#Review - Muse by Brittany Cavallaro #YA #Historical #Fantasy

Series: Muse # 1
Format: Hardcover, 352 pages
Release Date: February 2, 2021
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Historical

American Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in the first book of a new YA duology from New York Times bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro, set in an alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war.

The year is 1893, and war is brewing in the First American Kingdom. But Claire Emerson has a bigger problem. While her father prepares to reveal the mighty weapon he’s created to showcase the might of their province, St. Cloud, in the World’s Fair, Claire is crafting a plan to escape.

Claire’s father is a sought-after inventor, but he believes his genius is a gift, granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years. As St. Cloud prepares for war, Claire plans to claim her life for herself, even as her best friend, Beatrix, tries to convince her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that wants to see a woman on the throne. At any cost.

When her father’s weapon fails to fire on the fair’s opening day, Claire is taken captive by Governor Remy Duchamp, St. Cloud’s young, untried ruler. Remy believes that Claire’s touch bestows graces he’s never had, and with his governing power weakening and many political rivals planning his demise, Claire might be his only and best ally. But the last thing that Claire has ever wanted is to be someone else’s muse. Still, affections can change as quickly as the winds of war. And Claire has a choice to make: Will she quietly remake her world from the shadows—or bring it down in flames?

 

 

American Royals meets The Winner’s Curse in the first book of bestselling author Brittany Cavallaro’s new duology, set in an alternate history American monarchy where a girl grapples for control of her own life in the middle of a looming war. In 1782, after winning the war for Independence, George Washington makes the decision to become a King thus begins the First American Kingdom. It is also decreed that the country will be separated into provinces, each led by a Governor selected from Washington's trusted lieutenants. 

The decree creates Alta California (West Coast), Nuevo Mexico (South), Duchies of West and East Florida, Livingston-Monroe made up of the heartland, St. Cloud which encapsulates the Mississippi River, and King of New Columbia which encapsulates the entire Eastern seaboard except Florida. Flash forward to the year 1893, where we find Claire Emerson, daughter of a mad inventor named Jeremiah Emerson. Jeremiah has been paid to create a weapon that will show the power of St. Cloud and avoid a conflict with Livingston-Monroe which has been making aggressive moves.

To make things even more interesting, the story takes place during the long delayed 1893 World’s Fair which is supposed to show the world what St. Cloud is capable of. Claire’s father believes his genius is a gift granted to him by his daughter’s touch. He’s kept Claire under his control for years, but Claire has made plans to escape even if it means marrying someone she has no love for. Even as her best friend, Beatrix Lovell, a brilliant glider-inventor, tries to convince her to stay and help with the growing resistance movement that wants to see a woman on the throne, Claire doesn’t want to be a pawn in anyone’s game.

After Jeremiah’s gun called Barrage fires after Claire touches it, she becomes what she hoped not to become. A pawn. Remy Duchamp, the young Governor of St. Cloud, insists that Claire stay at the governor’s mansion until he can figure out what makes her tick. Claire is an observer and an idealist who ends up having to navigate a treacherous road which includes a complex political rivalry between Remy, a malicious general who has made unwanted advances towards Claire, Nikolas Tesla who has something up his own sleeve, and a group of rebel women (Daughters of the American Crown) who are tired of having no say in what happens in their country. Claire will have to pick a side as she changes the First Kingdom of America forever.

Claire is a girl who you should root for to make her own choices and not be led by a string to do other people’s bidding. Even though her friend Beatrix means well, she’s got an ulterior motive which puts the focus on Claire. Claire has no idea how powerful she really is until she ends up right in the middle of a dangerous situation. Claire was taught calculus and geometry by her mother. Subjects that women aren’t allowed to be taught. Claire’s relationship with Remy is a curious one which I hope to see grow. Tesla is a really interesting character, especially when it comes for his love for cats, and his weapons he creates.

Since this is a duology, we won’t have to wait 3 years until we find out what happens to Claire and if she makes the right choices for herself, while keeping herself sane. I’m happy to see actual historical characters appear in this book.

