What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Murder at Longbourn: A Mystery (Elizabeth Parker Mysteries) by Tracy Kiely -- Austenesque/ Contemporary Mystery

Elizabeth Parker is a former English major turned fact-checker at a newspaper. Her boyfriend turned out to be a two-timing jerk and her roommate Bridget is about to become engaged to her boyfriend Colin (love the name associations!). Elizabeth has every reason to believe her New Year's Eve will be boring and uneventful, spent only with her beloved books. Then her Aunt Winnie sends an invitation to a murder mystery party at her new B&B on Cape Cod. Elizabeth drives up to help out and discovers that Aunt Winnie has also asked a family friend, Peter McGowan, to help out too. Peter is Elizabeth's childhood nemesis and she is not interested in spending time with a man who calls her Cocoa Puff! The guests assembled for the party are an eclectic bunch and bear a strong resemblance to characters in Jane Austen's novels. When the party takes a deadly turn, Aunt Winnie is accused of murder. Elizabeth knows her aunt is innocent and she's determined to prove it. Peter is determined to befriend Elizabeth and help her stay out of trouble, but Elizabeth stubbornly refuses to accept his overture of friendship. Only if he's lying bleeding to death somewhere will she ever admit she has feelings for him. If she doesn't solve the mystery, her imagined scenario might just come true. Janeites rejoice! Here is fan fiction done right. Many of the characters contemporary versions of Austen characters (I picked up on Mr. Collins and Charlotte; Emma, and of course Mr. Darcy). Literature lovers will also like the other literary references sprinkled throughout the novels. I liked the modern interpretations of the characters a lot. Elizabeth and Aunt Winnie quote Pride and Prejudice to each other which is a little weird, but not overdone. Sometimes Elizabeth sounds like she's from Jane Austen's time which doesn't make her very realistic. I couldn't put the book down once the murder occurred. There are so many twists and turns and clues that I couldn't figure out the mystery at all. I did suspect something towards the end but the reveal came as a huge shock. The murderer's confession is a little confusing. I'm not certain that the motive was really strong enough to warrant murder. It didn't seem to fit the direction the story had been taking up until then. Elizabeth is a strong and independent woman. She's a bit prickly but I think once I get to know her, she'll be a kindred spirit. Peter is more Gilbert Blythe than Mr. Darcy. He seems kind and caring. Aunt Winnie is a bit annoying in an Emma sort of way, but she's endearing as an eccentric old aunt you can't help but love. This first book is the series is excellent. I enjoyed it much more than one of the later books I read. 

Notorious Nineteen : A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich -- Contemporary Mystery

Stephanie is hard up for money, she desperately needs a high bond skip. Her best option is to look for Geoffrey Cubbin, who disappeared from a hospital after embezzling millions from an assisted living home. Cubbin is proving elusive and Stephanie enlists the aid of Raymond Briggs, security officer to look for Cubbins. Grandma uses her age to advantage to sniff out information on Cubbins. There's no trail on Cubbins so Stephanie and Lula head out to look for some easier skips like Logan, who bashed in a police car after the cop took a tiki that Logan plans to return to Hawaii because it gives bad juju. There's also a nudist to apprehend... easier said than done. Meanwhile, Ranger needs Stephanie's help. Some crazy guy is targeting Ranger's friend Kinsey and his bride Amanda. Ranger needs female security to be in the wedding party and that leaves Stephanie as the likely candidate. When the nutter starts harassing Ranger, he feels Stephanie is in danger but she intends to follow through anyway, much to Morelli's dismay. This story felt very formulaic. How many cars can Stephanie get blown up? How many naked guys can she try to apprehend? How many stoners? Something has to change and/or the series end. There are some funny moments, especially with Grandma (my favorite character) but there weren't enough to really keep the story fun. There are two big mysteries to solve. One I thought that at least Morelli or Ranger or someone could have figured out. I guessed something else but I think someone could have solved the mystery. The other mystery is very dark and creepy. The villain has serious mental issues and Stephanie finds herself in danger yet again. There are some sizzling moments between Stephanie and Ranger and a few domestic scenes with Joe but her man problems really bore me now. I'm rooting for Joe to grow up and Stephanie to mature more so they can finally get married. Sorry ladies, I like Ranger but he's not the type you marry. Imagine if she brought him home to her parents? No... that wouldn't go over well. If you liked the last few books, then you will probably enjoy this one, but if you prefer the witty dialogue and amusing scenes of the first 10 or so books, then you may want to skip this one. I was bored waiting for the bus and picked this up in the bookstore to look at while I waited. I finished it at home with the e book from the library.

