D

Daiko, Siobhan - The Flame Tree

Daiko, Siobhan - The Girl from Lake Maggiore

Daiko, Siobhan - The Girl from Sicily

Daiko, Siobhan - The Girl from Venice

Daiko, Siobhan - The Tuscan Orphan

Darke, Minnie - The Lost Love Song

Darke, Minnie - Three Juliets
Davidson, Mary Janice - Sleeping with the Fishes

Davies, Emma - The Midnight Bakery

Davies, Emma - One December Morning
Davies, Katie Quinn - What Katie Ate: Recipes and other bits and bobs
Davis, Lindsey - The Silver Pigs
Davis, Robin - Wookiee Cookies and Other Galactic Recipes (The Star Wars Cookbook)
Day, Lyvia - A Trifle Dead
Day, Sylvia - Bared to You
Day, Sylvia - Reflected in You
Dean, Debra - The Madonnas of Leningrad
Dean, Debra - The Mirrored World

Deveraux, Kat - Daughter of Genoa

Deveraux, Kat - Escape to Tuscany
de Lint, Charles - Moonlight and Vines
de Lint, Charles - The Onion Girl
de los Santos, Marisa - Falling Together
de Pierres, Marianne - Carmine Island stories from Glitter Rose (short stories)
DeNosky, Kathie - Engagement Between Enemies
DeNosky, Kathie - Reunion of Revenge

Dettman, Jessica - Your Friend and Mine

Deveraux, Kat - Escape to Tuscany
Diamant, Anita - The Red Tent
Dickason, Christie - The Firemaster's Mistress
Diener, Michelle - Banquet of Lies
Diener, Michelle - Daughter of the Sky
Diener, Michelle - The Emperor's Conspiracy
Dobbs, Michael - Churchill's Triumph
Dobbs, Michael - Never Surrender
Doh, Ahn - The Happiest Refuge: A Memoir

Dojny, Brooke - Chowderland
Donati, Sara (Lippi, - Rosina) - Queen of Swords
Donati, Sara (Lippi, Rosina) - Tied to the Tracks
Donnelly, Jennifer - The Wild Rose
Donnelly, Jennifer - The Winter Rose
Donoghue, Emma - Slammerkin
Donohue, Meg - How to Eat a Cupcake
Downer, Lesley - The Last Concubine
Drabble, Margaret - The Red Queen
Drayson, Nicholas - A Guide to the Birds of East Africa
Dreyer, Eileen and Stuart, Anne and Crusie, Jennifer - The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes

Drinkwater, Carol - One Summer in Provence

D'Silva, Renita - The Secret Keeper
Duksta, Laura - I Love You More
du Maurier, Daphne - Frenchman's Creek
Dunant, Sara - In the Company of the Courtesan
Dunmore, Helen - The Siege
Dweck, Nicole - The Debt of Tamar 

H

Halter, Marek - Lilah
Halter, Marek - Sarah
Halter, Marek - Zipporah
Hamid, Mohsin - How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia
Hamid, Mohsin - The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Hamilton-Paterson, James - Cooking with Fernet Branca

Hampson, Amanda - The Cryptic Clue

Hampson, Amanda - The Deadly Dispute

Hampson, Amanda - The Tea Ladies

Hannah, Kristin - The Women

Harada, Hika - Dinner at the Night Library
Hardy, Marieke and McGuire, Michaela - Six Women of Letters
Harkness, Deborah - A Discovery of Witches
Harper, Karen - The Poyson Garden
Harper, Karen - The Tidal Poole
Harper, Karen - The Twylight Tower
Harris, Charlaine - All Together Dead
Harris, Charlaine- Club Dead
Harris, Charlaine - Dead as a Doornail
Harris, Charlaine - Dead to the World
Harris, Charlaine- Dead Until Dark
Harris, Charlaine- Definitely Dead
Harris, Charlaine - Grave Sight
Harris, Charlaine - Grave Surprise
Harris, Charlaine - An Ice Cold Grave
Harris, Charlaine - Living Dead in Dallas
Harris, Jane - The Observations

Harris, Liz - The Woven Thread
Harris, Narrelle M - Showtime

Harris, Tessa - The Florence Sisters

Harrison, Chrissie - Wicket Maiden
Harrison, Kathryn - Enchantments
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - The Black Pearl
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - The Dark Rose
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - The Founding
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - The Oak Apple
Harrod-Eagles, Cynthia - The Princeling
Hart, Rhiannon - Blood Song

Harvey, Gillian - One French Summer

Harvey, Gillian - A Month in Provence

Harvey, Gillian - A Year at the French Farmhouse

Harvey, Gillian - The Bordeaux Book Club

Harvey, Gillian - The French Chateau Escape

Harvey, Gillian - Riviera House Swap

Harvey, Gillian - The Little Provence Book Shop

Harvey, Gillian - Midnight in Paris

Harvey, Gillian - The Village Cafe in the Loire

Hawkins, Danielle - Chocolate Cake for Breakfast
Heath, John and Adams, Lisa - Why We Read What We Read

Heath, Sue - The Secret Ingredient

Heath, Sue - The Storytellers

Heiss, Anita - Bila Yarradhanggalangdhuray
Henley, Virginia - The Dragon and the Jewel

Henn, Carsten - The Door-to-Door Bookstore
Heyer, Georgette - An Infamous Army
Heyer, Georgette - Devil's Cub
Heyer, Georgette - Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle
Heyer, Georgette - These Old Shades
Heyer, Georgette - Venetia
Heyer, Georgette - Why Shoot a Butler?
Higginbotham, Susan - Hugh and Bess
Higgins, Kristin - Until There Was You
Hill, Loretta - The Girl in the Hard Hat
Hislop, Victoria - The Thread

Hodgson, Anthea - The Palace of Lost Virtue
Hodge, Jane Aiken - The Private World of Georgette Heyer
Hollick, Helen - The Kingmaking
Hollick, Helen - Pendragon's Banner
Hollick, Helen - Sea Witch
Hollick, Helen - Shadow of the King
Holt, Victoria - My Enemy the Queen
Hosseini, Khaled - A Thousand Splendid Suns
House, Silas - A Parchment of Leaves

