Posted Monday, 16 March, 2015 by jorielov Kathleen C. Perrin, Langon House, The Keys of the Watchmen, The Watchmen Saga 2 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Keys of the Watchmen” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the author Kathleen C. Perrin, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
New Adult is a new genre of interest of mine:
It all began truly when I crossed paths with Amy Durham whilst I highlighted her new release Asher’s Mark and had her write an author’s guest post about what defines ‘New Adult’ to a reading audience. I learnt quite a heap in this meeting of the minds, and I do have Asher’s Mark on my short list of ‘next reads’ as the novel arrived to me over the Winter holidays. I became a bit more curious about this section of literature because it is a full-stop forward before navigating the breadth of adult lit for an audience who is trying to step outside of YA. This interested me the most, because I have remarked openly about where I stand on YA and NA, stemming out of different books I’ve met along the way which did not digest as well as I had hoped they would before I met them. Durham clued me into a new definitive lens for New Adult, in a way I had not come across previously.
Having the door re-open, I must confess, when I first heard of the story The Keys of the Watchmen I was quite intrigued, but not due to which section on a bookshelf it would be sorted but due to the enticement of what the story involves directly! I have a soft spot for time slip and time travel narratives as much as I do Magical Realism. I love when writers find new ways to bend the realities of time and yield to a new way of setting story inside hours which either defy our own understandings now in the 21st Century or push us forward to a new dimension of where time and the barriers therein are no longer a hindrance but a way to set time straight or allow travel across the eons.
I had previously started to read a novel brokering on this thematic, The Skin Map during Sci Fi November 2013. Unfortunately for me, I was not able to re-queue it to read during SFN 2014 (as it’s an ILL novel), but the elements I had read have never left me. They have left me seeking out new authors whose stories are seeking the same truths I was finding Lawhead exploring himself. How much do we understand about time and the portals of where each hidden veil between the worlds in which time purports itself to being temporal vs static reality?
Part of me is delighted someone took the idea and deposited into the world of historical fiction. I love genre-bending ideas, they evoke such a crystalisation of creative impulses which can lead us forward in literature and towards new heights to explore as a reader. The other half of me is curious how much science will be included as much seeing how the science can melt from view and the story can stand strong without too much explanation. This is why I am never certain if I’m more of a hard sci-fi girl or a soft sci-fi girl because I do not always need a bone-to-bone precision of ‘how’ and ‘why’ to allow myself to become inserted into the story’s heart.
The Keys of the Watchmen
by Kathleen C. Perrin
Source: Author via France Book Tours
Katelyn Michaels plans on hating every moment of her visit to Mont Saint Michel with her father’s new French wife. Once there, she is confused when she experiences sensations of déjà vu as she and her younger brother explore the medieval village and abbey. She is even more disturbed when she is confronted by two unusual young men, one who insists she has a sacred mission, and the other who will stop at nothing, even murder, to stop her from fulfilling her destiny.
When the oddly-dressed but alluring Nicolas slips Katelyn a strange medallion, she is whisked back through time where her Watchmen hosts tell her she is the only hope to save Mont Saint Michel. Even worse, she learns that those trying to destroy the mount are led by a fallen angel intent on learning the mount’s closely-guarded secret.
Katelyn is torn by feelings of anger at being taken back in time, inadequacy at finding a modern solution for a medieval problem, and responsibility for the mount’s starving inhabitants. She is also perturbed by her surprising attraction to the ill-tempered Nicolas. Will she stay to learn why she was chosen by the Archangel Michael and find a way to save his mount?
Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller Suspense, New Adult Fiction Places to find the book:
Add to LibraryThing
Series: The Watchmen Saga,
Published by Langon House
on 28th November, 2014
Format: Paperback
Pages: 394
Published by: Langon House
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #KeysOftheWatchmen, #WatchmenSaga, & #FranceBT
About Kathleen C. Perrin
Kathleen C. Perrin holds Bachelor’s degrees from Brigham Young University in French and Humanities, and graduated summa cum laude.
She is a certified French-to-English translator. While completing her education, Kathleen met and married a dashing young Frenchman. They have spent years investigating the mysteries and beauties of his native country, and have a cottage in Brittany.
For a ten-year period they took tourists to Mont Saint Michel, where she served as tour guide. Kathleen has lived in Utah, New York City, France, and for eight years in French Polynesia. She has worked professionally as a language and music teacher, translator, interpreter and writer.
She has published several non-fiction articles, academic papers, and a religious history about Tahiti. Traveling and learning about new countries and cultures is a passion for Kathleen, but her latest passion is sharing France through her fiction. The Perrins have three children, and currently reside in Utah.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
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Posted Monday, 16 March, 2015 by jorielov in Angels, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Brothers and Sisters, Debut Author, Debut Novel, France, France Book Tours, Genre-bender, Historical Fiction, Historical Thriller Suspense, Indie Author, New Adult Fiction, Siblings
Posted Wednesday, 28 January, 2015 by jorielov Heather Webb, Penguin Group (USA), Plume, Rodin's Lover 2 Comments
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Rodin’s Lover” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Plume, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
I barely had time to read the full premise of Rodin’s Lover when I signed up for the blog tour, as I had a sixth sense about this particular release! I had a strong feeling that after the success of Webb’s debut novel on behalf of Josephine Bonaparte, this next one would draw quite a large readership — partially out of curiosity and partially out of the fact all of us knew how intricate she layers the historical fact with the fiction; etching into our collective memories a full-bodied novel rooted in history, with characters who step off the page as if they were being given a second life to live in front of us!
I had heard an inkling about this being set in France and knew it had a strong impact on the world of art, but as far as what it was precisely about — that was something I was happily surprised to have found out much, much later! Rodin is one sculptural artist I do not know too much about overall, as I had mentioned on the interview I gave on this tour, most of the artists I am familiar with are Italian in origin! I had to smile when I realised this, as Webb’s art history appreciations lie in France, with mine further south in Italy! I never had thought about how different we (here refers to ‘everyone’ not merely Webb) approach what draws our eye into an artist, and what it is about that particular artist’s style and voice out of the medium and materials he/she uses that stabilises the connection for us. Even the country of origin can have a resounding effect on our peception and our acception of a particular era of art.
On my connection to Ms. Webb:
Ever since I first hosted her debut novel Becoming Josephine on her original blog tour in January 2014, I have happily had the pleasure of crossing paths with her in the twitterverse! We would share quite a lot of happy conversation rather spontaneously as the year carried forward. We have the tendency to duck inside the same Twitter events, chats, and/or follow or converse with writers in common whilst delighting in the bookish and writerly joy that extend out of our paths continuously crossing. I delight in the joy of being able to interact with writers I have had the honour of reading stories of inasmuch as the writers who become a delight to know in this virtual bookish community.
I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her and have enjoyed our random conversations on Twitter. I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.
Rodin's Lover
by Heather Webb
Source: Publisher via France Book Tours
Book Synopsis:
A mesmerizing tale of art and passion in Belle Époque France
As a woman, aspiring sculptor Camille Claudel has plenty of critics, especially her ultra-traditional mother. But when Auguste Rodin makes Camille his apprentice—and his muse—their passion inspires groundbreaking works. Yet, Camille’s success is overshadowed by her lover’s rising star, and her obsessions cross the line into madness.
Rodin’s Lover brings to life the volatile love affair between one of the era’s greatest artists and a woman entwined in a tragic dilemma she cannot escape.
Genres: Art & Art History, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance Places to find the book:
Borrow from a Public Library
Add to LibraryThing
Also by this author: Becoming Josephine, Author Interview: Heather Webb (Rodin's Lover), Cover Reveal: Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War, Last Christmas in Paris, The Phantom's Apprentice
Published by Plume
on 27th January, 2015
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Published by: Plume (@PlumeBooks)
an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) (@penguinusa)
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook
Converse via: #RodinsLover, #HeatherWebb, & #FranceBT
About Heather Webb
HEATHER WEBB is the author of historical novels Becoming Josephine and Rodin’s Lover, and the anthology Fall of Poppies, which have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Elle, France Magazine, and more, as well as received national starred reviews.
RODIN’S LOVER was a Goodreads Top Pick in 2015. Last Christmas in Paris, an epistolary love story set during WWI released October 3, 2017, and The Phantom’s Apprentice, a re-imagining of the Gothic classic Phantom of the Opera from Christine Daae’s point of view releases February 6, 2018. To date, her novels have sold in ten countries. Heather is also a professional freelance editor, foodie, and travel fiend.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Instagram | LibraryThing | FantasticFiction
Camille Claudel & Rodin:
Claudel is a self-sacrificing artist unto where she doesn’t see past her creativity and the ache she has to explore more with her mouldings of clay. She did not just give her light, heart, and soul to the art she fused every part of her being to the medium; lending an outside observation that without art, Claudel would no longer exist because art had replaced the words and experiences that manifest outside that scope.
You can see quite a bit about Rodin’s temperament whilst he is in conversation with Monet; both men were working in Paris whilst approaching their careers with equal passion yet with different trueness to their own individualistic character. Where Monet was melancholic due to tragic loss, Rodin is seen a bit too esteemed to defy the rules by which both men worked in order to make their livings. On Monet’s behalf, I believe he did not feel his course was set to break the rules but rather to fuse his own artistic joy into a visual element that would appeal to the public. Rodin on the other hand was a bourne rebel who did not want to be placed inside a pre-determined path nor adhere to a rule of how to sculpt when he himself would sort that out in his studio. Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
Posted Wednesday, 28 January, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Adulterous Affair, Art, Art History, Auguste Rodin, Belle Epoque Era, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Camille Claudel, Cookery, France, France Book Tours, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Passionate Researcher, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Sculpture, Sociological Behavior, Taboo Relationships & Romance, Writing Style & Voice
Posted Wednesday, 21 January, 2015 by jorielov Heather Webb, Penguin Group (USA), Plume, Rodin's Lover 6 Comments
What an incredible amount of joy it is for me to welcome to Jorie Loves A Story, the writer of historically enriched French novels which ache to be classified as literary as much as they are most decisively historical in breadth of scope — Ms. Heather Webb!
I was quite wickedly intrigued by her debut novel: “Becoming Josephine” which not only introduced me to the Bonaparte’s in a way I had not expected possible, but it clued me into the particulars of Revolutionary France and the swirling tide of rule that would alter time and history. I was not quite ready to meet Josephine as her story was quite brutally harsh and incredibly layered, (a credit to the writer who brought her truth to light from her pen) but what I walked away with was this undying intrigue for France & for eclipsing previously unknown eras of French history through stories presenting a lifeblood of a living person who dared to make their mark at a time that was fashionably slanted against them!
This has become Ms. Webb’s signature style — of interweaving historical fact and the mysterious unknown spirit of truth of her characters into a riveting read of history encased in a figmented glass of eloquence.
I’ve come full circle — I hosted Ms. Webb for her debut novel, and now after having spent many a spontaneously happy moon meeting up with her in the twitterverse, I am hosting her for her second novel, this time centered around the Belle Epoque era of artistic dynasty!
You’ve previously reflected how much you adore the Belle Epoque era of French history due to the well of inspiring innovative thoughts, movements, and progress stepping out of it. Do you remember what gave you the first bonefide passionate link to the Belle Epoque world? Was it a particular person, story, or movement that eclipsed your heart?
Webb responds: It began when I was twelve years old and living in Nashville. (My dad was military so we moved around a lot.) A traveling exhibit of the impressionists came to one of the museums downtown. My mom, ever on the hunt for the cultural things to see in each place we lived, bought us tickets immediately. I’ll never forget marveling over the array of gorgeous paintings, how the artists used color to depict light and movement. From that point on, I wanted to know more about these painters and thus began my interest in this era.
I have oft found the best discoveries we have in our lives are the ones that are fortuitously spontaneous and unexpectedly alighting on our path! How keen your Mum had a bit of inspiration towards your growing curiosity on art history inasmuch as sparking a flame inside your mind that would one day lead you toward’s telling the story within Rodin’s Lover! I love finding such connective pieces of where inspiration and curiosity start to carve such an intricate thread through our mind’s eye towards revealing in our future how that moment solidified a desire we had yet to give a name too!
When it comes to fine art, I have drifted between Renaissance artists of Italy (i.e. Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michaelangelo and Raphael) to the Pre-Raphaelites (i.e. John W. Waterhouse, Bouguereau, or Godward), yet I haven’t explored Rodin. Except to say I have lamented about his sculpture “The Thinker” throughout my childhood, whilst I studied fine art. What tipped your interest on Rodin initially, and sparked your joy in bringing out Camille Claudel who had such anguish in loving Rodin?!
Webb responds: I fell in love with both Camille and Rodin while in my French film class in college. The film, simply called Camille Claudel, was multiple award-winning in Europe and the U.S. with stars Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu playing the roles of Camille and Rodin. Their tragic love story gripped me and I swooned at the beauty they created both together and separately. After the film, I became rather obsessed with sculpture in general. Many years later, I had not forgotten Camille, and knew I wanted to delve more into her life.
Isn’t that interesting?! Depardieu, you say?! I remember finding him for the first time in Green Card; yet I had not realised they had brought Rodin & Claudel to the screen! Although having become further interested in the real-life counterparts to this story, I had nearly suspected there might have been a classic motion picture on behalf of their life, as they so oft had brought to life people who had such a strong impact on art and society. There is beauty within tragedy as much as there is solace out of darkness — I can see how the strong emotional ties of their orbit heightened your motivation to tell their stories!
As an additional note to my readers: this film is available at your Public Library! Read More
Posted Wednesday, 21 January, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Adulterous Affair, Art, Art History, Auguste Rodin, Belle Epoque Era, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Camille Claudel, Cookery, France, France Book Tours, Historical Fiction, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Passionate Researcher, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Sculpture, Sociological Behavior, Taboo Relationships & Romance, Writing Style & Voice
Posted Sunday, 7 December, 2014 by jorielov Jennifer Coburn, Sourcebooks, We'll Always Have Paris 1 Comment
We’ll Always Have Paris by Jennifer Coburn
Published By: Sourcebooks (@SourceBooks)
Available Formats: Trade Paperback, E-book
Acquired Book By:
I was selected to be a tour stop on the “We’ll Always Have Paris” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Sourcebooks, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.
Inspired to Read:
Being a lifelong traveller who appreciated visiting different areas throughout her home state as much as the states nearby and further away, I can attest my best travels were always in companion with my family. I have travelled numerous times independently, but there was always something missing — the key component for me is the person who was not there to ‘share’ the randomness of the joy and the unexpected (oft-times humourous!) moments which knitted together to prove to be the best stories told long after I had returned! I love sharing the adventures of life but sometimes what I enjoy more is discovering someplace new with someone beside me to see their perspective and to re-define my own at the same time.
Some of my fondest memories are travelling with my Mum on a road trip which criss-crossed through the Southeast, Midwest, and Eastern starboard side of the United States. We spent nearly four years on the road and travelled over 15,000 miles in total. The stories of life on the road are some of my favourites of the recent past, but it was the way in which we spent our hours and delighted in our discoveries whilst on the road that have kept with me the most! Including all those silly moments, like trying to sort out the right number to ring a radio DJ about the crazy stunt they were attempting to pull off for the holidays or ducking into the Grand Ole Opry just to see the festive decorations!
