THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF STONES by M.J. Rose

Publisher:     Atria   

Published:     June 19, 2016

ISBN:        978-1476778099

Genre:      Paranormal  

Format:     Print  

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

FOUR HEARTS

Opaline Duplessi has a talent, a very unique talent.  Through the jewellery, the talisman, she makes, she is able to hear the voices of the dead. In the time of war, mothers and lovers find their way to her to have her create a piece, a talisman, that will connect to their loved ones, the deceased soldiers, so they find, in some fashion, a bit of peace or resolution.  When a Madam Alouette comes to her Opaline is drawn to the woman and her story.  As Madam Alouette tells her story Opaline realizes she knows of her son, Jean Luc.  She has read his news column, and most especially his Ma Cher, love letters written from the front to his love still at home.  As Opaline begins to make the talisman she begins to hear a voice, a voice unlike any she has heard before—it is the voice of Jean Luc.  It is not long before she finds herself turning more and more to a man who is no longer in this world.  As strange as she believes this is, she finds comfort, solace and hope in her conversations with him. 

At the same time, Grigori, the son of Opaline’s mentor in jewellry making, Monsieur Orloff, pursues her in his own way.  Despite telling herself over and over that Grigori is flesh and blood, alive, she cannot warm up to him.  And the more time she spends in her connection to Jean Luc, the harder it becomes to spend time with Grigori.  When Orloff sends her to England on a special mission with Grigori she wonders of her connection to Jean Luc will be severed—the days leading up to the trip he seems to be fading from her and this breaks her heart.  But this mission is far too important for her not to go and once there a great secret is revealed.

The above synopsis barely begins to cover the breadth and depth of M.J. Rose’s latest story, THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF STONES.  At 320 pages here are three separate stories woven into one neat package.  There is the ongoing story of Opaline’s lineage, that of her “gift” and how it brings about her relationship with Jean Luc and the mystery of her mission for Monsieur Orloff.  A sub-set of stories joins the three into a book you simply cannot put down once you begin to read.  Despite being the second of Rose’s La Lune series, there is little of book 1, THE WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS with this one.  There is the family tie, but the story is purely and completely Opaline’s.  There is no need to read the books in order to be enthralled and understand each one.  More than a connection between the two, there are strong elements of Rose herself in the story.  In some ways it is perhaps her own story—or a piece of it. 

Each character in this book is compelling in his or her own way.  Each has their own story to tell.  And each has his or her own intrigue that combines with Opaline’s.  Rare for me when reading M.J. Rose’s books is that I had a hard time getting into it in the beginning.  It seemed flat with a lot of unneeded information. It wasn’t until Jean Luc’s character began to fill the pages I really got into the story. When I got to the end though, when the secrets were revealed, I was glad I stuck with it.  Once again Rose caught me off guard with not just one but two jaw dropping revelations—startling enough to have me reading it through again because I know I missed some wonderfully plotted clues.

Definitely one you do not want to miss.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS by M.J. Rose

Publisher:   Atria

Published:   March 17, 2015

ISBN:  978-1476778068

Genre:  Paranormal, Historical

Format:  Ebook

Obtained via:  Publisher from Edelweiss

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

FIVE HEARTS

Fleeing an abusive husband Sandrine Verlaine runs to her beloved grandmother in Paris.  When she arrives her dear grandmother is not at her home, Maison de la Lune.  She her grandmother, a famous courtesan, has vacated her home and moved to an apartment.  Sandrine makes her way to the apartment and is stunned when her grandmother greets her with a command to return home to Sandrine’s husband, Benjamin because what awaits her in Paris is worse—much much worse, than the husband who caused her father’s death.  

Sandrine is determined to stay.  Her memories as a fifteen year old in Paris, feelings of not only joy but safety, make her more determined to stay.  Despite her grandmother’s admonitions to leave, she remains and the women adapt a routine of daily activities.  When it is time for her grandmother to entertain her guests Sandrine recedes into the background yet she cannot completely accept what she has been told about her family home.  When she finds herself on her own one day she ventures to,

La Lune and there meets Julien Duplessi, an architect hired by her grandmother to, as he tells her, turn La Lune into a museum.  Sandrine cannot believe this, but with Julien explores the house—finding a hidden bell tower.  There Sandrine feels the first awakening of something she cannot define.  It is dark, but at the same time, it is light.  It binds her yet is freeing.  She comes across a series of paintings, alike in so many ways, but each holds its own mystery.  She also finds a breathtakingly beautiful ruby necklace.  She immediately puts it on and soon finds her life changing in ways she never expected. 

