What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

The Queen of the Big Time by Adriana Trigiani, read by Cassandra Campbell -- Adult historical fiction

The story opens in 1924 and fourteen-year-old Nella Castelluca dreams of leaving her family farm in the slate belt of Pennsylvania for the Italian-American village 3 miles away where she could go to high school. She becomes smitten with Renato Lanzaro, an older boy who is kind and charming. An opportunity arises for Nella to go to high school in Roseto and she's on her way to the big time. A terrible accident ends Nella's dreams of becoming a school teacher, instead she goes to work at the local blouse mill and works her way up the ladder of success. Along the way, she experiences the joys and heartaches of being part of a large, loving Italian family. She also experiences romantic love and learns what it means to really live. This is the story of Nella Castelluca's life from age fourteen to her death. It will make you laugh and cry along with the Castelluca's as they struggle through life. I mostly enjoyed the first third of the book when Nella was a teenager. It took a dramatic (or melodramatic) turn halfway through and became a little bit predictable. There was one major plot twist I didn't see coming that affected the final third of the novel. Trigiana excels at describing the landscape and lifestyle of the people of Delabole and Roseto, Pa. as well as the Italian village where Nella's family is from. The strength of this book lies in the character development. The book reads more like a memoir than a novel, telling the reader about key events in Nella's life, rather than one coherent plot with a rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. At times, the timeline jumps too quickly and the events summarized. Campell is a good narrator, pitching her voice differently for each character so that the listener can easily identify who is speaking. I loved her voice for Chetti the best and it's exactly how I would imagine a girl like Chetti to sound. This would be a good book for older teen readers. There's some romance but nothing terribly descriptive or at all racy. I think many women will be able to relate to Nella and her struggles to find her place in the world and enjoy reading about Nella.

Lady in the Briars by Carola Dunn -- Regency Romance companion to The Black Sheep's Daughter

Rebecca Nuthall has lives most of her life with an abusive uncle. The day after her twenty-first birthday, she secretly leaves his house, vowing to never let another man have power over her. She takes a position as companion to an elderly relative to make her own way in the world. Lord John Danville, younger son of the Duke of Stafford, finds himself in hot water after a joke goes wrong. His father, tired of John's wild lifestyle, threatens to send John into exile. John wishes to go into Parliament on the Whig side, but first, his father promises to have John sent on a mission for the Diplomatic Corps. John's first stop on his journey is his brother Tom's home, where he encounters Rebecca hanging from a bridge in an attempt to rescue a little boy from drowning. John rescues Rebecca and thereafter feels protective of her. John's adventurous cousin Teresa arrives with her Diplomat husband Sir Andrew, and their little daughter Esperanza. John adores little Peri as well as his brother's two children and finds that Rebecca is also good with the little ones. He recommends Rebecca for the position of governess as John, Teresa and Sir Andrew leave on a spying mission for Russia. At first Rebecca is timid but soon finds herself enjoying the social life in St. Petersburg; she even catches the attention of a prince! John's protective instincts turn to love as the situation in St. Petersburg becomes dangerous for innocent Rebecca. John is willing to risk his life to save the woman he loves and convince her that not all men are like her uncle. This book is told mainly from John's point of view. His development from wild child to reliable man is very good and realistic. I liked John a lot. He isn't too high handed and his occasional flares of temper are justified. Rebecca is a very different sort of heroine. She has difficulty overcoming abuse and for most of the book she's very meek, though has strong opinions about right and wrong. Teresa is the best character in the novel. She's lively and fun and a really strong woman. She's a good role model for her daughter as well. When the true adventure happened, I couldn't put the book down. The rescue is accomplished in a daring but realistic manner. This is a pretty good book for those who enjoy traditional Regencies.

