Bees in the Butterfly Garden by Maureen Lang

Title: Bees in the Butterfly Garden
Author: Maureen Lang
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published Date: June 22, 2012
Format: Paperback & Kindle

Buy on Amazon: Paperback or Kindle
Author Website: www.maureenlang.com

Synopsis from Back Cover:

     Raised at an exclusive boarding school, Meg Davenport has everything she needs but none of what she’s wanted most—like the love of a family, or a future not dependent on following etiquette and marrying well. So when she receives shocking news of her father’s death, Meg seizes the chance to break every rule that has governed her life. Especially when she learns John Davenport wasn’t the wealthy businessman she thought, but one of the Gilded Age’s most talented thieves.

Ian Maguire knows that John—his mentor—would never have wanted his beloved daughter to follow in his footsteps. Yet she is determined to carry on his legacy, and her talent for garden design has earned her an invitation to stay with one of Fifth Avenue’s wealthiest families. With friends like those, Meg could help Ian pull off his biggest heist yet.

But living in both worlds is more treacherous than Meg imagined. And as Ian’s concern for Meg turns to love, he finds himself torn between greed and guilt. Can they find the legacy they both long for, or in trying to gain everything, will they end up losing it all? 

My Thoughts:

Maureen Lang's, Bees in the Butterfly Garden, is Book One in the Gilded Legacy Series.  It takes place in the middle of New York High Society during the Gilded Age (i.e. 1883).  Meg, a graduate of the prestigious Madame Marisse's School, finds herself at a crossroads when the truth of her lineage is uncovered.  Her options become clear: return to Madame Marisse's to teach, find a suitable husband, or prove that her father was wrong to distance himself from her by following in his footsteps.  Meg, against the urgings of her father's closest friends, decides to jump head first into the 'family business.'

Ian has been intrigued by Meg since he was a small boy.  While Meg's father, John, sent her away to become a true Lady, he took orphaned Ian under his wings and taught him all he knew.  After John's death, Ian finds himself trying to both protect and distance himself from Meg.  When she comes up with a risky, yet brilliant, scheme, Ian has to decide if he will go along with it.  If he partners with Meg, her future could be at risk, however if he opts out it would allow Meg to follow through with her idea by partnering with a dangerous con man. 

Bees in the Butterfly Garden has many interesting characters.  My favorite was Evie, the teenage daughter of the family Meg decides to con.  Evie is not the well mannered, proper lady of the time.  She is instead a rebellious prankster who has a love for revenge.  However, she isn't an evil person, just a lovable character, flaws and all.  From getting kicked out of Madame Marisse's School, to having a crush on her older neighbor, the story is never boring when Evie is present.

Lang did a great job of painting the visual of New York in the late 1800's.  She had the language down, as well as the dress and etiquette.  At the start of every chapter, Lang included a quote about the rules of the time period.  More times than not, Meg would then turned around and do the opposite of what the quote had eluded to.  I think my favorite was the very first quote at the start of the Prologue, "A young lady of impeccable decorum never appears outside her home unchaperoned, uncoiffed, ungloved, or unhappy. (Lang, xiii). 

I really enjoyed Bees in the Butterfly Garden, however it was hard for me to believe that Meg really could turn her back on the friends she had stayed with all summer and betray them.  She found herself integrated into their household and for the first time in her life it felt like she was a part of a family.  For her to then turn around and stab them in the back seemed very out of character.  However, this was Meg trying to find out if she was truly her father's daughter.  I was glad to find that she was contrite when all was said and done.

The chemistry between Meg and Ian was great.  When they were in a scene together, I found myself hanging onto their every word.  I wish that they had more scenes together.  Little snippets and here there were not enough for me.  I'm hoping that I get more of these two in the 2nd book of the Gilded Legacy Series.

I definitely recommend Bees in the Butterfly Garden, by Maureen Lang.  It is a smart and fast read.  If you enjoy reading historical fiction then this is especially for you. 

Tyndale House Publishing has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Bees in the Butterfly Garden, for the purpose of review. 

Cover Reveal & Giveaway- The Violet Fox

I am very excited to have the Cover Reveal and Giveaway of Clare C. Marshall's book, The Violet Fox.

Book Name: The Violet Fox
Author: Clare C. Marshall
Publisher: Faery Ink Press (http://www.faeryinkpress.com)
Release date: October 13, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Violet Fox Goodreads Page: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14743283-the-violet-fox

Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClareMarshall13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faeryinkpress 

Teaser blurb:
Run. That’s what instinct tells me. But in order to save the secrets of my people and to protect my brother I have to become the enemy.

Long blurb:

There are two kinds of people in the land of Marlenia.

The Marlenians, who live on the surface, and the Freetors, who are forced to live underground.

