I refuse to confirm the existence of ice dragons. Though if anyone harms so much as a feather on young Stormy’s crest, I will make them very, very sorry.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my short story Picky Eaters, written to provide a humorous escape from all the stuff that isn’t happening on Wyvern Peak… All proceeds for the duration of its publishing life are donated to mental health charities.
I loved the cover of this one and then the quirky blurb… I have a fondness for sci fi murder mysteries and having inhaled detective noir novels from the likes of Raymond Chandler far too long ago, I’ve a fondness for those, too. Would this one live up to my expectations?
BLURB: It’s 2032 and we live in the worst cyberpunk future. Kiera is gigging her ass off to keep the lights on, but her polycule’s social score is so dismal they’re about to lose their crib. That’s why she’s out here chasing cheaters with Angel Herrera, a luddite P.I. who thinks this is The Big Sleep. Then the latest job cuts too deep—hired to locate Herrera’s ex-best friend (who’s also Kiera’s pro bono attorney), they find him murdered instead. Their only lead: a stick of Nag Champa incense dropped at the scene.
Next thing Kiera knows, her new crush turns up missing—sans a hand (the real one, not the cybernetic), and there’s the familiar stink of sandalwood across the apartment. Two crimes, two sticks of incense, Kiera framed for both. She told Herrera to lose her number, but now the old man might be her only way out of this bullshit…
REVIEW: It’s extremely difficult to write near future convincingly or well. But Wood makes a very good stab at it. I loved the dystopian feel of the world, which has clearly gone to hell in a handcart frighteningly fast. But the grittiness of the daily grind and trying to make ends meet was overlaid by Kiera’s touchingly vulnerable character. I could see why Herrera tends to act like a parent towards her.
The relationship between the pair is often the narrative engine that powers this exuberant read, so it’s important that I cared about what happens to both of them. And I did. I liked the fact that everyone introduced themselves alongside their preferred pronouns – it certainly rings true when I listen to what matters to my grandson and his friends. I also enjoyed the nuances around sexual relationships, from the sleazy and abusive right through to sweet cuddles and kisses. Not that a great deal of emphasis is particularly placed upon the range of sexuality – but it twines through and around the story as part of the worldbuilding. Like the odd fusion of foods and emphasis on cheap fast foods, which always seem to be the staple of private investigators in this genre.
I thoroughly enjoyed the worldbuilding. It’s particularly important in this sub-genre as it also provides the mood music by setting the overall tone of narrative. While the story is peppered with tragic deaths that matter to at least one of the protagonists and there is a fair amount of violence throughout – this isn’t a grim read. There’s too much snark and humour, especially between Kiera and Angel. Though I also enjoyed much of repartee aimed at Detective Flynn. Overall, this is a boisterous book, full of energy that pings off the page and took me with it. I’d love to read another book in this world – there’s plenty of mileage in the characters and I highly recommend this one for fans of futuristic detective noir in a cyberpunk setting. While I obtained an arc of Bang Bang Bodhisattva from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering – The Rowan by Davis Bunn – release date 4th July, 2023
#contemporary thriller #paranormal #feisty heroine
BLURB:
Pulitzer prize-winning investigative writer Valentina Garnier loves a good story, so when she learns that CIA director Agnes Pendalon wants her to travel to Kunashir Island in Russia’s easternmost province, she jumps at the chance. Top scientists, political aides, CIA agents and even the vice president’s daughter have all made mysterious trips to the island in recent weeks. Could it be coincidence, or is something more alarming at play?
When Val arrives in Kunashir, she’s mesmerized by a magical rowan tree and its leaves that turn to golden threads, encircling the visitors. Something incredible and transformational is happening in front of her . . . With the CIA determined to hunt down this unknown force and everyone affected by the rowan, is a new battle for the future of humanity about to commence?
I was first attracted by the cover – then thought the blurb looked enjoyably quirky. The idea of braiding a classic international thriller with a paranormal twist appeals, although I’m a tad concerned at the rather low ratings to date. However, I shall come to this one with an open mind and hope it fulfils its promise to be an unusual and satisfying read😊.
My eye was caught by this stunningly beautiful cover – and when I realised this was a fictional autobiography of Julian of Norwich, then it was a no-brainer I’d request it. When on my writing retreats to Bexhill with my sister-in-law, while I was writing SFF novels, she was working on her thesis for her doctorate. And one of the primary source materials she was using were the writings of Julian of Norwich. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty and tenderness of the writing. Julian’s utter faith in the goodness of God shone through – and she also had interesting things to say about despair, too.
BLURB: So I will write in English, pressing new words from this beautiful plain language spoken by all. Not courtly French to introduce God politely. Not church Latin to construct arguments. English to show it as it is. Even though it is not safe to do so.
From the author of Miles to Go before I Sleep comes I, Julian, the account of a medieval woman who dares to tell her own story, battling grief, plague, the church and societal expectations to do so. Compelled by the powerful visions she had when close to death, Julian finds a way to live a life of freedom – as an anchoress, bricked up in a small room on the side of a church – and to write of what she has seen. The result, passed from hand to hand, is the first book to be written by a woman in English.
Tender, luminous, meditative and powerful, Julian writes of her love for God, and God’s love for the whole of creation. ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.’
REVIEW: I love this book. Gilbert powerfully depicts a fictionalised account of Julian’s life, from a highly sensitive small child, watching her father die of the bubonic plague, through all the major events in her life, ending up with her living bricked up as an anchoress for the final twenty years. I thought Gilbert handled the language so it gave the impression of a medieval woman, even though it’s written in modern English very well – and it’s a tricky thing to do.
I was reminded of the old Chinese curse – May you live in interesting times – when reading this book. Poor Julian not only endured the death of her father from bubonic plague as a young child, which completely changed the family’s dynamic, but also had to cope with the loss of her own young daughter and husband in another devastating wave of the same terrible illness. I read of her struggles to come to terms with these heart-wrenching bereavements, conscious that I was viewing this quite differently in a post-Covid world.
Huge numbers had died of the plague and there weren’t enough workers to get harvests in – or, indeed, enough people farming the land. The Church claimed the plague was God’s punishment for the sinful ways of the populace – a terrible burden of guilt to carry if you were a young woman not entirely happy in her marriage, who also found motherhood difficult. Julian was all but crushed by it. She then fell dangerously ill – and during that illness she experienced powerful visions of God’s love that a long-time friend, a priest, wrote down as she dictated. Eventually, she got her wish to spend time alone and communing with God, though I was interested to read of her careful preparation before becoming an anchoress, as the abbess supporting her was keen for the project not to fail.
Gilbert writes movingly of her panic attacks at being cooped up and of her ongoing battle with crippling constipation during the winter – her illness seems to have left her rather frail. She was overwhelmed when her loyal servant, Alice, also decided to become a hermit. In time, Julian manages to come to terms with her life and gets a reputation for wisdom and divinity when people seek her out for advice. Her message of God’s unwavering love for all must have provided huge comfort for others also traumatised by bereavement and loss. But she also had to contend with growing suspicion from the Church and members of the clergy.
I came away from reading this book awed at the courage and resilience of this medieval woman from a middle-income family. It’s amazing the depth of her perception and the poetry of her writing, given she didn’t receive any formal education and her contribution deserves to live on. Highly recommended for those interested in the nature of faith, the history of the Church and an uplifting testament to the resilience of the human spirit. While I obtained an arc of I, Julian from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
It’s been another hectic week with Ethan working on his final assignment, which finally had to be handed in by midnight on Friday evening. He managed this – and then stayed up to talk and support his fellow students who were battling to get their projects submitted before the deadline. So was rather sleepy and subdued yesterday after weeks of worry and work… Oscar has also been attending school, though we ended up in A & E on Friday evening as he had a bad fall during a playground football game and came home with a very sore wrist. Luckily there were no broken bones or sprains, which was a relief as we are just starting half term week.
I’ve been banging on to anyone who’ll listen about what a fabulous year it’s being for spring flowers. And to prove it to you – I took a short walk, no more than 10 minutes from our house with my trusty camera. The pics below show the blossom on a horse chestnut tree, a photinia bush and the hawthorn bushes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen hawthorn blossom like it – every tree and bush is smothered. The pretty purple climber is wisteria.
I was thrilled to finish my story Casta and the Giggling Knight, which came out at around 22,500 words. I was able to take it to my writers’ group on Wednesday night and got really valuable feedback, so I’ll be tweaking it in between continuing with the line edit of Flame & Blame. It was a lovely sociable week – in addition to attending my writing group, I spent most of Friday catching up with one of my ex-students, who is having a collection of her poetry published. I just need to get more sleep!
Books I’ve read in the last week:-
Bang, Bang Bodhisattva by Aubrey Wood
It’s 2032 and we live in the worst cyberpunk future. Kiera is gigging her ass off to keep the lights on, but her polycule’s social score is so dismal they’re about to lose their crib. That’s why she’s out here chasing cheaters with Angel Herrera, a luddite P.I. who thinks this is The Big Sleep. Then the latest job cuts too deep—hired to locate Herrera’s ex-best friend (who’s also Kiera’s pro bono attorney), they find him murdered instead. Their only lead: a stick of Nag Champa incense dropped at the scene.
Next thing Kiera knows, her new crush turns up missing—sans a hand (the real one, not the cybernetic), and there’s the familiar stink of sandalwood across the apartment. Two crimes, two sticks of incense, Kiera framed for both. She told Herrera to lose her number, but now the old man might be her only way out of this bullshit…
This near-future, detective noir thriller is full of personality. It’s difficult to make near-future fiction convincing, but Wood pulls it off. Review to follow.
I, Julian by Claire Gilbert
From the author of Miles to Go before I Sleep comes I, Julian, the account of a medieval woman who dares to tell her own story, battling grief, plague, the church and societal expectations to do so. Compelled by the powerful visions she had when close to death, Julian finds a way to live a life of freedom – as an anchoress, bricked up in a small room on the side of a church – and to write of what she has seen. The result, passed from hand to hand, is the first book to be written by a woman in English.
Tender, luminous, meditative and powerful, Julian writes of her love for God, and God’s love for the whole of creation. ‘All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.’
Beautiful and ultimately uplifting, it was a special read. And also shows what a rough time the survivors of historical pandemics had. Not only grieving their dead, but being blamed for the plague by the Church… Review to follow.
AUDIOBOOK – Our Lady of the Mysterious Ailments – Book 2 of the Edinburgh Nights series by T.L. Huchu
When Ropa Moyo discovered an occult underground library, she expected great things. She’s really into Edinburgh’s secret societies – but turns out they are less into her. So instead of getting paid to work magic, she’s had to accept a crummy unpaid internship. And her with bills to pay and a pet fox to feed.
Then her friend Priya offers her a job on the side. Priya works at Our Lady of Mysterious Maladies, a very specialised hospital, where a new illness is resisting magical and medical remedies alike. The first patient was a teenage boy, Max Wu, and his healers are baffled. If Ropa can solve the case, she might earn as she learns – and impress her mentor, Sir Callander.
Her sleuthing will lead her to a lost fortune, an avenging spirit and a secret buried deep in Scotland’s past. But how are they connected? Lives are at stake and Ropa is running out of time.
This series started off as Library of the Dead. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Huchu’s lively prose as gutsy Ropa struggles to keep her small family afloat in post-apocalyptic Scotland. This book held me throughout as an initial investigation into what is slowly killing a teenage boy encompasses a far wider problem. And this time around, we learn a lot more about the Library of the Dead. I’m delighted that this proved to be such a cracking adventure, as I have the arc of the next book in the series. 9/10
My posts last week:
Castellan the Black and his Wise Draconic Musings on Life
Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.
Drumming a claw on an available boulder is an effective ploy. If the steady tapping doesn’t get their attention, flying stone shards hitting their scales generally does the trick.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my short story Picky Eaters, written to provide a humorous escape from all the stuff that isn’t happening on Wyvern Peak… All proceeds for the duration of its publishing life are donated to mental health charities.
I enjoy Copperman’s writing – see my reviews of And Justice of Mall, Inherit the Shoes and Witness for the Persecution. So I was keen to tuck into this one, looking forward to the same blend of action and humour I’ve come to expect.
BLURB: After losing their parents when they were just babies, private investigators Fran and Ken Stein now specialize in helping adoptees find their birth parents. So when a client asks them for help finding her father, with her only clue a rare ukulele, the case is a little weird, sure, but it’s nothing they can’t handle.
But soon Fran and her brother are plunged into a world where nothing makes sense – and not just the fact that a very short (but very cute) NYPD detective keeps trying to take eternal singleton Fran out on dates.
