strange and random happenstance

Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night by Lauren Willig
Published by: Amazon
Publication Date: July 25th, 2011
Format: Kindle, 14 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Turnip and Arabella are tra la la-ing their way to Parva Magna. They have just been married from Girdings, with the Dowager Duchess of Dovevale as witness no less, and Turnip is taking his hours old bride home. There's only one problem. It's started to snow. A lot. Then there was a fork in the road. They chose the wrong road. Things are looking bleak when they spot a barn. This wasn't the wedding night Turnip wanted for Arabella but at least she won't freeze to death. Especially as she's so industrious she uses all the warm bricks and blankets Turnip had enrobed her in for the ride to make a fire and a bed. And that's the worst part. Hay could technically be construed as a bed, or at least a bed in it's composite parts. Turnip wanted a real bed and a roaring fire for his bride's first time. He didn't want to have to keep running out of the barn and sticking his head in a snowbank just to bank the flames of his own desires. At the rate things are going he's going to actually have to freeze his limbs to keep them away from Arabella. But Arabella is also feeling the flames of desire. Turnip working up a sweat while chopping wood, eventually with the correct end of the ax, was almost more than she could bare. His shirt clinging to his well toned body has her ready for her wedding night, even if it is in a barn. Plus, Turnip has always had a thing for milkmaids, it seems almost destiny that a Christmas romance would end in a barn. Plus, the barn is so comfortable, who could object to them staying other than his sister Sally and his valet Gerkin?

The books in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation oeuvre have never shied away from having a little sexy sexy in them. In fact, Lauren herself has said that when writing her first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, she was under the delusion she was writing a romance, not historical fiction. So there's a little steamy, a little sexy sexy, in boats no less! As each of the succeeding volumes came out there where varying degrees of steam, some, like The Mischief of the Mistletoe, nary a naked body in sight. There was some steamy kissing, but fully clothed, drat those clothes, and a desk, and everything else that got in their way, including puddings. The Mischief of the Mistletoe with Turnip Fitzhugh has become my favorite book Lauren has written and it has easily made itself mandatory Christmas reading. Some people might say though we where denied the wedding night, being only given the "happily ever after." Well, at the RITA awards she had stuck a bargain to write Turnip's "Amorous Addendum" if she won. And she won. This chapter picks up after Turnip has hastily married Arabella before even leaving Girdings, he doesn't want her coming to her senses, and he valiantly heads forth into an oncoming blizzard. The blizzard that makes them lost and snowbound, but luckily there's a barn. And nice warm hay... And of course, pudding. You can imagine there's much sexy sexy, but Turnip being Turnip, there's prevarication and talking and much jumping into snowbanks and finally, she doth stop his mouth with a kiss. Despite the steam, this was nothing but sweet. Even if Sally would disagree. They ate the entire hamper of food that she was looking forward to! And Gerkin is despondent about Turnip's coat.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Very Turnip Wedding Night, Amorous Addendum, Arabella Dempsey, Away in a Manger, Barn, Blizzard, Christmas, Girdings, Lauren Willig, Pudding, Regency Romp, RITA, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: October 28th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Arabella Dempsey has been thrown back onto the bosom of her family. Her Aunt has made a bit of a to-do, marrying a man closer in age to her niece than herself, who might have been a little too close to her niece's heart. Arabella's years being raised as her Aunt's companion and nominal heiress have been brushed aside with one wedding vow. She must now return to her family, whom she barely knows, and be a burden on their already strained income. But Arabella is determined to make her way in the world and not go back to be her Aunt's lapdog while the man she loves can never be hers. She is for teaching. Which, according to her old family friend Jane, should really be reconsidered. Has she ever even seen the inside of an all girls school? But Arabella is hired by Miss Climpson, of Miss Climpson's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, and promptly bowled over by one Mr. Reginald Fitzhugh, Turnip to his friends. Turnip has been at the school visiting his sister Sally and her new very "peculiar" particular friends, Lizzy Reid and Agnes Wooliston, who replace the now shunned Catherine Carruthers, she did take Sally's most favorite ribbons after all. Turnip quickly realizes that being in a small room with three very rambunctious teenagers is the last place he wants to be, let alone in a building full of them. Taking the proffered Christmas Pudding, he walks out the door and straight into Miss Dempsey. Despite having met her many a time on the dance floors of the ton Turnip has no memory of this slightly begrimed girl. But then again, Arabella and him never quite occupied the same side of the dance floor, she being more there to wait on her aunt and balance out the numbers. Turnip, always the cheerful gentleman, profusely apologizes and takes his leave of her and his Christmas Pudding. Arabella rushes after Mr. Fitzhugh with his forgotten Pudding only to be attacked by a man outside the school desperate for the pudding. After Mr. Fitzhugh once again picks Miss Demspey out of the gutter, she does have a talent for falling at his feet, they find the deuced oddest thing. A secret message in the pudding! Well, written on the pudding's muslin wrapper to be precise. The message says to meet at Farley Castle, where there is to be a Frost Fair the next day. In a time of spies and the terrors in France, secret messages in puddings are not to be taken lightly, even in all girls schools. Especially if those messages are written in French! But hopefully with an earnest and loving root vegetable all will turn out just as it should, with a kiss under the mistletoe.

Rarely has a book made me smile from ear to ear and laugh aloud as I have reading after reading of The Mischief of the Mistletoe. Loosely based on the skeleton of the story The Watsons by Jane Austen, Lauren has taken Austen and amped it up to farce level in the best possible of ways. She has taken Austen, and dare I say, improved it for a modern audience. Austen, while humorous, has a staid and classical voice to her narration, while Willig lets her characters loose, losing hair pins and perhaps their reputations in the process in a hilarious page turner that isn't above adding in a few modern Blackadder references. The hero of the hour, while, according to Willig, is based on Bertie Wooster, is perhaps the most lovable root vegetable hero in history, even if this means you start confusing Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, I can't but help love Turnip more than Bertie and Hugh. Sorry Hugh! He may not be smart, he doesn't overthink things, but he has the biggest heart to match the biggest smile, that you will find yourself sporting one as you race towards his happy ending. While fans of Willig love that Turnip finally got the girl, despite his overly florid taste in waistcoats, I have to say, that I think this novel could easily stand alone. In fact it's the one I pick up most often as a reread, especially around the holidays because I can't get enough of the world Lauren has created, and in particular, Turnip. I want to have young adult novels of the three little sisters. I want to know if Turnip and Arabella ever decided to try some Strawberry jam to replace the standard Raspberry. And I need to know why Sally is scared of chickens. Austen created a memorable world, but each of her six novels are in a rarefied and finite world, whereas the world is messy. Love has complications and pudding and torn sleeves and missed moments and kisses that could have been. All of this needs mess with the tears and the joy, and Austen might not be messy enough to reflect how life is. Not that we still don't get the fairy tale ending, as Austen was wont to do, but the ride is a little more boisterous, as Deanna Raybourn said, it's "frothy with an edge of cynicism."

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Arabella Dempsey, Bertie Wooster, Blackadder, Deanna Raybourn, Hugh Laurie, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Pink Carnation, Prince Regent, Regency Romp, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Watsons, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: December 29th, 2005
Format: Paperback, 453 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

After her brother was revealed to be the Purple Gentian, that most elusive of spies thwarting those Frenchies, Henrietta Selwick thought her life would return to normal. Almack's, balls, being seen at all the right parties, and having her brother's faithful best friend, Miles Dorrington, at her elbow, preferably with a glass of lemonade. But while everyone else gets to engage in espionage she's been forced onto the sidelines once too often and she leaps at the chance to correspond in code with the Pink Carnation, Jane Wooliston, her cousin by marriage. Because, while her brother Richard and his new wife Amy are "technically" out of the spying game, opening a spy school in your house kind of defeats the purpose, and having something little, even if it's these letters and her contact in the ribbon shop, it makes Henrietta feel special. But she fails to realize how special she is, and not just to Miles, but to a deadly French spy with the name of the Black Tulip. Hen is that most coveted of clues, the little sister to the Purple Gentian, and perhaps a link to the Pink Carnation. But who could the Black Tulip be? That spy has been out of action for so long that when a murder is committed behind Lord Vaughn's house the War Office goes into a tizzy at the calling card left behind. Could this spy actually be Lord Vaughn? That slippery and seductive fellow with silver snakes on his waistcoat who has just returned from a long sojourn on the continent? If he isn't said spy, then why is he so fascinated with Hen? But spies are only one thing Henrietta has to deal with. Miles seems not as Miles like lately. It all started with that mysterious Marquise de Montval, she of the blue black hair and flawless beauty, despite her age. Miles has been seen once too often with her, even if he was seen through the shrubberies by a not very well concealed Hen and entourage... They thought the green clothing would help to camouflage themselves. But could Hen's irritation with Miles be more of a romantic nature? Does she stand a chance against this Marquise or should she just resign herself to being killed by the Black Tulip? Meanwhile, back in the present, Eloise is put off and turned on by a certain descendant of the Purple Gentian named Colin. Boys, no matter what time period, are such an annoying mystery, it's so much easier dealing with deadly Napoleonic Spies with flowery names.

The second book in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series sees us leaving the shores of France and venturing into that most dangerous of territories, the London ton at the height of the season. I grudgingly admit, even to my friend Marie whose favorite book in the series this is, that when I first read it it was not my favorite, despite being more like a Jane Austen story than the previous installment, dealing less with espionage and more with friendships. I felt the ending and the reveal of the Black Tulip lacked something and was on the verge of French farce. But if the reveal didn't sit well with me, as Lauren recently revealed, it didn't sit well with her either. The Marquise was too ineffectual to actually be the Black Tulip. Thankfully Lauren was able to rectify this in later installments and therefore my reservations have been removed. Because if there is one truth universally acknowledged by fans of the Pink Carnation series it's that Miles and Henrietta are everyone's favorite couple. Those ginger biscuits, that floppy lock of hair, Bunny the Bunny, they all hold a revered status among us fans that they almost verge on holy relics. But to me, the joy in this book lies within all the subtle characterizations of their friends on the periphery, friends who eventually stepped forward and got their own stories. But besides Hen's two best friends, Penelope and Charlotte, who make their first appear, there are three characters without whom this book would mean nothing to me. Those three characters are Turnip, Lord Vaughn, and the Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Turnip is a true fop with his over the top embroidered waistcoats. A man who is not afraid to show his allegiance to the Pink Carnation and whose attire leads him into a spot of bother. Lord Vaughn, ah, you seductive, enigmatic man. You are only looking out for yourself and I love you for it and for the images of James Purefoy in Regency garb you bring to mind. You literally steal every scene you are in. Finally, last but not least, because I don't want to be harmed, The Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Scourge of the ballrooms and impudent young men. She is a force to be reckoned with. My favorite scene? While at a fancy dress ball she confiscates Penelope's spear from her Boadicea costume and uses it to poke people with. Pure, priceless, and wonderful.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: French Spies, Henrietta Selwick, James Purefoy, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Lord Vaughn, Miles Dorrington, Pink Carnation, Regency Romp, The Black Tulip, The Masque of the Black Tulip, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla (Pink Carnation Book 11) by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL Trade
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 496 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Sally Fitzhugh spent all her time at Lady Climpson's Select Seminary dreaming of the day when she would leave Bath and get to go to all the society balls she could wish for instead of figuring out new and ingenious ways to get out of doing homework. Adventure is right outside those Seminary walls, but perhaps it's not all it's cracked up to be. Sally has been out a year and she never thought the time would come when she would be bored with this life she dreamed of. But everything has not gone according to plan. As soon as she left the Seminary her two best friends, Agnes and Lizzy, were involved in a grand cross-country caper and she was at just another boring ball. If things couldn't get worse the silly people of the ton are enraptured with Lizzy's step-mother's book, The Convent of Orsino, and a vampire craze has engulfed the little season in October. The mania might have played itself out if not for the fact there is a member of the ton that perfectly embodies the vampiric ideal. He's moody, he's broody, he's been away for years, he's an enigma to everyone, he's the Duke of Belliston.

All the rumors of vampires and the occult are swirling around the newly returned Duke. Absent from England since the death of his parents years prior all the rumors of anything supernatural comes to rest on his shoulders. He is the perfect vampire, or so everyone is saying. Everyone but Sally. She thinks it all too silly and is far more interested in the fact that Agnes and Lizzy are now out and perhaps they will enliven this dreary season. Only since their adventures after Sally left the seminary the trio is more a duo and Sally is feeling distinctly left out. At another interminable party abutting the regal home of the Duke of Belliston Sally takes a dare to walk across the dormant gardens over to his house. Boredom and the assumption that she won't be caught make Sally rash and she strides straight into Lucien, the Duke himself. Events soon transpire to thrust these two together on a more daily basis... but is this relationship something the two of them might secretly hope for? Could Sally fall for a supposed vampire?

If you've never met Lauren, she's this little pepperpot of energy powered by caffeine that talks a mile a minute from topics ranging from the sex lives of socialites in Kenya to Cary Elwes in Ella Enchanted to her high school debates. She exudes such a fun and vibrant energy that her happiness and far ranging interests are contagious. While being a writer of historical fiction, she is, in my mind, the exact opposite of the more staid and reserved "traditional" historical fiction authors out there, ahem Philippa Gregory. The reason for this character study is that Lauren's bubbly enthusiasm carries over to her books. Lauren has the research and the facts down, she has the academic and scholarly aspects of Gregory, but it's her enthusiasm that makes her books so much more than a well written piece of historical fiction. Lauren's books are fun because she brings herself into the equation, perhaps a little more in this volume with the fate of her modern day protagonist, Eloise, who is researching Sally and Lucien. She loves her characters and her stories with such zeal that you are carried along with her on a reading adventure that you won't forget.

Lauren doesn't take herself too seriously and she is able to have fun with the historical genre while deftly skewering it at the same time with wordplay and modern nudges and winks. Though the theatre major in me had a major chuckle over the "renaming" of Sheridan's The School for Scandal as The Tutelage of Scandal, it's really vampire literature that is most lovingly lambasted in The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla. Just the idea that Miss Gwen, that bane of all young gentleman with her pointy parasol, would be the Stephenie Meyer of her day is a hoot. Miss Gwen not only has the ton in a virtual vampire frenzy, but she even has sparkly vampires, with Lauren creating parodies on so many levels, from what it is to be an author, to an author's fanbase, all the way to all the different vampire iterations over the centuries, that you can't help but fall for this book. This 19th century Twilight-Mania is far more entertaining than the actual Twilight-Mania was. Add to this the references to Monty Python's Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch and to The Princess Bride, Lauren's willingness to takes liberties will make you smile inside and want to hold onto this series forever.

Looking back on the penultimate entry in Lauren's Pink Carnation series, I can't help but mourn the loss in my life of a new volume every year. The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla is such a strong entry in this series that while I know it's best to go out on top, with all the vampire and Gothic goodness, but the ending was bittersweet because Lauren just keeps developing as a writer and I will always long to know what happens next. She has been able to avoid many of the pitfalls of long running series by having each book be some offshoot of the first volume. Main characters will reappear, but never in more then background rolls, while the previous background characters take center stage. I love Sally Fitzhugh taking center stage, and yes, that's because I have a great love for all the Fitzhughs. But beyond that Sally is such an interesting character (but let's not talk about the chickens) with an indomitable will for one so young. And I know I can go back and re-read this series over and over again, but it's not the same. Though Lauren hasn't stopped writing, with her standalone books she is almost a more serious writer. I want a little more of the goofiness of Sally and a little less serious authoress.