The war between them ended two hundred years ago, but the Freetors still fight for the right to live under the sun. Fifteen-year-old Kiera Driscoll embodies the Freetors' hopes as the Violet Fox. In a violet cape and mask, she sneaks around Marlenia City stealing food and freeing her people from slavery.

Then the Elders task her with a secret 
mission: retrieve a stolen tome that contains the secrets of Freetor magic, something the Marlenians both fear and covet. Kiera must disguise herself as a noblewoman and infiltrate the Marlenian castle.

Before the Freetor-hating Advisor finds out her real identity.

Before her brother is imprisoned because of the secrets he hides.

And before she falls any more in love with the prince she's supposed to hate.

More is happening in the castle than she realizes, and Kiera is faced with a difficult choice. Will she be loyal to her people and their fight for freedom, or will she be loyal to her heart?

Fun facts from Clare:

-As always, my covers are designed by my boyfriend, Dave.

 
-The runes along the outside are made from scratch. There are 26 of them. One for each letter of the alphabet. They represent a secret code that the protagonist, Kiera, and her people can read.

 
-The working title for the book was FREETOR, a combination of “freedom” and “fighter”.

 
-This is the first book in a series, but it was originally intended to be a one-off book. The world and the characters kind of ran away with me. However, this book can be read as a stand alone.

GIVEAWAY

Clare will be giving away 2 e-ARCs of THE VIOLET FOX to 2 lucky winners.

Starts: July 3, 2012 EST

Ends: July 31, 2012 EST

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Happiness Looks Like by Karen Lenfestey

What Happiness Looks Like, by Karen Lenfestey, is a moving story about two sisters and what their lives have become.  Joely is a single mother raising her five year-old daughter, Anna.  She is also dealing with the debilitating disease of Lupus, as well as her ex who has decided to make an appearance in her and Anna's lives after five years.

On the surface, Joely's older sister, Kate, seems to have it all.  She has a great job, a lovely home, and a perfect husband.  However, the one thing needed to complete the family her and Mitch desire is a baby, which doesn't seem to be in the cards for them.  What Happiness Looks Like carries the reader through Joely's and Kate's struggles and triumphs as they each try to find their own version of true happiness.

Joely has a picture in her head of what happiness is.  She dreams of a small, cozy house with a loving husband, who is a great father to Anna.  She would also love to pursue her dreams of being an artist.  Joely's reality is that she is an unemployed mother living with her sister, Kate.  She hasn't picked up a paintbrush since Anna was born, and she long since gave up finding 'the one' due to her Lupus.  Joely's one bright spot is Anna, who is a super bright and loving little girl that is full of life.

Kate's version of happiness is having her own baby with her husband.  However, it's normally your best laid plans that fall apart.  Kate and Mitch decided to wait until her career was established before trying for a child.  Once she was ready for a baby it seemed her aging body had other plans.  After miscarriages, IVF, and Artificial Insemination, Mitch and Kate have begun to drift apart.  Mitch is ready to try using a surrogate, but Kate isn't prepared to let go of the dream of having her own biological child.  


I really enjoyed Lenfestey's, What Happiness Looks Like.  She wrote an honest portrayal of the struggles many women face today.  I warmed instantly to the character of Joely.  She was fun, witty, and a wonderfully, loving mother.  I took me a little while to rally behind the character of Kate.  I believe this is because at times I could see a little of myself in her.  Kate was the older, responsible sister who worked as an adolescent counselor.  She was super opinionated and wasn't afraid to share what she thought you were doing wrong.  However, as What Happiness Looks Like unfolded,  I truly began to like and feel for Kate.  Beneath her cold exterior was a scared woman with insecurities just like everyone else.  I quickly latched on to her story and wanted the best for her.

At the end of What Happiness Looks Like, Lenfestey wrote a passage that has stuck with me since finishing her book.  Because it has resonated so deeply within me I felt I should share it with you in the hopes that it would do the same.

"All of this time she thought she knew what happiness looked like: building sandcastles on the beach, posing for the Christmas card family photo, hearing other moms say, "she looks just like you".  Only now, seeing the dimple return to Mitch's smile, [...] now she knew the truth.  She knew that happiness wasn't about any of those images.  It was a feeling.  And today everything felt right." (Lenfestey 261).

I am so glad I had the opportunity to read and review Karen Lenfestey's, What Happiness Looks Like.  It is a great read that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you rooting for both Joely and Kate.  It also has some nice romance throughout which is always a plus! If you order yourself a copy of What Happiness Looks Like, you won't be sorry! 

Karen Lenfestey has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, What Happiness Looks Like, for the purpose of review. 

