The Magic Knot (The Magic Knot #1) by Helen Scott Taylor BOOK REVIEW

The Magic Knot by Helen Scott Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I grabbed this book through a swap on a whim, without really reading much about it except the Irish of it, so I wasn't sure what to expect, or if it would be good. I was pleasantly surprised.

The book is well written, and somewhat believable in the mixing of human life with folklore and legends in the tales of pixies and fairies, and even leprechauns in the book.  It makes for a good read, and for me it was a quick read, which is what I was looking for at the moment I sat down with this book.

We are introduced to Naill and his twin Michael O'Conner. Very Irish, very traditional and steeped in legend and lore. They are half fairy we learn later. They both talk with an Irish accent and speech pattern that feels right in this book. It's not too heavy and I don't think the characters would have been as believable without it. Well done on the author's parts because the accent and speech pattern can easily overwhelm a book.

The trouble comes in the form of Rose Tremain, who thinks she is a human woman about a normal job. All is not as it would seem.  Through out the book, we learn of the truth of Rose's mother, and the betrayal of her father and what he really is, and the truth as to what she is and what her birthright is.

It's a clever and fun story, and I enjoyed it.  It stands quite well on its own, and I feel complete having read it. Only just realized this is  a series and it continues. Not sure if I will search it out or not, but I have a number of books in my to-read pile right now, maybe later.



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Seeking Philbert Woodbead (Fairweather Sisters, #2) by Anya Wylde BOOK REVIEW

Seeking Philbert Woodbead by Anya Wylde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Seeking Philbert Woodbead is the second in the Fairweather Sisters series by Anya Wylde. This book follows up a few months, give or take after the end of the first book, Penelope. Now, although this is a series, you could actually read this book without reading Penelope and still enjoy the book, but it is just more fun if you have read the first book before you start, but if you find yourself needing to start with this book, by all means do. It is a delight.

Celine Fairweather jumps at the chance to leave home and run to London to help her not that long ago married sister Penelope, who is now confined to her home, all because she had the misfortune of getting pregnant in a time when they had no idea what was going on! The book is hilarious. Celine is reading the "Proper English Ladies" book, and trying to be one, and Penelope could care less what society thinks, and the adventures and madcap fun just continues.

I loved the first book, which saw Penelope descend on London to try to find a husband. Now we see her sister descend on London, and although she tries to be more proper than Penelope did, she bungles it just as much if not more. It is zany and funny and every bit as much fun to read, in fact I sat down to read the book, and just had to finish the whole thing!

I love this author's style of writing. It is fun and light and just leaves you feeling happy, especially with everything going on in the world these days, it is so nice to escape into a light-hearted book and laugh and enjoy myself. It was such a good read.

As there are a number of Fairweather girls still at home, I hope this means that we can count on the author to bring us a number of more Fairweather sister books! I'm already looking for the next one!

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Always A Temptress by Eileen Dreyer (Drake's Rakes #3)

Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was sent to me through the GoodReads First-Reads program, and it was book three in a series, and being the type of person I am, I just could not read it until I found and read the first two books in the series, so this is why it has taken me awhile since I received the book to actually get it read and reviewed, but it was so worth it!


The time setting is 1815, and Drake's Rakes are a small band of gentlemen of the ton that have set about to foil a plot by a side group calling themselves the British Lions who want to overthrow the crown and take control. Each book in the series introduces us to another faction of the band of gentlemen in a more detailed way.


In the first book, we met Jack and Olivia Gracechurch, along with friends, but the book centers around Jack and Olivia and Jack's role in the Drake's Rakes and the notrious villan named "The Surgeon", who plans to rid the world of Jack, and even the lovely Olivia if he has too.


The second book, picks up at the end of the first, as Jack and Olivia are trying to move on with thier lives, we focus on Diccan Hillard and the General's daughter Grace Fairchild, and again that notirious Surgeon is peeking his nose into their lives and making mischief.


The third book starts at the end of book two, as everyone is leaving from the wedding of Jack and Olivia (their second time), and follows Major General Harry Lidge and the beautiful yet guarded Lady Kate. They have a history together, that of course a well-meaning father couldn't allow to continue so she is married off to a man in his 60's when she is 15, and Harry is feed some lies, and she hates him to this day for abandoning her. All is releaved in the third book, and more than that. They have to work together once again with the Drake's Rakes to keep fioling those nasty Lions and their plans to rock the Crown and kill the Duke of Wellington.


