The Angel of Blythe Hall
Darci Hannah
Bantam, Jul 26 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780345520562
In 1481 at Blythe Hall on the Scottish side of the border, Julius saves his sister Isabeau’s life when he kills the Englishman trying to abduct the Laird’s daughter. When they enter the Hall, their father William praises his son and lectures his daughter for not letting go of her cur Rondo; as her action almost killed the siblings. William sees a vision of his late wife Angelique calling to him. The Laird turns insane while Julius is charged with treason and Isabeau sent to live at the king’s court.
Elven years later, Isabeau returns home to claim Blythe Hall; Julius is there to greet her though he acts mad claiming he seeks some otherworldly power. The King follows as he is attracted to Isabeau’s friend Marion Boyd. Sir George Douglas wants Isabeau, but though attracted she has doubts as she dreams of a golden guardian angel. When an enemy army storms the gates of Blythe Hall, Isabeau prays her Gabriel proves real and not just her imagination.
This is an odd fascinating paranormal historical thriller in which the story line never quite decides between fifteenth century intrigue and an intriguing fantasy as the mystical elements tend to disrupt the flow of a well written Scottish border tale. Still fans who enjoy something different will want to read Isabeau seeks her muse.
Harriet Klausner
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Madame Bovary's Daughter-Linda Urbach
Madame Bovary's Daughter
Linda Urbach
Bantam, Jul 26 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780385343879
In Yonville, France with the suicide of his beloved egomaniacal wife Emma, weak Charles Bovary feels he has no reason to live; as he totally ignores his twelve years old daughter Berthe. When he dies one year after Emma’s death in 1852, Berthe is left impoverished. However, the child learned plenty from her parents as to what to avoid. She vows to have a successful life by never becoming self indulged or destructive like her mother or pathetic destructive like her father.
Berthe moves in with her grandma on the latter’s impoverished farm. She desperately wants her grandmother’s approval as Berthe learns to do chores in the house and on the farm. However, her grandmother dies without giving Berthe what she desired. Berthe works long tedious hours at a Lille textile mill until the owner Monsieur Rappelais orders her to join his staff in Paris. Though she prefers to decline, she becomes a lady's maid to his wife Madame Rappelais who mentors her; while she also rejects any sexual trysts with either Rappelais; as that was the undoing of her mother. Instead she has new hope when she becomes apprentice to fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth and meets Armand.
This is a terrific sequel to the Flaubert classic as Linda Urbach tells the story of Madame Bovary’s orphaned daughter. The title character keeps the story line focuses as she romps through the second half of the nineteenth century in France. Though there is a well written romantic subplot, it is Mademoiselle Bovary’s French adventures that make for a strong historical.
Harriet Klausner
Linda Urbach
Bantam, Jul 26 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780385343879
In Yonville, France with the suicide of his beloved egomaniacal wife Emma, weak Charles Bovary feels he has no reason to live; as he totally ignores his twelve years old daughter Berthe. When he dies one year after Emma’s death in 1852, Berthe is left impoverished. However, the child learned plenty from her parents as to what to avoid. She vows to have a successful life by never becoming self indulged or destructive like her mother or pathetic destructive like her father.
Berthe moves in with her grandma on the latter’s impoverished farm. She desperately wants her grandmother’s approval as Berthe learns to do chores in the house and on the farm. However, her grandmother dies without giving Berthe what she desired. Berthe works long tedious hours at a Lille textile mill until the owner Monsieur Rappelais orders her to join his staff in Paris. Though she prefers to decline, she becomes a lady's maid to his wife Madame Rappelais who mentors her; while she also rejects any sexual trysts with either Rappelais; as that was the undoing of her mother. Instead she has new hope when she becomes apprentice to fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth and meets Armand.
This is a terrific sequel to the Flaubert classic as Linda Urbach tells the story of Madame Bovary’s orphaned daughter. The title character keeps the story line focuses as she romps through the second half of the nineteenth century in France. Though there is a well written romantic subplot, it is Mademoiselle Bovary’s French adventures that make for a strong historical.
Harriet Klausner
Oliver Pepper's Pickle-John C. Picardi
Oliver Pepper's Pickle
John C. Picardi
Camel Press, Aug 15 2011, $18.95
ISBN: 9781603818575
www.camelpress.com
The past year has been hell for Oliver Pepper. First his wife miscarries. Then she tells him she is leaving him as she has had a cyber affair while he has become a boring drunk. At Manhattan’s prestigious Bolton School for Girls he loses his Art History teaching position he has had for fifteen years for opening the shades and talking to some kid Franco from the loser public school across the street.
