The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose

* * 1/2

Jac L’Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances – and of her mother’s suicide – she moved to America.

Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it’s financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing – leaving a dead body in his wake – Jac is plunged into a world she thought she’d left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L’Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation – or is it just another dream infused perfume?

The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra’s Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet’s battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac’s quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

TBLF has a promising start, especially with a very captivating first chapter featuring Jac’s ancestor Giles who is in Egypt with Napoleon unearthing and exploring tombs. Upon uncovering one tomb in particular, Giles comes across the sarcophagus of what appears to be two star-crossed lovers, each clutching a pot containing a potent fragrance that can trigger past life memories.

Fast forward to the present moment; the House L’Etoile is facing a financial crisis. Jac’s brother Robbie believes he has the key to return the family to prosperity because he has found the legendary pottery shards from the tomb that Giles had discovered. The pottery shards contain the recipe for the mythical "memory" fragrance. It's believed that the ancient Egyptians were so adept at creating fragrances that they had discovered a way to trigger past-life memories through scent. To go public with such a discovery would be earth-shattering. The book has many subplots happening simultaneously between various characters, all inter-connected and every one of them facing different ramifications if reincarnation is proven to be possible. Most notably, the biggest would be the political impact on Tibet, the succession of the Dalai Lama and China’s desperate measures to both contain and control that region.

TBLF has so much going for it – mystery, intriguing historical references leading back to the time of Cleopatra and a political undercurrent that gives it an extra edge. Unfortunately it also suffers from too much storytelling, bogged down by needless detail. Too often in the initial chapters the characters will reminisce about something as a means of explaining their situation or their personalities but it just halts the flow of the story. This is especially the case with Jac who is besieged by various issues that it became tedious to the point that I found my interest waning. 

Things did pick up half way through the book such as when Jac succumbed to the "memory" fragrance. Or when all the characters were allowed to move forward and actually do something rather than just sift through their memories. 

While I wasn't exactly blown away by this book, I do still think that its premise is worth checking out. The historical references and past life collections are fascinating and thrilling once you move past the excess details.

~ Bel

White Witch by Trish Milburn

**1/2
From Bell Bridge Books:

Witchcraft Is Her Family's Business.

No One Quits the Family and Lives To Tell About It.

"Jax” Pherson has power, enough power to know her future will end in service to the dark coven her father controls. Unless she can stay hidden in a small community in the mountains of North Carolina. She must find a way to live without magic and deny the darkness she feels welling up inside her—the same dark power that fuels the covens around the world.

All she wants is a normal life. A boyfriend. Friends. Some place to belong, but all too soon Jax’s barely begun new life hangs in the balance when she discovers that the boy she’s attracted to is sworn to kill her kind. He’s a hunter with good reason to kill everything that goes bump in the night.

Even the most fleeting use of her power is tantamount to signing her death warrant and will bring both hunter and coven down on her. But can she walk away when her friends are threatened by an old evil? Something created by the magic of witches? Jax’s only hope of survival is to convince the boy she loves to forget everything he’s ever been taught and help her find a way to fight the covens. To believe there is some good in her.

The Bad:

White Witch was rushed; therefore, the story felt a little disjointed.  As if the author was trying to force everything into too few pages.  The galley we received from was 188 pages, so it is a relatively short book and might have drawn me in more if the story were a little more flushed out. 

The Good:

While White Witch felt disjointed, I thought the concept was great - a witch who refuses to use her powers to beget more power and harm the helpless.  I was caught in between liking the story and wishing more of the back story and details were told.  I loved Toni - the Joss Whedon worshipping new friend.  She's sassy, fun and I want her t-shirt collection. 

White Witch is the first in the Coven Series.  According to Bell Bridge, the second book in the series is Bane and the third is Magick - release dates were not listed, but I will definitely read Bane.  I look forward to seeing what happens next.

~Shel

Starters by Lissa Price

* * * *

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.


