More like adorable day

Lee Pace is absolutely adorable as the star of Pushing Daisies (which is such a cute show--check it out on ABC's website; you can watch full episodes. That's how I got addicted!).

And he's got a new movie out, too! Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which is based on a book by Winifred Watson, also sounds very cute: "Guinevere Pettigrew, a middle-aged London governess, finds herself unfairly dismissed from her job. An attempt to gain new employment catapults her into the glamorous world and dizzying social whirl of an American actress and singer, Delysia Lafosse."

Cheers!

Opals, opals, opals

Sometimes I just crave a cheesy novel. Victoria Holt does the job nicely. I picked up The Pride of the Peacock because it was set in the 1800s and had an interesting enough plot.

The book really should have been called: Opals: A book about a girl named Opal who finds adventure and romance and oh yes, opals. Yes, opals were the driving force of this book.

The plot was slightly campy: Jessica (who you find out is actually named Opal) feels unloved by her family--and for good reason, as you'll find out. She befriends an old opal miner, Ben, who convinces her to marry his son. She ends up in an arranged marriage with his son Joss (the peacock; yes, he's a bit arrogant), due to certain inheritence requirements that Ben sets up. They has a love/hate relationship. He's also an opal mine owner and the couple move to Australia where Joss runs his company. Jessica finds mystery, adventure and love in the "wild land."

I enjoyed reading it. The book was fun, educational (seriously, you learn a lot about opals) and had a nice twisty mystery. It had nice gothic elements but it's never scary. I wouldn't have minded more romance, but oh well, it was still a good book.

Rating: 8/10

On another note, I just reread Silent in the Grave and it was just as good as I remember! I think I'd even rate it a 9.5. I can't wait until the third book in the series is published.

How awesome is this!

I read about Amazon.com's post-order price guarantee somewhere online and then checked out refundplease.com, which automatically tracks price drops on Amazon products that you request.

My old mp3 player broke and I was kind of excited. I could finally buy the iPod I've always wanted (so I can be emo like my sister). Amazon had the cheapest price on iPods, so I bought a nano about a week ago. Today I checked the price and it had gone down by $15! It's only $15, but still......that could buy me a meal at Chili's!

I called Amazon and requested a price refund....and they did, with no hassles! How cool is that? So if you buy a lot of books and such from Amazon, give refundplease.com a try.

It's hidden away on Amazon's website, but here's what they offer:

Post-Order Price Guarantee
Amazon.com's prices for released items will change from time to time based on a variety of factors. If Amazon.com's price for an already-released item decreases within 30 days after we ship the item to you, we'll be glad to refund the difference in price if you contact us. Please click the Customer Service button on the right side of this page, and be sure to have your order number handy so we can assist you.
This Post-Order Price Guarantee is subject to the following restrictions:
*Applies only to products that have already been released. Products that have not yet been released but that are available for pre-order from Amazon.com are not covered by this guarantee, but do benefit from our Pre-Order Price Protection program (see section above).
*Applies only to items sold by Amazon.com, and not to items (or prices) offered by other sellers on our site.
*Item prices that are affected by a promotion such as "Buy one, get one free" are not eligible, unless the same promotion is also offered at the lower price.
*The price of an item after rebate is not considered to be the Amazon.com price.

I was afraid

So Anna Karenina may have put me off Russian novels for quite awhile. Therefore, I was a bit hesitant to read Eva Ibbotson's A Company of Swans. However, it only featured a few Russians, so no worries! When I opened the first page, I saw it was dedicated to Patricia Veryan, a fun Regency/Jacobian romance and mystery writer. I figured if they were friends, the book had to be good.

Gorgeous cover! I love tulle and ballet. It's so fluffy.

The story follows Harriet Morton, who grows up in a bleak home with her academic father and nasty old maid aunt. Her only bright point is her ballet class, which she thrives in. One day, a Russian choreographer (I think? maybe he's a manager?) offers her a position in his ballet corp. The company is going to travel to Brazil and the Amazon and offer ballet for the rich rubber barons. Harriet sneaks away and joins the company (and you cheer for her--Ibbotson does a great job at describing an ordinary--yet so bleak--life). Harriet ends up meeting (and falling in love with) Rom Verney, who just may have a connection to her old life. People chase after Harriet and there's drama. The book ends happily, though.

