Entries Tagged 'Features' ↓
March 22nd, 2010 — Author Interviews, D-F
Susan: Hello Dr. Forester, and welcome to Love Romance Passion. Please, feel free to make yourself comfortable. We have a beautiful, cream- colored Victorian sofa. You can tell us all about any concerns you may have, but first I’d like you to review LRP’s counseling policies. I’m kidding, of course! Amanda Forester holds a PhD in clinical psychology. Hence, my poor attempt at humor.
Susan: The cover gods were verra kind to ye Amanda. What was your reaction to the cover for The Highlander’s Sword?
Amanda: Hi Susan! Thanks for inviting me to the couch! Now, where to begin… oh yes, the cover. Well, beforehand I had a lot of anxiety about what it might be. Fortunately, when the cover was sent to me I was quite happy, and I’m sure you can see why. Sourcebooks did a great job!
Susan: When did you decide to become an author?
Amanda: I’ve always had stories floating around in my head, but I never actually thought of being an author. It wasn’t until a few years ago when my husband was deployed to Iraq and I was a bit stressed (utterly neurotic) that a friend recommended I try reading romance novels. Now I have to admit to being a snobby twit – I said I didn’t read those kind of books. After some justified chastising I decided to give it a try. I found what must be one of the best kept secrets in the literary world; romance novels are actually really good! The stories also reminded me of my own romantic daydreams, giving rise to the thought that maybe, just maybe, I should try writing one down. I gave it a go, revised it a billion times, and here we are!
Susan: What books do you read aside from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals?
Amanda: Ah the DSM-IV, what lovely reading... for anyone suffering from insomnia! My first choice in reading material is usually historical romance. I recently found Georgette Heyer and have been gobbling up her books – thank goodness she was prolific! I also enjoy straight history books. Sometimes the actual historical events are even crazier than any plot I could devise!
Susan: What’s sexier? (Please choose only one.)
- Kilts
- Breeches
- Black leather pants
Amanda: Kilts hands down… or is that hands up?? (Sorry – couldn’t resist!)
Susan: Who looks sexier in a kilt? (Please choose only one.)
- Sir Sean Connery (My choice)
- Kiefer Sutherland
- Ewan McGregor
- Gerard Butler
Amanda: Oooooo, tough call. I’m going to have to go with McGregor on this.
Susan: Speaking of sexy men in kilts, tell us a little about your hero, Padyn MacLaren.
Amanda: Laird MacLaren is a well-formed chap who does justice to the kilt he wears. He has shouldered responsibility from an early age, and has been a warrior all his life, earning him entry into the knighthood. He travels to France to fight the English at the dawn of what we now consider the Hundred Years’ War. Yet his confidence is rocked when he discovers his French fiancé is only using his brawn for her own enrichment, not for love. He returns home to Scotland to find his clan impoverished, and accepts a marriage contract with Lady Aila Graham since her dowry will do much for his clan. Trouble is he has no idea how to relate to a wife. Despite his nagging fears of betrayal he can’t help but slowly fall crazy deep in love…
Susan: I want you to analyze, Padyn MacLaren using the Psychodynamic school of thought. Tell us the underlying cause for MacLaren’s distrust of women. (Lol)
Amanda: Fun question! From the psychodynamic perspective (I’m particularly thinking object relations here), it’s important to note that MacLaren had a healthy childhood and developed a strong attachment to his mother as a young boy. These relationships are important because (according to the psychodynamic theorists) the forming of strong attachments within the first six years of life form the basis for all healthy relationships in the future. Though the adult MacLaren has grown battle-weary and distrusting of women based on his previous experience (and shows a common tendency of men in that era – and sometimes even in this era – to blame women for all their problems) he does have the innate capacity to love deeply… but it’s going to take one special heroine to uncover it!
Susan: Historicals are a beautiful sub-genre. Why historical, and not paranormal for example?
Amanda: I love history. I love doing the research for it, I love envisioning myself living back during those times (while I sit in my heated home, typing on my laptop). For me, if I am going to spend the kind of time it takes to write a novel, I want to be swept up in history.
Susan: (Shameless self-promotion here.) Why should readers pick up your romance novel?
Amanda: I could really use the cash. What? Not quite what you are looking for? Let me try again… If you are looking for a Scottish medieval romance that is fast-paced, has lots of action, with a little mystery and a bit of humor, try The Highlander’s Sword.
Thank you Amanda, for spending the day with us at Love Romance Passion. We’ll be billing your insurance company directly. (Giggles) Joking aside, please come back and visit us anytime! It’s been great fun!
Thanks for having me – I had fun with your questions!!
THE HIGHLANDER’S SWORD BY AMANDA FORESTER—IN STORES MARCH 2010
A quiet, flame-haired beauty with secrets of her own...
Lady Aila Graham is destined for the convent, until her brother's death leaves her an heiress. Soon she is caught between hastily arranged marriage with a Highland warrior, the Abbot's insistence that she take her vows, the Scottish Laird who kidnaps her, and the traitor from within who betrays them all.
She's nothing he expected and everything he really needs...