Houston, Julie - The Way We Are Now
Howard, Linda - Mr Perfect
Hoyt, Elizabeth - The Leopard Prince
Hoyt, Elizabeth - The Raven Prince
Hoyt, Elizabeth - Thief of Shadows
Hughes, Charlotte and Evanovich, Janet - Full Bloom
Hughes, Charlotte and Evanovich, Janet - Full Scoop
Hugo, Victor - Les Miserables

Hull, Suzie - Far Across the Ocean
Humble, Nicola - Cake: A Global History
Humphreys, Helen - The Frozen Thames
Hunter, Kelly - Wish: A Novella
Hunter, Madeline - Lessons of Desire
Hunter, Madeline- The Rules of Seduction

F

Faulks, Sebastian - Human Traces

Fawcett, Heather - Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

Fay, Kim - Kate and Frida

Fay, Kim - Love and Saffron
Fforde, Jasper - The Fourth Bear
Feildel, Manu - Manu's French Bistro
Fitzgerald, F Scott - The Great Gatsby
Flagg, Fanny - A Redbird Christmas
Flinn, Kathleen - The Kitchen Counter Cooking School
Florand, Laura - The Chocolate Thief
Florand, Laura - The Chocolate Kiss
Fluke, Joanne - Cherry Cheesecake Murder
Fluke, Joanne - Peach Cobbler Murder
Fluke, Joanne - Sugar Cookie Murder
Foer, Jonathan Safran - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Foley, Gaelen - The Duke
Foley, Gaelen - His Wicked Kiss
Foley, Gaelen - Lady of Desire
Foley, Gaelen - Lord of Fire
Foley, Gaelen - Lord of Ice
Foley, Gaelen - The Pirate Prince
Foley, Gaelen - Prince Charming
Foley, Gaelen - Princess
Ford, Jamie - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Ford, Jamie - Songs of Willow Frost
Forman, Gayle - Just One Year
Forsyth, Kate - Bitter Greens
Franklin, Ariana - Mistress of the Art of Death
Franklin, Ariana - A Murderous Procession
Franklin, Ariana - The Serpent's Tale
Frazier, Charles - Thirteen Moons

Freeman, Kathryn - Booked for Summer
Freeman, Kimberley - Lighthouse Bay

Frost, Kate - A Love Like No Other

Frost, Kate - An Island in the Sun

Frost, Kate - An Island Promise

Frost, Kate - The Island of Hope and Dreams
Funder, Anna - All That I Am: A Novel
Furnivall, Kate - Under a Blood Red Sky

I

Ibbotson, Eva - A Countess Below Stairs
Iggulden, Conn - Bones of the Hills
Iggulden, Conn - Lord of the Bows
Iggulden, Conn - Wolf of the Plains
Isle, Sue - The Nightsiders
Iweala, Uzodinma - Beasts of No Nation

C

Caine, Rachel - Chill Factor
Caine, Rachel - Heat Stroke
Caine, Rachel - Ill Wind
Caldwell, Megan - Vanity Fare

Callen, Alissa - Snowy Mountain Daughter

Cambridge, Colleen - Mastering the Art of French Murder 
Camorra, Frank and Cornish, Richard - MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures

Canne, Elora - Love & Laughter (and Other Disasters) 
Capella, Anthony - The Empress of Ice Cream
Capella, Anthony - The Food of Love 
Capella, Anthony - The Various Flavours of Coffee 

Caplin, Julie - A Little Place in Prague

Caplin, Julie - A Villa With A View

Caplin, Julie - Christmas on Fifth Avenue

Caplin, Julie - The French Chateau Dream

Caplin, Julie - The Hotel by the Sea

Carey, Ella - A New York Secret

Carey, Ella - The Girl from Paris

Carey, Ella - The House on the Lake
Carey, Ella - Paris Time Capsule
Carey, Peter - Jack Maggs
Carlyle, Liz - Three Little Secrets
Carlyle, Liz - Two Little Lies

Carnavale, Vanessa - Her Tuscan Summer
Carr, Carol K - India Black 
Carr, Robyn - Deep in the Valley
Carr, Robyn - The Virgin River series(books 1-15)
Carr, Robyn - The Virgin River series (books 16-20)
Carroll, Susan - The Bride Finder
Carroll, Susan - The Courtesan
Carroll, Susan - The Dark Queen
Carroll, Susan - The Silver Rose
Chadwick, Elizabeth - A Place Beyond Courage
Chadwick, Elizabeth - The Greatest Knight - William Marshal - a Novel of a Legendary Man
Chadwick, Elizabeth - The Scarlet Lion
Chadwick, Elizabeth - The Time of Singing
Chadwick, Elizabeth - The Wild Hunt
Chadwick, Elizabeth - To Defy A King
Chase, Loretta - Lord of Scoundrels
Chase, Loretta - Miss Wonderful
Chevalier, Tracy - Burning Bright
Chevalier, Tracy - Falling Angels
Chiaverini, Jennifer - Circle of Quilters
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Christmas Quilt
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Cross Country Quilters
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Master Quilters
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Quilter's Apprentice
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Quilter's Homecoming
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Quilter's Legacy
Chiaverini, Jennifer - Round Robin
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Runaway Quilt
Chiaverini, Jennifer - The Sugar Camp Quilt
Child, Maureen - The Last Reilly Standing

Choi, Susan - Flashlight

Christensen, Maggie - A Christmas Surprise in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - A Family for Christmas in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - A Mother's Story

Christensen, Maggie - A New Dawn in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Starting Over in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - Summer in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - Celebrations in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - Charlie's Last Angel

Christensen, Maggie - Christmas in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - Finding Forever in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Finding Refuge in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - Happy Ever After in Bellbird Bay

Christensen, Maggie - The Restaurant in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Safe Harbour in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Secrets in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Waves of Change in Pelican Crossing

