author: Sally Gardner
genre: Historical YA fantasy
Grade: A
Note: This is the book written in the style of charging for two books for one story.
That is why I have reviewed them together.
The story begins in France, during the first hot days of the revolution. Yann Margoza is a member of a magical troupe of actors who are invited to perform at a private party for Count Kallivoski. The party is to be given at the home of the Marqui de Vileduval. Attending the party, her first ever public outing, is Sido, the young and despised daughter of the Marquis. She suffers from an unfortunate limp received in the carriage accident that killed her mother. The vain Marquis, who can hardly stand the sight of his "maimed" daughter, has built passages all along the chateau so that he never has to see the servants. Yann, waiting for the performance to start, meets Sido as he explores these passages. These simple acts -- attending a party, exploring a passage -- change the course of their young lives. Yann finds himself running from Count Kallivoski and Sido finds herself desperately trying to outwit him as the revolution rages around them both. Will the magic they both hold be sufficient to save them during these dark times?
Every once in awhile I run across a book so good I have trouble describing it. This (or these) is/are such a book. Every character is so perfectly written, the plot so expertly conceived that all I can find to describe it are words of praise. Really. I have sat on this review for two weeks trying to think how to express it and coming up with nothing. The reality is that each layer in the book leads to the next and the art of this tale is the reader discovering each twist for them self.
I can tell you the magic used in it is very light -- it contains magic and magical people but it is less about the magic than it is about the people. I liked that several prominent characters had no magic at all. The book also highlights how appearances can be deceiving but it never once tells you that -- it merely shows it through the characters and their interactions. I adored young Yann, who has a fantastic heart, and also Tetu -- a clever and wonderful father figure. Sido is not as fully drawn but we receive enough information about her to convince us that she is worthy of Yann.
The tone gives a hint of fairy tale rather than reality, though it most assuredly is ground in reality. The revolution is a thread through out the tale, bringing more than a taste of tragedy to the story but not drowning it in sorrow. I especially liked the contrast between England, which is at peace (on its own shores, anyway) and France, which is being torn apart. For me it just highlighted how a few hundred miles can make all the difference in life. I also liked how Gardner sympathized with the class struggles and rampant material inequality that lay at the root of the revolution. What happened with the guillotine, with the nobility and those that served them, was perhaps tragic but I thought it was good that cause and effect were both discussed here, rather than just the tragic occurrences of the war.
I enjoyed this story immensely and give it a strong recommend.
Tea: Earl Grey, to celebrate the rational over the emotional.
tea time
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Angel's Peak
author: Robyn Carr
genre: Romance, Military Romance, Part of Virgin River Series
Grade: B+
I love military romances. That old saying about there just being something about a man in uniform? It is definitely true when it comes to books.
Angel's Peak is the 10th book (or thereabouts) in the highly popular Virgin River Series.
Here is the blurb from Amazon:
There is a lot to like about this book, in spite of the secret baby plot. Franci and Sean are both interesting people, well written and very believable. These are almost folks you can picture running into around town. Franci's arguments for keeping the baby a secret are compelling, although in the end I felt they were still a little lame. The fact was she had her feelings hurt, she felt rejected and I got the sense that she was sparing herself the pain of having Sean reject the child or even be with the child and make her feel even more unwanted by not wanting both her and the baby. Or in other words, it was a selfish decision, made slightly less selfish by how Sean behaved at their breakup.
I really loved how Carr kept the spotlight on her main characters again. At least 3/4 of the book is about Sean and Franci, with appropriate "guest appearances" from family members and townspeople. The moments we get with Luke and Shelby, Art, Noah and Ellie, all blend in nicely with the story and "fit" with the tale being told. Part of the fun in reading a series is doing that checking in with former characters and I really liked it in this novel and felt that it was kept in a good balance with the main romance being told.
I liked Sean and Franci's romance. It didn't dwell overmuch on the bitterness of the past but showed how they blended together as a couple and as a family.
The way Virgin River, Sean's metamorphosis into perfect family man, and how the two mom's bonded all seemed a bit rose colored but this is a romance. Some rose coloring is an absolute must!
The reasons the book wasn't an A read for me are as follows:
-- I didn't like the secondary romance between Maureen and her suitor. I would have far preferred for Maureen to be able to be on her own and for at least one character to show it was OK for a woman to be without a man, that romance doesn't always have to be in the air for everyone. It's great to have a love story but does every last person around them have to have one.
-- I didn't like Maureen's love interest. Too smooth and polished.
-- I felt that the ex character didn't need to be a villain. It is OK to break up with someone because you prefer someone else. Especially when it was at the level of commitment it was at.
-- I think this has just got to be the way I am reading it because I can't imagine the author is actually doing this but the changing of Maureen's character felt a bit forced. Like we were being told that being a certain way, Maureen's way, was just wrong and she needed to become another way to be likable. It just, for lack of a better term, sat wrong with me.
I spent a lot of time on quibbles but really I enjoyed this book in the series (hey B+!) and am looking forward to the next one.
maggie b.
genre: Romance, Military Romance, Part of Virgin River Series
Grade: B+
I love military romances. That old saying about there just being something about a man in uniform? It is definitely true when it comes to books.
Angel's Peak is the 10th book (or thereabouts) in the highly popular Virgin River Series.
Here is the blurb from Amazon:
Four years ago, Air Force sweethearts Franci Duncan and Sean Riordan reached an impasse. She wanted marriage and a family. He didn't. But a chance meeting proves that the bitter breakup hasn't cooled their sizzling chemistry.
Sean has settled down in spite of himself—he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history…but that's not all they share.
Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half: a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned—and furious with Franci for the deception.
News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle—and the kind of love that can move mountains.
There is a lot to like about this book, in spite of the secret baby plot. Franci and Sean are both interesting people, well written and very believable. These are almost folks you can picture running into around town. Franci's arguments for keeping the baby a secret are compelling, although in the end I felt they were still a little lame. The fact was she had her feelings hurt, she felt rejected and I got the sense that she was sparing herself the pain of having Sean reject the child or even be with the child and make her feel even more unwanted by not wanting both her and the baby. Or in other words, it was a selfish decision, made slightly less selfish by how Sean behaved at their breakup.
I really loved how Carr kept the spotlight on her main characters again. At least 3/4 of the book is about Sean and Franci, with appropriate "guest appearances" from family members and townspeople. The moments we get with Luke and Shelby, Art, Noah and Ellie, all blend in nicely with the story and "fit" with the tale being told. Part of the fun in reading a series is doing that checking in with former characters and I really liked it in this novel and felt that it was kept in a good balance with the main romance being told.
I liked Sean and Franci's romance. It didn't dwell overmuch on the bitterness of the past but showed how they blended together as a couple and as a family.
The way Virgin River, Sean's metamorphosis into perfect family man, and how the two mom's bonded all seemed a bit rose colored but this is a romance. Some rose coloring is an absolute must!
The reasons the book wasn't an A read for me are as follows:
-- I didn't like the secondary romance between Maureen and her suitor. I would have far preferred for Maureen to be able to be on her own and for at least one character to show it was OK for a woman to be without a man, that romance doesn't always have to be in the air for everyone. It's great to have a love story but does every last person around them have to have one.
-- I didn't like Maureen's love interest. Too smooth and polished.
-- I felt that the ex character didn't need to be a villain. It is OK to break up with someone because you prefer someone else. Especially when it was at the level of commitment it was at.
-- I think this has just got to be the way I am reading it because I can't imagine the author is actually doing this but the changing of Maureen's character felt a bit forced. Like we were being told that being a certain way, Maureen's way, was just wrong and she needed to become another way to be likable. It just, for lack of a better term, sat wrong with me.
I spent a lot of time on quibbles but really I enjoyed this book in the series (hey B+!) and am looking forward to the next one.
maggie b.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Pale Assassin
by: Patricia Elliott
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Grade: Writing: A
Plotting: D
Characterization: D
Overall Grade: C-
Given all the elements that make up a book I am often breathless at how many authors can stir them up together to create a fantastic product. To me even a C book is one that shows a lot of talent. Maybe it is missing the elements that make something brilliant but given how difficult the product is to make, I am impressed by those who succeed in putting it together without getting egg on their face.
In the case of this book the writer is able to do all the basic elements of actually setting words to paper very well. She is not choppy. Does not go on and on with needless descriptions nor rely on endless adverbs or exclamation points to get her ideas across. She is not overly simplistic in presentation. She keeps a good handle on the story and doesn't meander from it or lose track of it. In short, she writes well, smoothly and interestingly. The problems come up with the story she wishes to tell.
The tales begins with Raoul Goullet, who suffered the duel humiliation of losing everything at cards to the Marquis of Chevais and then being caught cheating and sent into the street in only his under garments. He attempts to kill the Marquis later that evening and of course learns his lesson, buckles down to hard work and becomes a better man for it. Oh, don't be silly! This is naturally our villain and even though his life is spared he vows undying revenge on the Marquis and his family.
Jump ahead ten years. The Marquis dies in utter impoverishment and his children are at the mercy of their guardian. Fortunately he is very merciful but he is also elderly and sick and getting his affairs in order. To that end he fires young Eugenie's governess, engages her to Raoul Goullet (because only the reader is familiar with the family history) and sends her off to live in a convent. Her brother, Armand, is to continue on at law school until he can earn a living for himself.
As a side note, Eugenie herself is never told of the engagement and her brother makes a silent vow to see it broken. He can not like Goullet, who is known about town as La Fantome aka the Pale Assassin.
Then the revolution begins and Eugenie finds herself back in Paris. Eugenie, only fourteen years old, longs for the life she should have led -- with fancy parties, lovely dresses and handsome beaus. She chases after it with all the ardent determination of her young soul. But as the revolution grows ever more violent she finds herself forced , as the dust jacket says, " to dust off her lightly used brain and rise to the challenge of survival".
Eugenie is one of those whip lash characters who is making bad decisions one minute, heroine of every encounter the next. We never see her change or learn what enabled her to suddenly become so adept. The person credited for a great many of her skills is never even named but known simply as "her groom" (as in horses, not weddings). Really, someone who taught you to shoot, to ride without a saddle, to fight would be so distant from you he never had a name?
She is not the only character to undergo a whip lash transformation. One person, the brains behind a clandestine group of Royalists, is a genius at the start and slowly becomes a mutton head who requires endless aid of Eugenie by the end. Several people who hated Eugenie suddenly develop a conscience and aid her in her hour of need. Her loyal brother becomes enmeshed in other plans and ignores her. The list could go on but I won't bore you. Suffice it to say that few in this book maintain a consistent character. That is human nature and can definitely be made to work but the subtleties that make humans go from one step to the next must be captured and that was missing here.
The ending was also chock full of coincidences. Seriously, it was like a Disney movie with all the right people loving and trusting them and coming to their aid in just the nick of time.
On a personal note I was grossed out by the grown men who lusted after 14 year old Eugenie. It would have worked, perhaps, had she not been an internal as well as external fourteen but given her youthful behavior it grossed me out some. I am well aware things were different back in the day but one of those differences was that a 14 year old acted like a woman, not child. Take that away and you leave me with 20 to 50 year olds panting after a kid. That has name in our society and it is not a good one.
I would love to recommend this one but really can't. It just wasn't that enjoyable a book.
Tea: Don't bother warming a cup up for this one.
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Grade: Writing: A
Plotting: D
Characterization: D
Overall Grade: C-
Given all the elements that make up a book I am often breathless at how many authors can stir them up together to create a fantastic product. To me even a C book is one that shows a lot of talent. Maybe it is missing the elements that make something brilliant but given how difficult the product is to make, I am impressed by those who succeed in putting it together without getting egg on their face.
In the case of this book the writer is able to do all the basic elements of actually setting words to paper very well. She is not choppy. Does not go on and on with needless descriptions nor rely on endless adverbs or exclamation points to get her ideas across. She is not overly simplistic in presentation. She keeps a good handle on the story and doesn't meander from it or lose track of it. In short, she writes well, smoothly and interestingly. The problems come up with the story she wishes to tell.
The tales begins with Raoul Goullet, who suffered the duel humiliation of losing everything at cards to the Marquis of Chevais and then being caught cheating and sent into the street in only his under garments. He attempts to kill the Marquis later that evening and of course learns his lesson, buckles down to hard work and becomes a better man for it. Oh, don't be silly! This is naturally our villain and even though his life is spared he vows undying revenge on the Marquis and his family.
