Book Review: Face of God by Bill Myers

The Face of God by Bill Myers

Publisher: StoneHouse Ink, 2nd Edition

Publish Date: September 1, 2010

Paperback, 368 pages 
Fiction, Christian, Suspense
ISBN: 978-0982607893

My Review:
Why I read this:  I read my first Bill Myers book a few months ago, The God Hater, and loved it.  I loved it so much I handed to my husband and said read this, he loved it so then I gave it to my dad to read as well.  And I don't just give my husband any book.  It was that good so when I had a chance to review another Bill Myers book for Pump Up Your Book, I said yes right away!

My thoughts: Think Indiana Jones meets a Raymond Khoury book with Christian undertones and you have The Face of God. It's the feel of the book that draws me to these parallels -  an archeologist is involved, and there is a race to get a religious item valued by two religious groups.  And that is just the start to Bill Myers' plot in The Face of God, because there is so much more to this book than even I expected.


Let's talk about characters.  From reading two of Bill Myers' books I feel this is one of his strong suits.  He uses flawed characters, flawed like the everyday man for some and some flawed more than normal, due to influences in their lives.  He also uses various religious, atheist and agnostic characters.  I like the mix.  Yes a lot of Christian books are about the atheist or agnostic learning about Christianity, but you really can't boil Mr. Myers' books down to just that.  The book is about more than that and watching the characters grow and change at the authors pace is wonderful.  Some will stay flawed but be trying to change and some will really get it.  I feel this gives it more of a real-life feel and makes the characters easy to relate to.

Daniel is the preacher who has lost his wife and lost his way and is trying to find his way back to his faith and his son, Tyler.  Tyler is just trying to make it through, he's awkward with girls, he misses his mother and he's trying to make a new relationship with his father because he knows that is what his mom would want him to do.  Ibrahim is the one of the main terrorists mentioned in the book blurb, he has lost his son and he is just trying to find his way in his religion, to do what is right and to find all the stones to follow Allah's will.  Nayla is a college-age daughter to one of the terrorists and she's just trying to follow her religion the best way she can.  She is sent to watch or spy on Daniel and Tyler while they are in Israel.  Helen is the archeologist and she is all mixed up. Working in a man's world plus other factors have her all confused on how to live her life.  All she wants to do is to use science to find the ancient relics.  She doesn't care if she proves or disproves any religion, she just lives for the dig and the find.

I think Mr. Myers did an excellent job in this book of making it easy to relate to both the Christian characters  and the Jihadist  characters.  I felt something for each of them and not a strong hatred towards the terrorists (who happen to follow the Islamic faith, but a very skewed version of the Islamic faith).  I think this is what the author wanted to achieve, for us as readers to see we are all flawed and God wants us to love one another no matter what our "religion" is.  He does a wonderful job with this through his characters and the plot.  The reader actually sees what is driving both parties, the pastor and the terrorist and that makes it easier to see and understand both sides of the story.  Mr. Myers lays the characters feeling right out and that with their motivation makes this book really stand out to me.

The plot is very fast paced.  I was pretty much drawn right into the book form the first page and stayed up reading for quite awhile the first night even though I kept nodding off (it's the sleep medicine I take, not the book).  If it hadn't been for the sleep medicine I believe I would have been up until 3am finishing this book.  As it stood I could not wait to get back to it.  I wanted to know more about the characters and how things would all work out because the book was speeding towards the conclusion at a breakneck pace.  For this book I actually fought myself to not read the last few pages, and I'm not the type to do that at all.  I didn't read those last few pages until I came to them naturally and all I can say is Mr. Myers has another winning book on his hands.

Fast-paced, excellent characterization, if you didn't check out The Face of God when it came out before, be sure you check it out now.  It's another one that I will be passing on to my husband and then to my dad.  It's that good.  Bill Myers now has a fan for life.

My Rating: 4.75/5.0

About the Book:

“THE TERRORIST has learned of supernatural stones used by the Old Testament High Priests to hear the audible voice of God. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams instructing him to find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of God is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that is stopping him is . . .

THE PASTOR. His wife has been murdered and his faith is crumbling before his very eyes. With his estranged son, he also searches for the stones in hopes they will rekindle his dying faith and love.