Christensen, Maggie - Something in the Air in Pelican Crossing

Claire, Hannah - The Book Lover's Bucket List
Clare, Pamela - Sweet Release

Cleary, Madeleine - The Butterfly Women

Colgan, Jenny - The Christmas Book Hunt
Colgan, Jenny - The Summer Seaside Kitchen
Colgan, Jenny - The Endless Beach
Colgan, Jenny - Welcome to Rosie Hopkin's Sweet Shop of Dreams
Collins, Kate - Dearly Depotted
Collins, Kate - Slay it with Flowers
Conte, Steven- The Tolstoy Estate
Cook, Thomas H. - Red Leaves
Cooper, Michelle - A Brief History of Montmaray

Cornick, Nicola - The Secrets of the Rose
Cornish, Richard and Camorra, Frank - MoVida: Spanish Culinary Adventures

Cornwall, Victoria - The Wartime Affair
Courtenay, Bryce - Sylvia
Courtenay, Bryce - The Persimmon Tree
Crick, Mark - Kafka's Soup
Cronin, Justin - The Passage
Cross, Donna Woolfolk - Pope Joan
Cross, Kady - The Girl in the Steel Corset
Crusie, Jennifer - Charlie All Night
Crusie, Jennifer - Crazy for You
Crusie, Jennifer - Getting Rid of Bradley
Crusie, Jennifer - Manhunting
Crusie, Jennifer - Sizzle
Crusie, Jennifer - Strange Bedpersons
Crusie, Jennifer - Trust Me on This
Crusie, Jennifer - Welcome to Temptation
Crusie, Jennifer - What the Lady Wants
Crusie, Jennifer and Dreyer, Eileen and Stuart, Anne - The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes
Crusie, Jennifer and Mayer, Bob - Don't Look Down

Curham, Siobhan - An American in Paris

Curham, Siobhan - The Lost Story of Sofia Castello

Curham, Siobhan - The Resistance Bakery

B

Backman, Fredrik - Beartown

Baggot, Mandy - A Greek Island Gift

Baggot, Mandy - In the Greek Midwinter

Baggot, Mandy - Meet Me Under the Northern Lights

Baggot, Mandy - One Greek Summer Wedding

Baggot, Mandy - One Winter at the French Chalet

Baggot, Mandy - Summer Ever After

Baggot, Mandy - Under a Greek Sun

Baker, Jeanette - Legacy
Baker, Kevin - Dreamland
Baker Kline, Christina - The Exiles
Balogh, Mary - A Chance Encounter
Balogh, Mary - More Than a Mistress
Balogh, Mary - No Man's Mistress
Balogh, Mary - The Secret Pearl
Balogh, Mary - Simply Love
Balogh, Mary - Simply Magic
Balogh, Mary - Simply Perfect
Banks, Leanne and Evanovich, Janet- Hot Stuff

Bansal, Shivani - Lilac Skies
Banville, John - The Sea

Barker, Sandy - A Wedding in Tuscany

Barker, Sandy -  Match Me If You Can

Barker, Sandy - The One That I Want

Barker, Sandy - Someone Like You
Barnes, Margaret Campbell - Brief Gaudy Hour
Barnes, Margaret Campbell - My Lady of Cleves
Barnes, Margaret Campbell - The Passionate Brood
Barnes, Margaret Campbell - Within the Hollow Crown
Bates, H E - Darling Buds of May
Battle, Lois - The Florabama Ladies' Auxiliary &; Sewing Circle
Bauermeister, Erica - The Lost Art of Mixing
Bauermeister, Erica -The School of Essential Ingredients
Baxter, John - An Immovable Feast: A Paris Christmas

Baynham, Jan - The Stolen Sister

Beaumont, Sophie - A Secret Garden in Paris

Beaumont, Sophie - The Paris Cooking School

Beauvais, Clementine - Piglettes
Bennett, Alan - The Uncommon Reader
Bilyeau, Nancy - The Chalice
Bilyeau, Nancy - The Crown
Bishop, Anne - Belladonna
Bishop, Anne - Daughter of the Blood
Bishop, Anne - Dreams Made Flesh
Bishop, Anne - Heir to the Shadows
Bishop, Anne - House of Gaian
Bishop, Anne - The Invisible Ring
Bishop, Anne - Pillars of the World
Bishop, Anne - Queen of the Darkness
Bishop, Anne - Sebastian
Bishop, Anne - Shadows and Light
Blake, Sarah - The Postmistress

Blanchard, Tania - Letters from Berlin
Blevins, Christine - The Tory WidowF
Blevins, Christine - The Turning of Anne Merrick
Blixt, David - Master of Verona

Bohnet, Jennifer - A French Adventure

Bohnet, Jennifer - A French Country Escape

Bohnet, Jennifer - A French Inheritance\

Bohnet, Jennifer - New Chapters on the French Riviera

Bohnet, Jennifer - Secrets Beneath a Riviera Sky
Boyne, John - The Boy in Striped Pyjamas
Bracks, Kate - The Sweet Life
Bradley, Alan - The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Bradley, Celeste - One Night With a Spy
Bradley, Celeste - Seducing the Spy
Brashares, Ann - Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood
Brashares, Ann - The Second Summer of the Sisterhood
Brashares, Ann - Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood
Brashares, Ann - The Last Summer (of You and Me)
Bray, Libba - A Great and Terrible Beauty
Bray, Libba - Rebel Angels
Brockmole, Jessica - Letters from Skye
Brockway, Connie - My Pleasure - Rose Hunters Book 2
Brockway, Connie - My Seduction - Rose Hunters Book 1
Brockway, Connie - My Surrender - Rose Hunters Book 3

Brooks, Karen - The Whisky Widow
Brown, Dan - Digital Fortress
Brown, Laurie - Hundreds of Years to Reform a Rake

Brownlee, Victoria - Eat Your Heart Out

Buchanan, Susan - The Boulangerie on the Corner
Buckley, Fiona - A Pawn for a Queen
Buckley, Fiona - Queen of Ambition (An Ursula Blanchard Mystery at Queen Elizabeth I's Court)
Buckley, Fiona - The Fugitive Queen
Buckley, Fiona - The Siren Queen
Bujold, Lois McMaster - Falling Free
Bujold, Lois McMaster - Shards of Honor
Burrowes, Grace - Lady Maggie's Secret Scandal
Burrowes, Grace - Lady Sophie's Christmas Wish
Burrows, Deborah - A Stranger in my Street
Burrows, Deborah - Taking a Chance

