The Gardella Vampire Chronicles by Colleen Gleason

Book Description:
Beneath the glitter of dazzling Nineteenth-Century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil...

Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long ago taken over the world.

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy and this time Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the edge of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous, moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her duty. And when she comes face-to-face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make a choice between obligation and love...

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I simply devoured this series - I loved, loved, loved it! Thank God for Kindle, because it made it so easy for me to just quickly buy the next book in the series and read it immediately! First off, I thought the covers were gorgeous! Aren't they? *scroll down to see pretty covers*

I was instantly smitten with the story of young Victoria Grantworth who is making her debut in Regency England. Only 20 years old she learns at the same time that she is a Venator. She comes from a long line of vampire killers, also known as Venators, it is her destiny and duty to take on this mantel to kill vampires and protect humans. She embraces the idea and doesn't mind it at all, except for when it means that she's going to have to keep it a secret from the Marquess of Rockley, the new man in her life that she is falling in love with and means to marry.

I loved Rockley. He was kind, handsome, gentle, noble - everything I wanted for Victoria. I wanted them to be a happy couple and hated the idea that she had to drug him and keep her secret life from him. I was also afraid that he would play right into the vampires hands and they'd use him against her, and naturally, that is exactly what happens. Her dear Aunt Eustacia prepares her for the possibility, but Victoria is still new at this and doesn't believe it. Max Pesaro, an enigmatic fellow Venator who's very good at scowling and showing his disapproval thinks Victoria is much too flighty to be a Venator and he warns her too that she can't have both. There is no way she can live a double life as a marchioness and as a Venator - inevitably she will have to choose - or the choice will be made for her against her will.

I screamed in agony over the ending of this can't put down book and I eagerly loaded up the next on my kindle!

4.5/5



Book Description:
The Gardella Vampire Chronicles continue as the glorious 19th-Century city of Rome gives rise to a new threat from the immortal undead....

Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy has been a vampire slayer for just over a year, balancing her life as a peer of Society with the dangerous role that takes her out on moonlit streets, stake in hand. She has learned brutal and heartbreaking lessons about the sacrifices that must be made in order to save humanity from the evil that secretly preys upon it, but she has not wavered in her vow to fight on.

Now, in Italy, a powerful vampire is amassing the power to control the souls of the dead. As Victoria races across Europe to stop what could be the most deadly army the Gardellas have ever faced, her unlikely companion is Sebastian Vioget, a man as tempting as he is untrustworthy. But when Victoria discovers that she has been betrayed by one of her most trusted allies, the truth will challenge all her powers as a Venator - and as a woman...

The story moves on, sadder and darker, Victoria is now a widow, and I must admit, I was so upset over the ending of the last book that I had to read on immediately - hoping that at the end of the series somehow, some way she could get her Philip back. In this book, Victoria travels to Italy and meets Lord Byron of all people, as well as some familiar faces from the last book. Among them is fellow Venator, Max who is engaged to some Italian blonde! Very, very upsetting ending, though not as sad as in the last book. I still loved all the delightful details, how her maid cleverly hides stakes in her hair before going out, and the idea of Victoria's vis bulla which is a little filigreed hanging crucifix that is pierced next to her belly button and gives her the strength she needs to fight the vampires. It is a tiny silver circlet dipped in holy water and blessed. Amazingly enough, after reading these books, I have a whole new appreciation for body piercing! I have this strange longing to get one myself! Eep!

This book, as I said, is darker and less romantic. Max, we find, has turned against the Venators and has joined the Tutela, a group of humans that aid and protect vampires and provide them with victims to feed on. What has happened? How can Max do this, and how dare he go and get engaged after all the grief he gave Victoria for doing the same thing in the last book! There's more to Max's story than we know. We also get to know Sebastian Vioget better, who owned a vampire cafe in London called the Silver Chalice. He's on the scene in Rome as well and is eager to woo Victoria. He is aware of her secret life and is willing to help her - but for favors in return. Sebastian always knows more than he's willing to divulge and he's not altogether trustworthy. As debonair as he is, I still prefer Max's brooding ways, but Max has plenty of his own problems that all come to a head at the end of the book with devastating results.

I really enjoyed the locale of this book in Venice and Rome and makes me want to go there all the more!

4/5



Book Description:
To gain access to the secrets of a legendary alchemist, Rome's vampires have allied themselves with creatures as evil and bloodthirsty as they are. The new leader of the city's vampire hunters-Lady Victoria Gardella Grantworth de Lacy-reluctantly turns to the enigmatic Sebastian Vioget for help, just as Maximilian Pesaro arrives to aid his fellow slayers, no matter what the sacrifice. Desire puts her at the mercy of Sebastian, while loyalty binds her to Max, but she does not know if she can trust either. Especially when a seductive vampire begins luring her into the shadows...

Another dark story, this one is still set in Rome, though it does have it's more whimsical moments in the form of Victoria's mother and two dowager friends who come to visit in Rome and put a definite cramp in Victoria's plans to fight off vampires at night.

Victoria is now the Illa Gardella, head of the Venators and we get more glimpses of the headquarters of the Venators in Rome and it's workings. We meet other Venators like, Brim, Michaelas and Zavier, a red haired (!) Scottish Venator. Alas, Zavier is too short to be a Jamie Fraser, though I was struck by the similarities of his highlander accent and red hair - something to think about... Zavier takes a liking to Victoria, but she has her hands full between Sebastian and now, after a devastating kiss - Max! I enjoyed much of this book, but I found Max's self sacrificing getting to be too much to take - enough already! This becomes the common theme in the books, though angsty and exciting I needed some lovin' between Victoria and Max, I just didn't feel completely comfortable with Victoria and Sebastian and their moments in various carriages - which also becomes an on-running joke throughout the series. Max's ex-fiancee, Sara Regalado and her vampire father play large roles in this book as well.

The end of this book was a shocker as Victoria succumbs to the charms of Sebastian's great-great-great vampire grandfather, Beauregard. It was devastating to read of Victoria in Beauregard's clutches, drinking blood and liking it! Eep! A haunting image in which all I could think of was "fix this!" But, the biggest and scariest part of this book is the cliffhanger and worrisome feeling that although Victoria is rescued, Victoria may have become a kind of vampire herself! I had to immediately download the next Kindle and read on!

4/5



Book Description:
Ruining Victoria's homecoming, a vampire stalks the streets of London - during the daylight. Not only is Victoria unable to detect the vampire with her heightened senses, but she's being framed as the prime suspect behind the killings.

Meanwhile, her heart is still divided between the enigmatic Sebastian Vioger and her fellow slayer Max Pesaro. The battle is made even more difficult by the legacy of a vampire's touch - a vampire who left in Victoria's veins boiling blood that forces her to fight evil on two fronts: against the new breed of undead threatening London and against the darkness within herself.

Ah, at last, things are heating up between Max and Victoria. Back in London, Max is back and so is Sebastian. Sebastian is now a Venator and we learn the truth about him. The new Marquess of Rockley (Philip's heir) has turned up, a Kentuckian. I had my hopes that the new Marquess of Rockley was going to be Philip incarnate - but alas, he is not. Not even remotely so. Still, I loved the tie in with King George IV's coronation and the idea that Princess Caroline is a vampire! How interesting!

Sara Regalado, now a minion of Lilith's, is back at it again and up to her dirty tricks, she turns out to be much worse than I ever suspected. Parts were hard to read in this book, some awful things happen to some of our favorites and there is a big showdown at the end, that finally solves the dilemma of what happens to Victoria and the tainted blood of a vampire that runs in her veins.

Again more sacrifices on Max's part, but at least we know he loves Victoria, except that he's always doing something to make you think, "Oh no! This is it! He's going to die now!" Max is no longer a Venator, which needed to happen in order for him to be released from Queen of the Vampires, Lilith, who has been obsessed with him and had him in his thrall. Without the vis bulla of a Venator, Victoria is constantly worried for him since he is not as strong without it, which drives him crazy. He has his pride and he hates to be in the position (especially with his rival, Sebastian, as a Venator now) of being "lesser" than Victoria.

Basically, he is willing to die and save his pride than remain alive and be weak. I am getting a feeling I know where this is going to lead into the last book. The basic key: Lilith must die - but how?



Book Description
Directly descended from the very first vampire hunter in the Gardella family, Victoria knows she must continue the lineage so humanity will have protectors against the undead. While Sebastian Vioget appears to be both the perfect warrior and lover to ensure the Gardella Legacy, Victoria cannot forget Max Pesaro - the former slayer still haunted by the vampire queen Lilith's obsession with him. But it is Lilith's obsession that may save all of humanity. Demons, enemies of both mortals and the undead, have found their way to earth. To defeat them, vampires and slayers must fight side by side. But Lilith wants Max in return for her cooperation - a small price for the world, but too high a price for Victoria.

At last the end, and it was so satisfying to finish, and it was so romantic between Max and Victoria throughout - at last! But, he is so frustrating with this self sacrificing and brooding! Still, I loved the ups and downs and roller coaster emotions I got in reading about the two of them while battling demons and vampires and learning about what Waywren really is (duh, so obvious, but it didn't even occur to me!). I must admit, I was a bit disappointed that there was no Philip coming back from the undead at the end. Despite my love for Victoria and Max, I was really hoping that somehow Philip could return - I loved him so!

I must admit, I was so wrapped up in the romance and relationship between Max and Victoria, the plotline of fighting the demons and closing the gap became secondary to me. And yes, I guessed what was the truth behind Gwen (I must admit I never really liked her all that much!) Getting the five rings and finally killing Lilith off seemed more as a sideline! Still, a lot happens though I was a bit disappointed in the whole Guilia/Sebastian 'saving her soul' plotline - it just seemed convoluted to me, and I was still hoping it was going to be a way to bring Philip back! *pout*

Still, I'm happy for Victoria and Max and the new little Gardella on the way. Loved what happens with her mother and all the loose ends neatly wrapped up.


4.5/5

A wonderful, wonderful series, who knew I've love something like this! I loved the historical aspect of it, the hackney coaches, the inumerable dresses described, the balls and tea things. I loved the thrills the chills, the battles, the swords, the blood and gore, the thrall of being bitten, the eroticism of it. I loved the cold feeling on the back of the neck when a vampire is near and that "poof" when a vampire is staked and the vis bulla that hangs somewhere on the body of a Venator. I loved the "at last" moment between Victoria and Max and the way he told her he'll make her forget her own name. *sigh* It's hard to believe I've never seen a single Buffy the Vampire Episode, and the only other vampire books I've read are the early ones by Anne Rice. Well, I feel a change in the air - a sudden chill, something... paranormal.

Watch out!

Overall series rating: 5/5

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100+ Reading Book Challenge

I'm ready!



Last year I read 100 books, and this year I wasn't sure if I'd make it, but I'm doing pretty well right now and just finished my 86th book of the year, the 2nd in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles - love, love, love them! I'll review them all at once when I've finished all five of the books in the series - which will be soon since I'm devouring them in record time!

So, I'm taking the plunge and joining J. Kaye's 2010 100+ Reading Book Challenge.

It's pretty straightforward, read 100 or more books for the year 2010. If you want to join up, go over to J. Kaye's blog here and sign up. I wish I had done this for 2009, so I am thrilled to be able to join up for 2010!

Challenge Rules:

1. The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

2. Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

3. No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

4. Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

5. Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

Happy reading everyone!

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Sick of Shadows by Sharon McCrumb

Book Description:
The book that started it all for Edgar Award winner Sharyn McCrumb's widely acclaimed series featuring amateur sleuth Elizabeth MacPherson.

When delicate Eileen Chandler is set to marry, her family fears the man is a fortune hunter. Thank goodness, Eileen's cousin Elizabeth MacPherson comes early for support. Unfortunately, Elizabeth also has some detecting to do, as a dead body is found, and none of the wedding party is above suspicion....

This book has been on my TBR pile forever, so I finally got around to reading it. I wish I could say it was worth the wait, but it just didn't really bowl me over. I'd heard it was witty and well done and I just don't see what all the fuss was about. Lots of quirky, offbeat characters, but I found none of them compelling, and I didn't even click with Elizabeth MacPherson who is the main character and the start of this acclaimed series that left me cold. One of the reasons why I read this book was that the later books take Elizabeth to Scotland from Southern Georgia, where this book takes place. I liked the idea of Scotland (of course), but I don't think I'm going to bother continuing with this series afterall.

It's not that it was bad, but it didn't keep me interested. Even though the many different oddball relatives and side characters were "different," the murder mystery itself made me curious, but I wasn't burning to find out who did it. The many different characters were distracting from the murder itself and I just wanted to get this short book (240 pages) over with.

The basic plot is Elizabeth has just graduated from college and has to be a bridesmaid in her cousin Eileen's upcoming wedding. She stays with Eileen's dysfunctional though well to do family for at least a week before the wedding. An awkward business, since Eileen hasn't seen any of them in years. Eileen is a mystery in of itself, institutionalized the previous year, we're not sure if she's completely stable or not. All her other cousins are strange to say the least, but some had their bright spots. I liked the Prince Ludwig nut, Alban, the best. He built his own Disney-like castle (aptly named Albania by his witty and jaded cousin, Geoffrey). The way he and Elizabeth meet is one of the best moments in the book. In fact, you get the impression there might be something romantic there, but they're first cousins, so that rules that one out. This is a contemporary novel afterall. Elizabeth barely knows any of her cousins, so we get to meet them all one by one, as well as the fiance and a visiting psychiatrist. All with their own little peculiararities.

As the week unfolds, Eileen, the bride to be, is found dead in an old skiff in the lake on the family property (hence the reference to Sick of Shadows and the Lady of Shallott - again, I just read a book with this same theme! What a coincidence!)

Who murdered Eileen? Was it one of her siblings or some other relative? Maybe it was the fiance, who we find out didn't even really want to marry her - except that Eileen would come into $200,000 by being the first of the cousins to get married thanks to an eccentric great aunt who made this proviso in her will. Because of this, any one of the many siblings or cousins could have been the murderer to get the money.

Over the course of the investigation we also get to meet the county sheriff, who, predicatably, is smarter than he sounds and likes to keep up the charade of being just a good ol' boy. In addition, we get to know his sidekick Clay, and some family secrets are revealed to further the plot and throw the reader some red herrings.

I won't reveal who the murderer is, but the whole wind up was just kind of ... dumb. I shook my head and thought - this is it? It was a cute little mystery, but light. It didn't have any meat on it for me, just lots of little sideline stories of weird characters and would be murderers. Maybe I'm just not a big enough mystery lover to have really appreciated this, though I like historical mysteries. I think I have a ways to go to get into these types of books.

Hey, at least I read it, and I knocked off another book from my TBR Challenge! That's the important thing!

3/5

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Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran

Book Description:
In a debut romance as passionate and sweeping as the British Empire, Meredith Duran paints a powerful picture of an aristocrat torn between two worlds, an heiress who dares to risk everything...and the love born in fire and darkness that nearly destroys them. From exotic sandstone palaces... Sick of tragedy, done with rebellion, Emmaline Martin vows to settle quietly into British Indian society. But when the pillars of privilege topple, her fiancé's betrayal leaves Emma no choice. She must turn for help to the one man whom she should not trust, but cannot resist: Julian Sinclair, the dangerous and dazzling heir to the Duke of Auburn. To the marble halls of London... In London, they toast Sinclair with champagne. In India, they call him a traitor. Cynical and impatient with both worlds, Julian has never imagined that the place he might belong is in the embrace of a woman with a reluctant laugh and haunted eyes. But in a time of terrible darkness, he and Emma will discover that love itself can be perilous -- and that a single decision can alter one's life forever. Destiny follows wherever you run. A lifetime of grief later, in a cold London spring, Emma and Julian must finally confront the truth: no matter how hard one tries to deny it, some pasts cannot be disowned...and some passions never die.

I really thought I knew what to expect from this book. At first I thought it would be the usual story of a missish and proper English bred Victorian young lady come to India to be married who meets a dashing and disreputable man who unleashes her hidden passions. Ho-hum, been there, done that.

I was wrong - very wrong.

From the beginning, Emmaline Martin is not your average miss. She is a survivor. Outspoken as well as a talented artist, she makes the long journey from England to India with her parents. En route, the steamer sinks and she barely escapes alive but for being rescued by a merchant ship, crewed by Irishmen. Having lost her parents, she arrives in India alone, amidst the scandalous whisperings of the other colonials, "What happened to her?" "Was she abused by her rescuers?" "How unladylike!"

Now an heiress, Emmaline is reunited with her fiance, who turns out to be an ass - and an unfaithful one at that - and is soon disenchanted with what she realizes her life will be like as a proper memsahib in colonial India. Suffering from the recurring nightmares of the shipwreck, she is disillusioned and unhappy with her future. Her fiance, Marcus, makes it plain he only wants her for her money and will continue his philandering ways once they marry. He expects her to act with decorum and grace, just like all the other memsahibs in India. That's just not going to happen to Emma. One night at a ball in her honor, she meets Julian Sinclair alone outside in the garden. He is tall, dark and handsome, the perfect foil to her blonde fiance. He and her fiance are cousins, but Julian is the one to inherit the dukedom of Auburn, even though he is part Indian, much to Marcus' chagrin. Not exactly accepted in England or India due to his heritage - Julian doesn't care. He's rich, clever, powerful and notorious with women - he does what he wants. When he and Emma meet, there is an instant chemistry and understanding between them - kindred spirits. Their paths cross several times again and they warily become friends, though her fiance warns not to have anything to do with him. Julian saves her from a few unfortunate instances and soon she begins to think of him as someone she can trust. Before long, Marcus proves himself to be more than just a jerk, he strikes Emmaline and she breaks the engagement off with him, yet she needs someone that can help her get out of Delhi for rumours and signs are pointing to the imminant possibility that an Indian Mutiny may occur. It is out of the question to remain in the city, she must get to safety somewhere else.

And so, as predicted by Julian, an Indian uprising goes into effect with devastating results. It is horrible. Ms. Duran paints a clear picture of how dreadful it was with all the murdering and death. Julian helps Emma escape and they have a tender night together. He tells her he loves her, but he must go back to Delhi to look after the Indian side of his family. He promises he will return and leaves her in safety at the house of a maharajah. But, it turns out Julian was wrong. Emma must face more tragedy and turmoil, and the nightmares she experienced from her shipwreck are nothing compared to what she now faces while trying to save herself and get out of India. She trusted Julian and believed he'd find her, but alas, he never returns. She must fight and kill and do what she must to survive. Her experience takes it's toll on her for years to come.

We next come upon Emma four years later in England. She is a shell of the person she had once been. Living with her married cousin, who has nursed her and tried to bring her back to reality and peace, Emma pours her heart out in her painting. All her nightmares and memories of the Mutiny are brought to life - horrible, bloody, graphic paintings of scenes she witnessed. Soon, a friend of her cousin's wants to show them in a gallery and sell them for her. The opening night is a sensation. Shown under a pseudonym, no one realizes she is the real painter, except for one. I bet you can guess just who happens to be there that evening - yes. Julian, the Duke of Auburn.

The next part of the book is pushed forward with momentum, I could barely put it down. From the minute Julian realizes that Emma is alive (he had thought her dead) everything changes for the two of them. She is still damaged from her memories and fights him, she cannot stand the idea of seeing him again - falling for him - trusting him - look what happened to her last time she believed and trusted in him. She hurts too much. Of course, they've both been under the wrong impressions - thanks to Marcus, her jerk ex-fiance. I won't go into all the details, but Julian and Emma must join forces to come to terms with their future and find out why and who is trying to kill her as well. Words taken from letters she stole from an English soldier she killed are written in Urdu in her paintings. It turns out they are more incriminating of the Indian Mutiny than anyone realizes. Someone wants her dead.

This was more than just your usual historical romance. It was intense, emotional and stirring. I cared about Emma and Julian and wanted to see them together - but it just wasn't that easy. Emma is a strong heroine, which makes it that much harder to see what happens to her over time with the Mutiny and aftermath and how it nearly kills her and wrecks her. Julian is strong and courageous, but must live with the idea that he couldn't save Emma from what happened - he's not even sure what exactly happened to her! He goes on a tear after seeing her again in London, dropping any sense of decorum - he will fix this and damn the consequences! Finally, when they have their big showdown and explanations, it's cathartic for all, including the reader.

A really good book, it took me a little while to get into it, but once I did, it was so worth it! The locale of India was evocative and their lovemaking is sensual and memorable. The references to Tennyson's The Lady of Shallot "I am, half sick of shadow" were well done and poignant as well, I loved it. I can't wait to read the rest of Ms. Duran's books, this is an author I will watch out for in the future!

4.5/5

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Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian (audio)

Book Description:
The 5th novel in Patrick O'Brian's hugely successful Aubrey/Maturin Series

Commissioned to rescue Governor Bligh of Bounty fame, Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend and surgeon Stephen Maturin sail the Leopard to Australia with a hold full of convicts. Among them is a beautiful and dangerous spy -- and a treacherous disease that decimates the crew. With a Dutch man-of-war to windward, the under-manned, out-gunned Leopard sails for her life into the freezing waters of the Antarctic where, in mountainous seas, the Dutchman closes...

This is the first time that I've listened to one of the Master and Commander books, and I must admit, there were some things I liked about it, but some things I did not. I did like the narrator, Simon Vance, who did the various accents, but I found it hard to concentrate on the battle scenes and the various sea faring terms, such as 42 degrees longitude, 43 minutes due west (or something of that sort) that would come up quite frequently.

The story itself wasn't bad. We are back again with Lucky Jack Aubrey (who isn't as lucky in this book, as we shall see) and his friend and ship's surgeon, Stephen Maturin, who is also a spy for the British against Napolean's France. Jack has got himself a ship, the Leopard, not the most gallant ship, it's not very pretty, nor does it have a glorious reputation, having blown up the unprepared American frigate, The Chesapeake in 1807, which almost set the US at war with Britain. Many Americans were killed and even Jack admits (he was not the ship's captain at the time) it was a bad job of it.

The Leopard has the ignominious task of transporting ("transporting!" says Jack scathingly) convicts to Botany Bay. A few of them are women, which is never considered good luck on a ship. One, a Mrs. Wogan is an interesting creature. She is a spy and an American - and a good friend of Diana Villiers, Stephen's old love and Achilles Heel (he's had more than enough laudanum due to her over the years, than is good for him). Diana has left him in the lurch more than once. They resemble each other and Stephen develops a fondness for Mrs. Wogan, as do most of the men on the ship. She is a genteel sort of prisoner, she has a maid and her own cabin and an endearing manner about her. She has a way of making men fall all over themselves for her. More than one probably cannot fathom the idea of her going to live in an Australian penal colony.

While en route, the Leopard has many hardships. It must face off with a Dutch Man of War which meets it's untimely end and then the Leopard hits an iceberg in the Antartic and is seriously crippled. It loses it main mast (I think) and it's rudder. Not good. It limps along until, with Jack's amazing navigational abilities, it lands on Desolation Island, a remote, frozen island inhabited by no man, just seals, penguins, sea elephants, birds and sea leopards. To Stephen, a naturalist, it is paradise. To the rest of the crew it is an icy hell. Before reaching the island, a good part of the crew set off in one of the boats (with Jack's permission) to see if they can navigate in the ocean to some warmer climates and safety. Jack will not leave his ship, of course.

The book had it's high points and some humerous moments, but it was in my opinion not as entertaining as the previous ones I've read. There is a bit in the beginning with Jack and Sophie (his wife) and children. Some bits of Stephen, gearing up for meeting Diana after a long time, only to be ditched by her (poor Stephen), and an unusual stowaway, a Mr. Herapath, who turns out to be a heartsick amour of Mrs. Wogan. Herapath becomes Stephen's mate when his last surgeon's mate dies of the fever that overtakes the ship.

While asea, the story is grim and bleak, I was actually looking forward to their reaching Botany Bay (they never do in this book) and I was hoping we'd meet Captain Bligh (of the Bounty Mutiny). I was interested in seeing what Jack thought of him, apart from the fact he was known to be a great navigator. I read all the Mutiny on the Bounty books when I was young, I highly recommend them. I would have liked to get O'Brian's take on Bligh. Much of this book was from Stephen's point of view, not much at all from Jack. In fact, for much of the book, Jack is remote, concentrating on his command, although I did enjoy a few naughty tidbits that came out of his mouth, particulary his views on women! But, mostly this is Stephen's story. Will he ever recover from Diana? Will he ever get over his opium addiction? Will he help Mrs. Wogan escape?

If you are a big fan of the series, this is a must read, but it's not a book I'd recommend to just pick up and read for the fun of it. You have to be into this type of series to appreciate it. Granted, since I was listening, I don't think I got the full effect of the writing and sea jargon and overall feel for the book like I did with the others. I think I will take a break from Jack and Stephen and concentrate on other genres, though I will revisit this series again - someday. In any event, I've knocked off another book for my TBR Challenge.

3.5/5

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The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Book Description:
Nothing ever goes right for Eloise. The day she wears her new suede boots, it rains. When the subway stops short, she's the one thrown into some stranger's lap. And she's had her share of misfortune in the way of love. So, after deciding that romantic heroes must be a thing of the past, Eloise is ready for a fresh start.

Setting off for England, Eloise is determined to finish her dissertation on two spies, the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian. But what she discovers is something historians have missed: the secret history of the Pink Carnation-the most elusive spy of all time. As she works to unmask this obscure spy, Eloise has more and more questions. Like, how did the Pink Carnation save England from Napoleon? What became of the Scarlet Pimpernel and the Purple Gentian? And will Eloise Kelly escape her bad luck and find a living, breathing hero of her own?

I've been having the hardest time writing this review, I've been putting it off and off and the reason why is, I'm afraid I can't do this book justice - I loved it!

I was so surprised to find out how much I really adored this book! It had it all. First of all, it was a little chic litty because it starts out in present day. Eloise is our modern day heroine who has a thing for the Scarlet Pimpernel and another similar type of 18th century hero that worked with the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Purple Gentian. Now, having just read (or listened, in my case) to the book, The Scarlet Pimpernel, I loved this premise. Eloise decided to write a paper and go to England to research this topic and find out who was the the real Purple Gentian and another mysterious masked hero, the Pink Carnation. Now, of course, they're all fictional, but this book brings them to life, particulary the Purple Gentian. As Eloise delves into her research, she is generously given the chance to read the private papers of the real story from the Purple Gentian's present day descendents. While reading these papers, she meets Colin, the not so endearing present day earl or viscount or lord (I can't remember what he is) of the Selwick family. She has a couple of run ins with him - of course, he's dazzingly handsome, and she's always managing to make a fool of herself in front of him - a la Bridget Jones, which I found endearing and funny (especially since I love Bridget!).

While reading the 200 year old papers, we are then taken back in time to Napoleanic times and when the Purple Gentian was in action! We learn about Amy, who wants to work in league with the Purple Gentian (even though she doesn't know who he is.) She has wanted this ever since she was a little girl and she hops off to France from England with her cousin, Jane, and chaperone, Gwen. This is when the book gets really good! We also meet Lord Richard Selwick who is the real The Purple Gentian. He is charming and handsome and I found him totally endearing as well. There are tons of mix ups, humerous antecdotes, masked kisses, daring rescues and a mystery, plus some sweet, but at the same time, hot sex scenes - this book had it all! Not to mention - a great plot and I loved every minute of it! I loved the switching back and forth between Amy and Richard's story and Eloise and Colin's, which is not finished! I'm sure we'll learn more about our present day hero and heroine in the future books of this series.

Do yourself a big favor - read this book. It helps to know the story of The Scarlet Pimpernel first, though it's not required - but it does help. I'm eager to read the rest in this series - it was so much fun and I hated to finish it!