And it's the events Sally is thrust into that really gripped me. Because at the heart of all the Napoleonic spies and secret leagues, the core of this book is a murder mystery, with a random attack stoat. While the spy angle of this series has always been important, the truth is, spies aren't for everyone. I think this volume will have a wider appeal than previous ones because of the apparent murder/suicide of the Duke of Belliston's parents. This mystery gave the book a greater urgency and made me devour it at a most rapacious rate. Years ago now I remember there was a debate as to whether the modern sections with Eloise might be phased out. I was a strong proponent of keeping the feisty American researching Napoleonic spies. But looking at this book and thinking about recommending it to others, I wonder, with Eloise's story needing the previous volumes in order to be understood, maybe this volume could be released without the modern interludes, much as Sally's brother's story, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, was. I just want more people to pick up this book and this series! I want everyone to see that vampires, and romance, and the Regency era, while you might not think it's for you, it so totally could be.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Going Gothic, Historical Fiction, Lauren Willig, Philippa Gregory, Pink Carnation, Sally Fitzhugh, The Convent of Orsino, The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla, The Princess Bride, Turnip Fitzhugh, Vampires

The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla (Pink Carnation Book 11) by Lauren Willig
ARC Provided by the Publisher
Published by: NAL Trade
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 496 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Sally Fitzhugh spent all her time at Lady Climpson's Select Seminary dreaming of the day when she would leave Bath and get to go to all the balls she could wish for instead of trying to get out of doing homework. Sally has been out a year and she never thought the time would come when she would be bored with this life she dreamed of. If things couldn't get worse the silly people of the ton are enraptured with Sally's friend Lizzy's step-mother's book, The Convent of Orsino, and a vampire craze has engulfed the little season this October. All the rumors of vampires and the occult are swirly around the newly returned Duke of Belliston. He has been absent since the death of his parents years prior and seems the perfect vampire, or so everyone is saying. Sally isn't one of them.

Sally was hoping that the arrival of her two dearest friends, Lizzy and Agnes, would enliven things, but their trio is now more a duo and Sally is feeling distinctly left out. At a party abutting the regal home of the Duke of Belliston, Sally takes a dare to walk over to his house, bored and assuming she won't be caught she strides straight into Lucien, the Duke himself. Events soon transpire to thrust these two together on a more daily basis... but is this relationship something the two of them might secretly hope for? Could Sally fall for a supposed vampire?

If you've never met Lauren, she's this little pepperpot of energy powered by caffeine that talks a mile a minute from topics ranging from the sex lives of socialites in Kenya to Cary Elwes in Ella Enchanted to her high school debates. She exudes such a fun and vibrant energy that her happiness and far ranging interests are contagious. While being a writer of historical fiction she is, in my mind, the exact opposite of the more staid and reserved "traditional" historical fiction authors out there, ahem Philippa Gregory. The reason for the comparison is that Lauren's bubbly enthusiasm carries over to her books. Lauren has the research and the facts down, she has the academic and scholarly aspects of Gregory, but it's her enthusiasm that makes her books so much more then a well written piece of historical fiction. Lauren's books are fun because she brings herself into the equation, perhaps a little more in this volume with Eloise's fate. She loves her characters and her stories with such zeal that you are carried along with her on a reading adventure that you won't forget.

Lauren doesn't take herself too seriously and she is able to have fun with the historical genre while deftly skewering it at the same time with wordplay and modern nudges and winks. Though the theatre major in me had a major chuckle over the "renaming" of Sheridan's The School for Scandal as The Tutelage of Scandal, it's really vampire literature that is most lovingly lambasted in The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla. Just the idea that Miss Gwen, that bane of all young gentleman with her pointy parasol, would be the Stephenie Meyer of her day is a hoot. But that Miss Gwen not only has the ton in a virtual vampire frenzy, but that she even has sparkly vampires, that Lauren is creating parodies on so many levels, from what it is to be an author, to an author's fanbase, all the way to all the different vampire iterations over the centuries, that you can't help but fall for this book. Add to that references to Monty Python's Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, to The Princess Bride, Lauren's willingness to takes liberties will make you smile inside and want to hold onto this series forever.

The fact that The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla is such a strong entry in the Pink Carnation series means that next year when the final volume, The Lure of the Moonflower, is published the ending will be bittersweet because Lauren just keeps developing as a writer. Lauren has been able to avoid many of the pitfalls of long running series by having each book be some offshoot of the first volume. Main characters will reappear, but never in more then background rolls, while the previous background characters take center stage. I love Sally Fitzhugh taking center stage, and yes, that's because I have a great love for all the Fitzhughs. But beyond that she is such an interesting character (but let's not talk about the chickens) with an indomitable will for one so young.

Though it's the events Sally is thrust into that really gripped me. Because at the heart of all the Napoleonic spies and secret leagues, the core of this book is a murder mystery, with a random attack stoat. While the spy angle has always been important, the truth is, spies aren't for everyone. I think this volume will have a wider appeal then previous ones because of the apparent murder/suicide of the Duke of Belliston's parents. This mystery gave the book a greater urgency and made me devour it at a most rapacious rate. Come next year I don't know what I shall do once I finish reading that final volume... luckily until then I will occupy myself with re-reading all the books with The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla being one of the highlights.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Historical Fiction, Lauren Willig, Miss Gwen, Philippa Gregory, Pink Carnation, Sally Fitzhugh, The Convent of Orsino, The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla, The Princess Bride, Turnip Fitzhugh, Vampires

The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL Trade
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Paperback, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest Pink Carnation novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig, rumors spreading among the ton turn deadly as a young couple unites to solve a mystery....

In October of 1806, the Little Season is in full swing, and Sally Fitzhugh has had enough of the endless parties and balls. With a rampant vampire craze sparked by the novel The Convent of Orsino, it seems no one can speak of anything else. But when Sally hears a rumor that the reclusive Duke of Belliston is an actual vampire, she cannot resist the challenge of proving such nonsense false. At a ball in Belliston Square, she ventures across the gardens and encounters the mysterious Duke.

Lucien, Duke of Belliston, is well versed in the trouble gossip can bring. He’s returned home to dispel the rumors of scandal surrounding his parents’ deaths, which hint at everything from treason to dark sorcery. While he searches for the truth, he welcomes his fearsome reputation—until a woman is found dead in Richmond. Her blood drained from her throat.

Lucien and Sally join forces to stop the so-called vampire from killing again. Someone managed to get away with killing the last Duke of Belliston. But they won’t kill this duke—not if Sally has anything to say about it."

Yet another stellar book in this series. I adored the murder mystery aspect of it. Review to come tomorrow!

Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James
Published by: Berkley Trade
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Paerback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fifteen-year-old Jane Austen dreams of three things: doing something useful, writing something worthy, and falling madly in love. When she visits her brother in Kent to celebrate his engagement, she meets wealthy, devilishly handsome Edward Taylor—a fascinating young man who is truly worthy of her affections. Jane knows a match between her and Edward is unlikely, but every moment she spends with him makes her heart race—and he seems to return her interest. Much to her displeasure, however, there is another seeking his attention.

Unsure of her budding relationship, Jane seeks distraction by attempting to correct the pairings of three other prospective couples. But when her matchmaking aspirations do not all turn out as anticipated, Jane discovers the danger of relying on first impressions. The human heart cannot be easily deciphered, nor can it be directed or managed. And if others must be left to their own devices in matters of love and matrimony, can Jane even hope to satisfy her own heart?"

More Jane, more Syrie, yeah!

Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen
Published by: Berkley Hardcover
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lady Georgiana Rannoch, thirty-fifth in line for the British throne, knows how to play the part of an almost royal—but now she’s off to Hollywood, where she must reprise her role as sleuth or risk starring in an all-too-convincing death scene…

My mother, the glamorous and much-married actress, is hearing wedding bells once again—which is why she must hop across the pond for a quickie divorce in Reno. To offer my moral support, and since all expenses are paid by her new hubby-to-be, Max, I agree to make the voyage with her.

Crossing the Atlantic, with adventure in the air and wealthy men aboard, Mother all but forgets about Max and matrimony—especially when movie mogul Cy Goldman insists on casting her in his next picture.

