Size 12 and Ready to Rock

Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot
4/5 stars
2012
304 pages
Contemporary Mystery
#4 in the Heather Wells series

Source: Received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I read the first three Heather Wells books pre-blog days and while I enjoyed them, I was left unsatisfied with the romantic situation of Heather and her boyfriend Cooper. That issue is immediately resolved in this book with Heather and Cooper being engaged and discussing elopement. Their relationship is pretty rock solid and they are very happy. Nothing could possibly get between them...

Until they are caught up in the goings-on of Cooper's brother/Heather's ex Jordan and his new wife pop sensation Tania Trace who is being blackmailed by a shady character from her past. Tania requests Cooper's services as a bodyguard (remember he's a private investigator) while the first Tania Trace Teen Rock Camp takes over Heather's dorm for the summer. This gives the couple a chance to work out some long-standing issues and allows for more family reunion.

I love that Heather works in a residence hall so I was a bit disappointed that school was out for the summer. Luckily we get a whole host of new characters participating in the rock camp as well as getting to see lots of familiar faces, especially Magda, one of my favorite characters who is in just a few scenes but whose appearance was very much appreciated by me.

The primary mystery is around the person from Tania's past (although there are several smaller suspenses throughout) and I teased about some relationship drama above but the main focus of the novel really is Cabot's trademark humor. I've read most of her books and I find it so comforting to return to one of her worlds. There are several recurring jokes from the earlier books in the series as well as general themes of female empowerment, familiar to fans of Cabot.  I especially loved the burgeoning relationship between Heather and Tania. While the former could certainly bear a grudge to the Tania for getting involved with Heather's fiance while they were still engaged, she knows she is better off with Cooper (so much better off!) and gives Tania a needed boost in confidence and support.

Overall: You probably could read this as a standalone but it will work best if you have read all of the previous books; also serves as a fitting conclusion for the series in case Cabot doesn't produce a fifth.

Cover: Is that model really a size 12? I suspect she is a bit smaller than that.

Nine Coaches Waiting

Nine Coaches Waiting by Mary Stewart
William Morrow & Company, 1959
342 pages
Mystery; Romance
2.5/5 stars

Source: Library

I was very excited to start this book as I thought I had heard something about Cinderella and that it was romantic suspense.  There are some mentions of Cinderella as Linda Martin falls in love with her employer's son Raoul, thereby crossing the line demarcating servant and master.  But overall I was very disappointed.

Linda arrives in France to serve as a governess for young Philippe, a lonely orphaned boy living with his intimidating uncle and aunt.  Although Linda seems to settle in, soon suspicious events worry her and soon she grabs Philippe to run for their lives.

Although Linda repeats her unease of Uncle Leon, I never had that much of a fear of him.  I can seem him be terrifying but his presence wasn't strong enough to permeate every page of the book and scare me.  Linda also develops her suspicions but they seemed rather unfounded to me. Yes, they are revealed to be accurate but it felt sprung upon me.  The suspense was much better in the latter part as they are on the run and are constantly worried about being caught.

Then there was the romance, which was not quite instant love as Linda needed about a whole night to fall for Raoul but I don't know why. She doesn't even know why!  I was very disappointed with the romance when I had hoped for much more. The other characters were also pretty lame although I did like the young Philippe or rather I felt pity for him and his situation.

Overall: Attempts at mystery and romance fall short, failing to grab my interest.

A Fatal Waltz

A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander
William Morrow, 2008
294 pages
Mystery; Historical; Romance
Third book in the Lady Emily Ashton Series
3.5/5 series

See my reviews of And Only to Deceive and A Poisoned Season.

Source: Library

I've never found the Lady Emily series to have excellent mysteries however I've enjoyed the historical and romantic elements; this book continues that trend.  While I was emotionally invested in the mystery being unraveled, I did not think much of it.  Lord Fortescue, the most powerful man in Queen Victoria's government is found shot and Robert Brandon, husband to Lady Emily's best friend, is accused of the crime.  I like Robert; There is plenty of menace, probably the most that's appeared in the novels yet with a man called Mr. Harrison, deeply involved in the government and immensely threatening to Emily.  I also think this book has the most deaths so far.

The historical elements were my favorite part as Emily travels to Vienna, meeting Empress Elisabeth or Sisi, grieving over the death of her son Rudolf in the Mayerling Incident.  Additionally tensions are growing in Europe, tensions that will eventually explode in to World War I twenty years later.  Besides the political atmosphere, Emily spends a lot of time in the apparently thriving coffee shop scene of Vienna and meets the artist Gustav Klimt.