Sweet Stuff (Cupcake Club 2) by Donna Kauffman-- Contemporary Romance

 Riley Brown, full-figured, klutzy and with giant slobbery dog in tow arrived in Sugarberry about a year ago to escape her past. She left behind an ex-fiance, his new bride and a job she loved staging food to start over. Now she stages houses instead of food. She's good at what she does and likes the work. Even more she enjoys the friendship of the other "Bitch and Bake" club members but she's hesitant to open up to them, fearing they will betray her trust. During a routine house staging, Riley accidentally makes a fool of herself in front of the hunky New York Times best selling author Quinn Brannigan. Quinn is a true southern gentleman and helps Riley through her predicament, but he can't help but fantasize about Riley and cupcake frosting. The more they get to know each other, the chemistry becomes obvious to everyone but Riley. Miss Alva even tries to find out what's going on and give Quinn a little encouragement. He holds back because he thinks that's what Riley wants. Can she finally move on with her life to trust another man? This sizzling romance has a little less depth to it than the last two in the series, but it's still a good read. The story is paced nicely. The love scenes come at the right time and the story ends in the right place. There's a lot of dialogue, almost too much, at times. The love scenes seemed like they were pretty steamy so I skipped ahead. All I really wanted were the cupcake recipes. The cupcakes are better than the romance. I like Riley best of the heroines so far.. I can relate to her the most and she has a fabulous dog. Brutus is my favorite character. His scenes always made me chuckle. The author really knows (and must love) big, slobbery dogs. Quinn is a little more human than some of the other heroes. He spends a lot of time lusting after Riley but he's also caring, hard working and passionate about writing. I liked the development of his novel and how he had to choose whether to write the story he knew would sell well or write the story that was in his heart, that the characters wanted him to tell. This is a nice summer read for romance fans. Food lovers.  skip ahead to the to-die-for cupcake recipes instead. (check out Donna Kauffman's cupcake blog. It's like food "Pr0n!")

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Explosive Eighteen : A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich -- Contemporary Mystery

When last we met Stephanie, she was given two plane tickets to Hawaii and had to decide which one of her men she was going to take. The book picks up after the vacation and Stephanie is on her way home - alone. Stephanie is exhausted and her stomach is in knots over the mess she has made with her love life. She's not talking about what happened in Hawaii but there's a telltale ring tan line on her finger and Grandma and Lula really want to know what happened. All Stephanie will say is "it's complicated." Her life gets even more complicated when some phony FBI guys, followed by some real ones, come searching for a photograph a man on the plane may have slipped into her bag. The man has turned up dead and everyone wants the photo but Stephanie doesn't have it. She's followed by the FBI agents (real and fake), a crazy Somali terrorist and a mourning fiance (or so she says). Meanwhile, the bail bonds office is being rebuilt by a mafioso who won't play nice with Vinny and there are the usual FTAs to apprehend. Finally, Joyce Barnhardt shows up in Stephanie's apartment nearly sending Stephanie over the edge of sanity. Stephanie has decided to turn over a new leaf where men are concerned but having to rely on Ranger and Morelli for protection from the bad guys isn't helping. And so goes another chapter in Stephanie's crazy life. The good news is the mystery was pretty good. There were some unrelated mysteries that didn't really belong but the central mystery was different from the past dead body in Trenton plots. The funny moments come mostly from Lula and are gross enough to please a 12 year old boy. Lula has been getting more page time than Grandma lately and I think Grandma is a better written, funnier character. The bad news is Stephanie's love life. Don't read this book looking for answers. The only good thing is Stephanie realizes she doesn't like herself very much but then she really doesn't do anything about it. This book is infinitely better than the last but if you're new to the series, quit reading no later than book 12.

