ReadingAdventures

Shirley Karr was author of the month in, I don't know, about July in my Historical Romance Chat yahoo group - I'm only a few months late! LOL!

What's a lord to do?

The devilishly attractive Earl of Sinclair is having trouble holding onto servants, what with so many of them pairing up and running off to be wed. Luckily, his able new secretary, J. Quincy, seems scrupulously loyal, and possesses the invaluable ability to flawlessly forge the master's signature. But imagine Sinclair's surprise when he discovers the "J" stands for "Josephine." His cherished employee is, in actuality, a quite delectable lady in disguise!

Jo desperately needs this position, and never actually lied about her gender—though she didn't expect Sinclair's keen eye to expose the truth so quickly. If the ton finds out, the scandal could be devastating. But Jo believes she can still be of service to the dashing lord. The greatest difficulty, however, will be keeping her mind on business with Sinclair standing so tantalizingly, intoxicatingly close. And what this earl wants, he usually gets!

I'm going to state straight up that I gave this book a rating of 3.5/5, but as I sit here thinking about what to write I can't help but think I have been a bit harsh, and yet.....not really.

The thing is that I have read most of this book, or more precisely the ideas in this book, more than once before and it didn't feel really fresh at all. There are some authors who can write cliches and they are still fresh as a daisy, and others where it doesn't. That's not to say that this book wasn't enjoyable, because it was. The relationship was satisfying enough. Maybe my issue was really about the pacing which was quite up and down. There were long parts of the books where the characters were gallivanting around the place, and then long stretches where there was little movement, because Sinclair had to recover from his injuries.

I don't think I really get the whole woman dressed as a man thing either - a gorgeous woman isn't recognisable at all when dressed as a man. Hmmm. The other thing was that Jo was one of those heroines who has given up all hope of a future because she is making sacrifices for her family. Yes, it undoubtedly happens, but it was laid on a little thick for my liking!

I didn't dislike this book at all really. There were some fun ideas in it, like the fact that the heroes staff kept on pairing up and leaving him. I liked it enough to have already got the author's next book out of the library...it just wasn't exceptional for me.

A compelling emotional mystery in the timeless vein of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, about family secrets and the magic of books and storytelling.

Margaret Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the long-dead has led her to write them herself. She gets a letter from one of the most famous authors of the day, the mysterious Vida Winter, whose popularity as a writer has been in no way diminished by her reclusiveness. Until now, Vida has toyed with journalists who interview her, creating outlandish life histories for herself - all of them invention. Now she is old and ailing, and at last she wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. Her letter to Margaret is a summons.

Somewhat anxiously, the equally reclusive Margaret travels to Yorkshire to meet her subject - and Vida starts to recount her tale. It is one of gothic strangeness featuring the March family; the fascinating, devious and wilful Isabelle and the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline.

Margaret is captivated by the power of Vida's storytelling. But as a biographer she deals in fact not fiction, and she doesn't entirely trust Vida's account. She goes to check up on the family, visiting their old home and piecing together their story in her own way. What she discovers on her journey to the truth is for Margaret a chilling and transforming experience.

I first saw a post about this book over on Heather's Blog, and as soon as I saw it, I added it to my list and requested it from the library!

There is a lot of hype around this book around the place, with even Barnes and Noble making it their first ever "Barnes and Noble Recommends" book. The danger of books with this much hype is that the book will not live up to it - fortunately this one does, both for me and just about everyone else who has read it. I think I am yet to see a review from someone saying that they really didn't like it.

The overriding story is a simple one - a reclusive author decides to finally tell the truth about her life. In the past when Vida Winter had been interviewed she had given a variety of different answers, but now it is time to reveal her story. It is the undercurrents lying beneath this simple story that make this book compelling - the mysterious events at Angelfield, the strange and compelling relationship between the twins Emmaline and Adeline, the life and in some cases deaths of those who are charged with taking care of them, and the relationship of all of these people and events to the life of Vida Winter.

Also threading through the story is Margaret's search for the truth about her own birth and relationships with her parents, especially her mother who has been withdrawn for as long as she can remember.

The author does an amazing job at creating an atmosphere where trying to find the truth is bound to uncover many surprises and maybe some unwanted secrets.

Populated with a cast of lonely characters searching for their own truths, this book is an amazing read, and well worth picking up!

Rating 5/5


Other Blogger's Thoughts:

Mog's Book Blog
A Striped Armchair
Chris @ Book-a-rama
Maw Books
Some Reads
Melody's Reading Corner

Well actually he's 8 so he's not really my baby anymore!!!

My sister made the cake...and she did a fantastic job don't you think?









The only bad thing about his birthday is that it means that I have been talking to the ex in the last couple of days. I have already arranged vacation care for Dear Son (DS) for all of the week, and he announced today that he is coming over Friday and expects me to make new arrangements and be able to take DS to meet him, and pick him up when he is done.

That's after we had a big discussion about how an IPod is probably not the best present for an 8 year old...how maybe if he called more than 3 or 4 times a year then that would be a better present!!

Today he texted me to ask what time would be a good time for him to call tonight...I said 8pm, and somewhat stupidly had DS holding the phone for when it rang. 10 minutes later, still no call, so I texted him to say that DS was waiting. He was very polite and thanked me for reminding him.....I was livid...surely he can remember to call himself!

Anyway enough of that!!!



P.S. I am still posting a bit all over the place at the moment. Scroll down for reviews of Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, the Wish List anthology.

There are still reviews coming of Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes and Vengeance in Death by J D Robb, and in the next couple of days I will post a couple of pictures from when we were away!

The second of the books following the ups and downs of life for the Walsh sisters, following on from Watermelon. Coincidentally it is also the Bitches Book Selection for this month over at The Book Bitches.

'How did it end up like this? Twenty-seven, unemployed, mistaken for a drug addict, in a treatment centre in the back arse of nowhere with an empty Valium bottle in my knickers...'

Meet Rachel Walsh. She has a pair of size 8 feet and such a fondness for recreational drugs that her family has forked out the cash for a spell in Cloisters, Dublin's answer to the Betty Ford Clinic. She's only agreed to her incarceration because she's heard that rehab is wall-to-wall jacuzzis, gymnasiums and rock stars going tepid turkey - and it's about time she had a holiday.

But what Rachel doesn't count on are the toe-curling embarrassments heaped on her by family and group therapy, the dearth of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll - and missing Luke, her ex. What kind of a new start in life is this?

Marian Keyes writes books about subjects that aren't very funny (and shouldn't be treated lightly) but manages to inject the books with charm, humour, and meaning without making the books seem preachy or condescending...not an easy task I am sure!

Rachel Walsh is a good time party girl....who unfortunately doesn't seem to have a very good idea of self. When her family and friends decide that drastic action is required because her drug taking has gotten out of hand, Rachel seems genuinely bemused. There's no way she's an addict - no way known, especially once she gets to Cloisters and sees some of the other patients there. It is only Rachel gets to know her fellow patients and here's there stories, that she begins to see that there are still some aspects of her behaviour that she shares with them.

It is not until she is confronted by some of the people that she has been closest to that it really becomes clear to her just how much of a problem she really does have.

Sounds gloomy huh? But it really isn't. The Walsh sisters are an eclectic bunch of young ladies, and it is interesting as Rachel dwells on what role her family have played in her issues that have led to her addiction. Rachel is not always likeable...which is particularly evident when we look at the origins of her relationship with her ex Luke, and the ways that she treated him and the others around her. Her time in New York is told in a series of flashbacks as Rachel contemplates the choices that she made.

As her self awareness increases, Rachel needs to start looking forward to the future, and a life without drugs and alcohol, but that may still mean that she needs to face some of her old demons.

