Susanna here, considering it more than a little ironic that I should find myself in charge of this month’s What-We’re-Reading post, since having been caught in the whirl of activity that accompanies seeing one child off to university (in Europe, since my children never do things by halves) whilst fighting the lure of the ever-present Research Rabbit Holes that keep opening up for my current novel, and trying to pack for a Very Rapidly Approaching trip to Scotland, I’ve had no time for reading anything you’d want to hear about.
Fortunately, my fellow Wenches have plenty of suggestions for your bedside reading stacks:
Anne here.
I had the very great pleasure of a pre-read of Mary Jo Putney's Once a Spy for an interview on the wenches on September 25th. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it — Mary Jo is so good at weaving love stories and action together. If you missed the interview, it's here.
Sharon Shinn is a fantasy author I really enjoy, and I subscribe to her newsletter so when her new "Echo" series came out, I grabbed them as soon as they were available. Shinn writes very appealing characters, and her world-building is superb– and fascinating.
In this world, aristocrats have "echoes" — creatures that are exact copies of themselves, that imitate every movement, but who don't speak or apparently think. The echoes appear soon after a baby is born — first you have one baby, then a blink later there are four, though only one is crying. It's a fair bit to swallow, but fun to imagine, and Shinn makes it work.
Echo in Onyx is the first in the series and the story is told from the point of view of Biranna, a young country girl who comes to the city in search of work, and ends up becoming maid to Lady Marguerite, who is one of the candidates for a royal marriage. I devoured it and went on to do the same for the following books in the series.
Andrea here.
I had been hearing such good things about Bringing Down the Duke, by Evie Dunmore, that I moved it to the top of my TBR pile. And oh, am I glad I did— I just loved it! Dunmore that a very familiar trope—the stiff, reserved gentleman who’s vowed never fall victim to love finding his heart won’t listen to his head—and gives it freshness and depth. At first blush, the characters appear familiar too. There’s the brilliant but destitute heroine, who is forced to work as an unpaid governess for her odious dumb-as-dirt cousin when her country vicar father dies. Desperate to escape, Annabelle finds an ad offering a scholarship to Oxford—the catch is, she has to spend some time working for a group of women agitating for women’s voting rights by approaching important men in government (the year is 1879) and lobbying them to consider the issue. She unwittingly picks the infamous Duke of Montgomery—again, the stereotypical cold, aloof, imperious aristocrat—as her target, and, well, things immediately get VERY interesting! The dialogue is wonderfully witty and clever. But it’s the depth and complexity of the characters that made the book so special for me. Their vulnerabilities, and conflicts are revealed beautifully, and the book becomes much more than a funny romp of manners as they slowly help each other overcome their fears and discover the redemptive power of love. I highly recommend it!
On a totally different note, I've also have been reading the biography of Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow (the book on which the musical is based.) I knew Hamilton was a very influential thinker, but I hadn't realized just what an extraordinary person he was, and how many facets of shaping country he was involved in. It’s beautifully written, and the story of his life is quite remarkable. You get a wonderful look at colonial America, and the other fmaous personages of the day. (Hamilton was a protege of George Washington, and despite their butting of heads at times, they remained friends lifelong friends.) It’s history at its best—combining a picture of the era as well as a portrait of an absolutely amazing individual. Again, highly recommended!
Nicola here.
I’ve been waiting with bated breath to get hold of the new Robert Harris thriller, The Second Sleep. He is one of my auto-buy authors and never more so than when he is writing a historical novel. I admire his skill at creating tension and page turning quality allied with some really elegant prose. So as soon as I got the book I plunged in. It’s hard to describe the plot without giving away a massive spoiler from the very start so I’ll just say that in the year 1468 a young priest, Christopher Fairfax, is sent to an isolated village in Devon to oversee the burial of the parish priest. Once there he untangles a series of mysteries that lead him to question everything he has learned about the past, which in turn has a profound effect on his life and his future. Everything is not as it seems in this “medieval” world…
I liked Christopher very much and there were some interesting other characters and some good twists in the story. The sense of atmosphere is very strong. It’s fair to say this is a book I thought about for a long time afterwards. With its themes of memory and history and religion it was very powerful and I found it quite dark and disturbing. In the end, though, for me it couldn’t quite live up to some of Robert Harris’ other books and I was a bit disappointed. If anyone else has read it I would love to know what they think!
My non-fiction read this month was Lovell Our Dogge: The Life of Viscount Lovell, closest friend of Richard III and failed regicide by Michele Schindler. I’d say this is a must for anyone who is interested in Richard III and the events around his life and the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower. It’s a very well-written book that reads like a novel and I was completely engaged. It’s astonishing that there hasn’t been a biography of Francis Lovell before when he was so closely involved in such a significant period of history. Francis does, of course, have a walk on part in a number of historical novels set in this period, such as the Sunne in Splendour, but it was fascinating to read the real story of this historical figure.
Last but not at all least, after all the recommendations here, I picked up a copy of The Work of Art by Mimi Matthews and enjoyed it very much indeed! It’s a really beautiful love story and I enjoyed the depth and richness of the characters and their relationship. Wonderful and satisfying!
Mary Jo here, and in a fantasy + romance mode.
Firstly, I want to enthusiastically endorse Anne's recommendation of Sharon Shinn's new Echo trilogy. Shinn is an amazing world builder and her stories always have good romances, and these books are no exception. I read all three on my recent vacation, and wish there were more!
My own recommendation this month is for Sorcery and Cecilia, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevemer, friends and fantasy writers in Minnesota. Think Georgette Heyer Regency with magic.
Set in 1817, this is an epistolary novel as cousins and best friends Cecilia and Kate exchange letters after they're separated when Kate is packed off to London for her Season and Cecy is left home and bored in the country. Each author writes one of the main characters. (I think Wrede is Cecilia and Stevemer is Kate, though I won't swear to it.) Magic is part of their world, including a Royal College of Magicians.
The book is light and funny as the young ladies meet young gentleman, worry about their wardrobes, and find themselves involved with magic and annoyingly bossy men who are nonetheless appealing. <G> There are mysteries to be solved, social events to be attended, and budding romance. Great fun.
I first read this book years ago and enjoyed it thoroughly, and recently I found that the authors had written two more books in the series. The second book is called The Grand Tour, and it starts with the double wedding of Cecilia and Kate and their men. Their husbands are best friends and both former officers of Wellington's in the Peninsular Wars. They take off on a joint honeymoon and get drawn into uncovering a perilous plot that threatens the peace of Europe. As one does. <G>
A good part of the fun of this book is that even though both couples are madly in love with their mates, they are learning how to be married. (Since Cecy and Kate are traveling together, they aren't exchanging letters; Cecy's contributions are part of her later deposition with the Royal College of Magicians, and Kate is writing in her day book. The effect is the same as in the first book).
The third book is The Mislaid Magician and is set ten years later. Cecy and her husband are up north looking for a missing German surveyor/magician while Kate and Thomas ride herd on all their magically inclined children. In this book, the husbands also exchange letters.
All three books are bundled together in a box set. My favorite is the first, but they're all good fun, and the authors are pretty darned good at their Regency details!
Pat here.
I am beyond tired of publishers limiting genre fiction to certain parameters that have worn thin. I love romance and cozy mysteries, but right now, I can’t find a single original story. So when PopCo by Scarlett Thomas popped up after I bought a new iPad, and I couldn’t remember reading it, I gave it a go. If you read the opening, you’ll understand my level of desperation that I kept slogging through that morass.
Because it contains a lot of interesting Information (I researched codes and ciphers for Devilish Montague, remember) about logic, math, and code problems, I took my time with it. Probably the first quarter of the book is getting to know the thoughts of the protagonist, who is a very human confusion of hopes, doubts, and fears.
Essentially, the protag works for a major toy company designing new toys. At the last minute, she’s included in a month-long retreat where other people from the company—oddly, not all toy designers—are immersed in how to market toys, particularly to teenage girls. Our heroine has an extremely odd background of family code-breakers and mathematicians and treasure hunters, so creating toys is just one more fun fantasy for which she’s paid very well.
Except as the retreat continues, she comes to realize they are creating brainwashing techniques in the name of profit. And then all the odd things happening in her life, in the company, with all her new-found friends, start snowballing until she finally realizes what she wants out of life. It’s a very odd book with all the puzzles explained by the end and with a happy-in-its-own-way ending. Read it just for the sheer pleasure of reading.
There you have it — our round-up of Wenchly reads and recommendations. Now, what are you reading this month?
Having spent many years working in the weird world of Quantum Mechanics I have no difficulty suspending disbelief for an occasional dip into fictional fantasy worlds. This month I have really enjoyed
‘Unmasking Miss Appleby’ by Emily Larkin, a new-to-me author in this genre.
This is a shape shifter romance which has received some rave reviews. Charlotte Appleby has the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off to make her fortune as a man and takes employment as secretary to Lord Cosgrove. However someone is trying to destroy his lordship. Shape shifting skills prove very helpful and romance soon blossoms,though in her man form there are some problems. The audio is read by Rosalyn Landor, probably my fav narrator for the romance genre, which makes this story quite irresistible ….. for me!
I also enjoyed Lynda La Plante’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series. Here Jane joins the flying squad and has her usual problems with arrogant overbearing male colleagues. This has been a brilliant crime series but I think it is getting a bit long in the tooth now. If a ninth book is published I think I will call it a day!
Having spent many years working in the weird world of Quantum Mechanics I have no difficulty suspending disbelief for an occasional dip into fictional fantasy worlds. This month I have really enjoyed
‘Unmasking Miss Appleby’ by Emily Larkin, a new-to-me author in this genre.
This is a shape shifter romance which has received some rave reviews. Charlotte Appleby has the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off to make her fortune as a man and takes employment as secretary to Lord Cosgrove. However someone is trying to destroy his lordship. Shape shifting skills prove very helpful and romance soon blossoms,though in her man form there are some problems. The audio is read by Rosalyn Landor, probably my fav narrator for the romance genre, which makes this story quite irresistible ….. for me!
I also enjoyed Lynda La Plante’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series. Here Jane joins the flying squad and has her usual problems with arrogant overbearing male colleagues. This has been a brilliant crime series but I think it is getting a bit long in the tooth now. If a ninth book is published I think I will call it a day!
