The Friday Society

  After a stressful week at work and finishing a heavy yet thrilling book, I needed a time-out. I wanted my next read to be fun and light. The Friday Society by Adrienne Kress fit the bill exactly. Please note that this review is based on the advanced reader's copy of the book which I received through the publisher via Netgalley (thank you!).

Description (from Goodreads): Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves.

Review: The Friday Society is a book that celebrates girl power and highlights three strong, spunky, and charismatic characters. Each heroine has her own set of problems and back stories, which are well paced and told in some anachronistic language in the narrative voice to get to the core of the character's personality. I adored each one, but if I had to choose a favorite it would be Cora. Cora is driven by her intelligence and her passion to prove others that she is just more than a pretty face. Logical and her wonderful snarky comments continuously made me smile. To balance Cora's personality, we have Michiko--a fiercely focused samurai in training, and Nellie--the blunt, cheery, and deceptively talented, glamorous magician's apprentice. Each girl brings about a wide variety of uniqueness to the group with their special skills and talents. What I loved most about these girls is their ability to continuously disprove that they are merely stereotypical caricatures of women of their time, which is a constant theme running throughout the entire book. Ultimately, Cora, Nellie, and Michiko team up to try to free London of its newest murderer as a string of events lead them to one another. Their chemistry really flows perfectly and shines in this book.
   I'm still a newbie when it comes to the steampunk genre so I'm always have a bit trepidation when it comes to the technological details, worried that I'd get lost in the details. I appreciated that Kress blended the steampunk flair with gadgets, corsets, etc., but it also maintains a modern feel as well as the historical setting of Edwarian England.
  Like the book itself, the plot is simple yet highly entertaining. Bomb threats, a mysterious society, a man obsessed with eyes, the murders of people surrounding the girls-there is always something happening and I never got a chance to get bored. I especially loved how the girls randomly teamed up once their realized that they all shared the same goal. I also really appreciated that Kress took the time for each girl to have her spotlight in figuring out the murder mystery which allowed them to use their special skills and talent. While the resolution to mysterious may be a tad predictable and the villains to be flatter than I would have liked, I enjoyed the journey. I know past readers have commented on the lack of romance in the book and yes, it is not quite developed but it really didn't bother me because I was more focused on the girl power.
  The Friday Society is not without its flaws, but if you're in the mood for an amusing, enlivening read, this is exactly the kind of book I would recommend picking up. Although all the plot threads wrap up in the end, the book leaves with a possibility for a sequel or a promise of a series. I really hope there is one as I loved these characters and I'm more than willing to spend more time with them.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, underage drinking, a visit to an opium den, and some disturbing images. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter, Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger, The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

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Death by Gaslight Wrap Up Reviews

  Today I'm wrapping up my Death by Gaslight reading challenge. This challenge has allowed to discover new a sub-genre of historical mysteries that I haven't ventured before in my reads. Through this challenge I discovered some wonderful series and great authors. Today I have mini-reviews of the second and third book of the highly entertaining Lady Emily series by Tasha Alexander as well as Two Crafty Criminals, a middle grade book, by Philip Pullman. 

Description: London's social season is in full swing, and Victorian aristocracy is atwitter over a certain gentleman who claims to be the direct descendant of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Adding to their fascination with all things French, an audacious cat burglar is systematically stealing valuable items that once belonged to the ill--fated queen. But things take a dark turn. The owner of one of the pilfered treasures is found murdered after the theft is reported in the newspapers, and the mysterious thief develops a twisted obsession with Lady Emily Ashton. It takes all of Lady Emily's wit and perseverance to unmask her stalker and ferret out the murderer, while faced with a brewing scandal that threatens both her reputation and her romance with the dashing Colin Hargreaves.

Review:  Blending romance and historical mystery, the Lady Emily series is highly entertaining. Rich, young widow Lady Emily Ashton occasionally has tea with the queen, but she isn't your conventional Victorian lady. She may appear pretty and poised, but her preference for port and cigars, her devotion to both popular novels and classic Greek literature, her involvement in solving the mystery of her husband's death, and not to mention her flirtatious relationship with the debonaire Colin Hargreaves have made her the subject of plenty of gossip. Her forthright opinions stir up trouble and raises eyebrows once again when she becomes curious about the theft of several items once owned by Marie Antoinette and a new "gentleman" on the social scene, who claims to be an heir to the throne of France. Though Lady Emily is far from realistic, I adore her tenacity, wit, and charm. Alexander's witty treatment of the trivial pursuits of the aristocracy made me chuckle in several occasions. The mystery is engaging and had me guessing throughout the entire book. I also absolutely loved the banter and romance between Emily and handsome Colin Hargreaves. Readers looking for a light mystery with a good dose of romance should definitely try this series out.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: The book is relatively clean, however, there are mentions of the philandering Mr. Charles Berry. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy historical mysteries.

If you like this book try: Fatal Waltz (Lady Emily #3) by Tasha Alexander, Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourne, Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson, Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry


Description: When her friend's husband is wrongfully accused of murder, Lady Emily searches for answers from London's glittering ballrooms to Vienna's sordid alleys.

Review: Lady Emily Ashton is back in her third episode of romantic suspense set in the Victorian world of mannerly gentlemen, conniving mothers, and scandals behind closed doors. Out of the three books I've read from this series so far, I felt A Fatal Waltz was much stronger. The murder mystery is much more serious as it could lead to the death of two highly important characters, including Lady Emily's love interest. In the last two books, we have seen Lady Emily be very confident in her skills but she is now constantly tested in this book as she meets Colin's past love interest and skillful partner, the worldly Kristiana von Lange. It was nice to see Emily's vulnerabilities shine through as well as travel to Vienna for some excitement. This is a captivating addition to this fun series and I really can't wait to see if Lady Emily and Colin take the next step in their relationship.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: The book is relatively clean, however, there are mentions of the aristocrats who have an open marriage. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy historical mysteries.

If you like this book try: Tears of Pearl (Lady Emily #4) by Tasha Alexander, Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourne, Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson, Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry


Description: Eleven-year-old Benny Kaminsky leads a rag-tag gang of neighborhood children as they use improbable disguises and crazy ruses while investigating such crimes as counterfeiting and stolen silver in 1894 London.

Review: Originally published as two separate stories in Britain, Two Crafty Criminals gives us two stories featuring the New Cut Gang, a group of young mischief-makers, rules the streets of late-19th-century London and solves mysteries. In the first case, "Thunderbolt" Dobney and the rest of the gang investigate a coin counterfeiting resurgence. Things get more serious when Thunderbolt's father is arrested, and it is up to the kids to clear his name and find the real criminal. The second story has them finding the crook who stole the gas-fitter's silver. This case intersects at many points with some of the more impish members' attempts to win a bet by setting up two of their neighbors. These two stories reminded me a lot of the old Scooby Doo cartoons. They are charming, fun, light, and wholesome. The focus is more on plot rather than character development. This would be a good choice for a classroom read-aloud.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.


If you like this book try: Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding, Horton Halfpott by Tom Angleberger

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The Thirteenth Tale

  Happy Holidays, readers! I hope you are enjoying the holidays with friends and family. In these last few days of December, I'm trying to wrap up some of my remaining reading challenges. I'm almost half way done! The Thirteenth Tale wraps up my Alex Award reading challenge this year.

