Captain Wentworth's Diary by Amanda Grange

It is 1806, and Frederick Wentworth, a brilliant young man with a flourishing career in the navy, falls in love with Anne Elliot. The two become engaged, but Anne's godmother persuades Anne to change her mind, leaving Wentworth to go back to sea. Eight years pass, and Wentworth is now a seasoned captain with a fortune at his disposal. Anne's bloom has faded, yet she has the same sensibilities and superior mind she had eight years earlier, and before he knows it, Wentworth is falling in love with her all over again. Can there be a happy outcome for them this time around?

Persuasion is my favourite Jane Austen book so it was with high expectations that I started this story, supposedly Captain's Wentworth's version of the events. The first chapters of the book report Wentworth and Anne's meeting 8 years before Persuasion starts and so come solely out of Amanda Grange's imagination. When they meet Wentworth, at first, mistakes her for a maid and asks her for a dance to save her from the arrogant Miss Elliott. The story proceeds as the two meet at several social functions and Frederick falls in love with Anne. He proposes and is accepted but, on the next day, Anne refuses him after being persuaded to do so by Lady Russell. He becomes understandably angry and leaves decided to seek his fortune and forget all about her. Then we jump 8 years and are in familiar ground with the retelling of the well known story.

I must say that I did enjoy the book, it was a nice story and it followed Austen's lead pretty closely, the dialogues, the situations; everything is similar to the original. However I think Commander Wentworth has a very youthful voice that went well with the man in the first chapters but lacked gravity in the latter part of the story, the man who wrote "you pierce my soul" would, I feel, have a more serious and anguished approach to Anne and her reactions to him. I wanted more of his reflections about what was happening and I didn't feel I got to know Anne better or to understand why both she and Fanny were such superior women. Jane Austen's wit is also absent (except where the dialogues are the original) and somehow a witty dialogue could have made up for much.

Still I did enjoy it, it was very easy to read and fans of Persuasion will definitely like to know more about Captain Wentworth.

Grade: 4/5

The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner

Teddy's thoughts:


Juana, daughter of Queen Isabel & King Ferdinand of Spain was raised to be a pawn. She was betrothed as a toddler to Philip of Flanders, heir to the Hapsburg throne, to improve political alliances with Spain.

At 16 she was sent with her attendants to Flanders, to marry Philip. She did not want to go but knew it was her duty. Once she met Philip and saw how handsome he was, she fell in love with him. Their first years together were romantic and happy one's. Juana had a daughter and then a son, which made Philip very happy.

Juana was given an education, as a child she was raised to be a good wife and to gently persuade her husband to agree with Spain on issues that may arise. However, after a few year of wedded bliss, Juana's brother and the sister and nephew died. She was next in succession to the Spanish throne.

Though she was not raised to be Queen, she knew it was her duty. However, this created a power struggle with her husband. She also had to struggle with other men of power to take her rightful place as Queen.

This is an enthralling story of greed, lust, power, loyalty, and friendship. C.W. Gorther keeps the story going in perfect pitch! His vivid re-telling of the last Queen of Spain is quite believable and you can tell he really did his research to keep historical facts accurate.

I could not put this book down and it kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. I highly recommend this wonderful book. If you love historical fiction, you must read this book!

5/5


Marg's thoughts:



As much as I love reading historical fiction that is set in England, every now and again I really appreciate a change of location and characters. If that sounds a bit like you, then you can't really go wrong with The Last Queen by C W Gortner.

Whilst a lot of historical fiction fans will be familiar with the life and times of Catherine of Aragon, I must confess that I knew very little about any of her other family members. In this book, the author focuses on the life of Juana, Catherine's older sister who married into the Hapsberg family, to Phillip of Flanders (known as Phillip the Handsome). What started out as an arranged marriage quickly turned into a passionate, loving marriage but just as quickly turns into a passionate marriage of what can be a far stronger emotion - loathing and hate.

Due to a series of tragedies that hit the Aragonese royal family, Juana becomes the rightful heir to the Castilian throne. She is however forced to fight for her birthright against not only against her husband who was determined to claim the throne for himself, but also against the church, her own remaining family members, and against the distrust of the idea of a queen reigning.

As husband and wife engage in political power plays to try and gain the upper hand, as family members betray each other, and as mother becomes separated both physically and emotionally from her children, we are left with a portrayal of a woman who many would have envied as having everything, but who is left with nothing. Some of the choices that Juana did make seem somewhat foolhardy and yes, slightly mad, and the author does not shy away from these events. The portrayal of Juana is handled with sensitivity and perceptiveness, and yet as a reader, it is quite easy to be swept up in the drama and the emotion of the story.

I am glad to have been introduced to this fascinating character who in some ways is a footnote in history for many non-Europeans. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more from C W Gortner.

Rating 4.5/5

The Painter from Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein

Stirring Portrait of an Artist

Pan Yuliang never envisioned that her life would turn out like this. When her mother died, she was sent to her uncle's house. He raised her along with the help of a maid. She was to be promised to a man and then be married. That is what her mother's wish for her and a promise from her uncle.However, her uncle had a drug habit and ran out of money. He had to get drugs somehow, so he sold Yuliang into prostitution at the age of 14.

She was brought to "The Hall of Eternal Splendor" and was taught the ways of seduction and "bed business."

She was told to seduce the new inspector, Pan Zanhua. This was very important so that he could be kept in line and continue turning a blind eye, as the old inspector did. However, it did not work out that way. He could not be bought. He didn't fall for the hook as much as he was attracted to Yuliang.

Yuliang knew her fate. "Grandmother," the madam would beat her unmercifully. Pan Zanhua saw she was crying and he got her to tell him the truth. Zanhua rescued her from her fate and took her in as his concubine.

Zanhua really believed in equality and gave Yuliang an education. She became fascinated with art and started sketching. As her career as an artist took off both her and Zanhua become torn between her success and their love for each other.

Pan Yuliang was a real person, a famous artist. This book of historical fiction fills in what parts of her life may have been like. Jennifer cody Epstein really did her research and paints a colourful portrait of the life of Pan Yaliang. I felt like I was there as a witness to everything she endured and her triumph as an artist. The characters are believable and the writing is beautiful and richly textured.

This books is a real page turner and kept me up into the wee hours of the morning. I just couldn't put it down! I cannot recommend this book high enough. It does not disappoint!

