2011 INSPY Award nominations are open!

I am thrilled to be able to announce that nominations for the 2011 INSPY Awards are now open! About the awards:

Recognizing the need for a new kind of book award, the INSPYs were created by bloggers to discover and highlight the very best in literature that grapples with expressions of the Christian faith.

Nominations are being accepted now, through July 15, 2011. Here's how to get involved:

• Read about the Book Criteria
• Read about the Categories (these have been reorganized for 2011!)
• And the best part - nominate a book. :)

Review: The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen

*2010 INSPY Award Nominee for Historical Fiction*

The Silent Governess

By: Julie Klassen

Publisher: Bethany House

ISBN: 978-0-7642-0707-5

About the book:

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.

But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything - his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.

He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, were he can make certain she does not spread what she has heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.

Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

Review:

Aspiring schoolmistress Olivia Keene’s quiet life is cruelly disrupted when she saves her mother from a vicious attack and in the aftermath is forced to flee, believing herself guilty of a heinous crime. Alone and frightened, with only the vague hope of securing a position thanks to her mother’s recommendation, Olivia stumbles onto Brightwell Court. An unfortunate misunderstanding and a brutal attack leave Olivia at the mercy of the heir of the manor, Lord Bradley. For Olivia has overheard a desperate family secret, and in order to secure his future Edward sees no other option than to keep the beautiful stranger who holds his future in her hands a virtual prisoner in his home. Though her “prison” is a gilded one, Olivia longs for her freedom, even while the desperate circumstances that forced her flight from home weigh heavy on her heart. But the residents of Brightwell Court begin to wend their way into Olivia’s heart – Edward’s young cousins, starved for a mother’s love, provide Olivia with the opportunity to step into the role of governess. And Edward’s pride and fear, which had made Olivia an unwilling resident of Brightwell, prove to mask the kind heart of a gentleman. But secrets cannot remain hidden forever, and Olivia’s reticence to admit her past and Edward’s desperate attempts to hide the secret of his birth threaten to destroy any hope of happiness for the unlikely pair. Seemingly thrown together by chance, Olivia and Edward must each discover that only grace can cover the secrets they are so desperate to keep unspoken, or they may lose their chance at a future brighter than they’d ever dreamed.

I found the exploration of a governess’s lot in life to be absolutely fascinating. Each chapter opens with a quote that eloquently speaks to the theme found within the subsequent pages, many of them newspaper clippings or snippets from 19th century texts describing the duties and perception of governesses by their employers. Olivia’s position as governess at Brightwell Court is a heart-rending example of the cost and sacrifice devoting one’s life to the children of others. Outside the family yet intimately connected with it through the children, and forbidden from socializing with household servants, the lot of women like Olivia was a lonely one, wholly dependent upon the whims of their employers. While Olivia struggles with the enforced solitude, her status in the household gives her the unique position to observe the secrets and relationship dynamics at work in Edward’s home, and her intelligence and empathy make her an asset to the family and an enemy to be eliminated to their foes. In addition to Olivia, Klassen peoples her world with a host of well-drawn characters, from the Edward’s father, Lord Brightwell, who has an unexpected tie to Olivia’s mother that could chang her her future forever, to the crotchety gamekeeper Croome, whose gruff manner hides secrets capable of rocking the carefully ordered world of Brightwell Court to the core. With The Silent Governess, Julie Klassen has created a world for the reader to lose oneself in, filled to the brim with well-drawn, beautifully flawed characters who are so real, so authentic they leap from her descriptive prose fully formed in the mind's eye.

Klassen’s third novel was like a love letter to my Regency-loving heart. The Silent Governess possesses the intricacy of Austen mixed with the passionate romance and secrets of Jane Eyre, a potent combination that results in an unforgettable novel. The story is saturated with an atmosphere of historical authenticity and compelling secrets that will keep you turning pages well into the night. The touch of mystery and the beautifully restrained romance that Klassen develops between Olivia and Edward will steal your breath away. The simmering combination of secrets and passions that lie buried within The Silent Governess result in a compelling, lushly romantic historical that I’d happily name as a worthy heir to the novels that inspired it, such as Jane Eyre. The faith element is deftly woven throughout the novel, never overpowering the story, and feels completely authentic to the time period. I loved Klassen’s exploration of the cost of secrets, and the freedom found in relinquishing one’s fears and plans to the God capable of redeeming all one’s regrets. Though this was my first Klassen novel it most certainly will not be my last. With its heady combination of mystery and romance amid the vibrantly recreated world of 19th-century England, The Silent Governess is a story to savor, romantic escapism at its finest.

