Book Review: The Secret Keeper

Publication Date: June 5, 2012
by Howard Books
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Source: Review copy from publisher

Juliana St. John is the daughter of a prosperous knight in Marlborough. Though her family wants her to marry the son of her father’s business partner, circumstances set her on a course toward the court of Henry VIII and his last wife, Kateryn Parr.
Sir Thomas Seymour, uncle of the current heir, Prince Edward, returns to Wiltshire to tie up his business with Juliana’s father’s estate and sees instantly that she would fit into the household of the woman he loves, Kateryn Parr. Her mother agrees to have her placed in the Parr household for “finishing” and Juliana goes, though perhaps reluctantly. For she knows a secret. She has been given the gift of prophecy, and in one of her visions she has seen Sir Thomas shredding the dress of the king’s daughter, the lady Elizabeth, to perilous consequence.
As Juliana learns the secrets of King Henry VIII’s court, she faces threats and opposition, learning truths about her own life that will upset everything she thought she once held dear.

I don't read a whole lot of historical fiction.  It's not that I don't like the genre, it's just that I prefer the fantasy world a little more.  But Sandra Byrd is one of my favorite authors, and someone I consider a friend, so regardless of the genre, I will happily read whatever she writes.  With that said, you can bet that I'll probably be a little biased in my opinion of her books.  But I think she's a wonderful writer, and that's what caused me to seek her out (on Facebook and such) in the first place.

So, on to The Secret Keeper.  I'll be honest, it took me a little bit of time to get into this book.  It seemed there were so many characters, and I couldn't keep them straight.  I had no idea who was who, and I wasn't connecting with the main character.  

But somewhere along the way I got sucked in.  I really started to care about what happened to Kateryn Parr, and to Juliana.  Which, as you know if you're familiar with the time period, isn't always a good thing.  Women didn't seem to have it so great during the time of Henry VIII.  Especially queens.  It can all get a little depressing.  For all the beauty and grandeur, I certainly don't envy any of these women.  Give me my calm, peaceful, even boring life any day.

One thing I do like about historical fiction, and that Sandra Byrd does really well, is that it makes me interested in the time period.  I'm not a history buff by any means, but when I read these books I want to know more.  And I am always quite impressed with the authors and the research that must go into writing books like this.  The Secret Keeper delves into a bit of history that I really knew nothing about, and makes it interesting and entertaining.  

The religion was woven throughout the book in such a way as to not be obtrusive or heavy-handed.  It seemed a natural part of the story, and was appropriate for the setting and time.  I would definitely call it Christian fiction, but not fiction that would turn off anyone who isn't religious.

By the end of this one, I was so hoping for a happy ending for someone.  You'll have to read it yourself to see if I got my wish.  I would very much recommend this book to historical fiction readers and lovers of Christian fiction.

To Die For by Sandra Byrd

To Die For is the first book in the new Ladies in Waiting series by Sandra Byrd.  I don't usually read a lot of historical fiction.  I generally like to stick with the pretend stuff, like you'll find in speculative fiction.  But Sandra Byrd is one of my favorite authors, and I love her novels (I haven't read her YA books, so I can't comment on those, but I adore her adult novels).  Before I get to anything else, though, can I just take a minute to point out how gorgeous this cover is?  It's definitely pretty enough to frame.

I admit, I'm not the most well-versed person on the Tudor period.  An author probably could put whatever they wanted in there and I wouldn't know the difference.  So for the authenticity of the story, I really can't comment.  Except to say that according to Sandra Byrd's author note in the back of the book, she did a lot of research.  She didn't just start writing all willy nilly.

I enjoyed reading from the viewpoint of someone who wasn't so front and center in the Tudor court.  Sometimes a novel told in first person can really make me annoyed with the main character, and I think had the story been told from Anne Boleyn's point of view, that may have happened.  But Meg was such a likable character.  She was honest with herself and others, and was loyal, almost to a fault.  But she wasn't one of those characters that was too perfect either.  I was really rooting for her.

Reading from the point of view of someone who was good friends with and so close to Anne Boleyn definitely made Anne's character more sympathetic.  We're hearing the story from her closest friend instead of one of her many enemies.  I grew to really love Anne, and although I knew what was coming at the end (I do know some history), I was still very sad.  I might have cried a little.

