The Rebel Wears Plaid and Truly Madly Plaid

The Rebel Wears Plaid by Eliza Knight

Lady Jenny Mackintosh so strongly believes in the Jacobite rebellion, she's willing to risk her life for it. By day, she helps to run her family's estate. By night, she raises funds, weapons, and troops for the Bonnie Prince. After his mother's death at the hands of the Jacobites, Toran Fraser wants nothing more than to take down their cause. When he runs into Jenny and her crew one night, he joins them as a way of working on the inside. Of course, falling for the enemy is a longstanding cliché for a reason.... 

428 pages. Book #1 in the Prince Charlie's Angels trilogy.

Truly Madly Plaid by Eliza Knight

Annie MacPherson is lost when her brother dies at the Battle of Culloden and their family's estate is ravaged by the English. Annie, a healer, is determined to do her part and help the injured, including Lieutenant Craig MacLean. As dragoons near the makeshift hospital Annie has set up, Craig knows they must escape or face certain death. When they are eventually discovered and Craig is imprisoned, Annie is determined to go to any means necessary to save him from a grim fate. 

384 pages. Book #2 in the Prince Charlie's Angels trilogy.

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks

Summary: "Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come."

Alright, I don't understand this cover or the title, because neither do this book justice!!! Also, I think fey in this instance means something other than 'faerie."

It was everything I've ever wanted in a romance novel - it portrayed so many of my favorite tropes so well! I wish I could erase it from my brain and read it again and again. 

373 pages

goodreads | MOBIUS

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.

The Montgomerys and Armstrongs Series

Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for Scottish historical romance. Probably it's all the accents and kilts and warring clans. This one is particularly fascinating, because the lead female is deaf, only nobody knows it. Her own family thinks she is "daft," following a head injury and illness. That brings a unique element to the story.

Pages: 373

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Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am really enjoying this series! The characters have depth, and there's a good balance of action/warfare/drama versus romance. Plus, if you listen to the Audible versions, you get delightful accents.

Pages:352

On Dublin Street Series

On Dublin Street by Samantha Young  (Book 1)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So this book won the New Adult award in Audible's March Ab-Ness challenge to find the Best Book Boyfriend in different categories. I persuaded a friend to read it first, since I've been busy. Her high level of obsession made it clear I had to read it sooner, rather than later.

This story is equal parts amusing and scorching. The love interests butt heads a lot, which means there's tons of banter and bickering, which I appreciated. There are also some real issues that have to be dealt with, and the patient persistence of the male lead is what makes him a perfect Book Boyfriend.

I recommend this one to all avid and part-time romance readers, as well as those who can't turn away from relationship status negations and/or a sexy Scottish burr.

Book 149 read in 2018

Pages: 372

Click below to read the reviews on the rest of the books in the series:

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, this is the end of the line for me, and my actual score is more of a 2.5. I really wanted to love this one, but for me, it was drawn out and tedious. There was a huge lull from about 1/3 to 2/3, and I think this whole story could have been successfully accomplished and be far better in half the number of pages.

They still don't address the time travel issue in any way that is helpful or more satisfying than the previous novel, so I've effectively read 1,700 pages of a classic time travel novel and continue to have no answers or even clues to my most basic questions. All they did was give me more questions, and there's a point at which mystery and delay can be good for a story, but it's not after 1,700 frustrating pages of no real answers. I think I've finally accepted that actually addressing the concept of the story is never going to be a priority, and that sits poorly with me, since it's the concept that attracted me.

In addition, I got tired of rape scenes being used as filler to help drag the story out and add another 100 pages of drama. There's a limit to how much of that I want to continue to read, especially at this point.

This novel also diverged from almost everything I truly loved about book one, and that about did me in. Instead of being different or interesting, it took away all the things I loved most and expected me to hang on through those 600 or so middle pages of exhausting nonsense which did little to improve or progress the plot.

I just can't anymore. The characters aren't enough of a reason to continue on, especially now that I know these books are going to all be dreadfully long due to an inability to edit effectively, rather than a true need for each story to be so lengthy.