As she and Julien become closer, desiring each other above all else, they are also torn apart—Sandrine is still married and Julien is engaged.  She is aware that her husband is looking for her and Julien strives to keep his engagement apart from his world with Sandrine.  A series of troubling events occur and Sandrine finds herself in the middle of a world she never dreamed exists. Is her love for Julien enough to save not just the two of them, but all she holds dear?  Or will that love ultimately destroy all?

I started to read M.J. Rose’s latest book, WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS on a Friday night. With only a few breaks to sleep, eat with friends and take care of needed tasks I read straight through until the early hours of Sunday morning.  This is not unusual for me when it comes to reading on of Rose’s books.  From her earliest Butterfield Institute series through her Reincarnationist series and now her latest, The Daughters of La Lune, she tells an enthralling and compelling story.  Her words paint the most vibrant pictures in the reader’s mind.  She weaves a story that leaves you satisfied yet at the same time wanting more.  With each of her books I think she has reached her personal pinnacle in writing only to find that she outdoes herself in the next she writes.  Each book is more powerful than the one before.  When I read the REINCARNATIONIST I was, at first, angry at the ending—it was not the one I wanted.  But when I sat and thought about it, the ending in was the only one the book could have.  The summation was breath-taking.  The same can be said of WITCH OF PAINTED SHADOWS.  The clues were there but the ending was still stunning.  It not only caught me off guard but as I read the words they took my breath away.  It was brilliant.  Utterly brilliant and so very much M.J. Rose’s signature style.

I loved how Sandrine changed and grew through the story – both aspects of her.  You can feel her fear as she flees Benjamin and I cringed each time she thought perhaps she saw him.  Even as she grows in her own way through the story I felt for her, for what she wanted, needed, watching her dreams happen outside of her she is an encompassing character. 

While we do not see all that much of Benjamin, what there is, is frightening in its own way.  He is a force that needs few words to be felt.

As always Rose paints vivid scenes – the houses and venues the characters venture to feel real—as if the reader is transported to that very locale.  I did have to chuckle when she makes a reference to a character from the Reincarnation books – subtle and well done.  A small kudo to show the uniqueness of Sandrine’s grandmother. 

I was thrilled to see the WITCH OF PAINTED SORROWS is the first of a trilogy.  That said—I so do not want to wait for the next book!

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS By M.J. Rose

Publisher:  Atria
Published:   April 8, 2014
ISBN:  978-1451621532
Genre:   Thriller, Suspense, Paranormal
Book format:  Ebook
Obtained via:  Publisher through Netgalley
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Gina@loveromancesandmorereviews.com

Five Hearts

Her beloved brother dying of an unknown cause mythologist, Jac L’Etoile hopes and seeks for a way to save him.  For so long now all she and Robbie have had were each other.  Oh there were lovers and friends, but that true and abiding connection to someone, that just knowing what each other needs and is, is shared by brother and sister.  Jac has loved—and lost.  Linguist Griffin North was the one man who connected to her soul and yet over and over they have lost each other, not for the first time in this lifetime. 

Almost 500 years ago, in another life time, René le Florentin sat by his mentor’s side as he sought a serum, an elixir to bring the dead back to life.  As that man breathes his last René is there and captures the dying man’s breath in the hopes that perhaps one day he can return him to the living.  But René is accused of murder.  Then one day a princess comes to his cell and he is saved—or so it seems for many years.  He soon becomes the perfumer to Queen Catherine of France.  Renécontinues his mentor’s experiments while aiding, after a fashion, Catherine’s dreams for France.  But all is not what it seems and before long he is caught in a web of deceit and lies…some promulgated against him.

Robbie’s death turns Jac’s life around in more ways than one.  In her brother’s notes Jac finds words that lead her to a woman, Melinoe who seeks Rene’s formula for her own reasons.  At first Jac refuses, but then, when it seems Robbie may be reaching out from the grave she agrees to continue the tasks he began.  Wonder of wonders, Griffin appears to be with her.  What she finds, the discoveries that are revealed unravel the threads of Jac’s life.  Can she weaves them together again before it is too late?

I have been a fan of M.J. Rose from her earliest books, the Butterfield Institute series and became even more so when she began her Reincarnationist series.  The Reincarnationist series is mesmerizing on so many levels land in her latest, THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREATHS she outdoes even herself.  You can not only smell the scents as they are revealed and created by the perfumers in the story—you can taste Rose’s words.  She tells not only a story, but draws you into a magical web where you are among the characters playing out the story.  The telling of parallel stories, the unveiling of the history of those who came before Jac, Robbie and Griffin is a seamless blending.  Each of the stories is easy to follow and the transition from time period to time period is a wonderful part of the mystery to be unveiled.

M.J. Rose is not only an incredible storyteller.  In each of her books she has offered words of wisdom, of something life affirming.  Without giving away a key element the one line that spoke volumes to me was how those we love live on with us in every breath we take.  Simple, yet such powerful words.

THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BRAETHS is not a fast paced thriller.  It moves at its own pace as Jac unveils each layer of the mystery surrounding Robbie’s death.  Not a word is wasted but instead draws you more and more deeply into the story.  I have enjoyed each book in this series but truly in THE COLLECTOR OF DYING BREAHTS, Ms. Rose has outdone even herself. 

Each book is a standalone and while you do not have to read them in order I highly recommend you do just to be sure you do not miss one absolutely incredibly wonderful story.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

 

SEDUCTION by M.J. ROSE

Publisher:   Atria

Date published:   May 7, 2013

ISBN:  978-1451621501

Genre:   Suspense

Book format: Netgalley Ebook

Obtained via:  Publisher

Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

 

Jac L’Etoile has turned to her lifelong mentor, Malachai Samuels and the Phoenix Foundation to come to terms with the death of Griffin North, the man she loved Malachai takes her to a special place he hopes will help to heal her grief, but Jac remains sunken in her grief. Life without Griffin seems desolate and pointless. When they return to Malachai’s home she is at first surprised and then stunned to find a letter from a childhood friend inviting him to Jersey (England) to study some artifacts he believes may be not only Celtic in origin but a link to the Druids Jac is drawn to study. Malachai does all in his power to keep her from going but Jac cannot help herself. She is drawn not only to the possibility of learning more about the elusive historical Druids, she reaches out for the opportunity to reunite with a friend from long ago. Theo was more than a friend—as a lost teen he was in many ways her other half. In his way he inspired her and drew her out of the sorrow-filled depression of her youth. She never quite understood while one day Theo just disappeared. Now he’d made an overturn to come back into her life and she welcomed the chance. When she arrives in England the twosome quickly rediscover each other. The comfortable companionship of their youth is still very much a part of their present. Upon her arrival, more than the chance to learn more about the Druids Theo tempts her with a missing journal written by Victor Hugo.

When they discover the journal the story of Hugo’s despair with the death of his daughter is revealed in the pages. Even more pressing are the steps he took to be reunited with her not in death, but in life. Slowly but surely not only the story of Victor Hugo and the emotional devastation of his daughter’s death are revealed in the pages. The journal reveals something more of his journey to find her again. As the story is revealed Jac and Theo are faced with the reality of what truly happened so long ago at Blixer Rath, the clinic where they met so long ago.  Can they survive the truth? Or will it once again plunge them into devastating despair?

I eagerly awaited SEDUCTION, the fifth book in M.J. Rose’s Reincarnationist series. Despite the fact that THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES was published only a year ago I felt like far much longer had passed before this latest story. Ms. Rose does not simply tell you a good story—she draws you into the lives of her characters to where you feel you are part of their hopes, their dreams, their very existence. With each book in this series I’ve sat down and read the book cover to cover, stopping only when I absolutely had to only to pick it up again as soon as a free moment presented itself.

SEDUCTION was very much like that—that I couldn’t wait for each free minute to disappear into its pages. But somehow the book didn’t quite measure up to the others in this series. It is not a bad read; it just seems to lack the uniqueness and spark of the earlier books.

In each book of the series a different memory tool meant to bring forth memories of past lives is revealed. Until SEDUCTION Malachai Samuels has been in the forefront searching for those tools. The stories are told not only with the characters in the present day but there is an interweaving with people from other times and places. Ms. Rose weaves the lives of four to six individuals, all from different times, into a story that joins them in a dramatic turn at the end of the story. Each time she arrives there by a different, surprising and thrilling path.

SEDUCTION is a much darker story than the others. You are caught in a web of gloom and seeping darkness that leaves you feeling chilled. There is little light in this story. Malachai is noticeably missing. With only rare appearances at the beginning and end we do not see him yet his personality permeates the story. Through the prior four books and now in SEDUCTION I am still not sure if he is one of the good guys or if he is evil incarnate. His desperation to take possession of the tools not only to prove reincarnation but to uncover his own past lives drives him to the point that you question if he is truly seeking to help his patients or if it is only façade to give him what he wants. Does he truly care for his patients? Or is he merely manipulating them to meet his own ends.

The parts of the book that dealt with Victor Hugo were depressing. They were dark and often boring. It was in those segments and of the Owain and Brice where I felt like I had read it before—not in another life but in one of M.J. Rose’s earlier books. There were points where the different characters’ stories converge I felt like they were merely reworkings of the earlier books. By my count there are 7 more tools to be revealed. I hope this is merely an anomaly in an otherwise brilliantly done series.

There is an interesting twist at the end of the story you will not want to miss. That said, I highly recommend the entire series. The books are written such that you can either read through for the sheer pleasure of a good story or take your time and consider the “what if” implications of reincarnation.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.