Belinda Kroll

This book follows a similar narrative structure to Jane Eyre, and actually did feel rather gothic upon further reflection. We deep dive into a serious study of heroine's slice of life prior to meeting the hero. The hero is absent, distracted, and talks pretty but struggles to act in a way that benefits the heroine, ever.

This was a slow burn that feels like part one of a duology. By the end, the hero and heroine have just realized they MIGHT be able to be friends, despite already being married. There are many loose plot threads that also imply this is not the end, such as a random chapter about a bespelled arm chair in the library.

An interesting debut with many ideas, I wish the story had allowed the hero and heroine to actually be in love by the end of the book. This could have been an excellent “falling in love with your own husband” story, which is one of my favorite tropes, but the constant misunderstanding and refusal to even try to communicate made their eventual attempt at a real conversation, at the very end of the book, fall flat for me. Especially since that's literally how the book ends, with their first real conversation as two adults trying to understand each other.

I do look forward to future works, as this author has some really creative ideas. Definitely give this book a read, just go into it knowing there is some experimenting with narrative structure, and it's not a typical regency romance HEA despite hints from the title and cover art.

I received an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.

Whimsical ensemble fairy tale

I'm usually a fast reader but this tale slowed me down. I feel like the story was well written, with the occasional word that left me seeking a dictionary... But I wouldn't recommend this to readers who prefer character-driven plots. This is about an entire town, so you never get to really know anyone or care about them, beyond the curiosity of what might happen next due to the fairy fruit. So many names, that I honestly gave up trying to remember who anyone was. I enjoyed the whimsy, I just wish I felt more about the story, and despite the length, many of the core mysteries driving the plot are left unsolved.

This is a book for readers who savor the written word. It is a book for readers who enjoy the classics but have a modern sense of humor. It is a book I hope you don't jump into, but wade. I will say that if you don't have the patience for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell, or Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, then this book probably isn't for you.

Sensitivity warning: I wrote this book as a high school child who grew up in a predominantly white, upper middle class, socioeconomic situation with little awareness or sensitivity to my topic. I was uncomfortable with the idea that my family, had we arrived in the 1800s instead of the 1970s, would have been enslaved. As such, I glossed over Nell's enslavement, promoting her to Veronica's friend and confidante, giving her a strong, beautiful presence while never truly engaging the enslavement topic. The opening chapter is perhaps particularly triggering in my childish attempts at motif. I can no longer recommend my book but have been unable to pull it from digital bookshelves. I leave it here for historical purposes and to embrace my journey toward a more sensitive, nuanced understanding of the past.

Enjoyable, but wanting more!

A rather too loyal narrative style to Jane Austen's, with fades to black on things that seemed most interesting, including conversations and consummations. Her later works definitely address these issues and I'm looking forward to reading more.

An excellent pre-wrap up to a charming series... I hear there will be one more novella to truly wrap up the series. Readers will enjoy seeing old favorites return, and there are many chuckle and laugh out loud moments as we embark on a cozy journey to confront Moriath once and for all. I was honored to be a sensitivity and beta reader for this book, and can't wait for others to enjoy it as I have.

I wish the story had taken more of what the blurb promised, which was to give Robert Darcy's side of things. It would have lightened the tale and made it more entertaining to see him undo Caroline's defenses. Instead, I'm left wondering why he likes her at all, and on top of it, we're barely given any hint about their relationship once it's resolved. ☹️

A delightful read, good for an evening escape. I've read the entire trilogy and loved the cameos that appear in this story. You don't need to read the full length books to enjoy this, but some of the world building and magic details teased here are explained fully in the books.

Pen's plight is felt, and the mysterious omnimancer's assistant is just the sort of Rumpelstiltsken to tickle fans of the TV show “Once.” It is a slow burn to steam, tastefully done, and a satisfying rebellion against their fates. Read it, and deep dive into the land of omnimancers and clever women. I really enjoy Cowley's writing style and hope to read more spin-offs in this world.

