Wake: A Novel by Anna Hope

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 11, 2013

Wake: 1) Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep 2) Ritual for the dead 3) Consequence or aftermath. Hettie, a dance instructress at the Palais, lives at home with her mother and her brother, mute and lost after his return from the war. One night, at work, she meets a wealthy, educated man and has reason to think he is as smitten with her as she is with him. Still there is somethi7ng distracted about him, something she cannot reach... Evelyn works at the Pensions Exchange through which thousands of men have claimed benefits from wounds or debilitating distress. Embittered by her own loss, more and more estranged from her posh parents, she looks for solace in her adored brother who has not been the same since he returned from the front...Ada is beset by visions of her son on every street, convinced he is still alive. Helpless, her loving husband of 25 years has withdrawn from her. Then one day a young man appears at her door with notions to peddle, like hundreds of out of work veterans. But when he shows signs of being seriously disturbed-she recognizes the symptoms of "shell shock"-and utters the name of her son she is jolted to the core... The lives of these three women are braided together, their stories gathering tremendous power as the ties that bind them become clear, and the body of the unknown soldier moves closer and closer to its final resting place.

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I wont lie, when I finished Anna Hope's Wake, I was just happy to be done with it. The frequent shifts between characters and the emotional drama of their individual stories left me mentally exhausted. In point of fact I set my review aside, determined to clear my head before trying to compose my thoughts because I was so put out with my reading. Thing is, the longer I let it sit, the more I seemed to appreciate it.   

On the surface Hope is depicting a trio of women and the complex web that ties them together, but beneath that is some really interesting concept material and I think this underlying thesis is what makes the book. Think Ian McEwan's Atonement without the hit you like a ton of bricks final revelation. Hope is a more subtle storyteller, but no less thought-provoking. 

I maintain this is a difficult novel to get into. It is not character driven and there is really no action to propel the story along, but that being said, once you have a chance to really process the story Hope is telling, you realize how powerfully poignant a novel it is. 

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Why can't he just move on? Not just him. All of them. All of the ex-soldiers, standing, begging in the street, boards tied around their necks. All of them reminding you of something that you want to forget. It went on long enough. She grew up under it, like a great squatting thing, leaching all the color and joy life. She kicks her dance dress into the corner of the room. The war's over. Why can't all of them just bloody well move on? 

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Royal Inheritance by Kate Emerson

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: September 10, 2013

Audrey Malte, born about 1528 and raised at court by the king’s tailor, John Malte, was led to believe she is Malte’s illegitimate daughter when, in fact, her father is King Henry VIII. When she reaches marriageable age, she begins to realize, from the way certain people behave toward her, that Malte is keeping secrets from her, and she sets out to discover the truth. Her quest involves the best and the worst of the courtiers, among them a man with whom she falls in love. Unfortunately, Malte has already entered into negotiations for her betrothal to someone else, and Audrey guesses the truth about her legacy when the king settles property on her, jointly with Malte. Marriage is definitely in Audrey’s future, but will it be to the man she wants to wed?

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Book six of Kate Emerson's Secrets of the Tudor Court series, Royal Inheritance, boasts an interesting premise in that it fictionalizes the life of Audrey (Ethelreda) Malte, but unfortunately, I can't say I found it a particularly interesting read. 

When push comes to shove I don't think there was enough meat on the bone to make this story work, at least not as it is currently marketed. Had the publisher pushed this as the tale of a tailor's daughter who is suddenly swept into the high stake games of the royal court or the death bed confessions of a woman determined to pass on the secrets of her past, I would have been happy, but I very strongly feel that someone somewhere along the line committed a grave injustice by deciding to give a nearly complete play by play of the entire plot in the jacket description.

