5 stars I received an ARC of this installment of the Wicked Earls Club, which links to characters in the League of Rogues, another of Lauren Smith’s series. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to keep track of all of the names, especially with the amount of time that passes between books, but Ms Smith makes it okay if you don’t remember the specifics because the general qualities of the characters are memorable. Now, the bad guys are the French and the British anarchists who wish to destroy the monarchy and parliament. The worst of them is a shadowy figure described as brilliant, cold-blooded and evil. The theme of vengeance is visited through the actions of several characters, each doing things they would not otherwise do and being forced to face their motivations and come to terms with them. After some heavy-handed foreshadowing in which Adam presents Letty with a jewel-encrusted coronet to wear for their wedding—a crown haunted by a Morrey family legend stating that only a brave woman, one willing to die for love, would be able to wear it—we find out, to no one’s surprise, that Letty is that woman. Of course, Adam suspected that all along, recognizing in her the qualities of courage and loyalty. Adam, likewise, has the same qualities and they find they are quite well matched, and even find love (because, of course, it’s a romance). In fact, the relationship built between Adam and Letty is believable and nuanced. They take the time to know one another through various activities and conversations, adding a depth to their relationship that not all romance authors take the time to create. It’s not insta-love, although they admit to an initial attraction upon their first meeting. The tension is high throughout the story, as the reader never knows when the bad guys are going to show up and try to harm Letty and Adam, but it never becomes too much. The sense of mystery is consistent throughout, up until the “surprise ending.” Overall, I really enjoyed it and consider it a strong addition to the Wicked Earls Club series, and secondarily, to the League of Rogues family. March 18, 2021
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4 stars Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved it, but on the other, I found it so frustrating. The narrative jumps back and forth between time and leaves the reader utterly unsure of what is real and what is imagined, what is current, what is past, and what is future. Although, based on other reviews, maybe that’s just me. I cannot deny the poetry of the writing, with imagery that is beyond vivid, and the spirituality woven into every aspect of it well worth pondering. It is enlightening and inspirational and includes many Khalil Gibran-esque sayings (in addition to his own, “beauty is a light in the heart”). Perhaps this quote most accurately captures the whole of the story: “Memories, true and false, distort the truth of our existence. Not that there is any solid truth to be had; there is no such thing as unbiased ‘truth’ in our minds, nor within our reason, and particularly not in our hearts.” And although I love poetry, I also need logic and realism to hold a story together. This was not ‘simply’ some epic poem held together by a theme with a wandering plot—or perhaps, that’s exactly what it was. The thing is, I was so confused, I just don’t know. Like Emily, I could not distinguish reality from fantasy, and this translated into a reluctance to continue reading. I had to work too hard. By the end, I think Emily and Patrick and Alessandra understood exactly what had happened or was happening, but I didn’t. I cannot give this 5 stars because I cannot unequivocally recommend it, but I cannot give it any less than 5 stars because it was so beautifully written. What a conundrum. I’ll have to give it 4 because, at this point, my brain hurts. March 16, 2021 4 stars overall I have included a separate review for each of the three books in this collection. I’m thankful that I received an ARC. Enchant: Beauty and the Beast Retold 4 stars I’m always impressed by the way Demelza Carlton takes the bones of a well-known fairytale and turns it into something completely different. She chooses to place it in a different world which reflects the same kinds of societal norms and customs of the time period associated with the original, but she injects elements of magic and creates a completely different world. The other thing that’s very clever is that she connects the various fairy tales through sometimes-tangential characters. For example, in this story, Zuleika is the daughter of Zoraida (Fall and Embellish) and the enchantress who turned a certain nasty prince into a frog. I wish she kept a flow chart of some sort on her website so I could remember all of the links. It’s Beauty and the Beast retold, but in this version, “Belle” is more complex and driven by her desire to do right rather than a desire to save her father from being a prisoner. Likewise, there is more backstory on Vardan, the enchanted prince, and he’s a much nicer guy. I could have done without some of his internal struggle regarding his desire to kiss her because I think it could have been shown to the reader rather than told. And whenever he made a declaration followed by an exclamation point I found it unnecessarily emphatic because he was a “beast” and it would be scary. Some of the miscommunications were a bit exasperating. There was also a scene where Zuleika “imagines” Vardan coming to her rescue, but the very next chapter, he awakens from her dream to rescue her and the scene seems entirely different. This was a bit discombobulating. Overall, although this wasn’t the best-written story in the series, it was enjoyable and I’m glad to have read it. I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys Demelza Carlton’s retold fairy tales. Dance: Cinderella Retold 4 stars This is Cinderella retold as Mulan. Since I wasn't a big fan of Mulan, I was prepared to dislike this rendition of the story. What is it with women pretending to be men so they can go to war? There are a couple of reasons this concept doesn't work for me. First of all, how can a soldier expect to disguise his or her gender while at war? On several occasions, the Prince removes his shirt to spar with Mai (aka Mao). Yet, Mao never removes his, and I think this could cause suspicion. Furthermore, they shared a tent! Mai’s stepmother cast an illusion to make her appear as Mao, so that might explain why no one questioned the lack of facial hair, Adam's apple, or general appearance. What about when she had to urinate? And what about getting her period? Did the spell cover all of that? Another issue I had was with the burns. They were described as pretty horrific, and the implication was that they were second-degree burns. As anyone who has experienced this can tell you, second-degree burns are extremely painful. I'm told third-degree burns kill the nerve tissue so you feel numb. I guess what I'm saying is that if there are actually any herbal drinks that will knock out that kind of pain, I'd like to know what they are! Based on my critique, it might seem as if I didn't like this book. However, I really did enjoy it and, like any fairytale, I loved the HEA. Fly: Goose Girl Retold 3 stars Since I’m not very familiar with the original Goose Girl story, it’s hard for me to know how this may have been changed. Ava, a princess, is sent with her half-sister Lagle (who, for the record, is pretty nasty) as her lady’s maid on a journey to become empress to a kingdom with which their father’s kingdom is at war. During the journey, Lagle is injured and suffers a loss of her memory so Ava pretends to be the one sent to forge a peace. The emperor’s youngest son Yun (who, for the record, is much nicer than his nasty brothers) rescues Ava from a worse fate by marrying her. There are a lot of barbaric, evil people in this story, with the exception of Ava, Yun, and a few notable others. For this reason, I didn’t find this a terribly pleasant read. There was a scene in which Ava said good-bye to her friend Bianca and her mother. As Ava’s mother died after giving birth to Ava, she made Bianca’s mother Militsa promise to care for her daughter. Here’s what was weird: “Militsa embraced Ava, in the fashion of the northern tribes, for such things were foreign to Ava’s own people. Yet she endured it, because she knew it was Militsa’s way of showing her love.” How is it possible that Ava knew what was foreign to her people when she has been raised in a foreign land? Militsa raised her as her own daughter, so there’s no reason to believe that Ava would be uncomfortable with a hug from her. Ultimately, this was not my favorite of the fairy tale retellings and I wouldn’t recommend it as a standalone because I never really felt much for any of the characters and their fate was “whatever.” Yes, it’s creative and well told, but personally, I didn’t care for it. March 13, 2021 5 stars A Wicked Holiday Surprise from Piper Lawson is a short little story, but a fun addition to the Tyler and Annie saga, prior to their wedding. They’re home for the holidays, visiting family and friends, so the reader is also treated to interactions between Jax and Haley, and other familiar characters appear (Serena and Wes, Beck, other band members). I’ve always particularly liked Jax and Haley’s story so anytime Piper Lawson finds the opportunity to work them into one of her books, it makes me happy. She went as far as including a chapter from Haley’s POV and I absolutely loved that. I would have liked one from Jax’s as well because he has become more mysterious since his story with Haley “ended.” Seeing him, once again, through Haley’s eyes, helped, though. I haven’t read the rest of the books in this anthology because I was provided with a free copy of this one, but I’m inclined to believe that authors of a similar caliber tend to team up well. So it’s probably a safe bet that the entire collection is worth reading. March 12, 2021 2 stars I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. I read the dedication and was so touched I had tears in my eyes. The outpouring of love at the loss of Veronica Chadwick was heartfelt and tangible. I anticipated more of the same throughout the book. Unfortunately, I was disappointed because this book was more about explosive, cataclysmic, orgasmic experiences than anything else. Yes, there’s a mystery and some bad guys out to hurt Sallie and Jacob, but it’s all set to a backdrop of Jacob and