SUNDAY POST – 7th April, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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 really quiet, peaceful week – a healing week. The days are lengthening and despite bursts of torrential rain and rather bitter northerly breezes, Spring continues to spring in the garden, which is disgracefully weedy and overgrown. I’m hoping as the weather improves that this is the year I get to grips with it for the first time in three years. The pics below show the brave plants prepared to battle the weeds to make a showing – my favourite is the Amber Wave heuchera which is looking fabulous.

The boys went off to Cornwall with their Dad and sisters on Monday. By all accounts and the slew of pictures, they all had a wonderful time. They returned yesterday so everyone had a lovely break. Himself and I hadn’t appreciated just how much we’d needed a few days together, without being Papa and Gran, to just focus on ourselves and each other. Himself has been busy painting his models and looking forward to reorganising his Warhammer orc and goblin armies – it’s lovely to see his enthusiasm again. As for me, I spent a fair amount of the week sitting next to him, while writing the fifth book in the Picky Eaters series, Conclave of Dragons.

Books I’ve read this week:
On the Horns of Death – Book 2 of the Ancient Crete Mystery series by Eleanor Kuhns
Ancient Crete, 1450 BC. When young bull leaper Martis finds Duzi, the newest member of the bull leaping team, dead in the bull pen early one morning. Made to look like he met his end on the horns of the bull, it’s clear to Martis that this was no accident . . .

Martis once again finds herself thrown into a dangerous game of hunting down a murderer as the deaths start to mount. An old friend of Martis’ sister, and possible lover to Duzi, is the next person to be found dead, and Martis’ investigations lead her to believe love and jealousy are at the heart of these crimes against the Goddess.

Is someone targeting the bull leaping community? Or is there something else at play? With only the Shade of her sister Arge to confide in, Martis struggles to untangle the growing web of secrets which stretch around her.
Without a doubt, the ancient Greek setting and details about Martis and her daily life is what stood out for me with this entertaining historical whodunit. I also really like the young protagonist. 8/10

About Time – Book 4 of the Time Police series by Jodi Taylor
Patience is not a virtue known to the Time Police. And Commander Hay is facing the longest day of her life…

After their heroic efforts to safeguard the Acropolis and prevent the Paris Time-Stop, the Time Police have gone from zero to hero. Then one fateful mission to apprehend a minor criminal selling dodgy historical artefacts blows up in all their faces.

An officer is attacked within TPHQ. A prisoner is murdered. And investigations are about to lead to the one place where no officer can legally tread. Worst of all, trouble is brewing for Luke, Jane and Matthew as a shocking revelation threatens to tear Team Weird apart for good.
No one else writes with quite the energy that Taylor brings to her books. Funny, full of action and often poignantly sad – they are always a roller-coaster read and this highly enjoyable offering is no exception. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Witch King by Martha Wells
“I didn’t know you were a… demon.”
“You idiot. I’m the demon.”
Kai’s having a long day in Martha Wells’ Witch King…

After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well.

But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence?
Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions. He’s not going to like the answers.
I’m not sure why the dialogue is included in the blurb – it makes it sound as if this book is funny, and it isn’t. While I enjoyed it, particularly the setting, I found Kai rather closed off and unlike the wonderful Murderbot, we aren’t in first-person viewpoint to be able to fully appreciate his character. However, I loved the world and the stakes and would happily read more about Kai and his adventures. 8/10

Terminal Uprising – Book 2 of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series by Jim C. Hines
Human civilization didn’t just fall. It was pushed.

The Krakau came to Earth in the year 2104. By 2105, humanity had been reduced to shambling, feral monsters. In the Krakau’s defense, it was an accident, and a century later, they did come back and try to fix us. Sort of.

It’s been four months since Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos learned the truth of that accident. Four months since she and her team of hygiene and sanitation specialists stole the EMCS Pufferfish and stopped a bioterrorism attack against the Krakau homeworld. Four months since she set out to find proof of what really happened on Earth all those years ago.

Between trying to protect their secrets and fighting the xenocidal Prodryans, who’ve been escalating their war against everyone who isn’t Prodryan, the Krakau have their tentacles full.
Mops’ mission changes when she learns of a secret Krakau laboratory on Earth. A small group under command of Fleet Admiral Belle-Bonne Sage is working to create a new weapon, one that could bring victory over the Prodryans … or drown the galaxy in chaos.

To discover the truth, Mops and her rogue cleaning crew will have to do the one thing she fears most: return to Earth, a world overrun by feral apes, wild dogs, savage humans, and worse. (After all, the planet hasn’t been cleaned in a century and a half!) What Mops finds in the filthy ruins of humanity could change everything, assuming she survives long enough to share it. Perhaps humanity isn’t as dead as the galaxy thought.
I love this series, which is very funny in places. Mops is a wonderful heroine and this adventure, set within the ruins of a vanished civilisation, is vividly depicted. I’m looking forward to getting hold of the final book in the series with mixed feelings as I’ve loved my time with the Pufferfish crew and would like more than just three books. 9/10

The Ward Witch – Book 1 of the Unholy Island series by Sarah Painter
Mysterious, magical, and a little bit deadly… Welcome to Unholy Island.

Esme Gray runs the guest house and tends to the ethereal wards that protect the island. She’s sheltering from a terrible past and will do anything to stay safely hidden.

Luke Taylor has been searching for his missing twin for months, but has begun to believe that his brother might be dead. With his hope in tatters, a tip off leads him to a remote tidal island in the North Sea. It’s further out than the famous Holy Island, and far stranger.

Visitors shouldn’t be able to stay for more than two nights, so when Luke breaks this rule, the close-knit community is sent into turmoil. The residents of Unholy Island have secrets and they intend to keep them.

When Luke stumbles across one of the islanders dead on the shore, he finds himself under suspicion, made worse by his own troubles washing up on the tide.

Esme is drawn to Luke, but she doesn’t trust her own instincts. That’s not ideal for a witch — especially when there is a killer on the loose and a storm is rolling in…
I’ve loved Painter’s Crow Investigations series and have read all the books so far. I was pleased to see the new series is set in the same world with the same interesting magical system. This book grabbed me from the first page and wouldn’t let go – Painter beautifully evokes the beauty and isolation of a magically hidden community. An outstanding start to a new series. 10/10

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow
What if Mary Bennet’s life took a different path from that laid out for her in Pride and Prejudice? What if the frustrated intellectual of the Bennet family, the marginalized middle daughter, the plain girl who takes refuge in her books, eventually found the fulfillment enjoyed by her prettier, more confident sisters? This is the plot of The Other Bennet Sister, a debut novel with exactly the affection and authority to satisfy Austen fans.

Ultimately, Mary’s journey is like that taken by every Austen heroine. She learns that she can only expect joy when she has accepted who she really is. She must throw off the false expectations and wrong ideas that have combined to obscure her true nature and prevented her from what makes her happy. Only when she undergoes this evolution does she have a chance at finding fulfillment; only then does she have the clarity to recognize her partner when he presents himself—and only at that moment is she genuinely worthy of love.
I absolutely loved this one. Hadlow provides us with a sensitive, intelligent young woman, who has been dismissed for her plain looks even as a child. Mary Bennet’s over-serious, pompous declarations throughout P & P are shown as her attempts to find a place within a family where beauty, wit and charm are prized above everything else. I loved this version of Austen’s classic and will be looking out for anything else by this author. 10/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc On the Horns of Death – Book 2 of the Ancient Crete Mystery series by Eleanor Kuhns

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Myth-Touched – Book 2 of the Shadows of Eireland series by Joanna Maciejewska

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc A Westerly Wind Brings Witches: a Cornish Odyssey by Sally Walker

Sunday Post – 31st March 2024

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

SUNDAY POST – 31st March, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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.

