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 much better week. For starters, the weather has been much kinder, so I was able to go for a walk along the beach on Tuesday morning after the school run. That’s where this week’s photos come from. That last pic is of the barbeque area – the Council have left off cropping the grass and it’s currently smothered in daisy blossoms…
I’ve been battling a really low mood, however. My lovely sister-in-law popped down for a visit on Friday and we went for lunch at the local garden centre and wandered around, while I talked out my feelings. I am still coming to terms with my sister’s death. Added to that, now I’m recovering from nearly three years of long covid, I am also trying to work out what I can recover from my old life and what is now permanently beyond me. So it was tremendously helpful to get my sister-in-law’s kindly, wise input.
It’s a Bank Holiday weekend, so the town will be really busy. We haven’t got any special plans as Himself is working on Monday. But if the weather continues to be so lovely and sunny, I might even bother some of the weeds in the garden.
Books I’ve read this week:
Myth-Touched – Book 2 of the Shadows of Eireland series by Joanna Maciejewska In the war, being hunted by mythborn was day to day life. Peacetime had changed things, but myth-touched Kaja never expected to be hunted alongside the mythborn…
With her life hanging by a thread, Kaja had little time to consider Eithne’s offer of aid. Now, free of her affliction, she bears the consequences of that decision. Stuck among her former enemies, caught navigating the nuances of lies and politics, she’s presented with little choice but to accept the out offered by Cathal, leader of the Scáthanna.
But Cathal and his team have troubles of their own as an invisible enemy haunts their steps. If Kaja helps them, she’ll be targeted as well, and when dealing with a faceless enemy, the only way to survive is by carefully choosing allies and tempering trust. Failure could cost their lives.
I am a fan of Joanna’s nuanced characterisation and constant tension as Kaja does her best to begin a new life in amongst her former enemies. 9/10
Murder at Spindle Manor – The Lamplight Murder Mysteries by Morgan Stang For Huntress Isabeau Agarwal, the countryside inn is the last stop in a deadly hunt. Armed with gaslamp and guns, she tracks an insidious beast that wears the skin of its victims, mimicking them perfectly. Ten guests reside within Spindle Manor tonight, and the creature could be any one of them. Confined by a torrential thunderstorm and running out of time, Isabeau has until morning to discover the liar, or none of them—including her—will make it out alive.
But her inhuman quarry isn’t the only threat residing in Spindle Manor.
Gunshots.
A slammed door.
A dead body.
Someone has been killed, and a hunt turns into a murder investigation. Now with two mysteries at her feet and more piling up, Isabeau must navigate a night filled with lies and deception. In a world of seances and specters, mesmers and monsters, the unexpected is hiding around every corner, and every move may be her last. By a happy accident, just as I was finishing this one – I learnt that it had won this year’s SPFBO competition. And I can see why. With a committed and plucky heroine, a nicely twisty plot and some quirky humour that prevents some of the gorier events turning too bleak, it was difficult to put this one down. 9/10
AUDIOBOOK – Space Carrier Avalon – Book 1 of the Castle Federation series by Glynn Stewart The Fleet’s Old Lady – out for one last dance
Avalon was the flagship of the Castle Federation in the last war, now twenty years past. The first of the deep space carriers, no other warship in the fleet holds as many honors or has recorded as many kills. No other warship in the fleet is as old.
Accepting the inevitable, the Federation Space Navy has decided to refit her and send her on a tour of the frontier, showing the flag to their allies and enemies as a reminder of her glory – and then decommission her for good. But Avalon has been a backwater posting for ten years – and has problems a mere refit can’t fix. The systems along her planned tour have been seeing pirates for the first time in decades, and there are rumblings of Commonwealth scouting ships all along the border. It may be Avalon’s final tour – but it looks to be anything but quiet! Some of the characters are a bit two-dimensional and occasionally the dialogue is a tad clunky – but I’ll forgive Stewart a lot for the unexpected twists and the gripping space battles. There is also a wealth of technical detail regarding spaceships, enough to gladden the heart of any hard sci fi fan. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – Stone Cold Magic – Book 1 of the Ella Grey series by Jayne Faith Something is eating Ella’s soul . . .