With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, these two men of opposing faiths collide in an unforgettable showdown. “The Face of God” is another thrilling and thought-provoking novel by a master of the heart and suspense, C.S. Lewis Honor Award winner, Bill Myers.”

About the Author: 

Writer/director Bill Myers’s first major success was as co-creator/writer/co-producer of Focus on the Family’s children’s video series, McGee and Me (40 awards, broadcast in 80 countries, 4.5 million books and videos sold). On its heels he wrote the My Life as… series (over 2.1 million books sold).

Other successes include his teen series, Forbidden Doors (winner of the C.S. Lewis Honor Award), and his best selling adult novels, Blood of Heaven, Fire of Heaven, Eli, Soul Tracker, The Face of God, and The Wager (also a motion picture staring Randy Travis). As a writer/director, his work has won over 60 national and international awards, and as an actor he was the voice of Jesus in the NIV Audio Bible and has made several guest appearances on Adventures in Odyssey.  His books and videos have sold over 8 million copies.

He holds an honorary doctorate from The Nimes Theological Institute in France where he has taught. He enjoys traveling and lecturing as well as serving as lay college pastor for his church.
He lives with his wife and two daughters in Southern California.


Author Website
Facebook

FTC Information: I received this book through Pump Up Your Book Tours for a honest review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Book Tour: The Face of God by Bill Myers

The Face of God by Bill Myers

Publisher: StoneHouse Ink

Publish Date: September 1, 2010

Paperback, 368 pages 
Fiction, Suspense, Christian
ISBN: 978-0982607893

*** My review will be coming later today. ***

Join Bill Myers, author of the supernatural/suspense/Christian novel, The Face of God, as he virtually tours the blogosphere April 4 – 29 2011 on his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

About Bill Myers

Writer/director Bill Myers’s first major success was as co-creator/writer/co-producer of Focus on the Family’s children’s video series, McGee and Me (40 awards, broadcast in 80 countries, 4.5 million books and videos sold). On its heels he wrote the My Life as… series (over 2.1 million books sold).
Other successes include his teen series, Forbidden Doors (winner of the C.S. Lewis Honor Award), and his best selling adult novels, Blood of Heaven, Fire of Heaven, Eli, Soul Tracker, The Face of God, and The Wager (also a motion picture staring Randy Travis). As a writer/director, his work has won over 60 national and international awards, and as an actor he was the voice of Jesus in the NIV Audio Bible and has made several guest appearances on Adventures in Odyssey.  His books and videos have sold over 8 million copies.
He holds an honorary doctorate from The Nimes Theological Institute in France where he has taught. He enjoys traveling and lecturing as well as serving as lay college pastor for his church.
He lives with his wife and two daughters in Southern California.
You can visit his website at www.billmyers.com.

About The Face of God

“THE TERRORIST has learned of supernatural stones used by the Old Testament High Priests to hear the audible voice of God. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams instructing him to find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of God is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that is stopping him is . . .
THE PASTOR. His wife has been murdered and his faith is crumbling before his very eyes. With his estranged son, he also searches for the stones in hopes they will rekindle his dying faith and love.
With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, these two men of opposing faiths collide in an unforgettable showdown. “The Face of God” is another thrilling and thought-provoking novel by a master of the heart and suspense, C.S. Lewis Honor Award winner, Bill Myers.”

Read the Excerpt!

