Giveaway - The Secret Chord - Geraldine Brooks

Historical fiction fans, have I got a great giveaway for you today!! Geraldine Brooks's newest novel, The Secret Chord, releases October 6/15 and thanks to Viking Books, I have a copy to giveaway to one lucky reader!

What's it about? From the publisher:

"A rich and utterly absorbing novel about the life of King David, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of People of the Book and March.

With more than two million copies of her novels sold, New York Times bestselling author Geraldine Brooks has achieved both popular and critical acclaim. Now, Brooks takes on one of literature’s richest and most enigmatic figures: a man who shimmers between history and legend. Peeling away the myth to bring David to life in Second Iron Age Israel, Brooks traces the arc of his journey from obscurity to fame, from shepherd to soldier, from hero to traitor, from beloved king to murderous despot and into his remorseful and diminished dotage.

The Secret Chord provides new context for some of the best-known episodes of David’s life while also focusing on others, even more remarkable and emotionally intense, that have been neglected. We see David through the eyes of those who love him or fear him—from the prophet Natan, voice of his conscience, to his wives Mikal, Avigail, and Batsheva, and finally to Solomon, the late-born son who redeems his Lear-like old age. Brooks has an uncanny ability to hear and transform characters from history, and this beautifully written, unvarnished saga of faith, desire, family, ambition, betrayal, and power will enthrall her many fans." Read an excerpt of The Secret Chord.

"Geraldine Brooks is the author of four novels, the Pulitzer Prize–winning Marchand the international bestsellers Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book, and Year of Wonders. She has also written the acclaimed nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Her most recent novel, Caleb’s Crossing, was the winner of the New England Book Award for Fiction and the Christianity TodayBook Award, and was a finalist for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction. Born and raised in Australia, she lives on Martha’s Vineyard with her husband, the author Tony Horwitz." You can connect with Geraldine Brooks on Twitter, like her on Facebook as well as on her website.

If you think you'd like to read The Secret Chord, I have one copy to giveaway. Open to US only, no PO boxes please. Ends Oct 10/15. Enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Trial of Fallen Angels - James Kimmel Jr.

The Trial of Fallen Angels is James Kimmel Jr.'s first fiction book.

Brek Cuttler awakes in a train station. She's sitting on a bench in  her favourite 'power lawyer' suit. The station is deserted. Her suit is covered in blood. She is sure she is dreaming when a man comes along and welcomes her to Shemaya. She struggles to remember who she is and what she was doing before she arrived at this station. Inevitability, she discover that the man Luas is right - she is dead. And she has a job to do in Shemaya....

"You don't think God would allow souls to face the Final Judgment alone, do you? Even murderers on earth have a lawyer to represent them, and the outcomes of those trials are only temporary. The stakes are higher here, dear. All of eternity."

As Brek begins presenting the memories of the dead,  she begins to realize that the acts and events of each person have also played a part in her own life and are part of her own final choice and presentation.

Kimmel explores the themes of justice and forgiveness in The Trial of Fallen Angels with a keen eye and much thought. Kimmel has presented his philosophical viewpoints cloaked in a mystery. When this book was pitched to me for review, I wasn't fully aware of how much emphasis was placed on spirituality. I felt that the characters were used only a vehicle to carry the message, so I never really bought into Brek. As God is the Judge, this is somewhat limiting for believers of other faiths or non believers, although I do think Kimmel's views are extremely intriguing and applicable to anyone.

So while it was an interesting read, I did find it slow in parts and ended up skimming by the end to get to the conclusion.

 Kimmell "is a lawyer and advocate who focuses on the intersections of law and spirituality and law and psychology."

The Trial of Fallen Angels would be an excellent selection for a book club, sure to engender lots of discussion. Read an excerpt of The Trial of Fallen Angels.