'The Heir' by Grace Burrowes

Genre: Regency Romance
Author: Grace Burrowes
About (from Goodreads): A debut novel by a rising star with remarkable characters, intriguing plots, and settings of fascinating historical accuracy. In this Regency era battle of wits, wills, and the sexes, a wily old duke is determined to see the succession of his line secured, and his three headstrong sons are equally determined to resist the bonds of matrimony. In The Heir, the first in the series, the Earl of Wyndham, weighed down by responsibilities and determined to avoid the rounds of country houses of and matchmaking mamas, decides to summer in London. There he discovers a potentially perfect duchess in his lovely, mysterious housekeeper...
Published: December 7, 2010 Sourcebooks Casablanca

1.) Reasons you chose this book

I love a great regency romance every once in a while and I've never read a book by Grace Burrowes so I thought I would give it a shot.

2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this book

• I honestly felt that the story wasn't exciting at all. There was no build up to the relationship between Anna and the Earl. The book is 450 pages in length and by page 70 we're suppose to believe that the prim and proper housemaid Anna would actually touch the Earl's family jewels??????

• I don't mind sex but I would like some depth to the characters and to their relationship. Some of the sex scenes were fairly explicit and at times just not in good taste.

• I just loved (dripping with sarcasm here...) how when a woman was pregnant she was referred to be breeding.

• I felt that the plot was really thin and at times felt really forced. I knew exactly what was going to happen before I hit page 150.

3.) Reasons you are recommending this book

• Reasons for- If you love this genre then honestly you would probably enjoy this one immensely. In fact I am listing a review from Yankee Romance Reviewers who absolutely loved this one and a post from Babbling About Books which informs me that this was a Publisher's Weekly Best Book of 2010.

          Yankee Romance Reviewer's 
          Babbling about Books, and more
          Book Girl of Mur-y Castell - She loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Reasons against- I have read Amanda Quick's books in the past and totally loved them. The writing was creative, the story fast-paced, and the relationships believable. I'm probably being unfair again and comparing 'The Heir' to Quick's books so with that being said I would give this author another try.

Rating:  2.5/5 


Thank you to Danielle @ Sourcebooks for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday....What Are You Reading?

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (November Host)
We share what books that we found 

in our mailboxes last week.

 

Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden- won from Kaye @ Pudgy Penguin Perusals. I had no idea that the author is from Michigan...very cool!!!

Mischief of the Mistletoe: A Pink Carnation Christmas by Lauren Willig - from Dutton for review

Talking to Girls about Duran Duran- review book from Dutton. ( I love Duran Duran!! When I was 16 I was positive that I was going to marry John Taylor. Well, I did end up with the right last name just not John!!)

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:

Child of the Northern Spring- just an okay historical fiction take on Guinevere. 3/5

Daily Guideposts 2011- loved this book and look forward to starting my days out right next year 5/5

Six Sentence Saturday Movie Review Version:

Mamma Mia! loved it!!! 4/5

Julie and Julia- Meryl Streep is just amazing!! 4/5

Tentative reviews for this week:

The Heir-Tuesday

The Reindeer Keeper- Wednesday

Pemberley Ranch-Thursday

Six Sentence Saturday:

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

The Bite of the Mango

On my nightstand:

Six Sentence Saturday - Movie Review Version

Mamma Mia! The Movie
I have never seen the Broadway version of this but rest assured that I plan to see it before I die! I absolutely loved this movie and was singing some of the songs right along with the characters!! What a fun story and the way they took those ABBA songs and built a story from them was incredible. The location of the movie was to die for...how I long to stay at the inn and swim in those blue/green waters!! I thought everyone did a great job of singing and yes, I'll admit that there were a few cheesy moments, but I didn't care. I cried some, laughed some, and did a lot of dancing!!! Now I want to download a bunch of ABBA songs to my iPod!!!
My Rating;

