Guest Post – Jodi Thomas

When I began writing TEXAS BLUE I knew I wanted to write two stories that ran at stampede pace through one novel.  I’ve written 23 Historical Romances and Sagas, but this time I wanted the stories to be equal.  No plot and subplot, just two full stories.  I opened in 1875, with two friends parting ways one stormy night in Austin.  Duncan McMurray, a Texas Ranger, is off to fight at the border and Lewt, a gambler, plans to find a wife while his friend is away.  He thinks he wants a quiet, wealthy lady, unfortunately in Emily McMurray, Duncan’s cousin, he finds far more than he bargained for.

Duncan is all a hero in a western romance should be, he’s wild, loyal and intelligent.  He leaves his law practice to go fight with the Texas Rangers.  Lewt, on the other hand never wants to get involved in fights of any kind.  He plays his life like a game based on luck.  Duncan wants to do what’s right, but his friend, Lewt, only wants to live a normal, quite life.  When the stories collide, Duncan must depend on Lewt’s bravery and trust his life to their friendship.

I’ve been setting books in Texas history for almost twenty years.  As a fifth generation Texan, the world seems very real to me.  People sometimes ask if I’d like to go back there, and I always say no, I just love living there in my imagination.  While writing this book I felt like I was returning to a much loved ranch I’d written about before called Whispering Mountain.  My hero, Duncan, was rescued as a boy from an outlaw camp and adopted by the McMurrays.  He’s been raised with three girl cousins and feels very protective of them.  When they think he sent men to the ranch hoping to marry them off, the girls declare war on Duncan.

I know my readers are going to love this story as much as I loved writing it.  For those of you who would like more about what was happening at the ranch before Lewt arrives, check my website www.jodithomas.com and read two chapters that had to be cut from early in the book.  Remember, they haven’t been edited so jump over the misspellings.

Thanks for reading and I’d love to hear from you.

Jodi Thomas

www.jodithomas.com

www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor

Thanks, Jodi!

I’d like to invite readers to come back tomorrow

for my review of Texas Blue and a giveaway

Mailbox Monday – March 28

 

 

Hosted in March at I’m Booking It

I bought:

Between The Tides by Patti Callahan Henry

The scene of a childhood tragedy that forced her family to move, Seaboro, South Carolina, is the last place Catherine Leary wants to see again. But her father’s last wish to have his ashes scattered there, and his young colleague’s desire to write an article about him, conspire against Catherine. Hoping to stop her family’s secrets from being exposed, she travels to her once-beloved Lowcountry town-and embarks on a poignant trip into the past…a journey that might lead her into a new life of love, forgiveness, and self-discovery.

What was in your mailbox?

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

Title: Revolution

Author: Jennifer Donnelly

Genre: Fiction – YA

About: (Book flap)  BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

My thoughts: This was a book club pick that had been on my radar for a while so I was happy to read it. I thought the premise was interesting. There were numerous pop culture references – some I ‘got’, some I didn’t. Having majored in music, the classical music aspect of the novel was my favorite.

There was a lot of angst but I understood where Andi was coming from re her emotions about her life. I just wanted to give her a hug (since neither of her parents seemed able), assure her that life would get better and that she wasn’t at fault for her brother’s death. I think my favorite character was Virgil who became Andi’s friend when she needed one most. He was a talented musician and a thoughtful friend.

The parallel story about Alexandrine was probably a good introduction to readers not familiar with the French Revolution. I’ve read other historical fiction novels about that time that were more satisfying.

Upon finishing the book I felt I wasn’t the intended reader for the book. I thought it was ok but that’s it. There were parts I really liked and some I just didn’t feel a connection. I was in the minority in my group. Reactions were mostly favorable.  I’m going to give it to my niece and get her take – she’s seventeen and an avid reader. Did you read it?  What did you think?

Rating: 3/5 stars

Recommend? I think fans of YA fiction will enjoy it.

Source: I bought it.

Mailbox Monday – March 21

 

Hosted in March at I’m Booking It

I bought:

Staying at Daisy’s by Jill Mansell

(Goodreads): Love is always just around the corner in a Jill Mansell novel – with a few surprises and a lot of humour on the way to happiness

Daisy MacLean runs the country house hotel owned by her flamboyant father, Hector. When she hears who’s about to get married there, she isn’t worried at all – her friend Tara absolutely promises there won’t be any trouble between her …more

What was in your mailbox?

Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt

Title: Pictures of You (audiobook)

Author: Caroline Leavitt

Genre: Fiction

About: (back of the book synopsis)  Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor, Isabelle, is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but of the lives of the devastated husband and fragile son that the other woman, April, has left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why. As these three lives intersect, the book asks, How well do we really know those we love-and how do we forgive the unforgivable?

My thoughts: I think the last line of the synopsis best describes this novel. I found myself wondering if I would act as Isabelle did after the terrible accident. Would I have the nerve to approach the grieving father and son for more than an apology? Would Charlie and Sam be able to interact on any level with the woman who was responsible for killing April?  And what would happen if they could?

