethan era of England is the backdrop for this stunning historical novel from Philippa Gregory. Gregory, famous for her book, The Other Boleyn Girl is an artist who can easily render history into a vivid three dimensional tale of intrigue and mystery. The Other Queen is no different.

Told from the perspective of three major characters, The Other Queen follows the story of Mary Queen of Scots as she and Elizabeth I face off over the throne of England. We get to experience the voice of Mary herself as well as that of George Talbot (The Earl of Shrewsbury) and his wife, Bess (of Hardwick). They have been charged by Queen Elizabeth to ‘host’ Mary during her time in England. Really, they’re elaborate jailers who are meant to keep her under watch and key. It’s a slippery slope to jail someone of royal blood. She must be kept in the manner to which a queen is accustomed without allowing her freedoms that could lead to an uprising. While her stay begins as a short term plan designed to last only until she’s returned to Scotland (and her throne), it turns into a long term stay that’s marred with intrigue, rebellion, danger, financial despair and marital difficulties.

As rebellion against Queen Elizabeth weaves in and out through various countries in Europe, this intrigue comes home to roost for the Earl and his wife in very real ways. The way that Gregory builds the plots and shows the loyalties of each character through the eyes of the others underscores the danger of the times in which these people lived. One couldn’t mention Queen Elizabeth in any way other than positively. Even the mention that she could die someday far off in the future is an act of treason. Simply being friends with the wrong person could mean your death. Implication in treason plots can be based on little evidence and much speculation. It certainly helps give us a better perspective of the freedoms we have in the United States today.

The story, though well known in history, comes to life under Gregory’s brilliant mastery of the written word. Not only do we learn the facts, but Gregory delves into the minds of each of the characters, bringing them to life in such a way that at times it’s almost painful to read. Beautifully crafted, this book gives thoughts and details that allow the reader to have an intimate understanding of the time period. Plotting and treason is part of seemingly every royal story of the time period, but showing the story through Bess and George’s eyes allow the reader to glimpse what the world for a ‘regular’ person might be. Bess’s vision of her husband becoming further and further entangled in a plot that he doesn’t even see is tragically on target and beautifully portrayed. Marriages made of convenience and prominence are shown in contrast to characters actually feeling overwhelming emotion and love.

Everyone knows who Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen was. Most people know who Mary Queen of Scots was.  Even with extensive research, very few people have a true understanding of what life at that time would have been like. With painstakingly detailed thought and precision, Gregory executes her tale with rich beauty and utter grace. I cannot wait to dive into The White Queen, Gregory’s next book, which is currently waiting for me. If you love historical fiction and have for some reason not previously read Gregory’s work, do yourself a favor and get one today. You’ll be very glad you did.

Review copy provided by Touchstone Publishers.

Genre: Historical, Adventure, Romance

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Publication Date: September 2009

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Every time you open a book, it’s a chance for a new adventure. Limitless potential. For me, opening An Echo in the Bone meant that I would be visiting with old friends. I have been following Gabaldon’s Outlander series since book one and have since truly become friends with Claire, Jamie, Brianna, Roger, and a host of others that Gabaldon has created.  So when I opened the book, I was ready for adventure and Gabaldon did not disappoint.

Let me back up a little. Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser is a time traveler. In the first book of the series (Outlander) she inadvertently traveled from 1940’s England to Scotland of the 1700’s. She quickly discovered what life was like for a woman in that era. Being without the protection of a man was not a good thing and she ended up forced to marry a young man, Jamie Fraser, for just this purpose. Since she was a married woman when she traveled back, you can imagine she was pretty unhappy with this development. But hey, her husband of modern times wasn’t even close to being born yet so could she really be unfaithful? Besides that, the marriage was a life or death situation. Without it, she wouldn’t have survived. Claire had a background in medicine which added to her knowledge of history and made her an incredibly valuable resource. And this was the humble beginning of a back and forth time travel series that sent modern day women around the world swooning over men in kilts.

