Monday, January 31, 2011

Mailbox Monday and What Are You Reading?


In this meme, I let you know what books I received in the mail over the last month.  I post each Mailbox Monday on the last Monday of the month.  January's host is Rose City Reader.  Here's January's lineup:



Hot Chocolate for Couples - Cindy Dagnan
Fasting - Scot McNight
Made to Crave - Lysa TerKeurst
Gallimore - Michelle Griep
Tender Vow - Sharlene MacLaren
A Moveable Feast - Various, edited by Don George
Fit to be Tied, A Matter of Character, A Vote of Confidence - Robin Lee Hatcher
Dragons of the Valley - Donita K. Paul
Chasing Francis - Ian Morgan Cron
Spiritual Vitamins - Sister Janet Lovell
Lady in Waiting - Susan Meissner
Lydia's Charm, A Celebration of the Simple Life, Indiana Cousins Trilogy - Wanda E. Brunstetter
Sacred Journey - Steven Brooke
Bear Speaks - Laura Carpini
Truth - Peter Temple
On Balance - Adam Phillips
A Life Like Other People's - Alan Bennett
Best of Lonely Planet Travel Writing - Various, edited by Tony Wheeler
Writing Down Your Soul - Janet Conner
The Girl in the Gatehouse - Julie Klassen




It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This weekly Meme is hosted by Sheila on Book Journey.

What IRead Last Week:
The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen
Love Finds You in Calico, California by Elizabeth Ludwig
Red Ink by Kathi Macias

What I'm Reading This Week:
The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn and Robert Lewis
Distant Thunder by Jimmy Root, Jr.
Tender Vow by Sharlene MacLaren
Edited Tuesday 2/1/2011:  I decided to switch the third book I'm reading because I read the back of Tender Vow and decided I can't wait to read it.  I need to stop doing that - it's throwing my reading schedule out of whack!  :P

What I'm Reading Next Week:  
Lydia's Charm by Wanda E. Brunstetter
A Moveable Feast by Lonely Planet
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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Book Review and Giveaway: The Girl in the Gatehouse


It's the Regency era in England, and English propriety and repression are the social norms of the day.  In The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen,  Mariah Aubrey has been sent away from her family and her role in the local social circles.  Why?  Because of whispered scandals and gossip surrounding her.  Mariah's father has decided that her "improper" influence may be too much on her younger sister, and he believes her continued presence with the family may be seen as condoning her actions.  In the aftermath of this scandalous event, Mariah is sent to live in her Aunt's gatehouse several miles away, with her only companion being the Nanny she grew up with.

When her Aunt's home is let by the Captain Matthew Bryant of the British Royal Navy, it appears as though Mariah may find another friend after all.  Captain Bryant is intrigued by the girl in the gatehouse, and marvels at her seemingly self-imposed exile.  Bryant and Mariah form a friendship that Mariah can only pray is not hindered by whispers of her past.  Her only outlet of emotions, and her only way of dealing with her past, is through her novel writing, which is seen as one of the most improper practices for a lady in Regency England.  Determined to live life as a woman of propriety, while keeping her many secrets to herself, Mariah struggles to find happiness in her new life.  When events unfold that may reveal the truth about her past and her novel writing, will the bonds she's formed with those around her hold strong, or will those she care about turn her away again, in attempts to save face and keep hold of their own good reputations?

There is one word I can think of to describe this book - absorbing.  I became engrossed in Mariah's new life as an exile away from her family, and her gentleness and kindness in the face of such painful events encouraged me greatly.  Julie Klassen, the author, has clearly researched the Regency period of England well, as she makes the reader feel like they are living right alongside Mariah in the pages of this book.  I enjoyed seeing how Mariah interacted with the few people she becomes acquainted with after she arrives at the gatehouse.  And, yes, the most interesting acquaintance is the one between Mariah and Captain Bryant - the scenes involving these two often left me short of breath!  The greatest part about this book, though, is the redemption that occurs with more than one character.  I love to see characters who see their faults - and their fall - for what they truly are, and strive to make themselves better as a result.  This allows me to connect in a great way with the characters since I can relate to them so well.  Klassen does an incredible job of making the characters and events believable - and relatable, especially considering the historical setting.  I highly recommend reading this book - you will not regret it, and I think you will even learn a bit about yourself while reading this book!  

  • Paperback: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House (January 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0764207083
  • ISBN-13: 978-0764207082


Legal Necessities:  I received this book for free from the publisher.