Steeling his resolve, Daniel turned and entered the darkened room. His son, Tyler, and the owner followed. But when Helen tried to enter, Nayra remained in front of the woman, her small frame blocking Helen’s larger one.
“You must wait here.”
“What?”
“Your presence is not welcome.”
“What do you—”
“You are a Jew; you are not welcome.”
The tension between them was palpable. And for a moment it seemed uncertain whether Helen would back down or not. Then reluctantly she agreed. But she would not leave the doorway. Apparently, she was going to stand right there and wait. Just she and the two dozen pair of eyes stealing peeks at her.
Inside, an old man greeted them. He sat on a rug and appeared even less conscious of dental hygiene than did the restaurant’s owner. His mouth worked the end of a plastic tube that led to a hookah water pipe. The air was full of pungent, sweet smoke. Not far away two or three younger men stood, slouched in the shadows behind him.
He turned and spoke to Nayra. She nodded and translated. “Please, sit.” She motioned Daniel toward the cushions in front of him.
“Tell him we will stand,” Daniel said.
Nayra spoke to the old man in Arabic. He shrugged, then said something else.
“He would like you to come closer,” Nayra said. “His eyes are no longer good, and he would like to see your face.”
Daniel turned to Tyler, who nodded. He moved forward until he was directly under the light of a bare bulb that hung from the ceiling.
The man grinned broadly. “Shukran, shukran.” Then he spoke something else.
“He would like to see the stone,” Nayra said.
“Stone?”
“The Levi Stone.”
Daniel kept his eyes on the old man’s. Even in the shadows he could see the milky cataracts. “Tell him . . .”—he cleared his throat—“tell him it is in good hands.”
More Arabic was exchanged. “Your hands?” Nayra asked.
“Perhaps.”
The old man chuckled, then asked something else in Arabic. Nayra translated. “He wants to know if you have had any dreams?”
Daniel tried not to stiffen. “We all dream.”
The man grinned again, obviously enjoying the repartee. He answered and Nayra translated. “Yes, but how many of us dream of . . .”—she turned back to the old man to confirm what she’d heard, then returned to Daniel—“how many of us dream of the face of God?”
Daniel felt the blood drain from his cheeks. The old man saw it and cackled softly. Apparently, he had his answer. Turning to his companions, he gave a curt order. One of the young men obeyed, producing a small box of olive wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl. Holding it with great care, he approached the old man. It was only then that Daniel noticed the rifle dangling from the boy’s shoulder. As he stepped into the light, his two associates moved forward, making it clear that everything was being carefully observed and carefully protected.
The old man took the box into his knotted, arthritic hands. He spoke again and Nayra translated. “I too have had dreams, Pastor. The dream of a face. But unlike your dream, mine is the face of a—”
The explosion shook the room with such force that Daniel nearly lost his balance. He heard the old man cry out but his voice was lost in another explosion. And another.
“Rockets!” the owner’s voice shouted. “Helicopter gunships!”
Adrenaline surged through Daniel as another explosion pounded the room, knocking him to his knees. The light was gone but he could hear the plaster and concrete falling around him, felt smaller chunks bouncing off his shoulders and head. Dust filled the room, making it nearly impossible to breathe.
“Outside!” the owner shouted and coughed. A back door was suddenly kicked open and blinding light stabbed Daniel’s eyes. “Everybody outside!”
He staggered to his feet. To his left he saw the boy with the rifle helping the old man do the same. More explosions shattered the room. Pounding, deafening, throwing Daniel into Tyler. Somehow they kept their balance and stumbled toward the light. Coughing and gagging, they emerged into a narrow street, one end already blocked by smoke.
“This way!” one of the young men shouted, waving. “This way!”
Everyone turned and started to follow. Everyone but Daniel.
“Dad!” Tyler yelled over his shoulder. “Come on!”
“Where is he?” Daniel shouted, straining to see through the dust. “Where is the old man?”
“What?”
“The old man!”
Tyler spotted him at the door. “Right there, behind you!”
He spun around to see the old man emerge into the light, clutching the wooden box, leaning heavily upon his young assistant. Daniel heard the rocket coming but had no time to cover his face before the apartment next door exploded. The concussion threw him backward, pelting his skin with rock and concrete as he landed hard on the ground. But he only remained a moment. Even as the debris rained around him, he scrambled to his feet.
