It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (October 28, 2024)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

This was another excellent fall week. Temperatures were pleasant. Most of the fall colors are gone here and the trees are looking a little bare. 

I had a great reading and listening week since I had to wait until Friday for more baseball games. The World Series has been exciting so far and I like that the Dodgers have a two-game lead. I'll be having a quiet Sunday as my Vikings played football last Thursday night and the next World Series game isn't until Monday night. Maybe I'll be able to finish my current audiobook while setting up posts for December on my blog. 

I've decided that December is going to be "read what you got in 2024" month and filled my calendar with (relatively) recent arrivals. Since as of today, I still have 147 unread 2024 titles, this seemed like a way to lower the TBR stack some. Of course, I have 2501 books in my To Read collection at LibraryThing some dating back to 2009, so I won't be making much of a dent. But a dent is a dent.

I'm looking forward to trick or treaters this week since Halloween is just around the corner. I also have an appointment for a blood draw later in the week. And I have all the end of the month things to do for my blog. 

My brother and I just did some meal planning for the week. We have today, Monday and Tuesday's dinners figured out. Then I'm on my own for dinners until his next day off on Saturday. There should be leftovers from our already planned meals unless I decide to get creative. 

Read Last Week

• Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney (Review; November 26) -- Fourth in the Cambridge Bookshop mystery series. My review will be posted on November 19.
• Children of the Night by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle and Audible Plus) -- This is the second book in the Diana Tregarde Urban Fantasy series. My review will be posted on November 14.
• Murder at Keyhaven Castle by Clara McKenna (Audiobook; Mine since July 25, 2023) -- This is the third Stella and Lyndy historical mystery. My review will be posted on November 19.

• Jinx High by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle and Audible Plus) -- This is the finale of the Diana Tregarde Urban Fantasy series. My review will be posted on November 21.
• Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey (Review; November 26) -- This is the eighteenth anthology of Valdemar stories by assorted authors. My review will be posted on November 20.
• Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since April 11, 2017) -- This is the first book in the Vatta's Peace science fiction series. My review will be posted on November 21. 

• Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose (Audiobook; Mine since January 10) -- The third Wrexford & Sloan historical mystery. My review will be posted on November 26.
• Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since February 5, 2018) -- The second and last book in the Vatta's Peace series. My review will be posted on November 26.
• Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell (Mine since July 16) -- This is the third in the St Kilda Romantic Suspense series. My review will be posted on November 23.

Currently

• Passions in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook Reread)

Next Week

• The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong (Review; December 3)
• Perfect Storm by Paige Shelton (Review; December 3)
• Hounded by David Rosenfelt (Mine since December 5, 2022)

• The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen (Mine since September 6)
• The Body in the Wetlands by Judi Lynn (Mine since July 12)
• The Debutante's Code by Erica Vetsch (Audiobook; Audible Plus)

Reviews Posted

• Victory Conditions by Elizabeth Moon (Audiobook)
• A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke (Review copy)
• Divine by Choice by P. C. Cast (Mine)

• Smash Cut by Sandra Brown (Mine)
• Sacred Ground by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook; Audible Plus)
• The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart (Mine)

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

Review:

• Perfect Storm by Paige Shelton (Review; December 3)

Bought:

• Cherish and the Duke by Meara Platt (Kindle; free after using Kindle Rewards)
• Murder on Mistletoe Lane by Clara McKenna (Kindle)
• Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose (Audiobook; Chirp for $2.99)

• Murder at the Majestic Hotel by Clara McKenna (Audiobook; Audible Credit)
• Rest in Pink by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (Kindle and $1.99 Audiobook)
• One in Vermillion by Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (BookBub for $.99 and $1.99 Audiobook)

What was your week like?

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Series: The Mysterious Benedict Society (Book 1)
Publication: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition (April 1, 2008)

Description: For fans of Lemony Snicket and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, this first book in the bestselling, award-winning Mysterious Benedict Society series is not to be missed!

"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of children respond to this peculiar newspaper ad and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children—two boys and two girls—succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it, they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

My Thoughts: This middle grade fantasy describes the adventures of four young orphans who are recruited by the mysterious Mr. Benedict for a dangerous mission to save the world. All four of the children are very bright and manage to pass a series of difficult tests.

