Tuesday, December 31, 2019

ARC Review: The Woman in the Veil by Laura Joh Rowland

The Woman in the Veil
Author: Laura Joh Rowland
Series: Victorian Mystery (Book 4)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (January 7, 2020)

Description: Award-winning author Laura Joh Rowland is back with the fourth in her critically acclaimed Victorian mysteries where the case of a mutilated "Sleeping Beauty" washes ashore in London.

London, June 1890.

Sarah Bain and her friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly are crime scene photographers for the Daily World newspaper. After solving a sensational murder, they're under pressure to deliver another big story. On a foggy summer night, they're called to the bank of the river Thames. The murder victim is an unidentified woman whose face has been slashed. But as Sarah takes photographs, she discovers that the woman is still alive.

The case of "Sleeping Beauty" becomes a public sensation, and three parties quickly come forward to identify her: a rich, sinister artist who claims she's his wife; a mother and her two daughters who co-own a nursing home and claim she's their stepdaughter/sister; and a precocious little girl who claims Sleeping Beauty is her mother. Which party is Sleeping Beauty's rightful kin? Is someone among them her would-be killer?

Then Sleeping Beauty awakens--with a severe case of amnesia. She's forgotten her name and everything else about herself. But she recognizes one of the people who've claimed her. Sarah is delighted to reunite a family and send Sleeping Beauty home--until one of the claimants is murdered. Suddenly, Sarah, her motley crew of friends, and her fiancé Detective Sergeant Barrett are on the wrong side of the law. Now they must identify the killer before they find themselves headed for the gallows.

My Thoughts: Sarah Bain and her partners Lord Hugh Stanton and Mick O'Reilly are crime scene photographers for the Daily World. They have also solved a number of crimes.

Their latest case has them photographing a beautiful woman lying dead on the shore of the Thames having been beaten and had her face slashed to make her unrecognizable. Only Sarah discovers that she isn't dead and their case, which the newspaper's owner wants them to pursue, is to identify her and discover who left her to die by the river.

Sarah's fiance Detective Sergeant Barrett has been assigned the case by his superior officer who really wants him to fail. Inspector Reid hates that Barrett and his friends have solved cases that Reid had mismanaged. He is determined to get revenge on all of them.

Since the woman knicknamed Sleeping Beauty has amnesia, her story brings a number of people who are sure that she is their missing family member. Three of the cases are credible and it is up to Sarah, Barrett, and their friends to discover where Sleeping Beauty belongs.

I enjoyed this latest in this series. Each episode lets us learn more about the characters. We are also gradually unraveling the mystery in Sarah's past. I like the Victorian setting. I like the relationships between the characters.

Favorite Quote:
When I come across a dangerous person or situation, I'm tempted to draw nearer as if it's a sleeping wolf that I have an urge to poke and wake up, just to see what will happen....And investigating crimes offers me plentiful, welcome opportunities to poke the wolf, no matter that it's almost cost me my life.

There's no exhilaration like facing death and surviving.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, December 30, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 30, 2019)

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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading...

This was a pleasant, warm week but things are changing. We even has rain on Christmas Eve. As I sit here on Saturday afternoon, we are waiting for a snow event that will last into Tuesday. Because we might be on the rain-snow dividing line, we might get snow, ice, or rain. They are predicting anywhere from 6 - 18 inches of snow depending on which side of the line we end up. This would be okay with me because I don't have any need to leave the house. However, my brother begins work again on Monday and has to be able to get out of our cul-de-sac in order to get there.

We grocery shopped yesterday and planned meals through Tuesday. I'm baking bread right now and intend to try a new recipe for garlic bread tomorrow to go with our spaghetti and meat balls.

You might notice that my pictures don't look the way the usually do. For some reason Microsoft Snip & Sketch has stopped working. I reset it, uninstalled and reinstalled it, and it still doesn't work. I will either have to learn to live with the problem or bring my computer in for repair. If I bring it in, I'll have to go through "computer withdrawal" until they can fix it and get it back to me. I don't know if I can do that. I'm on my computer for at least a couple of hours a day.