Audrey Malte, born about 1528 and raised at court by the king’s tailor, John Malte,
was led to believe she is Malte’s illegitimate daughter when, in fact, her father is King
Henry VIII. When she reaches marriageable age, she begins to realize, from the way
certain people behave toward her, that Malte is keeping secrets from her, and she sets
out to discover the truth. Her quest involves the best and the worst of the courtiers, among
them a man with whom she falls in love. Unfortunately, Malte has already entered into
negotiations for her betrothal to someone else, and Audrey guesses the truth about her
legacy when the king settles property on her, jointly with Malte. Marriage is definitely in
Audrey’s future, but will it be to the man she wants to wed?

Let's ignore that the blurb actually states "her father is King Henry VIII" and think about the rest of that paragraph. It was impossible to definitively prove paternity in the Tudor era so in essence Audrey's "quest" lacks a tangible goal and when one considers the king gifted her property, the question itself becomes irrelevant as he obviously felt some sort of responsibility towards her, and really, who wants to argue with Henry VIII? Anyone? Anyone at all? 

Pardon me for asking, but where is the hook here? Where is the surprise, the unexpected plot twist or complex intrigue? And before anyone tries to argue the question of who Audrey will wed, I'd like to point out that particular mystery is revealed towards the top of page three of this three hundred and seventy page volume.

Now to be fair there is a second description for this title, but still, I feel the jacket only served to shoot Emerson in the foot. 

Audrey Malte is illegitimate, though her beloved father—tailor to King Henry VIII—

prefers to call her “merry-begot,” saying there was much joy in her making. Then 

Audrey visits the royal court with her father, and the whispers start about Audrey’s 

distinctive Tudor-red hair and the kindness that the king shows her. Did dashing 

Henry perhaps ask Malte to raise a royal love child? The king’s favor, however, 

brings Audrey constraint as well as opportunity. Though she holds tender feelings 

for her handsome music tutor, John Harington, the king is pressuring her to marry 

into the family of treacherous, land-hungry Sir Richard Southwell. Audrey 

determines to learn the truth about her birth at last. The answer may give her the 

freedom to give her heart as she chooses . . . or it could ensnare her deeper in an 

enemy’s ruthless scheme.

Again, rumors of her being Henry VIII's child, mention of a quest to discover that which cannot be proven and confirmation of the king's favor which again, makes the question of her paternity a moot point. This one however offers up the names of Audrey's prospects while simultaneously pigeonholing one as her beloved and the other as a sixteenth century gold-digger. Not bad, but it falls apart when Audrey is referred to as Mistress _______ in the first paragraph of the first page of the very first chapter.

Needless to say, I was frustrated and bored reading this piece. I couldn't get into it because there just wasn't anything left for me to get into. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the rest of the series, but when all is said and done, my experience with Royal Inheritance, through no fault of the author, left much to be desired. 

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"Close kinship to the Crown is a burden, not a gift."

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Stella Bain by Anita Shreve

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Obtained from: Netgalley

Read: October 9, 2013

An epic story, set against the backdrop of World War I, from bestselling author Anita Shreve. When an American woman, Stella Bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in London, surgeon August Bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in. A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as Bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. Stella had been working as a nurse's aide near the front, but she can't remember anything prior to four months earlier when she was found wounded on a French battlefield. In a narrative that takes us from London to America and back again, Shreve has created an engrossing and wrenching tale about love and the meaning of memory, set against the haunting backdrop of a war that destroyed an entire generation.

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I'm not altogether sure how to describe Anita Shreve's Stella Bain. The book touches on some absolutely fascinating subject matter, but I think the telling leaves something to be desired.  

Though not as powerful as Peter Yeldham's Barbed Wire and Roses, I appreciated Shreve's exploration of shell shock and how she uses Stella to show both the impact it has on the individual and how it was viewed in a society with little to no understanding of the condition. Her presentation pulls at the heartstrings while offering a really nice portrait of the values of this particular era. Unfortunately, I don't think every aspect of this book was as well thought out.

I understand the decision to write this piece in the present tense. Stella is frustrated and confused at not being able to assemble the pieces of her own history and the reader get a very real sense of her dismay seeing the world as she herself does, accepting each moment without a greater sense or understanding of where her story began or  where it is going. But that being said, I think this approach creates more empathy for her situation than her character and makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to truly understand the woman Stella is. 

