The Silver Coin (Coins: Book Two): Andrea Kane

"All her life, Breanna Colby has lived on the precipice of fear, her only joy the recent reunion with her beloved cousin, Anastasia.  With her violent father now locked away in jail, the repressed young woman can emerge from her cocoon and pursue all the joys she's been denied.  But she finds--to her terror--that not all the shadows have lifted, and an evil from the past stalks both her and Anastasia.  When authorities are unable to help with this assassin lurking in the darkness, the Colbys turn to the brilliant, unconventional Royce Chadwick, England's foremost expert on finding people who don't want to be found.

"Hard, detached Royce has always been a loner who operates by his own set of rules.  He has little patience for weakness.  Delicate Breanna Colby is an eye-opener to him, for beneath her fragile exterior lies a core of steel.  As the two face overwhelming danger side by side, Royce discovered a woman he never dreamed existed--one who, despite his cynicism, he is losing his heart to.  But their future together can never be--not unless Royce kills the assassin before the assassin kills them."

Having sped through the first in this two book series, The Gold Coin, I was eager to pick up the second and see what happens in Brianna's story.  Lucky for me, I happened to have this one sitting on my shelf as well!  After such an explosive ending to the Stacie's story, I couldn't wait to see what the aftermath looked like.  What sort of fallout came of Stacie and Breanna thwarting the assassin?  What would life be like for Breanna now that she was finally free of her violent, vindictive father?

The story takes place shortly after Breanna's twenty-first birthday -- just a few months after the conclusion of Stacie's book.  Breanna has been working on organizing the construction of Stacie and Damen's new home on the grounds of Medford Manor.  She excitedly anticipates their return from their honeymoon trip to America where they were able to oversee their new banking venture.  However, the joy is not to last.

A mysterious package arrives at Medford Manor.  It it addressed only to Stacie.  And it contains mutilated dolls which bear an uncanny resemblance to Stacie and Breanna, as well as an explicit threat.  Though Breanna takes the dolls to Bow Street, there is little they can do for her.  They are spread far too thin as it is with a slew of odd murders and disappearances amongst the ton.  Stacie realizes Bow Street will be of no help and she must figure out how to handle the threat on her own.  It seems as if the assassin whose finger she shot off when she thwarted his attempted murder of Stacie has come back to England.  Not only does he seek revenge for his mutilated hand, he wants Breanna to suffer.  A brilliant villain, he knows the best way to do this is to go for her weak underbelly.  He intends to make her watch Stacie die before he then kills Breanna.  The stakes become all the more desperate when Stacie and Damen return from their trip and announce that Stacie is expecting.  Not only does Breanna have to worry about keeping her beloved cousin safe from the assassin's gun, she now has an unborn child to consider.

Ever the devoted husband and soon-to-be-father, Damen is determined to do everything in his power to keep his family safe.  He calls upon an old friend, Royce Chadwick, to help track down the mysterious assassin before he can pull the trigger.  The depth and breadth of the assassin's depravity is astounding.  He is brilliant and fearless...but Royce must be even more cunning if he is to save the life of the woman he has come to love.

What follows is an intense game of cat and mouse which kept me on the edge of my seat.  I swear I was drowning in anxiety the entire time I read this book!  Kane does such a brilliant job with creating palpable tension and moving the plot along.  There was nothing stagnant about this book.  I was as desperate as the characters to see what the assassin would do next, when and where he would strike.  The plot was brilliant and the assassin was terrifying.  It was an impossible situation, especially when Kane did such a great job of closing any loopholes and avenues Stacie and Breanna may have had to escape the fate intended for them.

I enjoyed seeing Breanna come into her own in this story, but she did still seem to remain true to the character we saw in the first book.  She is soft-spoken and seems fragile, but it hides a quick intelligence and strong soul.  This is what causes Royce to fall for her.  He was adamant from the very beginning that he detests weakness and shows of tears.  It is no wonder he is impressed when he meets Breanna and finds no wilting flower.  However.  I will say that this was just about all I could come up with as to why Royce fell for her.  There wasn't much from his perspective in regards to this transition (though we did see inside his mind a great deal more than we did Damen's in the first book), so it wound up feeling like a bit more of a leap than it should have.  In fact, it actually suspended escape into the story quite a bit.  The same went for Breanna's attraction to Royce.  We saw that she was physically attracted to him, but what else was there?  I suppose I wanted a bit more about about why and how they fell in love to make this a tad bit more believable.  It could have been as simple as showing some interactions between them which weren't all about tracking down the assassin.  Their coming together and declarations of love felt far more abrupt than they probably should have been.

I enjoyed seeing more of Damen and Stacie, though I will say that they felt a little bit "hollow."  Damen was reduced to a stereotypical overly-protective husband.  I wanted to see his quick mind and wit.  Stacie was more reserved as well.  I might attribute this to her wanting to protect her unborn child and experiencing the woes of the first trimester, but I can't blame it fully on that.  I realize they were not the center of attention in this book, but I wanted to see the glimmer of their characters here as well.

The chapters from the assassin's perspective were brilliant.  I loved how dark and sinister they felt and I truly enjoyed seeing the way his mind worked.  He really was an evil genius adept in terrorizing his victims to their cores.  Kane shielded him perfectly and I had no idea who he was until the characters did.

The overall plot was extremely complex and far grander than I could have imagined.  This book clearly took an extraordinary amount of work and planning to execute.  For this, I commend Kane.  She wrote brilliantly and kept me interested from the very first page.  I waited for the final confrontation with a tremendous amount of anticipation.  I suppose I wanted a bit more than I was given when it came to revealing the assassin, but I suppose it all worked out for the best.

As a minor note (which I hope doesn't give too much away), I did find the very last chapter to be a tad bit too "Brady Bunch" for my personal tastes.  I'm sure not everyone will feel this way, but I did feel the need to mention it.

Overall, I did like this series quite a bit.  I enjoyed the blend of romance, mystery, and suspense.  I was never bored and, for the most part, I found the characters to be interesting and the style to be captivating.  I made a few notes about the romance between the male and female leads in each of these books, but these are by no means deal breakers.  I recommend this series to any lover of romance who is looking to liven up their reading material!

The Rake's Inherited Courtesan: A Scandalous Bequest: Ann Lethbridge

"HIS OUTRAGEOUS MISTRESS..

"Daughter of a Parisian courtesan, Sylvia Boisette longs for respectability, though gossips say she is nothing more than a gentleman's paramour.  Now, with her guardian dead, she finds herself in a shocking situation...

"Christopher Everden is appalled by his uncle's will--Madamoiselle Boisette is now his courtesan!  Although his body responds to Sylvia's tempting sensuality, he knows he should rid himself of his disreputable charge.  But, surprisingly, Sylvia has a vulnerability to match her exceptional beauty.  Perhaps his inherited mistress could become his rightful bride!"

