The 2014 Jane Eyre Read-Along!! (A Night's Dream of Books & Babbling Books)

 

The 2014 Jane Eyre Read-Along 

is brought to you

by the blogs

A Night's Dream of Books

&

Babbling Books!!

For some time now, Brian @ Babbling Books and I have been discussing the possibility of jointly hosting a read-along. After some logistical planning, due to our hectic schedules, we decided on a book to read -- the great classic, Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte! For me, this will be my second time enjoying this novel; I originally read it in high school. For Brian, it will be his first reading.

I'm very happy to be co-hosting this event with Brian, whose blog, Babbling Books, I have long admired, due to its highly interesting and well-thought out posts on classics, literary fiction, and nonfiction. If you're not familiar with his site, I encourage you to drop by and sample his intellectually stimulating posts! 

I'm really looking forward to sharing my thoughts with Brian and the rest of the read-along participants!!

Please sign up in the Linky widget below in order to participate! There will be plenty of time 
to discuss the novel, 
as this event will last for two months.  
For the first post, there will only be three general questions:

What do you know about this novel
and its author?

Have you ever read it before, or

is this your first reading?
Have you seen any of the TV 
or movie versions?

There will be six discussion questions each week 
of the read-along, to be alternately posted 
by each of the hosting blogs.
You can select three of these questions,
or answer all six of them.

On Nov. 21st, which is the last day
of the read-along, reviews will
be posted by all participants.

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte

Hardcover, 656 pages

Everyman's Library
(Everyman Edition, Reprint)

February 8, 2011

(first published 1847)

Classics, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction,

Literary Fiction, Romance

Purchase Links for this Edition

Amazon US/Amazon UK
Amazon CA

Barnes & Noble 
The Book Depository

Book Synopsis

Jane Eyre, a penniless orphan, is engaged as governess at Thornfield Hall by the mysterious Mr Rochester. Her integrity and independence are tested to the limit as their love for each other grows, and the secrets of Mr. Rochester's past are revealed.

Charlotte Brontë’s novel about the passionate love between Jane Eyre, a young girl alone in the world, and the rich, brilliant, domineering Rochester has, ever since its publication in 1847, enthralled every kind of reader, from the most critical and cultivated to the youngest and most unabashedly romantic. It lives as one of the great triumphs of storytelling and as a moving affirmation of the prerogatives of the heart in the face of disappointment and misfortune.

Jane Eyre has enjoyed huge popularity since first publication, and its success owes much to its exceptional emotional power.




Other Editions of Jane Eyre


Printed Editions

Goodreads/Amazon US 
Barnes & Noble
The Book Depository


 

Goodreads/Amazon US

Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository

Ebook Editions

Goodreads/Barnes & Noble

Goodreads/Amazon US
Amazon UK/Amazon CA






Post & Reading Schedule

Announcement/Signup Post
Sept. 9th
A Night's Dream of Books
Babbling Books


Week 1: Sept. 22nd

Reading: Chapters 1 - 5
Thoughts on Reading Jane Eyre 
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
A Night's Dream of Books


Week 2: Sept. 29th

Reading: Chapters 6 -10
Discussion Questions: Chapters 1 - 5
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
Babbling Books


Week 3: Oct. 6th

Reading: Chapters 11 - 14
Discussion Questions: Chapters 6 - 10
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
A Night's Dream of Books


Week 4: Oct. 13th

Reading: Chapters 15 - 19
Discussion Questions: Chapters 11 - 14
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
Babbling Books


Week 5: Oct. 20th

Reading: Chapters 20 - 23
Discussion Questions: Chapters 15 - 19
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
A Night's Dream of Books


Week 6: Oct. 27th

Reading: Chapters 24 - 28
Discussion Questions: Chapters 20 - 23
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
Babbling Books


Week 7: Nov. 3rd

Reading: Chapters 29 - 33
Discussion Questions: Chapters 24 - 28
Discussion Question for Next Week:
A Night's Dream of Books


Week 8: Nov. 10th

Reading: Chapters 34 - 38
Discussion Questions: Chapters 29 - 33
Discussion Questions for Next Week:
Babbling Books


Week 9: Nov. 17th

Discussion Questions, Chapters 34 - 38


Week 9: Nov. 21st

Book Reviews Posted





Be sure to sign up in the
Linky Widget below!!

  


    

Blog Tour:Review/Giveaway!! Cephrael's Hand, by Melissa McPhail

 

 Cephrael's Hand

(A Pattern of Shadow and Light, #1)

Melissa McPhail

Ebook Edition, 654 pages

Outskirts Press, Inc.

September 22, 2010

(4th edition)

Epic Fantasy

Book Synopsis

In Alorin...three hundred years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor's brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D'Lacourte's mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he'll have to find him...

In the kingdom of Dannym...the young Prince Ean val Lorian faces a tenuous future as the last living heir to the coveted Eagle Throne. When his blood-brother is slain during a failed assassination, Ean embarks on a desperate hunt for the man responsible. Yet his advisors have their own agendas, and his quest for vengeance leads him ever deeper into a sinuous plot masterminded by a mysterious and powerful man, the one they call First Lord...

