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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3 stars because I'm conflicted about this whole series. I would give 5+ stars to the modern time of it, I really just want a romance novel about Xanthe setting up an antiques shop and everything she gets up to with her life, but the time travel aspect just doesn't work for me. I liked this better than the first book, but every time Xanthe comes up with a lie about where she's going to her mother I can't help but wish she were actually going to do the lies instead of travel in time. I don't feel like the Spinning storyline has been really developed, and Fairfax really wasn't a convincing villain. Still, I'll be reading the next one because I want to read more about what the modern residents of Marlborough get up to!
Brackston is an author who I did not follow till last year because of a fellow colleague. Brackston brings elements of time travel to the present. There is some romanticism throughout the novel keeping you tuned in what is going to happen aside from the main storyline. Hope she keeps on releasing books in this series. The series is a "found thing" and you are hooked on what is going to happen.
When starting this book, I noticed that I should read the first book in the series. They do not make much sense as stand-alone novels. Anyway, I splurged on the nearly 15 Euros for the first book and tried to read it quickly before getting back to this ARC.
I neither liked the first book and hence was very disappointed to discover that the second book in the series wasn't much better.
There are a lot of descriptions of scenery, rooms, furniture, clothes, but there is little action. A lot of the plot items in the novel don't make sense. For example, why can't Xanthe talk to her mother about the time travelling? Her mother knows about her ability to "listen" to antiques, so why not tell her about the time travelling? Why the need to tell lies? Just one of the things that annoyed me.
And for the record, the 17th century is not the Middle Ages, hence the clothes aren't medieval!
I neither liked the first book and hence was very disappointed to discover that the second book in the series wasn't much better.
There are a lot of descriptions of scenery, rooms, furniture, clothes, but there is little action. A lot of the plot items in the novel don't make sense. For example, why can't Xanthe talk to her mother about the time travelling? Her mother knows about her ability to "listen" to antiques, so why not tell her about the time travelling? Why the need to tell lies? Just one of the things that annoyed me.
And for the record, the 17th century is not the Middle Ages, hence the clothes aren't medieval!
It was a lovely step back in time with this series.
There's a new villain in the past that Xanthe must best, but she's not as alone as she was in book 1. As much as I love the time travel aspect of the book, I love the community that Xanthe and her mom are a part of- from the tea shop owner (Lucy?) to Harley the pub owner, and more importantly, Liam. I've liked him since his first arrival on the pages, so I was glad to see more of him.
Xanthe finds a copper chocolate pot that calls to her, and shows her a vision of Samuel in mortal peril. She is called upon once more to travel into the past to save an innocent person, but this time she'll discover more about her talent (gift? curse?), which was a highlight of the book.
Not only does Xanthe have to deal with 17th century drama calling to her, but her not-so-distant past makes an appearance that only adds to Xanthe's woes. Can she correct the past and save a friend and still pull off a Christmas miracle for her mom? Do you doubt it? ;)
The ending to this book guarantees book 3, and while I knew it was coming, it still left me gutted. Hope book 3 doesn't require too much forward time travel on my part!
There's a new villain in the past that Xanthe must best, but she's not as alone as she was in book 1. As much as I love the time travel aspect of the book, I love the community that Xanthe and her mom are a part of- from the tea shop owner (Lucy?) to Harley the pub owner, and more importantly, Liam. I've liked him since his first arrival on the pages, so I was glad to see more of him.
Xanthe finds a copper chocolate pot that calls to her, and shows her a vision of Samuel in mortal peril. She is called upon once more to travel into the past to save an innocent person, but this time she'll discover more about her talent (gift? curse?), which was a highlight of the book.
Not only does Xanthe have to deal with 17th century drama calling to her, but her not-so-distant past makes an appearance that only adds to Xanthe's woes. Can she correct the past and save a friend and still pull off a Christmas miracle for her mom? Do you doubt it? ;)
The ending to this book guarantees book 3, and while I knew it was coming, it still left me gutted. Hope book 3 doesn't require too much forward time travel on my part!
I'm glad this story of a time-travel story has been continued. Secrets of the Chocolate House is the second in a series about a woman who moves to a remote town in England with her mother to open up an antiques store after her life in London falls apart. She has always known that some objects "call" to her, but it isn't until they moved and she discovered the chatelaine and the round stone house in the back garden that took her back to the 17th century, that she begins to understand the breadth of her abilities.
At the closing of the first novel, Xanthe left her lover and friend, Samuel, in the past and returned home to care for her mother and maintain the antiques shop. She's not a time traveler who has nobody to care for in the present day, so it's not going to be easy for her if she has to make a final decision on when she lives. She has friends, a suitor, a new spot as a musician at the local pub.Until the copper chocolate pot finds her, and she discovers she has more to do in the 17th century. This time, the stakes are higher. Samuel's life is in danger, and from a villain who understands more than he ought.
This is one of the most enjoyable time travel novels I've read. The world-building felt a little shakier in this book, but I'm hoping all the time travel logic will get sorted out in another sequel. All in all, a really enjoyable view into the 17th century, good but complicated love story (although I'm about to run out of patience with the budding love triangle) and enough adventure and danger and pacing to keep the pages turning.
If you’re a fan of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, or you enjoyed the time travel portions of the Discovery of Witches series, you may enjoy this series, too. Start with The Little Shop of Found Things.
Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
At the closing of the first novel, Xanthe left her lover and friend, Samuel, in the past and returned home to care for her mother and maintain the antiques shop. She's not a time traveler who has nobody to care for in the present day, so it's not going to be easy for her if she has to make a final decision on when she lives. She has friends, a suitor, a new spot as a musician at the local pub.Until the copper chocolate pot finds her, and she discovers she has more to do in the 17th century. This time, the stakes are higher. Samuel's life is in danger, and from a villain who understands more than he ought.
This is one of the most enjoyable time travel novels I've read. The world-building felt a little shakier in this book, but I'm hoping all the time travel logic will get sorted out in another sequel. All in all, a really enjoyable view into the 17th century, good but complicated love story (although I'm about to run out of patience with the budding love triangle) and enough adventure and danger and pacing to keep the pages turning.
If you’re a fan of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, or you enjoyed the time travel portions of the Discovery of Witches series, you may enjoy this series, too. Start with The Little Shop of Found Things.
Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Secrets of the Chocolate House is the second book in Brackston's series about Time Spinners, people who can travel through time. I found that I wanted to have the first book under my belt before I started this one, so I cycled back. This wasn’t a hardship, the books read quickly and are light entertainment. Although Brackston goes to some pains to explain how time travel can be done without impacting the present and future, I found it useful to keep an open mind and not get too bothered by all of the logistics and their contradictions.
I enjoyed the books, and expect that I’ll pick up the next in the series, if only to find out what happens to the super-villain!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed the books, and expect that I’ll pick up the next in the series, if only to find out what happens to the super-villain!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was definitely better than the first. There was a bit more going on in the romance department but I still think that it could have done with a bit more. The plot was better because there was actually a villain. In the first one it is more about them not being able to practice their religion openly but I liked the idea of this villain and how they have been there all this time. It ended with a bang because of it and now I am very interested in the third book. Overall, there was just more action, suspense, and it did grasp my attention a bit more.