Linguistics Professor Recommends Historical Fiction Novel

Title: Sydney's Story
Author: Eileen Clemens Granfors
Word Joy Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction
250 pages
Buy: Paperback or Kindle

Reviewed by B. A. Goodman, Ph.D., originally for Amazon

A Great Literary and Historical Contribution

 

With this book, Eileen Granfors has managed to transport us with words and imagery to the bedlam that was 18th century England and France. She has also managed to show us the events within this context that happened to young Sydney Carton that explain his actions in the Dickens’ novel A Tale of Two Cities. As a teacher, I would hold this volume up as required reading for all students after reading A Tale of Two Cities, to inspire them to think and write beyond the page of a single story. Having developed this entire history of Sydney Carton with only the slightest hints from the original about Carton’s upbringing reveals Ms. Granfors’ excellent research and dazzling imagination as Sydney grows from an abusive childhood to rebellious teen and finally, the loving hero of Luci Manette and of those who love the original Dickens’ book. Taking on modern tones, Ms. Granfors wisely incorporated themes of domestic abuse and domestic equality as well as the eighteenth century’s discrimination against the Romany people.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER
 Dr.  B. A. Goodman has a PhD is in Educational Linguistics. She is teaching multilingual education at Nazarbayev University Graduate School of Education in Astana, Kazakhstan.




----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

LA Now and Then Reviewer Hopes for Film

Title: The Necessary Bride

Author: Patsy Frost
Where to buy the book Genre: Historical Romantic Women’s Fiction

ISBN-13: 978-1501069628

Publisher: Createspace

  
Reviewed by Marlan Warren. Originally published in her L.A. Now and Then blog 

  “Can a lady like you watch livestock and people fall down and die of thirst in the desert, the flies swarming on the sun-bloated carcasses and smell the stench of ‘em after they bust open?”—Rape, forced marriage, death by childbirth and the repressive status of women in Early America take center stage in Patsy Frost’s historical romantic masterpiece, The Necessary Bride. As the saga draws to a close, its heroine proclaims that if she had not run away to seek her fortune in California, her life as a Maryland “lady” would have been “proper” and “dull” (in between those times when the vicious Baltimore males would not be treating her like chattel). Frost puts a fresh spin on a story about wagon train travel in the Old West by letting us view it through this adventurous young woman’s eyes—urging us to feel what she feels in her heart as she gradually builds a new life that is built on trust and mutual respect with a man who is not of her culture or race.

This painstakingly crafted tale brings the smells and tastes and emotions of that time into bold relief through meticulously detailed scenes of pioneer life. The author also deftly manages multiple points of view to provide character insights that keep even the villains from coming off as one-dimensional. 

 

Frost subtly alters reader perceptions by loosening the writing style from narration-heavy, archaic language to a looser, more contemporary tone when this bold young seeker finally reaches her destination and her destiny. Did the pioneers have oral sex? Read and find out!

 
Seamless lively action carries the story, making it a fun page turner. The last line portends a sequel. One can only hope there is one soon, and also a film.
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 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Historical Christian Fiction Is Much More Than Its Genres

Title              "...Like Footprints in the Wind: A Generation Lost"

Author:          Pamela Atherstone
Author Link:   http://atherstonep.wix.com/jahnlechronicles
Genre:           Historical Fiction/ Christian
ISBN:             9781432797737

Purchase on Amazon

Reviewed by F.T. Donereau for Rebecca’s Reads (8/13)   http://rebeccasreads.com/atherstonelikefootprintsinthewind

 

Pamela Atherstone's "...Like Footprints in the Wind: A Generation Lost," is certainly a Historical novel in every sense of the word. I do believe though, that it brings much more to the table than is normally associated with that particular genre. You have a sweeping tale of family and tribulations and love and faith. You have a place and time that evokes distance from modern life. All of this is the normal thing for such a work but somehow the author brings it to us in a way that makes us able to feel the world inhabited by the Jahnle family and those around them, as if it were actually us, or loved ones of our own. The story comes alive fully and enables us to live it along with the characters. This is rare in Historical undertakings. And welcome.

As the book opens Johannes Jahnle is a farmer about to harvest his crops. The yield looks promising and he is a contented man. The Russian world he lives in is his as much as anyone’s. He loves his wife and children and they are happy in their lives. Simply because they are of German descent though, they are in trouble. I had never heard of the Purge of the Kulaks prior to the reading of this fine novel. Based on real stories, the tale that unfolds is an astonishing, gut wrenching one. The family is torn from their land and all they know by Russian soldiers. They are forced to endure a harrowing journey that leads them to the isolating deprivation that is the labor camps on the coast of the White Sea, in Siberia. Getting there is a fraught existence. The world they arrive into ends up being an ice brick scratched out of some devil's frozen hell. Miss Atherstone carves these things to life in such a way as to make them as compellingly real as any moment that might have been truly experienced by the reader, employing the kind of writing that makes great fiction, great story telling.

