Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion
      Buddy Reads
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    June 2018 Buddy Read of The Frost and the Flame
    
  
  
      Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Also, in an earlier chapter, it is revealed that O has been ordered by Tzar Nicholas I to return to government service. Nicholas Is regime was marked by extreme oppression and repression. It’s tell..."I agree I am also enjoying the backdrop of this book.
      Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Just finished ch 8 which ended on p 76I have some thoughts.
On Prince O:
A sees O as almost insane where his mother, who disappeared is concerned. Sees his mother as a whore. I called Os obsess..."
(view spoiler)
      Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Oh dear!I think I’ve been spelling Tsar incorrectly (Tzar, yikes!)."
no worries I remember my history teacher in college saying it is spelled both ways.
      Started reading!!! The prologue gave a nice atmosphere and the writing is good so far. will be updating later when something happens :)
    
      Caro wrote: "Started reading!!! The prologue gave a nice atmosphere and the writing is good so far. will be updating later when something happens :)"The detail about Russia is so wonderful! It is all that I could wish for in terms of providing illumination to the reader about Russian life and the political climate of the times.
I an interested in imperial Russia and I am loving what the author has been doing with the backdrop for our story.
No "wall-paper" HR with this title.
      quick comment as I'm getting readying for a weekend away (I'm in So. California)...I'm not much interested in Russia, Russian culture or history, nor read any of the Russian classics, so I am enjoying researching the historical setting. Now I have some background on the "Decemberists", which is the name an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon took. (I'm not a fan just aware of the name.)
I tried to find an illustration online of one of these enclosed long distance traveling sleighs but have only seen the open, three horse troika so if anyone has come across that, please post it.
I'm also enjoying researching the history of Tasmania and Australia. Turns out our author, now deceased, was born in Australia and raised, and lived her life, in California.
About the story, the author telegraphed it way too early for me and I'm not much of a detective. It's about as subtle as the neon in Las Vegas.
Happy weekend everyone.
      Doris wrote: "quick comment as I'm getting readying for a weekend away (I'm in So. California)...I'm not much interested in Russia, Russian culture or history, nor read any of the Russian classics, so I am enjoying researching the historical setting. Now I have some background on the "Decemberists", which is the name an American indie rock band from Portland, Oregon took. (I'm not a fan just aware of the name.)..."
Since we are the smart phone age, I love looking up things that I read about, especially in HR or HF titles on my iPhone or looking for pictures and people or cultural/period detail etc.
This Wiki article has image of the Troika. I haven't seen mention of a troika yet, but it will probably come up!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troika_...
Maybe later in the book, we'll learn the name of the enclosed traveling sleigh and we can google to see an image of it.
      Doris wrote: "About the story, the author telegraphed it way too early for me and I'm not much of a detective. It's about as subtle as the neon in Las Vegas. ..."
I thought that the blurb itself telegraphed everything.
      Here's a link to images of old sleighs (s) on a Pinterest board.https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1296192...
      here is another site with a larger sleigh more like the one described in the book https://goo.gl/images/dTcEgV
      Doris wrote: "Thanks, Blondie for the link to the enclosed sleighs. Good research!"you're welcome :)
      I cannot help thinking the girl, Katia should have been younger. Eighteen seems to be a modern age of consent/legal age. She would have been taken out of the convent at a much younger age in those days.How old is Alexei supposed to be?
(view spoiler)
      hi Buddy Readers, I started reading last week. bit of a slow start. I like the authors writing style and it is very apparent she spent time researching. I have to look up her Russian words. I am still early in and am hoping for some sizzling chemistry which is sadly lacking in a lot of romances these days.
    
      Melita-I don’t think your spoilers are working. I got bogged down at the point where Oleg is going to assault/rape Karita. I’ll get back to reading again. This isn’t a page turner for me. I find Aunt Nikki annoying.
      My spoilers don't work , how does one do it?Aunt Nikki is annoying. I don't see why she does not tell Karita her parentage. Hope there is a reason for it.
The background to the story seems more interesting than the two MC, so far.
      Melita wrote: "My spoilers don't work , how does one do it?Aunt Nikki is annoying. I don't see why she does not tell Karita her parentage. Hope there is a reason for it.
The background to the story seems more ..."
I don't like the Auntie much either but I keep hoping there is a good reason for her to keep the secret.
      ugh I know aunt nikki is seriously grinding everyones gears with her behavior. I really hope its not just a device and the author actually came up with a good explanation for this mystery.
    
      Doris wrote: "Melita-I don’t think your spoilers are working. I got bogged down at the point where Oleg is going to assault/rape Karita. I’ll get back to reading again. This isn’t a page turner for me. I find ..."
I'll try a spoiler we'll see if this spoiler is working or if I know what I am doing ; )
      Ok, looks like my spoiler is working just use the <> like a parenthesis around the phrase you want not-spoiled
    
      Caro wrote: "ugh I know aunt nikki is seriously grinding everyones gears with her behavior. I really hope its not just a device and the author actually came up with a good explanation for this mystery."
      Those two symbols and "spoiler" before message and after. I am unable to see what I wrote though in both instances, except second time I can see (spoiler) but when I click on it there is nothing there.
    
      Melita-several days ago you asked how old Oleg is. Pg 32 Oleg and Alexei are 30. Oleg is a thoroughly unpleasant psychopath and his comeuppance won’t come soon enough for me. I’m up
to page 175 and anything physical has been disgusting, boilerplate yuck! I’m afraid I’ll be so done with this story that by the time anything remotely interesting between H & h, I won’t care.
Anther peeve- our author has gone on for several paragraphs about how Oleg kidnaps and rapes young girls, destroys and viciously discards them, even kills his own child by one of them and yet she has the gall to call them his “lovers”. Page 172
Maybe I’ve lost my taste for bodice rippers cause I’m ready for this to be over.
      I must admit the background to story is more interesting than the relationship between H/. it seems more like infatuation.Her infatuation is more believable than his, though. Find it hard to believe with his experience/age he would be mooning for her after such brief time together.
I am on Page 118. Finished reading how he met up with Jake. I do like the way she writes as it does bring the place/characters to life.
Don't take it too seriously.
      I think I am more disgusted with Aunt Nikki than with Oleg. At least Karita knew what to expect from him.
    Books mentioned in this topic
Stormfire (other topics)War and Peace (other topics)
The Frost and the Flame (other topics)



PS
The next chapter for me to read will be #9. Im going to stop as I don’t want to get too far ahead of everyone.
I’m playing bingo with another GR group and the cat call is at 3 today. Also, I have a book to finish for another challenge.