Enter below to win my review copy of The Girl in the Gatehouse.  This giveaway will run from today 1/29/2011 to 2/13/2011 at 11:59 pm EDT.

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Oh, yeah... Southern Fiber Knits, too!!!

While I was hopping around to everyone's blogs for Follow Friday and the Book Blogger Hop, I noticed that there are several of us book lovers that knit, too!  I am henceforth going to also give periodic updates on my knitting projects and yarn stuff.  I am also looking for people who commune on Ravelry!  So - if you knit, please let me know who you are, and if you're on Ravelry, let me know that, too!  I am southernfiber on Ravelry.  Here is a picture of my WIP (work in progress).  It is a monkey sock knit with KnitPicks Stroll in Queen Anne.  I am a bit further along on it now, but the picture is the most recent one I have on my computer.  Happy Reading, and Happy Knitting!

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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Follow My Book Blog Friday and Book Blogger Hop


This is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee.  Click the link to add your name to the linky list and follow, follow, follow!  This week's FF question is:

What was your favorite subject in school?  (from Marie @ Mission To Read)

This is a toss-up for me.  I really, really enjoyed English and Language Arts in school!  I enjoyed getting to read a lot of great books, and I actually enjoyed writing papers on them.  I guess that was good training ground for me to become a book review blogger.  I also enjoyed learning grammar as well.

The second subject I enjoyed was history.  My dad is a big history buff, so I guess I got that from him.  I like learning the history of several different countries, as well as the United States.  I am also an avid military history freak - I enjoy learning things about different wars.
Book Blogger Hop



In the spirit of the Twitter Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and share our love of the written word!  This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs to read!  So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!  And stop back throughout the weekend to see all the new blogs that are added!  We get over 200 links every week!! 


This week's question comes from Aliyah who blogs at Des Absurdités:
 "What book are you most looking forward to seeing published in 2011?  Why are you anticipating that book?"




I am realllly anticipating The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner!  I really enjoy speculative fiction, and this book concerns the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse.  I'm soooo excited!  This book is being released by Thomas Nelson Publishers, so I am hoping that they offer this book as a part of their Book Sneeze program.  

Here is a write up about the book from Amazon.com:

An epic tale of good and evil based on the four horsemen of the Apocalypse found in the book of Revelation.
Using the four horsemen of the Apocalypse to symbolize the four Gospels, four transcendentals, and four forces of the universe (air, water, earth, and fire), Sweet and Wagner weave a fast-paced, end-times tale of good vs. evil and the promise of a new dawn for humanity.
Set in 2048, when planet Earth is suffering from the damaging effects of years of misuse and abuse, cultural history professor Paul Binder receives a mysterious letter that leads him to examine a lost 2nd-century Diatessaron manuscript. Ancient prophecies, cryptic letters, and strange events set him on a course to uncover the missing clues that could lead humanity into a new age. Each character embodies elements of the four horsemen in a race to save the world from total destruction. Layered with forgotten symbolism from the ancient, Jewish, and Christian traditions, the novel is a type of engaged fiction in which the main character's lost journal serves as a guide to the reader in interpreting clues and understanding the novel's conclusion.

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Dragons of the Valley Day 3


Book link  - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073405 
Author’s web site – http://www.donitakpaul.com/
Author’s blog - http://dragonbloggin.blogspot.com/

I have really enjoyed being a part of this blog tour!  Today, I would like to quickly mention some of Donita K. Paul's other dragon related items of note.


As a woman, I love to shop, and I really enjoy unique finds that most others may not have.  Donita's shoppe is full of great finds, all of them related to her books.  You can choose from earrings, neclaces, charms, and other gifts.  There are several dragon-inspired pieces of work that are truly beautiful.  You can also find turtle themed pieces that go along with her children's books.

Speaking of her children's books, if they're any bit as good as Dragons of the Valley, you will want to check them out!  I have not read any of her children's books, but what I have read about them on her website and blog, I want to.  


Donita has written children's books that center around a turtle named Roger and a dragon named Padraig.  These two friends have lots of fun and adventures together, and you can get in on the fun by clicking the picture above to go to their website.  You can play games, do mazes, and even enter a contest where you and your child make a dragon themed cake!  So grab your little one(s) and head over to Roger the turtle and Padraig the dragon's website for some great fun and lots of learning.

