The Calico Critic

Book Review - Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

2012-01-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

Bestselling author Shannon Hale returns to Austenland, where bonnets are in vogue and gentlemen can waltz, and one player is planning something a little more sinister…

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests’ Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn’t sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside’s mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And—perhaps of the most lasting importance—could the stirrings in Charlotte’s heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen’s world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

* * *

As mentioned in my preview post, in 2009 I read Shannon Hale's Austenland. This was mere weeks before I began The Calico Critic, before I became aware of the plethora of Austen-themed novels and websites that so permeate my reading life now. I was enthralled with Hale's work, reading the book at home and listening to the audiobook while playing taxi driver in my minivan. It was a delightful introduction to the world of Austenesque fiction.

Now Shannon Hale has written a follow-up novel, Midnight in Austenland. Once again we are transported to Pembrook Park, where clients pay for a totally immersive vacation experience, taking on a fictional Regency persona for two weeks. Fellow residents are paid actors, scripted to portray certain personalities and to play romantic (yet Regency-appropriate) figures amongst the clientele. While Midnight in Austenland refers to the first book on occasion, it’s very much a stand-alone title that can be read independently.

The main character and focus of Midnight in Austenland is Charlotte Kinder, a divorced mom of two who has come to Pembrook Park for the first time. In many ways she’s not just on a vacation, but she’s also running to escape the pain of her husband’s infidelity and the distance she’s beginning to feel between her children. Two weeks in England, portraying a Regency character of her own design sounds like the perfect escape.

While in England Charlotte not only has an escape from her normal existence, but she has a few experiences that are surprising, frightening and life-changing. She finds her heart and mind stretched in new ways, and in some respects is not the same person by the end of her fortnight at Pembrook Park. In short, her numb heart begins to thaw.

Perhaps because Austenland was my first foray into Austenesque fiction, and perhaps because I enjoyed it so much, it’s hard to imagine that Midnight in Austenland would ever live up to the same level of enjoyment that I experienced with the first book. I can honestly say that this second title is not my favorite of the two, but trumping the first is a near impossibility in my mind. That being said, there was much that I liked in Midnight in Austenland.

Hale frequently shifts from present-day to moments to moments in Charlotte’s past, as far back as her childhood to as recently as the last year as she was dealing with the disintegration of her marriage. Through these flashbacks, we get to know Charlotte and see the process of growth and maturation that she’s going through as she vacations at Pembrook Park. While Charlotte is frequently self-absorbed, we also see that she isn’t a selfish person, wanting to put her kids’ well being first before anything.

Without giving anything away, Charlotte literally stumbles across a dark mystery and is led to try to solve it, which takes up most of the Pembrook Park portions of the story. She also becomes romantically drawn to someone at Pembrook. Personally, I wish more time had been given to her romantic relationship and less time to the mystery, but her quest to solve the crime was probably more chock full of interesting plot points than a romantic story line would have been.

While at times I found Charlotte’s self-absorption to be a little bit much for her mature age, I did enjoy seeing her grow as an individual. Near the end of the novel, she gives one character a piece of her mind in such a way that I was literally cheering her on, aloud. I loved how she told this contemptible person off, and that she really seemed to grow a spine over the course of her time at Pembrook. It’s said that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, and in her case this was certainly true.

Overall I can say that Midnight in Austenland was a fun read, perfect for most Janeites, and for fans of Northanger Abbey in particular. I loved returning to Pembrook Park, and hope that Shannon Hale is able to make her way back there again in the future. I’m also looking forward to the upcoming movie version of Austenland, starring Keri Russell. Shannon has created a delightful world and I can once again recommend that you take your own journey to Pembrook Park within the pages of this fun novel.

* * *

If you'd like a taste of Shannon Hale's latest, below are the first 37 pages of Midnight in Austenland!

* * *

CONTEST RESULT ANNOUNCEMENT

Although I enjoyed Midnight in Austenland, I need to make room on my bookshelves. So I decided to pass on my used copy, in addition to the giveaway copy I already had available. So we have not one, but two winners!

Congratulations to Julie, who won for joining our Facebook page. And congrats to Patricia, who won my gently-read copy of Midnight in Austenland as well, for tweeting about our giveaway!

Thanks to all who entered. If you'd like another chance to win Midnight in Austenland, check out these giveaways:

Paper Blog: Deadline to enter is Feb 7, 2012

Mundie Moms: Deadline to enter is Feb 13, 2012

And while you're here, you may want to enter my other giveaway, my ARC of Victoria Connelly's novel, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy. This giveaway ends at 12:01am EST on February 5th.

Thanks to Bloomsbury USA for providing the review
copy and giveaway copy of Midnight in Austenland.

Book Review and Giveaway - Dreaming of Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

2012-01-21T14:34:00.000-05:00

Fledging illustrator and Darcy fanatic Kay Ashton settles in the seaside town of Lyme to finish her book, The Illustrated Darcy, when a film company arrives to make a new adaptation of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Kay is soon falling for the handsome bad boy actor playing Captain Wentworth, but it's the quiet screenwriter Adam Craig who has more in common with her beloved Mr. Darcy. Though still healing from a broken heart, Adam finds himself unexpectedly in love with Kay. But it will take more than good intentions to convince her that her real happy ending is with him.

* * *

Victoria Connelly’s second book in her trilogy featuring Jane Austen addicts, Dreaming of Mr. Darcy is a fun follow up to A Weekend with Mr. Darcy. Kay Ashton is a new resident to the seaside town of Lyme Regis, renovating an old building to be a bed and breakfast for the local tourism industry. As one of the pivotal locations in Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Lyme is a magnet for Janeites on holiday and for the occasional movie production.

Before she’s even ready to receive tenants, Kay is beset with a large portion of a film crew, in town for a new iteration of Persuasion. Amongst their number are the famous and beautiful, and Kay quickly becomes infatuated with Oli Wade Owen, the young man cast to play Captain Wentworth. She also becomes acquainted with the film’s quiet screenwriter, Adam Craig. Kay pines for Oli while Adam falls for the oblivious bed and breakfast hostess.

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy gleans its name from the fact that Kay has a tendency to fantasize about fictional Austen men, a la Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice and Captain Wentworth of Persuasion. This is why she was more apt to fall for Oli Wade Owen than the more realistic, kind and thoughtful Adam Craig. The assigned title of this novel is fine, but if the marketing had worked, it would have been more aptly titled Dreaming of Captain Wentworth. There are some mentions of Darcy throughout the story, but the book gleans more from Persuasion and even Emma than from Darcy’s novel.

Connelly almost makes Lyme a character itself, and her love for Austen’s final novel is very evident in the frequent mentions of the book’s characters and scene locations. Her work here has increased my desire to visit this coastland town quite a bit. And Kay’s role as a clueless matchmaker so reminded me of Emma that I had Romola Garai in mind as I cast the different parts in my head.

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy was an enjoyable read. I liked Victoria Connelly’s characters and the journey on which she takes them throughout her story. While at times fantastic (Local townie gets to go on dates with a mega superstar?), the tale still felt realistic and genuine as well. Connelly keeps the adult content to a minimum, with a mentioned bedroom scene with no details. There were times of humor, family drama and of course delightful romance. And while there’s a wink to the previous A Weekend with Mr. Darcy, this title stands on its own very well. Janeites (and Persuasion fans in particular) will enjoy this one, and I look forward to the third book in the collection, Mr. Darcy Forever.

* * *

Dreaming of Mr. Darcy Giveaway!

If you'd like to enter to win my Advanced Copy (ARC) of Dreaming of Mr. Darcy, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Also take note of the following contest guidelines:

The contest period ends at 12:01am EST on February 5th, 2012.
Make sure you leave your email address in the one required portion of the Rafflecopter form. Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 5th. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
The winner must supply a U.S. mailing address for prize shipment.
You may tweet about the giveaway once per day for bonus entries. Please report the direct URL to the tweet in the Rafflecopter form.
Entries will be verified. Fraudulent entries will be deleted.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sourcebooks.com

Want more chances to win?
Here are some other Dreaming of Mr. Darcy giveaways!

My Jane Austen Book Club - deadline is January 30, 2012
Laura's Reviews - deadline is February 3, 2012
Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell - deadline is February 3, 2012

Midnight in Austenland Preview and Giveaway (US)

2012-01-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

In 2009 I read Shannon Hale's Austenland. This was mere weeks before I began The Calico Critic, before I became aware of the plethora of Austen-themed novels and websites that so permeate my reading life now. I was enthralled with Hale's work, reading the book at home and also listening to the audiobook while playing taxi driver in my minivan. It was a great introduction to the world of Austenesque fiction.

Now Shannon Hale has written a follow-up to her delightful novel, Midnight in Austenland. From what I understand, it's set in the same locale as the first title, but new characters are introduced. There's a bit of mystery, a bit of romance, and assuredly plenty of material for us Janeites to enjoy. Here's some information about Midnight in Austenland, including over three dozen of the first pages of the book so you can start reading now!

Bestselling author Shannon Hale returns to Austenland, where bonnets are in vogue and gentlemen can waltz, and one player is planning something a little more sinister …

When Charlotte Kinder treats herself to a two-week vacation at Austenland, she happily leaves behind her ex-husband and his delightful new wife, her ever-grateful children, and all the rest of her real life in America. She dons a bonnet and stays at a country manor house that provides an immersive Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors who cater to the guests’ Austen fantasies.

Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte isn’t sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside’s mysterious ailment? Was that an actual dead body in the secret attic room? And—perhaps of the most lasting importance—could the stirrings in Charlotte’s heart be a sign of real-life love?

The follow-up to reader favorite Austenland provides the same perfectly plotted pleasures, with a feisty new heroine, plenty of fresh and frightening twists, and the possibility of a romance that might just go beyond the proper bounds of Austen’s world. How could it not turn out right in the end?

Click to read the first 37 pages of Austenland!
(If you can't see this widget, try clicking on "Read More" near the base of the post)

Midnight in Austenland Giveaway!

I'll be reading Midnight in Austenland very soon for a review on The Calico Critic, but until I share my thoughts with you, I'm pleased to offer a copy of Midnight in Austenland to one lucky reader! The contest period ends at 12:01am EST on January 30th, 2012.

Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This is my first giveaway using Rafflecopter, so please bear with me on this one.
Make sure you leave your email address in the one required portion of the Rafflecopter form. Should you win, I will contact you on Monday the 30th. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
All entries will be verified. If any of your entries are invalid, each will be deleted from the Rafflecopter and I will make another drawing.
The winner must supply a U.S. mailing address for prize shipment.

If you can't see the Rafflecopter form, try clicking on "Read More" below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking for another chance to win Midnight in Austenland?

Be sure to check out this review and giveaway:

Mundie Moms: Deadline to enter is Feb 13, 2012

Thanks to Bloomsbury USA for providing the review
copy and giveaway copy of Midnight in Austenland.

Eleven from Eleven - Screen Favorites of 2011

2012-01-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

In addition to the dozens of great books I read this year, I also saw quite a few movies and completed some amazing workout videos as well. So if you're looking for a fun night at the movies or a great workout at home, here are a number of options for your video player!

Top 11 Film Picks

First, the fluff! Most of these are now available for home viewing, but a few are still in the theater. Check them out!

Captain America - When I took in Captain America, of the many Avengers films coming to theaters this decade, I had low expectations for this comic book character. I knew virtually nothing about him, and he didn't seem as fun as Iron Man. Boy was I surprised! This movie was alot of fun and remarkably clean by today's standards. When my sons get a little older, I'm definitely sharing this one with them.

Winnie The Pooh- I took my six year-old to see this one. It's just sweet, (thankfully) not annoying and lovely.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - I wasn't a massive fan of Pirates 2 or 3, but this one was just plain fun. Although I could have done without the vicious mermaid scene. However, I closed my eyes through most of that moment, so I guess I can't comment on it too much!

Kung Fu Panda 2 - I actually liked this one better than the original. Great family story, beautiful animation. And I can't get enough of Jack Black's panda antics!

The Adventures of Tintin - As I've explained to my father multiple times, this is not about a dog, Rin Tin Tin. There is a dog involved, but he's just a sidekick to the titular character, a young man named Tintin. I knew very little before I went, and I had a blast! If you like animation, Pirates of the Carribean and Indiana Jones, this is for you. Go see it before it leaves the theathers!

X-Men: First Class - There are certain elements of the 60s that aren't attractive to me, so I went into this one thinking it might not go over well. How wrong I was! I loved this one. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy were marvelous!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - I was unsuccessful in getting my husband to take me to see the original in the theater, which I regretted when we saw the fun movie on DVD later. For this go 'round, I took myself to the theater and had a great time! With the lack of occultism in this film, I think I liked it better than the first! Robert Downey Jr.'s poor excuse of an English accent is horrible, but I don't care.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 - The night I saw this was bittersweet on so many levels. We were preparing to move away from south Florida after 5 wonderful years, and this amazing book and movie series was coming to an end. I shed many tears in the closing train station scene.

And a few true quality pieces...

Jane Eyre - Based on the novel from which I wrote my first term paper, this somber piece surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It's put the book back on my TBR list for the first time since high school.

Hugo - Based on Brian Selznick's intriguing novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, this film took my breath away. It was amazingly touching and beautiful, and one of the few of 2011 that I would love to own on Blu-ray. The book is of course, on my "Must Read" list.

Persuasion - Okay, I know this wasn't released in 2011, but I saw it for the first time this year. I loved it so much, I had to make this one exception in the list. As a Janeite I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read Austen's final novel yet, but I'm so glad that I was finally able to see this 2007 production. I promptly put the new annotated Persuasion on my wish list, and thankfully my son was so nice to buy it for me for Christmas. The movie has done its job in generating more interest in the source material for sure!

Top 11 Workout Picks

Choosing 11 exercise DVDs is a simple task this year. Ten of them come from a workout series that pushed me harder than any other has before. The Peak Fit Challenge videos by Michelle Dozois are by far my top picks, and are certainly permanent favorites in my large collection. PFC was extremely challenging, but Michelle makes it fun and really connects to her viewers. I especially appreciated the non-condescending appeal to the over-40 set. Those in their 40s and 50s keep up with the younger cast members-- they certainly aren't over the hill! If you'd like to read the long-winded details of my journey with Peak Fit, you can read my 8-week journey here.

The full Peak Fit Challenge series is currently sold out, but in the meantime, you can purchase individual selections from the Challenge with Michelle's Peak 10 workouts, found on her website and from other retail outlets. One of my favorites (and also one of the toughest) is Cardio Interval Burn, over an hour of intense training that will have you sweating buckets and feeling accomplished when you've completed it!

I'm also a big fan of videos produced by The Firm. In 2011 they released their Firm Express: Get Thin in 30 series. While I do have this series, I haven't gone through all of the workouts yet. The ones I have completed are just great-- challenging, but with small, achievable bursts. If you're not ready to go for the whole 14-disc series, try The Firm: Ignite Calorie Burn, which has excerpts from the same program. As always, The Firm is challenging and fun, with a combination of cardio and strength training.

I hope my pics of 2011 bring you a bit of fun as well as a bit of fitness. Have a great 2012!

Eleven from Eleven - Favorite Reads of 2011

2012-01-08T23:45:00.001-05:00

2011 was great year of reading for me. I completed 36 books, and at a rate of about 3 titles a month, this frequency is above any other period in my life. Many reviewers complete far more volumes annually, but for a busy stay-at-home mother of two, wife of a pilot with an odd schedule and owner of one car, this is nothing short of a miracle! Here are my 11 favorites of 2011, categorized, but in no particular order:

Austenesque Fiction

Christmas at Pemberley by Regina Jeffers - Such a rich story, great writing, and authentic struggles with faith in the face of pregnancy issues, plus so much more. Great reading, no matter what time of year! Full review here.

Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan - Gotta love Georgiana Darcy, and this musician finds this to be my favorite of Lathan's many novels. Full review here.

Expectations of Happiness by Rebecca Ann Collins - I lamented the end of her Pemberley series, and Collins has done another fabulous job, now with a Sense and Sensibility sequel! Full review here.

Mr. Darcy's Secretby Jane Odiwe - Ms. Odiwe's writing is just wonderful. She captures the energy and longing of new love so well. Full review here.

Pemberley Ranch by Jack Caldwell - This rare Austenesque author of the male persuasion won me over with an unexpected premise-- Pride and Prejudice meets the old West. Really enjoyed this one quite a bit. Pick it up on Kindle while it's on sale for $1.99! Full review here.

General Fiction

Venetia by Georgette Heyer - This year began my first forays into the world of Georgette Heyer. Jane Austen reborn in the 20th century. It doesn't get much better than this. Full review here.

Road from the West by Rosanne E. Lortz - This was historical fiction at its best. I learned so much about the first Crusade, and it was a highly enjoyable story. Again, grateful there is more to come. Full review here.

Angelology by Danielle Trussoni - Thoroughly different from any other fiction I read this year. Engrossing and original. Beware the sequel-setting, enticing conclusion! Full review here.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - I cannot say I read this entire book in 2011. I started it some time back, had to put it down, and came back to finish it this year. In fact, the final pages were read in the theater, just before the final film began to roll. It's not my favorite Potter book (that would be Prisoner of Azkaban), but the series in general has been such an enjoyable ride. J.K. Rowling brought back the love of reading in a way I hadn't felt in decades.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - When I saw the recent Disney edition of A Christmas Carol, its faithful adaptation planted the desire to actually read the book. Actually read Dickens! So to my shame, I just read my first of this renowned author, and to my delight, I highly enjoyed him and truly understood the tale. Now if I can only one day say the same for Nicholas Nickleby, or other Dickens novels I have yet to tackle!

Non-Fiction

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo - After all the media hype and record-breaking sales, I wanted to check this one out for myself. Over the holidays I had the opportunity, and I nearly read it in one sitting. Incredible. Hope-instilling. All I can say is, don't knock it 'til you've read it, and come at it with an open heart, if you dare.

* * *

So, those are the best of my 2011 collection! My goal for 2012 is to not only surpass 36 titles, but to get some works finished that have long been sitting on my shelf, partially read. Before I became a blogger, I had a habit of beginning books and then abandoning them when something more interesting came along. The Calico Critic has driven me to greater discipline in finishing books, so I'd like to go back and rescue a few abandoned titles, if for no other reason than to make room for more unread lovelies!

I hope my list has given you a few ideas for your TBR list. Come back soon for the video edition of "Eleven from Eleven", where I'll profile the best in movies and workout videos from last year.

Book Review - Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

2012-01-05T13:59:00.001-05:00

Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one.

Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved … and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know—and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Betarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. In Book One of the River of Time series, Gabi and Lia are stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, boring, and dusty archeological site … until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus she comes to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

* * *

I love my Austenesque fiction, but time travel novels are also a big draw for me. Waterfall was a great way to start my 2012 reading. Written from the perspective of Gabi Betarrini, a 17 year-old girl, Lisa T. Bergren’s first title in the River of Time series might not be penned with someone like me in mind, but I gobbled it up anyway!

Teenage sisters Gabi and Lia find themselves transported back in time, in a manner that I found entirely fantastical, but I was able to just go with the premise and enjoy the ride. While in 14th century Italy they encounter royalty, battles, political intrigue, castles to conquer and a bit of romance. Gabi spends most of the book trying to find her sister, from whom she was separated when they made the jump back in time. Gabi is beautiful, and she’s also a bit of a tomboy, so in that ancient time period, she was particularly noticeable to everyone around her. She frequently had to change her manner of speaking, as the people in that society weren’t exactly using 21st century English. As the daughter of archeology scholars, she often fell back on the education her parents had pushed on her over the years.

