Saturday, October 31, 2020

Book and Audio Review: A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

A Desperate Fortune

Author:
Susanna Kearsley
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren
Publication: Sourcebooks Landmark (April 7, 2015); Audible Release Date: April 7, 2015

Description: Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley delivers a riveting novel that deftly intertwines the tales of two women, divided by centuries and forever changed by a clash of love and fate.

For nearly three hundred years, the cryptic journal of Mary Dundas has kept its secrets. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas travels to Paris to crack the cipher.

Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing—for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed.

As Mary's gripping tale of rebellion and betrayal is revealed to her, Sara faces events in her own life that require letting go of everything she thought she knew—about herself, about loyalty, and especially about love. Though divided by centuries, these two women are united in a quest to discover the limits of trust and the unlikely coincidences of fate.

My Thoughts: This was a beautifully written dual-timeline story. Sara Thomas, a modern young woman somewhere on the Asperger's Syndrome, is encouraged by her older cousin to take a job in France decoding the journal that photographer Claudine had purchased. The decoded journal would help one of her cousin's clients with the book he is supposed to be writing. Since Sara has recently left her job, the timing is right and the challenge of figuring out the cipher that Mary Dundas used in 1723 catches her attention.

Mary Dundas is twenty-one when the story begins. She has been raised by her mother's sister and her husband when her father left her there at age six to follow exiled King James as he looked for a new place to set up his court. Mary has always felt abandoned even though she loves her aunt, uncle and cousins and she has always felt like a person without a country since she was both Scottish and French.

When her older brother Nicolas comes to get her, she has hopes that she will finally be able to spend time with her family. But Nicolas has other plans. Mary is drafted to be the cover for a man who has escaped from England after a major financial scandal and who needs to make his way to King James. Mary finds herself installed in Paris as the "sister" of "Jacques" with a maid/chaperone named Madame Roy. She feels that she is being watched by a man across the street. 

When "Jacques" or rather John Thomson is discovered, the watcher from across the street now identified as Highlander Hugh MacPherson gathers them up and they flee while being pursued by bounty hunters. Along their difficult and perilous journey told both by Mary and decoded by Sara, we see Mary gradually fall in love with Hugh. And even though the diary ends with their fate undecided, the author was kind enough to continue Mary's part of the story to its conclusion.

Sara does figure out the cipher with the assistance of Noah Sabran, the almost nine-year-old son of Claudine's housekeeper and her ex-husband Luc Sabran. Sara is learning to fit in with the household in France and falls in love with Luc even though her cousin warns her not to get involved. Sara has always had difficulties with relationships because of Asperger's preferring to end them herself rather than taking a chance. Luc is not willing to be left behind and understands Sara since his own brother also has Asperger's. 

I loved the way the two stories wove together. Each story was strong and had wonderful characters many of them actual historical figures. I enjoyed the author's Afterword which told which of the characters were real and more about the time period when the Jacobites followed their exiled king to France and Italy. I also liked the hints that the stories of some of the characters were told in more detail in some of the author's other books. 

In format, this book reminded me strongly of Lauren Willig's The Secret History of the Pink Carnation which is another favorite book of mine. While I am not a fan of time travel in my reading, this sort of time travel where a modern story is interwoven with a historical one is a kind of book I really enjoy.

Favorite Quote:
Mary, through the fog that had encased her brain, observed that from the tone in which he spoke there always seemed to be a silent threat appended to his words, so that one could, if one were moved to make a game of it, attach the words "or else I'll kill you" to the things he said and have them fit as though he'd spoken them out loud. 
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, October 30, 2020

Friday Memes: A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley

 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:
My cousin didn't try to catch the bride's bouquet. She knew me well enough to know I wouldn't try to catch it, either.
Friday 56: 
"Surely, that's new," she was saying to Claudine, her gaze having moved to the painting above the piano, a street scene in winter. "You had a man's portrait hanging there, before."
This week I am spotlighting A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley. It is my first book by this author and I am combining the print and audio versions for this reading experience. Here is the description from Amazon:

Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susanna Kearsley delivers a riveting novel that deftly intertwines the tales of two women, divided by centuries and forever changed by a clash of love and fate.