Padyn MacLaren, a battled-hardened knight, returns home to the Highlands after years of fighting the English in France. MacLaren bears the physical scars of battle, but it is the deeper wounds of betrayal that have rocked his faith. Arriving with only a band of war-weary knights, MacLaren finds his land pillaged and his clan scattered. Determined to restore his clan, he sees Aila's fortune as the answer to his problems...but maybe it's the woman herself.
Buy: The Highlander's Sword
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Forester holds a PhD in psychology and worked for many years in academia before discovering that writing historical romance novels was way more fun. She lives in the Pacific Northwest outside Tacoma, Washington with her husband, two energetic children, and one lazy dog. You can visit her at www.amandaforester.com.
Giveaway: There 2 copies of The Highlander’s Sword are up for grabs. That means 2 winners! Awesome! Contest is open to US and Canadian readers only. Very sorry international readers, your time will come, promise. To enter leave a comment for Amanda, preferably a question for her to answer! One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: March 29, 2010. Good luck!
Online Stores
March 21st, 2010 — 3 Stars, Book Review, Category, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Great Britain, M-O, Mistress or Courtesan, Rape/Abuse, Regency, Rogues and Rakehells, Runaway, Widow or Widower
A more accurate title would be Unclaimed Mistress, as the heroine has certainly been touched before the hero gets to her and throughout the book by the hero.
Helena McGregor runs away from her abuser Stephen Tayburn. She can’t stay with him another moment and takes her first opportunity to escape, fleeing across the water and into a storm. She washes up on the beach Guy Tregallas, Viscount Varington, is meandering down. Her first impression is that he’s an angel and just before delirium sets in she reveals her name.
When she wakes three days later, Helena knows to protect those who’ve helped her and herself she must concoct a story. Living under Stephen’s thumb for five years has taught her that lying is the least of man’s sins. She tells everyone she is the widow Mary McLelland, never knowing Guy is aware of her true identity.
Determined to dig into her past and figure out who the beautiful young woman is, Guy whisks her off to London with plans to seduce her along the way. His plans crumble into dust with every break in her façade, but not before he secures her promise to be his mistress in exchange for his help… when he learns the truth about Helena, he is more determined than ever to make the woman his!
The story despite the ugly background for the heroine (see Stephen Tayburn, villain) is very chaste. There’s no sex until the very end of the story. One of my favorite scenes is the carriage wreck. I won’t spoil it, other than to say it’s in the middle. It was very good.
Rating 3 stars
Buy: Untouched Mistress
PS - Great cover - both models fit the character descriptions and so did the scenery!
Originally posted 2009-07-16 03:49:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
March 21st, 2010 — 1.5 Stars, 3 Stars, 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Business, Cooking, G-I, Gambling, Historic America, Housekeeper/Maid, Inspirational, Prostitute, Religious, United States of America, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower, Working with Land
I really wanted to like this novel. In fact, I would have if it hadn’t been for the ending. It did not give me what I wanted. The only person in the Van Buren family to grow was Rachel, the heroine, and that really irked me as it was the younger sister, Lissa, who flouted the heroine’s authority, refused to do honest work, pursued scandalous behavior, and rubbed her sister’s face in it all the time. I kept waiting for Lissa’s comeuppance and/or repentance and it never happened.
Michael, the brother, he was okay until he decided to hurt the heroine by saying her morals were nastier than their other sister’s promiscuous and lazy behavior. (As if he had a leg to stand on – being 14 and gambling behind Rachel’s back.) Yes, the heroine could have been more tolerable but she was doing the best she could with the morals instilled by their parents on what was right and wrong.
For the time the other sister’s behavior was wrong. If was me and my 15 year old (going on 16) sister was determined to ruin herself I would have wrestled her to the ground and shave her head or something so she wouldn’t be so full of herself, her own worth and beauty. I guess that means I’m not heroine material, but honestly, Rachel was too much of a doormat in regards to Lissa’s and Michael’s behavior, she just couldn’t control them.
The hero, Johnnie, was of no help. He enabled Michael and Lissa figuring it was better for them to screw up and do stupid things under his presence where he could watch over them, supposedly to see no true harm came to them. So he rented Michael a table at his hotel/saloon and watched Michael take a man’s entire living (which Johnnie had done at the start of the novel) and only begins to regret and question himself after the gambler goes outside and shoots himself in the head.
I could have closed this book deliriously happy with it because there were many things I liked, but I couldn’t get over how it all ended up. It just made me mad.
Rachel is twenty and in charge of her younger brother and sister. They are stranded in San Francisco when the crew abandons ship and rushes off to find gold. Determined to do the best she can for Michael and Lissa, Rachel takes on a mantle of parental responsibility. I can hardly imagine how their father would have handled Lissa and Michael had he survived the trip, but believe me he would have nipped their rebellious behavior in the butt or forcibly marry Lissa within a day if she didn’t straighten up.
Rachel procures living arrangements, food, pay and jobs under Johnnie Parker at his establishment City Hotel. Johnnie is an ex-missionary and determined never to marry sanctimonious sunbonnets ever again as he feels they are the worst hypocrites alive. Sanctimonious is not an adjective I’d attribute to the heroine which is why I feel so keenly on how everything was handled.
I put up with a lot, as did the heroine and in the end was left with a bitter pill to swallow. More realistic? You decide as it's still a relatively happy ending with all the prostitutes, fallen women, arrogant brats and the heroine being friends again in the last few pages.
