Shirley Kennedy (1)

Baxley Powell Mayes is back, and she’s nine months’ pregnant! Her condition doesn’t stop her from stepping in to help solve a murder, but Baxley’s otherworldly senses are clouded by the location of the crime scene. Other abnormalities in the rift between this life and the next send up an alarm, and in an effort to keep herself and her family safe, husband Sam Mayes discourages her from “dreamwalking.” As the story unfolds, Baxley and her extraordinary family must each play a role show more in closing a tear in the world or risk losing a mortal battle to a sinister foe.

The reader walks along with Baxley in those final, uncomfortable days prior to delivering her child. She must fully trust the people she loves most, surrendering a part of herself to the greater good, and making soul-deep decisions between good and evil. She holds the fate of the world in her hands, and making a wrong choice could be the end of life as the world knows it. For those who have followed the Dreamwalker series, this one holds the ultimate answers. Who is Rose and is she friend or foe? All answers are revealed in the satisfying conclusion.

Fortunate enough to have been given an ARC, but I'm buying a copy anyway to support one of my favorite authors!
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Another entry into my Romance Rereads - I didn't enjoy this at all as much as I remember.

Part of it I think is because it's so utterly AWFUL what happened in the past and the fact basically the guy gets off with a slap on the wrist.

This was also heavily contingent on miscommunication and assumptions on both Lucinda and Douglas' parts at the end. His belief that, despite everything Lucinda said previously, she was turning him away because he was penniless was eye-roll worthy. Her seesaw show more attitude about how he must care for her but may he doesn't but I'm sure he does but then again he can't is grating.

Lucinda just because a guy won't compromise you it doesn't mean he doesn't love you. BEING COMPROMISED DOES NOT = LOVE.

Between her odd beliefs about how a guy proves his love and his casual sexism* I was just done.

In the end even though as a mystery it was interesting (if horrifying) at times, it failed as a romance for me.

(*) After he ah takes some liberties - which she is fully endorsing and encouraging - he tells her it's all his fault and it's his responsibility to know better. The implication being that as a man he should know her boundaries better and protect her when she's being reckless. show less

This enjoyable romance set on the wagon train to California and Oregon made for quite the engaging read. The terrible treatment meted out to Callie by her family has turned her into a quiet shadow, but watching her blossom on the trail felt real, as she vacillated between spreading her wings and retreating back into herself. I was also glad to see that her sisters also eventually grew and matured as their circumstances changed. Luke and his family were also great characters, sharing show more knowledge and a friendly hand to help Callie learn her worth. I wasn't too caught up with the subplot revolving around Magnus the train leader- parts of that did seem a little overdone. Still, all in all, a good read and a decent reworking of a classic tale. show less

And another entry into my Romance Rereads.

This one fared better then THE SELFLESS SISTER only in it involved twins, which next to mistaken identities is one of my favorite romance tropes.

This being said 16 year old Lexie was a nodcock. Sweet stars but I do worry about younger me's reading habits. My only defense is that I read anything I could afford and let's be frank, romances are usually incredibly cheap and plentiful, especially at Used Bookstores, Thrift Stores and flea markets.

This is show more kind of like Sweet Valley High as well; two identical in looks but diametrically opposite in personality, same guy catches their interest and the "good" twin often suffers because the "bad" twin pushes blame.

Now to be fair neither Elizabeth nor Jessica Wakefield were peerless paragons of virtue - it's easy to argue that despite their cardboard traits they were both equally likely to do the "bad" things.

Kennedy here however makes it very clear, very early on, that Clarinda is a selfless, retiring sort while Clarissa is a selfish, brash sort. I don't find it unlikely their parents would have trouble telling them apart if not for the obvious necklaces (especially since the mother INSISTED on having dress identically) since the Peerage rarely seemed to deal with their kids, but I do take umbrage that EVERYONE ELSE was the same practically.

Four people could tell them apart:
- Alexander, their sickly younger brother
- Stormont, the love interest
- Estelle, their lady in waiting
- Sara Sophia, Clarinda's friend

These gals were out at parties, going for house visits, presumably had other people in their lives outside of the above mentioned, but no one could tell the very obvious in personality differences? Come on now.

I did appreciate that this was a book about both of the girls though; Kennedy splits focus between the two almost equally so we see alot of mutual scenes from both POVs. Clarissa was truly the most selfish, clueless, shallow girl to ever be written. show less