February 2009 Roundup

Books Finished: 14

Favorite February Book:

Since it's probably unfair to nominate The Rogue and the Rival AGAIN (though it's good enough to deserve it and the picture is going up for good measure), this month's favorite is a toss-up between YA retold fairy tale Bound by Donna Jo Napoli and Harlequin Historical Undone novella Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss by Bronwyn Scott.

Bound is a retold Cinderella story based on the Chinese version of the tale and set during the Ming dynasty. After the death of her father, Xing Xing must work and care for her stepmother and her stepsister who is undergoing the gruesome foot-binding process so that she and she alone might marry well. This is a fascinating look at another culture, and Xing Xing is smart, capable, and charmingly upbeat about her situation.

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss - admittedly not the most inspired title in the world, but I have a weakness for pickpocket heroines. And I was most definitely not disappointed - it's set in Vienna (how I love Vienna), there is spying, and the hero & heroine play strip piquet! STRIP PIQUET!!! There was no way I was not going to love this story. The dialogue is lovely and witty, the chemistry undoubted, and I wish more than anything this had been full-length. I've picked up more of Scott's works, so I'll keep you updated. Maybe strip whist is next?

Author Encounters: (links to authors' websites/my relevant posts)

Donna Lea Simpson was kind enough to drop by my January Roundup post and leave a comment. In another treat, she'll be stopping by for an interview around mid-March to talk about Lady Anne and the Howl in the Dark!

Helen Hollick stopped by for a guest blog on her portrayal of Gwenhwyfar as a hoyden with the strength to hold her own with King Arthur in her fascinating historical The Kingmaking (excerpt here!). She also has a list of the other participants in her blog tour if you want to read more about her (list also on the review post). If you'd like a look at how Arthur the warlord may really have been, you'll love The Kingmaking!

Maya Rodale sent me a lovely email about my review of her fantastic The Rogue and the Rival. If you like reformed rake stories, you definitely want to read this one!

Books Read: (links are to my reviews)

1. Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss - Bronwyn Scott
2. The Rogue and the Rival - Maya Rodale
3. The Kingmaking - Helen Hollick
4. Envy - Anna Godbersen
5. The Medici Curse - Matt Chamings
6. Talk Me Down - Victoria Dahl
7. Bound - Donna Jo Napoli
8. Pygmalion - George Bernard Shaw
9. Oh. My. Gods. - Tera Lynn Childs
10. Das Zeichen des Ketzers - Sabine Wassermann
11. Such a Pretty Girl - Laura Wiess
12. Promise Me Tomorrow - Candace Camp
13. Swept Away by Kristi Astor - in Lords of Desire anthology
14. Snowbound - Janice Kay Johnson

As you can see, I have a lot of reviewing catch-up to do! Keep an eye out in the next week or so for the missing reviews. They'll hopefully cover up another school-induced fallow period. Thanks for your understanding!

The Kingmaking - Helen Hollick (Guest Blog)

My biggest gripe with most Arthurian-themed stories is Guenevere. She tends to be clingy, needy, wimpy. So I was really excited to read Helen Hollick's portrayal. Her Gwenhwyfar is a real scrapper, smart, strong, and capable of standing up to Arthur (and anyone).

Please welcome Helen as she talks about her take on Gwen!

My blog is 'hoyden' themed, and I find myself drawn to strong-willed (even tomboy-ish) female characters. I'd love to hear your thoughts on writing such a strong and independent female character, especially when most portrayals of Gwenhwyfar take such an opposite approach.

The usual Medieval Arthurian stories did not interest me. I disliked the round tables, Holy Grails, and knights clonking around in armour. Arthur was such a useless King; after fighting hard for the title of King he disappears in search of the Holy Grail abandoning his Kingdom and his wife. Did he not foresee that she would have an affair? I’m sorry but I also disliked prim Lancelot.

I wanted no knights or a Holy Grail in my story. No magic. No Lancelot. No Merlin. Instead, I used the early Welsh legends of Arthur and Gwenhwyfar (a Welsh spelling of Guinevere). These were so much more exciting than the Medieval stories. This Arthur was more plausible. This Arthur was real. And so was this version of Gwenhwyfar!

