Wendy Lyn Watson - Once Upon a Wallflower

When Mira Fitzhenry’s guardian arranges her engagement to one of the most scandalous, yet devastatingly handsome lords to ever grace the peerage, all of society is abuzz. After all, the man has left a trio of dead young women in his wake, including his first fiancée.
Expecting to scare the chit away within five minutes of meeting him, scarred and brooding Nicholas, the Viscount Ashfield, is intrigued by the unfashionably lovely Mira, but his family’s dark secret means he must fight his attractions. No matter what his heart wants.
As the wedding approaches, Nicholas and Mira grow ever closer, yet so does the very real danger. Will the truth bring Nicholas and Mira together or tear their love apart?

Comment: I got interested in this story last year although I can't remember where. I assume my interest derived from the fact the heroine is shy and not seen as beautiful. I like shy or timid or less than appreciated heroines so I hoped for a very interesting path for the heroine but the overall plot wasn't as smooth as I imagined.

In this book we meet Mirabelle, better known as Mira, when her uncle decides to marry her off to settle some debts. However, the man who she is supposed to marry is suspected of murdering his former fiancé which makes the situation difficult but Mira knows she will have the opportunity of a lifetime to not only compensate her uncle but to have a family of her own. Will she help her new fiancé discover the truth so that his name can be cleared? Or will the real killer attack again?

This was an interesting story because it mixed the historical elements usually found in historical romances but also some gothic feel by having the characters be immersed in an investigation, albeit not with policemen helping.

I see the author has a career more focused on cozy mysteries but her stepping in towards historical romance wasn't badly done. I just think the story wasn't as smooth as it could.

The plot basically centers around the investigation of the crimes to clear Nicholas' name, the man Mira is going to marry and also the relationship between them.

Mira and Nicholas both start looking at the other not as a potential partner in reality but as a person to not deceive by allowing the marriage to happen. So, that means both try to act as they are supposed to look like for the other ( a murdered that wouldn't be husband material in Nicholas' case and a plain woman who doesn't attract men in Mira's) but as they get to know one another, they realize hey can be a strong team.  

I liked the to protagonists individually although some of the traits they are described as having aren't always as well used and that felt like a shame because the potential was a little lost trying to mix so many elements together. This means some situations were very predictable (like the way we are supposed to follow a line of thought in order to know who the killer is) and the story looses some impact. Of course the sometimes difficult to believe behavior of some characters, the exaggeration of some of them to the point of looking like caricatures (like Mira's cousin Belle) made it more complicated to have the feel this was a fluid story from start to end.

All things considered, this wasn't bad and I liked reading about Mira and her thoughts, it was interesting to know how a person not very appreciated by others saw positive things to enjoy her life the way she could. I understand her decision to marry, to have a family and her trust in Nicholas despite the rumors was to applaud. 

I just think the overall experience of reading this wasn't as fascinating as the blurb promises. Still, not a bad effort, considering this was the first thing I've read by the author.

Grade: 6/10

Alexander Dumas - Queen Margot

Queen Margot is a historical novel set in Paris in August 1572 during the reign of Charles IX. The story is based on real characters and events. The novel's protagonist is Marguerite de Valois, better known as Margot, daughter of the deceased Henry II and the infamous scheming Catholic power player Catherine de Medici. Catherine decides to make an overture of goodwill by offering up Margot in marriage to prominent Huguenot and King of Navarre, Henri de Bourbon, a marriage that was supposed to cement the hard-fought Peace of Saint-Germain. At the same time, Catherine schemes to bring about the notorious St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572, assassinating many of the most wealthy and prominent Huguenots who were in the largely-Catholic city of Paris to escort the Protestant prince to his wedding…

Comment: I've decided to start 2019 by reading a classic. I chose this one because it had been in my TBR for a while and because an uncle of mine had it in his library and also a bit because I liked the 1994 movie based on it which featured a very young Isabelle Adjanini.

Since this was not my first book by Alexander Dumas, I sort of knew what I'd get but I still expected a little more in some regards.

This is a story the author wrote based on real events, mainly the st. Bartholomew's massacre in 1572, France, due to a political maneuver for the Christian king to discredit the Huguenots considered protestants. For a more comprehensive explanation, there are historical sites that give an idea of what it was all about.

In this book we follow the lives of several characters right after the wedding of Margaret of Valois, sister to the king of France and Henry of Navarre, the king of the Huguenots, who also wanted to one day become king of France. However, there would always be people who wished Huguenots would never have any influence whatsoever, like Catherine of Medici, the mother of the king of France and widely known for her methods of disposing of enemies...

This classic story can be read in quite a funny manner because one can appreciate the distance of those existences as historical and not be terribly affected by them. The writing is obviously dated and sometimes difficult to engage in which means that, for me, some passages read very lightly despite the dramatic content and often it's not easy to focus enough to follow every action.

The author also included many real life characters and as any student knows, most of the aristocrats (and even other humbler people) would have this desire to name everyone with very similar names. I found this story to be a little confusing because of the huge amount of people called the same and in more action paced scenes it was complicated to distinguish them.

Of course, one could say that paying attention would take care of that but the reality is that the characters are constantly involved in so much intrigue and backstabbing that may times they don't really mean to do something or they said they did and they didn't and vice-versa.

Adding to the fact the language was sometimes too dated to be easily followed, for me the story lost some impact because the politics and the personal development of everyone wasn't exploited as much as  I would have liked because too much time was spent on personal intrigues and infidelity and poisoning someone. All these details are things I usually dislike in my entertaining stories.

What saved this story for me and why I wasn't as bored as I would have been otherwise was the fact that most of the plot centers around Catherine of Medici trying to poison people, especially her son-in-law Henry of Navarre, and constantly failing. I found it very amusing how she was often annoyed and angry over her failed plotting. Of course she also hits some targets here and then and the feel I've got is that people in those times, specifically aristocrats, were too busy plotting instead of living...

Actually, now I think why this book is titled queen Margot, because Margot herself was seriously under developed and acted very often as a silly woman. However, i did liked to see her behave as a responsible person when she realized her husband death wasn't he solution and she tried her best to avoid it.

All things considered, this book is more a lesson in history than a fictional romance. Of romance it has very little despite the parts Dumas probably invented or imagined in some way. I liked having the experience of reading it but it wasn't as entertaining as I imagined.

Grade: 6/10

Mini-comments

Happy new year! ❤

To start the new year of posts, I'm going to begin with mini-comments of the last three books I've read in 2018 and that I haven't found time to write longer about.

The blurbs can be found in goodreads or the author's websites. I'm not including them this time because it's three books and I want to keep this a shorter post.

Ripper by Isabel Allende

This is a very obvious work by Allende, her writing style is pretty much what she has gotten us used to. I know it can be a little difficult to enjoy because she tells a lot more than she shows but if one can engage with the style, it can be a good read and for me, it is.

This time, though, the author has attempted a mystery/thriller oriented plot instead of the simply fiction she has became known for. I liked this effort of hers, the crime investigation was interesting to follow and the plot centered in a group of young kids who meet online to discuss what happens in regard to the crimes/murders was contemporary and easy to imagine. Yes, this is not a perfect plot nor the best thriller ever but I was constantly surprised by this element or that. Some details about the character's relationship weren't explored as I imagined and the end was terribly disappointing. Not badly done but it went a path I certainly don't think it's the one I'd have chosen. Still, a great effort.

Grade: 7/10

Watch Over Me by Daniela Sacerdoti

I got this book after a friend's recommendation around two years ago. I finally picked it because the idea of reading about two people connecting in Scotland after both went through bad situations in their lives is usually catnip to my taste in contemporary stories. However, I must say the two protagonists weren't always people I liked reading about, their thoughts weren't captivating for me that much. Sadly, this story is told in first person narrator and besides the two protagonists there are three other characters "telling" their side of things which can nullify the idea of the first person. Even with that aside, the fact the heroine kept talking about wanting to be a mother (very valid) and the hero about his ex not wanting to take responsibility of their daughter (she has reasons) made them bond but for me this was a boring story, period.

Grade: 6/10

The Spare Room by Helen Gardner

I got this one the last time I went to the library. It's a very short book, fictional but told as if the author is the narrator. It's her tale of how she helped a terminal cancer patient, a friend of hers, to go for some alternative treatments while the friend stayed in her house for three weeks and all the effort, work and patience that entails, as well as how tiring on the mind it can be.

I've worked in the past as a caretaker for a lady with Alzheimer's. Her daughter paid me to help taking care of the older lady when she wasn't there. I know how time consuming and emotionally heavy it is to take someone's feelings and shortcomings into consideration. I liked this book because Helen the friend didn't want to allow her friend Nicola to be exploited by deceivers and people who promised her she wouldn't be sick anymore while still caring for her, physically and emotionally. This was a pleasant surprise when it came to how the story was told.

Grade: 8/10

Soon I'll post my best of and statistics lists of 2018.

Happy reading!

Lynsay Sands - Vampire Most Wanted

For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan, she'll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can't outrun.
Marcus Notte isn't here to play games—especially not with someone as crazy as the infamous blonde. Asked by Lucian Argeneau to bring her back for questioning, Marcus is determined to carry out Lucian's request—no matter how the seductive little mind-reading vamp feels about it.
Basha doesn't mind fighting fire with fire, especially with a hot immortal involved. But if he wants to take her away, he'll have to catch her first . . . 

Comment: This is the installment #20 in the Argeneau vampire series by author Lynsay Sands. As always, it follows the way a specific couple finds love while several of the previous characters play a secondary part somehow.

This one was different enough for it focused on a plot line that hasn't been developed properly for some books now although it started several books ago.

The main couple is Basha and Marcus Notte.

Basha is one of those characters mentioned here and there but who we never really think about, except now her story is up and suddenly lots of characters remember/mention/discuss her at some point. Basha is a niece of Lucien, who he took care of after her parents died until the day she disappeared. Bash has had a very traumatic life until she escaped an enemy of the Argeneaus and reinvented herself as a gypsy though the centuries. Now, somehow mentions of her have reappeared and a unoccupied Marcus is charged with making certain this person is really her.

As one can imagine, at first they are wary of each other but as with every lifemate couple, it gets to a point they just can't pretend there's something between them...

The main focus of this installment is definitely Basha and her actions. We slowly discover several things about her past and I must say this isn't one of those silly cookie cute stories that often populate the series. As it sometimes happens, this is definitely a more serious story due to the elements it exploits, namely how difficult Basha's life has been.

This is probably the reason why some long life fans have not liked it, the tone is very different from those more humorous stories of the fist years and while I agree to a point, I don't exactly dislike the path of the series, only that it's a very irregular one.

It's a fact this story was darker than most of the others. The author went towards a darker path when it came to Basha's experiences mostly because it discussed some whereas in some others, the most difficult situations were often just referenced or summarized without much drama or descriptions. I liked things weren't glossed over but at the same time, it does clash with the other stories that the tone is very different, almost not resembling the same series. I can understand why it's confusing and why several aspects seemed contrary to other stories in the past (basically some "rules" of the world felt different here). This is why, for me, this was more average than what I imagined.

As for the plot itself, of course Basha is who Marcus thought and of course both are found amazed they are each other's lifemate. Their adventures follow some of the same premises other stories have had (the knowledge of who they are to each other but the sense they still need to ensure they can be a couple romantically, for instance) with the distinction of the tone like I said.

Marcus is a more simplistic character, his personality and behavior don't change much from beginning to end and his past doesn't have much conflict besides what all immortals usually face by having long lives.

I liked having the secondary characters show up.. as always it's nice to keep up with some of the characters who already had their stories or who will be the protagonists in the future and, to be honest, part of the fun is precisely that, to see their interactions now that the romances have become very predictable in how they develop.

All in all, this was what i consider to be another average story. It was different enough in tone and in following a plot that has started several books ago and it was obviously good that we got to see some developments but since these developments take quite a while to develop - obviously, if this is book #20 - and to be solved in the story, it's also a game of chance to guess when something can feel good or innovative again if not simply just "there". 

Nevertheless, it was good enough to have another installment in the lives of these characters.

Grade: 6/10

TBR Challenge: Anthology A Victorian Christmas

Five holiday stories set in Victorian England or America that reflect the old-fashioned romantic charm of this popular era. This collection features tales by Patricia Gaffney, Bettina Krahn, Edith Layton, Mary Jo Putney, and Patricia Rice.

Comment: It just can't be possible that this is the last TBR challenge installment of the year. When older people used to say "time flies as you get older" I thought it couldn't be true but I have to admit, it does. The more responsibilities you have, the less time there seems to exist for all our daily routines...

Now it's time for the last theme of the year, as usually it's Holidays. Wendy does say we can choose one of several but in December it always feels better to go with Christmas.

This time I picked an anthology published a long time ago (1992 is old, who would say it to me!). In this anthology there are five short stories featuring Christmas settings or loosely connected to the Christmas holidays. Of the five authors I had read two, Patricia Gaffney and Bettina Krhan. Of the others I had heard about Mary Jo Putney and Edith Layton but never tried anything by them and Patricia Rice is the only really new to me author.

This anthology wasn't one I was eager to read but it was one of those I got second hand and since it had Christmas stories, I thought why not choose it to be my pick for this month's theme.

All stories have some connection to the season but they focus mostly on the characters and not exactly on the time of the year as a key element to move the plot forward. I'd say the Christmas element is more a prop than a driving force. Also noted by the title is the fact all stories are set during the Victorian period, thus historical and following certain "rules".

I believe it will be easier to just leave a few comments on each story in order of appearance.

Edith Layton - Bird of Paradise 

This is the story of a young woman, who is the only woman working in her company, she also has to take care of her younger brother and who is counting on her Christmas bonus in order to pay for some things on time for Christmas. However, her cheapskate boss gives her and the other employees a turkey and not money. While despairing but trying to carry the big bird home, she is helped by a man who often sees her movements from and to work, admiring her form but mostly her friendly behavior to everyone. Eventually this man is the one who helps her the most at a time of need.

I liked the story overall but it never got explained why the man was taking note of her movements, why he was important (we get he is rich) and his behavior felt a little too much like stalking. Their "romance" is not even at subtle level, the understated it felt.

Patricia Rice - A Christmas Angel 

Here, we have an American man who got an English title after the death of his grandfather, and he imagined a certain scenario but is proven wrong when the estate is facing difficulties and some people, namely a specific young woman, are a little sad and bitter about the lack of opportunities for the poor village where they live. 

This story had many interesting elements to exploit, like the different social and cultural backgrounds of the protagonists, the doubts they faced on their pasts...I think a short story wasn't enough to properly explain and redeem certain emotional aspects.

Patricia Gaffney - Second Chance

My least favorite despite a surprising scene towards the end. Two sweethearts reunite on the eve of the heroine's wedding to another man but the bride hasn't forgotten the man she used to love despite the way he disappeared from her life. He comes back, explains why he did what he did and she must think if she really wants to marry a man for the wrong reasons. 

This one wasn't very good to me because I tend to dislike lovers reunited plots - even if these two never got to that point. The secondary characters had a part to play but things were so one dimensional except for the protagonists I felt this wasn't enough page count to fully present a balanced story.

Bettina Krahn - Kidnapped For Christmas 

This one was cute. A young teacher at a girl's school gets kidnapped before Christmas when all the other teachers and the girls go home for the holidays. The kidnapper is the father of a young girl refused entry at the school due to the father's not to proper reputation. 

The interactions of the main couple were interesting and the whole "vibe" was one I liked, it felt like their relationship was moving at a good pace. I'd would have loved a bigger books about these two. It was also a little romantic despite some less than reliable behaviors. The characterization made the protagonists likable and I was happy they found an HEA.

Mary Jo Putney - The Black Best of Bellaterre

As many other readers, this was my favorite. Another retelling of the Beauty and the Beast where the hero helps the heroine escape her father's greedy but careless hands by offering marriage so she doesn't have to marry another man. 

I liked how the hero tried to protect the heroine by marrying her even while promising it could be a marriage in name only. As time goes by they of course find something about the other t care and even love. There was a moment where things go wrong and a bigger book would have smoothed this more but in the end, the pace of their romance and how things go is extremely captivating.

-> Of the five stories, I liked two a lot, one wasn't positive for me overall and the other two were more along "meh". Still, I appreciated some reasons behind the content of them all, so all things considered, this was average for me. I do feel interested in reading more by the authors whole stories I liked the best so I'll check their back lists.

In terms of Christmas content, like I said it was mostly randomly used and only to give us that sense warm feelings were in the air. Nevertheless, the stories were a good enough reason to spend the time reading.

Grade: 6/10

Alyssa Everett - An Heir of Uncertainty

Lina, Lady Radbourne, thought being a countess would rescue her from poverty. Unfortunately, her young groom failed to plan for the future, and his drunken accident left her widowed and pregnant. Now Colonel Winstead Vaughan--Win--will inherit her late husband's fortune...unless she gives birth to a boy. Win is her natural enemy, so why can't she stop thinking about him?
Win is stunned to learn he stands to inherit a vast fortune. He's even more surprised to find himself falling for the beautiful, spirited Lady Radbourne, who is the one woman who stands in the way of a life he'd only imagined.
When someone tries to poison Lady Radbourne, suspicion falls on Win. There's a clever killer in their midst, and if Win doesn't solve the mystery fast, Lina may perish. He needs to win her trust, but how can he prove it's she he wants, and not the fortune?

Comment: I got this book because I've liked reading another one by the author and I also saw some positive comments about it in some reviews. I was eager to see how it would be like for me.

In this story we have Lina as the main protagonist and one night she is awaken by someone to be informed her husband has fallen from high heights on a dare and was immediately dead. Lina and her younger sister Cassie now must leave their house for Lina and her husbands have no heirs which means the estate will go to the next male of kin, which happens to be a cousin.

However, after a lengthy trip, Winstead and his small daughter and his brother arrive at the apparent new estate he will inherit - hopefully in good enough conditions to help him take care of the estate he already had and left to inherit this one - discover the lady Lina happens to be in a delicate condition, which means they have traveled all this way and now everyone needs to wait to see if the baby is a boy or a girl.

The problem is that Win sees in Lina all the opposite others tell him she must be like and it also seems someone is trying to stop the estate from going to either Win and Lina...

This was a goon enough story and I liked some elements. I liked spending time reading this novel. However, the romance was a bit lacking and that sort of had n impact in how I was able to enjoy the secondary situations.

What I liked best in this novel was the fact both Lina and Win had very good reasons to want to keep the estate. Neither had a stable past in the financial sense which means we have a set of protagonists who not only deserve to have something of their own but are also trying to have stability for the ones they care about.

I thought this premise alone on the situation would be the perfect starting point for a great romance but the truth is that I found it to be very luck warm.

It's always a positive point for me when the characters have some financial difficulty but by good character (if not just hard work) they manage to be worthy of having something extra in their lives. Lina comes from a disgraced mother and she has tried to do what she could to stop her younger sister from poverty.

Win has managed to keep a smaller state which already have problems and now things are dire and Win spent a lot just to travel. We obviously know he will take good care of this inheritance too.

I really wanted to see how this natural need to provide, to take care of others would be the merging element between the main couple but what I didn't count on was how they lacked sexual chemistry.

Now that I've read the story I must say the way the author decided to put the main couple interacting - even if properly adjusted to the time of the story and based on logical behaviors - in a very boring scenario. The scenes they shared just felt... so boring and when they finally give in to some of the attraction they (supposedly) felt, I got the feeling it was badly done and especially Lina's reaction tot he whole thing not in par to what her life and expectations had been to that moment. She reacted in a very non-wise manner. I guess I can understand but it didn't help me liking to see them together.

This book has a mystery going on, someone is trying to stop Lina and Win from being alive to inherit the estate. I confess I had a suspect until a certain point, where I believe the real villain becomes so obvious it's amazing how it wasn't so before. The whys are sort of understandable in the way usually not very sane villains carry their agendas...

The two elements - romance and mystery - should have been a great combination but the mystery always felt "stronger" for me, and more compelling.

All in all, this was a good effort, there are some good elements in general but I wish some situations/details could have been used more (like the main character's personalities, their sense of self and being worthy and also Win's younger brother having what we could say was Asperger's). Still, a good enough historical for when one is debating what to read.

Grade: 6/10

Lily Morton - Risk Taker

Being in love with your best friend is hard.
Henry’s the odd man out. All his friends are settling down, and his reputation as the Hook-Up King of London seems more like a curse than a blessing these days. Especially when it keeps photojournalist Ivo, his best friend and the brilliant man he’s loved since they were fifteen, at arm’s length. But that’s where Ivo wants him, right? Putting aside his feelings, Henry decides to give up casual sex and look for the real deal. After all, he has no chance with Ivo - or does he?
Henry is everything to Ivo. Best friend, soul mate, the one person who has never let him down. The one person he is loyal to above everything and everyone. But Henry’s in a box marked best friend and that’s where Ivo’s kept him for nearly twenty years, despite steadily falling in love with the gentle man. And besides, why would Henry want to date Ivo? Burned out and injured, he’s the walking embodiment of damaged.
Distance has helped Henry and Ivo keep a lid on their attraction, but when they find themselves in the same city for a change—Ivo hurt and needing assistance, and Henry more than willing to provide it—the two best friends grow closer than ever, forcing a realization, and a decision. Risk their friendship for their hearts? Or can they have both?
From the bestselling author of Rule Breaker and Deal Maker comes a tender love story about two best friends who are perfect for each other, and always have been - if only they knew it. 

Comment: This is the last book of the Mixed Messages trilogy by author Lily Morton. After enjoying the books #1 and number #2, I had good expectations about this one but despite still being an enjoyable rad, I don't think this one was as well achieved as the previous ones.

In this third story we have Henry's HEA at last. 

Henry has been a good professional throughout his career but his love life is not as steady. Now that his close friends Gabriel and Jude are in solid relationships with guys they love immensely, Henry feels his loneliness even more and decides it's time to start looking for someone to really care and love. However, there's still the little problem of Ivo, the son of one of his father's exes he simply can't forget about...

Ivo returns from one of his journalism assignments and, as usual, he comes to rest and recover in the house he shared in the will with Henry. This time, however, Ivo is finally ready to let go of such a nomadic life and is thinking about settling down and will try to see if Henry might develop feelings for him too...

The way things are, what will these two decide to do when they finally admit their feelings? And what about when Ivo recovers from his wounds, will he return to his dangerous work anyway?

Like I said, this is the third book and Henry has been a secondary character in the other two books. Of course there was something fascinating about him and I was glad he also deserved a story from the author.

What I think wasn't as interesting was the trope used to develop his romance. After the "lovers reunited" and the "second chance" ones, I'd say "friends to lovers" is one of those I sometimes struggle to look for. I mean, of course when well done, any trope can be interesting to see happen, but often or the trope is filled with clichés or the trope is the excuse for the plot and that can be a little boring to appreciate.

Anyway, in this book we have the friends to lovers trope featuring Henry and his step brother Ivo. While teenagers, both of them bonded over their common dislike for their parent's attitude towards life and eventually Henry's father and Ivo's mother separated. During the years they shared together, though, they developed a good connection and Henry fell for Ivo but one awkward scene in college left Henry thinking Ivo would never return his feelings.

Now, years later and at a time where his life is changing, Ivo wants to give in to the attraction he feels for Henry after one day finally acknowledging it to himself.

I just didn't like that much how Ivo just "saw the light" when it came to Henry one day. Their relationship as friends and brothers felt amazing and the messages exchanged by them while living with their parents (thus the trilogy title) prove that but for them to be a couple just felt like too convenient. I'd have preferred to see Henry fall in love on the page with someone new and not go over his wishes, his feelings, his deliberating of every move while regarding Ivo. I don't think the relationship was as balanced as it should, mainly because of Ivo's choices in the past, how could Henry trust him 100%?

Of course eventually he does, or this wouldn't be a romance. It was nice that Ivo finally decided to be brave and admit he wanted to share his life with Henry but the way this happened and the moment of the plot where it happened felt a little too quick and silly (in relation to the scene itself, since he was in an airplane).

The main goal here was to portray how years of knowing someone can "help" in discovering hidden parts of the other person and knowing you re with someone you not only have romantic feelings for but who you also respect. I can understand this tactic but I wish Henry could have had an even more romantic experience with the person he was in love with.

Grade: 6/10

Joy Nash - The Unforgiven

Seven thousand years ago, angels descended from heaven to guide a fledgling human race. Known as the Watchers, they were forbidden to partake in carnal pleasures. But they could not resist the temptation, and as a result their descendants have been cursed—unnatural magical beings that belong neither to heaven nor fully to earth.
Cade was ordered to claim her for his clan. She was becoming one of them— a Watcher, so to reach her full power—and she didn't even realize it. Yet the moment he saw her, he knew he could never share her. No matter what demons lurk in her past, no matter how much she tries to deny her body's burning need for his, he will claim her for himself. And together they will face the battle that is brewing...

Comment: I got this book back in 2011, a time where almost everything PNR was interesting enough for me to grab. I still like PNR but nowadays I mostly stick to authors I know or the books I've accumulated throughout the years. Of course, this means some books are amazing, others not so much.

In this book we have an interesting take on the angels myth and their descendants, namely the Nephilim. In this world, the Nephilim are supposed to be evil, the result of the sin of angels, who have fallen.

In this story we meet some characters who are descendants from Samyaza, one of the fallen angels, and Azazel, another one. Now on earth, the ones who belong to the genealogical lines of these angels supposedly must battle between themselves because history has made them opponents. Since their forefathers were enemies of sorts so these contemporary people are too and they can "recognize" each other due to their magic and powers.

When this story begins, people from house Samyaza suffer a huge blow and many of their members are killed which makes it even more important for their magic supply to increase and one of the easiest ways is for them to enslave a member of house Azazel. This turns out to be possible due to some circumstances and Cade is the one sent to do d this task but the problem is that the recently discovered member of house Azazel is an unaware young woman and Cade ends up falling in love with her...

This book has many interesting elements, which I have liked: the angel mythology, the fact descendants live together, sort of, that they rely on magic for their survival... and the characters themselves were intriguing enough to make me care about them and their feelings.

However, the author balanced all this with other not so good perspectives in my opinion: the fallen angels are evil, there's no compromise between the descendants and the Azazel family seems to be bad as well.

In terms of mixing good aspects of the myth folklore, the author did a good job because I was interested in knowing more about the myths used and its details. But, at the same time, everything was so limitative because of the whole "enemy" clause and having it done in a different way, by making all houses close and working together could have made things a lot more interesting, more vibrant and - for at least - even more romantic.

I can see the why of providing situations where angst and opposition ensued but this led to another aspect I wasn't as fond of: how the characters dealt with one another.

Basically, the two families we've known about in this book, Samyaza and Azazel, are destined to fight between themselves to gain more magic and power and that leads to some conflicts of course. Of the other angel houses there was no reference.

To summarize, in this book the Azazel family is the most despicable whereas the Samyaza one has a bit more honor and that is why making Cade to enslave someone feels a little wrong but they have no choice or they would perish. I can understand this tactic and that led to the whole plot, but after reading so many other books featuring these myths and where the characters are "good" people despite their origins, I felt really annoyed how these families were portrayed and would have liked to see different settings and developments.

Besides, the way the characters talk to each other, live among one another and help one another was very indifferent, as if it was just a chore even when they mentioned duty and feelings. I missed the romanticized version of a happy family.

As for the romance between Cade and Maddie, it was good, they had chemistry, they bonded over several aspects and not just the obvious sexual one. I'm just sad their relationship was so set on difficult happenings and we don't have an epilogue to see how settled they have become with one another.

I suppose that would be seen in future books but since 2011 no other book has been published in this series! I've checked the author's website and there is another book and a novella but reading the blurbs, those can only be prequels to this story somehow! I just don't feel interested in reading them, considering the state of things in this Unforgiven regarding some secondary characters. Therefore, I suppose I'd stop here despite the appeal of some elements the author has created.

Grade: 6/10

K. Ryan - Finding Emma

For the last year, Emma Owens has been quietly detached from everything and everyone. Desperate to escape the demons that chased her out of her hometown, she’s learned that life here in Milwaukee is just less complicated and less tragic when it’s a one-woman show.
In the span of one week, everything about her carefully orchestrated solitude comes crashing down. Then again, she can’t really ignore the scratching coming from her patio door or the hungry, pleading grey eyes reflecting in the moonlight. Those four little white paws and that tiger-striped fur thaws some of the ice keeping her heart on lockdown and she’s attached before she knows what hits her.
Emma doesn’t have any better luck ignoring another pair of eyes, and her new neighbor, Finn Matthews, with his shy persistence and a painful past of his own, slowly chips away at the rest of the ice trapping Emma in her insecurities and her loneliness. 
Taking a chance on her new roommate and her next-door neighbor opens a door she’d previously slammed shut: the door to a new lease on life and the right to forgive, to fight back, and to heal.
And the craziest part about it?
It all started with a stray cat.
She was lost...and he found her. 

Comment: I got interested in this book after reading a comment about it somewhere. I had never heard of the author, so this was a new experience for me. The book was interesting, the characters and the main theme well designed but the overall effect wasn't as well achieved as I would expect.

In this story we have the tale of Emma Owens, a young woman who has had some terrible events in her past and as a means to cope, she run away to a bigger city where no one knows her and where she can escape the pressure.

One day the apartment next to hers is finally occupied and the new neighbors seem to be friendly, especially one of them, Finn, who is also shy but with whom Emma feels an affinity with.

As they get to know one another, Emma slowly starts to share things until the whole truth comes out about her. Will Emma be able to trust Finn and fight for her right to have a life out of fear and hiding?

This was an interesting book. Part of its main theme is a secret until a certain stage of the story but I can say it's related to social media and how strongly they affect people's lives nowadays.

I liked this story well enough. Once again, following a certain trend seen lately in romances, this is a first person narrator. I've said before it's my opinion this technique is difficult to accomplish well and it's also so limitative to what the reader is able to know... in thrillers,certain situations benefit from having just one POV, so the suspense can be bigger.

In romance, however, it's not as easy to portray such a compelling character to the point nothing else matters. I can see the goal here but for me, just having Emma's thoughts - and two or three chapters from Finn's - isn't as thrilling as it could be and not even the part where she finally changes her way of thinking into healing and the final chapters made me like her better.

The progress of this story has a good pace. I liked that Emma and Finn's relationship doesn't happen too quickly and intertwined with Emma's doubts about going out in public in social environments is quite well done, the self doubt, the little angst associated with this felt realistic.

Still, for someone with Emma's feelings of anxiety which she describes often, I keep thinking that she started to trust a little too quickly in Finn. I can understand the appeal of someone who is attracted to her, whom she sees as in need of a new start like she is but considering what happened to her, I'd stuck to my shyness a little more.

Of course, this doesn't mean I didn't appreciate the fact Emma was able to learn she shouldn't hide from her problems and I was very sympathetic to the fear she faced and the sadness over how everyone close to her reacted in the past. 

In these days, there are more and more tools for people to make their rights asserted in the terms of the law and Emma certainly wanted a change enough to use them. It's also obvious that for Emma, this was mostly an emotional lesson rather than a civil rights one but it was good how the author blended them.

There are other themes included in this plot, like Finn's brewery business with his family, the love for sports they had, the love both Finn and Emma had for music and how many songs the author included in the story as a sort of soundtrack for what was happening though the novel. The author did a god job mixing all these things together and the final message is a good one but overall, I struggled a little bit to really love this, to like Emma as a narrator and I think the story could have been a lot more emotional and heartfelt.

There's a cat, though, and the scenes with him were cute.

Grade: 6/10

TBR Challenge: Charlotte Betts - The Chateau on the Lake

1792. As a teacher at her parents' Academy for Young Ladies in the heart of London, Madeleine Moreau has lived her life sheltered from the outside world. But on the night of a dazzling Masquerade, tragedy strikes and she is left alone in the world. Desperate to find the family she never knew, Madeleine impulsively travels to France in search of them. But with war around the corner, and fearing for Madeleine's safety, the enigmatic Comte Etienne d'Aubery offers her protection at his home, Chateau Mirabelle.
Chateau Mirabelle enchants Madeleine with its startling beauty, but it is a place of dark and haunting secrets. As the Revolution gathers momentum and the passions of the populace are enflamed, Madeleine must take control of her own destiny and unravel events of the past in order to secure a chance of future happiness.

Comment: It's November already, more than half way through it, before we know it it's Christmas and the new year... it is true what people say, time does fly as you get older...

Anyway, this month's theme for the TBR Challenge was a stimulating one, I'd think. The idea was for us to choose a beautiful cover or an horrid one. I debated this quite a lot because as people say, beauty is the eye of the beholder and even more so regarding books if one bears in mind the content might match - or not - the beauty of the cover.

Nevertheless, I went with a beautiful cover this time. I like the cover of this book because the colors almost give the sense of peace and the image is a landscape, a preference of mine when it comes to covers.Besides, the UK Piatkus label always puts an effort to crate beautiful covers and this time, it seemed to work out well.

In this book we have the story of Madeleine Moreau, a young woman who lives and works in her parents academy for girls in the France right after the revolution. This means, times are hard for those who don't seem to agree with what the revolution d demands, even if that means some people are wrongly accused or are innocents who defend more peaceful actions.

After a random but fatal attempt to defend Madeleine and a recent friend of hers, Madeleine's parents eventually die and she sees herself alone in the world save for some unknown relatives in France.

Then Madeleine and another friend go for France, to try to find Madeleine's family, along with the help of a french nobleman who has been helping some of his friends cross the border before the revolution kills them. But France is dangerous for everyone, including those who only observe...

Since this was a beautiful cover and this was a type of story I'd be interesting in reading, the combination of the two made me anticipate certain details, certain happenings which never happened in the novel. This means, not always the gorgeous covers bring gorgeous stories and there are some things I'd definitely change to make it more interesting for me.

The first thing that annoyed me to no end in this book was the fact this is 1st person narrator. I think it's a matter of real talent for an author to create such an amazing character that one just can't help to love see things though their eyes (Ilona Andrews does it perfectly!) but if not the story can become a little boring and irritating. 

Madeleine isn't a bad character and I must confess some of her opinions match some of my own but she just wasn't an amazing character to follow. I'd have preferred to have third person, I'm certain the reader would be able to reach a lot more information and emotion that way.

The plot of this book isn't complicated, basically a woman looking for her roots and this could be romantic enough, considering the help provided by the dashing french nobleman that goes along and with whom Madeleine makes a connection. But this is a very mild romance, perhaps clean is a good description? I guess this wouldn't matter if the historical content was stronger but I didn't get that vibe: the action is set in a very problematic moment, filled with despair and the ignorance of people and that rarely made for a eager reading on my part. It looked like as if the author wanted to stress out these facts as the key for the emotion in the story but I don't think it achieved that.

Like I said, the romance was barely there, then there's an annoying case of a love triangle which irritated me and lots of misuse of secondary characters. So sad about the narrator, I bet the richness of the plot and the characters would have shined more if the reader had been privy to everyone's movements differently. Also, some character behavior portrayed wasn't not par to the rest of the historical content, so it made for a very inconsistent read.

There are some secrets that supposedly are meant to be the key of some things but at some point they get to be so...silly and so poorly presented that not even the little good details made up for it.

I think this book could have been a lot better and, according to other reader's opinions, it was not as good as some other books by the author. Since I cannot know that because this is the first book I'm reading by this author I'll have to just imagine so.

This was not a bad book but some writing choices seem obviously lacking, for my taste of course. Here is the proof the cover can be beautiful but the content not so much or not as much as. I still liked to give this story a chance but I expected a stronger novel, yes.

Grade: 6/10

Mini-Comments

Here is another mini-comments post, where I write a few sentences about some recent reads that haven't been great and that I don't have much to say. Thus, to just leave a little recognition of the stories, here goes.

We're the D'Artigo Sisters: Half-human, half-Faerie, we're savvy--and sexy--operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who's still trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Camille--a wicked-good witch. Except my magic is as unpredictable as the weather, which my enemies are about to find out the hard way...
At the Wayfarer Inn, a portal to Otherworld and the local hangout for humans and beasties alike, our fellow operative, Jocko, has been murdered. Every clue points to Shadow Wing, the soul-munching, badass leader of the Subterranean Realms. He's made it clear that he aims to raze humankind to the ground, turning both Earth and Otherworld into his private playground. Our assignment: keep Shadow Wing and his minions from creeping into Earth via the Wayfarer. The demons figure they're in like Flynn. After all, with only my bumbling sisters and me standing in the way, how can they miss? But we've got a secret for them: Faulty wiring or not, nobody kicks ass like the D'Artigo girls...
 

Comment: I had this book to read for years, since 2011 if I'm not mistaken, and I hoped this would be an intriguing urban fantasy tale. 

This is the story of Camille, the oldest of three sisters, who has the powers of a witch. For several reasons - some attempted to be explained in the story - Camille isn't the best witch ever and that makes her efforts not go so well in her job as an investigator for the supernatural world she belongs to. But now a friend is dead and someone needs to know what happened before others are killed too...

Again, I'm certain had I read this years ago, the style and details would have been amazing to go through but now I just felt the plot too predictable and quickly able to be solved but the huge amount of unnecessary filling was too much. I soon lost interest, I couldn't have much patience for such a poorly written story (in my opinion) and my lack of interest in the characters. Next year I plan on beginning the art of not finish a novel and this would be a good candidate for certain, considering my lack of enthusiasm while reading...

Grade: 3/10 

-//-

Reginald Mason is wealthy, refined, and, by all accounts, a gentleman. However, he is not a gentleman by title, a factor that pains him and his father within the Regency society that upholds

station over all else. That is, until an opportunity for social advancement arises, namely, Lady Annabelle Ashton. Daughter of the Earl of Havercroft, a neighbor and enemy of the Mason family, Annabelle finds herself disgraced by a scandal, one that has left her branded as damaged goods. Besmirched by shame, the earl is only too happy to marry Annabelle off to anyone willing to have her. Though Reginald Mason, Senior, wishes to use Annabelle to propel his family up the social ladder, his son does not wish to marry her, preferring instead to live the wild, single life he is accustomed to. With this, Reginald Senior serves his son an ultimatum: marry Annabelle, or make do without family funds. Having no choice, Reginald consents, and enters into a hostile engagement in which the prospective bride and groom are openly antagonistic, each one resenting the other for their current state of affairs while their respective fathers revel in their suffering. So begins an intoxicating tale rife with dark secrets, deception, and the trials of love-a story in which very little is as it seems. 

Comment: I was quite eager to read this novella by Mary Balogh because I certainly like the different class trope and I was eager to see how the couple would get along.

Annabelle was caught in a scandal and now it seems the only possibility for her reputation is a marriage to her father's vulgar but rich neighbor's son. The son, Reginald is rumored to be a gambler and a dandy so the two don't really like the idea of marrying the other but for two such headstrong people, they meekly accept their fate as a way to obey their parents after the fame each one got...

I confess I didn't like neither main character until the very end of the book. There's a reason for that for the author planned on an amazing surprise and I confess until a certain point I didn't imagine it at all, but all things considered, especially the apparent behavior in the beginning, I just couldn't really enjoy the whole story. 

To explain this would mean to give a spoiler but let's just say the title gave me, once more!, a wrong impression about what I'd read about (it seems to be my curse to be mislead by titles and/or blurbs), so I failed to enjoy this as much as other surprised readers did. Still, a good enough read overall.

Grade: 6/10

Frank Herbert - Dune

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Muad'Dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family--and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.
A stunning blend of adventure and mysticism, environmentalism and politics, Dune won the first Nebula Award, shared the Hugo Award, and formed the basis of what is undoubtedly the grandest epic in science fiction. 

Comment: Months ago I was browsing the shelves at a bookstore and saw this book. I already had an idea about its importance to science fiction but I confess I never thought about reading it with any seriousness. Still, the edition I got was at an accessible price and brought it home, planning to read it at a later date and I picked November because I knew it would be my vacation month. Therefore, I planned to pick it to be the first book of the month.

