Mini-Reviews: Blackveil, Scales, Claws

Leave a comment

Kristen Britain, Blackveil

For centuries, a magical wall has protected Sacoridia from the forest of Blackveil, which was originally an Eletian kingdom but was tainted long ago by the evil sorcerer Mornhavon the Black. Now the wall has been breached, and a group of combined Eletians and Sacoridians, including Karigan, is sent inside the forest to discover whether anything good remains. But there are tensions among this group, and they are not the only ones who’ve entered Blackveil. I’m continuing to enjoy this series, though the books are very long and slow-moving – the group going to Blackveil doesn’t actually get there until more than halfway through! But I like that the series doesn’t forget about any plot threads, following up with many characters as they deal with magical destinies, court intrigues, and so on. Things are left very much unresolved at the end of this book (as in, there’s a bona fide cliffhanger), so I will certainly be continuing with the next one!

Stephanie Burgis, Scales and Sensibility

Elinor Tregarth is a “poor relation,” used to being despised and tormented by her spoiled cousin Penelope. But after one particularly awful day, Elinor has had enough and decides to leave her cousin’s home for good—taking Penelope’s dragon with her. (In this world, dragons are fashionable pets, small enough to perch on a lady’s shoulder.) As she decides owhat to do next, Elinor wishes she were as confident and poised as Mrs. De Lacey, one of society’s leading ladies. To her surprise, the dragon has the magical ability to make her look like Mrs. De Lacey—which gives Elinor the confidence to right some wrongs and even find romance. I love a good “magical Regency” novel, and this one is charming. It’s essentially a (steamless) Regency romance, with the fun addition of some dragon lore. I’m not sure the plot would stand up to rigorous scrutiny, but if you’re happy to go along for the ride, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

Stephanie Burgis, Claws and Contrivances

This sequel to Scales and Sensibility features Elinor’s sister, Rose, who has been living with a ramshackle but loving set of distant relations. When Rose discovers a dragon in the buttery, she assumes it must belong to her relatives’ neighbor, Sir Gareth. On her way to return the dragon, she encounters Cornelius Aubrey, an absentminded scholar hoping to consult with Rose’s uncle on some aspects of dragon lore. He convinces Rose not to surrender the dragon to Sir Gareth, and for plot reasons they must pretend to be betrothed. As they uncover a dastardly scheme involving the mistreatment of dragons, Rose finds herself increasingly attracted to her fake fiancé. This is another charming Regency romance with magical elements. I really enjoyed the interplay between Rose’s well-meaning bossiness and Aubrey’s obliviousness. The romance is sweet, the secondary characters are fun, and justice is served in the end. I believe there will be another book in this series at some point, featuring the third Tregarth sister, and I definitely plan to pick it up!

Mini-Reviews: Christmas, Paupers, Garden

1 Comment

Rupert Latimer, Murder after Christmas

A Christmas house party turns deadly when the guest of honor, Sir Willoughby Keene-Cotton, is found dead on Boxing Day. Uncle Willie was very rich, so plenty of people had a motive to kill him—except that, based on the specific legal circumstances surrounding his demise, it was unclear who would inherit his fortune. Similarly, he died by poisoning—but apparently nothing he ate in the hours before his death could have contained the poison. The increasingly bewildered police must sift through piles of red herrings before they can even verify that a murder has been committed, let alone by whom. This breezy vintage mystery multiplies motives and clues so that it’s nearly impossible to separate the important information from the surrounding camouflage. And that’s what makes it such a fun read—that, and the whimsical characters who needlessly obstruct the investigation. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it as a good vintage holiday read.

Sheri Cobb South, Of Paupers and Peers

James Weatherly, a poor village curate, is shocked when a London solicitor informs him that he’s the new Duke of Montford. He travels to Montford immediately to claim his title, only to be attacked by thieves and lose his memory in the process. Miss Margaret Darrington finds him at the side of the road and assumes he’s Mr. Fanshawe, the tutor she hired for her teenage brother. James has no reason to doubt her identification and takes up his new tutorial position. But complications ensue when James seems smitten by Margaret’s beautiful sister, Amanda, who must marry a wealthy man — and when Margaret begins to fall for James herself. This is a sweet and steamless Regency romance that I very much enjoyed, despite the fact that it’s not particularly original. I liked that, while there are various moments of mistaken identity, they’re not drawn out too long and are solved promptly with intelligent communication. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of traditional Regencies, and I’ll seek out more by Sheri Cobb South.