If Arthur existed, he would have lived circa 450 -550 A.D., between the going of the Romans and the coming of the Anglo Saxon invaders, when government was in utter chaos. Arthur was probably a War Lord, the son of a Romano British nobleman – and he would have lived and fought for what he considered his by right. The contemporary records do not portray him as a chivalric king nor even a Christian. The Church was still developing in the Dark Ages, and many people remained Pagan.

In these early stories we hear of Arthur stealing cattle from a monastery, of kicking a woman, and being condemned as a non-Christian. He had three sons, a wife, Gwenhwyfar, and close companions Bedwyr (Bedevere) and Cei (Kay).

I wanted to make my Arthur an earthy, capable and realistic King, a war lord and leader who would fight hard to gain a kingdom and as hard to keep it. Arthur was a rough, tough man who was honourable in his own way – his honour and loyalty did not belong to God but to the men who served him. His honour was to his kingdom. And his loyalty was to the woman he loved, Gwenhwyfar.

I wanted her to be a heroine. I saw her as feisty, capable, honourable – and loyal. No man of worth would have allowed himself to be so openly cuckolded – and no woman worth her salt would not fight back if she had a rogue of a husband like Arthur!

Yes, he strays from her sometimes and their love and partnership has some enormous ups and downs, but ultimately Arthur loves his wife. He has mistresses, but when a man faces death in battle so often, is that not being realistic? He loved only Gwenhwyfar. He would die for her – and only her.

From the opening scene when Arthur sees two riders galloping on their horses we realise Gwenhwyfar is a “tomboy” - in my story she was the only daughter among nine brothers after all!

Cunedda, the Lion Lord of Gwynedd existed, as did his sons. At some time in the mid fifth century he transferred from what is now Scotland to North Wales and founded Gwynedd. I wanted to use him in my novel as he was a factual figure. Then while looking through some genealogies (admittedly not very reliable ones) I found that he may have had a daughter – Gwen.

I wanted her to be brave and strong – but to also have her doubts and fears. She would always be loyal to Arthur – but not always easy on him. When they argue she sometimes draws a sword . And she knows perfectly well how to use it.

I suppose in all honesty I created my Gwenhwyfar as an opposite to those early medieval tales. I hated that character and I wanted my Gwenhwyfar to be as real, as alive – and as loved - as Arthur.

I hope I have succeeded.

I can't speak for anyone else, Helen, but I was enchanted by this version of Gwenhwfar and by her relationship with Arthur. It all rang so true - including the clashes of their two very strong wills. Congratulations!

The Kingmaking - Helen Hollick

**** - A fascinating look at how King Arthur might truly have been. No magic, no fantasy, but real-life people with flaws and scars.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the opportunity to read and review The Kingmaking.

This is not a story that focuses on the Holy Grail, the love triangle with Lancelot or chivalrous notions of the Round Table. You won't find any of these here. Instead this is a gritty look at the betrayals, battles, and affections of a warlord seeking to unify Britain after the Romans left.

The Kingmaking begins in Arthur's youth when the boy accompanies Uthr Pendragon to Gwynedd (Wales) to meet with the powerful warlord Cunedda in order to bring down the tyrannous king Vortigern. While there, Arthur strikes up a (sometimes shaky) friendship with Cunedda's youngest child, the strong-willed hoyden (!) Gwenhwyfar. And the story follows him as he grows into a strong military leader, how he learns to hide his hatred for Vortigern in order to gain experience, and his tumultuous love for Gwenhwyfar.

Hollick's Arthur is not a chivalrous knight. He's a warlord - ruthless, cunning, brash and tactless. He's restless if he's not fighting. His personality and his charisma are larger than life, but he also carries a lot of emotional baggage. He sulks and rages, he wenches and drinks, but he also leads and inspires his men. It's easy to see why this Arthur would command men's loyalty. It's also easy to see how he makes it difficult to love him - but why Gwenhwyfar refuses to give up on him.

I loved Gwen as a character. It was lovely to see her headstrong and capable in a fight, but also vulnerable and hot-headed. Although her relationship with Arthur has a large bearing on the plot, I disagree with those who characterize this as a romance, or even as historical fiction with a romantic focus. First and foremost, this is a historical novel - the emphasis is on the battles, the manipulations at court, and shifting alliances. The focus of the novel is how Arthur grows to be king - and a large part of him becoming that kind of leader is his relationship with Gwenhwyfar because she's one of the very few people who has gained his trust.

