Educating Caroline: Patricia Cabot (Meg Cabot)

"Lady Caroline Linford is horrified to discover...

"her fiance, the Marquis of Winchelsea, in the arms of another woman. Unfortunately, Victorian society considers such masculine peccadilloes a trifle; canceling their imminent wedding would be unthinkable. But Caroline's wish is for the man she is to marry to desire only her...and she seeks lessons in the art of romance from the best teacher: London's most notorious rake.

"Braden Granville may be a famous lover...

"but he has no intention of taking part in Caroline's scheme--until he learns she has something he wants: the name of his own unfaithful fiancee's lover. As their passionate tutelage begins, sparks fly--and the lines between teacher and student fall away. Now there is just one last lesson to learn: on the subject of true love, the heart chooses its own unpredictable ways."

I think it's pretty awesome that the woman who wrote the Princess Diaries has switched over to writing for a more adult audience. She took her talent and wit, wrapped it up in a bit of maturity, and came up with this book.

I really enjoyed it! The plot was complex and nicely interwoven. Writing something like this took a lot of planning and I can appreciate that. The characters were wonderful and their situations really were unique. So often are characters and bits of plots recycled that they all seem to blend together; but not with Cabot's writing. She's fun and brilliant in her ability to write memorable characters that stand out.

Though this book took me awhile to finish, it really was worth every page. However, I now remember why I never got through her Princess Diaries books: the sentences tend to be long and drawn out. Now that I'm older, I can appreciate what the author is including in her sentences--all of the structure and word choices which actually made my reading experience extremely enjoyable. It definitely takes some getting used to, but it's well worth it.

I really liked this book and look forward to reading more by this author!

The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Four): Rick Riordan

"Percy Jackson isn't expecting freshman orientation to be any fun. But when a mysterious mortal acquaintance appears on campus, followed by demon cheerleaders, things quickly move from bad to worse.

"In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth--a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn."

Yay! I finished book number four! This one was just as good as the others. Obviously, the characters are becoming more and more complex as they grow up, but they're still the familiar faces I've come to love. The new twists and turns that Riordan has incorporated into his wonderful world of demigods and monsters really kept me fascinated. I really enjoyed this book and it was a very fun read.

I couldn't help but feel bad for Percy and all of the difficult decisions he had to choose from. His life has become all the more complicated when girls are thrown in the mix. Jealousy and attitude plagues these young warriors as they try to complete their mission--and poor Percy has no idea why the girls fight over him...typical oblivious guy. I found myself laughing aloud so many times! It was great! (Though I won't say who I'm rooting for...I'll leave that judgement out until you read it for yourselves. Maybe when I'm done with the series, I'll let you know what my feelings are.)

Anyway, as I said earlier, I love the characters. They've really become like "friends". The way Riordan writes, they have their unique personalities; but he manages to remain true to them throughout all of the books. I love this about the writing. Something else that was neat was that the descriptions of the labyrinth reminded me of the movie "Labyrinth", which I highly recommend checking out!

Though there were a few minor errors (i.e. "Mrs. O'Leary was called "she" and then used "his" in the possessive form when talking about her owner...if that makes any sense...), this doesn't detract from the story. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next book!!!

The Public and Private Elizabeth I and Her World: Susan Watkins

"In this intimate account of a remarkable national transformation, Susan Watkins relates the extraordinary tale of how Queen Elizabeth I set out to capture the hearts of her people. In plays and pageants, in cameos and medallions and portraits, in the great country houses, their interior furnishings and their gardens, the royal image was specifically tailored to evoke devotion. To love Elizabeth was to love England, and the Queen personified both an era and a national style.

"It had begun precariously: the birth of Elizabeth instead of a male heir was a bitter disappointment to Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Susan Watkins paints a brilliant picture of young Elizabeth's life, punctuated by conspiracies, and endangered during the period of rule by her Catholic half-sister, Mary, whom she succeeded in 1558. It gave her an enduring sense that to remain on the throne she must encourage the love of her people.

"The author skillfully recreates court life, in the palaces along the Thames from Greenwich to Windsor, and the nearly sixty royal houses that were Elizabeth's inheritance. An important part of the spectacle was the royal progress to the great country houses of her subjects. An Elizabethan house was not just an architectural achievement; it was often the literal embodiment of a relationship with the monarch.