Having spent many years working in the weird world of Quantum Mechanics I have no difficulty suspending disbelief for an occasional dip into fictional fantasy worlds. This month I have really enjoyed
‘Unmasking Miss Appleby’ by Emily Larkin, a new-to-me author in this genre.
This is a shape shifter romance which has received some rave reviews. Charlotte Appleby has the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off to make her fortune as a man and takes employment as secretary to Lord Cosgrove. However someone is trying to destroy his lordship. Shape shifting skills prove very helpful and romance soon blossoms,though in her man form there are some problems. The audio is read by Rosalyn Landor, probably my fav narrator for the romance genre, which makes this story quite irresistible ….. for me!
I also enjoyed Lynda La Plante’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series. Here Jane joins the flying squad and has her usual problems with arrogant overbearing male colleagues. This has been a brilliant crime series but I think it is getting a bit long in the tooth now. If a ninth book is published I think I will call it a day!
Having spent many years working in the weird world of Quantum Mechanics I have no difficulty suspending disbelief for an occasional dip into fictional fantasy worlds. This month I have really enjoyed
‘Unmasking Miss Appleby’ by Emily Larkin, a new-to-me author in this genre.
This is a shape shifter romance which has received some rave reviews. Charlotte Appleby has the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off to make her fortune as a man and takes employment as secretary to Lord Cosgrove. However someone is trying to destroy his lordship. Shape shifting skills prove very helpful and romance soon blossoms,though in her man form there are some problems. The audio is read by Rosalyn Landor, probably my fav narrator for the romance genre, which makes this story quite irresistible ….. for me!
I also enjoyed Lynda La Plante’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series. Here Jane joins the flying squad and has her usual problems with arrogant overbearing male colleagues. This has been a brilliant crime series but I think it is getting a bit long in the tooth now. If a ninth book is published I think I will call it a day!
Having spent many years working in the weird world of Quantum Mechanics I have no difficulty suspending disbelief for an occasional dip into fictional fantasy worlds. This month I have really enjoyed
‘Unmasking Miss Appleby’ by Emily Larkin, a new-to-me author in this genre.
This is a shape shifter romance which has received some rave reviews. Charlotte Appleby has the ability to change shape. Penniless and orphaned, she sets off to make her fortune as a man and takes employment as secretary to Lord Cosgrove. However someone is trying to destroy his lordship. Shape shifting skills prove very helpful and romance soon blossoms,though in her man form there are some problems. The audio is read by Rosalyn Landor, probably my fav narrator for the romance genre, which makes this story quite irresistible ….. for me!
I also enjoyed Lynda La Plante’s ‘The Dirty Dozen’ the eighth book in the Jane Tennison series. Here Jane joins the flying squad and has her usual problems with arrogant overbearing male colleagues. This has been a brilliant crime series but I think it is getting a bit long in the tooth now. If a ninth book is published I think I will call it a day!
Keeping up with the news has taken much of my reading time – but then I have enjoyed Tessa Dare’s The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game and The Wallflower Wager. Before these I finished Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels Series – Shattering Rainbows, River of Fire and One Perfect Rose. The last one hit very close to home and was a tear-jerker for me. So good though. I love your books Mary Jo Putney and I thank you for your stories.
I look forward to reading Once a Spy and Bringing Down the Duke (mentioned above) – I am on a wait list at the library for these two and if the list is too long I will have to buy them – luckily I do have quite a list and stack of books to read.
Keeping up with the news has taken much of my reading time – but then I have enjoyed Tessa Dare’s The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game and The Wallflower Wager. Before these I finished Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels Series – Shattering Rainbows, River of Fire and One Perfect Rose. The last one hit very close to home and was a tear-jerker for me. So good though. I love your books Mary Jo Putney and I thank you for your stories.
I look forward to reading Once a Spy and Bringing Down the Duke (mentioned above) – I am on a wait list at the library for these two and if the list is too long I will have to buy them – luckily I do have quite a list and stack of books to read.
Keeping up with the news has taken much of my reading time – but then I have enjoyed Tessa Dare’s The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game and The Wallflower Wager. Before these I finished Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels Series – Shattering Rainbows, River of Fire and One Perfect Rose. The last one hit very close to home and was a tear-jerker for me. So good though. I love your books Mary Jo Putney and I thank you for your stories.
I look forward to reading Once a Spy and Bringing Down the Duke (mentioned above) – I am on a wait list at the library for these two and if the list is too long I will have to buy them – luckily I do have quite a list and stack of books to read.
Keeping up with the news has taken much of my reading time – but then I have enjoyed Tessa Dare’s The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game and The Wallflower Wager. Before these I finished Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels Series – Shattering Rainbows, River of Fire and One Perfect Rose. The last one hit very close to home and was a tear-jerker for me. So good though. I love your books Mary Jo Putney and I thank you for your stories.
I look forward to reading Once a Spy and Bringing Down the Duke (mentioned above) – I am on a wait list at the library for these two and if the list is too long I will have to buy them – luckily I do have quite a list and stack of books to read.
Keeping up with the news has taken much of my reading time – but then I have enjoyed Tessa Dare’s The Duchess Deal, The Governess Game and The Wallflower Wager. Before these I finished Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels Series – Shattering Rainbows, River of Fire and One Perfect Rose. The last one hit very close to home and was a tear-jerker for me. So good though. I love your books Mary Jo Putney and I thank you for your stories.
I look forward to reading Once a Spy and Bringing Down the Duke (mentioned above) – I am on a wait list at the library for these two and if the list is too long I will have to buy them – luckily I do have quite a list and stack of books to read.
I participated in a reading challenge on a different site so my post will be more verbose than usual.
Week 1: New-to-Me Author Week
Last year I won a giveaway by author Sam Burns; the prize was to have a character be given my name. When Wolf Lost was released; I read it in one day.
The book begins in Colorado with Sawyer, an Omega wolf, on the run from his California pack. The new alpha murdered Sawyer’s father, the previous alpha, and wants Sawyer as his mate. Dez is our other hero; he’s a new wolf and a recently discharged green beret with injuries. He and two comrades, all alpha wolves, are a pack of three. These three men are NOT choosing a career involving violence, instead they have decided to open a coffee shop though none of them know how to use an espresso machine or bake. The three men stand with Sawyer when he runs onto their property and take him into their home. My namesake character runs the bookshop next to their coffee shop, and plays a nice role in the story. This is a low angst story with touches of humor; I enjoyed it.
Read Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen. The book was told in the first person and written with a definite sense of humor. The main character went back to his childhood home and attempted to find his first love. Along the way he encounters and is helped by a man who had bullied him in high school. It’s a rather over the top story which needed a better editor. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read.
Read Concurrence by Marc Rokoff which I thought was a romance but wasn’t. I chose the book because the description indicated a time travel element which sounded appealing. I found the first paragraph off-putting, and the story as a whole proved disappointing.
Week 2: Diverse Books Week –
For this week I read Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby whose main character is Xandri Corelel. Xandri was born into a world that has been practicing gene modification for centuries; however, her parents followed a short lived fad of natural birth. Consequently, she may be the only person in the world who is autistic. The reader sees how she meets the stresses of everyday life on board her ship and on other worlds.
We meet her four years after she has joined the crew of the Carpathia where she is now the head of Xeno-Liaisons. Throughout her difficult childhood, she became an expert at reading body language; that knowledge has enabled her to become a skilled liaison with the inhabitants of other worlds. The book deals primarily with one mission.
I’d describe this book as PG-13; there is violence, language, and mention of past abuse. Xandri appears to be attracted to both men and women. I found this a pleasant and easy read and would happily read the next book in the series. There is also a prequel which covers Xandri’s life prior to joining the Carpathia. The author describes herself as a “Queer autistic writer of everything speculative.”
I also read Still Waters by Alex Gabriel, a short paranormal romance that features a merman (…or does it?). This story is set in what seems to be our world, but a rift has permitted the passage of several beings from elsewhere. This is a slightly dark fantasy with a dead body or two, attacks, and more. I enjoyed it, and it’s currently free.
Week 3: Judge a Book By Its Cover Week
The cover of Painting with Fire by Lissa Kasey shows the face of a young man with two different colored eyes who is not quite meeting the eyes of the viewer; I find it memorable.
That young man is Bastian Hart, a talented artist, who is a highly successful doll painter; he is the survivor of childhood abuse and is fairly reclusive. Our other hero is Charlie Fox, a wildfire fighter, and best friend of Bastian’s aunt. The two men meet when Charlie accompanies his friend home for a funeral. I enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the art of doll painting.
The cover of Anhaga by Lisa Henry shows a raven with a tower, castle, and other buildings superimposed upon it; it’s quite eye-catching.
This story is set in a medieval type world where magic (hedgewitches, sorcerers, and necromancers, oh my!) is commonplace and the fae are feared. Our hero is Min, a man of few coins and questionable morals, who comes to the rescue of his adopted nephew when he is caught bedding a young noblewoman. Harry, the nephew, is cursed and will die within weeks if Min does not carry out a task. That task is to travel to Anhaga to retrieve a young hedgewitch, Kazimir, who did not return home after his apprenticeship. Once home, Kaz will be forced to marry his uncle and bow to the will of his evil grandfather. Min can either save his nephew or Kaz but not both. I REALLY liked this story and recommend it.
I also read This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel for my book group. The front cover of the book shows an orange peel while the back shows a whole orange. I can only recall one mention of oranges in the book and cannot figure out the relevance of the art to the story; nonetheless, it’s an attractive cover!
This was an intriguing story about Rosie and Penn and their five sons. Claude, the youngest, likes wearing dresses. Life becomes challenging when he starts school. The family moves cross country soon after a traumatic incident, and Claude/now Poppy and family are keepers of a big secret. This is not a romance though Rosie and Penn have a romantic courtship and marriage. Life is mostly happy for them all but keeping a secret is stressful, and Poppy’s secret is revealed one day. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. In the author’s note, she reveals that this book is not a memoir but that her little boy is now a little girl.