The romance between Emily and her fiance Colin continues to sizzle but with the complication of a former lover of his, Kristiana, who desires Colin no matter his engagement or her own marriage.  She makes Emily feel young and naive.  While I understand Emily's jealousy, I thought she dwelt on it to much and I wanted her to trust Colin and move forward with her life.

Overall: Another enjoyable outing with Lady Emily; do not read for an outstanding mystery puzzle.

Cover: I don't like that dress although I sort of like the color and I like the separation of title and picture.

I'd Know You Anywhere

I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
William Morrow, 2010
370 pages
4.5/5 stars

Source: Library

Summary: Eliza Benedict used to be Elizabeth Lerner until she was kidnapped by Walter Bowman at the age of fifteen.  Somehow she lived while his other victims died; somehow she is the girl who got away.  Now Walter is about to be executed but he is reaching out again to Eliza in the hope of getting her to remember those 39 days and nights they were together.

Thoughts: Somebody recommended Lippman so I put this on my list and then happened to see it at the library: it was serendipity!  Right away I was drawn in to the story.  I loved Eliza right away, a somewhat shrinking flower, a devoted mother, someone still broken from her experience.  But she does grow and while the ending is optimistic, there are definitely still problems in her life.

There were also some very awful characters. Barbara is a woman who has become an advocate for Walter and intervenes in Eliza's life in a busybody manner.  Trudy is the mother of a girl who didn't get away who is waiting only for Walter's death, the justice she's been wanting for over twenty years.  She doesn't hesitate to interpose in to Eliza's life.

Walter of course is a man who killed at least one girl and kidnapped Eliza.  He was bizarre with very odd ideas about appearance and difficulties in social interactions.  He also was able to manipulate Eliza and continues to hold strings to her with possible frightening effects on her family.

One of the most interesting aspects to me was the sibling relationship between Iso and Albie. Albie adores his older sister but she resents him.  That broke my heart as I remembered some of the harsh ways I behaved toward my sister.  Now we are older and well she's a teenager and I wish I could go back and appreciate her unwavering adoration of me.  This wasn't the largest aspect but it resonated with me.

Overall: Gripping story introducing a new to me author, whose other works I definitely want to read!

Cover: Hmmm, I think I like it better in person as it's very shiny and eye-catching.

The Mummy Case

The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters

William Morrow, 1985

308 pages

Mystery; Amelia Peabody

Third in series

Source: Library

Summary: Amelia, her husband Emerson, and their son Ramses arrive in Egypt for another season of excavation and end up entwined in webs of murder, thievery, and religion.

Thoughts: I love the style in which this is written. I love Amelia as a character and her descriptions of everything. She is eminently sensible and yet romantic in her relationship with Emerson and she's very smart as one can see by her solving of mysteries.

I was annoyed by the fact that Ramses' speech was written phonetically so that "the" became "de", etc. I understand that he is young and precocious but that kind of thing always bothers me (whether it be French accent represented, Southern drawl, whatever, I hate it.) I was displeased with the attitude that Emerson displayed toward Christians as if they were the only people who ever killed in the name of religion, because um no they are not.

Overall: 4/5 I don't think this was an outstanding entry in the Amelia Peabody series but it will do.

Cover: The cover is okay; nothing outstanding but the blue for the sky is very pretty.

A Poisoned Season

A Poisoned Season by Tasha Alexander

William Morrow, 2007

306 pages

Mystery; Historical

2nd in Series

Summary: While the big gossip of the season is surrounding the purported heir to the French throne, Lady Emily Ashton is still attracting attention. She is still studying Greek, still refusing to remarry, still drinking port, and still intent on being her own person even as she faces society's censure, troubles with her best friend, multiple proposals, a dashing thief, and a murderer.

My Thoughts: The characters are the most important part of this story so I will start with them (I'm afraid that I'm assuming you've read the first book and are familiar with them.) Emily is still lovely and Colin still sounds hot. He is very determined to marry her and a bet around that emerges. My personal favorite character is Davis, her butler. I love him and am very jealous of that French tart Odette who captures his attention. Cecile is not in this book as much but Ivy and her marital problems move closer to the front. On to the mystery.

Throughout the story Emily is threatened by some very bad people. First there is Charles Berry, claiming to be the heir to the French throne, who believes he is irresistible to women. Then there is a mysterious thief who brazenly breaks in to her house and follows her. I did not quite unravel the threads of the mystery. There is involvement by a person who I did not suspect because I am far too trusting of fictional characters. I felt it was more substantial than the mystery of the first book though.

Overall: 4 out of 5. Very good. I'm hoping to read the rest of the series over the summer!

Review of first book: And Only to Deceive