Thursday, December 31, 2020

Book and Audio Review: Cast in Silence by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Silence

Author:
Michelle Sagara
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Series: Chronicles of Elantra Book 5
Publication: MIRA; First Time Paperback Edition (October 17, 2016)
Length: 17 hours and 5 minutes; 545 pages

Description: A member of the elite Hawk force that protects the City of Elantra, Kaylin Neya has sacrificed much to earn the respect of the winged Aerians and immortal Barrani she works alongside. But the mean streets she escaped as a child aren't the ones she's vowed to give her life guarding. Those were much darker…

Kaylin's moved on with her life—and is keeping silent about the shameful things she's done to stay alive. But when the city's oracles warn of brewing unrest in the outer fiefdoms, a mysterious visitor from Kaylin's past casts her under a cloud of suspicion. Thankfully, if she's anything, she's a survivor…

My Thoughts: This story sees Kaylin, Severn and Tiamaris traveling into the fiefs. We learn, in a series of flashbacks, about the six months Kaylin spent in the fief of Barren after leaving Nightshade but before she crossed the river into the City. We learn that she came to the City to assassinate the Hawklord at the orders of Barren. But the Hawklord made her an offer closer to her heart working for justice instead of revenge.

They are sent into the fiefs because the ferals and other monsters are becoming more common and there is fear that the towers that are supposed to protect against them are failing. They find monsters and they find a tower almost abandoned. They also learn that Barren isn't actually the fief lord because he hasn't been accepted by the tower.

A magical storm forces Kaylin, Severn and Tiamaris into the tower where they need to face tests before they can leave. They find themselves moved back in time before the fiefs were so overrun with ferals. There they meet a much younger Nightshade who has not yet taken over his fief. It is during Kaylin's tests that we learn the most about her time in Barren. But Tiamaris also faces a number of tests when he decides to claim the fief and has to defeat the current fieflord who is a Barrani who has given up his name. 

This story had a lot of interesting things about the fiefs and how they are controlled. It has some things about Kaylin's magic as she gradually learns more about the marks on her body and even about the Ancient Ones who are now the only ones who can read those mysterious marks. 

I enjoyed this new visit to the world of Elantra. It is always intriguing to see what problems Kaylin will have next. Watching her grow and become more self aware is always a pleasure. 

Favorite Quote:
"Stop judging your life only by the failures," he whispered.

"What should I do?" she whispered. "I'm always going to fail,"

"We all do," he said softly, his voice closer now. "We all fail. but none of us fail all of the time."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Audiobook: A Rising Thunder by David Weber

A Rising Thunder
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 13
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (March 6, 2012)
Length: 17 hours and 56 minutes

Description: Peril and strife strike on a double front for Honor Harrington and company. After a brutal attack on the Manticoran home system, Honor Harrington has rooted out a plan designed to enslave the entire human species. Behind that plan lies the shadowy organization known as the Mesan Alignment. Task number one for Honor is to shut down and secure the wormhole network that is the source of the Star Kingdom's wealth and power—but also its greatest vulnerability. Yet this is an act that the ancient and corrupt Earth-based Solarian League inevitably takes as a declaration of war.

The thunder of battle rolls as the Solarian League directs its massive power against the Star Kingdom. And once again, Honor Harrington is thrust into a desperate battle that she must win if she is to survive to take the fight to the real enemy of galactic freedom—the insidious puppetmasters of war who lurk behind the Mesan Alignment!

My Thoughts: This episode stresses the growing conflict between the Solarian League and Manticore and its allies. It also tells more about the goals and plans of the Mesan Alliance and the various smaller schemes that are leading toward their master plan.

After the Mesan Alliance's sneak attack on the Manticoran home world, the Solarian League decides this will be a great time for them to attack the Manticoran home world. After all, they are sure that even though Manticore might have better technology, they were hurt enough that the playing field is leveled. 

Unfortunately for the Solarian League, information brought back from Mesa by Victor Cachat and Anton Zilwicki is compelling enough to prove the existence of the Mesan Alliance and convinces Haven and Manticore to finally end the long war that was subtly encouraged by that same Mesan Alliance. Their new treaty provides for mutaal military assistance and spells doom for any Solarian League fleet that might appear.

