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 It’s nearly time for the Read-a-thon! I’m all set to start, hopefully shortly after 1. I thought I’d share my not-so-towering book pile with you all. I’ve read 4 books in the previous two Read-a-thons. While I’d like to top that, 4 books right now would be excellent. Here is the pile as it stands now:
My first aim is to finish Miles in Love, my current read. It’s an ebook, but I have 20% left, so I’ll calculate that out of the number of pages remaining. It will be quite a few pages, as the book is LONG. But then I’ll feel accomplished, and fully able to move onto other full books. I think I’ll first check in at that point! I’d like to finish that one and then four more – but we’ll see how the day goes.
See you in a few hours! Good luck to all the other ‘thon-ers – I hope to visit many of you over the next 24 hours in my breaks.
While we’re here, I thought I’d edit this post to add the introduction meme.
1) Where are you reading from today?
York, England. I’ll note this time that I’m American, which seems to be get lost in the shuffle sometimes! But I love York, and I’m all set to read after going for a walk this morning.
2) Three random facts about me…
a) Since moving to England I have discovered that steak & ale pie is the best food ever (especially as I’m shortly eating some)
b) I love flowers and plants but I’m a true black thumb gardener
c) My favorite color is yellow.
3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Eight – not so many as I’ve had in the past, but all books I’m looking forward to reading.
4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
See above! I’d also like to spend some time visiting other blogs.
5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Get comfy, have snacks ready, and set some time aside to participate on Twitter and others’ blogs to fully enjoy the experience.
 Sir Mark Turner is the nineteenth century’s version of a rock star; he’s written a book about chastity that has spawned not only his own fan club but also has inspired legions of women to decide to take his virginity. It doesn’t hurt that he’s stunning, of course. Jessica Fairleigh is a courtesan who wants nothing more than to retire, and she sees seducing Mark as her way out. Securing his virginity will earn her the money she needs to get away from London and live quietly in the country for the rest of her life, even if she has to set aside her remaining morals to do it.
What a fabulous book this was. I read the entire book on a train to London, and I can tell you it was more than a little embarrassing when tears came to my eyes as I was standing in a crowded coach with a bunch of businessmen. I’m still hoping they didn’t notice, but that should give you an indication of how wonderful this book really was. My heart broke again and again for Jessica, who truly has been unfairly treated by life and the people in her life.
And Mark’s stance on chastity may have been slightly anachronistic, but I adored it. Mainly this is because he turns the question of chastity back on the men, just as we still need to today. Mark is well aware of the sexual double standard and, rather than deciding that women should be treated the same as men, he decides that men should be treated the same as women. In other words, chaste until marriage, which I think actually makes more sense for this time period. Lust itself isn’t wrong; it’s what you do with it that counts, and often that means restraining it. This is what Mark tries to espouse, and what his followers misunderstand completely. The story of how Mark came to believe this is also a good one.
Though Mark is that rare example of a romance novel virgin (although not the first I’ve come across), he’s not willing to let his virginity define himself. He just wants to make sure he’s doing it with the right woman, a woman he respects and loves and who feels the same way towards him. He knows he isn’t a saint, in short. Watching Jessica slowly recover her sense of romance and ownership of her sexual identity – sex is about her too, not just about the man – while Mark discovers everything for the first time is a surprisingly incredible experience, and for once uses the more promiscuous scenes to develop the characters amazingly well.
The only flaw in the novel was towards the end, where some irritating obstacles get in the way of the characters’ getting together. There is one particular instance which truly feels unnecessary. I also felt like Mark’s family was a wee bit too happy with a courtesan for a sister-in-law, especially given Jessica’s previous experience. A little too much fairy tale.
In short, though, Unclaimed is a stunning book that, for the most part, really blew me away. Courtney Milan is a romance author to watch, and definitely an addition to my auto-buy list.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I downloaded this book for free from Netgalley.
 Sugar is ubiquitous in Western cooking these days, but this wasn’t always the case. Abbott explores the history of sugar with us, from its earliest discoveries and uses to the exploitation of slaves in its cultivation down to the current explosion of sweetened drinks and fast foods. Enlivened with a number of pictures and copious sources, Abbott takes us through a journey that definitely is bittersweet, and which continues to be exploitative in countries around the world today.
