Review: The Orchid Affair (Pink Carnation #8) by Lauren Willig

After diving back into the Pink Carnation series with the sixth book, The Betrayal of the Blood Lily, I was eagerly ready to continue reading.

I have already read the seventh book so I moved on to The Orchid Affair instead. As with the previous books we meet a likable heroine in a decidedly awkward situation and a headstrong bachelor with the last thing on his mind being love.

While many of Willig’s books have a decidedly obvious formula, that has never turned me off to the series. I think what I love most is her ability to make me buy into the romance no matter how odd or challenging it is.

Veteran governess Laura Grey joins the Selwick Spy School expecting to find elaborate disguises and thrilling adventures in service to the spy known as the Pink Carnation. She hardly expects her first assignment to be serving as governess for the children of André Jaouen, right-hand man to Bonaparte’s minister of police.

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Review: A Treacherous Curse (Veronica Speedwell #3) by Deanna Raybourn

I’ve had my eye on this book since before it even had a title! I finished the second book and immediately started counting the days until this one was going to be released.

Fortunately I had the good luck to be approved for an ARC way back in Oct, because I literally don’t think I could have waited for the release in Jan 2018!

London, 1888. As colorful and unfettered as the butterflies she collects, Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery—particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker.

His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess. This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition, and rumors abound that the curse of the vengeful princess has been unleashed as the shadowy figure of Anubis himself stalks the streets of London.

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Review: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno Garcia

There was something about this book cover that reminded me of Gail Carriger’s Finishing School series. I kind of thought that I was going to read a steampunk-esque romance with a little paranormal thrown in.

But considering that I have not actually read the Finishing School series, I think I can safely say that I had no idea what this book was going to be about other than maybe something YA with magic.

In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.

Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valérie Beaulieu, she hopes to find a suitable husband. Continue reading “Review: The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno Garcia”

Read-a-ton 10 years, 10 books

Get ready for a walk down memory lane readers. Nostalgia warning…..

This year I decided on a whim to participate in Dewey’s 24 hour Readathon. I feel like every single year I miss this event and that just makes me sad so this year I decided it was now or never. At the urging of some of my bookish friends, I did sign up.

So far I am 10 hours in and I’ve finished one book and am almost done with another. I hope to finish 3 books but would be happy with 2. I am documenting my pursuits on Instagram and on Twitter so please follow along.

What is the purpose of this post you ask? Well every hour or so, Dewey’s hosts mini challenges which I have actively been participating in throughout the day on my Twitter and Instagram.

This hour is about 10 years, 10 books where we are asked to post our favorite books published during every year the Dewey’s Readathon has been happening. I decided that a post on Twitter or other social media was rather overwhelming so I thought I would post a singular list here.

So here it goes:

2007: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 

2008: Graceling (Graceling #1)

2009: An Echo in the Bone (Outlander #7) 

2010: Mischief of the Mistletoe (Pink Carnation #7)

2011: The Night Circus 

2012: Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy) 

2013: Letters from Skye 

2014: The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles, #1)

2015: The Lake House 

2016: A Murder in Time (Kendra Donovan #1) 

2017: The Last Christmas in Paris 

Review: The Betrayal of the Blood Lily (Pink Carnation #6) by Lauren Willig

After the fifth Pink Carnation book, I kind of felt like I needed a little break from the Pink Carnation series. And by little break I mean like five years….thats how long it’s been since I read one of the Pink Carnation books.

I love the series as a whole but the last book in the series that I read, just left me a little wanting in the uniqueness category.

So I abandoned it in favor of other books, though I always knew that someday I would come back to it because lets face it, I am in love with this series, but I needed  little time to step away from it and come back to it in order to love it.

Granted five years seems excessive, but it happened eventually.

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