ARC Review: The Mirror by Nora Roberts

The Mirror
Author: Nora Roberts
Series: The Lost Bride Trilogy (Book 2)
Publication: St. Martin's Press (November 19, 2024)

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts continues the hauntingly spectacular Lost Bride Trilogy with book two, The Mirror.

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past―and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again―a centuries-old curse that must be broken―and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

My Thoughts: THE MIRROR is the second book in the Lost Brides trilogy. It begins within moments after the events of THE INHERITANCE. Sonya MacTavish has inherited Lost Brides Manor on the coast of Maine. She has also inherited the many ghosts who inhabit the house and the curse that has taken the lives of seven previous brides over the centuries.

Worst of all, Sonya has inherited an evil witch who has caused the deaths and left a curse in place. It is up to Sonya to break the curse if she can. She isn't alone. She has her best friend Cleo, her new boyfriend Trey, and Trey's best friend Owen who happens to be Sonya's cousin and Cleo's love interest. 

This story concerns learning more about the curse and trying to defeat it and the evil witch by filling the house with happy memories. To that end, Sonya and Cleo determine to hold an open house for the town and call on their new friend Bree to organize it all. Both women are also busy with their own work too. Sonya is growing her design business by securing local clients and also trying to capture a large client that she worked with in her previous job. It happens that she is competing with her cheating ex for that new account. And Cleo is busy with her illustrating and fine art. 

The story is filled with great relationships. Sonya and Cleo are quickly building a new circle of friends. And they are finding acceptance by Trey's family and Owen's too. I like the cute pets who have parts to play in this one from Sonya's new puppy Yoda to Cleo's new cat and Trey and Owen's dogs too. 

The story was filled with great spooky elements as the witch - Hester Dobbs - tries all sorts of things to get Sonya and Cleo to leave the house. The appearing and disappearing mirror which transports Sonya, sometimes with Owen, to the past where she witnesses the deaths of the earlier brides adds another creepy element. Less creepy but still spooky is the bride who is Sonya's biological grandmother who responds to situations through various musical selections. 

I chose to reread THE INHERITANCE before I began this one and found that it helped me get into the rhythm of this story and fill in the parts I had forgotten. I wouldn't suggest reading this one without having read THE INHERITANCE since the events so closely follow those of the first book. And the lack of resolution of the main storyline means this one ends on a cliffhanger as did the first book. 

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

ARC Review: A Legend in the Baking by Jamie WeslRomantiey

A Legend in the Baking
Author: Jamie Wesley
Series: Sugar Blitz (Book 2)
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin (November 19, 2024)

Description: In A Legend in the Baking, the new romance from Jamie Wesley, a cupcake-baking football player gets assistance from a social media maven―and his best friend's little sister―to help promote his new bakery after accidentally going viral online.

August Hodges was supposed to be the silent partner in Sugar Blitz Cupcakes. Emphasis on silent. That is until his impromptu feminist rant about how women bakers are the backbone of the industry and baking cupcakes isn’t a threat to masculinity goes viral, making him the hottest bachelor in town. With a new location in the works, August and his partners decide to capitalize on this perfect opportunity to help cement their place in the community. But the hiring of his best friend’s younger sister, the woman who has haunted some of his best dreams for years, was as much of a shock as his new-found fame.

Social media manager Sloane Dell fell hard for her brother’s best friend the moment she met him more than a decade ago, but that teenage infatuation cost her dearly. Still, she accepts her brother’s request to revamp the bakery’s social media presence to take advantage of August’s newfound popularity, knowing it’s the big break her fledgling career needs. She’ll just ignore the fact that August is still August, i.e. sexier and sweeter than any man has a right to be. And that he drives her crazy with his resistance to all her ideas.

They vow to leave the past in the past. But when an explosive make-out session makes it clear their attraction burns hotter than ever, Sloane and August are forced to reconsider what it means to take a risk and chase your dreams.

As they’re both about to find out, all’s fair in love and cupcakes.

My Thoughts: A LEGEND IN THE BAKING is the second romance in the Sugar Blitz series. It stars quiet football player August Hodges and social media maven Sloane Dell. August and his partners Donovan and Nick are getting ready to open their second cupcake store. 

