Wait Until Midnight: Amanda Quick

"Gentle Reader,

"It could have been a scene from one of my novels.  As a rule, respectable ladies do not accept calls from Mysterious Gentlemen on business of the most grave importance--but I confess that I was possessed of lively curiosity.  The past three years had been so determinedly dull, I hoped My. Adam Hardesty would offer a tiny respite from it.  Indeed, upon first glance, Mr. Hardesty had such a formidable, thrilling presence, he quickly became the model for the villain in the sensation novel I was currently writing.

"Imagine my shock and distress then, them Mr. Hardesty accused me of being party to a plot of murder, blackmail, and general villainy!  I knew nothing of such occurrences, and proclaimed my innocence.  Unfortunately, Mr. Hardesty left unconvinced, and I had an uneasy feeling over what his search would uncover.  You see, Gentle Reader, though I live a most uneventful life now, my past contained a Great Scandal that would be ruinous if resurrected.  To protect my secrets from Mr. Hardesty's investigation, I concluded that I would need to conduct an inquiry of my own, and if that meant sharing my findings with Mr. Hardesty, so be it.  And my course of action had nothing whatsoever to do with the illicit, passionate feelings that he aroused in me--feelings that propriety would definitely frown upon...

"Yours most sincerely,

"Caroline Fordyce"

Here's yet another one to add to my Amanda Quick kick as I pick my way through my sizable "to be read" pile (or, more aptly, my "to be read shelf" now that my husband has finally gotten around to hanging the shelves in my office!).  According to fantasticfiction.com, this is a standalone novel.  I can see, however, how this could have been a series when you incorporate some of the secondary characters from Adam Hardesty's family.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find several connected stories amongst her voluminous resume.

I have noticed a trend for the supernatural in each of the books I've read by Quick.  While this can be a dime a dozen in this genre, I find her take a bit more refreshing in its realism.  The books seem to have characters fascinated with the supernatural, yet the underlying current is one of skepticism which manages to ground the readers rather than whisk them away on a fanciful cloud.  There's nothing wrong with this cloud, per se, but if that is what you're looking for with Quick, then I must say that I have yet to find it.  Her characters are worldly and far more grounded than others I've found in more supernatural stories.  This lands Quick's works solidly in the middle between realistic and paranormal -- an interesting place to be for those readers who aren't too fond of paranormal or supernatural, and yet they desire something with a bit more intrigue than a typical book of this genre.  Indeed, I feel that her books might even lean toward mystery in that aspect.  Her characters always seem to be on the hunt to uncover a secret, solve a crime or murder, or generally involve themselves in rather risky situations.  This lends an air of excitement to her works; Wait Until Midnight was no exception.  I found the pacing quite good and all of the secondary characters to be well-formed and beneficial to the plot and character development.  The murder, mystery, and nefarious plots moved the story along and kept me interested from the first page.

We are introduced to Adam Hardesty as he examines the scene of a horribly violent crime.  Someone has murdered a woman who proclaimed to be a medium.  In the all the obsession with the paranormal which marked the Victorian Era in England, was this woman murdered by a vengeful spirit from the Other Side, or was a more worldly rage her downfall -- perhaps there was an unhappy sitter at one of her recent seances?  This leads Adam to the home of Caroline Fordyce, noted author of serial sensationalist novels.  Being far more worldly and practical, Adam has not heard of Mrs. Fordyce prior to their meeting; however, he soon realizes that he'll not soon forget her.

Caroline Fordyce is taken in by curiosity as an obviously-wealthy stranger calls on her at an odd hour.  She knows he gives her a false name and his mysterious inquiries and accusations set off alarms in her head.  But there's something about this man which draws her to him.  In fact, she decides to use him as the inspiration for the villain her current novel.  By the time the man leaves, Caroline has realized that something horrible is afoot and, if she doesn't act quickly, the potential disaster could destroy everything she and her aunts had worked toward over the last several years.

Somewhat reluctantly, Caroline and Adam work together to uncover the truth behind the medium's gruesome murder -- and locate the diary which Adam knows contains secrets which could destroy his family and everything he'd achieved to secure them a safe place in the world.  Adam has secrets of his own which he must protect...but he finds himself willing to open up to the enticing, intelligent Mrs. Fordyce in a way that he never has before.

Overall, I enjoyed the plot.  There were many twists and turns which kept it fast-paced and captivating.  As far as the characters, themselves, I liked both Caroline and Adam well enough.  Caroline was interesting because she viewed so much of her world through an author's lens.  Adam felt slightly less-developed.  It wasn't until 3/4 of the way through the novel that it was mentioned how powerful and notoriously reserved he was...but if his name was so well-known then how had Caroline never heard of him?  I realize she didn't travel in the same social circles as Adam and his family, but there was a good amount of indication that he was someone to be recognized and he had a name which was more than a little bit well-known.  It was something I found a little bit odd.  I liked his history, as well as Caroline's past.  I think those lent them each their own unique flair.  As for the romance between them...I missed it a bit.  I don't believe there was enough build up of tension before they acted upon those impulses.  I love a bit of delicious torture, and I found it lacking a bit here in lieu of developing the very complex and mysterious grander plot thread.  There was little to no hesitation on Caroline's part when it came to sleeping with Adam.  There was no reason or explanation given for this either (not even a, "Well, he's hot and I'm not getting any younger!"), nor did she seem shy in the slightest.  I suppose I wanted her to be a bit more demure about it all.  I realize she was not who she claimed to be, but even her internal dialogue missed the mark.  Yet again, I also found the lack of physical descriptions of the characters throughout the book to be a bit sad.  I want to know more about their appearances than their clothing.  What were their features like?  The angle of their eyes, the length of their lashes, the shadow of a beard?  I want something to flesh them out a bit more.

I am still recommending this book, so please don't take my criticisms as a reason to stay away.  I'm merely making some observations and comparisons between Quick and some of the other authors I've read.  I enjoyed the book and cruised through it rather swiftly.  I believe this may be one of the last ones I own by Quick, so there may be an unintentional hiatus before I can obtain more.  Happy reading!

Dangerous: Amanda Quick

"From a magnificent ballroom ablaze with lights to an imposing country house steeped in shadows comes a breathtaking tale go an impetuous miss--and a passion that leads to peril...

"At five and twenty, Prudence Merrywhether knew very well the risks a woman took by visiting a gentleman in the dead of night.  But bearding the notorious Earl of Angelstone in his den was the only way to stop him from engaging her hot-headed brother in a duel.  And that was why she found herself ushered into Sebastian's forbidding presence at three in the morning--and thoroughly kissed before dawn,

"She was a country-bred innocent--and an intriguing experience for a man who dwelt more in the shadows than in the sunshine.  Yet as her boldness drew Prue into one dangerous episode after another.  Sebastian found himself torn between a raging hunger to possess her and a driving need to protect her.  And the reckless beauty would soon need all the protection she could get..."

It has been about 11 years since I last read a book by Quick.  Do yourself a favor and don't go and read my old reviews...I did and they're painfully brief and none-too-detailed.  However, I did seem to enjoy her writing quite a bit.  Reading Quick was like a breath of fresh air after the book prior ended up taking me months to finish (no exaggeration).  I read this book in a matter of only a couple of days!  Basically, this book was everything you could want in a period romance novel.  The characters were fun, the plot was unique and intriguing, and I didn't want to put the book down.

The pacing of Quick's writing was much quicker than some other authors I've read, but it worked out quite well.  This book is proof that one does not need to write about every single event, every single moment, every single conversation the characters have in order to build a story and a relationship.  I thought she was quite clever in the way in which she chose to omit certain days and events and, instead, opted to backtrack a little bit in her characters' musings and conversations as a way to "fill in the blanks."  I think this kept the pacing fun and made the story move along at an interesting clip.  Along these lines, the dialogue was witty and amusing.  I really enjoyed the back and forth between Sebastian and Prue; they were well-matched and entertaining together.

As a male lead, I found Sebastian secret hobby a great depart from the usual "black devil, evil lord of darkness" archetype which occurs so often in this genre.  This gave him more depth and personality than I thought he would have when I first began reading.  I also appreciated the lengths Quick went to develop his backstory and make her readers fully appreciate the depth of the animosity between Sebastian and his relatives.  This was no mere feud, and this was nothing to be taken lightly.

As a female lead, Prue was fun, intelligent, self-assured, and brave.  I appreciated all of these things without her and, had she been underdeveloped in any of these areas, then I probably would not have believed her capable of handling Sebastian as she did.  Her own unique hobby was intriguing and I don't believe it's something I've encountered in one of these books before.  It helped to create some common ground with Sebastian, as well as it made her stand out amongst the crowd.  I liked how well she challenged Sebastian and how she was never ashamed to do what she felt was important or right.  I will say, however, that I think her backstory really fell away after only a few mentions -- even her brother seemed to disappear quite fully.  I think a lot of his had to do with the fact that the perspective shifts much more in favor of Sebastian than Prue.  Readers gain far more insight into his musings and his movements than those of Prue.  She got a bit swallowed up by the enormity of Sebastian's character at the end.  For this, I might deduct very minor points.

Above and beyond the captivating chemistry between Prue and Sebastian, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot.  There was a blend of mystery and the supernatural woven in with the traditional romantic tones.  This kept everything fresh and interesting.  Though there were dark undertones due to the natures of Prue and Sebastian's interests, I was impressed at how the story -- for the most part -- remained light enough to lose myself in enjoyment.  The romance made me enjoy the characters, but the plot and mystery kept me turning the pages much longer into the night than I probably should have.

I have a few more standalone novels for Quick sitting on my office bookshelves.  After the year we've had and my (surprising) pathetic reading track record, I may have to dive right into another one and lose myself in what I expect to be another very entertaining read.

The Temptation of Your Touch (Burke Brothers, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros

"A new enchanting historical romance from a 'superb storyteller' (Booklist) and New York Times bestselling author featuring a handsome, brooding Earl who finds himself drawn to his prim and proper housekeeper.

"Maximillian Burke has always prided himself on being the man that every mother would want her daughter to marry.  But after his scoundrel of a brother makes off with Max's bride, Max discovers it's more satisfying to be a rogue than the perfect gentleman.  Forced to flee London after a duel gone wrong, he seeks refuge at Cadgwyck Manor on the lonely coast of Cornwall, a place as wild and savage as his current temper.  The tumbledown manor comes complete with its own ghost but oddly enough, it's not the White Lady of Cadgwyck who haunts Max's heated dreams - but his no-nonsense housekeeper.  The last thing Anne Spencer needs is a new master, especially one as brooding and gorgeous as the Earl of Dravenwood.  Even as she schemes to be rid of her new employer, she finds herself irresistibly drawn into his strong, muscular arms.  When Mac vows to solve the mystery of Cadgwyk's ghost, he doesn't realize it will put both of their hearts at risk and tempt them to surrender to a pleasure as delicious as it is dangerous."

This is yet another after-the-fact review.  Unfortunately, I don't have the exact date I finished this book, but I believe I'd already finished it before the end of June of 2019.  This review was penned on May 19, 2020, so please forgive it's brevity as I do my best to do it justice so long after I finished reading it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and was so looking forward to the second that I immediately began reading it.  Max's character changed quite a bit from the first book.  Gone was the totally level-headed, staid man of the first book; in his place was a more emotional, angrier one.  He'd lost out on a woman he cared for, and cut off his brother in the process.  Max felt betrayed and he lashed out quite a bit, even causing a scene in London Society which created the need for some time out of the limelight.  He purchased a new, far-flung estate in Cornwall and retreats there to get away.  Little does he know what he is about to encounter...  Not only do the villagers seem terrified of his new manor, he finds it rather rundown, understaffed, and the hodgepodge of those willing to work there, quite odd, to say the least.  The one he finds most intriguing is his pretty housekeeper, Anne.  There's something about her attitude, her confidence, and her wit that intrigue him.  Max, however, can be just as intelligent, and he quickly catches onto the fact that he is not wanted at Cadgwyck Manor.  The staff seems to be doing whatever they can to make his stay miserable.  He doesn't think things can get worse, until the White Lady begins to make her presence known...  Max knows there must be something more to his "haunted" manor than meets the eye.  When he finally learns the story behind the ghostly apparition, he cannot help but be enthralled by the stunningly beautiful woman whose painting graces one of the walls, and he yearns to know more about her.

Anne is determined to be rid of the Max.  She and her friends have successfully run off a number of would-be owners in the past; how difficult could one more be?  She didn't count on a new master as intelligent, brave, stubborn, and handsome as Max.  She remains determined to maintain her freedom and run the manor as she sees fit, but Max does not seem to want to cooperate.  Drastic times call for drastic measures...only the more time Anne spends with Max, the harder it is for her to want to see him leave.  She struggles to keep him at arm's length when all she wants is to feel his touch.  The undeniable spark between them could be catastrophic if Max is allowed to snoop around the manor..and learn Anne's darkest secret...

Cornwall seems to be a favorite of Medeiros for creating ghostly, eerie settings -- I can clearly recall at least one other book set in Cornwall with similar ghostly tales swirling about.  I supposed I can't blame her.  The gloomy area and spooky moors create the perfect atmosphere for the supernatural.  It also happens to personify Max's moods quite well -- perfect for the brooding male lead.

The secondary characters were wonderfully lively and lent some fun to the plot.  The story could have turned far too dark and brooding, but they helped keep it light and airy.  This makes for a good contrast between the seriousness of the haunted manor and the very realistic relationships between the characters.

It was entertaining to watch all of the characters develop over the course of the book.  Max and Anne had a lovely relationship and I truly did enjoy this book.  The passion was sizzling and the overall story was extremely well-written.  I did not see the plot twist until it was staring me in the face!  Kudos to Medeiros because I think it was handled brilliantly and it was extremely creative.

I definitely recommend this book, as well as its earlier counterpart.  As much as I enjoyed the first, I think this one was my favorite of the two; I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that there was more equality in the narratives of Max and Anne -- it did not feel as one-sided.  Happy reading!

The Little Shop of Found Things: Paula Brackston

“An antiques shop haunted by a ghost.  A silver treasure with an injustice in its story.  An adventure to the past she’ll never forget.

“Xanthe and her mother, Flora, leave London behind for a fresh start, taking over an antiques shop in the historic town of Marlborough.  Xanthe finds she has an affinity with some of the antiques she finds:  While she touches them she can sense something of their past and the stories they hold.  When she has an intense connection to a beautiful silver chatelaine she has to know more.

“It is while she’s examining the chatelaine that she’s transported back to the seventeenth century, the time of its origin.  She discovers there is an injustice in its history.  The spirit that inhabits her new home confronts her and charges her with saving her daughter’s life, threatening to take Flora’s if she fails.  While Xanthe fights to save the girl amid the turbulent days of 1605, she meets architect Samuel Appleby.  He may be the person who can help her succeed.  He may also be the reason she can’t bring herself to return to the present.

“In this first book in a new series, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch’s Daughter Paula Brackston returns to her trademark blend of magic and romance, which is guaranteed to enchant.”

I came across Paula Brackston’s books while scrolling through my Pinterest feed (this seems to be the way I’m discovering most of my new reading material).  I was intrigued by the cover and the synopsis seemed interesting, so I gave it a shot and put it on hold at my local library.

Xanthe and Flora uproot their London life to move to the country.  There, in an entirely new setting, they begin their new lives as owners of a small antique shop.  This is Flora’s passion and Xanthe’s joy – especially because she gets to do it alongside her mother.  However, Xanthe has a secret of her own.  Some of the antiques she touches retain echoes of their former owners.  She can sense their lives and their love, their histories and their stories.  This comes in handy when choosing special pieces for purchase or sale in their shop.  Nothing, however, prepares her for the visceral reaction she has to a silver chatelaine she encounters at a local auction.  Xanthe takes a great risk and spends most of their meager funds on purchasing the silver chatelaine.  Shortly thereafter, Xanthe realizes something very important and powerful drew her to this piece with a tragic history.  The ghost of a woman makes herself known to Xanthe and their encounter sends Xanthe back to the Seventeenth Century on a mission to save the ghost’s ill-fated daughter from a horrible end.  Along the way, Xanthe must figure out how to hide her modern-day mannerisms and speech, as well as her ignorance of the customs and activities in order to blend in and help prevent the girl’s death, for the ghost has threatened Flora’s life should Xanthe fail in her mission.  Xanthe is drawn to the dark, intelligent Samuel Appleby, who, despite the norms of the day, seems to appreciate her for her knowledge and finds her enchanting despite her quirks and unfamiliar behavior.  Xanthe’s mission is dangerous and, should she make one misstep, it could mean her own end in the tumultuous times of the early 1600s.  Will she be able to save Alice and, by extension, Flora?  Will she be able to return to her own time or will she be forced to remain in 1605 forever?

I love a good bit of modern British literature and this one fit the bill; not to mention it has romance and magic, which make for a fun and entertaining read (even if books with magical and time traveling themes are not usually my cup of tea).

Xanthe and Flor make for a good mother-daughter pair.  I found their dynamic to be very warm and realistic.  Their backstory seemed realistic as a catalyst to move them from London all the way to Marlborough to open a little antique shop of their own.  The details that go into their shop and the items within demonstrate the obvious love and care put into this book.  The variety of items and descriptions drew me in and, to me, showed just how much Brackston injected into this work; I don’t think the book would have been as successful without it.

There were some minor descriptions of Flora, Xanthe, and some of the more important supporting characters (like Liam and Samuel), but I don’t feel like I got an excellent sense of facial features or even age.  This is something I’ve noted in other book reviews and it’s something I look for in every book I read.  I don’t expect an author to give me extensive descriptions and an exact age, but I find I do need something like, “mid-twenties” and at least an eye color or some distinguishing feature other than hair and clothing to really make a character come to life in my mind’s eye.  I don’t think we’re given even a general idea of Xanthe’s age.  I first pictured her in her early thirties, but, having finished the book, I think she may have been much younger, maybe even her early twenties.  This nebulous sense of age (personally) makes it a bit difficult to form a good idea of the main character and I find it detracts a bit from my enjoyment.  I may be alone here, but I wanted to be sure to mention it because it was definitely something with which I came away having formed a strong impression.

What I found most successful was Brackston’s descriptions of 1605.  The details and settings were spectacular and well-researched.  The Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Centuries happen to be some of my favorite in British history, so it was a joy to discover that Brackston had done so much background work and integrated so many intricate details and crafted the story and its history in so loving a fashion.  Everything from the houses to the clothing, the political and religious strife to the art and architecture, it was all so well-crafted and pleasantly written that it felt natural rather than as if only a cursory review of the time period had been performed.  This is an aspect of Brackston’s writing that I greatly admire and for which I applaud her.

Xanthe was a very good female lead.  She was determined, tenacious, and remained shaped by her history in a believable fashion.  I enjoyed her ingenuity and imperfections.  She is sent on a mission and nothing short of success is acceptable – she simply will not allow harm to befall her beloved mother.  As a driving force behind her mission, I thought it was handled very well.  To have made this into a selfless rescue mission wouldn’t have been as believable (or as believable as magical time travel can be!).

