Here he is!!!

Even though it is against my policy of not posting the photos of my children online, I am going to post these two to show off my little baby boy (and also to prove that he does indeed exist lol!). As an update, I actually started reading again and the book I am enjoying tremendously now is The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah which was published in February. How do I manage to read amidst the crying, diaper changing, sleepless nights and taking care of my wonderful 11-year-old girl? I read while I'm nursing. Since I don't have to hold a bottle, my hand is free to turn the pages. That's that for now.

Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware

As I'm writing this review, I am a sleep-deprived zombie mom. Therefore, if some passages sound a little incoherent, forgive me. Anyway, it is becoming a slight joke for me to say that I love historical fiction and I am greatly interested in history because every time I say it, a book like Island of the Swans comes along to make me realize that I don't know nearly as much about history as I'd like to think. And it is a wonderful piece of history for that matter that until now I was completely unaware of.

As the author, Ciji Ware, claims, Island of the Swans is a biographical novel based on the life of Jane Maxwell, the Duchess of Gordon. Jane's life was destined to be tumultuous (to say the least) beginning with her childhood when she spent her days making mischief alongside her best friend turned childhood sweetheart, Thomas Fraser. Jane and Thomas slowly fell in love and made plans to be together, however Jane's mother has other plans for her beautiful daughter. And the marriage plans did not include a poor, disinherited boy from a disgraced Scottish family. Jane's mother's plotting turns out tragically too well and Jane Maxwell becomes the Duchess of Gordon, married to Alexander, the 4th Duke of Gordon. And even though Jane grows to love her husband, her life was never meant to be uncomplicated because it will always be marked with her deep, undying love for Thomas Fraser.

Island of the Swans was my first encounter with Ms. Ware's writing and I am yet again grateful to Sourcebooks for re-issuing the works of another great historical fiction author that I otherwise would not have read. It was quite a ride reading this epic, historical romance. I am almost wary to even categorize it as such because this novel is everything: romance, history, biography and adventure. And I enjoyed every part of it because of the richness of content and especially because of what an incredible woman Jane was. I admit, I didn't necessarily agree with some major decisions Jane made in her life and it made me dislike her for a while there. But the more I got to know her and the difficult choices she had to make and live with as a wife, a mother and an important figure on political scene, the more I respected this strong woman that would be a remarkable figure even in today's society. Ciji Ware did this woman a great justice by portraying her in as objective a light as possible. There was no character 'photoshopping'. Instead, we get served a full personality with the good and the ugly, and it concerns every major character in Island of the Swans, not just Jane. My personal favorite was one brutally honest and full of menace young lady from Maryland, Arabella. If you read the book you might question my choice but Ms. Ware created in Arabella's person a true to life, grown old too young and brave woman who had to fend for herself without the help of any man. She is in a way Jane's American equal.

Enough of the ramblings. I simply enjoyed Island of the Swans very much and despite the length, I couldn't put it down until every last tear was shed and every last sigh sighed. The love element was truly amazing and will satisfy every romance fan out there. As tainted and heartbreaking as the love between Jane and Thomas was, it was also the perfect love between the two human beings. Ciji Ware certainly knows how to touch hearts.

*********

Special Thanks to Danielle J. from Sourcebooks, Inc. for sending me a copy of this book for review.

Island of the Swans by Ciji Ware was published on February 1, 2010 by 

Sourcebooks Landmark, 

an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.

Blog update and wonderful news!!!!

I am very happy to announce that my baby boy, Aleksander Henry Gustavus was born on Tuesday, January 26, 2010. He weighed 9 pounds 5 ounces and measured 21 inches long. He is of course the most beautiful boy and a miracle.

I will not be updating my blog for a little while for obvious reasons but I hope to get back in a full swing of things shortly.

On My Wishlist

On My Wishlist is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City, which will be posted every Wednesday. It allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. If you are anything like me then your wishlist is getting longer by the day! If you would like to take part and have your own 'On My Wishlist' post then you can find more info here.