A Spinster's Luck by Rhonda Woodward -- Regency Romance

Orphaned at the age of sixteen, Celia went to live with the young widowed Duchess of Harbrooke in the role of companion and governess to the Duchess's two young boys. Despite protests from the Duchess's brother, the Duke of Severly, Celia proves to be an excellent governess and a true friend for Imogene. The Duke spies Celia playing with his nephews one day and instantly struck by her beauty. He makes every effort to be kind to her, despite Celia's apprehension. Celia's life takes an unexpected turn when the Duchess's old beau returns and encourages her to go to London for the Season. When an old friend dies, Celia's life changes again and she gets swept away in the current of the haut ton. The Duke enjoys Celia's transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, yet believes he has no intentions of getting married any time soon. Someone from the Duke's past tries to prevent Celia from getting close to Severly and Celia must decide whether she will spend her life in spinsterhood and loneliness or swallow her pride and surrender to love. This is not the best book in the series. It's a little slow in the beginning and I just didn't feel anything for the main characters. The plot development is a little weak because the basis for the antagonism between Celia and Severly is quite pointless after the first few chapters. I enjoyed Imo and her romance much more and would have preferred her to be the main character. I also really liked the Duke of Westlake but found Severly and Celia boring. This is a sweet Regency and if you liked the others by this author, then you will like this one. Moonlight and Mischief remains my personal favorite of Woodward's novels.

Miss Hartwell's Dilemma by Carola Dunn -- Regency Romance

Miss Amaryllis Hartwell's Papa created a scandal and left Amaryllis to fend for herself. With the help of her godmother, aunt and former governess, Amaryllis runs a successful school for young ladies. Two new pupils, the innocent Isabel Winterborne, daughter of the rakish Lord Daniel Winterborne, and the incorrigible Louisa, niece of Lord Bertram Pomeroy, bring romance to Amaryllis's quiet life. Lord Pomeroy, the suitor she left behind, is determined to marry her and Lord Daniel comes across as hot-tempered and rude. Through Isabel, Amaryllis learns to see another side of Lord Daniel. The vicar is courting Miss Tisdale aided by Amaryllis and her aunt Eugenia, who scheme to remove the vicar from his sister's control. A mysterious stranger lurking about provides more drama and excitement in Amaryllis's life and is unwittingly the key to her happiness. The characters in this novel are fully fleshed out and very interesting. I would like to inhabit their world and know them. Some of the Winterborne family drama bears a strong resemblance to Susannah Carleton's Winterbrook clan, but sufficiently different enough to add suspense and drama to the plot. This is a sweet Regency along the lines of Georgette Heyer so the romance develops slowly and unobtrusively. The dramatic scene is concluded too easily and quickly and the very end is very Heyeresque. I enjoyed this novel but it isn't one of the very best.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

The Storybook Hero by Andrea Pickens -- Regency Romance

Alex Sheffield is a wastrel. He's a younger son who spends his time drinking, wenching and anything else that will estrange him from his illustrious family. He is quite surprised when his uncle suggests that Alex go to Russia to rescue a recently orphaned young relative. His uncle feels that Alex is a risk taker and would be the best person for the job. Alex feels his life is worthless and thinks his family is trying to get rid of him once and for all. Then, on the voyage to Russia, he meets Miss Octavia Hadley, who sees through his mask of bravado to the wounded boy inside and makes him feel human again. Octavia is the penniless daughter of a recently deceased country vicar forced to live as an unpaid nanny to her despicable cousin's children. When her cousin's husband tries to seduce her, Octavia lets him know soundly what she thinks of that idea, which results in her banishment to Moscow to work as a governess to a young English girl. On the ship to Russia, Octavia literally bumps into a thoroughly cupshot Alex who then kisses her. She retaliates and instead of becoming angry, Alex is amused. Octavia senses that Alex is hiding his vulnerability behind drink and she helps comfort him and care for him in a time of need. Hoping to never see Alex again, but secretly wishing she will, Octavia begins her new life with young Emma, who is an independent minded young lady, much like Octavia. The two quickly bond and when the French close in on Moscow, the ladies are abandoned by Emma's relatives and Octavia must use her wits to survive. Alex is not so lucky in his quest. First he must locate young Nicholas and then travel across the frozen country avoiding both the French and Nicholas's unscrupulous uncle who wants them dead. Alex and Nicky's journey intersects with Octavia and Emma's and soon they find themselves in the midst of an adventure worthy of one of Mrs. Radcliffe's novels forging close bonds that will leave them changed forever.

