Alice's Review: In Search of Lucy

Summary:  Thirty-year-old Lucy Lang is lost. She spent most of her young life sacrificing her own needs to care for her half-sister and deal with their alcoholic mother. Now abandoned by both of them, Lucy struggles to find her own purpose in life; a struggle that is laden with wretched memories and regret. With no family, no relationships and an unfulfilling job Lucy becomes depressed, cynical and self-destructive. At times she’d even contemplated suicide as the only way out.

When she is just about to hit rock bottom, Lucy finds out that her sister is ill and needs a kidney transplant. Lucy is found to be the only match and has no choice but to live, trapped in a lonely existence to save her sister’s life. And, she must battle with her emotions; her bitter resentment for her sister’s heartless departure and her longing to be needed again by the person she once loved most in the world. With the help of new found friends, Benny and Anne, and a struggling romance, Lucy sets out on a journey to reunite with her sister and search for the answers she needs to find her own identity.

With simply genuine and endearing characters, In Search of Lucy pulls you right into the story and into the characters’ lives. You’ll find yourself truly inspired and rooting for the happy ending that these characters are working so hard to obtain. This dramatic, romantic novel about the power of relationships and how they affect our identity will appeal to anyone that has ever experienced love, loss, and friendship.

Review:  I have read many books lately in which the heroine is just about perfect with a flaw that is endearing and problems that you know will be solved by the last page because that’s the way it has to be. Lucy Lang is not that woman, she’s not even close. She’s sad, damaged, broken.  She has a life that she is not living.  Every time she has opened her heart to someone, she gets hurt. 

At the beginning of the novel, we find Lucy in a dead end job in spite of having a love of art.  She is a loner, a drunk.  She doesn't have any friends and a list of regrets an arms length long.  She was abandoned by the person she loved the most, her sister.  She in alone.  Thankfully there are a few people in her life who have not given up on her, two unlikely friends who join her on a life changing journey.

I really enjoyed this novel. I loved following Lucy on her journey. I thought Ms. Fairfield did an excellent job adding realism to this novel. Lucy was the perfect balance of hope and despair.  I enjoyed how she grew as a person, finding herself in the love and acceptance of others.  I loved the relationships she had with her sister.  I loved reading how their relationship evolved. 

I think this is definitely worth the read.  In my search of Lucy, I really like what I found.

Final Take: 3/5

Author Interview: Deborah Batterman

Yesterday we brought you a review of Shoes Hair Nails.  Today we are pleased to share with you our interview with author Deborah Batterman.

GJR: I really enjoyed reading your book of short stories Shoes Hair Nails. How did the idea come about?


Deborah Batterman (DB): Once I realized I had enough stories for a collection, it became a question of which ones to include/which to leave out and whether there was a unifying hook that might frame them. One obvious thread that emerged was how drawn I am to the metaphoric underpinnings of symbols in our world and how they can be lifted from their everyday – mundane, if you will – associations to reveal their deeper resonance. When those symbols have a particularly female association – as in shoes/hair/nails – they’re often dismissed as trivial. In using them as the cornerstone of my collection, my hope is to crack that veneer.

GJR: I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite story, but my favorite character is easy…Charlotte. Where did she come from?

DB: Charlotte, I think, grew out of a certain sensitivity I’ve always had to anyone who is laughed at or mistreated -- and let’s not forget the gossip inflicted – because he or she is different. And yet so often they’re the ones who give us our greatest lessons. So while I can’t say there was a ‘Charlotte’ in my life – aside from an aunt, not in the least bit crazy, whom I had a great affection for – I do have a strong memory of a classmate teased a great deal because of his disability. Later on, in high school and college, I remember admiring certain classmates because of their willingness to be different. And yet they suffered for it. So I suppose Charlotte is anyone and everyone who has ever been ridiculed for thinking (or living) outside the box. Of course, she would probably be diagnosed with some form of depression these days but that isn’t the point.

GJR: I loved the way Talking Gets Your Nowhere is written, in both the mother and daughter points of view. Any plans to revisit Rhonda in adulthood. I’d love to know what she was up to now.

DB: Funny you should ask. I would not be the first writer to recognize that a short story sometimes begs for expansion, even if it stands on its own as a self-contained entity. “Talking Gets You Nowhere,” structured as a kind of therapy session in which the mother and daughter never quite address each other, contains a backstory alluded to – compressed in way – that would not leave me be. I don’t mean to make this sound so mysterious but that’s the way it is with certain fictional characters and the situations from which they emerge. So this short piece of fiction became the genesis of the novel I’m working on, which means that, yes, you’ll see Rhonda again, morphed into a character named Vanessa.

GJR: Of all the stories, which one is your personal favorite? I realize this is like asking you to choose a favorite child (I’m convinced it was my brother).

DB: I confess that I’ve always had an affection for “Crazy Charlotte,” mostly because it’s a story that demanded to be rewritten many times until I got it right. It happens to be one of the first stories I wrote, but unlike other early stories that I filed away, this had the seeds of something that felt worthwhile thematically, not to mention a character just oddball enough to draw compassion. But I can’t stop there . . . and I would have to say that “Shoes” is a favorite as well, for different reasons: it happened to be my first published story; but even more important may be the way craft and heart combine to tell a story that, to my thinking, is particularly poignant.

GJR: Can you please describe your writing process?

DB: I’ve learned to trust that what I’m struggling with today will often resolve itself at the most unexpected time – on a walk or driving in the car, for example. Sometimes, I’ll jump out of bed in the morning—well, not jump – because the phrasing of a line that wasn’t quite right when I went to sleep will emerge with clarity and I want to get it down before I forget it. Not that I ever really forget. So when you ask about process, my mind leaps to a zen wisdom story about a meditation student who tells his master he had nothing but distracting thoughts during his meditation. The master responds, “That’s good.” The next day the student reports to his master that he had no distracting thoughts while meditating. The master responds, “That’s good, too.” I think it’s very much the same with writing. I sit – every day – and plug away, for a certain number of hours, the point being that sitting – even if I’m staring at a blank screen or at the deer I see through the glass door that looks out on my driveway – provides consistency. Some days my fingers fly, the thoughts and phrasing almost taking on a life of their own. Other days every line is an effort.

GJR: How do you go about naming your characters?

DB: Sometimes it’s really nothing more than the sound of a name, the cadence it strikes in me. In some ways the naming of a character – like Rhonda – is simply about an allusion, in her case a song by the Beach Boys. Other times it’s more about the particular quality of the name. “Crazy Charlotte” was the working title of a story before she was a full-fledged character. No other name seemed to suit her better so I stayed with it. How many times have you heard someone’s voice on the phone before you met him or her and said, “You don’t sound or look like your name”? It’s not all that different with fictional characters in that I try to come up with a name suited to the personality, quirks, what have you, of the character. I try to stay away from using names of friends and family members since people tend to read too much into that. Also, I myself might see too much of that person in a character.

GJR: What are you currently working on? Can you tell us the premise?

DB: I think writing is an act of discovery – you discover things about yourself as a writer and you discover things about the characters you create. Two stories in my collection – “Nails” and “Talking Gets You Nowhere” – had a link via the main character that seemed worthy of more exploration. “Nails” ends with her taking off to spend time with a friend in Mexico; “Talking Gets You Nowhere” finds her unable to settle down in any one place, a single mother, uncertain of where she belongs and haunted by the death of a best friend in Mexico. So what began as a journey story – a kind of modern-day Odyssey – is turning into a mother-daughter narrative that has, at its heart, the dispersal of family and the question of what we call ‘home.’

GJR: Who are your favorite authors to read? Why?

DB: This is always a hard question – isn’t it? So many great books, so many gifted writers. Richard Powers has a brilliance that’s hard to match, both in terms of the breadth of his knowledge and his often exquisitely poetic writing. Toni Morrison hooked me with her first book, The Bluest Eye. Grace Paley and William Trevor, different as their voices are, encompass entire lives in short stories. I go back to Jane Austen when I want to be reminded of what brought me to a love of reading, and writing. Virginia Woolf opened my eyes to new ways of perception and style. I also read a lot of poetry, which I think informs my own work in many ways. Among my favorite poets are Mary Oliver, Jane Hirshfield, Philip Levine, and Eavan Boland.

GJR: What are you currently reading?

DB: I don’t ever seem to be reading one book at a time. I just started The Financial LIves of Poets by Jess Walter, though I can’t wait to read Adi Alsaid’s Somewhere Over the Sun, based on your review alone. I’m also reading an early collection of poems by Eaven Boland, An Origin Like Water.

GJR: What is the most challenging aspect of being an independent writer?

DB: Marketing my work. And while I admit it takes a great deal of time and energy from the writing itself, I would have to say that the effort has brought me in touch with wonderful writers and a whole new world of book bloggers I would otherwise not have known.

GJR: Something different: How long have you been knitting? What is your favorite thing to knit? Do you wear your own creations or give them away?

DB: I should thank you first for reading that post I wrote on the connection between writing and knitting. I knitted when I was a young and only recently started taking it up again. My mother-in-law relinquished a set of knitting needles to me a few years ago so all I needed was the motivation, which came in the form of a Gryffindor scarf my daughter had been wanting me to make. I think it’s no small irony that I began the scarf the day I released my dog from her suffering. It felt like a very life-affirming thing to do. After knitting the scarf for my daughter, I made one for myself, cashmere. It was a good winter for knitting scarves – and hats. I came across a pattern for a slouchy hat that I just loved, so I managed to adjust the pattern for the yarn I was working with. Of course, my daughter insisted on having one, too. I expect I’ll be graduating to vests and sweaters soon.

Thanks again to Ms. Batterman for answering our questions.  If you want to learn more about her, follow her on her blog at The Things She Thinks About.

Julie's Review: Rasner's Revenge: Rasner Effect III

Summary: Mercenary Rick Rasner is a survivor. His current mission-revenge. Rick is trapped in an asylum with a delusional roommate and guards who want to kill him. His one goal: escape and inflict vengeance on the man who put him there, presidential hopeful, General William P. Straker. Unfortunately, no one knows Rick is alive, except for one fifteen-year-old old girl. Clara Blue is a recent escapee from the Brookhill Children's Psychiatric residence. She is also now the reluctant leader of an aspiring mercenary group made up of fellow escapees. Clara's only interest is in freeing her anointed dad from that asylum, if only she had the know-how, or her new allies were willing to help in this task. Clara's plan: hire the only other mercenary she knows, Jake Scarberry, the man who spent years as Rick's mortal enemy. Even if Clara can convince Jake to help, and they succeed, will Rick prove to be the parental figure she envisions? And what happens should he find out the ultimate betrayal Clara committed when she escaped Brookhill? ~amazon.com

Review: I will say this, Mark Rosendorf definitely knows how to write sociopaths! I just hope he hasn't written these characters from experience and more from his imagination! Rasner's Revenge begins from where Without Hesitation left off. Clara and her band of rag-tag Duke Organization attempt to pull off their first job. So, what can go wrong, does go wrong. Clara is the sanest of these girls and she's a little off.

