Book Review #57 The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy by Marsha Altman

The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy
by Marsha Altman

Genre: Regency Romance / Historical Fiction

Ages: 15 and up

Sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, and Mr. Darcy's Great Escape.

Marsha Altman and Ulysses Press sent me an ARC of this book for an honest review.

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read unless you have read the three above-mentioned novels that take place before this one. The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy can technically stand on its own, but it will make more sense and be far more fun if you have read the others. :)

Publisher's Syopsis:

Whirlwind of Pemberley

The comings and goings on their grand estate present endless challenges for Elizabeth and Darcy. Can they avoid scandal given the recent arrival of Mr. Darcy's illegitimate brother Grégoire, Mr. Bennet's advancing years, the younger George Wickham's coming of age, and Dr. Maddox's departure from his position with the Prince Regent even as his many secrets threaten to be discovered?

Courtship of Mary Bennet

After her disastrous trip to the continent resulted in a passionate romance and an unintended child, Mary Bennet finds herself back in England, living with the shameful title of unwed mother. Having given up on ever finding love, Mary is shocked to find herself pursued by a proper gentleman. But are his intentions true, or is Mary being led astray by her heart once again?

Torment of Grégoire Darcy

Leaving his sheltered, peaceful life at a Benedictine cloister, Grégoire enters a world he never imagined. Thrust into Regency England's secular society, Grégoire is overwhelmed. How can an inexperienced, single man stay true to himself while finding his place in a culture obsessed with matrimony?

My Review:

This book was wonderful. Some parts of Grégoire's story were almost painful to read, they were so tragic. He was such an innocent at the beginning, and somehow, through all of his trials and tribulations, he retained that innocence. Despite being wounded and betrayed by those he loved most, his faith stayed strong. (Though he did engage in a couple of spectacular instances of sin.)

I loved the secondary characters in this book, particularly the children. Geoffrey Darcy, George Wickham, and Georgiana Bingley are now young teenagers, about to make their mark on the world. Georgiana has wonderful potential. I loved reading about mild-mannered Jane and Charles being bossed around by their stubborn daughter. I hope that she gets a novel of her own one day.

I enjoyed the Irish accents in the latter half of the book. I had fun trying to decipher the precise meanings, and I still have not figured them all out. What exactly does "fierce quare" mean? Eventually, I googled it to make sure my guess was right. (I was pretty close, it means "extremely strange.")

Elizabeth was witty, Darcy was perfect, Jane was sweet, Bingley was naive, Monkey was....wait, did I just say "Monkey"? Yes, a monkey has descended upon the hallowed halls of Pemberley, and Charles Bingley may never be forgiven. And, to top off a lovely novel, what would a Marsha Altman book be without Darcy rushing to the rescue of at least one of his many relatives?

This is a magnificent addition to my favorite Pride and Prejudice sequel series, and I would recommend it to all lovers of Jane Austen and regency romance.

Watch out for my upcoming giveaway of a copy of The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy, courtesy of Ulysses Press.

There may be some mild spoilers in the reasons for my ratings.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality, and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

There were several uses of the f-word in this book, though it was always deliberately misspelled, so I give it a 8.10.

Sexuality:

There were multiple fade-aways between an unmarried couple as well as some references and innuendos, so I rate it a 5.10.

Violence:

There were a couple of brief but disturbing instances of violence in this novel, including the murder of a child, so I give it a 6.10.

                                Lieder Madchen

Book Review #55: The Resurrection: The Disciples in the 21st Century by Henry Parker

The Resurrection: The Disciples in the 21st Century
by Henry Parker

Genre: Christian Science Fiction

Ages: 14 and up

This book was sent to me in an advance, uncorrected PDF by the author for an honest review.

Author's Synopsis:

Nothing stops Bancroft Enterprises from developing the best in scientific technology, despite the harsh competition. At the height of its power, biomedical technician Clark Ravensdale performs the nearly-impossible: raising six New Testament figures.