 

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#Review - A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro #YALIT #Mysteries

Series: Charlotte Holmes # 4
Format: Hardcover, 287 pages
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Mysteries

In the explosive conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series, Holmes and Watson think they’re finally in the clear after graduating from Sherringford…but danger awaits in the hallowed halls of Oxford.

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson finally have a chance to start over. With all the freedom their pre-college summer program provides and no one on their tail, the only mystery they need to solve, once and for all, is what they are to each other. 

But upon their arrival at Oxford, Charlotte is immediately drawn into a new case: a series of accidents befell the theater program at Oxford last year, culminating in a young woman going missing on the night of a major performance. The mystery has gone unsolved; the case is cold. And no one—least of all the girl’s peculiar, close-knit group of friends—is talking.

When Watson and Holmes join the theater program, the “accidents” start anew, giving them no choice but to throw themselves into the case. But as the complicated lines of friendship, love, and loyalty blur, time is running out—and tragedy waits in the wings.

 

A Question of Holmes is the fourth and final installment in author Brittany Cavallaro's Charlotte Holmes series. For the first time in this series, the story is told mostly from the perspective of Charlotte. Charlotte is coming to terms with herself after everything that she and Jamie have been through now that Lucien Moriarty's threat isn't hanging over their heads. Jamie wants to attend Oxford, so he is taking pre-college courses while Charlotte is trying to figure out what she is going to do with her life either with or without Jamie by her side. 

It is fair to say that there are a whole lot of obstacles for Charlotte and Jamie to overcome. Their relationship has never been what one would consider to be a healthy one. Charlotte was still fracturing, and she had to be strong in herself and who she was before she could project that self into a relationship. To make matters even more twisted, there's a 23 page long terms and conditions of what their relationship should be and what is expected of, mostly, Jamie. 

So, this wouldn't be a Holmes and Watson mystery if there wasn't a mystery at St. Genesis College for the two to unravel and solve before anyone else gets seriously hurt or worse. A college drama club is putting on Hamlet and there are some odd things going on. I was more interested in the other stuff than the actual mystery, but it was solid. I was just very appreciative that the villain was different. 

I think it's fair to say the ending was probably to be expected. After all, Charlotte has not had the best life and her issues need more time to resolve themselves, including with her brother and another mystery for which I won't spoil. Let's just say that it caught me by surprise as well. I'm not sure if there was a point to Aramita Holmes in this story, but there it is. 

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#Review -The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro #YALIT #Mystery

Series: Charlotte Holmes #3
Format: Hardcover, 368 pages
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult / Mysteries & Detective Stories

The hotly anticipated third book in the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes trilogy, in which Charlotte and Jamie finally face their longtime enemy…and their true feelings for each other. 

It’s been a year since the shocking death of August Moriarty, and Jamie and Charlotte haven’t spoken. Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident, with a nice girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for. Until strange things start happening to him. Strange things that might mean nothing at all—or that someone is after him again.

Charlotte is on the run, from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the lawn in Sussex. Charlotte wants it that way. She knows she isn’t safe to be around. She knows that her Watson can’t forgive her.
Holmes and Watson may not be looking to reconcile, but there is someone who wants the team back together. Someone who has been quietly observing them both. Making plans. Biding their time. Someone who wants to see one of them suffer and the other one dead.

In this explosive third book in the Charlotte Holmes series, Holmes and Watson face the ultimate test: they must unravel the case of their lives without unraveling each other.

 

The Case for Jamie is the third installment in author Brittany Cavallaro's Charlotte Holmes series. To put things in perspective, this story takes place a year after the events that happened in The Last of August. Our main characters, Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are separated because of what happened, and the fact that Charlotte is now running and hiding from Lucien Moriarty while trying to counteract and plans he has for her as well as Jamie. 

The main question still remains; will they or won't they? Readers have spent the past several books asking the question about Charlotte and Jamie. Some fans ship them and others wish they’d just stay friends—but if one thing is clear, it’s that these two teen sleuths have undeniable chemistry and beyond-witty banter. But, can they both survive the brutal reality of what is to come when they are separated by an ocean, and revenge is knocking on their doorstep?

Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident. He has a girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for even though she is pretty special on her own merits. Jamie can't help but compare his new girlfriend to Charlotte. Then strange things start happening to him. Things that seemingly mean nothing at all—or that someone is after him again. To make matters even more twisted, he receives warnings about no longer being safe at the school. In the meantime, Jamie's father and Leader Holmes attempt to find Charlotte since she is the common denominator in what is happening to Jamie.

Charlotte is on the run from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes that happened too frequently. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the lawn in Sussex—and Charlotte wants to keep it that way. She knows she isn’t safe to be around. Charlotte desperately misses her only friend, but she knows Watson can’t forgive her. But, she's not so cold that she doesn't care what is happening to him. In fact, she has a spy within the school urging her to come back so that Jamie doesn't end up in prison, or worse for things he is being accused of doing.

A Study in Charlotte and The Last of August were told entirely by Jamie with bit parts from Charlotte. This time around, the author chooses to alternate chapters and narratives between Jamie and Charlotte. This is the first time you can actually get into her head and discover what makes her tick, and what she has had to suffer through, not only from her screwed up family and what they did to her, but from her own drug abuse, PTSD, and sexual assault. One thing that is apparent is that Charlotte is brilliant, flawed, vulnerable, and much in need of someone to tell her she will be okay.

For the record, this is not the final installment in the series. I know readers have been saying that after reading the ending, but it isn't factual. In fact, the fourth book is called The Question of Charlotte which I have read and will be reviewing shortly. The last half of this book was the most entertaining. The first part is a session that proves that both characters could use a brilliant psychiatrist to examine not only their guilt, but their fatal attraction towards each other that oftens finds them deep in bloodshed.  

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#Thursday Review - The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro #YALit #Mystery @skippingstones @KTegenBooks

Series: Charlotte Holmes # 2
Format: E-Galley, 336 pages
Release Date: February 14, 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

In the second brilliant, action-packed book in the Charlotte Holmes trilogy, Jamie and Charlotte are in a chase across Europe to untangle a web of shocking truths about the Holmes and Moriarty families.

Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson’s growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte’s beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring—the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers. 

So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other. 

The Last of August is the second installment in author Brittany Cavallaro's Charlotte Holmes series. As with A Study in Charlotte, this story is once again told in the first person narrative by James (Jamie) Watson, Jr. There is, however, a caveat. There are several chapters where we actually get into Charlotte's head while Jamie is out of action. This more than makes up for a whole lot of quite time, and honestly, it was a good change of direction. 

Jamie and Charlotte are on winter break in England as the book opens. Jamie, having taken Charlotte to meet his mother and sister Shelby in London, later joins Charlotte in Sussex where he meets her parents Alistair & Emma Holmes, as well as Uncle Leander who is best friends with James Watson, Jamie's own father. There is so much to talk about regarding Jamie's time at Sussex, and how there is so much darkness right under the surface, and how Jamie is treated by Charlotte's mother, that readers will have to figure out what is really happening right before their eyes. 

But, that's not the only issue. After Leander disappears abruptly without leaving his normal present for Charlotte, Jamie and Charlotte find themselves in Berlin looking into an art forgery ring, which eventually leads them to Prague and even more twisted storylines,. This leads to Charlotte's narrative during a tumultuous trial of fits and starts where Jamie is hurt. Readers will also meet the man, August Moriarty, who we know that something awful happened between him and Charlotte which has led to Lucien Moriarty's desire for Charlotte's demise. August is one of those supporting cast members who means well, but eventually you have to actually do something with him one way or the other or it's pointless to have him around.

I have to speak about the relationship between Charlotte and Jamie. This book focuses not only on the duos relationship, but the possibly of a budding romance between Jamie and Charlotte, and Charlotte's issues that really need to be addressed. Charlotte, granted is beyond smart, has superb intelligence, and solved her first case when she was 10. But, she treats Jamie like a pet, and not someone who may have lost his heart to her. On the other hand, I do believe Jamie and all of the Watson's have a masochist streak in them to have hung around the Holmes for as long as they have. 

