The official Foyle's War website!

There's a snazzy new website that just launched recently dedicated to one of the very best television shows around, the inimitable Foyle's War, you should check it out. Lots of history and episode info and PRETTY PICTURES! Michael Kitchen, I love you. :) :)

Review: The Clover House by Henriette Lazaridis Power

The Clover House
By: Henriette Lazaridis Power
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-0-345-53068-4

Review:

Calliope "Callie" Brown, a first-generation Greek-American living in Boston, is shocked when she receives a phone call from her cousin notifying her of their uncle Nestor's death, and that she has been named heiress of all his worldly goods. At first uninterested in claiming the unexpected bequest, Callie's interest is piqued when her estranged mother Clio, who returned to her Greek homeland following the death of Callie's father, makes a rare call in an blatant attempt to dissuade Callie from fulfilling her uncle's dying wish. Eager to escape her commitment-ready boyfriend, Callie makes arrangements to journey to Patras, Greece, determined to discover a clue among her uncle's possessions to her own thorny relationship with her mother. As a child, Callie was captivated by her mother's stories of growing up in Greece, stories that painted an almost idyllic portrait of life in a world that was, in actuality, riddled by conflict. But her mother's stories are the only truth Callie knows, a truth she stubbornly clings to in the face of familial discord and her own increasingly fractured life. The deeper Callie delves into her uncle's treasures, the closer she comes to uncovering truths about her mother and family that threaten to fracture already-fragile bonds, unless those involved choose to accept Nestor's final bequests -- the light of truth and the balm of forgiveness.

The Clover House possesses a fascinating premise -- combining Callie's contemporary search for meaning and identity with stories from her mother's childhood, Power spins a highly-relatable tale of tension-fraught parent-child relationships peppered with the fascinating (and arguably generally un-studied) history of Greece during and after the second World War. As an amateur student of the era, I loved the opportunity Power provides of diving deep into the wartime experiences of a culture and its history that in my experience has not been given wide exposure in books or films. Through Callie, Power taps into not only I think a very human tendency to romanticize the past, but as her mother's story is gradually meted out throughout the novel it becomes a powerful exploration of how the past informs the present, and how secrets -- kept for good or ill -- can crack the foundation of relationships.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the idea behind The Clover House, and the gradual unfolding of the mystery surrounding Clio's life, I was struck over and over by the devastating lack of any sort of maturity or emotional health as exhibited by both Callie and her mother. Immaturity is more excusable of course in the chapters detailing Clio's childhood -- not only was she a teenager, eager for adult experiences, but her growing up was irrevocably changed by the advent of war -- a new norm that only those who lived like experiences could perhaps ever fully grasp. Callie, however, is another story entirely. I get that she had a terrible childhood and that she's been damaged by her parents' fighting and her mother's emotional distance. But when this novel opens she's about to turn thirty-five -- determined to destroy her boyfriend's attempts to build a future with her, getting upset when holes are discovered in her mother's DECADES OLD stories (hello, memory is not an exact science), and becoming petulant when others in her extended family don't share her obsession with their collective dysfunctional past and are more concerned with building reasonably happy lives in the present. I get that I can't (thankfully) relate to Callie's horribly skewed relationship with her mother, but what grates most is the immaturity and lack of any sense of personal responsibility for her own emotional health, for determining the trajectory of her own life, in a woman approaching her fourth decade.

Despite the fact that neither main character is particularly likable, The Clover House is a welcome addition to World War II-era fiction and a well-written, oft-times fascinating treatise on how the past, while gone, is never truly forgotten, its repercussions impacting the lives of generations to come. Power's narrative delves deeply into the richness of Callie's family heritage and provides a fascinating glimpse into Greek culture, particularly the importance of family ties in anchoring one's identity, critical in Callie's search for closure. I loved how Power intersperses the storyline with chapters from Clio's historical perspective, illuminating critical truths relative Callie's most recent discoveries. It's an effective narrative device, one I wouldn't mind seeing Power develop in subsequent novels but balanced by a protagonist who is at least marginally likable. While The Clover House didn't resonate with me quite as deeply as I'd hoped, it is nevertheless a richly-drawn and thought-provoking reading experience.

About the book:

Perfect for fans of Tatiana de Rosnay’s Sarah’s Key, this stunning debut novel brings to life World War II-era and modern-day Greece—and tells the story of a vibrant family and the tragic secret kept hidden for generations.
 
