Book review : Upon the Midnight Clear by Tasha Alexander

Upon the Midnight Clear #13.5
A Lady Emily Christmas Story
Lady Emily Mysteries
by Tasha Alexander
My rating: 3.4 of 5 stars

Short Christmas story from a mystery series that I love very much, not only thanks to the 2 main characters, Lady Emily, an amateur sleuth, and her husband Colin, a spy in the service of the English crown, but also thanks to the historical part always included by the author in her novels and to the mysteries/detection aspect always very well thought.

While usually I really love the novels in the series (almost always 4 and 5 stars for me), the short Christmas stories had disappointed me a little so far: set at Christmas, they had nothing Christmas-like about them.
That didn't stop me from reading the last short Christmas story I had left with these protagonists and finally in this little book I was able to breathe a bit of festive air.

___THE PLOT___ London, 1901. While Lady Emily and her family are shopping in Hamley's toy shop, a stranger gives her three sons some Christmas crackers that, when opened, reveal a mysterious messages.
Meanwhile, a slightly eccentric man requests the help of Colin and Lady Emily to find his daughter, taken away by the parents of his wife who died during childbirth.

---> In this story, as in the longer novels is palpable the mutual love between Emily and her husband and the joy and serenity of the whole family with their 3 children and the faithful nanny.

The moments of shopping, ironic but affectionate jokes between the two spouses, the excitement of the children in opening the crackers, give a lively and fun atmosphere to the story.

The mystery of the disappearance of the daughter of the man, who hired our two investigators, is well thought out despite the brevity of the story and it's engaging until its conclusion.

---> The only thing that always annoys me are the dialogues that the author writes for the 3 children: they are 5 years old and even assuming that they are ultra-intelligent kids, at that age they cannot speak as politely as 20-year-old adults who they have already completed the entire course of their studies. We know that the 3 children already know how to read and one of them is a little genius... but the speeches made by all 3 children are unlikely in reality.

Despite this, I always recommend this series to all lovers of historical mysteries, in my opinion it is one of the best, especially if you love the historical component (don't start from the Christmas stories, start from the 1st or 2nd novel in the series)

(Thanks for reading my review, please pardon me for any errors in the text, I'm from Italy and English is not my language )

If you are interested in other reviews about Lady Emily mysteries you can find 2 of them here ( I also reaad other books in the series past years, but I didn't have my blog yet, I'm trying to rewrite them all, but it takes time )

BOOK #2 : "A Poisoned Season"

BOOK #3 : "A Fatal Waltz"


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Advent Calendar 2nd December

Advent Calendar 2nd December _ 🎄🤶🎅👼💗 2nd day Christmas countdown

Hello everyone!

Here you are my second picture for a cute Advent Calendar as Christmas countdown.

On the second day I included another classic novel LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY by Frances Hodgson Burnetts, of which we all know the legendary 1980 film adaptation, with Alec Guinness and Ricky Schroder.

If you've never read it or seen the film, here's THE STORY:
little Cedric Errol, fatherless, carefree childhood in a working-class neighborhood of New York with his mother and his greatest friends: Mr. Hobbs the grocer and Dick the shoe shiner.
Suddenly he learns that he has a grandfather, the Lord Earl Fauntleroy, in England whose heir he became after his father's death.

His life will change radically and with his spontaneity, joy and generosity he will be able to conquer his grandfather's hard heart and to help many people in need.

The novel was first published in installments in the St. Nicholas Magazine between November 1885 and October 1886 and finally in volume in 1886.

Like every classic story, this one also contains a stimulating invitation to shed light within oneself and to give value to feelings.

The quote I chose is about friendship and sincerity, 2 very rare things in the world of yesterday and today.

As I suggested yesterday, if you like the picture and usually read not only ebooks, but also paper book, you can print it, paste on cardboard and after have applying a transparent adhesive paper on both sides, you can use it as bookmark.

(NOTE : I'm from Italy, so please forgive any errors in my text since English is not my native tongue. Thanks )



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Advent Calendar 1st December

Advent Calendar 1st December _ 🎄🤶🎅👼💗 1st day Christmas countdown

Good morning and happy start of December!

Here you are my creation to the first day in the exciting Christmas countdown.

On the first day of December, I want to remember one of the classic novels that I love the most since I was a child: LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott
you can find several editions by clicking the link above ).

Originally published in two volumes (LITTLE WOMEN in 1868 and GOOD WIVES in 1869), it was then unified into a single volume.
I guess everyone knows THE STORY, anyway it tells about the four March sisters lives from their childhood until womanhood.
The girls Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy actually are referring to the author herself and her 3 sisters.
It's interesting to observe through happy and sad events the growth and inner transformation of girls, from adolescents to adults. It's a funny and very touching family drama at the same time.
Alcott also wrote LITTLE MEN ( 1871) and JO'S BOYS (1886).

