Review: Brighid's Quest

My Synopsis:

Brighid's Quest (Partholon series - Book 2) by P.C. Cast

(For review from Harlequin Teen)

Brighid Dihanna the Huntress for Clan Macallen, is asked by the Chieftain of the clan, Elphame to go to the Wastelands in search of Elphame's brother, who is leading a group of outcasts to their new home in Partholon. When Brighid finds Cuchulain, she begins to understand that Cu's soul has been shattered by the death of this lover, Brenna. Unable to deal with her death he has lost a part of himself that he may never regain without her help.

The Fomorian's have long been outcasts because of their demon blood. When Elphame sacrificed herself and took on the madness within their blood they became new. Now the Fomorian's will enter Partholon and try to find a place in a land that believes they are capable of anything. But, with the help of Brighid and Cuchulain the Partholonians begin to see that the New Fomorian's are so much more than they could have known.

Brighid must face her past as she quest's to take her place as High Shaman and leader of centaurs. She must undo the damage created by her mother when she could not control her hunger for power. Will Cuchulain find the shattered part of his soul and love again? Can Brighid find the Chalice of Epona the beloved Goddess and drink before her brother seals the fate of the centaur herd. Will the New Fomorian's find a home or another prison in Partholon?

My Thoughts:

Brighid's Quest is the second book in the Partholon series. This is the first book I have read by author P.C Cast. I had heard many good reviews of the Divine series also by P.C. Cast and was excited when I got the opportunity to review this book. I was certainly not disappointed. I don't usually go for novels that are what I would term "fantasy" even though I do like the paranormal. This book would have to be an exception. I really liked the world that P.C. Cast has created in this novel. Partholon is full of different creatures from centaurs to demon's with wings and yet it has features we would expect of any world, like waterfalls and rolling hills, and the plains.

There were several themes going on in this book. Brighid's quest was about so much more than drinking from the chalice and becoming the High Shaman. It delved into overcoming your past and making choices to break the cycle, when Brighid must figure out how to use the same power wisely that drove her mother crazy with the hunger for more. The book also dealt with the issue of what happens to a person's soul when they experience not only trauma but deep and agonizing grief, when we see Cu's battle to get over Brenna's horrifying death. Another theme in the book was tolerance and being able to look at a what's inside of a person and not judging them on what others like them may have done, with the New Formorian's entry into Partholon. So, this book may have been fantasy but there was whole lot of reality going on it.

Author, P.C. Cast has done an excellent job with this book and I was really impressed. I going to give this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

If you've never read anything by this author you should definitely give the Partholon series a try. The first book, Elphame's Choice and the second book, Brighid's Quest are available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

Here is some information about the author, P.C. Cast.

P.C. Cast was born in Illinois and grew up being shuttled back and forth between there and Oklahoma, which is where she fell in love with Quarter Horses and mythology (at about the same time). She could ride before she could walk, and she read every horse story she could get her hands on until her father introduced her to The Lord of the Rings when she was about ten. She went from that to Anne McCaffrey's Pern -- and was hooked on fantasy for life.

Five days after graduating from high school, she joined the United States Air Force, which is where she began speaking professionally. After her tours with the USAF, Ms. Cast attended college as a literature major with a secondary education minor.

Her first novel, Goddess by Mistake, was published by a small press in 2001. Thoroughly shocking the author, it won The Prism, The Holt Medallion and the Laurel Wreath, as well as being a finalist for the National Readers Choice Award. Since then Ms. Cast has gone on to win numerous writing awards. She is the author of the very popular Goddess Summoning Series for Berkley, and is thrilled that with her Partholon series for LUNA Books she has been given the opportunity to continue the world she created in her first book.

P.C. Cast lives and teaches in Oklahoma with her fabulous daughter, her spoiled cat, Patchy Poo the Pud, and her Scotties -- better known as the Scottinators. The daughter attends college. The cat has decided against higher education. The Scottinators are as yet undecided about their future.

Review: It Had To Be You

My Synopsis:

It Had To Be You (Weddings by Bella series - Book 3) by Janice Thompson

(For review from Revell)

Club Wed is swamped with weddings by the time the 3rd book in the Weddings by Bella series ends. Bella Rossi, wedding coordinator and down home Italian girl is getting married. But, so is her brother, her aunt and uncle, her best friend, her cousin, her sister and even a few other couples thrown into the mix. With all the Chaos going on with Bella's wedding business, she hardly has time to think about her own Valentines Day wedding to D.J., the cowboy of her dreams.