What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

Exile by Anne Osterlund -- Young Adult Historical Fantasy

This sequel to Aurelia picks up where Aurelia left off. Aurelia has renounced her claim to the throne after her father refused to believe that her step-sister Melony tried to kill Aurelia. Aurelia has gone into exile with a troop of armed guards and her friend Robert. Aurelia longs to see the kingdom and meet the people to discover more about them. She travels as a normal girl and not just a princess, but though she has renounced her claim to the throne, someone still wants her dead. She soon learns the only person she can rely on is Robert and he is infuriatingly stubborn! Aurelia realizes she has more than friendly feelings for Robert and she wonders if he feels the same way too? He must not or we wouldn't be continually yelling at her for doing things he considers foolish... or would he? Robert can't fight his growing attraction for Aurelia. She's stubborn and foolish sometimes but that's what he loves about her. Love drives him to follow her into exile and guard her with his life for Aurelia refuses to accept the reality of her dangerous situation. Along the journey Aurelia learns about the people of the kingdom and their wishes and needs. She discovers that what is right and what is true are not necessarily the same thing. Aurelia also learns about love and loyalty and what it takes to become a great leader. This book is heavy on action and romance. The first third of the book is full of action and danger. There is quite a lot of grisly violence that affects the characters profoundly and drives their actions. Then the story halts a bit in the middle and picks up with lots of romance in the last third before ending in somewhat of a cliffhanger! The story doesn't quite come to the point. Aurelia is a girl on the brink of womanhood. She's trying to figure out who she wants to be and what to do about the corruption in the kingdom. She's also trying to figure out her feelings for Robert, who is not a suitable consort for a princess. All of these qualities make Aurelia very real and easy to identify with. I especially like her personality because I can see myself saying and doing many of the things she does. I loved the sweet romance that develops though I think Robert's character could be defined a bit better. I feel like we don't really know him though the story alternates between his point of view and Aurelia's. The story does not really seem to go anywhere, however. It reads like the middle of a story rather than a story that can stand on it's own. The characters refer to events in Aurelia but unless you've read the book, you will not know to what they refer. The story doesn't come to a full conclusion so another sequel is needed. The writing is really good and seems geared for teens and adults. The author does not talk down to her readers and expects her readers to come along for a journey that is not always pleasant. I hope the sequel is in the works and will be published soon because I quite enjoyed this one.

Smokin' Seventeen : a Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich -- Contemporary Adult Mystery

Stephanie is in trouble. The bail bonds office is operating out of Mooner's bus and resembles the Death Star, a dead body was found on the property and now business is way down, Joe's Grandma Bella put the evil eye on her and to make matters worse Stephanie's mother is after her to get married. Stephanie's mom tries to fix Stephanie up with a former classmate of hers named Dave. Dave is a nice guy and he loves to cook. Stephanie's mom loves him, her friends love him, but... Stephanie just isn't interested. She still can't decide between Ranger and Joe! Lula suggests Stephanie decide which one is best in bed and choose that one. When Grandma Bella puts another curse on Stephanie, Stephanie takes Lula's suggestion and runs with it. Meanwhile, there are the usual FTAs to apprehend, Dave won't leave her alone and someone is leaving dead bodies for Stephanie to find. Stephanie is close to her wit's end and determined to get some answers. This is a typical Plum story. There's the usual quirky FTAs (one thinks he's a vampire, one is a nudist and one has a circus bear), Lula's crazy antics and the smoking bedroom scenes with Joe and Ranger. Most of the humor comes from the secondary characters, especially the FTAs and Mooner. Grandma doesn't get enough page time but she does have one memorable scene. I found myself giggling a lot in places but the plot was really only mediocre. I pegged the killer from the very beginning as soon as they were first mentioned. It was really obvious and it bugged me that Stephanie couldn't figure it out. It also bothered me that she didn't do anything to stop her creepy stalker wannabe boyfriend. Most of all, I did not like what the jacket flap calls the "red hot boudoir bake-off." To do what Stephanie did is demeaning and stupid. She acts more like a teenager in lust than a grown woman and she refuses to take responsibility for her behavior, blaming silly curses instead. The mystery was solved way too neatly and then ended in a cliff hanger. I agree with those who think the first 12 books were better. This book may have been fine as a stand-alone but as a part of a series about one character, it flopped. There's only a tiny bit of character growth at the end and from the description of the next book, it sounds like Stephanie is right back to where she started. Grab this book from the library for some nice, light reading but don't expect too much.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Prada and Prejudice by Mandy Hubbard -- Teen Regency Romance

On a school trip to England, Callie is miserable and humiliated and determined to impress the mean girls by buying a pair of real prada shoes. Unfortunately for Callie, the shoes are too big and she trips and hits her head. When she wakes up, she is disoriented and confused because the bustle of London is nowhere to be seen, only trees and grass everywhere! She makes her way to a grand mansion where she is welcomed by a young lady named Emily who believes Callie is her American cousin Rebecca. Confused and scared, Callie goes along with it and pretends to be Rebecca, but her very modern opinions earn the displeasure of Alex, the Duke of Harksbury whose home she is visiting and his mother Victoria. Callie is determined to help Emily escape an unwanted marriage and turns Regency Society on its' head. She also can't help but find Alex nice to look at, even if he is arrogant. The longer Callie stays, she learns there are good points to Regency society and that people may be more than they seem. She also can't ignore the way Alex is beginning to look at her with something other than disdain! Callie gains confidence in herself which will help her do the right thing even if it means alienating her new friends. This is a light, fun read, just perfect for summer. At first I had to keep reminding myself that Callie is just a kid and not a historian and has no idea of the rules of society. I can't say that I wouldn't be tempted to speak out and I admire Callie for having the courage to stick to her convictions. The ending is a tad silly but I enjoyed this book a lot.

Finger Lickin' Fifteen : a Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich -- murder mystery

Stephanie Plum is back in this new adventure and this time Lula takes center stage when she witnesses a decapitation and becomes the target of the murderers. She and Grandma Mazur enter a barbecue contest sponsored by the decapitated celebrity chef. Meanwhile, Stephanie returns to Rangeman to help Ranger solve a series of break-ins at the homes of his highest profile clients in exchange for helping Stephanie catch her FTAs . . . and maybe more if Stephanie hadn't sworn off men. Lula and Grandma really shine in this story and their adventures in barbecuing had me laughing out loud. There are also the usual car chases, car explosions and misadventures in apprehension. This is one of the better Plum novels.

Miss Whitlow's Turn by Jenna Mindel -- Regency Romance

Harriet Whitlow has turned down every suitor her father has picked out for her in the last two seasons. Now she's on her last chance and her father wants her to marry the new Earl of Grafton, a most proper gentleman who wants a proper well-bred woman to bear his heirs. Harriet wants only to marry the rake George Clasby, whom she has had a crush on since her first season. She believes he needs her, with some help from God, to reform. George has grown bored with his flings with society matrons and has decided to look for a wife. Because of his reputation, many doors are closed to him so he decides to befriend Harriet who bears a lot of influence in society. Her father disapproves of George but is willing to allow George to call as a friend as long as he doesn't break Harriet's heart. Harriet doesn't want George as a friend and decides to take matters into her own hands to disgust Grantham and make George interested. This book is nowhere near as funny as it sounds. Harriet is dull and sanctimonious. She is very religious and makes her viewpoints known. She needs the assistance of alcohol to become bold enough to make the first move. . Harriet and George don't have any chemistry and I didn't care one way or another whether they got together or not. This is an all together boring novel with dull, unlikeable characters. I wouldn't recommend it for those who love romance and historical details.