“Tyler!” he shouted. “Tyler!” He squinted through the billowing dust, choking, his throat on fire. “Tyler!”
“Here!” his son cried, coughing. “Over here!”
He turned to see Tyler staggering to his feet, helping Nayra to hers. The debris stopped falling and was replaced by the distant pop of automatic gunfire and panicked cries.
“He’s hurt!” Nayra shouted. She motioned to the old man, who lay under his young assistant. She raced toward them and Tyler followed. But it wasn’t the old man who was hurt. It was the aide. He did not move. And by the way his body was sprawled in the dirt, his neck grotesquely twisted, his eyes staring lifelessly, Daniel knew he would not move again.
The old man was struggling to crawl out from under him, shouting orders.
Nayra nodded and yelled to Tyler, “Get his gun! Get his gun!”
But Tyler had frozen. All he could do was stare at the young man. As far as Daniel knew, his son had never seen death before— except in movies or video games.
The gunfire grew closer.
Again the old man shouted and again Nayra translated. “Get the rifle!”
But Tyler could not move. With some effort Nayra pushed the aide aside and pulled the rifle off his shoulder. The movement shamed Tyler back into action. He reached for the old man and helped him to his feet.
“We must leave here!” Nayra shouted.
Tyler nodded and, allowing the old man to lean on him, started off in the only clear direction.
Daniel had just moved to join them when a soldier suddenly came into view. Another youngster. Younger than Tyler. He shouted something in Hebrew, an obvious order for them to stop.
Daniel slowed but Tyler did not. Instead he turned and began hobbling in the opposite direction.
“Tyler!” Daniel yelled.
Again the soldier shouted.
“Tyler, stop!”
The soldier raised his rifle.
“Tyler!” Gripped with fear, Daniel started toward the soldier, trying to explain, trying to draw his attention.
But the soldier ignored him and took aim.
“No!” Daniel twirled to Tyler. “Tyler, no!” Then back to the soldier. “No!” He started running at him. “No! No!”
The soldier fired.
Daniel spun around just in time to see the old man go limp in Tyler’s arms. But Tyler did not stop. In fear and panic he dragged the man faster.
“Tyler!”
The soldier aimed again.
Seeing no alternative, Daniel leaped between them, waving his arms, as a second shot was fired. Only it did not hit Tyler. Nor did it hit Daniel. Instead it was the young soldier who crumbled to the ground.
Confused, Daniel turned. He spotted Nayra lowering her rifle. She stared at it as if it were some strange creature as she tried to fathom what it had just done, what she had just done.
Three armed soldiers rounded the corner. They spotted their comrade, then Nayra, and immediately shouted, demanding that she drop the rifle. She held it at arm’s length, like a poisonous snake, and released it. It clattered onto the road. The soldiers started toward her.
Suddenly a white Mercedes slid around the corner, accelerating, barreling down on them. Having no time to take aim, the soldiers realized it would be smarter to leap for their lives. They weren’t wrong. The driver missed them by inches. The car fishtailed, avoiding the fallen soldier, then skidded to a stop directly beside Nayra.
“Get in!” a voice shouted.
Nayra stood paralyzed, still in shock.
The driver reached over and opened the passenger door. The sun’s reflection off the windshield made it impossible to recognize the face, but Daniel knew the voice.
“Get in!”
Woodenly, Nayra obeyed. She had barely entered before the tires spun furiously. The car slid to another stop between Daniel and Tyler.
“Hurry!” Helen shouted. “Get in! Get in!”
Daniel turned to help Tyler, who had kneeled down with the man. But the dark, widening circle in the old-timer’s back, and the ashen look on Tyler’s face, made it clear that his son had just witnessed his second death in as many minutes.
The soldiers behind them were scrambling to their feet, shouting, raising their rifles.
“Get in!” Helen yelled.
Daniel obeyed. But not Tyler. Not before the boy spotted the box near the old man’s hand and tentatively reached for it.
“Get in!”
The first bullet sank into the Mercedes’ left rear fender with a sickening thud. The second missed the car, sending up a cloud of dust inches from Tyler’s feet. He did not have to be told again. He grabbed the box, leaped up, and raced to the car. More shots were fired as he tumbled into the backseat, as the Mercedes sped off, as he tried more than once to grab the back door until he finally slammed it shut.

