What I Read in July 2015 Part V

What I Read in July 2015 Part V ...

Friends, Lovers, Chocolate  (An Isabel Dalhousie Mystery) by Alexander McCall Smith -- mystery

Isabel Dalhousie's niece Cat asks Isabel to mind Cat's deli while she goes off to a wedding in Italy. Isabel is worried Cat will fall in love with an Italian lothario or worse - mafioso. [Um can we say stereotypes?] Isabel would much rather Cat get back together with Jamie who has pledged his undying love for her. Nevermind Isabel's little crush on him- she's far too old. She agrees to run the deli for awhile, putting her own work with the Review of Applied Ethics aside. Then, while eating lunch one day, she meets Ian, a psychologist and recent heart transplant patient. They have a wonderful discussion on cellular memory and other [largely boring] philosophical discussions. Ian's questions aren't merely hypothetical. Since his heart transplant he has had a image in his mind of a man and is convinced it is a memory of the young heart donor. Isabel is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. She's certain there is a deeper mystery here, one that involves murder. Her housekeeper and friend Grace believes in spiritualism but Jamie is more practical minded. Both want to help Isabel get to the truth. She might be momentarily distracted by the Italian man who followed Cat home. Cat seems to be trying to set her aunt up!

After reading his version of Emma, I was curious about Alexander McCall Smith. I liked his writing style in Emma but here I found it very ponderous. There was way too much philosophical discussion and ruminating on whether an older woman can be with a younger man. OK we get it! Isabel doesn't want to be a so-called cougar. I took offense at her stereotypes of Italian men. I know of more supposed Italian-American mafioso (in my own state) than I do in Italy. My parents have friends who fit neither stereotype and I felt Isabel's worries were unfounded. The mystery doesn't happen until about midway through and then it gets interesting. The resolution left me confused and disappointed.

Isabel is a non-nonsense practical type. She's a spinster aunt of the old-fashioned style though she is only in her early 40s. I found it hard to relate to her though she is close to my own age. I thought perhaps the book was set in the past due not only to Isabel's behavior but also the references to Isabel using a corded phone and sending notes in the mail. (Or was Scotland that old-fashioned still in 2005?) Anyway, I found her long philosophical discussions boring and skimmed most of them. She seemed to come alive more when she met Ian, but sadly he's married so no romance there. Her potential romance never gets off the ground unfortunately and that part was kind of superfluous and bizarre.

I didn't care enough about the novel or the characters to want to read more of the series.

Death of a Mad Hatter  (Hat shop Mystery #2) by Jenn McKinlay-- Cozy Mystery

Scarlett has settled into life in London at her family's hat shop. She handles customer relations while Viv and apprentice Fee create the hats. Scarlett needs to summon all her customer service skills to work with the eccentric Grisby family. Matriarch Dotty is as dotty as her name - she thinks Viv is her old friend Ginny, Scarlett and Viv's Mim. The Grisbys are throwing an Alice in Wonderland tea party to raise money for a new hospital wing in the name of Dotty's recently deceased husband Geoffrey (even though the lying, cheating bastard doesn't deserve it; the family pretend for Dotty's sake that he's away on business). Geoffrey, Jr. has inherited everything lock, stock and barrel due to the law of male primogeniture - at least until he turns up dead in the rose garden at the Grimsby estate. His sisters are seething with resentment but are they angry enough to kill? What about his wife Tina? She seems kind enough but Geoffrey was pretty awful to her. Scarlett is determined to help Tina no matter what but her investigation may cost her her life and her friendship with Harrison.

This mystery is cute like the last one. It's fluffy and fun. It does take too long to get to the murder though. I never guessed who the murderer was and never even suspected something like that. There are several plot twists that surprised me. I liked catching up with Scarlett and Viv and I especially liked how Scarlett's romance starts to heat up. (It's still sweet and clean with one passionate kiss).

Scarlett kind of annoyed me a bit in this one. She does some pretty stupid stuff in her investigation and is pretty stubborn. I would have reacted the same way to Harrison's interference though. She also leaps to conclusions about romance and denies what's obvious.
The Grimsby family are a pretty awful bunch. Dotty is the only one I liked and felt affection for. She's so sweet and confused. I find it hard to believe that Mim and Dotty were young together. (Mim can not possibly have been in her 20s in the late 1960s and early 20s. That would make her my mom's age and I don't think my mom is old enough to be Scarlett and Viv's grandmother! Scarlett and Viv do make me feel old but I'm only 10 years older).

