Recent Reads - A Rose For The Resistance

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A Rose For The Resistance by Angela K. Couch - The Nazis are occupying France, and in the village of Ste Mere Eglise, Rosalie is doing her best to endure, keep quiet and out of trouble, and hope that it will soon be over. With her father in a POW camp and her mother withdrawn and distant, Rosalie takes charge of the family business and tries to keep her younger brother from involvement in the resistance. Eventually her attempts to keep him from endangering himself leads to her own participation in the underground, reasoning that as a woman she would fall under less suspicion than a teenage boy.

German soldier Franz has also survived the war thus far by keeping quiet and following orders, but after an injury he is transferred to Normandy and is increasingly opposed to the actions and goals of the army in which he serves. While wrestling with his own conscience and the possible consequences, he comes in contact with Rosalie and finds himself sympathetic to her. When he receives an unexpected promotion and then finds a wounded British pilot, he makes a quick decision to take the pilot to Rosalie rather than take him prisoner.

Rosalie isn't sure why Franz is helping her family, or whether he can be trusted, but since she has little choice she cooperates and hides the pilot, and decides to trust Franz. As the weeks go by, their uneasy truce develops into a friendship as Franz helps Rosalie and the resistance again and again. But Franz has enemies within the army and as rumblings of an Allied invasion grow louder, both Franz and Rosalie are in increasing danger of being betrayed.

This story was hard to read at times, as I considered the current situation in Europe, but I thought it a good reminder that even enemy soldiers are human. For the most part, I thought this story did a wonderful job of bringing to life the plights of people in occupied territories, soldiers who struggle with questions of conscience, and everyone who wants to be free. Admittedly, I don't often read historical fiction set during the world wars, but this seemed like a perspective that hasn't been explored as much - that of the Christians in occupied territories during the World War.

From the publisher:

A French Woman and German Soldier Create a Truce

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes - the heroines of WWII.

With her father in a German POW camp and her home in Ste Mere Eglise, France, under Nazi occupation, Rosalie Barrieau will do anything to keep her younger brother safe . . . even from his desire to join the French resistance. Until she falls into the debt of a German soldier - one who delivers a wounded British pilot to her door. Though not sure what to make of her German ally, Rosalie is thrust deep into the heart of the local underground. As tensions build toward the allied invasion of Normandy, she must decide how much she is willing to risk for freedom.

Visit Barbour Publishing for more info on where to buy.

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2022 European Reading Challenge

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This is a book with a bilingual character (protagonist Rosalind is French but also speaks English well, and works hard to learn German during the story) (#33) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

©2008-2022 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/ 

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Recent Reads - French Women Don't Get Fat

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French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano - Not long ago I saw this book mentioned on several blogs and thought it sounded intriguing. It's a combination of memoir and practical advice for health, exercise, enjoying good food, and keeping life in balance. 

Guiliano tells stories about growing up in France, and how she began to realize the difference in attitudes about food and weight after some time spent in the United States as an exchange student. To her dismay, she gained weight while in America, and upon returning to France her mother brought in a trusted doctor to help her change her habits. As a result, she noticed that very few Frenchwomen are overweight and that their overall attitude towards food and eating is very different from women in America. By resetting her own habits to enjoy food the way her countrywomen did, she lost the added weight in a relatively short period of time, and without the grueling dieting and exercise regimen that we in the US are likely to try.

Guiliano shares these secrets and a number of recipes as she tells her story, and it makes for an entertaining read filled with practical advice.

 This is a Book to Improve My Life for the Full House Reading Challenge 2018 hosted by The Book Date

©2008-2018 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/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - French Women Don't Get Fat

This post contains affiliate links.

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Ambrosia at The Purple Booker. 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! 

All the chatter about diets I hear at cocktail parties in America would make any French woman cringe. In France, we don't talk about "diets," certainly not with strangers. We may eventually share a trick or two we've learned with a very close friend -- some cunning refinement of an old French principle.

~French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano, page 8

 

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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.

OUVERTURE

Whatever the state of Franco-American relations -- admittedly a bit frayed from time to time -- we should not lose sight of the singular achievements of French civilization. Until now, I humbly submit, one glorious triumph has remained largely unacknowledged, yet it's a basic and familiar anthropological truth: French women don't get fat.

