Julia Quinn
I've read a number of romance novels by Julia Quinn and they are all fabulous reads. All are set during the Regency period (1800-1825 roughly) and amazingly witty. The Bridgerton novels are definitely my favorite novels as they cover the romances of the eight Bridgerton siblings. The siblings are named alphabetically; Anthony, Benedict, Collin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth; although the novels are not in order of the Bridgerton childrens' ages. Through out the novels there is a treasure hunt, a black croquet mallet of death, a duel (or two), a masquerade ball, a dash of malaria, a wedding stopped, and more than one special license. I would highly recommend these books to anyone with an interest in Regency England or Jane Austen or British comedy.
September 15, 2012
September 4, 2012
Mockingjay
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy was certainly the best. The plot was gripping, the characters had plenty of drama to deal with, and of course it was the final book. Everything with Peeta and Gale manages to get resolved along with President Snow and District Thirteen. I still didn't connect well with Katniss and think she could have been a little more angsty. Despite my lack of love for the characters, with the exception of Finnick, the series is quite good; although, I do think it should have been published as adult fiction since most children and young adults do not analyze the novels they read thus missing all of the social commentary.
The final book in the Hunger Games trilogy was certainly the best. The plot was gripping, the characters had plenty of drama to deal with, and of course it was the final book. Everything with Peeta and Gale manages to get resolved along with President Snow and District Thirteen. I still didn't connect well with Katniss and think she could have been a little more angsty. Despite my lack of love for the characters, with the exception of Finnick, the series is quite good; although, I do think it should have been published as adult fiction since most children and young adults do not analyze the novels they read thus missing all of the social commentary.
Bared To You
Bared To You by Sylvia Day
This novel is similar to Fifty Shades of Grey in that a newly graduated college student working as an assistant gets involved with a dominant and emotionally stunted multi-billionaire. Instead of having a BDSM relationship the characters are emotionally scarred from abuse they suffered as children. Unlike Fifty Shades of Grey the characters are more dynamic and generally more believable; except for the fact that the female character still tries to "fix" the incredibly troubled male character, just like the Fifty Shade trilogy and the Twilight quartet.
This novel is similar to Fifty Shades of Grey in that a newly graduated college student working as an assistant gets involved with a dominant and emotionally stunted multi-billionaire. Instead of having a BDSM relationship the characters are emotionally scarred from abuse they suffered as children. Unlike Fifty Shades of Grey the characters are more dynamic and generally more believable; except for the fact that the female character still tries to "fix" the incredibly troubled male character, just like the Fifty Shade trilogy and the Twilight quartet.
August 9, 2012
Master and Commander
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
I finished reading this classic nautical novel a while ago and simply haven't gotten around to writing up a review for it. As the first novel in a long series the reader is introduced to Captain Jack Aubrey and Doctor Stephen Maturin as well as the extensive inner-workings of a Royal British Navy ship during the Napoleonic War and some amazing ship to ship combat. Having never read nautical fiction I enjoyed the fairly long explanations of what things on a working ship do, although it certainly can get confusing with all the jargon. I enjoyed learning about some of the technical aspects of sailing and would recommend the novel to anyone interested in nautical history.
I finished reading this classic nautical novel a while ago and simply haven't gotten around to writing up a review for it. As the first novel in a long series the reader is introduced to Captain Jack Aubrey and Doctor Stephen Maturin as well as the extensive inner-workings of a Royal British Navy ship during the Napoleonic War and some amazing ship to ship combat. Having never read nautical fiction I enjoyed the fairly long explanations of what things on a working ship do, although it certainly can get confusing with all the jargon. I enjoyed learning about some of the technical aspects of sailing and would recommend the novel to anyone interested in nautical history.
July 11, 2012
Catching Fire and brief movie review
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
After rereading Hunger Games and confirming my initial impression that Katniss was an emotionally stunted character who I wasn't able to connect with or her motives. The second book has Katniss as a much more developed character, with deeper emotions and is appropriately confused by her feelings for Gale and Peeta. Catching Fire also has a much more going on plot wise, although it loses none of the rapid and gripping pace from the first book. Despite the improvements in Katniss' behavior she still isn't my favorite character and I still have a hard time connecting with her and what drives her.
