Syrie James

I didn't actually finish this, I only reached page 137. It is your average paranormal high school angel romance, enough that I would have finished reading it, most likely, and probably given it a decent rating. So why did I stop?

I have noticed an increasing trend in young adult books using derogatory terms in reference to individuals with developmental disabilities, in this case, on page 137, "Holy crap," Erica said. "We've been so short-bus about this."

Teenagers probably think this is show more funny and just read it, laugh or not, and go on. As someone who writes and also works with children with disabilities in an elementary school, where we are trying to stamp out bullying and engender understanding, it truly dismays me when I see this happen in books that have recently been published. The children I work with are kind and loving, they are just different. They have autism or cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, in some cases other syndromes. There are some wonderful students at our school who come and volunteer as peer buddies to students in our class, and become their friends and understand their differences better.

Yes, sometimes people with disabilities act differently in public, make strange noises, or do strange things. They are honest, they don't hide who they are. Just because some of them can't speak doesn't mean they don't have things to say, they just need people willing to take the time to listen.

Authors have a responsibility, to an extent. If we put something in a book or story that's derogatory, there needs to be a good reason for it, not simply put it there to make fun of people at their expense. There's nothing wrong with people who are gay, lesbian, bi, transsexual, transgender, bi-racial, a difference race than our own, etc. etc., and if comments were made about anything like that, there would possibly be a stir about it, but often if it's making fun of disabilities, it doesn't get mentioned.

It is not open season on people with disabilities. Authors need to remember this, think about their audience, and remember that what they write sinks in. It encourages further devaluation of a population that doesn't deserve it, and includes some of the best people I've known.

It's truly a shame, because I think this book has promise. I just think that authors, editors, and publishers such as HarperTeen should think about these things a little more closely. Just because someone with a severe disability might not be reading your books, someone who loves someone who is might be. show less

A snow-bound estate, hidden treasure, a budding romance, & a charming Christmas house party turned deadly. Syrie James delivers an intriguing, romantic whodunnit in the vein of Agatha Christie. A gorgeously atmospheric Victorian mystery, Danger at Darkmoor Park kept me quickly turning the pages long into the night.

School headmistress Selena Taylor forfeits spending Christmas with her siblings this year to help her benefactress host a Christmas house party at the estate she’ll inherit one show more day. When a blizzard traps them all at Darkmoor Park, the house party takes a sinister turn when one of the guests is found dying at the base of the stairs. Was it an accident or was he pushed? In his last breath, he whispers a cryptic clue to Selena hinting at the location of over 5,000 pounds. Dr. Adrian Scott happens to be in the vicinity, but arrives too late to help the victim. Now trapped along with all the other guests, he & Selena must work together to find the hidden money, uncover secrets, & stay alive before the murderer strikes again.

I loved this deliciously gothic romance! Selena is the kind of heroine you want to cheer for. She’s intelligent, compassionate, & delightfully charming. Dr. Scott is full of secrets & is the type of brooding, enigmatic hero you can’t wait to learn more about. I loved seeing their romance bloom from fiery kisses in the linen closet to heartfelt declarations. I enjoyed how they worked together as a team to unravel the mystery.

The exciting mystery kept me on my toes. There are a slew of suspects including Dr. Scott, each hiding secrets. I enjoyed deciphering the clues right along with Selena. I loved the gothic atmosphere with frosted windows, shadowy hallways, that closed-in feeling of being trapped, not knowing whom to trust, threatening notes, & candle-lit rooms. It’s a lovely nod to classic gothic mysteries while being completely unique.

Highly recommend this charming, romantic, closed door gothic mystery/romance! This is the third amazing book in the Audacious Sisterhood of Smoke & Fire series & easily read as a standalone. Adore this series & can’t wait for more! I received an advanced copy from the publisher with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are completely my own & provided voluntarily. show less

Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorites & I absolutely loved this romantic historical fiction loosely based on the classic story. Filled with mystery, secret rooms, a challenging pupil, a mermaid’s curse, & a handsome but wounded captain, this gothic adventure had me quickly turning the pages. The Mysteries of Pendowar Hall is my first book by Syrie James & can’t wait to read more!

