Meet Cute Contest!

Today is the 2nd anniversary of my blog! I can't believe it's been that long. I started blogging sort of on a whim and had no idea how much I would come to enjoy it. But I discovered such a wonderful community of readers here -- lots of really smart women who love books (especially romance) as much as I do. And the great recommendations! Ah! JMC gave me Carla Kelly. Rosario gave me Susanna Kearsley and Eva Ibbotson. Li gave me Sharon Shinn. Wendy gave me Lani Diane Rich. Kristie gave me J.D. Robb. Nath shares my love of Kelley Armstrong and is trying to sell me on manga. Cindy always makes me laugh (and she gave me LORD OF DANGER, too). :D I could go on and on, but I want to send blog hugs (Twin coined the term blugs) to all my fellow readers. Blugs to everyone!

Enough with the mushy stuff, now for the important part. A contest!

I'm giving away 2 gift certificates for Amazon (or whatever ebook retailer the winner wants) each for $25. I'm calling this my meet cute contest. I've listed below 8 excerpts from books. These are the moments in each book where the hero and heroine first meet, usually under unusual circumstances. I've taken out all proper names to make it a little harder. All you have to do is tell me what book each excerpt comes from, and who wrote it.

One gift certificate will go to the person who gets the most correct. And everyone who enters will be put into a drawing for the other. So even if you have no clue, take a stab. You can even just guess an author. Any guess will get you into the drawing for the 2nd gift certificate.

So, again, here are the RULES.

1) Email your answers to me. jenniesbooklog (at) gmail. Do NOT put your answers in the comments.
2) Answer should include each book's title and author.
3) Don't use google, people. Because that's just wrong. You'll go to hell, you will. :p
4) Contest closes at 10 pm (EST) on Thursday, Feb. 21.
5) Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter!

And here are the excerpts:

Number 1:

He said, not aggressively but not politely, "This is private ground, you know. Perhaps you'd be good enough to leave by the way you came? This only takes you up to the terrace, and then more or less through the house."
I got enough breath to speak, and wasted neither time nor words. "Why were you shooting at that dolphin?"
He looked as blank as if I had suddenly slapped his face. "Why was I what?"
"That was you just now, wasn't it, shooting at the dolphin down in the bay?"
"My dear g---" He checked himself, and said, like someone dealing with a lunatic, "Just what are you talking about?"

Number 2:

"Let it be on the instant," [the hero] said, "or I miss the tide."
"My lord, it shall be!" the landlord assured him, and bustled out.
[The heroine] heard the door shut, and turned. [The hero] had thrown down his whip and gloves, and was watching her in some amusement. "Well, Mistress Discretion?" he said. "Do you take off that mask, or must I?"
She put up her hands to the strings, and untied it. "I think it has served its turn," she said composedly, and put back her hood.
The smile was wiped from his face; he stood staring at her. "What the devil---?" he began.

Number 3:

[The hero] sat down and waited, a prey to curious sensations. Presently there was a noise of footsteps, and the prisoner was brought in, attended by a female wardess. She took the chair opposite to [the hero], the wardess withdrew and the door was shut. [The hero], who had risen, cleared his throat.
"Good afternoon," he said unimpressively.
The prisoner looked at him.
"Please sit down," she said, in the curious, deep voice which had attracted him in Court.

Number 4:

Chains clanked. A dark figure rose. A very tall, dark figure. [The heroine] could not make out his features in the gloom. Surrounded by protectors, she had no reason to be alarmed. All the same, her heart picked up speed, her skin prickled, and every nerve ending spring into quivering awareness.
"Mr. Beechey," she said, her voice not as steady as she could wish, "are you sure this is the man I want?"
An impossibly deep voice, most definitely not Mr. Beechey's, answered with a laugh, "That would depend, madam, on what it is you want me for."

Number 5:

She opened the first two doors and shoved the clothes apart to search the back of the closet.
A man stood there.
[The heroine] turned to run, and he slapped his hand over her mouth from behind and yanked her against him. She kicked back and connected with his shin, and he swore and lost his balance and dragged her to the carpet as he fell.
He weighed a ton.
"Okay," he said calmly in her ear, while she struggled under him, trying to pry his hand from her mouth before her lungs collapsed. "Let's not panic."
...
"Because I'm really not this kind of guy," he went on. "There's no criminal intent here. Well, not against you."

Number 6:

The redhead shot into the room like a sleek bullet. She shrugged out of a light jacket while she talked to the captain, then shrugged into a bulletproof vest. All her movements lightning quick.
[The hero] couldn't hear what they were saying. And he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Purpose was the first term that came to his mind. Then energy. Then sexy, though the third was mixed into the first two in equal portions. She shook her head, looked toward [the hero]---long, cool stare with cat-green eyes.
...
She studied the man currently making soothing noises over the subject's weeping. Former employer and landlord, she deduced.
Young for it, she mused. Very cute guy who looked as if he was trying hard not to panic.

Number 7:

He knocked on the door and waited. After a long moment, he heard light footsteps on the stairs.
"Who is it, please?" came a small voice behind the door. She sounded apprehensive, and he couldn't marvel at that, considering the lateness of the hour. The old widow probably didn't have much male company, especially with two spinster daughters.
"I am [hero's name], and I own this property," he said a little louder, in case she should be hard of hearing. "Could I come in? I think Tibbie Winslow was not expecting me so soon."
The key turned in the lock then, and the door opened upon the prettiest woman he had seen in years, perhaps ever. . .

Number 8:

On one of the tables the candles were still burning. And on the edge of the table, swinging his legs and licking strawberry ice cream out of a silver ladle, sat a young man who could only be one of the senior royal pages.
He was a nice-looking young man in a wine-colored velvet doublet with rather tousled hair. [The heroine] stopped just inside the door.
"Hello," said the nice young man.
"Hello," said [the heroine].
They looked at each other in the candlelight, and the nice young man smiled. It was a nice smile that made his eyes crinkle up at the corners, and [the heroine] smiled back. She had a rather nice smile herself, and it wrinkled her freckled nose.
"Were you looking for something?" inquired the young man.
"Nuts," said [the heroine]. "For Mr. Pemberthey," she explained.
The young man looked puzzled. "Mr. Pemberthey?"
"He's only a squirrel," said [the heroine], "but he's a particular friend of mine, and he is extremely fond of nuts."
"Oh, I see," said the nice young man, quite as if he did.

I voted!

I finally voted in AAR's Annual Reader Poll. With a few hours to spare! Voting closes tonight at midnight.

I sat down with my 2007 reading grid and realized that I didn't actually read that many books that were published in 2007. It takes quite a while for most things to filter to the top of my TBR. Often over a year, apparently. I kept thinking of good things to vote for and then realizing that they were pub'd in 2006. I'm so slow.

Anyway, here's my ballot. I only voted in about half the categories.

Favorite funny - Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
Most-hanky read - Beau Crusoe, Carla Kelly
Most tortured hero - James Trevenen, Beau Crusoe
Strongest heroine - Lilith Milton, Demon Angel, Meljean Brook
Best romance hero - Dag Redwing, The Sharing Knife: Legacy, Lois McMaster Bujold
Best romance couple - Colin and Savi, Demon Moon, Meljean Brook
Best villain - Villiers, Desperate Duchesses, Eloisa James (Maybe I didn't get the point of this one, as Villiers is sort of likable. But he's so well drawn and interesting.)
Author most glommed - Eva Ibbotson (Was this supposed to be an author who published something in 2007? If so, this isn't going to count.)
Best European historical - Not Quite a Lady, Loretta Chase
Best romantic suspense - High Noon, Nora Roberts
Best SF, Fantasy - Demon Moon, Meljean Brook (Can I just say that the whole Fantasy/Paranormal distinction is SUPER confusing? I even read their little definition and still wasn't sure which category to put Demon Moon in. I hope I did it right.)
Best paranormal/time travel - No Humans Involved, Kelley Armstrong
Best chicklit/womens fiction - The Fortune Quilt, Lani Diane Rich
Least believable HEA - Sexiest Man Alive, Diane Holquist
Most disappointing romance - The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes, Crusie/Stuart/Dreyer

Demon Night, Meljean Brook

Title: Demon Night
Author: Meljean Brook
Published: 2008, Berkley
Category: Urban Fantasy Romance (?)
Rating: 9/10

I actually got to read this book in proofs a few months ago (sometimes my job completely rocks). But as soon as it was released I had to buy it and read it again. I think it's the best Guardian book yet.

Charlie Newcombe was an opera singer until a self-destructive phase sent her spiraling into alcoholism. Then she ran her car into a restaurant, ruining her voice. Just when she's finally getting her life back on track, she's attacked by vampires (yeah, her life kind of sucks). But before they can really get to Charlie, they're run off by Guardian Ethan McCabe (also called Drifter). Charlie has to adjust to the idea that vampires and demons exist and that her neighbor, who she's been casually flirting with for weeks, has wings and has been assigned to protect her. Charlie is a target because her sister is a scientist doing research on the healing powers of vampire blood.

Now, I usually do not like paranormal books. I know I'm in the minority among romance readers on that one. It's mostly the violence that turns me off. But I also hate the way some of them seem to meander around, the fantastic elements of the world seeming completely ridiculous or inconsistent or unnecessary--magic stuck in just for the sake of having it rather than being integral to the plot. But this series is such a fully developed, intricate, and interesting world that I just love it. It's pretty complicated, and I recommend people do a quick read-through of the Guardian Primer on Meljean's site. It's a good way to get your head around the larger story arc before diving into this one. And as for violence, it's there (one scene especially was pretty hard to handle) but it's not too graphic, and the action is so exciting that it didn't bother me.

Imo, this book reads much more smoothly than the previous books in the series. There were a few times in Demon Angel and Demon Moon when I felt like the plot shot on ahead of me, leaving me behind, more than a little confused. That was never a problem as I was reading Demon Night. The action sequences were so tight and exciting. I loved hearing so much more about how the Guardians work. Because they're just cool and completely kick-ass.

Charlie and Ethan are such great characters. They both have big backstories -- Ethan, of course, because he's centuries old and we get to hear about how he gave up his life for another in order to become a Guardian. His good-guy, old West charm made me fall for him in a big way (the way he calls her "Miss Charlie"--Eee!). And Charlie's fascinating because she's sort of hit rock bottom and been able to pull herself up again, even when other people didn't think she'd be able to. She's quite different than the incredibly strong-willed Lilith or Savi -- she knows that she's been weak in the past and is therefore desperate not to depend on anyone else, even though circumstances force her to. She's constantly fighting just to get by, which makes her a really admirable character.

And the writing is just great. Beyond the story and characters, there's a real talent here in putting words together in a way that just makes me do a happy sigh. Here's an example I love. It's spoilerish, so I'm whiting it out. Charlie's inside a house watching as Ethan fights a demon outside. She's holding a gun, trying to get in a shot at the demon.

The glass in front of her shattered, and her ears rang painfully. Charlie blinked and staggered forward, stared at the cracks radiating from the neat hole in the center of the window. Blood beaded on the glass like scarlet dew on a spider's web.

Her chest hurt. She couldn't see breathe or see. Then the window collapsed, a shining waterfall of broken glass, and everything was clear again.

Did she shoot the demon?! Did the demon shoot her? You have to read the book to find out. ;)

Okay, this is already long and I feel like I still haven't properly explained why I liked it so much. Really good reviews are hard to write! Anyway, I think this will be a favorite for a long time.

Apparently Jake's story is next (he's another Guardian). Yay!

To Have and To Hold, Patricia Gaffney

Title: To Have and To Hold
Author: Patricia Gaffney
Published: 1995, Topaz (NAL)
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 8/10

I have completed book 1 of my Classic Romance Challenge! And I knew this was a good idea. These books are classics for good reason. To Have and To Hold is a beautifully written and really emotionally gripping book.

We start with a rake, Sebastian Verlaine, rich, cynical, and selfish. He's just inherited a property, and as part of his new position he must act as magistrate of this little village where his estate is. One of the first cases he hears is that of Rachel Wade, a young woman who is being charged with "indigence and no fixed abode" (sort of appalling that this was a crime back then). Rachel has just been released from prison, where she's been for 10 years since being found guilty of murdering her husband. As a convict, she has been unable to find any work. Something about Rachel intrigues Sebastian, so he surprises the whole court by offering her the position of housekeeper on his estate. Rachel is relieved beyond imagination that she won't have to go back to prison, even though she realizes that Sebastian expects her to also be his mistress. Which he absolutely does.

I have to admit that there were some parts of this book that made me pretty uncomfortable. Because Sebastian really is a bad man at the beginning (no fake rake here)--he hires Rachel because he's bored and intrigued by the idea of having complete power over this rather pathetic woman. And he exerts that power fully--and though it's a bit spoilerish I have to say that the first time they have sex, it is rape. She wants to keep her job; she just doesn't have any other option. Add to that Rachel's tons of emotional baggage from prison and an abusive marriage and you have to wonder how these two could ever move past this inequitable relationship to find mutual understanding and love.