Rosa and Laz, Bella's feuding aunt and uncle have finally buried the hatchet and are ready to take the plunge. Their 40's style Big Band Wedding has brought members from their Italian family across the ocean to celebrate with them. Even Laz's friend Sal, a former Mob boss has flown in for the event. But, Sal isn't quite sure Rosa is right for Laz! She certainly isn't what he expected. Will Sal throw a wrench in the works with Laz and Rosa? Will Bella be able to relax and plan her own wedding? What's the big surprise that D.J. has for the honeymoon? With all these couples who ISN'T getting married?

My Thoughts:

Janice Thompson has taken a serious subject like Christian Fiction and added a whole lot of comedy. She has a knack for showing readers that being a Christian certainly isn't boring! She adds elements of faith into every story, whether it's teaching a parrot to sing Amazing Grace or showing a movie star what it's like to be in a Christian home.

The third book in the Weddings by Bella series, certainly doesn't disappoint. Readers have become accustomed to Bella's big Italian family and their crazy antics. In this book, Laz and Rosa who have fought incessantly for 20 years are finally getting married. One of things that I really like about this series are themed weddings that go on at Club Wed, the Rossi families wedding facility. There are themes from Western, to Medieval to Big Band, and even a Tiffany's inspired wedding. The Fairy Tale wedding theme being my favorite.

Readers who are looking for a light read that is funny and endearing will really like, It Had To Be You. It's doesn't beat you over the head with issues of faith and but it definitely gets you thinking. If you like over the top families with lots of chaos (a lot like mine), this one is for you.

Available May 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a Division of Baker Publishing Group.

I give this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Here is a little more information about the author, Janice Thompson.

JANICE HANNA THOMPSON: Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna. She got her start in the industry writing screenplays and musical comedies for the stage. Janice has published over fifty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more. In addition, she enjoys editing, ghost-writing, public speaking, and mentoring young writers. Janice is particularly thrilled about this season of her writing life, where romantic comedies rule the day. Quirky wedding-themed stories suit this fun-loving author. After all, she has served as mother-of-the-bride four times over the past five years! Janice currently serves as Vice-President of CAN (Christian Authors Network) and was named the 2008 Mentor of the year for ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She is active in her local writing group, where she regularly teaches on the craft of writing. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. She lives in Spring, Texas, where she leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends, and two mischievous dachshunds. She does her best to keep the Lord at the center of it all.

Interview: Lydia Dare (1)

As many of you know, I am fast become a big fan of Lydia Dare's debut trilogy about the Westfield Brothers, Simon, Benjamin and William. Historical fiction with a paranormal twist. Right up my ally!

I recently got the opportunity to do an interview with Lydia Dare during the promotion and blog tour for her latest book, Tall, Dark and Wolfish. This is my first interview and I'm really excited to share it with my readers. Enjoy the interview and I hope to do a lot more in the future.

It is my pleasure to welcome author, Lydia Dare to Debbie's Book Bag!

Deb: It's certainly an honor to have you here, Lydia can you tell us a little about yourself?

Lydia/Jodie: Well I think the most interesting bit is that there are two of us who make up Lydia Dare. I'm the historical half of the group

Lydia/Tammy: I'm the paranormal. I've been married 17 years and have two boys, 15 and 6. I am a hopeless romantic who believes in the happy-ever-after and that tender-sweet-sense-of- belonging. I devour books like most people devour candy. Not that I don't do that, too.

Deb: I can certainly understand that. For me books go right along with other needs, food, water, etc. LOL!

Deb: Tell us a little bit about your debut trilogy about the Westfield Brothers.

Lydia/Jodie: There are three Westfield brothers - Simon, the Duke of Blackmoor, hero of A Certain Wolfish Charm. Benjamin, the youngest, trouble-prone brother, in Tall, Dark and Wolfish. And finally William, the silver-tongued middle brother in The Wolf Next Door. Though they are brothers, the three Westfield men have vastly different personalities and temperaments, and the same can be said about the women they fall for.
Deb: What was your inspiration for these books? Have you always been interested in wolves?

Lydia/Tammy: I have been interested in the fantastical for quite some time. My favorite genre to read was historical. So, combining the two seemed magical, and that was before the witches came into the story-line. The alpha rake is already a bit wolfish, so giving him fangs and fur at "that time of the month" seemed like a good fit.

Deb: What type of research did you do for your books?