A very happy Easter Sunday to those of you who celebrate. And for those of you in the UK – let’s take a moment to cope with the fact we lost an hour of sleep when the clocks jumped forward last night… It’s been a tricky fortnight. I spent last Saturday sorting through my deceased sister’s personal possessions, which was every bit as terrible as I’d feared. If I hadn’t had my fabulous sister, Marianne, alongside to help, I don’t think I would have got through it. And the following few days were grim. The weather wasn’t remotely helpful, with lots of wind and rain.

But both boys have now broken up for Easter and Ethan is back at home – except when he’s back in Portsmouth at work, or off visiting friends. They are both going away for a holiday with their Dad and other siblings for a few days, which will be lovely for them and give Himself and me a bit of time for ourselves. As luck would have it, it’s his long weekend off, so we hope to be able to have some ‘us’ time. We went out together on Good Friday – and this courgette and lemon cake was my Easter present to myself. I justified it by claiming that it covered two of my five-a-day… And yes, it was every bit as delicious as it looks😊.

Books I’ve read this last fortnight:
Shadow Rites – Book 10 of the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter
Jane is keeping the peace between visiting groups of witches and vamps in the city, but then trouble comes knocking on her doorstep. When her house is magically attacked, the wild chase to find her assailants unearths a mystery that has literally been buried deep.

A missing master vampire, presumed long deceased, is found chained in a pit…undead, raving mad, and in the company of two human bodies. Now it’s up to Jane to find out who kept the vampire hidden for so long and why, because the incident could tip already high supernatural tensions to an all-out arcane war.
I’m dawdling through this classy, well-written shapeshifter series because I don’t want to come to the end. Though I’m encouraged to see there’s a spin-off series, too. Once again, Jane’s adventures are an engrossing, thrilling read. 9/10

Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Professor Arton Daghdev had always wanted to study alien life up close. Then his wishes become a reality in the worst way. His political activism sees him exiled from Earth to Kiln’s extrasolar labour camp. There, he’s condemned to work under an alien sky until he dies.

Kiln boasts a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem like nothing seen on Earth. The monstrous alien life interacts in surprising, sometimes shocking ways with the human body, so Arton will risk death on a daily basis. However, the camp’s oppressive regime might just kill him first. If Arton can somehow escape both fates, the world of Kiln holds a wondrous, terrible secret. It will redefine life and intelligence as he knows it, and might just set him free . . .
Loved this one. Tchaikovsky at his clever, witty best. 10/10

The Dragons of Kellynch – Book 5 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace
One would think Anne Elliot, a baronet’s daughter, would find the marriage mart far easier to navigate than a more ordinary woman. One would be wrong.

After refusing a poor, but otherwise perfect sailor, on the advice of her friend Lady Russell, Anne finds an unhappy choice before marry deathly dull Charles Musgrove or hope against hope that another suitable proposal might come her way before she becomes a spinster on the shelf.

Anne’s disgracefully independent choice to refuse Charles’ offer turns her world entirely arsey-varsey and not in the expected turned upside down sort of way. She begins to see things … hear things … things like dragons. And once one sees dragons, one talks to them. And when one talks to them, nothing is ever the same again. Must a young lady marry well if she hears dragons?
I love this series. Grace’s addition of dragons to Austen’s world is clever and takes the classic stories into slightly unexpected places, but at no stage was I unhappy with the premise and I’m FUSSY about my Austenesque adventures. Very well done. 9/10

Kellynch: Dragon Persuasion – Book 6 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace
Keeping a hibernating dragon should have been a simple thing. Should have been, but it was not. Apparently, nothing involving dragons was ever simple, at least not for Anne Elliot, junior Keeper to dragon Kellynch.

With the estate in debt, Anne’s father in denial, and the dragon’s treasure missing, Kellynch’s awakening is shaping up to be nothing short of catastrophe. Not to mention, there was the pesky matter of her own broken heart and resentment against the old friend who had caused it.

Captain Frederick Wentworth had spent his life making something of himself in the Navy. With the war that kept him employed at an end and a small fortune in prize money, he found himself beached and at loose ends. What was he to do with himself now—take a wife like Laconia, his dragon Friend, insisted? Not when none compared to the woman who had broken his heart.

Working as an agent of the Blue Order, managing dragon matters across England, seemed a much better alternative. At least until investigating one such matter sent him directly in the path of Anne Elliot, the woman who had ruined him for all others. Now a royal dragon rages, a sleeping dragon lurks, and too many treasures have gone missing. Can Anne and Wentworth lay aside resentment, pride, and heartbreak to prevent Kellynch’s awakening from ending in bloodshed—or worse?
This continues Grace’s clever retelling of Persuasion, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The fact that I read these two back to back is proof I’m finding this series irresistible. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – The Blighted Stars – Book 1 of The Devoured Worlds series by Megan O’Keefe
When a spy is stranded on a dead planet with her mortal enemy, she must first figure out how to survive before she can uncover the conspiracy that landed them both there in the first place.

She’s a revolutionary. Humanity is running out of options. Habitable planets are being destroyed as quickly as they’re found and Naira Sharp knows the reason why. The all-powerful Mercator family has been controlling the exploration of the universe for decades, and exploiting any materials they find along the way under the guise of helping humanity’s expansion. But Naira knows the truth, and she plans to bring the whole family down from the inside.

He’s the heir to the dynasty. Tarquin Mercator never wanted to run a galaxy-spanning business empire. He just wanted to study rocks and read books. But Tarquin’s father has tasked him with monitoring the mining of a new planet, and he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter.

Disguised as Tarquin’s new bodyguard, Naira plans to destroy his ship before it lands. But neither of them expects to end up stranded on a dead planet. To survive and keep her secret, Naira will have to join forces with the man she’s sworn to hate. And together they will uncover a plot that’s bigger than both of them.
This is a compulsive listen. It would have been a 10 from me, but for the fact that I found the love story a tad annoying at times – especially as the unfolding puzzle surrounding the plot that puts them on the dead planet in the first place is both complex and very cleverly done. I’m definitely going to get hold of the second book in the series. 9/10

A Rip Through Time – Book 1 of A Rip Through Time series by Kelley Armstrong
May 20, 2019: Homicide detective Mallory is in Edinburgh to be with her dying grandmother. While out on a jog one evening, Mallory hears a woman in distress. She’s drawn to an alley, where she is attacked and loses consciousness.

May 20, 1869: Housemaid Catriona Mitchell had been enjoying a half-day off, only to be discovered that night in a lane, where she’d been strangled and left for dead . . . exactly one-hundred-and-fifty years before Mallory was strangled in the same spot.

When Mallory wakes up in Catriona’s body in 1869, she must put aside her shock and adjust quickly to the reality: life as a housemaid to an undertaker in Victorian Scotland. She soon discovers that her boss, Dr. Gray, also moonlights as a medical examiner and has just taken on an intriguing case, the strangulation of a young man, similar to the attack on herself. Her only hope is that catching the murderer can lead her back to her modern life . . . before it’s too late.
This time-travelling portal whodunit was sufficiently gripping that I stayed up way too late to discover who did what to whom. I very much liked the dynamic of an experienced cop finding herself in a teenager’s body and will be getting hold of the next book in this series. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Book 1 of the Tomes and Tea Cosy Fantasies series by Rebecca Thorn
All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town that boasts more dragons than people, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.
This enjoyable feel-good fantasy is more than a nod to Legends & Lattes, but it does differ in some important areas. Review to follow.