Demon patrol officer Ella Grey was pronounced dead after an accident on the job. Eighteen minutes later she woke up on a gurney bound for the morgue. But she didn’t return to the living alone. The soul of a reaper followed her back from the grave, and it’s not just along for the ride.
The reaper gives her glimpses of the brother she feared was dead, but it’s also trying to use her for its morbid work. The reaper could be her biggest ally in her battle for her brother, if it doesn’t eat her soul first. I was impressed by the quality of the writing in this urban fantasy adventure, featuring resurrected Ella Grey. So I’m definitely going to be getting hold of the next book in this series. 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.
The second week of the Easter holidays has just slipped by and I don’t know where the days have gone. Monday was a milestone for me. I accepted an invitation to read a selection of my writing at the monthly Arts evening at The Victoria Institute in Arundel. Before I became ill, I regularly stood up in front of audiences to either read my work, or give a talk on various aspects of writing. But this was the first time I’d faced an audience since the end of 2019, given we went into lockdown in early 2020. So it was a very big deal for me. I wasn’t even sure that I’d enjoy performing anymore, given I’m still so diminished compared to the person I used to be. In the event, the venue was cosy and welcoming and the audience friendly and responsive. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by other creatives in an evening of poetry, comedy, and a monologue interspersed with excellent live music and I came home buzzing. The photo is the outside of the building in Arundel – it’s an absolute warren inside.
Sadly, that meant I was very, very tired on Tuesday and Wednesday and had to take it easy until I recovered my energy levels. Having Ethan home was lovely and on Thursday he and I joined in a painting day that Himself had organised with his guitar teacher, who is also a very keen gamer. I painted a few of the Wood Elves I used to game with when we played Warhammer Fantasy, but I had to stop after a couple of hours as my eyes grew blurry. The day ended with a delightful board game that John brought along called The Grand Carnival, where each player has to make a fairground and add attractions and guests. We all joined in and had a lovely time. Friday saw Ethan returning to uni and tomorrow Oscar returns to school.
Meanwhile the evenings are drawing out and we’ve had a couple of sunny days, although everywhere is still very wet and Littlehampton made the national news on Wednesday when the River Arun flooded the homes and businesses along Rope Walk on the west bank due to the spring tides and the aftermath of a storm that brought onshore winds. It doesn’t help that river levels are so very high/, anyway.
Books I’ve read this week: The Witchwood Knot – Book 1 of the Victorian Faerie series by Olivia Atwater The faeries of Witchwood Manor have stolen its young lord. His governess intends to steal him back.
Victorian governess Winifred Hall knows a con when she sees one. When her bratty young charge transforms overnight into a perfectly behaved block of wood, she soon realises that the real boy has been abducted by the Fair Folk. Unfortunately, the lord of Witchwood Manor is the only man in England who doesn’t believe in faeries—which leaves Winnie in the unenviable position of rescuing the young lord-to-be all by herself.
Witchwood Manor is bigger than its inhabitants realise, however, and full of otherworldly dangers. As Winnie delves deeper into the other side of the house, she enlists the aid of its dark and dubious faerie butler, Mr Quincy, who hides several awful secrets behind his charming smile. Winnie hopes to make her way to the centre of the Witchwood Knot through wit and cleverness… but when all of her usual tricks fail, who will she dare to trust? I thoroughly enjoyed this Victorian gothic fantasy, complete with haunted house and family curse. Winnie makes a particularly sympathetic protagonist. 9/10
The Lucky Starman – Book 3 of the Leif the Lucky series by Colin Alexander Is Leif really lucky? Stranded in orbit, viewing a destroyed civilization on Earth through the screens of a starship almost out of fuel and food, he doesn’t feel that way. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. As the starship Dauntless returns from a successful mission to the planet called Heaven, Earth holds no attractions for Exoplanetary Scout Leif Grettison. He wants only to complete the mission and leave for another star, along with ace pilot Yang Yong. In fact, he would be happy spending the rest of his life flying the starways with her. But they and the rest of the ship’s skeleton crew awaken from hibernation to find Earth’s solar system dark and silent—no signals, no responses to their transmissions. When they make orbit, the magnitude of the disaster becomes clear.