But I totally bought it, and the romance was fantastic. Rachel must take a chance at life again, and Sebastian actually wakes up out of his cynical self-hatred to find that true affection can be a reality. Both characters were really complex and interesting. I think one of the reasons I'd been putting off this book was because these over-the-top dramatic and passionate stories can be too much for me. But this book (especially the second half) was just lovely. A bit sad and heartbreaking in places, but ultimately very warm and satisfying.

This is the second book in the Wyckerley trilogy. To Love and to Cherish is first and Forever and Ever is the last. I'll definitely be reading them at some point. :)

Faro's Daughter, Georgette Heyer

Title: Faro's Daughter
Author: Georgette Heyer
Published: 1941, Dutton
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 8/10

I'm still making my way through Heyer's Regencies. Because I love them so.

Max Ravenscar, a wealthy gentleman, is called upon by his frantic aunt to disengage her son, Lord Mablethorpe, from an infatuation with "a creature -- oh, a hussy! -- out of a gaming-house!" Miss Deborah Grantham lives with her aunt, whose reduced circumstances have forced them to open her house for card parties and gaming. Though Deb's money troubles are bad, she has no intention of actually marrying Lord Mablethorpe, because he is too young and silly. But when Max tries to buy her off from the supposed engagement, she's totally insulted and decides to teach him a lesson.

I think this is one of my favorite Heyers! It's not actually very romance-ish -- the hero and heroine spend most of the novel fighting with each other. Deb is one of Heyer's older, wiser heroines; she's really feisty, has a terrific temper, and wants more than anything to get the better of Max. "It was not long before a scheme, so dazzlingly diabolical as almost to take her breath away, was born in her mind." Both she and Max are horribly stubborn, and they go to some rather ridiculous extremes to best each other, which makes for some great hijinks.

So definitely not in any way a treacly romance. Deb says to Max, "You are rude, and stupid, and I was never so plagued by anyone in my life!" But their similarities of character do make it believable that they should fall in love. I loved the book for its snappy dialogue and funny situations.

Pardon me, while I talk about politics (gasp!)

So you all know that I never talk about politics here, or anything really except books. But I do want to explain my "Crafters for Obama" button that's over there in the sidebar now. Twin and I both have always steered clear of political debate, though our family is full of political junkies. But she's recently become a very vocal supporter of Barack Obama. And she's certainly got me convinced. I, too, find his message inspiring -- and I had not thought it possible for my cynical self to be inspired by a politician. ;)

You can read Twin's very eloquent words here. Check it out. Crafters for Obama is the fundraising campaign she's started among her circle of crafting bloggers. I'm very proud of her for taking a stand and doing so much for a cause she believes in.

If you're in a state having elections on Tuesday, don't forget to get out and vote!

The Winter Rose, Jennifer Donnelly

Title: The Winter Rose
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Published: 2008, Hyperion
Category: Historical Fiction
Rating: 7.5/10

In the name of full disclosure, I feel like I have to tell you all that I got this book as a free review copy. It's probably silly. I doubt you care, but I'm compelled to tell you anyway. I usually refuse all offers of ARCs and review copies because my TBR anxiety is bad enough without adding a bunch of stuff that I'm not 100% sure I want to read but that I will feel obligated to review. I said yes to this book because I'd already heard great things about it (from Marg mostly). But I'll still be completely honest in my review, I promise. :)

India Selwyn Jones graduates from the London Medical School for Women in the year 1900 (btw, I couldn't believe that women were doctors this early, but they totally were--so cool). Full of rather naive ideas about how she can help the poor of London, she takes a job in a clinic in Whitechapel. Her interactions with her patients show her that the state of things among the poor are much worse than she had ever imagined, especially among women and children, and she begins to dream of founding a free clinic for women. Meanwhile, her aristocratic fiance, Freddie, is pushing her to set a date, though India is beginning to have doubts about her feelings and his reasons for marrying. One reason for these doubts is her meeting Sid Malone, a notorious gangster and the head of an organized crime ring. Though Sid is a criminal, he's also a bit of a Robin Hood, and his and India's shared efforts to help the destitute bring them together. But can a mobster and an aristocratic doctor find a way to be together?

Okay, that synopsis is my attempt to sum up an EPIC book without going on forever and ever. But this is one fat, looong, epic historical novel of a kind that is hard to find these days but which I have always loved. PW's review described it as "overstuffed," which I think is a very good adjective, though I don't mean that in a bad way. Huge cast of characters, long-ish time frame, great big family saga. And for those people who also like that kind of book, I highly recommend this one.

I was completely enthralled. Really. I'd come home from work and sit down with it "just for a few minutes" before I started on my evening to-do list. Seven hours later I'm still frantically reading, hating the fact that my life is getting in the way of finishing this book. The characters are lovable, the villain wonderfully hateful, the action very dramatic. I found both India and Sid really compelling characters and their forbidden, impossible, passionate love just fabulous (I could hear Tony and Maria crooning, "There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us" in my head--sniff, sniff). The historical details were so well done that I had a really vivid visual for everything. And the very progressive political elements (down with the nobs!! up with the worker!!) were heart-wrenchingly uplifting.

The reason this book doesn't get a higher grade is the last bit. I was completely loving it until page 500 or so, and then I started to get frustrated. When the action moved to Africa, the slew of incredibly unbelievable coincidences and endless trials and tribulations began to wear on me. In the same way that I couldn't read the later books in the Outlander series, I just thought, "What else could possibly happen to these poor people??" I sort of wish that the whole thing had wrapped up in London. But, the conclusion (when we finally got there) was very satisfying.

This is the second book in a trilogy. The first, The Tea Rose, centers around Fiona, Sid's sister (Fiona and her husband also appear throughout this book). I have already bought it. And we seem to be set up for the final book about Fiona and Sid's little brother, Seamie.

I will leave you with this quote from Mrs. Moscowitz, the hilarious, bossy mother of India's Jewish coworker and one of my favorite characters:
"God gives the nuts; He doesn't crack them."

Many books to buy in 2008.

I've been fixing up my bookmarks on my new computer, so I'm more up-to-date on my favorite authors' publishing schedules than I usually am. ;) Here's what was news to me:

Kelley Armstrong is having a prolific year: I'm excited about the two Otherworld books being released in 2008: Personal Demon (due in April, narrated by Hope) and Living with the Dead (scheduled for December--anyone know who the narrator is on this one? I'm afraid it's going to be Cass). In August we'll get The Summoning, first in a YA trilogy set in the Otherworld universe but with different characters.

Jennifer Crusie's WIP page lists a solo Crusie book due sometime in 2009 titled Always Kiss Me Goodnight. Woohooo! I can't believe it! Sadly, no blurb or any information beyond the title. Another Crusie/Mayer also due in 2009. In 2008, her collaboration (titled Dogs and Goddesses) with Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rich will be released. They have a blog about the book here. Apparently they've finished a first draft. I wasn't crazy about her last three-person collaboration (Unfortunate Miss Fortunes) but I'll take what I can get.

