Monday, March 31, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 31, 2025)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

It is hard to believe that it is the end of March already. Waking up to the ground covered with snow makes it even harder. While most of the week was nice and I actually got out of the house and drove to various errands three days this past week, ice and snow made the weekend a challenge. 

My annual wellness visit went well on Monday. Now I just have my annual mammogram on Thursday then I'll be done with most of my annual medical stuff until next March. I have nothing medical scheduled until May.

I had a good reading/listening week which was a good thing since I'm feeling some pressure as my blog cushion is fading away. I don't like having less than three weeks of cushion and I only have two right now. On the other hand, I am enjoying my In Death reread and don't want to stop. 

I am also enjoying the beginning of the baseball season even though my beloved Atlanta Braves haven't won a game yet. Maybe today...

Read Last Week
  • Find Me by Anne Frasier (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since March 7, 2022) -- Excellent thriller/romantic suspense story. My review will be posted on April 8.
  • One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman (Review; April 15) -- Engaging, humorous, and suspenseful contemporary mystery starring an odd pairing of amateur sleuths. My review will be posted on April 8.
  • The Sea House by Louise Douglas (Mine since January 8, 2025) -- Twisty mystery filled with secrets, but I wasn't a fan of the writing style. My review will be posted on April 9.
  • A Superior Death by Nevada Barr (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since July 9, 2021) -- Second Anna Pigeon mystery set on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Okay but seemed a little dated. My review will be posted on April 10.
  • Friends Indeed by David Weber & Jane Lindskold (Kindle & Audiobook; Mine since March 4, 2025) -- The latest entry into the Stephanie Harrington science fiction series moves this one away from the YA previous episodes and was an engaging science fiction story. My review will be posted on April 12. 
  • Wordhunter by Stella Sands (Mine since January 6, 2025) -- Contemporary mystery with an intriguing main character. My review will be posted on April 10.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:
Bought:
What was your week like?
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Saturday, March 29, 2025

ARC Review: Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Diviner's Bow
Author: Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Series: Liaden Universe (Book 27)
Publication: Baen Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2025)

Description: A world divided cannot stand.

A people divided cannot thrive.

The Oracle has Seen the end of Civilization, and the end of the Haosa, too. Reactions to this are—mixed.

On the one hand, foresight is a notoriously erratic Gift. On the other, can Civilization—or the Haosa—afford to assume that the prophecy is an error?

And if the Oracle has Seen truly—is it possible to alter the future?

While well-meaning people struggle to implement change that might, at least, mitigate a disaster, others are looking toward the profit they can make from the end of the world.

In the meantime, the Tree-and-Dragon Trade Team has concluded its whole port inventory, and is about to propose Colemeno as a trade-hub and anchor to a brand-new route. Padi yos’Galan is preparing to step into new roles, personally, and in trade.

And the lives of two small children may be the thread that binds the future—or unravels it.

My Thoughts: The twenty-seventh book in the Liaden Universe is a direct sequel to Trader's Ribbon Dance. Its action is centered on Colemeno. The Oracle had seen that soon there will be no Civilization and no Haosa and then promptly retired. 

Naturally, the Seeing has caused upset. Colemeno is already changing since it was rediscovered by the Dutiful Passage after the retreat of Rostov's Dust. Shan and Padi are two traders who would like to form a new loop with Colemeno at the center. They've done their survey and are waiting for the Council of the Civilized to approve the plan.

However, Colemeno is a fundamentally divided society. The Civilized live under a grid which filters the Ambient so that they can survive. The Haosa live outside the grid and need no protection from the Ambient. The Deaf have no psychic powers and live both under the grid and outside it. 

There are those of the Civilized who want to return to a past when the Deaf needed to be under the supervision of one of the Civilized in order to do business. This same group also wants to destroy the Haosa even though they have been a refuge for any child born to a Civilized family who has wild magic. 

It is only recently that a representative of the Deaf has gained a seat on the Council. And now a representative of the Haosa is also given a seat. 

