Irina Shapiro - Murder at the Foundling Hospital

Nurse Gemma Tate is heartbroken when she hears that one of her young charges at the Foundling Hospital has been killed. She knows that police inspector Sebastian Bell will work tirelessly to uncover the truth, but, obstructed by the curt matron, he’ll need her help navigating the cloistered world of the orphanage.
The mystery thickens when Sebastian finds a small wooden doll clutched in the murdered girl’s hand and Gemma hears whispers of a shadowy romance. But that isn’t the darkest secret hidden behind the high hospital walls. As time runs down on the investigation, Gemma won’t give up. But could the shocking discovery she makes be her last?

Comment: This is the third installment in the Tate and Bell mysteries by Irina Shapiro, a series I'm buddy reading. So far, we have been enjoying these investigations...

In this story, which follows very closely after the events of the previous one, Sebastian and Gemma have agreed that they might become more than friends in the future and they will take some time to get to know each other better. However, that has to wait because the alert comes that a child was found dead at the foundling hospital where Gemma works and she is scared it might be the little girl she has bonded with. It turns out that it wasn't but who would want to murder an innocent and likable child like that, and for what reason? Sebastian knows that it is necessary to avoid scandals if the hospital wants to retain its benefactors but the life of a child has to be as important as anyone else, right? Still,the pursuit of the truth keeps placing roadblocks on his path...

These books have a formula that has been working for me and for my buddy read friend. The main characters find themselves investigating a crime, they combine their personal abilities and take risks while at the same time, we get to see the very slow development of their inner thoughts and feelings. I think the mood of these books leans more towards the bleak than the optimist but I hope that this will keep changing the more comfortable they are with one other.

The case here involves a child who was murdered and it seems there is no logical reason because the girl was sweet and biddable and since she was an orphan there is no monetary motif. Of course, as the clues pile up, we get to realize nothing is a simple as this and the girl did have a secret, although nothing terrible. What develops from this little fact is what made the story captivating. I suppose it is appropriate to say we uncover layer after layer the more little things get known.

For me, the interesting elements in these novels have been mostly two. First, as always when it comes to crime investigation plots, the way the investigators go on following clues is always quite an exercise because in our daily lives how many of us can have time to process stuff like that? To make it even more challenging, this is an historical and the police can't use the contemporary devices/methods we would right now. Obviously, this means some things would not be legal either, and some transitions have to rely on coincidences...

The second element I like is that the protagonists, despite their flaws, are good people, are people who do the right thing even if it includes things we might not agree with but the times in which they are would have required different set of rules to follow. I do like it when main characters aren't perfect but are people we can root for and even cherish, as I feel towards Sebastian and Gemma. I think their efforts combined worked out very well for them to figure out who the killer was.

I also think the author did a good job pacing things in this novel, more so than in the previous one. Some sequence of events seemed to be presented in a smooth way and I liked it that everything had a certain logic and didn't rely only on possibilities. I was surprised by the identity of the killer and for the reason... I mean, it's not this complex plot,no, but it still felt like a nice twist to the usual choices we find in these series of mystery books.

At the end, Gemma has to face some changes in her life, something we will certainly see more of in the next book. I can't say I'm eager to see where things will go, I assume that at some point more definite options will be made, but I'll go back to the "vibe" of this series. the characters live in a society that isn't fair, unlike many other series out there, they aren't part of the wealthy elites, so their circumstances can't be that easy going but... I kind of wished they would have more happiness in their lives and not only the hint of it. Let's see what comes next...

Grade: 7/10

Rebecca Ryan - The Philosophy of Love

What is love? Is it something spiritual or wholly physical? Can our feelings be explained and quantified? Or are we all actually two halves of a whole?
Ask Alice and Luke and you’d receive vastly different answers.
Despite her world having been recently dismantled by a messy break-up, Alice would tell you that love is the most important – albeit ineffable – human experiences. But when she once again crosses paths with her old school nemesis, Luke, he challenges this. Luke is a scientist and he’s certain love can be measured and explained – just like everything else.
So the two decide to make a they’ll each venture back into dating and if one of them falls in love, Alice wins, if not, then Luke does.
But can anyone win when you’re playing with emotions?

Comment: No idea anymore of why this book was in the pile, but now that I have read it, I can imagine it was due to its opposites attract premise...

Alice and Luke won a prize while in high school and it felt their future would be amazing, for Luke in science and for Alice in philosophy. However, things didn't quite work out for Alice and after just one year at uni she left to start working as the administrative assistant to Charles, and later on they started dating. Now, Charles has left her, which includes her job, and she is back to live with her parents but once again fate changes things when she randomly is face to face with Luke, now a teacher and investigator at Durham university. After a weird conversation they agree on a bet: if any of them falls in love and is reciprocated in six months, Alice wins, if not Luke wins, but both have to try. While dealing with potential boyfriends, Alice realizes that Luke is actually a great guy but can she go past her previous issues to believe in a future with  him?

At first, I wasn't too keen on the author's slightly comedy flavor for this book, namely with all the British commentary, and the fact the story is told by Alice makes some things feel rather one sided. Still, as the story moved along, I started to enjoy things and see the funny side of what was being told, although I cannot say I was that impressed with the big picture.

