Bethany Swafford's Blog, page 29
February 13, 2017
The Angel of the Opera
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The Angel of the Opera
by Sam Siciliano
Edition: hardcover, 1994
Synopsis: The unforgettable place: Paris, 1890. The glittering scene: the labyrinthine Paris Opera. The irresistible premise: what if Sherlock Holmes, lured across the Channel by the beleaguered managers of the Opera House, unlocks the true secrets motivating the infamous Phantom?
As the hunchbacked Quasimodo was the soul of Notre Dame, so is Erik—shadow ruler of the Opera’s nether regions—the Opera’s true soul. Living at the heights of passion, despising the concerns of ordinary men who are the acknowledged keepers of his domain in the eyes of the world, the Phantom—defiant and tormented genius that he is—poses a persistent threat to his unwilling landlords, lesser men who are not even certain they believe in his very existence.
But, as is the case with all problems presented to the great Sherlock Holmes for solution, nothing is quite as it seems at first…as thrilling episode follows even more thrilling episode in a tempestuous drama, played out against a background of one of fiction’s most romantically eerie settings. Sherlockians and the Phantom’s fandom both will relish Sam Siciliano’s sympathetic imagination and find themselves charmed by such reinvented characters as Christine Daaé (“the angel”) and her arrogant suitor, Raoul de Chagny. And every reader should welcome Holmes’s engaging new comrade, Henry Vernier, M.D., his cousin, who joins him for this memorable adventure.
When I first heard about this book, I was pretty excited and intrigued. The Phantom and Sherlock Holmes meeting? Sign me up! I adore each of these characters, and seeing them clash just sounds fun.
Granted, as a Sherlock Holmes mystery, it falls a little flat, especially as there is a replacement for Dr. Watson and that character has a poor opinion of that fine doctor. As the narrative went on, it had me on the edge of my seat.
If you’re looking for something a little off the beaten path, give this one a try.
February 6, 2017
The Case of the Left Handed Lady (An Enola Holmes Mystery)
The Case of the Left Handed Lady
by Nancy Springer
Edition: hardcover, 2007
Synopsis: London January 1889. Enola 14 hides from worried brother Sherlock, until Dr Watson consults her imaginary identity, Perditorian Dr Ragostin. As Mrs Ragostin, Enola seeks Lady Cecily 16, vanished in nightgown, leaving ladder at window, bold charcoal sketches and mirror-writing diaries about East End poor. Was store clerk suspect, Alexander Finch, just a friend?
Words cannot express just how much I adore Enola Holmes. She is a worthy sister for my favorite detective. Her personality is fun, and the way she goes about solving the mysteries that come her way keep my attention every time.
What especially stays with me is the interactions between her and Sherlock. I feel the sibling connection between them and how much they would like to know each other better, but the circumstances that surround them keep them apart.
This is the book that introduces us to one of my favorite secondary characters, Lady Cecily. She makes an appearance in a later book, which I will review later on. This is also the book where we see Enola hurt because of what she does, so it’s nice to see her suffer the consequences of her actions.
This may be a middle grade book, but this is a keeper on my shelf!
February 3, 2017
An Author’s Random Musing: Holmes Month!
Once again, its Holmes Month! Don’t mind my tears as I mourn the probable end of BBC’s Sherlock. Also, this lines up with the date of my first blog two years ago, so exciting stuff for me!
Since I was young, I have been a fan of Sherlock Holmes. His powers of observation, his ability to know how things should be and thus able to see what is out of place, has fascinated me. I have the original stories on my shelf, along with several pastiches, spin offs, a companion book, and my latest purchase: The Sherlock Holmes Handbook.
There hasn’t really been a film version of Sherlock that I haven’t found something to enjoy (although I haven’t given the series Elementary much attention). Robert Downey Jr’s depiction of the fighting side of the great detective or Benedict Cumberbatch’s fantastic interpretation and, my personal favorite, Jeremy Brett’s faithful adherence to the original source.
As I’ve mentioned before, I keep an element of mystery in my writing as a nod to the great detective I love so much. Once again, this month will focus on those spin offs that occupy my shelf.
The game, my friends, is on!
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January 30, 2017
The Earl’s London Bride
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The Earl’s London Bride
By Laudren Royal and Devon Royal
Edition: ebook, 2015
Synopsis: The Earl’s London Bride” is the SWEET & CLEAN ROMANCE edition of “Amethyst” by Lauren Royal.
London, 1666: Amethyst Goldsmith makes dazzling jewelry, but her future isn’t nearly as bright as the pieces she creates. Though custom dictates she wed her father’s apprentice, her heart rebels against the match. In mere days Amy will be condemned to a stifling, loveless marriage, and she sees no way out—until the devastating fire of 1666 sweeps through London, and tragedy lands her in the arms of a dashing young earl who knows a diamond in the rough when he sees it…
Colin Chase, the Earl of Greystone, has his future all figured out. He’s restoring his crumbling castle and estate to its former glory, and the key to its completion is his rich bride-to-be. But the Great Fire lays waste to his plans, saddling him with trouble—in the form of a penniless shopkeeper’s daughter with whom he’s most inconveniently falling in love…
This starts of a series of clean, historical fiction series. While the premise seems a bit corny, the characters themselves are enjoyable. I like that I’ve found a series where I know it will be clean.
January 23, 2017
The Salarian Desert Game
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The Salarian Desert Game
by J. A. McLachlan
Edition: ebook, 2016
Synopsis: Games are serious business on Salaria, and the stakes are high. When Kia’s older sister, in a desperate bid to erase their family debt, loses the game and forfeits her freedom, Kia is determined to rescue her.
Disguised as a Salarian, Kia becomes Idaro in order to move freely in this dangerous new culture. When she arrives on Salaria, she learns it’s a world where a few key players control the board, and the pawns are ready to revolt. Kia joins the conflict, risking everything to save her sister. As if she doesn’t already have enough to handle, Agatha, the maddeningly calm and unpredictable Select who lives life both by-the-book and off-the-cuff shows up to help, along with handsome Norio, a strong-willed desert girl with her own agenda, and a group of Salarian teens earning their rite of passage in the treacherous desert game.
What can an interpreter and former thief possibly do in the midst of all this to keep the people she loves alive?
Interpreter and former thief, Kia sets off to Salaria, takes on a Salarian identity, and trains to join the high stakes game on the planet, all to save her sister, who was paying the price for a bad decision.
I’d forgotten just how much I adore Kia. She’s a tough, stubborn character, who always seems to end up doing as those around her wish despite her best efforts not to. Agatha, too, was delightful, though not as involved directly as the previous novel. With many secondary characters, each one memorable, the entire cast is absolute fun.
I would highly recommend this to any fans of sci-fi adventure.
January 16, 2017
Words Spoken True
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Words Spoken True
by Ann H. Gabhart
Edition: paperback, 2012
Synopsis: Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father’s newspaper offices. She can’t imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over failing competitor the Herald, and the battle for readers gets fierce.
When Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit tea, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune’s future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the storyand the girl. Can he do both before it’s too late?
Set against the volatile backdrop of political and civil unrest in 1850s Louisville, this exciting story of love and loyalty will hold readers in its grip until the very last page.
Adriane has only known the life of helping her father and doesn’t know what to think when he insists it’s time for her to be a lady and marry a man she’s not sure she wants to be with. From the moment she meets the editor of the competing newspaper, she questions just what her future will hold.
Given that this is set near where I spent a great deal of time when I was growing up, I was really interested. It was set in a politically volatile time in Louisville and having the right connections was everything. I liked the attention to detail about running a press and getting the headline out first.
The characters were…alright. I liked Adriane, though Blake got on my nerves several times. I enjoyed a few of the side characters, and would have liked more with them.
There is an intimate scene, but it isn’t explicit. So, technically it stayed clean.
Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
January 9, 2017
Gemina
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Gemina
by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Edition: hardback, 2016
Synopsis: Moving to a space station at the edge of the galaxy was always going to be the death of Hanna’s social life. Nobody said it might actually get her killed.
The sci-fi saga that began with the breakout bestseller Illuminaecontinues on board the Jump Station Heimdall, where two new characters will confront the next wave of the BeiTech assault.
Hanna is the station captain’s pampered daughter; Nik the reluctant member of a notorious crime family. But while the pair are struggling with the realities of life aboard the galaxy’s most boring space station, little do they know that Kady Grant and theHypatia are headed right toward Heimdall, carrying news of the Kerenza invasion.
When an elite BeiTech strike team invades the station, Hanna and Nik are thrown together to defend their home. But alien predators are picking off the station residents one by one, and a malfunction in the station’s wormhole means the space-time continuum might be ripped in two before dinner. Soon Hanna and Nik aren’t just fighting for their own survival; the fate of everyone on the Hypatia—and possibly the known universe—is in their hands.
But relax. They’ve totally got this. They hope.
Once again told through a compelling dossier of emails, IMs, classified files, transcripts, and schematics, Gemina raises the stakes of the Illuminae Files, hurling readers into an enthralling new story that will leave them breathless.
While it isn’t easy being the daughter of a station commander, Hanna’s life is going pretty well. All of that changes when a strike team invades and she has to step up to save as many lives as she can.
I’m not going to lie, I have been waiting to read this book since I finished Illuminae, even though I was a little afraid it wouldn’t hold up against the first book. Illuminae was soo good! My fears, though, were unfounded. The characters introduced and that are the focus of Gemina are interesting in their own way, and I love them.
The plot caught me from the first moment I opened the book. Hanna is just as much a fantastic character as Kady was, though they have such different personalities! The illustrations are simply gorgeous. And AIDEN is as much fun as ever, something I never thought I would say about an psychopathic AI.
I cannot wait to see what these authors have in store for us in Book 3.
January 2, 2017
Mademoiselle At Arms
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Mademoiselle At Arms
by Elizabeth Bailey
Edition: ebook, 2012
Synopsis: Threatened with a pistol by the young lady discovered in a deserted mansion, Major Gerald Alderley is instantly intrigued. Who is the beautiful intruder? And why does she disguise herself as a nun? What circumstance has thrust her into an enterprise both foolhardy and dangerous? The girl’s French accent places her with the émigrés from across the channel, except that Mademoiselle insists she is English.
Set on unravelling the mystery, Gerald begins a relentless pursuit, hunting down every possible clue – much to the indignation of Mademoiselle. When her life proves to be in danger from the villainous émigré Valade, Gerald has his work cut out. For Mademoiselle Melusine, engaged in a desperate battle to prove her true identity, believes she is well able to take care of herself and is determined not to be rescued.
Several reviewers compared this to Georgette Heyer’s works, which I agree with whole-heartedly! The characters are charming and the adventure is one that kept my attention from start to finish. The writing style is fun and I could really see the scenes ocurring in my mind.
This is definitely a must read for anyone who enjoyed Georgette Heyer’s books.
December 26, 2016
Around the World in 80 Tales
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Around the World in 80 Tales
by Dave Tomlinson
Edition: ebook, 2016
Synopsis: 80 Stories, 25 Countries, 5 Continents, One Heck of a Ride!
Come with me on a journey of captivating true travel stories from around the world. This fascinating kaleidoscope of people, places, history, food and culture will inspire, amuse and even amaze. Experience the challenges, rewards and fun of budget travel without leaving home!
Each tale is concise and fun to read, though I wouldn’t recommend trying to read it through in one sitting. I learned a lot about different countries as I read and enjoyed the photographs that accompanied each tale.
The only point of criticism I would offer would be in regards to the wording. Condensing each story to 500 words makes for some odd phrasing and occasionally I noticed some missing punctuation. Still it was an interesting read.
This is a must reader for those who would like to learn more about the world through a traveler’s eyes.
December 19, 2016
With Every Letter
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With Every Letter
by Sarah Sundin
Edition: paperback, 2012
Synopsis: Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse. She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man she’s never met–even if it is anonymous and part of a morale-building program. Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence–he’s been trying to escape his infamous name for years.
As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the other’s true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are, or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?
Combining a flair for romance with excellent research and attention to detail, Sarah Sundin vividly brings to life the perilous challenges of WWII aviation, nursing–and true love.
To help build moral, and with much reluctance, Mellie writes a letter to someone she’s never met. Circumstances bring her face to face with the man, and she has to choose what kind of future she wants.
I really like the back and forth between Mellie and Tom. They both struggle with different things in their lives. Mellie has trouble making friends because her focus is on saving lives. Tom is trying desperately not to be his father.
War is hard, and everyone who has a part has a different experience. This was a fun read for an afternoon.
