I’ve read Edith Layton on and off over the years, and Alas, My Love is probably going to be one of her stories that I’ll remember, besides The Gilded Cage.

This book brings together two lost souls – foundlings who felt adrift despite having achieved material success, of sorts in their adoptive world. Amyas St. Ives is a self-made ex-con who’s on a quest to find his roots, and gain respectability through marriage to a well-born bride, while Amber, who knows little of her past before being taken in as ward of a respectable family in a coastal town in Cornwall, but yearns for somebody to love her for herself.

It came as no wonder that they should be drawn to each other even while they try to deny what’s in their heart and dreams. Especially Amyas, who so longs to have a family to call his own that he was ready to sacrifice his love for Amber in order to win the hand of her adoptive sister. It was therefore a blessing in disguise that he was turned away after confessing the truth of his background to the latter’s father.
 

I probably should finish the new books piling up on my shelf before I add any more to it. But when I trooped into the bookstore after my daughter, who’s been following Daisy meadows’ Rainbow Fairies (or is it Magic?) series, last Friday, I couldn’t resist the siren call of these fantastic finds:

The Prophecy of the Gems by Flavia Bujor – I bought this primarily for my daughter, but I’m also curious about this 14-year old’s maiden attempt

Daisy’s Back in Town by Rachel Gibson 

 Eragon by Christopher Paolini – just while I wait for the movie

Blinding Light by Paul Theroux

Horrible Histories: Wicked Words by Terry Deary

and at long last …

The Lord of the Rings by J R R Tolkien (yes, I’m going to finish it this time round!).

My, my … it seems I’m on a roll with the Fantasy genre this month. Wonder what brought that on. Well, I’d better return those Romances I rented, and get cracking on these.

Ever since I read a synopsis of Candice Hern’s In The Thrill of the Night months back, I’ve promised myself that I’ll get the book and read it.

Well, I finally got my hands on a copy and read it last week. Candice has done a great job with the plot development and characterization. Through young society widow, Marianne Nesbitt, and her search for a lover to recover that thrill she suspects was missing from her marriage to her late husband whom she loves very much, she’s revived the old debate of whether a truly platonic relationship could exist between a man and a woman.

Popped by Borders after choir rehearsal and ended up with loads more books, amongst them …

Poison Study by Maria Snyder

The Vampire Who Loved Me by Teresa Medeiros

In Camelot’s Shadow by Sarah Zettel

The Duke’s Ballard by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie

Hard Day’s Knight by Katie MacAlister

I also added to my Elizabeth Thornton collection these two stories I’ve read:

The Bride’s Bodyguard; Dangerous to Kiss

The moment I picked up The Rogue Report by Barbara Dawson Smith, I had a feeling this book would be an interesting read.

Just the plot angle alone – an impoverished Earl disguises himself as a Maths teacher to investigate the principal of a charity school, the supposedly disgraced Lady Julia and an unwed mum, whom he suspects is the author of gossip paper The Rogue Report – was enough to entice me to read on. Plenty of room for development, don’t you think?

Jack Mansfield is such an adorable rogue with hidden depths of kindness and a wicked sense of humour you can’t help but be charmed by him. Lady Julia, the heroine, is delightfully evasive of her feelings for him, and secretive about her past that unearthing it, with the hero, was a treat too. Even though it reeks too much of sentimentality and (slightly) silly sacrificial penance borne out of a misguided sense of guilt.
 

October is going down as my favourite reading month because not only did I have a pleasant time traipsing down memory lane re-reading some of my old faves, but I had a fabulous time reading new-to-me authors not just in the romance genre, but in my other favorite genre – Fantasy, this month’s theme for the TBR Challenge.

Since this post is long overdue (I finished the book almost two weeks ago!), I’ll dive right in with the review.

Title: The Charmed Sphere

Author: Catherine Asaro

Year published: 2004, by Luna Books

Why did you get this book?
I was intrigued by the synopsis on the back cover, which goes:

What was the use of being a powerful mage if you couldn’t learn the spells?

Once Chime had been the most promising mage in the land, feted and celebrated for her potential and future role in the kingdom. Then Iris, her young competitor, made a stunning leap in skill and turned Chime’s world upside down.

Now no longer the most powerful, no longer promised to a prince – and still unable to harness her magic properly – Chime was set adrift. As was the new king’s cousin – and former heir – Lord Muller. Yet when the neighboring kingdom threatened war, Muller and Chime were tasked with uncovering the plot. Both were flawed, yet unwilling to accept a lesser destiny than they had once known.

Could this quest be the opportunity for redemption – or would it lead them to their deaths?

There’s nothing like main characters trying to deny their destinies that would surely made me curious as to how they finally arrived at it.  It’s their journey towards their destinies that will compel me to read.

Yep, I knew Chime and Muller will end up together, so I tagged along just to see what happens.