In the past couple books, I've felt for Clara by the middle of this book, I wanted to slap her. It's not that I didn't feel sorry for her, it's that I wanted her to take control of her life and step up to the plate. Sure she's only 15 but she's also been through a lot and to root for her, you want her to be in charge of her life. Maybe she just doesn't know how or have the skills to do this at this point in her life.

Rick Rasner is as delusional and angry as ever, just the way we like our psychos. Rick is always trying to break out of somewhere and this time it's an asylum. He's got a crazy bunk mate and General Straker is still keeping tabs on him.

We also have mercenary Jake Scarberry back in the mix. This time though he's on Rick's side. You see he was hired by Clara to help break Rick out of the asylum. Funny how your past always comes back to haunt you. Or in Jake's case, how your career comes back to haunt you. Is Jake really on the up and up with Clara and Rick or does he have something up his sleeve.

There's also the venerable General Straker. Now, this guy is supposed to be a hero but he's more psychotic that Rick Rasner and that's saying something. Will General Straker and Rick Rasner finally come to blow? Will they both live? Die?

What I love about these Rasner adventures is that there is no clear cut bad guy/good guy. I found myself vacilating between rooting for Rasner/Clara, Jake and even General Straker. In a novel where the heroine doesn't believe in herself, it's hard to believe in her. In the end you want her to be ok but in the process you want to shake her and say "Get a hold of yourself."

What I would love to see is a novel or novels on Jake Scarberry. I think know so little about him and I would like to know more.

If you are looking for an action/adventure/thriller series, then definitely go for Mark Rosendorf's Rick Rasner novels.

Final Take: 4.5/5

Jenn's Review: Torn

Summary:  Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her. 

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is meant to lead.

Review:   I tried, but I just couldn't stay away from continuing this series any longer.  I just have to know what's going to happen next!

In  Torn, the second book of the Trylle Trilogy, we learn more about the Vittra, and more dark secrets about Wendy's past -they just keep coming. Once Wendy knows the truth, she has some big decisions to make about her future and the future of her people. Wendy is also learning to harness and project her abilities.  But a new dark horse is introduced into her personal life. Loki, a powerful Vittra who has an interest in Wendy, but can his motivation be trusted or true?  Is giving up her happiness the only way to save her people?

I anticipated some of the plot developments but the journey was fascinating and it kept me turning pages. I love  Amanda Hocking's writing style; it's casual and unassuming. She doesn't attempt to force 'coolness', pop-expressions, or commercialism of any kind. Her characters are honest and true to themselves. 

I know I won't be able to wait too long before starting the last book of the trilogy,  Ascend. There is the resolution between the warring Trylle and Vittra still to come, as well as a resolution to Wendy's personal turmoil. I shall be sad to see the end of this series but I know it will be beautifully done, and impossible to put down. 

Final Take:  4.5/5

PS.  Don't forget to check out the soundtrack Amanda Hocking has compiled for this book on her site.

Jenn's Review: Switched

Summary: When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right.

With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - a world both beautiful and frightening, and Wendy's not sure she wants to be a part of it.

Review: A million thanks to Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews for introducing me to Amanda Hocking's books. I may have stumbled on to her works on my own but more likely later, rather than sooner, and sooner is so much the better! This is an amazing book.

Wendy has never fit in, and after her traumatic childhood experience, she really doesn't put a lot of effort into fitting in. When mysterious Finn turns up he tells her it is time to return to her troll family. (That's right, troll. Many authors have cleaned up Vampires and Werewolves and portrayed them as misunderstood beings, but Amanda Hocking has chosen to tackle trolls, and does so brilliantly.) Trylle is the proper name for trolls, who look no different than humans, but wield incredible magical abilities. When Wendy realizes that she doesn't quite fit in with her new family either, she learns that seeking outward solutions may not be the answer and that 'fitting in' isn't as important as knowing who you are.

Amanda Hocking's characters are fascinating. Wendy may be a troubled teen, but she's not unlikeable. She has strong ideals which she will not compromise to please and compassion that she will not sacrifice to comply with the Trylle caste system. Finn, who may be her salvation or her ruination, is an enigmatic knight and one of those characters for which you just want to devour the story so that you might learn more about him.

Thank You Julie at A Tale of Many Reviews

Hocking's plot is compelling to the point of "unputdownable" and while the story left off with acceptable closure, the tale is far from complete. It left me hungry for more and I can hardly wait until I'll be able to return to it and find out where Wendy will go from here.

So impressed was I by Hocking's writing that I not only purchased the other two books in the Trylle Trilogy, but I also rushed to purchase her first series, a vampiric tale called My Blood Approves. (And I love that she has soundtracks for her books on her site!)  If you love YA fantasy, I strongly suggest you add Amanda Hocking to your collection; you won't be sorry.

Final Take: 5/5

Guest Blog: Acire

It is our pleasure to share with you something different here at Girls Just Reading.  Acire, author of The Cherry Valley Chronicles is not only a guest blogger, but a guest reviewer as well.  Here is her review of P.C. and Kristin Cast's Marked, the first novel in House of Night Series.