Anyone who reads the first book knows that her sister Prim is her priority but little else. In the second book her priorities change to keeping Peeta, Gale and his family, and her family alive as well as surviving her second round in the Hunger Games Arena. Katniss' emotional state changes little from romantic indifference towards Peeta and Gale to hesitantly and cautiously in love with Gale and Peeta.
So far the series is worth reading because it is so different from other Young Adult novels but isn't my favorite. Speaking of Young Adult novels I think the books should have been published as Science Fiction/Fantasy instead of YA since it is so blood thirsty, gruesome, and has some adult themes and social commentary which younger readers won't necessarily grasp (but that's my personal opinion).
Side Note:
I finally watched the movie for Hunger Games and by it's self it's a good movie and I like that the author was one of the screenwriters, that we saw the events from more points of view, and you could connect better with Katniss, but the book has a lot of plot details I wanted added (the muttations' eyes, how Katniss got the Mockingjay pin, and Katniss spilling to Peeta that the romance of the Games was an act, to name a few).
After rereading Hunger Games and confirming my initial impression that Katniss was an emotionally stunted character who I wasn't able to connect with or her motives. The second book has Katniss as a much more developed character, with deeper emotions and is appropriately confused by her feelings for Gale and Peeta. Catching Fire also has a much more going on plot wise, although it loses none of the rapid and gripping pace from the first book. Despite the improvements in Katniss' behavior she still isn't my favorite character and I still have a hard time connecting with her and what drives her.
Anyone who reads the first book knows that her sister Prim is her priority but little else. In the second book her priorities change to keeping Peeta, Gale and his family, and her family alive as well as surviving her second round in the Hunger Games Arena. Katniss' emotional state changes little from romantic indifference towards Peeta and Gale to hesitantly and cautiously in love with Gale and Peeta.
So far the series is worth reading because it is so different from other Young Adult novels but isn't my favorite. Speaking of Young Adult novels I think the books should have been published as Science Fiction/Fantasy instead of YA since it is so blood thirsty, gruesome, and has some adult themes and social commentary which younger readers won't necessarily grasp (but that's my personal opinion).
Side Note:
I finally watched the movie for Hunger Games and by it's self it's a good movie and I like that the author was one of the screenwriters, that we saw the events from more points of view, and you could connect better with Katniss, but the book has a lot of plot details I wanted added (the muttations' eyes, how Katniss got the Mockingjay pin, and Katniss spilling to Peeta that the romance of the Games was an act, to name a few).
May 12, 2012
Fifty Shades Darker and Fifity Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
The second and third books in the Fifty Shades series were better than the first, mostly because the Twilight references died out and the characters continued to grow and develop. The plot was still very character driven although the author did bring in some suspense and mystery. Although there were some British English quirks nothing was ever taken away from the novel because of the language. The characters also delved deeper into the BDSM lifestyle, which has gotten the books banned in Florida for sexual content (by the same thinking probably 90% of books would be banned including some classics). Personally, BDSM, gay, straight, or any other sexual preference or lifestyle chosen to be enjoyed by two consenting adults isn't a problem for society it's simply diversity and requires understanding acceptance like everything else.
The second and third books in the Fifty Shades series were better than the first, mostly because the Twilight references died out and the characters continued to grow and develop. The plot was still very character driven although the author did bring in some suspense and mystery. Although there were some British English quirks nothing was ever taken away from the novel because of the language. The characters also delved deeper into the BDSM lifestyle, which has gotten the books banned in Florida for sexual content (by the same thinking probably 90% of books would be banned including some classics). Personally, BDSM, gay, straight, or any other sexual preference or lifestyle chosen to be enjoyed by two consenting adults isn't a problem for society it's simply diversity and requires understanding acceptance like everything else.
April 30, 2012
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James
Mini rant first and then the review: as much hype and press as this book has gotten I found the widely acclaimed erotic bits disappointing and not terribly interesting; the author uses British syntax when her characters are American which can be a little awkward to read; the author willingly admitted to starting the books as fan fiction after reading Twilight which is upsetting because I passionately hate Twilight. As much as I hate the Twilight series (they are horrible examples for tweens, poorly written, and the characters are simply annoying) Fifty Shades of Grey despite being inspired by the novels completely surpasses them in writing and character depth. This book is everything Twilight could have been.
