Posts in the Publishers/Publicists Category at Savvy Verse & Wit, Page 60

Willoughby’s Return by Jane Odiwe

November 5, 2009 by Serena

Willoughby’s Return by Jane Odiwe reunites readers with Mr. and Mrs. Brandon and Marianne’s sisters Margaret and Elinor from Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen.

“But three years of married life had done little to really change her. Marianne still had an impetuous nature, she still retained a desire for impulse and enterprises undertaken on the spur of the moment.” (Page 3)

Truer words were never spoken about Marianne. She is the same impetuous girl from Austen’s book, even though she is married to Colonel Brandon and has a son, James. Her husband, however, has obligations to his ward, the daughter of his deceased first love, and her child–a child she had with Marianne’s first love, Mr. Willoughby. Drama, drama, drama fills these pages, just as they filled Marianne’s life in Ausen’s work, but Odiwe adds her own flare to these characters.

Marianne continues to hide things from her husband no matter how innocent the situations may be and her jealousies drive her to make nearly scandalous decisions and snap judgments. However, while this book is titled Willoughby’s Return, he is more of a minor character and his storyline with Marianne looms from the sidelines as her younger sister Margaret and her beau Henry Lawrence take center stage.

“She watched two raindrops slide down the glass, one chasing the other but never quite catching up.” (Page 39)

Margaret is very like Marianne in that she is passionate, romantic, and impetuous. She’s opposed to marriage and Marianne’s matchmaking until Margaret sets eyes on Henry Lawrence. She falls head-over-heels for him, but Odiwe throws a number obstacles in their way.

Readers may soon notice some similarities between Henry Lawrence and Frank Churchill from Emma by Jane Austen, but the romance unravels differently for Henry and Margaret than it does from Frank and Emma. Readers that enjoy Jane Austen’s books and the recent spin-offs will enjoy Willoughby’s Return — a fast-paced, regency novel with a modern flair.

This is the 5th item I’ve completed for the Everything Austen Challenge 2009. I’m one item away from meeting my goal, which will be coming up either later this month or in December.

Don’t forget the Willoughby’s Return giveaway, here.

Additionally, I would like to thank Jane Odiwe and Sourcebooks for sending me a free copy of Willoughby’s Return for review. Clicking on title links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page, not purchase necessary.

Filed Under: ARC, everything austen challenge, fiction, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: jane odiwe, Willoughby's Return

Night of Flames by Douglas Jacobson

October 27, 2009 by Serena

Douglas Jacobson’s Night of Flames is a gritty “spy” novel set during World War II beginning in 1939 during the invasion of Poland by the Nazis. The main protagonists Anna and Jan Kopernik are separated by war and face near misses with the wrath of the Germans. Anna joins the resistance in Belgium reluctantly, while Jan jumps at the opportunity to help MI6 on a secret mission in Poland with the hope that he can find his wife.

“Anna’s eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright. The shrill sound blasted into her brain, penetrating through the fog of sleep like an icy wind. She blinked and looked around the dark room, trying to focus on shadowy images as the sound wailed on and on.” (Page 11)

Anna is in Poland with her friend, Irene, and her son when the bombings start in earnest, leaving them and their driver very few options on the way back to Krakow and her father, a professor at the local university. Anna is hit by significant loss and constant worry about her husband, who’s career is with the Polish military. Night of Flames is a fast-paced novel that pushed through the front lines and skulks in the shadows of the resistance.

“‘The best thing any of us can do is try and keep out of their way, and if you get stopped or challenged, be as cooperative as you can.’

‘So you’re telling us to act like house pets in our own city.'” (Page 65)

Jacobson’s no-nonsense writing style will place readers in the heart of the resistance, though some readers could get bogged down by the military strategy and direction, such as how the resistance used holes dug in the earth to hold lanterns that were lit to signal the Allies as to where to drop supplies. Readers will either enjoy the detailed strategy or wish for a greater focus on the characters. Anna is the most developed of the two protagonists, though Jacobson does give each nearly equal time through alternating chapters. These chapters help build tension, leaving the reader in suspense as to whether they will ever be reunited.