Burton, Rachel - The House at River's Edge

Burton, Rachel - The Strawberry House
Bush, Holly - Reconstructing Jackson
Butcher, Jim - Storm Front

Y

Yeldham, Peter - Barbed Wire and Roses
Yolen, Jane - Briar Rose
Young, Helene - Half Moon Bay
Young, Michele Ann - No Regrets

Yuzuki, Asako - Butter

Z

Zauner, Michelle - Crying in H Mart

Zhang, C Pam - A Land of Milk and Honey

Zusak, Markus - The Book Thief
Zuvich, Andrea - His Last Mistress

X

Those gremlins!

Kristie posted recently about the gremlins that she has at her house that steal her books! I too have some gremlins around here. In my case they have run away with one of the books I borrowed from the library and today was the day that it was declared lost. So at this point I now owe the library money for a book that I am sure that I have returned - in effect paying to own a book I don't have!!

When you put this on top of the fact that I have just had to spend $1000 on my car today, it's not been a great day!

I was working from home the last two days for the first time. The plan is that this will become a more regular eventuality. I will however need to learn to stop getting distracted! Did however find some great emoticons to use in IM conversations. Never know when they will come in handy!

I still have a huge list of books out from the library even though I returned 8 items today...I borrowed another 6!

Duchess in Love by Eloisa James

The first in the Duchess series of books by Eloisa James.

A Duke in Retreat

Gina was forced into marriage with the Duke of Girton at an age when she'd have been better off in a schoolroom than a ballroom. Directly after the ceremony her handsome spouse promptly fled to the continent, leaving the marriage unconsummated and Gina quite indignant.

A Lady In the Middle

Now, she is one of the most well-known ladies in London... living on the edge of scandal -- desired by many men, but resisting giving herself to any one.

A Duchess in Love

Finally, Camden, the Duke of Girton, has returned home, to discover that his naïve bride has blossomed into the toast of the ton. Which leaves Cam in the most uncomfortable position of discovering that he has the bad manners to be falling in love -- with his own wife!

This book was almost a comedy caper. Gina is married to Cam who has in the past had several mistresses, but she is engaged to Sebastian who may or may not be interested in one of her friends who is married to a man who has a mistress. Passions become ignited as four of our main protaganists find themselves casts in the key roles in Much Ado About Nothing forcing them to spend time together.

Gina and her friends Esme, Carola and Helene are all married ladies, but theirs are no happy marriages. Esme's husband has a long standing mistress that all of the ton knows about, and Esme courts scandal by taking the occasional lover, although she does allow the ton to think that there are more than they are. At this time, Esme is often seen in the complany of a handsome but dim actor. Carola is estranged from her husband, having fled from him after just one month of marriage. She does however realised that she still loves him and she wants to get him back, but she has no idea how to go about this.

As for Gina, she has been married to Camden, Duke of Girton since before she was 12 years old. He scampered out the window minutes after their marriage and they have not seen each other since. She is now engaged to the priggish Sebastian, Marquess of Bonnington, who insists on being VERY proper at all times but now that Cam is back could it be that she is developing feelings for him?

Whilst this book is a lot of fun, there are a couple of things that I wasn't 100% sure about. Right at the end it still seemed as though neither Cam or Gina were aware of what was going on, with it even seeming as though Gina ends up married to someone else at very late points in the book. It also seemed as though there were too many different stories being told in one book. Having said that, I can't wait to read Esme's book which comes in the third book in the series! Can't wait! Can't wait! The strange thing is that this is a four book series with the next book being Cam's cousins story, then Esme's story and then Helene's story. The reason why this is strange is that Helene's link in this book is a bit more tenuous than the others. Maybe it will get stronger in the next two books. It does seem from the author's website that the fourth book was almost an after thought so it will be interesting to see if this is obvious.

Lots of fun, in a house party situation that allows for lots of opportunities for sneaking around.

Rating 4/5

Master of Desire by Kinley MacGregor

Another series that I have been reading out of order, this is the first book in the MacAllister series by Kinley MacGregor, and comes before Claiming the Highlander in the series.

A Dream of Desire Awakened

Beautiful Lady Emily dreams of the rapture of love and the joys of marriage. The youngest daughter of an English lord at war, she is shaken by the arrival of a mysterious stranger to her father's castle. Could this breathtaking man be Emily's yearned-for lover? Indeed, Draven de Montague, Earl of Ravenswood, has come for Emily...but romance has nothing to do with it. In the Tender Embrace of an Enemy

Draven would never have entered the home of his most hated adversary had not the King himself ordered him to take in his foe's daughter for a year to forge bonds of peace between their two feuding houses. Worse still, here is a lass whose exquisite
loveliness could tempt Draven to betray his sworn vow never to let anther close to his heart. Emily knows the searing heat of her passion could burn down the defenses of this proud warrior. But will the surrender of the sweet nectar of his lips and his bold, sensuous caress ignite a blaze so hot it consumes them both?

When Henry orders that Draven must become the guardian of his enemies daughter there is only one proviso - at the end of the year Lady Emily must be in the same virgin state as she was at the beginning of the twelve months - which would be fine except Lady Emily has her own agenda and it's not necessarily the same as the King's.

Emily sees this as a chance for her to escape. Her father is no ogre, but since her mother and sister's died her father has basically smothered her with kindness, not allowing her any freedom, and most certainly not encouraging any young men to call on her.

Draven, on the other hand, had a terrible background that is gradually revealed through the book. His mother was murdered in front of him, his father was an extremely brutal man as well as a man who goes back on his promises. Because Emily's father sees him as being his father's son Emily's father will not accept Draven as an honourable man, especially as there is evidence to say that Draven has broken his word to the King by attacking villages.