Reynie Muldoon, Sticks Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire all have a variety of skills necessary to defeat the evil villain. Reynie is a great puzzle solver. Sticks remembers everything. Kate is daring and physically gifted. Constance is as contrary as her name and filled with stubbornness. 

The three are sent to a new school - the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened - to find out what its leader Ledroptha Curtain is up to. The kids have a variety of adventures including discovering secret tunnels and communicating with Morse Code. They also have to deal with the various students who are quite an odd lot. 

Fans of bright, brave kids having adventures in a fantasy world will enjoy this one. 

I bought this one January 6, 2010. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

In a city called Stonetown, near a port called Stonetown Harbor, a boy named Reynie Muldoon was preparing to take an important test. 

Friday 56:

He found himself in a brightly lit room with pitch-black walls. 

This week I am spotlighting The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. It has been on my TBR mountain since January 6, 2010. Here is the description from Amazon:

For fans of Lemony Snicket and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, this first book in the bestselling, award-winning Mysterious Benedict Society series is not to be missed!

"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Dozens of children respond to this peculiar newspaper ad and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children—two boys and two girls—succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it, they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help.

Audiobook Review: Sacred Ground by Mercedes Lackey

Sacred Ground
Author: Mercedes Lackey
Narrator: Katie Anvil Rich
Publication: Tantor Audio (August 22, 2023)
Length: 11 hours

Description: From the New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey comes contemporary fantasy Sacred Ground.

Jennifer Talldeer is Osage and Cherokee, granddaughter of a powerful Medicine Man. She walks a difficult path: contrary to tribal custom, she is learning a warrior's magics. A freelance private investigator, Jennifer tracks down stolen Native American artifacts.

The construction of a new shopping mall uncovers fragments of human bone, revealing possible desecration of an ancient burial ground. Meanwhile, the sabotage of construction equipment at the site implicates many activists—particularly Jennifer's old flame, who is more attractive and dangerous than ever. Worst of all, the grave of Jennifer's legendary Medicine Man ancestor has been destroyed, his tools of power scattered, and a great evil freed to walk the land.

Jennifer must make peace with the many factions and solve the mystery of her ancestor's grave before the world falls into oblivion.

My Thoughts: This story stars Jennifer Talldeer who is a private investigator and the granddaughter and apprentice of her grandfather who is a powerful medicine man. She's Osage and Cherokee. While she has many of the usual PI cases, her real joy comes from locating Native American artifacts and returning them to their tribes.

She is hired by an insurance company to determine whether the contractor for a new mall is hiding things that would make him uninsurable. Rod Calligan has a reputation for doing shoddy work. But problems at his latest site which include the explosion of one of his machines the killed four seems to be a step up. And when Native artifacts are discovered on the site, many of his Native American crew are refusing to continue work. 

Neither Jennifer nor her grandfather were aware of any Native burial site at that location and think that it was a cache that was discovered - a cache Calligan was planning to sell to the highest bidder. But things quickly take a turn to the paranormal when strange things begin to happen. Calligan had discovered the burial place and medicine bag of an evil spirit and the evil lives on and is trying to find a new place in the world. 

Meanwhile, Calligan is trying to accomplish an insurance scam by staging a series of "accidents" that will allow him to declare bankruptcy and get out from under a project he knows will be unsuccessful since he's already skimmed all the profit he can. He wants to cast blame for the failure on his Native American crew which brings in Jennifer's old boyfriend David Spotted Horse who has become an Indian Activist. 

This was a suspenseful mystery combined with lots of Native American mythology. I enjoyed it a lot. 

I bought this one from Chirp August 21. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Smash Cut by Sandra Brown

Smash Cut
Author: Sandra Brown
Series: Mitchell & Associates (Book 1)
Publication: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (July 23, 2009)

Description: From #1 New York Times bestselling author of Seeing Red comes this thrilling novel full of jarring, cinematic twists and breathless suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat.