Description: Margaret Lea works in her father's antiquarian bookshop where her fascination for the biographies of the long-dead has led her to write them herself. She gets a letter from one of the most famous authors of the day, the mysterious Vida Winter, whose popularity as a writer has been in no way diminished by her reclusiveness. Until now, Vida has toyed with journalists who interview her, creating outlandish life histories for herself - all of them invention. Now she is old and ailing, and at last she wants to tell the truth about her extraordinary life. Her letter to Margaret is a summons.Somewhat anxiously, the equally reclusive Margaret travels to Yorkshire to meet her subject - and Vida starts to tell her tale. It is one of Gothic strangeness featuring the March family; her mother, the beautiful and willful Isabelle, who had a powerful hold on her father and brother, and the feral twins Adeline and Emmeline.Margaret, herself a twin, is doubly intrigued. But as a biographer she deals in fact not fiction, and she doesn't entirely trust Vida's account. She goes to check up on the family, visit their old home and piece together the story in her own way. What she discovers on her journey to the truth is for Margaret a chilling experience that will transform her life.

Review:  The Thirteenth Tale pays homage to the great Gothic writers, particularly Charlotte Bronte and Daphne Du Maurier, while weaving a wholly original story of its own. The story at first seems very familiar as a plain girl gets wrapped up in a dark, haunted ruin of a house, which guards family secrets that are not hers and that she must discover at her peril. Along this bleak journey, she also learns secrets about her own family.
  Margaret Lea is a London bookseller's daughter and a bibliophile. An introvert, she has lived vicariously through the written world. Her world revolves around what knows through her books. Books are her solace, friends, and adventures she can safely go on without any dangers. She enjoys books where the truth is written out in black and white terms and where the unjust are punished in the end. She also has an interest in siblings and has written an obscure biography that suggests deep understanding of siblings.
  It is Margaret's fascination with siblings that attracts the attention of the famous and now aging author Vida Winter, who finally wishes to tell her own, long-hidden, life story. Facing imminent death and feeling an unexplainable connection to Margaret, Miss Winter begins to spin a haunting, suspenseful tale of an old English estate, a devastating fire, twin girls, a governess, and a ghost. As Margaret carefully records Vida's tale, she ponders her own family secrets.
   The Thirteenth Tale immediately grabbed my attention right away. I felt a kinship with Margaret's love of books and I was swept away with the story that Ms. Winter spun. All throughout the story with a story, I wondered which bits were true. I  had no problems distinguishing between the two narrators as their voices were so different, but the transition from one to the other felt smooth. I loved the connections with some of my favorite books, but I was delightfully surprised that the connections were not a complete retelling of the story but showed how books can touch our lives in so many different ways. The book's pace was steady and there were plenty of twists and cliffhangers that kept me turning the pages. I was sad when the story concluded, but I think it could be enjoyed even more the second time you read it. The Thirteenth Tale is truly a book lover's book that celebrates reading and storytelling.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution:  There are hints of sex and incest in the book, but nothing graphic or explicit. Recommended for teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt, Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

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Ten Great Steampunk Novels (you might not have heard of) by M.K. Hobson

 I'm delighted to be part of the Warlock's Curse blog tour which is hosted by CBB Book Promotions. Ms. Hobson's debut novel, The Native Star—the first book in her Veneficas Americana series—was nominated for a Nebula award in 2010. She lives in the first city in the United States incorporated west of the Rockies. Her favorite writers are Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, Booth Tarkington, Gore Vidal, and William S. Burroughs. The Warlock’s Curse is her third novel. Ms.Hobson is here today to give us her recommendations for ten great steampunk novels we may have not heard before! To make browsing easier for you, I've included book covers from Goodreads and linked the titles to Amazon.

M.K. Hobson's Ten Great Steampunk Novels (you might not have heard of)

With Christmas coming up, I bet many readers of Books In The Spotlight will find gift certificates for books in their stockings. Well, the readers who have been nice, anyway. And those who have been naughty surely have better ways of getting their hands on books than waiting for some fat man in a red suit to slide down the chimney with a gift certificate. So however you get your hands on them, here’s a list of ten great steampunk books you might want to check out in 2013!

Ironskin by Tina Connolly: The elevator pitch for this one—a “steampunk Jane Eyre with fairies”—really doesn’t do justice to this compelling, lyrical tale. Whether you’re a fan of steampunk or Charlotte Bronte, you’ll like this one.









Mechanique by Genevieve Valentine: A powerful tale set under the big top of the magical Circus Tresaulti. It’s simply chock-a-block with beautiful imagery, such as the mechanical wings which lay at the center of a epic power struggle between two fascinatingly damaged characters.









 Heart of Iron by Ekaterina Sedia: This book as intelligent as it is gripping, set in a in a Russia where the Decembrists' rebellion was successful and the Trans-Siberian railroad was completed before 1854. A prime example of steampunk set outside the by-now-somewhat-yawn-worthy streets and alleyways of “foggy London.”








What Lies Beneath the Clock Tower by Margaret Killjoy: A devilishly delightful “choose your own adventure” steampunk novel with colonialist gnomes, indigenous goblins, and no small amount of political consciousness. This one is as intriguing as it is enjoyable.








 The Falling Machine by Andrew P. Mayer: This “steampunk superhero” book takes place in a Victorian New York powered by the discovery of Fortified Steam, a substance that allows ordinary men to wield extraordinary abilities. Super fun, with a strong heroine.







 God Save the Queen by Kate Locke: I like to take my steampunk with a large helping of magic, and there are plenty of magical creatures in this one. I especially like what Locke does with her goblins.








The Kingdom of Ohio by Matthew Flaming: I am cheating a bit, because I can’t classify this one as purely steampunk, but I think it will hold a lot of appeal to readers who like steampunk. And it has a beautiful love story, which I think everyone likes.







New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear: I don’t think there’s anything Elizabeth Bear *can’t* write—and steampunk is no exception. In this collection of interlocked short stories, hard-boiled sleuth Abigail Irene Garrett contends with Spanish vampires, blood sorcery, and dirigibles in an colonial Victorian America where the Revolutionary War never happened..






The Women of Nell Gwynne’s by Kage Baker: This isn’t really unknown, as it was nominated for several awards, but it’s a novella, so it may have slipped under the radar. The titular women of Nell Gwynne’s not only work at the most exclusive brothel in London—they are also secret agents.







 All Men of Genius by Lev A.C. Rosen: I started this list with a “steampunk Jane Eyre” so it seems only appropriate to end it with a “steampunk Twelfth Night.” I generally go for darker fodder, but this one was sweet and light and fun.








 Thank you so much for stopping by the blog today and giving us new authors and books to discover, Ms. Hobson!

THE YEAR IS 1910. Eighteen-year-old Will Edwards has landed a prestigious apprenticeship at Detroit’s Tesla Industries, the most advanced scientific research center in the United States. It’s a plum prize for a young man who dreams of a career in the new science of Otherwhere Engineering.
But his father doesn’t want him to go. And he won’t tell him why.

Determined to get there by any means necessary, Will finds unexpected support along the way. His old friend Jenny Hansen—daughter of a San Francisco timber baron—is eager to help him for reasons of her own. And so is his estranged brother Ben, who he hasn’t seen in over ten years.

But running away turns out to be the easy part. On the first full moon after his eighteenth birthday, Will is stricken by a powerful magic—a devastating curse laid upon his ancestors by the malevolent sangrimancer Aebedel Cowdray. Will must find a way to control the magic that possesses him—or the vengeful warlock’s spirit will destroy everything and everyone he loves.

 Readers, if you would like to know more about Ms. Hobson be sure to check out the links below:

• Book Website
• Amazon Book Page 
• Amazon Author Page 
• M.K. Hobson's blog  
• M.K. Hobson's Facebook page
• M.K. Hobon's on Goodreads
• Twitter  

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Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2)

   I pre-ordered my copy of Clockwork Prince as soon as I had finished Clockwork Angel, but it took me months to actually read it. Why? After being horribly disappointed by City of Lost Souls, the last thing I needed was another book from Clare that suffered from middle book syndrome and I needed time to get over my bad book aftertaste. I happy to say that Clockwork Prince not only avoids the middle book syndrome, but it also reminded me of why I loved the world of the Shadowhunters.

Description: As the Council attempts to strip Charlotte of her power, sixteen-year-old orphaned shape-changer Tessa Gray works with the London Shadowhunters to find the Magister and destroy his clockwork army, learning the secret of her own identity while investigating his past.

Review: Tessa is a shape-shifting Shadowhunter who is becoming accustomed to her powers. In the middle of trying to find out more about her past and be thrust in the middle of all the magic, intrigue and mystery in Victorian England, but the  relationships between Tessa, the enigmatic Will, and the thoughtful, sensitive Jem is the crux of the story.
  Clockwork Prince picks up immediately where Clockwork Angel left its readers. There is hardly any background information given, which for me was problematic since I have read the first book about a year ago. I did forget about some important characters and key events. After a provocative and straight-forward prologue, the story begins at the London Institute of Shadowhunters. The leaders of the Institute are given a two week deadline to find the evil Magister, who is still determined to gain control of Tessa’s powers and bring down the Enclave. Tessa and the Shadowhunters must battle dreadful clockwork creatures, demons, uncover hidden secrets and even treachery within their own ranks before everything around them is forever altered. We are also given tidbits on how the ties between the Lightwoods and Herondale families are formed. In addition to following our three main protagonists, we are also given more time with other secondary characters such as Jessamine, Henry, Charlotte, and Sophie as well as introduced to new characters.
   Unlike Clockwork Angel which focused more on the time period and action, Clockwork Prince has a slow burning plot that is dedicated to character development and relationships. Tessa becomes more sure of her unique position and powers. She is even more endearing in this book, because she is calm, level headed, and taking her obstacles in stride. I admire how she tries to approach her ever-changing relationships with Jem and Will, which deepens in a life-changing way without being wishy washy. Jem and Will both have enough time to come into their own as characters as well as have their individual alone moments to shine with Tessa, which provides lots of swooningly romantic and wildly sensual moments with our heroine. Jem unexpectedly reveals a new side to him, a man who doesn't want to be only known as the "sick one", and we finally discover the devastating secret in handsome, bad-boy Will’s tragic past. As you have probably guessed, Clockwork Prince has a love triangle and I think it's one of the most well-written love triangles I’ve read in a long time, not only Victorian with its timing and circumstances, but also a very hard one to solve. Tessa is torn between two very attractive and honorable boys; there are good reasons for Tessa to love them both, but also excellent reasons for her to give her heart to neither. I'm on and still remain Team Jem, but I will admit that Will has also won me over in Clockwork Prince.
  In addition to the romantic relationships, we are also shown the depth of Will's and Jem's friendship. Both searching for understanding, attachment, honor, and loyalty from one another. It is their strong connection to one another that makes the love triangle with Tessa even more potent. It is going to be hard to be with one without wounding the other. Sacrifice, love, honor, duty- all important ingredients of being a Shadowhunter, but what do you do if your heart is torn into all of these parts?
  Clockwork Prince has several important revelations hidden in the prose and a wicked cliffhanger. If you have been disappointed with the Mortal Instruments series or simply just can't get into it, I think you should try the Infernal Devices. Clare's writing is much stronger and more concise. I think it goes without saying that I'm really excited for Clockwork Princess and it might wise of me to do a quick reread of the first two books of the Infernal Devices before jumping with its concluding volume.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence, minor language, and a scene at an opium-like den. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray, Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink, or The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare

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Secret Letters

  I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes so anything remotely related to 221B Baker Street and I'm instantly interested. This is the reason why I picked Secret Letters by Leah Scheier. Though I did have a few issues with the book, I did enjoy it for the most part.

Description: Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin's ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits--and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective--to save her cousin's reputation and help rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way.

Review: Secret Letters is a promising debut from Leah Scheier. The plot and characters are an ode to the great English detective, Sherlock Holmes. Though we don't get the opportunity to meet Sherlock in this book, his influence is thoroughly shown throughout the book.
  Dora is a natural born detective. Her deductive skills are much like her supposed famous biological father who she never knew. She is a feisty character who is clearly beyond her time. Strong, smart, and very stubborn, Dora is constantly trying to fight down the gender barriers that confine her and to prove to herself that she is capable of becoming a detective. For the most part, I liked Dora though I can't suspend my disbelief that she is the daughter of Sherlock Holmes mainly because I don't see Holmes becoming a melodramatic person because it defies his logical persona. I am aware, however, that there are other series in which Holmes is married but there is enough character and plot growth to accept this change in his personality. In Secret Letters, we aren't really given much information about Holmes besides his untimely death. Regardless, I thought it was interesting trying to compare Holmes trademark characteristics with Dora. Both can easily see through the surface and their intuitive, deductive skills are certainly what I most like about them both.
  In addition to Dora, I also liked Peter, a former apprentice of Holmes but now working with another freelance detective. He offers Dora the services of his Mentor to help them to find the person that is blackmailing Dora's cousin. Shrouded with a mysterious and tragic past and oozing charm, Peter definitely fits the potential love interest bill. He is attracted to Dora's passion of investigating and can relate to her sense of loss. The dialogue and budding romance between Dora and Peter was nice to read an I thought they had pretty good chemistry.
  Despite the enjoyable characters, I was really disappointed with the lack of a Victorian setting. Though they are descriptions of clothes and mannerisms, I didn't feel as if I was transported back in time. I thought the setting and the time period were not as detailed as I expected them to be. The plot was pretty steady and suspenseful albeit a bit predictable. Overall, Secret Letters is a decent Victorian mysteries but I've read better ones.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: While not depicted, there are discussions of women who are pregnant out of wedlock. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer, The Agency series by Y.S. Lee, Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman

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Ruby Red (Ruby Red Trilogy, Book 1)

 Ruby Red is a delightful romantic comedy with a good dose of a complex, unresolved time-travel mystery that can be enjoyed by a wide range of audience. Readers new to this series won't have to wait long for the sequel as it is expected to be released later this month.