Julie and Julia
It's no secret that I hated the book that Julie Powell wrote and frankly, I disliked Julie Powell immensely. The only reason I wanted to watch this movie was to see Meryl Streep bring Julia Child to life and she did not let me down!! Boy, did the movie producers sugarcoat Julie Powell in this movie...she's fairly nice, doesn't drop the F-bomb in every sentence, and it didn't hurt that they chose Amy Adams as Powell (she's someone most people like). I would like to see a movie based on Julia Child's book with Meryl Streep, now that is a movie I would see in the theater!! Meryl Streep makes this movie and I enjoyed it just for her portrayal of the fascinating Julia.  Overall, not a bad way to spend 2 hours!!
My Rating:

'Daily Guideposts 2011: A Spirit-Lifting Devotional'- a book that I'm thankful for

About: Daily Guideposts 2011: A Spirit-Lifting Devotional  features 55 contributing writers from all over the country including familiar favorites Elizabeth and John Sherrill, Oscar Greene and Carol Kuykendall. The familiar format of heartwarming stories, simple prayers and reflective Bible verses makes the Daily Guideposts 2011 a welcome companion in the lives of Christians who are seeking to experience a greater spiritual richness in their lives.

Why I wanted to read this book: I have many daily inspirational books that I've purchased for myself over the years. Usually I find them when I'm depressed, sad, or need to ratchet up my faith. Jessica from Phenix&Phenix sent me an email asking if I would like to review a copy of this book and it couldn't have been better timing as I was finding myself very blue about my son leaving for the Marines, having strained relations with my parents, and encountering some rough patches in my own marriage. I eagerly said yes because I needed to refill my glass of faith, hope, and perseverance.
 
What worked for me:

• I've read the Bible through in its entirety in one year but I don't know scripture by heart or sometimes where to look for uplifting verses. What I always like about Guideposts is that each day's entry starts with a verse that has a direct correlation with the true, first-person story that follows.

• You know that saying, "misery loves company?" Well, I truly believe that for those of us who need to find something spirit-lifting, like to immerse ourselves into stories of people who have felt at one time in their life much like we do, but have found a way to overcome it. This is what I enjoy about this book so much. I don't have to be miserable. I can find a story that may relate to how I am feeling at the time or how I may have felt at one time and learn from their experience.
• It's beautifully laid out and easy to read. There is also a bookmark that has been sewn into the book for easy use. At the end of each month there are places for you to make your own impressions of your day. I like that and will use it to keep track of how the daily story may have impacted my attitude and enjoyment of the day.

Recommend?  I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends that are spiritual, religious or are just looking for a different way to start their day. I have a personal story to share about this book. As most of you know my oldest son is currently at bootcamp for the Marine Corp. His letters home have been wonderful, sad, silly, and very insightful. Just a few weeks ago I received a letter from him that found him questioning if this was the life for him. Should he be a Marine? I sat down and wrote him a 4-page letter detailing my thoughts and sharing some life experience with him. My son at times has said that he doesn't believe in God. Yes, that breaks my heart a bit, but I will not judge him for his views. He's entitled to feel that way and we never really put pressure on each other to sway the other person's beliefs. But I did go to January 14, 2011(His Graduation Date) in the Guideposts and what I read shocked me. The topic of the day was **** To Say Good-Bye. To me that signified saying goodbye to his old way of life and saying hello to the new man he will have become. Under the date the title of the story was ****** THE SHAPE OF CHANGE. So I did what any mother would do. I made a copy of this and wrote my thoughts on the bottom and included it in with my letter. Long story short, that story changed the way I viewed my son's questions and inspired me to write him a letter that was filled with optimism, understanding of his fears, and uplifting his own spirit.

My Rating: 5/5

Source: Jessica @ Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists
Author: various contributors

Published: October, 2010

Publisher:  Guidposts

Pages: 432

Genre:  Devotional

ISBN: 978-0-8249-4809-2

Happy Thanksgiving !

May your day be blessed with family, friends, food, laughter and love.

Please say a prayer for our troops,
 and those who are not able to be with their families.

I kindly ask that you also keep my Son in your thoughts today
as he spends his first Thanksgiving away

from loved ones!

'Child of the Northern Spring' by Persia Woolley

Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Persia Woolley
About (from Goodreads):Often portrayed as spoiled, in Persia Woolley's hands Guinevere comes alive as a high-spirited, passionate woman. When she is chosen by Arthur to be his wife, Guinevere's independence wars with her family loyalty. As the wedding approaches and hints of rebellion abound, she learns that the old gods are in revolt against the new Christian church, and that scattered kingdoms are stirring from their uneasy peace. This is Arthurian epic at its best, filled with romance, adventure, authentic historical detail, and a landscape alive with the mystery of Britain in the Dark Ages.
Published: November 1, 2010 by Sourcebooks Inc. 

 3 Reasons Review

I am trying out a new review format today called "3 Reasons Review". Jen from Jenny loves to read and I have chatted about coming up with a simple review format.  Something with just the basics of what readers would want to know about a book.  Some books do not require an in-depth analysis, yet as reviewers we still strive to get the important bits across to our readers. Therefore, the 3 Reasons, came from what Jenny and I think are most important. Didn't come up with a fancy button yet, but working on it. (If you have suggestions about this new format, please let me know.) I copied this directly from Jen's blog and just changed the order of our names so it made sense. Believe me Jenny came up with almost all of this!!! She rocks!

1.) Reasons you chose this book

I'm a big fan of the story about King Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Round Table. I had never heard of this author nor her book, so I thought I would give it a shot.

2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this book

• I enjoyed reading the author's version of who Guinevere was and how she came to be King Arthur's bride. I thought she was an interesting character who became multi-faceted as she grew older. Making her an expert horse rider was pure genius as this is how she makes a connection with Arthur.

• What I didn't enjoy was how the author kept changing between past and present. At times I thought it was confusing and it made the reading feel stilted at times. What is funny about this is that in the back of the book the author asks the question if using this technique was confusing to her readers! I guess my thought is that if you're questioning your own process then maybe you should do something different. I wish that she would have wrote this in two parts...pre-Arthur and post-Arthur.

• Changing of names was a bit confusing to me. She didn't mention Sir Lancelot but maybe once or twice and in every story I've read much has been made of Lancelot and Guinevere's relationship. I was a bit put off by that but managed to move on.

• There was too much information that I felt could have been left out. It made the story drag at times and I caught myself a time or two wishing that there would be some sort of action or an earth shattering event. It never happened.

3.) Reasons you are recommending this book

• Reasons for- if you have followed the King Arthur tale and would like to add another story to your library then I would say that you would enjoy this one. It is slow at times, but overall I thought it was a good read.
• Reasons against- If you're like me and devoured "Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley then you may feel a bit let down. I believe that Bradley wrote the ultimate book based on the legend of the Round Table, Lady of the Lake, Arthur, Merlin, Morgause (the list can go on with characters). To me it is hard to beat this book and sadly I compare everything concerned with this subject to 'Mists of Avalon.'
• Interesting tidbit: Persia Woolley wrote this the same time Zimmer Bradley was writing 'Mists of Avalon.' She felt that the major difference between the two books is that hers was based on the reality of the time period, and stayed true to customs and lores. While Zimmer Bradley used more of a fantasy element in her writing. For me that was the difference....I love fantasy!!!

Rating:  3/5 


Thank you to Danielle @ Sourcebooks for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What are you reading?

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (November Host)
We share what books that we found 

in our mailboxes last week.

Dogs Don't Lie (Clea Simon) - Thanks to Wendy @ Musings of a Bookish Kitty for sending this one to me.
Heart with Joy - sent for review from author Steve Cushman
Blood of My Brother- sent for review from author James Lepore

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week (not much!! LOL)

Heidegger's Glasses- excellent and original book! 4/5

Tentative reviews for this week:

Child of the Northern Spring- Tuesday

Pemberley Ranch- Wednesday

Daily Guideposts 2011- Friday

Six Sentence Movie Reviews- Saturday

On my nightstand:

'Heidegger's Glasses' by Thaisa Frank (TLC Tour Stop)

Genre: Historical (somewhat) Fiction

About the book (from TLC) :
Heidegger’s Glasses opens during the end of World War II in a failing Germany coming apart at the seams.  The Third Reich’s strong reliance on the occult and its obsession with the astral plane has led to the formation of an underground compound of scribes–translators responsible for answering letters written to those eventually killed in the concentration camps. Into this covert compound comes a letter written by eminent philosopher Martin Heidegger to his optometrist, who is now lost in the dying thralls of Auschwitz.  How will the scribes answer this letter?  The presence of Heidegger’s words–one simple letter in a place filled with letters–sparks a series of events that will ultimately threaten the safety and well-being of the entire compound.
Part love story, part thriller, part meditation on how the dead are remembered and history presented, with threads of Heidegger’s philosophy woven throughout, the novel evocatively illustrates the Holocaust from an entirely original vantage point.


Why I wanted to read this book: I was immediately captured by the original plot for this story. I like historical fiction and felt ready to read another book about the Holocaust and WWII.
 
What worked for me:

• The originality of the storyline really blew me away. I am totally amazed at how the author weaved this story to the point that she actually had me convinced that these letter writers existed.

• I think she captured how insane Hitler and his regime was and the affect that his actions had on people in so many countries.
• The author shows to what lengths humans will go to just to stay alive. Each letter writer was plucked from the hands of death and even though their work was unsavory, they were just happy to be alive.
• The character Elie truly touched me. I know that there were many women just like her during Hitler's control of Germany who put themselves in extreme danger just to save one person. Elie is a person who will stay with me.
• Frank begins almost each chapter with a letter that was written by someone in an internment camp. They haunted my dreams and at times just broke my heart. Why? Because you and I both know how the story ended for most of them. 

 Recommend?  Absolutely. This is a book that will stay with me for some time. I was touched on a deep emotional level. If you enjoy historical fiction that takes place during WWII and gives you much to ponder and think about, then I truly believe that you will want to read this one.

My Rating: 4/5


Thank you to TLC Book Tours. for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

About Thaisa

Thaisa Frank has written three books of fiction, including A Brief History of Camouflage and Sleeping in Velvet (both with Black Sparrow Press, now acquired by David Godine). She has co-authored a work of nonfiction, Finding Your Writers Voice: A Guide to Creative Fiction, which is used in MFA programs.  Her forthcoming novel, Heidegger’s Glasses, is coming out this fall with Counterpoint Press.  Foreign rights have already been sold to ten countries.
Thaisa has taught in the graduate programs at San Francisco State, the University of San Francisco, been on the staff of various summer writing workshops, and written essays, including a recent Afterward in Viking/Penguin’s new edition of Voltaire.  You can find out more about Heidegger’s Glasses and Thaisa by visiting her website at  www.thaisafrank.com.


Please visit the other tour stops HERE.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday..What are you reading?

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (October Host)
We share what books that we found 

in our mailboxes last week.

Distant Hours by Kate Morton- Shelf Awareness
Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello- TLC Tour Stop Dec 7th
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women- won from Margot @ Joyfully Retired

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:

The Debutante- fun and engaging read 4/5

The Passionate Brood- interesting historical fiction 3.5/5

Tentative reviews this week:

Heidegger's Glasses- Wed (TLC Tour Book Stop)

Child of the Northern Spring- Saturday 

Books on the nightstand:

Six Sentence Saturday-Early Edition

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.

Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Happy that I read it...a good read.
2 of Hearts- Just O.K but nothing to write home about.
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

The Passionate Brood by Margaret Campbell Barnes
One of the best things about reading historical fiction is learning about people that I would've otherwise totally missed. I did enjoy getting to know Richard the Lionheart, but I was hoping to see Robin (Robin Hood) fleshed out a bit more. I did do some research about the Crusades and about the Plantegenets, and again I felt the need to read more about this family and the impact they had on their countries. I wish I could say that I was tearing through this one, but I have to admit that it was slow going for me. I found it hard to concentrate on one person and really make a connection. With that being said, I still feel that I can absolutely recommend this one to those die-hard historical fiction fans and especially to those who enjoy learning more about the medieval time period represented in this book. Here's a great place to start to get some background history on King Richard.
My Rating:

(3.5)






Thank you to Danielle @ Sourcebooks for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

'The Debutante' by Kathleen Tessaro (TLC Tour Stop)

Genre: Fiction

About The Debutante (from TLC) A gifted artist, Cate has come to London from New York to escape her recent past. Working for her aunt’s auction house, she is sent down to Devon to value the contents of Endsleigh House, the once gracious but now crumbling estate of a former socialite. There, hidden in the back of a dusty bookshelf, Cate discovers an old shoebox. Inside is a strange assortment of objects: an exquisite pair of dancing shoes circa 1930; a diamond brooch; a photograph of a young sailor; a dance card; and a pearl and emerald Tiffanys bracelet. Intrigued by her find, Cate sets out to solve the mystery of the box, becoming immersed in the story of its owner, Baby Blythe. Bright, beautiful, and reckless, Baby was the most famous debutante of her generation . . . and the most dangerous. As the clues begin to reveal a shocking tale of destructive, addictive love, Cate finds herself being drawn deeper into Baby’s tragic life story—a story that will force Cate to face some dark truths about her own.


Why I wanted to read this book: I've never heard of this author but after reading the premise of the story I thought it would make for an interesting read. I was intrigued with the idea of finding a box with various items in it and then setting out to explore the story behind them.
 
What worked for me:

• Of course, if you've read my blog long enough you'll know that I fall in love easily with all things England. So of course, I fell in love with London and the grand Georgian home tucked away by the water.

• The vulnerability of both Cate and Henry. Each had been hurt in different ways, but they both allowed it to interfere with their ability to move on with their lives and to entertain the idea of finding real love.
• I really liked how the author wrote the story in such a manner that Cate and Baby's life were very parallel to each other even though they were separated by sixty years.
• I loved the letters that Baby wrote to her sister. They helped shape your impression of Baby and allowed the reader to get a personal glimpse into her world.
• I felt like I was watching the movie, "Possession" where two people find clues tucked into the letters exchanged between two poets and therefore, find out a deep, dark secret. This is the same idea here, but Cate finds a box filled with trinkets that she believes belonged to the elusive Baby. She follows the clues in the box and finally solves the mystery of what happened to Baby.

Recommend?  Most certainly! I found this book to be extremely entertaining and I actually finished it in one day!!! If you enjoy your books a bit on the dark side of human nature, with a dash of mystery and romance mixed in, then I think you will like this one.

My Rating: 4/5


Thank you to TLC Book Tours. for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

About Kathleen

Born in Pittsburgh, Kathleen Tessaro emigrated to London where she worked as an actress in films, television, and theater, while training to be a drama teacher and voice coach. She is the author of the novels Elegance, Innocence, and The Flirt. Kathleen currently lives in Pennsylvania.



Please visit the other tour stops HERE.


© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What are you reading?

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Julie @ Knitting and sundries (October Host)
We share what books that we found 

in our mailboxes last week.

Kiss at Your Own Risk- review book from Sourcebooks
Queen Hereafter- TLC Tour stop book December 14th

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:

The Forever Queen- fantastic historical fiction read 4/5

The Exile: An Outlander Grapic Novel- overall an enjoyable read 3.75/5

Desiree- what a truly intriguing woman...must read for fans of historical fiction/France/Sweden 4/5

Tentative reviews for this week:

The Debutante- TLC Tour Stop Tuesday

The Passionate Brood- Thursday

On my nightstand: