Lucifer's Shadow - David Hewson

** 1/2- The parallels were rather too close for them to be properly believable. Most disappointingly, I didn't feel like I had any idea of the motivation behind the sadistic villains in either half of the story.

Daniel Forster, a young Englishman, comes to Venice to a broken-down palazzo of misfits to help catalogue the old manuscripts left behind by the printing operation that used to operate there during the Renaissance. While digging around, he happens across an anonymous masterpiece that he is soon convinced to claim as his own - and he is drawn into a web of murder, intrigue and blackmail because of it. The story of the manuscript is told in a parallel storyline of Lorenzo Scacchi, apprenticed to his uncle's printing press, who helps a young Jewess demonstrate her talents to Vivaldi himself. But he, too, finds himself drawn into a complicated mess of love, deceit and murder.

As usual with parallel stories of this type, I thought that one of the storylines (the historical) was considerably stronger than the other. They were set apart quite effectively through the use of first person in the Renaissance section and third person in the contemporary sections. For me this added a greater immediacy (which it had at any rate) to the dangerous scenes in the historical section. By contrast, I never felt that Daniel himself was in much danger - nor did he seem particularly useful in puzzling out much - at least not in a way that helped the reader along. I just didn't care for him overmuch.

The villain in the contemporary sections was also quite obvious from very near the beginning, and the fact that there was a 'message' of sorts to be drawn from the different ways the villains were dealt with irritated me. I wasn't at all sure what the motivations of the villains were (though this was better with the historical villain than the contemporary). I just closed the book feeling rather dissatisfied with the way things played out, especially the dubious connection between the two stories near the end that just didn't seem to mesh with the rest of the story.

Lucifer's Shadow was certainly a quick read - the period detail in the historical section was very interesting. I liked following Lorenzo along the grubby canals, to the palazzos and into the Renaissance Ghetto. A scene that particularly sticks with me is when he and the girls from the Pieta orchestra go for a picnic on an island with their benefactors, and Rebecca is on a rock she deems the throne of great emperors. There were some memorable and evocative scenes, but the resolution of the thriller elements just didn't work for me.

Did you review it? Leave me a link in the comments!

Sphinx's Princess - Esther Friesner

**** 1/2 - An imagining of the life of Nefertiti much in the same vein as Friesner's Helen of Troy series - with the focus far less on the character's legendary beauty, and much more on strength of mind and character. A great read, I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Nefertiti, as a child, is graceful in dance and eager to learn. After an encounter with the Queen's scribe, Henenu, she learns to write - and so puts herself in danger of being used as her aunt, Queen Tiye's, spy. When she is summoned to the palace, however, she discovers that her aunt has a different, though no less distasteful, plan for her future. She is to wed Tiye's eldest son, Thutmose, to secure his succession to the throne of Pharaoh. But life at the palace is full of intrigues and power struggles, and even Nefertiti's friendship with Thutmose's brother Akhenaten leads to trouble.

I've really enjoyed Esther Friesner's foray into the young adult world. I enjoy the way she takes the stories of women famous only for their beauty, and shows them as talented and determined - far more than just a pretty face. Here in Nefertiti's story, Friesner focuses on Nefertiti's quick mind (though she also learns to drive a chariot and shoot a bow) than on fighting prowess, which makes her more capable of dealing with her scheming aunt. In a lot of ways, I think Friesner's books have the same feel to them as Tamora Pierce's stories, and as Pierce is one of my favorite authors, I eagerly pick up Friesner's books now as well.

I also liked Nefertiti's slowly growing social awareness, and the awkwardness she causes when she first tries to help those slaves that her family owns. It emphasized that Nefertiti was growing up - that she suddenly realizes that she has been taking people for granted, and she tries to rectify the situation. It made her that much more believable in my mind.

I'm not a huge fan of the oft-used love triangle, but I thought it worked rather well here as it was at the center of the intrigues at court, and it certainly caused Nefertiti enough actual trouble. Despite her talents, things aren't easy for Nefertiti, and to a large degree she is forced to rely on her friends around her to get her out of difficult situations - which is something I really enjoyed. All too often, these sorts of stories end up being a one-person show with the protagonist coming up with the solution to every problem and never helpless. That's not the case here, and I thought the novel was much stronger for the inclusion of Nava and Akhenaten as real, capable friends.

Did you review it? Leave a link in the comments!

A Poisoned Season - Tasha Alexander

**** 1/2 - I loved Tasha Alexander's And Only to Deceive, and this next in the Lady Emily Ashton series certainly did not disappoint. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next which is set in my beloved Vienna.

There is a lot happening in London this season -

Lady Ashton has earned the questionable esteem of society's own jewel thief who has been targeting treasures that once belonged to Marie Antoinette. When one of the victims of burglary turns up dead, however, Emily finds herself drawn into the investigation - and not always as discreetly as she might hope.

In addition, heaps of condemnation are being heaped on Emily Ashton's head for dallying with two of the ton's most eligible gentlemen: Colin Hargreaves and Jeremy, Duke of Bainbridge, one of her childhood friends. Her bluestocking inclinations and her disinclination to heed the strictures of polite society make her fodder for the gossips. And her attempts to help her friend Ivy in her troubled marriage don't turn out well at all.

I have a weakness for historical mysteries - I love Amelia Peabody and Emily Ashton (though aside from a desire to actually employ their brains, there's not much similar between the two sleuths). I enjoy Lady Ashton's interest in cryptography, her love of Greek, and even more I love Colin for helping her figure out various mysteries and helping her when needed instead of insisting she remain packed in cotton wool. He shows an immense respect for her intellectual abilities (along with concern for her physical well-being), and I love that in a hero. Plus, I'm highly amused by the kissing embargo that he institutes until she accepts his proposal of marriage! They are a delightful pair, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them in the next book.

The mystery itself is very clever as well. There were several interesting twists and turns, and nothing turned out quite the way I expected. At the same time, I didn't feel as if I'd been manipulated or kept in the dark regarding the outcome of the mystery - which is difficult to pull off simultaneously.

This book referenced the affair of the necklace (which I know little about, but which interests me) and caused me to find The Lost King of France - a book about DNA evidence solving the mystery of the lost dauphin - sure to be an interesting read!

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Historical Tapestry

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Le Canape

Dear Author

The Coven - Cate Tiernan

**** - Still enjoying these. I'm a little over Morgan being super-special, and a little closure would be nice, but I find the slowly building sense of menace quite intriguing.

Since each book builds on the former - Beware of Spoilers for the earlier books!

Each chapter starts with an entry from the book of shadows of a practicing Wiccan named Bradhadair - who, of course, ties into the ever-complicating story of Morgan's own heritage. After all, for Morgan to have so much raw power, she must be a blood witch - the descendant of one of the largely broken-up witch families. To add to her heartache over being betrayed by her best friend and her family's fear and disapproval, Morgan now discovers that she was adopted - and therefore isn't related to her family at all.

There's a growing sense of menace and isolation surrounding Morgan - the diary entries of Bradhadair suggest a power hunting down anyone with witch blood, and some of the adult coven in the area show an interest in Morgan that the reader certainly sees as oddly sinister. Morgan is increasingly cut off from her friends - particularly since she no longer attends coven circles.

Her romance with Cal grows very quickly (though whether that's a good thing remains a question in my head). Although I don't normally have too much of a problem with soulmates, there's something about Cal and Morgan's relationship that seems too fast and too calculated. There's a sense of impending menace and doom - the reader gets the feeling that Morgan is being manipulated into something bad (though not necessarily by Cal) - and of course, there's a huge cliffhanger ending (frustrating!).

I enjoyed watching Morgan puzzle out her origins as well as come to terms with her family - her relationship with her sister was particularly poignant, I thought. The disbelief and discomfort of Mary K's reaction to Morgan is very sad, but also very telling. Having your own family unable to accept who you are must be incredibly painful, and Tiernan evokes that here (though not overwhelmingly). I like watching the underlying human drama as well as the fast-paced magical adventure that is decidedly looming in future books. I just hope they remain well-balanced between the two.

Book of Shadows - Cate Tiernan

**** - I really enjoyed this novel about a teenager's introduction to Wicca. There was a lot of information here about rituals that I found interesting - and I haven't seen many novels that deal with the subject.

