The Christmas Clock by Kat Martin [4 1/2]

Teddy Winters was eight years old that christmas, too young to understand all the undercurrents swirling around him in the tiny Michigan town of Dreyerville.

He wasn't able to value that christmas for the miracle it truly was.

Teddy only knew he wanted to buy the beautiful Victorian clock in the window of Tremont's Antiques as a gift for his grandmother, Lottie Sparks, a woman desperate to find him a home before her rapidly progressing Alzheimer's left him an orphan.

Teddy didn't know that in trying to buy the clock he would meet Sylvia Winters and Joe Dixon, a couple, once in love, desperate to overcome the past. He didn't know he would form a friendship with his neighbors, Floyd and Doris Culver, two people struggling to revive their long-dead marriage.

He didn't know that these people would fill his Christmas with magic and hope; that the love of his friends would change his world, and that he would forever change theirs.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year and while here in Australia it is usual hot I love to read stories set in the northern hemisphere where there is plenty of snow...

This is a beautiful story about forgiveness, love, hope, joy and the miracles that can happen in this wonderful time of year.

Teddy is a young boy who lives with his grandmother and wants to do some special for Christmas for her. He finds a beautiful clock in one of the local shops and works hard all summer to save the money.

Lottie Sparks has looked after her grandson since his mother died, but it is getting harder each day as her Alzheimer's is getting worse...she is worried what will happen to Teddy when she isn't able to look after him anymore.

Then there is Joe Dixon and Sylvia Winters who once were engaged to be married but never happened... the spark between them is still there but can old wounds be healed.

This is a very quick read with only 145 pg, but a beautiful story that will leave you believing in the miracles of Christmas.

A wonderful gift to give this Christmas.

"Immortal" by Gillian Shields [4]

Wyldcliffe Abbey School for Young Ladies, housed in a Gothic mansion on the bleak northern moors, is elite, expensive, and unwelcoming. When Evie Johnson is torn away from her home by the sea to become the newest scholarship student, she is more isolated than she could have dreamed. Strict teachers, snobbish students, and the oppressive atmosphere of Wyldcliffe leave Evie drowning in loneiness.

Evie's only lifeline is Sebastian, a rebelious, mocking, dangerously attractive young man she meets by chance. As Evie's feelings for Sebastian grow with each secret meeting, she starts to fear that he is hiding something about his past. And she is haunted by glimpses of a strange, ghostly girl -

a girl who is so eerily like Evie, she could be a sister. Evie is slowly drawn into a tangled web of past and present that she cannot control.

This book has the most beautiful cover which is what drew me too it.

A really wonderful read...it has suspense, romance and mysticism that will dazzle the reader and leaving you wanting more... it is what happens, there will have to be a second novel.

The two main characters are strong in their stories. Sebastian is the brooding handsome young man with a past that haunts him. Evie is a young girl who is trying to come too terms with the losses in her life and finds herself in a boarding school which is really lonely.

On a chance meeting the two find themselves drawn too each other and as they get to know one another fall in love. Fate will play a big roll in their lives and astounding secrets will be revealed and the two lovers will make life changing decisions.

A really enjoyable first novel, looking forward to how it finishes.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Fairy Tale" by Cyn Balog [3]

Morgan Sparks and Cam Browne are a match made in heaven. They've been best friends since birth, they tell each other everything, and oh yeah - they're totally hot for each other.

But a week before their joint sixteen bash, everything changes. Cam's awkward cousin Pip comes to stay, and cam starts acting distant. Morgan is stunned when her formerly perfect boyfriend seems to be drifting away.

When Morgan demands answers, she's shocked to discover the reason for Cam's distance.

It isn't another girl - it's another world.

Pip claims that Cam is a fairy. No, seriously. A fairy. And now his people want Cam to return to their world and take his rightful place as Fairy King.

I have been waiting a while to read this book and found it to be a little disappointing.

This is definitely a book for the 13-15 yr old. I've read a few books now to do with faeries and found the story on each is kind of similar...which is fine, but I just thought this one was a little weak compared to some of the others I've read.

The character of Morgan was a little whiny and I got feed up with it all being about her. Cam to me also came across as a little weak too.

Look the younger ones will probably enjoy it, but for adults you can find better out there.

I rate this book 3 stars.

