Top Ten Tuesday

Since 4/13/15

 I am tryin something new for this blog. This new series will be done every Tuesday if possible. My first topic is oldest books that I own on my TBR that I haven't read yet.. I am going off my good reads list so these might be even older than that. I put them in order and will include what the dust cover says about the book. I don't remember what the books are about so this is the best way to describe them. So onto the books.
The celebrated Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of America. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life, he carries the reader through Washington's troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian Wars, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

Despite the reverence his name inspires Washington remains a waxwork to many readers, worthy but dull, a laconic man of remarkable self-control. But in this groundbreaking work Chernow revises forever the uninspiring stereotype. He portrays Washington as a strapping, celebrated horseman, elegant dancer and tireless hunter, who guarded his emotional life with intriguing ferocity. Not only did Washington gather around himself the foremost figures of the age, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, he orchestrated their actions to help realise his vision for the new federal government, define the separation of powers, and establish the office of the presidency.

Ron Chernow takes us on a page-turning journey through all the formative events of America's founding. This is a magisterial work from one of America's foremost writers and historians.

Since 4/13/15

 This is the second book in a series so before I can read this I have to get the first book and then of course the last book. I can get the boxset from amazon for fairly cheap.
In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation's history, two armies fought for two dreams. One dreamed of freedom, the other of a way of life. Far more than rifles and bullets were carried into battle. There were memories. There were promises. There was love. And far more than men fell on those Pennsylvania fields. Shattered futures, forgotten innocence, and crippled beauty were also the casualties of war. The Killer Angels is unique, sweeping, unforgettable—a dramatic re-creation of the battleground for America's destiny

Since 4/19/15

 This is the first book in a series.
The five children find a cantankerous sand fairy, a psammead, in a gravel pit. Every day 'It' will grant each of them a wish that lasts until sunset, often with disastrous consequences.

Since 5/10/15

 World of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes --
General introduction / by Kyle Freeman --
Introduction to Volume II / by Kyle Freeman --
Note on conveyances --
Return of Sherlock Holmes: Adventure of the empty house ; Adventure of the Norwood builder ; Adventure of the dancing men ; Adventure of the solitary cyclist ; Adventure of the priory school ; Adventure of Black Peter ; Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton ; Adventure of the six Napoleons ; Adventure of the three students ; Adventure of the golden ponce-nez ; Adventure of the missing three-quarter ; Adventure of the Abbey Grange ; Adventure of the second stain --
Valley of fear --
His last bow: Adventure of Wisteria Lodge: Singular experience of Mr. John Scott Eccles ; Tiger of San Pedro ; Adventure of the cardboard box ; Adventure of the red circle ; Adventure of Bruce-Partington plans ; Adventure of the dying detective ; Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax ; Adventure of the devil's foot ; His last bow --
Case book of Sherlock Holmes: Adventure of the illustrious client ; Adventure of the blanched soldier ; Adventure of the Mazarin stone ; Adventure of the three gables ; Adventure of the Sussex vampire ; Adventure of the three garridebs ; Problem of Thor Bridge ; Adventure of the creeping man ; Adventure of the lion's mane ; Adventure of the veiled lodger ; Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place ; Adventure of the retired colourman --
Introduction to Doyle's parodies --
Two parodies by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Field bazaar ; How Watson learned the trick --
Two essays by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Truth about Sherlock Holmes ; Some personalia about Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Since 5/16/15

 It's first the story of two women in the 1980s, of gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode telling her life story to Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age. The tale she tells is also of two women—of the irrepressibly daredevilish tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth, who back in the thirties ran a little place in Whistle Stop, Alabama, a Southern kind of Café Wobegon offering good barbecue and good coffee and all kinds of love and laughter, even an occasional murder.

Since 6/2/15

 When Achilles Conroy and his brother Troy return from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, their white mother presents them with the key to their past: envelopes containing details about their respective birth parents. After Troy disappears, Achilles—always his brother’s keeper—embarks on a harrowing journey in search of Troy, an experience that will change him forever.

Heartbreaking, intimate, and at times disturbing, Hold It ’Til It Hurts is a modern-day odyssey through war, adventure, disaster, and love, and explores how people who do not define themselves by race make sense of a world that does.

Since 7/18/15

 To the Rescue is the much-anticipated official biography of President Thomas S. Monson. Beginning with President Monson's family heritage and his early years in Salt Lake City, it included his vocational preparation and his career in the world of journalism. More important, this inspiring book recounts his lifetime of Church service. Called as a bishop at the age of twenty-two, as a mission president at thirty-one, and as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve at age thirty-six, he has traveled the globe to minister to the Saints for more than fifty years. This book shares many of his personal experience, from his visits behind the Iron Curtain to his contributions on the Scriptures Publication Committee and in the missionary and welfare areas; it also provides up-to-the-minute information about his work as Church President.

