Wednesday, March 31, 2021

ARC Review: Animal Instinct by David Rosenfelt

Animal Instinct

Author:
David Rosenfelt
Series: K Team Novels, 2
Publication: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (April 6, 2021)

Description: The K Team is back in the second installment in this spinoff series from bestselling author David Rosenfelt's beloved Andy Carpenter mysteries.

Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner, a German shepherd named Simon Garfunkel, are recently retired police officers turned private investigators. Along with fellow former cop Laurie Collins and her investigating partner, Marcus, they call themselves the K Team, in honor of Simon.

The K Team’s latest case – a recent unsolved murder – gives Corey a chance to solve "the one that got away". Corey knew the murder victim from his time on the force, when he was unable to protect her in a domestic dispute. Now, he is convinced the same abusive boyfriend is responsible for her murder. With some help from Laurie’s lawyer husband, Andy Carpenter, the K Team is determined to prove what the police could not, no matter the cost. What they uncover is much more sinister than they could have imagined.

Known for his dog-loving stories and addictive characters, bestselling mystery author David Rosenfelt presents Animal Instinct, the second installment in this engrossing new series about a dynamite investigative team and their canine partner.

My Thoughts: Corey Douglas and his K-9 companion Simon Garfunkel are both retired police officers. They have moved on to be part of an investigative team working in the private sector, often for attorney Andy Carpenter.

When Corey learns that Lisa Yates has been killed, he is brought back to a case that he wasn't happy about. Corey was called to a domestic situation between Lisa and her live-in boyfriend Gerald Kline but, when Lisa wouldn't accuse Gerald even though he obviously hit her, Corey's hands were tied. Now, for his own piece of mind, he decides to look into what first appears to be a drive-by shooting.  Corey's sure that Gerald had something to do with it. 

Corey is assisted by the rest of the K Team - Laurie Carpenter and Marcus Clark with assists by Andy Carpenter, Sam Willis, and Simon Garfunkel. Corey is surprised to be called to Gerald's home one evening for what he is told is evidence. When he arrives, Gerald is dead. Corey calls the police but a couple of days later he is arrested for the murder. Someone has built a really nice frame right around Corey including blood spattered track clothes.

Andy is drafted by Laurie to take Corey's case and the whole team tries to find out what is going on...because the bodies just keep piling up. 

I liked that the story was from Corey's point of view because he is quite a character. I liked the twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing almost to the final page. 

Fans of the Andy Carpenter mysteries will enjoy this series too. They have the same wit, quirky characters, and interesting plots that the other series has.  

Favorite Quote:
The unspoken implication was that Laurie can handle matters with more sensitivity than me. She's saying that because she can handle matters with more sensitivity than me. On the sensitivity level, I probably rank just below Mike Tyson.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

ARC Review: A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber

A Wicked Conceit

Author:
Anna Lee Huber
Series: A Lady Darby Mystery (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (April 6, 2021)

Description: Soon-to-be new parents Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have been hoping for a respite from their inquiries, but murder and mayhem have a startling way of dropping into their laps in the all-new historical mystery in this national bestselling series.

Edinburgh, Scotland. March 1832. Kiera and Gage have been eagerly awaiting their bundle of joy but trouble has been brewing in the form of the roguish criminal Bonnie Brock Kincaid. A new book and subsequent play features some of Kincaid's daringly heinous exploits, although he swears he had nothing to do with it or the characters which are obvious representations of Kiera and Gage. While the scoundrel's fury seems genuine, as well as his determined quest to uncover the real identity of the author, the Gages still hold doubts about his innocence.

A rash of crimes break out across the city, seemingly inspired by the play and book. When the publisher is found brutally murdered--in an imitation of a gruesome scene--the finger not only points to Bonnie Brock as the possible culprit, but also the Gages, who have been outspoken in their condemnation of the tale. Now, the Gages are on a hunt to unmask the killer. Between the infamy garnered by the play, the cholera outbreak still wreaking havoc throughout the city, and the impending birth of their child, they will need all the resources they can garner

But family quarrels and the revelation of a secret Kiera has been keeping from Sebastian threaten to undermine everything they have overcome. When they find themselves in the crosshairs of the killer, trapped in the squalid underground vaults of the city, they will soon discover that the truth does not always set you free, and death can lurk around any corner.

