strange and random happenstance

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: February 7th, 2005
Format: Paperback, 428 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Amy Balcourt has spent her exile in the sheep infested fields of Shropshire dreaming of the day she can return to France. Her and her mother were lucky, they escaped France before her father's head rolled. But Napoleon and his ilk have to pay. Amy longs for revenge. She has dreamed of nothing but the day she could return to Paris and join the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel and foil those Frenchies with witty asides and raids on their secret files. But then that dratted Pimpernel went and got unmasked, so who's league would she join now? All the training Amy and her cousin Jane spent in disguises and teaching the sheep stampeding formations would go to waste unless another spy stepped forth for jolly old England. Of course another spy did step forth, The Purple Gentian. Now Amy and Jane just have to wait for the opportunity to go to Paris, which handily comes in a note from Amy's brother who hopes she will return to the family home during the (temporary) peace with France. With their neighbor, Miss Gwen and her trusty parasol, as their chaperon, Amy and Jane set out for the continent and the League of the Purple Gentian. Instead what Amy finds on the packet to France is an annoyingly cute Lord Richard Selwick. Amy has no inkling about his extra curricular activities as the Purple Gentian because his cover is too good. His "support" for Napoleon is believable and she finds hate stirring in her breast for Lord Richard Selwick. Not to mention his interest in Amy is very inconvenient. How is she going to skulk around the docks and overhear crucial bits of information to get an in with the league with him dogging her heels? But eventually lurking beneath desks and listening through keyholes pays off, Amy learns of details pertaining to the plans to invade England, she also learns that, though joining the league of the Purple Gentian has always been her goal, perhaps kissing the Purple Gentian is preferable. And kiss him she does, as they seem to have a magnetic attraction from the moment they meet. Of course the Gentian is of two minds, both of which want Amy, both of which want her safe and sound. With midnight assignations and lusty boat rides how can Richard stop the invasion of England with his mind so firmly on Amy? Or course things could be worse, your whole family could descend on you en masse to "help" with your secret spy ring. How long will it be till the Purple Gentian is unmasked just as the Scarlet Pimpernel was? And how long till the Pink Carnation steps in to fill the void, just as the Gentian did in his day?

I have been a fan of Lauren Willig and the Pink Carnation series since approximately the very beginning. Technically it was right after the third book, The Deception of the Emerald Ring, was released that I became an addict/aficionado, but with twelve books in the series and the countless other books Lauren has written it's as close to the beginning as makes no nevermind. I was drawn in by the ingenious hypothetical of a simple what-if. What-if the Scarlet Pimpernel was real and not a creation of Baroness Orczy. That she was just his biographer. Throw in a Bridget Jones angle with the "modern" adventures of Eloise Kelly and The Secret History of the Pink Carnation brought a modern sensibility to Regency literature. With similarities to Austen and Heyer we get a Regency romp that is more accessible to modern readers. There is the wit, there is the romance, and there is the man in black; just think Carey Elwes circa Princess Bride not Ella Enchanted. And not to slam Austen here, but I feel a greater emotional depth and connection with Lauren's characters. They are more human, less an archetype. Austen's great lovers have a remoteness. You feel a step removed from the action. You can admire the characters and wish to live Lizzy and Darcy's fairy tale, yet somehow you can't imagine yourself as half of that fairy tale couple as easily as you can with imaging yourself as Amy, crouching under the desk waiting to announce herself to the Purple Gentian. Lauren Willig has created a world you become a part of and don't want to leave, hence her devoted followers which she so generously spends time with, and in fact that's why I've picked up this book yet again. Starting in February of 2021 Lauren begin a year long Pink Carnation Read Along with a Zoom meeting with a "special guest host" at the end of each month. The last time I had re-read all the books was when the final volume in the series, The Lure of the Moonflower, was being released and my blogging friend Ashley and I did Pink For All Seasons from September 2014 to August 2015. So I felt it was time to re-read the whole epic adventure from Amy's first frolic with a sheep to Jane's final adventure. Plus, getting insights into the book? What book nerd doesn't want that?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Baroness Orczy, Carey Elwes, France, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Napoleon, Pink for All Seasons, Regency, Regency Romp, The Purple Gentian, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
Published by: Max Press
Publication Date: 1811
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Elinor is pragmatic about the death of their father. They have lost their home and they will find a new one and carry on. Her younger sister Marianne has opted for another approach, misery exponentially increased by any dear memory of her father and the beloved house they all shared. Their mother is perfectly happy wallowing with Marianne while watching her step-son and his odious wife Fanny destroy Norland Park, that is until that odious Fanny insinuates that Elinor isn't good enough for her brother Edward Ferrars and Mrs. Dashwood can not remove them fast enough from Fanny's presence. Thanks to kind relations they are able to leave the odious Fanny behind and settle at Barton Cottage, part of Barton Park were Mrs. Dashwood's cousin, Sir John Middleton, resides. There they have a new social circle of relatives and friends, from a Colonel Brandon to a certain Lucy Steele, who might just destroy Elinor's heart unknowingly. Marianne is drawn to one person in particular, Willoughby. Willoughby is the same in all her sensibilities and they are soon as thick as thieves and their engagement is expected to be announced daily, much to Colonel Brandon's dismay. Yet the announcement never comes and Willoughby takes off to London and they hear no more from him. If only Elinor understood where Marianne and Willoughby stood she feels like she could help her sister, but she is in the dark. So when Sir John's mother-in-law, Mrs. Jennings, invites the two girls to accompany her to London Marianne jumps at the chance, while Elinor views it as an opportunity to get at the truth even if she'd rather stay at home. But London will be a proving ground for the young girls' hearts. Will either of them find a happily ever after or are their hearts destined to be forever broken by their first loves?