5/5

Baby Arms by Pan Yuliang

Mr Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston

When Phoebe, a young niece of Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy, is shattered by an unhappy romance, she retreats to Pemberley and is joined by kind-hearted Louisa Bingley, unmarried after three London seasons. Once the young ladies are situated in the house, several handsome strangers also arrive -- all hopeful of winning the girls' hearts. As preparations for the ball which Mr. and Mrs. Darcy
are to give at Pemberley gain momentum, mischief and love triangles abound, making life as difficult as possible for anyone connected with the Darcy family.

There seems to be many Austen sequels around lately and I haven't read that many. A few years ago I read Elizabeth's Aston Mr Darcy's Daughters and had a nice memory of it so when I won this one at Jane Austen's Today I decided to give it a go. Mr Darcy's Dream is book 6 in a series that Aston wrote about Austen P&P characters. Although it's not mandatory to read the others before this one I think it would actually improve the reading if you did because the Darcy's and the Bingley's have so many daughters that it is a bit difficult to locate everyone at first. The book can be read as a standalone though.

It tells the story of Georgiana Darcy's, now Lady Hawkins, daughter Phoebe. Phoebe has fallen in love with a young man called Arthur Stanhope. Mr Stanhope loves in return but unfortunately he doesn't belong to the same political party as Phoebe's father and he does have a bit of a rakish reputation so Sir Giles Hawkins denies them permission to marry and makes Phoebe promise she won’t see him again. While upset at first Phoebe readily agrees after she sees him with the woman she believes to be his mistress.

Out of sorts and unhappy Phoebe is sent to Pemberley for the summer. The Darcy's are away but are planning a ball for their return and Mr Darcy leaves Phoebe to do all the organising. To keep her company she has Louisa Bingley, Jane Bennet and Mr Bingley's daughter, who after 3 seasons in London still hasn't found a man who interests her. In the house is also Mr Drummond, the man who is redesigning Mr Darcy's gardens, he is a close friend of Mr Stanhope who in turn comes to Derbyshire ostensibly to visit his sister but in fact to speak to Phoebe. Stanhope pursues Phoebe who tries to avoid him and Miss Bingley and Mr Drummond develop a fondness for each other while talking about plants and plotting to bring their friends together.

While I felt there was great potential in the book I think most of the tension is nonexistent due to the fact that there is never a confrontation between Phoebe and Stanhope about their feelings. Phoebe never explains to him that it is the fact that she saw him with another woman that disappointed her and not just her father’s orders. Since there was no real conflict it is just the story of his pursuit of her. I would have liked to see a bit more of Louisa Bingley's romance too as she was such a nice secondary character. The same goes for Stanhope's sister, I was glad that her problems were at an end but I would have liked to see a bit more of her and her thoughts.

Grade: 4/5

An Accomplished Woman - Jude Morgan

As a young woman, clever, self-reliant Lydia Templeton scandalised society by rejecting Lewis Durrant, the county's most eligible bachelor. Ten years later, Lydia has no regrets and, having concluded that matters of the heart need no longer trouble her, she is quite happy to remain unwed. But others still seek Lydia's advice on their love lives, and when her godmother implores her to take her young ward Phoebe's search for a suitor in hand, it's hard to refuse. In truth, the prospect fills Lydia with horror (especially as she must go to Bath of all places to do it), but poor Phoebe, having managed to promise herself to two men at once, rather needs her help. However, finding a solution to Phoebe's dilemma proves far trickier than anyone imagined. As affairs become increasingly tangled, Phoebe more muddled and Lydia's exasperation grows, the confirmed spinster finds that her own heart is not quite the closed book she thought it was!

I’ve heard Morgan being compared to Heyer and Austen and while his characters seemed to me to have a more modern voice there’s no doubt that I found it a pleasantly enjoyable read.

Lydia Templeton is a single woman and very independent. A few years ago she refused her neighbor’s, Lewis Durrant, offer of marriage. But they have remained on friendly terms and while finding him a bit stuffy and boring she does in fact enjoy their conversations. Lydia has no regrets about refusing him, she much prefers her independent, intellectually enriching life and since she is now 30 years old she feels that matters of the heart are now behind her.

But while she may feel that, she is still called upon to solve other people’s love problems. When her Godmother asks her to help her young friend Phoebe solving her problems Lydia is unhappy but unable to refuse at the same time.

Phoebe’s problem is that she fell in love with two suitors and eventually promised her hand to both of them. While staying in Bath they meet the two gentlemen and Lydia is relied on to advice Phoebe to which one she should choose. It’s not easy for Lydia who hates Bath, dislikes having to meddle in other people’s affairs and to top it all finds herself meeting Durrant everywhere they go. In fact while Lydia and Phoebe are making the rounds visiting people and attending functions it soon becomes apparent that Durrant is looking for a wife.

Soon Lydia realizes that not only she must help Phoebe but that she may have to sort out her heart as well. Interesting secondary characters provide the perfect counterpart for witty dialogue and interesting banter. Phoebe also proves to have more depth that it seemed as she eventually manages to take the reins of her own life and surprise everyone.

My one complaint about the book is the end comes about very abruptly, after spending such a nice time with these characters I wanted to savor it a bit during a few more scenes.


Grade: 4/5

A Tapestry of Dreams by Roberta Gellis

THEIRS WAS AN AGE OF PASSION AND PAGEANTRY
The lovely Lady Audris, whose delicate fingers weave fables of the future unto her tapestries, whose special gifts and radiant beauty set her apart in an enchanted age. And the knight they call Hugh Licorne. In service to his king ... a hero in an age of heroes ... a princely suitor for Lady Audris -- even though she cannot have him. Against all odds, they dare to search for love ... the lady who has sworn not to marry ... and the knight who has vowed to win her heart…

Tapestry of Dreams is the prequel to Fires of Winter. I happened to read that one first and was then curious to know more about Hugh and Audris who show up as secondary characters.

Set during the Stephen and Matilda wars and especially during the Scottish invasions of 1137 and 1138 about which there’s an author’s note the story begins by introducing Jernaeve, a place between Scotland and England where Audris lives under her uncle’s protection and from time to time receiving the visits of her half brother Bruno. On one of his visits he is accompanied by his friend Hugh Licorne. Hugh is an orphan who doesn’t know is parents. Both young men feel deeply the fact that they have neither riches nor land to call their own.

