Recent Reads {Grave Consequences}

Grave Consequences by Lisa T Bergren - It's been some time since I read the first book from this series by Bergren, Glamorous Illusions, so I did need to take a moment to re-orient myself with the characters and where the first book left off. Main character Cora Diehl Kensington is with her half-siblings on a grand tour of Europe. They have just escaped from a kidnapping plot and Cora is finally starting to feel accepted as part of their family, but she is also torn between the two men who are showing an interest in her. Pierre is a wealthy French nobleman who has graciously provided protection and hospitality for Cora's entire traveling party, and has openly declared his intention to court Cora. As much as she admires Pierre, she is unsure whether she fits in his world, and besides, she realizes she prefers the young tour guide assistant, Will. For his part, Will is in love with Cora but he also knows that her father will never allow him to court her. He also knows that it is imperative that he and his uncle (their tour guide) complete the tour and collect their fees so that he will be able to continue his schooling.

As the group carries on through France and Switzerland, they enjoy sightseeing excursions and some lovely adventures, but they also encounter danger when it appears that the would-be kidnappers are still in pursuit. Pierre and Will are both in pursuit of Cora's heart as well, and Cora agonizes over the difficult decision she will need to make. A decision made even more difficult when she realizes that her father's likely disapproval of her relationship with Will may cause him to destroy the young man in an effort to keep them apart.

By the same author: Glamorous Illusions, The Blessed, The Betrayed, The Begotten

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Movie Night {Pride and Prejudice}

Pride and Prejudice - Kennady and I enjoyed a movie night last week and watched the movie version of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. I guess I should say up front that the BBC mini-series starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth has been my favorite, and as much as I am willing to give other versions a chance, that is the standard that I measure by. Thankfully, this film adaptation measured up very well in comparison. In condensing the entire novel into just a bit more than two hours, it's to be expected that certain details and bits of dialogue would be left out. I think that this was very well done, and I didn't feel that any conversation that was truly important was left out. In fact, we had nearly reached the end of the movie before it occurred to me to mention to my daughter that the movie had entirely omitted a couple of minor characters - Mr and Mrs Hurst, and Maria Lucas - as the story was carried without their presence. The focus seemed to be on the interactions between Elizabeth and Darcy, which were very well played. Darcy was very serious and reserved, and Elizabeth was spirited and teasing. It was quite apparent that Elizabeth had determined that she would dislike Mr Darcy because of the slighting remark he made about her at the assembly, and yet she found herself drawn into conversations with him and liking him despite her resolve. The scene of Darcy's first proposal was excellently done, and Elizabeth's growing regret of her hasty and uncivil rejection was moving.

I did not care much for the portrayal of Bingley. In my opinion he appeared more of a buffoon than the agreeable and over-eager gentleman that Austen describes. On the other hand, Mr Collins is perhaps portrayed more kindly in this version than others, and isn't as completely ridiculous. As for Mr Bennet, I went back and forth as to whether I liked him as played by Donald Sutherland, but by the end when he interviews Elizabeth before giving his blessing to the marriage, I had warmed to him considerably and quite enjoyed that scene in particular.

While the BBC mini-series remains my favorite, this movie is so beautifully done that it will hereafter hold a very close second place. Highly recommended!

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays Treasures - A Barbecue for Charlotte

This post is copied from my main blog, Homeschool Coffee Break, but because this link-up is about books, my contributions will appear here too!

Happy Canada Day! (It was yesterday, July 1st)

I picked this book totally for its pictures, and its Canadian-ness. Truth.  A Barbecue for Charlotte is a children's book by Canadian painter and storyteller Marc Tetro. Tetro's artwork was popular on t-shirts and coffee mugs and that sort of thing sold as souvenirs, and I really liked the bold color-block style. So right around the time that we moved to the United States, someone in my family (I don't remember who - isn't that awful?!) gave me this book.

The simple story is about a moose named Charlotte that doesn't seem to quite fit in. She's not as girly as her sister, but she wasn't really welcome playing volleyball with the boys either. One day she found a little barbecue tripod that she could wear as a hat, and she thought it was fabulous! Of course the other moose made fun of her, but her grandma encouraged to keep on trying new things and being herself. Turned out Charlotte's strange "antlers" came in handy saving her sister from wolves!




Note the Hudson Bay blanket Charlotte has on her bed, and the map of Canada on the wall!


What's more Canadian than a moose and a Hudson Bay blanket? Other than a hockey game, I can't think of much.

The original post is linked at Every Bed of Roses for Tuesday's Treasures. Blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading, or one you found at the library.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {North By Northanger}

North By Northanger (Or, the Shades of Pemberley) by Carrie Bebris - Darcy and Elizabeth have a tough time finding peace and quiet. After the exhausting London season they've just endured, they only want to enjoy a quiet holiday at Bath before heading home to Pemberley to await the birth of their first child. While in Bath, however, they receive an invitation from Captain Tilney to visit him at Northanger Abbey on their way home. Apparently, their mothers were once good friends and Captain Tilney would like to renew the acquaintance. Their reception at Northanger Abbey is extremely odd, and within moments of their arrival they are wishing to be headed home. They do cut their visit with the Captain short, but at their next stop they are detained and find themselves accused of having stolen diamonds from the Abbey. Darcy must even spend some time in the jail. It appears that someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to implicate the Darcys. Desperate circumstances call for desperate measures, and Elizabeth contacts Lady Catherine DeBourgh for just such a favour. It is a mixed blessing indeed, for Lady Catherine does succeed in having Darcy released from the prison so they can return to Pemberley - but at the cost of the couple being subject to her as their chaperone. They continue to work to clear their names while at Pemberley, as they unravel clues about the friendship between Darcy's mother and Mrs Tilney. And all the while, Lady Catherine is trying Elizabeth's patience sorely. 