It seems odd to me that in a high school that actually had a good English department where I read many classics I never read any Jane Austen. By the friends I made through various bizarre and arcane clubs I was introduced to her via the Colin Firth miniseries in February of my senior year. This was on my level, being more into films than books at the tender age of seventeen. It was the perfect bridge from one art form to another. At that time I was adamant that I wasn't going to college in the fall, and I in fact didn't, but that didn't mean I was averse to learning and reading and I took it upon myself that summer to acquaint myself with the classics, many of which had been made into films starring Emma Thompson. She was a powerful bridge to Austen and also to Forster. The summer of 1996 was spent on my side porch reading classics I never thought I would ever pick up. Though it was to Austen I felt the most visceral a connection. Sense and Sensibility was the first book of hers that I read and I remember towards the end reading it in my bedroom because of the copious sobbing that accompanied my reading. When Edward arrived at Barton cottage to declare his freedom and his desire to marry Elinor, I just sat in my window crying. I never knew a book could do this to me. I was forever converted to Austen and through her I found a love of classics. Though this book now makes me feel a tad old. When I first read Sense and Sensibility I was the same age as Marianne is for most of the story but now I'm older than the flannel waistcoat wearing Colonel at 35 and Mrs. Dashwood at about 40. Which gave me an "oh dear" moment. I am OLDER than Colonel Brandon who was thought too old for love! I will just have to remember, Austen shows us that love can happen at any age, along with the copious weeping.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Age, Colin Firth, Colonel Brandon, E.M. Forster, Elinor Dashwood, Emma Thompson, High School, Jane Austen, London, Marianne Dashwood, Miniseries, Mrs. Dashwood, Regency Romp, Sense and Sensibility, Willoughby

Two things last year coincided to thrust me back into the Regency period. One was me finally getting around to reading Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series before I watched the Netflix adaptation. The second was Lauren Willig doing a monthly Pink Carnation Read Along of her delightful series about Napoleonic spies. Right there I had twenty Regency books I was diving headfirst into. Add to that the fact that Lauren and her guest moderators, many of whom write in the Regency period, were name checking tons of other Regency books that instantly ended up on my to be read, and I went, hang on a minute, I'm not the only Regency obsessed person in the world, I should do a theme month, or as it turns out, a slew of months dedicated to Regency literature, after all once season two of Bridgerton drops this month everyone will be look for read alikes! Like many people my first glimpse into the Regency period was via Jane Austen. It was 1996, the Colin Firth miniseries had been released, and I graduated high school and spent the summer reading Jane Austen. Dragging my omnibus edition with the minuscule font from Waldenbooks on every trip I took. I fell completely in love with everything Regency but it really wasn't until I discovered The Secret History of the Pink Carnation almost a decade later that I learned how much the Regency era had influenced other authors and how many of those authors Lauren would introduce me to. So I hope you'll join me over the next few months as I romp through Regency literature. Julia Quinn, Lauren Willig, Sarah MacLean, Eloisa James, Lisa Kleypas, Andrea Penrose, and of course, Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer, are just some of the authors I'll be reading. Let's make this a real Regency Romp!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrea Penrose, Bridgerton, Eloisa James, Georgette Heyer, Jane Austen, Julia Quinn, Lauren Willig, Lisa Kleypas, Regency, Regency Romp, Sarah MacLean, The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, Waldenbooks

Gallant by V.E. Schwab
Published by: Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

#1 New York Times-bestselling author V. E. Schwab weaves a dark and original tale about the place where the world meets its shadow, and the young woman beckoned by both sides. The Secret Garden meets Crimson Peak in this stand-alone novel perfect for readers of Holly Black and Neil Gaiman.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal - which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant - but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

New York Times–bestselling author V. E. Schwab crafts a vivid and lush novel that grapples with the demons that are often locked behind closed doors. An eerie, stand-alone saga about life, death, and the young woman beckoned by both. Readers of Neil Gaiman, Holly Black, Melissa Albert, and Garth Nix will quickly lose themselves in this novel with crossover appeal for all ages."