"A Rose in Winter" by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss [5]

The enchantinng, raven-haired daughter of the village mayor, Erienne Flemming is the fairest bloom in her English village. And of all who desire her, she would have only one: the dashing and witty young Yankee, Christopher Seton. But a marriage for love is not to be, as Erienne is auctioned off to the highest bidder to help pay off her irresponsible father's debts. And in the end, it is the enigmatic Lord Saxton who purchases her hand - a tragic and secretive noble who hides his scars behind mask and clock, and who only appears to her after nightfall.

Resigned to a solitary life in cold and rambling Saxton Hall, Erienne slowly learns the true nature of the stranger she calls "husband." A gentle and adoring soul, he treats his new bride with warmth and abiding tenderness. But though she valiantly longs to remain true to her elusive, mysterious spouse, Erienne feels herself irresistibly drawn to Christopher Seton's passion, his fire, and his intrigues. And soon she will have to make a devastating choice: between her duty and her heart...

A stirring and unforgettable tale of love and duty.

This is the first time I have read any books from this author and she is definitely worth the read in this Genre. It is a long novel with 567pg, but you don't realize how quickly you get through it as you don't want to put it down. Her characters are strong and determined women who for one reason or another find themselves in peril and then are rescued by the dashing and handsome rakes who falls in love with them.

This novel is set in the north of England in 1792.

Erienne Flemming is the beautiful young beauty of her village and she has been struggling to keep her life and home together as her father the village Mayor, is a drunk and a gambler, who cares only for himself. He decides to sell Erienne to pay off his debts. While Erienne has met the rogue Christopher Seton and is drawn to him, it is the noble Lord Saxton that she is sold too.

As she gets too know both of these gentlemen she is torn in too, as her heart belongs too one, but she has a duty to the other.

What is a girl to do....read on and find out!

Great fluff read if you like this Genre.

"Splendor" by Anna Godbersen [5]

New York City 1900.

While the once revered Holland family recovers from scandal, the spirited Miss Diana Holland is seeking adventure abroad. But then a surprising clue about her father's death is revealed and everything is thrown into question.

Meanwhile, the delectable Henry Schoonmaker has also left the city and bravely gone to war while his wife relishes her role as Manhattan royalty - until a real prince pays a visit and turns her fickle head.

As New York's most dazzling stars chase dreams, cling to promises and tempt fate, society wonders: at exactly what price does a life of splendor come?

I've been hanging out for this fourth book and it hasn't disappointed.

As I've said before, it is Gossip Girl set in the nineteenth century...aheady mix of period parties, glitz and gossip. I terrific read if you like period style books.

The characters are all still very interesting and the author has put a few twists in the plot so the ending that you imagined it's quite that.

I don't want to give any of the story away...so I'll just say a great read.

Books in the series.

1.The Luxe

2. Rumours

3. Envy

4. Splendor.

Twenty's Girl by Sophie Kinsella - Discussion Questions

1. How do Sadie and Lara differ? What does Sadie want Lara to do with her life?

2. What do the two eventually come to have in common?

3. Both Sadie and Lara want to find the missing necklace, but both have different motives for wanting to find it. What are they?

4. Twenties Girl has been described as a coming-of-age story in which a young protagonist learns something that enables her to cross over into the adult world, more mature and wise than before. What does Lara learn by the end of the novel?

5. How would you describe the style: lyrical, pompous, complex and wordy, easy and straightforward, humorous, or offensive?

6. Are the characters convincing? Do they come alive for you? How would you describe them — as sympathetic, likeable, thoughtful, intelligent, innocent, naive, strong or weak? Something else?

7. Do you identify with any characters? Are you able to look at events in the book through their eyes — even if you don’t like or approve of them?

8. Do any characters change or grow by the end of the story? Do they come to view the world and their relationship to it differently?

9. Does the plot hold your interest? Does it keep you turning pages? Does it move briskly or unfold slowly?

10. Were you surprised by the ending? Was information withheld till the end? Were there cliff-hangers at the end of chapters? Did that irritate you or make you want to read on?

"A Kiss in Time" by Alex Flinn [4]

"What is that?" She points to the numbers on the shirt.

"The year. Old Navy puts the year on all their flag T-shirts. It's sort of a racket, I guess -

you have to buy a new one every year."

"That...is...the...year?"

She looks sort of sick. Her face is suddenly almost the same color green as her eyes. She begins to shake. "Oh, my...oh, no." She crumbles back onto the floor, as she was when I first saw her.

"It cannot be true. It cannot."

