Although I don't read a lot of books about the Medieval times (let alone a romance), I just couldn't pass up Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena. It's not the cover that grabbed me, nor the plot summary (although it did sound intriguing), but the author herself. DiPastena is LDS, an Arizonan and just a fascinating person all around. She holds a Bachelor's in history, with an emphasis on medieval history - a course of study I never even knew existed. She also earned a Master's in library science. With a book lovin' expert on the Middle Ages at the helm, I figured I couldn't go wrong with Loyalty's Web. Even if it is a romance.

The story is grounded in real history: It's 1176 and England's King Henry II is struggling to control his ambitious sons, all of whom are vying for control of lands promised to them by their father. Since the peaceful division envisioned by Henry involved one brother bowing to another, jealousy and anger ensued. The Angevin empire (which, according to Wikipedia, stretched from the Pyrenees to Ireland at its peak), presented an especially difficult problem for the king. Here's where the fiction begins: When Loyalty's Web opens, the king has issued a peace treaty in an attempt to rein in his rebellious son Richard. He's sent the Earl of Gunthar to the Poitou region of France to ensure compliance with the treaty, especially among wealthy land barons who support Richard's position. While there, the earl will wed the beautiful Clothilde de Laurant, a strategic move that will bind Laurant to the king.

Almost immediately, the king's plan goes awry: Someone (or several someones) is trying to kill the earl; Gunthar's no more impressed with the fragile Clothilde than she is with him; and Helene, Clothilde's older sister, is being blackmailed into undermining the earl's mission.

While Clothilde's many graces make her the desired sister, it is Helene who is the true heroine of the story. Unlike her sister, she's neither beautiful nor graceful. What she does possess is intelligence, bravery and loyalty. It's the fire in her eyes that catches the attention of Gunthar, the earl. Helene knows such a powerful man can only be teasing her with his flattery, but she can't get him off her mind. As if she has nothing else to think about. With a spy on the loose in the castle, her own impending nuptials to escape, and a childhood friend locked in the tower, she has plenty to occupy her brain. Her schemes will bring her in direct conflict with Gunthar's orders, which will not please the earl one bit. Still, Gunthar and Helene come to an agreement: They need to work together in order to flush out the traitor inside the Laurant castle. Both are fiercely loyal - Gunthar to the king, Helene to her family and friends - something that will stand firmly in the way of their mutual attraction. Will the pair find a way to be together? Is Gunthar just amusing himself by exploiting Helene's naivetee? Can Helene wed another when her heart belongs to the earl? Can Gunthar and Helene find the spy in time? Or are they all doomed to suffer the king's vengeance?

The plot becomes complicated and confusing, with lots of political detail as well as a large cast of characters. It took me a chapter or so to get into the story, but once I did, I did in a big way. The story's action-packed, with lots of courtly intrigue, romance and family tension to keep it chugging along. We know from the beginning that Gunthar and Helene belong together, but DiPastena manages to instill enough doubt that the reader is kept guessing right up until the finale. Unfortunately, that doesn't hold true with the spy mystery - I realized the traitor's identity right away. Still, though, I enjoyed the story, especially the feisty, but tender relationship between Gunthar and Helene. Loyalty's Web has some issues - all in all, though, it's a fun, gripping tale that will keep you entertained until the last sentence. It's not my usual fare, but I enjoyed it anyway. Romance and all.

The Laurant sisters' story continues in Illuminations of the Heart, now available at Deseret Book and Amazon.com. Stay tuned for my review - coming soon!

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for violence and very mild innuendo

To the FTC, with love: Joyce DiPastena kindly sent me a copy of Loyalty's Web to review. Thanks, Joyce!

In Jones' Need, Zara White figures this out almost as soon as she steps off the plane in Bangor. Still grieving the death of her beloved stepfather, Zara knows she's not exactly herself - which is the whole reason her mother shipped her off to her grandmother's in the first place - but she's pretty sure a freaky, pale guy is stalking her. She sees him standing in the middle of the road to her grandma's house, on the campus of her high school and in the woods around the small town of Bedford. Her new friends seem as creeped out as she is, but their theory is about as whacked as the idea of some random guy following her around. Still, as Zara settles into her new life in Maine, she can't deny that something is very wrong in Bedford. Even her stunningly gorgeous boyfriend seems a little ... unworldly. What exactly is going on in the sleepy little town? Why are young boys disappearing? What's with the trails of gold dust everywhere? And why is Zara being threatened? The questions are bizarre enough, but the answers will challenge everything Zara has ever known about herself, her family and her destiny.

Despite obvious Twilight comparisons, I think Need adds some freshness to a genre that's fast becoming a big, old copycat fest. It steps away from vampires - thank goodness - to flesh out some less-explored beings. Jones turns popular notions on their heads by villainizing a creature most people find about as sinister as a butterfly. Likewise, it spins the peaceful beauty of a Maine winter into something appropriately eerie. Above all else, it's this shivery sense of place that stands out. The novel's plot is less original, but the story definitely speeds along fast enough to keep the reader's attention from flagging. Need's cast could use some developing, as could its "otherworldly" elements. Without any real foreshadowing, the whole magical thing almost comes out of nowhere, making it all a little confusing. Other than that, the book's got a little bit of everything - an engaging heroine, a sweet romance, family secrets, a spectral landscape and a shivery mystery. Need didn't blow me away, but I still flew through its pages, anxious to discover Zara's fate. News of a sequel coming in January might have even made me squeal a little bit. Need doesn't go as deep as Twilight, but it's a fast, entertaining read that will appeal to Stephenie Meyer groupies and other fans of the genre. The Maine Tourism Board? Um, not so much.

Grade: B

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for mild language and some violence

To the FTC, with love: I checked this one out from the library, and I've got the overdue fines to prove it.

Since I'm still working on Loyalty's Web, a fun medieval romance by Arizonan Joyce DiPastena, I'm going to save that review for next week. Today, I want to tell you all about a wonderful author/illustrator I just discovered. Her name is Nancy Tillman, and I'd never heard of her until I saw her featured in BookPage. The illustrations in the sidebar just enchanted me, so I bought both The Spirit of Christmas and On the Night You Were Born. Both books are beautiful - the pictures have this vivid, but dreamlike quality that just really speaks to me.

On the Night You Were Born is my favorite, so I'm going to start with it. The book celebrates the birth of a child. I couldn't even get through the first sentence without feeling tears well up in my eyes:

The rest of the story touched me in a similar way as it talked about trumpets blowing in heaven, birds staying on the windowsill, bears dancing at the zoo, and geese honking in the sky all to herald the arrival of a new baby. It's a story that will make every child feel unique and special. If you can read it to your little ones without sniffling a little, then you're made of stronger stuff than I am.

On the Night You Were Born is the perfect gift for a young child or a new mother. It's sweet, beautiful and tender. I adore it.

Grade: A

The Spirit of Christmas is also sweet and beautiful, but it's not quite as impactful as On the Night You Were Born. I made it through its opening lines without any tears:

The "Spirit of Christmas" goes on to teach an important lesson about the true meaning of the holiday. It's a familiar message:

Although The Spirit of Christmas didn't capture me as much as On the Night You Were Born, it's still a lovely book with incredible illustrations that will capture the imaginations of children big and small.

Grade: B

(Book images are from Barnes & Noble; BookPage excerpt is from Nancy Tillman's website.)

From little ole me here at BBB to all my readers, wherever you may be - MERRY CHRISTMAS! May you find all kinds of wonderful secrets under your tree, between the pages of a book, and in the smiles of family and friends. Have a wonderful holiday.