My feelings with ending: 1.5 Stars
Overall Rating: 3 Stars
If ending was different: 4.5 Stars
Buy: The Measure of a Lady: A Novel
 |
|
US $2.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $5.50 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $5.15 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $4.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $4.99 |
Sale |
Online Stores
March 20th, 2010 — 0.5 Stars, Arabia/Middle East, Arranged/Forced Marriage, Book Review, Category, Contemporary, Estranged, Great Britain, Interracial, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Mistaken Identity, S-U, Secret Baby, Sheik/Desert, The Arts, Travel
I found this book to be an absolutely awful read. It’s one of those romances that if your non-romance reading friend were to pick it up they could use just about everything in it to prove their point on why romance is garbage. No—seriously it’s true…
Lucy Benson is in debt up to her eyeballs. The bank has pulled out it’s financial backing for her plan to renovate Westbury and now she has to deal with creditors and contractors she’d already hired and had start working on the castle. When Kahl (just call me Kahl) shows up she assumes he’s one of them. He doesn’t correct her.
She tells him her sob story and how she plans to pay everyone back, never knowing he was the reason why the bank pulled out of their deal. Then he proceeds to take advantage of Lucy in what amounts to a one night stand. The next day he leaves her before she wakes up and leaves her with no way to contact him. He also leaves her pregnant because he’s a dumbass and chose not to use protection.
When Lucy unexpectedly runs into Kahl again in Abadan she’s surprised and amazed that he’s Sheikh Kahlil and also insanely worried he’s somehow found out about Edward. Very quickly he puts two and two together and jumps to the most illogical conclusion – Lucy must be a gold digging whore who planned it from the beginning! (Okay so not in those exact words, but the meaning was just the same.)
He forces her into marriage and Lucy proves how idiotic she truly is by feeling guilty that Kahlil never saw Edward go through a lot of his firsts. WHAT? Why? The guy is an irredeemable asshole who even now is threatening her with legal action to take away Edward, won’t let her leave his country, and still thinks she’s an immoral woman who is completely unacceptable as the future queen of his country. Feeling guilty over his irresponsible misbegotten behavior? Puh-lease.
The 180 flip in the last ten pages didn’t do anything to redeem Kahl in my mind.
Rating: 0.5 Stars
Buy: The Sheikh's Captive Bride
 |
|
US $2.00 |
Sale |
Online Stores
March 19th, 2010 — Author Interviews, Jane Austen, M-O
Today I have the pleasure of introducing to readers Kathryn Nelson, the author of Pemberley Manor
, by interviewing her (asking nosy questions.) Grin. Please join me in welcoming her warmly and enthusiastically to Love Romance Passion.
Keira: Why were you drawn to write in Austen's world?
Kathy: It was a case of being possessed. I really had no lifelong romance with Austen. The 1995 BBC/A&E miniseries of Pride and Prejudice captivated me and led me down the road of reading and watching everything Austen I could get my hands on. Out of the reading came a craving to try her style and delve deeper into the unexplained reaches of her characters.
Keira: Who are your favorite authors besides Jane Austen?
Kathy: John Gardner (not the detective novelist) is hands down my favorite wordsmith next to Jane Austen, but I read everyone. At this moment I'm loving Anne Fadiman, and I've spent a lot of time with V.S. Naipaul, John Irving, Lorna Landvik and Toni Morrison. It's hard to stop...
Keira: What was the hardest part of writing your book, Pemberley Manor?
Kathy: The writing was purely joyful, although I think I strained relationships with family and friends for a couple of years as I was always in a hurry to get back to my story. My business partner (my brother) was especially patient on those days when I just had to pick it up in the middle of the day.
Keira: I noticed the themes of pride and prejudice continued in your novel. Could you expand for readers a little on how you used them to influence Darcy's and Elizabeth's actions?
Kathy: I see Darcy and Elizabeth both as fully formed, flawed humans, and I start from the assumption that getting over the hurdle of the wedding is not going to significantly change their basic characters. Both were guilty of rapid and inaccurate judgments and they were equally stubborn about giving up a hastily-formed opinion. I'm a bit like that myself, so it was easy to envision how that might get in the way of marital bliss.
Keira: Do you consider yourself to be a plotter (knows every detail before writing) or pantser (make it up almost completely as you go along)?
Kathy: Oh, pantser all the way. I had no idea where I was heading with this story when I started.
Keira: Oh goody there's another one! I'm a panster myself. If you could be one of your characters - who would you be?
Kathy: That's a great question. As I scan through the list, I realize that I'm really all of them in one way or another. Maybe that's why I was so drawn to Austen's characters in the first place - they have such recognizable human traits. I'd love to be as optimistic as Elizabeth, and sometimes I am, but I can find a little snarky Caroline Bingley in my tone of voice at times.
Keira: What do you think is the greatest creative risk you've taken?
Kathy: Admitting that I'd actually written a sequel to Pride and Prejudice would top the list. It has literally taken me years to come out of that closet, especially at a Jane Austen Society meeting. If it weren't for the company and encouragement of delightful authors like Jane Odiwe and Diana Birchall, I would still have the manuscript hidden under my bed.
Keira: How do you define love?
Kathy: I've been married for thirty-three years, so my perspective is all about the long haul. It was so easy to be passionately attracted, and so difficult to sustain that through the inevitable rollercoaster ride. The kind of feeling of wholeness, one-ness with another person, an ability to share even the most horrible flaws of our character - that is, to me, the fullness of love.
Keira: What are some challenges in writing Austen based romance?
Kathy: Oh, the delicious difficulty of learning a new (old) language, trying to get it just right. Then the awful responsibility to not mess up her characters. I was terrified of hearing that Austen fans would find me lacking or disrespectful in either sense.
Keira: Got any pet peeves when it comes to reading or writing romance?
Kathy: For those who've read Pemberley Manor you might guess that explicit sex scenes are not my thing. I am much more stimulated by the suggestion of great sex than I am by a blow-by-blow that leaves me with nothing to imagine.
Keira: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Kathy: I want to thank you for inviting me to your site. Until recently, the world of blogs was a complete mystery to me, and I'm having a wonderful time romping around these days. I can't tell you how many times I've repeated the phrase "Who knew?" in the last few years. It started with the revelation, after I'd finished my book, that there were not only other sequel writers, there were dozens of them! Now it applies to the amazing network of readers and writers that gather day after day to share stories and opinions. What a hoot!
Thanks, Kathy
Keira: Thank you Kathy for joining me and talking shop! I am wishing many happy sales coming your way. You can learn more about Pemberley Manor at Kathy's website or by checking out LRP's review.
Originally posted 2009-04-03 05:48:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
March 19th, 2010 — Poll
Loading ...
How do you like them? Tell us why or if you have a preference not shown here share in the comments!
Photo Credits: ValetheKid
Originally posted 2009-07-13 18:20:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
March 19th, 2010 — 5 Stars, ARC, Book Review, Contemporary, Dukes and Earls, Friends, Georgian, Great Britain, Mystery, Reading, Revenge, Secret Agent, V-Z, Virgin Heroine, Writer
Lauren Willig has an excellent sense of humor and language—masterfully weaving internal and external dialogue that makes turning the pages of Night Jasmine a delight. Her voice is modern and refreshing and works successfully both in the past and contemporary settings as she presents two love stories to readers.
I loved the way Lauren put words together on the page. Her ability to turn an ordinary expression or phrase into something more exotic and poetic is a skill she has honed to perfection. At first it was unexpected and I made note of particular sentences that caught my eye but as I got swept away into the story they became a part of the scenery and the characters themselves.
Robert, Duke of Dovedale and Charlotte’s hero, is a wonderful character. He and Charlotte foil each other perfectly. He makes mistakes and does some seriously foolish things in the name of love but he does it with heart and good intentions. But as they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions… literally in this case.
Charlotte is a heroine who has believed in fairytales all her life until Robert inexpertly dashes her hopes and dreams to smithereens in an effort to protect her. Disillusioned by love, believing herself prone to fanciful childish delusions, Charlotte comes to the conclusion she is not a storybook heroine. She acknowledges her shortcomings and lack of gumption and decides to change all that.
Another heroine from 2004 is studying and researching into the Pink Carnation for her dissertation. Her story is woven throughout Charlotte’s and Robert’s as we break from them to learn more about the present happenings. Eloise is disconcerted that her boyfriend Colin avoids the question of his current line of work now that he’s left his city job. With all the spies and espionage from the past filling her head and random comments thrown in from one jealous woman, Eloise comes to the unlikely conclusion that Colin is a spy. She scoffs at her own foolishness until evidence confirms her crazy theory.
I was so absorbed in the reading I was reluctant to put the book down for any reason. Sleeping and eating just sounded like too much bother. I will definitely be on the lookout for the rest of Lauren’s Pink Carnation series.
Rating: 5 Stars
Buy: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
 |
|
US $10.83 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $3.47 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $9.95 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $3.49 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $17.87 |
Sale |
Online Stores
March 18th, 2010 — News
I'm over at Savvy Thinker today. If you want to find out 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Keira of Love Romance Passion (ie me) head on over. Be sure to leave a comment! I will answer questions if your comment is a question.
Online Stores
March 18th, 2010 — About, Guest Blogger
by Jennifer Roland, guest blogger
It is no secret that we women--and some men--love our romances. As was discussed at great length in the news media earlier this year, the romance genre has been one of the few segments of the economy to thrive in the recession. Even when we are not doing well financially, we long for the escape that our love stories bring us, whether we prefer heroes who are not quite human, settings that are long past or barely dreamed of, or heat levels that would make our mothers blush.
But are they good for us? Do they further the cause of women, or do they hold us back, trapping us in traditional gender roles?
A few other bloggers have talked about the economic empowerment the romance genre offers to women, the inherent subversiveness of a genre written and read almost entirely by women, and the power romances give women over their sexuality. Rather than rehashing what these other ladies have said, I’d rather look at the stories. Does the romance narrative harm women?
For years, I believed it did. I saw romance novels as a tool of women’s subjugation. We read books that reinforced the roles society had laid out for us: wife, mother, caregiver. Romance novels have one ending: the woman finds her man, the man who will marry her and give her the security and the family she craves. Until she reaches that goal of finding a husband, our heroine is incomplete. I believed that I was more than my marital status, so why would I want to read about women who were made whole only through the object of their affection?