My Thoughts: Gage and Kiera are set in Edinburgh in March of 1832 waiting for the birth of their first child. But things are not going smoothly. A book detailing the life of Bonnie Brock Kincaid and also starring Kieta and Gage has swept the country. It has also been adapted into a number of plays showing anywhere from the Royal Theatreto any other group of ragtag players. The portrayal has brought Kiera, Gage and Bonnie Brock into more publicity and gossip than any of them want. 

Bonnie Brock, a local crime lord and sometimes ally of Kiera and Gage, is certain that someone has betrayed information about him that no one is supposed to know. He believes that it might be Kiera or Gage though they are equally outraged about the book and plays. They become determined to track down the mysterious and anonymous author.

That isn't the only problem to two are having. The book has led to a number of other local crimes including jewel thefts that Gage is asked to look into. Their old enemy Lord Kirkcowan is mixed up in the new jewelry thefts.

Also, Kiera is keeping a secret from Gage which is bothering her conscience. The one who was supposed to share the secret with Gage left the country at the end of their last case leaving Kiera in a very uncomfortable position. Kiera is also facing pressure from her older sister Alana who had previously been her strongest supporter and ally but who is now very upset about Kiera's life choices. 

When the publisher of the book that started it all is found murdered shortly after Gage and Kiera interviewed him to see if they could get a clue to unknown author, they become persons of interest to the police. Also the murder was set up to mimic a scene from the book which puts Bonnie Brock on the suspect list too. Add in that cholera is running rampant in Edinburgh and some of the places where they need to investigate are places where there have been outbreaks, and even more tension is added to thes story.

The book was filled with great historical detail about the 1832 cholera epidemic and about the theater scene in Edinburgh. I really liked the way Kiera is becoming more comfortable with herself and with her choices. Despite some minor problems between Gage and Kiera, I also like the way their relationship is growing.

Fans of this series will certainly enjoy this latest episode. Newcomers will also find much to enjoy in this historical mystery.

Favorite Quote:
"What if the life I've led, the entire life, was the one I was supposed to have all along? The good and the bad." I held up a hand. "I'm not saying I'm glad Sir Anthony mistreated me, or that Will had to die as he did, or that God wished for any of it to happen. But...what if it was the only way I could become who I am right now? What if it was the only way I could become the mother this child needs?" I breathed deeply, feeling something loosen inside me, some deep source of pain I'd been harboring. "Then, I can accept that."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, March 29, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 29, 2021)

 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... 

Greetings from snowy Minnesota! After two days of rain, I woke up to snow this morning and it has been snowing all day. It is warm enough that the snow is not yet sticking to the roads but the grassy areas are getting a nice coating. It's supposed to be 40 degrees and mostly sunny tomorrow which is when I need to go downtown to get my second COVID-19 shot. This new snow should all melt away tomorrow.

I was not entirely pleased with my current review book and decided to read something else before going on with it. Unfortunately, I chose to read the second book in the Bridgerton series which led to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth and staying up way too late because of my binge reading. I'm currently reading the seventh and have the eighth on my Kindle. I know I'll want to finish the series before going back to reading the books that are on my calendar. I'm reviewing the first two in the Bridgerton series but not the rest at this time. I may review them during the summer if I have a calendar spot to fill.

Speaking of my calendar, since I have only four books to read before my April calendar is full, I set up my May calendar and wrote the posts as much as I could before I actually read the books. I do have all the Book Beginning/Friday 56 posts completed and six of seventeen books on my May calendar read and reviewed already. The six reviews I've already finished are for audiobooks I've listened to recently. 

I don't have anything besides the shot on my calendar for the week. I'm expecting some side effects and glad to be staying at home to wait them out. Also baseball season starts for real on Thursday which will keep me watching television. 