Sloane has just quit her job in social media after she was passed over for a promotion. She finds herself working for her older brother Donovan when August goes viral after an impromptu speech on women's rights. Knowing that she can capitalize on August's new popularity to build interest in the second story, Sloane comes up with all sorts of ideas.

But Sloane and August have a history. She had a massive crush on him when she was in high school, and he was her brother's roommate and teammate. After an embarrassing incident, they went their separate ways. But Sloane's crush is still part of her life. It's a large part of why her relationships were failures. And August has always been interested in Sloane, but a girlfriend turned wife and now ex-wife got in his way. 

The romance rekindles as they work together even though Sloane is intent on denying that she is still attracted to August. August is more willing to begin a new relationship. He's a quiet guy who really doesn't like talking and doesn't like being the center of attention. He's willing to go along with Sloane's plans on social media but it is hard for him. He knows that his cooperation will help Sloane get her dream job. 

This was in all ways a typical contemporary romance. It was filled with misunderstandings and miscommunication. It also had quite a bit of denial especially on Sloane's part. The characters were well-developed and interesting people. She's a knock-out, and he's a handsome pro football player which shows that even beautiful people can have trouble with romance. The love scenes, once they began, were spicy.

Fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this one.

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

Audiobook Review: Duck the Halls by Donna Andrews

Duck the Halls
Author: Donna Andrews
Narrator: Bernadette Dunne
Series: Meg Langslow Mystery (Book 16)
Publication: Dreamscape Media (October 24, 2013)
Length: 8 hours and 17 minutes

Description: A few nights before Christmas, Meg is awakened when Michael is summoned to the New Life Baptist Church, where someone has rigged a cage full of skunks in the choir loft. The lengthy process of de-skunking the church requires its annual pre-Christmas concert to relocate to Trinity Episcopal, despite the protests of Mr. Vess, an elderly vestryman.

Meanwhile, when Meg helps her grandfather take the skunks to the zoo, they discover that his boa has been stolen - only to turn up later during the concert slithering out from the ribbon-bedecked evergreens. It's clear that some serious holiday pranksters are on the loose, and Meg is determined to find them. But before she can, a fire breaks out at Trinity, and Mr. Vess is discovered dead.

My Thoughts: Meg's organizational skills are really put to the test in the days leading up to Christmas. When skunks - thirteen of them - are found in the choir loft of the New Life Baptist Church just before their highly anticipated Christmas Choir Concert demand a new location be found for the concert, Meg is busy helping sort out spaces in other churches and public places to hold the concert, rehearsals and all the other events scheduled for New Life Baptist. 

Some of the events spill over at Meg's Episcopalian Church which really irritates Mr. Vess who is a member of the church council and famous for watching every penny the church spends. Also, the church storage areas are already packed with the belongings of a recent parishioner who left everything to the church. 

But skunks are only the first prank, next comes the theft of a boa from Meg's grandfather's zoo which makes its next appearance in the branches of an evergreen at the concert. And then there are ducks, hundreds of ducks, let loose in the local Catholic Church. 

As the Chief tries to find the pranksters and Meg tries to rearrange all the holiday events, a murderer is lurking. Mr. Vess's body is found in the church basement which throws the schedules in disorder again and adds even more stress to the holiday season. Everyone, including Meg and the new rector, has had recent arguments with Mr. Vess. 

I enjoyed this holiday entry into the Meg Langslow series. I liked all the different events from concerts to live nativity scenes. I liked seeing some of them through eyes of Meg and Michael's now-three-year-old twins. I liked the dueling mothers-in-law each trying to plan the more spectacular Christmas dinners and Meg and Michael's determination to do something quieter. 

I bought this one from Chirp March 22, 2023. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Sanctuary by Ilona Andrews

Sanctuary
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Roman's Chronicles (Book 1)
Publication: NYLA (July 30, 2024)

Description: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes a novella featuring Roman, our favorite Volhv wizard in the always intriguing, colorful, volatile Kate Daniels world.