If you're looking for a fun, fluffy mystery without any gore try this series.

What I've Read This Week Part II

What I've Read This Week Part II . . .

The Bride Wore Size 12 by Meg Cabot -- Mystery/Women's Fiction

Heather Wells is getting ready for a new school year and for her big wedding to Cooper Cartwright. Finally her luck will change and she'll get a happily ever after. Not so fast, Heather! First, a hard-partying, Middle Eastern prince moves in (thanks to his father's half-million dollar donation) and everyone suddenly wants to be in Fisher Hall! Heather's boss Lisa is sick with the stomach flu, leaving Heather to deal with eager students and unhappy parents. Then, an RA turns up dead in her bed seemingly of natural causes. Heather has a bad feeling about this and it's up to her to protect her students from a killer. To add to her stress, her mother suddenly reappears in her life with no good excuse or even a sincere apology. Heather so does not need more stress in her life and thankfully Cooper is supportive. Will she live to walk down the aisle at the Plaza and finally get her happily ever after? (What do you think?) This is the best mystery of them all. It's less gruesome than the first two and more interesting than the middle two. It kept me reading way way too late at night. There are several huge shockers that I did not see coming at all, including the wedding. The motive seems really bizarre but the criminal is clearly unbalanced and has issues. I also love the relationship between Cooper and Heather. Do guys like Cooper actually exist outside the pages of a novel? They're so sweet and fun together. There aren't any real love scenes between them in this book just some suggestive talk. Cooper's sisters make a guest appearance to provide some comic relief and we get to meet some of his unusual friends. Heather's mom also makes her first official appearance rounding out the new characters. I like the way the personal plot was woven into the story and not left for the very end. It relieved some of the tension of the mystery. My big gripe with this book, as with many of Meg's books, is that it gets preachy. There's discussions about having children and not having children and Heather's views don't really jive with her character. This part of the plot pretty much comes randomly out of nowhere. There's also a lot of talk about relationship issues, Mommy issues and therapy that gets a bit overdone but does fit the plot of the novel. I really enjoyed the book other than those few quibbles and I'm sad to leave Heather behind. 

United We Spy (Gallagher Girls) by Ally Carter -- Young adult fiction

This final installment in the Gallagher series picks up at the start of Cammie's final semester at Gallagher Academy. The seniors are busy planning for their future but all Cammie wants is to be alive. She's left with a lot of questions after her ordeal and finally realizes why The Circle of Cavan is after her. Her mom wants Cammie safe and sound at school but Cammie knows it's up to her to end this thing. Cammie and her friends are children no longer and not knowing who to trust, they must rely on each other. With only a few clues to go on and backup from some loyal friends, they're off hunting down killers and trying to prevent the most deadly and dangerous thing to happen to her country in years. Cammie knows she may die in the process but she won't die without taking down a few bad guys in the process. Many of the plot elements in this book resemble Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but what happens is original. This book is non-stop, heart-pounding action. I had enough sense to read the book during the DAY so I didn't stay up all night. I couldn't put it down. Just when it seems like it's done, there's more and the story isn't over until the very last page. The story does get violent at times and is rather scary. Yet, it's also very predictable. I had a pretty good guess who they could trust and who they couldn't and I wasn't wrong. I liked this final entry in the series a lot, more than some of the previous books, but I am not sorry to leave the series behind. 

What I've Read This Week: Austenesque Edition

What I've Read This Week: Austenesque Edition . . .