The author does not rely on flowery prose to evoke her worlds. Clean hard lines are used to draw the pictures between the covers of "…Like Footprints In The Wind." This is as it should be. The story, at times, is brutal. The family faces trials that seem and probably were designed to tear them down to nothing. Sorrows within are immense. There is great cruelty, deprivation, and even death. If the words used were not cut out of stone, a false prettiness might have covered things, which would have only taken away from what is being laid down here.

Johannes Jahnle is a good man. He is wise and blessed with an inner strength his family would have been hard pressed to survive without. There is that kind of strength in his wife, Katerina, as well. It was lifting to find a woman protagonist who did not crumble and fade under enormous pressures. I confess though that I think my favorite of the characters may be the Jahnle's daughter, Anya. She is a spirit of high order and love becomes her. The family is bolstered by their faith. It is the thing, I think, that really brings them through. It is tested and finally clung to. That, as well, is refreshing.

Really I find this book an important work; it brings forth an historical happening, a tragic piece of history the world ought to know better. Miss Atherstone is a master story teller. The goodness that flows through the horror wrought is a dynamic any age needs more of. The Jahnle's are a people I would love to know. Their faith is a special thing. It all might have been less in the hands of someone not as capable as Pamela Atherstone. She should find great success with this saga. Trust me when I say, you will gain knowledge and feel things deeply simply by opening the pages and falling into them.

Added note:  This book is the Winner of the 2013 Best Fiction Award for Rebecca's Reads.  Permission to reprint reviews was granted by Rebecca's Reads as part of the contest.  This book is also currently a finalist in two categories in the Reader's Favorite Book Reviews and Awards Contest.

 

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Hawaiian Reviews Ballou's "Wai-nani"

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Wai-nani, A Voice from Old Hawai’i

Author: Linda Ballou
Historical Fiction
ISBN 978-1-932993-88-2
Author's Web site: http://www.LindaBallouAuthor.com
Available as e-book on Kindle

Reviewed by Toby Neal

 

Press in to really "get" this book. Wai-nani’ s story is told in a hypnotic, fairy-tale or high legend voice that took me a chapter or two to get into--but once I did, I was fascinated with the way Linda Ballou had taken us into the intimate and unknown world of the Hawaiian people through the eyes of an unforgettable heroine. Wai-nani is fierce, passionate, and deeply connected to the land and ocean--and to her complex and multi-faceted warrior husband. It reminded me how fully developed the civilization of the Hawaiian people was, and how large their population, before the fateful arrival of "Kapena Kuke" and his "floating heiau."
Thanks for this journey to another time and a Hawaii seen through a princess of its people.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 

Life-long island resident, Toby Neal is the author of the Lei Crime Series, and the poster child for successful online book marketing. I am so pleased that Toby found Wai-nani worthy and has given me permission to share her review. Go to www.TobyNeal.net to learn more about her books and how she connects with readers.

 

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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Bob Rich's Ascending Spiral Gets Goodreads Nod

Title: Ascending Spiral, Humanity's last chance

Author: Bob Rich

Winner of Carolyn's Noble Award

Cross-genre: spiritual/historical fiction

ISBN 978-1-61599-187-7

Publisher Marvelous Spirit Press

 

Recently, the author offered three free, autographed copies of Ascending Spiral through Goodreads. One of the lucky recipients wrote this 5-star review:

Link to original publication.

Reviewed by Liana Hammersley originally for Goodreads

 

It's not very often that you read a book that can speak directly to your heart but you can find them. And It's a rarity when you find one that can speak straight to your soul, which is what this book does. It's like a old friend coming to speak to you. A friend who makes you feel warm, protected and loved. It's a one in a million story (or in this case stories) that makes you recognise that this life is more than just a life - it's a life made up of many lives and many lessons: there is a reason...a purpose for us being here, today, yesterday and tomorrow. We're here to learn and appreciate what this life has to give for a greater purpose - not just to live, but to experience, feel and be.