It’s not easy serving Chernobog, the God of Destruction, Darkness and Death…especially during the holidays; and especially when you’re out of eggnog and one of your pesky, freeloading mythic creatures has eaten your last cookie.

Roman would like nothing more than to be left alone, but when a wounded boy stumbles into his yard and begs for sanctuary, Roman takes him in. Now elite mercenaries are camped out on his property, combat mages are dousing the house with fire, and strange priests are unleashing arcane magic. They thought Roman was easy pickings, just a hermit in the woods, but they chose the wrong dark priest to annoy. For while Roman might be patient, he is the Black Volhv, filled with the love of his terrible god. For his adversaries, it's a fight to the death, but for him, it's just another day in the neighborhood.

My Thoughts: Roman is trying to get through another holiday season when he finds a runaway boy in his yard. The boy begs for sanctuary, and Roman finds himself battling a mercenary crew and a variety of magicians to keep him safe. 

The story was filled with Ilona Andrews' take on Russian mythology. Magical creatures abound as Roman tries to figure out who wants the boy. 

This story was filled with great worldbuilding and gives us more about a side character in Kate Daniels' world. The descriptions were vivid, and the action was fast. I also liked that Roman was finally able to resolve some guilt he has felt with the help of his dark god Chernobog. 

Fans of the Kate Daniels novels will enjoy this novella. 

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

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (November 11, 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...

Monday is Veteran's Day which means a three-day weekend for many. (I currently have seven-day weekends so I'm not much affected.) I hope everyone will pause and think about what our veterans have done for us and thank any veteran they see for their service.

This was another excellent reading week. I don't think I left the house even once. Weather has been fall-like with rain and fog today. We are still producing good amounts of solar power and banking it for the upcoming winter days when the panels will be covered in snow. 

This is the second week in a row where most of my purchases include the audiobook. The only reason they all didn't is because the audiobook won't be released until December 10 for one of the books. I frequently add-on the audiobook rather than using an Audible credit if the cost is less than I pay per credit. I especially like when I can add the audiobook for $1.99 or so. I did use two of my banked Audible Credits to buy the audiobooks for two of my favorite books in the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. I found when I checked my Audible account that the copies I had had gone off the Audible Plus program. 

I downloaded the second mystery in the Cat Latimer series from Audible Plus this week only to find out that it was going off the program the next day. That moved the book to the top of the TBR pile. It also gave me the opportunity to listen to the story at 1.2 times the normal rate. I tried 1.3 but the narration started to sound like it was by Alvin and the Chipmunks. This is the first time I changed the speed for listening to an audiobook, but it won't be the last. 

I found after I read The Grandest Game that I had missed a couple of books in the Inheritance Games series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I added them to my Books I'm Waiting for Collection at Amazon. I'll probably buy them the next time I get a Kindle Rewards email. It seems like I get a few of them each month for double or triple Kindle Reward points and I'm not in a hurry to add more books to my TBR pile. 

We had a boring cooking week this past week. We stuck to old favorites including a Cajun Chicken Fettuccini which is one of my brother's favorite ways to use leftover rotisserie chicken and which makes a huge recipe. I made a batch of my favorite macaroni and cheese which also fed me for a number of days. Maybe we'll try something new this week on his days off. 

I hope to have another good reading week since I have no appointments this week and no plans to leave the house. 

Read Last Week

• Fatality in Firelight by Lynn Cahoon (Audible Plus) -- This is the second book in the Cat Latimer mystery series. My review will be posted on January 2, 2025.
• The Next Grave by Kendra Elliot (Review; December 10) -- This is the sixth book in the Columbia River suspense series. My review will be posted on December 5.
• The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (Mine since July 31, 2024) -- Related to the Inheritance Games series. A new game is beginning filled with interesting characters and complex puzzles. My review will be posted on December 7.

• Cherish and the Duke by Meara Platt (Mine since October 21, 2024) -- Entertaining historical romance. My review will be posted on December 10.
• Only Hard Problems by Jennifer Estep (Audiobook; Mine since October 27, 2024) -- Third in the Galactic Bonds space opera series. This is Zane's story. My review will be posted on December 10.
• Demon Daughter by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine since January 9, 2024) -- This is an excellent novella in the Penric and Desdemona historical fantasy series. My review will be posted on December 12.