"Throughout, the inspired photographs by Mark Fiennes, together with portraits, paintings, tapestries and personal objects, give the perfect visual expression of the nation's evolving love affair with its queen. Little wonder that Elizabeth's personality captivates the imaginations of Hollywood and of the tens of thousands of visitors to the surviving monuments of her era."

This is another non-fiction work that I picked up while bored at work. I've always been interested in this period and thought this book might be an interesting read. The pictures were WONDERFUL and they really enhanced my appreciation of the information. They were meshed together well and made the book a whole lot more fascinating. So, overall, I enjoyed this book for what it was: a non-fiction work on Queen Elizabeth I.

However, this book had a tendency to drag on a bit. The paragraphs and sentences were SO long. This made it difficult to find a point where I could put it down for a while and easily pick it up again--that is, if I didn't want to wait until I reached the end of the chapter. Also, the information sometimes jumped around from subject to subject (literally subject to subject...it went from favored man to favored man throughout Elizabeth's reign). It sometimes went back and forth so often that I forgot which lord I was reading about. This was a little bit unfortunate, though it didn't kill the work for me.

If you take it for what it is, it's not a bad non-fiction book. It kept me interested and the descriptions were fascinating.

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Three): Rick Riordan

"When Percy Jackson receives an urgent distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies at his side; his trusty bronze sword, Riptide; and...a ride from his mom.

"The demigods race to the rescue to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods, whose percentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up a devious trap, and the young heroes have just fallen prey.

"Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge yet--the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse."

Number three...down! Yay! I am just devouring this series! It is so cute and I love it. I am always so excited to get my hands on the next one that it only takes me a few days to eat them up.

As always, the writing was fun and quick. It has the ability to keep me really interested while moving along smoothly. Things happen one after another and all of the books in this series have a very good flow to them.

The characters are brilliant. I love watching them grow up--especially Percy. Having him as the narrator was an excellent idea because it draws you in. You find yourself laughing unexpectedly and (at least I thought) thinking "wow...poor kid...I remeber going through something like that..." Well...not the parts with the gods and monsters, but you get the idea. I think this is a big part of the appeal of this story. It allows kids a glimps into a life ahead of them, and it gives older readers a look back at the lives they've already lived. Kids bring innocence to the reading of this book, while adults bring knowledge. However, either way you look at this book, it's still fun!

Now, for some less glittering comments on this book. ***SPOILER ALERT: First off, in the first book in this series, Percy wasn't able to use the flying shoes Luke gave him because they were from Hermes. Now, I don't think I read it wrong, but because he's a son of Poseidon, an item from Hermes for a son of Hermes wouldn't work for him. However, it was mentioned that flying wouldn't be a good idea for him because the air is the domain of Zeus. If this was the reason that Percy couldn't use the shoes, then it should have been made more obvoious, because then I wouldn't have an issue with the fact that Percy was able to use Annabeth's cap of invisibility from Athena in this book. Also, in the myths I've read, Atlas wasn't too bright. It was how he was able to be tricked back into holding up the sky once more by Heracles. Now, he was made into the General of Kronos. From all of the encounters with the Titan, it didn't seem like he was stupid. This is minor, but it's almost like tweaking a major attribute of a known mythological character. It should be done with caution. END OF SPOILER***

Anyway, I liked the twists and turns that this story took. There was a lot more emphasis on the prophecy of the Oracle, which showed how the characters were growing and learning. They listened more. The new characters (both mortaln and immortal) of this book were interesting. They helped move the book along and bring new qualities to the storytelling. The settings were beautifully written and were fun to picture.

Overall, I liked this book and really look forward to reading more about the new half-bloods that were discovered and seeing where this bombshell ending takes us!

The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Two): Rick Riordan

"After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war between the Greek gods, Percy Jackson's seventh grade school year seems unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson--a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any "normal" friends.

"But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers that there is trouble at Camp Half Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somehere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name...The Bermuda Triangle.

"Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke."

Well...I read this book in two days...so that has to tell you how much I enjoyed it! It was just as fun as the first one, but it had some new faces to enjoy. There were twists and turns and a lot of action that I've come to expect from Rick Riordan. The mythology that was involved was vivid and fun. It kept me totally enthralled! I really enjoy the commentary and language. They're light-hearted, but manage to allow me to escape into the world of Percy Jackson.

It was nice to see some familiar faces, but the new ones were interesting as well. Tyson was great. He added a whole new dimension to the story--making that readers realize that the gods hands control more than just Percy and his close demigod companions at Camp Half Blood.

