The Time Thief, Linda Buckley-Archer

Title: The Time Thief (Book 2 in the Gideon Trilogy)
Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: 2007
Length: 488 Pages
Summary: (From book) Peter Schock has been left behind in 1763. Kate Dyer is beginning to suffer some disturbing side effects from time traveling. And the Tar Man, who was terrifying even in the eighteenth century, is loose and wreaking havoc in twenty-first century London with twenty-first century technology at his disposal! Can Kate find a way to bring Peter back and stop the Tar Man for good?






My Thoughts: This series is so creative! And certainly thought provoking. I'm feeling really sick right now, so I don't have much of a review, but the sequel definitely gets a thumbs up.

Things To Be Cautious Of:Minor Violence, character death, mild swearing.

What I Learned: Time travel might not be such a good idea.

Montmorency, Eleanor Updale

Title: Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
Author: Eleanor Updale
Publisher: Schoolastic
Publishing Date: 2004
Length: 232 Pages
Summary: (From book) When a petty thief falls through a glass roof in his attempt to escape from the police, what should have been the death of him marks the beginning of a whole new life. After his broken body is reconstructed by an ambitious young doctor, he is released from prison, and -with the help of Victorian London's extensive sewer system-he becomes the most elusive burglar in the city. He adopts a dual existence as a respectable, wealthy gentleman named Montmorency, and his degenerate servant Scarper. But Montmorency must always be on guard. The smallest mistake could reveal his secret and ruin both his lives.


My Thoughts:  Yay! Another book series about Victorian London! I've never read a book that has so little dialogue in it. You get the whole story from the point of Montomrency. It was really neat. Montmorency is a character that isn't a hero, but isn't a villain either. As this book is the first in a series, you can see that there will be lots of development for him along the way. (And maybe more of that young Doctor Farcett? *hopeful*)
The POV looked at London in a kind of grimy, crude sort of way; different than the usual fluff, skimming, over romanticized versions of Victorian London that I've read prior to this book, and I found I kind of liked the change. The idea of him leading double lives is pure genius and I fell in love with it instantly.
I'm hoping the series holds up to expectations.

Things To Be Cautious Of:  Rather a darker look at the crime and happenings of London. The word 'dang' used like twice. Montmorency's habit for stealing.

What I Learned:  Everyone can change.

The Time Travelers, Linda Buckley-Archer

Title: The Time Travelers, (Book one in the Gideon Trilogy)
Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publishing Date: 2006
Length: 400 pages
Summary: (From Book)  1763, Gideon Seymour, thief and gentleman, hides from the villainous Tar Man. Suddenly the sky peels away like fabric and from the gaping hole fall two curious looking children.
Peter Schock and Kate Dyer have fallen straight from the twenty-first century, thanks to an experiment with an antigravity machine.
Before Gideon and the children have a chance to gather their wits, the Tar Man takes off with the machine-and Peter and Kate's only chance of getting home.
Soon Gideon, Peter and Kate are swept up into a journey through eighteenth-century London and form a bond that, they hope, will stand strong in the face of unfathomable treachery.

My Thoughts: What a cute book! I've already picked up the sequel to read as well. I thought the ending was creative and I can't wait to see how it plays out.
I am very much in love with Gideon, but I do feel a lot of sympathy towards Tom and Sidney as well. I'm hoping Tom gets a bigger part in the series. And the Tar Man! Talk about tragic back stories. I thought I was harsh in my writing, but his story is positively heart wrenching. I'm very curious to see how his character develops.
Book challenge almost completed!

Things To Be Cautious Of: The word dang used infrequently, and I found, quite humorously ('Dang your eyes!') Throughout. The Lord's name taken in vain.

What I Learned: Friends are important. People can change.

Review: Midnight in Austenland By Shannon Hale

Title: Midnight in Austenland
Author: Shannon Hale
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publishing Date: February 2, 2012
Length: 272 pages
Summary: (From book) When Charlotte Kinder decides to treat herself to a vacation, she happily leaves behind all the complications of her life in America and heads to Austenland. The country manor Pembrook Park offers an immersive  Jane Austen experience, complete with gentleman actors to provide just a suggestion of romance.
Everyone at Pembrook Park is playing a role, but increasingly, Charlotte can't be sure where roles end and reality begins. And as the parlor games turn a little bit menacing, she finds she needs more than a good corset to keep herself safe. Is the brooding Mr. Mallery as sinister as he seems? What is Miss Gardenside's mysterious ailment? Could that have been a real dead body in the attic? And could the stirrings in Charlotte's heart be a sign of real-life love? 
My Thoughts: I have read a few of Shannon Hale's books and I have thoroughly enjoyed  them. When I heard that she was writing a sequel to her lovely Jane Austen tribute, Austenland, I counted down the days until I could pick up a copy. The setting of the book is the same as the first book, but with a few new characters and a few loved old ones from the first book. The plot for this book was a little darker in the fact that this was a mystery with a few twists.  The story line was clever, but it lacked some of the humor that made the first book so enjoyable. Two parts in the book however made me laugh until I cried so that made up for it.
This is adult fiction, so there are somethings to look out for. I admit, I wish I'd known about it. I am not bothered by a few swearwords (Heck, dang, dastard. All used very little) But the suggestive content at times were a bit nauseating.
All in all it was a cute story, but the first book is by far my favorite.