His sister and her New Age BF are driving him crazy with their crazy advice. Other family and friends recommend even loonier tips from the insane self-help book: “The Castration of the 20th Century Man: How to Grow a New Set for the 21st Century”. At AA, he meets Rosa the principal and asks her out. She agrees with the stipulation he teach a class at her middle school. There he meets Cody and they become friends over Van Gogh.
Oliver Pepper's Pickle is a poignant coming of age tale of an adult who begins to find his muse when he meets troubled children like Franco and Cody. They, especially Cody, help Oliver come to grips with the death years ago of his father and how to cope during a midlife crises. Though the world does not revolve around how Oliver demands it move on his axis, John C. Picardi provides a winning upbeat character study.
Harriet Klausner
John C. Picardi
Camel Press, Aug 15 2011, $18.95
ISBN: 9781603818575
www.camelpress.com
The past year has been hell for Oliver Pepper. First his wife miscarries. Then she tells him she is leaving him as she has had a cyber affair while he has become a boring drunk. At Manhattan’s prestigious Bolton School for Girls he loses his Art History teaching position he has had for fifteen years for opening the shades and talking to some kid Franco from the loser public school across the street.
His sister and her New Age BF are driving him crazy with their crazy advice. Other family and friends recommend even loonier tips from the insane self-help book: “The Castration of the 20th Century Man: How to Grow a New Set for the 21st Century”. At AA, he meets Rosa the principal and asks her out. She agrees with the stipulation he teach a class at her middle school. There he meets Cody and they become friends over Van Gogh.
Oliver Pepper's Pickle is a poignant coming of age tale of an adult who begins to find his muse when he meets troubled children like Franco and Cody. They, especially Cody, help Oliver come to grips with the death years ago of his father and how to cope during a midlife crises. Though the world does not revolve around how Oliver demands it move on his axis, John C. Picardi provides a winning upbeat character study.
Harriet Klausner
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
The Full Moon Bride-Shobhan Bantwal
The Full Moon Bride
Shobhan Bantwal
Kensington, Aug 1 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780758258847
Environmental lawyer Soorya Giri feels she is the last thirtyish virgin in New Jersey. She desperately wants to marry and raise a family instead of living with her parents as she currently does. In fact Soorya fearing her biological clock is ending before it begins starts to consider the abomination of an arranged marriage; something that the second generation loathe as too much old country tradition when they have on line and other contemporary means to meet males.
Her first few “bride viewing” events are as bad as she expected. Then Soorya meets Rajesh “Roger” Vadepalli. He is handsome and intelligent, but though she wants him Soorya distrusts his charming confidence as she does not believe he wants to get married. Thus she turns to widowed peer Lou. Suddenly from zero to two men interested in her, Soorya reacts negatively unable to cope with an abundance of males in her life.
The Full Moon bride takes a close look at the Indian-American culture, which mingles tradition from the old country with modern technology and the culture of the new country. Soorya is fabulous as her frustrations hold the plot focused. She gets angry and insolent hiding her fear of failure behind the façade of caustic wit (mindful of the Debbie Reynolds’ character Mary McKellaway in Mary, Mary). Readers will relish Soorya seeks her groove as Shobhan Bantwal noted for her powerful social issues takes a lighter but insightful look at the second generation Indian-American “princess’.
Harriet Klausner
Shobhan Bantwal
Kensington, Aug 1 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780758258847
Environmental lawyer Soorya Giri feels she is the last thirtyish virgin in New Jersey. She desperately wants to marry and raise a family instead of living with her parents as she currently does. In fact Soorya fearing her biological clock is ending before it begins starts to consider the abomination of an arranged marriage; something that the second generation loathe as too much old country tradition when they have on line and other contemporary means to meet males.
Her first few “bride viewing” events are as bad as she expected. Then Soorya meets Rajesh “Roger” Vadepalli. He is handsome and intelligent, but though she wants him Soorya distrusts his charming confidence as she does not believe he wants to get married. Thus she turns to widowed peer Lou. Suddenly from zero to two men interested in her, Soorya reacts negatively unable to cope with an abundance of males in her life.
The Full Moon bride takes a close look at the Indian-American culture, which mingles tradition from the old country with modern technology and the culture of the new country. Soorya is fabulous as her frustrations hold the plot focused. She gets angry and insolent hiding her fear of failure behind the façade of caustic wit (mindful of the Debbie Reynolds’ character Mary McKellaway in Mary, Mary). Readers will relish Soorya seeks her groove as Shobhan Bantwal noted for her powerful social issues takes a lighter but insightful look at the second generation Indian-American “princess’.
