Book Blogger Hop - April 29, 2017

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Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to another Book Blogger Hop question. Visit Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer to see the responses from other book bloggers.

How many books have you re-read? If you have re-read books, please tell us the book's title and why you re-read it. 

I do re-read books, but I don't know a number - it seems like it is probably a lot though! Most often I re-read books simply because I love them and want to enjoy them again. I've also re-read books that had been assigned reading when I was in school but thought I might appreciate more as an adult, or wanted to refresh my memory of the book before my own kids read it. And the third main reason I re-read is if I'm following a series - if it's been awhile since I read part of the series, I'll refresh my memory before getting back into it; and if it's a current author, I'll re-read previous books in the series in anticipation of a new installment being released.

Books I Have Re-Read Because I Love Them Every Time

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - because I can absolutely never get enough of Darcy and Elizabeth. I keep re-reading and loving everything by Jane Austen, so naturally she's first on this list! (Read one of my posts about this favorite HERE.)

The Eight by Katherine Neville - I was introduced to this combination of thriller, mystery, and historical novel through a book club years ago and loved it. I've re-read it several times. (Read a full review HERE.)

Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R Lawhead is one I often re-read every March! Lawhead is a favorite author so I re-read his books anyway. (Read my full review HERE.)

The High House by James Stoddard - This is a fantasy/allegory type story that I have loved every time I've read it. (Read my full description HERE.)


Bram Stoker's Dracula is another novel I can re-read again and again and enjoy it every time.



The Hound of the Baskervilles (Dover Thrift Editions) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Classic mysteries are a good example of books I re-read. Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot are fictional detectives that entertain me even if I remember how the mystery was solved.


Books I Read as a Child/Teen and Re-read as an Adult



Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables Collection (for Kindle)) - I just love Anne and read her stories again when my daughter got interested in her. (Read a full review HERE.)

The Cuckoo Clock by Mrs Molesworth - This vintage children's book was on my Grandma's bookshelf when I was a little girl, and I made sure to request it when the family started cleaning up the house after she passed away. I've read it again as an adult and passed it along to my daughter. (Read a full description HERE.)

  The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a good example of one I read as a high school student but enjoyed so much more as an adult.

Books in Series that I've Re-read

A Curious Beginning (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery) by Deanna Raybourn - re-read before reading the second in the series - A Perilous Undertaking (A Veronica Speedwell Mystery. There's a very good chance I'll re-read the second (or perhaps both!) when the release date of the third one is near.  (Read my second full review HERE.)

Silent in the Grave (A Lady Julia Grey Novel) by Deanna Raybourn - As you might be able to tell, Raybourn is also a favorite author. I've re-read the entire Lady Julia Grey series and will do so again. (Read one of my reviews HERE.)

What kinds of books do you re-read? Or is once enough, no matter how much you enjoyed it?

©2008-2017 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/

Book Blogger Hop - April 7, 2017

This post contains affiliate links. 

Book Blogger Hop

Welcome to another Book Blogger Hop question. Visit Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer to see the responses from other book bloggers.

If you could meet one author, dead or alive, who would it be? 

I try to answer these kinds of questions with the first response I think of rather than trying to overthink it. So at risk of not being very unusual, I will say that I would love the opportunity to meet Jane Austen. Everything I've read about her makes me think she'd be witty and ever so interesting to talk with, and I'm sure she'd have some intriguing observations about the social interactions of the 21st century. I'd love to know what she thinks of all the fan fiction based on her novels, and which actor's portrayal of Mr. Darcy she prefers. (My own preference is Colin Firth. Just saying.)

©2008-2017 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 - The Darcys of Pemberley

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The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow - I was privileged to win this book in a giveaway, and truly enjoyed it! Winslow delivers a clean and well-written sequel to Pride & Prejudice, with all the characters from Austen's original (and they remain in character too!) and even has a Mr. Sanditon make an appearance. The narrative style evokes Austen, while remaining a bit simpler and more suited to a modern audience. And I need to mention that I found very few editing errors so that was a big plus for me!