The book is so full of Nature--but in a good way! (See, I'm not totally against "Nature" books!) The descriptions are so vivid of the Amazon. It's fabulous. A Company of Swans had its funny moments, too. The secondary characters are great and actually add to the story.

One of my favorite aspects is the clever weaving Ibbotson does. Earlier, Harriet and Rom discuss someone else's opinion of Romeo and Juliet. Their conversation ties in beautifully at the end--and it involves a chicken feather. I like crafting in a story and there's definitely craftsmanship in her writing. Incidents aren't just random, but hold meaning. That's a sign of a good book.

On a side note, the book is generally labeled YA, but adults will definitely enjoy it, too.

Rating: 8/10

Enjoy

It's Monday night, which besides Jay Leno's headlines which crack me up, it's also time for my hottie pick of the week.Jeffrey Donovan, star of my favorite TV show Burn Notice, you are my hottie of the week. You also have the best sunglasses in the world.

Also, because of this show, I now say the word "Miami" with an Irish accent. Watch the first season encore on USA, starting on April 17 at 11 p.m., and you'll see why.

Excellently plotted mystery

So I've heard that Kate Ross' Julian Kestrel mystery is excellent. Since my library had it, I started it. Cut to the Quick features Julian Kestrel, a Regency dandy who reluctantly becomes a sleuth after a dead woman is found in his bed.

After reading just the first two chapters, I knew it'd be a good read. It's a top-notch mystery, with numerous twists and excellent red herrings. I love Julian; he's reminiscent of a few of my favorite Georgette Heyer heroes.

The side characters--especially Hugo and Maud--were well-developed and offered a nice subplot.

If you're in the mood for a mystery, give this book a try.

Rating: 8/10

Highland indeed

Some people really enjoy exotic or unique settings in books. I generally don't get too swept away by setting. I have favorite time periods (mid-19th century, early 20th century) and settings (America, Russia, India) within those time periods that I like, but that doesn't mean I'll read anything because of it.

However, after I finished Highland Masquerade by Mary Elgin, my first thought was, "Anyone who loves a Scottish setting will eat this book up like chocolate."

Me? Not so much. Aillie Rannoch (who I just realized isn't "Allie" as I've thought all along) left her Scottish home after her father was somehow driven to suicide. She puts a curse on the town and leaves. Fast forward 10 years and Aillie is returning home. She's had a successful career as an actress but some shadowy accident (I still don't really know what happened; I think she hurt her legs?) and a chance job offer has brought her home. She puts her acting skills to good use and dresses up like an old maid. But then three strangers in a train car derail her plans...

Yeah, so this book is DRAMATIC. Aillie is just a more mature version of a wild teenager who put a Gaelic curse on everyone who attended her father's funeral. She sounds a bit uncontrollable, for sure.

Half of the time I couldn't even understand what she was saying or why--and that's only throwing in a wee bit of confusion about the Scottish brogue they all used.

I only read this book because I am a total sucker for Listmania! lists on Amazon. I stumbled across one titled "Vintage Romantic Suspense" and since Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, Victoria Holt and M. M. Kaye were all listed, I decided to trust the creator of the list. Highland Masquerade definitely fits this mold; it just wasn't quite up my alley.

The plot had such potential! A girl returning home in disguise! She used to be an actress! Oh well...if you like drama and vintage romantic suspense books, give Mary Elgin a try.

Rating: 6/10

I am not alone!

My favorite blogs is Go Fug Yourself. (Fug is "fantastically ugly.") They Fug Girls make fun of celebrities' horrible clothing. It's hilarious.

Anyway, today they had a post about Isla Fisher, who is starring in Confessions of a Shopoholic. We all know that I can't stand the heroine of that series....and it appears I'm not alone! The Fug Girls had a great post about it:

"For those who haven't read it, Confessions of a Shopaholic is the first in a series of increasingly annoying books about a pretty darn irritatingly stupid girl for whom things seem to work out beautifully despite the fact that she never learns her damn lesson in a lasting way. It'd be sort of like if Helen Fielding had kept writing Bridget Jones books, where she kept finding new and maddeningly idiotic ways to screw up her relationship with Mark Darcy over and over again, and then got him back again no matter what. Makes it kind of hard to root for the heroines long-term, because all you want to do is smack them upside the head and be all, "STOP IT! AAAAAAARRRRGH." Emphasis on the aaaaaaarrrrgh."