The first couple of pages of 'Ascending Spiral' made me feel like crying. THE FIRST PAGES! I couldn't believe it. Never has a book made me want to cry at the very beginning of the book. But it did. Mainly because it spoke about a little girl who felt lost, worthless and unloved. It was part of my teenage life he (Pip/ Bob Rich) spoke of. Although mine didn't make me want to die or feel so badly that I really didn't cope because I had friends, a small group of friends but enough to help me through the "popular crowd's" teasing and constant cruelness. Pip's words to Maria were so beautiful and precious that I couldn't help but feel lighter just thinking about them. He helped her through a tough time in her life, made her feel special and taught her that there are no mistakes in life, but lessons, opportunity's that help us grow into the person we want to be. And if we fail, we fail...but it is also a success because we learned and we survived.

That's what this book is mostly about - learning and surviving the best way we possibly can. Dermot was my favourite character/life experience I liked reading about. He was a survivor. He suffered such terrible tragedy's that you can almost understand why he turned out the way he did - I do say almost because in this life (my life) I would never go down the same path at the end and find it confusing and shocking that he would do something so horrible to someone who least deserved it. But in his mind everyone was at fault. His situation was bad, he lost his whole family, was made into an example on a convict boat that could have destroyed him, became a slave, could've had freedom but was blackmailed into staying and in the end he was trapped. he was helpless and kept suffering throughout his life. He was an injured animal, one who had been beaten too many times. He held in all the resentment, anger and frustration at being in a life that wronged him so much that he finally exploded and the way it came out was a terrible action. He suffered again because of it...his soul suffered. But when you look back on everything that had happened you couldn't say what he did was wrong. Part of his family and his soon to be wife was murdered, other family members imprisoned. He fought back because there was nothing else he could do.

Through this book you learn that every action has a ripple effect. It doesn't just affect you or your family but it effects everyone that it comes in contact with. And when you look back on Dermot's life you realise why everything is happening. The English had been bullied by their own people (as I'm sure many countries and societies have) - their own kings and queens ruled over them year after year, dictating how they should feel, act and think. If they acted any differently to what was expected of them they were punished for it - be it jail, maimed or killed. So they were victims: left powerless by the people that should have protected them. So those people through generations became bitter, resentful and angry. And those that came into a certain power (the army's, etc) followed orders and took all those negative emotions out on whoever they were to hurt. They got their revenge, just on the wrong people. And in turn Dermot got his revenge on those people. You can see how one person's wrong doing creates another ones and it just keeps going and going until people are hurt or worse. If one were to forgive then they would either be trampled over or were forgiven themselves. In Dermot's case, he had no choice. If he forgave the English he would only have become a slave himself (which he ultimately did anyway) or killed. There was no middle ground. There was no forgiveness or compassion from the other side. Once anger is involved, everything goes out the window. So Dermot stood and fought for what he believed in - to free his people from such a grievous act. No one would have been free if he didn't do anything. So in a way he helped those people to find hope, at the cost to himself.

Amelia's story had me on the edge of my seat. Her husband horrified me. I was along for the ride (emotionally) for this story because I was terrified for her children having such an abusive father. Her story was tragic in a different way to Dermot's but it had a beautiful ending in a way because she got to live out her life in the end and see her children grow and have their own children. But in the meantime she had a lot of hardship and loss. But she SURVIVED and she lived.

The two other stories about the space flower and the walking flowers didn't appeal to me as much. They were short and the story's were good, but the hardships and emotional connection wasn't there for me as much.

And finally with Pip's life I had to have a little chuckle to myself when my name "Liana" turned up in the story. It's not every day you read your own name in a book - especially when it's as rare as mine! But I loved Pip's journey - his success at reaching peace within himself and finding that "living" this life and experiencing everything that was to be learned is what life is about, not just the material things as most live for - the house, the car, the other objects we consider to be considered to be important that most people rate above all else. This life is about LIVING it, ENJOYING it but most all experiencing it.

This book just makes you rethink about your own life, the situation your in and everything that you have learned up until now. It (most importantly) also makes you ask yourself "what is your purpose for living?" It has helped me appreciate what had been given to me and not take things for granted anymore. I want to enjoy my life now and not bicker about the silly little things because this life is an important one, for my soul and for my family.

If you are of spiritual mind (as I have been my entire life, growing up with the knowledge of past lives, spiritual beings, compassion, lessons, etc) or have often wondered what is is you're doing here, I suggest to read this book as it is the perfect way of gaining more knowledge of your situation and learning to love the life that you're living.

