Tara Chevrestt's Blog, page 42

Can a wounded soldier find love again in A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle

A Saint's Salvation by Beverly Ovalle was a sweet and heartwarming read. Nick is leaving the marine's for the time being and going home for the holidays to surprise his family. The one thing he is looking for is for someone to simply hold him.

When he left for the marines, he had a girlfriend. Not long after she sent him a note breaking up with him, a grenade went off where he was, injuring him and several others. After he recovered in a hospital, the desire to be with family is strong.

This story tells the journey Nick has on his way home. He is able to find love again, and it's with someone who understands everything he has been through. I can't tell much, because this is a novella, and sometimes they are harder to review without giving away too much plot.

The story line was detailed and well thought out. The writing was good. Ms. Ovalle did a wonderful job with marine lingo, and the way events would play out. She was detailed and it made for a heartfelt story.

There was an intimate scene in the story, but it wasn't over the top detailed, so I'd give this a heat level of 3. I think it was perfect though for the story.
*Note: This story is told only in the mail point of view.*

What's the book about:
Corporal Nicholas 'Saint' Santiago needs to go home to reclaim the man he used to be. To be the man he was before Operation Enduring Freedom slowly hardened his heart. He needs to reconnect to the values and the reasons he is doing what he does. Saint also needs to try to forget the courageous woman he knows was meant to be his.

Petty Officer Angelina Jones' life changed the moment Saint saved her life. She survived the blast but now has to deal with the fact that she will never be whole. Knowing Saint received a 'Dear John' letter, Angelina has no intention of being his rebound romance. She needs to be loved for herself. She needs to forget about the one man she knows was meant to be hers.

They each try to find someone to help them forget.

But what does fate have planned for them?
Lacey's Rating:

Can The Girl in the Steel-Capped Boots Prove Her Worth as An Engineer?

Did all men really think that just because she was a girl, she'd never fit into the construction industry? Steel was just iron with a dash of carbon, for goodness sake. Lipstick had a more complicated chemical structure.

I actually read the author notes at the end of this and was intrigued to discover that the author was an engineer on the site of a wharf in 2001. And the Cape Lambert wharf really was widened. To me, this makes the book even cooler.

I enjoyed this story. I think we've all been there--men and women both. Fresh out of school, eager to prove yourself, inexperienced and not taken seriously, nervous that you'll f*ck up, as Carl in this book would say. (Trust me, once you read this book, you'll get that little goof of mine up there. What a character!)

Anyway, Lena is in the above-mentioned situation, only she's not only green and a new graduate, but she's a woman in the manly world of construction. She's got to prove herself and then some...as well as learn how to handle all the sexual harassment, discrimination, jokes, rumors, come ons. She must learn to be one of the guys while at the same time not lose sight of who she is.

My favorite bits were when she put the men in their place--either through words or by playing jokes on them. I enjoyed all the ribbing and reading about her making friends. Her character really grows in this story too. At first I thought her kind of a spoiled diva, but she proved her worth. I also really admired how important it was to her that she prove she was worthy of her degree. (There's a backstory there that I don't want to spoil.)

There's a romance with the client...and he has an interesting story too. It takes us to court, where a case is presented that really makes the reader think about a unique situation. I wish there'd been more of this, honestly. I LOVE Law & Order-type things.

The author states in the notes that she simplified a lot of engineering things like jargon and functions of the port and stuff. Here's where my quibble comes in. I didn't know what a jetty was. Had to look it up. I could have used more jargon/detail. I also would have liked it, because I consider engineers some of the smartest and coolest people ever. I wish I was one! I find their work fascinating. I imagine readers who pick up books for the romance, however, may not feel the same.

A great read that takes one to Australian Outback complete with scary roos and beautiful whales. A fabulous story of a woman making it in a man's world and giving them what-for, but nice like. Also, plenty of funny moments. I ESPECIALLY LOVE CARL. I know men like him and he just cracked me up so much. This one is worth your time. *If you have a problem with F-bombs, this one is not for you. Feel I should mention that. Hey, it is a construction site... I didn't have a problem with it, but I know some people will.

I bought this on Amazon.