Readers who enjoy learning about World War II and who enjoy spy novels will like this novel. But Night of Flames is more than just a war novel; it is about how ordinary citizens can rise up to reclaim their homeland and their dignity in the face of adversity signifying an indelible human spirit.

Check out this video for Night of Flames:

I want to thank Douglas Jacobson, McBooks Press, and Pump Up Your Book Promotion for sending me a free copy of Night of Flames to review. If you click on the title links, you’ll be taken to my Amazon Affiliate page, but there is no obligation to buy.

They’ve also kindly provided an additional copy for one reader of my blog from anywhere in the world. To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Check out the War Through the Generations blog and leave me a relevant comment here about something you read or learned.

3. Blog, Tweet, and spread the word about the giveaway and leave a comment here.

Deadline is Nov. 4, 2009, at 11:59 PM EST

This marks the 7th book I’ve read for the WWII Reading Challenge. Though I officially met my goal of reading 5 WWII-related books some time ago, I’ve continued to find them on my shelves and review them here. I’m sure there will be more, stay tuned.

Filed Under: giveaway, historical fiction, pump up your book promotion, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews, WWII Reading Challenge Tagged With: Douglas Jacobson, Night of Flames

The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl

October 22, 2009 by Serena

Matthew Pearl‘s The Last Dickens is one of a number of books about Charles Dickens‘ last, albeit unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. But what sets this novel apart from its compatriots is Pearl’s ability to build suspense and extrapolate from historical events to create a palpable underbelly of the publishing world.

“A man stretched out on a crusty, ragged couch granted them admission into a corridor, after which they ascended a narrow stairs where every board groaned at their steps; perhaps out of despair, perhaps to warn the inhabitants.” (Page 199 of hardcover)

Charles Dickens’ final, incomplete novel–he only completed six installments–caused a great deal of controversy as to whether the author indeed had not finished the manuscript, which in those days were released in installments. Pearl mimics this method by breaking up the narration in separate installments from the Boston publishing house, Dickens’ American tour, Dickens’ son Frank in India at the height of the opium trade, and in England as Dickens’ American publisher Mr. Osgood with his bookkeeper Rebecca Sand search for the lost installments and the true end of Dickens’ final novel.

“At the top of the stick was an exotic and ugly golden idol, the head of a beast, a horn rising from the top, terrible mouth agape, sparks of fire shooting from its outstretched tongue. It was mesmerizing to behold. Not just because of its shining ugliness, but also because it was such a contrast to the stranger’s own mouth, mostly hidden under an ear-to-ear mustache. The man’s lips barely managed to pry open his mouth when he spoke.” (Page 8 of hardcover)

Pearl includes an examination of the historical accuracies in the novel and which characters were pure fiction or modified historical figures. One part mystery, one part historical fiction, and one part crime novel, The Last Dickens weaves a complex and detailed story that holds readers rapt attention from beginning to end.

While the chapters involving Frank Dickens’ time in India uncovering an opium trade are not as prominent as some of the other narratives, it is intricately connected to the main story. However, some readers could find these chapters frustrating because of the gap between those chapters, which could either leave readers frustrated that the tale of Frank Dickens is dropped or anxious for its conclusion. Most readers are likely to err on the side of anxiety, wanting to know more.

“There are many reasons murder is not always found out, and they are not always for cunning. The reason might be the fatigue among those who have been deadened on the inside.” (Page 264 of hardcover)

Osgood is not easily swayed when he is hot on the trail of the missing installments and the end of Dickens’ novel, and as each layer of the mystery is peeled back for the reader, the dark, cutthroat publishing industry is revealed. Bookaneers are the bottom feeders of the publishing industry, waiting on the docks for the latest installments from the Old World, while publishing giants from New York, like Harper, are eager to acquire these installments by any means necessary and at the expense of their competitors.

The Last Dickens is not just about an unfinished novel or the dark side of publishing. It also takes a look at human conviction in the face of adversity and how perseverance and a moral compass can yield surprising results. Pearl is a mystery master, and The Last Dickens will not disappoint its readers.

If you missed Matthew Pearl’s guest post, check it out. I want to thank Matthew Pearl, Random House and TLC Book Tours for providing me a free copy of The Last Dickens for review.

Click on the title links for my Amazon Affiliate purchasing pages.

