Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2) by Lauren DeStefano

• Title: Fever (The Chemical Garden, #2)
• Classification: Young Adult (Ages 14 and up)
• Genre: Dystopia
• Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers (February 21, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 144240907X
• ISBN-13: 978-1442409071

Author's Website: http://laurendestefano.com/
Notes: If you haven't read Wither, the first in The Chemical Garden trilogy, check out my review HERE

     'This time Yesterday I was a House Governor's bride. I had sister wives. At the end of my life, my body would have ended up with the wives who'd died before me, on a rolling cart in my father-in-law's basement, for him to do only he knows what....
     My brother, Rowan, is somewhere out here. And there's nothing stopping me from getting home to him.
     I thought the freedom would excite me, and it does, but there's terror, too. A steady march of what-ifs making their way through all my deliciously attainable hopes.
     What if he's not there?
     What if something goes wrong?
     What if Vaughn finds you?
     What if....'
    
Rhine is a young, beautiful, smart, and sweet girl who was thrown into an impossible situation. She was kidnapped and forced to become one of three wives to Linden, a House Governor. Her fate could have been much worse--all the girls who were kidnapped but weren't chosen were killed. The sister of one of her fellow "sister" wives was not so lucky. She was killed

The world Rhine lives in is much different from ours. Most of the world was destroyed by a Third World War. Then an experiment to enhance the human species went terribly awry. The end result was that the offspring of that first generation inherited a vastly shorter lifespan. The problem wasn't immediately discovered, and by the time it was identified, a large deal of time had passed and the damage had been done. Those of the second generation and beyond only live to 20 if they're female and to 25 if they're male. The victims of some unknown virus. Scientists did their best to try to identify and fix the problem, but they've all come up short and most have given up hope. Those of the first generation are now becoming elderly and soon they will be facing the limits of their own mortality. Those who are newly born will have no one to take care of them.

Now Rhine and Gabriel have finally broken free from their prison only to land into another, even less desirable one--Madame's carnival of amour which offers patrons the illusion of love and keeps its workers in a drug induced state of compliance. If they wish to survive they'll have to escape and hope Vaughn doesn't find them.

While all may appear lost, hope and a warning come from a mysterious fortune teller...

     I draw the top card from the third pile and lay it face up beside the Emperor.
     The World.
     "This card never comes up." Annabelle says. "Except, I remember, back when I was a girl doing readings in my hometown. Before we knew about the virus. It has not come up since then. "
     "What does it mean?"
     "It's a good card," She says. "It means everything will fall into place. Your world will come together."... "Things will get worse before they get better."

__________________

I just adored this book. What is it that I like about Dystopian novels? Well, I think it's all the controversy they stir up. In this book you've got women with virtually no rights, not even the right to refuse marriage. You've got a society that is less than desirable. Plus, you've got characters who are trying to survive against all odds. Dystopians cans show the worst of society and the best. Additionally, all the characters, good or bad, can usually be easily identified by the readers.

In this book, we get a better look at what has happened to the world. We learn more of the horrors of those who have managed to survive. We get a brief view of the government that exists. Plus, we get to learn more about Gabriel, the attendant Rhine escaped with.

Why is the book named Fever? Well, Rhine gets sick and comes down with a fever. Nobody knows for certain, but there is a good possibility that Vaughn has done something to compromise her and cause her to become sick.

Plenty of action, suspense, and drama included in this one. I gave it a 5 out of 5 roses. Still enjoying the series and can't wait to read the next.

Order of Series:

Top Ten things I wish all publishers and authors would do

So the previous top tens I've posted were of quotes I really loved. Today I decided to do a wish  list, if you will, of the top ten things I wish publisher and/or authors did differently in books. They're really just minor things that are easily changed, but little things add up. Some publishers and authors already do some of the things I suggest, and I sincerely thank you. You guys rock! To the rest of you--please consider the following:

10. I love it when an author writes a totally unique and vast world for their characters to reside in. If by the third book, however, they still don't include a glossary of terms and/or creatures, it makes it difficult to keep track of them all and not get at least a little lost. So please, help a reader out and add one.

9. I dislike it when the order of a series is different from the order the books were published in. It is soooooo confusing. I know this can happen occasionally when deadlines are pushed back or an author changes publishers, but it can be a little upsetting to realize you must have missed a book because they're talking about something you haven't read about yet. If it happens please alert retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, etc and book related internet sites like Goodreads of the discrepancy so they can accurately record the order of the series.

