Book Review: The Wedding Dress

4 Apr

One dress. Four women. An amazing destiny.

Charlotte Malone is getting married. Yet all is not settled in the heart of Birmingham’s chic bridal boutique owner. Charlotte can dress any bride to perfection-except herself. When she discovers a vintage mint-condition wedding gown in a battered old trunk, Charlotte embarks on a passionate journey to discover the women who wore the gown before her.

Emily in 1912. Mary in 1939. And Hillary in 1968. Each woman teaches Charlotte something about love in her own unique way. Woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of faith, and the beauty of finding true love.

Excerpt

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner Sweet Caroline, and RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels.

She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets.

Rachel earned a degree in Journalism form Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor. Visit her web site at www.rachelhauck.com to reader her blog, and to follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

My Impressions:

Billed as a romance, The Wedding Dress delivers with not just one bride and her story, but 4!  But Rachel Hauck has penned a book that is so much more than mere romance.  This book has well-developed characters, a mystery filled plot that will have you guessing and turning the pages and a faith message that leaves you satisfied.  I loved The Wedding Dress and I am betting you will too.

Charlotte, owner of an up and coming bridal salon in Birmingham is full of doubts.  Not a good thing when your wedding day is just two months away.  She goes to the one place she always feels at peace, Red Mountain and the Ludlow estate, a place her mother shared with Charlotte as a young child.  Charlotte is an only child raised by her deceased mother’s friend.  With no family, she is somewhat intimidated by fiance Tim’s close-knit, large family.  Her trip to Red Mountain doesn’t give her any insight into her future, but rather opens up a lot of questions about the past, including her own.  Charlotte purchases an old trunk from a funny man in purple, and what she finds inside, a beautiful, mint condition wedding dress purported to be 100 years old, starts her on a journey to find the original owner of the dress and perhaps what her own heart desires.

I fell in love with the characters in this book — Charlotte, a bridal shop owner who feels God has called her to find the perfect dress for each bride that comes her way, Dixie, Charlotte’s sassy assistant who calls her husband Dr. Hotstuff, Tim, the lovable, but clueless fiance, and the other brides that wore the mysterious dress — Emily, Mary Grace, and Hillary.  In fact Emily’s story runs along with Charlotte’s, giving this book both a contemporary and historical feel. The story contains the perfect amount of mystery and suspense.  And the underlying spiritual message of the bride of Christ is subtle, not preachy.

The Wedding Dress is for anyone who likes a romance.  It is also for anyone who really likes a well-told story.

Highly Recommended.

(I received The Wedding Dress in conjunction with LitFuse.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To read what other reviewers have to say, click HERE.

 

What is “true” beauty? Join the conversation at Rachel’s Author Chat Party Event Page. On the eventing of 4/19 we’ll gather to talk about inner and outer beauty and share moments of beauty in our lives.

In the meantime, celebrate with Rachel by entering her True Beauty Giveaway!

 

 

One “beautiful” winner will receive:

  • A $200 Visa Cash Card (Treat yourself to a spa day or weekend get-away!)
  • The Wedding Dress (by Rachel Hauck)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends 4/18/12. Winner will be announced at Rachel’s “True Beauty” Facebook Party on  4/19. Rachel will be hosting an evening of beauty (inner/outer) chat, fun trivia, laughter, and encouragement – bring your friends! She’ll also be giving away some GREAT prizes: gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club and a live chat with Rachel via Skype.)

So grab a few of your friends and your copy of The Wedding Dress and join Rachel on the evening of April 19th for an evening of fun.

Don’t miss a moment of the fun. RSVP TODAY and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 19!


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Book Review: Downfall

2 Apr

Although Emily Covington has kicked the drug addiction through rehab, she knows she has a lot to prove. Her behavior through years on drugs makes it hard for her family to completely trust her. Then the police discover a home made bomb under Emily’s car and she also discovers the wife of one of her friends was murdered that same morning, she knows things are deadly serious. But who wants Emily dead? And why?