Sarah Addison Allen, Garden Spells

In the small town of Bascom, North Carolina, magic is an understood and largely unspoken fact of life. Everyone knows, for instance, that the Waverley family’s garden produces plants that can influence your mood, and that if you eat the apples from their tree, you’ll have a vision of the biggest event in your life. Claire Waverley has embraced her family’s legacy and uses the magic plants in her catering business, while her estranged sister, Sydney, never liked being a Waverley and couldn’t wait to leave town. But when Sydney unexpectedly returns with a five-year-old daughter in tow, Claire’s carefully cultivated life begins to change. I really enjoy Allen’s books, which are tales of family, romance, and female friendship overlaid with a patina of magic. Claire and Sydney’s relationship is the heart of this novel, and I loved how they slowly grew closer despite years of misunderstandings. Recommended if you like books about small towns and the bonds between women.

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated New Releases

10 Comments

One of my goals this year is to actually do the Top Ten Tuesday lists on a more regular basis! And this week’s topic is a great one to start with: the most anticipated releases of the first half of 2025. I actually have 11 releases to talk about, and I’m really excited for all of them!

1. Mary Balogh, Remember When (January 7) — I haven’t been terribly impressed with Balogh’s latest series thus far, but I continue to live in hope that her next book will be the one I love! This one features mature protagonists and a class divide, and I’m interested to see how it will compare to the previous installments.

2. Loretta Chase, My Inconvenient Duke (January 21) — I’ve been impatiently waiting for this last book in the Difficult Dukes series for ages! Chase is a reliably great read, and I have high hopes for this marriage-in-trouble story, about which we got some tantalizing hints in the previous two books.

3. Charlotte Stein, My Big Fat Fake Marriage (March 11) — I was so impressed with When Grumpy Met Sunshine that I’ve been dying to try something else by Stein. I know she’s got a long backlist, but I’m most excited for her new rom-com, which looks like it’s going to feature a fake relationship (one of my favorite tropes!).

4. Beth O’Leary, Swept Away (April 1) — New Beth O’Leary! I haven’t loved all her books, but her most recent rom-com, The Wake-Up Call, was excellent and has gotten me excited about her upcoming release, even though the premise (two people have a one-night stand and are then stuck together when their boat washes out to sea) isn’t particularly appealing to me.

5. Emily Henry, Great Big Beautiful Life (April 22) — I’m definitely on the Emily Henry train, and even though I have no idea what this book is about, it’s going on my library hold list immediately!

6. Katherine Center, The Love Haters (May 20) — Katherine Center is another author I consistently enjoy, and I’m especially optimistic after liking her 2024 release, The Rom-Commers, so much.

7. Mimi Matthews, Rules for Ruin (May 20) — Mimi Matthews is one of my favorite historical romance authors; her books are well written, romantic, and steamless. This book is the first in a new series that looks like it might be going in a slightly new direction for her, so I’m intrigued to see how it goes!

8. Maggie Stiefvater, The Listeners (June 3) — Um, excuse me, Maggie Stiefvater is writing an adult novel? Set during World War II? I need this in my eyeballs immediately! I have already preordered this one — you can get a signed and personalized copy from One More Page Books!

9. Ashley Weaver, One Final Turn (June 3) — I have really been enjoying this series of WWII mysteries, and it looks like this new book will be the final installment. I’m hoping for a resolution to the series-long arc involving Ellie’s parents, as well as a happy ending for the romance!

10. Ally Carter, The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold (June 12) — I really loved Carter’s The Blonde Identity, which was a sheer delight of a spy rom-com. That book teased a future romance featuring Zoe’s sister, Alex, and it looks like this is it! Although I’m now seeing conflicting release dates, and maybe this one won’t be out till August. Luckily I have a bonus pick…

11. Connie Willis, The Spanner in the Works (June 19) — Willis is an auto-buy author for me, so obviously I’m going to snap this one up as soon as it comes out. Goodreads gives the pub date as June 19, though I suspect that may not be completely set in stone. Nonetheless, I’m keeping an eagle eye out for this one!

Best Reads of 2024

2 Comments

With the new year beginning, I wanted to make sure I hit the highlights of last year and share my favorite books read (though not necessarily published) in 2024. The list doesn’t include rereads — if it did, it would be far too long to post here! So without further ado, here are my top 10 reads of 2024, in the order in which I read them:

1. T. Kingfisher, Swordheart – A hilarious, lighthearted fantasy novel about kind people being kind to each other, with a delightful romance at its center.

