The Cursed Chaise Lounge

Soulless by Gail Carriger

cursedchaiselounge — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:10:57 +0000

Soulless is the first in a series by Gail Carriger. I have them all and wait for each book with my breath as baited as it can get whilst lounging around in my day dress.. This is my favourite of them all – because I love beginnings and though romances are lovely I really like my plucky heroines when they are coping on their own and fighting everyone including their obvious “true-love”.

Alexia Tarabotti is a FANTASTIC heroine. She whacks vampires with parasols, kicks golems and bites her boyfriend. When she is not being wonderfully violent she is cool, calm and logical and not particularly interested in any inconvenient rules…

The book is full of gentle humour, wry, ribald and occasionally laugh out loud ridiculous. I have read it a few times and it is one of my new favourites. The authors tone is absolutely perfect. The stempunky victorian world seeps through every decription, each witty exchange and the narrative tone.

Quote of joy:

“But, Alexia, really it is simply not the done thing to hit a vampire, with a parasol or otherwise!”

This is really very worth reading if you like strong female characters, a clever adventure and a really well thought out alternate world. The “rules” of the supernatural/preternatural that Ms Carriger has created are really terribly clever. it is all in all a splendid read….

The plot is very complicated and involves kidnappings, ensanguination, werewolf and vampire politics, puritanical colonials, mad scientists and, briefly, Queen Victoria.

The Dead Sea cipher by Elizabeth Peters

forumsofa — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:59:58 +0000

*****

Yet another standalone Elizabeth Peters with an archaeological subject. Great sense of place if a little implausible by the end. I should probably not be reading all these so close together – they’re getting a bit predictable in their unpredictability.

Genre: Mystery

Read: 31/05/2008

On the way to the wedding by Julia Quinn

forumsofa — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:24:27 +0000

***

Shades of The Graduate here in a climactic wedding scene. Overall, very predictable and the whole wedding thing seemed out of character. Just didn’t work for me. Unfortunate ending for the Bridgerton saga.

Genre: historical romance

Read: 31/05/2008

The ultimate Sashiko sourcebook by Susan Briscoe

forumsofa — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:19:29 +0000

****

Sashiko is a traditional Japanese type of embroidery, initially used to reinforce cloth. Being no expert on Sashiko I can hardly comment on how “ultimate” this is. However it is well set out and contains everything you need to make a start. The projects are a bit uninspiring, but then I’m used to a more modern approach. This stuff seems destined for cushions and picture busywork, not really very practical or beautiful. I’m not a fan of making stuff for the sake of it!

Genre: craft

Read: 31/05/2008

Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan

forumsofa — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:05:21 +0000

****

A bit reminiscent of the earlier Jilly Coopers this. Partly because of the characters, partly because the plot is very like oooh I can’t remember. The one where she is a flipperty gibbet and he comes in to sort out her family’s company. Anyway, thats the plot. They met in the past and now he wants revenge. It is a much bigger/deeper book than the Jilly Cooper, but strangely has barely any interaction between the hero and heroine. I seem to remember this from a previous book too. Quite odd. The character stuff is great though. The supporting characters have a real life of their own.

Genre: contemporary romance

Read: 31/05/2008

The Viscount who loved me by Julia Quinn

forumsofa — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:03:02 +0000

***

I don’t know what happened. I loved this one last time, but now it is boring. Bridgerton fatigue has set in. Anyway, one of those where the hero falls for a girl then falls for the sister. Entertaining but blah.

Genre: Historical

Read: 31/05/2008

Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

forumsofa — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:58:22 +0000

****

This book solves the great mystery of the Bridgerton series. Who is Lady Whistledown? There is also a story of unrequited love. A little implausable but fun.

Genre: Historical

Rad: 31/05/2008

Harriet by Jilly Cooper

forumsofa — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:54:11 +0000

*****

Marvellous stuff as always. This is the one where she gets pregnant by an attractive idiot and ends up nannying for a writer. Hero a bit too opaque (as always) but its part of the charm in this retro romance. I’ve read this more times than I can remember.

Genre: romance

Read:
31/05/2008

When he was wicked by Julia Quinn

forumsofa — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 09:51:33 +0000

***

More of the same chick-lit historical. A bit of a change for the Bridgerton series. This is one sibling that apparently doesn’t fit into the family so much. All the same, I am tiring of the Bridgertons.

Genre: Historical (barely)

Read: 31/05/2008

Baby bloom by Erika Knight

forumsofa — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:42:02 +0000

***

Interesting angle on the baby knitting book, this also includes patterns for maternity clothes for the expectant mother. I was expecting more from this than it gave. After looking at sites like Knitty, the patterns here are written in a somewhat old-fashioned style (lots of piecing together) and there isn’t really anything really new. The maternity clothes were alright, but perhaps didn’t make as much of being for pregnant-shaped people as I was hoping for. Empire line stuff from elsewhere would be just as good for me, and probably have a lot less seaming!

Also known as “Knitting for two”

genre: knitting

read: 17/05/2008