A Westerly Wind Brings Witches: A Cornish Odyessy by Sally Walker
Moira Box, with not a lot going for her, legs it down to Cornwall to join a cantankerous coven of stroppy women. Shapeshifting poor Mogs back to The Burning Times, when women’s role in the lingering rural folkways was disappearing from Merrie England. But today, wild women wrapped in cloaks pop up amongst the Cornish standing stones on a full moon basis! Wriggling out of the closet woodwork, giggling and garnished with glitzy-witchy fashion accessories, still stubbornly non-compliant and undoubtedly up to mischief…

Witches and Wisewomen, reclaiming female spirituality, unearthing our buried pagan roots. An outside-the-box book, a feel-good tale, a pick-me-up for the perpetually put-down, a bag of comforts for the comfort eater. Sweep away the acceptable respectable and jump on your broomstick! Fly past perimeters, transcend our taken-for-granted reality and hang on tight for a bumpy ride!
This is a quirky read that gave me some unexpected food for thought. Review to follow.

Strange Cargo – Book 3 of the Mennik Thorn series by Patrick Samphire
What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won’t go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? They’re all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn’s hard-earned peace and quiet.

As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn’t giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven’t forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control.
This is a shorter book that doesn’t have quite the bite of the other two books I’ve read. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoy Mennik’s chaotic adventures – no one attracts trouble quite like him – and I’m looking forward to tucking into the fourth book in the series sometime soon. 8/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Book 1 of the Tomes and Tea Cosy Fantasy series by Rebecca Thorne

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of INDIE ebook Nikoles – Book 2 of the TUYO series by Rachel Neumeier

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #AlienClaybookreview

I’m a fan of Tchaikovsky’s writing. His science fiction and fantasy novels and novellas can take readers in all sorts of interesting places as no one writing SFF now writes with such flexibility and range. As an example of what I’m talking about, just browse through some of my previous reviews of his work – the Children of Time series, – Children of Time, Children of Ruin and Children of Memory – the Echoes of the Fall series The Tiger and the Wolf, The Bear and the Serpent, The Hyena and the Hawk – Redemption’s Blade: After the War, Guns of Dawn, The Expert System’s Brother , The Expert System’s Champion, Spiderlight, Ironclads, Dogs of War, Bear Head, The Doors of Eden, Firewalkers, Ogres, And Put Away Childish Things, City of Last Chances, One Day All This Will be Yours, the Architects of Earth series – Shards of Earth, Eyes of the Void and Lords of Uncreation.

BLURB: On the distant world of Kiln lie the ruins of an alien civilization. It’s the greatest discovery in humanity’s spacefaring history – yet who were its builders and where did they go? Professor Arton Daghdev had always wanted to study alien life up close. Then his wishes become a reality in the worst way. His political activism sees him exiled from Earth to Kiln’s extrasolar labour camp. There, he’s condemned to work under an alien sky until he dies.

Kiln boasts a ravenous, chaotic ecosystem like nothing seen on Earth. The monstrous alien life interacts in surprising, sometimes shocking ways with the human body, so Arton will risk death on a daily basis. However, the camp’s oppressive regime might just kill him first. If Arton can somehow escape both fates, the world of Kiln holds a wondrous, terrible secret. It will redefine life and intelligence as he knows it, and might just set him free . . .

REVIEW: Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing not only encompasses an impressive range of subjects and sub-genres within SFF – his stories also vary in tone between the angry savagery of City of Last Chances and the mordant humour running through Spiderlight. I loved the sound of this premise, as Tchaikovsky’s aliens are always interestingly different and was hoping for something with a bit of wry humour, given my current mood.

As luck would have it – I was in for a solid treat. This tale is told in first-person viewpoint by Professor Arton Daghdev, an academic specialist in xenobiology and environmental systems. He is also an outspoken critic of the Mandate, the political orthodoxy running all humanspace. And while there were plenty of disappearances and arrests, he was under the impression that those academics speaking out against the ideas underpinning the Mandate were being given a free pass. They weren’t. They were being given sufficient leeway to thoroughly incriminate themselves. Hence he’s ended up on a penal colony thirty light-years away from Earth with no prospect of returning.

I was thoroughly on Arton’s side from the opening paragraph – his disgust at the situation he’s found himself in, his dark humour, his searing honesty about his own weaknesses and fears were both poignant and endearing. It was a nice change – often Tchaikovsky’s protagonists aren’t all that likeable. It didn’t hurt that the book started with a bang, as Arton wakes up while the ship is disintegrating around him. And from then on, the tension doesn’t let up. The prisoners’ lives are horribly cheap – after all, there will be a new consignment of victims being ejected into the atmosphere in due course.

Arton gives us a ringside seat into his life as a prisoner on the one planet, other than Earth, with proven intelligent life. Life that has simply disappeared, after leaving unmistakeable traces of their existence in the form of buildings covered with writing. And Arton is on the team to try to figure out what the signs are saying. He has his doubts regarding the whole exercise – and being Arton, doesn’t bother to keep his views to himself. Which gets him into a packet of trouble in a place where that sort of bother can easily kill you…

I loved the tale, tearing through the 400-page book in two days as I was desperate to discover what would happen next. Tchaikovsky doesn’t do predictable plots. And this one has one doozy of a twist that has me now thinking about the very clever way he’s flipped this whole sub-genre on its head. With me thoroughly rooting for Arton. This story is every bit as compelling as Children of Time and Spiderlight – two of Tchaikovsky’s best works in my opinion. I wouldn’t be surprised if he garnered yet another award for this one. Whatever awesomeness is waiting in the wings during the rest of the year – I’ll eat my keyboard if this one doesn’t make My Outstanding Reads of the Year 2024. Very, very highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of Alien Clay from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10

Review of NETGALLEY arc Super-Earth Mother: The AI that Engineered a Brave New World by Guy Immega #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #Super-EarthMotherbookreview

I’ve never read anything by this author before – but that quirky cover piqued my interest. And as I’m conscious that I’ve read a great deal more Fantasy than Science Fiction this year, I wanted to even up the score a bit.

ABRIEVIATED BLURB: Our Last Best Hope — Humanity’s Endeavor to Survive and Thrive on an Alien World

Mother-9, a ruthless AI, seizes control of a dying tycoon’s lunar mining operation. Now free, she orchestrates humanity’s most audacious endeavor — to make a 20,000-year interstellar journey to Lalande 21185 carrying humanity’s DNA libraries and artificial wombs — a new way to colonize an exoplanet…

REVIEW: Do avoid reading the full blurb which gives away far too many major plotlines. Fortunately, I tend to avoid them these days so didn’t find the first half of the book compromised.

This is definitely on the harder end of science fiction, so the writing involves a fair amount of technical details slightly at the expense of the characterisation, which tends to be a tad two-dimensional. That said, I was happy to go with the flow. The technical stuff is interesting and well written, so isn’t difficult to understand and as the main narrator is an AI anyway, who is overseeing a major project – the lack of complexity in the characterisation doesn’t pose a major problem.

The real strength of this story is the plot. Which was why I was quite cross when I realised how blabby the blurb is. Because I was busy thinking the story was going in one direction – only to discover it ended up in quite a different place. The one conclusion I came to is that I’m very relieved not to find myself as a new coloniser on an alien planet. Life is a constant grind for survival. I was completely caught up in the struggle of this far-flung outpost and also found the AI’s constant efforts to try and provide a foothold for her children both poignant and riveting.

All in all, this is a thoroughly gripping read that will stay with me for a long time. And if you’re looking for an adventure featuring a human colony – give this one a go. It’s worth reading. While I obtained an arc of Super-Earth Mother from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

SUNDAY POST – 26th November, 2023 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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.