The Solarian commander comes to believe in this superiority and is willing to surrender but the Mesans have allowed for that by infecting his tactical officer with one of their assassin nanobots. This results in almost the total destruction of the invading fleet which the behind-the-scenes actual rulers of the Solarian League are desperate to spin as a positive for them.

But cracks are forming in the Solarian League which is also a Mesan Alliance plan. With Manticore stifling trade through their control of many of the wormhole junctions and bridges, the League is in growing financial trouble. And some of it member star systems are also thinking about withdrawing from the League led by Manticore's long-time ally Beowulf. 

This was an engaging episode in this long-running series. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

ARC Review: All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz

All the Colors of Night

Author:
Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake
Publication: Berkley (January 5, 2021)

Description: Two psychics plunge into a dark world of deadly secrets in this second installment of the Fogg Lake trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz.

North Chastain possesses a paranormal talent that gives him the ability to track down the most dangerous psychic criminals. When his father suddenly falls into a coma-like state, North is convinced it was caused by a deadly artifact that traces back to the days of a secret government program known only as the Bluestone Project. North knows his only hope of saving his father is to find the artifact. He is good when it comes to tracking down killers, but to locate the relic he’s going to need help from a psychic who knows the shadowy world of obsessive collectors, deceptive dealers and ruthless raiders.…

With her reputation in ruins after a false accusation, antiques expert Sierra Raines is looking for a fresh start. She turns to the murky backwaters of the paranormal artifacts trade, finding and transporting valuable objects with a psychic provenance. When North Chastain approaches her for help, Sierra takes him on as a client, though not without reservations. North represents the mysterious Foundation, the secretive organization established to police the underworld populated by psychic criminals and those, like Sierra, who make a living in the shadows of that world.

North and Sierra soon find themselves at the scene of the Incident, which occurred decades ago in Fogg Lake. The town and its residents were forever changed by the disaster in the nearby Bluestone Project labs. The pair unearths shocking truths about what happened that fateful night, but they are playing with fire—someone in town knows what they’ve discovered and will do anything to make sure the secrets stay buried.

My Thoughts: Sierra Raines is a go-between whose job is to deliver paranormal artifacts from sellers to buyers. This is a new career for her; she has tried quite a number of careers in her search for her true calling. She's lucky she has a paranormal ability of her own because the collectors she works with are often paranoid and dangerous.

North Chastain has a paranormal talent of his own which he is gradually losing. He fears for his sanity. When his father is hit with some sort of paranormal device that is threatening his life, North needs Sierra to help him find the device in the hopes that it will also save his father's life.

The two face all sorts of dangers from people who don't want them to succeed in their search. While working together, they also fall in love which comes as a surprise to both of them since neither thought there was a possibility of that.

This story is the second in the Fogg Lake series but stands alone quite well. In fact, the story is part of a grouping of stories that are set in the same world though in different time periods Many characters in this book have larger roles in others in the grouping of books. 

I liked the witty dialog and banter between Sierra and North. The story was fast-paced and exciting.

Favorite Quote:
"Yes," North got to his feet. "But before I tell you about it, we should talk about last night."

"Never in the history of the world has a conversation that starts out with 'we should talk about last night' ended well."

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

Monday, December 28, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 28, 2020)

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... 

There really hasn't been much except reading this past week. Our Christmas was quiet. Luckily, there was no travel involved in our holiday plans since Duluth hosted a blizzard last Wednesday. Bill worked until 5 PM and said it was his worst drive home in the last ten years. At times he couldn't see at all; other times he could see about ten feet ahead of the car's front bumper. 

Duluth is a very hilly city but his work and our home are at the same elevation. There aren't any major hills between them if you zigzag around the streets correctly. That was lucky because our storm began with freezing drizzle which left an ice coating on the streets before the snow and wind began. The temperatures were too low for road salt to be effective leaving the ice to last until the temperatures warmed up enough on the weekend for the salt to work. 

I focused on a reread/listen to the whole Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold and have four novels and two novellas for this coming week's reading before the series will be finished. I already had all the books in autographed hardcover and some in paperback too. I had some of them for my Kindle either purchased from Amazon or Baen Books. Some of the audiobooks were available as part of my Audible subscription. I purchased the rest at Amazon and Audible this week. Figuring out which ebooks I had already purchased was interesting. It would have been much easier if I had gotten them all from Amazon. Luckily, Baen also keeps track of what I've purchased and lets me download them as many times as I like. The problem is that the Baen editions and the Audible editions don't sync. If I start listening on my computer, I can't switch to listening on my Kindle.

With two more snow events predicted for this week, I expect to have a lot of time for listening. 

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.) All of these are rereads which won't be reviewed on my blog but are briefly reviewed at LibaryThing and Goodreads.
  • Cetaganda by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan are sent to Cetaganda to attend the empress's funeral and winds up solving a mystery and foiling a new Cetagandan invasion.
  • The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- Miles is sent back to the Dendarii Mercenaries and winds up rescuing a runaway Emperor Gregor and foiling another Cetagandan nvasion.
  • Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- This is a collection of three novellas. One tells about a murder case he's sent to investigate in his family's district when he is a newly minted Lieutenant. The other two tell about two successful missions from his time with the Dendarii Mercenaries.
  • Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- Miles finds himself and his mercenary fleet at Earth waiting for funds from Barrayar. He discovers that he has a clone-brother who was created by Komarran revolutionaries to assassinate Miles' father and create chaos on Barrayar.
  • Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audobook) -- Mark hijacks his brother Miles' fleet on a mission to rescue clones slated for the brain replacement surgery on Jackson's Whole. Miles goes to the rescue and ends up dead in a cyrochamber which is then lost resulting in a galactic hunt and Mark getting to know his Barrayaran parents. 
  • Memory by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- Miles has been revived but has been left with seizures which will get him thrown out of the Dendarii Mercenaries and exiled to Barrayar if ImpSec finds out. He lies; he's fired...and then his long-time boss at ImpSec is the victim of an attempted assassination. When Miles is shut out of the investigation, he goes to Emperor Gregor who makes him an Imperial Auditor to investigate what happened to Illyan. Miles solves the crime and discovers a new career.
  • Komarr by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- Miles is sent on a new case to Komarr which is rather urgent since Gregor wants to marry a Komarran lady. Miles also meets the woman he really wants to make his Lady Vorkosigan.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
What was your week like?


Sunday, December 27, 2020

State of the Stack #103 (Dec. 27, 2020)

 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 
  1. Deep Into the Dark by P. J. Tracy (Jan. 6)
  2. A Curious Incident by Vicki Delaney (Jan. 7)
  3. The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C. M. Waggoner (Jan. 9)
  4. No Holding Back by Lori Foster (Jan. 16)
Read Previously But Posted This Month 
  1. Trader's Leap by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Dec. 1)
  2. Tie Die by Max Tomlinson (Dec. 3)
  3. Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T. A. Willberg (Dec. 22)
New This Month 
  1. Quiet in Her Bones by Nalini Singh (Feb. 23)
  2. Heartbreak Bay by Rachel Caine (March 9)
  3. Beneath the Keep by Erika Johansen (Feb. 2)
All TBR Review Books

February
March
April
May
June 
August


Saturday, December 26, 2020

Book Review: Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt

Deck the Hounds

Author:
David Rosenfelt
Series: Andy Carpenter Novel Book 18
Publication: Minotaur Books (October 16, 2018)

Description: This Christmas mystery, featuring criminal defense lawyer Andy Carpenter and his faithful golden retriever, Tara, showcases Rosenfelt’s trademark humor and larger-than-life characters.

Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter doesn’t usually stop to help others, but seeing a dog next to a homeless man inspires him to give the pair some money to help. It’s just Andy’s luck that things don’t end there. Soon after Andy’s encounter with them, man and dog are attacked in the middle of the night on the street. The dog defends its new owner, and the erstwhile attacker is bitten but escapes. But the dog is quarantined and the man, Don Carrigan, is heartbroken.

