In love with Poldark!
922400
Love these....and I am surprised that the PBS series is so true to the novels.
4935520
If you are enjoying this, when you are done, try the Poldark series by Winston Graham.  Love historical fiction!
4888720
I recently read Winston Grahams POLDARK and DEMELZA. These titles are part of a series written by Mr. Graham about a Cornish family spanning the years 1783-1820.
Ross Poldark returns home to Cornwall after a 2 year stint in the British Army fighting in the colonies during the American War of Independence. He returns home to his fathers death; an estate in a ruined state; his intended, Elizabeth, engaged to his cousin, Francis; a depressed economy and poverty for the miners, fishermen and farmers of the region; and rumors of his own demise in America.
The story includes copper mining, unethical banking and politics, marrying, family strife, smuggling, poaching, class inequalities, the natural beauty of Cornwall, elopement, epidemic, death, treachery, deceit, duels and sea captains.
The books subtlely overpower your life. You are totally engaged in the lives, the struggles, the passions of these characters.
I was first aware of this series in the 1970s. I was reading Daphne du Maurier who used Cornwall as a backdrop to several of her brilliant novels. Winston Graham was mentioned in several book lists as another excellent Cornish author.
Before I read any of Mr. Grahams novels, his first 4 Poldark novels were adapted as a BBC TV series running from 1975 to 1977. Masterpiece Theatre broadcast the series in the U.S. in 1976 through 1978. I fell immediately in love - with Cornwall, with Ross Poldark (and with Robin Ellis, the actor who portrayed Ross Poldark), with Demelza Carne, Verity and all the characters. (Well, not the Warleggans!)
There is presently a fresh production of the Poldark saga on the BBC and Masterpiece Classic in the U.S. It is just as stunning as the first and I find myself falling in love all over again.
Winston Graham lived in Cornwall for 30+ years and his historical Poldark series presents (quite accurately) the wildly fluctuating economic fortunes of the region. Mr. Graham wrote 12 Poldark novels over a span of 40+ years, the last title published in 2002, a year before his death. He wrote many other novels, plays and short stories.
His novels are a fantastic read and I plan a Poldark reading marathon this winter.
Thank you, Mr. Graham, the BBC and Masterpiece Theatre.
3065786
Even though I've always been a pretty logic-based person, I will admit that I've got a soft spot for stories about fairies or, at the very least, for the idea of these magical and mischievous creatures. A year or so after graduating from high school I went to visit family in Scotland and, while the whole country is simply enchanting, nothing was more so than the Isle of Skye. On Skye is a place called the Fairy Glen and, let me just tell you, it exudes such as otherworldly feeling that it's not hard to imagine that fairies, gnomes, and the like might possibly be peaking at you, just out of sight. It's been years since I've been there but I've never forgotten about it and can't wait to someday go back!

With this being said, imagine my excitement when I first caught sight of the cover for The Cottingley Secret and, after being totally drawn in by that cover, read on to discover it was about the possible discovery of fairies! I will admit that, as much as I love history, especially British History, I had never heard of the Cottingley fairies or the controversy that surrounded them. Were they real? Were the two girls who claimed to photograph them actually passing off a huge hoax? Once I read the synopsis I was hooked and new I needed to dig into this story to discover as much as I could about these Cottingley fairies and to see how that story would relate to the one told in the present time period.

While I own a number of novels by Hazel Gaynor this was, in fact, my first reading of her work. Now that I'm done with the story I want to kick myself for waiting so long. Gaynor's writing was absolutely beautiful and her descriptions of both the gardens and woodlands in Cottingley and the seaside town in Ireland where Olivia's story mostly takes place are absolutely breathtaking. I was fully transported to these bewitching locales and I admit I didn't really want to leave. Especially when it came to Olivia's setting: what booklover wouldn't give an arm and a leg to own a seaside cottage bookstore in Ireland, one that sells rare and old books no less?! Can't you just smell the delicious scents of old leather and vanilla? When I was immersed within The Cottingley Secret I sure could!

I'm not going to ruin anything by saying here whether Frances and Elise really saw fairies or whether their photographs were authentic or not, but what I will say is that I absolutely love how Gaynor presented this bewitching dilemma. The fact that the photos came into being at a time when so many hoped and wished that they could be true - if for no other reason than that meant that there was the possibility of other dimensions where their loved ones, lost in the war or by some other event, might exist - made the truth something of a moot point. Still, how exciting would it be if they were real? What would you do, if you were the person who discovered them, to prove you were telling the truth? All of this and more is contemplated within these pages and I, for one, absolutely loved going along for the journey.

Something else I really enjoyed was discovering how these two storylines were connected. I will admit that I had an idea of how some of the characters were connected, however there were still quite a few I didn't see and that made my overall appreciation of the story that much stronger. I found it all quite touching, especially Olivia's situation and her journey towards finding herself again and becoming happy, and I can't really think of any better way everything could have come together.

The Cottingley Secret has it all: excellent, well developed characters, stunning locations, memorable and touching stories. There's even a wonderful P.S. section at the back that includes author's notes, a note written by Frances's daughter, and the photos that started so much controversy. I absolutely love this story and plan on making time to read lots more by Hazel Gaynor. Highly recommended!
113111
Literally am in love with this series! I can not wait to keep reading. I love the fact that I feel Yelena is empowering women to become strong, independent, compassionate people.  Valek is so amazing as well, one of my favorite characters of all time!
3254569
A Lady Unrivaled is the third book in Roseanna M. Whites Ladies of the Manor series, coming after The Lost Heiress and The Reluctant Duchess. I am a HUGE fan of Roseannas, and this series to be honest, so Ive been super excited for this book for quite some time. I absolutely LOVED The Lost Heiress, and even though I hardly believed it possible, I loved The Reluctant Duchess even more, so I just knew I would love this novel as well. And I must confess, I most definitely wasn't disappointed. I already loved both Lord Cayton and Lady Ella, so I knew it wouldnt be hard to fall for their story, and I was right. If only this book had lasted longer!
Lady Ella Myerston is such a sweet, innocent, spitfire of a character, and I absolutely love everything about her. She is so set on keeping her brother and his wife safe that she completely disregards her own safety, and that is definitely something to admire. But my absolute favorite thing about her is actually not entirely just about her. My favorite thing is her relationship with Cayton. They are literally the cutest thing, and I couldn't get enough of the two of them.
Lord James Cayton is completely and utterly wonderful. Thats all I can think to say. Even though I know he doesnt have the best past, and is actually very hard on himself because of it, I can definitely see that he is redeeming himself, and I couldn't help but love him and feel so much compassion for him as he struggled to finally forgive himself for all he had done. Plus, as I watched him fall in love with Ella, my heart was completely taken over, and if I wasn't already sure of his perfection, I certainly was after that.
All in all, I absolutely loved every single aspect of this story, and Im so sad that the series had to come to an end, but I know Roseanna is already working on a new series, so Im super excited to see what that one will hold! Anyway, I cannot imagine giving this book anything other than all five bookshelves, because it already has a permanent place on my all-time favorites list. The themes that focus on Gods love and redemptive grace made this a story that touched my heart, and the drama and romance made it one Ill never forget. And all that combined makes it a book I highly recommend.
I received a copy of this book from Roseanna and the publisher in exchange for only my honest review.
(This review is from my blog, spreadinghisgrace.blogspot.com)
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A very fast read for me since I had been so patient until I could get the book.

It is not a heavy, in-depth memory of that time of Poldark but it is a simple and joyous memoir of the past and how it affected the future.

For myself this was enjoyable as I heard the voice of Robin Ellis saying the words I was reading. It just brought me back to that time in the early part of the 80s when Poldark was being shown on PBS Masterpiece Theatre. I fell in love with Ross, died at Demelza's raucous voice until I soon fell in love with her. I was glued to every episode. I cursed Ross when he kissed Elizabeth, and I cried when Demelza and Ross lost their first born child. Later, I grew angry with Demelza as she had her attention turned by 'that young man'. It hurt when 'that young man' died, Demelza grieved, and Ross was at a loss as to how to win back his wife.

There are lots of photographs but my favourites are of Robin Ellis and Aidan Turner. The hero worship in Aidan's eyes, the admiration, and the respect, are phenomenal.

It a grand little memoir -- made all the more special when I got up the nerve to say "hi" to Robin Ellis, a Goodreads author!
2220180
As a great fan of historical novels, and decisively those inclusive of well researched accuracy, I am thoroughly enjoying this entire "Poldark" collection. Sir Winston Graham's writings are full of fascinating characters, their various storylines intriguing, and his vivid descriptions of the sea settings express his personal love of Cornwall with poetic color. Herein is a compelling contrast of social class struggles of the 18th century, the grimness of Britain's postwar recession, the looming threats of the rising French Revolution, and a ponderous view of Cornwall's copper mining industry, all come to life through Graham's diverse cast of characters. A rich weaving of timeless human perplexities, from the darker corners of despair and greed to the shine of droll humor and romance, with even a bit of Pygmalion for good measure. We shall always root for Ross Poldark even while wanting to knock some sense into him. Demelza Carne Poldark is more delightful than sunlight shining through a kaleidoscope, Verity Poldark Blamey should be sainted, Caroline Penvenen needs a good spanking, and George Warleggan is the villain everyone loves to hate. Not to mention Jud and Prudie Paynter, who add their own pickled version of Laurel and Hardy to the mix. For those who've already enjoyed PBS Masterpiece Theater's excellent productions based on the books, the reading of them offers a fuller immersion into the novels' panoramic story. And while there's no time-travel, "Outlander" aficionados may find Winston Graham's "Poldark" series an ample life-preserver while awaiting Gabaldon's much anticipated, but still delayed, final tome. Enjoy!
2673692
Obviously the background isn't original but it's such a relief to read a P&P variation that has a new twist. I absolutely love Lady Cassandra. She's witty, fun, troubled, sexy and a girl next door. Her character made this book amazing! I will definitely be rereading this one!
1095143
This was such a totally awesome book!  I love the Duncan Dewar Series! I love his family! These mysteries grab me by the collar and drag me into the book & it doesn't let me go until the end. But by that time I can't wait until the next book in the series comes out!  There are so many twists & turns that you are guessing until the last chapter as to who the evil culprit is!  Thank you for sharing you talented words with us!
1928640
I find myself looking for extra time to read so that I could finish this book, it is the next in the Misaligned series and I feel saddened that now I have to wait for the next one (if there is one) to be written as I have found myself falling in love with this series. It is so excellently written and twists in the past with the present whilst also not tipping the scales too much into the unbelievable. Once again Armen Pogharian has written a nail-biting book where you find yourself going back and forth in time to discover the answers of the present day problem. The characters are lovingly crafted with just the right amount of reality intertwined in the fictional world of Piper Falls. I am happy to call myself a fan of this series and can recommend it to those young and old alike. If you have an interest in early Welsh and Celtic history, then this is the series for you! Highly recommended and I will be counting down the days to the next book!
4453873
I picked up Ranger's Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan with my Giftcard at Books-A-Million about a year ago, tucking the book home and quickly read it. It became one of my favorite series (right up there with Symphony of Ages by Elizabeth Haydon and The Obsidian trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory). I adored the book and placed it in with all my other treasures.
Recently I got The Thief Queen's Daughter (The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme) by Elizabeth Haydon in hardcover and read it under five hours. The book was fantastic, and I loved it! It being just as good as The Floating Island, the first novel of T.L.Js. O.V.P. I than recieved Ranger's Apprentice: The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan a few days later.
I read the book under four hours. I loved it! The ending somewhat caught me off gaurd when Morgaroth dropped dead so easily, I was shocked. It astounded me that John Flanagan killed him off so easily, and it made me love the series more because this was something diffrent from all the other epic fantasy novels I've read in the past. Evil kept on fighting tooth and nail, not in this series, at least! And I actually started crying in the end when Halt waved and cried out for Will that he would come and find him after Will was taken aboard the Skanadian vessel! I can't wait for The Icebound Lake to come out in paperback!
As well as the future novels:
Ranger's Apprentice: The Oak Leaf Bearer, book 4.
Ranger's Apprentice: The Sorcerer in the North, book 5.
Ranger's Apprentice: The Siege of Macindow, book 6.
Also, John Flanagan mentioned that he might write a book about Halt the Ranger, his past and training. Looking forward to see that book in the future, Flanagan!
1916786
Im a huge fan and ever since having bought the English Girl I fell in love with this character and the series of books, have read every single one at a rate of 2 per week !!
Counting the minutes for the new one to come out!
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Summary from Goodreads:

"London, 1887. After burying her spinster aunt, orphaned Veronica Speedwell is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiryand the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as with fending off admirers, Veronica intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

But fate has other plans when Veronica thwarts her own attempted abduction with the help of an enigmatic German baron, who offers her sanctuary in the care of his friend Stoker, a reclusive and bad-tempered natural historian. But before the baron can reveal what he knows of the plot against her, he is found murderedleaving Veronica and Stoker on the run from an elusive assailant as wary partners in search of the villainous truth."

My Thoughts:

I started reading this one and just instantly adored it!  Really I was mentally kicking myself for waiting so long to read it because it was just so fun!  I kind of had it in my head that I was going to move on to the second book in the Lady Julia Grey series before I started this one.  I kept hearing this series mentioned though in podcasts I love so I decided that I just couldn't wait any longer to read this book.  I can officially say that it was the right choice for me and I absolutely loved this one!  I feel like I read this book with a smile on my face.  Veronica is just such a great main character.  She doesn't ever apologize for the woman that she is but instead embraces her "eccentricities".  She isn't afraid to say what she thinks and I just absolutely adored her as a main character!  She also was the perfect type of woman to stand up to Stoker at every other turn.  The chemistry between these two was absolutely perfect in every sort of way.  I really, really hope that in future books we get the chance to see their relationship develop into something more but the banter between them was just priceless.  I found myself laughing out loud at different times throughout the entire book.  I just loved every minute of my time with this book!  I was actually sad to see this one end because I just enjoyed my time with these characters so much!  Thankfully I have two more books to look forward to and I won't be waiting long to read those!

Overall I really enjoyed my time with this book and found it to be a five star read for me!  I really loved it that much!  It was the perfect mix of genres and just sucked me into the pages with such ease.  I couldn't stop reading this book and really didn't want to.  The characters were great and I'm so thankful that I have more books to look forward to whenever I'm ready to pick them up.  Books like this make me want to read more historical mysteries and find new authors to follow.  Because this book was just so good and made me want to read more books just like it!  I don't know what else to say other than read this book!  Fans of mysteries and suspense should give this book a try!  I also think romance readers who particularly like historical romances will like this one.  To be clear - there isn't yet a romance between Stoker and Veronica (I don't think it is too much of a spoiler to share that) but it is definitely building in the most delicious of ways!  I cannot wait to pick up the next book!  Highly recommended!

Bottom Line:  I loved this one so much!  Enough said!

Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. These are my honest thoughts on this book.
2128333
I love Debora's writing, I am a voracious reader and there are very few authors that I am so tied to, literally stalking her Facebook page (along with many others) up to the minute, waiting for a new release. Thank goodness she doesn't take years to put a new book out, her fans would revolt ;) I always feel like I can just walk into one of the character's houses and be totally welcome, what a wonderful feeling.
I loved, loved, loved the original books and wasn't too sure about this offshoot, but it pulled me right in. I think alot of us can see ourselves in her characters and how we either have grown or ways in which we can grow. She teaches without you realizing it, what a gift.
2647418
A friend of mine pulled me into this series and I have loved it since! Yes, I watch the show but I still love to read the books, the books being better obviously! Gripping and addictive!!
3289503
I am in love with these books!  I imagine the BBC characters in my mind as I read them.