Inspired by the many weekly memes about books.

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Really like the cover on this one.  The color, serpent/dragon-looking image.  I have to say I’ve liked all the covers in the series, but this one is the favorite so far.

In the second book, someone with a lot of pull learned Cady’s secret, someone who could use that knowledge to control her.  This development, along with the blurb, makes me anxious for Cady and her friends.  I wonder what the author’s ultimate goal, or major story arc, is for the series.

The book’s release date is May 28th, and it will be part of my Summer Reading List, and I’m looking forward to catching up with Cady, Lon, and Jupe.

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Binding the Shadows
(Jenn Bennett)

Title: Binding the Shadows
Author: Jenn Bennett
Series: Arcadia Bell #3
Published: 2013
Genre: Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads: Renegade mage and bartender Arcadia Bell has had a rough year, but now the door to her already unstable world is unhinging. When a citywide crime wave erupts, Cady’s demon-friendly tiki bar is robbed by Earthbounds wielding surreal demonic abilities that just flat-out shouldn’t exist. With the help of her devilishly delicious boyfriend, Lon Butler, Cady sets out to find the people who wronged her — but her targets aren’t the only ones experiencing unnatural metamorphoses. Can Cady track down the monsters responsible before the monster inside her destroys everything — and everyone — she loves? If she survives this adventure, one thing is certain: it’s last call for life as she knows it.

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The Lion Triumphant
(Philippa Carr)

Title: The Lion Triumphant
Author: Philippa Carr
Series: Daughters of England #2
Published: 1974
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

From Goodreads: Catharine, smarting from the bitter blow which deprived her of her lover, meets the lusty sea Captain Jake Pennlyon, who makes it clear that he allows nothing to come between him and his desires. Catharine is the chief of these and the battle between two strong-willed and tempestuous people is fought out in the shadow of the growing rivalry between Spain and England.

Catharine delights in outwitting the man who would subdue her and before he can have his way a mysterious abduction takes place. A captive on a Spanish galleon, Catharine experiences the terrors of the sea and makes the acquaintance of the mysterious and dignified Don Felipe. In the Hacienda she discovers the reason for her capture and what is demanded of her, which bears out the fact that Jake Pennlyon is a man whose life is inextricably interwoven with her own.

Dear Diary: Catharine Kingsman, the only child of Bruno and Damask Kingsman.  Heartbroken after learning she can never marry the man she loves, Catharine is in Devon, visiting her adopted sister Honey Ennis at Trewynd Grange.

This Day in History:  The Lion Triumphant picks up where the first book left off: the death of Queen Mary and the ascension of Elizabeth to the throne.  The book ends with the defeat of the Spanish armada (1558 – 1588).

How history played a part:  The on-going conflicts with Spain drive much of the plot.  Jake’s pirating leads to Catharine being kidnapped and brought to Tenerife (a.k.a, the Canary Islands).  Because the naval battle is so important to history, it’s no coincidence that Ms. Carr decided to make Jake a fiercely loyal and daring sea captain.

Jake Pennlyon and Don Felipe Gonzáles

Jake Pennlyon is, essentially, a pirate — particularly when Spanish ships are involved.  He’s fiercely loyal to queen and country, hates the Spanish specifically and Papists in general.  Most romance readers would probably throw the book against the wall in frustration because of his actions and attitudes. However, Jake doesn’t pretend to be something he isn’t just to appease someone else. He is true to his times, which doesn’t necessarily make him a good candidate for the role of romance hero.

Unlike his dead father-in-law, Bruno Kingsman, Jake truly loves the woman he married, despite the constant conflict between them.  In fact, it’s because Catharine stands up to him, argues with him, and even defies him on occasion, that he’s drawn to her.  A docile and meek wife would bore him — Jake needs a strong, passionate wife to verbally spar with, a wife who keeps him on his toes.

Though not perfect by a long shot, Jake is a better person than both Bruno and Colum Casvellyn (The Witch from the Sea), Jake’s future son-in-law.  Though all three men have similar traits (MUST. HAVE. SONS!!!!), Jake’s less self-centered than the other two.  He’s a fair and generous captain, who cares for the welfare of his sailors, which has earned their loyalty and respect.  He takes in the orphaned child of a fellow captain who lost his life sailing one of Jake’s ships.  Several of Jake’s illegitimate sons are raised in his household and treated as family, regardless of the status of their mothers.  He even allows Catharine’s Catholic son by Don Felipe to live with them, despite the fact the boy is a constant reminder that he has only daughters with Catharine.  In fact, Jake’s actions on Roberto’s behalf illustrates just how much Catharine means to him.