Andy’s wife Laurie can’t resist helping the duo after learning Andy has met them before… it’s the Christmas season after all. In a matter of days Don and his dog Zoey are living above Andy’s garage and become two new additions to the family. It’s not until Andy accidentally gives away his guest’s name during an interview that things go awry; turns out Don is wanted for a murder that happened two years ago. Don not only claims he’s innocent, but that he had no idea that he was wanted for a crime he has no knowledge of in the first place. It’s up to Andy to exonerate his new friend, if he doesn’t get pulled into the quagmire first.

David Rosenfelt’s signature wit, charm, and cleverness are back again in this most exciting installment yet.

My Thoughts: It is the Christmas season which Andy's wife Laurie celebrates from the end of Thanksgiving dinner to the end of January. Andy gets involved in his next case after giving a homeless man living on the street a $20 bill and a PetSmart gift card for his dog. The next thing he knows one of his friends who runs a shelter has the dog and the man is sleeping outside the dog's cage. It seems that when the man was attacked, his dog bit the assailant. The Christmas Spirit convinces Andy to take the man and dog to his garage apartment. 

Don Carrigan is an Iraq war vet  who has PTSD and claustrophobia. He lives on the street because he can't stand being indoors. He just recently adopted his dog Zoey who is soon to become a mother. An feel-good story in the newspaper has an unexpected consequence. Don is arrested and charged with murder. 

Don is accused of killing Steven McMaster who is a wealthy grocery distributor based on the way he died, a hot with hair matched by DNA to Don, and a custom ring found in Don's locker at a local soup kitchen. Don claims that he doesn't know McMaster and certainly had no reason to kill him. Andy gathers his team and begins to look into this collection of circumstantial evidence.

Meanwhile, there are other deaths that don't seem connected to McMaster's but some do connect to Don. The man who attacked him - identified by DNA that was never matched at the scene - is a victim. So are a lawyer, ex-wife, former boyfriend and judge connected to a divorce some time earlier.

Andy uses his customary wit and cleverness to find his way to the truth in this engaging holiday mystery for dog lovers and other fans of the series. 

Favorite Quote:
Marcus has the amazing ability to be simultaneously unconcerned and totally ready for anything. I retain the opposite ability to be obsessively concerned and helpless in anything remotely resembling an emergency.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, December 25, 2020

Friday Memes: Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt

 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:
I've come up with a solution to the homeless problem.
Friday 56:
"People gotta eat," I say. "If not for guys like that, you'd be sucking down imaginary waffles, dry without syrup." 
This week I am spotlighting Deck the Hounds by David Rosenfelt. I thought this was a good time to pull something about the season from my TBR mountain. Here is the description from Amazon:
This Christmas mystery, featuring criminal defense lawyer Andy Carpenter and his faithful golden retriever, Tara, showcases Rosenfelt’s trademark humor and larger-than-life characters.

Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter doesn’t usually stop to help others, but seeing a dog next to a homeless man inspires him to give the pair some money to help. It’s just Andy’s luck that things don’t end there. Soon after Andy’s encounter with them, man and dog are attacked in the middle of the night on the street. The dog defends its new owner, and the erstwhile attacker is bitten but escapes. But the dog is quarantined and the man, Don Carrigan, is heartbroken.

Andy’s wife Laurie can’t resist helping the duo after learning Andy has met them before… it’s the Christmas season after all. In a matter of days Don and his dog Zoey are living above Andy’s garage and become two new additions to the family. It’s not until Andy accidentally gives away his guest’s name during an interview that things go awry; turns out Don is wanted for a murder that happened two years ago. Don not only claims he’s innocent, but that he had no idea that he was wanted for a crime he has no knowledge of in the first place. It’s up to Andy to exonerate his new friend, if he doesn’t get pulled into the quagmire first.

