Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Blog Tour: A Life in the Service by Roberta Pescow


Today I will have a Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway. First, let's get to know the author! 



About the author: Roberta Pescow is a freelance writer with articles featured on over 200 websites nationwide. She is also a jazz singer with Narrow Escape Duo, performing at venues in and around Northern New Jersey. Roberta is a proud mother of two, and holds a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. As a long time vegetarian, she has a deep love and respect for all creatures. When she gets some free time, Roberta also enjoys sculpture, photography, reading, swimming and quiet time with family, friends and her beloved dog, Summer.





YA - Fantasy (Novelette)
Date Published: 6/21/12

Jenny accepts the fact that she was born into a domestic race for a life of domestic work. In return for this loyal service, the householders provide food, protection and shelter. Jenny's earthy spirituality and gentle nature allow her to be content with her lot, even when her situation is far from ideal. But during a terrifying fire, Jenny accidentally becomes separated from her master and mistress. 

Out on the street with no identification, Jenny finds herself an unlikely fugitive with no protection from a dangerous world. The experience shakes her beliefs to the core and causes her to question everything she has ever known. Follow Jenny's adventures in strange world of inequality that is a lot closer to home than you think. This novelette is approximately 12,000 words in length.


My Rating:


My Review:
More of a 3.5*

Big things come in small packages. This is short novelette as Roberta Pescow has called it, but it has a way of staying with you long after the short time it will take you to read it. 


Jenny's journey of self discovery and the thoughts it will provoke in the reader are great. I think that anyone who picks up this story will definitely be glad they did and connect with it in ways they never expected. 


I am not going to lie, I always wish short stories were a little bit longer, I am definitely looking forward to reading more from Roberta Pescow in the future! 



EXCERPT


Somewhere in the cacophony of sound, I could make out the high-pitched voices of Victoria and Alexandra crying my name in the dark night outside. “Miss Jenny! Miss Jenny!” they called. “Oh Mommy, Daddy - Miss Jenny is still in there,” they wailed. The response was firm. “No! You both stay right here!” the master shouted.     “You can’t go back inside or you’ll be killed for sure.” It was then that I panicked in earnest. The fire growled without mercy and I heard screams all around me. I could feel my feet beginning to burn painfully. I tried to steady my mind. If it was time for me to return to the Great Mother, then that could not be undone and all my protests would not change my fate. If it was my time, I could accept that, I realized, only why did it have to hurt so much?
    And then the oddest thing happened. I know this sounds rather implausible, and maybe you’ll chalk it up to the insanity of oxygen deprivation, but I heard the most beautiful whisper dance across the black smoke. I blinked my eyes with the shock of it, a whisper of such great love and comfort, that even in my most dire situation I could feel nothing but joy.
    “It is not your time, little one,” she told me, “although the path you are walking will bring you home sooner than expected. You must turn back, and you will find escape where you thought there was none.”
    Escape where I thought there was none? What could she possibly mean? But who was I to question? I retraced my steps and headed back to the nursery. The flames had not yet reached this area, and I was overcome with relief at any respite from the growing inferno. Even if only for this moment, I was grateful for this space of relative cool and darkness. But then I turned and noticed, to my amazement, the wide-open window and the pale curtains dancing wildly in the cold night wind. I could have sworn that window was closed a moment ago. We never would have retired in such a drafty room. To this day, how it got opened it remains a mystery. But I had no time to ponder the mysterious gifts of the Great Mother. It was now or never. Without hesitation, I took a literal leap of faith into the night.

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Follow Along With This Tour Here:


September 17 - Reading Addiction Blog Tours - Meet and Greet
September 17 - Getting Your Read On - Review/Giveaway
September 18 - My Devotional Thoughts - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO
September 19 - My Reading Addiction - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 20 - Anatea's Bookshelf - Review/Interview/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 21 - Unabridged Andra - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt
September 22 - Bibliophilia, Please - Interview/Excerpt/PROMO
September 23 - Story Factory Reading Zone - Review/Excerpt
September 23 - Cozie Corner - Review/Giveaway
September 24 - My Seryniti - Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
September 24 - The World of Jesse Kimmel Freeman - Review/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 25 - Book Haven Extraordinaire - Giveaway/Guest Post/PROMO
September 26 - Just Another Rabid Reader - Review/Guest Post/Giveaway/Excerpt
September 27 - For the Love of Film and Novels - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO
September 28 - Laurie's Reviews and Thoughts - Excerpt/PROMO
September 28 - Sweeping the USA - Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt/PROMO


1 comment:

bn100 said...

Nice review. The book sounds interesting.

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