When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered, his family retains renowned lawyer Derek Mitchell to defend the victim’s nephew Creighton—although the police have not charged the young man with the crime. Wheeler’s mistress Julie Rutledge, who is also a suspect, believes that Creighton is the killer despite his rock-solid alibi, and she’ll do almost anything in her quest to prove his guilt—even ruin Derek’s career. But as Derek learns of Creighton’s darker side, especially his bizarre fascination with movie murders, the more he agrees with Julie’s suspicion. The clock ticks down to a shocking ending as Derek and Julie join forces to find the truth. Has Creighton begun re-enacting cinema’s goriest scenes and, if so, who will be his unwilling co-stars? They won’t know until the final Smash Cut.

My Thoughts: When millionaire Paul Wheeler is murdered in an attempted robbery in an elevator at a plush hotel, the consequences ripple out. Derek Mitchell, a renowned and high-priced defense attorney, is hired to protect the interests of Paul's family. His supposed mistress is also a possible suspect. 

But Derek has a connection with Julie Rutledge, the supposed mistress, the compromises his defense of Paul's brother, sister-in-law and nephew Creighton. Julie seduced Derek on an airplane coming back from France in the hopes of compromising him. 

When Derek learns who Julie is and after taking a strong dislike to Creighton, Derek switches sides, drops the Wheelers, and agrees to defend Julie despite not knowing if he can believe her when she says she had nothing to do with Paul's death. 

This twisty story has Julie keeping a lot of secrets but not nearly as many as Creighton. Creighton is an apparent golden boy who lives a charmed life and is obsessed with movies. He is also a complete psychopath which he has almost hidden from the world. 

As Derek and his investigator probe into Creighton's life, the hidden things begin to be revealed. However, it is a near thing keeping him from completing his murderous plans. 

This one was a complete page-turner filled with action, danger, twists and turns. 

Favorite Quote:

"Do you know what a smash cut is?"

"A smash...No, I don't know. What?"

"It's an abrupt edit. A sudden shift of scene. Used to shock the audience. Very effective. Lots of impact. Packs a wallop."

I bought this one August 18, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Divine by Choice by P. C. Cast

Divine by Choice
Author: P. C. Cast
Series: The Parthalon (Book 2)
Publication: Blackstone Publishing (March 2, 2023)

Description: Finally settled into her new world and role as the Goddess Epona’s Chosen, Shannon finds herself loving her life of luxury and service more and more each day. Her handsome husband is due to return from his travels soon, and the temple and its people have recovered from the terrible war months before. Even though the evil has been banished from the land and all is calm, Shannon can’t seem to shake the cloud of uneasiness (and nausea) she’s been feeling, even after she receives the wonderful news of her forthcoming bundle of joy.

But when a routine ride through the countryside turns dangerous, Shannon is once again pulled across the divide—back to the rolling green of Oklahoma. Sensing the darkness growing in her former world and driven by Epona’s steady hand, she must rely on the tempting and sexy Clint Freeman to help her defeat the all-too-familiar evil that lurks in the shadows before she can return to her real home—Partholon.

My Thoughts: Oklahoma high school English teacher Shannon is finally settling in on Partholon as the Goddess Epona's Chosen and wife to centaur ClanFintan. The war is over, but changes are still on the horizon. 

Shannon, now called Rhea, finds herself pregnant and feeling a growing sense of evil. When a trip to a local shrine finds her jerked back to the Earth she left behind, Shannon has to battle old evil in a new setting if she is ever going to get back to her new life. 

Even though it has been many, many years since I read the first book in this series, I was able to quickly adjust to the world and the mythology which is a combination of Scottish and Greek myths. This was an entertaining fantasy. 

I bought this one July 10, 2009, shortly after I bought my first Kindle. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Victory Conditions by Elizabeth Moon

Victory Conditions
Author: Elizabeth Moon
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Series: Vatta's War (Book 5)
Publication: Tantor Audio (February 3, 2009)
Length: 15 hours and 40 minutes

Description: For Kylara Vatta, it's not just about liberating the star systems subjugated by Gammis Turek and defending the rest of the galaxy's freedom. There is also a score to be settled and payback to be meted out for the obliteration of the Vatta Transport dynasty...and the slaughter of Ky's family.