To Die For takes a period of history that we are all familiar with to some degree, and makes the people real.  I felt like I connected with the characters in a way that I haven't been able to in the past with historical fiction.  Sandra Byrd is a Christian writer, and while there is religion in this book (which is to be expected for the time period as well), it's never preachy.  That's one thing I've really enjoyed about her books.  I've never felt preached to or lectured as with some Christian fiction.

This is a wonderful historical fiction novel and I can honestly say that I loved it.  I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, which is due in 2012.  If you love historical fiction, the Tudor period, or just a really good story, get your hands on this book!  (Release date is August 9th)
Grade: A

Links:
Sandra Byrd's Website
On Amazon: To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn


Disclosure: I received a review copy of To Die For from the publisher and the only thing I got for writing this review was the pleasure of reading the book. :)

Through Thick and Thin - reviewed by Kaitlyn

Title: Through Thick and Thin
Author:Sandra Byrd
Genre: Young Adult Christian Fiction
Page Count:220
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author
Grade:A

Synopsis:
Savvy Smith, 15, sees her chance to write a full column in the paper, making her name and making her way in her new hometown near London, England. But the choices she faces when given the chance to choose between friends, family, and fame may turn her dream into a nightmare.
London Confidential is a new series where British fashion, friendships, and guys collide, and an all-American girl learns to love life and live out her faith.

Kaitlyn's review:
I thought that this book was very interesting, I like how the main character is not obnoxious and weird. I also feel that I can actually learn something from this book instead of it just being meaningless and without a moral. There were some things that I liked about this book that I liked from the first book, like how the author puts things into detail. I also have learned more things about London.

I could tell that the author planned out the story really well. I liked the writing style that the author used. The author made the story interesting and worthwhile. I had a lot of fun reading this book.

At some parts I felt bad for the character, how she would never get her spotlight and I was waiting for her to get some type of spotlight so she could make some friends but I realized that I just had to be patient.

I liked the way the author ended it even though it would have been an extremely hard choice for me. But I thought that the author made it so it was a good choice and it could inspire other people to make choices like this. I think that I definitely could learn a thing or two from this book.

I would suggest this book to anyone who likes young adult fiction who is willing to learn and to make wise choices in life. If you are the kind of person who likes to read about an average teens life, good choices, fitting in, and even just fixing all your problems; then this is a good book for you.

Asking for Trouble (Review by Kaitlyn)

Title: Asking for Trouble
Author: Sandra Byrd
Genre: Young Adult Christian Fiction
Page Count: 261
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author
Grade: A

Synopsis:
When her family moves to London, 15-year-old Savvy Smith has to make her way in a new school and a new country. She just knows the school newspaper is the right place for her, but she doesn't have the required experience, and the cute editor-in-chief is not looking to train anyone. She has to come up with a way to prove herself and nab the one available position on the newspaper staff at Wexburg Academy.
London Confidential is a new series where British fashion, friendships, and guys collide, and where an all-American girl learns to love life and live out her faith.

Kaitlyn's review:
I think this book was really interesting. The story was well thought out and very good. I liked how the author described things, and I ended up learning a lot about London from this book. I think in a way, everybody can easily relate to the story somehow.

I think the characters were very believable. I think most teens can relate to at least one of the characters somehow. I think that the characters were well described and I could easily tell what they looked, acted, and thought like. I liked how the characters turned out very good. I had a hard time putting this book down I was always wondering what was going to happen.

This is a great book and I would suggest it to all of my Christian Friends. I think the writing might be a little young for adults, and it would be easier for teens to relate to. Although, maybe I don't know because I have never been an adult.

REVIEW - Pièce de Résistance

Title: Pièce de Résistance
Author: Sandra Byrd
Genre: Christian chicklit
Grade: A+

Synopsis:
This is the third in the French Twist series.  In this one, Lexi is back in Seattle as assistant manager of the new Delacroix family bakery, Bijoux.  This one is a more high end bakery, for wedding cakes and business catering.  Lexi finds that she's having a hard time being the manager, as she just wants to bake.

The job is harder than she thought it would be, and she's the one that has to make sure Bijoux succeeds, so she's under a lot of pressure.  She comes up with a lot of great marketing ideas, but she doesn't know if any of it will pan out.

She's also got two men in her life.  Dan, who we met in Let Them Eat Cake, and Philippe (with his daughter Celine), from Bon Appetit.  Both of whom are in Seattle, and she feels torn between them.