Murder on the Bride's Side by Tracy Kiely -- Austenesque Contemporary Mystery

Elizabeth's best friend Bridget is marrying the love of her life, Colin, at their family's home in Virginia. Bridget's opinionated grandmother predicts death and Bridget can't help feeling nervous that something bad is going to happen. The family feels extreme animosity towards Bridget's uncle Randy's second wife Roni, a scheming, greedy witch. When Roni ends up dead, no one is truly upset or really surprised, but when the police lay the blame on one of the family, Bridget enlists Elizabeth's aid in solving the mystery. Elizabeth is anxious, but wants to help Bridget's cousin Harry, who she once had a crush on. It will also help her get back at Peter who is spending a bit too much time with the wedding planner, his old girlfriend. Will Elizabeth solve the mystery before the police convict Harry? This mystery is a take on Sense and Sensibility but it doesn't much resemble the original. Bridget represents sensibility and Elizabeth sense, though that's not saying much. The plot has many many twists and turns and I think even if I wrote down all the clues, there's no way I could have solved it. I couldn't put the book down and read way too late to finish it. I don't know how Elizabeth figured it out. The ending was a bit unsatisfactory. I don't want to spoil the whodunnit but it came as a big surprise to me. The final reveal was unconventional and didn't make a lot of sense. I enjoyed the story though the characters were all unlikeable and unrealistic. It seems like they were picked from a cast of two-dimensional characters.Also, things are wrapped up a bit too neatly and happily ever after to be realistic. I would have liked more development of Elizabeth and Peter's relationship. They've been dating for 8 months and she's pretty sure she loves him and he's THE ONE - how the heck did that happen?! Elizabeth quote extensively from Jane Austen's novel and the movie version of Sense and Sensibility along with a few other movie references I didn't always recognize. (Love the Cary Grant reference though). I would recommend this series to those who like contemporary adaptations of Jane Austen's novels and those who like light mysteries.

Murder Most Persuasive by Tracy Kiely -- Austenesque Contemporary Mystery

Elizabeth Parker is having a rough time. She's staying with her smug sister Kit in the jungle room from hell while her apartment is renovated; she hates her job; Peter has been traveling a lot for work and to top it off, her Uncle Martin (Aunt Winnie's older brother) just died. Martin's grieving family includes Elizabeth's cousins, close in age to her sister: Regina, Frances and Ann, as well as his second wife Bonnie. Bonnie, a Gone With the Wind quoting fluff head decides to head off to a spa retreat to relax after selling the family's summer home, leaving Ann in charge of cataloging and distributing Uncle Martin's things. When a body is discovered in the foundation of the pool at the family's old home, it turns out to be the missing former employee who was believed to have embezzled a large sum of money from the family business eight years ago. The man had been like a son to Uncle Martin and was engaged to Regina at the time, so naturally the family comes under suspicion. The investigation brings Detective Joe Muldoon back into Ann's life after she broke her engagement with him on the advice of her mother's friend. Ann still has feelings for Joe, but his partner wants to see Ann convicted of the crime. Joe is tough but he doesn't believe Ann is a murderer. Ann ropes Elizabeth into helping her solve the crime and keep in touch with Joe. Despite Peter's cautioning her not to play Nancy Drew, Elizabeth steps into the role pretty easily but investigating gets harder when her jealous sister Kit tries to play CSI. By the end of the book, family secrets are revealed and everyone discovers that what they thought they knew, turned out not to be true. Meanwhile, Peter wants to take their relationship to the next level and Elizabeth isn't sure she's ready. 

This mystery is a take on Persuasion. It's more direct than any of the other mysteries in the series. The family is closely modeled on the Eliots which makes none of them likable except Ann. They're all pretty much direct copies of their original counterparts except that a few characters are combined to create Ann Elliot's cousin William Walter. I liked the way the story paralleled the original but the original is a love story and this is a mystery. The love story takes a back seat so it's not really developed on page. I would have liked a bit more of the relationship between Ann and Joe to echo Ann and Frederick's. The mystery kept me guessing and guessing. I honestly couldn't figure out "whodunnit." The reveal was a surprise because the motive just wasn't realistic. The author tried to hard to match the original plot but it just seems far fetched in today's world. I don't know how Elizabeth figured it out. She seems to have some kind of super memory even though things keep fleeing out of reach. I have an excellent memory and couldn't remember the minute details she did. That too felt unrealistic. The story was similar to Murder of the Bride's Side since it revolves around a family close to Elizabeth and a wicked stepmother. The story kept me reading when I had other things to do with my life. It has a lot of funny moments; I like Elizabeth's snarky sense of humor, however, it lacks the beautiful language and social satire of Jane Austen's original. If you love Persuasion and enjoy a good mystery, you will like this one. 

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 . . .