Morgan Rowlands always thought she was a normal 16-year-old girl - smart enough, a little behind in the boy-department, but essentially normal. But when a new boy shows up in town, she finds herself swept up in competition for his attention, but also by the Wicca rituals he invites her and her friends to join. Morgan has a deep connection to Wicca, and the power to work with magic - and with the added draw of sexy Cal, she is determined to explore it, despite her family's objections.

On one level, this is your typical high school drama. There's a sexy new boy who comes to town, capturing the hearts of our unassuming heroine and her loyal-up-to-now-but-only-because-she-always-got-her-own-way best friend. Cal seems more interested in Morgan than best friend Bree, but (and here's the catch), nobody's quite sure whether that's because of her raw talent as a witch or because he has romantic feelings for her.

I really enjoyed the descriptions of rituals and how Cal was teaching the others - I found it interesting rather than pedantic. And having enjoyed visiting a fantastic little bookstore called Esoterica, I certainly related to the wonders of the Wiccan bookstore in the story. That said, I found it a bit hard to believe that Cal just came to a new (from what it seems conservative) town, has a party and invites everyone to hang out and do a ritual. I know it was a means of kicking off the story - but I have yet to encounter a teenager so confident.

I liked how Morgan was so in tune with Wicca, and I thought the reactions of her friends (that she was only doing it to get Cal's attention) were quite realistic in the beginning - although there seems to be quite a bit of overblown drama queen at work. I do think Morgan crosses the line a bit (into super-power-specialdom), but as it's a major premise of the story going forward, I'm trying to make peace with it. Not being at all familiar with Wicca, I can't really say how accurate the portrayal here is, but I thought it was an intriguing introduction.

A quick point, though, it seems quite strange to me (at this point) to have Morgan come from a strongly Catholic family who have no problem embracing Morgan's aunt despite her sexuality, but who kick up a gigantic fuss about the Church forbidding witchcraft... I'm sure it's a point many teenagers interested in Wicca must contend with, but to have it juxtaposed with acceptance of homosexuality seemed very odd to me.

The main problem I had with the book was how very episodic the installment was. It was almost like a TV show, really, leaving you hanging so you're certain to tune in next week. Happily, I had the next volume on hand, but I hope they have a little more closure going forward.

Isis - Douglas Clegg

*** - a creepy Gothic-style fairy tale that closely tracks the myth of Isis. The use of nursery rhymes and the illustrations add to the Gothic flavor of the tale. But something seems to be missing that keeps it from being as creepy as say M.R. James' stories.

This book was provided to me as a free review copy.

Iris Villiers roamed all along the dreary cliffs and rocks of her crumbling ancestral home Belerion Hall in Cornwall - always in the company of her gentle brother Harvey. But despite his protection, there is an ancient power lurking among the tombs of her home. And when an accident occurs, Iris learns that she has the power to speak to the dead - and that her life resembles the myth of Isis more than she ever thought possible.

This little novella was certainly creepy in atmosphere with the Laughing Maiden stone and the Tombs - not to mention the ever-present dire foreboding of the gardener Old Marsh. And the story is deliciously creepy up until the pivotal moment when Isis ends up trying to raise someone from the dead. The aftermath of her actions just didn't seem dreadful enough given the long run-up to that very moment. I felt a bit sad at the way things turned out, but not nearly as horrified as I wanted to be.

Also, I have to admit to being creeped out (and not in the good way) by the relationship between Harvey and Isis. I mean, I know the whole situation was meant to mirror the Isis/Osiris myth, and maybe I was reading into it because of my knowledge of the myth, but ... there were some odd incestuous overtones that I didn't think were necessary.

All in all, this was a quick, moody read - and the illustrations were utterly gorgeous. As to the aftermath of the great accident, which the entire book was leading up to, it just didn't thrill me the way I had hoped.

Angel of Death - J. Robert King

** 1/2 - a twisted look at sanity and madness, angels and serial killers. Certainly intriguing, but in the end, not really my cup of tea.

I received a free review copy of this book from Angry Robot. Thanks!

Samael is the Angel of Death for the greater Chicago area. He's responsible for making sure that deaths have a certain poetry - a fittingness to them. And to do so, he (among other things) follows around a demented serial killer. This allows him to meet police officer Donna Leland - and fall in love with her. But when the date of her death falls due, he's just not sure whether he can go through with it...