I’ve read many books by this author, under three of her pen names, and one plot device that she uses frequently is a quasi love triangle: the heroine is drawn to a beta male (kind, gentle, thoughtful) and manages to catch the eye of an alpha male (arrogant, demanding, larger-than-life) who sweeps her off her feet.  Who she eventually ends up with will vary.  For instance, in the first book, Damask marries Bruno (alpha) and after his death, she marries Rupert (beta).  This isn’t the case in The Lion Triumphant.  Despite the apparent differences between the two men, Don Felipe isn’t any better than Jake.

Don Felipe is the well-bred and noble governor of Tenerife.  His sheltered child-bride was raped by Jake during one of his raids of the island.  For revenge, he has Catharine brought to him, before she is due to marry Jake so that he can get her with child, just as Jake had left his bride.  Felipe says he abhor violence, but he tells Catharine she’d be better off if she submitted to the inevitable instead of attempting to fight him.

Unlike Jake, he isn’t pleased with Catharine’s spirited nature.  In fact he says to her:

“You will learn to curb you tongue while you are here.  It is not seemly for women to use that organ so constantly.  They should be gentle and gracious in the presence of their masters.”

Don Felipe tells her, initially, that he’ll send her back to England when she is pregnant, but when pressed about returning, he keeps putting it off.  He doesn’t want to lose his son and Catharine can’t imagine leaving her child.  Of course, Felipe has fallen in love with her as well.  Unfortunately, he’s still married.

Even after she does become his wife, Catharine doesn’t enjoy any more freedom than she did as his hostage/prisoner.  She can’t visit her family in England though Felipe often talks of taking her to Spain; she must show she’s a devout Catholic or she’ll end up in the hands of the Inquisition; she can’t even leave the estate grounds without guards.  There are rumors that Felipe had a hand in the death of his first wife — which Catharine also has some suspicions of — and there are murmurings that Catharine bewitched Felipe.  I couldn’t wait until Jake showed up to rescue her from the island.  I did not like Felipe at all.

Verdict:  Overall, I found it less of a chore to read this time.  I read the ebook version and I really liked the experience.  As I write, I’m in the middle of reading the ebook version of The Witch from the Sea.  I would have finished by now, but I took the time to work on this instead.

One of the best things about the book is that the hard-to-accept male lead, Jake, spends a lot of time somewhere else — usually at sea. Whole chapters go by without him featured.

I find it interesting to note that a lot is made of the fact Honey and Edwina are descended from a witch. Catharine is also descended from the same woman, through her father, it’s not dwelt on.  I guess only descendants through the female line count when referring to witchcraft.  And speaking of Catharine — the unusual spelling with an “a” isn’t a typo.  That’s how it was spelled in the book.  However, it is spelled “Catherine” in The Witch from the Sea.

Though not my favorite book — or favorite hero — I can see myself re-reading this book at a later date.

Start: 2 March 2013
Finished: 10 March 2013

Challenges:
Daughters of England
E-Book Challenge
Historical Fiction
Mt. TBR

Rating:

Disclaimer: I purchased this book.

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Inspired by the many weekly memes about books.

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I’ve enjoyed much of this series so far.  This book re-visits Dragos and Pia. Pia’s on a diplomatic mission, while Dragos stays in New York to find replacements for Tiago and Rune.  The sixth book is due in November.

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Lord’s Fall
(Thea Harrison)

Title: Lord’s Fall
Author: Thea Harrison
Series: Elder Races #5
Published: 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
From Goodreads: Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners — in more places than just the bedroom.

In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear.

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photo credit: UGArdener via photopin cc

Did very well with the list of potentials, but not so good with the monthly picks.  I will finish The Masque of the Black Tulip this weekend, and The Daughters of England books have been pushed back a month.

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• The Masque of the Black Tulip (Lauren Willig) — not read this month
• Timeless (Gail Carriger) — if not read by the end of February DNF
• The Lion Triumphant (Philippa Carr) √

• A Lot Like Love (Julie James) √
• The Witch From the Sea (Philippa Carr) — Moved to May

• Tangle of Need (Nalini Singh) — READ IN MARCH !
• Saraband for Two Sisters (Philippa Carr) — Moved to Summer List
• Ruby Red (Kerstin Gier)

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The list of potential reads for the season:

• Blazing the Trail (Deborah Cooke)
• Dark Triumph (Robin LaFevers) √
• Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) √
• White Hot (Nina Bruhns) √
• Monsoon Wedding Fever (Shoma Narayanan) √
• The One That Got Away (Kelly Hunter) √
• Pies and Prejudice (Ellery Adams) DNF
• Sins of the Son (Linda Poitevin)
• Kitty Goes to Washington (Carrie Vaughn)
• Grave Dance (Kalayna Price)
• Shades of Midnight (Lara Adrian) √
• Forbidden Jewel of India (Louise Allen)
• The Unfinished Clue (Georgette Heyer)
• Conspiracy in Death (J. D. Robb)

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Inspired by the many weekly memes about books.

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The second book in the InCryptid series is one of my Most Anticipated Books of 2013.  Of the eleven books on that list, I’ve only read two, so far.  My plan for this summer is check off a few more from that list.  I also plan to tackle a few more ‘next in the series’ books.  I’m still working on the list, but it shaping up to be heavy on the paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

I’m looking forward to catching up with Verity and the mice.  Love those mice!

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Midnight Blue-Light Special
(Seanan McGuire)

Title: Midnight Blue-Light Special
Author: Seanan McGuire
Series: InCryptid #2
Published: 2O13
Genre: Urban Fantasy

From Goodreads: The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity — and humanity from them. Enter Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she’d rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and when her work with the cryptid community took her to Manhattan, she thought she would finally be free to pursue competition-level dance in earnest. It didn’t quite work out that way…

But now, with the snake cult that was killing virgins all over Manhattan finally taken care of, Verity is ready to settle down for some serious ballroom dancing — until her on-again, off-again, semi-boyfriend Dominic De Luca, a member of the monster-hunting Covenant of St. George, informs her that the Covenant is on their way to assess the city’s readiness for a cryptid purge. With everything and everyone she loves on the line, there’s no way Verity can take that lying down.

Alliances will be tested, allies will be questioned, lives will be lost, and the talking mice in Verity’s apartment will immortalize everything as holy writ — assuming there’s anyone left standing when all is said and done. It’s a midnight blue-light special, and the sale of the day is on betrayal, deceit…and carnage.

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I had a very good reading month. I’m half way through The Masque of the Black Tulip, which I am enjoying — just not getting a lot of pages read. I took some time away from reading to set up May’s Spotlights and to work on my Summer Reading List.

I’ve met my initial reading goal for the E-book challenge in April, so starting with May, my new goal will be 25 ebooks (DVD level).  I will be updating my Spring List in the next few days and I should be posting the first May Spotlight before the weekend.

Well, it seems that this update will be as short as the previous one.  I don’t have much to say.  Happy reading!

• Pride and Prejudice (Austen, Jane) (6 Apr 13) – 5 stars – Ebook; Historical Fiction; Mt. TBR
• A Lot Like Love (James, Julie) (11 Apr 13) – 4 stars – Baker’s Dozen; Quick Fix; Romance; Sequels; Mt. TBR
• Dark Triumphant (LaFevers, Robin) (13 Apr 13) – 5 stars – Baker’s Dozen; Historical Fiction; Romance; Sequels
• Shades of Midnight (Adrian, Lara) (14 Apr 13) – 4 stars – Baker’s Dozen; Mt. TBR; Seriously Series
• Monsoon Wedding Fever (Narayanan, Shoma) (14 Apr 13) – 4 stars – Quick Fix

Reviews added this month.

