Thursday, May 4, 2023

Audiobook Review: A Stitch in Time by Kelley Armstrong

A Stitch in Time

Author:
Kelley Armstrong
Narrator: Samantha Brentmoor
Series: A Stitch in Time (Book 1)
Publication: K. L. A. Fricke, Inc. (October 13, 2020)
Length: 10 hours and 39 minutes

Description: Thorne Manor has always been haunted...and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt's house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.

Now, 20 years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting.

William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.

As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.

My Thoughts: A STITCH IN TIME is a time travel romance complete with an impossible love and vengeful ghosts. 

Bronwyn Dale has recently inherited Thorne Manor from her great-aunt. Bronwyn had spent happy childhood summers there and made a friend of William Thorne, a boy of her own age, who lived in the house nearly 200 years earlier. But she hadn't been back since a terrible accident when she was fifteen.

When she's fifteen, childhood friendship has turned into adolescent love. But there are ghosts, ghosts. that only Bronwyn is able to see. When one of the ghosts frightens her awake one night, she runs out of the house in a panic which causes her uncle to come out onto an unsafe balcony and fall to his death. Her mother doesn't believe her ravings about ghosts and hospitalizes Bronwyn. 

After treatment, Bronwyn begins to question what she saw and becomes convinced that both her time traveling, and visions of ghosts were hallucinations. She goes on to live her life. She falls in love and marries but loses her husband to a fast-acting brain cancer. She gains her dream position as a professor of history at a university in Toronto. And then she inherits Thorne Manor and needs to go back...

Once in Thorne Manor, she remembers those things she had suppressed, and she is still seeing a variety of ghosts. She also finds that she can still travel back to William's time where she finds a man who is at first angry with her for leaving him all those years earlier. He's also a man who has never stopped loving her. They rekindle their romance but there are still many obstacles not least of which is that they each have lives in another time. 

There are also mysteries to solve. A strange number of disappearances have centered around Thorne Manor and William has gotten the reputation that carries into Bonwyn's time of being a reclusive murder. His sister, his fiancĂ©e, and his best friend's wife have all disappeared under suspicious circumstances. 

Bronwyn needs to solve the mysteries and clear her lover's name but is concerned that righting the wrongs will repair the stitch in time and separate her from her William forever. 

This was an entertaining story. I am not a big fan of time travel but thought that Kelley Armstrong dealt with the problems in a creative way. Samantha Brentmoor did an excellent job narrating the story. 

I bought this one November 2, 2020. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Unshapely Things by Mark Del Franco

Unshapely Things

Author:
Mark Del Franco
Series: Connor Grey (Book 1)
Publication: Ace (January 30, 2007)

Description: In the alleys of the decrepit Boston neighborhood known as the Weird, fairy prostitutes are turning up dead. The crime scenes show signs of residual magic, but the Guild, which polices the fey, has more "important" crimes to investigate and dumps the case on human law enforcement.

Boston police call in Connor Grey, a druid and former hotshot Guild investigator-whose magical abilities were crippled after a run-in with a radical environmentalist elf. As Connor battles red tape and his own shortcomings, he realizes that the murders are not random, but part of an ancient magical ritual. And if Connor can't figure out the killer's M.O., the culmination of the spell might just bring about a worldwide cataclysm.

My Thoughts: Connor Grey was once a hotshot Guild investigator with amazing magical powers. After an encounter with a radical environmentalist elf, his powers have been crippled and he is forced to survive on a disability pension and consulting work for the Boston Police Department. 

Connor is called in my Boston PD detective Murdock when bodies of fairy prostitutes missing their hearts are found in the Weird, a decrepit neighborhood. The Guild has passed the crime to the Boston PD since they have more "important" crimes to investigate. Connor soon recognizes that the crimes are part of a magical ritual but doesn't know which one or what the goal might be.

As he and Murdock investigate, Connor gets help from his friends including a flit named Joe.

Connor was an interesting character who is still in the denial stage of grief about losing his powers and place. He is constantly longing for what he once had and only barely works to redevelop his once strong powers. He does have a nice circle of friends who are ready to help him or kick him in the butt if he needs that. 

I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this story which, since the Convergence, has the fae integrated into regular human life. It is also concerned with a rivalry that could burst into a war between the fairies and the elves. 

This was entertaining urban fantasy with an interesting world and an intriguing main character. 

Favorite Quote:
Murdock shook his head, laughing. "I don't know if you're trying to drive me crazy or just get more consulting fees."

I poked my cheek out with my tongue. "Both have their appeal."
I bought this one May 8, 2007. You can buy your copy here.

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

ARC Review: Playing It Safe by Ashley Weaver

Playing It Safe

Author:
Ashley Weaver
Series: Electra McDonnell (Book 3)
Publication: Minotaur Books (May 9, 2023)

Description: As the Blitz continues to ravage London, Ellie McDonnell―formerly a safecracking thief, but currently determined to stay on the straight and narrow to help her country―is approached by British Intelligence officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is to travel under an assumed identity to the port city of Sunderland and there await further instructions. In his usual infuriating way, the Major has left her task as vague and mysterious as possible.

Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a note clutched in his hand. Ellie’s instincts tell her that the man’s death is connected in some way to her mission.

Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary, and a case that leads them to a possible Nazi counterfeiting operation. With bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie’s resourcefulness and Major Ramsey’s fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences―for England and for their own lives.

My Thoughts: Ellie McDonnell has a new assignment from Major Ramsey. She's to travel to Sunderland and await further instructions. She's glad to leave London, which is under frequent bombardment from the Nazis, but she is confused about why the Major has sent her there. As usual, he is keeping all sorts of information from her.

After meeting a cute Captain on the train and being pushed into traffic on her arrival only to be saved by a stranger, Ellie is dismayed to later seen the stranger die on the street. Some of the girls at her rooming house new the man which leads Ellie into investigating what looks like a suspicious death. Especially since she grabbed the cryptic note that he was clutching in his hand as he died. 

Ellie soon finds herself involved in more than one plot. First there is the counterfeiting of identity documents which are likely used for incoming Nazi spies. Second there are the suspicious deaths that seem to be centered around the group of young people Ellie meets. 

Ellie's relationship with Major Ramsey also takes a turn in this episode. She's always been interested in him but being out of his class and from a criminal background, she doesn't think he has any interest in her. But kisses are exchanged after he rescues her from an attempted poisoning which makes her uncertain about how he does feel about her.

I enjoyed this story set during World War II, Ellie and Ramsey are both interesting characters. The setting was also well done. Fans of mysteries set in this time period will enjoy this story which happens to be the third in a series. 

Favorite Quote:
His hands were still on my arm, and when I looked up, our eyes met in the dim interior of the car.

And there it was. That uncomfortable little jolt in my chest that I sometimes felt when we were in close proximity. I could no longer deny to myself that it was attraction on my part, and sometimes, in moments like these, it was getting harder for me to believe that he wasn't feeling something, too. 
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Audiobook Review: The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

The Hollow of Fear

Author: Sherry Thomas
Narrator: Kate Reading
Series: Lady Sherlock (Book 3)
Publication: Blackstone Audio (October 2, 2018)
Length: 10 hours and 51 minutes

Description: Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, returns in the Victorian-set mystery series from the USA Today best-selling author of A Conspiracy in Belgravia and A Study in Scarlet Women, an NPR Best Book of 2016.

Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective", Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't.

When the estranged wife of her dear friend Lord Ingram is discovered dead on his estate, all signs point to him as the murderer. With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to find out the truth.

My Thoughts: Charlotte Holmes is involved in her toughest case yet when her friend Ash's estranged wife is found dead on his estate and all the circumstantial evidence is pointing to him as the murderer. She needs to go undercover as her alter ego Sherlock Holmes' brother Sherrinford Holmes to track down the murderer and save her friend.

Charlotte is a very interesting character. My feeling is that she'd fit well somewhere on the Asperger's Syndrome continuum. She doesn't really understand emotion; she has almost preternatural focus; she is very observant and able to draw accurate conclusions from very little data. She doesn't have an interest in being part of her social set. In fact, she engineered her own disgrace so that she could get away from her social set.

Despite her social difficulties, she has a number of loyal friends including Lord Ingram and Mrs. Watson who assists her with her cases. She also has the loyalty of her sister Livia who is still stuck at home with her parents. Livia is a more conventional woman but one who is in the midst of writing a novel retelling Sherlock Holmes' adventures.

This story was quite twisty with characters - both friends and villains - from earlier books in the series making their appearances to help or hinder Charlotte's investigation. I liked the complex relationship between Charlotte and Lord Ingram. Lord Ingram is a complex character also who is an archaeologist who has spent years also working for Britain's intelligence service. He's honorable but unhappy partially because of his unhappy marriage. I liked the Victorian setting.

Fans of this series won't want to miss this episode. Newcomers will find Charlotte Holmes intriguing. Kate reading does a wonderful job with all the different characters and moods of this story.

This audiobook is included as a part of my membership. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Undone by Rachel Caine

Undone

Author:
Rachel Caine
Series: Outcast Season (Book 1)
Publication: Ace; Original edition (December 17, 2008)

Description: Once she was Cassiel, a Djinn of limitless power. Now, she has been reshaped in human flesh as punishment for defying her master—and living among the Weather Wardens, whose power she must tap into regularly or she will die. And as she copes with the emotions and frailties of her human condition, a malevolent entity threatens her new existence...

My Thoughts: Cassiel has defied the ruler of the Old Djinn and been turned into a human dependent on the Wardens for her survival. She's assigned to Earth Warden Manny Rocha and sent to My New Mexico. 

Cassiel has a lot of adjustments to make. From being an all-powerful Djinn to a human dependent on others is quite a change. She also finds herself in a time of change for the Wardens and the Djinn and with an unknown enemy threatening. 