Meanwhile, I find myself caught up in the secret investigation of a suspected jewel thief. Lucky for me, the lead investigator happens to be my dashing beau, Darcy!

Mother’s movie and Darcy’s larceny lead everyone to Cy’s Hollywood home, where the likes of Charlie Chaplin are hanging about and there’s enough romantic intrigue to fill a double feature. But we hardly get a chance to work out the sleeping arrangements before Cy turns up dead—as if there wasn’t enough drama already…"

I'm a little behind here... still haven't gotten the last book, doh.

The Grump Guide to Life Observations by Grumpy Cat
Published by: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: August 5th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In a world filled with inspirational know-it-alls and quotable blowhards, only one figure is indifferent enough to tell the cranky truth: Grumpy Cat. Following the success of her New York Times bestselling debut, everyone's favorite disgruntled feline is back with this demotivational guide to everyday life, love, friendship, and more. Featuring many new photos of Grumpy Cat's famous frown and packed with uninspiring observations, The Grumpy Guide to Life will help anyone get in touch with their inner grouch."

This will be my new book to live by!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Grumpy Cat, Her Royal Spyness, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Pink Carnation, Rhys Bowen, Sally Fitzhugh, Syrie James, The Mark of the Midnight Manzanilla, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
ARC Provided by Dutton
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: February 16th, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
There's only so many times you can throw yourself at someones feet till you start to fall for the owner of said feet. Augustus has been throwing himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation for some time now. Working with her as an undercover agent in Paris and using his horrible poetry to foil the French has made him invaluable to the British, but really, he only wants to be invaluable to one person; Jane, the Pink Carnation. Despite his flowery poetry that goes beyond the ridiculous, his sentiments of love are becoming more and more true. Jane though does not share these sentiments. She would gladly play matchmaker though.

Emma Delagardie is an American living in Paris. She spent most of her life in France, going to school with Napoleon's stepdaughter, then marrying a man whom she didn't quite get. Widowed young, she flung herself back into life, even making a few mistakes along the way in the form of Georges Marston. Yet her new favorite pastime is heckling Augustus. She is ever by the side of Jane and Augustus is ever by Jane's feet... he makes a very logical target. Jane thinks though that perhaps Emma's taunting is a deflection of her true feelings for Augustus. Throwing the two of them together to write a masque for Napoleon's house party seems the perfect way to see if these two crazy kids might not find a way to work things out and hopefully foil whatever that wacky emperor is doing next... because declaring himself emperor seems a pretty big step onto the crazy train.

Augustus is perhaps the most beloved character we have been waiting to get his happily ever after. That is after Turnip. I'm sorry Augustus lovers, but Turnip will always be my man, on the plus side, Turnip got his happily ever after so now it's time to spread the love. Ever since this absurd poet flung himself at the feet of the Pink Carnation speculation has been running wild as to whether this would be the man to win the heart of the elusive spy. As is the case in fiction as reality, the course of love never runs smooth. While busy admiring "The Princess of the Pulchritudinous Toes", the Princess's short little American companion heckling him has never left a good impression. She's American, for a start, a little too gaudy, a little too sultry, and a little too much "the Grand Inquisitor for Poetical Excellence, Greater Paris Branch." Emma Delagardie is the perfect foil for Augustus.

Until this book I have always pictured Augustus as one of those over the top, Byronic poets, like Shelley, Byron and Coleridge, but as depicted in Blackadder, laying about prostate in Mrs. Miggins' Coffee Shop half dead of consumption, but with a very puffy shirt on. Never discount the puffy shirt! Aka, a stereotypical poet, which for Augustus is the perfect disguise. Lauren does a wonderful job though of showing what playing this stereotype for so long might do to ones mind. Like all deep undercover agents, sometimes it can be too much, and sometimes you just can't get away from the bad rhymes, even in your head. I felt an empathy towards August and his muddled mind. Are his feelings for Jane even real, or has the job just fully taken over control of his senses. He is far more tragic and dark than one might expect... a true romantic poet, not just some parody.

The bubbly Emma as Augustus' counterpoint was perfect. She too has inside turmoil, but there's an exuberance about her that is undeniable. I kept trying to think of petite blond Americans who could due her justice, seeing as I always cast books in my head for my dream miniseries. I thought Kristen Bell would be good, but for some reason that wouldn't stick. The initial spark in my mind was Bernadette from The Big Bang Theory, and you know what, I think Melissa Rauch is Emma. The way she has that bubbly way of speaking, but then her happy smile can freeze and all of a sudden there is menace and you are very afraid. I think she is Emma. The facade and the interior, the whole shebang if you will. I got a "Bang" joke in, yeah!

The only flaw this book has, which can be said of all the books in this series, is once the couples are paired off, they rarely make a return performance. They are forever relegated to supporting or cameo roles. I think perhaps a sequel or two might one day be in order... the love I have for these characters just can't be contained to one book and then a shout out. Even when the wicked Georges Marston makes a come back, having been MIA since book once, it gives me a thrill. Ah Lauren, you have created a world I love to visit, and a new book once a year is never enough.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Blackadder, Byronic, Lauren Willig, Melissa Rauch, Napoleon, Pink Carnation, Poetry, The Big Bang Theory, The Garden Intrique, Turnip Fitzhugh

Away in a Manger: A Very Turnip Wedding Night by Lauren Willig
Published by: Amazon
Publication Date: July 25th, 2011
Format: Kindle
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy
The books in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation oeuvre have never shied away from having a little sexy sexy in them. In fact, Lauren herself has said that when writing her first book, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, she was under the delusion she was writing a romance, not historical fiction. So there's a little steamy, a little sexy sexy, in boats no less! As each of the succeeding volumes came out there where varying degrees of steam, some, like last years The Mischief of the Mistletoe, nary a naked body in sight. There was some steamy kissing, but fully clothed, drat those clothes, and a desk, and everything else that got in their way, including puddings. The Mischief of the Mistletoe with Turnip Fitzhugh has become my favorite book Lauren has written to date (though she would keep getting better and better, so who knows if Turnip will remain the champion, better start practicing your boxing moves, Arabella likes you fit) and it has easily made itself mandatory Christmas reading. Some people might say though we where denied the wedding night, being only given the "happily ever after." Well, at the RITA awards, which Lauren won at (yeah), she stuck a bargain to write Turnip's "Amorous Addendum."

The short afterward picks up as Turnip has hastily married Arabella before even leaving Girdings, he doesn't want her coming to her senses, and he valiantly heads forth into the oncoming blizzard. The blizzard that makes them lost and snowbound, but luckily there's a barn. And nice warm hay... and of course, pudding. You can imagine there's much sexy sexy, but Turnip being Turnip, there's prevarication and talking and finally, she doth stop his mouth with a kiss. Despite the steam, this was nothing but sweet.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Arabella Dempsey, Lauren Willig, Pink Carnation, RITA Awards, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Mischief of the Mistletoe: A Pink Carnation Christmas by Lauren Willig
Published by: Dutton
ARC Provided by Dutton
Publication Date: October 28th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Challenge: Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★
Recommended for: Anglophiles, Janeites, Knee Breech Buffs, Pudding Praisers, Regency Reverers, Pimpernel Paramours and Turnip Treasurers
To Buy
Arabella Dempsey has been thrown back onto the bosom of her family. Her Aunt has made a bit of a to-do, marrying a man closer in age to her niece, who might have been a little too close to her niece's heart. Arabella's years being raised as her Aunt's companion and nominal heiress have been brushed aside with one wedding vow. She must now return to her family, whom she barely knows, and be a burden on their already strained income. But Arabella is determined to make her way in the world and not go back to be her Aunt's lapdog while the man she loves can never be hers. She is for teaching. Which, according to her old family friend Jane, should really be reconsidered. Has she ever even seen the inside of an all girls school? But she is hired by Miss Climpson, of Miss Climpson's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, and promptly bowled over by one Mr. Reginald Fitzhugh, Turnip to his friends. Turnip has been at the school visiting his sister Sally and her new very "peculiar" particular friends, Lizzy Reid and Agnes Wooliston, who replace the now shunned Catherine Carruthers, she did take Sally's most favorite ribbons after all. Turnip quickly realizes that being in a small room with three very rambunctious teenagers is the last place he wants to be, let alone in a building full of them. Taking the proffered Christmas Pudding, he walks out the door and straight into Miss Dempsey. Despite having met her many a time on the dance floors of the ton, Turnip has no memory of this slightly bruised girl. But then again, Arabella and him never quite occupied the same side of the dance floor, she being more their to wait on her aunt and balance out the numbers. Turnip, always the cheerful gentleman, profusely apologizes and takes his leave of her and his Christmas Pudding. Arabella rushes after Mr. Fitzhugh with his forgotten Pudding only to be attacked by a man outside the school desperate for the pudding. After Mr. Fitzhugh once again picks Miss Demspey out of the gutter, she does have a talent for falling at his feet, they find the deuced oddest thing. A secret message in the pudding! Well, written on the pudding's muslin wrapper to be precise. The message says to meet at Farley Castle, where there is to be a Frost Fair the next day. In a time of spies and the terrors in France, secret messages in puddings are not to be taken lightly, even in all girls schools. Especially if those messages are written in French!

Couldn't the spies have picked anywhere other than the Frost Fair? The place where Arabella is most likely to run into her Aunt and her new Uncle? But she has to admit, showing up with Mr. Fitzhugh, root vegetable though he may be, he's a root vegetable with 30,000. So with Jane in tow they all head to the castle despite bovine interruptions. Once there they discover yet another pudding! Turnip is all for further investigations, but Arabella puts her foot down. Tomorrow she is for the real world of teaching and papers to grade and ink and not very fashionable grey dresses with pockets. This "spy" business might have been fun but it is over. Good luck telling that to the mischievous pudding thief. Beset by students and mysterious mustachioed men in the night, things look to be getting more and more out of hand, as are Arabella's feelings towards Mr. Fitzhugh. But when she finally puts her foot down, when she finally says enough is enough and they must never see each other again, little does she know they are to spend all of the twelve days of Christmas together at a house party in Norfolk. Twelve days of pudding and long glances, and physical assaults. Because the culprits haven't contained themselves to the hallowed halls of a girls school in Bath, they are now lurking the grand passages of Girdings House. But hopefully with an earnest and loving root vegetable all will turn out just as it should, with a kiss under the mistletoe.

Rarely has a book made me smile from ear to ear and laugh aloud as I have reading The Mischief of the Mistletoe, twice now I must add. Loosely based on the skeleton of the story The Watsons, by Jane Austen, Lauren has taken Austen and amped it up to farce level in the best possible of ways. She has taken Austen, and dare I say, improved it for a modern audience. Austen, while humorous, has a staid and classical voice to her narration, while Willig lets her characters loose, losing hair pins and perhaps their reputations in the process in a hilarious page turner that isn't above adding in a few modern references with Blackadder references. The hero of the hour, while, according to Willig, is based on Bertie Wooster, is perhaps the most lovable root vegetable hero in history, even if this means you start confusing Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent, I can't but help love Turnip more than Bertie and Hugh Laurie has to beat off my Nicholas Rowe with a stick for the part. He may not be smart, he doesn't over think things, but he has the biggest heart to match his big smile, that you will find yourself sporting as your race towards his happy ending.

While fans of Willig will love that Turnip is finally getting the girl, despite his overly florid taste in waistcoats, I have to say, that I think this novel could easily stand alone. While we do have repeating characters, and overlapping plots, there is enough of a distance and enough new characters, that this is literally the perfect Christmas gift for the literary minded who like a little bit of Regency. One reason being that this book is a very clever idea on Lauren and Dutton's part to do a more giftable book, hence the smaller size, which I kind of opine... and here I'm not talking length, but actual book dimensions, I want my books to have the same height dammit! But also the modern interludes of Colin and Eloise, the scholar and the descendant of the spy, The Purple Gentian, have been excised. I agree with Lauren in many regards to their not being present. She could not have done justice to them in a smaller book. The book wouldn't have been as easily read by those unfamiliar with the previous six installments. But more importantly, it made me have an epiphany, a new realization when I read this book and then proceeded to re-read all her previous books. Colin and Eloise are great, and I love their story, but they have become extraneous. I, who have been the most vocal on their staying, can now see that perhaps, their story has run its course... of course I thought this before reading the next installment, The Orchid Affair, which throws a serious wrench into things, and now I'm desperate for their story line again. In the final analysis, I can't get enough of the world Lauren has created. I want to have young adult novels of the three little sisters. I want to know if Turnip and Arabella ever decided to try some Strawberry jam to replace the standard Raspberry. And I need to know why Sally is scared of chickens. And her ribbons! Are they tying a certain Christmas Pudding? Austen created a memorable world, but each of her six novels are in a rarefied and finite world, whereas, the world is messy. Love has complications and pudding and torn sleeves and missed moments and kisses that could have been. All of this needs mess with the tears and the joy, and Austen might not be messy enough to reflect how life is. Not that we still don't get the fairy tale ending, as Austen was wont to do, but the ride is a little more boisterous.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Pink Carnation Christmas, Arabella Dempsey, Bertie Wooster, Blackadder, Hugh Laurie, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Reading Challenge, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Watsons, Turnip Fitzhugh

Well, my pretties, the time has come to draw some names, let the random number generater generate. So, eight prizes... now that's quite a few. Thanks, of course, go out to Dutton, for providing me with books and ornaments. Lauren, obviously, for being awesome, writing this book and going on tour. Murder by the Book in Houston for getting me the signed editions and of course, all of you for entering! Let's get to the winners now, shall we?

1st Prize (2 winners): A Signed 1st Edition of The Mischief of the Mistletoe Signed by Lauren Willig plus a lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

Carol T, that most dangerous of Beetroots!
Christy, who shall rename root veggie moniker-less.

2nd Prize (2 winners): A 1st Edition of The Mischief of the Mistletoe plus a lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

Kulsuma, who, as a Radish, should watch out for Fraggles.
Gaby, who feels she's less root vegetable, than vine fruit, watermelon!

3rd Prize (4 winners): A lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

Melissa, who as a Parsnip, has me to thank for addicting her to these books.
Tina, the succulent Cactus.
DeeClare, the sweet sugar beet!
Huyen, my carroty friend, whose tall and has a very lovely mop o'hair.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 11:59 PM 3 comments  

Labels: Christmas, Fraggles, Lauren Willig, Murder by the Book, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, Turnip Fitzhugh

See, no one reminds me, I go into a land of Turkey coma and emerge a week later to finally tell the thrilling tale of Lauren and her signing in Chicago. Thrilling if you like parking spots right in front of libraries and men in knee breeches. It was a mild and windless day... ok, perhaps that's further back than you'd like. After a book buying frenzy at the Michigan Avenue Borders (20% store wide!) and slaking our thirst at Ghirardelli's, my friend and I meandered back towards the gorgeous edifice of the Newbury Library on the quaint Washington Square Park, the less famous of those similarly monikered. We entered the lovely lobby to discover similar Turnip enamoured bookworms, in fact so many Turnip lovers that we had to be moved into a bigger room! One my way towards the facilities I spotted Lauren waiting in line at the information desk and was greeted with a hug and got to act as her unofficial escort while discussing, what else, books, in particular what the longevity of steampunk might be. I reclaimed my seat in the front row and Lauren claimed her seat of honour, which would rarely be used as her years of debate had taught her to ramble around while rambling, though we weren't to worry if she looked like she was making a break for the door, she wasn't leaving. Lauren is a rare species of authors, one who is also a fabulous speaker. Most authors live in their little world of words and have a hard time talking in front of large groups of people. Lauren is the opposite of this. She's just as alive and bubbly as her books. There's an enthusiasm that is infectious about her and the world she has created. It's easy to see Lauren as the creator of such memorable characters as the Pink Carnation, the Purple Gentian and of course, Turnip Fitzhugh. You can almost picture Lauren in Regency garb in the background of the Tullieries watching as Miss Gwen takes on Bonaparte and laughing while swigging pink champagne.

Starting with a reading of the Austen apocrypha, The Mischief of the Mistletoe's lost introduction, Lauren went on to describe all the ways she tried to avoid having Jane Austen in her book. Austen's world is a polar opposite to the one Lauren has created. Austen absolutely did not have young ladies hiding under tables and spies sneaking in through sashed windows. Lauren wanted to stay away from Austen with a ten foot pole and all those who had such firm views on this icon of literature, Regency Mafia anyone? But Turnip, her Regency Bertie Wooster, his story had to be told in Bath, and it had to be 1803, and that just had to be a time when Austen was in Bath and suffering from her dry spell. It just seemed as if Austen was now everywhere, even a vampire if you look in the right places, so Austen would be a part of Turnip's story.

The questions and answers section of the talk then took off with me asking about something I know we're all interested in. Who does Jane Wooliston, not Austen, end up with? Lauren says she knows, but only if her cunning plans agree to stay on track, which they never seem to want to do. After the first question was asked, more started pouring in. She described her research method as a period of immersion where she doesn't take notes, so that when she sits to write the story the history and the plot mesh together and she does spot research to fill in those details she needs more information on. Pink IX is already finished and it has our first American Heroine... one who might have appeared briefly in The Orchid Affiar is my newest theory, as well as Augutus Wittelby and Miss Gwen as a pirate Queen with the sage advice to plunder before burning. As for The Orchid Affair, we have a French hero for once! And as for a certain parasol wielding matron, it looks like she will get her own book and despite the recent Pink Comic illustrations, she is younger that she was portrayed, so my casting might work better than I thought! The reason for no Colin and Eloise in the newest book was made clear as a concession to the publishers to have a smaller, more giftable book for the holidays where Lauren could do justice to her characters. Also Waterloo was brought up, and no, not the ABBA song. Lauren said at the rate she's going, having barely made it out of 1803, she might have to do a time jump eventually, because otherwise it would take 83 books to get there, not that I'd mind, though my bookshelf might. After all there are so many places to take these characters, Russia, South Africa, Egypt (which I'm keeping my fingers crossed for!) While us readers tend to have our favorite books, Lauren always thinks the newest, the unstarted phantom will be the best, and is the least favorite after she's written it. Though she still has a soft spot for Mary and Vaughn, her bitch prom queen and jaded rogue. Now she's a full time writer she's realized her pace is such that soon her publisher will be surround by Pink manuscripts of which they can quite conceivably make a fort and that she might want to tackle that mystery set at Yale or that 17th century epic one of these days. But she vows to stop writing the Pink books before she gets bored because you see in some of these series you can tell when the author has lost interest and then disappoints the fans. Finally she said that in practicality she didn't get her History degree because it's a bad sign when it's taken you 7 years to cover a timeline of 3. The we got another little reading of Turnip arriving with the Christmas hamper for his little sister.

The signing then commenced! I was ecstatic to get my copy of Mistletoe signed, as well as my ARC of The Orchid Affair and my Pink expurgated 1st, which I forgot to mention to Lauren. So Lauren, if you're reading this, that was my Pink with all the missing sexy sexy bits that someone artfully removed. But more importantly I was excited because I had brought a present for Lauren, seen above on the table surrounded by books, ie, it's rightful home. For awhile now I have done artwork based on the old drawings by the Brothers Brock in my grandmother's turn of the century editions of Jane Austen. My favorite was always the one I did from Mansfield Park entitled: "Not of Facts, Perhaps, But of Feelings." Ironically this was a piece that was very close to being trashed cause it was not cooperating with me. I am so glad I never did that, because I would have always regretted it. Anyway, last year, while sick and revelling in the restorative powers of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, in the last chapter Lauren used that quote! I was so excited I knew that if I was to ever go to a Lauren signing I just had to give her a print of that piece. Because, let's face it, writers do so much for use. They fill our lives with stories and dreams and what do they get back? Yes, they get the good reviews and the fans, but they also get the bad reviews and the detractors. What physical, tactile proof do they get that they are appreciated? Plus, I love giving presents! See the Lauren themed Pretty in Pink Giveaway! Lauren has given me so much joy and entertainment over the years I felt I needed to thank her for everything. Plus, I got an even better gift in return, she hung my art above her desk, and that just gave me warm fuzzies.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bertie Wooster, Book Signing, Chicago, Lauren Willig, Mansfield Park, Miss Gwen, Newbury Library, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Orchid Affair, Turnip Fitzhugh

In celebration of the newest book by Lauren Willig, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, I present, the hero's ultimate foil, the heroine. Arabella Dempsey, friend to Jane Austen, foil to Turnip, and ideally suited for Claire Foy! So stop, and look no further! This is the lady for our root vegetable friend!

Name: Claire Foy

Dream Character Casting for the Lauren Willig Miniseries: Arabella Dempsey

First Impression: Little Dorrit, as the titular character she evoked such sympathy and sweetness.

Why they'd be the perfect actor for the Lauren Willig Miniseries: She has a sweetness and an apparent sense of humor that would be needed in someone to fully appreciate how wonderful Turnip is. Plus, nerves of steel and a no nonsense attitude when needed, and those are needed occasionally against French spies and rogue music teachers, not to mention teenage girls!

Lasting Impression: Going Postal. How that sweet Amy Dorrit could also portray this sassy, street savvy, noir esque lady, Adora, shows the versatility of this up and coming actress that would perfectly suit Arabella.

What else you've seen them in: She has not been in much, but she has quickly made a name for herself starring in an Andrew Davies miniseries followed quickly by her Terry Pratchett miniseries and to be topped off with the remake of Upstairs, Downstairs! She is the next big thing, mark my words!

Can't believe it's them: She was in the Being Human pilot! Granted I haven't seen it in a long long time and it was never showed stateside and has been forever shelved do to the horrifically bad original Mitchell and Annie, but still... she was in that!?! Oh wait... she was George's Ex, wasn't she...

Wish they hadn't: This young'un hasn't made a misstep, and lets hope it stays that way!

Bio: So talented and so young! I can't wait to see what she does next, it's no surprise she was named one of the  "55 faces of the future!" Although, in your bizarre and random facts of the day, Claire and our hero, Nicholas, though never starring in anything together (which I would fix, had I the means and ways) have a real life connection. Nicholas' long time partner, Lou Gish, who sadly passed away four years ago, is best known for playing Jeff's girlfriend on Coupling. Jeff, as played by Richard Coyle was Claire Foy's love interest in Going Postal, Mr. Lipwig himself!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 4 comments  

Labels: Andrew Davies, Arabella Dempsey, Claire Foy, Going Postal, Lauren Willig, Little Dorrit, Pink Carnation Spotlight, Richard Coyle, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, Turnip Fitzhugh, Upstairs Downstairs

In celebration of the newest book by Lauren Willig, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, otherwise known as my favorite root vegetable named hero gets his own book, it's time to cast some characters! As you no doubt remember, I love to cast books in my head with the plethora of BBC actors that reside therein, though they might deny that they live in my brain. Anyways... from day one when Turnip bumbled onto the scene all embroidered waistcoats and good intentions there has only been one man who could play him in the dream miniseries of my mind. I have been in love with this actor since he first foiled Rafe while loosing his love Elizabeth, ok, it doesn't hurt that he says Elizabeth over and over in the film, making it easier to fantasize, but he was a step up from Robin Hood, and I'm talking about the cartoon fox here. Nicholas Rowe who played the dashing Holmes in The Young Sherlock Holmes will always he a favorite actor of mine and also my Turnip!

Name: Nicholas Rowe

Dream Character Casting for the Lauren Willig Miniseries: Turnip Fitzhugh, always a Turnip, never a Reggie

First Impression: Sherlock Holmes, sigh...

