False Colours

Heyer, Georgette. (2008 reprint). False Colours. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

ISBN: 9781402210754          

Pages: 341

Genre: Regency Romance, historical fiction

Annotation: Christopher Fancot pretends to be his twin to avert scandal.

Summary: The Honorable Christopher Fancot has a strong bond with his twin brother Evelyn: each knows when something bad happens to the other. When he gets a feeling something bad has happened to Evelyn he rushes home. He finds his twin missing. His mother pressures him into pretending to be his brother at a dinner with a potential fiancée.  Things become even more complicated when ‘his’ potential fiancée and some other guests visit him at the Fancot country home at Ravenhurst. Christopher finds himself falling in love with his brother’s fiancée and she with him. Even if Evelyn turns up the problems have just begun.

Evaluation: good read

Heyer’s characters are excellent: they are witty and have flaws which cause more humor but also make them endearing. Christopher Fancot is worried for his twin, and smart enough to ‘be’ him, but also would cheerfully cause his twin bodily harm if Evelyn arrives. The fiancée in question, Cressy Stavely, has an intelligent mind which makes her witty. She also is self-aware enough to know she is annoyed with the young step-mother who is taking over her father’s house. Christopher and Evelyn’s mother, her long time suitor Sir Bonamy and the sharp-tongued Dowager Lady Stavely keep the reader laughing as they react to situations and each other. The storyline was luckwarm to me though. It strained my credibility that Christopher was getting away with impersonating his brother. Despite them being twins, the two brothers have drastically different personalities and habits and I could have seen Christopher having more close calls than he did. Also, it seems like we see more interaction between Christopher and his mother than him and Cressy. I had mixed feelings about the pacing of the story. It felt slow at times but then that also gave the reader the chance to really feel a part of Heyer’s Regency England. She does a great job showing Regency England: the slang in the characters’ dialog as well as the details about fashion and other areas of life made me feel like I was there. This is a good read for sweet Regency Romance or anyone interested in the time period.

Note: Georgette Heyer is known as the writer of Regency romance. Anyone interested in Regency romance or just that era should try reading her. She also makes a good match for people who like ‘sweet’ romances versus ‘spicy’. I think other books are better than this one, so I will read another one later.

What else to read:

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.
Georgette Heyer's Regency World by Jennifer Kloester and Gerareme Tavendale for learning about the  places characters went, the food they ate, etc.
For other writers of sweet Regency, and some Georgian, romances the Good Ton website is a good place to go. (The website name, thenonesuch, comes from a title of a Heyer book.) The website is no longer adding books to its site, but has a database of titles and other interesting information.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall is another good Regency Romance. I have an entry for this book on the blog. 

Pride and Prescience

Bebris, Carrie. (2004). Pride and prescience, or, a truth universally acknowledged: A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. New York, NY: Forge.

ISBN: 9780765318435

Pages: 287

Genre: mystery

Annotation: The newly-wed Darcys encounter accidents and murder.

Summary: After their wedding, the Darcys want nothing more than to go home to Pemberley. Instead, they become caught up in the whirlwind wedding of acquaintance Caroline Bingley. After that they really want to go home, but instead remain with Caroline, her husband and an American professor due to accidents and murder.  The Darcys have to figure out what is going on or they may never get to Pemberley.

Evaluation: very good read

Overall, as a Pride and Prejudice fan I enjoyed this book. Elizabeth and Darcy felt mostly true to their portrayal in Pride and Prejudice. I had some idea who the villain(s) could be, but had fun questioning my conclusions to the end. Each event, even the small ones, got me thinking about how it tied into the whole mystery. The qualm that keeps me from giving the book a higher rating is the use of a supernatural element. Austen’s Northanger Abbey parodied Gothic novels which involve the supernatural, so having the supernatural fit into an Austen book does not quite feel right to me.  A more Jane Austen like path, to me, would be to have an element that appeared supernatural but actually has a logical explanation. Also, Elizabeth’s openness to believe in a supernatural cause seemed too fast.  Besides the supernatural element I liked this story. It was filled with small details which made the story feel ‘real’ such as the Darcys going to see a particular play because they needed its humor. This book is a good read for its plot and immersion into 19^th century London and specifically rejoining the world of Pride and Prejudice.

What else to read:

Other books by Carrie Bebris.

