I'm halfway through The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly (about 350 pages in as of ten minutes ago) and completely, completely caught up in it. I have no idea how this happened, as it's basically a day-time soap opera in book form. Somewhere after the plot line of Jack the Ripper connected to Fiona's life, I was inexplicably, inextractably lost. Maybe I'm a sucker for a revenge story. Maybe it's the deft and intricate descriptions of bleakly beautiful London in the 1880s. Either way, I'll definitely be giving this epic melodrama a review later on. I'm looking forward to whatever hijinks the sequel, The Winter Rose, has in store to top this one. Can I also throw out that I LOVE the covers of both these novels? The magpie in me is appeased.
So, despite the fact that I have over 60 books (both ebook and psychical) already purchased eagerly awaiting my short-lived attention, I went out and bought the following:
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory. I'm not as big of a fan of Gregory as I was when I first started reading Tudor historical fiction five years ago; prolonged exposure to the genre has opened my eyes. She's often historically inaccurate without cause, and her writing is a lot of "telling" rather than "showing". So why did I buy this? Sheer force of habit, probably, and I like to finish series I've started unless they're abominable (coughterrygoodkindkateelliottcough). I've already been through this, and a review might follow. Standard Heaving Bosom Historical Fiction.
Shadowspell by Jenna Black. This is the second in Black's Faeriewalker series. I absolutely adored the first book Glimmerglass; simply couldn't devour it fast enough. I just hope the sequel lives up to the standard of the first.
The Emerald Storm by Michael J. Sullivan. Part four in Sullivan's ongoing epic centered around the lives and friendship of two thieves. Fun, fast and easy to read The Riyria Revelationsm series has been excellent from book one, The Crown Conspiracy.
Additionally, over at goodreads, I've just won a historical novel: Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey. First in a planned trilogy, I'm expecting sumptuous dresses, a scheming court, laissez-faire French nobility and one hell of a rebellion. Maybe not all in this first novel, but if it lives up to its promise, I'll be a very happy girl.
Looking forward to the full review of The Tea Rose! Also, how many books do you read a week? That is so awesome!
ReplyDeleteYou know I always look twice when I see books by Jennifer Donnelly lol. Basically because I currently have the same name. I haven't picked up her books yet, I just think it would be too weird...
ReplyDeleteLibby: I look forward to writing it. It's just so deliciously campy I have no words. That doesn't bode well for the review, though... and I read pretty fast. I can manage 100 pages an hour, and about 3-4 books a week. It used to be more, but then I adopted two puppies and a boyfriend ;)
ReplyDeleteJenn: Ha! That would be crazy! I can't think of anyone famous with my name :(
I tried to The Tea Rose once but didn't get past the first page -- I ought to give it another try. "...day-time soap opera in book form..." is a siren call!
ReplyDeleteIt's fairly ridiculous, and Fiona can be a bit Mary Sue-ish, but I just love the sheer over-the-topness. Just so so ridiculous. I don't know I am laughing with or at the author, though o_O
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