Why they'd be the perfect actor for the Lauren Willig Miniseries: He exudes this happiness and goodwill but has the perfect features for a befuddled expression. Also he's a little goofy and I think he could pull off a Carnation themed waistcoat very well indeed, that you very much!

Lasting Impression: The first impression stuck, but I always have a little flutter in my heart when I see he's in something coming up!

What else you've seen them in: Besides treading the boards... Nicholas pops up here and there all over the BBC, from Poldark to Sharpe's, Shackleton to to the French and Saunders comedy, Let Them Eat Cake. Also to be seen in Regency garb in Beau Brummell! But he has not stayed small screen! He's been in movies by Tom Stoppard (Enigma) and starring Anne Hathaway (Nicholas Nickleby).

Can't believe it's them: Midsomer Murders! Yes, I know every British actor MUST do Midsomer Murders... but his role! In "The Fisher King" he made a mad driven insane with his lust for his wife who turns out to be his sister completely believable and compelling, in a plot point that might have devolved into pure soap opera!

Wish they hadn't: Doctor Who animated, just because it wasn't "real" Doctor Who... now if this leads to real Doctor Who, then I'm fine with it. I just don't want a repeat of let's forget that Richard E. Grant was the 9th Doctor because it was just a cartoon!

Bio: Is a talented man who has stayed a great actor now for many decades and straddles film, television and indie cult status (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) very well and I hope to see him in things for years to come. And not just in our wedding announcement.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Beau Brummell, Dcotor Who, Lauren Willig, Midsomer Murders, Nicholas Rowe, Pink Carnation Spotlight, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, The Young Sherlock Holmes, Turnip Fitzhugh

Though it's not quite Christmas, there is that nip in the air which indicates that it's right around the corner. I can think of nothing better than a new book from Lauren Willig on the lead up to bleak winter. Usually we have to wait for the post Christmas blahs to get a hit of a new Willig book, but not this year! We're getting a pre and post Christmas bounty! To celebrate this glorious publication week and month of Willig on my blog I bring to you a wondrous giveaway. Supplemented by Dutton there is now not one, not two, but 8 WINNERS! Think of that! You have a very high chance of winning. So enter and enjoy what I think is Lauren's best book yet, though it might just be a soft spot I have for a certain man named after a root vegetable.

The Prizes:
1st Prize (2 winners): A Signed 1st Edition of The Mischief of the Mistletoe Signed by Lauren Willig plus a lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

2nd Prize (2 winners): A 1st Edition of The Mischief of the Mistletoe plus a lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

3rd Prize (4 winners): A lovely Mischievous Christmas Ornament

The Rules:
1. Open to EVERYONE (for clarification, this means international, but no shipping to space stations or TARDI), just because you haven't been following me all along doesn't mean you don't matter, you just get more entries if you prove you love me by following.

2. Please make sure I have a way to contact you if your name is drawn, either your blogger profile or a link to your website/blog or you could even include your email address with your comment(s) or email me.

3. Contest ends Tuesday, November 30th at 11:59PM CST

4. How to enter: Just comment in the space below!

5. And for those addicted to getting extra entries:

+1 for answering the question: If you had a vegetable nick name, what would it be? An extra +1 if it's a root vegetable.

+2 for becoming a follower

+10 if you are already a follower

+10 for each time you advertise this contest - blog post, sidebar, twitter (please @MzLizard), etc. (but you only get credit for the first post, so tweet all you like, and I thank you for it, but you'll only get the +10 once). Also please leave a link!

Good luck!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 19 comments  

Labels: A Pink Carnation Christmas, Christmas, Dutton, Giveaway, Lauren Willig, Pretty in Pink Giveaway, The Mischief of the Mistletoe, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: December 29th, 2005
Format: Hardcover, 406 Pages
Challenge: Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy
(different edition than one reviewed)
After her brother was revealed to be the Purple Gentian, that most elusive of spies thwarting those Frenchies, Henrietta Selwick thought her life would return to normal. Almack's, balls, being seen at all the right parties, and having her brother's faithful best friend, Miles Dorrington, at her elbow, preferably with a glass of lemonade. But when everyone else gets to do espionage and she's been forced onto the sidelines once too often she leaps at the chance to correspond in code with the Pink Carnation, Jane Wooliston, her cousin by marriage. Because, while her brother Richard and his new wife Amy are "technically" out of the spying game, opening a spy school in your house kind of defeats the purpose, and having something little, even if it's these letters and her contact in the ribbon shop, it makes Henrietta feel special. But she fails to realize how special she is, and not just to Miles, but to a deadly French spy with the name The Black Tulip. Hen is that most coveted of clues, the little sister to the Purple Gentian, and perhaps a link to the Pink Carnation. But who could the Black Tulip be? That spy has been out of action for so long that when a murder is committed behind Lord Vaughn's house the War Office goes into a tizzy at the calling card left by the Black Tulip. Could this spy actually be Lord Vaughn, that slippery and seductive fellow with silver snakes on his waistcoat who has just returned from a long sojourn on the continent? If he isn't said spy, then why is he fascinated with Hen? But spies are only one thing Henrietta has to deal with. Miles seems not as Miles like lately. It all started with that mysterious Marquise de Montval, she of the blue black hair and flawless beauty, despite her age. Miles has been seen once too often with her, even if he was seen through the shrubberies by a not very well concealed Hen and entourage... they thought the green clothing would help to camouflage themselves. But could Hen's irritation with Miles be more of a romantic nature? Does she stand a chance against this Marquise or should she just resign herself to being killed by the Black Tulip? Meanwhile, back in the present, Eloise is is put off and turned on by a certain descendant of the Purple Gentian named Colin. Boys, no matter what time period, are such a annoying mystery, it's so much easier dealing with deadly Napoleonic Spies with flower names.

The second book in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series sees us leaving the shores of France and venturing into that most dangerous of territories, the London ton at the height of the season. Dealing less with espionage and more with friendships, when I first read this book it was not my favorite, despite being more like a Jane Austen story than the previous installment. I felt the ending and the reveal of the Black Tulip lacked something and was on the verge of French farce. Of course, with reading further books I have gained further knowledge, and have returned to this book and, reading it with a knowing eye, I enjoyed it immensely, French farcishness and all. Miles and Henrietta are usually everyones favorite couple, even if she anachronistically calls him a dinosaur (seeing as that word is 40 years too early), but to me, the joy in this book lies within all the subtle characterizations of their friends on the periphery, friends who have been slowly stepping forward and getting their own stories. But besides Hen's two best friends, Penelope and Charlotte, who make their first appear, there are three characters without whom this book would mean nothing to me. Those three characters are Turnip, Lord Vaughn, and the Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Turnip is a true fop with his over the top embroidered waistcoats. A man who is not afraid to show his allegiance to the Pink Carnation and whose attire leads him into a spot of bother. Lord Vaughn, ah, you seductive, enigmatic man. You are only looking out for yourself and I love you for it and for the images of James Purefoy in Regency garb you bring to mind. Finally, last but not least, because I don't want to be harmed, The Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Scourge of the ballrooms and impudent young men. She is a force to be reckoned with. My favorite scene? While at a fancy dress ball she confiscates her granddaughter's friend's spear from her Boadicea costume and uses it to poke people with. Pure, priceless and wonderful.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Colin, Dinosaur, Eloise, Henrietta Selwick, Lauren Willig, Lord Vaughn, Miles Dorrington, Pink Carnation, Reading Challenge, The Marquise de Montval, The Masque of the Black Tulip, Turnip Fitzhugh

Well, today's the day you've been waiting for! That's right, my Lauren Willig Q & A! Ok, so it's really the release of The Betrayal of the Blood Lily you've all been waiting for... but a girl can hope right? But I'm sure while you're waiting for work to end so that you can run to the bookstore to get your copy, that's if you didn't cleverly phone in sick, you'll need a Lauren Willig fix to hold you over till quitting time. So here's your fix! Lots of lovely questions answered by Lauren that you can read while pretending to do real work, or even while mourning how fast you read the newest book and how there's now many bleak months ahead without another new book... but you can always re-read the series again!

