Publisher: Penfield Press (April 15, 2013) Category: Historical Fiction, WWII, General Fiction Available in: Print and eBook, 385
Set against the backdrop of small town America on the eve of World War II, Defiant Heart features two extraordinary characters and one unforgettable love story.
In the spring of 1941, young Jon Meyer’s family dies in a tragic accident, and he is sent to live in a small Indiana town. He arrives to find himself unwanted and shunned.
Mary Dahlgren is the daughter of the town’s mayor. A pretty girl, she could have the pick of the boys in town, including Vernon King, the star of the vaunted high school basketball team. To the chagrin of her friends, though, Mary has always been more interested in books than boys. That is, until she meets Jon.
But Jon and Mary are kept apart by an insidious campaign orchestrated by Mary’s father, who perceives their relationship a threat to his political aspirations, and Vernon, to whom Jon is a rival for Mary’s affections. For months Jon is subjected to a painful ostracism. Then, just when the young man’s earnestness and perseverance begin to win over many of the townsfolk and it appears that love may conquer all, tragedy strikes.
As the country is caught up in war, so too are the young lovers swept up in events beyond their control, leaving both fighting for their very lives. If, against the odds, they are to be together, each will need to find the strength, the courage and the resourcefulness that beat only in a defiant heart.
My Thoughts:
This book is a real page turner and I read it into the wee hours of the morning because I couldn’t put it down. My heart broke for Jon. He was in a car accident with his mother, father and brother. He was the only survivor. At only 15 he was sent to small town Indiana to live with his 80 year old grandmother. He had never met her before because she was estranged from her daughter, Jon’s mother. It was a cold welcome for Jon, she wasn’t outright mean to him at first but certainly not welcoming.
Jon also received a cold welcome at school and was in turns beat up and then ignored. The only one who seemed to notice him was Mary.
I can’t tell you anymore because I would risk giving spoilers. I warmed up to Jon very quickly. He was quite a lovable character. This book has a little of something for everyone. It is a coming of age, drama, historical fiction, suspense, romance, love story, WWII, and literary fiction story.
The characters are well developed and is the plot. Marty Steere’s descriptions of time and place resonated as true to me. I felt like I was a character in the book observing everything that happened first hand.
This book is destined to become a classic! Highly recommended!
5/5
About Marty Steere:
The son of a career air force officer, Marty Steere grew up on or near military installations across the country and overseas before settling in Southern California, where, when he’s not writing, he practices law. His debut novel, Sea of Crises, was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012.
Thanks to Marty, I am giving away one copy of Defiant Heart. This giveaway is open worldwide. Those living in the U.S. can choose either print or ebook. Those that live outside of the U.S. will receive the ebook version. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Like a tornado, the civil rights movement struck Birmingham in the spring of ’63. In this coming of age novel we are swept into the separate cultures of the south.
Two girls, one black and one white, endure the pain and prejudice of segregation. The girls mature and pursue the same profession until one fateful day when a force of nature sweeps in and rearranges their lives.
I can never get enough of certain times in history and 1960’s anything is one of them. Especially when it’s about human rights and segregation. I am a child of the 60’s, born in 1963, right when the protest were really heating up.
I still can’t wrap my head around why it is that there are people who think they are better than someone else that has a different skin color. I was born and raised in Minnesota but I would hope I would have felt the same way had I come from the south.
One of the main characters in this book, Martha Ann, a white girl in Birmingham ponder this question. She didn’t know if it was right or wrong by she wanted to know why. Her father, especially, was very racist.
While Through Angel’s Eyes was focused primarily on the African American population and was narrated by Angel, a 13 year old African American girl, March With Me focuses on both sides of the issue. There were two narrators, a white girl, Martha Ann and an African American girl, Letitia.
I liked this approach, it showed two girls one on each side of the tracks. The characters were well defined. The writing was great for the most part but sometimes the narration seemed to change from first person. I also found the characters say something out of character for their age, especially Martha Ann.
However, I loved that Turner let us into the world of two different girls from both sides. To me that was unique from other books I have read on this topic. I recommend this book!
4/5
About Rosalie Turner:
Rosalie Turner is the award-winning author of five books. Her novel, Sisters of Valor, recently received the Military Writers Society of America Bronze Award for Fiction.
While living in Jacksonville, FL she was awarded the JC Penney Award for establishing an inner city reading program.
Rosalie divides her time between New Mexico and Alabama.
Thanks to Stephanie Barko, Literary Publicist, I am giving away one copy of March With Me. This giveaway is open to internationally. Print copy for U.S. or Canada, ebook for other. This offer ends on March 29, 2013. Please use Rafflecopter to enter.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
Inspired by actual events in author Katherine Keenum’s family history, this novel originated when she learned that her great-grandmother had been expelled from Vassar College for helping her roommate elope, and thereafter went to Paris to study art with Corolus-Duran. Coming across a Vassar catalogue for 1879, which contained proof of the dismissal, Keenum realized the depth of this story; so full of adventure, love, and scandal, that she began writing her own story which was to become WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS.
In WHERE THE LIGHT FALLSprotagonist Jeanette Palmer gets kicked out of Vassar College in the winter of 1878 for the scandal of the century, her life is turned upside down. With her dreams of becoming an artist rapidly deteriorating, she decides to risk everything and move to Paris at the dawning of the Belle Époque, where her ignominious behavior is likely to be less damaging to her family’s reputation. Paris attracts artists from everywhere, including Jeanette, the daughter of a prominent Ohio family. Amid the city’s great bohemian neighborhoods and studios, Jeanette meets an American Civil War veteran named Edward Murer. As she beings to achieve artistic success, Jeanette’s relationship with Edward begins to flourish—but he is plagued by addiction and personal demons. Just as the world opens its arms to Jeanette, she finds herself torn between pursuing a burgeoning career and following her heart.
My Thoughts:
Over all, I really liked this book. The characters are well written and the writing was like poetic prose and descriptive. This is a fairly long book 480 pages. I do happen to like chunky books as long as they need that to tell the entire story. However, I felt this book could have done with some tighter editing.
I found Jeanette’s longing to have a career versus a married home life to ring true for the time. I’m not much into romance stories so the light romance between Jeanette and Edward was a good balance for me. The only thing that didn’t really work for me or perhaps was just too rushed was the ending and how Jeanette made her decision. To be fair, it could just me. It just seemed a bit to neat and tidy at the end.
I loved the backdrop of 19th century Paris and the Belle Époque era . It seemed well researched and authentic, the way I love historical fiction to be.
This is Katherine Keenumfirst book and I hope it wont be the last. I recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers. Please not I am taking a bit off my score, mostly for the need for tighter editing.
3.5/5
About Katherine Keenum:
Katherine Keenum holds a Ph.D in Medieval Studies from the University of Texas . She is a former editor of the Publications Program for the Council on East Asian Studies at Harvard University and has also taught writing at Yale. She lives with her husband in Worcester , Massachusetts . WHERE THE LIGHT FALLS is her debut novel. Visit her athttp://www.katherinekeenum.com.
Thanks to Jessica Butler of Berkley/NAL, Penguin Group USA, I am giving away one copy of this book. Sorry, this giveaway is open to the U.S. only and ends on March 20, 2013.
Copyright 2007-2010: All the posts within this blog were originally posted by Teddy Rose and should not be reproduced without express written permission.
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