In closing I'd just like to say........I want a Luke!!! He was so lovely!!!

Rating 4.5/5

Is this the book review of the future??

I might need to learn some new skills if it is!!

Good job Jane!

Saw today on the Powell's Book blog that Persepolis is being made into a film - written and co-produced by Marjane Satrapi. I wonder if this film will make it here. You can have a look at some stills from the film here.

The fourth book in the Wallflowers series following on Devil in Winter.

After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman's father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. Now. And if Daisy can't snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses -- the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.

Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . anyone . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn't count on Matthew's unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.

But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy's wildest fantasies.

With Daisy's story, we round out the tales of the original Wallflowers that we first met in Secrets of a Summer Night. Thankfully this book isn't just an excuse to wheel out the couples from the first three books. They are all here, but I think that they definitely fulfill varied roles within the stories and aren't just included for the sake of being included.

Daisy is the only one of the Wallflower's to have not yet got married, and after a couple of years in London her father is getting impatient. He gives Daisy an ultimatum...find a husband within the next few weeks or marry the man of his choice.....his business partner Matthew Swift. Daisy is mortified - there is no way she is going to marry Matthew Swift, but what she doesn't know is that the awkward young man that she knew before has filled out into an impressive figure of a man, in more ways than one.

As for Matthew, he has been summoned to England and responded accordingly, without being aware of what Mr Bowman's intentions are. Matthew has been half in love with Daisy for a very long time, but there is a secret from his past that means that Matthew is reluctant to acknowledge or act on his feelings for Daisy.

So, what didn't I like about his book. I don't think I will be the first to say that Lilian was a bit too overbearing throughout this book, although I guess she was just being a bit of a mother hen. There were times that I wished that Marcus would just tell her to go and rest or something! LOL!!

There wasn't enough Sebastian...then again, maybe I have to go and reread Devil in Winter in order to get my fill!

In terms of the main characters I liked Matthew a lot - in fact as I sit here trying to work out what order I would rank the hero's in the series in I really struggle. Well, after putting Sebastian at number 1, then I struggle with the others because I really liked them all! Daisy was alright as well, although I am not very heroine focused a lot of the time!

Another thing that I didn't really like was the whole crisis that occurred at the end of the book revolving around Matthew's past, but Daisy's reaction to the events portrayed was really well written. I guess you can't really have one without the other, so I guess it is just a minor gripe!

Overall this was a good ending to this part of the story. I can't wait for the next Wallflower's story to be release, which is supposed to be Cam Rohan's story. He actually shared a steamy kiss with Daisy in Devil in Winter...can't wait to meet the heroine who is deemed a good match with this sexy gypsy!

Rating 4/5

I picked this book up for one story and one story only - that of Lord Andrew Drake - half brother of Logan Scott from Because You're Mine. Of the other authors, I had read Lynsay Sands before, but the other two were new to me.







The first story in the book is the Kleypas novella, I Will. It features Lord Andrew Drake, half brother to Logan Scott, notorious rake and a man who has just been disowned by his own father. In order to get undisowned (if there is such a word!), Andrew needs to prove to his dying father that he has changed his ways, so that he can then inherit everything the Duke has. Andrew sees that the only way he can achieve this is if he pretends to be interested in a well mannered, well connected young lady of the ton. Enter Caroline Hargreaves who meets both of those criteria, but who also wants to stop her brother, who is one of Andrew's gambling buddies, from destroying himself, and the family. When Andrew asks her to allow him to pretend to court her, Caroline agrees but the price is that Andrew must ensure that her brother is no longer able to gamble his life away.

Inevitably, the more time they spend together the more that Caroline realises that Andrew is really a much better man that she originally thought and they gradually fall in love. However, the path of true love rarely runs smoothly and just when Caroline thinks that she is going to get her man, Andrew starts to ignore her. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, and all's well that ends well!