An apocalyptic war has killed billions and destroyed every last source of power and tech that 22nd-Century humans relied on to survive. Getting down to Earth is only the beginning of Leif’s problems. Those few who survived the apocalypse are still divided, fighting over what’s left. The disastrous re-entry to Earth leaves him with no resources or allies. He lands in the middle of a makeshift family that needs him more than he’s comfortable with and hears stories—even nursery rhymes—that speak of a lucky starman. For once, he’s the only person with tech—but if he’s caught using it, they might kill him. Can a man back from the stars end the warfare on Earth, or will he make it worse? Can he save a family that might become his? Is he everyone’s lucky starman? As I don’t read blurbs, the apocalyptic tone in this third book in the series caught me by surprise. Leif is a sympathetic character, whose overwhelming talent is for surviving in tricky situations when those around him tend to die… He’s not sure whether that makes him all that lucky and I tend to agree. Nonetheless, this one had me turning the pages to find out what happens next and ended on a doozy of the cliff-hanger that will definitely have me getting hold of the next book in the series. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz When editor Susan Ryeland is given the tattered manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has little idea it will change her life. She’s worked with the revered crime writer for years, and his detective, Atticus Pund, is renowned for solving crimes in the sleepy English villages of the 1950s.
As Susan knows only too well, vintage crime sells handsomely. It’s just a shame that it means dealing with an author like Alan Conway…. But Conway’s latest tale of murder at Pye Hall is not quite what it seems. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but hidden in the pages of the manuscript there lies another story: a tale written between the very words on the page, telling of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition and murder. Magpie Murders is also a successful TV drama that I thoroughly enjoyed. But listening to this entertaining story-within-a-story, I found the book far more engrossing than the TV version. If you enjoy a really twisty plot told within the conventions of the golden age of crime aka Agatha Christie, then go hunting for this one. The audiobook version is superb, given the quality of the narration by Samantha Bond and Alan Corduner. 10/10
AUDIOBOOK – Magic Burns – Book 2 of the Katie Daniels series by Ilona Andrews Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…
Version 1.0.0
As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.
When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest – and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive… I enjoyed the first book in this series, but wasn’t sure whether to continue or not until one of my book-blogging buddies assured me that this series goes on steadily getting better. This slice of Katie’s adventures certainly is brimful of action, but I also like that she looks into her future and isn’t thrilled at the thought of growing older and alone. I will be getting the next book in this series in due course. 8/10
Sinister Magic – Book 1 of Death Before Dragons series by Lindsay Buroker I’m Val Thorvald, and I’m an assassin.
When magical bad guys hurt people, I take care of them. Permanently. This doesn’t make me popular with the rest of the magical community—as you can tell from the numerous break-ins and assassination attempts I’ve endured over the years. But thanks to my half-elven blood, a powerful sword named Chopper, and a telepathic tiger with an attitude, I’ve always been able to handle my problems with aplomb. Maybe some cursing and swearing, too, but definitely aplomb.
That changes when my boss is afflicted with a mysterious disease, a government agent starts investigating me, and a godforsaken dragon shows up in the middle of my latest job. I’ve taken down vampires, zombies, and ogres, but dragons are way, way more powerful. And it doesn’t look like this one is going to like me.