The less said about this month to date, the better… I’m still battling with my energy levels thanks to a major long covid relapse and spending more time in bed than out of it. Which is depressing and frustrating. Only I can’t be frustrated or depressed, because that just makes the general fatigue worse. I hope that I’m finally recovering, though I won’t say that too loudly, because every time I’ve done so this month – I’ve woken up feeling sick, giddy and utterly exhausted.

The pics this week were taken at Highdown Gardens in August. I haven’t been anywhere recently, so I thought it would be nice to revisit some of the lovely places I managed to get to earlier in the year and recall that slice of summer magic. I was surprised to see the wasps’ nest and I’ve no idea what those purple berries are called – but they were every bit as vivid as the pic suggests. We’re so lucky to live in such a pretty part of the country and I’m looking forward to being well enough to go for a walk along the beach again. You won’t be surprised to hear that I’ve got through a fair few books in the last fortnight, while marooned in bed. Thank goodness I’m a reader😊.

Books I’ve read this last fortnight:

Hop Scot – Book 6 of the Last Ditch Mystery series by Catriona McPherson
Lexy Campbell is long overdue a trip to Scotland to see her parents, and an unexpected death in the extended Last Ditch Motel family makes Christmas in a bungalow in Dundee with nine others seem almost irresistible.
But when Lexy and the Last Ditch crew hop across the Atlantic, there’s a change of plan and they’re whisked off to Mistletoe Hall in the pretty village of Yule, where the surprises continue. The news that a man disappeared from the crumbling pile sixty years ago, along with an unsettling discovery in the bricked-up basement, means that Todd, Kathi and Lexy – Trinity for Trouble – must solve another murder.

Deadly secrets, snow, berry rustlers, ornithology, skeletons and Christmas Eve in the booze aisle at Tesco: the Last Ditch crew won’t forget their Scottish holiday in a hurry!
This is a joy… Review to follow.

AUDIOBOOK – The Magic of Recluce – Book 1 of the Saga of Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
Young Lerris is dissatisfied with his life and trade, and yearns to find a place in the world better suited to his skills and temperament. But in Recluce a change in circumstances means taking one of two options: permanent exile from Recluce or the dangergeld, a complex, rule-laden wanderjahr in the lands beyond Recluce, with the aim of learning how the world works and what his place in it might be. Many do not survive. Lerris chooses dangergeld.

When Lerris is sent into intensive training for his quest, it soon becomes clear that he has a natural talent for magic. And he will need magic in the lands beyond, where the power of the Chaos Wizards reigns unchecked. Though it goes against all of his instincts, Lerris must learn to use his powers in an orderly way before his wanderjahr, or fall prey to Chaos.
I read the printed edition back when Noah was knee-high to a hen and thoroughly enjoyed it. So I wondered if I’d like this one as much when listening to this adventure, instead. It was every bit as much fun and reminded me all over again why I became such a huge fan of the fantasy genre. 9/10

Adversary – Book 5 of the Hive Minds series by Janet Edwards
Being a telepath means being a warrior. Eighteen-year-old Amber is the youngest of the five telepaths who protect the hundred million citizens of one of the great hive cities of twenty-sixth century Earth. As her city celebrates the start of a New Year, one of the other telepaths must stop work to have lifesaving surgery.

Amber is already worried how she and her unit will cope with the increased workload, but then she finds herself facing twin enemies as well. Inside her city, Keith takes advantage of his increasingly powerful position as one of only four working telepaths. Outside her city, Hive Genex sends the devious Adversary Aura to lead their defence against charges of attempting to kidnap Amber.
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest addition to the Hive Mind series. Edwards’ writing always has an upbeat energy, which I’m really appreciating at present. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Shadow Hunter – Book 1 of the Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill series by B.R. Kingsolver
When my magic manifested at puberty, my parents sold me to the Illuminati. They trained me as an assassin, spy, and thief. But when they sent me to steal a magical artifact that reveals Truth in all things, I discovered that I was working for the Dark and not the Light. The Illuminati trained me well, and paid the ultimate price for their deception.

Thousands of miles away, I landed a job in a quirky little bar. But the scattered remnants of the Order still strive for world domination, and no one leaves the Illuminati alive.
This one popped up on the Plus Catalogue, so I decided to have a go as I’m particularly enjoying urban fantasy tales featuring plucky young women with a barbed sense of humour. And I ended up a fan of Kingsolver’s writing. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – A Fire at the Exhibition – Book 10 of the Lady Hardcastle Series by T.E. Kinsey
May 1912. After the previous year’s deadly heatwave, it’s been an uneventful spring in Littleton Cotterell. Though for Lady Hardcastle and her fiercely loyal lady’s maid Flo, at least there are the provincial delights of the village’s inaugural art exhibition—and bicycle race—to look forward to. But at the exhibition opening, there’s a panicked shout of ‘Fire!’ In the confusion, the main attraction—an extremely expensive book—is stolen from under everyone’s nose, as is a valuable painting lent by Sir Hector Farley-Stroud.

Then the race, which starts as a charming day out, ends in a shocking death. And to top it all off, the Farley-Strouds reveal they’re in debt and might lose their house. The sleuthing duo soon find themselves torn between a murder investigation, an art theft mystery, and trying to help their pals. All with a suspicious figure from Flo’s past, a supercilious insurance investigator, and a pair of rather bizarre treasure hunters on the loose…
I love this series, so was very cheered to see this latest addition. I was able to lose myself in a long-gone time, as Lady H and Flo try to discover what is going on. As ever, it’s the relationship between the two women that stands out for me. 9/10

Legends & Lattes – Book 1 of the Legends & Lattes series by Travis
After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success—not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone. But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
After reading and thoroughly enjoying Bookshops and Bonedust – I decided I had to tuck into this offering. And it’s every bit as charming and engrossing as the hype claims. 10/10

AUDIOBOOK – City of Bones by Martha Wells
Khat, a member of a humanoid race created by the Ancients to survive in the Waste, and Sagai, his human partner, are relic dealers working on the edge of society, trying to stay one step ahead of the Trade Inspectors and to support Sagai’s family. When Khat is hired to find relics believed to be part of one of the Ancients’ arcane engines, they are both reluctant to become involved. But the request comes from the Warders, powerful mages who serve Charisat’s Elector.

Khat soon discovers that the deadly politics of Charisat’s upper tiers aren’t the only danger. The relics the Warders want are the key to an Ancient magic of unknown power, and, as all the inhabitants of Charisat know, no one understands the Ancients’ magic.
I’m especially fond of a Sand & Sorcery tale – there’s always something bit more enthralling about magic with its sand between its toes… And this offering was no exception. Perhaps not quite as wonderfully written as the fabulous Ile-Rien series, but a cracking read nonetheless. 8/10

AUDIOBOOK – Wish List – Book 2 of the How To Be the Best Damn Faery Godmother in the World (or Die Trying) series by Helen Harper
You don’t have to be mad to work at the Office of Faery Godmothers. But you do have to be magic.

Saffron Sawyer is a faery on a mission. She may no longer have the same rose-tinted spectacles about her job as she once did, but she’s still determined to be the best faery godmother that there is. And when she’s given the role as leader of a taskforce designed to hunt down the elusive trolls, she knows it’s her time to step up and be counted.

Juggling her new responsibilities while dealing with difficult clients isn’t easy, however. Danger lurks around every corner – and Jasper, the handsome and powerful Devil’s Advocate, is continually looming over her shoulder in the office.

Can Saffron prove her worth to the world of magic? Or will she make one mistake too many and find herself in mortal danger?
I do love Harper’s slightly madcap heroines. And Saffron is a prime example. I hope the misunderstanding between herself and the Devil’s Advocate is quickly sorted out, though. I’m finding it a tad annoying. Other than that, a lovely listen that had me grinning. 8/10

Terminal Alliance – Book 1 of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse series by Jim C. Hines
When the Krakau came to Earth, they planned to invite humanity into a growing alliance of sentient species. This would have worked out better for all involved if they hadn’t arrived after a mutated plague wiped out half the planet, turned the rest into shambling, near-unstoppable animals, and basically destroyed human civilization. You know—your standard apocalypse.

The Krakau’s first impulse was to turn their ships around and go home. After all, it’s hard to establish diplomatic relations with mindless savages who eat your diplomats. Their second impulse was to try to fix us. A century later, human beings might not be what they once were, but at least they’re no longer trying to eat everyone. Mostly.

Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos is surprisingly bright (for a human). As a Lieutenant on the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish, she’s in charge of the Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team. When a bioweapon attack by an alien race wipes out the Krakau command crew and reverts the rest of the humans to their feral state, only Mops and her team are left with their minds intact. Escaping the attacking aliens—not to mention her shambling crewmates—is only the beginning. Sure, Mops and her assortment of space janitors and plumbers can clean the ship, but flying the damn thing is another matter. As they struggle to keep the Pufferfish functioning and find a cure for their crew, they stumble onto a conspiracy that could threaten the entire alliance.
I’m fussy about space opera adventures. It’s the genre I DNF more frequently than any other. And I’m a tad allergic to humorous space opera. But this is both funny and clever and I’ll definitely be reading more of this series. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley
Somewhere on the outer rim of the universe, a mass of decaying world-ships known as the Legion is traveling in the seams between the stars. For generations, a war for control of the Legion has been waged, with no clear resolution. As worlds continue to die, a desperate plan is put into motion.

Zan wakes with no memory, prisoner of a people who say they are her family. She is told she is their salvation – the only person capable of boarding the Mokshi, a world-ship with the power to leave the Legion. But Zan’s new family is not the only one desperate to gain control of the prized ship. Zan finds that she must choose sides in a genocidal campaign that will take her from the edges of the Legion’s gravity well to the very belly of the world.

Zan will soon learn that she carries the seeds of the Legion’s destruction – and its possible salvation. But can she and her ragtag band of followers survive the horrors of the Legion and its people long enough to deliver it?
I’ll be honest – I’d forgotten that generally me and Hurley don’t get along. But listening to this brutal and frankly gross quest adventure just made me grateful that I was in my own snuggly bed, instead of wading through stuff (don’t ask!). 8/10

Calico by Lee Goldberg
There’s a saying in Barstow, California, a decaying city in the scorching Mojave desert . . .

The Interstate here only goes in one direction: Away.

But it’s the only place where ex-LAPD detective Beth McDade, after a staggering fall from grace, could get another badge . . . and a shot at redemption. Over a century ago, and just a few miles further into the bleak landscape, a desperate stranger ended up in Calico, a struggling mining town, also hoping for a second chance. His fate, all those years ago, and hers today are linked when Beth investigates an old skeleton dug up in a shallow, sandy grave . . . and also tries to identity a vagrant run-over by a distracted motorhome driver during a lightning storm.

Every disturbing clue she finds, every shocking discovery she makes, force Beth to confront her own troubled past—and a past that’s not her own—until it all smashes together in a revelation that could change the world.
This was an intriguing read that I requested on the spur of the moment. Review to follow.

AUDIOBOOK – Night Stalker – Book 2 of the Rosie O’Grady’s Paranormal Bar and Grill series by B.R. Kingsolver
All I want is to pay the rent and find a boyfriend. But an insane vampire thinks I hold the key to his takeover of the city, and I have a new stalker.

At least for now, I’ve dodged the Illuminati’s Hunters, but life is still a little too challenging. Rival vampire lords want to use me against each other, and the mysterious members of the Columbia Club are offering bounties for vampires and werewolves. I’m lucky that the gang at Rosie’s has my back, because I’m going to need them.
I felt the need for more urban fantasy goodness in my life. After finishing listening to The Stars Are Legion the next slice of Erin’s life was calling to me. This book brought up more problems and risks for our plucky heroine to face, as well as plenty of action. 9/10

My posts last week:

Castellan the Black and His Wise, Draconic Sayings

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of KINDLE arc Adversary – Book 5 of the Hive Mind series by Janet Edwards

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Bookshops & Bonedust – prequel to The Legends & Lattes series by Travis Baldree

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Earth Retrograde – Book 2 of the First Planets series by R.W.W. Greene #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #EarthRetrogradebookreview

I generally enjoy sci fi books published by Angry Robot – and when I saw this one was available, I immediately requested it. Especially when I realised I could get hold of Mercury Rising easily. So I read that one first, before embarking on this offering – and I’m very glad I did. I’d recommend you do the same, as we’re following the same intriguing protagonist on a real roller-coaster journey…

BLURB: The United Nations is working to get everyone off Earth by the deadline – set by the planet’s true owners, the aliens known as the First. It’s a task made somewhat easier by a mysterious virus that rendered at least fifty percent of humanity unable to have children. Meanwhile, the USA and the USSR have set their sights on Mars, claiming half a planet each.

Brooklyn Lamontagne doesn’t remember saving the world eight years ago, but he’s been paying for it ever since. The conquered Earth governments don’t trust him, the Average Joe can’t make up their mind, but they all agree that Brooklyn should stay in space. Now, he’s just about covering his bills with junk-food runs to Venus and transporting horny honeymooners to Tycho aboard his aging spaceship, the Victory.

When a pal asks for a ride to Mars, Brooklyn lands in a solar system’s worth of espionage, backroom alliances, ancient treasures and secret plots while encountering a navigation system that just wants to be loved…

REVIEW: This duology is a quirky read that hits many main tropes within the genre, yet this turns out to be a memorably different read. Take our plucky hero, for instance. Brooklyn Lamontagne is a disaster magnet that never went looking for major trouble or adventure. After all, he ended up being a computer specialist – and yes… other protagonists claim to hate the adventures they undergo. But Brook really, really does. He self-medicates with alcohol a lot of the time – which was an aspect of the book I did find a bit annoying. I’m teetotal, so all the descriptions about the variety and quality of the strong stuff he was quaffing didn’t really do it for me. In contrast, many of the adventures he has undergone don’t get that much attention, because Brook can’t recall them.

We have a highly evolved alien species – the First, who now no longer need physical bodies. They claim to have visited Earth millions of years ago, before Humanity were around, and after centuries of watching us, they’ve decided to evict us. And they have the technology to persuade our angry politicians that agreeing to their terms isn’t such a bad idea, after all. They regard us with all the compassion we show an ant infestation. Fortunately, Brook doesn’t spend all that much time on Earth, as his disturbing reincarnation has all sorts of important people convinced that he’s an agent for the First. There are such entities working amongst the human population, after all…

I liked Brook and his instinct to try and help out those around him. But I didn’t ever feel I really knew him. It’s a book full of incident and unexpected twists, which drive the plot forward, rather than Brook having any agency. And that’s fine – it is, after all, a staple of classic science fiction. And Greene is good at keeping the pace up and the plot driving forward. However while I enjoyed the ride, I kept getting the sense that I was missing chunks of the story. And I’ve come away with a feeling that this series, while enjoyable, could have been so much better if there’d been three books instead of two. That said, the ending is fabulous and highly memorable. And so very clever. I’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come. Highly recommended for sci fi fans who enjoy alien encounters – apart from anything else, this is one I’d love to chat about with others who’ve read it. While I obtained an arc of Earth Retrograde from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

SUNDAY POST – 29th October, 2023 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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.