Jump ahead ten years. The Marquis dies in utter impoverishment and his children are at the mercy of their guardian. Fortunately he is very merciful but he is also elderly and sick and getting his affairs in order. To that end he fires young Eugenie's governess, engages her to Raoul Goullet (because only the reader is familiar with the family history) and sends her off to live in a convent. Her brother, Armand, is to continue on at law school until he can earn a living for himself.
As a side note, Eugenie herself is never told of the engagement and her brother makes a silent vow to see it broken. He can not like Goullet, who is known about town as La Fantome aka the Pale Assassin.
Then the revolution begins and Eugenie finds herself back in Paris. Eugenie, only fourteen years old, longs for the life she should have led -- with fancy parties, lovely dresses and handsome beaus. She chases after it with all the ardent determination of her young soul. But as the revolution grows ever more violent she finds herself forced , as the dust jacket says, " to dust off her lightly used brain and rise to the challenge of survival".
Eugenie is one of those whip lash characters who is making bad decisions one minute, heroine of every encounter the next. We never see her change or learn what enabled her to suddenly become so adept. The person credited for a great many of her skills is never even named but known simply as "her groom" (as in horses, not weddings). Really, someone who taught you to shoot, to ride without a saddle, to fight would be so distant from you he never had a name?
She is not the only character to undergo a whip lash transformation. One person, the brains behind a clandestine group of Royalists, is a genius at the start and slowly becomes a mutton head who requires endless aid of Eugenie by the end. Several people who hated Eugenie suddenly develop a conscience and aid her in her hour of need. Her loyal brother becomes enmeshed in other plans and ignores her. The list could go on but I won't bore you. Suffice it to say that few in this book maintain a consistent character. That is human nature and can definitely be made to work but the subtleties that make humans go from one step to the next must be captured and that was missing here.
The ending was also chock full of coincidences. Seriously, it was like a Disney movie with all the right people loving and trusting them and coming to their aid in just the nick of time.
On a personal note I was grossed out by the grown men who lusted after 14 year old Eugenie. It would have worked, perhaps, had she not been an internal as well as external fourteen but given her youthful behavior it grossed me out some. I am well aware things were different back in the day but one of those differences was that a 14 year old acted like a woman, not child. Take that away and you leave me with 20 to 50 year olds panting after a kid. That has name in our society and it is not a good one.
I would love to recommend this one but really can't. It just wasn't that enjoyable a book.
Tea: Don't bother warming a cup up for this one.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The Case Against Homework
Author: Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish
Genre: Nonfiction, Education
Grade: B+
This is a much needed look at the growing homework epidemic. While our children do more homework than ever before our international standings in reading, writing and math continue to slip. Why the disparity? The book shows the cold, hard research behind one of the many problems with our current educational system.
The reason it didn't get an A is what I felt wasn't examined, which is why our schools have to tackle more and more issues and subjects every year. Why are classes like art and music graded even for young children and allowed to give homework? And how much do politics hamper teachers abilities to teach? Most schools aren't run on best practice scenarios but on what is best for parents and teachers, not students.
Also not discussed is the working mother phenomena. Few books address this change. While they will all point to the past and show how test scores were better back in the day none of the books I have read have tackled the difficult and controversial issue of how having two working parents has affected children or education. I don't want to see them blast working mothers but I do think societal changes need to be addressed. It doesn't do to just blame the schools when changes in family dynamics may share part of the blame. It doesn't mean we yank jobs away from women and make them go home. It just means we need to look at what changes we may (or may not) need to make to accommodate our changing world.
Finally, I think they presented working with the school as a tad bit easier than it actually is. I knew one mom who had to go to the school board just to have a teacher reprimanded for consistently showing up to work fifteen minutes after school started. (Yes, I am dead serious. Her kids were often standing in the hall while the rest of the school had begun.) I can't imagine how big a fight she would have had had she not already been backed by existing school conduct codes.
Those quibbles aside, this book contains some really, really important information. I hope many, many parents and teachers read it.
Tea: How about a bit of tea education? This site tells you what an English tea set should like, in case you are ever disposed to own one :-) http://lifestyle.ezineseeker.com/what-is-an-english-tea-set-14fac57951.html
Genre: Nonfiction, Education
Grade: B+
This is a much needed look at the growing homework epidemic. While our children do more homework than ever before our international standings in reading, writing and math continue to slip. Why the disparity? The book shows the cold, hard research behind one of the many problems with our current educational system.
The reason it didn't get an A is what I felt wasn't examined, which is why our schools have to tackle more and more issues and subjects every year. Why are classes like art and music graded even for young children and allowed to give homework? And how much do politics hamper teachers abilities to teach? Most schools aren't run on best practice scenarios but on what is best for parents and teachers, not students.
Also not discussed is the working mother phenomena. Few books address this change. While they will all point to the past and show how test scores were better back in the day none of the books I have read have tackled the difficult and controversial issue of how having two working parents has affected children or education. I don't want to see them blast working mothers but I do think societal changes need to be addressed. It doesn't do to just blame the schools when changes in family dynamics may share part of the blame. It doesn't mean we yank jobs away from women and make them go home. It just means we need to look at what changes we may (or may not) need to make to accommodate our changing world.
Finally, I think they presented working with the school as a tad bit easier than it actually is. I knew one mom who had to go to the school board just to have a teacher reprimanded for consistently showing up to work fifteen minutes after school started. (Yes, I am dead serious. Her kids were often standing in the hall while the rest of the school had begun.) I can't imagine how big a fight she would have had had she not already been backed by existing school conduct codes.
Those quibbles aside, this book contains some really, really important information. I hope many, many parents and teachers read it.
Tea: How about a bit of tea education? This site tells you what an English tea set should like, in case you are ever disposed to own one :-) http://lifestyle.ezineseeker.com/what-is-an-english-tea-set-14fac57951.html
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Beastly
by: Alex Flinn
Genre: YA Fantasy
Grade: A, viewed as a teen novel
This was a different sort of YA read for me. While most YA's deal with young adults (duh!)the ones I enjoy most transcend the age. Something about them captures the imagination and draws you into a world where the gap between yourself and the character is not felt nearly so much and you find more common ground than not. This one felt truly like a teenagey sort of book. The themes were mature and timeless, just something about it really captured "modern teen" feel in a way that Twilight and the Potter books didn't.
We begin with Kyle Kingsbury, son of a big shot network anchor. His father has taught him from an early age appearance is everything and when Kyle finds his name on the ninth grade ballot for prom prince he humbly thinks "No on could compete with my looks and my dad's cash." He is certain he will be prince and in rapid order, King.
Enter new goth girl in English class. When she disses on Kyle at school (in public no less!)he vows his superficial soul that he will avenge himself and sets a diabolical plan in motion. In true Carrie fashion, he plans to humiliate her at the big dance. But this goth chic comes with wicked powers and pretty soon Kyle finds that his looks on the exterior match the spirit on the interior -- and that means that he is perfectly Beastly.
If you don't recognize this tale by now, shame on you! Clearly this is a vastly (and wonderfully) updated version of Beauty and the Beast. Flinn expertly pulls all the threads of the story into a masterful, modern retelling. The characters all come to life in familiar yet fresh ways and the twists and turns he uses to make this French fairy tale into a modern day fantasy are well, fantastic. Many scenes, such as how the beauty character comes to live in his modern day castle, complete with utilization of the rose, really impressed me. I mean, they were simple but it would never have occurred to me to put the elements together in just that way so I could have such a true to the original result.
I liked all the characters, -- Kyle and his beauty, Magda and Will, the goth chic -- they were all well drawn and likable. My one quibble is that while the story was brilliantly retold the characters in themselves weren't. We have no empathy for the angry Kyle (well maybe a touch because of his home situation but not much) and do understand the parallel of his beast form and internal character. Will is good but very stock in the "good teacher" role. I would truly like to see an evil tutor/teacher, good housekeeper situation sometime soon. It even felt very typical to have an overweight, goth girl wind up as the witch. I wish Flinn would have used some of the creativity he reserved for the plot in his casting of characters. It could have added to the overall greatness of the work.
I mentioned in the beginning this book felt a tad teenagey. I wish I could describe it better but I think the simplicity of the Beauty and the Beast message combined with the very trendy youthfulness of the characters combined to make it feel that way. The idea that we shouldn't judge based on appearances has been around so long (like since the original fairy tale at the very least) that its message has been diluted in multiple re-tellings. I wish Flinn had perhaps tackled it in a slightly different manner (perhaps making Beauty's beauty more internal??) and brought some freshness to it. Perhaps that would have made the tale a bit more grown up.
Given the youth of Beauty (whose name I am keeping secret because she isn't a major player till about mid book) and Kyle, I also couldn't quite buy their happy ever after. This wasn't Edward and Bella's or (Romeo and Juliet's to give my dues to the original) undying love. This was a teen romance, complete with the sweetness of first love. They might make it but they have a long row ahead of them.
Overall, I have spent more time on my quibbles with this book but the fact is I like it. A lot. And think it is well worth reading. There is a movie of it coming out in June. I will probably go see it (oh, who am I kidding? I will for sure go see it!) I recommend giving it a read. It can be fun to go back to high school -- when you don't actually have to go back.
Tea: Add lots of sugar! or honey! This one is sweet.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Grade: A, viewed as a teen novel
This was a different sort of YA read for me. While most YA's deal with young adults (duh!)the ones I enjoy most transcend the age. Something about them captures the imagination and draws you into a world where the gap between yourself and the character is not felt nearly so much and you find more common ground than not. This one felt truly like a teenagey sort of book. The themes were mature and timeless, just something about it really captured "modern teen" feel in a way that Twilight and the Potter books didn't.
We begin with Kyle Kingsbury, son of a big shot network anchor. His father has taught him from an early age appearance is everything and when Kyle finds his name on the ninth grade ballot for prom prince he humbly thinks "No on could compete with my looks and my dad's cash." He is certain he will be prince and in rapid order, King.
Enter new goth girl in English class. When she disses on Kyle at school (in public no less!)he vows his superficial soul that he will avenge himself and sets a diabolical plan in motion. In true Carrie fashion, he plans to humiliate her at the big dance. But this goth chic comes with wicked powers and pretty soon Kyle finds that his looks on the exterior match the spirit on the interior -- and that means that he is perfectly Beastly.
If you don't recognize this tale by now, shame on you! Clearly this is a vastly (and wonderfully) updated version of Beauty and the Beast. Flinn expertly pulls all the threads of the story into a masterful, modern retelling. The characters all come to life in familiar yet fresh ways and the twists and turns he uses to make this French fairy tale into a modern day fantasy are well, fantastic. Many scenes, such as how the beauty character comes to live in his modern day castle, complete with utilization of the rose, really impressed me. I mean, they were simple but it would never have occurred to me to put the elements together in just that way so I could have such a true to the original result.
I liked all the characters, -- Kyle and his beauty, Magda and Will, the goth chic -- they were all well drawn and likable. My one quibble is that while the story was brilliantly retold the characters in themselves weren't. We have no empathy for the angry Kyle (well maybe a touch because of his home situation but not much) and do understand the parallel of his beast form and internal character. Will is good but very stock in the "good teacher" role. I would truly like to see an evil tutor/teacher, good housekeeper situation sometime soon. It even felt very typical to have an overweight, goth girl wind up as the witch. I wish Flinn would have used some of the creativity he reserved for the plot in his casting of characters. It could have added to the overall greatness of the work.
I mentioned in the beginning this book felt a tad teenagey. I wish I could describe it better but I think the simplicity of the Beauty and the Beast message combined with the very trendy youthfulness of the characters combined to make it feel that way. The idea that we shouldn't judge based on appearances has been around so long (like since the original fairy tale at the very least) that its message has been diluted in multiple re-tellings. I wish Flinn had perhaps tackled it in a slightly different manner (perhaps making Beauty's beauty more internal??) and brought some freshness to it. Perhaps that would have made the tale a bit more grown up.
Given the youth of Beauty (whose name I am keeping secret because she isn't a major player till about mid book) and Kyle, I also couldn't quite buy their happy ever after. This wasn't Edward and Bella's or (Romeo and Juliet's to give my dues to the original) undying love. This was a teen romance, complete with the sweetness of first love. They might make it but they have a long row ahead of them.