Sallie f@cking as often as possible. The bad guys are almost like an afterthought, as well as every other conflict in the plot, serving only to further scenes allowing Jacob and Sallie to have sex. I honestly could not see what Jacob had to offer, other than a domineering, possessive kind of protection. And Sallie wasn’t looking for protection. She was determined to protect herself. Every time he had an opportunity to show some compassion and care toward her, he instead demonstrated his authoritarian personality, telling her he wouldn’t let her go and she belonged to him, much like an abusive partner would do. He wasn’t abusive, but everything he did was a warning sign of someone who would be. And Sallie was constantly fighting off thoughts that he wouldn’t stay with her, right up until the very end when she contemplates, “He’d feel responsible for her, feel it was his place to protect her. It wouldn’t have to be emotional for him, not really personal, just a piece of the puzzle that he needed to figure out what happened that week.” This thought literally occurred to her just before he promised her that they would always be together and she agreed “always.” I mean, what the hell does that mean anyway? She’s thinking he would feel responsible for her without it being personal but then agreeing to forever? Ultimately, the book just annoyed me. March 12, 2021 5 stars Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC. I will definitely be looking for more from Suzanne Enoch. I really enjoyed this. I loved the MacTaggart family, and especially Coll because he was the focus of this story. The humor exhibited in most of the family interactions was so fun and started fairly early on with a description of a stuffed deer that Coll and his brothers had transported to London when they’d traveled from Scotland. While in Scotland it had “stood proud and dignified in a corner of the library, with a suit of armor on either side of him. Now, after being loaded into a pair of wagons with most of their belongings and every other damned thing they could think of to bring to London that might annoy their mother, Rory (the deer) was adorned with a skirt around his hind quarters, a bonnet with holes cut for his ears, a man’s cravat around his neck, earbobs and necklaces hung from the tines of his antlers, and a dancing slipper bound to his one raised hoof.” Not long after that, there was a scene between Persephone and Coll with Gavin, Coll’s groom. Persephone had agreed to tutor Coll in how to win over an English lady. Gavin was called upon to act as her lady’s maid for the reenactment. “Muttering under his breath, the groom seemed to collapse into himself. Shoulders slumped in utter defeat, he stomped over to stand beside her. ‘I dunnae ken how to be a lady’s maid,’ he grumbled.” Of course, before it was over, Gavin had embraced his role completely and was smacking Coll with a fan for acting improperly toward Persephone, shrieking, “Put Miss Charlotte down, ye fiend!” The three brothers were sarcastic and teasing with one another, but everyone in the family, including Persephone, seemed to be quick-witted with a dry sense of humor. After Coll goes through a long-winded explanation of why he did something, his brother Aden responds, “Ye might have said ‘chivalry’ though, and nae use up all yer words for the day.” The comparisons between London society and the Scottish highlands were funny, but I thought this observation was quite good: “...London, where people were civilized and family only tried to stab a relation in the back, not in the front.” Ultimately, the story, despite its intrigue and mystery, came down to Coll and Persephone. The two of them made a formidable couple, both passionate and of exceptional intelligence, intuitiveness, survival instincts, and of course, stubbornness. It was obvious that they would end up together, and getting there was an awful lot of fun. I’m very interested in reading more from this series. March 10, 2021 5 stars I was really looking forward to this book, and I was not disappointed. Thank you to Katy Regnery for the ARC. I’m thankful for the preface in which the author reminds the reader that this is a retelling of a fairytale so there is not much point in analyzing the likelihood of a recovery such as Rip’s. This enabled me to surrender to the story without allowing doubt to creep in, as it would have inevitably done. And it allowed me to enjoy a truly wonderful fairytale. There were a couple of phrases in the story that I just loved, like Rip’s initial analysis of his new life as the “ache of living.” The truth of this phrase was demonstrated over and over in the various challenges that Rip faced, most especially the emotional ones. The story is sweet and unusual. The conversations between Trina and Rip were laden with emotion and caring for one another, bringing me to tears several times. Although, this particular one made me laugh because it was so easy to imagine experiencing this myself: “She blurted out the words without meaning to. Even as she heard herself saying them, she had a mental image of herself shoving the words back into her mouth and stuffing them down her throat.” Who hasn’t had that feeling? Without getting too much into the character of