Viscounts & Villainy (2015) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #3) Set in 1925 in New York & England Yesterday’s cable from Geoffrey was checking whether I was returning to England for the Christmas social season or if I was dead and the title was his now. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sebastian […]

Once a Rogue (2023) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #2) Set in 1925 in New York “Tomcat Lodge,” Sebastian read. “I’m not sure people come here to sleep.” “Not at all.” Wesley eyed it. “In fact, if I were going to imagine an inn where drunks could stagger from an illicit speakeasy and hire company […]

Proper Scoundrels (2021) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #1) Set in 1925 in London & Paris “You’re his spitting image, you know.” Wesley’s brother had been too, all three of them over six feet tall with the same brown hair and gray eyes. Now only Wesley was left, and he couldn’t set foot in society […]

Wonderstruck (2021) Allie Therin (Magic in Manhattan #3) Set in New York, London, and Paris in 1925 Three tables had been pushed together in the middle to accommodate a big family, one toddler making an enormous mess as she gleefully ate spaghetti with her bare hands. “We don’t owe our hearts to people who hurt […]

Starcrossed (2020) Allie Therin (Magic in Manhattan #2) Set in 1925 in NYC “I’ve had my every minute scheduled by my family. Clearly this trip was a wonderful decision on my part. I might even have seen Rory for two whole minutes the other day.” “Speaking of children,” Arthur said dryly. “Yours are as well-mannered […]

Spellbound (2019) Allie Therin (Magic in Manhattan #1) Set in 1925 in NYC “Quality gin doesn’t run itself from Toronto.” Arthur scoffed. “Fifth Avenue deserves rotgut. Half those arseholes call for segregation during the day then have the nerve to slither into Harlem for culture at night. Be nice to bounce those hypocrites straight out […]

Raven Cursed, Audio Book (2012) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #4) Listening to it all made me wonder why no blood-meal ever tasted like bacon or shrimp or a really good beer. I do my best thinking when I’m not actively pursuing a thought. Ideas are like small prey, scuttling into corners […]

A Matter of Magic: Mairelon the Magician and The Magician’s Ward (1991) Patricia C. Wrede (Mairelon the Magician) This is just such a cozy and comforting read. She was glad she wouldn’t have to wear the rags she’d had on earlier, but she was rapidly becoming uncomfortable with the number of things Mairelon was giving […]

The Shadow Pavilion (2008) Liz Williams (Detective Inspector Chen #4) Mhara is about to be coronated as Emperor of Heaven, but his changes are making people unhappy. Mhara went on, “What is the essence of our relationship to the human world?” “Compassion?” someone ventured after a moment. “Sanctuary, after the spirit’s travails upon Earth?” “Love?” […]

Precious Dragon (2007) Liz Williams (Detective Inspector Chen #3) Detective Inspector Chen and Zhu Irzh are taken from their current cases and sent to Hell to escort the Celestial, Miss Qi. “Miss Qi will be coming with us, then?” Chen asked, more to stave off yet another difficult discussion than out of any real attempt […]

Mercy Blade, Audio Book (2011) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #3) Here we meet Gee, see Reach for the first time, learn of the vampire-witch negotiations, become suspicious of Evangeline, and, yeah, the were-creatures come out to the public. Pretty much all of this is bad for Jane. “You are goddess born,” […]

The Demon and the City (2006) Liz Williams (Detective Inspector Chen #2) “I’m here about an irregularity in your feng shui dowsing license,” the demon said. “My name’s Seneschal Zhu Irzh. Want to see my badge?” At this point he had produced a piece of paper which, to Paravang’s horrified gaze, had proclaimed him to […]

Snake Agent (2005) Liz Williams (Detective Inspector Chen #1) It’s been more than half a decade since I last read this series, and I’d forgotten how much SF and horror it has. Probably because both are far less important than the fantasy and mystery, and neither the SF or the horror is written in a […]

The Ornithologist’s Field Guide to Love (2024) India Holton (Love’s Academic #1) Set in Europe in 1890 I’d forgotten how very silly India Holton stories are. That’s not to say they are bad, because they aren’t, but if you aren’t expecting the silliness it can be a bit of a surprise. Devon might be guiltless […]

Blood Cross, Audio Book (2010) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #2) Jane has another contact, to rid New Orleans of the rogue maker, but Leo blames her for the death of his son and wants her gone. Molly and her kids are visiting and get caught up in the vampire political upheaval. […]

The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association (2025) Caitlin Rozakis Vivian discovered magic existed when her daughter was attacked and changed into a werewolf. Now they’ve moved to Veilport and Aria has a scholarship to The Grimoire Grammar School and Vivian is even more overwhelmed. She wasn’t weeping. That was appropriate. It meant the medicine […]