Week 4: Older or Younger Hero Week
I read Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke which has two heroes that are over forty. One, a sort of living ghost who retrieves stolen objects, is significantly older than forty. The other hero is the police officer with whom the first had a five year relationship some thirty years earlier. As you might imagine this is a paranormal romance that was full of surprises. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.
I also read Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine which was a quick and FUN read. The story takes place over a couple of weeks when Cole, who is about to graduate from high school, discovers that he can teleport. Cole is a game playing nerd (Onirim, anyone?) who has wonderful parents, a supportive teacher, and a diverse group of friends in his school Rainbow club. He has a crush on a fellow student, and there is someone who might be stalking him. This is a decidedly G-rated romance; I’d recommend it to teens and adults.
And I reread Lyn Gala’s Claimings which is my favorite m/m series and consists of four books. The two main characters are Liam and Ondry. Liam is in his late 30s, from Earth, serving as a linguistics tech in the military, a submissive with lots of baggage from past abusive relationships. Ondry is Rownt (two legged, egg-born, looking somewhat turtle like to humans); he is a skilled trader who is driven to succeed, two hundred on a planet where living to a thousand is not unknown. When the book begins, Liam and Ondry have been trading for five years. Much of the story deals with cultural and language differences. There is a lot of tenderness in the relationship between Liam and Ondry. This story is definitely not G-rated.
In addition to the above:
— Permafrost by ALASTAIR REYNOLDS which I found to be a quick and thought provoking read.
— The Flatshare: A Novel by Beth O’Leary is a book that I quite enjoyed; I suspect this is a book I’ll be rereading. It had me laughing frequently.
— Ben Aaronovitch’s The October Man. This novella is a spin off from the author’s Rivers of London series. I enjoyed it.
– I also reread Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall.
– I read Murder in the Blood (The Doyle & Acton Murder Series Book 10) by Anne Cleeland which I quite enjoyed. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order, so if interested begin with Murder in Thrall.
— I stayed up way too late finishing Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves); I enjoyed it.
–And I finished a short romance; it was pleasant, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. The Botanist by Dahlia Donovan.
— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel by Matthew Dicks which I read on one day. I quite liked it and had several conversations about it with my husband. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
— Let’s Get Textual (Texting Series Book 1) by Teagan Hunter which is a contemporary romance. It was an entertaining read, but I don’t think it’s a book I’ll be rereading.
— I read and admired Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game: A Collector’s Guide to Mah Jongg Tiles and Sets by Ann Israel and Gregg Swain. I began playing mah jongg this summer thus my interest in this book.
I participated in a reading challenge on a different site so my post will be more verbose than usual.
Week 1: New-to-Me Author Week
Last year I won a giveaway by author Sam Burns; the prize was to have a character be given my name. When Wolf Lost was released; I read it in one day.
The book begins in Colorado with Sawyer, an Omega wolf, on the run from his California pack. The new alpha murdered Sawyer’s father, the previous alpha, and wants Sawyer as his mate. Dez is our other hero; he’s a new wolf and a recently discharged green beret with injuries. He and two comrades, all alpha wolves, are a pack of three. These three men are NOT choosing a career involving violence, instead they have decided to open a coffee shop though none of them know how to use an espresso machine or bake. The three men stand with Sawyer when he runs onto their property and take him into their home. My namesake character runs the bookshop next to their coffee shop, and plays a nice role in the story. This is a low angst story with touches of humor; I enjoyed it.
Read Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen. The book was told in the first person and written with a definite sense of humor. The main character went back to his childhood home and attempted to find his first love. Along the way he encounters and is helped by a man who had bullied him in high school. It’s a rather over the top story which needed a better editor. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read.
Read Concurrence by Marc Rokoff which I thought was a romance but wasn’t. I chose the book because the description indicated a time travel element which sounded appealing. I found the first paragraph off-putting, and the story as a whole proved disappointing.
Week 2: Diverse Books Week –
For this week I read Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby whose main character is Xandri Corelel. Xandri was born into a world that has been practicing gene modification for centuries; however, her parents followed a short lived fad of natural birth. Consequently, she may be the only person in the world who is autistic. The reader sees how she meets the stresses of everyday life on board her ship and on other worlds.
We meet her four years after she has joined the crew of the Carpathia where she is now the head of Xeno-Liaisons. Throughout her difficult childhood, she became an expert at reading body language; that knowledge has enabled her to become a skilled liaison with the inhabitants of other worlds. The book deals primarily with one mission.
I’d describe this book as PG-13; there is violence, language, and mention of past abuse. Xandri appears to be attracted to both men and women. I found this a pleasant and easy read and would happily read the next book in the series. There is also a prequel which covers Xandri’s life prior to joining the Carpathia. The author describes herself as a “Queer autistic writer of everything speculative.”
I also read Still Waters by Alex Gabriel, a short paranormal romance that features a merman (…or does it?). This story is set in what seems to be our world, but a rift has permitted the passage of several beings from elsewhere. This is a slightly dark fantasy with a dead body or two, attacks, and more. I enjoyed it, and it’s currently free.
Week 3: Judge a Book By Its Cover Week
The cover of Painting with Fire by Lissa Kasey shows the face of a young man with two different colored eyes who is not quite meeting the eyes of the viewer; I find it memorable.
That young man is Bastian Hart, a talented artist, who is a highly successful doll painter; he is the survivor of childhood abuse and is fairly reclusive. Our other hero is Charlie Fox, a wildfire fighter, and best friend of Bastian’s aunt. The two men meet when Charlie accompanies his friend home for a funeral. I enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the art of doll painting.
The cover of Anhaga by Lisa Henry shows a raven with a tower, castle, and other buildings superimposed upon it; it’s quite eye-catching.
This story is set in a medieval type world where magic (hedgewitches, sorcerers, and necromancers, oh my!) is commonplace and the fae are feared. Our hero is Min, a man of few coins and questionable morals, who comes to the rescue of his adopted nephew when he is caught bedding a young noblewoman. Harry, the nephew, is cursed and will die within weeks if Min does not carry out a task. That task is to travel to Anhaga to retrieve a young hedgewitch, Kazimir, who did not return home after his apprenticeship. Once home, Kaz will be forced to marry his uncle and bow to the will of his evil grandfather. Min can either save his nephew or Kaz but not both. I REALLY liked this story and recommend it.
I also read This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel for my book group. The front cover of the book shows an orange peel while the back shows a whole orange. I can only recall one mention of oranges in the book and cannot figure out the relevance of the art to the story; nonetheless, it’s an attractive cover!
This was an intriguing story about Rosie and Penn and their five sons. Claude, the youngest, likes wearing dresses. Life becomes challenging when he starts school. The family moves cross country soon after a traumatic incident, and Claude/now Poppy and family are keepers of a big secret. This is not a romance though Rosie and Penn have a romantic courtship and marriage. Life is mostly happy for them all but keeping a secret is stressful, and Poppy’s secret is revealed one day. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. In the author’s note, she reveals that this book is not a memoir but that her little boy is now a little girl.
Week 4: Older or Younger Hero Week
I read Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke which has two heroes that are over forty. One, a sort of living ghost who retrieves stolen objects, is significantly older than forty. The other hero is the police officer with whom the first had a five year relationship some thirty years earlier. As you might imagine this is a paranormal romance that was full of surprises. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.
I also read Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine which was a quick and FUN read. The story takes place over a couple of weeks when Cole, who is about to graduate from high school, discovers that he can teleport. Cole is a game playing nerd (Onirim, anyone?) who has wonderful parents, a supportive teacher, and a diverse group of friends in his school Rainbow club. He has a crush on a fellow student, and there is someone who might be stalking him. This is a decidedly G-rated romance; I’d recommend it to teens and adults.
And I reread Lyn Gala’s Claimings which is my favorite m/m series and consists of four books. The two main characters are Liam and Ondry. Liam is in his late 30s, from Earth, serving as a linguistics tech in the military, a submissive with lots of baggage from past abusive relationships. Ondry is Rownt (two legged, egg-born, looking somewhat turtle like to humans); he is a skilled trader who is driven to succeed, two hundred on a planet where living to a thousand is not unknown. When the book begins, Liam and Ondry have been trading for five years. Much of the story deals with cultural and language differences. There is a lot of tenderness in the relationship between Liam and Ondry. This story is definitely not G-rated.
In addition to the above:
— Permafrost by ALASTAIR REYNOLDS which I found to be a quick and thought provoking read.
— The Flatshare: A Novel by Beth O’Leary is a book that I quite enjoyed; I suspect this is a book I’ll be rereading. It had me laughing frequently.
— Ben Aaronovitch’s The October Man. This novella is a spin off from the author’s Rivers of London series. I enjoyed it.
– I also reread Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall.
– I read Murder in the Blood (The Doyle & Acton Murder Series Book 10) by Anne Cleeland which I quite enjoyed. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order, so if interested begin with Murder in Thrall.
— I stayed up way too late finishing Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves); I enjoyed it.
–And I finished a short romance; it was pleasant, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. The Botanist by Dahlia Donovan.
— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel by Matthew Dicks which I read on one day. I quite liked it and had several conversations about it with my husband. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
— Let’s Get Textual (Texting Series Book 1) by Teagan Hunter which is a contemporary romance. It was an entertaining read, but I don’t think it’s a book I’ll be rereading.
— I read and admired Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game: A Collector’s Guide to Mah Jongg Tiles and Sets by Ann Israel and Gregg Swain. I began playing mah jongg this summer thus my interest in this book.
I participated in a reading challenge on a different site so my post will be more verbose than usual.
Week 1: New-to-Me Author Week
Last year I won a giveaway by author Sam Burns; the prize was to have a character be given my name. When Wolf Lost was released; I read it in one day.
The book begins in Colorado with Sawyer, an Omega wolf, on the run from his California pack. The new alpha murdered Sawyer’s father, the previous alpha, and wants Sawyer as his mate. Dez is our other hero; he’s a new wolf and a recently discharged green beret with injuries. He and two comrades, all alpha wolves, are a pack of three. These three men are NOT choosing a career involving violence, instead they have decided to open a coffee shop though none of them know how to use an espresso machine or bake. The three men stand with Sawyer when he runs onto their property and take him into their home. My namesake character runs the bookshop next to their coffee shop, and plays a nice role in the story. This is a low angst story with touches of humor; I enjoyed it.
