-
review; ravishing the heiress
Ravishing The Heiress by Sherry Thomas Millicent understands the terms of her arranged marriage all too well. She gets to be a Countess by marrying an impoverished Earl. And in return, the Earl Fitzhugh receives the benefit of her vast wealth, saving his family from bankruptcy. Because of her youth, they have agreed to wait eight years before consummating the marriage–and then, only to beget an heir. After which, they will lead separate lives. It is a most sensible arrangement. Except for one little thing. Somehow Millie has fallen head over heels in love with her husband. Her husband, who has become her very best friend, but nothing more… Her…
-
top ten; books i picked up on a whim
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday category was pretty interesting. I don’t usually buy books ‘on a whim’, if I’m honest. When I buy books, I have a clear idea what I’m heading out to pick up. I usually save up for books, and then buy the books I’ve been wanting to read for a while. But when it comes to the library? Erm, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve gone in for one book and come out with something else entirely. Usually because the book I wanted wasn’t in stock, but sometimes with the book I wanted, and a whole bunch of other books that just seemed interesting. It’s…
-
review; a tale of time city
A Tale Of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones London, 1939. Vivian Smith thinks she is being evacuated to the countryside, because of the war. But she is being kidnapped – out of her own time. Her kidnappers are Jonathan and Sam, two boys her own age, from a place called Time City, designed especially to oversee history. But now history is going critical, and Jonathan and Sam are convinced that Time City’s impending doom can only be averted by a twentieth-century girl named Vivian Smith. Too bad they have the wrong girl… Review:
-
when reading becomes a challenge
I’ve been wondering for a while why I seem to have no interest in reading my books lately. Today, I read ‘Why I Quit My Goodreads Challenge‘ and realised that I haven’t particularly been enjoying reading because of the pressure I’ve unconsciously been giving myself to hit my target. It’s not as if my target has been particularly high to begin with. I had set myself a 20 book target. I had done the same last year, and I had hit the target by the mid-year and increased it to 25. When I hit that, I increased it again to 30. I didn’t hit 30 books, but I did hit…
-
review; what katy did
What Katy Did (At School & Next) by Susan M. Coolidge Katy Carr has ideas of her own — most of which get her into trouble. Most of the first book in the trilogy is about Katy’s response to an accident that leaves her (temporarily) paralysed. The second covers a year at boarding school, and the third follows Katy to Europe, where she spends a year assisting a family travelling there. Review:
-
review; inferno
Inferno by Dan Brown In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces – Dante’s Inferno. Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust… before the world is irrevocably altered. Review:
-
top ten; characters to revisit
I’ve been book blogging long enough to have seen Top Ten posts on the various blogs I have subscribed to. I have not been blogging long enough to have participated. Until today. The Broke and the Bookish have compiled a VERY INTERESTING list of prompts for Top Ten Tuesdays. Many times, I find myself pausing and thinking – hey, I could have done this. I have ideas for what I would have written! – but then I never get around to actually writing the thing because procrastination is an old friend of mine. This time, though, this time I had to try. Or – okay, do or do not, there…
-
diversity can start with you
I recently read a blog post posing the question “Does Diversity Sell?” to readers. It is a question I have stopped asking myself, largely because I acknowledge the fact that I am biased. I know for a fact that I want diversity to sell, so I am obviously going to say yes, it does. Because I feel like it should, and I want to fight for it. But that is not how the real world works. A small group of people, or one reader, is not going to make a difference. Yes, we are a voice, and it doesn’t mean we give up – we keep speaking up and encouraging…
-
review; lark ascending
Lark Ascending by Meagan Spooner Lark thought returning home to face her city was the hardest thing she’d ever do. She was wrong. No longer the girl who ran for her life, Lark’s ready for the Institute. She never dreamed she’d find a rebellion, a Renewable, and those she used to love embroiled in the fight of their lives. She’s mastered her magic, but she still doesn’t know if she can master the darkness stirring inside her. Nothing is simple anymore, and finding her place in this war—and discovering the terrible secrets behind her ruined world—might cost her everything she has left. Review:
-
review; vision in white
Vision In White by Nora Roberts Wedding photographer Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera, but her focus is shattered moments before an important wedding rehearsal when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars. A stable, safe English teacher, Carter Maguire is definitely not Mac’s type. But a casual fling might be just what she needs to take her mind off bridezillas. Of course, casual flings can turn into something more when you least expect it. And Mac will have to turn to her three best friends-and business partners-to see her way to her own happy ending. Review: