Tag: fantasy

Mini-Reviews: Angels, Adversary, Cufflinks

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C.S. Harris, What Angels Fear

Rachel York, a beautiful young actress and prostitute, is brutally raped and murdered in a London church. Evidence at the scene points to Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, as the killer. Sebastian is innocent, but higher-ups within the British government would be happy to see blame for the crime fall on him. So Sebastian has no choice but to search for the real killer himself, interviewing Rachel’s friends and associates while evading the Bow Street Runners. I vaguely recall reading this book many years ago and not liking it enough to continue with the series. Perhaps it was too dark and gritty for me at the time—this is definitely not Georgette Heyer’s Regency London—but this time I liked the book a lot and am eager to read the next one. Sebastian is a compelling hero with the requisite tortured past, and I’m intrigued to see how his relationships with his family and with Kat, another actress who was his first love and has now reentered his life, will develop.

Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Adversary to the Villain

Evie Sage is struggling with her newfound villainous identity and having trouble controlling her magic. Though she and Trystan are in love, she’s afraid of pursuing their relationship because, according to the Rennedawn Prophecy, they’re doomed to be adversaries. Nevertheless, the entire villainous gang is intent on fulfilling the prophecy to preserve the kingdom’s magic—but evil King Benedict is hot on their tail, and some of Evie and Trystan’s friends are still keeping secrets. I don’t think this series is good, yet something compels me to keep reading it! The emotional back-and-forth of Evie and Trystan’s relationship is silly and makes no sense, and I have absolutely zero idea what’s going on with the plot. But I guess I’m enjoying the cozy fantasy vibes and the fact that literally every “good” character in this series is going to fall in love. Also, this book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I definitely need to read the next one to find out what happens. But I’m not happy about it!

James Anderson, The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks

This final book in Anderson’s trilogy involves yet another murder at the stately home of Alderley. Ninety-six-year-old Florrie, a distant relative of the Earl and Countess of Burford, has just died, and all her relatives have converged on Alderley for the funeral and the reading of the will. Almost everyone is hoping for a significant monetary inheritance, but most are doomed to disappointment—particularly Florrie’s spiteful daughter-in-law, Clara, who angrily declares that she knows secrets about all the guests that could ruin their reputations. So it’s no surprise that Clara is murdered that very night, and one of the relatives must have done it. The stage is set for Inspector Wilkins’s final case. As with the two previous books in the trilogy, this is a well-executed pastiche of Golden Age mysteries with an intricate puzzle plot and a vivid cast of characters. Highly recommended for fans of the genre, and I’m sorry there are no more books in the series!

Mini-Reviews: Dukes, Paddington, Auburn

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Loretta Chase, Dukes Prefer Blondes

Beautiful Lady Clara Fairfax has been raised to do nothing beyond marrying a nobleman, but she’d rather be useful than ornamental. When her charitable work leads her to search for a missing boy who’s likely been absorbed into a London gang, she seeks out barrister Oliver Radford for help. Radford has a reputation for prosecuting gang leaders, fighting injustice—and being one of the rudest men in London. He has no time for Clara’s interference, yet he’s reluctantly intrigued by her determination. As the two work together, they fall in love, but will their very different social stations keep them apart? Every time I read a Loretta Chase novel, I’m surprised by just how good she is; this book was an absolute delight! I especially loved Oliver as a hero. He’s blunt, emotionally detached, and proud of his lack of charm, yet Clara utterly demolishes his defenses. Sure, the plot is silly and implausible, but I was having far too good a time to care! I really need to keep exploring Chase’s backlist, and I hope we’ll see more from her in the future!