I don't want to give anything away, but the ending really had a HUGE twist that I didn't see coming! You should look forward to it because it's a big one!!! (I'm excited because I've already started reading the third book!)

***This is officially my most-read post of 2010! With nearly 1,000 hits, my review of The Sea of Monsters was only published in June has leapt far ahead of any other book in this blog. I've been reading the stats, but I'd love to know if this is because of the book series (which makes me wonder why the other Percy Jackson books are lagging so far behind in hits), or if this one is coincidentally stumbled upon the most. I know the review of this book in particular is lacking, so it can't be the fact that it's particularly thrilling. If you all out there in the world of the internet would like a more in-depth review, just tell me and I would be more than happy to oblige! Leave a comment or drop a line. I'll be sure to respond! We'll see what 2011 will bring (and I'm planning on upping the amount of books I add to this blog, so I am really interested in seeing how the blog hits pan out). Have a very Happy New Year everyone! See you in 2011!***

The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book One): Rick Riordan

"PERCY JACKSON is about to be kicked out of boarding school...again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he'd angered a few of them. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

"Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of a betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves."

My aunt was reading this book because her daughter had loved it so much. When she finished it, she gave it to me and told me that I would enjoy it. Well...I did!

When the movie adaptation of this book came out, I was interested, but I never ended up seeing it. Now, however, I'm definitely going to have to try to get my hands on it. (I certainly hope it's at least half as good as the book.) The characters were very well-written, carefully planned, and interesting--though a little young in my opinion to undertake such tasks as they did in the book (I know, I know, they're children of the gods...they have abilities that we don't and are fully capable of such things...but not all of the twelve-year-olds that I've met!) Percy and his friends were mature beyond their years and, though I occasionally stopped and wondered if a twelve-year-old would be capable of doing such a thing or thinking a certain way, this really kept the plot moving. I don't think I could have handled it if it dragged on and on with a whiny, confused twelve-year-old narrator. Instead, Percy kept everything flowing and the way that the story was written definitely maintained a fast pace.

Something else that was note worthy was the way the author incorporated Percy's dyslexia and ADHD into his heritage. This was creative--though a blatant way of getting in touch with all of the kids that have ADHD and dyslexia. It was cute, but personally bothered me a little because how many more kids are going to want to not pay attention and claim they have these because they want to be part god? (Can you tell I think ADHD is over diagnosed? I'm NOT saying that it doesn't exist, just that there are way too many kids that either claim to have it and haven't bothered to be diagnosed, yet use it as a huge excuse (I can name several...) and parents who can't handle their children and look for anything to blame BUT themselves. However, I will get off that controversial topic and back to the review. Sorry!)

The modern descriptions of the gods were really neat. In fact, if you like this style and sort of mythological background (and you're a bit more mature than the regular reading demographic of this book), and you like a bit of romance; you should totally check out Sherrilyn Kenyon's DARK-HUNTER SERIES. It's similar to this and the gods are just as interesting. You can find more information and a reading order if you look up "Sherrilyn Kenyon" or "Dark-Hunter Series" on my blog.

Anyhow, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next in the series. I'll attach a review of the movie as soon as I see it.

The Stanforth Secrets (Renfrew/Kyle, Book One/Two): Jo Beverley

"It has fallen to Chloe, the widowed Lady Stanforth, to manage the affairs of Delamere Hall. Though she loves her grand house by the sea, a series of puzzling and inexplicable incidents over the past year has left her unsettled and eager. Her situation is complicated by the arrival of the new Lord Stanforth, her husband's cousin, for whom she has long harbored a deep and guilty attraction.

"Newly returned from the war, Justin Delamere hopes he can finally woo Chloe. But he is ordered to search Delamere Hall for missing documents--documents that might prove Chloe guilty of treason, and perhaps even of murder. Can he trust the woman he has always desired? And can Chloe surrender her most private secrets to the man who holds her fate in his hands--the fate of both her freedom and her heart?"

***The website I usually go to to find the order of books that an author has written states that this should be the first book in this series. However, Jo Beverley's site (and in the back of the newer edition of this book) states that this is actually the second in this series. I guess this is up to you to decide! I think I liked reading this book first because it was like "square one". If you read LORD WRAYBOURNE'S BETROTHED first, then you'll know what happens to at least one of the characters. Though this is how Beverley wrote them, I think I preferred reading this one first--that way, I could enjoy it without and preconceptions about the characters. Again, it's up to you to decide!***

Now, for the actual review! I was excited to read a book by this author. I kept coming across her books and seeing others reading them. When I finally got a hand on the "first" books in one of her series, I couldn't wait to pick it up. After some slight confusion over which book was which, I enjoyed it.