But the enemy have their own escalation efforts under way - including the placement of covert agents among the allies with whom Ky and the surviving Vattas are collaborating in the war effort. And when a spy ring linked to a wealthy businessman is exposed, a cracked pirate code reveals a galaxy-wide conspiracy fueling the proliferation of Turek's warship fleet. Matching the invaders' swelling firepower will mean marshaling an armada of battle-ready ships for Ky to lead into combat. But a violent skirmish leaves Ky reeling - and presumed dead by her enemies.

Now, as Turek readies an all-out attack on the Nexus system - a key conquest that could seal the rest of the galaxy's doom - Ky must rally to the challenge, draw upon every last reserve of her strategic skills, and reach deep if she is to tear from the ashes of tragedy her most decisive victory.

My Thoughts: The conclusion to the Vatta's War 5-book series sees Ky Admiral of the combined fleet assembled to end the threat of the pirate Gammis Turok who has assembled a fleet of over 300 ships. Turok has also embedded spies in the major planetary systems who are helping him overthrow the existing governments.

As Ky deals with the loss of her first ship and most of its crew, Stella is dealing with rebuilding Vatta Enterprises and overseeing the manufacture of shipboard ansibles which will bring parity to Ky's fleet since the pirates already have them. Stella is also dealing with an adolescent tech genius ward who has fallen in love for the first time. Unfortunately, Toby's girlfriend's father is one of Turok's plants and a traitor to his planet. 

Rafe is dealing with ISC on his homeworld of Nexus II which is squarely in the sights of Turok's fleet. Rafe has a brain-damaged father who is still influential on the board of ISC and who is unreasonably prejudiced against any and all Vattas. His venom finds fertile ground since most of the board resents that Stella Vatta is manufacturing ansibles which leaves ISC's monopoly on communications in jeopardy. 

Ky has to pull together forces from various jurisdictions and convince much older ship commanders that she is the best one to lead the fight against Gammis Turok. 

This was a great space opera series and this volume a satisfying conclusion. 

I bought this one in paperback sometime before 2008. I recently bought the Kindle version and added the Audible Plus version to my Audible Library. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke

A New Lease on Death
Author: Olivia Blacke
Series: Supernatural Mysteries (Book 1)
Publication: Minotaur Books (October 29, 2024)

Description: Death is only the beginning in Olivia Blacke's A New Lease on Death, a darkly funny supernatural mystery that introduces an unlikely crime-solving duo.

Ruby Young's new Boston apartment comes with all the usual perks. Windows facing the brick wall of the next-door building. Heat that barely works. A malfunctioning buzzer. Noisy neighbors. A dead body on the sidewalk outside. And of course, a ghost.

Since Cordelia Graves died in her apartment a few months ago, she's kept up her residency, despite being bored out of her (non-tangible) skull and frustrated by her new roommate. When her across-the-hall neighbor, Jake Macintyre, is shot and killed in an apparent mugging gone wrong outside their building, Cordelia is convinced there’s more to it and is determined to bring his killer to justice.

Unfortunately, Cordelia, being dead herself, can't solve the mystery alone. She has to enlist the help of the obnoxiously perky, living tenant of her apartment. Ruby is twenty, annoying, and has never met a houseplant she couldn't kill. But she also can do everything Cordelia can't, from interviewing suspects to researching Jake on the library computers that go up in a puff of smoke if Cordelia gets too close. As the roommates form an unlikely friendship and get closer to the truth about Jake's death, they also start to uncover other dangerous secrets.

My Thoughts: A NEW LEASE ON DEATH introduces an intriguing pair of detectives. Ruby Young is twenty and has just moved into a fully furnished apartment in Boston which happens to still be occupied by Cordelia Graves who died there of a drug overdose a few months earlier and is now haunting the place. 

When the guy from across the hall is shot and killed outside the apartment, Cordelia and Ruby decide to investigate the death. Cordelia was there when Jake's ghost appeared but couldn't convince him that ghosts were real before he passed on to elsewhere. Ruby walked onto the scene on her way to her latest job interview and had only seen Jake a few times in the hallway. 

