ARC Review: The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

The Book Swap
Author: Tessa Bickers
Publication: Graydon House; Original edition (September 3, 2024)

Description: “A love letter to books and reading. This debut is catnip for any book geek. I just loved it.” —Cesca Major, author of Maybe Next Time, a Reese’s Book Club Pick

A story of second chances and new beginnings, this is a love letter to books—and a love letter to life

Still reeling from a recent tragedy, Erin Connolly knows she needs to start living, but has no idea how. When she accidentally donates her favorite book—a heavily annotated copy of To Kill a Mockingbird containing a memento she can’t be without—to a local little community library, she’s devastated. But then the book turns up a week later, back in the library with fresh notes in the margins, along with an invitation in a copy of Great Expectations to meet her newfound pen pal.

A life-changing conversation, written only in the margins of beloved classic books, begins between Erin and her Mystery Man. Following each other through the pages of their favorite novels as the book exchange continues, they both begin to open up, falling into a friendship…and maybe something more.

But Erin and her pen pal have a shared history that neither of them has guessed. Faced with painful reminders of the past—and the one person she swore never to forgive—Erin finds herself at a crossroads. One that could change her life forever.

My Thoughts: Erin Connolly is still grieving the death of her best friend three years earlier. She doesn't know how to move on. When she accidentally donates her favorite book to a little free library, she is desperate to get it back. When she does find it again, she finds that the person who had it added to her many margin notes and began a conversation with her. 

James Parr found To Kill a Mockingbird and became intrigued by the person he names Margin Girl. He is dealing with a job at which he is successful but which he doesn't enjoy and a bipolar mother who often needs help. He has long had the dream of becoming a writer but had let everyday responsibilities with his work and family situation to derail his dreams. 

Erin has recently quit her job when her controlling boss wouldn't let her attend her friend's memorial and is now trying to decide what her new future should be. She seems to be living in sweats and staying in bed. Only her walks to the little library to see if her pen pal has left more notes or recommended another book to share gets her out of her depressed state. Until a man looking for a book for his daughter hires Erin to help the girl prepare for her school exams. 

Erin is gradually beginning a new career as a teacher and James is finally writing the book that he's wanted to write for years. But will their shared past with its shared hurts derail each of their new brighter futures?

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? (September 16, 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 didn't do much this week. I'm still getting over whatever crud has been keeping me feeling sub par. I did decide to listen to some audiobooks from my collection. I've been spending my time on Harmony listening to paranormal science fiction romances by Jayne Castle (a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz). It has been fun revisiting these stories. 

I didn't finish my October review copies but am carrying them over to this week. I do have 34 scheduled posts so there isn't any pressure to get them read immediately. I did slip in The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers which I just got from NetGalley. It was released on September 3, but I didn't get it until September 10. My review will be posted later today. 

Also in my reading plans for the week are two books I bought right after I bought my first Kindle. Divine by Choice and Smash Cut have been lingering on my Kindles over the years since 2009.

My calendar is empty of appointments this week. I should have lots of time to read and listen. I'm still watching my Atlanta Braves and, right now, their playoff bid is in danger. Their season might end on September 29.

Read Last Week

• Rockin' Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews (Review; October 15) -- Another fun entry in the Meg Langslow mystery series. My review will be posted on October 10.
• After Glow by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Harmony book 2
• The Wrong Hostage by Elizabeth Lowell (Mine) -- Nail-biting suspense in this second St Kilda book. Great romance too. My review will be posted on October 12.

• Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley (Review; October 22) -- Fourth Deep Dish mystery has Delilah trying to figure out who murdered a guest at a party she was catering. Many of her friends and relatives are suspects. My review will be posted on October 15.
• Ghost Hunter by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Harmony book 3
• The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers (Review; September 3) -- A nice romance wherein the characters exchange notes in books found in a little free library in which they open up their hearts to each other. Lots of triggers from grief to bullying in this one. My review will be posted later today.

• Silver Master by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Harmony book 4
• Obsidian Prey by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Harmony book 6
• Dark Light by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Harmony book 5

Currently

• Fondue or Die by Korina Moss (Review; October 22)
• Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (Audiobook reread) -- Harmony Book 7

Next Week

• Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux (Review; October 22)
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Review; October 22)
• The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis (Mine since May 29)

• A New Lease on Death by Olivia Blacke (Review; October 29)
• Divine by Choice by P. C. Cast (Mine since July 10, 2009)
• Smash Cut by Sandra Brown (Mine since August 18, 2009)

Reviews Posted

• True Colors by Jaune Ann Krentz
• Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon
• Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan

• The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 
• Sanctuary for Seers by Kathleen Baldwin
• The Vampire of Kings Street by Asha Greyling (Review copy)

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

Review:

• The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers (Review; September 3)

Bought:

What was your week like?

