What I Read in December 2016 Part IV. . .

What I Read in December 2016 Part IV . .

Christmas Pudding by Nancy Mitford--Historical Fiction

Paul Fotheringay is in despair. He has just written a best-selling novel! The problem? Everyone thinks his novel is so funny when it was meant to be tragic. He is in search of a new book and hits upon the idea of publishing work about a 19th century ancestress of Lady Bobbin, permission for which Lady Bobbin has soundly refused. Her irrepressible son Bobby finds a way to sneak Paul into Crompton Bobbin. His sister, Philadelphia, is stuck in the country bored to death and longing for romance. Sally and Walter Montheath are new parents and poor and need a little break. Luckily, their friend ex-lady of the evening, Amabelle Fortescue, has invited all her friends to a Christmas gathering at her rented country home Mulberrie- right near Crompton Bobbin. The characters lives intersect and they interact with unpredictable and amusing results.

This is a witty story about upper crust English men and women in the vein of Jane Austen. The writing is not so sophisticated or smooth as dear Jane's; nor does the story really speak to me or bear any relevance to my life. I enjoyed it as amusing, mostly mindless fun. The plot moves slowly- it's not an action filled story and there are way too many characters to keep track of. I kept forgetting who was who. None of them were all that appealing. The passages from Lady Maria's diary were a scream! Paul's reaction to them is amusing from the perspective of the reader.

The main character, if there is one, is Paul Fotheringay, a depressed writer in search of inspiration. He doesn't have much drive and is very passive. He let a teenager plan his life for him. I didn't care for his lack of backbone in dealing with a tricky situation. The next most prominently featured character is Bobby Bobbin, Lady Bobbin's son home from Eton for the holidays. He's crazy, irresponsible, selfish and massively irritating. Every scene he's in he is trying to thwart his mother, as all teens try to. Life is one big game to him. He doesn't experience any character growth. His sister Philadelphia is as dutiful and morose as Bobby is full of joie de vivre. I don't blame her. I think I would be depressed too if I had her life. She's not very bright and has high expectations placed on her. I liked how she thought she knew her own mind but didn't like how her story ended up.

Lady Bobbin is a disagreeable, eccentric tyrant. She's awful to her children and not really interested in her neighbors except when they come to hunt. With an outbreak of Hoof and Mouth disease, the hunting season is postponed. There is also the recent troubles (Great Depression) which put a damper on how things should be done. She's a terrible mother and completely out of touch with the world.

Amabelle is the matchmaker of the group. Married three times already, she isn't interested in marriage herself but likes to see others happy. She thinks she knows what's best for everyone. She has some good insights into the characters' personalities and marriage which I found interesting. I don't know if I would agree with her.

Some of the views expressed in this book are outdated but not excessive. The story is not as amusing as a P.G. Wodehouse romp and the only thing Christmas about it is the time of year it takes place. Fans of the English country house novel will enjoy this one.


Christmas Pudding and Pigeon Pie by Nancy Mitford--Historical Fiction

Pigeon Pie takes place during the early days of World War I. The main character, Lady Sophia Garfield, a Bright Young Thing, has been disillusioned in life. She's fallen out of love with her husband and he only sees her as a trophy wife to show off to his business colleagues. To make matters worse, he's fallen in with some weird religious cult from Boston and installed them in their home. Her lover has no thoughts of marriage, but that's fine because Sophia can't bring herself to be divorced, remarried and poor. When war is declared, Sophia thinks she knows exactly what it will be like. At first the reality is much different from expectations: a boring desk job instead of nursing and barely any fighting at all. Then she accidentally discovers a secret that could change the course of the war and bring Britain to her knees.

This story started off reaaaallly slow. It had too much telling and not enough showing. The first half or so is mostly exposition. Then when the plot picks up, it really picks up. I couldn't put it down. I did find it rather obvious and felt that some suspension of disbelief has to happen here, but that's what makes it almost funny. I say almost because it is a story about war. Sophia's inner monologues are funny (unintentionally on her part) and her godfather, Sir Ivor King aka "The King of Song" is a hoot.