King's Angel of Death is a sort of demented City of Angels with serial killings and troubled tortured characters. By the end of the novel, nobody - especially not the reader - is sure how much of Samael as angel of death is true and how much is delusion. How human is he? How much is in his head? It's hard to say - and that is one of the best aspects of the novel. It truly has you thinking even as the fast-paced action finale drags you along to its frightening conclusion.

The characters here are definitely flawed, and here is a clear espousal of the theory that the heart wants what it wants. Even when Donna discovers what Samael is capable of, she can't wholly tear herself away from him - out of love, out of guilt over the fate of her troubled brother, who can say? Again, King plays with great aptitude on the uncertainty of it all. He turns our desire for understanding, for a simple motive against us as he shows how little life provides anyone with simple black & white answers.

And that may be partially why I didn't end up caring for the novel overmuch. About two-thirds into the novel, I don't know what's driving anyone any more - particularly Samael. And right there, the novel loses a great deal of its power. Where before it was possible to sympathize in a twisted way with Samael, he seemed to become nothing but monster - and while it seemed to be the author's intention, it just didn't quite work for me. In addition, while the story was compelling for the first two-thirds, there just seemed to be too many twists, too many escapes, too much for it to be believable anymore.

While the story was compelling, there was something about the tone of the narrative that troubled me. I'm not sure what it was about it, but I ended up feeling a bit sordid reading the story. I can't quite put my finger on what it was - it may be part of the reason I tend to avoid horror of any but the very Gothic variety.

Would I recommend it? Angel of Death wasn't my cup of tea, but I only rarely read horror. The story was certainly twisted as well as fast-paced. There was action and complexity both. If you enjoy reading horror that transcends simple jump-out-of-your-seat into the psychological as well - you might give this a try. And if you do, let me know what you think!

The Espressologist - Kristina Springer

*** 1/2 - A sweet and frothy young adult novel with a cute romance. But I felt there were a lot of threads that didn't get as much page-time as they deserved.

Barista Jane Turner has a talent - she can assess personality and matchmake people based on their favorite drinks. After a few successful matches, her boss at Wired Joe's gets wind of her abilities and uses it to boost sales for an holiday promotion. But her wild success starts to make things difficult when she matches her heart-broken best friend with the cute guy from her English class...and isn't quite as happy for them as she expected.

It seems very fitting to be writing this review in the coffee shop down the street sipping my very own chai latte (no water) and wondering what kind of guy I would be set up with and what my drink says about me... but y'all want to hear about the BOOK!

Right, so it's fun- I loved the idea of being able to tell personalities and matches from favorite coffee drinks. And Jane sure does a convincing job of it! And while I found the romance angle pretty obvious, it was still sweet - and I enjoyed the way there was some hidden depth to Jane's rival's sidekick (got that straight?).

What I didn't like so much was that Jane kept skipping school and shirking her management duties - but didn't ever have to pay for it. Nobody found out, or nobody cared, and that bothered me since so much of the first part of the story focuses on her not going to class. I mean, I didn't need to see her at school or anything, but I felt like that thread got left dangling - why mention it in the first place if it's not going anywhere?

But that aside, which I doubt many of the book's intended audience will care too much about, anyway, I thought the book was a fun treat. Not necessarily a whole lot of complexity - but sometimes you just want a cappucino, thank you very much. And this delivers exactly what it promises: a sweet matchmaking story with plenty of coffee flavor to go around.

Plus, is that a great cover or what?

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Books by Their Cover

I Sold Andy Warhol (too soon) - Richard Polsky

*** - An interesting look at the contemporary art market, for sure, but a bit confusing if you have little to no knowledge of contemporary art (like I do). It can be hard to keep track of who's who and painting what and selling whose stuff.

In 2003, Richard Polsky published a memoir called I Bought Andy Warhol - all about his search for his 'dream painting', an Andy Warhol Fright Wig in electric green. Now, Polsky tells us about his (reluctant) decision to sell the painting - right before the art market exploded to bring unheard-of prices. With prices of art soaring, he finds dealing in art to be increasingly beyond his means - after all how can you reinvest without major profits?

