Book Review: As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner

As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner
ARC, e-Book, 387 pages
Berkley Books
February 6, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received the book via Netgalley request

From the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life and A Bridge Across the Ocean comes a new novel set in Philadelphia during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which tells the story of a family reborn through loss and love.

In 1918, Philadelphia was a city teeming with promise. Even as its young men went off to fight in the Great War, there were opportunities for a fresh start on its cobblestone streets. Into this bustling town, came Pauline Bright and her husband, filled with hope that they could now give their three daughters--Evelyn, Maggie, and Willa--a chance at a better life.

But just months after they arrive, the Spanish Flu reaches the shores of America. As the pandemic claims more than twelve thousand victims in their adopted city, they find their lives left with a world that looks nothing like the one they knew. But even as they lose loved ones, they take in a baby orphaned by the disease who becomes their single source of hope. Amidst the tragedy and challenges, they learn what they cannot live without--and what they are willing to do about it.

As Bright as Heaven is the compelling story of a mother and her daughters who find themselves in a harsh world, not of their making, which will either crush their resolve to survive or purify it.

What an interesting read! There are so many angles to this story, areas that are not frequently explored in fiction, that this story felt fresh and new throughout. There aren’t many novels that deal with the Spanish Flu, even when they are telling the stories of WWI, but Susan Meissner handled the effects of the Flu on Philadelphia masterfully and wove it into several critical story plot twists that have lasting implications for the Bright family. The full effects of the Flu are explored from the symptoms, how it seemed to come about, how many people were dying, and how it really contributed to the rise of the funeral home business. It’s always interesting to me to see how major events affect areas that you wouldn’t even consider, like funeral homes. And speaking of the funeral homes, we get an inside look in how they would have operated and what was needed to be done to preserve bodies.

The only part of the novel that was a bit of a struggle for me was the beginning; it felt very slow and I put it down/picked it up several times. I think part of the issue for me was the multiple narrators and I couldn’t connect with anyone right away. Once the story got rolling and they were in Philadelphia and each was their own distinct person, it was much easier to enjoy and I raced through those pages. I understand the importance of those early scenes, but they didn’t do anything for me in terms of getting me into the story. Each of the Bright women and girls have their own unique set of struggles with the move to Philadelphia and the effect of the Flu and the subsequent directions their lives take and I enjoyed exploring their storylines. The twists and turns of this story I did not see coming and feel that they paid out well for the reader.

I would definitely read more works by this author as I loved the depth that the author was able to bring to both the characters and the events of the time explored.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Literary Vacation
• Rhapsody in Books Weblog

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Susan Meissner:

Secrets of a Charmed Life

A Fall of Marigolds

The Shape of Mercy

A Bridge Across the Ocean

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

The Girl in the Glass

Lady in Waiting

A Sound Among the Trees

Find Susan Meissner: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt

A Promise of Ruin by Cuyler Overholt
Book 2 in the Dr. Genevieve Summerford Mystery series
Unabridged, 12 hr. 20 min.
Recorded Books
Carly Robbins (narrator)
August 8, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery

Source: Received from publisher for review

To stop the trafficking ring plaguing her city, Dr. Genevieve Summerford must dive into New York’s underworld

In early 1900s New York, the formidable crime syndicate known as the Black Hand has been terrorizing the city's Italian community with bombings and kidnappings. When a young Italian girl is found drowned and sexually defiled, Dr. Genevieve Summerford suspects the organization has expanded into forced prostitution, and she won't rest until the trafficking ring is brought to justice.

While A Deadly Affection (book 1) very much had its roots in the medical field that Genevieve was making inroads into, in A Promise of Ruin it plays second string to the kidnapping and trafficking storyline. Genevieve still attends to her clients and uses the knowledge to help some of the other characters cope with things they are dealing with, but it was not the focus here. Genevieve actually struggles with the fact that her psychiatry practice is not taking off and she is spending more time providing actual physical medical assistance, which felt very real. While this was something that I enjoyed in the first book, the characters held my rapt attention here and I didn’t miss it.

And oh the characters! I love the Genevieve and Simon back and forth. Their relationship is full of fun banter and tension between them that keeps the reader on their toes. We also get to know more about the retainers in the Summerford household who worry about Genevieve as one of their own; Katey is quite the spitfire and I loved how she helped resolve the mystery. Even the men and boys who are a part of the world Simon moves in were well fleshed out and entertaining. You gotta love those little boys!

There is much more focus on the police investigation (and Genevieve’s meddling in it), but it felt very well set in the time period and not out of place at all. I’m a huge fan of police procedurals and this worked here, although I hope the books to come to not all feature this. I have done some studying of the Black Hand and the Italian camorra and I enjoyed how these elements were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the story here. Additionally, a lot more of this novel is committed to Genevieve helping those from the lower classes, whereas previously we were more set in the upper class – it was very different.

I really enjoyed spending time with Genevieve and friends again and look forward to seeing where the next book take her – especially in terms of her relationship and her medical profession.

★★★★ ½☆

My opinions on the narration are very much in line with my thoughts on book 1, as they are both narrated by the same person, Carly Robins. Robins was able to relay the author’s pacing well in this audiobook presentation. There is an interplay between slow or fast reading based on the need of the scene. I appreciated the appropriate pause length between sentences – just the right amount of time. Robbins imbues her Genevieve with an earnestness, but also demonstrates fear or hesitation when appropriate. It certainly feels like she spent some time getting to know the characters before recording the passages. There is some voice work here to make characters unique, and this is one of the few times I have found myself feeling comfortable with a narration of characters of the opposite sex from the narrator. Additionally, I feel that she handled the variety of accents well as we have American, Irish, and Italian among the characters. An admirable job that never felt jarring or out of place.

You can check out a sample from the audiobook below (links to Audible):

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Annette’s Book Spot
• Gizmo’s Reviews

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Cuyler Overholt:

A Deadly Affection (Book 1)
[My Review]

Find Cuyler Overholt: Website | Twitter | Facebook

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: The Prophet and the Witch by James W. George

The Prophet and the Witch by James W. George
Book 2 in My Father’s Kingdom series
Unabridged, 11 hr. 18 min.
James W. George
Angus Freathy (narrator)
January 10, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical fiction

Source: Received download from author for Audiobookworm Promotions tour

Puritans. Quakers. Pirates. Mohawks. Witches. And a brutal war…

If you thought New England was dull in the 1670s, get ready for a history lesson.

In the critically acclaimed “My Father’s Kingdom,” debut author James W. George transported his readers to 1671 New England, and the world of Reverend Israel Brewster. It was a world of faith, virtue, and love, but it was also a world of treachery, hatred, and murder.
Four years later, Brewster is a disgraced outcast, residing in Providence and working as a humble cooper. Despite his best efforts, war could not be averted, and now, “King Philip’s War” has begun.

The rebellion is led by Metacomet, known as “King Philip” to the English colonists. He is the tormented son of the great Massasoit, and leader of the Wampanoag nation. Once the most reliable of Plymouth Colony’s allies, they are now the bitterest of enemies. Meanwhile, Metacomet’s mysterious counselor, Linto, despises this war and will do anything to end the bloodshed.

Meticulously researched, “The Prophet and the Witch” is a tale of hope and brotherhood in the face of evil and violence. It features the remarkable cast of fictional and historical characters from book one, including Josiah Winslow, Linto, Increase Mather, Constance Wilder, and Jeremiah Barron. Additionally, new characters such as America’s first ranger, Captain Benjamin Church, bring this chapter of history to life like never before.

As with the first novel in this series, I really enjoyed that this series takes on the subject matter of King Phillip’s War. This is an event that is very often overlooked, but very important in the history of early America. Whereas the first novel focused on the early events that led up to the start of the war, this novel deals with the actual war itself. We are witness to battles and strategies (and failures) on both sides and it was interesting to see how the two different sides perceived this war. This book picks up essentially where the prior left off and as it has been a little while since I read it, it did take me a little longer to ease my way back in and reacquaint myself with the events (again since this isn’t a period I am familiar with).

