Review & Giveaway: Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay

About (from Daphne Kalotay website):

Set in both modern-day Boston and post-WWII Moscow, RUSSIAN WINTER tells the story of Bolshoi ballerina Nina Revskaya as she becomes a member of Stalin's cultural elite before escaping to the West following a terrible betrayal. Decades later, she has decided to auction off her famed jewelry collection—including the rare set of amber that a Boston professor, Grigori Solodin, translator of the works of Revskaya's late poet-husband, believes may hold the key to a long-kept secret. The literary mystery Grigori sets out to solve—with the help of Drew Brooks, a young associate at the Boston auction house—reaches much deeper: to the cost of making art and trying to live and love under circumstances of enormous repression.

My Thoughts:

Daphne Kalotay's novel "Russian Winter" is beautifully written and the kind of novel that sweeps you away from the moment into another world that holds your interest. Russian Winter was that kind of novel for me that pulled me in and held my interest. I was drawn into the life of Nina Revskaya, a Bolshoi ballerina in WW II Russia ruled under Stalin. The darkness and secrecy living a life of distrust and fear was felt strongly. As a reader, I could envision what it would be like watching Nina dance in Swan Lake and how grueling the life of a ballerina can be balanced with the beauty of the art of the dance. I could envision the hardships of having little food and clothing, being watched or the fear of being watched and the hardships of women who must work paving and repairing roads to save their lives. 

We reflect back with Nina as she is now an old woman and invalid, having escaped Russia and traveled the world and being coveted as a prima ballerina in Boston. She decides to sell her jewelry collection from her past, at auction to benefit the Boston Ballet as she wants to separate herself from what she perceives as the deceptiveness that it represents.  This reflection on the past and the memories that connect to each piece of jewelry is skillfully interwoven with the story of Grigori Solodin, a professor of languages who has a connection to Nina that he does not quite understand. He has been on a mission to find the answers to their connection. He has translated the poems of Nina's late husband, and he is the owner of an amber necklace that may belong to a collection that Nina is selling. 

Ms. Kalatoy has created a magnificent mystery and novel of historical fiction filled with characters who have great depth and strength. As a reader, you will be filled with emotion as the story proceeds. I was pulled into the mystery of Nina and Gregori's past as well as the layers of the story as they are revealed. I found the novel riveting and the conclusion leaves a twist that will have you thinking about trust, love, secrets, redemption and more. 

Thanks to TLC Book Tours  for providing me an opportunity to be part of the book tour for Russian Winter  and to Harper Perennial for sending me a copy of the trade paperback for review. 

Check out the other tour stops for Russian Winter, here.

Check out Daphne Kalotay's Website for more information.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS*

I have one copy of Russian Winter to give away complements of TLC Book Tour and Harper Perennial.

To Enter:   

For 1 Entry: All you have to do is leave a comment about this review and what do you find interesting about Russian Winter. Make sure to include your email address so that I can contact you if you are a winner. Otherwise, I won't be able to include your name in the drawing. 

For a 2nd Entry (Separate Comment):  Follow my blog, you can follow through Google Friend Connect to the left in my side column. If you already do, thank you, and please  make sure to let me know in your comment so I can pass the entry on to you as well. Make sure to include your email address.

For a 3rd Entry (Separate Comment): Spread the word about this giveaway and Retweet, retweet button below my name at the end of this post. Make sure to include your email address.

Open to US and Canada only.

Enter by May 10, 2011.

Join the E-Vent Book Party for A Thread of Sky: Tuesday April 26

BookTrib is celebrating the release of renowned author Deanna Fei’s debut novel A Thread of Sky. I am looking forward to reading this book . RSVP at deannafei@booktrib.com,  and come chat live with Deanna on the BookTrib  homepage on Tuesday, April 26th at 3pm E.T. This will qualify you to be in the running for one of 10 exclusive BookTrib gift bags filled with beautiful goodies including a handmade passport holder from Dollbirdies, a handmade wallet from Dumb Kid Designs and a notebook to record your own travels made with recycled materials from Jenni Bick.