Will Emily and Draven get to be married and live happily ever after? Will Emily's father realise which of his new son-in-laws is the man of honour? Well of course he will, but the journey was quite enjoyable!

Draven's brother is Simon who is the best friend of Sin MacAllister in Born in Sin, and who features in his own story in the Where's My Hero anthology.

What I don't get is that this book is written by the same author who wrote A Pirate of her Own. It must be the Scottish setting as opposed to the pirate one that mean that I was able to immerse myself completely in this book, and to enjoy it so much! I had none of the issues with the writing that I had in the pirate book!

Rating 4/5

Kiss Me Annabel by Eloisa James

The second book in James's Four Sisters series after Much Ado About You!

The RULES OF MARRIAGE...according to Miss Annabel Essex

A husband must be:

RICH.

Make that very rich. She's had enough of leaky roofs and thread-worn clothing.

ENGLISH.

London is the center of the civilized world, and Annabel has a passion for silk and hot water.

AMIABLE.

Good-looking would be nice, but not necessary. Same for intelligent.

Isn't she lucky? She's found just the man! And her chosen spouse is nothing like the impoverished Scottish Earl of Ardmore, who has nothing but his gorgeous eyes, his brain -- and his kisses -- to recommend him.

So what cruel twist of fate put her in a carriage on her way to Scotland with just that impoverished earl and all the world thinking they're man and wife? Sleeping in the same bed? Not to mention the game of words started by the earl -- in which the prize is a kiss. And the forfeit...

Well. They are almost married, after all!

Annabel Essex has one thing on her mind....marriage, but not just any marriage. She has a list of prerequisites, including that he must be wealthy, English and amiable. For she is determined not to ever have to keep the account books any longer, not to have to figure out how to provide for her family. She wants silk, jewels and more money than she knows what to do with! She is also determined that she will not be returning to Scotland. It doesn't matter to her if there is no passion within her marriage. She will do her duty by providing an heir and then the ever practical Annabel will take her pleasure where she can find it. Annabel has decided who the lucky man is to be. Now it is just a case of getting him to ask the question, so when an impoverished Scottish Earl starts showing an interest in her, she is definitely not interested.

Her sister Imogen, however, all but throws herself at Ewan, despite the fact that he is not interested causing scandal, but when Imogen realises that she may be getting in deeper than she really wants to be, she takes her sister and her chaperone to his hotel to see Ewan to tell him that she is no longer interested. Whilst they are there they are caught up in a robbery, and when Annabel raises the alarm to get assistance she is seen in Ewan's hotel room and thus is compromised. Because Ewan is a gentleman he has no choice but to offer for Annabel's hand in marriage, but instead of getting married that day, he proposes that they let everyone think that they have married, and travel to Scotland where they will be married for real. Along the way they engage in fun word games where the rewards are kisses, until kisses are no longer enough. When their carriage breaks an axle and they find themselves in a tiny village where only two people live, Ewan thinks it will be possible to show Annabel that it is possible to be poor but still happy, things do not exactly go to plan. In fact, in the end it seems that Ewan is the one who struggles most with their situation. Meanwhile, Annabel's sisters are plotting how they can save her from this marriage that she cannot possible want, and when that plan includes kidnapping Garrett Mayne and forcing him to travel to Scotland with them, well, there's nothing wrong with that either.

Annabel does have her moments where she can be a little irritating, but overall she was a pretty strong character who knows what she wants, and when she gets more than she wants, can't believe her luck.

Ewan is a fantastic hero. Whilst he does have some secrets in his past, and he does hold himself somewhat aloof from people, he is not the typical tortured alpha hero who can only be redeemed by the love of Annabel. He is a man who takes care of his own responsibilities, and some that are not his responsibility as well. He is a man of honour, and integrity and I liked him a lot!

I really liked this book, a lot more than Much Ado About You. I think there are a couple of reasons that I liked it so much more, the first being that it was nowhere near as horse oriented as the first book was. Yes, the fact that Annabel's dowry is a horse was mentioned, and yes there were still references to horse racing but it seemed much more balanced within the story this time. The other reason I really liked this book is that, yes, they were compromised and therefore were on their way to Scotland in a carriage to be married, but there was no instant marriage and then getting to know each other here. Yes, Ewan had the special license ready to go, but instead we have a physical journey to Scotland, where they had put in close proximity to each other, and with a period of courting as they get to know each other and build their emotional connection further. I really enjoyed the kissing game that they played and the building of the sexual tension between Ewan and Annabel. It gave a level of innocence and intimacy between the two that developed throughout the book building beautifully to the conclusion of the book.

In the background we have the developing relationship between Annabel's sister Imogen and the worn out rake, Garrett Mayne which would appear to have been intended as building up to the next book in the series (Taming of the Duke). And yet, we know that whilst Imogen does feature in the next book, Garrett is not her hero. Knowing this now, I can see, however, how the groundwork was also being laid for the future relationship between Imogen and her future hero, Rafe, as well. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, the future holds for Garrett.

Can't wait to try and get hold of the third book in the series.

Rating 4.5/5

Then Came You by Lisa Kleypas

Normally I am quite pedantic about reading books in order, so it is quite unusual to be going backwards in a series. This book is the one that came before the much talked about Dreaming of You and where we start to get to know Derek Craven.

She thought her heart was safe, but

Then Came You

Reckless, wild, and beautiful, Lily Lawson delights in shocking proper London society -- and now she is determined to rescue her sister from an unwanted impending marriage to the notorious Alex, Lord Raiford, by fair means or foul. But while she succeeds outrageously, Alex is a master gamesman who is not to be undone.