This wonderful book has inspired many films and TV series, but my favorites remain these two adaptations from the past (1949 and 1994).

Among all the lines I chose this quote to remember because it sounds very sweet and suitable to everyone.

If you like collecting bookmarks and/or postcards or illustrated images, then it might be a good idea to download the image and use it as a bookmark.

I usually print with a color printer, paste on cardboard and then apply a transparent adhesive paper on both sides, so that the bookmark does not get damaged and the image remains intact for years.

(NOTE : I'm from Italy, so please forgive any errors in my text since English is not my native tongue. Thanks )

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Giveaway : Free Printable December 2023 Calendar

December 2023, free printable calendar

Here we are, the last month of the year is now upon us.

The most exciting and lively month of all 12 months, where the frenzy of shopping for gifts makes us lose our minds and events and appointments overlap one another.

There are only a few days left and December will begin, which is why I have prepared my usual planner full of colors and cheerful drawings, to print and fill in with the main commitments or to keep on the computer desktop to always have the days of the month in sight.

You can also print it in a smaller format, stick it on cardboard and use it as a nice bookmark for your Christmas readings.

Just click on the preview image and then DOWNLOAD FOR FREE :-)

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
December 2023 Calendar
Size 1634 x 1264

This is also the month in which good people try to be even better and more available towards others and they usually formulate many good resolutions for the new year and for the future in general.

Thanking you for stopping by my blog, I wish everyone a peaceful and MERRY CHRISTMAS.
I'm wishing you also a good end of 2023, a HAPPY NEW YEAR and that all your good intentions will be successful! :-)

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Book review : A Knight's Redemption by Catherine Kean

A Knight's Redemption
Knight's Series Book 6
by Catherine Kean
( this tale is also included in the Medieval Historical Romance Collection "Christmas Knights"
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very nice romance set in medieval time , I've enjoyed the read from the first word to the last one !

This is a " second chance " story, the #6 installment and last book in a series about medieval knights and their lovers, but you can easily read it as a standalone.
Even if the supporting characters were protagonists in the other books, at the beginning of this story they are all briefly introduced by the author.

___ THE STORY develops on 2 time planes during the Christmas period.

---> In the first part we see the 2 protagonists as just teenagers, their first meeting and the events that during Christmas day will lead to an estrangement that will last 6 years.

---> In the second part, 6 years later, our heroes have grown, matured and have never forgotten each other.
Their second meeting will give them the opportunity to settle their differences, while in the meantime they will also have to deal with enemies of the kingdom and child kidnappers.

___THE CHARACTERS__ I loved the characters although I must admit that the behavior of Holden, the hero of the story, when he was just a young squire, made me really angry.
Actually he is very sweet and the jokingness and sweetness with which he courts Mary when they meet again really moved me.
Mary is very unsure of herself and I think she was a little too stubborn in not wanting to listen to Holden's excuses, but in any case during the second meeting she manages to be more impartial, looking through the boy's true self.

I would have liked to read a real novel about the two of them and not just a short novella.

The story only has kisses ( no sex scenes ), but the emotions and gestures of the protagonists are described so well that they make you dream of falling in love again.
I will definitely read other books by this author. :-)

No violence scenes, suitable also for young adults.

( As always : English is not my native tongue, I hope you can forgive any errors in the text, thank you :-) )

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Book review : The Duke Who Hates Christmas by Bianca Blythe

The Duke Who Hates Christmas
Holidays for Spinsters Book 1
by Bianca Blythe
My rating: 3.7 of 5 stars

A very nice Christmas regency romance novella, quite light and funny.

The plot of the back cover had intrigued me, I wanted to read something romantic, but that wasn't a heartbreaking love story and the book did what it promised: a short, easy read that put me in a good mood.

___THE PLOT___ England is at war with France and fears that Napoleon wants to invade the coasts of the United Kingdom to the north, in Scottish territory.

Caspian is a duke who asserted himself in war but suffered rather serious wounds in his leg and for this reason, despite his desire, he will not be sent back to fight, but rather to a castle in Scotland to teach rookies and older men to fight newly enlisted.
What he doesn't know is that he will find himself in the way of a group of young spinsters (by choice, but they won't be so insensitive to male charm).

The leader of the spinsters is Miranda, who he had already met while she was running away from an arranged and loveless marriage.
A series of mischief and moments of attraction and unexpected kisses will follow, there will be some problems caused by her nasty uncle and aunt. Nice happy ending guaranteed.

___MY OPINION ___ I liked the story, I include it among those that I will gladly reread in the future, but it is obvious that if it had been a novel and not simply a short story, it would have been better because we would have had longer descriptions of the romantic moments.
The supporting characters would have had more opportunity to interact and other events would have been added and developed, which would have made the story more compelling and complete.

This is of course not a criticism, it's just an observation... there are very few short stories that manage to hit the reader's heart in every aspect in just a few pages.

