I found this list to be particularly interesting. There are books here that got a middling rating initially, but I’ve come back to repeatedly, as well as books that maybe I didn’t rate very highly, yet the stories stuck in my mind and I had to revisit them.

Read in 2015 or 2016

Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #4/6) (reread+ audio 8x) [initial rating: 7.5; Avg rating: 8.4]

— This whole series works extremely well for me on audio, which is why it has so many rereads. And because one of the secondary characters, Asil, is one of my favorites.

The series is also full of bits that are almost short stories on their own.

“Shut your piehole, punk kid,” Max said, thumping her on the head with the palm of his hand.

“I’m telling Mama you said ‘Shut your piehole,’” Michael said. “‘ Shut your piehole’ is a bad word.”

“‘ Shut your piehole’ is three words, Michael,” said Mackie.

Undaunted, Michael said, “I’m telling Mama you used three bad words.”

I am up to date on this series, however, I had a LOT of issues with book six, which makes me nervous about another book in this series.

A Talent for Trickery (2015) Alissa Johnson (The Thief-Takers #1/3 -complete) (reread 5x) [Initial rating 7; subsequent readings 8.5]

— This series has so many things that have stuck with me. I love how she writes characters and dialog, and how I feel like I know the characters.

He took hold of her hand gently and turned it over to study the wrist. His thumb caressed the palm of her hand. “Has this happened before?”

“Manacles? Yes, but—”

“No, not manac—” His head snapped up. “Wait. Yes? Yes? Who the hell put you in manacles?”

“My father. He felt it was important I know how to get out of them.”

Dark Heir (2015) Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock #9/15 – complete) (reread+ audio 3x) [Avg Rating: 7.8]

— I picked up this series when the first book came out, and pre-ordered every book as it came out. Yet I haven’t read the final two books in this series. Partially because I have a bad habit of putting off reading the final book in a series, partially because a major character was killed in book 13, and partially because things had reached a point where the books were no longer stand-alone stories. It’s not that there were cliffhanger endings, just that there were too many things to be resolved in a single book.

Why that makes a difference I don’t know, my brain just thinks it does.

I really enjoy Khristine Hvam’s narration, which is why most of my rereads have been listening to the audiobooks.

The Soldier’s Dark Secret (2015) Marguerite Kaye (reread) [Avg rating: 7.75]

— This is a book I wasn’t expecting to like as much as I did.

It’s a Harlequin Historical, so I expected it to fit into tight and restrictive patterns. It did follow the expected beats, yet was so much more, with a hero suffering from what we now term PTSD, a heroine with her own problems, and importantly, neither’s problems are magically solved by love.

Read 2017-2024

Think of England (2015) KJ Charles (reread 4x) [Avg rating: 8.75]

I can’t believe I’ve only read this story four times. Likely, every time I come across one of my posts for it, I end up rereading all the quotes I have for it–and there are many.

KJ Charles writes queer historicals–some mysteries, some fantasy, some straight up romances. I love almost all of them, but her mysteries tend to be my favorites.

This is a stand-alone, about a man looking into the accident that caused the deaths of seventeen of his men and the mutilations of even more, as well as his being invalided out of the army.  It’s a golden retriever black cat pairing, and we get only the golden retriever’s POV which is perfect for this story.

“I, er,” said Curtis, with the natural awkwardness of an Englishman caught reading poetry. “I just, er, picked this up.”

A Queer Trade (2015) K.J. Charles (Rag & Bone) (reread) [Avg rating: 7.25]

This is an historical fantasy novella with a very intriguing magical system, and a trade I’d never seen a main character have before, which fascinated me.

How to Be a Normal Person (2015) TJ Klune (reread) [Avg rating: 7.25]

This is an odd story. It’s a bit of a romp, with over-the-top characters, but many parts of it stuck in my brain.

That One Friend

We all have them. You know what I’m talking about. That One Friend. Yes, That One Friend who you love dearly and enjoy very much, but who can be a bit on the wild side. Their personality isn’t for everyone. What you might consider bubbly, others might potentially consider undesirable. Before you decide which of your friends is That One Friend, make sure you look inside yourself to make sure that you’re not That One Friend.

Oh hey, it’s me.

The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 1 (2015), The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 2  (2015) Nicole Kimberling (reread 3x) [Avg rating: 8.2]

I stumbled across Nicole Kimberling in a queer mystery anthology and immediately sought out her books. The main character is a reporter who–despite working for a free local paper, feels himself an investigative journalist, and keeps looking into local crimes.

I really like her writing and wish she was able to write more.

Status Update (2015) Annabeth Albert (#gaymers) (reread) [Avg rating 7.25]

A closeted professor who teaches at a Christian college and an ADHD video game designer on an accidental road trip together.

What stuck with me in this story was Noah’s religious faith and how it made him fear his family’s reaction to him (as well as the loss of his job if he came out).

The Book Riot podcast has been “power ranking” the books of 10, 20, and 30 years ago, and though I have zero interest in power ranking books, I was curious about the books from those years I’d read, and how they’d held up (assuming I read them as front list and not back list).

I decided to note whether I reread the book, how many rereads, and if any of were audiobook listens.

Whether a book is part of a series is important, as is how far into the series it is; Books in a long, ongoing series, are less likely to be rereads, and I tend to judge them against the rest of the series, rather than books by other authors. I also wondered how many series I’ve abandoned–or at least not finished.

Couple things of note:

In my year-end round-ups (where I’ve been looking for end-of-the-year favs) I’d stopped noting older back-list books. This was mostly due to how much I read during the pandemic (a lot) as a way to shorten the lists a bit. But as my reading (especially new-to-me books) has been slow the past couple years, I should probably make note of back-list books again.

Books that can stand alone are ones I’m more likely to reread over and over. And audio books where I like the narrator are ones I’ll listen to repeatedly. That will become apparent in the next post.

Interestingly, there is only a single romance here–everything is fantasy or mystery.