Hollick's Kingmaking is quite the story. It sweeps you up and carries you along the hills of Gwynedd, across the stormy Channel, into battlefields, bedchambers, and castle keeps. It's not always easy to read - the characters' treatment of women can be difficult to stomach at times, though to be fair, it is always very much in keeping with the historical times and culture. Rape and sex as a weapon is a part of Middle Age life and warfare. The story isn't always easy, but it is worthwhile. I found myself drawn back to the text anytime I put it down, anxious to read further, to discover what happened. And I'll be just as interested in the sequels.

Don't forget to stop by tomorrow when Helen Hollick has agreed to guest blog about her portrayal of Gwenhwfar!

The Blog Tour Continues:

http://harrietdevine.typepad.com/harriet_devines_blog/2009/02/the-kingmaking.html 2/20

http://lazyhabits.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/the-kingmaking/ 2/21 and interview 2/27

http://carpelibrisreviews.com/the-kingmaking-by-helen-hollick-book-tour-giveaway/ 2/23

http://www.historicalnovels.info/Kingmaking.html 2/23

http://www.historicalnovels.info/historical-novels-blog.html

http://www.bibliophilemusings.com/2009/02/review-interview-kingmaking-by-helen.html 2/23http://lilly-readingextravaganza.blogspot.com/2009/02/kingmaking-by-helen-hollick.html 2/23 and guest blog 2/25

http://chikune.com/blog/?p=484 http://chikune.com/blog/?p=488 2/24

http://booksaremyonlyfriends.blogspot.com/ 2/25 http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/ 2/26 and guest blog 2/27

http://webereading.blogspot.com/ 2/26

http://www.caramellunacy.blogspot.com 2/26

http://bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com/ 3/1

http://www.skrishnasbooks.com/ 3/1

http://jennifersrandommusings.wordpress.com/ 3/1

http://rhireading.blogspot.com/ 3/1

http://passagestothepast.blogspot.com/ 3/2

http://thetometraveller.blogspot.com/ 3/2

http://steventill.com/ 3/2

http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com / 3/2 and interview 3/3 http://www.carlanayland.blogspot.com/

http://readersrespite.blogspot.com/ 3/3 and interview on 3/5

http://libraryqueue.blogspot.com/ 3/4

http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/ 3/4

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/ 3/5

http://samsbookblog.blogspot.com 3/5

http://goodbooksbrightside.blogspot.com/ 3/5

Waiting on Wednesday

Released April 14, 2009. Just saw an update from Tammy's website, and it's now coming out two weeks earlier than the anticipated Apr. 28 date! Two fewer weeks to wait!


Beka Cooper is finally a Dog—a full-fledged member of the Provost’s Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus’s streets. But there’s unrest in Tortall’s capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won’t let anything—or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won’t be enough for Beka be her usual “terrier” self. She’ll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals—to be a Bloodhound. . . .



I'm waiting anxiously and eagerly. I had the great good fortune to hear Tammy read snippets at a recent festival, and I've been dying to get my hands on this ever since! April is much MUCH too far away!

Tuesday Thingers - Genres

Today's question from Wendi's Book Corner: Do you have a specialized blog where you only review a certain genre or type of book? If so, what is your favorite thing about that type of book? If not, what is/are your favorite genre(s)? What makes that genre(s) a favorite?

I wouldn't really consider my blog particularly specialized. I read a variety of genres, but, of course, the blog mostly features what I'm most interested in - romance, YA novels, and historical fiction. Or even better, a mixture of the above!

I'm drawn to romance foremost because I love flirting and adore happily-ever-afters. I love to feel like I'm being drawn into a fairy-tale. Especially if it feels like a fairy tale that might have happened.

YA novels appeal to me because of the potential for fresh voices, high emotions and a (generally) low tolerance for the type of 'literary' style that drives me up the wall. The idea with many YA novels is to have a plot, and to get to it already, thank you! Plus, I've found that the styles of many YA writers really resonate with me even though I'm theoretically past their target audience.