The title to this book does not do it justice.  As the saying goes, I caution you to not judge this book by its cover (or title); there is far more to this story than meets the eye and I was certainly pleasantly surprised.

Readers immediately encounter young Sylvia at the reading of the will of her former protector and guardian.  Everyone else in attendance seems to presume the rumors to be true:  Mr. John Everden took a very much younger Parisian woman as his mistress, installed her in his household...and then willed her to his youngest nephew.  Sylvia had been well cared for under Mr. Everden's care for many years and she had been led to believe that now she would make her own way in the world.  That is, until the will reveals that her care -- and what little money she is to receive -- lies in the hand's of Mr. Everden's nephew, Christopher.  He is, perhaps, even less excited about the situation than she.  Surely his uncle had been addled!  How dare he insist upon such a scandalous arrangement?  Wasn't it bad enough that he'd been dragging the Everden name through the mud housing this young courtesan for so many years, now he had to saddle Christopher with her and charge him with her care?  Unfortunately for Christopher, he cannot find a way out of the arrangement.  Every chance he has to try to rid himself of Miss Boisette runs aground.  Then again...the more time he spends in his presence, the less sure he is that he really wants to be rid of her forever...  Their journey takes them across England, through London, and even back across the Channel to the place of Sylvia's birth.  Christopher learns there is far more to Sylvia than he'd first been led to believe and he comes to realize that Sylvia is far more innocent than the first impression she'd presented.  Meanwhile, Christopher teaches Sylvia that she is worthy of respect and trust and, just maybe, even love.  But, with a dark and tragic past such as her own, how can Sylvia possibly allow a good and honorable man such a Christopher to lower himself to include her in his life?  Surely she will never be accepted and she cannot allow his sterling reputation to suffer.  Unfortunately for the two of them, there may not be time for them to sort through their complex attraction.  There is an unknown evil lurking in the shadows, stalking Miss Boisette everywhere she goes.  A very powerful man wants Sylvia to disappear from English shores, even if that means locking her away in France and immersing her in the hellish life she'd once escaped long ago.

Sylvia was an intelligent female lead.  She was immensely brave, quick-witted, and eloquent.  I enjoyed the realism of her unwillingness to let just anyone into her life, especially given the sad circumstances of her upbringing.  She rode the fine line between looking out for herself (as one would expect from a woman who grew up as she did) and being selfless for those she loved.  She, however, also recognized that there were certain things she could not change about herself and certain things which would never be accepted.  She'd learned how to play to some of those assumptions (as evidenced in her first private meeting with Christopher), and also how to recognize when she was in over her head.  This came into play in her relationship with Christopher on numerous occasions and I found it all endearing and excellent characterization.

Christopher as a male lead was wonderful.  He was kind and caring, but not overly soft; and I definitely appreciated that his backstory made sense as far as this aspect of his personality.  He was also strong, brave, intelligent, and had strong morals...and more than a bit handsome if we go off of Sylvia's impressions of him.  What more could a girl want?!  He will go to any lengths to protect his family and those he loves -- even if that means crossing the Channel in pursuit of a certain kidnapped French girl and going undercover to retrieve her from the clutches of a ruthless Madame.  Christopher knows that Sylvia will never be safe until the discover who is behind all of this...and the answer to that question could very well turn Sylvia's whole world upside down.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The first few chapters started off a little bit slowly.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I think I placed a lot on what conclusions I was going to come to once I saw more of Sylvia.  Exactly how archetypal would she be?  A reformed fallen angel?  A misunderstood courtesan?  Something else entirely?  Thank goodness she was the latter because I don't think I would have enjoyed this book nearly as much.  I found the spark between Sylvia and Christopher to be excellent. It didn't drive the entire plot (which was nice and seemed to stay true to both of their personal motivations and personalities), but was a satisfying undercurrent of dare-we-act-dare-we-not.  Once the passion and desire between the two of them finally comes to a head, I must say that their chemistry was delightful.  I very much enjoyed Lethbridge's writing.  Do note that she is an English writer, so some of the words and formatting are decidedly "unAmerican."  I found that I didn't mind this, though, and it was actually easier to believe the characters to be English because of this.  I thought her sense of place was lovely.  It drew me into the story and I was utterly absorbed in the scenes.  This book truly turned out to be a gem on my shelves and I absolutely look forward to reading more of Lethbridge in the future.

I Was Anastasia: Ariel Lawhon

"In an enthralling new feat of historical suspense, Ariel Lawhon unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson's 50-year battle to be recognized as Anastasia Romanov.  Is she the Russian Grand Duchess or the thief of another woman's legacy?

"Countless others have rendered their verdict.  Now it is your turn.

"Russia, July 17, 1918:  Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia where they face a merciless firing squad.  None survive.  At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

"Germany, February 17, 1920:  A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal in Berlin.  Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water, she is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless, horrific scars.  When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious woman claims to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia.

"Her detractors, convinced that the young woman is only after the immense Romanov fortune, insist on calling her by a different name:  Anna Anderson.  As rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats are awakened.  With a brilliantly crafted dual narrative structure, Lawhon wades into the most psychologically complex and emotionally compelling territory yet:  the nature of identity itself."

This is the book I started reading at the tail end of my vacation (it was also the last one I'd brought with me, so I am sort of grateful that I didn't fly right through it or I would have been lost).  Once again, I have Pinterest to thank for my reading material.  The algorithm it uses to come up with recommendations really is very impressive; more often than not, it seems to be able to really pick up on what my tastes gear toward and come up with books I may not have chosen for myself, but would more than likely enjoy.  This book popped up a number of times (even after I pinned it) and I came across it at my local library, so it felt a bit like fate.

I've always been fascinated with European history (more so British history than anything else) and there's just something captivating and tragic about the Romanovs.  I even enrolled in a Russian history course during my undergraduate studies (which was amazing, by the way -- in part because I was also able to learn quite a bit about the country from which most of my family originates:  Lithuania) and I found it absolutely fascinating, especially when it came to the revolution.  I grew up watching the animated film Anastasia (one of my cousins is even named "Anastasia"), so I have always been around the story of the Grand Duchess and her ill-fated family -- even in my British history studies because her mother was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria.  It was not until somewhat more recently that I was exposed to the story of Anna Anderson, the real-life woman who claimed to be THE Anastasia.  Every so often (thank you, internet, for tracking my history...), an article will pop up in my Facebook feed about Anna and her grand claims and mysterious background.  I won't give away what I have learned from these articles, but, rather, will stick to the context of this book.