Fifty Shades of Grey is set in Portland and Seattle where an innocent college student, Anastasia Steele, fatefully interviews the wealthy entrepreneur Christian Grey who offers her the chance to be his Submissive in a BDSM relationship. Ana surprisingly agrees, but manages to convince Christian to enter into a more traditional romance along with trying out the BDSM lifestyle. Unfortunately Ana's attempt to understand Christian's darkness backfires epically.
As unlikely as it is for a person to be offered the position of Submissive to a multi-billionaire Adonis, the overall message is universally applicable; relationships take work on both sides and some times they don't work no matter how good the sex. Although the sex scenes were fairly tame (in my opinion) and a little unconventional, the relationship and character dynamics make this a very good read.
Mini rant first and then the review: as much hype and press as this book has gotten I found the widely acclaimed erotic bits disappointing and not terribly interesting; the author uses British syntax when her characters are American which can be a little awkward to read; the author willingly admitted to starting the books as fan fiction after reading Twilight which is upsetting because I passionately hate Twilight. As much as I hate the Twilight series (they are horrible examples for tweens, poorly written, and the characters are simply annoying) Fifty Shades of Grey despite being inspired by the novels completely surpasses them in writing and character depth. This book is everything Twilight could have been.
Fifty Shades of Grey is set in Portland and Seattle where an innocent college student, Anastasia Steele, fatefully interviews the wealthy entrepreneur Christian Grey who offers her the chance to be his Submissive in a BDSM relationship. Ana surprisingly agrees, but manages to convince Christian to enter into a more traditional romance along with trying out the BDSM lifestyle. Unfortunately Ana's attempt to understand Christian's darkness backfires epically.
As unlikely as it is for a person to be offered the position of Submissive to a multi-billionaire Adonis, the overall message is universally applicable; relationships take work on both sides and some times they don't work no matter how good the sex. Although the sex scenes were fairly tame (in my opinion) and a little unconventional, the relationship and character dynamics make this a very good read.
April 24, 2012
The Rae Wilder Novels: Demon Girl
The Rae Wilder Novels: Demon Girl by Penelope Fletcher
Demon Girl is set in the a future when paranormal creatures have taken over the world and humans are nearly extinct. To keep safe from the fairies, vampires, witches, and were-animals the remaining humans have barricaded themselves in walled communities where Clerics and The Temple are the dominating forces. Rae is a teenager studying to become a Cleric when she sneaks out into the forest surrounding The Temple and stumbles upon Clerics torturing a young fairy, meets the fairy's older brother and becomes Breandan's mate, finds out she is a fairy- with wings and everything, meets a vampire named Tomas who she falls for also, and then gets embroiled in a fairy war. And this is only the first book. I certainly liked this book at least as much as The Hunger Games if not more so since the storyline lends itself to a sequel and the main character doesn't seem quite as clueless/heartless as Katniss seemed in The Hunger Games. I was also impressed at how few spelling and punctuation errors there were, especially since many of the ebooks I've read have had gross typos.
Demon Girl is set in the a future when paranormal creatures have taken over the world and humans are nearly extinct. To keep safe from the fairies, vampires, witches, and were-animals the remaining humans have barricaded themselves in walled communities where Clerics and The Temple are the dominating forces. Rae is a teenager studying to become a Cleric when she sneaks out into the forest surrounding The Temple and stumbles upon Clerics torturing a young fairy, meets the fairy's older brother and becomes Breandan's mate, finds out she is a fairy- with wings and everything, meets a vampire named Tomas who she falls for also, and then gets embroiled in a fairy war. And this is only the first book. I certainly liked this book at least as much as The Hunger Games if not more so since the storyline lends itself to a sequel and the main character doesn't seem quite as clueless/heartless as Katniss seemed in The Hunger Games. I was also impressed at how few spelling and punctuation errors there were, especially since many of the ebooks I've read have had gross typos.