Diana Taylor’s on a mission to solve a mystery. Her godmother believes her nephew was murdered & has show more sent Diana to Pendowar Hall as a governess to her niece to discover the truth. But, the new baronet Captain William Fallbrook proves an enticing enigma who’s on leave from the navy recovering from an injury. Her fifteen year old pupil also proves a challenge as she tries to find ways to help her learn. As Diana, investigates the death of the previous baronet, she finds a household surrounded by secrecy & a curse that could be her undoing.

I loved this book! Diana’s an intelligent, driven heroine who loves reading especially the newly published Jane Eyre. I loved how dedicated she was to Emma to find ways to help her with dyslexia. William is the brooding, taciturn hero who’s a fitting likeness of Mr. Rochester. I loved how mysterious he was & I honestly wasn’t sure if he was the villain or hero at first.

The mystery was amazing with a gothic, atmospheric setting complete with footsteps in the night, hidden rooms, & plenty of red herrings. I was on the edge of my seat as Diana searches for clues. The villain ended up being somewhat of a surprise with many twists and turns along the way. I loved all the clever nods to Jane Eyre.

Highly recommend this amazing start to a new series! Can’t wait to read the next book! This is a kisses only historical gothic romance. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher & author but also purchased through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. show less

The Book Report: Every Austenian knows Jane went quiet for 10 years, then produced what is arguably the finest body of novelistic work to come out of nineteenth-century England, then died. Nobody knows poo-diddly about Miss Jane's romantic life, or even if there ever was one, in large part because Jane's sister Cassandra went wild with the scissors and made like a Nazi with a Torah (burn, baby, burn) to make sure none of Jane's letters or diaries (if any) survived unexpurgated. Cassandra show more doubtless felt she was doing the pathologically shy Jane a service by making sure The Ages never got hold of her innermost secrets. The Ages, however, feel most hard-done-by, and to redress the disgruntlement that our own nosy day and time feels, screenwriter and novelist Syrie James has stepped in to provide us with a startlingly plausible and well-executed "recovered memoir" plugging up the egregious gaps in our knowledge of Miss Austen's private life.

My Reivew: Depending on what one is expecting when reading the book, it will either be a genuine pleasure to immerse one's self into, or an annoying pastiche of Austen's crystalline, ringing prose. I fall into Camp A.

No one else is Jane Austen, so drop that ax at the door, no grinding allowed. Yes, the authoress has the *gall* to present her story as Austen's own voice telling her own tale; get over it. No one can remotely pretend to be deceived by the narrative frame, so no one can reasonably judge the book by the prose yardstick of Austen herself. Stop it! Quit bellyaching about the pretenders, the laborers in the pasticherie of Austenland. They exist because Austen is a nonpareil, a monadnock of literary talent. That they are not up to her standard of talent is simply *irrelevant* and those who snort derisively that only *true* Austen prose will satisfy them should carry this thought about with them: "So? Who asked you? Go point your nose into some *real* Austen, then."

The rest of us can now get about enjoying Syrie James's full-bodied claret-jug of a book. The memoir tells the tale of Jane Austen's one great love, invented by James out of a one-line reference to some passion of Jane's by Cassandra, many years after the fact; and some clever literary sleuthing in Austen's work. Brava, Miss James! How nicely done!

And also to be praised is James's fidelity to the known facts of Austen's life. At no point does Miss James deviate from the historical record *where one exists.* This by itself would win my praise for the effort. But combine that with a truly Austenian imagination, and a pleasant facility with the language, and one has a rare thing: A novel that *should* be true.

Why not spend a leisurely spring-shading-into-summer afternoon with Jane, Cassandra, Mother, and the miscellany that make up Regency England's finest writer's world? This is, I declare, a most worthy enterprise in which to engage yourself. show less