My emotions exactly! Click here to read the rest of the post.

Yay for vaccines

I just finished Trade Wind by M. M. Kaye, whose mysteries I love. Let me just say I'm glad that cholera isn't a really big threat in the U.S. anymore.

This is not a romance; it is historical fiction. Trade Wind is about Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Africa. Kaye traces the slave trade, political uprisings and a cholera epidemic in the 1850s and 1860s. The story centers around Hero Hollis, a girl who steadfastly (and arrogantly) believes she can change the people and the country of Zanzibar. She's contrasted with Rory Frost, an arrogant (and kind of immoral) slave trader. It's a study of right and wrong and how life is actually not always as it appears.

I really enjoyed the story. It's sprawling, but gives a really good taste of what life was like in Africa. Kaye did her research and it shows.

My only complaint was a lack of insight into some of the character's emotions. Other than that, I recommend this book.

Rating: 9/10

How could I forget?

How could I have forgotten about Hottie Monday? Especially since I chose this hottie days in advance?

It's Dave Lieberman from The Food Network! He's even an author--two books! (Although, to be honest, most of his recipes are too bizarre for me, but whatever, I still like to watch him cook.)

My best friend saw him in Pittsburgh at a cooking demonstration and had him sign a book for me. :) That made me happy. Now if only I could meet him...

I'd rather watch Dave Lieberman any day

In honor of the five to six-foot snow drifts outside my Ohio home, I decided to read a southern novel. I really liked Mary Kay Andrews' Hissy Fit and Savannah Blues, so when I saw she just released a new novel about cooking, Deep Dish, well, I couldn't resist. It's about food and set in the South. Count me in.

The novel is basically a rip-off about the Food Network--but not that I minded that. Gina, star of a fresh cooking show, is pitted against Tate, the show of a Southern Outdoor Network cooking show named "Vittles." (Seriously, Vittles? Do people still use that word?) They end up battling on "The Cooking Channel" for their own show. Oh, and we're supposed to believe that they fall in love, too.

The book just didn't work for me for numerous reasons.

1. The point of view changed constantly! Sometimes I had no idea who's point of view I was reading. But it wasn't as if the POV was omniscient, either. The constant shifts were distracting.

2. And speaking of shifting, Gina's real name is Regina. It's always a problem in books when the main character has numerous names and this book was a fine example of it. Gina would be called Gina, then suddenly the book would refer to her as Regina....through a different character's POV.

3. Tate and Gina never seemed to really connect. He's hot, she's hot, they both like cooking...they "fight" but then end up in love? And Gina gets over her cheating ex-boyfriend incredibly fast and with no hang-up. Whatever. Also, Gina is never directly called out as an anoxeric, but she never eats--and when she does, it's horrible, fattening food! It really bothered me.

4. Call me shallow, but the cover.....it's so cartoony!

5. Andrews makes a comment that a certain cheap tackle box that Gina is forced to use is something like a Yankee would buy. Um, Yankees can fish, ok? I don't like to fish, but I was a bit offended by that comment. Maybe it's the fact that I live on a great lake and therefore fishing is huge up here, but I didn't like that sweeping characterization.

On a positive note, I enjoyed all the cooking. Andrews does give a good job of what the real world of cookings shows are probably like. I just didn't like the book.

Rating: 5/10

Great story

Last night I finished a really good book, one that actually felt like I was reading a great story with interesting characters, a good setting and a twisty plot: The Shadowy Horses.

Here's a great review of the book from The Romance Reader. As this reviewer and others have pointed out, Kearsley reads like Mary Stewart...which I love.

The story educated me (archeology!); the characters were likeable, distinct and interesting; there was some romance, but more of a subplot; and yes, I just liked this story. Kearsley's just a good writer and the book reflects that.

Rating: 9/10

No mustache

I know Brandon Flowers from The Killers did (maybe still does) have a mustache--which is a major no-no in my book--but he's still the Hottie of the week!

Yeah, I'd marry him.

Two in one

I had a busy reading weekend: Thunder on the Right and Still Life with Murder. First, let's talk about Thunder on the Right.

It's by Mary Stewart, so of course, great atmosphere--this time in France! Jennifer travels to France to join up with her cousin Gillian. When she gets to the convent where Gillian is supposedly staying for awhile, she's told that Gillian is dead. For several reasons, which I won't go into here, Jennifer is convinced Gillian is still alive. Throw in an old friend-who-wants-to-be-a-flame and it's a classic.