I only have one book for this week but I just can't wait to get it especially that I don't have to wait all that long for it.

A Dark Matter by Peter Straub.

Some of you may know this author from collaboration with Stephen King. Mr. Straub and Mr. King wrote The Talisman and its sequel Black House. At least that's how I first got a taste of Straub's writing. However, I didn't get to really appreciate his skills until I read a couple of books he wrote on his own. I am now happy to see that Mr. Straub is giving us another mix of horror & thriller. Below are the details.

A Dark Matter will be released on February 9, 2010.

From Publishers Weekly:

Starred Review. In this tour de force from bestseller Straub (In the Night Room), four high school friends in 1966 Madison, Wis.—Hootie Bly, Dilly Olson, Jason Boatman, and Lee Truax—fall under the spell of charismatic wandering guru Spencer Mallon. During an occult ceremony in which Mallon attempts to break through to a higher reality, something goes horribly awry leaving one participant dead. Decades later, Lee's writer husband interviews the quartet to find out what happened. In Roshomon-like fashion, each relates a slightly different account of the trauma they experienced. Straub masterfully shows how the disappointments, downturns, and failed promise of the four friends' lives may have stemmed from this youthful experience, and suggests, by extension, that the malignant evil they helped unleash into the world has tainted all hope ever since. Brilliant in its orchestration and provocative in its speculations, this novel ranks as one of the finest tales of modern horror.

And here's some praise from other, well-known writers:

“Peter Straub's new novel is a terrifying story of innocents-high school students in the turbulent sixties-who stumble into horrors far beyond their understanding. A Dark Matter is populated with vivid, sympathetic characters, and driven by terrors both human and supernatural. It’s the kind of book that’s impossible to put down once it has been picked up. It kept me reading far into the night. Straub builds otherworldly terror without ever losing touch with his attractive cast of youngsters, who age beautifully. Put this one high on your list.”

-Stephen King


"Part Rashomon, part The Turn of the Screw. Peter Straub may well be the most important voice in suspense fiction today."

-- Lincoln Child



"American master Peter Straub takes the sweep of our freaky history over the past forty years, subjects it to all the elegant gifts of madness and arts of haunting of which he is the wicked king, and finds himself in possession of a masterpiece."

-- Michael Chabon, author of The Yiddish Policemen’s Union and Manhood for Amateurs


“I’ve been reading Peter Straub since I was a teenager, and his work is hardwired into my brain. A Dark Matter contains echoes of all that has been great about Straub’s previous work and builds upon it. This Rashomon-like tale is as spooky and frightening as anything he has written, but it’s also an intense and moving celebration of love. Out of the darkness comes, ultimately, a surprising and haunting sense of joy.”

-Dan Chaon, author of Await Your Reply


"Increasingly, Peter Straub brilliantly defies and blurs literary genres. A DARK MATTER is a page-turning thriller of every sort: psychological, sociological, epistemological. Plus, it's really scary."

--Lorrie Moore, author of A Gate At the Stairs


Also, I wanted to show you this awesome trailer from Unbridled Books for Spring/Summer upcoming titles. I wasn't especially waiting to get any of the books from this publisher, but I think that they did a great job with the trailer and that alone may make me go to the store and get soem of the books. Enjoy!

UBB Seasonal Starter Pack: Spring 2010 from Unbridled Books on Vimeo.

2-in-1: Sacred hearts by Sarah Dunant & The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel by Maureen Lindley

1. Sacred Hearts  by Sarah Dunant

Sacred Hearts is a novel set in the 16th century Italian city of Ferrara. A young girl enters the convent of Santa Caterina to spend her entire life as Suora Serafina. It is obvious that Suora Serafina, formerly known as Isbetta, is put in this convent against her will and she fights fiercely to correct this grievous injustice done to her. Serafina's howling, violent tantrums and screams force another sister, Suora Zuana to remedy the situation before all gets out of control. Zuana is a dispensary mistress (what one might call a doctor nowadays) who had been placed in the convent many years before also against her will. Zuana and Serafina form a special bond while Serafina sorely tries the patience of the abess, Madonna Chiara and all other nuns in the convent. As it is, the times are difficult for all convents across Italy as the pope with the help of bishops imposes more and more rigorous rules. For now, Santa Caterina is safe but how they deal with rebellious Serafina and her strong will to manipulate them all and escape the imprisonment will ultimately decide the fate of the convent. And the midst of all these dangerous changes, one young girl makes a strong impact of all the nuns in Santa Caterina, the impact none of them wanted or anticipated.

Sacred Hearts is my second Dunant's novel and it was also my attempt at liking Ms. Dunant's writing. I was sorely disappointed with The Birth of Venus mainly because I relied on all the glorious reviews and expected a masterpiece. As it turned out, I barely managed to finish the book. I took on a different approach as I prepared myself for Sacred Hearts. I avoided reading reviews, especially the 5 or 4 starred ones, and assumed that it would be not so great instead of a read of a lifetime. I am not sure whether it was this strategy of starting at the bottom or if Sacred Hearts was simply better written, but I was this time pleasantly surprised. The story was quite intriguing, it all took place in a convent full of women who probably were put there against their will and taught to accept their fates. The historical background and Ms. Dunant's dedication made me appreciate the whole novel that much more. The book is dedicated to all the women that had been imprisoned in convents and separated from the outside world for no crimes of theirs really. It is a rather slow reading but then again, I don't think it ever were supposed to be a plot and action driven novel. There is an intriguing plot in there but the most interesting part is what an impact one girl can make on all others around her.

I especially liked the character of Suora Zuana, this intelligent and skilled in the art of medicine woman whose only misfortune was that she was born in the time when women weren't granted the freedom to seek out their own professions or expand on their interest and passions. Yet she managed to make something out of her life, even if it's spent in a convent. I say if you appreciate more of a literary historical fiction when more patience needs to be involved, you'll definitely appreciate Sacred Hearts.

2. The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel by Maureen Lindley

The story begins in 1914 when a Chinese princess, Eastern Jewel is caught spying on her father. This incident gives him an excuse to send the eight-year-old girl away to Japan. Eastern Jewel gets adopted by the Kawashima family and changes her own name to Yoshiko Kawashima. Japan becomes Yoshiko's true love and nothing gives her more happiness than the news that she became a Japanese citizen. However, as the time goes by, Yoshiko is made painfully aware that she never will be one of Kawashima's true daughters but rather a free human gift to sexually entertain Kawashima and his male guests. She doesn't despair though but turns into what one would call a sex addict nowadays. She also reinvents herself, partaking in the world of male population with fervor, takes fencing classes, smokes opium, dresses as a boy and above all else enjoys sex. And so the life of a future Japanese female spy begins. The novel is based on a real person and mostly real events. There really was a Chinese woman turned Japanese spy in the years between the two World Wars and during WWII.

I enjoy Asian fiction and was very excited to read about yet another figure in the history of China and Japan that I previously had had no idea about. The verdict: I could not have been disappointed any more. I thoughts I was going to read about this strong willed woman striving for independence in a society that treated females as a species below males in all aspects. Ms. Lindley wanted to show that despite what history's opinion of Yoshiko was, she was not a thoroughly bad person. I am not sure what measures were taken to make us readers see this princess spy in a forgiving light. All I saw was a corrupted woman who had sex with pretty much everyone that came her way. It was actually quite disgusting, especially Yoshiko's attitude to all the men that used and abused her. She thought all the time she was the one using her femininity for her advantage. Well, she wasn't. I was completely put off by this nymphomaniac person who destroyed everything and everyone in her way just to get what she wanted. She kept saying throughout the novel that her one true love was Japan but I just failed to see it as anything else other than an excuse for a more expensive form of prostitution.

I am no bigot, I am fine with sex scenes but what upset me the most is how Yoshiko's sex addiction is being justified as simply her means to live the life on her terms. I am just not sure that compromising her dignity was worth the false sense of independence, considering what she got in the end.