I enjoyed being able to see the characters that we were introduced to in the first novel grow here in the second. Brewster has become very different from his earlier incarnation thanks to his fall from his high place and I always enjoy the scenes with Linto as I find him to be a dynamic character. Religion plays a huge role in the decisions of both sides in this war and George does an excellent job in bringing the reader into the mindset of what was going on at the time. This book addresses much more of the brutality and reality of war during this time: surprise attacks, disfigurement, death, loss of children and loss of innocence among others. I feel that George accurately reflects the perspectives and feelings of the time across his cast of characters – some who would feel sympathetic, others who are vindictive, and those who fall somewhere in between.

There is to be a third book in this series, but I’m not sure what direction it will go because this book felt very resolved (whereas the first book felt open ended). I am interested in seeing where the author takes this next.

★★★★☆

Angus Freathy does a very good job narrating this book. His more subtle British accent lends itself well to the personification of the colonial characters. Freathy creates unique voices for all of his characters which lends itself to their uniqueness and how they stand out as individuals in my mind even looking back on it. I loved that Freathy actually sang the songs that make appearance in the novel rather than simply reading them. While not an excellent singer, his attempt at this made the listening experience feel more full and to what the author would have wanted the reader to experience; I know that I tend to sing songs in my head when I encounter them on the page even when I have no point of reference for the tune. I also liked that they had a female singing a song that they were to have overheard in the church, which was a nice touch.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Literary Titan

Buy the Book: Amazon | Audible

You can check out this audio sample of The Prophet and the Witch below:

Also by James W. George:

My Father’s Kingdom (Book 1)
[My Review]

Find James W. George: Goodreads

Tour-Wide Giveaway

As part of this tour there is a tour-wide giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card.  It is open through February 21, 2018 and is open internationally.  If there are questions, please contact the tour coordinator.

The Prophet and the Witch Giveaway: $25 Amazon Gift Card

Follow the Tour!

Feb. 15th:

Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

Feb. 16th:

Loves Great Reads

Feb. 17th:

T's Stuff

Feb. 18th:

Jazzy Book Reviews

Feb. 19th:

Book Lovers Life

Feb. 20th:

The Maiden's Court

Feb. 21st:

The Book Addict's Reviews
Booktalk with Eileen

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg & Giveaway

The Secret Life of Mrs. London by Rebecca Rosenberg
e-Book & Paperback; 348 pages
Lake Union Publishing
January 30, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received for review with HFVBT tour

San Francisco, 1915. As America teeters on the brink of world war, Charmian and her husband, famed novelist Jack London, wrestle with genius and desire, politics and marital competitiveness. Charmian longs to be viewed as an equal partner who put her own career on hold to support her husband, but Jack doesn’t see it that way…until Charmian is pulled from the audience during a magic show by escape artist Harry Houdini, a man enmeshed in his own complicated marriage. Suddenly, charmed by the attention Houdini pays her and entranced by his sexual magnetism, Charmian’s eyes open to a world of possibilities that could be her escape.

As Charmian grapples with her urge to explore the forbidden, Jack’s increasingly reckless behavior threatens her dedication. Now torn between two of history’s most mysterious and charismatic figures, she must find the courage to forge her own path, even as she fears the loss of everything she holds dear.

I am not very familiar with Jack London; beyond knowing he had written White Fang and Call of the Wild I knew nothing. This is precisely the reason why I didn’t actually put together that the titular character, Mrs. London, was the wife of this author until quite some time after reading the blurb and then setting down to read it. He is just so far off my radar at this point in time.

This is, however, the third or fourth book that I have read from the perspective of a wife of one of the world’s great male authors of the early twentieth century (Hemingway and Fitzgerald previously). As was my prior experience, I find that I don’t like most of the men at all, they all seem to have been perpetually drunk, the women were overshadowed even when they were writers too, and everyone had affairs with everyone else. Jack London appears to fit that mold quite well too.