Gabi’s sister Lia is two years younger and also quite beautiful, and is as adept at archery as her sister is at swordplay. The two of them make quite a pair as they fight to return to one another and to the time period from whence they came. Other than getting back home, their other obstacle is Gabi’s attraction to the knight-prince Marcello Falassi. He knows nothing of her true identity, has completely fallen for her, but it seems impossible that they could ever be truly together.

Waterfall was such a diverting read. I liked Bergren’s characters and enjoyed the interplay between the warring factions. The pages turned effortlessly, and it was simply a lot of fun. I also appreciated the lack of foul language and sexual content, although there was plenty of excitement and romantic tension to go around.

Gabi also struggles with her religious faith a bit, sometimes questioning God’s existence and if He has some purpose in mind for her presence there in Italy. I wouldn’t necessarily call this work “Christian fiction”, as I think it can definitely be enjoyed by believers and non-believers alike, but this series would certainly suit Christians just fine. The only time my sensibilities were tweaked a bit were occurrences when Gabi refers to attractive men as “hotties” and uses other slang that is common amongst teens today. While the youthful voice of Gabi was sometimes a little irksome to this 40 year-old, I could see the effect that Bergren was trying to make and it was easy to gloss over. The story is fabulous and so much more than a tale about and for teens.

I know little of that ancient time period, but Lisa Bergren has done her homework enough that I definitely felt transported myself. Gabi’s time in ancient Italy certainly made me appreciate the creature comforts we have today—flushing toilets, electricity, modern medicine—not to mention our computers, smart phones and internet connections.

As I neared the end of Waterfall, I took comfort in the fact that this is just the start of the series. I really didn’t want the story to end, honestly! Lisa T. Bergren has done a marvelous job, and I can’t wait to step into Cascade, the next book in the series. Following that is Torrent, and coming later in 2012 is Tributary. There are so many fun books coming up on my TBR list in 2012, and I can’t wait to spend some more time riding down the River of Time with Gabi, Marcello and the rest!

* * *

Want to get started on the series?
Click here to buy River of Time on sale now!

New Year, New Workout - Petra Kolber's The Last Step

2012-01-02T15:00:00.000-05:00

As many of us are resolving to get in better shape after weeks of indulging over the holidays, I thought I'd share my thoughts on my first workout of the year, Petra Kolber's The Last Step.

Petra Kolber has been the gold standard in the fitness industry for step aerobics, releasing videos for about 20 years now. She has a positive, upbeat style that isn't too perky, and I've always loved her charming British/European accent. Petra gives excellent cueing, and always offers beginners a simple option before moving on to more complicated maneuvers. I utilized that option quite a few times myself today!

The Last Step is what the title claims-- Petra's last step aerobics video. This tried and true workout style has declined in popularity in recent years, but it retains its efficacy and elements of fun as well. I was thrilled to hear that Petra was releasing just one more to cap off a long tradition of quality videos.

The workout itself is about 59 minutes long, with a 5-minute cool down/stretch. Almost all of Petra's standard moves are here (what, no Grapevine?!?), including a few from VHS workouts of the past. Some may feel that this routine can be complicated, but again-- Petra always gives a basic move to start with before you're ready to move on to a harder combination.

The only pieces of equipment you'll need are an aerobic step, some comfy shoes/clothes, a bit of space in your living room/personal space, and a towel to mop up the perspiration! The step will be parallel to your TV/video device for the cardio portion, and be ready to turn the step perpendicular to the screen for the cool down/stretch.

I did not master the routine the first time out, and I'm glad I have something to work toward. None of the moves are ridiculously hard-- it just will take some practice to get the footwork. And that's fine with me. I've always been able to master Petra's routines, and I enjoy the learning process. This DVD was fun, I definitely got in a good, sweaty workout, and I recommend it to intermediate step exercisers. This was a worthy way to cap off Petra's step legacy!

For more information about about Petra,
check out her website and Facebook page.

Book Review: Christmas at Pemberley by Regina Jeffers

2011-12-15T13:13:00.000-05:00

Darcy has invited the Bennets and the Bingleys to spend the Christmastide’s festive days at Pemberley. But as he and Elizabeth journey to their estate to join the gathered families, a blizzard blankets the English countryside. The Darcys find themselves stranded at a small inn while Pemberley is inundated with refugees seeking shelter from the storm.

Without her brother’s strong presence, Georgiana Darcy tries desperately to manage the chaos surrounding the arrival of six invited guests and eleven unscheduled visitors. But bitter feuds, old jealousies and intimate secrets quickly rise to the surface. Has Lady Catherine returned to Pemberley for forgiveness or revenge? Will the manipulative Caroline Bingley find a soul mate? Shall Kitty Bennet and Georgiana know happiness?

Written in Regency style and including Austen’s romantic entanglements and sardonic humor, Christmas at Pemberley places Jane Austen’s most beloved characters in an exciting yuletide story that speaks to the love, the family spirit and the generosity that remain as the heart of Christmas.

* * *

Each year during Christmastime I enjoy reading a holiday-themed novel. Last year I loved A Darcy Christmas, and I also recommend The Christmas Chronicles by Tim Slover and Kringle by Tony Abbott. These titles have been a fun addition to my holiday merrymaking.

This year my yuletide novel of choice is Christmas at Pemberley by Regina Jeffers. In this follow-up to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, we find all the main characters as they usher in the holiday season at Pemberley and the surrounding area. Elizabeth Darcy is pregnant again, after suffering two miscarriages in the past. As any woman would be in her situation, she dearly wants a healthy child for herself and her husband. As they make their way home to celebrate Christmas, they are delayed by treacherous wintery weather and have a few adventures of their own. Back at Pemberley, Darcy’s sister Georgiana and others weather some drama as well. And upon the Darcys’ return, even more drama ensues.

Christmas at Pemberley was an absolute delight. There are moments of the aforementioned drama, a bit of political intrigue, romance and some truly inspirational episodes. I thoroughly enjoyed the manner in which Jeffers wove the multiple storylines, offering cliffhanger after cliffhanger between each narrative (and there are at least 4) within the novel. At no point during my reading did I become bored or disinterested. She definitely kept my attention with her writing, which captured the Regency style very well, while adding suspense and multiple points of focus.

As a Christian I also appreciated Jeffers’ inclusion of spiritual topics within her story. Elizabeth almost struggles with her faith at times, wondering how she must have fallen short in God’s eyes due to her multiple miscarriages. It’s sad that anyone would feel that God would withhold motherhood in this manner, but I think it’s a realistic doubt that some may have during times such as that. Regina was brave to broach such a subject, in my opinion. I also enjoyed how she employed some of the rituals of the church within the story as well. I wouldn’t consider Christmas at Pemberley a “Christian novel” per se, but there are many elements to it that I think Christians would find enjoyable, even beyond the obvious Christmas connection.

For those who are looking for romantic Regency tales without all the tawdry content, Christmas at Pemberley might be a good fit for you as well. Jeffers doesn’t shy away from sexual tension, but she keeps it fairly clean by today’s standards. The steamiest stuff is kept between married couples, and even those details are limited. There are a few passionate kisses between unmarrieds, but those moments are reasonable and fit the period and genre.

Although she is the author of several titles of Austenesque fiction, Regina Jeffers is a new author for me. After reading Christmas at Pemberley, I look forward to taking in more of her work. This holiday story was absolutely enjoyable, with surprises at every turn and a treat for the holiday season. Add it to your Christmas list today!

UlyssesPress.com

Secret Santa: My Book Blogger Package Arrived!

2011-12-13T11:54:00.003-05:00

This is my third year participating in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap. Once again, I had a great time putting together a package for my Secret Santee, and it was a delight to receive a big package from my Secret Santa yesterday.

This year my Secret Santa was Heather from The Capricious Reader. She's from my home state of North Carolina, which was a thrill! I was born in Greensboro and have also lived in Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Kernersville. My parents still reside outside of Charlotte and my in-laws have homes in Fayetteville, New Bern and Atlantic Beach. Gotta love the Tar Heel State!

Heather was really generous and sent me not one, not two, but three books! She chose Strange Angelsby Lili St. Crow, Deadly Little Secretby Laurie Faria Stolarz and Brightly Wovenby Alexandra Bracken. Brightly Woven has been on my Goodreads wishlist for quite a while, but I'm unfamiliar with the other two. So I have two undiscovered treasures in hand, apparently! Thanks so much for your generosity, Heather. I hope your Secret Santa sends you fun surprises and granted wishes, too!

Thanks to the organizers over at the Book Blogger Holiday swap. This is always so much fun every year. If you're a book blogger who would like to participate next year, be sure to stop by the program's website each November to get information about signing up. It's alot of fun for all!

Reflecting on the Season: Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

2011-12-01T13:08:00.001-05:00

I don't know about you, but there have been many years when the Christmas season has gone by in such a rush, I've hardly had a chance to enjoy it. This year I'm committing to take some time each day to reflect on the true meaning of the Season-- the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Starting today, I'm going to be reading Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus, edited by Nancy Guthrie. Within this slim book are 22 short readings for Advent, written by many well known and respected authors, both historical and contemporary. Some of these wise individuals include:

Martin Luther
Charles Spurgeon
Jonathan Edwards
St. Augustine
John Piper
Randy Alcorn
Francis Schaeffer
R.C. Sproul
Tim Keller
Joni Eareckson Tada

I encourage you to seek out this or similar means of reflecting on the Season this year, before time gets away from us. Holiday shopping, yummy baked goods, decorations and Christmas carols are a wonderful blessing this time of year. But let's not forget how it all got here in the first place, and how everything continues to hold together through Him.

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:15-17

Book Review - Miss Darcy Falls in Love by Sharon Lathan

2011-11-29T21:54:00.001-05:00

An intimate journey of love, life, and the passionate pursuit of happiness.

Noble young ladies were expected to play an instrument, but societal restrictions would have chafed for Georgiana Darcy, an accomplished musician.

Her tour of Europe draws the reader into the musical life of the day, and a riveting love story of a young woman learning to direct her destiny and understand her own heart.

* * *

Warning: A few plot spoilers are included in this review.

Earlier this year I enjoyed Sharon Lathan’s The Trouble with Mr. Darcy, Book 5 in the Darcy Saga. Within that installment is a brief reference to Georgiana Darcy’s romantic escapades while away in Europe, setting up the premise for the next book in the series, Miss Darcy Falls in Love. I was excited about the concept and looked forward to the title’s fall 2011 release.

My expectations were more than realized in this delightful novel. For this Janeite and musician, there was much for me to admire and enjoy within the story and the structure itself. Georgiana has always been a favorite character, and I loved how Sharon handled her journey. She mingled Miss Darcy’s love of music, her character traits as a Darcy and her desire for matrimony perfectly.

The chemistry between Georgiana and her love interest, Sebastian Butler is just wonderful. I loved how they began their relationship as friends, sharing a common spiritual faith and passion for music as well. My husband and I began in a similar way, meeting in the Baptist Student Union in college, enjoying friendship and sharing music together, long before romantic notions were held. I’ve long held the belief that faith and friendship are essential foundations to any lasting marriage, and these elements are definitely a part of Georgiana and Sebastian’s budding relationship.

Of course, one of the main obstacles that the couple must face is that of a competing suitor, the charming Lord Caxton. While certainly not the best choice for Georgiana, I liked the fact that Caxton was not an out-and-out rogue or wicked individual. I suppose Georgiana learned her lesson with Wickham years before, although there is little to no mention of him at all here. She probably would not have entertained Caxton at all if he were such a man. However, his looks, charm, propriety and desirability made him an attractive prospect for a time, and provided interesting tension in the story line.

Miss Darcy Falls in Love fits into that delectable category of books that make me stay up late reading, wanting to take in “just one more” chapter before heading to bed much too late in the evening (or wee hours of the morning). If it were not for some family travel obligations in mid-November, I probably would have been reading it at all moments of the day as well. I truly enjoyed Sharon’s characters and their musical and romantic journey together.

I’ve mentioned in past reviews that author Sharon Lathan will sometimes put too many details of intimacy in her stories. While Miss Darcy Falls in Love does have a short dream sequence and a lengthy wedding night scene, the rest of the novel is relatively chaste in its details. And even with the steamy passages, they are within the confines of marriage, both dreamed and realized. Once again I appreciate Lathan’s portrait of marital intimacy, making the marriage bed as attractive as other authors have made the beds of unmarried lovers.

For whatever reason, Georgiana Darcy has always been a favorite character of mine. Sharon Lathan’s characterization of her is spot-on, and I love the infusing of music and faith within her story. I have not read all of Sharon’s work, but thus far Miss Darcy Falls in Love is my favorite of her titles. It’s incredibly romantic, enjoyable and a delightful addition to the Darcy Saga. While I’m sure that Lathan will return her gaze to Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy once again, I hope she also reserves another book or two for the delightful Georgiana.

During this holiday season, I also highly recommend A Darcy Christmas, which includes Sharon Lathan as a contributing author. These short stories would make a wonderful gift to yourself or a fellow Janeite! Click here to read my review from October of last year.

Sourcebooks.com

Book Review Part 3 - Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress, Editor

2011-11-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

Recently the lovely Laurel Ann Nattress stopped by The Calico Critic to introduce her new project, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, an anthology of Austenesque short stories. I've now had the opportunity to read this collection, and in conjunction with Laurel Ann's post, I've been sharing some brief impressions of each entry. As there are 22 shorts, the review is broken up into three separate posts. Today is Part 3. The other portions can be found here:

After your visit here, be sure and check out the book's website, JaneAustenMadeMeDoIt.com!

* * *

“Jane Austen’s Cat” by Diana Birchall

During the summer of 1813, Jane Austen was in the midst of writing her beloved novels. She is visited by family members, including her niece Caroline, who adores cats. The feline-allergic Jane is gracious toward Caroline's cat, Tyger. She also agrees to spin some fun prose and verses for her niece, using aspects of her novels to characterize feline characters. Diana Birchall's writing was well done, but I wasn't overly impressed with this tale.

“Me and Mr. Darcy, Again…” by Alexandra Potter

Years ago I bought Alexandra Potter's book, Me and Mr. Darcy, but to this day I haven't read it. This short story seems to be a sequel, following up with Emily four years later. While the story's concept is completely implausible, I totally bought into it and had a fun ride. I'm now looking forward to Me and Mr. Darcy even more!

“What Would Austen Do?” by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Young James is the son of a serious Janeite, who manages to get her 14 year-old to take a country dance class at the local community center. He begins his time there as a scoffing, obliging teenager and comes out a young man transformed. Authors Jane and Caitlen accurately capture the mindset and vernacular of James' generation and give plenty of Austenian nuggets for us fans to enjoy. This one was lighthearted, modern and sweet. It has increased my desire to read their novel, Lady Vernon and Her Daughter, which has been on my TBR list for some time.

“The Riding Habit” by Pamela Aidan

My first Pamela Aidan read, "The Riding Habit" was enjoyable. Aidan's characterizations were spot-on, and there was even a moment of peril that I found quite interesting. My only reservation is that it seemed to be too large of a story for the format. Or maybe I was enjoying myself so much, I didn't want it to end!

“The Love Letter” by Brenna Aubrey

Knowing this short story was from the Jane Austen Made Me Do It contest winner, I was skeptical that it would be a memorable one. Much to my delight, new author Brenna Aubrey has written a delightful piece, drawing heavily from themes found in her favorite Austen novel, Persuasion. "The Love Letter" was well done, and had me fully engaged, even up to the last moments. Of the short stories in Jane Austen Made Me Do It that are set in contemporary times, this one is my favorite by far. I'm thrilled to read that Aubrey is working on a full-length novel.

Stop by Brenna's site and see what others are saying about this debut author. She was so nice to include my comments on her work.

“The Chase” by Carrie Bebris

Apparently based upon actual events, "The Chase" recounts the exploits of Jane Austen's seafaring brother, Francis. While at times exciting and well-written throughout, this episode eventually came off as more of a history lesson for me, rather than an entertainment piece. It was nice to learn a bit about Captain Austen, but ultimately I can't say it was my favorite.

“Intolerable Stupidity” by Laurie Viera Rigler

Laurie Viera Rigler's contribution to Jane Austen Made Me Do It is inventive, quirky, and markedly different from the other entries in this anthology. We find Lady Catherine De Bourgh presiding as a judge in a fictitious court. It seems that those on trial are the filmmakers of the BBC's 1995 rendition of Pride and Prejudice, as well as the other incarnations, derivations and sequels to Jane Austen's work. Rigler makes an interesting statement regarding those who object to all of the Austenesque material that's been produced in recent years. There's also a bit of a romance brewing between the two main lawyers. I found this one to be a bit odd. It's not my favorite of all the entries, but it was interesting.

* * *

And that's the collection! Twenty-two tales, giving the reader new perspectives on all things Jane Austen. While every story wasn't a home-run for me, overall I highly enjoyed this anthology and would recommend it to anyone. My hope is that this volume does so well, Laurel Ann Nattress is able to secure a contract for a follow-up, with more short stories from some of the many Austenesque authors in the market today. Kara Louise, Sharon Lathan, Jack Caldwell, Mary Simonsen, Marsha Altman are just a few authors who come to mind. Might I suggest the title? Jane Austen Made Me Do It Again!

Book Review Part 2 - Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress, Editor

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Recently the lovely Laurel Ann Nattress stopped by The Calico Critic to introduce her new project, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, an anthology of Austenesque short stories. I've now had the opportunity to read this collection, and in conjunction with Laurel Ann's post, I'd like to share some brief impressions of each entry. As there are 22 shorts, I'm going to break this review up into three separate posts. Today is Part 2. The other portions can be found here:

Thanks for reading, and congratulations to Monica Perry, who won our Jane Austen Made Me Do It giveaway!

* * *

“When Only a Darcy Will Do” by Beth Patillo

A couple of years ago I read Jane Austen Ruined My Life and found it to be a light, enjoyable read. Beth Patillo's contribution to JAMMDI has similar features. It's light, romantic, based in modern day but with a bit of Austen sensibility. I enjoyed the characters in this morsel and found myself rooting for them, even after a short time. It's fun to think there could be Darcys in disguise all about us.

“Heard of You” by Margaret C. Sullivan

Margaret C. Sullivan offers a prequel to Persuasion, with Captain Wentworth telling the story of how his sister and Admiral Croft met. I found this one to be well written, interesting, and believable for Austen's characters. Ms. Sullivan seems to be well-versed on the inner workings of 19th century naval life. This is another of those that could easily be drawn out into a full novel. I'm glad to be introduced to Ms. Sullivan's work. This was highly enjoyable, and possibly my favorite of the period-set shorts.

“The Ghostwriter” by Elizabeth Aston

I'm all for imaginary plot devices, but I wasn't bowled over by this one. I didn't like the characters, I wasn't able to suspend belief for the story's concept, and I found it uninteresting. I'm sure Elizabeth Aston has written well in the past, but in this case I felt as if she didn't bring her A-game.

“Mr. Bennet Meets His Match” by Amanda Grange

I've always wanted to read a Pride and Prejudice prequel which features the courtship of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. How did this sedate reader become matched with the girl who would become a high strung mother of four? Amanda Grange's story is well written and sweet. But ultimately it left me wanting more with Mrs. Bennet. There was no hint to the tightly-wound personality that was to come. Overall, it was a nice tale, but with that one reservation.

“Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!” By Janet Mullany

Set in England in 1964, this story follows the afternoon of Julie Morton, school teacher. She and some students discuss the characters of Sense and Sensibility and how they might compare to the Beatles, who were all the rage at that time. Julie also finds herself reevaluating her relationship with her boyfriend. I found this story to be mildly interesting, but fairly forgettable.

“Letters to Lydia” by Maya Slater

"Letters to Lydia" is a new perspective on some of the events of Pride and Prejudice, written from the perspective of Maria Lucas through unidirectional letters to Lydia Bennet. Through Maria's poorly-written reports and inquiries, she shares the hidden goings-on of Lydia, Darcy, Lizzie and others. I wasn't very impressed with this one, although I found the concept for the presentation to be interesting.

“The Mysterious Closet: A Tale” by Myretta Robens

Cathy Fullerton, a 29 year-old editor from Boston goes on a vacation in a gloomy part of England, in an old abbey, a la Northanger Abbey. While she participates in some usual tourist activities in the area, within her bedroom she has a bit of a supernatural encounter. She questions her sanity a bit, but ultimately the occurrences come to bear on real life. I found this one to be well written and enjoyable, although I found the end to be a bit surprising, abrupt and odd.

* * *

Come back soon for the final installment of my review!

Book Review Part 1 - Jane Austen Made Me Do It by Laurel Ann Nattress, Editor

2011-11-20T16:00:00.000-05:00

Recently the lovely Laurel Ann Nattress stopped by The Calico Critic to introduce her new project, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, an anthology of Austenesque short stories. I've now had the opportunity to read this collection, and in conjunction with Laurel Ann's post and book giveaway, I'd like to share some brief impressions of each entry. As there are 22 shorts, I'm going to break this review up into three separate posts, starting today and in future entries. The other portions can be found here:

* * *

“Jane Austen’s Nightmare” by Syrie James

It’s 1815, just before the publication of Jane Austen’s Emma. She has an extremely vivid dream, wherein she encounters several of the characters of her novels. Many are very dissatisfied with how they were conceived and developed in her work. Others are completely content and thankful for their treatments. After waking, Jane is inspired to create characters for her next book who are somewhat different from others in the past. I found the premise of Syrie’s story to be interesting, but wasn’t bowled over by it.

“Waiting” by Jane Odiwe

“Waiting” is a bit of a postscript to Persuasion. The day after Captain Wentworth’s and Anne’s meeting on Union Street, he goes to her father to ask for the Baronet’s blessing upon their engagement. Anne also recalls moments from years before when she and Wentworth first met. This short story is as well written as Ms. Odiwe’s other works, some of which I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I hope she considers writing more speculative fiction based upon Persuasion.

“A Night at Northanger” by Lauren Willig

Cate is an assistant investigator on a cheesy television program called Ghost Trekkers. Her production team visits Northanger Abbey to produce one of their usual smoke-and-mirrors ghost programs. She’s unhappy in her job, which she pursued due to a crush on one of the other members of the team. While at the abbey, she has a paranormal experience that helps her reevaluate her life. Willig’s story takes a little while to get going, and there’s a bit of colorful language. I enjoyed the second half better than the first.

“Jane and the Gentleman Rogue” by Stephanie Barron

It’s the spring of 1805, and Jane Austen is acquainted with a Gentleman Rogue. He becomes involved in thwarting a bit of conspiracy and espionage, and Jane is a witness to much of the goings-on. This is my first exposure to the work of Stephanie Barron. While I have never been very interested in the many Jane Austen mysteries that are in the market, I was impressed with her writing and did enjoy this little piece of intrigue.

“Faux Jane” by F. J. Meier

Penned by a husband and wife team, "Faux Jane" also involves a husband and wife, as well as a suspicious first edition of Pride and Prejudice. I'm not going to bother summarizing this one. I didn't enjoy it, found it hard to follow and was glad to move on.

“Nothing Less Than Fairy-Land” by Monica Fairview

This follow-up to Jane Austen’s Emma encounters the titular character in the early days of her marriage to Mr. Knightley. Things are not as smooth they could be, as George has agreed to come live in Emma’s home, along with her father. This produces an interesting environment, as Emma must balance the priorities and desires of both her father and that of her husband. And despite the discouragement of her spouse, Emma still desires to play the matchmaker with others in the community. Author Monica Fairview has crafted a nice episode here. As I have in the past, I enjoyed her writing and look forward to reading more of her in the future.

“Love and Best Wishes, Aunt Jane” by Adriana Trigiani

This short work from Adriana Trigiani is a letter written by Jane Austen to her niece, but set in the modern day. In it she encourages young Anna as they celebrate her engagement to a young man named Declan. She offers advice and hopes for her niece as she embarks on a new chapter in a life. It’s evident that Trigiani has done her biographical homework on Austen, but I wasn’t overly impressed with this one.

“Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss” by Jo Beverley

Set in Regency England, this yuletide tale centers around the Carsholt family, who live near the Austens in Chawton. Elinor is a 35 year-old widow who longs to be married again, but feels that she is too old for any decent prospects. Her 16 year-old daughter has discovered Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and seems to be taking on some of the novelist’s romantic notions about marriage. Mrs. Carsholt worries about the care of her family, but also about the care of her daughter’s heart, which could be easily broken if she expects every man to be a Mr. Darcy. As the end of the widow’s mourning period comes to a close during the holidays, the simple hanging of mistletoe could be the beginning of something wonderful.

I’ve been unfamiliar with the work of Jo Beverley, but after reading this delightful short story, I am sure to seek out some of her novels in the future. Her submission is well written in the Regency style and perfect to read at this time of year.

* * *

Come back soon for my next post on Jane Austen Made Me Do It, where I'll continue to offer brief thoughts on the short stories within this delightful collection.

Book Review: Fortune's Son by Emery Lee

2011-11-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

Love is the ultimate gamble…

Seasoned gambler Philip Drake knows every trick and uses most of them. After years of infamy, he’s ready to accept the mantle of respectability with his earldom— until a devastating racing loss and the threat of debtors’ prison force Philip right back into his gaming ways…

Susannah, Lady Messingham, is a woman with a past who refuses to belong to any man again. But Philip’s skill catches her eye and she persuades him to teach her how to win at the tables. Their new partnership turns into an exhilarating high-stakes game that entangles them in terrifying risk and unimaginable rewards…

Immerse yourself in the risky side of Georgian England with a pair of lovers who aren’t afraid to risk it all on a toss of the dice…

* * *

Warning: This review contains a few minor spoilers

In the spring of 2010 I had the pleasure of reading The Highest Stakes, a delightful equestrian-themed novel by Emery Lee. I was also honored when she offered the very first guest post for The Calico Critic. When I heard she’d published another novel and was given the opportunity to review it, I jumped at the chance.

While my reading interest in recent years has heavily favored novels with romantic themes, I try to stay away from cheap, tawdry “bodice rippers”, as I term them. I do enjoy a good love story, but there must be more to a book than passionate embraces and yearning looks. Plot choices, character development and originality are important factors, and graphic sex scenes are a drawback in my estimation.

So imagine my disappointed surprise when Emery Lee’s next work, Fortune's Son arrived in my mailbox, presented in cover art more befitting a throwaway novel found in the back of a used bookstore. I know one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but the image of a half-dressed English lord caressing a fuchsia-clad damsel was enough to send my eyes rolling back into their sockets. Surely the author of The Highest Stakes is above this kind of marketing! Despite my extreme distaste, I set to work on the story, but not before I covered the images on the front and spine of the book in an effort to forget them (and to shield them from my children).

I must say it took me a while to move beyond my biased mentality while reading Fortune’s Son. The opening scene features bawdy gentlemen comparing the assets of their female acquaintances. Main characters Susannah and Philip end up in a lingering lip-lock upon their first meeting. Scandalous and colorful creatures pop up in nearly every chapter. One scene became so pagan and carnal in its nature, I nearly put the book down before the episode was redeemed by Phillip Drake’s virtuous actions.

About midway through the novel, things began to settle a bit and I was able to see beyond the contaminating cover art. Emery Lee has retained her excellent writing style, doing her homework on the Georgian period’s social customs and exhibiting her knowledge of betting tables, cards and other games of chance. Much like her knowledge of the horsing world, she shows her readers the excitements and pitfalls of gambling and risking one’s fortune with Lady Luck. Her story became more about her characters and their fates and not just about passions and their fulfillments.

Ultimately, Fortune’s Son was above the cover art that was chosen for its binding. I cannot say that it was my favorite book of the year, but I’m pleased that the story proved to be better than I’d expected. I still keep Emery Lee as an admired author, and I hope Fortune’s Son is not only popular enough to justify further printings (and therefore would have the chance to be repackaged), but also enough to land Ms. Lee another writing contract. I hold out hope to enjoy her next novel.

* * *

I'm not able to host book giveaways as often as I'd like, mostly because of the cost involved in shipping. I also do not believe in selling or profiting from the distribution of advanced copies (ARCs). If you'd like to have my ARC of Fortune's Son, feel free to contact me. If you will cover the cost of shipping, I'd be happy to send it to you at no additional charge. This paragraph will be removed from this post if such an arrangement is reached.

Sourcebooks.com

"True vice, my lady, would frighten us all, if it did not wear the mask of virtue." (p.56)

Contest Winner Announcement - The Royal Giveaway

2011-11-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Crystal Trent Dotson, winner of our Royal Giveaway! She chose a lovely necklace and bracelet from Jewels by Jenn, and her Down the Long Wind trilogy is on the way as well. Thanks to all who entered, and be sure to check out Jewels by Jenn as you're considering your holiday gifts!

Jewels by Jenn

Book Review: Triple Dog Dare Devotional by Jeremy V. Jones

2011-11-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

Dinner - Tuna Surprise!

In recent weeks, I've been making a concerted effort to have home-cooked meals for dinner, with everyone eating together at the table. In years past it's been a challenge, as my husband frequently has an odd work schedule as a pilot, and my two boys have had many extracurricular activities that have kept us from the dinner table. Meals have frequently been eaten on the fly, in shifts and at odd hours. After moving to Georgia a few months ago, we now have a cleaner slate than before. So on nights when my husband is home, I like to have dinners together as a family. And in addition to this, we’ve been reading family devotionals as well.

A devotional book we’ve been using lately is Triple Dog Dare by Jeremy V. Jones. This book offers a year of dynamic devotions, aimed at boys ages 9 and up. While my younger son is only 6 years old, I thought he would still enjoy these reflections almost as my elder son, age 11.

Many devotional books begin with January 1st and run through December 31st, but this one follows a numbered weekly format, beginning with Week 1 and running through Week 52. The weekday devotions follow a particular layout, and the weekend entries offer something slightly different. This gives flexibility in the use of this book regardless of what year you’re reading it, but as we started it in mid-October, it took a bit of calculating to figure out which entry would be the one to begin with. The start of the book really is for January, as it references a “new year”, and the Christmas holidays are mentioned in the latter weeks as well. So readers should be prepared to calculate which week they are in before beginning.

From author Jeremy V. Jones, here’s a description of how the book is structured:

Every weekday of the year you get…

one Bible verse or passage.
some short thoughts about a real-life situation or connection to God.
three Triple Dog Dares – ideas to put the theme into action.
Two Mission Accomplished questions so you can write down your results from yesterday’s dares.

Each weekend you get something a little different.

Make Triple Dog Tracks sections give ideas to make something cool, like a movie, comic strip, life list, or Noah’s ark out of Legos.
From the Triple Dog Pound sections deliver short stories about guys in the Bible who accomplished God’s Triple Dog Dares—plus ideas of how you can do the same.

As we’ve been going through the Triple Dog Dare devotions, my boys have been enjoying them. I have my elder son read the Bible verses at the beginning, and I read the rest of the devotion while the boys are eating. Then we discuss ideas, if the boys have anything to say (sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t). Jeremy has a lighthearted, fun approach to the Christian faith, and he especially takes an interest in faith in action, encouraging readers to apply what they’ve learned to their daily lives and to come back and chronicle those events within blank, lined spaces in the devotional.

My only quibble with the book comes in the first entry (which would be January 2, 2012 if reading it soon). Jones opens with a paragraph that’s designed to “wake up” his young readers, addressing irritations that middle-grade students may have with the church:

“Are you bored with the Bible? Does church put you to sleep? Do you think Christians are wimps? Do you feel like following Jesus is only about following rules? Then it’s time to wake up.”

I understand that Jones is reaching out to kids who are struggling with these issues, but given the current age and experience of my boys, they don’t have many of those thoughts in their heads yet. I would allow that they might agree that church can be boring for them, but I don’t need a devotional book validating these notions or implanting them, even though it’s ultimately decrying them. This January entry has caused me to read over the devotionals quickly before sharing them with my boys, just in case. So far none others have raised any concern, however. The Triple Dog Dare entries are fun and really do offer a platform to applying our faith to our everyday lives.

Despite my one, minor hesitation with the book, I do recommend this title to parents and loved ones of pre-teen and young teenage boys. In this day and age, I feel it’s incredibly important to help kids see that the Christian faith should not be about religion, but it should be about a vibrant relationship that affects every decision we make. I tell my son Matthew all the time—one day he’s going to be on his own, and his faith in Christ should not be just about what Mommy and Daddy told him. He needs to believe it for himself, and act it out through Christ living in him, not because we’re looking over his shoulder. The world is already offering him so many false reasons to disregard what we believe. I applaud Jeremy V. Jones’ work in showing kids God’s love for us and in our world at large. If our children can come away with that message tucked into their hearts, they will be very blessed indeed.

* * *

For your next sit-down dinner with your family, I recommend the Tuna Surprise pictured above. It's easy to make and quite delicious. Check out the video and recipe on Rachael Ray's site:

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/tuna-surprise/

Jane Austen Made Me Do It Blog Tour and Giveaway

2011-11-02T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the next stop in the Jane Austen Made Me Do It blog tour! Today The Calico Critic is honored to have our guest, Laurel Ann Nattress. She is the editor of this delightful anthology of Austenesque short stories and the talented woman behind the blog Austenprose.com. She's put some thoughts together for us today, reflecting on the many themes and styles within this collection. Don't forget to enter to win a copy for yourself as well!

* * *

How to Give Loose to Your Fancy:
(Or, the recipe to Jane Austen Made Me Do It)

Hi Laura, thanks again for hosting me here at The Calico Critic during my Grand Tour of the blogosphere in celebration of the release of my new Austen-inspired anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It. On first perusing your review list, you appear a very eclectic reader, but I do see a common thread throughout your reviews – historical fiction with a strong romance. Right? From Georgette Heyer to Abigail Reynolds to Gillian Bradshaw, every book you have read and reviewed here I would love to read too (and some I have). I trust your judgment implicitly.

When I was thinking about the mix of stories that I wanted in my short story anthology, Jane Austen Made Me Do It, I wanted readers to have a variety of genres and emotional experiences – from romance to comedy to irony – so I encouraged my twenty-four authors to visit Austen’s novels, characters and philosophies on life and love as an overall unifying theme. The stories could be set in any era or genre and should be approximately 5000 words in length. I was very flexible and open to any and all of their ideas.

"[S]uppose as much as you chuse; give a loose to your fancy, indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will afford," Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 60

Austen has many qualities as a writer that I admire, but I am particularly fond of her characterization, acerbic wit and the tension that she creates within the love story. Even though it has been two hundred years since her first novel was published, we can still identify with the struggles of social acceptance, financial freedom and a happy union of attraction, situation and temper that her heroines and heroes face and ultimately overcome. For me, Austen succeeds as writer because she creates heroines that I can relate to and admire, honorable heroes that I can fall in love with and a reproving social commentary that allows me to laugh at the folly and nonsense of human nature and culture.

As I encouraged my authors to give “loose to your fancy” I was all anticipation of what would develop. From historical to contemporary the stories were as varied in their style as their authors. Amazingly, the final combination would end up equally balanced with historical and contemporary tales. The genres chosen were always a surprise. Some of the authors Like Amanda Grange (Mr. Darcy’s Diary), Jane Odiwe (Lydia Bennet’s Story) and Monica Fairview (The Other Mr. Darcy) continued in their known historical fiction vein with “Mr. Bennet Meets His Match,” “Waiting,” and “Nothing Less Than Fairy-land,” presenting side stories of minor characters from Austen original novel, or back stories offering more depth or continuations of the lives of the characters after Jane Austen’s novel had closed. These were all comfort food to me and played off well with some of the surprises that arrived. Mother/daughter team Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway (Lady Vernon and Her Daughter) jumped from historical to contemporary young adult story in the humorous “What Would Austen Do?,” Janet Mullany (Jane and the Damned) took a sharp right turn from Jane Austen as a vampire to a contemporary story of a teacher using Sense and Sensibility and the Beatles to reach her students in 1964 England, Lauren Willig’s “A Night at Northanger” parodies Austen’s parody of Gothic fiction, Northanger Abbey, with a spoof on a ghost hunter television show and a young lady visited by the ghost of a very familiar specter.

From Regency to contemporary, romantic to fantastical, each of the twenty-two stories in Jane Austen Made Me Do It reaffirms the incomparable influence of Jane Austen on writers over the past two hundred years. My objective was to honor and entertain. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I had editing it.

Cheer, Laurel Ann

* * *

Editor bio:

A life-long acolyte of Jane Austen, Laurel Ann Nattress is the author/editor of Austenprose.com a blog devoted to the oeuvre of her favorite author and the many books and movies that she has inspired. She is a life member of the Jane Austen Society of North America, a regular contributor to the PBS blog Remotely Connected and the Jane Austen Centre online magazine. An expatriate of southern California, Laurel Ann lives in a country cottage near Snohomish, Washington. Visit Laurel Ann at her blogs Austenprose.com and JaneAustenMadeMeDoIt.com, on Twitter as @Austenprose, and on Facebook as Laurel Ann Nattress.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It:
Original Stories Inspired by Literature’s Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart

edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

Ballantine Books • ISBN: 978-0345524966

Giveaway of
Jane Austen Made Me Do It

**Contest Closed**

Enter a chance to win one copy of Jane Austen Made Me Do It by leaving a comment by November 22nd, stating what intrigues you about reading an Austen-inspired short story anthology. Winners to be drawn at random and announced on November 23rd. Shipment to US and Canadian addresses only. Good luck to all!