I'm currently about a third of the way through this book.  It has a very unique narrative style, bouncing back and forth from Anna to Anastasia.  It transcends the decades in less than chronological order (at least for Anna) and it can be difficult to follow at times, but it is so very much worth it.  The intricacies and nuances I've been able to catch thus far are captivating.  We begin with an unnamed narrator cautioning us that conveying her story will only pass along its burden, though we continue onwards regardless.  This is followed by Anna making a last-ditch effort to remain in America before her visa expires and it is after this that the meandering hallways of Anna's memories are revealed.  We are given the distinct impression that she's a credible narrator because of the details she provides and the lengths to which she's been willing to go -- the sacrifices she's been willing to make -- in order to prove her identity.  We see how other people have tried to use her, either for monetary or notoriety gain; how she has been touted as a lost princess or sneered at as an imposter.




However, I think my favorite parts thus far have been Anastasia's point of view.  The Romanovs are often portrayed as spoiled and aloof -- totally out of touch with reality and the things they should have handled as the Russian royal family -- and I'm not disputing that they were not; however, it has been very interesting to read a different perspective.  Told from Anastasia's point of view, these sections offer a very intimate look into the Romanov family and behind closed doors.  Their confusion and fear were palpable entities during their downfall and subsequent transportation to Siberia.  You feel sympathy for a family which is, more often than not, shown to be completely detached from reality.  The details Anastasia is able to capture, her determination and will are astounding for someone so young and in such a dire situation.  It's all written beautifully and it really immerses you in this world of turmoil and upheaval experienced by Anastasia and her family.


I'm looking forward to seeing how all of this progresses.




***


I'm now 2/3 of the way through this book and the tension is definitely heating up.  The narrative style is so successful and captivating, with Anna and Anastasia's perspectives playing out with different narrators and their timelines creeping ever closer.  I find myself speeding through because I want to get to the point where their stories/timelines collide.  What will we discover?  What is the truth?  In a backwards fashion, we learn how Anna came to be in America, all of the times she'd been exploited or vilified, how she'd come to survive off of her infamy.  How the surviving Romanov family members had attempted to buy her off and why they did so.  With Anastasia, we witness the treatment of the imperial family under the revolutionaries and then the Bolsheviks.  We see how they were taken down more than a few notches (perhaps several hundred notches, to be honest) in an effort to rub their noses in reality.  The subtle ways in which they'd been sheltered, even in captivity.  There's even a little bit of sweet romance between some of the captors and captives.  Anastasia's first-person perspective portions remain my favorite parts of this book.  Her personality is spunky and her will to survive is admirable.  History tells us that the story does not end well for the Romanovs, but I'm still looking forward to seeing what the last part of the book has to offer, and I consider this a great feat of writing.


***


I finished this book a few days ago and I'm happy to finally get around to finish my review.  Completing a book in a matter of a few days is no great feat for me (in fact, this one actually took me a bit longer than normal because of my hectic schedule and trying to get back into the swing of things after vacation), but I do consider it notable when there are specific reasons that I simply cannot put a book down.  While the book, as a whole, is extremely interesting and captivating, the latter half is so brimming with suspense that you're practically salivating for more.  You HAVE to know if Anna is Anastasia.  So many times over I thought I'd had the plot figured out; I believed I'd discovered Lawhon's aim.  I was wrong so many times over.  The beauty of this style of writing (with two perspectives beginning decades apart and then creeping inexorably closer, gradually building the tension while it reveals tidbits of information and carefully omitting others) is that you know where the story ends up, you're just not sure how it got there.  And, in this particular story, that makes all the difference in the world.  This style is what makes this book unique and such a fascinating read.  It could have just been yet another historical fiction providing hope for those who believe that, surely, someone must have survived what history can only categorize as a massacre of the royal family.  The writing is so poignant and it resonated so deeply with me that I was completely absorbed in the story (woe to my husband who kept trying to interrupt the last few chapters despite the fact that I told him I just wanted to finish my book...).


Anastasia's portions of the story remained my favorite, though I do think that Anna's became even more interesting as the story progressed.  The impact of the surviving Romanov family members upon her life was of particular interest to me -- their desperation to quell Anna's claims and collect the Romanov inheritance.  I thought the way in which Lawhon managed to get the readers to sympathize with Anna while retaining the sense of mystery and uncertainty about her was artful.  There were a couple of Anna's portions which dragged on just a bit; however, having finished the book, I can say that pretty much every single detail was required to further the reader's belief/disbelief.  One must take this book as a whole rather than two separate stories which happen to be contained in the same book.  There are nuances and details woven with such care throughout, creating an epic interconnected story.


Anastasia's perspective was dramatic and vivid.  Having completed that aforementioned Russian history course, I'm familiar with the ways in which the Romanovs were treated after their fall from grace.  Yes, they were a royal family vastly out of touch with reality, but does any human being really deserve to be punished thusly?  Anastasia's companionship with Tomas provided much-needed tenderness in her dark, disparaging world and I found the details to be very sweet.  The book had the potential to become far too heavy without this.


Overall, this was a fascinating read with a unique structure to it, which, I felt, makes it so successful.  It definitely helps if you know and understand a little bit of Russian history to truly appreciate why the revolt took place, but it's not necessary to know everything since Lawhon does such a good job of explaining it as the story goes along.  I definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of historical fiction or is looking for a book with a different setup than your run-of-the-mill chronological timeframe.  As the information above indicates, this book really is a psychological journey.


***Side Note:  I discovered that Lawhon is another Nashville author -- another happy coincidence.  I ended up (unintentionally) taking books by two different Nashville authors on my trip to that city.

Atonement: Ian McEwan

"Ian McEwan's symphonic novel of love and war, childhood and class, guilt and forgiveness combines all the satisfaction of a superb narrative with the provocation we have come to expect from this master of English prose.

"On a summer day in 1935, thirteen-year-old Briony Tallis witnesses the flirtation between her older sister, Cecilia, and Robbie Turner, the son of a servant.  But Briony's incomplete grasp of adult motives and her precocious imagination bring about a crime that will change all their lives, a crime whose repercussions Atonement follows through the chaos and carnage of World War II and into the close of the twentieth century."

Even though the start of the semester technically starts tomorrow I wanted to get a head start on the reading for my classes since I know I'm going to be completely swamped.  This particular book happened to be for my Modern Brit Lit course.  I saw the movie version of this book a few years ago.  It was a late-night Netflix pick (which was a bad idea because -- not only is it a long movie -- but holy cow!  I don't think I've ever cried so hard while watching a movie!)  Now, having read the book, I think the casting was done extremely well.  I definitely saw Keira Knightley as Cecilia and could definitely picture James McAvoy as Robbie (not to mention I think he's probably one of the most beautiful brooding men that exists).While there were a few tweaks here and there in the plot, I don't think they necessarily hindered the power of McEwan's story.