Rosenberg did an excellent job of illuminating the mood of the pre-war era, the appeal of Socialism, and the atmosphere within which London and his gang moved. I never quite got inside his head, but we do climb right in to the mind and thoughts of Charmian, his second wife. She was a woman who was so passionately in love with Jack and was critical to his writing process and maintaining his legacy after his death, but she was not without her flaws, which made her such an accessible character, even if I had never known she existed before. She was a very complex and rich character and I especially enjoyed her interactions with Bess Houdini, that woman was a hoot!

As has happened in the past when I have read novels on the life of famous authors, it has stirred my interest in reading London’s works and I have even went so far as to check out online the historical park created of his home in California. If nothing else, these novels serve to reignite interest in the original author’s works.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Layered Pages
• Just One More Chapter

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Find Rebecca Rosenberg: Website | Facebook | Book’s Facebook Page | Blog | Goodreads

Giveaway!!!

As part of the tour I have the pleasure to be giving away one paperback copies of The Secret Life of Mrs. London! To enter, please enter via the Rafflecopter app below.  Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 24th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to US residents only (tour rule).
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner will be notified by email and has 5 days to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour

At HFVBT Website or on Twitter: #TheSecretLifeofMrsLondonBlogTour

Tuesday, January 30
Review at A Bookaholic Swede

Wednesday, January 31
Interview & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, February 1
Guest Post at Let Them Read Books
Feature at What Is That Book About

Friday, February 2
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Feature at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Monday, February 5
Review at Creating Herstory

Tuesday, February 6
Review at Planting Cabbages

Wednesday, February 7
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, February 8
Interview at Planting Cabbages

Friday, February 9
Review at Bookish

Sunday, February 11
Review at Carole’s Ramblings

Monday, February 12
Review at Cup of Sensibility

Tuesday, February 13
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden’s Court

Wednesday, February 14
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Thursday, February 15
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Friday, February 16
Guest Post at Short Book and Scribes

Monday, February 19
Review at Reading the Past

Tuesday, February 20
Review at The Lit Bitch

Friday, February 23
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Monday, February 26
Review at Back Porchervations

Tuesday, February 27
Guest Post at My Reading Corner

Wednesday, February 28
Review & Giveaway at Suzy Approved Book Reviews

Thursday, March 1
Review at What Cathy Read Next

Friday, March 2
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views

Monday, March 5
Review at Caryn, the Book Whisperer

Tuesday, March 6
Review at Bookish Beck

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb

The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb
ARC, e-Book, 350 pages
Sonnet Press
February 6, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received for review with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

In this re-imagining of Phantom of the Opera, meet a Christine Daaé you’ve never seen before…

Christine Daaé sings with her violinist Papa in salons all over Paris, but she longs to practice her favorite pastime—illusions. When her beloved Papa dies during a conjurer’s show, she abandons her magic and surrenders to grief and guilt. Life as a female illusionist seems too dangerous, and she must honor her father’s memory.

Concerned for her welfare, family friend Professor Delacroix secures an audition for her at the Nouvel Opéra—the most illustrious stage in Europe. Yet Christine soon discovers the darker side of Paris opera. Rumors of murder float through the halls, and she is quickly trapped between a scheming diva and a mysterious phantom. The Angel of Music.

But is the Angel truly a spirit, or a man obsessed, stalking Christine for mysterious reasons tangled in her past?

As Christine’s fears mount, she returns to her magical arts with the encouragement of her childhood friend, Raoul. Newfound hope and romance abounds…until one fateful night at the masquerade ball. Those she cares for—Delacroix, the Angel, and even Raoul—aren’t as they seem. Now she must decide whom she trusts and which is her rightful path: singer or illusionist.

To succeed, she will risk her life in the grandest illusion of all.

I approach The Phantom’s Apprentice possibly from a different angle than many readers do – I have no point of reference from The Phantom of the Opera to compare to: not movie, stage performance, nor book! So Webb’s treatment here is a completely fresh slate for me.