I couldn't convince my brother to join my fitness club so I quit that one and joined the one he is joining. It has about the same hours, is located in the Mall, and is much closer to our house. I'm losing access to a pool but I hadn't intended to swim anyway. Of course, now that I've joined, the weather isn't going to cooperate with me being able to get there.

I'll be doing my end of the year reading summary next week because I'm still hoping to finish a couple more books before 2019 ends.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

  • Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (mine) - reread
  • Spitfire: A Livy Nash Mystery by M. L. Huie (Review; Jan. 7) - This mystery is set just post World War II and stars a young woman who is finding life flat after spending the war undercover with the Resistance in France. When she is offered a chance to serve again by Ian Fleming, she is eager but finds the new political situation difficult. My review will be posted on Jan. 7.
  • A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris (Review; Jan. 14) - This is the second in the Gunnie Rose series which is post-Apocalyptic, takes place in a shattered United States with magic, and stars a young woman who makes her living as a guard who isn't hesitant to shoot. My review will be posted on Jan. 8.
  • The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot (Review; Jan. 14) - Elliot begins a new suspense series set in Oregon. A hanging of a black man and the gruesome murder of his wife brings in the FBI. Emily Mills called them when it looked like the local sheriff was getting things wrong and because it brought back memories of her father's hanging when she was a child. This was entertaining and thought provoking. My review will be posted on Jan. 11.
  • Cast in Wisdom by Michelle Sagara (Review; Jan. 28) -- This is the most recent in the Chronicles of Elantra which is an epic fantasy series. Kaylin and her companions have to help a sentient building throw off the evil fief lord who is trying to conquer it. My review will be posted on Jan. 23.
DNF
  • The Prized Girl by Amy K. Green (Review; Jan. 14) - I got to 28% of this dual narrative about the murder of a fourteen-year-old former beauty pageant contestant. It is told from her viewpoint and the viewpoint of her older half-sister. I couldn't engage with the older sister who was really messed up by her neglectful childhood and own romantic choices. 

Currently
Next Week

From my own TBR pile this week:

Reviews Posted


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

  • Boundary Haunted by Melissa F. Olson - next in an urban fantasy series I'm reading. 

What was your week like?

Sunday, December 29, 2019

State of the Stack #91 (Jan. 1, 2020)

This is my monthly State of the Stack post. It is my way to keep track of my review books and to hopefully reduce the stack that I have waiting for me. I take a look at my review commitments on or near the first of the month. Link with Avalinah's Books (description below) to check out other people's progress.

Here is my Review Books Spreadsheet I list them in publication order and sort them by month. I can quickly see how many books I have for each date. Ideally, this keeps me from over-committing to review books. Check my spreadsheet to find out where I got each book.

I also do this post because sometimes (frequently) review books sit on my stack for a while before I read and review them. I try to read and review books within two weeks of publication date. Sometimes I can't, though, if too many books are releasing on the same date or if the book arrives too near its publication date and my calendar is already full.

I am very grateful to the authors and publishers who support my reading habit.

I Read This Month

These are listed in the order I read them. Links go to my reviews for all that have been posted already. Otherwise, the date the review is scheduled for is listed.
  1. Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey (Dec 26)
  2. The Woman in the Veil by Laura Joh Rowland (Dec. 31)
  3. The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz (Jan. 1)
  4. There's a Murder Afoot by Vicki Delany (Jan. 2)
  5. A Perfect Eye by Stephanie Kane (Jan. 4)
  6. Spitfire by M. L. Huie (Jan. 7)
  7. A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris (Jan. 8)
  8. The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot (Jan. 11)
Read Previously, Reviews Posted This Month
  1. Trace of Evil by Alice Blanchard (Dec. 1)
  2. Accepting the Lance by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Dec. 3)
  3. Wicked Hour by Chloe Neill (Dec. 5)
I Added These Books

These are listed in the order I received them. Links go to Amazon. Date published is listed in parentheses.
  1. A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn (March 10)
  2. Hideaway by Nora Roberts (May 26)
  3. The Glass Magician by Caroline Stevermer (April 7)
  4. Breaking Silence by Mercedes Lackey (Feb. 4)
My Review Pile

January
February
March
April
May
June
August
My Year in Review

This year I reviewed 130 books and DNFd 13. I honed my focus to mostly mystery/thrillers but sprinkled in a few science fiction and YA titles - though those were mostly mysteries or science fiction.

