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The Kirov Saga by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

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Misfit
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The Kirov Saga by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Post by Misfit » Fri May 14th, 2010, 8:05 pm

I've just placed a hold on book #1 in the trilogy at the library. Anyone read these?

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When Anne Peters, a young Englishwoman, is offered a new life in St Petersburg as governess to Count Kirov's children, she finds herself caught up in the intense lives of the family.
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Fleur Hamilton , intelligent, independent, sensible, is much courted but never won. She believes herself to be completely level-headed, but as an unmarried Victorian female she is utterly innocent about love and the ways of men.

Visiting St Petersburg with her father, she meets Count Sergei Kirov. He puzzles as much as he excites her – a vibrant, attractive, yet enigmatic man, with a tragic secret in his past. In the gilded splendour of this loveliest of cities, she falls in love with him, and with the mystical and barbaric beauty of his country. But England and Russia are on the brink of war with each other – and Kirov is on the brink of a marriage of convenience with the daughter of Fleur’s host.

From the sophistication of Imperial Petersburg to the rustic simplicity of the Crimea; from elegant house parties to the agony and squalor of besieged Sebastopol; Fleur follows her heart. Through passion, betrayal and suffering, she seeks to unravel the mystery of Kirov, and to understand what it is that binds the threads of her life so closely to his.
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Emily Paget, poor relation of an earl, shocks her family with her determination to earn her own living, rather than submit to a ‘respectable’ marriage. The adventure brings her to the notice of her eccentric Russian grandmother, who whisks her off to St Petersburg. There Emily finds the freedom she craves amongst the drawing-room revolutionaries; and falls passionately in love, never dreaming how close they are to real revolution.

When it comes, bloody and brutal, Emily’s courage is tested to the full. Only she can save something from the wreck and bring the last of her family safe out of Russia. But she must leave behind the man she loves, not knowing even if he is alive or dead
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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EC2
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Post by EC2 » Fri May 14th, 2010, 9:12 pm

Not read, Misfit, but I have heard of them. I may be remembering wrongly, but I think one of them - Emily? - was either shortlisted for the best romantic novel of the year in the UK, or actually won it. It's an award for mainstream commercial fiction. Philippa Gregory is a former winner.
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

www.elizabethchadwick.com

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Post by Divia » Sat May 15th, 2010, 12:05 am

Oh! I've never heard of em before. They sound interesting. I may have to see if they have em at my lib.

I look forward to your review.
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Post by Misfit » Sat May 15th, 2010, 12:27 am

[quote=""Divia""]Oh! I've never heard of em before. They sound interesting. I may have to see if they have em at my lib.

I look forward to your review.[/quote]

Her Morland books have been so well received I'm quite fired up and hopefully will get me out of my post EC slump :o . Don't go buying them, there are libraries in the US with them so remember the ILL.
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annis
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Post by annis » Sat May 15th, 2010, 12:28 am

I read these many years ago- they're more in the romantic adventure style than the Morland Dynasty series.

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Post by Divia » Sat May 15th, 2010, 1:14 am

[quote=""Misfit""]Her Morland books have been so well received I'm quite fired up and hopefully will get me out of my post EC slump :o . Don't go buying them, there are libraries in the US with them so remember the ILL.[/quote]

My library has the first one but not the rest. If I want to ILL em and they arent in my county(which they aren't) I have to pay for shipping.
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Post by Misfit » Sat May 15th, 2010, 1:41 am

[quote=""Divia""]My library has the first one but not the rest. If I want to ILL em and they arent in my county(which they aren't) I have to pay for shipping.[/quote]

Are you freaking serious? I have ILL'd books from all over the country throught my library and on only very very rare ocassions has the *lending* library requested a fee, and only for very very rare books (which I can't blame them). So in my thoughts if say King County (mine) doesn't have a fee for ILL why in the h*** should your library require one? Hmmmm.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Post by Divia » Sat May 15th, 2010, 3:36 am

I dunno, but I remember I tired once and thats what they told me. But maybe I should hit up another library worker. Cause the person I talked to wasnt a librarian.
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Telynor
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Post by Telynor » Sat May 15th, 2010, 5:49 am

As someone who shamelessly uses the ILL system, and have worked in the NYS system, they -shouldn't- be charging you for shipping. I believe there is budgeting in the state for that. In any case, it's outrageous.

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Post by Misfit » Sat May 15th, 2010, 12:04 pm

[quote=""Telynor""]As someone who shamelessly uses the ILL system, and have worked in the NYS system, they -shouldn't- be charging you for shipping. I believe there is budgeting in the state for that. In any case, it's outrageous.[/quote]

I agree, imagine if I got an ILL from your local system at N/C and then requested one from mine and they made you pay. Not quite fair is it?

Check the library website (assuming they have one), we have a form you fill on online and then they either let you know when the book is in (or it shows up on my hold list) or drop you a line saying they couldn't find it. It's very very rare when they can't I might add. I've had ILL's come from Alaska, New Hampshire, college libraries and a Benedictine Abbey. Not once have I paid a penny.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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