When I originally saw this memoir become available for review, I was quite eager to see how other Mums and daughters recollect their travels together! Read More
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Posted Sunday, 7 December, 2014 by jorielov in #IndieWriterMonth, 21st Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Films, Fly in the Ointment, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, Indie Author, Memoir, Modern Day, Mother-Daughter Relationships, Non-Fiction, Reader Submitted Author Interview, Travel Narrative | Memoir, Vignettes of Real Life, Vulgarity in Literature
Posted Monday, 1 December, 2014 by jorielov All Our Yesterdays, Anthony Russo, B.R. Maul, Berni Stevens, Blood for Blood, Brenda S. Anderson, C.A. Gray, Camille Eide, Christina Courtenay, Coming Home series, Cristin Terrill, Crown of Dust, Dance Until Dawn, Dare to Kiss, Deborah Heal, E. Chris Garrison, French Toast, French Twist, Glynis Astie, History Mystery Trilogy, I Walter, Laura Brown, Like There's No Tomorrow, Lila's Choice, Mari Passananti, Mary Volmer, Mike Hartner, New England Rocks, Paranormal Texas, Paul Mark Tag, Pieces of Granite, Piercing the Veil series, Portals Passages & Pathways, S.B. Alexander, S.C. Barrus, S.K. Rizzolo, Science Thrillers Trilogy, Sharon Cameron, Sinking Down, The Dark Unwinding, The Dragon of Unrest, The Gin Thief, The Hazards of Hunting While Heartbroken, The Rose in the Wheel, Trade Winds, Tui Snider, Unexpected Texas 1 Comment
Each of us who joyfully blogs about books will find at times, even our best laid plans to host concurrent blog events can sometimes become a bit hard to juggle when our personal lives intercede on the time we had scheduled to devout to the events themselves. I found myself in this particular pickle last Sci Fi November, but this year, I felt I had shifted a few things around to where I had more hours to give and thereby could redeem myself from what I could not put together last year. Suffice to say, a few unexpected issues arose the least of which were a knock-out of my internet connection by a severe lightning storm and a broken toe of which looked far worse than the injury itself yet gave me enough wincing pain to forestall my blogging.
I was able to jump dive into the #RRSciFiMonth chat at the very tail-end of the conversation, whereupon I happily enjoyed speaking with Ms. Czerneda, Asti, Ana, and Rachel Noel (@Silelda & Purple Owl Reviews)! It was during this part of the convo, I expressed my desire to carry forward into December the posts I was unable to contribute during the last fortnight of SFN: 2014! I was happily surprised to find others were in agreement; November for whichever reason had become a bit of a quagmire for a lot of us, and I was not the only one wanting to extend the celebrations!
*I received a bit of a surprise whilst getting the link for Rachel Noel’s blog! (read: 2014 Thanks) I have always appreciated the randomness to my conversations with Rachel Noel on Twitter & I had always meant to expand our connection by visiting her blog. To see my name listed as a part of a note of gratitude of whom gave her the most joy and support in 2014 was simply an unexpected blessing to discover. Our lives touch each other in ways we do not always realise have an impact that gives us all a boost when we need it most. I can attest the same in return! Read More
Posted Monday, 1 December, 2014 by jorielov in #IndieWriterMonth, #SciFiReadathon, Blog Tour Host, Blogosphere Events & Happenings, Book Junkie Promotions, Cedar Fort Publishing & Media, ChocLitUK, Contemporary Romance, Cosy Historical Mystery, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Dystopian, Fantasy Fiction, France Book Tours, Go Indie, Hard Science Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Romance, Indie Author, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, JKS Communications: Literary Publicity Firm, Jorie Loves A Story Features, Local Libraries | Research Libraries, Memoir, Month9Books, Non-Fiction, RALs | Thons via Blogs, Realistic Fiction, Romance Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Royal Social Media, Sci-Fi November, Science Fiction, Seventh Star Press, SFN Bingo, Small Towne Fiction, Soft Science Fiction, Steampunk, Sweet Romance, Time Travel, TLC Book Tours, Twitterland & Twitterverse Event, Western Fiction