Stephanie Barron’s Jane Austen Mysteries series for more on Austen and the time period.

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.

The writer's guide to everyday life in Regency and Victorian England by Kristine Hughes can provide more information about this era.

An elegant madness: high society in Regency England by Venetia Murray can also provide more information about this era.

The Arrows of the Queen

Lackey, Mercedes. (1987). Arrows of the Queen. (1^st volume of The Heralds of Valdemar). New York, NY: DAW Books.

ISBN: 9780886773786

Pages: 320

Genres: fantasy

Annotation: Talia searches for where she belongs and saves a kingdom.

Summary: Talia runs away from home in desperate search of a better life. She is surprised, and awed, to encounter the Companion Rolan. The Companions are horse-like beings which protect the kingdom of Valdemar with their human allies. Rolan chooses Talia to help protect Queen Selenay and her daughter Princess Elspeth. He brings Talia to the Collegium for training. Talia learns how the traits she has, personal and magical, make her the best hope to help the queen and train the spoiled Princess Elspeth.

Evaluation: good read

The book has one main character, Talia, and the others are peripheral players. Talia’s character development is feasible, but can feel a bit rushed. It would have been nicer to see more of the small “normal” moments that compromise growth, but there are some. Other than that, her reactions to events and overall character development is believable. The other characters, who the reader gets to know through occasional focuses on their points of view, are worth getting to know. Skif the mischievous, but loyal thief, and Jadus the harp master are two examples. The challenges Talia has to face are varied and the reader roots for her to overcome them. The atmosphere feels average. The reader knows they are in another world, but do not feel deeply immersed in it. The pacing feels too fast: at one point it seems like the book skips a couple of years. This ensures quick movement to the next significant challenge Talia faces, but it cuts out some of the small, normal moments that might be interesting to see. This is a good read for those who like strong heroines and horses.

What else to read:

Other books by Mercedes Lackey.

Green Rider by Kristen Britain also has a strong female hero and horses.

Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey is technically young adult, but is a good match. The hero, like Talia, is unwanted by his family and finds his place helping his ruler. It is also a good story for those who like horses.

Poison Study by Maria Snyder features a strong heroine. 

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Klassen, Julie. (2012). The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House.

ISBN: 9780764207099

Pages: 414

Genres: Christian, historical fiction, Regency romance 

Annotation: Margaret goes incognito as a servant at Fairbourne Hall. 

Summary: Margaret Macy decides to trade upper class life for life as a servant after learning her guardian wishes to steal her fortune by forcing her to marry. She learns to be a servant while keeping her identity secret from the other servants and her employers the Upchurches. Her relationship with Nathaniel Upchurch deepens into love. This love is challenged by misspoken words and a trap by her guardian.

Evaluation: excellent read.

Margaret’s reactions to her life and the changes in her character are believable. The thoughts and actions of the other characters are also plausible. The storyline is an interesting mix of everyday and dramatic events that holds the reader’s attention. The atmosphere feels well thought out due to plenty of details (such as reactions to chamber pots). Quotes from books about servant work during the 1800s create a feeling of authenticity about the details. The pace of the story is perfect for a reader who wants to immerse themselves in this world. All of these elements add up to a book that the reader will want to read in one sitting if possible. This book is an excellent read for those wanting to learn more about life in 1800s England and wanting a sweet romance.

What else to read?

Other books by Julie Klassen which also focus on this time period.  

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer is a well-loved sweet romance taking during this time.

Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and other writers who lived and wrote in 1800s England.

The writer's guide to everyday life in Regency and Victorian England by Kristine Hughes can provide more information about this era.

An elegant madness: high society in Regency England by Venetia Murray can also provide more information about this era.

In the Heart of the Canyon

Hyde, Elisabeth. (2009). In the Heart of the Canyon. New York, NY: Knopf Publishing Group.

ISBN: 9780307263674

Pages: 316

Genre: adventure

Annotation: A rafting trip changes the lives of a tour group.

Summary: JT is a river guide celebrating his milestone 125^th trip. Little does he know each person in this group has their own secrets which will affect the trip. One secret in particular has the power to lead to great change or tragedy.