Agatha Christie, 4.50 from Paddington

This novel opens on an exciting note, when elderly Elspeth McGillicuddy witnesses a murder in a train. She immediately reports the murder to a railway official, who thinks she imagined it but nevertheless informs the police. Yet the body isn’t discovered, either in the train or along the line. Luckily, Mrs. McGillicuddy’s good friend Jane Marple is on the case. Too old and frail to investigate herself, Miss Marple enlists the help of housekeeper extraordinaire Lucy Eylesbarrow, who hunts for the corpse while working at an estate that abuts the railway line. But can Lucy find the body and unmask the murderer before more people are killed? Much as I love Agatha Christie, I think this plot is a little weak; the murderer’s motive and plan are quite farfetched, and there’s no reason why that person should be the killer rather than any of the other suspects. I also think the characters aren’t particularly well drawn—except for Lucy, who is far too good for any of the men in this book! This is still an entertaining read, but not one of Christie’s best.

Sharon Shinn, Summers at Castle Auburn

As the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, Corie occupies an uncertain place in the world. For most of the year, she lives and works with her grandmother, a village herbalist and wise woman. But every summer, she visits the royal court at Castle Auburn, where her beloved half-sister is betrothed to the crown prince. At the start of the novel, 14-year-old Corie is infatuated with the dashing Prince Bryan and entranced by the beautiful aliora, fairylike creatures who serve in the palace. But as Corie grows up, she begins to recognize the problems and injustices around her, and she grows concerned for her sister’s—and the kingdom’s—welfare. But her quest to right those wrongs may cost her her own place at court. I’ve read this book a few times and always enjoyed it, and something different strikes me on each reread. Last time I saw the story primarily as a romance, but this time I focused more on Corie’s coming of age. Though she’s initially quite naive, she matures into an admirable heroine who’s determined to forge her own path. The novel is slow-paced and short on plot, but I enjoyed spending time again in Corie’s world.

Mini-Reviews: Romantic, Unpleasantness, Elatsoe

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Kirsty Greenwood, Romantic Hero

Gertie Bickerstaff is not okay. The final novel of her popular cowboy romance series is due soon, but she has terrible writer’s block. On top of that, her longtime boyfriend has just told her he wants a break. Desperate, Gertie performs a “manifestation ceremony” in hopes of getting her career and love life back on track. But she’s shocked when the villain of her series, River Oakley, shows up (shirtless, of course) in her apartment. The two must team up to figure out how River got here and how to send him home, but an unexpected attraction complicates things. I really enjoyed Greenwood’s previous novel, The Love of My Afterlife, and this one suffers a bit by comparison. I’m tired of contemporary romances where the heroine is a mess and the hero is perfect, yet somehow he loves her anyway. River never felt like a real person to me, and Gertie’s hand-wringing passivity got on my nerves. All that said, the novel is funny and breezy and a quick read. I did have fun with it, but I don’t need to ever read it again.

Claudia Gray, The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield

Despite their mutual affection, Jonathan Darcy and Juliet Tilney haven’t seen or communicated with each other since he fought a duel over her. Now Jonathan feels stifled by his parents’ concern and jumps at the chance to visit his Aunt Jane and Uncle Charles at Netherfield. There he’s promptly embroiled in another mystery when Mr. Hurst, also a guest of the Bingleys’, drops dead in the breakfast room. Only Juliet can help Jonathan find the killer, but as they conduct another investigation together, they must also navigate their feelings in the face of parental disapproval. I’m continuing to enjoy this series a lot! I love the deep dive into Austen’s fictional worlds; this book in particular is fun for me, as a lover of Pride and Prejudice, since it imagines what the Bingleys, Darcys, and Bennets would be like 25 years after the novel. The mystery itself is pretty light in this installment (and I did guess the killer!), but that’s understandable because the novel mostly focuses on the various character relationships. I’m genuinely emotionally invested in what will happen next and will anxiously await the next book in the series!