For nearly three hundred years, the cryptic journal of Mary Dundas has kept its secrets. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas travels to Paris to crack the cipher.

Jacobite exile Mary Dundas is filled with longing—for freedom, for adventure, for the family she lost. When fate opens the door, Mary dares to set her foot on a path far more surprising and dangerous than she ever could have dreamed.

As Mary's gripping tale of rebellion and betrayal is revealed to her, Sara faces events in her own life that require letting go of everything she thought she knew—about herself, about loyalty, and especially about love. Though divided by centuries, these two women are united in a quest to discover the limits of trust and the unlikely coincidences of fate.

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Audiobook: Torch of Freedom by David Weber and Eric Flint

Torch of Freedom
Author: David Weber and Eric Flint
Series: Crown of Slaves - Honor Harrington Universe Book 2
Narrator: Peter Larkin
Publication: Audible Studios (Dec. 22, 2009)
Length: 21 hours and 20 minutes

Description: Someone is assassinating the leaders of both the Star Kingdom of Manticore and the recently liberated former slave planet of Torch. Though most believe the Republic of Haven is behind the murders, Anton Zilwicki and Havenite secret agent Victor Cachat believe there is another sinister player behind the scenes. Queen Berry of Torch narrowly escaped one assassination attempt, and a security officer from Beowulf has been assigned to protect her, a task complicated by the young monarch's resentment of bodyguards, and the officer's growing attachment to her. Meanwhile, powerful forces in the Solarian League are maneuvering against each other to gain the upper hand, not realizing or, perhaps, not caring that their power struggle is threatening the League's very existence and could plunge the galaxy into war.

My Thoughts: This 21 hour episode in the Honor Harrington universe takes place mainly away from Manticore. There is some overlap and repetition of events in other books in the series including the assassination attempt on Queen Berry on Torch. But this one focuses more on that assassination attempt and on Anton Zilwicki's and Victor Cachat's investigation into the causes. 

Zilwicki and Cachat end up going to Mesa to see if they can find proof of Mesan involvement. While on Mesa we learn more about the aims of the Mesan Alignment and spend time with Jack McBryde and Herlander Simoes. 

Jack McBryde is the head of security for the Gamma Center where Herlander works. He becomes Herlander's friend when he is told to watch him carefully. Herlander is a astrophysicist who has done work on the Alliance's secret streak drive. He is also a grieving father whose daughter was culled by the Mesan Alliance Long-Range Planning Board when her genes didn't meet the LRPB's standards. Watching Herlander's grief is enough to give Jack second thoughts about the aims and goals of the Mesan Alliance and lead him to want to defect along with Herlander. 

Meanwhile, back on Torch, military forces are being gathered. The Mesan Alliance has recruited left over Havenite State Security forces to try to take over Torch. If they can't take it over, they are to destroy the planet even though it is a violation of the Eridani Edict which forbids attacks on inhabited planets. The forces against them are led by Admiral Luis Rozsak who is from the Solarian League Navy and who is Governor Barregos' top military advisor. They are doing an end run around the Solarian League and building up their own forces in secret from the League.

This was an excellent episode in the series and makes me eager for the next book since quite a number of plot threads were left dangling. 

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

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Audiobook: Field of Dishonor by David Weber

Field of Dishonor
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 4
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (March 4, 2009)
Length: 13 hours and 40 minutes

Description: HONOR BETRAYED

The People's Republic of Haven's sneak attack on the Kingdom of Manticore has failed. The Peeps are in disarray, their leaders fighting for power in bloody revolution, and the Royal Manticoran Navy stands victorious.

But Manticore has domestic problems of its own, and success can be more treacherous than defeat for Honor Harrington. Now, trapped at the core of a political crisis she never sought, betrayed by an old and vicious enemy she'd thought vanquished forever, she stands alone.

She must fight for justice on a battlefield she never trained for in a private war that offers just two choices: death . . . or a ''victory'' that can end only in dishonor and the loss of all she loves.

My Thoughts: This story concentrates on Honor's relationship with Captain Lord Pavel Young. After his cowardice and desertion on the field of battle that was near the end of the previous book, this book begins with his court martial. But Young has powerful friends and the government needs to appease them if they are going to get the declaration of war against Haven that the need so badly.