I’m always fascinated by these histories that take one subject and use them to explore bits of everything else. In Sugar: A Bittersweet History, the main focus was definitely on one thing; slavery. Most of the middle of the book was taken up by the horrors of sugar slavery in many different parts of the world. Like the American slavery I’m more familiar with, even after slavery was abolished, people were still treated virtually as badly with rights in theory only for years afterwards, and unfortunately this sad trend actually continues. I’m glad the sugar I’m buying is fair trade, but it does make you think about the origin of the sugar in other products.
I read this book over a period of two or so months, because I read it on my phone whenever I didn’t have any other reading material available. It was surprisingly readable in this format, mainly because it’s broken up well into different sections. The time periods are organized well, and even the very long section about slavery is compartmentalized into different places in the world. This was actually also very interesting, because Abbott goes around the world exploring the fate of these people and also the determination of those who eventually freed them. The British campaign to end sugar slavery played a particularly large part in the book.
The book ends with an exploration of our current sweetener culture and the origins of fast food around the World’s Fair. I found this history of various sweets around the world to be absolutely fascinating, and the most readable part of the book, if not perhaps the most important. Now, of course, with an obesity problem in the US and the UK in particular, the blame has come down on sugar and various other sweeteners, which may change sugar’s future significantly.
One part that stood out to me in this latter section was the association of women and sugar – how sweet things were often marketed at women who were the “weaker” sex and not particularly able to avoid temptation, even though both sexes (obviously) enjoy sugar. This is actually a salient point that still stands, as I feel like quite a bit of sweet marketing is still targeted at women. I’m not sure I like that now that it’s been pointed out to me, and it’s something I’ll be paying attention to in future, in addition to ensuring I only buy and use fair trade sugar.
Recommended for anyone interested in sugar slavery or the history of sugar.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I purchased this book.
 Joan of Arc – Jehanne the Maid – is the legendary virgin who heard the voices of the angels and led the French Dauphin to victory, finally, over the English. This book portrays her journey, from the first time she heard the voices of the angels and struggled with what to do up until her capture by the English and untimely execution. All of twelve when she first hears the voices, Jehanne struggles with her mission, her destiny, and with the people around her as she vows to do God’s will and save the French from the English.
I was really looking forward to this book. For me, like for many people obsessed with the Middle Ages, Joan of Arc is a fascinating person. This is more so because if she appeared in the present day, I’m pretty sure she would be sent to a psychiatrist and / or mental hospital, as most people who have visions and hear voices are. In this book, Jehanne (as it is spelled in the French) is also doubted and mistrusted. She must persuade people to believe her and let her lead an army, even though she is only a teenager. It’s a hard struggle, and the book portrays it as such.
But unfortunately, there were just some aspects of it I didn’t like. Jehanne is incredibly introspective for a teenager; even though she recounts the story from the moments before her death, she is almost unbelievably knowledgeable about the people around her. She knows the priests won’t believe her, for example, even though their lives are about religion and surely they would rejoice in her visions, as most of France does eventually.
She’s also puffed up with self-importance, which makes her hard to like as a character. She is The Maid, and people must bow to her as she is in the right. In part, though, I felt that could easily be true to life, because if you had the Archangel Michael whispering in your ear that you would lead the French to victory, I’m pretty sure you’d be self-important too, especially as a teen. It makes Jehanne more human, one aspect that I thought Cutter did extremely well. She is definitely a teenager, even if that concept was foreign to medieval people. None of the other characters really stood out, but they didn’t need to really because the star of the show is genuinely the star.
What I suppose didn’t work very well for me was the atmosphere. I never quite felt like I was in the middle of the Hundred Years’ War. Part of this is down to a lack of detail; not much is actually explained about the history of the conflict or what is actually going on. There is one scene where the tale of Agincourt is told around the campfire, but other than that I didn’t think the scene had been set particularly well. For people who actually don’t know the history of the war, I’m not sure whether they would learn much or feel confused. But then I am a glutton for historical detail, so perhaps this one is just me. I know the author did her research and her author’s note is very thorough, so I didn’t have any problems there; the book just never clicked with me and I didn’t fall in love with it like I wanted to.
I’m not sure what I wanted from this book, but it isn’t quite what I got. What it did give, though, was a very realistic, human portrayal of Joan of Arc, so if you’re looking for that, The Maid is for you.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I received this book as a gift from Kathy.