I am no physician, physiologist, psychologist, nutritionist, or any manner of "-ist" who helps or studies people professionally. I was, however, born and raised in France, and with two good eyes I've been observing the French for a lifetime. Plus, I eat a lot. One can find exceptions, as with any rule, but overwhelmingly, French women do as I do: they eat as they like and don't get fat. Pourquoi?

Here's the blurb:

French women don't get fat, even though they enjoy bread and pastry, wine, and regular three-course meals. Unlocking the simple secrets of this "French paradox"-- how they enjoy food while staing slim and healthy -- Mireille Guiliano gives us a charming, inspired take on health and eating for our times. For anyone who has slipped out of her Zone, missed the flight to South Beach, or accidentally let a carb pass her lips, here is a positive way to stay trim, a culture's most precious secrets recast for the twenty-first century. A life of wine, bread -- even chocolate -- without girth or guilt? Pourquoi pas?

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©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/

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Mark of the King

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The Mark of the King by Jocelyn Green - The beautiful artwork on the cover of this book drew my attention, and the story itself was compelling and at times heart-wrenching. In the opening pages, French midwife Julianne Chevalier is attending a difficult birth, and when the mother dies, Julianne is accused of murder. The story then picks up after Julianne has been in a French prison for some time, and hears that convicts are being sent to the fledgling colony of Louisiana to settle. Since her only remaining family is a younger brother who had gone to Louisiana as a soldier some years earlier, Julianne manages to be selected to go as a colonist. To her shock, all of the potential colonists are forced to marry before they get on the ship, and she must choose a husband from among the male prisoners. 

The voyage is unpleasant, to say the least, and the conditions when they arrive in Louisiana are little better. Julianne and her new husband, Simon, do their best, but Julianne seems destined for suffering and loss. Just when she and Simon find some hope for happiness, he is murdered while away from their home - while searching for Julianne's brother. The kind Captain Marc-Paul Girard tries to protect the newly widowed and newly pregnant Julianne, but even so one of the other soldiers exposes her murderer's brand and she is whipped in public. Marc-Paul makes sure Julianne is cared for while she is recovered, and convinces her to marry him so he can protect and care for her. Love grows between them, but there are also secrets and guilt that mar their relationship, especially when Julianne discovers that her brother is still alive, after Marc-Paul had told her that he'd died before the colonists had arrived in New Orleans. Is there anyone Julianne can trust, or will her mark and the secrets of the past continue to come between her and Marc-Paul? 

This well-told story is a glimpse of the difficulties and injustices faced by those who first settled the area of New Orleans, and is also a story of grace and hope. 

Visit the Baker Publishing Group for more info on where to buy.

©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/

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - The Winter Crown

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at Books and Beat. 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! 

Alienor had no intention of "resting assured," because she did not believe him. If he involved her, it was for his own ends. "But the business of Aquitaine is mine first," she said firmly. "And it is my choice to involve you, not yours to involve me."

~The Winter Crown: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Elizabeth Chadwick, page 21

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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.

WESTMINSTER ABBEY, LONDON, DECEMBER 1154

   At the precise moment Theobald, Archibishop of Canterbury, placed the golden weight of a crown on Alienor's brow, the child in her womb gave a vigorous kick that resonated throughout her body. Clear winter light rayed from the abbey's Romanesque windows to illuminate the Confessor's tomb in the sacrarium and cast pale radiance upon the dais where Alienor sat beside her husband, the newly anointed King Henry II of England.

   Henry gripped the jeweled orb and the sword of sovreignty with confident possession. His mouth was a firm, straight line and his gray gaze purposeful. In the mingling of gloom ad light, his beard glinted copper-red, and he exuded all the glow and vigor of his twenty-one years. He was already duke of Normandy, count of Anjou, and consort duke of Aquitaine and had been a force to be reckoned with ever since leading his first battle campaign at the age of fourteen.

Here's the blurb:

As queen of England, Eleanor has a new cast of enemies - including the king.

Eleanor has more than fulfilled her duty as Queen of England - she has given her husband, Henry II, heirs to the throne and has proven herself as a mother and ruler. But Eleanor needs more than to be a bearer of children and a deputy; she needs her own true authority. As her children grow older, and her relationship with Henry suffers from scandal and infidelity, Eleanor realizes the power she seeks won't be given willingly. She must take it for herself. But even a queen must face the consequences of treason . . .

