Respiring Thoughts

...because she understands that hot men with furry animals (and potentially babies) are even more adorable than hot men without furry animals.

Case in point: 

“Devilish men should not be allowed to hold kittens, babies, or bouquets of wildflowers. There ought to be an Act of Parliament.” — from The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright (ebook-only novella, pub. 2012 from Avon Impulse)

Further reading:

" 'Young ladies like you don’t pass time with men like me.'

'Men like you? You mean the sort of men who rescue helpless young ladies in the street and carry puppies in their satchels?' She gave a playful shiver. 'Lord preserve me from men like you.' " — from A Lady by Midnight (Spindle Cove series #3, pub. 2012)

ADDITIONALLY, one should never underestimate a timely insertion of vulgar, second-grade humor. 

Like so:

" 'A duchess might contemplate all manner of cutting remarks and frustrated oaths. But even in the face of extreme annoyance, she stifles any such ejaculations.'

'My,' Miss Simms said, wide-eyed. 'I do hope dukes aren’t held to the same standard. Can’t be healthy for a man, always stifling his ejaculations.' " — from Any Duchess Will Do (Spindle Cove series #4, pub. 2013)

Night Film is an excellent, excellent novel. I fully intend to keep my eye on Marisha Pessl in hope of future, equally excellent novels. Mystery isn’t my favorite genre by far, but the way this particular mystery unfolded was absolutely mesmerizing. It’s an incredible piece of writing, and certainly not one to miss...

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As far as books about the Holocaust go, I don’t think you could go wrong with this novel. The author’s prose is fluid and mature, the story is engaging and informative, but also emotional. The author is truly a masterful storyteller. Sarah’s Key is an excellent novel, and I’m glad to have picked it up.

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Want to Go Private? is, in my opinion, a very respectful look at the dangers of the Internet. It can be read as a sort of cautionary tale, and the way Abby’s story unfolds gives it a lot more weight than a safety talk given in a high school gym. This book becomes more and more relevant as kids become more and more active online, and I really think Littman has created an important piece of fiction with this book. It’s definitely worth reading, as beyond the topics presented, it is an intense and exciting book that kept me up until 1 AM (literally) to read.

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In a story that is complex and masterfully told, Juliet Marillier retells Hans Christian Andersen’s The Wild Swans and/or the Brothers Grimm’s The Six Swans in a way that is beautiful and haunting. On an intellectual level, I enjoyed this book very much—I believe that this is a truly wonderful piece of historical fantasy, and I would certainly not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.  In my eyes, the story has few faults...

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After my experience with the truly amazing novel that was Hooper’s Newes from the Dead, I’ve been eagerly looking for any way to pick up another of this author’s novels. I wasn’t exactly blown away by Fallen Grace, though it was a good book, and I really liked it (also it totally reminded me that I’m not spending enough time with my first-love genre, for sure). The plot was fairly predictable, but fast-paced, and I think the lack of excitement I felt for the story might have been the reason I didn’t fall completely in love with this. But in any case, this book is wonderful historical fiction, and I certainly recommend it.

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I am very pleased with this novel. I loved the story and the woman that was Mary Robinson. The author didn’t take unnecessary liberties with historical fact to make the story “better”, and I think that was wonderful, as Lady of Passion did very well on its own. For fans of the genre, and for fans of strong, independent female characters, this is a book worth checking out.

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Stained was a novel that, in spite of promise, didn’t pan out. The story is good, but there is no depth underneath that. It’s a book quickly read and easily forgotten, failing to deliver the impact and messages it was intended to. A disappointment...

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Intense curiosity was the #1 reason I chose to finish this book. The first two novels in Bergren’s Grand Tour series weren’t my favorite, but I really wanted to see how the story ended—how Cora managed to find her happy ending. I was committed to this book, and I was ready for it. Sadly, however, Glittering Promises ended up resembling an overwrought soap opera, and I’m pretty sure I wore an expression of extreme confusement throughout much of my reading experience...

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Entertaining, action-filled, and appropriately humorous, Dust & Decay was kind of aggravating in the big picture, but I enjoyed myself while reading, and that definitely counts for something. I think that if you liked Rot & Ruin, there’s a chance this follow-up will work for you as well...

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