Book Review: Sanctuary for Seers by Kathleen Baldwin

Sanctuary for Seers
Author: Kathleen Baldwin
Series: A Stranje House Novel (Book 5)
Publication: Ink Lion Books (June 15, 2023)

Description: What if you’d been born two centuries ago during a dangerously superstitious time… with the ability to see the spiritual realm? Hint: mentioning you can see angels and demons would be a surefire way to get locked away in the attic.

Sera’s family cast her off and sent her away to Stranje House, a reform school for unusual girls. But unbeknownst to their parents, these young ladies, who each possess remarkable talents, are being trained to enter the perilous world of espionage, diplomacy, and war. Sera loves the sisterhood she finds among these outcasts, but she dares not reveal her more peculiar gifts for fear of losing her new friends.

Conquering Europe wasn’t enough for Napoleon. Now, he wants Britain. His band of assassins and spies, the Iron Crown Brotherhood, led by a ruthless man known only as Ghost, have abducted the Prince Regent. Britain is teetering on ruin, Sera and the young ladies of Stranje House must risk their lives in a desperate attempt to free the Prince before it’s too late. Sera’s secret gifts are desperately needed to help avert disaster. But will she dare risk it?

Amid the chaos, Sera discovers that the one person who truly understands her is the one man they all fear the most. The man set on destroying England. Can she save her homeland and her heart from Ghost?

My Thoughts: The fifth Stranje House novel is Sera's story. Seraphina Wyndham was thrown away by her parents because she had visions. She has found a new home for herself at Stranje House among her fellow students, but she has never shared that she can see demons and sometimes angels with anyone there. She has made a place for herself at Stranje House by being quiet, very observant, and having the ability to tell if someone is lying. All of these are useful characteristics for the young spies that Miss Stranje is raising. 

This story begins with Sera receiving news that her family has emigrated to Massachusetts without leaving word and without leaving any provisions for her. She contemplates suicide. But her trip to the cliff's leads to the discovery of one of Ghost's spies who, before he dies, gives some hints about where Ghost and Napoleon are hiding the kidnapped Prince Regent. 

Sera and the others at Stranje House must gather to rescue the Prince before England falls to Napoleon. Sera is convinced that the dying spy misled them and that Ghost and all are much nearer to them than France. 

She comes upon Ghost while searching some of the many hidden tunnels and finds, not only an enemy, but a man who has had a childhood much like hers and who is beset by demons which are quieted in Sera's presence. He demands that Sera remove the demons which leads to a plot where Sera distracts Ghost while the rest invade the house where Napoleon and the Prince are being hidden.

Packed with secret tunnels, spies, friendship and romance, SANCTUARY FOR SEERS is an excellent episode in a historical fantasy series. 

Favorite Quote:

"People will tell you that hate is the opposite of love. That isn't true. Fear is love's greatest enemy. Fear is a vicious weed that strangles love. Our fear clamps an iron shackle around our loved one's leg."

I bought this one July 25, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Sanctuary for Seers by Kathleen Baldwin

 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:

Lady Daneska lies on the bed in a feverish struggle. Infection stemming from a gunshot wound holds her in delirium, and she thrashes as if she's fighting her way through an overgrown maze.

Friday 56:

"Non!" His eyes widen in fright. "Non! Do not. S'il vous plait."

Tess crosses her arms and slants her head. "It seems you do understand some English, monsieur." Over her shoulder, Tromos growls dangerously.

This week I'm spotlighting Sanctuary for Seers by Kathleen Baldwin. This is the fifth book in the Stranje House series. Here's the description from Amazon:

What if you’d been born two centuries ago during a dangerously superstitious time… with the ability to see the spiritual realm? Hint: mentioning you can see angels and demons would be a surefire way to get locked away in the attic.

Sera’s family cast her off and sent her away to Stranje House, a reform school for unusual girls. But unbeknownst to their parents, these young ladies, who each possess remarkable talents, are being trained to enter the perilous world of espionage, diplomacy, and war. Sera loves the sisterhood she finds among these outcasts, but she dares not reveal her more peculiar gifts for fear of losing her new friends.

