Misfit's reads 2008

[Misfit]

Kennilworth by Sir Walter Scott
Hester by Margaret Oliphant
Gildenford by Valerie Anand
The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett
Queen's Play by Dorothy Dunnett
A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss
The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett
Pawn in Frankincense by Dorothy Dunnett
Shadow Music Julie Garwood
Child of Awe Kathryn Lynn Davis
The Sugar Pavilion Rosalind Laker
A Circle of Pearls Rosalind Laker
To Dance with Kings Rosalind Laker
Olivia and Jai Rebecca Ryman
The Ringed Castle Dorothy Dunnett
Checkmate Dorothy Dunnett
The Veil of Illusion Rebecca Ryman
Charleston Alexandra Ripley
The Snow Mountain Catherine Gavin
Railroad Schemes Cecelia Holland
Lily Nevada Cecelia Holland
The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss (god knows how I finished it!)
Red Adam's Lady Grace Ingram
By Honor Bound Helen Rosburg
Lady Macbeth Susan Fraser King
Harold the King Helen Hollick
Shalimar Rebecca Ryman
The Heaven Tree Trilogy Edith Pargeter
The Lute Player Nora Lofts
Hester Roon Nora Lofts
Joseph Balsamo Alexandre Dumas
Foxfire Anya Seton
The Mistletoe and the Sword Anya Seton
The Blood of Flowers Anita Amirrezvani
Castles in the Air Patricia Gallagher
No Greater Love Patricia Gallagher
On Wings of Dreams Patricia Gallagher
Kingdom of Shadows Barbara Erskine
Rumors Anna Godbersen
Memoirs of a Physician Alexandre Dumas
The Queen's Necklace Alexandre Dumas
Taking the Bastile Alexandre Dumas
The Countess de Charny Alexandre Dumas
Paloverde Jacqueline Briskin
One night for love Mary Balogh
Wild Swan Celeste De Blasis
Swan's Chance Celeste De Blasis
The Tiger's Woman Celeste De Blasis
Oliver Twist Charles Dickens
Ruth Elizabeth Gaskell
Wives and Daughters Elizabeth Gaskell
A Tapestry of Dreams Roberta Gellis
Shanna Kathleen Woodiwiss
The Conquest Elizabeth Chadwick (second read)
The Knight of the Maison Rouge Alexandre Dumas
A Season of Swans Celeste De Blasis

Now for something completely different. Wall Bangers (books I started and could not finish) for 2008:

Beneath a Marble Sky John Shors
House Divided Ben Ames Williams
The Bear Flag Cecelia Holland
White Rose Rebel Janet Paisley
Mistress of the Sun Sandra Gulland (yes I know I'm in the minority).
Lucky Billy John Vernon

[Telynor]

Beneath a Marble Sky John Shors
White Rose Rebel Janet Paisley

You're not alone in those titles -- I wall banged both of 'em after about 40 pages, finding that they could not hold my attention at all.

[Misfit]

sometimes you have to wonder if you read the same book everyone else did

[SonjaMarie]

I don't think I'm going to bother with "The Mistress of the Sun". I really enjoyed her Josephine B. trilogy but I couldn't understand why anyone would write a book on Louise since she's the least interesting of his mistresses. She's a bit of a milquetoast.

SM

[Misfit]

Interesting viewpoint on Louise. The last of Dumas' Musketeers series focused quite a bit on Louis and Louise and their relationship, especially the bit about originally faking the "romance" to throw Louis' mother off the scent from his relationship with Henriette. Everyone else seems to love MOTS but what ruined it for me was 1) way too much historical details to the point it clogged things down and 2) L&L didn't even start getting together until half way through the book. Too much time spent on her childhood.