My other concern regards the custody battle. I think it is great material and that it showcases an interesting contrast when compared to our contemporary family court system, but I think this sequence strayed too far from the themes Shreve explores in the rest of her narrative. Again, great content, but it wasn't as fluid as the rest of the novel and sticks out as being something of an add-on to the greater story.

An emotionally driven fiction of life on the home front. A subtle narrative sure to be appreciated by those who enjoy less confrontational war stories. 

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"Living with memory loss has meant a life of frustration," Stella says. "How did the soldiers I met in the hospital camp survive memory loss? Did they go mad, as I sometimes think I will? Occasionally, in my room, I want to lash out and hit something with all my strength. Again and again." 

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A Wilder Rose: Rose Wilder Lane, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Their Little Houses by Susan Wittig Albert

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: October 10, 2013

From bestselling, award-winning author Susan Wittig Albert comes the true story of Rose Wilder Lane, who transformed her mother, Laura Ingalls Wilder, from a farmer’s wife and occasional writer into the world-famous author of the Little House books. A Wilder Rose is a novel about of two exceptional women: a mother who has a fascinating pioneer story to tell but lacks the skill to write for publication; and a daughter, a much-published author with the skill to turn her mother’s drafts into memorable books and the publishing connections to get them into print. Set in the Depression, their story is one of painful family conflict and eventual triumph over difficult odds. But why did they conceal their collaboration? And why did Rose not seek recognition for her contributions? Based on Rose’s diaries and letters, A Wilder Rose is a fact-based fiction describing the real events that led to a literary deception that has continued for decades.

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I was eight when I read the Little House books. My mother gave me a full set of hard covers and we read them aloud. From time to time I've revisited the material, picking up a biography I happened across or checking out one of the My First Little House Books for my own daughter. I love these stories but even so, I wasn't entirely sold on reading Susan Wittig Albert's A Wilder Rose.

I'd never read the author before so I knew the book would be new ground for me, but the real question was whether or not I wanted anyone to tamper with this story? On one hand, I liked the idea, but on the other, I wasn't sure I could trust an author I'd never heard of. Even after the book arrived in my mail box I felt torn, letting it sit on my side table for a few weeks while I built up the courage to dive in. 

Looking back I'm not exactly ashamed of my inhibitions, as stated this is a story dear to my heart, but that being said I love what Albert did with her narrative. Rose is a child at the conclusion of the original series, an important character, but not one we really get to know. Albert rectifies this in her work, giving readers an opportunity to understand the person she became and the mountains she climbed. I don't mean to downplay the complex relationship she shared with her mother or their difficult collaborative effort to get the famous series published, but I found Rose's experiences the most powerful aspect of this piece.

Rose Wilder Lane was a woman ahead of her time. A journalist, travel writer, novelist, political theorist and ultimately, the force that made her mother's books a tangible reality. Albert captures and brilliantly recreates her spirit within these pages, crafting a poignant depiction of the fiercely independent woman whose story has been overshadowed by the legacy she helped create. 

An absolute must read. 

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Had she succeeded in any of it, in anything she had ever wanted to do? No, not in what she had planned or in the way she had planned. But there was the forsythia, as golden as the sun, outside her own window, and over her head, the roof of her own little house. 

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Check out all the stops on Susan Wittig Albert's A Wilder Rose Virtual book tour

Monday, October 7
Review & Giveaway at Unabridged Chick

Tuesday, October 8
Review at Reading the Past

Wednesday, October 9
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books

Thursday, October 10
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Friday, October 11
Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Saturday, October 12
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, October 14
Review at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Review & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair

Interview with Katherine Givens, author of In Her Dreams

Today, Flashlight Commentary is pleased to welcome author Katherine Givens to our little corner of the net to discuss her debut release, In Her Dreams.