One thing that drew me to this novel was the exploration of the spiritualist movement sweeping the globe at this time. We still find magic and mysticism fascinating today, but it would be even more so at a point in time where technologies were blossoming and it was easier to pull magic on people, but also it was something that people were afraid of as well. So for me, I wasn’t drawn to Webb’s take on Christine or reimagining of the classic, but more so for the world that the story inhabited. Right from the start, we get thrown into the spiritualist movement and the clashes between those who believe in it and those who are either afraid or find it foolish; this dichotomy is even shown in the perspectives of Christine and her father. The other aspect that fascinated me was the world of the opera. I have only read one other novel that explored this profession, and that one was set States-side, so it was a very interesting perspective with all the intrigue that surrounds it.

From reading the Author’s Note I understand that Webb’s goal was to flesh out a more well-rounded and self-possessed Christine than that provided in the original context. It is always maddening to see a woman pushed to the sidelines of a novel and be wilting or one-dimensional. However, at the same time, I do like to see the characters represented in a way that would be true to societal norms of the time. I felt that Christine walked the line fairly well here and felt that I was able to dig into who she was and what made her tick.

I found the plot to be fun and fascinating. There were moments toward the beginning where it did feel a little bit slow, where Christine is sort of moping for quite some time about her life and not having a direction; however, it does pick up substantially with the introduction of the Phantom. From that point forward the plot barreled ahead and I literally read half of the book in one sitting as I just didn’t want to put it down and find out how it would all resolve itself. I was rather satisfied with the ending too.

While I can’t gauge the enjoyment of someone who is a huge Phantom fan, as someone with no preconceived notions, I did enjoy much about this novel.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Flashlight Commentary
• Linda’s Book Obsession

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Heather Webb:

Becoming Josephine
[My Review]

Rodin’s Lover
[My Review]

Last Christmas in Paris
[My Review]

Fall of Poppies
[My Review]

Find Heather Webb: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Tour Wide Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we are giving away two paperback copies of The Phantom’s Apprentice! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below or on any of the participating blogs. If you have any questions please contact the HFVBT Tour Coordinator.

Giveaway Rules

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on February 26th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only.
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

The Phantom's Apprentice

Follow the Tour!

On HFVBT Website or on Twitter: #ThePhantomsApprenticeBlogTour

Monday, February 5
Review at The Maiden’s Court

Tuesday, February 6
Review at The Lit Bitch
Feature at A Bookaholic Swede

Wednesday, February 7
Review at Just One More Chapter
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, February 8
Review at A Bookish Affair

Friday, February 9
Review at Trisha Jenn Reads

Saturday, February 10
Review at Bookish

Monday, February 12
Review at Creating Herstory

Tuesday, February 13
Review at Linda’s Book Obsession

Wednesday, February 14
Review at Clarissa Reads it All

Thursday, February 15
Review at 100 Pages a Day

Friday, February 16
Review at Baer Books

Monday, February 19
Review at Cup of Sensibility
Review at Let Them Read Books
Review at Bookworms Anonymous

Tuesday, February 20
Feature at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, February 21
Review at Writing the Renaissance

Monday, February 26
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review:The Lost Season of Love and Snow by Jennifer Laam

The Lost Season of Love and Snow by Jennifer Laam
e-Book, 352 pages
St. Martin’s Press
January 2, 2018
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction

Source: Received from publisher for review tour with Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

The unforgettable story of Alexander Pushkin’s beautiful wife, Natalya, a woman much admired at Court, and how she became reviled as the villain of St. Petersburg.

At the age of sixteen, Natalya Goncharova is stunningly beautiful and intellectually curious. But while she finds joy in French translations and a history of Russian poetry, her family is more concerned with her marriage prospects. It is only fitting that during the Christmas of 1828 at her first public ball in her hometown of Moscow she attracts the romantic attention of Russia’s most lauded rebel poet: Alexander Pushkin.

Enchanted at first sight, Natalya is already a devoted reader of Alexander’s serialized novel in verse, Evgeny Onegin. The most recently published chapter ends in a duel, and she is dying to learn what happens next. Finding herself deeply attracted to Alexander’s intensity and joie de vivre, Natalya hopes to see him again as soon as possible.

