Duchess by Night by Eloisa James (4)

Disguise is a dangerous game . . . After a lifetime as a wallflower, Harriet, the Duchess of Berrow, is finally seeking a little pleasure of her own. And where better to begin than at the house of one of the most disreputable men in the country, Lord Strange? However, the high-stakes games of lust and chance that rule Strange's household mean that to cross the threshold could entirely ruin her reputation. So Harriet swaps her hoops and corsets for a pair of breeches and transforms herself into a young male relative of the Duke of Villiers. Before she knows it she's writing bawdy missives on behalf of a young actress, not to mention winning card games played by the most powerful men in England. But when she starts attracting male attention, Harriet must decide whether to stay in her disguise - or to reveal that she's really a duchess by night . . .

The third book in the Duchess series and I have to say this is my favourite one so far ....

It has everything in a Romance that you could ask for ... Beautiful houses, dashing men, Mystery and of course your gorgeous leading ladies !!! ........

The story is set around Harriet who is a the Duchess of Berrow and how she can find not only adventure but also love in the 'Strangest' place ...........

There are moments that will have you laughing and glad that you are a woman in the 21st century and not back then ........ I cannot even imagine spending 2 hours doing my hair each morning !!! .........

I loved this book and the Duke of Villiers is growing on me .... lol ........

I rate this book 4 ****

P.S ..... I little note to my mom .... This book is dedicated to your favourite author Georgette Heyer !!

An Affair before Christmas by Eloisa James (3)

One spectacular Christmas, Miss Perdita Poppy Selby met the man she thought she would love forever. The devilishly attractive Duke of Fletcher was everything the convent-educated girl wished for in a suitor and their wedding day was perfect. Unfortunately, no one had quite prepared Poppy for what would happen next. Four years later, Poppy and the duke have become the toast of High Society but behind closed doors the spark of their love affair has burned out. Fortunately, Poppy has a friend in Jemma, the Duchess of Beaumont. Jemma, who is toying with another man herself, reveals to Poppy a world of strategy and desire that will change Poppy s whole outlook on love forever.

Well are we not lovin the covers of these books ...... This is the second in the series of the Duchess and although I did enjoy it is not as good as the first one ...

I love how there are certain characters which are popping up in the books .... And you are getting to know them better .... And I have to say that I love the character of Jemma .... and really hope that we will be able to find out more of her story ...

This book focus mostly on 'Poppy' or better known as Mrs Peridita Selby and how as a little girl all she ever wanted was to be married to a Duke. Now that she has her wish and it is 4 years later is she really happy???? .........

These books are light hearted and very girlie ......... So if you are looking for something that you can sit in front of the fire and just get lost in for a few hours ..... You will love this series ....

I rate this book 3 ***

Desperate Duchesses by Elosia James (4)

It is Spring 1783 . . . Jemma, Duchess of Beaumont, has just returned from Paris and is planning to shock all of London High Society - not to mention horrify her husband - with scandalous soirees and a debauched Grand Ball.But irritating her husband comes naturally, and she needs a challenge. When her country cousin Lady Roberta St. Giles asks for help seducing the Duke of Villiers into marriage, Jemma jumps at the chance. She transforms Roberta into the most delicious and desirable woman in town. Then she lures Villiers to the house, ostensibly to play chess.But the plan backfires. Villiers responds enthusiastically to Jemma's challenge and, ignoring Roberta or indeed Jemma's husband.

This is the first in the Duchess Series ........ ( You can read the other novels as stand alone works but there are common characters throughout the series and is better to read them in order ) Thanks to Legs for me know :) .......... And lending me the first couple books .........

Isn't the cover gorgeous ......... I really enjoyed this novel and it is an easy read ......... There is romance, big houses and even bigger dresses ........ Beautiful woman and dashing men ....... With a really good story to boot ...... There is a couple of sexy scenes in it ..... But all in all a really good story that you can curl up in front of the fire and just read ......... Will Roberta get her Duke? and will the Duchess Jemma mend her ways and become a respectable lady? You are going to have to read the book to find out !!!

I rate this book 4****

'Vision in White' by Nora Roberts. [4]

Photographer Mackensie Elliot has suffered a tough childhood and still has a bad relationship with her mother, which makes her wary of commitment. But when she meets Carter Maguire, she can't stop herself falling for him, although his ex-girlfriend is prepared to play dirty to keep him. Mackensie soon realizes she has to put her past demons to rest in order to find lasting love...

Fourth book down in the reading challenge and first time reading a Nora Roberts novel. Really enjoyed this one and the wonderful thing is there will be another three to follow. The series goes as follows :

Childhood friends Mackensie, Parker, Laurel, and Emmaline have formed a very successful wedding-planning business together but, despite helping thousands of happy couples to organise the biggest day of their lives, all four women are unlucky in love.