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Welcome to Flashlight Commentary Katherine. To start things off, please tell us a bit about In Her Dreams.
Thank you for having me! I’m very happy to be here at Flashlight Commentary today. In Her Dreams is my debut novella with Harlequin Australia’s imprint Escape Publishing. The story is a historical romance, one I’m very proud of.

What inspired you to write this story and why did you feel it needed to be told?
The inspiration for this story was actually very vague. I was in a writing funk, and I was without a project. I kept mulling over ideas, but the only thing that came to mind was a pair of green eyes. Since I had nothing else to go with, I decided to sit down in front of my laptop. Then, viola! A few short hours later, I had the opening scene for In Her Dreams, and the owner of those green eyes turned out to be a very dashing earl. The rest of the story fell into place very easily, because the message surrounding In Her Dreams is very close to my heart. Believe in the power of your dreams. Believe in your goals. Most importantly, believe in yourself. A little faith can help anyone achieve their greatest ambition, passion, goal, or dream.

What scene was the most difficult for you as an author?
Hmmm. The book came with such ease, I wrote it in under three weeks. There really wasn’t much difficulty in writing In Her Dreams, but maybe the end was the most difficult for me. I wanted the ending to be just perfect. I had to tie in the happily ever afters for both of my heroines, Evangeline and Angela Vernon, in a way that showed their sisterly bond. This had to be done while tying in the romance from the heroes who’d won their hearts, and also while continuing the overall theme of the story. Dreams. It took maybe a day or two, but the scene did fall into place just like the rest of the book. Also, I didn’t really want to write “The End.” I’d grown so attached to these characters, it was like closing another chapter of my own life.

What is your favorite scene in the book?
This one is a toughy. There are two comical scenes I love. However, I also love this touching, hopeful scene between Evangeline and Angela when the two decide to take their destinies into their own hands, but I’m going to say the opening scene is my favorite. It was the inspiration of a pair of green eyes that coaxed me to begin writing In Her Dreams, led to the opening scene pouring onto my laptop’s screen, my spinning a story I absolutely adore, and my first sale as an author. In fact, I’ll share a snippet of the opening scene with you. This is when Evangeline is lost in a dream with the one man who has captured her heart:

She was lost in the depths of his emerald eyes, amber drops floating in the seductive pools. The man reclined in a wingback chair, surrounded by shelved books. His head was tilted slightly downwards, his gaze piercing her where she stood. Hair the colour of antique gold shimmered in the dim candlelight. His skin was bronzed like the helmet of an Ancient Greek warrior. His harsh features seemed to be chiselled from stone, but laugh lines encircled a passionate mouth. A navy blue coat and white waistcoat hid what could only be a perfectly sculpted chest. A white cravat covered his neck. Pearl grey breeches accentuated muscular legs.

The man reminded her of a golden lion, the king of a pride. His soul must’ve been older than time itself, for he seemed to hold the secrets of the universe in his mind. This man was temptation embodied.

‘Back again, my dear?’ he inquired, his voice like velvet.

Although confidence rang in his tone, his emerald eyes revealed the humanity of this divine creature. At the bottom of those depths lay an expanse of loneliness. Blessed with beauty, he was lacking in companionship and love. It was as if he were a traveller lost in a desert with only mirages to keep him company.

‘I could not stay away,’ she declared, her voice quaking as the man rose from his chair and stalked across the room.

Evangeline took a sharp intake of breath, for the full sight of his robust body was more than a woman could take. He was tall, over six feet. His build was as formidable as the strongest castle wall, built to protect from the worst of sieges. That handsome face of his, a face Adonis would’ve fought for, matched the masculine beauty of his body.

Settling beside her, he said, ‘Nor could I. Not now. Not ever.’

The two studied one another. Both seemed to find it hard to believe the other was there. The silence that shrouded the room as they studied one another deepened the strength of this ethereal spell.

‘Is it because I am a diversion?’

‘Nay.’ He raised her hand to his lips. ‘Life would be meaningless without your visits.’