An almost hung jury saves Young from being shot but enough was proven to have him cashiered out of the Navy. After his father's death just after the verdict is given, Young becomes the new Lord North Hollow who inherits his father's secrets and position in the House of Lords. But he blames Honor for all his problems and won't be content until she is dead.

Before he gets to Honor though, he decides to make her life terrible by killing Paul Tankersley who is Honor's love and lover. North Hollow hires Denver Summervale to challenge Paul to a duel. Summervale is a cashiered Marine who is a killer for hire who has killed many men on women on the field of honor.

Honor had been sent to Grayson to get her out from under the massive publicity the court martial has stirred up. When she hears about Paul's death, she is determined to challenge Summervale to a duel and kill him herself. But Honor has friends on her side who get to Summervale and convince him to tell them who hired him. To no one's surprise, the man was hired by North Hollow and Summervale's confession is on tape. Of course, with the confession gotten by less than legal means it is impossible to take the take to law enforcement.

Honor publicly calls out North Hollow and demands that he meet her on the field of honor even though she gets a lot of pressure from the Queen's government and her own superiors to back off. North Hollow's support is still needed in the upcoming war effort. But Honor won't be dissuaded. She feels that the cost to her career is a cost worth paying if it gets justice for Paul and shows North Hollow for the coward he is.

The story was packed with emotional intensity. Honor's grief for the loss of Paul was very movingingly written and narrated.

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

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Book Review: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Inheritance Games

Author:
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Publication: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (September 1, 2020)

Description: Don't miss this "impossible to put down" (Buzzfeed) novel with deadly stakes, thrilling twists, and juicy secrets--perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

My Thoughts:  Avery Grambs has been going through a tough time. Since her mother's unexpected death, she has been living with her older half-sister Libby and Libby's abusive boyfriend Drake. She is trying to survive long enough to graduate from high school and go off to college to get a degree in a well-paying field. She's very bright and very determined.

Things change abruptly for her when she learns that she has been mentioned in the will of a multi-billionaire named Tobias Hawthorne who recently died in Texas. The only problem Avery sees is that she has never met Tobias Hawthorne and has no idea why he has included her in his will. After all, Tobias has two daughters and four grandsons who would certainly be more logical heirs.

She and Libby travel to Texas - first class - and learn that she is the major heir to Hawthorne's billions with all the other heirs left only token amounts. The only catch is that she has to live in Hawthorne's home for a year along with the rest of his family. Of course, Hawthorne also left puzzles and games for her and his grandsons to solve.

Avery is busy trying to solve the puzzles Tobias left and get to know his four grandsons. Nash is the oldest and says he isn't interested in the old man's money or the games he has left for his family. He has a little bit of a savior-complex and takes to Libby because he thinks she needs him. Grayson and Jameson are nearest in age to Avery. Grayson is taking a gap year working in the Hawthorne Foundation. Jameson goes to school with Avery. The youngest brother is Xander who is sort of a goofball. He is a genius and an inventor and has a strange obsession with scones. 

The story is filled with great relationships and secrets from both the recent and distant past. I liked Avery's independence and the relationships she builds with Hawthorne's grandsons. I thought the setting was intriguing since most of it takes place in the house Tobias Hawthorne built complete with secret passages and games and puzzles. 

YA fans who love puzzles will love this mystery by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. 

Favorite Quote:
"Coast is clear." Jameson didn't specify what it was clear of. "Do you trust me?"

I was standing in a phone-lit passageway, close enough to feel his body's heat on mine. "Absolutely not."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, October 26, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Oct. 26, 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... 

Duluth set weather records this week. We have beaten the all-time snowfall record for snowfall in October. I think we have received 13.5 inches so far. Luckily, it was warm enough that it didn't stick on the roads. It is nice and sunny today and I hope more of the snow melts. Downtown didn't actually get any snow that stuck. It was warm enough down by the lake that the snow melted when it hit the ground. Unfortunately, I live on the top of the hill and got all of the precipitation as snow.

Sadly, my Braves didn't make it to the World Series which means that I don't have much interest in that sporting event. It has been on in the background as I've been doing other things. I did watch most of the final debate between the two Presidential candidates even though I've already voted and my vote has been counted according to the State website.