*********

I am also linking up with the State of the ARC meme. Here is the explanation and rules.

State of the ARC is a monthly meme at Avalinah’s Books meant to motivate you to finish up all your long overdue ARCs (Advanced or Early Reader Copies). You can track your reading progress and link up with your own post. Most commonly it comes out on the 30th of every month.

Rules of State of the ARC:

  • Mention that you’re linking up with State of the ARC @ AvalinahsBooks, which is a fun way to share our ARC progress, challenges, wins, woes and mishaps.
  • Include the link to this post, or the current State of the ARC post. You can use my State of the ARC image too.
  • Don’t forget to visit all the other people in the link-up and comment.
  • And most importantly – have fun!

Friday, December 27, 2019

Friday Memes: Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City ReaderThe Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:
Silver Ashcroft slipped through night and shadows, heart pounding and rage simmering. Although she belonged to a D'Anu Coven that practiced white witchcraft, there was no doubt in her mind this situation required a good dose of gray magic.
Friday 56:
The witch panted beside Silver and every now and then gave a soft cry when a demon slapped into their protection.
This week I am spotlighting a book that has been on my TBR mountain since before I began using LibraryThing in Feb. 2008. Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray is the first in her Magic series. Here is the description from Amazon:
Cheyenne McCray's paranormal romances seduce with an award-winning combination of heat and fantasy. Now, she weaves the first tale in an enthralling new series sizzling with dark magic and dangerous desires. Prepare to be spellbound by 

D'Anu witch Silver Ashcroft knows she walks a perilous line by practicing gray magic. But it's the only way to protect herself from the evil that surrounds her. After the horrors she has witnessed, Silver thinks she is ready for anything...until the most intensely arousing being she has ever encountered swiftly--and sensuously--proves her wrong...

Hawk is a Tuatha D'Danann warrior--powerful beings descended from the Fae. And for him duty has always come before pleasure. Then, clad only in moonlight, Silver Ashcroft welcomes him to her city of San Francisco and makes his blood sing with a passion beyond compare. She is the embodiment of fantasies he never knew he had, but the terrifying reality of his mission lurks in every shadow...

Only the strongest will survive the upcoming battle, and the forces of darkness are more powerful than ever. Now, warrior and witch must trust in their hearts above all else--for to claim victory, they first must claim each other...

Thursday, December 26, 2019

ARC Review: Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey

Unspeakable Things
Author: Jess Lourey
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (January 1, 2020)

Description: Inspired by a terrifying true story from the author’s hometown, a heart-pounding novel of suspense about a small Minnesota community where nothing is as quiet—or as safe—as it seems.

Cassie McDowell’s life in 1980s Minnesota seems perfectly wholesome. She lives on a farm, loves school, and has a crush on the nicest boy in class. Yes, there are her parents’ strange parties and their parade of deviant guests, but she’s grown accustomed to them.

All that changes when someone comes hunting in Lilydale.

One by one, local boys go missing. One by one, they return changed—violent, moody, and withdrawn. What happened to them becomes the stuff of shocking rumors. The accusations of who’s responsible grow just as wild, and dangerous town secrets start to surface. Then Cassie’s own sister undergoes the dark change. If she is to survive, Cassie must find her way in an adult world where every sin is justified, and only the truth is unforgivable.

My Thoughts: With a prologue that indicates that the main character survives and maybe even flourishes, we are taken back to Cassie McDowell's past when she is nearing the end of her seventh grade year and when terror stalks her small Minnesota town. Someone is taking boys and returning them changed.

Cassie is worried by the disappearances and the the curfew but her biggest problems are in her own home. She is terrified of her father whose unexplained rages and excessive drinking makes living with him like living with a bomb that could explode at any time. She is so terrified of him that she no longer sleeps in her own bed but either underneath it or curled up in her closet. She is also concerned about her older sister who seems to have changed greatly in the past year.

Cassie is also concerned about her parents who host swinging parties on their rural farm where the sexual hijinks embarrass her and have caused her to lose friends. She is also crushing on the nicest boy in her class and planning a future with him that he doesn't know anything about. He becomes the next victim of this strange stalker. Only he doesn't return. Cassie is left with her fears that her father could be involved or that one of his creepy friends could be.

The author mentions that she was inspired by the Jacob Wetterling abduction that was big news in her part of Minnesota when she was a child. Jacob's case took twenty-seven years to be solved and shaped a generation of kids who were his age.

I enjoyed this story but I felt that all of Cassie's concerns rather overwhelmed the thriller aspect of the story.

Favorite Quote:
"You know what Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman had in common?"

"Not smart enough to play the saxophone?"

He chuckled. "You're not going to make first chair with that attitude."

"Or these fingers." I waggled them at him. "Yet the world continues to turn."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Book Review: Cold Fire by Kate Elliott

Cold Fire
Author: Kate Elliott
Series: The Spiritwalker Trilogy (Book 2)
Publication: Orbit; 1 edition (September 26, 2011)

Description: Cat Barahal and her beloved cousin Bee think they have reached a safe place to shelter. But the Cold Mages who are conspiring to take them prisoner are closing in. The warlord who hopes to conquer all Europa is convinced their destiny is to aid him, whether they want to or not. And the man Cat was forced to marry is back, as vainly arrogant and annoyingly handsome as ever.

Worst of all, as Hallows' Night approaches, powers hidden deep within the spirit world are rising. Cat must seek allies against these threats and figure out who to trust, for if she makes the wrong choices, she'll lose everything.

Only one thing is certain. When Hallows' Night comes the Wild Hunt will ride-and it feeds on mortal blood.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Spiritwalker Trilogy takes place maybe in the New World where Cold Mages are rare and Fire Mages are more common. Cat meets her sire who sets her to a task where she has to pick the victim for the Wild Hunt. Her cousin Bee is the most likely candidate but Cat wants it to be anyone else.

She gets involved with Camjiata's latest schemes and the radical movement in the New World. She also reunites with Vai who has come on the Mensa's command to take care of the Camjiata problem but who is also looking for Cat.

I liked that the romance between Cat and Vai comes to a resolution. This is definitely the middle book of a trilogy because there are lots of dangling plot threads. However, it is also an excellent adventure with great world building.

Favorite Quote:
"I want this chain off my tongue, Vai. Just as you want the chains off your village, just as Bee wants to live. I want not to live at the mercy of Four Moons House, or a prince's militia, or the general's schemes. Surely it's the same thing most people want. Health and vigor. A refuge which is not a cage but those who care for us and whom we care for. Like Luce's giggle. Aunt Tilly's smile. Rory's loyalty. Bee's happiness. You."
I bought this one August 20, 2011. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, December 23, 2019

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 23, 2019)

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.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup.

Other Than Reading...

We had a snow-free week. Of course, we traded the snow for bone-chilling cold at the beginning of the week with windchills running about 35 degrees below zero. But the end of the week improved and we are looking at temperatures in the high 20. We may even hit 40 degrees before the warm spell leaves us. Unfortunately, the weather folks aren't predicting a lot of melting for the almost four feet of snow we've received. It should make the roads clear though.

With my brother finished with his cardio rehab and looking forward to getting back to work, we both need to make new exercise plans. I hope this week we'll get a chance to check out some fitness options. I'm still hoping he'll join the YMCA with me so that I can have a chauffeur for some of my visits.

Today we made Polish sausage from my dad's recipe for a Christmas treat. We did cut down on the salt to 1/4 of the amount in the recipe to make the sausage more heart-healthy. We also used leaner pork but didn't trim off all the visible fat. We've tried that and it makes sausage that doesn't hold together at all and is very dry.

