Just A Second: June 2016

Thursday, June 30

Bookshelf Review - June 2016

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June's Books Completed and Reviewed

A Necessary Deception (The Daughters of Bainbridge House Book #1) by Laurie Alice Eakes - This was an enjoyable read as far as a light romance in a Regency setting, but a number of loose threads in terms of the mystery or intrigue portion. Widow Lydia Gale arranges the parole of a French prisoner, and thinks the matter concluded, but soon she is caught in a trap of blackmail. When Christien de Meuse meets Lydia in London, she recognizes him as the French prisoner, and is suspicious despite her intuitive willingness to trust him. The relationship between Christien and Lydia warms as they find themselves needing to work together and trust each other to find out who is really behind the blackmail and threats to England.(Read my full review HERE.)

She dropped her face into her hands and rubbed her temples. None of it made any sense. A floor below her, a man she suspected was working for the French claimed he was not the enemy, while the Englishmen made no claims for whom they worked.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - I finally read this fascinating classic about some truly jacked-up and despicable people. It took me quite a few chapters before I actually wanted to continue reading it, and there were very few characters in the book that I liked or had much sympathy for, so while it's certainly a well-crafted and fascinating story of how bitterness and hatred bring destruction and misery to two generations of families and their servants, it's definitely not a love story, and not one I plan on re-reading. (Read my full review HERE.)

The second question, I have great interest in: it is this - Is Mr. Heathcliff a man? If so, is he mad? And if not, is he a devil? I shan't tell my reasons for making this inquiry; but, I beseech you to explain, if you can, . . .

From This Moment by Elizabeth Camden - Loved this book, with its elements of detective thriller intertwined with the historical setting romance. London artist and lithographer Stella West is in Boston looking for clues to her sister's mysterious death. Romulus White is the publisher of a respected scientific magazine, and has been pursuing Stella for years in hopes of bringing her on board as an artist for the magazine. They develop a friendship, but Romulus doesn't want a serious relationship, especially with a woman that works for him. Unusual, quirky, and flawed characters; and an exciting, well-researched story. (Read my full review HERE.)

Romulus was fairly certain that, as long as he lived, the biggest regret of his life would be Stella West. The timing of their relationship had been catastrophically bad Why did she have to drop into his life during his worst professional crisis? Why did she have to be so angry and distracted by her sister's death? Nothing had gone right for them.

My Mother's Quilts: Devotions from a Legacy of Needlework by Ramona Richards - A charming book of devotional thoughts based on the stories behind handmade quilts, with beautiful photos of heirloom quilts throughout. For each quilt story there is a Scripture, a prayer, and a life lesson. (Read my full review HERE.)

Quilts and other needlework - once necessities - now make up our legacy of faith and hope. Whether they're a 180-year-old Carolina Lily quilt, 75-year-old handkerchiefs, or a 25-year-old Butterfly Handkerchief quilt, the stitches of our family are very much like our faith: They bind us, comfort us, and help us share the foundations of the past with the generations of the future.

Dawn at Emberwilde (A Treasures of Surrey Novel) by Sarah E. Ladd - Isabel Creston has been preparing for a future as a governess or teacher, so she is taken off guard when a stranger arrives at Fellsworth School with the news that she has an aunt who wishes Isabel to come live with her. She and her sister relocate to the estate of Emberwilde, where danger threatens and she must decide whether she can trust her new family, or either of the two handsome men that are vying for her affection. I enjoyed the story for Isabel's growing independence and courage, and for how the love story between her and the suitor she chooses develops. There is a suspense element, and the potential dangers to the characters are physical and social, so it was interesting to see how the different characters responded. (Read my full review HERE.)

She had expected everything to change upon coming to Emberwilde, but she had not anticipated such alterations to her heart.

Lady in the Mist: A Novel (The Midwives) by Laurie Alice Eakes - Tabitha is a Virginia midwife, and Dominick is an Englishman indentured to the mayor of the town. The British navy has been pressing sailors from among the young men of the community, which means someone in town is a traitor. Tabitha knows the town's secrets, and Dominick becomes a suspect, but they'll need to learn to trust each other to find the answers. (Read my full review HERE.)