Besides the politics, this is also a story of romance and relationships. Majel ziaGron is the Deaf representative to the Council and also the liaison between Tree-and-Dragon Trade and the Council. He meets Blays essWorthi who is Counsel to Chaos and Speaker Pro Tem for the Haosa. They form a bond which won't be an easy thing to maintain when he lives under the Grid and she represents a village far Off-Grid. Another relationship growing in this one is the heartbond between Padi and Tekelia who is the Speaker for the Haosa and new Council member. 

This was an engaging and intriguing story. It would be best read after Trader's Leap and Ribbon Dance so that the characters and their backstories are known to the reader. 

I purchased this eArc from Baen Books. I also pre-ordered the hardcover and Kindle copies. You can buy your copy here.
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Friday, March 28, 2025

Friday Memes: Diviner's Bow by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

 Happy Friday!


Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 
Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:
It was beautiful, in the way that orderly things are beautiful. More, it would save lives.

They had lost so many lives.
Friday 56:
Majel sighed, and finished his drink.

He would need to read the law as written. If there was any ambiguity, it would have to be dealt with before the Haosa Councilor took their chair. 
Today I am spotlighting the latest book in the Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee and the late Steve Miller. Diviner's Bow is the direct sequel to Trader's Leap. It is the 27th book in the Liaden Universe. Here is the description from Amazon:
A world divided cannot stand.

A people divided cannot thrive.

The Oracle has Seen the end of Civilization, and the end of the Haosa, too. Reactions to this are—mixed.

On the one hand, foresight is a notoriously erratic Gift. On the other, can Civilization—or the Haosa—afford to assume that the prophecy is an error?

And if the Oracle has Seen truly—is it possible to alter the future?

While well-meaning people struggle to implement change that might, at least, mitigate a disaster, others are looking toward the profit they can make from the end of the world.

In the meantime, the Tree-and-Dragon Trade Team has concluded its whole port inventory, and is about to propose Colemeno as a trade-hub and anchor to a brand-new route. Padi yos’Galan is preparing to step into new roles, personally, and in trade.

And the lives of two small children may be the thread that binds the future—or unravels it.

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Thursday, March 27, 2025

Audiobook Review: Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

Born in Shame
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Fiacre Douglas
Series: Born In Trilogy/Concannon Sisters Trilogy (Book 3)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (November 3, 2008)
Length: 9 hours and 17 minutes

Description: Shannon Bodine’s life revolves around her job as a graphic artist at a New York ad agency. But her world turns upside down when she learns the identity of her real father: Thomas Concannon.

Obeying her late mother’s wishes, Shannon reluctantly travels to County Clare. There, amid the lush landscape steeped in legend, she meets her half sisters and their families, but she’s wary of opening her heart to them—or to their charming neighbor…

Murphy Muldoon is a successful farmer and horse breeder with a romantic streak that can turn the most trite sentiment into poetry. Soon, his striking good looks and unpretentious ways have Shannon discovering the possibility of a love that was meant to be.

My Thoughts: This is the finale of the Born In/Concannon Sisters trilogy. Shannon Bodine learns at her mother's deathbed that her father was Tommy Concannon not Colin Bodine as she had always believed. She also learns shortly after her mother's death that her half-sisters and their husbands have been searching for her and her mother. 

Even though she has a successful career as a graphic artist in advertising, the facts of her birth are haunting her. Obeying her mother's dying request, she travels to County Clare to meet her half-sisters. While Brianna is welcoming, Maggie is not. And Shannon doesn't have any good thoughts about Tommy Concannon either. 

However, things really begin to change when she meets Murphy Muldoon who is a great friend of the Concannon girls and their husbands. Murphy takes one look at Shannon and is gob smacked. She is the woman he's been dreaming of since he was young. He's all-in with his desire to court her and make her his wife. She thinks he's crazy - stunningly handsome and very talented, but crazy. 