Filled with wonderful photographs and little-known accounts, this biography is a portrait of a leader who ministers both to the one and to the many, and who is completely dedicated to doing whatever the Lord prompts him to do.

Since 7/22/15

 Amidst confusion over several versions of this mother's account of her son, Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, his 5th great grandson for the family foundation reaffirms this version developed in 1996 by Scot & Maurine Proctor, "who restored Lucy's language and feeling through verification with the original notebook."

Since 7/22/15

 1925. Brigham Young, second President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, and first Governor of Utah, was the founder and chief builder of the Great Intermountain West of the United States of America. He is recognized as one of the foremost colonizers and empire builders of all time. In this book Young is allowed to speak for himself. Excerpts have been made from his many discourses, and these have been arranged to show the coherent system of faith which he continuously taught his people and by which he was enabled to win success for his followers. Partial Contents: The Godhead; The Communication Between God and Man; Pre-existence, the Plan of Salvation; Free Agency; The Power of Evil; The Law of Eternal Progression; The Destiny of Man; Dispensations of the Gospel; The Last Days; The Scriptures; The Priesthood; The First Principles of the Gospel; The Word of Wisdom; The Family; Some Womanly Duties; Obedience; Gratitude, Humility, Devotion, Liberality, Honesty; Happiness and Social Enjoyments; Education; Self Control; Our Fellow-Men; Unity and Cooperation; Thrift and Industry; Wealth; Missionary Work; Visions, Mysteries and Miracles; Trials and Persecution; Political Government; Death and Resurrection; The Spirit World; Eternal Judgment; Salvation; Temples and Salvation for the Dead; Man's Search for Truth and Salvation; Testimony of the Truth; The Church and Kingdom of God on Earth; Some Effects of the Gospel; Joseph Smith the Prophet; and The Settlement in the West. 

Since 8/1/15

When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?

Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to be the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil.

I do plan on getting these read within the next couple of years. I will keep you updated on my progress.

Until next time keep reading.

Books Beside My Chair #4

 This is the week of January 20th through January 26th. I read six books totaling 2,249. This brings my total books read for 2020 to 18 books. This is the first book I finished for the week and my favorite. I gave it 5 stars. It is a sci-fi book and was really good. It is about a girl who is being raised by her Dad because her mom went on mission just after she was born and will never return. It is found in the young adult section.

 This book I already told you about. I read it for the 1,000 pages readathon. I gave it 4 stars. It was really good but I did like her other book better. That book is called The Hating Game. I also read this for the romanceopoly game.

 I also read this for the 1,000 pages readathon. I ended up really enjoying this book. I got to read it for free using my Amazon Prime. Now I have to wait to read the sequel because I can only read one book a month in this program. I like that it has a Native American as the main character and tlks about the environment.

 This book was ok. I gave it 3 stars. It is the last book in the Red Queen series. It is a Young Adult Fantasy.

 This book took me no longer to read than planned. Nothing wrong with book because I did enjoy it and gave it 4 stars. It just got put to the side for other books. This is a detective mystery story. I will have a review up later this week. I received this book through Net Galley for a honest review.

I just love Katie O'Neill's graphic Novels. She does it again with this one. I do have to admit I do like the first one better but I still gave this one 4 stars. I read this book for the 1,000 page readathon. The art style is great and beautiful.

That is what I read last week and I really had a great time with all that I read and until next time keep reading.

Birthday Book Haul

January is my birthday month. For my birthday Mike let me go to the book store.  These are the books I bought except for one which my parents sent to me. I will do that one first.

The World Of Laura Ingalls Wilder By: Marta McDowell For those of you who know me you know that Laura Ingalls Wilder is my all time favorite books and author. I grew up reading her books every year and watching the TV series over and over again. I have been collecting books by her or about her. This also includes her family. I have been to her house in Missouri twice and the one in Kansas once. I still have several more to visit and be sure I will get to those one day. This book has beautiful pictures and I can't wait to read it. Thank you Mom and Dad

Now onto the books that I bought at Barnes and Noble. I happen to be lucky and most of the books were marked down to 50% off as you can see in the picture. I will be giving you the details from the book it self since I haven't read them.