Read Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen. The book was told in the first person and written with a definite sense of humor. The main character went back to his childhood home and attempted to find his first love. Along the way he encounters and is helped by a man who had bullied him in high school. It’s a rather over the top story which needed a better editor. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read.
Read Concurrence by Marc Rokoff which I thought was a romance but wasn’t. I chose the book because the description indicated a time travel element which sounded appealing. I found the first paragraph off-putting, and the story as a whole proved disappointing.
Week 2: Diverse Books Week –
For this week I read Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby whose main character is Xandri Corelel. Xandri was born into a world that has been practicing gene modification for centuries; however, her parents followed a short lived fad of natural birth. Consequently, she may be the only person in the world who is autistic. The reader sees how she meets the stresses of everyday life on board her ship and on other worlds.
We meet her four years after she has joined the crew of the Carpathia where she is now the head of Xeno-Liaisons. Throughout her difficult childhood, she became an expert at reading body language; that knowledge has enabled her to become a skilled liaison with the inhabitants of other worlds. The book deals primarily with one mission.
I’d describe this book as PG-13; there is violence, language, and mention of past abuse. Xandri appears to be attracted to both men and women. I found this a pleasant and easy read and would happily read the next book in the series. There is also a prequel which covers Xandri’s life prior to joining the Carpathia. The author describes herself as a “Queer autistic writer of everything speculative.”
I also read Still Waters by Alex Gabriel, a short paranormal romance that features a merman (…or does it?). This story is set in what seems to be our world, but a rift has permitted the passage of several beings from elsewhere. This is a slightly dark fantasy with a dead body or two, attacks, and more. I enjoyed it, and it’s currently free.
Week 3: Judge a Book By Its Cover Week
The cover of Painting with Fire by Lissa Kasey shows the face of a young man with two different colored eyes who is not quite meeting the eyes of the viewer; I find it memorable.
That young man is Bastian Hart, a talented artist, who is a highly successful doll painter; he is the survivor of childhood abuse and is fairly reclusive. Our other hero is Charlie Fox, a wildfire fighter, and best friend of Bastian’s aunt. The two men meet when Charlie accompanies his friend home for a funeral. I enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the art of doll painting.
The cover of Anhaga by Lisa Henry shows a raven with a tower, castle, and other buildings superimposed upon it; it’s quite eye-catching.
This story is set in a medieval type world where magic (hedgewitches, sorcerers, and necromancers, oh my!) is commonplace and the fae are feared. Our hero is Min, a man of few coins and questionable morals, who comes to the rescue of his adopted nephew when he is caught bedding a young noblewoman. Harry, the nephew, is cursed and will die within weeks if Min does not carry out a task. That task is to travel to Anhaga to retrieve a young hedgewitch, Kazimir, who did not return home after his apprenticeship. Once home, Kaz will be forced to marry his uncle and bow to the will of his evil grandfather. Min can either save his nephew or Kaz but not both. I REALLY liked this story and recommend it.
I also read This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel for my book group. The front cover of the book shows an orange peel while the back shows a whole orange. I can only recall one mention of oranges in the book and cannot figure out the relevance of the art to the story; nonetheless, it’s an attractive cover!
This was an intriguing story about Rosie and Penn and their five sons. Claude, the youngest, likes wearing dresses. Life becomes challenging when he starts school. The family moves cross country soon after a traumatic incident, and Claude/now Poppy and family are keepers of a big secret. This is not a romance though Rosie and Penn have a romantic courtship and marriage. Life is mostly happy for them all but keeping a secret is stressful, and Poppy’s secret is revealed one day. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. In the author’s note, she reveals that this book is not a memoir but that her little boy is now a little girl.
Week 4: Older or Younger Hero Week
I read Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke which has two heroes that are over forty. One, a sort of living ghost who retrieves stolen objects, is significantly older than forty. The other hero is the police officer with whom the first had a five year relationship some thirty years earlier. As you might imagine this is a paranormal romance that was full of surprises. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.
I also read Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine which was a quick and FUN read. The story takes place over a couple of weeks when Cole, who is about to graduate from high school, discovers that he can teleport. Cole is a game playing nerd (Onirim, anyone?) who has wonderful parents, a supportive teacher, and a diverse group of friends in his school Rainbow club. He has a crush on a fellow student, and there is someone who might be stalking him. This is a decidedly G-rated romance; I’d recommend it to teens and adults.
And I reread Lyn Gala’s Claimings which is my favorite m/m series and consists of four books. The two main characters are Liam and Ondry. Liam is in his late 30s, from Earth, serving as a linguistics tech in the military, a submissive with lots of baggage from past abusive relationships. Ondry is Rownt (two legged, egg-born, looking somewhat turtle like to humans); he is a skilled trader who is driven to succeed, two hundred on a planet where living to a thousand is not unknown. When the book begins, Liam and Ondry have been trading for five years. Much of the story deals with cultural and language differences. There is a lot of tenderness in the relationship between Liam and Ondry. This story is definitely not G-rated.
In addition to the above:
— Permafrost by ALASTAIR REYNOLDS which I found to be a quick and thought provoking read.
— The Flatshare: A Novel by Beth O’Leary is a book that I quite enjoyed; I suspect this is a book I’ll be rereading. It had me laughing frequently.
— Ben Aaronovitch’s The October Man. This novella is a spin off from the author’s Rivers of London series. I enjoyed it.
– I also reread Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall.
– I read Murder in the Blood (The Doyle & Acton Murder Series Book 10) by Anne Cleeland which I quite enjoyed. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order, so if interested begin with Murder in Thrall.
— I stayed up way too late finishing Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves); I enjoyed it.
–And I finished a short romance; it was pleasant, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. The Botanist by Dahlia Donovan.
— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel by Matthew Dicks which I read on one day. I quite liked it and had several conversations about it with my husband. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
— Let’s Get Textual (Texting Series Book 1) by Teagan Hunter which is a contemporary romance. It was an entertaining read, but I don’t think it’s a book I’ll be rereading.
— I read and admired Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game: A Collector’s Guide to Mah Jongg Tiles and Sets by Ann Israel and Gregg Swain. I began playing mah jongg this summer thus my interest in this book.
I participated in a reading challenge on a different site so my post will be more verbose than usual.
Week 1: New-to-Me Author Week
Last year I won a giveaway by author Sam Burns; the prize was to have a character be given my name. When Wolf Lost was released; I read it in one day.
The book begins in Colorado with Sawyer, an Omega wolf, on the run from his California pack. The new alpha murdered Sawyer’s father, the previous alpha, and wants Sawyer as his mate. Dez is our other hero; he’s a new wolf and a recently discharged green beret with injuries. He and two comrades, all alpha wolves, are a pack of three. These three men are NOT choosing a career involving violence, instead they have decided to open a coffee shop though none of them know how to use an espresso machine or bake. The three men stand with Sawyer when he runs onto their property and take him into their home. My namesake character runs the bookshop next to their coffee shop, and plays a nice role in the story. This is a low angst story with touches of humor; I enjoyed it.
Read Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen. The book was told in the first person and written with a definite sense of humor. The main character went back to his childhood home and attempted to find his first love. Along the way he encounters and is helped by a man who had bullied him in high school. It’s a rather over the top story which needed a better editor. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read.
Read Concurrence by Marc Rokoff which I thought was a romance but wasn’t. I chose the book because the description indicated a time travel element which sounded appealing. I found the first paragraph off-putting, and the story as a whole proved disappointing.
Week 2: Diverse Books Week –
For this week I read Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby whose main character is Xandri Corelel. Xandri was born into a world that has been practicing gene modification for centuries; however, her parents followed a short lived fad of natural birth. Consequently, she may be the only person in the world who is autistic. The reader sees how she meets the stresses of everyday life on board her ship and on other worlds.
We meet her four years after she has joined the crew of the Carpathia where she is now the head of Xeno-Liaisons. Throughout her difficult childhood, she became an expert at reading body language; that knowledge has enabled her to become a skilled liaison with the inhabitants of other worlds. The book deals primarily with one mission.
I’d describe this book as PG-13; there is violence, language, and mention of past abuse. Xandri appears to be attracted to both men and women. I found this a pleasant and easy read and would happily read the next book in the series. There is also a prequel which covers Xandri’s life prior to joining the Carpathia. The author describes herself as a “Queer autistic writer of everything speculative.”
I also read Still Waters by Alex Gabriel, a short paranormal romance that features a merman (…or does it?). This story is set in what seems to be our world, but a rift has permitted the passage of several beings from elsewhere. This is a slightly dark fantasy with a dead body or two, attacks, and more. I enjoyed it, and it’s currently free.
Week 3: Judge a Book By Its Cover Week
The cover of Painting with Fire by Lissa Kasey shows the face of a young man with two different colored eyes who is not quite meeting the eyes of the viewer; I find it memorable.
That young man is Bastian Hart, a talented artist, who is a highly successful doll painter; he is the survivor of childhood abuse and is fairly reclusive. Our other hero is Charlie Fox, a wildfire fighter, and best friend of Bastian’s aunt. The two men meet when Charlie accompanies his friend home for a funeral. I enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the art of doll painting.
The cover of Anhaga by Lisa Henry shows a raven with a tower, castle, and other buildings superimposed upon it; it’s quite eye-catching.
This story is set in a medieval type world where magic (hedgewitches, sorcerers, and necromancers, oh my!) is commonplace and the fae are feared. Our hero is Min, a man of few coins and questionable morals, who comes to the rescue of his adopted nephew when he is caught bedding a young noblewoman. Harry, the nephew, is cursed and will die within weeks if Min does not carry out a task. That task is to travel to Anhaga to retrieve a young hedgewitch, Kazimir, who did not return home after his apprenticeship. Once home, Kaz will be forced to marry his uncle and bow to the will of his evil grandfather. Min can either save his nephew or Kaz but not both. I REALLY liked this story and recommend it.
I also read This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel for my book group. The front cover of the book shows an orange peel while the back shows a whole orange. I can only recall one mention of oranges in the book and cannot figure out the relevance of the art to the story; nonetheless, it’s an attractive cover!
