Mailbox Monday

It's time once again for Mailbox Monday, a weekly meme created for bloggers to share the books that arrived in their home over the previous week.  Mailbox Monday is a travelling meme and is being hosted in the month of December by Suko's Notebook.   

A fair number of new books made their way into my home this past week, helped, in large part, by the Cyber Monday e-book deals I just had to take advantage of. 




Received for Review:

Mistress to the Crown by Isolde Martin

The day Lord Hastings came into her husband’s store, Elizabeth saw the opportunity she had waited twelve years for — a way to separate herself once and for all from her dull, impotent husband, William Shore. The handsome stranger presented not only the chance to partake in the dance of desire, but legal counsel to annul her 12-year marriage.
 


She did not, however, foresee her introduction to the King of England, nor her future at his side…and in his bed. From this unlikely alliance, Elizabeth is granted severance from Shore, and finds herself flourishing in the radiance of the King’s admiration. But she soon finds that her new position comes at a terrible price — her family has shunned her, the people of London have labelled her a harlot and the Queen’s family want her to burn in Hell.
 
So long as King Edward and Lord Hastings stay close, Elizabeth is safe. However, her beloved Ned falls ill and Lord Hastings falls out of favour.

Can Elizabeth's wiles keep her out of trouble? Or will they lead her to further trouble...and the hangman's noose?

Master of Verona by David Blixt

Romeo & Juliet is the greatest love story ever told. And every story has a beginning.

A sweeping novel of Renaissance Italy, THE MASTER OF VERONA follows Pietro Alaghieri, eldest son of the poet Dante, as he’s caught up by the charisma and genius of Verona’s ruler, Cangrande della Scala. Pietro risks battles, duels, and murder to impress his new lord. At the heart of the story is an infernal plot against Cangrande’s bastard heir, and the rivalry of two friends over the affections of a girl. That rivalry will sever a friendship, divide a city, and initiate a feud that will someday produce the star-cross’d lovers.

Based on the plays of William Shakespeare, the poetry of Dante, and the history of Italy, THE MASTER OF VERONA is a novel of brutal warfare, lost friendship, and dire conspiracy, combining to create a heart-stoppingly epic journey into the birth of the Renaissance that recalls the best of Bernard Cornwell and Dorothy Dunnett.

My Purchases:

The Passing Bells by Philip Rock

The guns of August are rumbling throughout Europe in the summer of 1914, but war has not yet touched Abingdon Pryory. Here, at the grand home of the Greville family, the parties, dances, and romances play on. Alexandra Greville embarks on her debutante season while brother Charles remains hopelessly in love with the beautiful, untitled Lydia Foxe, knowing that his father, the Earl of Stanmore, will never approve of the match. Downstairs the new servant, Ivy, struggles to adjust to the routines of the well-oiled household staff, as the arrival of American cousin Martin Rilke, a Chicago newspaperman, causes a stir.

But, ultimately, the Great War will not be denied, as what begins for the high-bred Grevilles as a glorious adventure soon takes its toll-shattering the household's tranquillity, crumbling class barriers, and bringing its myriad horrors home.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon 

Lady Fiona Carnarvon became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle - the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey - eight years ago. In that time she's become fascinated by the rich history of Highclere, and by the extraordinary people who lived there over the centuries. One person particularly captured Fiona's imagination - Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Almina was the illegitimate daughter of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild. She was his only daughter and he doted on her. She married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, at 19, with an enormous dowry. At first, life at Highclere was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff - many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere changed forever. History intervened and Almina and the staff of Highclere were thrown into one of the most turbulent times of the last century. Almina was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived. This is the remarkable story of a lost time. But Highclere remains and in this book, Fiona weaves Almina's journey and those of her family into the heritage and history of one of England's most exquisite Victorian castles.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor

Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love and dared to imagine a world free of bloodshed and war. This is not that world.

Ar student and monster's apprentice Karou finally has the answers she has always sought. She knows who she is--and what she is. But with this knowledge comes another truth she would give anything to undo: She loved the enemy and he betrayed her, and a world suffered for it.