Excerpt

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Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in an Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

Her latest series is the acclaimed, award-winning Intervention Series (Intervention, Vicious Cycle, Downfall).Other reader favorites include her books Predator and Double Minds, as well as the Restoration Series, the Newpointe 911 Series, the Cape Refuge Series, and the SunCoast Chronicles series.

In 1994 Terri was writing romance novels under two pseudonyms for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, Dell and Silhouette, when a spiritual awakening prompted her to switch gears. At the time, she was reading more suspense than romance, and felt drawn to write thrillers about ordinary people in grave danger. Her newly awakened faith wove its way into the tapestry of her suspense novels, offering hope instead of despair. Her goal is to entertain with page-turning plots, while challenging her readers to think and grow. She hopes to remind them that they’re not alone, and that their trials have a purpose.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

My Impressions:

Downfall is the exciting finale to the Intervention series by Terri Blackstock.  Inspired by the struggle to help her own daughter, Blackstock has created a realistic and suspenseful book trilogy exposing the tragedy of drug abuse and addiction.  In Downfall, the Covington family has relocated to Atlanta to break the drug ties for Emily, as well as to be closer to Kent.  Kent, a police detective, wants the family to become his own as well.  But before Kent can pop the question to Barbara, Emily is again dragged into a murder investigation.  And although she has nothing to do with the multiple murders, Emily is being framed.

I highly recommend the Intervention series.  And you must start with book one, Intervention, to get the full story.  Blackstock writes great suspense (you just might find yourself holding your breath!).  That’s why she has become a favorite author with my book club.  She consistently tells a believable story with well-developed characters.  And as an added bonus, this book was set in my home state.  I could really envision the Atlanta she brings to life.  All in all, Downfall (and the two books before it) is a  great read.

We will be discussing this book on April 13, so if you have read Downfall, please leave a comment for our group.

(I bought Downfall for my Kindle — no review copy involved!)

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Book Review: River’s Call

30 Mar

Anna Larson’s daughter, Lauren, is confused, brokenhearted, and misguided. It’s the turbulent 1960s and, feeling alienated from her mother, Lauren chooses to stay with her paternal grandmother. However, repelled by the woman’s manipulative and spiteful ways, Lauren returns to her mother, the river, and the Inn at Shining Waters.

There, Lauren begins to appreciate the person her mother is becoming–and she loves the river. However, romantic interests throw a wrench into the works and Lauren, jealous and angry, returns to her grandmother yet again.

But as time passes, Lauren, now a mother to her own defiant teenager, faces a new crisis–one that puts the entire family at risk.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over 50 books for children, teens, and adults. Her young-adult titles include Jessica, The Allison O’Brian Chronicles, Letters from God for Teens, and Diary of a Teenage Girl. Her fiction books include The Whispering Pine series, Isaac’s Angel, Awakening Heart, Heartland Skies, The Wise Man’s House, and Homeward. Melody also published the nonfiction title How to Start a Quality Child Care Business in Your Home.

Melody has enjoyed careers as a preschool teacher, political activist, and senior editor; she currently writes full-time from her home. She lives in Sisters, Oregon, with her husband and two teenage sons. The family enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, and boating in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

My Impressions:

River’s Call is the second book in the Inn at Shining Waters series by Melody Carlson.  This is not a standalone novel.  If you have not read River’s Song (my review HERE), go get it first, then you will be ready to dive into the continuing story of Anna Gunderson Richards and her quest to bring healing and peace through her Inn on the Suislaw River of Oregon.  Now on to my review.

River’s Call takes up where River’s Song left off.  Anna is now married to Clark and they are working hard to make her dream of an Inn a reality.  Lauren, Anna’s daughter, is off at college and all seems like it is going well until Lauren finds herself pregnant and unwed.  While Lauren’s grandmother and future mother-in-law plot to get Lauren and Donald married, Anna is cautious in her advice.  Having spent her adult life in a situation she could not control, Anna wants something better for Lauren.  But family and cultural pressures win out, and Lauren finds herself married with a child, both situations she is definitely not ready for.