Then I actually read some romance novels, beyond the category romances I read as a young girl. I found a genre that had grown up without me realizing it. I encountered strong women who were whole and who didn’t need a man to complete them. Instead, they wanted a partner to share the burdens and the joys of life. Some of the stories ended with a marriage. Some ended with a commitment to raise a family together. Others ended with the knowledge that two people were entering into a relationship of equals, merging their individual lives to create something more together. Neither the hero nor the heroine quit being who they were; they simply chose to be those people together. In short, I found feminism.
Romance novels allow us to explore the myriad options available in our society. They cover different lifestyles, sexual acts, and time periods. They explore the different paths a woman’s life can take as she maneuvers through the worlds of career and family, whether her family is the heteronormative husband and wife, a committed same-sex relationship, or even a triad or other polyamorous grouping. But most important, they use the woman’s voice to explore the classic themes of literature that have in the past been explored only through a male lens. And they allow us to experience a situation that has a happy ending, something we don’t always get in our everyday lives.
That is why I love romance novels.
Jennifer Roland is a freelance writer and aspiring romance novelist. She fancies herself a new school feminist who adores a sexy vampire or shapeshifter tale, yes, alpha male and all. Keep up with her progress navigating the scary world of publishing on her blog, Jen’s Writing Journey.
Originally posted 2009-07-15 03:33:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
March 18th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, Movie Reviews
I honestly thought I wouldn’t like this Tim Burton film. Everything looked just entirely too too much and over the top. The trailers didn’t really appeal to me. I went to the 2D version because it was cheaper, so if I didn’t like it I hadn’t shelled out a lot of dough to see it. I was surprised by how many kids were in the theater – I expected the movie to be dark and I thought it was rated higher for more mature audiences. It’s not. It’s pretty kid friendly actually. To make a long story short, loved it. Like LOVED it.
The Actors:
- Mia Wasikowska is a wonderful Alice. Perfect from the tips of her curly blond hair to the points of her little toes. She’s a treat to watch.
- In the trailers, Johnny Depp, looks and sounds so completely bonkers, I was afraid he’d overplay the part. But Johnny’s performance is surprisingly poignant and full of charm.
- Helena Bonham Carter was another who I thought would overplay, but she’s every inch the Red Queen without being too much.
- Anne Hathaway plays the flighty White Queen. I couldn’t tell if she was good or bad for half the movie (yes clearly I’ve not read the books… shh… bad reader no cookie.)
- Crispin Glover was great as the Knave of Hearts also known as Stayne.
- Voice actors Michael Sheen and Alan Rickman did wonderful in their parts.
The Costumes:
- Alice Kingsley’s multiple outfits. You’d think the magic juice and cake would make her clothing shrink and grow accordingly, but it doesn’t. It leads to a bunch of hilarity and costume changes allowing Alice to fit into this new mad world.
- I’m on the fence for Johnny Depp’s makeup as the Mad Hatter. On one hand I love it – and he can certainly wear it. The eyelashes are awesome. On the other hand I really dislike the purple on white skin palette.
- Every costume for the Red Queen was gorgeous. It’s Tudor period meets Disney.
- Did not like the White Queen’s costumes. Or more accurately put, I hated that Anne Hathaway had dark thick black eyebrows and thick black/mauve lips against all that white. Very bizarre.
- Knave of Hearts face makeup was excellently done. He really looked like he had scars on his face.
CGI:
- The scenery will blow your mind in a very good way.
- All of the creatures and inhabitants of Wonderland (Underland) are highly stylized. I loved the White Rabbit and the March Hare the best. Go Team Rabbits. Er… Team Hares?
- Absolem or the Blue Caterpillar looked like a wrinkled old man. I especially liked his forays into the real world.
Favorite Moments:
The Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?
Alice Kingsley: I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.
The Mad Hatter: [to Alice] You used to be much more...muchier. You've lost your muchness.
Alice Kingsley: This is impossible.
The Mad Hatter: Only if you believe it is.
If you can’t tell by my quotes you should know some of the best parts in the whole film are between Alice and Mad Hatter. They help each other, save each other, rescue each other, look out for each other… I was very disappointed when Johnny Depp didn’t appear in the real world as either himself or as someone new for Alice to meet that looked like her old friend. I thought there was romance in the air there… perhaps for a sequel?
Overall a wonderful movie and well worth the price of admission. I think I just might go see it in 3D.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: Alice in Wonderland (2-Disc Special Un-Anniversary Edition)
Online Stores
March 17th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, ARC, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Captain, Comedy of Manners, Gentry, Georgette Heyer, Great Britain, Kidnapping, Mistaken Identity, Pirate, Pirate, Sailing, Seas, Secret Agent, Spain, Travel, Tudor, Virgin Heroine
Beauvallet is one of my top favorite Georgette Heyer romances. It’s one I would recommend for a guy to read because of how daredevil the hero is and how much action and high jinks take place.
Sir Nicholas Beauvallet is a dashing pirate with a rakish charm. He’s the bane of the Spanish empire and good friends with other famous privateers such as Sir Francis Drake. He’s gallant, courageous to the point of foolhardiness, and full of confidence. His ego is adorable because it’s so over-inflated and lighthearted.