Isabelle, Charlie and Sam are fleshed out in such a way that I understood the motivation of each character. Isabel was fleeing a failed marriage to the only man she’d ever loved. Charlie knew things hadn’t been great with April and they’d even had words the last time they saw each other. Sam has a secret that eats away at him. He seemed so lost and unable to ask for help. I felt sympathy for all three.

Caroline Leavitt’s novel is mesmerizing – I didn’t want to stop reading. I wanted to know where she was taking her characters. How would things end for Sam, Charlie and Isabelle? Would there be a chance for them to be happy or content – together or on their own?  I must say I was surprised by a few twists near the end of the book. They would definitely prompt some interesting discussions for book groups.

One issue that came up for me after finishing was the timing of the novel. When did the bulk of the story take place? I was unsure about it and that bothered me a bit.

I enjoyed Leavitt’s writing and will definitely look for more of her books.  Robin Miles’ narration was wonderful. She was easy to listen to and the voices she gave the characters worked for me.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Recommend? Yes, I think it would be a good book group selection – book or audiobook.

Source: HighBridge via LibraryThing Early Reviewer

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Title: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

Author: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Genre: History/Biography

About: (Goodreads)  The life Kamila Sidiqi had known changed overnight when the Taliban seized control of the city of Kabul. After receiving a teaching degree during the civil war—a rare achievement for any Afghan woman—Kamila was subsequently banned from school and confined to her home. When her father and brother were forced to flee the city, Kamila became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings.

My thoughts: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon’s book is one of the most inspirational I’ve read in quite some time.  She tells the story of Kamila Sediqi – a young woman who rose to the occasion when her father left the family in her care because he,her mother and brother had to flee Kabul after the Taliban invasion in the 1990s.

After some time had passed the need to buy food and other necessities prompted Kamila to find a way to earn money.  She went to her older, married sister who taught her how to sew.  From those lessons grew a cottage industry that employed many girls from her neighborhood. By teaching the girls to cut fabric, sew, bead, etc. she helped them gain confidence and self-esteem as well as a way to earn money to help support their families. Kamila risked her safety anytime she would go to the market where she bought fabric and sold finished garments. She couldn’t go out in public without her younger brother (a Taliban rule) and she had to wear the required chadri (burqa). She had faith that God would take care of her. That faith carried her through some very distressing times.

I was continually impressed by the courage and optimism displayed by all of the young people portrayed in this book. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a biography that reads like a novel.  It’s a compelling story of the power of the human spirit during impossible times.

I appreciated that the author included an epilogue and a Where Are They Today chapter.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Recommend? Yes, it’s an uplifting and inspirational story.

Source: HarperCollins

Mailbox Monday – March 14

 

 

Hosted in March at I’m Booking It

♣ ♣ ♣

Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas (blog tour)

(Goodreads synopsis) Gambling man Lewton Paterson wants to marry into a respectable family. After fleecing a train ticket, Lewt makes his way to Whispering Mountain. But seducing a well-bred woman is hard, and Lewt realizes that to entice a McMurray sister, he’ll need to learn a thing or two about ranching-and love.

I bought:

The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux – I bought this after Sheila at Book Journey said it’s one of her favorite books.  Thanks for the rec, Sheila!  I’ll read it in a few months.

(Goodreads synopsis) Three best friends, all turning forty, celebrate at a summerhouse in Maine — and take stock of their lives, loves, and choices. A mysterious “Madame Zoya” now arrives, offering them a chance to relive any three weeks from the past. Each woman must choose a particular dream that got away — and a life to truly satisfy the heart’s deepest longings.

What was in your mailbox?

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Title: The Postmistress

Author: Sarah Blake

Genre: Fiction

About: (Goodreads synopsis): Filled with stunning parallels to today’s world, The Postmistress is a sweeping novel about the loss of innocence of two extraordinary women-and of two countries torn apart by war.
On the eve of the United States’s entrance into World War II in 1940, Iris James, the postmistress of Franklin, a small town on Cape Cod, does the unthinkable: She doesn’t deliver a letter.…more

My thoughts: An interesting idea for a novel and the author explains how she got the idea at the end of the book.  Also included is information on her research which I appreciated since I wanted to know more about the war time press.

I’m not sure why but I just didn’t connect with the characters on the home front. I know they were connected in that they moved the plot but there was just something about them that made them seem more like caricatures.   Maybe it has to do with the era, I’m not sure.  Sometimes it seemed that their dialogue was trying too hard to sound “of the era”.

The part I liked most was when Frankie interviewed refugees on the trains heading west to France, Spain and Portugal.  She recorded their voices telling their names and where they were going. It was haunting to read this section of the book.

I’ve read novels about the people (mostly children) who were sent out of London during the Blitz but never one that involved the people living in London not knowing each night if bombs would drop on them – or if their home would be intact when they came out of the bomb shelter. Their emotions were palpable.  I think Sarah Blake depicted the fear and desperation of the refugees as well as the people in London in a completely believable way.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Source: I bought it.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Title: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake

Author: Aimee Bender

Genre: Fiction

About: An intriguing tale of a young girl who finds herself able to sense the emotions of the person who cooks anything she eats as well as things about the food itself. She lives with a mother who is extremely unhappy, an emotionally detached father, and an older brother who seems to be in a downward spiral into mental illness. As the novel progresses and Rose becomes a young adult she finds that she’s not the only one in the family with special sensitivities.

