Review - The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin

Happy Release Day!

TITLE:    The King's Agent
AUTHOR:    Donna Russo Morin
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 418 pages
PUBLISHED:   Kensington, 2012
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review and Blog Tour

FROM GOODREADS:   The King’s Agent is based loosely on the life of Battista della Palla-a patriotic plunderer, a religious rogue-of the 16th century, a lifelong friend to the great Michelangelo. 


As the cloistered ward of the Marquess of Mantua, Lady Aurelia is a woman with a profound duty, and a longing for adventure. In search of a relic intended for the King of France, Battista and Aurelia cross the breathtaking landscape of Renaissance Italy. Clues hide in great works of art, political forces collide, secret societies and enemies abound, and danger lurks in every challenge, those that mirror the passages of Dante's Divine Comedy. It is an adventurous quest with undercurrents of the supernatural, powers that could change the balance of supremacy throughout Europe.

MY TAKE:   A fun book that I was very happy to get a chance to review. It is a historical romp set in Italy of the 1500s with a thief/hero/mystery man and a beautiful, secretive woman at the heart of the tale.  This doesn't even begin to describe it though..


A lot of ingredients and flavors spice up this engaging story from the beginning.  There are touches of fantasy, history and romance mixed in with a healthy helping of adventure in the vein of "Indiana Jones", "National Treasure" and "The DaVinci Code".  The references to various masterpieces like Dante's "The Divine Comedy" and appearances of such august persons as Michelangelo add lovely substance to a well-written fictional tale.  The real historical backdrop of Italy's changing political and religious scene sets the stage for many twists and turns that the reader won't see coming.  


I enjoyed the main characters of Battista and Aurelia.  The reader will become invested in their lives and their progress as they hunt down an elusive and legendary piece of artwork.  They have such dissimilar lives and backgrounds and yet they connect at a deep level.  The author did a great job of laying the groundwork for their paths to intersect and converge.  Their journey was peppered with a lot of ups and downs and other colorful characters.  I wanted to hate Federico, the marquess of Mantua, but he proves himself to be true.  As do Battista's best friend Frado and their wild bunch of merry men. 


Ms. Morin is very adept at describing the surroundings and details of what the characters are seeing and experiencing.  It makes it very easy for the reader to be right there with Battista and Aurelia as they traipse across the country in search of the elusive prize!  She also keeps you guessing with well-placed clues peppered throughout the story.  I did manage to figure part of the mystery out before the big reveal, but it was well worth the journey.  


A very helpful and thought-inspiring reader/discussion guide is included at the end of the book.  It would be great for a book club as this book has so many elements that any reader should be able to find something that resonates with them in this story.  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

The King's Agent is out TODAY and available at most retailers including:

Amazon, Kindle, The Book Depository, 

Barnes & Noble, Nook

Donna Russo Morin

Donna Russo Morin was born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1958. Her writing endeavors began at age six and covered such timely topics as The Pink Pussy Cat for President and The Numbers 2 and 4 are in Love.


Traveling through adolescence on the wings of the ‘60s gave Donna a lot of grist for her writing   mill. Feminism, civil rights, the Vietnam War were all a disturbing yet highly motivating muse.   Donna found her voice in fiction and with the appearance of a new horror writer on the book scene, a little known author named Stephen King, she turned her pen to the gruesome and the grotesque.


After graduating from the University of Rhode Island, Donna worked in marketing and advertising for large corporations and small non-profit arts organizations. When she had her children, she knew with a certainty that she needed to show them, by example, that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible.
In addition to writing and teaching writing, Donna has worked as a model and actor since the age of seventeen, when she did her first television commercial for Sears. Since then she has appeared in more than thirty television spots and print ads, everything from changing the oil in her car (that was acting) to modeling fur coats. She also appeared in three episodes of Showtime’s THE BROTHERHOOD, as well as in Martin Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED.


Donna lives peacefully, close to the beautiful shoreline of Rhode Island that she loves so much, with her two sons, Devon and Dylan, her greatest works in progress.


Connect with Donna:  website, Facebook, Twitter

I'd like to thank the author and Amy from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for including me in this tour.