Very sad news from Jasper Fforde: he won't have a book out in 2008. Shades of Grey is the first book in a new series (not Thursday Next or Nursery Crime) and will be out summer 2009. Don't know what it's about but this is hilarious: "Fforde has bravely branched out into new territory: Books that are not metafiction. In a shocking statement to the world's media, British author and former teenager Jasper Fforde announced that he would be 'making up all his own characters' for a three-part saga..." He is contracted for another Thursday Next. Thank goodness, though it looks like it won't be out until 2010. (Can that be right? That date looks like something out of SciFi.)

Eloisa James: Duchess by Night due in July (third in Duchess series)

Susanna Kearsley's The Winter Sea (due out March 24 in the UK and Canada) has a cover. Very pretty!
SEP says she's working on a new book (not in the Stars series), but no other info. I have to say that the covers of her new mmpb reissues are awful. Especially It Had to Be You. I was going to post it here, but I just can't let it defile my blog. If you haven't seen it and don't know what I'm talking about, click here. What woman would want to carry that around??

Nora Roberts's summer hardcover release is titled Tribute. Anyone know anything about it? Books 2 and 3 of her Sign of the Seven trilogy are due in May and December. I have the first one, but I can't decide if I should read it now or wait until all three are out.

Sorcerers and Secretaries, Amy Kim Ganter

Title: Sorcerers and Secretaries (2 vol.)
Author: Amy Kim Ganter
Published: 2006, Tokyopop
Category: Manga
Rating: 6/10

My first manga! I'm so hip (not). I chose this one because it was mentioned at Dear Author.

Nicole is a young woman living in New York, going to business school and working as a secretary. She's not that into school, though; she'd rather be writing and drawing her stories of a sorcerer named Ellon (we see snippets of this story too). She meets Josh, a young hottie who likes to make all the girls he meets fall in love with him. Nicole's not interested, and of course Josh is intrigued. They finally become friends and Josh encourages Nicole's writing.

Now, I tried really hard to appreciate these books. Graphic novels of any kind are quite a new experience for me; my first instinct is for my eyes to zoom to the bits of text and hardly notice the illustrations. So I made myself read slowly and actually let the pictures tell some of the story. But, yeah. Just not happening. The story just felt so shallow. Compared with the depth of characterization and plotting that I'm used to in regular novels, this just seemed like nothing at all. Obviously I have no frame of reference, as this is my first manga, so I don't know if I would feel this way about other manga books. Maybe manga's just not for me.

Question: I guess I am showing my ignorance here, but is all manga intended for a YA audience?

The story is very sweet, and I did like the drawings. So I was mildly amused, but I do sort of wish I hadn't shelled out $20 for the 2-volume set. That's really pricey for something I can read in a couple hours.

Sandalwood Princess and Knaves' Wager, Loretta Chase

Title: The Sandalwood Princess and Knaves' Wager
Author: Loretta Chase
Published: 1990, Signet
Category: Regency Romance
Rating: 7/10 for Sandalwood, 8/10 for Knaves' Wager

I read these two books weeks and weeks ago, before Christmas. I meant to blog about them and just never got around to it. But I liked them so much I wanted to at least mention them. I'm definitely not feeling up to writing a plot summary, but here's the back cover copy:

The Sandalwood Princess
Determined to uncover who stole her sandalwood statue, Amanda Cavencourt is shocked to learn the culprit is a notorious rogue known as the Falcon. Why would a man renowned for his dangerous and delicate missions indulge in petty thievery? Intrigued by the mystery--and rumors of the Falcon's devilish charm and good looks--Amanda sets out on the trail of the brazen blackguard. But what she stumbles upon is a man who just may be her perfect match.

This book was a lot of fun--it starts out in India, then they're on a boat for months traveling to England. The Falcon steals the statue from Amanda, then she steals it back. Lots of trickery and running around. The couple is constantly lying to each other, but somehow they manage to actually get to know each other and fall in love.

Knaves' Wager
Lilith Davenant's sensibilities are appropriately offended. How dare Lord Julian Brandon kiss her when he knows full well the man she is to marry is in the very next room! She never imagines that his amorous pursuit is the result of a wager that will sully her flawless reputation--or that one day she will yearn for Julian's irresistible embrace...

I was actually shocked that I liked (really liked) this one--a wager plot and a reformed rake, meh. But I should have known that Chase could pull it off. The dialogue between the hero and heroine is just so snappy and delightful. Lilith is very "respectable" and is engaged to a boring old suitor, even though she's fallen in love with Julian. She thinks he'll just break her heart. I loved when Julian sends her a copy of Mansfield Park with a note that says, "May life with your 'Edmond Bertram' be, truly, happily ever after." Mansfield Park is by far my least favorite Austen--I always sort of wished Fanny weren't quite such a sanctimonious little twerp and ad lived it up a bit with Henry Crawford. I found the ending of Knaves' Wager much more satisfying. :)

BEHOLD!!

Meet m3, my brand-new MacBook. Eeeee! m3 is short for minimegaMac, and to understand the name you have to know Twin's and my Mac history. Eons ago (like, 5 years) we had an iBook, which we called miniMac. Then we got a G5 that we called megaMac. And my new MacBook has great colossal power and is itty bitty. So he's minimegaMac. (Okay, he's not as itty bitty as the new MacBook Air, but I didn't feel like paying an extra $500 to not have an optical drive, you know?)

And I don't even have to feel guilty about buying it, because I have to have a laptop for grad school next fall. He's beautiful and I love him. We had some trouble installing our wireless router (20 min. on hold with Mac, 15 min. on hold with D-Link, and a visit from the cable provider=one good time). But he's working beautifully now. Yippee!! And now I am blogging from the comfort of my couch. Ahh.

Little Pinkie, my iPod mini, is in awe.


Here's m3 with some books I just bought. Just because.

Is it weird that I name my computer?

Classic Romance Challenge 2008

In the last couple of years, since I really got to be a serious romance reader, I've been collecting books that are considered classics of the genre. And I always mean to read them, because everyone says they're good. And if people are still talking about them, in some cases decades after they were published (rare for a romance novel), then they must be good.

But then I love to buy and read new books too. Shiny! New! Must read now! And these older books get lost in my enormous TBR. To get myself motivated to finally read some of them, I am challenging myself: 12 classics. 12 months.