The Marriage List by Dorothy McFalls -- Regency Romance

Feeling miserable and sorry for himself after a severe injury at the Battle of Salamanca, Radford, Viscount Evers decides it's time to listen to his mother and find a wife who will bear his heirs. Radford and his friend Lord Nathan Wynter make a list of all the qualities Radford requires in a wife. Feelings and emotions don't enter the list . . . at least not until he meets Miss May Sheffers who storms into his home with her friend Lady Iona Newbury. May and her elderly, infirm aunt are about to be evicted from their home which happens to be owned by Lord Evers. May is a follower of Mary Wollstonecraft and believes she can easily handle the situation without a man's help. She tries to explain how her parents are missing in South America and her uncle has ordered the courts to seize May's money, but Lord Evers doesn't want to listen and doesn't care. May storms out of his home in a rage, loathing Lord Evers but certain she can help herself and her aunt. To complicate matters, May's Uncle Sires wants to marry May off to a man old enough to be her grandfather and take Aunt Winnie home with him in order for her to have the best care. May considers the marriage if only for her aunt's sake but she would prefer to be an independent lady. Her future is further confused by subsequent meetings with and growing attraction to Lord Evers, who woos May with his roguish charm and tender kisses all while courting Iona's sister, the beautiful Lady Lilian Newbury! Radford and May try to remain friends but both feel trapped by the circumstances of their birth and Radford is determined to protect May at all costs. This is a rather complicated story and not a light, fun read. There is a lot of unhappiness before the characters can finally be happy. I'm not really sure I liked the book. The writing is good except for when the author tells us what the characters are feeling (a little more subtly would be nice) and the epilogue is also poorly written. I really admired May who was determined not to rely on any man. Lady Iona is also admirable and the gentlemen are charming. The plot was interesting and kept me reading until the end. I would recommend this to those who like more serious minded stories than comedy of manners.

Her Perfect Earl by Bethany Brooks -- Regency Romance

Miss Esmerelda Fortune (yes, that's her unfortunate name) is an impoverished gentlewoman and a scholar who dreams of opening a school for young ladies to study the classics. She hopes to complete a study of ancient Greek women and win a scholarship prize from Oxford, but first she needs to locate a manuscript in the Earl of Ashford's private library. Esmie takes a position as governess for the Earl's five unruly children in order to search for the manuscript. She quickly realizes the children desperately want their father's love and attention and Esmie is determined to make him love the children. (Sound of Music anyone?) The perfectly imperfect Esmie runs afoul of the perfect Earl when he catches her snooping around his private library, a place where he can go to be alone and forget about the demands of being an Earl. Esmie manages to steal the manuscript while the Earl is busy courting his second wife, the daughter of a wealthy cit. When the manuscript goes missing, Esmie is determined to find it and return it and once again runs into the Earl during her late night wanderings. The pair soon share intimate moments and secrets in the dark. In the daylight, they are determined to get the other out of their heads and focus on their tasks but find it difficult to hide their growing attraction for one another. The children are determined to keep their Miss Esmie and prevent their father from providing them with a wicked step-mother. This story seems like it would be a comedy of manners in the Pride and Prejudice tradition but it's more complicated and serious. I greatly admired Esmie for the most part though she makes a monumental decision that could have changed her life forever and I felt it was out of character and didn't care for two particular scenes. The writing is very good for the most part. There is a bonus epilogue on the author's website which doesn't really add anything to the story but if you want to know what happens to the children, then it's worth a read. I wouldn't recommend this to fans if light Regency or traditional Regency where the hero and heroine share a kiss at the end. This one falls under the category of "sweet sensuality" on the All About Romance scale.

The Heroines: A Novel by Eileen Favorite -- Adult Fiction
Thirteen-year-old Penny Entwhistle's mother runs an inn near Prairie Bluff, Illinois. The inn guests come from all over - including works of literary fiction! Some notable guests have included Scarlett O'Hara, Hester Prynne and Madame Bovary. In 1974, the summer Penny is 13 is marked with change. Penny is in the throes of adolescent angst and jealous of the attention her mother gives the literary guests and angry at her mother for not doing anything to change the stories. When a dashing, determined man on horseback comes riding across the prairie looking for the latest inn guest, Penny finds herself becoming a heroine when the villain abducts her and she ends up in a mental institution for trying to tell outsiders about the heroines. I thought this story would be about the heroines but it's really about Penny and and her current situation with flashbacks to her interactions with literary guests and revelations about Penny's father. I didn't like the first-person past-tense narration because it was difficult to follow what was happening in 1974 and what was in Penny's past and future. I was also not familiar with all of the heroines and their stories so found it difficult to keep up with Penny's thoughts about them. I didn't really care for this book very much. Modern fiction isn't really my area of interest.