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Liana, a mother of 2 gorgeous sons (aged 4 and 16 months) and two “fur-babies” (dogs), with a passion for reading and writing ever since she was a little girl. Having been born in Victoria, grown up in Tasmania, and lived in Queensland, it was hard to call a place “home”. It wasn’t until fate intervened in the most unlikely of circumstances that Liana moved to Kalgoorlie for a couple of years and met her partner (who also had moved there from NSW only a few months after, for a job). From there they moved back to his home town in NSW and it was only then that Liana had found a place to call home and a place where she could grow within herself and rediscover her passion of reading and writing – of which she hopes one day she can become a published author.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr.  Bob Rich is a professional grandfather. His main motivation is to transform society to create a sustainable world in which his grandchildren and their grandchildren in perpetuity can have a life, and a life worth living. This means reversing environmental idiocy that’s now threatening us with extinction, and replacing a culture of greed and conflict with one of compassion and cooperation.

 

So far, he has retired 5 times as:

Research scientist

Builder’s laborer

Nurse

Director of his professional association

Counseling psychologist

 

He is still going strong as a storyteller, writer and editor. To date, he has15 published books you can inspect at http://bobswriting.com (read the first chapter of each). Five of them won awards. Also, he does professional editing, for a number of small, independent publishers and a steady stream of writers pre-submission. Learn more at
http://bobswriting.com. His newsletter is Bobbing Around http://wp.me/P3Xihq-1

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Senior Book Review Gives Nod to Second in Olivia Series

Dear Carolyn,

I would like to request a posting for a review of my novel, The Way the World Is (Book 2 of the Olivia series). This is the third review I have submitted to your site. (The first two were for Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of this series).

Thank you very much for this generous service,

Yael Politis
politisyael@yahoo.com

 

Title: The Way the World Is
Series: Book 2 of the Olivia series
Author: Yael Politis
Author's website:  http://yaelpolitis.wordpress.com
Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, 1840s)
ASIN:   B00H0H39JA

Available on Amazon

Reviewer: Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Text of the review:

The Way the World Is - Book 2 of the ‘Olivia’ series – continues the story of teen pioneer Olivia Killion, who – in the first book of the series, Olivia, Mourning – inherited her father’s land in Michigan and began farming it, together with a black helper who became more than just her business partner.

As fans of Olivia, Mourning will recall, Olivia is headstrong, feisty, and filled with all the confidence and certainty of a seventeen-year-old who thinks she knows what she’s getting into and what the world is all about. In fact nothing could be further from the truth: while her assessment of the realities of black/white relations are spot on and her caution is survival thinking at its best, Olivia simply lacks the experience to make her way through the world without receiving some hard lessons, and The Way the World Is follows this progress and evolution.

Fans of Olivia, Mourning will find this sequel no less engrossing, with its gritty protagonist who is determined to forge her own unique path in life. Fans will also appreciate Olivia’s new challenges, which open here with a bang: a pregnant Olivia is about to give birth, with no idea whether her child will be white or black.

It does turn out that the child is Mourning’s baby – and with that comes a host of new tests – though Olivia is actually thrilled that her baby comes from her gentle, kind friend and not from the white monster who raped her.

As she contemplates her child’s future Olivia must make decisions based on what is best for both of them – and is forced to realize that in a prejudiced world there is no way that the dark-skinned baby of an unmarried white girl will be accepted for anything but what it is: “But there are dark-skinned white people that aren’t colored. Arabs. What about Egyptians? Don’t they have dark skin?” “Maybe a dark-skinned Egyptian ain’t exactly colored, but he sure ain’t white and ain’t gonna be asked to tea in any parlors in Five Rocks. You can’t pass this baby. Not in this world. Don’t even think about it. You’d only break your heart trying. And his.”

Olivia dreams that Mourning will eventually come back and raise his son safely; but now it’s time for a new life for them both. Olivia once again must rebuild her destiny and take charge, making hard decisions and hoping they will benefit everyone.

Though she never abandons her search for the loved ones who have vanished, her new life in Detroit comes with friends and healing and offers an unexpected opportunity to do good by helping fugitive slaves escape across the river. This is something she never would have contemplated, were it not for her friendship and love for Mourning and their child.

The Way the World Is covers a variety of themes: personal growth, change, destiny, responsibility and, ultimately, the costs of love. As Olivia makes her way in life and chooses the paths she takes from a smorgasbord of choices, she slowly realizes the limitations of her worldviews: “She was glad she had when she entered the tidy little town of Backwoods. Sturdy wooden sidewalks lined both sides of its Main Street, shielding brightly painted houses and stores from the mud in the road. The more she saw of the world, the more Olivia realized what a shabby little town she had grown up in.”

And as Olivia grows into a person determined to make a difference in the world, so readers come to appreciate not just the atmosphere and special challenges of her times, but the motivations behind her actions: “His wife is still down south. In slavery. He’s saving up his money to go get her.” Michelle sucked her front teeth and then held Olivia’s gaze and said, “I already know what you’re thinking. But you can’t buy all the slaves in the south.” “I know I can’t. But there’s not a single reason I can’t help buy this one.”

