Re-Read Challenge Jan 2009

First a Big SHOUT OUT to Nath for hosting the Re-Read Challenge. Check out her blog here for more participants.

Well here it is time for the first reread book of the year. At first I wasn’t sure what book I would “Reread” then it dawned on me. One of my favorite authors had a new book coming out. What better opportunity to reread then to read the previous book in NJ Walters Tapestries Series as I waited for TAPESTRY DREAMS to be released. So without further ado I present CHRISTINA’S TAPESTRY, BAKRA BRIDE & WOVEN DREAMS by NJ Walters.

It’s no secret that I love NJ’s Books, she an author who easily touches our emotions, she has that one thing present in her novels that you can’t always explain, you come to expect that somehow manages to make me teary eyed.

So as I began to reread these novels I couldn’t help but wonder would the powerful emotions I felt the first time still be as strong as they were the second time? Would my heart ache for the same characters as it did before? Would I still shed tears and feel my breath catch as I waited for the Tapestry to return and give the women their choice? Would knowing the outcome change how I felt about Marc, Jarmon and Zaren as I did before? So many questions to which I’m glad I can say YES!! to and one I can firmly say NO!! to.

CHRISTINA’S TAPESTRY is the first of NJ’s novels. It introduces us to Javara and the Garen brothers. It’s the novel that brought us to this different yet utterly intriguing world and it let all of us fall in love with Marc Garen. Of all of the TAPESTRY men he is the most loved by the fans, he got the tortured hero vibe down in spades and he manages to be utterly sexy doing it.

Along with Marc we have his equally appealing and sexy brother Jarek, it’s not hard to see why Christina has trouble choosing, but she does and without giving away too much she does make the choice that the reader expects and well it left the door open for Marc’s book, need I say more.

I will however leave you with this little spoiler tidbit, when the tapestry appears and the brothers awaken believing Christina is gone I cried the first time I read it and again this time. CHRISTINA’S TAPESTRY was as good if not better the second time around.

9 out of 10


Next up is BAKRA BRIDE, we first meet the sexy Bakra brothers in CHRISTINA’S TAPESTRY, Zaren comes to try and claim Christina for himself and his brothers. They are unsuccessful and the beginning pages of BAKRA BRIDE have Zaren and his brothers helping to defend Castle Garen against attack from the Craddock brothers. The Craddock’s have come to steal away Christina and in the end Jarmon, the youngest brother, is gravely wounded.

While the second novel centers around Zaren and Bador and their need to win the affection of Jane Smith. Jane is an independent modern woman who had her world upset when she witnessing a crime she is compelled to report. Just a ray of hope appears in her horizon so does a beautiful tapestry. Like Christina she has to own it, it’s beauty calls to her and all too soon she finds herself in Javara and under the sexual spell of the older two Bakra Brothers.

It’s her independence and drive that make her perfect for the staid and fierce leader of the Bakra Family. Together all three of them heal each other as well as Jane’s incredible ability to bring Jarmon back from the brink of death. But sooner then they like the tapestry returns and Jane must choose.

Like Christina she chooses her Bakra brother, but unlike her she is more open to both Zaren and Bador being in her bed. There’s really is a relationship of three, one that is believable and IMO lasting.

More spoilers here the scene where Garrick asks Jane to speak with Jarmon alone is touching and profoundly moving. Jane knows nothing of Jarmon only what’s she has been told yet she forges ahead, accusing him of being lazy and not caring about his family. It’s her harsh yet powerful words of love and honor that ring back from the brink and is easily one of the most beautiful yet sad passages I have ever read. Tissues are needed on more than one occasion as you journey with Jane to Javara.


9 out of 10

Last in my list of rereads is WOVEN DREAMS, it is the novel in this series that takes the rules created in the series and bends them just enough to introduce the beautiful yet scared Genita, but keeps them intact enough that you can believe that she is meant to be here. If anyone needed the Tapestry to save then it’s her. I don’t want to ruin the story but her tapestry is even more special than Jane’s or Christina’s.

This installment focusing on the remaining Bakra brothers, since recovering from his injuries Jarmon has slowly come back to his family, convinced that if they ever find a woman his scars would have her choosing Garrick over him. Jarmon has accepted this and in doing so he had me heart breaking for him, he was still as appealing as his twin and his ability to be stronger than he was before the accident is a testament to how incredible he truly is.

Aside from Marc, he is easily one of my favorite NJ heroes. Together he and Genita along with Garrick love and support learn the meaning of true love and that there is someone out there for everyone.

The story’s climax has Jarmon risking his life to save Genita’s, he is determined to keep her even though he believes she will chose Garrick over him. He fights for her when no one ever has and proves to her and the reader how much he’s come to love her.

WOVEN DREAMS will have you believing in dreams and that anything is possible. Emotion is a powerful presence in all of the TAPESTRY novels, with WOVEN DREAMS having more than it’s fair share of it.

I love all these novels, but WOVEN DREAMS gets…

A 10 out of 10

So that's it for January, I'll see you all next month.