For an additional treat, check out this YouTube video:

For the giveaway for U.S. and Canada residents: ***Just got word I have 2 copies available***

1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Blog, Tweet, or Spread the Word for an additional entry.
3. If you follow, get a third entry.

Deadline is Oct. 29, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST

Filed Under: giveaway, historical fiction, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: Matthew Pearl, The Last Dickens

Matthew Pearl’s Writing Space

October 21, 2009 by Serena

With my TLC Book Tour stop for Matthew Pearl‘s The Last Dickens scheduled for Oct. 22, I wanted to provide Matthew with his own guest post date, since he was kind enough to include some photos of his writing space along with the description.

Readers, you are in for a real treat.

This is a timely topic since I’m renovating a house as we speak, so I’ve been forced to think about my writing space from scratch.

We purchased a home built in the 1840s. It needed updating, and for structural reasons we had to do a full gut renovation. On the top floor, away from the (future) hustle and bustle, there were two mirror image rooms, and we knew one would be a guest bedroom and the other my office. My first decision was to choose which I wanted as the office. I actually chose the one facing the street, rather than facing the back of the house. It’s a quiet street and I know if I’m expecting a delivery of some kind I’d be much more productive being able to see it coming rather than constantly getting up to go to the front of the house and check.

Sometimes not seeing a distraction coming distracts me.

It’s nice to have some natural light, so we’ve put in a new skylight in my future study. And there’s a nice tree-scape, too, outside the window.

Writing The Last Dickens, I learned about Charles Dickens’s working space. He had two different rooms on his estate that were dedicated offices, and he switched between them seasonally. In one, he wrote the final words on the first half of his final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. A few hours later, he collapsed and never regained consciousness. The circumstances of this gave me my starting point for my novel. Here is one of Dickens’s working spaces from his era (the estate is now a high school):

I confess: I don’t like working at a desk. I work on a couch or, Edith Wharton-like, in bed. I know that’s not good for your sleep (because you then associate bed with work) or probably your carpal tunnels. I’m going to put a small sofa in the office, so I can either nap or work on it. I use the desk more to store and organize papers and folders.

The Last Dickens was written on the top floor we rented in the house below, the upper left window shown here was my office. This house was built in 1871, and my novel took place around 1870. Coincidence, but pretty neat!

You always have certain knickknacks in your writing space that either inspire or comfort. Wherever my study is, one item always ends up on the wall. There’s a story behind it. When I was writing my first draft of my first novel, The Dante Club, I hadn’t told anyone about the project. Visiting my grandmother in Queens, New York, for lunch, before I left she stopped me. “I was just cleaning out the basement,” she said, “and found this I was going to throw away. It’s a picture of the American presidents. Do you want it?”

Except it wasn’t the American presidents. It was an elongated framed print of “Our American Poets.” With Longfellow, Lowell, Holmes, Emerson. The characters in The Dante Club, which nobody, including my grandmother, knew about! I took that as a sign I was meant to be writing my book.

That’s always hanging somewhere near my desk.

Thanks, Matthew, for sharing with us your writing space. Looks like he has his work cut out for him with that renovation.

Filed Under: guest post, tlc book tours Tagged With: Matthew Pearl

The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes

October 14, 2009 by Serena

Margaret Campbell Barnes’ The Tudor Rose: A Novel of Elizabeth of York is a historical novel that chronicles the final moments of Edward IV’s reign in England and the usurpation of the thrown by Richard, Duke of Gloucester and later the conquest of England by Henry Tudor.

“Elizabeth came out of her own private thoughts with a start. Her blue eyes stared almost uncomprehendingly. During her short life she had become accustomed to being offered as matrimonial bait for some political reason or another; but the implications of her mother’s words appeared to have neither rhyme nor reason.” (Page 55 of ARC)

Elizabeth of York, who is about age 17-19, is adrift in a family and country torn apart following the death of her father, Edward IV. As she attempts to navigate the politics of a nation in turmoil and a family walled up in Westminster Abbey in sanctuary, she also has lost her sense of security and the love her father bestowed upon her willingly. Throughout much of the book, Elizabeth vacillates from security and insecurity and reserve and outbursts. In many ways, readers will find Elizabeth immature, particularly given her royal stature, and her character does not seem to improve much through out the novel–whether that is due to historical accuracy or not, it is unclear.