2. Laura Kinsale, My Sweet Folly – Despite the high levels of angst and melodrama in this historical romance, I loved it for the cheerful, pragmatic heroine.

3. Lynn Painter, Happily Never After – This is Painter’s best rom-com yet, with fabulous banter and characters who, in addition to having mutual attraction and chemistry, genuinely like one another.

4. Kate Clayborn, The Other Side of Disappearing – This intense contemporary romance deals with true crime and podcasting, neither of which I particularly care about. But I still loved the book for the compelling female protagonist and the development of the romance. Clayborn has yet to disappoint me!

5. Kaliane Bradley, The Ministry of Time – This combined romance/time travel thriller has excellent humor and beautiful writing. Commander Gore is a particular delight, as are the other time travelers from various historical periods.

6. Sheila Simonson, Lady Elizabeth’s Comet – This Regency romance actually feels authentic to the period, despite the heroine’s unusual interest in astronomy, and I loved both the romance itself and the book’s first-person narration from the heroine’s point of view.

7. Christianna Brand, Green for Danger – A vintage mystery with all the classic elements – an intricate plot, a closed circle of suspects, and so on – but elevated by the nuanced, realistic characters.

8. Ben Macintyre, Agent Sonya: The Spy Next Door – A stranger-than-fiction biography of a Soviet spy whose work took her all over the world. Macintyre weaves in plenty of history to give context to her actions and also paints a vivid picture of her personal life.

9. T. Kingfisher, A Sorceress Comes to Call – I had to put Kingfisher on the list twice; she’s just so good! This novel is her dark-fantasy take on a Regency romance, wherein an evil sorceress is defeated by her terrified 12-year-old daughter and the 50-something sister of the man she’s trying to ensnare.

10. Katherine Arden, The Warm Hands of Ghosts – A beautifully written and emotionally harrowing World War I tale that examines the nature of evil. It’s a tough read, but there’s just enough hope to carry you through the darkness.

2024 Vintage Mystery Challenge Wrap-Up

Leave a comment

Another year, another Vintage Mystery Challenge completed! The 2024 challenge was a scavenger hunt, in which participants were asked to read at least eight books with specific objects on the covers. I read ten qualifying books for the Golden Age challenge, which dealt with books published before 1960. Here’s what I read:

  1. Delano Ames, She Shall Have Murder (1948): shadowy figure
  2. Richard Hull, The Murder of My Aunt (1934): body of water
  3. Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come (1939): door
  4. Georgette Heyer, A Blunt Instrument (1938): redhead
  5. Ngaio Marsh, Overture to Death (1939): blue object (ball of yarn)
  6. Christianna Brand, Green for Danger (1944): nurse
  7. Mignon G. Eberhart, Murder by an Aristocrat (1932): more than two people
  8. J. Jefferson Farjeon, Thirteen Guests (1936): flower or plant (green plant)
  9. Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None (1939): skull
  10. Cornell Woolrich, The Bride Wore Black (1940): hat

Mini-Reviews: Bookishly, Arabella, Goodbye

1 Comment

Mia Page, Bookishly Ever After

Lexi Austen loves her job as the owner of Pemberley Books in Washington, DC. But lately it’s been harder and harder to make ends meet, thanks in part to a rival bookstore that’s begun encroaching on her turf. She concocts a scheme to distract the other bookstore’s owner, Sam Dickens, by making him fall in love with her, using techniques inspired by Jane Austen novels. But as Lexi gets closer to Sam, she soon finds it’s her own heart that’s in danger. I’ve been on kind of a disappointing streak with contemporary romances lately; this one was just okay. Lexi’s plan is obviously ridiculous, but I almost wish she’d gone a bit farther with it; that would have at least made the story a bit more unique. I did enjoy the DC setting, as I live pretty close, and the book mentions several real businesses and neighborhoods. But overall, I was underwhelmed by this one.

Georgette Heyer, Arabella

Arabella, a vicar’s daughter of no fortune, is eager to embark on her first London Season and hopefully marry a well-to-do man. En route, a carriage accident forces her to beg the help of Robert Beaumaris, one of the ton’s most eligible bachelors. When Arabella overhears Beaumaris complaining that she’s undoubtedly trying to trap him into marriage, she indignantly tells him she’s an heiress and has no need to marry for money. But when the rumor of her alleged fortune reaches London society, Arabella finds she needs Beaumaris’s help after all. This was one of my first Heyers, and it was a pleasure to revisit, although I found myself irritated that Beaumaris had so much more power and knowledge of the situation than Arabella did. But the romance is sweet nonetheless, and a mutt named Ulysses provides some fun comedy. Not a top-tier Heyer for me, but still a very good read!