In this dynamic second novel in her Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy, Elizabeth Chadwick brings to life a passionate royal marriage, where love and hatred are two sides of the same coin and in the attle for control the winner takes all.

What do you think? Would you continue reading?

©2008-2016 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 - These Old Shades

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These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer - In this fast-paced adventure set during the reign of Louis XV of France, Justin Alastair, the Duke of Avon, meets a frightened street urchin in a back alley of Paris and makes the surprising decision to purchase the youth to act as his page. Leon reacts with adoring gratitude and is fiercely loyal to the Duke.

As it turns out, the Duke was not acting out of pure charity which would certainly be out of character for him! He had been immediately struck by the distinctive red hair of Leon and its similarity to one Comte de St. Vire, an old enemy of Alastair. The Duke also recognized that Leon was actually a girl, and after a little time goes by, he takes Leonie with him to England and insists that she once again learns to behave and dress as a young lady, and he takes the role of guardian to her.

The Duke's family and friends don't realize Leonie's probable connection with the Comte, but quickly fall in love with her precocious high spirits and wonder whether the Duke will eventually marry her. This story has a kidnapping, a daring escape, plenty of intrigue and drama, some charming romance, and delightful characters, all accompanied by wonderful humor and dialogue laced with dry wit. And now counted among my favorite Georgette Heyer novels,

By the same author: Regency Buck, The Unknown Ajax, Powder and Patch, Beauvallet, Lady of Quality, The Toll-Gate

©2008-2016 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 Phantom of the Opera #Collaboreads October 2015

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The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - Even those who have never attended the Broadway show or seen an entire movie version have a general idea of how the story goes. I had never read the book, so I thought the latter part of October - and the October #collaboreads challenge - would be a good time to get it done. The novel is written as if a collection of eyewitness accounts and research by a crime historian. In fact, author Leroux was a French journalist and author of crime fiction before writing The Phantom of the Opera; and was even involved in an investigation and coverage of an opera house in Paris that later became a ballet house. The basement of that opera house had a cell that once held prisoners in the Paris Commune during the Franco-Prussian War.

The story features a young Swedish singer, Christine Daae. When her musician father died, he had promised her a protective Angel of Music to guide her, and from that time she lived in the Paris Opera House. Eventually she began hearing a voice which taught her to sing beautifully, and which she assumed to be the promised Angel. Later her childhood friend Raoul sees her on the opera stage, and they renew their friendship. The voice, which belongs to the deformed, murderous 'ghost' (Erik) of the opera house, grows extremely jealous. Erik's anger and violence escalates, until Christine disappears, and her fiance Raoul must partner with a mysterious Persian from Erik's past in an attempt to save her and the entire opera from the disaster planned by the 'opera ghost'.

Riveting. {What part of the book could you NOT get enough of?}  I loved some of the dry humor, especially near the beginning. I would have liked to know more about the Persian. He seemed like a character deserving of his own novel.

Elements. {How did you relate to/care for the characters?} It actually surprised me how much I liked and cared about Christine and Raoul. Although under the threatening influence of Erik, Christine showed strength and courage. Once Raoul was convinced that Christine was not playing him false, he was admirably single-minded in his determination to protect her. And the Persian - he was fascinating, and I would have liked to know more about him and his background.

Associate. {What other books are like this one? Does it remind you of a TV show or movie with its themes and characters? Did it serendipitously line up with things going on in your life or in the news right now?} Of course I pictured the characters, especially Erik, as they were portrayed on stage and in film, in particular the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.

Design. {You know you judged this book by the cover. What did you think of it? How did it relate to the contents of the novel?} I happened to read the generic cover version for Kindle, but again, I was usually picturing the cover based on the musical. This one. And I love this cover, although the mask shown in this cover tends to make Erik look more like a tragic hero character deserving of sympathy; whereas in my opinion the novel portrayed him as a much darker and a very evil character.

Stars. {How many out of five do you give this book? Would you recommend this book to a friend?} I'd give it four out of five stars. It's a classic example of Gothic horror, with fantastical suspense.

This review is linked at Rachel A. Dawson for #collaboreads (October's theme was Thriller or Horror published before 2010.)

©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/

Recent Reads - Powder and Patch

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Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer - I discovered Georgette Heyer awhile ago and it's been quite fun to read her Regency novels. This one is apparently one of the first she wrote, and is not as polished as the others I've read so far, but still full of wit and charm.