Harriet Klausner
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
The V.I.P.s-Scott Poulson-Bryant
The V.I.P.s
Scott Poulson-Bryant
Broadway, Jul 5 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780767929745
In a hot New York, superstar rapper TNT arranges a meeting with Barry Chambers, Leo Bradford, Duke Maynard and Joey Ramirez; he does not tell any of them that he invited the others. Each has been successful since their childhood days when they called themselves the VIPs and had dreams of making it in the Big Apple. Thirty orgasms before turning forty Barry is the CEO of a giant cosmetics company; his ex is a paranoid NBA star, Leo is a magazine mogul and reporter; Duke is a former NFL star who has made it big since leaving professional football on the Internet; and Joey “Ram” Ramirez is "the Latino Calvin Klein" designer.
At the suite he took at the Hotel Gansevoort, TNT asks the quartet who amongst the four of them is his SOB father? Each is shocked by the question and begins to look back at their past transgressions.
The V.I.P.s is an engaging character study of four childhood friends whose mortality as they face forty is lucidly in their face by the rapper challenging them. The key cast is fully developed and each seems genuine with the exception of the vile villain. Although some of the relationships and decision making starting in 1983 between the parents generation of the V.I.P.s seem unlikely, this is a well written insightful tale as readers, the quartet and the rapper ask who his daddy is.
Harriet Klausner
Scott Poulson-Bryant
Broadway, Jul 5 2011, $15.00
ISBN: 9780767929745
In a hot New York, superstar rapper TNT arranges a meeting with Barry Chambers, Leo Bradford, Duke Maynard and Joey Ramirez; he does not tell any of them that he invited the others. Each has been successful since their childhood days when they called themselves the VIPs and had dreams of making it in the Big Apple. Thirty orgasms before turning forty Barry is the CEO of a giant cosmetics company; his ex is a paranoid NBA star, Leo is a magazine mogul and reporter; Duke is a former NFL star who has made it big since leaving professional football on the Internet; and Joey “Ram” Ramirez is "the Latino Calvin Klein" designer.
At the suite he took at the Hotel Gansevoort, TNT asks the quartet who amongst the four of them is his SOB father? Each is shocked by the question and begins to look back at their past transgressions.
The V.I.P.s is an engaging character study of four childhood friends whose mortality as they face forty is lucidly in their face by the rapper challenging them. The key cast is fully developed and each seems genuine with the exception of the vile villain. Although some of the relationships and decision making starting in 1983 between the parents generation of the V.I.P.s seem unlikely, this is a well written insightful tale as readers, the quartet and the rapper ask who his daddy is.
Harriet Klausner
The Oriental Wife-Evelyn Toynton
The Oriental Wife
Evelyn Toynton
Other Press, Jul 19 2011, $15.95
www.otherpress.com
ISBN: 9781590514412
In the 1930s her Jewish parents send teenager Louisa to a school in Lausanne, Switzerland. There she meets and falls in love with a classmate’s brother Julian. Meanwhile her father sees the deadly winds of war coming so he sends to Louisa her grandmother’s jewelry.
Louisa’s cousin Otto and her childhood friend from Nuremberg Rolf flee Germany for New York where they obtain jobs. Meanwhile Louisa reaches England where she learns foreigners even experienced professionals can only hold domestic servant positions. Louisa gets a governess job. She eventually reaches New York with the help of her lover Phillip who becomes an angry drunk. She and Rolf marry while their parents are tortured in Germany and many Jews ate sent to Dachau. Rolf gets his mother and Louisa's parents to America but they lost everything to the Nazis. When the war breaks out, the German Jews find Americans loathe them as much as the Nazis did.
The Oriental Wife is a terrific timely historical thriller that grips the audience with the bleakness of Europe and America during the Nazi era. Hope is gone for the Jews left behind in Germany while those fortunate to cross the Atlantic find America hostile to the immigrants. Character driven, dreams of assimilation by the first generation of German Jewish refugees in the 1930s fail to occur as nightmarish suspicions and culpability are the prime welcome. The impact on the second generation is powerful as “Never Forget” denotes the past and the potential future.
Harriet Klausner
Evelyn Toynton
Other Press, Jul 19 2011, $15.95
www.otherpress.com
ISBN: 9781590514412
In the 1930s her Jewish parents send teenager Louisa to a school in Lausanne, Switzerland. There she meets and falls in love with a classmate’s brother Julian. Meanwhile her father sees the deadly winds of war coming so he sends to Louisa her grandmother’s jewelry.
