Saturday, August 27, 2016

"Love, Lies and Spies" Book Review

   I was at one of my local libraries one day when I stumbled across Love, Lies and Spies by Cindy Anstey sitting on the recently released shelf. I thought the cover was gorgeous, and the synopsis sounded interesting. So I picked it up, read it, and here we are!

Synopsis
Juliana Telford isn't your ordinary nineteenth-century lady. She's more interested in publishing her research on ladybugs than in marriage or fashionable dresses. Spencer Northam isn't your ordinary nineteenth-century gentleman. He's a spy for the War Office on his first mission. But when Spencer's assignment involves keeping an eye on the lovely Juliana and her friends, their plans for a season without romance are unapologetically foiled.  

My Review
   This book was amazing! I don't typically read historical romances, but this was so much like a Jane Austen novel that I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was never a dull moment in this story. In fact, the story started out with Juliana literally hanging off the edge of a cliff. Luckily, a kind gentleman near by is able to help her up. A kidnapping, espionage, and a romance soon happen in Juliana's suddenly action-packed life.

   I loved all of the characters, even the supporting cast. There was even a woman who highly resembled Mrs. Bennet! Juliana's character seemed a lot more independent than other ladies I've read about in this genre. She was also very good at keeping a cool head, even in dangerous situations. Spencer is definitely the epitome of a gentleman. He can save the damsel in distress, but he's also supportive of Juliana's pursuit of publishing her research. Mr. Peybald, on the other hand, is the perfect despicable cad. His ending is very deserved. All of the characters were real and well thought out.
   I think the best part of the book was quite possibly the writing itself. The characters were well described, the scenery and settings were masterfully depicted and the vocabulary itself could have come straight out of one of Austen's novels. There were even a few words I had to look up (I love when that happens)!
   This is Cindy Anstey's first novel, and I can't wait to read more from her!


Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Well...

   I must admit, I had a very different topic planned for today. In my original post, I was going to talk about how orientation went, how my first day of classes were, and how South Carolina was compared to Michigan. But alas, I'm still in Michigan.
Trail by the Rockford Dam
   That's right. I didn't get to go. I ran into some unexpected financial trouble that I just couldn't find a way around. I will admit, I'm extremely disappointed. I'll also admit that I'm at a loss as to how to move forward. I still have my job at Kmart, and I'm going to start looking for a full-time job soon. But other than that, I don't know what to do. I'm thinking about entering that writing contest I never got around to last year. My cousin and I have plans to travel next spring. I'm not sure if I'm going to a local college in the beginning of this upcoming year, or if I should wait another year and try again. I miss going to classes. I miss the studying, papers, class discussions, and even the tests. I know I'll be okay, I just have to keep moving forward.