It is in Ireland that Shannon rekindles her artistic side and begins to paint. Maggie's husband Rogan is gently steamrolling her to take up a career as an artist with him representing her. But Shannon is holding on to her career and career goals and both Rogan and Murphy have a hard road convincing her to change her plans and build a new life in Ireland. 

I loved the strong connections that exist or grow between the sisters. And I love how their circle has grown with the addition of husbands and children. I also loved the sense of community and the way they were quick to welcome Shannon. 

This was another excellent romance from one of my favorite authors. 

I bought this one from Chirp November 12, 2024, for $3.99. You can buy your copy here.
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ARC Review: Written in Stone by Paige Shelton

Written in Stone
Author: Paige Shelton
Series: A Scottish Bookshop Mystery (Book 10)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2025)

Description: Written in Stone, the tenth installment in the Scottish Bookshop series by Paige Shelton, set in a specialty bookstore in Edinburgh called The Cracked Spine.

When Delaney wins a special Hidden Door Festival invitation to artist Ryory Bennigan's studio, she isn’t sure quite what to expect. What she finds is an elusive fellow obsessed with the Picts―complete with his own versions of their blue tattoos and vibrant red hair―recreating the stones they left behind. She also meets a visiting paleontologist, Dr. Adam Pace, from the University of Kansas attempting to sell an artifact that might just explain what the Picts' language really sounded like.

Or at least that’s what he claimed the artifact was for. Before the deal can close and Ryory can get a closer look at it, Dr. Pace is found dead.

With the police dragging their feet in the investigation, Delaney takes it upon herself to dig into Dr. Pace's past. Her research goes murky as she quickly discovers Pace’s shady background―selling fake dinosaur bones and running into some 3D-printing trouble back in Kansas. Could his past have come back to bite him in Edinburgh? And what does his questionable background mean for the mysterious Pictish artifact he was trying to sell to Ryory? Delaney will have to dust off her magnifying glass to uncover the truth behind this case… or risk becoming a pile of bones herself.

My Thoughts: The tenth Scottish Bookshop Mystery has Delaney attending a Hidden Door Festival with her husband Tom. She has received an invitation to meet reclusive artist Ryory Bennigan and tour his studio. She is very curious about her fellow redhead and his interest in the Picts. 

When she and Tom arrive, their appointment is delayed by the presence of Dr. Adam Pace who is a visiting paleontologist from her alma mater in Kansas. After he leaves, the tour precedes until Ryory's assistant Ani is taken suddenly ill. 

The next day she learns that Dr. Pace has been found murdered. She begins to look into the case and soon finds herself involved in dinosaur bones and bogus Pictish artifacts. It seems Dr. Pace was not always working on the right side of the law. 

This was an engaging episode in this long-running series. I enjoy Delaney and the other staff at the bookstore including her enigmatic boss. Delaney's wide acquaintanceship in Edinburgh combined with Edwin's means that she has a chance to interview a wide variety of people, tour various museums, and learn about Dr. Pace's recent activities. 

Fans of the series will enjoy this latest episode.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Wednesday, March 26, 2025

ARC Review: A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

A Drop of Corruption
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Series: Shadow of the Leviathan (Book 2)
Publication: Del Rey (April 1, 2025)

Description: The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.

In the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside.

To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.

Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost.

Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn.

Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana’s moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can’t defeat.

My Thoughts: This was an amazing epic fantasy mystery with complex worldbuilding. Dinios Kolhas been chosen as the investigator for the mysterious Ana Dolabra. He was somewhat disappointed to be assigned to the Justice Department when he would prefer to be part of the Legion battling the magical leviathans that descend on the empire each year. Justice doesn't seem to have the rewards or the glory that serving on the Wall has. 

This newest case has Ana and Din traveling to Yarrowdale. It is on the outskirts of the Empire and still not part of it though an agreement will have the kingdom join the empire in just a few short years. Yarrowdale is a crucial site for the empire though. It is the place where the bodies of slain leviathans are taken so that their magic can be extracted and used for many things that keep the empire going. 

