A Sinister Revenge (2023) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell) Set in Europe and Great Britain in 1889. Her eighth book opens with Veronica and Tiberius searching Bavaria for Stoker, who ran off after discovering Veronica had a husband–one who was apparently not dead as she thought he was. I feel like this was an excellent way […]
Liar City (2023) Allie Therin (Sugar & Vice) No one knows where the empaths came from. All people know is they have to be touching you to read you–and that they are all pacifists, unable even to defend themselves. Because the real empath she knew wouldn’t be doing shots with rich workaholics; he’d be lecturing […]
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (2022) Misha Popp (Pies Before Guys) Honestly, it’s been almost two weeks and I’m still not certain how I feel about this book. Daisy Ellery has a dog, a pie truck, and the magic that runs in her family. Unfortunately, Daisy’s magic seems to have turned dark, allowing her to […]
Dead in the Shop (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Pudding crawls had become one of their traditions after one of their many Olivers had given up drinking. They’d supported him through Alcoholics Anonymous, and decided to create a way to celebrate without alcohol. Instead of reunions spent in one pub after the other, they […]
Dead in the Pond (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Bishan found it very difficult to force himself to do anything without understanding the reason. “Would you rather stay?” Yes. “Yes, but if I do it’ll make leaving harder the next time.” They hadn’t restocked his cereal yet. Bishan didn’t feel up to making something […]
Dead in the Garden (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Cinnamon. What did I just read? No matter how many times Valor read it, the cause of death didn’t change. His old schoolmate had been killed by inhaling cinnamon. It had been good for him. Valor didn’t know if he’d have grown into the same […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1812 Phoebe’s betrothed’s forceful whisper was as loud as her soft-spoken question, but she bit her tongue. She wondered what her tongue would look like after they’d spent a lifetime together. Maybe one day she’d bite it in half. She ached to break […]
Joy (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) “Are there, like… street signs or—” “He’s not from around here,” Nancy said to a guy at the counter who started laughing. “No, honey, just drive. The roads around here will bring you right through into the next town.” I put down the bin of dishes I’d been […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1811. “Em.” Lord Durnham watched as his sister ushered her children out the door in front of her with disbelief. “I don’t understand . . .” He caught Charlotte’s eye as she waited for Ned to go through first, and Charlotte stared straight […]
Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at the end of each day. Mostly, Lincoln had gotten loud, Jerry had gotten quiet, then said, “I love […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) Set in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. “What the devil would I do with a London season?” “Find a husband, I imagine,” was Gideon’s reply. It only served to mystify her further. “What the devil would I do with a husband?” “Obtain long-term financial stability,” Lilly told […]
The Eidolon (2023) K.D. Edwards (Magnus Academy) This story occurs in parallel to The Hourglass Throne, the third book in The Tarot Sequence. We discover what happened to Max, Quinn, and Anna when they were kidnapped by Lady Time. I truly have no idea if you could read this story without having read the Tarot […]
Bitter, Sweet, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) The third book finds Cassie settled into her life in Maine, even though her daughter is still struggling to fit in to a new school and make friends. She also preparing for the fall festival the town is putting on–which is run by the […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812. After witnessing the murder of her father, Giselle Barrington flees back to London. She cannot give into her grief, for she has to find someone to take the information she holds. (H)e’d be looking for the document he had killed her father […]
The Hound of Justice (2019) Claire O’Dell (The Janet Watson Chronicles) When I read it, I was drawn into A Study in Honor despite the fact it was really not the kind of book I enjoy. The same is true this time. Janet Watson is settling into her position at Georgetown–although she isn’t yet cleared […]
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) After reading a dystopia, I needed something more comforting to read. The first story is far and away my favorite. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, alcoholism, violence Hades is served with divorce papers, and so moves to the human realm. Told to find something to do with himself, […]
Bread, Coffee, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) Cassie is settling into running her bakery and living in Maine, but her daughter misses her friends back in Georiga–and Cassie’s ex has decided to come north and try and take Aurie back. One think I like about this series so far is that […]
Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling Keith had investigated orgy sites where there had been twenty or more witnesses all standing and watching some victim being dismembered just because a cameraman was filming it. The presence of a camera implied fiction and a sense that some authority was […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies (2017) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Lily managed to escape from her father, which led to reuniting with her mother, but now knowing her father, she and Sebastian are working to stop him–any way they can. She is also returning home to visit the family she grew up […]
By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) We first met Tommy & Tuppence at the end of the Great War. Mr. Beresford had once had red hair. There were traces of the red still, but most of it had gone that sandy-cum-grey colour that red-headed people so often arrive at […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Revelations (2016) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Book two finds Lily wanting to learn more about her family. Also, her cat decides to imbue himself with magic. Returning to her patch of sunlight and pile of papers, she was horrified to find Sir Kipling licking the clay fragment. “Stop […]
Butter, Sugar, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) Cassie wasn’t happy, exactly, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t thrown for a loop when she discovered her husband was divorcing her. Max, her father and my husband of almost twelve years, decided out of the blue he was moving out and we had […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings (2016) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Lily Singer is a wizard. She didn’t learn this until she went away to college, but she quickly acquired a mentor, and even a friend who was a witch (much to the chagrin of her mentor, as the witch is her nephew). […]
N or M? (1941) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) It’s 1940 and both Tommy & Tuppence feel useless. “Well, come on, out with it. Nothing doing?” “Nothing doing. They don’t want me in any capacity. I tell you, Tuppence, it’s pretty thick when a man of forty-six is made to feel like a doddering grandfather. […]
The Gorgon Agenda (2023) Lisa Shearin (SPI Files) I seem to have forgotten much of the previous book. But now I check the publication date, I bought it a the end of March 2021, so, yeah, that explains it. The Aegis–the mythical shield with Medeusa’s head head embedded in the center, has been stolen from […]
Partners in Crime (1929) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) A set of intertwined Tommy & Tuppence short stories. A Fairy in the Flat A Pot of Tea The Affair of the Pink Pearl The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger Finessing the King The Case of the Missing Lady Blindman’s Buff The Man in the Mist […]
Hide and Seek (2022) Josh Lanyon Andy was already headed home–to the small Maine town where his great uncle has his small antique store, but when he arrives, things are made even worse: his uncle was in the hospital after being badly beaten during a break in. It makes Andy’s reasons for running home seem […]
There Will Be Phlogiston (2014) Alexis Hall (Prosperity) Anstruther Jones is the Phlogiston Baron. Wealth beyond imagine from ignominious beginnings, he wants to be accepted not because he admires society, but because he wants to find companionship. Lady Rosamond Wolfram is on the marriage mart because it is expected of her. She will catch a […]
Legends & Lattes (2022) Travis Baldree Viv is read to retire from the life of an adventurer. She has her dream, and she has the treasure to make that dream come true, which is what leads her to Thune. After twenty-two years of adventuring, Viv had reached her limit of blood and mud and bullshit. […]
Masters in This Hall (2022) K.J. Charles (Lilywhite Boys) Set in England in 1899. John Garland might not have had everything, like his uncle and his cousin, but he was respectable and had a job he was good at. Until it all came crashing down. Now he is heading to his uncle’s house in hopes […]
Lessons for Survivors (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England in 1919. Jonty and Orlando both survived the war–although not without scars. “It would prove to me that everything was back to normal. That the last five years hadn’t spoiled the world forever.” They walked on in silence, each with his thoughts. “Do you […]
The Secret Adversary (1922) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) The Great War is over, but things aren’t easy for those who served. I went out to France again, as you know. Then they sent me to Mesopotamia, and I got wounded for the second time, and went into hospital out there. Then I got stuck […]
The First Snow of Winter (2021) Joanna Chambers (Winterbourne) Set in England in 1814. Same has returned to England missing both an arm and a direction for his life. And he doesn’t want to frivolity of the annual Christmas visit with his mother’s best friend. But his mother begs, so he remains. He does many […]
A Matter of Magic (1994) Patricia C. Wrede An orphan living on the streets of London, breaks into a caravan and is discovered not just to be breaking and entering, but also a girl masquerading as a boy! Girl eventually becomes the ward of her rescuer and falls in love with him! Now we have […]