Louisa’s cousin Otto and her childhood friend from Nuremberg Rolf flee Germany for New York where they obtain jobs. Meanwhile Louisa reaches England where she learns foreigners even experienced professionals can only hold domestic servant positions. Louisa gets a governess job. She eventually reaches New York with the help of her lover Phillip who becomes an angry drunk. She and Rolf marry while their parents are tortured in Germany and many Jews ate sent to Dachau. Rolf gets his mother and Louisa's parents to America but they lost everything to the Nazis. When the war breaks out, the German Jews find Americans loathe them as much as the Nazis did.
The Oriental Wife is a terrific timely historical thriller that grips the audience with the bleakness of Europe and America during the Nazi era. Hope is gone for the Jews left behind in Germany while those fortunate to cross the Atlantic find America hostile to the immigrants. Character driven, dreams of assimilation by the first generation of German Jewish refugees in the 1930s fail to occur as nightmarish suspicions and culpability are the prime welcome. The impact on the second generation is powerful as “Never Forget” denotes the past and the potential future.
Harriet Klausner
Monday, July 4, 2011
The Betrayal-Diane Noble
The Betrayal
Diane Noble
Avon, Jul 26 2011, $12.99
ISBN: 9780061980947
In 1842 Nauvoo, Illinois, Mormon prophet Joseph Smith proclaims God says polygamy is acceptable. He directs married shipbuilder Gabriel MacKay to take a second wife, recently widowed Bronwyn and adopt the Latter’s daughter. Though the widow has some doubts as she loves her future husband’s first spouse Mary Rose like a sister while also attracted to Gabe, she marries him with the stipulation of no physical contact (see The Sister Wife).
However, increasingly Bronwyn falls in love with her husband who promised to protect her. The second wife struggles with her vow to her beloved Sister Wife who miscarries after a fall. Gabe kisses Bronwyn who feels divided emotionally as she wants more but cannot betray her beloved Mary Rose though she feels her treacherous heart has done so. When Enid announces to Bronwyn she will soon wed Gabe, the second wife has issues with the practice of polygamy as the number of wives per husband grows, the age of the brides drop considerably. On the journey to the Promised Land surrounding the Great Salt Lake that the Prophet saw in a vision, Gabe’s first two wives want to escape the marital imprisonment, but Brigham Young has spies everywhere.
The second Brides of Gabriel is an intriguing historical tale that once again looks at polygamy as did The Sister Wife. In the first tale, the relationships in the multiple marriage families displayed an economic underpinning to care for widows and children. The Betrayal provides a fascinating story line that digs deep into the actual practice as brides were increasingly “enslaved” young teens and no one was allowed to speak out against the Word. Americana readers will appreciate this profound tale as The Lord’s Prayer inspires us to forgive the trespasses of others, but as the Brides of Gabriel know that is difficult to do.
Harriet Klausner
Diane Noble
Avon, Jul 26 2011, $12.99
ISBN: 9780061980947
In 1842 Nauvoo, Illinois, Mormon prophet Joseph Smith proclaims God says polygamy is acceptable. He directs married shipbuilder Gabriel MacKay to take a second wife, recently widowed Bronwyn and adopt the Latter’s daughter. Though the widow has some doubts as she loves her future husband’s first spouse Mary Rose like a sister while also attracted to Gabe, she marries him with the stipulation of no physical contact (see The Sister Wife).
However, increasingly Bronwyn falls in love with her husband who promised to protect her. The second wife struggles with her vow to her beloved Sister Wife who miscarries after a fall. Gabe kisses Bronwyn who feels divided emotionally as she wants more but cannot betray her beloved Mary Rose though she feels her treacherous heart has done so. When Enid announces to Bronwyn she will soon wed Gabe, the second wife has issues with the practice of polygamy as the number of wives per husband grows, the age of the brides drop considerably. On the journey to the Promised Land surrounding the Great Salt Lake that the Prophet saw in a vision, Gabe’s first two wives want to escape the marital imprisonment, but Brigham Young has spies everywhere.
The second Brides of Gabriel is an intriguing historical tale that once again looks at polygamy as did The Sister Wife. In the first tale, the relationships in the multiple marriage families displayed an economic underpinning to care for widows and children. The Betrayal provides a fascinating story line that digs deep into the actual practice as brides were increasingly “enslaved” young teens and no one was allowed to speak out against the Word. Americana readers will appreciate this profound tale as The Lord’s Prayer inspires us to forgive the trespasses of others, but as the Brides of Gabriel know that is difficult to do.
Harriet Klausner
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