More Contest Details

Entries accepted until 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011.
After the winner is announced and contacted, they must supply a US or Canadian mailing address for prize shipment.
Prize will be mailed through Laurel Ann Nattress.
Make sure your comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
I will contact the winner on Wednesday the 23rd. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Jane Austen Made Me Do It
Blog Tour Schedule:

Monday Oct 10 – Jane Austen Today
Tuesday Oct 11 – Austen Authors
Wednesday Oct 12 – Historical Tapestry
Thursday Oct 13 – Austenesque Reviews
Friday Oct 14 – My Jane Austen Book Club
Saturday Oct 15 – Historical-Fiction.com
Monday Oct 17 – Heroes and Heartbreakers
Tuesday Oct 18 – A Buckeye Girl Reads
Wednesday Oct 19 – Jane Austen in Vermont
Thursday Oct 20 – Risky Regencies
Friday Oct 21 – P&P 2005 Blog Part 1
Saturday Oct 22 – P&P 2005 Blog Part 2
Saturday Oct 22 – Laura’s Reviews
Sunday Oct 23 – Jane Austen Sequels
Monday Oct 24 – Linus’ Blanket
Wednesday Oct 26 – Diary of an Eccentric
Thursday Oct 27 – She’s Too Fond of Books Part 1
Friday Oct 28 – She’s Too Fond of Books Part 2
Friday Oct 28 – AustenBlog
Saturday Oct 29 – Stiletto Storytime
Sunday Oct 30 – Savvy Verse & Wit
Monday Oct 31 – Psychotic State Book Reviews
Tuesday Nov 01 – Booktalk & More
Wednesday Nov 02 – The Calico Critic
Thursday Nov 03 – Burton Book Review
Friday Nov 04 – Stephanie’s Written Word
Sunday Nov 06 – One Literature Nut
Monday Nov 07 – Vicariously Jane Austen
Tuesday Nov 08 – Reflections of a Book Addict
Wednesday Nov 09 – Unabridged Chick
Thursday Nov 10 – Write Meg

And while you're here, check out my other giveaways!

Book Review - Expectations of Happiness by Rebecca Ann Collins

2011-10-25T23:04:00.000-04:00

From Sourcebooks:

International bestselling author of the Pemberley Chronicles series explores the beloved characters of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Acclaimed for historical accuracy and emulation of Jane Austen’s voice as well as the depth of her depictions of the complex and evolving society of the day—especially what life was like for women—Collins imagines three sisters dealing with what happens when a spirited girl grows into a scandal-prone young lady who defies society’s rules and must then pay the consequences.

* * *

After her delightful ten-volume Pemberley Chronicles series, Rebecca Ann Collins has returned with another Austenesque sequel, Expectations of Happiness. As I very much enjoyed the selections that I did read from her first series, I was thrilled when it was announced that Collins would be revisiting the work of Jane Austen. In preparation for spending time with the Dashwood family again, I refreshed my memory of their story by watching the two latest film adaptations of Sense and Sensibility. True, it’s inferior to reading Austen herself, but I’m able to multi-task (read: get some ironing done) while a DVD is running, unlike while reading. Of course, this heavily influenced my mental casting of the characters, as is evidenced by the listing below.

I had high hopes for Expectations of Happiness, and for the most part I was not disappointed. Once again, Rebecca Ann Collins’ writing is elegant, comprehendible and thoroughly delightful. Her pacing is perfect, as she takes her time with character and plot development without becoming ponderous. The characters seem to be on par with their temperaments from the original novel, having all the amiable qualities, neurotic tendencies and desires as before.

Unlike Sense and Sensibility, this sequel spends a large amount of time focusing on the life of Margaret Dashwood, the youngest daughter. Several years have passed since her elder sisters married, and she is now a young woman seeking her way in the world. Miss Dashwood continues to harbor a curious and academic personality, pursuing her education and career fervently. She is so focused on her aspirations in fact; she has taken little notice of eligible men in her life. When Margaret finally does become attracted to a young man, certain details about his life bring about complications to keep her from him.

Collins also spends much time with the elder Dashwood sisters as well. Now married to their love interests from Sense and Sensibility, their lives progress much as we might expect them to. Elinor is still playing the role of elder (and very maternal) sister to Marianne, and Mrs. Colonel Brandon still has the heart of a passionate, sometimes foolhardy romantic. Despite being older, Marianne is not necessarily wiser than she has been in years past. She gets herself into some inappropriate entanglements, and Elinor must balance her desire to protect and guide her sister with the understanding that Marianne must make her own way as an adult. Collins handles these relational and societal minefields with dexterity and charm, with lovely Regency dialogue and manners.

My one reservation to a wholehearted, unreserved ovation comes from a decision made near the end of the novel. I will not offer any plot spoilers, but suffice it to say, I was a bit disappointed in one particular choice that Ms. Collins’ made for one couple in her story. While I’m grateful that she handled this particular situation and its details in the way she did, I still regret that she chose to go this direction with her characters. I didn’t find it shocking or inconsistent with their personalities, but at the same time I didn’t see why it was necessary.

Regardless, Expectations of Happiness was a delightful novel, a worthy sequel to a well-loved classic. I highly enjoyed revisiting these characters, and even got a chuckle out of a few winks to Pride and Prejudice and Rebecca’s Pemberley Chronicles series. If you’ve enjoyed Ms. Collins in the past, you’ll find this to be another enjoyable addition to her list of titles. As we Janeites celebrate the 200th anniversary of Sense and Sensibility, this is a great way to spend time with these amusing characters once again.

* * *

Calico Casting Call – For the Movie in My Head
(With the appropriate age and look for their characters)

Elinor Dashwood Ferrars – Emma Thompson
Marianne Dashwood Brandon – Kate Winslet
Margaret Dashwood – Emma Watson
Mrs. Dashwood – Gemma Jones
Edward Ferrars – Hugh Grant
Colonel Brandon – Alan Rickman
John Willoughby – Greg Wise
Sir John Middleton – Robert Hardy
Mrs. Jennings – Elizabeth Spriggs
Fanny Ferrars Dashwood – Harriet Walter
John Dashwood – James Fleet
Mr. Palmer – Hugh Laurie
Charlotte Palmer – Shirley Henderson
Lucy Steele Ferrars – Imogen Stubbs
Eliza Williams – Caroline Hayes
Claire Jones – Claire Danes
Nicholas Wilcox – Leonardo DiCaprio
Daniel Brooke – Dan Stevens
Dr. Bradley King – Bernard Hill
Mrs. King – Andie MacDowell

Sourcebooks.com

Wednesday Contest Report

2011-10-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

Sometimes on Wednesdays I enjoy reporting other contests that are going on throughout the blogosphere. While you're here, be sure to enter my Royal Giveaway:

Hawk of May
Kingdom of Summer
In Winter's Shadow
Jewels by Jenn

Deadline to enter is November 5th.

Other Off-Site Giveaways

Dazzling Reads is hosting a YA Autumn Giveaway. The winner gets their pick of one of 12 new titles releasing this fall. Deadline to enter is November 30, 2011. The contest is international, to wherever The Book Depository ships. Here is the link:

http://dazzlingreads.blogspot.com/2011/10/autumn-giveaway.html

Another contest you can check out is over on the new blog, Back to Books. They're currently running a giveaway to The Book Depository - the winner gets to choose a book under $15 in value. Deadline to enter is October 31st. Here's the link:

http://one-chapter-ahead.blogspot.com/p/giveaways-contests.html

Good luck to all!

Book Review and Royal Giveaway - In Winter's Shadow by Gillian Bradshaw

2011-10-16T13:46:00.000-04:00

From Sourcebooks:

Arthur Pendragon strives to unite a fragmented empire as his bastard son threatens to tear down the king, his queen, and their bravest champions. From the sudden death of innocence to a perilous campaign that strikes at the very heart of the empire, this third and final book of the acclaimed trilogy by Gillian Bradshaw offers the reader a front-row seat as Arthur's dream and his kingdom collapse around him.

* * *

First published in 1982 and now reissued by Sourcebooks Landmark, Gillian Bradshaw’s In Winter's Shadow is the concluding volume of the Down the Long Wind trilogy. An Arthurian tale, this series focuses greatly on those surrounding the legendary High King and Emperor. In Book 1, Hawk of May, the story’s emphasis is on Arthur’s emissary Gwalchmai and his ascendancy from childhood to royal servitude and respected combatant. Book 2, Kingdom of Summer still has Gwalchmai as the main character, but it’s told from the perspective of his manservant, Rhys. Summer chronicles the rising tide that began to swell against Arthur, as well as the personal relationships of Gwalchmai, Rhys, and their love interests.

Book 3, In Winter’s Shadow varies in that it’s told from the perspective of a woman, Emperor Arthur’s wife Gwynhwyfar. Through Queen Gwynhwyfar’s eyes, we watch the continued struggle of Arthur and his Family against the forces of evil, brought on predominantly by his bastard son, Medraut. The Queen is very much a part of this struggle herself, as she is not only a leader within her community but is incredibly affected by events without and within. While her loyalty ultimately is always with Arthur, her heart is frequently torn between what is right and what is desired. This leads to trouble both within her marriage and throughout the entire kingdom.

The longest of the three volumes, In Winter’s Shadow took the shortest amount of time for me to read. I found every chapter to be quite interesting, and not bogged down in unnecessary set dressing and descriptive language. Bradshaw’s writing is such that we are easily transported to this Arthurian world, but without excessive baggage. There are battles without ridiculous amounts of gory details, passionate anger without cheap vulgarities and adulterous love scenes with just enough information to get the point across. It’s decidedly less spiritual than the first two thirds of the trilogy, and I missed having more of that element within the plot, but the political intrigue and relational dramas more than made up for that change in composition.

Down the Long Wind is different from other Arthurian tales in that there is no “Round Table” per se and no mystical Merlin character (although there is a briefly mentioned, mysterious bard named Taliesin). The fortress of Camelot is the more traditionally named Camlann. However, much of the original legend is retained, with a moderate amount of magic and spirituality within the first two thirds of the trilogy. This last portion, In Winter’s Shadow follows the travails and struggles of Arthur, his Queen and the forces swirling around them. There is adventure, betrayal, loyalty, passion, victory and defeat. It’s a sweeping tale that spans decades and easily transports the reader to another time and place.

I can say that I wish the final chapters had turned out somewhat differently than they did. Without offering any revealing details, the conclusion is not tied up perfectly in a tidy bow, with all parties happy and gratified. That being said, I felt that matters were handled in a highly realistic and possibly more historic fashion, if there is any truth to the Arthurian legends.

In Winter’s Shadow is a fine conclusion to a very satisfying trilogy. I enjoyed hearing the story from the perspective of a woman, and Bradshaw always made her narrative interesting and worth my time. I frequently read this volume during my morning and afternoon walks by a lake, on the way to or from dropping my sons off from school. I always looked forward to that time, as it was a delightful escape from the duties and responsibilities of my day. I certainly recommend Down the Long Wind, especially if you’re a fan of Arthurian novels, but also if you enjoy a captivating, sweeping tale of adventure, magic, love and political intrigue. Gillian Bradshaw produced a fine work 30 years ago, and it is certainly worth its current re-emergence in the marketplace today. Hopefully it will acquire a new audience and continue to be enjoyed for years to come.

* * *

Calico Casting Call – For the Movie in My Head
(With the appropriate age and look for their characters)

King Arthur – Anthony Head
Gwynhwyfar – Nicole Kidman
Bedwyr – Matthew Macfadyen
Gwalchmai ap Lot – Karl Urban
Rhys ap Sion – Rupert Grint
Morgawse – Monica Bellucci
Medraut – Sean Bean
Eivlin – Dakota Fanning
Gwyn - Jeremy Sumpter

Royal Giveaway!

The Down the Long Wind Trilogy

and

Hand Crafted Jewels by Jenn
(U.S. Addresses)

As much as I enjoyed Gillian Bradshaw's novels, I do not have the shelf space to give them a permanent home. I earnestly want them to go on to someone who will enjoy them, so who better to offer them than you, my readers? The winner of the giveaway will receive my gently-read ARCs of Hawk of May, Kingdom of Summer and In Winter's Shadow. The cover art is the same on Books 1 & 3, but for some reason they went in a different direction on the cover art for Book 2. But they're all in great condition, and I hope you enjoy them.

In addition to these delightful reads, I'd like to offer to the winner a gift from Jewels by Jenn. Choose any items up to $12 (not including shipping, which I'll cover). Jennifer Degraeve offers lovely beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings. These accessories will have you looking like a Queen, or you can bestow them to the Lady Gwynhwyfar in your life. Choose from the items below, or from the selection on the Jewels by Jenn website.

Earrings: $5

Bracelets: $8

Earrings & Necklace: $9

Necklaces: $10
Bracelet & Necklace: $12

3 Piece Set: $15

Contest Rules

Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, November 5th
The winner must supply a US mailing address for prize shipment. I apologize to my international readers, but especially with this giveaway (3 books & separate jewelry shipment), I cannot afford the international postage.
Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner.
I will contact the winner on Sunday the 6th. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s). You may post separate comments or a single large comment. Here are your bonus entry options:

+1 Bonus Point: Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just please let me know your GFC follower name).

+1 Bonus Point: Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter and tell me your @UserName.

+1 Bonus Point Each: Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com. Be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and November 5th at 11:59pm EST. For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username. Here's a sample tweet you can copy:

@LHartness ARC & Jewelry Giveaway! Down the Long Wind trilogy by G. Bradshaw for @Sourcebooks and Jewels by Jenn bit.ly/RoyalGiveaway

+5 Bonus Points: Subscribe to The Calico Critic via email (see left hand sidebar) and become a verified Feedburner subscriber. Make sure you let me know the email address you used to subscribe.
+5 Bonus Points: Mention this giveaway in a post on your blog. Deadline to publish your post is 11:59pm EST, November 3rd. Please provide a direct link.

Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all!

If you'd like to be alerted anytime a giveaway is posted here on The Calico Critic, here are three notification options:

Subscribe to The Calico Critic via email

Follow us on Twitter: @LHartness

Join The Calico Critic on Facebook

Book Review - Kingdom of Summer by Gillian Bradshaw

2011-10-05T10:17:00.000-04:00

First published in 1981 and now re-released by Sourcebooks Landmark, Gillian Bradshaw’s Kingdom of Summer continues the tale of Gwalchmai ap Lot, whose story began in Hawk of May. This nephew of the legendary King Arthur, given the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his mother, the evil sorceress Morgawse, chose instead of become a warrior against the Darkness. Hawk of May chronicles his youth into young adulthood. Kingdom of Summer picks up in his mid-20s, when he has established himself as a renowned servant of King Arthur, achieving almost legendary status, both in story and in song. While he doesn’t practice the evil sorcery of his mother, he still retains his otherworldly horse Ceincaled and the magical sword Caledvwlch.

Through a series of flashback storytelling, we learn in recent years, Lord Gwalchmai has not only been an emissary for King Arthur, but he also managed to fall in love with the daughter of an enemy. His love for the beautiful Elidan cannot eclipse his devotion to Arthur, and ultimately this leads to conflict, broken promises and the estrangement of two lovers. Gwalchmai begins a quest to find Elidan in hopes of at least obtaining forgiveness, if not complete reconciliation.

Along the way he meets a young farmer named Rhys, who decides to join him as a servant in his quest to find Elidan and ultimately to return to Arthur’s fortress Camlann. He shares Gwalchmai’s adventurous spirit and Christian desire to serve the Light in a world frequently tormented by Morgawse’s Darkness. Together they embark on a perilous journey to combat evil and to bring peace to the guilt-ridden, lovesick Lord’s heart. The majority of the novel is told from Rhys’ point of view and in his voice.

Kingdom of Summer is a fine follow up to Hawk of May. The second in a trilogy of titles, Summer continues the tale of Gwalchmai ap Lot, but with the fresh new voice of his servant Rhys ap Sion. Together they embark on quite a journey, facing both spiritual and physical challenges. As I mentioned in my review of Hawk of May, Bradshaw’s writing doesn’t necessarily fall within the Christian genre, but the faith is held up as a good and righteous power within the story, having a Light-driven magic of its own. Battles and other graphic content are kept at a reasonable level—we know that Gwalchmai is a warrior, but we aren’t subjected to scene after scene of bloodletting and slaughter.

Summer does very little back selling of the original title, so it would be to the reader’s benefit to enjoy Hawk of May before starting this. The story also concludes in a somewhat open-ended way, setting the stage for the final installment of the Down the Long Wind trilogy, In Winter’s Shadow. As I’ve enjoyed Gillian Bradshaw’s work thus far, I’m looking forward to Shadow and how things develop with the characters. Kingdom of Summer was filled with adventure, magic and a bit of romance, and if Shadow continues in the same vein, I’m sure to be in for another delightful read.

* * *

Calico Casting Call – For the Movie in My Head
(With the appropriate age and look for their characters)

Gwalchmai ap Lot – Karl Urban

Rhys ap Sion – Rupert Grint

King Arthur – Anthony Head

Morgawse – Monica Bellucci

Medraut – Sean Bean

Lot mac Cormac – John Noble

Elidan – Miranda Otto

Eivlin – Dakota Fanning

Teleri – Glenn Close

Book Review: Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

2011-09-29T15:40:00.005-04:00

From Sourcebooks:

Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has exacting requirements for a bride. Then he meets Phoebe Marlow, a young lady with literary aspirations, and suddenly life becomes very complicated. She meets none of his criteria, and even worse, she has written a novel that is sweeping through the ton and causing all kinds of gossip… and he’s the main character!

* * *

Originally penned in 1957, Sylvesteris my second foray into the works of Georgette Heyer. As with many of her other titles, this romantic novel is set in Regency England and mimics the feel of a Jane Austen novel without abiding in her literary world.

The Wicked Uncle (its alternate title) does have echoes of Pride and Prejudice, so fans of this type of plot structure should enjoy this romantic tale. Like in P&P, we have two characters of different social standing that meet and make less than a good impression on each other at the outset. There are meddling relatives and the ever-present eyes of the ton to consider as the bachelor Sylvester ponders candidates for his future wife. He’s taken by surprise when he meets Phoebe, a smart, newly published author who has no interest in a betrothal with him. Unlike other women, she cares nothing for his vast fortune and balks at marriages of convenience.

Compared to the other Heyer novel I’ve read, Venetia, I would say that Sylvester is good, but I enjoyed the former title more. The writing is still top-notch, and I again found myself acquiring new vocabulary words and accessing my dictionary for clarification on more than one occasion. Sylvester said something to one character late in the book that literally had me hooting out loud in delighted disbelief. As a mother of two wiley boys ages 11 and 6, I loved the character of Sylvester’s young nephew and ward, Edmund. He was very much the glue that frequently held together the main characters.

While I liked the characters of The Wicked Uncle, I didn’t come to care for them as much as I did in Venetia. The story ended just as I expected it to, and I’m glad that it concluded in the way that it did, but I was less wrapped up in the process this time around. Having said that, though, I did root for the characters and enjoyed their journeys overall.

Phoebe is not the typical romance novel character. She is not overly beautiful and does not always fit into Duke Sylvester’s paradigm of what a potential wife should be. Unlike most women, she is not initially charmed by him. In fact, she makes a caricature of him to be a villain in a newly published novel, which sets the tongues of the ton wagging. She does come to regret this literary choice, but in general she stands up to Sylvester and is determined to live her own life. This hasn’t always been the case with her, so we see her grow as a woman, striking out on her own if necessary to retain her freedom, to pursue her dreams, or to right wrongs done to others. Phoebe isn’t a perfect heroine and is occasionally insecure, but ultimately those around her come to understand her choices and she thrives.

Sylvester is somewhat of a typical rich bachelor, flirting with many and having the pick of any eligible ladies within the ton. He isn’t initially drawn to Phoebe, but then becomes intrigued by her rejection of him as a potential suitor. As a Duke he never hears the word “no”, so to receive any contrariness from the likes of Phoebe comes as quite a shock. She isn’t merely uninterested in being courted by him, but she flees the area to escape the possibility! This casting-off actually draws him in, causing him to help her in moments of need and also helps him to see how self-centered he could be.