Betty Neels, No Need to Say Goodbye

Louise Payne is a 26-year-old hospital nurse with three younger siblings to care for, and her salary barely allows them to make ends meet. A lucky inheritance from a distant relative provides the family with a country cottage to live in, where Louise finds that her near neighbor is Dr. Arlo van der Linden, with whom she worked in the London hospital. They were never particularly close before, but now Arlo is being friendly and helpful, even giving Louise a new job. Could he be interested in Louise’s pretty sister, Zoë? And if so, can Louise hide the fact that she’s fallen for Arlo herself? This was a quick read with a soothing, timeless atmosphere – I think it was published in the late ’80s or early ’90s but could have taken place much earlier. It’s a sweet though somewhat one-sided romance; Arlo is pretty high-handed, and we don’ know what’s going on in his mind till the very end of the book. I’ve got one more Neels novel on my shelves, and I’ll save it for the next time I want a quick read that doesn’t require any mental energy.

Mini-Reviews: Viscount’s, Christmas, Deerskin

Leave a comment

Louise Allen, The Viscount’s Betrothal

Decima Ross, a spinster at age 27, is sure no man could ever fall in love with her because of her exceptional height. After her brother’s latest insensitive attempt to push her into the arms of an unwilling bachelor, Decima flees, but a snowstorm forces her to seek shelter with Adam, Viscount Grantham. Snowed in with only two servants, Decima and Adam soon grow close; but when they meet again in London, Adam is betrothed to another (beautiful and petite) lady. I’ve really enjoyed some of Allen’s other Regency historicals, but this one was disappointing: anachronistic behavior and dialogue, and characters behaving stupidly for the sake of the plot. I’ll continue to read more by Allen, but this is not one of her best.

Julianna Keyes, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Eve and Will are rival writers at the same travel blog, and they’ve both been assigned to cover Noelville, Vermont, during the run-up to Christmas. The problem is, neither one of them is a fan of the holiday season. But as they experience the marvels of the Christmas-themed town—including a nutcracker museum, cookie decorating classes, a moonlit sleigh ride, and more—they’re slowly won over despite themselves, and they also discover a surprising mutual attraction. I enjoyed this little Christmas novella, which feels like a self-aware Hallmark movie. Eve and Will’s snarking about the over-the-top Noelville traditions is the best part of the book, and they have a lot of fun banter. I felt like the romance was missing a scene or two; there’s never really a point at which they express their feelings for each other. But I’d recommend this one if you’re looking for a fun, bite-sized holiday treat.

Robin McKinley, Deerskin

Lissar, the daughter of a beloved king and queen of a prosperous kingdom, has a seemingly charmed life. But apart from her fleethound, Ash, she doesn’t have many friends and tends to be isolated and overlooked. When Lissar is 17, a traumatic event forces her to run away from home, and after a long period of healing, she finds herself in a new kingdom with a job in the royal kennels. As she slowly wins respect and love from those around her, she starts to hope for a better life—until the ghosts of her past trauma come back to haunt her. This book is a retelling of the Perrault fairytale “Donkeyskin,” which I’m not familiar with. But the dark thing that happens to Lissar is truly dark, so proceed with caution. Otherwise, McKinley’s books always seem to have weird pacing—lots of setup and a very short climax—but I don’t mind because she’s such a great writer that she just carries you along. This isn’t one of my top favorites by her, but it’s still well worth reading.

Mini-Reviews: Fangirl, Messy, Circling

Leave a comment

Rainbow Rowell, Fangirl

When Cather and her twin sister, Wren, head off for college, Cath is overwhelmed by all the changes in her life. Her roommate, Reagan, is curt and intimidating; she doesn’t know where the dining hall is and she’s afraid to ask; and worst of all, Wren doesn’t seem to have time for her anymore. At least she has Simon Snow, a Harry Potter-esque series she’s always loved—and the fanfic she’s writing about Simon and his vampire roommate, Baz. But as Cath slowly acclimates to college life, she discovers that sometimes real life is better than fanfiction. Rowell is a wonderful writer, and in this book I think she does a great job of capturing the anxieties of entering college and the changes people experience during that formative time. I also think there’s way too much Simon Snow (both “canon” and fanfic)—Rowell was clearly working out the beginnings of the Simon Snow series she would later write, but it detracts from Cath’s own narrative. Still, I’m glad I revisited this one.

