Virginia P. (virginiajeanne) reviewed Born of Persuasion (Price of Privilege, Bk 1) on + 207 more book reviews
Julia, an orphan, has an unknown guardian that is sending her to Scotland. She devises a plan to stay in England and enters society, where people are not what they seem.
I thought the book was good, but had a hard time getting into the story until the second half. There are many characters and each has secrets. I had a hard time keeping track of them. There isn't much spiritual content in the book either, making me feel like I was reading a secular book, not one considered Christian fiction. The cliffhanger ending did make me want to read the next book to find out what happens to Julia and others.
I thought the book was good, but had a hard time getting into the story until the second half. There are many characters and each has secrets. I had a hard time keeping track of them. There isn't much spiritual content in the book either, making me feel like I was reading a secular book, not one considered Christian fiction. The cliffhanger ending did make me want to read the next book to find out what happens to Julia and others.
They say that the first page sells the book and the last page sells the next book. That is pretty much 100% truth to describe my response to Born of Persuasion.
I wasnt completely sure about the novel within the first 100 pages. I loved that it was in first person and I was growing to know this character on an intimate level, but the description did start to weigh the story down, in my opinion. Once that first third of the book was crested, however, I couldnt stop for the reading of it and the last two thirds of the book did truly sell me on reading the second release.
Written very much in a Jane Austen style, what I especially appreciated about this title was realism of these characters. I often forgot it was a historical novel, not because there werent plenty of descriptions for their period, but because these characters came alive with struggles that even the modern girl can relate too.
At times over dramatic, the romance is ardent, the writing engaging and the story depth not even a little bit shallow. This will definitely be a sequential series and Im curious to what will happen with Julia. She certainly doesnt have a neat and tidy story life that is for sure.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.
I wasnt completely sure about the novel within the first 100 pages. I loved that it was in first person and I was growing to know this character on an intimate level, but the description did start to weigh the story down, in my opinion. Once that first third of the book was crested, however, I couldnt stop for the reading of it and the last two thirds of the book did truly sell me on reading the second release.
Written very much in a Jane Austen style, what I especially appreciated about this title was realism of these characters. I often forgot it was a historical novel, not because there werent plenty of descriptions for their period, but because these characters came alive with struggles that even the modern girl can relate too.
At times over dramatic, the romance is ardent, the writing engaging and the story depth not even a little bit shallow. This will definitely be a sequential series and Im curious to what will happen with Julia. She certainly doesnt have a neat and tidy story life that is for sure.
This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.
About this book:
"The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston's position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.
With two months to devise a better plan, Julia's first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother's mysterious past. Before she knows what's happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country's most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly."
Series: Book #1 in the "Price of Privilege" Trilogy. {Book #2 "Mark of Distinction"'s reviewing coming on Wednesday.}
Spiritual Content- Julia says her father embraced "the Enlightenment", later says he was a "famed atheist" and that she, very adamantly, does not believe in God; Julia calls Edward a traitor many times for becoming a vicar and joining the church; Lady Foxmore asks Edward "Why is the atheist allowed to eat unharassed?" to which he replies "Leave her be. At least she does not claim to embrace Christ while ignoring His {capital H' mine} teachings as most here do"; Edward tells Julia that not all vicars "are like that one"...who "that one" is and what he did we do not get told;
Negative Content- Minor (Historical & British) cussing including: a "bed*mning glare", a "blimey", a "blooming", a "darned" and many "how the devil"s, "what the devil"s and calling people "the devil"; Julia says her nursemaid "had to drown a sack of unwanted kittens"; Julia is ticked at Edward (for "abandoning" her for the church) and when she & him are alone a boy sees them and Julia hopes "that one mind might be free"; Julia says her father always had "a cruel gleam in his eyes"; Comments about "gods" ("this night was a gift of the gods", "he looked like Morpheus", etc.); Drinking (wine, brandy & scotch to name a few), Julia does not feel well in the morning after drinking and has a hangover.
Sexual Content- Sexual Cussing including: a b*st*rd; Julie has a flash-back and says "(14 was) certainly old enough to enter a betrothal, which had already been promised me when I when I reached this age"; Julia says that memories of her and their kisses would haunt Edward "working in her favor"; Rumors go around that Julia & Mr. Macy are sleeping together (they are not, but do come close); Mr. Macy says he "advises anyone desiring to learn the art of seduction" to read a novel written by a women; Julia notices "two blotches that resembled bruises" the next morning after one of her & Mr. Macy's kissing-fest; Five detailed & very detailed kisses (One almost becoming a s*x scene); *Spoiler, read only if 16+* After she & Mr. Macy are married, Julia breaks into a cold sweat and Mr. Macy notices and says not to tell him that she fears her "wifely duties" and she thinks in response that she only feels "trepidation {a feeling of fear about something that may happen} at the thought of consummating our marriage. It wasn't just his touch I dreaded, but the finality of the act" *end of spoiler* Making it another almost s*x scene.