He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . .(Taken from GoodReads)


Starters is an unbelievably fast-paced Sci-Fi/Dystopian adventure. The story takes place in a world in our not too distant future. A future where movies have developed into holos but cars are still cars that are just faster and sleeker. It’s a future that is believable which makes the story that much more disturbing. If the reader can believe what this future looks like, then they can also believe that what the Antagonist, the company Prime Destinations, is doing is possible. And that is what makes for a truly disturbing and excellent read.

A vaccine to protect people from the Spore Wars was only provided to the old and the young. Now with the middle-aged working population mostly obliterated by the Spore Wars, the country is being run by Enders, the elderly population. Thanks to modern technology and medicine, Enders can now live upwards of 200 years old. They have taken over the workforce by default. The Starters are all those kids under 20 that have survived the Spore Wars and are now parent-less. Almost all Starters are parent-less, the exception being those that are lucky enough to be claimed by an Ender relative. If not claimed, Starters have two options. Be a squatter that is constantly on the run from the police or live in one of numerous Institutions designed to house unclaimed Starters and force them into work.

Callie and her brother are unclaimed Starters. And they are squatters that are constantly on the run. Callie has heard about Prime Destinations and the price they will offer if she would be willing to rent out her body to an ender - a price that would pay for a home and food for her and her brother. She decides to take the risk only to find that Prime Destinations plans for the Starters bodies they rent out is more nefarious than she imagined.

This story really makes you think. What price would you pay? How far would you be willing to go to recapture your youth? As much as I joke about recapturing my teen years, I realize that I truly am just joking. When faced with the question as to whether I would be willing to take over someone else’s body if it meant living a longer and fuller life, the answer is, without a doubt, NO! Who are we to take the precious privilege of living away from someone else? The idea is reprehensible.

This was a great story and I am very excited that we only have to wait until this fall for part two, Enders.



Nat

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

***      Happy Release Day to Aimee Carter!

From Harlequin:

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

The Good:

This is a very interesting sequel to The Goddess Test.  I thought Interrupted was better written and executed than Goddess Test.  The story moved more quickly and seemed to flow better than the first in the series.  Kate's a little whiny, but that is pretty true to a teenager turned immortal.  I thought the relationship and interraction between Kate and Persephone was fun and has the potential to become even more so in the next installment. 

The Bad:

I just cannot buy into Carter's mythology.  As an avid lover of Greek Mythology, I generally love books spinning mythology (see Greek Week posts from October if you don't believe me), but I really have a hard time with this one.  It is certainly a unique take on the Greek gods and I applaud the effort, but something holds me back from losing myself in the spin.

If you enjoyed The Goddess Test, you will enjoy Goddess Interrupted.  If you haven't checked out the series and you enjoy stories about the Greek gods, I say give it a chance and let me know what you think - am I crazy for not getting into it?

~Shel

The Queen's Lady by Eve Edwards

* * 1/2

England, 1584.



When beautiful Lady Jane Rievaulx begins her service to the Queen at Richmond Palace, she is thrilled to see the court's newest arrival . . . Master James Lacey.



No matter that Jane was previously courted by the eldest Lacey brother-James is the one who has won her heart. For his part, James cannot deny his fascination with Jane; his plans, however, do not allow for love. He is about to set sail on a treacherous journey to the Americas, seeking absolution for what he sees as past sins. But when Jane is forced into a terrible situation by her own family, only one man can save her. Will Master James return to his lady before it's too late?



In the Other Countess we learned that Master James and Lady Jane have feelings for each other but neither act on those feelings due to the circumstances in which they met and part ways. In The Queen’s Lady, Lady Jane has become a widow after only a few months of marriage. Her late husband kindly arranged for her to be one of Queen Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting after his death. Master James has been serving as a scout/spy in the war with Spain. He has returned home sad and disillusioned with life and himself. Hoping that time away will heal his mental state, James’ brother and brother-in-law urge him to take part in a expedition to America. During the planning of the expedition (which is run by the Queen’s favorite, Raleigh) James spends some time at Court where he again meets the Lady Jane. After a few misunderstandings, their feelings for each other are revealed. But regardless of how he feels, James does not want to pursue a relationship while in his current mental state and Jane is left to deal with two bitter and conniving families that are each after the dowry her husband so generously willed to her after his death.