Evaluation: very good read

The reader can tell Hyde is writing from experience: the details of rafting are crystal clear and feel authentic to the reader even before looking into her background. Rafting is fun, scary, stressful and relaxing depending on the moment. The characters are a diverse group which captures the reader’s attention: married, single, young, old, etc. With such a diverse group the reader is likely to find someone they identify with. Some characters are focused more on than others, but all characters are developed enough the reader can get into their point of view somewhat. Hyde gives commentary on social interaction without writing a paper on it: the differences in how people see themselves and how others see them are very interesting. The storylines keep the reader’s attention right to the end of the book. One storyline seemed over the top to me which keeps me from giving the book an excellent rating. This could be my own perspective, others felt it was not too unusual, which means the book could be excellent in another’s eyes. Regardless, this book is a very good read for adventure lovers, people coming to realize truths about themselves, rafting and the Grand Canyon.

What else to read:

Other books by Elisabeth Hyde.

Grand Ambition by Lisa Michaels for another book involving the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon: The Complete Guide by James Kaiser for learning about the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon Reader by Lance Newman for more stories about the Grand Canyon.

Heart-Shaped Box

Hill, Joe. (2007). Heart-Shaped Box. New York, NY: William Morrow.

ISBN: 9780061147937

Pages: 376

Genre: horror

Annotation: Jude Coyne buys a ghost and becomes hunted by evil.

Summary: Jude Coyne has his assistant buy a suit with its attached ghost online. He does it as a practical joke, but finds the ghost is real. The ghost wants to make Jude and anyone connected to him suffer for reasons of its own. Jude and his girlfriend will have to find a way to stop the ghost or they will soon join him.

Evaluation: good read

King’s characters are multi-dimensional. I don’t like the things Jude or Marybeth have gotten into or choices they have made, but the idea that they did it out of pain at their pasts comes through loud and clear. It reminds the reader to not just judge people but wonder why they are as they are. His storyline carries the reader along: it did not feel slow and the horror stayed at a high pace until the end. The atmosphere felt believable: the idea that the supernatural is tied to evil human actions and that being into the supernatural due to pain came through clearly. A good read for horror especially ghosts.

What else to read (supernatural stories):
Other books by Joe Hill. 

Nightmare House by Douglas Clegg with a grandson battling the supernatural force in his grandmother’s house.

Adam’s Fall by Sean Desmond is a Harvard student versus the suicidal ghost of his roommate.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson involves a ghost versus four people trying to study the supernatural.

The Mammoth Book of 20th Century Ghost Stories for a variety of tales featuring ghosts.

The Lost Symbol

Brown, Dan. (2009) The Lost Symbol. New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

ISBN: 9780385504225

Pages: 509

Genre: suspense/thriller

Annotation: Robert Langdon must solve a Mason riddle or face death.

Summary: Robert Langdon is called to Washington to give a lecture by an old friend. Instead, he finds the old friend has been kidnapped and that Langdon must solve a Mason riddle to save him. Langdon does not have an easy choice: solve the riddle and uncover knowledge kept secret for a reason or face death at the hands of a chilling villain.

Evaluation: good read

I had mixed feelings about this book. In regards to characters there were hits and misses. Langdon’s determination to save lives and solve the riddle endears him to the reader. It is hard, though, for the reader to live the experience with him because he is too levelheaded at times. The kidnapper is portrayed very well: he is a malevolent character the reader wants to look away from but finds compelling. I felt the character of Trish, Katherine’s assistant, was as interesting as Katherine and that more could have been done with her character. The storyline is good because the steps leading to the end are interesting and I wanted to see the end result. On the other hand, there were a lot of elements in the story which made it bog down a bit. Noetic Science was one element I especially had mixed feelings on. It is fascinating but also seems a better fit for science fiction because it, to me, just seems to “out there”. The atmosphere of the story is mostly well done. Noetic Science seems too implausible, but the descriptions of history, buildings and etc. were interesting. This is a good read for those wanting to read about Masons, Washington DC and stories where past secrets intersect with the present.

What else to read:

Other books by Dan Brown.

The Templar Legacy by Steve Berry for a race to solve past secrets which could influence the present.

Secrets of the Symbols: The Unauthorized Guide to Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol by Dan Burstein and Arne de Keijzer for learning more about The Lost Symbol.

The Masonic Myth: Unlocking the Truth About the Symbols, the Secret Rites, and the History of Freemasonry by Jay Kinney for learning more about the Masons.