THIS might be the book I'm most excited for this month.

Spelunking Through Hell by Seanan McGuire
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Now in trade paperback, the eleventh book in the fast-paced InCryptid urban fantasy series returns to the mishaps of the Price family, eccentric cryptozoologists who safeguard the world of magical creatures living in secret among humans.

Love, noun:

1. An intense feeling of deep affection; may be romantic, filial, or platonic.

Passion, noun:

1. A strong or barely controllable emotion.
2. Enthusiasm, interest, desire.
3. See also "obsession."

It’s been fifty years since the crossroads caused the disappearance of Thomas Price, and his wife, Alice, has been trying to find him and bring him home ever since, despite the increasing probability that he’s no longer alive for her to find. Now that the crossroads have been destroyed, she’s redoubling her efforts. It’s time to bring him home, dead or alive.

Preferably alive, of course, but she’s tired, and at this point, she’s not that picky. It’s a pan-dimensional crash course in chaos, as Alice tries to find the rabbit hole she’s been missing for all these decades - the one that will take her to the man she loves.

Who are her allies? Who are her enemies? And if she manages to find him, will he even remember her at this point?

It’s a lot for one cryptozoologist to handle."

OK this is AT LEAST her second book this year. Anyone else keeping a tally?

The Nice House on the Lake by James Tynion IV
Published by: DC Comics
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 200 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"With Something Is Killing the Children and The Department of Truth, James Tynion IV has changed the face of horror in modern comics - now get ready for his most ambitious story yet, alongside his Detective Comics partner Álvaro Martínez Bueno!

Everyone who was invited to the house knows Walter - well, they know him a little, anyway. Some met him in childhood; some met him months ago. And Walter’s always been a little...off.

But after the hardest year of their lives, nobody was going to turn down Walter’s invitation to an astonishingly beautiful house in the woods, overlooking an enormous sylvan lake. It’s beautiful, it’s opulent, it’s private - so a week of putting up with Walter’s weird little schemes and nicknames in exchange for the vacation of a lifetime? Why not?

All of them were at that moment in their lives when they could feel themselves pulling away from their other friends; wouldn’t a chance to reconnect be…nice? In The Nice House on the Lake, the overriding anxieties of the 21st century get a terrifying new face - and it might just be the face of the person you once trusted most.

Collects The Nice House on the Lake #1-6."

This is literally THE comic of last year for me. It's perfection. So far. I've been dying for the 7th issue, but here's a lovely collection to catch anyone else up if they haven't started this amazing series yet.

Deadly Director's Cut by Vicki Delany
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Daring resort manager Elizabeth Grady will need to think fast to bring a killer into the limelight in this charming 1950s set cozy mystery series.

Famous director Elias Theropodous has chosen Haggerman’s Catskills Resort as a shooting location for his next film. It sounds glamorous to much of the staff, but resort manager Elizabeth Grady is less satisfied. Dealing with the ridiculous demands of the antagonistic director is bad enough, and his attempts to walk all over Elizabeth are making her feel like her position at the resort has been changed into a bit part.

But when Elias is poisoned during a dinner at the resort, the future of the film and the resort itself are on the line. Between an aging movie star, a harried producer, and former victims of the deceased director’s wrath, Elizabeth has a full cast of suspects to examine, and she’ll need to investigate every lead to catch a killer."

I'm a masochist for actually wanting to read this after my experience with the first one...

Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama by Bob Odenkirk
Published by: Random House
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this "essential" (Entertainment Weekly), "hilarious" (AV Club) memoir, the star of Mr. Show, Breaking Bad, and Better Call Saul opens up about the highs and lows of showbiz, his cult status as a comedy writer, and what it’s like to reinvent himself as an action film ass-kicker at fifty.

Bob Odenkirk’s career is inexplicable. And yet he will try like hell to explicate it for you. Charting a "Homeric" decades-long "odyssey" from his origins in the seedy comedy clubs of Chicago to a dramatic career full of award nominations - with a side-trip into the action-man world that is baffling to all who know him - it’s almost like there are many Bob Odenkirks! But there is just one and one is plenty.

Bob embraced a life in comedy after a chance meeting with Second City’s legendary Del Close. He somehow made his way to a job as a writer at Saturday Night Live. While surviving that legendary gauntlet by the skin of his gnashing teeth, he stashed away the secrets of comedy writing - eventually employing them in the immortal "Motivational Speaker" sketch for Chris Farley, honing them on The Ben Stiller Show, and perfecting them on Mr. Show with Bob and David.

In Hollywood, Bob demonstrated a bullheadedness that would shame Sisyphus himself, and when all hope was lost for the umpteenth time, the phone rang with an offer to appear on Breaking Bad - a show about how boring it is to be a high school chemistry teacher. His embrace of this strange new world of dramatic acting led him to working with Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Greta Gerwig, and then, in a twist that will confound you, he re-re-invented himself as a bona fide action star. Why? Read this and do your own psychoanalysis - it’s fun!

Featuring humorous tangents, never-before-seen photos, wild characters, and Bob’s trademark unflinching drive, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama is a classic showbiz tale told by a determined idiot."

I totally forgot he was in that horrid Little Women adaptation...

The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen by Alice and Martin Provensen
Published by: Chronicle Chroma
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen is the first-ever monograph on this beloved midcentury husband-and-wife illustration team. This award-winning pair created more than 40 beloved children's books over the span of seven decades, many of which appeared on the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year lists. From early favorites for Golden Books such as The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown, 1949, to their Caldecott-winning title The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot, 1983, the Provensens' books inspired generations of young readers. Original paintings for their beloved classics such as A Child's Garden of Verses, 1951, The Iliad and the Odyssey, 1959, Myths and Legends, 1960 and many others, are beautifully reproduced and included here.

This comprehensive volume showcases hundreds of their well-known illustrations, as well as many never-before-seen paintings, drawings, and exquisite sketchbooks from their travels around the world. An interview with their daughter Karen Provensen Mitchell illuminates their life and career and includes many personal photographs, quotes, speeches, and memorabilia from their archive. An introduction by Leonard S. Marcus, a leading historian in children's literature, underscores the Provensen's importance and influence as illustrators and authors. Additionally, noted publisher and close family friend Robert Gottlieb, provides a personal essay that shares many of his memories with this cherished couple.

The Provensens' colorful, inimitable artwork is a treasure trove that has influenced generations of children, designers, illustrators, historians, and all who cherish classic children's books."

If you were lucky enough to grow up in a house where your parents were fans of Alice and Martin Provensen and read The Year at Maple Hill Farm over and over again, well, you need this book. If you've never heart of the Provensens, you REALLY need this book.

A Royal Murder by Verity Bright
Published by: Bookouture
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Kindle, 280 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"At the royal boat race there are beautiful barges, plenty of bunting, a handsome prince and...is that a body in the water? Lady Swift is on the case!

Spring, 1923. One-time adventurer and now amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift is attending the annual royal regatta with her new pal Tipsy Fitzroy. Tipsy has Eleanor trussed up like a debutante in a new dress, determined to turn her into a proper society lady. Even Eleanor’s favourite companion, Gladstone the bulldog, has a new outfit for the occasion.

But the sparkling prize-giving ceremony is interrupted when the devilishly handsome host gulps his glass of champagne on stage and collapses to the floor. The victim is none other than the king’s cousin, Lord Xander Taylor-Howard. He was rumoured to be entangled in a rather dubious gambling ring, but did someone kill him instead of collecting his debt? Or was this simply an ill-timed tragic accident? Either way, a right royal scandal is afoot...

Sir Percival, the head of the royal police, asks Eleanor for her help investigating. He’d do anything to keep the story under wraps. She knows it will get her into hot water with a certain dapper Detective Seldon, but she’s determined to see justice done. However, as she digs deeper, she learns Lord Taylor-Howard was hiding more than one murky secret. It isn’t until she takes a closer look at the unfortunate royal’s shattered champagne flute that she stumbles upon just the clue she needs. But can she reel in the killer before her ship is sunk too?

A warm and witty 1920s mystery that cozy fans will just adore. Addictive reading for fans of T.E. Kinsey, Lee Strauss and Agatha Christie.

Readers cannot get enough of Verity Bright!"

1920s AND a boat race? Yeah, might be niche, but it's just perfect for me!

The Letter from Briarton Park by Sarah E. Ladd
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: March 1st, 2022
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Regency England, one letter will alter a young woman's fate when it summons her to Briarton Park - an ancient place that holds the secrets of her past and the keys to her future.

Cassandra Hale grew up knowing little about her parentage, and she had made peace with the fact that she never would. But Cassandra's world shifts when a shocking deathbed confession reveals a two-year-old letter from Mr. Clark, the master of Briarton Park, with hints to her family's identity. Stung by betrayal, she travels to the village of Anston only to learn Mr. Clark has since passed away.

James Warrington is a widower and the new master of Briarton Park, where he lives with his two young daughters, his sister, and his mother-in-law. When Cassandra appears at his doorstep with a letter from the previous owner and then proceeds to assist his family in an unexpected way, he is honor bound to help uncover the answers she seeks.

The more time Cassandra spends in Anston, the more she begins to suspect not everything - or everyone - is as they seem. As details emerge, the danger surrounding her intensifies. Using wit and intuition, she must navigate the treacherous landscapes between truth and rumor and between loyalty and deception if she is to uncover the realities of her past and find the place her heart can finally call home.

Sarah Ladd's latest Regency romance, first in the new Houses of Yorkshire series, combines mystery and intrigue with the best of historical storytelling."

Regency AND set in Yorkshire, for this girl currently obsessed with All Creatures Great and Small? Perfection!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alice Provensen, All Creatures Great and Small, Bob Odenkirk, James Tynion IV, Little Women, Martin Provensen, Sarah E. Ladd, Seanan McGuire, The Nice House on the Lake, V.E. Schwab, Verity Bright, Vicki Delany

Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Imprint
Publication Date: March 30th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 608 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

The time for diplomacy is at an end, the time for war is nigh. But Nikolai, the too-cleaver fox, is never one to limit his options, so why not do both? Why not enter marriage negotiations with the Shu while stealing vital materials from the Kerch? Why not give the Kerch what they want while secretly allying Ravka with Novyi Zem? Why not have secret agents working in the heart of Fjerda while your general becomes a dragon? Why not negotiate with the greatest evil ever while trying to stop the west from seceding? He will try everything and anything to save his country, even leave it if that is what's best. Because once his country knows about the darkness within him, he's sure they will turn on him and jump at the chance to have a real Lantsov on the throne. And the Fjerdans have proof he's not a Lantsov as well as a few true Lantsovs laying about. But he's more worried about his people learning that the Darkling has returned, and not just that, but that he escaped and his powers have returned. That's not something to be taken lightly. But this is Ravka, nothing goes according to plan and a win is almost unheard of. Yet through Queen Makhi's own machinations she might have overreached and inadvertently set Shu Han onto the path of aiding Ravka. But it will take exposing her to her own family and hoping they do the right thing. As for what they are doing with regards to Fjerda? Nina is now ensconced in the household of the head of the Drüskelle, a man she has been dreaming of killing since she was a young student at the Little Palace. So while seeing him among the living gives her no joy, the fact that she's stealing his secrets and passing them onto Nikolai brings her great joy. She is also trying to seed a groundswell of religious fervor for Grisha by making Fjerdans view them not as demons but as the favored children of their God, Djel. Though she, like Nikolai, might have to choose between her heart and her homeland. But what's a little sacrafice for the greater good of their people?

And so the Grishaverse comes to a close until the inevitable third book in the Six of Crows series. Rule of Wolves has some problematic end of series issues, mainly the tropes of killing off someone vital and getting all the characters together for one last hurrah. Alina, really!?! You're smarter than this. But as you reach the last few pages the pros outweigh the cons and you realize just how much you're going to miss this world and the characters you've grown to love. And surprisingly I've grown to love Zoya. She has developed the most over time from an out and out bitch to a fearless leader, who I can't help but relate to. I also kind of want to give her a huge but I know neither of us would enjoy that. We're both to prickly. I also can't help thinking Zoya was written in such a way to make up for George R.R. Martin's failure to Daenerys Targaryen, but maybe that's just me. But despite a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day I still have this feeling that the crucial question posited by the book wasn't answered. It's all about the old world and Grisha versus the new world and war machines. It's like progress is the way of the future but one dragon comes along and progress grinds to a halt. So is Bardugo saying that myth and modernization can live side by side or not? I feel like maybe even she doesn't know. And this leads to my least favorite aspect of the book, war and weaponry. Yes, the drums were heard for a long time now and I knew the reckoning was coming, but I just felt there was too much hand-wringing with regard to building bigger bombs. It's like with the creation of jurda parem, if the technology exists someone will create it, so someone will create these bombs therefore it should be the good guys right? It all felt too heavy-handed with all the allusions to WWII and the creation of nuclear weapons. The whole "what have we wrought" of it all got to be too repetitive and boring. Yes, the question needs to be raised, but so many times? It was like a broken record. State your objections, move on, and maybe bother to answer the bigger question; the dragon of it all.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bardugo Bash, Daenerys Targaryen, Dragon, Duology, Fjerda, Grisha, GRRM, Jurda Parem, Kerch, King of Scars, Leigh Bardugo, Myth, Ravka, Rule of Wolves, Shu Han, Six of Crows, War, Weapons of Mass Destruction, WWII, Zoya

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Imprint
Publication Date: January 29th, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Nikolai thought the darkness within him was gone like the Shadow Fold. But it has returned. When he falls asleep the monster awakens. He's been lucky so far in that those in his closest counsel have been able to locate and restrain him before he has done any real damage. No one has died. Yet. He is fearful that that day is quickly coming. But Ravka is his primary concern. The country is broke and war is looming. Again. Plus there are murmurs, rumors about saints and miracles. When Nikolai looks at a timeline of the so-called miracles he realizes that they started when the monster within awakened. This can't be a coincidence. What's more, the Darkling now has followers petitioning the crown to legitimize him as the Starless Saint. The eager monk Yuri brings evidence forward that all the miracles are converging on the very spot the Darkling died. Therefore that is where Nikolai must go. Taking Zoya, Tamar, and Tolya, they are ostensibly touring the miracle sites, but they are on a mission to purge Nikolai of his darkness. Something that seems possible according to ancient texts, but it must be kept a closely guarded secret. Ravka is weak and this will be an opportunity for their enemies to lash out. Which is why they have invited all their enemies to a giant party as a way for Nikolai to stabilize the country's finances through a political marriage. Something he does not want to do, but realizes must be done. The only problem is it looks like he's going to miss the biggest party of the year as he comes face to face with real saints. Can his friends and counselors keep the country going in his absence? Only time will tell. And one of his friends is far from home. Nina is undercover in Fjerda. She is rescuing persecuted Grisha and getting them to Ravka, for their own safety and also to help rebuild the Second Army after the bloodbath the Darkling unleashed on them. Only Nina's parem altered powers tap into a dark and dangerous game the Fjerdans are playing with their captured Grisha. They have long experimented on them but what Nina discovers changes everything. Including her own mission. Will her work be able to help Nikolai if he's lucky enough to survive the darkness? Who knows.

I won't say that King of Scars let me down, I feel about it the same way I felt about the Six of Crows duology when I first read it, I'll love it in time but on my first reading there were things that annoyed me. Things that I will now forever be forewarned about. I have to learn to embrace the new characters and the way the old characters have matured. When I first read Six of Crows the only two characters I felt a connection with were Nina and Matthias. Of course I love them all now, but for me Nina and Matthias's relationship makes a plot development in this book a bit of a sticking point for me. That point is Hanne. Leigh is setting up Hanne to be Nina's new love interest. OK, fine. I don't have a problem with this because Nina is young and I knew she'd eventually find love again. Here's the part I DO have a problem with, the eventually being so soon. This seems to diminish Nina and Matthias's love for each other. Here's Nina burying his corpse and oh look at that attractive young novitiate on a horse, I'm good to go! WHAT!?! NO! I know they are young, but does that mean their hearts heal that fast? This just took so much away from my enjoyment of the book that I can't even begin to say how much. Two books of Nina and Matthias fighting for their love and fighting against their love and it's just gone. I know some people will say that dragging his corpse around the countryside for a long time and then finally burying him is mourning followed by closure, but TOO DAMN SOON is all I have to say. I don't like unnecessary change. Like look at Nikolai, his personality change, from dashing rogue to haunted leader, while I didn't like it it made sense because he has changed from the darkness within and from the burdens placed on him. And as for that darkness...well...I really have a thing about vanquished enemies returning from the grave. It's a cop out. It doesn't matter how loved or loathed they were because it's just a stupid trope. I always think of the end scene in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "Buffy vs. Dracula" where she just sticks around to repeatedly slay him quipping: "You think I don't watch your movies? You always come back." Yeah, stop coming back!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bardugo Bash, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy vs. Dracula, Dracula, Fjerda, Grisha, Grishaverse, Hanne, King of Scars, Leigh Bardugo, Matthias, Nikolai, Nina, Ravka, Saints, Six of Crows, Starless Saint, The Darkling

Love in the Time of Bertie by Alexander McCall Smith
Published by: Anchor
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
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The official patter:
"The latest installment in the delightful 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents up to their usual hilarious hijinks.

In the microcosm of 44 Scotland Street, all of life’s richness is found in the glorious goings-on of its residents. There’s Domenica, whose anthropological training has honed her observations of her neighbors; Matthew, whose growing triplets are more than a handful; Bruce, whose challenge as ever is thinking of anything but himself; and Big Lou, who may just have found her shot at romance. And of course, there’s young Bertie Pollock, whose starry-eyed explorations of Edinburgh’s New Town are a touching reminder that life itself is an adventure and there’s joy to be found wherever you choose to look."

Damn I love Bertie!

Deadly Editions by Paige Shelton
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
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The official patter:
"A treasure hunt through Edinburgh gives way to a search for a villain terrorizing the city in Deadly Editions, the sixth Scottish Bookshop Mystery from Paige Shelton.

It’s a quiet, snowy morning at The Cracked Spine bookshop, when bookseller Delaney Nichols receives a mysterious visitor, a messenger. He presents her with a perplexing note: an invitation to a meeting with eccentric socialite Shelagh O'Conner, who requests Delaney’s participation in an exclusive treasure hunt. Delaney is intrigued, but also cautious: Shelagh, while charming in person, has a reputation for her hijinks as a wealthy young woman in the '70s. She was even once suspected for the murder of a former boyfriend, though ultimately cleared of all charges.