Micah, there was one conversation he had with Trina that I found especially comical. Trina was embarrassed about her ex-husband and expected Micah to judge her based on his actions. His response was priceless: “He finished his sandwich and wiped a dot of mustard from his upper lip. ‘Uh-huh. And my sister makes macrame plant hangers, which probably should be a crime, but, you know, whatever. I don’t hold it against her, and I hope no one holds it against me. It’s a big world, Katrina. Lots of weirdos out there. I can only control myself.” There is something both heartbreaking and hopeful about this story, and although the final section (vows) bordered on saccharine, I didn’t care. I loved it anyway. And the author tried something I’ve never seen before, but I thought it was very effective. The final section was, “Instead of an Epilogue...An Update.” It was clever and amusing and the perfect way to wrap up the story, because I have to be honest, there was a part of me that kept thinking, but how long could he possibly live? Apparently, the answer is: love is never lost. March 8, 2021 5 stars I had heard about this book for a while before I decided to read it. I heard about it on podcasts, and I read reviews about it, some of which are virtual book reports with which I will not attempt to compete. There was never a question about whether I would read it; it was sitting on my Netgalley shelf waiting for me, but I kept getting pulled in other directions and it always takes a little more effort, for me, to read non-fiction. Once I started reading, though, I couldn’t put this down. What an incredible undertaking! In my opinion, the Senate is one of the most onerous and boring things I could think about trying to understand more deeply. I see it as a place where ideas go to die, where close-minded, old, white men who crave “the good old days” prevent anything useful that might help the American people to live better lives. I’m not saying my opinion has changed, but at least now I understand it better. That said, I cannot think of anything that I would hate more than being a Senator (not true—I’d really hate cleaning up poop). I’m not going to summarize all of the things I learned in this book because so many other reviewers do a superior job of that, but the one thing I will say is that I feel some hope after reading this. I truly believe that if any senator with good intentions (and I realize there are many bereft of that) were to read this book, they would be motivated to pursue the changes suggested. The Senate is so far-removed from what the Founders intended for our country, it is virtually unrecognizable. We need to bring it back to what they designed it to do. I have to add, because I didn’t notice that any other reviewers pointed this out… The acknowledgements are, without a doubt, the most heartfelt and sincere I think I have ever read, with the best saved for last. They touched me and gave me an even greater respect for Adam Jentleson as a human being, and perhaps because of that, it reinforces my belief that he has presented a truly objective overview of what is and what could be. I will be telling everyone I know to read this book. March 7, 2021 3 stars I usually love Cassandra Lawson’s books so I was excited to receive an ARC of this one. Unfortunately, this one didn’t impress me as much as her others. I expect her books to be mostly light-hearted, heavy on dialogue and self-deprecating characters easy to imagine as friends. And there’s usually humor, which I always enjoy. Comments Like this one made me chuckle: “I swallowed hard as my dick went from moderately interested in the conversation to standing at attention and begging to interject his opinions.” I find personification especially irresistible. I liked other parts of the book too, like this exchange, when Mia asks Lex: “Do you have any good ideas for safe words, or are we gonna have to go with boring old red and yellow? “How about if we use marriage to stop and engagement to slow down?” I suggested with twitching lips. “Very funny,” Mia replied. “We’ll stick with red and yellow.” The first thing I didn’t like was the verb tenses used—mostly simple past tense. Luckly, past perfect was employed to clarify previous events, but what bothered me were the times when present tense would have worked better. When telling a story where things happened in the past, there are certain things that are consistent in the present. Some things don’t change—hair color, eye color, family members, that kind of thing. So when I read something like this, it bugs me: “Spencer was about Lex’s height with black hair and brown eyes.” These characters still exist in the present and they still have the same characteristics so it would have made more sense to say “Spencer is…” I suppose most people wouldn’t even notice this, but I kept tripping over it every time it occurred, which was far too often. Sadly, sometimes my adherence to grammar rules interferes with my ability to enjoy a good story. The second thing I didn’t like is that the plot seemed to be primarily a vehicle for stringing together a series of sex scenes. I’m not a prude, and although I didn’t like that this one veered into light BDSM territory, it was barely significant so I could ignore