Best of all it featured someone with AMNESIA! Two books in a row...that made me happy.

Rating: 7/10

The next book, Still Life with Murder, wasn't nearly as enjoyable.

The front cover says it's a "thoroughly charming book"......if you find opium addicts, murder, whoring and prison charming. Set in the late 1860s, Nell, an Irish governess for a rich family, is asked to become a sort of detective for the family after their "dead" son pops up wanted for murder. So she starts investigating and meets Will, the son. Will is an opium addict due to an old war injury (or is it actually due to an internal injury...aka guilt, blah blah blah). He appears to be guilty, but Nell (kind of somehow) figures out he's not. There's some attraction between the two, but seriously, he's high so much, what really could develop?

I just couldn't like Will. He's a bit of a slut and his main topic of conversation was opium. Eh, not my cup of tea. Nell was fine, although "mysterious" (the author would throw in bits of information...like the fact she has a 9-inch scar...and then not tell you anything else. Pssssh). I like happy mysteries. This one was too serious and aspects were just too unbelievable--but some parts were so realistic. I couldn't handle the mix.

Rating: 5/10

Fluff is fun

I like Sophie Kinsella's stand alone novels. I never got into her Shopaholic series, mainly because I'm a miser and I couldn't handle reading about such a spender without wanting to step in and help her save money. Anyway, I must have been first in line for my library's copy of Remember Me? because I got it this week.


It's total fluff, but it's funny. I laughed out loud reading this book. The set up: Lexi has amnesia and can't remember the last three years of her life--three years where she evidently totally changed her life. When she wakes up, she has a new body, a new job and a new husband. And, evidently, a new personality. So she struggles to figure out why she became a nasty person and why a lot of things have happened.

******Spoiler:
The only thing I didn't like is the fact that she's a cheater. I don't care if her husband's a louse, you still don't cheat. If she was so unhappy with Eric and so happy with Jon, why didn't she get divorced months ago? It worked as a plot device but still....
******

As for the cover, it's actually quite perfect for the book, especially once you learn what the sunflowers mean (which by the way, was very sweet, the whole adultry thing aside).

So, all in all, I liked the book. It's a great fun read.

Rating: 7/10

Ladybugged

Will someone tell me why Sophie Kinsella is wearing a ladybug shirt?

That's a lot of ladybugs!

And is she pregnant? It kind of looks like she's hiding a bump!

A (Sebastian) of hope

As we all know, I trust Amazon's recommendations. Well, they've been recommending C. S. Harris' Sty. Cyr series for years now (okay, two years). I've been interested in the series, but it's one of those backburner ones for me.

Pretty cover...almost gothic. Love the blue/red contrast.

The book itself was good; interesting mystery, interesting characters, great mystery (totally fooled me!) and a fascinating hero. I'm planning on continuing the series.

I really enjoyed the main hero, Sebastian St. Cyr--has demons from his past, is smart, was involved in military intelligence and yeah, overall I liked him. He has been falsely accused of murder(s) and works to clear his name. However, his first name made me laugh and here's why:

I worked for a newspaper for a year. I was in charge of letters to the editor. One day, some man mailed us a passionate letter about something that needed change (I can't remember what). He wrote, blah blah blah "is a Sebastian of hope." Ha! He meant bastion but wrote Sebastian instead. We in the newsroom had a nice laugh at him. Anyway, that name has had special meaning for me ever since...it's been a Sebastian of hope for me.

Rating: 7.5/10

Winter in Russia

I finished Anna Karenina. Yay! I feel as if I've been reading this book for at least two weeks. And, well, I'm not sure it was exactly worth it. However, Time calls it the greatest book of all time, so evidently I'm a good girl to have read it.

I wish I had done a bit of research into the best translation of this book. I chose this version because I liked the cover. (Aren't those flowers pretty? And so purple--and we know how I like that color purple!) I felt as if I was reading a really modern translation of the book, one that skimmed over some of the depth of the book.

Also, I thought the book would be about Anna. Yeah, it wasn't just about her. It's actually about seven people, with a fair amount dedicated to each one. So be prepared for that, ok?