Polsky definitely gives us an insider's look at the contemporary art market - the movers and shakers, and those who wish they were. There's a lot of high school-style politics, a lot of buttering up the right people and going through the steps when both parties know where they'll end up in the end. And it's increasingly an arena where name-dropping is more important than the actual art. In Polsky's words, it's becoming increasingly an investment opportunity rather than anything to do with the works themselves.

But one thing is certain, the love of contemporary art shines through in the pages of Polsky's memoir. His admiration of various artists and his explanations of their works were enlightening to me, who generally has no use for most contemporary art. And while I'm certainly not converted into a fan, I came away from Polsky's story with more knowledge about contemporary artists. In fact, I was extremely proud of myself when I passed a sign advertising a showing of Damien Hirst's new skull paintings - and actually had some idea of who he was and why this was new and different for him (and how it wasn't).

Despite the fact that I clearly gleaned some knowledge, and a bit more appreciation, of contemporary works, the memoir confused me quite a bit. As there was no real narrative thread, I was soon baffled by who was representing whom, whose paintings were up for sale, and what this all meant anyway. While I found most of Polsky's vignettes entertaining or informative, I did find myself frustrated at times because I was so obviously missing how the story was pertinent to the overall picture of the contemporary art market that Polsky was trying to paint. I assume that there was more of a narrative in his first memoir - where he was leading up to an important event (the purchase of the Fright Wig) rather than travelling away from it (the Fright Wig's sale).

Also, in a book so devoted to art, it was a bit disconcerting that there were no images - at least of the much vaunted Fright Wig.

Would I recommend it? If you have an interest in contemporary art and the way the market works, I would definitely say yes. Polsky's writing is quite entertaining, and I can only imagine that it works better if you have a basic knowledge of the subject he so loves. I'm not a contemporary art-lover, and I enjoyed it despite some frustrating moments. So if the subject matter intrigues you, I'd give it a read - but maybe make sure you have a modern art history book (or internet access) nearby to give you a flavor of the people and works he talks about!

If you want to take a look at the Christie's site about Polsky's Fright Wig (with picture): http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4986227

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A Reader's Respite

Cleopatra's Daughter - Michelle Moran

**** 1/2 - I loved Michelle Moran's new novel. I know you've probably seen a bunch of glowing reviews out there, but this is not a story to dismiss because of hype. It's interesting, well-researched and well-written. And it was definitely a nice break from Tudor-era England (much as I love it).

Thank you so much to Michelle Moran for generously providing me with a review copy.

After her mother Cleopatra's downfall when Octavian conquers Egypt, ten-year-old Selene and her twin brother Alexander are taken prisoner to Rome. In the household of Octavian's sister, they come of age - never giving up hope of reclaiming their rightful place as rulers of Egypt. But along the way, they are caught up in the ambitions of Octavian and his family, Selene discovers a deep love of architecture that she fights to be allowed to nourish, and both twins hope for love in difficult circumstances.

I read this quite a while ago (sorry for the late posting, Michelle), but one thing the delay has made clear is that Moran's Cleopatra's Daughter really stays with you. I can still remember interesting tidbits from the story and how completely drawn into the lives of ancient Rome I became. I loved to read of Selene's intelligence and her competition with the young men at school, but also how simultaneously difficult and necessary it was to be friends with her romantic rival - one of the few companions allowed her.

It was sad but fascinating to read about the plight of slaves in ancient Rome - particularly the court cases that Selene ends up attending. The power of corruption, but also the hateful and terrifying powers of the mob are well-demonstrated. And Selene more than once must confront the fact that despite her favored position, she could soon be reduced to just such a position of slavery, if she does not make herself indispensable to the man she abhors more than any other.

I was completely immersed in the world of ancient Rome that Moran reveals from the marketplaces to the gladiatorial arena to Augustus' palace. She really made everything come alive in all its dirt and splendor - it's definitely a setting that sticks with you. And so do the characters. Selene in particular is wonderfully conflicted and complex - I loved how she truly applied herself to her schoolwork and how dedicated she was to her studies of architecture, but how she enjoyed being 'girly' and helping Julia with dress and makeup. Her mixture of submission and rebelliousness perfectly captured the way such an intelligent young woman would chafe under her restraints, but understand that she could not openly defy them.

A lovely portrait of a strong young woman and of ancient Rome. I can't wait to read more of Moran's historical novels!

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