Though criticisms from the religious and scientific communities persist, both groups use this project as an opportunity to advance their agendas. In the midst of division, Clark shies away from discussion, hoping that the fierceness subsides and won’t deter his workaholic life. However, those mixed feelings change.

While some have characterized the disciples as primitive, others like Clark notice the abnormal behaviors and uncanny intellect. As more time is spent living with the disciples, a realization comes to mind: perhaps there is more truth to the New Testament than some thought.


I found the premise of this book to be interesting. Not the idea of resurrecting biblical figures, but rather the way those biblical figures would react to the modern world if they were to find themselves here. What would they think of us? What would they say?

This is one of those rare books where both the plot and characters are secondary to the conversations. It was fascinating to read the interactions with between the modern characters and the resurrected disciples. I found it particularly interesting how they responded to such subjects as evolution, art, tolerance, and the Catholic Church. I also found it especially interesting how simple and straightforward the disciple's beliefs were compared to the complicated and sometimes confusing ideas in modern theology.

The one problem I had with this book is that the characters could have been developed a bit more. The disciples seem more like a group than individuals, and you don't really get to know Clark as well as you might like.

There are several loose ends and a rather irritating cliffhanger ending (grr), so I am looking forward to Book 2. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for an interesting and thought-provoking read.

This is not a book for those seeking an action or sci-fi story. The explanation behind the resurrection of the disciples was vague and unlikely. I, personally, did not mind that. When it comes to sci-fi, there are times when the less things are explained the better. There is little by way of "action" in this novel, but that in no way makes the story boring.

Check out the Resurrection Blog for more information about the series and the author.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality, and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme)

Profanity:
There was some mild swearing in this book, so I rate it a 2.10.

Sexuality:

There was a scene where a guy gawked at a woman's legs, so I give it a 1.10.

Violence:

There were multiple threats of violence in this book, so I give it a 2.10.

                                 Lieder Madchen

Book Review #46 No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull

No Shame, No Fear
by Ann Turnbull

Genre: YA Historical Fiction / Religion / Romance
Ages: 13 and up

Susanna Thorn is a Quaker during a time of great persecution in England. Quakers are being imprisoned, including Susanna's own father. Susanna has longed to go to a city for a while, so she volunteers to get work. A fellow Friend, Mary, runs a printing press and agrees to take her on as a servant. So Susanna sets of for the town of Hemsbury, and a new life.
Will Heywood is about to be apprenticed when he meets Susanna. His father hates Quakers and would never approve of their growing relationship, but how long can Will keep it a secret? Especially as he becomes as interested in the religion as he is in the girl. As the persecution grows worse their friends are arrested one by one and even their youth will not protect them.

I really liked this book. It is set in a fascinating time period and is about such a strong group of people. They are not any stronger in anyone in else in a physical sense, but their faith helped them to endure terrible hardships without fear.

I liked Susanna, but it was Will's storyline that interested me the most. He grew and changed throughout the story while Susanna remained basically the same person as she was at the beginning. A little older and wiser, but the same. I liked how the story told of Will's difficulties in facing his father. He was willing to brave the authorities and risk arrest for his new friends and faith, but he was afraid of how his family would react.

This story is less about religion than it is about those who's lives are changed by it. This is a book about human beings with ordinary lives who make ordinary mistakes, but their beliefs help them make it through the troubles and misunderstandings of ordinary life. They endure horrible persecutions, but the book always seemed to be more about the characters than it is about any of the bad things that happens to them.

I would recommend this book and its sequel, Forged in the Fire, to anyone who is interested in history, religion, or young people growing up.

Content Ratings:

I give this book a 4.10 in language for some insulting terms for women and brief mild swearing.

This gets a 2.10 sexuality for some mild references and innuendos.

This rates a 4.10 in  violence for several scenes of  brutality and beatings.

                                         Lieder Madchen