Worse than that, he wants to use his magic to compel me to do his bidding, as if I’m some weak-minded minion. That’s not going to happen. I’d die before being some dragon’s slave. But if I can’t figure out a way to avoid him, save my boss, and get rid of the government spook, I’m screwed. Or dead. Or screwed and dead. And that’s never comfortable. I always enjoy Buroker’s mix of snarky humour, action and engaging protagonists. Val is definitely one of the more bloodthirsty characters and could so easily have been just another sword-swinging gal who blends in with the crowd of similar-sounding heroines. She doesn’t. Her gutsy decision to stay away from her daughter and her lumpy relationship with her mother makes her stand out, for starters. I appreciate Buroker’s stance that if you live a violent, dangerous life there are consequences. Especially if magic is involved. I will definitely be reading more of Val’s adventures in due course – a very strong start to the series. 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 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
When paying court to an attractive young queen, whatever you do – don’t flirt with her mother. Not only will your prospective mate be rightly incensed at your disrespect, so will her sire. And if he’s successfully raised a family, he’s liable to be a lethal, more experienced fighter than you.
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
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
You may be in the habit of furling sisters or dams within your wings in the privacy of your lair – but when out in company, keep your wings well and truly folded across your back and nowhere near any queens. No lord wants to be accused of being a lecherous wing fondler…
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life ofPicky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
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.
Last Sunday was Mothers Day and we celebrated as a family by getting together as a family at my lovely sister’s house. We were lucky that the rain held off during our journey there and back, as the roads are shocking. There are far too many deep potholes that could break a wheel or puncture a tyre, so we didn’t want them disguised at the bottom of a puddle. What we did notice was just how waterlogged the countryside is – there are floodings in areas where we’ve never seen standing water before. But it was absolutely worth it to be able to all get together and celebrate. My mother and father were there, as well as my nephews and my sister, her husband and son. Ethan couldn’t make it as he was working.
My sister, Marianne, provided a wonderful sit-down meal for everyone, including the annoying vegans (us!) which was delicious. The gathering was photographed by Himself and provides a lovely souvenir of a happy day. The other pics are signs of Spring – my rosemary is now in flower and the escallonia is now beginning to sprout leaves. Lovely to see the bright green begin to appear in the bushes along the side of the road.
On a more sombre note, on Friday it was my mother-in-law’s funeral. She was eighty-eight, afflicted with dementia and slipped away peacefully, so in many ways her ending was a relief as it could have been so much worse. But it is the end of an era, as my in-laws had lived in the same house for forty-seven years and had been the family hub. She was laid to rest at a Woodland burial site, just opposite my father-in-law. It’s a beautiful spot and she will have a flowering cherry tree planted over her grave.
My sister-in-law gave the eulogy and did a wonderful job summing up a kind-hearted lady with a strong community spirit, who faced up to her final illness with courage and cheerfulness. We stayed overnight, as neither of us wanted to do the journey there and back in a single day, so my mother and father took us out for meal on Friday evening. The boys accompanied us to the funeral and once more, were a wonderful support and great company. We returned home yesterday really tired. I’m hoping this year is going to get better sometime soon!
Books I’ve read this last week: To Cage a God – Book 1 of These Monstrous Gods series by Elizabeth May Using ancient secrets, Galina and Sera’s mother grafted gods into their bones. Bound to brutal deities and granted forbidden power no commoner has held in a millennia, the sisters have grown up to become living weapons. Raised to overthrow an empire―no matter the cost.
With their mother gone and their country on the brink of war, it falls to the sisters to take the helm of the rebellion and end the cruel reign of a royal family possessed by destructive gods. Because when the ruling alurea invade, they conquer with fire and blood. And when they clash, common folk burn.
While Sera reunites with her estranged lover turned violent rebel leader, Galina infiltrates the palace. In this world of deception and danger, her only refuge is an isolated princess, whose whip-smart tongue and sharp gaze threaten to uncover Galina’s secret. Torn between desire and duty, Galina must make a choice: work together to expose the lies of the empire―or bring it all down. This is basically a class struggle between the magically entitled alurea and the commoners who wait on them hand, foot and finger. Well written and engrossing.
A Fate Inked in Blood – Book 1 of the Saga of the Unfated by Danielle L. Jensen Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back. Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, strongly bonding with Freya from the first page. Review to follow.
