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

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

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

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

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

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!

*          *          *

May 2013

BLOG POST UPDATE - May 2013: I have since done the Peak Fit Challenge on multiple occasions.  After my third round of the series, I had the privilege of being featured on Michelle's website.  Check out my blog post here:

http://www.michelledozois.com/confessions-of-a-3-timer-peak-fit-system/

THE PEAK FIT SYSTEM

http://peak10.michelledozois.com/

Peak Fit Challenge - End of Week 7

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!

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!

* * *

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

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

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

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

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!

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 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

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)

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AuthorsOnTheWeb.com