Book Review: The Elusive Bride by Stephanie Laurens

The Elusive Bride
Author: Stephanie Laurens
Series: The Black Cobra Quartet (Book 2)
Publication: Avon (January 14, 2010)

Description: A second battle-hardened, completely unstoppable, all-male hero, an ex-officer of the Crown, confronts the deadly enemy known only as the Black Cobra. He's focused on his mission, then sees a lady he never dreamed he'd see again - with an assassin on her heels. She secretly followed him, unaware her path is deadly - or that she'll join him to battle a treacherous foe. Through ever-present peril, through passion, desire, and ecstasy, they race to reach England - and their destiny.

My Thoughts: This second in the Black Cobra series follows Major Gareth Hamilton as he tries to get home to England with a letter which can be used to finally end the Black Cobra's reign of terror in India. 

Emily Ensworth is the governor of India's niece. She has been spending time in India in the hopes of finding a husband. She's very picky and none of the men she met in England pleased her. She gets involved in the Black Cobra problems. But she also takes a look at Gareth Hamilton and thinks he's the One for her. However, with him leaving India to bring the message to England, she finds it necessary to chase after him to see if he is actually the One she's been searching for.

The two join forces largely because the Black Cobra's minions have targeted both of them and the race is on from India through Egypt and France to England fighting the Black Cobra's forces all along the way.

And Gareth is fighting his own feelings too. As a man without family, he isn't sure how to relate to the charming and bright Miss Ensworth except to protect her. Emily wants more. There were quite a few love scenes in this one along with battle scenes.

I enjoyed this historical romance/romantic suspense title. 

I bought this one August 6, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Lark! The Herald Angels Sing by Donna Andrews

Lark! The Herald Angels Sing
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow (Book 24)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (October 16, 2018)
Length: 8 hours and 46 minutes

Description: It's Christmas time in Caerphilly, and the town is preparing for their live nativity. During rehearsals, Meg discovers a real baby in the manger, with a note attached that says the mother is leaving the baby girl there so that her father can take care of her, and the wording of the note implicates Meg's brother, Rob, as the father.

Rob protests that he can't possibly be the father, but the town's suspicion creates a rift between him and his new girlfriend. Rob asks Meg to investigate on his behalf‚ to clear his name and to find the real parents of the baby.

But every day that passes without answers is another day that spoils everyone's enjoyment of the holiday and drives the wedge between Rob and his girlfriend deeper. As Meg gets further into her investigation, she discovers the found baby is connected to something much bigger, a crime that will need to be stopped by Meg and her motley crew to save the holidays for everyone.

My Thoughts: The 24th book in the Meg Langslow mystery series begins with rehearsals for the children's Christmas pageant and the discovery of a live baby in the manger. The baby has a note attached indicating the Meg's brother Rob is the father. 

Rob is trying to find just the right way to propose to his girlfriend Delaney and this discovery which is false has ignited Delaney's temper. Between trying to soothe Delaney's wounded feeling and discover the identity of the baby, Meg has her hands full.

The found baby who they call Lark because of a note attached to her blanket is the key to crimes going on in nearby Clay County. Solving a crime, reuniting the family, getting Rob and Delaney back together will call on all of Meg's ingenuity and the help of many of the colorful characters who live in Caerphilly.

This was another fast-paced and funny mystery ably narrated by Bernadette Dunne. 

I bought this Chirp Audiobook November 13, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Grave Deception by Connie Berry

A Grave Deception
Author: Connie Berry
Series: A Kate Hamilton Mystery (Book 6)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (December 9, 2025)

Description: Antiques expert Kate Hamilton dives into the past to solve a fourteenth-century mystery with disturbing similarities to a modern-day murder in the sixth installment of the Kate Hamilton mystery series.

Kate Hamilton and her husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, have settled into married life in Long Barston. When archaeologists excavating the ruins of a nearby plague village discover the miraculously preserved body of a fourteenth-century woman, Kate and her colleague, Ivor Tweedy, are asked to appraise the grave goods, including a valuable pearl. When tests reveal the woman was pregnant and murdered, the owner of the estate on which the body was found, an amateur historian, asks Kate to identify her and, if possible, her killer. Surprised, Kate agrees to try.

Meanwhile, tensions within the archaeological team erupt when the body of the lead archaeologist turns up at the dig site with fake pearls in his mouth and stomach. Then a third body is found in the excavations. Meanwhile, Kate’s husband Tom is tracking the movements of a killer of his own.

With the help of 700-year-old documents and the unpublished research of a deceased historian, Kate must piece together the past before the grave count reaches four.

My Thoughts: The sixth Kate Hamilton mystery begins when she and her partner Ivor are invited to appraise some grave goods found at an archaeological site. A miraculously preserved body of a fourteenth century woman has been found. Investigations reveal that she was pregnant and she was murdered. Her sealed and lead lined coffin yields a variety of goods including a large pearl. 

The millionaire who owns the land where the dig is happening wants to hire Kate to see if she can discover who the woman was. She also learns that his young wife, a fashion model and amateur archaeologist, disappeared nine years earlier. He was suspected of murdering her, but lack of evidence and a body meant the case was stalled. Now, he is hoping that the grave goods will be the centerpiece of a museum he is creating at his estate in his wife's honor. 