Floating Hotel by Grace Curtis Welcome to the Grand Abeona Hotel: home of the finest food, the sweetest service, and the very best views the galaxy has to offer. All year round it moves from planet to planet, system to system, pampering guests across the furthest reaches of the milky way. The last word in sub-orbital luxury—and an absolute magnet for intrigue. Intrigues such as: Why are there love poems in the lobby inbox? How many Imperial spies are currently on board? What is the true purpose of the Problem Solver’s conference? And perhaps most pertinently—who is driving the ship?
Each guest has a secret, every member of staff a universe unto themselves. At the center of these interweaving lives and interlocking mysteries stands Carl, one time stowaway, longtime manager, devoted caretaker to the hotel. It’s the love of his life and the only place he’s ever called home. But as forces beyond Carl’s comprehension converge on the Abeona, he has to face one final question: when is it time to let go? This is an interesting read that turned into a page-turner… Review to follow.
Evernight – Book 1 of the Evernight series by Claudia Gray She’s been uprooted from her small hometown and enrolled at Evernight Academy, an eerie Gothic boarding school where the students are somehow too perfect: smart, sleek, and almost predatory. Bianca knows she doesn’t fit in.
Then she meets Lucas. He’s not the “Evernight type” either, and he likes it that way. Lucas ignores the rules, stands up to the snobs, and warns Bianca to be careful—even when it comes to caring about him.
“I couldn’t stand it if they took it out on you,” he tells Bianca, “and eventually they would.”
But the connection between Bianca and Lucas can’t be denied. Bianca will risk anything to be with Lucas, but dark secrets are fated to tear them apart . . . and to make Bianca question everything she’s ever believed. This is a Romeo and Juliet type romance set within a school for vampires. The main character is sympathetic and well depicted, while the story pacing is effective. Overall, I enjoyed this one – although I do feel the author is slightly guilty of keeping back a major detail for the sake of the narrative. 8/10
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.
If it’s appropriate, wishing you and yours a very happy Mothers Day. We are celebrating by getting together as a family at my youngest sister’s house. It will be lovely to see everyone again in happier circumstances. And it’s been a much better week. For starters, we’ve had several sunny days in a row so not only were we able to put washing on the line – it was a pleasure to open the curtains in the morning. It’s meant that I haven’t spent so much time in bed just reading, which is a major improvement.
On Tuesday, little Eliza stayed over as my daughter was packing for a very important move. After a year of being officially homeless, she has been allocated a two-bedroom flat. It’s not completely ideal – the communal garden means she won’t be able to let Eliza play outside unsupervised. But it’s a whole lot better than where she’s been living. And it also means that Eliza no longer has to cope with a fifty-minute journey to school every day – which is tough when you’re only five.
Needless to say, Eliza was an absolute poppet during her sleepover with us. On Wednesday, to celebrate World Book Day she dressed up as the Gruffalo – and as you can see below, she was very fierce and frightening…
The other pics show daffodils growing through a clump of fungi – a testament to the very wet winter and Spring we’re having – and the lovely cross that Rae sent me on hearing of my sister’s death. I keep it on my mirror and it’s a huge comfort.
Books I’ve read this last week: AUDIOBOOK – New Order – Book 2 of the Bo Blackman Boxed Set series by Helen Harper I’m not adjusting easily to my new life as a fledgling vampire. To say the least. Drinking blood sickens me and, despite my newly enhanced skills and the attention I’m receiving from Lord Montserrat, I’m desperate to find a cure.