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.)
  • Drown Her Sorrows by Melinda Leigh (Mine) -- The third Bree Taggert mystery is filled with a twisty plot and a growing romance. My review will be posted on April 8.
  • Lake Silence by Anne Bishop (Audiobook) -- This is a favorite story. I chose it because I needed an audiobook but didn't want to tackle anything new. 
  • The Unkindness of Ravens by M. E. Hilliard (Review; April 13) -- Entertaining series debut. Greer Hogan is a librarian who needs to figure out who murdered her friend in the library and channels her favorite detectives (Trixie Belden and Miss Marple) to help her solve the crime. My review will be posted on April 10.
  • Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery (Kindle and Audiobook) -- The third Fool's Gold romance stars Pia O'Brien and Raoul Moreno. Another great romance. My review will be posted on April 14.
  • The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (Mine) -- Anthony and Kate's romance is the second in the Bridgerton series. My review will be posted on April 21.
  • An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (Mine) -- This is Benedict and Sophie's story. This episode is sort of a riff on the Cinderella story.
Currently
  • Purrfectly Dead by Dixie Lyle (Review; April 27) - I'm at 40% in this one but had no trouble setting it aside for my Bridgerton binge.
  • It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn (Mine)
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

I bought all of these this week.
What was your week like?


Saturday, March 27, 2021

Book Review: Faithless in Death by J. D. Robb

Faithless in Death

Author:
J. D. Robb
Series: In Death (Book 52)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (February 9, 2021)

Description: In the new Eve Dallas police thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb, what looked like a lover’s quarrel turned fatal has larger—and more terrifying—motives behind it…

The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wineglasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don’t add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiancĂ© as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body—but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within—and soon they’re getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.

My Thoughts: Eve's next case starts out simple. What looks like a lover's quarrel leaving a young female sculptor dead in her studio quickly becomes a much deeper and darker case. First of all, why did Gwen Huffman wait more than an hour before calling in the discovery of the crime? And why did she call her lawyer-fiancé before she called the cops?

Gwen's lies and inconsistencies quickly alert Eve and Peabody to the idea that something is being hidden but neither could have imagined the scope of her secrets. As they investigate Gwen and her background and contacts, they discover that she is part of a cult called Natural Order. It hates anyone who isn't straight, anyone who is mixed-race, and women generally. 

Founded by Stanton Wilkey who Roarke describes as "a charismatic lunatic", it has been growing in great secrecy for years. Eve's friend reporter Nadine Furst tried to investigate it when she was a young reporter with no success. All attempts to get the details, including the FBI's attempt to get an agent undercover, have been unsuccessful. But when Eve goes to interview Wilkey, she is surreptitiously passed a note which indicates things are even worse than everyone feared; a young woman is being held captive after being abducted and having her identity erased.

As Eve investigates possible killers of the young sculptor, she also discovers the members of the cult are imprisoning women and forcing them into marriages and motherhood. This triggers all sorts of reminders of her own childhood and deepens Eve's determination to destroy this cult and its members. Luckily, her contacts in the FBI and Interpol are also determined to do the same thing.

While this story deals with a deep and dark crime, there are still happy notes. Mavis and Leonardo have bought a house with the intent to grow their family. The house also has a sort of guesthouse/mother-in-law suite that they intend to rent to Peabody and McNab. Roarke found the house, which is a real fixer-upper, and is helping with the rehab. There are also the usual problems with idioms this time including "lo and behold," "a flash in the pan," and "irons in the fire" that added some humor to a story with lots of darkness.

Fans of the In Death series will enjoy this latest episode and be glad to spend time again with Eve, Roarke, and the family they have built around themselves. 

Favorite Quote:
She made her way downstairs and found Peabody walking her way.

"My charm's on high today." After a little hip wiggle, Peabody tried a hair toss.

"Never, never do that again."

"You're going to want to do the same when I tell you Dickhead already had the sheets done. Two separate DNAs from fluids, both female. One from the victim, one not in the system."

"Good, solid. But I don't do the wiggle and toss."

"'Cause you've got no hips and really short hair. But inside, you're wiggling and tossing."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, March 26, 2021

Friday Memes: Faithless in Death by J. D. Robb

 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:
Paperwork could kill.