Darcie Little Badger, Elatsoe

Ellie is basically a normal teenage girl—except for the fact that her pet dog is a ghost. Because of her Lipan Apache heritage, she has certain special abilities, including the power to raise the dead. When her cousin Trevor dies, supposedly in a car accident, Ellie communicates with his spirit and learns he was actually murdered. But the murderer, Abe Allerton, is a prominent man in the mysterious town of Willowbee, Texas, and Ellie will need all her family’s power and support to take him down. I’m glad the “indigenous author” Bingo square in my LibraryThing challenge prompted me to pick up this book, because I really enjoyed it! The world-building is unique, Ellie is endearingly snarky, and the ghost dog steals the show. The plot was interesting and fast-moving, and I liked the resolution of Ellie’s final confrontation with Abe. Overall, I enjoyed this one more than I expected to and would be interested in reading more by the author.

Mini-Reviews: Bride, Mink, Undercutting

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Anne Gracie, Bride by Mistake

Eight years ago, young soldier Luke Ripton was fighting Napoleon’s forces in Spain when he stumbled across a girl, Bella, being attacked by bandits. He rescued her and learned that she was running away from her vicious cousin, who planned to marry her and steal her fortune. Luke’s only course of action was to marry Bella himself, bring her to a convent for safekeeping, and have the marriage annulled later. In the present, Luke learns the annulment didn’t go through, so he has no choice but to retrieve his Spanish wife. But Bella is far from the demure, obedient bride he expected. Despite the implausibility of the plot, which veers into soap opera territory near the end, I had a lot of fun with this book! Bella is a strong heroine who’s determined to do the right thing, and Luke is unwillingly charmed by her. I also liked the book’s unique setting, focusing on Spain during and after the Napoleonic Wars. Overall, though it’s probably not a keeper for me, I found this an enjoyable historical romance.

James Anderson, The Affair of the Mutilated Mink

Another house party goes wrong at the English stately home of Alderley. This time the earl, who has recently become a film enthusiast, invites an American movie producer who’s thinking of using Alderley as the setting for his new project. The writer and leading man also attend, as well as an Italian actress who may become the leading lady. Then the earl’s wife invites her cousin and cousin’s husband, while the earl’s daughter, Gerry, asks two of her boyfriends so she can make up her mind between them. The stage is set for another murder, and while all the evidence initially points to one of Gerry’s suitors, the case soon becomes more complicated. This Golden Age pastiche is just as enjoyable as The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy and has a lot of fun with the genre’s tropes, including a Great Detective who comes in to “assist” the local police with the investigation. I especially enjoyed the references to fictional detectives such as Peter Wimsey and Roderick Alleyn, who are real people in this universe. Looking forward to reading the third and final book next month!

Megan Bannen, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam

Tanrian marshal Rosie Fox doesn’t mind taking on the most difficult and dangerous jobs. As an immortal demigod, she can’t die, so her motto is “Act first, think never.” But she may be in over her head when the portals between Tanria and Bushong start malfunctioning, threatening the lives of everyone inside Tanria. Her boss calls in Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals, to see if he can repair them; instead, he and Rosie end up stuck in Tanria. As they search for a way out, they also grow closer, but Adam is keeping some pretty big secrets about his past. I love the creative fantasy world of this series, with its complex theology and quasi-Western vibes. But this book, I think, relies a little too much on the world-building and not enough on characterization or plot. Not a lot happens in the book till the last hundred pages or so, and the romance between Rosie and Adam also feels a bit forced. There’s a mismatch between the darker subject matter (the weight of immortality, the meaning of death, complicated family dynamics) and the light, breezy tone. I did still enjoy the book, and it certainly gives some good closure to the series, but I don’t ever need to read it again.

Mini-Reviews: New York, Unicorn, Daughter

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Kate Spencer, In a New York Minute

Franny’s day goes from bad to worse when, on her way home from being laid off, her dress gets caught in the subway doors and rips apart. A handsome stranger gives her his suit jacket so that she can cover up. And that would have been the end of the story, except that a bystander caught the whole thing on camera. Now Franny and the subway guy, Hayes, have been dubbed #SubwayQTs, and the local news is doing a story on their supposed romance. It’s not true, of course; but as Franny and Hayes continue to bump into each other, it feels like fate may be nudging them together after all. This was a pleasant enough rom-com that really wants to be described as “a love letter to New York City,” and maybe I’m just a grumpy old lady now, but that type of narrative does nothing for me. I wasn’t particularly invested in the romance, which didn’t have any obstacles beyond the characters’ general obtuseness. There were some cute moments, and I can see a version of this plot working as a movie, but overall there’s just nothing substantial about this book.

