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

Now for all the bits and pieces and data!

2023 Covers

I do so love a pretty book cover.

As has happened every year since I started reading the series, the cover from the latest Veronica Speedwell book was a favorite (The first book in the series initially had a different style cover–the designs they’re using now started with the second book). This one, like the rest, are utterly gorgeous.

A Sinister Revenge (2023) Deanna Raybourn

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

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)

Also making another appearance is Allie Therin‘s Magic in Manhattan series.

I really deeply love the monochrome covers and the art deco elements. They are clean and eye catching, and I find them very pretty.

Once a Rogue (2023) Allie Therin Published by Carina Press. Unfortunately, Carina Press doesn’t credit their cover artists which, as I have repeatedly noted, is a shame.

Magic in Manhattan: Spellbound (2019), Starcrossed (2020), Wonderstruck (2021)
Roaring Twenties Magic: Proper Scoundrels (2021), Once a Rogue (2023)

To the best of my memory, this is the first year Berkley hasn’t had the highest number of great covers. But pretty sure that’s because I only read four books published by Berkley this year.

Publishers with multiple covers I loved:

• Self-Published: 6
• Crooked Lane Books: 6
• Blue Octopus Press: 4
• Berkley: 3
• Viking: 4
• Tor: 3

We’ve come a long way in self-published covers; I adore that authors of self-published books are giving us so many gorgeous covers.

My favorite covers of 2023:

Fantasy       Mystery       Romance       Science Fiction

 

2023 Books

Aside from the audio book of Blitz (I read Blitz last December, so it didn’t seem quite fair to point it out as a ten for this year),  I didn’t have any 9.5 or 10 reads that were new-to-me this year, but I did have several new (to me at least) books that had a 9/10 rating.

• Silence in the Library by Katharine Schellman
• The Bookshop and the Barbarian by Morgan Stang
• The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman: The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed, The Last Devil to Die

However.

I’m pretty sure that upon a reread, there are multiple books that will get a higher rating. They just weren’t what I needed to help get out of my brain when I read them, or I didn’t have enough spare processing power to really get everything. So take that into consideration if you peruse my reviews.

Publishers with multiple books I loved.

• Berkley (Penguin): 2
• Subterranean Press (Independent): 2
• Tor (Macmillan): 3
• Crooked Lane Books (Independent):4
• Viking (Penguin): 4
• Self-Published: 10

Obviously not enough numbers to be more than anecdata, but here are the publishers whose books I read most frequently this year (the number of books by that publisher) and the average rating for that publisher..

• Self-Published (31) Average Rating: 7.58
• Tor (13) Average Rating: 9.15
• Carina (10) Average Rating: 8.50
• Crooked Lane Books (8) Average Rating: 7.44
• William Morrow (8) Average Rating: 7.19
• Riptide Publishing (8) Average Rating: 7.88
• Audible Studios (5) Average Rating: 7.90
• Blue Octopus Press (4) Average Rating: 6.63

My favorite books of 2023:

Fantasy       Mystery       Romance       Science Fiction       Audio Books      

 

Genres

I use two different tracking spreadsheets–one I created in 2003 and yearly spreadsheet from Book Riot. The Book Riot tracker only allows a single genre for a book. Mine allows books to have multiple genres, which is a bit more accurate, especially for my reading preferences (I do love a supernatural detective).

In both logs, mysteries were the genre I read most this year, however, the second chart makes it clear that romance was my second most-read genre–because many of the fantasies and mysteries were also romances, or had romance as a secondary element.

You can see how my reading mood shifts over time.

I don’t have fiction, or straight non-fiction on here, because I don’t read enough of either to do anything but make the chart even more confusing than it already is.

There should have been more comics on there, but I’ve been reading some web comics, and haven’t read the physical books I got myself. (I read Cursed Princess Club and The Doctors are Out weekly as they come out. Lore Olympus is constant cliffhangers, so I’m waiting for it to finish. I also have a pile of graphic novels to read, and am hoping to get to them over the holiday break.)

Here are this years favorite books by genre:

Fantasy       Mystery       Romance       Science Fiction       Audio Books      

 

Authors

Ages and ages ago (back when I was reading mostly fantasy and mystery) I started to make an effort to read more female authors. Back then, an author publishing under their initials and last name was usually a woman who wrote in a male dominated market (sword & sorcery or police procedurals FREX). There were a few men who wrote under initials because their market or segment of the market was female dominated, but mostly not in genres I read.

You can see that shift, as well as the bigger jump when I read more romance.

I’ve continued to try and broaden my reading, looking for POC and Queer characters. It is harder to categorize authors here, because until someone’s bio states they are queer (ie, ” the author and her wife”) it’s not up to me or anyone else to say if someone is queer or not. Nor do I want to judge if someone is a POC just from looking at their picture (see: Tobias Buckell). So I mostly focus on the characters.

Secondary characters need to pass a version of the Bechdel Test to qualify as such.

While on the subject, I’d like to highlight something I’ve started seeing more frequently and really love.

a hefty-looking white woman with sharp blue eyes

He was a white man, looked to be in his fifties, with thinning brown hair cut short, regular features, pale gray eyes

Phillip was a young-looking forty-year-old white man with black hair and light brown eyes.