‘I could not endure my own existence without you,’ she replied, a bit breathless.

‘As a man without friends or comrades, I would be the most lonesome wretch wandering the earth.’ Pain entered his expression, the pain of one who had suffered years of isolation. His voice cracking, he continued, ‘I would be completely alone.’

Her heart nearly split in two upon witnessing his agony. She lifted a hand and caressed his cheek. ‘You never shall be.’

‘You have been vital to my life, my dreams, for these past few months.’ Turning his head, he kissed the palm of her hand. He exhaled, his breath tickling her skin. ‘Without you I I fear I would not know how to live.’

‘Do not say such things.’ Framing his face, she forced him to gaze into her eyes. ‘I shall always be with you.’

‘And I with you.’ Desperation was threaded throughout the statement. ‘I am entirely yours,’ he murmured as he angled his head, preparing to taste the sweetness of her lips…

Do you see yourself in any of your characters and is there one of them you wish you were more like? 
I see myself in both Evangeline and Angela Vernon. Evangeline is driven by determination and hope. As an author, I feed off of both of these virtues. Without either determination or hope, I wouldn’t be doing this interview for my novella. In regards to Angela Vernon, I am sometimes shy and timid like her. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a social butterfly when I’m in my element, such as when I’m with friends and family, attending writers’ conferences, or out for a night of fun. However, on certain occasions I can be very quiet, because I feel uncomfortable. I become a wallflower. And, I wish I had a little more of Evangeline in me. Evangeline is one to talk back to anyone who crosses her, and that is just not in my nature.

If you could sit down and talk with one of your characters, maybe meet and discuss things over drinks, who would you choose and why?
I would want to sit down and talk to the two heroes of In Her Dreams. Both are just so different, but both have honorable qualities. The Earl of Cheshire is striking, debonair, and just downright handsome. At least in my head. *Winks.* I suspect he has a humorous side to his reclusive nature, and I would love to see how far his wit would go. The Duke of Manchester is very gentlemanly, considerate, and gentle. He is not forthcoming in his emotions, but he is the kind of man to pull a chair out for you or to open a door. He’s chivalrous! And that is a quality men supposedly lack nowadays. If I were to sit down with these two, I’d be interested to see if they’d be the best of friends or irritated by one another. Would the Earl of Cheshire poke fun at the Duke of Manchester? Would the two men laugh with or at one another? Would they form a friendship or maintain a gritty acquaintanceship? Now that is something I’d pay good money to see.

What do you hope readers come away with after reading your work?
Readers, I want you to laugh and to have fun. I want you to yearn to be in my heroines’ shoes. I want you to swoon at the feet of the Earl of Cheshire, or to think that the Duke of Manchester is a practical choice for a suitor. I want you to be inspired by the overall message of In Her Dreams. That dreams do come true. All it takes is a little push. 

Finally, what is next for you? Any new projects waiting in the wings?
Believe me when I say I have plenty of projects in my queue. First off, I am excited to say I will have a novelette, Love Amidst the Egyptian Sands, released with Red Sage Publishing in a few months. I am polishing up the last few chapters of a novel that I can’t wait to find a home for. I’m also in the process of writing another novella, and I can’t help cracking up over the hero of this story. Also, I have at least ten novels just sitting in my head waiting to be told. At least I’ll be busy for the next couple of years!

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About the Author: In Her Dreams is Katherine Givens' debut novella, which is published with Harlequin Australia's imprint Escape Publishing. She is working on a number of other projects and always has ideas flooding her head. In her spare time, Katherine loves to read about history, craft jewellery, and play with her ornery kitten named Bucky. To learn more about Katherine and her writing, please visit the following sites. She loves to hear from readers. Connect with Katherine via her website, facebook, or twitter. 