 The world has not been kind to Ash Turner, but he has resolutely made the most of it. Born to a mother intent on giving away her family’s last morsels of food, dyslexic in a world which doesn’t understand his condition, and fiercely protective of two brothers he struggles to understand, Ash’s moment of triumph, after years of hard-working success, has finally arrived when he gets in line to inherit the dukedom from the distant relative who would not help him and his brothers in their time of need.
But he hadn’t accounted for Margaret, the daughter of that duke, who is not only watching her father die but herself and her brothers being disinherited. She’s determined to hate Ash, and pretends to be a nurse so she can spy on him for her brothers. As time goes on, though, she realizes that she can’t hate him; he cherishes his family in ways she’s never known, and treats her like a somebody even though she’s now a bastard and dressed as a servant. Torn between loyalty to her family and a growing love for Ash, Margaret has to weigh her values carefully to avoid making what could be the biggest mistake of her life.
I knew I had to read more by Courtney Milan as soon as I’d finished Unlocked earlier this year, and I am so thankful she hasn’t let me down with this book. As with most romances, this story is really about the characters, and I loved them both, especially Ash. It’s hard not to fall for someone who is genuinely charming to all levels of society; he knows what it’s like to be poor as well as he knows what it’s like to be rich, and he’s not going to put down the people he knew and loved from either phase of his life.
Margaret is his target almost as soon as he sees her; he really has no idea who she is. She has, obviously, her own problems to face, not only her growing attraction and feelings for Ash, but her loyalty to her father. As the book progresses and she tends to him, she starts to realize that he may not care much for her at all. And when she thinks about her brothers, and compares her family life to that of Ash’s, who loves his brothers and isn’t afraid to show it, she finally starts to wonder about what’s been lacking and just how she can fix it. More, she sees what Ash is doing for the dukedom – for her mother’s home – and her opinion gradually starts to shift. (It’s a romance, we all know the ending).
In short, Unveiled is a really lovely book that will grab you by the heartstrings and force you to keep reading. And the book certainly left me keen to read Mark’s story in Unclaimed, the next book in the series – who doesn’t love the prospect of a hero who writes a book about chastity?
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I purchased this book.
 This history of cholera focuses on one of the last, and most lethally quick, epidemics to strike London. It was one of the last because this time, two diligent men found what they believed to be the cause, and circumstances started to change. The first man, Dr. John Snow, was already a pre-eminent anaesthesiologist who even put Queen Victoria to sleep. The second was a well-meaning clergyman, Henry Whitehead, who was acquainted with many of the victims that got their water from the offending Broadstreet Pump. Johnson takes us through the history of the epidemic and describes precisely how these two men solved the cholera mystery and began a chain of reaction that would have an impact on public health in cities worldwide.
Cholera isn’t a problem that has gone away for us in the modern day world. It’s a disease we keep at bay with a supply of clean water. But before people realized it was caused by dirty water, they believed various theories, including that the poor brought it upon themselves, or that it was caused by noxious air. It’s remarkable to read how tenaciously people who were very highly placed in society clung to these theories, even as evidence started to prove them wrong. They did close off the Broadstreet Pump which caused the cholera, eventually, but they didn’t really believe it was the cause. Not until the “ghost map” was created – a map which outlined precisely who had died from the illness and where they lived – did the connection finally become established between the pump and the outbreak.
In history terms, this is a very compelling book; the end is full of notes and I certainly was keen to learn more after reading. Unfortunately, close to the end, the author starts to go off on some mysterious tangents that become less related to the actual history of the outbreak. He goes on about the new threats to cities, including things like terrorism, and even the advantages and whether they outweigh the risks. It all felt a bit unrelated. It was as though he was trying to connect the history with the modern day, but he didn’t particularly succeed for most of it; the only interesting bit out of this was when he discussed the threats of cholera now, rather than the various other aspects of city life. After all, while cholera did happen because of the cramped conditions in cities, I felt like the rest of the book was more about the illness and general sanitary conditions and less about the city.
Anyway, I still found The Ghost Map to be a very good, and quick, read, a thoughtful look into the sanitary conditions of Victorian London and an illness which still has an effect on many parts of the world today.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I purchased this book.
