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.:Mandi's Book Reviews:.
October 2008: Revenge of the Rose -- Little Earthquakes -- The Footprints of God
July 2008: The Constant Princess ---- Keeping Faith ---- Wicked
Coming Soon: The Historian ---- Bitter Is The New Black ---- The Thirteenth Tale
Revenge of the Rose
By: Nicole Galland
Transporting back in time to 1200 AD, we find ourselves in the court of Konrad, Holy Roman Emperor, who’s realm spans half of Europe. Court life is right on track for his Holiness, minus one important detail-a wife to perpetuate his great linage. While his scheming brother, Cardinal Paul, and his Uncle, Alphonse of Burgandy try to tie him to a bride he does not want, his good friend, and court minstrel, Jouglet is secretly plotting an upheaval of his own.
In the back woods of Burgandy, there is a lowly knight, William of Dole, who thinks he might spend the rest of his life supporting and guarding the honor of his sister and widowed mother. Imagine his surprise when a royal proclamation gains him entry to the court, where he quickly proves himself a valuable asset to the throne, while hiding damaging information about his courtly rivals. Busy with proving himself admirable to the Emporer, and lifting up his sister’s reputation to become the next Empress, he fails to notice the danger he is putting himself in, and how integral his good friend Jouglet really is. But the biggest question of all lies in the secret of what Jouglet is hiding from everyone.
Mandi says: I felt this book had great intentions, but spent too much time building up to the main event. It then fell short of the drama I expected when all the mysteries were revealed. Overall the story is entertaining and a great fall read.
Little Earthquakes
By: Jennifer Weiner
In this true-to-life novel, Jennifer Weiner takes the reader through the lives of four women, as different from each other as night and day. Becky, a chef who just gave birth to a lovely daughter; Kelly, an event planner struggling to cope with an unemployed husband and new motherhood; Ayinde, married to a basketball star who betrays her when his support is crucial; and Lia, in her hometown of Philadelphia once again, and hiding a mysterious secret that is bound to only bring the women closer. Weiner takes you through their struggles to maintain balance in a hectic motherhood. From meddling mother-in-laws, to the dark secrets that we keep, to overcoming those things in life that sometimes cut us the deepest. A heartfelt novel that everyone can relate to, whether you know the joys of motherhood or not.
Mandi Says: I was a little skeptical when I first picked this book up, because the subject matter was definitely different than my usual reads, but once the women’s stories started to pick up I was in for the long haul. I would say this is must for all women readers.
The Footprints of God
By: Greg Iles
Are you ready for a government conspiracy that mixes ingredients from computer technology to intellectual warfare? As the story begins, we follow ethical advisor David Tennant, assigned to the Trinity project in the secret underbelly of our government, as he tries to solve the “accidental” death of one of his friends and fellow Trinity scientist. But what he uncovers is far more sinister and dangerous. When his dreams suddenly turn into scenes from another life, seemingly the life of Jesus, David starts to realize that he may be more than just dreaming. It is up to him to find a way to stop Trinity from destroying the world, and all of its inhabitants. The story of a modern day David vs. Goliath, but this time, will David come out the victor?
Mandi says: Drama, intrigue and mystery, ingredients vital to a suspense novel and especially one like The Footprints of God. This novel starts the suspense from page one, and doesn’t let up until the final chapter. With enough twists to keep the action fresh, I had a hard time putting this one down!
The Constant Princess
By: Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory takes the reader beyond the glamour of the court in this fictional account of the Tudor Dynasty. The Constant Princess follows the dramatic life of Katherine of Aragon, the princess of Spain and future Queen of England. Betrothed to England’s eldest prince, Prince Arthur, Katherine finds herself trying to accept becoming a wife and queen. Upheld by her fiery spirit, Katherine turns an arranged marriage into passionate love. Following the untimely death of her husband, her parents struggle to decide what to do with the new widow. In order to secure her place on the throne, Katherine comes up with a plan of her own. But with scandalous Prince Henry in dynastic pursuit, how long will her reign last?
Mandi Says: The first in a series of books based on the Tudor Dynasty, this one really pulls you in and leaves you wanting more. I was hooked from the first chapter, and the way that Gregory writes makes it easy to follow the story from many different angles. I would recommend continuing on in this series as well.
Keeping Faith
By: Jodi Picoult
Shining a light into the complexities of family bonds and how they can be shattered by divorce, Jodi Picoult invites us into the lives of Mariah, her husband, Colin, and their daughter, Faith. After finding her husband in bed with another woman, Mariah initiates what becomes an ugly divorce. With a past that seems only one step behind her, Mariah faces divorce head-on while caring for her daughter. When Faith suddenly begins hearing divine voices, reciting biblical passages and developing stigmata, her mother tries to dismiss it as a coping mechanism. However, no one can deny the mysterious healings and miracles that happen whenever Faith is around. Join Mariah in her quest to find herself through the perils of divorce, the media attention surrounding her daughter and a possible new love interest.
Mandi Says: An interesting story, but leaves you with a few unanswered questions. However, this does not take away from the core of the story, which really makes you understand the importance of family.
Sure, we all love a happy ending. But have you ever stopped to think how the story might have looked from the other side of the tracks? In Wicked, Gregory Maguire revisits the story of The Wizard of Oz from a slightly different perspective, that of the Wicked Witch. Maguire sets the stage in the rich backdrop of Oz: a tumultuous city in an ever changing political and religious war. Though magic and talking creatures abound, you quickly recognize your favorite characters from the classic version of this tale. But Maguire manages to take us one step further and succeeds in exposing another dimension. Join Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, and learn why water makes her melt, where she came from and how she got just so Wicked. A word of caution to readers: while seeming to be for our young readers, Wicked contains adult themes.
Mandi Says: The plot line is very intriguing, but you need a little tenacity to get through a couple of chapters before Maguire really hooks you into the story. Once I was in, I couldn’t put this down. After I finished Wicked, I went out and bought all of his altered fairy tale stories. Great read!
