I’ve had my head down over the Kenya book this week (only one chapter left to go!) so it’s been a rather sparse reading round up.
My first book of 2012 was A Lady Never Lies
by Juliana Grey. I adored it. It’s set in the 1890s in an Italian villa (hello, Enchanted April
!), and based, oh so cleverly, on the plot of Love’s Labor’s Lost
. The only down side is that it’s not officially out until August. I cannot wait until the next two books in the trilogy come out.
In the meantime, I’m also slowly making my way through Norman Davies’ Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations
. It’s an ambitious project, charting a cross-section of states that were important in their time but just didn’t make it, which leads to some issues of execution, but I’m fascinated by the idea of it, by looking at history as it was experienced– after all, why shouldn’t the Visigothic kingdom in France have lasted?– rather than as we perceive it in hindsight.
Finally, I’ve just started the last of my Josephine Tey haul, The Franchise Affair
. I’ve told myself I’m not allowed to read any more, though, until I finish that last chapter of the manuscript.
What have you been reading?
I don’t know what rock I’ve been living under, but I just discovered the Fever books by Karen Moning and I am now OBSESSED with the series. I read Darkfever and Bloodfever back-to-back and am now jonesing to read Faefever. Moning is a very clever and engaging writer and the world she’s created in the Fever books is really sexy, scary, fun, and entertaining. Can’t wait to see the books turned into a movie; they’d better not screw up the casting because Jericho Barrons is my new fictional boyfriend! 🙂
Tracie, wait till you read the end of Faefever and Dreamfever… you’ll learn the real meaning of the words addiction and obsession, believe me! 😀
And be sure to have Shadowfever close to hand! Trust me on this, you’ll want to read on straight away! 🙂
Have you read her Highlander series? It settles the basis for the world of the Fever series and it’s soooo hot! 🙂
As to me, I read The Duke is Mine, by Eloisa James. Been so busy that I haven’t even finished it yet! Before that, I really enjoyed And Only To deceive, Tasha Alexander!
Dandy Gilver and the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains by Catriona McPherson. It is the third in the series but I have not read any of the others. So far it is interesting. Getting me in the time frame for Downton Abbey 🙂
This week I took a break from reading Robert Jordan’s The Dragon Reborn (the third book in the Wheel of Time fantasy series) to read Diana Peterfreund’s ARC of For Darkness Show the Stars. You guys, it’s a post-apocalyptic retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion and it is amazing. When I first heard about it I had my doubts, who wouldn’t when they hear post-apocalyptic Jane Austen? But it totally works. I can’t say there was much laughing, but I definitely cried. I can’t really tell you much more about it as it’s not out until June… but you will definitely want to check it out if you’re a Jane Austen fan (as I know many of you are).
And then I spent the last bit of the week reading Persuasion because, well, after reading For Darkness Shows the Stars I felt like going back to read the novel that inspired it. 🙂
Celine, you confirm what I already suspected. These Fever books are literary crack! It took a tremendous amount of willpower for me to stop after Bloodfever, but the series ends after 5 books, doesn’t it? So, I didn’t want to blow through the them all too fast. I want to savor each book.
Has anyone here read the Tudor Vampire Chronicles by Kate Pearce? They were just recommended to me and I was intrigued by the concept, plus I love all things Tudor. The cover of the first book, Kiss of the Rose, is pretty damn sexy, too.
Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer…he really pushes reader patience with his cliffhanger, but hey, I ‘m looking forward to the next one…
I am currently reading The Distant Hours, by Kate Moreton…am loving the beautiful writing, but still have a long way to go and not lots of reading time…
Sheila, you will love The Distant Hours! I just finished that recently and I am def a fan of anything Kate Morton writes!
I haven’t had much reading time lately, but just started Beneath a Silent Moon by Tracy Grant. The first book was great so I have no doubt this one will be too!!
@Tracie: the good news is, there will be a spin off of the Fevers, the fist book being publish next october… (I’ll you the characters that it will focus on when you are at the end of shadowfever, if you want, not to spoil you)… there will be three books in this new series. Then, KMM has promised two more books about Barrons and Mac… 😀
And there will be a graphic novel in summer, a story taking place during Shadowfever!
I just started Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. I’ve never read Hardy before but so far I’m enjoying it (poor Tess…)
Feeling under the weather and not having a book deadline like Lauren, meant more reading time!
1) Something Borrowed, the second in Paul Magrs Brenda & Effie series. Wonderful, fun, and had a very Downton Abbey meets Doctor Who backstory.
2) Death Comes to Pemberly by PD James, which was totally disappointing. She seems to be a Wickham sympathist and I figured out all the plot twists way to early. I mean getting one or two right, but ALL, sheesh, no suspense.
3) Tintin, the first three volumes, well, if you don’t count the out-of-print Congo and Soviet ones. How does Tintin always get guns and then have drugs planted on him? Really!?!
4) Currently reading Cinder, which is a Bladerunner/Firefly esque retelling of Cinderella. It seems to really be working and I’m half way through. Lots of fun.
Also, in a totally random, it’s been bugging me all week, where do I know the name Count Treep (sp?) from?
@Celine, thank you so much for the info on the Fever series! I’m relieved to know that it will continue on past Shadowfever.
@Lauren, I am a Shakespeare freak, so I’m really looking forward to reading this new Juliana Grey trilogy.
Reading time traveling series…
Jennifer Connors’ Lesson in Passion series and the 2nd book in Outlander series – Dragonfly in Amber.
I doubt I continue the Lesson in Passion series tho…it doesn’t seem to have a real purpose except to have her hop from one romance novel to another. It’s lust/sex driven and just not that intriguing.
I do love Claire & Jaime in the Outlander series tho. Is it worth it, tho, to keep reading the rest of the series?
On the topic of Series style books…since the Fever series is a topic this week. I read the first one and decided I just don’t like my books to end with cliffhangers too much. That’s why I love Lauren’s books so much. The main story has an ending…they are a series of adventures not necessarily one long story broken up into 5 books.
Reminds me of something I heard on the radio nowadays…If the movie Gone With the Wind was made today…it was have been 3 movies instead of 1 very long movie. Would it have been just as good if split up?
AngelB….keep reading, the next two books are outstanding.
I just finished Riverton House. Excellent!
Just started “knit one pearl one” by Gil McNeil.
@Tracie: you’re welcome! Between Willig/Moning-Maniacs, we have to share the infos!!
I also agree with Tracie.I can’t wait to see the movies made after the books.Great Job.