However, I liked all the characters (except the bad aunt and uncle and I'm happy that in the end they got what they deserved) and in just a few pages I managed to become fond of both Caspian and Miranda.
I also loved the setting: a castle in Scotland and it made me want to visit it again!

---> This story is the first of a series of 3, the other 2 concern characters known in the first book and I really think I will soon read the other 2 installments too.

( Thanks for reading my review, please forgive me for any errors in the text, English is not my native language )

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Book review : Murder on a Midnight Clear by Sara Rosett

Murder on a Midnight Clear
1920s High Society Lady Detective Mystery Book 6
by Sara Rosett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very nice Christmas cozy mystery set in the early 1920s!
The snow and the warm atmosphere of the rich country estate, just before Christmas, were the backdrop to a well-articulated double mystery, with some kisses and a romantic couple as a protagonist.

___THE PLOT___ December 1923, England .
While Olive secretly follows her boyfriend Jasper to find out what he is hiding from her about his private life, she is involved in a car accident.
Nothing serious, but the drivers of the other car, who are guests in a beautiful country villa (where Jasper is also a guest together with an actress friend of his), insist that she be examined by a doctor and take her right to Holly Hill Lodge , the aforementioned estate.
It turns out that the butler of the mansion is missing since the day before, a weird thing, that will be resolved with the discovery of the butler's body.
Olive already enjoys a certain reputation as a whodunit solver and intends to investigate together with Jasper while waiting for the police to arrive in the following days (in the meantime the roads were blocked by the massive snowfall).
Added to this is the complication of a spy organization plotting against the King and the country.

---> At the beginning it took me a while to get into the story (let's say the first 20% of the book), but I think that's because this is the installment #6 in the series and even if it's perfectly readable as a standalone, being already fond of the characters after having read the previous ones brings an advantage: one is already involved in their personal stories and is able to get excited from the first lines.

In my case, however, I spent the first chapters getting to know the two protagonists and only after a while did I feel involved in their feelings and attitudes. As a result, I finally felt comfortable in the story, with a pleasant atmosphere of a villa full of almost eccentric guests and of a hospitable landlady followed by her cute dogs.

___ OLIVE and JASPER , the 2 MAIN CHARACTERS __ I liked this modern couple from the 1920s. They have only been a couple for a short time, but they have known each other since they were children and the level of confidence between them is perceivable.

It's true that Jasper hides something from Olive, but it's only because he's forced for work by forces greater than his personal will. Olive, for her part, feels that something isn't entirely clear and it's obvious that as his friend and now his girlfriend, she wants to know more.

She manages to discover the truth and this is good for both of them and for their relationship which is strengthened, because as always truth and honesty are the things that give stability to relationships between people.
A renewed complicity is born between them, which gives the reader the good feeling that they complete each other.

__ MYSTERY and DETECTION PART___ From 25% of the book on wards the intrigue begins and then the investigation on two fronts: the solution to the murder and the discovery of the spy, an enemy of the country, who was carrying information abroad.
This obviously continually teased my mind so that I too could discover useful clues and formulate hypotheses.
SPOILER[ The two cases, of murder and espionage, are somehow connected, however they have 2 different culprits.
While at the beginning I couldn't understand who the murderer was, towards the end I identified one of the 2 culprits (I didn't know which of the 2 crimes he was guilty of though).
A somewhat predictable scene revealed it to me: the culprit poisons himself to shift suspicion onto an innocent person... a classic that we often see in films.
However, this is not what left me slightly dissatisfied in the end. ]SPOILER END

What made me feel like the book was missing something in the conclusion is the fact that:
SPOILER[ Jasper and Olive find out who the spy is, they don't reveal it to the police, but only to Jasper's friend who is actually his superior at work for the Government.
She leaves with the spy (who is unaware that she has been discovered) for Germany and tells Jasper that she will let him know something by letter.

---> I agree that the spy had to lead to someone more important in the enemy organization, but the author could have put in the epilogue, a letter from Miss Ravenna (Jasper's superior) saying that the organization had been foiled and that the spy and its leaders had been arrested. ] SPOILER END
Instead, none of this happens and the epilogue is totally useless.

But of course this is my personal dissatisfaction, probably other readers felt 100% satisfied with the ending.
Despite this little reproach of mine to the writer, I enjoyed reading it, the general atmosphere is festive and Christmassy enough to be able to recommend it as a December reading (oh there are many books that take place during the days of Christmas and Boxing Day, however they are not at all Christmassy and it might seem like they take place at any other time of the year.

----> It's readable as a standalone, but if you're not in a rush to read something festive, start with book 1 of the series, it'll definitely be more enjoyable.

NOTE : I'm from Italy and I'm writing my review in a language that is not my native tongue, So please forgive any errors in my text. Thanks for stopping here :-)


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