Xanthe’s chemistry with Samuel (and Liam) was very realistic and felt organic.  I enjoyed watching their connection grow and develop into something much deeper – a companionship that would span the centuries.  The romance, while present, isn’t overt and does take a backseat to the main plot; however, I found this better than making this story all about the romance.  Though she may not realize it fully yet, I can tell that her chemistry with present-day Liam will create some difficulties for her down the road.  She and the almost Darcy-esque Samuel bond over a passion for architecture and the beauty of what she knows to be antiques and artifacts, but Samuel sees as modern-day creations and developments.  On the other hand, she doesn’t quite realize just how supportive and caring Liam is – how he cares for her and is willing to overlook her half-truths and quirks.  He suits her, but in a different way.  I think we may have a “Gail and Peeta” dilemma, a-la Hunger Games going on, and I am curious to see how this is going to play out.  Which man is more suitable?  Will she venture to the past or choose the man in her present?  I suppose we’ll have to see how the series plays out.

A minor plot hole I wanted to mention – you may want to skip if you want to be totally surprised by the plot:  The first time Xanthe is sent back to the past, she sees Alice already captured and in the carriage on the way to imprisonment.  The second time she goes, she watches Alice run away before they can put her into the carriage to be carted away.  Every other time she goes back, the periods are perfectly chronological.  She doesn’t bounce around in time.  I think this was done so she would be aware of her mission, but it doesn’t make all that much sense, especially given the exact passage of time between the past and the present.  They seem to occur almost parallel, with the past traveling at a slightly quicker pace than Xanthe’s present, but it never backtracks other than this very first instance.

Overall, I enjoyed the book.  I found it fanciful and realistic, even for a book with magical time travel.  I can tell there was a lot of love in the story and I think this is part of what made it so successful.  The plethora of details and research made this a unique and special book.  The writing was fun (though those who are less familiar with British slang may need a bit of assistance) and well-paced while the plot was lively and entertaining.  I definitely look forward to seeing where this series will go.

One Night of Scandal (Farleigh Sisters, Book Two): Teresa Medeiros UPDATED

 "Proper decorum has never come easy for Carlotta Anne Farleigh -- not even on the night of her debut.  As she waits to make her entrance, she's drawn to the darkened house next door, the supposedly abandoned home of Hayden St. Clair, the man society has dubbed the 'Murderous Marquess.'  This latest adventure thoroughly compromises Carlotta's reputation, leaving her betrothed to the handsome, mysterious marquess and on her way to the wilds of Cornwall to be married.






"Despite the circumstances of her betrothal, Lottie sees something thrilling and surprisingly tender about her dark, unreachable groom.  But before she'll surrender to the yearnings in her heart, she must unlock the secrets of Hayden's past, no matter how scandalous -- or perilous -- they might be."

My (very old) original review for this book can be found HERE.  I read it a decade ago, almost to the month, which is pretty neat.  I'm quite enjoying seeing how my tastes have changed over the years, as well as my reviewing style.  Clearly, I've become a more developed, advanced writer and a more analytical reader.  I suppose this makes me a convert to re-reading books, whereas before I was staunchly opposed to reading any book -- no matter the material -- more than once.

I'm nearly halfway through this book and, having recently read A Kiss to Remember, it's nice that the characters are still so fresh in my mind's eye.  For a character so young, Lottie made a rather large impact (pun only partially intended) in the first book.  Knowing this book took place about a decade later and that Lottie would be its female lead, I was looking forward to really seeing her character develop.  She hasn't lost her wit, cunning, nor her attitude -- despite what I suspect to be Sterling's best attempts at gently shaping her to society's dictates without breaking her spirit.  Indeed, she's still extremely high-spirited and, were she not, I don't think she'd be enough of a challenge for Hayden to take an interest.  I appreciate that what finally made him agree to wed her were not the usual attributes held by a lady of the gentry, but her mind and the learning most women did not usually possess.

