So we all know that I was not incredibly happy with the lovely Amber, at the start of book two. I was getting really antsy for SOME redeeming quality! That being said I think she did it.
The quality of the writing is excellent, even though Amber's attitude was unbearable at times, she really did fit in to what would have been expected of the times, especially when you look at her family situation.
Watching her make the transformation from unbearable, pampered, calculating woman, into a lady of depth with perception is wonderful. As Amber comes to terms and has the maturity to see where her current path would take her is well done. It made me incredibly happy for Thomas, who in this situation did get all his heart desired.
I don't want to give away everything incase you haven't read yet, so to sum up should you buy this book YES! I will be continuing to watch Josi S Kilpack for future books. I have purchased and read Lord Fenton's Folly as well, and it is even better (in fact I do find it much superior to this book.)
I can't wait to try her mystery books!
On the note of Lord Fenton's Folly; it is a 5 star book. On top of that I am more convinced that I should try her mystery books! I have also read another one of her books A Merry Dance which is included in the Autumn Masquerade (Timeless Regency Collection), is AMAZING! I will review that one later but if you're already in the market, it is a must buy!
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
A Heart Revealed Book One
So how is everyone enjoying the book? I am about ready to strangle Amber Sterlington, and have completely lost my heart to Thomas...
I know it's common with the times to marry for advantage; money, connections etc. However seeing how selfish and mean Amber is about it, is quite difficult for me. I just can't imagine being so heartless in a matter so intimate. When we first learn of her slight hair loss and listening to her rudeness to her maid is beyond me. I truly can't imagine the heart it takes to talk so cruelly to another human being even if you have see it since birth. That being said I am sure it was not uncommon. At this point in the story she is reminding me of another character from Jennifer Moore, Regina Foster (you meet her in Becoming Lady Lockwood, and hear of her again in Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince) anyway, she was so unkind and fake that she had multiple seasons, and had yet to make a match. This is what I would expect from Amber, that men would see though her looks and realize no one would want to put up with that for a lifetime, no matter how pretty.
That is one of the reasons why I enjoyed so much the scene where she is playing cards and Thomas sees that she must be purposefully playing poorly. And he makes the observation "...she was making a different kind of fool of these men..." I thought, oh good, he can move on now that he sees how ridiculous she is. I was enjoying more and more Thomas' kindness and thoughtfulness. How he didn't want to be caught staring at Amber because he didn't want the other girl to feel small. He seems to go out of his way to make people comfortable and to be kind when Amber is the complete opposite.
When she attends the ball I felt she received her just desserts. I did feel a pang of pity and compassion but she was intolerable, and to her own sister!
Here is where I finally actually start to feel a bit of remorse for her, her parents seem to regard their children very much like one would any possession that had value but only while it can do exactly as you expect. Should your carriage breakdown, take it to be repaired and in the mean time use another. If it cannot be repaired it is no matter, we have another. You finally see where she gets her callousness from.
My overall opinion so far is that I am not really enjoying the book. I've read a hundred and thirty pages learning to hate the main character. While I'm all for your characters having flaws they need to overcome, and situations to grow from this is a bit much for me, I haven't had anything good to start liking the main character other than the fact that Thomas (a completely loved character) likes her for some bazaar reason. I would at this point much rather read this story from Darra's point of view. That being said the book is written well (flow and information relating to the time period etc.) So I am holding out hope that I will begin to like Amber, (right now I only hold hope for her for Thomas) She definitely has been thrust into a situation where improving herself will become necessary if she is to have any quality of life. Holding hope for the second half!
Tell me what you've thought through the first half!
And as always...
Happy Reading!
I know it's common with the times to marry for advantage; money, connections etc. However seeing how selfish and mean Amber is about it, is quite difficult for me. I just can't imagine being so heartless in a matter so intimate. When we first learn of her slight hair loss and listening to her rudeness to her maid is beyond me. I truly can't imagine the heart it takes to talk so cruelly to another human being even if you have see it since birth. That being said I am sure it was not uncommon. At this point in the story she is reminding me of another character from Jennifer Moore, Regina Foster (you meet her in Becoming Lady Lockwood, and hear of her again in Miss Burton Unmasks a Prince) anyway, she was so unkind and fake that she had multiple seasons, and had yet to make a match. This is what I would expect from Amber, that men would see though her looks and realize no one would want to put up with that for a lifetime, no matter how pretty.
That is one of the reasons why I enjoyed so much the scene where she is playing cards and Thomas sees that she must be purposefully playing poorly. And he makes the observation "...she was making a different kind of fool of these men..." I thought, oh good, he can move on now that he sees how ridiculous she is. I was enjoying more and more Thomas' kindness and thoughtfulness. How he didn't want to be caught staring at Amber because he didn't want the other girl to feel small. He seems to go out of his way to make people comfortable and to be kind when Amber is the complete opposite.
When she attends the ball I felt she received her just desserts. I did feel a pang of pity and compassion but she was intolerable, and to her own sister!