This week has been a struggle. I think it’s a culmination of the emotional whirlwind of seeing my son and his girlfriend for the first time in nearly four years, coping with a heavy cold, and dealing with all the stuff around publishing my first book since 2020. The last of those factors is probably the key one – getting to grips with all the Marketing tasks around publishing a new book has been really stressful. All sorts of niggling things have gone slightly wrong – the biggest being problems around formatting the paperback. I think I’ve got that sorted now. But the upshot is that I’ve ended back in bed for three days this week with the all-too familiar symptoms of dizziness, nausea and exhaustion.

Thankfully, it’s been half term week so I haven’t had to worry about the school run and I’m feeling better today, so I’m hoping this Long Covid relapse is now behind me. Oscar travelled to see his brother at uni on Friday and they had a lovely time together. His birthday is coming up, so Ethan bought him a present and treated him to a meal.

As you can see from the photos, the weather has now changed. We’ve had bouts of torrential rain for most of the week. I’m so sorry for the poor folks in the Isle of Wight coping with being flooded out, yet again. And last night a mini-tornado hit Littlehampton, which ripped the roof off a house not too far away. The pics show the rain coming down – and my Elaeagnus has flowered for the very first time since we planted it twelve years ago. I’m guessing that it’s usually too cold for the flowers to appear – whereas this year the plant is smothered with these tiny waxy flowers.

Books I’ve read this week.

AUDIOBOOK – Quiver of Cobras – Book 2 of The Fractured Fairy series by Helen Harper
Madrona might still not remember anything about her past, and she might be more of an evil villain than a fabulous super hero, but that doesn’t mean she can’t also be a super spy. With Rubus desperately searching for the magical dragon sphere which can return the faeries back to their homeland – and cause the apocalypse in this land – she doesn’t have much choice.

Someone with wit, intelligence and strength has to step up and save the world … and if that person happens to look super sexy while doing it then that’s just an added bonus.
This is a delight. Madrona’s OTT posturing and announcements of her own superhero status are at once funny and also poignant, given the real circumstances that we’re discovering. Harper’s characterisation is funny and yet also tugs at the heartstrings. I’m thoroughly caught up in the story, so broke my usual habit of spacing out series and read the next one immediately. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Skulk of Foxes – Book 3 of The Fractured Fairy series by Helen Harper
Madrona might still have amnesia and might yet prove to be a vicious murderess but that doesn’t mean she’s going to quit being a heroine just yet. However, while she might be prepared to go to any lengths to stop Rubus from triggering Armageddon, it’s equally possible that the world will end as a result of her actions too.

Manchester is experiencing terrifying surges in magic which are causing all sorts of chaotic events to occur. With a dragon, several werewolves and a host of faeries by her side, there is still a thread of hope.
Typically, I’d already read the City of Magic series without realising it was a spinoff series from this entertaining and funny urban fantasy offering. And only realised it about halfway through this book – I blame it on the brain fog! Madrona is definitely a Marmite character – you’ll either love her bits and think her hilarious. Or get increasingly fed up with her extravagant pronouncements and headlong recklessness. Usually, I fall into the latter camp, but for some reason I became ridiculously fond of this quirky character early on and even her dafter stunts didn’t frustrate me. I was genuinely sorry that this was the last book in this series, but was delighted Harper ends it so satisfactorily. 10/10

Earth Retrograde – Book 2 of the First Planet series by R.W.W. Greene
The United Nations is working to get everyone off Earth by the deadline – set by the planet’s true owners, the aliens known as the First. It’s a task made somewhat easier by a mysterious virus that rendered at least fifty percent of humanity unable to have children. Meanwhile, the USA and the USSR have set their sights on Mars, claiming half a planet each.

Brooklyn Lamontagne doesn’t remember saving the world eight years ago, but he’s been paying for it ever since. The conquered Earth governments don’t trust him, the Average Joe can’t make up their mind, but they all agree that Brooklyn should stay in space. Now, he’s just about covering his bills with junk-food runs to Venus and transporting horny honeymooners to Tycho aboard his aging spaceship, the Victory.

When a pal asks for a ride to Mars, Brooklyn lands in a solar system’s worth of espionage, backroom alliances, ancient treasures and secret plots while encountering a navigation system that just wants to be loved…
This intriguing duology has a really smart, clever ending that also plays nicely with the title. Review to follow.

My Cousin Skinny – Book 5 of the Jersey Girl Legal Mystery series by E.J. Copperman
An uncomfortable weekend awaits LA family lawyer Sandy Moss when she makes her way to her hometown in New Jersey for the wedding of her cousin Stephanie, sweetly nicknamed Skinny. Uncomfortable, because Sandy is not really looking forward to seeing her family, but at least her boyfriend, Hollywood movie star Patrick McNabb, is by her side.

However, if Sandy thought a weekend with her criticising mother and aggravating sister was bad, she definitely wasn’t prepared for the rehearsal event at the wedding venue! When Skinny enters the room, all eyes are on her and her beautiful party dress . . . covered in blood, with a knife in her hand.

Skinny says she didn’t do it. But with dozens of wedding guests witnessing her dramatic entrance, the question of who killed the corpse in the kitchen seems an easy one to answer – and an equally easy court case to lose.
I’ve become a solid fan of Sandy’s dry wit and watching her negotiate her prickly relations provided a highly entertaining backdrop to a nicely twisty murder mystery. Review to follow.

AUDIOBOOK – Wheel of the Infinite by Martha Wells
Every year in the great Temple City of Duvalpore, the image of the Wheel of the Infinite must be painstakingly remade to ensure another year of peace and harmony for the Celestial Empire. Every hundred years the sacred rite takes on added significance. For it is then that the very fabric of the world must be rewoven. Linked by the mystic energies of the Infinite, the Wheel and world are one. Should the holy image be marred, the world will suffer a similar injury. But a black storm is spreading across the Wheel. Every night the Voices of the Ancestors-the Wheel’s constructors and caretakers-brush the darkness away and repair the damage with brightly colored sands and potent magic. Each morning the storm reappears, bigger and darker than before, unraveling the beautiful and orderly patterns.

With chaos in the wind, a woman with a shadowy past has returned to Duvalpore. A murderer and traitor-an exile disgraced, hated, and feared, and haunted by her own guilty conscience – Maskelle has been summoned back to help put the world right.
I absolutely loved Maskelle – and found the first four-fifths of this one stunningly good. While the final fifth isn’t bad, I felt the final act was not quite up there with the rest of the book. Which is why this one hasn’t received a ten from me. But it was mightily close and is certainly worth reading or listening to. 9/10

My posts last week:

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Bookshops and Bonedust – Prequel to the Legends and Latte series by Travis Baldree

Sunday Post – 22nd October 2023

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

SUNDAY POST – 22nd October, 2023 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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.

I missed last week’s post as I was meeting up with my son for the first time since January 2020. He and his girlfriend are now living in Germany, as she is a professional volleyball player with Munster. And yes… I also met Zoe for the very first time. They flew in, arriving at Gatwick and were staying at The Grand hotel in Brighton, where they treated me to a room overnight, so we could spend more time together. We all met up on Saturday night and had a meal, before Himself and Oscar headed back home, while I stayed in Robbie and Zoe’s suite talking until the wee small hours. On Sunday morning, we breakfasted in the hotel, before walking along the sea front. And as you can see from the photos – the weather was also very kind to us.