I have mixed feelings about this novel. I prefer the lighthearted comedy of manners and this could have been one, but wasn't. For all that it wasn't, it was actually a good story, if one overlooks the little inaccuracies and somewhat hurried plot. Alex is a deeply flawed hero. He has a lot of issues stemming from a family tragedy that have made him who he is. He has a hidden vulnerable side which he rarely shows anyone, yet Octavia perceives it right away and tries to help. Octavia is a very modern heroine, a follower of Mary Wolstonecraft (not Mrs.) and Jane Austen (published under "a lady", not her own name). She's intelligent and unafraid of anything, which made me like her very much. Alex and Octavia's relationship really works because Alex is flawed and Octavia isn't sure how to deal with that. It makes the relationship very realistic. Some of the plot is rather hurried in favor of the romantic development but overall, this is a romance that's much more than a typical romance novel and worth a read if you like more substance than sweet comedies.

Lucia, Lucia by Adriana Triginai -- Historical Fiction

Kit Zanetti is an aspiring playwright living in a Greenwich Village walkup in present day New York. Auntie Lu is the only other single lady in the building, a woman in her 70s whose nephew owns the building. When Auntie Lu invites Kit to tea and to go over some items Lu intends to give Kit, Kit is impressed with all of the wonderful things Lu has collected and wants to know Lu's story. In the 1950s, Lucia Sartori lived with her Italian immigrant parents and four older brothers in the building in which she lives in the present day. Lucia works as a seamstress and apprentice dress designer in the Customs department of B. Altman Department Store. She loves putting together gorgeous fabrics and trims and turning them into a beautiful dress. Now that Lucia is 25, her family and friends think she should get married. She is engaged to the nice Italian man, Dante DiMartino, but she has to discover whether her feelings for Dante and respect for Italian cultural traditions outweigh her love of being an independent career woman. Lucia learns a lot about love and family over the next two years. She has to make difficult decisions which may not be the best ones to make. All the while she mostly maintains her spunk and enthusiasm for modern life while respecting and loving her traditional Italian family. I sure could relate to Lucia! Lucia's family is a bit less crazy than mine (they're Northern Italian and we're Southern) but sometimes they drive her crazy just the same. Lucia's story is interesting and compelling read for women. I think many women will sympathize with Lucia's determination. Thank goodness in the 21st century, it's more acceptable for women to be independent, but it's a difficult path to take when it clashes with traditional Italian family values. The plot is a little slow to begin with and there are numerous descriptions of fashion but about halfway through the story picks up and then I couldn't put it down. Again I have mixed feelings about this novel. It was serious and rather sad at times but at the heart of it all is Lucia's Italian family who love her and support her no matter what. The one thing I didn't like was that Lucia's story is told in present tense, almost like a journal, which was weird considering it was a flashback. I would recommend this book to women in their mid-20s and especially those with traditional Italian parents or grandparents!

Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction

In 1573 ("after the ascension of Queen Elizabeth to the throne but before London's first theatre and Shakespeare") Meggy Swann arrives in London to meet the father she has never known, is accused of being a beggar and brushed off by her father. Meggy longs to go home to the country, to the brewery where she grew up, though her mother sent her away. Meggy grows angry with her father and with the world, for most people shun her because she is a cripple. Cantankerous Meggy's only friend is a goose, but her father's former assistant Roger would be Meggy's friend if she let him. Cantankerous Meggy must learn to fend for herself in the cold and dirty city because her father cares only for his alchemy work. His work consumes him and he largely ignores Meggy and leaves her to find her own way in the world. Meggy discovers that she can't shut the world out and that not everyone sees her solely as a cripple. Meggy learns there is more to London and to life than she had previously thought. Her happiness is threatened when she uncovers a terrible secret about her father. She's faced with an ethical dilemma and struggles to do the right thing. Meggy has to learn to stop feeling sorry for herself and take charge if she wants to survive. It takes a lot of understanding to like a character like Meggy. I understand why she is the way she is but at first I found her whiny and self-centered. As the story develops, so does Meggy and her personal journey is central to the plot. I liked learning about alchemy and the crazy things Meggy's father thought he was going to discover. Harry Potter fans will delight in another book revolving around the Philosopher's Stone (or Sorcerer's Stone as it is called in U.S. Harry Potter books). I'm not very good at chemistry so I had a little bit of difficulty following what was actually happening, but I just stopped trying to analyze it and read the story and it became more clear once it was explained to Meggy. As usual, Cushman excels in period details. The descriptions of London are incredibly gritty and realistic. I could see and smell the sights as Meggy traveled through the city. Cushman's other strength is in period language. This book is no exception. Meggy hurls fantastic insults left and right that are full of colorful language of the period. This is another fun read from one of my favorite authors!