At first the case seems simple if slightly baffling. A treasure official who has come to discuss details of the adopting of Yarrowdale into the empire has disappeared from his locked tower room. Then parts of his body are discovered leagues from where he disappeared deepening the mystery. 

The disappearance of the official is just the tip of a very big iceberg that could threaten the empire itself if Ana and Din can dig to the bottom of the case quickly. 

This was an excellent story filled with plot twists and complexity. I enjoyed learning more about Ana and watching Din come to his own conclusions about what his future role should be. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Tuesday, March 25, 2025

ARC Review: The Chow Maniac by Vivian Chen

The Chow Maniac
Author: Vivian Chen
Series: Noodle Shop Mysteries (Book 11)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2025)

Description: Asia Village is in peril when Private detective Lydia Shepard returns to enlist the help of Lana Lee to solve a rash of unsolved murders and thefts.

When Lydia brings Lana onto the case, three of the members of an elite Asian order known as the Eight Immortals have already been murdered. Each member of the order holds one item that represents their immortal counterpart, and someone is dying to get their hands on them all. Lydia's client insists he―and only he―knows who will be next and wants the murderer captured before there is another victim.

Riding below the line of three cities of law enforcement and Lana’s own boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, the two women must tread lightly as they infiltrate a secret organization that even the Mahjong Matrons know nothing about. And somehow protect the next victim without letting on that she’s in danger.

As they dig deeper into the case, Lana finds there are unexpected associations within Asia Village and potential ties to her own family that could be devastating. With the stakes raised on the toughest case she’s ever worked, will Lana be able to keep her own emotions out of the investigation? And will the murderer be found before they become the ultimate “immortal”?

My Thoughts: Lana Lee is brought into her eleventh case when Private Investigator Lydia Shepard asks for her help since Lana knows so much about the Asian community. Three members of a secret Asian society designed to help people have recently died in a variety of ways. All seem accidental, but Lydia's client feels that they were murders. 

Since one of the client's suspects is Mr. Zhang who is a long-time family friend of the Lee's and who is dating Lana's grandmother, Lana agrees to get involved in the investigation. It seems that someone is trying to influence the membership of the secret organization by murdering members who don't have a child to pass the membership to. 

While Lana investigates, she manages to learn a number of secrets about the organization and the secretive Mr. Zhang. She also finds herself investigating the murders on a parallel course with her police detective boyfriend. 

This was an engaging, first-person mystery told in Lana's distinctive voice. Fans of he series will enjoy this latest episode. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
 
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ARC Review: Dead Post Society by Diane Kelly

The Dead Post Society
Author: Diane Kelly
Series: A House-Flipper Mystery (Book 7)
Publication: Minotaur Books (April 1, 2025)

Description: The seventh in the House-Flipper mystery series set in Nashville, TN, where the real estate market is to die for.

This year's honor roll is killer...

Carpenter Whitney Whitaker and her cousin Buck are no strangers to murder. After all, they’ve encountered corpses on their properties before. But this is the first time they’d decided to take a chance on a property where two suspicious deaths have already occurred. Most buildings on the former boarding school property will be repurposed for an upscale retirement community, but the developer has no use for the headmaster’s house given its violent history. The headmaster and his wife were killed there decades earlier, their deaths remaining unsolved to this day.

Still, it seems a shame to see the beautiful Victorian give way to decay or the wrecking ball, even if many claim the unsettled souls of the victims still wander its halls, seeking retribution and justice. Can Whitney and Buck exorcise the structure’s demons, solve the cold case, and give the building new life? Or will ghosts from the past seek to silence them forever?

My Thoughts: Whitney Whitaker, now nearing her first anniversary with Collin Flynn, is working with her cousin and uncle on turning a former boarding school into a retirement community. Whitney is interested in restoring the old Victorian that was the home of the headmaster, but first she has to solve a mystery. 