Katherine Arden, The Unicorn Hunters

Anne, duchess of Brittany, is facing a crisis. The king of France is pressing for her hand in marriage so that he can absorb the duchy into his own kingdom—and if she refuses, he’ll take it by force. Her only hope is to marry another powerful ruler who can help her fight the French, but in return, she’ll have to leave Brittany and give up her role as its leader. She plans to marry secretly in the forest of Brocéliande, organizing a unicorn hunt as a cover story. But Brocéliande is an uncanny place, on the boundary between the mortal world and the Lost Lands, and Anne soon learns she has more powerful enemies than France to contend with. I absolutely loved this book, which combines so many of my favorite things. Give me medieval Brittany, fantasy elements, and a romance, and I’m sold! Arden’s writing is vivid and magical, and Anne is a wonderfully drawn character based on a real historical person. I’ve loved every book by Arden I’ve read so far, but this one just may be my favorite. It will definitely be one of my top books of the year!

D.E. Stevenson, The Baker’s Daughter

Sue Pringle has lived in the small town of Beilford, Scotland, all her life. Her father is the baker, and her grandfather owns a prosperous shop. But she’s somewhat bored with her life and eager to try something new. The perfect opportunity arises when a painter from London, John Darnay, moves to town needing a housekeeper. Sue takes the job and soon finds her world expanding. She also develops strong feelings for Darnay, but his social station is far above hers, and he happens to be married already. I enjoy Stevenson’s quiet, romantic, character-driven books, and this one is no exception. I liked getting both Sue’s and Darnay’s perspectives throughout the novel, and the secondary characters are very well drawn. But readers should beware of some distasteful racism that is typical of the period. I don’t remember other Stevenson novels being this egregious, so if you haven’t read the author before, I wouldn’t recommend starting here. But as someone who likes Stevenson’s general vibe, I still found a lot to enjoy in this book.

Mini-Reviews: Flowerheart, Seething, Fuzzy

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Catherine Bakewell, Flowerheart

Clara Lucas has always wanted to be initiated into the Council of Magicians, but the Council won’t accept her until she learns to control her strong, wild magic. When she accidentally curses her father with a life-threatening illness, her plight becomes even more urgent. Desperate, Clara makes a bargain with Xavier Morwyn, her former childhood friend and now a prominent magician: If he teaches her to control her magic so that she can heal her father, she’ll then surrender all her magic to him. But as she works with Xavier, she learns that he and the Council are both keeping secrets. This is a cozy YA fantasy with a side of romance, which should have been right up my alley, but I found it bland and juvenile. The book had a few interesting ideas but never went beyond the surface level, and I just didn’t care about Clara or her problems. This may work better for a YA (or younger) audience, but it did nothing for me.

Charlotte Stein, While You Were Seething

PR expert Daisy Emmett has been hired to fix the image of famous romance author Caleb Miller, who recently disparaged his fans on national TV. Daisy has set up a regional tour to humanize Caleb and promote his new book, but there are two big flaws in her plan: (1) Caleb is basically a recluse and has no interest in doing the tour; and (2) he was her nemesis in college, and they still can’t get through a conversation without arguing. As their road trip progresses, though, Daisy learns that Caleb doesn’t hate her as much as she thought. I found this book really compelling and devoured it in two days, but I also kept wondering why Caleb is so unnaturally closed off and self-loathing. There’s never a satisfying explanation for his behavior, or why he couldn’t just have told Daisy the truth back in college and saved them both 10 years of pain and pining. So this book was fun in the moment for me, but the plot logic doesn’t really pass the smell test.

H. Beam Piper, Little Fuzzy

Zarathustra is a frontier planet, governed by Terra but effectively managed by the Zarathustra Company, which profits greatly from the planet’s natural resources. The Company’s hegemony is threatened, however, when prospector Jack Holloway encounters a monkey-like being he dubs “Little Fuzzy.” The creature and his Fuzzy friends soon exhibit signs of sapience, which would be a major scientific discovery—but would also necessitate turning the planet into a protected aboriginal zone, drastically limiting the Company’s rights. This book is a fun, plot-driven read that I think would make a good movie or TV episode. The inquiry into the Fuzzies’ sapience is entertaining, with lots of skullduggery as the Company tries to rig the outcome in its favor. There’s not much nuance in the novel; it’s clear from the outset who all the good guys and bad guys are. But I enjoyed it nonetheless and am interested to read John Scalzi’s “reboot,” Fuzzy Nation, at some point.

Mini-Reviews: Spindle’s, Portent, Nowlan

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Robin McKinley, Spindle’s End

In this retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Katriona attends the baby princess’s name-day, where she witnesses the evil fairy lay her curse on the infant. In the ensuing fear and chaos, Katriona is charged with taking the princess away and keeping her safe. Not knowing what else to do, she takes the baby back to her small backwater village, where she and her aunt raise “Rosie” as their own. But as Rosie grows up, she gradually becomes aware of her true identity and the terrible fate that awaits her. Robin McKinley’s novels are books of my heart, and this one is no exception. The pacing is very slow, but that just gives readers time to immerse themselves in Rosie’s world, in the homely little village community among the people and animals who love her. The book follows the fairy tale pretty closely while creating very specific characters and putting a unique spin on the ending. In short, I can’t be objective about this book; I love it and enjoyed this reread immensely.

Elizabeth Bailey, The Deathly Portent

Ottilia Fanshawe and her husband, Lord Francis, are on a journey when their carriage breaks down near the village of Witherley. They attempt to summon the blacksmith to repair the carriage, only to discover that the man has just died in violent circumstances. The locals are blaming Cassie Dale, who allegedly had a vision of the blacksmith’s death and who they believe is a witch. Tillie is convinced there’s a more rational explanation for the crime, and as she and Francis linger in town to investigate, they discover many people in the village with possible motives for murder. I liked this historical mystery, but I think I enjoyed the historical bits more than the mystery bits. I was able to guess the killer, even though the person’s motive was extremely farfetched, and there were maybe a few too many suspects. I did like Tillie and Francis’s dynamic, though, as well as the secondary romance between Cassie Dale and the vicar. I’d be interested to read more in this series, but I’ll get them from the library rather than buying.

Alden Nowlan: Selected Poems

Several years ago, someone on LibraryThing (I wish I could remember who!) posted a poem by Alden Nowlan that intrigued me enough to pick up a book of his poetry. Nowlan was a 20th-century Canadian poet from rural Nova Scotia, and his poems often deal with themes of poverty and the natural world. I doubt most of the poems will stay with me, but almost all had at least one image or phrase that struck me as interesting. Here’s one of my favorites from the collection:

“Canadian Love Song”

Your body’s a small word with many meanings.
Love. If. Yes. But. Death.
Surely I will love you a little while,
perhaps as long as I have breath.

December is thirteen months long,
July’s one afternoon; therefore,
lovers must outwit wool,
learn how to puncture fur.

To my love’s bed, to keep her warm,
I’ll carry wrapped and heated stones.
That which is comfort to the flesh
is sometimes torture to the bones.

Mini-Reviews: Lions, Correspondent, Bank

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Poul Anderson, Three Hearts and Three Lions

Holger Carlsen is a Danish engineer who joins the underground to fight the Nazis during World War II. When he’s injured and loses consciousness in battle, he wakes up in an unfamiliar environment: in the middle of an ancient forest, next to a stallion decked out as a medieval warhorse. Though unsure of what’s occurred, Holger soon realizes that he has a role to play in his new surroundings. Along with the warhorse, a dwarf, and a beautiful girl who can transform into a swan, Holger sets out to find his way home, fighting various forces of evil along the way. This is an entertaining fantasy tale in the vein of an Arthurian legend. Holger meets all the expected foes: evil Faeries, dragons, trolls, a werewolf, and even Morgan le Fay. Every woman in the story tries to sleep with him, which I found annoying, but the book at least acknowledges that it’s strange! And I liked his instinct to try and understand his predicament scientifically. Overall, there’s nothing particularly unique about this novel, but it’s a good yarn.

Virginia Evans, The Correspondent

This epistolary novel comprises the correspondence to and from seventy-something Sybil Van Antwerp. She spends a significant amount of time writing letters, and her correspondents range from close friends (her brother Felix and best friend Rosalie) to pen pals (author Joan Didion) to complete strangers (the customer service representative at a DNA analysis website). Through these letters, Sybil is revealed as an intelligent, flawed, complicated woman who reflects on her life and discovers it’s not too late to change. I can see why this book has gotten so much good buzz – it’s a really fascinating portrait of an ordinary life. I genuinely did both laugh and cry as I read it. That said, I didn’t like Sybil as much as I think I was supposed to; while the book acknowledges her flaws, it also has more patience for her abrasiveness and unkindness than I did. The subplot about her trying to audit classes at the University of Maryland drove me crazy! I know others’ mileage will vary, however, and I’m excited to pass the book on to my mom, who I think will enjoy it.

Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief

Ernie Cunningham and his fiancée, Juliette, have just entered Huxley’s Bank, hoping to get a loan to start a private detective business. But their plans are interrupted when an armed, masked individual enters the bank and takes everyone inside hostage. Strangely, the robber doesn’t seem very clear on his or her demands, and Ernie soon discovers that his fellow hostages all have something to hide. Throw in a missing person, multiple murders, and what looks like spontaneous combustion, and Ernie is on track to solve another sensational case—if he doesn’t get killed first. I’m continuing to enjoy this series. I always like a good heist narrative, and while Ernie isn’t always the most likable narrator, the other characters (especially Juliette) do call him out for his questionable decisions. I’d recommend this book to mystery fans, but the series should be read in order, starting with Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone.

Mini-Reviews: Gilded, Enchanting, Scoop

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Elizabeth Bailey, The Gilded Shroud

In this Georgian-era historical mystery, Emily Fanshawe, the marchioness of Polbrook, is strangled in her bedchamber, and the most likely suspect is her husband. Their marriage has always been contentious, they argued the night before the murder, and now Lord Polbrook is nowhere to be found. His family is horrified yet determined to prove him innocent—a task that falls on his younger brother, Lord Francis Fanshawe, and on his mother’s new companion, Ottilia Draycott, whose clever mind soon uncovers some pertinent secrets. I read this book a long time ago and remember liking it, so I’m pleased to say I really enjoyed it this time as well! The historical setting feels grounded, and both Francis and Ottilia are interesting, sympathetic characters. The mystery is well plotted but a bit slow, and I found it less compelling than the romantic subplot. But I’m excited to read the next book, which I also own, and it looks like Bailey has also written some romances that I’d like to check out!

Stephanie Burgis, Enchanting the Fae Queen

Imperial general Gerard Moireul is a brilliant military strategist with an unassailable reputation for honor and integrity. Queen Lorelei of Balravia is notorious for her flighty, scandalous behavior. They’ve been nemeses for years, both politically and personally. But when a magical bargain forces them to compete in a fae tournament, they must work together, and slowly they come to realize they’re much more alike than they thought. I’m generally a Burgis fan, and I enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope, so overall I found this quite fun. Both Gerard and Lorelei are likable characters underneath their exaggerated public personas, and I’m especially fond of an uptight, duty-bound hero. I do think the broader political situation in this fantasy world is boring and basic; the book is more enjoyable when it focuses on the romance. Overall, it’s a fun read, and you don’t necessarily have to read the previous book, Wooing the Witch Queen, to follow this one.

Evelyn Waugh, Scoop

British novelist John Courteney Boot has gotten himself entangled with the wrong woman and needs to skip town. He asks a friend to get him a job as a foreign correspondent covering the imminent war in the East African republic of Ishmaelia. But through a series of misunderstandings, the newspaper sends the wrong man, William Boot, who writes a nature column and has absolutely no desire to travel beyond his country village. As William embarks on his bewildering adventure, he learns more than he bargained for about journalism and international relations. This novel is both a biting satire on journalism and an extremely well-plotted farce. I loved how William’s oblivious blundering essentially caused the revolution (and counterrevolution) in Ishmaelia. On the minus side, there aren’t really any characters to root for, and the worldview expressed by the novel is cynical and bleak. Overall, I enjoyed the book’s humor but don’t think I’d ever want to reread it.

Mini-Reviews: Unlikely, Penance, Outcrossing

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Betty Neels, An Unlikely Romance

Orphan Trixie Doveton doesn’t expect too much from life; she’s content with her work as a nurse-in-training and doesn’t believe she’ll ever marry. So she’s shocked when Professor Krijn van der Brink-Schaaksma, a renowned endocrinologist and very eligible bachelor, proposes a marriage of convenience. He needs someone to manage his social life and keep his acquaintances at bay so he can concentrate on the book he’s writing. Trixie, having fallen in love with him almost immediately, accepts—but can she be happy when the man she desperately loves hardly seems to notice her? I enjoyed this a bit more than my previous Neels title, No Need to Say Goodbye. I liked that Trixie wasn’t a complete doormat; though she outwardly conforms to all Krijn’s expectations, she isn’t happy about it and occasionally lets her anger show. I also liked getting a few glimpses into Krijn’s head as his feelings for his wife begin to change. It’s not a deep or significant book, but not bad for a quick, nostalgic read.

Ellis Peters, Brother Cadfael’s Penance

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series!***

In the late fall of A.D. 1145, the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud rages on, but most people just want the fighting to be over, regardless of the victor. To that end, one of the empress’s major supporters changes sides and surrenders a key castle to Stephen. When some of the castle’s knights refuse to betray the empress, they are taken prisoner. Among them is Olivier de Bretagne, Brother Cadfael’s son from his crusading days. Cadfael sets out for Coventry, where a peace conference is being held, to see if he can locate and ransom Olivier. But doing so will risk his place among his Benedictine brethren—and possibly even his life. I adore this series and am sad to have finished it, but I think this is an extremely fitting conclusion. Cadfael faces his biggest challenge yet, as he’s torn between love of his vocation and love of his son. The book also explores the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and father-son relationships, all while painting a vivid picture of medieval life. I can’t recommend this series highly enough, although I definitely think this book should be read last.

Celia Lake, Outcrossing

In this fantastical version of 1920s England, Rufus Pride is magically gifted but untrained, since the man who was supposed to teach him died in the Great War. Now Rufus is struggling to make ends meet with no steady trade, magical or otherwise. Meanwhile, Ferry Wright is from an aristocratic family, but she’s become a governess rather than marry the much older man her parents have chosen for her. When Rufus and Ferry meet, they’re immediately drawn to each other but don’t see a way to be together. Then Rufus falls in with a gang of smugglers who put both his and Ferry’s lives in danger. This book is marketed as a “cozy historical fantasy romance,” which is a fair description and right up my alley. I found it slight but charming, although the dialogue was occasionally a bit stilted to my ear. I also could have done without the two or three steamy scenes. But overall, I enjoyed this one and would consider reading more by the author – she seems to be quite prolific!