I've been slowly working my way through my review books for 2020 but I've also been listening to more of the Chronicles in Elantra. I've decided not to review them at this time. I might circle back around to writing reviews but not until 2021. I have so many of David Weber's books on my calendar that I don't really have a place for more not-already-scheduled reviews until then. 

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.)
  • Cast in Chaos by Michelle Sagara (Mine; Audiobook) - This adventure has Kaylin Neya investigating a magical occurrence and takes place mostly in the fiefs. I don't plan to review it at this time.
  • Vanishing in the Haight by Max Tomlinson (Mine) - This is the first Colleen Hayes mystery. It takes place in 1978 and deals with a cold case from 1967. It was entertaining and had great characters. My review will be posted on Nov. 10.
  • Cast in Ruin by Michelle Sagara (Mine; Audiobook) - Kaylin deals with a bunch of refugees fleeing from Shadow and the only female dragon who had been on another world fighting Shadows. I don't plan to review it at this time.
  • The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill (Nov. 17) - This start of a new series by Chloe Neill was an entertaining historical fantasy filled with adventure and magic. My review will be posted on Nov. 14.
  • Cast in Peril by Michelle Sagara (Audiobook; Mine) - This tells about Kaylin's adventures on a trip to the West March with some Barani. I don't plan to review it at this time.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Bought:
Review:
What was your week like?

Sunday, October 25, 2020

State of the Stack #101 (October 25, 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. Silent Bite by David Rosenfelt (Oct. 10)
  2. The Emperor's Wolves by Michelle Sagara (Oct. 13)
  3. Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden (Oct. 24)
  4. Absence of Mercy by S. M. Goodwin (Nov. 7)
  5. The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill (Nov. 14)
Read Previously But Posted This Month 
  1. Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli (Sept. 29)
  2. Girl on the Run by Abigail Johnson (Sept. 30)
  3. Shadow Ridge by M. E. Browning (Oct. 1)
  4. Saddled with Murder by Eileen Brady (Oct. 3)
  5. Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas (Oct. 6)
New This Month 
  1. All the Colors of Night by Jayne Ann Krentz (Jan. 5)
  2. The Russian Cage by Charlaine Harris (Feb. 23)
  3. Hide in Place by Emilya Naymark (Feb. 9)
  4. The Sign of Death by Callie Hutton (April 13)
  5. Bad Scene by Max Tomlinson (August 3)
  6. Reserved for Murder by Victoria Gilbert (June 8)
All TBR Review Books

November
December
January
February
April
June
August

Saturday, October 24, 2020

ARC Review: Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden

Monsters Among Us

Author:
Monica Rodden
Publication: >Crown Books for Young Readers (January 5, 2021)

Description: Fans of Sadie and You will be riveted by this compulsively readable new thriller about a survivor of dating violence who uses her newfound awareness of everyday evil to hunt for a killer.

When Catherine Ellers returns home after her first semester at college, she is seeking refuge from a night she can barely piece together, dreads remembering, and refuses to talk about. She tries to get back to normal, but just days later the murder of someone close to her tears away any illusion of safety.

Catherine feels driven to face both violent events head on in hopes of finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice with the help of her childhood friend, Henry. Then a stranger from college arrives with her lost coat, missing driver's license--and details to help fill in the gaps in her memory that could be the key to solving both mysteries. But who is Andrew Worthington and why is he offering to help her? And what other dangerous obsessions is her sleepy town hiding?

Surrounded by secrets and lies, Catherine must unravel the truth--before this wolf in sheep's clothing strikes again.

My Thoughts: I almost quit reading this book very shortly after I began it. I was afraid that I would be spending a book caught in the traumatized memory of the main character. And she was traumatized! Catherine Ellers was raped after drinking too much and attending a party. She doesn't remember much about the experience. She sees the bruises and knows she washed away blood. She can't remember and both does and doesn't want to remember. Since it is just before Christmas Break, she comes home where her parents don't know how to help her.

Catherine reconnects with her childhood friend Henry Brisbois and his dog Molly. They had lost contact with each other at the end of Elementary School for reasons that make Catherine feel guilty. But now his presence is something of a comfort to her because he doesn't look at her strangely and know about what happened at college.