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Karou must decide how far she'll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, secrets and impossible choices, Days of Blood & Starlight finds Karou and Akiva on opposing sides as an age-old war stirs back to life.

While Karou and her allies build a monstrous army in a land of dust and starlight, Akiva wages a different sort of battle: a battle for redemption. Forhope. But can any hope be salvaged from the ashes of their broken dream?

I also bought the following e-books:

• Penmarric by Susan Howatch 
• The Grand Tour: or the Purloined Coronation Regalia by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer;
• The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer;
• Jalna by Mazo de la Roche;
• Barbara Hambly's Darwarth series; and
• Patricia C. Wrede's Lyra series.

Book Review: City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte

Synopsis:

Cosmically fast-paced and wildly imaginative, this debut novel is a perfect potion of magic and suspense.

Once a city of enormous wealth and culture, Prague was home to emperors, alchemists, astronomers, and, as it’s whispered, hell portals. When music student Sarah Weston lands a summer job at Prague Castle cataloging Beethoven’s manuscripts, she has no idea how dangerous her life is about to become. Prague is a threshold, Sarah is warned, and it is steeped in blood.

Soon after Sarah arrives, strange things begin to happen. She learns that her mentor, who was working at the castle, may not have committed suicide after all. Could his cryptic notes be warnings? As Sarah parses his clues about Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved,” she manages to get arrested, to have tantric sex in a public fountain, and to discover a time-warping drug. She also catches the attention of a four-hundred-year-old dwarf, the handsome Prince Max, and a powerful U.S. senator with secrets she will do anything to hide.

City of Dark Magic could be called a rom-com paranormal suspense novel—or it could simply be called one of the most entertaining novels of the year.

Penguin Books | 27 November 2012 | 464 pages

My Review

3.5 Stars

Fast-paced, full of intriguing characters with a storyline that will keep readers turning the pages, City of Dark Magic is a thriller that is sure to appeal to fans of a broad range of genres.

When Sarah Weston, a post-graduate music student specializing in Beethoven, is given the opportunity to work in Prague cataloging the great composer's manuscripts, it is an offer she simply can't refuse.  Not only will it give her the chance to further delve into Beethoven's life, but it will also allow her to look into the strange circumstances around the apparent suicide of her mentor.  But there is more to Prague than meets the eye, and Sarah soon finds herself involved in things that are perhaps best left alone.

One of the greatest strengths of this novel is its quirky set of secondary characters, including Beethoven himself, who makes several appearances throughout the story.  Most intriguing, however, are the 400-year old dwarf, Nicholas Perasuto, and the villain, U.S. Senator Charlotte Yates, who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.  As the novel's principal setting, Prague and certain darker aspects of its history are featured prominently.   The descriptions of the setting are particularly well-done and help to bring Prague itself to life.   While the novel's secondary characters and setting stand out, the two main characters, Sarah Weston and Max Anderson, are rather flat in comparison and it is difficult for the reader to be inspired by either them or their budding relationship.   Nevertheless, the plot itself unfolds nicely and in a way that keeps the reader engaged, making City of Dark Magic an overall fun and entertaining novel.  

Note:  An e-copy of this novel was provided to me by Penguin Books via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.     

Book Review: Mistress of the Sea by Jenny Barden

Synopsis: 

Plymouth 1570; Ellyn Cooksley fears for her elderly father's health when he declares his intention to sail with Drake on an expedition he has been backing. Already yearning for escape from the loveless marriage planned for her, Ellyn boards the expedition ship as a stowaway.

Also aboard the Swan is Will Doonan, Ellyn's charming but socially inferior neighbour. Will has courted Ellyn playfully without any real hope of winning her, but when she is discovered aboard ship, dressed in the garb of a cabin boy, he is furious.

To Will's mind, Drake's secret plot to attack the Spanish bullion supply in the New World is a means to the kind of wealth with which he might win a girl like Ellyn, but first and foremost it is an opportunity to avenge his brother Kit, taken hostage and likely tortured to death by the Spanish. For the sake of the mission he supports Drake's plan to abandon Ellyn and her father on an island in the Caribbean until their mission is completed. But will love prove more important than revenge or gold?