But Delaney is enticed by the grand prize at the end of the treasure hunt: a highly valuable first edition copy of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. The winner is also to receive the contents of Shelagh's vast library, and all participants will earn a large sum of cash.

The night after the first meeting of the treasure hunters, however, several homes in Edinburgh are robbed in a manner reminiscent of Shelagh's old tricks. And when a man connected to Shelagh is killed, suspicion builds. Except Shelagh herself has disappeared from her home, seemingly kidnapped by the villain.

Terror mounts throughout the city as Delaney attempts to solve the mystery, while trying to evade the killer's clutches. But it’s hard to know who to trust when around every corner, a new monster could be lurking."

I ADORE literary treasure hunts. ADORE!

Windswept and Interesting by Billy Connolly
Published by: Two Roads
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
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The official patter:
"In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life.

Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.

Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart.

As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal.

It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings...and writing.

Windswept and Interesting is Billy's story in his own words. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend."

If you haven't noticed I am celebrating all amazing things Scottish this week, which puts Billy Connolly at the top of my list!

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
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The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide...

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up - to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? - he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite - The nice guy - The alcoholic - The girl on the verge - The concierge.

Everyone's a neighbor. Everyone's a suspect. And everyone knows something they're not telling."

Locked room mystery and Paris. Need I say more?

The Hitman's Daughter by Carolyne Topdjian
Published by: Agora Books
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 350 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Château du Ciel was once the destination for the rich and famous to play, drink and ski - complete with a private railway to shuttle those desiring extra privacy - now, however, the guests are few and far between. The New Year's Eve party was supposed to hoist the rundown hotel back to its former status, until a massive blizzard hits, trapping the guests who've come to celebrate the grand hotel's last hurrah. The circumstances might even be romantic, if the hotel wasn't reputed to be haunted.

When hotel employee Mave Michael finds the resident artist dead, and shortly thereafter hotel security finds Mave alone with the body, the reputation that Mave has fought long and hard to outrun comes back to haunt her. You see, her father is a notorious hitman who is serving multiple life sentences in prison. She has changed her name and location dozens of times, but he somehow manages to track her down - even sending her a postcard on the eve of her birthday, January 1st. She's the perfect choice to frame for murder, and now the number one suspect. Mave can no longer deny the lessons in survival her father taught her, and calls on that and her uncanny sixth-sense in "finding" lost objects to navigate the maze of the hotel. To save herself, she not only has to stop running from her own past, she must unearth the history of the hotel, its elite guests and buried secrets - one deadly sin at a time.

An homage to classic Gothic horror, that proves that the ghosts of family and classism are alive and well."

What I love about this is the combination of things you don't expect, assassins and Gothic tropes!

Tripping Arcadia by Kit Mayquist
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
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The official patter:
"From debut author Kit Mayquist, a propulsive and atmospheric modern Gothic with all the splendor of The Great Gatsby...and all the secrets, lies, and darkness that opulence can hide.

Med school dropout Lena is desperate for a job, any job, to help her parents, who are approaching bankruptcy after her father was injured and laid off nearly simultaneously. So when she is offered a position, against all odds, working for one of Boston’s most elite families, the illustrious and secretive Verdeaus, she knows she must accept it - no matter how bizarre the interview or how vague the job description.

By day, she is assistant to the family doctor and his charge, Jonathan, the sickly, poetic, drunken heir to the family empire, who is as difficult as his illness is mysterious. By night, Lena discovers the more sinister side of the family, as she works overtime at their lavish parties, helping to hide their self-destructive tendencies...and trying not to fall for Jonathan’s alluring sister, Audrey. But when she stumbles upon the knowledge that the Verdeau patriarch is the one responsible for the ruin of her own family, Lena vows to get revenge - a poison-filled quest that leads her further into this hedonistic world than she ever bargained for, forcing her to decide how much - and who - she's willing to sacrifice for payback.

The perfect next read for fans of Mexican Gothic, Tripping Arcadia is a page-turning and shocking tale with an unforgettable protagonist that explores family legacy and inheritance, the sacrifices we must make to get by in today’s world, and the intoxicating, dangerous power of wealth."

I love the idea of Gothic splendor more than I can say.

Extasia by Claire Legrand
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: February 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 496 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling author Claire Legrand comes a new, bone-chilling YA horror novel about a girl who joins a coven to root out a vicious evil that’s stalking her village. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Grace Year.

Her name is unimportant.

