I love reading books by M.J. Rose. She writes with such atmosphere, and not only is there connection with the characters, there is also connection with the material world. It's like being immersed in a lovely cocoon as you read her books. Even more so with this series, The Daughters of La Lune.The psychic phenomena experienced by Opaline, the book's main character, is portrayed as a gift and a curse at the same time. Opaline is having difficulty coming to terms with her powers, and until she enc...

I received "The Secret Language of Stones: A Novel - The Daughters of La Lune #2," via NetGalley. This ARC e-book copy is in exchange for an honest review.I was smitten right away by the characters and historic subplots at work in the story. M.J. Rose writes well. It is obvious that this author has done her homework and is an artist with words. This novel took me away from here and today, and launched me into France during the time of the First World War. "The Secret Language of Stones" is #2 i...

M.J. Rose is an author who can transport you into any time and place, weaving in the occult and the mysterious along with history. It is is utterly believable. Opaline Duplessi is one of the descendants of La Lune, a famous witch, and whose mother is featured in The Witch of Painted Sorrows, which I loved. In The Secret Language of Stones by M.J. Rose, Opaline has fled her parents and returned to the former home of La Lune — Paris. Rather than live with her great-grandmother, who also prefers to...

I adored this sequel to The Witch of Painted Sorrows. The authors words swirled around me like a silk shawl while I read. The characters, the setting, the vivid descriptions. I loved them all. The artistry of fine jewelry making was a major character all on its own. I eagerly anticipate many more stories about the Daughters of La Lune.

“I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.” ----Pablo NerudaM.J. Rose, a New York Times bestselling novelist, weaves an enchanting and romantic tale called, The Secret Language of Stones: A Novel that is the second book in The Daughters of La Lune series, that traces the life of young woman with powers to encrypt the messages of those beyond the grave to their loves ones with the help of rare gems that is filled with magic, love, betrayal, w

With an enchanting and almost dreamlike style, M.J. Rose delves deep into the hearts and lives of a gifted group of women, this time, focusing on Opaline with her gifts of working magic into precious stones and metals, as a connection for the living to the dead. The Secret Language of Stonesis a journey that will enrapture readers, as it did for me.The time is during the horrors of World War I, the place Europe, Paris mostly, when dabbling in the occult was in high, if not illegal fashion. Opali...

★★★½The Secret Language of Stones is the second installment in M.J. Rose's magical/historical fiction series titled The Daughters of La Lune. The lead character in the first book: The Witch of Painted Sorrows was Sandrine. Sandrine gave birth to a daughter named Opaline, and The Secret Language of Stones is her story. Like with the first book, this one offers many engaging elements such as history, culture, art, mystery, the supernatural, and ghostly passionate romance. Elements that seem to be

When I read the first book, The Witch of Painted Sorrows, I had no idea that it was going to end up being an actual ‘series’. It read so well as a stand alone book that I was surprised to see it would be becoming a series.So when this one came across my desk, I was thrilled to review it and see how the ‘series’ was going to develop as there were some loose ends that weren’t exactly completely tied up in the first book.This book was right up my alley, WWI France. I love books set in this time per...

The Secret Language of Stones is the sequel to The Witch of Painted Sorrows. In this book, we get to meet Opaline, the daughter of Sandrine who was the main character in the previous book. And just like Sandrine is Opaline a Daughter of La Lune, a descendant from La Lune, the famous courtesans from the sixteenth-century Paris.I read the first book last year and I found it intriguing and looked forward to getting the chance to read this one. However, it has taken me forever to get to this book, d...

It’s the time of the First World War and Opaline wants to be useful. She can do that through her creations. She works for a famous Russian jewelry maker, a protégé of Faberge. He makes the most stunning pieces and she has the chance to learn a lot from him. In a time of mourning people sometimes need something more than sparkling beauty and Opaline is the one who can give it to them. With her magic she can give the family of a deceased a last message from their loved one. She needs a lock of hai...

3.5 starsI didn't enjoy this quite as much as The Witch of Painted Sorrows, but it was still a solid entry into the series.I found Opaline's work with jewelry and stones fascinating because I have always loved gemstones and the mysticism associated with them.For me, this book definitely leaned more on the historical fiction side than a romantic story, and I'm okay with that.It's not really necessary to read the first book in this series, but I highly recommend that you do, simply because it was

Afrodyt's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book ReviewsOpaline Duplessi is the daughter of Sandrine from The Witch of Painted Sorrows. She was born with special gifts that allow her to receive messages from people who have passed on through any personal object that belongs to them. Opaline then passes these messages on to the loved ones left behind through creating talismans that give them some measure of peace. Usually, she has to touch an object from the deceased to receive messages from them...

Opaline Duplessi is an incredibly talented jeweler. Her beautiful mourning jewelry has given her a reputation in Paris during World War I... especially because she is able to contact the dead. Usually it is only for a moment, when she gives her work to the grieving mother, or sister, or wife of a fallen soldier. But when one soul refuses to leave her alone, she has to come to terms with her powers, as well as her developing feelings for the gentle man she has come to know.M.J. Rose's writing sty...

This book is the second in the Daughters of La Lune series. What I really like about this author is that while the books are part of a series, you can still read them as stand alone books (the same worked for her other series about reincarnation). The book has an ending and the story is resolved (so no cliffhanger here), but it also talks about events from the first book. It's easy to follow the story, even if you didn't read the first book. I have to say that I enjoyed this book more than the f...

*Review for book 1 in series: The Witch of Painted SorrowsSee this full review on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com We see what we want to see when we look at someone. Like a diamond before it has been cut. We can guess at its brilliance, but can't see the faults until the stone has been cut and polished. Only then can we glimpse inside and see the occlusions and clarity.  At the turn of the century, the world finds itself in the midst of crisis. Nations are at war,

I read THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF STONES with a breathless involvement, absolutely saddened when I saw I had come to the last pages. It is the story of a young gifted jeweler Opaline from a maternal line of mystics, who, in war-torn Paris circa 1917, dedicates herself to the painful work of making mourning jewelry for the mothers and wives of fallen soldiers. Because she is a gifted mystic, she can hear the young men’s thoughts from within necklaces she creates. One day a woman comes in with some of...