Dona Dominica de Rada y Sylva is a gutsy heroine. When captured she steals Beauvallet’s dagger and waves it at his nose. When forced aboard Beauvallet’s ship she snubs him, flirts outrageously with another officer, and ignores him. Obviously she’s just hiding her true feelings—the instantaneous crush, the deepening attraction, the utter fascination. The more she pushes him the more under his spell she falls.
When he promises to win her hand in marriage, she scoffs. Not likely! When he says he’ll pursue her right to her doorstep in the heart of Spain, she laughs. Impossible! When he says, “Risk not!” she begins to hope. But can it be done?
Some of the funniest scenes are Beauvallet flaunting his presence under the Spanish aristocracy and nobody being the wiser. I’m so happy that Heyer kept it in mostly Beauvallet’s point of view because we got to his side of the story and laugh at the supposedly mystical and magical escapes he managed to execute under Spanish noses.
It’s also an unusual historical I feel because of the monarchs and events happening.
Relative Time Period – Tudor:
- Spanish Inquisition – 1478 to 1834
- Henri III – 1551 to 1589
- Elizabeth I – 1533 to 1603
- Phillip II - 1527 to 1598
- Sir Francis Drake – 1577 to 1580 – around world trip
The references to the Spanish Inquisition are just cloying and realistic enough to make you shudder with all the “infinite kindness of the church” and whatnot. I’m not an expert of anything, but the way the dialogue happened almost made one think that King Phillip had no idea what truly happened during the churches inquisition sessions. Does anybody know if he did or not?
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: Beauvallet
 |
|
US $5.95 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $14.17 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $3.77 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $21.97 |
Sale |
Online Stores
March 16th, 2010 — 3 Stars, Book Review, Clumsy Heroine, Contemporary, Love Triangle, Paranormal, Stephenie Meyer, United States of America, Vampire, Virgin Hero, Virgin Heroine, Werewolf, Young Adult
The second book in the Twilight saga is entitled New Moon and if the first book was about finding true love, then this book is about losing true love. I am not particularly fond of this book. It is because it contains so little Edward. We are introduced to the other paranormal group just up the road however. We meet those that live La Push Reservation, home to the Quileute Tribe. Some we've been introduced to before, like Jacob Black. Others are new.
If you couldn't wait for the library to hand you this next book in the series, you read the beginning chapter that was at the end of Twilight. A teaser that leaves you wondering what happens to Bella when she cuts herself at the Cullens house. Her blood makes them thirsty, none more so than Jasper who has the least control. Edward gets Bella to safety but the damage is done.
The next few days he becomes more and more distant to Bella. She's desperate to break through to Edward when suddenly he starts to talk to her again. Only she wished he wouldn't. I wished he hadn't too. He breaks it off with her at the edge of the forest. It is better than the sewers Angel dumped Buffy in, but I was heartbroken and Bella more so. Here it is, I thought, the end of a good story (but just you wait... keep reading).
So deep is her grief over losing Edward she loses herself and becomes a walking shell. It isn't until half a year later that she can even stick her head above the water. She does it only because Charlie is running scared and pulling ultimatums about going to Florida to live with her mother. Bella can't do that. Doing that means leaving the magic of Forks behind and relegating Edward to a memory and not a reality. So she asks a friend to the movies... anything without romance. She couldn't handle that. It's after the movies that the story gains interest again. She hears Edwards voice... in her head. His voice is a beautiful hallucination warning her of the danger ahead.
What follows next is a series of stupid reckless moves as Bella fights to hear his voice. She turns to Jacob Black to help her fix motorcycles, thinking the danger in riding them would provide her with Edward's voice. She becomes Jacob's friend, and over the hundreds of pages left he becomes the sun to warm the desolation of her life. I don't like Jacob. He keeps pushing the friend boundary, so certain of Bella turning to him and forgetting about Edward despite her repeated warnings that she'll never love anyone but Edward.
But then the story changes again and it's like sweet music playing in your mind because you just know Edward's coming back into the picture. And like Bella, you fear you are going to miss him, lose him again. The book ends on the sweetest note imaginable and you close this sad book feeling ridiculously happy. The ending is four and a half stars.
Rating: 3 Stars
Originally posted 2008-11-19 04:13:23. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
March 16th, 2010 — Reader Highlights
Keira: Which do you like more: finishing a book or starting a new one?
Heidenkind: Probably finishing a book, because I like to think about what to read next.
Keira: Which historical romances do you prefer more and why: Classical Novels or Current Regency Based Novels?
Heidenkind: Contemporary novels set in the Regency era tend to be an easier read, so I'd have to go with those.
Keira: Jane Eyre is one of your top favorite novels. What are some other ones you consider too good to miss?
Heidenkind: The Age of Innocence
, The Silver Metal Lover
, The Ivy Tree
, The Queen of Attolia
, Archangel
, and Captives of the Night
, just to name a few.
Keira: Which author occupies the most space on your bookshelf? Why do you love him/her?
Heidenkind: Well, that depends... by "my" bookshelf, do I include my mom's books, too? 
It's close race between Mary Stewart, Lisa Kleypas, and Christina Dodd. I love Dodd because she writes the kind of books where you can become totally immersed in the story; Kleypas is great because her romances are very intense, emotional, sexy, and intelligent all at the same time; and I grew up reading Stewart, so her books are my comfort reads.