There's a phrase in the writing world that says, "kill your darlings." It basically means that if you want to have a good story, you have to be able to delete useless words, sentences, paragraphs, scenes, chapters, and sometimes even sections of your manuscript to create a better story. Unfortunately, there are no dead darlings in this monster. They're all there, and you have to read them all, no matter how slow, unnecessary, and boring they may be. And sometimes they aren't boring. Sometimes it's a funny scene but still completely useless to the story, in which case, I would have preferred some humor through a different method.

A drawn out story can be good, if there's enough motion to compel someone forward. There just isn't here, and I quit this book so many times and had to force myself to restart and restart and restart to finish it. While the ending was more interesting, it should have arrived 500 pages sooner, in order for me to continue onward. I don't by any means dislike a long book, but I can't slog through so many chapters of nonsense just to get to the good stuff. I'm not that patient. I think this just isn't my cup of tea after all, but I'm glad I finally know what this series is all about after years of wondering.

Book 148 Read in 2018

Pages: 976

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has an addictive quality, and though I started it once before and didn’t get far (traffic, exhaustion, stress), I’m happy that I finally gave this another try. I’m definitely obsessed at this point and will read onward, but I gave it only 4 stars, as there are some things that could definitely be better considering the heft of the book. I’ll list those at the bottom and block them due to spoilers.

I’ll also block the complaints, as I don’t want everyone to focus on those, as I overwhelmingly enjoyed this book. I have already started book two, and I am definitely becoming an Outlander fangirl. I am hoping that as the series progresses that it will continue to improve and address some of the things I think that are an issue and/or a disappointment.

So first up, we have the things I liked:

---Jamie Frasier. He’s kind of a mess, but let’s face it. Who isn’t at 23? No offense to 23-year-olds. Come back in 5 or 10 years, and that comment might make a weird sort of sense. Also, Jamie lived in a different time and world, which definitely muddies the waters of acceptable behaviors. I can’t help but gape at him. He does a whole lot of things wrong, for seemingly the right reasons, which makes him a fascinating companion for the journey.

---Jamie also won March-Ab-Ness and was voted Audible’s Best Book Boyfriend of all time, and all for very good reasons. He’s swoony and frequently charming, though rarely on purposes, which is an admirable quality. Also, his mouth and brain don’t always connect, which can be in turn, upsetting, amusing, and quite romantic.

---The way Claire and Jamie bicker amuses me to no end.

---The relationship between the two is surprisingly adorable, at times.

---The age and experience gaps between Jamie and Claire, which add another layer of interest to the story.

---The historical setting, and in particular, the ways of the Scottish Highlands and the different clans.

---The comparisons of medical treatments across time

---The drama, and boy is there a lot of it.

---Kilts. Yes, I said it. Don’t go all Braveheart on me. Very handy buggers, and when worn by a handsome, well-muscled Scottish warrior, nobody would dare argue their sex appeal.

---Jamie’s stories of his past, which are all pretty much upsetting, but the way he tells them is captivating.

---A scene late in the story where he teaches a small boy an important life skill. If you’ve read the book, you’ll know what I mean. It totally cracked me up.

Book 136 read in 2018

Pages: 850

And now, we have my relatively minor complaints, which will contain SPOILERS:

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

Seven Stones to Stand or Fall by Diana Gabaldon

A collection of seven novellas published in various anthologies over the years, Seven Stones to Stand or Fall deals with interesting side-stories within the Outlander universe. "The Custom of the Army" tells of Lord John Grey's time in Canada, where he and his comrades lay siege to the Citadel of Quebec. "The Space Between" encounters a grief-stricken Michael Murray, a nephew of Jamie Fraser, who has been charged with accompanying Joan MacKimmie, his kind-of cousin, to Paris so she can join a convent. Then there's the ever-troublesome Comte St. Germain .... In "A Plague of Zombies," we meet Lord John once again, this time in Jamaica, where he has been charged with putting down a slave rebellion. "A Leaf on the Wind of All Hallows" details the tragic story of Roger MacKenzie's parents, Jerry and Dolly. In "Virgins," a young Jamie Fraser and his best friend, Ian Murray, become mercenaries in France, and both are rather worried they'll end up in hell for their actions. We learn the story behind how Lord John's older brother, Hal, meets and falls in love with his rather fierce wife, Minnie, in "A Fugitive Green." Lord John travels to Cuba in "Besieged," in order to save his mother, who is a guest of Governor Juan de Prado. But once he learns the British navy is preparing to wreak havoc on Havana, Lord John fears the Dowager Duchess of Pardloe could become a hostage. 