All Fran wants to do is find the ukulele and collect their fee, but it’s hard to keep your focus when you’re stumbling over corpses and receiving messages that suggest your (dead) parents are very much alive. Ukuleles aside, it’s becoming clear that someone knows something they shouldn’t – that Fran and Ken Stein weren’t so much born, as built . . .
REVIEW: I hadn’t read the blurb on this one, so didn’t appreciate that it was a new series until I opened it up. Not that I was initially all that concerned – after all, Copperman’s previous sure-footed writing style and deft handling of the humour alongside the action in the Sandy Moss series meant I was thoroughly looking forward to this one.
However, as the story wore on, I wasn’t bonding with the main protagonist, Fran. And that was something of a problem because the story is told in first-person viewpoint. While I really enjoyed Sandy’s asides and tendency to rush into things in the Jersey Girl Legal Series – Fran’s constant snark about her brother felt less like affectionate exasperation and more like an annoyed sister who wanted her brother out of her life. There was also a great deal of telling, rather than showing. The paranormal aspect of the story didn’t really convince me, either.
The murder mystery was initially well set up, but I felt the pace did drop somewhat two-thirds through the story, when random figures show up to attack the siblings. What should have nocked the pace and tension up several notches rather fell flat. I wasn’t sure about the romantic element, as I found Fran’s dithering about whether to go on a date or not with the long-suffering Mank annoying. She’s not a teenager and I wanted her to stop behaving like one. That said, Copperman’s experience and skill shows in the smooth prose, succession of likely suspects and the steady accretion of clues such that I wasn’t ever tempted to abandon this one. For starters, I was sufficiently hooked that I really wanted to know whodunit.
The final denouement did work well – and for the first time in the story I truly believed that Fran was in real danger. I will certainly get hold of the next book – it sometimes takes a couple of books for a series to hit its stride and I know Copperman is a talented, able author. While I obtained an arc of Ukulele of Death from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
7/10
Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.
This week’s Can’t-Wait offering – In the Shadow of the Bull – Book 1 of An Ancient Crete Mystery series by Eleanor Kuhns – release date 4th July, 2023
#historical crime #Ancient Greece #murder mystery #feisty heroine
BLURB:
Ancient Crete, 1450 BC. In a world of Goddess worship, sacred snakes and sacrifice, human jealousy, resentment, and betrayal still run wild . . .
When her sister Arge drops to the floor in convulsions and then dies at her wedding, fifteen-year-old Martis, a young poet and bull leaper in training, is certain her sister was murdered. The prime suspect is the groom, Saurus, a barbarian from the Greek mainland, but when Arge’s Shade visits Martis, swearing Saurus is not her murderer, Martis vows to uncover the truth.
As Martis begins asking questions, she discovers that while her sweet sister Arge may have had no secrets, many of the people around Martis certainly do. but if the murderer is not Saurus, then who is it? The Egyptian lady who frequents the docks, one of Martis’s other sisters, her father, or someone entirely different?
Martis is in a battle against time to save her sister’s Shade from eternal unrest and uncover the killer before they strike again . . .
I love this era of history, having inhaled Mary Renault’s fabulous books back when Noah was knee-high to a hen. So when I saw this offering, I immediately requested it. Fingers crossed it proves as good as it looks!
I listened to the first book in this series, Twin Crowns, and quite enjoyed it. Though I did feel that Wren, in particular, took crazy risks to spend quality time with the man in her life, almost at the expense of everything else. Like the future of the kingdom and the fate of all witches within it, including her family. It didn’t make me all that fond of her. So I was hoping there was less romance and more story in this slice of the adventure.
BLURB: Twin queens Wren and Rose have claimed their crowns . . . but not everyone is happy about witches sitting on Eana’s throne. Cool-headed Rose sets off on a Royal Tour to win over the doubters, but soon finds herself drawn to the Sunless Kingdom. Here secrets are revealed about those closest to her, and Rose finds her loyalties divided.
Meanwhile rebellious Wren steals away to the icy north to rescue their beloved grandmother, Banba. But when she accepts King Alarik’s deadly magical bargain in exchange for Banba’s freedom, the spell has unexpected – and far-reaching – consequences . . . As an ancient curse begins to arise from the darkness, the sisters must come together and unite the crown. Their lives – and the future of Eana – depend on it.
Break the ice to free the curse,
Kill one twin to save another . . .