• Penric and the Bandit by Lois McMaster Bujold (Mine since July 1, 2024) -- This is a fantasy novella in the Penric and Desdemona series. My review will be posted on December 12.
• The Lady in Glass and Other Stories by Anne Bishop (Mine since February 27, 2024) -- Twenty-two short stories which span the author's career and are set on various of the author's fantasy worlds. My review will be posted on December 11.
• Murder at Queen's Landing by Andrea Penrose (Audiobook; Mine since January 10, 2024) -- This is the fourth in the Wrexford and Sloane historical mystery series. My review will be posted on December 12.

• Flight (Texas Murder Files) by Laura Griffin (Mine since August 24, 2024) -- Romantic suspense. Second in the Texas Murder Files series. My review will be posted on December 14.
• Murder at the Majestic Hotel by Clara McKenna (Audiobook; Mine since July 25, 2023) -- Fourth Stella and Lyndy historical mystery. Their honeymoon is marred by murder. My review will be posted on December 17.
• Phantom Evil by Heather Graham (Mine since January 12, 2024) -- First book in the long-running Krewe of Hunters series. This is paranormal romantic suspense and very good. My review will be posted on December 17.

Currently

• Summer of the Dragon by Elizabeth Peters (Mine since July 24, 2024)
• Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook; Audible Credit) -- This is a reread.

Next Week

• Salem's Cipher by Jess Lourey (Mine since May 6, 2024)
• Podkayne of Mars by Robert A. Heinlein (Chirp Audiobook; Mine since August 21, 2024)
• Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (Mine since August 22, 2024)

• The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan (Mine since December 29, 2023)
• The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews (Chirp Audiobook; Mine since December 17, 2022)
• The Clockwork Dagger by Beth Cato (Mine since May 2, 2024)

Reviews Posted

• The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen (Audiobook)
• Out in the Cold by Steve Urszenyi (Review Copy)
• Burn This Night by Alex Kenna (Review Copy)

• Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey (Audible Plus)
• All's Fair in Love and Treachery by Celeste Connally (Review Copy)
• Rebel by David Weber & Richard Fox (Audiobook)

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

Review:

Bought:

• Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook; Audible Credit)
• Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold (Audiobook; Audible Credit)
• Of Murder and Men by Lynn Cahoon (Kindle and Audiobook) -- Third in the Cat Latimer series

• Slay in Character by Lynn Cahoon (Kindle and $2.86 Audiobook) -- Fourth in the Cat Latimer series
• At the River by Kendra Elliot (Kindle and $1.99 audiobook) -- Fifth in the Columbia River series
• Only Cold Depths by Jennifer Estep (Kindle) -- Fourth in the Galactic Bonds series

What was your week like?

Book Review: Rebel by David Weber and Richard Fox

Rebel
Author: David Weber & Richard Fox
Series: Ascent to Empire (Book 2)
Publication: Baen Books; 1st edition (September 3, 2024)

Description: HE NEVER WANTED TO BE A REBEL

The Five Hundred, the elite families who rule the Terran Federation, control its political power and its wealth, and they’ve grown steadily wealthier and more powerful, thanks to the war against the Terran League. War may be hard on the people who get caught in its path, but it’s very good for business, in the short term, and the Five Hundred own the shipyards that build the Navy’s ships. They own virtually all the industry that produces the weapons and matériel the war consumes so voraciously . . . and they’ve made damn sure someone else does the dying.

True, there are a few flies in the Five Hundred’s ointment.

There’s the growing hatred and resentment of the Fringe Worlds, whose children do eighty percent of the dying in the Five Hundred’s war. But the Five Hundred have made sure the Fringe knows what will happen to any system that goes ”out of compliance.”

There are the lunatic conspiracy nuts who insist that the alien Rishathan Sphere is secretly aiding the League’s military, but the Five Hundred have forced them to keep their mouths shut where it matters.