Mailbox Monday- April 25

Mailbox Monday~ 
is hosted by Passages to the Past during the month of March
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

I haven't posted a Mailbox Monday post for several weeks. Here are some of the books that I've received:

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier from Henry Holt/Macmillan (I'm excited about this one as my cousin from Germany highly recommended this series which was first published in Germany)

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh from Random House

22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson from Penguin

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy from Hyperion/Harper Collins

the secret lives of baba segi's wives by Lola Shoneyin from William Morrow/Harper Collins

What was in your mailbox?

Review: The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen

Description from Amazon:

Lillian Haswell, brilliant daughter of the local apothecary, yearns for more adventure and experience than life in her father's shop and their small village provides. She also longs to know the truth behind her mother's disappearance, which villagers whisper about but her father refuses to discuss. Opportunity comes when a distant aunt offers to educate her as a lady in London. Exposed to fashionable society and romance--as well as clues about her mother--Lilly is torn when she is summoned back to her ailing father's bedside. Women are forbidden to work as apothecaries, so to save the family legacy, Lilly will have to make it appear as if her father is still making all the diagnoses and decisions. But the suspicious eyes of a scholarly physician and a competing apothecary are upon her. As they vie for village prominence, three men also vie for Lilly's heart.

My Thoughts:

The Apothecary's Daughter was the first book that I have read on my Kindle. It was an enjoyable historical fiction novel, that transports you as a reader to a small village in England in the 19th century. The main character, Lilly Haswell is the daughter of an Apothecary who assists her father in their family owned business. She is consumed with wonder as to how and why her mother could have left her, her father and brother who is sweet and mentally slow. She is invited to spend time in London with her Aunt and Uncle which exposes her to a life of luxury and wealth that she has not experienced before. She hopes to find answers about her mother and possibly a suitor as that is her Aunt and Uncle's wish as they expose her to the luxurious life in London. Lilly loves the life she leads in London and the culture and fashion she is exposed to.  She is still drawn to her village life and a sudden change brings her back home where she learns where her heart lies and with whom. She learns much about family, friendship. loyalty and love.  This novel shares the strong elements of Regency England, the society of London and the village life wonderfully. There is a Christian element to the novel that is subtle and not preachy which I appreciated and it didn't deflect from the novel.  I am glad that I read this novel as it was a freebie offered by Amazon at the time and it is now purchase only. The benefits of the Kindle is that there are so many wonderful free novels that you can explore and find new authors as I did with Julie Klassen. The Apothecary's Daughter is also available in paperback.

Sunday Salon: I'm ready for Spring!

It's nice to see daffodil's blooming and some color here in Ohio. It's been a gloomy winter and now we're getting some warmer weather but with lots of rain. It's been a bit quiet here on my blog as I've had a lot going on in my personal life. I was in a car accident several weeks ago and have a cervical neck injury which has limited my activity level. It's limited my reading and blogging as well as I have to be careful with how I position myself when reading and using the computer. I've started Physical Therapy and am on a reduced work schedule with restrictions. Fortunately, I work in the schools so I'll have the summer off.

I have several book reviews to catch up on including books read with my book club. I've gotten behind on posting my reviews as well as visiting and commenting on other blogs. I'll be having more book reviews and giveaways coming up so please check back and visit my blog. 

Wishing everyone who celebrates a Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Caleb's Crossing Book Trailer

Check out this wonderful book trailer for Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. According to the publisher Penguin, Ms. Brooks wrote this herself and it is to be wonderfully in tune with the book. I can't wait to read this book!

Winners of Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks....

Sherri from Sherri's Jubilee 

and 

SandraK321

Thanks to the publisher, Penguin.  who will send copies of Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks to Sherri and Sandra. 

Thanks to all who entered!  Check back often as I have more book giveaways coming up soon.