The first obstacle to the pair working together is the issue of communication. While Ruby believes in ghosts, she can't talk to them and being thoroughly modern doesn't have a pen and paper anywhere. Since Cordelia kills electronics if she gets too close to them, she can't use technology to communicate. Poetry refrigerator magnets are one way to solve the problem but a frustrating experience for both of them. 

As Ruby investigates Jake's friends and many, many girlfriends, Cordelia investigates the local pawn shops to find out who pawned Jake's missing watch and along the way meets the only other ghost she's run into in Boston. He is a great help to the loneliness she's been feeling since her own death. 

This story was entertaining. It is the first in a new series by the author. 

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

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (October 21, 2024)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Want to See What I Added to My Stack? links to Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.

Other Than Reading...

I had a nice week. The weather was good, and the changing colors of the leaves made the view from my window excellent. My only complaint is that the days are getting shorter. It's dark by 6PM these days. There's still a couple of weeks before we set the clocks back at the end of Daylight Savings time which will help a little. 

I've been watching baseball as the season draws to a close. The New York Yankees have secured their place in the World Series. Later today I'll watch to see if the Los Angeles Dodgers will join them. Before that, I'll be able to watch the Minnesota Vikings who are undefeated so far this season try to keep their streak going by beating the Detroit Lions. 

Big news for me this week was reaching my Goodreads goal of 350 books. I upped the goal to 400 since there are better than two months left of this year. Last year I read 402 books, so the new goal is doable. I haven't actually met my goal since 2017 because I kept raising the goal when I met it. This year I may hold fast at my new goal and just see how far I manage to exceed it. I did get to 120% of my goal in 2016.

I have only five review books on my stack for the rest of 2024 and am tempted to just read them and schedule the reviews. I could because I'm about a month ahead on scheduled reviews. I probably won't though. I'll likely keep reading them as they are listed on my calendar. I do have room on my calendar to read a lot of my own books the rest of the year which might make a minor dent in my TBR pile which currently numbers 2505 books. 

Read Last Week

• A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley (Review; November 19) -- Second romance centered around three football players who are opening cupcake bakeries. My review will be posted on November 13.
• Storm Furies by Wen Spencer (Mine since August 6) -- Sixth book in the Tinker series. This was a reread.
• Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews (Mine since July 30) -- This novella stars a side character in the Kate Daniels urban fantasy series and is filled with Andrews' take on Russian mythology. My review will be posted on November 12. 

• Rebel by David Weber & Richard Fox (Mine; Audiobook) -- Second book in the Ascent to Empire space opera series. My review will be posted on November 9.
• The Inheritance by Nora Roberts (Mine since March 6) -- Reread of the first book of The Lost Brides trilogy to refresh my memory.
• The Mirror by Nora Roberts (Review; November 19) -- Second book in The Lost Brides trilogy. Packed with great relationships, romance, humor and horror as Sonya and her friends try to find a way to break the curse on her new home. My review will be posted on November 14.

• Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews (Mine since March 22, 2023) -- Sixteenth Meg Langslow mystery. Christmas events are being disturbed by a prankster and then there's a murder. My review will be posted on November 12.
• The Muse of Maiden Lane by Mimi Matthews (Review; November 19) -- Finale of the Belles of London quartet of historical romances. My review will be posted on November 16. 

Currently

• Children of the Night by Mercedes Lackey (Mine; Audiobook)
• Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney (Review; November 26)

Next Week

• Murder at Keyhaven Castle by Clara McKenna (Mine since July 25, 2023)
• Feuds edited by Mercedes Lackey (Review; November 26)
• Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since April 10, 2017)

• Jinx High by Mercedes Lackey (Mine; Audiobook)
• Innocent as Sin by Elizabeth Lowell (Mine)
• Into the Fire by Elizabeth Moon (Mine since February 5, 2018)

Reviews Posted

• Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep (Mine; Audiobook)
• Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley (Review copy)
• Fondue or Die by Korina Moss (Review copy)

• Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux (Review copy)
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Review copy)
• The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis (Mine since May 29)

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

Review:

• Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro (Review; April 29)

Bought:

• The Debutante's Code by Erica Vetch (Audible Plus)

What was your week like?