Historical fiction is a big draw for me, too. I love (surreptitiously) learning about new time periods, new adventures, new people. I always enjoyed history, but really find that historical fiction brings it to life with living, breathing human beings to like and despise, and generally feel for. I like to submerge into other worlds. Plus it makes my travels much more interesting because historical fiction actually fixes the facts in my head so that I can REMEMBER the cool stories.

What about you? What do you blog about?

The Week in Preview

I just got back from a nice relaxed vacation trip, and flights always make me read like mad, so you can expect a number of reviews coming up over the next few days. I dabbled in all kinds of genres, and there will be romance (Victoria Dahl's Talk Me Down), YA (Bound by Donna Jo Napoli, Oh.My.Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs), and drama (Shaw's Pygmalion)!

Thursday you'll see my review of Helen Hollick's The Kingmaking, and come back on Friday (27th) for a guest blog she graciously agreed to do for me!

Hope I'll see you around!

Lana

The Medici Curse - Matt Chamings

*** - The historical story is considerably stronger than the modern-day mystery tie-in. The whole curse bit just didn't seem to fit at all, and I wish the author had left out the frame story.

A young painter's apprentice with a dark secret is on his way to paint the portrait of Lorenzo de Medici's beautiful young daughter. But he has a darker purpose in mind as well - for the Medici's bloody past is twined with his own.

In present-day Italy, Maria finds herself drawn to the story of a lost painting of this young girl in white - but she also fears its curse. For everyone who has found the painting has suffered deep misfortune, and now Maria has begun to see visions of a young girl dressed all in white...

To be honest, I thought the Medici chapters were easily ten times more interesting than their contemporary counterparts. I liked to hear about Leonardo da Vinci's eccentricities, I enjoyed the story of the Pazzi Conspiracy, and the slowly growing Romeo & Juliet style love story. Arnaldo's interactions with Lorenzo de Medici were just bubbling with suppressed emotion and action. We have sword-fighting, painting, fanatical priests. There's just no way the modern sections can keep up.

The 'curse' never really ended up making any sense to me. I'm not sure why so many misfortunes followed in the painting's wake, nor why everyone started acting crazy. The explanation offered by the story was sketchy at best. Ultimately the modern story left me unsatisfied. I think the book would have been richer had it been scrapped altogether, or if perhaps finding the portrait was a true frame - only present at the beginning and the end of the historical section.

The Medici Curse is uneven, but well-suited for an early teen audience. For the somewhat older teens, I'd recommend Mary Jane Beaufrand's Primavera.

Have you reviewed this? Leave a link in the comments!

Tuesday Thingers - Book Sources

Today's question: How do you get your books for reviewing? (Feel free to participate in the poll at Wendi's, you can check more than one answer) Do you track them somehow (excel, database, etc), or just put them in a tbr (To Be Read for anyone that doesn't know) pile?

Most of the books I review are ones that I have purchased or borrowed from somewhere, though I travel so much that libraries are usually out. I've been lucky enough to 'win' a few through LT's Early Reviewer program, and I've recently been offered a few by publicists. These I do keep track of in a table, but I'm not very systematic about it yet. I really ought to be more organized. Maybe looking through others' posts will inspire me!

Envy - Anna Godbersen

*** - The sniping and manipulation continues gloriously unabated, but I felt that this installment was missing the underlying hook/dramatic denouement that kept me turning pages. Still a good read, but it was a 'middle' book.

Spoilers for The Luxe and Rumors follow!

Although Penelope Hayes managed to snag her heart's desire and the most eligible bachelor in New York, her victory is a hollow one at best. Henry still openly pines for Diana Holland and spends all of his evenings on the sofa. So Penelope enlists her handsome (and inveterate gambler) brother's help to ruin Diana on a trip down to Florida. Elizabeth goes along to uphold her position in society, but her grief over Will makes the trip extraordinarily difficult. Lina has her sights set on the unconventional and progress-minded Leland Bouchard, and neglects her ill guardian in pursuit of her dreams. All major players accounted for?