Hayden is a very mysterious character.  We see a good deal from his point of view in the very beginning of the story (when Lottie has her little adventure and winds up mucking up all of her family's grand plans for her), but less as the chapters go on and they near his imposing estate in Cornwall.  Normally, I might complain that I don't feel as connected to the male lead because of this; however, in Hayden's case, I appreciate the way in which the situations are written because it maintains his mysterious nature and his very troubled, tortured, lonely past.  We still get important glimpses into his mind and point of view; therefore, he remains a prominent character rather than being overshadowed by Lottie's rather formidable presence and perspective.




It's a pleasure to see how all of the characters have aged and changed over the decade between this book and A Kiss to Remember.  George is all grown up.  Sterling and Laura are still happily married and now have children of their own; they're still very much over-the-moon in love.  Sterling hasn't lost any of his quick temper, nor has Laura lost any of her motherly kindness and inclinations toward her siblings.  Even Cookie makes appearances, though I've only read mentions of Dower thus far.


Because it has been so long since I originally read this book, I am looking forward to seeing the twists and turns that come.  I love re-exploring the mysteries and surprises Medeiros has in store, as well as seeing the tension between Lottie and her new husband really come to a head.




***


Well I finished off this book fairly quickly.  Medeiros is always a fun, entertaining read; this book was no different.  Her characters are always extremely lively -- especially her more entertaining female leads.

Lottie fits rather nicely into that category.  I think her character stayed very true to the little hellion we’re introduced to in A Kiss to Remember.  She’s very unconventional, but this turns out to be exactly what she needs in order to win over her new husband and find her place in his secluded life/world.  Her passion for writing is extremely relatable to those of us who have writing in our veins.  I particularly liked how she applied her talents to her life as Hayden’s wife.

I know I mentioned earlier how the sparseness of Hayden’s perspective maintained the mysteriousness of his character.  While this remained true throughout the rest of the book (though we did get more glimpses once we were privy to some of the secrets he’d been keeping), I did wind up wanting a tad bit more from him.  He was tortured and complex; there is no denying that he suffered a great deal in his life (and was pretty much the quintessential Gothic male lead -- at least, in appearance) and all of this served to create a well-rounded male lead, but I wanted to experience him falling in love with Lottie just a little bit more (this isn’t really a spoiler…it IS a romance novel, after all).  This didn’t reach the point of detracting from the story; it’s just a personal opinion.

Medeiros went to great lengths to set up the perfect setting and scenes for Lottie’s new life and adventure in Cornwall.  As usual, her descriptions are vivid and you feel as if you’re watching a film or even there beside the characters.  Her writing has a way of enveloping you in the drama and beauty of the world in which her characters live.  Her books truly are an escape.

All this being said, I think Medeiros managed to touch on some very powerful themes and messages in this book.  It was rather darker than others I’ve read by her, but don’t let this deter you.  It retains its sense of lightheartedness (thank you Lottie) which gives it its characteristic Medeiros charm.  There’s a touch of the supernatural, which really usually isn’t my cup of tea in a book such as this (I tend to like my supernatural in blatantly supernatural worlds and realms – like vampire novels or whole underworlds crafted by their authors).  I think it was handled well and remained subtle until the very last moment that it could not remain so any longer.  Overall, the characters were touching, the backstories were moving, and it’s always a pleasure to see recurring characters.  I reiterate that I’m discovering that I’m more of a fan of her more recent works than I am of her older ones, but Medeiros remains a powerful, talented voice in this genre.

While I really enjoyed this book the first time around, I think I appreciated the Gothic influences a great deal more this time.  If Gothic literature is your cup of tea, then you'll absolutely adore this book.  If not, then it's still a gem of a romance novel.