REVIEW: I enjoyed the premise and the overall ideas driving the narrative in Twin Crowns, as well as the contrast between careful, responsible Rose and reckless, adrenaline-junkie Wren. What niggled me was the emphasis on the romantic thread within the story, which I felt took too much precedence in an adventure-packed plot where far more interesting things are going on. Twin Crowns finishes on a major cliff-hanger, so I was glad to have this offering.
Cursed Crowns is far more about the precarious situation both queens now find themselves in. Although they have now successfully claimed the throne for themselves, they are far from out of trouble. The rabid fear of witches and their magic hasn’t disappeared and there are those determined to take advantage of the situation.
Meanwhile, Wren is determined to go after her beloved grandmother. Despite everyone, including fierce Banba, warning her not to do so. This time around, as the next tranche of perilous escapades unfold, there is far less about smouldering looks being exchanged, which I appreciated. Particularly as both authors are capable of throwing sudden twists into this story that takes the danger up a notch. I certainly hadn’t expected some of the developments that took place. In amongst all the danger, what sets this one apart are the regular dollops of humour. And some of it proves to be very dark. Or perhaps I’m just a very bad person, but I did find the outcome of Wren’s spell to try and save her grandmother’s life both poignant and hilariously funny…
Rose’s storyline proves to be every bit as gripping as she desperately attempts to gain help for her troops against the incipient rebellion, where the population’s fear of magic is being manipulated in a bid for power. We’d heard a great deal about the Sunless Kingdom in the first book, so I was very happy to see this plotline explored – as well as the seers’ stronghold, which was another hilarious interlude. The comic relief stops this from becoming yet another grim scrabble for power within a fantasy setting – and instead turns it into something more quirky and unpredictable.
While I hadn’t been completely convinced by the rave reviews for Twin Crowns, I’m joining the chorus of approval for this second slice of the adventure. But whatever you do, don’t skip the first book. This one tips the reader straight into the middle of the action, where Twin Crowns leaves off – and while both authors are too deft to leave you floundering for too long, I think it would dent your enjoyment, which would be a shame. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy adventures featuring interesting magic with two contrasting protagonists. My only niggle is the inclusion of a possible love triangle – but hopefully that will be ironed out in the next instalment, which I’ll definitely be getting. While I obtained an arc of Cursed Crowns from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.
It’s been a busy week, as Oscar is now back at school. There are still days when he doesn’t feel all that well, but overall the headaches are definitely improving and are at least bearable when they do make an appearance – such a relief! He’s also back to attending the gym and football practice, again. Ethan has been flat out working on his final assignment for college over the last month, so we were all delighted when he announced on Thursday that he’d completed it. He had to take his first GCSE Maths exam on Friday morning – and at least this time he managed to attend, as there were no problems with the trains. Himself has taken time off work for all the days of Ethan’s exams just in case he needs to drive him to college.
The weather remains cool at night with a mixture of sunshine and showers during the day. The garden is a disgrace – overrun with weeds and utter neglect. I would be ashamed of it, but frankly I don’t have the bandwidth. I’m still not well enough to undertake gardening on top of the steadily growing household chores I’m now able to perform and I’ve no intention of risking a relapse by trying to take on more. So here is the gallery of shame – my poor choked plants blooming despite everything!
I’m making steady progress with my story Casta and the Giggling Knight – I’m hoping to complete it within the next couple of weeks. As you can see below, my reading has very much fallen off recently, as I’m spending less time resting in bed.
Books I’ve read in the last fortnight:-
Lords of Uncreation – Book 3 of The Final Architecture series by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Idris Telemmier has uncovered a secret that changes everything – the Architects’ greatest weakness. A shadowy Cartel scrambles to turn his discovery into a weapon against these alien destroyers of worlds. But between them and victory stands self-interest. The galaxy’s great powers would rather pursue their own agendas than stand together against this shared terror.
Human and inhuman interests wrestle to control Idris’ discovery, as the galaxy erupts into a mutually destructive and self-defeating war. The other great obstacle to striking against their alien threat is Idris himself. He knows that the Architects, despite their power, are merely tools of a higher intelligence.
Deep within unspace, where time moves differently, and reality isn’t quite what it seems, their masters are the true threat. Masters who are just becoming aware of humanity’s daring – and taking steps to exterminate this annoyance forever.