Winner of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain....

Holly From 2 Kids and Tired 

Thanks to Pump Up Your Book Promotion and Random House who will send a copy of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain to Holly.

Thanks to all who entered! Check out the other giveaways I am hosting, listed in my sidebar to the left.

Winner of Letters From Home....

KarenK

Won a BRAND NEW review copy of Letters from Home by Kristina McMorris.

Thanks to all who entered! Check out the other giveaways I am hosting, listed in my sidebar to the left.

Review: 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan

Title: 31 Bond Street

Author: Ellen Horan

About the book from Harper Collins:

Who killed Dr. Harvey Burdell in his opulent Manhattan town house? 

At once a gripping mystery and a richly detailed excavation of a lost age, 31 Bond Street is a spellbinding tale of murder, sex, greed, and politics in 1857 New York. Author Ellen Horan interweaves fact and fiction—reimagining the sensational nineteenth-century crime that rocked the city a few short years before the Civil War ripped through the fabric of the nation, while transporting readers back to a time that eerily echoes our own. 

Though there are no clues to the brutal slaying of wealthy Dr. Burdell, suspicion quickly falls on Emma Cunningham, the refined, pale-skinned widow who managed his house and servants. An ambitious district attorney seeks a swift conviction, but defense attorney Henry Clinton is a formidable obstacle—a man firmly committed to justice and the law, and to the cause of a frightened, vulnerable woman desperately trying to save herself from the gallows.

My Thoughts:

31 Bond Street is a gripping debut historical  mystery novel. What I found fascinating is that Ellen Horan, based the novel on a true crime story, of a brutal murder of a despicable man, a desperate mother and house mistress all set in the backdrop of society in  New York City in the late 1800's.  A wealthy doctor is murdered and suspicion immediately falls on Emma, a woman who is known as a widow and  mother who is his house mistress.  Politics and greed set in as the district attorney seeks to take control and hopes to convict Emma. Fortunately, Emma reaches out to Clinton, a strong defense attorney who has integrity and commitment to following justice and the law. As a reader you are taken through this story mainly from the points of view of Emma and Clinton, before and after the trial that ensues. 31 Bond Street is richly layered in details of the events, characters and weaves a strong story that involves, murder, greed, politics, slavery, child labor and so much more.  The clues are there to find as a reader and I enjoyed the process of the trial and subsequent piecing together of the story to it's final conclusion. I highly recommend 31 Bond Street for those who enjoy historical fiction and mysteries. This would be an excellent book to discuss with a book club as well. There is an interview with the author at the back of the book as well as information on the actual murder trial and how the author came to write the book.

Check out Ellen Horan's Guest Blog in which she shared share what helped the characters from 31 Bond Street come alive after she had done all the research.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours  for providing me an opportunity to be part of the book tour for 31 Bond Street and to Harper Collins for sending me a copy of the trade paperback for review. 

Be sure to check out the other Tour Stops for 31 Bond Street, here.

Guest Post with Ellen Horan Author of 31 Bond Street

I am honored to welcome Ellen Horan, author of 31 Bond Street to Redlady's Reading Room today. I will be posting a review of 31 Bond Street tomorrow and this is a must read, gripping historical mystery that will hold your attention from start to finish.

About the Book from Harper Collins:

Who killed Dr. Harvey Burdell in his opulent Manhattan town house?

At once a gripping mystery and a richly detailed excavation of a lost age, 31 Bond Street is a spellbinding tale of murder, sex, greed, and politics in 1857 New York. Author Ellen Horan interweaves fact and fiction—reimagining the sensational nineteenth-century crime that rocked the city a few short years before the Civil War ripped through the fabric of the nation, while transporting readers back to a time that eerily echoes our own.

Today, Ellen Horan will share what helped the characters from 31 Bond Street come alive after she had done all the research......