But I know it won’t be easy. When my illegal search takes me to the door of a small magic shop called Fingertips and Folics, I become embroiled in a dangerous game of tit-for-tat – with murderous consequences. Life becomes even more complicated when I’m forced to take on a kidnapping case. I despise my client. And I’m running out of options to solve my many dark problems. I am still finding it a problem to fully bond with Bo. She’s impetuous and rather prone to being extremely secretive – and blindingly self-absorbed. Granted, suddenly confronted with being a vampire must be a massive blow and for once, we have a protagonist who is genuinely struggling to cope with becoming supernatural. I do like a lot of the supporting characters and I always enjoy Harper’s bouncy prose and twisty plotting. 8/10
AUDIOBOOK – Crossing Over Easy – Book 1 of the Eastwind Witches series by Nova Nelson My name is Nora Ashcroft, and my perfect life is about to take a deadly turn. I used to think of myself as a modern woman. I built a successful career as a chef and restaurateur, had all the money I could want, and nobody told me what to do. And then I died. Oops. Goodbye, wealth, career, and Texas!
But death wasn’t the end for me. I was given a second chance. So it was hello, gorgeous paranormal men, a snarky canine companion, and magical Eastwind. With my old life ripped away from me, you might think I’d be bored in this strange small town with cobblestone streets and no internet. But not so much. Because I’m there only a few hours before I discover that I’m now—wait for it—a witch.
Not just any witch. A Fifth Wind witch, meaning I can talk to ghosts. Wave a wand around? Not so much. But I do have a familiar, a giant black dog I can communicate with telepathically. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Eh… maybe reserve your judgment until you meet Grim for yourself. The transition is a lot to take in, and it’s made more chaotic when Tanner Culpepper, a gorgeous male witch who waits tables at the all-night diner, and I stumble upon a murdered werewolf. And now the only way we can avoid suspicion for the crime is if I can use my newfound powers to find the real killer. Before the killer finds me… This urban fantasy tale is an enjoyable cosy murder mystery with an engaging protagonist who has a nicely snarky relationship with her big black dog, who is her unwilling familiar. I enjoyed the plot and would happily read more in this series. 8/10
An Education in Malice by S.J. Gibson Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold.On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.
But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and dark magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge. Hm. I’ve had to think long and hard about this one before setting down my thoughts. Review to follow.
To those who refute that dragons are the most civilised and intelligent species in the world – come and tell me that to my face. And be prepared to back up your wet-witted denial with claw and flame…
Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.
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.
My son and his lovely girlfriend visited this weekend from Germany, arriving on Friday and leaving on Sunday. It’s been a whirl as Ethan also made the effort to return from uni for the weekend. Everyone arrived in the pouring rain on a cold, rainy Friday evening. And it started out that way on Saturday too – and then from lunchtime onwards, the weather brightened up sufficiently that we were able to go for a walk along the seafront and then have a coffee at the Each Beach café. Then on Saturday evening, we went to our favourite Chinese restaurant for a lovely vegan meal – the only pity was that Himself was working and had to miss it.
It got even better when we woke up on Sunday morning, as the sun was shining brightly and we visited Highdown Gardens for the first time this year to find it full of Spring flowers. Where Robbie proposed to Zoe. It was idyllic – there was even a heart of daffodils where they could stand. And for the very first time this year, I felt really, really happy. Zoe is the loveliest girl – and we are thrilled to welcome her into the family. They have now left and Ethan has returned to uni so the house is now quiet again. But I now have a sense of hope that Life will get better – and though I will always miss my lovely sister, I can still laugh and celebrate such a happy event.
Books I’ve read this last week:
Darkhaven – Book 1 of the Lightless Prophesy series by Kel E. Fox Gabby is in her final year of high school and facing the Question: what does she want to do with her life? A shame ‘wizarding’ isn’t on the list of university courses.
Just as Gabby despairs that she’ll never find the answer, lightning strikes. She uncovers a conspiracy, meets a mysterious boy, and finds out that maybe, magic might just be real. But it comes at a cost, and now Gabby’s faced with a decision that makes choosing a university as easy as choosing a favourite kind of cake… How is anyone meant to do that?
A coming-of-age, contemporary fantasy, Darkhaven is the first book in the Lightless Prophecy, a galaxy-spanning adventure of magic and gods, love and betrayal, and a quest to find out what holds the stars together in the dark. Yes… a premise that is an oft-trodden path. But then, there’s a reason for it. When done well, this time in a person’s life is often turbulent and difficult – and that’s without any magic or mayhem as the cause. And this time around, it is done well. While Gabby seems stuck – there’s a solid reason for her indecision and I liked the way the story starts relatively slowly and steadily builds in tension and action. By the end I was thoroughly invested in Gabby – to the extent that I’ve gone ahead and already bought the second book in the series. Highly recommended for fans of this fantasy sub-genre. 8/10
Pemberley: Mr Darcy’s Dragon – Book 1 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace England is overrun by dragons of all shapes and sizes. Most people are blissfully unaware of them and the Pendragon Treaty that keeps the peace between human and dragon kind. Only those born with preternatural hearing, like Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are able to hear and converse with dragonkind.
When the first firedrake egg laid in a century is stolen from Pemberley, the fragile dragon peace teeters on collapse. Darcy has no choice but to chase down the thief, a journey that leads him to quaint market town of Meryton and fellow Dragon Keeper, Elizabeth Bennet.
Elizabeth shares a unique bond with dragons, stronger than anything Darcy has ever experienced. More than that, her vast experience and knowledge of dragon lore may be the key to uncovering the lost egg. . But Elizabeth can’t stand Darcy’s arrogance and doesn’t trust him to care properly for a precious baby firedrake. After all, he already lost the egg once. What’s to prevent it from happening again? Can he win her trust and recover the stolen egg before it hatches and sends England spiraling back into the Dark Ages of Dragon War? Right now, I’m reading to escape – so getting a slice of Jane Austen’s world with the addition of dragons is a dream come true. Better still – Grace has done an awesome job in depicting this era and giving Lizzie Bennett a convincing spin on her dragon-whispering powers. I also like this new, harder version of Mr Bennett. I couldn’t put this one down until I’d finished it. And then I picked up the next one – something I hardly ever do… 10/10
Longbourn: Dragon Entailed – Book 2 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace Darcy thought his problems were over when Pemberley hatched and successfully imprinted on humans. But baby dragons prove far more difficult than any dragon lore prepared him for. Only Elizabeth Bennet’s notes offer him any help. When his imperious Aunt Catherine takes matters into her own hands, things take a turn for the worse and Pemberley’s life hangs in the balance. He desperately needs more of Elizabeth’s help, but she ignores all of his requests.
Elizabeth, though, has problems of her own. After the Bennet family dragon sent Pemberley away, life at Longbourn was supposed to return to normal and Elizabeth get on with the all-important business of marrying the heir to her father’s estate. Except that he is the last man in the world whom she could ever be prevailed on to marry—a bumbling, addle-pated dragon-hater who demands she gives up the dragons she lives for. Can she, with the help of her dragon friends, find her way back to Pemberley before they both suffer their fate from the Dragon Entail? Yet more Jane Austenesque goodness featuring plucky Lizzy Bennet, who now finds herself faced with the prospect of a marriage to Mr Collins. And while she knew this was always her fate – once she is confronted with the pompous fool, she finds him pompous, overbearing and innately hostile to dragons… The pages flew by as I inhaled this entertaining take of Pride & Prejudice with dragons. 10/10
Netherfield: Rogue Dragon – Book 3 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace Elizabeth Bennet thought she was prepared to do anything to make the Dragon Conclave accept her beloved young dragon Pemberley into the Blue Order, but she had not anticipated it would leave her banished from her ancestral home and betrothed to none other than Mr. Darcy. But before Elizabeth and Darcy wed, they must find a dangerous rogue dragon before it provokes a war amongst the dragons and brings the fragile peace between dragons and mankind to a catastrophic end.