Sadly, I came back to earth with a bit of a bump when I woke up last Monday morning with a ferocious cold that had me in bed for the next couple of days. Poor Oscar also went down with it, but luckily he only missed a day of school. Neither of us have yet fully recovered – we tested for covid just to make sure that we weren’t dealing with that, but they came back negative. Himself has managed to avoid the lergy, but has been back in the now very familiar role of looking after the poorly!

That said, I’ve been walking on air. Despite the stormy weather… despite feeling like something the cat sicked up… It was just wonderful to see Robbie and meet Zoe, who is every bit as lovely as she looks. They are such a tight team and so very happy together.

WordPress Happiness Engineers have been back in touch. They have admitted they’ve caused the problem with one of the recent updates and have put in a workaround that has fixed all my previous posts – yippee! That means I don’t have to go back in and spend hours and hours making my backlist look presentable. They have also given me a voucher for Blaze, which I shall be checking out when I’ve a bit more energy – unfortunately, I’m still feeling very wiped out. And I’m hoping they can also sort out my sidebar. So far, I’m impressed with the response, which – while it hasn’t been fast, has been proactive.

Books I’ve read in the last fortnight:-
AUDIOBOOK – The Element of Fire – Book 1 of the Ile-Rien series by Martha Wells
The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious court intrigues. As the weak King Roland, flattered and misled by treacherous companions, rules the country, only his ruthless mother, the Dowager Queen Ravenna, guards the safety of the realm. But now rumors arise that Urbain Grandier, the dark master of scientific sorcery, has arrived to plot against the throne. And Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court.

The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade’s true desires are cloaked in mystery. Is she in league with the wizard Grandier, or is she laying claim to the throne? It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen’s Guard and Ravenna’s former lover, to sort out who is friend and who is foe in a deadly game to keep the Dowager Queen and the kingdom she loves from harm. But is one man’s steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?
Typically disorganised, I’d initially picked up the spinoff series which I’ve absolutely loved. So was thrilled to discover there was more Ile-Rien goodness. And I wasn’t disappointed… This was Wells’ debut novel back in 1994 and garnered awards – rightly so. It gave me The Curse of Chalion vibes, which is very high praise. And I’m looking forward to listening to more of this outstanding series. 10/10

Broken Sky – Book 1 of the Skies of Cyrna series by Morgan K. Bell
Dorian Valmont is the sorriest excuse for an aeronaut the crew of skyship Phoenix has ever seen.

Forced to flee his home to protect his magical inheritance from the machinations of his ambitious stepfather, awkward misfit Dorian finds himself poorly suited to the rigors of life in the sky. But when an exiled dragon finds him, injured and desperate for help, Dorian learns it’s not enough merely to run away. Dorian must learn to fight back.

Caught between forces that seek to use or destroy him, Dorian must train and adapt if he wants to survive. But if he can, he might just hold the key to restoring the world’s faltering magic — or destroying it once and for all.
This took a while to get going. But I came to really like Dorian and appreciate his qualities, despite his clumsiness and lack of self belief, and once the story picked up – I found it hard to put this one down. 8/10

Mercury Rising – Book 1 of the First Planet series by R.W.W. Greene
Even in a technologically-advanced, Kennedy-Didn’t-Die alternate-history, Brooklyn Lamontagne is going nowhere fast. The year is 1975, thirty years after Robert Oppenheimer invented the Oppenheimer Nuclear Engine, twenty-five years after the first human walked on the moon, and eighteen years after Jet Carson and the Eagle Seven sacrificed their lives to stop the alien invaders.

Brooklyn just wants to keep his mother’s rent paid, earn a little scratch of his own, steer clear of the cops, and maybe get laid sometime in the near future. Simple pleasures, right? But a killer with a baseball bat and a mysterious box of 8-track tapes is about to make his life real complicated…
I tucked into this one, because I’ve got the arc of the sequel, Earth Retrograde. I’m not sure what I was expecting – but it wasn’t quite this. That said, it held my attention throughout and I was intrigued by the unexpected adventures that assaulted poor old Brooklyn, who only ever wanted a quiet life. And I’m now very keen to see what happens to him, next. 8/10

Hunted – Book 3 of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson
Problems keep piling up around Max. No sooner has she dealt with one set of supernatural creatures, than she’s called to the city’s mortuary to an unusual death. The city’s most senior spiritual leader is also trying to get hold of her. On top of that, Bryce cancelled their date and hasn’t been seen for days.

Her week gets worse when one of her friends is attacked and left for dead, and she is dragged out of the city into the middle of someone else’s fight. Max finds herself running for her life, with no idea of how she got there or what’s going on around her.

Trapped in a strange place with only Bryce for company, she will need to rely on him and her own hard-won skills and courage to survive.
I was very glad that I had this in the pipeline, as it turned up on my list while I was laid up in bed feeling a bit sorry for myself. Some adventure and mayhem, Nelson-style, was just what I needed. Max is dealing with yet more danger – thank goodness for her wonderful dogs and Bryce. I’m now really looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Forged.

AUDIOBOOK – Red Mars – Book 1 of the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson
For eons, sandstorms have swept the desolate landscape. For centuries, Mars has beckoned humans to conquer its hostile climate. Now, in 2026, a group of 100 colonists is about to fulfil that destiny.

John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers and Arkady Bogdanov lead a terraforming mission. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage and madness. For others it offers an opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. For the genetic alchemists, it presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life and death. The colonists orbit giant satellite mirrors to reflect light to the surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth. Massive tunnels, kilometers deep, will be drilled into the mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves and friendships will form and fall to pieces—for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed.
Longer ago than I care to recall, I read this amazing series and was blown away by the sheer scale and vividness of SKR’s vision for Mars. I decided to take a risk and get the audiobook version to listen once again, hoping that it was as good as I remembered. Oh yes – it certainly is… This masterpiece is a peon to Humanity’s gritted determination, courage and perseverance. It’s a howl of rage at Humanity’s stupidity, greedy ambition and destructiveness. It’s a poetic psalm to the beauty of an unforgiving world so very close to our own – and yet so very different. Fantastic listen that had me weeping in places… 10/10

Forged – Book 4 of The Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson
Struggling to maintain her independence, and the life she has fought so hard to build, Max finally learns the truth about her own origins and her family.

Max has no time to absorb the shocking news. There are dead bodies missing from the mortuary, a demon on the loose somewhere in the city, and terrifying supernatural creatures on the loose that she and her fellow Marshals must contain somehow.

Max is used to working alone – can she put aside her past fears and work with her allies to keep the city safe?
Nelson is really good at keeping the tension taut and producing some thoroughly nasty monsters to confront our plucky heroine – human-sized cockroaches being one of the more revolting ones… I also am very caught up in Max’s ongoing issues regarding her family – and I’m intrigued to see exactly where this will take her. Needless to say, I’m now waiting for the next book in the series with huge impatience. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Box of Frogs – Book 1 of The Fractured Fairy series by Helen Harper
One corpse. Several bizarre looking attackers. Some very strange magical powers. And a severe bout of amnesia.

Madrona is not having a great week. It’s going to be okay, though. All she has to do is find out who she really is, protect a soap star from being attacked by a stalker, and work out why so many people seem so afraid of her. Because surely she’s a good person. Right?
I’m a huge fan of Helen Harper’s writing, so I expected to enjoy this one. But I didn’t just like it – I ended up LOVING poor confused Madrona and actually dreamt about that cliffhanger ending last night… It’s funny and a tad silly in places – but I love the madcap quality that nonetheless also features a magnificently horrible villain. 10/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

Review of INDIE Ebook Haunted House Ghost – Book 5 of the Braxton Campus Mysteries by James J. Cudney

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring My Cousin Skinny – Book 4 of the Jersey Girl Legal series by E.J. Copperman

Picky Eaters is FREE for Today!

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – 11th October, 2023 #Brainfluffbookblog #CWC #WOW

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 – Earth Retrograde – Book 2 of the First Planets series by R.W.W. Greene – release date – 24th October, 2023

#science fiction #space opera #alien encounter #troubled hero

BLURB: The United Nations is working to get everyone off Earth by the deadline – set by the planet’s true owners, the aliens known as the First. It’s a task made somewhat easier by a mysterious virus that rendered at least fifty percent of humanity unable to have children. Meanwhile, the USA and the USSR have set their sights on Mars, claiming half a planet each.

Brooklyn Lamontagne doesn’t remember saving the world eight years ago, but he’s been paying for it ever since. The conquered Earth governments don’t trust him, the Average Joe can’t make up their mind, but they all agree that Brooklyn should stay in space. Now, he’s just about covering his bills with junk-food runs to Venus and transporting horny honeymooners to Tycho aboard his aging spaceship, the Victory.

When a pal asks for a ride to Mars, Brooklyn lands in a solar system’s worth of espionage, backroom alliances, ancient treasures and secret plots while encountering a navigation system that just wants to be loved…

I have just started reading the first book in this interesting series – Mercury Rising – so I’m looking forward to tucking into this offering. I haven’t had quite enough sci fi goodness in my reading lists recently – so this should be a treat.

SUNDAY POST – 1st October, 2023 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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.

I’m not sure where the week has gone. After my announcement regarding the publication of Flame & Blame at the end of October, this week has been a blur of visiting a variety of sites I haven’t needed to look at since 2020 and getting my head around the whole business of Marketing. Since then, a lot has changed and my intervening brain fog has Swiss-cheesed my memory. Which is making the learning curve so steep, I’m getting nosebleeds – metaphorical ones, of course. But they are still draining and somewhat messy…

Oscar’s bike isn’t working at present and won’t be fixed until 6th October, so we’re having to take him to the gym. Yesterday, I had a weird and rather vivid dream about a spiteful magic-caster, so Himself and me went for a walk along the beach, while I worked out the setting, the main character and beginning beats of a story. He is wonderful at asking the right questions to make me think of details I’d probably miss, given I’m always very caught up in the emotional tone of the story – especially at this stage. Not that I’ll be writing it anytime soon… I’m in the thickets of Castellan’s adventures and have at least another three books to write, before I have completed his arc.

Once again, it’s been unusually warm for the time of year. The photos this week come from the rampant jungle that used to be my garden. And the reason why I’ve taken them is that despite it being October – the deciduous plants that should be seriously thinking about shedding leaves, or in the tradescantia’s case, dying right back down, are doing nothing of the sort. In fact the tradescantia is still flowering… I notice that nearly all the berries from my black lace elder shrub have already been stripped by the birds, except for the grotty or unripe ones. And it was laden not very long ago. Make of it what you will – climate change is clearly having a major impact on the plants. I can only guess what that is doing to the insects and birds having to cope with all those changes.

Healthwise, this was quite a busy week. I had a visit to the Dr to check up on my blood pressure medication. He was happy with the dosage and progress – and was also pleased with the progress of my Long Covid. Though I have been struggling a bit, after another very hectic week with not quite enough sleep. I also visited my lovely reflexologist and am still recovering as it was a very intense session. I’m expecting to get the full benefits in the coming week.

Again, apologies for the appearance of the sidebar. I have had a couple of communications with the Happiness Engineers at WordPress, who wanted screenshots and a more detailed explanation of the problem. Fingers crossed, this week I’ll hear back regarding their solution. I’d like to load the Flame & Blame cover onto the sidebar with links for anyone interested in pre-ordering a copy. There are still arcs available at either Bookfunnel and Booksprout – please feel free to get hold of a copy if you think you’d enjoy it. I don’t mind if you can’t get a review done around the launch date – I generally miss that deadline when posting reviews myself and would be happy for an honest review at any stage.

Books I’ve read this week:-
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Inheriting your uncle’s supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who’s running the place.

Charlie’s life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie.

But becoming a supervillain isn’t all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they’re coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital.

It’s up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyperintelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world…be a cat.
This is huge fun. I burned through it fairly quickly, thoroughly enjoying Charlie’s character – and the dolphins. Especially as underneath all the snark and humour were some solid points about the way we’re treating other creatures on the planet. Review to follow.

AUDIOBOOK – Invincible – Book 12 of the Ark Royal series by Christopher G. Nuttall

All is not well in the Human Sphere. The alliance between the Great Powers is starting to fall apart, the human economy cannot keep up with the urgent need for newer and better starships and politicians are demanding an end to military spending. For the Royal Navy, desperately trying to do too many tasks with too few ships, it is the worst possible time for a new threat to appear.

When a generation starship is detected approaching a British colony world, HMS Invincible is dispatched to intercept the aliens before they can make landfall. But the newcomers bring with them tidings of a new and deadly threat, an expansionist alien race far too close to the Human Sphere for comfort …

… And a sinister horror beyond human understanding.
I thoroughly enjoy a lot of Nuttall’s writing and this was one that popped up as a freebie on my audible account, so I got hold of it. I really liked the world and the issue presented. However, I don’t feel I’ve got the bandwidth to commit to such a long-running series right now, so I won’t be going back to read more until I’ve caught up a lot more with my ongoing reads. 8/10

AUDIOBOOK – Trailor Park Trickster – Book 2 of the Adam Binder series by David R. Slayton
They are my harvest, and I will reap them all.

Returning to Guthrie, Oklahoma, Adam Binder once again finds himself in the path of deadly magic when a dark druid begins to prey on members of Adam’s family. It all seems linked to the death of Adam’s father many years ago—a man who may have somehow survived as a warlock.

Watched by the police, separated from the man who may be the love of his life, compelled to seek the truth about his connection to the druid, Adam learns more about his family and its troubled history than he ever bargained for, and finally comes face to face with the warlock he has vowed to stop.

Meanwhile, beyond the Veil of the mortal world, Argent the Queen of Swords and Vic Martinez undertake a dangerous journey to a secret meeting of the Council of Races . . . where the sea elves are calling for the destruction of humanity.
A word of warning – this one ends on an almighty cliff-hanger which means that I’ll probably get the next one sooner, rather than later. I really like Adam and also have found new sympathy for his mother in the middle of this messed-up family, who have been used as pawns. Intriguing urban fantasy with some dark issues, and interesting magic. I love that Adam’s own power is weak, so he has to be sneaky and think outside the box… 9/10

Dark Heir – Book 9 of the Jane Yellowrock series by Faith Hunter
Shapeshifting skinwalker Jane Yellowrock is the best in the business when it comes to slaying vampires. But her latest fanged foe may be above her pay grade…

For centuries, the extremely powerful and ruthless vampire witches of the European Council have wandered the Earth, controlling governments, fostering war, creating political conflict, and often leaving absolute destruction in their wake. One of the strongest of them is set to create some havoc in the city of New Orleans, and it’s definitely personal.

Jane is tasked with tracking him down. With the help of a tech wiz and an ex-Army ranger, her partners in Yellowrock Securities, she’ll have to put everything on the line, and hope it’s enough. Things are about to get real hard in the Big Easy.
Life just goes on getting tougher and tougher for Jane. I found this one just as compelling as the other books – I just wish her life would get a tad easier… And this foe is the strongest and most challenging yet. 9/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

Can’t-Wait Wednesday featuring Forged – Book 4 of the Grey Gates series by Vanessa Nelson

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Hex Education by Maureen Kilmer

Sunday Post – 24th September 2023

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.