Shifting Shadows (2014) Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson/Alpha & Omega) Silver Fairy Gifts (previously published in Naked City) Gray (previously published in Home Improvement: Undead Edition) Seeing Eye (previously published in Strange Brew) Alpha and Omega (previously published in On the Prowl) The Star of David (previously published in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe) Roses in Winter In […]

Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #5) Knowing Asil, he probably had C-4 stashed in sealed containers along with detonators somewhere in the car. But no one but Asil would be able to find it. “Really,” said Anna, amused despite herself. “That’s your defense? ‘If it had been me, I’d have done it […]

Skinwalker, Audio Book (2009) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #1) It’s been several years since I read or listened to this series. I’d mean to finish the last books then, but life happened and I just couldn’t deal with the bad things that happened in the last couple books and were likely […]

Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #4) The Arabians might not suit you; they don’t suit everyone. They are like cats: vain, beautiful, and intelligent. But you deal well enough with Asil, who is also vain, beautiful, and intelligent. “Shut your piehole, punk kid,” Max said, thumping her on the head with the […]

Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #3) Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming—and they ate children and puppies. Asil bowed his head to Bran’s anger. “That’s why you are the Alpha and I will do anything I can to never be Alpha again.” His […]

Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #2) His grandfather had often told him that he tried too hard to move trees when a wiser man would walk around them. So often people got it wrong, treating their elders like children, people to be coddled and ignored. He knew better, and so did the […]

Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #1) “Bran, the Marrok, is going to bring the werewolves out to the public?” Her voice was hushed as if she could never imagine such a thing. “He thinks that too many of the wrong people already know,” he told her. “Science and computers have made it […]

Where Foxes Say Goodnight (2023) Sam Burns (Sleeping Foxes #1) Max has won awards and accolades for the semi-biographical story he wrote about his life with his grandmother, so it’s a bit of an unpleasant surprise to awakened the very next day by a lawyer on his doorstep with an NDA from the guy he […]

The Affair of the Mysterious Letter, Audio Book (2019) Alexis Hall narrated by Nicholas Boulton I read this in 2020, and enjoyed it then, so when floundering for my next audiobook (I couldn’t think of a series I wanted to dive into), I went with this. First, the narrator has a marvelous voice, and did […]

Something Spectacular (2023) Alexis Hall (Something Fabulous #2) I was somewhat hesitant to read this book as I thought it was Arabella’s book, and I’m not sure I can handle an entire book with her as the main characters (Bonny was difficult enough and that book wasn’t from his point-of-view) but this is Peggy’s story […]

Nine Goblins (2013) T. Kingfisher It’s not that Nessilka wanted to be in charge of this squad of goblins, it’s just that there wasn’t anyone else to do the job. Smart goblins became mechanics. Dumb goblins became soldiers. Really dumb goblins became officers. So when, in the midst of battle, they are pulled away and […]

Execution in E (2020) Alexia Gordon (A Gethsemane Brown Mystery #5) “If you don’t want me to see your fingers crossed behind your back,” she pointed to his semi-transparent hand visible through his semi-transparent torso, “you should dial up your density.” “Ms. Markham’s parents’ money buys a great deal of tolerance of Ms. Markham. The […]

Fatality in F (2019) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #4) He’d hybridized the rose himself and christened it the ‘Sandra Sechrest’ in honor of the librarian who’d given him a biography of Pythagoras when he was seven and sparked his lifelong love of math. Gethsemane winced. Dunmullach’s murder rate had tripled after she arrived. Some […]

Killing in C Sharp (2018) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #3) Ghost Hunting Adventures reigned notorious for both its physicality and the amount of profanity that had to be bleeped out. “Some versions say Maja was the choice from the jump. Long and short of it, the baroness tricked Maja into going to the construction […]

Soulstar (2021) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle #3) This is the conclusion to the Kingston Cycle, and there is a lot going on here: Severin Mountrose is now king, witches are free, there is a search to replace aether, and Solidarity has decided to hold an open election–even if it doesn’t officially count. “Why doesn’t […]

Stormsong (2020) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle) Grace has escaped with her brother after the destruction of the aethernet, but when she senses a terrible storm coming she knows she has to return to Aeland to protect her people. A storm spread out miles wide, spinning away from the Cauldron off the coast. It was […]

Witchmark (2018) C.L. Polk (The Kingston Cycle #1) I reread this so I can finally finish the series. Mr. Elliot dragged in a tattered breath. “I got too close. They needed the souls. The war—” He gagged and rolled away from me, retching. I held him steady. “Don’t try to talk.” He dragged in ragged […]