When twelve-year-old Amy Porter is found strangled to death. Catherine is pulled out of her introspection and needs to find out who killed her. Catherine had been Amy's babysitter/nanny for three summers and feels very connected to her. Catherine recruits Henry to help her with her investigation.

Then a boy named Andrew Worthington comes to town with Catherine's coat and drivers license and debit card and knowing more about what happened the night Catherine was raped than Catherine does. His need to assuage his own guilt makes him add himself to the investigative team. 

The three teens find out all sorts of buried secrets as they investigate including secrets about what happened to Catherine. The story was filled with tension that kept building and building. I enjoyed the story and thought it was a well-plotted mystery with a surprising twist.

Favorite Quote:
What can I do? her mother had asked.

She wanted someone to go into her brain. Cut out the memories--these little fragments that sliced her open.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, October 23, 2020

Friday Memes: Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden

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:
Catherine stared out the window of her bedroom and thought about throwing herself out of it.
Friday 56: 
Henry grabbed a key on the left and, without a word, led them farther down the hall. Andrew was looking at her. She could feel his eyes on her more than she could see them, so she turned her phone to get a better look at his face, but then he was moving, following Henry. She went after them, not wanting to be left alone in the dark.
This week I am spotlighting Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden. This YA is from my review stack. Here is the description from Amazon:
Fans of Sadie and You will be riveted by this compulsively readable new thriller about a survivor of dating violence who uses her newfound awareness of everyday evil to hunt for a killer.

When Catherine Ellers returns home after her first semester at college, she is seeking refuge from a night she can barely piece together, dreads remembering, and refuses to talk about. She tries to get back to normal, but just days later the murder of someone close to her tears away any illusion of safety.

Catherine feels driven to face both violent events head on in hopes of finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice with the help of her childhood friend, Henry. Then a stranger from college arrives with her lost coat, missing driver's license--and details to help fill in the gaps in her memory that could be the key to solving both mysteries. But who is Andrew Worthington and why is he offering to help her? And what other dangerous obsessions is her sleepy town hiding?

Surrounded by secrets and lies, Catherine must unravel the truth--before this wolf in sheep's clothing strikes again.

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Audiobook: Storm from the Shadows by David Weber

Storm from the Shadows
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington - Saganami Island Book 2
Narrator: Jay Snyder
Publication: Audible Studios (March 3, 2009)
Length: 31 hours

Description: Perfidious Plots,
Courageous Resolve—and,
of course,
Starships Blown to Smithereens!

The Solarian League Navy has been the premier navy of the galaxy for centuries. Indeed, no one can remember a time when it hasn't been acknowledged as the most powerful fleet in existence.

Until now, that is.

A conference to end the terrible war between the Peeps of Haven and the Manticorean Star Kingdom is slated. Peace is finally within reach.

Yeah, right.

Not with the slaver conspiracy that calls itself Manpower, Inc. pulling intergalactic strings. The plan To plunge the Star Kingdom into a two-front war with Peeps and Sollies—a process calculated to blast Honor Harrington's home system to smoking ruin!

Assassination's afoot. And out on the galactic frontier known as the Verge, big trouble boils over as Solarian League arrogance butts up against the steely resolve of Harrington protégé Michelle Henke, aka Admiral Gold Peak.

Too bad for the Sollies. For Harrington's officers have a habit of coming through in the clutch and finding a way to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. But most of all—whatever the odds—they never, ever give up the fight!

My Thoughts: This episode has a lot of overlap with AT ALL COSTS. It reprises the battle that has Michelle Henke captured. It expands on her conversation with President Pritchart that leads to a proposed peace conference. It also talks about the various assassinations that derail that conference.

This episode provides the viewpoint of the Mesan Alliance - a secret organization with galactic ambitions. Manpower, Inc., Manticore's long-time enemy, is just one branch of the Mesan Alliance. 

Most of the action takes place in the Talbot Quadrant where Henke has been sent in command of a military force to help protect the Quadrant. The Mesan Alliance is continuing to foment situations which will lead to Manticore fighting a war on two fronts - against Haven and against the Solarian League. The Solarian League is immense and they can't believe that any neobarb could pose any threat to it. Unfortunately, they are quite mistaken. Their supposed superiority has led them to skimp on both renovation and refit and the research to keep improving their military hardware that Manticore and Haven had to so since they have been at war for a number of years.

When the Sollies sent a particularly arrogant admiral in the person of Admiral Bing to the quadrant, an incident that would likely lead to war is almost inevitable. And Manpower's agents are right there stoking the fires.

This was another entertaining and exciting episode in this space opera.

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

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Audiobook: The Short Victorious War by David Weber

The Short Victorious War
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington Book 3
Narrator: Allyson Johnson
Publication: Audible Studios (March 4, 2009)
Length: 13 hours and 47 minutes

Description: THESE PROLES ARE REVOLTING!

The families who rule the People's Republic of Haven are in trouble. The treasury's empty, the Proles are restless, and civil war is imminent.

But the ruling class knows what they need to keep in power: a ''short victorious war'' to unite the people and fill the treasury once more. It's a card they've played often in the last half-century, always successfully, and all that stands in their way is the Star Kingdom of Manticore and its threadbare allies: enemies in the past who have always backed down.

Only this time the Peeps face something different. This time they're up against Captain Honor Harrington and a Royal Manticoran Navy that's prepared to give them a war that's far from short—or victorious.

My Thoughts: The People's Republic of Haven is in trouble. Their economy is tanking because so many of their people are on public assistance. They can only support their economy and the privileges the wealthy enjoy by continually adding new star systems to their Republic. So they have the wonderful idea to start, or pretend to start, a war with Manticore.

Honor Harrington has completed her long complicated recovery from the injuries sustained in the previous book and has been assigned as Flag Captain to a new ship named Nike and sent with a task force to a frontier repair base. The only problem is that that Admiral in charge of the task force doesn't like Honor whom he sees as hot-tempered and reckless which causes some problems for her despite the support of her immediate superior who is also in the Admiral's bad books.

Since the Peeps are conducting all sorts of feints into neighboring star systems, the Admiral decides that he needs to defend one of the more populous systems and leaves Honor and her boss to defend the repair facility with very little help.

Haven has been secretly watching the whole area with stealth ships and knows when the largest part of the force leaves the repair facility and knows that it is time to take it and bring the war into official existence. It should be easy as their ships and armaments vastly outnumber those left with Honor. But Honor and her boss have done all the tricky planning they can to get their system as safe as it can be and can hope to hold out until help arrives to support them.

Meanwhile on Haven, Rob Pierre is planning a revolution which will take down the current government and put himself and his own supporters in control. And he is planning to use part of the Navy he hates to accomplish his goals.

This was another exciting episode in the Honor Harrington series. It was filled with action and adventure.

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

Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Book Review: The Bodies in the Library by Marty Wingate

The Bodies in the Library 

Author:
Marty Wingate
Series: A First Edition Library Mystery Book 1
Publication: Berkley (October 8, 2019)

Description: Hayley Burke's fresh start as the curator of The First Edition Society's library in Bath, England, is about to take a rotten turn in this charming new mystery series from USA Today bestselling author Marty Wingate.

Hayley Burke has landed a dream job. She is the new curator of Lady Georgiana Fowling's First Edition library. The library is kept at Middlebank House, a lovely Georgian home in Bath, England. Hayley lives on the premises and works with the finicky Glynis Woolgar, Lady Fowling's former secretary.

Mrs. Woolgar does not like Hayley's ideas to modernize The First Edition Society and bring in fresh blood. And she is not even aware of the fact that Hayley does not know the first thing about the Golden Age of Mysteries. Hayley is faking it till she makes it, and one of her plans to breathe new life into the Society is actually taking flight--an Agatha Christie fan fiction writers group is paying dues to meet up at Middlebank House.

But when one of the group is found dead in the venerable stacks of the library, Hayley has to catch the killer to save the Society and her new job.

My Thoughts: Hayley Burke has gotten a great new job. She's been hired as the curator of the First Edition Library in the former home of Lady Fowling who was a collector of mysteries written in the 1930s by the likes of Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. Lady Fowling herself was the author of some mysteries. The job comes with lodgings which is quite a perk for a divorced woman with a daughter at university. 