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot-- Mystery/Women's Fiction

Heather Wells is feeling great. She's back down to a size 12, secretly engaged to Cooper Cartwright and she's been taking classes towards her B.A. Then she discovers that a film crew is illegally filming her ex Jordan and his new wife Tania for a new reality series. They've chosen the penthouse apartment at Fisher Hall because the paparazzi are after Tania following the accidental shooting of her bodyguard.  Then Tania moves her new teen rock camp from the Catskills to Fisher Hall. Can Heather and co. deal with a residence hall full of teenage divas and their stage mothers? Cooper gets assigned to Tania as her new bodyguard and he feels she knows more than she's letting on about the so-called "accidental" shooting and encourages Heather to get Tania to talk to her. Heather provides a comforting presence so Tania latches on to Heather.  What Tania confides shocks everyone. Can Fisher Hall finally escape their reputation as Death Dorm? Heather also has a secret she's keeping from Cooper that may affect their future plans. 
 This story is far darker and more mature than any of the others in the series. Instead of stumbling onto a crime scene in her dorm, Heather actively gets involved with permission and discovers horrific secrets. The mystery involves adults and teens. The revelations are surprising and sad. Heather's secret is also a mature secret and not her usual fluff brain silliness. There's less emphasis on her size in this book as well. I couldn't put the book down until the end. I wasn't entirely surprised by the ending but it was thrilling anyway. I especially liked the new, mature Heather. I think she should become a professional counselor. People confide in her and she's a sympathetic listener. She seems to have enjoyed Psych 101 so I think she's on her way. I hated the part where Heather reveals her secret to Cooper. Meg unnecessarily hits the readers over their heads with her personal opinions. She did that in Queen of Babble and I didn't like it then either. I happen to agree with her opinion, but I'm an adult and I don't need to be told what to think. This book works fine as a stand alone or as part of the series. Meg Cabot's younger fans may not enjoy this book as much because of the darker tone but adult fans will like it. The P.S. interview reveals at least one more Heather Wells mystery will be released this year.

The Sinister Spinster by Carolyn Madison -- Traditional Regency Romance

Elizabeth Mattingale hates working as a companion to the capricious Lady Derrings. If the Duchess isn't ordering Elizabeth about, her youngest son and his horrible cronies are after her for a bit of sport. To make matters worse, the Duke has forbidden Elizabeth contact with her father who is deep in enemy territory in Richmond, Virginia. Elizabeth has her ways, however, and when her beloved father asks her to choose between her country and her father, she has a difficult decision to make. Adam, The Marquess of Falconer, is visiting the Duke as a spy for the Home Office. He needs to know what the Russians, who will be at the upcoming house party, are up to. Meanwhile, Adam becomes furious with the younger men for their behavior. He feels protective towards Elizabeth for some reason. Elizabeth can't stand the Marquess's overbearing behavior and cold manner but slowly, she begins to see he has a heart after all. When some of the Duke's dispatches go missing, Elizabeth is accused. She stands to hang if someone doesn't come clean or if Adam can't clear her name. The evidence is stacked against her though and he fears the worst. He calls in his friend the Duke of Creshton and the Duke's intrepid daughter Elinore to help clear Elizabeth's name. When someone ends up murdered, the stakes become even higher. Adam can't help but admire the way Elizabeth handles herself through her ordeal and though he tries to deny it, he's madly in love. One lady rejected his offer once, will Elizabeth do the same? 
This story takes place during the peace talks in 1814 while England was at war with America. Though the reader knows, or thinks they know, the answer to the mystery, the story is exciting and kept me reading until the very end. The romance, on the other hand, is horrible. There's no connection between the hero and heroine at all. There are some sensual kissing scenes so I suppose there's physical attraction, but there's no real relationship development. I was intrigued by the Marquess in The Scotsman and the Spinster, but here he's overbearing, rude and way out of line. I could not condone his behavior at all. He had no reason for it. Elizabeth is a good heroine. She's intelligent, brave and has a firm conscience. All this makes her a little too good though. She's almost unrealistic in the way she calmly deals with everything that goes on around her. I found Elinore a far more interesting character. There is a hint of future romance for her but it doesn't seem as if the author wrote Elinore's story. Despite a mystery with a plot twist to keep me interested, the romance didn't work for me so I just didn't enjoy this book much and wouldn't recommend it. 

What I Read Last Weekend

What I Read Last Weekend . . .