My thoughts: Once I started I found it difficult to stop reading this book. Aimee Bender’s writing captivated me for the most part. I was a bit distracted by the lack of quotation marks but fell into a comfortable rhythm once I became used to that.

The awareness of others’ special sensitivities or quirks requires Rose to try to keep the peace at home as well as their secrets – no easy feat for a girl in her elementary and high school years.  As she matures she strives to connect to people but it’s almost impossible without her “gift” getting in the way. Is it possible to set her life on a new course?  Read it and find out!

Recommend? Yes,  I liked it. Rose is a character I won’t soon forget.

Source: Doubleday via Goodreads First Reads

Mailbox Monday – March 7

 

 

Hosted in March at I’m Booking It

♣ ♣ ♣

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda (for review from BookSparks PR)

(Goodreads synopsis)  Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors’ seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly’s own passions lie wasted. She…more

♣ ♣ ♣

I bought:

(Goodreads synopsis) Two women running away from their marriages collide on a foggy highway, killing one of them. The survivor is left to pick up the pieces, not only of her own life, but also must go back and deal with the devastated husband and fragile, asthmatic son the other woman left behind. Together, they try to solve the mystery of where April was running to, and why. By turns riveting and unsettling, Pictures of You looks at the choices women make-the roads they choose-to be loved.

It is 1940. While war rages in Europe, President Roosevelt promises he won’t send American boys to fight. In the small Cape Cod town of Franklin, postmistress Iris James firmly believes that her job is to deliver and keep people’s secrets. Meanwhile, seemingly fearless American radio gal Frankie Bard is reporting from the Blitz in London, imploring listeners to pay attention to what is going on. The Postmistress is a tale of lost innocence.

♣ ♣ ♣

What was in your mailbox?

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

Title: The Last Time I Saw You

Author: Elizabeth Berg

Genre: Fiction

About: (from the book flap):  From the beloved bestselling author of Home Safe and The Year of Pleasures, comes a wonderful new novel about women and men reconnecting with one another—and themselves—at their fortieth high school reunion.

My thoughts: Imagine getting ready for your 40th and final class reunion.  That’s what the characters in Elizabeth Berg’s latest novel are doing.  Everyone is a little nervous but since it’s the last one they make the effort to attend.  We meet the popular jock, the beautiful cheerleader, the nerds, and a host of others.  It was easy to fill in with my own high school classmate version of each character.  The event finally arrives and it was interesting to watch it unfold.  Berg made me laugh out loud one minute and feel the ache of sadness the next.

Since there are several characters some of them are not as developed as I’m used to finding in Berg’s novels – probably due to the fact that the book is only 244 pages. There are comic moments as well as bittersweet but, as with most Berg novels, the end is hopeful – not wrapped up with a pretty bow – but hopeful nonetheless. I liked that.

Recommend? Yes, for Elizabeth Berg fans and anyone who has contemplated going to a high school class reunion.

Source: Library

Skipping a Beat giveaway winner

Congratulations to

Anash

Winner of Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

Title: Madame Tussaud

Author: Michelle Moran

Genre: Historical Fiction

About: (Goodreads synopsis)  In this deft historical novel, Madame Tussaud (1761-1850) escapes the pages of trivia quizzes to become a real person far more arresting than even her waxwork sculptures. Who among us knew, for instance, that she moved freely through the royal court of Louis XVI, only to become a prisoner of the Reign of Terror?

My thoughts: Michelle Moran brings to life a familiar character while examining her place in history.  I learned things I’d either forgotten or never knew about the French Revolution.  Madame Tussaud and her family chronicled with wax models the royals and political figures of France in the time leading up to the revolution and beyond.  It was not unusual for Robespierre and other revolutionaries to sit at their table for dinner and discussion.  They also hosted private showings for the Royal family and other dignitaries.  The common people of Paris who could afford the fee relied on the gallery to depict recent events and to always be of the moment. Because of her dedication to her profession Madame Tussaud had very little private time.  She even tutored the sister of the King in wax modeling.  As the Revolution turned into a bloodbath Marie was called upon to make death masks of beheaded Royals and royalists.  She complied until the day she refused to make the mask of a friend.  That sealed her fate as well as her mother’s.  The story doesn’t end there but I don’t want to spoil it for other readers.

Michelle Moran’s gift for storytelling and detailed descriptions put me in the opulent halls at Versailles, the workroom at the Salon de Cire (the gallery), and in the middle of the crowd watching the executions-by-guillotine in the Place de la Révolution.

After reading Madame Tussaud I have a better understanding of this turbulent time in French history as well as an appreciation of one remarkable woman who is now much more than a trivia answer.

Recommend? Yes, if you like historical fiction I think you’ll like Madame Tussaud – it was a page-turner!

Source: Michelle Moran