She was a tall, hippy white woman

It turned out to be a white woman in late middle age

typical London office jockeys, mostly white, mostly from affluent suburbs

The nervous young white man with floppy hair who served as receptionist

a small white woman in a gray zip-up hoody.

a teenaged white girl dressed incongruously in a blue knit twinset and pearls and a blond pageboy wig.

“Hallo, darling,” said a white person with an androgynous face, blue-black hair, and a raven perched on their shoulder.

Above are all descriptions from Ben Aarnonvitch‘s Amongst Our Weapons, but he does that throughout the Rivers of London series.

If a book is set in a metropolis or urban area–especially in the US or UK–white shouldn’t be the “default setting”. As I live in a rural, predominantly white, American state, I love regular reminders that the rest of the world doesn’t look like where I live, and love reading about people whose life experiences are not my own.

 

Format

Once I got an eReader, paper books quickly became a thing of the past. Although I prefer paper for cookbooks and graphic novels, in almost every other category I prefer digital format.

And although I’ve listened to audio books since the late 1990s, having books on my phone instead of having to carry a walkman (cassette or CD type) makes audio books so much easier.

I’ll go back and forth between listening to podcasts and audio books, but it’s been audio books over podcasts for the past couple years.

Additionally, audio books and rereads are tied together, since I almost never listen to a fiction audio book I have not previously read.

You can also tell from a glance at that chart what years have been difficult, by the percent of rereads.

Why, yes, 2023 has been a particularly horrible year, how’d you guess?

I’ve mentioned elsewhere that one of the reasons I only listen to audio books I’ve previously read is because I only allow myself to listen to audio books while I am on my feet; exercising, cleaning, cooking: I have to be moving around.

That huge spike in November is when I was going through the boxes we brought from my parent’s house.

It was a very large and very difficult task, and the audio books allowed me to get through it, since they distracted my brain from why I was doing what I was doing so I could figure out what to do with the stuff and clear out the stacks of boxes crowding my basement.

 

Re-Reads

As I already noted, I did a lot of re-reading this year.

Most of my mental processing power went to dealing with my mother’s death, being her executor, and selling my parent’s house. There were a lot of books I considered but didn’t even try to read, regardless of how much I wanted to.

So I thought it would be interesting to look at what I’ve read the most.

Because of the way my book log is set up, I don’t have the titles of the books I read prior to 2020 in a spreadsheet. I can get the read times for an individual title easily, but there is no way to dump that information into a spreadsheet. But starting 2020 when I began using the Book Riot Reading Log, I do have that information, so I compiled it and pulled out the following information.

Most read authors, 2020-2023

• C.S. Poe: 34
• K.J. Charles: 33
• Agatha Christie: 32
• Martha Wells: 29
• Ben Aaronovitch: 25
• Faith Hunter: 23
• R. Cooper: 23
• Dahlia Donovan: 23
• Charlie Cochrane: 23
• N.R. Walker: 22
• Terry Pratchett: 22
• Cat Sebastian: 22

Every author on that list has at least one book I’ve re-read.

I also figured out the books I’ve re-read the most since 2020–the books I reached for when I couldn’t focus and was miserable & desperate for a distraction.

• Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut by R. Cooper: 6
• Joy by C.S. Poe: 6
• And Everything Nice by Ada Maria Soto: 6
• Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter by R. Cooper: 5
• Kneading You by C.S. Poe: 5
• Color of You by C.S. Poe: 5
• All Systems Red by Martha Wells: 5
• Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: 5
• Artificial Condition by Martha Wells: 5
• Exit Strategy by Martha Wells: 5

Romance, romance, romance, Murderbot.

I think that pretty much sums up my 2023 in reading.

 

Some Final Numbers

• Total: 221
• Average: 18.4
• Min: 9
• Max: 27
• MidYear: 117

The 221 is the correct number; I believe the Goodreads total has at least one DNF. But my spreadsheets work out (there are two DNFs in the Book Riot Spreadsheet, that I don’t count in my other spreadsheet) so it’s all fine.

Midyear was the same as last year, but I had a LOT going on this summer and fall, so it’s hardly a surprise I read fewer books in the second half of 2023.

Type of book and rereads. I’ve mentioned before that I almost never listen to a fiction book I haven’t previous read, so you can see how when I listen to a lot of audio books I have more rereads.

And finally, the spaghetti chart.

Previous Roundups

If you’d like to browse previous yearly roundups, here is the full list.

• 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

I backed off reading straight-up fantasy more than a decade ago; I got tired of series that never ended and chose more series with self-contained plots. Sure, there is continuity from book to book, and you should read them in order, but you don’t have  to do a complete reread to remember what happened in the previous book, which came out two to five years earlier.

So mostly I’ve read urban and supernatural fantasy–and I do love a good paranormal mystery. But I do come across the occasional stand-alone fantasy, or one that is part of a series where each book has a complete story arc.

But these are stories that stand on their own–even when part of a series.

 

Once a Rogue (2023) by Allie Therin

Queer, Historical, Supernatural, Romance, Boinking

Technically, by my own rules, this shouldn’t have made the list. But I think the slightly lower rating had far more to do with my state of mind than with the book itself.

The Proper Scoundrels series follows the Magic in Manhattan series an continues to build upon that world, but switching the main characters.

Wesley & Sebastian are far more broken than Rory & Arthur, so their stories are in some ways harder to read.

