Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories from History -- Without the Fairy-Tale Endings: Linda Rodriguez McRobbie

"Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess who wasn't afraid to cheat, deceive, seduce, or murder anyone who got in her way...

"You think you know her story.

"You've read the Brothers Grimm, you've watched the Disney cartoons, and you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after.  But real princesses didn't always get happy endings.  Sure, plenty were graceful and benevolent leaders, but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power--and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets.  Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy.  Empress Elisabeth of the Austro-Hungarian Empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal.  Princess Olga of Kiev slaughtered her way to sainthood while Princess Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back.  Princesses Behaving Badly offers true tales of all these princesses and dozens more, in a fascinating read that's perfect for history buffs, feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story."

I came across this book while scrolling through Pinterest.  I've been pinning book ideas for awhile now and I love the recommendations that pop up -- they're usually really interesting things capable of dragging me out of my comfort zone.  This book did just that, but in a very fun, educational, and oft-entertaining way.  This is a work of non-fiction, but it reads so much like fiction that it's easy to forget that I had to dig out my dusty knowledge of the Dewey Decimal System to locate it on my local library's non-fiction shelves.  Rodriguez McRobbie's writing style is light and extremely readable.  This is excellent for anyone interested in weird (macabre, strange, wacky, eccentric, etc.) history, but is unsure about picking up just any non-fiction book.  There's a sense of humor woven throughout and I really enjoyed this; it didn't, however, diminish the message and I was impressed at how much information the author was able to cram into the little mini stories about each princess.  Overall, it felt very well-researched and extremely well-organized in such a way that kept making me want to read (and learn) more.  I'd encountered some of these princesses in my own studies, but this book really managed to bring them to life (a great feat considering each princess had about 2-4 rather small pages dedicated to her).  What stuck out to me the most was probably the fact that the author made sure to remind us to take some of the information with a grain of salt.  She'd clearly sifted through centuries of records and contemporary accounts to bring as much truth as possible (when it was possible), but she reminds her readers that women of the times in which many of these women lived were viewed very differently than any man would have been had he taken the same courses of action.  These women were labeled sluts, bitches, schemers, and witches when, quite possibly, they were none of these (and, if they were, it was very likely not to the degree that some of the sources claim).  I liked this about this book; I find merit in non-fiction works that remind their audience to not take every written word as gospel and to remember that these historical figures lived in very different times from our own.  Some of my favorite stories included the (crazy) princesses from England and Europe.  All those inbred genetics made for some real gems!

I absolutely recommend this book.  I flew through it!  I began reading it as a "break" from another book (which happens to also be out of my "comfort zone" and is taking me an extremely long time to conquer...), but I ended up really not wanting to put it down.  I thoroughly enjoyed the author's style and voice; the history was rich and exciting without feeling like a lecture.  This was a great non-fiction read and I am looking forward to seeing if the author has any other works out there.

Seize the Night (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Twelve): Sherrilyn Kenyon UPDATED

Back to Sherrilyn Kenyon!  I forgot how much I loved Valerius (you can see the similarities between this review and my original one HERE).  We get a small taste of him in Talon and Sunshine's story, a (rather biased) glimpse of him in Zarek and Astrid's story, and a very good view into his character as he makes a supporting appearance in Vane and Bride's story.  He was haughty and obnoxious in the first two, but Bride's perceptiveness opens up a whole new side of him to the readers.  One which is beautifully developed in this book.  Kenyon (as I've stated on numerous occasions) has the most wonderful talent for writing dark, twisty, tormented, complex characters.  Valerius, while seemingly shallow at first glance, is exactly this.  We, like the characters in the books, meet him with an engrained prejudice.  We already have loyalty to Kyrian and our hearts have bled for Zarek.  It is amazing how quickly and deeply we fall for Val (because I can say with some certainty that I am not the only one who has felt this way).