Keira: What is your favorite and/or least favorite plot, character type, or literary device?
Heidenkind: I really hate it when the h/h instantaneously start lusting after one another. It tends to lead to my second-least-favorite device, where there heroine refuses to acknowledge she's attracted to hero for no reason other than to drag the book out.
Keira: How do you define love?
Heidenkind: Love is what knits us together despite logic, annoyance, money, reason, intellect, anger, proximity--it just is. I always think of a quote from The Butcher's Wife
: "Love is the leap that cannot be denied." I'm not sure if that's true, but I think leaping is a big part of it. Also that quote is very poetic. 
Keira: You began Heidenkind’s Hideaway in 2009. What is your favorite aspect of blogging and what are some of your favorite posts that you’ve written?
Heidenkind: I love being able to discuss books with other readers, and the whole book blogging community is just full of wonderful people. That's probably my favorite aspect of it, although I do really enjoy being able to dissect a book and why it worked for me and why it didn't.
Most of my favorite posts are the ones no one read. Haha! There was a post I did last May called An Immortal Soul that analyzed a random comment on the TV show The Mentalist--I really liked that one, because that's pretty much exactly how my mind works on a day-to-day basis. I think Drood is one of better reviews I've written. There's also a post called Reading By Type where I talk about how nearly every main character in books is a reader. I didn't even realize how true that was until after I had written the post--now I can't escape it!
Keira: What tips would you give to readers who want to read more books?
Heidenkind: Ask Meghan from Medieval Bookworm, that would be my tip. 
I'm honestly a pretty slow reader. I suppose I would say turn off the TV, computer, stereo, and just concentrate on the book for a while; and if you're not liking it, stop reading it. But then I would have to follow my own advice.
Keira: For you which character makes or breaks a romance novel: the hero or the heroine?
Heidenkind: It could go either way--but at least one of them better be interesting, or the story won't be going anywhere.
Keira: As an art historian does the cover of a book sway you toward impulse purchases? What do you like/hate about the current cover trends?
Heidenkind: Hmm, interesting question. I admit I've bought books just because their covers were beautiful, and YA is definitely where it's at in cover design right now. I like going to that section of the bookstore just to look at the covers (that might also be why I subscribe to a lot of YA blogs...). The only trend I don't like is "Twilightizing" the covers of classic novels like Wuthering Heights. Not because I don't like Twilight, but because: 1. I hate same-y covers; and 2. I think good novels like that deserve more original cover design because they can, and should, stand on their own merits as great novels. I have also bought books just because they have a painting I like as the cover--like Swan Witch. I think I bought that book twice, actually.
Keira: Is there anything you’d like to share or talk about that I missed?
Heidenkind: I recently (like last week) changed the name of my blog to Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and Books--I think that reflects the whole feel of the blog better.
Online Stores
March 15th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Dukes and Earls, Foster/Orphan, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, Historical Romance, Mistaken Identity, P-R, Virgin Heroine
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
Grace Eversleigh has a problem. She is in love with a highwayman and a Duke. Neither is marriage material since socially the highwayman with beneath her and the Duke is well above her. The fact that they are both the same man does not help her situation at all.
Grace is a woman from a good but undistinguished family who was thrown out her home after her parent's death. Her only possessions are her self-respect and good name. Never one to miss a good opportunity, the dowager Duchess of Wyndham hired Grace as a companion. Late one night while returning home from a local dance in the dowager's elegant coach, she and Grace are held at gunpoint and robbed by a masked but charming highwayman. The dowager insists that she knows his voice and is convinced that he is her grandson. She gives him the ring off her finger as proof. The next morning the Dowager, accompanied by several servants, kidnap the highwayman for the purpose of returning the dukedom to him. Never mind that there is a current Duke of Wyndham who has been fulfilling these duties well for many years.
The ring is familiar to Jack Audley. He has one just like it left to him by his father who drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Ireland. His mother survived the same shipwreck, but only lived long enough to give birth to him. Having been raised with love and laughter by his maternal aunt and uncle, Jack was told only that his father was from a good English family.
The underlying theme of this book is about being worthy...worthy of position and love. For some readers today, this may seem a little farfetched. After all, today we believe that an individual should go after what they want. But in England, during the early 19th century, this was not the case. Duty to one's family and county were foremost, as well as, knowing one's place. This social structure was supported by the prevailing religious belief that God did not intend for man to be happy. It will take tremendous courage for Jack and Grace to take a chance on their personal happiness.
Julia Quinn's first novel about the Cavendish family is a winner, told with humor and wit. This is a 'feel good' novel where all the characters, including the dowager, are sympathetic and their motivations are clear. The story moves along smoothly with a tightly constructed plot. It is a great book to read in summer on a sunny beach or wrapped in a blanket on a cold winter's day.
Rating: 4 Stars
 |
|
US $4.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $2.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.89 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.99 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $11.67 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.98 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $2.00 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.39 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $1.88 |
Sale |
 |
|
US $3.99 |
Sale |
Originally posted 2009-01-12 05:25:18. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Online Stores
March 15th, 2010 — Author Interviews, Contemporary, Cowboy, J-L, Mystery, Western
Keira: What made you decide to write about cowboys?