Conquering Europe wasn’t enough for Napoleon. Now, he wants Britain. His band of assassins and spies, the Iron Crown Brotherhood, led by a ruthless man known only as Ghost, have abducted the Prince Regent. Britain is teetering on ruin, Sera and the young ladies of Stranje House must risk their lives in a desperate attempt to free the Prince before it’s too late. Sera’s secret gifts are desperately needed to help avert disaster. But will she dare risk it?

Amid the chaos, Sera discovers that the one person who truly understands her is the one man they all fear the most. The man set on destroying England. Can she save her homeland and her heart from Ghost?

Audiobook Review: Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon

Trading in Danger
Author: Elizabeth Moon
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Series: Vatta's War (Book 1)
Publication: Tantor Audio (November 13, 2008)
Length: 13 hours and 45 minutes

Description: Kylara Vatta is the only daughter in a family full of sons, and her father’s only child to buck tradition by choosing a military career instead of joining the family business. For Ky, it’s no contest: Even running the prestigious Vatta Transport Ltd. shipping concern can’t hold a candle to shipping out as an officer aboard an interstellar cruiser. It’s adventure, not commerce, that stirs her soul. And despite her family’s misgivings, there can be no doubt that a Vatta in the service will prove a valuable asset. But with a single error in judgment, it all comes crumbling down.

Expelled from the Academy in disgrace–and returning home to her humiliated family, a storm of high-profile media coverage, and the gaping void of her own future–Ky is ready to face the inevitable onslaught of anger, disappointment, even pity. But soon after opportunity’s door slams shut, Ky finds herself with a ticket to ride– and a shot at redemption–as captain of a Vatta Transport ship.

My Thoughts: Kylara Vatta is the daughter of a merchant family who decided to go to the military academy instead of following her family's path. But when she causes a scandal by trying to be helpful, she finds herself captain of a ship that she is to take to be salvaged. 

When a business opportunity arises that might allow her enough to refit and keep the ship, she finds herself caught in the middle of a war with a ship in need of repair. She takes a contract to hold the captains and officers of captured ships until the mercenaries have things settled.

Unfortunately, a mutiny and severe food shortages make life difficult. Ky is really tested as she has to find a way to survive. 

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of this book I read many, many years ago. I liked the adventure and I liked Kylara Vatta. This is her coming of age story. She learns who she is and what she wants for her future. 

This is the first of a five-book series of space operas. 

I bought this one this book in 2008. I am listening to the audiobook via Audible Plus. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Vampire of Kings Street by Asha Greyling

The Vampire of Kings Street
Author: Asha Greyling
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (September 17, 2024)

Description: In this gothic debut novel, perfect for fans of Tread of Angels and Gail Carriger’s Soulless, Miss Radhika Dhingra, a newly minted lawyer in 19th century New York, never expected that her first client would be a vampire accused of murder.

Having a resident vampire is just the thing for upper-class New Yorkers–besides being a status symbol, they make excellent butlers or housekeepers. The only thing they require in return is a drop or two of blood and a casket to shut out the dawn’s early light.

Tolerated by society only if they follow a strict set of rules, vampires are seen as “less than”–and as the daughter of immigrants, Radhika knows firsthand how this feels. Accused of murder, her undead client Mr. Evelyn More, knows that the cards are stacked against him.

With the help of a journalist friend and a diminutive detective inspector, Miss Dhingra sets out to prove her client’s innocence and win his freedom. Failure will mean Mr. More’s death, the end of her dreams of becoming a successful attorney, and the loss of the vampire Miss Dhingra has begun to call her friend.

Offering an alternative paranormal history, delightful characters, and insightful social commentary, The Vampire of Kings Street will thrill readers of Deanna Rayburn and Rebecca Roanhorse.

My Thoughts: Miss Radhika Dhingra is a newly minted lawyer in New York City in this story. She hasn't been hired by any of the local firms and is eking out a living in a lower-class part of town and living in her office. 

When a vampire comes to her door looking for legal advice, she is interested and afraid and conflicted. Mr. Evelyn More fears that he will be accused of the murder of a young woman who was once his ward. Vampires aren't often given the benefit of a doubt when it comes to murder. 