I kneel beside her. "What's the matter now? I thought you were fine."

She looks at me, then starts screaming. "Fine? Fine? I have been asleep nearly three hundred years!"

Another wonderfully told fairy tale set in the modern world. This time it is my favourite fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Princess Talia has been told all her life she is not to touch a spindle. She has been pampered and spoilt all her life. On her 16th birthday she defies her parents and does the unthinkable and pricks her finger on a spindle. Talia falls under the spell and sleeps along with her whole kingdom.

Jack is a teenager who feels that life is just passing him by...he has an annoying little sister and parents who just don't listen. Looking for a little adventure he escapes his tour group in Europe and stumbles upon a sleeping town and a beautiful girl who is asleep. What is a boy too do...I just had to kiss her.

Talia fell under the spell.

Jack broke the curse.

Now the fun begins...

A really great teen read, lots of funny incidents that kids will relate too.Age group recommended would be 13-15 years. A really great twist on the classic fairy tale.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Before the Season Ends" by Linore Rose Burkard [4]

Romantic woes at home send Ariana Forsythe to her wealthy Aunt Bentley's townhouse in fashionable Mayfair, London. Under her aunt's calculating eye, Ariana is thrust into high society and worse intrigue than that which prompted her flight from home. A scandalous rumour involving her with London's current darling rogue, the taciturn, though handsome. Mr Phillip Mornay, is launched on society in a malicious act of meanness that changes Ariana's life forever. Her faith, her future, and her heart are all at stake as she strives to clear her name and resist the man who does not share her faith.

What a surprising novel.

Regency romance are my all time favourite to read, but I haven't come across one with a spiritual background. Very well written and for those that like this period but find most authors have a little erotic romance in them...this had none. Great book too give your daughters if you like this style.

The basic story of this novel is about too people who meet and fall in love but come from different spiritual backgrounds and how they can keep their convictions while still loving each other.

This book will touch your heart and stay in your thoughts long after you've read it.

The sequel to this novel is...

"The House in Grosvenor Square"

A truly beautiful read.

"Fire" by Kristian Cashore [5]

Fire's exceptional beauty gives her influence and power. People who are susceptible to it will do anything for her attention, and for her affection. If she wished, they would abuse their power, crush nations and even destroy their own kingdoms to please her.

But beauty is only skin deep, and beneath it Fire has a human appreciation of right and wrong. Aware of her ability to influence others, and afraid of it, she lives in a corner of the world away from people - not only to protect them but also to protect herself from their attention, their distrust, and even their hatred.

Yet Fire is not the only danger to the Dells. If she wants to protect her home, if she wants a chance to undo the wrongs of the past, she must face her fears, her abilities, and a royal court full of powerful people with reason to distrust her.

Beauty is a weapon - and Fire is going to use it.

WOW....this second novel to the "Gracelling" series is brilliant.

I have so been waiting for this next installment and I was not disappointed.

It starts off in the same kingdom as the first novel, but then moves through the mountains and into the kingdom called the Dells. I am assuming it is set around the same time, but it doesn't really matter.

In the kingdom of the Dells they don't have people who are gifted with graces....

instead they have monsters... larger creatures of animals, birds, insects, fish etc.

Also people... Fire's father was a monster, which makes Fire half human, half monster.

This is where she gets her special abilities.

I don't want to give away any of the story, but I will say she is a sensitive girl who struggles with her abilities, she struggles with her relationship with her father and the people who have come to look upon her as family.This is a story of how she overcomes her fears and embraces her gifts.

Brilliantly written, I couldn't put it down until I knew how it finished.

This second novel is just as good as the first....loved it.

Enjoyed all the characters and reading of a new dangerous world.

I rate this book 5 stars.

"Betraying Season" by Marissa Doyle [4 1/2]

Penelope Leland has come to Ireland to study magic and prove to herself

that she is as good a witch as her twin sister, Persy.

But when the dashing Niall Keating begins to court her, Pen can't help

being distracted from her studies.

Little does pen know Niall is acting upon orders from his sorceress mother.

And although it starts as a sham, Niall actually falls deeply in love with Pen,

and she with him. Even if he halts his mother's evil plan, will Pen be able to forgive him

for trying to seduce her into a plot? And what of Pen's magic, which seems to be

increasingly powerful?

This is a wonderful second companion to the first novel, 'Bewitching Season'.