Nothing, to Eve Dallas's mind, reached the same heights -- or depths -- as paperwork's terminal boredom.

And if the boredom didn't kill you, the frustration would.
Friday 56: 
"She wouldn't be the first to kill to maintain appearances."
This week I am spotlighting Faithless in Death by J. D. Robb. It is the 52nd in this futuristic mystery series. It is a real favorite of mine! Here is the description from Amazon:
In the new Eve Dallas police thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling author J. D. Robb, what looked like a lover’s quarrel turned fatal has larger—and more terrifying—motives behind it…

The scene in the West Village studio appears to be classic crime-of-passion: two wineglasses by the bed, music playing, and a young sculptor named Ariel Byrd with the back of her head bashed in. But when Dallas tracks down the wealthy Upper East Side woman who called 911, the details don’t add up. Gwen Huffman is wealthy, elegant, comforted by her handsome fiancĂ© as she sheds tears over the trauma of finding the body—but why did it take an hour to report it? And why is she lying about little things?

As Eve and her team look into Gwen, her past, and the people around her, they find that the lies are about more than murder. As with sculpture, they need to chip away at the layers of deception to find the shape within—and soon they’re getting the FBI involved in a case that involves a sinister, fanatical group and a stunning criminal conspiracy.

Thursday, March 25, 2021

ARC Review: Phantoms and Felonies by Lucy Ness

Phantoms and Felonies

Author:
Lucy Ness
Series: A Haunted Mansion Mystery (Book 2)
Publication: Berkley (April 6, 2021)

Description: Avery Morgan has been hired to breathe new life into the Portage Path Women's Club, but first she'll have to deal with a dead body and a meddling ghost.

When a local theater troupe puts on a new play at the club, manager Avery Morgan is excited. This is just the sort of event that's destined to bring in potential new members. Okay, millionaire banker Bob Hanover has more bucks than talent and has used his position to grab the lead role, but that seems like a small price to pay...until Bob is found dead backstage.

Bob rubbed many people the wrong way, but would anyone want him dead? The short answer to that is: Who wouldn't want him dead? His long-suffering wife had to put up with years of womanizing. The show's playwright has been tricked out of his one great idea by Bob, who claimed it as his own work. And Bob bankrupted one of the town's small businessmen. The choices are many and the time to find the killer is running short.

Avery is working overtime to keep the club open and find the killer. Fortunately, she has help with the latter task. Clemmie Bow was once a singer in the speakeasy in the club's basement. Now she's a ghost who's also a top-notch detective. Together Clemmie and Avery will find the killer—even if it kills one of them.

My Thoughts: Avery Morgan's latest idea to revitalize the Portage Path Women's Club is to host a murder mystery dinner. She has to deal with a prima donna author, a banker turned actor with ideas of his own about the story, a club member who thinks the whole thing is a bad idea, and a number of other characters with their own agendas.

When the banker turned actor winds up dead before the play is well under way, Avery needs to help her boyfriend Oz find the killer. She really hopes that it isn't another club member which would really ruin her plans for good PR for the Club.

Avery is assisted by ghost Clemmie Bow who was killed in the speakeasy in the basement during the 1920s. Part of this case included keeping Clemmie secret from her Aunt Rosemary who is a noted medium from Lily Dale. Aunt Rosemary decided to surprise her niece by attending the mystery dinner but wasn't expecting to discover the body and be accused of murder. She has always thought that Avery had some psychic powers though Avery had constantly denied any such talent.

This was an entertaining cozy mystery with interesting characters and an engaging plot. 

Favorite Quote:
"You haven't seen anything in the house? Anything that makes you think you're being Visited?"

That capital letter is my own doing, of course, but there are certain words Aunt Rosemary uses and a certain inflection in her voice that always make me think capitalization is in order."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, March 24, 2021

ARC Review: Changing the Rules by Catherine Bybee

Changing the Rules

Author:
Catherine Bybee
Series: Richter Series (Book 1)
Publication: Montlake (March 23, 2021)

Description: From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the steamy first novel in her new adrenaline-fueled Richter series.

Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for six long years. But now he’s back and determined to ignore the still-smoldering heat that lingers between them.

Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final casualties?

My Thoughts: This book is the first in a new series. Claire Kelly works for McBain Security and Solutions. She is twenty-four and eager for more action. I liked learning about her backstory as an orphan from a boarding school for assassins.

When the firm takes a case about sex trafficking in local public and private high schools, Claire and her best friend and fellow agent Jax are chosen to go undercover as high school students. Cooper is chosen to go undercover as a substitute auto mechanics teacher and track coach.

Cooper is just back from Europe. He left six years earlier because he felt he was too old to be romantically interested in Claire. Also, his boss Neil McBain who thinks of himself as a father figure for Claire encouraged the move. They both felt Claire needed some time to finish growing up. Claire didn't agree. She was disappointed that her friend Cooper was suddenly gone.

The case immediately got complicated since there were undercover cops on the scene too who were unknown to McBain and who might be dirty cops. Claire quickly found her way into the crowds she needed to infiltrate and befriended young girls who were potential victims of the scam. She also developed her persona as a smart-mouthed rebel with a talent for track. There are lots of suspicious characters in this one. There are a variety of teachers who might or might not have parts in the sex trafficking. There are students and former students who also behave is suspicious manners. 

Cooper and Claire get closer as they work to investigate this trafficking case and as they overcome their miscommunications. There was a lot of tension because they needed to keep their relationship secret or ruin their covers as student and teacher. 

I enjoyed the story even though it began by introducing quite a large number of characters who will presumably have larger roles in future books in this seriesbut who made me want to make a list of each one in order to keep track of them. I also had the feeling that some of the characters had fuller stories told in other books by the author which was confirmed by the author's afterward. I enjoyed the story more once the book began to focus on the characters who had large roles in this story.

Favorite Quote:
"I have a report due tomorrow on Macbeth."

"And?"

Claire cleared her throat. "Macbeth, by Claire Porter...They all die. The End."
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Book Review: The Iron Wyrm Affair by Lilith Saintcrow

The Iron Wyrm Affair

Author:
Lilith Saintcrow
Series: Bannon and Clare (Book 1)
Publication: Orbit; 1st edition (August 7, 2012)

Description: Emma Bannon, forensic sorceress in the service of the Empire, has a mission: to protect Archibald Clare, a failed, unregistered mentath. His skills of deduction are legendary, and her own sorcery is not inconsiderable. It doesn't help much that they barely tolerate each other, or that Bannon's Shield, Mikal, might just be a traitor himself. Or that the conspiracy killing registered mentaths and sorcerers alike will just as likely kill them as seduce them into treachery toward their Queen.

In an alternate London where illogical magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head, Bannon and Clare now face hostility, treason, cannon fire, black sorcery, and the problem of reliably finding hansom cabs.

My Thoughts: This was a very complex story set in an alternate historical London with both magic and steampunk elements. It also drops the reader right into this complex world which left me rather confused. Some paragraphs were filled with so much dialect that they were totally incomprehensible. However, others were filled with such lush description that I was drawn into the scene. 

Since this is the first in the Bannon and Clare novel, I was looking to find out more about these two characters. Emma Bannon is a Prime Sorcerer who works closely guarding Queen Victrix who is the current vessel for Britannia. We learn that she is on the track of some sort of conspiracy which is killing mentaths who are sort of super geniuses. Archibald Clare is one of those mentaths and one Bannon manages to rescue before he can be killed. Clare is recently unregistered and in danger of dying of boredom when he meets Bannon.

I loved all the wonderful descriptions of this steampunk version of London. I liked the variety of characters from indentured servants to Shields to dragons. I thought Bannon was an interesting character with lots of mysteries about her. I enjoyed the action as the two - separately and together - attempt to track down the conspirators and end the threat. The worldbuilding was complex with much more for the reader to discover. 

Favorite Quote:
"We are dealing with an unholy alliance of competing interests, none of whom are being exactly honest with each other. There is at least one party who wishes the destruction of Britannia Herself, one who possibly only wishes to damage Her current incarnation to make said incarnation amenable to coercion, and a third who wishes to sow as much confusion and chaos as possible in order to impair the Empire in any way they may."
I bought this one July 10, 2013. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, March 22, 2021

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (March 22, 2021)

 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 nice sunny week which was good for solar production. On the other hand, our garage door wouldn't open when I was supposed to go to my doctor's appointment on Thursday. The opener lifted it about a foot before it froze. So, I called and cancelled my appointment and waited until my brother got home from work in case it was something he could fix. We ended up calling the repair people the next day because a spring had broken. The repairman fixed that but then told us that the door itself was cracked and ought to be replaced. So we're waiting for an estimate before scheduling that job. Always something when you own a home!

On the positive side, my government stimulus payment showed up in my bank account on Wednesday. Guess I know how I'll be spending it. 

This week is pretty empty of anything I have to do except for my semi-annual dentist appointment  My brother has an appointment for his Coronavirus shot on Friday. He doesn't know what vaccine he'll be receiving or if he'll be given a choice. I'm pretty sure that he'll take the one-and-done J&J vaccine if he has a choice. My second shot is scheduled for next Sunday. It will be nice to know that we are that much closer to being safer from this nasty virus. 

I've been enjoying The Voice and mostly listening to the Atlanta Braves Spring Training games. While the snow is melting away, it isn't quite warm enough for me to start walking outdoors. I'm waiting until the snow is gone from the sidewalks I use before I go walking outside. 

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 Sign of Death by Callie Hutton (Review; April 13) -- Entertaining Historical Mystery. My review will be posted on April 6.
  • Illusion Town by Jayne Castle (Kindle & Audiobook) -- Paranormal romantic suspense set on Harmony. Great story. My review will be posted on May 26.
  • The Murder Game by Carrie Doyle (Review; April 6) -- This YA is a boarding school mystery. I enjoyed the main character. My review will be posted on April 1.
  • Amaryllis by Jayne Castle (Kindle & Audiobook) -- This is the first paranormal romantic suspense title set on St. Helens. It was a fun story. My review will be posted on May 15.
  • Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs (Kindle) -- This was the 6th in the Alpha and Omega series and was a great urban fantasy story. My review will be posted on April 3.
  • Zinnia by Jayne Castle (Kindle & Audiobook) -- This is the second paranormal romantic suspense title set on St. Helens. It was a fun story. My review will be posted on May 22.
  • Orchid by Jayne Castle (Kindle & Audiobook) - The final book in the St. Helens trilogy was another entertaining paranormal romantic suspense title. My review will be posted on May 29.
  • Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price (Review; April 6) - This retelling of Pride and Prejudice changes the story to a murder mystery set in London with a feminist Lizzie Bennett. My review will be posted on April 7.
DNF
  • All That Fall by Kris Calvin (Review; April 13) - I read 25% of this one but there were too many characters and plot threads for me to keep track of and none really compelled my attention.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:
Bought:
What was your week like?

Saturday, March 20, 2021

Book Review: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I

Author:
Julia Quinn
Series: Bridgertons (Book 1)
Publication: Avon (April 28, 2015)

Description: Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it's all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.

My Thoughts: This is a smart historical romance and a reread for me. It is also the first book in the Bridgerton series which has regained popularity because of the new Netflix series.

This is Daphne's story. She is the fourth child of Lord and Lady Bridgerton. She has three older brothers, one younger brother, and three younger sisters. Daphne is also on the marriage market and has been for a couple of seasons. She wants to get married and have a family but, unfortunately, the men of the ton see her as a buddy or a pal and not as a desirable woman to be courted. 

Then Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, comes back to London after many years abroad. He is one of Daphne's older brother Anthony's best friends. Simon had a difficult childhood. His mother died at his birth and his father had unreasonable expectations for his heir. Simon didn't speak until he was four and then was plagued with a stutter. His father decided he was an idiot and abandoned him to be raised alone on one of the family estates. Through hard work and determination, he conquered his stammer but by then he was no longer interested in his father's approval. When his father tried to draw his now acceptable heir into his circle, Simon left the country.