Every girls fantasy is to have that perfect wedding day, and these four women know how to make your dreams come true... There is a special bond of friendship that keeps these women together through their professional lives as well as their personal... they are there for each other. While romance is something they give to their clients, it is something that each one of them is searching for.

Wonderfully easy read that draws you into the girls lives, and you wish you could be apart of it all. Can't wait for the next one... entitled 'Bed of Roses'

Rate this book 4 stars.

'Knife' by R.J Anderson [3 1/2]

Knife woke in a cold sweat, the torn edge of her wing sizzling with pain.

How long had she lain unconscious?

Her worst fears had come to pass: she was trapped, flightless, a prisoner.

The humans had put her in a box, and now they had come to torment her...

Second faerie book read,

this one is well suited to 13 /14 year old girls, they will love reading it.

This has been written from a faerie's point of view.

Well written you will not want to put it down until your finished.

Knife is the main character and she is a young faerie who has spirit and determination to have some freedom in her life. Though at the time she thinks freedom is flying outside her realm.

The book was a little confusing at first because the character of Knife starts with a different name but it all falls into place.

If you have any daughter's that love faerie's, they will love reading this then.

The cover is really beautiful and that's what attracted me to it.

Not a bad read.

I rate this book 3 1/2 stars.

'The Fetch' by Laura Whitcomb [3]

Calder, like every Fetch, had only one name,

but he had two ages: his Earth Years numbered nineteen and his Death Years numbered three hundred and thirty. Though it was no excuse for what he would do, for a Fetch, Calder was young.

The Order of the Fetch, on the other hand, was old - it began when the ruins of the first garden could still be found hiding in the desert beside a river, a blanket of green vines having grown over her like a shroud, and, in this moist cave that was once Eden, at the heart of her darkness, the Tree of Knowledge bowed to the earth.

For some reason I struggled with this book.

The story is set around the Russian Revolution and involves the royal family.

You'd think that would be a plus in it self.

Calder is the main character along with two children from the royal family, Ana and her brother Alexis. Calder becomes obsessed with the Queen and does something that no Fetch should do, causing all sorts of chaos in the aftermath, the story continues with him trying to fix what he caused.

It took me a week to get through this story and for the life of me, I can't put my finger on why it took so long.

The book has a beautiful cover and it's a hard back to boot,

but apart from that I was disappointed with it. I don't know if it was the way in which the story was written that it couldv'e been better or it just lacked something... I'm just not sure what?

It's interesting... but I think it would be quite sometime before I would pick it up again.

Be interested to hear what other people think of it!

I rate this book 3 stars.

'Wings' by Aprilynee Pike

Laurel was mesmerised, staring at the pale things with wide eyes.

They were terrifyingly beautiful - too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head.

They looked almost like wings.

This is the first story that I have read about faeries....

Loved it, loved it, loved it!

For a debut novel the author has done an amazing job and she leaves you wanting more.

It's a magical tale of romance and danger and friendship.

Laurel is a young 15 year old who has moved to a new school after being home schooled for all her life. She is struggling with all the new surroundings within the school environment.

David notices her straight away and befriends her and knows there is something different about Laurel. Together they discover what it is and how to deal with it.

Beautifully written novel that you will finish in a day because you'll find you can't put it down until your done. It looks like it will be a series as the author has definitely left it open to continue.

Faerie books are the new vampire novels, will read more.

I rate this book 4 stars.

Discussion Questions for The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

1. Do you think Dr. Faraday is a reliable narrator? Why? Or why not?


2. What do you think is responsible for the disturbances at Hundreds Hall? Is it something supernatural or the effects of mental illness?

3. We never learn Dr. Faraday’s first name. Why?

4. What do you think about Dr. Faraday’s relationship with Caroline? Are his feelings for her genuine? What about hers for him?

5. The Ayres family had land, wealth, and power for generations--while their neighbors lived in relative destitution-- before their post-war decline. Given this history, did you sympathize with them when it became clear they were passing out of favor?

6. How does Mrs. Ayres’ attitude toward Dr. Faraday change over the course of the novel? Why?

7. What you think of the decision to commit Roderick to an institution? Is it justified? Do you think it spared his life?

8. Were the Baker-Hydes correct in insisting that Gyp be put down? Or was their reaction to their daughter’s injury unjustified?

9. It is Betty’s unease living at Hundreds that causes her to feign illness and bring Dr. Faraday back to Hundreds for the first time since his youth? Do you think she was unusually prescient, sensing something ominous was about to take place at Hundreds?

10. How is Dr. Faraday's role as a country doctor in the 1940’s different from practicing medicine now? Given these changes, do you think a story like his could take place today?