These are the books published in 2015 that made my year-end favorites lists.

2015 Favorites

Half-Resurrection Blues (2015) Daniel José Older (Bone Street Rumba #1/3-complete) Urban Fantasy (reread+ audio 4x) (2015 favorite)

The Dragon Conspiracy (2015) Lisa Shearin (SPI Files #2/8) Supernatural Mystery (reread+ audio 3x) (2015 favorite)

–No new additions to this series in the past couple years, however, individual books could be read as stand-alones.

Who Buries the Dead (2015) C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr # 10/21-ongoing) Historical Mystery  (+audio) (2015 favorite)

–I am not quite current with this series, but did do an audio re-read earlier this year to get mostly caught up.

Tales from the Nightside (2015) Simon R. Green (Nightside-complete) Supernatural Mystery (2015 favorite)

–I still have not read the final book in this series. I own it–preordered it likely–but haven’t read it. And I’ll want to do a full reread before I finish the last book.

2016 Favorites

Newford Stories: Crow Girls (2015) Charles de Lint  Urban Fantasy (reread) (2016 favorite)

A Soupçon of Poison (2015) Ashley Gardener (Kat Holloway #0.5/8-ongoing) Historical Mystery (2016 favorite)

–This series is a pre-order for me.

A Study in Death (2015) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #4/13-ongoing) Historical Mystery (2016 favorite)

–This series is a pre-order for me.

Once Upon a Marquess (2015) Courtney Milan (Worth series#1/3) Historical Romance (reread) (2016 favorite)

Shadowshaper (2015) Daniel José Older (Shadowshaper #1/3-complete) YA Urban Fantasy (2016 favorite)

–I didn’t finish this series, because I wasn’t in the mood for YA, and now I’ll need to reread the first book before I continue on.

Witches of Lychford (2015) Paul Cornell (Witches of Lychford #1/6) Urban Fantasy (2016 favorite)

–I fell behind on this series, and really should get back to it.

The Beat Goes On: The Complete Rebus Stories (2015) Ian Rankin (Inspector Rebus) Police Mystery (2016 favorite)

–I finished this series up to Rebus’s retirement, but haven’t read any of the post-retirement stories. I regularly consider a reread of the series, but I’ve had trouble with thrillers and darker stories in recent years. At the very least I should reread this anthology, as Rankin is good with short stories.

2017 Favorites

A Curious Beginning (2015) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell #1/10-ongoing)  Historical Mystery (+audio) (2017 favorite)

–The last book I read (#9) annoyed me, so I’m not current on this series and haven’t decided if I want to continue.

2018 Favorites

Undeath & Taxes (2015) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant #2/8-ongoing) Urban Fantasy (reread+ audio 5x) (2018 favorite)

–According to the author this series isn’t complete yet, but there are no cliffhangers so you can read without fear. Which is one of the reasons I’ve reread it so many times, since I can start and stop without difficulty.

Voyage of the Basilisk (2015) Marie Brennan (Memoirs of Lady Trent #3/5-complete) Fantasy (+audio) (2018 favorite)

–I love this series and the audio books. Now I want to reread it.

2024 Favorites

Shady Hollow (2015) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery #1/6-ongoing) Fantasy Mystery (+audio) (2024 favorite)

–This was recently picked up by a publisher and reissued. It is delightful and I eagerly await a new book.

We finally made it to the Grand Canyon! (If you’re friends with me, it’s quite possible you already know this because I sent approximately a million post cards.)

I love taking the train. I relaxed and read for two days to Arizona and two days back east.

Once we got to the park, we saw there were lots of people there, even though it was mid February; I can’t imagine what it’s like there at the height of tourist season. I imagine I would have not enjoyed myself anywhere near as much.

Something I’ve noticed before is that I really don’t love the mountains in the west. I finally figured out why: a lot of the landscape there looks to me like areas of West Virginia after strip mining and mountain top removal–bare rock with maybe a single species of trees. I eventually recognized what was bothering me, and it helped a bit to acknowledge this was natural and not human destruction, but I do prefer my worn-down, lived-in Appalachians.

In Grand Canyon National Park, we hiked about a mile and a half down the Hermit’s Trail, but never went further in/down. I think I’d like to take a mule down and up, but maybe not hike the whole way. Coming out felt like the hardest mile and a half we’ve ever done, and we weren’t pushing ourselves.

But it was an amazing hike and view.

But I think my favorite things in the park were Hermit’s Rest …

… and the Desert View Watchtower …

… which were designed by Mary Colter in 1914 and 1932.

In the tower I loved how the small windows forced you to focus on one part of the landscape, instead of trying to take in everything.

Since we had a week, we took some time and visited Walnut Canyon National Monument …

… Glen Allen Dam, Horseshoe Bend, Lee Canyon, Wupatki National Monument …

… and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

Sunset Crater Volcano was fascinating, and I kept wondering how much of what we were seeing was “normal” and how much was from the 2022 Tunnel fire.

Regardless, it was all fascinating.

What were my favorite (new-to-me) books of the year?

The top rated were Mortal Follies & Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall, Shady Hollow by Juneau Black, The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch, and Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024) by Jane Steen

All of the books belong to series–only two stand-alone books had a rating 8 or higher, but then only 10% of the books I read this year were not part of a series.

Of those books, Vintage topped the publishers, with self-published coming in a respectable second.

• Vintage: 7
• Self-Published: 4
• Berkley: 3
• Del Rey: 2

Book Covers

My favorite covers:

Mortal Follies series by Alexis Hall

I love how these covers are both beautiful and openly queer. But mostly I love how pretty they are.

A Grave Robbery (2024) by Deanna Raybourn

I have loved every single Leo Nickolls cover in this series. They are clearly part of this specific series, but most importantly, they are gorgeous.