Audris is somewhat different from other heroines of the time, she is sheltered yes but her main occupation is weaving tapestries and she has none of those feminine gifts like cooking, healing or ordering the keep. Since Hugh is introduced as a friend of her beloved brother there’s immediate warmth is their relationship. What I really liked in how their relationship is portrayed, how open and honest they are with their feelings. Hugh is a warrior but is also capable of gentleness and tender feelings for the woman he loves; Audris is passionate and headstrong in her desire for him. I also liked how Gellis made their sexuality such a natural and joyous part of their union, it seemed right.

There’s war going on and soon the mystery of who Hugh really is and the result of their union makes them leave Jernaeve. I thought the first half of the book was a bit slow but towards the middle it definitely picks up the pace not only in their relationship but also in the background story. Gellis successfully blends story with history and mystery to provide us with an interesting and entertaining historical romance.

Grade: 4/5

The Seduction of The Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig

"Pride and Prejudice lives on," (USA Today) "a fun and zany time warp," (New York Daily News) "history textbook meets Bridget Jones" (Marie Claire): Readers and reviewers alike praise Lauren Willig's bestselling Pink Carnation series for its passion, adventure, and tantalizing stories of flower-named spies during the Napoleonic wars.

Lauren Willig continues the exciting Pink Carnation series with her fourth novel, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, featuring Lord Vaughn, the delightfully devilish spy from The Masque of the Black Tulip, and Mary Alsworthy, the raven-haired beauty whose sister accidentally stole her suitor in The Deception of the Emerald Ring. Determined to secure another London season without assistance from her new brother-in-law, Mary accepts a secret assignment from Lord Vaughn on behalf of the Pink Carnation: to infiltrate the ranks of the dreaded French spy, the Black Tulip, before he and his master can stage their planned invasion of England. Every spy has a weakness, and for the Black Tulip that weakness is black-haired women—his "petals" of the Tulip. A natural at the art of seduction, Mary easily catches the attention of the French spy, but Lord Vaughn never anticipates that his own heart will be caught as well. Fighting their growing attraction, impediments from their past, and, of course, the French, Mary and Vaughn find themselves lost in the shadows of a treacherous garden of lies.

As our modern-day heroine, Eloise Kelly, digs deeper into England's Napoleonic-era espionage, she becomes even more entwined with Colin Selwick, the descendant of her spy subjects.

I have been reading this series now for a couple of years, and for the first two books, after I closed the book I was very much interested in knowing when the next book came out. After I read the last book, I was still interested, but I was aware that the third book in the series hadn't quite lived up to the first two. Unfortunately, neither did this book, the fourth in the series.

I still love the idea that Willig started off with. Two time lines, one where a grad student (Eloise) is trying to pick her way through the historical record to find out exactly who the leader of the Pink Carnation spy ring was, and what happened to the group. As Eloise finds more letters and information, then we travel back in time to see the events as they unfold.

In this book, the heroine is Miss Mary Alsworthy, who in one of the previous books was jilted quite by accident in favour of her sister. Mary is seen as something of an ice princess by the ton, and she keeps any unsuitable men away from her using her iciness as a weapon. It is unthinkable that Mary may well have to rely on the kindness of her sister and her husband to look after her, because Mary is very much in danger of being left on the shelf. When Mary is approached by Lord Vaughan, she does not realise that it is because her looks are very much the type preferred by the infamous Black Tulip, and her task will be to infiltrate the gang.

What follows is kind of a hotch-potch. The plot takes twists and turns that seem unlikely, despite the fact that Willig acknowledges exactly that in the Author's Note, and then elaborates that it wasn't far from actual events.

By far the biggest problem for me in this book was the build up of tension between our heroine and her hero, Mary and Lord Vaughan. Now, I love reading about the aristocratic lord who is somewhat aloof, cold and haughty who thaws dramatically when he meets the love of his life. He may still be aloof to everyone, except to that inner circle of people. The problem in this case is that Vaughan is cold (and yes we do find out the reasons why) and Mary is an ice princess - there's no thawing going on here. There also wasn't enough build up of attraction between them.

In terms of the contemporary strand of the story, I understand that Eloise only gets 5 or 6 chapters per book, but it just seems to me that it is moving forward to slowly. I want to see Eloise get it on, although it seems as though the momentum is building.

I am hoping that it is just me, and that this series is not losing steam, because I really want to see it through to the end, finding out exactly what happened to the Pink Carnation and whether Eloise finally gets her man.

In the end I rated this book a 3.5/5. That in itself is a respectable grade. I guess I just wanted more, and I do definitely want more from the next book, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, which is due out on 22 January 2009. The main thing that concerns me about the next book though is that I can't remember meeting the heroine before. If I have time I might try to reread at least the first couple of books to give myself a refresher course in all the minor characters.

The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer

I've read Heyer's These Old Shades earlier this year (my review was a part of the Heyer Season and I loved it. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel - The Devil's Cub - and now that I have I think I love it even more than TOS.


Intelligent, practical Mary Challoner knew wicked Dominic Alastair, Marquis of Vidal, wouldn''t marry her sister, despite her mother''s matchmaking schemes. So Mary coolly prepared to protect her sister by deceiving Vidal. But she certainly hadn''t expected the infuriated nobleman to kidnap her! Reluctantly awakening to his responsibility—and realizing just how serious Mary was about her virtue—Vidal proposed marriage.
But after all the carefully laid wedding plots he''d dodged, Vidal had never expected to be refused by a chit! Baffled, bewitched and frustratingly tempted, Vidal swore that Mary would be his wife. Even if it was the last thing either of them ever did…

Vidal, Avon and Leonie's son is a rake and possesses his mother fiery temper. He has a loving relationship with his mother, who is forever saying it's not his fault that he gets in trouble but the fact that he inherited her spirit, and a more distant relationship with his father, to whom he feels must prove something.

Vidal is currently very interested in a young lady of a respectable family but whose less than respectable behaviour has led him to feel he can seduce her with no honourable intentions. The young lady, however, has an older and wiser sister who decides to ruin Vidal's plans by going with him pretending to be her sister and later uncover the ruse and showing him to be the victim of a malicious joke.

Unfortunately Vidal doesn't get annoyed and send her back as she expected, in fact he gets so mad that he decides to take her along with him. If he can't have one sister he will have the other. But Mary Challoner is not a heroine who quietly accepts being ordered about or manhandled and soon Vidal realises that not only he has met his match but also that Mary is a respectable woman and marriage is the only option. Now if he could just convince her of that...