March 31, 2012
Hunger Games
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Despite having technical difficulty with the sentence structure at certain points this book was very good with regards to plot and general character development. The story is set in a semi-futuristic dystopian society called Panem which is geographically North America. Katniss and Peeta are both teens from District 12 who are chosen from a lottery drawing (Katniss volunteers to save her younger sister) to play in the annual Hunger Games held by the Capitol to keep the Districts in check after their failed rebellion. The Hunger Games is essentially a reality TV show in which a boy and a girl from each of the Districts has to fight the other 23 teens to the death in a large landscape arena while the whole country is required to watch. The harshness of the society is well portrayed by Katniss' cold-hearted demeanor towards everyone except her younger sister and other young player in the Games. With a gripping plot and a genuine interest in Katniss, although she is lacking in an appropriate emotional struggle when it comes to her pseudo love triangle (which is the only plot thread not resolved by the end of the book), the book reads very quickly and doesn't need any sequels.
Despite having technical difficulty with the sentence structure at certain points this book was very good with regards to plot and general character development. The story is set in a semi-futuristic dystopian society called Panem which is geographically North America. Katniss and Peeta are both teens from District 12 who are chosen from a lottery drawing (Katniss volunteers to save her younger sister) to play in the annual Hunger Games held by the Capitol to keep the Districts in check after their failed rebellion. The Hunger Games is essentially a reality TV show in which a boy and a girl from each of the Districts has to fight the other 23 teens to the death in a large landscape arena while the whole country is required to watch. The harshness of the society is well portrayed by Katniss' cold-hearted demeanor towards everyone except her younger sister and other young player in the Games. With a gripping plot and a genuine interest in Katniss, although she is lacking in an appropriate emotional struggle when it comes to her pseudo love triangle (which is the only plot thread not resolved by the end of the book), the book reads very quickly and doesn't need any sequels.
March 30, 2012
Bright Young Things: Beautiful Days
Bright Young Things: Beautiful Days by Anna Godbersen
The second novel in a different flapper novel than The Flappers series set primarily in the Hampton's during the summer of 1929. The three girls who the story revolves around are Astrid, Letty, and Cordelia; a high society flapper, a wannabe singer, and a bootlegger's daughter turned speakeasy manager. Of course the roles each girl plays is similar to those of the characters in The Flappers series but the girls are less brash and harsh on the page. Even though the author switches characters every chapter the transition isn't jarring and if the chapter does end in a cliff hanger for one character the next one picks up at the same point from a slightly different point of view. While The Flappers has much faster and dramatic plot the Bright Young Things series is more reader friendly over all. Both books certainly leave the reader wanting more even if they have similar characters.
The second novel in a different flapper novel than The Flappers series set primarily in the Hampton's during the summer of 1929. The three girls who the story revolves around are Astrid, Letty, and Cordelia; a high society flapper, a wannabe singer, and a bootlegger's daughter turned speakeasy manager. Of course the roles each girl plays is similar to those of the characters in The Flappers series but the girls are less brash and harsh on the page. Even though the author switches characters every chapter the transition isn't jarring and if the chapter does end in a cliff hanger for one character the next one picks up at the same point from a slightly different point of view. While The Flappers has much faster and dramatic plot the Bright Young Things series is more reader friendly over all. Both books certainly leave the reader wanting more even if they have similar characters.
March 14, 2012
The Flappers: Ingenue
Ingenue by Jillian Larkin
Clara, Gloria, and Lorraine are all in New York along with Jerome (Gloria's taboo black lover), Marcus (Clara's straight-laced beau), and Jerome's sister Vera. When the first book ended Gloria and Jerome had run away from Chicago after killing a gangster in self defense, Lorraine had lost everyone she cared about by being a selfish and conniving bitch, Clara's secret life in New York before Chicago had been revealed to the world, and Vera confronted Gloria's former fiancee. The second book begins with a bang, literally, and continues with drama and danger with only a few whimpers of pain from the writing.
The second book in the Flappers series, although good, lacked staying power. As entertaining as the novel was the male characters were increasingly weak and the bouncing from one female character to another in each chapter ended up being disruptive. By changing characters every chapter, which in some cases works, the quick pace near the end caused an unsatisfied feeling when the chapter with one character abruptly ended without any conclusion. The female characters are well developed and the reader can see how they grow into stronger more modern-minded people (in most cases). The overall plot was fantastic and I would recommend the series so far, but be forewarned that the author jumps characters every chapter, which can be jarring.
Clara, Gloria, and Lorraine are all in New York along with Jerome (Gloria's taboo black lover), Marcus (Clara's straight-laced beau), and Jerome's sister Vera. When the first book ended Gloria and Jerome had run away from Chicago after killing a gangster in self defense, Lorraine had lost everyone she cared about by being a selfish and conniving bitch, Clara's secret life in New York before Chicago had been revealed to the world, and Vera confronted Gloria's former fiancee. The second book begins with a bang, literally, and continues with drama and danger with only a few whimpers of pain from the writing.
The second book in the Flappers series, although good, lacked staying power. As entertaining as the novel was the male characters were increasingly weak and the bouncing from one female character to another in each chapter ended up being disruptive. By changing characters every chapter, which in some cases works, the quick pace near the end caused an unsatisfied feeling when the chapter with one character abruptly ended without any conclusion. The female characters are well developed and the reader can see how they grow into stronger more modern-minded people (in most cases). The overall plot was fantastic and I would recommend the series so far, but be forewarned that the author jumps characters every chapter, which can be jarring.
March 10, 2012
Read: The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love
The Dashwood Sisters' Secrets of Love by Rosie Rushton
I loved reading this book. The story is a fabulous modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility and there really isn't much more I need to say about it other than read the novel and enjoy the modified genius of Jane Austen.
I loved reading this book. The story is a fabulous modern retelling of Sense and Sensibility and there really isn't much more I need to say about it other than read the novel and enjoy the modified genius of Jane Austen.
March 9, 2012
The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund
The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund by Jill Kargman
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this even though my copy was of the uncorrected proofs that an editor donated to The Friends of the Library. Despite there being many, many typos (which made me feel better about my own writing) the story novel was about a stay at home mom named Holly and her experience of going from a hedge fund wife to a divorcee and rebuilding her life on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The novel is a decent caricature of the hedge fund lifestyle and pretty hilarious at times as Holly maneuvers life as a single woman in New York. I'm definitely going to try and find another one of her novels that isn't an editors copy in order to fully appreciate the author's writings but I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants a light and comical read.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this even though my copy was of the uncorrected proofs that an editor donated to The Friends of the Library. Despite there being many, many typos (which made me feel better about my own writing) the story novel was about a stay at home mom named Holly and her experience of going from a hedge fund wife to a divorcee and rebuilding her life on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The novel is a decent caricature of the hedge fund lifestyle and pretty hilarious at times as Holly maneuvers life as a single woman in New York. I'm definitely going to try and find another one of her novels that isn't an editors copy in order to fully appreciate the author's writings but I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants a light and comical read.
February 27, 2012
When Passion Rules
When Passion Rules by Johanna Lindsey
Johanna Lindsey's novel was initially confusing since the location is the fictional kingdom of Lubinia which is somewhere East of Austria but the novel is set twenty years after the Napoleonic Wars. Luckily the plot was intriguing enough to make up for the borderline fantasy location. Alana (the main female character) is brought up to think she's nothing special, although extremely well educated, only to find out she's actually the abducted princess of Lubinia instead of the assassinated in the cradle princess. She and her former assassin turned guardian travel to Lubinia from London to prove her identity and prevent a civil war, except the main male character, Christopher Becker, the captain of the palace guards imprisons her as an impostor. Drama ensues as Alana and Christopher bicker their way through assassination attempts on Alana's life while trying to prove that Alana is or isn't the missing princess. The twists in the plot make this novel a fast and entertaining read even if the location is too fanciful for me and the use of contemporary language makes random and jarring appearances and the title is cliche.
Johanna Lindsey's novel was initially confusing since the location is the fictional kingdom of Lubinia which is somewhere East of Austria but the novel is set twenty years after the Napoleonic Wars. Luckily the plot was intriguing enough to make up for the borderline fantasy location. Alana (the main female character) is brought up to think she's nothing special, although extremely well educated, only to find out she's actually the abducted princess of Lubinia instead of the assassinated in the cradle princess. She and her former assassin turned guardian travel to Lubinia from London to prove her identity and prevent a civil war, except the main male character, Christopher Becker, the captain of the palace guards imprisons her as an impostor. Drama ensues as Alana and Christopher bicker their way through assassination attempts on Alana's life while trying to prove that Alana is or isn't the missing princess. The twists in the plot make this novel a fast and entertaining read even if the location is too fanciful for me and the use of contemporary language makes random and jarring appearances and the title is cliche.