The Face of God Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, April 4
Book spotlighted at The Writer’s Life
Tuesday, April 5
Book reviewed at My Reading Room
Wednesday, April 6
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Thursday, April 7
Book reviewed at Life in Review
Friday, April 8
Book reviewed at Quiverfull Family
Monday, April 11
Book reviewed at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Tuesday, April 12
Interviewed at Examiner
Wednesday, April 13
Book reviewed at A Room Without Books is Empty
Thursday, April 14
Guest blogging & book giveaway at The Book Faery Reviews
Friday, April 15
Book reviewed at By the Book
Monday, April 18
Interviewed at Literarily Speaking
Tuesday, April 19
Book reviewed at Healing Hearts
Wednesday, April 20
Book spotlighted at The Book Connection
Thursday, April 21
Book reviewed at Reviews From the Heart
Interviewed at Review From Here
Guesting at Literarily Speaking’s April 2011 Book Panel
Friday, April 22
Book reviewed at Broken Teepee
Monday, April 25
Reviewed at Taming the Bookshelf
Tuesday, April 26
Guest blogging at Beyond the Books
Wednesday, April 27
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Thursday, April 28
Book reviewed by Book Reviews by Molly
Friday, April 29
Book reviewed at One Day at a Time

FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher through Pump Up Your Book Promotions for a honest review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Giveaway: Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip

   Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip

Publisher: Kensington

Publish Date: April 1, 2011

Paperback, 356 pages

ISBN: 978-0-7582-4182-5

Fiction 

***My review will be coming later this week***

About the Book:

Following her success of Peach Blossom Pavilion and Petals from the Sky is the release of SONG OF THE SILK ROAD (Kensington Publishing, April 2011, $15.00 U.S./$17.95 CAN.), the third novel by celebrated author, Mingmei Yip.  This richly imaginative novel follows one woman’s daunting journey along China’s fabled Silk Road, a life-changing adventure filled with the most unexpected revelations.

As a girl growing up in Hong Kong, Lily Lin was captivated by photographs of the desert—its long, lonely vistas and shifting sand dunes. Now living in New York, Lily is struggling to finish her graduate degree when she receives an astonishing offer. An aunt she never knew existed will pay Lily a huge sum to travel across China’s desolate Taklamakan Desert—and carry out a series of tasks along the way.

Intrigued, Lily accepts. Her assignments range from the dangerous to the bizarre. Lily must seduce a monk. She must scrape a piece of clay from the famous Terracotta Warriors, and climb the Mountains of Heaven to gather a rare herb. At Xian, her first stop, Lily meets Alex, a young American with whom she forms a powerful connection. And soon, she faces revelations that will redefine her past, her destiny, and the shocking truth behind her aunt’s motivations.

Powerful and eloquent, Song of the Silk Road is a captivating story of self-discovery, resonant with the mysteries of its haunting, exotic landscape.

Giveaway:

Thanks to the publicist, Media Muscle, I have one copy of Song of the Silk Road by Mingmei Yip to giveaway.  Simply fill out the form below.  US/Canada only.  Giveaway ends 4/11/2011.  

If you have trouble viewing the form, you can find it here.

Book Review: Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange

Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Publish Date: April 1, 2011

Paperback, 208 pages 
Fiction, Historical, Jane Austen Fiction
ISBN: 978-1402251863

My Review:
Why I read this:  I haven't read any of Ms. Grange's books before and didn't realize she had written various diaries by Jane Austen characters.  Although I did not like Wickham in Pride and Prejudice I must admit I was intrigued by who he was before Pride and Prejudice and I wanted to see Ms. Grange's take on him.

My thoughts: I loved this book. Sometimes it's easy to be disappointed by other authors taking a stab at Jane Austen fiction, but I was not at all disappointed with Ms. Grange's take on this Pride and Prejudice character.

A quick easy read, written as a diary by the infamous George Wickham from Pride and Prejudice.  Wickham's Diary takes us from Wickham at age 8 right up to the point where he crosses Mr. Darcy by trying to run off and elope with his sister Georgiana.

It's very interesting getting a better feel for Wickham, who at 12 seems pretty okay, but we start to see why he becomes the type of character he does.  Then going through the teen years and his years at Cambridge.  He's not a likable type, but that doesn't take away from this book at all because if  you have read P&P you don't want him to be a good guy - he's the ultimate bad guy.  It's fun to see him develop and see little glimpses of Mr. Darcy from Wickham's point-of-view.

There is not much more I can say and not give things away, but if you enjoy the offshoots of Jane Austen fiction then you will enjoy this diary.  I think Ms. Grange has stayed completely true to the character of George Wickham that Jane Austen created and has given us a wonderful backstory into his life and personality.

I will now be in search of Ms. Grange other diary books because this was such a fun format to read.

My Rating: 4.5/5.0

About the Book:

This prequel to Pride and Prejudice begins with George Wickham at age 12, handsome and charming but also acutely aware that his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is rich, whilst he is poor. His mother encourages him to exercise his charm on the young Georgiana Darcy and Anne de Bourgh in the hopes of establishing a stable of wealthy social connections.

At university, Darcy and Wickham grow apart. Wickham is always drinking and wenching, whilst Darcy, who apparently has everything, is looking for something he cannot find. Wickham runs through the money Darcy gives him and then takes up with the scandalous Belle, a woman after Wickham's own greedy, black heart.


About the Author: 

Amanda Grange is a popular author of historical fiction in the UK. She specializes in creative interpretations of classic novels and historical events, including Jane Austen's novels and the Titanic shipwreck. Her novels include Mr. Darcy's Diary, Mr. Knightley's Diary, Captain Wentworth's Diary, and Mr. Darcy, Vampyre. She lives in England.

Author Website

Twitter
Blog 

FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for a honest review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

It's Monday What Are You Reading - April 4

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in! 

Books Completed Last Week 

• Dragon Lady by Gary Alexander
• Horns by Joe Hill
• My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones
• Valentine Bride by Christine Rimmer
• Overtime in the Boss's Bed by Nicola Marsh
• The Secret Child and the Cowboy CEO by Janice Maynard
• Wickham's Diary by Amanda Grange

Reading Now: 

• The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger (audio, car)
• Drought by Pam Bachorz (audio, mp3 player)
• The Face of God by Bill Myers
• Night Road by Kristin Hannah (review)

Next:

• Lowcountry Summer by Dorothea Benton Frank
• Stillettos and Scoudrels by Laina Turner-Molaski
  
• Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter
• The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry
• Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult
• Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran
• The Emperor's Tomb by Steve Berry
• Red Wolf by Liza Marklund

Summary -

A much calmer week since it rained most of the week - we only had one evening we had to do something with the kids.  Though because of the rain, I did have another flare-up, but thankfully it was only one missed day of work.  

I was hard at work on the reading this week.  I had to finish up judging for a RWA contest and I enjoyed all 4 of the short contemporaries I read.  It reminded me why I use to read various Harlequin imprints from time-to-time.  Wonderful stories that make for great escapism for a few hours.  So that is done and now it's time to play catch-up on my review titles again.

This week's weather looks mostly sunny so I expect it to be a busy week with practices and opening ceremonies on Saturday.  Hopefully they won't have any games that day so I can go the ceremonies and leave and get back to Dewey's 24-hour-read-a-thon that is taking place this weekend!  I can't wait.

Best of the week:  Tie between Dragon Lady by Gary Alexander and Horns by Joe Hill - two completely different books, but both were great!

How was your week?

Book Review: Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Kat, Incorrigible

Publisher: Atheneum

Publish Date: April 5, 2011

Hardcover, 304 pages
Young Adult, ages 10 and up 
ISBN: 978-1416994473

My Review:
This was the first book I picked up during the Spring read-a-thon in 2010 (I won it in a giveaway) and it is a perfect read-a-thon book because once you start reading it you will not want to put it down.  This book had me from the first sentence:

I was twelve years of age when I chopped off my hair, dressed as a boy, and set off to save my family from impending ruin. I made it almost to the end of my front garden...

I mean doesn't that just set the tone so well.  Kat, Incorrigible will keep you turning the pages and laughing at the same time.  Kat is a wonderful, strong female character, but she is still just 12 years old which back in 1800s England was older acting than now, but still a child.  She is trying to take on the world, or at least her Stepmama who is trying to marry off her older sister Elissa to a much older and not very nice man.  Elissa makes a great older sister and I love her love of gothic novels and her desire to be a gothic heroine.  She is partial to drama but not an annoying drama queen, more of the oh woe is me, I will do this to help out my family even if I suffer.  Angeline is in between Elissa and Kat in age and personality.  She has more of Kat's spirit and is a little mischievous too. All three sisters are great in the book as is the Stepmama.  As I stated during the read-a-thon, I kept picturing Angelica Huston as Stepmama after her role in Ever After (though this is not a Cinderella story at all).  She just fit.