What follows is a courtship and later marriage full of equal parts passion and domestic bliss but also destructive jealousies. When vicious court gossip leads to Alexander dying from injuries earned defending his honor as well as Natalya’s in a duel, Natalya finds herself reviled for her alleged role in his death. With beautiful writing and understanding, Jennifer Laam, and her compelling new novel, The Lost Season of Love and Snow, help Natalya tell her side of the story—the story of her greatest love and her inner struggle to create a fulfilling life despite the dangerous intrigues of a glamorous imperial Court.

I always find novels set in Russia to be refreshing – a bit of history that I am least familiar with and it always presents a new time period or historical figure to me that I know nothing about. The fact that a historical novel is set in Russia will give me an immediate interest in picking it up to learn more. More than simply bringing me a new historical figure, Laam brings a literary figure who I know nothing but the name coming into the reading experience – Alexander Pushkin, and by extension his wife. I also love novels that look at an event from a distinctly female perspective, especially when it is one that tends to be male-driven.

In some ways, this book reminds me a bit of The Confessions of Catherine de Medici by C.W. Gortner. A female character, this time one that isn’t that well known, who is reviled for her actions and she is trying to sort of set the record straight with her side of the story. Natalya has her own set of circumstances that she is up against from the beginning, her goals don’t exactly align with those of her mother or sisters, and she has to push back to get what she wants or what she thinks she wants. I found her enjoyment of the literary things in life to be something that I could particularly connect with and I was able to quickly understand who she was. Even throughout the novel, as things became more difficult in her life, I could still find myself identifying with her. She may have been a little naïve at times, but from Laam’s presentation at least, she doesn’t seem to have been responsible for a lot of what happened – but we know women take a lot of blame throughout history.

Jennifer Laam’s writing is beautiful. It flows naturally from one thought or scene into the next effortlessly. I felt I was on a constant wave throughout my time spent with the book, being continually pushed forward. You can easily get caught up in the whirlwind of it all as there is drama aplenty in the Pushkin world. The Russia of that time brilliantly came to life right from the pages and enveloped me in that world.

I have Laam’s other two novels and I am sliding them higher up the TBR pile based on my experience with The Lost Season of Love and Snow.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Lit Bitch
• Coffee and Ink

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Jennifer Laam:

The Secret Daughter of the Tsar

The Tsarina’s Legacy

Find Jennifer Laam: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

Tour Wide Giveaway

As part of the tour I have the opportunity to share the Tour Wide Giveaway.  Up for grabs are 2 paperback copies of The Lost Season of Love and Snow! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.  If you have any questions please contact the HFVBT tour coordinator. Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

• Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on January 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
• Giveaway is open to US only.
• Only one entry per household.
• All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
• Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Lost Season of Love and Snow

Follow the Tour!

On the HFVBT Website or on Twitter: #TheLostSeasonofLoveandSnowBlogTour

Monday, January 8
Review at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, January 9
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Wednesday, January 10
Review at Creating Herstory

Thursday, January 11
Review at A Chick Who Reads

Friday, January 12
Feature at Passages to the Past

Monday, January 15
Review at The Maiden’s Court

Tuesday, January 16
Review at Jorie Loves a Story

Wednesday, January 17
Guest Post at Jorie Loves a Story

Thursday, January 18
Review at Peppermint Ph.D.
Review at Just One More Chapter

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Audiobook Review: The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe

The Woman in the Camphor Trunk by Jennifer Kincheloe
Book 2 in the Anna Blanc Mystery series
Unabridged, 10 hr. 52 min.
Jennifer L. Kincheloe, Ltd
Moira Quirk (Narrator)
December 6, 2017
★★★★ ½☆

Genre: Historical Mystery/Thriller

Source: Received audio download for review as part of the tour with Audiobookworm Productions