Pen has always thought she wasn't as good with magic as her sister Persy is, but she never really did try to concentrate when they were learning. Now that Persy is married she has come with her trust friend Ally who has married, to Ireland. Here Pen meets Lady Keating and her son Niall and she becomes good friend with them. Pen falls in love with Niall and Lady Keating is like a mother too her. Without spoiling the plot things happen and Pen has to use her magical abilities to her save her and the man she loves.

Really well written and flows along well from the previous novel. Delightful to read.

Beautiful novels to introduce to young girls who want a little romance in a novel as well as some adventure and a little bit of magic thrown in. Age group 13 to 15 year old.

I rate this book 4 1/2 stars.

"Storm Glass" by Maria V. Snyder [4]

As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowan understands trials by fire.

Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan's glass orbs,

killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers - particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade - require Opal's unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap into a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance - including her own - Opal must control powers she hasn't known she possessed...powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she's ever known.

This book is a spin off from the 'Poison Study' series.

While I enjoyed reading this book, I did find that I seemed to be reading the same type of story again, so I did find it a little monotonous. The main characters are new but we were introduced to Opal from the last series. Her character seems to be a tortured soul in the sense she feels responsible for the death of her sister and she doesn't feel she deserves to be at the magic school.

Opal soon discovers that she has more magical abilities than she realizes and her life is in danger because of it.

Well written...full of adventure... lots of magic...and a little romance thrown in.

A good teen read, especially if you enjoyed the first series.

I rate this book 4 stars.

"Bed of Roses" by Nora Roberts [5]

Since she was a little girl, Emmaline Grant has always loved romance. So it's really no surprise that she has found her calling as a wedding florist, working with her childhood friends Mackensie, Parker and Laurel. She couldn't ask for a better job.

And on the surface, Emma's love life seems to be thriving. Slim and sultry, she brings colour into every room she enters, just like the arrangements she creates. But while men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr Right - and the last place she's looking is under her nose.

But that's just where Jack Cooke is. he's been best friends with Parker's brother for years, which makes him practically family. Now the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship, and when Emma returns his passion - kiss for blistering kiss - things start to get complicated.

Second book in the Bride Quartet series....

I am absolutely loving this series and it totally sucks that I have to wait between books...

Emma is the romantic out of the four girls and she has always dreamed of meeting and falling in love with a man just like her mother did with her father.

Emma and Jack have known each other for quite a few years and it's always been a brother/sister type relationship....

that is until Jack kisses her, and everything changes...

While Emma yearns for the life-long love affair, Jack has never been one for commitment!

Will these two trust one another enough to find common ground?

Each of these girls has a beautifully told story about how they find their true love and happiness.

These books are just wonderful...

I love the friendship between each of the girls...

I love the way that they protect each other...

treasure they're unique gifts and talents they bring into their business.

The men in these books are handsome and hard working and willing to cherish the women they fall in love with...

Turning into my favourite series very quickly...

Definitely 5 stars.

Books in Series.

1. Vision in White

2. Bed of Roses.

3. Savour the Moment. [out May 2010]

4.

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr (41/2)

“Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone—but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he'd ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.

Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her—but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.

In Melissa Marr's third mesmerizing tale of Faerie, Seth and Aislinn struggle to stay true to themselves and each other in a milieu of shadowy rules and shifting allegiances, where old friends become new enemies and one wrong move could plunge the Earth into chaos.”

The third book in the series and it has to be one of my favourites !!!!!!!! ......... Melissa definitely has to write a fourth book ...... Please ........ You cannot keep us hanging to find out what happens next !!!!!!

The story line continues with Keenan, Aislinn and Seth the love Triangle ........ Now that Aislinn is Faerie and no longer mortal will her relationship with Seth still continue ...... Or will her strong pull toward her King Keenan draw her into his arms ......... Seth has made some powerful allies in the faeirie kingdom considering he is mortal but will it be enough to hold onto Aislinn ......

Love it ...... New characters being introduced and your old faithful characters that you will love ... This is such an easy book to read my only complaint is that it ended and I wanted more !!!! :( .....

A great book on relationships and trying to juggle them to make everyone happy ....... If you love your fantasy and Faeries you will eat this book up !!!!!!!

I rate this book 41/2 ****

Books in order of series

Wicked Lovely

Ink Exchange

Fragile Eternity

P.S Did I mention that I love the covers to this series ......... I would buy them just on that alone :) ...