Thanks to her relationship with Mourning, Olivia’s search for the way she wants to live expands to include saving those pieces of the world she can touch and affect. And thanks to her wider-ranging decisions, she finds her way to an unexpected life, filled with genuine friendships and new possibilities.

In a way Olivia’s journey is the route of many in life. She begins with courage and determination and a naïveté about the world that is changed by encounters both positive and negative – but she remains steadfast, determined, and strong-willed. When her world (and preconceptions) fall apart, she rebuilds it to be stronger than ever – and with new purpose.

Perhaps the most powerful passage of all sums up in a nutshell what motivates Olivia to keep hope and determination alive, even in the face of despair: “As long as we draw breath, nothing in this life is final.”

Some books stand alone and require no prior familiarity with others in their series … but don’t miss Olivia, Mourning. It sets the stage for an ongoing saga rich in detail, history, and perspective. Together, the two books offer a powerful saga that makes for thoroughly engrossing, compelling historical fiction at its best.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

The Medea Complex Given Five "Confident Quills"

Title: The Medea Complex
Genre: Psychological Thriller / Historical Fiction 
Author: Rachel Florence Roberts
Format: Paperback, eBook, 366 pages
ISBN: 149365117X
Publication Date: Edition 1, November 13st 2013.
Edition 2, 23rd November 2013.
Notes of merit: 5/5 star, Readers Favorite. Recently featured in The Leader, The North Wales Pioneer, Rhyl Journal, Chester First Lifestyle, Chester First, County Times, Denbighshire Free Press, and The Whitchurch Herald.
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdpFnfvuQxQ
Website: http://www.themedeacomplex.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/themedeacomplex
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/themedeacomplex
Available on Amazon:

Reviewed by Auggie for her Auggie for her Auggie Talks blog 

 A very confident 5 out of 5 quills.

Based On A True Story
Anne wakes up in a strange bed, having been kidnapped from her home. Slowly, she realizes she is in a lunatic asylum.

1885. Anne Stanbury - Committed to a lunatic asylum, having been deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for the crime of which she is indicted. But is all as it seems?

Edgar Stanbury - the grieving husband and father who is torn between helping his confined wife recover her sanity, and seeking revenge on the woman who ruined his life.

Dr George Savage - the well respected psychiatrist, and chief medical officer of Bethlem Royal Hospital. Ultimately, he holds Anne's future wholly in his hands.

The Medea Complex tells the story of a misunderstood woman suffering from insanity in an era when mental illnesses' were all too often misdiagnosed and mistreated. A deep and riveting psychological thriller set within an historical context, packed full of twists and turns, The Medea Complex explores the nature of the human psyche: what possesses us, drives us, and how love, passion, and hope for the future can drive us to insanity.

Anne was a bit aggravating, but you had to keep reminding yourself that she'd been struck with grief. It has been a long time since I've read a book that impressed me to the extent that "The Medea Complex" has. When I first began the book I was mildly impressed, but somewhat aggravated by the actual insanity of the main character. The randomness of her behavior and the constant conjectures of Dr. Savage had me squirming throughout the first chapters. The squirming wasn't negative necessarily, I was enjoying the book but hadn't yet been truly drawn in.

My aggravation towards Dr. Savvage had taken root without any reason much before the book even began.

A few quotes that got my blood boiling:

"Women. Most of them are bordering on the limits of insanity at the best of times."  ~Dr. Savage

"I know exactly what caused her insanity. Books. Women and their books." Dr. Savage


Then it happened. I spark of strangeness that I couldn't quite shake. Some happenings that had me questioning what was really going on. Who was right? Who was wrong? Who was the liar? Who killed that baby? I was lost in the book after that.

And I was confused and intrigued until the very end.


Overall This book infuriated me. Obviously, from the rating, you can come to the conclusion that this is actually a very good thing. I was angry at Dr. Savage, I was angry at the nurses, I was angry at Anne's husband, and darned if I wasn't angry at Anne too! I felt sympathy, and disgust, and confusion, and compassion for our main character AND the Dr. throughout the book.

Just when I had started to hate Dr. Savage with all my heart, he would do something genuinely, authentically kind. He would have an epiphany that contradicted his otherwise ignorant and sexist thoughts.

"Sometime simple human wamth can do wonders for a lost person." ~Dr. Savage

What the heck, Dr.! You're not supposed to be good meaning! You're supposed to be easily hated. Why are you making it so difficult to draw perfectly reasonable conclusions about you?