Sea Change by Karen White

Karen White's Sea Change is a welcome and pleasant departure from the books that I have read in the past few months.  I equate it to eating fast food for a week and then getting a home-cooked meal.  The fast food is sustaining and tastes good at the time, but it doesn't compare to your grandmother's Sunday dinner.  The same can go for books (OK, maybe I'm stretching it a bit with my analogy here but I think you get my point.)  I have enjoyed the recent books that I have read (I am not referring to any of the books I have reviewed) but by reading Sea Change it made me realize what I have been missing out on.  I discovered a terrific plot, believably flawed characters, conflict, suspense, emotional stirrings, and settings that could be vividly seen in my mind.  And let us not forget the all important quality of great writing.  Karen White's Sea Change has all of the above and more.

White's Sea Change is set on St. Simons Island off of the coast of Georgia.  She describes it as a lovely Southern island that is immersed in history.  Ava, a thirty-something year old Midwife, moves from Antioch, Georgia to St. Simons after a whirlwind romance to live in her new husband's ancestral home.  Ava met, fell in love with, and married the charming Matthew after an extremely short courtship.  She thought that by moving into his home she would just be dealing with the intricacies of a new relationship and living in a new town.  However, she found that she would also be coping with ghosts of the past.  

Sea Change is written from two different perspectives.  The first is present day Ava who is trying to adjust to her new life and is also working to uncover the mystery of Matthew's family history.  The second point of view is that of Pamela, an ancestor of Matthew's who lived in Ava's house from 1804-1815 before life took an unexpected and unfair turn.  A theme that is discussed frequently in White's novel is that some endings are really beginnings.  This holds true for Ava and Pamela.  While Ava and Pamela seemingly have nothing in common, the lives of the two women suddenly come together when Ava goes under hypnosis to uncover a childhood secret.  Ava then makes it her priority to right a wrong that was done long ago.

I felt that Karen White did a terrific job in transporting her readers back into the early 1800's.  From the vocabulary that White used to the clothes that were described, she had the period down perfectly.  It also seems that White put a lot of time into researching what was happening in St. Simons during this time period.  Being a history buff myself, I enjoyed where White led her readers.  Furthermore, with Southern charm White described the landmarks on the island that are there today such as the lighthouse and cemetery. 

Sea Change is one of the most well written novels that I have read in recent memory.  White was able to keep me on my toes as the suspense grew.  She also did a terrific job of entertaining me.  I definitely recommend Karen White's novel, Sea Change.  Reading it will take you on a mysterious adventure that will leave you wanting more.

NAL Books and BookPleasures.com has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Sea Change, for the purpose of review. 

Sorority Sisters by Claudia Welch

Breaking news: I am happy to report that I have found it!  Sorority Sisters, by Claudia Welch, is the book I have been looking and waiting for.  Let me explain...every year beginning in May I start looking for 'THE' summer read.  It needs to have great 3-dimensional characters, a memorable (and believable) plot, and in general be a fun read.  As the weather gets warmer I like to plant myself outside with a book as I work on saying 'Bon Voyage' to my pasty skin.  I always search for a fun summer read to lose myself in as my daughter plays in her sandbox and my feet dangle in her kiddie pool.  My hopes began rising as I started reading Sorority Sisters.  It only took me a chapter or two to realize that Claudia Welch had delivered my Summer 2012 read.   Thank you Claudia!

Sorority Sisters begins in 1975 and follows four diverse University of Los Angeles students.  For various reasons, strangers Karen, Ellen, Laurie, and Diane decide to pledge and join the Beta Pi Sorority.  In turn they form strong and loyal friendships with each other that last a lifetime.  The women are there for each other through hookups, breakups, midterms, and family strife.  They may not be blood related, but the four Beta Pi's form bonds closer than that of their own families. 

Each chapter is told in the view point of one of the girls.  It is through these different first person points of view that the reader is shown the inner workings of each character.  They may put up a barrier to the world but it is through their thoughts that you can see the depth of Karen's neediness, Ellen's sarcastic personality, Laurie's backwardness, and Diane's insecurities.  Welch did an excellent job in her smooth chapter/character transitions.  I was never in a Sorority but after reading Sorority Sisters I feel like I have a good understanding of how they work.  Claudia Welch took her readers through pledging, Rush, and sorority life in general.  I'm kinda sad I missed out! 

Sorority Sisters doesn't stop when the four graduate.  Instead, the novel continues on through marriages, divorces, and motherhood.  Let me stop right here and say that I LOVED this about Sorority Sisters.  Too many books focus on one point in its characters life.  Childhood, or young adulthood, or 'the best time of their lives.'  Sorority Sisters follows Karen, Ellen, Laurie, and Diane through life.  It was so rewarding for me as the reader to watch them grow and mature, all the while being there for each other.  I laughed with them and even cried with them.  The story concluded in 2001 in a VERY fitting way that tied everything together. 