The characters are hard to like. Sophia is trapped in a dull marriage. She's completely clueless about anything and her thought process sometimes sounds like a child's. Sophia is very shallow and thus happy or content. She isn't exactly a memorable heroine but she becomes a bit stronger and more interesting at the end. Her husband, Luke, is insanely boring and pompous. He has erroneous opinions about Germany and is as clueless as Sophia sometimes. His attraction to Florence and her bizarre cult is strange. Sophia's lover Rudolph isn't much of a lover. As boring and pompous as Luke us, Rudolph is carefree, happy and really bad at reading people and situations. He doesn't really care much about Sophia. I don't know why they are together. Sophia's rival, "Olga Gogothsy" (fka Baby Baggs) is a stereotypical catty rich woman who always wants to be the center of attention. I didn't like her any more than Sophia did.

My favorite character is Sir Ivor. He's as three-dimensional as Nancy Mitford could make him in this early novel of hers. I can easily picture him and hear him. He is the comic relief character. My love for him only increases as the story goes on. I also loved Millie, the French Bulldog. She's so cute!

I had a bit of a hard time reading some of the propaganda and period viewpoints in this book. There's more than the pre-war story because of the war situation and it's hard to read about the war in hindsight knowing what we know now. That shouldn't stop anyone from trying to read this story though. If you can make it past the first four chapters, the story picks up a bit in Chapter 5. 


The Romance of a Christmas Card by Kate Douglas Wiggin--Historical Fiction

In Beulah, New Hampshire, one Christmas Eve, Reba Larabee, the minister's wife, is struck with inspiration seeing her friend Letty sitting by an open window keeping watch over her twin nephews. Reba intends to draw a picture of Letty's quaint sitting room and sell it to a greeting card company. Letty has been burdened with the care of one family member after another for most of her life. For the last three years she has had the care of her wayward brother David's twin babies. Unwanted and unloved by their father, Letty does her best but she wishes David would show some interest in his own sons. As the months change and Christmas rolls around again, surprises are in store for the good folks of Beulah.

This is a sweet Christmas tale very similar in vein to Lucy Maud Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott's children's stories. This one is an adult story, told from the perspective of adults, but with all the wholesomeness of the children's stories. It's a little less preachy than children's stories but still tells the tale of the prodigal son. The plot is predictable except the story ended sooner than I wanted it to.

I really liked Reba. She seems to have shaken up the town a bit with her energy and liveliness. She and her husband have such a sweet, loving relationship. I felt bad for Letty. She never has an opportunity to be selfish or do anything for herself. The townspeople are amusing for all their narrow-mindedness. They're very much flatter versions of Lucy Maud Montgomery's staunch Presbyterian Prince Edward Islanders.

The illustrations are beautiful. This edition has a couple of lovely color plates in addition to black and white drawings. The cover image is important to the story.

If you like Victorian moral tales, you will probably enjoy this one too.

What I Read in July 2015 Part I

What I Read in July 2015 Part I ...

Patricia Brent, Spinster by Herbert Jenkins  --Historical Fiction/Edwardian Romance

This novel was originally published in 1918 when a woman in her 20s was considered a spinster. Fed up with the gossips at her boarding house, Patricia Brent makes up a fictional fiance to shut them all up. When the old catty gossips follow her to the location of her "date," Patricia is stuck. Seeing an available young soldier sitting alone, she seizes the opportunity to extend her lie a little longer. Peter Bowen is enchanted with Patricia and her tall tale. He would love to make it a reality but after their first meeting, she avoids him like the plague. Embarrassed by her lie and too proud to accept what she believes is Peter's pity, Patricia tries her hardest to keep away from Peter. Then Peter gets his sister involved and no one is a match for Tan's intelligence and enthusiasm. 

 This is a cute story in the vein of Jane Austen in terms of social satire. The writing style isn't as elegant or witty as Jane Austen but it is subtly funny in parts. The plot goes on a little too long and the courtship a little too one-sided. You really have to accept the idea of love at first sight for this to work. 

I felt sorry for Patricia because I understand how she feels. Not married? How come? Don't you want to get married? To hear this and bear with it day after day is more than any mortal can bear. I completely get Patricia's motive for lying to her housemates. She had my sympathy and understanding the entire book even though I was rooting for Peter to win her over.  Peter is the least developed of all the secondary characters. Some of the story is from his point-of-view but it doesn't really get inside his head and tell us what he's feeling. He's hurt by Patricia's rejection of him but it isn't completely clear why he's so in love with her when all she does is spurn him. The other characters say that the more he's thwarted, the more he wants something. That doesn't sound like a good basis for a relationship to me, but somehow it works and I wanted him to succeed. 