When rivalry among the team currently exploring the site results in the death of the lead archaeologist, there is also a current murder to solve. Meanwhile, Kate's husband Tom, now a chief inspector, is trying to find a murderer on the run. 

This was an engaging mystery. I liked the setting and the historical details. I enjoyed the way Kate and Tom worked together. I liked the way the murders in the 1400s and the one nine years earlier have so many parallels. I was surprised by the identity of the villain even though the clues were there in the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

State of the Stack #171 (December 1, 2025)

This is my monthly post which details progress made on review books. I want to thank the authors and publishers who have contributed their books. 

Read This Month 

Dates indicate the date the review was/will be posted.

1. Murder at Cottonwood Creek by Clara McKenna (November 18)
2. The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews (November 19)
3. Vows and Villainy by Elizabeth Penney (November 20)
4. All My Bones by P. J. Nelson (November 25)
5. The Snow Lies Deep by Paula Munier (November 26)
6. A Grave Deception by Connie Berry (December 2)
7. The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey (December 23)
8. The Devil in the Details by Vicki Delany (December 30)

DNF

1.  

Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was posted.

1. Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (November 4)
2. Wild Instinct by T. Jefferson Parker (November 4)
3. Innocence Road by Laura Griffin (November 5)
4. Revenge, Served Royal by Celeste Connally (November 6)
5. Haze by Katharine Kerr (November 6)
6. Brigands & Breadknives by Travis Baldree (November 8)
7. The Queen Who Came in from the Cold by S. J. Bennett (November 11)
8. Blood Oath by Steve Urszenyi (November 11)
9. Midnight in Memphis by Thomas Dann (November 12)
10. The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts (November 13)
11. At Midnight Comes the Cry by Julia Spencer-Fleming (November 13)

New This Month 

Date indicates when the book will be released.

1. The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey (December 30)
2. Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton (January 6)
3. Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh (January 27)
4. The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (February 24)
5. A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn (March 3)
6. Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn (April 14)
7. Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman (April 21)
8. Storm Warning by Paul Byrne (May 26)
9. Storm Tide by Paul Doiron (June 30)

All TBR Review Books

January

• The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz (January 6)
• Wildwood by Amy Pease (January 6)
• The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (January 6)

• Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton (January 6)
• Wreck Your Heart by Lori Rader-Day (January 6)

• A Deadly Clue by Victoria Gilbert (January 13)
• The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura (January 13)
• The Bookbinder's Secret by A. D. Bell (January 13)

• Detour by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart (January 13)
• Inside Man by John McMahon (January 13)

• A Field Guide to Murder by Jennifer L. Cullen (January 27)
• Tell-Tale Treats by Jennifer J. Chow (January 27)
• Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh (January 27)

February

• Stolen in Death by J. D. Robb (February 3)
• Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell (February 3)
• Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan (February 10)

• Antihero by Gregg Hurwitz (February 10)
• Strange Animals by Jarod K. Anderson (February 10)
• Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin by Nancy Springer (February 10)

• Half City by Kate Golden (February 17)
• First Sign of Danger by Kelley Armstrong (February 17)
• Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove (February 17)

• Buried in Shamrocks by Lisa Q. Mathews (February 24)
• The Wolves Are Watching by Victoria Houston (February 24)
• The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly (February 24)

• How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson (February 24)
• The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy (February 24)

March

• A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn (March 3)
• Spellbound by Murder by Stacie Ramey (March 10)

• You Did Nothing Wrong by CG Drews (March 17)
• Stakeouts and Strollers by Rob Phillips (March 17)
• The Somewhat Wicked Witch of Brigandale by C. M. Waggoner (March 17)

• Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict (March 24)
• The Survivor by Andrew Reid (March 24)

April 

• The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer (April 7)
• The Lost Book of Elizabeth Barton by Jennifer N. Brown (April 14)
• Cat on a Hot Tin Woof by Spencer Quinn (April 14)

• Thistlemarsh by Moorea Corrigan (April 21)
• Liar's Creek by Matt Goldman (April 21)

May 

• An Ordinary Sort of Evil by Kelley Armstrong (May 19)
• Storm Warning by James Byrne (May 26)

June

• Storm Tide by Paul Doiron (June 30)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (December 1, 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...

Winter has arrived in my part of Minnesota just in time to make Thanksgiving travel a challenge. We received 10.4 inches of snow on Tuesday/Wednesday which fell over a nice layer of ice and another 5.3 inches of snow fell on Saturday. The Tuesday snow was a wet heavy mess. Saturday's snow fell as big fluffy flakes ALL DAY LONG. We outperformed expectations on Saturday since we were supposed to be on the Northern edge of the snow event and only get an inch of snow. 

I don't drive when the roads are snowy and the plow ridges at street corners make it difficult to see on-coming traffic. My car is now plugged for the winter. I'm dependent on by brother for transportation until Spring arrives. He's very good about taking me wherever I want to go. Luckily, I like staying home and am perfectly content to read, listen to audiobooks, and play computer games. 