11. Caroline’s decision to sell off her family’s land so that council houses could be built is just one of the ways The Little Stranger speaks to the changes happening in Britain at the time. How else does the book reflect the reconfiguration of post World War II British society?

Prom Nights from Hell by Meg Cabot, Stephenie Meyer, Kim Harrison, Michele Jaffe, Lauren Myracle (4)

In this exciting collection, bestselling authors Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Kim Harrison (A Fistful of Charms), Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty), Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), and Lauren Myracle (ttyl) take bad prom nights to a whole new level—a paranormally bad level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a creepy take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, scary fun.

This is an easy read with five short stories by some of the most popular young authors at the moment !!! Not only is this a fun book but also a portion of the proceeds goes to a good cause ... The First Book organization which gives families with low incomes the opportunity to own there own books ...... Which I love .....

My favourite stories in the book where The Exterminator's Daughter by Meg Cabot .... A funny story that I would have liked to have read more about !!! .......And Madison Avery and the Dim Reaper by Kim Harrison which was again funny and wished there was more !!!

This is a great wee book that you would read in an afternoon ........ And that Teens that like Fantasy will eat up .....

I rate this book 4 ****

A Secret Alchemy by Emma Darwin (3)

Cruel betrayals, royal secrets and an ancient murder. Two murdered princes; a powerful queen betrayed; a nobleman riding towards his certain death... Everyone thinks they know about the Princes in the Tower: one of the most fascinating, and most brutal, murder mysteries in British history. But the real story of the suspicious deaths of the young Edward V and his brother, and the involvement of the man who would become Richard III, remains unknown, over five hundred years since the boys were taken from their mother, Elizabeth Woodville, wife of Edward IV. Now, in a brilliant feat of historical daring, Emma Darwin has recreated their world and their terrible, exhilarating story: the power struggles and passion that lay behind their birth; the danger into which they fell; the profoundly moving days before their imprisonment; and the betrayal of innocence.

Well loving the cover and with reading the back of the book we as a book club where totally intrigued ....... And I have to say that I was abit disappointed with it ...... With the books description I was looking forward to the story of the two princes and what happened to them ...... But that story is barely touched on during the whole book ........ The book itself is two stories one in Modern times with Uma and Mark ( Which to be honest you could have done without) and the story of Elizabeth and Edward ( Which I could have had more of ) ...... If the book had been described as the story of Elizabeth and Edward I think that I would have been satisfied by that but it wasn't .........

There is a historical history at the back of the book which I was advised to read by one of the book girls first ...... Which I am glad that I did but I felt that unless you know a little about the monarchy of that era you will be completely lost ....... Which sorry to say I was for the first 150 pages of the book ... I do realize that the book goes back into time to cover the two periods but there is no clear way that this novel does it ... One minute you are reading about Queen Elizabeth and then in the next sentence you are deported to modern times ..... Very confusing .....

The best pieces of this novel are definitely with Elizabeth her brother Anthony and her husband the King Edward ...... I just wished that there was more ........... I was waiting and waiting for the story of the two princes and was left abit flat as this story was never really mentioned ... It did make me curious to actually search out more books about Elizabeth and Edward to compare stories ......

Sad to say that is an average read for me ....... Could have been alot better and had so much potential ........

I rate this book 3 ***

Hunted by P.C and Kristin Cast (3)

The good news: Zoey's friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren't Neferet's secrets any longer. The bad news: Ancient evil with the face of an angel has been let loose - that and various other nasties (whose faces aren't so angelic). Grandma Redbird is in trouble. Heath is in trouble. The House of Night is in trouble. Okay, let's face it - Zoey's whole world is in trouble! But when the trouble comes from a being who appears to be beauty personified, will the world believe it? Especially when only a teenager and a group of misfits are the only ones who really understand the danger he brings. Will Zoey have the strength and wisdom to reveal the truth?

This is book 5 of the House of Night Series and I thought it was OK ............ There was less of the rituals in this book and more story which I thought was good ........ But I have to say that the Character of Zoey is really easily swayed when it comes to Boys ......... Which to be honest frustrates me at times ......... First she is madly in love with her Vampire boyfriend and then two seconds later she is cuddling up to her human boyfriend .......

The character that I enjoy the most would have to be Aphrodite she is witty and tells it how it is ... The way that is left in the book there definitely could be more in this series .....

As Vampire books go it is an OK series but not one that I would rave about ...... I prefer Vampire Academy or the Sooky Stackhouse series ..... This is classed as a teen series but would definitely make sure that it was the older end of the market because of the language and some of the subject matter ......

I rate this book 3 ***

Untamed by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast (31/2)

Life sucks when your friends are mad at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.