Men like Wesley and Langford wore their scars on the outside, where everyone could see and know to keep their distance. Sebastian kept his inside, where they couldn’t hurt anyone else.

But the fact I really want more stories with these characters and in this world is something in and of itself.

Published by Carina Press

Rating: 7/10

Magic in Manhattan: Spellbound (2019), Starcrossed (2020), Wonderstruck (2021)
Roaring Twenties Magic: Proper Scoundrels (2021), Once a Rogue (2023)

Winter’s Gifts (2023) by Ben Aaronovitch

Supernatural, Mystery

This is a Rivers of London story, but instead of Peter Grant we’re in America with Kimberly of the FBI.

“There’s no mesocyclone!” shouted Bill. “That had better be down to magic, or otherwise we can kiss goodbye to the laws of thermodynamics.”

“They’ll have to rewrite all the textbooks,” I said, marveling at how calm I was given the circumstances.

“Nah,” said Bill. “The science has to be obsolete for at least twenty years before they do that. Forty years, if we’re talking about Texas.”

I read this story too quickly when I was distracted, so I really need to reread it, which might bump the rating up a hair.

Published by Subterranean Press

Rating: 8/10

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 Gorgon Agenda (2023) by Lisa Shearin

Mystery, Supernatural

I do love a good supernatural mystery, and this series has been delightful.

Thick glass walls along both sides of the hall provided an unobstructed view into the labs. That way, if an experiment or subject got out of control, those windows let the folks across the hall know that all hell had broken loose and to please, when they had a minute, call for help.

A couple books back she switched to self-published, so I’m wondering if this is the last book in the series. A police procedural or private detective series is always easier to keep going than a cozy–at least if you want to keep the mysteries at least somewhat realistic, but I’ll be ok if this is the end.

Self-Published

Rating: 8/10

SPI Files: The Grendel Affair (2013), The Dragon Conspiracy (2015), The Brimstone Deception (2016), The Ghoul Vendetta (2017), The Myth Manifestation (2018), The Phoenix Illusion (2018), The Solstice Countdown (2021), The Gorgon Agenda (2023)

Paladin’s Faith (2023) T. Kingfisher

“Shane,” she said, turning to look at the paladin, “when a woman is lamenting that she doesn’t feel attractive, you’re supposed to tell her she’s beautiful. Not that you’re honored to kill people with her.”

He looked at her blankly, then said, “Oh.”

Published by Red Wombat Studio

Rating: 8/10

The Saint of Steel: Paladin’s Grace (2020), Paladin’s Strength (2021), Paladin’s Hope (2021), Paladin’s Faith (2023)

Legends & Lattes (2022) by Travis Baldree

Queer, Romance

This story was completely unexpected and completely delightful.

After twenty-two years of adventuring, Viv had reached her limit of blood and mud and bullshit. An orc’s life was strength and violence and a sudden, sharp end— but she’d be damned if she’d let hers finish that way.

It’s a cozy low-stakes fantasy, and I could reread it right now and remain delighted.

Published by Tor

Rating: 8/10

Lamplight Murder Mysteries by Morgan Stang

Queer, Mystery, Steampunk/Gaslamp

This was another unexpected series. It’s steampunk/gaslamp mystery.

“You must notice what’s not present in addition to what is, Evie. What have we not found in this bedroom so far?”

Evie looked about and shrugged. “Happiness of any kind?”

Parts of the first mystery might have been a bit weak, but it was fun and a lovely escape, and the second book actually addressed my problem with the first book.

Self-Published

Lamplight Murder Mysteries: Murder at Spindle Manor (2022) 8/10, Murder on the Lamplight Express (2023) 8.5/10

The Eidolon (2023) by K.D. Edwards

Queer, Supernatural

This occurs during the events of The Hourglass Throne but gives us what happened to the teens during that time. Quinn is the main focus of the story, but we get to see all the teens coming into their own.

Self-Published

Rating: 8.5/10

The Tarot Sequence: The Last Sun (2018), The Hanged Man (2019), The Hourglass Throne (2022)
Magnus Academy: The Eidolon (2023)

A Power Unbound (2023) by Freya Marske

Queer, Historical, Romance, Boinking

The conclusion to The Last Binding series.

Published by Tordotcom

Rating: 8.5/10

The Last Binding: A Marvellous Light (2021), A Restless Truth (2022), A Power Unbound (2023)

The Bookshop and the Barbarian (2023) by Morgan Stang

Queer, Mystery

This is another cozy low-stakes fantasy, and like Legends & Lattes was the perfect escape from reality.

Self-Published

Rating: 9/10

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

I love mysteries–this is one of the years where I read more mysteries than anything else (the last time was 2016). I’d say more than half of those were historical mysteries, however, you’ll want to note that my rereads of both Agatha Christie and Robert B Parker are categorized as historicals.

Why do I consider the Spenser books historicals? Because the world was a very different place in the 70s and 80s, as unrecognizable to today’s kids as the post WWII stories of Agatha Christie were to me as a kid.

 

The Price of Lemon Cake (2023) by Jennifer Ashley

Queer, Historical novella

This is a short story in which Kat Holloway makes an appearance; it features Bobby, a secondary character in the series.

“You’d be astounded how much people see only what they wish to see. And anyway, I look so much like a bloke, no one has ever tumbled to me no matter where I go.”