Description (from the publisher):  Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
  Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Review: Gwen is a contemporary English teen who lives in London with her mother's eccentric family. She has the girl next door flair to her along with a wonderful sense of humor. Gwen has always heard of the time traveling gene that her family possesses, but she really can't understand why her cousin Charlotte thinks having the gene is such a big deal. You see, Charlotte is the expected carrier of the family time-travel gene that has been passed along the female line in the girls' family since the 16th century and has trained her entire life for this one opportunity, but it never happens. Unexpectedly, Gwen experiences the symptoms of the time traveling gene in the middle of her class.
  Everyone including Gwen is surprised and utterly shocked when Gwen is not only the gene carrier but a very special time traveler. Gwen quickly realizes that her mother has fabricated her birth date in order to protect her from the Guardians, the old, powerful and dangerous secret society obsessively watching over the time travelers and protecting the chronograph, a device for negotiating time travel. To the Guardians, Gwen is not your ordinary time traveler but the Ruby, the crucial last link in their Circle of Twelve. To complicate matters more, Gideon, Gwen's handsome, insufferable and arrogant fellow time traveler in the male line, is the Diamond. Together Gwen and Gideon are expected to complete the Circle and solve an undefined mystery involving Count Saint-Germain, a malevolent time traveler from the 18th century, that is if they can work together without killing each other first.
  As she narrates her adventures, Gwen convincingly conveys her bewilderment, fear and excitement of a being an ordinary teen who is comfortable with her mundane routine and then suddenly finds herself transported and disorientated into an unknown past. Though she has absolutely no idea of what to do, she manages to think quickly and surprises everyone including Gideon who has her pegged as an inferior time traveler and doesn't waste an opportunity to let her know that.
  What I loved about Ruby Red is the attention to the historical setting from the fashion to the mannerisms, especially since the book is originally published in German and then translated into English. While reading the book, I had no idea it was a translated copy of the book. It seems as if the author did a great job with historical accuracy.
  Of course I have to mention the relationship between Gwen and Gideon. They both share the tensions found in a love/hate relationships that are common in most romance stories, but the romance doesn't instantly happen for these characters. Gwen and Gideon have to overcome their prejudices of one another to not only solve the mystery they are both assigned to, but also to show the various layers of their personalities. Their relationship grows slowly but realistically and while we don't have a full blown romance we can see it budding.
 With engaging characters, a chaste but sweet romance, and unique plot line involving time traveling, Ruby Red is a sure fire hit and would be a great selection for a vacation read. I really look forward to going on more journeys with Gwen and Gideon  and to seeing how this mystery unravels.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. This is a relatively clean book with a chaste budding romance. I would feel comfortable in giving this book to a very strong Grade 5th reader.

If you like this book try: Saphire Blue by Kerstin Gier, The Time Traveling Fashionesta by Bianca Turetskey, Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

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Gilt

  There has been a slew of gossipy historical fiction YA reads. I've seen this wave come and go, but I think with the popularity of Downton Abbey (is it January yet?), there seems to be a more of a demand. Gossipy historical fiction is a guilty pleasure of mine and which is why I picked up the aptly titled Gilt by Katherine Longshore.

Description (from Goodreads): When Kitty Tylney's best friend, Catherine Howard, worms her way into King Henry VIII's heart and brings Kitty to court, she's thrust into a world filled with fabulous gowns, sparkling jewels, and elegant parties. No longer stuck in Cat's shadow, Kitty's now caught between two men--the object of her affection and the object of her desire. But court is also full of secrets, lies, and sordid affairs, and as Kitty witnesses Cat's meteoric rise and fall as queen, she must figure out how to keep being a good friend when the price of telling the truth could literally be her head.

Review: Gilt recounts the short life and times of King Henry VIII's fifth and youngest wife, Catherine Howard, as seen through the eyes of her best friend Kitty. When Cat is selected to be one of Anne of Cleves' ladies-in-waiting, she soon catches the king's eye, and soon to be the next chosen wife of the King. Cat rescues her plain friend Kitty, more as an effort to retain her self confidence and have someone loyal to her in a threatening environment, to attend her in her chambers.
  Although the book tries to give the reader the wide scope of the royal court, only Cat and Kitty are fully realized characters, which is kind of a shame since I really didn't care for either one of them. Cat Howard has always acted as if she was queen. She was the queen bee and the self declared connoisseur of all womanly desires (wink wink nudge nudge). She even liked to call herself the Queen of Misrule in the Duchess of Norfolk's maidens' chamber (a rather tongue in check nickname) to make her status more official. I couldn't find any redeemable qualities in Cat at all. She's usually depicted as a naive young girl who was carried away by her..er...hormones and emotions, but in Gilt she clearly knew what she was doing and enjoyed the rush of excitement in doing something forbidden and trying to see if she couldn't get caught. Anyone with a brain cell would know the path she chose is incredibly stupid and could only lead to death and humiliation.
  We also get a close-up examination of Cat's personality through Kitty's unique position of attending her best friend. Kitty's identity is solely based on her connection to Cat as she has no royal connection ties to the court. She relies on Cat's favoritism in order to push away her self doubts and low self confidence. I liked Kitty best when she clearly admits her own short comings and catches the so-called indestructible Cat's flaws. It is a shame though that most of these little nuggets of truth are buried in mumbles and under the breath.
  It also is through Kitty's eyes that we get a broad scope of the royal court, however, the author seems to focus on the safe, domestic setting of the court rather than the affairs and politics that shaped the Tudor time period. Unfortunately, the time period doesn't really come to life with these broad strokes. The suspense of Cat's plan and what lead to her demise is extremely subdued. I think I had an edge on reading Gilt as I already knew of Catherine Howard's demise and stupidity by watching The Tudors (Jonathan Rhys Meyers plus Henry Cavill equals a win!), but I as a reader reading Gilt, I didn't get that surprise or suspense. As a result, Gilt doesn't have much of a punch as a gossipy historical fiction or romance read as the cover implies (The cover of Gilt does absolutely nothing for me and I wish I wouldn't have to look up the model's nostrils everytime I see it). Readers looking for more juicy details of the Tudor time period are better off looking at some of Phillippa Gregory's books and other readalikes. Do give the book a chance if you're curious about the status of women in the Tudor period.
 
Rating: 3 stars


Words of Caution: Sexual and crude humor, strong sexuality that is regulated off the page. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: The King's Rose by Alisa M. Libby, Luxe series by Anna Godbersen, The Other Boylen by Philippa Gregory, The Unfaithful Queen by Carolly Erickson, and Ladies in Waiting by Laura L. Sullivan

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Adult Mini-reviews: The Woman in White and And Only to Deceive

 I was seeking recommendations for Victorian mysteries for my Death by Gas Light Reading Challenge and was directed by these two titles. The Woman in White is a classic and declared by many the first suspense fiction ever written. And Only to Deceive is the first book in the Lady Emily series which the Chicago Tribune heralded as "Sherlock Holmes in a skirt". Both titles caught my eye and thought I would give them a whirl.  

Description (from the back of the book): Full of secrets, mistaken identities, surprise revelations, amnesia, locked rooms and locked asylums, and an unorthodox villain, The Woman in White marked the creation of a new literary genre of suspense fiction that profoundly shaped the course of English popular writing. One of the greatest mystery thrillers ever written, Wilkie Collins's The Woman in White was a phenomenal bestseller in the 1860s.

Review: The Woman in White is a mystery of the main character as its title states. The woman is known as Anne Catherick who appears as a phantom and an escapee from a well known insane asylum. Is she a madwoman? Or a victim of foul play? The mystery goes beyond Anne, though, and victim or madwoman, she becomes the key to unraveling a whole host of deceptions involving identity theft, forgery, monetary theft, and possible murder. Every motive is explored in this hefty yet entertaining book. 
 I think a lot of people have zero patience when it comes to Victorian novels. The length and slow pace are major turn offs, but you have to remember that the novel was one of the few form of entertainment at the time. Many writers such as Collins, Dickens, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote their books/short stories in an episodic fashion and were paid by the number of words written. What really surprised me about The Woman in White is that it didn't feel as if it was written in parts and hastily put together. The story flows well and it is told from multiple perspectives and it opens as if the reader is seated at a trial and the so-called crime has already been committed. As we hear testimonials from a wide range of social ranks, we are asked to identify the criminal. 
  Like many Victorian novels, the evil people are clear-cut and justice is served, but Collins also manages to his main cast of characters depth and time to full develop. While I could foretell how the book would end, Collins manages to throw me some curves and I wasn't completely bored. I would recommend this book if you would rather read a mystery set in the real Victorian period rather than a contemporary author trying to recreate a Victorian mystery.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy Victorian and Gothic fiction.