I can do it! Here are the titles I've chosen:

1. To Have and To Hold, Patricia Gaffney
2. The Shadow and the Star, Laura Kinsale
3. Thunder and Roses, Mary Jo Putney
4. A Rose at Midnight, Anne Stuart
5. Knight in Shining Armor, Jude Deveraux
6. The Flame and the Flower, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
7. The Last Hellion, Loretta Chase
8. Bliss, Judy Cuevas
9. Morning Glory, LaVyrle Spencer
10. Annie's Song, Catherine Anderson
11. All Through the Night, Connie Brockway
12. The Bride, Julie Garwood

If anyone would like to join in, please do. Choose your own neglected classics. You don't have to do 12; do 4, or 30. I don't care. :)

Silent in the Grave, Deanna Raybourn

Title: Silent in the Grave
Author: Deanna Raybourn
Published: 2007, Mira
Category: Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 7/10

Silent in the Grave opens with Julia March's husband dropping dead while hosting a party. Julia is bereaved, but the death is not unexpected, as his health has been poor all life. So she is surprised when Nicholas Brisbane comes to call and tells her that he suspects foul play. Apparently Mr. March had hired Brisbane, who is a private investigator, shortly before his death because he was receiving notes that amounted to death threats. Julia cannot believe it, gets snippy with Brisbane, and sends him on his way. A year later, when she is just starting to put off her widow's weeds, she finds one of the notes that Brisbane told her of while she is clearing out her husband's office; it contains a line from the Bible:

Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon Thee; let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

Julia contacts Brisbane and asks that he take up the case, even though now that a year has passed he has little hope of discovering anything. She's not content to let him do all the work, however, and she takes an active part in the investigation.

I started this book one day at work when I realized that I'd left the book I was in the middle of at home. I had no lunch plans and no book to read. Quelle nightmare! Good thing I work in a library. ;) I noticed this one among the new gifts and decided to give it a try. It's a bit of a tome in hardcover, but it was one of those books that once I'd started, the pages just flew by.

The Victorian setting was really well done. Julia is an aristocrat (her father is an Earl), so her life is very restricted by social conventions, but her family is also known for being quite liberal, and consequently a bit risqué. Julia struggles with what she feels is her inherent March "wildness" and her desire for a normal, traditional life. I loved the interaction of Julia with her family—there were some really funny parts.

The suspense was great--lots of surprising revelations that had Julia (and me) quite shocked. HIGHLIGHT FOR SPOILER! I was disappointed by who the murderer was, though. Simon had been so angelically good through the whole book, and then at the end he was just evil all of a sudden. No warning or clues to lead up to it. It was a little too abrupt for me.

I was not a huge fan of the brooding, mysterious Brisbane and the romantic elements of the story. (This is surprising, yes? I am nearly always a fan of the romantic bits.) Though he seems to be an interesting character, I definitely never felt like I got a grip on him (which was maybe intentional, as he is supposed to be mysterious). Anyway, I'm planning on getting the sequel, Silent in the Sanctuary, so maybe he will grow on me.

Go visit RtB

1. I have a column up at Romancing the Blog.

2. Who saw the new Persuasion last night on Masterpiece Theater? I thought: lovely Captain Wentworth, otherwise not as good as the Amanda Root version. They really mangled the end (JMC--the letter scene, they destroyed it! Noooo!).

3. Why is it Monday? Ugh.

Madensky Square, Eva Ibbotson

Title: Madensky Square
Author: Eva Ibbotson
Published: 1988, St. Martin's Press
Category: General Fiction
Rating: 7.5/10

I'm almost through all of Eva Ibbotson's books! (At least all those written for adults.) I am so sad.

Susanna Weber is the proprietor of a dressmaker's shop nestled in charming Madensky Square of Vienna. This book is a journal of her life from the year 1911, describing her day-to-day existence, as well as those of her clients and neighbors. And we meet quite an assortment of characters: Susanna's Anarchist employee Nini; a jolly pork-sausage magnate from Linz whose young, devout fiancé seems disconcertingly more interested in the saints than in her gorgeous trousseau (or the pork-sausage man); a tiny polish boy who's being pushed into becoming a piano virtuoso by his desperate uncle; and the family across the way with six daughters and a seventh child on the way whose father can not believe he could possibly be cursed with yet another girl. Along the way, we find out about Susanna as well – how her warm-hearted generosity, which draws all these people to her and her shop, overlays a troubled past.

I always try my best not to include spoilers in my reviews, but I have to give a little one here, just because I can't really talk about this book without it. (And it is revealed very early in the book.) Madensky Square is partly a romance, but not at all a typical one. Because Susanna is an Other Woman. She has been the mistress of Gernot von Linenberg for over a decade. I know this is a hot button for a lot of people, and I would usually agree. Only Ibbotson could make it not sordid. There is some justification for the relationship: the time period, the fact that Gernot is an aristocrat who married young for reasons of wealth and status. Susanna does feel guilty about it, no question about that; but she loves him and can't give him up.

It's a very sophisticated story, really, about the importance of taking your happiness where you can find it and making the most of it. Susanna has had a lot of heartache in her life, but she still manages to enjoy life; her spirit is never crushed. That's why the book gets a tear icon, because I usually like my HEAs completely unfettered by any bits of sad reality. And maybe this makes me horribly naïve, but it's hard for me to imagine making do with this sort of existence.

Despite the weighty subjects, the book still manages to be joyful and charming. Her descriptions are so wonderful. Here's an example--she's describing the dog who lives across the street and lords over the square. "He has the large, square-muzzled head of a schnauzer and the tail of a muskrat, but his dreams, like his little legs, are Napoleonic."

I think her characterizations are perfect and just hilarious. Ibbotson's ability to flesh out secondary characters amazes me. There's a huge cast of characters here, and I ended up caring about every single one.

Carla Kelly news!

Carla Kelly popped up last week on AAR's message board to post this:

My next manuscript, Worthy, was given the OK by Harlequin Historicals and should be out in a year. It's set in Plymouth in 1808-1809, when the Channel Fleet's "wooden walls" were keeping Napoleon out.

Usually my favorite book is the one I'm currently working on, but Worthy is my favorite one since Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand.

And it's the first of a trilogy. More sea, more sailors to come, and not a royal in the bunch. Yarr!

Yippee!

2007 in Review

I love doing these wrap-ups! I keep track of all my reads on a spreadsheet (built by Rosario) and I have great fun looking at the results at the end of the year and analyzing them.

The Numbers

I read a total of 111 books in 2007, which is up a bit from 2006. Now, this includes the 30 books that I proofread (holy crap, that makes me tired just thinking about it). I have a strict no-blogging rule on books I'm paid to read; unless I had 100% good things to say about them (very rare), then I'd be biting the hand that fed me. And I like to eat. So you'll see no details on them, but I still like to add them to my stats.