Carve Her Name With Pride: The Heart-Pounding Story of Agent Violette Szabo

I didn't realize until I started watching this that's it's based on the biography and life of a real woman. Violette Szabo. She went from daughter to wife to mother to widow to FANY (In the movie, being a FANY officer is a cover) and finally, secret agent. The time was WWII.

In the beginning of the movie, we see her briefly as a shopgirl and we travel along with her as she meets her French soldier husband and he woos her with poetry. After a mere three days, they wish to marry, and she declares she will, with or without her family's blessing. That's only the first of many scenes in which viewers see her rebelliousness, her spunk.

I enjoyed watching her punch out a CO, learn to sky dive, and attempt her first assignment in France: blow up a viaduct. And though she'd rather stay home with her daughter, she's talked into a second assignment--the goal not quite clear. The last half hour is extremely intense and heart pounding though as she runs through France, gun in hand, with German soldiers chasing her and her companion. And darn it, I gotta wonder, why didn't they take the motorcycles?????? Huh? Not very smart agents... *smh* But we're merely human and we all make errors.

And then there's the inevitable capture...and you can say Violette's luck runs out. But she sure gives them what for beforehand...

Anyone who reads up on the real woman will know what happens in the end, but frankly I didn't see it coming. I didn't look up her real-life data until I finished the movie.

The life of the real Violette:

The real Violette-During the war, she also served in the Land Army, an armaments factory, as a switchboard operator, and in the ATS as well as an aircraft factory. This was a woman who grew restless quickly.
-Like in the movie, she met her husband whilst attending the Bastille Day parade, where her mother had sent her to "pick up" a French soldier to bring home for dinner. It seems Violette took the term "pick up" literally! LOL
-They had only one week's honeymoon before he shipped out again and a total of 42 days together. The movie quickened up their romance a bit.
-Her second mission to France saw her captured, tortured, and thrown in a concentration camp, where it's said she save the life of Belgian resistance courier.
-She endured much brutality before her execution. The movie, thankfully, did not show even a quarter of what she probably endured.

An exciting movie, full of romance, action, suspense, and sadness. A fabulous tribute to a brave woman.

I watched this on Netflix.

Dog Training the American Male by L.A. Knight

"Walter, my ex--he was all thumbs down there. The man couldn't find my clitoris if I painted it blue and gave him a coal miner's hat with a light on top."

In the aviation world, and I presume many other careers, the workers are divided into two categories: the white collars and the bluecollars. The whites are your supervisors, engineers, planners (though these guys toe the line), managers. The blues are your actual workers: your mechanics, technicians, anyone who gets a bit of a dirty under their nails.

On an aircraft dock or in a shop, every hour or so, something such as this happens:

Mechanic makes a vulgar joke or maybe a fart joke. The blues laugh uproariously. The whites frown or shake their heads.

Perhaps the whitecollars have a different sense of humor or perhaps political correctness has just been too ironed into their shirt collars and minds.

Why do I bring this up? Well...this book is FULL of bluecollar humor, vulgar bits, that will easily offend the politically correct. If I read this book aloud at work, the blues would laugh until tears came into their eyes. The whites would pull me into the office and fire me.

There's a gynecologist who at times enjoys his job a bit too much. This comes with yeast infection jokes and scenes I can't mention on this blog but which I am almost ashamed to confess I found hilarious. Yes, I'm a blue. There's a psychologist who hasn't stayed in a relationship in years, yet is supposed to be a marriage expert. She hooks up with the first man to come along when she realizes this and proceeds to attempt to dog train him, complete with shock collar. There's a senior citizen center full of horny old folks. There are body-building lesbians who run a moving company called PMS. It's quite a cast of characters, with the story line being, basically, how similar men are to dogs.

There's offensive discussions. Nothing is left out. From racism to diarrhea to circumcision. If you can't take it with a grain of salt, this book is not for you.

I found it really funny. I especially enjoyed the George Bush puppet. LOL Reminded me of that man on comedy channel with the grumpy puppet and the terrorist puppet.

I thought the writing a tad juvenile, but this isn't something one picks up if they're looking for literary fiction. I did have a few problems though. I didn't care for the attitude toward dogs. I'm a huge dog person and I am most def not in the choke and shock collar or rolled-up newspaper club. I also just found it a tad ridiculous at times, especially all these people--men, women, old, young--lusting after the bearded, fat, dumb, extremely phobic hippie. Just too preposterous.