8. Have you ever noticed the list of books in a series which are sometimes located somewhere on the first few pages of a book? Why can't there be a set standard for the direction to list the order of books in a series? I've had some list the first in a series first and while others list it last. Without numbers being provided next to the titles, I can't be 100% sure which is the first in the series and which is the last. Additionally, I hate it when a book doesn't list somewhere on the outside what number it is in a series it is. I have read the third or second in a series first because I thought it was a standalone book. Sometimes so much information about the previous book(s) is provide that I feel I couldn't enjoy the previous ones because I already know what's going to happen. When that happens guess who loses a sale?

7. I hate it when a cover doesn't match what is in the book. Sometimes I still love the cover, but discrepancies in things like skin color are just so wrong.

6. I don't like it when a book series starts off printing the series in paperbacks only to switch to hardback for the fourth book or so. If possible, I want my books uniform not a mish mash of different sizes. Perhaps it's an OCD thing, but what can I say?

5. If an unusual name is used for a character or place, I would really appreciate the author giving us an idea of how to pronounce it phonetically. You would not believe how many times I get it wrong and when I finally hear the correct pronunciation I am so set in my incorrect way that's it's too late to change the name in my head. 

4. I truly dislike it when books repeat information an unreasonable amount of times in an effort to bring those who didn't read the previous book(s) in the series up to date. Wish there was such a thing as a skipologue (see yesterday's Monday Musings).

3. I truly hate it when the hard cover books I buy fall apart after one reading. This is happening more and more frequently to me. I'm now keeping my receipts so I can return them when it occurs. Those darn books cost a bundle and I should get more than one read out of them. Please don't skimp on the binding.

2. If an author has more than one character giving their points of view within one chapter it would be really nice if there was some divider to indicate when the change in view point occurs. I hate having to go back and reread because I'm confused about what just happened only to discover it's now the male character's point of view being given instead of the female's. This drives me crazy.

1. As the moderator of a book club, I hate it when an author decides to forgo chapter numbers. With so many people reading the eBook versions of books, you can't just say read to  page 56. Plus, if there are different versions such as a hardcover copy and a paperback copy the page numbers just won't  match. You would not believe the hoops we moderators have to go through to figure out at what point the day's reading should end. Please don't write chapter numbers off. The BIGGEST offenders I've noted to date, which almost had me just about pulling my hair out to divvy the chapters up, were ALL the books of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire, aka A Game of Thrones, series and Legend by Marie Lu. They each took an unbelievably large amount of time to  divide in a way everyone could comprehend. I think by the end I went a little cross eyed. So please, have a care so I don't loose my hair. lol

Early Review of Scandal Wears Satin (The Dressmakers, #2) by Loretta Chase

• Title: Scandal Wears Satin
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Historical Romance
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (June 26, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062100319
• ISBN-13: 978-0062100313
• Author's Website:  http://www.lorettachase.com/
• Please Note: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book, therefore, there may be some discrepancies between what I quote and the final version. Assume any and all errors are mine because they probably are.
• 
  

The Common Cause: 

     "If I were less of a catch," she went on, "and if it hadn't happened so publicly, with all those people seeing me half undressed, there would be an easier way out."

     "You weren't half undressed," Sophy said. "Your bodice was a little disarranged, that was all."

     "Not that it makes a difference,"Lady Clara said bitterly. Ruined is ruined."

     "We're going to un-ruin you," Sophy said.

When Longmore's sister Clara is ruined by a scheming scoundrel who set out to gain her hand and her fortune by foul means, she runs away. Sophy and Longmore unite to find Clara and a means to prevent the marriage from taking place and to restore Clara's reputation.

The First Impressions:

     'Black hair and glittering black eyes...the noble nose that ought to have been broken a dozen times yet remained stubbornly straight and arrogant...the hard, cynical mouth..the six-foot-plus frame.

     All that manly beauty.

     If only he had a brain.' (Sophy's impression of Longmore)

    'A fetching bundle of energy and guile....She did a great deal he found intriguing--starting with the way she walked: She carried herself like a lady, like the women of his class, yet the sway of her hips promised something tantalizingly unladylike.' (Longmore's impression of Sophy)

The Famous last words...

     "Love," Longmore said. "Bad idea." 

     Clevedon smiled. "One day Love will come along and knock you on your arse," he said."And I'll laugh myself sick, watching."
     "Love will have its work cut out for it," Longmore said. "I'm not like you. I'm not 'sensitive'. If Love wants to take hold of me, not only will it have to knock me on my arse, it'll have to tie me down and beat to a pulp what some optimistically call my brains."

Sometimes when faced with a lost cause, all you need to do is look at it from a different perspective. Something the Noirot sisters excel at.

__________________

I just adore Loretta Chase's writing style. She has a magical, somewhat whimsical way of writing which makes me smile and enjoy the story so much more. For instance, instead of the 'chocolate' eyes that seem to be all the rage in romance novels lately, she writes, "all she saw were fathomless black depths, hot and promising sin and sin again." While I do love chocolate, describing the hero's eyes as promising sin, well, her way of putting it just sets my heart a flutter. Another example would be this, "She stretched and moved, seeking more, as a cat did when petted, though no cat could feel like this." Such a beautiful description.

Besides her style, her characters just seem so likeable and lifelike. While some might say no one can possibly be so good at creating a different persona as completely as Sophy, I've actually met someone who could and while rare, they do exist. Im fact, I once saw a show that claimed Marilyn Monroe possessed such an ability and could change he persona from one of just your average typically girl to her full fledged movie star glamour within the blink of an eye. I'm not quite sure how they do it, but I'm pretty positive it's something you are just born with and I must say its quite a sight to behold.

The bond between the books in this series is, of course, the Noirot sisters of which there are three. They are all skilled dressmakers each excelling at one aspect of the business making them quite a force to be reckoned with within the industry. Plus, the Noirot sisters are related to the 'Dreadful DeLuceys' from Chase's Lord Perfect (Carsington Brothers series) book which I adored and read prior to beginning my blog. The Dreadful DeLucey's have notoriously bad reputations, and it is rumored that 'whenever a Dreadful DeLucey appeared on the scene, someone's life was sure to change, and seldom for the better." (Lord Perfect; page 90) I don't know about anyone else, but I love it when an author brings ties from one series into another.

Sophy's and Longmore's relationship was so fun to watch. Each was pretty much wrapped in themselves sort of like tightly wound spools of thread. Each set in their ways and independent. As the intricate web of the tale is spun, the two separate threads became intertwined and merge into something beautiful, like the intricate designs on an embroidered dress. The two become as one yet still separate, each complimenting the other in a surprisingly delicate yet sturdy way. My favorite part is when Longmore realizes he's in love. He acts so goofy that it made me chuckle. It was quite charming and endearing and made me fall a little in love with the character myself.

Why is the book called Scandal Wears Satin? Well, I'm not 100% sure. At first I thought perhaps Clara's dress was made of Satin, but the description I read didn't include what fabric was used in her dress. Sophy's dresses, on the other hand, almost always included satin in the description. So, my theory is that Sophy is the person referred to in the title which seems fitting due to what she does to save Clara from an unpleasant fate, namely a loveless marriage to Adderly. It also seems fitting because of the quote I listed above from Lord Perfect. Sophy will definitely change someone's life and not for the better.

Overall, I gave this one 5 out of 5 roses. A charming tale that was beautifully written containing everything I've come to expect from a story written by Ms. Chase--witty dialogue, intriguing characters, a dash of drama, and of course, romance. Plus, I loved how I had no clue how she would manage to un-ruin Clara. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Notes to keep you in the know:
Since the first book in the series was entitled Silk Is for Seduction and the second is entitled Scandal Wears Satin, I thought it would be fun to know what the difference is between silk and satin. According to d'Italia, "Satin is really just a finish of the silk or of any type of fabric. Satin, is a glossy, shiny finish to a fabric. They are shiny, but they can be made of anything. Satin can be made of silk. It can also be made of polyester or viscose." (To view more about the differences between silk and satin visit the website the above information was found at:  http://www.ditalia.com.au/fashion-and-fabric-videos/designer-fabric/silk-vs-satin-about-silk-and-satin-fabric)

Order of Series:

Monday Musings - Why can't there be a Skipologue???

A while back, on October 13, 2011, I saw a tweet from author Kelley Armstrong saying she was working on writing that delicate portion of a book where you try to add just enough information from the previous books so a newbie to the series isn't lost, but a person who's loyally kept up with the series doesn't get annoyed or bored. Here is the original quote, "Worst part of starting new book in existing series? Sliding in enough "catch-up" info for new readers, while not boring current readers."

Believe me, I've read books that have given too little or too much information and I can see where this would be a bit of a challenge. My tweet back was, "Too bad there's no such thing as a skipologue* that people who are up to date on a series could skip. lol"

Yes, I know there are prologues, but in my experience they usually set up an event which happened prior to the story to get your attention and/or explain something that happens at a later point in the story. Author Richelle Mead, however, did something like I was suggesting in her prologue for 'Frostbite'. When I read it over a year ago I made the comment, "I really liked how Mead made reference to all the important items about the world she created in the prologue." I liked how it was done in a way that if we weren't interested in a recap of the previous book, 'Vampire Academy', we could just skip it. Who knows, maybe the age of the digital eBook could truly make it a skippable feature and adapt the book to the reader? One can only hope.

* I know skip would probably be the wrong term to use to preface logue, but hey it's all Greek to me, which the terms may very well have originated from. :)

Winners of Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea

Winners of 

Between the Duke and the Deep Blue Sea are:

Mel Bourn and  Andrea T.

Thank you to everyone who entered.  

Under a Vampire Moon (Argeneau, #16) by Lynsay Sands

• Title: Under a Vampire Moon: An Argeneau Novel
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Paranormal Romance
• Format: Paperback, 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon; Original edition (April 24, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 0062100203
• ISBN-13: 978-0062100207

Author's Website: http://www.lynsaysands.net/

     "I'm also not eager to rush into a new relationship. In fact, I've decided marriage just isn't for me. So what do I care if it takes a while to resolve the old one?"
     "Right." She smiled. "It doesn't matter. You got everything you wanted."
     "What I wanted was a happy marriage. Failing that, I wanted a fair divorce settlement."

When Carolyn Connor went to St. Lucia she was at the tail end of a long, costly, emotional draining and bitter divorce. Her friend Bethany had convinced her she needed a break from reality and took her on the vacation. The premise of the trip--to escape her worries by enjoying the sun, sand and guys St. Lucia had to offer was a good one but in reality, most of the people at the beautiful island resort were part of a couple. To make matters worse, most were recently married ones. So while her marriage was coming to an end, theirs were just starting. Not exactly the emotional quicker picker upper Carolyn was looking for.

Shortly after arriving, while waiting for a table, Carolyn found herself alone. Bethany became ill and Genie, the other friend who was supposed to join them, had gotten held up by work. When a table finally opens she wasn't the only one attempting to take it. A young couple, Margurite and Julius Argeneau, were also looking to obtain a table. When they decided to share, well let's just say Carolyn was about to meet her fairy godmother, er, future mother-in-law. Well, in this instance, some might see Marguerite as both. lol So while there may not be a ball, there would be music and dancing and while there wouldn't be a prince, some would call Christian a prince among men and while there'd be no horse and carriage, there would be a boat ride. So while not quite a Cinderella remake, there would definitely be some magic in the air. After all isn't love a truly wonderful and magical thing?

__________________

This was such a fun tale. I've been meaning to read Lynsay Sand's Argeneau series for well over a year. I was going to be good, attempt to collect them all, and then read them in order, but then Avon sent me "Under a Vampire Moon" and this little reader went from good to bad. I've been warned reading romances can do that to a gal. *smirk* Anyway, I've read almost every one of Lynsay's hystericals, er, historicals and they are hysterically funny. I always know I'm guaranteed a good bit of humor when I read one of her books and her Argeneau series is no exception.

I loved watching Carolyn's and Christian's relationship grow. Christian and his family are immortals who never age. We'd call them vampires, but according to Christian it's not the politically correct term for what they are. One of the biggest challenges to a potential relationship between Christian and Carolyn is their apparent age difference. While Carolyn is 42, Christian appears to look to be in his mid twenties. Christian's cousin Gia immediately sees the age difference is going to be an issue for Carolyn and concocts a story that Christian is gay and looking for a 'beard', a person to pretend to be his straight significant other. She tells Carolyn that Christian isn't ready to come out of the closet yet to his family and that causes some fun and hilarious situations.

Some of my favorite quotes, lines, moments:
- "It isn't funny," Christian growled. "She told my life mate that I'm gay."
  Zanipolo gave a bark of laughter. "And she believed it."
  Christian scowled at the man, considering violence until Gia said, "Actually, at first I just said my cugino, was gay and didn't tell her which one. She thought it must be you before I said it was Christian."
  "What?" Zanipolo cried. "Why would she think that? Do I look gay?"
  Christian growled impatiently, and turned on Gia. "I don't see how her thinking I am gay is supposed to help."
  "Is it my hair that made her pick me for the gay one, do you think?" Zanipolo asked suddenly. "Maybe I should cut it." (Zanipolo had me laughing so hard.)

- "Beth wants me to have an affair while I'm here."
  Christian raised an eyebrow and teased, "Here? The benches look comfortable, but I think the other restaurant guests might not appreciate it."

- "It's okay." She patted his hand now. "I understand. He is a hottie. All those tan, rippling muscles and the piratey hair."
  Christian ground his teeth together and considered wringing her neck instead of Captain Jack's.How dare she think the man a hottie? And what was she doing noticing his rippling muscles? She was his, dammit, whether she knew it or not.
  "Not my type," she continued. "I mean, he seems nice enough and all, and probably loads of fun, but there was just no spark for some reason."...
  "The good news is, he was flirting with me because Genie told him to make sure I had a good time, so who knows, you may yet be in luck. He could be gay too."...
  Christian blinked as it slowly dawned on him that she thought he was jealous of her rather than Captain Jack. Dear God!

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed the characters with their quirky personalities. I loved the chemistry between Carolyn and Christian that illuminated the pages and flared to an overwhelming height causing them both to faint. I smiled and laughed at the hilariously silly situations that occurred. I found it a delightfully delicious read with a great combination of humor, drama, and of course romance. I will definitely need to read the series. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scores a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Pictures of St. Lucia:

Order of Series according to Lynsay Sands:

Coming August 2012:

Intangible by J. Meyers

• Title: Intangible
• Classification: Young Adult
• Genre: Paranormal
• Paperback: 348 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace (January 29, 2012)
• ISBN-10: 1470010151
• ISBN-13: 978-1470010157

Author's Website: http://www.jmeyersbooks.com/

     'In all of his seventeen years he'd never had a vision about himself--he hadn't thought it was possible. And now that it appeared it was, he knew with certainty that this was something he didn't want to See.
     She looked beyond him suddenly and her eyes hardened, her stance tensed. It was almost as if Luke was no longer the target, but in the way. He followed her gaze, turning to look over his shoulder.
     He instinctively smiled at what he saw--his twin sister Sera. But in the next instant the woman's words echoed in his mind. Shall she be the first to die? A rising panic threatened to choke him. He scoured the room for a way out. A way to change what he knew with absolute certainty was about to happen. It wan't his life. It was hers. "The Children of the Prophecy must die!"  The woman's cry filled the room.'

Luke and his twin sister, Sera, had always known they were  different. He could predict the future while she could heal the sick. From an early age they learned to keep their powers to themselves. At the age of  6 Sera had attempted to tell their grandmother about her gift with poor results. Their grandmother had seen Sera's gift as a curse and had decided Sera and Luke were abominations when they tried to explain. While they still used their gifts, they did so in secret, never again revealing what they could do.

Now Luke had seen his sister's death in one of his visions. 'His visions always came true. Always. No matter what he did. He wrote them down, dissected them for clues. Then he tried to get there before the events happened. He did everything he could to thwart them. But nothing had ever worked.'  He was determined that this vision would be different. This visions would never come true. The only question was how could he prevent it?

______________

This was a very enjoyable read. I loved how Luke and Sera seemed to finish each others sentences and were very attuned to one other. You could tell if anything happened to one, the other twin would be devastated. They care deeply for each other and don't trust others very easily. They have acquired only two close friends over the years, Quinn and Fey.

While we don't learn a whole lot about Quinn, Fey is not what she seems. She's not human, but we don't find out exactly what she is till the end of the book. She and Jonah, an acquaintance of hers who also happens to be a vampire, are very intriguing secondary characters. Jonas is torn between his loyalties to his creator and his feelings of doing what's right. In a way he has a very similar mindset to that of Stephenie Meyer's Cullen vampires, but without the vegan notion.

I liked how the author introduces us to the Realm at the same time Sera and Luke are discovering it. Neither Luke nor Sera know anything about vampires, elves, goblins, witches, etc nor do they know anything about the prophecy which the woman in Luke's vision spoke of. Luke has very little to go on to prevent his sister's death. He has no clue who the woman is or the place the vision occurred. He makes the decision not to tell Sera what he saw so she won't worry about it. I guess it's his way of protecting her.

Where does the book get it's name? Well, I believe from this passage:
     'They were obviously related--he could see it in their smiles, their eyes--and looked the same age. There was also an almost palpable connection between the two of them in the way they interacted. They moved and talked in sync. It was different from everyone else on the school grounds. 
     And there was something else about them--something intangible. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel it.'


Overall, I gave this one 3 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed reading the book and have a feeling this is a series that will keep getting better with each book because we're introduced to some new creatures and learn about others at the end. Plus, we have a better knowledge of what Sera and Luke will need to hide from and what they are dealing with. A lot of world building took place and we find out who the 'Children of the Prophecy' are, what the prophecy is about, and how it pertains to Luke and Sera. I have a feeling we don't yet know the extent of Sera's and Luke's powers and have a lot to learn about the Realm. I liked the characters and the story and look forward to reading the sequel.