Lydia/Jodie: That is the beauty of their being two of us with different backgrounds. I pretty much live in Regency England and have researched it for years and Tammy...

Lydia/Tammy: And Tammy... doesn't. Luckily, Jodie can spout Regency rules like a fountain.

Deb: What is your normal writing day like? Do you have to have things to be in place to write comfortably?

Lydia/Jodie: I usually have my laptop up and on next to me 24/7. You never know when inspiration will strike (or when your partner will send you pages). My house is sort of controlled chaos. If I waited for everything to be in it's place, Tammy and I would still be working on book one.

Lydia/Tammy: Things have a place? If so, I want that in writing so I can show my husband and boys. My writing time has to be controlled. It has to be quiet, I have to have a good grasp of what came before, and I can't stop and start or I get lost. So, carving out chunks of time is what I have to do.

Deb: What was it like when you got the word that your first novel would be published?
Lydia/Jodie: It was a dream come true. We both believed in these stories and characters as did our families, friends, and critique partners; but there's something magical knowing you'll get to share the books with the world.

Lydia/Tammy: Me: You serious? Jodie: Yeah, Deb Werksman just called. She liked our books. Me: Seriously? I nearly fell out of my chair.

Deb: Do you have any advice for new writers?

Lydia/Jodie: If you’re writing romance and you haven’t joined Romance Writers of America, do so now. I don’t think I’d be where I am today without that organization. (And I would never have met Tammy.)

Lydia/Tammy: I agree with Jodie. Join. Then ask questions. There are writers at every stage of their career within RWA. Take advantage of it, because there’s no greater resource. I can’t count all the time I’ve sat down beside my chapter-mates and said “Can I ask you a question?” They have never said no.

Deb: When you are not writing, what kind of books do you like to read? Do you have a favorite author?

Lydia/Jodie: I don’t remember the last time I read a book because I wanted too. Most of what I read these days is research books. But if I’m able to read a little Regency Romance – I love to read Sabrina Jeffries, Deb Marlowe, Claudia Dain and Liz Carlyle.

Lydia/Tammy: I still get to read a bit. But I have to take off to do it, from both my day job and my writing. I love, love, love humor. Add a writer-built world to it and it’s a perfect choice for me.

Deb: What are you working on right now?

Lydia/Jodie: Right now we’re working on a vampyre trilogy for Sourcebooks due out next Spring. The hero of our current work in progress is a Medieval Knight vampyre, living in the Regency. It’s really fun to get into this head.

Deb: Tell us one thing people may not know about you?

Lydia/Jodie: No one ever believes that I’m an introvert.

Lydia/Tammy: I despise sports. I do not like them. I dread them when the season starts on TV. But I am the quintessential sports mom. I will sit on the bleachers all day long if my boys are playing. I will cheer and shout and make a general nuisance of myself as I become an embarrassment to my children. But when they’re older and have kids of their own, they’ll get their turn and I hope they do the same thing.

It has been a real privilege to have both Jodie and Tammy who make up Lydia Dare with us today! I absolutely love their writing and look forward to new things from them in the future.

Teaser Tuesday (21)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Grab your current read.

Open to a random page.

Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure what you share doesn't give too much away! You don't want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and the author too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers.

My teaser this week comes from, This Fine Life, by Eva Marie Everson, page 255.

He scooted closer to me. His hand now came up my spine, which would ordinarily have felt wonderful but tonight only brought pinpricks. "Today was awful," he said. "Just awful. Nothing in seminary prepared me for this.

Review: Tall, Dark and Wolfish

My Synopsis:

Tall, Dark and Wolfish (The Westfield Wolves series - Book 2) by Lydia Dare

(For review from Sourcebooks)

Lord Benjamin Westfield has a problem! The youngest of three brothers with a family trait that causes them to turn into a werewolves on the night of the full moon, Benjamin has lost a part of himself when he becomes unable to change. Ben travels to Scotland in search of a mystical healer who can possibly restore the beastly part of his nature. What Ben finds is a lot more than he bargained for.

Elspeth Campbell has secrets of her own! When Benjamin Westfield comes to Scotland looking for her mother, Elspeth is unsure how to respond. Since her mother's passing she has become the healer for her family, friends and the community at large. But, this beautiful young witch is unprepared for her feelings for the Englishman who bares the mark of the beast. Will Elspeth heed the warnings of her friends who tell her to leave Ben alone? Will Elspeth find out the mystery of her father? Will Benjamin be restored to his wolfish self? Will Ben and Elspeth find a love they never expected?

My Thoughts:

Tall, Dark and Wolfish is the second book by Lydia Dare about the Westfield brothers, Simon, William and Benjamin. Benjamin is the youngest Westfield and he has suddenly become unable to change into a werewolf with the full moon. The author has taken a historical setting and added a paranormal twist. We have the Lord's and the Ladies we've come to expect from historical fiction mixed with witches and werewolves we might find in the new sub-genre called paranormal romance. I find the combination of the two very intriguing.

Lydia Dare takes the reader on an adventure into Scotland, a land shrouded in mystery and ancient beliefs and customs. Here we meet the character of Elspeth Campbell and her coven sisters. Elspeth is a young witch and a mystical healer all wrapped up into one. The scandal regarding her parentage has taught her to take care of herself and she has become a strong woman. I really liked her character because she seemed strong yet when she was with Ben, she lets her vulnerable side show in how much she cares for him and needs him in her life. Benjamin's character was typical for a good historical novel. He's a scoundrel of sorts who finally finds the woman of his dreams only to find out that he may not be good enough for her. His beastly side makes him that much more interesting.

I enjoyed this book very much. I loved how the author used the Scottish brogue in the writing as well as showing some of the old customs and words. This series has really captivated my interest and I look forward to the third book in the series which will be out soon. I will be posting an interview with the author tomorrow, so that my readers can become more acquainted with the series and find out what is making Lydia Dare fast becoming one of my favorites.

Tall, Dark and Wolfish is available NOW from your favorite bookseller!

I give this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

Simply Marvelous Monday (21)

Shelia at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books gets all the credit for this one...

On Simply Marvelous Monday's here at Debbie's Book Bag, we want to know... What are you reading?

FINISHED LAST WEEK:

Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale (For review from Sourcebooks)

It Had To Be You (Weddings by Bella series - Book 3) by Janice Thompson (For review from Revell)

Talk, Dark and Wolfish (The Westfield Wolves series - Book 2) by Lydia Dare (For review from Sourcebooks)

It was a pretty good reading week. I finished all three necessary books for review. My e-book and my audio book are both somewhat on the back burner. But, I have decided to keep you apprised of my progress on each one each week.

For Brighid's Quest (Partholon series - Book 2) by P.C. Cast (E-book for review from Harlequin Teen) I have completed about 11 Chapters, 139 pages of 539, so I still have a long way to go, but I'm working on it. For The Chase (Isaac Bell series - Book 1) by Clive Cussler (Audio book from the Library) I have completed the Prologue and 1 Chapter and part of the second. Haven't quite gotten into that one yet.

READING OR LISTENING TO THIS WEEK:

This Fine Life by Eva Everson (For review from Revell)

Life, In Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice by Kristen Jane Anderson (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

The Brothers of Gwynedd, Pt. 1: Sunrise in the West by Edith Pargeter (For review from Sourcebooks) (Part of the Sourcebooks Summer Reading Program)

Brighid's Quest (Partholon series - Book 2) by P.C. Cast (E-book for review from Harlequin Teen)

The Chase (Isaac Bell series - Book 1) by Clive Cussler (Audio book from the Library)

The Brothers of Gwynedd is a very long book in the neighborhood of 800 pages, about the first Prince of Wales. Sourcebooks decided to break up the reviews for this book up into 4 parts that will be posted throughout the summer. Each month reviews will be posted for each part or story and then a chat will held at a specific blog where we can gather and talk about that part of the book. I'm really excited about this. I will post more information and the time and place for the chat when the review goes up next week.

I'm usually always reading at least one print book, an e-book and listening to an audio book each week. Just because I start it one week, doesn't mean I'll finish it the same week. But my goal is to finish at least two books a week.

UP NEXT:

The Last Christian by David Gregory (For review from Waterbrook Multnomah)

I usually choose only one up next selection each week because I'm never really sure what I want to read next.

Winner: The Bridegrooms

The Winner has now been chosen for The Bridegrooms giveaway, using random.org Congratulations to:

fredamans

The winner will be notified and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thank-You to everyone participating! New giveaways will be posted in the next few weeks.

If you have won a giveaway from me lately, please be advised that not only am I having transportation problems, but the community where I live was hit by a devastating flood this past week. We are recovering and the post office is scheduled to reopen on Monday. So, it may be a little while until you receive your winnings. Please be patient!