You should be able to read this if you have not read the rest of the series.

Self-Published

Rating: 7.5/10

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)

A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023) by Dianne Freeman

Historical

This is a fun series set at the end of the 1800s that is fun and generally cozy, with marvelous characters, and a heroine who does not purposefully do stupid / dangerous things.

This is one of the weaker entries in the series, but it was still enjoyable.

Published by Kensington Books

Rating: 7.5/10

Countess of Harleigh: 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)

The Rise: A Short Story (2023) by Ian Rankin

I keep meaning to reread the Rebus series, but I don’t necessarily want to start with the first book, so while decided where I’d like to jump in, I keep reading something else.

This is NOT a Rebus story, in fact it doesn’t have a single character I recognize, so it is truly a stand-alone story.

It was extremely well done and I highly recommend it, although I expected as much from Ian Rankin.

Published by Amazon Original Stories

Rating: 8/10

A Fatal Illusion (2023) by Anna Lee Huber

Historical, Queer

This is another long-running historical mystery series.

This book immediately follows the events of the previous book, although you don’t need to have read that to follow and enjoy the mystery. I very much appreciate that although Kira and Sebastian are both happy in their marriage, it is clear that things aren’t always simple or easy, even in a happy marriage. It’s always growth and change.

“Just because you’re willing to forgive someone doesn’t mean you also have to give them leave to continue hurting you,”

The difficult parent-adult child relationship was somewhat difficult for me to read, but I appreciate that things haven’t been magically fixed between Sebastian and his father.

Published by Berkley

Rating: 8/10

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)

Hide and Seek (2022) by Josh Lanyon

Queer, Romance, Boinking

This is a returning home to a small town and finding the love you left behind story, only with multiple twists and murder.

Self-Published

Rating: 8/10

Secrets Typed in Blood (2022) Stephen Spotswood

Historical, Queer

This is another book that I think will have a higher rating on a reread–I love the historical elements of this story set in post WWII NYC, and the characters.

Publisher: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard

Pentecost & Parker: Fortune Favors the Dead (2020), Murder Under Her Skin (2021), Secrets Typed in Blood (2022)

Mystery on the Menu: A Three-Course Collection of Cozy Mysteries (2023) by Nicole Kimberling

Queer, Romance, Boinking

Nicole Kimberling’s books have all been several related shorter stories, and this follows that trend.

There are three intertwined novellas with a murder at the center of each story, plus a romance between the main character and the local law.

And some amazing secondary characters.

“What a perfect place to hold a wedding,” Julie remarked. Then, to Evelyn, “Darling! We should renew our vows.”

“As far as I know they haven’t expired,” was all Evelyn had to say on that subject.

There is something about Nicole Kimberling’s mysteries that really works for me, but I’m not sure precisely what it is.

Published by One Block Empire

Rating: 8.5/10

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman

The Body in the Garden (2020) 8/10
Silence in the Library (2021) 9/10
Death at the Manor (2022) 8/10
Murder at Midnight (2023) 8.5/10

Historical, Queer

This is one of the most inclusive historical mystery series I’ve ever read. There are children of men who served in India and married while there, injured war veterans, neurodiversity, and queer characters, all presented in as historically accurate a manner as the author could make it.

“Plenty of Lascars in the navy, but precious few of them made post captain, eh!” The admiral chuckled. “And what was it the Indian fellows began calling you in response?”

“Captain English.” Jack grinned, though Lily noticed the lines of strain around his mouth. “Forever betwixt and between, I am.”

The mysteries are interesting, the characters are all strong and interesting, and I love that each story tries to fit a different mystery trope (locked room, trapped with a murderer, etc)

The only bad thing is I’ve already read all the books available.

Published by Crooked Lane Books

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club (2020) 9/10
The Man Who Died Twice (2021) 9/10
The Bullet That Missed (2022) 9/10
The Last Devil to Die (2023) 9/10

These stories are delightful. Truly. They are fun romps that don’t hesitate to go right over the top but aren’t ridiculous.

“Would you like the detailed answer, or the simple answer?” asks Ibrahim.

“The simple answer, please, Ibrahim,” says Elizabeth, without hesitation.

Ibrahim pauses. Perhaps he had phrased his question poorly? “But I have prepared a detailed answer, Elizabeth.”

Delightful.

Published by Viking

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

Especially since 2020 I’ve been turning to romance because I know it’s going to end with an HEA–that’s built into every story.

My preferences are for historical and queer romance, although my favorites for 2023 are all contemporaries, that’s mostly because I only read twelve new-to me romances; the other 70-some romances were rereads.

 

Donut Fall in Love (2021) Jackie Lau

Boinking | TW: Grief, Post-partum depression

This story made my list for a couple of reasons. First, the character who obsessed about calories and body image was the male characters.

Second, grief is an important part of the story and is presented as complicated and something that is unique to each individual who experiences it.

Third, a secondary character has post-partum depression which I thought was thoughtful and kindly dealt with.

And finally: baking!

Published by Jove Books

Rating: 7.5/10

Bergman Brothers by Chloe Liese

Only When It’s Us (2020) 8/10
Ever After Always (2021) 8.5/10

Boinking | TW: Death, Grief, Anxiety

Last year I picked up Always Only You because the female lead had ASD. I very much enjoyed it (despite a lot of boinking) and so picked up more of the books to read.