In the Nadori desert...tormented by the missing pieces of his life, a soldier named Trell heads off to uncover the truth of his shadowed past. But when disaster places him in the debt of Wildlings sworn to the First Lord, Trell begins to suspect a deadlier, darker secret motivating them.

Purchase Links

Ebook Edition, with New Cover

Amazon US/AmazonUK

Amazon CA

Barnes & Noble

Paperback Edition

Amazon US/Amazon UK 

Amazon CA 

The Book Depository

Hardcover Edition

Amazon US/Amazon UK

Amazon CA

The Book Depository 

Reviewer's Note

I received a paperback copy of this book

from the author, in exchange

for an honest review.

This novel is an incredibly detailed tapestry of characters and events, laid out in a book of truly epic proportions. The various plots are like strands of elae, McPhail's name for the magical energy underlying the universe in her novel, and a totally unique concept in the fantasy genre.

Like a wielder of this energy, McPhail weaves these plots together to create a multi-faceted, yet unified whole. The result makes for some totally fascinating reading!

For me, the three most compelling characters are Ean val Lorian, Prince of the Kingdom of Dannym, Trell of the Tides, who has until recently been in service to the Emir Zafir bin Safwan, and Alyneri d'Giverny, Adept Healer and Duchess of Aracine, who has been, much to her disgust, romantically linked to the very charming Ean. Indeed, these three are the pivotal characters in this monumental tapestry, even though others, like the  Fourth Vestal, Raine D'laCourte, and the Fifth, Bjorn van Gelderan, would seem much more important.

Ean and Trell are both courageous, fierce warriors when the need arises, but are also kind and compassionate, almost to a fault. As for Alyneri, I greatly admire her  determination to travel and live independently, pursuing her own healing interests without interference. However, she can't help but feel an attraction to Ean, although she hotly denies it. A phrase by Shakespeare comes to mind here: "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Another wonderful character is the young Truthreader, Tanis. He's very naive because he's still so young; however, he's quick to act when necessary, as when poor Alyneri is almost kidnapped by the very arrogant Ianthe d'Jesune val Rothschen, the Marchioness of Wynne, who has decided that Alyneri is not behaving like a 'proper' young lady. I also love how Tanis hero-worships Prince Ean.

I really must mention Fynnlar val Lorian, Ean's cousin. What a funny character! He provides very witty comic relief throughout the novel; he's proud of his image as an incorrigible rogue, although  this facade hides a heart of gold. It would embarrass him for others to find out, however....

The world-building is just as intricate, and well-thought out, as is the plotting. McPhail's fertile imagination has conjured up a whole collection of creatures and races, beginning with  the Adepts, who are people born with the ability to sense and use one of the strands of the mysterious elae. These magically talented individuals are overseen by Vestals, Adepts entrusted with the enforcement of the rules and activities of the particular strands of elae they are talented in. There are five such strands, so there is a Vestal for each, and each strand embodies a different facet of elae.

Other fascinating creatures are the Drachwyr, who can shapeshift into dragons, the Zanthyrs, who are also shapeshifters that can take different animal forms, Wildlings, Adepts of the third strand, who may or  may not have supernatural abilities, and the formidable,  very intriguing Shades, who seem to be part human, and part machine. There are also beings known as  the Malorin'athgul, created by the Maker (Creator) for the purpose of 'unmaking' the universe at its fringes, even as it continues to expand at its center.

Then there are the races, some of which are loosely based on the races of Earth. For instance, the people of the Akkad Emirates are definitely very similar to Arabs, from their names and lifestyles to their desert gods. Others are clearly similar to Nordic groups such as the Vikings, and there is even a group of islands known as "Jamaii", which is a clear reference to Jamaica, while the Kingdom of Veneisea reminds me of Venice, Italy. There are French references, as well, with a land known as Vienne-Sur-Le-Valle, and some of the characters speak a language strangely akin to French.

McPhail has created her own fascinating mythology, as well, especially with the desert gods. My own favorite is Naiadithine, the Goddess of Water, who takes a special interest in Trell. Cephrael, the Maker's son, has been immortalized in a constellation, named "Cephrael's Hand"; hence the book's title.

The author has included a very helpful glossary, as well as two maps, at the beginning of the book. Also included is a detailed list of all the characters, which also encompasses the gods.

One of the book's most intriguing concepts is that of Balance. This refers to the force of cause and effect that is present in the laws of the universe created by the  author. Adepts are constantly debating how far their magical manipulations can push the strands of elae in one direction or another, before Balance is disrupted, which will have drastic consequences for those working the strands. I see this as a subtle reference to the need for ecological balance in our world.  

The puzzle of the slow disappearance of magic in the realm of Alorin, which encompasses all of the above-named lands and kingdoms, is the novel's main theme. After the Adept Wars, fewer and fewer Adepts are either Returning (a rebirth after death), or coming into their unique talents. Without Adepts to work with elae, Alorin cannot thrive....

Conspiracies and treacheries abound, and Prince Ean is mysteriously important to someone who wants him captured, but for what purpose? And yet, potential assassins surround him.... Meanwhile, the traitor Bjorn must be found, so that he doesn't succeed in whatever nefarious plans he has for Alorin and its people.