Matthew Kelly, Life Is Messy

I’m familiar with Matthew Kelly as the founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute, which puts out educational videos and other materials for Catholics to grow in their faith. This book is sort of a memoir, based on his journals from a particularly tough time in his life—he doesn’t give specifics of the problems he was dealing with, but it’s clear he was extremely depressed and questioning a lot of things in his life. In the book, he ruminates on how he got through his hard time and shares his thoughts on how to move forward despite the problems and obstacles we encounter in life. Honestly, most of the book felt a bit trite to me, but he does pose a few insightful questions that will likely stay with me (“Do you like the person you’re becoming?”). Not sure I would recommend this one widely, but if the title or premise speaks to you, it might be worth picking up.

Julie Tieu, Circling Back to You

Cadence and Matt work at the same real estate firm, she as an analyst and he as a broker. They’ve always been friendly—and several coworkers have speculated on whether there’s a romantic element to their relationship—but they both insist they’re just friends, while secretly harboring a desire for more. When a work-related trip sends them both from their San Francisco office to L.A. (and in the same hotel suite, no less), the boundaries of their relationship get blurry; but conflicting career opportunities might end their romance before it ever gets started. I liked the premise of this workplace romance, but the execution felt meh. I never fully understood the work stuff (to be fair, maybe I just tuned it out because it was boring), and I didn’t feel much chemistry between Matt and Cadence. Overall, an okay read, but not one I’d recommend.

Mini-Reviews: Muse, Accomplished, Burning

Leave a comment

Mimi Matthews, The Muse of Maiden Lane

This final book in the Belles of London series features Stella Hobhouse, who’s bold by nature but has been stifled by her strict brother and by self-consciousness about her unusual silver hair. Meanwhile, Teddy Hayes is a passionate artist who struggles to be independent despite having to use a wheelchair for mobility. When the two meet by chance in an art gallery, Teddy is struck by Stella’s unique beauty and wants to paint her. She resists at first, but as the two grow closer, they both find the courage to take a chance on art and love. I’ve been waiting for Teddy’s book since he appeared as a supporting character in A Convenient Fiction, and overall I was not disappointed. I liked that the book doesn’t shy away from either his flaws or his vulnerability, and Stella is a great match for him, as she understands and shares his struggle for freedom. The novel is a little too overpopulated with characters from previous books, but otherwise I really enjoyed this one. The first book in a new series by Matthews is slated to come out in 2025, and I will definitely be checking it out!

Amanda Quain, Accomplished

Georgie Darcy has been in a dark place ever since her boyfriend, Wickham Foster, betrayed her and almost got her expelled. Her classmates at Pemberley High all hate her, and her overprotective older brother, Fitz, seems to view her as nothing but a problem for him to solve. Georgie is determined to fix everything, but all her plans go spectacularly awry. I’m of two minds about this YA take on Pride and Prejudice from Georgiana’s POV. It’s a clever idea, and I actually really liked the book’s portrayal of Fitz Darcy (and Charlie Bingley, who is an utter delight). The novel also highlights just how horrible Wickham was to Georgiana in P&P; here, he’s clearly emotionally abusive and has left Georgie with some serious trauma. I honestly just wanted all the Darcys to go to therapy! I also found Georgie pretty frustrating, as she consistently makes the worst possible decisions. Overall, I think the pros of the book outweigh the cons, but I haven’t decided whether I want to keep it or not.

Genevieve Cogman, The Burning Page

After the events of The Masked City, Irene is on probation with the Library and is being sent on a lot of low-interest but high-danger jobs. But she’s back in action when her old enemy, Alberich, threatens both her specifically and the Library in general. Meanwhile, someone else also seems to be trying to kill her – could it be her Fae nemesis, Lady Guantes? As Irene pursues her dual goals of serving the Library and staying alive, she also gets some insight into Library politics and learns a bit more about whom she can really trust. I’m continuing to enjoy this series, and I was happy to see Irene, Kai, and Vale all working together in this installment. Irene’s growth is compelling: She’s always been emotionally detached and totally committed to the Library, but now she’s forging close relationships that may be changing her priorities. I’m interested to see how things develop, so I’ll most likely continue with the series into next year.