There are many fabulous scenes in this book, Heyer writes great dialog and one just can't help laughing out loud in many of them as Mary and Vidal constantly challenge each other. After their first confrontation and when Vidal decides he will marry her, Mary is forever trying to avoid him because she feels she is not good enough for him. She believes his family would be dead set against the match and she has no option but to run away leading Vidal and his immediate family on a search for her across France. The final scene at the inn was lovely, engaging and emotional. Mary is the cool, sensible one, she is smart and independent, and she instintively knows how to deal with Vidal. He is the impetuous one, agressive and domineering, used to having his own way he doesn't realise how well Mary understands his temper and with subtlety uses that knowledge.

It was nice to see Leonie all grown up and with a dignified manner, even if she hasn't lost her spirit, and Avon as a concerned and loving father, without losing any of his authocratic manners. And there's a whole lot of secondary characters from both Vidal and Mary's family who are just delightful to read about, the scene between Leonie and Mary's mother, between Vidal and his cousin, there are too many to list really so I really recommend this read to everyone.

Want a little bit of dialog as a teaser? Here you go:

He stopped short. "Where did you get that thing?" he demanded.

"Out of your coach," she answered.

"Is it loaded?"

"I don't know," said Miss Challoner, incurably truthful.

He began to laugh again, and walked forward. "Shoot then," he invited, "and we shall know. For I'm coming several steps nearer, my lady."

Miss Challoner saw that he meant it, shut her eyes, and resolutely pulled the trigger. There was a deafening report and the Marquis went staggering back. He recovered in a moment. "It was loaded," he said coolly.

Grade: A

The Wild Hunt by Elizabeth Chadwick

In the wild, windswept Welsh marches a noble young lord rides homewards, embittered, angry and in danger. He is Guyon, lord of Ledworth, heir to threatened lands, husband-to-be of Judith of Ravenstow. Their union will save his lands - but they have yet to meet...

For this is Wales at the turn of the twelfth century. Dynasties forge and fight, and behind the precarious throne of William Rufus political intrigue is raging. Caught amidst the violence are Judith and Guyon, bound together yet poles apart. But when a dark secret from the past is revealed and the full horror of war crashes over Guyon and Judith they are forced to face insurmountable odds. Together...

I have this crazy tendency to want to read authors works in order, especially if I try a new release and like it. Having read and really enjoyed the last three new books by Elizabeth Chadwick, it was time to go back to the beginning and start glomming the back list, and you can't get any more back than this book - the first book published by Elizabeth Chadwick. In fact, this book has been out of print for a long time and for a while there I very much lamented the fact that I couldn't find a reasonably priced copy anywhere, until I finally lucked out on Ebay and bought a copy from the UK. Fast forward just under two years and I finally managed to read it, and quite frankly I don't know what I was thinking of waiting so long to do so!

The book opens with Guyon somewhat reluctantly having to marry a young girl, at the persuasive encouragement (or perhaps less encouragement than given no choice) of King William Rufus. By doing so, he is able to protect his own inheritance but also gets to stop his enemy Robert de Belleme from gaining further. The young girl is Judith of Ravenstow, and de Belleme is her paternal uncle who has his eye on her land. The young couple therefore marry hastily without having ever met each other previously. Guyon is handsome and sophisticated, with an established reputation at court as something of a romancer. For all Guyon's experience, Judith is an innocent, perhaps unusually so. She is well trained at the arts of healing and in the other skills required in order to run a household, but when it comes to interaction with the males of the species, she only has the abusive example of how her father treated her mother and she is skittish to say the least.

Guyon is prepared to be patient with Judith, until she is ready to deal with him as her husband, but as the relationship deepens between them, so the conflicts in the Marches and the Royal Court also deepen with Guyon getting caught up in the plotting and battling that is endemic in the court at the end of the 11th century and beginning of the 12th century.

It is hard not to compare this first book of Chadwick's with the later books because in many ways they are very different. There is less balance between the relationship between the characters and the battles and politics of medieval England. I think the sexual tension and the build up to the consummation of the marriage is less subtle than we see in her later books. The language of the novel is much less concise and at times there is too much description.

Having said all of that, the story itself was excellent, and I certainly was enchanted by Guyon. What Chadwick hasn't done with this character is made him whiter than snow. He is known at Court for his liaisons with the ladies, and very early on in the novel we know that he is prepared to take care of his responsibilities in this regard. We also know that he is a man of honour, and of faithfulness once he is married. He is in fact an all round good guy. If not for his past indiscretions there would be a chance that he would be too good to be true, but I can live with that. In fact, I wonder if I was to venture out to the Welsh Marches today whether I would be able to find my own Guyon - good looking, honourable, courageous. Yes please!

The same can not be said for the bad guys who are all very bad, but again this is something that I was willing to forgive because the actual story itself is so good!

Elizabeth Chadwick has confirmed that this book and the two others that form part of the Ravenstow trilogy are being rereleased after having been edited. In the case of this book, there have been approx 15000 words cut out of it, so it will be interesting at some stage to read the new version and see how it holds up to the revisions. The new version of the book is being released in the UK in December, and the cover is to the right, and fits in beautifully with the cover treatment that her newer books are receiving.

This is another winner from Elizabeth Chadwick, and I am very much looking forward to reading the other two books in this trilogy.

The First Princess of Wales - Karen Harper

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book from the author. I've been very curious about the Fair Maid of Kent after reading bits about her in other books and was quite happy to find a book where she is the main character.

The daughter of a disgraced earl, she matched wits with a prince.

It is the fourteenth century, the height of the Medieval Age, and at the court of King Edward III of England, chivalry is loudly praised while treachery runs rampant. When the lovely and high-spirited Joan of Kent is sent to this politically charged court, she is woefully unprepared for the underhanded maneuverings of her peers.

Determined to increase the breadth of his rule, the king will use any means necessary to gain control of France—including manipulating his own son, Edward, Prince of Wales. Joan plots to become involved with the prince to scandalize the royal family, for she has learned they engineered her father's downfall and death. But what begins as a calculated strategy soon—to Joan's surprise—grows into love. When Joan learns that Edward returns her feelings, she is soon fighting her own, for how can she love the man that ruined her family? And, if she does, what will be the cost?