I did go into this reading concerned about how I would like Tabitha.  She (as she professes to be) is a lot to handle.  I was a touch concerned that she would be too over-the-top for my tastes, but (as Ash knew she would be) is the perfect foil for Val.  She brings out the best in him, she knows how to help him heal.  He, on the other hand, is what she needs.  He allows her to be herself, but she (somewhat) mellows her outing keeps her safe.  I really enjoyed their story, overall.

Additionally, it was nice to see SO many familiar faces:  Kyrian, Julian, Talon, Nick, Vane, Otto, Zarek, even some familiar villains.  This was a very busy, action-packed book, which made for some volatile, cringe-worthy, heart-breaking moments.  I cannot believe how much Kenyon crammed into this one book!  Having read this one before, I knew what was coming and I still got choked up.  I won't give anything away (because that would be a real crime against this story), but be prepared for irreparable changes to take place!  Some of your favorite characters will never be the same...  You also clues to some of the secrets other characters have been carefully concealing.

This was a complex, exciting, excellent read.  Kenyon has worked her magic again and really brought her Dark-Hunter New Orleans to life.

Devil in Spring (The Ravenels, Book Three): Lisa Kleypas

"An eccentric wallflower...

"Most debutantes dream of finding a husband.  Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans.  The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season.  But one night at a glittering society ball, she's ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

"A cynical rake...

"After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn't be less suitable.  In fact, she wants nothing to do with him.  But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible.  He'll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil's own bargain.

"A perilous plot...

"After succumbing to Gabriel's skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. Bur soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy -- and only her husband can keep her safe.  As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil's bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven..."

This is book three in The Ravenels series.  I flew through it!  The series started off rough with Devon and Kathleen (whose romance I found a little bit forced), then Helen and Rhys (which I thoroughly enjoyed), and now Pandora and Gabriel (which was very nearly on-par with the story in Marrying Winterborn).  Those who have read my reviews know I wasn't really a fan of the antics of Pandora and Cassandra -- they felt overly contrived and didn't quite fit in with the rest of the characters.  I was truly surprised by how much I actually ended up liking Pandora.  She was much more fleshed out than the caricature I'd experienced in the other books.  To my great surprise...I found her funny and enjoyable.  She had an absolutely perfect foil in Gabriel.  His constant striving for perfection mixed with his excellent sense of humor and playfulness were written perfectly.  Their banter was charming.  He had just the right amount of protectiveness and a backstory that served the plot extremely well.  I loved how Gabriel didn't fight the way in which he was drawn to Pandora -- it felt refreshing and made this (mostly) light-hearted romance very readable and fun.

I thought -- given the first chapter or two -- that this would be a fairly "common" plot for the genre (i.e. man and woman caught in unintended compromising situation, they're forced together, they resist, but they end up falling in love anyway, etc.), but some very unexpected twists toward the latter half of the book were a pleasant surprise

***SIDE NOTE:  Gabriel's parents have their own love story told in "Wallflowers" book 3. Devil in Winter (see the trend with the titles going on here?  Clever, Mrs. Kleypas...very clever.  In case you want to see how much I enjoyed that book when I read it back in December of 2008, HERE is the review.)

I enjoyed this book a great deal more than I thought I would.  I finished it very quickly, attesting to the enjoyment I found in the plot and the ease of the reading.  I also really appreciate how Kleypas has woven different series together -- quite the tricky thing to handle well.

Night Play (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Ten): Sherrilyn Kenyon UPDATED