About the Book: A flirty, fun, mix-and-match romance about two sisters who are betrothed to the wrong men… Evangeline Vernon is a woman on the verge of spinsterhood — until the prim and proper Duke of Manchester steps in. Her family is pleased with the match, but the duke is not the passionate man Evangeline craves. Her heart belongs to an alluring, golden-haired gentleman, perfect in every way…except one: he doesn’t exist. Angela Vernon is everything a proper, well-brought-up woman should be. She knows her place and understands society’s expectations — which include not being jealous of her sister and not coveting her sister’s suitor. But how can she bear the heartache of watching the only man she loves marry not only her sister, but a woman who doesn’t see past his exterior to the man he is beneath?

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The Loyalist's Wife by Elaine Cougler

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Obtained from: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Read: October 9, 2013

When American colonists resort to war against Britain and her colonial attitudes, a young couple caught in the crossfire must find a way to survive. Pioneers in the wilds of New York State, John and Lucy face a bitter separation and the fear of losing everything, even their lives, when he joins Butler's Rangers to fight for the King and leaves her to care for their isolated farm. As the war in the Americas ramps up, ruffians roam the colonies looking to snap up Loyalist land. Alone, pregnant, and fearing John is dead, Lucy must fight with every weapon she has. With vivid scenes of desperation, heroism, and personal angst, Elaine Cougler takes us back to the beginnings of one great country and the planting of Loyalist seeds for another. The Loyalist's Wife transcends the fighting between nations to show us the individual cost of such battles.

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Loyalist lit has never been particularly prevalent, but it isn't exactly unheard of. The Tory Widow by Christine Blevins, The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki, Sarah Bishop by Scott O'Dell and The King's Rangers by John Brick jump immediately to mind, but I'm sure there are others on the market. Thing is, all of these books were written by Americans which makes Canadian Elaine Cougler's The Loyalist's Wife something of a novelty. 

Now in theory it shouldn't matter, but I think Cougler's background gives her an advantage here she has a slightly different view of the American Revolution and didn't feel a need to conform on any level with the rampant glorification we so often see here in the states. As a result, her work incorporates a noticeable degree of objectivity and though I feel the author sort of pigeonholed her characters as either good guys or bad, I found her larger scope refreshingly fascinating. 

Another thing I liked about this piece was how Cougler treated Lucy's character. Alone in the wilderness, this woman has to keep herself and her farm going, a task that requires both physical and mental tenacity, fortitude and endurance. Thing is, unlike a lot of heroines, Lucy doesn't just barrel in and kick proverbial butt and I like that. She has days that are harder than others, days marked by success and days marked by failure, and yet she soldiers on. It isn't the gung-ho perception of feminine strength that has become so popular of late, but it is no less significant and I applaud Cougler's recognition of that.

Is the book flawless? No. There were several sections were the plot felt slightly forced and I think there is definite room for increased complexity, but by and large I liked what Cougler put together here. I enjoy books that make you think about events you think you know in different ways and in that Cougler's work is certainly success. 

An intriguing and authentic fiction, The Loyalist's Wife paints a vivid portrait of what life might have been for those on the other side of the conflict, the ones who risked and lost all over their enduring faithfulness to the English crown. 

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On the cot she sat and held her son, rocking him back and forth. The hot tears started again. This time they wouldn't stop. Her mind swan with images of what she had lost, the farm, their animals, the lovely little cabin with its stove and its table - John's rocking chair - and her mother's patchwork quilt. Each new thought brought fresh tears and deep sobs. She cried for the couple she and John had been in their wedding engraving, but were no more. 

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Check out all the stops on Elaine Cougler's The Loyalist's Wife Virtual Book Tour

Monday, October 7
Feature & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 8
Review at West Metro Mommy

Wednesday, October 9
Review at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews

Thursday, October 10
Review at Unabridged Chick
Review & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary

Friday, October 11
Review & Giveaway at Kinx’s Book Nook

Monday, October 14
Review at Book Lovers Paradise

Tuesday, October 15
Review at A Bookish Affair
Guest Post at Book Lovers Paradise

Thursday, October 17
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

Friday, October 18
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Monday, October 21
Review & Giveaway at Confessions of an Avid Reader