Mistress of the Sea is an epic romantic adventure set against the backdrop of Francis Drake's first great enterprise - the attack on the Spanish 'Silver Train' on the isthmus of Panama.

Ebury Press | August 2012

My Review

4 Stars

Jenny Barden's debut novel, Mistress of the Sea, is a tale of high-seas and New World adventure set during the Age of Exploration.  When Ellyn Cooksley's merchant father decides to accompany Francis Drake on a voyage for which he is providing financial backing, she worries he isn't strong enough to handle such an excursion.  Faced with the possibility of marrying one of her father's unappealing business associates, and knowing her sweetheart Will Doonan will also be travelling with Drake, Ellyn's feels her future to be bleak.  On the day Drake's ship is set to sail, Ellyn makes a fateful decision that will change the course of her future - she disguises herself as a boy and stows away on Drake's ship.   What follows is the adventure of a lifetime. 

Mistress of the Sea moves at a steady pace, has sympathetic characters and an engaging plot.  The novel's heroine, Ellyn, is characterized as a smart, resourceful and determined young woman who will do whatever is necessary to protect her father and ensure her own survival.  One of the novel's greatest strengths is that Barden is practical about her fictional characters, particularly Ellyn, who are rarely placed in improbable situations.  As an example, although Ellyn stows away by disguising herself as a boy, once she is discovered both her true gender and identify are almost immediately revealed.  Given Ellyn's disguise is described as lackluster, it would have been unrealistic to expect her to hide her gender for any great length of time, especially given the close confines of a ship.

While Ellyn and Will are fictional characters, much of the foundation for this novel is based on actual historical events involving Francis Drake, a figure who rarely features prominently in historical fiction.   I enjoyed Barden's depiction of Drake, whose strong desire to wrestle New World riches from the Spanish is clearly conveyed.  As a fan of nautical fiction, much of which is set during the Napoleonic Wars, it is refreshing to read a novel set partly on the high-seas before England was a global maritime power.  My only issue with the novel, and it isn't a big one, is that I wish more pages had been devoted to Ellyn's experiences on board ship. 

Overall, Mistress of the Seas is an enjoyable read and should appeal to fans of historical fiction interested in seafaring tales and the Age of Discovery.    I'm looking forward to reading more from Jenny Barden. 

Note: This novel comes from my own personal collection.  

Mailbox Monday

It's time once again for Mailbox Monday, a weekly meme created for bloggers to share the books that arrived in their home over the previous week.  Mailbox Monday is a travelling meme and is being hosted in the month of November by Bermuda Onion.







Received for Review:

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini illuminates the extraordinary friendship between Mary Todd Lincoln and Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a former slave who won her freedom by the skill of her needle, and the friendship of the First Lady by her devotion.

In Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, novelist Jennifer Chiaverini presents a stunning account of the friendship that blossomed between Mary Todd Lincoln and her seamstress, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Keckley, a former slave who gained her professional reputation in Washington, D.C. by outfitting the city’s elite. Keckley made history by sewing for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln within the White House, a trusted witness to many private moments between the President and his wife, two of the most compelling figures in American history.

In March 1861, Mrs. Lincoln chose Keckley from among a number of applicants to be her personal “modiste,” responsible not only for creating the First Lady’s gowns, but also for dressing Mrs. Lincoln in the beautiful attire Keckley had fashioned. The relationship between the two women quickly evolved, as Keckley was drawn into the intimate life of the Lincoln family, supporting Mary Todd Lincoln in the loss of first her son, and then her husband to the assassination that stunned the nation and the world.

Keckley saved scraps from the dozens of gowns she made for Mrs. Lincoln, eventually piecing together a tribute known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt. She also saved memories, which she fashioned into a book, Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House. Upon its publication, Keckley’s memoir created a scandal that compelled Mary Todd Lincoln to sever all ties with her, but in the decades since, Keckley’s story has languished in the archives. In this impeccably researched, engrossing novel, Chiaverini brings history to life in rich, moving style.

