Interstice (“in-tur-stis”)

Noun; from Dictionary.com:

1. An intervening space; an interval of time;
2. A small or narrow space or interval between things or parts, especially when one of a series of alternating uniform spaces and parts;
3. An interval of time required by the Roman Catholic Church between the attainment of different degrees of an order. (By extension, a small interval of time free to be spent on activities other than one’s primary goal.)

“Take what pleasure you can in the interstices of your work, but your work is first, learning is first, winning is everything because without it there is nothing.” (Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card)

Interstice is one of those words that can have different meanings depending on its context. In the most general sense, an interstice is a gap – of time, of space, or anything else really. Likewise, an interstice can also be the small amount of time given to people between tasks, like a break or a recess. Usually, an interstice implies an equal distance between the two things it bridges, but that’s not always the case. Interstice comes from the Latin word interstitium, which means a pause or interval and is itself a combination of inter (between) and sistere (to set).

Your turn, bookworms – how long are your interstices between the books you read? Do you give yourself a leisurely break or do you pick up another one right away?

[Photo Credit: Google Images]

The Hellions of Halstead Hall is a five-book series by Sabrina Jeffries, with each book highlighting one of the Sharpe siblings as he or she races against his or her grandmother’s edict to circumvent her demands, only to ultimately be humbled by loved. The series recently concluded with the publication of youngest sibling Celia’s story, A Lady Never Surrenders, which followed the first four books: The Truth About Lord Stoneville (Oliver’s story), A Hellion in Her Bed (Jarret’s story), How to Woo a Reluctant Lady (Minerva’s story), and To Wed a Wild Lord (Gabe’s story).

Running through each of the books is the overall mystery that surrounds the deaths of the Sharpes’ parents and how, in turn, it affected all of them. Each of the novels can stand on its own and contained a full and complete story, but obviously they work best as part of the series, especially with regards to solving the mystery. Jeffries does a great job of developing the dynamic of the siblings, having them equally love and frustrate each other. The scandal of their parents and their wayward lives gives them a sense of banding together against the world (and, at some points, against their grandmother’s ultimatum), but they also learn to open themselves up to the world and to other people. I especially loved Mrs. Plumtree, the Sharpes’ grandmother; everyone should have a grandmother who loves and cares so deeply for her grandchildren, even when she’s being crafty and interfering.

While I’m not a huge fan of mysteries in general, I did like how Jeffries explores the deaths of the Sharpe parents over the course of the series. Each book revealed yet another layer to the story and gave you new clues to make you wonder and ponder exactly what had happened. Just when it looks like progress is being made and answers are near, another clue pops up to complicate things. The mystery is eventually solved, but getting there is exciting and thrilling. Jeffries also wisely takes into account the siblings’ ages at the time of their parents’ deaths and explores how those deaths may have affected how the siblings, as adults, approach the world and, most importantly, romantic relationships. There are legitimate reasons for the siblings’ wariness of marriage, which always felt organic and natural, instead of just a barrier to the happy ending.

There were some parts of the series that felt a bit obvious – by the third book, it was pretty clear who the romantic foils were going to be for the rest of the series – and the basic story of a reluctant man or woman getting married in order to get his or her inheritance did start to feel redundant by the end of the series. Overall, however, Sabrina Jeffries’ Hellions of Halstead Hall is an enjoyable, entertaining and intriguing series and I’m definitely interested in discovering some of her earlier books.

[Photo Credit: Goodreads]

Smite Turner is well-known for his single-mindedness and his unforgiving nature.

I want to write a fair and balanced review of Courtney Milan’s Unraveled. I want to be able to assess it objectively and give people an honest opinion of this novel and Milan as a writer, but truthfully, I’m probably going to end up gushing like a silly fan-girl. This third and final book in Milan’s series about the Turner brothers is everything the first two books were: exquisite and sublime. With each book, Milan simply gets better and better as an author and storyteller. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, she is a superb writer with an exceptional talent for really digging deep and developing her characters’ quirks and nuances. Most of all, I love her ability to write a phrase. Her words are beautiful and simply beg to be quoted, like this one: “The sensations spilled through her body in little shocks, like a harpist strumming out an arpeggio against her ribs.”