Alex has lost one bride, yet he is enchanted by this remarkable lady who is willing to break any rule to flaunt her independence. When Lily offers him only scorn, he counters with kindness, and he parries her blistering barbs with gentle words and a soft, tender touch. The spirited miss will pay dearly for her interference -- with her body, her soul, and her stubborn, unyielding heart. But will Alex's own heart be the prize to be won in this sensuous game of love

When we first meet the scandalous Lily Lawson she is about to provide entertainment at a party, where there is a royal guest of honour, by throwing herself off a boat into the freezing, dirty waters of the Thames. Despite all her scandalous behaviour, she is beloved by many in the ton, particularly amongst the gentlemen, who would love to come to an arrangement with her. But for all the world knows, she belongs to Derek Craven, owner of THE place to be in London, Cravens, where she gambles with the best of them. But her relationship with Derek is purely platonic, and Lily games for a reason....to try and fund her search for someone who has held her heart all their life and who Lily would love to be reinstated.

Estranged from her family, Lily decides that she must not allow the wedding of her sister to Alex, Lord Raiford to go ahead as she knows that her sister is in love with another man, and despite the fact that she is willing to go ahead with the marriage to keep her family happy, Lily is determined to ensure that her sister will not be made miserable.

When Lily turns up uninvitedd to Lord Raiford's estate, she starts to cause havoc, and the dislike between Alex and Lily intensifies, until Alex begins to realise that Lily's behaviour is really a front for unhappiness for something that has happened in the past. When Lily takes matters regarding her sister's upcoming marriage into her own hands and causes Alex to be kept captive while her sister and her love elope, Alex is furious, but he is determined to best her.

When Alex wins a night with Lily as part of a bet, he starts to realise that it isn't dislike that he truly feels, rather a fascination that he can't seem to help himself with, yet still Lily does not confide him regarding the secret that causes her nightmares at night.

I liked both Alex and Lily. Lily is for once not a 20 year old virgin afraid that she is left on the shelf already. She is an independant woman, trying to get her life in order despite all the obstacles that are in the way. That does not mean that she is overly experienced when it comes to matters of love, but she is a woman who does not need a man to survive, but it Alex that she wants.

Alex is an honourable man, a very patient man who is prepared to wait until Lily can share the burdens of her heart with him. My only wish was that Lily had of been prepared to trust him earlier, but I guess that that would be nowhere near as entertaining!

Overall, another great read from Lisa Kleypas.

Rating 4/5

A Pirate of Her Own by Kinley MacGregor

The second book in the Sea Wolves series and the follow up to Master of Seduction, although it appears that they were published the opposite way around. I don't mind the odd pirate story...can anyone say 'Ahoy there me hearty?

Love on the High Seas

He is the Sea Wolf, a dreaded pirate who stops English navy ships and frees impressed American sailors. Few know Morgan Drake's name, and none guesses at his past. Except, that is, a nosy Savannah reporter named Serenity James. Determined to protect his secrets at any cost, Morgan sets sail for Savannah...and Serenity.

All her life, Serenity has longed for adventure. As a woman, though, she's lucky even to be tolerated in her father's newspaper office. Then she's kidnapped by the bold, sexy pirate whose story fired her imagination, and his embrace Serenity finds adventure beyond her wildest dreams.

SS James is quite an unusual woman. She is pretty independent, works in her father's newspaper, and has published a story about the legendary Sea Wolf. Her ideas about his background have come so close to the truth that Morgan believes that she has managed to life the veil of secrecy around his identity, thereby putting himself and his men in danger. As soon as she sees the Captain she is captivated by his good looks and his charms, but even they can become a bit wearing when you have been kidnapped by his accomplices and forced to spend time on a boat that is seemingly becoming smaller and smaller, with fewer places to hide from the person who you are really attracted to!

The camaraderie between Jake (the hero from Master of Seduction) and Morgan was a highlight of this book, which is a bit unfortunate considering that it is a romance between Serenity and Morgan, but a lot of the other relationships were too....convenient. For example, Serenity becomes instant best friends with a woman who tries to teach her about the art of seduction, even though she spends barely two days with.

This book had mildly amusing moments scattered throughout it, but most of the time it felt like a book of half developed ideas, or maybe it was poorly executed ideas....either way, it fell short of the mark for me. The writing was clunky, almost to the point where to me it felt as though every second sentence might have been taken out, leaving just a semblance of the passage. For example, the battle scene, lasted one page. Now I don't want to read pages and pages of dialogue describing a battle, but at least take us there to see what the characters are seeing, and feel what they are playing.

Both the scenes where Morgan and Serenity finally acted on their attractions, and the final scene were contrived and the final scene in particular felt rushed and unconvincing to me.

Rating 2.5/5

All caught up

Finally!! There are new reviews below and hopefully I will be able to keep caught up now! It won't hurt that I am reading a 900 page long book this week!

Library crazy

So this is what I have borrowed from one of the libraries I am a member of. You might note that a couple of these are not mine! See if you can pick which ones would be more likely to interest a 7 year old boy. He does have his own library card but he keeps on forgetting to take it with us when we go.

Attack of the prehistoric pokemon by Tracey West
City of dreams : a novel of nieuw Amsterdam and early Manhattan by Beverly Swerling
Duchess in love by Eloisa James
Glory in death by J.D. Robb
Household gods by Judith Tarr
In the company of the courtesan by Sarah Dunant
The last camel died at noon by Elizabeth Peters
Lion in the valley by Elizabeth Peters
Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles by Margaret George
Master of desire by Kinley MacGregor
A pirate of her own by Kinley MacGregor
The poyson garden by Karen Harper
Resolution by Denise Mina
Secret of the pink Pokemon by Tracey West
The sleeping beauty by Jacqueline Navin
Then came you by Lisa Kleypas

I finished The Sleeping Beauty today, and I have SO returned Lion in the Valley, but the library are saying that I haven't...that will be an argument we will be having in the next couple of weeks!

This is the list of requests that I have with the library at the moment. The Willig book is in transit so I should have it early next week.

Blue shoes and happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Dead until dark by Charlaine Harris
Devil in winter by Lisa Kleypas
Innocent traitor by Alison Weir
Kiss me, Annabel by Eloisa James
Motor mouth by Janet Evanovich
The secret history of the pink carnation by Lauren Willig
Smitten Janet Evanovich
Suite Francaise Irene Nemirovsky

The other library I have Bel Canto by Ann Patchett on the request list. Fortunately I have finished all of these though. It's just a case of driving for 45 minutes to get to the library and return them!