Anyway, that's an average of about 9 a month, with a high in August (13) when I was blissfully unemployed and a low in September (6) when I was (of course) happily re-employed. ;) Total page count over 40,000, or about 110 pages a day. Twin's comment: "Good lord. You're such a dork." She loves me, she really does.

The Ratings
My average rating went up a little this year, to 6.9. Maybe I'm getting better at choosing books. Or maybe I'm getting soft.

My Favorite Reads of 2007

**I'm not going to link to my reviews, because that's just too much work. But you can find them all in the archives.**

10/10 (Perfection)

Re-reads:
Harry Potter 3 & 4
The Blue Castle, L.M. Montgomery (This was the only book I gave a 10 last year.)
A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold (I originally gave this a 9 last year, but bumped it up on re-read.)

Only one new-to-me book got a 10:
The Windflower, Laura London (IMO, the best of classic romance. Not for everyone, though, as evidenced by my mother who read it on my rec and was a bit WTF?)

9/10 (Fangirl-worthy)

Re-reads:
Harry Potter 1-2, 5-6
Thornyhold, Mary Stewart

New reads:
Harry Potter 7
Memory, Lois McMaster Bujold
Devil's Cub, Georgette Heyer
Summers at Castle Auburn, Sharon Shinn

8/10 (Highly recommended)

Demon Angel and Demon Moon, Meljean Brook. (And I will make everyone jealous and say that I already got to read Demon Night [out in Feb.] and it's my favorite yet. Will definitely get a 9 when I review it.)
Season of Storms and Mariana, Susanna Kearsley
Beguilement, Lois McMaster Bujold
Reforming Lord Ragsdale and Marian's Christmas Wish, Carla Kelly
Games of Command, Linnea Sinclair
Not Quite a Lady and Knaves' Wager, Loretta Chase
No Humans Involved, Kelley Armstrong
Simply Love, Mary Balogh
High Noon, Nora Roberts
Countess Below Stairs, Eva Ibbotson
Mystic and Rider and Dark Moon Defender, Sharon Shinn
Bride of the MacHugh, Jan Cox Speas
Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Favorite new (or new-to-me) authors this year were Meljean Brook, Eloisa James, Eva Ibbotson, and Sharon Shinn.
A most excellent year. :)

The Spymaster's Lady, Joanna Bourne

Title: The Spymaster's Lady
Author: Joanna Bourne
Published: 2008, Berkley
Category: Historical Romance
Rating: 8.5/10
My first read of 2008 – and it's a great one! Yippee. I hope this sets a trend for the whole year. ;) I had to run my little self out to the bookstore on Jan. 2 (the book's exact on-sale date), because I'd heard such phenomenal squeeing at SBTB and DA. Yes, when Sarah and Jane BOTH squee simultaneously, I run for the bookstore.

Annique Villiers has been spying for France about since she learned crawl. Her most recent assignment has landed her with a copy of the Albion plans, the detailed plans of Napoleon's proposed invasion of Britain. As the book opens, Annique is trapped in a French prison, being bullied into giving them up. Annique and two Englishmen also being held in the prison manage to escape and head for England. Annique is dismayed to discover that one of the men is Grey, the Head of Section of the British Service, i.e. the Spymaster for all England. Out of the griddle and into the fire. Grey also needs those Albion plans, but he has quite a time keeping Annique in his control.

That's the basic plot, but there's a ton more that I won't go into because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone. The story has several really clever twists – the kind of thing where you're reading along and go, "D'oh!!" and think back and see all the clues but you're still completely blindsided. Very exciting. Lots of fabulous historical detail, portraying the very complex political situation of post-Revolutionary, early Napoleonic France (but not BORING politics).

And as everyone else has mentioned, I too will go crazy over Bourne's use of dialog and accents. Annique's attitudes are very French, but she could be talking about doing the laundry and still sound French. Grey, on the other hand, sounds perfectly English. And when you have all this (very wonderful) dialog between these two characters, the effect is phenomenal. This is especially comment-worthy because it's something that is so often ignored (or done badly) in popular fiction, especially romance.

Definitely a book I will re-read a-plenty. I heard that the next book in the series is due out in July. I will be running to the bookstore again then. :)

But, I have to say, that cover? A crime!

North & South Crusade -- me too, me too!

I think most everyone who visits here must be aware of Kristie's great North & South Crusade -- she seems to have infected most of us with her enthusiasm for this movie. ;) I was, of course, curious, so Twin and I rented it a few weeks ago. We watched it, loved it, watched it again the next day, and reluctantly returned it. One of us made the comment that we should buy it, but then we remembered that these mini-series things usually cost about a gazillion dollars. (But, psst, it's only $22 on Amazon!)



So a few days before Christmas, we were struggling through that last week of work and decided one night that we really ought to open one of our presents for each other. You know, to ramp up for the big day. So I open mine, and it's North & South!! Yippee!! And she opens hers, and it's North & South too!! Hee. Great minds. (We ended up giving the extra copy to our mom.)

I love a lot of mini-series, but this one is especially great. Fabulous story, pretty cinematography and costumes, love the theme song, and I was really impressed by the acting -- Richard Armitage, obviously (besides being completely gorgeous and DELICIOUS). But Mrs. Thornton and Nicholas Higgins were also great. I even liked Fanny Thornton, because she's so wonderfully silly. The woman who plays Margaret Hale is not quite as good (she ends up looking confused and a bit dense when I think she's going for sad), but she's okay.

It's hard to say what exactly makes me like the story so well. But I think it's the fact that you have this great romance (sort of P&P-ish in that she dislikes him at first because she doesn't understand him), and you also have this really interesting time period -- the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution, when so many things were changing in society. It makes for some fabulous conflict.


Twin also got me a copy of the book, which she then proceeded to read first (sheesh!). But she says that the movie is fairly faithful to the original story, and that it does a good job of condensing the book and updating it just a tad for modern audiences (you know that kiss at the end's not going to happen in the book, lovely as it is).




One of my favorite lines (which refers to the hard working conditions in the cotton mills):

"I believe I have seen hell. And it is white. It is snow white."

Thanks to Kristie for bringing N&S to our attention! :D

Happy holidays!!

Twin and I are scrambling to get on the road -- we're headed to VA to spend Christmas with the family. YAY! But first I must post some pictures of the gingerbread village we made this year (it's becoming a tradition with us).





Town hall.



Shops. Grocer in the middle, barber shop on the end.



This is obviously some kind of posh shop. Dressmakers, maybe.



Townhouses opposite the shops.



Church in the corner of the square. Ice cream cone steeple was a bit tricky.



Beyond the square, there is a lake and my estate--hee hee. It looks sort of like a little farm house.



Minty little house.

Yes, we are a little crazy. But it was all good fun. :)

May you all have a very joyful holiday!