Eggs in a Casket By: Laura Childs is a cozy mystery that I enjoy reading and this is a series I have been reading for awhile and can't wait to continue on. Petra, Suzanne, and Toni may have lost their husbands, but they've found new life operating the Cackleberry Club café. It's where the locals head for an amazing breakfast, the good company of friends, and a puzzling mystery or two...THIS KILLER IS TOAST. Suzanne and Toni are off to Memorial Cemetery to help prepare for its 150th anniversary celebration. The ladies expect to find the Historical Society's tent, but instead they discover the body of ex-prison warden Lester Drummond lying facedown in a freshly dug grave. Now, with the town peppered with suspects and the local authorities in over their heads, it's up to the Cackleberry Club to unscramble the clues and sniff out a bad egg.

Forest of Shadows By: Kamilla Benko This is a middle grade novel about Frozen 2.

Anna of Arendelle wants nothing more than to be helpful to her older sister Elsa. But as far as Anna can see, ever since Elsa's coronation, her sister has been doing just fine without her. And now, Elsa will be setting sail for a grand tour of the world-leaving Anna behind. But after a mysterious sickness strikes Arendelle, Elsa's tour is delayed, giving Anna the perfect opportunity to finally help. When Anna discovers a secret room in the castle and incants a magic spell, she hopes it will make her dream of curing the sickness come true. Instead a more sinister dream comes to life: Anna's childhood nightmare of a giant fearsome wolf. Joined by her sister, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven, Anna must venture into the unknown to stop the nightmare wolf before it destroys everything she holds dear. Anna's quest to save the kingdom will lead her to myths and wonders beyond compare and require bravery, honesty, and, above all else, love.

The Bromance Book Club By: Lyssa Kay Adams I have heard a lot of good things about this book and want to give it a read. Nashville Legends' second baseman Gavin Scott's marriage is in major-league trouble. He's recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife, Thea, has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it's the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he's let his pride and fear get the better of him. WELCOME TO THE BROMANCE BOOK CLUB. Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source3: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville's top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency novel titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it'll take a lot more then flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

Legacy And The Queen By: Annie Matthew This is another middle grade book. Tennis means everything in the Republic of Nova. Too poor to afford formal training, twelve-year-old Legacy practices serves and returns against the wall of her father's orphanage to pass the time. But all that is about to change. Silla "the Queen," announces her annual tournament where citizens battle for her favor and a cash prize big enough to save Legacy's family's orphanage-and Legacy has her heart set on winning both. In Nova, tennis can unlock inner magic, and with the orphanage at stake, Legacy will need to channel hers to rise above the competition and shine.

A Heart So Fierce And Broken By: Brigid Kemmerer This is the second book in a series. Find the Heir. Win the Crown. The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall face darker trouble still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Princess Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers. Win the Crown. Save the Kingdom. Grey knows the heir's true identity but has vowed to keep it a secret. On the run since he destroyed the evil enchantress Lilith, he has no desire to challenge Rhen-until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother's violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall? 

Lethal White By: Robert Galbraith Fourth book in series. "I seen a kid killed...He strangled it, up by the horse." When Billy, a troubled young man, comes to private eye Cormoran Strike's office to ask for his help investigating a crime he thinks he witnessed as a child, Strike is left deeply unsettled. While Billy is obviously mentally  distressed, and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story. But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts from his office in a panic. Trying to get to the bottom of Billy's story, Strike and Robin Ellacott-once his assistant, now a partner in the agency-set off on a twisting trail that leads them through the backstreets of London, into a secretive inner sanctum within Parliament, and to a beautiful but sinister manor house deep in the countryside. And during this labyrinthine investigation, Strike's own life is far from straightforward: his newfound fame as a private eye means he can no longer operate behind the scenes as he once did. Plus, his relationship with his former assistant is more fraught than it ever has been-Robin is now invaluable to Strike in the business, but their personal relationship is much, much, trickier than that.

I am hoping to get to all of these books this year but probably not since I have a huge collection of books that need to be read.

Until next time keep reading.