 Three generations of women, none of whom ever really managed to get along, collide at one Maine “cottage”. The matriarch of the family, Alice, is disappointed by the way her progeny have turned out, especially Karen, her oldest daughter. Karen and Alice have never really connected, to the point of Alice becoming jealous of her late husband’s affection for his daughter. Now Karen’s daughter Maggie goes to the cottage to escape a disastrous relationship and her own personal issues, including the fact that she seldom sees her mother. The last of our narrators is Ann Marie, who married into the family, and finds herself trapped in the life of a housewife while struggling to maintain her perfect image.
What I appreciated most about this book was the perspective each woman had about the others. As in real life, we never know all the details of someone else’s life, not even those who are closest to us. So each woman judges the others and we can see why they’re right, why they’re wrong, or what they’ve missed. For example, Alice and her daughter Karen simply do not get along; what both women generally miss is the fact that they struggle to be close because they are too similar to one another. Is it any surprise that they were both loved so deeply by Alice’s husband Daniel?
I’d also suggest that a large part of the book’s humor comes from this – and it helps to lighten the very important and deep issues that they all face when coming together. It’s difficult to actually like any of the women – particular Alice – simply because we’re seeing them, flaws and all, and I’m not sure I’d actually want to be friends with them. Except perhaps for Maggie, who despite her difficulties is a kind girl who is uncertain about her life. But this is the sort of book where you don’t need to like the characters to actually enjoy the book.
To underscore the similarities between them despite their often acerbic opinions of one another, many of the women struggle, or have struggled, with the same problems. Alcoholism is a big issue and has affected all of the women in ways that they may not have known about until this story is told. Uncertain pregnancies is another – Alice was never sure she wanted to have children, and didn’t know what to do with them. Now Maggie is pregnant, but increasingly worried about her decision. And motherhood – Ann Marie isn’t sure what to do with her daughter, who has just announced that she’s a lesbian, and must return to loving her daughter as a person rather than focusing on this one aspect of her.
As you can obviously tell, this is a very character-driven book. There is a plot going on at the same time, with different strands for each woman, but the ending is somewhat lackluster, so I hesitate to really recommend that as one of the book’s charms. But if you’re interested in a character study, with women you’re not sure you like even as you can begin to understand the workings of their various minds, you could hardly go wrong with Maine.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I purchased this book.
 Ling Suyin was the Emperor’s favorite concubine, renowned across China for her seductive ways. But now the Emperor has passed on, and Suyin hopes for a quiet life of retirement. Suyin isn’t destined for peace, though, as her life is in danger from assassins. She’s rescued by the warlord Li Tao, a harsh man who knows he’s trapped in a world of relentless politics and fighting but isn’t sure how to get out of it. The empire is starting to fracture. The threats to Suyin make him a pawn and put him at risk, but he’s still compelled to protect her, especially as they start to fall in love.
Jeannie Lin’s historical romance novels are so refreshing. I love Regency England as much as the next romance reader, but it is so nice to escape and focus on somewhere else for a change. Tang dynasty China is certainly a drastic change, and Lin’s ability to weave historical detail in with a genuinely romantic love story makes me incredibly hopeful that other readers seek them out and appreciate them as much as I do. I am not personally well acquainted with the period, but these books give a very different feel that I find refreshing and enjoyable – they certainly make me curious to learn more.
It was difficult to imagine, going into this particular book, how Lin was going to redeem Li Tao, who was actually the villain of her previous book, Butterfly Swords. Amazingly, she manages it, and quite well too, as we get a peek inside his head and start to process the many motivations that drive him. Suyin and Tao don’t start out trusting each other; in fact, Suyin mostly wants to be free, and views herself as a prisoner. She really does want that peace and quiet, and even as she starts to fall for Tao, she isn’t sure she’s actually going to get it. The last thing she wants is to remain in the political spotlight as she has for most of her life.
In fact, as I approached the end of the book, I started really wondering how on earth these two were actually going to end up happily together. I knew they had to, but the number of obstacles stacked up against them becomes truly forbidding. The ending, however, wraps up neatly – if a little bit too much – but left this reader satisfied with the romance and looking forward to much more from a talented author who is still relatively new. I’d recommend The Dragon and the Pearl to any historical romance reader – but start with Butterfly Swords to better understand the backstory.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I received this book for free for review from Netgalley.
 I know what you’re thinking – this book is a completely out-of-the-ordinary read for me. And it is, I’ve read very few books like this in my life. But I became curious about wheat when my mother was advised to eat much less of it by her doctor because of the sugar content, even in whole wheat bread, and when I saw this book on Netgalley I decided I had to know more.