Despite the historical nature of The Tudor Rose, the narration flows like a contemporary novel and the dramatic revolving door of the kingdom is surprisingly easy to follow. However, readers may find Elizabeth’s actions a bit out of character in some places or seem to happen on a whim without much forethought, though the historical events in the novel follow what can be found on Wikipedia. Barnes is a capable author of historical fiction, particularly of the Tudor period in England. The Tudor Rose is a fast-paced read and will entertain readers with a series of plot twists.

Thanks to Sourcebooks and Margaret Campbell Barnes for sending me a free copy of this book for review.

Sourcebooks has offered 1 copy of The Tudor Rose by Margaret Campbell Barnes for a lucky U.S. or Canadian reader. To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post about what time period you enjoy reading about in historical fiction.

2. Blog, Tweet, or Facebook this post.

Deadline is Oct. 20, 2009, at 11:59PM EST

Filed Under: ARC, giveaway, historical fiction, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: Margaret Campbell Barnes, The Tudor Rose

Haunting Bombay by Shilpa Agarwal

October 8, 2009 by Serena

Shilpa Agarwal‘s Haunting Bombay immerses readers in a deeply saturated drama and literary ghost story reminiscent of the Bollywood films the Mittal family’s driver Gulu adapts into his own adventures. Set in Bombay, India, the story spans two decades from the end of World War II into the 1960s.

Each member of the Mittal family is vivid from the main protagonist Pinky, a thirteen-year-old girl uncomfortable with her place in the family and grandmother Maji, who keeps the family unit running smoothly and keeps all of its secrets secure to self-centered Savita, Maji’s daughter-in-law bent on driving Pinky out and her seventeen-year-old son Nimish, who always has his head in a book and is too timid to talk to the girl he has a crush on.

“Pinky dreamt she was drowning. She felt herself being pushed down into water, down, down, down until her lungs began to burst. The only way out was to push her head farther in, to stop thrashing, to trust that she would not die. But each time she grew afraid, each time she thrashed. Each time she startled awake just as she was about to pass out.” (Page 111)

Pinky’s mother dies during the partition of India, forcing her to become a refugee, but Maji takes her granddaughter into her bungalow, along with her son, his wife, and their three boys. The mystery of the bolted bathroom door at night is resolved when Pinky in a fit of frustration unbolts the door. Haunting Bombay is about the secrets buried within a family and the ghosts tied to those secrets until they burst through the bathroom door.

“Here it was, proof that she had once inhabited this place at the world’s rim, before she had begun to bleed, before the women had gathered, their salty voices crooning the ancient tale of the menstruating girl who caused the waves to turn blood-red and sea snakes to infest the waters.” (Page 4)

Agarwal’s poetic language is like a siren song, pulling the reader into the Mittal family’s struggles with one another. With the start of the monsoon season accompanied by the heavy rains, the ghost grows more powerful and the drama more turbulent. Readers looking for a ghost story will get more than they bargained for with Haunting Bombay. It’s a ghost story, mystery, and historical novel carefully crafted to hypnotize the reader.

Shilpa Agarwal kindly took the time out of her busy schedule–at the last minute, I might add, because I am incredibly out of sorts with my own schedule–to answer a few questions. I graciously thank her.

1. Please describe yourself as a writer and your book in 10 words or less.

Myself as writer: A researcher, thinker, poet, dreamer.

Haunting Bombay: A literary ghost story set in Bombay, India.

2. Haunting Bombay features a ghost story; what inspired you to use a haunting to illustrate family secrets and how they are uncovered?

Haunting Bombay takes place in a wealthy Bombay bungalow and opens the day a newborn granddaughter drowns in a brass bucket while being bathed. The child’s ayah (nanny) is blamed for the death and is immediately banished from the household. The child and her ayah are silenced in the realm of human language – they have no voice or power in the bungalow – so I had them come back in the supernatural realm in order to speak the truth of what happened that drowning day. I remember a quote from Buddhist nun Pema Chodron that is something like, “Fear is what happens when you get closer to the truth.” I wanted my characters’ journey to discovering the truth to be both frightening and enlightening, involving self-reflection, compassion, and sacrifice.