Now, where were we? Oh yes. An Echo in the Bone. Echo takes place mostly in the United States though it’s not quite united yet. Claire knows enough history to remember major events or people (like George Washington and Benedict Arnold), but not enough to guide her own path safely through every circumstance of the war. After all, there were hundreds and thousands of people involved in the revolution that didn’t end up with their names and cities in history books. Still, Claire remains a brilliant encyclopedia for Jamie to rely upon when meeting new people or visiting new places. It creates for a delicious state of tension when Claire finds herself delighted with a handsome young man of impeccable manners and realizes that she has not properly introduced herself. Imagine her state of being when he takes her hand and warmly introduces himself as Benedict Arnold and places himself at her service.

The book takes place in a variety of places that span from the continental states to Britain, France and Scotland. Gabaldon has also straddled the storytelling between the 1980’s and the 1700’s. This device gives the reader an interesting perspective as Claire’s daughter and son-in-law discover where she has been and what she’s been doing through historical documents and research. The tension builds through this device as we all know where Claire is at certain times and they are able to research history and discover how close she is to battles, disaster or danger.

If it were possible for me to review each and every page of this book I would. Having been a Gabaldon fan since the beginning, I had high expectations. Gabaldon not only met but exceeded what I could have imagined for this book. I found myself gasping out loud, giggling in places and enjoying the pace of the book.

Though there were moments when I felt like the story slowed down in pacing, it was still a breathtaking ride. I also stumbled once or twice in places with references to characters from previous books. I know that some of the suspense and drama was probably not as exciting as it could have been had I re-read the previous books before diving into this one.

Still, I couldn’t help myself. When the book arrived in the mail, I had a hard time putting it aside so I could finish other books. I loved the story and where Gabaldon has taken Jamie, Claire, Roger and Brianna. I’m also thrilled to say that with the ending, it looks like we can expect more adventures in the future. It should say something when you get to the end of a book that’s 800+ pages and you frantically turn to the back cover to find out when the next release is expected. I’ll be biding my time until we hear from Gabaldon again. For anyone who loves adventure, romance, time travel or historical fiction, Gabaldon’s entire Outlander series is a must read.

Review copy provided by Delacorte Press.

Genre: Historical, Adventure

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Publication date: February 17, 2009

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

John Boyne, who received international attention following the success of the movie based on his 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, turns in another excellent historical novel with Mutiny, a retelling of the infamous events onboard the HMS Bounty.

In December 1787, 14-year-old John Turnstile is caught stealing in a Portsmouth market.  Facing prison time, he eagerly accepts the offer made him by his generous victim, opting to escape not only jail but a horribly abusive living situation by serving as the captain’s boy onboard the Bounty, bound for the West Indies by way of the island paradise of Tahiti on a botanical mission. Once the voyage is underway, Turnstile discovers quickly that life at sea is no picnic as he braves the elements, observes ship politics, endures mistreatment by some of the crew, and undergoes a brutal line-crossing ceremony at the equator.

When the ship reaches Tahiti, the doomed mission’s clock begins to wind down as tensions between Captain William Bligh and Lieutenant Fletcher Christian escalate, finally resulting in mutiny. Bligh and his sympathizers, including Turnstile, are set adrift in a tiny open launch to attempt the miraculous: find their way back to England with no food, no water, and no navigational instruments besides a compass.

Fictional accounts of the Bounty story are nothing new, yet Boyne’s stands out. His skill in narrating the book from the first-person perspective of young Turnstile, his treatment of Captain Bligh as a flawed but deeply honorable man wronged by his treacherous crew, his wonderful descriptions of exotic settings, and his imaginative depictions of real-life events combine to set this book above its peers.

The book does contain a fair amount of strong language—though most of the offensive stuff is cleverly couched in eighteenth-century vernacular—and some inexplicit sexuality, but the objectionable content merely underscores the authenticity of the narrative. The story is formulaic at times, which is perhaps unsurprising given the fact that this is the kind of real-life adventure on which fiction formulas are based. The story goes fast and seems much shorter than its nearly 400 pages. The bottom line: adventure lovers will be swept away by Boyne’s Mutiny.

Review copy provided by Thomas Dunne Books.

Genre: Literary, Historical Fiction

Publisher: New American Library

Publication Date: May 2009

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

Pasha, a teenager in 1970s Iran, falls in love with Zari, the girl next door who happens to be betrothed to Doctor, a counterculture philosopher and a friend of Pasha’s. When Pasha accidentally reveals Doctor’s hiding place to the Shah’s secret police, Pasha feels racked by guilt. As he and his friends grieve, they grow to hate the secret police even more. Then, on the day of the Shah’s birthday, Zari makes a drastic choice born of this grief that thrusts the group of friends apart.

In Rooftops of Tehran, Mahbod Seraji attempts to take the reader into the world of a turbulent region but ultimately falls short. The reader expects to be transported to another culture—to smell, feel, taste, hear Iran—and instead remains in his living room watching wooden characters being puppeted through the action. Seraji violates “show, don’t tell,” the mantra of great writers, with his explanations and adverbs. He steps outside of the story to paint a setting instead of interweaving it into the book and he has Pasha, as narrator, explore lengthy tangents from a melodramatic point-of-view.

Portions of the plotline ring false and feel unfounded, while teen angst seems to dominate the narrative. While a measure of this is acceptable in a coming-of-age tale, it’s monotonous to bemoan heartbrokenness, the cruelty of God and the pain in one’s soul in each chapter.

Rooftops of Tehran offers a golden opportunity to present a truly unique culture and worldview but falls far short of the sweeping drama promised by the book’s cover copy. The Reader’s Guide in the back is far more interesting as it reveals Seraji’s personal journey and experiences. Seraji shines in his discussion there and may be better suited to writing memoir.

Review copy provided by New American Library publishers.

Genre: Literary, Historical Fiction

Publisher: Hawthorne Books/Riverhead Books

Publication Date: 2007

Reviewed by Jaci Miller

The Moores are a coal-mining family in Depression-era Alabama. Tess, the middle of the family’s three children, witnesses a frightening event—a strange woman dropping an infant into the family’s well. When the police investigation reveals little, Tess and her older sister, Virgie, search for the mother of the infant among the women in their town.

The girls’ parents, Albert and Leta, both work desperately hard—Albert on the farm and in the mine, and Leta at home—to provide for their family. They grow very concerned when Tess begins having nightmares about the dead infant. Then Jack, the youngest child, is involved in a severe accident, straining the family even further. As the Moores struggle emotionally, financially and physically, friendships are tested and the truth about the infant in the well is revealed.

The Well and the Mine by Gin Phillips is an understated account of family, struggle, race relations and growing up. What could easily become a story with a sensationalistic plot remains believable and honest. The tone is as down-to-earth as Phillips’s characters and readers find themselves feeling right at home in the mine, on the country roads and in the Moores’ small house. Told from the point-of-view of each family member in turn, readers view the full family dynamic at work: Albert’s work ethic, Leta’s self-sacrifice, Virgie’s tentative adolescence, Tess’s joyfulness and Jack’s memories of childhood all combine into a humble work of beautiful family life.

Genre: Romance, Historical, Religious

Publisher: Realms

Publication Date: January 5, 2010

Reviewed by Lori Twichell

Lucinda Bishop’s life has just been turned upside down. With the loss of both of her parents, everything that she has ever known is gone. Now she’s moving from the East coast and bustling city life to the territories of the west and a ranch in the Oklahoma territories.

It’s a difficult transition for a young girl who, at the age of 17, hasn’t spent time outside the city or any time away from her parents. She learns very quickly that life at the ranch doesn’t allow for sleeping in or for relaxing in the afternoons. Thankfully she has a loving considerate family to help her learn the ins and outs of this new life.

Of course, as usually happens with young women around this age, into the turmoil and upheaval is introduced yet another factor, a young man. Jake Starnes is a handsome young man who works for Lucinda’s Aunt and Uncle on their ranch. A fine worker with a mysterious past, Jake does everything possible to help Lucinda’s family keep the ranch together and that includes helping Lucinda with the transition to ranch life. The more time that the two of them spend together, the more he realizes that his feelings for the young girl run far beyond that of merely attraction. What Jake doesn’t know is how to proceed in courting this beautiful young woman when he’s got a past that isn’t going to leave him in peace.

Lucinda’s struggle with her feelings is one that transcends time and reaches out to all young women who are picking their way through the dating process. How do you control your feelings for someone when you know that your belief system is completely different from his? And what do you do with those feelings when you don’t know if you could have a future with him. As Lucinda and Jake navigate the potential minefields of attraction and figuring out the future, the story crosses the boundaries of history to become relevant to young women today.

Strang Book Group has chosen a solid and enjoyable read for their first venture into the historical romance genre. Martha Rogers has created delightful characters and a beautiful storyline that keep you engaged and interested throughout the course of the book. Though the outcome is predictable, the way in which they reach the conclusion is very much not and as with all of life, the journey is as important as the conclusion. The growth of Lucinda and Jake through their difficult circumstances is a wonderful example of how God can transform a life no matter how insurmountable the odds. Becoming Lucy was a wonderful escape from the everyday stresses of life. If this is any indication of what Strang has in the works, I’ll very happily allow them to supply my ‘escapes’ in the future.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Scribner

Publication date: October 2009

Reviewed by Jennifer Roman

After reading Jeannette Walls’ The Glass Castle, I was anxious to read her second book, Half Broke Horses.  While Half Broke Horses wasn’t quite as captivating as The Glass Castle, it still made me glad I read it.

Set in the early 1900s in Texas and later Arizona, Half Broke Horses tells the story of Walls’ maternal grandmother’s life from childhood to middle age.  She writes in the first person of Lily Casey Smith, a plucky ranch girl who learns life lessons the hard way.  Nothing is easy for Lily, whether it be in education, work, or her love life.  She wants to get an education, but her mother doesn’t think education is necessary for girls.  She struggles with trying to make money during the Great Depression, and she marries a man who is already married with a child and one on the way.  Throughout her struggles, though, Lily always keeps a stiff upper lip and creatively makes things work for her.

This book is labeled a novel because while the stories are handed down from generation to generation, Walls is unable to substantiate everything.  Rather, she describes the book as “a true-life novel.”  It reads not as a novel, though, but as a series of short stories.  Half Broke Horses showcases the grit, the determination, and the often wacky lifestyle of Americans who did what they had to do in order to survive.  Readers will enjoy Lily’s frank and often un-PC opinions, which often get her into trouble.  They will enjoy how each story builds on the previous one to explain her life choices and struggles.

I mention that it is not as captivating as The Glass Castle, but that is only because it is hard to compete with a book about growing up with an immature, unhinged mother and an alcoholic, con-man father.  Where Jeannette’s mother is flighty and interested in art, her grandmother is staunch and grounded.  Her father feeds her mother’s whims, while her grandfather works hard physical labor every day to provide for his family.  Working hard to make ends meet isn’t as fascinating as a dysfunctional family, but Walls still manages to honor her grandparents with colorful stories of their life during courtship and raising small children.  For anyone interested in learning how life was out West at the turn of the century, this book is for them.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Publication Date: November 2009

Reviewed by Tim George

As each day passes fewer people have any first or even second-hand connection to World War II. Therefore it is important that Jeff Shaara does for this generation what Herman Wouk did for the last: remind us all that it happened. First with The Steel Wave, then The Rising Tide, and now No Less Than Victory, Shaara paints a vivid picture of the madness and heroism than gripped our world from 1938-1945.

Many names in this historically accurate story are familiar. There is Dwight Eisenhower excelling at walking the political tightrope that ensures the cooperation and success of armies from many nations. Field Marshall Montgomery is his usual pompous self: distasteful to most yet necessary for the people of Great Britain in desperate need of a hero.  And of course one can’t forget George Patton, who General Eisenhower doesn’t know what to do with yet can’t win the war without. On the German side, lesser names like Albert Speer rise to prominence as we are shown their loyalty to their country yet increasing awareness of the insanity they have allowed in the person of Hitler. None of these are cardboard cutouts but rather real men with real hopes, fears, and frailties.

The real heroes of this story, however, are the soldiers few but their own families remember. Most notable is Benson, a foot soldier. His 106^th Infantry faced some of the fiercest fighting of 1944 and emerged a ragtag group of stragglers thrown into units where they knew virtually no one. His story is where historical fiction rises to importance and Jeff Shaara excels. While numerous volumes have been written about the world leaders and generals of that time, the stories of men like Benson are only known through eye-witness remembrances of people in their 80’s and 90’s and family members who remember the stories of those no longer with us.

The most powerful scene in No Less Than Victory is when Benson’s unit comes across what they first think to be a POW camp in Germany only to realize they have discovered the first of Hitler’s infamous death camps. Here we see men hardened by years of war weeping like children, sick at their stomachs as they try to understand what they see. It is a site too horrible to be fiction yet in need of good fiction to tell the story. And then we see Eisenhower, who first works to control the press lest it blow the story out of proportion, and then after visiting the camp personally commands all press members to witness for themselves lest others in later years think it was fabricated. Ironically, we still need great historical fiction writers like Jeff Shaara to remind yet another generation that none of the characters or events he writes about is fiction at all. No matter how much we wish it was.

Genre: Thriller,  Historical

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publication Date: October 2008

Frank Redman’s Review:

A Christian vampire novel? Genius. It is quite difficult for vampire fans to find a genuine vampire novel absent of excessive eroticism, yet still embraces the essence to intrigue the imagination. This is not just another spinoff of Bram Stoker’s excellent novel, but an exquisitely unique narrative based on vampire lore and enriched with Wilson’s originality and creativity. He accomplishes this rare feat while still nourishing an edgy mood. By contrast and point of reference, I’ve also read Elizabeth Kostova’s vampire novel, THE HISTORIAN. Her book is beautifully written, but after a while the suspense fades, which caused me to lose interest. If you like a novel that is a thrill from the first page through the last, Wilson does not disappoint.

The story starts with the events following Judas’s suicide in the field of Akeldama, or Field of Blood.

“What if his tainted blood seeped deep into the earth, into burial caves, causing a counterfeit resurrection of the dead?” Counterfeit life was breathed into the buried dead–and born were the undead. They secretly infiltrate pockets of society, walking dead among the mortal. Their mission: lure the unwary into deviltry and collect souls. An opposing force, the immortal Nistarim, battles to protect mankind from the Akeldama, creating epic tension in the spiritual realms.

I appreciate novels that involve impressive research, and this one surpasses typical expectations. The author even travelled to Jerusalem to research the story elements. This depth is important, because it allows the reader to more easily suspend disbelief.

This is a sophisticated story–there are enough plot twists to make a perm look straight. It’s not hard to follow, but if you like to daydream about other things while you’re reading a novel, this book will make you concentrate.

Although a spiritual thriller, this is not for the faint of heart. It will scare you. If you frighten easily, I suggest you read it in broad daylight, with the lights on…and the doors locked.

Wilson proves it’s possible to write a hair-raising, Stephen King-esque novel without the extravagant gore and profanity. It is startling, harrowing, and totally compelling. This is book one in the Jerusalem’s Undead series, a series destined to be one of the most talked about in literary circles.

You’ll never again look at a mysterious insect bite in the same way. Was it really just a mosquito?

Jake Chism’s Review:

In 1989, a work crew outside of Jerusalem accidentally discovers an ancient burial chamber beneath the field where Judas Iscariot hung himself. In the shadows, evil spirits, known as Collectors, wait for a new opportunity to once again take on human form to bring destruction to the world. As the Collectors claim the bodies of the dead they discover new power from the blood of Judas that was swallowed up by the earth when he died. Armed with evil intent and a never ending thirst for blood, the Collectors seek to destroy their immortal enemies who draw life from the blood of the Nazarene. Caught between both sides, a young Romanian girl is about to discover she is far more important than she could ever imagine.

Eric Wilson blends history and fiction seamlessly in this astonishing beginning to the Jerusalem’s Undead Trilogy. Field of Blood is being marketed as a Christian Vampire story, but in reality this is so much more. Fear not bloodsucker fans, there are plenty of vampires to go around and Wilson’s original approach to a widely popular genre is excitingly fresh and innovative. However, Wilson has successfully done what few have even attempted: blending vampire lore with Christianity. The result is a wondrous story that is thrilling at every turn, consistently eye-opening, and ultimately inspirational.

Wilson’s characters leap off the page drawing us ever deeper into this wonderfully complex story. These villains are evil to the core and we are never spared a detail in the frightening bloodshed and carnage they bestow. The heroes are wonderfully flawed, endearing, and even infectious in their perpetual stand for righteousness. As the story progresses we are whisked from location to location with stunning detail. Whether it’s Jerusalem, Romania, or even Chattanooga, Tennessee, Wilson effortlessly convinces us we are along for the ride. Eric Wilson’s faithful fans will also love the subtle connections to his previous works that are laced throughout the story.

Field of Blood will no doubt spark controversy and I’m sure many readers will hear the words “Christian” and “Vampire” in the same sentence and run for the hills. Unfortunately for them, they will miss out on what is not only Eric Wilson’s best novel to date, but easily one of the most powerful and inspirational novels I’ve read in years. This is intense and edgy writing to be sure, yet nowhere will you find the redemptive power of Christ’s blood explored so brilliantly in fiction. And the best part? There are still two more books to come! I’ve had my taste and I am so thirsty for more….

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: NavPress

Publication Date: September 15th, 2008

Kaci Hill’s Review:

I’ve been hearing Tosca Lee’s name since her book Demon: A Memoir came out.  She’s had nothing but rave reviews it seems – and that’s from a reader who only reads negative reviews. At any rate, several other writers I know personally or am familiar with through their own books only left me that much more interested. So, when her second book, Havah: The Story of Eve came out, I decided I really had better get to reading Lee’s books lest she have a stack of them I haven’t read yet.

Havah did not disappoint. There’s something striking about reading a pre-fallen world while sitting on the beach, something about the combination of quiet despite the constant movement Either way, this book is a gorgeous story with poetic prose, exploring the full range of the emotions of a couple who doesn’t even have words for those emotions yet. The book follows Havah’s first waking moments to her deception, to her and “the adam” as they struggle to raise the first family on earth. Readers follow their progression from the playful, childlike spirits of Havah and Adam to the Great Father and Mother they become. Yes, Lee covers all six hundred and thirty years of their lives, a daunting task well done. Moreover, their story becomes one of resolve to return to Eden, to the garden, the earth’s cradle where they first knew life and the One That Is.

Lee took great pains to make the story of the first man and woman and the subsequent events of their family come to life, and she explores everything from death to obedience to doubt to redemption.  She took great pains to make a pre-fallen world dynamic and alive, even within peace.

Suffice it to say, I’m definitely looking forward to Demon: A Memoir and anything else Tosca Lee deigns to write. Depth, creativity, and wit go a long way.

Jake Chism’s Review:

The story of Adam and Eve is both the oldest and most familiar story known to man. In fact, it is so familiar that we think we know all there is to know. Then along comes a story like Havah that pulls back the veil, giving us a wondrous glimpse into what life might have really been like for the first man and woman.

Havah is told from the perspective of Eve, and from the opening lines Tosca Lee hooks us with her intoxicating style and clever storytelling. All of the famous events are here: the garden, the fall, the story of Cain and Abel. But make no mistake about it: this is not the version you heard in Sunday school. Lee holds nothing back in her descriptive narrative as she explores the intimate relationship between Adam and Eve and their rugged lifestyle. Eve’s firsthand account of the fall is gut wrenching and emotional, bringing yet more vitality to another familiar aspect of this story. I was especially moved and anguished over the beautiful, yet flawed relationship of the first husband and wife.