It tells the story of Joan, starting as a young girl preparing to go to court, till her marriage to Edward, the Black Prince at 33 and covering her two previous marriages.

I found this Joan an interesting character even if a bit too lively at times, too self assured for someone so young. As soon as she reaches Kind Edward II's court she becomes a favourite with Princess Isabella and Queen Philippa and she immediately catches the eye of Edward, The Black Prince. Joan's mother tells her on her deathbed that the king is responsible for the death of her father and Joan decides then and there that she will have her revenge.

Despite that her attraction to the Prince grows and soon they are being noticed by others which leads the Queen to arrange a marriage for Joan. First she is betrothed to Thomas Holland. As that doesn’t seems to stop her and the prince the Queen in desperation marries her to another man. That will make for an interesting tangle and the Pope must be consulted to decide to which of them is she really married. We follow Joan's marriage to Thomas Holland and exile in France and her subsequent reunion with Edward that leads to their marriage after her husband dies.

I did like reading the story but I have to confess that I regretted some lack of historical detail to really make me feel like I was visiting the medieval world. I wanted to know more of Joan besides her attraction to Edward. I never thought Joan's first marriage to be of royal initiative but I'm sure things could have happened as described. The age of the characters also seems a bit off in the beginning but as they grow up it it's not noticeable anymore. It reads very well as a romantic story even if Edward is at times a bit too aggressive in his pursuit of Joan, there's a lot of melodrama going on with these two before they reach their happy ending.


Posted also at Aneca's World

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James

Many rumors abound about a mysterious gentleman said to be the love of Jane's life—finally, the truth may have been found. . . .

What if, hidden in an old attic chest, Jane Austen's memoirs were discovered after hundreds of years? What if those pages revealed the untold story of a life-changing love affair? That's the premise behind this spellbinding novel, which delves into the secrets of Jane Austen's life, giving us untold insights into her mind and heart.

Jane Austen has given up her writing when, on a fateful trip to Lyme, she meets the well-read and charming Mr. Ashford, a man who is her equal in intellect and temperament. Inspired by the people and places around her, and encouraged by his faith in her, Jane begins revising Sense and Sensibility, a book she began years earlier, hoping to be published at last.

It seems there are a lot of books with or about Jane Austen being published lately. And I'm doing my best to read the ones that seem more interesting even if sometimes they turn out to be not so good.

That is not the case with these Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen. The author starts with a note explaining how during some works or renovations in a house Jane Austen lived in some papers were found that later turned out to be Jane Austen's diary. I was a bit worried about a diary, thus in the first person, by such a famous character as Austen but in the end I found it very enjoyable.

The memoirs supposedly tell about a period in Jane Austen's life about which we have no letters or any other documents. It describes her life after her father died when she, her mother and her sister Cassandra find themselves in lack of funds and have to resort to share a house with the wife of one of her brothers till her brother Edward offers them a cottage in his property. It also approaches her love life telling of the love she shared with a Mr Ashford and of the reasons she did not manage to attain the happy ending she gave to almost all of her characters.

Predictably we can recognise in some of the people she deals with and in some of the situations she finds herself in scenes that that will later appear in her books. I thought it was well done and appropriate and quite enjoyed them.

Overall I thought it a really nice and interesting story of what could have been. Just one thing that let me a bit down, the basic of the story is too close to what happens in the movie (I haven't read the book yet) Becoming Jane. I was disappointed in that movie in a way that I wasn't with this book. The feel of the period, the atmosphere in much better here. Why didn't they adapt this one instead?

Grade: B

The Tea Rose - Jennifer Donnelly

I was lent this one by A. and I must say I have no idea why it took me so long to start it. I loved it!

East London, 1888 - a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night. Where shining hopes meet the darkest truths.

Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, a bright, defiant young woman dares to dream of a life beyond tumbledown wharves, gaslit alleys, and the grim and crumbling dwellings of the poor.

Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.

But Fiona's plans are shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man force her to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit – and the ghosts of her past – propel her rise from a modest West Side shop front to the top of Manhattan's tea trade.

Fiona's old ghosts do not rest quietly, however, and to silence them, she must venture back to the London of her childhood, where a deadly confrontation with her past becomes the key to her future.

The Tea Rose is a towering old-fashioned story, imbued with a modern sensibility, of a family's destruction, of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph.

Authentic and moving, The Tea Rose is an unforgettable novel – one certain to take its place beside such enduring epics as A Woman of Substance, The Thornbirds, and
The Shell Seekers.

I think one of my favourite things in the novel was how Connelly makes her story come alive, I can almost see the streets of London and New York, smell the fruit and vegetables at the market and shiver with anticipation while Jack the Ripper strolls the streets of Whitechapel.

Then I really enjoyed her detailed characters. The story's main characters are young Fiona Finnegan and her boyfriend Joe Bristow. We really feel we know Fiona and her family. We feel their joys and their sorrows. Fiona and Joe are saving money to start their own business but unfortunately things don't happen as they would like. Fiona's family is shattered by several tragedies amidst the union workers fight for better pay and unsolved murders of prostitutes in the neighbourhood. And Joe finds that a reckless action can change a life.

Separated by an ocean Fiona will raise from adversity proving herself to be a strong, determined and enterprising woman whose business skills will lead her to build and empire. But she doesn't forget the past and how she vowed to make the culprits of her family's misfortune pay nor the young man she loved so much. In the end they are both survivors!

There's an unexpected twist in the end in preparation for the next book and now I can't wait to get my hands on The Winter Rose.

Grade: A

April Lady by Georgette Heyer

When Lord Cardross marries the young Lady Helen he also finds himself coping with her father's financial disasters and the pressing gambling debts of her scapegrace brother. Many escapades must be resolved before the much-tried Earl can smooth the course of true love in his own marriage.

April Lady is, like several Heyer novels, a comedy of errors.

Lady Cardross, recently married, is very much in love with her husband but tries to hide as her mother told her on the eve of the wedding that she was merely a convenience to Cardross and his sister mentioned to her he had a mistress thus making her even more sure of his lack of love for her. Lord Cardross is madly in love with his wife but fears she only married him because he is very rich and her family of gamesters was very much in need of funds.