This was an intriguing story about Rosie and Penn and their five sons. Claude, the youngest, likes wearing dresses. Life becomes challenging when he starts school. The family moves cross country soon after a traumatic incident, and Claude/now Poppy and family are keepers of a big secret. This is not a romance though Rosie and Penn have a romantic courtship and marriage. Life is mostly happy for them all but keeping a secret is stressful, and Poppy’s secret is revealed one day. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. In the author’s note, she reveals that this book is not a memoir but that her little boy is now a little girl.
Week 4: Older or Younger Hero Week
I read Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke which has two heroes that are over forty. One, a sort of living ghost who retrieves stolen objects, is significantly older than forty. The other hero is the police officer with whom the first had a five year relationship some thirty years earlier. As you might imagine this is a paranormal romance that was full of surprises. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.
I also read Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine which was a quick and FUN read. The story takes place over a couple of weeks when Cole, who is about to graduate from high school, discovers that he can teleport. Cole is a game playing nerd (Onirim, anyone?) who has wonderful parents, a supportive teacher, and a diverse group of friends in his school Rainbow club. He has a crush on a fellow student, and there is someone who might be stalking him. This is a decidedly G-rated romance; I’d recommend it to teens and adults.
And I reread Lyn Gala’s Claimings which is my favorite m/m series and consists of four books. The two main characters are Liam and Ondry. Liam is in his late 30s, from Earth, serving as a linguistics tech in the military, a submissive with lots of baggage from past abusive relationships. Ondry is Rownt (two legged, egg-born, looking somewhat turtle like to humans); he is a skilled trader who is driven to succeed, two hundred on a planet where living to a thousand is not unknown. When the book begins, Liam and Ondry have been trading for five years. Much of the story deals with cultural and language differences. There is a lot of tenderness in the relationship between Liam and Ondry. This story is definitely not G-rated.
In addition to the above:
— Permafrost by ALASTAIR REYNOLDS which I found to be a quick and thought provoking read.
— The Flatshare: A Novel by Beth O’Leary is a book that I quite enjoyed; I suspect this is a book I’ll be rereading. It had me laughing frequently.
— Ben Aaronovitch’s The October Man. This novella is a spin off from the author’s Rivers of London series. I enjoyed it.
– I also reread Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall.
– I read Murder in the Blood (The Doyle & Acton Murder Series Book 10) by Anne Cleeland which I quite enjoyed. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order, so if interested begin with Murder in Thrall.
— I stayed up way too late finishing Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves); I enjoyed it.
–And I finished a short romance; it was pleasant, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. The Botanist by Dahlia Donovan.
— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel by Matthew Dicks which I read on one day. I quite liked it and had several conversations about it with my husband. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
— Let’s Get Textual (Texting Series Book 1) by Teagan Hunter which is a contemporary romance. It was an entertaining read, but I don’t think it’s a book I’ll be rereading.
— I read and admired Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game: A Collector’s Guide to Mah Jongg Tiles and Sets by Ann Israel and Gregg Swain. I began playing mah jongg this summer thus my interest in this book.
I participated in a reading challenge on a different site so my post will be more verbose than usual.
Week 1: New-to-Me Author Week
Last year I won a giveaway by author Sam Burns; the prize was to have a character be given my name. When Wolf Lost was released; I read it in one day.
The book begins in Colorado with Sawyer, an Omega wolf, on the run from his California pack. The new alpha murdered Sawyer’s father, the previous alpha, and wants Sawyer as his mate. Dez is our other hero; he’s a new wolf and a recently discharged green beret with injuries. He and two comrades, all alpha wolves, are a pack of three. These three men are NOT choosing a career involving violence, instead they have decided to open a coffee shop though none of them know how to use an espresso machine or bake. The three men stand with Sawyer when he runs onto their property and take him into their home. My namesake character runs the bookshop next to their coffee shop, and plays a nice role in the story. This is a low angst story with touches of humor; I enjoyed it.
Read Midlife Crisis by Rob Rosen. The book was told in the first person and written with a definite sense of humor. The main character went back to his childhood home and attempted to find his first love. Along the way he encounters and is helped by a man who had bullied him in high school. It’s a rather over the top story which needed a better editor. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant read.
Read Concurrence by Marc Rokoff which I thought was a romance but wasn’t. I chose the book because the description indicated a time travel element which sounded appealing. I found the first paragraph off-putting, and the story as a whole proved disappointing.
Week 2: Diverse Books Week –
For this week I read Failure to Communicate by Kaia Sønderby whose main character is Xandri Corelel. Xandri was born into a world that has been practicing gene modification for centuries; however, her parents followed a short lived fad of natural birth. Consequently, she may be the only person in the world who is autistic. The reader sees how she meets the stresses of everyday life on board her ship and on other worlds.
We meet her four years after she has joined the crew of the Carpathia where she is now the head of Xeno-Liaisons. Throughout her difficult childhood, she became an expert at reading body language; that knowledge has enabled her to become a skilled liaison with the inhabitants of other worlds. The book deals primarily with one mission.
I’d describe this book as PG-13; there is violence, language, and mention of past abuse. Xandri appears to be attracted to both men and women. I found this a pleasant and easy read and would happily read the next book in the series. There is also a prequel which covers Xandri’s life prior to joining the Carpathia. The author describes herself as a “Queer autistic writer of everything speculative.”
I also read Still Waters by Alex Gabriel, a short paranormal romance that features a merman (…or does it?). This story is set in what seems to be our world, but a rift has permitted the passage of several beings from elsewhere. This is a slightly dark fantasy with a dead body or two, attacks, and more. I enjoyed it, and it’s currently free.
Week 3: Judge a Book By Its Cover Week
The cover of Painting with Fire by Lissa Kasey shows the face of a young man with two different colored eyes who is not quite meeting the eyes of the viewer; I find it memorable.
That young man is Bastian Hart, a talented artist, who is a highly successful doll painter; he is the survivor of childhood abuse and is fairly reclusive. Our other hero is Charlie Fox, a wildfire fighter, and best friend of Bastian’s aunt. The two men meet when Charlie accompanies his friend home for a funeral. I enjoyed this book and learned a few things about the art of doll painting.
The cover of Anhaga by Lisa Henry shows a raven with a tower, castle, and other buildings superimposed upon it; it’s quite eye-catching.
This story is set in a medieval type world where magic (hedgewitches, sorcerers, and necromancers, oh my!) is commonplace and the fae are feared. Our hero is Min, a man of few coins and questionable morals, who comes to the rescue of his adopted nephew when he is caught bedding a young noblewoman. Harry, the nephew, is cursed and will die within weeks if Min does not carry out a task. That task is to travel to Anhaga to retrieve a young hedgewitch, Kazimir, who did not return home after his apprenticeship. Once home, Kaz will be forced to marry his uncle and bow to the will of his evil grandfather. Min can either save his nephew or Kaz but not both. I REALLY liked this story and recommend it.
I also read This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel for my book group. The front cover of the book shows an orange peel while the back shows a whole orange. I can only recall one mention of oranges in the book and cannot figure out the relevance of the art to the story; nonetheless, it’s an attractive cover!
This was an intriguing story about Rosie and Penn and their five sons. Claude, the youngest, likes wearing dresses. Life becomes challenging when he starts school. The family moves cross country soon after a traumatic incident, and Claude/now Poppy and family are keepers of a big secret. This is not a romance though Rosie and Penn have a romantic courtship and marriage. Life is mostly happy for them all but keeping a secret is stressful, and Poppy’s secret is revealed one day. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. In the author’s note, she reveals that this book is not a memoir but that her little boy is now a little girl.
Week 4: Older or Younger Hero Week
I read Not Dead Yet by Jenn Burke which has two heroes that are over forty. One, a sort of living ghost who retrieves stolen objects, is significantly older than forty. The other hero is the police officer with whom the first had a five year relationship some thirty years earlier. As you might imagine this is a paranormal romance that was full of surprises. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading the sequel.
I also read Exit Plans for Teenage Freaks by ‘Nathan Burgoine which was a quick and FUN read. The story takes place over a couple of weeks when Cole, who is about to graduate from high school, discovers that he can teleport. Cole is a game playing nerd (Onirim, anyone?) who has wonderful parents, a supportive teacher, and a diverse group of friends in his school Rainbow club. He has a crush on a fellow student, and there is someone who might be stalking him. This is a decidedly G-rated romance; I’d recommend it to teens and adults.
And I reread Lyn Gala’s Claimings which is my favorite m/m series and consists of four books. The two main characters are Liam and Ondry. Liam is in his late 30s, from Earth, serving as a linguistics tech in the military, a submissive with lots of baggage from past abusive relationships. Ondry is Rownt (two legged, egg-born, looking somewhat turtle like to humans); he is a skilled trader who is driven to succeed, two hundred on a planet where living to a thousand is not unknown. When the book begins, Liam and Ondry have been trading for five years. Much of the story deals with cultural and language differences. There is a lot of tenderness in the relationship between Liam and Ondry. This story is definitely not G-rated.
In addition to the above:
— Permafrost by ALASTAIR REYNOLDS which I found to be a quick and thought provoking read.
— The Flatshare: A Novel by Beth O’Leary is a book that I quite enjoyed; I suspect this is a book I’ll be rereading. It had me laughing frequently.
— Ben Aaronovitch’s The October Man. This novella is a spin off from the author’s Rivers of London series. I enjoyed it.
– I also reread Linesman, Alliance, and Confluence by SK Dunstall.
– I read Murder in the Blood (The Doyle & Acton Murder Series Book 10) by Anne Cleeland which I quite enjoyed. This is a series that definitely needs to be read in order, so if interested begin with Murder in Thrall.
— I stayed up way too late finishing Maria Vale’s Forever Wolf (The Legend of All Wolves); I enjoyed it.
–And I finished a short romance; it was pleasant, but it’s not a book I expect to reread. The Botanist by Dahlia Donovan.
— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend: A Novel by Matthew Dicks which I read on one day. I quite liked it and had several conversations about it with my husband. It was both entertaining and thought provoking.
— Let’s Get Textual (Texting Series Book 1) by Teagan Hunter which is a contemporary romance. It was an entertaining read, but I don’t think it’s a book I’ll be rereading.