Los Angeles, 1908. In Chinatown, the most dangerous beat in Los Angeles, police matron Anna Blanc and her former sweetheart, Detective Joe Singer, discover the body of a white missionary woman, stuffed in a trunk in the apartment of her Chinese lover. Her lover has fled. If news gets out that a white woman was murdered in Chinatown, there will be a violent backlash against the Chinese. Joe and Anna plan to solve the crime quietly and keep the death a secret. So does good-looking Mr. Jones, a prominent Chinese leader who has mixed feelings about helping the LAPD and about Anna.
Meanwhile, the Hop Sing tong has kidnapped two slave girls from the Bing Kong tong, fuelling existing tensions. They are poised on the verge of a bloody tong war that would put all Chinatown residents in danger.

Joe orders Anna out of Chinatown to keep her safe, but to atone for her own family's sins, Anna must stay to solve the crime before news of the murder is leaked and Chinatown explodes.

Oh dear Anna Blanc, how you get yourself into even bigger scrapes in this book than you did before! One might have thought you would have learned something…but it is just as hilarious, so keep bringing it. That is one thing that I have to mention – while this book is a historical mystery and sometimes thriller, there is so much comedy in the writing and dialogue that it keeps me listening hour after hour!

Book 2 picks up just a short time after the culminating events of the previous installment – Anna is figuring out even more how to navigate the working class world on her own, without her father’s money. But what she lacks in know-how she makes up for in spirit! As she gets herself wrapped up in a case of kidnapped Chinese women and a simmering war in Chinatown, she continuously bests the “real” cops is solving the crime. She knows a little more about the seedy world than she did before, but Chinatown is WAY out of her experience zone, so she is constantly playing catch-up. Through this storyline the author explores many Chinese customs as well as the barriers and stereotypes that the Chinese faced at this time.

I still loved Joe Singer and Anna’s relationship – that push-pull is there no matter how much they fight it, avoid it, and move on, but they are still SO hung up on each other that their working together is HILARIOUS. I loved the scene where Joe is in jail and Anna is intent on taking on solving this crime herself – he is having NONE of it! They are from such different worlds and really want different things in life, but something keeps pulling them back together and some of their best scenes are when they are looking out for each other.

The plot was pretty tight and covered A LOT of ground. There were a couple spots in the middle where I felt we didn’t need to be off on this tangent (while still relevant), but the banter and relationship growth moved me quickly through it enough that I don’t feel that it much affected my enjoyment of the novel. I would pick up another installment in a heartbeat! There is still so much unresolved!

★★★★★

Much like the first book, this was one of THE best audio productions I have listened to. It is excellently narrated. Moira Quirk is someone that would now lead me to pick up a book I’m not even interested in because she could interest me in it through her performance (believe me, I have already went and shelved a few of her other works in my Audible wishlist that are paranormal in genre, which isn’t my typical thing). And a performance it truly is. Quirk doesn’t just read the novel, but imbues Kincheloe’s characters with even more life. As I stated above, Kincheloe wrote some amazing characters that I loved, but Quirk brings out their complete nature to where you feel like they are standing in the room next to you. Yes, each character has their own unique voice, but many narrators do that. However, Quirk not only brings a different voice, but you can envision their mannerisms as well just from the way they are speaking. I’m not sure how she does this, but whatever it is, keep doing it! There is quite the range of nationalities and type of personalities in this novel and Quirk makes them all feel truly real, not cookie cutter or stereotyped. And there is singing! Actual singing! That is one of the things that always disappoints me is when a part that is clearly intended to be sung is instead simply read. And while I know that there are often legitimate reasons this has to be done, it does take away from the experience of the book and colors my perception of it.

Loved the book, loved the production, loved the narrator! Go pick up this book in print (if you don’t listen to books), but I HIGHLY encourage you to check out this audiobook production, it is FANTASTIC and you will not regret it!