 

The Masquerades of Spring (2024) by Ben Aaronovitch

This series (excluding the early American releases) has covers that are clearly part of this specific series (even when they are not set in London and don’t feature London rivers) while still being different, and usually with Easter eggs for that book.

 

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) by Alison Goodman

I noticed this cover and decided to give the story a chance because of it. There are so many little bits of the story present, but gives nothing away.

 

 

Self-published books dominated my favorite covers, which really should put the professional publishers still putting out terrible covers to shame.

• Self-Published: 10
• Vintage: 7
• Berkley: 5
• Del Rey: 2

I want to note the artists who had more than one cover I loved this year–especially those who created covers for more than one author.

• Perry De La Vega: 7 (Shady Hollow series)
• Nicole Lecht: 4 (Lily Adler series)
• David Baldeosingh Rotstein: 3 (The Nightingale Mysteries series)
• Leni Kauffman: 2
• Regina Flath: 2
• Rita Frangie: 2 (Mortal Follies series)
• Stephen Walter: 2 (Rivers of London)
• Radiante Mozzarelle: 2 (Mortal Follies series)
• Patrick Knowles: 2 (Rivers of London)
• Kim Killion: 2 (Kat Holloway)
• Jenny Zemanek: 2 (Uncanny Romance)
• Larry Rostant: 2

The Statistics

This was a slow reading year for me–2015 was the last time I read so few books in a year.

I don’t feel bad about it–the ridiculous streak had to end some time. And to keep myself from worrying about it, as always, I set my reading goal to something I knew I’d easily meet.

For many reasons, there was a lot of rereading this year. (Go ahead, ask me about TIAA. Just get comfy because we’ll be here awhile. And I will use a lot of profanity.)

66% rereads in fact.

This was due in large part to the fact I listened to 56 audiobooks–a full third of this year’s books were audiobooks.

I don’t speed up my audiobooks like a lot of people do, because I’m not trying to get through them to read more. I’m just trying to distract myself while doing other tasks. Audiobooks allow me to read when I can’t focus, and allow me to remain on my feet and moving when I can’t settle down.

Since I can (and have) easily finish two books in a day, needing a week or two to finish an audiobook slows things down significantly.

But, as I said, audiobooks allow me to enjoy reading when I am unable to sit down and focus, and keep me from just lying on the sofa playing solitaire games on the computer.

I did read new-to-me books this year, however, I realized that most of the new books I read were part of a series.

If I read a new (or new-to-me) book, it was likely to be part of a series.

This is because the same factors that lead me to reread also come into play with an ongoing series: I already know the characters, I already know the authors style and writing, and I generally know the feel and flow of the book (is it cozy? is there a HEA?)

Although I read more mysteries than anything else, when you add in secondary genres (romantasy, fantasy mysteries) things evened out.

Am I frustrated my TBR pile continues to grow and is overwhelmingly huge? Yes. But if I’m lucky, this year will be less complicated (and less miserable than the past five years) and I’ll be able to read all the new books that interested me, but I couldn’t bring myself to start.

So this year I read 173 books. I listened to more audiobooks than ever, and if I had more reareads than ever, at least I enjoyed most of the books I read. My lowest rated book was a 3 (that was for a comic I was expecting not to like but read primarily for completion) and my average rating was 8, which meant it was quite enjoyable.

And that’s 2024.

Book Covers

• Romance Covers
• Mystery Covers
• Fantasy Covers

The Books

• Audio
• Romance
• Mystery
• Fantasy

Nightingale Mysteries by Katharine Schellman

Historical, Queer

In NYC during prohibition, a young woman who works as a seamstress and spends her nights at a speakeasy comes across the body of a murdered man.

If they had been out on the street, Vivian knew that Bea would have never spoken to the distinguished white man at all, and he would never have glanced at the Black waitress or her Irish friend, no matter how pretty they were or polite he was. But the rules could be different behind back-alley doors with no addresses.

This series is much darker than her Lily Adler series.

(W)orking at a dressmaker’s shop meant they both had to be fashionable at work, though not too fashionable or customers would think they were getting above themselves. Miss Ethel, the shop’s owner, preferred her seamstresses and shopgirls to look a little conservative—to counteract what she clearly believed were the loose morals of any girl without a family supporting her in the city.

Both series have characters of color and queer characters, but Lily Adler is a comfortably settled widow while Vivian and her friends live always on the edge of poverty and disaster.

Rating: 7.5/10 to 8.5/10

Published by Minotaur

Last Call at the Nightingale (2022) 8.5/10, The Last Drop of Hemlock (2023) 8/10, The Last Note of Warning (2024) 7.5/10

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) by Alison Goodman

Historical, Queer

Gus and her twin sister are spinsters who, while they have a comfortable existence, still have to follow the demands of society and are dictated to by their younger brother.

It was also true that after I learned about coverture from my reading, I became less and less inclined to hand over my half of our inherited fortune and all my legal and property rights—including the rights of my own body—to a husband. It would have to be a grand love, indeed, for me to willingly merge so completely with a man that I was all but legally obliterated. Most women did not have the choice to say no, but I did.

When they inadvertently become involved in intrigue, Gus discovers she enjoys the adventure and becomes involved in several other adventures.

Be sure to check the trigger warnings for this book–there are quite a few mostly related to the times in which they lived.

Rating: 8/10

Published by Berkley Prime Crime

(The Ill-Mannered Ladies)

Kat Holloway / Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley

Mrs.Holloway’s Christmas Pudding* (2023),  Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace* (2024)

Historical, Novella*

This year I read two novellas and one novel in this series. All three were very good, although I’m not certain you could jump into the series at this point.

Rating: 8/10 to 8.5/10

Self-Published / Published by Berkley

Kat Holloway: A Soupçon of Poison (2015), Death Below Stairs (2018), Scandal Above Stairs (2018), Death in Kew Gardens (2019), Murder in the East End (2020), Death at the Crystal Palace (2021), The Secret of Bow Lane (2022), The Price of Lemon Cake (2023), Mrs. Holloway’s Christmas Pudding (2023), Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace (2024)

A Scandal in Mayfair (2024) Katharine Schellman

Historical

I’ve been listening to this series and am enjoying spending more time in this world.

