Carole Reviews: The Bride Prize - Sandra Schwab

Author: Sandra Schwab

Title: The Bride Prize (Allan's Miscellany 1839 #1)

Genre: Historical Romance, Short Story

Pages: ebook

First Published: May 2014

Where I Got It: On my shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

"It's 1839, and Lord Eglinton's tournament in Scotland is the most anticipated event of the year: he and some of his noble friends will don medieval armor and joust like knights of old.

Does this mean a revival of true chivalry? Miss Florence Marsh thinks it might.

Or is the tournament mere tomfoolery and the greatest folly of the century? Mr. Robert Beaton thinks it is."

Like earlier stated I was given this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Sandra Schwab strikes again with her new series!! I am assuming all of them are short stories (like about 80 pages or so) like this one. I haven't read them yet. However, I believe they all follow a man who works for the Allan's Miscellany, which is a paper that is a little controversial, because they are writers of the people and they look down on higher society. So some people are not fans of them. LIKE Miss Florence's padre. Oh dear. 

This one was sooooooo cute. It was cute, simple, but so much fun. Even though it is a short story everything is presented wonderfully. I feel like I am there watching the rich pretending to be knights. Sandra, even in 80 pages, still manages to bring not only the world to life, but the characters as well. Sometimes in short stories the writers tend to write their characters flat and very 2D. It happens if one doesn't fine the right balance. I loved Robbie and his pal Mac. Mac is a grumpy guy, but he's adorable and I hope he is one the main men in one of the other stories (I haven't checked yet). He deserves love to make him less cynical about the world around him.

The only thing I didn't like was how easily Robbie won over Flo's dad. Flo's dad hates the paper and hates the fact that Robbie hates the higher society (since Flo and the family are pretty much higher up - lower First class). Granted, Robbie did defend himself well and make a nice passionate speech, but still Flo's dad gave in too easy for me. Yes, yes, it is a short story, so things happen quickly. 

In the end, I really liked this story. It was fun, quick, simple, and quite lovely. I loved the couple! Flo is super adorable and Robbie is drool-worthy. I prefer Mr. Grumpy (Mac), though. Hopefully Mac is in one of the stories. If one loves Historical Romance, but also doesn't mind short stories pick this one up. Out of five stars, I shall grant this one 5 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Robbie, Flo, and Mac

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Flo's aunt. 

   

Book Blog Walkers Weekly Check-in July 11, 2014

This challenge is organized by Felicia over at the Geeky Blogger's Book Blog.

Saturday 30 min walk 
Sunday - 30 min walk
Monday - 25 km bike
Tuesday - 15 km bike
Wednesday - 19 km bike
Thursday - 30 min walk
Friday 5 km bike and 15 min walk

Sunday and Monday

Sun: A walk on an island

Mon: We went biking to where they have dug for gravel or something, one was this awesome lake, the other one still in use

How to lose a Lord in 10 days or less - Elizabeth Michels

He's the perfect gentleman...

After years hidden away from the mockery of the Ton, proud Andrew Clifton, Lord Amberstall, is finally ready to face Society again. But when his horse is injured on the road to London, Andrew finds himself literally thrown at the feet of the beautiful, infuriating, and undeniably eccentric Katie Moore.

...she's anything but a lady.

Katie always preferred the stables to society, so when she was badly injured in a riding accident, she was more than happy to retreat to the countryside and give up the marriage mart for good. She never expected an infuriatingly proper lord to come tumbling into her life - and she certainly never expected to find herself wondering what it would be like to rejoin the world at his side.

They couldn't be more different, and soon Andrew and Katie find themselves at odds about everything but the growing passion between them... and a keen awareness of a threat that may end their unconventional romance before it has even begun.

My thoughts:

You can read this one as a standalone, it works. But yes it is book 3 and we have met them both before. With Katie it was an aha moment. But Andrew I remember well. 

Oh Andrew. In book 1, I was on the hero and heroine's side, even if they did something bad. Now I realised how bad and really felt for him. Poor poor Andrew. In an era when appearance was everything he was humiliated and fled the country. And after a year in exile he is back and the book can start.

Andrew loves horses. He grows in this book too when he realised that no, appearances is not everything. He sure said some dumb things in book 1, so I am glad he changed.

Katie is, oh she is different. She dresses in pants (which Andrew is not happy about). She lives alone in a cottage and she is just, different. Together they make no sense, which means they make perfect sense :)

So all while these two slowly are getting to be friends, and then falling in love, something sinister is going on. Someone is after Andrew, but why? You will find out.

Conclusion:

Love, suspense and a different sort of couple

Cover

Not how I would see her

Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Published July 1st 2014 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Tricks Of The Ton #3
Historical romance
For review

Terra - Mitch Benn

"I found myself thinking of Roald Dahl, Douglas Adams, and Terry Pratchett. Wise, funny, and above all human."  —Neil Gaiman

Terra is about to go to school for the first time. It's a very alien experience. She's been an outsider all her life. But that needn't be a bad thing. It's a perspective that lets her see just how very odd and alien humans are, as well as how human aliens can be. Terra came from Rrth but she has grown up on Fnrr. Fnrr is a very different world, the people there are very different and they speak a very strange language; yet, despite being an alien there, it has become home for Terra. But her extraordinary new home, Fnrr, is spiraling into a terrible war. Terra is a charming and hilarious satirical fable from a fantastic new voice.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed this book. Benn delivers his tale with wit and satire. The book does not take itself too seriously, but still got something important to say too.

It's a book about Terra. She was born on earth, but grew up on Fnrr. How she came there, well that you will have to read. Fnrr is a society of science, and sports. Nothing else is needed. And Terra is very different, we see her struggle, and we see her laugh. She may not always fit in but it's still her world too. Now, the whole book is not just about Terra growing up. Her world will soon be in danger.

It was a highly enjoyable sci-fi book. It was amusing, but it had also those thoughtful moments. Yes how would aliens see our planets? We do seem very stupid at times. You know, destroying the planet we live on.

Conclusion:

If you want a bit of sci-fi that is not just about space and tech, then this is the book for you. A book about a girl growing about on an alien planet, a planet that is different but still not that different from ours.

Cover

eh

Paperback, 255 pages
Published April 1st 2014 by Gollancz (first published July 18th 2013)
Terra #1
Sci-fi YA
For review