Back and forth. Back and forth. By the middle of the book I had no idea who to trust, or what to make of the situation. I was starting to feel like I was looking through a foggy lense at a puzzle that was poorly pieced together, and yet I was so curious and determined to understand WHAT was going on.

Author Rachel Roberts crafted a fantastic mystery, without making it seem a mystery at all. I was constantly asking myself questions, sitting back and considering the facts presented, and rolling my eyes at the ignorance of the time.

This book was intelligently written and there were no points throughout where I felt there were holes or weak story points. This was a strong, solid work made even more intriguing by the fact that it was based off of true events, true people, true horrors.

I actually feel compelled to check out all of the resources Ms. Roberts compiled at the end of the book for curious readers.

Ms. Roberts has created something that lures the reader into a fog of knowing some things, but not enough things. So, the reader draws their own conclusions based on personal feelings and even a bit of rambling from "Professional" sources. Consideration isn't made for alternatives until it's much too late to be prepared for the twist.

Without giving too much away (because you MUST read this book. RIGHT NOW) I'll say that I was flabbergasted by the way things progressed and the way things ended.

"The Medea Complex" will definitely find itself featured as one of the "Best Books Read in 2014"  and Rachel Roberts is now on the list as one of my Favorite Authors.

I wish I could write all about this book. Just type it all out here in the review to prove to you how impressive and incredible this work is. But I don't want to give anything away. I want you to experience it for yourself.

This is a book to watch, and an author to keep up with.

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Dr. Bob Rich Inspires Reviewer with "Ascending Spiral"

TITLE: Ascending Spiral: Humanity's last chance

AUTHOR: Bob Rich http://bobswriting.com/ascending.html
ISBN 978-1-61599-186-0
PUBLISHER: Marvelous Sprits Press http://www.marvelousspirit.com
GENRE: Fiction: Insprational, Historical, SF.
BUY LINKS are at http://bobswriting.com/ascending.html

 

Reviewed by Max Overton originally for Bobbing Around newsletter

Ascending Spiral is a wonderfully curious book and one that defies instant categorisation. At first, I thought it a series of historical stories -- expertly crafted and meticulously researched -- that put you right into the times so you can actually feel what the characters are experiencing. You live as Padraig, his short life terminated by a Viking raider; as Irishman Dermot fighting against British tyranny; as Amelia, the wife of a brutal landowner in Outback Australia; and as Pip Lipkin, a young man in 20^th century Australia, fighting prejudice and his own failings. But it was so much more than just historical stories. The central character in each account turns out to be the same soul, experiencing different lives, learning some lessons, failing others, falling and rising, though the overall journey is one of ascent -- one soul’s journey on an ascending spiral.

 

This, in itself, would be a fascinating tale of men and women buffeted by circumstance, but the story is twelve thousand years in the making. Furthermore, it encompasses the lives of aliens as well as humans, told in a way that seems both realistic and meaningful. A Space Flower and a Walking Plant add their lives to the mix, and if it seems odd that these beings should be included in a story of an ascending soul, think again. Every action leaves its mark, both on ourselves and those around us, and if we do harm, we must atone for our actions before we can move forward. With every death comes an accounting and a chance for the soul to pick a future life that will help it right the wrongs of a previous existence, help it on its spiral of ascent.

 

If all that wasn’t enough, one is left with a strong feeling that the latter part of the book is at least partly autobiographical, as the character Pip Lipkin finally realises his long history and what it all means. He has learned lessons from his past lives and can now put them into practice. This would be enough for most books, but Bob Rich goes further, pointing out the future of the planet and the fate of every species on it unless we too learn the lessons that Pip has learned over twelve thousand years of existence.

 

Ascending Spiral is a book that held me fascinated while I was reading it, and made me sit and think when I finished it. I know I’ll be reading it again, especially the latter part where the future of the planet -- my future, your future -- is laid out, and how we can yet save it from destruction. Thank you, Bob, for this wonderful and thought-provoking experience.