it. What was harder to ignore was the feeling that the relationship between Lex and Mia was simply sexual. I realize the underlying background of this story is that they were friends for a long time before taking this step, but I didn’t see a whole lot of emotional connection between them. As a result, I didn’t connect with either of them emotionally either. Yes, they were in tune with one another’s thoughts, they were considerate of one another, and they confided in one another, but there was something missing. I don’t know how to define it. It was a fun story, but ultimately, I didn’t love it and cannot give it more than three stars. March 5, 2021 5 stars Lucky for me, after reading All Scot and Bothered, I had my next Netgalley read ready to go: The Devil in Her Bed. I loved it! Though not as lyrical as the other, this one is just as good in other ways. This is not to say the book was bereft of poetry, as clearly proven with this statement: “The sound of her. A voice so wry, it rasped with deviant mischief, woven from moonlight’s melody juxtaposed with a confident derision not often found in a female.” Or this: “I knew, somehow, that you would forge someone new. Someone real. That you would scramble about the sun and stars until I could no longer find them in the night sky without your help.” The relationship between Chandler and Francesca is completely different, on every level, primarily because Francesca is so very different from Cecelia. The openly risque banter between them upon first meeting was something in which Cecelia and Ramsay wouldn’t dare engage. I loved this exchange: “‘I’m more stallion than broodmare, I’m afraid. I’ll never be saddled with a husband.’ A dimple appeared next to his mouth, softening the hard lines slightly with brackets of levity. ‘One need not be saddled to ride.’ She bit down on her cheek, fighting the response he so expertly evoked in her. An answering mischief, a womanly wickedness. ‘I ride with a firm hand.’ She met his eyes with a challenge. ‘I fear you’d have a difficult time keeping up.’ ‘Some men enjoy a firm hand.’ He leaned down, his every muscle tense as he pulled her hips scandalously close to his. She’d branded him a hard man, and now he branded her with his intimate hardness through their unimaginable layers of clothing.” The sex between them is not so much spirtitual as it is explosive, bringing to life the nicknames Serana gave them as children: Pippa, the dragon, and Chandler, the tiger. “His sex was like a bolt of lightning, suffusing her with electric sensation that scraped her nerves raw and laid her sould bare.” The two of them together are invincible, an unstoppable force, so when they combine their efforts to take down the Crimson Circle, they’re certain to be a success. Unfortunately, there are some unpleasant truths revealed and Chandler, in particular, has some soul-searching to do before he can forgive himself for what he feels he precipitated. After one particularly unsettling revelation, still believing Pippa is Francesca, “He ran from the soft, clinging arms of Pippa Hargrave. From her trusting, round face and toothless smile. From her peppermints and her punches and her little-girl love. From the hole in his heart that belonged only to her.” **SPOILERS** Can there really be SPOILERS in a romance? I’ll preface this, just in case. And I don’t give away any secrets. Francesca presents as a fortress incapable of being injured, but she is soft inside, like when she whispers to a sleeping Chandler, “Whatever souls are made of, yours and mine are the same.” Despite his repeated attempts to push her away, she intuitively responds with compassion and understanding, justifying how he must be feeling. And after so much suffering, when she is reunited with him, “The kiss opened her heart and her soul, released pain and fear and sadness and torment like a flock of dark and awful birds to dissipate to the sky. He tasted good, like forgiveness and pleasure and soft things neither of them had allowed themselves. Like home.” When he offers her his riches, she says, “I would live in the roots of a tree with you, you know I would.” Chandler has to come to terms with the fact that the little girl he thought he loved as a child is a ghost and the woman he loves now is his real love. He clings to a memory, unable to recognize the gift he has been given. Finally, he tells Pippa/Francesca: “When I look back now, you’re all I can remember… That girl in the fireplace, clinging to me. She ran by my side. She took a bullet in the leg, meant for me. She always tried to save me, even if it was just from the dark. She set aside an extra peppermint from her father’s pockets, or an extra hour of work by laboring at my side, knowing I despised the fountain. That the water made me miserable. She spent her entire life trying to avenge my memory, and theirs.” He continues, “And...when I thought I’d found my damsel again, she tried to save me from her loss a second time… I never stopped to consider how much a secret like that must have weighed year after year. How oppressive and frightening it would be...That is love… I know that now.” March 4, 2021 |
Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
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