Summary: In 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampires not only exist but are also tolerated by humans. Those whom the creatures "mark" as special enter the House of Night school where they will either become vampires themselves, or, if their body rejects the change, die. To Zoey, being marked is truly a blessing, though she's scared at first. She has never fit into the human world and has always felt she is destined for something else. Her grandmother, a descendant of the Cherokee, has always supported her emotionally, and it is she who takes the girl to her new school. But even there the teen stands apart from the others. Her mark from the Goddess Nyx is a special one, showing that her powers are very strong for one so young. At the House of Night, Zoey finds true friendship, loyalty, and romance as well as mistrust and deception. She realizes that all is not right in the vampire world and that the problems she thought she left behind exist there as well.

Review:  If The Twilight Saga’s didn’t have enough UMP for you, I have the series with that special kind of edge you are looking for. I am now a HUGE fan of P.C. and Kristin Cast, and I admire that this mother and daughter duo could agree on this excellent piece of work that they've created. “Marked” is the first book in this brilliant “House of Night” series. 

Zoey Redbird is a teenager who is struggling with the basic teen drama, geometry exams, ex-boyfriend troubles, and trying to deal with a family that doesn’t understand her at all. In the House of Night world, Vampires are no secret and very special humans are marked (a sapphire crescent moon tattooed on your forehead by a tracker vampire) and are chosen to become Vampires. Once you are marked you must go live at The House of Night.

Pretty much all of Zoey’s Human family and friends turn their back on her and her new life once they found out that she was marked. Her best friend is scared of her, and her mother and stepfather are members of the local Sanctimonious Crusade group. This group all believe that being marked is a sign of the devil and that prayer and oils can heal you. Zoey runs away to her grandmother’s so she can join the House of Night and start attending the Vampire finishing school. Zoey’s Grandma Redbird understands Zoey and her decision to attend the finishing school.

Not wanting to give too much of the story away. Zoey attends the House of Night and finds out that she still has the basic teen issues plus a few more not so teen issues. Zoey turns out to be a very powerful Fledgling (a ½ human ½ vampire in training). Zoey finds that she has many desires and many changes with herself on the inside and on the outside as well.

This book had me at the first chapter. I love the realness of this series. P.C. and Kristin didn’t sugarcoat anything. There is real talk and real life relationships in this series. The series has a lot profanity and a lot of exotic encounters. I mean we all know that Vampires are extra sexy and in this series they get to go loose. The characters are very and are very relatable.

I highly recommend this series to those die hard sci-fi fans out there. As I said before this series makes Twilight look like a walk in the park. Enjoy!!!

Thanks to Acire for this great review.  Please check out her website and follow her on Twitter.

Alice's Review: The Cherry Valley Chronicles

Summary:  Erin is living the fabulous life but when the death of a loved one occurs, it turns her world upside down. She goes to the last place on earth for support. In her search for healing a family secret begins to unravel and sends her life into a tailspin. Now Erin is forced to choose between her destiny with a man she doesn't love or break tradition to be with her soul mate.

Review:  When I first read the summary for this novel, I was excited and couldn’t wait to dive in. It sounded like a classic boy meets girl novel with a family secret twist. After my last two reads of typical romance I was looking forward to the drama of family secrets. I will admit, when I got the novel, the author included a note saying to be kind, she didn't have the best editor. I was a little scared, wondering what I got myself into. Turns out I didn't have a lot to worry about.

The first part of the novel reads a lot like a conversation. I really felt that I was sitting on a nice comfy couch with a cup of coffee and across from me was Erin telling me about her life. I loved hearing about her friendship with Chloe and the girls. I loved A.C. and the fact that he didn’t talk. At all. I loved how Erin had a nice normal life.

There were a few things I didn't expect in this novel. The fantasy aspect was one. Although there are not officially two parts to the novel, I felt that the there is a clear divide between worlds. The first part was set in this world, the second takes place in an alternate world. (You’ll have to forgive my lack of proper terminology, I don’t normally read fantasy- type books.)

The other thing I didn’t expect was that overall I think this was a good story. My biggest critique is that it reads more like a first draft. I think Acire was right, her editor didn't do her and her story justice. With a decent editor, I think this novel could have been improved.

What irked me about the story itself is I couldn't understand why Erin wasn't prepared for what was to come. It seemed that everyone knew about Valley Cherry, knew the role Erin was to play. As the reader, I knew Erin was loved. She had great life-long friends, the boyfriend of her dreams and protective parents. She was smart and popular. If everyone cared about her this much, especially her parents, why wasn’t she told about Valley Cherry and her family’s secret? Especially since it impacted her so much. It definitely left me shaking my head.

My favorite part of the novel came at the very end. Erin’s decision totally surprised me. I love that in a novel. I love when the character does something you don’t expect, when she forsakes all sense and stays true to herself.

Overall as a first novel, this was a good effort. I think it’s worth a read but be warned, you will come across grammatical and punctuation errors. Don’t let that deter you, the ending is worth it.

Final Take: 3/5

Please check back with tomorrow, when we'll have a special guest post with Acire.

Jenn's Review: AWAKE

Summary:  Adisa and Micah's saga continues as the young couple try to heal Micah on their own. Their repeated failures drive Adisa into a desperate but secret alliance with Micah's father and place a strain on the young couple's relationship that may drive them apart permanently. Adisa learns more about the super world, revealing just how alien they are, like their curious bathroom habits and disdain for earthbounds, which leads her to question if a life with Micah is possible. Victor, Micah's super twin, continues his pursuit of Adisa in hopes of fulfilling a prophecy predicting their union is the only way to save Micah's life.

As Adisa deals with the mounting challenges, threatening her relationship with Micah, she discovers her birth parents are alive and want to see her. Pearl, her earthbound mother, and Cyrus, the greatest super being in modern times, have been absent from Adisa's life since they abandoned her in a cotton field when she was only three years old. Does Adisa's reunion with her birth parents hold the key to Micah's cure or will it lead to his death?