The book took me a bit longer to read than I thought it would.  I cruised through the first hundred-or-so pages, but I slowed quite a bit after that.  I don't want to give anything away, but it took about that long for the major development that I knew was coming to happen.  I don't know if the hinderance was because I knew what was going to happen since I'd already seen the film or if the book itself just slowed quite a bit.  Either way, I had a hard time getting through the enormously long first part of the book (which turned out to be about half of the book).  Once I got through there, the already eloquent writing really brought to life the horrors of war and the tragedy experienced by both individuals and entire countries during WWII.  The biggest thing I will take away from this story is the beauty of McEwan's writing style.  It was reminiscent of a hodge-podge of classical British writing-styles.  I sensed a bit of Austen, Woolf, and even a touch of Dickens.  The entire story had some seriously dark undertones and they definitely helped to generate interest in the plot and characters.  As I mentioned earlier, the book slowed a little bit in the middle, but I wonder if it wasn't because I already knew what was going to happen.  I have a feeling -- with its beautiful writing -- that I wouldn't have been able to put this book down if I'd not experienced the story before.

Overall, I thought the characters were vivid and rich.  I especially appreciated McEwan's technique of putting a story into a story -- as if we were reading the book that Briony wrote and was waiting to publish.  That, I felt, was a unique and very interesting literary decision.  I was moved by this powerful story and recommend it to anyone interested in classic British literature.  McEwan's writing was extremely enthralling and it was difficult not to become absorbed in the tragedy of her characters.

*I have a feeling I'll add more to this review when we discuss this book sometime during the semester.  Be on the lookout for an update!

Yes, Chef: A Memoir: Marcus Samuelsson

"It begins with a simple ritual:  Every Saturday afternoon, a boy who loves to cook walks to his grandmother's house and helps her prepare a roast chicken for dinner.  The grandmother is Swedish, a retired domestic.  The boy is Ethiopian and adopted, and he will grow up to become the world-renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson.  The book is his love letter to food and family in all its manifestations.

"Marcus Samuelsson was only three years old when he, his mother, and his sister--all battling tuberculosis--walked seventy-five miles to a hospital in the Ethiopian capital city of Addis Adaba.  Tragically, his mother succumbed to the disease shortly after she arrived, but Marcus and his sister recovered, and one year later they were welcomed into a loving middle-class white family in Goteborg, Sweden.  It was there that Marcus's new grandmother, Helga, sparked in him a lifelong passion for food and cooking with her pan-fried Herring, her freshly baked bread, and her signature roast chicken.  from a very early age, there was little question what Marcus was going to be when he grew up.

"Yes, Chef chronicles Marcus Samuelsson's remarkable journey from Helga's humble kitchen to some of the most demanding and cutthroat restaurants in Switzerland and France, from his grueling stints on cruise ships to his arrival in New York City, where his outsize talent and ambition finally came together at Aquavit, earning him a coveted New York Times three-star rating at the age of twenty-four.  But Samuelsson's career of 'chasing flavors,' as he calls it, had only just begun--in the intervening years, there have been White House state dinners, career crises, reality show triumphs and, most important, the opening of the beloved Red Rooster in Harlem.  At Red Rooster, Samuelsson has fulfilled his dream of creating a truly diverse, multiracial dining room--a place where presidents and prime ministers rub elbows with jazz musicians, aspiring artists, bus drivers, and nurses.  It is a place where an orphan from Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, living in America, can feel at home.

"With disarming honesty and intimacy, Samuelsson also opens up about his failures--the price of ambition, in human terms--and recounts his emotional journey, as a grown man, to meet the father he never knew.  Yes, Chef is a tale of personal discovery, unshakable determination, and the passionate, playful pursuit of flavors--one man's struggle to find a place for himself in the kitchen, and in the world."

Here's another one we read for my "Topics in Literature:  Food" course this past semester; however, this was one that I really enjoyed.  I cannot say enough about how Marcus Samuelsson's love for food absolutely permeated every letter in this book.  His passion was exciting and his story was supremely interesting.  We spent a few weeks discussing this story and I think I touched on some really good points so -- in lieu of a simple review -- I'd like to share some of my comments with you.

It seems like -- even when he did not realize it when he was younger -- food was at the heart of pretty much everything he did.  Even from very early on one of his favorite places to be was in the kitchen with Mormor, his mother's mother.  He demonstrated a drive and passion for it even when he was a boy.  On a fishing trip with his father, Marcus took great pride in being handed the task of preparing the meal:  "'Marcus, if you don't cook, we don't eat,' my father joked.  It was a joke, of course, because my father knew I needed no prompting to cook, which is probably why he let me take over the meal.  This was my first time cooking on my own, as opposed to helping my grandmother or mother.  Just as I had with the boats, I was eager to show I was a big man, that I didn't need anyone's help" (Samuelsson 33).  This was when Marcus was only twelve-years-old; he was already showing the desire to prove himself that would carry him throughout his career.  A few years after this fishing trip, he enrolled in cooking school.  He grew bored with the classes, but, instead of giving up, he found ways to challenge himself.  "To keep myself sharp," writes Samuelsson, "I turned each exercise into a little contest.  Could I fill the pastry shell faster than any of my classmates?  Could I wash and chop that dill faster than the teacher?  Could I finish each squirt of whipped cream with the exact same curl?" (59).  His whole world turned into this sort of competition revolving around food, which, I feel, is the biggest reason that he has had so much success in his career.  He never gave up, never got discourage, approached every task with everything he had, and did not settle for simply being talented -- he strove to be innovative and unique.

I feel like Marcus would not have made it to where he is today without such dedication to the kitchen.  It seems that most of the good things (outside of his family) happen to him in relation to the kitchen or food.  The kitchen is and always has been his realm.  Even when he thought soccer would be his life, he had been there in the kitchen with his grandmother, learning from her and carrying that gift with him always.  The women in his life vary quite a bit in their roles in his life, but each, in her own way, helps support his determination and goals.  His mother never told him he could not do something.  His sisters, Anna and Linda, got him something very special for his seventeenth birthday.  "It was a brand-new cook's knife with an eight-inch-long carbon steel blade.  This was the multipurpose knife every chef needs, with a blade thin enough to chop herbs, but a wide flat surface for crushing or picking up food.  Better still, it was the Rolls-Royce of knives, brand-wise, made by the French company Sabatier" (64).  ***Slight spoiler alert***  Even Brigitta, the woman Marcus sleeps with while on an outting with friends, helps him by telling him she expected nothing even though she was pregnant with his child.  Marcus, under the guidance of his parents, ended up sending money to Brigitta and their child, but she never pressured him into marriage or claiming the child as his own, thus allowing him to pursue his career.  ***End spoiler***

The women in his life played a huge role on his path to becoming a master chef.  They each provided him with unwaivering support in their own ways.  I believe the person who did this the most was his grandmother.  This is clearly evidenced in chapter three, titled "Swedish Fish."  Samuelsson writes, "My love for food did not come from my mother," which begs the question of where, exactly, he got his passion (15).  Shortly after this, Samuelsson describes Saturday dinners at his grandmother's home, and the answer is clear.  "I loved Saturdays as a kid...Saturdays meant the best meal we would have all week because dinner was almost always at my grandparents' house...[Grandmother] would pull out a stool and set me to string rhubarb or shell peas or pluck a chicken.  I'm not sure why mu sisters never joined us in our Saturday cooking sessions; and, at the time, I didn't care.  I was only too happy to have Mormor to myself" (23).  This close bond was what helped spark and nurture the love for food and cooking that brought Marcus his later success.  Who knows how different his career might have been -- where he might have ended up -- if Mormor had not been there to do so.