Question: The character of Penelope is so vastly different then past characters... more worldly, less nubile virgin. How was it writing for such a different heroine?

Answer: It was surprisingly fun! Penelope has such a strong voice that she was very easy to write for, right from the start, even though she couldn’t be more different from the heroine of the previous book. Where Charlotte was sweet and idealistic, Penelope is cynical, worldly (at least, she likes to think she is) and unabashedly physical. Since she’s already been both ruined and married by the time the book starts, the usual rules no longer apply to her, which gave me a great deal more latitude than one usually has with one’s heroines.

The other thing I found fascinating about writing for Penelope was getting to delve into the distinction between what’s coming out of her mouth and what’s going on in her head. Unlike the previous characters, she’s a deeply wounded creature. At the same time, she’s absolutely committed to showing no weakness. That made for a great contrast and very interesting writing.

Question: How do you go about conducting your research and how do you decide where to take historical liberties?

Answer: I always start with an immersion period. A couple of months before I begin writing a book, I read everything I can get my hands on about a given time period, a process that includes everything from scholarly studies to contemporary documents. While I’m reading, the details in the documents invariably suggest new plot ideas. For example, the original plan was to set Blood Lily partly in Calcutta, partly in the north-east, where fighting was taking place in the fall of 1804, but reading Dalrymple’s White Mughuls convinced me that the book had to be moved to Hyderabad and the whole plot rejiggered accordingly. Likewise, the idea of using the lost treasure of Berar came from a footnote in Jac Weller’s Wellington in India, while the nautch dance came from the memoirs of Maria Graham, an Englishwoman who traveled through India, keeping meticulous accounts of her experiences, in 1809. Once I’ve started writing, I do what I call “spot research”, tracking down additional details as I find I need them.

Since all the books are—at least in theory—filtered through the imagination of the modern framing heroine, I’ve felt more free to take historical liberties in the Pink series than I would have if these were a different sort of book. Some of the liberties are for humor value, like my hero in the second book having a rather anachronistic “Follow that sedan chair!” moment. Others necessarily occur when you graft fictional characters onto real events. For example, George III really did go mad in the winter of 1804, as he does in The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, but, in real life, French spies had nothing to do with it. Well, at least as far as we know….

Question: Recently you went to Paris to research an upcoming book in the Pink Carnation series, did you get a chance to visit India to see more buildings that are no longer there in preparation for Blood Lily?

Answer: I very much wanted to! But, due to the vagaries of book deadlines and monsoon season, it didn’t happen. Blood Lily is the only book I’ve written so far where I haven’t personally visited the sites involved. I worked mostly from historical pictures and maps, although I did also grill various friends who had lived in India. They were subjected to such hard-hitting queries as “What does a monsoon actually feel like? No, really!” Thanks, guys. Your knowledge and your patience were both appreciated.

Question: Any plans to continue to take the series to far off shores where spies might be lurking? Perhaps Miss Gwen in Egypt setting the parasol trend pre-Amelia Peabody Emerson?

Answer:I love Amelia Peabody! What I wouldn’t give for a meeting between her and Miss Gwen….

Too bad the timeline doesn’t quite work out. Egypt came up a good deal while I was doing my research for Blood Lily, since Napoleon’s invasion in Egypt in 1797 was perceived as a direct threat to British influence in India. Most of the Egypt attention tends to be concentrated slightly earlier than my books, in that 1797-1798 period (and as we know from Pink Carnation, the Purple Gentian was over there at the time, doing his thing!), but I wouldn’t rule out an Egypt book. One of the incredible things about the Napoleonic Wars is how truly international they were. Looking way in the future, I’ve always intended Jane’s ultimate book to take place in Portugal. Other prospective locations for future Pink books include Latin America (yup, there was a Latin American angle to the war!), Constantinople, Venice, and—most exotic of all, right?—New York.


Question: Now that your books have an ever expanding cast of characters that your readers are attached to, what do you say to the people who ask when is Jane going to be back in the forefront, when is Tommy going to get the girl?

Answer: First I hug them. Then I consult my Magic 8 ball. I love that my readers have become as invested in my characters as I am, and that the series has become an ever-expanding world, encompassing whole groups of interwoven people and plots. As far as I’m concerned, all of these stories are continuously going on in tandem—it’s just a question of how and when I’ll have the time to turn the spotlight on any given character or plot-line. Sometimes, characters I meant to write about get dropped as the overall arc of the series continues on in other directions. Other times, they come back in unexpected ways. I wasn’t sure where or how I was going to fit in a Turnip Fitzhugh book, but, voila!, my publisher suggested doing an extra side book, I got to use my Turnip idea, and it’s coming out in October. So one never knows….


Question: The author M.C. Beaton has commented that, due to the popularity of Hamish Macbeth and Agatha Raisin, she has no time, nor are her publishers willing to see her do other work. Seeing as how popular your Pink Carnation series has become do you ever feel that you can only write the next Pink book versus trying something radically different? Because, in the abstract, the books could go on ad infinitum, but there must be a point where you'll call it quits.

Answer: One of the nice things about the Pink series is that its form has allowed me a lot of room for experimentation and variety. I’ve gotten to play with India and Ireland and modern London, with Hellfire clubs and idealistic ingénues and adulterous wives. Not to mention Jane Austen and exploding Christmas puddings. That being said, I’ve always wanted to write in a variety of genres. Much as I adore the Pink books, and as much latitude as they allow me, there will come a time when either the series has to end or I have to start varying it with other writing, just to make sure things stay fresh. My greatest nightmare would be for the books to start sounding stale or repetitive.


Question: You were able to balance going to Harvard with writing and later with being a working lawyer with writing, now you have two books coming out this year and are also teaching at Yale. How are you able to juggle so much? Is this wonderful balancing act possible due to the mystical qualities of caffeine?

Answer: Mmm, coffee. The truth of the matter is that I’m one of those ridiculous people who is only productive if I’m absurdly over-committed. Give me just one thing to do and I’ll dither and whine and procrastinate; give me three things to do, and at least two out of the three will get done (I make no promises as to dithering and whining; there’s always time for dithering and whining).

Question: You'll be teaching at your Alma Mater this year, how did that come about and do you feel that it kind of legitimizes* what you're doing and the genre you write in?

Answer: It started, as so many good things do, with a few glasses of wine. I was at Lady Jane’s Salon with fellow Yalie romance writer Cara Elliott, chatting about the romance scholarship movement, in which I’d gotten very involved the previous year. (If anyone wants to know more about the romance scholarship movement, check out Teach Me Tonight, the romance scholarship mothership). We began discussing how we would frame our own romance novel class, and as the wine level went down in the glass, we moved from “Wouldn’t this be a great idea?” to “Hey, we should do this!”

The class looks specifically at the Regency romance novel, partly because that’s what we’re both most familiar with, but also because it provides a self-contained field through which we can track the development of a genre in a comprehensive way. Our class starts with Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and moves through Heyer, Woodiwiss, McNaught, Lindsey, and so on, looking at changing attitudes towards sexuality and heroism in a variety of authors over a thirty year time span, going right up through Regency paranormals and chick lit.

On the legitimacy question…. To be honest, I never felt illegitimate. I grew up reading romance novels and I’ve always been a little baffled by the idea that they were something to hide, or that their consumption and/or authorship was somehow a negative reflection on one’s abilities or intellect. That being said, old stereotypes of romance novels and romance novel readers do seem to linger on, largely among people who haven’t bothered to read them. If teaching a class at Yale does anything to help dispel those misconceptions, then I’m proud to be able to do my part in doing so.

*Note, not my view, just a misconception by the masses that I hope will one day be dispelled.

Make sure to stop by tomorrow, where we hear a bit about Eloise and Colin, other great books that Lauren recommends and what English Estate she'd choose to set up house in.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Amelia Peabody, Berar, Egypt, French Spies, India, Lauren Willig, Penelope, Pink Carnation, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine, Turnip Fitzhugh, White Mughuls, Yale