Unraveled is both Smite and Miranda’s story and I did like Miranda quite a bit, but it is Smite who owns the story, Smite who readers come to appreciate in an entirely new way. Smite is the most mysterious and least understood of the Turner  brothers and therefore it seems fitting that his journey should come last, as it seems to take the longest. Consequently, there’s also a much greater sense of satisfaction in seeing him finally happy. I’ll admit that I didn’t always like Smite in the previous books; he felt distant and reserved even from me as a reader. But Milan makes you care deeply for this character who has trouble expressing emotion and she does it marvelously. By the end of the book, I probably loved Smite even more than Ash and Mark because I could appreciate just how far he had come.

“I’m not broken,” he repeated. “Although at the moment…” This was what came of violating the sentimentality quota. Everything he kept bottled inside him came out. He shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “At the moment,” he muttered numbly, “I may be coming a bit unraveled.”

In tandem with Smite’s growing relationship with Miranda, Milan also explores Smite’s relationships with his brother Ash and his brother-in-law, Richard, two story lines that started in the first book, with the details being revealed slowly over the course of the series. We finally get the final pieces of the puzzle that was the Turner brothers’ turbulent and horrific childhood as well as the history between Richard and Smite. It helps make sense not only of the dynamics between all these men, but it also provides some explanation and context that sheds new light on Unveiled and Unclaimed as well. It’s heartbreaking to learn the truth, but it’s also gratifying to watch these brothers learn to come together again, especially since Milan handles it all with such care. It’s a satisfying payoff for a story that started in the first book.

There aren’t enough positive adjectives for me to adequately express just how much I love Courtney Milan, thanks to this series and most especially thanks to the brothers Turner, Ash, Mark and Smite. Milan’s books are now must-reads / must-buys for me from now on. I give her my highest recommendations and strongly urge everyone to stop what they’re doing and pick up one of her brilliant books right now. If you do, I promise to stop gushing.

[Photo Credit: Goodreads]

Châtelaine (“shat-ul-ayn”)

Noun; from Dictionary.com:

1. The mistress of a castle; the mistress of a large, elegant household;
2. A chain or clasp worn at the waist by women, with handkerchief, keys, etc., attached (supposed to resemble the chain of keys once worn by medieval chatelaines)

As the châtelaine, she is important to anybody who wishes to use the influence of the house – a fund-raising effort or the village flower show, for example. (The World of Downton Abbey, Jessica Fellowes)

Châtelaine is a French word adopted by English. It is the female version of châtelain, which refers to someone who lives in a castle or the lord of such a castle. Indeed, the French word for castle, château, can be seen and heard in châtelaine. The French words, in turn, come from the Latin word castellum, which itself means castle or fort. Considering the medieval history of the word, it’s believed that most châtelaines were mistresses over the domestic domains of the household, as it was rare for women to own their own homes outright.

Your turn, bookworms – wouldn’t you love to be the châtelaine of a grand household?

[Photo Credit: Google Images]

• Cal and Min from Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me – There’s love at first sight. Then there’s Cal and Min, two people who couldn’t hate each other more, thrown together time and again, only to realize how perfect they were for each other. Cal helps Min relax and love herself for exactly who she is, while Min shows Cal that it’s okay to let his guard down and open up to someone else. And with witty foreplay that practically ignites the page, well, who can resist that?
• Evie and Sebastian from Lisa Kleypas’ The Devil in Winter – It started as a marriage of convenience: Evie needed to escape her family, Sebastian just wanted an heiress. After a requisite Gretna Green elopement, Evie and Sebastian assume they’ll live separate lives, but it isn’t long before circumstances conspire to keep them in close proximity, danger forces them to rely on each other and threats to their lives make them realize how much they need – and want – the other.
• Callie and Gabriel from Sarah MacLean’s 9 Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake – MacLean is a superb historical writer and frankly, all of her romantic couples belong on this list. But I have a special place in my heart for Callie – sweet, lovely Callie – and the way she takes control of her life. When her adventures bring Gabriel into her life, things start to get really interesting. After all, everyone loves a rake brought down by love.
• All of the couples from Courtney Milan’s Turner Brothers series – It seems horribly unfair to make Ash and Margaret, Mark and Jessica, and Smite and Miranda share a spot on this list, but the truth is that I love them all equally and can’t choose between the three. Each couple navigates the tricky waters of romance in their own way and each is rewarded with a love that’s not only powerful and true, but a love that exists in spite of (and even because) of each hero’s and each heroine’s flaws.
• Colin and Penelope from Julia Quinn’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton – The couple at the heart of the fourth book in Quinn’s Bridgerton siblings series, Colin and Penelope are my favorite for several reasons. Firstly, for Penelope, her scandalous secret, her quick wit and intelligence, and the fact that so many people underestimate her. Secondly, for Colin, his wicked sense of humor, his love for his family even when he wants to strike out on his own, and his willingness to look past his own previous assumptions to see anew the girl who was always there. Thirdly, there is that whole debacle with Lady Whistledown…

Your turn, bookworms – leave a comment with your favorite couple from a romance novel, or even just your favorite literary couple in general? Happy Valentine’s Day!