In addition, how actively Samuelsson sought out inspiration was a pleasant surprise.  He made sure to go ashore every chance he got during his stint on the cruise ship.  He writes, "New flavors were what I was after, and in almost every port of call, I smelled or tasted something I'd never tasted before.  I'd have four hours to go ashore, and I'd go by myself unless Paul or Susan wanted to taf along...Under the protective layer of my skin, I went unnoticed, which allowed me to observe and relish the most beautiful aspect of port culture:  the street food" (158). 

There was a very interesting correlation between the military and a kitchen in my reading of this book and my experiences with "chef shows" that have become so popular, but I was still struck by the hierarchy of the kitchens in which Marcus Samuelsson worked in throughout Yes, Chef.  The strict schedule, precision, and respect for superiors was remarkable.  To me, it was also like life on a ship, with the head chef as the captain and various tiers below him each doing his own assigned task.  The common thread is the enforcement of a strict hierarchy in one way or another.  Another extreme in the kitchen is the passion.  Samuelsson never waivers in his dedication to his cooking.  He is always trying to experiment and better himself through his cooking.  He devotes his life to it.  "I was interested in chasing flavors," writes Samuelsson, "I wanted to shake things up and see what happened.  What if I took this piece of turbot, put Parmesan on top, put it in the salamander to speed-melt the cheese, then finished it with an orange chutney?  I didn't know if mixing French fish, Italian cheese, and Indian Caribbean flavors would be food, but I wanted to try it" (157).  And try he did.  These were the experiments he kept in his journal and helped him to become the chef he did.  It was all about his passion to try new things, and his dedication to the craft.

Hopefully that didn't come off too wordy (or disjointed, since I mashed together several of my responses here).  Overall, the story was wonderful and it really made me appreciate the life of a chef and admire Samuelsson for his own, individual struggles.  His life is certainly unique and interesting!

I knew I'd seen Samuelsson's face somewhere before, but it wasn't until I read the story (and subsequently mentioned his name to my mother) that I realized we'd seen him on Top Chef.  My mother was adamant that Samuelsson was a "know-it-all jerk," but I don't remember having that impression years ago when he'd competed.  I'm kind of glad that I don't have such a vivid memory of his time on the show because I was completely able to enjoy his story without any preconceived notions about who he was as a person.  I will admit that I feel like he gave up some things he should not have for his career, but I am not one to judge--I'm not someone who believes in criticizing when I have no idea what the situation was really like to live through.  A couple of the passages geared toward pretentious, but not to the point where I didn't enjoy the read.  As a huge Gordon Ramsay fan, I had a difficult time stomaching Samuelsson's comments about his fellow chef (though I am not disillusioned enough to think Ramsay is a teddy bear).  Samuelsson tried to claim he wasn't bashing Ramsay, but I felt like it was a weak attempt not to do so (and I say that from the most objective way possible).

Overall, I highly recommend this story for anyone who wants an interesting memoir to read; anyone who loves cooking or wants an insight into life inside a kitchen; or someone who's simply interesting in reading about the background of a celebrity chef.  This book has a bit of something for so many readers out there and I feel like so many people will enjoy it just as I did.

Samuelsson, Marcus. Yes, Chef: A Memoir. New York: Random House, 2012. Print.

A Stolen Heart (Montford Heirs, Book One): Candace Camp

“Lord Thorpe’s new business partner is not at all what he’d expected. Beautiful and outspoken, Alexandra Ward is also the perfect image of a woman long thought dead.

“Straight from America, Alexandra finds London a strange new world, one fraught with danger. Her appearance on Thorpe’s arm sends shock rippling through society, arouses, hushed whispers in the night. Is she a schemer in search of a dead woman’s fortune, or an innocent caught up in circumstances she doesn’t understand?

“Someone knows the truth, someone who doesn’t want Alexandra to learn too much. Only Lord Thorpe can help her--if he can overcome his own suspicions. But even if he does, at what price?”

My initial thoughts are that this sounds a bit like the Disney version of Russia’s “missing” Princess Anastasia. I’m optimistic that it will take a turn from the usual “missing heiress” plot line. Some brief reviews I’ve read for this book are good, so I’m looking forward to reading it.

...

I put this book down for a couple of weeks while I focused on Harry Potter and several others (this book was initially begun right after Donovan’s Bed, so that tells you how long it’s been since I started it). However, now that I’m reading it again, I’m enjoying it. I will go back to my earlier statement about how similar this plot line is to Disney’s Anastasia. I don’t want to give too much away, but the actions and characters are so similar that the only diversions I can find are the lack of a Dimitri trying to pass Alexandra (Anastasia) off as an impostor who is, in fact, the real thing, and a little white bat named Bartok. I honestly haven’t decided if this is a bad thing or not. I still want to read the book and find out what happens, so I’m not bored. I like the premise of the book and I still find it interesting though it’s so similar to a popular movie from my childhood.

...

I got distracted yesterday and didn’t get to finish my train of thought. Anyway, I like the story so far, no matter how similar it is to Anastasia. I’ve read a little bit more since yesterday and I think I can see where the plot is going. It’s not entirely predictable though, because I want to see how they get there (if that makes sense to anyone other than myself, I’ll be impressed). I’m off to read more!

...

Sorry this review took me a while to complete; I was out of state completing my move and didn’t have my laptop on me because it would have been too much to worry about.

Anyway, I really ended up liking this book more than I thought I would. I’ve overplayed the Anastasia angle and won’t go into it again. I did think that the latter half of the book contained MANY plot twists that could have been plucked out and made into its own fantastic novel. I haven’t decided if the loaded plot is amazing or slightly overdone.

I really enjoyed this book and Camp is a wonderful author. I liked the characters and the drama. This book easily could have been overdone, but I think it was handled very, very well. I can’t wait to get the next in the series!