Part of the Outlander universe. 544 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.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Summary: Aileana Kameron is intent on avenging her mother's death...by hunting and killing every fae in Scotland. She has help from a pixie, a Seer and even a powerful fae himself, Kiaran MacKay. 

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It's steampunk, faery-hunting and historical Scotland all rolled into one quirky and quickly-moving story. The action scenes were my favorite parts, and the author doesn't get bogged down in filler. It isn't perfect, but still enjoyable. 

Favorite Quote: "I want to be there with you until the end." 

378 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.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Claire wishes she paid more attention to her husband’s genealogy fascination, when she accidentally travels back in time to 1743 Scotland and has a memorable encounter with one of his ancestors. Claire served as a British Army nurse in WWII. One of my favorite parts of the novel is the comparison between 18th and 20th century medicine.

896 pages.

The Bride by Julie Garwood

The Bride by Julie Garwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the first romance novels I ever read, back in high school. The BFF gave it to me, and I fell into a whole, strange new world of reading. After that, we read everything we could get our hands on by this author, because she has a way of transporting you to a different time and place. She also writes strong and interesting characters, who often butt heads, which makes the stories even more fun.

It was strange to reread this after so many years, but 36 year-old me had to see if this book was still as good as 15 year-old me thought, and I definitely was disappointed. I did notice things like clunky, unnatural dialogue in a few spots, but I still enjoyed the story and will remember it fondly.

Pages: 368

"Play On" by Avery Cockburn

This novella in the Glasgow Lads series takes place before the first book, "Playing for Keeps."  It focuses on Duncan Harris, who plays for an LGBT football (soccer) team in Glasgow, Scotland, and Brodie Campbell, one of Duncan's flatmates at university.  Duncan's team and his attitude have gone to pot since they were abandoned by their captain.  Brodie is trying to recover from a bout of mono, study for finals, and deal with the emotional trauma of being bullied for his sexuality.  He and Duncan grow close, but when Duncan beats an opponent who threatens Brodie, his status on the team and his relationship with Brodie are in jeopardy.

As in "Playing for Keeps," the author does a great job of building the two main characters, their issues, and the ways they each try to handle them.  Brodie is introverted and afraid of being hurt once again, and Duncan doesn't always understand how difficult Brodie's life has been and continues to be because of his homophobic parents and hometown.  Duncan comes from an upper middle class family who brags about his homosexuality.  Plus, he's a physically strong athlete, like Brodie's tormentors back home.  But the story isn't all doom and gloom.  Both men are funny, loyal, and kind.  Duncan spent several months in the U.S. before starting university, and it was fun to read the odd things he learned there. I really enjoyed the story and can't wait to read more in the series.  152 pages (Kindle edition).

"Playing for Keeps" by Avery Cockburn

Fergus Taylor is an architect and reluctant captain of his LGBT football (soccer) team in Glasgow, Scotland, and is trying to recover from a bad breakup when he meets John Burns.  John works for a non-profit that helps immigrants obtain asylum in Scotland and wants Fergus' team to play a charity match to raise money.  The introverted Fergus is wary but wants to help and needs to find a way to get his team back on track after last season's disastrous end.  He and John are attracted to each other but their backgrounds are very different; Fergus is Catholic and John is Protestant.

This was an excellent book with action, romance, family drama, and lots of angst concerning Scotland's sectarianism between Protestants and Catholics.  Fergus and John even have fleece blankets of the Celtic and Rangers football clubs, respectively, in their bedrooms; with the fierce, historic rivalry between the two teams, these blankets symbolize the men's many differences.  The author does a great job of explaining to the reader how sectarianism still affects the Scottish people without getting bogged down in historical details.  I can't wait to read more in this series.  326 pages (Kindle edition).