 The secondary characters are vastly appealing. The spiteful old gossips are typical of the Victorian period when women had nothing better to do than talk about past glories and long dead high-placed relatives. My personal favorite character is her boss' father-in-law. A former builder, this widowed gentleman has money and charm aplenty. He's so kind and very funny. He reminded me of a nicer version of Eliza Doolittle's father in My Fair Lady. Peter's sister Tan is also a favorite. She is intelligent, beautiful, witty and an all around good person. She and Peter are very close and she handles the slighting of her brother very well. Her friend Peggy is also delightful. She's very charming.

 Content: Kisses only, an air raid/bomb drops on a nearby street but the characters are isolated from the bloodhshed. There are some veiled mentions of PTSD and some wounded soldiers in a hospital setting. Until the last third, you barely know what year it is.


The Harlow Hoyden: A Regency Romance by Lynn Messina--Regency Romance

Miss Emma Harlow will do anything for her twin sister Lavinia, including stealing a priceless orchid from a Duke's conservatory- right under his very nose! Of course she had assumed he was the country cousin, but still, she stole a Duke's orchid and he wasn't at all upset about it. Emma decides that Alex Keswick, Seventh Duke of Trent is exactly the right person to help her with her PLAN. Emma has a plan to rid her sister Lavinia of her odious fiance, Sir Windbourne. Emma can't stand the old windbag and she hates the idea of losing her sister and having her sister lose her identity in marriage. Lavinia dreams of having children some day while Emma decries the married state. She plans to have Trent seduce her sister into breaking off her engagement to Sir "Windbag." Trent categorically refuses. He may be a rake but he doesn't trifle with innocents. If he won't agree to her plan, Emma will find another libertine - one who may have less of a conscience than Alex. Alex reluctantly agrees to court Vinnie but he can't keep his eyes or his hands off Emma. Emma has high hopes for a match between Vinnie and Trent, despite her own feelings on the matter. They are slow to come together so Emma decides to find something on Windbag that will cause Vinnie to break off her engagement once and for all. Little does she dream that her investigation will yield surprising results - in more ways than one.

The plot of this story is largely interesting - if not original. The addition of an added mystery plot saved the book from tedium. The faux romance between Vinnie and Trent went on way too long and was boring. The romance is very hot and steamy with lots of passionate kisses, touching and a love scene that comes at the right moment for those characters. I found the mystery plot really unbelievable. I would think that Mr. Harlow or at least Roger would investigate the man their daughter/sister is engaged to! I also really disliked the morning after misunderstanding. It's such a common trope but I liked the way it was resolved.

Normally I can't stand crazy heroines and Emma takes the cake in craziness but she was charming and I couldn't help but like her. I felt bad for her that she had such a terrible childhood that it ruined her views on marriage. I happen to agree with her beliefs that given the time period, marriage was a bad deal for many women, especially those like Lavinia who made marriages of convenience. Emma's schemes and scrapes never failed to astonish me. I kept wondering what she would do next. She's a very modern girl running around Regency England. She's not the kind of girl that every reader will like. Lavinia is a better period heroine. She's correct in her behavior but she's still lively and has horticultural interests that most women didn't think about. She is a devoted, caring sister for all the right reasons so I fail to see why she would attach herself to someone her twin sister felt so strongly was a bad match. A little communication between them would have been nice and communication with Roger would have been better but then the romance plot wouldn't have advanced.

The hero is kind of disgusting at first, he can't stick to one mistress at a time, or maybe he's lying. He is an honorable rake who cares deeply for the people he chooses to love and who would do anything to keep his beloved safe. He is considerate and caring towards Vinnie though he isn't attracted to her. He does some wonderful things for her and they could have a happy marriage if they wanted to, or at least if passion didn't get in the way. Alex is the one with a level head trying to keep Emma out of trouble for safety's sake and not because she isn't behaving as a young maiden should.

Sir Waldo "Windbag" is worse than Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins is an idiot and Sir Waldo isn't quite that silly. His motives are so transparent I guessed right away what he was up to. It's so obvious that I kept groaning in frustration as Emma took the difficult course with him instead of the logical one. The ending of his plot surprised me a lot and I don't really think I liked it. There are a couple of minor characters who add more comic relief to the story. There is also Sarah, Mrs. Roger Harlow, sister-in-law to the twins. She is kind and level-headed and very much in love with her husband. I would have liked her story a bit more than this one.

Content: Steamy make out scenes and one somewhat graphic love scene. 