Philip Jettan is a bluff country gentleman, and is quite in love with a beautiful young neighbor, Cleone Charteris. Philip's father has been pushing him to go to London to acquire more fashionable manners and style, but Philip firmly refuses - until he is shown up by a rival for Cleone's attention, and the realization that Cleone herself desires a husband who is refined and fashionable. Cleone loves Philip, of course, but is loath to admit it openly, and is naive enough to think she would like him better if only he would dress in the latest style and be able to turn pretty phrases. Philip goes to Paris to acquire the social graces his father and lady-love prefer, and does such a good job of it that he becomes the darling of Paris society and is much changed when he returns to London, ready to win Cleone at last. But he wonders whether Cleone loves him for himself, or for his fancy clothes and mannerisms.

I found this book entertaining and full of humor, and I often thought how ironic that the fashionable dress and behavior considered "manly" at that time would be considered the exact opposite today! Some readers would undoubtedly find offense in some of the sentiments expressed that are dated attitudes, or worded in a way that could be easily misconstrued. For example, there are several assertions by some of the characters towards the end of the book to the effect that young ladies want to be "mastered" by a man, or that they need a gentleman to care for them because they are incapable of being reasonable enough to be independent. The ideas were likely common enough during that time period (Austen's Mrs. Bennett would likely have agreed with these attitudes!), and certainly affected socially acceptable behavior.

I do wish that the reader had been given some idea how Philip and Cleone came to love each other in the first place. We do know that they spent time together as children, but when we are introduced to them, we are told that Philip is quite in love with her, and she has a definite preference and affection for him, but we aren't given much background on their relationship.

By the same author: Beauvallet, Lady of Quality, The Toll-Gate

©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/

Recent Reads - The Counterfeit Heiress

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 The Counterfeit Heiress: A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander - I had been eagerly awaiting this latest addition to the Lady Emily Mystery series for quite some time. In this ninth installment in the series, Emily and Colin attend a masquerade ball in London and have a brief but strange encounter with a woman posing as intrepid world traveler Estella Lamar. Their friend Cecile knows Estella and exposes the fraud immediately, and the woman flees, only to be murdered a few blocks away. The host of the party engages Emily and Colin to investigate. Not only are they looking for the murderer and his motive, but they must discover whether Estella was the intended victim, and why the woman was impersonating her. And for that matter, where is Estella Lamar? More questions arise about whether she is truly traveling the world, and if she is even alive.

This is definitely a unique mystery with a rather unusual plot! The chapters alternate between Lady Emily's first person narrative and a third person account of Estella that takes place in the past, beginning in her childhood, but mostly taking place in the days when she first left her Paris home about twenty years before. There are clues for the reader in the Estella chapters but the description of her activities ends far enough in the past that there are questions about her fate and whereabouts that cannot be fully answered until Emily and Colin finally find the answers.

By the same author: Behind the Shattered Glass, Death in the Floating City, A Crimson Warning, Dangerous to Know, Tears of Pearl, A Fatal Waltz, A Poisoned Season, And Only to Deceive

 (Book #51 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 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 Eight

The Eight by Katherine Neville - This exciting adventure story has been one of my favorites for many years, and it's one I re-read fairly regularly. It's sort of a combination of thriller, mystery, and historical novel, with some sci-fi and fantasy elements thrown in for good measure. There are parallel stories taking place in two different time periods. In one, a French nun named Mireille has fled an Abbey during the French Revolution, and she carries with her pieces of an ancient chess set said to have mystical power. Some of the other nuns have carried away pieces of the chess set as well, and the mission the Abbess has charged them with is to protect those pieces and scatter them so that the mysterious formula hidden in the chess set cannot fall into the wrong hands. Mireille eventually winds up with many of chess pieces, and on her own personal quest to recover as many of them as possible and figure out the secret hidden in the set. She travels all over Europe and to Algeria in her search, and faces intrigue, conspiracies, and deadly situations. In the second story, Catherine is a computer specialist in the 1970s who has been assigned to develop programs and models in Algeria for the fledgling organization OPEC. Before leaving the USA, she is recruited to hunt for an antique chess piece while in Algeria. She becomes a player in the same dangerous Game as Mireille, and embroiled in her own race to find the chess pieces and decipher the formula before the "bad guys" do. But who is on the Black Team and who is on the White Team? Who can either of these women trust as allies?

As many times as I've read this book, I thoroughly enjoy it every time, and I especially love the character Catherine's dry humor.

My previous posts about The Eight can be seen HERE and HERE.

By the same author: The Fire

(Book #39 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 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 - Loyal In Love

Loyal In Love by Jean Plaidy - I have read a number of Jean Plaidy's biographical novels, and the historical novels she has written under other names, and generally I enjoy them. This story in the Queens of England series was interesting, but not a favorite of mine. It is the story of Henrietta Maria, the French Princess married to Charles I of England. As usual, Plaidy delivers a novelization of history that is rich in detail and background, and highlights the personalities of historical figures. However, in this case I didn't find Henrietta Maria to be very likable, so I often found myself rather unsympathetic to her in a tale told from her point of view. 

Henrietta was self-centered and short-sighted, and for most of her life cared only for her opinions and desires. She was staunchly Catholic, having been raised in France, and part of the purpose in marrying her to Charles of England was the hope that she would be able to turn the Stuarts and England itself back to Catholicism. In her loyalty to her religion, she offended many in England by refusing to be crowned as Queen (because it was a Protestant ceremony), and stubbornly quarreled often with the nobility and even with Charles I over religious matters. She was fiercely loyal to Charles, however, and they were devoted to one another and to their children. When Oliver Cromwell's Puritans came into control of the Parliament and clashed with Charles, Henrietta worked tirelessly to help Charles hold his throne, even traveling to Holland to request support from the Prince of Orange. Later, after Charles I had been captured and executed by the Roundhead Parliament, Henrietta turned her scheming to try and help her son Charles regain the throne.

Henrietta never gave up her hope that her son Charles would win back his throne, but she also sparred with each of her children over religion, refusing to see one of her sons because he would not convert to Catholicism. She felt that she was always working for the good of her children, but as I was reading, I felt that she was meddlesome and judgmental, imposing her own opinions and preferences on all those around her. Although I didn't really like Henrietta very much, I did enjoy reading her story and learning a bit more about her side of the story during this tumultuous period of England's history.

By the same author (as Philippa Carr): The Black Swan, The Changeling; The Witch From the Sea; The Lion Triumphant; The Miracle at St Bruno's.

(Book #34 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 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 Pelican Bride}

The Pelican Bride by Beth White - I don't think I would have found this delightful historical romance on my own, so I'm glad that a couple of book blogs I follow happened to mention it. The cover and title were enough to spark my interest! This is the first in a series, with the second book planned for release in spring of 2015.

I haven't seen many historical novels that deal with this particular setting - the French colonies of the Gulf Coast, so that made it quite intriguing. The main character is Genevieve Gaillain, a young Huguenot Frenchwoman who travels with her younger sister and a number of other young French ladies to the Louisiana colony, agreeing to marry one of the French men establishing the colony. The twist is that the colonists are expected to be staunch Catholics (by order of King Louis - and the persecution of Huguenots is going on in France at this time, the year 1704), so Genevieve must keep her faith a secret. She catches the eye of Tristan Lanier almost immediately, and it seems he has his own secrets. Tristan is a cartographer who wants to keep his distance from the French colonists and especially the soldiers in the fort, and initially declares that he has no intention of taking a wife. But as is the way of romance novels, he and Genevieve do marry and there is a growing and genuine affection between them that is threatened by the dangerous times in which they live and by those who are plotting against them and the entire colony and would betray them all.

From the first chapter, I was drawn into the story and found the book hard to put down. It is well-written with complex characters and layered plots that sometimes took unexpected twists. I did have trouble keeping some of the characters straight near the beginning of the book, when they were referred to with only a first name and I had to remember which last name it went with. As I got further into it, the characters got settled in my memory though. The only other thing that puzzled me was near the end - there are a couple of sections in which the narrative focuses on the point of view of the Indian woman Nika, and the names were written in the narrative and in the dialogue as the Indian character pronounced them (Marc-Antoine was referred to as Mah-Kah-Twah). Although this did reinforce that the action was being described as Nika would have perceived it, I found it a little odd to see a French character addressing another as Mah-Kah-Twah, or to see the Indian pronunciation used in the narrative, even though the narrative was still in third person.