Ohhh yes I needed this book to jolt me out of a funk. This felt like I was watching Buffy as a teen for the first time on the WB. Or maybe the OG Roswell.

If you're a fan of the old 1930s Cary Grant movies like His Girl Friday, Arsenic & Old Lace, or The Philadelphia story, then you know EXACTLY how Eugene speaks. Go find some clips on YouTube, then come back and read Eugene's dialogue. It's spot on! I couldn't stop picturing Cary Grant, and it had me grinning for the entire book. Honestly, picture Cary Grant playing Angel + the weird smexy creepiness from Hexus in Ferngully and you've got the dynamic right there... Except with a little less slapstick and a little more slow burn angsty romance, explosive love scenes, and a delightful autistic representation in Ella.

I enjoyed Ella's growth throughout the book, partially because of the forced proximity. It gives us time to see her process things in HER way. The threats are very real and just scary enough to be both entertaining and startling.

Is cozy horror a thing? If so, I think this book is at the top of the list for me, and I can't wait for the sequel.

So excited and pleased to have read an ARC in exchange for this review.

Better than the original

Considering how much I dislike Mansfield Park, I spent the entire book dreading its traditional ending only to stop, surprised, and then barrel forward to read the remainder of the book. I'm glad, because you know, even Jane thought Fanny was “too good,” and I think she foisted Edmund upon her because she despises her own character. This book feels more balanced, and now that I know the ending, I want to reread and give it another go without my original heavy suspicions it would end poorly (like the original).

And not to go completely off topic since this is more about the original text than this retelling..... but really Fanny.

Edmund?!

Mooning after some other woman for the entire book and Fanny just accepts his inconstant feelings in the last chapter of the book? I've only ever thrown two books across the room, and Mansfield Park was one of them, even for all that I adore Pride & Prejudice.

If you could look up the perfect mashup between Once, Lost, Winter Soldier, WandaVision, and The Great British Bake Off, you would find this book in the middle of that complex Venn diagram. Delightful read.

This novella had me chuckling multiple times in the first opening pages, setting us up for a sweet, low stakes, no-spice cozy romantasy + Jane Austen spin on The Frog Prince fairytale. While this is book 6 in the series, you can pick this up as I did, having not read the others yet. However, be warned, I now have five more books on my TBR now that I've finished this book.

A delightful story, easy to read, and paced well enough so you're constantly turning the page wondering how Ms. Prokopovits will twist Regency England with this fairy tale. I wish we knew who the mystery magician was that bespelled our hero, though! I kinda want him to have a story, because I'm contrary like that. Could a spell like that backfire?

I picked up this book because of its cover, and was surprised to find it was inspired by a real-life family who helped slaves in the Underground Railroad in an existing suburb of my hometown! This was a well-written book that had me exclaiming out loud during chase scenes; characters get hurt, there is real danger involved, people are conflicted with moral ambiguities and emotional decisions.

This is one of the better historical fiction books I've read in a while. It was my first inspirational read in years, and I was happy to find this is part of a trend where the religion included in the book is natural, i.e. only when necessary from the character viewpoint. Not preachy at all. This book has great historical details, well-rounded characters, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

This is a powerful testament to Divakaruni's talent as a poet and prose writer. My theory is because she was a poet first and then turned to prose. You can tell how carefully she picks each word, how she puts them together to get just the effect she's looking for.

Read this book for an example of how to organize your short stories/chapters in a way that is thoughtful and provocative and for heart-breakingly human characters. For those of you writing about Eastern culture, read this book for one author's take on how to introduce Eastern culture to a Western reader in a subtle, sophisticated manner.

Originally posted at http://worderella.com/2008/03/book-arranged-marriage/

I can always count on Mary Jo Putney for an entertaining read. In this book, Jocelyn has a deadline to marry by the time she turns 25, or she won't get her inheritance. Her father made the stipulation upon his death because he knew Jocelyn would never turn to marriage willingly. Something in her past just made the whole idea an inconvenience at best, repulsive at worst.

Well, now that the wars with Napoleon are over, Jocelyn comes up with a brilliant, if ethically amoral, idea. Marry a dying major so she will be a widow by the time the deadline is up. Everything goes to plan, until the dying major's irate and protective younger sister show up. Oh, and then there's the fact that the captain doesn't die.

I think it's Putney's heroes that make me love her writing. Here we have David, who is very good at what he does, killing people efficiently to save his own skin. But the hardships of war didn't dull his sensitivities toward a Jocelyn, beautiful woman who shies away from marriage the way a horse shies from a snake. He might have been a major, but David is a wonderful beta hero who kept me smiling and wishing he were real so I could take him home to meet my mother.

Homg. Ok. So I know the author, and I've avoided reading the book precisely because I know her. Not well, we've commented on each other's blogs before....

Anyway. I'm pissed I didn't read this sooner. Holy crap. Somehow Susan jumped into my high school head and pulled out all my memories of my high school bully. I'm not much like the heroine, but that's beside the point. She got the feelings of a person who has been bullied and the torment that comes from deciding whether or not to stand up to them. Susan's ability to channel young adult concerns, needs, dreams, drew me in and had me reading far into the night.

The supernatural element of the story only highlighted existing and compelling moments in everyone's teenage years. I have not read such a great young adult book in SUCH a long time. The story is told in first person from the hero and heroine's perspectives, allowing us to jump around locations, question motives, understand conflicts. Such an engaging narrative.

Very much looking forward to the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed this book because I saw it as a dig to Wuthering Heights. The premise is similar: a rich young woman falls in love with one of the family servants, and is ready to run away with him. Before they are able to, her family finds out and splits them apart. This is their story, fifteen years later.

I might be shot for this, but I can't stand Wuthering Heights. Everything that went wrong in that book is because the two main characters refused to, oh, I don't know, be adult and speak to one another about how they really felt. Camp's version, where the characters are forced together after years of a bitter separation, is realistic to true emotion. It is a satisfying read because the characters realize when they have their blinders on and fight the good fight to take them off. Of course, having a goal to work toward, such as trying to prevent death, is certain to make friends out of enemies. Angela's time apart from Cameron adds surprisingly dark depth to the story, one which gave me nightmares.

As always, I love Candace Camp's stories because she allows the hero/heroine to get to know one another, to feel confident that they have found a healthy match/complement in each other, before hopping into bed. It's just refreshing.

This book was better than the first in the trilogy, in that the heroine was less Mary Sue and more independent stubborn girl. The inspirational aspect was light; it appeared when natural for the characters to need to turn to God, which I appreciate. I felt the hero/heroine relationship was one of the more typical bickering a la Beatrice and Benedick... That the heroine latches onto the mystery child so quickly was a little difficult to believe, for me.

But, it was an entertaining read with a better mystery than the first book, and I'm in the middle of reading the third. That's a big deal for me because I tend to shy away from series.

Excellent writing. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite Jane's character, which makes me respect Hickey even more. Once I realized the plot, I almost put the book away, except Hickey's writing and depiction of the characters stayed my hand. This book is one of the best fiction depictions of a real Victorian marriage that I have read yet; the main characters are real people, and while the story may not be entirely factual, the plot seems to follow the real time-line faithfully. The writing style is simple yet lush, the scenery vivid, the characters organic and sympathetic. Anyone working on making their characters flawed, especially the main character, should read this book as an example of how to maintain your reader's interest.

Originally posted at http://worderella.com/2007/08/book-the-wayward-muse/

This book is a good example of a story that chose third person omniscient, but might have been better with first-person multiple point-of-view. Dunlap wrote her third-person narrative from the views of her characters anyway, so I'm confused why she didn't write it in first-person. I felt completely detached from the entire story. I read it because I liked the young doctor Pierre...he was the only character I liked. (Which means Vonnegut was right: always write at least one character for the reader to like.)