Here we go with the first Were-Hunter installment!  (My brief, original review of this book can be found HERE.)  We are introduced to Vane and his brother, Fang, in Talon and Sunshine's book, Night Embrace.  My original reading order of the series is a bit different from the one I'm following now.  I didn't originally read this book until later on, but I think reading it after Kiss of the Night, Dance with the Devil, and Night Embrace because the flow is much better.  We are introduced to Bride (very briefly) and Vane while Sunshine is under Vane's watchful eye in Jackson Square.  I immediately liked Vane, even then.  He's rough and vulgar, volatile and fierce.  He's fantastic.  His loyalty to his siblings is intense and he is harboring a deep secret which could put him and his loved ones in even more danger than they already are.  His backstory is well-formed and terribly (wonderfully) tragic.  His desire to do the right thing and treat Bride the way in which she deserves are extremely touching and really endeared him to me.  Bride was a good female lead  She is strong and intelligent, but not without her own faults.  I was occasionally slightly annoyed by her self-deprecating tendencies...then, I realized why I felt this way...I recall thinking and feeling the same things more often than I would like to admit.  Kenyon managed to tap into some very raw, poignant, uncomfortable feelings in a very unexpected way.  In a romance novel.  Bride was a very real character with realistic problems and insecurities.  I think Kenyon handled her well, as well as Bride's disbelief that someone who looked like Vane could want her and never want to change anything about her.  (At the risk of turning this into self reflection, I feel a bit of a personal connection with Bride, having dealt with similar body image issues my entire life...and I somehow found my own (yummy) Vane who loves and adores me just the way I am, and would never ask me to change -- something I still sometimes struggle to believe, even six years later.)  I am very impressed with how Kenyon managed this delicate dance without going over the top.

The complexities of the Arcarian/Katagarian worlds are really fascinating.  I'm always impressed with the amount of thought Kenyon puts into her fantastic worlds.  This is the mark of her brilliance.

As far as criticism goes, I found a couple of grammatical typos in my version of the book.  Much like my comment on Kiss of the Night, there were instances where words were repetitive in some sentences.  I loved the nuances of the characters and details of the were-hunter world.  The end at Sanctuary was very slightly cheesy, but I'm willing to let it slide.  I definitely enjoyed this installment.

Kiss of the Night (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Seven): Sherrilyn Kenyon UPDATED

I seem to be on a bit of a Sherrilyn Kenyon reading kick as of late.  It's been fun going back through these stories and immersing myself in the rich world Kenyon has created.  There's been a long enough gap in between my first reading (HERE) and this go, so enough of the plot was "new-ish" and made it fun and exciting.

As with my first reading, I really appreciated how much this story added to the overall backstory and plot for this extensive series.  The nuances in the Appellate and Daimon worlds were so complex and served to prove how the world -- even this fictional one -- is never quite as black-and-white as it seems.  I will admit that I may even have to go back and read the very beginning of this book again to make sure I really understand all of the twisty turns of the mythology Kenyon has created.

As for the characters, themselves, I liked Wulf and Cassandra.  Wulf's backstory was well-written and  his curse was truly heart-breaking (and creative).  I appreciated how Kenyon handled it and used it to add depth to the plot.  While I understand Wulf's obsession (and even that feels as if I am putting it lightly) with keeping Chris safe, it sometimes felt a bit too over the top (bordering on silly).  I liked Cassandra as a female lead.  She felt strong and determined, with a well-crafted backstory.  Moments of the story felt a little bit cheesy (cue sex scene involving a red rose), but that may just be my own personal taste.

Some of the writing was slightly awkward at times.  I found my English-centered brain attempting to edit these sentences as I would when reading my own world or a student's.  The biggest instance of this is the way in which some words were repeated in sentences when other words would have sufficed.  This didn't dampen my enjoyment, but I did notice it enough to feel the need to mention it in this review.

I definitely enjoyed the supporting characters; they really seemed to make this book into something very fun and interesting to read.  I think, while Cassandra and Wulf had a great story, they service as a vehicle to set up a number of other threads for the rest of the overarching series.  Ash makes an important appearance (as did Simi...and we know how I feel about her obsessive rants about barbecuing everything...) and we learn more about Atlantean mythology and get some hints about Ash's hidden past.

One more comment I will make is that we get very little about Wulf's physical appearance to go off of.  There's a good bit right at the start, but not a heck of a lot after.  In a genre where readers should "fall for" the male leads, this fell slightly short.  (When I say "physical" description, I mean facial features.  We certainly get good physical descriptions, but not much else.  I feel like we got a better sense of Cassandra from Wulf's point of view.)

I did enjoy the story.  Parts of it were very touching and I can tell a tremendous amount of work went into this book.  I had a little bit of constructive criticism to offer, but I don't think it's something to deter you from reading this installment.