[Misfit]

And to finish off the month of September,


The Proud Breed by Celeste De Blasis (awesome tale of old California)
This Shining Land by Rosalind Laker
New World, New Love by Rosalind Laker
Journey to Yesterday by June Lund Shiplett

[Misfit]

I'm with SM, I'm not going to finish another book in October so here goes,


The Smuggler's Bride Rosalind Laker (really good fun)
Devil's Brood Sharon Penman
The Time of Singing Elizabeth Chadwick
My Cousin Rachel Daphne Du Maurier
Jamaica Inn D duM
The King's Touch Jude Morgan
Tree of Gold Rosalind Laker


Wall Banged,

A lucky month, only Kentucky Clay a dreadful choice from the Amazon Vine.

[Divia]

Dude you should totally make a wallbanger list! :D

Yeah I saw that and it didnt interest me. Seemed heavy on the history and low on the story, well from the write up anyway. Your thoughts?

[Misfit]

Dude you should totally make a wallbanger list! :D

Yeah I saw that and it didnt interest me. Seemed heavy on the history and low on the story, well from the write up anyway. Your thoughts?

You should be glad you didn't get this one and I don't get some of those Viner's posting literally a day or two after arrival such glowing reviews. They could not have read it.

Not heavy on the history at all, just a chatty mess as the author blathred on about the family history and way too much of "I imagine......." . Review here (http://www.amazon.com/review/R322KJ91TTQA4K/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ASIN=1556527950&nodeID=#wasThisHelpful).

[Divia]

interesting review and I'm glad I didnt read it.

There are some books I can read in a day..so maybe they did read them? :confused:

[Madeleine]

My October reads:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - book group read, OK and easy to read.
The Fabric of Sin by Phil Rickman - murder mystery about a lady priest who specialises in Deliverance so elements of the supernatural, as well as quite a bit about the Knights Templar and M R James; I enjoyed it and it's the latest in a series so plenty to catch up on!
The Man in the Picture by Susan Hill - ghost story about a strange painting, a very quick read and quite atmospheric but not a patch on "The Woman in Black".

[Misfit]

interesting review and I'm glad I didnt read it.

There are some books I can read in a day..so maybe they did read them? :confused:

Anything is possible but if one read the book (even half way) one would not be giving it four and five starts. JMO though.

[Spitfire]

I noticed you read Foxfire, by Setton, Misfit. That one is on my TBR pile. What did you think of it, I loved Katheryn!

[Misfit]

I noticed you read Foxfire, by Setton, Misfit. That one is on my TBR pile. What did you think of it, I loved Katheryn!

Spitfire, Foxfire is not Katherine by a long shot and may not appeal to all readers (I love learning about mining history and I've spent time in Arizona), so I enjoyed it a great deal.

[Spitfire]

Spitfire, Foxfire is not Katherine by a long shot and may not appeal to all readers (I love learning about mining history and I've spent time in Arizona), so I enjoyed it a great deal.

Thanks! I think I will keep it in my pile, but it may have to wait abit!

[Misfit]

I'm pretty sure I won't finish the book I start tomorrow so here goes,


To Hold the Crown, Jean Plaidy
The Norman Pretender, Valerie Anand
The Disputed Crown, Valerie Anand
Heir Apparent, Sheri Vangen-Ratcliffe
The Kingmaking, Helen Hollick
Pendragon's Banner, Helen Hollick
Fires of Winter, Roberta Gellis
Sarah's Key by Tatitana de Rosnay


Wall Banged,

Winterbourne by Susan Carroll
The Whiskey Rebels by David Liss

[Misfit]

I's guessing I will not finish The Far Pavilions by Wednesday evening so here goes:


The Age of Innocence Elizabeth Wharton
The Champion Elizabeth Chadwick
Calico Palace Gwen Bristow
A Silver Mirror Roberta Gellis
The Winter Mantle Elizabeth Chadwick
Lords of the White Castle Elizabeth Chadwick
The Night Child Celeste De Blasis
So Many Partings Cathy Cash Spellman
Shadow of the King Helen Hollick
The Outsider Penelope Williamson
The Proud Villeins Valerie Anand
Heart of the West Penelope Williamson
The Last Queen CW Gortner