But if you like bluecollar humor, give this a go. You'll laugh so hard...

I received this via Netgalley.

Yakimali's Gift: the Gift of Truth and Acceptance #GIVEAWAY

I love it when a moral appears within a story, or food for thought, and this novel gives one a lot to think about. Within the pages, there's a theme of acceptance. Accept yourself and others for who you/they are. Don't try to change people and don't try to change yourself for others. Fernanda, the heroine, is a girl who must realize this and also must learn to accept not just one, but both cultures she comes from. She half Spaniard, half Pima Indian. Why is one considered better than the other? It shouldn't be...

And her gift is a gift of truth. What begins as a trek across Mexico into California with a large group of settlers becomes a journey to find the truth, about herself and her Pima history.

The trek itself was fascinating. The settlers face all kinds of hardship as they ride mules and horses across the desert and up into the mountains and across rivers. Along the way they face water shortage, freezing-cold temperatures, starving animals, and meet a variety of friendly Native American tribes. I really enjoyed this part, seeing how the Yumas and Pimas interacted with settlers, learning about their dress, discovering their troubles with the missions. It brought up another good question/food for thought: when does organized religion become a form of slavery?

Obviously, I got very wrapped up in this story and it evoked a lot of ponderings. I appreciate stories that do that and Ms. Covella gets a huge thumb's up from me.

Fernanda is a young woman with typical young-woman emotions: insecurity, selfishness, jealousy, oppression. She's confused about her heritage, about what's expected of her vs what she wants to be. She has a huge load placed upon her shoulders and must care for a family long before she's ready. The fact she faces all this while on this excruciating journey is admirable. At times, I didn't care for her actions, but in the end, she "grows up" and realizes her mistakes and attempts to change them. I really like this heroine.

The only thing I didn't care for is the love triangle. It was necessary to the story but at times was just kinda juvenile. But this is a young adult story, so it's to be expected. It just went on too long for me.

Much thanks to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for a digital galley.



***
It’s 1775 in Mexico, New Spain, and 15-year-old Fernanda Marquina, half Pima Indian and half Spanish, can’t seem to live up to her mother’s expectations or fit into the limited female roles of her culture. While she tends her garden, matches wits with buyers and sellers at the weekly market, and avoids Mama’s lectures and the demands of Nicolas, the handsome soldier pursuing her, Fernanda grabs any opportunity to ride the horses she loves, racing across the desert, dreaming of adventure in faraway lands.But when a tragic accident presents her with the adventure she longed for, it’s at a greater cost than she could have ever imagined. With her family, Fernanda joins Juan Bautista de Anza’s historic colonization expedition to California.On the arduous four-month journey, Fernanda makes friends with Feliciana, the young widow Fernanda can entrust with her deepest thoughts; Gloria, who becomes the sister Fernanda always wished for; and Gloria’s handsome brother Miguel, gentle one moment, angry the next and, like Fernanda, a mestizo–half Indian and half Spanish. As Fernanda penetrates Miguel’s layers of hidden feelings, she’s torn between him and Nicolas, who has joined the journey in the ranks of Anza’s soldiers and whose plans include marrying Fernanda when they reach California.But propelling Fernanda along the journey is her search for Mama’s Pima Indian past, a past Mama refused to talk about, a past with secrets that Fernanda is determined to learn. The truths she discovers will change the way she sees her ancestry, her family, and herself.Buy the Book