I like best the mysteries and the dialog.

As Lily made her way down the stairs, she heard Amelia asking, “Can you teach me to pick locks too?”

“Certainly, miss,” Jem replied, at the same time as Jack declared,

“Absolutely not.”

Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Crooked Lane Books

Lily Adler: The Body in the Garden (2020), Silence in the Library (2021), Death at the Manor (2022), Murder at Midnight (2023)

Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024) Jane Steen

Historical

This series has a new book every couple years, and I wish she were able to write faster.

Lady Helena has a large family, and despite the spread in their ages (she has nieces and nephews her own age) they are close and regularly involved in each others lives (whether Helena wants them or not).

The third book finds one of Helena’s nephews embroiled in scandal and murder, but more than that we learn more about her friends and the world in which she lives.

This series doesn’t have witty dialog, but it has characters who care about each other and are interesting in their own rights.

“It hasn’t helped to have Jonathan here, reminding us all he can fight and ride and stride around in that ridiculous uniform while I play children’s games. I’m angry—not at him, but at this.” He put his good hand under the elbow of his withered arm, lifting it into view.

“This doesn’t make you less of a man.” I caught his twisted right hand in mine, caressing it.

Rating: 9/10

Published by Aspidistra Press

Lady Helena Investigates: Lady Helena Investigates (2018), Lady Odelia’s Secret (2022), Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024)

The Books of 2024

I listened to a LOT of audiobooks this year: 33% of this year’s books, in fact. That’s more audiobooks in number and percent of books read than any year previously. Half of this year’s fantasies and 30% of this year’s mysteries were audiobooks.  (But no romance audiobooks. It’s hard to skip the boinking bits on audio.)

Mostly it was because I have been struggling to focus, and audiobooks allow me to do something else while listening (walking, cleaning, baking). So I still get to enjoy stories even when I can’t focus to read.

Winter’s Gifts, Audio Book by Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Penelope Rawlins

Fantasy, Mystery

The audio version, although good, got dinged because the narrator kinda failed the midwest accents. Aside from that, I always pick up things when listening to a Rivers of London book that missed when reading.

Rating: 8/10

Published by Tantor Audio

Rivers of London: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), The October Man (2019),  False Value (2020), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Amongst Our Weapons (2022), Winter’s Gifts (2023), The Masquerades of Spring (2024)

A Wizard’s Guide To Defensive Baking, Audiobook (2021) T. Kingfisher narrated by Patricia Santomasso

Fantasy, YA

This story is just delightful, and the narration–especially for a self-published book.

Rating: 8.5/10

Published by Tantor Audio

The Saint of Steel by T. Kingfisher narrated by Joel Richards

Fantasy, Romance

Paladin’s Grace, Audiobook (2021) 9/10,  Paladin’s Strength, Audiobook (2021) 8.5/10, Paladin’s Hope, Audiobook (2022) 8/10, Paladin’s Faith, Audiobook (2024) 8/10

This series was slightly problematic to listen to, since the stories are romances with boinking. But I mostly managed to skip forward so I didn’t have to listen.

Published by Tantor Audio

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman narrated by Henrietta Meire

Mystery, Historical

The Body in the Garden, Audiobook (2020) 8/10, Silence in the Library, Audiobook (2020) 8.5/10, Death at the Manor, Audiobook (2022) 8.5/10, Murder at Midnight, Audiobook (2023) 8.5/10, A Scandal in Mayfair, Audiobook (2024) 9/10

Although I initially found the narrators voice a bit to soft and weak at the start of the first book, I soon came to enjoy the narration.

Published by Dreamscape Media

The Books of 2024

Two Wrongs Make a Right (2022) Chloe Liese

Queer, Neurodiversity, Boinking

Although she writes other kinds of characters, my favorite Chloe Liese books are the ones with neurodiversity and characters who live with mental health issues.

Rules serve the people who fit readily within their boundaries and gain an advantage in their being enforced.

“I have anxiety, compulsions. I take medication and go to therapy.”

Of course they’re more than that–they are romances–but they have characters who live in the real world and have real issues, so you might want to check the trigger warnings here.

Rating: 9/10

Published by Berkley

(The Wilmot Sisters #1)

The Mistletoe Motive (2021) Chloe Liese

Queer, Neurodiversity, Boinking

This book is less angsty, what with being a holiday novella, but the main character does deal with things that can be hard.

Jonathan glances up and meets my eyes, his gaze speaking some cryptic language that I don’t.

I hate that feeling. It’s old and familiar, and it never fails to scrape open the scab of my social struggles. I’m a neurodivergent girl in a neurotypical world, and my autistic brain doesn’t read people the way Jonathan Tactical-Mastermind Frost’s does. It’s one of the very first things that made me dislike him: I can feel his cunning, his cold, calculating mind. He has what I don’t, he sees what I can’t, and he wields those weapons ruthlessly. It’s exactly why the Baileys hired him.

Because he’s everything I’m not.

And in my worst moments, that makes me feel like I’m not enough.

Rating: 8/10

Published by Kobo Originals

Waiting for the Flood (2015/2024) Alexis Hall

Queer, Boinking *

Alexis Hall has been reissuing his Spires series, and as this is one of my favorites, I wanted to see the changes as well as the second story about Edwin’s ex.

I still love Edwin;s story, and it’s still one of my favorites.

This is the story of my life: standing on the edges of things and worrying, when I’m supposed to just walk through them.

Marius, however, I still struggled to like. And I love how Alexis Hall noted how he struggled with the story.

Alexis: Slightly concerned that opening Marius’s book with him being a dick to Edwin is sort of like DS9 opening with Sisko being a dick to Picard. Like, it’s a lot. But it also felt right.