"Not My Father's Son: A Memoir" by Alan Cumming

Alan Cumming survived a horrible childhood with an abusive father in Scotland to become a very successful actor, writer, singer, producer, and director.  (He won a Tony Award for Cabaret in 1998 and is now a regular on TV's The Good Wife.)  This memoir tells parallel stories from Alan's memories of abuse and his journey as an adult to find out more about his maternal grandfather who died in Malaysia in 1951.  He did the latter for the television show Who Do You Think You Are?  His mother's family were never told the truth about his grandfather's death, and at the same time as filming, Alan's father drops a bombshell on him after more than a decade of silence.  So there are two mysteries that he's trying to solve, and both are bound to cause emotional upheaval for him, his mother, and his older brother.

This is an excellent, well written, and riveting memoir about secrets, lies, misconceptions, and mental illness, and what they do to families.  It is not a complete autobiography of the author's entire life but about how he survived his childhood as well as two enormous revelations that happened in his 40s.  I admired Alan Cumming before I read this and that admiration is even greater now.  Highly recommended.  294 pages.

"From Missouri to the Isle of Mull: Impressions of a Little Journey by Three Missourians" by Ethelbert F. Allen, Campbell Wells, and Walter Williams

Written and privately printed in 1909, this little tome chronicles a five week trip from Montreal to the Isle of Mull and back.  Wells and Williams helped found the MU School of Journalism in 1908 and traveled with Allen, a bigwig in the Kansas City Masonic community, by boat and train.  Along with descriptions of fellow passengers, the book recounts Dublin, London (which was the most populous city at the time), rural England, Paris, Plymouth (where they attended the Institute of Journalists' annual conference), Edinburgh, the Isle of Mull, and their inhabitants.  It was interesting to read the impressions that these cities and people made on the three men over 100 years ago.  There are also some amusing observations, such as "Is living cheaper in England?  That depends on the living and the liver."  "Ireland is the saddest country. ... The land and inhabitants alike appear in tears."  And this gem:  "The Frenchman like the Englishman runs his business to get money enough to maintain himself and family in comfort at home.  The American man runs his home as a boarding house where he sleeps and eats to get strength to run his business."  77 pages; published in 1909.

"Rules for a Proper Governess" by Jennifer Ashley

Book seven in the Mackenzies & McBrides series centers on Sinclair McBride, a tough, Scottish barrister working and living in London with his two motherless children.  Sinclair's wife, Daisy, died seven years ago, and his daughter and son have run off every governess he has ever hired.  But when East Ender Bertie Frasier picks his pocket of the watch his late wife had given him, Sinclair meets the woman who will change his life forever.  Bertie becomes the children's governess even though she hasn't had much formal education; the kids like and mind her, which is what Sinclair needs immediately.  There is also the mystery of the sinister letters that he continues to receive from an unknown enemy threatening to expose Daisy's past and put his kids' futures in jeopardy.  Is the author someone he has successfully prosecuted or Daisy's own brother, who hates Sinclair and wants to take away the children?  Or could Bertie's abusive father be behind the threats?

This was another winner from Ashley, whose descriptions of London, Scotland, and the book's many characters were vivid and realistic.  Sinclair is a broken, depressed man who continues to mourn his late wife at the expense of everyone and everything else in his life except his work.  Bertie is a strong, forthright, and honest heroine even though she has been forced into crime by her awful father and his cronies.  The mystery added a nice touch, and it was great to see the many Mackenzies and McBrides from the previous books.  306 pages.

Not My Father's Son

Author: Alan Cumming
Audio: 6 hours and 28 minutes
Pages: 304


Cover blurb:
Dark, painful memories can be like a cage. Or, in the case of Alan Cumming, they can be packed away in a box, stuck in the attic to be forgotten. Until one day the box explodes and all the memories flood back in horrible detail. Alan Cumming grew up in the grip of a man who held his family hostage, someone who meted out violence with a frightening ease, who waged a silent war with himself that sometimes spilled over onto everyone around him. That man was Alex Cumming, Alan's father.


My take:
I have always admired Alan Cumming, he is not afraid to try roles and put himself "out there". Always entertaining and funny.
I experienced this book through audio, Alan narrates it himself. His voice is lovely to listen to and he puts emotion into the reading. I enjoyed the book very much and would recommend it.