There are other characters in the book as well and they all fit the book very well.  I loved the magic of the book.  It was fun and light.  The plotting was well-paced and kept me interested until the end. Ms. Burgis does a wonderful job on both plot and characters.

I can't say enough about this book - it is just fantastic and I think it will appeal to girls of all ages (though it is marketed to ages 10-15).  Kat gives girls something to aspire to, she is trying to figure out right and wrong and just how to be herself and she is a beautifully done character.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

About the Book:
Twelve-year-old Kat Stephenson may be the despair of her social-climbing Step-Mama, but she was born to be a magical Guardian and protector of Society--if she can ever find true acceptance in the secret Order that expelled her own mother. She's ready to turn the hidebound Order of the Guardians inside-out, whether the older members like it or not. And in a society where magic is the greatest scandal of all, Kat is determined to use all her powers to help her three older siblings--saintly Elissa, practicing-witch Angeline, and hopelessly foolish Charles--find their own true loves, even if she has to turn highwayman, battle wild magic, and confront real ghosts along the way!

About the Author:
Stephanie Burgis grew up in East Lansing, Michigan, but fell in love with Regency England when she discovered the novels of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. She decided to be a writer when she was seven, and sold her first short story when she was fifteen. Stephanie lives with her husband, fellow writer Patrick Samphire, their baby, and their dog in Wales. (from Amazon.com)

Her webpage: http://www.stephanieburgis.com/
Her blog:  http://www.stephanieburgis.com/blog/

FTC Information: I received this book from the author Stephanie Burgis.  I won it on Lisa Mantchev's blog.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Book Review: My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones

My Jane Austen Summer by Cindy Jones

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publish Date: March 29, 2011

Paperback, 352 pages 
Fiction
ISBN: 978-0399254123

My Review:
Why I read this: I love all things Jane Austen so this was a must.


My thoughts:  A really great book in the end, entertaining, witty, soul-searching and just a great read.

I have to admit I almost put this book down.  I was at around 100 pages and it just wasn't clicking for me.  Then suddenly it clicked and I could not put it down.  Lily is a great character, she is looking for herself and looking for a man who will understand her and join her in her love of books.  I love how she grows and learns in this book.  I also like watching how the people around her begin to shape her and change her and help her learn about herself along with her Jane Austen who she often sees around her.

The plot was interesting once I really understood what was going on.  The main driving force is Lily and her character development but there are also some other plots going on as well.  I loved the setting of the old manor house, it was perfect for the Jane Austen plot and the acting and re-enacting the theater group was doing.

Some of the secondary characters I liked and some I didn't, but that was the point.  Some redeemed themselves by the end and some were still unlikeable.  It was an interesting group of characters and I like how Ms. Jones made them all very different and somewhat alike at the same time.

If you enjoy Jane Austen literature or anything that refers to it, then this will be an enjoyable book for you.  If you like the slightly more grown-up chicklit (less references to brands and fashions) then this is a book for you.  I really enjoy books where characters grow and learn about themselves and also am a sucker for books set in England so this one had me on two counts.

Ms. Jones freshman offering is very enjoyable and I look forward to her next foray into fiction as well.


My Rating: 4.0/5.0

About the Book:
Lily has squeezed herself into undersized relationships all her life, hoping one might grow as large as those found in the Jane Austen novels she loves. But lately her world is running out of places for her to fit. So when her bookish friend invites her to spend the summer at a Jane Austen literary festival in England, she jumps at the chance to reinvent herself.

There, among the rich, promising world of Mansfield Park reenactments, Lily finds people whose longing to live in a novel equals her own. But real-life problems have a way of following you wherever you go, and Lily's accompany her to England. Unless she can change her ways, she could face the fate of so many of Miss Austen's characters, destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.

My Jane Austen Summer explores how we fall in love, how we come to know ourselves better, and how it might be possible to change and be happier in the real world.



About the Author: 

Cindy Jones was born in Ohio and grew up in small midwestern towns, reading for escape. She is a winner of the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest, and she lives with her family in Dallas.


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FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher through TLC Book Tours for a honest review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.