I've been getting in the habit of making bread a couple of times a week. This week's new choice was Honey Oatmeal which turned out fairly well. It was a bit "crumby" for me. I like a different smoother texture better. This week I'll be making 100% Whole Wheat for the first time and also making some hamburger buns.

I'm reading my January releases and just fitting in a reread once a week or so. I did buy myself the Kindle books for Anne Bishop's two trilogies that I haven't read yet. I adore the Others books and thought the Black Jewels books were pretty good. I'm eager to see if I like her other books. I was also surprised and pleased to see Nora Roberts' next standalone thriller available at Edelweiss and added it to my review stack for May.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

  • Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop - reread
  • The Vanishing by Jayne Ann Krentz (Review; Jan. 7) - Two psychic private investigators get together to solve a current mystery and one that has lingered for years. Typical Krentz characters and dialog which is not a bad thing. My review will be posted on Jan. 1.
  • There's A Murder Afoot by Vicki Delany (Review; Jan. 7) - The crew from the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop are in London for a Sherlock Holmes convention when Gemma's father is accused of murdering his brother-in-law. They need to find the correct murderer. My review will be posted on Jan. 2.


  • Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop - reread
  • Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop - reread
  • A Perfect Eye by Stephanie Kane (Review; Sept. 1) - This thriller stars a lawyer turned art conservator who has a remarkable ability to remember what she sees. When a benefactor of the museum where she works is murdered, she gets involved in solving the case with an old flame. My review will be posted on Jan. 4.

Currently


Next Week




Reviews Posted




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

Bought:




Review:


What was your week like?

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Book Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Redshirts
Author: John Scalzi
Publication: Tor Books; First edition (June 5, 2012)

Description: Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn't be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Redshirts is the winner of the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

My Thoughts: When I first began reading this story, I was baffled that it could have ever won a Hugo Award. It seemed like it was only a satirical take on science fiction television programs, most notably Star Trek, filled with in jokes and sly sendups of science fiction tropes. But the codas flipped that assumption around. Now I see why the book won.

The story begins with a group of new Ensigns being assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid. Andrew Dahl is assigned to Xenobiology which is his dream job. But he soon becomes concerned when he learns that the ship has more than its fair share of deaths, especially among those who go on away missions with the ship's Captain, Science Officer, and Lieutenant Kerensky. At least one low ranked crew member dies on each mission.

Needless to say this has been noted and most are eager to find a way to skip away missions. Andrew and is friends want to find out what is going on and are surprised when they learn that their whole world is based on a not-very-good science fiction television series from the 2000s. Andrew has found his life taken over by "the narrative" which leads him to know things he didn't know and do things that are rather stupid when he is taken over.

He becomes determined to go back to the past and convince the writers and producers of the show to change their ways.

I liked the science fiction in jokes and the referencing to absolutely imaginary science that so many of the shows use. I liked the character development both among the crew members of the Intrepid and of the characters in the present (2012) time who formed their templates. The Codas added a lot of depth and heart to the story.

Favorite Quote:
Dahl fixed her with a look and flipped Finn's phone to her. "In the past three years, Kerensky's been shot three times, caught a deadly disease four times, has been crushed under a rock pile, injured in a shuttle crash, suffered burns when his bridge control panel blew up in his face, experience partial atmospheric decompression, suffered from induce mental instability, been bitten by two venomous animals and had the  control of his body taken over by an alien parasite. That's before the recent plague and this away mission."

***

"Forget the fact that he should be dead," Dahl said. "There's no way he could be alive and sane after all this. The man should be a poster boy for post-traumatic stress disorder." 
I bought this one May 13, 2012. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Friday Memes: Redshirts by John Scalzi

Happy Friday everybody!
Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City ReaderThe Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:
From the top of the large boulder he sat on, Ensign Tom Davis looked across the expanse of the cave toward Captain Lucius Abernathy, Science Officer Q'eeng and Chief Engineer Paul West perched on a second, larger boulder, and thought, Well, this sucks.
Friday 56:
"I didn't know he was rated to fly a shuttle, either," Finn said, from his seat. His anxiousness was needing a release, and talking seemed like a better idea to him than wetting himself. "And I've known him for more than a year.
This week I am spotlighting Redshirts by John Scalzi which has been on my TBR mountain since June 5, 2012. Here is the description from Amazon:
Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn't be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Redshirts is the winner of the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel.

