Splendor - Brenda Joyce

  

photo from Macmillan.com

          Carolyn Browne is a poor bookseller's daughter. Aside from reading enlightening books and manning her father's bookstore, she writes a column as Charles Copperfield, poking fun at the antics of London's peerage.  Soon, she sets her sights on the notorious activities of the Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov.

            During one of her escapades, Nicholas finds out Copperville's true identity.  What he didn't count on was to fall in love with Carolyn, even if he is married though estranged from his wife.  Carolyn could also not believe that she would fall for someone she believed to be the epitome of a man she truly despises.  From Regency London to St. Petersburg, how far can Carolyn and Nicholas deny the attraction and love growing between them?

    

           Splendor by Brenda Joyce is a must read for people who love reading historical romance like I do.  Carolyn Browne is a very likeable character for she is smart and witty.  The handsome Russian prince, Nicholas Sverayov is a military man who exudes power and sex appeal.  He does not care about what the Ton thinks of him.   The story is quite exciting as you try to find out how the Prince and Carolyn will end up together inspite of the circumstances that set them apart.   Included in the plot is an element of suspense, as the book is set during the time of Napoleon's invasion.

Rating: 4 Stars!

christopher pike

          Another author I used to follow in my childhood was Christopher Pike.  He wrote mystery and paranormal novels for young adults.   Among his novels, I found Last Act, Gimme A Kiss, Fall Into Darkness, Spellbound, and Scavenger Hunt most enjoyable to read.   These books were so suspense-filled, I was very tempted to flip to the last page just to see how the stories would end.  Whisper of Death was really scary. His later novels, especially the sequels, were not good at all.

fear street

      

           It's always fun to look back and remember the books I had collected in my childhood. Fear Street is a young adult series created by R.L. Stine.  The stories are set in a fictional town called Shadyside where Fear Street is found.  You can expect a paranormal or murder mystery in each book.

           The Stepsister was the first book I read in this series.  It probably was the only one worth reading at all.  Serious collectors of the series could still find Fear Street books on Ebay (where I have sold mine as a lot) or at used bookstores like Booksale.