3. Do you have any particular writing habits, like listening to music while writing or having a precise page count to reach by the end of each day or week?

When I was writing Haunting Bombay and my children were very young, I used to get up at 4:30 each morning to write because that was the only time in the day I had to myself. Now I write while they are at school. I always light a candle before writing, put my editorial hat away, and allow the story to unfold as it comes to me. Later I go back and rewrite but I always like the first draft to come from a place of emotion and instinct. My writing process is very organic. I never write an outline because, inevitably, the story will take an entirely different direction than the one I’ve plotted out. So I let the story flow, and however far I get that day is fine with me.

4. Name some of the best books you’ve read lately and why you enjoyed them.

During my book travels these past months, I’ve met wonderful authors whose books I subsequently read, including Cara Black’s Murder in the Marais (Aimee Leduc Investigation), David Fuller’s Sweetsmoke, and Diane Gabaldon’s Outlander. This weekend I spoke at an event with Judith Freeman, Ann Packer, and Jacqueline Winspear so Red Water: A Novel, The Dive From Clausen’s Pier: A Novel, and Maisie Dobbs are on my current reading list. There is something almost magical in reading a book after hearing an author speak about it, and in this process my own interests have expanded into new genres of literature. I also recently read Kathleen Kent’s The Heretic’s Daughter: A Novel which I thought was an engaging work of historical fiction.

For the rest of my interview with Shilpa Agarwal, check out my D.C. Literature Examiner page.

Thanks again to Shilpa Agarwal, Soho Press, and TLC Book Tours. I have 1 copy of Haunting Bombayfor my readers anywhere in the world. To Enter:

1. Leave a comment about why you like ghost stories or describe a scary story you heard or told.
2. Leave a comment on my D.C. Literature Examiner interview and get a second entry.
3. Tweet, Facebook, or blog about this giveaway and leave a comment.

Deadline is Oct. 16, 2009 at 11:59 PM EST.

Filed Under: fiction, giveaway, Interviews, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews, Soho Press, tlc book tours Tagged With: Haunting Bombay, Shilpa Agarwal

A Match for Mary Bennet by Eucharista Ward

October 6, 2009 by Serena

Eucharista Ward O.S.F.’s A Match for Mary Bennet: Can a serious young lady ever find her way to love? is delightful and reminiscent of the regency craftswoman Jane Austen herself. The novel’s pace is dead on, unfurling Mary Bennet’s character slowly, allowing readers to sit with her, getting to know her mind, her choices and motivations, and her true heart’s desire.

“‘I fell asleep in Inferno, and the candle went out. I awoke in Purgatorio. But all the light is on now. I have found Paradiso.'” (Page 323 of ARC)

With her older sisters, Jane and Elizabeth married to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, and her youngest sister, Lydia, married off to Mr. Wickham, Mary and Catherine Bennet are left at home with their meddling mother, eager to marry them off. Mary continues her ways of sitting alone with her books and her music, content to expand her mind rather than chase after men in society.

“‘You sat so creep mouse in a corner with, of all things, a book! What a way to comport yourself at a dance! Why, you might as well scream to all the world that no man is good enough for you. . . .'” (Page vi of ARC)

Despite her shyness and unconscious judgment of others, Mary comes to learn there is more to life than just books and music, though they certainly enhance her journey and even direct her ultimate place in society. Readers will revisit with Mr. & Mrs. Darcy and Mr. & Mrs. Bingley following their marriages and how Mary perceives their married lives. Lydia, Mr. Wickham, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, her daugher, and Kitty Bennet return as well. But there are new characters to love and dislike from the new pastor Mr. Oliver to the odd Mr. Grantley and the musical Mr. Stilton.

Ward lives in Austen’s world, manipulates language easily to emulate regency England, and expands the characterizations sketched out in Pride and Prejudice: (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) without losing Austen’s vision. However, Ward’s Mary Bennet is more than the thinly sketched, judgmental, religious, bookworm on the sidelines. She is observant, knowledgeable, and deeply committed to her family and her faith. Overall, readers will find A Match for Mary Bennet fills out the other Bennet sisters deftly and makes a perfect addition to any Austen lovers’ collection.