He isn’t always selfish, however. Sylvester’s brother had died years before, and he was left to take care of his young nephew Edmund. This plucky child could be quite a handful, and Sylvester frequently had to battle with his incompetent (and even more selfish) sister-in-law for the care of Edmund. Between Edmund’s energy and his mother’s selfish ways, the Duke frequently showed his capacity to make good choices and to do the right thing in the face of difficulty. This redeems his character somewhat, both to the reader and to the character Phoebe.

Sylvester, Phoebe, Edmund and others go through quite a few experiences and adventures within the pages of Georgette Heyer’s novel. I agree with Library Journal in saying that it is “frothy, readable and full of delightful Regency dialogue.” Heyer remains the next best thing to reading Jane Austen, and she largely does not disappoint. While Sylvester isn’t the perfect literary work, I do give it my hearty recommendation. Janeites, fans of Regency literature and quality writing in general will enjoy this tale of unexpected courtship.

* * *

Calico Casting Call – My Casting for the Movie

(At the appropriate ages for their characters)

Sylvester, Duke of Salford – Zachary Quinto

Phoebe Marlow – Eden Sher

Thomas – Owen Wilson

Edmund – Jonathan Lipnicki

Dowager Lady Ingham – Maggie Smith

Duchess of Salford – Judi Dench

Women of Faith Conference 2011

2011-09-27T22:49:00.000-04:00

What a great weekend I had! Thanks to the Book Sneeze program (tickets!) and my father (childcare!), I spent two wonderful days at the Time Warner Arena in Charlotte, NC with my mother for the Women of Faith conference. There we had a great time in worship with some fabulous music, teaching and entertainment. Here are some reflections on the events and experience of the conference.

Music: Women of Faith brought in some great talent for the event. Their 4-member worship team did a fabulous job, and we also had music from the Grammy award-winning group Mary Mary, as well as from speaker Sheila Walsh. My favorite artist was Natalie Grant, however. While I don't own any of her albums, I know her a bit from the radio. I loved her amazing, powerful voice and the lyrics within her songs. Not long after returning home I downloaded her tracks "Your Great Name" and "Love Revolution".

Speakers: The lineup this weekend included both men and women, with serious as well as humorous messages for us. Clinical psychologist Henry Cloud was thought provoking and fun. Sheila Walsh was passionate, vulnerable and goofy in her own Scottish way. Lisa Harper and Nicole Johnson ministered to us through their own painful experiences. And comedian Ken Davis had me and my mother laughing until our sides hurt.

Accommodations: The Time Warner Arena served us very well. We had plenty of room, and they even made ALL of the bathrooms for ladies, to cut down on the long lines. My mother and I took the local commuter train in each day, and it dropped us off right at the arena. We had boxed lunches as well, and the staffers distributed them out to us in a timely fashion. I liked their food choices also. I think my sole complaint in this area would have to be the air conditioning. Despite dressing for the cold, I was freezing on both days. And as I looked around the arena, I wasn't alone in that regard. So if you're going to attend in the future, wear "Long Johns" and bring a fleece blanket!

All in all I had such a great weekend. I loved getting away with my mom for a time of refreshment and growth. Women of Faith is a wonderful ministry, and I hope I have the opportunity to attend in future years. I'd especially love to participate with a group of girlfriends. That would be extra fun for sure.

Check out the Women of Faith website. See if there's a tour location near you and give it a shot-- you'll be blessed and refreshed, just as my mother and I were.

I'll close out this post with a video from Nicole Johnson. I loved her dramatic monologue "Invisible Woman". So many times as wives and mothers, we feel that our work goes unseen or is inconsequential. Nicole affirms her audience, reminding us of Who sees us:

Movie Review/Recommentation: 180

2011-09-26T11:13:00.001-04:00

Audra Jennings at The B&B Media Group alerted me to the provocative film 180. It presents the issue of abortion in a way that many may have not considered before. While I am Pro-Life, I normally do not get on a soap box about this subject, as it's a highly-charged one, and certainly never a simple decision. You may or may not change your stance after watching 180, but it definitely presents some points worth considering.

If you're already Pro-Life, 180 is still worth your time. It presents the logic behind the anti-abortion stance in ways you may not have considered before, and this can be helpful as we lovingly discuss the subject with others. You can also grab the link below and share the movie with your friends and family.

Warning: This is a powerful and provocative film. Graphic images and discussions are included. Film host Ray Comfort also presents the Christian Gospel, which is the most life-changing discussion of all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y2KsU_dhwI&feature=colike

180movie.com

Blu-ray Review: Dumbo

2011-09-20T22:25:00.000-04:00

Dumbo, the beloved Disney classic is now available on Blu-ray, with superbly-cleaned animation and great new bonus features. Check out my review of this sweet animated feature, now available on Filmsay.com:

http://www.filmsay.com/review/dumbo-blu-ray-review

Preparing For: The Women of Faith Conference

2011-09-16T23:35:00.000-04:00

The countdown has begun! In less than a week, I'll be attending the Women of Faith Conference in Charlotte, NC with my favorite woman of faith, my mother Christina. Thanks to the Book Sneeze program I have two tickets, and thanks to my father, I have childcare for my two boys for this two-day event. What a wonderful gift all of this is!

The conference begins on Friday morning at 10am at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte. I frequently become cold inside air conditioned facilities, so I'm going to bring a warm Irish cardigan along. It's "open seating" during the Friday daytime sessions, so I plan to get there when the doors open at 9am as well.

The weekend's schedule looks like this:

Friday Morning
9am - Doors Open
10am - Session 1
11:30am - Lunch (Box lunch included)
12:30pm - Session 2
1:45pm - Break
2:15pm - Session 3
3:30pm - End

Friday Evening
5:30pm - Doors Open (Assigned Seating)
7:00pm - Session 4
10:00pm - End

Saturday
8am - Doors Open (Assigned Seating)
9am - Session 1
10:45am - Break
11:30am - Session 2
12:30pm - Lunch (Box lunch included)
1:30pm - Session 3
3:15pm - Break
3:30 - Session 4
5pm - End

Speakers and Other Guests

It's going to be two long days, but I think the time will fly by. I'm really looking forward to spending this time with my mother, hearing from these wonderful presenters and just having a time of spiritual refreshment. The last few months have been draining, as we have moved from Florida to Georgia, and I could really use this conference right now. If nothing else, I get to spend time with my family, be in my home state of North Carolina, and enjoy worshipping the Lord with thousands of other women. Check back here next week, as I'll have a report on our time in Charlotte!

Have you attended a Woman of Faith Conference? Got any advice or tips for me? Thoughts or memories to share? How has this ministry blessed your life?

Blu-ray Review: Marley & Me: The Puppy Years

2011-09-13T09:42:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a cute, fluffy movie for your dog-loving kids, Marley & Me: The Puppy Years might be for you. Check out my review of this family program, now available on Filmsay.com.

Book Review: Road from the West by Rosanne E. Lortz

2011-09-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the next stop on the virtual book tour for Rosanne E. Lortz's Road from the West, sponsored by Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. Be sure to check out all the stops on the tour of this fabulous new series. The tour schedule is listed at the conclusion of this post.

Rosanne E. Lortz's Website: http://rosannelortz.blogspot.com/

Twitter Event Hashtag for Tour: #RoadFromTheWestVirtualBookTour

Road from the West
(Chronicles of Tancred, Book One)
A tale of Courage, Conquest, Intrigue, and Honor.

You know the Knights Templar, you know Richard the Lionheart—now learn the story that started it all in the adventures of the First Crusade.

Haunted by guilt from the past and nightmares of the future, a young Norman named Tancred takes the cross and vows to be the first to free Jerusalem from the infidels. As he journeys to the Holy Land, he braves vast deserts, mortal famine, and the ever-present ambushes of the enemy Turks—but the greatest danger of all is deciding which of the Crusader lords to trust. A mysterious seer prophesies that Tancred will find great love and great sorrow on his journey, but the latter seems intent on claiming him before he can find the first. Intrigues and passions grow as every battle brings the Crusaders one step closer to Jerusalem. Not all are destined to survive the road from the West.

* * *

While I do enjoy historical fiction, in the past I have not been attracted to the period of the Crusades. As a Christian I’m not very proud of that era in our history. With Road from the West, I hoped that Rosanne Lortz’s vision for this period would be informative, accurate, yet still entertaining. My actual knowledge of the subject is minimal, and while I wanted to learn more about it, I was looking for more than just a textbook in ancient Christian church history.

Fortunately, Lortz has succeeded in all of these areas. Her research and knowledge of the period are evident, as the details in her writing seem true to history, and easily transport the reader back in time almost 1,000 years. The story is interesting, and while there were a few moments that were a little dry, the plot kept moving well. She deftly ended many chapters in a way that made me want to read “just one more”.

Tancred is an interesting character. He’s a young, flawed martial leader, driven to redeem himself by serving the Church in the first Crusade. Through righteous acts and his goal of conquering Jerusalem for the Christian church, he feels he can atone for sins of the past. He’s incredibly loyal, only swearing fealty if he knows he can keep that commitment and if that promise doesn’t violate his allegiance to another. Tancred is particularly tied to the Catholic church in Rome and refuses to also swear a loyalty oath to the Byzantine Emperor Alexius, for example. Driven to see his cause through, he’ll go against friends and family to do what needs to be done. And despite his young age, he’s a wise and intelligent leader to the men and women who serve him and are under his care.

While Road from the West is certainly about the many battles along Tancred’s road to Jerusalem, it isn’t overly bloody. There are mentions of beheadings and other acts of war, but Lortz keeps the details at bay as much as can be expected given the subject matter. There is a surprising lack of coarse language, and in this particular title there’s really no sexual content. Rosanne could have easily used this novel as a soapbox regarding the issue of inappropriate “righteous” behavior on the part of the crusading Christians, but she doesn’t do that. The crusaders’ choices aren’t glossed over—they’re presented as historical facts, and Lortz seems to keep her opinions out of the dialogue and other fictionalized content within the narrative.

When I reached the end of Road to the West, I not only felt like I learned a thing or two about the first Crusade, Tancred the marquis and the religious/political goings on of the era, but I also enjoyed a good story. Rosanna Lortz has two more titles to come in the Chronicles of Tancred trilogy, and if they’re anything like this first segment, they’ll definitely be worth my time. Book One is a great start to an informative, entertaining series.

* * *

Calico Casting Call – For the Movie in My Head
(With the appropriate age and look for their characters)

Tancred - Chris Hemsworth
Bohemond - Russell Crowe

Roger - Gerard Butler

William - Aaron Ashmore

Emma - Cate Blanchett

Alexandra - Natalie Portman
Erminia - Aishwarya Rai
The Sultana - Freida Pinto

* * *

Road to the West Virtual Book Tour

Rosanne E. Lortz

Friday, September 2nd - Review at The Maiden's Court

Monday, September 5th - Author Guest Post and Giveaway at The Maiden's Court

Tuesday, September 6th -
Review at Debbie'sBookBag
Author Guest Post and Giveaway at From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, September 7th - Review at The Calico Critic

Thursday, September 8th -
Review at Unabridged Chick
Review at A Journey Into Reading

Friday, September 9th - Author Guest Post at A Journey Into Reading

Monday, September 12th - Review at Broken Teepee

Tuesday, September 13th - Author Interview and Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Wednesday, September 14th - Author Guest Post and Giveaway at Broken Teepee

Friday, September 16th - Review at Diary of a Book Addict

Tuesday, September 20th - Review at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Wednesday, September 21st - Review at A Bookish Affair

Thursday, September 22nd - Author Guest Post at Bibliophilic Book Blog

Monday, September 26th - Review at Just One More Paragraph

Tuesday, September 27th - Review at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Wednesday, September 28th - Author Guest Post at Just One More Paragraph

Thursday, September 29th - Review at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews

Friday, September 30th - Review at By the By Books

Monday, October 3rd - Review and Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Tuesday, October 4th - Author Interview at The Musings of a Book Junkie

Wednesday, October 5th - Review at Bippity Boppity Book

Thursday, October 6th - Review at A Few More Pages

Friday, October 7th - Review at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Monday, October 10th - Review at Historically Obsessed

Tuesday, October 11th - Author Interview and Giveaway at The Owl Bookmark Blog

Wednesday, October 12th - Review at Between the Pages

Thursday, October 13th - Review at Words and Peace

Friday, October 14th - Review at Reviews by Molly

Monday, October 17th - Review at Erin Reads

Tuesday, October 18th - Author Interview at Reviews by Molly

Wednesday, October 19th - Review at The True Book Addict

Thursday, October 20th - Author Guest Post and Giveaway at The True Book Addict

DVD Review - Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil

2011-09-02T09:59:00.002-04:00

Well, I wish all my reviews could be positive... Now available on Filmsay.com, my review of the DVD Hoodwinked Too!, starring Glenn Close, Hayden Panettiere, Joan Cusak and Patrick Warburton.

Here's the link:

http://www.filmsay.com/review/hoodwinked-too-dvd-review

Stop by Filmsay.com for the latest in movie reviews, news and giveaways!

Book Review - Venetia by Georgette Heyer

2011-08-31T15:15:00.001-04:00

From Sourcebooks:

A young lady of beauty and intelligence facing an unbearable choice...

Venetia Lanyon is one of Georgette Heyer's most memorable heroines. Beautiful, capable, and independent minded, her life on the family's estate in the countryside is somewhat circumscribed. Then a chance encounter with her rakish neighbor opens up a whole new world for Venetia. Lord Damerel has built his life on his dangerous reputation, and when he meets Venetia, he has nothing to offer and everything to regret. As Venetia's well-meaning family steps in to protect her from potential ruin, Venetia must find the wherewithal to take charge of her own destiny, or lose her one chance at happiness...

* * *

As a part of the month-long celebration of Georgette Heyer’s birthday, I ventured to read her work for the very first time. I chose Venetia, originally written in 1958, sixteen years before her death in 1974 of lung cancer. Georgette wrote more than 50 novels and is particularly beloved by Jane Austen fans, as she frequently wrote in the Regency period and with Austen’s style.

I must say I was extremely impressed with Heyer’s writing. While she was a 20th Century novelist, her tone so closely matched that of Jane Austen’s, it’s easy to believe that she is of another era. She captured the period of the early 19th Century perfectly, from common customs of the time, down to snippets of English dialect that were completely unfamiliar to me. On more than one occasion I was opening my dictionary to discover new additions to my vocabulary, to my education and delight.

My reading list has been heavy with Austenesque novels this year, so it was refreshing to be in this time period with all-new characters and storylines. Venetia was a delight to read, with vibrant characters, chaste romantic tension and a couple of savory plot twists near the conclusion.

Heyer’s titular character is very enjoyable—she’s innocent in some ways, but smart and knows how to stand up for herself. She cares for those around her, from her slightly-handicapped younger brother, down to the household staff she has been given to manage in the wake of family developments. At age 25 she is nearing the age of spinsterhood, but values her affections enough to only marry for love. This proper young lady finds herself attracted to a local, attractive rake and must find a way to either resign herself to being without him or defying the social conventions. She also has to deal with several challenges within her family—her selfish elder brother and his nightmare of a mother-in-law, her younger brother who prefers books to people, and a number of issues surrounding the estate left behind by her cheerless, deceased father. Venetia has much on her plate, and she handles it all with intelligence, wit, and selflessness.

I cannot recommend Venetia highly enough. The quality of writing is excellent, the story is well told and the characters are memorable. However, if you’re looking for a quick, fluffy read for the beach, this might not be for you. Be prepared to settle in and just enjoy this one. Have your dictionary at the ready and take your time. It’s well worth it. Venetia is a remarkable character, and Georgette Heyer is quite the author. Her beloved reputation is well deserved, and I look forward to reading more from her. Stay tuned for my next review, which will be of her novel, Sylvester.

Sourcebooks.com

* * *

Central Casting
(How I'd cast some of the characters on screen)

Venetia – Amy Adams
Lord Damerel – Matthew McConaughey
Aubrey – Chris Colfer
Conway – Heath Ledger
Charlotte – Diana Agron
<<Spoiler Character>> - Kim Cattrall

Wednesday Contest Report

2011-08-24T21:57:00.000-04:00

If you like YA or if you just have a healthy and robust wish list, head on over to Missy's Reads & Reviews. She's having a 1000 Followers Giveaway, with tons of books available to win! The contest is international, and the deadline to enter is September 4, 2011. Here's the link:

http://missyreadsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/missys-epic-1000-followers-giveaway.html

Good luck!

Blu-ray Review: The Fox and the Hound / The Fox and the Hound 2

2011-08-10T19:28:00.001-04:00

If you enjoyed The Fox and the Hound as a child, or if you have young children about, you may enjoy Disney's latest re-issue on Blu-ray. Stop by Filmsay.com and check out my review of The Fox and the Hound / The Fox and the Hound Two 3-Disc 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray / DVD Combo Pack!

Guest Post - The Fifth Dimension by Estevan Vega

2011-08-09T01:01:00.092-04:00

Welcome to the next stop on the Partners In Crime blog tour for Arson by Estavan Vega!

Just over a year ago I reviewed the novel Arson by Estevan Vega. While some of the content was a little dark for my taste, I still count myself as a fan of this young author and am excited to see where his work will take him in the coming years. Like myself, Estevan is a Christian. Today he has graciously offered up some reflections on spiritual matters in the below guest article. And if you like, there is also an excerpt from Arson at the end of this post as well.

Welcome Estevan, and thanks for your thoughts!

* * *

The Fifth Dimension
By Estevan Vega, author of ARSON, ASHES,
and the upcoming Sacred Sin

There comes a point in every writer’s career where a choice must be made. A series of choices, actually. Characters, plot points, and dialogues aren’t exactly what I’m referring to, though. That’s all furniture to me. What matters is this question: what is your story trying to say?

It is blatantly obvious in our ever-changing, moody, and politically correct world, that saying whatever we want and getting away with it is a luxury most can’t afford, at least, not if obtaining countless friends is the goal. But this isn’t a Facebook contest, right? It seems like a rather clear contradiction, still, that there are those who do make a significant ripple in the media water by pushing the envelope. But this is humankind we’re talking about, so the envelope-pushing always tends to dance toward the negative. Nevertheless, furniture, bad politics, and envelopes aside, it is imperative for your story to stand out…to say something.

I’ve always been fascinated by the writers and musicians who put their very blood and sweat into the art that they create. The ones who have something spiritual to discuss. The ones who’ve endured a monumental change or experienced an epiphany that forced their perspective into a new direction. Something that gave them new life, a new identity or purpose. That’s the stuff that speaks to me at the deepest level, because it reaches my soul. It makes an impact on me because it made an impact on them. Granted, a tight action script or a fun party song sweeps me up as much as anybody, and it has its place in certain moments, but the bands and writers that have made lasting impressions are the ones that revealed a distinct and honest truth, even if I wasn’t ready for it.

For example, I’m a huge fan of The Twilight Zone, that bizarre show from the 60s. Rod Serling and Richard Matheson were brilliant poets scripting the undeniable elements of the human condition. Their stories were often grim but accurate to who we were and still are as people, and there is a distinct theme throughout that suggests there is something not right with our world.

I live in this not right zone. You probably do too, but perhaps you fear what it might mean.