Murder Most Austen by Tracy Kiey -- Austenesque Mystery


Dedicated Janeite Elizabeth Parker and her great-aunt Winnie are headed to England to the Jane Austen festival in Bath. Lizzie has never been to England and she's dying to walk in the footsteps of her favorite author. Her trip is marred by the man sitting in 4B - Professor Richard Baines, a pompous idiot who believes Jane Austen's novels contain codes that he has unlocked to reveal a world of sex, incest, abortion and murder. He also claims Jane Austen was an atheist and his biggest and newest discovery will shock the Jane Austen community. Ummm... Arriving in England, at first Elizabeth is in heaven! So many Janeites and so much to see and do, if only she can avoid the annoying Mr. Collins type man who keeps following her everywhere. She can even manage to ignore the hostile tensions between the various members of the Baines family. Then Professor Baines turns up dead at the masked ball and someone wearing an Elizabeth Bennet costume did the deed. The police suspect Aunt Winnie's friend Cora who did nothing to veil her hostility towards Richard. Aunt Winnie wants Elizabeth to clear Cora's name. Elizabeth has had experience investigating murders but she isn't sure she wants to do it again and her very own Mr. Darcy, Peter, forbids her to even try. Elizabeth can't help noticing things though and she notices a lot of attention on the Professor's paper. Could someone have killed him to prevent the publication of his shocking theories? Elizabeth stumbles across the clues that will lead to the answer.

This book is for die-hard Janeites and Anglophiles. If you've read every book multiple times, seen every movie/TV adaptation, read updates of Jane Austen novels (do you know what "smug marrieds" are?) and spend every waking moment quoting Jane Austen, her novels or speaking like her (three days hence) this book is for you. This book is also for you if you are a dedicated Anglophile who has seen every BBC/PBS Masterpiece show. I'm embarrassed to say I fit into most of the above categories. However, I have been to and lived in England so I found Elizabeth's exuberant naivety a bit irritating. England is not the world of the BBC or Jane Austen's novels. It's not like stepping into the pages of the novel or the scenes of the movie. There are parts of that world still there but it's so much more! I can sympathize with Elizabeth's excitement to walk in the footsteps of her favorite author, though. I also found her constant quoting of Jane Austen and use of period language really annoying. No one talks like that. Not even I talk like that, at least not in public! I also found her deductive reasoning skills were highly unrealistic at times and at other times, she missed the totally obvious. I also thought she was too harsh on her friend at the end. I had guessed what the friend was about and saw the parallels between her and Jane Austen characters. I don't approve of what that character did but I'd like to think I wouldn't be so hard on them.  I haven't read the previous novels but based on this book alone, I find the heroine annoying and hard to like. I loved Aunt Winnie. She made me laugh out loud in many places. Some of the other characters are really two-dimensional and some bear a strong resemblance to characters in Jane Austen's novels. It's funny to see them running around modern Bath. The plot kept me hooked and I stayed up way too late trying to figure out whodunnit. I suppose someone very clear headed and clever could have figured it out but there were clues withheld from Elizabeth/the reader that made the mystery impossible for me to figure out. I actually found the big reveal a bit lame. The motive didn't seem plausible and it didn't seem to go along with the rest of the plot. Overall though, I enjoyed this story. You have to love a book that begins with "If I had known someone was going to kill the man sitting in 4B three days hence I probably wouldn't have fantasized about doing the deed myself." If you're a Janeite looking for some fun, frivolous reading, then this book is for you.

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: Part I

What I've Read This Week : Part I . . .

Sizzling Sixteen (a Stephanie Plum novel) by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie's cousin and employer, Vinnie has gone missing and without him Stephanie is out of a job. Armed with her lucky bottle inherited from an uncle, her gun (sans bullets), and sidekicks Connie and Lula, Stephanie sets out to rescue Vinnie and save the company. Before the danger is over, they encounter alligators, dangerous mob-men and Hobbits (yes Hobbits). As with the last few Plum novels, this one lacks an interesting plot and serves as a vehicle to make the characters behave even more crazy than in previous books. The funniest bits in the story involve alligators and stink bombs; most of the jokes would appeal to middle-school boys. The ending is rather anti-climatic as Stephanie sits around waiting to be rescued. I think the story had come to the inevitable conclusion and it's time for Stephanie to retire.