Here is where I finally actually start to feel a bit of remorse for her, her parents seem to regard their children very much like one would any possession that had value but only while it can do exactly as you expect. Should your carriage breakdown, take it to be repaired and in the mean time use another. If it cannot be repaired it is no matter, we have another. You finally see where she gets her callousness from.
My overall opinion so far is that I am not really enjoying the book. I've read a hundred and thirty pages learning to hate the main character. While I'm all for your characters having flaws they need to overcome, and situations to grow from this is a bit much for me, I haven't had anything good to start liking the main character other than the fact that Thomas (a completely loved character) likes her for some bazaar reason. I would at this point much rather read this story from Darra's point of view. That being said the book is written well (flow and information relating to the time period etc.) So I am holding out hope that I will begin to like Amber, (right now I only hold hope for her for Thomas) She definitely has been thrust into a situation where improving herself will become necessary if she is to have any quality of life. Holding hope for the second half!
Tell me what you've thought through the first half!
And as always...
Happy Reading!
Monday, October 5, 2015
A Heart Revealed By Josi S. Kilpack
This is an author I hadn't read till now, but she has written a lot! So here's an introduction about her; (taken directly from her website, a link is included. You should definitely check it out, she has some great FAQ's and a place where you can see all her events and other fun things!)
Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Sheep's Clothing won the Whitney award for Mystery/Suspense in 207 and Wedding Cake, book twelve in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series won in 2014. Josi was also the Best of State winner in Fiction for 2012. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband, children and super-cute - but not very friendly - cat. Check out her website HERE!
I am going to be really honest, I hate her covers for her mystery books. They really bother me so being picky I chose not to read them. (The covers probably aren't that bad to most people, but they just look like cookbooks to me and the back never really grabbed my attention.) However, that being said after reading this book, I am quite curious about the mystery set now and will probably give them a try very soon! I have a sneaking suspicion that mystery/suspense are her forte and it's quite intriguing to me as I normally don't appreciate that genre as much as others. Let's be perfectly clear, I use to enjoy it now I am too scared to get out of my bed at night without enough lights on. I also invent all kinds of ridiculous scenarios I'm positive will happen if I don't check on my children multiple times at night. It's a bit ridiculous, but do to my diligence no intruder has ever had to be fought off with my pepper spray, my completely imagined ninja skills/fencing abilities have remained untested, and no frying pan or butch knives have ever been yielded to protect my innocent children.
Back to this months book... You will be introduced to Amber Marie Sterington, she is beautiful and all the "Rage" this season in London. She is looking for a wealthy, titled gentleman to marry, for her love (in my opinion) to her is something that doesn't really exist especially in her world. Her social standing becomes threatened and there is nothing she nor her family can do, so they send her to Yorkshire. There is where I feel her journey truly begins...
I can't wait to hear what you guys think! Next post we will be discussing book one (the book is split into two different sections book one and book two.) In other words try to read to page 130 this week!
As always Happy Reading!
PS I'm apparently looking at squirrels while I write this and in my defense I have twins who don't sleep through the night so the lack of sleep maybe the cause of this post.
Josi S. Kilpack hated to read until her mother handed her a copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond when she was 13. From that day forward, she read everything she could get her hands on and credits her writing “education” to the many novels she has “studied” since then. She began writing her first novel in 1998 and never stopped. Sheep's Clothing won the Whitney award for Mystery/Suspense in 207 and Wedding Cake, book twelve in the Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery series won in 2014. Josi was also the Best of State winner in Fiction for 2012. Josi currently lives in Willard, Utah, with her husband, children and super-cute - but not very friendly - cat. Check out her website HERE!
I am going to be really honest, I hate her covers for her mystery books. They really bother me so being picky I chose not to read them. (The covers probably aren't that bad to most people, but they just look like cookbooks to me and the back never really grabbed my attention.) However, that being said after reading this book, I am quite curious about the mystery set now and will probably give them a try very soon! I have a sneaking suspicion that mystery/suspense are her forte and it's quite intriguing to me as I normally don't appreciate that genre as much as others. Let's be perfectly clear, I use to enjoy it now I am too scared to get out of my bed at night without enough lights on. I also invent all kinds of ridiculous scenarios I'm positive will happen if I don't check on my children multiple times at night. It's a bit ridiculous, but do to my diligence no intruder has ever had to be fought off with my pepper spray, my completely imagined ninja skills/fencing abilities have remained untested, and no frying pan or butch knives have ever been yielded to protect my innocent children.
Back to this months book... You will be introduced to Amber Marie Sterington, she is beautiful and all the "Rage" this season in London. She is looking for a wealthy, titled gentleman to marry, for her love (in my opinion) to her is something that doesn't really exist especially in her world. Her social standing becomes threatened and there is nothing she nor her family can do, so they send her to Yorkshire. There is where I feel her journey truly begins...
I can't wait to hear what you guys think! Next post we will be discussing book one (the book is split into two different sections book one and book two.) In other words try to read to page 130 this week!
As always Happy Reading!
PS I'm apparently looking at squirrels while I write this and in my defense I have twins who don't sleep through the night so the lack of sleep maybe the cause of this post.
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Review for Irish Meadows and GIVEAWAY WINNER!