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About the Author Linda Covella’s varied job experience and education (associate degrees in art, business and mechanical drafting & design, a BS degree in Manufacturing Management) have led her down many paths and enriched her life experiences. But one thing she never strayed from is her love of writing.A writer for over 30 years, her first official publication was a restaurant review column in a local newspaper, and as a freelance writer, she continued to publish numerous articles in a variety of publications. But when she published articles for children’s magazines (“Games and Toys in Ancient Rome” and “Traveling the Tokaido in 17th Century Japan,” in Learning Through History magazine, and “Barry’s Very Grown Up Day” in Zootles magazine), she realized she’d found her niche: writing for children. She wants to share with kids and teens her love of books: the worlds they open, the things they teach, the feelings they express.Yakimali’s Gift, a historical novel for young adults published by Astraea Press, and middle grade paranormal The Castle Blues Quake published by Beau Coup Publishing are her first novels.No matter what new paths she may travel down, she sees her writing as a lifelong joy and commitment.She’s a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She blogs about writing on herwebsite and blog. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.Yakimali’s Gift Blog Tour ScheduleMonday, October 6Spotlight at What Is That Book AboutTuesday, October 7Review at History From a Woman’s PerspectiveSpotlight at Susan Heim on WritingWednesday, October 8Spotlight & Giveaway at Let Them Read BooksThursday, October 9Review & Interview at Back PorchervationsSpotlight & Giveaway at Peeking Between the PagesFriday, October 10Review at Book BabeSpotlight & Excerpt at Shelf Full of Books***
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In Zana Bell's Fool's Gold, Could the Pot at the End of the Rainbow Be Filled With Love Instead?

I love a headstrong heroine. I especially liked this headstrong heroine--so stubborn, argumentative, tired of men telling her what to do. Though this stubbornness backfires sometimes, like when she lost her horse. Grrr, lady. But I appreciate her sense of pride, the way she holds herself like a lady in all tricky situations (and there are quite a few!), they way she doesn't hold herself above others, and how when she's knocked down--broke with her dreams drowned in a river flood or when she's robbed--she gets right back up to try again.

The 411: Gwen and her father were on their way from England to New Zealand to take a prized photograph of the rare ostrich, but her father died on the ship, leaving Gwen in dire straits. She can go back to England and marry a man she does not love or she can continue her father's quest (and when that fails, anything else she sets her mind too, seriously) and make enough money to buy her beloved English manor back from the possible groom. But she meets a lovely Irishman...has a run of bad luck...makes some wonderful friends...and finally faces a brutal truth--as does the Irishman.

I really enjoyed this tale. I laughed many times, namely over the "dancing girl" fiasco. I warmed to many of the characters--the maid, Stella, Jack, Ben, and of course, Quinn. I became frustrated with them too--Quinn's refusal to practice what's he meant to do, Gwen's refusal to let go of her manor. I felt as though I was living the characters' lives right along side, the sign of a superb historical novel.

And I feel there's a moral in the end. Why strive to be what you yourself hate? And--oh, here's another--just what really makes a lady? Or a gentleman for that matter? The story shows how a titled and wealthy man can be a rogue while a miner can have the warmest heart.

Action: in abundance. Romance: keeps readers delightfully on their toes. (And the author keeps it clean!!) Humor: just the right amount. Historical setting: well done.

I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Girl on a Wire: Magic, Bravery, Romance and Rivalry in the Circus World

I bought Girl on a Wire by Gwenda Bond as a Kindle First pre-release book and resolved to read it as soon as I had a little bit of breathing space between the R2Rs (Read To Review)and the blog tours.  I love circus novels. Girl on a Wire is a really wonderful example of circus fiction if you like daring stunts and have a taste for the paranormal.  If you were like me, and found The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern  both inauthentic and superficial, then this book may be the magical circus experience that you were seeking.
                                                
                                     The sixteen year old central character Julietta Maroni, who calls herself Jules, is a wire walker.  They are often called tightrope performers, but they walk on a wire.  Once they did use rope.  According to an article on The Oxford Dictionaries Blog, the first recorded reference to a “walker on ropes” occurred in 1542. I would tend to believe that performers eventually transitioned to wire because it’s more durable.  This circus skill is difficult enough to master without also having to deal with the possibility of a fraying rope.  
Jules has a role model in her discipline who actually existed.  Her name was Bird Millman who was a highwire artist with Barnum & Bailey.  She was best known for her grace and fearlessness.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, this video on the Two Nerdy History Girls blog which documents a Bird Millman performance in 1931 ought to be worth at least ten thousand words.  I would love to read a biography or historical novel dealing with the life of this woman.
I enjoyed the circus traditions and vocabulary included in this novel.  The magical element occurs in the context of centuries old beliefs.  In circus families luck has always been considered an important factor in the success of an act, and losing that luck was often historically ascribed to a curse.
The two rival families that are the central focus of Girl on a Wire are the Maronis whose leading members are wire walkers, and the Garcias who star on the flying trapeze.  The commonality between these circus events is that they are both performed in midair.  This is why their practitioners are collectively known as aerealists.  I have always been a huge fan of the flying trapeze, but I came to appreciate the skill involved in walking that wire as a result of reading this book.  Wire walkers and trapeze artists are both risk takers who rely heavily on precision, timing and luck.   Despite these shared attributes, the Maronis and Garcias have not been allies.  Instead there is a legacy of hatred between these two circus dynasties that is rooted in the past.
 Jules wants to uncover the reasons behind the enmity between the Maroni and Garcia clans; especially after she meets a charismatic male performer of her own generation whose surname is Garcia.    Other reviews have called the Romeo and Juliet aspect of this novel predictable.  I prefer to call it archetypal. It’s also important to note that the resolution of this story is far from predictable.   I found it rather ingenious.  Shakespeare would never have envisioned it.   I expect to count this book among my top reads of 2014.
                                           