It was March 1982 when the headmaster presumably murdered his wife and himself. The case has never been closed. The former investigator had some questions. Whitney, who found a bullet buried in one of the porch posts, has questions too. 

Since the school closed abruptly that May, Whitney has all sorts of paperwork from the office which includes student disciplinary reports, staff evaluations, and minutes of board and faculty meetings. And, even though forty plus years have passed, they allow her to track down former students and staff to see if she can find out what really happened. 

It was murder, and the murderer would really like the case to remain unsolved. 

I enjoyed this seventh book in the house-flipper series. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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Monday, March 24, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 24, 2025)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

After a nice Spring week, I woke up to snow-covered ground this morning. We're supposed to have a rain/snow mix until midnight. I'm watching the weather closely as I have my annual wellness visit with my doctor tomorrow and I have to drive to it. Duluth's many hills aren't much fun if the roads are snow-covered or icy. 

I did meet some friends for lunch on Wednesday which was nice. I don't see this group of friends very often and it's nice to catch up with them all. 

Otherwise, I've been reading and listening and watching baseball. I need to set aside the In Death audiobooks until I have rebuilt my reading cushion. I get really stressed out if I don't have a two-week cushion between my finishing a book and when the review needs to be posted.

Read Last Week
  • A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (Review; April 1) -- Historical fantasy murder mystery. Great worldbuilding. My review will be posted on March 26.
  • The Wind Weaver by Julie Johnson (Review; April 8) -- Beginning of an epic fantasy series. Cliffhanger ending. My review will be posted on April 1.
  • A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper (Review; April 8) -- Contemporary romantic suspense with lots of humor. My review will be posted on April 3.
  • Executive Order by Max Allan Collins (Audiobook; Mine since June 28, 2024) -- Near future political thriller that is the finale in a trilogy. My review will be posted on April 3.
  • Undone by Blake Pierce (Kindle; Mine since December 16, 2022) -- Thriller that begins a series. My review will be posted on April 5.
Currently
Next Week

Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:

Bought:
What was your week like?
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Saturday, March 22, 2025

Audiobook Review: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

Onyx Storm
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Narrator: Jasmin Walker & Justis Bolding
Series: The Empyrean (Book 3)
Publication: Entangled: Red Tower Books (January 21, 2025)
Length: 23 hours and 52 minutes

Description: After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

My Thoughts: The third book in the Empyrean series has Violet and her picked companions leaving the Basgiath War College to search for allies. a cure for Zaden, and for Andarna's lost kin. The enemy is getting ever closer, and all of her quests are urgent.

The story was packed with adventure and intense emotions. Now that Xaden has declared his love for Violet, she has no intention of allowing him to set her aside because he fears that he will become the enemy that they are all fighting. So, they travel outside of their continent to see if answers and allies can be found.

The story had excellent world building. The island kingdoms were fascinating. Secrets were revealed about Violet's past which her parents had kept from her. Andarna's kin are found but prove not to have the answers they need. 

Unfortunately, this volume also ends on a cliffhanger. And the next book isn't yet in sight!

I bought the Kindle version on its release date. I added the Audible copy February 13, 2025. You can buy your copy here.
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Friday, March 21, 2025

Friday Memes: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

 Happy Friday!


Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 
Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:
Where in Malek's name is he going? I hurry through the tunnels beneath the quadrant, trying to follow, but night is the ultimate shadow and Xaden blends seamlessly into the darkness. If it wasn't for our dragons' bond leading me in his general direction and he sporadic disappearance of mage lights, I'd never think that he's masked somewhere ahead of me.
Friday 56:
"I forgot." He slowly lets go of the headboard and sits back on his heels, gripping his thighs, then letting his hands fall at his sides. "I woke up and saw you sitting there, and it was the most natural thing in the world to reach for you, but I'm not natural anymore. F**k, I'm so sorry, Violet."
This week I am spotlighting Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros. Here's the description from Amazon:
After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.

Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.

They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.

But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.
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