I wholeheartedly recommend Claudia Welch's Sorority Sisters.  I give it 2 thumbs up...if I had 4 thumbs I would rate it that!  If there is only one book you read this summer, please let it be this one.  Trust me, it will not let you down! 
  
Berkley Books and BookPleasures.com has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Sorority Sisters, for the purpose of review.

Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert

Katie Ganshert's Wildflowers from Winter is the first novel in a new Christian Contemporary Romance series.  Wildflowers from Winter is a realistic story about life in general.  It explores the up's and down's of life and highlights the pain and joy everyone goes through as a human.

Bethany is a career women in her late twenties that seems to have everything going for her.  She has a great architectural job in Chicago and a hotshot lawyer boyfriend to complete her picture perfect life.  However, circumstances out of her control forces her to revisit her hometown, a quaint farming community where your business is everyone's.

Bethany left the small Iowa town behind ten years earlier, in the hopes of escaping painful memories from her past.  In running she abandoned her loving Grandfather and best friend Robin.  Ironically, it is news regarding both her Grandfather and Robin that draws Bethany back into town.  All hopes of a speedy visit seem to vanish as Bethany comes to realize it may not be possible to escape as easily this time around.

Even more frustrating is Evan, the man who runs and lives on her Grandfather Dan's farm.  Bethany and Evan clash during their first meeting and subsequently butt heads most of the other times they are thrown together.  However, they can't help but to be drawn towards each other as life throws them one curve ball after another.  Bethany also finds herself being pulled back into Robin's evolving life, something she did not think possible ten years ago.  Finding herself back in her hometown causes Bethany to feel emotions she thought she left behind long ago and she comes to realize her anger with God has not lessened. 

Wildflowers from Winter is told in 3rd person (with a few 1st person dialogues throughout the novel.)  It was refreshing to read a novel that did not just center around two characters, but many.  Because of this I was able to grasp the whole picture Ganshert was painting.  Ganshert also did a great job in developing 3 dimensional characters.  It was nice to watch Bethany grow throughout the novel and let her walls down as she let go of her long held anger.  Ganshert successfully wrote a story about the joys and struggles of life.  It is easy to see Ganshert's strong faith as a Christian women as Wildflowers from Winter unfolds.   

I definitely recommend Katie Ganshert's  Wildflowers from Winter and I look forward to reading Ganshert's second book in the series, Wishing on Willows.

• Author's Site
• More Info
• Read Chapter One
• Author Bio

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Bared to You by Sylvia Day is a steamy, sexy story that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let you go until the last.  Have you ever been sucked into a book so deeply that your spouse accuses you of neglecting him?  That was me!  Ever find yourself staying up late to read after your family is in bed (even though you have to get up at the crack of dawn) because you just can't put it down?  Me again!  How about doubling your workout time on the treadmill because you are so engrossed in what you are reading that you don't realize you walked (uphill) for an hour and a half?  Guilty as charged!  Let's face it, I very quickly became addicted to Bared to You to that point that I couldn't focus on anything else but reading this book.  One evening I actually got so into Bared to You that I forgot to make dinner and had to tell my husband that I was SO busy at work that there was no time to prepare dinner so I ordered a pizza.  Don't tell anyone that I just admitted that!  But yes, that is the true representation of me while reading Sylvia Day's newest book!

Day's Bared to You is Book One in a new series by the name of Crossfire.  I would describe it as being Contemporary Erotic Fiction, meaning OH MY WORD it is HOT HOT HOT!  Definitely not for the weak of heart, please be warned that this book is very sexually graphic.  That being said, it is an excellent read!  Not only does it have insanely hot scenes but beneath it all is a great story with memorable characters. 

Eva has moved to New York from California to begin a new job at an advertising agency.  Coming from a wealthy family, Eva wants to take care of herself without interference from her parents.  Gideon Cross is a millionaire businessman who just happens to own Crossfire, the building Eva will work in.  After a chance meeting after hours, Eva tries to fight the chemistry she has with Gideon, one of America's top bachelors.  When fighting it becomes impossible, both must try to make their relationship work while preventing their past secrets from being exposed to the public eye.

Bared to You is definitely not a book your want to miss out on!  It shows just why Sylvia Day is a National Bestselling Author with its realistic characters, entertaining and witty dialogue, and touching romance that sets readers on fire.  I am already counting down the days until I can read more of Eva and Gideon in Deeper in You, the 2nd novel in this Crossfire series that comes out in October.

Sylvia Day and BookPleasures.com has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book, Bared to You, for the purpose of review.