Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn

Dancing at Midnight by Julia Quinn - 378 pages

Lady Arabella is intrigue by Lord John Blackwood.  He's moody and mysterious, but yet kind and funny.  He is likewise entranced by the young beauty.  However, John is tormented by events from the war and determined to save Belle from himself.  Will Belle allow him to retreat away from her?

I found this book difficult to get through.  I started reading it nearly a month ago and finally finished it yesterday simply because I didn't have anything else to read.  While there were several laugh out loud moments, overall the book was very dark and depressing.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn

The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn - 371 pages

Lady's companion Grace Eversleigh was resting after a night out with her employer, when they are accosted by highwaymen.  While that is enough excitement, it turns out that her employer the Dowager Duchess of Wyndham recognizes the highwayman as her long lost grandson.  If it proves to be true, then he is the true Duke of Wyndham.

This is the first in a two book series by Julia Quinn.  I truly enjoyed this book.  It dealt with truly horrible situations with humor.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - 368 pages

Michael Stirling has a terrible secret -- he's in love with his cousin's wife Francesca.  He's kept this secret for two years when his cousin dies and Francesca turns to her "best friend" Michael for sympathy and help.  Unable to deal with the guilt, Michael flees to India.  After four years, he returns to London to find that his love for Francesca has never gone away . . .

This is the sixth book in the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn.  I'm reading the books completely out of order but it doesn't make much difference as they seem to mostly take place within the same time spans and are very interconnected, revealing what's occurring with various characters at the same time in difference books.  I'm enjoying the series and hope to read the rest of the books.

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin

The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin - 283 pages

Lorelei is going to a new school this fall.  The Splendid Academy is a wonderful school where students study only what they want, two mouth-watering meals a day are served, and the playground is every child's dream.  But Lorelei starts to wonder if the school is too good to be true.  With her new friend Andrew, Lorelei starts to investigate the mysterious teachers Ms. Morrigan, Ms. Threnody, and Principal Trapp.

This was a wonderful blend of several fairy tales into one book.  There were elements of Hansel and Gretel, the Sirens of mythology, and more.  This was one of those books that once you started reading you didn't want to put it down.  A great fantasy novel for kids.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl - 503 pages
A Beautiful Creatures Novel - book 2

This book continues the story of Ethan, a mortal, and Lena, a Caster, after the traumatic events of Lena's 16th birthday.  Lena is pushing Ethan away in her grief over her uncle's death.  Then Lena takes off with her cousin Ridley and the strange half-Incubus, half-Caster John Breed.  Ethan decides to go after her to try to save her from them and from going Dark.  So he travels the Tunnels hoping to find the Great Barrier to save Lena before it's too late.
I didn't think this second book was as good as the first.  It was definitely a much slower read, although it picked up in the last third with several revelations and action.