My brother was the one who cooked our Thanksgiving dinner - turkey breast, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and green bean casserole. I did stand by and kibbitz though. Our green bean casserole doesn't used fried onions since I really don't like them when they end up mushy after cooking. We substitute canned water chestnuts for crunch and chow main noodles for the topping. Today (Sunday) will be a repeat of that dinner before he goes to work for his first 3:30 to midnight shift of the season. 

I did bake bread yesterday for the first time since last winter. I have a recipe for an easy peasant bread that requires stretch and folds instead of kneading. I was a little concerned about the age of my yeast, but the bread turned out well. 

I have finished all of my 2025 review copies and am almost finished with my second 2026 release. I have eleven books releasing on or before January 13. The last three January releases on my stack (so far) will be released on January 27.

Read Last Week

• Secrets of the Lost Ledgers by C. J. Archer (Kindle, mine since January 26, 2025) -- 5th book in the Glass Library fantasy series. It's set after World War I in England. My review will be posted on December 13.
• Turns of Fate by Anne Bishop (Audiobook, mine since November 18) -- First in a new urban fantasy series. Great worldbuilding and intriguing characters. I reviewed the ARC on November 4.
• All In by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Kindle, mine since August 6, 2025) -- Third book in the Naturals YA thriller series. My review will be posted on December 20)

• Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Mine since August 6, 2025) -- Finale of the Naturals YA thriller series. My review will be posted on January 10.
• The Cyprian by Mercedes Lackey (Review, December 30) -- The latest in the Elemental Masters series is a Regency fantasy based on Hans Christian Anderson's The Wild Swans. My review will be posted on December 23.
• Hounded by Kevin Hearne (Audiobook, mine since June 27, 2022) -- This is the first urban fantasy in the Iron Druid series. Lots of Celtic mythology. My review will be posted on December 25.

• Rapture in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)
• Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman (Kindle, Mine since January 27, 2025) -- First Tess Monaghan mystery set in Baltimore. She's a former newspaper reporter soon to turn into a private investigator. My review will be posted on December 27.
• The Devil in the Details by Vicki Delany (Review, January 6) -- 11th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery. This time Gemma needs to solve two deaths so that Jayne's wedding can proceed without a hitch - like a fiancé in jail for murder. My review will be posted on December 30.

Currently

• The Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann Krentz (Review, January 6)
• Ceremony in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)

Next Week

• Wildwood by Amy Pease (Review, January 6)
• The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (Review, January 6)
• Axe and Grind by Taylor Hutton (Review, January 6)

• Wreck Your Heart by Lori Rader-Day (Review, January 6)
• A Deadly Clue by Victoria Gilbert (Review, January 13)
• The Lust Crusade by Jo Segura (Review, January 13)

Reviews Posted

• How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook)
• Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts (Chirp Audiobook)
• All My Bones by P. J. Nelson (Review copy)

• The Snow Lies Deep by Paula Munier (Review copy)
• The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (Audiobook)
• Gutter Mage by J. S. Kelley (Mine)

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

Review:

• Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh (Review, January 27)

Bought:

• Ember Eternal by Chloe Neill (Kindle, Kindle Rewards, $11.99)
• World of Howl Collection by Diana Wynne Jones (Kindle Daily Deal, $1.99)

What was your week like?

Audiobook Review: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

The House in the Cerulean Sea
Author: TJ Klune

Narrator: Daniel Henning
Series: Cerulean Chronicles (Book 1)
Publication: Tor Books (December 29, 2020); Macmillan Audio (March 17, 2020)

Length: 12 hours and 12 minutes

Description: A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place―and realizing that family is yours.

My Thoughts: Linus Baker works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He is sent by Extremely Upper Management to report on one isolated orphanage. The orphanage is on Marsyas Island - a spot at the end of the train line. 

When Linus arrives, he meets Arthur Parnassus who is in charge of six very unusual and potentially dangerous children. The children include a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, a were-Pomeranian, a green blog, and the Antichrist. 

Linus begins the story as a rule bound man but gradually comes to see that the rules don't always work. As he gets to know the children, he begins to see them as children and not their superficial identity tag. And he longs to get to know Arthur Parnassus who is hiding a large number of secrets of his own.

The story is all about changes. Linus expands his horizons greatly as he gets to know Arthur and the children. He goes from aching loneliness to becoming a member of a most unusual found family. And he discovers courage within himself to use his voice to help others. 

This was an engaging tale. 

I bought the Kindle copy September 18, 2025, and used an Audible credit for the audiobook November 7, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

 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:

"Oh dear," Linus Baker said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "This is most unusual."

Friday 56:

Well. They looked as if they were suffering from red-eye effect, the flash happening too quickly for the pupils to react. There was a ring of blue around the red. It was certainly chilling, but Linus had seen it many times before. Just a trick of the light. That's all it was.

This week I am spotlighting The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. This has been on my radar for a while, but I was pushed to buy it when I saw so many booktubers singing its praises. Here is the description from Amazon:

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place―and realizing that family is yours.