The first book does go to some dark places, including familial death and a struggle with grief, as well as hearing loss from illness and the struggle with adapting to that major change.

The third book has a marriage in trouble, and one character dealing with a serious mental health crisis.

All those difficult subjects with addressed with compassion and–more importantly–realistically. None of the things the characters go through have easy solutions, nor are those things seen as “fixes” but rather as part of the journey of life.

Self-Published

Bergman Brothers: Only When It’s Us (2020), Always Only You (2020), Ever After Always (2021)

The Holiday Trap (2022) by Roan Parrish

Queer, Boinking

This story is a house swap double romance, where the characters need to just get away from their situations to start to deal with them.

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Rating: 8/10

Role Playing (2023) by Cathy Yardley

Queer, Boinking

Not only does this story have a demi/ace character, both characters are middle aged and dealing with age appropriate issues, from an empty nest to parents with failing health.

When I saw the kind of relationship Aiden had with his mother I thought I was going to struggle with the story. Instead, I found it reaffirming, especially when there was no magic solution that made the relationship better.

Published by Montlake

Rating: 8/10

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

As previously noted, I don’t read much science fiction. I’ve got a decade without reading a single SF book. But I tore through Murderbot–more than once–and so I tried a couple other books.

Two, to be exact.

But I do have some others buried somewhere in my TBR pile.

 

The Hound of Justice (2019) by Claire O’Dell

Dystopia, Mystery, Queer

I generally only put books I rated 8/10 or higher in my yearly review, but the fact that I picked up and read a book that was an SF dystopia pretty much means it deserved a place here.

Janet Watson lost her arm in the war, and has been hoping for a high-end replacement so she can once again become a surgeon. Her roommate Sara is some sort of intelligence agent and never gives a straight answer as to what she’s involved in.

This is set in a dystopian future with another Civil War in the US.

I really don’t like dystopias, but I do like Janet, and I did want to know what happened to her.

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Rating: 7/10

The Janet Watson Chronicles: A Study in Honor (2018), The Hound of Justice (2019)

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

Compulsory (2023) 8.5/10 (novella)
System Collapse (2023) 8.5/10

Queer

This is set immediately following the events of Network Effect, so we get Murderbot AND ART and everyone else tying to sort out the giant mess.

But the best part is of course Murderbot and ART.

(According to Martyn, ART is of course capable of doing its own accounting, but it always ends up with extra numbers that no one can trace. So now Turi does it and has to keep a hardcopy ledger because otherwise ART would alter their data. No one knew if ART was making up numbers for the hell of it or if these numbers represented actual credit balances that ART was hiding somewhere.)

Although this is SF, and the Corporate Rim is its own kind of dystopia, the center of the stories is always Mruderbot dealing with its feelings and trying to figure out what it wants to do with itself.

Publisher: Subterranean Press, Tordotcom

The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red (2017), Artificial Condition (2018), Rogue Protocol (2018), Exit Strategy (2018), Network Effect (2020), Fugitive Telemetry (2021), Compulsory (2023), System Collapse (2023)

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

I’ve mentioned before that I listen to audio books while I clean and exercise–wanting one more chapter keeps me walking just a little longer or cleaning one more thing. And Michael and I listen to audio books on drives (at least when the windows are up).

Also, I almost never listen to books I’ve never read. I get too involved and can’t focus on what I’m trying to do–or want to do nothing except finish the book. But when I’m trying to push through and get a task done, audio books are perfect.

It perhaps says something about this year that I’ve listened to more than 19 days worth of audio books (last year it was about 15 days). I’ve needed a lot of distraction to get through things, and audio books have been the perfect solution. Most of those books however were one’s I’d listened to before, so I could focus on what I was doing if need be, and then jump back into a familiar story when I needed a mental reprieve.

But this year wasn’t all re-listens.

 

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angèle Masters

Mystery, Historical

This is the series Michael and I have been listening to in the car. Historical mysteries aren’t always Michael’s thing, but he’s been enjoying this series.

Even if he too sometimes finds Veronica annoying.

A Curious Beginning, Audio Book (2015) 8/10
A Perilous Undertaking, Audio Book (2017) 8/10
A Treacherous Curse, Audio Book (2018) 8/10
A Dangerous Collaboration, Audio Book (2019) 8/10
A Murderous Relation, Audio Book (2020) 7.5/10

Published by Recorded Books

Blitz, Audio Book (2022) by Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk

Supernatural, Mystery, Historical

Moira Quirk narrated Stilletto, and I was curious to see how’d she do with this book.

Marvelous, of course.

As I noted when I read the book last year, the first half is a fair amount of history and world building. Fascinating, but slower paced.

The second half is a rocket, barreling through and carrying you with it.

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Rating: 10/10

The Rook Files: The Rook (2012), Stiletto (2016), Blitz (2022)

The Thursday Murder Club, Audio Book (2020) Richard Osman narrated by Lesley Manville

Mystery

I listened to the first book, but then realized Michael would probably really enjoy this series, so once we finish the Veronica Speedwell series we’ll move onto the Thursday Murder Club series.

I’ve enjoyed listening to Lesley Manville, her voice fits the story nicely.