What I've Read This Week Part I

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

Spring Awakening by T.J. Brown-- Historical fiction/romance
 

In this third volume of the Summerset Abbey trilogy, the characters are enjoying an idyllic summer in the country. Rowena is still lost in herself. Her engagement to Sebastian has become all to real. Though she's still hurt by Jon's actions, she knows Sebastian will be a good husband and is determined to marry him. Prudence is still dealing with the challenges of wifehood. Her husband's stubborn pride may ruin everything she's worked hard for. Victoria is as determined as ever to be independent and work for a living. She most definately does not want to marry Kit, no matter how many times he asks. When England declares war on Germany, all their lives for change forever. The three women discover their passions, experience heartbreak and learn to love.

This book started weakly and read a lot like Downton Abbey fan fiction. There's an awkward attempt at seduction scene that I skipped right through. It made sense for the character at that time just not at that exact place. At first I thought I knew where the story was headed but halfway through it took a different turn and I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself NOT wanting the book to end the way I originally envisioned it. I liked the way it turned out. It was bittersweet but nicely done and I think more realistic. The plot wraps up very quickly but not very neatly. There are still some loose ends, such as the fact that the story ends in the middle of the war! I also wanted more of Elaine's story. She hints at things and claims she's never going to marry, but never explains why. She tries hard to please her mother without success but doesn't follow her cousins' leads and forge a path for herself. She deserved a plot of her own because I found her more interesting than Rowena and Prudence.

I liked the way the characters developed in this novel. At first I hated Rowena and wanted to slap her but once she has her awakening, she gets better. Prudence continued to annoy me. I wish she had just talked with Andrew instead of worrying and fretting. She tried too hard to please him and I felt like she wasn't doing herself justice. I wanted to see her awaken a bit more since the plot is called Spring Awakening. Instead she continues on the same as always. Victoria's journey is the most interesting to me. There are obvious similarities to Downton Abbey but yet there are differences. In the beginning of the novel she was naive and immature and I had mixed feelings about her. I liked her and found her innocence refreshing yet she still seemed like a little girl playing grown up. She comes of age during a difficult time and rises to the occasion admirably. I liked the way she met her challenges and faced whatever was to come. I did not like how she dealt with her romantic problems at first but it was all part of her character growth.

There are some gory hospital scenes and the aforementioned awkward scene plus hints at what Prudence and Andrew do behind closed doors. I still wouldn't hesitate to give this novel to an older teen. Adults may find it a bit too cliched in spots and not fully fleshed out enough. Still, it was the best of the trilogy and I liked it well enough to give it 3 1/2-4 stars.

What I Read This Weekend

What I Read This Weekend . . .

Fog Magic by Julia Sauer -- Children's Classic/Historical Fantasy

Greta has always loved the fog and known that fog is magic. When she's eleven years old, she is allowed to walk in the foggy woods and comes across an outline of a house where she knows no house exists in her own time (1940s). Through the fog and over the mountain she travels to another place and another time to the prosperous fishing early 19th century village of Blue Cove. Greta makes a new best friend and becomes a part of village life, but when the fog rolls away, it's time for her to head home. I find it hard to believe that I never read this book as a child. It's exactly what I loved. It's probably a good thing I didn't, or I would have been out getting lost in the fog looking for my own Blue Cove. This story is very gentle and simple. It has a message about growing up at the end that I didn't really care for. I loved Blue Cove and the residents and visitors. I wish the book was longer so I could have spent more time there. I couldn't quite pinpoint the exact date of Blue Cove but more than 100 years before Greta's time before 1820 I think. There are a lot of unanswered questions about the time travel and some of the residents of Blue Cove, but overall, this is a sweet, satisfying read.