Taking Your Character for a Walk by Ellen Horan

My novel 31 Bond Street is based on an actual murder and trial that occurred in 1857 in
New York City. I discovered the case from a newspaper clipping that I found in a print
shop. After researching the trial, I decided to write a fictionalized version of this case. I
had already met my characters from the actual newspapers: there was the murdered man,
a dentist,  Dr. Burdell, who lived in a genteel neighborhood; he was killed at home by
someone who entered his office, stabbed him and nearly decapitated him, and left without
a trace. It turns out that he was something of a cad and an unscrupulous businessman, but I didn’t have to worry too much about at first, because, as the book opens, he is already dead.

 Then there was Emma Cunningham, a young widow who lived upstairs in his house. She
was an attractive housemistress hired to manage his servants. She was something of an
enigma because she admitted to a romantic relationship with Dr. Burdell and therefore
quickly became a suspect. Her lawyer advised her not to talk, which only intensified the
mystery surrounding her.

Her defense lawyer, who takes on this murder case, was a prominent lawyer named
Henry Clinton. He wrote about his strategies in a book called “Extraordinary Cases,”
which I used for research.

So I had plenty of facts—and I already had characters, with quite a bit of tension between
them. But the problem arose of how to flesh them out. Fiction has its own demands, and
often the facts can’t do the job.

One trick I discovered when I was stumped by a scene – particularly one where I needed
to move the timeline along but the character wouldn’t budge, was to take my character
for a walk. Literally—I would go outside, (to the streets of New York City, where I live)
and start walking. When you are in a city, it is fascinating to watch others walking. They
are walking quickly to get somewhere, usually to work, or hurrying to meet someone, and
you will see how people are set in their ‘inner’ heads. Their closest concerns and thoughts
are just under the surface. Sometimes they seem to be concentrating on a conversation going on within. Each person has a unique ‘inner voice’ – even when alone, they are
talking to themselves all the time.

When I took my characters for a walk, their voices would talk to me from the inside,
which helped me to understand inner motives and point of view. What would Emma
Cunnigham be thinking or worrying about as she hurried about the city, shopping, and
doing household errands? Would she be concerned about the difficult servants, or about
her teenaged daughters? Having been recently widowed, would she be worrying about
how to keep a roof over her head?

As for the defense lawyer, Henry Clinton, what would be going through his head as he
pondered taking on a sensationalist but thankless case, against the wishes of his law
partner? He had a nemesis in the District Attorney and perhaps he wanted to cross swords with him to even out past scores. Was he worried what his beautiful wife, Elisabeth would think? Was he worried that he might lose her respect if he risked everything on this case and failed?

So, taking my characters for a walk is how they became more alive to me. One day,
taking a break from the computer, I went for a walk and reached the corner of Broadway
and 10th St. just a block from my apartment. A sentence popped into my head: “New
York was a walking town, and walking allowed him time to think.” I placed that line
on p. 62. In fact, Dr. Burdell’s service was at Grace Church, which, today, is still at that
spot. I assigned that line to Henry Clinton who was leaving the murdered man’s funeral.
He is heading home to consult his wife about taking on the defense of Emma Cunnngham
– to make a decision that will test them both, and change their lives forever.

(An essay “The Story Behind the Book” can be found in the PS Section at the back of the
paperback and on my website, www.31BondStreet.com)

Check out the book trailer:

About the Author Ellen Horan:

Ellen Horan has worked as a studio artist and as a photo editor for magazines and books in New York City. She currently lives in downtown Manhattan, the setting of her first novel, 31 Bond Street.

Find out more about Ellen and 31 Bond Street at her website. Add Ellen as a friend on Facebook.

Mailbox Monday- March 28

Mailbox Monday~ 
is hosted by Laura at I'm Booking It during the month of March
We share what books that we found in our mailboxes last week.

MAILBOX MONDAY

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia at The Printed Page, who graciously hosted it for a long, long time, before turning it into a touring meme (details here).

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay  for a TLC Book Tour from Harper Perennial

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See from Random House

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda from Harper Collins