Mrs. Xavier Stayton: A Younger Miss Marple?

"More men would be better off dying young, before their wives get to know them well enough not to miss them."

It's not often I pick up a Kindle freebie by an author I've never heard of before and find a gem of a story. They are usually so/so. This one is quite good! Think Miss Marple, forty years younger, with twice the humor.

Young Mrs. X, widowed now three years, fancies herself a mystery writer all of a sudden and her and her companion set off for a house in the country...where between a very wacky family and servants, they run into a REAL murder.

The style takes some getting used to at first. The narrative is in first person--not a problem--but it's as if you're reading the manuscript of her story. It even has little notes to her editor or agent in parenthesis. This irritated me at first, but I came to understand it and once I got over the initial feeling of being "jarred" by it, I was no longer bothered.

I enjoyed the heroine and laughed so many times...I lost count. From the dog named Bugger to the sarcastic remarks exchanged between these family members who loathe each other so much... There's not only a murder mystery here, but secrets from the war, the mystery circumstances of her own husband's death, the way she calmly handles the personal questions...there's actually a lot going on in this "little" story.

Highly enjoyable. I'm not going to get into too much details about the mystery itself because that would just spoil it for everyone. As far as setting and writing and humor, the story is excellent. The only thing I disliked was the lack of clues. I like to have some idea of whodunnit and why, but this is one of those mysteries that throws everything at you at the end. Or else I'm just not that bright. LOL

I look forward to book two.

Bitter Greens: A Braided Narrative Lends Insights Into Rapunzel and Its Context

 

The amazing power and truth of the Rapunzel fairy tale comes alive for the first time in this breathtaking tale of desire, black magic and the redemptive power of love

French novelist Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. At the convent, she is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens...

After Margherita’s father steals parsley from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off, unless he and his wife relinquish their precious little girl. Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death. She is at the center of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition.

Locked away in a tower, Margherita sings in the hope that someone will hear her. One day, a young man does.

Award-winning author Kate Forsyth braids together the stories of Margherita, Selena, and Charlotte-Rose, the woman who penned Rapunzel as we now know it, to create what is a sumptuous historical novel, an enchanting fairy tale retelling, and a loving tribute to the imagination of one remarkable woman.