All you must know is that today she will become one of the four saints of Haven. The elders will mark her and place the red hood on her head. With her sisters, she will stand against the evil power that lives beneath the black mountain— - n evil which has already killed nine of her village’s men.

She will tell no one of the white-eyed beasts that follow her. Or the faceless gray women tall as houses. Or the girls she saw kissing in the elm grove.

Today she will be a saint of Haven. She will rid her family of her mother’s shame at last and save her people from destruction. She is not afraid. Are you?

This searing and lyrically written novel by the critically acclaimed author of Sawkill Girls beckons readers to follow its fierce heroine into a world filled with secrets and blood - where the truth is buried in lies and a devastating power waits, seething, for someone brave enough to use it."

I love this cover more than I can ever adequately say.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 44 Scotland Street, Alexander McCall Smith, Billy Connolly, Carolyne Topdjian, Claire Legrand, Extasia, Gothic, Kit Mayquist, Lucy Foley, Paige Shelton, Paris, Scotland, Tripping Arcadia, Windswept and Interesting

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Publication Date: September 27th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
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Jan Van Eck has to pay. Not just for breaking a contract with Kaz and his crew but for kidnapping Inej. Therefore he must pay in a way he will understand. It's not just the money at stake anymore, it's Van Eck's entire life. His reputation, his wife, his legacy. Everything must be destroyed. Brick by brick. And if Kaz and his crew happen to get rich in the process, well, it's only proper. But the problem is Van Eck's version of what went down has made Kaz and company targets and they've had to go to ground. It isn't safe for them to walk about the city, let alone their beloved Barrel. They are wanted and this makes every plan put in motion that much more complicated because extra precautions have to be taken. Despite Van Eck trying to keep the real reason for the falling out under wraps this is Ketterdam and nothing can remain a secret for long when people are willing to pay good money for it. So the whole world knows that jurda parem exists and that the inventor is in Ketterdam. This means the Shu, the Fjerdans, and the Ravkans, have all sent delegations overtly and secretly to the city. But of those delegations only the Ravkans have a pure intention with regard to Kuwei Yul-Bo. He is Grisha, he is one of them, and they will make sure he is safe. But Kaz isn't ready to just hand over such a valuable asset. He went to a lot of trouble to break Kuwei out of the Ice Court and he lost his Wraith in the process, so he's not about to let go of his asset so easily. But first Kaz needs his Wraith. Which means dealing with Van Eck. Which means knowing how that man thinks and being one step ahead of him. After that, well, brick by brick Van Eck's life will fall. But things never run smoothly...Nina is still in withdrawal from jurda parem and her Grisha powers are acting oddly, Mattias is worried sick about Nina, Wylan has learned his life is a lie, Jesper's dad has shown up in Ketterdam, and Kaz, well, Kaz is just Kaz...It will be a miracle if they pull this off, but they've been known to do the impossible before.

Crooked Kingdom picks up right after the betrayal of mercher Jan Van Eck in Six of Crows and is a headlong rush to the finish, some five-hundred pages later. That level of intensity is hard to bear for that prolonged a period, making it a book that's hard to put down but it's something that needs to be done because you just have to catch your breath every once in awhile. The first time I read this book the pace and plot twists were just too much for me. What I reveled in in Six of Crows were the quieter, more emotional moments, not those requiring a serial killer like board to follow all Kaz's schemes. But so much has already been revealed about our characters in the previous volume it's up to Wylan Van Eck to carry the weight this time around, and luckily he's up to the challenge. Seeing his life and the more rarefied world in which he lived gives further dept to Ketterdam as a whole. We see the city come alive like never before. It doesn't hurt that instead of haring off to Fjerda the entire narrative is contained within the city. And I really appreciated the city more. I recently read The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton, and I really connected to Amsterdam and how that political microcosm of merchants worked. While that book let me down it added to my reading experience with Crooked Kingdom, once again proving that even a book you don't like has value. I felt Ketterdam come alive, a city that is Amsterdam at it's heart with just a dash of New Orleans as it's flash. So it might seem odd that I'm saying read the book for the location, but really the location in this instance is just another character, and this book lives and dies by it's characters. And yes, someone dies. In fact, Matthias's death might have been the predominate reason this book pissed me off the first time around. I ship Nina and Matthias so much it is painful. The way Leigh describes Matthias dying in Nina's arms is almost too much to bear. So while I can complain about this or that with regard to this book there is such an emotional wallop at the end that if you are prepared for it you will forgive every flaw that came before and just marvel at the fact you were so moved by a story.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amsterdam, Bardugo Bash, Crooked Kingdom, Fjerda, Grisha, Ice Court, Inej, Jessie Burton, Jurda Parem, Kaz, Ketterdam, Leigh Bardugo, Matthias, New Orleans, Ravka, Revenge, Shu Han, Six of Crows, The Miniaturist