I found this book so hard to put down, so inviting and so capativating. I wanted to read more, I wanted to see where it would go and what would happen and how it would all come out. And yet, I can't help but feel that there is still more to be learned. I would love to see a book four with the leader of the Drake's Rakes, the one and only Marcus Drake being featured, but we haven't met any women to pair him with, all the women have been married off, unless we bring bakc Barbara Shroeder. Humm, that might be fun.


Even though I am a creature of plans and I have to read books in order, you would easliy be able to read any of these books in any order and still understand and enjoy the story. I loved the books and I enjoyed my time spent in 1815.


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Never A Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer (Drake's Rakes #2)

Never a Gentleman by Eileen Dreyer


My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Drake's Rakes are a group of gentlemen in society that are working undercover to protect the Crown, and each has something going on in his personal life that effects his work. In the first book in this series, we meet Jack and Oliva Gracechurch. In reading their story, we were introduced to some friends; Grace Fairchild, Lady Kate, Lady Bea, Diccan Hilliard, Marcus Drake and Harry Lidge just to name a few. In this, the second book in the series, we catch up with Diccan and Grace Fairchild and find them being put to the test!




The story starts right were the first book ends, and find Diccan Hillard doing work for the Drake's Rakes which of course means that he is running afoul of the Lions group who is trying to kill the Duke of Wellington and toppke the crown with their own heir. Since Diccan is trying to out them, they feel the need to silence him, and not just that but to shame him and ruin his credibility, and so they plant a drugged Diccan in the bed of a drugged Grace! Oh the horrors, of the shame!




We start with them waking in the Inn together, completely in shock and it moves as they try to figure out who is pulling the puppet strings behind this sunt, who is part of the Lions and how to keep themselves safe with a man called "The Surgeon" on the lose and itching to destory Diccan and Grace in the process if he has too.




So much history, mystery and intrigue wrapped in one book, all the while, Diccan not wanting to be married is married to Grace, the plainist of all women, or so he thinks, and he is about to find out that the plainness has been a cover all along so that she can hide in the corners of society and not be talked about.




I love the way the author, Eileen Dreyer, makes you feel you are actually there, and this is no chaste 1815's version of life, this is real, they talk about real life and emotions and heroic acts as well as common place life, not the stuffy version of life you hear in history books. I loved the story, I loved the way it all twists and winds and we end up back at the house of Jack and Oliva Gracechurch to wind up this mystery, bringing us back to the first couple was wonderful! It just made it all so much more real and alive, because if these people were friends in real life, they would have been together again and again, and the book puts them together. I love it.




The reason I actually started reading this series was because I got a copy of the third book in the series from First Reads, and I am just that kind of person, but there was no way on earth that I could read book three without having read book one and two, now having said that, it is just me, you could actually read book three or two first and not miss anything in the story, it follows better in order, but you could pick up any book in the series and read it, they stand on their own quite well.




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Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer (Drake's Rakes #1)

Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Historical books have always been a favorite of mine, but lately I have gotten away from reading them, taking more to the cozy mystery side. So when I got a chance to read this book and to get back into a historical vein, I was psyched.

I actually really loved this book. I loved the storyline, the way things move and evolve. I was completely in the dark, along with Olivia, as to what Jack had been up to for the past five years, and I loved that his amensia allowed him to grow and learn what it was to be a real man, a real husband, to have faith in a person and to truley love a person.

So I sorta gave you the storyline. Olivia and Jack, they were married but that was five years ago, and now, when she finds him on the battlefield, he is wearing the enemy uniform and has no memory. He doesn't remember than he not only divorced Olivia, but he turned her out into the street in a dramatic display. Olivia is no wilting violet, she dug in and learned to provide for herself and still keep a matter of pride and respect about her.

The book storyline then revolves around helping Jack to remember what he had been up to, and why someone might be searching for him, especially someone with some not so nice plans for his person, and that are willing to involve his wife in their plans weather she knows anything or not.

It is a really great book, and a teaser of book two in the back has me searching my resources for that second book. I can't wait to follow up on some of the other characters in the book, as well as Jack and Olivia.



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