Tag: vanza • BookLikes

review 2019-02-24 05:52

Vanza

by Amanda Quick
Book #1: With This Ring | Rating: 3.0 Stars
Book #2: I Thee Wed | Rating: 3.0 Stars
Book #3: Wicked Widow | Rating: 2.5 Stars
Book #4: Lie by Moonlight | Rating: 4.0 Stars

Average Series Rating: 3.125 Stars

I find it hard to review a book series by Amanda Quick (or Jayne Ann Krentz, if you will) without ultimately clumping the entire series together into one post. Mainly because the stories become so by rote that there's little to say about them outside of the typical admissions of enjoyment, entertainment, and fun had by all.

Leo Drake, the "Mad Monk of Monkcrest," is notoriously eccentric and unquestionably reclusive. But he is also a noted antiquities expert, which is why Beatrice Poole has demanded his reluctant assistance.

The freethinking authoress of "horrid novels," Beatrice is searching for the Forbidden Rings of Aphrodite, a mythic treasure she suspects played a role in her uncle's death. Beatrice finds Leo every bit as fascinating as one of the heroes in her novels--and she's convinced he's the only one who can help her. But after only five minutes in her company, Leo is sure he's never met a woman more infuriating...and more likely to rescue him from boredom.

Yet the alliance may well prove to be the biggest mistake of their lives. For a villain lurks in London, waiting for the pair to unearth the Forbidden Rings--knowing that when they do, that day will be their last....

I came across a short review of someone's who described this book as kind of ridiculous, yet highly enjoyable. I'm in agreement. Although not as highly enjoyable as other Amanda Quick books I've already read, this book DOES indeed contain the typical Amanda Quick charm... even if nothing really stood out.

It isn't easy making a living as a lady's companion when one possesses a sharp tongue and an original mind. That's why Emma Greyson has gone through three such positions in six months. Her current post at a tiresome country house party has her bored to tears—until an extraordinary encounter with the legendary Edison Stokes leads to a secret position as his assistant.

Stokes is on a peculiar mission, searching for an anonymous thief who has stolen an ancient book of arcane potions. He suspects his quarry is among the party's guests—and that the villain is looking for an intuitive woman on whom to test a certain elixir. A woman just like Emma...

For Emma, the new post brings unexpected passion and chilling danger. But when murder strikes, she realizes the awful truth. Unless she and Edison devise a scheme to outwit a merciless killer, she could forever lose the man of her dreams—and even her very life....

It's hard to say how I felt about this one. It was a bit more memorable, maybe, but I had a hard time liking the hero, because he was more jackass than the usual Amanda Quick hero. The heroine was standard for Amanda Quick. And I probably would have liked to see more from the secondary character partners-in-crime, so kind of enjoyed the grandmother's ultimate involvement nearing the end.

That's about all.

Madeline Deveridge is aware of the whispers behind her back, the rumors that she dispatched her husband to the next world and concealed her crime. But she has a far more pressing problem than her reputation as the Wicked Widow. It's impossible to believe that her late husband is haunting her and her aunt, but something odd is happening, and Madeline doesn't dare take chances.

Summoning the brilliant, reclusive Artemas Hunt, secret owner of London's favorite pleasure pavilions and master of arcane talents, she blackmails him into providing help. As soon as the bargain is struck, Artemas and Madeline find their arrangement complicated by searing desire, and the frightening recognition that the ghost poses a very real danger. Now they must plunge into a world of intrigue and ancient mysteries, where a calculating killer — and a tantalizing passion — will not be denied.

I gave this book in the series the lowest rating and I barely recall why. I didn't really like it and found the main hero, Artemas to be even more jackass than the jackass of the previous book in this series. But that's about all I remember. Sad, isn't it?

While investigating a suspicious death, private inquiry agent Ambrose Wells finds himself on the grounds of Aldwick Castle---and in the midst of utter chaos. The ramshackle castle is in flames--and a beautiful woman and four young girls are taking flight on horseback. It turns out that the strong-minded Miss Concordia Glade and her four bright students are on the run from a notorious London crime lord who'll stop at nothing to destroy them. Now, their only hope is Ambrose, a confirmed loner with more than his share of secrets--and more than his share of desire for the unconventional teacher. And as Ambrose and Concordia risk everything to bring down a criminal mastermind, they will also be forced to battle something even greater: the steamy passion that threatens their hard-worn independence...