Park Lane by Frances Osborne -- Historical Fiction

Grace Campbell has left her home in northern England to find a place as a secretary in London. She has the training, thanks to her school teacher aunt, but her accent precludes her from finding a job. She's forced to take a job in service at a grand house in Park Lane in order to help her family. She lies about her job and sends every shilling home.The work is hard, the other maids are a bit cruel at times, and Grace is attracted to the handsome footman Joseph. She knows that way lies trouble and tries to deny her feelings. Her brother Michael is also in London working as a law clerk. He's dissatisfied with his lot and wants to change the world. Beatrice Masters, the daughter of Sir and Lady Masters, is almost 21 and unmarried. She longs for freedom and independence from her overbearing American mother. She thought that her young man John would take her away from this life and she would be content to live a bohemian life with him, but he turned out to be a fortune hunter. Beatrice doesn't have a fortune. Her father is busy wasting money in all the fashionable gambling spots on the Continent and her younger brother Edward is poised to follow in their father's footsteps. Bea's older sister Clemmie is smugly marries and Mother is busy trying to get women the vote peacefully. She has no use for those wild women suffragettes who chain themselves to gates and go on hunger strikes in jail. Bea's aunt Celeste offers her an opportunity for a bit of independence working with those very suffragettes Lady Masters disapproves of. Bea becomes caught up in the excitement of hearing Emmeline Pankhurst and becomes devoted to the cause. Whenever she finds herself in trouble, a young man named Michael is there to save her. He feels she's a spoiled little rich girl and despises everything she's grown up with, but Bea can't help but find this dangerous young man appealing. Then war comes and women's suffrage is put on the back burner. Everyone must do their duty to help the war effort, even Bea. When the war is over, who will remain and will there be a new world order? Downton Abbey fans will be satisfied with this basic plot points novel. It contains many of the same hackneyed plots as the show minus the witty dialogue and pretty costumes. It even reads like a play because it's told in first person present tense. Grace and Bea alternate in telling the story. The events of the plot are largely summarized and there's no real dialogue to speak of. It takes a long time to get interesting and when important things happen, the timeline skips forward. I really didn't like the direction the story took. I would have written it completely differently. Grace is an entirely unappealing character. She lies, steals and makes really bad decisions. I felt bad for her on occasion but mostly I hated her. Bea is slightly more interesting. I can relate to her feelings in the first third of the novel. I got caught up in her activities and couldn't sleep until I read to the very end. The history behind the story is very interesting. I liked learning about the women's suffrage activities the best, but the descriptions go on far too long. I really wanted to like this book but it was just too slow, awkward and cliched to be appealing.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Searching for Pemberley by Mary Lydon Simonsen -- Austenesque/ Historical Fiction

After war was declared in 1941, Maggie Joyce left her small coal mining town in eastern Pennsylvania hoping never to return. Since the end of the war she has been working for the Army Exchange Service first in Germany and now in London. Her time in London is probably almost up, so when her friend Pamela, a Derbyshire native, reveals that she grew up near an estate, Montclair, that is rumored to be the home of the real life model for Mr. Darcy, Maggie jumps at the chance to visit Montclair, the setting of her favorite book, and learn more about the history of the Laceys. Her search introduces her to the Crowells, a local family who know more than anyone about the real story behind the novel. Beth Crowell shares with Maggie the story of Elizabeth Garrison and William Lacey through their letters and journal entries. Maggie is fascinated by the story and quickly becomes an honorary member of the Crowell family. That comes with complications as their handsome son Michael is home on leave and very flirtatious. Maggie is uncomfortable and reluctant to respond to Michael's flirting. Soon she meets an American flier, Rob McAllister : handsome, charming and commitment shy. As the lives of the characters intersect, Maggie learns how war can leave invisible scars on people. She must decide where her future lies and hope for the best. Maggie deserves a happily ever after though and she may decide, like Elizabeth, to seize the chance even if happiness seems impractical. This is a very lengthy novel, clocking in at over 400 pages. I confess I didn't read every word because most of the novel is not actually a novel but a history lesson. The author did an amazing job researching the Georgian era to post-World War II England. I applaud her for that, but I didn't like the way she told the story. Large chunks of the book include monologues on the wars and backstories of the contemporary characters. There isn't a lot of actual storytelling in this novel and I really didn't like the way the little bit of fiction was fit in. You think you know the story of Pride and Prejudice, but there are some major differences between the "real life"Garrison/Lacey romance and the story as told by Jane Austen, so Maggie and the reader, are left wondering whether the real people actually were the models for the novel. The truth is eventually revealed. As if the stories within a story, isn't complicated enough, Maggie has her own romantic dilemma to solve. The subplots are incredibly hard to follow as they skip around in time and involve an extraordinary amount of people. It would have been nice to have a family tree and a list of characters because I kept forgetting who the characters were. Because the story is told in a disconnected way, I had a hard time getting into it and feeling anything for the characters. I was mainly interested the the story behind Pride and Prejudice and didn't care about the rest. It was mostly unnecessary. A lot of the history is not needed because it doesn't move the story along. If I wanted a history, I would have picked up a textbook or non-fiction tome. I did start to feel for Maggie in the last third of the book, once her love story became the focus. I could identify with wanting to move away from a small town and wanted her to succeed and be happy. I could also somewhat relate to the religious and ethnic prejudices. The twists and turns of her love triangle are a but surprising. More time is spent with one love interest over the other and drags the story out way too much. I was surprised by some of the events in her story but not surprised at who she chose in the end. For me, the romance wasn't very satisfying because the conclusion comes rather suddenly. Then, there's more plot that just made me want to give up on the book. I decided to push on and finish even though it was very late. I also disliked the number of mistakes in the character names. It was confusing enough to think of the characters from Pride and Prejudice as real people and to have the author confuse them and use the wrong name made it more difficult. For those who want to know: there are some love scenes but only one is depicted a bit too much. This review is nearly as long as the book, so I would recommend parts of the book but would not advise reading every word. Skip most of the first half, read only about the Garrisons and Laceys, skip ahead to the last third and ignore the rest. Janeites will enjoy the story behind the story, Downton Abbey fans will love the World War I romance and history buffs will eat up every single detail of the history in this story.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