When Manny and his wife are gunned down and his five-year-old daughter Isabel kidnapped, Cassiel has to team up with Manny's brother Luis, a powerful Earth Warden, to find the missing child. That leads them to a much larger conspiracy than either of them had imagined and an old enemy with stunning new plans.

Cassiel is an intriguing character. I enjoyed watching her adjust to life as a human and come to appreciate humans. I liked her strong relationship with Isabel who pours out love and acceptance. I liked the worldbuilding in this new series set in the same universe as the Weather Wardens series. 

I enjoyed this urban fantasy story. My only complaint is that it is the first book of four and has a cliffhanger ending and tons of unresolved plot threads. 

Favorite Quote:
I slept very little, tormented by the memories of Manny and Angela lying dead, by the haunting sounds of Isabel's tears, by the touch of Luis's hands as they healed my injuries. These things were anchors, weighing me down. As a Djinn, I had been weightless, and without ties or cares, and that seemed far away now. Unreachable. All around me, the sounds of the human world roared on, and I found no peace within or without.
I bought this one February 6, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

Monday, May 1, 2023

State of the Stack #140 (May 1, 2023)

 This is my monthly post which details progress made on review books. I want to thank the authors and publishers who have contributed their books. 

Read This Month 

Dates indicate the date the review was/will be posted.
  1. A Wealth of Deception by Trish Esden (April 12)
  2. The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst (April 19)
  3. Murder on Bedford Street by Victoria Thompson (April 20)
  4. Deep Tide by Laura Griffin (April 20)
  5. Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River by Emily J. Edwards (April 25)
  6. The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick (April 26)
  7. Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley (April 27)
  8. Playing It Safe by Ashley Weaver (May 3)
  9. A Novel Disguise by Samantha Larsen (May 10)
  10. Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay (May 11)
  11. Hard Dough Homicide by Olivia Matthews (May 16)
  12. Identity by Nora Roberts (May 16)
DNF
  1.  
Read Previously, Posted This Month 

Dates indicate when the review was posted.

New This Month 

Date indicates when the book will be released.
  1. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Allison Goodman (May 30)
  2. Play for Me by Libby Hubscher (June 20)
  3. The Dane of My Existence by Jessica Martin (July 4)
  4. Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh (July 25)
  5. A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke (July 25)
  6. Catch Her Death by Melinda Leigh (September 12)
  7. Have Yourself a Deadly Little Christmas by Vicky Delany (September 19)
  8. A Strong Highland Wind by Tasha Alexander (October 3)
  9. Caught on the Book by Laura Gail Black (October 3)
  10. Overdue or Die by Allison Brook (October 3)
  11. In the Wick of Time by Valona Jones (October 17)
All TBR Review Books

May
June
July
August
September
October


It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (May 1, 2023)

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.

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 a pretty quiet week. Most of the snow has melted. Only shaded areas and snow piled up by snowplows remains. Even that is greatly diminished, and it should all be gone in a few days. The next milestone will be the greening up of lawns and later still the budding out of the trees. I can hardly wait.

I have a couple of medical appointments this week including a CT scan. Otherwise, my week is pretty open. I plan to do more reading and listening. Since I had built up six Audible credits, I decided to use them for the audiobooks of the next few J. D. Robb In Death stories. I'm currently listening to book 47 with 9 more to go. Book 57 will be released on September 5.

April Report

I read 37 books in April including 12 audiobooks. Total pages were 12,936 and hours listened 128.08. Twenty-six of the books were mine including 8 from the TBR stack. Twelve were review books and another 12 were audiobooks. 

I added 50 books to my LibraryThing account this month. 39 are still on the TBR pile. I added 11 review books and 10 audiobooks. I got three books via BookBub and four via Kindle Daily Deals. I got four of my audiobooks using Audible Credits, four were included in my membership, and I got one via Chirp.

According to LibraryThing, I have 2449 books marked TBR which includes 35 review books. My goal is to read some of my older books. I still have 25 unread print books from 2009 which are my primary targets. I also have 134 unread Kindle books from 2009 which was the year I got my first Kindle. 

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.)
  • Movieland by Lee Goldberg (Audiobook) -- Fourth Eve Ronin suspense story. Entertaining story. My review will be posted on May 11.
  • Murder Mystery Book Club by Danielle Collins (Mine; BookBub Free) -- Cozy mystery set in Key West with interesting characters and an engaging plot. My review will be posted on May 13.
  • Apprentice in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook; In Death 43)
  • Hard Dough Homicide by Olivia Matthews (Review; May 23) -- Second Spice Island Bakery cozy mystery. Engaging characters and interesting plot. My review will be posted on May 16.
  • Echoes in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook; In Death 44)
  • Secrets in Death by J. D. Robb (Audiobook; In Death 45)
  • Identity by Nora Roberts (Review; May 23) -- Excellent romantic suspense concerning identity theft and murder. My review will be posted on May 16.
Currently
Next Week
Reviews Posted
Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Review:
Bought:
What was your week like?