Review: She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell

*Winner of the 2010 INSPY Award for Historical Fiction*

She Walks in Beauty
By: Siri Mitchell
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0433-3

About the book:

During New York City’s Gilded Age…

The game is played amid banquets and balls.

The prize is a lifetime of wealth and privilege.

The rules will test friendships and the desires of a young woman’s heart.

Clara Carter is the social season’s brightest star…

but at what cost?

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

Review:

Clara Carter is a quiet, bookish young woman, who, unlike her peers, prefers studies to dreams of a successful social debut. When her reserved doctor father and society-obsessed aunt decide she must debut a year early, Clara is thrust into preparations for a life she’s been ill-prepared for and isn’t sure she wants – a life where appearance is everything, and reputations rise or fall on the interpretation of a look or the flick of a fan. Charged with saving the family honor by marrying the De Vries heir, Franklin, Clara submits to a strict regimen of social training, diet, and corset-wearing, all with the goal of remaking herself into the type of woman the De Vries scion will find irresistible. But the closer Clara comes to obtaining her family’s goal, the more she questions the cost of a life and debut based on superficiality and social artifice. As Clara’s eyes are opened to the cost of celebrity and social success, she faces a difficult choice – conform to society’s expectations and sacrifice her true self and any hope of happiness, or risk her social and economic well-being for a chance to spread her wings and fly.

She Walks in Beauty is an absolute jewel of a novel, from its stunning cover to the rich historical detail found within its pages. Siri Mitchell brings the fabled Gilded Age of New York City to vivid life, from the glittering ballrooms and opera halls to the filthy slums just blocks away that funded much of the opulent lifestyle enjoyed by many members of society’s upper echelon. With a sure hand Mitchell strips away the veneer of opulence that masks the wealth of the time period and reveals the heart-rending cost exacted from young debutantes seeking social prominence. Securing one’s future meant remaking oneself into the image of society’s ideal model of perfection, and Mitchell’s story drives home a stark reminder that not much has changed since women like Clara graced New York City’s streets. Taught how to walk, talk, eat, and dress, Clara and her peers were given an ideal to aspire to and pressured to conform, no matter what the physical or spiritual costs, in order to win the prize of an eligible match.

Clara is one of the most memorable heroines I’ve encountered in my reading this year. She begins her journey with sparks of independence, quickly overshadowed by her desire and willingness to serve her family’s interests. But the more she learns, the more she chafes at society’s glittering artificiality and wants to matter and be loved for herself – and begins to wonder why she can’t be accepted as she is, instead of being re-molded into an ideal that not only threatens her future happiness but her physical well-being. Clara’s personal and social awakening is at times heart-rending, handled with a deft grace that feels absolutely authentic to the time period while communicating timeless spiritual truths in a subtle, powerful fashion. And the romance will take your breath away – Clara’s true love is a hero in every sense of the word, and their blossoming relationship is a joy to watch unfold.

Mitchell has a gift for bringing history to vibrant life within the pages of her novels, and she fearlessly proves her willingness to explore both the beauty and the horror of history with She Walks in Beauty. The Gilded Age isn’t romanticized – Mitchell presents a fully rounded portrait of Clara’s world, and the resulting story is raw and real and wonderful, at times uncomfortable, always emotional, and unquestioningly thought-provoking. For all the darkness in Clara’s world, Mitchell saturates the story with hope, and the light shines all the brighter for the stark contrast. Thought-provoking, challenging, and rich with period detail and a heart-warming romance, She Walks in Beauty is a story that will shake you to the core and leave you pondering Clara’s journey and its present-day implications long after you finish the final pages. I cannot wait for Mitchell’s next book!

Announcing the 2010 INSPY Award winners!