Miss Jacobson's Journey by Carola Dunn -- Regency Romance

In 1802 London, Miriam Jacobson's parents have decided it's high time she is married. Against her wishes, they call in the matchmaker, according to Jewish tradition, who chooses Isaac Cohen, the scholarly son of a moneylender, to be Miriam's husband. Miriam takes one look at the scrawny, weak-eyed young man and flees. For the next nine years she travels around Europe with her uncle, a doctor, helping him treat patients and organize his notes. Now her uncle is dead and it's time to return to England. With Napolean's troops all over Europe, getting home is difficult. Miriam is referred to Jakob Rothschild, a banker whose family firm transports money back and forth from England. He asks Miriam to undertake a difficult journey smuggling gold to Welington's troops in Spain in exchange for his help getting her home. Miriam agrees, ready for one last adventure. Her traveling companions include the handsome gentile Lord Felix Roworth and the equally handsome and somewhat familiar Isaac Cohen. The gentlemen hate each other at first and Isaac seems to dislike Miriam for no reason she can recall. Since they must travel as relatives, Miriam decides to undertake the difficult task of befriending the gentlemen and getting them to like each other. Their safe passage is threatened by overzealous French police and the fear of imprisonment. It's only Miriam's resourcefulness that gets them through the most difficult times. It's only natural that both the gentlemen should fall in love with Miriam, and her with them, but which one should she choose? This fun adventure is a bit different from the typical Regency novel. It combines adventure with a dash of romance and throws in some history and religion as well. The Jewish characters are unusual in that they inhabit a world outside of that which Regency novels are usually set and therefore, this book takes the story out of the ballrooms and drawing rooms of London. I enjoyed the adventure though there could have been a bit more romance. Miriam is a typical Dunn heroine: smart, resourceful, beautiful and strong-willed. The gentlemen are a bit different and they develop nicely. I really like that the characters get to know one another and grow up along the way, a nice change from the usual courtship of just a few weeks! The downside to this book is that there are certain aspects of Jewish history and culture that the reader may not understand if they are unfamiliar with Judaism. The second fault of the novel is that it lacks the quirky secondary characters that Dunn writes so well. The final, and in my opinion, biggest, fault is that there's too much time spent on the journey and not enough of the romance. The story does keep the reader guessing which one Miriam really loves though it's easy to guess who she'll end up with given certain circumstances but I think her romance with that gentleman could have been a bit more romantic. This is a good, fun read and perfect for summer vacation!

Love Walked in: A Novel by Marisa de los Santos -- Fiction

Cornelia Brown's life changes forever when a handsome stranger walks through the door of the coffee shop where she works. Sounds corny right? Not in the least! Cornelia notices the man's resemblance to Cary Grant right away and puts to use all the fantastic flirting skills she's learned from years of obsessing over old movies. Martin seems to be into her too and their relationship affects Cornelia in ways she never expected. Clare is a going-on-eleven year-old girl who lives with her single mom in an affluent area outside of Philadelphia. Her father doesn't have much interest in her, but her mother's love more than makes up for her father's lack of love. When Clare's mother begins to act strangely, Clare is scared. She reaches out to her father and he dismisses her concerns. Clare is a resourceful and mature child so she copes the best she can. When Clare and Cornelia's lives intersect, they form an instant bond. With help from her brother-in-law Teo and her loud, but loving, family, Cornelia helps Clare cope with the changes life has thrown at her. This is an incredibly moving story about different types of love and the way love can help heal the most broken heart. The prose is beautifully written by first-time author, Marisa del los Santos and there are many amusing references to old movies and classic children's books, both of which I love. The plot kept me turning pages way too late into the night and there were twists I never saw coming. The story does not end the way I expected it to or really wanted it to but the ending is right for the characters. It's perfect the way it is and leaves room for a sequel but also closes the story if there's not a sequel. Some of the events are too contrived but I was too caught up in the story of heartbreak and love to be really annoyed. The character development is mostly good, but there are awkward insightful moments that come when a story is told in first person. Clare's story is the stronger of the two. My heart goes out to her and I admire her maturity. Cornelia comes across as a little ditzy and annoying at first but I can relate to her issues about growing up and dealing with real life. I also love many of the same movies she does and can easily understand her obsession with them! Though this is different from my usual type of novel, I loved it. This is a great book for older teens and adults who want a heartwarming story that will make you cry and smile.

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.