The Duchess Countess: The Woman Who Scandalized Eighteenth-Century London by Catherine Ostler

The Duchess Countess: The Woman Who Scandalized Eighteenth-Century London by Catherine Ostler

As maid of honor to Augusta, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth Chudleigh enjoys a luxurious life. She is well-known to the public, and even served as the inspiration for Becky Sharp in William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair. 

A young Elizabeth elopes with Augustus Hervey, the heir to an earldom. Both would quickly regret the marriage and prefer to pretend it never took place. Many years later, Elizabeth would have a happy second marriage to a duke--but news of her first marriage began to spread, culminating in a sensational bigamy trial that captivated all of England, particularly since Elizabeth refused to surrender quietly. 

432 pages.

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Voyager by Diana Gabaldon

Twenty years previously, Claire Randall had traveled back in time and found herself in the arms of a gallant Scottish warrior named Jamie Fraser. When circumstances demand Claire return to her own time, leaving Jamie to die on the battlefield of Culloden moor, she is devastated and unable to forget him.
After the death of her husband in 1966, Claire discovers Jamie survived Culloden. Torn between staying with their daughter or going back in time to be with Jamie once more, Claire must choose her destiny as time and space come full circle.

Book #3 in the Outlander series. 870 pages.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Claire Randall returns to Scotland with her grown daughter intent on revealing a truth she has hidden for twenty years: about the ancient circle of standing stones, about her flight through time into the arms of a fierce Scottish warrior named Jamie Fraser. Now Claire lays bare her story for Brianna, revealing the truth about Jamie, their time in Paris in the 18th century, and their fight to save Scotland from Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Battle of Culloden, and its aftermath.

Book #2 in the Outlander series. 743 pages.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

I realized on my first read-through I didn't add the first three books to the blog! And re-watching the series made me want to reread.

In 1945, Claire Randall has happily reunited with her husband for a second honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands after World War II caused them to unwillingly part. When Claire is suddenly forced through the stones at the circle known as Craigh na Dun, she becomes a "Sassenach"--an outsider--in 1743 Scotland. Sent back in time by unseen and unknown forces, Claire must grapple with a past that threatens her very life. In the past, Claire meets Jamie Fraser, a young Scottish warrior, leaving her torn between two very different men, and the different versions of the future they might hold for her.

Book #1 in Outlander series. 627 pages.

Lost Lady by Jude Deveraux

Lost Lady by Jude Deveraux

Regan flees Weston Manor in the English countryside to escape her cruel guardian and marriage to a man who doesn't love her, though she is desperately in love with him. Heartbroken, she runs smack into Travis Stanford, a big, rugged American, on London's docks. Travis finds himself drawn to Regan, and vows to protect her. Regan sets out for the shores of America with hope, unaware of the iron-willed she will have to become.

James River Trilogy #2. 352 pages.

Counterfeit Lady by Jude Deveraux

Counterfeit Lady by Jude Deveraux

French citizens are still searching for members of the royal court in the aftermath of the French Revolution, causing Nicole Courtalain to quietly hide in the home of Bianca Maleson and her father, disguised as Bianca's maid. Bianca is engaged to Virginia plantation owner Clay Armstrong, though she has managed to continually postpone the wedding. Clay grows impatient and decides to kidnap his bride-to-be, only to find a case of mistaken identity. What does fate have in store for them after this sudden turn of events?

James River Trilogy #1. 400 pages.

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

Time's Convert by Deborah Harkness

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, vampire Matthew de Clermont meets young surgeon Marcus MacNeil. Intrigued by the dying boy, Matthew offers Marcus a chance at immortality. A patriot through and through, Marcus finds his deeply held ideals of liberty and equality are at odds with the responsibilities and traditions that come with being a de Clermont. In present day Paris, Phoebe Taylor, the young woman Marcus has fallen for, is facing her own journey, having chosen to become a vampire for Marcus. Meanwhile, Matthew and Diana, whose story is told in the All Souls trilogy, struggle with raising Bright Born twins.

448 pages.

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Summary: "Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."  -Amazon

Oh my goodness, this book.  It has everything.  Seriously.  Mystery, adventure, romance, scathing commentary, evil, and the alchemical elements give just the right amount of fantasy.  But I have to say, the absolute best part are the characters.  Yes, romping around 18th century Europe is fun, but holy-moly are the characters gems!  Monty is rebellious and impulsive, but he has a vulnerability that makes you want reach in and hug him.  Percy is quiet and steady; he deals with being bi-racial in a world of hatred and ignorance with a grace that is both defiant and dignified.  And Felicity - whew!  She is such a strong female presence, intelligent and caring.  The characters have such depth.  Bravo, Ms. Lee.  Bravo.

This book is a ride, with humor and gravitas both.  If I had only one word to use in recommendation of this novel, it would be 'refreshing'.  So many books are the same character types in different settings, or the same premise with different items.  Not so here.  Refreshing!  It's over 500 pages and still not enough.  I can't wait to read the sequel.

5/5

510 pages

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

Written in My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1778 and Jamie and Claire Fraser are unsure how things became so complicated: France has declared war on Great Britain, and the British army has fled Philadelphia with George Washington in pursuit. Jamie, meanwhile, has returned from what Claire and Jamie's friend Lord John Grey were told was a watery grave only to find his friend has married his wife in order to protect her. His illegitimate son has discovered the true identity of his biological father, much to the horror of both father and son. In the midst of all this, Jamie's beloved nephew, Ian, has decided to marry a Quaker. Chaos abounding, Claire and Jamie's sister, Jenny, newly arrived from Scotland, attempt to pick up the pieces. One thing the Fraser family is sure of, though, is the safety of their daughter, Brianna, who resides in the twentieth century with her family. But all is not well with Brianna: Her young son has been kidnapped by a man seeking the family's secrets, and Brianna's husband Roger has once more ventured into the past to find the missing child, unaware that Jem is firmly rooted in the present. With Roger gone, Jem's kidnapper is free to focus on his true target: Brianna herself.

Book 8 in the Outlander series. 825 pages.

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser is a former Jacobite and rather unwilling participant in the American Revolution, but he chose rebellion because he was certain of several things: The Americans will win, though fighting on the side of victory would not ensure his survival, and the last thing he wanted to do was face his illegitimate son, a lieutenant in the British army, down the barrel of a gun. Claire Fraser, Jamie's wife, has assured him of victory---something she can guarantee because she is a time-traveler. What she does not know, however, is what the price will be. The price will not include Jamie's life or happiness, at least not if she has anything to say about it. Meanwhile, Jamie and Claire's daughter, Brianna, and her husband, Roger, reside in the relative safety of the twentieth century with their children. They have settled in Lallybroch, Jamie's ancestral home, and maintain a connection with Brianna's parents through a series of letters they were careful to leave behind. As Brianna and Roger comb the fragile pages for clues to the fate of Claire and Jamie, they learn just how closely their lives are linked.

Book 7 in the Outlander series. 814 pages.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon

It is 1772, and the stench of rebellion is in the air. In the midst of war, secluded cabins are being burned to the ground not far from Fraser's Ridge, where Jamie Fraser and his family reside, and Jamie is determined to find out who would willingly commit such a heinous act. As chaos spreads, the new governor, Josiah Martin, seeks an envoy to unite the North Carolina backcountry and keep it safe for King and Crown. Everyone agrees: Jamie is the man for the job. But because of his time-traveling wife, Claire, daughter, Brianna, and son-in-law, Roger, Jamie is well aware those who remain loyal to the King will likely pay with their lives or end up exiled. Meanwhile, a small newspaper clipping foretelling of the deaths of Jamie and Claire in a house fire, brought to the past with Brianna, weighs heavy on his mind. For the first time, Jamie finds himself hoping his family may be wrong about what the future holds.

Book 6 in the Outlander series. 980 pages.