But Simon coming back to London makes him a target of young ladies and ambitious mamas looking to marry off their daughters. Simon has vowed never to marry and certainly never to have a child because he is still rebelling against his father despite his father's death. However, when he meets Daphne, he is intrigued. He and Daphne come up with a plan to pretend to be courting which should protect him from matchmaking mamas and also change the way other men look at Daphne. Neither had any intention of making the pretense real...at first.

I really enjoyed getting to know both Simon and Daphne. I loved seeing the contrasts between them. Certainly Daphne's life experiences as one in a large, happy family were different from Simon's. Things don't always go smoothly in their relationship which makes the story, but a happy ending ensues. I especially liked that my new Kindle copy of this paperback from my Keeper shelves includes the Second Epilogue which brings the couple forward in time some twenty years. I also liked that each chapter began with a quotation from Lady Whistledown's Society Papers penned by the mysterious and unknown Lady Whistledown.

The only problem I had with this reread was that I can't stop with just one of the Bridgerton books and am now off to reread THE VISCOUNT WHO LOVED ME. 

Favorite Quote:
Men, she thought with disgust, were interested only in those women who terrified them. No one seemed inclined to court someone like her. They all adored her, or so they said, because she was so easy to talk to, and she always seemed to understand how a man felt. 
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Friday, March 19, 2021

Friday Memes: The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

 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:
The birth of Simon Arthur Henry Fitzranulph Basset, Earl Clyvedon, was met with great celebration.
Friday 56:
Simon watched with fascinated interest as she took a deep breath and muttered something to herself. He couldn't hear her words, but he doubted any of them could be construed as complimentary.
This week I am spotlighting The Duke and I by Julia Quinn. I read the Bridgeron series years ago but was encouraged to take it off my Keeper shelves to see what all the fuss was about now that the series has shown up on Netflix (or somewhere).

Here is the description from Amazon:
Can there be any greater challenge to London's Ambitious Mamas than an unmarried duke?—Lady Whistledown's Society Papers, April 1813

By all accounts, Simon Basset is on the verge of proposing to his best friend's sister—the lovely and almost-on-the-shelf—Daphne Bridgerton. But the two of them know the truth—it's all an elaborate ruse to keep Simon free from marriage-minded society mothers. And as for Daphne, surely she will attract some worthy suitors now that it seems a duke has declared her desirable.

But as Daphne waltzes across ballroom after ballroom with Simon, it's hard to remember that their courtship is a sham. Maybe it's his devilish smile, certainly it's the way his eyes seem to burn every time he looks at her . . . but somehow Daphne is falling for the dashing duke . . . for real! And now she must do the impossible and convince the handsome rogue that their clever little scheme deserves a slight alteration, and that nothing makes quite as much sense as falling in love.

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Book and Audio Review: Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron

Minimum Wage Magic

Author:
Rachel Aaron
Narrator: Emily Woo Zettler
Series: DFZ (Book 1)
Publication: Audible Studios (January 8, 2019); Aaron/Bach (November 9, 2018)
Length: 9 hours and 45 minutes; 293 p.

Description: The DFZ, the metropolis formerly known as Detroit, is the world’s most magical city with a population of nine million and zero public safety laws. That’s a lot of mages, cybernetically enhanced chrome heads, and mythical beasties who die, get into debt, and otherwise fail to pay their rent. When they can’t pay their bills, their stuff gets sold to the highest bidder to cover the tab.

That’s when they call me. My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner: a freelance mage with an art history degree who’s employed by the DFZ to sort through the mountains of magical junk people leave behind. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one - there’s a reason I wear bite-proof gloves - but when you’re deep in debt in a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, you don’t get to be picky about where your money comes from. You just have to make it work, even when the only thing of value in your latest repossessed apartment is the dead body of the mage who used to live there.

My Thoughts: Opal Young-ae is a mage and a Cleaner who buys places at auction to clean them out so that they can be rented again. She always hopes to find enough that she can sell to recover her costs and make a hefty profit in the bargain. But she has had a long run of incredibly bad luck for the last five months and is nearly destitute and she has a loan payment coming due in just a couple of days.