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Rating: 9/10

Thursday Murder Club:The Thursday Murder Club (2020) 9/10, The Man Who Died Twice (2021) 9/10, The Bullet That Missed (2022)

Swordheart, Audio Book (2018/2021) T. Kingfisher narrated by Jesse Vilinsky

Fantasy, Romance

I started listening to Swordheart as background talking. But once I reached the David Dukes narrated Spenser books I was scrambling for something to listen to and decided this would be the next listen.

I quite enjoyed it, however, Sarkis is hard to understand with any background noise.

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Rating: 8/10

Clocktaur War series by T. Kingfisher narrated by Khristine Hvam

Clockwork Boys, Audio Book (2017/2019) 8.5/10
The Wonder Engine, Audio Book (2018/2019) 8.5/10

Fantasy, Romance

Narrated by Khristine Hvam.

Who reads Faith Hunters Jane Yellowrock and Soulwood series.

It’s a bit weird, hearing this story in her voice. Mostly I don’t notice, but several secondary sound exactly like Alex Younger and that throws me every time.

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Clocktaur War: Clockwork Boys (2017), The Wonder Engine (2019)

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

Back when I was in college, there were two types of fantasy covers: the amazingly gorgeous covers, such as those done by Thomas Canty, or there were the really awful covers you absolutely wouldn’t read in public.

There are still some horrible covers out there, but there are also very few with Thomas Canty-level gorgeous art.

Te current trend seems to feature silhouettes, and I honestly love it. But there were a variety of styles I liked this year as far as fantasy covers went.

 

Legends & Lattes (2022) by Travis Baldree

Cover art by Carson Lowmiller & Cover design by Peter Lutjen

Published by Tor Books (Macmillan)

An orc hires a hob, a succubus, and a ratkin to help her build and run her dream: a coffee shop.

This cover is a throwback to those 80s and 90s covers, from the color palette to the fonts.

but once you look at characters and what they’re doing it’s obvious this is nothing like those fantasies from the 80s and 90s. There are baked goods–and not a single chain-mail bikini in to be seen.

Legends & Lattes has been described as a low-stakes cozy fantasy, and that’s a spot on.

Paladin’s Faith (2023) T. Kingfisher

Published by Red Wombat Studio

As she publishes her own books, and as she also creates comics, I believe she makes her own covers.

This cover matches to previous books in the series, and I like the design.

The Saint of Steel: Paladin’s Grace (2020), Paladin’s Strength (2021), Paladin’s Hope (2021), Paladin’s Faith (2023)

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human (2023) by Kimberly Lemming

Cover design by Alexia Mazis, Cover illustration by Kimberly Lemming

Published by Orbit (Hachette)

This series is ridiculous.

It is also a lot of fun, despite all the boinking.

This series was initially self-published, and then picked up by Orbit. This cover (and the earlier covers) were drawn by the author, which is freaking AMAZING and I adore everything about that.

Orbit is reissuing the books with different covers, and I feel like those covers weren’t drawn by the author–they have a very different feel–and I don’t like them anywhere near as much. I like the goofy comic/illustrated feel.

Mead Mishaps: That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon (2021), Mistlefoe: A Mead Realm Tale (2021), That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf (2022), A Bump In Boohail (2022), That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human (2023)

The Bookshop and the Barbarian (2023) by Morgan Stang

Cover design by Etheric Designs

Self-Published

This is another self-published book, and the author did the work of giving their book a lovely cover. The design seems simple with fewer colors, but the art is pretty and represents various elements of the story.

This cover makes me think of The Lord of the Rings or The Princess Bride, although the story is like neither of those.

A Power Unbound (2023) by Freya Marske

Cover art by Will Staehle

Published by Tordotcom

The design matches the previous two books in the series, and although I don’t love the color choices (the pink is a bit much for me personally) I do love the elements and silhouettes and overall botany theme to the design, though this cover is trees, rather than flowers.

You can see it’s a Queer book, but it’s a bit subtle–and quite safe for public transportation.

The Last Binding: A Marvellous Light  (2021),  A Restless Truth (2022), A Power Unbound (2023)

Once a Rogue (2023) by Allie Therin

Published by Carina Press (Harlequin)

No cover artist listed.

As usual, Carina/Harlequin don’t give you the artist who created the cover, which is a damned shame, because like the previous book in this series–and the series before this, it’s a gorgeous cover.

I love the art deco elements and the silhouettes (I really love a nice silhouette), and I particularly love the single color theme each of these books has. I’m not sure if it was purposeful, but so far the palettes are matching the first series: red, followed by blue, and that is another lovely touch.

I just wish Carina Press told us the artist so we could appreciate them.

Magic in Manhattan: Spellbound (2019), Starcrossed (2020), Wonderstruck (2021)
Roaring Twenties Magic: Proper Scoundrels (2021), Once a Rogue (2023)

Lamplight Murder Mysteries by Morgan Stang

Cover by Inkwolf Designs; Etheric Designs

Self-Published

More self-published books with gorgeous covers. After discovering Morgan Stang I’ve been searching out and reading their books.

Again, the design seems simple, but the more you look at it, the more details you notice. I’d like to remind you that I hate spiders, but still think that is a pretty cover. I like trains, so nothing disturbing about the second cover.