This is the 4th book in the House of Night Series and I am finding as they go on they are getting better ....... I did notice a label at the back of the book which reads 'not suitable for younger readers' which I have to say I am quite glad about ..... As this series is targeted towards the teen reader !!! ....... I have found that the more you get into the series the less the language and sex talk there is !!

I would have to say I enjoyed this one and looking forward to reading the next one as it left you on tender hooks as to what will happen next !! You do feel sorry for Zoey it isn't easy for her with everyone looking at you to be the next big thing ........ But some how she always ends up getting misunderstood and not in a good way !!!!!!!!! ......... Will she be able to band her wee group together in time to save the day !!!!!!!!

If you love Vampire books then you will enjoy this series but it is definitely one for the older teen .............

I rate this book 31/2 ***

Teaser Tuesdays

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers

"I reread the paragraph three times and slowly deciphered the geek talk, only to realize it didn't tell me anything more than the first definition. On to the next one, also from Wikipedia."

Pg 105 of The Summoning by Kelley Armstong

'The Season' by Sarah MacLean [5]

Seventeen- year-old Lady Alexander Stafford doesn't fit into the world of Regency London - she's strong willed, sharped tongued, and she absolutely loathes dress fittings. Unfortunately, her mother has been waiting years for Alex to be old enough to take part in the social whirlwind of a London season so she can be married off to someone safe, respectable, wealthy, and almost certainly boring. But Alex is much more interested in adventure than romance.

Between sumptuous balls, lavish dinner parties, and country weekends, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get entangled in her biggest scrape yet. When the Earl of Blackmoor is killed in a puzzling accident, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. It's a mystery brimming with espionage, murder, and suspicion. As she and Gavin grow closer, will Alex's heart be stolen in the process?

Romance and danger fill the air, as this year's season begins!

Boys, ballgowns, romance and mystery....

What more can you want in a romance novel. But the core heart of this story is about female friendship and the strong ties that last throughout the centuries.

I loved every aspect of this novel... the way it has been written, the characters, the plot, the back drop... everything!

It makes you realize how important it is for us girls to have the companionship of other women in our lives and to share things with each other without fear of judgement.

I truly hope that the author is writing a second novel to this one, as it would be wonderful to follow the lives of Alex's girlfriends.

Can't rave enough about this book....

Wonderful cover, hardback copy a bonus.

Please read if you love these type of books.

5*****

'Duchess by Night' by Eloisa James {4 1/2 }

Harriet, the Duchess of Berrow, is finally seeking some excitement, after a lifetime as a wallflower.

And where better to begin than at the house of one of the most

disreputable men in the country, Lord Strange?

The high-stakes games of lust and chance that rule Strange's household mean,

however, that even crossing the threshold could entirely ruin her reputation.

So Harriet decides to swap her hoops and corsets for a pair of

breeches and transforms herself into a young male relative

of the Duke of Villiers.

Third book in the Desperate Duchess series and an absolute joy to read. While each book can be read on it's own accord, it is better to start at the beginning as there are reoccurring characters throughout the series.

Beautifully written and easily read, you don't want to put it down until your finish.

The characters are wonderful especially the Duchesses...

Harriet is a woman who just wants to be loved by a man and not come second in their life.

She is smart, brave, cheeky, loyal, and wanting the love of a good man. She sees all this in Lord Strange... even though he doesn't think he's good enough for her.

I'm absolutely loving this series and highly recommend it to those that love their Historical romance novels.

The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong (4)

The first book in the Darkest Powers trilogy - a brand new series by bestselling author Kelley Armstrong. All Chloe Saunders wants is a life like any normal teenager - the chance to get through school, make friends, and maybe meet a boy. But when she starts seeing ghosts, she knows that life will never be normal again. Soon ghosts are everywhere, demanding her attention. When Chloe finally breaks down, she's admitted to a group home for disturbed kids. At first Lyle House seems okay, but as she gets to know the other patients - charming Simon and his ominous, unsmiling brother Derek; obnoxious Tori; and Rae, who has a 'thing' for fire - Chloe begins to realise that something strange and sinister binds them all together, and it isn't your usual 'problem kid' behaviour. And they're about to discover that Lyle House is not your usual group home, either ...

I love the cover to this series and I have to say that I will be going out to get the second book of the series .......

When Chloe starts to see Ghosts everywhere people begin to think she is crazy (including herself) so she is send to a group home for troubled kids ........ But things are not what they seem ...... Are the doctors really trying to help the patients there or do they have other motives! ....... Who can Chloe trust? .......... She is confused about her gift and how to use it ....... If she is to get out of the home she is going to have to act 'normal' ..............

I actually liked the character of Chloe and the book just flows well ....... It is an easy read and at the end of it you are are just hanging out for what happens next .......

As a new series go's I liked this one and will definitely be going out and buying the next one !!

I rate this book 4****