Book Review: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

The Raven Heir
Author: Stephanie Burgis
Publication: Bloomsbury Children's Books; 1st edition (September 14, 2021)

Description: Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

My Thoughts: THE RAVEN HEIR is the beginning of a new middle grade fantasy series. Cordelia and her triplet brother and sister have been raised in the middle of an enchanted forest protected by their mother. Cordelia, who is able to shift into any sort of animal, chafes at the restrictions that keep her confined to the forest and chafes at the secrets her mother is keeping.

When the castle is discovered and put under siege, Cordelia's mother tells her and her siblings Rosalind and Giles to flee. Running from these new enemies, the twelve-year-olds have to find out why they have been hidden and who wants them and why. 

The children learn that one of them is the potential heir to the Raven Throne. However, they don't know which of them. They do learn that many of the dukes want them only to cement their own power in the kingdom. They meet a previously unknown grandmother who has her own uses for the heir and her own political agenda. 

Cordelia is determined to find the Raven crown which was broken and hidden when the then current king broke the covenant with the land which led to the current problem of war for the kingdom as the dukes all fight to claim the throne. She and her siblings begin their journey to the site where the crown is hidden and along the way they see what the constant war has done to the kingdom. 

This was an exciting start to a new series. I love the emphasis on the importance of family and the ties between siblings. 

I bought this one May 29. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

The Friday 56 was hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice. This meme is currently on hiatus but many of us are still including a sentence from page 56 or from 56% of the ebook. Anne @ Head Full of Books is picking up the slack until Freda is ready to return. I think this link will get you to the correct place. 

Beginning:

Beyond the castle's moat, the deep, dark forest was shot through with trails of sunlight, tacing golden paths of possibility.

Friday 56:

"How long can you keep it going?" Rosalind asked as she tugged firmly at the arm Codelia had used to hide her wound. 

This week I am spotlighting The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis from my TBR pile. Here is the description from Amazon:

Perfect for fans of Robert Beatty and Shannon Hale comes a magical new middle grade fantasy series about a young shapeshifter trying to save her family.

Deep within an enchanted forest lies a castle where a set of triplets and their sorceress mother have lived for years--safe from the decades-long war for the Raven Throne that rages in the kingdom. Cordelia, one of the triplets, has the power to become any animal with just a thought, and she yearns to discover more about the world outside her castle.

But one day, the world comes to her, when the eldest of the triplets becomes the newest heir to the throne. Knowing that being named heir means certain death, Cordelia's mother hid the truth about which child is the eldest when she hid them in the forest. When her family is captured, it's up to Cordelia to use her powers to keep her siblings hidden and discover the truth about the Raven Heir--before it's too late.

From the author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart comes a thrilling new fantasy full of magic, adventure, and the power of family.

Audiobook Review: Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep

Only Bad Options
Author: Jennifer Estep
Narrator: Lauren Fortgang
Series: Galactic Bonds (Book 1)
Publication: Audible Studios (September 20, 2022)
Length: 12 hours and 35 minutes

Description: New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Estep blasts off with an exciting new science-fiction/fantasy adventure with a dash of historical romance. This action-packed space opera features a mix of magic and technology, along with a soul mates and enemies-to-lovers story. Perfect for fans of Star Wars, Bridgerton, and Pride and Prejudice.

A woman who sees everything...

Few people know the name Vesper Quill. To most folks, I’m just a lowly lab rat who designs brewmakers and other household appliances in the research-and-development lab at the powerful Kent Corp. But when I point out a design flaw and a safety hazard in the new line of Kent Corp spaceships, everyone knows who I am—and wants to eliminate me.

I might be a seer with a photographic memory, but I don’t see the trouble headed my way until it’s too late. Suddenly, I’m surrounded by enemies and fighting for my life.

I don’t think things can get any worse until I meet Kyrion Caldaren, an arrogant Regal lord who insists that we have a connection, one that could be the death of us both.

A man who can’t forget his past...

The name Kyrion Caldaren strikes fear in the hearts of people across the Archipelago Galaxy. As the leader of the Arrows, the Imperium’s elite fighting force, I’m used to being a villain, as well as the personal assassin of Lord Callus Holloway. Even the wealthy Regals who live on the planet of Corios are afraid of me.

But everything changes when I meet Vesper Quill. I might be a powerful psion with telepathic, telekinetic, and other abilities, but Vesper sees far too many of my secrets.

Thanks to an arcane, unwanted quirk of psionic magic, the two of us are forced to work together to unravel a dangerous conspiracy and outwit the deadly enemies who want to bend us to their will.

My Thoughts: ONLY BAD OPTIONS is the first in a space opera series. Vesper Quill is a lab rat for Kent Corp primarily working on brewmakers. She has a talent for being able to fix things and she is also a seer. Abandoned by her Regal mother for not having enough psionic power, Vesper has made her own way. But when she discovers a flaw in some new spaceships Kent Corp is building for the Imperium, she finds herself deep in a conspiracy to overthrow the Imperium. And then she finds herself offered up as cannon fodder in a battle between the Imperium and the Techwave.

Rescued by Kyrion Calderan, an Arrow for the Imperium, she finds herself again in the heart of power. She and Kyrion find themselves bonded which is something neither of them wants. Kyrion witnessed the bond her parents had and the way Callus Holloway, the leader of Imperium, used it to his advantage. He doesn't want to give Halloway any more weapons. 

All Vesper wants is to get away and find a safe place to build her own life. Being bonded with Kyrion isn't a life goal for her either. But many people are eager to use her or blame her for the upcoming revolution and she will have to find and master some new psionic gifts if she hopes to survive. 

The pair goes to a friend of Kyrion's who believes that he can break the bond between them and leave them free to pursue their own goals. Both find themselves missing the bond and the comfort of having someone else of their own, but a broken bond is much safer for each of them. At least, they believe it is broken...

Filled with action, political intrigue, and romance, ONLY BAD OPTIONS was a great start to a new series. 

I bought this one March 10, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni

Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Author: Robert Dugoni
Series: Keera Duggan (Book 2)
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (October 22, 2024)

Description: A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

When Jenna Bernstein, disgraced wunderkind CEO of a controversial biotech company, is accused of murdering her former partner and lover, she turns to Seattle attorney Keera Duggan to defend her. Keera is more than a master chess player who brings her intuitive moves into court―she’s Jenna’s childhood friend. But considering their history, Keera knows that where Jenna goes, trouble follows.

Five years earlier, Keera’s father successfully defended Jenna when she was tried for the killing of her company’s chief scientist who threatened to go public with allegations of corporate fraud. Keera knows Jenna too well. When she was a kid, Keera saw Jenna for what she was: a manipulative and frighteningly controlling sociopath. Now, with only circumstantial evidence against Jenna, Keera is willing to bury any trepidation she might have to defend a woman she believes, this time, to be innocent.

As the investigation gets underway and disturbing questions arise, Keera puts her trust in a client who swears that this time she's telling nothing but the truth. If this is all just another devious game, Keera might be working to set a murderer free.

My Thoughts: The second Keera Deegan mystery has Keera defending a woman who has been arrested for murdering her business partner and lover. Keera has known Jenna Bernstein since they were children and knows her as a sociopath and liar. 

Her father Patsy has agreed to take the case since he feels he owes something to Jenna's parents. Also, he defended her before when she was accused of murdering her chief scientist after he told her that their groundbreaking medical procedure was much further from reality than she had been touting to potential investors. He managed to free her because he raised enough reasonable doubt that she didn't murder the man. 

Keera isn't at all sure that Jenna was innocent of the first murder and she's not at all convinced that she's innocent of this crime either. She knows Jenna is a sociopath and a liar and can't believe anything she tells her. As she and her investigator look into the case, she is looking for the truth and finds lots of things that might or might not clear Jenna.

With Patsy finally agreeing to in-patient treatment of his alcoholism, Keera is on her own in defending Jenna. Hopefully her genius at chess with let her make the correct moves to get her client off. Finding out whether or not she's guilty would also ease Keera's mind.

This was another excellent legal thriller with an engaging cast of characters. 

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