The plot is a little ridiculous but aims for interesting life lessons. I think the author did a good enough job portraying the difficulties and challenges of living up to one's own expectations, often confused with what we want others to think of us. I also liked how philosophy and science facts were used to get the main characters' point across, and I liked the decent effort of making it seem that Luke and Alice were truly falling in love, something that first person narration often fails to accomplish (I'm so-so about it here).

Alice has always liked philosophy and imagined a life about it, but when she got to university, she realized that what made her feel special in high school wasn't that great there. Oh, how I saw myself in this thought, I also thought university would be amazing for me, that I would perfect what had made me stand out in school and... not. There are countless other people "better" than us there and it can be overwhelming to assume one has what is necessary or not. Thus, I could sympathize with Alice from the start but then she sometimes would have such distracting actions, I sometimes feel the author kind of lost track there.

Luke was a goth in school and now he is an almost stoic professional, so his evolution feels a little odd, and since we don't have his POV, there are times I got the feeling he was more an antithesis to Alice and not a really developed character, but since this book has more woman fiction's vibe than romance, I can go with the flow in this. I think their romance was slow and cute enough, especially if I can ignore some stuff from Alice's journey and think about what it must be for Luke.

I did like all the philosophy and science references, the author really put an effort to bring the importance of these subjects for Alive and Luke, and it was sometimes cute how they engaged in funny arguments over their respective passions. I also think this was done in such a way that a reader who has no interest in either, would still find something interesting to think about. I also liked how Alice seemed to "study" the interests of the guys she goes on a date with too.

The plot is basic, we follow Alice on her dates and as she does this, she starts having personal epiphanies on her life choices and about the relationship with Charles, which we always knew but she had to as well, wasn't healthy. I did like how this was presented to Alice, through experiences with guys who have their issues but were respectful of her...although it is fair to say some situations were a bit cliche and not as funny as I assume the author intended.

For a first experience reading a book by this author, this was good enough. I'd try something else by her one day, for Alice and Luke had their HEA and a good part pf their story was cute, yes.

Grade: 7/10

Grace Burrowes - A Gentleman of Dubious Reputation

A matter of matrimony...
Lord Julian Caldicott is summoned to the family seat by his ducal brother, whose bachelorhood is imperiled by the very determined Lady Clarissa Valmond. As the only titled Eligible the hostesses avoid including on their guest lists, Julian has little sympathy for the duke’s situation. He nonetheless agrees to lend a hand, because Clarissa is the last person who should be wearing the Caldicott family tiara.
And mayhem! Matters take a nasty turn when Clarissa’s brother, a talented artist, goes missing shortly before his debut London exhibition. Julian must unravel conflicting motives, dishonest witnesses, confusing evidence, old lies, and the real threats facing the duke if he’s to find the errant viscount before a fate worse than ruin befalls both surviving Caldicott brothers.

Comment: This is the second installment in the lord Julian, whose first book I liked a lot and now I've decided to read the next one.

In this story lord Julian is staying at his brother's ducal estate to help him put some distance from their neighbor Clarissa Valmond, for the seems determined to find ways to snare him. Lord Julian believes this will be easy and he plans on having some rest but everything changes when the lady's brother disappears. This is, indeed, strange, for he is going to have his own art exhibit soon and there is some expectation on how successful it can be, considering his talent. The problem is that the more Julian investigates, the more certain things don't make sense to what has been said...

I was quite happy with the first book and it was no hardship to want to read this one, which turned out to be quite engaging, as I imagined it would be. Lord Julian still has some issues to process and to deal with, but he is now a more self confident person and I liked seeing this side of him in this novel.

I must say that the writing style really works well here, I'd dare to say even better than in the author's romances, which is the genre she seems to write the most. In her romances (well, the ones I have read so far) there is always some detail, some characterization that fails to be fully encompassing to me, even when I like the story, but the focus here on the characters, obviously likable, makes it so much easier to root for them and I truly want Julian to become the man he is and that many don't think he can be.

In fact, my favorite part of this second novel was to see how Julian is working out on his personal relationships, namely with his brother Arthur, the duke. I didn't have a great impression of the duke before but in this book we get to learn more about him and I really liked seeing how the brothers seem to get along and how they are slowly learning tot rust one another. I hope that in future books we get to see their bond develop even further, and not just because until now Julian is named his brother's heir.

These books are not meant to focus on romance but, nevertheless, there are some hints on it. Quite understated, but I hope something will happen and Julian and Hyperia, someone he already feels so comfortable with, might be able to admit their feelings and become a couple. I think it will be a good exercise to watch their romantic journey.

As for the plot, well it does seem as if there isn't much to it, but it turns out there's a lot of subtle clues and situations being discussed each time Julian interviews someone or talks to someone over this and that while looking for Clarissa'a brother. I do like this style of presenting things, this notion that makes it look as if something is not that important or meaningful and then lord Julian connects the dots... it's not like those books where an incredible investigator is more resourceful than others, but almost.