Except for two things I really enjoyed this story - the blackmail twist at the end of the novel was probably a step too far. A lot happened in a short space of time in this novella and this aspect of the story could probably have been done without. The other thing was where Caroline takes matters into her own hands, which I really felt a little uncomfortable with (can't say a lot more without spoiling!)



The second story was Puddings, Pastries and Thou by Lisa Cach. Vivian Ambrose was orphaned at a young age, and from that time she has been shuffled from one distant relative to another. Having spent the previous few years as a companion/carer to a now deceased relative, Vivian arrives at the home of the Twitchens, who seem to think that the best course of action for her would be for her to have a season and marry for herself. The Twitchen's daughter Penelope is not best pleased as she doesn't want any competition for when she comes out in society herself, so that stage is set - Vivian needs to get married, and it needs to happen quickly!

Vivian meets Richard Brent, who for reasons that become clear later in the story is deemed to be unsuitable, and they are instantly attracted to each other, but with Vivian's aunt and uncle opposed to the match, it is not easy for the two to be together.

What did I like...well, I liked one of the very last scenes. The Twitchen's take desperate measures to protect Vivian's reputation, but it doesn't seem to be enough, and the moment when they realise that is classic. I really, really liked Richard - a man who doesn't necessarily meet the ton's standards of honour, but certainly did the right thing in most circumstances in his life.

What didn't I like - Vivian's constant eating. It was cute at first, but it wore a bit thin after a while. Or maybe I was a bit jealous...if I ate like Vivian ate then I would be massive!



The third novella was Union, by another new to me author Claudia Dain. Another young lady who needs to get married in a hurry, Clarissa Walingford has decided that she needs to find an eligible Irish man, but seeing as wealthy titled Irish men are pretty thin on the ground then she will settle for an English man who happens to have property in Ireland, with the idea that her husband can stay in England and she can go and live in Ireland.

She makes a list of the men who meet her criteria. Originally she meets Lord Montwyn and won't consider him, but as soon as she finds out that he does have Irish land then he is in!

I didn't really like this story. We are given no reason why Clarissa is in such a hurry. Eventually details are provided of why Clarissa is so desperate to go back to Ireland but you know I wasn't really convinced by them, and I thought that the ending where it was contrived and completely unnecessary. The author gave Clarissa nine brothers...I wonder if she was hoping to start a series featuring the Walingfords. It would take a lot for me to want to read that series I'm telling you!!



The final story in the anthology was All I Want by Lynsay Sands. The last time I read this author I was pretty unimpressed and I can't say that it worked for me in this story as well.

Ever since Prudence's brother died, her father has been drinking and gambling away the family fortune, to the extent that the vast majority of the servants have been let go, there are debt collectors knocking on the door every day, and their furniture is beginning to get sold off. Prudence has tried to talk to her father but he avoids her, so she decides to go and talk to him where he is...in the gaming hall he frequents. After not being allowed in by the club's owner, Lord Stockton, Prudence tries again and again to get into the club, causing disaster after disaster within the club. And what is Lord Stockton's reaction......why, he falls in love with her, despite the fact that her antics are causing him to lose money left, right and centre.

The thing that was really annoying to me was how easily the gambling issues were resolved, both for Prudence's father and in relation to Lord Stockton owning a gaming hall.


Overall, one good, one okay, and two stinkers. I sometimes wonder why I continue to read anthologies because most of the time I don't really find them all that satisfactory!

Rating 3/5

Until I get a bit caught up, some of my posts are going to be all out of order. I will therefore put the links to any reviews that will be appearing out of order here until I get things under control again!

Here is a link to my review of The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde and this takes you to my review of Dark Lover by JR Ward. My review of Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop is here and here is Simply Love by Mary Balogh.

I did something the other day that I don't normally do! I actually had to take some books back to the library unread because I couldn't extend them any further, and I just wasn't going to get them read anytime soon.

