Burton Book Review

David and Bathsheba by Roberta Kells Dorr

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The love story that rocked a kingdom

David and Bathseba (Song of Solomon #1) by Roberta Kells Dorr
Biblical fiction
Moody Publishers | River North; New Edition, June 2013
Paperback 320 pages
Review copy provided via publisher on NetGalley, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

David and Bathsheba is a spellbinding story of a gifted king and the woman he loved but could not have. Told from Bathsheba’s perspective, author Roberta Kells Dorr bring to life the passion that almost cost David his kingdom and tested a people’s courage and faith in God. “David and Bathsheba” is colored richly with details of Bible-era Israel – from the details of the everyday way of life to details of the Jewish religion. Dorr brilliantly merges reality with folklore as she tells the story of two great characters of the biblical era. The book starts out with Bathsheba as a young girl and David as a strong willed rebellious military leader. It details the way they meet and follows them all the way through their difficulties.

Readers of the bible would recognize the story of King David slayer of giants and how he became acquainted with Bathsheba. It was one of those times that upon reading the Bible I was a bit disgusted at how such a revered man behaved regarding women. Despite that, there is a new interest for me to read biblical novels since I am now through with reading the bible cover to cover for the first time.

Even though the synopsis states this is Bathsheba's point of view, that is not completely true. It is an omniscient narrator that offers a view from many angles, including David's new advisor Ahithopel who is Bathsheba's grandfather. Ahithopel is first portrayed as a wise and logical man, and has the best interests of his family at heart, especially since Bathsheba has lost her father during one of the many religious battles.We also get David's point of view, and his tumultuous relationship with Michal who was Saul's daughter.

There are quite a few battles in the Old Testament, and the one that brings the story of David to life is the victorious battle in Urusalim. Here we also meet Uri, who Ahithopel wants the young Bathsheba to marry. Bathsheba has little say in the matter, and is forced to marry Uri the Hittite whom readers of the bible would recognize as Uriah. There is turmoil during this marriage, and we know eventually that David will see Bathsheba bathing, and the rest is history.

The story of the bible is fleshed out, with views of a few sides. The many wives of David, the family of Bathsheba, and the sons of David all play a part in the story. I felt the central mover and shaker was actually Ahithopel, as it was at his will that major things occurred. While the events of Bathsheba's life are the key events, do not expect to just get her side of the story, because in the end you'll get a full sense of the restless era that contains David and the sad story of his sons Absalom and Amnon, with the hope of righteousness finally settling on young Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba.

As a reissue from 1980 I was not overly passionate about it at first. Its tone was a bit too matter-of-fact as it offered interesting background information to Bathsheba's family as a child. Towards the latter of the novel I became more entrenched in the story while the author filled in the voids from what we know from David and Bathsheba's lives from the bible. Both the historical details of Israel and the biblical sense were very well presented and I would recommend it to those who have not already read David and Bathsheba's fictionalized story yet.

From what I can tell Solomon's Song was written as a sequel, but I can't tell if that is being reissued yet. Queen of Sheba is being reissued a month after this one, but I would prefer to read the story of Solomon. It is a testament to the good writing of Roberta Kells Dorr that I am already eager to read that story.

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:06:00 +0000

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook
Non-fiction
Thomas Nelson; May 2013
Hardcover 512 pages
Review copy provided by BookSneeze in exchange for this review, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

American Phoenix tells the gripping story of John Quincy Adams’s “honorable exile” during the War of 1812 and the harrowing journey of his wife, Louisa, to be reunited with her family.

American diplomat John Quincy Adams and his wife, Louisa, had two things in common with the audacious Napoleon Bonaparte—speaking perfect French and living in exile. American Phoenix reveals the untold true story of Quincy’s unexpected nomination as the top US envoy to Russia in 1809, and Louisa’s agony at being forced to leave their six- and eight-year old boys behind in Boston. Believing that ambition can never repay such sacrifice, she clings to the hope of reuniting with her sons in a year. Pretention, royal dissipation, extreme weather, covert political maneuvers, French interference, private tragedy, and two great wars trap them in St. Petersburg longer than their worst fears. Their personal story is soon swept into the public drama of Napoleon’s war with Russia and America’s war with Great Britain, which ultimately force John Quincy and Louisa to live apart. When Napoleon escapes his exile, his march to reclaim Paris threatens to forever separate John Quincy and Louisa from each other and their children back home.

American Phoenix uncovers the challenges, fears, sorrows, joys, triumphs, and faith that come when life—no matter the era—takes an unexpected journey.

American Phoenix is the story of the political exile that John Quincy and Louisa Adams endured in Russia in 1809-1815. These historical figures wrote many letters and diaries which are now used to help characterize these two iconic figures of American history. But this book is more than just a look at this famous couple, there are other diplomats also in the Imperial courts of the Czar Alexander which is the setting for most of this impressive piece of literature.

Aside from just the important political atmosphere of the times, issues with social customs, trade embargoes, Napoleon and family matters all come together in this non-fiction account of this period that is left out of most children's history books. The nuances of the era are evident as Louisa laments of her lack of funds to suitably dress herself for the dances held at court because when she humbly declines she is facing the ire of the Imperial Mother. Louisa's sister Kitty is with the Adams on this diplomatic trip abroad, and she attracts the attention of the Czar and irks Louisa's sensibilities, illustrating one example of Louisa's own family life.

The author writes, "The long-term repercussions would influence not only John's future as a diplomat but ultimately the success of US trade in Europe and thus practical acceptance of America's sovereignty." This was John Q Adams main purpose in Russia: opening up favorable trade routes despite the enmity between France and England. But who was the USA, anyway? In 1810 America was certainly not an influential country it has since become; the book indicates it was still seen as a part of England no matter how many times the USA sought independence from the British.

The strongest theme in the first half of the book is this commerce and trade issue, which is why Adams was sent to Russia as a diplomat. "There was a pretty strong sentiment against the colonial trade in Paris, because they considered it as all English," a peeved Caulaincourt replied. Napoleon was a major player in this as the Emperor of France and as diplomats began to talk amongst themselves the seeds of discontent regarding Napoleon are planted. We watch Napoleon come and go, and come again, and go again as Adams attempts to avoid costly wars despite the European conflicts, and he hears months later of news from America and the Redcoats invasion.

Alongside John's peacemaking political endeavor, we never forget Louisa, who was forced to leave two of her boys behind in America while she was surrounded by blankets of ice with little hope of communication from her family in America. Since she was fluent in French she was able to converse easily with others in a royal court, and was a respectable and pretty lady. On the inside, she was aching to go home, and the author imparts this sort of depression through the very words of Louisa herself. And this little foray to St. Petersburg wasn't supposed to take quite as long as it did, so as the years iced over during that "honorable" exile she suffered "doubt, guilt, denial, depression and nightmares" as she coped with childbearing and loss.

And of course there is John Quincy, with intriguing facts about the man who was subject to venomous attacks from political foes in America. Yet, while in Russia, later Paris, and later England, he was achieving respectability, even though it was a long and tedious process. But relations with Britain and America were never going to get better unless the British made amends for either kidnapping or killing sailors and injuring others during supposed peace time off the Virginia coast. The book relates all the maneuvers through John's eyes that lead to the wars, with British's invasion of Washington in October 1814 as well as Napoleon's earlier invasion of Russia. The eventual rise of America from the ashes is coincidental (or is it?) with the rise of Adams' respectability, and imparts the symbolism of the title American Phoenix.

As evidenced by this lengthy review (typical of all non-fiction reviews I write) the material was vast and the book shows how well the author researched her topics. I cannot imagine a full biography on the couple; if it came from this author I would expect it to be a few thousand pages! The Adams left us many of their letters and notes that their son helped edit and compile which were used as sources for this work by Jane Hampton Cook but her writing offers much more insight and details surrounding the atmosphere in which the letters were written. By focusing on these important political years, the author was able to exhibit the characteristics of John Quincy and Louisa Adams in such an informative way that we don't miss the "full biography" format and we get an expansive look at the political connections of John Quincy Adams as a representative of America. The author ended the book with the brief summary of their lives after these significant years of the exile, so you will not be left wanting to learn any more that what this book provides for this topic. This book is a fabulous tool to help humanize John Quincy and Louisa Adams as they endured much hardship on behalf of securing America's independence.

I also wanted to add that there were extensive notes and references as opposed to footnotes, thankfully they were at the end of the book as opposed to interfering with the flow of the book. After the notes were the bibliography and index for easy reference material, making this book a keeper for your American history library.

Thanks to BookSneeze for a free copy of American Phoenix, in exchange for this honest and long-winded review. I felt I owed it to my country. *wink*

TSS | Mailbox Monday | Group Reads Info | FTC Mindgames

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 19 May 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Visit Svea's blog at The Muse in The Fog Book Review to start linking up your Sunday posts; Suddenly Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Svea whose purpose is to share all the exciting events that have occurred on your blog throughout the week.

Spring was here, right? Was it? It's already hit over 90 degrees here in Texas, and meanwhile not too long ago I was wearing turtlenecks. Despite the heat, I took my kiddos out to the local Founder's Day Festival (150 years old Rockwall is) and we had some fun shopping and eating and hanging out with Radio Disney yesterday.

Exciting Events:
Go find yourself a used copy of that classic 1954 novel Katherine by Anya Seton, and come join us for a July Group Read. Information is here at the Goodreads Classic HF Group.

We have also just begun the Bible Study Plan of Major People. This plan will span 89 days but consists of 65 weekday daily chapters, leaving the weekends available for further study. You can follow along here, stragglers are allowed to participate at any time.

Instead of doing Armchair BEA this year I am going to do a giveaway here on the blog. I had tons of fun last year participating and I met new people, but I never really conversed with those folks again and I don't really have the time to devote to it this year.. so I am going to stick with my followers here and host some giveaways here without going through the 'Armchair' motions, lol. But, if you are a YA blogger, the Armchair BEA has tons of participants from that niche, and I definitely would recommend it to the YA followers! HINT subscribe by email, and find BBR on facebook to get more entries for the upcoming giveaways. I'll be pulling some books from the shelves that will be some general literature and christian historical fiction. My library is getting too insane for me to handle and I wouldn't mind sharing it with you!

Reviews on the blog this week:

In Times of Fading Light by Eugen Ruge (literary 'historical' fiction)
Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman (historical fiction, minimal faith references)

Old News that was New news to me, and as such I wanted to share:
I created a little post about the FTC. It spread like wildfire on twitter as some strongly feel the FTC has nothing to do with book blogging. It increased my hits tremendously, how awesome is that? Within the span of an hour there were 100 pageviews on that post alone. There is some disagreement over the term book blogger versus advertiser versus reviewer versus journalist versus writer versus marketer.. Some bloggers feel like they are blogging, some feel like they are promoting. I do feel like a review robot because all the reviews I do are 'expected' to be posted at a certain time. If I am on someone else's schedule like I have been for the last four years of reviewing, I do feel like an advertiser, albeit in a bloggy sort of way. Anyway, here's my quick turn around of a sort of rebuttal post to my own post, as I didn't want everyone to start taking my editorial as gospel (gasp!).

Who is the expert on this? No one. No matter what title you give yourself, from blogger to reviewer to writer to professional reader to professional reviewer etc etc each of us are entitled to post our feelings and that is what I did. I posted a letter to the FTC also to see if they would ever clarify their guidelines towards book bloggers. Because I DO want to know. Because of the quantity of varying and passionate opinions, we need some sort of fact from the actual source: the FTC.

Look how my traffic for the day spiked with the FTC post!! 117 views in about an hour. Woohoo! But my post sparked conversation and enlightenment throughout the blogosphere, and for that I'm eternally grateful. If I get a response to that letter, y'all will be the first to know (not counting on it)!

Most important lesson learned from all of this is that there is a need for more beneficial and helpful conversation about these matters that mean the most to us. Bloggers are supposed to stick together, because one of the biggest things bloggers mention about why they enjoy blogging is the camaraderie and helpfulness from virtual strangers within the blogging community. Let's not lose sight of that as we try to establish an amicable standard of book blogging in regards to free review books.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Abi @ 4 the LOVE of BOOKS for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

Starting Monday I'm going to have to rename this meme "books I had to pick up at my post office". Some douchebag drunken fool smashed into my mailbox and tore out the steel pole as well (this is going to be fun to repair) and also tore down the neighbor's box and pole also. Idiots! I was pleased to see they left some car parts behind, and I hope it costs them tons of money to fix. Since they didn't land in the ditch by the neighbor's driveway, and judging from the damage done, I think it was a truck that came through. Texans love their pickup trucks and unfortunately the speed limit is 50 since it's a rural area. Grr.

From Paperbackswap:

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden - I had read Camden's Against The Tide (review) not too long ago and really enjoyed it. It was a bit of a mix of christian fiction, romance, history and suspense..looking forward to this one which is actually the one that comes before Against The Tide, which is a 2013 Christy Award Nominee.

When Clara Endicott and Daniel Tremain's worlds collide after twelve years apart, the spark that was once between them immediately reignites into a romance neither of them thought possible.
But time has changed them both.
Daniel is an industrial titan with powerful enemies. Clara is an idealistic journalist determined to defend underprivileged workers.
Can they withstand the cost of their convictions while their hearts--and lives--hang in the balance?

eBook Download:

Heroes and Monsters: An Honest Look at the Struggle Within All of Us by Josh Riebock

Heroes and Monsters is an unforgettable memoir of passion and redemption, a ragged look into a world at once wildly twisted and profoundly beautiful, an exposé of both the hero and the monster within all of us.In this stunningly honest, thoroughly unconventional, and ultimately hopeful book, Josh James Riebock explores issues that form us into the people we are--issues of family, love, intimacy, dreams, grief, purpose, and the unexpected stops along the journey. With artful prose and vivid storytelling, he shows that pain and beauty are so inextricably linked that to lose the former costs us the latter. If you're grappling with life's inconsistencies and trials, If you're searching for an encounter with something real, If you're craving a story that's just a wee bit odd . . .Heroes and Monsters is a fresh and exhilarating perspective on the uneven nature of life, and the equally uneven people who inhabit it.

Portraits of Integrity: Real People Who Demonstrated Godly Character Volume 2 by Marilyn Boyer, Grace Tumas

Volume II of Portraits of Integrity brings your family another double dose of inspiration for greatness. Highlighting some prominent heroes from various periods of history, this book introduces you to:
--Nate Saint, the missionary pilot who, with four other brave men, gave his life in the effort to bring the Gospel to the Auca Indians of South America
--World War I hero, Sergeant Alvin York who single-handedly captured thirty-eight enemy machine guns and 132 prisoners
--Nathan Hale, George Washington's daring young spy who boldly entered British territory on a mission and when caught and about to be hung, spoke his last words: "I only regret that I have but one lift to lose for my country."
- Captain Eddie Simpson, the World War II pilot who, having survived the crash of his plane behind enemy lines then declined to escape, choosing instead to sacrifice his life for those of French Resistance fighters, delaying the advancing Germans long enough to make their escape
And much more!
Portraits of Integrity, Volume II is another exciting collection of true stories that will inspire your family members to strive for the heights of worthy character.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

Currently Reading:

I've been reading the chunkster of a non-fiction book on an American icon John Quincy Adams and actually just completed it late last night. I learned a lot about politics of the 1810 decade, and the events that lead to the War of 1812. Mostly I've read quaint little Regency style type romps that would be in this decade, and this is quite far from that ideal. America is struggling to assert herself as a country, and John Quincy Adams is over in Russia trying to persuade Czar Alexander (who may or may not have helped murder his father) to help the commerce and trade routes. American ships were being seized by the British, Napoleon was seizing our cargo, and Russia was our ally. But this is also the story of his wife, Louisa, who was forced to join Mr. Adams on his political exile to Russia. It's took FOREVER (ten days) to read because of the details and it is all new material for me, but I still recommend it.

Up Next:
Same as last week, just try to survive:
Quite a few titles in the pile, including Call Me Zelda, Stealing the Preacher, Firebird by Kearsley, Godiva by Galland, Wildish by Parry. It would be nice if I could get all these done before the July Group Read of Katherine by Anya Seton. Wishful thinking, I know. I have so many pressures in real life right now, blogging about books is kinda like not exactly high on the priorities list as I pray for the tornado victims not too far from me, and I wonder why I bother blogging anyway. Oh yeah, it's cuz some of my most awesome followers would miss me and I thank them for their love and support! Have a happy happy week, everyone! =)

Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:07:00 +0000

There are many kinds of treasures..

Josiah's Treasure by Nancy Herriman
Worthy Publishing, April 2013
Historical Romance/Somewhat inspirational
Review copy provided by the publisher for review in the May 2013 Historical Novel Society magazine
Burton Book Review Rating:

Read my review of Herriman's previous novel, The Irish Healer

In 1882 Sarah Whittier dreams of opening an art studio run by immigrant women. She plans to use the house left to her by family friend Josiah Cady as collateral for her studio. But will all be lost when the inheritance is challenged by an angry man claiming to be Josiah’s son and legal heir? Rumor of gold nuggets hidden in the house place Sarah’s life in danger. Her future uncertain and her safety threatened, Sarah has nowhere to turn. That is, unless she can soften a vengeful man’s heart – and they both learn that love is finer than any gold.

Don't let the amateurish cover image dissuade you from this inspirational romance from Nancy Herriman. Set in San Francisco in 1882 we are introduced to Sarah as she is coping with the loss of a close friend and benefactor. She is grateful for the inheritance that Josiah has left her, and has made plans with that money which goes towards securing her future as well as other young ladies. Unforeseen changes occur when Josiah's long-lost son, Daniel, shows up from Chicago to claim Josiah's purportedly hidden treasure of gold, along with claiming his rights as heir to Josiah's estate.

Seedy sides of San Francisco lace the chilly atmosphere once the rumors of Josiah's treasure circulate and put Sarah in danger. Readers watch the characters develop just as we are trying to find out both the history behind Josiah's reasons for abandoning his family and discerning the past that Sarah has tried so hard to erase. Daniel and Sarah are admirable characters each trying to make their futures brighter for others as well as themselves, but they each need Josiah's inheritance to achieve their goals. Herriman's story weaves an unpredictable suspense factor in with the light romance, and there is just a small thread of the usual faith questions threaded throughout, making Herriman's newest novel a gratifying reading experience.
Read the first chapter of Josiah's Treasure here.

Public Information Post regarding the FTC!!

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:02:00 +0000

I created a little post about the FTC just a little while ago, and it spread like wildfire and increased my hits tremendously, how awesome is that? Within the span of an hour there were 100 pageviews on that post alone. There is some disagreement over the term book blogger versus advertiser versus reviewer. Jenn's Bookshelves said not to worry at all, as this is not related to book reviewers - so I had to create this public service announcement!!!

Before pandemonium ensues because of my alarmist nature, I want to make sure that everyone who possibly has decided to give up their reviewing career because of my post - egads, please reconsider!!!

On the FTC website you can search for 'book blog' and nothing - nada - comes up. So does the FTC care about book bloggers at all? What's all the fuss then, right?

(Except all the publicity companies I review for state : "To comply with new regulations introduced by the Federal Trade Commission, please mention as part of every Web or retail site review that the publisher has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book or advanced reading copy through __"). or
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Checking out the Twitter feed from some of bloggers concerning this FTC dot com thing: "I see reviews as reviews, not advertisements." So who knows who is right and who is wrong, but obviously there is zero need to panic about how you run your blog! As I initially said, it's interpretation of the law and for the past year I have indeed considered myself a review robot and have complained about it many times that I really feel like I have somehow found myself in a marketing business that is unpaid! There's the kicker, it's UNPAID! So the FTC Guidelines wouldn't apply to us. And no, all my books are not only galleys. I do receive actual copies at times that are able to be sold, traded in or gifted, so that is indeed compensation. Or isn't it? I just got a horrible book yesterday in the mail that I would not want in my house, so it's going on Paperbackswap! Credits for me!

I am thinking perhaps it is time to move away from my reviewing and write more of those posts to increase traffic to my blog! It will help hone my writing technique, and also increase traffic, and perhaps with your comments you can educate me on these finer points of book blogging! (Did you know that I want to be a writer one day? I wonder, does writing blog posts make me a writer? What's the consensus on this?)

On another note, these conversational posts always attract the most comments. While my reviews may get tons of hits, the comments are where we interact with each other and have fun with each other. That is what I LOVE about the book blogging community, they are so warm and fuzzy and so helpful. On twitter, there were many reactions to my FTC post, especially the ones where they are talking about misinformation. Editorial and opinions are my interpretations, maybe I could start writing for Huffington Post... this reminds me of when an author there posted an article about touring around the blogosphere and he was so displeased with how bloggers write. He got tons of hits there, and I bet you tons of folks took a look at that book he was marketing.

Do you get the most comments on your review posts or on your opinion/free-style posts? Oh and another question I've had.. there is this term floating around, I think it originated with NetGalley's how-to handbook actually...

"Professional Reader"... is this a term that as a reviewer you apply to yourself? Is there such a thing as a professional reviewer if you are NOT paid an hourly wage to review?

FTC Dot Com Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:29:00 +0000

This was not made for book bloggers - this was made for Advertisers. Are book bloggers advertisers? I certainly feel like I am a review robot, so in a sense, I feel like I am marketing a book when I am participating in blog tours etc.

This is not to cause pandemonium as it has said to have done on twitter. WOW, go me, if it has. Here is an updated post I created as a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Back in March 2013 (where was I?) those pesky fellows at the FTC created a new PDF outlining the use of Social Media tactics and links etc for those of us who review. Basically, not only do we have to increase the font of our fine print for disclosures (as in those who have them at the bottom of their posts) this does not suffice the requirements for the FTC. And having a button somewhere on your site to your disclosure aka policy doesn't work either. You must be upfront (meaning at the top of your post) and state where you received the item from to distinguish if you were compensated for the post in any way (coupons, virtual points redeemable for something in the future, galleys, ARCs) and it must be "clear and conspicuous" before we get to "distracting" hyperlinks or gimmicks.

Most importantly, it wants that source to be stated BEFORE any links to "buy here" are able to be clicked. The FTC also specifically stated that NO SCROLLING should be required when a viewer is looking at your reviewed product, your readers must be able to see within that screen that you have received that item for free. They also went into affiliate marketing and how to handle those links *bangs head on desk*, but since I do not do that I didn't read too much about that quagmire.

Many book bloggers like myself already state fairly close to/underneath the book's image and information where the review book came from. So the true revelations in 2013 Guidelines aren't too bad - until you get to the way you tweet, facebook, Google Plus about the books you have read and reviewed. *bangs head on desk*

These social media posts/tweets which state anything positive in nature about an item you have received for free must also include in the beginning of that status update/tweet the 'Ad' or 'Sponsor' notation. That twitter follower of yours MUST understand before they click your link that you are marketing an item that you have been compensated for in some way, either via the ARC, galley, or perhaps an exclusive spot on a review list.*bangs head on desk*

As I discussed this on facebook, most bloggers were perturbed *as am I*, but then again most also felt that the FTC wouldn't target THEM in particular, we're the little guy, etc and so why should I care so much? It's not like the book bloggers are similar to the product review bloggers such as Mommy Bloggers, who seem to get free makeup, toys, strollers, kitchenware etc. Why go after book bloggers?

I care because these are Rules. There is a social etiquette being put in place, and as much as I despise the government getting in the way of our personal blogging, if one person feels compelled to follow the law, I feel others should, too. Those who break the rules get an unfair advantage, so to speak. That's my current opinion, and as a blogger I'm entitled to it. But then again, I wonder, is this FTC Dot Com Guideline thing an actual LAW? Yes, it states that it is, and that it covers virtually every sector in the economy. If we fail to follow the guidelines, the FTC will find ways to enforce it: "the Commission might bring an enforcement action alleging an unfair or deceptive practice in violation of the FTC Act".

But it also went into how this applies to endorsing a product... which means positive reviews.. so if it's a somewhat critical negative review, then I guess that means we can ignore all these little rules..
Which opens up a whole other can of worms into what star rating would officially mean somewhat not positive, bwahahaha!!
"Three stars is good!"
"No way, that's a low rating in my opinion!"
"That means it was just okay, so is that good or bad?
*bangs head on desk*"
"What about 3.5 stars?"
*bangs head on desk*

Ouch.
And what about the flurry of BEST OF 2013 posts we will see at the end of the year? Doesn't that IMPLY in itself a positive reaction to a book? And what if one of those books on the list was a review title? All our tweets and FB posts have to say "AD: Best of 2013 at BBR!" or even snazzier: "Sponsored: Best of 2013 at BBR!" *bangs head on desk*

Another tricky question, for those sites who are virtual tour companies, blogging for books type campaigns or review sites such as HNS or even Kirkus Reviews etc.: Shouldn't those companies also be showing the word AD everywhere when they repeat a positive line from a review? Why is the FTC targeting the specific blogger, and not starting at the top and making the publicity companies comply first? Why does the little person have to be the one to do everything? But the Canadian bloggers were thrilled to not have to be subject to the FTC regulations. Canada is looking better and better every day! Je m'appelle Marie, et vous?

*gets ice pack and Excedrin.*

Edit to add: I was not compensated for this review of the Guidelines in any way. Do comments on my blog count as compensation?

Edit to add: I am not a lawyer and this is merely a raving lunatic editorial/opinion post .

Edit to Add: Again this is all interpretation. Would love a specific guide on what the FTC means to address towards book blogging. You can carry on as you will. =)

In Times of Fading Light: A Novel by Eugen Ruge

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

An "Online Exclusive" plus more!

In Times of Fading Light: A Novel by Eugen Ruge
Graywolf Press, June 11, 2013
Literary Fiction, 328 pages
Review copy provided from the publisher via Historical Novel Society for their Online Exclusive, this review expands on that linked review.
Burton Book Review Rating:

Enthrallingly expansive in its geographical and temporal sweep, this story of a German family tells of years spent in exile, of the revolution of 1989 and beyond. The masterful narrative makes halt in Mexico, Siberia and East Berlin, climbing the summits and charting the abysses of the 20th century along the way. The result is both a stunning panorama and a monumental German novel that makes history itself tangible through the history of one family. A novel of immense stature, founded on its humanity, its precision and its humour.

In Times of Fading Light focuses on three generations. The grandparents, still convinced Communists, return to the fledging East Germany at the beginning of the 1950s to do their part in establishing the new state. Their son returns from the other direction, having emigrated to Moscow and found himself banished to Siberia. He returns with his Russian wife to a country mired in petit bourgeois values, yet also brings with him an unwavering belief that they can be changed. The grandson, meanwhile, feels increasingly constricted in a heimat that was not of his choosing, and heads to the West on the very day that his grandfather, the family patriarch, turns 90. The glittering lights of a political utopia that once shone enticingly seem to be gradually fading as time wears unwaveringly on.

Eugen Ruge's newly translated literary novel lets the reader experience the atmosphere of the political upheaval of Germany's families while interspersing somewhat sarcastic reflections of their way of life. Following multiple characters during multiple time periods, the novel has a reminiscent quality to it as we explore the characters through different viewpoints. On display is a resilient family that slowly reveals their fractures through their personal despair and struggles of alcoholism, cancer, and marriage as we flip through the 1940's, 1990's and 2001.

Wilhelm and Charlotte the communists, their son Kurt the smart one with the weak writer's hands, Kurt and Irina's son Alexander the drifter, and Alexander's son Markus the screwed up kid, all come and go just as the fragments of the time lines come and go. Each family member seems disappointed in the next family member, and through all the jumping of timelines we know some of the story before we technically get to it, as with the major event of Wilhelm's ninetieth birthday party. Everyone is expected to attend this grand event, and before we get to this major event of the story there is a back and forth that is somewhat difficult to keep track of.

The novel starts off with Alexander tending his elderly father Kurt when we learn Alexander is struggling to accept his own diagnosis of inoperable cancer. Here he finds letters and notes from Kurt which resurface at the end of the novel, but not to the degree this reader would have liked. Kurt's father Wilhelm is overly proud of himself and his Communist views, but there is a bit more history of his immediate family that is missing yet alluded to.

The narration shifts from Kurt and Irina, to Wilhelm and Charlotte, and to Alexander and his son as we anticipate an epic ninetieth birthday party for Wilhelm. I would have liked to know what really happened during that Nazi era to Kurt and his brother besides prison but we must fill in the blanks ourselves. Wilhelm is utterly disappointed in his life and he wonders what was the point of it all as the Wall comes down, and yet Kurt wonders too (eighty million people dead!) so we witness the search for identity all set against different backdrops of Germany's society- deftly showing the parallels of the generations - and we realize dejectedly that it is all the same thing in the end. The novel reads as if we were flipping through clippings of the characters’ memories so that we can relate to them all, but the constant jumping to another person and time frame is jarring. The writing itself is clear and precise, honest and blunt, but I question the change of tense in the last chapter. Some situations were a bit crude, but fleshes out the novel as it grasps the demons of reality for this family.

TSS | MAILBOX | HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Visit Svea's blog at The Muse in The Fog Book Review to link up your Sunday posts; Suddenly Sunday is a weekly event hosted by Svea whose purpose is to share all the exciting events that have occurred on your blog throughout the week.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

This week on the blog I reviewed:

The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy (Absolutely fantastic novel as expected, portrays William the Conqueror). I recommend this title for those readers who have enjoyed the recent release of Patricia Bracewell's Shadow on The Crown. I loved it so much I blazed through it leaving my fellow group readers behind in the dust. It had been way too long that I've neglected Jean Plaidy, and I must I must I must find time to read more of her work.

What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

This was a nice change of pace for me; a blend of mystery & suspense as a mom finally wakes up from a coma and finds her world had changed around her. Her husband is distant, people are hiding things from her yet they are quick to judge her. Her daughter has gone missing but it seems no one else cares about that fact. I had chosen this as a sort of tribute to Mother's Day as it displays the bond between mother and child quite well.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Abi @ 4 the LOVE of BOOKS for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

IN THE MAIL

May 7, 2013

Call Me Zelda by Erika Robuck.. I am the biggest fan girl of Erika, I totally drooled over Hemingway's Girl and I pulled a big I-told-you-so moment when I reviewed Receive Me Falling over three years ago. Well, I still told you so. Looking forward to this one. Read my review of Receive Me Falling and then go buy it for kindle at $2.99.

From the author of Hemingway’s Girl comes a richly imagined tale of Zelda Fitzgerald’s love, longing, and struggle against ever-threatening insanity.

From New York to Paris, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald reigned as king and queen of the Jazz Age, but those who really knew them saw their inner turmoil.

Committed to a Baltimore psychiatric hospital in 1932, Zelda vacillates between lucidity and madness as she fights to forge an identity independent of her famous husband. She discovers a sympathetic ear in her nurse Anna Howard, who finds herself drawn into the Fitzgerald’s tumultuous lives and wonders which of them is the true genius. But in taking greater emotional risks to save Zelda, Anna may end up paying a far higher price than she ever intended.

In this thoroughly researched, deeply moving novel, Erika Robuck explores the boundaries of female friendship, the complexity of marital devotion, and the sources of both art and madness.

A Certain Summer by Patricia Beard

"Nothing ever changes at Wauregan.” That mystique is the tradition of the idyllic island colony off the shore of Long Island, the comforting tradition that its summer dwellers have lived by for over half a century. But in the summer of 1948, after a world war has claimed countless men—even those who came home—the time has come to deal with history’s indelible scars.
Helen Wadsworth’s husband, Arthur, was declared missing in action during an OSS operation in France, but the official explanation was mysteriously nebulous. Now raising a teenage son who longs to know the truth about his father, Helen turns to Frank Hartman—her husband’s best friend and his partner on the mission when he disappeared. Frank, however, seems more intent on filling the void in Helen’s life that Arthur’s absence has left. As Helen’s affection for Frank grows, so does her guilt, especially when Peter Gavin, a handsome Marine who was brutally tortured by the Japanese and has returned with a faithful war dog, unexpectedly stirs new desires. With her heart pulled in multiple directions, Helen doesn’t know whom to trust—especially when a shocking discovery forever alters her perception of both love and war.

Stealing The Preacher by Karen Witemeyer (book 2 in the Archer Brothers series!)

On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he's forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the minister she requested for her birthday. Worried this unfortunate detour will ruin his chances of finally serving a congregation of his own, Crockett is determined to escape. But when he finally gets away, he's haunted by the memory of the young woman he left behind--a woman whose dreams now hinge on him.

For months, Joanna Robbins prayed for a preacher. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. A man to help her discover answers to the questions that have been on her heart for so long. But just when it seems God has answered her prayers, it turns out the person is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett to stay in her little backwoods community? And does the attraction between them have any chance of blossoming when Joanna's outlaw father is dead set against his daughter courting a preacher?

Featured eBook Download

Desired: The Untold Story of Samson and Delilah by Ginger Garrett

Meet the legendary Samson as you've never known him before … through the eyes of the three women who loved him.

Before Samson was an Old Testament legend, he was a prodigal son, an inexperienced suitor, a vengeful husband, and a lost soul driven by his own weakness. This is his story as told by three strong women who loved him—the nagging, manipulative mother who pushed him toward greatness, the hapless Philistine bride whose betrayal propelled him into notoriety, and the emotionally damaged seductress—the famous Delilah—who engineered his downfall and propelled him to his destiny. Desired celebrates the God of Israel's to work powerfully in the midst of hopes, fears, desires, and sorrows.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

Finished:
One of these I recommend, the other I don't.:

This week I finished Death and the Courtesan by Pamela Christie and The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy. Unfortunately I had read The Bastard King first and became enthralled/accustomed to Plaidy's fabulous classy prose, and so jumping into a sexually charged lighthearted silly mystery within Death and the Courtesan was not such a fantastic idea. Slightly arduous and I was so pleased that it was short in length. The review will have to hold till August however for the HNR magazine.

Currently Reading:
That meant it was time to move on to something a bit more enlightening/rewarding:

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile That Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook
This is a very intriguing chunky non-fiction book featuring John Quincy and Louisa Adams. I have been meaning to pry myself away from British history and learn more about American history, and this is perfect for that. Featuring the War of 1812 and the Adams' 'political exile' to Europe (which was news to me), the author is using the couple's extensive diary collection to bring these two historical figures to life, and I am enjoying the writing style very much.

The next bible online study plan is starting tomorrow - it is the 89 Day Plan (weekends off for catch up if needed) which will focus on Major People. Sign up here to read along with the group, it is open to everyone.

Up Next
Quite a few titles in the pile, including Call Me Zelda, Stealing the Preacher, Firebird by Kearsley, Godiva by Galland, Wildish by Parry. It would be nice if I could get all these done before the July Group Read of Katherine by Anya Seton. Wishful thinking, I know. I have so many pressures in real life right now, blogging about books is kinda like not exactly high on the priorities list but as usual it does keep me sane as a hobby in its own annoying sort of way.

What a Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

A gripping story of a mother's tenacity

What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr
Expected publication: May 1st 2013 by Sourcebooks
Available on Kindle
Paperback, 384 pages
Contemporary | Womens Fiction | Mystery
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

I thought this would be a great read for Mother's Day, one that would signify the unshakable bonds a mother has for their children, all packed into a suspenseful story that entertains - and I was right. This is the story of a family that is struggling to pick up the pieces after a horrific tragic accident that has left the mother, Michelle, scarred and traumatized. She was not expected to survive the coma that she was in for many months only to have to go through a major court case to pin the blame on someone, and Michelle has to learn to live all over again when things just aren't the same.

Turns out that accident took the life of a young man who rose to stardom after his death, and Michelle has no idea what happened the day of the accident. As her memory resurfaces, things begin to click for both the reader and for Michelle but the confusion and expectation was always prodding us further because we were never quite putting it all together.

There are depressing themes in this story, but it was written with a 'that's life and we are going to deal with it' slant as opposed to being a complete downer type of read. There was plenty of suspense throughout as we follow Michelle try and retrace her steps that lead up to the accident, but most important - find her missing daughter. There had to be something strange going on the way everyone was acting about the disappearance of Nikki, but no one was telling Michelle.

A very enjoyable story focused on relationships and the status-quo that concluded with a large dose of redemption and forgiveness and finally, healing. The characters were well portrayed fleshing out a suspenseful novel about the untouchable bonds between mothers and children: sometimes a mother just knows.

Follow along the Blog Tour:

April 29 - Crochet Nirvana

May 1 - Chick Lit is Not Dead

May 2 - Bookfoolery

May 3 - The Bookworm

May 4 - Lori's Reading Corner

May 5 - The Self Taught Cook

May 6 - Mrs Condit Reads Books

May 7 - From the TBR Pile

May 8 - Cocktails and Books

May 9 - Burton Book Review

May 10 - Chick Lit Plus

May 12 - The Book Diva’s Reads

May 13 - Peeking Between the Pages

May 14 - Long and Short Reviews

May 15 - Rainy Day Ramblings

May 16 - Help4NewMoms

May 17 - Winey Mommy

May 18 - Cozy Up with a Good Read

May 20 - A Bookish Way of Life

May 21 – Confessions of a Book Junkie

May 22 - 5 Minutes for Mom

May 23 - Angela Klocke

May 24 - WeeShare

May 26 - Brianna Lee

May 28 - Reading Shelf

May 29 - Socrates Book Reviews

May 31 - Passionate about Books

The Bastard King (Norman Series #1) by Jean Plaidy

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:05:00 +0000

By God's Splendour, this was a great intro to William The Conqueror!

The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy

May's Group Read for the Gooodreads Plaidy/Holt/Carr group

My personal copy is PAN 1977 edition, 333 pages

Burton Book Review Rating:

From my back cover:

Princess Matilda at last found the man she would marry- William, the fierce bastard of Normandy. Proud and fearless, the Duke had ridden into the stronghold of his enemies, dragged her by her thick golden hair into the gutter, and left with her heart. It was a love story that would change the face of history.
Battles, triumphs, revenge and jealousy crowd the dramatic years leading to William's fateful conflict with Harold of England and its bitter aftermath as Queen Matilda's love for her children threatens her loyalty to William, Bastard, Conqueror and King.

The Bastard King focuses on William the Bastard (William the Conqueror) and as a history lover, I recognize the date of the year of 1066 as having significance for England, but I had not read anything specific to that historic event having been mostly stuck somewhere betwixt Henry II and Henry VIII. Enter Jean Plaidy: Mistress of good old fashioned historical fiction. With a dose of quiet poisons, traitors, romances, revenge and melodramatics we are treated to an education of William the Bastard that begins with his parents: Robert the Magnificent and Arlette (the tanner's daughter!).

Being the son of a tanner's daughter William was ridiculed and teased but he was also portrayed as being a favored son of the Duke in spite of the taint of the low birth. His father loved him and geared him to be the next Duke of Normandy even though the aristocracy had a tough time swallowing that. Meanwhile, England was going through their typical upheavals of who should rule and William's cousins from England stayed in Normandy for safety during the rule of the Danes. Eventually one of these cousins became King Edward the Confessor who seemed to have a soft spot for William and vice versa. Years later at King Edward's death it is William who wants to have the English crown and it's two-thirds of the way into the book that William decides to assert his claim.

As typical of Plaidy, she expertly weaves us through the factions and the turmoil of the times which includes battles, political alliances made and broken and with a keen eye for historical detail we get a peek into the lives of famous figures. While the focus remains on William and his ultimate reach for England, there are subplots concerning his family and the informative fleshing out of the side characters that make Plaidy's writing style a favorite among the genre. His wife Matilda is of course the flaxen-haired beauty to rival all others yet she shows a sinister streak as she embroiders; King Harold is portrayed as a shrewd but sensitive man and that's the guy that William has to beat in order to win the throne of England, making for an interesting climax.

There are things that can get repetitive (the fair blue eyed extremely gorgeous English cousins/my temper will destroy you/By God's Splendour!/Robert has short legs) or over the top (people conveniently poisoned and dispensed with) and the heavy use of foreshadowing and omens (throughout the novel) but this story is still very entertaining and worth the read for those learning of the era. This first installment of the Norman series begins with Robert the Magnificent circa 1028 and continues with his son William all the way past 1066 and his eventual earning of the moniker 'Conqueror' and finally ending with his death in 1087 - an ending so very well done, Ms. Plaidy. I was certainly ready to take up a battle cry.

Further reading:

Patricia Bracewell's Shadow on The Crown (my review) precedes this novel time-wise, I am glad I read that first and would recommend it.

Jean Plaidy's Norman trilogy:

The Bastard King

Lion of Justice

The Passionate Enemies

This novel was part of my 2013 To-Be-Read-Pile Reading Challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader

I read along with the Goodreads Plaidy group, my second with that group. I wonder what we'll read next!

TSS: May Flowers.. or freezing cold fronts..

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 05 May 2013 17:54:00 +0000

May is here. You wouldn't know it cuz I'm wearing a sweater (in Texas, y'all!!) but well I'm glad May is here. It means we're that much closer to June.

This week on the blog there were two reviews:

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Abi @ 4 the LOVE of BOOKS for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

Wasn't I such a good girl for not accepting new review copies?! Finally.. maybe.. just maybe there is a shred of hope for me. And you doubted me... bwahahaha

Featured eBook Download:

The Maiden of Mayfair by Lawana Blackwell

In 1871, an orphanage in the slums of London is the only home 13-year-old Sarah Matthews has ever known. Her whole world is turned upside-down when an embittered widow, Dorthia Blake, seeks her out as a live-in companion. But Blake has reasons for adopting Sarah beyond what others know, and it is only through the unwavering love of a servant woman that Sarah can find God's love and a bond stronger than blood.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

Just finished reading What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr, a rare contemporary read for me. I accepted this for review from Sourcebooks Landmark who has decided to publish not only historical novels but others that they feel are worthy of their imprint, and this one fits the bill nicely. Watch for my review to come in a few days.

Meanwhile, we have begun the group read of The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy, which you are welcome to join.

From my back cover:

Princess Matilda at last found the man she would marry- William, the fierce bastard of Normandy.

Proud and fearless, the Duke had ridden into the stronghold of his enemies, dragged her by her thick golden hair into the gutter, and left with her heart. It was a love story that would change the face of history.

Battles, triumphs, revenge and jealousy crowd the dramatic years leading to William's fateful conflict with Harold of England and its bitter aftermath as Queen Matilda's love for her children threatens her loyalty to William, Bastard, Conqueror and King.

Also on Goodreads, there is a mini-bible plan read along beginning May 13. We will be using the Youversion Bible app and following their Major People Plan. You are welcome to join in there as well!

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:05:00 +0000

World's Fair comes to life through Cullen and Della's eyes

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist
Christian (?) Historical Fiction
Howard Books April 30 2013
Paperback 432 pages
Review copy provided by LitFuse, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

Purchase a copy here

(Read my Love On The Line review, her last release)

A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair’s Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

Who could resist that gorgeous cover?! And that dress does actually make an appearance in the novel which adds an intriguing factor. If you have ever wondered what it was like to be at the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair, look no further. Deeanne Gist masterfully recreates the atmosphere as we see the fair through Della and Cullen's eyes, and we even get some pictures too! I loved that there were photos included from the fair, that was a really nice touch and added such authenticity to the story.

The story is a sweet and slow romance, because Cullen is only at the fair to market his invention of a sprinkler system while he has left his betrothed at home. Cullen is going to be at the fair for six months and he and Della have come up with an arrangement so that he could learn to lip read which is something he is going to need to learn how to do soon because of his own hearing impairment. Della easily begins to fall for him - in spite of herself - but Cullen is a respectful young man who knows where his heart is supposed to be: at home.

The story blends the historical element with the romance in a slow atmospheric way that is hard to put down. Tragedy spurs the story forward and the future is not so easy to guess for Cullen and Della, and when girlfriend Wanda shows up, Cullen has to make a difficult choice once and for all. At first I was distracted by the way the author displayed the annunciation of the words that Cullen was hearing, but that dissipated after a while. Those readers who do not like a large dose of "Christian" in their reads would be fine with reading this one, as there are only a few moments that I noticed the christian theme, which I guess is the norm for the Howard Books imprint of Simon & Schuster. I do want to mention that there is palpable amount of lust going on that is implied and while some may not think that is appropriate I absolutely LOVED the romance especially at the end - it was tastefully done and yet so..warm and passionate. Perfect.

"Blood rushed through her veins. He was magnificent. As beautifully formed as any sculpture on the entire grounds of the fair. She squeezed the stair rail. Would his chest have the same texture as his arms? {....}Oh, she could see. She could see just fine."

Deeanne Gist's newest novel brings to life the Chicago World's Fair through the eyes of these two very lovable characters. Her writing style flows easily and I found that even though I sometimes wish I could knock Cullen and Della over their heads when they were not explaining their feelings to each other, it was still a story that I will remember. I recommend it to any historical romance reader, and definitely to those who are interested in the history at the fair.

Incidentally, Goodreads is hosting a giveaway of the title till May 10, 2013.
Christian Bookshelf Reviews is offering a giveaway and a fabulous interview with the author here. There she offers a sneak peek at her next World's Fair novel.

Deeanne Gist is celebrating the release of It Happened at the Fair with an iPad Mini Giveaway and a Live Author Chat Webcast event {5/22}!

One "fair" winner will receive:

An iPad Mini
A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 21st. Winner will be announced at the "It Happened at the Fair" Live Webcast Event on May 22nd. Connect with Deeanne for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deeanne will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of It Happened at the Fair and join Deeanne and friends on the evening of May 22nd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 22nd!

As always a warm thank you to Litfuse and their fabulous nesters for providing me a copy of this title for review. They are a fabulous group of ladies, always a pleasure to participate in their blog tours.

Swept Away (Trouble in Texas #1) by Mary Connealy

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:56:00 +0000

Wild West spitfire action

Swept Away by Mary Connealy
Bethany House March 1, 2013
Review copy provided by the publisher in exchange for this review
Burton Book Review Rating:

Laughter, Romance, and Action Abound in This New Series from Mary Connealy

Swept away when her wagon train attempts a difficult river crossing, Ruthy MacNeil isn't all that upset at being separated from the family who raised her. All they've ever done is work her to the bone. She prayed for a chance to get away, and then came the raging flood. Alive but disoriented, she's rescued by Luke Stone...so unfortunately, there are more chances to die in her immediate future.

Luke is heading home to reclaim the ranch stolen from his family. But the men who killed his father are working hard to ensure Luke doesn't make it alive. He has no choice but to keep moving. Still, he can't just abandon Ruthy, so she'll have to come along.

His friends--a ragtag group of former Civil War soldiers--take a fast interest in the pretty gal. Luke thinks that's rather rude--he's the one who found her. And the more time he spends around the hard-working young woman who is a mighty good cook, the more he finds himself thinking beyond revenge and toward a different future. For the first time in a long time, Luke is tempted to turn from his destructive path and be swept away by love.

Swept Away is a western romance complete with the wild west flair of gun fights and dirty sheriffs. The fast paced action centers around Luke and Ruthy as they meet up to regain Luke's land in Texas. But the story starts out with a splash as Ruthy is tossed from a flooding river and it's Luke who rescues her. The romance immediately kindles, and the evil posse who stole Luke's ranch has no idea what hit them once little Ruthy unleashes her skills.

These characters were fun to watch in action, although it was a bit of a predictable story, several of the side characters helped round out an intriguing plot line. Battered wife Glynna becomes someone that Luke and Ruthy have to save, and it turns out it is Glynna's story that we will see in the next installment in the Trouble in Texas series. What I found interesting about this Christian novel was there was not a ton of the faith element here at all, but actually a bit more of the witty remarks. So even though the situation was dire amongst gunfire and violence, the slant towards a romantic comedy was evident, making this a fun and light read, indicative of author Mary Connealy.

TSS: Not Just Books in my Mailbox

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:30:00 +0000

April is almost gone! Whew that was fast!
I wanted to share this awesome family heirloom that my first cousin once removed sent to me - it arrived in my mailbox safe and sound (hence my blog post title!).. it is a framed print of the Our Father prayer, with the Ten Commandments illustrated around it. It belonged to Mary Rutterman Gardner Trueman (1886 - 1968), who was my father's paternal grandmother:

Her family had come over to America from Germany. My father's maternal family had come from Ireland.. interesting how America is such a melting pot isn't it? Such a story it is for these immigrant ancestors of ours.
Mary married my great grandfather Charles Gardner and gave him three children but then he went and wrapped a car around a tree in 1922 and killed himself. Mary was forced to remarry for the sake of her children's financial welfare - it has been said that it was not a very happy marriage but I can't say for sure. This husband had recently arrived from England in 1921. What a story there is to tell as she blended her German roots with his English ones, I wish I knew more. But I certainly have the makings for my own novel, as I have been tracing my ancestors for the last fifteen years.

According to my cousin who graciously passed this print to me, it used to be above the light switch in Great Grandma's bedroom on Church Street in Kings Park, New York. Now forty-five years since her death, here it is in my humbled hands in Texas. It is in my kitchen for now, but once I get it rematted and reframed it will be too big for that spot and I will find a better spot in the house. For now, I shall enjoy it in all its glory many times a day as it peers at me from its perch in the kitchen. I have a special bond with this great grandmother I've never met - she had so much hardship I cannot even imagine. I wish I had been able to meet her, but I came along five years after her death. The rumor is that I resemble her, and that ain't a bad thing.

Great Grandma Mary and then plain old me

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Mari @ MariReads for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

In the Mail:

April 2013

I admit this was one of those gorgeous chunky hardcovers that totally made me want to sit down and read right away. There are pictures in the middle, too!! I've always wanted to read more about America before our Civil War - it seems there are tons of books on the civil war - and this book looks awesome. It's non-fiction but supposedly reads quite well.

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook

John Quincy and Louisa Adams's unexpected journey that changed everything.
"American Phoenix" is the sweeping, riveting tale of a grand historic adventure across forbidding oceans and frozen tundra--from the bustling ports and towering birches of Boston to the remote reaches of pre-Soviet Russia, from an exile in arctic St. Petersburg to resurrection and reunion among the gardens of Paris. Upon these varied landscapes this Adams and his Eve must find a way to transform their banishment into America's salvation.

Author, historian, and national media commentator Jane Hampton Cook breathes life into once-obscure history, weaving a meticulously researched biographical tapestry that reads like a gripping novel. With the arc and intrigue of Shakespearean drama in a Jane Austen era, "American Phoenix" is a timely yet timeless addition to the recent renaissance of works on the founding Adams family, from patriarchs John and Abigail to the second-generation of John Quincy and Louisa and beyond.

Cook has crafted not only a riveting narrative but also an easy-to-understand history filled with fly-on-the-wall vignettes from 1812 and its hardscrabble, freedom-hungry people. While unveiling vivid portrayals of each character--a colorful assortment of heroes and villains, patriots and pirates, rogues and rabble-rousers--she paints equally fresh, intimate portraits of both John Quincy and Louisa Adams. Cook artfully reveals John Quincy's devastation after losing the job of his dreams, battle for America's need to thrive economically, and sojourn to secure his homeland's survival as a sovereign nation. She reserves her most detailed brushstrokes for the inner struggles of Louisa, using this quietly inspirational woman's own words to amplify her fears, faith, and fortitude along a deeply personal, often heart-rending journey. Cook's close-up perspective shows how this American couple's Russian destination changed US destiny.

May 7, 2013

Royal Mistress by Anne Easter Smith
Jane Lambert, the quick-witted and alluring daughter of a silk merchant, is twenty-two and still unmarried. When Jane’s father finally finds her a match, she’s married off to the dull, older silk merchant William Shore—but her heart belongs to another. Marriage doesn’t stop Jane Shore from flirtation, however, and when the king’s chamberlain and friend, Will Hastings, comes to her husband’s shop, Will knows his King will find her irresistible.

Edward IV has everything: power, majestic bearing, superior military leadership, a sensual nature, and charisma. And with Jane as his mistress, he also finds true happiness. But when his hedonistic tendencies get in the way of being the strong leader England needs, his life, as well as that of Jane Shore and Will Hastings, hang in the balance. This dramatic tale has been an inspiration to poets and playwrights for 500 years, and told through the unique perspective of a woman plucked from obscurity and thrust into a life of notoriety, Royal Mistress is sure to enthrall today’s historical fiction lovers as well.

From Paperbackswap

a dingy beat up copy that I'd had on my wishlist foreVVer..

Revelation (book #4 in the Matthew Shardlake series) by C.J. Sansom

So now I have four of the five. Perhaps it is time I sink my teeth in and read one or two before I buy any others. I started collecting these long before I started to want to use Tudor novels as firewood.

Spring, 1543. King Henry VIII is wooing Lady Catherine Parr, whom he wants for his sixth wife. But this time the object of his affections is resisting. Archbishop Cranmer and the embattled Protestant faction at court are watching keenly, for Lady Catherine is known to have reformist sympathies.

Matthew Shardlake, meanwhile, is working on the case of a teenage boy, a religious maniac locked in the Bedlam hospital for the insane. Should he be released to his parents, when his terrifying actions could lead to him being burned as a heretic?

When an old friend is horrifically murdered Shardlake promises his widow, for whom he has long had complicated feelings, to bring the killer to justice. His search leads him to both Cranmer and Catherine Parr - and with the dark prophecies of the Book of Revelation.

As London's Bishop Bonner prepares a purge of Protestants Shardlake, together with his assistant, Jack Barak, and his friend, Guy Malton, follow the trail of a series of horrific murders that shake them to the core, and which are already bringing frenzied talk of witchcraft and a demonic possession - for what else would the Tudor mind make of a serial killer . . .?

The Shield of Honor by Gilbert Morris

Two families—the Wakefields of nobility and the lower-class Morgans—are the focus of this sweeping generational saga, joined by intriguing personalities such as Elizabeth I, William Tyndale, and John Bunyan. Linking the people and events through the ages is the struggle of men and women who sought God as the answer to their difficulties. #3: Shield of Honor This third book of the series depicts the English civil war, Charles I, and Cromwell as it continues the story of the Wakefield and Morgan families.

Featured eBook Download:

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledging community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival! Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

Read/Reviewed last week
Reviewed on the blog this week:

After finishing the above titles, my Goodreads Goal is looking pretty fabulous:

You have read 25 books toward your goal of 50 books.

26 of 50 (52%)

Awesome, you're 11 books (20%) ahead of schedule!

Boooya!
I love that Goodreads also shows Page Count, and that's what is going to intrigue me the most when it comes to the end of the year.

These last four months I've read 9691 pages within those tallied 26 books, but as soon as I completed the bible Saturday morning that will add another 2000 pages to that tally, making it close to 12,000 pages read by the end of April!

Am I fantastic or what? So dang proud of my bible plan and partners. Dang Mike jumped ahead and finished a week ahead of time, boo on him, lol! And then Melanie slid into second place, so I guess I'll have to settle for the bronze lowly last place medal. We originally planned to start as a a great big group, but just we three remained. The M group. I am starting over in 2014 with a Chronological bible.

I read the NKJV Study Bible in 178 days. I highly recommend it, and you can purchase it on Amazon:

Currently Reading
Swept Away by Mary Connealy (Trouble in Texas book one)
I have seen several of her titles all over the place but have yet to read one. She has written several series and I don't jump into the middle of series ever, so when I saw that this one was the first book in yet another series I figured now is as good a time as any to hop on board. And since it's Texas based, even better! It started off with some drama, so I hope that continues!

JUST FINISHED
It Happened at The Fair by Deeanne Gist
This novel is fun because it has photos of the Chicago World's Fair from 1890's in it! Very cool! The hero Cullen I can only imagine as being one tasty nugget of a man... judging from Della's reaction to him:

"Blood rushed through her veins. He was magnificent. As beautifully formed as any sculpture on the entire grounds of the fair. She squeezed the stair rail. Would his chest have the same texture as his arms? {....}Oh, she could see. She could see just fine."

And with that interesting thought, I shall leave you lovely ladies to ponder.

Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Intrigues of Elizabethan court via the love story of Helena Von Snakenborg

Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd (book 3 in Ladies in Waiting)
Historical Romance/Tudor Fiction
Howard Books
Paperback 352 pages
Review copy provided by the author, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth’s circle. But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen’s downfall, Helena is forced to choose between an unyielding monarch and the husband she’s not sure she can trust—a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.
Vividly conjuring the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots, Roses Have Thorns is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.

Helena Von Snakenborg may be recognized by Elizabeth I aficionados as one of her closest friends/courtiers/ladies in waiting. In Sandra Byrd's third installment of the Ladies In Waiting series we are treated to the tried and true Elizabethan era shenanigans except now we get to learn a bit more about her favored lady, Elin from Sweden. I was intrigued in this title because my interest is in Christian historicals, and I wanted to see how the author blended an inspirational theme with Elizabeth's court.

Elin learns the ways of the court quickly as she decides to choose potential love in England instead of returning to Sweden with her family. She is about nineteen years old and has eyes for William Parr, but Parr is still married, unfortunately. Luckily for Elin she is welcomed by Elizabeth and she anglicizes her name to Helena and is given every comfort. Her high nobility for being associated with William Parr raises her status and she never has to worry for income as long as she remains under the fickle Elizabeth's favor. She manages well until she blunders in the name of love again.. all at a time when Elizabeth has forbidden her ladies to marry.

Major events and players are portrayed in this retelling of Elizabethan courts, from Lettice Knollys' marriage to Robert, Earl of Leicester, Francis Drake to the Mary Queen of Scots debacle. The difference this time is in learning more about Helena and how she managed to stay one step ahead of some of the other ladies at the court. Refreshingly, this telling helps humanize Elizabeth a bit more as we witness the relationship between Elizabeth and Helena and how it grows over the years. Although the novel covers a span of forty years, it certainly reads fast and there is no lull in the writing as there was always something going on from treachery in the courts to treachery in Helena's own house.

I would recommend Roses Have Thorns for those who would like to learn a bit more about Elizabethan life and more about Helena. There are biblical references but I would not wholeheartedly classify this as the inspirational sub-genre simply because the mission of Inspirational Christian Fiction is supposed to glorify God through a biblical truth while exhibiting a strong theme in forgiveness/faith/redemption; perhaps with the characters debating whether their life is living towards God's will. There is a discernible difference from this title and my other reviewed inspirational titles but the element of a "clean read" could certainly apply here, as most christian fiction readers do require that in their reads.

If you happen to steer yourself away from Byrd's books because you fear a possible preachy biblical element, please do not, although she does use basic scripture as an added layer to Helena's turmoils in a "the bible tells me so" type of way. There is also the religious turmoil that occurs for the realm, the typical Catholic versus Protestant issues that Elizabeth had to deal with during her reign, as she attempted to not peer into men's souls regarding faith yet the factions were still evident during her reign, mostly because of the Catholic Mary of Scots. The practices of these faiths were a major source of contention in Elizabeth's time, and it is evident during this story as well.

The author takes great pains to display the amount of knowledge she has gathered for the era and there are many details about the historical events that occur during the latter part of Elizabeth's reign. But the main crux is always Helena - her life and her loves, a rare glimpse of the fact that perhaps it wasn't so bad being the highest titled lady in the land next to Elizabeth. A book that features family lineage charts as well as a reading guide, this is an exemplary novel on Helena Von Snakenborg and her own love life, a lesser known figure in Elizabeth's court that I would recommend especially to those who are just learning their ways around Elizabeth's court.

On my other blog at HF-Connection the author was kind enough to offer an intriguing guest post regarding Elizabeth and her women, which you can read here, and it ties in a bit with the author's note as well.

Duchess (Daughters of Fortune Book #3) by Susan May Warren

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:01:00 +0000

A poignant conclusion that ties up the series with dramatic zeal

Duchess (Daughters of Fortune Book #3) by Susan May Warren
Christian Historical Romance
Summerside Press, March 1 2013
Paperback 352 pages
Review Copy provided by the publisher, via LitFuse
Burton Book Review Rating:

Read my previous reviews of these Susan May Warren titles:
Heiress (book 1)
Baroness (book 2)
Buy Duchess here!

Follow Susan's tour here

The golden age of Hollywood is in the business of creating stars. Rosie Worth, now starlet Roxy Price, has found everything she’s wanted in the glamour of the silver screen. With adoring fans and a studio-mogul husband, she’s finally silenced the voices—and grief—of the past. Her future shines bright…until the fated Black Friday when it all comes crashing down. When Roxy loses everything, she finds herself disgraced and penniless. Her only hope is to join forces with Belgian duke Rolfe Van Horne, a longtime film investor. But Rolfe is not who he seems, and he has other plans for Roxy and her movies—plans to support a growing unrest in Europe, plans that could break her heart and endanger her life.
When her country needs her, will she have the courage to surrender her glittering world and her one true love?

The Daughters of Fortune series follows the females of the Worth/Price families and this last novel of the trilogy features Rosie Worth. I've said in previous reviews that the books need to be read in order, and that holds true again. The characters change generations from the first to the last books and it would definitely heighten your enjoyment if you knew the background of the current story (obvious spoilers will be provided in book three if you start the series here).

Duchess focuses on Rosie, the daughter of Jinx, who desires to be a movie star. She gets her wish and yet she slowly begins to realize that living the life of the rich and famous can also be empty and full of heartache. She struggles to find her path and even though good friends encourage her, she still rejects God and the notion that faith in Him could fill her up. She seeks love in the wrong places and when she does find a worthy love she can't find a way to hang on to it. Through all of her bad choices we still root for her because her heart is pure - and we know that there has to be a happy ending, right?

Turns out there is a war brewing in Europe in 1938, and the German Jewish are being persecuted. Rosie finds herself in the middle of it with Rolfe Van Horne and just like a blond starlet she has no idea what is going on around her. Alongside this growing tension, Rosie learns to accept the biblical phrase, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." How Rosie finally embraces this is our ultimate journey, and with this faith theme alongside a bit of intrigue this series is much like a soap opera, though with classy style. The Nazi plot line doesn't take precedence until the last section of the book, so don't buy this thinking you're getting a full look at the impending war. Most of the novel focuses on Rosie's relationships and the people she connects with, which eventually will bring us to the climax of the Nazi theme. Meanwhile, we'll just have to sit back and enjoy the movies and the glitzy ride that Rosie brings us on.

Previous threads of untied story lines do get a chance to be resolved in this conclusion, and since I've thoroughly enjoyed this Daughters of Fortune journey I am sad to see it end. I absolutely loved reading the author's note, as the biblical themes all came together with a huge dose of redemption, but I don't want to spoil it and clue you in. Duchess is a very well plotted story that totally had me crying at the end! I really wish the editing were a little bit more polished, as I spotted at least two errors. Still, with the dramatic writing style of Susan May Warren, I am wondering if I could step out of my comfort zone of historical themes and read one of her many contemporary novels. Definitely something worth looking into.

Thank you so much to LitFuse to providing me with a copy of Duchess to review! This series is special to me, because it was book one that actually turned me on to the Christian historical genre in 2011, and I haven't looked back since.

Susan May Warren is celebrating the release of Duchess with a Kindle Fire HD Giveaway.

One "glam" winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire HD
Signed copies of Duchess, Baroness and Heiress

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 4th. Winner will be announced on 5/7/13 at Susan's blog.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

TSS | The Bookish Memes

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:11:00 +0000

Not much to add for happy joy joy stuff after the Boston Marathon bombings and then the explosions here in Texas. Sad to see how our world is dismantling itself. I can only hope and pray for peace and recovery for all those affected, my heart goes out to them.

In good news, and we all need some, it does seem like Spring is here to stay in Texas: the weather is still a bit back and forth but it has been pleasantly warm! I think it's time for some Spring shopping.

I love playing on my iPhone with photo editing filters etc, look what I made last Sunday during the beautiful weather!! You can see a really green one on my facebook page. My daughter had fun taking pics. And what it really started out as me going down to look for my husband because supper was ready.. he was on the tractor on the other side of the pond. OF course. It seems like we are always playing hide and seek and it drives me nuts, especially at dinner time.

This week on Burton Book Review:

Review: The Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr (aka Victoria Holt/Jean Plaidy)
Review: The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (NEW FAVORITE!)

Coming soon will be my review of the final installment of Susan May Warren's Daughters of Fortune trilogy, Duchess, which is a favorite series of mine.

Also for fun, here is a link to a recent interview about me and historical fiction.. just a quick Q&A with Kayla of the Pittsburgh Examiner. Twice in this year that I've been interviewed, but I must admit I like my first one much better since I got to get a lot of things off my chest as a lowly blogger.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Mari @ MariReads for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

IN THE MAIL:

The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau, from a win at Broken Teepee courtesy of http://hfvirtualbooktours.com/ (YES! I entered as many of the giveaways as I could for this one!)

In the next novel from Nancy Bilyeau after her acclaimed debut The Crown, novice Joanna Stafford plunges into an even more dangerous conspiracy as she comes up against some of the most powerful men of her era.

In 1538, England is in the midst of bloody power struggles between crown and cross that threaten to tear the country apart. Joanna Stafford has seen what lies inside the king’s torture rooms and risks imprisonment again, when she is caught up in a shadowy international plot targeting the King. As the power plays turn vicious, Joanna understands she may have to assume her role in a prophecy foretold by three different seers, each more omniscient than the last.

Joanna realizes the life of Henry VIII as well as the future of Christendom are in her hands—hands that must someday hold the chalice that lays at the center of these deadly prophecies…

From a book swap:
The Wakefield Dynasty by Gilbert Morris, books 1 & 4, looks like there are 7 total in the series.
Two families--the Wakefields of nobility and the lower-class Morgans--are the focus of this sweeping generational saga, joined by intriguing personalities such as Elizabeth I, William Tyndale, and John Bunyan. Linking the people and events through the ages is the struggle of men and women who sought God as the answer to their difficulties.

The Sword of Truth by Gilbert Morris (published 1994)
Myles Morgan's discovery of his noble heritage introduces him to a fascinating new life in the English court and to the political conflict surrounding the translation of the Bible into English. Never in his wildest dreams did Myles Morgan believe he would rise above his commoner upbringing. Then through a tragic twist of fate, he is reunited with the father he never knew: Sir Robert Wakefield, lord and nobleman. Claimed as Wakefield's rightful heir, Myles is thrown into the dizzying life at court, the confusing intrigues of love, and the struggle between King Henry VIII and those seeking to bring the Bible to Englishmen in their own language--the most vocal of whom is a scholar named William Tyndale. Soon Myles must made a choice between the woman he has come to love and the faith he cannot live without. Share the drama, intrigue, and adventure of England's history, and experience the struggles of those who fought so valiantly for religious liberty.

The Fields of Glory by Gilbert Morris (published 1996)
Evan, Amos, and Jenny form a triangle of romance and adventure that takes them to the limits of their faith. With the help of an outspoken minister named John Bunyan they are drawn closer to God.

Evan Morgan--bold and wild, a young man whose convictions and passions run deep...Amos Wakefield--bearer of a noble name, who is determined to do whatever it takes to live up to his family's reputation...Jenny Clairmont--a young runaway who comes to Wakefield with Evan, seeking a better life. Together these three form a triangle of romance and adventure that will take each of them to the limits of their faith, drawing them closer to God through the powerful presence and ministry of an outspoken young minister: John Bunyan.

The Homeplace by Gilbert Morris (published 2005)
Book one of four in The Singing River Series
Lanie took out her journal and dated it April 12, 1928. She started the habit of writing down everything that happened to her when she was no more than eight years old, and now she had six journals completely full. She thought about the prize at school, almost prayed to win, but somehow she could not. 'God, ' she finally said, 'I'll do my best, and if you'll help me, that's all I ask.' Fourteen-year-old Lanie Belle Freeman of Fairhope, Arkansas, has high hopes for her future. Happy on the five-acre family homeplace, she dreams of going to college and becoming a writer. And with her father launching a new business and her mother expecting the fifth baby, the bright days of an early Southern spring seem to herald expansive new beginnings for the Freeman family. But her mother isn't as strong as she should be, and it's going to take time for the business to pay back the mortgage. When unexpected tragedy strikes, it is left to Lanie to keep the family together and hold on to their home. In a world shaken by the Great Depression, it is faith in God and love in a tightly knit family that will help Lanie and her siblings overcome the odds and create a future that promises the fulfillment of love. The Homeplace offers a warmhearted and inspiring saga of a courageous young woman who holds her family together through the Depression era.

FEATURED E-BOOK DOWNLOAD:

A Light On The Veranda by Ciji Ware
a sequel to Midnight on Julia Street

"A secret may hold for a hundred years... and then it's time for the past to take revenge"

Daphne Duvallon vowed never to return to the South years ago when she left her philandering fiance at the altar. Now family has called her back to Natchez, Mississippi, a city as mysterious and compelling as the ghostly voices that haunt her dreams.

From a time when the oldest settlement on the Mississippi was in its heyday and vast fortunes were made and lost, Daphne begins to uncover the secrets of an ancestor whose fate is somehow linked with her own. In a compelling and mesmerizing tale, now Daphne must right the wrongs of the past, or follow the same path into tragedy...

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

Currently Reading
This week I read David and Bathsheba which is a reissue from 1980. I am glad to see the biblical titles coming back again, but this one was pretty straight-laced. This is another reason why I don't like reading e-galleys, I always wonder if the funky formatting is taking away from my enjoyment. There were several moments where I was like, hey I remember that...so it will help my enjoyment of reading those parts of the bible again. It is being published again in June 2013 and my review will post a bit closer to that pub date.

After David and Bathsheba, I picked up Roses Have Thorns from Sandra Byrd. I have not read any of her others yet, since the most recent ones have been set during the Tudor era and we all know about Tudor Burnout Stick A Fork In Me. This one is a stand alone in her Ladies in Waiting series, and after much prodding I've decided to take the plunge. It has been marketed as a bit of a mix of Christian plus Tudor themes, but I don't notice anything that would deem it being considered a Christian Historical. Every now and then there is a small biblical quote but it quickly moves on. This one is a bit different only because it features Helena Von Snakenborg who was a favorite courtier of Elizabeth I.

Up Next
It Happened at The Fair by Deeanne Gist
What A Mother Knows by Leslie Lehr

May 1 begins the group read of The Bastard King by Jean Plaidy, I welcome you to read along with us on Goodreads.

I am on target to finish reading my Study Bible VERY SOON! Can you BELIEVE IT?! So excited.

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:05:00 +0000

Fantastic Regency era romance full of intrigue and faith values!

The Heiress of Winterwood (Whispers on the Moors Book #1) by Sarah E. Ladd
Christian Historical Romance
Thomas Nelson; April 9, 2013
Paperback 320 pages
Review copy provided by publisher via LitFuse in exchange for this review, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

Purchase your copy here
Follow along Sarah's virtual tour here

I edited out some of the plot in the following synopsis....

Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an ancestral estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s infant baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word—even to the point of proposing to the child’s father, Graham, a sea captain she’s never met.

Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she examines her soul and must face her one weakness: pride.

Graham’s strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline.

Both must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has for planned for them.

I must say I devoured this one, I could NOT put it down. I am VERY glad I didn't read the synopsis or back cover thoroughly, or I would have been anticipating what was a big twist in the story. (I HATE when marketing gives away the plot!) ..vent over..The above synopsis is safe for consumption since I deleted the middle.

The story is set during England's Regency era where Amelia Barrett finds herself as a temporary guardian of an infant. Nine months later, the father of the infant comes back to retrieve her, and Amelia is willing to stop at nothing so that the baby can remain in her custody. Captain Graham Sterling is a neighbor to Amelia, but he has been away at sea for most of his life. Upon his return to his estate he finds his brother William has ran it into debt, and he is not worthy of caring for his daughter. Amelia is the best person for the job, but Amelia's intended does not want anything to do with the Sterling baby.

Turns out this is really not just a romance - as there is more suspense and intrigue that you can shake a stick at!! Amelia realizes that her engagement to a shady Edward Littleton must not be acted upon, but it turns out that Littleton doesn't really want Amelia anyway - he wants her estate and is ready to move heaven and earth to get it. In an era where a woman is bound to be loyal to a man and her family, Amelia has little hope of achieving her dreams of being a mother to her friend's baby when scoundrels like Littleton stand in her way.

Many plot twists occur which have us losing breath as we try and keep up with Amelia's headstrong ways as one disaster after the other happen at breakneck speed - which is why I could not put this novel down! I loved how the faith factor was skillfully inserted, both Amelia and Graham have to mend their ways and the novel shows how they approach their faith in order for them to have a happy outcome. The narrative seamlessly shifts from both of the main character's point of views and we are eager to see them both succeed. The love story was achingly slow, as we knew these two are made for each other, but it was a nice backdrop to the fast paced intrigue. A fantastic debut for author Sarah Ladd, and I CANNOT wait to see what is next.. since this is book one of a series, I am guessing that the ill-fated cousin Helen will be featured in book two.... (no spoilers, so I'll hush!!)

The journey towards absolute trust in God + idyllic setting + good vs. evil + sweet romance + a plethora of interesting characters = a new favorite novel and five star read!!

My Goodreads Reading Progress:

04/07	page 320	100.0%	"Squeeeeeee.. Loved it!!!"
04/07	page 262	81.0%	"I love this book - will be sad to see it end. But I can't stop myself from reading it!"
04/06	page 135	42.0%	"Methinks they shouldn't leave Amelia unprotected tonight, after that shocking announcement!"
04/06	page 82	25.0%	"Amelia is betrothed to a cad."
04/05	page 1	0.0%	"OOHH first lines: 'Katherine was going to die. And Amelia could do nothing to prevent it

Sarah Ladd is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire
Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

The Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr (aka Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt)

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:02:00 +0000

The Miracle at St. Bruno's (Daughters of England #1) by Philippa Carr
Gothic Historical Romance of the 70's
Book from my personal collection
Burton Book Review Rating:

Available on Kindle now!

"I was born in the September of 1523, nine months after the monks had discovered the child in the crib on that Christmas morning. My birth was, my father used to say, another miracle: He was not young at the time being forty years of age . . . My mother, whose great pleasure was tending her gardens, called me Damask, after the rose which Dr. Linacre, the King's physician, had brought into England that year."

Thus begins the story narrated by Damask Farland, daughter of a well-to-do lawyer whose considerable lands adjoin those of St. Bruno's Abbey. It is a story of a life inextricably enmeshed with that of Bruno, the mysterious child found on the abbey altar that Christmas morning and raised by the monks to become a man at once handsome and saintly, but also brooding and ominous, tortured by the secret of his origin which looms ever more menacingly over the huge abbey he comes to dominate.

This is also the story of an engaging family, the Farlands. Of a father wise enough to understand "the happier our King is, the happier I as a true subject must be," a wife twenty years his junior, and a daughter whose intelligence is constantly to war with the strange hold Bruno has upon her destiny. What happens to the Farlands against the background of what is happening to King Henry and his court during this robust period provides a novel in which suspense and the highlights of history are wonderfully balanced.

I was fortunate to be able to participate in the read along for this first book of the gothic series that prolific author Eleanor Hibbert/Jean Plaidy wrote under her pen-name of Philippa Carr. It is the story of a family in England struggling to stay out of trouble during the tyrannical reign of Henry VIII and eventually his daughter Queen Mary.

The main characters are three .. "we three as one": Damask, the daughter of the household, Kate, her distant cousin, and Bruno, the miracle child that was brought up next door to Damask in the Abbey. Religious turmoil permeates the land, as persecution reaches its wicked tentacles out to the innocents, and Damask and Kate attempt to live their lives after tragedies occur.

Damask is introduced to us as a young girl, and by the end of the story we pretty much see what would be the end of her life as well. She was a narrator that could easily get on your nerves though, she is supposed to be so uber smart, yet it seems she doesn't see the reality in front of her face and that got tedious after awhile. The other characters were all well done with bad guys and good guys; the plus was that in the background we also had Henry VIII and his wives. The writing had small lulls - as we knew that the proverbial shoe was going to drop and we kept waiting for it. Full of tension and the gothic style of melodramatics, this was a fun read that definitely has me intrigued enough to at least see what happens with the next generation in book two. I had been suspecting what was to be the "climatic moment" when it hit by page 357, but it was still awesome.

I haven't read a series in a very long time that features a particular family through a long period of time, though the Morland series comes to mind (Cynthia Harrod Eagles). These two series have completely different tones, as I would not hesitate to recommend this first book of the Daughters of England to the Young Adult reader who is intrigued by the tumultuous reign of the Tudors and their effects on the families of England.

This novel was part of my 2013 To-Be-Read-Pile Reading Challenge hosted by Roof Beam Reader

Checking in for April here

The next novel I'm reading for the challenge will be another by the same author (different pen-name) The Bastard King by Plaidy. You are welcome to join the group and read along with us, starting May 1.

I read along with the Goodreads Plaidy group for The Miracle at St. Bruno's and we had great discussions there about the book, but here are some of the status updates from the book as I was reading (you may have to be my friend there in order to see since I'm pasting):

Marie Burton is on page 291 of 376

A slightly tortuous journey at this point. Kill them all already.

— Apr 11, 2013 03:14pm

Marie’s Previous Updates

Marie Burton is finished

It is done. The Miracle persists.

— Apr 12, 2013 11:45am

Marie Burton is on page 357 of 376

HOLY HELL AND TARNATION BATMAN

— Apr 12, 2013 11:13am

Marie Burton is on page 355 of 376

Reading the last chapter... I wonder how I'll fell about this title when it's done.

— Apr 12, 2013 10:28am

Marie Burton is on page 267 of 376

Enjoying this first Philippa Carr novel (pseudonym of Jean Plaidy).

— Apr 06, 2013 07:27pm

Marie Burton is on page 249 of 376

Lots of uh-oh moments!!

— Apr 06, 2013 07:01am

Marie Burton is on page 185 of 376

The story is full of twists and turns, I am enjoying its gothic feel.

— Apr 04, 2013 07:50pm

Marie Burton is on page 156 of 376

Poignant!

— Apr 02, 2013 01:56pm

Marie Burton is on page 123 of 376

This chapter is titled the shadow of the ax.. And the king is Henry VIII.. Makes me wanna scream "run girl, run !!!

TSS | Mailbox Joys | Is it Spring yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:30:00 +0000

Tax time, folks! Did you get your taxes done? Aren't I a sweetheart for reminding you? I hope you are getting a refund, anyway. We got enough so we can buy some shoelaces or something extravagant like that. It's been a yucky spring thus far, so next winter I need to not say I can't wait for Spring!! and instead say I can't wait for Summer! (Remind me this summer when it's 110 degrees out how miserable I've been). This weather going back and forth is killing my sinuses and I've had a headache for a month.

This past week on the blog:

In fun Bloggy land, the Armchair BEA is fast approaching.. registrations will be opening soon, so you should go subscribe to their blog so you can keep updated on it and don't miss out. Last year I had tons of fun conversing with other bloggers, and meeting NEW bloggers too. You will have opportunities to link up daily 'get-to-know-me' or writing prompt type posts, as well as giveaways galore. Get some books in mind to host your own giveaway! The dates are from May 28 thru June 2, 2013, which coincides with the BEA Conference in NYC that many of us don't get to go to. So we can have tons of fun for FREE from the comfort of our own computers =) And more giveaways for us, squee!

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Mari @ MariReads for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

In my Mailbox:
From Paperbackswap:

February 2013

Rebekah (Wives of the Patriarchs #2) by Jill Eileen Smith
When her father dies and she is left in the care of her conniving brother Laban, Rebekah knows her life has changed forever. Her hope for the future is restored when she falls in love with her cousin Isaac, and their relationship starts strong. But marital bliss cannot last forever, and the birth of their twin sons marks the beginning of years of misunderstanding, disagreement, and betrayal. The rift between them grows wider and wider until it is surely too deep to be mended. And yet, with God all things are possible.
Join bestselling author Jill Eileen Smith as she fills in the blanks around the biblical women behind the men we know well. Her in-depth research and creative storytelling bring Rebekah's unique story alive with romance, heartache, and the power of forgiveness.

Grace in Thine Eyes (Lowlands of Scotland #4) by Liz Curtis Higgs
Davina McKie is a bonny lass of seventeen, as clever as they come and a gifted musician. Unable to speak since childhood, she is doted on by her belligerent younger brothers, Will and Sandy, who vow to protect their silent sister. — When the lads are forced to depart the glen, Jamie McKie intends to brighten his daughter’s summer by escorting Davina to the Isle of Arran. Her cousins make her welcome at the manse, and the parish delights in hearing their talented fiddler.

But when she catches the eye of a handsome young Highlander on Midsummer Eve, sheltered Davina is unprepared for the shocking events that follow.

A timeless story of passion and revenge, of lost innocence and shattered dreams, Grace in Thine Eyes explores the sorrow of unspeakable shame and the gift of immeasurable grace.

Has anyone read any of these Liz Curtis Higgs titles? I've been collecting them so that now I have all four of the Lowlands of Scotland series. Now.. the hard part is finding time to read them.

For Review:

June 2013

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (a sort of sequel to The Shadowy Horses! squeeee!)
Nicola Marter was born with a gift: when she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When the gallery she works in receives a wooden carving she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird, the mythical bird that inspires an old Russian fairytale and was once owned by Russia’s famed Empress Catherine.

Nicola’s investigation into the Firebird’s origin draws her into the 1715 world of Anna Logan and leads her on a quest through Scotland, France and Russia, unearthing a tale of love and sacrifice, of courage and redemption.

It Happened at the Fair by Deeanne Gist (I really enjoyed the author's last one, Love On The Line)
A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair’s Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

So I did pickup Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman and reviewed it here, and enjoyed that one as I was reading One Perfect Life and then also the read along book for the Plaidy Group, The Miracle at St. Bruno's (Review can be found here on Monday) and then not to mention the bible which I am supposed to complete on April 29.. I did finish that Bruno's book and now I just need to write the review and start planning the next read along..
take a breath.. I've never read more than one book at a time like I've done so often the last few months, and I am tired of it, lol.

I'm reading David and Bathsheba now, which is a reissue from 1980 I believe, and I don't know what I'm going to read next, since I've got a million to read.

I have a million books to read still, and they are all ones I WANT to read, but I am getting to the point where the pile of them which never seems to diminish is getting aggravating. Why am I always feeling so totally behind? Why am I always feeling like I'm doing a reading marathon because I HAVE TO GET THE REVIEW PUBLISHED, and WHY do I always do this to myself - the usual admonitions of the book blogger.

Granted the pile is not quite so large as it was before, especially since there are some I've decided to completely ignore from last year. But it is still enough to make me mad. I have been turning down the 'random' requests - but the ones specifically from authors that I've reviewed for before, I don't want to leave them hanging, and so I cave. I must stop. I don't mind accepting ones from LitFuse publicity, because all of those that I pick are always great reads of my favorite Christian historical themes. It's the ones that pile up on the side that kill me, because they don't have blog tour dates and so I say sure I can throw one more in there, blah blah blah and they all just pile up.

Le sigh. I shall stop complaining. You know the story. I need to grow up and manage my life properly!
I mean, as long as I get to watch Dallas and the Vikings, I am happy.

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

April 9, 2013

Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman
Fiction/Historical blend
Simon and Schuster; April 9, 2013
Paperback 420 pages
Review copy provided by the publisher, thank you!
Burton Book Review Rating:

I was very excited to be offered this one because the last novel I'd read by this author had made it to my favorites/Best of 2011 List.

From the author of Wildflower Hill, this breathtaking novel travels more than a century between two love stories set in the Australian seaside town of Lighthouse Bay.

In 1901, a ship sinks off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The only survivor is Isabella Winterbourne, who clutches a priceless gift meant for the Australian Parliament. This gift could be her ticket to a new life, free from the bonds of her husband and his overbearing family. But whom can she trust in Lighthouse Bay?

Fast-forward to 2011: after losing her lover, Libby Slater leaves her life in Paris to return to her hometown of Lighthouse Bay, hoping to gain some perspective and grieve her recent loss. Libby also attempts to reconcile with her sister, Juliet, to whom she hasn’t spoken in twenty years. Libby did something so unforgivable, Juliet is unsure if she can ever trust her sister again.

In these two adventurous love stories, both Isabella and Libby must learn that letting go of the past is the only way to move into the future. The answers they seek lie in Lighthouse Bay.

After a very mysterious prologue, the story starts off with the contemporary setting of Libby as she returns to her hometown in Australia after leaving it for twenty years. Seeking a rebirth and perhaps hiding a bit from a shameful life as a mistress to a married man, Libby has little sense of belonging anywhere. She is unsure of her future plans, and her estranged sister isn't welcoming her with open arms. Juliet and Libby will have to come to an understanding of forgiveness in order for them to have any future together as a family cohabiting the same small town.

A century before, there is a shipwreck and only one survivor. After washing up on the shore near Lighthouse Bay, Isabella has no desire of being discovered, and she takes on another identity. As a member of the esteemed and powerful Winterbourne family she has to lay low in order to keep her secrets, but when she shows up in a small community it is hard for her to go unnoticed. Isabella has choices to make for her future - but can she outrun her past?

These two stories are lightly intertwined with each other as they follow a similar theme of regrets, remorse and the knowledge that your past makes up you are today. Forgiveness and redemption are themes of these two women who are unrelated but both dependent on the same community (in different ways). Isabella is close to madness with grief for her dead infant, and it follows her throughout the journey.

I normally have a preference for a specific character when juxtaposing timelines like this, but I felt connected to both Isabella and Libby. In the contemporary world, it is easy to portray Libby as a shallow individual with little morals, but the reader would need to be able to see past the modern values to get to Libby's heart. The character of Isabella was perhaps a bit more intriguing only because of the suspense of whether her secrets will be kept, and after such grievous losses it is easy to empathize with her. I enjoyed the story in the author's writing, and surprisingly the switching of timelines and characters was done seamlessly. There were romantic moments, poignant moments, and great storytelling for these two different women who were worlds apart but both going through their own thing. Minor characters also do a good job of adding substance to the story so that we get a real sense of the community at Lighthouse Bay in Australia. I love Freeman's writing style and recommend her work to readers for her strong female characters and the intriguing plots she spins for them.

Thank you, Judy Blume

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:05:00 +0000

Thank you, Judy.

Pretty sure this was my first Troll book order

It started with Freckle Juice, and ended with Forever. But forever means forever.. and Judy Blume is forever a part of me. In the middle of those titles were Deenie, Tiger Eyes, Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Are You There God? It's Me Margaret. Yes, there were more of Blume's works that I read, but these are the ones that symbolize the childhood of Marie June-Ann Gardner. Starring myself: in all my splendor of gawkiness, full force.

the version I read as a girl

These are the books that got me through those awkward years; these are the books that showed me that is was okay to be a girl. That it was okay to be Marie. That it was okay to be different. That is was okay to have feelings. Feelings of insecurities, feelings of sadness, and the pre-teen angst of everything happening at once - too fast for my heart, too slow to keep up with the other girls. I read these books at least twenty times over. I went to the library and borrowed those books over and over again.

the version I read as a girl

There was a fantastic hardcover of Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself (1977 edition?) that I probably had at my home longer than it ever spent at the library. I remember reading it outside on lounge chairs, in my bedroom, on the floor of the living room, bringing it to school with me (total dork that I was).. it was a significant novel that spurred my love for historical fiction that lives on to this day.

Judy Blume's novels got me through that life, and helped prepare me to be the woman I am today. As a book blogger, I talk books every single day, and if I’m ever asked of favorite authors, Judy Blume comes to mind immediately. She was a rock to me. I wrote book reports about her and her books whenever I could. She was the reason for twenty years of my life I said I wanted to be a writer.

the scandalous one

When I was about thirteen I decided I wanted to read Forever. I put my name in to put it on hold at the library, not having any idea how intense the actual book was. Turns out the librarian was on top of things and contacted my FATHER to let him know what it was all about. (AWKWARD!!) When it came my turn to borrow it, my father borrowed it so he could see if I was ready for it. He read through it, kept it 'hidden', and I secretly read it when he wasn't looking. He obviously had already told me I was not allowed to read it. ‘That’s okay, daddy. I understand,’ I replied sweetly.

Perhaps I was too young to read it, in hindsight. But it was Judy Blume who got me through tons of life events, and it's really not a bad thing to say that Judy Blume introduced me to Ralph. My husband still has no idea why I silently cringe at his middle name of Ralph. (And because of Forever, I never really could get myself to read Wifey, I am not sure I'm ready for that yet.)

I've bought my daughter several of Judy’s novels, praying she will find the solace in them that I had found. Turns out she’d be more comfortable with the iPod in her hand instead of a book. Lord knows I am not ever going to let my daughter read Forever.

Do you have a Judy Blume story? Join in on the Judy Blume Project!

The project was featured on BlogHer, and you can submit your own story (information HERE) and maybe it'll be published!

Find the project on Twitter and then also on Facebook.

One Perfect Life by John MacArthur

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:51:00 +0000

One Perfect Life: The Complete Story of the Lord Jesus by John MacArthur
Thomas Nelson Publishers, March 5, 2013
Hardcover 480 pages
Review copy provided via publisher/Booksneeze
Burton Book Review Rating:

Read the best news the world has ever been given about the most significant life in all history—Jesus Christ. In One Perfect Life, Dr. John MacArthur shares with us the complete story of the Eternal Christ from Genesis to Revelation. Using Matthew as the base text, Dr. MacArthur blends the gospels and other biblical material about Jesus into one continuous story that will help you better understand Scripture and grow stronger in your faith. No other harmony of the Gospels includes such extensive study notes to help you unpack the meaning of each verse.

The moment I saw this book, claiming the complete story of Jesus Christ, I knew this would be a great companion to reading the gospels. I was especially pleased that it takes the scriptures from my version of choice, the New King James version. This book studies the gospels chronologically - taking the exact text from the bible and puts them in an easy to read format with no extra narrative provided by the author besides the notes, which range from not too explanatory to a small bit of depth. As I was beginning the book, I was a little taken aback at the structure as I was learning how it flowed, but just a few chapters in I felt I was settled and could organize my thoughts alongside this presentation of the gospels.

Example of topics from Table of Contents, which were also separated into parts

I say easy to read only because the text is separated my mini-topics, sometimes leaving blank spaces where the text would be and at the bottom are the notes. So while the 480 pages as a whole might look like a lot, taking into account much of the blank space throughout the book it reads swiftly. Because of the many references if you are flipping line by line back and forth it is not going to read 'easy', but if you overlook that hindrance, overall the book is worthwhile. It is not adding any new information then what is already provided in the bible, but it is the portrayal of the bible verses that makes this different.

Sample page, notes shown beneath the line

I loved how the text incorporated the verses from across the gospels to create the harmony of the story, and that is what the book is all about: a look at Jesus and his ministry WITHOUT adding an author's take or interpretation of the bible. The entire book is a blending of the bible (from Matthew to Luke for instance) in the same paragraph, but using their words from the New King James version to create a cohesive look at a particular event or teaching of Jesus. For example, with the topic of The Transfiguration of Christ (Chapter 88) the text incorporates the biblical verses from Matthew, Luke and Peter.

For those readers looking for a narrative on Jesus in story format, this is not it. This is a study bible focused on Jesus's ministry which puts together all the gospels in one page when portraying a particular event.
One Perfect Life succeeded in its task to present the life of Jesus using the Scriptures as its beginning and end, and it should be an inspiring tool for those readers who have read the bible but wanted to focus their bible studies on a more central theme of Jesus and his ministry. Because of the format, I also think it is a book that can be referred to over and over so the reader can highlight the passages that are important to their journey of faith and use One Perfect Life as an excellent companion to their bible.

Thank you to BookSneeze for providing me a complimentary of One Perfect Life in exchange for this honest review.

*I am aware that there are 'religious topics' out there that show John MacArthur vs. Joel Osteen, as well as MacArthur being a prominent figurehead of his religious views; this review in no way reflects that reality. I feel that this work from John MacArthur presents an unbiased account of Jesus using the bible.

A Question for Readers: Sub-genres of Historical Novels

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:00:00 +0000

????

There was a post recently regarding genres, sub-genres and their apparent lack of merits at the Historical Novel Society website. I can see, as an author, how frustrating it must feel to get their book published and yet have it not be pushed as a genre they intended. Such as the last title I've reviewed for HNS, The End of The Point.. which as a reader and not as a bookseller/publisher I would certainly classify as literary fiction (after having read it). I am not a literary novel type of person and if I thought it was MORE literary as opposed to HISTORICAL I would have passed. But when I see a book offered as epic saga family type novel set against the backdrop of the second World War, off the bat I am thinking 'historical' and lots of juicy passion in the writing kind of thing where I fall in love with characters (involved with the war effort, even) and I want to see a real story arc (beginning, middle, end) that is laced with historical details.

As a reader, that's what I need in order to be entertained. The literary novels I've read have just flat lined for me, such as Paul Auster's Sunset Park. I wanted to be cool and trendy and love the characters, but it was just depressing. I fear Jonathan Franzen might evoke the same thing for me. Obviously, readers have their own tastes and preferences and that's what makes blogging about books fun. Oprah has her picks, and I have mine. And then you have yours.

So if a book is slotted into a sub-genre of Literary Historical, I know that this is a title I am not going to enjoy since I've tried two of these recently. Isn't that a great service, to have this sub-genre classification? Same as the sub-genre of Christian Historicals. These are quite a lot like Historical romances, aka historical fiction.. but they are always going to have some measure of Christianity/faith based values as a theme or side story or something. If you are an atheist, wouldn't you appreciate knowing beforehand that the historical romance you are about to read is actually a Christian Historical and that perhaps you are going to get a large dose of bible thumping? (No disrespect, Jesus, you know I love you).

Sub-genres are a good thing, right? Are sub-genres too confusing for you? Steampunk, New Adult..these are other genres that I've said WHAT are those, lol.. because obviously that's not where my interests lie. Historically speaking, as a reader, don't you think you would appreciate the sub-genre breakdown where applicable? But yet it seems I was outnumbered on the discussion regarding sub-genres. It seems as an author, they find sub-genres frustrating. So what about the readers?

And this sort of goes back to an older article at the HNS, Defining the Genre and another question I have. Historically speaking, how old does a topic/setting have to be in order to be slated under the historical fiction genre? HNS general rule of thumb is fifty years, so that makes anything set before the year 1963 historical. Have you read books that slightly mar that date line, and yet are still deemed historical worthy? (Turns out, the title mentioned in the beginning of this post The End of the Point just begins with 1940 but jumps forward in timeline and the bulk is set during the sixties).

As a reader, would you support the use of sub-genres classification? Why or why not?

As a reader have you come across any novels that have been deemed historical fiction, and perhaps they should have been better served under a different genre or sub-genre?

Or.. am I just reading too much into things, and I shouldn't be going down that sub-genre path? Inquiring minds want to know.

TSS: Bookish IT'S FINALLY APRIL memes

noreply@blogger.com (Marie Burton) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:30:00 +0000

WHAT a MONTH March was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you March for finally leaving this universe, till we meet again, you wicked one...(I'll have a year to prepare for you, so watch out!)

Oliver and Morgan, Baptism + Communion weekend

But, I did have a bit of triumph as March got washed away with our rains on Easter.. my kiddos are officially ready for Jesus as they were both baptized on Saturday night's Easter Vigil and my daughter also received her first Holy Communion on Easter Sunday. It was a fabulous weekend minus the downpour and the flooded living room.

Now, WHERE'S SPRING?!?! As you can tell from the morning of Easter picture above, here in Texas it's not exactly always sunny and bright. That makes me grumpy. But even though it was a soggy mess later on, the sun did shine bright when we got home from the services.

Myself and Morgan

I have not been able to read as much of my historical novels as I would normally have, since I have been diligently preparing my family for that weekend of hope and faith, but I am now looking forward to a bit of normalcy in my reading schedule. The Plaidy Goodreads group is planning to read The Bastard King (book 1 in the Norman Trilogy) and you are welcome to join us. The start date is May 1 so you have plenty of time to find a copy from a used book source online.

Mailbox Monday is a meme originally from Marcia's Mailbox and is being hosted by Mari @ MariReads for this month. The Story Siren also hosts IMM, so we can find some cool YA titles there as well.

In the Mail:

Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd
A masterpiece that is breathtaking in its scope, SARUM is an epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history. This rich tapesty weaves a compelling saga of five families who preserve their own particular characteristics over the centuries, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the future.

The Forest by Edward Rutherfurd
A sprawling tome that combines fact with fiction and covers 900 years in the history of New Forest, a 100,000-acre woodland in southern England . . . Rutherfurd sketches the histories of six fictional families, ranging from aristocrats to peasants, who have lived in the forest for generations. . . . But the real success is in how Rutherfurd paints his picture of the wooded enclave with images of treachery and violence, as well as magic and beauty.

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
Rural Wisconsin, 1909. In the bitter cold, Ralph Truitt, a successful businessman, stands alone on a train platform waiting for the woman who answered his newspaper advertisement for "a reliable wife." But when Catherine Land steps off the train from Chicago, she's not the "simple, honest woman" that Ralph is expecting. She is both complex and devious, haunted by a terrible past and motivated by greed. Her plan is simple: she will win this man's devotion, and then, ever so slowly, she will poison him and leave Wisconsin a wealthy widow. What she has not counted on, though, is that Truitt a passionate man with his own dark secrets has plans of his own for his new wife. Isolated on a remote estate and imprisoned by relentless snow, the story of Ralph and Catherine unfolds in unimaginable ways. (I still haven't decided if I want to take this path, but we'll see if I am in the mood for a creepy novel).

And Only To Deceive by Tasha Alexander
From gifted new writer Tasha Alexander comes a stunning novel of historical suspense set in Victorian England, meticulously researched and with a twisty plot that involves stolen antiquities, betrayal, and murder. For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother, who was set on a grand society match. So when Emily's dashing husband died on safari soon after their wedding, she felt little grief. After all, she barely knew him. Now, nearly two years later, she discovers that Philip was a far different man from the one she had married so cavalierly. His journals reveal him to have been a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who, to her surprise, was deeply in love with his wife. Emily becomes fascinated with this new image of her dead husband and she immerses herself in all things ancient and begins to study Greek. Emily's intellectual pursuits and her desire to learn more about Philip take her to the quiet corridors of the British Museum, one of her husband's favorite places. There, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries. And to complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond the marrying kind. As she sets out to solve the crime, her search leads to more surprises about Philip and causes her to question the role in Victorian society to which she, as a woman, is relegated.

Lady's Maid by Margaret Forster
Young and timid but full of sturdy good sense and awakening sophistication, Lily Wilson arrives in London in 1844, becoming a lady’s maid to the fragile, housebound Elizabeth Barrett. Lily is quickly drawn to her mistress’s gaiety and sharp intelligence, the power of her poetry, and her deep emotional need. It is a strange intimacy that will last sixteen years.
It is Lily who smuggles Miss Barrett out of the gloomy Wimpole Street house, witnesses her secret wedding to Robert Browning in an empty church, and flees with them to threadbare lodgings and the heat, light, and colors of Italy. As housekeeper, nursemaid, companion, and confidante, Lily is with Elizabeth in every crisis–birth, bereavement, travel, literary triumph. As her devotion turns almost to obsession, Lily forgets her own fleeting loneliness. But when Lily’s own affairs take a dramatic turn, she comes to expect the loyalty from Elizabeth that she herself has always given

Blood and Silk by Carol McKay (isn't it odd that I have had two Mary Magdalene books two weeks in a row?)
Blood and Silk: The Hidden Love Story of Mary of Magdala and Jesus of Nazareth is author Carol McKay's gift to everyone fascinated by the life of Mary of Magdala-Mary Magdalene-and her often misunderstood relationship to Jesus of Nazareth. In this beautifully crafted historical novel, the reader is guided through a time rich with art and architecture, and fraught with change and controversy. Mary's narration introduces us to first-century Judea, when the atmosphere crackled with fear, and determination of friend or foe was often difficult, if not impossible. As much as theologians paint the story about Mary and Jesus as straightforward and even simple in nature, the author reminds us that theirs was a love weighed down and complicated by the politics of the day. The story of Mary, and then Mary and Jesus, is intricate and often as perilous as the times in which they lived. Founded on historical accuracy and an eye for a well-told story, this is a novel that will fascinate and delight.

For Review:

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (reading this now! I'm almost done so it's fantastic stuff!)

Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Tragedy strikes when the child vanishes with little more than a sketchy ransom note hinting to her whereabouts. Fear for the child’s safety drives Amelia and Graham to test the boundaries of their love for this infant.

Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she examines her soul and must face her one weakness: pride.

Graham’s strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline.

Both must learn to accept God’s sovereignty and relinquish control so they can grasp the future He has for planned for them.

Duchess (Daughters of Fortune Book #3) by Susan May Warren (It was this series that got me started on Christian Historical fiction!)

The golden age of Hollywood is in the business of creating stars. Rosie Worth, now starlet Roxy Price, has found everything she’s wanted in the glamour of the silver screen. With adoring fans and a studio-mogul husband, she’s finally silenced the voices—and grief—of the past. Her future shines bright…until the fated Black Friday when it all comes crashing down. When Roxy loses everything, she finds herself disgraced and penniless. Her only hope is to join forces with Belgian duke Rolfe Van Horne, a longtime film investor. But Rolfe is not who he seems, and he has other plans for Roxy and her movies—plans to support a growing unrest in Europe, plans that could break her heart and endanger her life.
When her country needs her, will she have the courage to surrender her glittering world and her one true love?

Featured eBook Download:

Set Sail My Heart: A Novella by Colleen Coble
Miranda Leyton has just been dismissed as governess by an unreasonable mistress when she receives an amazing letter from her brother containing money for her passage to Australia. There’s also a cryptic message about being careful with some documents he’s sent. The gruff ship’s doctor Philip Jackson gets her back up immediately, but when he asks for help in the infirmary, she agrees. When a wealthy gentleman begins to show his interest in Miranda, she’s flattered, but she finds herself watching the doctor more than she intends. But which man actually sees and cares about the real woman? And which one is after the precious treasure she carries?

The What Are You Reading meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey where we keep track of what we are currently reading and plan to read.

This past week I finished A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund, it was the perfect read during a busy time for me as it really helped de-stress me. Read the review here.

Then I picked up Duchess (shown at top with the mailbox goodies) by Susan May Warren... and as expected, I devoured that one. I am sad the series is coming to an end actually, but I'm glad I've kept these books so I can reread them later. The series is perfect for a bit of a fun soap-opera type novel, with great historical settings. My review is coming in a few weeks for Duchess! This author has many contemporary novels out, and I wonder if I should take the plunge. If you've read any Susan May Warren books, I'd love for you to tell me where to start!

CURRENTLY READING:
Shown above is The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah Ladd and I started that when I was done with Duchess, it is one of those stories full of page turning dilemmas that made me stay up too late last night reading. What a fantastic debut novel it is! It also makes me rethink my opinion that I should have been born in the Regency era -- women do not get to have a lot of say in the matter of their lives

I also started reading One Perfect Life by John MacArthur, and even though it is not exactly what I expected I am still enjoying it now that I've gotten used to the format. It blends biblical text to create a focused look on the life of Jesus's ministry.

I am also still reading for the readalong on Goodreads, The Miracle at St. Bruno's by Philippa Carr. If I didn't have other review reads to complete first, I would have been long done with this one. It reads so well, I love the writing style. And it has a great gothicky feel even though it's set against the horrors of Henry VIII's hang 'em all reign. This is book one of TWENTY... not sure how far we'll take this read along, lol!

UP NEXT:
I really want to sneak in Lighthouse Bay by Kimberley Freeman, so it'll be that one and then probably start on my first Mary Connealy book, Swept Away:

Laughter, Romance, and Action Abound in This New Series from Mary Connealy

Hope your April reads are good ones and that Spring is really coming in your neck of the woods!