The Broken Girls: Simone St. James

"Vermont, 1950.  There's a place for the girls whom no one wants--the troublemakers, the illegitimate, the too smart for their own good.  It's called Idlewild Hall.  And in the small town where it's located, there are rumors that the boarding school is haunted.  Four roommates bond over their whispered fears, their budding friendship blossoming--until one of them mysteriously disappears....

"Vermont, 2014.  As much as she's tried, Fiona Sheridan cannot stop revisiting the events surrounding her elder sister's death.  Twenty years ago, her body was found dumped in the overgrown fields near the ruins of Idlewild Hall.  And though her sister's boyfriend was tried and convicted of murder, Fiona can't shake the suspicion that something was never right about the case.

"When Fiona discovers that Idlewild Hall is being restored by an anonymous benefactor, she decides to write a story about it.  But a shocking discovery during the renovations will link the loss of her sister to secrets that were meant to stay hidden in the past--and a voice that won't be silenced...."


I thought I would change things up a bit with this book.  And BOY DID I!  I pulled this reading choice from a list I pinned on Pinterest:  Books you won't be able to put down.  That was certainly the case with this one.  I simply could not wait to see what happened next.


This story strayed VERY far from my usual reading material.  I can't recall a time when I read a book of this genre; it had elements of mystery, horror, and a great deal of suspense.  I can admit that, prior to reading this book, I used to think it was silly whenever someone told me that a book terrified them.  I should have known better than to criticize this.  Logic says if we lose track of the outside world and fall into the realm of our characters when we read a particularly good book (we see, hear, feel, taste, smell, etc. everything that they do), then the same thing would happen when we read a "scary" book.  I am not usually a fan of "scary" movies, but I thought a book would be relatively harmless.  This story definitely changed my mind.  It proved to me that books can give us nightmares and make us feel as if we aren't alone in a room; they already make our imaginations run wild, so books in this genre really take advantage of that.  I made the mistake of reading this while home alone at night...not a great idea.


The way in which St. James plays with time and perspective -- jumping back and forth from 1950 to 2014 and switching from various points of view of Fiona and the girls attending Idlewild Hall -- was a superb technique to keep the tension high, the story moving, and make me want to keep reading.  The threads of the stories seemed to run parallel to one another, but it was only as I forged ahead that I realized just how complex a story this was and how those threads were actually complex intersections, like a spider's web.


I'm not usually one for a ghost story, but I found Mary Hand to be particularly chilling.  Everyone's experiences with her were different and this was, perhaps, the most chilling aspect.  What is more terrifying than a ghost who learns and adapts?


The shocking discovery during the renovations at Idlewild Hall threw such an unexpected twist into the story and really brought all of the worlds into a collision course.  There were many twists and turns such as this and the pacing was excellent.  The reading list was correct:  I really could not put this book down!


What really sold this book for me was the descriptions of Idlewild Hall.  I would be lying if I said I didn't get the chills a few times.  It seemed like such a miserable place to reside, let alone be forced to attend boarding school.  The writing style was eloquent and very readable.


The school and the characters are all haunted by their pasts in this chilling, thrilling story by St. James.  I found it incredible well-written and fast-paced.  The terrifying echoes of the past collide with the tumultuous future and make for a must-read book.  Honestly, I really was not expecting to like this book as much as I did -- if only because it is not my usual cup of tea.  I was pleasantly surprised with how enthralled I became with this story.  I simply had to know what was waiting around the next corner.


If you're not one for scary or chilling, this isn't for you.  It's not a happy read in any sense of the word.  If you want something thrilling and bone-chilling, then this is right up your alley.  I promise I'm not exaggerating when I say that this book kept me on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire time.  It started off thrilling and continued along with the same pacing throughout.  The twists and turns kept me guessing, the mystery and ghosts gave me chills.  If you're looking for an exciting escape, then look no further.