Agnes Tomson had been killed in a particularly brutal way in her dressing room at the opera and a bloody glove belonging to More was discovered on site. Things aren't looking good for More. But Radhika is determined to find out the truth even though she's fired by the Frost family who have sheltered More for hundreds of years. 

This alternate paranormal history mystery was an interesting look both at vampires and at life in Nineteenth Century New York. I enjoyed it and especially enjoyed Radhika's mixed feeling about defending a vampire. 

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

Book Review: The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst

The Spellshop
Author: Sarah Beth Durst
Publication: Bramble (July 9, 2024)

Description: The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Join Kiela the librarian and her assistant, Caz the sentient spider plant, as they navigate the low stakes market of illegal spellmaking and the high risk business of starting over.

“Sarah Beth Durst is the hidden gem of the fantasy world.” —Book Riot

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she hasn’t had to.

She and her assistant, Caz, a magically sentient spider plant, have spent the last eleven years sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite. But when a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz save as many books as they can carry and flee to a faraway island Kiela was sure she’d never return to: her childhood home. Kiela hopes to lay low in the overgrown and rundown cottage her late parents left her and figure out a way to survive without drawing the attention of either the empire or the revolutionaries. Much to her dismay, in addition to a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor, she finds the town neglected and in a state of disrepair.

The empire, for all its magic and power, has been neglecting for years the people who depend on magical intervention to maintain healthy livestock and crops. Not only that, but the very magic that should be helping them has been creating destructive storms that have taken a toll on the island. Due to her past role at the library, Kiela feels partially responsible for this, and now she’s determined to find a way to make things right: by opening the island’s first-ever secret spellshop.

Her plan comes with risks—the consequence of sharing magic with commoners is death. And as Kiela comes to make a place for herself among the kind and quirky townspeople of her former home, she realizes that in order to make a life for herself, she must learn to break down the walls she has built up so high.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, Sarah Beth Durst’s The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.

My Thoughts: THE SPELLSHOP was an engaging fantasy. Kiela lived as a librarian in the capital city. She worked in the Great Library of Alyssium until revolutionaries burned the libary. Kiela fled with some boxes of books and her sentient spider plant Caz. Her destination was the remote island where she was born and lived until she was eight.

Arriving there, she found the cottage she inherited in a state of disrepair and determined to fix it up. She had some help from Larran who knew her when she was a child and who cared for the herd of merhorses that helped the local fishermen. 

Kiela's relationship with Larran gradually improved as the solitary woman slowly began to trust Larran. And her circle of friends grew as she began to make a place for herself on the island. She decided that, even though it was forbidden, she would learn some of the spells from the books she rescued in order to help herself and the other people on the island survive.

Her spells ranged from accelerating plant growth which let her restore her raspberry patch so that she could make her living selling raspberry jam to magically fixing magical springs. She also made a spell to repair the trees on the island which had been failing since the traveling sorcerers had stopped visiting the outer islands. 

While there are greater events going on off the island where Kiela and Caz have taken refuge which impact her choices, the main concern of the story is Kiela's learning to trust others and build a new life for herself. 

I enjoyed this cozy, feel-good fantasy.

Favorite Quote:

It wasn't that she didn't like people. It was only that she liked books more. They didn't fuss or judge or mock or reject. The invited you in, fluffed up the pillows on the couch, offered you tea and toast, and shared their hearts with no expectation that you'd do anything more than absorb what they had to give. 

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

Audiobook Review: True Colors by Jayne Ann Krentz

True Colors
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Susie Bernais
Publication: Dreamscape Media (November 6. 2013)
Length: 6 hours and 25 minutes

Description: For two months, Jamie Garland had fallen in love... with a lie. Cade Santerre was every woman's fantasy - until the mask came off in a scandal that left Jamie shattered.

Cade had pretended to be someone he wasn't. Worse, he'd used her in his elaborate attempt to catch a man he believed was a crook and a swindler. Though Cade's suspect had escaped, Cade was still around - raw, masculine, overwhelming. He had some unfinished business with the man who had conned his innocent sister, and he needed Jamie's help. But Jamie had some unfinished business, as well: to find out if the man she'd fallen in love with really existed.

My Thoughts: Originally published in 1985, TRUE COLORS is showing its age. Cade Santerre has infiltrated the home of an artist to try to get something on her brother who is committing financial crimes. To cement his place, he romances the artist's assistant Jamie Garland who is intensely loyal to her boss. 

