As noted by my earlier posts, I’ve been having a difficult time recently. Which means I’ve been reading a lot.

Shockingly, it wasn’t all rereads, but also new-to-me books as well as new releases. (I was shocked to discover that myself.)

The third book in Roan Parrish‘s Garnet Run series came out. This is the book that got all the publicity for being the first MM romance published under the Harlequin imprint (the earlier books in the series were under the Carina Adores imprint). It was, perhaps, a little less angsty than the earlier books in the series, and weirdly, I much preferred the Carina covers to this one. It’s very very busy.

Another new release was Jennifer Ashley latest entry into her Below Stairs Mystery series. There is a (very) slowly developing mystery with the main character here–and some secondary romances, but the main focus is on the mystery.

The other new release was the latest Ellery Adams‘ Secret, Book, & Scone Society mystery. This series has tons of representation and even introduced an ace character in the previous book, who has remained around.

In the car we’ve been listening to Murderbot. Although the voice doesn’t seem quite right to me, we’re still enjoying it very much.

And I did have one book that I finished only because it made me so angry it ended up being a rage read. But for the most part I reread some very good books, as well as some comforting books (I highly recommend Aidan Wayne’s Loud and Clear, which is fade to black and features two characters with seemingly incompatible disabilities. (The cover totally doesn’t reflect the story.)

Mystery

Hither, Page (2019) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers) 9/10
Death at the Crystal Palace (2021) Jennifer Ashley (A Below Stairs Mystery Book) 8/10
The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 1 (2015) 8/10; The Bellingham Mystery Series Volume 2 (2015) Nicole Kimberling 8.5/10
Ink and Shadows (2021) Ellery Adams (Secret, Book, & Scone Society) 7.5/10
Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions (2015/2016) Mario Giordano translated by John Brownjohn (Auntie Poldi) 7.5/10
The Ghost Wore Yellow Socks (2008) Josh Lanyon 7.5/10
Homicide in Hardcover (2009) Kate Carlisle (Bibliophile Mystery)

Romance, Historical

The Turner Series, Cat Sebastian
The Lawrence Browne Affair (2017) 8/10; The Ruin of a Rake (2017) 8/10
Lilywhite Boys, KJ Charles
The Rat-Catcher’s Daughter (2019) 7.5/10; Any Old Diamonds (2019) 8.5/10; Gilded Cage (2019) 7.5/10
The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows (2020) Olivia Waite (Feminine Pursuits)
Mr. Winterbourne’s Christmas (2018) Joanna Chambers (Winterbourne) 7.5/10

Romance

Loud and Clear (2016) Aidan Wayne 9/10
Garnet Run, Roan Parrish
Better Than People (2020) 8.5/10; Best Laid Plans (2021) 8/10; The Lights on Knockbridge Lane (2021) 8/10
The Remaking of Corbin Wale (2017) Roan Parrish 8.5/10
Team Phison Forever (2019) Chace Verity (Team Phison) 7.5/10
All the Wrong Places (2016) Ann Gallagher (Bluewater Bay) 7/10
American Dreamer (2019) Adriana Herrera (Dreamers) 7/10

Fantasy

Discworld, Terry Pratchett
Carpe Jugulum (1998) 7/10; The Fifth Elephant (1999) 8.5/10; The Truth (2000) 8.5/10

Supernatural Fantasy

Making Love (2017) Aidan Wayne 8/10
Love, Marriage, and a Baby Carriage (2016) CS Poe 9.5/10
Not Even a Mouse (2015) Dahlia Donovan 7/10
Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling 9.5/10

Audio Books

Murderbot, Martha Wells narrated by Kevin R. Free
All Systems Red, Audio Edition (2017) 8.5/10; Artificial Condition, Audio Edition (2018) 8.5/10; Rogue Protocol, Audio Edition (2018) 8.5/10