When the story starts Helen (Nell) has incurred in a great deal of debt not only to help her brother but also with the dress makers. Seeing her worried Cardross tells her he will pay all the debts but she forgets to give him one and after promising him she will take better care of her purchases she doesn't have the courage to ask him to pay one more. She tries to find a way to have the money needed asking for her brother's help but she finds herself unable to look her husband in the eye for fear he will discover the debt. At the same time, finding her behaviour odd Cardross starts to believe she just married him so she can pay the family's debts and feels nothing for him.

Heyer always writes fun lines and vivid characters but although I enjoyed the book I think Nell needed to sparkle a bit more, say like Leonie in These Old Shades or Horatia in The Convenient Marriage. Two books where we have a younger heroine paired up with an older man but in which they steal the scenes they appear in. Cardross also seems to lack the condescending and sometimes sarcastic and self deprecating humour those heroes had.

There are quite a few adventures involving Cardross's sister and her beloved that lead to an even bigger misunderstanding between Lord and Lady Cardross but everything gets solved in the end and I almost laughed out loud with the set down Dysart gives Cardross about him not taking care of his wife. Dysart is after all a carefree rogue always involved in new adventures and without a feather to fly with so hardly the type to be giving lectures but in this case Cardross has to accept it with grace.

Recommended for true fans of the author but if you're trying her for the first time look for Arabella or The Grand Sophy.

Grade: B-

These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

Under the reign of Louis XV, corruption and intrigue have been allowed to blossom in France, and Justin Alastair, the notorious Duke of Avon and proud of his soubriquet ‘Satanas’, flourishes as well. Then, from a dark Parisian back alley, he plucks Leon, a red-headed urchin with strangely familiar looks, just in time for his long over-due schemes of revenge on the Comte de St. Vire. Among the splendours of Versailles and the dignified mansions of England, Justin begins to unfold his sinister plans - until, that is, Leon becomes the ravishing beauty Leonie...

It's a compliment to Georgette Heyer that she can write a story with one of my personal pet peeves and make it work - this is a girl in pants story.

The story has a mystery, romance, friendship, a villain or two and a case of stolen identity.

The Duke of Avon is an arrogant, cynical and jaded man. He constantly refers to himself has the devil thus showing how fond he is of his bad reputation. One day while strolling on the streets of Paris he finds a young "boy" running away from a beating and decides to protect him. "He" becomes Avon's page and totally devoted to his saviour who "he" believes to be a noble and good man no matter what Avon, and everyone else, says to deny it. It is soon apparent that there is a motive for Avon's actions other than the kindness of his heart. Leon, or Leonie, will be his instrument of revenge towards an old enemy.

I love how Heyer shows the relationship between the older, jaded aristocrat and the young naive girl. He is always in control of his actions and emotions, she is very impulsive and emotional. She is always very honest, sometimes too honest in her remarks and about her situation but Heyer makes it work wonderfully. Unlike other stories with girls disguised as boys Avon immediately sees that Leonie is a girl and let's her continue the ruse to keep appearances and till he can discover more about her. Once he does he puts her in his sisters care what Leonie sees as a loss of his favour. It's clear from early on that Leonie loves Avon and that he fights what he feels for her because he feels he is too old and unworthy.

Without giving much away of the plot Leonie will be put in danger by Avon's old enemy, The Comte de Saint Vire, and it will take several adventures to rescue her and uncover the truth of Leonie's past. In the mean time we get to know a few more members of Avon's family and have some insight on his past. I liked that it had action, witty and funny dialogue, a good plot and believable characters. Heyer does a good job with portraying the Georgian atmosphere and mannerisms (the book is set circa 1756) making it a very good read.


Grade: A

Fires of Winter - Roberta Gellis

I am a big fan of Roberta Gellis medieval romances. Although she is better known for her Roselynde Chronicles whenever I find one of her books I always feel pretty happy and save them for a rainy day.

Melusine of Ulle, daughter of Scottish nobility, is given in marriage to Bruno of Jernaeve, who secures her land for his sovereign, King David. Born enemies, the pair has an inauspicious beginning when Melusine attempts to kill her new husband on their wedding night. But what makes this more than just a story of two people's rocky relationship is Gellis's wonderful style. Alternating chapters are written from the perspective of husband and wife, the work is historically accurate, and the narrative is sensitive and insightful. For Gellis fans, the fact that some characters appeared in Tapestry of Dreams makes this work all the richer.

This story is set during Stephen de Blois' reign and develops during its ongoing war with the Empress Matilda. The first half of the book is dedicated more to the relationship between the hero and the heroine. Growing up as the daughter of a noble family for her and as an illegitimate son of a noble man for him. They meet in less that happy circumstances as Bruno, a knight in King Stephen's entourage, is invading Melusine's keep as her father and brother have turned traitor. The King and Queen Maud decide a marriage of convenience for them and one could say that this more romantic side of the story continues till they come to terms with each other.

The second half is about the fight for power and the political movements of the period. How Stephen alienated his brother's support who went to Matilda and how after Matilda and Robert of Gloucester invaded Germany and eventually fought till they imprisoned King Stephen. He would end up being released when Queen Maud imprisons Robert of Gloucester planning and exchange between them but it led to Henry, son of Matilda, being sworn heir to the throne of England after Stephen's death. Bruno follows King Stephen's actions on the field and shares his imprisonment and Melusine stays in attendance of Queen Maud thus presenting different perspectives of what’s happening around them. The book has one particularity I have not seen often, each chapter is written in the first person but alternating between Bruno and Melusine. This means we have their different views regarding what's happening, sometimes their different views on the situation they are in.

Gellis is really good at delivering interesting, true to their period, characters and in immersing her story in history. It made for a very interesting read!

Grade: B

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig

Emerald rings aren't all they are cracked up to be....

Eloise Kelly has gotten into quite a bit of trouble since she's been spying on the Pink Carnation and the Black Tulip - two of the deadliest spies to saunter the streets of nineteenth-century England and France. Not only has been unearthing secrets that will change the course of history, she's been dallying with Colin Selwick - great-nephew of Mrs Selwick-Alderly, the keeper of important hidden documents - looking for a romantic adventure of her own.

Little does she know there's another fierce heroine running headlong into history...

It's 1803 England, and Letty Alsworthy awakens in the middle of the night to discover that her sister, Mary, is about to make the very grave mistake of eloping with Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe (second in command of the League of the Purple Gentian). In an attempt to save the family name, Letty tries to break up the midnight assignation - only to find herself accidentally carried off in her sister's place. The ensuing scandal forces Letty and Geoff into a hasty marriage - and just as hastily, Geoff disappears on their wedding night, under orders to hurry to Ireland and help the Pink Carnation squash a ring of Irish rebels led by the Black Tulip. Not to be outdone by her husband, Letty steals away on a ship bound for the Emerald Isle, armed and ready to fight for her integrity, and learn a thing or two about espionage - never imagining that she might learn a few things about love on the way...

After the intensity of the last couple of reads, something a bit light was in order, and one of the Pink Carnation books by Lauren Willig fitted the bill perfectly....that and the fact that it was due back at the library!!

The first two books in the series, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and The Masque of the Black Tulip very much set the tone for this book, which really continues two stories in two different time lines.

In the first time line we have a chick lit style story where young American Eloise Kelly is living in London, whilst she is working on her dissertation which proposes that in addition to the more well known Scarlet Pimpernel and Purple Gentian, there was another spy called the Pink Carnation. For the chapters that focus on Eloise, the main topic is her love life, and more specifically her infatuation, for want of a better word, with Colin Selwick.

The book is stronger when the narrative concentrates on the events of the past. This time, the Pink Carnation has been sent to Ireland to quash a rebellion that is brewing which appears to be backed by old enemy Napoleon. After a botched elopement where Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe ends up engaged to the wrong Alsworthy sister, and a hasty wedding, he too is off to Ireland. Unfortunately for his new bride, Letty, he chose to run off on their wedding night, choosing to believe that she has manipulated matters to try and destroy his happiness. Letty has never one to let sleeping dogs lie (case in point - interrupting the elopement in the first place), and so she follows her errant husband to Ireland, very nearly causing the mission to fail.

For the most part I enjoyed the relationship between Geoffrey and Letty. In many ways Geoffrey was a reluctant spy/hero. Whilst he loved his work in the league and the War Office, he would have been content to do his desk job instead of actually being out in the field - especially when his wife keeps on getting in the way! I did, however, think that the relationship between Letty and Geoffrey didn't really build up all that well - there was lots of angst and then it seemed all too suddenly they were in love, and then the book was over!

So whilst this one probably wasn't as good as the first two books in the series, there were still lots of fun elements in this book in both time settings, and I will definitely read the next book in the series.

Rating 3.5/5


The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
The Masque of the Black Tulip
The Deception of the Emerald Ring
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (out January 2008)

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

Finding True Love Was Never So Dangerous

Two hundred years ago, secret documents so sensitive they could alter the course of history were stolen from a courier with the London War Office. A the scene of the crime, the victim was left with a curious note containing only a small black symbol pinned to his chest. Authorities were baffled. It took two centuries for a young American history student, Eloise Kelly, to uncover the missing pieces of the puzzle...

As Eloise reads from an old codebook, she discovers that the Black Tulip, the deadliest spy in Napoleon's arsenal, has returned to England with a terrifying mission. Only a pair of star-crossed lovers stand in the way of the Black Tulip. But will stopping the Black Tulip's secret mission cost them their lives or, even worse, their love?

This review was originally written in June 2006.

It's funny you know...when I was rereading what I wrote about Secret History, it struck me as quite ironic that I wrote that the back cover blurb wasn't really accurate for that book, as I have to say the same thing again. Reading the blurb above, it makes it seem as though the missing documents were a key part of the story, and that Eloise was the first person to discover the true identity of the Black Tulip...which isn't exactly the way the book pans out.

Our hero from the previous book (Lord Richard Selwick aka ThePurple Gentian) has had to retire from active spy service given that his cover was blown. That actually suits him as he is now settled into married bliss with Amy. He is, however, keeping his hand in by running a spy school from his home.

The Pink Carnation is still plying her trade in Paris, obtaining secret information and sending it home to England using a series of chatty letters to Lady Henrietta Selwick (sister of Lord Richard). What looks like gossip is in fact a complex series of codes that Henrietta then passes onto The War Office.

Miles Dorrington was a close personal friend of Richard (in fact has basically been a member of the family since he was a very young boy) and also employed at The War Office.

When the news comes through that there is a deadly new spy who has made their way to London, both Miles and Henrietta decide that they will track down the deadly Black Tulip.

There is a small problem though. All of a sudden they are both finding each other more and more attractive. Whilst Henrietta acknowledges her feelings, Miles is somewhat slower...very concerned about the fact that he is lusting after his best friend's sister, which apparently is just not done.

After both having numerous escapades and false leads, Miles and Henrietta both end up at a special spy weekend (the event is meant to appear as a house party) at her brother's home, where they are training their latest recruits, things don't quite go to plan. When it seems as though the Black Tulip has infiltrated the house, all of the potential spies are required to stay in the grounds of Selwick Hall, and in some ways, it is inevitable that Miles and Henrietta will be caught in a compromising situation.

There were times that I did just wish that Miles and Henrietta would just talk to each other, and things would have been a lot easier for them. As for Eloise, she spends the weekend at Selwick Hall, searching through the archives there for more evidence about The Pink Carnation and The Black Tulip, and the spy school that was convened there, but is she also succumbing to the charms of Colin Selwick? There's been no action on that stage yet, but it is building nicely!

Another fun, light read. The next book comes out later this year and has The Pink Carnation setting off for Ireland. I will definitely be getting hold of it when it comes out!

Rating 4/5


The books in this series in order are:

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
The Masque of the Black Tulip
The Deception of the Emerald Ring
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (out January 2008)

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

The first in a series of book by new author Lauren Willig, this book looks at the lives of the spies that followed on in the footsteps of the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Deciding that true romantic heroes are a thing of the past, Eloise Kelly, a gifted young history student who nonetheless always manages to wear her precious Jimmy Choo suede boots on the day it buckets down, abandons Harvard for London to finish her dissertation on a dashing pair of spies, The Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. What she discovers is something the finest scholars have missed: the secret history of The Pink Carnation - the most elusive spy of all time, said to have singlehandedly saved England from Napolean's invasion.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation opens with the tale of a modern-day heroine but soon becomes a story within a story. After discovering a treasure trove of old letters, Eloise is transported to eighteenth-century Paris through the daring exploits of another young woman determined to make her mark, and a passionate love affair that almost threw off the course of world events is at last revealed.