February 20, 2012
Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences: Phoenix Rising
Phoenix Rising by Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris
A very refreshing novel featuring Steampunk themes and incredibly poetic writing. The authors are able to seamlessly blend late nineteenth century vocabulary with modern to create a very reader friendly story with the language expected from Dickens and Austen but the brevity of modern sentence structure. Set during Queen Victoria's reign Agent Wellington Books and Agent Eliza Braun are the unlikely partners who discover the nefarious actions of the underground Phoenix Society which has steered every major political change within the British Empire since the Romans. The relationship between Books and Braun is tense and occasionally hostile since Agent Braun was reassigned from active fieldwork to the Archives under the supervision of Agent Books the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences' methodical and uptight Archivist. Although their initial investigation surrounds the gruesome deaths of factory workers that were originally investigated by Miss Braun and her former partner, whose untimely descent into madness halted the case, the connection between the Phoenix Society and the murders soon crop up. The mixture of strict Victorian expectations and fanciful technology give this novel something very unique and exciting in its structure and plot. I can't wait to find a sequel or similar novels.
A very refreshing novel featuring Steampunk themes and incredibly poetic writing. The authors are able to seamlessly blend late nineteenth century vocabulary with modern to create a very reader friendly story with the language expected from Dickens and Austen but the brevity of modern sentence structure. Set during Queen Victoria's reign Agent Wellington Books and Agent Eliza Braun are the unlikely partners who discover the nefarious actions of the underground Phoenix Society which has steered every major political change within the British Empire since the Romans. The relationship between Books and Braun is tense and occasionally hostile since Agent Braun was reassigned from active fieldwork to the Archives under the supervision of Agent Books the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences' methodical and uptight Archivist. Although their initial investigation surrounds the gruesome deaths of factory workers that were originally investigated by Miss Braun and her former partner, whose untimely descent into madness halted the case, the connection between the Phoenix Society and the murders soon crop up. The mixture of strict Victorian expectations and fanciful technology give this novel something very unique and exciting in its structure and plot. I can't wait to find a sequel or similar novels.
February 14, 2012
Sticks and Scones by Diane Mott Davidson
Sticks and Scones by Diane Mott Davidson
A modern mystery set in Colorado with a caterer, Goldy Schultz, as the narrator and main character who can't keep her nose out of other people's business. This inability to keep from asking questions leads Goldy into some life threatening situations as living room window is shot out, she stumbles over a charred body, sees her husband shot, is knocked over the head by a thief, and that's all in the first 50 pages. Although I'm having issues with books written in first person, the novel is well written and thought out, and with so many possible murderers and thieves the reader isn't sure whose done what. The main mysteries, there are about four minor ones too, are Who Stole the Queen Victoria Stamps? and Who Shot Tom? (Goldy's husband). Since the main character is a caterer there is a lot of talk surrounding cooking and the author inserts a half dozen recipes as they are spoken about by Goldy to her clients. Having the recipes (which I plan to try at some point) makes Goldy seem a bit more like a real person, since the novel follows her day to day activities and a takes place in a three day period leading up to Valentine's Day which is why this post is so appropriate.
Since today is Valentines and my review surrounds the antics of a caterer I thought I'd share the recipes I'm using today on my husband. Breakfast was Blueberry Streusel Scones and English Breakfast tea (of course), Lunch was Mushroom Tart, and Dinner will be Chicken Parmigiana, salad, and Triple-Chocolate Cheesecake.
A modern mystery set in Colorado with a caterer, Goldy Schultz, as the narrator and main character who can't keep her nose out of other people's business. This inability to keep from asking questions leads Goldy into some life threatening situations as living room window is shot out, she stumbles over a charred body, sees her husband shot, is knocked over the head by a thief, and that's all in the first 50 pages. Although I'm having issues with books written in first person, the novel is well written and thought out, and with so many possible murderers and thieves the reader isn't sure whose done what. The main mysteries, there are about four minor ones too, are Who Stole the Queen Victoria Stamps? and Who Shot Tom? (Goldy's husband). Since the main character is a caterer there is a lot of talk surrounding cooking and the author inserts a half dozen recipes as they are spoken about by Goldy to her clients. Having the recipes (which I plan to try at some point) makes Goldy seem a bit more like a real person, since the novel follows her day to day activities and a takes place in a three day period leading up to Valentine's Day which is why this post is so appropriate.