I have enjoyed my first blog tour - so much so that I cannot wait to be a part of another one!  Check back here in February where I participate in another CSFF blog tour.  Happy Reading!  

In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.





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Wondrous Words and WoW 100 Words Wednesday

Both of today's memes center around The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen.  I am considering doing a giveaway for this book after I post the review.  If you are interested, please leave a comment and let me know.  Thank you!



Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading.  If you want to play along, grab the button, write a post, and head to Bermuda Onion's blog to add your link to Mr. Linky!http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com

reticule - (in the 18th and 19th centuries) a woman's small bag or purse,usually in the form of a pouch with a drawstring and made ofnet, beading, brocade, etc

ague - a fit of fever or shivering or shaking chills, accompanied bymalaise, pains in the bones and joints, etc.; chill.

buss - an archaic or dialect word for kiss


WOW WEEKLY 100 WORDS
This meme is hosted by Ruthi at Ruthi Reads!  The object is simple:  share exactly 100 words from the book you are currently reading, and no spoilers!  Be sure to include your book's title, author, and page number in your post.  Head over to Ruthi's site and add your link to your book!  Happy Reading!

     "It looks well on you.  You . . . look well," she faltered.  He did indeed.  In fact, he looked quite handsome in his cutaway riding coat and black boots with contrasting tan cuffs.
      Placing her foot into his interlaced hands, she allowed him to assist her up onto the horse.  Settling onto the sidesaddle, she hooked her right knee over the pommel and rested her calf behind the horse's shoulders.  She felt Captain Bryant's gloved hands gently guide her slippered left foot into the single stirrup.  Warm pleasure threaded up her leg at his touch, innocent and pragmatic though it was.  She...
                                                          -- p. 211, The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen 


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Dragons of the Valley Day 2


Book link  - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1400073405 
Author’s web site – http://www.donitakpaul.com/
Author’s blog - http://dragonbloggin.blogspot.com/

Dragons, dragons, dragons!  Everyone loves them.  The other day, while on Facebook, I saw a status update that said something to the effect of:  

PLEASE put this on your status if you know someone or are related to someone who has been eaten by dragons. Dragons are nearly unstoppable, and in case you didn't know, they can breathe fire. 93% of people won't copy and paste this, because they have already been eaten by dragons. 6% of people are sitting in the shower, armed with fire extinguishers. The remaining 1% are awesome, and will re-post this.  

In all honesty, most people do think that dragons are vicious, dangerous, fire breathing, and able to take down a human in a split second.

I was doing some hunting around and found some interesting dragon facts on Encyclopedia.com:

  • Sir Lancelot slayed a dragon
  • Prince Vlad of Wallachia changed his name to Vlad Dracul - he is the inspiration behind what we know as "Dracula".  Dracul is the Romanian word for dragon
  • Some believe that dragons can be tamed by music
  • Dragons even appear in the Bible, with Ezekiel 29 and Romans 12 being examples
My husband and I are big fans of the BBC/SyFy television show Merlin. In this particular instance, the Great Dragon has been captured and held captive by King Uther for reasons unkonwn to Merlin and most others. Some believe he is being held as an example against magic. Merlin finds that the Great Dragon can be a source of great information, and often, the Dragon helps Merlin get through one situation or another. He is not completely selfless and kind, however - the Great Dragon will do whatever it takes to see that his personal agenda is accomplished. The Great Dragon is not inherently evil, but he is certainly self-serving.

Donita K. Paul takes dragons to the next level in Dragons of the Valley. In this book, the dragons are genuinely kind and helpful to the people they have been entrusted to. They help heal, and more importantly, they are agents of Wulder, the creator. It is in their design and nature to help Wulder accomplish His will. In case you haven't figured out yet, Wulder symbolizes God in this story. While the dragons in Paul's book are not lowly, meek, mild, and gentle, they are kind and they fight for truth and Wulder. In my reading of this story, these dragons closely mirror angels. They are fierce and strong, but they are right and true - and great sources of help and protectioin for those who trust in Wulder. Some others may not see the dragons portrayed as such when they read the story - this is my personal interpretation of the dragons in Dragons of the Valley.

If you love dragons, and fantasy in general, you will really enjoy Dragons of the Valley. If you will click on the links above, you can find out more about the book, and you can find out more about Paul and her other books. Check back here tomorrow for the final day of the Dragons of the Valley book tour! Happy Reading!


In conjunction with the CSFF Blog Tour, I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.





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