I really enjoyed the change in setting to Florida - going to a new place, staying with new people, and spending all that time scandalously clad at the beach is just asking for more trouble! But with marriages of convenience right and left, unexpected pregnancies and everyone behaving melodramatically out of despair, this is probably my least favorite of the books so far. That said, I am madly in love with Teddy Cutting. I began to adore him in the last book when he changes places with Henry, but I love him even more here. He's a wonderful man, and I truly hope that when all of this wraps up in the final book, those people who deserve happy endings (read: Diana and Teddy) get them. Well, I'll throw Henry in there, too, as he grows a semblance of a backbone here.

Envy is a definite must-read for those who have gotten this far in the series, but it leaves just about all the plot threads it raises dangling. This is very much a 'middle' book in the series without its own proper denouement or true climax. I'll certainly read the final book in the series, but this one doesn't leave me aching for the next as the previous installments have.

In the series:

Book 1: The Luxe

Book 2: Rumors

Book 3: Envy

Book 4: Splendor

Interested in other opinions?
Angieville
The Compulsive Reader
Momma's Review
Did you review it? Leave me a link in the comments, and I'll post it here!

Waiting on Wednesday

The Battle for Duncragglin - Andrew Vanderwal

Set in the time of William Wallace, this is historical fiction at its bloody best!One of history’s most turbulent times comes to vivid life in this thrilling new novel. Twelve-year-old Alex has been raised by his uncle since his parents disappeared on a trip to Scotland many years ago. He’s resigned to spending the summer in Scotland with yet another relative and finds himself on a farm near the ruined remnants of an ancient castle that is rumored to be haunted. Could it have a connection to his parents’ disappearance?

With three newfound friends, Alex sets out to discover the secret of a sealed cave along the rugged coast that borders the farm. The secret is far more powerful than anything they could have imagined, and they are catapulted to the very brink of a hellish past — the bloody late 13th century when the great Scottish rebel, William Wallace, was fighting a guerilla-style military campaign.

Full of high drama as well as humor, bloodshed, and great tenderness, this fine novel marks the arrival of a major voice in historical fiction.

Why I'm Waiting: Well, let's see - there's William Wallace, which is a fun start. I love historical fiction, especially of the young adult variety. And I think that William Wallace' story has the potential for some amazing action scenes and some very touching (yet manly) emotional moments. I mean, the tag line promises me high drama, humor AND bloodshed. I'm completely ready to be catapulted to the Scottish Highlands.
Plus there are Converse on the cover. I have a weakness for Cons.

Tuesday Thingers - Ratings

Today's question from Wendi's Book Corner: Do you use a rating system on your blog? How do you feel about using the rating system provided on sites like Library Thing and Amazon? When looking up information on a book you are interested in, do you use the ratings provided by these sites (or similar sites) to help you make the decision on purchasing the book?

I do use ratings on my blog and on LibraryThing. I don't really use them on Amazon because I find them useless in providing better recommendations. But that's a whole 'nother question. There are a lot of people that are ambivalent or against ratings, but I find them very useful. It helps me to sort out what stays in the house or not (anything under *** 1/2 wasn't something that appealed enough to me to keep). I always try to explain why I gave a book a particular rating - what I liked or didn't like. But sometimes I look at my review and feel that standing alone it might be taken as more critical than I would have liked - or sometimes too enthusiastic. So I like to include the star rating and the little blurb at the very beginning of my reviews. To keep everything in perspective, and to provide the gist of my thoughts.

Ratings do help me make decisions if I'm wavering about a book. If the ratings are hovering around average, I'll probably hold off if I'm not convinced I want to read it. But really high ratings will lead me to pick something up that's outside of my usual reading range (sometimes with disastrous results).

What about you? Do you like ratings? Would you rather just read the reviews?

The Rogue and the Rival - Maya Rodale

**** 1/2 - Even upon re-read this novel makes me just sigh with happiness. I never got around to posting my reaction to this the first time around - a terrible pity because I thought it was high on the list of best reads of 2008. If you like romances, especially if you like reformed rakes - go forth and buy this one. You won't regret it.

Thanks so much to the author for sending me a review copy! I loved it, Maya!