Here's the main characters and my quick commentary:

Anna Arkadyevna Karenina – The title character, sister to Stepan and lover of Vronsky
*"Vronsky, you're hott, I'm leaving my husband, oh wait, that means I have to leave my poor son behind, oh well, Vronsky, let's have a baby. Wait, now you're ignoring me and sick of me? I'm going to kill myself!"
Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky – Lover of Anna
*"Anna, you're hott, leave your husband, oh, but wow, you can be tiresome. Okay, you're dead, I'm going to war."
Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky ("Stiva") – a civil servant
*"I may be man-whore, but at least I'm nice---and yikes, really in debt!"
Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya ("Dolly") – Stepan's wife
*"My husband's a cheater and my life is dedicated to my babies. Yet I'm not that annoying and a nice contrast to other characters."
Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin – Anna's husband
*"Anna's leaving me, I'm a wreck, my job is stalled--yet I will find happiness in mysticism and in the platonic friendship of a nice countess."
Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin – Kitty's suitor and the novel's other protagonist
*"Wow, I have a lot of emotional issues. Good thing Kitty finally agrees to marry me; she's a good influence on me and our marriage makes an excellent comparison to Anna and Vronsky's relationship."
Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya ("Kitty") – Darya's younger sister
*"When you're young, you make mistakes in love, but hey, you grow up and it turns out okay! Yay babies and husbands!"

I actually liked Levin and Kitty the best. Their marriage has issues, but they work them out. I like that--it's realism.

So, anyway, go read Cliff Notes or something if you want more on this book. But in closing I will leave you with two bits of "Trivia" from Wikipedia about Anna Karenina:

*Jennifer Lopez is reading Anna Karenina on the subway in the Will and Grace episode "FYI: I Hurt Too" (Season 7, Episode 1).
*Karenna Gore Schiff, daughter of Tipper and Al Gore, is named for the main character; Tipper read the book during her pregnancy.

Rating: 7/10

I won!

One of the blogs that I check out weekly is Jennie's B(ook)log. I was excited to see that Jennie was hosting a "Meet Cute" contest, which I definitely entered...and won!

I am very happy. :) It just so happens that I've read most of the books that were in the contest were ones I've read and liked. So here's my little commentary on the books, with my correct guesses in bold.

1. This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart......Mary Stewart, enough said.
2. Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer......One spring I read all of Heyer's books (except the "historical" ones. They looked kind of boring; however, I adore most of Heyer's books).
3. Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers....I had a professor in college who LOVED Dorothy Sayers. Therefore, we read her books. I actually read Gaudy Night for her class, but read Strong Poison later on my own just because I wanted to see how the relationship between the Peter and Harriet began.
4. Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase......Mmm, I'm neutral about Chase. I keep on wanting and expecting her to be funnier than she really is.
5. Faking It by Jennifer Crusie....Now Cruise is a funny writer!
6. High Noon by Nora Roberts.....I've never read Roberts.
7. Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly.....It's about a widow and we all know about my "no reading about widows" rules. But I am good at figuring out context, which is how I got this one right.
8. The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye.....I haven't read this one but I just bought Trade Wind by Kaye.

Ah. love

In honor of PBS showcasing Pride and Prejudice, which ended last night, Colin Firth is a natural choice for Hottie Monday!

Clearly I like my Regency boys. (Or is P&P too early for Regency? Okay, I just looked it up. Regency in England is from 1811-1820. Pride and Prejudice was written in 1813; therefore, perfect Regency-era story.)

If you like Pride and Prejudice, give Bridget Jones' Diary a try. There's a wonderful connection between this miniseries, Colin Firth, Mark Darcy and the BJ movies. I tried to find a story about it but I need to go to work now. :)

Relevant

I'm still slogging away at Anna Karenina. And since I'm heading out of state this weekend, it looks as if next week will be dedicated to the Russians as well.

My Relevant magazine came in the mail today. This magazine is one of the best put-together and designed magazines I've ever seen. Click here to read about the current issue and to get a peek at the awesome layout.

From indie rock bands to politics to amazingly relevant stories about our culture, Relevant always makes me think--and then makes me want to be a better person. And yet it's entertaining, too. It's a magazine worth checking out.

perk me up

Chasing Liberty was an awful movie. Although I loved the European setting, Mandy Moore ruined that movie for me. She runs like a colt, is freakishly annoying (or at least her character is) and yet somehow manages to snag a hot guy with a hot British accent.

