Teresa's Challenge Notebook (2014)

[Teresa]

The Die-Hard PNR Challenge (2013-2014)
Start: December 1, 2013

alien
angel
cyborg
Dragon: Kiss of Fire by Deborah Cooke
demon
elf or elves
fae or faerie or fairy
gargoyle
genie or djinn
gnomes
goblins
ghosts/spirits
mermaids
mythological gods
ogres
pixies
satyrs
vampires
werewolves/shapeshifters
witches
wizards/sorcerer
zombies

[Teresa]

Who's Your Alpha? Challenge
Start Date: December 10, 2013

The Duke:
The Laird:
The Golden Boy:
The Lone Wolf:
The Warrior:
The Brain:
The Libertine:
The Black Sheep:
The Sorcerer:

Bonus: Prince Charming:: Wickedly Charming by Kristine Grayson Completed 12/14/13 -- 4 Stars

[Teresa]

First Quarter Challenge, 2014: Pick & Choose


F: First in Series
I: Larissa Ione
R: Regency
S: Nalini Singh
T: Tessa Dare

Q: Julia Quinn
U: uniformed male protagonist
A: Lara Adrian
R: Nora Roberts
T: Treasure Hunt
E: Englad
R: Robyn Carr
L: Stephanie Laurens The Untamed Bride Completed 01/18/14 -- ★★★★✩
Y: “You” in the title

[Teresa]

“Z - A Cover Art Image Search ~ 2014”
1/26

Z.
Y.
X.
W. White Dress The Untamed Bride Completed 01/18/14 -- ★★★★✩
V.
U.
T.
S.
R.
Q.
P.
O.
N.
M: Moon A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan Completed 01/10/2014 -- ★★★✩✩
L.
K.
J.
I.
H.
G.
F. Flag Secret Heroes: Everyday Americans Who Shaped Our World by Paul Martin Completed 1/15/14 -- ★★★★✩
E.
D.
C.
B.Button Hole Finding Colin Firth by Mia March Completed 1/22/14 -- ★★★✩✩
A.

[Teresa]

~ Double-Decker Alphabet Bus: Z-A ~


*ZZ - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, character: Elizabeth Bennett
*YY -
*XX -
WW -
*VV -
*UU -
TT -
SS -
RR -
*QQ -
PP -
OO -
NN -
MM -
LL -
KK -
JJ -
II -
HH -
GG -
FF -
EE -
DD -
CC -
BB -
AA -

[Teresa]

Updated February 2 (5/5)
Updated January 23 (4/5)
Updated January 18 (3/5)
Updated January 16 (2/5)
Updated January 11 (1/5)

Out with the Old - In with the New! January 2014 Challenge
Duration: January 1 to January 31, 2014
Level: Medium - (5 Books)

Out with the Old: Up Till Now by William Shatner Completed 2/2/14 -- ★★★★✩
New (to me) Author: Finding Colin Firth by Mia March Completed 1/22/14 -- ★★★✩✩
New Series: The Untamed Bride by Stephanie Laurens Completed 1/15/14 -- ★★★★✩
Reader's Choice: A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan Completed 1/10/14 -- ★★★✩✩
Reader's Choice: Secret Heroes: Everyday Americans Who Shaped Our World by Paul Martin Completed 1/15/14 -- ★★★★✩

[Teresa]

For reference:

★★★★★ / ★★★★✩ / ★★★✩✩ / ★★✩✩✩ / ★✩✩✩✩

Thanks, Suzanne!

[Teresa]

Updated February 4 (1/5)

Love is in the Air... and So are Other Things
Duration: February 1 to February 28, 2014
Level: Medium (5 books)

February 2 - Ground Hog Day: Kiss of Fury by Deborah Cooke Completed 2/20/14 -- ★★★✩✩

February 14 - Valentine's Day: The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine by Jayne Fresina Completed 2/3/14 -- ★✩✩✩✩

February 20 - Cherry Pie Day: A Lady's Secret Weapon by Tracey Devlyn Completed 3/6/14 -- ★★★★✩

February 22 - International World Thinking Day: The Nerd Who Loved Me by Vicki Lewis Thompson

February 26 - Tell a Fairy Tale Day: Thoroughly Kissed by Kristine Grayson

and maybe

[Teresa]

Review


The Most Improper Miss Sophie Valentine by Jayne Fresina ★✩✩✩✩

I did not like this particular book very much. In fact, I had borrowed both this novel, and the second by this author (The Wicked Wedding of Miss Ellie Vyne) from the library. I am returning Miss Vyne to the library unread.

The book started out well; a young debutante at a ball is 'dishonored.' She doesn't want to marry her beau, she just wants to run away. So she jumps off the balcony. Then, 10 years past. Yes, that's right. She falls off the balcony and that's the end. The next sentence takes place 10 years later.

The beau from the prologue is not the hero of this novel. He's actually kind of a bad guy. So is Sophie's brother, and her sister-in-law, and her sister-in-law's mother, and the gossiping townspeople... She is quite isolated in her small, country village. She is living on her brother's goodwill, nobody likes her (except for the crazy, old aunt), she might as well go eat worms. Out of nowhere, quite literally, comes Lazarus Kane. Incidentally he's five years younger than Sophie. He loves her, although the reader doesn't really know why. It seems like Lazarus doesn't really know why either. He briefly met her ten years ago and formed an attachment. She doesn't even know who he is and doesn't really remember that nebulous.

The characters do not really grow. Lazarus, not at all; Sophie only grows a little bit. In fact, the brother grows more than Sophie does. Lazarus does not have to contend with a different Sophie (even though ten years have passed). Sophie's conflicts are supposed to be contending with societal/familial pressures of marrying below her station and "living in sin." But, those conflicts are practically non-existent.

On top of poor characterization, there is a glaring plot defect at the end that end up emasculating the hero. Throughout the book, the author relies WAY TO HEAVILY on over-the-top metaphors. The are so prevalent, that they begin to interfere with the characterization and plot. I kept reading, hoping to find some redeeming qualities to this book; but I couldn't find any. The only reason I would recommend this book is to read an example of how not to write a romance novel.