Deeds of the disturber by Elizabeth Peters
Naked in death by J. D. Robb
The siege by Helen Dunmore
Summer of my German soldier by Bette Greene

Anyone else think I might have gone a little library crazy??

The Sleeping Beauty by Jacqueline Navin

I was a bit late reading last month's author of the month (Pamela Clare) but this month I have it all under control! This month's author was Jacqueline Navin, another new to me author!

The version that I read was released here as a Harlequin Historical in Australia earlier this year. I can't tell you how long it is since I read any Harlequin books.

A beautiful recluse draped in dark secrets

Lady Helena Rathford was still deemed a plum matrimonial prize, one that adventurous Adam Mannion was determined to pluck. He'd wed her, bed her, then hie to London, his prospects secure. But somehow in the wild north country that spawned her, Helena became his whole world - now and forever...!

The walls of her family estate kept her safe, or so Helena thought. But it has been more entombment then embrace...for Adam Mannion - a rogue with an open heart - made her see she must shake off the shadows of the past to hold on to a future.

This book opens with Adam Mannion arriving at Rathford manor. Adam is a commoner who has been brought up with all of the good things in life, but has suddenly found that he doesn't have the income to support his lifestyle. So what should any good man about town do? Well, he rushes off to Northumberland to marry the mysterious Sleeping Beauty of Northumberland - supposedly a very beautiful, and rich, young woman who has been hidden away for the last five years for reasons that nobody knows.

When Helena's father agrees to the match and to the financial settlement, and specifies that the condition of the agreement are that he must spend the next two months at Rathford Manor, and he must bed Helena, Adam isn't overly thrilled but he is willing to go through with.

What follows is a strange story of secrets revealed, cruel manipulation of a young lady who thinks she is going mad, and an eventual bond between two people who were seemingly not attracted to each other early on.

If there is one thing that I didn't get about this book, and it was that much was made of the thinness of the heroine, with even the hero calling her scrawny, and yet much was then made of how attractive she was. My question is which way was it - she was either too scrawny to be attractive or attractive and not too scrawny? She is also very emotionally fragile, which is explained by the events from her past, which is fine, but she is also being manipulated by a very unsavoury secondary character. With her father saying that this character was essential to the home it was no wonder that Helena was as fragile as she was.

Adam was more than what he seemed as well. It turns out that he wasn't such a gambler as we were led to believe. He inherited a little money, and a lot of debt and he had a plan to reverse those fortunes, but he needed something to kick start his plan. However, having done that, he has made himself a target of the same person that is targetting Helena.

I guess that for me this story was kind of middle of the road in terms of the romance and the suspense aspect as well so my grading reflects this as well.

Rating 3/5

Sweet Release by Pamela Clare

Aaarrgghhh! I returned the book before I even started this review! Disaster...well maybe not. I just don't have the book blurb to put here and my description is completely from memory. Pamela Clare was chosen as author of the month for a group I am in. As this was the only one the library had, this is the one that I went with!

When Alec Kenleigh is kidnapped from off the street, he wakes up finding himself being addressed by the name of Nicholas Braden, convicted of defiling women and indentured for a period of 14 years. When he is brought to the plantation that is owned by Cassie Blakewell's father, he collapses and Cassie feels that she has to save this man. After being nursed back to health, Alec begins to show that he is not Nicholas Braden, but behaves in a way that belies his gentlemanly background.

Cassie Blakewell has many secrets, not the least of which is that she is trying to run the estate, not because her father is overseas as all the neighbours believe, but because he has chosen to live on an island in the marshes and is slowly losing his battle for his sanity. Whilst trying to take care of all the people on the estate, she is also trying to ward off unwanted advances from her childhood friend and neighbour Geoffrey, a man who is increasingly careless of which servants he cavorts with and who is getting increasingly desperate to marry Cassie, despite the fact that he disapproves of the things that she believes about the treatment of slaves and convicts, and about the role of women.

As the attraction between Cassie and Alec/Nicholas builds, Alec tries to fight the attraction, at least until confirmation is received from England that he is who he says he is, but in the end the attraction is simply too great, nearly causing both Cassie and Alec's undoing.

As I read this book I couldn't help but feel that the author tried to include too much action in one story and almost too much time spent on expansive prose. There were kidnappings, attacks of the ague, attempted murders, blackmail and betrayal, tobacco planting and harvesting, horseracing. However this really is better than not enough so is not a huge negative.

I liked the character of Alec. He acted with dignity and character as well as apparently being a very hot looking man! As for Cassie, she is a mostly well written character, although there were times when I wanted to shout at her! I guess as I have posted before I am a more hero conscious reader than heroine conscious so as long as the hero is good then I will be happy - and I am mostly happy with this one.

I have heard really good things in particular about Surrender so I will eventually get around to reading more from this author.

Rating 4/5

Book Meme

Stolen from Heather.

Review the following list of books. Boldface the books you've read, italicize those you might read, cross out the ones you won’t (I'm going to colour them purple because I can't cross out!), put an asterisk beside the ones on your bookshelves, and place brackets around the ones you’ve never even heard of.

*The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)
The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
*The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
*His Dark Materials (Philip Pullman)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J. K. Rowling)
*The Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
Animal Farm: A Fairy Story (George Orwell)
Catch 22 (Joseph Heller)
*The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)
*The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Mark Haddon)
Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
1984 (George Orwell)
*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J. K. Rowling)
*One Hundred Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
*The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
*The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
Slaughterhouse Five (Kurt Vonnegut)
The Secret History (Donna Tartt)
Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
*The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
Middlesex (Jeffrey Eugenides)
Cloud Atlas (David Mitchell)
Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
Atonement (Ian McEwan)
*The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)
*The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
Dune (Frank Herbert). I think I read this in high school but I can't remember.
Sula (Toni Morrison)
*Cold Mountain (Charles Frazier)
*The Alchemist (Paulo Coehlo)
White Teeth (Zadie Smith)
The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton)

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

I really had no great desire to read this book, but one day one of my colleagues had it at work and asked if anyone wanted to borrow it. Because I never have enough books to read(!) I put my hand up. It seriously shook my reading order up on my TBR pile because I was conscious of getting it back to her asap but I am certainly glad that I have read it now.

Speaking to us with the wisdom of age and in a voice at once haunting and startlingly immediate, Nitta Sayuri tells the story of her life as a geisha. In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love, always elusive, is scorned as illusion.

Sayuri's story begins in a poor fishing village in 1929, when, as a nine-year-old with unusual blue-gray eyes, she is taken from her home and sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house. Through her eyes, we see the decadent heart of Gion--the geisha district of Kyoto--with its marvelous teahouses and theaters, narrow back alleys, ornate temples, and artists' streets. And we witness her transformation as she learns the rigorous arts of the geisha: dance and music; wearing kimono, elaborate makeup and hair; pouring sake to reveal just a touch of inner wrist; competing with a jealous rival for men's solicitude and the money that goes with it. But as World War II erupts and the geisha houses are forced to close, Sayuri, with little money and even less food, must reinvent herself all over again to find a rare kind of freedom on her own terms.

I finished reading this book a few days ago and whilst I enjoyed it immensely, I can't really think what to write. Whilst reading it I was completely engrossed in it, so much so that I nearly missed my train stop one morning on the way to work. Luckily I was on an older train that announces the next stop, not just has it on a display screen!

The thing that was most fascinating to me was the description of a culture that is completely different to my own. I knew a little about geishas but nowhere near as much as I learnt reading this book, from their living arrangements, to their daily habits, to their relationships. It was also very interesting to see what happened to the geishas during WWII, something that I had given absolutely no thought to.

The most interesting aspect was that of the relationship that Sayuri had with The Chairman, a man who she had had feelings for for many years but who it seemed was always just outside her reach.

It was also interesting to see Sayuri finding a way to dictate her own life when generally the life of a geisha was not really her own, initially being dictated to by the senior geisha in her home. In Sayuri's case this was the extremely vindictive Hatsumomo who did everything within her power to destroy Sayuri's career both before it had even really started, and once she was successful. It really did seem to be a geisha eat geisha world in Gion!

One of these days I will get around to watching the movie. It will be interesting to see where the differences are and to see how this story translates to the movie format.

Rating 4/5

Other Blogger's Thoughts:

Beastmomma

The Red Queen by Margaret Drabble

This is this month's book for one of my book clubs.

'When I was a little child, I pined for a red silk skirt'

So begins The Red Queen - the tale of how a young girl in eighteenth century Korea is plucked from obscurity to be consort to the Crown Prince. Though inhabiting a jade, silk and jewelled world, the Crown Princess must also contend with the murderous impulses of her husband Sado who is touched by madness.

Two hundred years later, the Crown Princess's story has a deep and far-reaching effect on Dr Babs Halliwell, an academic on her way to a conference in South Korea. Haunted by the Red Queen's ghost, Babs feels that she must do something to keep her story alive...but what is it?

This is a classic case of being attracted to a book by it's cover. The one at the top of this post was the one that I ended up getting, but when it first came out the cover below is the one that was used, and everytime I walked past the book on the shelves I would stop and look at it, and think about buying it! I held off too long and ended up with the less exciting cover! Oh well!

The novel is rather strange in its format. It is made up of three parts. The first is labelled Ancient times, the second, Modern Times and then the third is Postmodern times. There are no other breaks in the novel - no chapter breaks at all which I don't really like. The main reason for not liking this format is because when I am reading, particularly at night, I like to set myself goals, for example one more chapter or when I get to the end of chapters divisible by 5 or whatever. They make for natural breaks to put the books down at and when they are not there I can't help but feel that I would start at the wrong point.

It is also rather strange in terms of the perspective. We first meet the Crown Princess when she is in the form of a ghost like creation, having been dead for over 200 years but she is speaking from current times so there are references to events that have happened both in her actual life and then references to things that she has learned since she was dead, including to compare herself with others from her time like Catherine the Great of Russia.

She tells us of her beginnings - the book blurb above suggests from obscurity - as the daughter of government officials it may have been a surprise that she was chosen as the bride of the Crown Prince but it wasn't completely unexpected. However, instead of getting more freedom as a member of royalty, she instead moves into a world of luxury where her movements are restricted more than she would have expected. She is married to Crown Prince Sado at 9 years of age, but the two children spend the first several years playing together, but eventually the marriage is consumated and life settles into a pattern - a pattern that is dictated by the King's whims and favours, with that position changing continuously. After her first child dies, it becomes clear that all is not well with her husband though and as time progresses it becomes more and more obvious, until he becomes murderous and rebellious leading to terrible consequences.

When we get to the second part of the novel, Dr Babs Halliwell is travelling to South Korea to give a talk to a medical conference. She too knows something of having a mentally unstable husband, of losing a child and other correlations that are drawn between the two major characters. Babs reads the story of the Crown Princess whilst on the plane and is fascinated by the story. After a mix up with her suitcase, Babs meets an expat Korean doctor who then acts as her guide and takes her to the palaces where the Princess would have lived. She also meets the main speaker for the conference, Dutchman Jan van Jost, and begins an unlikely relationship and brings about another unlikely relationship with far reaching consequences for her life.

The Crown Princess's main aim during the book is to have her story told, to continue to keep people aware of her life, and so there is a feeling that there are almost spirits guiding Babs towards all different actions. Towards the end though the Crown Princess begins to think that she has chosen her vessel unwisely, but in the Postmodern section the novel takes a twist that brings the aim to its conclusion. This was however done in a way that I found quite strange. I've just realised that I can't change the colour so that this is blank so just be aware that this is a spoiler below.

*****SPOILER BELOW*****

The author inserts herself into the story, becoming friends with Babs, and thus being introduced to the story of the Crown Princess and I guess getting the inspiration to write this novel. I can't think of many other novels where the author becomes almost a character in the story and to be frank I found it quite disturbing.

*****End SPOILER*****

Overall this was an interesting story about a place that I have very little awareness about.

Rating 3.5/5