Blog Tour: Miss Darcy Decides by Reina M. Williams (Review)

Published: January 21^st, 2014 (ADS, Inc.)

Pages: 77

Rating: 4/5

Goodreads

Miss Darcy Decides is a light, sweet Pride and Prejudice novella, book two in the Love at Pemberley series.

While visiting a young woman—who was not so fortunate as Miss Georgiana Darcy in escaping the persuasions of a rogue—Georgiana meets Sir Camden Sutton, whose reputation causes Georgiana to wonder as to his motives. Her wondering soon turns to a different feeling when Sir Camden comes to stay at Pemberley, showing himself to be a very different man than was rumored. While Sir Camden struggles with his past and his commitment to his future, as well as the ill intentions of haughty Caroline Bingley, Miss Darcy must decide whether to listen to others, or the words written on her heart.

Jane Austen spin-offs are my cup of tea. They can be done really well or really badly, and thankfully this one was done very well. It’s the perfect little novella for a road trip or an afternoon by the pool.

I feel like Reina did a great job of staying true to Austen’s original characters. This is something that I feel is relatively important to do. I love the addition of Sir Camden. Georgiana’s true forgiving nature and her ability to see the good in others is amplified in the character of Sir Camden. This sweet little romance is a good reminder that a certain amount of forgiveness and forgetfulness is required to make any relationship work.

Through it was short and sweet, I enjoyed every page of Miss Darcy Decides. We the grown-up side of Georgiana as she begins to make bold decision about what she believes and wants. I’m looking forward to reading more stories from the Love at Pemberley series.

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About the Author

Reina M. Williams loves period dramas, sweet reads, fairy tales, cooking and baking. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her two boys, who hope to someday take a research trip to England with their mom.

For more information please visit Reina M. Williams’s website. You can also connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

Review: Double Crossed (Heist Society #2.5): A Spies and Thieves Story by Ally Carter

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Published: January 22^nd, 2013 (Disney Hyperion)

Pages: 60

Rating: 5/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Macey McHenry—Glamorous society girl or spy-in-training?

W.W. Hale V—Heir to an American dynasty or master thief?

There are two sides to every coin. Whether these two can work together is a tossup.

Born into privilege, Macey and Hale are experts at mingling with the upper class. But even if they’ve never raised an eyebrow at the glitz, neither teenager has ever felt at home with the glamour.

When Macey and Hale meet at a society gala, the party takes a dangerous turn. Suddenly they’re at the center of a hostage situation, and it’s up to them to stop the thugs from becoming hostile. Will Macey’s spy skills and Hale’s con-man ways be enough to outsmart a ruthless gang? Or will they have to seek out the ultimate inside girl to help?

The worlds of Heist Society and the Gallagher Girls collide in Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes and tantalizing new story. Get a behind the scenes glimpse as Ally delivers an irresistible thriller that is full of her signature style and savvy twists. [Description from Goodreads]

This was a super quick read that I’ve been meaning to get to for months now. *sheepish grin* And yes, I just got around to it. I loved the Heist Society/Gallagher Girls combo, despite the fact that I’ve never read any of the Gallagher Girl books before. Though I definitely am now after getting a taste of them through Double Crossed! I kind of wish Kat was more involved in this one, because I love her voice and her relationship with Hale, but (somewhat) sadly, Hale was the main representative of Heist Society in this one.

Hale and Macey are on the other end of the heist this time- instead of being the criminals, they’re trying to stop the criminals. It was interesting to see them in action as heroes, though I do like them more as criminals (gosh, that sounds kinda bad). I highly recommend this one, even if you’re only familiar with one of the series (like me). It’s only eight short chapters long and features that fun, exciting spirit that’s in all of Ally’s books.

 Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: Mild (some action)

Sexual: None

Review: Last Off (A Novella) by Laughton Chandler

*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Published: April 15^th, 2013 (St. Ambrose Press)

Pages: 152

Rating: 2/5

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Four young stowaways — illegal passengers, below even the 3rd class — find themselves on the R.M.S. Titanic, the grandest ocean liner in the world on her maiden voyage. At first unknown to each other, hailing from four different countries, they begin to learn about each other’s pasts as they bide their time in the bowels of the ship, united in their hopes of making a new life in America. When disaster strikes, what will become of them? Who, if any, will be able to escape the epic tragedy Walter Lord described as ‘the death of a small town’?

Book Trailer:

I’ve always loved the story of the Titanic. The glamor that surrounded the vessel and the horror of its demise makes for a fascinating tale. That’s one reason why I read Last Off. Also, this might seem blunt, but it wasn’t that long, and I thought, “Hey, why not? It sounds interesting, it’s short, and I’d be helping an author out.” Sadly, this novella just wasn’t for me.

The author jumps right into the plot without giving much background information or anything else, which makes it a little confusing at some points. We’re immediately introduced to four stowaways who’re catching a ride in the deepest bowels of the ship. After quite a while of being below deck, I found myself wishing the boys would venture up a few levels. They did, but only once, which disappointed me greatly. I wanted them to be among the action and scramble that occurred when the Titanic hit the iceberg, but they weren’t. All they knew of the collision was massive creaking sounds coming from the sides of the ship. Not very exciting, if you ask me.

There were some slight historical inaccuracies here and there, but they didn’t bother me that much, as fiction usually takes the liberty to stretch facts. One thing that did bother me was the ending. I would have been more satisfied if the novella ended a little brighter and tied up some loose ends that were left hanging. I felt Last Off was severely anti-climactic and could have used some more excitement. All in all, it just wasn’t what I expected it to be.

Quick Content Review: *may contain spoilers*

Language: None

Violence: None (some deaths, not described)

Sexual: None