Death in D Minor (2017) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries #2) “Thank you, Miss Brown,” Hank said. “Doctor Brown,” she corrected. “Oh, that’s right, you do have some sort of degree in, what is it, music?” “A Ph.D. From Yale.” “You must forgive me, Doctor Brown. I believe I mentioned before I don’t pay much […]

Murder in G Major (2016) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown #1) Teaching teenaged schoolboys was going to be almost as much fun as defending her dissertation to a hungover committee head who’d lost his tenure and his wife in the same week. Almost. “My friends call me Frankie.” “And what should I call you?” Gethsemane asked. […]

The Masquerades of Spring, Audio Book (2024) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Rivers of London) Set in New York City in 1926 (B)ecause the landlords knew that the coloured folk couldn’t get lodgings in the white neighbourhoods, they could charge more than twice the normal rent. Since coloured folk mostly got paid half of […]

The Wonder Engine (2018) T. Kingfisher (Clocktaur War #2) “Politics,” she said. “It doesn’t make any sense. People do the stupidest shit and you want to scream that it’s against their own interests and you never know if they’re playing some deep game you don’t know about or if they’re really just that stupid.” “I […]

Clockwork Boys (2017) T. Kingfisher (Clocktaur War, #1) This is a rare book: one that I listened to before I read. (Honestly, at the time I was desperate for distraction and wasn’t really able to concentrate on reading.) I still enjoyed it, and as it has been two years, managed to forget just enough that […]

All Accounts Settled (2025) Drew Hayes (Fred the Vampire Accountant #9) The final Fred the Vampire Accountant book. I believe I read the author had health issues that kept him from finishing the book on the schedule he set for himself, and I also think he was fighting with the publisher of his earlier books, […]

Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Audio Book (2016) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police #3) I haaaaaaaaate that this series didn’t get more books. ‘I won’t tell you!’ she shouted. ‘I can!’ Kevin insisted, pointing at himself. The stormtrooper paused awkwardly again. He obviously had as little idea as she did what Kevin’s […]

Legends & Lattes (2022) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #2) As a rule, folks with a fixed address avoided swindling an orc. Viv sighed. “I’ve lived a long time knowing I’m a threat walking. I’d rather that wasn’t the shape of it for you.” The hob pushed a handcart loaded with a big, brass-barreled mechanism, […]

Bookshops & Bonedust (2023) Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes #1) The sequel to Legends & Lattes recently came out, so I decided I really needed to read the prequel to that so I could reread Legends & Lattes and then the new book. For some unknown reason I’d put off reading this story. I loved […]

Help Wanted (2018) J. Emery (Ashveil Academy #1) Em wants to get her best friend the best gift this year for her birthday. Except that she’s broke, and her alchemy skills are terrible. So she decides to get a job, so she can buy Thaian the gift she wants to get her. Calpurnia West, sister […]

Supernatural Crimes Unit: NYPD (2025) Keith R. A. Decandido Monsters are real, and the NYPD has to deal with the ones who break the law. Thus was born the SCU, or Supernatural Crimes Unit. The SCU had been formed after a vampire named Bogdan Albescu killed a City Hall employee named John Rosario on the […]

The Severed Streets, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police #2) Trigger Warnings: there are not detailed descriptions, but if a bad thing can happen, it likely happens in this series. You despair about making accurate judgements about anyone. Well, I’m here to tell you, boy, it was always thus. […]

London Falling, Audio Book (2014) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (The Shadow Police #1) Trigger Warnings: there are not detailed descriptions, but if a bad thing can happen, it likely happens in this series. “Might as well look as if we’re together,” said Sefton, under his breath, as he pressed the tea bag against […]

Mockingbird Court (2025) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery #6) This is the final Shady Hollow mystery. I’m not mad, though I am a little sad. The authors have every right to walk away, and with a series as enjoyable as this one has been, I can see how hard it would be to keep […]

Summers End, Audio Book (2024) Juneau Black narrated by Cassandra Campbell (A Shady Hollow Mystery #5) Buckthorn had told her to stick to her specialty. But what Buckthorn didn’t know was that Vera’s specialty was sticking her nose in other folks’ business. Vera checked in with all of them, gave them firm warnings about sneaking […]

Cry Wolf (2021) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #5) But loss was too complex a thing to always feel what you were supposed to feel. Fear is just your body protecting itself, Dr. Ripodi had said once. Just like pain exists to let you know something is wrong, fear is another message. Sometimes, though, the […]

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #4) Park inclined his head slightly in that way of his that always made him look like some kind of benevolent god accepting a loving sacrifice. When Cooper tried the same he looked like he’d suddenly dropped food down his shirt. “It’s not you, it’s […]