— I read and admired Mah Jongg: The Art of the Game: A Collector’s Guide to Mah Jongg Tiles and Sets by Ann Israel and Gregg Swain. I began playing mah jongg this summer thus my interest in this book.
My apologies for the very weird formatting of my post above.
My apologies for the very weird formatting of my post above.
My apologies for the very weird formatting of my post above.
My apologies for the very weird formatting of my post above.
My apologies for the very weird formatting of my post above.
Margot, thanks so much for the kind words. ONE PERFECT ROSE is a romance with a happy ending, but it deals with very serious issues. I shed a few tears writing it, too!
Margot, thanks so much for the kind words. ONE PERFECT ROSE is a romance with a happy ending, but it deals with very serious issues. I shed a few tears writing it, too!
Margot, thanks so much for the kind words. ONE PERFECT ROSE is a romance with a happy ending, but it deals with very serious issues. I shed a few tears writing it, too!
Margot, thanks so much for the kind words. ONE PERFECT ROSE is a romance with a happy ending, but it deals with very serious issues. I shed a few tears writing it, too!
Margot, thanks so much for the kind words. ONE PERFECT ROSE is a romance with a happy ending, but it deals with very serious issues. I shed a few tears writing it, too!
New books (just published) Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney and also Mary Jo’s contribution to the anthology Seduction in a Snow Storm. All three were enjoyable, all were up to their Wenchly standards. (I expect lots of us will be listing these.)
Last month someone listed Catherine Aird’s Some Die Eloquent. This reminded my of her works; I found all of her books were in ebook form, so I bought them all, and reread them all. One of the voumes contain her sort stories. I’m not nearly as fond of these as I am of her full-length books. Thank you all for the prod to this reading binge.
I alternated Caitherine Aird with rereading Anne McCaffrey; I have finished most of the non-Pern books and have started to reread Pern.
And finally I have reread the first three Stone Creek novels by Linda Lael Milller.
New books (just published) Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney and also Mary Jo’s contribution to the anthology Seduction in a Snow Storm. All three were enjoyable, all were up to their Wenchly standards. (I expect lots of us will be listing these.)
Last month someone listed Catherine Aird’s Some Die Eloquent. This reminded my of her works; I found all of her books were in ebook form, so I bought them all, and reread them all. One of the voumes contain her sort stories. I’m not nearly as fond of these as I am of her full-length books. Thank you all for the prod to this reading binge.
I alternated Caitherine Aird with rereading Anne McCaffrey; I have finished most of the non-Pern books and have started to reread Pern.
And finally I have reread the first three Stone Creek novels by Linda Lael Milller.
New books (just published) Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney and also Mary Jo’s contribution to the anthology Seduction in a Snow Storm. All three were enjoyable, all were up to their Wenchly standards. (I expect lots of us will be listing these.)
Last month someone listed Catherine Aird’s Some Die Eloquent. This reminded my of her works; I found all of her books were in ebook form, so I bought them all, and reread them all. One of the voumes contain her sort stories. I’m not nearly as fond of these as I am of her full-length books. Thank you all for the prod to this reading binge.
I alternated Caitherine Aird with rereading Anne McCaffrey; I have finished most of the non-Pern books and have started to reread Pern.
And finally I have reread the first three Stone Creek novels by Linda Lael Milller.
New books (just published) Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney and also Mary Jo’s contribution to the anthology Seduction in a Snow Storm. All three were enjoyable, all were up to their Wenchly standards. (I expect lots of us will be listing these.)
Last month someone listed Catherine Aird’s Some Die Eloquent. This reminded my of her works; I found all of her books were in ebook form, so I bought them all, and reread them all. One of the voumes contain her sort stories. I’m not nearly as fond of these as I am of her full-length books. Thank you all for the prod to this reading binge.
I alternated Caitherine Aird with rereading Anne McCaffrey; I have finished most of the non-Pern books and have started to reread Pern.
And finally I have reread the first three Stone Creek novels by Linda Lael Milller.
New books (just published) Murder at Kensington Palace by Andrea Penrose, Once a Spy by Mary Jo Putney and also Mary Jo’s contribution to the anthology Seduction in a Snow Storm. All three were enjoyable, all were up to their Wenchly standards. (I expect lots of us will be listing these.)
Last month someone listed Catherine Aird’s Some Die Eloquent. This reminded my of her works; I found all of her books were in ebook form, so I bought them all, and reread them all. One of the voumes contain her sort stories. I’m not nearly as fond of these as I am of her full-length books. Thank you all for the prod to this reading binge.
I alternated Caitherine Aird with rereading Anne McCaffrey; I have finished most of the non-Pern books and have started to reread Pern.
And finally I have reread the first three Stone Creek novels by Linda Lael Milller.
I just finished Marie Brennan’s “Turning Darkness Into Light.” It’s the next generation with Lady’s Trent’s granddaughter, Isabel, and her adventures in proving her place in the scientific world of translating ancient tablets and discovering a devious plot involving all she holds dear.
It’s a fascinating work with details you need patience to read as if it’s a real translation of ancient text. I found it well worth it.
I just finished Marie Brennan’s “Turning Darkness Into Light.” It’s the next generation with Lady’s Trent’s granddaughter, Isabel, and her adventures in proving her place in the scientific world of translating ancient tablets and discovering a devious plot involving all she holds dear.
It’s a fascinating work with details you need patience to read as if it’s a real translation of ancient text. I found it well worth it.
I just finished Marie Brennan’s “Turning Darkness Into Light.” It’s the next generation with Lady’s Trent’s granddaughter, Isabel, and her adventures in proving her place in the scientific world of translating ancient tablets and discovering a devious plot involving all she holds dear.
It’s a fascinating work with details you need patience to read as if it’s a real translation of ancient text. I found it well worth it.
I just finished Marie Brennan’s “Turning Darkness Into Light.” It’s the next generation with Lady’s Trent’s granddaughter, Isabel, and her adventures in proving her place in the scientific world of translating ancient tablets and discovering a devious plot involving all she holds dear.
It’s a fascinating work with details you need patience to read as if it’s a real translation of ancient text. I found it well worth it.
I just finished Marie Brennan’s “Turning Darkness Into Light.” It’s the next generation with Lady’s Trent’s granddaughter, Isabel, and her adventures in proving her place in the scientific world of translating ancient tablets and discovering a devious plot involving all she holds dear.
It’s a fascinating work with details you need patience to read as if it’s a real translation of ancient text. I found it well worth it.
I wish I had read this before buying a gift for a certain young lady’s birthday…never mind, there are other birthdays and with Christmas coming up, all of this is very useful.
I wish I had read this before buying a gift for a certain young lady’s birthday…never mind, there are other birthdays and with Christmas coming up, all of this is very useful.
I wish I had read this before buying a gift for a certain young lady’s birthday…never mind, there are other birthdays and with Christmas coming up, all of this is very useful.
I wish I had read this before buying a gift for a certain young lady’s birthday…never mind, there are other birthdays and with Christmas coming up, all of this is very useful.
I wish I had read this before buying a gift for a certain young lady’s birthday…never mind, there are other birthdays and with Christmas coming up, all of this is very useful.
I really enjoyed that Emily Larkin book too, Quantum. Inn fact the whole series is great! I’m glad you’ve found them.
I really enjoyed that Emily Larkin book too, Quantum. Inn fact the whole series is great! I’m glad you’ve found them.
I really enjoyed that Emily Larkin book too, Quantum. Inn fact the whole series is great! I’m glad you’ve found them.
I really enjoyed that Emily Larkin book too, Quantum. Inn fact the whole series is great! I’m glad you’ve found them.
I really enjoyed that Emily Larkin book too, Quantum. Inn fact the whole series is great! I’m glad you’ve found them.
Thanks, Julia – as you say, there is always another occasion for which books would be appropriate!
Thanks, Julia – as you say, there is always another occasion for which books would be appropriate!
Thanks, Julia – as you say, there is always another occasion for which books would be appropriate!
Thanks, Julia – as you say, there is always another occasion for which books would be appropriate!
Thanks, Julia – as you say, there is always another occasion for which books would be appropriate!
Since I didn’t want to miss any of your post I just copied your original post and put it in Word. 98% of it was right. Definitely was very readable looking at it that way. Isn’t it weird how things just go wonky sometimes.
Since I didn’t want to miss any of your post I just copied your original post and put it in Word. 98% of it was right. Definitely was very readable looking at it that way. Isn’t it weird how things just go wonky sometimes.
Since I didn’t want to miss any of your post I just copied your original post and put it in Word. 98% of it was right. Definitely was very readable looking at it that way. Isn’t it weird how things just go wonky sometimes.
Since I didn’t want to miss any of your post I just copied your original post and put it in Word. 98% of it was right. Definitely was very readable looking at it that way. Isn’t it weird how things just go wonky sometimes.
Since I didn’t want to miss any of your post I just copied your original post and put it in Word. 98% of it was right. Definitely was very readable looking at it that way. Isn’t it weird how things just go wonky sometimes.
I apparently didn’t keep a very good list this month! That or there were a lot of unmemorable books that I read.
Chillsbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan. Really enjoyed reading it and want to thank all the Wenchly readers who recommended it. I didn’t have to wait too long on the wait list before my turn came.
A Rainbow Above Us – Sharaon Sala. A Blessings GA book. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely a book I’ll read again. The H & h were perfect together. They fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Though I did notice that there is a definite retribution them ongoing with these Blessings books. Gets to be a bigger component every book.
Kentucky Bride – Hannah Howell. Marriage of Convenience theme. Around 1800 give or take. She is a city girl from Baltimore (my note didn’t tell me) who ends up marrying man who is from the Kentucky frontier. All about her growth as a person, learning how to live on a frontier homestead as well as adapt to marriage. Really enjoyed it.
Prior Betrothal – Elsie Lee. Very witty clever Regency Romance. I was filling in a hole on my Keeper shelf with this book!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas – Katie Ruggle. First off I do want to say I totally enjoyed this book. Lots of fun quirky characters. It is a contemporary romance but it is NOT a Cowboy Western Romance! The H is a firefighter. The h is an artist. It involes his 4 children and the Christmas Tree Farn the H lives and works on. Lots of laughter. Forget the Cowboy on the cover of the book because there isn’t one IN the books (grin.)