Can you imagine being only thought of as the Holmes biographer, and never really getting any credit for helping a Holmes solve a mystery? One of the things you definitely see in this book, is Jamie getting a bit of a backbone and exploring a bit more on his own. I'm all for this. I want Jamie to be his own person. But, I also don't want him to be reckless for the sake of not being left behind by Charlotte. I am also curious to see where Jamie's head is at when the next installment comes out after all he's seen, heard, and witnessed over the past 2 installments.

While I appreciated of receiving an early version of this story, I was kind of disappointed with the fact that I was not able to enjoy the author's family tree graphics regarding the Holmes and the Moriarty's. It was blanked out in my edition. I do encourage those who will read this in the final version of the book, to pay close attention to the family tree since it does come in handy time and time again. There are names that come up that you really won't have a clue who they are unless you can shift back and forth to the family tree. There are a whole lot of issues between the Holmes and Moriarty's, and now that Jamie is involved, he clearly has a target on his back as long as he remains heavily involved with Charlotte.

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#Tuesday Review - A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro (Young Adult, Mystery)

Series: Charlotte Holmes # 1
Format: Hardcover, 321 pages
Release Date: March 1, 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Library
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

A Study in Charlotte is the first installment in Brittany Cavallaro's Charlotte Holmes trilogy. The series is a retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series. Throughout Doyle's novels, Watson was Holmes biographer and friend who kept a tight lease on the wayward investigator. Fast forward to the present day, where Charlotte is a descendant of Sherlock Holmes, and Jamie Watson is a descendant of John Watson. Like Doyle's stories, A Study in Charlotte is told from Watson's point of view. Jamie finds himself at Sherringford Prep School in Connecticut where he runs into 16-year old Charlotte Holmes.

The Watson/Holmes families have had a connections that goes back to the beginning. One, Watson, has always been the documenter, while a Holmes has been drilled in the deductive arts of solving crimes. Charlotte is something of a prodigy having solved her first case when she was 10 years of age. After both Charlotte and Watson have issues with a certain prick of a dick, Watson finds himself in hot water with the school for punching said bully. If that weren't enough, the said prick of a dick is found dead in his dorm room. Poisoned. Plus there is a copy of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes found in his room.  

With all eyes pointed at Holmes & Watson, Charlotte believes they are being framed for murder by someone they have have previously encountered. It all goes back to one of Watson's stories called "The Speckled Band." This isn't the only story that the killer uses to lure Holmes & Watson into their spider web of danger, and intrigue. The two become friends even though Charlotte has had various issues with drugs in the past, and fully admits that they help keep her sanity from wandering too far into the darkness. Charlotte is a very smart, sarcastic,

humorous character who has an older brother named Milo. One can contend that Milo is actually Mycroft but a whole helluva lot interesting. 

Jamie's relationship with his father is interesting as well. One could say it went from Code BLUE, to detente after learning what his father has really been up to these past years. Even though I loathe characters who cheat on their own wives, and leave their families behind. Jamie's father, step-mother, and half-brothers aren't a bad sort. I loved that Jamie and his father come together in order to help Charlotte as have previous Watson's going back to Dr. Watson.  True to form, there are the Moriarty's that make an appearance in this story. It is clear that the author has tried to maintain a close relationship between her book, and the original stories.

If you are following my blog, you are asking yourselves why I choose to read Lock and Mori and A Study in Charlotte so close together. Well, the answer lies in the fact that I have thrown out all the rules when it comes to what books I am reading and when. I no longer care how many books are on by TBR pile. I have chosen to write each book on a scrap of paper and toss them into a hat. When I am finished with one book, I pull the next which leads to some interesting coincidences. Plus, I actually love the Holmes and Watson history. I love that like the originals, Charlotte and Jamie become friends who stick together no matter how dangerous it becomes. And, I love that Jamie's father has kept a book of all his adventures with his own Holmes.

Next in Series: The Last of August (February 2017) 

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