*****REVIEW*****


Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth combines a re-telling of the fairy tale Rapunzel with the life story of the woman whose version of this tale is the one that is most widely told today.  Her name was Charlotte-Rose de Caumont de la Force.  Here’s a brief biography of Charlotte-Rose that appeared on the blog of author Charlotte Henley Babb who has written fractured fairy tales.  Charlotte-Rose’s title of her fairy tale was Persinette.  The Grimms gave it the title Rapunzel when they later adapted it.   I received Bitter Greens from Net Galley and this is my review.
The ideal reader for this book would be someone who loves both historical fiction and fairy tales.  The reader who dislikes one of these types of narratives is likely to find a large portion of the novel rather tiresome. Fortunately, I am one of those readers who does enjoy both. 
For me, the most interesting aspect of Bitter Greens is its structure.  The two story lines are braided like Rapunzel’s hair.  They share themes.  All the female characters struggle for independence, and the power to decide their own destinies.  These themes are also uncovered in the life story of the witch who confined Rapunzel.  She too had to fight for the freedom to make her own choices, but her fears still bound her. This background on the witch makes her a more sympathetic character even though she remains a dark element in the Rapunzel story.  The witch’s fears are common ones with which most people contend—the fear of aging and death.  So I consider this novel both feminist and deeply human.
Another strand in the braided narrative was Italian folk religion.  It was revealed in the re-telling of the witch’s story.  I discovered pre-Christian practices in her family heritage.  I won’t discuss them any further in order to avoid spoilers.  I’ll only add that when I researched them, I located a book dealing with them that sounds very interesting.  A piece of fiction that is based on fact provides opportunities for further research. Such a book is like an open door.  Once all the strands are unraveled readers can leave Rapunzel’s tower to travel onward, and learn more.
I also found out a great deal that I hadn’t fully understood about the reign of Louis XIV from Bitter Greens.  He is called The Sun King because there were illustrious authors that arose during his reign. Yet after I read about the events in the life of Charlotte-Rose, I wanted to change the soubriquet of Louis XIV to The Eclipse King.  I knew that the Edict of Nantes, the royal decree that granted toleration to French Protestants, had been revoked.  I just didn’t associate that event with Louis XIV.  I also tended to associate persecution of French Protestants with the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars and Catherine de Medici, but the persecution after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes was severe.  According to the page on The United Protestant Church of France , almost a quarter of French Protestants emigrated during this period.  Among them was the father of a prominent figure in the American Revolution, Paul Revere.  Paul Revere’s father was originally named Apollos Rivoire.  Apollos Rivoire was sent to America at the age of 13 by his Protestant family, so that he could have the freedom of worship that French Protestants had lost during the reign of Louis XIV. 
I hope that I have communicated that this is an amazing novel with a number of facets that are developed in depth. 
I am looking forward to The Wild Girl, another exploration of fairy tales by Kate Forsyth dealing with the Brothers Grimm.    So long as Forsyth continues along this path, I will remain an eager member of her audience.
                                               




Publication Date: September 23, 2014 | Thomas Dunne Books | Hardcover; 496p | ISBN-10: 1250047536
Genre: Historical/Fantasy/Fairy-Tale Retellings
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About the Author Kate Forsyth wrote her first novel at the age of seven, and is now the internationally bestselling & award-winning author of thirty books, ranging from picture books to poetry to novels for both adults and children. She was recently voted one of Australia's Favourite 20 Novelists, and has been called 'one of the finest writers of this generation. She is also an accredited master storyteller with the Australian Guild of Storytellers, and has told stories to both children and adults all over the world.

Her most recent book for adults is a historical novel called 'The Wild Girl', which tells the true, untold love story of Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world's most famous fairy tales. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, 'The Wild Girl' is a story of love, war, heartbreak, and the redemptive power of storytelling, and was named the Most Memorable Love Story of 2013.

She is probably most famous for 'Bitter Greens', a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale interwoven with the dramatic life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force. 'Bitter Greens' has been called 'the best fairy tale retelling since Angela Carter', and has been nominated for a Norma K. Hemming Award, the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Fiction, and a Ditmar Award.

Her most recent book for children is 'Grumpy Grandpa', a charming picture book that shows people are not always what they seem.

Since 'The Witches of Eileanan' was named a Best First Novel of 1998 by Locus Magazine, Kate has won or been nominated for numerous awards, including a CYBIL Award in the US. She's also the only author to win five Aurealis awards in a single year, for her Chain of Charms series – beginning with 'The Gypsy Crown' - which tells of the adventures of two Romany children in the time of the English Civil War. Book 5 of the series, 'The Lightning Bolt', was also a CBCA Notable Book.

Kate's books have been published in 14 countries around the world, including the UK, the US, Russia, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. She is currently undertaking a doctorate in fairytale retellings at the University of Technology, having already completed a BA in Literature and a MA in Creative Writing.

Kate is a direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, 'A Mother's Offering to her Children'. She lives by the sea in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, three children, and many thousands of books.

For more information please visit Kate Forsyth's website and blog. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Bitter Greens Blog Tour ScheduleMonday, September 15
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, September 16
Review at Kinx's Book Nook
Review & Giveaway at Bookish
Wednesday, September 17
Review & Giveaway at Literary, etc
Review & Giveaway at Book Drunkard
Thursday, September 18
Review & Giveaway at Build a Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at The Eclectic Reader
Friday, September 19
Review at The Maiden's Court
Review & Giveaway at Icey Books
Monday, September 22
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at A Dream Within a Dream
Spotlight at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, September 23
Review at Book Dilettante
Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway at SurLaLune
Wednesday, September 24
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review, Interview, and Giveaway at Ink Gypsy
Review, Interview, and Giveaway at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, September 25
Review & Giveaway at No BS Book Reviews
Interview & Giveaway at Just One More Chapter
Friday, September 26
Review at The Gilmore Guide to Books
Review at Must Read Faster
Monday, September 29
Review at Book Lovers Paradise
Review & Giveaway at Bookworm Blues
Tuesday, September 30
Review at The Life & Times of a Book Addict
Review & Excerpt at Books-n-Kisses
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, October 1
Review at One Book at a Time
Review at Book-alicious Mama
Review & Giveaway at Mina's Bookshelf
Review & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, October 2
Interview at Layered Pages
Review & Giveaway at Oh Magic Hour
Friday, October 3
Review at Bibliophilia, Please
Review & Giveaway at Gone Pecan
Sunday, October 5
Review at Carole's Ramblings
Monday, October 6
Review at Book Babe
Review at A Bibliotaph's Reviews
Interview, Excerpt, & Giveaway at Harlequin Junkie
Tuesday, October 7
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Review & Giveaway at The Pretty Good Gatsby
Wednesday, October 8
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Review & Giveaway at My Friends Are Fiction
Thursday, October 9
Review at Jorie Loves a Story
Friday, October 10
Review at Mel's Shelves
Review & Giveaway at No More Grumpy Bookseller
Interview at Jorie Loves a Story
Monday, October 13
Review at 100 Pages a Day - Stephanie's Book Reviews
Review & Giveaway at Layers of Thought
Tuesday, October 14
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Review & Giveaway at Beth's Book Reviews
Wednesday, October 15
Review at Crossroad Review
Review at My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews
Thursday, October 16
Review at Cheryl's Book Nook
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Friday, October 17
Review at Mary Gramlich
Review at She Reads Novels
Monday, October 20
Interview & Giveaway at The Reading Frenzy

The Iron Lady

"A man should be encouraged to stand on his own two feet. For those that can do, they must just get up and do. And if something's wrong, they shouldn't just whine about it. They should get in there and do something about it, change things." 

"I will never be one of those women...who stays silent and pretty on the arm of her husband. Or remote and alone in the kitchen."

I knew very little about Margaret Thatcher before watching this. I knew she was Britain's first Prime Minister. That's it. Thus, I found this movie not only entertaining and educational, but a learning experience.

It's done in a very unique manner. The modern-day Margaret is very old and one could say, "losing her mind". But honestly? I sort of see it as spending her remaining days on earth where she wants to be: in the past with those she loves, her dead husband, her son who is in South Africa... and of course she reminisces and through these memories we watch the younger Margaret rise from shopkeeper's daughter to a member of Parliament to Secretary of something (I forgot) and finally, to her own shock, PM.

(I can see why fans of MT are offended by the version of her going "batty", but as I said above, it didn't bother me because I saw her mind going where she wanted to be. I also think some of this was guilt. While she seemed convinced she'd done what was right for her country, she didn't seem convinced she'd been a good wife. I would have, however, have preferred they cut back on the modern scenes a bit to make more room for her rise to PM.)

And despite her husband's complaints, I don't think a thirst for power drove her. I think she honestly wanted what was best for England. She became PM in a turbulent time, when there were strikes, no electricity, garbage all over the street...

And she also battles with motherhood. We see a touching scene in which she's driving away from her children...in more ways than one. The sixties and seventies were a time when women hadn't quite figured out how to master it all. I wonder at times, have we still?

I enjoyed watching this version of MT, her speeches, the way she stands up to the men who question her. I cried with her daughter as she realized MT wasn't all "there" at times. I can't imagine watching one's mother lose her memory. I laughed the moment she said her twin pearls were non-negotiable. I cheered when she spoke to the U.S. Secretary of State about Pearl Harbor...

But where was the queen in all this? Did she never assist the PM in any decisions? Funny that we never even see a meeting btw the two.

Meryl Streep...she did superb. Incredible acting. I was completely convinced.

I watched this on Netflix.