Oh, my goodness, I now need to listen to all of the Outlander series on audiobook! Or at least I do if they are all read by voice actors as wonderful...moreOh, my goodness, I now need to listen to all of the Outlander series on audiobook! Or at least I do if they are all read by voice actors as wonderful as Jeff Woodman & Rick Holmes. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when this book started playing, and I was so grateful that it was 13 CDs long. Bliss!
The Grey brothers have extensive evidence of corruption by an army officer and set out to track him down and bring him to justice. Among the papers in the packet of evidence is a poem they believe to be written in "Erse" (the language of the Scottish Highlanders), so John's brother Harold sends soldiers to fetch Jamie from Hellwater and bring him to London to translate what turns out to be an Irish poem. To Jamie's dismay, a former comrade and die-hard Irish Jacobite, Tobias Quinn, has followed him there. Next thing Jamie knows, he's on a boat to Ireland with both Lord John & Quinn, battling brutal seasickness and trying to convince his unwelcome Irish companion that the Jacobite cause is dead and should be put to rest.
This novel is sort of a bridge between Gabaldon's Outlander series and her Lord John series. It features both Jamie Fraser and Lord John Grey and takes place during 1760 when Jamie is "on parole" at Hellwater--after Ardsmuir Prison but before being free & Claire coming back. The chapters switch back and forth between Jamie's & John's points of view, and the voice actors likewise switch back and forth, doing the voices for all the people in their respective chapters.
I've seen a thread on Goodreads of people complaining about the narrators--Rick Holmes, in particular--and I do not understand why they are so displeased. True, I am not Scottish and have never (yet) been to Scotland and cannot therefore say for sure how accurate Holmes' Scottish accent is, but sheesh! His voice is wonderful and brought Jamie to life in a whole new way for me!
For readers' advisors: Like Gabaldon's other Outlander books, this one is pretty long and involves intertwining subplots and political intrigue. There is some relatively graphic sexual content, but no real sex scenes (it's all memory, fantasy, and dreams). There is quite a lot of swearing but all of it makes contextual sense. Character and setting doorways are primary; story is secondary.(less)
I usually like Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick's paranormal romance novels. They're enjoyable formulaic escapism. So maybe it was listening to this one...moreI usually like Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick's paranormal romance novels. They're enjoyable formulaic escapism. So maybe it was listening to this one on CD that made the difference, made me realize just how repetitive and ridiculous the language, characters, and story were. At first I was excited that finally one of these novels didn't have the instantaneous, sizzling mutual attraction between the two main characters, but no, that did not last or make the hero or heroine at all three-dimensional. This romance sped straight through the usual absurd pattern of lust masquerading as love. I think I got eye strain from rolling my eyes so much and gagging during every single romance-focused sentence.
And for pete's sake, use a thesaurus! Employ some plain old imagination. STOP saying idiotic things like "his eyes heated," "her eyes were hot," "he jacked his senses," "resonating frequencies of their auras," etc. Find a new way to show or explain what is going on. Stop relying on the same tired expressions you've used thousands of times in dozens of other books. In fact, next time, please try eliminating all forms of the words "hot" and "jacked." (There are about a dozen other words I'd like to see vanish from the book, but mercifully I cannot recall them at this moment.)
What's the book about? Oh right--the story. A paranormal books dealer is being blackmailed and pursued for her ability to "unlock the psi-code" of a forty-year-old lab notebook, so she hires someone to find the blackmailer, and he hires her to find the book. A couple of crazy people try to kidnap and kill her, yadda yadda. Some supposedly-hot sex happens (see above comment about eye rolling). If you've read one, you've read 'em all.
For readers' advisors: story doorway, if I have to pick something. Some sex scenes and swearing.(less)
Struggling modiste Katrina Sinclair lets herself be talked into switching places with her childhood friend, Julia Dupont, the Marchioness of Lanarkshi...moreStruggling modiste Katrina Sinclair lets herself be talked into switching places with her childhood friend, Julia Dupont, the Marchioness of Lanarkshire, at Lady Marshall's house party in the country. Katrina needs the money Julia's patronage could bring, and she is indebted to Julia's father for saving her from charges of murdering her husband, so she gives in to the emotional blackmail and takes Julia's place for the week. Meanwhile, Leo Kincade, Julia's former fiance, has been tasked with tracking a jewel thief rumored to be planning to steal a tiara from one of Lady Marshall's guests and sell it to aid Napoleon. Leo knows immediately that Julia is not quite herself, and things get even trickier for Katrina when Julia's husband arrives unexpectedly, as does Katrina's vengeful brother-in-law.
This book has so much potential! I really wanted to like it, and I did at first. However, I was reading a galley copy badly in need of one more round of editing. The occasional typos were distracting (i.e. "produce" instead of "product," etc.), but more distracting was the overuse of particular words. Note to Ms. Soliman: if you are going to use a distinctive word like "somnolent," for example, do not use it more than once or twice and definitely not within a few pages of each other.
The use of the word "rumbled" was even more troublesome for me. In context it meant "to expose as a fraud," and yet every single time I read it, my brain substituted the word "tumbled," and I had to back up and re-read the section to clarify that Soliman was not talking about any form of sexual encounter. I'm sure it was exciting to use what I assume to be a historically accurate slang term, but I was yanked out of the story each and every time, which is irritating. Use it once and clearly, and then pull out your thesaurus and get creative from there on out, please!
As for the story itself, the premise was interesting: who was stealing jewels and why was Julia so desperate to sneak away without her husband's knowledge? The trouble I had with it was: 1) The plot holes were huge. (Really?! No one is going to notice a society lady has been replaced by her dressmaker?! Not even her HUSBAND, friends, or former lover?!) 2) The characters' behavior and motivations felt inconsistent. It's one thing to have multi-dimensional characters, it's another to make them lurch from one personality trait to another. 3) The end was confusing (Did I miss something? Why were all these minor characters suddenly appearing, apparently in on the sting? How does it make sense that Julia & her father showed up at the last second?). 4) One of the Big Secrets was quite obvious to me from the very earliest pages of the book, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to have figured it out then or not.
For readers' advisors: (historical) setting and story would be my best guess at appeal factors for this one. But I would suggest Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, Julia Quinn, or Eloisa James instead. (less)
Five years ago, Minka Shokat was falsely accused of treason and kicked out of Central Command, so she's not their biggest fan. But she still needs the...moreFive years ago, Minka Shokat was falsely accused of treason and kicked out of Central Command, so she's not their biggest fan. But she still needs their money, so she and her partners, Anjali and Tex, occasionally transport Central Command cargo in their modified junkheap of a Wayfarer Class spaceship. When Minka discovers that this time their cargo is accompanied by the gorgeous ex-boyfriend who didn't support or defend her, she is furious. When she finds out their "cargo" is the very general who brought the charges against her in the first place, she is livid. However angry she is, though, she first has to survive the journey, and that is no easy task when hostile ships are attacking from all directions.
While reading this novel (novella?), all I could think about was Firefly. The characters were different, of course, and the universe wasn't as fleshed out, but there were many similarities: futuristic setting of humans colonizing other planets, centralized galactic governmental agency bad guys, struggling independent spaceship crew, innovative defenses based on designs by the brilliant crew members, etc. Minka's little pine tree for some reason always made the phrase "Earth that was" run through my head.
It was an entertaining and quick read. Not very deep or complex, just fun. I think it would have benefited from being a little longer--more time to develop the story instead of rushing through the exposition via the gossipy Tex, and no need to skip entirely over the delivery of the rest of their cargo or gloss over the battles to get to the happy ending.
For readers' advisors: story doorway primary, setting secondary. No sex, but there is some swearing.(less)
Jean Sasson has written several other well-known books (The Rape of Kuwait and Growing Up bin Laden, for example), but this is her own story of going...moreJean Sasson has written several other well-known books (The Rape of Kuwait and Growing Up bin Laden, for example), but this is her own story of going to live in Saudi Arabia in 1978 as a single, blond, American woman. She was and is a champion for women's rights in a region of the world where women are still very much second-class citizens. Sasson was an extraordinarily adventurous woman in an era where even Western women were just learning to spread their wings. (My biggest accomplishments in 1978 were learning to read and attending preschool, so I can't say I have much first-hand experience of this struggle.)
As interesting as I found her stories, I was disappointed that the book felt hastily written. It's extremely short, for one thing--only 67 pages of the 80 in my eBook version from NetGalley were written by Jean Sasson. And not much time is spent on setting the scene or laying out a coherent storyline. I was nearly to the end before I realized that Jean was not the 23-year-old ingenue I'd been picturing but rather a 30-ish twice-divorced woman. Perhaps I should have done some research on her before reading her memoir? I did read in one of the appendices that more information, including a timeline, is available on her website. Too bad that wasn't in the book!
In addition to the feeling of skipping thither and yon, I got the impression that this slim volume was written not so much to tell Jean's amazing life story but to highlight a particular viewpoint about women's lack of freedom in Saudi Arabia both then and now. It felt evangelical, like a crusade, which made me uncomfortable despite my belief that Saudi women are long overdue for a cultural revolution resulting in equal rights. For a memoir, very little of the book focuses on Jean's daily life in Riyadh. And if she's going to use the book as a pulpit for freedom, I'd have liked to read more of an in-depth analysis of her day(s?) beneath the all-encompassing black robes and veils. In her thirty years in the Arab world, surely she must have witnessed a variety of responses to the restrictive modes of dress?
Then again, I did just read a Goodreads posting from Jean herself letting readers know that this is only part one of what she envisions as a 5-volume memoir, so perhaps later portions will fill in some details. Obviously I am not the only reader/reviewer who wished for more of the story. Had there been more substance to this first part than tales of three Saudi women she met from different backgrounds and their experiences with their husbands and veils, I would likely have rated the book three or even four stars. As fascinating (and sad, in the later two cases) as the women's stories were, the telling felt more like a campaign than a reflecting back, as I'd hope a memoir to be. Nevertheless, I will be interested in reading volume two to see what improvements and additions Sasson makes. (less)
Full disclosure: I received a free ebook copy from the author herself. Thanks, Anya!
While sneaking out of a window to avoid being trapped into matrimo...moreFull disclosure: I received a free ebook copy from the author herself. Thanks, Anya!
While sneaking out of a window to avoid being trapped into matrimony, Lord Richard Hamilton encounters Miss Emma Grey cursing inventively in the darkness and immediately falls in love with her. Because her uncle, the Duke of Arden, has his doubts about the match and wishes them to wait a year to marry, the young lovers agree to Richard's harebrained scheme to disguise himself as an elderly gardener so he can follow Emma to the duke's home and find a way to somehow compromise her, thereby forcing the wedding date to be moved up. Unsurprisingly, nothing goes quite as planned, and soon Richard's best friend is called in to pretend to be Richard, while the real Richard tries to avoid being blackmailed by the duke's widowed sister. Emma's cousin is dismayed to find herself pursued by Emma's supposed fiance, and he is horrified to find himself pursued by her houseguest.
I enjoyed this light historical-romance-turned-murder-mystery. It was fun, and the scene with the mouse in the breakfast room made me laugh out loud. The novel's tone reminded me often of Noel Coward plays: bordering on farcical. Willing suspension of disbelief is required, for there is simply no way an earl in 1800s England could ever hope to successfully masquerade as a duke's head gardener, not even to win a ridiculous wager. Ask anyone who's ever seen Gosford Park or Downton Abbey--servants had their own hierarchy, rules, patterns of speech, and customs, and no earl would ever have been able to fool any of them for a moment.
Still, the silliness was a breath of fresh air during a gloomy week in February, and thankfully Ms. Wylde didn't spend too much time describing the canoodling couples, as those sections often made my eyes roll.
For readers' advisors: story doorway is primary, setting is secondary. There are no real sex scenes, and only mild period swearing.(less)
Gateway is the story of Daiyu, a Chinese-American teenager who buys a ring at a fair in St. Louis, MO, and ends up in a world ca...more3 1/2 stars, actually.
Gateway is the story of Daiyu, a Chinese-American teenager who buys a ring at a fair in St. Louis, MO, and ends up in a world called Jia the instant she walks under the St. Louis Arch. She's been brought there to infiltrate the upper echelons of the local Han society and get close enough to the charming prime minister that she can slap a bracelet on his wrist and send him back to his own world before he can do any more damage on Jia. During her training, she falls in love with a young stonepicker called Kalen, who is the only person she's certain she can trust.
This is the first of Sharon Shinn's books set partially in our world--specifically modern-day St. Louis. I found it a little difficult to get into the story for some reason (most likely because I ended up reading in such short chunks), and I thought the characters were a little less well developed than usual. But the story gets quite exciting by the end, and I did enjoy the book overall. I just had a hard time believing in the romance between Daiyu & Kalen, and I wish Aurora & Ombri's characters had been more three-dimensional.
For reader's advisory purposes, the main doorway was story. Character was probably intended to be the secondary doorway.(less)
A light, sweet read. Basically a modern version of the Nativity story. Nominally a romance, although that's the weakest part of the plot. The heroine,...moreA light, sweet read. Basically a modern version of the Nativity story. Nominally a romance, although that's the weakest part of the plot. The heroine, Mary Jo, is 23 & very pregnant. Her brothers--the 3 Wyse men--follow her to Cedar Grove with the intent to find the father of her baby & make him marry her (which she really does not want). But they get lost on the way there. Meanwhile, Mary Jo has been taken in for the night by one of Macomber's familiar characters, Grace Harding, because there is no room in the local B&Bs. Baby decides to arrive early. If you've heard or read the Nativity, you pretty much know what's going to happen, but it's still a charming story. (less)
This book is both the start of a new spin-off series as well as a continuation of the Arcane Society series. The hero & heroine are not Arcane Soc...moreThis book is both the start of a new spin-off series as well as a continuation of the Arcane Society series. The hero & heroine are not Arcane Society members this time, but they are still dealing with the nefarious Nightshade organization, and we get to peek a bit more into Fallon Jones' life, which I found interesting. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same formula as the other books in this series: strong paranormal talents meet and must work together to survive and stop the bad guys...while simultaneously falling in love and having mind-blowing, psi-energy-enhanced sex. Not original, but still fun.(less)
This latest addition to the fictional world of the Arcane Society is both #8 in the Arcane Society series, as well as #2 in the Dreamlight Trilogy. No...moreThis latest addition to the fictional world of the Arcane Society is both #8 in the Arcane Society series, as well as #2 in the Dreamlight Trilogy. Nothing groundbreaking here, but it is a solid, entertaining read.
The Winters family has a "curse"--every once in a while, one of the men will inherit a tendency to develop paranormal talent at the age of 36 that goes beyond his original talent. He must locate both a dreamlight reader (a woman) as well as the Burning Lamp his ancestor created, and persuade the woman to use her talent and the lamp to prevent him from going mad. Enter Griffin Winters, late-19th-century London crime lord, and Adelaide Pyne, social reformer.
I had a hard time believing Griffin was really a crime lord--he was too honorable and, well, nice. Not brutal or unscrupulous enough. But otherwise it was a fun read. I enjoyed the appearances of other characters from earlier novels, despite wishing I had the previous books at hand to help jog my memory.
Reading Shades of Grey reminds me of reading George Orwell's books. This new series is still humorous but feels darker. It's set in a dystopian future...moreReading Shades of Grey reminds me of reading George Orwell's books. This new series is still humorous but feels darker. It's set in a dystopian future about 500 years after the mysterious Something That Happened. No one knows what this something was, but it must have been a major catastrophic event to have so radically altered the world.
In Eddie Russett's world, people can only see varying amounts of one color, and society is organized around a color-based hierarchy and the "infallible"--and seemingly endless--Rules of Munsell. The ideal is to be a high-perceiving Purple with loads of merits. Eddie is a Red on the verge of being tested for his level of color perception. But a prank he gets caught pulling lands him with Chair Census duty on the Outer Fringes, accompanying his father to East Carmine. And it's there that Eddie's education really begins, with a Yellow named Travis, a Grey named Jane, and an Apocryphal Man no one is supposed to see but everyone does.
The most frustrating thing about this book is that I now have to wait until the next one is published to find out more of what happens. It's definitely story-driven, with setting being a big "doorway" as well. (less)
I should preface my review by saying that graphic novels are not really my thing. I love reading comics in the paper and all, but this is only the sec...moreI should preface my review by saying that graphic novels are not really my thing. I love reading comics in the paper and all, but this is only the second graphic novel I have ever completed reading. It's not going to make me a GN convert, let's put it that way.
I had a hard time following along in the GN version of Outlander as told from Jamie's (and Murtagh's, among others) point of view. The artwork was lovely, but I could NOT keep the men's faces straight. They all looked nearly identical to me, and I had to rely on the skimpy dialogue to follow the story. Thank God I'd already read the real novels!
While I'm on the subject of the artwork, what is up with the artist's inability to keep Claire clothed?! I know Claire had a very curvy figure and all, but seriously, no matter what the outfit or context, she always had to be falling out of her flimsy bodices?! WAY too much cleavage to be believable. Capt. Randall's assumption that Claire was a prostitute became utterly logical and rational. She's drawn to look like a blowsy barmaid, for crying out loud!
I'm not certain who the target audience is for this GN version. Perhaps Diana Gabaldon wants to whet GN fans' appetites and get them to read the original series? The nature of this format is such that at least 85% of the story is missing, along with 98% of the character development and back story. It's like reading an abstract for a doctoral thesis. *sigh* In this case a picture really is NOT worth 1000 words. Ah well, I tried. And I stuck it out for the whole thing, just to be sure.
For readers' advisory: story doorway...or people with short attention spans?(less)
Thursday Next is back! Or no, wait, Thursday Next is missing! It's up to the written Thursday, with the assistance of her trusty butler, Sprockett, to...moreThursday Next is back! Or no, wait, Thursday Next is missing! It's up to the written Thursday, with the assistance of her trusty butler, Sprockett, to figure out what happened to her. What was she working on when she vanished, why did a book with its ISBN number scrubbed off suddenly dissolve and scatter a long swath of debris across numerous genres, and what is up with the murderous Men in Plaid?
The latest installment in the Thursday Next series takes place almost entirely within BookWorld. Fforde keeps readers on their toes with his literary humor, complicated plot twists, and off-the-wall imagination. I can't wait for the next one--there are lots of loose ends just waiting to be tied up. Or not. It is Jasper Fforde, after all. :)
For readers' advisors: setting and story doorways(less)
A fun adventure story featuring a young teen orphan (Cat Royal) trying to save her friend Pedro from being reclaimed into slavery by his evil master i...moreA fun adventure story featuring a young teen orphan (Cat Royal) trying to save her friend Pedro from being reclaimed into slavery by his evil master in 1790s London. Very fast-paced and exciting! It's the 2nd in a series (1st was The Diamond of Drury Lane), and I'm looking forward to reading the third (Den of Thieves)!
For Readers' Advisors: story doorway, with setting & character as secondary doorways(less)
I love Tamora Pierce! I'm usually not a big short story fan, but these are great--perfect for reading on lunch breaks. She ranges all over, telling st...moreI love Tamora Pierce! I'm usually not a big short story fan, but these are great--perfect for reading on lunch breaks. She ranges all over, telling stories involving past characters, to a couple of modern-day real-world tales (one magical and one not). I had no idea Pierce was once a housemother at a group home for teenage girls and that she has a background in psychology. That totally explains how she gets her characters to feel so real and to grow and develop.
For readers' advisors: character doorway is primary, with setting and story secondary(less)
Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange is a foundling, raised by the Sisterhood (officially "The Blessed Ladies of the Lobster") and serving out her indent...moreFifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange is a foundling, raised by the Sisterhood (officially "The Blessed Ladies of the Lobster") and serving out her indentured servitude as the acting manager of Kazam Mystical Arts Management, an organization of kooky wizards who do magic for hire. Magic has been steadily fading lately, however, and business is bad. And then one day there is a widespread premonition that Maltcassion, the last dragon, will be killed by the last Dragonslayer on Sunday at noon. Big Magic is coming, war is imminent...and Jennifer is right at the center of it.
Fans of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series will recognize his wacky sense of humor--just dive right in and go with it! The setting is again an alternate reality Britain, albeit a different version this time. Great fun for both teens and adults.
For readers' advisors: Setting and story doorways(less)
This was one of my all-time favorite books when I was a kid. Especially if it's read with a dramatic "Grover voice." :) My mom used to read it to me,...moreThis was one of my all-time favorite books when I was a kid. Especially if it's read with a dramatic "Grover voice." :) My mom used to read it to me, and then I used to take it with me in my "babysitting kit" when I was a teenager, and I read it to my babysitting charges. Over and over and over.
The premise of the book is that Grover has heard that there is a MONSTER at the end of the book, and he desperately tries to prevent you, the reader, from reaching the end of the book and the scary monster. He devises all sorts of ways to nail the pages shut, brick them up, etc., but of course that doesn't work. I won't spoil the ending for you, but it's pretty hilarious and can lead to teachable moments about fear.(less)
Amanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz writes quite formulaic stories, but the upside is that they are entertaining, quick reads. This latest one is set in Lon...moreAmanda Quick/Jayne Ann Krentz writes quite formulaic stories, but the upside is that they are entertaining, quick reads. This latest one is set in London in the late 1800s. Virginia Dean and Owen Sweetwater team up to figure out who is murdering glasslight readers before the killer succeeds in killing Virginia. The paranormal artifacts from In Too Deep reappear in this installment of the Arcane Society series, but this time they are brand new.
The romance in this novel felt forced, but the suspense kept me turning pages.
Meh. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars, maybe. The whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger triangle is getting really stale. I think Evanovich wrote herself into a corne...moreMeh. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars, maybe. The whole Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger triangle is getting really stale. I think Evanovich wrote herself into a corner when she based so much of the humor and sexual tension of her earlier books on those relationships. Who can Stephanie choose, and who gets the shaft? And would either choice be believable, or would it kill the series? I understand Evanovich's dilemma, but if she continues to do nothing, she's going to alienate readers by the droves.
There were a few chuckles in this book, but no belly laughs. The bail bonds office hasn't yet been rebuilt since it burnt to the ground, so Vinnie, Connie, Lula, & Stephanie are sharing "office space" in Mooner's bus. Then a backhoe uncovers a body where the dumpsters used to be, and the search is on to figure out who did it and why. (I actually guessed really early on who the killer was.) More bodies turn up. Business slows down. Vinnie comes up with some...creative advertising.
Meanwhile, Stephanie's mom decides Stephanie will never get married at the rate she's going, so she fixes Stephanie up with Dave Brewer, recently returned to the Burg to live with his folks after his divorce and a scandal over foreclosure fraud. Now Stephanie has three men, not just two, vying for her attention.
For readers' advisors: story doorway. The character development is virtually nonexistent in this one.(less)
Gemma Ranford gets a job cataloging the Frazier family's historical documents--boxes and boxes and boxes of them--and falls in love not only with the...moreGemma Ranford gets a job cataloging the Frazier family's historical documents--boxes and boxes and boxes of them--and falls in love not only with the town but also with the eldest Frazier son, Colin. He falls for her as well, which doesn't go over well with his ex-girlfriend, Jean, who still sees Colin as hers.
For a while this book was pretty exciting, but I felt like it fizzled out in the end. Had I written this review midway through reading the story, I would have almost categorized it as mystery or suspense because of the whole plot line with Jean's uncle (the international thief), but Deveraux doesn't take full advantage of it, unfortunately.
I wish I'd read books 1-5 in the series first, because there are just way too many hints and inside jokes about earlier plots involving Colin's friends and cousins. I always felt like I was missing something, although not necessarily anything crucial to the plot of this book.
Cat Royal's friend Syd has disappeared, so she and her friends go to London to find out what happened to him and along the way get press-ganged into b...moreCat Royal's friend Syd has disappeared, so she and her friends go to London to find out what happened to him and along the way get press-ganged into becoming part of the crew of a British naval vessel in late 1791. Turns out someone paid the press gang to ambush them specifically, and getting home will be harder than they thought.
I accidentally read this one before #3, and maybe that makes a bit of a difference? The story is enjoyable, if somewhat improbable. What makes it three stars instead of four is that I immediately figured out the mystery of who paid off the press gang, and there wasn't much in the way of character development.
There was a little more violence in this one than in the first two, although it was certainly realistic and not graphic. There was also a smidgen more teen angst.
For readers' advisors: story and setting doorways.(less)
When Miss Evangeline Ames awakens with the realization that an intruder is in her rental cottage, the only place to which she can flee is her landlord...moreWhen Miss Evangeline Ames awakens with the realization that an intruder is in her rental cottage, the only place to which she can flee is her landlord's dangerous Crystal Gardens. Inside the Gardens, the plants themselves glow with an eerie paranormal light, and her murderous prowler does not survive the encounter. The attempt on Evangeline's life gives Lucas Sebastian an excuse to indulge his attraction to his intriguing tenant, but he does not foresee how inviting her into his home will permanently overturn his bachelor existence. Evangeline not only isn't afraid of his dark talents, she is counting on them to keep her safe. Suddenly instead of two solitary men virtually camping out in a couple of the rooms, there are servants and family members filling a whole wing of the house, cleaning everything in sight.
This was a fun, quick read, full of the usual silliness about "heated eyes" and "raised [paranormal] senses" that substitutes for the solid foundation of a romantic relationship in Quick/Krentz/Castle's books. It follows her usual formula: strong, independent (...and yet somehow vapid) woman is irresistibly drawn to the dark, tormented, but honorable (and rich) gorgeous hunk of a man whose powerful attraction to her leads him to protect her from the Great Danger threatening her life, and through their teamwork they solve the puzzle, thwart the bad guy(s), and discover how her unique talents will heal the particular damage jeopardizing his psyche.
For readers' advisors: story doorway is primary, setting (late 1800s England) is secondary. Several semi-explicit sex scenes. (Ooh! Alliteration!)(less)
On the eve of the annual Lady Anne Ball at Pemberley, an hysterical Lydia Wickham arrives by coach, sobbing that her husband and Captain Denny are los...moreOn the eve of the annual Lady Anne Ball at Pemberley, an hysterical Lydia Wickham arrives by coach, sobbing that her husband and Captain Denny are lost in the woodland and possibly shot. Mr. Darcy and Captain Fitzwilliam mount a small search and rescue mission and discover a drunken Wickham kneeling over Denny's body, saying he's killed his only friend. They return to Pemberley and summon the magistrate and constables. But is Wickham really guilty of murder?
James does a pretty good job of summarizing Pride and Prejudice and keeping faithful to the original characterizations. The chain of events seems plausible for the world of Jane Austen, although James' use of the term "police" seems out of place for the time period. (The word existed, but did the "police force" exist as such?)
The epilogue to this book is quite unnecessary, however. The superfluous explanatory scene feels like it should have been put at the end of the original Pride and Prejudice instead (or cut entirely). It really has almost nothing to do with the murder mystery but rather is a conversation between Darcy and Elizabeth that primarily rehashes their bumpy courtship--a conversation which should logically have occurred during the engagement or honeymoon periods, not 6+ years into a good marriage.
Still, it was an enjoyable read.
For readers' advisors: story doorway is primary, setting is secondary(less)
All her life, Seraphina has had to hide the truth about herself, believing she is a monster. Still, musical talent like hers cannot remain hidden fore...moreAll her life, Seraphina has had to hide the truth about herself, believing she is a monster. Still, musical talent like hers cannot remain hidden forever, so eventually she takes a risk and applies for the job of assistant music mistress to the court composer. This role brings her to the attention of the royal family, including Prince Lucian Kiggs, Captain of the Queen's Guard. Against her will, Seraphina finds herself drawn into the spotlight as she helps Kiggs uncover the truth of his uncle's murder. Her connection to her Uncle Orma, a scholarly dragon living incognito in his saarantras (human body), gives her a unique perspective, as does her connection to the other half dragon/half humans she once thought were only visions in her mental garden. Seraphina fights to protect her secrets even as she races against the clock to thwart assassination attempts on the royal family and the Ardmagar, ruler of the dragons, on the 40th anniversary of the Treaty between humans and dragonkind.
Hartman does an outstanding job of world-building. I do wish I'd realized sooner that there is a glossary at the end of the book. The vocabulary level is quite high and includes words Hartman invented, so there were many times when I discerned the meaning of a term purely through contextual clues. Ostensibly this is a young adult (i.e. teen) fantasy novel, but adult fantasy readers should enjoy it every bit as much, if not more than teens.
I will now be impatiently awaiting the next book in the series, Dracomachia, which is scheduled to come out some time later this year (nothing more specific than "2013" so far).
For readers' advisors: setting and story doorways are primary, although character and language are not far behind. All swearing is made up (St. Masha and St. Daan!), and there is no sex or nudity, just a couple of kisses.(less)
Just sit back and enjoy the wacky ride. Thursday Next is back, a bit more battered than before but still just as determined to save the world from the...moreJust sit back and enjoy the wacky ride. Thursday Next is back, a bit more battered than before but still just as determined to save the world from the Goliath Corporation. This time around she's also battling to save the library budget from elimination, find a missing criminal who can manipulate memories, prevent an imminent scheduled smiting of the Swindon business district by the Global Standard Deity, discover the purpose of the illegal body doubles, find out what Jack Schitt is plotting and stop him, keep a genius daughter with bad taste in boyfriends on track to get her Anti-Smite Shield invention working, and figure out why her son is going to murder someone on Friday at 14:02. Among other things. It's a whirlwind of complicated and crazy subplots.
Favorite moments: the reference to Nancy Pearl on pg 100! Thursday's desk has a dedicated red phone with a single button labeled "NP." It's the emergency hotline to Nancy at the World League of Librarians, and if you summon her, she'll be on the first gravitube from Seattle. HA! :D Also, pg 108 & the "Shush Law" that OK'ed violence by librarians against thieves & vandals.
What I love most about Fforde's novels is that they are so very chaotic and zany. They are nonstop action and nonsense that somehow come together in the end to make perfect sense in their own unique way. This series is pure fun, and I love escaping into Fforde's crazy reality.
For reader's advisors: setting and story doorways. Some mild swearing.(less)
Explosions abound in the latest installment of The Adventures of Stephanie Plum. This time she's on the hunt for an embezzler who vanished from his ho...moreExplosions abound in the latest installment of The Adventures of Stephanie Plum. This time she's on the hunt for an embezzler who vanished from his hospital room without a trace in the middle of the night. She's dodging the attempts of a nutty homeless man to steal back the tiki statue he used as collateral for his bond. And Ranger has asked for her assistance in protecting the fiancee of a buddy of his from a crazed former Special Forces soldier they used to work with. Acres of pink taffeta are no match for the determination of a madman bent on exacting revenge, however, and Stephanie has some very close encounters of the lunatic kind.
There is still no character development, so don't expect anyone to make any declarations or commitments. But it's a fun, quick read. I read the first half in one lunch hour alone, thanks to the fast-paced, snappy dialogue that makes up probably 80% of the text.
For reader's advisors: story doorway. It's got a lot of funny bad language, as usual, and some sexual content, although nothing explicit.(less)
Keeping the Castle is rather like Jane Austen's Emma meets Cinderella but without any dead mothers. A beautiful but impoverished teenager makes naive,...moreKeeping the Castle is rather like Jane Austen's Emma meets Cinderella but without any dead mothers. A beautiful but impoverished teenager makes naive, clueless attempts at matchmaking in an effort to save her family's crumbling home. Since her single-minded drive to keep poverty at bay has blinded her to the feelings and preferences of most of the parties involved, her machinations don't turn out quite as she'd planned. And thank goodness!
I enjoyed this light, frothy story. There is very little in the way of character development, but it's a quick read.
For readers' advisors: story doorway. There is no sex or language. Indeed, even a marriage proposal is accepted with a handshake!(less)
Two years ago, Gwen Frazier was nearly the third member of a research study murdered by a serial killer using a paranormal weapon. She defended hersel...moreTwo years ago, Gwen Frazier was nearly the third member of a research study murdered by a serial killer using a paranormal weapon. She defended herself and sent him screaming off a cliff and over the falls to his death, but now it seems someone else has picked up where he left off. She enlists the aid of Judson Coppersmith to help her find who murdered her friend and mentor. Tracking down the culprit uncovers a long history of murder-for-hire, and Gwen is back on the hit list.
Krentz's books are always quick, easy reads. The characters are nearly the same from book to book, and the romance is highly predictable, but it's a decent escapist read. I actually thought the minor character of Gwen's "brother" Nick was the most interesting and unique person in this story.
Thankfully, Krentz has slightly toned down her over-use of her favorite words and their synonyms (hot, heat, para-senses, jacked, etc.) in this volume of the Dark Legacy/Dreamlight/Arcane Society series, although she repeats "wack-job" a time too many.
The book is set in the fictional town of Wilby, Oregon, somewhere along the north coast, so far as I can tell, given the driving time mentioned from Seattle & Portland. I love that it's set in my home state! But setting isn't a big appeal doorway because it's not really very unique to Oregon. It could be set pretty much anywhere with hills, trees, and water.
For readers' advisors: story doorway. There are a couple of formulaic sex scenes that I kind of skimmed because they are pretty much the same as in all the books in this multi-branched series, with the hero & heroine's auras fusing in a blaze of perfectly tuned paranormal heat. (less)
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