David Rosenfelt’s signature wit, charm, and cleverness are back again in this most exciting installment yet.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

Book and Audio Review: Cast in Fury by Michelle Sagara

Cast in Fury

Author:
Michelle Sagara
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Series: Chronicles of Elantra (Book 4)
Publication: MIRA; First Time Paperback Edition (June 13, 2016); Audible Release Date: November 8, 2011

Description: When a minority race of telepaths is suspected of causing a near-devastating tidal wave, Private Kaylin Neya is summoned to Court—and into a PR nightmare. To ease racial tensions, the emperor has commissioned a play, and the playwright has his own ideas about who should be the focus…

But Kaylin works her best magic behind the scenes, and though she tries to stay neutral, she is again drawn into a world of politics…and murder. To make matters worse, Marcus, her trusted sergeant, gets stripped of his command, leaving Kaylin vulnerable. Now she's juggling two troubling cases, and even magic's looking good by comparison. But then nobody ever said life in the theater was easy…

My Thoughts: This episode begins with Kaylin seconded to the Imperial playright because of her familiarity with the Tha'alani. The Emperor wants the playright to write a play to make the rest of the citizens of Elantra fear the Tha'alani less. They are pretty scary because they can read minds and ferret out anyone human's secrets. Of course, doing so is painful for them and not something they would ever choose to do.

Since Kaylin has recently gotten over her fear of the Tha'alani when she learned more about their history, she is the ideal candidate for this job. Or she would be if she didn't resent the fact that this job keeps her from investigating when Marcus Kassan - her Leontine Sargeant and who adopted her into his pridelea when she was an orphan child hanging around the Hawks - is accused of murder and jailed.

This book lets us get to know a lot more about the Leontines. It has to do with their history and their creation story. It also has to do with a baby that Kaylin helped deliver that everyone wants dead. Kaylin has a thing for babies and isn't going to let anyone kill an innocent baby no matter what danger he potentially poses.

The story is filled with tension and action and battles with evil forces. It is also an opportunity for Kaylin to learn more about herself.

The narration by Khristine Hvam was excellent and well paced. I loved her distinct voices for each character and they way she made them come to life. 

Favorite Quote:
We all want things for our children that we could not or did not have. And we try, and we're not perfect, and we can't always get it right. But when we fail, what do we do?
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Audiobook: Mission of Honor by David Weber

Mission of Honor
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 12
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (June 22, 2010)
Length: 24 hours and 13 minutes

Description: The Star Kingdom of Manticore and the Republic of Haven have been enemies for Honor Harrington's entire life, and she has paid a price for the victories she's achieved in that conflict. And now the unstoppable juggernaut of the mighty Solarian League is on a collision course with Manticore. The millions who have already died may have been only a foretaste of the billions of casualties just over the horizon, and Honor sees it coming.

She's prepared to do anything, risk anything, to stop it, and she has a plan that may finally bring an end to the Havenite Wars and give even the Solarian League pause. But there are things not even Honor knows about. There are forces in play, hidden enemies in motion, all converging on the Star Kingdom of Manticore to crush the very life out of it, and Honor's worst nightmares fall short of the oncoming reality.

But Manticore's enemies may not have thought of everything after all. Because if everything Honor Harrington loves is going down to destruction, it won't be going alone.

My Thoughts: This episode has Honor on a diplomatic mission to Haven to try to forge a peace treaty with the Republic of Haven. She goes to Haven and brings the whole Eighth Fleet along with her to emphasize that Manticore is willing to use the fleet to destroy Haven if something better for both parties can't be worked out. President Pritchart is very much in favor of peace but she has to convince her legislature to go along with it and some of them can't see anything beyond their immediate desires.

While she is gone, the Mesan Alliance conducts a sneak attack on the Manticore home system which takes out much of the orbital infrastructure and drops pieces of it on the planet of Sphinx. One of the pieces wipes out a treecat clan and another hits a city where most of Honor's relatives live. There were huge civilian losses even beyond the kingdom's infrastructure and no one knows who did it or even how the attack was accomplished. 