Joanne: I’ve always loved Western history, and when I first moved to Wyoming, I was amazed to see how much of the Wild West is still alive and kickin’ out here. Libby makes a comment early in the book that moving to Wyoming and seeing a guy wearing chaps is like moving to Austria and finding your neighbors decked out in Lederhosen, and that’s how I felt. Cowboys are the norm here in Cheyenne, especially during our annual Frontier Days rodeo, but at first, they seemed like another, very exotic species to me. I was like a googly-eyed tourist for the first two years I lived here, just taking in all the frontier flavor.
Keira: What does it take to win a cowboy’s heart?
Joanne: Well, it turns out they’re humans like the rest of us, so I think they’re looking for what all men look for—though a tight pair of Wranglers doesn’t hurt when it comes to getting things started! Seriously, though, I think what cowboys want in a wife is different from what they want in a girlfriend. When things get serious, all of a sudden honesty and smarts matter a lot more than looks!
Keira: What makes a hero perfect? What makes Luke Rawlins a hero readers will fall in love with?
Joanne: To some extent, what makes a hero perfect is imperfection—or at least, his own awareness that he has a few flaws, as well as a sense of humor that lets him laugh at them.
What makes Luke special is that the qualities that draw him to Libby are the ones that might drive other men away—her independence and spirit. He also understands that she’s been hurt and he’s willing to wait until she’s ready for a relationship. At one point in the story, Libby tells him to give up, that she’s damaged goods. His reply is simply, “You’ll heal. I’ll help.” I think that’s the heart of the book, and the essence of Luke’s appeal.
Keira: You’ve worked in bookstores all your life; what’s your favorite job in one? What would you say is the biggest perk?
Joanne: It’s hard to say what my favorite job is. I loved management because I could make a difference; I love being a bookseller because I get to sell my favorite books; and I loved being a buyer because it was a lot like shopping!
But the biggest perk? I met my significant other at the store; he was my best customer! And my favorite:)
Keira: Cowboy Trouble takes place in Lackaduck, Wyoming. Is the town fictional and are they lacking ducks there? Does Lackaduck resemble small town life in Wyoming?
Joanne: Lackaduck is a combination of many small towns in Wyoming, with elements taken from each. To some extent, it’s also my hometown of Cheyenne, distilled and condensed.
As for the lack of ducks, I don’t know. I just love weird town names, like Bug Tussle, Kentucky and Burnt Corn, Alabama. I wanted a name that had that kind of quirkiness to it, and Lackaduck just popped into my head and declared itself. A writer’s mind often makes about as much sense as calling a town Bug Tussle!
Keira: This next question is tough. Ready? How do you define romantic love?
Joanne: Oh, that is tough, because to some extent, it’s indefinable. I think the core of it is that the two people in love know, deep down, that they belong together, and that being together makes them complete. Being with that person gives you a feeling of deep satisfaction that makes the stress of everyday life trivial in comparison.
Keira: If you were in a romance novel, what subgenre would you be in and why?
Joanne: I’d be in one of those zany contemporary romances where the heroine always has her head in the clouds and screws up a lot!
Keira: In your opinion, is it tougher to write mystery or romance? Do you do anything in particular to keep track of key points and facts?
Joanne: I think they both have their challenges, and it really depends who you are. I originally started “Cowboy Trouble” as a mystery, but Luke and Libby couldn’t keep their hands off each other and their love story totally took over. Romance just comes naturally to me.
To keep track of the story, I use multicolored sticky notes. I write in the attic, and I stick the notes to the slanted ceiling above my desk. The different colors represent different elements of the story, and I move them around to make changes as the story takes shape.
Keira: What is your secret guilty plot or character type that you love beyond reason?
Joanne: I love gutsy screwball heroines! Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum is probably the best example. My favorite books have a mixture of humor and kick-a** adventure.
Keira: Shameless self promotion time: What’s next?
Joanne: Next is “One Fine Cowboy” which will be released this fall. It’s another cowboy contemporary about a psychology grad student/animal rights activist from New Jersey who goes to a horse-training clinic in Wyoming to learn about inter-species communication. The cowboy who’s teaching the clinic isn’t much for talking, but it turns out he’s an expert in non-verbal communication.
Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Joanne: Just a big thank you for inviting me for an interview. I love your site – your reviews are fun to read and I think you do a great job of helping readers make informed choices.
And for readers – I hope you enjoy reading “Cowboy Trouble” as much as I enjoyed writing it!
COWBOY TROUBLE by JOANNE KENNEDY—IN STORES MARCH 2010
Fleeing her latest love life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a chicken farm—but without the constant help of her charming, sexy, cowboy neighbor; she'd never have made it through her first Wyoming season.
Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl. But he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch…he's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible…
Buy: Cowboy Trouble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second place in the Heart of the Rockies contest in 2007. Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information please visit http://kennedysmyth.com/ and http://www.cowboytrouble.com/.
Giveaway: 2 copies of Cowboy Trouble are up for grabs. Perfect for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted mystery! Open to US and Canadian readers only. Sorry international readers! To enter ask Joanne a question. One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: March 22, 2010. Best of luck!
Online Stores