A Season of Surprises by Rebecca Ashley -- Regency Romance

Miss Julia Weston is on the shelf and happy about it. She would far rather write her observations of Society in her journals and hunt for a husband, but her Aunt Sophie has other ideas. Sophie decides that Julia and the Marquess of Brandon would make a fine couple and wrangles an invitation to his country home from his aunt, Lady Sayde. There's only one problem - Julia can't stand Lord Brandon! She thinks he's rude, condescending and insufferable. Their few previous meetings have not been enjoyable at all. Also attending the house party are the beautiful Vanessa and her matronly sister, the sweet but dim-witted Christy and her title-hunting mother. The visit is a disaster from the start. Lord Brandon has eyes only for Vanessa, Lady Sayde appears to be senile and enjoys singling out Julia with her outrageous comments and Julia overhears Lord Brandon accuse her of being a spy! Julia would pack her bags and leave at once if it were not for the kind librarian, Mr. Brixham. To make matters worse, Julia's friend Lord Anthony Devon shows up and becomes friendly with Lord Brandon and sides with him against her friendship with Mr. Brixham. Julia is determined to show Lord Brandon that she's her own woman and far superior to Vanessa. Why should she care what he thinks? There's no chance she will ever marry such an arrogant man! This story is told entirely from Julia's viewpoint and the romance is a bit lacking in the courtship department. She is an unusual, modern character and one with whom I could easily identify. I could see myself acting just like Julia in the same situation. I do wish that the story was also told from Lord Brandon's point-of-view because we never really get to know the real him. It's hard to tell what he's thinking and feeling when all the reader knows is Julia's impressions of him. Lady Sayde and Anthony provide comic relief while the other young ladies are fairly stereotypical characters. The plot drags a bit in the middle and finishes up too quickly and randomly. I had hoped for more character development before the story came to a close. I liked it well enough but it doesn't hold a candle to Georgette Heyer's similar plots. It is a nice light read and perfectly clean. There are exactly three kisses and nothing else beyond kissing.

Water Song : A Retelling of "The Frog Prince" (Once Upon a Time) by Suzanne Weyn -- Young Adult Historical Fiction

Miss Emma Winthrop, a proper English young lady, has found herself on the Western front of the Great War (WWI). Trapped in her family's country home in Belgium with only two old caretakers for company, Emma is at a loss. She dreams of her father to come and take her home. When she receives a shocking letter from her crush, she can only think to rid herself of the picture she placed in her locket by tossing it down the well. However, the locket was a family heirloom and contains something more precious than photographs. Jack Verde is an American wanderer, signed on to fight for the British. Separated from his unit, he struggles to survive the deadly poison gas the Germans have unleashed on the allies. Jack knows the only way to survive is to hold his breath. Luckily for him, he's a champion swimmer and has Louisiana magic on his side. Struggling to rescue a young soldier from his unit, he finds himself blindly stumbling towards safety, which he finds in the bottom of a well. When Emma discovers Jack at the bottom of the well, she thinks him an ugly frog, but learns that he can retrieve her locket for her. Unfortunately, they're captured by the Germans and held prisoner in her home. Jack promises to get her locket if she will give him a kiss. Horrified at the idea, Jack amends his demands to friendship. Emma promises, hoping to be rid of Jack and of the Germans soon and get home to England. With a little help from his mother's spirit, Jack learns to have courage and faith in love. As battle rages on and more Germans take over the manor, Emma and Jack find their lives in danger. They have to trust each other in order to survive. This is a realistic retelling of a little-known fairy tale. The details of World War I are incredibly realistic. The plot is fast paced and danger filled. I couldn't put it down. The ending is a bit rushed, especially the epilogue. I think there should have been a sequel to develop the characters and their relationship a bit better but overall this is a really interesting novel that will appeal to teens and adults.