The raid on the brother couldn't have been more mistimed. It happened the night after Cade and Jamie make love for the first time. Jamie couldn't feel more betrayed. She had fallen in love with Cade whom she now learns had been in the household under false pretenses.

Cade couldn't convince Jamie that his romance with her had nothing to do with the job he was sent to do. He goes back home hoping she'll come to her senses and come back to him. He's sure that their one night together has made her pregnant and that she will need to return to him.

When Jamie does come to him six weeks later, he's sure that he's correct about her pregnancy. In reality, Jamie has come to him to help her determine if her boss's brother really did commit suicide. She also wonders if their romance could be salvaged. 

The issue in this one is trust. Jamie has lost all faith in Cade after what she sees as his betrayal. His attitude is that he was only doing his job and she should be ready and willing to resume their relationship. Besides the fact that he wants her to be able to read his mind about his good intentions, he has some chauvinistic notions about Jamie's need for him. 

I did enjoy the way the two butted heads and the way the two united to solve the problem of the missing brother.

I bought this one from Chirp October 31, 2021. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Tell No Lies by Allison Brennan

Tell No Lies
Author: Allison Brennan
Series: Quinn & Costa Thrillers (Book 2)
Publication: MIRA; Original edition (March 30, 2021)

Description: The unsolved murder of a young activist leads to the discovery of much darker crimes in New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan’s latest compelling thriller to feature the young, edgy detective Kara Quinn and the loner FBI agent Matt Costa. This time they work to uncover possible ties to a high-stakes cartel in the Southwest desert.

Something mysterious is killing the wildlife in the mountains just south of Tucson. When a college intern turned activist sets out to collect her own evidence, she, too, ends up dead. Local law enforcement is slow to get involved. That’s when the mobile FBI unit goes undercover to infiltrate the town and its copper refinery in search of possible leads.

Quinn and Costa find themselves scouring the desolate landscape, which keeps revealing clues to something much darker—greed, child trafficking and more death. As the body count adds up, it’s clear they have stumbled onto much more than they bargained for. Now they must figure out who is at the heart of this mayhem and stop them before more innocent lives are lost.

My Thoughts: The second Quinn and Costa thriller starts out with the murder of a college student. She was concerned with bird deaths that she had noticed while hiking. She feared that there was some source of contamination killing birds.

The FBI Response Team is called in to investigate. They are concerned with a copper company that they think might be illegally dumping their waste products. Kara goes in undercover as a bartender tasked to making friends with the son of the company head who had alerted the FBI to some possible chicanery. 

Michael also goes undercover, his first undercover assignment, as a worker at the copper company. Other team members are in the area too. Though not undercover, they are trying to be discreet. Many other agencies are involved to including the sheriff and the local environmental agency. 

Just to add to the suspense, there are also traffickers and a couple of children who have escaped from them. 

This was an entertaining thriller. I liked the characters and found the plot interesting too. 

Favorite Quote:

She'd been a con artist before she was a cop, and being an undercover cop was, essentially, being a con artist, but with a badge.

I bought this one May 24. You can buy your copy here.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (September 9, 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...

September has started out cooler than average here in my part of Minnesota. I didn't feel well and mostly lived on my couch this week which was great for my reading. I began feeling a bit better as the weekend advanced and managed to get out for a long overdue haircut. 

I did very little cooking or eating, but did make hamburger gravy which was always my favorite school lunch both as a student and as a teacher and is still a comfort food for me. Served with creamy mashed potatoes and green beans, it hit the spot. Bill also made a chicken stir fry since he was feeling a need to get more vegetables into our diet. Today, after a lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, we are using his Christmas gift and having a pizza for dinner. We are getting a little behind on using those coupons. This is actually August's pizza. 

I have a clear calendar for next week and plan to do a lot of reading and listening. If things go as I plan, I'll finish all of my October review books this week. With so many review books on the calendar, I've been rereading favorite audiobooks instead of listening to anything new that I'd have to write a review for. I'll probably do a couple more audiobook rereads this week too. 