Review:  Wow.  Just wow.  If I had any inclinations as to where things were headed after ASLEEP, McNair completely blew me out of the water.  I tried to read through this one slowly, to savour it, but it got to a point where I just couldn't put it down and I was racing to find out what was going to happen.

It's time for Adisa to grow up, and she as some hard lessons to learn.  Some of her emotional upheaval comes from normal things.  She has her first serious boyfriend and she has to learn balance and responsibility when it comes to her family and friends.  She has just realized that her college attending sisters' moral code is not quite the same as the conservative one instilled in them by their parents and she must reconcile the fact that her sisters are old enough to make their own decisions.  She also just recently found out she was adopted.  Then there are some not so normal things, such as the cultural differences between the super being (Sp) world and the earthbound one, the manifestation of  her super powers, the realization that she is the only one who can save her boyfriends life.  Everyone has an agenda for Adisa, all of them have different motives.  The pressure is on, and she is bound to make mistakes along the way, hopefully they won't be too serious to repair.

Because of the cultural differences between the earthbound and Sp world, both Micha and Adisa make unfounded assumptions that could cost them everything. If Micha had taken time to teach Adisa, or had Adisa taken time to ask, more about the Sp world, Adisa would have made more informed decisions. But here I am talking about what the character's should have done, not the author.  That's because, once again, Wendy Raven McNair has brilliantly blurred the lines of reality and supernatural.  Her heartfelt characters are so realistic, that she truly brings the reader into the story.  I read lots of YA fantasy and paranormal but none that is so firmly planted in reality that it's almost ...tangible.

When the book ends Adisa has finally come into her own, though the process was grueling.  It ends openly, but not on a gut-wrenching cliffhanger, leaving McNair plenty of Sp world for Adisa to discover and much still to be resolved. 

If you love YA, I beg you to check out this trilogy, starting with ASLEEP (my review).   It's a beautiful story, expetly told and magnificently written.  I think it's truly an incredible series like nothing I've ever read. I am anxiously awaiting the third and final book, ASCEND.

Final Take: 5/5

Guest Blog: C.M. Mayo

Yesterday I reviewed the Mexican historical novel, The The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire and today I am excited to have the author, C.M. Mayo join us for a guest blog!

The Story of the Story of The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

Once upon a time or, I should say, more years ago that I would like to count, I was invited to a lunch in Mexico City. There in the dining room was an unusually handsome antique portrait of a youth—  perhaps English?— cradling a rifle. The scenery included a nopal cactus and, upon a hill in the background, as in a Renaissance portrait...
            Was that Chapultepec Castle?

            Yes, my hostess told me as our bowl of salad came out in the arms of the muchacha.

            And who was the boy?

            Agustín de Iturbide y Green, the Prince of Mexico.

            I had never heard of him. This bothered me, for I was not only recently married to a Mexican, but I considered myself well-educated. I realize now that we supposedly well-educated Americans, who may be able to recite every this-and-that about Europe, rarely open our minds to the rich complexities of our southern neighbor and this, in part, because we are lulled into an illusion that we “know” Mexico. Our media drench us with images: the wet-back; the bandido and the bull-fighter and the mariachi; the narco-trafficker; the corrupt official with his Rolex, his yacht, his weekends in Vegas; the pobres in their sombreros and huaraches; the ubiquitous unibrowed Frida, and those sugar-sand beaches bereft of people other than, perhaps, long-limbed blondes in bikinis.

            A prince! This meant an aristocracy, a theater for power: social, political, financial, economic, military. Certainly, revolutions have erupted in opposition to the idea, but it can be said that, for many people, a monarch and, by extension, the royal family, serve as a focal point for the identity and unity of a nation. To most Americans and Mexicans today, this idea is absurd. But as I write these lines, Belgium still has its king and the United Kingdom its queen.

            These days, usually, one can satisfy one’s idle curiosity with an Internet search, but back then, a search yielded nothing.

            A few months later, half way through reading Jasper Ridley’s Maximilian and Juárez, covering the period of the 1860s known as the Second Mexican Empire or "French Intervention,"  I came upon the chapter about the prince's American mother, “Alice Iturbide.”  In 1865, she and her husband, a son of Mexico's first emperor, Agustin de Iturbide, had signed a contract with the Emperor Maximilian (ex-Archduke of Austria) to hand over their son in exchange for titles and pensions. Almost at once, heart-broken, nearly mad with grief, the mother repented, but Maximilian refused to return the child. She then went to Washington and Paris and stirred up what became, at the highest levels, an international scandal.

My surprise at finding my own countrywoman at the apex of this long ago Mexican aristocracy, both antagonist and victim, motivated and blinded by who knew what medley of ambition, avarice, love, borrowed patriotism or naiveté, so intrigued me, I knew at once that I wanted to explore and expand it into a novel.


For more information on The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire or author C.M. Mayo, you can check out any of the following links:


The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire(Unbridled Books, paperback, 2010)


Book trailer for The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire


C.M. Mayo


Reader's Guide for The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire


Agustin de Iturbide y Green (b. 1863) carte-de-visite


Podcast:C.M. Mayo's Lecture at the Library of Congress, Washington DC, about the research behind the The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, the novel based on the true story.

Thanks so much to C.M. Mayo for taking the time to do a guest blog for us!