• NONE

Challenges Completed this month:
None

Incomplete (Ended in April)
NONE

2013 Challenges:
A Baker’s Dozen (personal) – 11/39
Cruising’ thru the Cozies (7-13) – 3/?
E-book Challenge – 10/10 — will be moving up to the next level
Historical Fiction – 5/15
Mt TBR – 7/48
Off the Shelf – 0/15
Quick Fix (20+) – 14/20
Romance Reading – 3/5
Sequel Reading – 4/12
Seriously Series (11-?) – 5/?
Vintage Mystery – 1/8

2013-2014 Challenges:
Daughters of England (personal) – 2/19

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♥ Georgette Heyer (Month): 0
Georgette Heyer (Year): 0
Grand Total since 2008: 5
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♥ In Death (Month): 0
In Death (Year): 0
Grand Total since 2010: 3

Totals (Monthly/Yearly)

Total Read (Month): 5
Total Heard (Month): 0
Grand Total (Year): 25
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Total Audio Hours(Month): 0
Total Audio Hours (Year): 0
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Total Pages Read (Month): 1,709
Grand Total (Year): 6,585

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Once a month, a book from the Daughters of England series by Philippa Carr will be featured.  Besides Goodreads and Fantastic Fiction, the source for some of the book covers and blurbs is Eleanor Alice Burford Hibbert (aka Jean Plaidy, Victoria Holt, Philippa Carr), a very useful fan site.  Included on the site is a nifty family tree on the bottom of the page.  Consider it a SPOILER for the series.

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The 3rd book in the series is the first book to have two narrators:  Linnet Pennlyon, daughter of Jake and Catharine; and Tamsyn Casvellyn, daughter of Linnet  and Colum.  It is the only one that features a mother-daughter duo — the fourth book, for instance, features sisters.  The mysteries that are chronicled in Linnet’s “journal” are resolved in Tamsyn’s.

As I’ve mentioned in the Spotlight for The Lion Triumphant, this was my first Philippa Carr. I  think it’s the most Gothic, the most like a Victoria Holt novel, than the first two.

I’m pretty sure I won’t get to this book by the end of April, so I’m now two books behind my original schedule.  This is actually a good thing because my original plan was to post a Spotlight one month and then read the book the following month.  This delay will put me back on that schedule.

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The Witch from the Sea
Philippa Carr

Title: The Witch from the Sea
Author: Philippa Carr
Series: Daughters of England #3
Published: 1975
Genre: Historical Romance, Historical Fiction

From Goodreads: A reluctant bride has just begun to love her volatile husband when she rescues a mysterious woman who will bring terrible danger to them all

Linnet Pennlyon, proud daughter of a sea captain, finds herself in a vicious trap: Pregnancy has forced her to marry the cunning Squire Colum Casvellyn. Once their baby is born, she devotes herself to their son. Yet, little by little, against her will, Linnet finds herself drawn to her passionate, mercurial husband. Dark secrets lurk in their castle: The squire’s first wife died amid rumors of foul play. When a beautiful stranger washes up on the shore, Linnet suddenly finds she’s no longer in control of her family—or her life.

It falls to Linnet’s daughter, Tamsyn, to uncover the truth about a long-ago night . . . and put to rest the rumors about her beloved mother. Her discovery sets in motion an unstoppable chain of events that will reverberate for decades to come.

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Inspired by the many weekly memes about books.

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What: 2013 Seriously Series Reading Challenge
When: 1 January – 31 December 2013
Who: Reading the Paranormal & On a Book Bender
Rules: The goal is to catch up on as many series as you want by the end of the year.

I’m on track to complete the Psy-Changeling portion of this challenge before the next quarterly update — book 12 will be released in June, and I plan to read it right away.  If I read Spellfire earlier then I initially planned on, then I’ll be 2 down.  If things continue to go as planned, I will complete the challenge in September or October.

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SEMI-SERIOUS (3 series, all started prior to 2013)

Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed: 1/6

• Ashes of Midnight (Adrian, Lara) (21 Jan 13) – 4 stars √
• Shades of Midnight (Midnight Breed 7)
• Taken by Midnight (Midnight Breed 8)
• Deeper than Midnight (Midnight Breed 9)
• A Taste of Midnight (Midnight Breed 9.5)
• Darker After Midnight (Midnight Breed 10)

Jessica Andersen’s Final Prophecy/Nightkeepers: 0/1

• Spellfire (Nightkeepers 8)

Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling: 3/4

• “Whisper of Sin” (#8.5) (#0.6), Burning Up (anthology) (20 Mar 13) – 5 stars √
• Tangle of Need (Psy-Changeling 11) (16 Mar 13) – 5 stars √
• Wild Invitation (Psy-Changeling Anthology) (17 Mar 13) – 5 stars √
• Heart of Obsidian (Psy-Changeling 12) (due June 2013)

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Inspired by the many weekly memes about books.