Read Last Week

• Old Detectives Home by Mike Befeler (Mine since April 24, 2023) -- A retirement home filled with fictional detectives and staffed by mystery authors investigates the death of a man who was hired to help people write their memoirs. My review will be posted on September 28.
• The Night Woods by Paula Munier (Review; October 8) -- A very pregnant Mercy Carr gets involved in solving two murders during Vermont's mud time. The story includes a warrior's journey home, PTSD, and game theory and is centered around the journey of Odysseus. My review will be posted on October 3.
• Gathering Mist by Margaret Mizushima (Review; October 8) -- 2024/10/08 Mattie and her K-9 Robo are called to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington when a 9-year-old boy goes missing. Joined by her fiancé Cole after another dog is poisoned, the two have to battle the bad weather and worse terrain if they want to find the child who didn't wander off on his own. My review will be posted on October 2.

• Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong (Mine since August 19) -- Kelley Armstrong writes her first contemporary romance which was an engaging and humorous story. My review will be posted on October 5.
• The More the Terrier by David Rosenfelt (Review; October 15) -- Latest Andy Carpenter mystery has Andy defending a young man who adopted one of the rescues from Andy's foundation. My review will be posted on October 8.
• Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch (Mine since April 13, 2022) -- Combination read/listen of the ninth book in the Rivers of London series. My review will be posted on October 1. 

• Death at a Scottish Christmas by Lucy Connelly (Review; October 15) -- Third in a series. American transplant Dr. Emilia McRoy gets involved when a musical icon dies after performing at the local pub. My review will be posted on October 9.
• People in Glass Houses by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Another entertaining paranormal romance. 
• Guild Boss by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- Another entertaining paranormal romance. 

• Long Time Gone by Hannah Martian (Review; October 15) -- LGBTQ+ PI Quinn comes back to tiny Wonderland, Wyoming, when the aunt she hasn't seen for eight years goes missing. Dual timeline mystery has Quinn solving a 40-year-old mystery which has ties to her along with her aunt's disappearance. My review will be posted on October 8.
• Buried Lies by Steven Tingle (Review; October 15) -- Down on his luck and depressed PI is hired to prove that the death of a real estate lawyer who died after being hit with a golf ball was murder. My review will be posted on October 10.
• After Dark by Jayne Castle (Audiobook Reread) -- First Harmony paranormal romance. 

Currently

• Rockin' Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews (Review; October 15)

Next Week

• The Wrong Hostage by Elizabeth Lowell (Mine since July 16)
• Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley (Review; October 22)
• Fondue or Die by Korina Moss (Review; October 22)

• Much Ado About Margaret by Madeleine Roux (Review; October 22)
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni (Review; October 22)
• The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis (Mine since May 6)

Reviews Posted

• Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey (Audiobook)
• One Hit Wonder by Kristi Rose (Audiobook)
• Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Jennifer Rardin

• Storm Furies by Wen Spencer
• The Oldest Starfighter by Jamie McFarlane
• When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

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

Review:

Bought:

• Slay Ride by Dick Francis (BookBub, $1.99)
• Passions in Death by J. D. Robb (Kindle)
• Passions in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook, Audible Credit)

• Rebel by David Weber & Richard Fox (Kindle)
• Sacred Ground by Mercedes Lackey (Kindle)
• The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen (BookBub, $1.99)

What was your week like?

Book Review: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

When Women Were Dragons
Author: Kelly Barnhill
Publication: Anchor (May 3, 2022)

Description: In the first adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.

My Thoughts: WHEN WOMEN WERE DRAGONS was a fascinating story of our recent past with one significant change. On April 25, 1955, there was a mass dragoning when more than 600,000 women spontaneously turned into dragons and the government instituted a massive coverup to hide dragoning.

Alex Green was a young girl when the dragoning took place. She was four when she saw her first dragon who happened to be a neighbor who had been kind to her. Alex's mother had cancer and was away for treatment during that same time period. Alex was cared for by her Aunt Marla, her mother's older sister. She was eight when the mass dragoning happened and her Aunt Marla was one of those women who dragoned. 

It was a repressive time. No one ever talked about dragoning or cancer or women's health issues. But Alex tried to stifle her curiosity but had many questions. She didn't know how to feel when her mother brought Marla's infant daughter home and declared that Bea had always been her sister and that Aunt Marla had never existed. Alex quickly became Bea's greatest protector which didn't change when her mother died of cancer when Alex was in eighth grade and when her father remarried and established Alex and Bea in an apartment and sent financial support but never visited his daughters again. 

Alex was left alone with responsibilities that should never have been placed on a child's shoulders, but she was determined to study and even attend college one day despite her father's refusal to support that dream. She did have a friend and supporter in Mrs. Gyzinska who was the head librarian at the local Carnegie Library. 