Sock and Glove by Miyako Kanamori

Title: Sock and Glove
Author: Miyako Kanamori
Published: 2007, Penguin
Category: Crafting

Twin is a member of a crafting circle that meets once a month or so to work on various kinds of projects. We hosted one at our apartment last weekend and decided to have everyone make softies following the directions in this really adorable book. It's all about taking old socks and gloves and turning them into simple stuffed toys. The directions are really very easy and there are lots of ideas about what to do with different sorts of socks and gloves. It's a brilliant idea, because everyone has sad old gloves and socks that they're never going to wear again.

You can look at this review at simplesparrow to see some pictures of the inside of the book. Almost all of us made the simplest glove animal (like the guy on the cover), but there are some other projects in the book that I want to try, especially the elephant and zebra.

Here are our creations:

They come out in varying degrees of wonkiness, but somehow this just adds to their appeal. I did the little red pig with the striped belly. I realized after I was finished that he looks sort of like Piglet on a really, really angry day. ;)

And here's a close-up of the two Julie made--a striped kitty and a little white dog with a matching sweater.

These projects are great because they're quick and don't require any special sewing skills. And you can dress your animal up in all different ways and give him lots of personality. If anyone is scrambling to find a Christmas gift for someone who likes hand crafts, this book would be a good one.

Carla Kelly Christmas stories

Title: Four Christmas short stories
Author: Carla Kelly
Published: See bottom of post
Category: Regency Romance
Rating: 7.5/10

I went mad ordering all the Christmas anthologies I could find that had Carla Kelly stories in them -- and then I only read the Kelly stories. I am usually very wary of romance short stories, because I can rarely find a good love story that can be told well in such a limited format. But these are just fabulous. They're remarkable because not only was I completely sold on the romance (no mean feat), but they also have lovely, meaningful plots and lots of character development. It's amazing how much Kelly was able to squeeze into these little tales.

"The Christmas Ornament" begins with two old friends visiting. One has a bluestocking of a daughter (Olivia) just coming of age and the other has an Oxford scholar of a son (James) who is nearing the age when he should be settling down and getting married. They plan to throw them together over Christmas and see what comes of it. For a while it seems like nothing will, as James is "mortally shy" and is constantly putting his foot in his mouth, and Olivia has another suitor in the dashing Lord D'Urst, a fact that robs James of all his self-confidence.

This is probably the lightest, most playful story of the lot. Lord D'Urst calls Olivia his "Christmas ornament," and we can only hope that James will get his act together enough to make her a better offer: a partnership of equals.

"No Room at the Inn" sees Mary McIntyre traveling with acquaintances just before Christmas. They are caught in a storm and are forced to stop and stay with Joseph Shepard, a tradesman who is also the son of Mary's aristocratic family's steward. We soon find out, however, that Mary has just been told that she was adopted at birth by her high-born parents, who have now decided to tell the world that she's actually the illegitimate daughter of a servant (or actress or something, I can't quite remember). Joe welcomes them all into his home with cheerful warmth, and he and Mary work together to make the holiday fun and cozy.

Besides the love story here, we get some very interesting class conflict – Mary's just gone way down the ladder, Joe's a tradesman who's made his own fortune.

"Let Nothing You Dismay" is about Lord Trevor Chase, a London solicitor called "the patron saint of lost causes." He's made it his life's work to represent children and keep the poor things from being transported to Australia. Lord Trevor's niece is accompanied home for the Christmas holiday by one of her schoolteachers, Cecilia Ambrose. As Cecilia and Trevor get to know each other, Cecilia discovers that something in Trevor's past is haunting him; he's carrying around feelings of guilt over something he did years ago and is losing hope of ever atoning for it. Cecilia must try to snap him out of it, and help him move forward with his life.

Lots of interesting stuff here – poor Trevor is so admirable, but the crushing guilt was maybe a little gloomy for me. Not the easiest story to read.

And I saved the best for last – "An Object of Charity" was my favorite story. Captain Michael Lynch's ship has been damaged in a fight with the French, so he's come home to England. There he meets Sally Partlow and her brother, who have come from Scotland to live with their uncle. Michael is forced to tell them that their uncle, his first mate, has just been killed in action. Not realizing that they have no money and no where else to go, he sends them on their way. Once he discovers his mistake he feels that it's his duty to help them, but doesn't know what to do with them except to take them home for the holiday. The trouble is that he's been estranged from his family for twenty years.

Captain Lynch reminded me a lot of Horatio Hornblower, which can only be a good thing. Very responsible and a bit too serious, he's sort of forgotten how to live a life on land and at peace. And I thought his reunion with his family was so well done and realistic.

And I must quote the final paragraph of this one, because it's so nice (and it's not like I'm giving away the ending – it is a romance).

"Happy Christmas, Sally," he whispered in her ear, as goodwill settled around him like a benediction, and peace became his second dearest companion.

And I just found one more anthology on PaperBackSwap with a Kelly story in it. I really hope it comes before Christmas.

Publication info:
"No Room at the Inn" in A Regency Christmas, Signet, 2002
"The Christmas Ornament" in A Regency Christmas, Signet, 1998
"An Object of Charity" in A Regency Christmas Present, Signet, 1999
"Let Nothing You Dismay" in Regency Christmas Wishes, Signet 2003

Have His Carcase, Dorothy L. Sayers

Title: Have His Carcase
Author: Dorothy L. Sayers
Published: 1932 originally, 1995 HarperPaperbacks
Category: Mystery
Rating: 7/10

Has anyone noticed that this book's been hanging out on my sidebar under "Up Next" for a few weeks? Yeah, I've been working on this book since October. I love Lord Peter, but this one was a bit of a trial for me. (For those unfamiliar with Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey is an English gentleman detective who appears in an entire series of books, sometimes joined by Harriet Vane.)

Mystery writer Harriet Vane is on holiday in the south of England. One day as she's hiking along the coast, she notices what appears to be a very freshly murdered man resting atop a boulder on the shore. Harriet fearlessly goes up to investigate; she examines and photographs the body, much in the way of the fictitious detective-hero she writes. It turns out that the evidence she's collected comes in very handy because while Harriet is fetching the police, the tide comes in and sweeps the body away. Lord Peter soon arrives on the scene and starts investigating. But with each new piece of evidence the case just gets more and more confusing. They have lots of suspects, some of whom have strong motives but perfect alibis, while others are obviously lying about the evidence but appear to have had nothing to do with the victim.