Recently I got into an argument with one of my father’s friends about politics. Well, I viewed it more as a discussion, and she viewed it more as Hiroshima getting invaded by atomic weapons. After I made one comment, the conversation went nuclear. Now, having seen the aftermath and mushroom clouds, perhaps I shouldn’t have invaded. But then again, why are we so terrified by confrontation? Why must we squelch our identity or our worldview simply because it isn’t mainstream? Now, that term mainstream has evolved and decayed over time, I’m well aware. Mainstream fifty years ago might have been a white picket fence and a white family who attends a white church. Things have changed. Now, in New England, anyway, you’d be hard-pressed to find a decent church, or a family with a white picket fence who isn’t part-suicidal and part-mixed breed, like myself. (Note, I’m talking about the latter part of that comment, just so we’re clear.) I may be slightly stressing a point here. My point is this: The two greatest discussions one can have seem to be discussions pertaining to the spiritual and the philosophical. This is where the big G takes a bow and politics takes a much overdue curtsy. How one perceives his place and purpose in the universe greatly alters how one perceives the political arena and further, how one perceives his role in all aspects of life. How one believes in his heart, so he will do.

In our ever-growing, ever-indulgent pursuit of knowledge and independence from a Creator, humanity continually manages to screw up, and screw up royally. But we like to live as though nothing really matters and it’s okay to believe and live and do whatever we see fit. After all, there’s no king in the land to tell us no.

But there is still something not right here.

And this is the friction. This is the arena that makes the most sense, the thing most worth fighting for. This is purpose. People ask me why I write what I write. Why do I flirt with disaster? Why do I inject the spiritual into the fallen? Why do I dwell so much on characters that live in the in-between? The answers are simple: because we are the men and women of the in-between. I write because there is something underneath my own human, hypocritical, egotistical, misled, misinformed, selfish skin, something that breathes and is real. It is a part of my fallen human condition. I refuse to believe that humankind is the sum of all existence. I refuse to believe that we are only the product of miscalculation and bad science. I refuse to believe that there is no hope or purpose, though at times, this seems like the easiest and most direct path to follow. I believe I was made and not just born, and I write to expose this reality and to expose the empty and the false. It doesn’t really matter if I outsell Stephen King or James Patterson. My stories are unique. They are dark, but they are never without light. My stories are honest, but it doesn’t mean they are always wholesome or that they will be accepted by all. My stories cut into the skin, and they’re not afraid to make you bleed. My stories are you and me. They are real. They might make you question what you believe, who you are, and what you’re on this dying planet for.

I don’t write to simply preach a good message, because frankly, I’m not so sure I’ve got the whole salvation and rugged knees routine down when it comes to creating thrilling fiction. I don’t write to make millions (though, if you know how a guy can…um, never mind); I don’t write to receive glory alone. I don’t write to give believers perpetual bliss, in spite of my own convictions. Likewise, I don’t write to piss off other groups, though, admittedly, it doesn’t hurt to have a few haters. I write because I was made to write, and because I also made a choice. I realize this choice may alienate some while ministering to others. I realize that in this game, I mostly play the hypocrite, an imperfect man seeking to be re-sculpted. And in that journey, I have discovered that there is a fifth dimension, as Serling often said. It is a dimension of sight and of sound and of mind. In that dimension, anything is possible. In that dimension, we are the villain and we are the hero. We are the arson and we are the boy. In that dimension, a bridge can be built and a wall torn down. I can be who I was meant to be, and so can you. I can write what I believe in and invite the readers to hear and see and experience this imperfect but created world. The real world. The world of what if and what’s next.

Consider this your invitation.

-E, author of ARSON, ASHES, and the upcoming Sacred Sin

Excerpt from Arson:

The lake was quiet.

A lazy fog hovered over the surface of the gray water, whispering in the wake of currents and steady ripples. The world seemed dead to Arson Gable, silent anyway. Like the calm before a storm.

It waited.

Arson stepped off the porch onto the lawn; his mind was swimming. This was where he came most mornings while Grandma slept. He cut his gaze toward the lake, that black womb which rested beyond and beneath the rickety dock. It was as if the lake knew his name and his heartbeats, much like the streets and corners of this town knew his name, cold and faceless as they were. Whether he wanted to admit it, this place was home, and there was no going back.

A bright light burned in the sky, somewhere far enough for him to notice but close enough to nearly blind him. He breathed deeply and blinked, welcoming the dark rush of black behind his eyelids. From where he stood, he could see the towering oaks rooted deep in the ground. Their thick branches stretched upward into the clouds, some parts draping over the shady spots of the worn-out cabin. One final glance and he was reminded that these tortuous, beaten things seemed to swallow the world. Just thinking about them—how he’d watched them ruin—made him seem small, so worthless.

Arson made a fist and felt the heat swell in his grip. He wanted to run into the brush, to get lost deep in the small section of backwoods Grandma had forced him to avoid ever since they’d moved here. But he didn’t move.

This town seemed so close-knit and yet so separated. Less than a mile up the road were a country market, restaurants, and a bowling alley. There was even a liquor store, a cheap pharmacy, and some fast-food chains, and a few miles past that, a movie theater and a nightclub. But at the heart of this place was disunity, a fierce and futile fight to be known and accepted. Arson never understood why Grandpa had picked here to have the cabin built, right beside the lake.

As Arson slowly approached the dock, his mind returned to thoughts of Danny, the only childhood friend he’d ever had. Dim mornings somehow made each memory more real, hard to let go and even harder to erase. Was he always here, always watching? Odd how seven years could come and go without warning, as if the world blinked and somehow forgot to open its eyes again.

In all fairness, it had never been his grandparents’ intention to stay anywhere for too long, but it seemed East Hampton, Connecticut, had become a part of them now, a part of him. “One day we’ll be like the rest of them,” he recalled Grandpa saying—a man of ideals, empty dreams, and hopes Arson could never freely call his own.

Eventually, they had grown tired of running. This dull corner of the world seemed ordinary enough for them to believe starting over again as normal folks would be possible. “Forget what happened all those years ago in Cambridge,” Grandma said so many times that Arson imagined her screaming it to him while he slept. But it was always there—the memory—a splinter in the back of his mind. No going back. Ever.

Arson staggered across the dock, images of child play and stupid laughter pouring in all at once. Danny’s face stuck out the most, and behind that he glimpsed their old home in Cambridge and flashes of his first birthday. His mother wasn’t there, though, nor dear old Dad, but that day had been recounted to him only once by his grandfather, and it stuck.

Nevertheless, with every joyous memory, distilled regret was close behind. He sometimes imagined what it might be like to get thrown in jail by some nameless special agent and be forgotten, or to wake up and find strong hands squeezing the life out of him.

Arson was an unusual boy. A freak. He knew it. And he hated it. Whatever lingered inside his bones always left as quickly as it came, breathing out in short moments of fear or rage. Over the years, he’d asked to be examined to locate the source of his imperfection and if possible terminate it. After all, why did he sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a fever? How come his sweat sizzled when it hit the ground? What was he?

Grandma always argued there wasn’t much point in talking to no-good doctors or even finding out answers to questions he was better off not asking in the first place. Some people were just born with demons, she’d say.

Arson swallowed hard and threw a stone into the water. The splash shattered his reflection, and ripples spread across the dark surface. He wondered why he was the way he was, wondered why those little girl’s parents quit looking all of a sudden, why the investigation against two stupid boys evaporated. Perhaps they didn’t care about retribution, or maybe they were just sick of chasing shadows.

I want to be free, Arson thought, nausea creeping up into his gut. While boats raced along the surface of the lake, Arson stared in awe. They vanished so easily, like mist gliding across the water and dissolving into nothingness. What if men could do the same? There was a man once, he’d heard, who walked upon water and didn’t sink. Maybe he could too. Maybe one day there would be those who believed in him.

Arson’s gaze moved over the lake, across to the other side, where Mandy Kimball lived, and her neighbor, his science teacher from the ninth grade. Then his eyes drew back to the ripples spread out before him, to the dying cabin behind him, as he spit. Beads of sweat streamed down his bony frame, his ash-brown hair trapped inside the gritty creases of his forehead. Arson listened for the lake’s soothing melody but couldn’t hear it. He focused instead on the sound his feet made atop the splintering dock, kind of like the way swings sounded in cheap horror flicks—empty, rocking back and forth to no melody at all. Closer to the edge he came, lingering.

With shut eyes, he stepped out onto the water and began to sink. Peace soon abandoned him to the lake’s shallow world. In a blink, he was looking through the eyes of a ten-year-old boy.

“I don’t like fire,” he heard the boy say, so frightened, so naïve. “It’s dangerous.”

“Don’t be such a wimp,” came his older friend’s taunts. “Just light it already.”

With each shove and curse, the memory turned alive; it was as if it knew he was watching and didn’t like it. The pain still stung, images wilting and dying, only to come alive again and again.

I. Hate. Fire.

Arson could feel the cold, could even remember the way everything sounded or how there was no sound at all. Until the night shattered. The weight of remembering dragged him down while he sucked in a filthy drag of water, his coffined body jerking. The veins on his head began to swell. He was choking.

Time to return to the real world, to release the nightmare once more into the dark of the lake. The struggle eventually pulled him to the surface. Slinging his head back and forth, Arson fought to bring himself out of the bitter current, eventually falling upon dead grass. He tasted the grit of sandy dirt in his teeth. Panting, Arson stood up slowly and staggered toward the cabin, where Grandma Kay’s shadow guided him in.

There was something strange that came over Grandma when she exacted punishment, like a part of her enjoyed it too much. She said fixing their leaky roof was a good and righteous way of killing the demons inside him. Nothing like hard work. She said there was no way a lake could cleanse a boy’s troubled mind anyway and that he was just plain stupid for thinking it could. To ease his frustration, Arson let himself believe that if he had been caught any other day, her scorn might have resulted in worse than fixing a leaky roof, which Arson would’ve had to do eventually anyway.

Grandma’s reasons for why she did things, why she treated him a certain way, seemed to get worse with time. It was no secret that she loathed the idea of him diving into the lake, especially if fully clothed. She even claimed there were toxins in the water from pollution that had supposedly killed a bunch of fish years back. But maybe it was a fair trade. He’d returned to the lake all the toxins he’d soaked up with every vile thought. When considered, Grandma’s logic didn’t seem all that twisted. She probably just didn’t want him bringing any of that evil back with him, infected or not. She was superstitious, so Arson made a promise he knew he couldn’t keep and said it wouldn’t happen again.

The muggy June morning caused his palms to sweat. Arson almost lost his grip on the bucket during the climb to the top but regained his balance before losing any supplies. Spiderman would have been proud. Reading comic books all his life came in handy now and then.

Grandpa took care of the cabin to the best of his ability, had even showed Arson how to repair the roof years back. “If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself,” he recalled. But in spite of his grandfather’s hard work, it was clear that time eventually wore away all things, even hope.

Arson worked for about an hour before carelessness got the best of him. A loose, jagged shingle sliced through the palm of his hand. Blood gushed from the wound and onto his leg. He swore as the sting began to overwhelm him. He chucked the hammer and tried to keep pressure on the cut.

“What happened?” Grandma’s voice echoed from below. “I heard you cussin’ all the way in the kitchen. You know how I feel about that.”

“Sorry, Grandma.” Arson was glad she left it at that. Sitting on the roof, he turned slightly toward the sun. It’s a gusher, he thought. Then, as he stared in amazement, he watched the wound cauterize itself in seconds. It burned.

“Arson, are you all right up there?”

He looked down at the remaining scar, struggling to make sense of it, neglecting the mess on his clothes. “Just fine, Grandma,” he called down.

“That roof isn’t going to fix itself. If I have to spend another night with drops of water hitting my face, I promise you’ll regret it.”

“All right,” Arson said. “I’ll get back to work.”

By evening, the task was complete. He braced himself and watched the sunset from the rooftop as it melted against a fluorescent sky. Arson listened as Grandma concluded her tea conversation with the man she loved.

Moments later, their time together ended with laughter, and he knew it was safe to come down. Arson caught her while she was clearing away the silverware and china.

“Did you finish the roof, love?” she asked in a pleasant voice.

“Yes, Grandma. It’s healed…I mean, fixed.”

“Marvelous. Say, whatcha mean healed?”

Arson grabbed the ladder. “I’m really tired. I’m not thinking straight right now. Maybe I just need some rest.”

“I think you’re right. You’re not making any sense at all. Say, do you want a piece of cake before I put it away? Grandpa didn’t eat much tonight. He’s never been much for carrot cake.”

“No thanks. Not hungry,” he said.

“Suit yourself. Put your tools away and get on up to bed, then. A growing boy like you needs his rest. I hope you learned your lesson, though. I don’t like you spending so much time in that miserable lake. The very idea doesn’t sit well with my soul.”

Arson nodded with reluctant eyes and put away the ladder and the tools. Then he rushed inside the cabin and up to his room to read a comic book before dozing off. Maybe tonight his dreams would be different.

Connect With Estevan:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Tour Participants:

August 1 - Review @ The Musings Of A Book Addict
August 3 - Guest Post @ Tributes Books Reviews
August 4 - Guest Post @ The Top Shelf
August 5 - Review @ Gelati's Scoop
August 8 - Interview @ Beyond The Books
August 9 - Guest Post @ The Calico Critic
August 10 - Review @ The Top Shelf
August 11 - Guest Post @ Stuff & Nonsense
August 12 - Review & Guest Post @ The Bookshelf
August 15 - Review @ Oodles Of Books
August 16 - Guest Post @ The Book Faery Reviews
August 16 - Review @ A Good Day To Read
August 17 - Guest Post @ Terri Forehand
August 18 - Review @ Coffee and a Keyboard
August 19 - Spotlight @ Suspense By Anne
August 23 - Review @ Hypnotically Entranced
August 24 - Interview @ Book Marketing Buzz
August 25 - Interview @ The Children's & Teens' Book Connection
August 26 - Interview @ Coffee and a Keyboard
August 29 - Review @ Frequent Reader, Infrequent Blogger
August 30 - Review @ Romancing The Book(Valerie)
August 31 - Review & Interview @ Darlene's Book Nook

Book Review: A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen

2011-07-31T11:00:00.001-04:00

A GENTLEMAN should always render an APOLOGY

When Mr. Darcy realizes he insulted Miss Elizabeth Bennet at the Meryton Assembly, he feels duty bound to seek her out and apologize...

When he has INSULTED a LADY

But instead of meekly accepting his apology, Elizabeth stands up to him, and Darcy realizes with a shock that she is a very different type of lady than he is used to...

Darcy is more intrigued than he's ever been by any young lady, but he's already entangled in a courtship. It's a brutal predicament for a man of honor who only longs to follow his heart...

* * *

Fans of Pride and Prejudice are well aware that on more than one occasion, Fitzwilliam Darcy states things he later comes to regret. We first witness this at the Meryton Assembly where he declares that his future love, Elizabeth Bennet is not “handsome enough” to be tempting. Like in Jane Austen’s original novel, Mary Lydon Simonsen’s personification of Darcy also comes to regret the statement, but he quickly travels to her home to apologize. Austen’s original plot is adapted frequently from there, but the themes remain the same. Darcy lives within a genteel world with social, financial and familial responsibilities, and these issues complicate his journey to happiness with the woman he comes to love.

Earlier this year I read Simonsen’s The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy and enjoyed it very much. The writing is well done, appropriate for the period, but isn’t stilted or difficult to read. The same can be said for A Wife for Mr. Darcy, but I must admit that I have enjoyed my second experience with this author even more with this latest title. Darcy and Elizabeth again must dance around the inconveniences of their stations, there is humor and wit in the writing, and I appreciated the lack of extraneous plot points.

I was also pleased at Simonsen’s ability to create romance and sexual tension within the story without revealing ridiculous amounts of detail. She put a few points out there, and mature readers can easily fill in the blanks. {SPOILER WARNING} – It was also so refreshing to have a modern author choose to have Darcy and Lizzie’s first time together – gasp! – On their wedding night, not before!! There were a few steamy details, but given some other things I’ve read in recent years, this novel was tame. And after all that these characters had been through to be together, it was a welcome moment. I was genuinely happy for them, for their restraint and for their marital joy. {End Spoiler Moment}

The cast of characters within the story also contributed to its quality. There are the usual names seen in Austen's original novel, with some given more or less attention than they have in the past. Georgiana loves to play the little matchmaker and plays a significant role. However, Lady Catherine De Bourgh is hardly seen at all. One of Darcy's relatives, Lord Antony Fitzwilliam, is a colorful individual, the life of the party who brings a certain energy with him wherever he goes. Simonsen augments and diminishes original characters, and brings in new ones, all to great effect, as the plot consistently moves along in a pleasant way.

If you share my love for Austenesque novels, particularly ones have tones that are true-to-period, both in style and in plot choices, A Wife for Mr. Darcy will be a fine choice for you. Mary Lydon Simonsen brings new ideas and plot twists to this classic tale, but the characters stay true to their original incarnations. Darcy is an honorable, proud man. Lizzie is romantic yet a strong, modern woman. Wickham is a cad, and Lydia is a fool. Mr. Collins is painfully loquacious and Jane is Lizzie's confidant. And while all of these characteristics may be expected, A Wife for Mr. Darcy brings new paths, suspense, laughter and romance to this beloved world. Once again Mary has produced excellent work. I count this title among my recent favorites and look forward to more work from this talented author.

Sourcebooks.com

Giveaway Results: Thunder of Heaven & Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard

2011-07-26T22:09:00.007-04:00

We have our winners! Sorry for the delay-- I've been in the midst of house-hunting for our move to Savannah, GA and tacked on a family trip to Louisiana as well. But I finally had a minute or two to calculate the winners of our Thunder of Heaven and Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard giveaways.

The winner of Thunder of Heaven is
Vicki of I'd Rather Be Reading At The Beach

The winner of Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard is
Darlene of Darlene's Book Nook.

Congratulations to the winners, and thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more giveaways. Remember, if you subscribe to The Calico Critic via email or are a member of our Facebook group, you'll always know when the next contest is rolling out. Thanks for participating!

Coming Soon: The Paradise Prophecy by

2011-07-19T20:58:00.012-04:00

Lately I've been in the throes of packing up to move to Savannah, Georgia, so my pages-read-per-day rate has decreased significantly. I'm still plugging along as much as I can, and I'm looking forward to some exciting titles for the end of summer leading into fall. One title that I'll be reading in the near future is The Paradise Prophecy by Robert Browne. The folks at AuthorsOnTheWeb.com alerted me to some new book trailers-- check them out!

A spectacular thriller inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost in which the final chapter of the War in Heaven is about to play out on Earth, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.

Retail Release Date: July 21st, 2011!

Book Review: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly

2011-07-14T10:47:00.004-04:00

From the Victoria Connelly website:

Dr Katherine Roberts is a lecturer at Oxford University and an expert on all things Austen. But she has a guilty secret; a love of racy Regency novels by Lorna Warwick. She’s even struck up a long-distance friendship with the novelist and the two of them have been sharing their closest confidences.

When Katherine gets her yearly invite to a Jane Austen Conference at the magnificent Purley Hall in Hampshire, she sincerely hopes that Lorna will be in attendance as well. She can hardly wait to meet her new friend, but it seems that Lorna may not have been completely honest with her…

Meanwhile, hopeless romantic Robyn Love is at her happiest when her head is stuck in one of Jane Austen’s novels – if only her boyfriend Jace Collins could be more like Colin Firth.

The weekend retreat is the perfect opportunity for Robyn to escape from reality for a few days – especially when she meets handsome stable hand Dan. But Jace isn’t going to be so easy to shrug off.

With misunderstandings, muddles and a few shocking revelations, the weekend proves to be even more than they bargained for. Like all true Jane Austen heroines, Katherine and Robyn will discover that finding their own Mr. Darcy is far from easy…

* * *

A few years ago, before writing for The Calico Critic, I read Shannon Hale’s novel Austenland. It was one my first forays into the genre of Austenesque fiction and I just adored it. Since then I have read other novels with the similar theme: Modern Janeite women who are obsessed with Austen, looking for their own Mr. Darcy. Some of the titles I have read were fun and enjoyable, others less so. Fortunately, A Weekend with Mr. Darcy falls into that more positive category.

Victoria Connelly’s plot is fairly simple—two Janeite women meet at a Jane Austen conference and become entangled with new love interests of their own. Each has their own separate story but are connected by their new friendship. They enjoy the conference they’re attending, but encounter obstacles in their quest for true love with the men that they meet.

Weekend’s overall story was easy to foresee, but that did not make it boringly predictable in any way. I loved Connelly’s light style of prose and how she chose to develop the characters. Their journey to the unquestionable ending was romantic, full of anticipation and even sometimes humorous. I was completely hooked at the end of Chapter 2, fifteen pages into the book. On more than one occasion I was kept up far past a respectable bedtime, struggling to put the book down. Each chapter was delicious, and I always wanted “just one more bite”.

As a modern novel, there is a small amount of adult material within the story. However, Connelly handles any premarital goings on with tact and very little colorful detail. As a conservative reader, I highly appreciated this. She got her point across without salacious illustrations of bedroom activity. Thank you!

A Weekend with Mr. Darcy was such a delight, the best of its type since the aforementioned Austenland. It’s a perfect read on your own weekend away this summer, and I highly recommend it. If you’re a fan of Jane Austen’s work, or the many film and movie adaptations, or even the huge industry of Austenesque novels that have cropped up in recent years, you will love this title. Connelly’s love for all things Austen is highly apparent, and she connects with her Janeite readers in a delightful, fresh way. A Weekend with Mr. Darcy is time well spent.

Sourcebooks.com

This title was provided by Sourcebooks Landmark.
No obligation other than a honest review was required.

Peak Fit Challenge - End of Week 8

2011-07-12T10:54:00.008-04:00

I've survived and thrived in the eight weeks of the Peak Fit Challenge! This was a great week, bittersweet in some ways. I'm excited about completing this session, but in many ways I'm going to miss the structure and excellence within this program. Although I'm going to enjoy other videos in my collection, the Peak Fit Challenge will always remain a favorite. I hope to return to it soon.

Click here to watch video excerpts on the PeakFit Challenge website.

Fellow PeakFit Challengers, share your thoughts, too!

Get your body in peak condition in just 8 weeks with the PeakFit Challenge™, the revolutionary exercise and nutrition program that will help you burn more calories so you can get that lean, ripped, head-turning body you've been dreaming about!

* * *

Week 8, Day 1 (8.1) July 6, 2011
Today’s Workout: Cardio Strength II
Weekly Weight: 156.6

Despite last week’s water retention, I stayed on track and the results finally showed up on the scale! I lost three pounds this week, now putting me well within the range I need to be considered a healthy weight. My new goal is now 155.8 pounds, which would put me down 10 pounds since June 9th. I have one week left in the challenge, and I think if I stick to it, I just might make or exceed that goal!

Today’s workout was Cardio Strength II. I was determined to give it 100%, as it will be the last time I do the DVD during this challenge. I stuck to the 12 & 8-pound weights for the entire workout, which I haven’t been able to do for the whole of CSII done before. There were a few times when my range of motion with the 8-pound weights was a little smaller than usual, but I made it through. My energy stayed up well during the entire routine, although I was drenched and spent when it was over. CSII is a tough DVD—I can see how it’s been delivering great results!

Day 8.2
Today’s Workouts: Core Dynamics and Pure Cardio

My morning was pretty busy, but I managed to squeeze in Core Dynamics before I had to run my husband to work. CD is not my favorite routine, but I know it works and that this would be my last time doing it during this challenge. Not only did I give it my all, but I tried doing a few moves that I’d been modifying in the past. I even managed to get on my toes when we were on the floor kicking our one leg back with the band—super tough!

Doing Pure Cardio later that day was bittersweet. I’d had an upsetting family incident that morning, and for a bit I was unsure if I’d even be able to get the energy up to do the video. But I love Pure Cardio so much, it gave me the desire to do put the DVD in today. Knowing it would be my last Pure Cardio session for a while, I really gave it my all this time. Even later when my thoughts drifted back to my earlier family conflict, I forced the tears back and determined to do my best and enjoy PC one last time. I kept up really well and got a great workout, forcefully “throwing the hammer” with all my might during the last moments of the routine. This one is going to be missed!

Day 8.3
Today’s Workouts: Pure Strength II and Dynamic Flexibility

On the schedule for today is Cardio Interval Burn, but I’m going to save it for the last workout before my Fit Test. So I’m skipping to the next day on the schedule, which has Pure Strength II and Dynamic Flexibility on tap.

More family difficulties put me in a foul mood today. I did not want to work out. Moreover, I honestly wanted to go take a dive into a bowl of some kind of simple carbohydrate! I’m so thankful for the structure of this program—I’m so close to the end, I didn’t want to mess up all my good efforts with some carbo-binge. I managed to push through the frustration and get the workout into the player.

Although the workout went fine, you know it was a bad day if I even felt annoyed with Michelle! I didn’t even want to hear her voice or work out with her! But I managed to get my act together and give it 100%, using my 8 and 12 pound weights and maxing out on all the moves. The only exception—I still can’t do those tricep pushups on my toes! But despite the moody start, it was a good workout and went just fine.

Later that afternoon I had an amazing, redemptive conversation with the family member with whom I’d been having trouble, and I was in a completely different mindset for the second routine of the day, Dynamic Flexibility. This one is very effective, but it hasn’t been my favorite. However, I was feeling so great that evening, I was glad to do it. It wasn’t even a concern when the household wasn’t able to clear out and I had to do the routine in front of everyone. It’s amazing how a good mindset can make all the difference.

Day 8.4
Today’s Workout: Cardio Strength I

Despite staying on track with food and exercise, my weight has been climbing for the last couple of days. The only way to account for this is the increased hand weights in my workouts and stress at home. Studies have shown that stress can cause weight gain. I guess it’s time to get some of that frustration out and get some pounds off the scale!

While I wasn’t overly excited about working out, I was definitely in a willing mindset and was enjoying an almost-empty house as two of my men had gone to the local pool. So it actually came as a surprise when I noticed that my energy levels were far below what they usually are. Minutes into the workout, I kept waiting for my adrenaline to kick in and for my body to get going. It never did. In fact, my stamina, strength and energy declined as the segments progressed. It was really strange, and frustrating. I pushed as hard as I could and was sweaty as usual by the end, but my performance was severely lacking today. Reasons? Stress? Stayed up too late last night? (Couldn’t put a fun book down!) Who knows? I wish this hadn’t happened so late in the Challenge, but I’ll just continue to do my best and soldier on. Three more days to go.

Day 8.5
Rest Day

It was a nice day of leisure, although I did end up taking a 30 minute stroll while on the phone with my parents. I usually call them once a week, and sometimes I use the little .23-mile block of road in front of my house as my treadmill. It’s unpaved and sandy with little traffic, so it makes for a decent close-to-home option for me to stretch my legs. Between that and a trip to the store to get a few grocery staples, I was able to still rack up over 12,000 steps for the day on my pedometer. Ten thousand is a great number to aim for on regular days, so 12,000 is even better!

Day 8.6
Today’s Workout: Cardio Interval Burn

I deliberately switched around the schedule this week a bit in order to do this particular workout today. It’s a favorite, and I always feel like I’ve truly accomplished something when it’s completed. At over an hour in length, it’s the longest workout of the series.

Today went very well, thankfully. After the disastrous workout on Saturday, I was a little worried. But I made sure to have a good breakfast and lunch to fuel up, and I got right to it. Thankfully, the energy was there this time. Knowing it was the final full workout of the series, I pushed myself as hard as I could. It was tough as usual and I shed plenty of sweat, but I loved every second of it. I can only describe the hour as an act of joy. I was so pleased at my progress, having fun and incredibly grateful to God that He’s given me the body that can do this and the motivation to make it happen. While I’m ready to try some new routines, I almost don’t want this series to end.

Day 8.7
Today’s Workout: Fit Test

I can’t believe it’s been almost eight weeks since I did my first Fit Test. It has gone by so fast, but at the same time it seems like it’s been such a long time. I was excited and nervous about today’s results, hoping that all my hard work would pay off in equally hard numbers.

As the workout began, I wasn’t bowled over by what I was seeing. I added 7 reps to my Alternating Lunges, and that didn’t seem like quite a lot. Next was Prisoner Squats, and I only added 9 to the 32 that I did 8 weeks ago. But as the test progressed, I began to be excited about my numbers. The results really began to emerge. As we performed the Ankle-Grabbers, I was stunned at how quickly and easily I was able to perform these full-body situps. Sit-Outs, which were a brand-new move for me two months ago (and very difficult to perform initially), have now become a favorite. I cranked them out with no trouble at all. And Burpies! A couple of months ago I could barely do them. On the Fit Test, I was able to increase them by 75%!! The 28 minutes flew by, and at the end I was very happy, very pleased with the results. Below are my totals for each 60-second segment and some extra data:

Wow. I am just amazed. Yes, pounds have been lost, but look at the improvements in fitness levels! Tomorrow will be 8 weeks exactly since I started the Peak Fit Challenge, so I’ll take measurements and get a final weight for the session then. So check back soon for even more results!

* * *

Check back soon for the rest of my final results from the PeakFit Challenge!

PeakFitChallenge.com

Peak Fit Challenge - End of Week 7

2011-07-05T20:21:00.002-04:00

Seven out of eight weeks of the Peak Fit Challenge are completed! Wow. And this was one of the best weeks yet. I gained strength and stamina, and I feel great! Read on for plenty of details!

Click here to watch video excerpts on the PeakFit Challenge website.

Fellow PeakFit Challengers, share your thoughts, too!

* * *

June 29, 2011 Week 7, Day 1 (7.1)
Today’s Workout: Pure Strength II
Weekly Weight: 159.6

Well, I wasn't exactly happy with my weight this morning. For the past 7 days I stayed on track with my eating and gave it my all during exercise. I guess I can only blame it on my monthly water retention and frequent muscle building, because I know that I've made progress physically. I'm just going to have to stay on track and hope for results in the future. This has served me well in the past several weeks, so I’m just going to stay the course. I was tempted several times today to over-indulge, thinking that it didn’t matter anyway, that I wasn’t losing weight regardless of my efforts this last week. Of course this isn’t true—it does matter. Imagine where I’d be if I had not been eating well! I could have gained even more, and it wouldn’t have been water retention, but a gain in fat. No thank you.

Today’s workout went pretty well. I used the 8 pound weights for my light ones about half of the time, and I only rarely had to go to my knees for pushup work. My triceps are still pretty weak. But my arms are trembling ever so slightly as I type this, so I know something must have been accomplished today!

Day 7.2
Today’s Workouts: Pure Cardio and Core Dynamics

I just love Pure Cardio and was really looking forward to today’s workout. I took the boys to their Vacation Bible School class and came home to do the longer of today’s two workouts. It was enjoyable as usual, but I had an interesting frustration—my workout top has gotten loose enough that my straps kept falling off my shoulders! This has been developing over the last couple of weeks as I’ve been shrinking, but this morning it was downright ridiculous! About 20 minutes into the workout, during one of my water breaks I went into my room and changed. When I purchased my new workout togs several weeks ago, I bought them all in size Large as well as Medium, in the hopes that I would one day need the smaller size. The day has come, at least in the torso area! I put the new Medium top on, and while it’s a tad snug around my tummy, it felt great and wasn’t in danger of falling off at any point. So exciting!

The workout itself went very well. I took about half the water breaks, every 10 minutes instead of every 5. My energy level was great, and I kept up with the cast just fine. I still don’t care for the “party shuffle” near the end of the workout, but everything else was fabulous, and I love every minute of it. This is one video I’m going to miss doing when the Challenge is over and I’m on to new things.

The end of the Peak Fit Challenge is also coinciding with the end of 5 years of living in south Florida. We’ll be moving to Savannah in mid-August, and we are beginning to say our goodbyes in small ways. Along with the twinges of sadness that I have over leaving Vero Beach, I also have mixed feelings over nearing the end of the PFC. I’m sure I’ll return to it someday, but in 12 days I’ll be ready to be on to new material for a while. And while I’m doing other things, I’m going to miss this. So many goodbyes are going on these days—sigh!

Later in the day I did Core Dynamics, which is still not my best routine. I see improvement every time I do it, but it’s miniscule for sure. I did slightly better with the PFC band, the concave roll-overs and I used the 8lb weight instead of my 6lb this time. Every bit of improvement adds up, I guess!

Day 7.3
Today’s Workout: The Anywhere Anytime Workout

When I looked at the schedule today, it said I could do Cardio Strength II and/or the Anywhere, Anytime Workout. The thought crossed my mind—do they really mean “and/or”, or just “or”? Surely people don’t do both of these types of workouts in one day! Just to be sure, I wrote Michelle and asked her to clarify. She confirmed that in this case, it is indeed an “or” choice, that no one does both of these workouts. It’s okay to pair Dynamic Flexibility with a second workout, but on a day like this, just choose one workout.

Feeling reassured, I chose to do the second option, as I was short on time before I needed to go pick up the kids. I gave it my all once again, seeing small improvements along the way. I was pretty spent by the end, as I was barely able to complete the final Peak section with the tuck-jumps-to-plank. But overall it was a great workout. Drenched in sweat, I showered off and showed up at my sons’ Vacation Bible School looking like a drowned rat, albeit a clean and freshly dressed one!

Day 7.4
Today’s Workouts: Pure Strength I and Dynamic Flexibility

Son Matthew, Pre-Haircut

Unlike yesterday, I had plenty of time and chose to do both workouts on the schedule, as DF can be paired with other workouts on the same day. My husband took my elder son Matthew to check out an antique airplane and then to get a haircut. Younger son Colson, who became bored during a previous visit with the same plane, stayed home and had the extreme joy (hardly!) of watching me work out.

Pure Strength I went well today. I used the 8 and 12 pound weights throughout, and most of my pauses were to just get situated with the PFC band. The lying chest fly with the 12 pounds was extremely difficult, as was the standing bicep curls with the PFC band. However, the lat pull down with the band went so well, I was able to choke up on it just a bit for the first time. Progress!

I’ve decided that I have a love-hate relationship with Dynamic Flexibility. For the majority of the 29 minutes I’m not exactly having “fun”, but that isn’t the point, is it? I find that my body doesn’t naturally want to perform these moves, and it can be a struggle sometimes. However, by the end of the routine I feel really great, and I’m always glad that I took the little extra effort to get it done. I’m grateful I had the time to do it today.

Day 7.5
Rest Day

Today is a rest day, but not without its challenges. I’m battling the urge to abandon my healthy eating and not behave myself. My stomach isn’t grumbling—I have a psychological need to overindulge. Fortunately, I have a very understanding husband who is enabling me to avoid temptation right now. My church is having an Independence Day pot luck/celebration, and I feel like an alcoholic who needs to avoid the bar today. Sometimes I navigate through potluck events with no problem, but right now I’m feeling really weak. If I attended, I’d either stumble nutritionally or would be miserable wanting to do so.

So this morning I made up a healthy edamame/pasta/chicken salad to contribute, and hubby let me stay home from the event after our church service this morning. I arrived home to see the very last point of Wimbledon on television and have been enjoying the quiet house ever since. The guys are having fun with the burgers, hot dogs and inflatable playhouses at the celebration, so everyone’s happy. I know I can’t always be a recluse and avoid all social situations with nutritional pot holes, but I needed to today and am grateful for the oasis.

Day 7.6
Today’s Workout: Cardio Strength I

Today is the 4th of July, and I was unsure how I was going to work in my exercise today with everyone home for the holiday. Fortunately, my hubby had to take the boys out on errand running about an hour after lunch—perfect! I got the A/C cranking, got my water and towel ready, and got right to it.

For some reason, for the last day or so my left knee has been feeling weird. There isn’t a lot of pain, but when I turn my upper body while my feet stay planted, there is some kind of tendon or ligament around the knee that feels funky. I don’t know if there’s some inner band that has been strained from the workouts, but today I was very cognizant of that part of my body. Anytime Michelle had us doing any quick twisting or turning, I didn’t necessarily slack off in my efforts, but I took care to watch the knee. To quote the great Petra Kolber, we should always “unload that weight” when working out and doing quick movements on carpet. As much as I like having the extra padding of the carpet, it can still be dangerous.

I gave it my all again today, using the 8 and 12 pound weights again. Those amounts are still pretty challenging for me—who knows when I’ll be ready to move up a level. I kept up with the class pretty well, although my tuck ski jumps in one of the Peak sections are still pretty pitiful. But I stayed on my toes for all pushup-related moves and was able to complete everything, including no problems with the knee. As I’m writing this, my husband just called to say he’s on his way home. Perfect!

Day 7.7
Today’s Workout: Cardio Interval Burn

Anticipating a cardio-heavy workout, I had a hearty breakfast of oatmeal with walnuts, whole wheat toast with sugar-free spread and 3 egg whites. An hour later I felt fueled up, and I noticed that the kids were happy outside playing. As I’m sure they’ll be inside later today avoiding the heat, I decided to go ahead and get the workout done, instead of waiting for the afternoon.

This was by far the best execution of Cardio Interval Burn to date. It was tough, sweat-inducing and challenging, but my energy level was great and I kept up just fine. There was one moment when I could feel the flexibility gained from Dynamic Flexibility kick in when we had to swing our bent knee around in front of us. The weakest moment came during the tuck-jumps with the knees open. Anything tuck-jump related with me is still pretty pitiful!

At one point, my younger son came in, sat on the couch and watched for a little while. I explained to him what the decreasing numbers were on the screen, so every time I finished a segment and the number went down, he’d cheer me on. “Yay Mommy! You’re down to level 7! Level 6 is next!” It was so cute.

As I write this, it’s now 1:20pm, my hair is still wet and I’m pretty hungry. I torched some serious calories in that workout—breakfast is GONE! I’m going to go make up my favorite lunch of salmon on whole wheat, get a shower and enjoy the rest of my day. Feeling great!

* * *

Check back next week for the next installment of my PeakFit Challenge experience!

PeakFitChallenge.com

Coming Soon: The River of Time Series

2011-07-04T20:54:00.011-04:00

Very soon I'm going to be starting a new book series, and I'm really excited about this one! It's a new YA time travel series by Lisa T. Bergren called River of Time. The three books that are currently holding very high positions on my TBR list are:

Waterfall - Released February 2011

Gabriella has never spent a summer in Italy like this one. Remaining means giving up all she’s known and loved…and leaving means forfeiting what she’s come to know…and love itself.

Most American teenagers want a vacation in Italy, but the Bentarrini sisters have spent every summer of their lives with their parents, famed Etruscan scholars, among the romantic hills. Stuck among the rubble of medieval castles in rural Tuscany on yet another hot, dusty archeological site, Gabi and Lia are bored out of their minds…until Gabi places her hand atop a handprint in an ancient tomb and finds herself in fourteenth-century Italy. And worse yet, in the middle of a fierce battle between knights of two opposing forces.