Overall, I have spent more time on my quibbles with this book but the fact is I like it. A lot. And think it is well worth reading. There is a movie of it coming out in June. I will probably go see it (oh, who am I kidding? I will for sure go see it!) I recommend giving it a read. It can be fun to go back to high school -- when you don't actually have to go back.
Tea: Add lots of sugar! or honey! This one is sweet.
Deeper than the Dead
by: Tami Hoag
Grade: A-
Genre: Suspense, with a touch of romance
California, 1985
School being the happy, wholesome place it is Tommy and Wendy find themselves cutting through the park on the way home trying to escape classroom bullies. The experience takes an even darker turn when as they run they trip over a body.
That small trip lands them, the bullies and teacher Anne Navarre into a whirlwind of problems. The only port in the growing storm seems to be Vince Leone, an FBI investigator who helped pioneer the technique known as profiling. As Vince works with a wary police department the killer escalates his game, seeming to remain always one step ahead of them. With clues that seem to lead nowhere and time running out, Vince finds himself fighting his own demons to outsmart a madman with the facade of an angel.
This book is Tami Hoag at her absolute best. From the moment Tommy and Wendy burst onto the scene until that last disturbing image on the ferry this book sucks you in. Every character is utilized to paint a picture of just how disturbing crime can be and how heinous crimes can affect much more than just the life of the person taken. We are with Tommy and Wendy as their innocent escape through the park and gruesome find reveal and widen the cracks in the seemingly perfect lives of the towns people. It isn't just that everyone looks at their neighbor with increased suspicion but the little cracks in family lives suddenly loom large and people who were teetering on edges find themselves falling into very deep, very dark abysses.
What's more, Hoag paints clear, concise pictures of who each character is and has you caring for far more than just the leads. We can feel for Wendy's mom, Sara, who remains very much on the periphery of the story even as her life begins to slowly disintegrate. And we can feel for Jane Thomas, as something she designed for good suddenly becomes the plaything of someone truly vile. I especially liked the character of Fran, who brought some much needed laughter to what could have been an extremely dark book. Because this is a mystery, and a lot of the fun of such a book is peeling back the layers for yourself, I don't want to get into the plot of the story too much. Rest assured, Hoag handles it superbly, spinning her story with skill and doling information out as we need it and in the manner most likely to thrill and delight.
With so much gushing you might wonder why the minus. In the end, grading is a personal thing and I am giving the minus for a personal reason: I did not like at all the May-September romance. I would rather Anne have been alone than wind up in that particular relationship. She already has an elderly, cantankerous, pain in the behind father to deal with. She has already set herself up as a caregiver for her students. I could easily see her ten, fifteen years down the road trying to care for yet another aging loved one while trying to hold a family together single handedly. The health of the person involved and the peculiar issues they were going through didn't help. That aspect of the book felt superfluous and sad, so I gave it a minus. Still, this is a small part of the story, so don't let it keep you from picking this gem up.
Tea: Anything warm and comforting. You are going to want that comfort.
Grade: A-
Genre: Suspense, with a touch of romance
California, 1985
School being the happy, wholesome place it is Tommy and Wendy find themselves cutting through the park on the way home trying to escape classroom bullies. The experience takes an even darker turn when as they run they trip over a body.
That small trip lands them, the bullies and teacher Anne Navarre into a whirlwind of problems. The only port in the growing storm seems to be Vince Leone, an FBI investigator who helped pioneer the technique known as profiling. As Vince works with a wary police department the killer escalates his game, seeming to remain always one step ahead of them. With clues that seem to lead nowhere and time running out, Vince finds himself fighting his own demons to outsmart a madman with the facade of an angel.
This book is Tami Hoag at her absolute best. From the moment Tommy and Wendy burst onto the scene until that last disturbing image on the ferry this book sucks you in. Every character is utilized to paint a picture of just how disturbing crime can be and how heinous crimes can affect much more than just the life of the person taken. We are with Tommy and Wendy as their innocent escape through the park and gruesome find reveal and widen the cracks in the seemingly perfect lives of the towns people. It isn't just that everyone looks at their neighbor with increased suspicion but the little cracks in family lives suddenly loom large and people who were teetering on edges find themselves falling into very deep, very dark abysses.
What's more, Hoag paints clear, concise pictures of who each character is and has you caring for far more than just the leads. We can feel for Wendy's mom, Sara, who remains very much on the periphery of the story even as her life begins to slowly disintegrate. And we can feel for Jane Thomas, as something she designed for good suddenly becomes the plaything of someone truly vile. I especially liked the character of Fran, who brought some much needed laughter to what could have been an extremely dark book. Because this is a mystery, and a lot of the fun of such a book is peeling back the layers for yourself, I don't want to get into the plot of the story too much. Rest assured, Hoag handles it superbly, spinning her story with skill and doling information out as we need it and in the manner most likely to thrill and delight.
With so much gushing you might wonder why the minus. In the end, grading is a personal thing and I am giving the minus for a personal reason: I did not like at all the May-September romance. I would rather Anne have been alone than wind up in that particular relationship. She already has an elderly, cantankerous, pain in the behind father to deal with. She has already set herself up as a caregiver for her students. I could easily see her ten, fifteen years down the road trying to care for yet another aging loved one while trying to hold a family together single handedly. The health of the person involved and the peculiar issues they were going through didn't help. That aspect of the book felt superfluous and sad, so I gave it a minus. Still, this is a small part of the story, so don't let it keep you from picking this gem up.
Tea: Anything warm and comforting. You are going to want that comfort.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Winter Queen
author: Amanda McCabe
Genre: Harlequin Historical Romance, Elizabethan Era
Grade: C?
TBR Pile Challenge
Lady Rosamund Ramsey is a breathtaking beauty and heir to quite a fine estate. When her parents fear she has fallen prey to the wiles of a gold digger they ship her off to be a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. It is the Christmas season, an unusually cold winter and a rather odd time to travel but off Rosamund goes as "punishment" for her "affair". As Rosamund is headed to the court she has an unusual encounter in the woods outside the castle -- a man on skates, mesmerizing in his skill. And then looking up through the gently falling snow he sees her -- a lovely, lush blond seemingly carved out of the very snow around her. Both think of the encounter as a piece of winter enchantment and it becomes etched in their memories regardless of its brevity.
Of course when Rosamund gets to the castle she meets her mystery skater -- Anton, a member of the Swedish delegation from King Eric. Anton has another reason for wanting to be there -- he is half English and has business at Queen Elizabeth's court. The beautiful Lady Rosamund is an unwanted distraction. As the revelry spins into the danger zone Anton and Rosamund skate around the many issues and mysteries at court while finding themselves inevitably drawn together. Surrounded by the lush, glorious celebrations of the holiday season can Anton and Rosamund find love amidst the many intrigues of life at court? When a presence from Rosamund's past makes itself known, will she follow her heart to happiness -- or folly?
This is a romance so of course we know the answers to such questions. The real question is, is this book worth reading? To me, maybe not so much. I struggled to stay focused on the book, finding myself thoroughly disengaged from the characters. Rosamund came across as very young to me and I couldn't help thinking that she needed many years before she would be ready for a real romance. That struck me as ironic since I have been reading a ton of YA romances with characters just her age whom I found to be perfect for the romances they were in. Here is a girl from the past, in a time when wives and mothers were in their teens, and she seems less ready for marriage than the spoiled punks ;-) of my own era. Rosamund's whip lash affections and her inability to pick up some social cues made her seem too young to be sure of her own heart.
Anton was a character from Romance Novel Central. A hardened warrior who was mush in Rosamund's little hand, blah, blah, blah you get the picture. I was disappointed in how his Swedish ancestry seemed to be portrayed as all negative, not worth dwelling on and as a result how little we got to learn of that particular culture. England has been so overdone in historicals, it would have been nice to see another country portrayed. One of the interesting things about history is that the difficulty of travel, the lack of up to the minute media made foreign cultures seem truly foreign. And yet the "foreigness" of the delegations was never addressed and there never seemed to be a cultural clash of any sort.
On the other hand, the festivities were done very well and I did get a good feel for the holiday season. The author interlaced many old Christmas songs into the text, which was fun, and I did get an impression of the kind of parties the Queen was likely to throw. Elizabeth was very much portrayed as we have seen her in other books and I was fine with that -- the book wasn't about her and this wasn't the place to get creative. Her "familiarity" was one of the few real historical markers of the book.
Overall, the book was brief and did not effectively use it's few pages to grab me. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either. I would give it a miss unless you really enjoy this period.
Tea: Tea was actually introduced to Europe during Elizabethan times but did not reach English shores until 1657-1660. The Dutch, Russians and Portuguese all knew about it before the British. Wassail and spiced wine were the drinks of this book, maybe go with one of them. Here is a link to a wassail recipe, although I don't think it would have been one drunk back in this day.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/212/Christmas-in-England-Wassail117252.shtml
Genre: Harlequin Historical Romance, Elizabethan Era
Grade: C?
TBR Pile Challenge
Lady Rosamund Ramsey is a breathtaking beauty and heir to quite a fine estate. When her parents fear she has fallen prey to the wiles of a gold digger they ship her off to be a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. It is the Christmas season, an unusually cold winter and a rather odd time to travel but off Rosamund goes as "punishment" for her "affair". As Rosamund is headed to the court she has an unusual encounter in the woods outside the castle -- a man on skates, mesmerizing in his skill. And then looking up through the gently falling snow he sees her -- a lovely, lush blond seemingly carved out of the very snow around her. Both think of the encounter as a piece of winter enchantment and it becomes etched in their memories regardless of its brevity.
Of course when Rosamund gets to the castle she meets her mystery skater -- Anton, a member of the Swedish delegation from King Eric. Anton has another reason for wanting to be there -- he is half English and has business at Queen Elizabeth's court. The beautiful Lady Rosamund is an unwanted distraction. As the revelry spins into the danger zone Anton and Rosamund skate around the many issues and mysteries at court while finding themselves inevitably drawn together. Surrounded by the lush, glorious celebrations of the holiday season can Anton and Rosamund find love amidst the many intrigues of life at court? When a presence from Rosamund's past makes itself known, will she follow her heart to happiness -- or folly?
This is a romance so of course we know the answers to such questions. The real question is, is this book worth reading? To me, maybe not so much. I struggled to stay focused on the book, finding myself thoroughly disengaged from the characters. Rosamund came across as very young to me and I couldn't help thinking that she needed many years before she would be ready for a real romance. That struck me as ironic since I have been reading a ton of YA romances with characters just her age whom I found to be perfect for the romances they were in. Here is a girl from the past, in a time when wives and mothers were in their teens, and she seems less ready for marriage than the spoiled punks ;-) of my own era. Rosamund's whip lash affections and her inability to pick up some social cues made her seem too young to be sure of her own heart.
Anton was a character from Romance Novel Central. A hardened warrior who was mush in Rosamund's little hand, blah, blah, blah you get the picture. I was disappointed in how his Swedish ancestry seemed to be portrayed as all negative, not worth dwelling on and as a result how little we got to learn of that particular culture. England has been so overdone in historicals, it would have been nice to see another country portrayed. One of the interesting things about history is that the difficulty of travel, the lack of up to the minute media made foreign cultures seem truly foreign. And yet the "foreigness" of the delegations was never addressed and there never seemed to be a cultural clash of any sort.
On the other hand, the festivities were done very well and I did get a good feel for the holiday season. The author interlaced many old Christmas songs into the text, which was fun, and I did get an impression of the kind of parties the Queen was likely to throw. Elizabeth was very much portrayed as we have seen her in other books and I was fine with that -- the book wasn't about her and this wasn't the place to get creative. Her "familiarity" was one of the few real historical markers of the book.
Overall, the book was brief and did not effectively use it's few pages to grab me. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good either. I would give it a miss unless you really enjoy this period.
Tea: Tea was actually introduced to Europe during Elizabethan times but did not reach English shores until 1657-1660. The Dutch, Russians and Portuguese all knew about it before the British. Wassail and spiced wine were the drinks of this book, maybe go with one of them. Here is a link to a wassail recipe, although I don't think it would have been one drunk back in this day.
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/212/Christmas-in-England-Wassail117252.shtml
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wind Off the Small Isles
by: Mary Stewart
Genre: Romance?
Grade: A??
Perdita works as an assistant to Cora Gresham, a children's author who requires her young aide to be ready at a moments notice to take off for parts unseen for research and inspiration. Normally the job is rewarding and invigorating but Perdita is a bit put out when her employer, rather than going to the larger canary islands which she painstakingly researched decides to set her pirate book on Lanzarote. That particular island has been hard hit by volcanoes and is mostly desert surrounded by rocks made of hardened lava and ash. The island begins to hold a certain appeal though when they run into Mrs. Gresham's globe trotting son, Michael. Caught up in a romantic tale from the history of the isle and in her new acquaintance Perdita begins to feel the magic of the wind that comes off the small isles.
This is a short story rather than a book, really. It is only 96 pages long and doesn't hold much in terms of story. It is written in Stewart's fantastic style and it does paint a lovely picture of Lanzarote and the two main characters, Michael and Perdita. We are given only a quick view of the relationship but it holds lots of promise. They are both charming people, easily likable, and I love the particular picture of the sixties time period she paints. It is all lovely travel, drinks on a veranda and people who aren't thinking about an economic crisis, wars, or social reform. It captures a moment that exists only in old movies and a class and group of people that probably don't exist anymore. I don't know to recommend or not. If you are a fan of Stewarts romantic mysteries and can get it from the library, do. Otherwise, I would give it a miss.
Tea: Iced. This is set in the desert after all!
Genre: Romance?
Grade: A??
Perdita works as an assistant to Cora Gresham, a children's author who requires her young aide to be ready at a moments notice to take off for parts unseen for research and inspiration. Normally the job is rewarding and invigorating but Perdita is a bit put out when her employer, rather than going to the larger canary islands which she painstakingly researched decides to set her pirate book on Lanzarote. That particular island has been hard hit by volcanoes and is mostly desert surrounded by rocks made of hardened lava and ash. The island begins to hold a certain appeal though when they run into Mrs. Gresham's globe trotting son, Michael. Caught up in a romantic tale from the history of the isle and in her new acquaintance Perdita begins to feel the magic of the wind that comes off the small isles.
This is a short story rather than a book, really. It is only 96 pages long and doesn't hold much in terms of story. It is written in Stewart's fantastic style and it does paint a lovely picture of Lanzarote and the two main characters, Michael and Perdita. We are given only a quick view of the relationship but it holds lots of promise. They are both charming people, easily likable, and I love the particular picture of the sixties time period she paints. It is all lovely travel, drinks on a veranda and people who aren't thinking about an economic crisis, wars, or social reform. It captures a moment that exists only in old movies and a class and group of people that probably don't exist anymore. I don't know to recommend or not. If you are a fan of Stewarts romantic mysteries and can get it from the library, do. Otherwise, I would give it a miss.
Tea: Iced. This is set in the desert after all!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
If Only in My Dreams/The Best Gift
author: Wendy Markham
genre: Romantic time travel
grade: C/C-
I love the WWII time period. This probably comes from my parents love of old black and white films or maybe it is just the elegance of the era. Regardless, that time stamp on a book will always cause me to give it a chance. I've found some real gems that way.
This time didn't turn out quite as well. The story begins with Clara McCullum, an actress with a starring role in a biopic about a group of servicemen from a small town on the East Coast who all died while storming the beach at Normandy. Clara is to play the love interest of a young man, Jed Landry, who in the movie will return to her while in reality he was dating no one and died. Let that be a lesson to never trust Hollywood history ;-)
But as she prepares for her scenes, Clara finds herself completely distracted. Before she has even reached 30 she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It will probably not be the death sentence it had been for her grandmother but she is gripped by a very real concern for her own future. I totally understood Clara's panic. No doctor can guarantee that things won't go badly and it can not be easy to be the recipient of such news. What I didn't understand was the way she cut herself off from what soundeded like a loving family so she could deal with the issue on her own. That just struck me as a bit odd and we weren't given what I felt was sufficient reason. Still, I thought her plan to continue to film while thinking through her options was very sound.
Meanwhile, in 1941, the real life Jed Landry is facing struggles of his own. He had to leave Harvard Law to come home and help the family when his dad died of lung cancer. He is counting the days till he can leave the family five and dime in his brothers hands and finally leave this small town. Till then he has to face Christmas crowds while dealing with incompetent help, a mother deep in depression, and sisters who depend on him to keep the family running.
Their worlds collide when Clara is shooting a scene preparing to meet the fictional Jed at a train station. The train accelerates but oddly Clara flies forward, not backward, smacking her head hard. Then strangers suddenly appear on the train with her, including a skinny conductor who she would have sworn was portly moments ago. And when she gets off the train? There is no set. No actors. No cameras. Just a real small town that looks quite different than what she is used to. And a Jed Landry who looks nothing like Clara's poster boy leading man and everything like all she has ever wanted.
Distracted as she is by Jed she is still focused enough to realize that she is probably dreaming or hallucinating. And who could blame her after the week she has had? Not sure what to do she focuses on the one course of action she believes will wake her back up -- heading back to NY on a train will hopefully cause her conscious mind to head back as well. It is as good a theory as any and Clara races from Jed's 5 and Dime with only minutes to spare to catch the next train, leaving behind a suitcase full of period clothes and an I-Pod.
Both can't help but think about their encounter, however brief. As Jed snoops through Clara's things to get more information about her, Clara does research from her end to find out all about him and the possibility of actual time travel. Was Jed real? Or was he a figment of her stressed out mind?
This story didn't work for me as a time travel romance for a number of reasons. The main one was simply that the characters rely on the love at first sight trope far too much. They spend about half the book apart and what time they spend together is not conducive, imo, to being in love. Jed has suspicions about who Clara is based upon the Ipod. I think they are valid given the time period he is in. There is also a moment where Jed stoops to the level of voyeur which I found disturbing. It is one thing for a lover to watch you dress, from anyone else it just feels creepy.
The relationship seemed rush and really baseless, I couldn't figure out what it was about each other that made them "the one". To me, that is the hallmark of any good romance. Anybody can hook up with "The one who is there right now" or "Mr. Good as I am going to get" but shouldn't a romance novel be a bit more sweepingly romantic?
Another reason is that while I love classics like "The Ivory Key" (Rita Clay Estrada) or "Knight in Shining Armor" (Jude Deveraux)I did not love the combination of time travel and reincarnation when it was used here. Maybe because in those books the characters simply go with the idea that they have time traveled for a purpose. No long drawn out explanations of time travel itself needs to occur. In this book, it did. Clara did quite a lot of work to figure out if what she experienced was real or not. Certainly understandable in reality or if someone were doing a sci-fi novel but less so in a story that is supposed to be about a love affair. In this case more time was spent with the characters apart, with Clara researching what occurred, than with them together, falling in love.
Another hot spot for me is the fear of science in these novels. If I found myself traveling through time I would want it stopped. I would not want a power like that unless I could control it. Just my .02 but in the second novel I was a bit bugged with Clara for always looking at it as a gift.
In the end, the books were certainly interesting reading but I didn't love them.
Tea: This book revolved around a soda fountain so my recommend is actually not a tea but a Cherry Coke, the original soda fountain drink now available in any soda aisle.
genre: Romantic time travel
grade: C/C-
I love the WWII time period. This probably comes from my parents love of old black and white films or maybe it is just the elegance of the era. Regardless, that time stamp on a book will always cause me to give it a chance. I've found some real gems that way.
This time didn't turn out quite as well. The story begins with Clara McCullum, an actress with a starring role in a biopic about a group of servicemen from a small town on the East Coast who all died while storming the beach at Normandy. Clara is to play the love interest of a young man, Jed Landry, who in the movie will return to her while in reality he was dating no one and died. Let that be a lesson to never trust Hollywood history ;-)
But as she prepares for her scenes, Clara finds herself completely distracted. Before she has even reached 30 she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It will probably not be the death sentence it had been for her grandmother but she is gripped by a very real concern for her own future. I totally understood Clara's panic. No doctor can guarantee that things won't go badly and it can not be easy to be the recipient of such news. What I didn't understand was the way she cut herself off from what soundeded like a loving family so she could deal with the issue on her own. That just struck me as a bit odd and we weren't given what I felt was sufficient reason. Still, I thought her plan to continue to film while thinking through her options was very sound.
Meanwhile, in 1941, the real life Jed Landry is facing struggles of his own. He had to leave Harvard Law to come home and help the family when his dad died of lung cancer. He is counting the days till he can leave the family five and dime in his brothers hands and finally leave this small town. Till then he has to face Christmas crowds while dealing with incompetent help, a mother deep in depression, and sisters who depend on him to keep the family running.
Their worlds collide when Clara is shooting a scene preparing to meet the fictional Jed at a train station. The train accelerates but oddly Clara flies forward, not backward, smacking her head hard. Then strangers suddenly appear on the train with her, including a skinny conductor who she would have sworn was portly moments ago. And when she gets off the train? There is no set. No actors. No cameras. Just a real small town that looks quite different than what she is used to. And a Jed Landry who looks nothing like Clara's poster boy leading man and everything like all she has ever wanted.
Distracted as she is by Jed she is still focused enough to realize that she is probably dreaming or hallucinating. And who could blame her after the week she has had? Not sure what to do she focuses on the one course of action she believes will wake her back up -- heading back to NY on a train will hopefully cause her conscious mind to head back as well. It is as good a theory as any and Clara races from Jed's 5 and Dime with only minutes to spare to catch the next train, leaving behind a suitcase full of period clothes and an I-Pod.
Both can't help but think about their encounter, however brief. As Jed snoops through Clara's things to get more information about her, Clara does research from her end to find out all about him and the possibility of actual time travel. Was Jed real? Or was he a figment of her stressed out mind?
This story didn't work for me as a time travel romance for a number of reasons. The main one was simply that the characters rely on the love at first sight trope far too much. They spend about half the book apart and what time they spend together is not conducive, imo, to being in love. Jed has suspicions about who Clara is based upon the Ipod. I think they are valid given the time period he is in. There is also a moment where Jed stoops to the level of voyeur which I found disturbing. It is one thing for a lover to watch you dress, from anyone else it just feels creepy.
The relationship seemed rush and really baseless, I couldn't figure out what it was about each other that made them "the one". To me, that is the hallmark of any good romance. Anybody can hook up with "The one who is there right now" or "Mr. Good as I am going to get" but shouldn't a romance novel be a bit more sweepingly romantic?
Another reason is that while I love classics like "The Ivory Key" (Rita Clay Estrada) or "Knight in Shining Armor" (Jude Deveraux)I did not love the combination of time travel and reincarnation when it was used here. Maybe because in those books the characters simply go with the idea that they have time traveled for a purpose. No long drawn out explanations of time travel itself needs to occur. In this book, it did. Clara did quite a lot of work to figure out if what she experienced was real or not. Certainly understandable in reality or if someone were doing a sci-fi novel but less so in a story that is supposed to be about a love affair. In this case more time was spent with the characters apart, with Clara researching what occurred, than with them together, falling in love.
Another hot spot for me is the fear of science in these novels. If I found myself traveling through time I would want it stopped. I would not want a power like that unless I could control it. Just my .02 but in the second novel I was a bit bugged with Clara for always looking at it as a gift.
In the end, the books were certainly interesting reading but I didn't love them.
Tea: This book revolved around a soda fountain so my recommend is actually not a tea but a Cherry Coke, the original soda fountain drink now available in any soda aisle.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Matter of Class
By: Mary Balogh
Genre: Regency Romance/Novella
Grade: A
From www.matterofclass.com
This little gem of a book is short and very sweet. It contains a bit of a twist, easily discerned, but then the twist is what adds a dollop of sweetness to the whole story. It also makes it difficult to discuss without entering into spoiler territory. If you are a Regency romance fan or a Mary Balogh fan then I strongly recommend it. It is a good story with likable characters and might intrigue you even if you are not either of those things ;-)
Tea: A proper Earl Grey of course!
Genre: Regency Romance/Novella
Grade: A
From www.matterofclass.com
Reginald Mason is rich, refined, and by all accounts a gentleman. However, he is not a “gentleman” by birth, a fact that pains his father, Bernard, since Regency society values station above all else. And the Masons, despite their vast wealth, are still members of the merchant class.
An opportunity for Reginald’s social advancement suddenly arises through the possibility of marriage to Lady Annabelle Ashton. Since Annabelle is the only child of the Earl of Havercroft—who is both neighbor and arch enemy to Bernard—the elder Mason is positively joyous. After all, this would allow him to both one-up the earl and raise his son’s social standing, in one fell swoop.
The fact that Reginald and Lady Annabelle both loudly proclaim their disgust at the idea of marrying each other matters not at all.
But Annabelle has been disgraced by a scandal that has left her branded as damaged goods, just as her father desperately needs the money that would come from marrying her off to a wealthy man.
Regency-era damsel that she is, Annabelle is trapped. She’ll be shunned by society for life if she doesn’t marry someone even close to respectable. Plus, she’ll carry the crushing lifelong guilt of believing herself personally responsible for causing her family’s financial ruin if she doesn’t immediately marry someone wealthy enough to pay-off their looming debt.
By the same token, Reginald proclaims that he doesn’t want to get married now, especially to a hoyden who has managed to disgrace herself. Instead, he insists he’d rather live the wild, extravagant bachelor life to which he has recently become accustomed. However, Bernard gives Reginald an ultimatum: Marry Annabelle or be cut off from all family funds.
Reginald grudgingly consents, and an openly antagonistic engagement ensues. So does a tale riddled with secrets, deception, and the trials of love. In A Matter of Class very little is as it first appears.
This little gem of a book is short and very sweet. It contains a bit of a twist, easily discerned, but then the twist is what adds a dollop of sweetness to the whole story. It also makes it difficult to discuss without entering into spoiler territory. If you are a Regency romance fan or a Mary Balogh fan then I strongly recommend it. It is a good story with likable characters and might intrigue you even if you are not either of those things ;-)
Tea: A proper Earl Grey of course!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Fired Up
By: Jayne Anne Krentz
Genre: Mystery with paranormal elements
Grade: C
This is the product description from Amazon:
I found the woo woo factor in this book highly distracting. While the characters seemed amiable enough, the paranormal abilities element permeated every aspect of the book from the romance to the mystery. Much of the romance element revolved around how Jack was the first person who could overcome a particular side effect of Choe's ability. Many conversations, such as the one below, had me rolling my eyes :
The big picture being talked about here is that a professor is concerned about being fired because he has been sleeping with many of his students. It doesn't take a paranormal ability to know that a university will frown on this, so I didn't understand why the paranormal ability was brought up. If it had happened a time or two that would certainly be understandable but to utilize their powers as reasons for everything that happened was a tad too much for me. Perhaps that was meant to be tongue in cheek but the humor totally bypassed me if that was the case.
There was also a sense of impatience with the idea that there are people out there who don't believe in the paranormal. I gave up reading Kay Hooper because of her outrage at the "intolerance" of nonbelievers in psychic phenomena and I will probably be doing the same to this author. If your beliefs can't withstand scientific scrutiny or questioning the problem is with you or your beliefs, not the questioner.
Krentz is a good writer so the book didn't lack readability just credibility. I wouldn't spend your time on it if you aren't already following this series. If I can help myself (and sometimes I just can't) I will not read the rest of the series. Not worth my time.
Tea: Anything done with leaf rather than bag should work. Then you can tap into your paranormal side and read your leaves. ;-)
Genre: Mystery with paranormal elements
Grade: C
This is the product description from Amazon:
More than three centuries ago, Nicholas Winters irrevocably altered his genetic makeup in an obsessionfueled competition with alchemist and Arcane Society founder Sylvester Jones. Driven to control their psychic abilities, each man's decision has reverberated throughout the family line, rewarding some with powers beyond their wildest dreams, and cursing others to a life filled with madness and hallucinations.
Jack Winters, descendant of Nicholas, has been experiencing nightmares and blackouts-just the beginning, he believes-of the manifestation of the Winters family curse. The legend says that he must find the Burning Lamp or risk turning into a monster. But he can't do it alone; he needs the help of a woman with the gift to read the lamp's dreamlight.
Jack is convinced that private investigator Chloe Harper is that woman. Her talents for finding objects and accessing dream energy are what will save him, but their sudden and powerful sexual pull threatens to overwhelm them both. Danger surrounds them, and it doesn't take long for Chloe to pick up the trail of the missing lamp. And as they draw closer to the lamp, the raw power that dwells within it threatens to sweep them into a hurricane of psychic force.
I found the woo woo factor in this book highly distracting. While the characters seemed amiable enough, the paranormal abilities element permeated every aspect of the book from the romance to the mystery. Much of the romance element revolved around how Jack was the first person who could overcome a particular side effect of Choe's ability. Many conversations, such as the one below, had me rolling my eyes :
She turned her head and looked at him. "You appear to have grasped the big picture here, Mr. Winters."
"My other (pychic) talent is for strategy, remember? I get big pictures and bottom lines."
The big picture being talked about here is that a professor is concerned about being fired because he has been sleeping with many of his students. It doesn't take a paranormal ability to know that a university will frown on this, so I didn't understand why the paranormal ability was brought up. If it had happened a time or two that would certainly be understandable but to utilize their powers as reasons for everything that happened was a tad too much for me. Perhaps that was meant to be tongue in cheek but the humor totally bypassed me if that was the case.
There was also a sense of impatience with the idea that there are people out there who don't believe in the paranormal. I gave up reading Kay Hooper because of her outrage at the "intolerance" of nonbelievers in psychic phenomena and I will probably be doing the same to this author. If your beliefs can't withstand scientific scrutiny or questioning the problem is with you or your beliefs, not the questioner.
Krentz is a good writer so the book didn't lack readability just credibility. I wouldn't spend your time on it if you aren't already following this series. If I can help myself (and sometimes I just can't) I will not read the rest of the series. Not worth my time.
Tea: Anything done with leaf rather than bag should work. Then you can tap into your paranormal side and read your leaves. ;-)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Forbidden Falls
author: Robyn Carr
genre: Contemp Romance
Grade: B-/C+
Here is the product description from Amazon:
While this book is part of a regular series I love it was one I was iffy about purchasing. There were three reasons for that:
1) It dealt with a preacher. I tend not to like preachers in romance novels.
2) It had a Paul and Vanni subplot and I didn't like Paul and Vanni.
3) It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the novels. The characters weren't really tied in from another story and I had a feeling I wouldn't need any information from this book to understand future books.
A friend bought it and gave it to me though so I read it. On the positive side, Carr really concentrated on Noah and Ellie. The Paul and Vanni subplot was there but that was it. We heard a line or two, maybe a paragraph from/about previous characters but this book was streamlined and concise compared to recent books in this series. It's focus was on the two main characters. I really appreciated that.
Noah and Ellie were well written if a bit off the standard character assembly line. Noah was of course not your daddy's style of preacher but modern and hip with a greater concern for feeding the poor and helping the homeless than saving souls. Ellie dressed slutty but was as close to virginal as a gal can be who has had kids. She was hardworking and helpful and generally wonderful. Her ex was of course the villain in the piece. That everything would come together as it did was never in doubt. The abundance of coincidences felt comfortable, expected and acceptable.
In the end the fact that the book was very predictable but well written pushes it into the above average range but keeps it from getting a brilliant review.
Tea: Anything you find standard and predictable but enjoyable.
genre: Contemp Romance
Grade: B-/C+
Here is the product description from Amazon:
Virgin River is abuzz with the news that a stranger bought the town's abandoned church on eBay. The buyer, a young widowed reverend, is a little like the building itself: in need of some loving care.
Noah Kincaid arrives ready to roll up his sleeves and revitalize his new purchase, but he's going to need some help. An ad in the local paper brings an improbable candidate his way.
"Pastor's assistant" is not a phrase that springs to mind when Noah meets brassy, beautiful Alicia Baldwin. With her colorful clothes and even more colorful past, Alicia needs a respectable job so she can regain custody of her children. Noah can't help but admire her spunk and determination, and she may just be the breath of fresh air he needs.
This unlikely duo may come from two different worlds, but they have more in common than anyone would have expected. And in Virgin River lasting happiness is never out of the question.
While this book is part of a regular series I love it was one I was iffy about purchasing. There were three reasons for that:
1) It dealt with a preacher. I tend not to like preachers in romance novels.
2) It had a Paul and Vanni subplot and I didn't like Paul and Vanni.
3) It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the novels. The characters weren't really tied in from another story and I had a feeling I wouldn't need any information from this book to understand future books.
A friend bought it and gave it to me though so I read it. On the positive side, Carr really concentrated on Noah and Ellie. The Paul and Vanni subplot was there but that was it. We heard a line or two, maybe a paragraph from/about previous characters but this book was streamlined and concise compared to recent books in this series. It's focus was on the two main characters. I really appreciated that.
Noah and Ellie were well written if a bit off the standard character assembly line. Noah was of course not your daddy's style of preacher but modern and hip with a greater concern for feeding the poor and helping the homeless than saving souls. Ellie dressed slutty but was as close to virginal as a gal can be who has had kids. She was hardworking and helpful and generally wonderful. Her ex was of course the villain in the piece. That everything would come together as it did was never in doubt. The abundance of coincidences felt comfortable, expected and acceptable.
In the end the fact that the book was very predictable but well written pushes it into the above average range but keeps it from getting a brilliant review.
Tea: Anything you find standard and predictable but enjoyable.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
On the Edge
author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Fantasy
Grade: A
Rose Drayton lives in the Edge -- the space that separates the Broken-- the world where people shop at Walmart and use science to compensate for their lack of magic -- and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats govern a land where magic runs their world. Edgers are the only people who can travel between the worlds but Rose's only travel is to the Broken, to her dead end job in Pine Barren, Georgia.
Rose has powerful magic. Magic she has practiced till she honed it into an art. But it wasn't the blessing Rose hoped for and has instead brought trouble into her life from the Weird.
Declan Camarine is a blue blood who finds himself at the wrong end of Rose's rifle.
She isn't taking a chance on another Weirder, no matter how good looking he may be.
But when Declan saves her brother and proves he is willing to stand with her against a horrible new danger facing the edge, Rose feels her resolve beginning to weaken.
Maybe not all those from the Weird are worthless. . . .
This is a great novel, well paced, in a well drawn world with likable well thought out characters. The writing and pacing are terrific and the book balances its dark and light moments very well.
Declan and Rose have a good relationship. I did get bugged when he kept a piece of information from her that I felt should have been shared right away but the author did a good job of convincing me that his reasons were legit.
There is a bit of the cutesy little kid factor to the book but I feel that it was well handled. Jack and Georgie, the heroines two brothers, lean dangerously toward precocious territory but there is enough "real" kid there to keep them quite from crossing the line and they are not so precious that they steal every scene they are in. A small part of me was bugged by how very functional everyone was given the serious dysfunction of the parents but that is all (or in many ways) explained by the presence of Granmere and I liked her character. I especially liked a scene at the end where talks to Rose about keeping the home fires burning. It gave us an excellent look into the heart of her that I appreciated having.
I gave the book an A so all I can say is I strongly recommend.
This gem waited on my TBR for three months to be read. So glad to get it off there! It deserved better!
Tea: What about Mystic Chai Spiced Tea Mix from the Spice Place? Really any Chai can be mystic so try one of the Celestial Seasonings ones. (I do so much advertising for those people I should be paid!)
Genre: Fantasy
Grade: A
Rose Drayton lives in the Edge -- the space that separates the Broken-- the world where people shop at Walmart and use science to compensate for their lack of magic -- and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats govern a land where magic runs their world. Edgers are the only people who can travel between the worlds but Rose's only travel is to the Broken, to her dead end job in Pine Barren, Georgia.
Rose has powerful magic. Magic she has practiced till she honed it into an art. But it wasn't the blessing Rose hoped for and has instead brought trouble into her life from the Weird.
Declan Camarine is a blue blood who finds himself at the wrong end of Rose's rifle.
She isn't taking a chance on another Weirder, no matter how good looking he may be.
But when Declan saves her brother and proves he is willing to stand with her against a horrible new danger facing the edge, Rose feels her resolve beginning to weaken.
Maybe not all those from the Weird are worthless. . . .
This is a great novel, well paced, in a well drawn world with likable well thought out characters. The writing and pacing are terrific and the book balances its dark and light moments very well.
Declan and Rose have a good relationship. I did get bugged when he kept a piece of information from her that I felt should have been shared right away but the author did a good job of convincing me that his reasons were legit.
There is a bit of the cutesy little kid factor to the book but I feel that it was well handled. Jack and Georgie, the heroines two brothers, lean dangerously toward precocious territory but there is enough "real" kid there to keep them quite from crossing the line and they are not so precious that they steal every scene they are in. A small part of me was bugged by how very functional everyone was given the serious dysfunction of the parents but that is all (or in many ways) explained by the presence of Granmere and I liked her character. I especially liked a scene at the end where talks to Rose about keeping the home fires burning. It gave us an excellent look into the heart of her that I appreciated having.
I gave the book an A so all I can say is I strongly recommend.
This gem waited on my TBR for three months to be read. So glad to get it off there! It deserved better!
Tea: What about Mystic Chai Spiced Tea Mix from the Spice Place? Really any Chai can be mystic so try one of the Celestial Seasonings ones. (I do so much advertising for those people I should be paid!)
Ice
author: Linda Howard
genre: romantic suspense
grade: A
I think what really helped this story for me was how short it was. Stretched out it would have dragged and annoyed but short and sweet it works completely.
Lolly Helton is home to clean and prepare the old family home for resale. When she finds out an ice storm is coming in she drops everything she is doing and prepares to head back into town to weather out the storm. A lonely, Maine mountain is no place to be in Ice. But just as she is preparing to do the practical thing a glitch occurs in her plan. . .
Gabriel McQueen has just reached town to celebrate the Christmas Holiday with his seven year old son when his dad, the local sheriff, asks for a favor. Seems Lolly Helton has gone out to the old family homestead on the mountain and her cell is out of reach. Racing up an icy mountain to help the girl who was far from a friend in school wasn't what he had in mind but being the sheriff's son and a military police officer in his own right carries with it some responsibilities. He will go up the hill. He will politely tell Lolly about the storm and invite her back into town and then he will head the hell back down the hill and out of her life. It's a great plan but then a glitch occurs . . . . .
The glitch in their plans are a couple of armed, crazy strangers who drive Lolly and Gabe out into the snow. With the storm raining down upon them, the temperatures dropping and the chase heating up Lolly and Gabe find themselves united like never before. For the stakes of losing against man and nature are their very lives . . . .
I liked both Lolly and Gabe. They are capable, decent adults who show themselves as being more than up to life's challenges. Lolly especially caught my attention. She was a school outcast but when trouble came she was happy to grasp the hand of high school hero Gabe without any residual silliness from the past getting in the way.
Gabe for his part was perfect hero material. He wasn't a swashbuckeler but was a cool headed, action oriented guy with the skills to back him up. They worked well as a team, watching each others backs as needed.
I love the way Howard writes her action. There was no silly grandstanding by the heroine or hero, just a lot of intense, practical activity, I also loved the way she handled the romance -- she let us see the beginning and let us know the two were committed to working on it from there. There were no instant declarations of love and no "You saved me now I must love you moments.' These two had history, which helped the believability factor for me. They hadn't been in touch for awhile but they had been a part of each other's pasts and that helped make everything more real to me.
In the last three Howards I felt the author got bogged down by details or ethical quagmires but this is easily my favorite of hers since "Cover of Night".
Tea: Any flavor but make it hot.
genre: romantic suspense
grade: A
I think what really helped this story for me was how short it was. Stretched out it would have dragged and annoyed but short and sweet it works completely.
Lolly Helton is home to clean and prepare the old family home for resale. When she finds out an ice storm is coming in she drops everything she is doing and prepares to head back into town to weather out the storm. A lonely, Maine mountain is no place to be in Ice. But just as she is preparing to do the practical thing a glitch occurs in her plan. . .
Gabriel McQueen has just reached town to celebrate the Christmas Holiday with his seven year old son when his dad, the local sheriff, asks for a favor. Seems Lolly Helton has gone out to the old family homestead on the mountain and her cell is out of reach. Racing up an icy mountain to help the girl who was far from a friend in school wasn't what he had in mind but being the sheriff's son and a military police officer in his own right carries with it some responsibilities. He will go up the hill. He will politely tell Lolly about the storm and invite her back into town and then he will head the hell back down the hill and out of her life. It's a great plan but then a glitch occurs . . . . .
The glitch in their plans are a couple of armed, crazy strangers who drive Lolly and Gabe out into the snow. With the storm raining down upon them, the temperatures dropping and the chase heating up Lolly and Gabe find themselves united like never before. For the stakes of losing against man and nature are their very lives . . . .
I liked both Lolly and Gabe. They are capable, decent adults who show themselves as being more than up to life's challenges. Lolly especially caught my attention. She was a school outcast but when trouble came she was happy to grasp the hand of high school hero Gabe without any residual silliness from the past getting in the way.
Gabe for his part was perfect hero material. He wasn't a swashbuckeler but was a cool headed, action oriented guy with the skills to back him up. They worked well as a team, watching each others backs as needed.
I love the way Howard writes her action. There was no silly grandstanding by the heroine or hero, just a lot of intense, practical activity, I also loved the way she handled the romance -- she let us see the beginning and let us know the two were committed to working on it from there. There were no instant declarations of love and no "You saved me now I must love you moments.' These two had history, which helped the believability factor for me. They hadn't been in touch for awhile but they had been a part of each other's pasts and that helped make everything more real to me.
In the last three Howards I felt the author got bogged down by details or ethical quagmires but this is easily my favorite of hers since "Cover of Night".
Tea: Any flavor but make it hot.
Chalice
author: Robin McKinley
genre: YA Fantasy
Grade: B/C
In this fantasy world the land of each Demesne is alive and the land and people live in harmony through a link with the Master of the Demesne and his circle. Mirasol plays the most important role in that circle, that of Chalice. The Chalice works with cups/chalices, with herbs, and with her own liquid element to bind and heal the land and the people. But Mirasol is a new Chalice because the previous Master and previous Chalice died, both without heirs. It is up to Mirasol to tie the previous Masters younger brother to his new role of Master, to his people and to the land. But the previous Master, angry with his brother had sent him to the Fire Priests. And he is a third level Priest, barely able to live among humans. Can Mirasol, a young, untrained Chalice working with a previously unused liquid element make this work?
This is a fascinating story set in an intriguing world. Mirasol is a solid heroine -- compassionate, caring about her people and her land. And the new Master is wonderful -- very self sacrificial, caring and willing to learn from everyone about him. It would have been easy for him to blame Mirasol's lack of training for everything and anything that went wrong but he didn't, he really relied upon her and helped her so that the two created a partnership.
My quibble is that the story was often told as opposed to shown. So much world building was being done and it was not woven into the story but often a break in the narration. While the story is good and very interesting it did not move above those levels. Very frustrating because I got the definite sense this could have been great with just a little work.
Tea: Honey Lemon all the way. Or really anything with honey.
genre: YA Fantasy
Grade: B/C
In this fantasy world the land of each Demesne is alive and the land and people live in harmony through a link with the Master of the Demesne and his circle. Mirasol plays the most important role in that circle, that of Chalice. The Chalice works with cups/chalices, with herbs, and with her own liquid element to bind and heal the land and the people. But Mirasol is a new Chalice because the previous Master and previous Chalice died, both without heirs. It is up to Mirasol to tie the previous Masters younger brother to his new role of Master, to his people and to the land. But the previous Master, angry with his brother had sent him to the Fire Priests. And he is a third level Priest, barely able to live among humans. Can Mirasol, a young, untrained Chalice working with a previously unused liquid element make this work?
This is a fascinating story set in an intriguing world. Mirasol is a solid heroine -- compassionate, caring about her people and her land. And the new Master is wonderful -- very self sacrificial, caring and willing to learn from everyone about him. It would have been easy for him to blame Mirasol's lack of training for everything and anything that went wrong but he didn't, he really relied upon her and helped her so that the two created a partnership.
My quibble is that the story was often told as opposed to shown. So much world building was being done and it was not woven into the story but often a break in the narration. While the story is good and very interesting it did not move above those levels. Very frustrating because I got the definite sense this could have been great with just a little work.
Tea: Honey Lemon all the way. Or really anything with honey.
Friday, January 8, 2010
The Moon Spinners
author: Mary Stewart
Genre: Romantic Suspense circa 1960's
Grade: B/B+
I spent the holidays reading and not posting as you can see. And let me start by saying that I got a huge kick out of looking at the dust jacket of this hard back and seeing $4.50 for the price. Wow! Those were the days . . . .
Or weren't if you were Mark Langley. Mark finds himself in some dire straits indeed when on a visit to Crete, doing a routine tourist stop he finds himself in trouble with some of the locals. Hiding out in the hills was not in his plan but that is what he is reduced to until he meets heroine Nicola Ferris, a fellow tourist on holiday from her job at the British Embassy in Athens. Mark firmly orders Nicola out of his business but she is not a young lady that takes orders well.
Mark, Nicola, her Aunt Frances and his sidekick Lambis find themselves in a thrilling cat and mouse game within the sleepy hamlet of Agios Georgios, a lovely if isolated fishing village in the center of the Asterousia spine. Stewart is a master of using her location and I got a real feel for this sleepy town, surrounded by rough but beautiful terrain with lush greenery and the scent of lemon blossoms hanging in the air. Nicola and Mark are both very likable characters and even the villains (all but one) are imbued with a certain charm. The book has a definite spring holiday gone bad feel to it but that is to the authors credit. So many books these days lose the sense of location or even time but this one is firmly mired in both. You feel you almost live the action and could tell people at what point everything happened your sense of having been there is so immediate.
The one problem I did run into with the book was the sense of misogyny I felt emanated from both Mark and Lambis. In Lambis, a traditional Greek, it was almost explicable since everyone describes the Greeks as being notorious misogynists but in Mark I found it a tad more offensive. He owes his life to Nicola at least a few times over and yet treats her like an amateur in comparison to himself. I first picked this book up seven years ago and wasn't able to make it past the first ten pages because of that but this time I persevered and it was worth it. While Mark's attitude did still rub me wrong the mystery and setting lured me in in spite of myself. Still, the B rather than A grade came from that.
Tea: Greek Mountain Tea, if you can find it, would be perfect for this. There is some information on it at http://greekfood.about.com/od/mezethesdrinks/a/tsaitouvounou.htm. Otherwise, how about something cool with a gyro or Greek salad made with olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and some lovely feta.
Genre: Romantic Suspense circa 1960's
Grade: B/B+
I spent the holidays reading and not posting as you can see. And let me start by saying that I got a huge kick out of looking at the dust jacket of this hard back and seeing $4.50 for the price. Wow! Those were the days . . . .
Or weren't if you were Mark Langley. Mark finds himself in some dire straits indeed when on a visit to Crete, doing a routine tourist stop he finds himself in trouble with some of the locals. Hiding out in the hills was not in his plan but that is what he is reduced to until he meets heroine Nicola Ferris, a fellow tourist on holiday from her job at the British Embassy in Athens. Mark firmly orders Nicola out of his business but she is not a young lady that takes orders well.
Mark, Nicola, her Aunt Frances and his sidekick Lambis find themselves in a thrilling cat and mouse game within the sleepy hamlet of Agios Georgios, a lovely if isolated fishing village in the center of the Asterousia spine. Stewart is a master of using her location and I got a real feel for this sleepy town, surrounded by rough but beautiful terrain with lush greenery and the scent of lemon blossoms hanging in the air. Nicola and Mark are both very likable characters and even the villains (all but one) are imbued with a certain charm. The book has a definite spring holiday gone bad feel to it but that is to the authors credit. So many books these days lose the sense of location or even time but this one is firmly mired in both. You feel you almost live the action and could tell people at what point everything happened your sense of having been there is so immediate.
The one problem I did run into with the book was the sense of misogyny I felt emanated from both Mark and Lambis. In Lambis, a traditional Greek, it was almost explicable since everyone describes the Greeks as being notorious misogynists but in Mark I found it a tad more offensive. He owes his life to Nicola at least a few times over and yet treats her like an amateur in comparison to himself. I first picked this book up seven years ago and wasn't able to make it past the first ten pages because of that but this time I persevered and it was worth it. While Mark's attitude did still rub me wrong the mystery and setting lured me in in spite of myself. Still, the B rather than A grade came from that.
Tea: Greek Mountain Tea, if you can find it, would be perfect for this. There is some information on it at http://greekfood.about.com/od/mezethesdrinks/a/tsaitouvounou.htm. Otherwise, how about something cool with a gyro or Greek salad made with olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and some lovely feta.
My Brother Michael
author: Mary Stewart
genre: Romantic Suspense circa 1950's
grade: B+
It could have been sheer dumb luck. Or it could have been the fact that Camilla Haven had thrown her fate to the winds by writing the words "Nothing ever happens to me" while sitting in an outdoor cafe in the land of the gods. Whatever caused it, Camilla's trip to Greece takes an exciting turn just as she finishes writing those words. For out of the crowd comes a Greek, apologetic and flustered, assuring her that the car she was to deliver to Mr. Simon was now ready, he was sorry for being late and would she please take the car and go now. He knew the matter was urgent. She, however, knew nothing of the matter whatsoever. Still, after a token pressing she takes the car and heads off to Delphi in search of a "Mr. Simon" to whom she is to deliver the car. By happy circumstance she finds him but lands into yet another mystery since he had never requested a car.
While Camilla and the charming Simon work to find who the car should actually be going to they find themselves embroiled in an increasingly sinister mystery. For this is not Simon's first coincidence in Greece. It is, in fact, not his only sinister tie to the island. For his brother had died in a small village not far outside of Delphi during the war. And just before his death, his brother had sent a rather strange message home. A letter some many years old which Simon has just seen, bringing him to Greece to solve a mystery and land in another. What awaits them in the hills of this vast, ancient culture is unsure but the lure and mystery of Greece has them firmly in it's grasp. The question is, will it ever let them go? Or are they destined to become part of the rich history of this ancient place?
This is a typical Stewart mystery, masterfully written with a sense of peril in the smallest acts and the bravery of the hero and heroine ever at the forefront. Simon is a wonderful hero -- stoic, cheerful, loyal, responsible, caring. While Camilla shines just a bit less she is a well drawn out, likable thoughtful character and has just enough of a sense of adventure to land her squarely in this type of scrape. My one problem came at the end of the book where they made a decision about something which did not in any way belong to them and was in no way their decision to make. Other than that, I loved this story and would recommend it to any fan of mysteries.
Tea: For something this very English, Earl Grey all the way!
genre: Romantic Suspense circa 1950's
grade: B+
It could have been sheer dumb luck. Or it could have been the fact that Camilla Haven had thrown her fate to the winds by writing the words "Nothing ever happens to me" while sitting in an outdoor cafe in the land of the gods. Whatever caused it, Camilla's trip to Greece takes an exciting turn just as she finishes writing those words. For out of the crowd comes a Greek, apologetic and flustered, assuring her that the car she was to deliver to Mr. Simon was now ready, he was sorry for being late and would she please take the car and go now. He knew the matter was urgent. She, however, knew nothing of the matter whatsoever. Still, after a token pressing she takes the car and heads off to Delphi in search of a "Mr. Simon" to whom she is to deliver the car. By happy circumstance she finds him but lands into yet another mystery since he had never requested a car.
While Camilla and the charming Simon work to find who the car should actually be going to they find themselves embroiled in an increasingly sinister mystery. For this is not Simon's first coincidence in Greece. It is, in fact, not his only sinister tie to the island. For his brother had died in a small village not far outside of Delphi during the war. And just before his death, his brother had sent a rather strange message home. A letter some many years old which Simon has just seen, bringing him to Greece to solve a mystery and land in another. What awaits them in the hills of this vast, ancient culture is unsure but the lure and mystery of Greece has them firmly in it's grasp. The question is, will it ever let them go? Or are they destined to become part of the rich history of this ancient place?
This is a typical Stewart mystery, masterfully written with a sense of peril in the smallest acts and the bravery of the hero and heroine ever at the forefront. Simon is a wonderful hero -- stoic, cheerful, loyal, responsible, caring. While Camilla shines just a bit less she is a well drawn out, likable thoughtful character and has just enough of a sense of adventure to land her squarely in this type of scrape. My one problem came at the end of the book where they made a decision about something which did not in any way belong to them and was in no way their decision to make. Other than that, I loved this story and would recommend it to any fan of mysteries.
Tea: For something this very English, Earl Grey all the way!
Running Wild
author: Sarah McCarty
genre: Paranormal Romance/Romantica/Anthology
grade: C/C-
Just to clarify, romance novels to me aren't quite this graphic in terms of language usage. And the sex was pretty hot so I called it a romantica.
Story: Werewolf Donovan is a Protector (which came across as police/military) for his pack. He is on a mission for the pack when he finds his True Mate, a young human woman. A young human woman in need of his help. But Lisa Delaney is nothing if not independent. Can Donovan convince her that she needs his help -- and his love?
This is a romance so the answer to that is obviously yes. The only real question is, how. And how is through a lot of lust talk and that type of banter of "I hate you, I hate you, oh you turn me on!" that is unique to a certain type of romance novel. There is some action as Donovan helps Lisa take care of a problem but mostly we have a lot of hot love talk.
Kelon is Donovan's brother and also a Protector. He comes to help his brother deal with Lisa's problems and discovers his true mate in Lisa's sister Robin. Robin has some big issues to deal with and Kelon knows he is just the male to help her do it. This story pretty much followed the course of Lisa and Donovan's tale with a new villain to shake things up.
Wyatt is the Alpha of Donovan and Kelon's pack and a close friend of the two protectors. D and K know Wyatt is in trouble and are itching to get back and help him but they will have to take their mates with them. Then a glitch in this plan occurs when the third Delaney girl appears in the form of Heather. Practical, sensible Heather doesn't believe these men are werewolves (and the men can't transform for her for various silly reasons) but she does think they are good for her sisters, in spite of the delusion. She is less than thrilled however when they insist on taking her to the werewolf compound with them since the problems at home are nowhere near solved and the men fear she would be in danger by staying. Once at the compound Heather has her eyes and mind opened to many things -- can she also open her heart?
I think if you like the style of book that has the relationship built around the two arguing over silly issues, succumbing to lust and then recognizing love you will find these stories really great. Otherwise, I would give them a big miss.
Tea: Something cold and sweet. The sex scenes were hot and long.
genre: Paranormal Romance/Romantica/Anthology
grade: C/C-
Just to clarify, romance novels to me aren't quite this graphic in terms of language usage. And the sex was pretty hot so I called it a romantica.
Story: Werewolf Donovan is a Protector (which came across as police/military) for his pack. He is on a mission for the pack when he finds his True Mate, a young human woman. A young human woman in need of his help. But Lisa Delaney is nothing if not independent. Can Donovan convince her that she needs his help -- and his love?
This is a romance so the answer to that is obviously yes. The only real question is, how. And how is through a lot of lust talk and that type of banter of "I hate you, I hate you, oh you turn me on!" that is unique to a certain type of romance novel. There is some action as Donovan helps Lisa take care of a problem but mostly we have a lot of hot love talk.
Kelon is Donovan's brother and also a Protector. He comes to help his brother deal with Lisa's problems and discovers his true mate in Lisa's sister Robin. Robin has some big issues to deal with and Kelon knows he is just the male to help her do it. This story pretty much followed the course of Lisa and Donovan's tale with a new villain to shake things up.
Wyatt is the Alpha of Donovan and Kelon's pack and a close friend of the two protectors. D and K know Wyatt is in trouble and are itching to get back and help him but they will have to take their mates with them. Then a glitch in this plan occurs when the third Delaney girl appears in the form of Heather. Practical, sensible Heather doesn't believe these men are werewolves (and the men can't transform for her for various silly reasons) but she does think they are good for her sisters, in spite of the delusion. She is less than thrilled however when they insist on taking her to the werewolf compound with them since the problems at home are nowhere near solved and the men fear she would be in danger by staying. Once at the compound Heather has her eyes and mind opened to many things -- can she also open her heart?
I think if you like the style of book that has the relationship built around the two arguing over silly issues, succumbing to lust and then recognizing love you will find these stories really great. Otherwise, I would give them a big miss.
Tea: Something cold and sweet. The sex scenes were hot and long.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wings
author: Aprilynne Pike
Genra: YA fantasy
Grade: A
Laurel has been home schooled her whole life but her mom has decided that high school is the time she needs to get out, go to public school and have fun. To that end they leave their cabin in the woods -- a home that has been in her mom's family for generations -- and head out to a medium sized town with a decent high school and a wonderful business opportunity for her parents. Money is tight so they are thinking of selling the ancestral lands but other than that, things are looking pretty good. Her dad is loving owning his own bookstore. Her mom is loving the time she can spend doing things other than teach Laurel. And Laurel is making friends at the school. They are even pretty tolerant of her need to spend every spare minute out among trees and plants.
But things are turning weird for Laurel. Well, they have always been a bit weird. She can't drink diet sodas, only the real stuff, or she gets sick. She is on an extreme vegan diet because her body can't tolerate anything else. But she is happy and healthy until one day she finds a bump on her back. Which grows. And grows. And suddenly . . . it blossoms.
I loved this little gem of a story with its fascinating new look at the fairy realm and everything that goes with that. Laurel, David and Tam are all well drawn characters and Laurel's discoveries of the world that exists outside of the one she always knew are handled deftly. The author has created a world that is just right in terms of balancing world building between too much information. The story is told simply but with care to detail. And it is intriguing enough to make you want to keep turning pages, even when dishes are piling in the sink.
I loved this book and give it a big thumbs up.
On the side: One of the things I am jealous of with this generation is their YA lit. I mean, these books are some of the most fabulous things ever! I especially like how, unlike my generations YA lit, they are about things other than periods or sex or popularity. They tell wonderful stories. Why that fell out of vogue for twenty or so years I will never know but I am glad to see things back on track.
Tea: Country Peach Passion by those wonderful folks at Celestial Seasonings. Read the book, you'll know why.
Genra: YA fantasy
Grade: A
Laurel has been home schooled her whole life but her mom has decided that high school is the time she needs to get out, go to public school and have fun. To that end they leave their cabin in the woods -- a home that has been in her mom's family for generations -- and head out to a medium sized town with a decent high school and a wonderful business opportunity for her parents. Money is tight so they are thinking of selling the ancestral lands but other than that, things are looking pretty good. Her dad is loving owning his own bookstore. Her mom is loving the time she can spend doing things other than teach Laurel. And Laurel is making friends at the school. They are even pretty tolerant of her need to spend every spare minute out among trees and plants.
But things are turning weird for Laurel. Well, they have always been a bit weird. She can't drink diet sodas, only the real stuff, or she gets sick. She is on an extreme vegan diet because her body can't tolerate anything else. But she is happy and healthy until one day she finds a bump on her back. Which grows. And grows. And suddenly . . . it blossoms.
I loved this little gem of a story with its fascinating new look at the fairy realm and everything that goes with that. Laurel, David and Tam are all well drawn characters and Laurel's discoveries of the world that exists outside of the one she always knew are handled deftly. The author has created a world that is just right in terms of balancing world building between too much information. The story is told simply but with care to detail. And it is intriguing enough to make you want to keep turning pages, even when dishes are piling in the sink.
I loved this book and give it a big thumbs up.
On the side: One of the things I am jealous of with this generation is their YA lit. I mean, these books are some of the most fabulous things ever! I especially like how, unlike my generations YA lit, they are about things other than periods or sex or popularity. They tell wonderful stories. Why that fell out of vogue for twenty or so years I will never know but I am glad to see things back on track.
Tea: Country Peach Passion by those wonderful folks at Celestial Seasonings. Read the book, you'll know why.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
TBR Pile Challenge: A Spell for Sussanah
Author: Jody Wallace
Grade: C
Read: January 1, 2010
Susannah is the eldest daughter in a small kingdom of the middle kingdoms. When she is born the fairy Malady places upon her a curse that she will marry "a man not of her choosing." This curse was apparently soooo horrible that the Kings and Queens of the middle kingdoms banned Malady from the human realms. Before the ban could be read into effect however, Malady gave them a parting curse: No male children would be born to the nobility. Ever again.
The Kings and Queens try to bargain with the fairy council but the fae claim it would be against professional ethics to involve themselves in curse interference unless serious damage has been done. There are daughters still being born to the nobility, their are sons in the peasant and merchant classes being born ergo no real damage has been done.
But there has been damage done. The laws of the middle kingdoms decree that noble women can't marry outside their class, own property, live on their own or rule and those laws mean that there are many cranky, unmarried noble women living at home. The shortage of noble husbands also means that for many kingdoms, the time of the inheritance will be coming to an end. Who will rule when the generation of noble male rulers that now exists is at an end? Enter Susannah and her sisters. They are twelve young women living at home ranging in age from thirty to 13. When it is discovered (by them only) that Sussanah can do magic, they resolve to solve the problem.
Things go wrong of course. The door Sussanah was supposed to open into the realm of fairy actually opened into an enchanted kingdom full of young men who want nothing but to dance with the princesses who walk through the door. As the princesses begin to take nightly excursions to this enchanted realm where they wear out their slippers, their parents grow concerned. And angry. What is happening? Why? Guards don't work. Separating the girls doesn't work. Nothing works until . . . .
Enter Jon Tom. A Detective, something unheard of in the kingdoms. This handsome commoner assures the Queen that he will be able to get to the bottom of the mystery of the 12 dancing princesses. . . . .
This book was a cross between a medieval fantasy and a modern day farce. While the humor was mild it was definitely on the silly side. The characters all have modern sensibilities. And the resolution of the problems seemed nonsensical to me. I also didn't get the "evil" of Sussanah's curse since it sounded as though she would have been marrying a man of her parents choosing anyway.
It was a light read and taken as that it is in the OK realm. Readable but nothing to write home about.
On the other hand, I am thrilled to have this book off my TBR pile where it has languished for several months! One down and many to go.
Tea: Celestial Seasonings has several good varieties of Red Tea. I recommend the Moroccan Pomegranate
Grade: C
Read: January 1, 2010
Susannah is the eldest daughter in a small kingdom of the middle kingdoms. When she is born the fairy Malady places upon her a curse that she will marry "a man not of her choosing." This curse was apparently soooo horrible that the Kings and Queens of the middle kingdoms banned Malady from the human realms. Before the ban could be read into effect however, Malady gave them a parting curse: No male children would be born to the nobility. Ever again.
The Kings and Queens try to bargain with the fairy council but the fae claim it would be against professional ethics to involve themselves in curse interference unless serious damage has been done. There are daughters still being born to the nobility, their are sons in the peasant and merchant classes being born ergo no real damage has been done.
But there has been damage done. The laws of the middle kingdoms decree that noble women can't marry outside their class, own property, live on their own or rule and those laws mean that there are many cranky, unmarried noble women living at home. The shortage of noble husbands also means that for many kingdoms, the time of the inheritance will be coming to an end. Who will rule when the generation of noble male rulers that now exists is at an end? Enter Susannah and her sisters. They are twelve young women living at home ranging in age from thirty to 13. When it is discovered (by them only) that Sussanah can do magic, they resolve to solve the problem.
Things go wrong of course. The door Sussanah was supposed to open into the realm of fairy actually opened into an enchanted kingdom full of young men who want nothing but to dance with the princesses who walk through the door. As the princesses begin to take nightly excursions to this enchanted realm where they wear out their slippers, their parents grow concerned. And angry. What is happening? Why? Guards don't work. Separating the girls doesn't work. Nothing works until . . . .
Enter Jon Tom. A Detective, something unheard of in the kingdoms. This handsome commoner assures the Queen that he will be able to get to the bottom of the mystery of the 12 dancing princesses. . . . .
This book was a cross between a medieval fantasy and a modern day farce. While the humor was mild it was definitely on the silly side. The characters all have modern sensibilities. And the resolution of the problems seemed nonsensical to me. I also didn't get the "evil" of Sussanah's curse since it sounded as though she would have been marrying a man of her parents choosing anyway.
It was a light read and taken as that it is in the OK realm. Readable but nothing to write home about.
On the other hand, I am thrilled to have this book off my TBR pile where it has languished for several months! One down and many to go.
Tea: Celestial Seasonings has several good varieties of Red Tea. I recommend the Moroccan Pomegranate
Catchup
I have been very bad about writing down everything I read. But here is hopefully a comprehensive catchup from the last month!
Graceling -- Kristin Cashore C/C-
This is a fantasy novel set in a medieval world where those with eyes of two different colors are born "graced". Perhaps your grace is as simple as being an excellent cook or being able to find lost keys but some graces are exceptionally powerful and evil. And the graced are not loved as a result. Lovely Katsa has such a grace. Hers is the power to kill, to hurt, to destroy at will. And a young noble girl with such a power can be only one thing in the hands of a noble uncle: An assassin.
Katsa never expects to fall in love or meet someone who can love her in return. But an act of kindness sends her on a journey where she encounters just that -- and so much more.
The book was interesting but definitely a freshmen effort. There were small holes in the plot line easily found and it was difficult for me to follow the idea of the council and some of the things involved in that. I will probably read book two but am not dying to get my hands on it or anything.
Tea: Maybe a highly sweetened chamomile.
Bloody Good Georgia Evans A-/B+
Vampires are running around the British country side during WWII. Their mission? To sabotage the English and bring the Empire down from within. But when the cruel and sadistic vamps land in a rural country village outside London the last thing they expect to find are some powerful Others. As country doctor Alice Doyle, her grandmother, an elderly guard and a wonderful new comer all come together to fight the vamps a wonderful tale unfolds. In many ways light hearted and fun, this little gem pulls you into an England teeming with the things of fairy tale. I heartily recommend it.
Tea: A lovely pot of Earl Grey or English Breakfast is in order here.
The Fire King Marjorie M. Liu C
Soria is beautiful human woman with a past that contains a horror that marks her to this day. The loss of her arm is a haunting loss but it was the betrayal of a friendship that hurts most of all. But when she Dirk and Steele contact her for a special assignment that only she can fulfill, she puts her language skills at their disposal. Her assignment is Karr, a shape shifter of unusual powers who believes he died three thousand years ago. So how is he alive now? And why? As the two try to find the answer to this riddle being chased by gunman may be the least threat they face. How can two hearts so vulnerable be open to love once more?
This book took a lot for me to get into. I just never felt the pull I should have from the two characters. Add that to the fact that Liu's universe has an everything but the kitchen sink feel to it and you come up with a book that drags more than it delights. Still, Liu is a skilled writer and this is an interesting addition to her series.
Tea: Something very basic, like a Lipton, but make it warm to help heat up the action!
Skinned
Robin Wasserman
Grade: Not sure
Lia Khan had it all. Wealth. Popularity. Beauty. And then an accident happens and she finds herself in a computerized body. The brain is her: downloaded from bio into mechanical. But is she her? Or just a machine who wants to believe she is?
Asimov did a short story many, many years ago with this premise and the question asked here is the same. As Lia tries to fit in her old life and old family the whole idea of is she the old her or a new, something different her guides the whole story. And if she is something different, is that something different a good or bad thing?
This is probably the darkest book I have read all year (and this is after several WWII novels and a book about teens killing each other in an arena designed for the entertainment of the privileged.) It isn't just the questions asked but the horrors that happen all around that take you to dark places. It also has a strong, anti-religious bent. In the end I can't give it an A. A crucial question in the book was never asked. For those curious it is only a mild spoiler but I will warning you anyway, read at own risk. spoiler * Early in the story they tell you the bodies only last 50 yrs. and then you have to be downloaded again. And an accident on Lia's part reveals you have to be careful with the bodies. And then the author seems to forget that and makes it sound like the characters are immortal and indestructible rather than at the mercy of their human engineers. Given what probably happened to Lia the first time she was "out" I can't help thinking that was a pretty big flaw in the plot.end spoiler* That might be addressed in book two (which I have on reserve at the library but am not sure I will read) but in the end all I can say is the book is an emotionally intense and riveting read.
Tea: Comfort tea. Whatever comforts or soothes most, read this with it.
Graceling -- Kristin Cashore C/C-
This is a fantasy novel set in a medieval world where those with eyes of two different colors are born "graced". Perhaps your grace is as simple as being an excellent cook or being able to find lost keys but some graces are exceptionally powerful and evil. And the graced are not loved as a result. Lovely Katsa has such a grace. Hers is the power to kill, to hurt, to destroy at will. And a young noble girl with such a power can be only one thing in the hands of a noble uncle: An assassin.
Katsa never expects to fall in love or meet someone who can love her in return. But an act of kindness sends her on a journey where she encounters just that -- and so much more.
The book was interesting but definitely a freshmen effort. There were small holes in the plot line easily found and it was difficult for me to follow the idea of the council and some of the things involved in that. I will probably read book two but am not dying to get my hands on it or anything.
Tea: Maybe a highly sweetened chamomile.
Bloody Good Georgia Evans A-/B+
Vampires are running around the British country side during WWII. Their mission? To sabotage the English and bring the Empire down from within. But when the cruel and sadistic vamps land in a rural country village outside London the last thing they expect to find are some powerful Others. As country doctor Alice Doyle, her grandmother, an elderly guard and a wonderful new comer all come together to fight the vamps a wonderful tale unfolds. In many ways light hearted and fun, this little gem pulls you into an England teeming with the things of fairy tale. I heartily recommend it.
Tea: A lovely pot of Earl Grey or English Breakfast is in order here.
The Fire King Marjorie M. Liu C
Soria is beautiful human woman with a past that contains a horror that marks her to this day. The loss of her arm is a haunting loss but it was the betrayal of a friendship that hurts most of all. But when she Dirk and Steele contact her for a special assignment that only she can fulfill, she puts her language skills at their disposal. Her assignment is Karr, a shape shifter of unusual powers who believes he died three thousand years ago. So how is he alive now? And why? As the two try to find the answer to this riddle being chased by gunman may be the least threat they face. How can two hearts so vulnerable be open to love once more?
This book took a lot for me to get into. I just never felt the pull I should have from the two characters. Add that to the fact that Liu's universe has an everything but the kitchen sink feel to it and you come up with a book that drags more than it delights. Still, Liu is a skilled writer and this is an interesting addition to her series.
Tea: Something very basic, like a Lipton, but make it warm to help heat up the action!
Skinned
Robin Wasserman
Grade: Not sure
Lia Khan had it all. Wealth. Popularity. Beauty. And then an accident happens and she finds herself in a computerized body. The brain is her: downloaded from bio into mechanical. But is she her? Or just a machine who wants to believe she is?
Asimov did a short story many, many years ago with this premise and the question asked here is the same. As Lia tries to fit in her old life and old family the whole idea of is she the old her or a new, something different her guides the whole story. And if she is something different, is that something different a good or bad thing?
This is probably the darkest book I have read all year (and this is after several WWII novels and a book about teens killing each other in an arena designed for the entertainment of the privileged.) It isn't just the questions asked but the horrors that happen all around that take you to dark places. It also has a strong, anti-religious bent. In the end I can't give it an A. A crucial question in the book was never asked. For those curious it is only a mild spoiler but I will warning you anyway, read at own risk. spoiler * Early in the story they tell you the bodies only last 50 yrs. and then you have to be downloaded again. And an accident on Lia's part reveals you have to be careful with the bodies. And then the author seems to forget that and makes it sound like the characters are immortal and indestructible rather than at the mercy of their human engineers. Given what probably happened to Lia the first time she was "out" I can't help thinking that was a pretty big flaw in the plot.end spoiler* That might be addressed in book two (which I have on reserve at the library but am not sure I will read) but in the end all I can say is the book is an emotionally intense and riveting read.
Tea: Comfort tea. Whatever comforts or soothes most, read this with it.
Friday, January 1, 2010
TBR Pile Challenge
For those lucky few not familiar with it a TBR Pile is a To Be Read pile, a pile full of those books you were eager to buy but not so eager to read. Or books you were given and didn't have the good sense to rush to the used book store. So now there they are. Taking up space. This year I have determined upon a simple plan. I will eliminate at least some of those books. I will be disciplined enough to add fewer than I eliminate. I will finally get to at least some (if not all) of the books I have been meaning to get to and just haven't.
Here is my plan: For every time I buy books or get a bunch from the library I will pull a book off the pile and read it.
I won't kid you -- it will be slow going. But I expect to find some real gems in there. I mean, there was a reason I bought these books to begin with, right? I began this week with "A Spell for Susannah" by Jody Wallace. It wasn't brilliant but it was a solid C. I'm glad I eliminated it from the pile and plan to pick up a second from the TBR pile this week, after I finish a library book.
I challenge you all to do the same. Let's get those piles down and discover the hidden treasures within.
Maggie
Here is my plan: For every time I buy books or get a bunch from the library I will pull a book off the pile and read it.
I won't kid you -- it will be slow going. But I expect to find some real gems in there. I mean, there was a reason I bought these books to begin with, right? I began this week with "A Spell for Susannah" by Jody Wallace. It wasn't brilliant but it was a solid C. I'm glad I eliminated it from the pile and plan to pick up a second from the TBR pile this week, after I finish a library book.
I challenge you all to do the same. Let's get those piles down and discover the hidden treasures within.
Maggie
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