The Deception of the Emerald Ring

The Deception of the Emerald Ringby Lauren WilligI would like to tell you about a series of books that I was quite surprised to find that I enjoyed. I am one of those readers who tends to always fish from the same pond, so to speak. I like my Fantasy stories with sorceresses and faeries. I like my Mysteries with a female lead and a nasty serial killer. I like my YA Fantasy with humour and magic. I have a habit of sticking with the same authors through thick and thin (although I have to admit I have given up completely on Patricia Cornwell. What, does she have third graders writing her books now?? Yeech!).Every once in a while I get a little adventurous and I take a chance on another pond because I am curious as to what sort of fish I might find. This doesn't happen all that often mind you and rarely does it ever produce a treasure. About a year ago, while working at a University bookstore, I was tempted by the Fiction Pond. I went through quite a few books that were a "different sort of read" for me. Many of them I liked - A Girl Like Sugar by Emily Pohl-Weary, Nellcott is my Darling by Golda Fried and How I Paid for College: a Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship & Musical Theater by Marc Acito. Some I didn't care for too much. But one...As I said on my main blog in January 2006, this isn't something I would normally read. It was suggested to me by a coworker while I was browsing the shelves desperate for something new to read. This new book turned out to be The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig (pictured below. The book, not the author). After just the first chapter I was in novel heaven. I loved the wit, the writing style and the characters.I have just finished reading the third book in this series (pictured above!) and I had forgotten how much I had enjoyed the other two books since it had been such a long time since I had read them. We're still following Graduate Student Eloise through her research on the history of the Pink Carnation, a spy in England in the 1800s. The books smoothly teleport you back and forth between the present day and Victorian England as you follow both stories. Though most of the plot takes place in Victorian times, the characters still feel rather modern and current. I like that about the books because quite frankly I can't stand historical novels and that's one of the main reasons I almost didn't purchase the first novel.I don't like books that I have to think about. Ha! I must prefer to lose myself in a book and not have to use my brain too much. It's tired from always working during the day and when I speak to people. When I read? It wants to take a vacation. :)To be honest, I don't recall much of what happened in the second book The Masque of the Black Tulip, but I am positive I have read it. In fact I think I bought it, though I can't find it in the piles of books that I still have yet to completely unpack. (Author note: ARGH! I hate moving!) I thought perhaps I had borrowed it from Monkey, but she was still living in Toronto at the time. I guess it's just a case of yet another missing book in this new house. I wonder if I have gremlins?In conclusion (because this is getting rather long winded, sorry!) I would like to suggest that you all run out and borrow/buy/steal these books and immerse yourself in a very well written, entertaining novel with just enough hint of mystery and intrigue to keep you turning the page. Oh, and I guess there's some romance in it as well since apparently that is how The Powers That Be have decided to classify the books (WTF?) but I never even noticed it. I was too busy trying to gather the clues and help Eloise find out more about the Pink Carnation!Enjoy!

Pink Carnation series

1. Secret History of the Pink Carnation
2. The Masque of the Black Tulip
3. The Deception of the Emerald Ring
4. The Seduction of the Crimson Rose
5. The Temptation of the Night Jasmine
6. The Betrayal of the Blood Lilly – Hardcover
7. The Mischief of the Mistletoe - Hardcover, November 2010