However, Marius is no Sisko.

Rating: 9/10

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Spires: Glitterland (2018), Waiting for the Flood (2018), For Real (2018)

Do Me a Favor (2024) Cathy Yardley

Boinking

Like Role Playing, this book has older protagonists, people who have lived.

There’s nothing wrong with fresh-faced young characters, but there’s something more about characters who have already lived and know what they like and don’t like.

“I can take care of it,” she countered. “I don’t . . .”

“I can’t tell you how many times I had to do this for the kids,” he said, sidetracking her argument and shepherding her against the counter. “I’m a pro, basically.”

She looked a cross between confused and amused. “Practically a doctor.”

It’s sweet and lovely and I very much enjoy books where there is not a Big Misunderstanding in the third act.

Rating: 8/10

Published by Montlake

Role Playing (2023), Do Me a Favor (2024)

The Siren of Sussex  (2022) Mimi Matthews

Historical

This is the story of a young woman who has a single season to find a husband and (hopefully) change the futures of her younger sisters.

“Because his riding costumes are beautiful. And because they make the ladies who wear them beautiful, too. It’s a sort of magic, I believe. To create clothing that can do that for a person. That can transform them into something extraordinary.”

And it’s the story of a young man who came to London with his young cousin and is trying to make his way in a world that doesn’t accept him.

“The British soldiers often take native women to wife. They have children. Entire families. Nowadays, the soldiers are encouraged to make such marriages legal, but in decades past, the arrangements were nothing more than unlawful conveniences, contrived for the man’s comfort.”

And it’s about horses and dressmaking and falling in love with the wrong person.

Rating: 8/10

Published by Jove

(Belles of London #1)

The Books of 2024

Murder on Hunter’s Eve (2024) Morgan Stang

Steampunk, Queer

Honestly, I had completely forgotten the bit at the end of the previous book that would have kept events in this book from being so surprising.

(A)n old, blind woman sat nearby the entrance, holding up a bowl filled with money.

“Hmm, complimentary currency,” said Mr Homes, rubbing at his chin. “Seems rather fishy.”

Self-Published

Rating: 8/10

Lamplight Murder Mysteries: Murder at Spindle Manor (2022), Murder on the Lamplight Express (2023), Murder on Hunter’s Eve (2024)

Shady Hollow Mysteries by Juneau Black

Mystery, Cozy

I debated whether to categorize this series primarily as fantasy or mystery, and went back and forth several times. It’s a mystery series, and there aren’t any magical elements–except for the fact all the characters are animals.

If you changed the characters to humans you wouldn’t have to change about the story, aside from a few bits I found delightful.

Orville and Meade examined the tree. “Look like teeth marks,” Meade said. “Could be muskrat or beaver.”

The beavers standing nearby huffed with offended pride. “We would never!” one declared.

“And, anyway, we’ve got tools for that!” another added, lifting a long saw the team had brought along.

A third beaver said, “Yeah, we’re not barbarians.”

But many passages could stand as they are.

“Ah, but now you have the important phrase on the advice of counsel. That helps a lot. I’ll write up a letter, too, for you to shove in Stone’s face when he gets overeager.”

“And what if he gets so mad that he fires me?”

“He’d be a fool to do that,” Mr. Fallow said promptly. “Everyone knows you’re one of his best reporters. But just in case, I’ll add a paragraph explaining that it would be actionable if you were to lose your job as a result of your ethical stance. No one wants to be on the receiving end of actionable.”

Regardless, I picked up the first book and had to fight not to binge the rest of the series.

Ratings: 8/10 to 9/10

Published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

Shady Hollow (2015), Cold Clay (2017), Mirror Lake (2020), Evergreen Chase (2021), Phantom Pond (2023), Twilight Falls (2023), Summers End (2024)

Mortal Follies series by Alexis Hall

Historical, Romance, Queer

This is Alexis Hall at his most snarky and delightful. The guardrails completely fall away when he’s writing in a fantasy world, so be fully prepared for a romp.

A loud bang echoed through the house.

“Ah.” The Duke of Annadale rose. “We should go. It appears one of your friends has found my pistol.”

…

“There was a shot.”

“Oh, yes.” Casually, Miss Bickle indicated the baize-inlaid box that lay open just behind her. It still contained one unfired pistol. “I found those under the bed and wondered whether they were loaded. It seems they were.”

Which is not to say there isn’t plenty of social commentary for our world.

“I am—you must surely realise—in a most compromising position and should any gentleman happen upon me in this state, I would be quite ruined.”

“Then you should have had the foresight to be born richer or more male.”

I mean.

And whereas in the enlightened twenty-first century the marriage of a British aristocrat to a Person of Colour is a wholly unremarkable thing that results in no hostility whatsoever, in the bad old days of the 1800s it caused quite a scandal.

Ratings: 9/10

Published by Del Rey

Mortal Follies (2023), Confounding Oaths (2024)

Uncanny Romance series by Lish McBride

Supernatural, Romance, Boinking

This is a supernatural romance, but like all of Lish McBride’s books, the world-building is the best part.

Well, ok, also the dialog.

He cocked his head to the side. “What does evening goth smell like?”

“Coffee, clove, and ennui.” I picked up my bag. “The ennui is there in the morning, but it takes all day for the smell to really set in.”

These are not, however, cozy stories (aside from the boinking), as several of the characters have to deal with toxic families / relationships and other

It was one of those moments where I was just so exhausted with myself.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take turns being anyone else.

Rating: 9/10

Self-Published

A Little Too Familiar (2022) 8/10, Rough Around the Hedges (2023)

The Masquerades of Spring (2024) Ben Aaronovitch

Mystery, Historical, Queer, Novella

This Rivers of London novella takes Nightingale across the ocean, and is written from the POV of the school mate with whom he is staying.

Nightingale danced just the way I’d expected him to, with grace and precision but with no sense that he was letting go or losing himself in the music.