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Despite my well-intentioned efforts over the last several years, I’ve yet to make much progress with my Georgette Heyer Perpetual Reading Challenge.  This year, I have a double incentive to read her books:  I’ve signed up for a vintage mystery challenge.  I’ve enjoyed her writing and it’s a shame that I don’t make more of an effort to read her novels.

This book is on my Spring Reading List. I’ve done well, so far, with sticking to the list, so I’m pretty sure it will be read before the end of May!

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The Unfinished Clue
Georgette Heyer

Title: The Unfinished Clue
Author: Georgette Heyer
Series: N/A
Published: 1937
Genre: Mystery

From Goodreads: A houseful of people he loathes is not Sir Arthur’s worst problem…

It should have been a lovely English country-house weekend. But the unfortunate guest-list is enough to exasperate a saint, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch hated by everyone from his disinherited son to his wife’s stoic would-be lover. When Sir Arthur is found stabbed to death, no one is particularly grieved–and no one has an alibi. The unhappy guests fi nd themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard’s cool-headed Inspector Harding, who has solved tough cases before–but this time, the talented young inspector discovers much more than he’s bargained for.

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Since I posted February’s update so late in the month of March, I have very little to say other than that it turned out to be a much better reading month than expected. I completed 9 books. Ok, so three of them were actually shorter works (two novellas and a short story) and two are technically re-reads (Chamber of Secrets and The Lion Triumphant).

The only reading challenge I was determined not to fall too far behind was the Daughters of England, but the rest of my reading choices turned out to be good ones for the E-Book Challenge, the Quick Fix Challenge, and the Seriously Series Challenge as well. I’ll be moving up to the next level in the E-Book Challenge as a result.

I posted my review/commentary of The Miracle of St. Bruno’s. I liked the format I used, though I might tweak it a bit.

• The Lion Triumphant (Carr, Philippa) (10 Mar 13) – 3 stars – DOE; E-Book; Historical Fiction; Mt. TBR
• Tangle of Need (Singh, Nalini) (16 Mar 13) – 5 stars - Baker’s Dozen; Seriously Series
• Wild Invitation (Singh, Nalini) (17 Mar 13) – 5 stars – 4 stars – Baker’s Dozen; Seriously Series
• “Whisper of Sin” (Singh, Nalini), Burning Up (Anthology) (20 Mar 13) – 5 stars - Baker’s Dozen; Seriously Series
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling, J. K.) (21 Mar 13) – 5 stars – E-Book
• White Hot (Bruhns, Nina) (30 Mar 13) – 4 stars – Sequels; Quick Fix
• The One that Got Away (Hunter, Kelly) (31 Mar 13) – 4 stars – Quick Fix; Baker’s Dozen
• Reflected Desire (Castle, Kendra Leigh) (31 Mar 13)  – 4 stars – Quick Fix; E-book
• A Little Night Muse (Slade, Jessa) (31 Mar 13) – 4 stars – Quick Fix; Baker’s Dozen; E-Book

Reviews added this month.

• The Miracle at St. Bruno’s

Challenges Completed this month:
None

Incomplete (Ended in March)
NONE

2013 Challenges:
A Baker’s Dozen (personal) – 8/39
Cruising’ thru the Cozies (7-13) – 3/?
E-book Challenge – 9/10
Historical Fiction – 3/15
Mt TBR – 4/48
Off the Shelf – 0/15
Quick Fix (20+) – 12/20
Romance Reading – 1/5
Sequel Reading – 2/12
Seriously Series (11-?) – 4/?
Vintage Mystery – 1/8

2013-2014 Challenges:
Daughters of England (personal) – 2/19

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♥ Georgette Heyer (Month): 0
Georgette Heyer (Year): 0
Grand Total since 2008: 5
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♥ In Death (Month): 0
In Death (Year): 0
Grand Total since 2010: 3

Totals (Monthly/Yearly)

Total Read (Month): 9
Total Heard (Month): 0
Grand Total (Year): 20
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Total Audio Hours(Month): 0
Total Audio Hours (Year): 0
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Total Pages Read (Month): 2,212
Grand Total (Year): 4,876

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