"What is reading but silent conversation?"
~Walter Landor
Thursday, 31 July 2014
Friday, 18 July 2014
Bridge to Haven
By Francine Rivers
(Blurb: To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she's paid to finally feel like she's somebody.
To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven. Zeke and his son, Joshua--Abra's closest friend--watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown.
Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what's expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home.
In this riveting and highly anticipated tale of temptation, grace, and unconditional love, "New York Times" best-selling author Francine Rivers delivers big-canvas storytelling at its very best.)
By Francine Rivers
(Blurb: To those who matter in 1950s Hollywood, Lena Scott is the hottest rising star to hit the silver screen since Marilyn Monroe. Few know her real name is Abra. Even fewer know the price she's paid to finally feel like she's somebody.
To Pastor Ezekiel Freeman, Abra will always be the little girl who stole his heart the night he found her, a wailing newborn abandoned under a bridge on the outskirts of Haven. Zeke and his son, Joshua--Abra's closest friend--watch her grow into an exotic beauty. But Zeke knows the circumstances surrounding her birth etched scars deep in her heart, scars that leave her vulnerable to a fast-talking bad boy who proclaims his love and lures her to Tinseltown.
Hollywood feels like a million miles from Haven, and naive Abra quickly learns what's expected of an ambitious girl with stars in her eyes. But fame comes at an awful price. She has burned every bridge to get exactly what she thought she wanted. Now, all she wants is a way back home.
In this riveting and highly anticipated tale of temptation, grace, and unconditional love, "New York Times" best-selling author Francine Rivers delivers big-canvas storytelling at its very best.)
This amazing and shocking novel by New York Times Bestselling Author Francine Rivers forces you back to the decade of glamour and movie stars that inhabited most of Hollywood back in the 1950's. But, aside from the outward perfection and the drop-dead gorgeous film stars, we see the inward workings of a young girl lured into the limelight by a set of sweet-talking playboys who proved they'd do or say anything in order to get what they want from her, both on and off the screen.
Having run away from her safe, yet comparingly dull hometown of Haven, Abra Matthews searches for a place and man to finally make her feel like a somebody, and not only that, she seeks the approval and love she feels that she's been deprived of since her birth; she desires to feel as if she's good enough, and that's a feeling all to familiar (for me in particular). Being abandoned as an infant and passed between families as a child, she struggles with feeling unworthy and abandoned. However deep these scars are, though, she learns, through time, that surrendering herself to please those around her will not make her any more valuable than she already is. And, after this internal revelation, she surrenders her 'runaway' ways and succumbs to one man who has loved her and cared for her since the moment he laid his eyes on her. With his help and encouragement, and by his side, she faces old demons and comes out the victor, learning that unconditional love is more than just a fairy tale.
This novel is really wonderful. It isn't the typical 'romance, romance, romance' novel that I'm guiltily so drawn to. Yes, it is romantic, completely, but the majority of the novel focuses on Abra when she's in Hollywood, away from the ones who truly love her. The focus is on her mental journey and discovery of who she truly is.
Through the example of Abra's life, Francine Rivers also shows us how grace and unconditional love can heal a broken and scarred heart and how temptation isn't all it's cracked up to be, that there's more to it than it's addicting allure, that it's dangerous and risky - all the while bringing God into the equation. :)
This is the 5th novel I've read by Francine Rivers, and, I'm sad to say, it wasn't my favourite. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, I really did, but it just couldn't surpass The Mark of the Lion series for me. Sorry! That considered, I give this novel a 9/10. Please read this novel and see for yourself how special it is.
Monday, 14 July 2014
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall
By Julie Klassen
(Blurb: Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?
Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?
On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love.")
This being my first Julie Klassen novel, I had no idea what to expect, but as soon as I started reading, I fell completely in love with each and every character, minus the baddies, of course!