Boston, 2000: Calliope Notaris Brown receives a shocking phone call. Her beloved uncle Nestor has passed away, and now Callie must fly to Patras, Greece, to claim her inheritance. Callie’s mother, Clio—with whom Callie has always had a difficult relationship—tries to convince her not to make the trip. Unsettled by her mother’s strange behavior, and uneasy about her own recent engagement, Callie decides to escape Boston for the city of her childhood summers. After arriving at the heady peak of Carnival, Callie begins to piece together what her mother has been trying to hide. Among Nestor’s belongings, she uncovers clues to a long-kept secret that will alter everything she knows about her mother’s past and about her own future.
 
Greece, 1940: Growing up in Patras in a prosperous family, Clio Notaris and her siblings feel immune to the oncoming effects of World War II, yet the Italian occupation throws their privileged lives into turmoil. Summers in the country once spent idling in the clover fields are marked by air-raid drills; the celebration of Carnival, with its elaborate masquerade parties, is observed at home with costumes made from soldiers’ leftover silk parachutes. And as the war escalates, the events of one fateful evening will upend Clio’s future forever.
 
A moving novel of the search for identity, the challenges of love, and the shared history that defines a family, The Clover House is a powerful debut from a distinctive and talented new writer.

*Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the review opportunity, and my apologies for the late post!

Celebrating the release of Follow the Heart!

Today I am thrilled to help my dear friend Kaye Dacus celebrate the release of her newest novel, Follow the Heart, the first in the Great Exhibition series from B&H Publishing, releasing May 1st!

Kaye Dacus is the author of humorous, hope-filled contemporary and historical romances with Barbour Publishing, Harvest House Publishers, and B&H Publishing. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, is a former Vice President of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. Kaye lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she is a full-time academic advisor and part-time English Composition instructor for Bethel University.

Follow the Heart, Book 1 of the Great Exhibition Series is the story of an American woman is sent to England to marry wealth, but finds herself torn between the poor man she loves and the viscount who offers the wealth and stability that can save her family.

About the novel:

Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money.

At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America.

Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess.

While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?

Mandates . . . money . . . matrimony. Who will follow the heart?

And now a few fun questions!

How does Follow the Heart fit with the other books you've written?

Follow the Heart and the Great Exhibition series are similar to my contemporary series (The Brides of Bonneterre and the Matchmakers series with Barbour Publishing) as they are light-hearted, stand-alone novels which are tied together with recurring characters and a familiar setting. They’re also similar to The Ransome Trilogy (Harvest House Publishers) as I try to fully immerse the reader in the language, fashion, and details of the historical era. And each book fulfills my promise of “Humor, Hope, and Happily Ever Afters” that my readers have come to expect.

What's the takeaway/what do you hope will stick with people when they finish reading the book?

Women, especially, tend to look at our choices as a series of obligations—we do what we feel we are obligated to do for the sake of our families, not necessarily what we feel our hearts are telling us to do. I believe, and it’s the theme of this book, that we spend too much time worrying about how we can fix/help/support our families (or those around us at work or in friendships) and not enough time listening to and trusting God. When we pray, we tend to tell God what’s wrong and ask him to fix it. But do we ever really take the time to just be still and listen to what God is trying to tell us? And can we really let God take care of those we feel responsible for and let go of that burden of responsibility that may not, in truth, be ours to bear?

What interests you most about the Victorian era?

I love that it still has the sensibility of the Regency era—from the activities like balls and dinners to the formality of courting customs—yet in 1851, the world is on the cusp of the Industrial Revolution: train and steamboat travel, telegraph, indoor plumbing (“retiring/refreshing rooms” with pay toilets at the Great Exhibition!). I also love that women were starting to come into their own a bit more. Still not considered equals, but at least starting to get some recognition for their contributions and accomplishments in society.

How does the title of the book tie in with the story?

It’s pretty literal and very clearly spelled out in the story—Kate must decide if she will marry a man she doesn’t love because of what she feels is her responsibility/obligation to save her family or follow her heart and marry for love and (possibly) see her family suffer for it. It goes deeper than that, but that’s where the premise of the story started. 

If you had to choose another genre to write in, what would it be?

As Jeff Gerke (publisher, Marcher Lord Press) is fond of reminding me: everyone has a science fiction book in them somewhere. And he’s right. I’m a long-time sci-fi TV/movie fan (I’ve been to a few Star Trek conventions, after all), and I’ve recently been playing around with an idea for a sci-fi story/series. It’s mostly world-building and character development at this point, but it’s a fun diversion. (Ruth here: LOVE THIS IDEA!!) :)

If you were to star in a romantic movie, would it be contemporary or historical, drama or comedy, and what actor would play your leading man?

If I were to star in a romantic movie, it would be a humorous contemporary. Melissa McCarthy, Queen Latifah, and Adele would play my three best friends with whom I share a large house in the ’burbs of Nashville, and Oded Fehr would be a highly respected (and wealthy) surgeon at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and he would fall head-over-heels in love with me. Of course, tomorrow, I could be an independent Englishwoman who travels to New Zealand in the early 20th Century there to meet the handsome, charming Karl Urban and, after some humorous misunderstandings and miscommunication, we live happily ever after on our sheep farm. 

Thanks for stopping by, Kaye! Follow the Heart is available everywhere May 1st, including Amazon, Kindle, and LifeWay Christian Stores! Enjoy!

Review: Roses Have Thorns by Sandra Byrd

Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I (Ladies in Waiting #3)
By: Sandra Byrd
Publisher: Howard Books
ISBN: 978-1-4391-8316-8

Review:

Just shy of her seventeenth birthday, Lady Elin von Snakenborg's future is in flux -- though she is engaged, her fiance's eye has turned toward her younger sister, jeopardizing her future just as she prepares to embark on an arduous journey to the English court as one of the Swedish Princess Cecelia's attendants. With her future at home uncertain, Elin turns her attentions to life at the English court and its charismatic queen, Elizabeth I. When Elin catches the eye of the Marquess of Northampton, Sir William Parr, she determines to forge a new life for herself at the center of Tudor power, and remains behind in service to Elizabeth when Cecelia and her retinue return to Sweden. Taking the name of Helena, she determines to become a true Englishwoman, and devotes herself to serve her new queen. Helena's loyalty to Elizabeth does not go unnoticed or unrewarded, and she quickly becomes one of Elizabeth's chosen few, a lady of privilege and power in a dangerous world that would seek to sway the queen's decisions. When Helena falls in love with an untitled gentleman, she discovers just how high a price the cost of friendship with a queen can be, and must decide how to balance loyalty to her sovereign with the desires of her heart.

Roses Have Thorns is the third installment of Sandra Byrd's Ladies in Waiting series, exploring the lives, loves, and times of powerful Tudor queens as seen through the eyes of their closest companions -- the ladies in waiting who stood in attendance while history was being made. I haven't read Byrd's work before, but after reading her richly evocative exploration of Elizabeth and Helena's world, I definitely plan to explore the previous novels in this series which focused on two of Elizabeth's predecessors -- her mother, Anne Bolyen, and her father's last wife, Kateryn Parr. I love novels that seek to shed light on the lives of women at pivotal points in history -- most often against highly patriarchal social constructs. Byrd's work here illuminating the life of Elizabeth I, as seen through the eyes of one of her closest companions -- a foreign noblewoman who rose to the heights of Tudor power, becoming the second-highest ranking woman in the land, fits comfortably alongside the fiction from the likes of C.W. Gortner. Gortner is a master at restoring the humanity and complicated passions to women (such as Catherine de Medici) oft-times maligned by history. In a similar fashion Byrd crafts a thoroughly engaging portrait of Elizabeth through the eyes of a woman who revered her, whose unswerving loyalty was balanced by a keen insight into the volatile nature of the power Elizabeth wielded, and the passion and strength it took to devote herself whole-heartedly to her country's welfare.

I loved Helena's character, as over the course of the novel the once shy, uncertain princess matures into a compassionate, fiercely loyal friend of the crown, and as such is uniquely placed to witness the trials and triumphs of Elizabeth's reign -- from the threat posed to her crown by her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, to the "Protestant wind" that destroyed the threat poised to her island kingdom by the Spanish Armada. But the favor of the queen is not without cost, and as it becomes increasingly clear that Elizabeth will devote herself to the service of England at the expense of marriage and family, she demands a level of loyalty and sacrifice in her attendants that mirrors her own. Byrd's poignant exploration of Elizabeth's sacrifice of singleness is extraordinarily well-crafted, humanizing the legendary queen in memorably unique manner. Likewise, the stress service to the queen places on Helena's second marriage illuminating and heart-breaking -- I'd never considered the cost of service to the queen, only the honor. By far my favorite aspect of the novel comes in the final third, where Helena fights to renew her marriage, stressed to the breaking point by the demands of royal service. It's one of the most frankly honest, stirring portraits of the work it takes to sustain a marriage that I've ever read in historical or contemporary fiction.