Towards Zero (1944) Agatha Christie (Superintendent Battle) This one I remembered bits and pieces of. “It may be just by being somewhere— not doing anything— just by being at a certain place at a certain time— oh, I can’t say what I mean, but you might just— just walk along a street some day and […]
Murder is Easy (1939) Agatha Christie (Superintendent Battle) Luke Fitzwilliam has retired and is headed back to England from the Mayang Straits, wondering what he’s doing to do with himself. An odd exchange about murder with an old woman on a train had been easily dismissed. what was I saying? Oh, yes, somebody said that […]
The Geek Who Saved Christmas (2021) Annabeth Albert Gideon Holiday loves Christmas. He loves all the holidays, but he especially loves Christmas. Paul Frost is the neighborhood grump. He doesn’t check the neighborhood Whatsapp group, and he doesn’t decorate for Christmas. But the neighborhood collections donations from people who drive through, so Gideon has a […]
A Bump In Boohail (2022) Kimberly Lemming (Mead Mishaps) Why? Because it’s silly and fun. Cinnamon is probably my favorite character in tise series, or that could just me identifying with her because I also hate being scared. Stone scraped against stone. I turned, and the Gargoyles had moved from their sitting position to freeze […]
Soul Taken (2022) Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson) Book Thirteen. I’m still preordering Patricia Briggs books, but after Wild Sign I was a little hesitant to start this one. I can only handle so much trauma happening to characters before I have to bow out. Although Mercy was hurt in this book, it was the usual […]
Murder by the Book (2018) Lauren Elliott There was a lot happening in this story. “The first incident was almost a year ago. My fiancé, David, was murdered in our apartment in Boston.” “About six months ago, my father was killed in a car crash, not far from here, actually. Pen Hollow, just down the […]
The Holiday Trap (2022) Roan Parrish Greta has had it with her family. She may love them, but that doesn’t change things. “I know it’s Chanukah and I know your family, but I must introduce you to my friend Boundaries, and her best friend, Also Boundaries.” Truman needs to get away. “I left. Excuse me […]
The Seven Dials Mystery (1929) Agatha Christie (Superintendent Battle) As threatened at the end of The Chimneys Lord Caterham has let Chimneys to those who would like to stay there. While Sir Oswald and Lady Coote were there, one of their visitors, Gerald Wade, died unexpectedly, at the same time the other young visitors were […]
Posthumous Education (2022) Drew Hayes (Fred, the Vampire Accountant) Fred, the Vampire Accountant, Book 8 This series remains a delight. As usual there are five sections, each a full story but all intertwined. An Unexpected Enrollment An Eventful Guest Lecture An Impromptu Field Trip A Hectic Homecoming The Commencement That’s right–Fred is going back to […]
The Secret of Chimneys (1925) Agatha Christie (Superintendent Battle) Honestly, I have absolutely no memory of this book. I read only a handful of the Poirot books, and I remember some of the Tommy & Tuppence books, but this? And Superintendent Battle? The only thing that was familiar was the title (and I actually thought […]
Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism (2018) edited by Barb Cook & Michelle Garnett A collection of essays where autistic women describe life from a female autistic perspective, and present empowering, helpful and supportive insights from their personal experience for fellow autistic women. Prologue: Barb Cook Chapter 1: Finding Your Tribe by Maura […]
Taking Charge of Adult ADHD: Proven Strategies to Succeed at Work, at Home, and in Relationships (2021) Russell A. Barkley and Christine M. Benton I skipped around a lot in this book. First, I skipped the entire first section, since I was reading this book after a diagnosis of ADHD. I also looked for sections […]
We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation (2021) Eric Garcia This is book where I jumped from section to section, looking for bits that were pertinent to what I needed at the time I picked it up. It is one of many books I need to reread more thoroughly, now I’ve had time to process […]
Knowing Why: Adult-Diagnosed Autistic People on Life and Autism (2018) Autistic Self Advocacy Network This is an anthology of essays from a diverse group of adult-diagnosed autistic people. Introduction by Elizabeth Bartmess Emerging From Burnout by Erin Human Being the Dictionary: On Passions, Diagnosis, and Integration by A.J. Odasso Sensory Issues and Social Inclusion by […]
Uniquely Human: Updated and Expanded: A Different Way of Seeing Autism (2015) Barry M. Prizant I get why this was the first book the doctor recommended to me. Really, I do. The diagnoses were a lot to take in (at any age, but especially this late in ones life) and there is always stigma attached […]
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care (2022) Ashley Herring Blake (Bright Falls) Delilah left Bright Falls and said she would never look back. But although her photography is slowly taking off, she can’t turn down a (well-paid) request to spend two weeks photographing her step-sister’s wedding. It was a reflex, this feeling, left over from a childhood […]