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More about the author:

Dr Bob Rich, http://bobswriting.com
Editor of Bobbing Around http://wp.me/P3Xihq-1http://bobswriting.com/ascending.html
"Commit random acts of kindness

Live simply so you may simply live"

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Vine Voice Reviewer Gives Five Stars to Historical Fiction

Title: Olivia, Mourning

Book 1 of the Olivia series)
Author: Yael Politis
Author's website:  http://yaelpolitis.wordpress.com
Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, 1840s)
ISBN:   1493652451
ASIN:   B00H0GYRT2

Purchase Link

Reviewed by Carol Kean, an Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer

Originally published in: Amazon.com

Great characters, well-researched historical  5 stars

What a beautifully written but heart-breaking story! From page one, I was hooked. A boy named Mourning, orphaned as an infant, is adopted by a small-town white family. He grows up to be a sterling character, capable, hard working, and reliable. What would the town do without him? A girl named Olivia grows up in the same town, escaping the racist mindset that plagues everyone else except a lawyer who actually has Mourning's best interests at heart, and a woman whose reputation is questionable, but whose character and integrity far surpass that of the self-righteous townfolk. When Olivia wants to stake her claim to a piece of land her uncle left behind, she proposes something like a marriage of convenience between her and Mourning. She's white, he's black, so marriage is out of the question, and their arrangement is strictly platonic, until Olivia finally acknowledges her attraction to a man society will never allow her to marry. At times she must pretend to boss him around like a servant because the alternative is persecution of a worse sort. The novel takes a dark turn, which can hardly be summarized with plot spoilers. The ending is a cliff hanger, sure to send readers racing for Book Two.

The prose is gorgeous, the historical setting is vividly reproduced with painstaking detail, and the characters are so real, it's hard to believe they really are fictional. The fate of Olivia and Mourning, however, fulfills the double meaning of the title. Emotionally, it's a brutal read. However, it's all just the way the world is. And so the sequel (which I've read) is also aptly titled. I strongly recommend these novels for their social and historical value, but also for the sheer beauty of the story. Just be prepared to feel angry, horrified and heartbroken.

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  The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Historical Fiction Appeals to Midwest Book Reviewer

Title: Olivia, Mourning (Book 1 of the Olivia series)

Author: Yael Politis
Author's website:  yaelpolitis.wordpress.com
Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, 1840s)
ISBN:   1493652451
ASIN:   B00H0GYRT2
Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer for Midwest Book Review

 

Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the ‘Olivia’ series, is historical fiction at its best. It is the story of Olivia Killion, a feisty, would-be-independent woman – a seventeen-year-old female living in 1841 who’s determined to fulfill the requirement of her father’s will and cultivate 80 acres in Michigan in order to gain title to the land.

She spent two years caring for her demanding father during his long illness and now feels entitled to a home she can call her own. Many obstacles stand in the way of her plans but Mourning, her childhood friend, has experience working the land and agrees to become a partner in this endeavor. Olivia not only trusts him but fears no romantic entanglement developing between them and complicating matters.

There’s only one problem: he’s black and reluctant to risk the wrath of white men by working with a young white girl. He’s also the orphaned son of slaves who escaped to the north. Mourning was born free in Pennsylvania, but knows that the private agents who patrol the free states in search of fugitive slaves to return to the south are not particular about the legal status of the young black men they kidnap.

Olivia believes she can make her dream come true without putting Mourning in danger, and the two set off to an isolated log cabin to work the land together. Olivia represses the feelings she begins to develop for Mourning and focuses instead on her attraction to a young neighbor. But when all turns to disaster, Olivia is forced to acknowledge – and re-assess – not only her feelings for Mourning, but the very nature of her drive for independence.

Olivia, Mourning deftly captures the atmosphere of her times, offering readers a smooth introduction to Olivia’s character and its origins, her purpose, and her growth: “Olivia had heard the good women in the pews behind her all through her father’s funeral service, a flock of pecking hens in winter poke bonnets. They lowered their voices, but not enough; she heard their opinions of what that Killion girl ought to do. Or not do. Just what was wrong with her and how it ought to be fixed.”

The way she attempts to conduct her relationship with Mourning reveals the depth of her maturity and awareness of the challenges they face: “I’m not a fighter, Mourning. I’ve never wanted to change the world. All I want is to make my own little piece of it as nice as I can. We’ll both have a lot more trouble doing that if all the white folks we meet get it into their heads that we’re way too friendly for their liking. We’re going to need good relations with our neighbors, and if telling them you’re my hired man – and me bossing you like you are – will keep them from getting all rankled, well so what?”

Her assessments of reality are strikingly down to earth for a seventeen-year-old and her slow realization of Mourning’s importance to her life (beyond their business relationship) is candid and revealing, too: “It’s Mourning, she thought. Mourning is the one I care for. Has been for a long time. Not just as a friend. He’s the one it could be wonderful to share a life with. But with Mourning there is nothing to hope for, no “if only he wanted me.” Never. I might as well wish both of us dead as wish for him to express desire for me. Nothing will ever change that. And no other man will ever feel like part of me, the way Mourning does.” 

What to do with this new-found self-awareness? What choices will Olivia make? Will they support her beliefs or compromise everything she purports to value? And what roles will isolation and stubbornness play in both their lives?