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Book Review: Cold Magic by Kate Elliot

Cold Magic
Author: Kate Elliot
Series: The Spiritwalker Trilogy (Book 1)
Publication: Orbit; 1 edition (September 9, 2010)

Description: The Wild Hunt is stirring - and the dragons are finally waking from their long sleep...

Cat Barahal was the only survivor of the flood that took her parents. Raised by her extended family, she and her cousin, Bee, are unaware of the dangers that threaten them both. Though they are in beginning of the Industrial Age, magic - and the power of the Cold Mages - still hold sway.

Now, betrayed by her family and forced to marry a powerful Cold Mage, Cat will be drawn into a labyrinth of politics. There she will learn the full ruthlessness of the rule of the Cold Mages. What do the Cold Mages want from her? And who will help Cat in her struggle against them?

My Thoughts: So, Elliott describes this book as an "Afro-Celt post-Roman Icepunk Regency novel with airships, Phoenician spies, and the intelligent descendants of troodons" and it is. It is also a great adventure about a young woman who discovers that everything she was told about herself by her aunt and uncle mig.ht be a lie and is certainly shaded to their advantage.

Catherine Barahal is the orphaned niece of the Hassi Barahal family which has fallen on hard times. She and her cousin Bee are students at the Academy. Bee is an artist who sometimes has visions which she expresses in her drawings. Cat treasures the journals her father Daniel kept and has studied them extensively to learn more about the world and more about her father.

When she is forced to marry a Cold Mage named Andevai Diarisso Haranwy and go with him to his home, most of the things she thought she knew about her family are turned on end. She needs to find a way to survive in a situation that is foreign to her and without the guidance of her new husband. And, when she learns that she is not the daughter of the Hassi Barahal that Andevai was supposed to marry and he is ordered to kill her, she has to survive and find a way to rescue her cousin Bee from her fate too.

I enjoyed the interesting world building in this story which combines magic with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. It even has an analog of Napoleon who has been imprisoned but who might have escaped. With Cold Mages and princes struggling to hold their power against the rising tide of revolution, Cat discovers that she has some magical ability of her own which makes her eager to discover her own heritage.

I liked all the action and I liked the budding romance between Cat and Andevai. I really enjoyed getting to know Cat and I am curious about what she finds out in the next two books of this trilogy.

Favorite Quote:
We are none of us one thing alone and unchanging. We are not static, or at rest. Just as a city or a prince's court or a lineage is many people in one, so is a person many people within one, always unfinished and always like a river's current flowing onward ever changing toward the ocean that is greater than all things combined. You cannot step into the same river twice.
I bought this one April 4, 2013. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Book Review: Cruel Fate by Kelley Armstrong

Cruel Fate
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Series: Cainsville
Publication: Subterranean Press (April 30, 2019)

Description: Three years after discovering that her biological parents are convicted serial killers, Olivia finally has her life back, and it’s better than ever. She loves her new job, as investigator for notorious defense attorney Gabriel Walsh. She has Gabriel, too, as they settle in together, dividing their time between Chicago and Cainsville. Olivia’s also settled into her role as the legendary Mallt-y-Nos to Cainsville’s fae population.

The only dream unfulfilled is seeing her father freed from jail, where he’s been wrongly imprisoned for over twenty years. Now that wish is finally coming true. Todd Larsen is a free man. Someone, however, doesn’t want him to stay that way. Todd may have been in prison for crimes he didn’t commit, but there’s one he did—the murder of a serial killer, whose death launched the chain of events that led to Todd’s incarceration.

Before Todd can settle in with Olivia and Gabriel, the body of his one and only victim surfaces, along with planted clues directing the police to their doorstep. Does someone have a personal grudge against Todd? Or is it a fae targeting Olivia with the one threat she can’t ignore? Olivia needs to find out who’s behind this, before her father is ripped from her again…for good this time.

