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There are currently 21 member reviews
for The Secret Language of Stones
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Melissa M. (Leesburg, FL)
Spellbinding
I am so thankful to have received a copy of this book for review. Magical, and creative. Loved it and highly recommend.
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Rebecca H. (Bolton, CT)
The Secret Language of Stones
Paris, 1918: the long world war is finally drawing to an end, and Opaline Duplessi, a young apprentice to a Russian emigre jeweler, prays for an end to the suffering which she encounters all too closely. Opaline is a lithomancer, whose powers are concentrated through precious stones. She fashions mourning talismans for mothers, sisters and wives who have lost loved ones in battle. After she places something belonging to the departed in a piece of jewelry she creates, Opaline receives messages to pass along to the bereaved. Once the messages are delivered, Opaline hears no more from the dead, until one day she has an encounter with the tortured spirit of a young commander who blames himself for the loss of his entire unit in battle. An enduring connection begins, which leads Opaline into a new realm of adventure, both in the physical world and in the realm of the mind and spirit. Set against the background of the Great War and the Russian Revolution, M.J. Rose's novel will appeal to fans of historical fiction and romance, especially those interested in occult phenomena. The characters are intriguing and well-drawn, and the author skillfully evokes the atmosphere of mystery, danger and romance of the Palais Royal. If the occult aspects of the story seem a bit over the top at times, the story is gripping enough to keep the reader engaged until the final denouement which occurs in the epilogue.
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Marcia C. (Jeffersonville, PA)
Love Beyond the Grave
Once again M. J. Rose takes her readers to Paris--this time towards the end of the First World War. Once again she takes us deeper into the world of the occult by introducing us to lithomancy, the art of reading the past, present or future through gemstones. Opaline Duplessi is a jewelry designer who makes mourning jewelry for women who have lost sons, brothers or lovers in the war. Using the gemstones, she becomes aware that she has the gift of hearing messages from beyond the grave and the ability go bring comfort and closure to the women who come to buy one of her pieces. Then, one day, one of these "ghost" soldiers has a message that he communicates directly to her.
Startled, Opaline begins reassessing the validity of her gift. In spite of her doubts, she begins an intense love affair with her "beyond the grave" soldier and loses all interest in any possible relationship with any living men. To add to the action, Opaline is asked to create a piece of mourning jewelry for the exiled dowager empress of Russia who is desperate to learn what happened to her Romanov family. In agreeing to this mission, Opaline opens herself up to a very dangerous adventure.
If you're an M. J. Rose fan, this book will not disappoint. It's filled with plots, secrets, and other-worldly experiences that will keep you turning pages. If you're new to M. J. Rose, this book is a good way to introduce yourself to her writing!
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Mary O. (Boston, MA)
A great read
I love to be transported to far away lands especially Romantic Paris at the turn of the century. This book is a historical romance, a mystery and great character development of a strong minded woman. Thoroughly enjoyable and a page turner. I highly recommend it!
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Marissa P. (Boca Raton, FL)
Compelling Read
M J Rose writes a compelling story involving mysticism and a love affair between Opaline and Jean Luc. It is a fast read with many twists and turns. I wished that the author would have focused a bit more on the jewelry making process that Opaline was famous for.
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Diana C. (Delray Beach, FL)
A Great War Romance Novel
I have read several of MJ Rose's novels, and reviewed The Witch of Painted Sorrows for Bookbrowse. I was originally drawn to this book because I love historical fiction, and in this novel the Romanov dynasty features prominently, and have a vast knowledge of gems and their history. I loved the gemstone references throughout and the first hand feeling of Parisian life and sacrifices during the Great War. MJ Rose has a knack of making you comfortable from the start, relaxing the reader into the story and keeping you interested until the end. While I loved the storyline surrounding the main character's lithomancy and her magical family history, I found the romantic passages long and tedious. Absent those affected segments that, for me, interrupted the flow of this story, this book would have been much more spellbinding.
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Kristen H. (Hagerstown, MD)
Not So Secret Language
This book was a good read and would be a good selection for a book club. However, I found it predictable at times and strugled to read it. I do agree that it was suspenseful at best and she is a good writer of this genre.