And then there’s Terrence Murphy, a man of honor who loves the Federation, who springs from the Five Hundred, yet knows it for what it is and is determined to speak for its victims. But the five hundred have dispatched ample force to deal with him and his handful of lunatic followers

Unfortunately, the Fringe has paid enough of its children’s lives, and it no longer cares what may happen if it dares to defy the Five Hundred.

Worse, the lunatic conspiracy nuts were right, and the Rish have planned carefully for the Federation’s destruction.

And, worst of all, the Five Hundred have fatally underestimated Terrence Murphy.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Ascent to Empire series by David Weber and Richard Fox chronicles deteriorating conditions in the Terran League. The ruling government is controlled by the 500 -- the richest citizens who control all the industries and much of the wealth -- and they will do anything to hang onto their power and position no matter how reprehensible. 

With colony planets out on the Fringe declaring independence, the 500 are determined to show them just who is really in charge with extremely brutal tactics including bombing non-compliant planets out of existence. And there is Admiral Terrence Murphy who married into the 500 and who was recently appointed governor of one of the Fringe planets. His failure to stop their secession from the League and his determination to convince them that the Rish, an alien species, is acting to keep the war with the League and the rival Terran Federation at a boil has made him Enemy #1 in the 500.

Murphy believes in the League and is reluctant to believe how far from its ideals it has strayed, but he finds himself the focal point of a revolution as more and more planets secede. 

A lot of this episode takes place on Bellerophon which had seceded and asked to join the new Free Worlds Alliance. The 500, with the assistance of their various toadies in the government, has sent General Alaimo to bring the system back into compliance. He had been set aside after atrocities on another planet the 500 wanted to bring into line. This time he has a blanket pardon for any crimes, and he is determined to use it. From strikes from space destroying cities to mass firing squads to torturing individuals for his own sick pleasure, Alaimo runs rampant. 

This is excellent space opera. It is, however, the second book in a series which leaves many, many things unresolved. What is resolved is that Terrence Murphy now knows there is no chance of a negotiated settlement of the grievances of the Fringe planets and his determination to fix the League even if he has to bring battle to Earth. 

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

Friday Memes: Rebel by David Weber & Richard Fox

 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:

RHLNS Cai Shen

Wormhole Space

August 10, 2552

"We're as ready as we are going to be, Sir," Captain Su Zhihao said somberly.

Friday 56:

She really liked Rogers, and for a Heart, he was easy to work with...usually. He was a worrywart, though, when normal shipping routes were disordered.

This week I am spotlighting a new space opera recently added to my TBR Pile. I am a big fan of David Weber and couldn't pass up Rebel (Ascent to Empire, Book 2) when it was recently released. Here's the description:

HE NEVER WANTED TO BE A REBEL

The Five Hundred, the elite families who rule the Terran Federation, control its political power and its wealth, and they’ve grown steadily wealthier and more powerful, thanks to the war against the Terran League. War may be hard on the people who get caught in its path, but it’s very good for business, in the short term, and the Five Hundred own the shipyards that build the Navy’s ships. They own virtually all the industry that produces the weapons and matériel the war consumes so voraciously . . . and they’ve made damn sure someone else does the dying.

True, there are a few flies in the Five Hundred’s ointment.

There’s the growing hatred and resentment of the Fringe Worlds, whose children do eighty percent of the dying in the Five Hundred’s war. But the Five Hundred have made sure the Fringe knows what will happen to any system that goes ”out of compliance.”

There are the lunatic conspiracy nuts who insist that the alien Rishathan Sphere is secretly aiding the League’s military, but the Five Hundred have forced them to keep their mouths shut where it matters.

And then there’s Terrence Murphy, a man of honor who loves the Federation, who springs from the Five Hundred, yet knows it for what it is and is determined to speak for its victims. But the five hundred have dispatched ample force to deal with him and his handful of lunatic followers.

Unfortunately, the Fringe has paid enough of its children’s lives, and it no longer cares what may happen if it dares to defy the Five Hundred.

Worse, the lunatic conspiracy nuts were right, and the Rish have planned carefully for the Federation’s destruction.

And, worst of all, the Five Hundred have fatally underestimated Terrence Murphy.