It’s Prohibition NYC. It’s the 1920s jazz scene. And it’s an historical delve into queer culture of the time.

Also, for the first time Nightingale is explicitly ace.

“I’ve never really understood what you might call physical love,” said Nightingale. “But I do understand the bonds of friendship and family.”

Rating: 9/10

Published by Subterranean Press

Rivers of London: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), The October Man (2019),  False Value (2020), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Amongst Our Weapons (2022), Winter’s Gifts (2023), The Masquerades of Spring (2024)

The Books of 2024

Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley

Cover design by Kim Killion. Self-Published.

Cover design by Larry Rostant. Published by Berkley (Penguin).

The main books in this series are published by Berkley, however, she has self-published several novellas in this series.

The novellas all feature a kitchen or dining table setting, and the fonts match those of the traditionally published books.

The novels all feature a woman on a staircase (to match the Below Stairs series name).

One nit is that the yellow of the woman’s dress stands out too much from the background–it doesn’t quite look like it belongs.

Kat Holloway: A Soupçon of Poison (2015), Death Below Stairs (2018), Scandal Above Stairs (2018), Death in Kew Gardens (2019), Murder in the East End (2020), Death at the Crystal Palace (2021), The Secret of Bow Lane (2022), The Price of Lemon Cake (2023),
Mrs. Holloway’s Christmas Pudding (2023), Speculations in Sin (2024), A Measure of Menace (2024)

A Deceptive Composition (2024) by Anna Lee Huber

Cover art by Larry Rostant. Published by Berkley (Penguin).

This series has the same cover artist as above, but I don’t think it’s obvious they are the same.

Lady Darby is a painter and the covers of these books often feel a bit like paintings, and though the color schemes and settings are different for every book, they still have a similar feel.

Lady Darby: The Anatomist’s Wife (2012), Mortal Arts (2013), A Grave Matter (2014), A Study in Death (2015), A Pressing Engagement (2016), As Death Draws Near (2016), A Brush with Shadows (2018), An Artless Demise (2019), A Stroke of Malice (2020), A Wicked Conceit (2021), A Perilous Perspective (2022), A Fatal Illusion (2023)

Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024) by Jane Steen

Cover design by Rachel Lawston & Alexandra Allden. Published by Aspidistra Press.

This book was (to me at least) quite clearly part of of the Lady Helena series, with the black silhouette, the house, and the botanical borders.

I love all the covers of this series. They are very clearly historicals, but the elements and how they are put together feel timeless.

Lady Helena Investigates: Lady Helena Investigates (2018), Lady Odelia’s Secret (2022), Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024)

A Scandal in Mayfair (2024) by Katharine Schellman

Cover design by Nicole Lecht. Published by Crooked Lane Books (Quick Brown Fox & Company).

This is yet another series where I love all the covers.

I only just saw that the elements of this cover are similar to that of the Lady Helena series (Silhouette, house element, botanical border) but they are also clearly different series.

Again, these covers look timeless, and are lovely.

Lily Adler Mysteries: The Body in the Garden (2020), Silence in the Library (2021), Death at the Manor (2022), Murder at Midnight (2023)

Nightingale Mysteries by Katharine Schellman

Last Call at the Nightingale (2022) The Last Drop of Hemlock (2023), The Last Note of Warning (2024)Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein. Published by Minotaur (Macmillan).

Although this is the same author it’s different series and different publisher and very clearly a different time period.

I think the covers of the other series are prettier, but these are still good. They give you not just a feel for the time period (the Roaring 20s) but also place–a speakeasy in NYC.

And the art deco font and design elements also contribute to the sense of time and place.

A Grave Robbery (2024) by Deanna Raybourn

Cover design & art by Leo Nickolls. Published by Berkley (Penguin).

Yet another excellent cover in this series. I love how all the elements combine to make this clearly a Veronica Speedwell book.

Veronica Speedwell: A Curious Beginning (2015), A Perilous Undertaking (2017), A Treacherous Curse (2018), A Dangerous Collaboration (2019), A Murderous Relation (2020), An Unexpected Peril (2021), An Impossible Impostor (2022)

Who Cries for the Lost, Audiobook (2023) by C.S. Harris

Cover design by Adam Auerbach. Published by Berkley (Penguin).

I did a lot of catching up on this series this year, although I am still not fully caught up.

The mysterious element is always stronger in this series, with the feeling of fog and things lurking.

This series is one that led me to discover that I don’t like seeing photographed faces of the main characters–the model they chose at one point looked nothing like the mental image I have of Sebastian and was jarring every time I looked at it.

This is much preferable.

Sebastian St. Cyr: What Angels Fear (2005), When Gods Die (2006), Why Mermaids Sing (2007), Where Serpents Sleep (2008), What Remains of Heaven (2009), Where Shadows Dance (2011), When Maidens Mourn (2012), What Darkness Brings (2013), Why Kings Confess (2014), Who Buries the Dead (2015), When Falcons Fall (2016), Where the Dead Lie (2017), Why Kill the Innocent (2018), Who Slays the Wicked (2019), Who Speaks for the Damned (2020), What the Devil Knows (2021), When Blood Lies (2022), Who Cries for the Lost (2023)

The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) by Alison Goodman

Cover design by Rita Frangie & cover illustration by Sveta Dorosheva. Published by Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin).

This is a new series and the cover is what caught my eye and drew me to look further.

The colors are gorgeous and I love the mirror image women (the main character is one of a set of twins) and the very subtle weapons.

(The Ill-Mannered Ladies)

Corpse at Captain’s Seat (2024) by Josh Lanyon

Cover design by K.B. Smith. Self-Published.

This isn’t one of my favorite covers, but it matches the series and the story, and it is well-done, especially for a self-published story.

Secrets & Scrabble: Murder at Pirate’s Cove (2020), Secret at Skull House (2020), Mystery at the Masquerade (2021), Scandal at the Salty Dog (2021), Lament at Loon Landing (2023), Body at Buccaneer’s Bay (2021), Corpse at Captain’s Seat (2024)

The Murder of Mr. Ma (2024) by John Shen Yen Nee & S.J. Rozan

I didn’t find a cover artist listed. Published by Soho Crime.

Yet another mystery set in the 1920s, with some art deco elements, but as it isn’t set in London, you don’t get the feel of crime and other things just below the surface you get with Prohibition in the US.

You also get the kung-fu elements in the cover.

(A Dee and Lao Mystery #1)

An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (2024) by Dianne Freeman

I don’t know why Kensington won’t list the cover artist. It’s annoying.

This is probably my least favorite cover of this series, but it does accurately depict scenes from the story, as well as the time period.

Published by Kensington.

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery: A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder (2018), A Lady’s Guide to Gossip and Murder (2019), A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Murder (2020), A Fiancée’s Guide to First Wives and Murder (2021), A Bride’s Guide to Marriage and Murder (2022), A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023)

Berkley again dominates the good covers for mysteries category, but I’m delighted they have plenty of competition.

Berkley: 5
Minotaur: 3
Self-published: 3
Aspidistra Press: 1
Kensington: 1
Crooked Lane Books: 1
Soho: 1

The Books of 2024

The Mistletoe Motive (2021) by Chloe Liese

Cover illustration by Leni Kauffman, cover design by Monika Roe. Published by Kobo (Rakuten).

Nit: She is falling off that ladder.

Aside from that, I love the deep red and the stars and the snowflakes that make it a winter holiday book.

And the ridiculously tall wall of books.

Ex Appeal (2022) by Cathy Yardley

Cover design & illustration by Philip Pascuzzo. Published by Montlake (Amazon).

This matches the other book in this series I’ve read.

It’s simple, but has the important elements, such as reptiles, fish, and even computer code, and I love that the snake is making half the heart.

Ponto Beach Reunion: Gouda Friends (2022), Ex Appeal (2022)

Do Me a Favor (2024) by Cathy Yardley

Cover design by Molly von Borstel & cover illustration by Leni Kauffman. Published by Montlake (Amazon).

This is a pinch more professional looking than the previous cover, which is to be expected I think since this was published after the other series.

More interestingly (to me) although it is not part of a series, this book and Role Playing both have a similar feel, which is nice since they both feature older protagonists. Both covers have more of a cuddling feel than a hot and heavy spicy feel, which I also liked.

Hen Fever: A Sapphic Victorian Romance (2022) by Olivia Waite

Self-published.

I love this entirely because of the chicken.

Curio (2024) by C.S. Poe

Cover Art by Reese Dante. Self-published.

I’m a sucker for old photographs.

It’s a relatively simple and plain cover, but the pictures are eye catching and what drew my attention to the book.

The Siren of Sussex  (2022) by Mimi Matthews

Cover design by Farjana Yasmin. Published by Jove (Berkley).

I admit I’m slightly concerned about the size of the horse as compared to the size of the woman, I do love how competent she looks on horseback. And the swath of green fabric is eye catching and also perfect for the story.

(Belles of London #1)

Although Berkley has excellent mystery covers, as usual, they don’t even have a showing in the romance category.

Self-published: 2
Montlake: 2
Jove: 1
Kobo: 1

(Leni Kauffman: 2)

The Books of 2024

Mortal Follies series by Alexis Hall

Cover design by Regina Flath & cover illustration by Radiante Mozzerell. Published by Del Rey (Penguin).

These covers are so pretty!

I like the font face a little better on Confounding Oaths, as well as the white text on the black background, but I prefer how much cleaner the author name is on Mortal Follies, and the addition of the tag line.

But those are truly nits, since overall these are stunning covers.

Mortal Follies (2023),  Confounding Oaths (2024)

Shady Hollow Mysteries by Juneau Black

Cover design & illustrations by Perry De La Vega. Published by Vintage (Penguin).

Yes, I did discover and then tear through this entire series this year, and there is not a single thing I don’t adore about these covers. They’re cute, they’re consistent, and they show the characters without giving anything away.

LOVE!

Shady Hollow (2015), Cold Clay (2017), Mirror Lake (2020), Evergreen Chase (2021), Phantom Pond (2023), Twilight Falls (2023), Summers End (2024)

Uncanny Romance series by Lish McBride

Cover design & illustration by Jenny Zemanek. Self-published.

Another set of covers I love. I might not be a fan of faceless characters, but they work for me here, especially since the figures are smaller, and allow the other design elements to stand out.

Like the above two series, these are clearly related books, yet also clearly about two different sets of characters.

A Little Too Familiar (2022) 8/10, Rough Around the Hedges (2023)

Socially Orcward (2021) by Lisa Henry and Sarah Honey

Cover by Steph Westerik. Self-published.

The pictures and design are seemingly simple, yet they give you an accurate feel of Dave the Orc, and that this book definitely does not take itself seriously.

I love it when self-published books nail the cover.

(Adventures in Aguillon)

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms (2024) by Sarah Wallace, S.O. Callahan

Cover art by Caras Alexandra. Self-published.

Another excellent self-published cover.

It’s an accurate portrayal of the two characters and their dynamic. Although the title is a little twisty, it’s not illegible, and the background elements give a finished look to the whole thing rather working as a distraction.

I was actually surprised to discover this was self-published and not professionally published.

(Fae & Human Relations)

Murder on Hunter’s Eve (2024) by Morgan Stang

Cover design by Etheric Designs. Self-published.

Although the color changed from blue and gold to red and black, the design matches the second book and ties all three books together. It’s not a complicated cover but it’s still elegant and very well executed very eye-catching.