If you like this book try: Bleak House by Charles Dickens, Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Description (from the book's panel): Emily agreed to wed Philip, the Viscount Ashton, primarily to escape her overbearing mother. Philip's death while on safari soon after their wedding left Emily feeling little grief, for she barely knew the dashing stranger. But her discovery of his journals nearly two years later reveals a far different man than she imagined--a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who apparently loved his new wife deeply. Emily's desire to learn more of her late husband leads her through the quiet corners of the British Museum and into a dangerous mystery involving rare stolen artifacts. To complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond matrimony into darker realms.

Review: And Only to Deceive is a charming and cozy Victorian suspense/mystery. I read the book very quickly due to its great leading, delightfully head strong heroine, Lady Emily who exudes confidence, wit, and assertiveness while retaining Victiorian sensibilities. Lady Emily is in a strange predicament. She married Philip Ashton to relief herself from her overbearing mother. Unfortunately right after her honeymoon, her husband whom she has only known less than a month dies. Lady Emily feels guilty whenever someone comes with their condolences and talks about her husband since she really has no feelings about him whatsoever. Throughout the book, Lady Emily begins to discover what kind of man her late husband was and in a weird way starts to fall in love with him until she learns that he may or may not a) be dead after all and b) be involved in the black market. Along the way we meet many colorful secondary characters such as Cecile du Lac, a Parisian of a certain age who could really care less of what society thinks of her, and it will be terribly wrong of me to not mention the irresistible Colin Hargreaves who made me smile every time he appeared on the page. The mystery is well balanced with the Victorian social mores and the sexual chemistry between Lady Emily's suitors are handled with flirtatious banter and tension. I will definitely be returning to these characters and plan to catch up on the series as there are six books already out. If you're curious at all about Victorian mysteries and looking for a place to start, I highly recommend this book. I would also recommend it to readers who enjoy an Austenesque read or a clean, fun mystery.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy a clean, Victorian setting and mystery.

If you like this book try: Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean, What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris, The Blackstone Key by Rose Melikan , Snobbery with Violence by Marion Chesney, Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn, Agency series by Y.S. Lee

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Shades of Honey and Milk (Shades of Honey and Milk #1)

 Thanks to a particular lascivious book, you can't say the words shades or grey without having a few people raise their eyebrows. Let me assure you that's not why I was drawn to Shades of Honey and Milk, but I happened to stumble upon it while looking for some urban fantasy series. The tagline promising a Jane Austen-like ambiance with a dash of magic, and a nod to Beauty and the Beast is what made me pick this one up.

Description (from Goodreads): Shades of Milk and Honey is an intimate portrait of Jane Ellsworth, a woman ahead of her time in a version of Regency England where the manipulation of glamour is considered an essential skill for a lady of quality. But despite the prevalence of magic in everyday life, other aspects of Dorchester’s society are not that different: Jane and her sister Melody’s lives still revolve around vying for the attentions of eligible men.
   Jane resists this fate, and rightly so: while her skill with glamour is remarkable, it is her sister who is fair of face, and therefore wins the lion’s share of the attention. At the ripe old age of twenty-eight, Jane has resigned herself to being invisible forever. But when her family’s honor is threatened, she finds that she must push her skills to the limit in order to set things right–and, in the process, accidentally wanders into a love story of her own.

Review: Shades of Honey and Milk definitely delivers as an Austenesque read. The scenario is typical as two middle class sisters wait around to be married off to a man of nobility or at least some money to his name. The sisters are the plain on the outside but extremely talented Jane and the beautiful and fair Melody. Readers of Austen will immediately pick up the nods throughout the book, but irony, social criticism, as well as complication of character that make Austen's novels so loveable are not present in this book. Instead we are adding a neat magical system, which unfortunately isn't explored and seems little integrated with the world. 
  The characters, whose character traits seem to be picked from various Austen novels, are enjoyable. You have your obvious bad guys (I always thought Austen's villains were completely obvious), the love interest, the plain but in her own way extraordinary that takes people a while to recognize. I would have liked to know each of the characters a bit more, especially Jane and Vincent.
  The story takes time to warm up and is a bit obvious. I did notice a few period glitches found in the book, but it didn't take me out of the book. I chuckled a few times at the dead pan humor and was a bit surprised to see how the book's quickly ends given the slow start. 
  Kowal is a talented writer and Shades of Milk and Honey is a lovely tribute to Jane Austen, which she acknowledges in her author notes. I do plan on reading more of this series at some point, but I'm not rushing to it. I think the series has great potential and I'm curious to learn more about the world and hopefully, the next books won't seem as unfinished as this first book.

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended to teens and adults who enjoy a clean romance with a dash of fantasy and magic.

If you like this book try: Glamour of Glass (Shades of Honey and Milk #2), The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey, The Native Star by M.K. Hobson

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YA Minireviews: Body at the Tower (Agency #2) + Traitor in the Tunnel (Agency #3)

  If you like historical mysteries be sure to check out Y.S. Lee's Agency series. It's got a strong female lead along with interesting historical details of the Victorian period, mystery, and of course a little dash of romance. There are currently three books in the series with more on the way. I've enjoyed all of them. Today I'll be reviewing book two, The Body at the Tower, and book three, Traitor in the Tunnel, respectively.

Description (from the publisher): Mary's second adventure as an undercover agent forces her to relive some harrowing childhood experiences as she seeks the identity of a murderer. Mary Quinn is back, now a trusted member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. Her new assignment sends her into the grimy underbelly of Victorian London dressed as a poor boy, evoking her own childhood memories of fear, hunger, and constant want. As she insinuates herself into the confidence of several persons of interest, she encounters others in desperate situations and struggles to make a difference without exposing -or losing -her identity. Mary's adventure, which takes place on the building site of the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, offers a fictional window into a fascinating historical time and place.

Review: After passing her first trial case, Mary Quinn begins her real assignment with The Agency, a secret all-female detective agency in Victorian London. Her latest case requires her of disguising as a male while quietly gathering information about issues impeding the progress on building the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The mysterious death of a workman seems to be the impetus of the delay; however, there have been rumors of widespread corruption. Once again Mary is forced to confront her less than stellar past as her disguise brings memories of her difficult childhood to the forefront. While tries to battle her own personal demons she is also trying to sort out an intricate web of theft that may have led to murder. Adding an additional layer of complication is the delectable James Easton, who caught Mary's eye during her first case. Mary and Jame's roads cross as James turns out to be the safety inspector for the building site. James has returned from India, weakened by a bout with malaria but still attracted to Mary. Like the first book in the series, Lee's attention to the lifestyle of Victorian England is impeccable. We are put in the shoes of poor workers who barely are making ends meet. Mary is a reflective and admirable character, who grapples many issues yet seems to keep her head straight. Though she routinely finds herself in hard places and doesn't make the right choices, you can't help but root for her.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and crude humor. There are scenes of beatings and punishments. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer, Secret Letters by Leah Scheier


Description (from the publisher): Mary Quinn is assigned to the Queen's case and sets out to identify a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace and finds herself fending off the advances of a feckless prince, but a larger scandal looms when the prince witnesses the murder of a friend in an opium den.