Opal works in the DFZ, which used to be Detroit, but now is a magical, lawless city filled with mages, cybernetically enhanced humans, new gods, and dragons. She is assisted in her work by her AI Sibyl. However, problems start when she discovers a body in the latest apartment she Cleans. She also finds mysterious papers filled with details about a spell but nothing that she can quickly turn into the cash she needs. 

When an apartment that has been broken into and trashed comes up at auction, Opal bids the last of her money on it because she recognizes the magical signature as the same as in the apartment with the body. She hopes that she'll be able to find a clue to whatever the mage was doing and that it will lead to a quick profitable result. 

But someone else also wants what the mage has hidden and is willing to kill for it. Luckily, Opal is saved by Nik Kos who is her major rival in the Cleaning business. He convinces her that they need to team up with a 60/40 split in order to find whatever the mage is hiding. 

The two have quite a few adventures as they track down the treasure. Lots of secrets are revealed. 

I really liked the worldbuilding in this story. A city that is constantly being rearranged by its god is a great setting for the adventure. I also enjoyed and empathized with Opal's determination to be free and to finally get out of the control of her father. 

Favorite Quote:
"The cost of survival is doing things you don't like," he said coldly. "Suck it up or give up, but don't sit on the fence and complain. It does nothing but waste time."
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Book Review: Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery

Almost Perfect

Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Fool's Gold
Publication: Harlequin Books (June 29, 2010)

Description: Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she’d stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they’d ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool’s Gold, California—forever, she thought….

Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn’t know of their son’s existence. And this time she won’t have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can’t deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?

My Thoughts: This secret baby romance has been sitting on my TBR mountain for the past ten years. I was looking for a romance and grabbed this one. I'm generally happy that I did.

Liz Sutton left Fool's Gold shortly after high school graduation. Since she had a horrible home life with her alcoholic mother who dabbled in prostitution and since she was picked on by the mean girls and propositioned by the boys who thought she was life her mother, getting away should have been a relief. However, that departure was spurred when Ethan Hendrix, the boy she thought loved her, denied their relationship and didn't deny it when his friends called her a whore. She was heartbroken and fled only to learn three weeks later that she was pregnant. She went back to tell Ethan and found him in bed with another girl.

Liz did try again to tell Ethan about his son when Tyler was five. This time she was thwarted by his wife who never bothered to tell Ethan that she had come to see him. Also, she forged a letter in Ethan's name saying that he wanted nothing to do with her or her son and to stay away.

But Liz needs to go back to Fool's Gold when she gets an email from her fourteen-year-old niece telling her that she and her sister had been abandoned by their stepmother when her father - Liz's brother - went to prison. She didn't know she had nieces at all. She had had no contact with her brother since he'd left home when Liz was 12. 

Liz hopes to be able to solve her niece's problems and get out of Fool's Gold without ever running into Ethan. But of course, that isn't going to happen. Ethan isn't happy to see her and is even less happy when he learns that she has been keeping the fact of her son Tyler from him for eleven years.

Ethan is not a particularly appealing hero. He's too concerned with being right and too concerned with his reputation and that of his family. He deeply resents that Liz kept him from his son and doesn't believe her explanations until he sees the letter that he supposedly sent which only changed things a little for his attitude. It doesn't help either of them that the attraction between them is still so strong. Liz is shown over and over again that Ethan can't be trusted and she keeps trying to be fair despite his abuses.

Also, Fool's Gold doesn't warmly embrace her on her return. Ethan's powerful family takes Ethan's side at first. But gradually Liz finds out that Fool's Gold isn't so bad. There are people there who have the potential of being friends despite their mean girl pasts. 

I enjoyed this story despite Ethan's slow change of heart and mind. I thought the characters were interesting and complex. I especially liked that Liz has become a best selling mystery author since she left town and liked that she chose to kill Ethan over and over again in her books. 

Favorite Quote:
The words practical and marriage don't belong in the same conversation. Nothing about marriage is practical. It's wonderful and difficult and amazing and demanding. Besides, no one wants a proposal like that. We want to hear the man in question is madly in love with us. We want to be swept away. Not compared to a really good microfiber dust cloth. Attractive and practical. That's going to make your heart beat faster.
I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.