The last place anyone ever thought Phillip Kensington would end up was in an abbey. But when his near-lifeless body is found in a ditch, he's brought to Stanbrook Abbey to recuperate under the care of Angela Sullivan - a young lady whisked away to life at the abbey after a youthful indiscretion left her ruined in the eyes of society. She hates everything he represents, reckless indifference, selfishness, lechery, but she can't help but feel drawn to the charming scoundrel (and neither could I).

Maya Rodale is now officially on my auto-buy list. I was skeptical about this one. At the end of The Heir and the Spare, Phillip doesn't seem to have much going for him - he's ruined four women, he's an inveterate gambler, he drinks too much, he doesn't kiss well. And usually I don't much like reformed rake stories. But The Rogue and the Rival changed my mind.

The characters are so believable, and there's such emotional depth here that this earned an immediate place on my keeper shelf. I love that Angela is an artist. I love that they play cards for secrets. I love the chemistry sparking between the two main characters at any moment. I love Phillip grinning ear-to-ear while being beaten with roses. I was just swept off my feet by Phillip, by Angela, by the two of them. Together.

I'm not sure what I can say that won't have me repeating synonyms for beautiful, wonderful, for paragraphs on end. So let me just say - it was funny, heartfelt, sexy and had me utterly spell-bound upon re-read even though I first read it only a few months ago. It's gorgeous. Please, please go read it! I need someone to talk all starry-eyed with!

And Maya? When's the next one? [insert Bambi-eyes here] I'm just dying to hear Lila Althorp's story...

Libertine Lord, Pickpocket Miss - Bronwyn Scott

**** - As soon as I was done with this one, my mouse marched directly over to my eBook store and purchased all of the Bronwyn Scott novels it could find. Very much my kind of love story.

Lord Julian Burke is known around Vienna as a heart-flutteringly handsome libertine, but few know his true purpose in the city. Julian is actually on the trail of some long-lost diamonds for the British Crown. Vivacious Sophie DuPlessy is after the same jewels, and their encounters soon prove most distracting to both their missions.

This story was so completely up my alley. First of all it's set in Vienna. I love Vienna; it's a perfect setting for a love story with its parks, resident royalty, and the utterly scandalous Viennese waltz (can you hear the Strauss yet?). Vienna makes me giddy. Especially when it's peopled with a dashing lord and a jewel thief young lady seeking to outwit each other.

What I liked most about this story is the easy banter that arises between Julian and Sophie. They're always trying to out-maneuver each other, but their sparring is never mean. It's pure flirtation, and when it comes right down to it, they help one another out rather than competing. Plus, how could you not love a story that involves a game of strip piquet? I couldn't resist it, that's for sure.

My only complaint is that I felt like these two could have had a longer story (and I would have loved every minute of it). The format of the Undone shorts makes these more of a romance 'snack'. That said, I'm hoping that St. Just's book (The Viscount Claims His Bride) and this month's Undone story Pleasured by an English Spy will allow a few more glimpses at the couple. Though it looks like I'll have to resign myself to missing Vienna.

Anybody know of full-length romances set in Vienna? Waltzes & champagne are a must...

The Last Templar - Raymond Khoury

* 1/2 - I was looking for something fun and implausible. A sort of Da Vinci Code meets Dirk Pitt. Throw in a little James Bond action. And the first third or so of The Last Templar was fun. But when this descended into pages after pages of babbling about the nature of faith and its importance, it utterly lost me. And most of their troubles can be solved with a dive knife. Honest.

If you are concerned about SPOILERS, I don't give away the ending, nor the actual solving of the puzzles. I do go into the rest of the plot of about 3/4 of the book, though. Rather than a typical review, this is more of a snark-fest.

Tess Chaykin, Former and Yearning to be Again Archaeologist, attends an exhibition at the Met of Vatican treasures including a Templar encoder (a matter of a clerk slip-up and great consternation at the Vatican). But the exhibition is raided by Four Horsemen on horseback dressed as Templars complete with broadswords. Post-raid the FBI domestic terrorism unit gets involved in the person of Handsome & Faithfully Catholic (that's a major plot point, don't forget it) Sean Reilly.

Needless to say there follows a bunch of consulting with experts, untimely deaths caused by a mysterious assassin (possibly in the employ of the Vatican) all in search of the famed Templar Treasure - or as it shall be known the Priceless Artifact. Tess gets hold of the Treasure Map by getting kidnapped by the Bad Guy.

Up to this point, I was ok. But then Tess starts turning stupid. First, she returns the Priceless Treasure Map to the Bad Guy when he threatens her daughter. Which is all well and good, except that she DOESN'T TELL THE FBI. Because she thinks to herself, people in real life don't call the FBI in situations like this. After all, why would you want trained kidnapping units or backup involved if some psycho may possibly have your kid? Nah. That's only done in the movies... *headdesk*

At least she has the sense to make copies. So she then ends up on a plane to a Mysterious Foreign Location to find the Buried Treasure (a clue as to the Whereabouts of the Priceless Artifact). Again without mentioning anything to the FBI. But luckily since Reilly thinks she's the hottest thing since Bunsen Burners, he shows up at the airport and hops the same plane with no forewarning. Fine. So they have to go diving for the Buried Treasure. And they have a little bit of dialogue that goes like this:

TESS: Let's go diving with sub-par equipment that nobody has checked in a while to find something we only have a general idea of where to find!

REILLY: Umm, maybe I should call HQ and get them to send some people out here? It's kept for a couple hundred years...

TESS: You don't understand! My career rests on US being the ones to find it with NO outside help. Because actually having FBI agents here would mean I WOULDN'T GET ALL THE CREDIT!! Besides, I've done this hundreds of times. C'mon.

REILLY: Ok, but only because you're hot in a wetsuit. And I care deeply for your career. And apparently not at all for mine.

They dive around, and Miss Trained Archaeologist decides to yank the Buried Treasure from its resting place with no sort of documentation or photography whatsoever. Because that will lead to archaeological acclaim! So she grabs a random piece of metal from a twisty unstable looking column to pry open the obligatory watertight Secret Compartment. Said piece of metal was apparently the last Jenga block holding a GIANT STONE WALL up which begins to collapse around them. And the strap on the pouch gets caught! OH NO!

REILLY: Quick! Whip out your trusty dive knife which is practically required gear on a dive and cut through this hundreds of years old leather strap!

TESS: Ummm...

REILLY: We're running out of air, here. Plus there is falling debris, could you get a move on with the cutting?

TESS: I didn't bring one, despite the fact that I have done many underwater digs before... Why don't you stand amongst the falling debris and heave on the trapdoor manfully?

REILLY: *headdesk*

So they retrieve the pouch and start to surface only to discover there are Goons waiting.

REILLY: You know, if I had a DIVE KNIFE, I could play James Bond and jab a hole in the bottom of the goon's boat and make this entertaining for the audience rather than leading to yet another hostage situation...

TESS: *is taken hostage*

Let's see, after they escape the hostage situation due to scary sniper fire from an Unknown Entity, Tess decides to randomly take the hostage and the jeep and leave Reilly stranded in the Wilds of Turkey with no supplies or means of transport. Did I mention there was a sniper running around? But he seems ok with it... Because she's hot in a wetsuit.

Anyway, they eventually find the Priceless Artifact and they have a Deep Discussion about whether or not to reveal it. Tess is concerned for her precious career. Reilly attempts to convince her that if it is somehow revealed that Jesus was a Mere Mortal Man, Faith as we know it will be impossible. Not just for Christians, but for ALL PEOPLES OF THE EARTH!! (There was quite a long section about this. It makes absolutely no sense. But I suppose it appeases those who want a pro-Christian DVC?).

I won't get into the ending in any detail, but I will tell you that there is yet more Hostage Taking by the Bad Guy because HE thought to bring a Dive Knife!

I thought it was a completely lame way to leave things. And the Epilogue was an unnecessary sop to remove even the last vestiges of controversy. So essentially, I was looking for an puzzle thriller and got a bunch of babble about the essentiality of faith in the midst of hostage situation after hostage situation. I liked neither of the main characters, and thought that Tess in particular was a horrible excuse for a heroine.

There was an NBC TV mini-series that I was almost tempted to watch for the train-wreck. It's still available on their website if you're interested. If you've seen it, or read the novel, please leave me a comment with your reaction!

Rumors - Anna Godbersen

*** - There are a lot of rainy days here, and this is very much a rainy day sort of read. It's fast-paced, there's plenty of scandal and heartbreak. There's a ton of drama. Plus the cover is gorgeous.