In this classic, we have a very basic story: young Paul Atreides must get revenge on his father's death and for that he transforms himself into the messiah awaited in the planet his family went to as a request of the emperor.

The beauty of this novel is not only the path Paul needs to take but how one can read between the lines and infer if what Paul does is actually necessary for his desired outcome...

I had a certain expectation about this book after hearing so many interesting opinions about it here and there. I was aware this would be a strong and solid story and quite rich in details and that made me imagine a certain idea, despite also knowing this was first published in 1965, but aren't classics timeless? I had full confidence this would be amazing, especially since it's a story set in the future.

I won't go into any plot description because the book is famous enough if someone is curious and, besides, the plot is pretty basic. This is a book about revenge.

However, the book certainly shows how dated it is and I just couldn't get past the fact the style, the descriptions, the actions all felt so... predictable, so obvious in a way and I can't say it's only because so many things way after were loosely based on this book.

Should I say the author had very basic writing skills? I guess, even if still validating his immense talent for creation and imagining things not everyone would. He has great ideas, just not a good way to put them in evidence. I found particularly annoying how the reader spends so much time knowing something bad is going happen, knowing what is going to be and tat feeling is more irritation than surprise, in the sense that I thought often "get on with it already".

However, among all the lengthy descriptions of what characters thought, of why they would behave a certain way, they still managed to talk and think in riddles, as if the reader couldn't be bothered to know some of their motivations...but knowing their thoughts was an absolute necessity. I mean, this tactic felt pointless! In relation to Paul's actions, things are even weirder because he is young and despite all his training he still behaved as a know-it-all.... I often would think that if these people were so smart, so amazing, why do we even have a story? The problems could have been anticipated and solved way sooner!

This book is divided into three sections but I got to a point everything was repetitive, sometimes silly and was looking for to finally finish.

The characters certainly played their parts but I must say they didn't really step out of what expected of them so in this aspect there was no surprise, the reader always knows what each character is supposed to mean and to do.

I suppose I can say I didn't go into this with the best mind frame or I just expected too many different things but apart from the author's tremendous eye for detail and imagining scenarios not everyone would, this story was a little bit of a let down. I can accept its importance and why others like it but for me it was not such an amazing experience to read it. At least, it saves me from the idea of having to read the other books...

Grade: 6/10

Alissa Johnson - An Unexpected Gentleman

Adelaide Ward has but one goal-to obtain an offer of marriage from the respectable, if unappealing, Baron Maxwell. But it's the devilishly handsome Connor Brice who captures her imagination-and a kiss in broad daylight-in front of a dozen members of the ton. Now Adelaide must decide if the charming scoundrel who stole away her reputation might still be trusted with her heart. Because Brice is after more than Adelaide's affection: he wants revenge on the baron. 

Comment: This was the last book I picked in October and I chose it because it was the one I still had in the pile by this author. This is also the second in the Haverston family trilogy. All three books are connected loosely, meaning that the main plots of all aren't directly connected, so each book can be read out of order. I wasn't aware if this though, and I ended up reading the last story first, then the first and, finally this one. 

I must say I'm glad I did things out of order because now that I've read the three stories, my favorite is the third for certain.

In this second story the main protagonist is a man we met while the protagonist of the first story visited prisoners to help them with their mending clothes.

The heroine, Adelaide, is the sister of another prisoner, guilty of unpaid debts, and someone the hero would see often visiting the prison. However, the two are linked because the heroine's family is close to destitute and her only solution is to marry someone with money and that is what will likely happen between the heroine and the hero's unscrupulous step brother. But now that the hero is free again, he not only wants to get his revenge on what the step brother caused but he also wants to have Adelaide to himself...

I thought this book to be boring. I'm not usually a big fan of revenge plots and this was not the one that made me think differently. The romance wasn't that amazing either and all these elements together just didn't make for a very interesting read, overall.

The revenge plot is classic in some books and often happens so that we can understand why the character changes tactics and understands it's not about revenge, we should just learn to let go. The case here is more or less that and the hero Connor somehow does get to that opinion at some point but the path towards that isn't one I'd say is the more interesting to follow. I just didn't like hoe he behaved, even if his reasons were valid and even acknowledging he didn't do unfair or bad things to reach his goals. I just didn't like reading about his so called problems and the way he chose to act on how to solve them.

The heroine is one I liked many times, especially when she was acting as a sensible woman, knowing her limits and her strengths.

However, since this is also a romance, Adelaide also acts like an innocent young woman and that means rather silly and sometimes as if she had never seen a man before (namely when he is trying to seducing her, no matter how innocent, can she be that naive?) and that really got on my nerves, especially because she was basically taking care of her family at this point and it made her looks as if only one look would dismiss all her abilities, all her poise and behavior. I mean... disappointing.

The romance was also a little bit the game of cat and mouse and in this case, the mouse wasn't always unaware of what is happening but I still didn't find their relationship to be addictive to follow. Connor is obviously very reserved and it almost feels as if his decisions and actions aren't meant to be easily seen by others. He says he cares about Adelaide and I can appreciate how he helps Adelaide and tries to get her out of the toxic path of his step brother. But I can't say his feeling are well expressed or easily believable.

As for Adelaide, I liked her for the most part but her more "mary sue" behavior in certain situations made me want to tell her when was behaving like an immature person and, considering the premise, her change in personality at the times she behaved as the responsible person she is described as in the blurb ,felt a little unbalanced.

I think that, at the end of things, what felt weaker in this story was really the lack of balance between what this was supposed to be and what was actually happening in the page. Both protagonists had plenty of opportunity to behave differently and still obtain their wishes, especially after Connor proposes to Adelaide and she has that chance.

Regardless of this, the story was sweet, had cute moments, cute interactions and scenes but as a whole it wasn't as incredible as I would like.

Grade: 6/10