Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Prelude For a Lord: A Book Review

Hello everyone! Today I'm reviewing Prelude For a Lord by Camille Elliot. I received this book free through BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

Back cover copy: Bath, England 1810

At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician.

In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal.

But when a thief 's interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument ... with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick.

Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul.

Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief's desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .
 ~
 Okay, so I love the regency era. I love to read about all the rules, and protocols, and fascinating tidbits. I believe when I chose this book I wasn't planning on ordering many books (ha!) but the fact that it was regency, involved music, and the plot line drew me in and I wound of choosing it to review. The author was also named Camille Elliot, which seems perfect for a regency book. How could someone named Camille Elliot NOT write a good book? To my relief, I wasn't disappointed. I took a while to read this book, but that fact mustn't be blamed on the book or its author. The truth is, when I was reading this I was still trying to get into the college groove, so my reading was neglected for the important, but less interesting task of learning. I finally finished it, though.

 First, the characters. The characters were my favorite part of this book I think. From Alethea, to the tortured Dommick, to Dommick's serious friend Raven, and goofy friend Ian... to her severe aunt, and her mischievous cousin Margaret... well, I could go on. There were such a wide variety of interesting characters, each with something special to share. No two were alike, or similar, really, and I really appreciate that in a book. It impresses me greatly when an author creates unique characters.

 Next, the plot. I found the plot to be intriguing. With every attempt of thievery, kidnapping, and deception, the more I was interested. At times I could hardly put the book down. There was actually quite a bit of action in this book, which might seem strange for a regency story, but I think it just adds to the appeal. There is less time to find boredom as you read about arranged marriages, and men with guns. I want to say more about the plot and what it contains, but I'm afraid that would reveal too much.

 It's a good story. It has a thread winding throughout, and at the end, the thread is cinched tight, collapsing the story into a neat little package that makes perfect sense. I recommend it for any who enjoy regency era stories, historical fiction, and sweet romance.

Buy it here or any bookstore/site.

~ a rambling author

Sunday, November 2, 2014

The Word Changers: A Book Review

Hi everyone! Two months. Wow. That is unacceptable. I have been focusing a lot of my time on college homework, but it's time to get this blog back to life, at least once a week. While I haven't been able to keep up my blogging in a way I would like, I've been trying to work on the books I need to review, so I have some books ready to review! Yay! Tonight, I'm reviewing The Word Changers by Ashlee Willis. I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.


From the back cover: Escaping from the turmoil of her home, fifteen-year-old Posy finds herself at her usual haunt ... the library. When she chooses an unfamiliar book from the shelf, she does not devour its words as she usually does...

Its words devour her.

Posy is pulled into the pages of a fairy tale in turmoil. Characters whisper of rebellion against their Plot. And Posy must find a lost princess whose role in the story is crucial, before her own role in the book comes to a horrible end.

With the haughty Prince Kyran as a reluctant companion, Posy ventures past the Borders of the Plot, into the depths of the treacherous Wild Land forest that lies beyond. Secrets are buried there, dangerous and deadly.

Yet the darkest secret of all is the one Posy carries within herself.

Soon it's clear that finding the lost princess is the least of Posy's concerns. The Author of the book must be found. His Plot must be put to rights again, his characters reminded of who they were first created to be. Only then will the True Story be written, both for Posy, and for the tale she has now become a part of.

 
  I really enjoyed this book. It was reminiscent of stories like Narnia with a journey into another world. I loved that the journey was through a book. The plot was great. I wasn't sure what to expect from it since I believe it is the author's debut novel, but I was pleasantly surprised. Miss Willis succeeded in drawing me into a world full of beauty, mystery, and the magic of a story. I love the idea of a person being drawn into a literary work and think it would be an interesting thing if it were to happen to myself. The plot had a good timeline, and everything was written in a way that made sense, though some romance stuff between characters I shall not name might have been a tiny bit quick for my taste, but it all worked out well in the end. There were some slight allegorical references like the Author. 

 As for the characters, well, I liked them very much! Posy was not your average heroine, and Kyran, well, there was more to Kyran than one might think, more that I liked. These two were basically the leads who pushed the story forward. Every other character from evil *shiver* to good had their place. The main villain was really creepy, and shows that you cannot trust things no matter how they might seem. 

 Overall this book was great for readers who like stories with tones like Narnia or something similar with a classic approach to fantasy many no longer attempt to write. I smiled, thinking of C.S. Lewis as I read. 

 You can buy the book here. Or almost every place books are sold online. Enjoy! :)

~ a rambling author