The ones I took back unread were Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron, Cup of Ghosts by PC Doherty and Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke. I actually have to take back The Twylight Tower by Karen Harper as well...better get onto that! I also moved the three books my son had on my card onto his card thinking that that would help reduce the number of books that I had out, but I had six more books waiting for me!!!

So, my library list at the moment looks like this:

The Ballad of Desmond Kale by Roger McDonald (can't extend this one so need to get onto it pretty soon!)
The Dawn Stag by Jules Watson
Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris
The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez
Dreaming the Eagle by Manda Scott
The Expected One by Kathleen McGowan
Heir to the Shadows by Anne Bishop (can take this one back now)
Holiday in Death by J D Robb
Ill Wind by Rachel Caine
In the Prince's Bed by Sabrina Jeffries
The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander (brand new book! Yay!)
Stolen Lives by Malika Oufkir
Light in Shadow by Jayne Ann Krentz
Midnight Angel by Lisa Kleypas
The Murders of Richard III by Elizabeth Peters
The Observations by Jane Harris
The Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley
The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini (Started this but haven't been able to get into it like I did with the other books in the series)
Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes
The Rake by Suzanne Enoch
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
Sarah by Marek halter
Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas (this is a high demand book so can only have it out for two weeks and can't extend it)
The Snake, the Crocodile and the dog by Elizabeth Peters
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (about half way through this one - must pick it up again)
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Brand new book...yay! But can't extend)
Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik (Brand new book..yay!!)
The Twylight Tower by Karen Harper (Must, must take this back!)
What an Earl Wants by Shirley Karr
Wish List anthology (finished this already)
Excalibur anthology
Mirabilis by Susann Cokal (started but couldn't get into it)

On my hold list I have:

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory (ready to pick up, but I will have to read it quickly because I can't extend it)
Angel Fall by Nora Roberts (no. 17 in the queue)
Morrigan's Cross by Nora Roberts (no. 15 in the queue)
Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich (no. 12 in the queue)
Queen of Swords by Sara Donati (no. 1 but it's not out yet)
Stolen by Kelley Armstrong (no. 1)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (no. 1 but it's not out yet)

The good thing about those is that there is only a couple that can come in in the next couple of weeks.

Aside from the books mentioned I still haven't started my TBR challenge book, or She's Come Undone for one of my groups...might be skipping that one this month! LOL!

When I was at the library, my son was reading all the titles that I was booking out and checking how many pages were in each book (because he likes to do that!). When he got to Scandal in Spring he looked at the sticker that was on the front that says "High Demand" and he read "High Demon". Had us all in stitches. The librarians wanted to know what a low demon book might look like! Maybe he knows that Lisa Kleypas has plans to move into paranormals next...inside knowledge or something!!

The only reason why I am looking forward to going back to work next week is so that I can have 3 hours reading time every day on the train so that I can make a dent in this pile!

New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh returns to the elegance and sensuality of Regency England as she continues the enthralling story of four remarkable women- friends and teachers at Miss Martin's School for Girls. At the center of this spellbinding novel is Anne Jewell, a teacher haunted by a scandalous past...until she meets a man who teaches her the most important lesson of all: nothing is simple when it comes to love....

She spies him in the deepening dusk of a Wales evening- a lone figure of breathtaking strength and masculinity, his handsome face branded by a secret pain. For single mother and teacher Anne Jewell, newly arrived with her son at a sprawling estate in Wales on the invitation of an influential friend, Sydnam Butler is a man whose sorrows- and passions- run deeper than she could have ever imagined.

As steward of a remote seaside manor, Sydnam lives a reclusive existence far from the pity and disdain of others. Yet almost from the moment Anne first appears on the cliffs, he senses in this lovely stranger a kindred soul, and between these two wary hearts, desire stirs. Unable to resist the passion that has rescued them both from loneliness, Anne and Sydnam share an afternoon of exquisite lovemaking. Now the unwed single mother and war-scarred veteran must make a decision that could forever alter their lives. For Sydnam, it is a chance to heal the pain of the past. For Anne, it is the glorious promise of a future with the man who will dare her to reveal her deepest secrets...before she can give him all her heart.

When Anne Jewell is convinced to go on holidays with the Marquess of Hallmere (her son's cousin and self appointed guardian angel), Anne is determined that she will in effect be like a companion and act as a servant. When it appears on her first night that her hosts have other ideas, she is mortified, and decides to go for a walk. Whilst out walking she catches her first glimpse of Sydnam Butler. At first captivated, when he turns to face her she sees the scars on his face and flees. Mortified by her own terrible behaviour she returns to the spot within minutes but the mysterious man has disappeared.

When she meets him again, Anne apologises, and is then drawn to spend time with Sydnam, finding another lonely soul, with a similarly scarred psyche. Whilst Sydnam's scars are very visible (along with the inner ones he has), Anne's are invisible, but still very much affecting her daily life. As Anne and Sydnam continue to spend time together there is a growing sexual tension between them.

The first half of this book where the couple get to know each other was really good. The dialogue, both internal and external, was well written and completely believable. Given that we had met both of these characters before, there was already a sense of knowing them, at least a little, as I was going into the book and I think that helped with my enjoyment. Sydnam is the brother of Kit Butler who was the hero in A Summer to Remember, and Anne first was mentioned in Slightly Scandalous, and then appeared again in Simply Unforgettable.

The only thing I have felt a couple of times recently with Mary Balogh is that I have read the story before. The scarred war hero had echoes of Adam from The Secret Pearl, although I liked Sydnam from the get go, not like Adam, who I had to get to like eventually throughout that book!

I actually had a couple of issues with the turns that the book took in the second half, and also overall with the characters, oh, and the copyrighters who wrote that back cover blurb!!!

Firstly, my issue with the characters..........this book was like a passing parade of characters from Balogh's previous books. All of the Bedwyn's were present and accounted for - along with their spouses, children, and in some cases their in-laws. Yes, some of them performed a role within the story, but maybe it is time to give some of them time to live quietly in the country and not be dragged out into the spotlight in every book. Then, when the Bedwyn's temporarily exit (stage right), in come all of the Butler's from A Summer to Remember, oh, and a mention of the characters from One Night for Love for good measure. And then, change of location, and role in the characters from Simply Unforgettable.

Secondly, my issue with the storyline. Please be aware that there will be SPOILERS in the following couple of paragraphs.

************SPOILERS**********

Why, why, why did the author have Anne Jewel get pregnant from her one sexual encounter with Sydnam. The poor woman has had sex twice in her life (one being a rape) and she has ended up with two pregnancies. Yes, I understand that that meant that Sydnam would do the right thing and marry her thus moving the story forward, but surely it would have been a more romantic story had they been so drawn to each other that they continued some kind of communication eventually leading to their getting together. Yes, I know that it could happen (after all my own mother must have only had sex three times!!) but to me it felt very manipulative way of making the story go where it needed to go.

Secondly, the copyrighters. "Anne and Sydnam share an afternoon of exquisite lovemaking". Did they read the book? One of the things that I thought the author did do very well was in the portrayal of the sexual issues that a woman that has been raped or abused feels. Whilst Anne was a very willing participant initially, the lovemaking was not exquisite for her, and Sydnam knew it! Of course, he thought it was about him when it wasn't but still!

*********End SPOILERS********

If it was just Sydnam and Anne's story then I would have rated this higher, but because of my issues I have had to mark it down just a little.

Rating 3.5/5

He is an expert with the latest technology . . . a madman with the mind of a genius and the heart of a killer. He quietly stalks his prey. Then he haunts the police with cryptic riddles about the crimes he is about to commit - always solved moments too late to save the victims' lives.

