Farida Mestek, the author of the Austenesque novel Margaret’s Rematch, is back with another novel that proves to be a wide departure from her previous style. Almendra, as its subtitle tells us, is a fairy tale. With typical fairy tale style and language, Farida sends her travelers on a journey to fantastic places. A restaurant owned and serviced by a large duck-woman. Shawlwood, where the shawl weavers weave the wearer’s destiny along with their jewels into the shawls they create. Finally, the Land of Men, where the inhabitants may be too much the stuff of fairy tale and not enough cold hard reality. Continue reading →.

A sequel to Eight Cousins and first published in 1876, this novel begins when Rose returns from two years in Europe. Her seven male cousins have grown up and are looked upon as possible mates for Rose. The winner would be fortunate, since Rose is a rich orphan. With all the conflict and reversals that never happened in Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom is a more adult novel than its predecessor. However it is vintage Alcott, echoing some of the sentiments from Little Women. Continue reading →.

There Must Be Murder features Catherine’s triumphant return to Bath, adding some pleasant emotions to memories of her trip just a year previous. Now a bride of two months with Rev. Henry Tilney by her side, Catherine is ready to revel in the romantic triumphs of others, sincerely believing that those others are as earnest and deserving as herself. Ms. Sullivan adds a lighthearted touch to the story by prominently featuring MacGuffin, the Tilney’s affectionate and enormous Newfoundland dog, as well as Lady Josephine, a tabby cat belonging to Lady Beauclerk. Another delightful touch is the presentation throughout of exceptional drawings by Cassandra Chouinard. Continue reading →.

Jo’s Boys, and How They Turned Out: A Sequel to “Little Men” was first published in 1886. This final book in the unofficial Little Women trilogy follows Jo’s children into adulthood. Franz and Emil, Tommy Bangs, Dolly, Stuffy, Nat, Dan and Daisy appear, along with the almost-grown-up Bess, Josie, Rob and Teddy. If Little Men was a wonderful fantasy of childhood, Jo’s Boys is a lesson in the cold, hard realities of adulthood. Continue reading →.

In this romantic comedy novelette, author Lorene Haupt poses some scenarios that will whet the appetites of women who remember the guy that got away. While introducing us to a romantic story that captivates our interest, Haupt weaves in fun pop-culture references, from Pretty in Pink to Pearl Jam. She also broaches some unexpected topics such as diabetes, Weight Watchers, Facebook, and–ahem–Chlamydia. Continue reading →.

First published in 1871, Little Men the sequel to Little Women. It continues where Little Women left off set at the school established by Jo and her professor husband, Fritz Bhaer. Jo is the catalyst moving the education process along, the glue holding the school together and the engineer studying and solving the human problems that surface when a multitude of students with widely divergent backgrounds come together. Continue reading →.

First published in 1906, I Will Repay was the second written but sixth novel in chronological order of the Scarlet Pimpernel series. More than any of the other books in the series, it captures the ominous side of the French Revolution and the ever-present threat of betrayal by one’s acquaintances, friends, loved ones or political bedfellows. The author’s detailed descriptions of mob psychology and political intrigue dovetail notably with her impressive knowledge of Parisian geography and the sartorial preferences of both revolutionaries and “aristos.” Continue reading →.

If Northanger Abbey was a little confusing for me, Nachtstürm Castle was not. Author Emily C. A. Snyder describes this work as a Gothic novel in the style of Jane Austen, and it exhibits a visible Austen imprint in the style of prose and in the charming imitation of that author’s habit of addressing the reader. Having read only one novel by Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, and having read it as a preparation for reviewing Nachtstürm Castle, I can see the resemblance in style and, of course, subject matter. However, the story takes us beyond Austen, where I perceive (rightly or wrongly) snatches of Dorothy Sayers, Mary Shelley, and even Edgar Allen Poe. Continue reading →.

Judith Collington lived in Hollywood and made excellent money as a personal shopper to the stars. For the casual observer, her life might be the stuff that dreams are made of, but Judith was itching to get herself and her pre-teen daughter away from all the glitz and phoniness of the entertainment trade. She longed for a job that would allow her time to connect personally with daughter, Shannon, before the latter’s souring attitude went permanently south. Continue reading →.

A Northanger Abbey Cliff’s Notes version might have helped me understand the intricacies of the ending, which came tumbling at me so fast I scarcely knew what hit me. No ending has taken me as much by surprise since I read Georgette Heyer’s The Black Moth. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy my first venture into Jane Austen. However, it got me wondering how a laundry bill could become such a pivotal symbol in the progress of the story and wishing I had paid more attention at its discovery. My real issue with the ending was that I understood on some level what happened, but the dénouement was not spelled out for me as I expected it to be. This is not so much a fault of Jane Austen as it is of my inexperience in reading Jane Austen. Continue reading →.