I thoroughly enjoyed this final instalment of this epic space opera adventure. Tchaikovsky has a knack of depicting flawed and difficult characters that I end up really caring about. Idris is one of my all-time favourites and I loved his journey throughout this adventure. 10/10
AUDIOBOOK – The Wizard Hunters: the Fall of Ile-Rien – Book 3 of the Ile-Rien series by Martha Wells
Once a fertile and prosperous land, Ile-Rien is under attack by the Gardier, a mysterious army whose storm-black airships appear from nowhere to strike without warning. Every weapon in the arsenal of Ile-Rien’s revered wizards has proven useless.
And now the last hope of a magical realm under siege rests within a child’s plaything.
I discovered this audiobook on my Audible +Catalogue and it’s a gem. This steampunk fantasy adventure is full of action and tension with a likeable and complicated main character. The world is vividly described and I enjoyed the magic system that gradually became clearer throughout the book – I liked the fact that different societies view it very differently. Altogether a cracking read and I’ll definitely be getting hold of more books in this series. 9/10
Ukulele of Death – Book 1 of the Fran and Ken Stein Mystery series by E.J. Copperman
Meet Fran and Ken Stein – a private investigator duo who refuse to let a little thing like being not entirely human stop them from doing their jobs. After losing their parents when they were just babies, private investigators Fran and Ken Stein now specialize in helping adoptees find their birth parents. So when a client asks them for help finding her father, with her only clue a rare ukulele, the case is a little weird, sure, but it’s nothing they can’t handle.
But soon Fran and her brother are plunged into a world where nothing makes sense – and not just the fact that a very short (but very cute) NYPD detective keeps trying to take eternal singleton Fran out on dates.
All Fran wants to do is find the ukulele and collect their fee, but it’s hard to keep your focus when you’re stumbling over corpses and receiving messages that suggest your (dead) parents are very much alive. Ukuleles aside, it’s becoming clear that someone knows something they shouldn’t – that Fran and Ken Stein weren’t so much born, as built.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Copperman’s other books in her series featuring the intrepid Sandy. This one didn’t wasn’t quite so sure-footed and I didn’t like Fran as much – review to follow. 7/10
Cursed Crowns – Book 2 of the Twin Crowns series by Catherine Doyle & Katherine Webber
Twin queens Wren and Rose have claimed their crowns . . . but not everyone is happy about witches sitting on Eana’s throne.
Cool-headed Rose sets off on a Royal Tour to win over the doubters, but soon finds herself drawn to the Sunless Kingdom. Here secrets are revealed about those closest to her, and Rose finds her loyalties divided.
Meanwhile rebellious Wren steals away to the icy north to rescue their beloved grandmother, Banba. But when she accepts King Alarik’s deadly magical bargain in exchange for Banba’s freedom, the spell has unexpected – and far-reaching – consequences . . .
As an ancient curse begins to arise from the darkness, the sisters must come together and unite the crown. Their lives – and the future of Eana – depend on it.
Break the ice to free the curse,
Kill one twin to save another . . .
I wasn’t quite so sure about the first book in this series – I felt the romance slightly swamped the adventure. But this is where the story really takes off as we are immediately swept away into two thrilling adventures. Review to follow.
AUDIOBOOK – Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn
Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.
When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they’ve been marked for death.
Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They’re about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman–and a killer–of a certain age.
The premise immediately snagged my attention and I enjoyed the action and narrative progression. I’m not entirely sure the characters always worked – the snark and backchat often had the feel of younger women. And I wasn’t convinced about the reason they ended up on a Kill List, either. That said, overall I enjoyed the action and having older protagonists made a refreshing change. 8/10
‘Unexpected Meeting’ – Prequel STORY to The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson
There isn’t a blurb here – it’s a reader magnet for having signed up for Vanessa Nelson’s newsletter. She is one of my favourite indie authors – I love her writing and inhaled the Ageless and Taellaneth series. I’m now taking it a tad more slowly as I have just got hold of first in the Grey Gates series, which she’s currently working on. She provides wonderful worldbuilding and a very different vibe to her urban fantasy adventures. The romantic element in her books tends to take second place to the narrative, which I really appreciate. 8/10
My posts last week:
Castellan the Black and his Wise Draconic Musings on Life
Can’t-Wait-Wednesday featuring The Launch Party by Lauren Forry
Review of KINDLE Ebook Gray Lady – Book 4 of the Madame Chalamet Ghost Mysteries series by Byrd Nash
Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.
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