-Julia Elliston
P.O.V. of Julia
Set in 1838
435 pages (though I'm reading the kindle version)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre, New & Early High School age Teens-
One Star
Older (17+) High School Teens-
One Star
My personal Rating-
One Star
{I have never written so many words for a review!}
Oh my. I had never read a "Christian" book (quotes around that because there really wasn't much Spiritual content besides Julia being atheist and telling everyone so) with so much sexual content! I'm mean, good grief Charlie Brown! It also took about half the book to finally get the writing style...it's first-person with past tense being like this story happen years and years ago..?
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*{{'Books for Christian Girls' reviews all genres of Christian books, writing down all the Spiritual, Negative & Sexual content and does ratings for girls ages 9-19.
Keep in mind, when reading a BFCG review, ignore the things that don't bother you, but take notice of the things that do.}}
"The year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston's position has never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her as a servant in far-off Scotland.
With two months to devise a better plan, Julia's first choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present is deeply entangled with her mother's mysterious past. Before she knows what's happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between two of the country's most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and knowledge is deadly."
Series: Book #1 in the "Price of Privilege" Trilogy. {Book #2 "Mark of Distinction"'s reviewing coming on Wednesday.}
Spiritual Content- Julia says her father embraced "the Enlightenment", later says he was a "famed atheist" and that she, very adamantly, does not believe in God; Julia calls Edward a traitor many times for becoming a vicar and joining the church; Lady Foxmore asks Edward "Why is the atheist allowed to eat unharassed?" to which he replies "Leave her be. At least she does not claim to embrace Christ while ignoring His {capital H' mine} teachings as most here do"; Edward tells Julia that not all vicars "are like that one"...who "that one" is and what he did we do not get told;
Negative Content- Minor (Historical & British) cussing including: a "bed*mning glare", a "blimey", a "blooming", a "darned" and many "how the devil"s, "what the devil"s and calling people "the devil"; Julia says her nursemaid "had to drown a sack of unwanted kittens"; Julia is ticked at Edward (for "abandoning" her for the church) and when she & him are alone a boy sees them and Julia hopes "that one mind might be free"; Julia says her father always had "a cruel gleam in his eyes"; Comments about "gods" ("this night was a gift of the gods", "he looked like Morpheus", etc.); Drinking (wine, brandy & scotch to name a few), Julia does not feel well in the morning after drinking and has a hangover.
Sexual Content- Sexual Cussing including: a b*st*rd; Julie has a flash-back and says "(14 was) certainly old enough to enter a betrothal, which had already been promised me when I when I reached this age"; Julia says that memories of her and their kisses would haunt Edward "working in her favor"; Rumors go around that Julia & Mr. Macy are sleeping together (they are not, but do come close); Mr. Macy says he "advises anyone desiring to learn the art of seduction" to read a novel written by a women; Julia notices "two blotches that resembled bruises" the next morning after one of her & Mr. Macy's kissing-fest; Five detailed & very detailed kisses (One almost becoming a s*x scene); *Spoiler, read only if 16+* After she & Mr. Macy are married, Julia breaks into a cold sweat and Mr. Macy notices and says not to tell him that she fears her "wifely duties" and she thinks in response that she only feels "trepidation {a feeling of fear about something that may happen} at the thought of consummating our marriage. It wasn't just his touch I dreaded, but the finality of the act" *end of spoiler* Making it another almost s*x scene.
-Julia Elliston
P.O.V. of Julia
Set in 1838
435 pages (though I'm reading the kindle version)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre, New & Early High School age Teens-
One Star
Older (17+) High School Teens-
One Star
My personal Rating-
One Star
{I have never written so many words for a review!}
Oh my. I had never read a "Christian" book (quotes around that because there really wasn't much Spiritual content besides Julia being atheist and telling everyone so) with so much sexual content! I'm mean, good grief Charlie Brown! It also took about half the book to finally get the writing style...it's first-person with past tense being like this story happen years and years ago..?
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*{{'Books for Christian Girls' reviews all genres of Christian books, writing down all the Spiritual, Negative & Sexual content and does ratings for girls ages 9-19.
Keep in mind, when reading a BFCG review, ignore the things that don't bother you, but take notice of the things that do.}}