Julie's Review: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

Summary: Epic in scope, Mayo's impressively researched novel set in mid-19th century Mexico City mines the true story of the short turbulent reign of the archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Hapsburg, who was made emperor of Mexico in 1864. Childless and desperate for an heir, the emperor makes substantial monetary promises to the parents of a young boy named Agustin. With much trepidation, they agree to give over the boy, who becomes a pawn in a custody battle that begins when Maximilian adopts the two-year-old Agustin with the hopes of having him inherit the throne. Agustin's American mother, Madame de Iturbide (née Alice Green), soon becomes dissatisfied with the arrangement and pleads with Maximilian to return her son. Maximilian has Alice deported, which sets off an international brawl. Maximilian finally concedes as Mexico devolves into bankruptcy and lawlessness and Maximilian's wife, Carlota, becomes increasingly unmoored. Lengthy, expository, meandering and grandiose, Mayo's reanimation of a crucial period in Mexican history should satisfy history buffs and those in the mood for an engaging story brimming with majestic ambition. ~amazon.com


Review: Let me be honest, I do not know much about history...well Mexican history. I pretty much know we stole Texas from them but that's a bout it. :) So when I was offered the chance to read a book focusing on a period in their history I jumped on it. Read and learn something new? Count me in!


The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a sweeping novel that shows how messed up politics have always been and how monarchs tried to build empires any where they saw fit. In the last 1800s when America was going through our Civil War, Mexico was at a state of unrest as well. The French had come in and taken over and were now at war with various factions of bandits throughout the country. Enter the Austrian's and Maximilian von Hapsburg. It always amazes me at how incestuous the royal families are. Via marriage the Hapsburg's are related to the French Monarchy and this has a huge influence on how things are handled. Essentially, Maximilian was forced to go and be the Emperor of Mexico and give up his crown in Austria. There always seems to be a lot of in fighting in a monarchy and what better way to get rid of competition then to send him across the ocean. While the story takes place during Maximilian's reign, it is really the story of the Itrubide's that move the book along.

The main story for me, was the Itrubide's longing for power in Mexico. Their longing to be recognized for what their father did for the country by uniting all of them in one country. They returned from exile in the U.S. hopeful that the country would be returned to them but it was only a matter of time until they were pushed into exile again.

Emperor Maximilian wants to claim the youngest Itrubide as the heir apparent to the thrown and by doing this will ensure that the boy has an excellent upbringing and education. In order to do that, his parents must flee the country and vow never to return. Of course, they receive a "pension" (aka bribe) to do so.

Nothing can stop a mother's love and after a while Alicia Itrubide decided that she didn't want to be without her son, Agustin. She goes back to Mexico to plead with Maximilian to let her have her son back. I won't go into the details about what goes on during this time. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a novel about family and what it means to love your child/children. How one decision that seems right at the time, turns out to not be the right one and how do you turn the course to make it right?

I enjoyed the familial aspect of the novel. Since I have very limited knowledge on Mexican history, I did find the novel confusing at times. There are a lot of different players in the book and they are hard to keep straight. I felt that maybe a family tree or some kind of flow chart would have been helpful. I have seen this done in other historical fiction novels (e.g. Nefertiti and The Heretic Queen).

There is no doubt in my mind that C.M. Mayo has tremendous knowledge of Mexico and that she loves that country fiercely. She's a gifted writer and definitely knows how to spin history with an interesting fictional story.

If you are looking for a historical fiction book that doesn't take place in Europe, then The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is the novel for you.

Final Take: 3.25/5

Author Interview: Wendy Raven McNair

Yesterday, I posted my review of the fabulous YA fantasy, ASLEEP by Wendy Raven McNair. Today, I'm pleased to say that Ms. McNair took the time to do a Q&A with GJR.

GJR: What made you decide to gear the ASLEEP trilogy towards young adults?

WRM: My teen daughter loves fantasy stories so I knew from the beginning ASLEEP would be a fantasy tale with a teen girl as the lead character. As an African American teen girl, my daughter couldn’t find any age appropriate fantasy stories with that kind of lead character. I wanted her to have that experience so it was very important that I create a character she could identify with in that particular way.

GJR: Did you know at the onset of writing ASLEEP that this was going to be a trilogy?

WRM: Yes! From the moment I conceived the story, I envisioned it as a trilogy, with each book written as a stand-alone story so that readers would have a complete story (with a beginning, middle, and end) in each novel. However, each book deals with a different theme. The subject of ASLEEP, book 1, is discovery; Adisa discovers the super world. In AWAKE, book 2, forgiveness is explored; Adisa comes to terms with her own personal history. And ASCEND, book 3, focuses on trust; Adisa steps into her destiny. Each book stands on its own but also contributes to telling a significant part of Adisa’s journey.

GJR: Micah is very different. Do you find it difficult to write Micah’s character or do you enjoy doing so?

WRM: I love this question! Micah was a challenge that I enjoyed writing. There were two major reasons why I found Micah challenging. First, since Adisa is the narrator, we’re presented with only part of Micah’s story, the part that Adisa knows. There’s so much more to Micah than what Adisa reveals in her limited view of him but ASLEEP is her story so it’s focused on her experiences. The second challenge was showing Micah’s transformation from being robot-like and distant to being a more natural and caring individual. Micah’s story is so much broader than what’s revealed in this trilogy, that I’m actually planning to write a story from his perspective which will definitely be a more shocking read. I’m sure it’ll be extremely challenging but I’m looking forward to it.

GJR: Adisa is a tumultuous teen but she is a strong heroine and very likable. How do you maintain that balance in your writing?