My Thoughts: This Cainsville adventure tells about Olivia's father Todd's release from prison. Gabriel has managed to get his conviction overturned and Todd has been acquitted. However, that doesn't mean that all is smooth sailing. Someone is still trying to frame Todd for the one murder he did commit.

This is a story about adjustments as Olivia gets to know the father she hasn't spent time with since she was a toddler. It is also about Gabriel making more adjustments to having a relationship with Olivia. I liked that the story was told from all three viewpoints - Olivia, Gabriel, and Ricky.

Favorite Quote:
Fear of looking foolish keeps us from thinking more creatively, spitballing and brainstorming our way to answers. 
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

YA Book Review: Harbor for the Nightingale by Kathleen Baldwin

Harbor for the Nightingale
Author: Kathleen Baldwin
Series: THE STRANJE HOUSE NOVELS Book 4
Publication: Ink Lion Books (September 26, 2019)

Description: A girl’s spy school amid Jane Austen’s high society . . .

London, 1814. Emperor Napoleon has forced Europe to its knees, and now he plots to seize control of Britain. Miss Maya Barrington, one of Miss Stranje’s unusual girls, must act as a double agent and rely upon her uncanny gift of persuasion to stop Napoleon.

She brought the mystery of India with her . . .

Maya is from two different worlds. Her Indian mother died and her father, an English lord, took her away from the warmth of India to cold inhospitable London. She was not welcomed. Especially by her prejudiced stepmother, who sent Maya away to Stranje House, a reform school known for its harsh discipline.

The school’s dark reputation hides the fact that the headmistress, Miss Stranje, is actually training these unusual young ladies to enter the dangerous world of spies, diplomacy, and war.  Stranje House turns out to be the perfect hiding place for Maya—she finally carves out a sense of belonging among these brilliant outcast girls.

But her world turns upside down when Miss Stranje and the girls are drawn into Napoleon’s devious conspiracy.

To protect the friends she now holds dear, and to keep Napoleon and his ruthless spies from destroying the world she has grown to love, Maya agrees to play a duplicitous role. She must enter this treacherous game on the arm of the elusive Lord Kinsworth. Maya can read almost everyone—not so with this young rascal. Quick with a jest and armed with lethal charm, Lord Kinsworth remains just beyond her reach. Can she trust him?

With Britain’s future at risk and those she loves in deadly peril, Maya questions everything she thought she understood about life, love, and loyalty.

My Thoughts: This is Maya's story. Maya Barrington is the daughter of an English lord and and Indian mother. When her mother died, she was sent to live with her grandmother in rural India until her father decided to take her back to England with him. Maya's new stepmother took a firm dislike to her so her father sent her to Miss Stranje's school for unusual girls. Though Maya feels abandoned by her father, Stranje House and the other girls who live there is a perfect home for her.

Maya's gift is to use her voice to persuade. She also has a wonderful singing voice. Her gift comes in handy when the Prince Regent decides that this would be a perfect time to try to negotiate a peace treaty with Napoleon. None of his wiser advisers can talk him out of this and, so, Miss Stranje and the others who are concerned with England's future do come up with a plan.

Maya isn't happy that the plan includes a fake engagement with Lord Kinsworth who has been her duet partner and who manages to make her feel uneasy. Maya has a gift for hearing everyone's personal song and understanding them through what she hears. Unfortunately, Lord Kinsworth song only manages to confuse her. When she overhears him telling someone that he doesn't want to marry because it would steal his freedom, Maya fears her attraction to him because she doesn't want to be with someone who is likely to abandon her as her father did.

The story has a wonderful Regency setting, intrepid young women, and an action-filled plot. Fans of historical fiction and alternate history will enjoy this series. This book is the fourth but stands alone quite well.

Favorite Quote:
Prince George's Brighton Pavilion, with its onion-domed roof and minarets, looks more like a Hindu temple than a palace. Except, according to these drawings, the inside is decorated from top to bottom in the fantastical style of a Chinese pagoda, with enormous vases, Chinese statues, brightly painted wallpapers, and turned up cornices everywhere.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.