Sometimes You Must Be Broken to Realize You're Lucky: Lucky Broken Girl by @ruthbehar

A very engrossing, thought-evoking read. Ruthie comes from Cuba (It's the 1960s). Her family has been chasing the dream of freedom for generations, starting with her grandparents, who fled Poland and Jewish persecution, only to have to flee Castro's reign. This little girl faces a troubling time. While most girls her age are going through puberty and deciding what to wear, Ruthie gets some hard life lessons from her bed, where she lies in a full-body cast for a year.

She learns what being smart is, sees the sacrifices her mother makes, develops patience, acceptance, and most of all, learns how to overcome fear...or well, better said, how to master it, as the fear doesn't really go away. You just push it aside and do.

As Ruthie says at one point in the story...you don't realize how many wonderful people you're surrounded by until something bad happens.

There is so much to learn and take away from this novel. My favorite lesson was about perspective. About how you just have to move your bed to face the window and see things differently. I'll remember this lesson always.

Terrific book, writing, story. It's not just about a family of Jewish Cuban immigrants; it's about acceptance, sacrifices, fears, and growing up. While Ruthie's body wasn't allowed to grow during her casting; her mind certainly did. We can learn a lot from her.

Footprints in the Forest-- A Novel of A Female WWII Partisan Based On Fact

I wrote in my review of Karolina's Twins on this blog that I was just about burned out on the Holocaust.  Now I can say the same about WWII in general.  I've read way too much about WWII this year.  I admit that I was reluctant to accept author Jeannette Katzir's review request for Footprints in the Forest.  I accepted a free copy because I've never read about a real woman who was a WWII partisan.  This is a novel, but it's based on the life of the author's mother.  I wanted to see if there were significant differences between the fictional WWII Resistance heroines I'd read about, and one that actually existed.

                                 

Like a number of popular books, Footprints in the Forest is a dual time frame novel.  It alternates WWII Poland with New York in the late 1940's.   I found the WWII chapters more interesting and compelling.  The American portions of the book were lighter in tone which some readers may consider a relief from reading about characters who are continually running for their lives.

In some ways, Chana the protagonist, reminded me of Jacqueline, the female French Resistance fighter in Marge Piercy's  Gone To Soldiers which I reviewed here.  They were both changed by their experiences, but I thought that Jacqueline became stronger and Chana emerged from WWII more fragile.   I understood why Chana  was so traumatized, but I preferred her fellow female partisan, Leeza who was more of a survivor type.   It was fortunate that Chana had Leeza's friendship because she certainly depended on Leeza for emotional support.  Chana also couldn't have survived without the steadiness of her brother, Isaac, who was always there for her.

Chana's developing art career in the U.S. was the aspect of the American narrative that I found most appealing.    I enjoyed reading about her creative process, how she learned to paint in oils and how her relationship with the gallery owner eventually evolved into a friendship.  On the other hand, I found Chana's stereotypical fantasy of the perfect wedding rather annoying.   It was also a very American idea of weddings, and it didn't seem likely to me that a Polish Jew from a religious background would have become so Americanized in her expectations that quickly.

 There were a few names that I thought were inappropriate like the Russian partisan whose first name was Barry and the Polish Jew who had a brother named Thomas.  There was also a Hebrew error.  Alov ha'shalom  (may he rest in peace) is correct if the dead individual is male.  If the dead individual is female, it should be aleha  ha'shalom.  Yet these are minor problems.

The background otherwise seemed authentic and well-developed.   I felt that I was there in the forest with Chana trying to survive Nazis, severe weather and other dangers.  This was a gripping portrayal of the life story of Katzir's mother.



                                   

The Other Einstein-- Blog Tour and Giveaway

I received my copy of The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict from Net Galley some time ago while I was still working on my master's degree.  Then I had to catch up on review commitments I'd made to authors and publishers.  While in the midst of this process, I was invited to join The Other Einstein blog tour and tour wide giveaway.  So now I'm wading into the really interesting controversy surrounding Einstein's first wife with this honest review.


                             

Mileva Marić wanted to be a physicist when she was young. She was admitted to Zurich Polytechnic to study physics and mathematics with two strikes against her.  The first was being a woman in a very male world.  The second was being from Serbia which was considered a cultural backwater in Western Europe.   I am citing facts at this point. There is a Wikipedia article dealing with Mileva .   If you want to see how much about that article is in dispute look at the Talk section.  There has been an editing war over this article.   Both sides are absolutely certain about things that can't be known with absolute certainty.

This is what is not in dispute.  Mileva met Einstein at Zurich Polytechnic where they were both students.  They fell in love and she became pregnant.  She had to drop out of school without finishing her degree, and they married.   This is a sad story, and it has happened to a great many women.  She never realized her dreams.

Historical fiction deals with what isn't part of the historical record.   How did Einstein treat his wife when they weren't in public?   Did Mileva contribute to Einstein's scientific work?   These are questions that are open to speculation.   No one can really claim to know the truth about them.  Marie Benedict has as much right to an opinion as anyone else.   She did the research and came to a conclusion that isn't at all palatable for supporters of Albert Einstein.  Some sources say that he was verbally abusive toward Mileva in public, and that he called her ugly.  Below is a public domain photo of Mileva that I found on Wikipedia.  You be the judge.

                                  

  It's said that Einstein burned out early because he never did any great work after he developed the theory of relativity and published it in 1905.   Could his estrangement from Mileva be the reason why he no longer produced any other brilliant new theory?  I don't know, but I'm willing to entertain the possibility.

Benedict's version of Mileva isn't a feminist icon.   She made choices that I wouldn't have made in her circumstances.   In fact, Marie Curie appears briefly in this novel.   This great woman scientist tells Mileva that the only differences between them are the choices they made and the men they married.   Madame Curie's husband dedicated his life to supporting her career.   Benedict portrays Einstein as having deliberately undermined Mileva.  I wanted  her Mileva to be stronger.

A number of reviewers believe that  Benedict's Mileva was a product of her historical environment and the dominant culture.   The truth is that the 21st century isn't that much kinder to women.   Any woman who becomes involved in a relationship with a man in the same field may still face the same problems.   She may be ignored and her work may go uncredited. Then like Benedict's Mileva, she may be shoved out of her field while her significant other or husband is lionized.  This is why this book has significance even if the real Mileva wasn't a scientific genius.   It could be a wake up call to young woman readers who may be on the verge of making a terrible mistake that could destroy their future careers.

For me, the value of The Other Einstein is learning of Mileva Marić's existence.  Whatever the truth might be about her, she deserves to be known rather than buried in obscurity.   Now anyone who has read this book can examine what is known about her, and make their own decisions about what they believe concerning the issues that Benedict has raised.

                            THE OTHER EINSTEIN TOUR WIDE
                                                GIVEAWAY 

This a Rafflecopter giveaway available to all blogs participating in the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, readers.

Silver Wings for Vicki: Nancy Drew Hits the Skies

I was recently browsing in an antique store...my favorite pastime, yes, even more than reading, and I came across this old hardback book. And when I say old, I mean the copyright is 1947.

My curiosity was immediate and strong. I knew it had something to do with aviation by the little picture on the front. (My copy is just the hardback with the little woman's face.) I thought it was a pilot, but there was no blurb. I just took a chance.

It turns out it's the first in a series about a flight attendant in a time when aviation was really becoming a passenger thing. When planes were all aluminum and rivets and shown like sterling silver, when the DC3 was considered top of the line. And while this young lady, Vickie Barr, plays air hostess, she solves mysteries.

Now, the last set of old books I bought with a 1940s copyright, about a woman pilot, were ridiculous and unbelievable. But I liked this. It was just a fun, utterly charming, enjoyable read. The heroine could be called one of those Mary Sues or whatever they are, but yet..not quite. Despite her perfect family life and the way things fall into place for her, she has drive, works for what she has, appreciates many, and is very humble. Heart-in-the-right-place and doing-it-for-the-right reasons kind of humble.

She also learns quite a bit about flying, through the pilots, lectures, school.

If you were fond of Nancy Drew and ever desired to be a flight attendant, give this series a go. In this, the first installment, Vickie applies for the job (This was very interesting to me!! You'd not get away with these hiring practices or requirements now! LOL) and then goes to school. Once through school, she discovers a mysteries smuggling operation is using her flight for transportation...

There's also mild, fun romance and delightful bits of humor. I understand the first four books in the series were by Helen Wells, who also penned a nursing series. The author herself is fascinating. According to her bio on Goodreads, she was a social worker turned full-time young adult writer... In 1934 Wells graduated from New York University [where she'd been the first female editor of the literary quarterly], with a major in philosophy and a minor in sociology and psychology.

Best piece of fiction ever? No. A door stop? No. But it is the first book that has managed to hold my attention from beginning to end in quite a while and I thought it warranted sharing, this old gem.

Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn--A Jewish Regency Romance

Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn was published in 1992, but I discovered it relatively recently when author Mirta Trupp started a thread for it on the Goodreads group Jewish Period Drama.

This is a Regency romance.  It's unusual for me to review any romance, but I would never have thought that I would ever review a book in this particular romance sub-genre.  Many romances contain characters that I find offensive, but there is nothing inherent in the structure of  romances in general that requires women to be doormats or men to be arrogant. Regencies are inherently problematic for me.   I hate the Regency milieu.  I think that Regency romances glorify aristocrats and their lifestyle which I consider repellent.  So the only type of Regency romance that I'd even be willing to read, would have to deal with characters who are outsiders that live in an entirely different context.  This means that the only thing that would define the book as a Regency romance is that it takes place during the same early 19th century period.  Miss Jacobson's Journey deals with Jews whose values are different from early 19th century English aristocrats.  This is one of the reasons why this book is a breath of fresh air.

                             

Miriam Jacobson herself is the best thing about the novel.   Her family doesn't expect her to marry a man with a title of nobility.  Instead they want her to accept an arranged marriage with a Talmudic scholar. Clever Miriam claims her right to an independent life by making a decision to which her family couldn't object.    She would accompany her medical researcher uncle on his travels in order to take care of him.   She hoped to have adventures in the process of assisting her uncle.   I liked the fact that a Regency romance was presenting us with a heroine whose goal was to have adventures.    She turned out to have opportunities to learn about medicine as her uncle practiced it, develop a working knowledge of a number of languages and a network of connections with her uncle's patients throughout Europe.

There is an English aristocrat in the novel who evolves as a character, and becomes somewhat more sympathetic over the course of the narrative.  Carola Dunn portrays Lord Felix Roworth as a foil for the Jewish hero, Isaac Cohen.   They are contrasting rivals for Miriam's affections.  Isaac is as non-traditional in the context of a Regency as Miriam.  I definitely preferred him over Lord Felix.

In addition to the romance drama, Miriam becomes involved in a secret mission against Napoleon that is facilitated by the influential Rothschild family who are real historical personages. I had read non-fiction dealing with 20th century Rothschilds, but I knew very little about earlier generations of Rothschilds. In Miss Jacobson's Journey, we learn  about the role of the Rothschilds in the Napoleonic Wars, and something about their previous history.   We also learn about the status of Jews during this period.

This is a very original and well-developed Regency romance.  I loved the intelligence and adaptability of both the hero and heroine.  I was impressed with Carola Dunn's authenticity in her depiction of the period and Jewish family life.  It's definitely one of the best romances I've ever read.  

 


                         

Guest Post: Christina Courtenay Cover and Excerpt from The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight

Since Tara, the original owner of this blog, is a huge fan of historical romance author Christina Courtenay,  I (Shomeret) agreed to this guest post promoting her most recent novel, The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight.  Christina Courtenay, welcome to Flying High Reviews.

Chapter Four from The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight by Christina Courtenay

 

Another exclusive extract from Christina Courtenay’s new novel, The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight today! Choc Lit is going to be sharing an excerpt every couple of days until next Tuesday so make sure you keep an eye on their Twitter feed to find out where each extract has landed. Enjoy J

You can read the Prologue, Chapter One and Chapter Two HERE (http://www.choc-lit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/The-Velvet-Cloak-of-Moonlight-by-Christina-Courtenay-Excerpt-.pdf)
 
And you can read Chapter Three HERE  (http://bookkaz.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/the-velvet-cloak-of-midnight-blog-tour.html)

Merrick Court, 22nd May 2016

It was still very early when Josh Owens drove across the Severn Bridge. He was suffering from jet lag, but it had turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he’d escaped the London rush hour by leaving long before the city’s inhabitants started waking up. Looking up now, he felt as though he was entering the gates of Mordor in Lord of the Rings, or some other magical country, as the bridge’s pale green structure towered over him. And maybe he was – he’d heard a lot about Wales and now he was finally here it did seem a bit unreal.

As he turned off the motorway and headed up towards Usk and Raglan, the countryside became green and undulating, with dark hills brooding in the distance. The Black Mountains, he assumed. The scent of hawthorn drifted in through his partially opened window and a strange sense of homecoming rippled through him. It was almost like he’d been here before even though he knew he hadn’t. But it was the homeland of his ancestors, so perhaps it was in his blood?

The sensation intensified when he passed the ruins of Raglan Castle, silhouetted against the bright morning sky. There was something oddly familiar about the view and his gaze was drawn to the ragged contours of its towers, which must once have been magnificent. A strange mixture of emotions assailed him: longing, apprehension, anger, fear and … attraction? He had to force himself to concentrate on the road, rather than turn and look back.

What was the matter with him? He must be more tired than he thought.

Following the satnav lady’s instructions, he continued on towards Abergavenny and the further into Wales he travelled, the stronger the sense of belonging became. He decided it had to be his grandpa’s fault – his mother’s father had hailed from somewhere near here and he’d filled Josh’s head with stories of this magical place.

‘You’ve Welsh blood in your veins, boy, don’t forget,’ Grandpa used to say every time he told him about his homeland. Josh wondered why the old man had stayed in New Zealand if he loved the country of his birth so much, but he’d never dared to ask.

Arriving at his destination at last, Josh climbed out of the rental car and stared up at the house he’d come to see. No, not house – mansion. Or castle even? Although he’d entered the stable yard and could only see the building side on, it was clear that it was a huge property. He’d have to follow the road round to the front to see the rest, but he was already impressed and not a little disconcerted.

‘Bloody hell!’ he muttered. This was not what he’d expected at all.

‘Good morning! Can I help you?’

Josh turned to find a weather-beaten old man coming towards him from the direction of the gardens. He was still so dazed by the sight of Merrick Court – what he could see of it so far anyway – that he hadn’t heard the man’s footsteps. ‘Morning. Yes, I’ve come to look at the house,’ he said, closing his door and locking the car. It seemed easier to leave it here and walk round to the front.

‘I’m sorry, but it’s not open to the public. It’s private. The gardens too.’ The old man shrugged. ‘But I can offer you a cup of tea if you like, seeing as you’ve had a wasted journey? Least I can do.’

Josh smiled. ‘That’s very kind, but I think you misunderstand. I’m not a tourist.’

‘Sure sound like one, if you don’t mind me saying.’ Deep-set blue eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘Australian?’

‘Nah, Kiwi.’ Josh swallowed a sigh. Why couldn’t the Poms tell the difference?

‘Ah, right. Well, if you’d like to come this way, please? I’ve got a kettle in the potting shed.’

‘But I … oh, all right then. Cheers.’ Josh decided some tea would be nice after the long drive from London and he wasn’t in any particular hurry. In fact, it would be great to have a bit of a breather while he recovered from the shock of seeing the property for the first time.

He followed the old guy into what looked more like a huge workshop than a shed. It was part of the stable block, next door to a greenhouse, and filled with tools of all kinds. The floor was made of old bricks laid in a herringbone pattern, swept clean, and the walls were whitewashed with implements hanging in orderly rows. Several workbenches lined the room and pieces of wood were stacked in one corner.

‘Take a seat, please. I’m Bryn Jones, gardener yere.’

The old man’s melodic Welsh accent put Josh in mind of his grandfather again. Bryn looked to be in his mid- to late-seventies and age was beginning to take its toll, but there was still a twinkle in the man’s eyes and his complexion was a healthy colour. As it should be in a man who’d presumably worked outdoors for most of his life.

‘Josh Owens.’ He waited for Bryn’s reaction to his name, but nothing happened, so he added, ‘I’m the new owner of the estate.’

‘Eh?’ Bryn swivelled round so fast he almost dropped the mug he was holding. ‘You’re the new Lord Merrick?’

‘Seems like it.’

‘Well, I never! You should’ve said right off.’ Bryn was still standing with the mug in his hand, as if shocked into immobility.

Josh smiled. ‘You didn’t really give me a chance. I did say I’d come to look at the house. I need to see what state it’s in before I sell it.’

‘S-sell it?’ Bryn scowled. ‘But … there’ve always been Merrick lords yere, ever since the Conquest, like!’

Josh shrugged. He had no idea what conquest that might be and didn’t really care. ‘I wouldn’t know. I only just found out I was related to them. Came as a bit of a surprise, actually.’

Bryn had recovered enough to continue with the tea making, but he was still frowning. ‘You had no idea you was the heir?’

‘No. My father never mentioned it so the letter from the solicitor arrived out of the blue. I didn’t even know what an entail was.’ He’d had to look it up – the whole concept of something being inherited only by males seemed outdated to him. Crazy. Only the Poms would cling to such an old-fashioned rule. Not that he should be complaining since he was profiting from it, but still … He’d bet there had to be a female somewhere who was seriously pissed off.

‘It was a bit of a shock to the people yere too, I can tell you,’ Bryn muttered. ‘And it took them lawyers ages to find you.’

‘Ah, yeah well, that was my fault. I’ve been travelling non-stop for the last six months. I wanted to see the world before I got too old. I hadn’t left a forwarding address so didn’t get the letters until I came back.’

‘Oh, right. So will you be going back to New Zealand then?’ Bryn handed Josh his tea and offered him a biscuit from a well-worn tin. They looked home-made so Josh didn’t hesitate to take one.

‘Cheers. As for going back, I wouldn’t have a clue. Nothing to go back to, really.’ Josh had lived there his whole life, but it didn’t feel like home any more. There were various, complicated, reasons for that which Bryn didn’t need to know. ‘I might travel some more first.’

Bryn looked as though he wanted to ask further questions, but either didn’t dare or was too polite – probably the latter. For some reason that made Josh relent and tell the old man part of the story even though it was a painful subject.

‘I inherited a sheep station from my father when he died recently, but I didn’t want it because … well, we didn’t get on.’ That was the understatement of the year – he’d hated his father with a vengeance.

‘A sheep station?’

‘Yeah, kind of like a big farm or ranch just for rearing sheep and cattle. Fifteen thousand square kilometres of grazing land south-west of Christchurch, on the South Island.’ It sounded like a lot, but there were bigger ones.

Bryn stared at him. ‘Goodness! Not that I know how much a kilometre is, mind, but … you said no to that? Even though it was your da’s?’

‘Well, not exactly – I’m not that stupid.’ Josh smiled. ‘I accepted the inheritance but I didn’t want to keep anything that had belonged to him so I sold it to a cousin on my grandmother’s side – my father’s mother, that is. Made me feel slightly less guilty for letting the family down.’

Not that there was anyone left to chastise him – they were all dead – but he’d sensed the disapproval of the spirits roaming the old farmstead and knew they weren’t happy about his decision. His family had owned the land for over a hundred years. Fields, hills, valleys and streams, with brooding snow-capped mountains in the distance – it was a beautiful place, typical of New Zealand. But he couldn’t keep it. Despite the blood ties, he didn’t belong there.

True, he was the only son and heir, it was his responsibility to continue the line, but he didn’t care. That was just old-school bollocks. He’d tried to settle there, he really had, but the memories of a childhood filled with violence and rows wouldn’t leave him. And the hatred for his father, the man he’d inherited the property from, obliterated any feelings he might have had for the land.

‘I see,’ Bryn said, and Josh had the feeling the old gardener really did understand. His keen eyes saw more than most people’s. He didn’t voice the obvious – that it was ironic Josh had now inherited something even bigger because of his father. But Josh much preferred to think of this as coming from other ancestors further back.

He changed the subject. ‘So do you have the keys to the house? The solicitor said they’d be here.’

‘Er, no. Lady Merrick keeps them but I should think she’s still asleep.’

It was Josh’s turn to stare. ‘Come again? The … what do you call her? Dowager? She’s still here? The lawyer didn’t say anything about that. Only told me she’d inherited the contents of the house and I get the rest.’ He hadn’t been bothered about that as he wasn’t planning on living here anyway and it seemed only fair the poor woman should have something.

Bryn shook his head. ‘No, she’s living at the Court. Hasn’t been asked to move out, so far as I know.’

‘Bugger.’ This was a complication he could do without. And why hadn’t the lawyer told him? Although to be fair, Josh had been in a bit of a hurry and hadn’t given the man much chance to speak. He’d more or less just signed the documents and left with the directions on how to find Merrick Court.

‘Uhm, I should perhaps tell you …’ Bryn looked away. ‘The thing is, her ladyship is a bit fragile at the moment. She took it hard, you know, losing her husband so suddenly, like. Maybe you could … go easy on her?’

‘She’s still grieving, eh? Of course, I understand. But she can’t stay here forever.’ Josh wasn’t unfeeling, but he needed to sell the house. Surely the woman would appreciate that? He had no idea how old she was, but maybe she could go into a home for the elderly or something, unless she owned property elsewhere. Either way, it wasn’t his problem.

‘No, no, but if you could give her a little more time? And I’ll need to find somewhere else to live too. My cottage comes with the job and I don’t suppose any new owner would want to take on an old relic like myself.’

‘Oh. Yeah. Right.’ Josh was taken aback. He hadn’t thought about the fact that he’d be doing the old man out of a job and a home. Not that Bryn ought to be working at his age … Something else occurred to him. ‘Is there anyone else employed here?’ Was he turfing out a whole load of staff by selling up? It was becoming clear he hadn’t thought this through.

‘No, just me.’

‘You look after this whole garden all by yourself?’ From what Josh had seen, it was massive.

‘I do what I can. There’s no money for extra help. Hasn’t been for years.’ Bryn gave a small smile. ‘And there’s a fair bit to do, as you can imagine. In fact, I’d best be getting on with it.’

‘So you reckon I should wait a while before going to see the house?’

Bryn checked his watch. ‘Like I said, Lady M has been a bit delicate and I hardly ever see her until after lunch, but she’s got visitors at the moment so she may be up earlier …’

The thought of disturbing a grieving widow and a bunch of strangers dampened Josh’s desire to see his inheritance. Besides, it was a beautiful spring day and here was an old man who very obviously needed some help. He made up his mind. ‘Maybe I can lend a hand for a bit then? It’ll be good to do some work for a change. I’ve been travelling for so long I’ve forgotten what that’s like. I could do with some fresh air and a workout.’

‘I can’t let you do that!’ Confusion flitted across Bryn’s face. ‘Although …’

Josh grinned. ‘Yeah – I can do what I want in my own garden and right now I feel like a bit of digging. Give me a spade and point me in the right direction.’ He guessed tasks like that were getting to be too much for the old gardener.

An answering smile lit up Bryn’s features. ‘Well, if you insist. This way, my lord.’

‘Josh, please! We don’t do titles where I come from.’

‘You might have to get used to it,’ Bryn murmured.

‘No way.’ But Josh was starting to realise there were quite a few things he hadn’t reckoned with and being called a lord was only one of them.

****

Raglan Castle, 22nd May 1646

‘My lord, I regret to inform you that apart from Oxford there are only a handful of strongholds still loyal to the king at this time – Pendennis Castle down in Cornwall, Harlech up in north-west Wales and your own domain here at Raglan, plus Goodrich Castle. Unless help arrives from foreign shores, the king’s cause seems rather hopeless right now.’ Rhys tried not to sound too downhearted at the news he brought, but it was difficult to desist. As far as he was concerned, things weren’t just hopeless – all was lost. It was only a matter of time.

It was just after midnight and he had finally been granted a meeting with Lord Worcester, after kicking his heels all evening in the Long Gallery. Beautiful though this chamber was, with its huge windows and intricately carved fireplace supported by sculptures at either end, he would have preferred to get the interview over with. The information he had was definitely not what the marquis would want to hear. Everyone was despondent and the best course for any Royalist would be to gather what riches he could and flee the country while it was still possible. Somehow he doubted Lord Worcester would agree though. From what he’d heard, the old man was as stubborn as they came and stuck to his family’s motto – ‘Mutare vel timere sperno’ meaning ‘I scorn to change or to fear’.

As he’d gazed out the windows at the back of the Gallery while waiting, Rhys had seen the Black Mountains looming in the distance, a mere shadowy outline in the hazy light of the evening. A longing for his own home, in a valley on the other side of those hills, tore through him at the familiar sight but he suppressed it. He was never going back. His brother owned everything now and he’d made it clear Rhys wasn’t welcome.

‘Anyone who goes off to fight for that useless king is a fool,’ Gwilum had shouted four years ago. ‘What’s he ever done for us Welshmen? He’s never been interested in this part of the country. No, anyone with any sense will stay put yere.’

‘That’s not what Father would have said,’ Rhys had pointed out. Their father had been an ardent Royalist and had brought up his sons to honour their sovereign.

‘The old man was misguided, as are you,’ was Gwilum’s reply. ‘So go if you want to, but don’t expect to be given houseroom here when you return with your tail between your legs.’

Rhys had ignored his brother and followed a path his father would have approved of, though much good it had done him so far. All he had to show for it was a knighthood. There were no lands to go with it, no riches. Hell, he could barely feed himself and his horse. Suppressing a sigh, he steered his thoughts back to the matter at hand now.

‘Hopeless, you say? Nothing is ever hopeless until the end,’ Lord Worcester was saying as he winced and moved one foot slightly. Rhys had been told the old man suffered from gout, which wasn’t to be wondered at. He was nearly three score and ten apparently, a great age. And if age wasn’t the cause, then it was probably good living – his lordship was definitely a bit too stout for his own good.

Rhys bowed to acknowledge that the marquis was entitled to his opinion and he wasn’t going to argue with him. ‘You don’t think perhaps the ladies of the castle ought to be sent away at this time? For their safety, I mean.’ For some reason a particular lady’s face came into his mind, as it had done at regular intervals ever since he’d first met her that afternoon.

Mistress Dauncey – Arabella – was a rare beauty, with big blue eyes and long brown lashes under fine brows, rich honey-coloured hair and a tempting figure. It wasn’t just her outward attributes that had attracted him though, but the intelligence he’d seen lurking in those forget-me-not eyes. He’d enjoyed conversing with her; she caught on quickly and didn’t simper or flirt. Very refreshing. Although he’d felt she was holding something back, a secret concerning her background perhaps, but this only intrigued him further. He wanted to find out what it was. Wanted to know everything about her … He became aware that the marquis was speaking to him again and tried to concentrate.

‘… and where would I send them? I can’t spare any men for escort duty, they’re all needed here. No, the ladies will be safe with us. I’ll make sure of it.’

Again Rhys didn’t protest. What could he say? It wasn’t for him to point out that he doubted the marquis would have much choice in the matter if the Parliamentarians had their way, which seemed all too likely.

‘Will you permit me to stay here and give what assistance I can then?’ Rhys found himself saying. When he’d arrived earlier, he hadn’t made up his mind whether to remain or not. Reason told him to cut his losses and try his luck in France or Holland as a mercenary, but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to leave now. It seemed cowardly, even though the odds were definitely against them.

‘Of course, we’d be happy to have you, young man.’ Lord Worcester smiled for the first time. ‘Make yourself at home. I’m sure the garrison could do with another officer. You’ve been fighting with the Prince Palatine’s troops, you said?’

‘Yes, I’ve been with Prince Rupert’s cavalry since ’42. He’s still at Oxford, or he was the last I heard.’ Rhys knew the prince had given up hope too so it was possible he’d already left the country. It made no difference now and Rhys wasn’t going back. They’d said their goodbyes, parting as friends since they’d got on very well throughout their time fighting together.

‘Good, good. We need all the experienced men we can find. Report to my son, Lord Charles, in the morning. He’s in charge.’

‘Very well. Thank you, my lord.’

‘No, thank you. I appreciate you bringing me news.’

Rhys believed him and he couldn’t help but like the irascible old man. There was spirit in him and a sincere trust that what he was doing was right. Rhys only wished he could be as certain, but he’d made his choice. Now all he had to do was see it through to the end.

That might be sooner than the marquis thought.

The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight is by Christina Courtenay and published by Choc Lit. It is available to purchase in paperback and eBook format from all good suppliers. Please click here for buying options: www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/the-velvet-cloak-of-moonlight/

For more information on the author, you can follow her on Twitter @PiaCCourtenay

Follow @ChocLitUK on Twitter to make sure you catch the next extract, which will be out on Saturday 15^th October.

 

This Above All---A Girl Portrays Shakespeare's Romeo

This Above All by Lindsey Roth Culli is a  contemporary YA novel which is a potent stew of Shakespeare, gender, sexuality, religion and growing up in the American Midwest.   I received a free copy from the indie publisher, Curiosity Quills, in return for this honest review.

I have previously reviewed two other Curiosity Quills releases Alice Takes Back Wonderland, a rather wonderful fairy tale mashup and The Heartless City , an alternate history dystopia based on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde which I found compelling and enjoyable.  I expected This Above All to be more conventional compared to those previous outings.  In some ways, it was very much like a standard YA novel, but in others it very definitely wasn't.

                               

The conventional aspect of this book was high school.   I tend to avoid YA novels that take place in high school.   Most of these have predictable character types, dynamics and plots.   This Above All contained those elements.  There were false rumors, bullying and relationships plagued by miscommunication.  Juliet was played by a stereotypical popular mean girl.  It seems that the director of this Romeo and Juliet didn't prioritize chemistry between the leads.

Sexuality was a theme, but This Above All didn't really focus on sexual relationships as is appropriate in a YA novel. While the specter of lesbianism fueled controversy, there was no actual lesbianism. Heterosexual romance played a role in the plot of this novel, but it wasn't predominant.   There was a gay character named Tony, but his life wasn't front and center either.  I read a review on Goodreads that was disappointed that we didn't find out more about Tony's family interactions.   Tony played Mercutio.  If it's true that Shakespeare needed to kill off Mercutio to prevent him from taking over the play, as is stated in this book, it's probably also true that Culli wanted to make certain that Tony didn't upstage Piper, her protagonist.

I felt that the way Piper deals with her real female identity while portraying a male role is the most interesting aspect of this book.  She initially had her doubts about whether she could or should be Romeo.  Yet once she became accustomed to the idea, she threw herself into her fictive male identity.   I wouldn't say that Piper is a transgender character.   It seemed to me that Culli wanted to show that it's possible for a girl to play with masculine gender traits in a theatrical context while still retaining a core self-concept of being female.  Piper has more in common with historical women who dressed as men to achieve career goals than with individuals who seek to transition to another gender.

Piper's fundamentalist Christian family brings religion into the mix of themes.  It is they who stir the cauldron of outrage over Piper playing a male role.  Her pastor father is shown as being sincerely concerned about Piper's spiritual well being.   As I am not a Christian myself, I wouldn't presume to make statements about the true nature of Christianity.   Over the course of the narrative, Piper changes her own views about religion.  She ponders how she can maintain a relationship with God, and comes to her own independent conclusions.   It seems to me that for Piper developing a personal approach to religion is part of the process of becoming an adult.

This Above All is a book that will cause readers to reflect on a number of topics, but I think they will also be moved by the courage of Piper and Tony, and the  chosen family they found in the cast of Romeo and Juliet.   As we have seen in the TV series, Glee, communities of performers can be powerful support systems for teens who feel like outsiders in a hostile world.  Anyone who has felt at odds with their families, or with society in general will be able to relate to Piper.




                               

Renting Silence: A Roaring Twenties Mystery

I read the first book in this series and loved it. Due to the high price, I never did get around to book two. However, I didn't feel as if I'd missed a beat as I happily engrossed myself in book three.

Our heroine, former vaudeville star, is now working for Mary Pickford and husband. When Mary asks her to investigate a possible false arrest and prove a fellow actress's innocence, this gal is on the case, funded by the suspect's lover.

Everything points to the suspect having done it, despite what gut instinct says. The heroine hits vaudeville again to find some answers, therefore the story gives us a view of life on the road as the circuit tours town to town, even having a run-in with the KKK in Indiana. The author very skillfully brought real-life historical problems into the tale.

I became somewhat bored with the vaudeville. It got a tad repetitive. The train incident felt out of place and somewhat frustrating too. It didn't tie in enough with the rest of the tale. Those are my only quibbles. I enjoyed the heroine, her humor, the mystery and trying to guess whodunit as clues slowly unfolded.

All in all, a good addition to the series. I'm sorry I missed book two.

I received a digital ARC of this via Netgalley. Thank you.

Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evalina--The First Woman To Run For U.S. President

Feminist Victoria Woodhull is one of the irresistible historical personages for me.  She was the first woman to run a brokerage on Wall Street as well as being the first woman to run for President. Tara and I joint reviewed Seance in Sepia, a book that contained Woodhull as a side character, on this blog here.  I admit to not having been enthusiastic about the last book I reviewed by Nicole Evalina, Daughter of Destiny . Yet all the aspects of Victoria Woodhull's life that got short shrift in Seance in Sepia  are fully realized in Madame Presidentess by Nicole Evalina.  I obtained this book for free from the author in return for this honest review.

                                  

                         
We find out about Victoria's childhood as the daughter of Buck Claflin, an abusive and self-destructive con man.  Earlier this year, I read a mystery called The Saints of the Lost and Found in which the central character came from a family very much like Victoria's.   I wouldn't be surprised if the author loosely  based her protagonist's childhood on Victoria's because her parents were so outrageous that they'd be more believable as fictional characters.
                               
In  Madame Presidentess we get the full story about Victoria's spiritualism including her visions and how they impacted her life.  For Evalina's Victoria, spiritualism was not the widely promoted fakery of her day.  It was a deeply felt religious practice. She was absolutely convinced that the ancient Greek historical personage Demosthenes  was guiding her life.   I am not so convinced.  There is no indication that Demosthenes ever advocated for women's rights during his lifetime.  The playwright Euripides would have been a more believable spirit ally from the ancient Greek world.  Euripides wrote powerful plays that centered on women.  He might conceivably have encouraged Victoria in her feminist political activity.   I am willing to believe that Victoria was a sincere practitioner who was duped by a spirit pretending to be Demosthenes for unknown purposes.

Yet Victoria wasn't always above pretending to receive messages from the spirits.  I suspect that she was deceiving herself about having escaped completely from her family's influence.  Evalina  depicted Victoria as capable of being a grifter like her father, and a blackmailer like her mother.   These tendencies eventually wrecked her Wall Street career, and her campaign for President.  In Madame Presidentess Victoria thought that her family betrayed her, but she also made some poor choices from an ethical perspective.  My conclusion is that Victoria was largely responsible for her own downfall.  Like many male Wall Streeters and the overwhelming majority of politicians, she probably felt that the ends justified the means.   Her more idealistic allies in the suffrage and labor movements probably felt that she had used them.

Victoria Woodhull is shown to be a complex individual in Madame Presidentess.  Whether Victoria inspired me or disappointed me, she always engaged me as a character even when I didn't agree with her choices.  I liked the thoroughness of this biographical novel and particularly appreciated the spiritualist content.

Troublesome Fun Suspense Abounds in Lady Kop Makes Trouble @Amy_Stewart

"Last year I threw a man against a wall when he made me angry. I'd been trying not to do that anymore."

This is a terrific, fun historical mystery novel. I regret that I missed out on reading the first one. I'd had a digital ARC on a Kindle that was unfortunately stolen.

We have a really spunky heroine here, not without her flaws, as she does let a criminal get away. She's one of the New Jersey's first lady deputies--only there's a hold up with her actual badge. She's a jail matron when she's not chasing down sham German doctors in the subway station.

Her sisters are entertaining as well though not as prominent.

There's more than one case going on here--not just the escaped convict. There's a situation with a woman who shot her boarder. There's a look at life in the jail and different criminals' situations. There's a problem with the sheriff's wife and this shows us the attitudes at the time and how difficult it was for women to break career barriers.

Perhaps the thing I enjoyed second to the heroine herself and her determination is the secondary characters. They are memorable and each one is unique. The reporter in the ladies' hotel. The mother in her sick bed. The jailed woman afraid of her husband. Each has her own story showing something dealt with during this time.

Only a few things bothered me. Why was Rathbone paying for Von What'sHisFaces escape if Von owed him money? Seems like throwing good money after bad. And why did Constance show up for her reporter portrait attired as she was if she'd had time to go home and talk to her sisters? I'd think she'd have cleaned up while there.

But I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and plan to read the third installment. This is going on my list of favorite historical mystery series.