My review:
Oh, how I LOVED this book!  I got it in the mail yesterday, and decided to finish the other book I was reading first, since I had less than 100 pages to go.  But then I picked this up, and didn't stop reading except to sleep and go out to dinner with friends (and I would have rather been reading!).  It also took every ounce of strength I had not to flip to the back of the book to see how it ended.  I don't know why I feel such a connection to these characters and this story, but I do.

This is an example of first person narrative done right.  I love Lexi, and don't remember a time in all three books where I found her whiny or annoying.  I loved all the secondary characters, even the ornery ones who grew on Lexi and the reader throughout the book.  And I just adore little Celine!

At the beginning of the book, I started feeling a little let down.  I could see the story wasn't going how I wanted it to go.  But Sandra Byrd knows what she's doing, and soon I was swept away in the story, and it ended perfectly, and I cried, and I want to read ten more books of this series, but it's over.  This is my favorite series ever, and I would highly recommend it!  Let Them Eat Cake remains my favorite book of the series, but Pièce de Résistance was a beautiful ending to the story.  Très bien!

REVIEW - Bon Appetit

This was my second time reading Bon Appetit, but the first time around I read it before having read the first book of the series, Let Them Eat Cake. I loved it more this time around than I did the first.

Bon Appetit is the second book in the French Twist series, and continues the adventures of Lexi. In this book she travels to a city right outside Paris and attends a cooking school there while working in the family bakery of her previous boss from Seattle, Luc. It was nice reading this again after having the background from the first book. It was actually enjoyable and could be read either way, but background info is always nice.

While Lexi is in France she meets Phillipe and his daughter Celeste. Phillipe is part of the family at the bakery. I totally fell in love with them the first time around, and even more so this time. Forget old boyfriend in Seattle, France is where it's at! I'm very interested to see where things go in the third novel, which released today, but I'd just like to say for the record that I'm team Phillipe.

I can't wait to read the third novel of the series, but I'm very sad that it'll be ending. I've come to love Sandra Byrd as an author, and I hope to read more adult books of hers in the future! I rate this one a big 5/5, and would recommend it no matter what you like to read. A very sweet and engaging book!

Let Them Eat Cake

Lexi Stuart is at a critical crossroads. She’s done with college but still living at home, ready to launch a career but unable to find a job, and solidly stalled between boyfriends.

When a lighthearted conversation in French with the manager of her favorite bakery turns into a job offer, Lexi accepts. But the actual glamour is minimal: the pay is less than generous, her co-workers are skeptical, her bank account remains vertically-challenged, and her parents are perpetually disappointed. Her only comfort comes from the flirtatious baker she has her eye on–but even he may not be who he seems to be!

So when a handsome young executive dashes into the bakery to pick up his high profile company’s special order for an important meeting–an order Lexi has flubbed– she loses her compulsion to please. “What am I going to do?” he shouts. “Let them eat cake!” she fires back with equal passion and a nod to Marie Antoinette. And then, something inside Lexi clicks. Laissez la révolution commencer! Let the revolution begin! Instead of trying to fulfill everyone else’s expectations for her life, Lexi embarks on an adventure in trusting God with her future–très bon!

I can't even begin to express how much I loved this book. I had previously read the second book, so I knew what decisions she was going to make at the end of the book. There was no suspense, and yet I still very much enjoyed the journey of reading. I cried at the end, not because it was sad, but because I loved the book so much, and it was over.

This book had a lot of things I love. First, it was a book, so it gets bonus points right there. Second, there was talk of Paris and France (the second book takes place just outside of Paris, so it gets slight bonus points there, but this one didn't lack). Third, it mostly took place in a little cafe/bakery. Now, I don't really cook. I don't think I really like to cook. But I want to like to cook. I'd love to be able to whip up pastries and figure out delicious recipes. So when I read books like this it inspires me. It makes me think maybe I could try to like it.

The one thing I didn't like about this book had nothing to do with the story itself. It made me a little sad. It made me want to go to Paris so much that it hurts. When I visited Europe for two weeks (Brussels and Paris), I felt like it was where I was meant to be. I liked the oldness of it. The cathedrals, the cobblestone streets, the more laid back attitude. I liked walking everywhere. I really liked the pastry shops. I loved all the beauty--it's just so different from the way things are here.

But back to the book . . . I plan to re-read the second book, and hopefully have a fuller appreciation for it now that I've read the first. The second book didn't make my favorites list, as this one did, but it may after a re-read. And bonus! The third book comes out in a couple of weeks. These books are ones that I would heartily recommend, and will be going on my keeper shelf as soon as I can get ahold of them (since I can't keep the library copies).