The story is told not only in Alex's voice but through newspaper articles and excerpts from the work of Dr. H. N. Gantz who had lost his positions as a university professor and doctor of medicine when he refused to stop researching and writing about dragons. 

This was an intriguing story. I enjoyed the rich language and deep emotions. Alex was a character who wasn't going to let the common values of the day stop her from becoming who she was meant to be. I liked the whole underground rebellion against the repression of facts in which Mrs. Gyzinska and Professor Gantz were deeply involved. 

Favorite Quote:

There cannot be science without the free and unfettered dissemination of truth. When you, as the creators of policy, seek to use your power to curtail understanding and thwart the free exchange of knowledge and ideas, it is not I who will suffer the consequences of this, but rather the whole nation, and, indeed, the entire world. 

I bought this one July 24. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

 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:

Greetings, Mother --

I do not have much time. This change (this wonderous, wondrous change) is at this very moment upon me. I could not stop it if I tried. And I have no interest in trying.

Friday 56:

In those first chaotic weeks after the Mass Dragoning, Sister Margareta, my third-grade teacher, taught us the earliest accepted explanation: that dragons, either escaped from Hell or intentionally released its Demon Gate by sinister forces in the hidden global war between good and evil (Russian, presumably), had devoured a certain subset of the nation's mothers, for reasons unknown. And likely reasons unknowable. After all, who can reason with a dragon?

Thie week I am spotlighting When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. I have read some of her young adult books and enjoyed them. Here is the description from Amazon:

In the first adult novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Ogress and The Orphans, Alex Green is a young girl in a world much like ours, except for its most seminal event: the Mass Dragoning of 1955, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary wives and mothers sprouted wings, scales, and talons; left a trail of fiery destruction in their path; and took to the skies. Was it their choice? What will become of those left behind? Why did Alex’s beloved aunt Marla transform but her mother did not? Alex doesn’t know. It’s taboo to speak of.

Forced into silence, Alex nevertheless must face the consequences of this astonishing event: a mother more protective than ever; an absentee father; the upsetting insistence that her aunt never even existed; and watching her beloved cousin Bea become dangerously obsessed with the forbidden.

In this timely and timeless speculative novel, award-winning author Kelly Barnhill boldly explores rage, memory, and the tyranny of forced limitations. When Women Were Dragons exposes a world that wants to keep women small—their lives and their prospects—and examines what happens when they rise en masse and take up the space they deserve.

Audiobook Review: One Hit Wonder by Kristi Rose

One Hit Wonder
Author: Kristi Rose
Narrator: Jennifer Stoneking
Series: A Samantha True Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Vintage Housewife Books (December 15, 2019)
Length: 2 hours and 55 minutes

Description: Sometimes it's not opportunity knocking, it's trouble.

On the night of Samantha True’s first job as a forensic photographer she learns three things:

1. Crime scenes are messy.
2. Especially when you throw up on them.
3. She may not be cut out for this.

When the police drag her to a second investigation, she’s just as baffled by the crime scene as they are. Why is the school lunch lady, Miss Trina, chained to a pole? Is this somehow connected to the robberies taking place all over Wind River?

Samantha might not be cut out for photographing blood-covered crime scenes, but being the daughter of the town newspaperman, she has plenty of investigating intuition. Besides, this is her hometown, and she’s not about to let it become ravaged by crime.

As she digs deeper into the photographic evidence, she realizes her small town is full of secrets. And she might be happier staying in the dark.

A laugh-out-loud mystery that will keep you guessing and listening on. One Hit Wonder offers the just-right listener escape, but fair warning, this audiobook leaves listeners wanting more.

My Thoughts: This short novel introduces Samantha True who is training to be a crime scene photographer. Her first call-out by the local police department coincides with a raging case of the flu and results in her vomiting on the crime scene - a deer-car collision. 

Then she is called to a second crime scene. This time the beloved lunch lady from her school has been blindfolded and handcuffed to a pole and then had her car pushed into her. Samantha is determined to find out who did that to her beloved Miss Trina. But her investigation leads to secrets in her small town.

One unique feature about Samanta is that she is dyslexic but has an amazing visual memory. Her visual memory is one of the factors that enable her to solve the crime. I enjoyed her and enjoyed her best friend Precious who has a bigfoot obsession. 

I bought this one from Chirp May 3, 2022. You can buy your copy here.