Happily married and settled at Pemberley, Darcy and Elizabeth now turn their attention to Georgianna's birthday and London season. A beautiful and accomplished young lady with an impressive fortune, Georgianna certainly has no lack of admirers and suitors, but she confides to Elizabeth that she has long hoped for the attention of Colonel Fitzwilliam. It appears her hopes are completely dashed when the colonel announces that he is betrothed to Lady Catherine deBourgh's daughter Anne. Darcy has no idea of Georgianna's affections, but he is concerned that the arrangement will not bring about the happiness of either of the principal parties.

Other happenings include the untimely passing of Mr Collins (with which the book opens!), an attempt at reconciliation with Lady Catherine, visits with members of the Bennet family, and the happy occasion of Bingley and Jane becoming neighbors to the Darcys. The Bingleys and the Darcys also become parents in this sequel. There are some surprises along the way as well, but true to the Austen style, more of the story focuses on the relationships and the small everyday dramas and humors than on large events. It is well into the second half of the book before the first real surprise event occurs (which I will not spoil!), and even later before there is real danger and suspense, as Wickham makes his unwelcome return and is still determined to wreak havoc for Darcy in whatever way he can.

As I said, a truly enjoyable read, and I do plan to read the next in Winslow's series. I was a little disappointed that Mr. Bennet is not around very much during the story, and that Kitty and Charlotte are around a great deal yet neither of them have anything to say!

©2008-2015 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/

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter First Paragraph - December 1, 2015

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

When the dining room summit concluded, Lady Catherine was in no humor for idle conversation or to otherwise linger in the company of persons who had witnessed her mortification at the hands of her own daughter. Giving the plausible excuse of a headache, she went directly to bed.

 ~The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow, at 54% on my Kindle

(I don't feel sorry for Lady C, do you? But I bet you'd like to know what the summit was about and what Lady C's daughter did to mortify her so!)

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading soon.

   Charles Latterly stared across the untroubled sea at the shore they were fast approaching. The mountain rose sharply, as symmetrical and uncomplicated as a child's drawing. The sky above was mid-winter blue. At home in England they would be expecting snow at this time in December, but here, so close to Sicily, the wind off the salt water was mild. The small boat barely rocked.
   He had been looking forward to this break from the reality of London, work and the routine of his life, which lately had seemed more meaningless than ever. The recent death of his wife had given him an acute feeling of loss, but not in the way he had expected. There was no deep ache of bereavement. It forced him to realize that perhaps he had felt alone for a long time.
   Would three weeks on Stromboli, a volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian, accomplish anything, change anything inside him? Would it heal the sense of helplessness, the bitterness of endless small failures? Maybe. It would certainly give him a long time to think, uninterrupted by the petty details of life.

A Christmas Escape: A Novel by Anne Perry

Here's the blurb:

Lonely Charles Latterly arrives at his small hotel hoping that the island's blue skies and gentle breezes will brighten his spirits. Unfortunately, there's no holiday cheer to be found among his fellow guests, who include a pompous novelist, a stuffy colonel, a dangerously ill-matched married couple, and an ailing old man. The one charming exception is orphaned teenager Candace Finbar, who takes Charles under her wing and introduces him to the island's beauty. But the tranquility of the holiday is swiftly disrupted by a violent quarrel, an unpleasant gentleman's shocking claims of being stalked, and the ominous stirrings of the local volcano. Then events take an even darker turn: A body is found, and Charles quickly realizes that the killer must be among the group of guests.

Captivating in its depiction of untamed nature in all its awesome power, and of the human heart in the throes of transformation, "A Christmas Escape" gifts readers with Anne Perry's talent for making the season brighter and more thrilling.

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2015 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/

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter First Paragraph - November 24, 2015

This post may contain affiliate links. 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

You are a lucky man, Darcy. You have married the perfect wife and, in so doing, you have cleverly exempted yourself from waiting upon our aunt.

Yours sincerely,

- J. Fitzwilliam   

 ~The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow, at 12% on my Kindle

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading soon.

The Hudson River Valley
Summer 1898
   "That's where the body was found, floating facedown in the river," an ominous voice intoned. "He was stone-cold dead."
   Sophie sank behind the blackberry brambles to avoid being seen by the people ambling down the old pier toward the shore. She had hoped to take advantage of the river's low tide to gather oysters but had paused as a tour guide led a group of sightseers closer to the infamous spot in the river. The village needed the income from the tourists, and it would be best not to have the wild splendor of the spot spoiled by the sight of a local girl gathering oysters. She scooted a little higher up the hillside to remain hidden behind the bushes.