Nothing written in the annals of dragon lore has prepared Elizabeth to manage a dragon not governed by the Blue Order. Dragons have always loved her, but this one finds her arrogant, selfish and insensitive to others. With only her instincts to guide her, she must convince the rogue of her good intentions before the Blue Order loses patience and decides on more drastic measures. Called away to the other side of the kingdom, trying to settle the dragons’ unrest, Darcy learns the nature of the force poisoning the rogue dragon against Elizabeth. One nearer and dearer than they could have imagined. Can Elizabeth and Darcy convince with rogue dragon to cooperate before darker forces turn it against them, without destroying the fragile bonds uniting the couple? Yes… I’m bingeing on this series – a major departure from my usual reading pattern. But Grace has absolutely captured the characters and the world and then put a delightful draconic spin on the story. Once again, this one absolutely delivers and has left me with an almighty book hangover. 10/10
The Tainted Cup – Book 1 of The Shadow of the Leviathan series by Robert Jackson Bennett In Daretana’s most opulent mansion, a high Imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even in this canton at the borders of the Empire, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.
Called in to investigate this mystery is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities.
At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol. Din is an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory. His job is to observe and report, and act as his superior’s eyes and ears–quite literally, in this case, as among Ana’s quirks are her insistence on wearing a blindfold at all times, and her refusal to step outside the walls of her home.
Din is most perplexed by Ana’s ravenous appetite for information and her mind’s frenzied leaps—not to mention her cheerful disregard for propriety and the apparent joy she takes in scandalizing her young counterpart. Yet as the case unfolds and Ana makes one startling deduction after the next, he finds it hard to deny that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective. I absolutely loved this lush, science fantasy world where geneticists have altered both people and their environment to suit their needs. Review to follow.
A Proper Introduction to Dragons – Book 4 of Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace Nobody had any compassion for dragon lore expert Thomas Bennet’s nerves. He was reconciled to the fact he was father to some of the silliest girls in the country. However, he had suspected for some time that little Elizabeth was different. When she befriended the old tatzelwurm in the woods, he was convinced.
As much as her father might rant and storm about the need for secrecy and expect that to be the end of it, Elizabeth cannot contain her curiosity about all things dragonic. Nor, would it seem, could she stem the development of her unique and prodigious talent for bonding with the creatures.
When Elizabeth discovers an abandoned clutch of fairy dragon eggs, Mr. Bennet finds an unhappy alternative before him. Somehow, he must save the dragon eggs, contend with the jealous estate dragon, and keep it all hidden from his family… or risk exposure of England’s greatest secret and the breaking of the Pendragon Treaty that keeps the tenuous peace between man and dragon. This was an enjoyable read. But as a prequel to the events in the first book, we already know most of this plot anyway. So while this was entertaining and very readable, it lacked the magic and surprise of the previous books, because I pretty much knew what was going to happen anyway. 8/10
Dead Man’s Hand – Book 1 of the Unorthodox Chronicles by James J. Butcher On the streets of Boston, the world is divided into the ordinary Usuals, and the paranormal Unorthodox. And in the Department of Unorthodox Affairs, the Auditors are the magical elite, government-sanctioned witches with spells at their command and all the power and prestige that comes with it. Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby is…not one of those witches.
After flunking out of the Auditor training program and being dismissed as “not Department material,” Grimsby tried to resign himself to life as a mediocre witch. But he can’t help hoping he’ll somehow, someway, get another chance to prove his skill. That opportunity comes with a price when his former mentor, aka the most dangerous witch alive, is murdered down the street from where he works, and Grimsby is the Auditors’ number one suspect.
Proving his innocence will require more than a little legwork, and after forming a strange alliance with the retired legend known as the Huntsman and a mysterious being from Elsewhere, Grimsby is abruptly thrown into a life of adventure, whether he wants it or not. Now all he has to do is find the real killer, avoid the Auditors on his trail, and most importantly, stay alive. As a fan of Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden novels, I was curious to see what his son was capable of producing. Grimsby is a suitably downtrodden protagonist, with a grim backstory that has left him scarred – both physically and emotionally. The story takes a bit of time to get going and I wasn’t immediately drawn to either of the main characters. However as the story wore on, I came to like them both and enjoy the action-packed tale with all its twists and turns. 8/10
Brainfluff 