Once a Spy – Mary Jo Putney. YES! It arrived! I dove in and read it and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I can’t wait for Chantry/Ramsy’s book. While waiting for Once a Spy to arrive I also read all of Once a Soldier and the last third of Once a Scoundrel to refresh my memory about Duval and Suzanne.
A Touch of Frost and A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman. Set in 1890’s Colorado. Both were good but I really loved A Touch of Flame. I kept laughing while I read it. Lots of sly/dry humor. Not poking fun at anyone just it was there.
Totally agree with Nicola. Emily Larkin books are so amazing. I still have a few more to acquire and read.
I apparently didn’t keep a very good list this month! That or there were a lot of unmemorable books that I read.
Chillsbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan. Really enjoyed reading it and want to thank all the Wenchly readers who recommended it. I didn’t have to wait too long on the wait list before my turn came.
A Rainbow Above Us – Sharaon Sala. A Blessings GA book. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely a book I’ll read again. The H & h were perfect together. They fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Though I did notice that there is a definite retribution them ongoing with these Blessings books. Gets to be a bigger component every book.
Kentucky Bride – Hannah Howell. Marriage of Convenience theme. Around 1800 give or take. She is a city girl from Baltimore (my note didn’t tell me) who ends up marrying man who is from the Kentucky frontier. All about her growth as a person, learning how to live on a frontier homestead as well as adapt to marriage. Really enjoyed it.
Prior Betrothal – Elsie Lee. Very witty clever Regency Romance. I was filling in a hole on my Keeper shelf with this book!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas – Katie Ruggle. First off I do want to say I totally enjoyed this book. Lots of fun quirky characters. It is a contemporary romance but it is NOT a Cowboy Western Romance! The H is a firefighter. The h is an artist. It involes his 4 children and the Christmas Tree Farn the H lives and works on. Lots of laughter. Forget the Cowboy on the cover of the book because there isn’t one IN the books (grin.)
Once a Spy – Mary Jo Putney. YES! It arrived! I dove in and read it and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I can’t wait for Chantry/Ramsy’s book. While waiting for Once a Spy to arrive I also read all of Once a Soldier and the last third of Once a Scoundrel to refresh my memory about Duval and Suzanne.
A Touch of Frost and A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman. Set in 1890’s Colorado. Both were good but I really loved A Touch of Flame. I kept laughing while I read it. Lots of sly/dry humor. Not poking fun at anyone just it was there.
Totally agree with Nicola. Emily Larkin books are so amazing. I still have a few more to acquire and read.
I apparently didn’t keep a very good list this month! That or there were a lot of unmemorable books that I read.
Chillsbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan. Really enjoyed reading it and want to thank all the Wenchly readers who recommended it. I didn’t have to wait too long on the wait list before my turn came.
A Rainbow Above Us – Sharaon Sala. A Blessings GA book. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely a book I’ll read again. The H & h were perfect together. They fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Though I did notice that there is a definite retribution them ongoing with these Blessings books. Gets to be a bigger component every book.
Kentucky Bride – Hannah Howell. Marriage of Convenience theme. Around 1800 give or take. She is a city girl from Baltimore (my note didn’t tell me) who ends up marrying man who is from the Kentucky frontier. All about her growth as a person, learning how to live on a frontier homestead as well as adapt to marriage. Really enjoyed it.
Prior Betrothal – Elsie Lee. Very witty clever Regency Romance. I was filling in a hole on my Keeper shelf with this book!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas – Katie Ruggle. First off I do want to say I totally enjoyed this book. Lots of fun quirky characters. It is a contemporary romance but it is NOT a Cowboy Western Romance! The H is a firefighter. The h is an artist. It involes his 4 children and the Christmas Tree Farn the H lives and works on. Lots of laughter. Forget the Cowboy on the cover of the book because there isn’t one IN the books (grin.)
Once a Spy – Mary Jo Putney. YES! It arrived! I dove in and read it and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I can’t wait for Chantry/Ramsy’s book. While waiting for Once a Spy to arrive I also read all of Once a Soldier and the last third of Once a Scoundrel to refresh my memory about Duval and Suzanne.
A Touch of Frost and A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman. Set in 1890’s Colorado. Both were good but I really loved A Touch of Flame. I kept laughing while I read it. Lots of sly/dry humor. Not poking fun at anyone just it was there.
Totally agree with Nicola. Emily Larkin books are so amazing. I still have a few more to acquire and read.
I apparently didn’t keep a very good list this month! That or there were a lot of unmemorable books that I read.
Chillsbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan. Really enjoyed reading it and want to thank all the Wenchly readers who recommended it. I didn’t have to wait too long on the wait list before my turn came.
A Rainbow Above Us – Sharaon Sala. A Blessings GA book. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely a book I’ll read again. The H & h were perfect together. They fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Though I did notice that there is a definite retribution them ongoing with these Blessings books. Gets to be a bigger component every book.
Kentucky Bride – Hannah Howell. Marriage of Convenience theme. Around 1800 give or take. She is a city girl from Baltimore (my note didn’t tell me) who ends up marrying man who is from the Kentucky frontier. All about her growth as a person, learning how to live on a frontier homestead as well as adapt to marriage. Really enjoyed it.
Prior Betrothal – Elsie Lee. Very witty clever Regency Romance. I was filling in a hole on my Keeper shelf with this book!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas – Katie Ruggle. First off I do want to say I totally enjoyed this book. Lots of fun quirky characters. It is a contemporary romance but it is NOT a Cowboy Western Romance! The H is a firefighter. The h is an artist. It involes his 4 children and the Christmas Tree Farn the H lives and works on. Lots of laughter. Forget the Cowboy on the cover of the book because there isn’t one IN the books (grin.)
Once a Spy – Mary Jo Putney. YES! It arrived! I dove in and read it and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I can’t wait for Chantry/Ramsy’s book. While waiting for Once a Spy to arrive I also read all of Once a Soldier and the last third of Once a Scoundrel to refresh my memory about Duval and Suzanne.
A Touch of Frost and A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman. Set in 1890’s Colorado. Both were good but I really loved A Touch of Flame. I kept laughing while I read it. Lots of sly/dry humor. Not poking fun at anyone just it was there.
Totally agree with Nicola. Emily Larkin books are so amazing. I still have a few more to acquire and read.
I apparently didn’t keep a very good list this month! That or there were a lot of unmemorable books that I read.
Chillsbury Ladies Choir – Jennifer Ryan. Really enjoyed reading it and want to thank all the Wenchly readers who recommended it. I didn’t have to wait too long on the wait list before my turn came.
A Rainbow Above Us – Sharaon Sala. A Blessings GA book. I really enjoyed it and it is definitely a book I’ll read again. The H & h were perfect together. They fit together like the interlocking pieces of a puzzle. Though I did notice that there is a definite retribution them ongoing with these Blessings books. Gets to be a bigger component every book.
Kentucky Bride – Hannah Howell. Marriage of Convenience theme. Around 1800 give or take. She is a city girl from Baltimore (my note didn’t tell me) who ends up marrying man who is from the Kentucky frontier. All about her growth as a person, learning how to live on a frontier homestead as well as adapt to marriage. Really enjoyed it.
Prior Betrothal – Elsie Lee. Very witty clever Regency Romance. I was filling in a hole on my Keeper shelf with this book!
Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas – Katie Ruggle. First off I do want to say I totally enjoyed this book. Lots of fun quirky characters. It is a contemporary romance but it is NOT a Cowboy Western Romance! The H is a firefighter. The h is an artist. It involes his 4 children and the Christmas Tree Farn the H lives and works on. Lots of laughter. Forget the Cowboy on the cover of the book because there isn’t one IN the books (grin.)
Once a Spy – Mary Jo Putney. YES! It arrived! I dove in and read it and enjoyed it as much as I expected I would. I can’t wait for Chantry/Ramsy’s book. While waiting for Once a Spy to arrive I also read all of Once a Soldier and the last third of Once a Scoundrel to refresh my memory about Duval and Suzanne.
A Touch of Frost and A Touch of Flame by Jo Goodman. Set in 1890’s Colorado. Both were good but I really loved A Touch of Flame. I kept laughing while I read it. Lots of sly/dry humor. Not poking fun at anyone just it was there.
Totally agree with Nicola. Emily Larkin books are so amazing. I still have a few more to acquire and read.
My reading time has been scrappy this past month. I read and love Andrea’s new book and I’ve just finished Sanditon by Jane Austen with an essay by Janet Todd and enjoyed it very much.
I’m added Bringing Down the Duke to my TBR. I really like the sound of it.
Have a book to read and review and a book group read coming up. Must try harder this month:)
My reading time has been scrappy this past month. I read and love Andrea’s new book and I’ve just finished Sanditon by Jane Austen with an essay by Janet Todd and enjoyed it very much.
I’m added Bringing Down the Duke to my TBR. I really like the sound of it.
Have a book to read and review and a book group read coming up. Must try harder this month:)
My reading time has been scrappy this past month. I read and love Andrea’s new book and I’ve just finished Sanditon by Jane Austen with an essay by Janet Todd and enjoyed it very much.
I’m added Bringing Down the Duke to my TBR. I really like the sound of it.
Have a book to read and review and a book group read coming up. Must try harder this month:)
My reading time has been scrappy this past month. I read and love Andrea’s new book and I’ve just finished Sanditon by Jane Austen with an essay by Janet Todd and enjoyed it very much.
I’m added Bringing Down the Duke to my TBR. I really like the sound of it.
Have a book to read and review and a book group read coming up. Must try harder this month:)
My reading time has been scrappy this past month. I read and love Andrea’s new book and I’ve just finished Sanditon by Jane Austen with an essay by Janet Todd and enjoyed it very much.
I’m added Bringing Down the Duke to my TBR. I really like the sound of it.