This novel is indeed a monumental achievement, a  feat of the imagination! It's a spellbinding journey into a world of perils and wonders, compellingly drawn characters, and even political intrigue. Although at times the action slows down, it then picks up again, and the reader is swept into another mystery, another political intrigue, and the battle of wills between the good and evil characters in the book.

There are so many things to love about this novel!  From the very first pages of the book, the reader is plunged into this world in which the currents of Fate, as well as those of magic, will be sure to propel said reader along, until the final page is turned! Fantasy fans, prepare to be delighted and totally immersed  in  this unique, magical universe!

MY RATING:

Melissa McPhail is a classically trained pianist, violinist and composer, a Vinyasa yoga instructor, an avid Fantasy reader, and the author of the award-winning epic fantasy series A Pattern of Shadow & Light.

A long-time student of philosophy, she is passionate about the Fantasy genre because of its inherent philosophical explorations.

An Atlanta, Georgia native, Ms. McPhail now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, their twin daughters and two very large cats.

Website/Facebook/Twitter/Goodreads

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Cephrael’s Hand! Here's what you need to do... 

1.) Enter the Rafflecopter contest 
2.) Leave a comment on my blog

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Cephrael’s Hand tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  

For the complete tour schedule, 

either click on 

the links above, or on the 

tour company button below!!

Shelf Candy Saturday #127: Dream Brother: A Novel, by Brian Marggraf

 

Welcome to Shelf Candy Saturday!!

This is my weekly feature

showcasing beautiful book covers!

It also provides information,

if available, on their very talented creators!

For more information

about Shelf Candy Saturday,

just click HERE.

Here's my choice for this week!

Dream Brother: A Novel

Brian Marggraf

Paperback, 262 pages

CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Platform

January 4, 2014

Art, Literary Fiction, Psychology

Amazon US/Amazon CA

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Why do I love this cover?

This cover is indeed a most unusual one! I discovered the book, and its author, on Twitter, and was immediately struck by this image. I also like the book's plot, but, as this meme is all about gorgeous book covers, that's what I will concentrate on here.

This image is a photograph of what appear to be haphazardly-strewn small sheets of stickers. The images on these stickers are common cultural symbols and logos, too -- the famous yin/yang symbol, a witch's hat, a star, a little Panda bear, the Nike 'check mark', and even the face of Spiderman.

These sheets of stickers form layers of intricate geometric designs as they casually overlap one another. The colors are bold, striking. The transparent gray bars with the classical title and author's name on them make this a very dynamic cover, as their vertical thrust contrasts sharply with all the opposing, perpendicular angles of the sheets of stickers.

I feel this cover image might be a metaphor  for the confusion and instability in the main character's life, as well. The sheets of stickers are like dreams thrown together, without rhyme or reason. The vertical bars could thus represent the tangible pull of reason, attempting to make sense of the scene.

All in all, this is indeed a very compelling image, and one of sheer genius, as well! The cover designer was the author himself -- Brian Marggraf. He's certainly very talented in graphic design, as well as writing! I'm speculating that he was probably inspired to use stickers seen strewn all over a table. Then he probably decided to move them around a bit, until the composition was perfect to the artistic eye. Several photographs were, I'm sure, taken, from different angles, and from the group, one was selected. Then, the final touches -- the gray bars -- were added, digitally superimposed on the photograph. The result -- a visual masterpiece!

I think it's great when authors turn out to be talented in art as well, and design their own awesome  covers. To me, that makes a book even more enjoyable! Kudos to Mr. Marggraf!

About the Author/Artist

Brian Marggraf has been writing fiction since the fourth grade. His first completed piece: a story about dragons, castles, and knights. Derivative, yes, but at age ten that's ok. In 2002, he graduated from San Francisco State University's creative writing program. His work has been published in Transfer Magazine and The Olive Tree Review. Dream Brother, his debut novel, was released in January 2014. He grew up in Ventura County, California, and now lives in New York City.


Online Links

Website

Goodreads
Twitter
Facebook

 

What do you think of 

this week's cover?

Please leave me a comment 

and let me know!

Blogoversary Giveaway Announcement!! A Night's Dream of Books Turns Four!!

 

This giveaway will be coming 

your way

on Sept. 23rd, 2014!!

Incredibly enough, it's already been FOUR years since I  first started blogging! I published my very first post on Sept. 23rd, 2010, and the time has just flown since then.... I've learned so much, on my own as well as from other bloggers, read and reviewed so many great books,  done blog tours, giveaways, participated in blog hops....and it's been fun all the way!!

This year, I've decided to have TWO winners!! Each winner will be entitled to a prize worth a maximum of $12.00, from The Book Depository, which means that this giveaway will be INTERNATIONAL!!  Yes, that's right!

There will also be THREE different categories to select from -- the first, a classic novel, the second, a YA novel, in any genre, and the third, an adult novel, in any genre!

Take a look at the suggestions below; ALL are available at TBD!!

Remember the date!!

The giveaway begins on 

Sept. 23rd, 2014!!

See you then!!