Review: In the first two books of the Agency series, we've seen Mary take part of the upper middle class and the low, poor, working class. This time Mary finds herself at the upper crust, solving a mystery at the Buckingham Palace. Unlike the first two books, there is more of an emphasis on Mary's personal storyline. We get more details about her past including her mixed ethnicity. The mystery, which evolves from a simple case of thievery turns to a much more personable one as the Prince of Wales, heir to the throne, witnesses a murder at an opium den. The switch of the case was a bit abrupt. Lee flirts with the idea of racial tensions in this book, but I wished it was explored a bit more. It comes off kind of haphazardly. In this book Mary is forced to make some serious, life changing decisions which will put her comfort, trust, and heart at risk.
 I love the chemistry between Mary and James, which I think gets stronger with each book. Both characters complement each other really well and they both mutually admire, respect, and love one another. Though there is no cliffhanger per se in this book, there are many questions left wide open as to where Mary will head to next. Despite the minor flaws and the uneven pacing, I had a big smile on my face when I finished it and enjoyed it enough to recommend it to others.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Opium and alcohol use is mentioned. There is some language and a few, brief sexual suggestions mentioned. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer, Secret Letters by Leah Scheier, And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander, Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn.

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American Heiress

   Ever since the second season finale of Downton Abbey, I've been having withdrawals. I miss the characters, the drama, the fashion, and the subtle humor. I came across Daisy Goodwin's American Heiress, which has been a popular book at my library, which was marketed as a must read for those who had loved Downton Abbey. It sounded just the thing I needed. Little did I know, it would do the exact opposite for me. 


 Description (from book's panel): Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the twentieth century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Review: Have you ever had a meal that looks so appetizing that you feel let down when it is not as good as you expected it to be? On your plate, it looks delicious and beautiful and you can't wait to dig in, except when you do you immediately notice one thing- there's no flavor; such was my reading experience with Daisy Goodwin's American Heiress.
 The book is very much reminiscent of the works of Henry James and Edith Wharton who wrote about the upperclass Americans who desperately tried to achieve the social air and lifestyle of Europeans. As the book opens Cora, a very rich, snobby, selfish, and stubborn woman is on the hunt for nobility. She surveys her predatory eyes on any man with a title, preferably a handsome duke who can whisk her away from her controlling, smothering mother. It was hard to warm up to and even like Cora who didn't seem to have any redeeming qualities. Things are pretty ho-hum until she meets an allusive English duke named Ivo.
  Unfortunately Ivo wasn't a debonair, love interest. He did absolutely nothing for me. To my surprise, he wasn't actually in the story all that much, which I guess was suppose to give him an air of mystery. It was clear, to everyone except Cora, who lived in a bubble, that he had another woman on the side. It's obvious that Ivo didn't marry Cora for love, but to put to rebel against his stuck-up mother.
 The plot of the book is very predictable and quite slow. I had it figured out in the first fifty pages and I waited to see if anything new and surprising would happen, but it didn't. All I got was a superfluous subplot involving Cora's maid's romance which went no where. The book could easily have been trimmed 100-200 pages down (it's close to 500 pgs in length). I did, however, liked the author's descriptions of the time period. I also chuckled here and there with the cultural jabs the Americans and the British gave each other.
 Overall, this didn't curb my Downton Abbey withdrawals at all. It made me miss the show even more. I would recommend this book to those who have a hard time reading Wharton or James, as I think this book was more approachable but for me, it lacked depth and originality.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There are some small, non-explicit sex scenes. Recommended for older teens and adults.

If you like this book try: Portrait of a Lady by Henry James, Summer by Edith Wharton, The Buccaneers by Edith Wharton

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The Wicked and the Just

  It is often said that history is written by the victor, but what happens when you are given two sides of the same story. Who is the winner and who is the loser? In J. Anderson Coast's debut novel, The Wicked and the Just, which details the occupation of Wales in the Middle Ages, the answer isn't simple.

Description (from Goodreads): Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.
  Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl.
  While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

Review: The Wicked and the Just brings in a fresh voice to the historical fiction genre. Majority of the historical fiction that I've read usually paints the time period of their setting in a romantic light with the emphasis on ambiance, clothes, and mannerisms. While there is some of that in Coat's debut novel, there is also a stark reality of what really happened. Instead of given the voice of a victor, we are given two unapologetic voices that forces us to choose who is bad and good.
  Readers looking for an action packed book, may be disappointed with The Wicked and the Just. Though there is action, especially in the second half of the book, it's mostly off the page. The book's pacing is relatively slow and then quickly crescendos to its climax, allowing the reader to fully feel the realities of the time period. The book is clearly character driven and what made this book, in my opinion, shine.
 The center of our story are two girls of polar opposites who are unwillingly brought together by the English conquest of Wales. The English Cecily who is in a tizzy becase she has to leave her home and relocate to the Welsh frontier. She seeks consolation that she will become the lady of the manor when her father will soon take a borough in Caernarvon, which was recently conquered by Edward I. I had a very strong aversion to Cecily at first. She reminded me a lot of Scarlet O'Hara, a character that I absolutely detest. Cecily is spoiled, superficial, and puts importance of hosting the right parties, ignorant of the atrocities that are happening around her. Not only does Cecily hates Caernarvon, she also abhors its natives, especially Gwinny, the servant girl who doesn't obey, and the young man who stares at her. While Cecily's characterization may seem simplistic at first, it starts to take on depth as her dismissal of the Welsh as subhuman slowly changes to sympathy and then something entirely in between.
  While Cecily informs us the comfortable lifestyle of someone fortunate in the Middle Ages, we are confronted by the cruel, cold world of Gwenhwyfar, who struggles to make ends meet for basic survival. Gwenhwyfar's fierce parallel story was much more appealing to me as a reader. While her section was terse, it cut straight to the chase without sugar-coating anything. It's hard not to warm up to her at first, however, I'm not so sure how I felt about her in the end.
  Speaking of the ending, I thought it was so brutal and unexpected. It threw my already conceived notions and feelings about the characters into a blender as it forced me to think harder about identifying who was wicked and who was just. Without coloring the book with her own opinions, Coats re-creates the occupation of Wales from the eyes of both opposing sides.
 Since I don't know much of the Middle Age time period, I can't comment on how historical accuracy of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who like historical fiction with depth are interested in this time period.

Curricular Connection: Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong violence, which mostly happens off the page, but are talked about in the book. There are a few scenes of attempted rape, and some language. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Catherine, Called the Birdy by Karen Cushman, The King's Shadow by Elizabeth Adler

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What Angels Fear (Sebastin St. Cyr #1)

  You may have noticed about a lack of adult book reviews posted lately. I've been through a really bad adult fiction reading slump lately. I'm trying several genres to help me snap out of it and so far it's been working. I thought I would give my first adult historical mystery a shot and picked up the first book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series. I have a friend who really enjoys this series and suggested I give them a shot during my slump. I read and enjoyed the first one.


Description (from Goodreads): It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George Ill's England. A beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey, and the dueling pistol found at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man--Sebastian St. Cyr.

Review: The first book in the Sebastin St. Cyr series is off to a racing start with the gruesome near-decapitation and rape of a lovely actress. Sebastian St. Cyr, the youngest but only surviving son of an earl, stands accused of brutally raping and murdering a young actress. As he's led away by police, an accidental knifing of a police officer is also attributed to him. Sebastian runs, bent on finding the real murderer and clearing his own name. and an innocent man on the run. What turns out to be a simple murder mystery, quickly evolves into what seems to be a political game where the Whigs try to gain control of the government before the Tory prince becomes regent.
  I was pleasantly surprised by the fast-paced plot of this Victorian mystery. Harris does a great job in  pitting the sophisticated, overly mannered elite against the grimier lower echelons of 1811 London society. We see all social classes at work in the book as the plot and mystery unfold. I thought the mystery was very well interwoven. At first I was a bit disoriented by the sheer amount of characters that are introduced, but I quickly got over that when I realized that all of these seemingly unconnected people leads to a maze set with clues connecting everyone from the high-ranking politicians to actresses who have side jobs. What I found unusual is that a lot of the character development of Sebastian comes from the people who is associated with him.
  Since this is the first book in a series, there is much we don't know about Sebastian. We know that he was an intelligent officer in the army during the Napoleonic War and suffers from shell shocks or from post traumatic stress disorder. He does have a real life genetic mutation, which allows him to have uncanny seeing and hearing abilities. The author describes him as a Darcy and James Bond combo, so far I do find him charming and he does have the skills to be an effective sleuth. I am interested to get to know him better as I continue the series. What Angels Fear will appeal to readers who like historical fiction, political intrigue, romance, and of course mystery.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, small sex scenes, and violence (which mostly happens off the page). Recommended for older teens and adults only.