Hannibal Rising (Hannibal Lecter, Book Four): Thomas Harris

"HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HAUNTING CHARACTERS IN ALL OF LITERATURE.

"AT LAST THE EVOLUTION OF HIS EVIL IS REVEALED.

"Hannibal Lester emerges from the nightmare of the Eastern Front, a boy in the snow, mute, with a chain around his neck.

"He seems utterly alone, but he has brought his demons with him.

"Hannibal's uncle, a noted painter, finds him in a Soviet orphanage and brings him to France, where Hannibal will live with his uncle and his uncle's beautiful and exotic wife, Lady Murasaki.

"Lady Murasaki helps Hannibal to heal. With her help he flourishes, becoming the youngest person ever admitted to medical school in France.

"But Hannibal's demons visit him and torment him. When he is old enough, he visits them in turn.

"He discovers he has gifts beyond the academic, and in that epiphany, Hannibal Lecter becomes death's prodigy."

The last in the epic Hannibal Lecter series by Thomas Harris, this was the first I chose to read--partially because this was the last film adaptation I watched, but also because I wanted to be able to watch Hannibal grow and develop as I read the rest of the series. This involves reading them out of order, but I think this may be the one exception I allow to my rule.

To begin, I knew this book would be good, but I had not the slightest inkling as to how it would suck me in. This could be attributed to any number of factors. The movie is still fresh in my mind, so I’m really enjoying comparing and contrasting (which I’ll get into later). The writing is simply beautiful and the craft, itself, is extremely interesting from a literary standpoint. Also--though a bit of a silly reason--I think I’m drawn to Hannibal because I, myself, am Lithuanian. My grandmother was about Hannibal’s age and even grew up in the same area as Lecter during the invasion of Lithuania. She has some eerily similar experiences to those of this fascinating character--though none quite so tragic as what sets Hannibal off. What’s truly awe-inspiring is, from firsthand accounts and historical evidence, Hannibal’s childhood isn’t all that implausible.

Getting off of that tangent, the writing in this novel was rather remarkable. Enthralling yet accessible, Harris really is masterful in his structure of the piece. I was amazed that I cared so much for a character like Hannibal while knowing full well what he would turn into. I’m always impressed when an author is able to create such a character and this book is probably the epitome of the admiration I have. Throughout my blogging history, I have noted other authors who have done similar things, but never to this degree.

Something that is really interesting about this piece is the complex literary structure. Written mostly in the past-tense, there are snippets of present-tense interjected in pivotal points of Hannibal’s evolution. This serves to draw the readers further into his slowly twisting world. The fact that Harris was able to pull off this tactic without seeming disjointed was thoroughly impressive as well. The glimpses into Hannibal’s inner-workings were particularly brilliant. The imagery it created--when coupled with Hannibal’s fragmented memories--were hauntingly beautiful.

At the time this portion of the review was written, I found the likenesses between the novel and the film adaptation to be striking. I’m amazed at how many lines were taken directly from the text. Rather than seeming poorly done with little effort, this made the text seem even more brilliant for the fact that it translated so well onto film. I felt a little thrill every time I recognized a bit of dialogue or a specific scene. The fact alone that I was able to recognize scenes from the book in the movie is impressive in and of itself. To delve further, some characters were left out in the film, but I don’t think this had a detrimental impact on the plot. Those characters that were included were vibrant and rich. They helped shape young Lecter into the man (or monster, depending on who is asked) we know he will become. To watch his evolution is truly fascinating. The dialogue as it was performed in the film was exactly how I pictured it in the novel. What was especially impressive was the way in which Lecter was portrayed. His mannerisms and speech patterns were just how I pictured a young Lecter when compared to the Hannibal from Silence of the Lambs. Gaspard Ulliel did an eerily good portrayal. I caught myself gasping a couple of times because he captured Anthony Hopkins’ mannerisms during certain key points. It was brilliant because, had the young Hannibal been a mirror image of the older one, then it would have been too unrealistic. The fact that there were little snippets and tastes made it all the better. Also, Ulliel’s accent made sense because he’s really a Frenchman playing a Lithuanian and his character was a Lithuanian trying to speak French. At least to me, the casting made sense and I appreciated it. (Not to mention Ulliel was a little bit of eye-candy! Even the scar on his cheek added to his character! You couldn’t help but like him. His eyes are wickedly expressive and I’m VERY tempted to find some of his other films, though they’re mostly French.)

At this moment, I’ve not finished reading the novel, but I can already tell you that I love it. The book is dark and haunting, but beautiful at the same time. The characters stay with you long after the credits roll or the cover is closed. Harris is a brilliant, talented author. I’m amazed with the depth and complexity of his writing. There are so many layers--not only with the plot and characters, but with the writing as well--that I can easily see myself reading his work over and over again in an effort to fully appreciate it. I hope his other books in this series are as enthralling! I definitely look forward to reading more.

...

Keeping up with my RAIR reading method (Reviewing As I Read), I’ve finished the book and can now complete my review! The conclusion of the novel was just as awesome as I remember the film being; though the portrayal of Hannibal’s final step into his ultimate mindset was less described in the film, the book gave it that extra push to make it that much more dramatic.

I will say that it seemed to take a while for Hannibal to get on the trail of the men who traumatized him, and, when he finally did, everything moved so fast. I’m not sure if this was the author’s intent, but it seemed to go a lot quicker than the movie adaptation did. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I almost (ALMOST) wanted a little bit more from the book. That, however, could just be me hoping for more of this amazing series.

I’ll try to get my hands on a copy of Red Dragon as soon as possible (though it’s out of Harris’ reading order, but I’ve already explained my method) because I’ve really fallen in love with this series. It might make me sound a little bit sick, but I’ll take it if that means I can read more about the complex, fascinating character that is Hannibal Lecter.

The Crystal Cave (The Arthurian Saga, Book One): Mary Stewart

"Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myridden Emrys--or as he would later be known, Merlin--leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before the High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon...and the conception of Arthur--king for once and always."

This was my aunt's favorite series when she was a teenager--so much so that she reread it in college and has gotten the entire series for her eleven-year-old daughter. Naturally (being the Arthurian freak that I am) I stole the books before my cousin could even get her hands on them and decided that I would read them :) (Don't feel too bad for her...she was reading another book and had to finish that one first anyway.) I ended up falling in LOVE with this book!!! It was beautiful! The writing captured me and held me fast.

As for Merlin...there are hardly words to describe how much I love his character. There is this hunting mystery about him. The author was wise enough to reveal enough about him, but not too much so you're kept absolutely fascinated. I just wanted more, more, more! The ending was so enthralling that I was relieved I had the second book sitting right next to me. I don't know what I would have done had I been forced to wait to read it!