Actor Matthew Goode make that movie VERY bearable. In homage to him, it's my first installment of "Hottie Monday." (However, my Friday installment of Blake Ritson is still special to me...and so's his hair.)

Confession

So I re-read Silent in the Sanctuary on Saturday. I wanted something comfy and nice. I can't take a bubble bath and comfortably read (and hold out of the water) my huge Anna Karenina, now can I?

It was good the second time around, too. :)

Long, cold winter

I've started Anna Karenina, in honor of winter. I firmly believe Russian novels need to be read in the dead of winter, so I'm doing my part.

I'm only about 100 pages through it so far. It's slow going, although surprisingly easy to read. (I think it's a modern translation.)

Happy winter!

Once, twice, three times a lady

I really liked Hester Browne's The Little Lady Agency. The main character, brunette Melissa, is kind of a pushover but she starts her own business where she helps "manage" men. She provides all sorts of advice--clothing, gifts, how to start a conversation, etc.,--makeover help, breaks bad habits and more. She helps out men who need a little lady's touch.

Did I mention she also dresses up? She becomes "Honey," a sexy blonde bombshell who somehow drips with the confidence Melissa lacks. Unfortunately (at least in my opinion), Melissa/Honey ends up falling for one of her clients, a brash American named Jonathan. Melissa/Honey and Jonathan fall in love and Melissa doesn't end up with her wonderful flatmate Nelson. Boo.

In book two, Melissa and Jonathan take off to New York, where Jonathan is manipulating and controlling and has red hair and I don't like red hair on guys. Yes, I spent most of Little Lady, Big Apple mad at how Jonathan was treating Melissa. And it was very hard to tell whether Browne wanted us to like him or not...I still don't know. I didn't like how he tried to run her business but Melissa didn't seem too upset by it. Whatever; I still don't like Jonathan.

So, with all that in mind (namely that I hate the fun, nice, sweet main character's love interest), I was a bit hesitant about The Little Agency and the Prince.

First things first: gorgeous cover! I love that purple shade. It's elegant and classy. Pretty, pretty, pretty. Because it was so pretty, I decided to read it. However, I broke one of my reading rules: I peeked. I had to know if Melissa ended up with Jonathan. I did finish reading the book, so maybe that'll tell you that I was happy with the answer.

****Spoiler alert***
I just wish that she had broken up with that loser sooner and not wasted the first two books on him! Booo Jonathan. I was very happy who she did end up with, though! Yay Nelson!
******

Anyway, the book was fine, but I think I just liked the idea of the first one the most. I don't care about Melissa's annoying dad, vague sister, drug mule sister or various manipulators in her life; I want to hear about the Little Lady Agency. And her good love interest.

True, a good part of the book is about Melissa helping Prince Nicolas become a true prince and less Euro-trash, but there was still too much Jonathan in the book for me.

So, all in all, I'm glad there was a nice ending; I just wish Jonathan hadn't been in the series at all.

Rating: 6/10

And on a side note, Euro-trash is such a fun insult! I'm totally going to try to use it tomorrow.

Sat-is-fying

I was really looking forward to Deanna Raybourn's second book, Silent in the Sanctuary. Of course, I was also a bit nervous because "sophomore" books can be good...or disappointing. But Raybourn didn't fail me; I'm happy!

First of all, GORGEOUS cover! It definitely sets the mood for the book. It's a Victorian mystery, with gothic elements, and romance.

Lady Julia Grey, at the end of Silent in the Grave, was off to Italy with her brothers Plum and Lysander. The siblings receive a summons from their eccentric father, demanding they come home for Christmas. They do, bringing home a hot Italian who just may be in love with Julia. Then, suprise, Nicholas Brisbane is there for the holidays, too--with a fiancée! A murder disrupts the family's Christmas and Brisbane and Julia work together again to solve it.

I was thoroughly satisfied by the developments between Brisbane and Julia. Raybourne does a great job with secondary characters and overall plot action. I'm not sure if the mystery aspect itself is her strongest point, since I almost figured it out, but it was still very good, with twists and shocks.

My only complaint is that is was too short--write more next time, Raybourne! I'm not sure when the third book will come out, but I'm looking forward to it already.

Rating: 10/10

Mmmm, spies

I finally got The Seduction of the Crimson Rose last night and immediately started reading it.