If you like this book try: Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn, And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander, The Face of a Stranger by Anne Perry

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A Spy in the House (Agency #1)

I've heard about Y.S. Lee's Agency series for quite some time. I've been meaning to pick it up since it is about a Victorian mystery series but never got around to it. After reading several glowing reviews from bloggers, I thought to give the series a chance and I'm so glad I did. I enjoyed every minute of it! There are currently three books (the third book released today!) in the series and I really hope Ms. Lee doesn't stop there.

Description: Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan and thief Mary Quinn is offered a place at Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls where she is trained to be part of an all-female investigative unit called The Agency. At age 17, she is given her first case as she infiltrates a rich merchant's home in hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. Being an agent isn't as easy as Mary thought as she meets unsuspecting friends and foes as well as a family secret.

Review: A Spy in the House grabbed my attention right away. As the book opens, Mary, a scrappy 12-year-old orphan and accomplished thief in Victorian London, is saved at her 11th hour from the gallows by a stranger and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, an institution dedicated to turning out strong, independent, educated young women. Due to her rough upbringing she is reluctant at first, but then accepts the challenge and eventually becomes a teacher herself. At 17, she discovers the school is actually a covert group of female spies known as The Agency and is recruited by the mistresses of the school who believes Mary's street smarts make her a great candidate. After her initial shock has worn off, she is given her first assignment which involves posing as a lady's companion to the daughter of a man suspected of fraud and smuggling. She carries out her investigation at night and during stolen moments, but soon finds that she is not the only one on the case.
  While there was no such thing as an Agency in Victorian England, which the author fully admits, I found loved her idea of subverting the passive, submissive, and quiet Victorian woman stereotype. The women virtually go undetected, which makes them blend easily into the background and a great choice for spies. Lee's Victorian England is vibrant and rich in detail from the attention to clothes, dialect and the seedy underbelly of the poor. Historical details are woven seamlessly into the plot, and descriptive writing allows readers to be part of each scene. The book's slow pace, melodrama, and the mystery also reflects on the time period.
  As a heroine, I loved Mary Quinn. Her years as an orphan and pick-pocketer piques our interest in her personal story. Intelligent, feisty, determined, yet somewhat stubborn and impulsive, Mary has several layers to her personality that we can all relate to. Her complexity grows as we learn about her ethnic background, which I hope gets explored more as the series continues. I admire Mary for not wallowing about her dark past and actually use the skills of observation and street smarts while she is on the case. Unlike Nancy Drew, who always seems to make the right choices while sleuthing, Mary is over her head. She continuously makes mistakes but her quick thinking for the most part helps her out except when it comes to James Easton.
  James Easton is the debonair gentleman who is also interested in Mary's case. Unlike Mary, James reasons are more personal and directly related to the mystery as his brother captivated by Mr. Thorold's daughter and hopes to marry her. James is utterly charming, cocky, and continues fails to figure out Mary. Though James and Mary meet coincidentally, there is no doubt that they both strike up curiosity in one another. Watching these two banter and get flustered by one another is the spotlight for the book. There is definite romantic tension which crackles between them and makes us wait in anticipation to see if this 'relationship' progresses.
  Though the mystery is solved by the end of the book, we are still left with many questions that make us want to pick up the second book (which I have and it's even better than this one) right away. Class differences, love gone awry, racial discrimination, London's growing pains in the 1850s, and the status of women in society are all addressed. Lee knows her Victorian London and it shows. I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy historical fiction and cozy mysteries with a strong female heroine that are not too violent and graphic.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: The book is relatively clean, however, there are mentions of opium dens and mentions of the philandering Mr. Thorold. Recommended for strong Grades 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Body at the Tower (Agency #2), Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, Enola Holmes mysteries by Nancy Springer

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Graphic Novels Mini-Reviews: Children's Edition

  I naturally gravitate towards the YA or the Teen section of my library. My reading goal for this year to diversify my reading pile. I grabbed a bunch of graphic novels from the Children section last year and after being in a graphic novel/manga slump, it nice to read enjoyable titles and get back on track. Today I will be reviewing:  Gunnerkrigg Court Vol 1: Orientation by Tom Siddell, Amelia Rules! What Makes You Happy by Jimmy Gownley, and Amelia Rules! The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular by Jimmy Gownley.

Description (from Goodreads): Antimony Carver is a precocious and preternaturally self-possessed young girl starting her first year of school at gloomy Gunnerkrigg Court, a very British boarding school that has robots running around along side body-snatching demons, forest gods, and the odd mythical creature. The opening volume in the series follows Antimony through her orientation year: the people she meets, the strange things that happen, and the things she causes to happen as she and her new friend, Kat, unravel the mysteries of the Court and deal with the everyday adventures of growing up.

Review: The first volume of the Grunnerkrigg is delightful, quirky, and magical book. The artwork is beautiful and filled with colorful pages. It gives the comic an animated feel to it. The setting of a boarding school fantasy reminded me of Harry Potter but I think that is due to the popularity of the Harry Potter series. There were other stories that featured a British boarding school fantasies. The similarities are on the superficial level but Gunnerkrigg stands on its own. Each chapter is episodic, which makes sense since the comic was originally published a web comic and now bound in a book format for the first time, but I never felt lost reading it. 
  Antimony is a fabulous main character who is smart, quirky, has a dry wit, and extremely precocious. I was afraid of not liking her, but she does soften up a bit and become more approachable as she begins to have friends. Her friendship with Kat is real and their personalities compliment each other really well. The magical/fantasy elements of the story are a lot of fun and as the plot reveals itself become mysterious and hint at dangerous things to come. The book is infused with plenty of humor but also serious when it comes to learning about Antimony's past and the hints surrounding the school. After reading the first volume, I definitely wanted to know more and plan on reading the next volume.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some PG violence and some textual that would suggest sexual innuendo but I think you would really have to be looking for it to find it. Recommended for strong Grades 5 readers and up.  


If you like this book try: Coraline by Neil Gaiman, Gunnerkrigg Court Vol 2: Research by Tom Siddell


Description (from Goodreads): In this volume, Amelia lives life, suffers loss and kisses a ninja. Always entertaining, this three-time Eisner and two-time Harvey nominee is guaranteed to keep you laughing and get your kids/nieces/nephews/etc. hooked on comics!

Review: Adorable, hilarious, and heart warming, Amelia Rules is a great graphic novel series for older elementary school and middle school readers that I wish I had while growing up. What Makes You Happy is actually the second book in the series, which I didn't find out until finishing the book. Normally, I try my best to read series books in order in fear of being left out in character and/or world building but luckily I was able to read this volume without any problems. Amelia is a precocious young girl who reminds me of a current day Ramona Quimby. She’s in a club of kids who dress up like superheroes, has a former rock star for an aunt, and her own set of insecurities. In this volume of her adventures, Amelia’s club encounters a competing group of kids who dress as ninjas. We also find out some of the history of her aunt. I laughed out loud several times while reading this book, particularly the subtle jokes that older readers will understand just like those in the animated movies like Shrek or Tangled, and I had a smile on my face when I was done. Amelia's adventures and emotions ring true to her age and there is a balance between humor and seriousness. There are also subtle lessons learned. The full-color illustrations are accessible and comfortable, with a comfortable reading layout and the text was easy to read and follow. After reading this book, I wanted to read more.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Amelia Rules! Superheroes by Jimmy Gownley, Knights of the Lunch Table by Frank Cammuso




Description (from Goodreads): Do you know there’s no true opposite to the word “catastrophe”? Amelia McBride and company are about to embark on their most daunting mission yet: navigating the promises and pitfalls of popularity at Joe McCarthy Elementary. A tricky task when you consider an unmatched pair of socks alone can cause ridicule for years to come. Really, though, all the gang wants is not to be unpopular. Rising and falling through the ranks of nerd, geek—and cheerleader?—with advice from wacky popularity expert Dr. Victoria Medeochrias, Amelia and her friends encounter riotous mobs, unfortunate makeovers, and bad catch phrases. Even after things go from bad to worse, Amelia learns there are some things that are just a little bit more important than being popular.


Review: Amelia McBride returns in an all new, hilarious adventure to learn some hard truths about popularity. When a mistake involving space suits turns Amelia and her friend Rhonda into social outcasts, they consult The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular. In their quest to be "normal," she and her pals try out make-overs that guarantee to restore their social status at school. Gownley does a great job in showing the delicate stage of tweenhood as the characters try to balance themselves on  that strange line between childhood and adolescence, as they are wanting to be cool but ending up racing down the hill in a wheelbarrow. The dialogue is effortless and evokes laughter on every page. There are moments when I had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard. I also just had to share some moments with others and tell them to read that page. I also loved the fact that Amelia's mother and aunt also play a vital role in Amelia's life and also provide an anecdote that shows how they dealt with the problem of popularity in their own time. I'm definitely hooked on this series and can't wait to read more!


Rating: 4.5 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.



If you like this book try: Amelia Rules! True Things Adults Don't Want Kids to Know by Jimmy Gownley, Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russel

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A Tale of Two Cities

In January 2011 I created a top 10 list of books that I resolved to read by the end of the year. I only completed three of the ten, but the one book that I really wanted to read and cross off my list is A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I was so proud to finish the book and I no longer have a guilty English major conscious.

Description: After eighteen years as a political prisoner in the Bastille, the ageing Doctor Manette is finally released and reunited with his daughter in England. There the lives of two very different men, Charles Darnay, an exiled French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disreputable but brilliant English lawyer, become enmeshed through their love for Lucie Manette. From the tranquil roads of London, they are drawn against their will to the vengeful, bloodstained streets of Paris at the height of the Reign of Terror, and they soon fall under the lethal shadow of La Guillotine.


Review: As I mentioned in college, I was an English major and I loved reading from the Victorian period but I could never manage to read a full Charles Dickens novel. Believe me, I've tried Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and even Great Expectations. I struck out with all of them. In fact I tried reading Great Expectations several times and have failed to pass page 10 without falling asleep at the exact same paragraph. I was determined that in 2011 I would finish one book by Dickens for my Victorian reading challenge. I chose to read A Tale of Two Cities because I was interested in the French Revolution and also because of its brevity. To my astonishment, I stayed awake throughout and actually really enjoyed reading large sections of the book.
 The plot for A Tale of Two Cities is widely known so I won't bother going into the details. So what made this book different from the other ones I've tired and failed to read? For one thing, Dickens doesn't spend too much with description and adding an influx of characters that come and go. I was able to follow a group of characters from the beginning to the end with little confusion. Some would argue that Dickens more attention to the Revolutionaries in France and the book lacks character development, which is a good argument since Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette are kind of one dimensional. I, however, was more drawn to Sir and Madame Defarge who are the book's catalyst. As a reader you are suppose to be appalled by their lack of compassion and blood thirstiness, but I couldn't help but sympathize and whenever they appeared on the page I paid more attention.
  I have to say reading a historical fiction novel from the Victorian period was really interesting. While there are parts of the book that are completely bias, I didn't get the sense that Dickens opposed the concept behind the revolution. He could have easily made the protestors uncivilized and ignorant, but their plight is accurately expressed and you can't help but get caught up in their emotion after suffering so many injustices. 
 While I'm glad that I finished and enjoyed A Tale of Two Cities, I'm not willing to rush back and reread it anytime soon. Perhaps if I do a little more research into the French Revolution and then read it with a critical eye, I would be more inclined to do so. I'm just happy with my own little personal milestone.

Curriculum Connection: Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence that reflected what happened during the French Revolution.

If you like this book try: City of Darkness, City of Light by Marge Piercy, Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Madame Tussad by Michelle Moran, The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliot

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2012 Death by Gaslight Reading Challenge

10/10 books

 I love reading about Victorian England and I love mysteries so the Death by Gaslight Reading Challenge is a win win for me! I'm really excited about reading a few series that I've had my eye on for a while such as The Agency by Y.S. Lee, Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer, and the Sebastian St. Cyr series.

Here are the details for the challenge:

For the Death by Gaslight Reading Challenge, the goal is to read mysteries set in or written during the Victorian and Edwardian eras (1837 - 1910). I'll probably be reading mysteries set in England (since those are the ones I'm most interested in), but any location is acceptable, as long as the time frame fits. No more than 3 titles can be from the same series (except for the first special challenge, listed below).

There are 4 levels to choose from:
1.  The Merry Widow of Windy Nook: 5 books
2.  Palmer the Poisoner: 10 books
3.  Burke and Hare, Body Snatchers: 15 books
4.  Jack the Ripper: 20+ books

Additionally, there are 4 "special challenges".  Books which are read for any of these mini-levels do not count towards the main reading levels. These are "extra credit" and are purely optional.
1.  Serial Killer: Read an entire series (re-reading if necessary) from the first book until the last (or most recently published). There is no limit on the number of books, so a series could consist of 2 books or 20.
2.  The Great Detective: Read 5 (or more) books featuring Sherlock Holmes, at least one of which must be an original story by Arthur Conan Doyle.
3.  Arsenic and Air Ships: Read 5 (or more) books which are steampunk mysteries.
4.  Penny Dreadfuls: Read 5 (or more) non-fiction books that detail Victorian or Edwardian crimes.

All the regular rules apply:
* cross-overs between challenges are more than okay
* any format counts - audio, ebook, etc.
* you don't have to have a blog to participate (since I technically don't - I post reviews at Goodreads)
* feel free to change levels at any time
* re-reads are fine, but books must be read in the 2012 calendar year to count
Reading challenges are suppose to the challenging (hence the name)...but we don't do this for a living, we do this for fun! 


Goal for this challenge: 10 books and I may do the Great Detective extra challenge if time allows.


Some sites for ideas...
19th Century British Mysteries (at HistoricalNovels.com)
19th Century European Mysteries (at HistoricalNovels.com)

Books Read for the Death by Gaslight Challenge

1. A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee (Agency #1)
2. What Angels Fear by C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #1)
3. The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee (Agency #2)
4. Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee (Agency #3)
5. And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily #1)
6. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
7. The Secret Letter by Leah Scheier
8. A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily #2)
9. Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily #3)
10. Two Crafty Criminals by Philip Pullman

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