Each character--no matter how small--was complex. I'm truly so impressed that Stewart was able to do so without becoming long-winded. It was brilliant to take this story from Merlin's point of view. It added twists and complexity that I believe only a few authors would have been able to handle. Keeping true to history was a marvelous decision on Stewart's part. It made everything come alive rather than simply relying on fantasy and magic. Everything seemed more real.

Overall, I adore Stewart's work. Her writing is as timeless and magical as the black hills of Wales and the story of a wizard who would make an orphan into the greatest king of all.

The Other Boleyn Girl (Tudor Court, Book Two): Philippa Gregory *UPDATED*

"Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king.

"A rich and compelling novel of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her heart.

"When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her glowing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she in a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king and take her fate into her own hands."

I saw the film version of this book when it first came out a couple of years ago. I really liked it and, now that I've read the book, I would love to see it again and make comparisons. Obviously--because the book is SO long--they had to cut out a lot of the story out. I'll have to re-watch it to say for certain whether or not this was a plus or a minus.

Overall, the book was very good. LONG, but good. It's not that I got tired of reading it, but there was sort of the feeling of "too much of a good thing all at once"...you almost had enough. "Almost" being the key word here. I really liked how it was written from Mary's point of view. It made the book a lot more personal rather than just reading an omnipotent account of the goings on. This made it a lot more readable and approachable. The contrast between the two Boleyn girls was very nicely written and I found that I really enjoyed their brother, George. I didn't want to like Henry VIII in the beginning, but I did...then he screwed everything up...but that's something you'll have to read for yourself. However, William was another character that I really enjoyed. He was true to historical accounts that I've read and I liked reading about his relationship with the other Boleyn girl.

However well-written this book was with its BEAUTIFUL descriptions and dialogue, there were problems with many of the historical aspects. For one, I've read many accounts that Mary was actually the older Boleyn girl and Anne was the younger one. Many of the other key points were hit, but a lot of the dates were off. The way the years and seasons were used in the book flowed very nicely, but it did not always stay true to real life. Having read several books on this era, this bothered me a little, but it won't upset those looking for a good read.

I enjoyed this book very much. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good summer read. This is a great novel to kick back, relax, and lie in the sun with! (And I look forward to watching the movie once more!)

UPDATED REVIEW - 2/11/2017

This review was originally posted on 5/23/2010!  I cannot believe it's been nearly seven years since I originally reviewed this book!  My how time flies...  It's so strange to look back on this review and see what a different place I was in back then (and how different my reviewing/writing style was back then).  I think I was just about to graduate with my Associate's Degree in English (or just had) and here I am a little more than 6 months away from graduating with my Master's in English!

Anyway, I did something that I NEVER DO (as I'm sure you know from previous reviews):  I reread this book...  This was sparked by my reading of The Constant Princess (the first in this series) and The Boleyn Inheritance (the third in the series).  I've also been taking a lot of classes concerned with the history and/or literature of the Tudor era, so it's only logical that this would rekindle my interest in Gregory's writing.  I enjoyed this book very much the second time around - perhaps because I'm now a more advanced reader, or because I was able to catch a few things I had not noticed the first time around, maybe a little bit of both?  The characters were rich, the writing was interesting and fluid, the story was captivating.  Anne is an excellent antagonist in this story.  Mary's relationship with her was remarkably complex - a very fascinating blend of love and hate.  Gregory certainly knows how to spin a very interesting tale.  Having said this (and leaping off of my review for The Constant Princess), it is as if there are two different authors who penned this book and the first in the series.  There were very clear points of view in The Other Boleyn Girl whereas The Constant Princess dragged on a bit and it was often difficult to tell whether someone was thinking something or saying it.  This book is leaps and bounds better than the first in the series and I commend Gregory for her growth as an author.  If you can make it through the first book in the series, then you'll be golden because all of the other ones I've read from this series are on-par with The Other Boleyn Girl.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do (and I still recommend the movie version).

Talk to the Snail--Ten Commandments for Understanding the French: Stephen Clarke

"DON'T GO TO FRANCE WITHOUT READING THIS BOOK!

"Have you ever walked into a half-empty Parisian restaurant, only to be told that it's 'complet'? Attempted to say 'merci beaucoup' and accidentally complimented someone's physique? Been over-looked at the boulangerie due to your adherence to the bizarre foreign custom of waiting in line?

"Well, you're not alone. Internationally best-selling author Stephen Clarke has been there too, and he is here to help. In Talk to the Snail, Clarke distills the fruits of years spent in the French trenches into a handy (and hilarious) book of comentary and advice. Read this book, and find out how to get good service from the grumpiest waitor; be exquisitely polite and brutally rude at the same time; and employ the language of l'amour and le sexe. Clarke also illuminates some of the reasons the French get under our skins: How they work only thirty-five hours a week and yet still go on strike? Why are they so convinced of their own superiority? And what's this myth about French women not getting fat?

"Packed with useful phrases, candid tips, and deft intercultural analysis, Talk to the Snail is a must-have guide to getting what you want from the French."

I picked up this book at work for something to do when it was really slow. Little did I know that I would have to put it down many times because I was laughing too loudly in a library. It was HILARIOUS!!! I loved the wit and character that this book contained. The "commandments" themselves are only a hint at the laughter to come:

1) Thou Shalt Be Wrong (if you are not French): Why every Frenchman is 'Monsieur Right'
2) Thou Shalt Not Work: Why long weekends are good for the French economy
3) Thou Shalt Eat: Just because it smells of pig's droppings doesn't mean it'll taste like them
4) Thou Shalt Be Ill: Getting the best out of the French national drug habit
5) Thou Shalt Speak French: Fun ways to mispronounce words and offend people
6) Thou Shalt Not Sing (in tune, anyway): A French artiste says: 'Pretentious, moi?'
7) Thou Shalt Not Know: Don't mention the war, nuclear power, tax or structural surveys
8) Thou Shalt Not Love Thy Neighbor: Oui, I am smoking into your dinner, et alors?
9) Thou Shalt Not Be Served: Garcon? Waiter? Bonjour? Oh, forget it
10) Thou Shalt Be Polite (and simultaneously rude): Bonjour, Madame, vous etes une idiote
11) Thou Shalt Say 'I Love You': The perils of French-style amour

I have to say that number seven is one of my favorites, but all of the ten (though there are really 11...go figure...) commandments were awesome.

I REALLY recommend this book for anyone who likes to travel, plans to go to France, or is just looking for a REALLY good laugh!

:D

The Knight's Redemption: Joanne Rock

“The Curse Of Spinsterhood Lay Upon Her

“But Ariana Glamorgan swore she would dispel the fog that clouded men’s minds and be seen as she really was—particularly by Roarke Barret, a knight of great prowess beset by sorrows of his own. For prophecy foretold him as the true destined husband of her heart…!