I will be looking forward to next installment in this series!

(Book #21 in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge)

©2008-2014 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 Black Swan}

The Black Swan by Philippa Carr - This is the sixteenth in Carr's Daughters of England series, and is set in Victorian England. It focuses on Lucie Lansdon, the daughter of a respected politician. Her beloved father is murdered near the beginning of the story, and as the key witness, Lucie is able to identify the assassin, leading to his execution for the crime. She is haunted by her grief and by the worry that she may have condemned an innocent man, but another blow is yet to come. The rising young politician that she is planning to marry is kidnapped while on a diplomatic mission in Africa and she later receives word that he has been killed. In the meantime, her childhood companion (sort of a sister - the relationship is complicated and is the subject of the previous book in the series) Belinda, comes back from Australia, and convinces Lucie to go with her to visit Belinda's father in France. Lucie develops a fast friendship with a brother and sister and eventually returns to England with them and winds up marrying the brother. There is danger lurking around every corner for her, it seems, and her happiness and her very life are threatened.

In keeping with the Gothic romance style of this series, there are suggestions of haunting and questions raised about Lucie's mental stability; and there are sinister men with questionable motives in mysterious and ancient castles. It also struck me as I was reading this one that the standard advice given to young ladies facing great grief and tragedy throughout this series has been "you need to get right away from it"; the family and friends always seem to believe that removing from the scene of any horrible event and "putting it right out of your mind" is the cure-all for getting over the death of loved ones or the trauma of witnessing or being a part of something tragic.

By the same author: The Changeling; The Witch From the Sea; The Lion Triumphant; The Miracle at St Bruno's.

©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/

Tuesday's Treasures - The Eight

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!

This week I'm featuring another book that would never have caught my eye, except for the recommendation of an acquaintance. The Eight by Katherine Neville was suggested as a monthly read by a lady in a book club I was in several years ago. The book club members scrounged up copies through the library, inter-library loan, and half.com and got to reading. I purchased a copy and hoped that I wouldn't regret having spent the money. I never have.

This is a thriller/medieval mystery/historical novel/romantic adventure story all rolled into one.  The action jumps back and forth between two main characters and their respective time periods - Mireille, a French nun in the late 1700s; and Cat, a modern-day computer specialist in the 1970s. As revolution grips France, Mireille and her cousin Valentine flee the ancient abbey with the mission of carrying away pieces of an ancient chess set supposedly once owned by Charlemagne. Cat is sent to Algeria for her accounting firm, but has been asked to do a little side job while she is there - search for an antique chess piece. Each woman finds herself on a quest to find and decode the secret of the ancient chess set which holds a mysterious power, and to find the scattered pieces of the chess set before the team of  "bad guys" does. Intrigue, conspiracy, power struggles, and dangerous situations are part of their daily adventures in the Game they are involved in.  In many instances, it's hard to tell who is on the White Team and who is on the Black Team - and even which team is considered the "good guys"! The first time I read it, most of the surprise ending elements were truly unexpected - I read the final chapters with all the storyline resolutions and realized that it all made sense but I hadn't seen it coming at all. I've read it several times since and have enjoyed just as much upon each re-reading.  

There is also a sequel, The Fire, which is not quite as gripping, in my opinion, but is still very good.

One little caution - this is definitely a secular book, and subtly presents the idea that all religions are based in the same ancient mysticism. The mystical and fantasy elements will not appeal to all readers. There are also a  couple of 'love scenes' that aren't overly graphic, but are more descriptive than is necessary.

Here are the posts I originally wrote about The Eight and about The Fire.

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 {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