The Antiquarian by Julian Sanchez

In this gripping historical thriller, the search for a mysterious and powerful object hidden in the heart of Barcelona leads to ambition, desire, love—and murder

An intriguing letter from his adoptive father, Artur, turns novelist Enrique Alonso’s world upside down. Artur, a well-known antiquarian in Barcelona, reveals that he has discovered an ancient manuscript, but he feels uneasy, as though he’s in over his head. But before Artur can piece together the final part of the puzzle, he is attacked and murdered. Enrique rushes to Barcelona to investigate his father’s death and retrieve the book. His ex-wife, Bety, a philologist, comes to his aid and the two set about translating and deciphering the encrypted text. Written in Latin and Old Catalan, the manuscript holds the key to the location of a priceless object dating back to the Middle Ages, and a secret closely guarded by the Jewish community living in the city’s Gothic Quarter. When Enrique and Bety realize they are not the only ones following the trail, it becomes a race against time to find the mythical object that has the power to transform lives. 

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark
  

I gasped, or tried to. My mouth opened, but I couldn’t draw breath. His lips, pearly wet, parted and he blew into my mouth. My lungs expanded beneath his weight. When I exhaled he sucked my breath in and his weight turned from cold marble into warm living flesh.
 
Since accepting a teaching position at remote Fairwick College in upstate New York, Callie McFay has experienced the same disturbingly erotic dream every night: A mist enters her bedroom, then takes the shape of a virile, seductive stranger who proceeds to ravish her in the most toe-curling, wholly satisfying ways possible. Perhaps these dreams are the result of her having written the bestselling book The Sex Lives of Demon Lovers. Callie’s lifelong passion is the intersection of lurid fairy tales and Gothic literature—which is why she’s found herself at Fairwick’s renowned folklore department, living in a once-stately Victorian house that, at first sight, seemed to call her name.

But Callie soon realizes that her dreams are alarmingly real. She has a demon lover—an incubus—and he will seduce her, pleasure her, and eventually suck the very life from her. Then Callie makes another startling discovery: Her incubus is not the only mythical creature in Fairwick. As the tenured witches of the college and the resident fairies in the surrounding woods prepare to cast out the demon, Callie must accomplish something infinitely more difficult—banishing this supernatural lover from her heart.

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

The Bluebeard fairy tale retold. . . .

When seventeen-year-old Sophia Petheram’s beloved father dies, she receives an unexpected letter. An invitation—on fine ivory paper, in bold black handwriting—from the mysterious Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, her godfather. With no money and fewer options, Sophie accepts, leaving her humble childhood home for the astonishingly lavish Wyndriven Abbey, in the heart of Mississippi.

Sophie has always longed for a comfortable life, and she finds herself both attracted to and shocked by the charm and easy manners of her overgenerous guardian. But as she begins to piece together the mystery of his past, it’s as if, thread by thread, a silken net is tightening around her. And as she gathers stories and catches whispers of his former wives—all with hair as red as her own—in the forgotten corners of the abbey, Sophie knows she’s trapped in the passion and danger of de Cressac’s intoxicating world.

Glowing strands of romance, mystery, and suspense are woven into this breathtaking debut—a thrilling retelling of the “Bluebeard” fairy tale.

Purchased:

The Summer Before the Storm by Gabriele Wills

It’s the Age of Elegance in the summer playground of the affluent and powerful. Amid the pristine, island-dotted lakes and pine-scented forests of the Canadian wilderness, the young and carefree amuse themselves with glittering balls and friendly competitions. The summer of 1914 promises to be different when the ambitious and destitute son of a disowned heir joins his wealthy family at their cottage on Wyndwood Island. Through Jack’s introduction into the privileged life of the aristocratic Wyndhams and their social circle, he seeks opportunities and alliances to better himself, including in his schemes, his beautiful and audacious cousin, Victoria. But their charmed lives begin to unravel with the onset of the Great War, in which many are destined to become part of the “lost generation”. This richly textured tale takes the reader on an unforgettable journey from romantic moonlight cruises to the horrific sinking of the Lusitania, from regattas on the water to combat in the skies over France, from extravagant mansions to deadly trenches - from innocence to nationhood. The Summer Before The Storm, the first of the epic “Muskoka Novels”, evokes a gracious, bygone era that still resonates in this legendary land of lakes.