The Good Land by Loula Grace Erdman -- Middle Grades Historical Fiction
It has been more than ten years since the Pierce family of The Wind Blows Free settled in the Texas panhandle. Life has been good for the Pierces except for the youngest, Carolyn, who feels that her problems are important yet no one seems to care. Carolyn frets because her family treat her like a baby and feels left out of the family adventures; she's afraid to start high school in Amarillo in the fall and only she knows why her older sister Katie feels so blue after returning home from finishing school. Carolyn makes new friends, helps her sister and learns what it means to be truly grown up in this charming third book in the Texas Panhandle series. Carolyn is an appealing heroine and any adolescent girl can relate to her. These books should truly be classics, like the Little House series and I hope that now they're back in print, they will continue to be read by a new generation of girls.

Other books I have read

Women's Fiction books I have read in the last twelvemonth...



Big Boned by Meg Cabot
A departure from my usual fare, this is the third in the Heather Wells mystery series. This book is hilarious. The mystery plot was a little anticlimatic at the end. The others were more intense. There's some romance that's cute, too. This was the funniest of them all. I highly recommend the whole series, but this one was the funniest.


Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot
The final installment of the amusing Queen of Babble series. Mostly the book was good and funny but not as lighthearted as the previous novels. The ending of this book was so disappointing. It was completely out of character for Lizzie and I felt the author inserted her own views too strongly.


Just Friends by Robyn Sisman
The characters are unlikeable and cliched. The plot is boring and predictable. Some of it is similar to the movie The Wedding Date but the movie is much better.




Weekend in Paris by Robyn Sisman
After a really bad day at work, the heroine heads off to France for a whirlwind weekend, falls in love and learns to become more spontaneous and more world wise. It was good but I felt the plot was way too cliched. I did like the heroine who was an English major! Otherwise an unmemorable book.


Playing James by Sarah Mason
Read this while you're waiting for the next Stephanie Plum adventure. The narrator/heroine, Holly is a beginning crime reporter assigned to shadow the cranky Detective James Sabine. It has kind of a Pride & Prejudice vibe in the beginning. Holly reminds me a lot of Stephanie. She's amusing and charming and I really liked this book. I wish the author would write a whole series about Holly.


Society Girls by Sarah Mason
This is a companion to Playing James. Holly's sister, Clemmie, unwittingly gets involved in a mystery surrounding a missing heiress. It was cute but not as good as Playing James. It was more of a mystery, which isn't really to my tastes. Clemmie Colshannon is not as charming as her sister, Holly. If you read Playing James and want to know what happens to Holly next, then read this one too.




Party Girl by Sarah Mason
This one does not feature the Colshannon girls but a new character, Isabel "Izzy" Serranti. Izzy is an event planner and an all around nice girl. She snags the event of a lifetime at the estate of her former childhood playmate turned tormenter. She must confront her feelings and help the family save their estate. This book follows the Pride and Prejudice model with some really hilarious secondary characters who were far more interesting than the primary characters.




Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins
Cute puppy on the cover drew me to this book about a sweet diner owner in small town Maine whose love life is fodder for public gossip. A series of amusing misadventures in romance and a dash of Pride and Prejudice make for a fun read.



Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
Lexi loses her memory after an accident and can't remember anything from the last three years. In those three years there have been many changes in her life and how and why she changed is revealed slowly as the plot moved forward. This book got off to a slow start but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. It's more mature and serious in tone than her other books. It's also does not follow the predictable plot line she and every other author uses in most of their novels. I think I liked this one best of all her books so far.



Plum Lucky (A Between the Numbers Stephanie Plum novella) by Janet Evanovich

This book is all about Grandma Mazur, my favorite Plum character! Grandma finds a bag of money and heads to Atlantic City followed by Stephanie, Diesel and other odd characters. This one starts off slow but picks up toward the end and is laugh out loud funny at times.

Fearless Fourteen (Stephanie Plum No. 14) by Janet Evanovich
One of the better Plum novels, this one has Stephanie investigating the disappearance of a local woman while Morelli babysits her wayward teenage son. The reappearance of an old quirky character and the possibility of stolen money on Morelli's property make this book incredibly funny. The ending was a bit of a let-down but what happens in between kept me interested and laughing.


Plum Spooky (A Between the Numbers Stephanie Plum novella) by Janet Evanovich
This one was not as good as the last. It's long and pretty much pointless and cliched. I had a hard time remembering who Diesel was and what happened last time they met. I think Stephanie Plum has run her course.