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

Winter’s Gifts (2023) by Ben Aaronovitch

Cover map image by Stephen Walter. Title lettering by Patrick Knowles

Published by Subterranean Press

I didn’t even know this was being published until Tania gifted it to me.

Although published by Subterranean Press (the main series was published first by Del Rey and the by DAW), all of the covers are clearly Rivers of London books with the gorgeous map background and the meandering title font.

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 Eidolon (2023) by K.D. Edwards

Primary Cover art by Dezaray Shuler, Secondary Cover art by Bethany Cath, Dust Jacket design and Magnus Academy seal by Justyna Chlopecka

Self-Published

Although his main series has a publisher, this novella is self-published, and he used fan art for (I believe) everything.

I particularly like the detail where Quinn seems to be tangled up in the things he is trying to manipulate (at least how that’s how it feels to me) which very much describes Quinn and what he has gone through in this book and the previous series.

The Tarot Sequence: The Last Sun (2018), The Hanged Man (2019), The Hourglass Throne (2022)
Magnus Academy: The Eidolon (2023)

Baking Up a Magical Midlife by Jessica Rosenberg

Butter, Sugar, Magic (2022)
Bread, Coffee, Magic (2022)
Bitter, Sweet, Magic (2022)
Sweet & Sour Spells (2023)

Cover design by Karen Dimmick/ Arcane Covers

Published by Blue Octopus Press

I’m pretty certain it’s the color that I like so much about this cover, especially since the 4th book has a similar theme but a very different color palette, and I don’t like it nearly as well.

It’s a relatively simple design, but the blue elements make it pop and give it the feel of magic.

Liar City (2023) by Allie Therin

Published by Carina Press (Harlequin)

This is the second Allie Therin cover to make the list, and like the first, Carina Press doesn’t credit the artist.

I don’t like this cover as much as the two historical series, but as this book is extremely different from the other to series–being an alternate timeline contemporary fantasy rather than an historical with hidden fantastic elements, it should look different.

The smoke / light winding around the needle give it a more subtle magical feel.

Sugar & Vice series

Little, Brown & Company: 1
Orbit: 1
Subterranean Press: 1
Carina Press: 2
Tor Books: 2
Blue Octopus Press: 4
Self-Published : 5

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

I’ve been reading mysteries for longer than about any other genre, and I don’t remember being taken by many (if any) of the covers of the books I read as a teen.

There were the silver Agatha Christie books with different highlight colors for each series, and there were the pulp James Bond covers I discovered, but not much else stands out. The first mystery cover I clearly remember being taken by was CS Harris’s What Angels Fear. And some of my favorite series have gorgeous covers (you’ll see a couple below).

This is the genre that has the most variety in covers. There are some illustrated covers, some that focus on the text, some that are seemingly simple yet striking, and others that are simply beautiful.

 

Lily Adler Mysteries by Katharine Schellman

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

Cover design by Nicole Lecht

Published by Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company)

I discovered this series and then quickly devoured all four books.

As with many of the other series I especially like, each book has a similar design but a different primary color.

Once you look more closely you see elements of the design change on each cover, in this case different botanical elements giving you a sense of the different seasons.

They seem deceptively simple, yet are quite lovely.

A Fatal Illusion (2023) by Anna Lee Huber

Cover art by Larry Rostant

Published by Berkley (Penguin)

Every book in this series has a lovely cover that reminds you of a painting, which matches perfectly Lady Darby, who is a portrait artist.

Like most of the other covers, there are two primary shades–a background shade and strong share for the main character’s dress.

For this book, I really like the red and blue contrast, with that peculiar shade of blue you get as evening falls.

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)

The Price of Lemon Cake (2023) by Jennifer Ashley

Cover design by Kim Killion

Published by JA / AG Publishing (Self-Published)

Although the series is published by Berkley, the novellas–such as this one–are self-published.

The Berkeley covers (which I do like) all have a woman on a staircase in period dress. The novellas all are food still-lifes.

A still life doesn’t necessarily say mystery, but it does say food and kitchen, and for a self-published book I think it’s quite lovely.

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)

A Sinister Revenge (2023) by Deanna Raybourn

Cover design & illustration by Leo Nickolls

Published by Berkley (Penguin)

I adore these covers.

More silhouettes (I hope they never go out of fashion), and that gorgeous embossed design.

The sepia tones here are plainer than other covers, but I don’t find it a bad thing, just a little different, and the sepia tones really seem perfect for the modern reading thinking back on that era.

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)

A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder (2023) by Dianne Freeman

Published by Kensington Books

No artist credited.

I really do enjoy these covers. They’re fun and swirly and twisty and colorful.

I just wish the publisher had credited the artist.

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)

A Botanist’s Guide to Parties and Poisons (2022) by Kate Khavari

Cover design by Nicole Lecht

Published by Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company)

This is such a pretty cover, with the flowers and the vial of (presumably) poison, and that border that subtly signifies “historical mystery”.

It’s lush, with deep colors, and immediately drew my eye.

I just wish I’d liked the story as much as I liked the cover.

Saffron Everleigh series

The Deadliest Fall (2023) by Charlie Cochrane

Cover art: L.C. Chase

Published by Riptide Publishing

Yes, I know. Another monochrome cover with silhouettes.

What can I say? I know what I like, and I am loving this trend.

There is again that shade of blue that says, “evening” and even “inky shadows”.

