2008 Book 76: The Grey Beginning

Book #:	76
Book Title:	The Grey Beginning
Author:	Barbara Michaels
Publisher:	Harper
Pub. Date:	1984
Pages:	291
Started:	August 31, 2008
Finished:	September 3, 2008
Time to Read:	4 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Hoping that a trip to her late husband's childhood home will help her come to terms with his recent death, Kathy Malone travels to the rolling hills of Tuscany. But there, instead of solace, Kathy finds a lonely boy name Pietro, uncanny hints about her late husband, and the stately Contessa Morandini, whose chilly reception warms only when she mistakenly assumes Kathy is pregnant with the next heir of the Morandini line. Despite - or perhaps because of - the Contessa's efforts to keep Kathy and Pietro apart, Kathy befriends the young boy. Their games lead her through the villa's maze of dark hallways, where she begins to discover hints of a startling truth. As the pieces of a sinister and murderous plan fall into place, Kathy realizes she has stumbled onto a dangerous obsession...one that was meant to stay hidden forever."
Stars:	**
Review:	I love Barbara Michaels, but this book falls far short of my expectations. Kathy Malone is a troubled young woman who lost her husband to a tragic car accident and after seeking help for her own emotions, has traveled to Italy to bring closure to the story. There, she promptly enters the cliched world of the aristocracy - rich in standing but poor in cash. As she struggles to understand why she is there and what she can do now that she is embroiled in a very sticky situation involving a trusting young boy, a love triangle pops up that is never very well elaborated upon. In fact, this novel as a whole brings up more questions than it answers. Unlike other works from Michaels, this is also a dated piece - I read parts and cringed, thinking that if such things were written today, people would be up in arms. Not a bad book...but not a great one either.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 56: The Walker in Shadows

Book #:	56
Book Title:	The Walker in Shadows
Author:	Barbara Michaels
Publisher:	Berkley
Pub. Date:	1992 (my copy); 1979 (original)
Pages:	308
Started:	June 13, 2008
Finished:	June 14, 2008
Time to Read:	2 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"The house next door stood empty for years, an eerie mirror image of Pat Robbins' well-tended home. Until the day the Friedrichses moved in. Pat's teenaged son fell head over heels for Kathy, his new neighbor. But in a furious battle of wills, Kathy's father made his message clear: stay away. Even the house seemed to be warning them of the deadly secrets among its shadows - and the evil within it heart."
Stars:	*****
Review:	When the past literally comes alive, how will it affect the present? What can be done when the wrongs that must be righted exist one hundred years in the past? And how can two fragile families survive a battle with a force they cannot understand? Those questions sought to be answered throughout the course of this well-woven novel that combines two parts history, two parts paranormal, one part mystery and a dash (ok, a liberal sprinkling) of romance. Barbara Michaels is at the top of her craft in the writing of this book. Incidentally, I have had this book since the 7th grade. I got it at a Scholastic book fair. Doing the math, that was <> years ago and the book has probably been read a dozen or more times since then...and I love it just as well each time. I think you'll enjoy!

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany

2008 Book 7: Here I Stay

Book #:	7
Book Title:	Here I Stay
Author:	Barbara Michaels
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Pub. Date:	1983
Pages:	338
Started:	January 25, 2008
Finished:	January 26, 2008
Time to Read:	2 Days
Back Cover / Inside Flap:	"Turning a decrepit old mansion into a beautiful country inn isn't easy, but for Amanda Torgesen, the hard work is exactly what her younger brother, Jim, needs after a serious car accident. Or, so she think - until Jim is haunted by unearthly voices and eerie visions, and becomes obsessed with a long-neglected graveyard. Suddenly, the impossible becomes terrifyingly possible and Andrea must battle an evil force that threatens to destroy their lives."
Stars:	*****
Review:	I love Barbara Michaels. I have since middle school. She's one of the only authors that writes both romance and paranormal that I actually enjoy. And boy do I enjoy her...all of my Barbara Michaels books have been read so many times that their spines are totally busted and some are even held together by binder clips. In Here I Stay, the reader is immediately and intimately drawn into the world of Jim and Andrea Torgeson, a brother and sister who literally depend upon one another for survival. Andrea has raised Jim since an accident claimed their father and step-mother when he was quite young...and now the struggles of his younger years pale in comparison to the new life they must forge after Jim loses a leg in a car wreck and sees his active life dwindle to a stop. The character emotions are raw, believable, and totally bring the story to life. The story line - although set over two decades ago - is set in a timeless manner and will captivate readers for years to come. You won't want to put down this story until you reach the last page - and when you reach the end, you'll be left wondering what to do next, now that the story is over. With a twist both heartwarming and heartwrenching (who knew the two could co-exist), you're in for a treat from start to finish.

If you have read or are planning to read this book, please make sure to stop back by and leave me a comment to let me know your own thoughts!

From my library to yours,

Tiffany