Sourcebooks has kindly offered 1 copy of A Match for Mary Bennet: Can a serious young lady ever find her way to love? by Eucharista Ward O.S.F. for a U.S./Canada reader. To Enter:

1. Leave a comment here about why you want to read about Mary Bennet or what your first impressions of her were when you first read Pride & Prejudice.

2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway and leave me a comment.

Deadline is October 16, 2009 at 11:59PM EST

This is my 4th item for the Everything Austen Challenge 2009.

Filed Under: everything austen challenge, fiction, giveaway, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: a match for mary bennet, eucharista ward

The Woodstock Story Book by Linanne G. Sackett and Barry Z. Levine

October 5, 2009 by Serena

The Woodstock Story Book by Linanne G. Sackett and Barry Z. Levine is much more than photographs of the infamous peace concert called Woodstock. It’s a chronicle of the festival from its inception to its completion. Levine’s images are immediate, palpable, and candid, while Sackett’s storytelling is clipped, providing only the essential details readers will need to grasp the photos before them. The foreward, written by Wavy Gravy, discusses the nostalgia he felt after seeing the book in its completion, and he notes that even though the outdoor festival ended, the principals and dreams of Woodstock live on.

“People, who were called freaks because of their hair and their way of dressing, came to Woodstock and they said, ‘Holy smokes. We’re all freaks’ and they began to embrace that term. There were a lot of people who opposed the Viet Nam War that thought they were alone. They looked around and realized that they weren’t alone–that there were a half a million people who felt the same way,” Wavy Gravy says in the book. (Page 3)

Through poetic lines, The Woodstock Story Book tells a lyrical account of the days leading up to the festival, the struggles with locating a large enough venue, and the community created in just a few days. The festival’s stages were not even completed before the crowds started arriving. Check out this crowd shot from Barry Levine’s Web site.

“They Stood for their truth
and pointed out lies

They were accused of
Communist ties” (Page 40)

The Woodstock Story Book is an essential photographic history of a tumultuous time in our nation’s history.

From my D.C. Literature Examiner preview of the book (check out the full article):

This 40th anniversary, collector’s edition provides readers with a backstage pass to the best outdoor event in our nation’s history. Even after 40 years, the Woodstock experience in Bethel, New York, between Aug. 15 and Aug. 18, 1969, continues to capture the imagination.

With never-before-seen photos of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jerry Garcia, and more, The Woodstock Story Book tells a chronological story of the music festival that became one of Rolling Stone’s 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll. There are over 300 full-color photographs in this book and are accompanied by humorous descriptions of the festival. Great for those who remember Woodstock, wished they had been there, or are interested in rock and roll history.

For more information, check out The Woodstock Story Book blog.

Thanks to Lisa Roe at Online Publicist for sending me the book to review.

Filed Under: nonfiction, online publicist, photography, Read in 2009, review copy, reviews Tagged With: barry z. levine, linanne g. sackett, the woodstock story book

Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom

October 1, 2009 by Serena

Linda Wisdom‘s Hex in High Heels is a fun novel that will have readers giggling and becoming inspired to use their own magical revenge spells.

“Horace bounced up and down in his excitement as he met Blair and Stasi at the kitchen door. ‘Let me tell you, wolf shit smells really bad when it’s set on fire. I put bags outside of every door, so they got it everywhere. That Roan dude was royally pissed, too. And I left a bag at the end of one of the ski runs and someone ran right into it!’ he chortled. ‘Talk about brown skid marks,’ he snickered.” (Page 232 of ARC)

Blair is a a hot-headed, sexy small-town witch with fiery locks who just happens to have the hots for a shape-shifting Were Border Collie outcast, Jake Harrison. Her roommate, Stasi (short for Anastasia) Romanov, own a pair of shops and a great deal of land, including a lake. While Stasi sells lingerie and romance novels, Blair sells a variety of antiques with each day bringing in a new theme, ranging from the roaring 20s to WWII.

Their quaint life is interrupted when Jake’s former Pack moves in on the witches’ land and attempts to bring him back into the fold. With help from a gargoyle sidekick named Horace, ghosts, and their other friends, the Were Pack runs into some trouble.