5/5

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Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn (audio)

Book Description:
Despite his admonitions to stay away, Lady Julia arrives in Yorkshire to find Brisbane as remote and maddeningly attractive as ever. Cloistered together, they share the moldering house with the proud but impoverished remnants of an ancient family -- the sort that keeps their bloodline pure and their secrets close. Lady Allenby and her daughters, dependent upon Brisbane and devastated by their fall in society, seem adrift on the moor winds, powerless to change their fortunes. But poison does not discriminate between classes….

A mystery unfolds from the rotten heart of Grimsgrave, one Lady Julia may have to solve alone, as Brisbane appears inextricably tangled in its heinous twists and turns. But blood will out, and before spring touches the craggy northern landscape, Lady Julia will have uncovered a Gypsy witch, a dark rider and a long-buried legacy of malevolence and evil.

Book Three of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries, I had high hopes that there would be a lot more interaction between Lady Julia and Brisbane. Alas, he seemed as remote as ever, they were apart for the greater part of the book. I found him hopeless at times. I was so frustrated with their relationship! Poor Lady Julia goes all the way to the bleak moors of Yorkshire, land of the Brontes in all it's Gothic glory, to be with Brisbane for she feels he needs her. Instead, he barely has anything to do with her. Occasionally he would give in to a passionate kiss, and then push her away, telling her to leave cryptically, before storming off to help find a sheep or something of the sort. Of course, not until the end of the book to we become privy to his thoughts and learn why he behaved the way he did - but still! I found him quite annoying for the most part!

So, because Brisbane was basically not around, Lady Julia had to amuse herself and turn her attentions to the mysterious and strange Allenby family, the previous owners of the remote and crumbling Yorkshire estate that Brisbane has taken over. Julia slowly but surely unearths some dark family secrets surrounding the now dead heir to the Allenby line, Redwall Allenby. Redwall, an Egyptian scholar is the late brother of two very strange sisters. Lady Julia takes it upon herself to catalog all of the artifacts he collected from Egypt in order to sell them off to provide for his sisters and mother. Little does she know that she will find two dead babies hidden in a priest's hole in his study that appear to be mummified. But, these are not ancient babies, they are relatively new and Julia is determined, with Brisbane's help, to find out who they belonged to, and how they got there.

Meanwhile, Julia has become friends with the local Gypsy healer, Rosalie, who turns out to be Brisbane's aunt. She is a flamboyant character who reveals more facts about Brisbane's childhood so that we get a more complete picture of who Brisbane is and why. I liked Rosalie's character and she gave some pizzazz to what I considered a drab storyline. There were some bright notes such as the mating of Mr. Pugglesley and Florence (from the last book) - I can't imagine what ugly puppies they'd have! But even Julia's siblings, Portia and Val seemed depressed and out of sorts. There was no humor or fun, aside from some of the catty thoughts Julia had for Hilda Allenby, one of the two strange sisters who had a fondness for raising poultry. This book was bleak in comparison to the first two books in the series, although it was in keeping with the locale of the moors. The entire book oozed "gothic" and there were many send ups and references to Wuthering Heights and the Bronte Sisters in general. Plenty of odd characters in the Allenby family alone. Still, I found the mystery itself lacklustre and predictable and only the very ending of the book made up for Brisbane's lack of affection towards Julia for the majority of it. I'm sure fans of this series will agree with me, the ending was very satisfying.

On another note, I listened to this book on audiobook and was very disappointed in the narrator, which probably affected my opinion on the book itself. Beware of the audible edition with Margo Westwood as the reader. Don't get it. She sounded like she was channeling Bette Davis as Margo Channing in All About Eve. Over the top with the melodrama, some day I will re-read this in print, just so that I can eradicate the picture in my mind and give Lady Julia a better version in my head of what her voice should be like. She deserves better. Although, Ms. Westwood was very good at doing the voice of Rosalie the Gypsy woman.

All in all, it was a good book, but to do it justice, I need to re-read it, I think I will enjoy it a lot more in print than on audio. I'm very much looking forward to the further adventures of Lady Julia and Brisbane in the next book in the series, which I believe is in the making and will send them to India!

3.5/5

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