"I suppose I can't put off my tale forever," Dominick said at last. "No." Tabitha returned a strawberry to the bowl, no longer hungry. "Now, are you going to tell me that you're a spy for the British government?"

During June I continued reading:

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy - I've been slowly working through this classic with Kennady, along with the accompanying literature guide from Progeny Press.

During the greater part of the day the guillotine had been kept busy at its ghastly work: all that France had boasted of in the past centuries, of ancient names, and blue blood, had paid toll to her desire for liberty and for fraternity. The carnage had only ceased at this late hour of the day because there were more interesting sights for the people to witness, a little while before the final closing of the barricades for the night.

During June I started reading:

Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent - I guess I'm about halfway through this mystery set in Victorian London, with a lady undertaker as the lead character. Enjoying it!

Violet and Graham were, of course, not invited to such an occasion. Their business was with the dead, not frolicking with the living.

No Way Up (The Cimarron Legacy Book 1) by Mary Connealy - Just got started with this western, which I'm reviewing for Bethany House.

"Sadie, you've got to come fast." Heath Kincaid, one of Pa's cowhands, rushed forward past the rows of suddenly frightened children at the orphanage.The urgency made Sadie leap to her feet . . ."Your pa's been hurt bad."

Coming Up in July!

The Pharaoh's Daughter: A Treasures of the Nile Novel by Mesu Andrews
Swept Away (Trouble in Texas) (Volume 1) by Mary Connealy

This post will be linked at 5 Minutes For Books - What's On Your Nightstand?
and at The Book Date - Month In Review - June 2016.

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Wednesday, June 29

Recent Reads - Lady In The Mist

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Lady in the Mist: A Novel (The Midwives) by Laurie Alice Eakes - The setting is coastal Virginia during the early 1800s, and the title character is Tabitha Eckles, an unmarried midwife and healer. Because of her profession, she knows many secrets, especially those involving the true state of some marriages and the parentage of illegitimate children. But when her path and that of an English redemptioner cross by chance, she has to choose whether to keep other secrets. The Englishman is Dominick Cherrett, a nobleman by birth, but serving as a bondsman to the local mayor. Dominick is keeping his identity a secret, as well as his true reasons for being in Virginia.

During this time, young American men are disappearing - pressed by the English navy - and Dominick falls under suspicion as being in league with the British. He eventually tells Tabitha that he is actually working to find out who the real traitors are and bring them to justice, but can she fully trust him? And if she does trust him, and help him, will he break her heart by abandoning her when he returns to England?

This was an engrossing story, because of the love story between the interesting characters, and because of the suspense involved as they try to determine who is betraying the young men of Seabourne to a corrupt British captain and why. For the most part, the story is well told and certainly kept me turning pages, but as in the previous novel I read by this author (A Necessary Deception), there were some cliff-hanger type chapter endings that were sort of miraculously resolved "off-screen" as it were. Not as many as in the other novel, but enough that I took notice. It may just be her style, but in a couple of instances I had the sense that she had a vague idea of how the characters would extract themselves from a sticky situation, but couldn't describe it, so she just left that part out and picked up in the next chapter. In general, I don't think it took away from the story, but did stretch credulity at times, and left me with the sense that I had missed something.

By the same author: A Lady's Honor and A Necessary Deception

Monday, June 27

What I'm Reading - June 27, 2016

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! I also link up with Tales of a Pee Dee Mama for D.E.A.R. Monday (Drop Everything And Read).

I finished reading . . .

Dawn at Emberwilde (A Treasures of Surrey Novel)by Sarah E. Ladd - Regency romance with just a hint of intrigue and mystery. (Read my full review HERE)

I'm currently reading . . .

Lady in the Mist: A Novel (The Midwives) by Laurie Alice Eakes - This is the book I'm having trouble putting down right now.

Lady of Ashes by Christine Trent - this is very good, lots of different plot elements that somehow will all mesh together.

My Mother's Quilts: Devotions from a Legacy of Needlework by Ramona Richards - Read my (p)review HERE and get the link to the drawing for one of the quilts featured in the book. Just a couple of days left!

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy - was on hold this past week.