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

War is brewing in the year of Our Lord 1771, a fact Jamie Fraser knows to be true because his wife, Claire, assures him it is so. Jamie has little choice but to believe her because Claire has the gift of prophecy. It is not a gift she was born with, but rather the gift of a time traveler's dreadful knowledge of what's to come. Sure enough, Jamie receives orders from Governor Tryon to gather a militia in order to suppress the Regulators, a group of citizens dissatisfied with the colonial government. Given what Jamie knows about the future, he must walk a fine line as he supports a government he knows will eventually fail. Meanwhile, the Frasers, their daughter Brianna, and her family must face other battles far more personal than the revolution that is to come.

Book 5 in the Outlander series. 979 pages.  

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Claire Randall's first unexpected trip to the past led her into the arms of an 18th century Scottish warrior named Jamie Fraser. Now they are happily reunited, but Claire has left someone behind in the 20th century---her and Jamie's daughter, Brianna. Brianna has fallen in love with a Scottish historian named Roger Wakefield MacKenzie, a man who also has ties to the same mysterious stones that led Claire to Jamie. As Roger is helping Bree research what has happened to her parents, he stumbles upon a disturbing discovery he is determined to hide. Unbeknownst to him, Bree has uncovered the information herself. It leads her to the stone circle known as Craigh na Dun, resulting in Bree plunging headfirst into the past to meet the father she never knew, setting off a chain of events that could leave her stranded forever ... or perhaps just where she was always meant to be.

Book 4 in the Outlander series. 880 pages.

The Devil's Making by Sean Haldane

Chad Hobbes, an Englishman recently arrived in Vancouver Canada in May 1768, finds he can only make a living serving in the local police force.  Thus he becomes involved in the murder investigation of a Dr. McCrory, an American 'alienist' who practiced phrenology, Mesmerism, and certain sexual-mystical magnetation methods.  The murder is at first presumed to have been committed by the chief of a local visiting Native American group, but as Chad probes further he finds many in Vancouver have reason to want to kill McCrory.  He also finds that the doctor had discovered several secrets among his patients and used them to his advantage. Haldane provides a convincing picture of life in early Vancouver and the tensions between the Native Americans and the British and American settlers.  There are a few rather unusual plot twists, and a pretty surprising ending to the mystery. 367 pages.

Ross Poldark: a novel of Cornwall by Winston Graham

The Poldark series, originally published in the 1940s, is the basis for a gritty PBS series about Cornwall in the 1780s.  Ross Poldark, a member of the gentry, returns from fighting for the British in the war for American independence to find that the woman he loves, Elizabeth, is now engaged to another.  He now has to pick up the pieces of his life and try to make a living on the small family farm he has inherited.  Graham creates a great moody atmosphere for Cornwall and vividly depicts both the struggles of the poor villagers and the tensions among the landowners and gentry.  I don't know if I would have enjoyed this as much if I had read the book first, as the actors gave very strong performances and rooted the characters in my mind.  The videos follow the story pretty closely, but included more emphasis on the broken romance between Ross and Elizabeth and the relationships with other members of the large Poldark family.  Ross is not afraid of bucking the conventions of his class and unexpectedly develops a love relationship with his kitchen maid, Demelza, and marries her to the astonishment of his family.  Demelza is a strong character in her own right, unschooled but a quick study, and Graham vividly describes the awkward scenes of her trying to fit into refined society and the cruelty of the gossip and hurtful remarks wielded by the other women.  The next volume in the series focuses on Demelza, and should be a fun read.  376 pages

St. Louis: An Illustrated Timeline by Carol Ferring Shepley

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

Home of the World Series St. Louis Cardinals, Art Museum, Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts, recording artist Nelly, Opera Theatre of St. Louis founded in 1976.  In 1958, the St. Louis Hawks beat the Boston Celtics for their only championship and later moved to Atlanta.  In 1954, St. Louis school board prepares for Brown vs. Board of Education.  Charles Lindberg crosses the Atlantic Ocean in the airplane named the Spirit of St. Louis.  213 pages.