Dr. Davis believes that genetically modified wheat is the scourge of modern society. He has seen hundreds of patients whose health has improved and weight has dropped simply by reducing or, better, completely eliminating wheat from their diets. It’s not the only solution, and he doesn’t say so; some people aren’t actually sensitive to wheat. But for those whom medicine has ultimately failed, whose health problems are unexplained, eliminating wheat may help. Not in all cases, but in many.
This is an intriguing book, although I’m ever wary of faulty science, but a lot of it seems logical to me. Bread, these days, is not really bread, something that other food writers have mentioned countless times. Look at the ingredients – there’s all sorts of stuff in there to produce it quickly and to prevent it from going moldy. No one can afford to buy bread daily, and no one really eats enough bread to justify it, so we’re in a new situation which has uncertain effects on health. Knowing in particular that wheat products contain a ton of sugar that shoots up blood sugar and creates lows can’t really be a good thing. Most notably, as in the title, Dr. Davis tries to connect the prevalence of genetically modified wheat to the size of American bellies – in that people who have never had beer now sport “beer bellies”.
It helps that Davis includes references to medical studies, so he does have some justification for what he’s saying beyond personal experience. He also includes a helpful week of a wheat-free diet plan, because that’s about how long it will take for someone to end the cravings and enjoy the benefits he says he feels – less hunger, fewer mood swings, and so on. While I think at times the author goes a little bit too far in his comparisons of wheat as evil, overall I really appreciated the message, and his plan is to change your lifestyle rather than force you into a diet you’ll never accomplish. I’ve even thought about trying his plan myself, but I love bread (I’m unquestionably one of his wheat addicts), so I doubt I’d stick to it!
More than anything, I appreciated that Davis made me think about what I’m eating and what’s in the packaged foods I buy, and renew my commitment to make more fresh food rather than relying on something a machine has processed. Wheat Belly
an interesting read for anyone who, like me, has been curious about the effects of wheat, or thinks a wheat-free diet may help improve their health.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I downloaded this book for free from Netgalley.
 This is the sixth book in the Saxon Chronicles series, focusing on Uhtred of Bebbanburg, by Bernard Cornwell. Read my review (one of the first on this blog) of the first book if you haven’t read this series before and want to avoid spoilers!
The great King Alfred is on his deathbed, and with that thought in mind, chaos is ready to strike the country that would become England. The Vikings still haven’t been completely vanquished and are a constant threat, but worse are the factions that threaten to split the fledgling kingdom up from within. After nearly being killed up North, Uhtred returns to his king to pay his final homage and to do his best to keep the realm from falling to pieces without a strong leader.
Uhtred remains true to his warrior roots in this novel, more or less constantly fighting to secure his kingdom. It wouldn’t be a book about him without a battle in the shield wall and the adrenaline of a fight well won. But though the battles are well written, they’re not all this series has to offer, and as in other installments, this sixth one has the power to keep us drawn to Uhtred and those he remains close to.
One of these is Aethelflaed, Alfred’s daughter, a true leader of her people. As soon as she appeared in this series, as a young girl, I was thrilled, and I’ve only been more pleased with her development as the series carries on. Naturally, she and Uhtred have become a couple, and very much contrary to the way Cornwell sometimes treats his women, Aethelflaed is developed as the strong, leading woman that history tells us she was, with a bit of loving to round out her character in fiction. I can’t wait to read more about her, and Uhtred’s devotion to her, as the series carries on.
As always, Cornwell successfully delivers a number of other fascinating encounters and adventures for Uhtred. One that sticks in my mind here is his encounter with a mysterious witch and “earth goddess”, a potent reminder that while Alfred’s kingdom is becoming increasingly Christian, the religious landscape of the time was far from black-and-white, even beyond Uhtred’s own Norse beliefs. It also adds a creepy interlude for Uhtred as he’s forced to contemplate the future of this realm he’s committed to defending.
For those who want an adrenaline-filled look into early England, with a fantastic main character who feels like he belongs in that time period, you simply can’t go wrong with this series. Death of Kings is an installment that will keep fans like me very happy and eagerly anticipating the next volume. This is a much grittier variety of historical fiction, perfectly suited to a society based around battle, and provides an excellent change if you’re a bit tired of reading about the same old Tudors.
All book links to external sites are affiliate links. I received this book for free for review from the publisher.
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