Today's the day! The 2010 INSPY Award winners have been chosen - see below for a complete list of winners! I was thrilled to be part of this process as a judge on the Historical Fiction panel - and it was such an honor to discuss the historical fiction nominees with the other fantastic judges.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


INSPY Winners Announced


December 13, 2010—The INSPY Advisory Board announced today that the following books have been awarded the inaugural INSPYs in their categories. Recognizing the need for a new kind of book award, the INSPYs — http://inspys.com/ — were created by bloggers to discover and highlight the very best in literature that grapples with expressions of the Christian faith.

The INSPY Award winners are:

Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes, General & Literary Fiction (Tyndale House)

Evolving in Monkey Town by Rachel Held Evans, Creative Nonfiction (Zondervan)

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, Historical Fiction (Bethany House)

The Knight by Steven James, Thriller/Suspense/Crime Fiction (Revell)

Green by Ted Dekker, Speculative Fiction (Thomas Nelson)

Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman, Amish Fiction (Thomas Nelson)

Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren, Romance/Romantic Suspense (Summerside)

Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr, Young Adult Fiction (Little, Brown)

The 2010 INSPY Awards cover books published from July 2009 through June 2010.

"We on the Advisory Board are really pleased with this year's winners," said Amy Riley, who spearheaded the INSPY's creation. "We're looking forward to building on this year's success in the future." The winner in each category was collectively chosen by a panel of blogger-judges, who were working from a short list of five books.

The Advisory Board collectively expressed their appreciation for the volunteer judges. "We really want to thank our judges for all their time and hard work," Riley said.

The judges in each category explained why they chose the winner they did:

• "Crossing Oceans by Gina Holmes focuses on issues we all must face, such as life, death, relationships, and the choices we make when faced with our mortality.… Holmes leaves her characters flawed and human, which makes them extremely relatable."

• In Evolving in Monkey Town, "[Rachel Held] Evans' honesty in telling her faith journey impressed us along with how much her love of the Lord imbued the entire narrative. Interweaving her own tale with the views of people she meets, Evans juxtaposes all of the voices about God in her life."

• In She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, "a steadfast faith is embedded into the plot seamlessly and not, instead, centered out as a forceful plot device. The novel's inspirational resonance will reach Christian and non-Christian readers alike."

• "The literary skill employed by Steven James creates a story" — The Knight — "that steals the reader’s sleep while also stealing their breath. Creating an unforgettable set of characters who face an unimaginable and escalating series of terrifying crimes, James captures both the imagination and heart of the reader as he spins his tale."

• "The brilliance of Green by Ted Dekker is the fact that it is both the beginning and the end of the series. He did something completely unexpected with the ending of his book, while tackling the Christian faith from a different angle."

• Plain Paradise by Beth Wiseman "is perfect for people who have never read Amish fiction before. The story line was interesting and it was easy to get involved with the characters. This book dealt with subject matter not normally found in Amish fiction, which made it a refreshing change."

• "Sons of Thunder by Susan May Warren is an epic story that spans a couple decades and takes place on several continents. Warren took us from the Greek Isles to Prohibition-era Chicago, and back again, with enough description to make us feel like we'd lived in both places; she filled the book with rich detail, multi-layered characters, and plot twists we never saw coming." (EDIT: Read my review of Sons of Thunder.)

• In Once Was Lost Sara Zarr "authentically portrays Sam, a pastor’s daughter, grappling with her faith in the midst of personal upheaval and uncertainty. Teens will relate to this excellent and very real book that goes beyond a surface-level exploration of what it means to follow God."

The innovative INSPY Award is designed to help readers in their search for the preeminent faith-inspired literature of today. The INSPYs were created to select and showcase books with the highest literary standards that grapple with the Christian faith. To find these works, the INSPYs net is cast wide, accepting nominations of books aimed at the Christian bookstore market as well as those from the general market.

Contact:

Hannah Nielsen, WordLily@gmail.com

OR: InspyAwards@gmail.com
 
Congratulations to all of the winners!

Coming Soon: Review of The Silent Governess

The final "Coming Soon" post for the INSPY nominees in the historical fiction category is The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen. People, I can not WAIT to share my review with you. :) Here's a bit about the book:

Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his.
But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything--his reputation, his inheritance, his very home.


He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something.


Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.