The insipid way Anne reacts to things, the two-dimensional father with a mea culpa reason for his coldness, the way the ending felt thrown together...I admit, I'm disappointed in this book. The last two paragraphs, however, were amazing. And yes, I do read the last page first to decide if I'll like a book. Sometimes it doesn't work out.

Originally posted at http://worderella.com/2007/07/book-liszts-kiss/

The second of Putney's Bride trilogy was shocking for me. The Wild Child was enchanting and entertaining. This book was surprisingly dark in subject matter and seemed to have lost some of the magic that was inherent to Wild Child. If you've read Deerskin by Robin McKinley, it's along the same lines.

Even though the hero is essentially forced to rape the heroine in order to win her from her captors, he is disgusted with himself and his action. He does it with her permission, and insists they marry once she is freed from her prison. It was fascinating to watch them get past this awful moment in their relationship, which had started so well due to their conversations. I want to read this book again so I can attempt to figure out how Putney was able to make me believe that the hero/heroine were able to get past the rape and have a healthy intellectual/emotional/sexual relationship.

While I managed to finish this book, I just didn't enjoy it as much as [b:The Bargain 115817 The Bargain (Regency #1) Mary Jo Putney http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171714874s/115817.jpg 111539]. The hero and heroine are trying to hurt each other even as they fight their feelings for each other and struggle with the memories of their past romance. The way they hurt one another in the past was a series of traumatic events for the heroine that I just couldn't believe anyone would be able to get past it. I wanted to like this book more, but as it stands, it just gets an “OK” from me.Favorite passage: Maggie glanced away, not wanting to deal with what lay beneath [Robin's] teasing tone. “Before I return to England, I'm going to acquire an entire wardrobe of gowns that come up to my throat. It's tedious to have men always talking to one's chest rather than one's face.”

I want to have brain children with Brandon Sanderson. Every single one of his books has kept me up past reasonable and unreasonable hours, turning pages feverishly wondering what is going to happen next and will I figure it out before the characters.

Mistborn is no exception, and same with its sequel, The Well of Ascension. I can't wait to pick up The Hero of Ages.

Sanderson has become one of my new favorite authors. I started this book a little wary, thinking there was no way he would be able to keep my attention for the thickness of this book (496 pgs hardcover). Not only did he keep my attention, I was riveted. Sanderson's characters are the main motivation behind that: these are true heroes we are reading about. People who are certain they don't have the strength to deal with what's been laid before them, and yet, finding themselves facing tragedy, horrors, and more.

Elantris is one of those few books where, as you're reading it, you can see it happening. You believe the magic, the science, and the internal struggle between politics, religion, love, and morality. Yes, there is love in this story, but its presence is something needed between the characters, and a great plot device. If anything, it's natural and takes nothing away from the story. The writing is tight and concise; nothing is lacking and nothing is oversaid. And, though this book is close to 500pgs, it doesn't have a dull moment: beauty and atrocity are tackled with the same deft hand. And get this! A fantasy/sci-fi that isn't volume one of twenty! I find that incredibly refreshing.

Give it a try. Especially if your preferred genre is historical fiction. There is nothing better than reading something outside your comfort zone to bring an edge to your writing. And Brandon Sanderson, you get props and snaps for this. I'm really looking forward to your next book, Mistborn.

Holy cow talk about suspenseful! I loved this book. I read it late into the night even though I should have been grading student papers. I began reading it digitally, but after the first two chapters wanted the feel of the book in my hands.

A delightful, cozy, charming, two-evening comedy-of-manners read where we get to see what Mr Aubrey was so desperate to discover when the events of Scales & Sensibility waylaid him. You don't need to read the first book, but I did think thid book more entertaining knowing what Aubrey knew, and Rose didn't know, and waiting to see how it would all come out.

I really enjoyed the dragons in this book, they somehow reminded me of my dearly departed dogs. If this had been a Heyer story, it might have been about illegal dog handling instead of dragons, which really lent credibility to the story. I love this type of low fantasy story, and it's a cute way to jump into fantasy if you're typically a Regency historical fan.