The Thousand Pages Readathon TBR

 I have decided to join this readathon because I usually can read a thousand pages in a week. This readathon is actually two weeks long. It goes from January 20th to February 2nd. I will probably finish all my pages this week. The challenges are really simple even for there being 7 of them. Here are the challenges. 1. Post your TBR 2. Start a book. 3. Read 500 pages. 4. Complete a reading sprint ( this one I probably won't get done). 5. Post a picture of your reading space. ( This is going to be done when I post this because my reading area is this blogs header). 6. Finish a book. 7. Read 1,000 pages. See what I mean really simple. I will be cheating a little with two graphic novels. This will break up my 2 books that are over 300 pages. My total page count will be 1041 pages when thy are all read. Now onto the books. 99 Percent Mine By: Sally Thorne is about Darcy Barrett and Tom Valeska. Here is what the back of the book says. Darcy Barrett has undertaken a global survey of men. She's traveled the world and can categorically say that no one measures up to Tom Valeska, whose only flaw is that Jamie, Darcy's twin brother, saw him first and claimed him forever as his best friend. Despite Darcy's best efforts, Tom's off limits and loyal to brother, 99 percent. That's the problem with finding her dream man at age eight and peaking in her photography career at age twenty-eve since, she's had to learn to settle for good enough. Mera tidebreaker By: Danielle Paige This origin story for Mera and Aquaman that explores Mera's first steps on land, as well as her first steps as a hero or villain, forcing her to choose to follow her heart or her mission to kill. Ans astonishing story that explores duty, love, heroism, and freedom, all through the eyes of readers' favorite undersea royalty.  The Tea Dragon Festival By: Katie O'Neill. This is the second book in the Tea Dragon Society Series. This is a cute graphic novel and every one should read it. Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village, but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of inn's adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep...but Rinn's real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

This book is about Native American lady and a tycoon's son.
Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition. In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.
My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I'm determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and would do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.
And neither will I.
Yes this is another romance book and I am already reading it. It is good so far. I just want to finish all my romance books on my shelves.
That is my TBR for this readathon. Our going to join in, there is still time to do this.
Until next time keep reading.

Books Beside My Chair #3

 This was not a good reading week for me. I only read three books. Which brings my total to 12 books for 2020. Total of 707 pages. It was hard to chose a favorite book for the week. This book above was a four star read so I will have to say this was my favorite for the week. This book is set in in nineteenth-century china, when wives and daughters were foot-bound and lived in almost total seclusion, the women in one remote Hunan county developed their own secret code for communication: nu shu ("women's writing"). Some girls were paired with laotongs, "old sames," in emotional matches that lasted through-out their lives. They painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their isolation to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. I did enjoy this book and learned a lot about their culture.

 I gave this book three stars. It was ok and if you enjoy sexy time reading you will enjoy this book. I am realizing that these types of books aren't for me. I still have a few on my kindle and on my shelves so I will read them but will stop buying these types of books. On the other hand I do enjoy a good romance but I don't need the details of their time in bed. I would call this book both a forbidden romance and insta love.

I gave this book three stars. I was being generous because I really didn't enjoy this book of short stories. My problem was I didn't get the majority of them. They just didn't make sense to me. This book had 6 graphic stories, 1 playscript and 10 short stories. Just because I didn't enjoy it doesn't mean it is a bad book it just wasn't for me.

Even though I have a busy week this week I am hoping to get more reading done than last week. Until next time keep reading.

January 2020 Boook of the Month Books

 As you know I am a member of the Book of the Month club. I love this subscription box because all you get is books and a book mark. With this link you can start your own subscription starting at $5. https://www.mybotm.com/0cxpwrpoiqlivn29?show_box=true.

 January's box was a good one for me because this month I was able to get four books and only had to pay for two. My monthly fee is $14.99 which pays for one book this includes shipping. The extra books are $9.99 each and you can choose two more. Because I am a BFF I was able to get one of the finalist books for free and my birthday is January so I was able to get another book for free. To become a BFF you have to be a member for at a year.

 This is what the books look like when you take them out of the box. The bottom two books are the ones I received for free. Now onto the books.