Review: The Body at the Tower By Y.S. Lee

Title:  The Body at the Tower
Author: Y.S. Lee
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publishing Date: August 29, 2011
Series: The Agency # 2
Length: 337 Pages
Summary: (From back of book) Now nearly a full-fledged member of the Agency, the all-female detective unit operating out of the Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary Quinn is back for another action packed adventure. Disguised as a poor apprentice builder and a boy, she must brave the grimy underbelly of Victorian London to unmask the identity of a murderer. Assigned to monitor a building site on the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, Mary earns the confidence of the work crew, inching ever nearer to her suspect. But if an irresistible desire to help the city's needy doesn't distract her and jeopardize her cover, unexpectedly meeting up with an old friend--or flame-- just might.
My thoughts: Ok, did I say I love these books? Because I love these books.    Mary is an easy to like character and I love getting to know her. And James Easton. Oh my goodness, can I just marry him? Please? The plot for this mystery was well laid out and I could never quite figure out who the culprit was until the end. The author took her time with research and I appreciate that. It makes the world of difference in a novel. The ending of the book had me so wrapped in, that I didn't hear my family come home and start talking to me until they were practically shouting.
Again, there were swearwords, and the ending of the book was a little traumatizing, but it contains major spoilers and I don't want to ruin it for you.

Review: A Spy in the House By Y.S. Lee

Title: A Spy in the House
Author: Y. S. Lee
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Publishing Date: February 8, 2011
Length: 335 Pages
Series: The Agency #1
Summary: Orphan Mary Quinn lives on the edge. Sentenced as a thief at the age of twelve, she’s rescued from the gallows by a woman posing as a prison warden. In her new home, Miss Scrimshaw’s Academy for Girls, Mary acquires a singular education, fine manners, and surprising opportunity. The school is a cover for the Agency – an elite, top-secret corps of female investigators with a reputation for results – and at seventeen, Mary’s about to join their ranks.

With London all but paralyzed by a noxious heat wave, Mary must work fast in the guise of lady’s companion to infiltrate a rich merchant’s home with hopes of tracing his missing cargo ships. But the Thorold household is full of dangerous secrets, and people are not what they seem – least of all Mary.

Packed with action and suspense, and evoking the gritty world of Victorian London, this first book in the Agency series debuts a daring young detective who lives by her wits.

My Thoughts: I love this book. I have been waiting for a series like this and am so happy my library actually had this book in stock. I'm planning on going to buy the entire series once the snow lets up enough for me to get to the book store.  I was internet browsing and came across this book and was instantly captivated by the cover.  If there's one thing that I am instantly attracted to, it's books that hint at Victorian London and mystery. This book was wonderful. I loved the fluid change between Mary and James's perspectives. Mary is a strong character with a  enigmatic past and I'm hoping to learn more about her as the series progresses. Truth be told, I actually have a little bit of writer's envy for this book. The plot line is so brilliant and the characters are similar to something that I am working on, that I have just a little bit of jealousy.

The other part of me is ecstatic that such a story like this can be pulled off. Kudos to the author! My favorite part is probably the flirtatious partnership between Mary and James Easton. Their banter was witty and intelligent and I laughed out loud several times throughout the course of the story.  The mystery was intriguing, I did not see one part coming, and I enjoyed the writing immensely and finished the book in one sitting. 
Somethings To Be Careful Of:
Language:  We're talking the lovely British swearwords here. I am not as bothered by these as I probably should be, but here you go:  The word 'bloody' was used a few times; including the expression, "Bloody h__"  The word, "Da__" and its ending of, "Able"  The Lord's name was taken in vain about three times. 
Other Content: Mary mentions that her mother had to fall to prostitution to support their family, a character, Mr. Thorold, is rumored to have gotten one of the maids pregnant, Mary is accused of being Mr. Thorold's mistress.