WRM: Maintaining the balance comes by showing Adisa’s negative and positive traits. I like Adisa too and I believe it’s because she embodies the spirit of “girl.” In some ways, she’s naïve but she’s smart and determined, she fights for what she believes in and is passionate in her relationships including family, friends, and boyfriend. She’s also brave, facing up to overwhelming circumstances even though she often feels out of her depths. But despite her many great qualities, she focuses on her faults and can be very negative about herself. I believe these contradictions make her an interesting and likable character because girls all over have experienced these traits and can identify with them.

GJR: I love that you have reading guides for your books on your website! Was that your idea?

WRM: Yes. Readers love to discuss stories and by creating a reading guide, I give readers insights into what I believe are some interesting parts in the book. Plus it provokes readers to think about aspects of the story they may not have considered before and this opens the story up even more which can be fascinating.

GJR: Do you have book plans for what comes after the ASLEEP trilogy? Will you continue with YA or return to writing more fiction for adults like your first novel GIANT SLAYERS?

WRM: Right now, I’m considering a trilogy from Micah’s perspective. So much of his story was left untold because the ASLEEP trilogy focuses on Adisa’s experiences. I’m also considering a graphic novel featuring Micah’s little brother, Jason. So it’s safe to say I’ll be working on YA titles for quite a while.

GJR: Who are your favorite authors to read? Why?

WRM: I shy away from picking favorites because I learn from all authors whether it’s something positive or negative. My advice would be to read the authors you love but also try to add some variety. It makes you appreciate your favorite authors even more and it may also introduce you to new authors that you love as well.

GJR: What are you currently reading?

WRM: Currently, I’m interested in transmedia which is storytelling through several different mediums. For example parts of a single story are told through a book, film, video game, the Internet, etc., in order to create a complete story. One such story I want to check out is the Cathy’s Book series.

GJR: What authors have influenced you?

WRM: The authors who have inspired me include the fearless writers Octavia Butler and Alice Walker however they are not YA authors. I feel encouraged and uplifted by their work.

GJR: If you could pick one superpower, what would it be? Why?

WRM: That’s easy, flight! I’ve always wanted to fly, since I was a small child. I believe it’s because it represents freedom. What could be more liberating than defying gravity?


I want to thank Ms. McNair for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer my questions. Now not only am I anxiously awaiting the next installment in the adventures of Adisa, I am gidy with anticipation over the possibility of more from Micha's point of view.

Quick! Go read ASLEEP so you can be ready for when AWAKE comes out later this year!

Jenn's Review: ASLEEP

Summary: Adisa Summers doesn't know her boyfriend, Micah Alexander, can fly. Micah's odd emotionless behavior, rigid posture, and vacant eyes are a mystery sending mixed messages to Adisa. When a flash of lightning sends a tree crashing down on her, Adisa is shocked to see Micah actually flying to her rescue!

In an instant, Adisa is in his arms, looking up at the sky over his shoulder as they fly parallel to the ground. Micah shifts, shielding her completely with his body. As the tree explodes against Micah's back, Adisa feels him shudder with the impact and the air fills with wood chips and sawdust. Miraculously, they aren't smashed into the ground. They safely continue flying.

After this dramatic rescue, Micah finally begins to open up to Adisa about his secret life as a superbeing and she discovers another shocking secret. Micah burns for her--literally as well as figuratively.

This African American superhero teen love story is set in modern day Atlanta and is filled with humor, mystery, romance, and suspense.

Review: I was a little... apprehensive about starting this book. I love YA fantasy, but I am -or was, I should say- a fan of Heroes, and I saw first hand that romance and superpowers do not mix. It only took me about thirty pages to realize that apparently, Heroes just did it wrong! Wendy Raven McNair has written a rich and compelling story of girl-meets-boy ...who just happens to be a superhero.


The plot unrolls slowly, but steadily. Not once did I ever feel like it was dragging, nor did I do that 'I'm-bored'-skim-ahead that I am guilty of on many occasions. There was plenty of exposition, but it was engaging and beautifully done. It is our experiences that make us who we are and in this way Ms. McNair allows us to thoroughly get to know Adisa. I loved getting to know her friends and family as well as discovering Micha with her. The only time things felt rushed is when Adisa first gets pulled into Micha's world, but then again, things felt rushed for Adisa too, so in a way, it was kind of perfect.


Adisa is one of those strong female characters that I adore and that lately is severely lacking in YA literature (I'm lookin' at you Ms. Meyer!). Adisa is not without her faults, she is a teenager, yet these are balanced by her virtues. Her temper is quick and her loyalty is fierce. Over the course of the school year, Adisa grows from a self-involved girl with no interest in boys to a responsible teenager with her first love and all the complications that go with it, plus a few extras due to the fact that her boyfriend is just a little unusual. Through a cataclysm of events stemming from her sixteenth birthday Adisa learns that every thing is not always what it seems. She discerns that no one is all villain, or all hero, super or otherwise, and that families and life are complicated.


Ms. McNair has created a fascinating world of supers balanced on the edge of reality. ASLEEP is part of a trilogy and by the end of the novel the action has really started to roll. Though there is much to absorb, she leaves the reader craving more. I cannot wait for the next book, AWAKE to be released sometime this year!

Final Take: 5/5

Author Interview: D.C. Corso

On Friday, I posted my review of Skin and Bones by D.C. Corso. Today I'm excited that she's taken time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions.

GJR: How much research went into the book?