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

The Thursday Murder Club (2020) The Man Who Died Twice (2021), The Bullet That Missed (2022), The Last Devil to Die (2023)

Cover design by Richard Bravery, Hand lettering by Joel Holland

Published by Viking (Penguin Books)

These are relatively simple covers, but I really like that simplicity.

They remind me of some book series my parents had on their bookshelves, but I can’t at all remember anything about those books except bold text on a beige/tan background.

Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (2022) by Misha Popp

Cover design by Trish Cramblet

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (The Quick Brown Fox & Company)

I wasn’t sure how I initially felt about this cover, but I found that it stuck with me as time passed, and that it was recognizable at a quick glance.

I feel like the knife is a bit over the top, but I suppose they needed some way to emphasize murder part of the mystery.

Pies Before Guys series

Mystery on the Menu: A Three-Course Collection of Cozy Mysteries (2023) by Nicole Kimberling

Cover Art by Amber Whitney of Unicorn Empire

Published by One Block Empire (Blind Eye Books)

I feel like the lemon slice is the focal point that tells you one of the characters works in food service. Where else, besides restaurants, do you really see lemon slices?

Oddly, the bloody knife isn’t immediately noticeable, as it’s directly below the red strawberries.

Kensington Books: 1
One Block Empire: 1
Riptide Publishing: 1
Self-Published: 1
Berkley: 2
Viking: 4
Crooked Lane Books: 6

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup

Many dedicated romance readers–particularly Old Skool Romance Readers, hate the trend of illustrated covers.

I kinda love them. Almost as much as I hate clinch covers. (I’m not meaning to yuck anyone’s yum, I just do not like to look at click covers, old or new.)

The drawback is, of course, that you can’t tell the level of spice/heat in a book with an illustrated cover. If a cover has a naked or mostly naked model, you know there is going to be boinking. But you can’t easily tell with illustrated covers, unless you know the author’s reputation.

But to be fair, there are plenty of books with high heat/spice that don’t have hot/spicy covers. And I am always going to be a sucker for a pretty book cover.

 

Four Walls and a Heart (2023) by Celia Lake

Cover design by Augusta Scarlett

Self-Published

I’ve read several books by this author–related and intertwined romantic fantasies, and although I love the world-building and the setting (late Victorian and early Edwardian eras) the writing … well, it feels like it was dictated and then published without editing, which I find extremely frustrating to read.

But I want to note this cover, which I really love. It’s set during the Mahdist War, and one of the characters was severely injured–which is made clear on the cover.

Of course there are silhouettes, and a two color scheme, which I liked.

And of course this is self-published and the author made sure to get a good cover that represented the characters.

Just wished the book had held up to the cover for me.

Bergman Brothers by Chloe Liese

Only When It’s Us (2020)
Ever After Always  (2021)

Cover Art by Jennie Rose Denton of Lamplight Creative

Self-Published

This series has been picked up by Berkley and is getting all new covers, and, to be honest, I really really prefer these covers she commissioned when she self-published them. Here, on the cover of Ever After Always, Freya is clearly curvaceous AND confident enough to wear a bikini.

I also like the solid color backgrounds that make the characters the focal point.

The new covers are illustrated clinch covers and nowhere near as interesting.

Bergman Brothers: Only When It’s Us (2020), Always Only You (2020), Ever After Always  (2021)

Donut Fall in Love (2021) by Jackie Lau

Cover illustration & design by Vi-An Nguyen

Published by Jove Books (Berkley)

Honestly, I just think this is a cute cover.

The Holiday Trap (2022) by Roan Parrish

Cover illustration by Kristen Solecki

Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca

I hadn’t realized until I put this post together that these two covers used the same shade of blue.

As is the theme for many of the other covers I loved this year, it has a solid background and a relatively simply design.

I like the arrows, signifying the house switching the main characters do. I suppose the felt they had to use evergreens to signify Christmas, but that makes it hard to guess the second location is New Orleans.

Overall I find it pleasing.

Gouda Friends (2022) by Cathy Yardley

Cover design & illustration by Philip Pascuzzo

Published by Montlake

Cheese DOES in fact play a major part in this story, being both the reason Tam leaves her ex and the impetus for helping her get a new job.

My only ding is that I totally didn’t expect the amount of boinking this book had. The cover feels far more light-hearted than super-sexy.

Ponto Beach Reunion

Role Playing (2023)

by Cathy Yardley

Cover illustration by Leni Kauffman

Published by Montlake

Montlake is Amazon’s publishing wing, so I wonder if she had more say than she would with other publishers.

I hope so, because I really like everything this cover is doing. I love the moon as the “O”. The cuddling is adorable as is the look he is giving her, and the mini-figs on the table are marvelous.

Also, her comfy sweats and slouchy socks!

Teacher of the Year (2023) by M.A. Wardell

Design & cover illustration by Myriam Strasbourg

Self-Published

I’ll be honest, the reason this cover made the list is solely because it’s a self-published book and she clearly went out of her way to have a cover that matched both the characters and the tone of the story–pastel and sweet.

And like all the other books on this list it’s got a solid background, emphasizing the characters.

Teachers in Love

Jove Books: 1
Sourcebooks Casablanca: 1
Montlake: 2
Self-Published : 4

The Books of 2023: Yearly Reading Roundup