What I've Read This Week

What I've Read This Week . . .

Incognito by Suzanne Allain -- Regency Romance

Years ago, Lady Smithfrield and an old friend, the Duchess of Alford, planned a match between their eldest children but with the death of the Duchess, Lady Smithfield assumed the match was off. Lady Smithfield and her two daughters have had to economize since the death of her husband. Lady Smithfield is laboring under the misapprehension that they are quite poor and is out to find a wealthy husband for her beautiful eldest daughter Lydia. Then the Duke writes to say the match is still on and his son will be visiting shortly to meet Lydia and see if they suit. Lady Smithfield is delighted and can't wait to brag to all her friends. Lydia is less than thrilled for her heart belongs to the vicar though she is unsure of his feelings. Ever the dutiful daughter, Lydia feels she must be a martyr and sacrifice herself. Her more practical younger sister Emily decides that her sister would never make a good Duchess and should marry the vicar before the Marquess of Wesleigh arrives and then the Marquess can marry Emily instead. Emily longs for a life beyond their sleepy village even if it means marrying an unknown Marquess to do it. Alexander Eaton, Lord Wesleigh enjoys his bachelor life in London but his father is fed him with Alexander's youthful exploits. When informs Alexander of his betrothal to Lydia, Alexander is furious at being treated like a child. Finally he decides to head to Stonehurst incognito to determine whether Miss Smithfield can love him for himself. Posing as a penniless curate, Alexander befriends the spirited Emily and helps her with her matchmaking scheme. Unexpected complications arise and Alexander is certain he's found his true love but fears she can never love him. This book is in the style of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer and readers of those two wonderful authors will recognize many of the characters, dialogue and even plot elements of this book. I also really liked the main characters. Emily is a bit too outspoken to really truly be from the Regency era though. Alex is a great romantic hero, very different from the usual rakes. The secondary characters are all stock characters. Lady Smithfield is a copy of Mrs. Dashwood from Sense and Sensibility. The story is told rather than shown and it reads like fan fiction. I enjoyed the plot, which was amusing in parts and the book isn't bad for a first novel but don't expect this to be mistaken for another Georgette Heyer novel.

Without Warning Ellen's Story 1914-1918 by Dennis Hamley -- Young Adult Historical Fiction

Sixteen-year-old Ellen Wilkins is a working class girl living in a small English village at the outbreak of World War I. Her brother enthusiastically enlists and the family must learn to cope without his wages. Ellen seeks employment from retired Col. Cripps, a former war hero. Her father resents the fact that she has to ask for a job from a "toff" but Ellen finds the Colonel kind and sympathetic. Though he is unable to offer her a job, their meeting changes Ellen's life forever. As the war drags on and tragedy strikes, Ellen learns how to cope and realizes what she wants out of life. She has to find the courage to leave behind the world she knows and enter a new and vastly different one. This is a coming-of-age novel told in the first person. It reads almost like a diary because the action is told to the reader by Ellen. My biggest complaint with the novel is that the story is told more than shown. It reads like a history lesson in places where it departs from Ellen's main storyline. The plot is interesting but gets rather melodramatic at times. I found myself rooting for Ellen though and couldn't put the book down. The story holds nothing back as far as the atrocities of war and is a bit gruesome. I do not recommend this book for younger readers and those who might be sensitive. I would recommend it to high school history teachers and to those who liked Remembrance by Theresa Breslin.

What I've Read Lately

What I've Read Lately . . .

Robin by Frances Hodgson Burnett -- Historical Romance

This romantic drama by the author of A Little Princess and The Secret Garden takes place during WWI in a rapidly changing England where all the charm and beauty of the world seems to be disappearing. Lost in their own bubble of love, Robin and Donal Muir are elated to find each other again after being parted after their first meeting as children about 15 years earlier. Robin is the lonely only child of an uncaring mother, who upon the death of her husband, accepted financial support from the elderly Head of the House of Coombe. Assuming that Robin's mother is the mistress of the Marquis, other mothers did not allow their children to play with Robin. A chance meeting with a strange boy in the garden while her nanny wasn't paying attention introduced Robin to her one true love. Donal loved Robin instantly and wanted to protect her. He promised to return the next day but his mother cruelly whisked him away. Robin and Donal meet again at a house party given by Robin's employer, the Dowager Duchess of Darte. Donal is instantly smitten with Robin and she never stopped worshiping him. The two find ways to be together and romance blooms as if the pair were lost in a bubble of love. The world is at war however, and the love bubble bursts cruelly when Donal marches off to war and is missing, presumed dead. Robin's world is shattered and she feels as if life can not go on. It must though, for the sake of her unborn child. Robin discovers a beautiful, sacred thing that helps her get through long and dark nights. This book explores the powers of mysticism. Apparently this is a sequel to a book called The Head of the House of Coombe. One does not have to read the first to follow the plot of this book. I really wanted to like this novel because I love her children's books, but I just couldn't like it. It was very slow in the beginning and hard to get in to. I couldn't stand Robin who is far too selfless and innocent for me to relate to or like. I prefer heroines with some backbone. Donal is also quite silly and not a very strong hero. I have a hard time believing the mystic elements. The combination of innocent, doe-eyed heroine plus mysticism was just too much for me. If you like Eva Ibbotson's adult romance novels then you will probably like this one.

Snowflake Kittens by Carola Dunn, Mona Gedney, Valerie King -- Regency Romance novellas 

In "A Kiss and a Kitten" by Carola Dunn, Miss Mariana Duckworth is enjoying her new home in the country, despite the fact that the locals don't seem very friendly. She loves working in her garden. Her little Golden Retriever provides company and that's all she needs to get by. When Damian Perricourt returns from the wars after the death of his brother, he spies Mariana working in her garden and wonders who the improper female is. Though he finds her attractive, he's convinced she must be hiding something, or why else live alone? He convinces his mother to befriend her and Mariana becomes friendly with Mrs. Perricourt and her two young grandchildren who live with her. Damian, however, remains aloof, until a near-tragedy involving his niece's kitten helps break the ice. This is not Carola Dunn's best story. Her hero and heroine are boring. The romance happens too quickly and unrealistically. Damian acts like a royal jerk for most of the story that when he finally unbends it doesn't seem realistic. This story could have benefited from a few more chapters.

"A Feline Affair" by Mona Gedney is the second novella. Graham Livingstone is on his way to his brother's country home where Robert has lived like a hermit these last two years. Robert had his heart broken when his fiance Marian Piercey jilted him. He believes her to be a jaded fortune hunter. Graham thinks otherwise, which is why he's on his way to visit his brother even though it will put him in close proximity to a Miss Alyce Brightman, a lady who schemes to marry him. Graham hasn't counted on his brother's heart being minded by moldy old Roman ruins just when Graham is about to reunite Robert and Marian! Marian and her mother arrive for a visit and Robert wants nothing to do with them. Meanwhile, Graham has troubles of his own. A raggedy ginger cat has made herself at home on his bed and she insists on bringing him presents of jewels that do not belong to him! Marian pitches in to help solve the mystery and unknowingly, Ginger brings Marian and Graham closer than they had ever dreamed. This is another rushed romance which could benefit from more chapters. I liked the mystery but not the romance. Marian seems nice though we never really get to know her. Graham is a bit boring. He cares more for his clothes and his bachelor status than anything else, including Ginger, at least at first. He does grow throughout the story but it just doesn't seem very much like something that could actually happen.

In "Much Ado About Kittens" Lord Cherriton and Grace Haverstock are competing to see who can marry first. Whoever does will gain full guardianship of their orphaned nieces. The only problem is that Cherriton's fiance Lady Hilary Beaford won't set a date! Grace's fiance, Mr. Mollant, also continually puts off the wedding. Cherriton wonders whether he'll ever be married and gain custody of his beloved nieces. Cherriton takes Lady Hilary to his Aunt and Uncle Plymtree's home where Elizabeth and Emma reside with their Aunt Grace. The girls are to perform a series of plays with their kittens. The subjects of the plays hit a little too close to home for Cherriton and Grace. Once they were passionately in love but Grace blamed Cherriton for the accident that robbed them of their siblings and the previous Lord Cherriton. Lady Hilary and Mr. Mollant don't seem to care for cats or for children. The girls know that their guardians are making the wrong choices but can they, and their adorable kittens, convince the adults of their mistakes? This story sweet and heartwarming. Though it was extremely predictable, the plot seemed realistic. I liked Grace and Cherriton and they had good chemistry. I also adored Aunt and Uncle Plymtree. The children and their cats were a little too cutesy for my taste but not terribly so. I liked this novella the best of the three.