This is one of those books where I want to give two grades, one for technical merit and the other for how much I enjoyed it. Because who am I to find fault with the great Dorothy Sayers? She was a master of the mystery novel, and I love some of her books to death. But, dear God, this thing was loooong, and so involved with so many, many details that I lost interest about halfway in. I was siding with the provincial policemen when they wanted to proclaim it a suicide and forget the whole thing. I think this is mostly to do with my personal preferences; I can read and enjoy a whodunit, but figuring out who done it is hardly ever what keeps me reading. I read for the characters, and Lord Peter is the reason I managed to get through this at all. He comes across as such a charismatic man, which is something I would imagine would be very hard for an author to accomplish. He is just charming and intelligent and very funny.

We do see a little development in Harriet and Wimsey's relationship (of course, not as much as I might have liked). He keeps proposing and Harriet keeps saying no. My favorite proposal Wimsey sends in a telegram:

FOLLOWING RAZOR CLUE TO STAMFORD REFUSE RESEMBLE THRILLER HERO WHO HANGS ROUND HEROINE TO NEGLECT OF DUTY BUT WILL YOU MARRY ME---PETER

But Harriet is re-establishing herself as an independent woman, and Wimsey is trying not to step on her toes as she does this, no matter how much he may want to take care of her. I have to quote the very first paragraph, because it sums up their relationship, and is such an incredible beginning and so brilliantly written:

The best remedy for a bruised heart is not, as so many people seem to think, repose upon a manly bosom. Much more efficacious are honest work, physical activity, and the sudden acquisition of wealth. After being acquitted of murdering her lover, and indeed, in consequence of that acquittal, Harriet Vane found all three specifics abundantly at her disposal; and although Lord Peter Wimsey, with a touching faith in tradition, persisted day in and day out in presenting the bosom for her approval, she showed no inclination to recline upon it.

So it gets a 7 overall (averaging a 9 for technical merit and a 5 for personal entertainment value). But for those who like a really meaty, complex mystery, this one's for you.

Book Binge contest

The ladies at Book Binge are being super generous with their holiday contest -- they're giving away an eBookwise e-Reader. Holy crap! And though they will have to tear my old-fashioned paper books from my cold, dead hands, I am starting to see the allure of e-books.

1. What is your favorite Christmas romance to re-read each year?
I haven't actually read much Christmas romance. But I recently read Marian's Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly, and it just might become a traditional re-read. I also read Dickens's A Christmas Carol every year.

2. What is your favorite Christmas movie/show?
Mickey's Christmas Carol. Really old half-hour Disney version that my brother and sister and I loved as kids. I still love it.

3. What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
Viennese Snowballs. They're walnut cookies rolled in powder sugar. I posted the recipe last year. YUMMY!

4. When do you start Christmas shopping?
Oh. I guess I should get on that soon, huh?

5. Do you re-gift?
Not really. I don't exchange gifts with that wide a group of people, so I usually don't end up getting much crap.

6. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

7. When do you get your Christmas tree?
Usually the first weekend in December.

8. Wrapping presents: Love it or hate it?
Love it! Pretty paper and ribbon=lotsa fun.

9. Who is the hardest person to buy for?
My uber-non-consumerist father.

10. Christmas tree: Real or artificial?
Both. Twin and I get a little real tree for our apartment. But then we go to our parents' house for the actual holiday, and there we have a gorgeous artificial tree.

Marian's Christmas Wish, Carla Kelly

Title: Marian's Christmas Wish
Author: Carla Kelly
Published: 1989, Signet
Category: Regency Romance
Rating: 8.5/10

I ordered this book because it was on JMC's AAR top romances list – and she's quite the Carla Kelly expert, so I figured it had to be good. And it's a full-length Christmas story, which is pretty hard to find. Yay!

Marian Wynswich is the youngest daughter of a family in trouble. Their father has died recently, leaving them with major financial problems due to his propensity for gambling (badly). Marian's brother Philip thinks that he may be able to save the family by marrying off the eldest Wynswich daughter, Ariadne (who is luckily beautiful and quite biddable), to someone wealthy. So Philip brings Sir William Clinghorn home for Christmas. Sir William turns out to be a silly, vulgar man, but he's rich and looking for a pretty, "proper" little wife. Ariadne is in love with the village's vicar, but she's apparently too weak to put up any protest. Marian, on the other hand, is not at all weak. She's used to saying what she thinks (and she thinks a lot), and what starts out as a passive-aggressive dislike of the toady little man soon turns into a scheme to get rid of him and save Ariadne. She's aided in her plans by her brother Alistair and Lord Gilbert, another friend of Philip's who came home with him for the holiday.

Marian and Gilbert quickly become very good friends. He's a serious man who's highly involved in very secret, very important, apparently dangerous diplomatic work. He was burned badly when a ship he was on caught fire, leaving him with an impressive scar on his cheek. He hasn't wanted to scare his family, which is why he didn't go to his own home for Christmas. Marian sets about trying to change his mind, even making it her wish on the Christmas pudding (an English tradition, apparently).

So that's not even all the plot; it is a lot more action-filled than I have found most of Carla Kelly's books to be. I do think the book has a slightly odd structure; it really felt like two novellas (starring the same characters) jammed together. The first half is your normal, nice Christmas story. The second half of the book is centered on a rather thrilling plot involving Gilbert's diplomatic work. I didn't mind the change, because both parts were really well done, but I still found it a little odd.

Anyway, besides that this book is completely brilliant. It is filled with the pragmatic, intelligent, kind characters that usually populate Kelly's books. Marian is very young (only 16!), so beware if that puts you off. But she is very wise for her age, and she is filled with a youthful enthusiasm that serves to startle Gilbert out of the gloomy oppression of his overactive sense of duty. The story is light and funny at times (Alistair especially is a riot), but it also has a certain gravity that keeps it from being fluffy.

The Christmas elements were lovely. I really have no idea whether they are historically accurate, but I'd bet they are. More importantly, the book has such a nice spirit to it -- the idea of Christmas as a time to appreciate your family, no matter how much they might drive you crazy through most of the year. It left me with fabulous warm fuzzies.

I Google. iGoogle.

Have people heard of iGoogle? They're customizable Google home pages. You pick a banner and what widgets you want to have displayed. I just discovered it, and it is cool.


Here's the banner I picked. The little fox is so cute! And the picture changes according to what time of the day it is for me. Like in the morning, the sun's way over to the left and he's picking oranges. Then at lunchtime he has a little picnic. And then, oh, look! He's fishing in his little boat. And then it gets dark and he sits on his deck. I don't know if he goes to bed or not. If he does, he stays up later than me. Okay, yes, it doesn't take much to amuse me.



But see, look at all my little tools. It has my weather, email, and unread posts on my google reader. A to-do list, a list of top-selling books, news stories, etc., etc. And a John Stewart quote of the day. Hee! And you can drag the tools around to put them exactly like you want.

It's good fun. :)