Byrd has clearly done her research on the time period, saturating each page of Helena's story with delicious period detail, from the gowns and jewelry that adorned Elizabeth and her ladies to the customs, pastimes, and politics that made up day-to-day court life. She deftly utilizes language, cosmetic detail, and historical fact to create a rich, evocative portrait of an epicenter of sixteenth-century power. If I have one complaint, it's the novel's pacing and the manner in which the passage of time is marked in this relatively slim volume (just over 300 pages). Covering a span of nearly forty years, time flies at a break-neck speed, making this a fast read, yes -- but one wishes for more pages in which to savor Helena's experiences and rise to power in service to Elizabeth. Chapters can cover nearly two years -- and when one's protagonist is at one point having a child per chapter, it's unavoidable that the pacing and structure of the novel feel rushed as a result. That said, being left wanting more isn't an entirely bad problem for a novel to have. *wink*

Roses Have Thorns offers a unique, richly-drawn portrait of Elizabeth as seen through the eyes of one closest to her -- a woman who devoted decades of her life in service to the queen of her adopted homeland. Replete with the drama, intrigue, and passions the period is known for, Byrd grounds the very human elements of her story with a subtle faith thread, one that never overwhelms the story but is instead organic to the time period, enriching and personalizing the struggles of characters long dead, brought to vibrant life with Byrd's evocative prose. This is a gorgeously-rendered achievement, and if this is the type of historical fiction Byrd is capable of I'm left more eager than ever for her next project. A novel of women, their friendships, and the price of power, Roses Have Thorns is thought-provoking, heart-rending historical fiction at its best.

About the book:

What happens when serving a queen may cost you your marriage -- or your life?

In 1565, seventeen-year-old Elin von Snakenborg leaves Sweden on a treacherous journey to England. Her fiance has fallen in love with her sister and her dowry money has been gambled away, but ahead of her lies an adventure that will take her to the dizzying heights of Tudor power. Transformed through marriage into Helena, the Marchioness of Northampton, she becomes the highest-ranking woman in Elizabeth's circle.

But in a court that is surrounded by Catholic enemies who plot the queen's downfall, Helena is forced to choose between her unyielding monarch and the husband she's not sure she can trust -- a choice that will provoke catastrophic consequences.

A rich, tautly woven tale of love, deception, and grace, Roses Have Thorns vividly conjures the years leading up to the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots and is a brilliant exploration of treason, both to the realm and to the heart.

*Thanks to the publisher for the review opportunity.

BBC America's "The Musketeers"

I'd almost forgotten about this project, and then these photos surfaced:

Here's the info about the show from the press release accompanying the photos:

BBC AMERICA has released the very first photos for The Musketeers, their new 10-part action drama set for 2014.

Created by My Week with Marilyn‘s Adrian Hodges, Musketeers takes the characters from Alexandre Dumas‘ classic novel and puts them on the chaotic, lawless streets of 17th century Paris, where soldiers Athos, Aramis and Porthos serve as Louis XIII’s personal bodyguards. They meet and befriend D’Artagan, a skilled fighter who is dead-set on achieving justice for his father’s death. Luke Pasqualino (Skins, The Borgias) stars as D’Artagnan, with Tom Burke (The Hour) as Athos, Santiago Cabrera (Heroes) as Aramis and Howard Charles as Porthos. (The Hour‘s Peter Capaldi, Tamla Kari, Maimie McCoy, and Hugo Speer round out the ensemble.)

Doesn't this sound fun? I'm super excited about the prospect of 1) MUSKETEERS!, 2) Tom Burke, 3) Santiago Cabrera, and 4) Peter friggin' Capaldi from The Hour. Helllloooooo eye candy. *wink*

Disney classics

These photos are SO COOL. Disney characters spliced with photos of the real-life models that inspired them!

The Sleeping Beauty ones are my favorite. :) Photos via The Mary Sue/jamieleto.

today at TeeFury

Calling all Doctor Who fans -- today's shirt at TeeFury is absolutely ADORABLE.

The Doctor & Friends by joebot is available today only!

Normally I'm not all about remakes...

...but this, this is another story entirely. According to Deadline, Fox has secured the rights to Guys & Dolls and is eyeing Channing Tatum and Joseph Gordon-Levitt for the leads. Please, please, PLEASE this casting NEEDS to happen! I think this could have some real potential.