“Her squeak came out louder than expected. She turned to the front of the room and took a longer look. ‘Oh boy, you’re right — that’s one powerful Were up there, and I don’t think he’s a Werepoodle, either.'” (Page 68 of ARC)

Wisdom’s characters are quirky and outlandish, but the magic is in the fun these characters have with one another and when battling common enemies. Readers who have not read paranormal romance before should be cautioned that there are detailed sex scenes in this novel and reality will have to be suspended. Readers looking for some light reading and just a good deal of fun, Hex in High Heels is for you this Halloween.

Stay tuned for my interview with Linda Wisdom and a giveaway on Oct. 2, 2009.

Also Reviewed by:
Book Chick City

Check out the rest of the Linda Wisdom Tour:

October 1	Yankee Romance Reviewers Guest Blog	http://yankeeromancereviewers.blogspot.com/
October 2	Savvy Verse & Wit Interview	http://www.savvyverseandwit.com/
	Fresh Fiction Guest Blog	http://www.freshfiction.com
	(weekend)
October 5	(open)
October 6	Long & Short of It Guest Blog	http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/
	Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 2 (recurring appearances throughout the month)	http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 7	Anna’s Book Blog Guest Blog	http://annavivian.blogspot.com/
October 8	Midnight Café	http://midnightmooncafe.blogspot.com/
October 9	Bitten By Books Guest Blog	http://bittenbybooks.com
	(weekend)
October 12	Star-Crossed Romance Guest Blog	http://www.star-crossedromance.blogspot.com/
October 13	Literary Escapism Interview	http://www.literaryescapism.com/
	Peeking Between the Pages Guest Blog	http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/
October 14	Drey’s Library Interview	http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com/
	Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 2	http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 15	A Journey of Books Guest Blog	http://ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com
October 16	Love Romance Passion	http://www.loveromancepassion.com/
	(weekend)
October 19	So Many Books Guest Blog	http://purplg8r-somanybooks.blogspot.com
October 20	Pop Syndicate Interview	http://www.popsyndicate.com
	Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 3	http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 21	Cheryl’s Book Nook Guest Blog	http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/
October 22	Wendy’s Minding Spot Guest Blog	http://mindingspot.blogspot.com/
October 23	Fang-tastic Books Guest Blog	www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
	(weekend)
October 26	Night Owl Romance Guest Blog 4	http://nightowlromanceblog.blogspot.com/

Filed Under: ARC, fiction, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: Hex in High Heels, Linda Wisdom

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini

September 24, 2009 by Serena

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini is loosely based upon Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Fitzwilliam Darcy is the youngest judge appointed to the bench of San Francisco and Meryton is not a town in England, but a town outside of San Francisco, California. Elizabeth Bennet is an attorney with Gardiner & Associates, and the lead attorney is not her uncle Mr. Gardiner, but her boss. California has laws about fraternization between judges and attorneys who work on the same cases, and when sparks fly between Elizabeth and Will, it becomes a sticky situation.

“‘So, what are you doing during the first two weeks of June?’ Jane asked. Elizabeth switched the phone cradle to her other ear and spread the California Bar Journal in the desk before her.

‘Um, same thing as usual. Bill ten hours and work fourteen. Go home, eat Lean Cuisine over the sink, and go to bed convinced I’m never going to meet Mr. Right. I blame Mom. Oh, and I’ll probably have Lou give me a massage.'” (Page 63 of ARC)

Angelini has a brash style all her own in this modern take on these famous characters, but readers could find the explicit sex scenes and sometimes crass language tough to take if they are looking for the same Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam. However, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy exhibits the dynamics of modern relationships well, from the frenzied first glimpses of attraction to the obsessive first moments together and more.

Elizabeth and Darcy spar well in the courtroom before they realize their attraction, but attorneys, clients, and readers will cringe at the biting remarks they make to one another in the courtroom following a break from the realities of California.

“‘How did it go?’ he asked anxiously.

‘I’ve got competition,’ Elizabeth replied.

‘Lady Boobs-a-Lot?’ he asked, referring to Caroline.

‘Yep. She’s catty too.’