Police lieutenant Eve Dallas found the first victim butchered in his own home. The second lost his life in a vacant luxury apartment. The two men had little in common. Both suffered unspeakable torture before their deaths. And both had ties to an ugly secret of ten years past - a secret shared by none other than Eve's new husband, Roarke.

Eve is looking forward to going home on time after having wrapped up a relatively straight forward case, when she is contacted personally and given a riddle to solve that leads her to find the badly mutilated body of a man in his luxury apartment. When another man is killed, this time in one of Rourke's empty rental properties, it soon becomes clear that whoever is killing these people is working his way towards Eve and Roarke himself, and along the way seems determined to make it appear as though Summerset might be involved in the deaths. As much as Eve dislikes Summerset, she finds it hard to believe that he would murder people, so as she deals with the killer, she has to find ways to either prove that her husband's close friend and butler is either guilty or not, as the case may be.

I really liked in that book that Eve and Roarke went back to the mean streets of Dublin to meet some of the people from Roarke's past, reiterating that he is human (every now and again he seems to be almost too good to be true...just a little bit!).

This book also sees the introduction of a new character that was given a lot of page time, so I presume he will be back. At the end of the last book, Captain Feeney was invited to take his family to Roarke's home in Mexico. When Eve needs technical assistance, she is assigned a newcomer by the name of McNab. I think we are going to see more of him, and I will be glad to. He seems to have a little chemistry going with Eve's offsider Peabody.

What amazes me with Nora Roberts in both her books written under the JD Robb and the Nora Roberts name is that she seems to have the ability to produce a lot of books, at a remarkably consistent quality. At the moment I am averaging one JD Robb book a month, and I am definitely enjoying the ride!

Rating 4/5

This is the second book in the Black Jewel Trilogy by Anne Bishop following on from Daughter of the Blood.

Dreams Made Flesh

The Blood have waited centuries for the coming of Witch, the living embodiment of magic. But Jaenelle, the young girl prophecy spoke of, is haunted by the cruel battles fought over her future power.. for not all the Blood await her as saviour. Some dismiss her as myth. Some refuse to believe. And some would use her, making her a puppet to their whims.

Only time, and the love of her guardians have healed Jaenelle's physical wounds. But her mind is still fragile, amnesia providing a shield from the terrors of her childhood. Nothing, however, can shield her from her destiny. And soon the day of reckoning will come. When her memories return. When her magic matures. When she is forced to accept her fate.

And on that day, the dark Realms will know what it means to be ruled by Witch.

THIS is the book I read while I was on holidays!! Which is kind of funny I guess because it wouldn't be my normal kind of vacation read - mainly because it is a book that I had to think about as I read it, particularly in the beginning parts.

This book takes up where the first book begins, so there may be a few spoilers for Daughter of the Blood in this review.

Jaenelle's body is healing but her spirit is still wandering in the abyss following on from the traumatic events at the end of the last book. This book is really the story of her gradual recovery, both physically and mentally, her gradual rebuilding of her friendships with the other young queens in the realms that will eventually help form her power base and also her realisations about what really happened to her, and who saved her life.

Lucivar plays more of the starring role in this book, and Daemon is much less present (and I missed him). It enable Jaenelle and Lucivar to form a stronger relationship that I am sure will be an important element of the next book. I do however really hope that Lucivar gets to find a mate in the next book.

I think that reading this book has really helped get my head around the world that Bishop has created. I think I said in my review of Daughter of the Blood that there were things that I found confusing in relation to the world building in the first book. In this book because there was actually less world building as opposed to just living in the created world it was much easier to follow the intricate webs between worlds and different levels and things within the realms. I am glad that I didn't leave too much time between reading the two books.

There was still plenty of tensions within the story as some tried to get to Jaenelle to destroy her and stop her from reaching her fated position of Witch. The stage is set for a fantastic third book, for Daemon to reenter the story, Jaenelle ready to be who she is fated to be and the world ready for the show down between good and evil.

Rating 4.5/5


Other Bloggers Thoughts:

Just Add Books