Irish Meadows was a great first novel from Susan Anne Mason. Taking place is 1911, Long Island, New York, we met an Irish family who lives on their horse farm. Two sisters struggle to make their way through life with a father who has is determined they live life his way, causing contention as it also calls in questionable actions. Will these two be able to stand up for themselves and what they want most out of life or will they be driven away from their family by their fathers high handed tactic?
This is only the first book in the series it will leave you feeling a bit unfinished. But the characters develop well throughout the book. I will be waiting on the next installment.
Thank you so much to all those who entered the GIVEAWAY! I'm happy to be sending a copy of Irish Meadows to CARISA BRUDERER! Please message me your address and you will be sent your book!
This is only the first book in the series it will leave you feeling a bit unfinished. But the characters develop well throughout the book. I will be waiting on the next installment.
Thank you so much to all those who entered the GIVEAWAY! I'm happy to be sending a copy of Irish Meadows to CARISA BRUDERER! Please message me your address and you will be sent your book!
Friday, July 31, 2015
Susan Anne Mason answers on behalf of her Characters!
This is my favorite part! This is where we asked a question to a few of the main characters....
To Gilbert:
What is your favorite thing about Bree?
I adore almost everything about Bree, but my favorite thing is her love of horses, a passion which we share. When Bree is riding her mare, Sophie, she looks like nothing in the world can stop her.
To Bree:
What do you love about Gil? I love his generous heart— he is so compassionate and kind. And I love that he understands me like no one else!
To Colleen:
Were you surprised at your reaction to working with the orphans? I most certainly was! I thought I’d hate it. I never expected to fall in love with the children, and one little girl in particular!
To Rylan:
How has working in the orphanage changed your perspective on life or has it at all? Not really, although when I see all these precious children without parents to love them,it has made me appreciate my family all the more.
I've hoped you've enjoyed our time with Irish Meadows, tomorrow at noon I'll be posting the winner of the book along with my review!
As always Happy Reading!
Susan Anne Mason- about her book!
Here is more of our question and answer from Susan, these questions are all about here book!
Are any of the characters inspired by people in your own life?
Not intentionally, no. But when I think about the characters, I would say Brianna is the most like me. A people pleaser, a little shy, has to work on standing up for herself and for her dreams. She learned a lot quicker than I did!
What would you say is Brianna's greatest strength? Weakness?
Brianna’s greatest strength is her compassion. She feels everything very deeply and can always put herself in others’ shoes. Her weakness is her inability to stand up for herself, especially with her father.
How about Colleen? Colleen’s greatest strength is her loyalty. She is fiercely loyal to her family and those she loves. Her weakness is her ego which she learns to supress with a little help from some orphan children!
Why is it so hard for Bree and Gil to communicate after Colleen kisses Gil?
Because that kiss personifies Bree’s greatest fear and plays into her insecurities—that every man prefers her beautiful sister to her. She always shared a special bond with Gil and he’d always seemed immune to Colleen. So this is a betrayal of the worst kind.
What is Rylan's greatest strength? Weakness?
Rylan’s greatest strength is his strong faith which led him to seek a vocation as a priest. His weakness, according to his superiors, is his sense of humor which gets him trouble from time to time.
How about Gilbert? Gilbert’s greatest strength is his inborn way with horses. He seems to sense what they are thinking and feeling. His weakness would be his inability to say no to his guardian, James O’Leary.
We know that Rylan's mother played a large role in Rylan making large decisions, what role does the girls’ mother play when they make decisions?
Both O’Leary girls love and respect their mother. Bree is particularly close to Kathleen and depends on her guidance. Colleen on the other hand obeys her mother but does not always agree with her.
How does Gil not having a mother play a role in his own?
Gil admires and respects Kathleen O’Leary who took Gil in after promising Gil’s mother she would on her deathbed. Although it’s not the same as having his own mother, Gilfeels blessed to have Kathleen in his life.
Later tonight will be her answering questions on behalf of her characters!
Happy Reading!
Later tonight will be her answering questions on behalf of her characters!
Happy Reading!
Getting to know Susan Anne Mason!
Today is the day we get to learn more about the author and the book from the author herself! It is my great pleasure to introduce you to Susan Anne Mason!
"Susan Anne Mason describes her writing style as "romance sprinkled with faith." She particularly enjoys exploring the themes of forgiveness and redemption in her stories. Irish Meadows is her first historical novel and won the Fiction from Heartland contest sponsored by the Mid-American Romance Authors chapter of RWA. Susan lives outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband, two children, and two cats." - About the Author
I asked her a couple of questions about herself as well;
What made you first want to become a writer?
I just always loved writing stories. It started in the classroom as a child and a teacher encouraged me to write a book. After high school, took a LONG break/detour, and then started writing again in my forties!
How has the writing process differed from what you first expected?
It’s a lot more hectic now that I’m fulfilling a three book contract. I’m promoting the release of Irish Meadows, working on galleys of Book 2 and trying to write Book 3!
We're going to be talking more about her book with her later today! Share the link and comment below that you did you enter our giveaway of Irish Meadows!
Happy Reading!
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