Things In Jars By: Jess Kidd
Victorian London come to life in this spellbinding mystery as an intrepid female sleuth wades through a murky world of collectors and criminals to recover a remarkable child.
Bridie Devine-flame-haired, pipe-smoking detective extraordinaire-is confronted with her most baffling puzzle yet: the kidnapping of Christabel Berwick, secret daughter of Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick, a peculiar child whose reputed powers have captured the unwanted attention of collectors in this age of discovery.
Winding her way through the sooty streets of Victorian London, Bridie won't rest until she finds the young girl, even if it means unearthing secrets about her own past that she'd rather keep buried. Luckily, her search is aided by an enchanting cast of characters, including a seven-foot-tall housemaid; a melancholic, tattoo-covered ghost; and an avuncular apothecary. But secrets abound in this foggy underworld where nothing is quite what it seems.
Blending darkness and light, Things in Jars is a mesmerizing novel that collapses the boundary between fact and fairy tale to stunning effect and explores what it means to be human in inhumane times.
The Sun Down Motel By: Simone St. James
Upstate New York, 1982. Viv Delaney wants to move to New York City, and to help pay for it she takes a job as the night clerk at the Sun D Motel in Fell, New York. But something isn't right at the motel, something haunting and scary.
Upstate New York, 2017. Carly Kirk has never been able to let go of the story of her aunt Viv, who mysteriously disappeared from the Sun Down before she was born. Carly decides to move to Fell and visit the motel, where she quickly learns that nothing has changed since 1982. And she soon finds herself ensnared in the same mysteries that claimed her aunt.
A Woman is no Man By: Etaf Rum (This is a finalist for book of the year and I received for free)
"Where I come from, we keep these stories to ourselves.  To tell them to the outside world is unheard of, dangerous, the ultimate shame."
Palestine, 1990 Seventeen-year-old Isra prefers reading books to entertaining the suitors her father has chosen for her. Her desires are irrelevant, however-over the course of a week, the naïve and dreamy girl finds herself betrothed, then married, and soon living in Brooklyn. There Isra struggles to adapt to the expectations of her oppressive mother-in-law, Fareeda, and her strange new husband, Adam: a pressure that intensifies as she begins to have children-four daughters instead of the sons Isra is expected to bear.
Brooklyn, 2008. At her grandmother's insistence, eighteen-year-old Deya must meet with potential husbands and prepare herself for marriage, though her only desire is to go to college. Her grandmother is firm on the matter, however: the only way to secure a worthy future for Deya is through marriage to the right man. But fate has a will of its own, and soon Deya will find herself on an unexpected path that leads her to shocking truths that will force her to question everything she thought she knew about her family, the past, and her own future.
Set in an America at once foreign to many and staggeringly close ate hand, A Woman Is No Man is a story of culture and honor, secrets and betrayals, love and violence. It is an intimate glimpse into a controlling and closed cultural world, and a universal tale about family and the ways silence and shame can destroy those we have sworn to protect.
The Guinevere Deception By: Kiersten White (I received this book free because it is my birth month)
Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom's borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution: send in Guinevere to be Arthur's wife...and his protector from those who want to see the young king's idyllic city fail.
The catch? Guinevere's real name-and her true identity-is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.
To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old-including Arthur's own family-demand that things continue as they have been, and the new-those drawn by the dream of Camelot-fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur's knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.
Deadly jousts, duplicitous knights, and forbidden romances are nothing compared to the greatest threat of all: the girl with the long, knotted black hair, riding on horseback through the dark woods toward Arthur. Because when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself?
The first book in the Camelot Rising Trilogy

I felt it would be better to copy what the books said about themselves than me trying to describe them to you. As you can see I am intrigued to read these books. I have always liked mysteries and two of them are so I am hoping to get them next month for thrillerathon.
I hope you give this club a try. You  will be very pleased and you can skip a month if you don't see anything you like.

Until next time keep reading.

Serpent and Dove Review

Serpent and Dove By: Shelby Mahurin
Young Adult Fantasy

When I first heard about this book I wasn't sure this book would be for me. Boy was I wrong. I have been reading fantasy lately and enjoying them. I really enjoyed reading this book. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down especially near the end. This is the first book in a series
I was a little afraid at the beginning because it seemed a little slow but it picked up for me in the third chapter. Oh that is the one thing that bothered me is that the chapters aren't number but they do tell you who is talking. That really helped knowing who was speaking because there are a lot of characters and that would have been annoying.
This book is an enemy to lover fantasy story. Lou is a witch and Reid is Chasseur of a church who hunts witches. To Reid a good witch is a died witch. Reid doesn't know that Lou is a witch.
Reid thinks that Lou trick him into marrying her by causing an inappropriate scene in public and in order to save face with the people and the church he marries her. Lou marry's Reid because it is the safest place for her. Reid is stiff and Lou is fun.
You find out about Lou's pass and why she is need of a safe place. She is also afraid of being found out that she is witch. Lou has many friends that help her along the way and one not so friend who runs to save himself instead of staying. She needs to practice her magic to also protect herself but where can she do this without being found out.
Reid takes his vows to heart but his heart really belongs to someone else.
The two do try to get to know each other and make a go at this union.
They have a lot going against them.
What will happen to Lou when Reid finds out that she is witch?
Why is Reid the way he is?
Why does Lou need to hide?
Who are truly Lou's friends?
It is so hard to review because there is a lot happening and I don't want to spoil you for the book.
I had a blast reading this book and can't wait for the next one. You must read this book to found out the answers.