And thus does she come to be rescued by the knight-prince Marcello Falassi, who takes her back to his father’s castle—a castle Gabi has seen in ruins in another life. Suddenly Gabi’s summer in Italy is much, much more interesting. But what do you do when your knight in shining armor lives, literally, in a different world?

Cascade - Released June 2011

Mom touched my underdress—a gown made six hundred years before—and her eyes widened as she rubbed the raw silk between thumb and forefinger. She turned and touched Lia’s gown. “Where did you get these clothes?”

Gabi knows she’s left her heart in the fourteenth century and she persuades Lia to help her to return, even though they know doing so will risk their very lives. When they arrive, weeks have passed and all of Siena longs to celebrate the heroines who turned the tide in the battle against Florence—while the Florentines will go to great lengths to see them dead.

But Marcello patiently awaits, and Gabi must decide if she’s willing to leave her family behind for good in order to give her heart to him forever.

Torrent - Releasing September 2011

When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series.

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times.

But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death.

Here are some thoughts from Lisa, as well as some book trailers for the first two titles:

The River of Time Series: a teen time travel series in which two girls go from modern times to medieval Italy. Adventure, romance, suspense, and a hefty dose of conflict will hopefully make this series page-turners for young women…that’s my goal, anyway! I concepted the series after reading the Twilight series with my teen.

Waterfall Trailer

Cascade Trailer

Don't they sound great? I can't wait to get started! Let me know if you've read the first two books, and be on the lookout for Torrent, available in just a few months!

Book Review and Giveaway: Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard by Belinda Roberts

2011-06-30T08:34:00.002-04:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a yacht must be in want of a female crew...

The balmy seaside resort town of Salcombe boasts the best in bikinis, sandcastle contests, and a fiercely competitive squad of buff local lifeguards as Regatta Week approaches. And if that weren't enough excitement, Mrs Bennet hears that the splendid villa Netherpollock has been rented by a young man of great fortune. She is determined he'll go out with one of her daughters, until Mr Darcy glides in on his stunning yacht Pemberley and she decides he would be the better catch...

Jane Austen has never been so hilariously recreated as in this modern seaside retelling of Pride and Prejudice, complete with a Mr Darcy you won't soon forget!

* * *

Going on vacation this weekend? Or maybe in this economy, perhaps you’re choosing a “staycation”? Regardless of how you choose to spend some free time this summer, if you’re looking for a fun book to read while on a road trip, sitting by the pool or lounging on deck, you may want to consider Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard by Belinda Roberts. For Pride and Prejudice fans who aren’t opposed to having a little fun with the original plot and characters, this short novel provides a fun diversion and delightful story.

Set in the seaside town of Salcombe, Overboard features all the main players in the Pride and Prejudice tale, but with some modern twists and embellishments. In the case of the titular Mr. Darcy, he is indeed the master of Pemberley, only this time it’s presented as a yacht rather than an estate. Lady Catherine now has the surname de Brrr and dons garish clothing, but she still retains her wealth, ridiculous self-importance and delusion over her nephew’s future with her daughter. Bingley is delightful and romantic as ever, but is a bit more of a surfer dude in his manner. Lydia is unbelievable as always, swinging from extremes never before seen in the Austenesque novels that I have read. And Lizzie still enjoys the outdoors, however she now goes for jaunts in and on the water instead of walks across the countryside.

While Mr. Darcy Goes Oveboard was a fun read, it’s important to keep in mind that one cannot take a purist’s stance in regard to the characters or writing here. The dialog sometimes sounds like it’s directly from Regency England one moment, and then in another characters sound like they’re from the Valley in 1983 southern California. There are all sorts of holes and ridiculous choices in the plot, and it seemed that every other minute a character was falling down or into the water. But I found that I wasn’t really concerned with this. It’s just a fun read with characters that I love and with a general plot that has held up for generations. To quote Roberts, “But who cared when such happiness abounded? Who cared when two young people were caught in such a splendid, delightful, seaweedy entanglement of love?”* And while that statement doesn’t hold up for every philosophy in life, it works for me in Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard. It’s a charming, frothy tale with colorful characters we know and love, retaining the twists we expect but bringing humorous moments that we do not necessarily anticipate. Climb aboard and enjoy this short little cruise; it will brighten your day and make you smile. It is one can I definitely recommend—with alacrity!

* * *

Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard Giveaway

Want to take the plunge? I'd love to share my ARC with one of you! It's a slim little volume that I think I can afford to ship out, at least to a winner on this continent anyway. If you'd like to try to win my advance copy, here's what to do:

Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Wednesday, July 20th
The winner must supply a US or Canadian mailing address for prize shipment.
Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner.
Should you win, I will contact you on Thursday the 21st. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s). You may post separate comments or a single large comment. Here are your bonus entry options:

Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just please let me know that you're following).

Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter and tell me your @UserName.

Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and July 20th at 11:59pm EST. For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username. Here's a sample tweet you can use:

@LHartness Calico Critic Giveaway "Mr. Darcy Goes Overboard" by Belinda Roberts http://bit.ly/DarcyOverboardGiveaway @Sourcebooks #PrideandPrejudice

That's it! Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all!

If you'd like to be alerted anytime a giveaway is posted here on The Calico Critic, here are three notification options:

Subscribe to The Calico Critic via email (see left hand side bar)

Follow us on Twitter: @LHartness

Join The Calico Critic on Facebook

* * *

*Quotation taken from page 190 in the Uncorrected Advance Copy. Text in the final edition may vary.

Book Review: The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier

2011-06-29T11:52:00.008-04:00

Harvard Professor Jonathan Weber is finally enjoying a season of peace when a shocking discovery thrusts him into the national spotlight once again. While touring monasteries in Greece, Jon and his wife Shannon—a seasoned archaeologist—uncover an ancient biblical manuscript containing the lost ending of Mark and an additional book of the Bible. If proven authentic, the codex could forever change the way the world views the holy Word of God. As Jon and Shannon work to validate their find, it soon becomes clear that there are powerful forces who don’t want the codex to go public. When it’s stolen en route to America, Jon and Shannon are swept into a deadly race to find the manuscript and confirm its authenticity before it’s lost forever.

* * *

Years ago I was one of the millions who read Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code. Initially I enjoyed the mystery and page-turning plot, but ultimately I was saddened and frustrated with the lies that it promoted within the story. I was even more disconcerted when I saw the damage that this work of fiction was doing within the general public, causing unnecessary doubt and confusion regarding the Word of God.

Paul Maier’s The Constantine Codex in some ways provides a better alternative to such an inaccurate, false novel. Filled with mystery and adventure surrounding ancient Christian manuscripts, Codex may fit the bill for some readers. It’s the third in a series from Maier, who has over five million books in print. Following A Skeleton in God’s Closet and More Than a Skeleton, Codex is respectful of Canonical Christian scripture, but also posits an interesting notion—that there may be undiscovered writings worthy of inclusion into the Holy Bible.

Maier also tackles the difficult topic of Christian/Islamic theological conflicts, with much of the plot centering on an internationally televised debate between main character Jon Weber and Abbas al-Rashid. Between the drama surrounding Weber’s quests in Biblical scholarship and the international furor that is set off by the debate, there is much to cover in this novel.

While I respect Maier’s obvious education and Biblical knowledge and am grateful for such Biblically respectful intrigue, ultimately The Constantine Codex fell flat for me. It stands on its own in the series, so starting with Book 3 was not a problem in the least. References to previous books’ plot points were handled well. I just found the overall execution of this story to be less compelling than I had expected. I felt that much of the exposition to be a bit immature in tone, yet some of the scholastic topics to be so lofty I had no interest in what was being discussed. The main characters were bland and uninteresting, although I admire their positive marital relationship and loving interaction.

Despite my weak response to this novel, I do believe there is an audience for it. My mother is an instructor at Southern Evangelical Seminary, a leading center for Christian Apologetics in the United States. Through my interaction with SES, I’m sure that many students of apologetics, Christian debate and those who study ancient manuscripts would enjoy The Constantine Codex. It’s a quick, clean read, and one that I certainly recommend to my Christian apologist friends. It may not go down in the annals of history as a great Christian novel, but it would make a fun title for seminary students needing a break from dense textbooks and seemingly interminable term papers. They may learn a thing or two, and will certainly have a little fun in the process.

* * *

Interested in more Christian fiction? Check out my giveaway of Thunder of Heaven!

Peak Fit Challenge - End of Week 6

2011-06-28T19:06:00.010-04:00

Wow-- Six weeks down. I can't believe I'm 3/4 of the way through the Peak Fit Challenge program. I feel great and can't believe some of the things I'm performing in these workouts. It hasn't been easy, but it's so worth it!

Click here to watch video excerpts on the PeakFit Challenge website.

Fellow PeakFit Challengers, share your thoughts, too!

* * *

Week 6, Day 1 (6.1)
Today’s Workout: Pure Strength II
Weekly Weight: 158.6

The perseverance from weeks past has finally shown up on my scale! I am so thrilled to report that I have finally broken through that strange wall that was in front of me, and my weight has gone down. At 158.6, I am now lighter than I have been in about 2 years. In 2009 I was dealing with a very difficult family situation, and I ended up putting on 50 pounds due to the side effects of anti-depressant medication and apathy toward my personal wellness. Through a change in (and now eradication of) my medication, God’s hand in my life through the First Place 4 Health program and the Peak Fit Challenge, I’ve made some huge progress. According to most medical charts, at 5’7” and 158 pounds, I’m finally back at a healthy weight! And not only that, but I feel stronger and fitter than I did two years ago. I am so grateful. On the BMI Chart my middle-healthy weight (right now I'm on the upper end of the range) is about 138 1/2, so I'd still like to lose some more, but at this point I'm just grateful to be where I am.

Today’s workout went well. I took fewer breaks and used my 12-pound weights for all of the heavy sections, even those tough curtsey dips where we release the weights and pick them up again! Whew! I still needed to stick with my 6 pound weights for the light sections, but I was able to incorporate my 8 pound weights a couple of times. The range of motion is getting better with the PFC band, and I’m even starting to see some movement in the “break the band” portion! So, overall a great workout and a good start to Week 6!

Day 6.2
Today’s Workouts: Core Dynamics & Pure Cardio

Last week on this date I had the option to do Core Dynamics in addition to the cardio workout, but I chose not to. In order to up the ante this week, I’m going to do both. I got Core Dynamics out of the way first, so I wouldn’t be tempted to skip it later. It went pretty well—I’m still pitiful in a lot of ways, but I’m seeing improvement. I didn’t hook the band to my shoulder as much as I used to, my form is getting better overall and I’m finally getting some range of motion out of my bands. I still have a long way to go in core and upper body strength, but I know this video is one of the tools that can get me to where I need to be. Interestingly enough, as I type this, the muscles on my left shoulder blade are twitching…

Pure Cardio went pretty well, although I think my lunch was a little too big. I went into the workout with a really bright outlook, but I faded fast as the food in my gullet was weighing me down a bit. I still got in a good workout, but I think tomorrow I’m going to take it easy on my pre-workout meal. I stayed within my calorie level today, but next time I’m going to spread things out a bit more. I still really love this workout, though. I always wear my purple to match Michelle and I can hear the music in my head before we even get started!

Day 6.3
Today’s Workout: Cardio Strength II

While dressing this morning my husband caught a glimpse of my midriff and exclaimed, “Wow—look at your abs! You look great, honey!” This was very encouraging to me, especially after enduring the discomfort of yesterday’s Core Dynamics. I won’t ever have a true six-pack due to the damaged skin around the lower abs, but I’m going to do my best with the rest of it!

Today’s workout was interesting—I’d had another rough evening and morning with my elder son and felt very demoralized as a parent. To be honest, I really didn’t want to work out at all. But I’m staying committed to this and I know how the endorphin-producing routines can really help us feel better. So I charged ahead and tried to psyche myself up.

Michelle has encouraged me to “let it all out” during my workouts, releasing the tension that builds up in our lives. We might not be able to have temper tantrums like our children do when they’re upset, but we can let loose a bit as we’re exerting ourselves in the Peak Fit Challenge. I took her advice to heart, but I think I took it a bit too far in releasing my frustration, because about 41 minutes into it I broke down crying into my towel. Today’s workout went well, I lost plenty of sweat and pushed myself as usual, but I felt physically and emotionally spent when I was done. Not sure if I’m going to repeat that again. It makes for a drained mom and wife…

Day 6.4
Today’s Workouts: Pure Strength I and Dynamic Flexibility

After another rough morning as a parent, I wasn’t in the mood to work out, but I was in the mood to feel better. And I knew exercise would help with this. I haven’t done Pure Strength I in 3½ weeks, so I was looking forward to doing something different today.

I was amazed at my gains in strength since my last time with this workout! I used my 12 pound weights throughout for the heavy moves, and my 6 pounders for the light. However, on the warm-up I was able to use my 8 pound weights for the light. Wow! I did about 95% of the pushup/plank work on my toes, and I’m getting better range of motion with the PFC band. With the increase in the weights it’s still a challenging routine, but I was so excited with my improvement. I also noticed some sharper angles on my shoulder caps as well. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before!

Dynamic Flexibility wasn’t super-fun for me today, but I like the way I feel now that it’s done. I decided to do PSI and DF back-to-back, as my husband was away with my younger son on a fun catamaran ride with a friend. With storms coming in, I knew I’d have limited time alone to get these two routines done. Jonathan kept emailing me pics of son Colson on the boat as I worked out, and it was so nice to know they were off having a good time while I had time to myself. Being out in the sun and heat isn’t my thing, so this worked out perfectly. Now that my 77 minutes of the Peak Fit Challenge are over for the day, I’m going to enjoy the rain that has arrived and curl up with a good book!

Day 6.5
Rest Day

Rest day! Whoo-hoo! I enjoyed taking it easy today, reading a book and just hanging out. After church we were to attend a picnic, with food provided for free. I was grateful that we were given a free meal, but I decided to opt out. Instead of hamburgers, hot dogs and brownies, I brought my own veggies and fruit. I missed having the picnic food, but the lack of regret at the end of the day was worth it!

Day 6.6
Today’s Workout: Cardio Strength I

I woke up to monthly water retention, and I determined in my mind that I would do everything I could to do my best until weigh-in day on Wednesday. If I have a weight gain for the week, it won’t be because I slacked off on food or exercise in any way. I really kicked it up another level in the workout today. I eliminated half of my water breaks, only pausing at the end of each 10-minute segment, instead of taking a few more breaks at each Basecamp, which are 5 minutes apart. The 12lb weights were used for heavy and even I even used the 8lb weights a few times for light. I’m getting closer to reaching a goal of matching Michelle’s weights—when she teaches class she uses 8 & 12-lb weights, and when she is a class member she uses 10 & 15. I’m getting close to her teacher-level ones, which is really exciting! I know those are lighter for her so that she can talk and instruct her class, but it’s still a goal I’d like to contemplate at least!

Day 6.7
Today’s Workout: The Anywhere Workout

When I awoke, my body awarded me with a headache, fatigue, continued water retention and a cloudy attitude for most of the morning. My boys were away from the house for 3 hours in the morning, but I could not bring myself to work out. I honestly wanted to just get back in bed. I managed to not get horizontal, but I didn’t get the workout done then.

In the afternoon I had a few hours before my husband was to join us, so I knew it was then or never. My son began whining about leaving our tiny den so that I could exercise. He’d really worn me out the day before with misbehavior, and it was all I could do to not just burst into tears and skip the workout all together. I talked to him about how we sometimes have to do things we don’t want to do, simply because it’s the right choice. He didn’t want to go entertain himself, and I didn’t feel like working out, but it had to be done. I’m committed to this.

Fortunately, I was able to get through to him and I got the workout done. I’m a sweaty mess now, but I feel SO much better. Those endorphins really do help lighten moods. I’m also pleased with my progress since two weeks ago when I did The Anywhere Workout last. I was able to do all pushup-related moves on my toes. And while it was a big struggle, I was able to complete a few of the last Peak moves, where we tuck jump and then jump out to plank.

There may be several hours of challenging parenting left today, but at least I accomplished this goal and feel better in general. It was worth it.

So-- overall, a tough week, but I'm making progress. Two more weeks to go!

* * *

Check back next week for the next installment of my PeakFit Challenge experience!

PeakFitChallenge.com

Book Giveaway: Thunder of Heaven by Tim LaHaye and Craig Parshall

2011-06-22T22:25:00.021-04:00

Like millions of others, I was really into Tim LaHaye's Biblical End Times Left Behind series in the mid 1990's. While some may debate the details of Eschatology until the end of time itself, I found Left Behind to be entertaining and at least got me thinking about the issues presented to us in Revelation and other books of the Bible.

Last year Tim LaHaye returned to the genre with a new apocalyptic series, beginning with Edge of Apocalypse, co-written with Craig Parshall. Now comes the second title in the collection, Thunder of Heaven. Here is some information on this exciting new series:

Best-known for the Left Behind series, LaHaye and his co-author Parshall introduced readers to The End series with last year’s Edge of Apocalypse. Now, in Thunder of Heaven (Zondervan; on-sale June 28th), lead character Joshua Jordan is back. In an epic story ripped from the headlines of world events and filtered through Scriptural prophecy, Thunder of Heaven chronicles the earth-shattering events which eventually lead up to the Apocalypse foretold in Revelation.

You can find out more about The End series by liking “Col. Joshua Jordan’s” Facebook profile and following “Jordan” on Twitter.

According to TV personality Glenn Beck, “Tim LaHaye’s books always entertain, educate and thrill, but Thunder of Heaven takes it to a new level.”

In addition, there have been a few video teasers produced for Thunder of Heaven that you might want to check out-- these trailers on YouTube have really piqued my interest!

Video #1: Joshua Jordan at the White House, reporting to the "Round Table" about thwarted terrorist attacks from al-Qaeda.

Video #2: Joshua Jordan reports to the "Round Table" from Israel just outside Tel Aviv regarding potential conspiracy attacks against the US government.

Video #3: Joshua Jordan reports to the "Round Table" from prison confirming the Iranians have weapons of mass destruction.

Sound interesting? I'm going to be starting this series soon, but in the meantime AuthorsOnTheWeb.com has given me the opportunity to give away a copy of Thunder of Heaven to one reader! Here are the contest rules:

Thunder of Heaven Giveaway

Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Wednesday, July 20th
The winner must supply a US or Canadian mailing address for prize shipment.
Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner.
Should you win, I will contact you on Thursday the 21st. Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message. (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
Thunder of Heaven will be distributed to the winner by an associate from AuthorsOnTheWeb.com
More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s). You may post separate comments or a single large comment. Here are your bonus entry options:

Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just please let me know that you're following).

Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter and tell me your @UserName.

Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and July 20th at 11:59pm EST. For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username. Here's a sample tweet you can use-- I'm pretty sure it fits!

Enter 2 win Tim LaHaye's newest:"Thunder of Heaven", co-author @CPauthor101. Hosted by @authorsontheweb @TyndaleHouse http://bit.ly/ThunderOfHeaven

That's it! Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all!

If you'd like to be alerted anytime a giveaway is posted here on The Calico Critic, here are three notification options:

Subscribe to The Calico Critic via email (see left hand side bar)

Follow us on Twitter: @LHartness

Join The Calico Critic on Facebook

AuthorsOnTheWeb.com