Have a book to read and review and a book group read coming up. Must try harder this month:)
I just finished “Bringing Down the Duke” and I second Andrea’s rave review. It started off well, the writing is lovely and the characters are great, and the time period and women’s suffrage theme are underused. But to my delight the book gained intensity and depth as it went on, and became even more fabulous. I’m thrilled that it is the first of a series.
Prior to that, I read “A Duke in Disguise”, my first Cat Sebastian book, and it was also great. I was so impressed by how both Dunmore and Sebastian took a romance cliche, a book with “Duke” in the title, and created fresh and unexpected stories. Like “Bringing Down the Duke”, “A Duke in Disguise” had a political theme, because the heroine and her brother run a print shop, which produces pamphlets and newspapers considered seditious by the government. And coincidentally, in both books, the hero declares himself by making a bold political gesture.
And I got some free books this month! I won an autographed copy of “The Matrimonial Advertisement”, which led me to read it for the 3rd time(first time on paper). I am a big Mimi Matthews fan.
Then, I was offered a ARC of “Love and Other Perils”, which is a duo of novellas by Emily Larkin and Grace Burroughs. I am almost done with them, and I recommend them as charming and angst-free comfort reads. The common theme of the two books is felines. The Larkin novella has a military hero, and is a bit reminiscent of Carla Kelly. The release date is about a week from now.
I just finished “Bringing Down the Duke” and I second Andrea’s rave review. It started off well, the writing is lovely and the characters are great, and the time period and women’s suffrage theme are underused. But to my delight the book gained intensity and depth as it went on, and became even more fabulous. I’m thrilled that it is the first of a series.
Prior to that, I read “A Duke in Disguise”, my first Cat Sebastian book, and it was also great. I was so impressed by how both Dunmore and Sebastian took a romance cliche, a book with “Duke” in the title, and created fresh and unexpected stories. Like “Bringing Down the Duke”, “A Duke in Disguise” had a political theme, because the heroine and her brother run a print shop, which produces pamphlets and newspapers considered seditious by the government. And coincidentally, in both books, the hero declares himself by making a bold political gesture.
And I got some free books this month! I won an autographed copy of “The Matrimonial Advertisement”, which led me to read it for the 3rd time(first time on paper). I am a big Mimi Matthews fan.
Then, I was offered a ARC of “Love and Other Perils”, which is a duo of novellas by Emily Larkin and Grace Burroughs. I am almost done with them, and I recommend them as charming and angst-free comfort reads. The common theme of the two books is felines. The Larkin novella has a military hero, and is a bit reminiscent of Carla Kelly. The release date is about a week from now.
I just finished “Bringing Down the Duke” and I second Andrea’s rave review. It started off well, the writing is lovely and the characters are great, and the time period and women’s suffrage theme are underused. But to my delight the book gained intensity and depth as it went on, and became even more fabulous. I’m thrilled that it is the first of a series.
Prior to that, I read “A Duke in Disguise”, my first Cat Sebastian book, and it was also great. I was so impressed by how both Dunmore and Sebastian took a romance cliche, a book with “Duke” in the title, and created fresh and unexpected stories. Like “Bringing Down the Duke”, “A Duke in Disguise” had a political theme, because the heroine and her brother run a print shop, which produces pamphlets and newspapers considered seditious by the government. And coincidentally, in both books, the hero declares himself by making a bold political gesture.
And I got some free books this month! I won an autographed copy of “The Matrimonial Advertisement”, which led me to read it for the 3rd time(first time on paper). I am a big Mimi Matthews fan.
Then, I was offered a ARC of “Love and Other Perils”, which is a duo of novellas by Emily Larkin and Grace Burroughs. I am almost done with them, and I recommend them as charming and angst-free comfort reads. The common theme of the two books is felines. The Larkin novella has a military hero, and is a bit reminiscent of Carla Kelly. The release date is about a week from now.
I just finished “Bringing Down the Duke” and I second Andrea’s rave review. It started off well, the writing is lovely and the characters are great, and the time period and women’s suffrage theme are underused. But to my delight the book gained intensity and depth as it went on, and became even more fabulous. I’m thrilled that it is the first of a series.
Prior to that, I read “A Duke in Disguise”, my first Cat Sebastian book, and it was also great. I was so impressed by how both Dunmore and Sebastian took a romance cliche, a book with “Duke” in the title, and created fresh and unexpected stories. Like “Bringing Down the Duke”, “A Duke in Disguise” had a political theme, because the heroine and her brother run a print shop, which produces pamphlets and newspapers considered seditious by the government. And coincidentally, in both books, the hero declares himself by making a bold political gesture.
And I got some free books this month! I won an autographed copy of “The Matrimonial Advertisement”, which led me to read it for the 3rd time(first time on paper). I am a big Mimi Matthews fan.
Then, I was offered a ARC of “Love and Other Perils”, which is a duo of novellas by Emily Larkin and Grace Burroughs. I am almost done with them, and I recommend them as charming and angst-free comfort reads. The common theme of the two books is felines. The Larkin novella has a military hero, and is a bit reminiscent of Carla Kelly. The release date is about a week from now.
I just finished “Bringing Down the Duke” and I second Andrea’s rave review. It started off well, the writing is lovely and the characters are great, and the time period and women’s suffrage theme are underused. But to my delight the book gained intensity and depth as it went on, and became even more fabulous. I’m thrilled that it is the first of a series.
Prior to that, I read “A Duke in Disguise”, my first Cat Sebastian book, and it was also great. I was so impressed by how both Dunmore and Sebastian took a romance cliche, a book with “Duke” in the title, and created fresh and unexpected stories. Like “Bringing Down the Duke”, “A Duke in Disguise” had a political theme, because the heroine and her brother run a print shop, which produces pamphlets and newspapers considered seditious by the government. And coincidentally, in both books, the hero declares himself by making a bold political gesture.
And I got some free books this month! I won an autographed copy of “The Matrimonial Advertisement”, which led me to read it for the 3rd time(first time on paper). I am a big Mimi Matthews fan.
Then, I was offered a ARC of “Love and Other Perils”, which is a duo of novellas by Emily Larkin and Grace Burroughs. I am almost done with them, and I recommend them as charming and angst-free comfort reads. The common theme of the two books is felines. The Larkin novella has a military hero, and is a bit reminiscent of Carla Kelly. The release date is about a week from now.
Thanks for the tip! That worked for me too.
Thanks for the tip! That worked for me too.
Thanks for the tip! That worked for me too.
Thanks for the tip! That worked for me too.
Thanks for the tip! That worked for me too.
I’m glad it worked for you too.
I’m glad it worked for you too.
I’m glad it worked for you too.
I’m glad it worked for you too.
I’m glad it worked for you too.
I’m another Emily Larkin fan, Quantum. She’s also written some very good fantasy books under the name of Emily Gee. And now you’ve read her, you might be interested in this interview with her.
https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/11/meet-emily-larkin.html?
I’m another Emily Larkin fan, Quantum. She’s also written some very good fantasy books under the name of Emily Gee. And now you’ve read her, you might be interested in this interview with her.
https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/11/meet-emily-larkin.html?
I’m another Emily Larkin fan, Quantum. She’s also written some very good fantasy books under the name of Emily Gee. And now you’ve read her, you might be interested in this interview with her.
https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/11/meet-emily-larkin.html?
I’m another Emily Larkin fan, Quantum. She’s also written some very good fantasy books under the name of Emily Gee. And now you’ve read her, you might be interested in this interview with her.
https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/11/meet-emily-larkin.html?
I’m another Emily Larkin fan, Quantum. She’s also written some very good fantasy books under the name of Emily Gee. And now you’ve read her, you might be interested in this interview with her.
https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2016/11/meet-emily-larkin.html?
Sue, I think you’ve inspired me to reread the Pern stories. It’s been ages since I read them, and I do enjoy a good reread. I’ve just done a reread of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again.
Sue, I think you’ve inspired me to reread the Pern stories. It’s been ages since I read them, and I do enjoy a good reread. I’ve just done a reread of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again.
Sue, I think you’ve inspired me to reread the Pern stories. It’s been ages since I read them, and I do enjoy a good reread. I’ve just done a reread of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again.
Sue, I think you’ve inspired me to reread the Pern stories. It’s been ages since I read them, and I do enjoy a good reread. I’ve just done a reread of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again.
Sue, I think you’ve inspired me to reread the Pern stories. It’s been ages since I read them, and I do enjoy a good reread. I’ve just done a reread of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan books and thoroughly enjoyed them all over again.
I’m glad you enjoy Emily Larkin too, Vicki! The yare auto-reads for me. I’m so glad I’ve found her!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Chilbury Ladies Choir and must pick that one up.
I’m glad you enjoy Emily Larkin too, Vicki! The yare auto-reads for me. I’m so glad I’ve found her!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Chilbury Ladies Choir and must pick that one up.
I’m glad you enjoy Emily Larkin too, Vicki! The yare auto-reads for me. I’m so glad I’ve found her!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Chilbury Ladies Choir and must pick that one up.
I’m glad you enjoy Emily Larkin too, Vicki! The yare auto-reads for me. I’m so glad I’ve found her!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Chilbury Ladies Choir and must pick that one up.
I’m glad you enjoy Emily Larkin too, Vicki! The yare auto-reads for me. I’m so glad I’ve found her!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about The Chilbury Ladies Choir and must pick that one up.
Have you been watching Sanditon, Teresa? I wonder how Jane Austen would have developed the story if she had had the chance to finish it? Not like Andrew Davies, I’m sure!
Have you been watching Sanditon, Teresa? I wonder how Jane Austen would have developed the story if she had had the chance to finish it? Not like Andrew Davies, I’m sure!
Have you been watching Sanditon, Teresa? I wonder how Jane Austen would have developed the story if she had had the chance to finish it? Not like Andrew Davies, I’m sure!
Have you been watching Sanditon, Teresa? I wonder how Jane Austen would have developed the story if she had had the chance to finish it? Not like Andrew Davies, I’m sure!
Have you been watching Sanditon, Teresa? I wonder how Jane Austen would have developed the story if she had had the chance to finish it? Not like Andrew Davies, I’m sure!
i am excited to read maryjo putney.
i am excited to read maryjo putney.
i am excited to read maryjo putney.
i am excited to read maryjo putney.
i am excited to read maryjo putney.