©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 Duke's Promise}

 A Duke's Promise by Jamie Carie - This is the third and final installment in Carie's Forgotten Castles series, and I had been looking forward to reading it ever since reading the first two novels, The Guardian Duke, and The Forgiven Duke.  At the close of the previous book, Alexandria Featherstone and Gabriel Ravenwood, the Duke of St Easton, were planning their marriage and to continue the search for Alex's parents.  Alex had already led Gabriel on an adventurous chase through Ireland and Iceland, but having finally caught up to her, it didn't take long for the two to fall in love.  As A Duke's Promise opens, they begin their married life together and must learn to completely trust each other and not keep secrets.  Gabriel promises Alex that they will find her parents, and has planned an elaborate honeymoon in France and Italy in order to do that.  But others are hunting for the missing Featherstones (who are professional treasure hunters, and have been searching for the manuscript that describes an invention that may be a powerful weapon) as well, and with unscrupulous motives.  Alex and Gabriel find themselves in several dangerous situations, and make some daring decisions, including one to attempt to travel from France to Italy by hot air balloon!  Although I loved the story, at that point I found myself thinking "you've got to be kidding me" over much of the plot.  It's imaginative, and interesting, and the characters are compelling, but the hot air balloon trip and everything that happened in Italy (no spoilers!) were a bit too far-fetched in my opinion.  I really felt like some almost fantasy-fiction or sci-fi elements had been inserted into historical setting adventure fiction.

In my opinion, this series should be read in order, as the story continues from one novel to the next, and I didn't feel like this one would stand alone very well.  All in all, an enjoyable read, but one that stretched credulity farther than a Regency romance should.

By the same author:  The Guardian Duke; The Forgiven Duke

Recent Reads {Glamorous Illusions}

Glamorous Illusions by Lisa T Bergren - This is the first in a new series set in the early 1900s, the Grand Tour series.  The main character, Cora, comes home from a term at Normal School to find that her papa's health is rapidly deteriorating and the family is in imminent danger of losing their farm.  But a surprise is in store - a wealthy stranger shows up to provide for her parents and to offer her the chance to see Europe in grand style.  It turns out this stranger is really her father - she is the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy copper king.  Cora faces a mixed reception from her father's family, and her reactions and emotions are a roller coaster ride as she tries to find her place in their family and fit in with her half-sisters and half-brother and their friends while on the Grand Tour.  Cora must navigate these new experiences and some dangers while trying to determine who she really is.  She finds a friend in the apprentice tour guide, Will, but the other relationships are uncertain and sometimes hostile.  Will does his best to help and protect Cora, but has to suppress his growing feelings for her, because he knows that the relationship between guide and client has to remain just that.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have the other novels by Bergren that I've read.  While I love historical fiction, I normally lose interest in any setting more recent than 1900.  This storyline and its characters held my attention and drew me in, and I am already anxiously awaiting the next in the series, Grave Consequences, slated for release in spring.

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

Recent Reads {Dangerous to Know}

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - In this installment of the Lady Emily mystery series, Emily and Colin return from their honeymoon to visit Colin's mother in Normandy.  Emily had a brush with death while on their honeymoon in Constantinople and needs time to recover her health.  Not long after their arrival, things get exciting - and dangerous - again! Emily stumbles across the body of a young woman that has been murdered and soon she and Colin are involved in the investigation.  Emily is determined to bring the killer to justice, but as events unfold she begins to wonder about her own sanity.  She hears a child's voice but can't find her, and even finds blue ribbons that the child has supposedly left behind.  The killer is devious and manipulative, and Emily must keep her wits about her and use all her instincts and intelligence to outsmart him and avoid being his next victim.

By the same author: Tears of Pearl, A Fatal Waltz, A Poisoned Season, And Only to Deceive

Recent Reads {Madame Tussaud}

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution by Michelle Moran - Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel by Moran that I read, I was at first reluctant to read this one.  After all, the French Revolution was bloody and violent, and I wasn't sure how much I wanted to get into that.  Once I started, I was drawn into the story of the talented wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and her family's business in Paris during the time of the French Revolution.  I didn't even realize that there was a real, historical Madame Tussaud until I read this outstanding work of historical fiction that brought her to life!  Marie's family had a wax museum, the Salon de Cire, in Paris and were working towards greater fame and wealth.  They had the attention of the royal family, and Marie was summoned as an instructor in wax sculpture to the sister of King Louis XVI.  The times are troubled, and there are risks, but as Marie spends time with the princess and at the royal court, she sees all the facets of the escalating political troubles.  Even while she spends time at court and her older brothers serve in the Swiss Guard which protects the king, the Salon de Cire often hosts meetings that include the leading revolutionaries of the day, so the Tussaud family and their dearest friends walk a dangerous tightrope.  As France descends into the Reign of Terror, Marie is called upon by the revolutionaries to make death masks of beheaded aristocrats - does she dare refuse?  When opportunities arise for her to escape to England, will she take the chance?

By the same author:  Cleopatra's Daughter