“ ’Twas no matter who Roarke Baret wed, so long as the lady was Welsh. However, secrets made a poor dowry, and in hiding her true identity, Ariana brought lies in abundance to the marriage bed. He’d been deceived…and yet Roarke remained intrigued by this woman who awakened magic in his soul…!”

Yet again…this is one of the books that I forgot to review…for almost a year… This one, in particular, I remember liking a lot. It was a fun read with well-written characters that easily make the readers care for them.

The plot was creative and was constantly moving—making for an overall good book. This is the only book I have read by Joanne Rock, but I would definitely like to read more.

Sins of the Night (Dark-Hunter Series, Book Thirteen): Sherrilyn Kenyon

“In the realm of the Dark-Hunters, there is a code of honor that even immortal bad boys must follow: Harm no human. Drink no blood. Never fall in love.

“But every now and again, a Dark-Hunter thinks himself above the Code. That’s when I’m summoned. Who am I? I’m the one thing the fearless fear. Step over the line and it’s my wrath you will face. Nothing can touch me. Nothing can sway me. I am relentless and unfeeling.

“Or so I though until I met a female Dark-Hunter who goes by the name of Danger—it’s not her name, it’s how she lives her life. She doesn’t trust me at all. And who could blame her? She alone knows that I’m here to be judge, jury, and, most likely, executioner of her friends. Yet she is my key to saving some of them. Without her, they will all die.

“Dangereuse St. Richard is a deadly distraction. Something about her is reawakening a heart I thought was long dead. But in a race against evil, the only hope mankind has is that I do my duty when it means that I will have to sacrifice the only woman I’ve ever loved?”

I haven’t read a Sherrilyn Kenyon book in a while and I will admit that it was really nice to get back to her style of writing. This book contained the first female Dark-Hunter in the series and I have to say that it was good, but it wasn’t amazing. I pictured the female Dark-Hunter to be more like the character Tabitha from the previous books, but she was much more subdued—though she had her own edge. The book actually seemed really short and I breezed through it.

The Alexion was an amazing character! He was wonderfully fascinating to read about and it was great to learn more about Acheron and the history behind the Dark-Hunters. Overall, the plot was interesting and moved very well. The ending was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! The writing was beautiful—as always—and the characters were very well-written and easy to fall for. It wasn’t my favorite, but it will not deter me from reading more of Kenyon’s works. I am TOTALLY addicted to her works!

My Wicked Pirate: Rona Sharon

***I read this book on my Kindle, so I don’t have the exact wording on the back of the book, so this is the one from Rona Sharon’s site. I will try to fix it as soon as I can!***

“First he gave her a wicked kiss…

“Azure-eyed Alanis was by far the most exquisite treasure ever claimed by the black pirate known as the Viper, but his motives went deeper than his silken promise to ravish the feisty Yorkshire heiress. Commanding the waters of the Caribbean was his mean to an end: reclaiming his birthright—and his blood debt against those who had betrayed him.

“Then he gave her nights of wicked pleasure…

“Comfortably betrothed to a nobleman, Alanis never imagined the heady emotions in the true games of seduction—games this blackguard seemed to thoroughly enjoy playing with her. Swept up into an adventure that soon revealed a gentleman and a kindred spirit beneath the ruthless veneer of a privateer, Alanis began to soften towards her enigmatic captor, as her pride and her heart fell under his erotic spell…”

This is the second of Rona Sharon’s books that I have read and—once again—I LOVED it!!! Her books may seem long and daunting to the casual reader, but I assure you, every single page is required. Sharon is a gifted and absolutely amazing writer. When other authors write historical fiction, they may include some facts that help verify the time period and nothing more. Sharon on the other hand has a TREMENDOUS amount of facts and includes well-known wars and generals, Emperors, Popes, monarchs…and it is not tedious in the least. She dares to make her time period completely authentic and I applaud her for that.

Also, her characters are amazing. They are SO real! (And I know I tend to say that, but in this case I REALLY mean it!) There are so many facets to them that they seem like they could have been actual human beings. It’s really, truly a talent.

This book was wonderful and I HIGHLY recommend reading any of Rona Sharon’s works. I never want them to end!!! She has a new book coming out in April and I am SO excited! Look for Rona Sharon's Royal Blood.

Another Chance to Dream (De Piaget Series, Book One): Lyn Kurland

“With neither title nor land, Rhys could not win the hand of Gwennelyn of Segrave. But he would always have her heart. The two are kindred souls…Rhys, a knight with far too many notions of chivalry for his own good. And Gwen, a lover of minstral tales, waiting to be swept away. But Gwen is betrothed to another man, and Rhys fears he will lose her forever. Until a surprise offer comes his way—bringing Rhys and Gwen a second chance at love and…Another Chance to Dream”

This is the first of Lynn Kurland’s works that I’ve read and it certainly was an experience. Her writing style is different from what I normally read and it was actually a refreshing change. The book was a bit on the long side and probably could have ended sooner, but it was nice to see such a thoroughly developed plot.

The characters were very interesting and I REALLY liked how their histories were introduced. (***AND SHE HAD SOMETHING THAT NO ROMANCE NOVEL THAT I’VE READ BEFORE HAD!!! A hero who wasn’t an experienced lover! It made for some smiles and I was very impressed at Kurland’s bravery!) It was new and grabbed me to the point where I really couldn’t put the book down. Also, I must admit that I’m impressed with Kurland because—as you’ve probably seen from previous blogs—I’m not all that impressed with romance authors who skim over the “juicer” parts of the stories. This was a love story and not a typical romance, if you catch my meaning. It was more rated “PG” than anything, but I actually found myself enjoying it.

I’m not in love with Kurland, though I did really enjoy her work. I will read more of her work in the future. She has a true talent and I will look for more of her books.

Only With Your Love (Vallerands Series, Book Two): Lisa Kleypas

“Celia Vallerand fears for her life as she stares into the deep, arresting eyes of the dashing man who purchased her from the brigands who abducted her. But it soon becomes clear that it’s her virtue, not her life, that’s in danger. The rugged, powerful renegade known only as “Grifin” arouses desires in Celia as dangerous as they are forbidden. And though she knows she must resist him, she fears she may be unable to do so.

“But the magnificent adventurer is a man trapped in a perilous deception. And the shocking secrets he guards could deny him the love of the fair captive lady who enslaved his reckless heart.”

This book was the perfect conclusion to the Vallerand series! Lisa Kleypas did an amazing job of developing her characters in the first book--even though they were children. I could see a lot of their personalities early on and it added SO much more depth to this book. Justin was just as hot-headed as ever and the readers got to see different sides to both twins. I found myself smiling on numerous occasions and nearly getting choked up at other times. The action was beautifully written and I wanted to read more! All in all, I really loved this book and I'm almost sad that the Vallerand saga came to an end...