The characters were really interesting and fun! Randal has to be one of my favorites yet. What was cool was the fact that they remained secretive and this really helped the plot remain interesting. I liked how there was so many mysteries. The book was really well-written and kept me interested. Normally this type of story doesn't interest me as much as this one did. Overall, I loved the story and the language.

However, I will let you all know that this is not like a regular "romance novel"; it's more of a "love story". (You can read and find out for yourselves what I mean.) This didn't discourage me from reading more of Beverley's works. I liked this short, but sweet, story :)

Timeless Passion (Paranormal, Book One): Constance O'Day-Flannery

"SEPARATE YESTERDAYS

"When Brianne Quinlan woke up after the accident, she thought she was losing her mind. Gone were the last things she remembered: Her car, the highway, and the tall buildings that lined the road. Instead, she found herself in a meadow surrounded by trees and rolling lawns. And when she lifted her head her eyes met the magnetic blue gaze of the most remarkably handsome man she'd ever seen. As he effortlessly lifted her onto his horse, Brianne was unable to even utter a protest.

"ONE TOMORROW

"On a routine ride to survey his plantation, Ryan Barrington could not believe what he saw. Lying beneath a tree was a beautiful woman, dressed in bizarre clothing, her long copper-colored hair surrounding her like a veil. He had never seen such a fetching apparition, and he was sure that she had been sent by a friend to entice him. He thought to send her on her way, but when he lifted her into his arms Ryan knew he was lost. He caressed her creamy flesh and kissed her ripe lips feeling a rush of desire that could not be denied. He vowed to find out her true identity and make her his own with TENDER PASSION."

I've had this book for a while and finally picked it up when I decided that it was time to try a new author. I was looking forward to seeing how this author handled the whole time travel conundrum and (I won't wreck it for you, but) I think she did it very nicely. She tied the whole story together well and it was much better than some other books of this type that I've read. The ending was great!!!

Ryan was a well-written character. I liked his spark and drive. Though many male leads in romance novels are perfect and strong (which Ryan was...I almost wanted him to have a flaw...), Ryan didn't get boring for me. I do, however, think I would have liked to have seen him have more passion. I won't go into depth, but you'll see what I mean when you read it. Brianne (it took me a while, but about two-thirds into the book, I got confirmation that her name is, in fact, pronounced "Bree-ann" instead of an odd form of "Brianna". I'm not sure what made me think this, but I did. Anyway...) Brianne was a good female lead as well. I didn't much care for her in the beginning. She seemed pretty flat. However, I forced myself to give her and this story a chance and I ended up liking her much more. I suggest you do the same.

As I just mentioned, this book starts off slow. It's set in the latter part of the 1980's, so it's naturally outdated. Though this can't be helped (and the 80's were before my time); even I can tell that the author had a habit of simply picking out popular or expensive things to portray a certain lifestyle. There wasn't much heart put into it. It was as if she sat down and made a list of expensive clothing brands, cars, etc. and just gave them all to Brianne without much personal thought. This annoyed me a little bit and helped make the first ten or so chapters drag on. I will fully admit that I almost put this book down...but I didn't and I am glad! Many things made me smile and I ended up liking this author.

Some of the supporting actors were well-written as well. However, I think I would have liked to have seen more of the "villains". ***SPOILER: Duville was interesting and I REALLY wanted more from him. He was interesting and dark and really could have made a nasty contrast to Ryan had the story continued on for a few more chapters. I also feel like Caroline gave in too easily. Yes, the author explained well why this was, but it still felt a little hollow to me. Overall, I kind of get the sense that we're missing a chunk of the plot. There was no grand fruition of the evil plans Duville had for Brianne. I hate to say it, but I almost WANTED a kidnapping to occur!***

Anyway, though I feel strongly about my little rant, that didn't ruin the story for me. I still enjoyed it and found myself especially tearing up while reading the epilogue. I really like the twists at the end and--when you think about them--you'll appreciate them for what they are (if that makes any sense...probably not...)

And so, I recommend this book. I enjoyed it once I got through the slightly slow beginning. This is the first in this series and I look forward to reading more.