I really enjoyed the first book in the Lacey Chronicles, The Other Countess. After finishing it, I was really looking forward to reading The Queen’s Lady. Both Lady Jane and Master James Lacey were such likable and intriguing characters that I couldn’t wait to read their story. Unfortunately, their story did not meet the expectations that had been set with The Other Countess. The historical descriptions were wonderful but the story itself was slow. The action and intrigue did not really begin until about the half-way point of the book. Also, all characters in this book fell surprisingly flat. Including the Lady (now Dowager Marchioness Rievaulx) Jane and Master James. The new Marquess Rievaulx and his brothers were overly stereotypical antagonists. I found their involvement in the plot annoying rather than frightening.

And do you remember Lady Jane’s maid, Nell, from The Other Countess? In my review, I mentioned my confusion over the purpose of her character. I thought maybe there would be more to her character in The Queen’s Lady but she appears for maybe two pages and only in the role as servant in the Earl of Dorset’s household. I guess it’s possible she will have a significant role in The Rogue’s Princess, the third and last installment of the Lacey Chronicles, but I am not going to hold my breath.

On a good note, Lady Jane’s brother and father were wonderfully horrendous and evil. They truly made me nervous. They became great antagonists once the story started moving. Also, Diego, the servant that Master James acquired in The Other Countess, was a lovely diversion. He wasn’t as funny as he was before but he still had some wonderful scenes as well as a love interest of his own. Then, of course, there was the Earl of Dorset and his Countess. Their appearances were short but with the little time they were given they do make an impact on the story and the reader; particularly if you have read their story.

Unfortunately, since I didn’t start to enjoy this story until I was already half-way through, I have to put my rating between Meh and Enjoy.



~Nat

The Queens of All the Earth by Hannah Sternberg

* * * *

As her freshman classmates move into dorms at Cornell University, Olivia Somerset suffers a nervous breakdown. When months of coaxing and analyzing fail to rouse Olivia from her stupor, big sister Miranda decides the sisters should fly off to Barcelona for some "vacation therapy."


When a mistake at their Barcelona hostel leaves the Somersets in a large co-ed dorm room, Olivia and Miranda are saved by kindly Mr. Brown and his son Greg, who happily volunteer to surrender their private room. But while Olivia feels an instant connection with brooding Greg Brown, Miranda sides with fellow guest and cocky American travel writer Lenny:


The Browns are just plain weird, and must be avoided at all costs.


In the midst of urbane Peruvian priests-in-training and Scottish soccer fans, from the shops of La Rambla to the waters of the Mediterranean to the soaring heights of Montjuic, Miranda works to protect her still-fragile sister while Olivia struggles to understand her burgeoning adulthood, her feelings for Greg, and the fear that makes the next step in her life so impossible to take.


Inspired by E. M. Forster's classic novel A Room with a View, debut author Hannah Sternberg's Queens of All the Earth is a poetic journey of young love and self-awakening set against the beauty of Catalonia. Teenagers and adults alike will be riveted and moved by this coming-of-age novel about the conflicting hearts and minds of two very different sisters



I have never read A Room with a View. I have, however, seen the movie 18 gazillion times. So that is where I will make my comparisons. I apologize to anyone that is a die hard fan of the book and not the movie. I promise it is on the “To Read” list.

I don’t agree with classifying this story as a novel. At approximately 162 pages I would call it either a short story or a novella. I fully admit that while reading it, I was thinking of it as a short story which definitely affected that way I was viewing it while reading and then rating it. Viewing this as a novel would have probably made me a lot less forgiving of the lack of story development. However, in my opinion, this was completely forgivable when reading it as a short story, particularly if you are familiar with the original story.

The Queens of All the Earth is a lovely homage to A Room with a View. I think the story really lends itself to the YA category due to the instant connection these two teens feel for each other. And the change of setting from Italy to Spain was an excellent choice. I fully admit that I probably feel this way because I have always wanted to visit Spain.