There are a couple of problems with Hayley's dream job. Mrs. Glynis Woolgar was Lady Fowling's secretary until her death and feels that she has to keep things as they are which thwarts Hayley's plans to make the library more relevant. Second, Hayley doesn't know anything about mysteries written in the 1930s since her degree was in 19th Century literature. 

Hayley has convinced the Board to allow a group of writers who specialize in fan fiction using some of Agatha Christie's characters to use the library. She might be regretting that decision though because they are constantly arguing and seldom leave the library as neat as Mrs. Woolgar would prefer. She regrets it even more when she enters the library one morning and discovers the body of Trist - the leader of the group. 

At first, Hayley is quite content to leave the investigation to the local police. Detective Sergeant Ronald Hopgood and Detective Constable Kenny Pye seem to be quite competent. That isn't the same for the author group. As writers of mysteries they feel that they have a lot to contribute to the investigation. Hopgood wants Hayley to get them to back off. 

Hayley is also dealing with a threat from Lady Fowling's sleazy nephew who is determined to overset the trust and take over the house and all its contents himself and isn't above using some blackmail to get his way. She also has to deal with her boyfriend Wyn who is so busy working on his robot in London that he doesn't have time to offer her support during the troubles in Bath. And she meets a new man who has so much in common with her as she works to set up some literary salons in concert with the university. 

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. The characters were interesting people. Hayley is the sort of person who is easy to identify with. The plot was complex enough to keep my interest and leave me guessing about the mystery. I liked the setting in Bath and in a home that is now a library for mysteries. 

Favorite Quote:
"Well, Ms. Burke, as it isn't April Fools', I will believe you," DS Hopgood said. "So what we've got is a body in the library at a society that specializes in murder mysteries. Doesn't that just take the biscuit?"
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, October 19, 2020

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Oct. 19, 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... 

Such a lovely Saturday morning! I woke up to snow this morning and it has been snowing all day. It looks like we have seen the last of summer but I do have some hopes that this snow won't stay and we'll have some more nice Fall days. I have some garden cleanup to do and hope for good weather to do it in.

This has been a week filled with baseball. I'm getting ready to watch my Braves play the Dodgers in an hour or so. By Monday when this is posted, the series will be decided. Hopefully, I'll be happy! The Braves just need to win one of the next two games.

I discovered Susanna Kearsley as a new favorite author this week when I listened to A Desperate Fortune. I checked my Kindle to find that I had a few other books by her that have been available to me since 2012 and 2014 when they were Kindle Daily Deals. I did add the Audible books this week for a couple more since I find that I enjoy both reading and listening to these books. 

This week should be mostly reading review books. I hope to finish the rest of my November releases. 

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.)
  • A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley (Mine; Audiobook) -- My first by this author was an excellent dual timeline romance. I both listened to the audiobook and read this book on my Kindle. My review will be posted on October 31.
  • The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (Mine; Audiobook) -- I liked my first Kearsley so much that I went looking for more to find out that I had purchased the Kindle version of this one in 2014. Since I enjoyed the combination of listening sometimes and reading sometimes, I just bought the audiobook. My review will be posted on November 3.
  • Absence of Mercy by S. M. Goodwin (Review; Nov. 10) -- This is a new series set in New York City in 1857. A British Lord is sent to help the police department learn more modern investigative techniques and find himself in a city and police department rife with corruption as he tries to solve the murders of some prominent men. My review will be posted on November 7.
  • Cast in Silence by Michelle Sagara (Mine; audiobook) - This is the fifth in the Chronicles of Elantra Epic Fantasy series and was another entertaining adventure. My review will be posted on December 31.
Currently
  • Vanishing in the Haight by Max Tomlinson (Mine) is the first in the Colleen Hayes mystery series. Colleen is an ex-con who was imprisoned for murdering her husband who was abusing their daughter. Now she's out on patrol and living in San Francisco. She's trying to set herself up as a private investigator and is working on an interesting cold case. I have the second in the series on my Review Stack.
Next Week

I have a bunch of review books on my stack but will likely slide in a couple of audiobooks too.
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?
What was your week like?