As the story unfolds Tosca Lee gives some intriguing speculative insight into many of the questions that surround Adam and Eve. How many children did they have? How exactly was the Earth populated? What was their relationship really like? How did they interact with God? Every aspect of this story is backed by careful research and study, and even if you don’t agree with Tosca Lee’s viewpoint, you have to admire her willingness to re-explore this monumental moment in history.

Havah is a beautiful tale that will awe and inspire you at every turn. With beautiful prose and breathtaking description, Tosca Lee has breathed new life into the story we thought we all knew so well. Allow yourself to step out of the box for a moment and experience a retelling of Adam and Eve that will leave you desperate for more.

Genre: Historical

Publisher: Ivan R. Dee

Publication date: April 25, 2008

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

Baseball legend has it that in 1942, minor league team owner Bill Veeck arranged to purchase the Philadelphia Phillies and bring in players from the Negro Leagues. When Commissioner Kenesaw Landis got wind of the plan, he vetoed the sale because he believed integrating the major leagues would be the end of baseball as we know it.

The End of Baseball tells the story of what might have happened had Veeck purchased the Philadelphia Athletics and subsequently signed an all-black team. It is essentially the story of major league baseball’s racial integration as it could have happened—and might have without Commissioner Landis’s interference.

Taking the point of view of players, owners, managers, and even a prominent heckler, the narrative weaves a path through the world of professional baseball that is for the most part easy and fun to follow. What the book does not do well is make most of its characters likeable, and the number of setbacks and tragedies the characters and their team face may turn off some readers well before the book’s finale.

Readers who aren’t already baseball fans may have trouble with this book. The sheer number of characters is enough to baffle anyone who isn’t familiar with the historical names, and Schilling for some reason placed certain key scenes out of order, so the action is hard to follow at times. Foul language is prevalent, though not gratuitous, and drug and alcohol abuse factors prominently in one character’s storyline.

Set in the early to mid 1940s, this is the story of a nation at war and its desperate search for an escape from the brutal reality of everyday life. It is the story of that nation’s struggle to come to grips with the idea that black athletes deserve not only to be recognized for their abilities but treated with dignity and respect as human beings. Above all, it is the story of America’s grandest game during a period when Americans arguably could not have lived without it.

Genre: Historical

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Publication Date: March 3, 2009

Reviewed by Jeremy Taylor

In 1924, British climber George Mallory—famous for answering a journalist’s question about why he wanted to climb Mount Everest with the words, “Because it’s there”—disappeared after having been last seen just below the summit of the world’s tallest mountain. Whether he actually made it to Everest’s summit before perishing has remained a topic for debate ever since. With his trademark storytelling flair, Jeffrey Archer has taken a stab at the answer.

Though based on the life of a real person, the book is a novel, not a biography. One of Archer’s gifts is the ability to blend fact, fiction, and legend so that even a careful reader might have trouble differentiating between them. With the same attention to detail and expert characterization that brought to life the world of high finance in Kane & Abel and the cutthroat competition of the news business in The Fourth Estate, Archer has given readers a potential answer to the question of whether Mallory reached Everest’s summit.

But the book is far more than simple speculation on the outcome of Mallory’s final expedition. Archer explores Mallory’s life in detail, including his service in the military and his romance with Ruth Turner, who later became his wife. Through it all, Archer brings Mallory’s exploits to life in a way that allows readers to get to know not only the man but also the world in which lived.

The book contains no significant objectionable content; if Archer’s presentation of his subject’s moral character can be believed, Mallory was a man of honor and integrity, and the story happily lacks any of the less savory material found in some of Archer’s other books.

Jeffrey Archer has been called one of the top storytellers in the world, and while it seems doubtful that anyone would label Paths of Glory his best book, it will do nothing to detract from that reputation. Climbing enthusiasts and non-climbers alike will enjoy this account of one of the sport’s early pioneers by one of the world’s great novelists.