This Darcy and Elizabeth mystery relied far less on supernatural occurrences or fantasy elements, but there is plenty of intrigue and deception; and Elizabeth's wit and good humour are greatly tested as her pregnancy advances and she must deal with stressful events and people, including Lady Catherine, Mrs Bennet, and her sister Lydia Wickham.

My comments from a previous read: North By Northanger

By the same author: The Intrigue at Highbury, The Matter at Mansfield, Suspense and Sensibility,  Pride and Prescience

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {A British Bride by Agreement}

A British Bride by Agreement by Therese Stenzel - This is not my usual choice, because it is a contemporary setting, but at the time this book was free for Kindle and the description sounded interesting. I was a little surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. The main character, Emma, has recently been widowed and finds that her late husband had gambling debts that will completely ruin her. She is loathe to return to her own family in Great Britain, fearing that her parents will try to exploit her as they have in the past and wanting to distance herself from their unscrupulous business practices. As a result, she has to give serious consideration to the proposal from her late husband's employer, the very wealthy Jonathan Steller. Jonathan is an honorable Christian man, but he is looking for a wife that will help him in his ambitions in the company business. The two do come to an agreement and marry, and although each also longs for a deep, loving relationship together, there are many obstacles and misunderstandings that seem to conspire to keep them from it.

Towards the end of the book, I felt that the storyline became untidy and that the resolution was rushed and not believable. There were a couple of abrupt insertions of character motives or subplots that were confusing and had me paging back to see if there was something I'd missed previously - and there wasn't - and at the end I thought there were details missing in the final showdown that were confusing.

Overall, for a light and clean romance, this story did fit the bill, and I am willing to give other titles by this author consideration for my reading list.

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Recent Reads {Beauty and the Beast}

Beauty and the Beast (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James - Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale that I particularly like because of its message of judging people based on character rather than appearance. And I admit, the Disney version remains my favorite of their princess movies. I also really enjoyed this telling of the classic tale, in which the handsome but arrogant Prince Alexander is cursed to be transformed into a beastly wolf at night. He has one year in which to have a lady love him in his werewolf form or he will become a beast forever. The 'beauty' is Cecelia, and as we meet her she is looking forward to receiving a proposal of marriage from a nobleman who has been courting her. Unfortunately, this man has no intention of marrying her because she has no title, and instead tells her of his upcoming wedding to someone else. Everyone in the village has been expecting Cecelia's engagement to him, so she becomes the object of ridicule and spends more or her time alone in the woods. On the night that she goes there to cry over her embarrassment and betrayal, Alexander (as the wolf) happens upon her and tries to comfort her. Of course she first reacts with fear, but to his surprise she seems to accept his offer of friendship, and he begins to hope that she will be able to break the spell. During the daytimes, Alexander visits her as the prince, and tries to make amends for his previous boorish behavior towards her, and expresses his interest in courting her. Cecelia does not quite trust him, but is inexplicably drawn to him as well; and must sort out her conflicting feelings about him and her relationship with the wolf.

I actually enjoyed this story more than the first in this collection that I read, because the characters were more well-rounded and both of the principles had to undergo change and growth in order to advance the story. I thought it was an interesting twist to have the curse affect the prince only at night, because even while he was winning Cecelia's affections as himself, he also had to consider that it was his beast form that she had to love in order to break the spell. He was, in effect, competing against himself for her affection which set up some interesting conflict.

By the same author: Sleeping Beauty

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Recent Reads {The Map Across Time}

The Map Across Time by C.S. Lakin - This is Book Two in Lakin's 'The Gates of Heaven' series, and although I didn't read it quickly, I was much more drawn into this story than the first one, The Wolf of Tebron. The series of novels are essentially fairy tales for adult or young adult readers, and include elements of mythology, fantasy, magic, and Biblical references.

Something is very wrong in the kingdom of Sherbourne. The king has long been greedy, and now is obsessed with finding the legendary firebird. The kingdom itself is beginning to fall apart, but the king doesn't seem to notice. Adin and Aletha, the twins who are prince and princess, see that something must be done, and Adin sets out to find the firebird himself, despite the fact that he is crippled. He meets a mysterious hermit that tells him how to find an enchanted map that will take him back in time so that he can undo the curse upon the kingdom. Aletha has no idea where he has gone, but later follows him. Disaster and mishaps force them both to make difficult decisions, even after they find each other in the Sherbourne of the past.

There are plenty of twists and turns in this inventive plot, and although some outcomes were predictable, there were many surprises as well. The only thing I really didn't appreciate was the liberal use of words and phrases in the mysterious lost language of Sherbourne, as the twins' wise old nurse and many other characters sprinkled these words into their dialogue. I found out later that the words were based on Hebrew, which adds to their symbolic meaning, certainly, but I felt that they were overused and became confusing when used so often without always providing adequate context for the reader to understand.

Overall, this was a very good read, and although the second in a series, it's not necessary to read the first in order to enjoy this one.

By the same author: The Wolf of Tebron

©2008-2013 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/