Our heroine starts the novel as a selfish and spoiled young woman, who after the escape of a lifetime and countless trials and tribulations, learns from a new perspective, how her actions and attitudes affected those around her. And throughout the novel , we watch her character grow and see her become a wise and kind woman. And what I liked about this novel is that however rude and spoiled Margaret was at the beginning, she was never unlikable. But, after she finds her virtue being threatened, she decides to act as Joseph did when being seduced by Potiphar's wife and just…flee! In a very real sense, her faith in God is what saved her.
And once she arrives at her 'hiding place', she finds that she isn't as safe as she had hoped she'd be. Despite her disguise, suspicions about her identity surface and she has to constantly combat unwanted attention, while trying not to fall in love with a formerly-rejected sutor… and once she does, wondering if her could ever forgive her and rekindle their love.
I read this novel in just one day, it was that good! I just couldn't put it down! It was moving, spiritual (but not in the preachy sense) and oh so romantic! Prepare yourself for some tears of happiness as well as squeals of all sorts! I give this novel a 9/10 :)
By Julie Klassen
(Blurb: Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?
Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?
On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love.")
This being my first Julie Klassen novel, I had no idea what to expect, but as soon as I started reading, I fell completely in love with each and every character, minus the baddies, of course!
Our heroine starts the novel as a selfish and spoiled young woman, who after the escape of a lifetime and countless trials and tribulations, learns from a new perspective, how her actions and attitudes affected those around her. And throughout the novel , we watch her character grow and see her become a wise and kind woman. And what I liked about this novel is that however rude and spoiled Margaret was at the beginning, she was never unlikable. But, after she finds her virtue being threatened, she decides to act as Joseph did when being seduced by Potiphar's wife and just…flee! In a very real sense, her faith in God is what saved her.
And once she arrives at her 'hiding place', she finds that she isn't as safe as she had hoped she'd be. Despite her disguise, suspicions about her identity surface and she has to constantly combat unwanted attention, while trying not to fall in love with a formerly-rejected sutor… and once she does, wondering if her could ever forgive her and rekindle their love.
I read this novel in just one day, it was that good! I just couldn't put it down! It was moving, spiritual (but not in the preachy sense) and oh so romantic! Prepare yourself for some tears of happiness as well as squeals of all sorts! I give this novel a 9/10 :)
Thursday, 10 July 2014
Phantom
By Susan Kay
(Blurb: A disturbingly gifted child, horribly disfigured from birth, flees into a cruel world where he will learn to survive at any cost.
Torn between good and evil driven to seek power as a substitute for the love he fears he can never know, Erik begins a journey that will take him across the face of Europe, from a gypsy cage to the treacherous court of Persia, and ultimately to the cellars of the Paris Opera House, where he must finally learn the true meaning of love.
This amazing, heart-wrenching, tear-inducing, perfectly-written novel is what I'd call a diamond in the rough! It is divided into 7 sub-sections, each narrated by a different character in Erik's life. This novel begins with his birth and ends beyond his death, creating a bildungsroman (a novel that follows a character through his or her life).
As we follow Erik (the Phantom) through the misery of his childhood and adult life, we too endure the heartbreaks and abuse of our misunderstood and well-meant hero and journey with him to the ends of the earth, all the while growing and learning new and amazing things, and understanding just how he became the tormented soul we already love from other 'Phantom of the Opera' works (such as the original novel by Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber's award winning musical).
Now, I don't know anyone who didn't think Christine Daae was a fool for going off with the lackluster Raoul as opposed to staying with the Phantom, Erik. His loyalty, devotion and passion for not only Christine, but also his music and other talents, shone far more brightly than any of Raoul's shallow infatuation and two-dimensional character. This is no fault to Susan Kay's writing, I love the way she portrayed Raoul, I am just a bit biased in my evident love for Erik. Apologies!
Also, though gruesomely disfigured, the Phantom has endured as a magnetic figure of endless fascination. And in this novel we explore his life, from birth to death - and we find that much happened before he ever set eyes on the winsome Christine.
I think I can safely say that we all love our misunderstood outcasts and mysterious princes of darkness, which Erik undoubtedly is. Brilliant and artistic, he has been reviled since birth, even rejected by his own very beautiful mother. We follow Erik as he is captured by the evil Javert, exhibited and abused as a circus freak. After finally escaping the gypsy carnival, he makes his way to Italy to become a master stonemason's apprentice and to experience his first love, which ends in tragedy. He next surfaces as the dark magician in a Persian court. Everywhere he goes, cruelty and devastation follow until at last he retreats to his native Paris. He becomes the secret genius behind the building of the famous Opera Garnier, where he ultimately decides to hide from the cruelty of the world.
From there, the story roughly follows the well-known Phantom of the Opera storyline, a mix of both the Gaston Leroux novel and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Susan Kay manages not only to pay homage to both, but surpass them in this superb, beautifully written version. This novel is for all those who, if given the choice, would have picked the Phantom every time.
And so, without further ado, I give this novel a 10/10! It is so amazing and to be honest, I can't find the right words in which to express my deep love and admiration for it, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves, and I can assure you you will not regret it. This is one novel destined to make you sob, laugh, squeal and sigh all at the same time! :)
By Susan Kay
(Blurb: A disturbingly gifted child, horribly disfigured from birth, flees into a cruel world where he will learn to survive at any cost.
Torn between good and evil driven to seek power as a substitute for the love he fears he can never know, Erik begins a journey that will take him across the face of Europe, from a gypsy cage to the treacherous court of Persia, and ultimately to the cellars of the Paris Opera House, where he must finally learn the true meaning of love.
This amazing, heart-wrenching, tear-inducing, perfectly-written novel is what I'd call a diamond in the rough! It is divided into 7 sub-sections, each narrated by a different character in Erik's life. This novel begins with his birth and ends beyond his death, creating a bildungsroman (a novel that follows a character through his or her life).
As we follow Erik (the Phantom) through the misery of his childhood and adult life, we too endure the heartbreaks and abuse of our misunderstood and well-meant hero and journey with him to the ends of the earth, all the while growing and learning new and amazing things, and understanding just how he became the tormented soul we already love from other 'Phantom of the Opera' works (such as the original novel by Gaston Leroux and Andrew Lloyd Webber's award winning musical).
Now, I don't know anyone who didn't think Christine Daae was a fool for going off with the lackluster Raoul as opposed to staying with the Phantom, Erik. His loyalty, devotion and passion for not only Christine, but also his music and other talents, shone far more brightly than any of Raoul's shallow infatuation and two-dimensional character. This is no fault to Susan Kay's writing, I love the way she portrayed Raoul, I am just a bit biased in my evident love for Erik. Apologies!
Also, though gruesomely disfigured, the Phantom has endured as a magnetic figure of endless fascination. And in this novel we explore his life, from birth to death - and we find that much happened before he ever set eyes on the winsome Christine.
I think I can safely say that we all love our misunderstood outcasts and mysterious princes of darkness, which Erik undoubtedly is. Brilliant and artistic, he has been reviled since birth, even rejected by his own very beautiful mother. We follow Erik as he is captured by the evil Javert, exhibited and abused as a circus freak. After finally escaping the gypsy carnival, he makes his way to Italy to become a master stonemason's apprentice and to experience his first love, which ends in tragedy. He next surfaces as the dark magician in a Persian court. Everywhere he goes, cruelty and devastation follow until at last he retreats to his native Paris. He becomes the secret genius behind the building of the famous Opera Garnier, where he ultimately decides to hide from the cruelty of the world.
From there, the story roughly follows the well-known Phantom of the Opera storyline, a mix of both the Gaston Leroux novel and the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Susan Kay manages not only to pay homage to both, but surpass them in this superb, beautifully written version. This novel is for all those who, if given the choice, would have picked the Phantom every time.
And so, without further ado, I give this novel a 10/10! It is so amazing and to be honest, I can't find the right words in which to express my deep love and admiration for it, so you'll just have to read it for yourselves, and I can assure you you will not regret it. This is one novel destined to make you sob, laugh, squeal and sigh all at the same time! :)
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