Since today is Valentines and my review surrounds the antics of a caterer I thought I'd share the recipes I'm using today on my husband. Breakfast was Blueberry Streusel Scones and English Breakfast tea (of course), Lunch was Mushroom Tart, and Dinner will be Chicken Parmigiana, salad, and Triple-Chocolate Cheesecake.
January 12, 2012
The Duchess aka Georgianna: The Duchess of Devonshire
The Duchess by Amanda Foreman
Fascinating biography on Georgiana Spencer/Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire (the same Duchess played by Kiera Knightley in the 2008 movie based off this biography) which covers her private life, public life, affairs, gambling addiction and debts, trend-setting fashions, and political endeavours while strictly dealing in facts. I can easily see how Hollywood changed pieces of Georgiana's life to suit their dramatized view. The biography gives the reader more than just an acquaintance with the subject, it gives the reader a portrait of the entire time period's social and political events as well as redefines the traditional view that women had no say in their lives and were completely controlled by their husbands. Georgiana Spencer/Cavendish was a major political player, trend-setter, author, and is one of the people responsible for England's definitive bi-partisanship.
I never read non-fiction since I get enough of sort of thing by reading text books and scientific papers but I grabbed a copy of this book at a Friends of the Library sale this past summer for shits and giggles (I've been interested in the time period ever since watching the 6 hour version of Pride and Prejudice and Emma as a child). Considering this was a book I only read while on the train it took me a bit of time to get through it, especially since it isn't a short book to begin with, but in the end I thoroughly enjoyed my venture into non-fiction.
Fascinating biography on Georgiana Spencer/Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire (the same Duchess played by Kiera Knightley in the 2008 movie based off this biography) which covers her private life, public life, affairs, gambling addiction and debts, trend-setting fashions, and political endeavours while strictly dealing in facts. I can easily see how Hollywood changed pieces of Georgiana's life to suit their dramatized view. The biography gives the reader more than just an acquaintance with the subject, it gives the reader a portrait of the entire time period's social and political events as well as redefines the traditional view that women had no say in their lives and were completely controlled by their husbands. Georgiana Spencer/Cavendish was a major political player, trend-setter, author, and is one of the people responsible for England's definitive bi-partisanship.
I never read non-fiction since I get enough of sort of thing by reading text books and scientific papers but I grabbed a copy of this book at a Friends of the Library sale this past summer for shits and giggles (I've been interested in the time period ever since watching the 6 hour version of Pride and Prejudice and Emma as a child). Considering this was a book I only read while on the train it took me a bit of time to get through it, especially since it isn't a short book to begin with, but in the end I thoroughly enjoyed my venture into non-fiction.
January 8, 2012
The Book of Spells by Kate Brian
The Book of Spells by Kate Brian
The Book of Spells is (apparently) the prequel to the Private series also set in Connecticut at the elite Billings School for girls. Taking place in 1915 a group of girls find a map which leads to a trunk of spell books. With power comes tragedy as the girls attempt to cover up a fatal accident involving one of the coven members. Although the book is set during World War I there is absolutely no mention of world events and almost the entire book takes place on the Billings and adjoining Easton campuses. The over all story is standard YA fare; a love triangle, boy crazy girls, harmless magics that progress to destruction, and a curse upon the coven. Well written and entertaining (for fluff) the book ends with the only unanswered question of who ends up with whom.
Of course the author follows the Harry Potter method of magic in which the girls see instant results from the spells they cast, something practically unheard of in the real practice of witchcraft. Of all the witch novels I've read only those by Alice Hoffman consistently demonstrate how magic actually works in real life.
The Book of Spells is (apparently) the prequel to the Private series also set in Connecticut at the elite Billings School for girls. Taking place in 1915 a group of girls find a map which leads to a trunk of spell books. With power comes tragedy as the girls attempt to cover up a fatal accident involving one of the coven members. Although the book is set during World War I there is absolutely no mention of world events and almost the entire book takes place on the Billings and adjoining Easton campuses. The over all story is standard YA fare; a love triangle, boy crazy girls, harmless magics that progress to destruction, and a curse upon the coven. Well written and entertaining (for fluff) the book ends with the only unanswered question of who ends up with whom.
