The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason

Book #1 in The Gardella Vampire Chronicles

from the publisher:

"Beneath the glitter of dazzling nineteenth-century London Society lurks a bloodthirsty evil....

Vampires have always lived among them, quietly attacking unsuspecting debutantes and dandified lords as well as hackney drivers and Bond Street milliners. If not for the Vampire slayers of the Gardella family, these immortal creatures would have long ago taken over the world.

In every generation, a Gardella is called to accept the family legacy, and this time, Victoria Gardella Grantworth is chosen, on the eve of her debut, to carry the stake. But as she moves between the crush of ballrooms and dangerous moonlit streets, Victoria's heart is torn between London's most eligible bachelor, the Marquess of Rockley, and her duty. And when she comes face to face with the most powerful vampire in history, Victoria must ultimately make a choice between obligation and love...."

My thoughts:

I'm always on the lookout for an interesting twist on the Regency/Victorian-era novel, and The Rest Falls Away by Colleen Gleason has a unique combination of vampires, Regency-era romance, and magic.

The heroine, Victoria, is not your typical debutant; naturally, she's beautiful and refined by day and the perfect match for the handsome Marquess of Rockley; by night, she's ruthless and trained in martial arts -- the vampire huntress (or Venator, as she is called). She willingly accepts her destiny as the next generation of Venators...until she realizes that living a double life has become too difficult and dangerous for the one man she truly comes to love. Lilith, the Queen of the Vampires, desires an ancient magic book that is in Victoria's possession, and she will stop at nothing to gain the book and the powerful spells contained therein. A surprising and unexpected ending left me speechless.

A quick, fun read with promise, I hope, to develop further in the series the mysterious character of Maximilian, master vampire executioner, and Sebastian, the proprietor of the Silver Chalice, and their relationship/partnership with Victoria.

Title: The Rest Falls Away: The Gardella Vampire Chronicles
Author: Collee Gleason
Publisher:Penguin Group
347 pages
genre: paranormal romance

Preview of Angel Time by Anne Rice

The first book I have selected for the Time Travel 2010 Challenge will be Angel Time by Anne Rice. Angel Time: Songs of the Seraphim is described as a metaphysical thriller that begins in the present day with a contract killer, Toby O'Dare, on assignment to claim another life; in his nightmarish world of killing, he meets a mysterious stranger, a seraph, who offers him an opportunity to save rather than destroy a life. O'Dare is carried back through time to 13th century England on a journey of danger, suspense, and an opportunity for redemption.

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Interestingly, I have noticed that whenever I post about an Anne Rice book, those posts have generated the most comments, interest, and blog visits. This has prompted me to think about hosting a few Anne Rice reading events in 2010. We all have so many new books on our TBR shelf that I know we do not have the time to reread entire favorite novels; however, it might be fun to do a few mini-reads of a chapter or two from an old Anne Rice classic, reread some famous passages, and discuss her writing.

So, dust off those old, tattered paperbacks and "come into my parlor"....let's revisit The Myth and Magic of Anne Rice in 2010.

Time Travel Reading Challenge 2010

I'm very excited to join in the Time Travel Reading Challenge in 2010 hosted by Alyce of At Home With Books. I have always been immediately drawn to any book which manipulates the concept of time and already have several titles that come to mind that I have read in the past and enjoyed.

Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Timeline by Michael Chrichton
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
Green Darkness by Anya Seton
The House on the Strand by Daphne Du Maurier
Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson
Beyond the Highland mist (entire series) by Karen Marie Moning

The rules of the challenge are simple enough: decide for yourself how many time-travel themed books you want to read, and read them in 2010. Definitely doable! I'll decide at a later date the titles I will select for this challenge. Are you in?

Looking Back/Looking Forward

I never thought much about blogging until this past May when, on a whim, I decided to try my hand at setting up a blog. It was strictly experimental while I was creating a LibraryThing page, and I have to say the experience has been so worthwhile. It absolutely amazes me that other people have found their way to Slice of Life and are kind enough to visit often and leave a comment (love that!) I've learned so much from other bloggers and have enjoyed getting a peek at other book lovers' bookshelves. My TBR pile just keeps on growing, but that's all good! I've got some great titles to help ring in the new year.

As I look back over the past few months, a few books, authors, and websites stand out as my favorites for 2009:

FAVORITE NEW AUTHORS : Three "new to me" authors that I have enjoyed discovering are Syrie James (The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte), Deanna Raybourn (Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary, Silent on the Moor), and Tasha Alexander (And Only to Deceive, A Poisoned Season, A Fatal Waltz, Tears of Pearls). Alexander and Raybourn both focus on the Victorian era with mystery and light romance elements to spice things up. I'm super excited about the release of Dracula, My Love by Syrie James in 2010; the story will be a reinterpretation of Bram Stoker's Dracula and will be told from the viewpoint of Mina Harker, the heroine of Dracula. Sounds intriguing! Deanna Raybourn is also scheduled to release a new novel in 2010 that is not a Lady Julia/Nicholas Brisbane storyline titled, The Dead Travel Fast.


FAVORITE NOVELS READ THIS YEAR: First place favorite goes to Karleen Koen's Through A Glass Darkly (a sophisticated melodrama of passion, greed, and power); The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James comes in at second place (writing with vintage charm and elegance). Third runner-up goes to The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (a literary treasure).









MOST ANTICIPATED NOVEL FOR 2009: My year-in-review would not be complete without mentioning the latest addition to the Outlander series. It's always thrilling to have a new Diana Gabaldon book in my hands, so Echo in the Bone wins as the most highly prized and anticipated novel for me this year. I admit that it was not all I hoped it would be, and Gabaldon seems to be much more enthralled with the character of Lord John than I am. Lord John's place of prominence in this story frustrated me (I want more Jamie and Claire, the heart of the story), but when all is said and done, an Outlander book is a rare treat so I'm happy to have it, knowing it will be at least two or more long years before the concluding book will be published.



READING CHALLENGES: Since I'm new to this whole blogging/challenge thing, I took it easy and participated in the Everything Austin Challenge which was a terrific idea. For 2010, I'm anticipating the All About the Brontes Challenge and devoting more time to exploring Jean Plaidy's classic historical fiction novels. (Was I the only one in the world who didn't know that Jean Plaidy was Victoria Holt? How did I not know this?! I devoured all of VH novels years ago and loved her!)

How about you? What books and authors were your favorite discoveries this year?

The House of the Mayfair Witches

This past weekend, my husband and I attended a Christmas concert in the Garden District. Since we were a few minutes early, I suggested we drive around and enjoy all the beautiful holiday lights and decorations that are beginning to be displayed on some of the antebellum mansions in the area.

While we were driving around, I decided to look for the "The Mayfair Mansion" from The Witching Hour on the corner of First Street and Chestnut. (I just recently completed a reread of the book so it is fresh in my mind.) 1239 First Street is actually one of the former homes of Anne Rice and is the inspiration for the house in The Witching Hour. Here it is! It is an exquisite home and a private residence, very unlike the decaying fictional version of the Mayfair witches. Landscaping sheilded the side area of the home near the courtyard/pool area, so I couldn't get too close to take pictures of the side porch where a comatose Deirdre spent her days, nor can you see the dormer windows on the side where Antha fell to her death or the pool where Michael was found. But this is the house where the powerful witches Mary Beth, Julien, and Carlotta lived, and where Jazz Baby Stella threw wild parties and danced the Charleston before she, too, came to a tragic end. The new owners have also changed the color of the house, as it was a violet-gray color when Anne Rice lived there, and the book describes the house as violet.

from The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (p. 5)

"The doctor had never been inside an antebellum mansion until that spring in New Orleans. And the old house really did have white fluted columns on the front...Greek Revival style they call it -- a long violet-gray town house on a dark shady corner in the Garden District, it's front gate guarded it seemed by two enormous oaks. The iron lace railings were made in a rose pattern and much festooned with vines; purple wisteria, the yellow Virginia creeper and bougainvillea of a dark, incandescent pink....

Always he paused at the largest tree that had lifted the iron fence with its bulbous roots. He could not have gotten his arms around the trunk of it. It reached all the way from the pavement to the house itself, twisted limbs clawing at the shuttered windows beyond the banisters, leaves enmeshed with the flowering vines."
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Really cool -- I told my husband I would freak out, though, if I saw "the Man" standing on the steps! (Lucky for me, Lasher was no where to be seen!)

All About the Brontes 2010 Challenge

I was very excited to learn about this new reading challenge for 2010 at Laura's Reviews! Having previously mentioned on my blog about my love of the novel, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (even going so far as selecting the name Jane for my daughter's middle name and Rochester for my dog!), it should come as no surprise that I jumped on this challenge as soon as I learned of it. Like the Everything Austen challenge, it brings renewed interest to the original writings of all the Brontes, including Bronte-inspired books and movies. Click here to find all the details of the All About the Brontes 2010 reading challenge at Laura's Reviews.

For this challenge, I am using two books already in my TBR bookshelf, and I will add to my list as I find new titles to include. (Unfortunately, I already completed The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James this year, so it won't count, but it was very good and recommended for this challenge.)

Jane Eyre's Daughter by Elizabeth Newark
Book description: In this sequel to Jane Eyre, young Janet Rochester is consigned to Highcrest Manor and the guardianship of the strict Colonel Dent while her parents journey to the West Indies. As Janet struggles to make a life for herself, guided by the ideals of her parents, she finds herself caught up in the mysteries of Highcrest.

Why is the east wing forbidden to her? What lies behind locked gates? And what is the source of the voices she hears in the night? Can she trust the enigmatic Roderick Landless, or should she transfer her allegiance to the suave and charming Sir Hugo Calendar?

Whether riding her mare on the Yorkshire moors, holding her own with Colonel Dent, or waltzing at her first ball, Janet is strong, sympathetic, and courageous....after all, she is her mother's daughter...

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Charlotte Bronte: A Writer's Life by Rebecca Fraser (a biography written by a former President of the Bronte Society)

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Two movies in my collection that I will view again are both Masterpiece Theatre productions of Jane Eyre (2006) and Wuthering Heights (2008). Both are excellent productions that are highly recommended; gloomy, gothic settings at their best!

FYI - If you visit the Bronte Blog and scroll down the right side bar, there are lists of e-texts on all the Bronte novels and many books about the Brontes. This would be a good place to explore if you're interested in this challenge.

Here's to great reading in 2010!

Everything Austen Challenge --Completed

Finished up the Everything Austen Challenge for 2009 by viewing, once again, the Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle A&E/BBC faithful adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Several months ago, after signing up for the challenge, I found this 10th anniversary collector's edition in a great sale display so I scooped it up. Not only is it my favorite P&P adaptation with a very spirited and lovely Elizabeth and a handsome and aloof Colin Firth as Darcy, this dvd set includes an interesting companion book and dvd with details of the production from concept to broadcast: from Regency-era fashion, history, furnishings, manor homes, dancing and music, food, actor selections, etc. --I love behind-the-scenes peeks into the making of a great movie.

In summary, I completed the following six selections for the Everything Austen Challenge:

The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James (my absolute favorite of all the Austen-inspired writings I completed).

Ransome's Honor by Kaye Dacus

Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler (cannot recommend at all).

I viewed the A&E/BBC production of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle


My thanks go to Stephanie at Stephanie's Written Word for hosting this terrific and worthwhile challenge!