• First the Internet, now the world? Rumors abound that Amazon is preparing to open a brick-and-mortar book store, most likely in Seattle, where the online giant got its start.Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Amazon was preparing to make the move as its line of Amazon branded tablets and e-readers grows. Some people have imagined stores like the Apple stores, small and specialized, while others have imagined a store like CostCo or BJ’s, with everything wholesale. Only time will tell.
• Meanwhile, another big book industry thing is pondering a new direction as well. BEA – that’s Book Expo America, the largest publishing trade show in North America, may be open to the public soon. Right now, the show is limited to those in the industry (though plenty of “regular” folks who also have book blogs are regular attendees). The event’s director is mulling a plan that would leave the first two days of the trade show closed to those in the industry only, with the third day open to the general public, centered on author events and “coming soon” booths like those highlighted at Comic Con.
• Trouble in the romance world! An Oklahoma chapter of Romance Writers of America has canceled its writing contest after the furor caused by its decision to exclude same-sex romance entries. The “Where the Magic Begins” contest sent out an open call for submissions, but notably mentioned that it would not accept submissions featuring same-sex romances. The response from the online romance community was swift, with several authors – Courtney Milan most notably – calling for a boycott of the contest and its discriminatory guidelines.
• And in other romance news, Sarah Wendell of the Smart Bitches blog has a fabulous post about reader shaming, and specifically the “shame” that some people (i.e., idiots) think romance readers have due to the fact that they read romance.The gist of the argument Wendell is responding to basically says that people buy e-books so they can hide their shame at what they’re reading (never mind that e-books are generally less expensive and sometimes more convenient). Wendell dismisses the idea that romance readers are ashamed – they’re not. They’re just tired of having to justify their reading decisions to other people who seem to think romance isn’t “worthwhile.” Which just proves how idiotic and stupid the vast majority of uninformed people are. /end rant. (For the record, I read romance – both physical copies and e-books, and I’ve never once been ashamed of that.)
• Happy Birthday, Charlie! This week saw the world celebrating what would have been Charles Dickens’ 200th birthday. Google celebrated the occasion with a special Google doodle, featuring some of Dickens’ most famous characters (among them Ebeneezer Scrooge). Throughout Britain, events commemorated the birthday with actors such as Ralph Fiennes and Gillian Anderson doing readings from Dickens’ works.

As always, happy reading.

Jessica Rules the Dark Side is Beth Fantaskey’s exciting, mysterious, thrilling and enjoyable sequel to Jessica’s Guide to Dating on the Dark Side. As with the first book, I suggest overlooking the cover art (though, I’ll admit, it’s much better this time, with the darker tones and colors) and the title. Jessica’s Guide was a book I was skeptical about at first, but ended up loving because it proved to be so much more than a simple “girl loves vampire” story. Likewise, Jessica Rules the Dark Side is so much more than you might think.

Once again, Fanstaskey has taken a well-worn literary trope and created something wonderful. Jessica Rules the Dark Side really brings out the “adult” in this young adult novel. Jessica and Lucius are married now, making adult decisions and choices and facing the consequences of them. There’s a maturity to these characters now that truly shows how much they’ve grown and changed since the first book. Of course, there’s also political intrigue, a murder mystery, more detail and history of the vampire world Jessica is expected to rule and revelations about characters that are both welcome and surprising.

Jessica was one of my favorite aspects of the first novel and here, in the sequel, it’s no different. I loved how she came into her own in this story. At the start of the novel, she knows she loves Lucius, but there was much about the vampire life she still didn’t know and her hesitation is easily her greatest weakness. Over the course of the book, though, she steps up, summons her innate strength and owns her decisions as a ruler. She was always born for the role, but she still retains her American sensibilities. Instead of hindering her in her new life, Jessica’s logic and scientific mind are assets. She’s still the Jessica we’ve come to know and love, she’s just stronger and more confident.

Like the first book, Jessica Rules the Dark Side alternates back and forth between two narrators (with a few emails and notes interspersed). In this book, Jessica’s close American friend Mindy is the second narrator. On the one hand, I liked having Mindy’s perspective because she was able to see the vampire world from the outside. Like the reader, she’s on the other side looking in and she was also able to show us Jessica’s growth and development in a way Jessica herself could not. She was also the catalyst for revelations about Raniero and even played an important role in unlocking one part of the mystery. On the other hand, I never quite adjusted to Mindy’s voice. It seemed at odds with the story somehow and I kept wishing we could get back to Jessica’s point of view. And, without giving too much away, I didn’t really like the love triangle she was a part of. It felt a bit contrived and forced, as if it were included simply for the sake of having a love triangle in the story. I would have rather seen Fantaskey develop her relationship with the man in question outside of any third party.

At first glance, Jessica Rules the Dark Side may seem like it’s yet another book jumping on board the vampire love story train. But take the time to read Beth Fantaskey’s books, because there is a surprising amount of originality, creativity and depth to this story and these characters. I’m happy I took the chance and I think you should give it a try as well.

[Photo Credit: Goodreads]

Nadir (“nay-der”)

Noun; from Dictionary.com:

1. In astronomy, the point on the celestial sphere directly beneath a given position or observer and diametrically opposite the zenith;
2. the lowest point; the point of greatest adversity or despair.

Now I was profoundly relieved and grateful, but also incredibly depressed that they were witnesses to the complete nadir of my life. (Darkness Falls, Cate Tiernan)

Most often used when discussing the scientific fields of astronomy, geophysics or meteorology, nadir refers to a point that is directly beneath or opposite another location, one that is usually the top or high point. When used in general terms, nadir refers to the lowest or deepest point, often meant in an emotional sense rather than meaning a physical, specific location. The word comes into English from Medieval Latin and Arabic. The Arabic root of nadir (nazīr as-samt) literally means “opposite the zenith” or opposite the highest point.

Your turn, bookworms – have you ever felt you were at the nadir of your life? Haven’t we all, at some point?

[Photo Credit: Google Images]

Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game is a classic coming-of-age science-fiction novel that has won countless awards, including the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. It gave way to sequels and companion novels, each more complex than the last. This was my fifth or sixth time re-reading Ender’s Game. I always love rediscovering a favorite, especially one that feels new and relevant every time. (In fact, way back in 2008, my very first post here on LND was about Ender’s Game.)

No matter how many times I read this book, there’s always some new angle or detail that gives rise to new considerations. Whether it’s delving deeper into Peter and Valentine’s political and philosophical experiments on the nets or grappling with the implications of using children as pawns – and saviors – in a galactic war against a misunderstood enemy, every time you read it, you see a new angle or rethink a previously held position. And I’m always impressed by Card’s level of preciseness when it comes to the details in the book. Ender’s battles are recounted exactingly, the theories are slowly built up and the secrets are unraveled over time. It’s exceptionally well-plotted and still manages to keep me on the edge of my seat, even when I know exactly what’s going to happen.

By today’s standard’s, Ender’s Game would probably be considered “young adult” and yet, by the denouement of the action, most of the characters are barely in their teens. Ender himself begins the book at age six, but he never acts or thinks like a normal six-year-old. I always forget that I’m reading a novel about children doing very adult things, because Card makes me forget. He makes you so fully believe in this world that he has created that you never once question the believability of an eight-year-old commanding an army of fellow students. It should be unrealistic, it should be jarring to consider these characters as children and teens, but Card makes it work. Every little detail, no matter how ridiculous it should be, works.

At the same time, the level of violence included in the book seems at odds with the decision to have children as the protagonists. Long before Suzanne Collins wrote about children, war and violence in her Hunger Games series, Card was exploring the way children become manipulated during war by the very people they are supposed to trust. Card may make you believe that a ten-year-old can command a military, but it’s also a bit disturbing to think about that same ten-year-old being responsible for the deaths of many people – or even an entire race of beings. Some critics have denounced Card’s justification of the violence (which is, of course, their right), but I often wonder if those critics are missing the point. Despite all that he does throughout the novel, Ender himself remains uncomfortable with what he has wrought. That he becomes a “speaker for the dead” is testament to the fact that violence may be inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing worth remembering.

If you’re a science-fiction fan, then Ender’s Game is a must-read. It’s a contemporary classic that simply should not be missed. (Heck, it’s even suggested reading for recruits at the U.S. Marine Corps Academy!). If you haven’t read it yet, get thee to a book store or library and start reading!

[Photo Credit: Goodreads]