D.C. Corso: Lots and lots; in fact, I think I am still researching it after the fact! I bought a few reference books and spent a lot of time at the FBI website, as well as the Seattle Field Office website. I also was advised by Island County Sheriff and mystery writer Mike Hawley (who is fabulous, BTW) on
procedural issues like search warrants and the like. I really enjoy
research but I think I could have saved a lot of time by doing it before I started writing.

GJR: I don’t think books about child abductions are easy to read, so they
have to be extremely hard to write. Why did you decide to tackle this issue?

D.C. Corso: I think I am perplexed by the presence of evil in humans, and try hard to understand what it is that compels a person to do this. It's an age-old question and the answer is, I think, that there is no answer. The brain is just wired wrong in some people and while I think they know what they're
doing is wrong, their compulsion overrides it. It is difficult to write about and that's one of the many reasons I try to keep most of the violence off-camera; I believe that people's imaginations are much more powerful than anything I can or should spell out.

GJR: What do you hope that readers come away with from the novel? Meaning, are there lessons to be learned?

D.C. Corso: I was hoping to capture a shift in attitudes at that particular time in our nation's history; for a while there (immediately after 9/11), a vigilante attitude became something that was respected and looked up to. And the message that we send our children about how we handle our problems is very much something I hoped to point out. They absorb a lot more from the adults they look up to than I think we realize.

GJR: Will we be seeing Severin Ash again? I liked that he was a damaged hero.
It made him more real.

D.C. Corso: I hope so!

GJR: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

D.C. Corso: I have been writing since I was a kid, so I think I have always been a writer, although it took a lot of practice to improve from those days!

GJR: Besides Skin and Bones, what else have you written?

D.C. Corso: When I was a kid, I wrote a lot of Nancy Drew-styled mysteries featuring non-identical (don't ask me why) twins, Sarah and Becky Spencer. In high school, I moved on to more teen-angsty short stories and even tried my hand at horror and sci-fi in my Stephen King/Star Wars period. In college,
I wrote a really bad novel (contemporary fiction) that has never seen the light of day thank goodness. I wrote a collection of loosely intertwined short stories called "Stranger Than Fiction" that is decent, but not great and needs a lot of work. I started something called "The Factory" that is really more of a fantasy about the mental trip taken by a woman in a coma;that's been ignored for a little too long. Nothing published aside from my Master's Thesis.

GJR: Are you working on a new novel? If so, can you tell us the premise?

D.C. Corso: I am, but all I can say about it is this: Agent Ash is trying to find his sister's killer.

GJR: Who are your favorite authors to read? Why?

D.C. Corso: For entertainment: Stephen King and Michael Connelly; their stories are fast-paced, their characters are real, and you really want to know what happens next.

GJR: What are you currently reading?

D.C. Corso: Lottery by Patricia Wood -- highly recommend!

GJR: What author’s have influenced you?

D.C. Corso: Definitely Stephen King in narrative voice, though I wish I had Hemingway's ability to self-edit!

Thanks to D.C. Corso for answering my 10 questions!!

Julie's Review: Skin and Bones

Summary: There are plenty of ways to die in a place like Carver Isle, Washington. There is blood, there is sweat and there is soil, and there are the leaves that wither and fall from the trees, crunching underfoot as they're raked into orderly piles. Fall is never anything more than a season in the small Washington town of Carver Isle - until the first child vanishes. None of them could have known what lay in wait for them, crouched at the end of that darkened hallway of a year. It began just two days after the Twin Towers fell, first with one missing child, and then another. When Parker Kelly returns to Carver Isle, she wonders if her disturbed cousin is involved. After confiding in FBI Special Agent Ash, she realizes that the truth lies buried deep in her past. Together, Parker and Ash must solve a puzzle of deceit and manipulation, exhuming secrets both would rather leave undisturbed. ~amazon.com

Review: Skin and Bones is a sharply written thriller that immediately brings you into the story. That's a good thing because the book is only 162 pages long. I love books that deal with the FBI, CIA or any other alpha government agency and this was pretty solid. D.C. Corso wrote characters you immediately wanted to know more about because you know there is some damage in their history. Severin Ash (aka Ash)is a great hero who has some baggage.

When my husband read the back of the book his comment was "Oh, a happy story". I'll admit I wasn't sure how I was going to like the child abduction part but I'm relieved to say that really was not the complete focus of the story. Sure, it was the main plot but Ms. Corso didn't go into gruesome details about what happened to the girls. I need to thank her for that.

The book doesn't leave anything loose at the resolution and I appreciate that. I was actually expecting because of the length that something wouldn't be resolved. Sure it's not a nice, neat bow but I rather liked the ending.

It wasn't too hard for me to piece together who was whom in the book regarding the bad guy but nonetheless I was waiting for the characters to catch up to me. It didn't take them too long and then the book came to an exciting climax. You immediately sniff out that Severin and Parker are going to hook up. I was all for it though. They both had a lot in common and truly needed each other.

I also loved the setting of the book. I've never been to Seattle but I can definitely picture it in my head. I loved that Parker's family had an apple orchard. Apple Orchard evoke sweetness and yet are a bit scary at night so it was the perfect setting for the book.

If you are looking for a succinct novel that reels you in and that you can't put down, pick up Skin and Bones by D.C. Corso. I can't say the resolution will be a big twist but it is still worth the read.

I'd like to thank Tracee at Pump Up Your Book for including me on this book tour.

Final Take: 3.75/5


In the kind of related but not really category:
I've noticed lately that no matter what the man's first name is, he always wants to be called by his last name. Is this because I'm reading a lot of CIA, FBI type books? Or is it a trend? Not even in books but in life. My husband's friends call him by his last name all the time. Must be a male thing!