I was almost embarrassed to tell people the title of this book (like my boss, who asked what I was reading.....um, yeah, wasn't about to actually tell him the title!) and until about five seconds ago, I didn't even realize what the title meant. Let's just say the "Crimson Rose" doesn't have anything to do with romance and that it has a lot more to do with the reasoning behind the Black Tulip's endeavours.

First of all, Crimson Rose is the fourth book in a series about the French Revolution and a band of spies--and yes, the flower theme dominates the book. You need to read them in order or else you will be hopelessly confused.

This one follows Mary Alsworthy and Lord Vaughn--significant characters in book three (and Vaughn was in book two). Mary agrees to be bait for the Black Tulip, one of France's nastiest (and deadliest) spies.

This book took a different flavor than the past ones. It wasn't as funny, because Mary and Vaughn aren't funny. Both are a bit bitter, cynical and perfect for each other. I wasn't so sure of the pairing when I read the cover copy, but Willig makes it work. Both are realistic and yet the ending is satisfying. ****Spoiler (highlight to read): Was it bad that I hoped Anne would die? Oh well, I did. And I was glad when she did die. I mean, the hero and heroine have to be able to get married, after all!

So I'm gushing a bit but Willig is such a great writer--she definitely has a strong, distinctive voice. I highly recommend her books! I'm probably going to re-read this one within the month.

Rating: 9.5/10

And on a completely different note, she makes a reference to Cold Comfort Farm and Reuben and farm boys! I was thrilled...after all, I only read that book on Willig's suggestion.

SOOO Excited!

I adore Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series. And I have to thank Amazon.com for getting me started.

I first started really using Amazon in college, maybe four or five years ago. I had started rating books, etc., when one day I noticed I could see what Amazon recommended for me. Amazon recommended Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which is in my top 10 books. Ever since that day, I've (mostly) trusted Amazon's judgment.

My little tale reminds me of an article I read in The Onion about a woman who says Amazon always picks out better gifts for her than her own husband. Read it here. Also, I just noticed that the byline is for Sandusky, OH--how random is that (I live right next to Sandusky).

Anyway, so I love the whole idea of the series...spies, history and romance all mixed up. The newest book just came out and I preordered it. So I'm thrilled that my Amazon order for The Seduction of the Crimson Rose has shipped! Yay!

Get here quickly, book!

I may have talked

In a change of pace, I just finished Madam, Will You Talk? by Mary Stewart.

It was delightful, suspenseful and descriptive. Like many of Stewart's book, it features a heroine on vacation in a beautiful location (this time in France), where she stumbles upon mystery/adventure/romance. The heroine, Charity Selbourne, starts by helping a lonely boy and gets drawn into a mystery surrounding his rather hot father. Good times.

And on a random note, it sometimes bothers me in older books when the women don't know how to drive. That's not the case in this book! There's a few great car chase scenes where Charity mans the helm. She's not annoyingly plucky and definitely not stupid. She's a realistic and enjoyable character.

Confession: by reading this book, I wrote one of my rules. Madam, Will You Talk? features a widow, which I generally tend to avoid like the plague. I can't stand all the typical situations: either the widow (or widower) can't handle the grief or guilt associated with falling in love with someone else, or her marriage was awful and she's never truly experienced LOVE. But I broke my rule for Mary Stewart and was rewarded. Since this isn't a character-driven novel, but rather a plot-driven one, we don't get hung up on her former life. The widow's first marriage was fine but she didn't suffer from all the heartrending grief of falling in love a second time with the hero of this book (who I shan't reveal) and therefore being unfaithful to her dead husband, etc.

Okay, enough ranting. This is a good book when you need to be distracted and fall into another era. It even earns a re-read rating!

Rating: 8.5/10

hottie alert

I just finished Masterpiece Theater's Mansfield Park, which honestly isn't my favorite Jane Austen novel. But I didn't mind this version and I really enjoyed watching English actor Blake Ritson, who played Edmund, Fanny's love interest.

Yummy, eh? But my favorite part about him is his hair. He totally had emo hair throughout the movie! Check out those bangs....

It reminds me of Spiderman 3 and Peter Parker's emo side (which, incidentally, I loved...I may be a bit of a sucker for emo guys...). Anyway, I thought it was funny and I may have stared at his hair the entire hour and a half.