I found that I was hot and cold on the characters in the story. The characters of Olivia and Greg were great modern day embodiments of Lucy Honeychurch and George Emerson. Greg’s father was just as lovely as Mr. Emerson in the original - by far my favorite character due to his unassuming kindness.

Unfortunately the other characters in this story were so unlikeable I found myself getting very frustrated. Don’t get me wrong, I know that not all the characters in A Room with a View were likeable and perfect but even I was able to find redeeming qualities in Eleanor Lavish and Charlotte Bartlett. Their modern day equivalents – Lenny and Miranda – were so mean-spirited that I failed to find any redeeming qualities at all. Miranda did save a face a little at the end but it would have been nice to see some likeable qualities earlier in the story.

Mean girls aside, I really enjoyed this story. For the setting, the main characters and more than anything, the poetic words.

“He had swallowed the sun, and he would wait in the water and glide through it until he could set his teeth in the silver of the moon.”

It is passages like this that make me want to put a copy of this book in the hands of everyone that I know.

Christmas In Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis (18+ Adult Romance)

* * * *

Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . .


Simply Irresistible


After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs...



The Sweetest Thing


Helping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing to make Tara forget her ex-husband and focus on her new life. Until she meets a sexy, green-eyed sailor determined to keep her hot, bothered, and in his bed. When her ex reappears, Tara must confront her past and decide what she really wants.


If the sisters are lucky, they might just find that everything their hearts desire is right here in Lucky Harbor.



Not too long ago I reviewed Jill Shalvis’s Head Over Heals. That turned out to be the third installment in the Lucky Harbor series. Installments one and two were kindly bundled together in this lovely 2011 Christmas release which I read AFTER reading the third part in the series. Fortunately, you did not need to read these in order so none of the enjoyment was lost by reading Head Over Heals first.

The three romances tell the story of three half sisters (they all share the same mother but different fathers). Maddie is the middle sister and heroine of Simply Irresistible – the first book in Christmas in Lucky Harbor. Maddie has lost her job, her long time boyfriend and the mother that she never knew. She is hoping that the inn her mother left to her and her sisters will be the new beginning she desperately needs. What she is not hoping for is romance. After her last bad experience, she has sworn off men. That is until she meets Jax. They are both drawn to each other in a way that neither of them was ever planning on.

This was a cute story. Maddie was instantly loveable. And her love of potato chips just endeared her to me even more. Jax was lovely and his constant loving amusement over the very clumsy and adorable Maddie made him that much more darling. This one didn’t have a lot of laugh out loud moments for me but I still enjoyed it and definitely see me going back to it and some point for a quick re-read.


Tara is the oldest sister and heroine of The Sweetest Thing. She initially wanted to sell the inn but now she is helping Maddie get it ready for guests and is finding it to be the perfect escape from her previous life. The only problem? Ford. Not only is he a Lucky Harbor native but he and Tara share a past and a secret that no one else knows. 17 years later, Ford wants to rekindle their romance but Tara is hesitant. When her hot racing ex-husband shows up determined to win her back, Tara realizes that she needs to decides if she wants either of these men in her life.

This story was by far my favorite of the three. First, Ford is HOT. Actually, all Shalvis men are smokin’. But there was something about Ford…and I’m not the only one that thought so. Apparently he is highly appreciated by all the women in Lucky Harbor. A certain scene where the ladies of the Garden Society audibly admire Ford in all his sweaty shirtless glory had me laughing so hard I was crying. I somehow see the Bibliojunkies being in similar situations when we are living our Golden Girl years in our beautiful seaside condo on the Gulf Coast and our pool boys stop by and…yeah, you get the picture.

But as much as I laughed I actually cried during this one. Not something that I do often when reading adult romances. Tara and Ford’s past is an intense one that leaves both of them changed in a way that makes you feel strongly for both them and their situation.

As I mentioned before, Jill Shalvis has become a new favorite of mine and these two stories only moved her higher on my short list of favorites