Of course the author follows the Harry Potter method of magic in which the girls see instant results from the spells they cast, something practically unheard of in the real practice of witchcraft. Of all the witch novels I've read only those by Alice Hoffman consistently demonstrate how magic actually works in real life.
January 6, 2012
The Flappers: Vixen
The Flappers: Vixen by Jillian Larkin
Set in Chicago during the 1920's Vixen follows three young women as they navigate the thrilling speakeasy scene following Prohabition. The general set up of this novel is similar to another young adult novel, Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, in that there are three girls one of which is a singer, another is a star-crossed lover, one is already a flapper, a semi-abusive fiancee, and of course both are set during the 20's. Luckily, for me that is, one book is set in New York and the other in Chicago. Carla, Loraine, and Gloria all have very different story-lines which are packed with social and physical danger as they get entangled with gangsters and socialites. While the book initially comes off as a simple teenage rebellion to straight-laced upper-crust white society the plot progresses to some rather unexpected events taking place before ending with the promise for a fabulous second book.
Set in Chicago during the 1920's Vixen follows three young women as they navigate the thrilling speakeasy scene following Prohabition. The general set up of this novel is similar to another young adult novel, Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen, in that there are three girls one of which is a singer, another is a star-crossed lover, one is already a flapper, a semi-abusive fiancee, and of course both are set during the 20's. Luckily, for me that is, one book is set in New York and the other in Chicago. Carla, Loraine, and Gloria all have very different story-lines which are packed with social and physical danger as they get entangled with gangsters and socialites. While the book initially comes off as a simple teenage rebellion to straight-laced upper-crust white society the plot progresses to some rather unexpected events taking place before ending with the promise for a fabulous second book.
January 4, 2012
A slightly skewed Humboldt: A book review of Robyn Carr's Virgin River
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
A contemporary romance set in Humboldt County, CA in the fictional town of Virgin River. Although not all of the details are correct, especially the geography since there are towns closer than Eureka to Highway 36 (the location of Virgin River based off of descriptions), it is a well written if slightly Rancher flavored novel that helped me get over a brutal case of homesickness.
Humboldt is internationally known for its marijuana exports (some of it is actually legal within the state, although not federally) less known by outsiders is that the social and political climate is split between (to make things simple I'll stereotype) the very liberal pot smoking community and the very conservative rancher/timber community (the meth addicts are generally too tweeked out to have a political voice). This split causes a fair amount of tension and drama which Robyn Carr does a decent job of showing.
The plot of the novel is pretty straightforward (woman moves to new town, falls in love with a local, climactic drama, marriage, and baby) but having the marijuana aspect adds some twists (however there is a significant difference between potheads and tweekers that the author fails to notice fully). Despite the skewed depiction of the social and political climate, the descriptions of Virgin River, both the town and the river (the Van Duzen), and the rest of the countryside are accurate which made reading this book worthwhile for me.
A contemporary romance set in Humboldt County, CA in the fictional town of Virgin River. Although not all of the details are correct, especially the geography since there are towns closer than Eureka to Highway 36 (the location of Virgin River based off of descriptions), it is a well written if slightly Rancher flavored novel that helped me get over a brutal case of homesickness.
Humboldt is internationally known for its marijuana exports (some of it is actually legal within the state, although not federally) less known by outsiders is that the social and political climate is split between (to make things simple I'll stereotype) the very liberal pot smoking community and the very conservative rancher/timber community (the meth addicts are generally too tweeked out to have a political voice). This split causes a fair amount of tension and drama which Robyn Carr does a decent job of showing.
The plot of the novel is pretty straightforward (woman moves to new town, falls in love with a local, climactic drama, marriage, and baby) but having the marijuana aspect adds some twists (however there is a significant difference between potheads and tweekers that the author fails to notice fully). Despite the skewed depiction of the social and political climate, the descriptions of Virgin River, both the town and the river (the Van Duzen), and the rest of the countryside are accurate which made reading this book worthwhile for me.
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