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact by A.J. Hartley

TITLE:    Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact

AUTHOR:    A.J. Hartley
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 431 pages
PUBLISHED:   Penguin Razorbill, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Eleven-year-old Darwen Arkwright has spent his whole life in a tiny town in England. So when he is forced to move to Atlanta, Georgia, to live with his aunt, he knows things will be different - but what he finds there is beyond even his wildest imaginings!


Darwen discovers an enchanting world through the old mirror hanging in his closet - a world that holds as many dangers as it does wonders. Scrobblers on motorbikes with nets big enough to fit a human boy. Gnashers with no eyes, but monstrous mouths full of teeth. Flittercrakes with bat-like bodies and the faces of men. Along with his new friends Rich and Alexandra, Darwen becomes entangled in an adventure and a mystery that involves the safety of his entire school. They soon realize that the creatures are after something in our world - something that only human children possess.

MY TAKE:   I love being taken on new adventures.  Darwen Arkwright takes us on a grand one with his new American friends.  In Darwen, A.J. Wright has created a very likable and relatable hero.  Darwen is truly a fish out of the water when he's dropped into a new life in America.  The proper young English boy is having a hard time fitting in when he accidentally sees a strange creature in the mall and follows it into a dusty old mirror shop.  Little does he know that the odd owner of the shop will soon set him on a dangerous and mysterious path to a world on the other side of a magical mirror.  


This is a fast-paced and fun story that will appeal to adventurous explorers of all ages.  I especially think that boys of about 9 or older will get a kick out of the various creatures and gadgets that Darwen comes across. Wannabe archaeologist Rich is a stalwart friend to Darwen as well as an interesting character on his own.  Girls will enjoy the eccentric Alexandra as she becomes a surprisingly stout supporter of the awkward Darwen.  I was quite engrossed in the tale and enjoyed imagining the creatures that the author described. 


This story is destined to be a classic and definitely has a place on the keeper shelf.  I highly recommend this story, especially if you or the kids like jumping into another world for a while.  Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact would also make a great gift this holiday season. I have a couple of young readers in mind to receive a copy.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Get your copy:

Amazon 

Kindle

The Book Depository

Barnes & Noble

Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Utterly Charming by Kristine Grayson

TITLE:     Utterly Charming     
AUTHOR:    Kristine Grayson
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 308 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   In the tradition of New York Times bestselling author Susan Anderson, comes a fresh and funny story of eternal love that already has the romance world buzzing.


In this thoroughly unique and irresistible romantic romp from a talented new author, a struggling Seattle lawyer, desperate to keep her fledgling law firm from going under, takes a case involving a strange but incredibly attractive man. Before she knows it, all of Nora's wishes come true, along with the realization that her client is Prince Charming...the real Prince Charming. There's just one problem: despite being a gorgeous hunk, he's a 1,000 year old magician who still has to deal with a Sleeping Beauty and one wicked stepmother before he and Nora can have a future together.

MY TAKE:    Kristine Grayson has obviously been having fun taking beloved fairytales and legends and giving them settings in the present.  She has done it again by providing the age-old tale of Sleeping Beauty and her Prince Charming several fun twists and new possibilities.  


Earlier this year I read Wickedly Charming and fell in love with Ms. Grayson's storytelling.  I liked her explanation that there are several Prince Charmings!  They are all from the same family and are the heroes for many of the lovely Princesses in the tales.  


So on to Utterly...  Sleeping Beauty is really named Emma and has been in her glass coffin for 1,000 years - being fought over by Aethlelstan Blackstone the Wizard (aka Prince Charming) and her wicked witch stepmother Ealhswith.  Their epic battles have been waged these many centuries and will finally come to an end when the lawyerly Nora takes charge of the situation.


This was a fun romp through fairytale land with many characters popping up.  The Fates were a real hoot as they tried out modern Punk wear.  One of my favorites had to be Sancho Panza.  The magical dwarf was hysterical and frankly stole the show for me.  I want much more of him!  Another part that had me laughing was when Nora's mother's boyfriend Jeffrey Chawsir had to convince Sancho and Emma that he knew he wasn't that Geoffrey Chaucer since they had both known the famous author.  The fact that Jeffrey also happened to be a professor of medieval studies just added to the humor.


The love story that was supposed to be Aethlelstan/PC and Emma/SB wasn't quite what the legends had made of it.  When the wizard and his sidekick Sancho meet up with Nora for the first time, sparks start to fly and Blackstone finds out that he's met his match.  The romance was sweet and made for a light, enjoyable read.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can find your copy at:  

Amazon, Kindle, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble, Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Creatively Ever After by Alicia Arnold

TITLE:    Creatively Ever After: A Path to Innovation

AUTHOR:    Alicia Arnold
INFO:    Paperback, Non-Fiction, 156 pages
PUBLISHED:   The Cadence Group, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Around the world corporate executives have identified creativity as a key component to success. Creativity breeds innovation. Innovation gets results. There is a call for creativity in the workplace; however, there are few solutions for building deliberate creativity skills. That is, until now. Learn how to consistently bring new thinking to your organization’s toughest challenges by using the proven Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process.


Discover simple ways to: 

• Create new futures
• Develop breakthrough, creative solutions
• Unlock your personal creativity
• Generate more ideas, and better ideas, in a shorter amount of time
• Solve the right organizational problems efficiently and effectively
• Build creative leadership skills

MY TAKE:    Alicia Arnold has found a unique way to share the top-notch technique of using creativity to move forward.  By marrying Creative Problem Solving (CPS) with the tried and true nursery rhyme of "Jack and Jill", she has improvised a tool to help those of us who are stuck in a rut get out.


Her own creativity has come out in full force in this short (156 pages) book that packs quite a punch.  She gives us Jack and Jill's plight as a vehicle to show us how the CPS process can be applied to just about any situation.  As we work alongside Jack and Jill through the steps of identifying, gathering, clarifying, generating, developing and planning; we are creating our own process to solve our own problems.  The illustrations are cute and help convey the light tone the author uses to convey some important messages.


As I was reading this book I was continually finding ways to that I might implement these steps into my own issues.  There were many times when I stopped reading in order to write some notes to myself.  Ms. Arnold was successful in jump starting my own creativity regarding a couple of things I'm dealing with at the moment.  I was impressed that while this book was targeted for a business environment/atmosphere; I could see many instances to implement the process in our everyday dealings.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Copies are available now at:  
Amazon, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Help! for Writers by Roy Peter Clark

TITLE:    Help! For Writers: 210 Solutions to the Problems Every Writer Faces

AUTHOR:    Roy Peter Clark
INFO:    Paperback,Non-Fiction, 276 pages
PUBLISHED:   Little, Brown, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   The craft of writing offers countless potential problems: The story is too long; the story's too short; revising presents a huge hurdle; writer's block is rearing its ugly head. 


In HELP! FOR WRITERS, Roy Peter Clark presents an "owner's manual" for writers, outlining the seven steps of the writing process, and addressing the 210 most urgent problems that writers face. In his trademark engaging and entertaining style, Clark offers ten short solutions to each problem. Out of ideas? Read posters, billboards, and graffiti. Can't bear to edit yourself? Watch the deleted scenes feature of a DVD, and ask yourself why those scenes were left on the cutting-room floor. HELP! FOR WRITERS offers 210 strategies to guide writers to success.

MY TAKE:    I have always tinkered with my writing and seem to gravitate to books and classes that aid me in that pursuit.  Back in October of 2010 I had the privilege of reviewing Mr. Clark's book The Glamour of Grammar.  His newest offering is another book that will be residing next to that one on my bookshelf for years to come.


Roy Peter Clark's writing style is very easy for the reader to comprehend as well as enjoy.  As in the previous book, he breaks the material down into bite-size chunks that the would-be writer ~ or experienced author, can easily digest.  His manner and delivery are both entertaining and educational.  I found myself laughing at some points and taking copious notes at others. His comments and observations sparked several ideas that I had to jot down immediately. The book is presented in logical order taking you through seven simple steps of the writing journey. The author wraps it up with a list of 25 of his favorite writing books.  I found this to be yet another helpful resource from him.


In the post I wrote about my meeting with Diana Gabaldon, I noted that she told all of us that we don't have to write in a straight line from A-Z or start to finish.  You can write chapter 12 before you write chapter 3.  Go ahead and create the ending before the beginning...  Roy Peter Clark has reinforced that permission and "ah-ha" moment with this book.  In the section on "Getting Your Act Together", he shares several techniques to keep your written inventory organized.  With wall boards, index cards and many, many more tricks of the trade, Mr. Clark helps the writer keep it all straight. 


The book's opening line instructs the reader to consider Help! for Writers an owner's manual for their writing process.  I think this is a very apt statement as I have already found myself referring back to the book more than once as I work on a project.  I have a feeling that this will quickly become one of my "go-to" references when I come across a roadblock or just need a refresher.


I definitely recommend this book to writers, would-be writers and students.  It will become a staple on many home library reference shelves.  

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Treat yourself to a copy:  Amazon, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble


Join me a bit later as I welcome Roy Peter Clark to One Book Shy to share his thoughts on challenges facing today's writers.  Plus there just might be a GIVEAWAY........

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Lady of the English by Elizabeth Chadwick

TITLE:   Lady of the English
AUTHOR:    Elizabeth Chadwick 
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 497 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Two very different women are linked by destiny and the struggle for the English crown. Matilda, daughter of Henry I, is determined to win back her crown from Stephen, the usurper king. Adeliza, Henry's widowed queen and Matilda's stepmother, is now married to William D'Albini, a warrior of the opposition. Both women are strong and prepared to stand firm for what they know is right. But in a world where a man's word is law, how can Adeliza obey her husband while supporting Matilda, the rightful queen? And for Matilda pride comes before a fall ...What price for a crown? What does it cost to be 'Lady of the English'?

MY TAKE:    Elizabeth Chadwick is a name that is synonymous with fantastic historical fiction.  Her latest masterpiece Lady of the English, is yet another justification for this well-earned reputation.  

Daughter of Henry I and mother to Henry II, Empress Matilda's story is told in alternating viewpoints with that of her widowed stepmother Queen Adeliza and several male characters.  This technique allows the author to show us a much more human side of the abrasive Matilda than what has previously been told.  Her loving relationship with the pious peacemaker near her own age is an effective background for the tale of the strong woman who really should have become Queen of England.  Instead, she paved the way for one of its more colorful Kings to finally take the reins after many years of strife and open war.


I really enjoyed learning about the Empress, as she liked to be called.  I can't imagine how hard it would have been for her to be the beloved Empress of Germany, married to a man who loved and respected her and then to lose it all in a second.  She came home to a place she hadn't seen since she was 8, now at the ripe old age of 23, to be used as a political pawn by her father King Henry I.  To solidify his rule and further his machinations, she was married off to the Duke of Anjou who just happened to be an obnoxious boy of 14!  Getting a glimpse into this early life explains a lot about Matilda's behaviour and character in later years.  Her single-minded drive to claim the crown after her father's death, first for herself and then on behalf of her young son Henry, was amazing as well as disturbing.  


Ms. Chadwick's style of writing pulls the reader in immediately and doesn't let you go.  I was so engrossed in this story that I stayed up almost all night reading.  My emotions ran the full range while I was immersed in this book. I became very invested in many of the players.  The fact that Matilda and Brian were in love and couldn't act upon it was very sad.  Their devotion to honor and faith were amazing. I felt sympathy and outrage at the way Matilda was treated by her father and her husband; sadness at many of the atrocities that were committed against innocents and women; but I actually did find quite a bit of humor in young Henry's antics.  


One of my favorites was when he was 14 and gathered a band of misfits to unsuccessfully try to take a couple of the border castles from the English king.  Neither of his parents were aware of his misguided plans.  The fun really got started when he didn't have the funds to pay his outlaws or to get back home.  He decided to just waltz into the King's camp and ask his cousin Stephen for the money.  Stephen was highly amused by Henry's daring and after hosting him for many days sent him home to his father with many gifts and the requested money.  Since Stephen is the very king that Henry and his parents are trying to wrest the English crown from, this little escapade was that much more exciting and funny.


I also have to admit that I became very attached to Adeliza.  She was very diplomatic and made the perfect political wife to King Henry.  She became very protective of her stepdaughter Matilda and was a loyal friend to her for decades.  Her charity and goodness were well-known and she provided a calming and reasonable voice for Matilda. There is a point when she is saying goodbye to her second husband Will and doesn't know when or if she will see him again that had me bawling my eyes out.  Theirs was a love match and my heart was breaking for her and him.  He was also a character that I enjoyed.  The author shared his thoughts with us many times regarding his struggle between his loyalty to the current King (Stephen) and his love of Adeliza, friend and champion to Empress Matilda.  He has a few instances when he battles his own sense of honor in order to protect his wife and her stepdaughter.


This book is already residing on my keeper shelf and I highly recommend it.  Plan on being drawn into 12th century England and staying there a while with some magnetic characters that you won't want to leave.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Get a copy for yourself at:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Midnight on Julia Street by Ciji Ware

TITLE:    Midnight on Julia Street
AUTHOR:    Ciji Ware
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 487 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Ciji Ware's acclaimed time slip novel weaves together romance and history with the sultry and timeless flavor of two eras of New Orleans.


TV reporter Corlis McCullough's investigation of a century-old mystery involving spectacular 19th-century buildings under the threat of the wrecker's ball brings her back into the orbit of her old college nemesis King Duvallon. But now they're mature and companionable, and King shows Corlis a fascinating, hidden side of New Orleans society. Then she begins to be pulled back into the past where corruption, violence, and greed mirror the events of the current day.

MY TAKE:   I enjoy contemporary novels with characters that slip back in time, whether it is physical or just in the mind.  The back and forth perspectives of the modern Corlis and her namesake from the past was a very interesting tactic.  I appreciated the fact that it didn't step too heavily into the paranormal, but was right in line with the mystic qualities that surround New Orleans.


I admit to knowing just about nothing about New Orleans and its past so this was a very educational as well as entertaining story for me.  I learned quite a bit about The Big Easy's history from the 19th century up to today.  The plot was well done with a lot of historical fact mixed in with the drama of trying to save the condemned buildings.  The tension and attraction between Corlis and King was palpable with their own tumultuous personal history tied into their race against time and the bureaucracy.  


Ciji Ware is a master at giving her readers historical romance mixed with various other elements.  This book was a treat because it is actually a contemporary story with a heroine that can "see" into the past.  It was very apparent that the author's extensive experience with that of television reporting came in handy when she gave us the spitfire Corlis.


Lovely treat for historical and contemporary fans alike.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now from:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter by Mary Ellen Dennis

TITLE:    The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter
AUTHOR:    Mary Ellen Dennis
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 474 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  A fast-paced and passionate retelling of the story of two timeless lovers who would die for each other. If only they didn't have to. This gorgeous romance by author Mary Ellen Dennis gives the poem a whole new depth and a happy ending.

"Take one highly successful Gothic romance writer who just happens to be an innkeeper's daughter; add one disillusioned, devil-may-care highwayman who robs only the rich on principle; set them down in the turbulent, hypocritical times of late 18th-century England; season with a dash of humor, a splash of the paranormal, and a dollop of danger; and let the adventures begin... A fast pace, fluid writing, and an exceptionally well-crafted plot..." - Library Journal

MY TAKE:     Loreena McKennitt's haunting musical version of "The Highwayman" by poet Alfred Noyes is what drew me immediately to this book.  I have always loved that poem and then Ms. McKennitt's lovely voice brought life to the words for me. It is one of my favorite CDs and gets plenty of play at our house.


So, on to the book by Mary Ellen Dennis.  I had high hopes that the story would basically be a fleshed out version of the original.  While the poem did provide a slight backbone for the book, it was more of a suggestion than a foundation.  I do realize that trying to create an entire full fledged tale out of a poem of 1000 or so words would be tough, but I really did expect a bit more resemblance to the original.


That being said, I did enjoy the story.  Elizabeth is a fun heroine.  She is strong and opinionated and her being an accomplished writer drew me to her.  I loved that she wrote Gothic Romance novels.  The fact that her book is what finally connects her and Rand is a lovely touch.


Rand is a perfect "Robin Hood" character.  He is suave and swashbuckling while still having what counts - a heart.  He and his "Bess" really do make a great couple and drive the story.  The supporting cast weren't especially helpful and I didn't care for most of them.


While I did say I'd have liked it to follow the poem a bit more, I really am glad that the ending for The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter is more upbeat than the tragic ending of the original Highwayman and his Bess.


Elements of adventure, romance, historical fiction and a bit of paranormal activity make for a fun read.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available now at:  Amazon, The Book Depository, Barnes & Noble



The Book of Secrets

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.