It turns out that the reasons for the disappearance and the behavior of some characters before that happened aren't that complex. It all goes down to human nature and a human need to do things without seeking help or not wanting to "worry" or "burden" others and I think this story ended up presenting an interesting study on human needs. I did like the psychology of certain situations and how people were affected by this or that idea.

I think the story ended quite well, I had a good time being engaged with what the characters were doing and I'm quite eager to keep reading the series.

Grade: 8/10

B.E. Baker - Loaded

Writing songs has always been the way that Beatrice Cipriani processes the world around her, but as a painful introvert, none of those songs are ever performed. She excels at being invisible—she’s the best server in a fancy restaurant. Sometimes, though, it feels like she’s dying a little more with every passing day.
Easton Moorland has finally made it big, but with a public company comes a board that has demands. As the chairman of a luxury brand, all eyes are on him, and they want him to look the part. That means he needs a girlfriend, or better yet, a wife. Only, Easton’s never had time to date, much less to develop any kind of relationship.
When the board insists that Easton sign up with an exclusive dating agency, he takes his first match to the nicest place in town. Only, he can’t remember his date’s name—he’s too enthralled by their server. It’s a woman he’d met before—it’s his sister Elizabeth’s new sister-in-law, in fact.
But can a dating newbie like Easton coax a painful introvert into the limelight at his side? Or will old fears destroy their chance at a happily ever after before it can even begin?

Comment: I saw a reference to this book somewhere and I got interested in the idea of a couple coming from different financial situations finding love. This idea always seems to appeal on paper but execution can be a decisive factor... and here, the result was kind of meh to me.

Beatrice Cipriani is a waitress at a restaurant and an amateur musician who also does jingles for commercials and similarly unassuming little projects. She is also one more member of a family of foster siblings who will do anything to help those they care about, even if that means not getting along with people from their own biological families. 

Easton Moorland is the brother of Elisabeth, who has married one of Beatrice's "brothers" but since Beatrice is an introvert they haven't got many opportunities to talk, something that changes when he sees her at the restaurant she works at, while on a blind date. He, however, is quite taken by Beatrice and decides they should know each other better. But is Beatrice ready to be in the spotlight in all areas of her life?

This is book #4 in a series that features the foster siblings and their parents, from what I understood reading this book and checking out the other titles in the series. In terms of structure I did feel it was unnecessary to read the previous stories to follow this one along, but it is true that there are many references to other characters and allusions to previous events. I suppose knowing about them would have helped, but I can be honest and say I didn't feel interest in the other blurbs as I did with this one.

This is a very quiet romance story, I'd say, because the main characters aren't flashy types and the focus is clearly on their work and life goals. This can be labeled "clean romance" for there is only some kissing between them, which helps with the idea I've gotten of the author and her writing style. I mean, I'm not bothered Beatrice and Easton don't have sex (not even closed door) and often this really doesn't matter much to the plot, but here... it was one more element to convince me their relationship was too tame.

In fact, my biggest issue with this story, apart from the writing style which is very proper and correct but also boring and almost impersonal, is how the romance feels so muted, as if they had to demonstrate their understanding of one another so obviously, that something else would ruin their appreciation of each other or even the respect they have for one another. I mean, I liked it that they were wanted the other to be seen by who they were but... this lack of physical demonstration of affection made things very meh.

It all goes to the author's "voice" of course. Nothing wrong with the story narration and I did like the addressing of some themes - thus why I kept reading - such as the introvert personality, the fact rich people also have self doubt, or that what seems one thing for the public might not be in an inner sphere, how image shapes one's perception of worth, and several other things. The secondary elements were all interesting to see developed and I wanted to know what else would be discussed between them.

However, the romance was just too tame, there was way too much self musing and emotional thoughts about other things not the romantic elements. Even when romantic situations happened, they still felt impersonal. I will summarize the whole thing on the boring word, which is a little sad because the plot has a lot of potential for this to be addictive to read. I also liked all the scenes of the characters dealing with their work and the things they wanted to do. It just wasn't exciting in the big scheme of things.

I cannot say this was a bad story, and in fact it contained a lot of interesting situations and made me think about this or that subject. But now that I have finished, I'm not particularly sad it's over nor do I feel curiosity to read the books about the other characters.

Grade: 6/10

Jenn Burke - All Fired Up

Paranormals are dying. All over the city, with no explanation and only one thing in common: their magic is missing.
Vampire and private investigator Evan Fournier isn’t supposed to be taking on paranormal cases, but when the murderer hits close to home, he agrees to look into it. The last thing he expects is to become a target himself—and then to become irrevocably bonded to the man who just tried to kill him.
With his memory gone and his soul bonded to a stranger, former firefighter Colin Zhang wants to be anywhere else. He doesn’t have a damn clue why he just tried to kill Evan, and he didn’t even know about magic until just now. The sooner he can get back to his real life, the better.
But every time either of them tries to leave, pure agony stops them short. Forced to work with Evan or suffer the consequences, Colin must excavate the secrets buried in his missing memories while battling two rising threats: the conspiracy behind the murder, and his mutual attraction to the bond mate he never wanted.

Comment: I'm back to read stories by author Jenn Burke. In 2023 I've read one of her trilogies, titled "Not Dead Yet" and liked it enough to feel interested in getting the sequel trilogy "Ashes and Dust", which has a main character one of the secondary ones from the original trilogy. This is the first book in that trilogy,which I'll be reading in the following months.

Evan Fournier is now a PI with a verified licence and he tries his best to do something he came to love and because it is a way to pay back his sire Hudson. While at first he couldn't deal with his new vampire status, he quickly realized Hudson and Wes and their newfound family are more then enough to give him all the support he needs to carry on with his new life. He isn't cured from the depression that led him to the circumstances of how he became a vampire, but he is coping. That is why he can't refuse his  therapist's call for help over a weird situation at a retreat some of her patients have attended, even though Hudson and Wes aren't around to help. But, surely, Evan can take care of things before they return? The problem is that something more than weird is going on at the retreat...

I had perfect recollection that I had enjoyed the original trilogy and that it had been highly entertaining. However, I also confess I only recalled the basics. Thankfully, as I went along, more things came to mind and after a while I was more aware of the events the characters mentioned. I mean, not all books are meant to be pearls of literary wisdom that one memorizes eternally but I do feel bad sometimes,that I forget things of books I loved at a time. It is a complex thought: I liked many, many books, but I don't remember every single detail... does that diminish their appeal? Or their impact on me? Or on my personal dedication to a story? Ehh.... food for thought.

Anyway, the more I read of this book, the more I remembered and that means some things stuck, even after three years. Since this book - and trilogy - is focused on a secondary character, obviously that some things won't have the same importance as they did in the other books, so there is that. I liked Evan, he seemed to be a sweet character, someone who has been though complicated situations but who still retains his good humor and heart for the most part.

I liked Evan as a character, and that is good since the book is told exclusively from his POV, because he ponders some of the things he does, even the ones we know are bad ideas. His heart is in the right place and with his POV alone,certain decisions kind of make sense in how he thinks of them. I also liked the personality traits he has, and his devotion of a kind to those he considers his family. This is particularly heartwarming because he didn't have a good reaction to his coming out while he was human and his biological family turned their backs on him. This, along with other things, contributed for his depression and how everything led to the events of his presence in the original trilogy.

Now that Even is more experienced in PI business and knowing he has people who care for him, he feels more in control of his moods but he is still seeing a therapist, someone who is helping. I can totally understand his decision to help her and the idea of going undercover to a health retreat, despite his depression diagnosis, felt logical in that moment. The main plot develops from that but let it be said that Evan needs to deal with more than he imagined while being there. As expected, someone is doing bad deeds at the retreat and that is also how he meets Red, someone trapped in a nightmare and who is "rescued" when things go out of control.

Red becomes the romantic interest and his presence at the retreat brings a lot of considerations. I kind of liked how he was part of the story and what happened when Evan tried to help him at the same time he was defending himself. Red, or Colin as they learn later. doesn't become a vampire but he isn't a fully innocent human either and I'm curious to see where things go in relation to them, both when it comes to the romance and the other elements about who they are. 

The plot isn't completely concluded, because I assume they will only defeat the big villain in the third book but what we discover here was interesting and made room for many potentially good paths for the story to develop. I'll certainty read the next two books.

Grade: 7/10

Mini - Comments

Here are two more books I have read recently, but of which I don't have a lot to say. I mean, i suppose I could write a lot more about each one, but at the same time I don't really feel like it, although I still want to leave some reference to having read them.

Death at the Sanatorium by author Ragnar Jonasson is my first attempt with this author. I had no expectation beyond the notion this would include a mystery and a police investigation.

This was a story with potential and did include several elements we often seen in mystery novels, with people doing weird/suspicious things and people seemingly having complicated motivations and/or life choices. I was intrigued, no doubt about it but I will be honest and say I wasn't fond of the writing style. Everything is kind of superficial and there are way too many things being hinted at that don't have a matching development. This made the story feel rather disjointed and focused on things that don't really matter. I've found the mystery to be quite thin and the killer's reasons to be poorly explained.
The author wrote this as a sort of homage to his love for crime books similar to Agatha Christie (an author I have read and like) and I can see where he went with it in how this book was structured. Unfortunately, the result was only average to me. I might try another one of his books, perhaps the writing style of one of those might suite me better.

Grade: 6/10

* * *

A Mulher que Correu Atrás do Vento by author João Tordo is yet another book by this Portuguese author I have been reading for some years now. The title might be literally translated as "the woman who chased the wind" and is the tale of four women who have some sort of connection, even though they lived in different time periods. 

I've found this book to be as well written and as emotionally complex as most of his books and by now I'm already used to his "voice", which means that this went on as smoothly as i imagined. However, I will say that part of this book's plot references some situations and includes characters who also appear in another book. By chance, I did read that one before but chronologically what happens in this one comes first. Well, it did kind of change my perception of some things and I will admit it did affect part of my experience. 
The four main women are Lisbeth in the late 19th century, then Graça in 1976, then Beatriz and Lia after the 1990s. I didn't particularly like the women in the past periods, not that they were bad people, but the surroundings of their lives just didn't captivate me. Beatriz and Lia also seemed more interesting, from a psychological POV, but this time, the back and forth between so many people and all of them dealing with some sort of tragedy... well, I won't think of this book as part of my favorites by the author.
Grade: 5/10

Sosuke Natsukawa - The Cat Who Saved Books

Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.
After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone...
The Cat Who Saved Books is a heart-warming story about finding courage, caring for others - and the tremendous power of books. Sosuke Natsukawa's international best seller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.