Olivia, Mourning is about the changing complexities of human relationships and politics as much as it is about one determined young girl’s desire to make her own place in the world, outside of boundaries and conventions. It’s also a story of trauma and how even the closest-held relationships and secrets change. 

Expect no easy conclusions to Book 1: it’s all about transition points and leaves the door open for further journeys with Olivia. Readers interested in historical fiction with a healthy dose of romance will find Olivia, Mourning a compelling, gripping saga that deliciously wraps what could be predictable elements in a cloak of many choices. It’s all about options and consequences – and is a heartfelt story especially recommended for readers who enjoy headstrong protagonists tasked with making their own way in the world.

– D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, MBR

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Dr. Bob Rich's Award-Winning Sci-Fi Reviewed

TITLE Ascending Spiral: Humanity's last chance

AUTHOR Bob Rich http://bobswriting.com/ascending.html
AWARD WINNER: Carolyn's Noble Award for 2013 (sponsored by MyShelf.com Back To Literature column)
GENRE Inspirational fiction + historical adventure + science fiction :)
ISBN 978-1-61599-186-0

Review by Florence Weinberg originally for Bobbing Around newsletter

 

Bob Rich’s remarkable novel is a valiant, vivid, at times brilliant attempt to solve the puzzle of the human animal. Consisting of gripping, interconnected narratives of the many lives of Pip Lipkin, the novel retells, in a most original way, the myth of Original Sin and the possibility of redemption. We humans have a broad streak of greed, malice, and willful destruction within us. “Humanity is a toddler” we are told, and our two dominant words are NO! and Mine! Nietzsche recognized this and called it the Will to Power, present in all life forms, all of us striving to grow by devouring the Other—only in the case of human beings, the Other is planet Earth. The lesson of the novel/primer/metaphor/parable is that we alone, among the interconnected species that make up the living surface of this ball of energy that is Earth, are capable of recognizing the final and horrific result of No! and Mine! We alone can curb our primitive impulses and learn to love unselfishly. Unlike Nietzsche, Bob is an optimist. He shouts a warning: We must and can act to halt the destruction of our Earth. Pip/Bob is a very old soul who has learned to heal with love, to build rather than devour. But what to do about the exploitative and destructive youngsters, “toddler souls” like Bob’s Vikings, his English in Ireland and Australia, his Mr. McQuade, our own entrepreneurs? Teach love. Give, not Gimme. Bravo, Bob! May you draw many readers, and may they join the healing effort!

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

 

A native of Alamogordo, New Mexico, Florence Byham Weinberg traveled extensively with her military family during World War II. Travels continued after marriage to scholar-critic Kurt Weinberg in Canada, France, Spain, and Germany. After earning her PhD, she taught for twenty-two years at St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York, and ten at Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas. She is the author of "Anselm: a metamorphosis"

http://www.amazon.com/Anselm-Metamorphosis-Florence-Byham-Weinberg-ebook/dp/B00DSVDJ60/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1386732292&sr=1-1&keywords=florence+weinberg

 

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Bob Rich
http://bobswriting.com
http://anxietyanddepression-help.com
http://mudsmith.net

MY BEST BOOK: http://bobswriting.com/ascending.html
Commit random acts of kindness

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Washington Post Writer Reviews Book with Mythic Theme

Book title: Antigone & Creon: Guardians of Thebes

Book authors: Victoria Grossack & Alice Underwood
Authors’ website: www.tapestryofbronze.com
Genre: Historical fiction
ISBN: 978-1482794410
Purchase on Amazon

Reviewed by  Steve Donoghue originally for Amazon

Whether you know the story of stubborn, righteous Antigone from your high school exposure to the great Sophocles play or whether you've been following the "Tapestry of Bronze" series from the beginning (wise you, if so - each book in the series is great), "Guardians of Thebes" will mightily please you! Here the age-old story - Antigone determined to honor her fallen brother, King Creon equally determined to mete out unthinkable penalties for treason - is clothed in vibrant dialogue and insightful character psychology, and the bare bones of the narrative are fleshed out with a rich supporting cast and just enough variations to keep even the most classically-minded reader wondering what might happen next. This latest volume in the "Tapestry of Bronze" series can be read independently of its predecessors - but if you're a fan of historical fiction and haven't read these books, you should treat yourself to the whole set without delay!

 

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Steve Donoghue writes regularly for The National, Kirkus Reviews, and The Washington Post, reviews frequently for Open Letters Monthly (where he’s also the Managing Editor), and is the US/Worldwide editor for the Indie branch of the Historical Novels Review.

 

----- The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.