This book is an interesting mix of genres. We have some elements of chicklit (brand name dropping, parties, fashion), and yet at another level we have historical romance, mixed in with a dash of spying for good measure. In lesser hands, it could have been a recipe for mediocrity, with none of the elements dealt with satisfactorily, however, happily for the reader, it was handled quite competently. I was certainly left wanting to read more from this author!

The back cover details (above) really do not give an accurate reflection of what the book is about. From that blurb, one would assume that the main focus of the novel is Eloise, but really, other than a chapter here and there, the main focus of the novel is about the starting of the spy legend that is The Pink Carnation, and the romance between Amy Balcourt and Lord Richard Selwick.

From her days as a very young girl, Amy has dreamt of joining the league of spies that followed in the footsteps of The Scarlet Pimpernel, and if she couldn't join him, she would start her own league...the league of The Pink Carnation. Already enrolled in the league is Amy's cousin, the unflappable Jane. When Amy is called to go home to Paris by her brother Edouard, of course Jane will accompany, along with the very strict Miss Gwen, who is lethal with her parasol. Amy has everything planned...she is going to find The Purple Gentian and join him in Paris, and restore the monarchy to France. Unfortunately, The Purple Gentian has a much different agenda!

After being disappointed in her plans, the girls hire a boat for their exclusive use. Only problem is Lord Richard has done the same, and before they can sort out who really has the exclusive use of the boat, they are on their way to France, and the first interactions between our hero and heroine take place. In true romance fashion, they are attracted to each other, but keep on fighting with each other, especially when Amy finds the fact that Richard works for Napoleon unpatriotic. Once they reach Paris, they meet time and time again, until at last Amy realise who exactly she is dealing with. When the Purple Gentian finds himself cornered, he finds help from unlikely elements....in scenes which have high elements of slapstick comedy.

Whilst Eloise follows the story of Amy and Richard, she locks horns with the imperious Colin Selwick who is the family guardian of the papers regarding his ancestors life. There are only half a dozen chapters focusing on Eloise, and secondarily Colin, so there is plenty of scope in the next couple of novels to see where, if anywhere, the author wants to take our modern day couple.

The intriguing thing about this blend of different genres and styles is that it works! It will be interesting to see if it maintains its freshness as the series continues. I have my name down first on the request list at the library for The Masque of the Black Tulip

Reading this book did actually lead me to discover that Baroness Orczy who wrote The Scarlet Pimpernel actually wrote about 15 Pimpernel books, which I never knew previously, and most of them are available for free downloads on the internet. Hopefully I will get a chance to read some more of them soon!

A good fun read, filled with ingenious plans, swirling capes, masks and disguises - in short....lots of fun!

Edited to add: On Lauren Willig's website there are some "Outtakes" from this book - more fun!

Rating 4/5


The books in this series in order are:

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
The Masque of the Black Tulip
The Deception of the Emerald Ring
The Seduction of the Crimson Rose (out January 2008)

Lauren Willig giveaway

Kelly from Loaded Questions is giving away an ARC of Lauren Willig's next book, The Seduction of the Crimson Rose over at her blog! Willig's Pink Carnation series is a really fun spy caper/historical romance. I have read all the previous books in the series, and really enjoyed them. The new book is out in January. I will have reviews for the first three books in the series up here over the next few weeks in anticipation of the new release!

There are two ways to enter the giveaway. First, you can subscribe to Loaded Questions, or you can send Kelly an email. You can read all the details here!

Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason

In Italy, a powerful vampire is amassing the power to control the souls of the dead. Lady Victoria Gardella de Lacy-a vampire slayer for just over a year-races across Europe to stop what could be the most deadly army the Gardellas have ever faced. She is accompanied by Sebastian Vioget, a man as tempting as he is untrustworthy.

But when Victoria discovers that she has been betrayed by one of her most trusted allies, the truth will challenge all her powers as a Venator-and as a woman.

I am so happy that I finally found the time to sit down and read this book! I bought it when it first came out, and then June just got away from me. I finally got my chance, though, so I am happy to report that I read it!

When I read books, one of the most important things for me is how women are portrayed in the novel. I am a girl, and I like to read books where I can either relate, admire, or look up to the female characters. I am not interested in the "too stupid to live" female characters that can be quite common in different forms of literature. I think that in the 21st-century people are passed needing to read about the damsel in distress that is saved by her valiant knight. I know that I am! Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy is a woman, she may be a venator, but she is a woman first. She has taken on the role of protector and sworn to rid the world of vampires, but she is also battling with wanting the things that normal women in society have. This battle is one of the key themes of the novel.

Going back to how I like to read books with smart female leads, Victoria is put in a position where she is not protected as she normally is, and she still manages to kick vampire butt. This is very important to both her and to me as a reader, because it shows that just because she is a woman living in the nineteenth-century, she is still capable of protecting herself, even without that which makes her a venator. It is also nice that Victoria can be a woman and a vampire slayer because it seems to be common in other parnormal books that the women are all about the vampire slaying and less about being women. There is nothing wrong with being a female, the problem is how they are portrayed.

The other lead role in this book goes to Sebastian Vioget, which I am sure delighted many readers because he got a lot of page space. The other two men from book one did not, as one is dead and I will let you figure out Max on your own by reading the book. I am not sure who I like better, Max or Sebastian. I think they both have interesting characteristics, and that they would both equally be interesting to have lots of page time in the coming books in the series. I am also not sure Victoria really has to pick anyone, she has no intention of ever marrying. Sebastian turns out to be more than meets in the eye in several instances during this book. The reader learns a lot about him and why he found himself running a bar that was for vampires and humans.

A lot of things happen in this book. A great deal of it takes place in Rome, where a new threat is rising to give problems to the mortal race. It is up to Victoria and a few others to save the city, but I think saying too much about that would give away a big aspect of the plot. Colleen also introduces some other men to the mix, but none, for me, are as great as Sebastian and Max. I also highly doubt they will be her lovers in future books, if mentioned all.

Parting Thoughts: It is June 28th today, and I am sad because I have to wait until next year to find out what happens next. Did anyone read the little spoiler for The Bleeding Dusk in the back of the book? I never read them because I am interested in the book as it is, I do not need to be anymore anxious for its release. I think that this series has a good thing going for it, and that this book stands up to, if not surpasses The Rest Falls Away. I highly recommend this book and this series. Another great read, and one of my favourites of the year.

***Note: This post was written in June 2007.****


The books in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles in order are:

The Rest Falls Away
Rises the Night