Note: All book descriptions courtesy of amazon.com

Book Review: At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern by Myrtle Reed

Synopsis:

For newlyweds Harlan and Dorothy Carr, inheriting a grand country home from a distant relative seems like a dream come true—a chance for respite from the hustle and bustle of New York City, for Harlan to pen his first novel in peaceful quiet, and for Dorothy to try her hand at farming. But Uncle Ebeneezer’s house is nothing like they imagined, and quickly turns out to be more than they bargained for!

For one thing, Dorothy swears the eyes of Uncle Ebeneezer’s portrait are watching her—in fact, she can’t help but feel that Uncle has never really left the house at all. For another, a beautiful woman who seems to have stepped right out of the pages of Harlan’s novel appears at their doorstep, and immediately causes tension between the newlyweds. And a stream of eccentric visitors claiming to be Uncle Ebeneezer’s other relations begin arriving, driving Dorothy and Harlan to distraction by day, and secretly searching for the treasure they’re sure Uncle Ebeneezer left behind by night. Add to that a superstitious housekeeper, a cat who may or may not have come back from the dead, and a devious plan for revenge served from beyond the grave, and you’ve got the ingredients for a hilariously haunting good time! 

Legacy Romance | October 2012 (re-issue)

My Review

4 Stars

Originally published in 1902, Myrtle Reed's At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern is a delightful novel about a young, newly married couple and their adventures in their new home. 

Upon the death of his Uncle Ebeneezer, a man he has never met, Harlan Carr becomes the new owner of Ebeneezer's stately home in the country.  Eager to get away from New York City, Harlan and his new wife Dorothy immediately set out for the property, where Harlan, a writer, plans to compose his first novel.  As they settle into their new home, Dorothy begins to think there is more to the house, and deceased Uncle Ebeneezer, than meets the eye.  Dorothy's feelings are further compounded by the arrival of Ebeneezer's distant relatives, who have used his home as a summer gathering place for years and don't view Ebeneezer's death and the subsequent change in ownership as a reason to stop visiting.  As a result, Harlan and Dorothy find themselves host to variety of guests, putting a strain on their marriage and jeopardizing the completion of Harlan's novel.  Can their marriage, as well as Harlan's writing career, survive? 

At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern is full of quirky characters, some loveable, some despicable.   Harlan and Dorothy Carr are well-drawn and sympathetic, and it is easy to comprehend their mounting frustration as their new home is invaded by a steady stream of uninvited guests.  The interaction of Harlan and Dorothy with their guests, as well as the guests' interaction with each other, is often times comic.   Further hilarity ensues when each guest searches, under the cover of darkness, for the riches they just know Ebeneezer left behind for them.  Even in death, however, it seems it is Uncle Ebeneezer who will have the last laugh. 

As evident by the novel's title, At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern makes for a perfect autumn read.  Nevertheless, given its comic nature and fabulous cast of characters it is a book that can be enjoyed at any time of the year.

Note: This novel comes from my own personal collection. 

1st Annual Historical Holiday Blog Hop

Amy over at the fantastic blog Passages to the Past is hosting the 1st Annual Historical Holiday Blog Hop.  The Hop will take place from December 10th to 17th, and will feature a number of different bloggers hosting historical-related book giveaways.  I'll be participating by offering an international giveaway.  Check back here on December 10th for further details.   Also, be sure to check out all the other fabulous blogs taking part in the Historical Holiday Blog Hop!

Slight Review Schedule Change

Happy Saturday!  In my Back to Blogging post from a few weeks back, I indicated my intentions to post my review of Jenny Barden's Mistress of the Sea on November 23.   Unfortunately, things didn't work out as originally planned and I've had to slightly revise my review schedule.   Here is my updated review schedule for the next week:

• At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern by Myrtle Reed (25 November)

• Mistress of the Sea by Jenny Barden (27 November)

• City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte (1 December)

I hope everyone has a great week!