You can check out a sample of the audio production by clicking the play button below.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• The Lit Bitch
• The Internet Review of Books

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Also by Jennifer Kincheloe:

The Secret Life of Anna Blanc (Book #1)
[My Review]

Find Jennifer Kincheloe: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Find Moira Quirk: Website⎮Twitter⎮Facebook

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Book Review: Beyond the Heather Hills by Melissa Wiley

Beyond the Heather Hills by Melissa Wiley
Little House: The Martha Years Book 4
Paperback, 208 pages, Unabridged
Harper Trophy
February 4, 2003
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction, YA

Source: Personal collection

In this fourth book in the Martha Years series, ten-year-old Martha journeys to the bustling city of Perth to visit her newly married sister Grisie.

This is Martha′s first time beyond the familiar heather hills and this city on the River Tay is more exciting than she could have ever imagined!

If you have read Beyond the Heather Hills as the 4^th and final book in this series (you should read them in order, but it’s not required) you will be able to fully appreciate the evolution of Martha from a young girl of about 6 or 7 in the first book to a young adult at the age of 10. In this book she is still at that age where she wants to play, but is becoming more aware of the adult world around her and how she fits in it. She definitely encounters situations that are more significant than when she was a child – there is birth, and illness, death, and family growing up and moving away. There is also the difference between life in the city and life in the rural community that she had grown up in. So much for Martha changes in this book and it was beautifully done, as always, by Melissa Wiley.

This is a series that young readers can certainly grow with and the events that Martha encounters throughout are perfectly appropriate for what young readers may encounter in the world. I love the way in which tough issues are presented, such as illness and death; it is handled directly, without a lot of frills or extra in-depth information, but in a way that younger audiences can understand. So many elements of the Scottish culture are included in this series, but it never feels over-explained. I have read other historical fiction aimed at younger audiences that seem to go into extraneous depth about cultural elements which results in the narrative feeling to slow and heavy; that is not the case here. Wiley presents enough information for the audience to understand and wraps in seamlessly into the narrative and it never feels out of place. It was something that I immediately noticed in this book after having read another young adult novel recently that handled it much different.

I just adore this series and can’t wait to find time to start the 2^nd series, The Charlotte Years, also written by Wiley.

Please be aware that this series is currently out of print but can often be found on Ebay or Half.com - but you have to look often because they can be exorbitantly priced.  There was also an abridged version of many of these books released.  I would advise trying to check your local libraries for these books.  There was apparently some discussion at some point about bringing them back as e-books, so let the publisher know you are interested! Email, tweet, Facebook, etc!

Also in the Little House Series:

There are 5 series of books within the Little House Series each focusing on a different family member of Laura’s.  They are not all written by the same author.

Little House in the Highlands (Martha #1)
[My Review]

The Far Side of the Loch (Martha #2)
[My Review]

Down to the Bonny Glen (Martha #3)
[My Review]

Little House by Boston Bay (Charlotte #1)

On Tide Mill Lane (Charlotte #2)

The Road from Roxbury (Charlotte #3)

Across the Puddingstone Dam (Charlotte #4)

Little House in Brookfield (Caroline #1)

Little Town at the Crossroads (Caroline #2)

Little Clearing in the Woods (Caroline #3)

On Top of Concord Hill (Caroline #4)

Across the Rolling River (Caroline #5)

Little City by the Lake (Caroline #6)

A Little House of Their Own (Caroline #7)

Little House in the Big Woods (Laura #1)

Little House on the Prairie (Laura #2)

Farmer Boy (Laura #3)

On the Banks of Plum Creek (Laura #4)

By the Shores of Silver Lake (Laura #5)

The Long Winter (Laura #6)

Little Town on the Prairie (Laura #7)

These Happy Golden Years (Laura #8)

The First Four Years (Laura #9)

On the Way Home (Laura #10)

West from Home (Laura #11)

Little House on Rocky Ridge (Rose #1)

Little Farm in the Ozarks (Rose #2)

In the Land of the Big Red Apple (Rose #3)

On the Other Side of the Hill (Rose #4)

Little Town in the Ozarks (Rose #5)

New Dawn on Rocky Ridge (Rose #6)

On the Banks of the Bayou (Rose #7)

Bachelor Girl (Rose #8)

Find Melissa Wiley: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Copyright © 2017by The Maiden’s Court