Waking Rose

When Waking Rose came out I eagerly grabbed the first copy I came across and jumped into the adventures of my favorite couple, Fish and Rose.  Well, they weren't a couple for most of the book - but we all knew that was coming.
Now as for the story, once again I've invited several of the character's to share their story with you all.

Paul: Hi, I'm Paul Fester and this is -

Alex: Alex O'Donnell, very pleased to meet you.

Hey wait... where are Fish and Rose?  This is their book, they are supposed to be helping out here!

Alex: Well you see, Ben called us at the last minute and said that he and Rose couldn't make it after all and so that's why we're here!

Paul: We do know the story...

Very well.  Carry on!

Paul: Great!  Well let's see... Alex and I met Rose at Mercy College the fall that she started going there.  I was in a bioethics class with her and Alex was in... a different class.

Alex: Theology.  So we met her, discovered that she read Chesterton and all became great friends!  As long as she didn't mention sewing and remind us that she was a girl, she was great to talk to!

Paul: Yeah, it was a lot of fun!  We even made her a Lady of the Sacra Cor.

Alex: The Sacra Cor was the guys dorm that Paul and I stayed in, and we all had formed ourselves into a band of knights.  We practiced weaponry, fighting skills and pledged ourselves to the defense of our ladies.

Paul: After I got to know Rose - oh, and I think I had met Ben, Fish, at this point - we started working on this "Monster Bioethics Paper", as Rose put it.  She was going to do hers on abuse of patients at the hospital, something her dad had worked on while he was in the newspaper during the time the Brier's lived around the college.  I helped her to do some searching in the boxes of old papers that the Brier's stored in a family barn nearby.  Then Rose ran into a dead end and decided to a paper on the care of comatose patients instead.

Alex: Yeah, and this whole time poor Paul had a crush on Rose, but it was pointless 'cause - 

Paul: Hey!  Spoiler!

Alex: It wasn't a spoiler, it was a teaser.


Paul: Whatever.  It was around this time then - 


Alex: That tragedy struck!  Disaster befell us!  And if you want to know what it was, you'll have to go and read Waking Rose, available wherever the Fairy Tale Novels are sold! Handing it back over to -

Paul: Wait!  If you didn't know this already, Alex and I do have our own books.  I am in "The Midnight Dancers" and Alex stars in "Alex O'Donnell and the 40 Cyberthieves".  NOW handing it back over to Miss Rose Marchen.

Thank you both for doing this review for me and in place of Rose and Fish!

Waking Rose is a beautiful story, very nearly my favorite one of the series.  Just a note to readers who haven't read this book yet, it is probably Regina's darkest book and does deal with some tricky issues, so younger readers may want to have their parents input on it first. (And parents, you can now go to the "Picky Parent's Guide" on the Fairy Tale Novels Website to check out any issues!) 

Overall, a highly recommended book and one that I think guys and girls alike will really enjoy.

Black as Night

Hello there!  I'm back again after ignoring you all with another review of one of Regina Doman's books!  This time I'll be reviewing "Black as Night", Regina's second book and my hesitant favorite.  (Hesitant only because I love all of her books so much that it is hard to choose a favorite!)

I wasn't sure whether or not to introduce anyone this time around, seeing as how the people - or should I say, person - I introduced last time rather took over my post!  But then I thought that since they did such a wonderful and entertaining job, I'd give it a shot.  Blanche, Bear, Brother Leon?  Would you care to take over at this point?

Blanche: Bear, you can do it.

Bear: You started the story.

Brother Leon: I can't start talking until you do!  The book starts with you running - 

Blanche: *smiles*

Bear: *laughs* Brother Leon, I thought the idea was to have Blanche start out, not us tell her part of the story for her?

Blanche: Oh, this feels so awkward... can't one of you please start?

Brother Leon: I'll start.  Once upon a time in New York City, it was night time.  Scratch that, I'm telling it from my point of view, so it was morning.  It was morning.  In most places, Morning is a time for peace, quiet, good coffee when it's not my turn to make it... but not in the Friary of St. Giles.  At least not this morning.  After breakfast I had gone to take some donations to the vestibule where we stored them, when I discovered Blanche.

Blanche: You see, the previous night I was chased by two boys on the subway. I ran to the Friary because to me it was Saint Catharine's Church, a part of the high school I had attended.  Bear had given me a key to the church and I hadn't known that someone had bought the place after the school closed down.

Brother Leon: *laughs* Yeah, we gave her a start when she woke up and saw seven guys in brown robes looking down at her.

Blanche: You were very warm and welcoming, and I enjoyed my stay there.  My mom, Rose and Bear were all out of town and I was being chased by a danger that I couldn't face on my own.  The friars were a heaven sent refuge while I tried to figure out what to do.

Bear: And I'm so glad they were there for you.  Following the events of "The Shadow of the Bear", Freet's arrest and not having to live on the streets anymore... I was struggling with finding direction in my life.  I loved Blanche, but I didn't know if I was ready for marriage or even if I would be any good as a husband, given the role model I unfortunately had in my dad.  So I left for a trip to Europe to try and get things sorted.  I had invited Blanche to come with, but she stayed home with her job and ended up getting caught up in this crazy adventure, which turned into a bit of a nightmare for all of us.

Blanche: *smiles at him* But it ended like a wonderful dream.

Brother Leon: Cutting in so you two won't give the end away... 

Bear: I wasn't going to!

Brother Leon: Just the same.  So folks, if you want to find out what the nightmare was and how it turned into a dream and enjoy a little suspense and laughter along the way, check out "Black as Night", available for purchase from http://www.fairytalenovels.com! Handing it back over now to you Rose.

Rose: Oh great!  Hey everyone I -

Brother Leon: Not you!  The other Rose!


Rose: Awww drat.


Thank you Brother Leon, you three did a very good job with this review.  Such a good job that I really don't have anything to add other than why this book is my favorite.

For quite a while after "Waking Rose" came out, it was my favorite book.  After all, it was full of great things that you'll hear about when I do a review on it, plus the main character was Rose!  Then I joined the forum as one of the zillion Rose's on there and shared in the general fan excitement over Fish and Rose... and then I started to feel a little bad for Blanche and Bear.  Rose and Fish are wonderful people and I love them dearly, but they do tend to overshadow their older siblings!  I re-re-read "Black as Night" and rediscovered a wonderful, beautiful, entrancing story that all-too-often gets hidden behind "The Shadow of the Bear" and "Waking Rose".  And to add to that - this book has Brother Leon!  I will say unreservedly that Brother Leon is my most favorite Fairy Tale Novels character ever, and the main reason why "Black as Night" get's first place on my list.  He's funny, compassionate, brave, get's a gun pointed at him and knocked out by a stack of school desks getting pushed on him (yeah... you have to be in danger of death or at least knocked unconscious at least once in your life to get into my favorite character club) and he's just amazing!

So if you haven't read "Black as Night" ever or it's been a while since you've picked it up, I give you my full and hearty encouragement to go and do so now.

The Shadow of the Bear

I've wanted to do reviews on The Fairy Tale Novels for a while, but I always felt that there wasn't a point 'cause most of my readers already know about the books.  But I decided recently that not necessarily all of my followers know about the books, I enjoy reading reviews about books I've read so maybe other people will too and it shall be book review writing practice.  So here it goes the first review...

Once upon a time in New York City, there was a little house that stood in the midst of the forest of houses, streetlights, high rises and skyscrapers.   In the little house lived a widow named Jean Brier and her two daughters, Blanche and Rose.

Blanche: Hello.

Rose: Hey there!  I'm Rose and this is my older sister Blanche. Oh wait... the review author already introduced us.  Sorry.  Continue!

Thank you.

Now their lives were rather dull and ordinary, they went to their -

Rose: Hey, we are not dull and ordinary!  How can life be dull and ordinary when there is so much to it!

I meant more in the sense that you didn't have any friends and spent your time at school or at home.

Rose: Oh.  Well I wouldn't consider no friends as having a dull life!  But yeah, you have a point... but then we met Bear!

I was just about to say that.

Their lives where NOT dull and ordinary, they merely did not have any friends until one wintry night when their mother was late in returning...

Rose: Blanche, this person talks so funny!

Blanche: ROSE!

Alright fine Miss Rose.  Since you don't seem to like my style of writing, you write the review!

Rose: Oh sure!  Wait - review?

Blanche: Of "The Shadow of the Bear", the book we're in?

Rose: HOLLY CANDLES SISTER!  WE'RE IN A BOOK????

Blanche: Yes...

Rose: COOL!  Hey, review writer ... um... you there?  Drat, she left.  Okay, well, like the girl said, we didn't really have any friends until one night when my mom was coming home late she almost got hit by this car and she fell and dropped all the grocheries.  That's when we met Bear.  

Blanche:  Bear had dragged mother out of the way of the car and then helped her bring in the groceries to our house.  It had been really cold that day, and Bear didn't have very good shoes on, so Mom made him come in so she could check for frostbite.

Rose: Mom's a nurse so she knows all about that stuff.  So there he was... a mysterious stranger in our living room with a bewildered face and dreadlocks.

Blanche: The dreadlocks were bewildered?

Rose: No, his face was and he had dreadlocks.  I thought him quite nice, especially after he quoted "The Ballad of the White Horse".  Ah, poetry!


Blanche: I didn't trust him though.  You see, at Saint Catharine, the school Rose and I went to, some of the kids did drugs and I was sure I had seen him hanging out with them.  I found out later that I was right - Bear did hang out with them, but not for the reasons I thought he did.


Rose: No indeed.  He was a prince in disguise, hunting down an evil dwarf and we unsuspecting maidens were soon caught up in a whirl of events beyond our control that came to a climax when - 


Blanche: Rose, you can't tell them what happens.  This is a book review, not the book itself.


Rose: Oh of course.  So if you want to find out what happens, read "The Shadow of the Bear" by Regina Doman.  Blanche, what comes in next in a book review?


Blanche: Usually the reviewer talks about what they enjoyed the most or what potential readers will enjoy, what knowledge and insight they can gain from the main characters...


Rose: Awkward. Umm... much can be learned from my lovely, vibrant personality and uh...

Alright, I'll help you out with this part.

One of the great things about The Shadow of the Bear is it's universal appeal.  It's written with a very Catholic perspective, but I have Protestant friends who love it as much as I do.  The main characters are two girls and the book is from their perspective, but guys enjoy it as well.  It is written for teen readers, but my mom and grandma have read all the books.  There is something for everyone here.  Romance. Adventure.  Mystery.  Faith.
If you are looking for a exciting new book to read, I highly recommend "The Shadow of the Bear".

Blanche: And keep your eye out for updates on the movie too! http://theshadowofthebear.blogspot.com/

Rose: NOW THERE'S A MOVIE!?!?!  Catch me Blanche, I think I'm going to faint!

Alex O' Donnell and the 40 Cyberthieves

When you get a series of books featuring awesome heroes, it's inevitable that a main theme of discussion among the fan girls is "Which hero would you want to marry?/Who do you think you would go the best with?"  It can be a bit hard to choose, Bear, Fish and Paul are all such great guys!  Most girls though seem to have a pretty decided preference one way or another though.

But for me, that popular question has been difficult.  How could I decide between Bear and Fish?  Maybe a combination of the two?  Or Paul would be a nice guy... but I don't know... none of them seem to work!

With the release of Alex O'Donnell, however, I've finally found my guy.  The type of guy that I hope my future husband is like.
Alex is just one of the reasons why I fell in love with Regina Doman's latest release - based on the tale of "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves".  The other reasons... well, I suggest you read the book itself... but until you can get your copy, here's a little bit about it.

Alex O'Donnell is a fun, up-beat, slightly off the wall kinda guy who spent most of his college years goofing off.  He's head over heels for Kateri and wants to propose, but isn't quite sure of her opinion, and he doesn't want to take that step if she's going to say no.  So in the meantime, he'll keep sending her fun presents and being a 'good boyfriend'.

Kateri Kovach is nearly his exact opposite.  A serious, practical, look-before you leap kind of girl and not so sure that she should be dating Alex.  He's not the type of guy she had imagined in a spouse... and she just doesn't think either of them are ready for anything more serious than dating.

Alex writes to Kateri in New Jersey, asking her to come and visit him and his family in Northern Virginia.  He misses her, and he wants her nearby so he can work on winning her heart completely.  At her mom's encouragement, Kateri reluctantly makes the trip down - and then it happens.

Kateri arrives to find the O'Donnell family has just received over a million dollars from a mysterious agency. No one knows how they got it, but the funny thing is, Mr. O'Donnell won't let any of the family investigate into the source of their mysterious good fortune.  Uneasy, Kateri wonders just what Mr. O'Donnell seems to be hiding.  She grows close to Alex's mother though, and when the family takes what seems to her a tremendously foolish risk in buying a hotel she finds herself somehow in the position of Assistant Manager.

What follows next is an exciting twist of events and sword fights and not just one, but forty villains and a wonderfully romantic climax.

With some authors, after about the third or fifth book their plot lines and stories all start to sound a lot alike.  Regina however creates something new every time, and Alex O'Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves is no disappointment.  I loved how we actually get to see a FTN couple while they are dating, we've never gotten to see that before, and I enjoyed watching Kateri and Alex work out their relationship with each other.  They nearly fall apart once or twice... but to quot Elenatintil "oh the ending!  *sighs*".

I encourage you all, dear readers, to order this book or borrow it from a friend as soon as you have the opportunity to.  And while you do so, I shall finish re-reading my already beloved copy -

while I wait for that someday when my Alex will come.

Ink and Fairydust!

I'm pretty sure I mentioned on here before about Ink and Fairydust, the official newsletter of The Fairy Tale Novels Forum the online home of all Regina Doman fans. Our second issue was released just the other day, and this time you can read it online!

It's totally awesome, fantastic and amazing. You all MUST read it! And then after you read it, you must go and subscribe to get it, just in case I forget to publish the link next time. (Gasp) You can send your subscription to inkandfairydust@yahoo.com with the subject "Ink and Fairydust Subscription".

In case you had any doubts, I can 100% promise you that Elena (our editor, and to whom you'd be submitting your e-mail) is real and would never ever give away your e-mail address or spam you. =) So you have no excuses!

Now, here is the link to Ink and Fairydust! I write under the name of 'Lady Rose', so anything with that name is by me. Enjoy!

Read Ink and Fairydust HERE.

Meeting Regina Doman

at the Illinois Catholic Homeschooling Conferance, was a wonderful and exciting experience! I was thrilled to meet one of my favorite authors ever, as were the rest of the fans in my homeschooling group. So, after her talk, we did a little cheer for her.

Toss the books with hate and greed! We've got just what you should read!

Listen up! We'll have you knowFairy Tale Novels are the way to go!

Shadow of the Bear and Black as Night,Waking Rose are the best in sight!

Go Regina! Go go Regina! Take your pen and write again!

Go Regina! Go go Regina! Take your pen and write some more...

F-A-I-R-Y T-A-L-E-S!

What does that spell? FAIRY TALES!!!!

Some day, my Bear (or Fish!) will come!

*conclude with laughing and clapping*

The rest of the conference was great, but nothing could compare to meeting Regina Doman!

Why live in the light, when the night seems so irresistible?

Love comes softly. That is how I describe my reaction after reading The Midnight Dancers, the lastest in the Fairy Tale Novel series by Regina Doman. After reading it through one - very quickly, as I usually read - I admit I was not as impressed and enthralled as I had been after reading Regina's other books The Shadow of the Bear, Black as Night and Waking Rose. I liked it very much, I just was not sure how much. A few hours later, I picked it up and started it again - somthing I only do with the Fairy Tale Novels. By the time I finished it again, I was in love.

Why did love come softly this time? I think prehaps because it is a very different kind of book from its predecessors. The most obvious difference, is that it is not about Bear, Blanche, Fish and Rose, the heros of the former books. This story focuses on Paul Fester, a student from Waking Rose, and a 'new girl', Rachel Durham.

Second difference, this novel centers around a philisophical idea -as I believe it was refered to - something the former books didn't do. Hence, this is not a book you can read through quickly (like I did). If you do, chances are you won't take in and grasp that idea, and if you don't, chances are you won't enjoy the book as much. Reading the quote by Dietrich von Hildebrand - it can be found in the "A Little Bit About This Book" at the end - helps to understand what the 'philisophical idea' is. I refrain from quoting it here. If you wish to know what it is, buy the book on June 1st and read it.

Rachel Durham hereself is a different type of girl from Blanche and Rose. I won't get into details, but I shall say that, in most respects, the Brier girls and Rachel are like... day and night. ;-)

So was it a good book? Absolutly! Regina once again captures your interest from the begining, building up to an intensely wonderful climax. Again, she leaves you with a satisfying, beautiful, and romantic ending.

Sometimes love comes softly, but it does come.