River’s Call is filled with sadness, yet hope peeks out throughout.  The years pass by with Lauren more and more troubled and estranged from Anna.  But Sarah, Lauren’s daughter, brings joy to Anna’s life, and she finds in her granddaughter a kindred spirit.  Definitely a generational novel, River’s Call explores how our relationships and choices impact not only our own lives but of those that come after.  Many of the characters grow in their understanding of the hurt and damage they have inflicted, and the theme of forgiveness is presented in an authentic way.  The Suislaw River also plays a large part in the story, becoming more of a character than mere setting.

This novel will be followed by the concluding book of the series, River’s End.  It can’t come too quickly for me!  I look forward to the continuing story of Anna, Lauren and Sarah and the resolution to their rocky relationships.

Recommended.

 

(I received River’s Call from Glass Road PR in return for n honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Giveaway: Night of The Living Dead Christian

28 Mar

I am giving away a copy of Matt Mikalatos’ newest book, Night of The Living Dead Christian.  To enter, simply leave a comment including your email address.  The winner will be chosen by Random Number Generator.  Giveaway ends April 1 (and that’s no joke!).  Good luck!

What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies-90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.

Check out what others on the tour are saying:

Gillian Adams
Julie Bihn
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Keanan Brand
Morgan L. Busse
Theresa Dunlap
Amber French
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Leighton
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
Joan Nienhuis
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Rachel Starr Thomson
Fred Warren
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Nicole White
Dave Wilson

Book Review: Night of The Living Dead Christian

27 Mar

What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies-90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.

About Matt Mikalatos:

Like many future world leaders, Matt celebrated his college graduation by beginning a career as a clerk at a comic book store. Having discovered that such work caused women to shun him, Matt took control of a high school classroom and taught American Literature and Drama (although he was best known for his riotous “study halls”). Then Matt defied all expectations by joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, soon after marrying his best friend, Krista.

After two years ministering in Seattle, he and Krista moved overseas for three years, working with college students and the underground church in Asia. For the last five years, Matt has given regional leadership to the Worldwide Student Network, Campus Crusade for Christ’s international sending ministry. Matt’s ministry has taken him to places as diverse as Costa Rica, South Korea, Spain, Croatia, Mexico, Thailand, Hungary and closed countries in the Middle East and Asia.

Matt is also the author of Imaginary Jesus (currently being re-marketed as My Imaginary Jesus). He loves speaking about intimacy with Christ, what it means to be a true disciple, world missions, evangelism, the gospel and the great commission. Matt is passionate about presenting the scriptures in a way that is compelling and accurate as well as accessible. He is a popular speaker in Campus Crusade for Christ, well known for his hilarious stories illustrating the deep truths about our relationship with God.

Matt, his wife and three children live near Portland, Oregon, where Matt can blend into regular society.

My Impressions:

There are monsters next door and down the block and maybe in your own house! Matt Mikalatos has uncovered the secret we as Christians have fought so hard to keep — we can be simply monstrous.  In Night of The Living Dead Christian zombies, werewolves, vampires and other assorted creatures are alive and well in our cities’ churches.  No you don’t have to contact the CDC about their plans for a Zombie Apocalypse (they really have a post about that), but you may want to read Matt’s book to find out if you resemble any of the monsters portrayed in his book.

There are two narrators in Night of The Living Dead Christian.  Matt’s fictional alter ego is the silly, slightly clueless voice of the neighborhood watch commander on the patrol to keep the peace in his little bit of suburbia.  The second narrator, Luther (Ann) Martin (really!?), is a lousy husband and a werewolf.  He is also not a fan of organized religion or his Lutheran pastor father (hence his sad name).  But Luther really doesn’t want to be a werewolf, and many of the other monsters depicted want to become human again as well.  But the transformation from his baser self won’t come without help from God.  I found Luther’s voice to be real in its helplessness and hopelessness.

Night of The Living Dead Christian is an allegory, so don’t expect real monsters.  But maybe the monsters Matt brings to life and light are the truly scary ones.  At the end of the book, there is an appendix detailing the habitats, symptoms, common enemies, etc. of the monsters found in today’s church.  Read it only if you want to be enlightened.   It is not pretty to be shown your true self.

You may recognize yourself in the pages of this book. You may also recognize one of the characters. Dr. van Pelt is Matt’s counselor.  Why he decided to use someone who as a girl used to pull footballs away from clueless boys just wanting to kick is beyond me!  But I guess it is good to know that childhood dreams do come true.

Night of The Living Dead Christian is a book for anyone looking to be entertained, challenged and perhaps transformed.

Recommended.

(I received this book in conjunction with the CSFF Blog tour in return for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Check out what others on the tour are saying:

Gillian Adams
Julie Bihn
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Keanan Brand
Morgan L. Busse
Theresa Dunlap
Amber French
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Leighton
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
Joan Nienhuis
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Rachel Starr Thomson
Fred Warren
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Nicole White
Dave Wilson

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Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour: Night of The Living Dead Christian

26 Mar

This month the folks on the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour are featuring Matt Mikalatos’ book, Night of The Living Dead Christian.  Here is a little about the book:

What does a transformed life actually look like? In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way: with monsters! As Christians, we claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, but we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies-90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Yet through it all, we are longing to become fully human, the way Christ intended . . . we just can’t seem to figure out how. Night of the Living Dead Christian is the story of Luther, a werewolf on the run, desperate to find someone who can help him conquer his inner beast before it’s too late. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, this spiritual allegory boldly explores the monstrous underpinnings of our nature and our quest for Christlikeness.

To buy a copy of Night of The Living Dead Christian, click HERE.

About Matt Mikalatos:

Like many future world leaders, Matt celebrated his college graduation by beginning a career as a clerk at a comic book store. Having discovered that such work caused women to shun him, Matt took control of a high school classroom and taught American Literature and Drama (although he was best known for his riotous “study halls”). Then Matt defied all expectations by joining staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, soon after marrying his best friend, Krista.

After two years ministering in Seattle, he and Krista moved overseas for three years, working with college students and the underground church in Asia. For the last five years, Matt has given regional leadership to the Worldwide Student Network, Campus Crusade for Christ’s international sending ministry. Matt’s ministry has taken him to places as diverse as Costa Rica, South Korea, Spain, Croatia, Mexico, Thailand, Hungary and closed countries in the Middle East and Asia.

Matt is also the author of Imaginary Jesus (currently being re-marketed as My Imaginary Jesus). He loves speaking about intimacy with Christ, what it means to be a true disciple, world missions, evangelism, the gospel and the great commission. Matt is passionate about presenting the scriptures in a way that is compelling and accurate as well as accessible. He is a popular speaker in Campus Crusade for Christ, well known for his hilarious stories illustrating the deep truths about our relationship with God.

Matt, his wife and three children live near Portland, Oregon, where Matt can blend into regular society.

I will share my thoughts tomorrow on Night of The Living Dead Christian.  In the meantime, check out my review of Imaginary Jesus HERE, and be sure to check out the other participants on the tour:

Gillian Adams
Julie Bihn
Red Bissell
Thomas Clayton Booher
Thomas Fletcher Booher
Keanan Brand
Morgan L. Busse
Theresa Dunlap
Amber French
Tori Greene
Nikole Hahn
Ryan Heart
Bruce Hennigan
Janeen Ippolito
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Carol Keen
Leighton
Shannon McDermott
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Nissa
Joan Nienhuis
John W. Otte
Crista Richey
Sarah Sawyer
Chawna Schroeder
Rachel Starr Thomson
Fred Warren
Steve Trower
Shane Werlinger
Nicole White
Dave Wilson

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Book Review: Stand By Me

24 Mar

Sometimes the person you most need
is the one least like you.

Kathryn Davies is a bright young woman from a prominent Phoenix family. But after making a leap of faith at a Christian music fest, dropping out of med school, and moving to inner city Chicago, her family all but disowns her.

When Kat discovers SouledOut Community Church, she longs to become a part of the multicultural church family. But her tendency to immediately say whatever she’s thinking steps on the toes of nearly everyone she meets—especially Avis Douglass.

Avis has a strong faith, is the principal of one of Chicago’s highest performing elementary schools, and is a founding member of SouledOut. But the country’s economic downturn has thrown both her and her husband’s jobs in question. And Avis hasn’t heard from her youngest daughter in months an estrangement that gnaws at her every day. Where is God in this?

Kat’s flamboyant zeal for living a “radical” Christian life is a stark contrast to Avis’s more reserved faith. But in God’s timing, the two women discover they need each other in ways neither of them expected.

Born in Winchester, Kentucky, in 1944, Neta Jackson is the daughter of a Christian-school principal father and a school librarian mother. Her childhood took her from Boston, Mass., to Longview, Texas, to Seattle, Washington. She barely noticed because she always had her nose in a book – when she wasn’t drawing pictures of horses.

Her love of perfectly placed words never wavered. As a high school senior, she took the winnings from a Scholastic Magazine First Place Award for story writing and bought a typewriter. She hasn’t quit writing since.

She planned to attend Wheaton College but spent her first year in a bible college closer to home. Husband Dave said he is glad she did. That is where they met and fell in love. Neta stayed true to her dream of attending Wheaton the next year and left Dave behind, trusting that if God meant for them to be together, things would work out.

Hundreds of letters later, they were married. After two children, one foster child and grandchildren of their own, Neta and Dave enjoy one of the most successful writing partnerships ever. Their Trailblazers series and Hero Tales have stacked up such prestigious awards as the Angel Award of Merit from the Education Clearinghouse Product Review, Best Children’s Book of the Year from the CBA New Zealand and the ECPA Gold Medallion Award.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group and The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (Integrity Publishers, August 2004) are solo projects for Neta. The Yada Yada Prayer Group, released last year, has sold over 75,000 copies in less than six months and has been nominated for a 2004 Christy Award.

When not pounding out another great story, Neta enjoys gardening and genealogy and adores the new experience of grandparenting. She and Dave worship at the Worship Center in their hometown in Illinois.

Visit Neta’s website at www.daveneta.com

My Impressions:

Neta Jackson has taken some characters from her best-selling Yada Yada series and has begun a new book series — SouledOut Sisters.  Book one in the series, Stand By Me, features Avis, a mature and experienced Christian and impetuous new believer, Kat, a graduate student at a Chicago area Christian college.  Avis is dealing with a strained relationship with her middle daughter and really doesn’t have the time or inclination to deal with Kat’s enthusiasms.  But when Kat and three other of her classmates move into the condo downstairs from Avis, their lives become entwined, much to Avis’ chagrin.

It took me some time to get into Stand By Me.  There seemed to be a lot of repetition leading up to the real meat of the story. It wasn’t until the last 1/3 of the book that the storyline really picked up.  All in all, I enjoyed the book.  I didn’t like Avis’ character very much.  Her reactions to Kat seemed a little extreme.  But they are really not that unusual in long time Christians.  New believers can sometimes be exhausting in their desire to live for Christ.  I am speaking tongue in cheek here, but you know what I mean!  Stand By Me made me examine my own reactions to other Christians, especially those that are not just like me.

If you are looking for contemporary, women’s fiction set within the context of the modern church, Stand By Me will fit the bill.

Recommended.

(I received Stand By Me from B&B Media in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Robin: Lady of Legend

22 Mar

What if Robin Hood wasn’t the man you thought him to be—what if he wasn’t a man at all?

Robin of Locksley is young, headstrong, and about to receive the worst birthday present of her life. Still struggling to define herself in a society that believes women are fit for little more than governing a household and bearing children, she balks at her father’s plans for her future, but the consequences of her rebellion prove deadly. Hunted by both her father and the Sheriff, Robin is forced to hide her identity and seek refuge as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest.

Disguised as a lad for protection, Robin maintains a careful isolation from the world around her…until she chances upon a young boy being beaten to death by the Sheriff’s soldiers. Her rescue of the youth marks the beginning of her leadership in Sherwood forest and of the unfortunates who seek refuge therein. Robin’s endeavors to provide a life of honor and purpose for her people while aiding the land’s downtrodden win her high esteem, but enrage the Sheriff of Nottingham, who plots a deadly fate for her and her band.

As the Sheriff’s traps close in around her and assassins seek to bring her down, Robin must risk losing love, leadership, and life if she is to save her people and fulfill her destiny as one of history’s greatest heroes.

Excerpt

Ever since she could hold a pen, R.M. ArceJaeger has been writing stories. Over the years, these tales have run the gamut from campfire horror stories to salacious romances to fantasy epics. However, she particularly adores twisting classic tales in directions that no one has ever thought of before. Her novel, Robin: Lady of Legend, is a remarkable reinvention of the mythos of Robin Hood that takes the classic tale in an entirely fresh direction.

Distinctions:

  • California Arts Scholar: Creative Writing (2005)
  • B.S. Computer Science (with Distinction)

Last Name Pronunciation: R-C-jay-grr

 

My Impressions:

Robin: Lady of Legend follows the Robin Hood legend pretty faithfully.  The characters of Maid Marian, Little John, Will Scarlet and of course the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham are all present.  But there is a distinctive twist to this story — Robin is actually a young woman!  R M ArcJaeger has written a tale that will appeal to young adult readers, especially young women looking for a strong and heroic female character.

The book begins with an 18 year old Robin, more suited to outdoor pursuits such as archery than embroidery, being forced to marry the Sheriff of Nottingham. Her father had proclaimed it to be so and nothing Robin does will dissuade him. So she does the only natural thing — she disguises herself as a young man and runs away.  Aided by her cousin Will, Robin makes it into the Sherwood Forest without detection.  But soon she is outlawed when she kills one of the Sheriff’s men to save the life of another.  Forced to survive on her own, Robin takes on the challenge.  But soon she has visitors to her sylvan glade — others outlawed or driven off their lands by the cruel Sheriff.  A band of Merry Men is formed with Robin as the leader.  She maintains their loyalty with fair dealings and a high moral code.  Remember rob from the rich and give to the poor!  Her followers never suspect her true identity, proof that people see only what they want.

Things get complicated for Robin when she begins to fall in love with Little John. She also becomes more and more reckless with her dealings with the Sheriff. But remember this is the stuff of legends, and the book has a happy ending, along with a loose end that could lead to another book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the legends of Robin Hood or to a young woman looking for a brave and endearing female character.  Those looking for adventure and daring will sure to like Robin: Lady of Legend.

Recommended.

 

(I received Robin: Lady of Legend from the author in exchange for a review.  The opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop!

17 Mar

Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer is hosting the Spring Cleaning Giveaway Hop!  Bloggers all over are cleaning off their shelves to bring you some great books.  Check out all those participating by clicking HERE.

 

It is time for Spring Cleaning, and I have lots of books to get off my shelves — all genres (historical, classic, contemporary, and non-fiction selections)!  3 lucky winners will win surprise packages containing both fiction and non-fiction.  To enter just leave me a comment including your email address.  Winners will be picked randomly and will receive 3-4 books each.  Good luck!

By The Book’s April Selection

17 Mar
Downfall by Terri Blackstock.  Although Emily Covington has kicked the drug addiction through rehab, she knows she has a lot to prove. Her behavior through years on drugs makes it hard for her family to completely trust her. Then the police discover a home made bomb under Emily’s car and she also discovers the wife of one of her friends was murdered that same morning, she knows things are deadly serious. But who wants Emily dead? And why?

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