The Solarian League looks at the attack on Manticore as an opportunity to hit them while they are gone. They can't believe that Manticore really has military technology that is so much better than the Leagues. And with the Mesan Alliance pushing in the background, the Solarian arrogance thinks that defeating Manticore will be easy. 

This one has a lot of information about the Mesan Alignment and what they want to accomplish. It also spends a lot of time with the mandarins who really run the Solarian League. It was fascinating to watch all the various plot threads begin to come together. And to see how thoroughly the Mesan Alliance has manipulated things to bring about their desired future. 

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

ARC Review: Marion Lane and the Midnight Murders by T. A. Willberg

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murders

Author:
T. A. Willberg
Publication: Park Row; Original edition (December 29, 2020)

Description: The letter was short. A name, a time, a place.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder plunges readers into the heart of London, to the secret tunnels that exist far beneath the city streets. There, a mysterious group of detectives recruited for Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries use their cunning and gadgets to solve crimes that have stumped Scotland Yard.

Late one night in April 1958, a filing assistant at Miss Brickett’s receives a letter of warning, detailing a name, a time, and a place. She goes to investigate but finds the room empty. At the stroke of midnight, she is murdered by a killer she can’t see―her death the only sign she wasn’t alone. It becomes chillingly clear that the person responsible must also work for Miss Brickett’s, making everyone a suspect.

Marion Lane, a first-year Inquirer-in-training, finds herself drawn ever deeper into the investigation. When her friend and colleague is framed for the crime, to clear his name she must sort through the hidden alliances at Miss Brickett’s and secrets dating back to WWII. Masterful, clever and deliciously suspenseful, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a fresh take on the Agatha Christie-style locked-room murder mystery, with an exciting new heroine detective.

My Thoughts: What a gray and dreary story! The setting is London in 1958. The main character is Marion Lane. She worked for an auto repair shop and learned a lot about mechanics until a lack of business forced it to close. Now her grandmother, who moved in after her mother's suicide, is trying to pressure Marion to marry. She even goes so far as to sell her home out from under her. 

Marion's mentor Frank who was a friend of her late mother's finds her a job with Miss Brickett's Investigations & Inquiry where she is currently an apprentice. Miss Brickett's is underground both literally and figuratively. One enters through a decrepit used book store and a hidden trapdoor. The business has taken over some World War II underground shelters which were built from older facilities that may stretch back to Alchemists in the 1300a. The facility comes complete with dangerous and shifting tunnels and booby traps. Miss Brickett's also works outside the law and with questionable ethical standards.

When Michelle White who works in the Filing Department is found dead in the Lock Room, the hidden camera indicates that only Marion's mentor Frank accessed the room during the relevant time. Marion is determined to clear his name and find the real murderer and unravel the mystery of how the murder was done. There isn't much desire to get justice for Michelle who wasn't a likeable character and who had a justly earned reputation for being a snitch. She alienated almost everyone who came into contact with her. 

Marion teams up with fellow apprentice Bill and a new agent hired from the US named Kenny Hugo to solve the crime and clear her mentor's name. But the real killer has a much bigger and much more dangerous plot than they know about. He's determined to complete his dastardly plans no matter who stands in his way.

This book had shades of the MAN FROM UNCLE in the underground headquarters and even bits of HARRY  POTTER in the map which illuminates the changing tunnel systems. But it is the MAN FROM UNCLE without the dashing heroes and humor and HARRY POTTER without the magic - though some of the gadgets in the story have a bit of a magical feel. 

The characters were not very well-developed. I don't feel that I ever got to know anything about Marion and her goals other than that her mother committed suicide and she was now homeless. The other characters were all similarly one-dimensional. 

All-in-all there were few bright spots mixed in with the dreary gray in this historical mystery for me. I did like some of the gadgets.

Favorite Quote:
As much as Bill didn't recognize this side of her, neither did she. It was liberating and disorienting at the same time. 
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, December 21, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Dec. 21, 2020)

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... 

I was out of the house only once last week. I had to play chauffeur for my brother on Monday when he had a follow-up with his eye doctor after his cataract surgery. He said it would only take 15 minutes but, since the temperature was only 6 degrees above zero, I decided I'd rather go back home and wait until his appointment was over instead of sitting in the car waiting for him. Good thing I did! His appointment took well over an hour. It is only a ten minute drive from our house to his doctor. 