Until the Dawn by Elizabeth Camden

Here's the blurb:

A volunteer for the newly established Weather Bureau, Sophie van Riijn needs access to the highest spot in her village to report the most accurate readings. Fascinated by Dierenpark, an abandoned mansion high atop a windswept cliff in the Hudson River Valley, Sophie knows no better option despite a lack of permission from the absent owners.

The first Vandermark to return to the area in sixty years, Quentin intends to put an end to the shadowy rumors about the property that has brought nothing but trouble upon his family. Ready to tear down the mansion, he is furious to discover a local woman has been trespassing on his land.

Instantly at odds, Quentin and Sophie find common ground when she is the only one who can reach his troubled son. There's a light within Sophie that Quentin has never known, and a small spark of the hope that left him years ago begins to grow. But when the secrets of Dierenpark and the Vandermark family history are no longer content to stay in the past, will tragedy triumph or can their tenuous hope prevail?

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2015 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/

Teaser Tuesdays/First Chapter First Paragraph - The Darcys of Pemberley

This post may contain affiliate links.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at A Daily Rhythm. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers!

I was so very sure I hadn't read this one before . . . until I started reading. Somehow it seems familiar, and yet I am still quite convinced that I haven't read it. However, P&P sequels do tend to follow similar storylines, so perhaps that accounts for the sense of deja vu.

Fitzwilliam returned to his feet and resumed his pacing. "If only it were a mistake," he answered. "Her ladyship was perfectly clear about her expectation that I shall marry her daughter. Since she could not get you for her son-in-law, Darcy, I suppose she has settled on me as the best substitute available."
 ~The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow, at 14% on my Kindle

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading soon.

     It is a truth universally acknowledged that even the most ignoble person on the face of the earth appears more praiseworthy after death. Thus, as the news of Mr. Collins's odd and untimely passing spread far and wide, the reputed quality of his character improved accordingly. The significant defects of his disposition, so recently impossible to overlook, were all but forgot, and the general consensus developed that he had been a fine clergyman, and a kind and generous human being.
     As his relations, the Bennets of Longbourn were amongst the first to hear of the sad event. Although they had not been especially close to their cousin, his death could not help but make some impression on them. Mr. Bennet felt the loss most acutely. Having come to regard Mr. Collins's correspondence as a priceless source of amusement, he would not have given up the association on any grounds less consequential than those supplied by the present impediment. Mrs. Bennet, though not ordinarily quick-witted, on this occasion immediately perceived how insupportable it would be to keep the burden of this tragedy to herself. Hence, she made haste to publish the tale abroad, beginning in Meryton with her sister, Mrs. Phillips, who was always anxious for the latest news.

 The Darcys of Pemberley by Shannon Winslow

Here's the blurb:

A sequel true to Jane Austen’s beloved masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have been married for almost a year, and their heated arguments are a thing of the past. All that passion is now directed into more satisfying pursuits. But how long can the honeymoon last? The couple’s idyllic life together at Pemberley is jeopardized by secrets they begin keeping from each other, the troubles of their closest friends, and the threat of a villain in their midst.

Layers of seemingly innocent deception are building between Darcy and Elizabeth, threatening their relationship. He is conducting some covert business dealings that he’s unwilling to share with his wife, and she likewise begins keeping things from him against her own better judgment. The couple also becomes embroiled in the tribulations of Mr. Darcy’s younger sister, Georgiana, and his friend and cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Fitzwilliam falls victim to their aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as the object of her latest scheme to make a noble match for her daughter. Georgiana runs the gamut of emotions as she comes of age and learns the pain of unrequited love. Meanwhile, the menacing shadow of Mr. Darcy’s life-long nemesis, Mr. Wickham, looms ever larger.

The Darcys of Pemberley is the tale of two romances: the continuation of Darcy and Elizabeth’s story, and the courtship of Miss Georgiana. For those who didn’t want Pride and Prejudice to end, this novel gives the opportunity to learn what happens after the wedding, to revisit old friends and foes, and to share the next chapter of their lives.

What do you think? Would you continue reading? If you have read this one, how did you like it?

 ©2008-2015 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/