Coming Soon: Review of Her Mother's Hope

Her Mother's Hope, the first installment of Marta's Legacy by Francine Rivers, is also up for the INSPY Award in historical fiction. You can look for my review of this novel in the coming weeks following the INSPY Award winners annoucement on December 13th. Here's a bit about the story to get you interested:

The first in an epic two-book saga by beloved author Francine Rivers, this New York Times best-selling story explores the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters over several generations.


Near the turn of the twentieth century, fiery Marta Schneider leaves Switzerland for a better life, determined to fulfill her mother's hope. Her formative journey takes her through Europe and eventually to Canada, where she meets handsome Niclas Waltert. But nothing has prepared her for the sacrifices she must make for marriage and motherhood as she travels to the Canadian wilderness and then to the dusty Central Valley of California to raise her family.


Marta's hope is to give her children a better life, but experience has taught her that only the strong survive. Her tough love is often misunderstood, especially by her oldest daughter, Hildemara Rose, who craves her mother's acceptance. Amid the drama of World War II, Hildie falls in love and begins a family of her own. But unexpected and tragic events force mother and daughter to face their own shortcomings and the ever-widening chasm that threatens to separate them forever.

Coming Soon: Review of The Fiddler's Gun

Another novel nominated for the INSPY Award in the historical fiction category is The Fiddler's Gun by A.S. Peterson. In the coming weeks after the winners are announced on December 13th, you can expect to see a review of The Fiddler's Gun here on the blog. Until then, here's a bit about the story to whet your appetite:

America is on the brink of war with England, and Fin Button is about to come undone. She's had it with the dull life of the orphanage, and she's ready to marry Peter and get away from rules, chores, and a life looked after by the ever-watchful Sister Hilde. But an unexpected friendship forms between Fin and the fiddle-playing cook, Barimaeus, which sets her on a course for revolution.

With Bart's beloved fiddle and haunting blunderbuss as her only possessions, Fin discovers her first taste of freedom as a sailor aboard the Rattlesnake. She's hiding some dark secrets, but there are bigger problems for the crew - they are on the run from the Royal Navy, and whisphers of mutiny are turning the captain into a tyrant.

When Fin finally returns home, will she find Peter still waiting, or will she find that she's lost everything she once held dear?

Coming Soon: Review of She Walks in Beauty

Just a little teaser about what you can expect to see on the blog after the INSPY Award winners are announced December 13th - check back that week to read my review of She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell. To whet your appetite, here's a bit about the novel:

During New York City’s Gilded Age…

The game is played amid banquets and balls.

The prize is a lifetime of wealth and privilege.

The rules will test friendships and the desires of a young woman’s heart.

Clara Carter is the social season’s brightest star…

but at what cost?

For a young society woman seeking a favorable marriage, so much depends on her social season debut. Clara Carter has been given one goal: secure the affections of the city's most eligible bachelor. Debuting means plenty of work--there are corsets to be fitted, dances to master, manners to perfect. Her training soon pays off, however, as celebrity's spotlight turns Clara into a society-page darling.

Yet Clara soon wonders if this is the life she really wants. Especially when she learns her best friend has also set her sights on Franklin De Vries. When a man appears who seems to love her simply for who she is and gossip backlash turns ugly, Clara realizes it's not just her marriage at stake--the future of her family depends on how she plays the game.

The INSPY Awards

Many of you may have seen news of a new book award floating around the blogosphere the past few weeks, but in case you've missed it, I want to take a moment to tell you about the INSPY Awards.

About the INSPYs:

Recognizing the need for a new kind of book award, the INSPYs were created by bloggers to discover and highlight the very best in literature that grapples with expressions of the Christian faith.

I am thrilled and honored to be a judge in the historical fiction category. These are the books on the historical fiction shortlist:

The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz, Revell Books, 1st August, 2009

The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen, Bethany House, 1st January, 2010

The Fiddler’s Gun by AS Peterson, Rabbit Room Press, 1st December, 2009

She Walks in Beauty by Siri Mitchell, Bethany House, 1st April, 2010

Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers, Tyndale House, 1st March, 2010

Some good reads, no? You can read the rest of the short listed books in the other categories here. The INSPY winners will be announced December 13th...so I'd better get reading. :)