‘I know you. You can match her bitch-slap for bitch-slap.'” (Page 251 of ARC)

Readers will enjoy this retelling, though they should expect differences in the characters’ personalities from Elizabeth’s greater outspoken nature and stubbornness to Lou Hurst, Elizabeth’s gay friend and confidante. Jane is in the novel with Bingley–both work at the hospital in Meryton–but their love story is more of a sideline and is derailed less by Darcy and more by Jane’s need to defend her sister against Bingley’s sister, Caroline.

Overall, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini could have been its own stand-alone chicklit novel without the references to Pride & Prejudice, but the modern spin Angelini gives to the characters and the plot makes the novel a quick, fun read. A great way to spend a lazy afternoon.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for providing the advanced readers copy of The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy. Stay tuned for a guest post from Sara Angelini on Sept. 28, 2009 with a giveaway.

This is the second book or third item I’ve completed for the Everything Austen Challenge 2009.

Filed Under: ARC, chicklit, everything austen challenge, Read in 2009, reviews, sourcebooks Tagged With: Sara Angelini, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy

Sandra Dallas & Michelle Moran Interviews

September 22, 2009 by Serena

I recently reviewed Sandra Dallas’ Tallgrass here on Savvy Verse & Wit (click on the title for my review).

Ms. Dallas graciously submitted to an interview for my D.C. Literature Examiner page where we discussed Tallgrass and her writing process for the book.

Also in honor of Cleopatra’s Daughter’s debut in stores, I had the opportunity to interview Michelle Moran here and here.

I also should have a list of winners from Book Blogger Appreciation Week later this week. Also, I’ll be headed into D.C. at the end of the week for National Book Festival.

Filed Under: examiner.com

An Open Letter to Bloggers from Paul Samuelson

September 17, 2009 by Serena

Dear Bloggers,

Pardon the group email, but I just heard some fantastic news and since it is Book Blogger Appreciation Week, I wanted to share. I am happy to report that Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse, by debut middle grade novelist Kaleb Nation, has debuted on the Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association bestsellers list in the #10 spot for Children’s Interest!

For those of you unfamiliar with the list, this indie group is one of the largest in the country, and includes stores such as BookPeople & Blue Willow (TX), Tattered Cover (CO), Changing Hands(AZ) and King’s English (UT), among many others. These are some of the biggest and best indies in the country.

What does this have to do with your blog?

Because the focus of publicity efforts for this title have been primarily online—it is YOU we have to thank for this phenomenal success. For a 20 year old first time author to debut on this list, before he has even begun his cross-country tour, can only mean that word-of-mouth generated by all of you in the book blogging community (and masters of the twitterverse) has had a significant impact on the sales of this book—a direct contradiction to the controversial interview on the All About Romance blog which stirred up so much controversy four months ago.

But I didn’t even review Bran Hambric?!

It doesn’t matter! As part of the larger book blogging community you are an integral part of an ever-growing online literary conversation that exists to discusses books based on merit and for the love of reading. It is through your work that debut novelists can now get discovered and shared throughout the world—and our thanks goes out to you for making this possible.

As you all know, there are many types of book bloggers—teen fan blogs, vlogs, kidlitosphere blogs, homeschool blogs, mommy blogs and the established book blogs we all know and love—and it has been remarkable to bear witness to how so many different types of readers have all come together to discuss and review Bran Hambric in an ever-growing online reading community.

A sincere “thank you” from Sourcebooks for helping us bring a little bit of magic, fantasy and adventure into the lives of readers everywhere.

We’d like to show our appreciation by offering autographed posters of Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse (cover art by Brandon Dorman!) to any blogger to use as a giveaway (plus one for you to keep, if you’d like!). Feel free to pass this letter to other bloggers who might be interested in either the giveaway or the words of appreciation! As always, contact me if you’d like a poster!

Sincerely,

Paul Samuelson

Sourcebooks, Publicity

@psamuelson01

Paul and Sourcebooks are offering 5 copies of the autographed poster to readers of Savvy Verse & Wit in honor of BBAW. U.S./Canada only.

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post.

2. If you purchase any of the books, using my Amazon affiliate links this week (Sept. 15-19), that’s 5 extra entries (just send me an order #/invoice).

3. Tweet, blog, Facebook, or spread the word about the giveaway for additional entries, just leave me a comment about it.

Deadline to enter is Sept. 20, 2009, at 11:59PM EST.

Filed Under: BBAW, Events, giveaway, sourcebooks