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erinarkin20
I loved A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro so when I saw The Last of August was available I jumped at getting my hands on a copy. If you haven’t read book one yet, you should. I loved the characters (as flawed as they are) and who doesn’t love a good mystery??
The Last of August picks up shortly after the first book ends. Jamie and Charlotte are on Christmas break and as Jamie tries to figure out how to interact with Charlotte’s family, the only person he seems to connect with is Charlotte’s uncle, Leander. Unfortunately, he quickly goes missing and that becomes the mystery that Charlotte and Jamie are focused on throughout the rest of the novel.
I have to admit, I loved getting a glimpse of Charlotte’s family. Her mother, father, and brother have all contributed to who she is today and through all of their interactions, both with Charlotte and Jamie, it is no wonder she is who she is. We also get to meet a number of the Moriarty’s…including August.
With the exception of one section, the story is told from Jamie’s point of view and I think it was the right thing to do. It was interesting to be in the same boat as he was when tagging along with Charlotte. She was clearly keeping things from him and I admit, what happens next for these two is really what I am looking forward to in book three. There were times where it was really difficult to not feel sorry for Jamie and the way he was treated by Charlotte but I am hopeful that despite the way things ended in this book that they will figure things out.
A lot actually goes down in this book as the two head to Germany and start digging into what might have happened to Leander. We learn more about August and what he does for Milo (Charlotte’s brother) and it was interesting to see how he and Charlotte interacted. Of course, from Jamie’s perspective, it might have been a bit biased based on his feelings for Charlotte. It gave us a view of how Charlotte and August were together and then Jamie’s reaction to it.
Jamie and Charlotte’s relationship changes through the course of this case. They both care about each other but where Jamie is willing to take a chance, Charlotte has a lot of skeletons and isn’t as eager to jump right in. I thought Jamie did the right thing when it came to Charlotte and her feelings. He forced her to decide if/when anything would happen. Of course, she made her decisions based on things she knew were going to happen because of things she decided early on. I can’t blame her for not opening up to anyone (based on her family) but again, I couldn’t help feeling like she should have trusted Jamie more than she did.
I don’t want to say too much more about the mystery in this one as I don’t want to give anything away. What you should know is that overall I was happy with this installment of the Charlotte Holmes books. If you like a good mystery and some definite YA angst, you should check this series out. Cavallaro has done a wonderful job of developing her characters and the story around them. I am definitely looking forward to the next book as I need to know what happens next for these two!
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
The Last of August picks up shortly after the first book ends. Jamie and Charlotte are on Christmas break and as Jamie tries to figure out how to interact with Charlotte’s family, the only person he seems to connect with is Charlotte’s uncle, Leander. Unfortunately, he quickly goes missing and that becomes the mystery that Charlotte and Jamie are focused on throughout the rest of the novel.
I have to admit, I loved getting a glimpse of Charlotte’s family. Her mother, father, and brother have all contributed to who she is today and through all of their interactions, both with Charlotte and Jamie, it is no wonder she is who she is. We also get to meet a number of the Moriarty’s…including August.
With the exception of one section, the story is told from Jamie’s point of view and I think it was the right thing to do. It was interesting to be in the same boat as he was when tagging along with Charlotte. She was clearly keeping things from him and I admit, what happens next for these two is really what I am looking forward to in book three. There were times where it was really difficult to not feel sorry for Jamie and the way he was treated by Charlotte but I am hopeful that despite the way things ended in this book that they will figure things out.
A lot actually goes down in this book as the two head to Germany and start digging into what might have happened to Leander. We learn more about August and what he does for Milo (Charlotte’s brother) and it was interesting to see how he and Charlotte interacted. Of course, from Jamie’s perspective, it might have been a bit biased based on his feelings for Charlotte. It gave us a view of how Charlotte and August were together and then Jamie’s reaction to it.
Jamie and Charlotte’s relationship changes through the course of this case. They both care about each other but where Jamie is willing to take a chance, Charlotte has a lot of skeletons and isn’t as eager to jump right in. I thought Jamie did the right thing when it came to Charlotte and her feelings. He forced her to decide if/when anything would happen. Of course, she made her decisions based on things she knew were going to happen because of things she decided early on. I can’t blame her for not opening up to anyone (based on her family) but again, I couldn’t help feeling like she should have trusted Jamie more than she did.
I don’t want to say too much more about the mystery in this one as I don’t want to give anything away. What you should know is that overall I was happy with this installment of the Charlotte Holmes books. If you like a good mystery and some definite YA angst, you should check this series out. Cavallaro has done a wonderful job of developing her characters and the story around them. I am definitely looking forward to the next book as I need to know what happens next for these two!
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
Rise of Fire is the second book in the Reign of Fire series by Sophie Jordan and I picked this one up because I was curious to see how Jordan would continue the story for Luna and Fowler. I will do my best to not spoil anything here but be warned, if you haven’t read book one, you may not want to read until you have.
This book picks up right after the end of book one and I was immediately pulled back into this world where danger is everywhere. When Fowler was pulled underground by the Dwellers, Luna didn’t even really think about it, she just dove right after him and was going to do whatever she had to in order to get him out.
Luna is still very stubborn and willing to throw herself into danger if it means protecting those around her which means she is still trying to get to Relhok City to stop Cullan from killing more girls. When Fowler is taken by the Dwellers, he is mortally injured but when they cross paths with people who recognize who Fowler is (and how valuable he could be) an opportunity to save him presents itself. Unfortunately the opportunity presents itself in the form of Lagonia’s prince and he isn’t really interested in saving Fowler out of the kindness of his heart.
A lot happens when they make it to Lagonia and that includes the King figuring out who Luna really is. This creates an interesting situation for both Luna and Fowler as they are both now pawns in the games these rulers are playing…whether they like it or not.
There are some new characters introduced in this book and they aren’t all good. First, Maris is the princess of Lagonia and she has been betrothed to Fowler for a long time. She is one of those characters that is there to move the plot along but she didn’t really add anything to the story. I found her quite annoying and when things came to a head and she didn’t get what she wanted, she flips out and turns on Fowler.
Chasan was interesting. I think I would have liked him more if I didn’t already love Luna and Fowler together. In the end I am glad he came through for them and all it took was his father pretty much turning against the original plans of having Chasan and Luna marry. He finally steps up to his father and helps Luna and Fowler out of the castle.
While Cullan is still a danger, King Tebald is the “bad guy” in this book and he for sure has some negative personality traits. Once he finds out who Luna is he isn’t above using her and Fowler to get what he wants, no matter what they want. As his plans evolve, it is clear he holds Luna’s mother’s decisions against her and he can’t wait to get from her what he always wanted from her mother.
There were a few things that made this book less interesting than the first one for me. First, I can’t believe that Luna was able to navigate this brand new castle without issue despite being blind…and that no one but Chasan actually figured out she was blind. Also, they spent so much time with Fowler out of it due to the poison and Luna navigating the politics of Lagonia’s court that I was a bit bored at times. In the end, when they do get away, the final face off with Cullan seemed a bit anti-climactic.
Overall I thought this one was just ok. I think the first one had a bit more action and Luna’s need to face off with Cullan to protect the kingdom’s young girls was compelling and although it was mentioned in this book, it seemed to take a backseat to everything else in this book. If you read book one and really want to find out what happens next for these characters, consider checking it out.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
This book picks up right after the end of book one and I was immediately pulled back into this world where danger is everywhere. When Fowler was pulled underground by the Dwellers, Luna didn’t even really think about it, she just dove right after him and was going to do whatever she had to in order to get him out.
Luna is still very stubborn and willing to throw herself into danger if it means protecting those around her which means she is still trying to get to Relhok City to stop Cullan from killing more girls. When Fowler is taken by the Dwellers, he is mortally injured but when they cross paths with people who recognize who Fowler is (and how valuable he could be) an opportunity to save him presents itself. Unfortunately the opportunity presents itself in the form of Lagonia’s prince and he isn’t really interested in saving Fowler out of the kindness of his heart.
A lot happens when they make it to Lagonia and that includes the King figuring out who Luna really is. This creates an interesting situation for both Luna and Fowler as they are both now pawns in the games these rulers are playing…whether they like it or not.
There are some new characters introduced in this book and they aren’t all good. First, Maris is the princess of Lagonia and she has been betrothed to Fowler for a long time. She is one of those characters that is there to move the plot along but she didn’t really add anything to the story. I found her quite annoying and when things came to a head and she didn’t get what she wanted, she flips out and turns on Fowler.
Chasan was interesting. I think I would have liked him more if I didn’t already love Luna and Fowler together. In the end I am glad he came through for them and all it took was his father pretty much turning against the original plans of having Chasan and Luna marry. He finally steps up to his father and helps Luna and Fowler out of the castle.
While Cullan is still a danger, King Tebald is the “bad guy” in this book and he for sure has some negative personality traits. Once he finds out who Luna is he isn’t above using her and Fowler to get what he wants, no matter what they want. As his plans evolve, it is clear he holds Luna’s mother’s decisions against her and he can’t wait to get from her what he always wanted from her mother.
There were a few things that made this book less interesting than the first one for me. First, I can’t believe that Luna was able to navigate this brand new castle without issue despite being blind…and that no one but Chasan actually figured out she was blind. Also, they spent so much time with Fowler out of it due to the poison and Luna navigating the politics of Lagonia’s court that I was a bit bored at times. In the end, when they do get away, the final face off with Cullan seemed a bit anti-climactic.
Overall I thought this one was just ok. I think the first one had a bit more action and Luna’s need to face off with Cullan to protect the kingdom’s young girls was compelling and although it was mentioned in this book, it seemed to take a backseat to everything else in this book. If you read book one and really want to find out what happens next for these characters, consider checking it out.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the review copy.
3.5 stars
Midnight Jewel is book two in The Glittering Court series by Richelle Mead and I was looking forward to reading this book. I liked book one which was from Adelaide’s point of view and I admit, I didn’t realize each of these books was the same timeline but from a different girl’s perspective until I was ready to dive into Midnight Jewel.
Mira is a solid character and I was interested in her since book one. She always seemed a bit separate from the other girls and not just because of her heritage. As the story moves forward, it becomes very clear that Mira has some skills that allow her to move around unnoticed and she is an observer so she can gather information fairly easily. These things help her when she notices that one of the men on the ship with the girls happens to have some features very similar to other gentlemen she has noticed since she began her training. When Mira makes the decision to find out who this man is and what he wants, she sees an opportunity for herself and seizes it.
Grant Elliott is the man Mira begins to dig into and when she finds out who he is, she negotiates her way into an agreement with him to be an “asset” and provide information she gathers by mingling with the rich men of Cape Triumph during their parties and balls. The goal is to find out who the rebels are and who is supplying gold to the traitors. If they can do this, Mira might be able to make enough gold to find/release her brother and get out of her contract. If it all happens the way she is thinking, she won’t have to find a husband.
Along the way, Grant realizes just how good Mira is at uncovering information. They also both realize there is an attraction between them but they have a lot of secrets and neither is ready to give them up right away. As the story moves forward, we learn more about both Mira and Grant and their secrets and the impact they have on their futures. While they both continue to work to find out who the rebels are and what they have planned, the feelings they have for each other definitely put a wrench in the plans they have made.
I have to admit, I started this book and got through about the first third but ended up putting it down for a bit. With that said, there wasn’t really anything wrong with it – I actually enjoyed this story but I just wasn’t that invested in the story. I don’t know if it was because it did overlap with book one or if I was something else. No matter, when I did pick it up again, I was pulled right back into this book. Of course, Mira and Grant have their angsty moments but they also have some swoony parts that I loved. The banter between these two was one of my favorite parts of the book.
I have seen a number of people say they liked this book better than book one and I think I liked them equally. The story itself felt a bit more like a mystery and the characters seemed a bit more complex but I don’t know, there is just something I liked about Adelaide and Cedric. I am looking forward to book three which is from Tamsin’s point of view. I can’t wait to see what happened during her disappearances and am curious to get her perspective on events with Mira and Adelaide. Consider checking this book out. Obviously reading book one would provide some additional insight into the characters of this series but I don’t know that it is absolutely necessary to have done so as this felt almost like a companion versus a continuation. Regardless, if you are interested in a story with a smart daring girl, intrigue and mystery, this may be one for you.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Midnight Jewel is book two in The Glittering Court series by Richelle Mead and I was looking forward to reading this book. I liked book one which was from Adelaide’s point of view and I admit, I didn’t realize each of these books was the same timeline but from a different girl’s perspective until I was ready to dive into Midnight Jewel.
Mira is a solid character and I was interested in her since book one. She always seemed a bit separate from the other girls and not just because of her heritage. As the story moves forward, it becomes very clear that Mira has some skills that allow her to move around unnoticed and she is an observer so she can gather information fairly easily. These things help her when she notices that one of the men on the ship with the girls happens to have some features very similar to other gentlemen she has noticed since she began her training. When Mira makes the decision to find out who this man is and what he wants, she sees an opportunity for herself and seizes it.
Grant Elliott is the man Mira begins to dig into and when she finds out who he is, she negotiates her way into an agreement with him to be an “asset” and provide information she gathers by mingling with the rich men of Cape Triumph during their parties and balls. The goal is to find out who the rebels are and who is supplying gold to the traitors. If they can do this, Mira might be able to make enough gold to find/release her brother and get out of her contract. If it all happens the way she is thinking, she won’t have to find a husband.
Along the way, Grant realizes just how good Mira is at uncovering information. They also both realize there is an attraction between them but they have a lot of secrets and neither is ready to give them up right away. As the story moves forward, we learn more about both Mira and Grant and their secrets and the impact they have on their futures. While they both continue to work to find out who the rebels are and what they have planned, the feelings they have for each other definitely put a wrench in the plans they have made.
I have to admit, I started this book and got through about the first third but ended up putting it down for a bit. With that said, there wasn’t really anything wrong with it – I actually enjoyed this story but I just wasn’t that invested in the story. I don’t know if it was because it did overlap with book one or if I was something else. No matter, when I did pick it up again, I was pulled right back into this book. Of course, Mira and Grant have their angsty moments but they also have some swoony parts that I loved. The banter between these two was one of my favorite parts of the book.
I have seen a number of people say they liked this book better than book one and I think I liked them equally. The story itself felt a bit more like a mystery and the characters seemed a bit more complex but I don’t know, there is just something I liked about Adelaide and Cedric. I am looking forward to book three which is from Tamsin’s point of view. I can’t wait to see what happened during her disappearances and am curious to get her perspective on events with Mira and Adelaide. Consider checking this book out. Obviously reading book one would provide some additional insight into the characters of this series but I don’t know that it is absolutely necessary to have done so as this felt almost like a companion versus a continuation. Regardless, if you are interested in a story with a smart daring girl, intrigue and mystery, this may be one for you.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
