Eleven from Eleven - Favorite Reads of 2011

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 Secret by 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.

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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

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?

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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!

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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

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

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.

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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!

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 Angels by Lili St. Crow, Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz and Brightly Woven by 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!