WARNING: Plot spoilers for The Luxe may follow

Despite the recent funeral, rumors that Elizabeth Holland has been seen alive abound. The lack of a body gives Henry Schoonmaker's father a convenient political platform, but it also encourages stories of white slavery, ransom and any story but the truth - that she ran out West with the Hollands' coachman to seek a fortune. With their hopes for a rich marriage lost, the Hollands are forced to sell even more of their possessions and Diana is thrown at rich bachelor after bachelor - just not at the one she truly desires (just think of the scandal!). Lina has used the chance to finagle her way into high society posing as a Western heiress, and Penelope has her sights firmly set on Henry once again...

In this next episode of the soap operatic story, things continue in their melodramatic tangle. I was less entranced this time, however. The 'mystery' wedding at the beginning was far less shocking than the funeral in The Luxe. Plus I was sad that Penelope toned down her outrageous scheming. She's far less fun when she's well-behaved. Though hopefully the arrival of her charming, rakish elder brother will help matters along.

I still like Diana and Henry's love story, though I find his insistence on propriety and self-sacrifice irritating. I loved watching Lina creep her way into society. (I have a weakness for people going after what they want, and every soap opera needs at least one scheming minx.) There was far less of Elizabeth in Rumors, and when her story was present, I actually liked it quite a bit. Will is a much sweeter character when he comes into his own out West.

There's a massive twist at the end (and one that I actually didn't see coming), which is quite upsetting (although I loved it). I have to admit that until that moment, I wasn't holding my breath for Envy - now though, it's up right after I finish my next read.

Interested in other opinions?

Becky's Book Blog
Fyrefly's Book Blog
Bookshelves of Doom
The Story Siren

Did you review it? Want to add your link? Leave it in a comment!

The Luxe - Anna Godbersen

*** 1/2 - A fun, gossipy look at turn-of-the-century teens behaving badly and getting caught up in teenaged drama, scandal and complicated intertwined love affairs. All with gorgeous dresses, dancing and handsome young bucks in tails. It's a kind of guilty pleasure read - except that I don't feel guilty.

Elizabeth Holland is the paragon of society. She is beautiful, well-behaved and charming - exactly the kind of girl an ambitious man would want for a daughter-in-law. And although her heart lies elsewhere, all her own family's hopes are wrapped up in this eminently suitable alliance with the wealthy, handsome scapegrace Henry Schoonmaker as well. Of course, in true tangled fashion, Elizabeth's sister is causing trouble, her servant may expose a vital secret, and her best friend Penelope Hayes has plans to sabotage the match. Did I miss anything? Oh, the book opens with Elizabeth's funeral. Hooked yet?

I think it's obvious from the cover that this is a very glamorous, glittering balls, scandal-ridden historical version of Gossip Girl. Honestly, were you expecting something else? And although I don't normally care for rich people behaving badly, I admit to enjoying this very much. Not all of it mind you - Elizabeth is quite wishy-washy, and I found her story to be largely annoying. I had the 'surprise twists' figured out almost from the get-go. But I had definite sympathy for the upstart servant Lina, Penelope is a great character though spoiled and unlikeable, and I adored Elizabeth's feisty younger sister Diana.

Diana is the reason I kept reading. I loved her from the moment she tried on a spare top hat. She has romantic, nose-in-a-book notions, and she's just dying to live life to the fullest. And I remember feeling exactly like that, wanting to act like that. Because of Diana's vibrancy and energy, I got to see a better side of a character I didn't much care for. And truth be told, it's for Diana's sake that I read the sequel. Because I need to see her story work out. Even if I'm pretty sure I know exactly what's going to happen in the interim.

This is fun. Not deep, and quite melodramatic - but there's a reason soap operas run so long. And if you let yourself, you may very well find yourself swept up in the world of The Luxe.

In the series:

Book 1: The Luxe

Book 2: Rumors

Book 3: Envy

Book 4: Splendor

Interested in other opinions?
Not Acting My Age
Em's Bookshelf
Chicklish
Bookshelves of Doom
Fyrefly's Book Blog

Medieval Bookworm

Did you review it? Want me to add your link? Leave it for me in a comment!