I spent the rest of the week reading and listening to audiobooks. I polished off a number of novellas this week which ballooned the total of books read. I also baked bread twice this week. Neither time was I really happy with the results. I think I might have some bad yeast. The bread tastes fine but it just isn't raising as much as I hoped or wanted. 

I still haven't hauled out the Christmas tree or done any decorating and may not unless we do it today (Saturday). Bill works a forty-hour week before having Christmas Day and Dec. 26 off. We have figured out what we'll be cooking and he's done the grocery shopping already. Since he works until 5:30 Sunday - Wednesday, I have to do the planning and cooking for dinners and right now I have no idea except Papa Murphy's pizza on $10 Tuesday. Thursday he works until 8:30 so I don't have to plan for dinner. Hopefully, we'll have leftovers. 

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.)
  • The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry by C. M. Waggoner (Review; Jan. 12) -- Entertaining historical fantasy with lots of magic, romance, and mystery. My review will be posted on Jan. 9.
  • Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook) -- I decided that I wanted to listen to this favorite series and was surprised that I already owned it through my Audible subscription even though I long-since got rid of the cassette tape version. This is space opera and romance and is one of the first books by this prolific author. My review will be posted on Jan. 14.
  • No Holding Back by Lori Foster (Review; Jan. 12) -- This contemporary romantic suspense title begins a new series for this author. The characters were larger than life; the suspense was intense and so was the romance. My review will be posted on Jan. 16.
  • Below the Bones by Kendra Elliot (Mine) -- This novella is 5th in the Widow's Island series and stars Cate Wilde and her boyfriend Henry. Cate's former FBI and her past seems to be catching up to her when three bodies of murdered young women are found buried on the island which look to have been murdered by a serial killer Cate already caught. My review will be posted on Jan. 21.
  • A Broken Bone by Melinda Leigh (Mine) -- This novella is the 6th in the Widow's Island series and stars Tessa Black and her boyfriend Logan Wilde. They are investigating the murder of a young man who was in a foster home on the island. Everyone thought he ran away until his murdered body was discovered in an abandoned house. My review will be posted on Jan. 21.
  • Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; audiobook) -- This is the direct sequel to SHARDS OF HONOR and continues the story of Cordelia Naismith and Aral Vorkosigan. I don't plan to review this one at this time. 
  • Masquerade in Lodi by Lois McMaster Bujold (mine) -- This is a new Penric adventure. Bujold is writing novellas in her retirement. I enjoyed this both because I love Bujold's writing and like stories about Penric and his demon Des but don't plan to review it.
  • Old Bones by Aaron Elkins (Mine; Audiobook) -- This is the fourth mystery starring Forensic Anthropologist Gideon Oliver. He's in France at a conference when he's called in to identify some bones buried in a cellar. There's lots of family drama with ties back to World War II and an old-fashioned feel to this story. My review will be posted on Jan.19.
  • The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; audiobook) -- This is the first of many adventures starring Miles Naismith Vorkosigan who is Cordelia and Aral's son. In this one he heads out into space after failing to be admitted to the Imperial Service Academy and finds himself the head of a mercenary space fleet. I don't plan to review this at this time.
  • Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery (Mine) - I've had the Fool's Gold romance series on my TBR mountain for a number of years and finally decided to read it. After reading and holding just a few pages of the paperback, I bought a Kindle copy. This is a very nice romance between a woman who wants a home and a man who wants to prove himself which might necessitate his leaving Fool's Gold. My review will be posted on Jan. 20.
Currently
  • The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine; Audiobook) -- reread this time in audio of a favorite series.
  • Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (Mine) - This fantasy is a Kindle First title that I've had since October.
Next Week
  • Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (Mine; Audible Daily Deal) - I've heard about this series and wanted to give it a try.
  • Hide in Place by Emilya Naymark (Review; Feb. 9)
Reviews Posted
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