Comment: This is one more buddy read pick and we've decided on it since we both like books about bookshops and books with cats. This Japanese trend is quite in point, then, so we were interested in seeing how this one would go.

Rintaro Natsuki is a young man, who prefers to be alone and without many responsibilities, but he is suddenly confronted with a big task. His beloved grandfather has died and now Rintaro needs to deal with his old bookshop, which proves to be a challenge and he fears he will need to close it. Then, something incredible happens and a tabby cat, whose name is Tiger, shows up one day and starts talking to him! Rintaro cannot believe it but he finds himself having a conversation with the cat and it seems this is happening for a reason: Rintaro needs to embark on a quest to solve three tasks related to books, and perhaps this will help him save his grandfather's bookshop. But is Rintaro ready to leave his comfort zone?

I think this might the fourth or fifth book I now try where the cat and bookshop combination is a premise for the whole story. I find both things comforting, and imagining myself in a bookstore (or library) with a cat sleeping nearby seems very dreamy and cute.

Thus, after a few books - I know it cannot be a good enough ratio - I can kind of see that the trend is understandable, there's something almost magical about these types of books. I have also concluded that there is a certain formula, let's call it that, for these plots and the characters in these books, which means, of course, that a writer's voice and/or talent might be the differentiating point in why some books feel stronger than others for readers. Personally, this one was cute but didn't go beyond average.

I say this because while it does include all the usual details (reserved protagonist, melancholic thoughts, a cat, books, reference to books, a certain task that needs to be done...) the organization of the plot didn't wow me. The structure is pretty similar to others, there's this division of the story into tasks which the main character has to accomplish, and what lessons he learns in the process. The book is also short - the tendency seems the same in this as well - which means it can be very easy to read this in a short period of time. For me the issue is that I didn't really care much about Rintaro and the sequence of situations never grabbed me.

Almost unconsciously, I can't help but compare this to my favorite book, so far, that includes cats in a story by a Japanese author. That other book, by author Hiro Arikawa, was heartfelt, emotional, so incredibly sweet and devastating that I see myself comparing even if the themes aren't the same. I missed those feelings in this book, I was never emotionally driven by what was happening and I think this detachment didn't help me in appreciating the lessons Rintaro is learning. By needing to help certain people and their relationship with books, this is supposed to make him see the importance of his grandfather's bookshop, but I wasn't particularly moved by Rintaro's journey.

Another element I wish would have been given more relevance was the cat's presence. Since the author chose to give him a voice, I kind of expected him to have a greater role but sadly, Tiger the cat wasn't a very likable cat. I think this lacked the charm and the cuteness I tend to imagine all books with cats should have, which might be a "me" problem, but yes, it was a slight letdown.

Thinking about this book as a whole, in spite of the great messages it is supposed to convey, I've found the reading experience to be boring. I know, it sounds unfair and I do feel bad about it, since it contains elements I claim to love, but there it is. I get what the point of the novel was, I get it that it has certain cultural references that aren't as easy to think of sometimes if one is in a different country for instance (Rintaro is an introvert and his behavior is pretty much a thing in Japan, as the translator mentions in a note at the end), but the overall effect wasn't one I feel I can really cherish. This is interesting, yes, but didn't really impress me.

Grade: 6/10

SenLinYu - Alchemised

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.
In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.
According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?
To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

Comment: This has to be one of the most hyped books of the past years. Yes, I have seen it everywhere too but honestly never had the urge to try it myself because it was labeled as dark fantasy and my tastes aren't much in this direction nowadays. I really had no plans to read this book, but coincidences of life, my best friend has read it and loved it and she is quite persuasive in letting her reasons be known, so I decided to give it a go, more so since she let me borrow her copy.

This is the tale of Helena Marino, a young woman who wakes up with a loss of memories, in captivity and about to be tortured so that her enemies can force her memories out, with the idea she might be hiding something. For a while, nothing else exists beyond what she needs to endure and the weird hint that she needs to keep her memories locked, at the same time she wishes to know what she is hiding. Who did this to her? It certainly has to do with the war lost and how Helena was also part of the Resistance, but exactly what role did she have in the past events? How can she fight or resist what her big enemy Ferron is doing without thinking she might reveal a secret that could defeat his side once and for all...?

I'll start by saying that, as I tend to do, once I've finished the book and had time, I did check out several reviews, both positive and negative, written about this book and I've concluded that while I understand both sides, and while I liked the book in general for its premise and ideas, I wasn't as fond of the writing. I just cannot agree with those who say this was written beautifully. Yes, it was a huge effort in such a long book (the edition I read had 922 pages) and the author clearly had to organize a lot, but I was not moved by the writing. I think the amount of time she took into giving so many detailed scenes about repetitive situations should have been used to add emotion to her characters. Sadly to me, none of them seemed to be people I could care about in the long term.

I suppose this is both a blessing and a pity, because I was able to continuously maintain my emotional detachment from what was being told. I just don't think the writing offered me enough depth and emotions to feel the sadness and the despair the characters were showing throughout all the terrible things being described. My best friend loved this dichotomy and she likes the uncountable descriptions of the war and so on, but I don't usually appreciate that, so this detachment kind of worked in my favor.

On the other side, the romance didn't seem to be as fascinating and larger than life as it hinted at. I mean, I understand and I see where fans find the love and the devotion, but as the story developed, while I recognized what was happening and appreciated the subtlety of what the protagonists were dealing with, I wasn't especially moved by that. Nevertheless, I admit I was beyond happy that they are in love and that their path led to the best HEA they could achieve, considering the events and the secondary issues around them.

The book is divided into three parts, the first is harrowing and seems there's no way to recover from what takes place there, but then the second part comes, set four years before, and we get to see why things like that and what happened to lead the main characters to the place where they were at in the first part. It was a good choice, because the idea is to show the reader that everything can be unreliable and it provided an interesting contrast to what the perception of everything would be. I did like that things aren't black and white in how people should see this story.

The third part was my personal favorite because finally everything is explained and solved as best as it could. Again, I wasn't incredibly impressed by all the little things many readers like to comment on, such as "hidden messages" or "double meaning sentences" and so on, but I liked it that what had to be dealt with, was, and that the main idea of why the war happened in the first place seemed to be taken into a logically solved solution. Unlike some readers, I've loved the extensive epilogue, and the detailed scenes about the "what happened after".

There is some poetry in this story, I cannot lie, and i did love several passages and scenes. But yes, there are lots of triggers in this book and not just because of actual content. The dark aspect of "dark fantasy" can mean different things for readers, but this one is certainly full of awful things and descriptions. I don't think this was necessary and, to be fair, removing some of these things would bring the story to a more acceptable length. I get it that this is what the author wanted to write but it was quite an effort when it didn't have to be. Editing would have helped.

Anyway, I wasn't obsessed with this like my friend was but I do understand why she, and others, felt that way, there is really something about this that suggest such a devotion. I get it because I have felt like this about other things, just like any reader probably did with some book or series, but yes, I did not have an emotional bond with this story. However, it was still a good exercise to read it and see what the fuss was about.

Grade: 7/10

TBR Challenge: Candice Proctor - Night in Eden

Born wild and free in a comfortable house overlooking the storm-battered cliffs of Cornwall, Bryony Wentworth’s life is shattered when she is accused of killing her husband. Transported as a convict to Botany Bay in 1808, Bryony finds herself in a harsh, unfamiliar land, where almost everything she once held dear—home, freedom, and children—has been taken from her. All she has left are her self-respect and inner strength, and a powerful will to survive.
Assigned to a former cavalry captain with a motherless infant son and a sprawling estate on the banks of the Hawkesbury River, Bryony finds herself facing a life that is simultaneously wild, frightening, and filled with temptation. Captain Hayden St John, the powerful landowner to whom Bryony is given, is a hard man haunted by loss and the ghosts of the past. Yet as he finds himself inexorably drawn to this proud, defiant woman, Hayden slowly comes to realize that she might well prove to be his last chance at salvation.
Set against the ruggedly beautiful landscape of colonial Australia and filled with the memorable characters for which Candice Proctor has become famous, this is a poignant, spellbinding tale of suppressed desire and raw passion, of suffering and triumph and the indomitable spirit of the heart.

Comment: It's time for the TBR Challenge post of February, whose theme is "vintage". What immediately came to mind was a story that would have been published years ago. Should 1997 be considered vintage already? For me it certainly feels like it, since I was a 12 then and while my mental age remains stuck as if I'm still 16, when I was 12 I was still playing with dolls and such so a book from this year certainly feels like it's vintage. Plus, I imagined that it would easily feature a writing style often seen back then, as I have sen in books from the same period.

In this story we meet Bryony Wentworth, a woman accused of killing her husband and, in 1808, her fate was being taken to the penal colony in Australia. She had to leave her small daughter behind and endure a pregnancy on board, which resulted in her baby dying. To make everything worse, life for the convicted women in Australia was not fair, and she is taken to Hayden St John's estate, to be a wet nurse for his son. At first, Bryony can't help but hate everything about her situation, a situation that changes because she ends up bonding with this innocent baby and, after a while, even his father. But her past and situation can't be changed that easily, even if Hayden seems to reciprocate her feelings... is there any hope for a happy life for them?

I was quite curious to see how this plot would develop. I mean, I had some expectations on what possible scenes would be included, considering the premise, but I wondered how the author would deal with the obvious triggers such a plot would lead to, even more so when this is a romance. It's funny, but the "vintage" aspect means that while certain things have always been problematic, many still sounded romantic under certain light. Our contemporary perception changes things, of course.

The story actually starts once Bryony arrives at Botany Bay and is taken to the female prison, which is basically a place where they work like slaves, are mistreated and the men can even pick them to become their servants, and not only for home tasks. Bryony is horrified, just like all the others, but she is "lucky" to be taken by Hayden St John, a widowed man with a baby son who needs a wet nurse. Since Bryony lost her own child, she is the perfect choice, and this also will be the starting point for the establishment of their relationship.

Of course, Hayden isn't like other men and while he feels lust for his new servant, he doesn't act on it and is even amazed and sort of seduced by her defiance and resilience in surviving and enduring all the terrible things she has been going through. The idea is that we, the reader, should feel glad he is not like other men, and that the base for their romance is his acknowledgment of her personality and attributes beyond the psychical. I have read other books with this unbalance and difference in power, so I can say that it doesn't feel "as bad" here, but the point remains: she had no choice. I think this is what really makes this vintage to me because even though I see this, I still wanted to see how the relationship would progress.

Things go on a slow burn for them. There are several situations which would would lead to sex if this were to be an erotica or a careless story, but the author took time to set up the sensation things are taking time to happen and that they are getting used to their thoughts and feelings about one another. Clearly, the point is to highlight how "right" they are supposed to be and to a certain extend, this pays off, which along with the increase of sexual tension, makes the romantic idea of this feel stronger. Analysis aside, though, there were cute and sweet moments among all the more negative details.

As the plot advances, Bryony and Hayden need to deal with several things, some of them related to the secondary characters and what happens to them. Some things were really sad to consider, since some were certainly based on very likely real life situations, but then a surprise is introduced closer to the end and I was not really expecting it, although statistically speaking, bearing in mind the "laws of romance", it was not that out of the possibilities, and I feel this kind of  downgraded things for me. I think the need to create conflict really was unnecessary here, but obviously all worked out.

All things considered, this story was interesting to follow, I liked the psychology of the characters' attitude and personality and, if I had read this years ago I probably would love it even more. I think I can put aside my contemporary notions a bit, and simply appreciate the fantasy of what this tale implies, but yes, it's not that easy to just ignore what feels out of place...

Grade: 7/10

Lauren Gilley - Heart of Winter

Oliver Meacham, bastard nephew of the Duke of Drakewell, and a massive disappointment to his father, has just lost all his male relatives to the war with the invading Sels from the West. Without an heir, the duchy of Drakewell stands to fall into enemy hands, unless one of Oliver’s cousins can marry a lord with an army strong enough to defend it – which is how he finds himself escorting his cousin Tessa to the Great Northern Wastes; to the kingdom of Aeretoll, with a hope that Tessa might wed the fearsome warrior king who rules there, Erik Frodeson, in order to protect her people.
But the stern, forbidding Erik refuses to marry. He offers his nephew’s hand to Tessa instead. And to Oliver he offers insult, challenge – and the sorts of loaded glances that leave Oliver as flustered as he is furious.
Tessa doesn’t relish the prospect of marrying for a political alliance, but she’s ready to fulfill her duty to her family and people – even more so when she realizes that she won’t have to wed the churlish Erik, but his charming nephew, instead. Only…the king has two nephews. And Tessa has a choice to make.
The Drake Chronicles is a slow-burn fantasy series, full of court intrigue, adventure, drama, dragons, and passionate romance. Heavily influenced by Viking history and mythology, the series follows the intertwining stories of multiple couples as they fall in love, and fight to save their families, and their kingdoms.

Comment: I heard of this book while checking some recommendations. The premise seemed intriguing and I decided I had to try it.

Oliver and his niece Tessa go on a journey to a reign in the north so that she can marry Erick, the north king, as an alliance for their army's chances of defeating their enemy. It seems this is a simple enough boring mission at first, but they are welcomed by their north counterparts, which they didn't expect, and soon they realize their pre conceived ideas weren't all correct. However, Tessa starts finding the king's nephews intriguing, especially since one of them will be the king's heir, and she considers marrying one of them instead... for the alliance this would make no difference, even more so when it becomes obvious to all that king Erick seems more interested in Oliver and vice-versa....

I had a good time reading this story because it was mostly comforting. I felt glad there were not bad situations that couldn't be controlled, and I liked it that the characters we came to like were as good as it seemed they would. Sometimes, with a new story there is some comfort in knowing that if one expects positive/cozy scenarios, they do happen.

The plot is pretty basic, Oliver and Tessa's kingdom has been ta war and the important players have been killed so now Tessa needs to have a political marriage and the king in the north is known for his army and his war tactics. It is suggested that he is ruthless and many other negative-like adjectives, which is why Oliver and Tessa feel some trepidation traveling there, but they also know there is no better alternative. They fully expect to have a hard time, and not just culturally, but are surprised by how welcoming people are and, for the most part, are treated like guest and not like someone who is there to basically ask for help.

I liked this idea, even though it's not very original. Still, I was curious to see how the author would develop certain situations, namely the romance and the characters' interactions. I was also interested in seeing how they would deal with the expectations of both sides and how this could be seen as advantage to the north king and his kingdom. Of course, the romance was more than an expectation and I was eager to see how Erick and Oliver would deal with one another.

In this regard, the romance was a bit tame, and not only because things happen at a slow burn speed. I liked it that they took time to understand one another a little before anything physical happened, but I will be honest and say that the tension between them wasn't as fully yearning as i imagined, after their first meeting. I mean, I liked it that the point wasn't to force Erick to an alliance with a person he would not love, and that having a relationship with Oliver would suit, but if this is easily put aside, then their falling in love could have been way more intense in terms of their own feelings.

With this I mean that while I liked it that they accepted one another early on, only doubting something could last for appearances sake, I kind of wanted them to deal with their feelings more passionately, both before and after admitting them. Since the story has a continuation, I fully expect that being in a different environment, that this will help them see watch other in yet another level, and that it can reinforce things between them.

One aspect I liked a lot was how friendly most characters were at the north kingdom's court and how Oliver and Tessa got to have friends beyond the expectations on their alliance. It was also great to see that most people in the north didn't care about Oliver's illegitimacy as how own south people did, and that he was liked for himself and for his personality. Tessa, too, found new ways of looking at herself and there's this hint of duty vs love in the path for her and the king's nephew.

If there is one flaw I think shouldn't have been this obvious is how slightly superficial some emotions are portrayed. The author has a good writing style but it seems as if some ideas/feelings are expressed very thinly for the potential they had. I wanted more scenes in which we would see the characters' thinking and processing of things instead of having them delivered in an almost simplistic "voice". Or, in other words, more showing and less telling.

Things end up positively for everyone and Oliver and Erick decide to give their feelings a go. I'm curious enough to want to see where this goes for them, so I will read the next book, probably later on in the year.

Grade: 7/10

Anstey Harris - Where We Belong

One summer.
One house.
One family learning to love again.
Cate Morris and her son, Leo, are homeless, adrift. They’ve packed up the boxes from their London home, said goodbye to friends and colleagues, and now they are on their way to ‘Hatters Museum of the Wide Wide World – to stay just for the summer. Cate doesn’t want to be there, in Richard’s family home without Richard to guide her any more. And she knows for sure that Araminta, the retainer of the collection of dusty objects and stuffed animals, has taken against them. But they have nowhere else to go. They have to make the best of it.
But Richard hasn’t told Cate the truth about his family’s history. And something about the house starts to work its way under her skin.
Can she really walk away, once she knows the truth?

Comment: I got interested in this book because it would feature an interesting setting and reading very superficial comments made it seem as if there would be a hint of romance as well.

Cate and her son Leo need to move out, especially since Cate's job has become redundant. Since her late husband Richard had a family estate in the countryside, including a very particular museum, they drive there on purpose, to spend the summer while Cate looks for a new job, otherwise they would be homeless. However, things aren't that simple and the person in charge of the museum, Araminta, doesn't seem to be very welcoming, at least not to Cate, and the museum isn't doing very well. Still, Cate and Leo need to try to do their best and as they get to know more people and learn more about the place, they start seeing it through different eyes. Will they be able to see past the problems and feel they actually belong to this new and surprising world?

At first, all was going well and the early pages seemed to imply at one of those stories where the characters need to learn something/overcome something and falling in love with a new place is just the thing to give them a new look at life. There are countless books out there with this premise and I tend to enjoy reading about the potential of these life lessons, especially if there is romance included.

However, it soon became obvious to me that this story wasn't that simple or that it would follow the pattern I imagined. The plot begins when Cate and Leo arrive at the estate and get to see the museum, which was devised by her late husband's grandfather, but I confess I struggled to picture certain things in my mind and it took me quite a while - I can't truly tell if this had been made clear earlier or not - to realize that Leo isn't a child as I first thought, for instance. Likely, there are other details that I've missed as well. 

The story is narrated by Cate, and for the most part she is a character I sympathize with, more so because she shares, in timely fashion, tidbits about her life and how it had been with all the things she has had to deal with, namely raising her son without her husband, who died. There's more to this situation that what we are aware of at first, and as we get to understand her trials and how this has affected her, I cannot help but to empathize with her and what she had to face. I did like her as a character, but I cannot say I was always eager to read about what she was thinking.

Since we only get her POV, there are some details that feel fuzzy. Still, I was quite eager to see where this would go but I'll have to say that around half way, more or less, my focus started to decrease. It became more and more difficult to remain interested in what was happening. At that point more characters were introduced, including someone who seemed to be the love interest but I was no longer eager to keep reading. I still wanted to know how the story would end and that means I've finished the book but all the details of that final part of the novel didn't seem to make much sense.

The museum with the stuffed animals and quirky things seemed great at first too and I imagined this would be a great setting for good scenes but I'll have to agree with those who felt the vibe was more along the "creepy" line. I also think the connection between the museum, Cate's late husband and her role in self discovery weren't as smoothly conjugated as I think the author could have done. There were times that ti felt some details were just an afterthought and not truly important for the plot.

The romantic element was a let down as well, and led to a very confusing end. Well, several situations made the end seem confusing, but then there's also the issue of the very final page feel as if the story was not complete. Did Cate really find a way to "save" the museum and if so, are her feelings about that as genuine as it seems? I think the end was way too open ended for this feel final to me. I'd have preferred to have more closure on the situations that had been hinted at throughout the novel.

Sadly, this book ended up not working out for me. There are good elements, and interesting ideas (mostly in how Cate processed her feelings about her husband's death) but the big picture isn't one I can say was great.

Grade: 4/10