This final book in the Vanza series is on more familiar ground with me pertaining to Amanda Quick. The hero is broody, but not a big jackass, as the previous two heroes were. I even like that we're nearing a more modern age where issues of women's suffrage comes up. Both Concordia and Ambrose are quite enjoyable characters and very likable, as are typical of Amanda Quick characters.

The investigation felt a bit better handled, and I loved the inclusion of the four young girls, Concordia's students. They made the book more entertaining, especially watching the interactions between them and Concordia, as well as with Ambrose.

Source: anicheungbookabyss.blogspot.com/2019/02/series-review-vanza.html

review 2012-04-11 00:00

Wicked Widow (Vanza, # 3)

Much About Books

2.5-3 starsThis book reminded me a lot of the 2nd book, but with a different couple. While Artemas and Madeline are very different people than Edison and Emma, the banter between them, the chemistry between them, and the whole employer-employee thing was much the same.The ghost part of the story and the mystery involved was different, and that was more compelling than the relationship between Artemas and Maddie. Somehow, I didn't feel the heat between them like with Edison and Emma. Not sure why...The Vanza part of the tale was more revealed, but it still seems fantastic - probably because we still know so little about it. The author gives us dribs and drabs of the Strategies, the stealth, and the fighting techniques. I suppose she wants to keep it mysterious by not giving too much away; but it almost backfires, at least with me.However, there is a brief mention of Edison in this book. Madeline originally wanted to hire Edison, because he was supposedly the best (next possible Vanza Master); but she "settled" for Artemas, because Edison had taken his new bride (Emma) on a honeymoon tour. Later, Artemas remarks that he'll send something to the Isle of V on one of Edison's ships. So we intimate from those brief mentions that Artemas and Edison know one another through Vanza.But here's the thing: Vanza is supposed to be about suppressing strong emotion, yet Artemas is all about revenge and vengeance for a wrong done to his lover 5 years ago. Not that she didn't deserve to be avenged, it's just that Vanza supposedly helps one master that sort of thing. Artemas seems too emotional to be much good at Vanza, IMO. We never learn if he left the "circle" as Edison did or if Artemas supposedly still practiced. We never learn who Artemas' master was. I'm not sure if it matters, but it does seem as if this part of the tale is left out - and that leaves a hole... how can we really know who Artemas is if we don't know those answers?Madeline's father was Vanza, as was her grandfather. But again, I'm not sure if her father was a master or not; I *think* so, because I think that's what her husband, Deveridge, was after - the inner-circle knowledge that he thought Madeline's father had about Vanza. And her father did know a lot, but it seems what he knew was information collected about each Vanza member - their darkest secrets. It's never really clear why, except that Lorring (the previous Grandest Master of Vanza in England) appointed her father to keep the record. We know Lorring wasn't all good from the previous book, so one has to wonder about his reasons for wanting those records.Nonetheless, Madeline's father also taught her much about Vanza, even though it was supposed to be for men only. Most importantly, he taught her how to read the ancient language of Vanza; Madeline has just come into possession of a small bound book that she's deciphering from Vanza to English. But we don't learn much more about the book until the end - we only know that it must be significant somehow.The point of all of this is that Madeline wants to hire Artemas to find out if her husband is really dead or even if he's haunting her. She doesn't admit to shooting him that night, despite his questions. And no one really knows for sure. But Madeline is frightened and plagued by nightmares of that night. Other Vanza members seem to be encountering her husband's ghost, too. The description of the ghost is vague, but there's just enough detail and just enough that the ghost knows and hints about that neither Artemas nor Madeline can say it's definitely not her husband.What I do love that's different about this book is Artemas' associates - Zachary and his Eyes and Ears - a group of street urchins who are paid to see and hear what's going on and report back to Artemas through Zach. Artemas pays them enough that these street urchins don't need to pickpocket or do other things to survive and get thrown into jail for. And one of the street urchins plays an important role in the story.Overall, this book's mystery is compelling, and I enjoyed Madeline's aunt Bernice and Artemas' man Henry. I especially liked their little romance, even though we didn't witness much or even hear much about it - we just know that it was. And Artemas' revenge for Caroline does happen, just not the way that he intended. I realize that's supposed to be the key to Artemas, and I know it, I just wasn't convinced. Just as I wasn't completely convinced that he and Madeline were really that passionate about one another. Something just didn't click, but I am happy for them both. I simply wasn't as engaged in this affair as I have been in previous Amanda Quick books and stories.