Lamplight Murder Mysteries: Murder at Spindle Manor (2022), Murder on the Lamplight Express (2023)

Somewhere Beyond the Sea (2024) by T.J. Klune

Cover by Chris Sickles. Published by Tor (Macmillan)

This is clearly related to the cover of the first book, with the same house seemingly teetering on the edge of a cliff, which reflects the insecure nature of the lives of the characters.

Cerulean Chronicles: The House in the Cerulean Sea (2020)

The Masquerades of Spring (2024) by Ben Aaronovitch

Cover map image by Stephen Walter, title lettering by Patrick Knowles & interior art by Giles Meakin. Published by Subterranean Press

I think I love every cover of every book in this series, and how you immediately know you’re looking at a Rivers of London story.

Rivers of London: Midnight Riot (2011), Moon Over Soho (2011), Whispers Under Ground (2012), Broken Homes (2014), Foxglove Summer (2014), The Hanging Tree (2017), The Furthest Station (2017), Lies Sleeping (2018), The October Man (2019),  False Value (2020), Tales from the Folly: A Rivers of London Short Story Collection (2020), What Abigail Did That Summer (2021), Amongst Our Weapons (2022), Winter’s Gifts (2023)

If I hadn’t discovered and read the entire Shady Hollow series, self-published books would have dominated the fantasy category.

Vintage: 5
Self-published: 5
Del Rey: 2
Tor: 1
Subterranean Press: 1

The Books of 2024

It’s been another rough year, and a lot of things have fallen by the wayside, but as I enjoy looking back at what I read through the year, I’m going to make sure I get this round-up done.

The crappy year does mean, however, that I have done a LOT of rereading. Additionally, I’ve been unable to focus, so I’ve listened to a lot of audiobooks, which makes the number of rereads even higher (since I almost never listen to a book I’ve not read before).

As of right now, I’ve read 23 books published this year and 15 books published in 2023.  67% of the books this year were rereads, which is a record for me (last year was 65%).

But I was reading, so I shan’t berate myself for my obscenely large TBR pile.

As a reminder, my ratings are based on my personal feelings about a book. It could be this was the wrong time for me to read a book, or it could be a book that is subjectively good but is really NOT for me (hello dystopias).

The round-up will start (of course) with book covers, and end with my love of statistics.

Book Covers

• Romance Covers
• Mystery Covers
• Fantasy Covers

The Books

• Audio
• Romance
• Mystery
• Fantasy
• Final Roundup

The links on this post will be updated as the posts are published.

Previous Years

• The Books of 2023
• The Books of 2022
• The Books of 2021
• The Books of 2020
• The Books of 2019
• The Books of 2018
• The Books of 2017
• The Books of 2016
• The Books of 2015
• The Books of 2014
• The Books of 2013
• The Books of 2012
• The Books of 2011
• The Books of 2010
• The Books of 2009
• The Books of 2008

Life continues to be a lot, hence the roundup for June and July, as we are well into August.

I’ve been tearing through audiobooks–I listened to seven Sebastian St. Cyr audio books, which tend to be about ten hours long. On the plus side, I’ve gone through more boxes and gotten rid of more junk AND I made jam.

But I also read new books, including some new releases.

I’ve been borrowing the Veronica Speedwell series from the library, so I had a bit of a wait for the latest book. It wasn’t bad, but I was also glad I didn’t pay list price for it as a new release.

Two other historical mystery series had new releases in June: the Lady Darby and Countess of Harleigh series. I didn’t enjoy these as much as previous books, but that might have been my frame of mind as much as anything.

What I did very much enjoy was the new Shady Hollow book, Juneau Black’s Summers End. That series is simply a wonderful escape from reality.

And I came across The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) Alison Goodman which, despite dealing with heavy topics was enjoyable. There is (of course) a romantic sub-plot but that was second to the the relationship between the sisters. Oh, and the heroines are twin middle-aged spinsters.

And I want to take a moment to note the cover for Hen Fever, which is a queer Victorian romance with chickens. That cover is gorgeous AND delightful.

Romance

• Hen Fever: A Sapphic Victorian Romance (2022) Olivia Waite 7/10
• Curio (2024) C.S. Poe 6/10

Mystery

• Chronicles of Brother Cadfael series Ellis Peters: One Corpse Too Many (1979) (#2) 9/10, Monk’s Hood (1980) (#3) 9/10, Saint Peter’s Fair (1981) (#4) 8.5/10, The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) (#5) 9.5/10
• Summers End (2024) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #5) 8.5/10
• A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London #3) 8.5/10
• The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) Alison Goodman (The Ill-Mannered Ladies) 8/10
• A Deceptive Composition (2024) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby Mystery #12) 7.5/10
• An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (2024) Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh Mystery #7) 7/10
• A Grave Robbery (2024) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell #9) 7/10
• Corpse at Captain’s Seat (2024) Josh Lanyon (Secrets and Scrabble #8) 6/10

Audiobook

• Sebastian St. Cyr series C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter: What Remains of Heaven, Audiobook (2009/2016) (#5) 8.5/10, Where Shadows Dance, Audiobook (2011) (#6) 8.5/10, When Maidens Mourn, Audiobook (2012) (#7) 7.5/10, What Darkness Brings, Audiobook (2013) (#8) 8.5/10, Why Kings Confess, Audiobook (2014) (#9) 8.5/10, Who Buries the Dead, Audiobook (2015) (#10) 8.5/10, When Falcons Fall, Audiobook (2016) (#11) 8/10, Where the Dead Lie, Audiobook (2017) (#12) 8/10, Why Kill the Innocent, Audiobook (2018) (#13) 8/10, Who Slays the Wicked, Audiobook (2019) (#14) 8/10
• An Impossible Impostor Audiobook (2022) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angele Masters (Veronica Speedwell #7) 6.5/10

A year ago we inherited two cats. The older of the two, Shadow, is cranky had has no qualms about letting you know it.

After one particularly amusing picture, I started taking pictures of Disapproving Shadow Kitty.

There are many; here are some of the “best”.

And the picture that started it all: