Shattered Bonds, Audio Book (2019) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #13) “This isn’t a chalice,” I said, straight-faced, holding it up. “This is a silver shot glass.” “If I say it’s a chalice, it’s a chalice,” Molly said, her eyes narrowing. Holy crap. You know where my soul home is. Beast did […]
Dark Queen, Audio Book (2018) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #12) Eli sawed. Bra came loose and Eli peeled bra down Beast legs. Bra was dead. Jane should kill bras. “However, I prefer QaStaHvIS yIn ‘ej chep.” I stopped with the beer held in the air, ice water dripping from my fingers. […]
Lady Mechanika: The Mechanical Menagerie (2026) Joe Benitez, Martin Montiel, Madeline Holly-Rosing (Lady Mechanika Vol 9) Apparently, Image Comics is rereleasing some of the older volumes of Lady Mechanika, which is how I ended up with a second copy of Sangre. The latest story, The Mechanical Menagerie is not yet out in TPB, so I […]
The Prince and the Dressmaker (2018) Jen Wang Prince Sebastian’s parents are searching the country for his bride. They want him to have a say in who he marries (something they didn’t have) but Sebastian has a secret: Lady Crystallia. After following her client’s wishes and getting fired, Frances is saved when a royal courtier […]
Lady Mechanika Volume 6 Sangre (2020) Joe Benítez, Marcia Chen, Brian Ching (Lady Mechanika #6) Well damnit. This is a rerelease, not the newest volume. Weirdly, I remembered the historical Mesoamerican parts rather than the current timeline. Publisher: Image Comics Rating: 8/10
A Blunt Instrument (1938) Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde #4) Set in London in 1938 A stern glance was directed towards him. ‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord, thy God, in vain,’ said Glass deeply. This admonishment was more comprehensible to Simmons, who was a member of the same sect as PC Glass, […]
Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones (2018) Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please! #2) Publisher: First Second Rating: 10/10
Father Material (2026) Alexis Hall (London Calling #3) This is the conclusion to Luc and Oliver’s story, and unlike the previous two books, doesn’t follow the beats of any particular romantic comedy–or honestly, a romantic comedy. That’s not to say it isn’t funny: there is a good deal of silliness. “What do you want to […]
A Bitter Cut (2026) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #14) Set in Warwickshire, England in 1833 Kiera has decided that they best way to meet the family of the woman her brother Trevor hopes to marry is to invite them to a house party. Hosted by Lord Gage. For his political friends. “What was he […]
The Unmatchmakers (2022) Jackie Lau Leora may find her mother frustrating, but she’s looking forward to a week at the vacation house her mother bought with her two best friends–even if she hasn’t seen the kids she nearly grew up with in years. It’s a bit weird, us all hanging out as adults. Different than […]
Husband Material (2022) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #2) Oliver had been seeing a trained professional for nearly two years because of his parents so I did my best to be sensitive and not poke anything that might be the emotional equivalent of a bear or a mine—or a bear-mine, which would be a bear that […]
Boyfriend Material (2020) Alexis Hall (London Calling, #1) “I’m conscious this could be rather burdensome to hear, but you remain the thing I have most chosen for myself. The thing that’s most exclusively mine. The one that brings me the deepest joy.” if we let happy things make us unhappy when they stopped, there would […]
Murder Under Her Skin, Audio Book Stephen Spotswood narrated by Kirsten Potter (Pentecost & Parker #2) Set in Stoppard VA in 1947 I had some preconceived notions of what to expect from the Pig’s Hole, and it did not disappoint. It had clearly started life as a cheaply made shotgun shack and had only gone […]
Death and Dinuguan (2025) Mia P. Manansala (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery #6) This is the sixth and final book in the series, and oddly, the one I liked best. A series of break-ins have hit the small businesses of Shady Palms, made all the more upsetting as all the victims were women. Adeena said, “I […]
Only Murders in the Abbey (2025) Beth Cowan-Erskine (Loch Down Abbey #2) Set in Scotland in 1937 War is coming, and unexpected guests from Shanghai have shown up in Loch Down expecting to be put up in the estate turned hotel. ‘You will pay for their stays, Bella.’ ‘That’s hardly fair!’ she retorted. ‘That is […]
Shadow Rites, Audio Book (2016) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #10) I leaned around Wrassler, to Brenda and Eli. “Which pocket?” “I couldn’t spot a thing,” Brenda said. “Right,” Eli said. He had a fifty percent chance of being right. And he was. “Good guess,” I said. “Not a guess. Wrassler’s got […]
Next to You (2022) Hannah Bonam-Young (Next #2) Lane doesn’t really know what to do with herself. She’s not unhappy, but she’s not happy either. So after her birthday she decides to purchase and renovate a bus–a far cry from her twin who got respectably engaged to a respectable guy. A guy who seems to […]
Cheddar Luck Next Time (2025) Beth Cato Bird is slowly rebuilding her life after losing both her parents and then her grandmother within a single year, but her inheritance gave her one thing: the ability to focus on her gourmet cheese board business. The property she inherited from her grandmother has a commercial kitchen, and […]
A Marriage of Undead Inconvenience (2024) Stephanie Burgis (The Unexpected Adventures of Lady and Lord Riven #1) Set in an alternate 19th century England. After being kept awake for 48 hours by her unscrupulous aunt and uncle, Margaret has been forced into marriage she didn’t want. Margaret set her teapot and cup on a side […]
Check, Please! Book 1: #Hockey (2018) Ngozi Ukazu (Check, Please! #1) Publisher: First Second Rating: 8.5/10
Dark Heir, Audio Book (2015) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #9) “There is job-bound, there is emotion-bound, and there is blood-bound—all kinds of binding. Then there is stupid-bound. In this case, I think you’re stupid-bound.” The vibes the place gave out said it had not been a happy place, while the décor […]
A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping (2025) Sangu Mandanna Sera was fifteen when she lost most of her magic. Choosing her love for Jasmine over her loyalty to the British Guild of Sorcery wasn’t exactly difficult for Sera. The Guild was strict, stuffy, and entirely too fond of looking down their noses at almost everybody. […]
A Shore Thing (2024) Joanna Lowell Set in Cornwall in 1888 Mrs. Muriel Pendrake has come to St Ives with her best friend James both to vacation and to find a painter for her botanical images for her upcoming presentation in New York. “You have enough people to worry about in London. This is a […]
The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking (2019) Leigh Perry (The Family Skeleton #6) This seems to be the last Skeleton mystery, although I did see a listing for an anthology of short stories. Georgia is back living at home, and working as an adjunct at the other university in town (the one her parents do not […]
The Skeleton Makes a Friend (2018) Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mystery #5) Another semester, another college, but this time Georgia is teaching at a summer program for high school students. If I’d been able to afford it, I would have tried to talk Madison into signing up for the program. She’d just finished her sophomore […]
The Skeleton Paints a Picture (2017) Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mystery #4) This premise of this series is a little silly–one of the two main characters is an animated skeleton. But once you accept that, it’s a fun cozy mystery. Georgia Thackery is an adjunct professor, seeking the magical grail of a tenured position. “Why […]
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (2023) Deya Muniz The Count of Camembert has provided many suitors for his daughter to consider, but she has rejected them all because she has no interest in marrying a man. But daughters can’t inherit, so if she isn’t to be left alone and with nothing, she’ll have […]
Broken Soul, Audio Book (2014) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #8) “Other than proper etiquette, there are few rules,” Gee said, his blade slowing. “One may fight with one blade or two, though two is more common. And most formal challenges are to first blood, though some few are to true-death. Deception […]
A Scandal in Mayfair (2024) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #5) Set in London in 1817 “Do you wish for advice or a distraction?” Simon sighed. “Would that there was a way to detect a poison hiding in a bottle or meal. But alas, our scientists have not yet gained such insight.” “Do you think […]
Murder at Midnight (2023) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery, #4) Set in Hertfordshire in 1816 Peter, in spite of having six elder sisters, had long been accustomed to managing the finances of his whole family as his sisters married and moved away one by one. But Lily couldn’t help resenting the implication that, three years […]
Death at the Manor (2022) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #3) Set in England in 1815 “My aunt and Miss Clarke were at school together as girls. When neither of them had married after a few years, they began to talk of setting up their own household together, rather than remaining with their families in […]
Silence in the Library (2021) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #2) Set in London in 1815 Lily knew others thought her father handsome, but she never could—whenever he looked at her, lines of disapproval appeared between his eyes. They were there now. Laying aside the visual reminders of her grief felt too much like leaving […]
The Body in the Garden (2020) Katharine Schellman (Lily Adler Mystery #1) Set in London in 1815 Lady Adler, Freddy’s mother, had encouraged Lily to go to town “to begin living your life again, my dear,” and, when Lily had protested that she had nothing fashionable to wear, had called in her personal dressmaker and […]
Band Sinister (2018) KJ Charles Set in England in the 1810s I do love this story. First and foremost because of Guy. Philip’s candle had only been a stub. It guttered now, and went out in a soft sigh, and he stood in the darkness, listening to a sick woman moaning, while her brother wept […]
Black Arts, Audio Book (2014) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #7) It’s still annoying that Angie is written both older and younger than her age of 7. Characters: Jane Yellowrock, Beast, Eli Younger, Alex Younger, Leo Pellissier, Molly Trueblood, Evan Trueblood, Angelina Trueblood, Little Evan Trueblood, Rick LeFleur, George Bruiser Dumas, Aggie […]
A Nobleman’s Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (2023) KJ Charles (The Doomsday Books #2) Set in Kent in 1823 To the surprise of everyone, Rufus d’Aumesty is the Earl of Oxney. After a seven month battle, he was affirmed as the heir, yet his uncle Conrad is still fighting to try and regain the title […]
The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (2023) KJ Charles (The Doomsday Books #1) Set in Kent in 1810 Gareth Inglis was raised by his uncle who made it clear to Gareth that he wasn’t wanted. When his father dies he learns just how awful his father was. “Your father decided that. He thought it was […]
The Duke at Hazard (2024) KJ Charles (The Gentlemen of Uncertain Fortune #2) Set in England in ~1810s The Duke of Severn inherited at age six, and since that day has never been allowed to be anything except the Duke. The Duke had been Harmsford since his birth. He had become Severn at the age […]
Phantom Pond (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #4.5) Mischief Night, or Gate Night as some folks called it, was an annual tradition throughout the woodlands. She jumped in surprise but then realized it was only a spider dangling from a silken thread. The spider must have come inside during the day, looking for a warmer […]
Off the Grid, Audio Book (2015) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #7.5) Security was so much easier in the modern day, with access to so many public records protected by such poor security. (B)est of all, she knew where the armaments were stored. “They keep ’em here”— she tapped the uneven rectangle […]
Blood Trade, Audio Book (2013) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam (Jane Yellowrock #6) I hacked in amusement. I am bigger. I like bigger. Would like to be a holy hellcat too. Characters: Jane Yellowrock, Beast, Leo Pellissier, Eli Younger, Alex Younger, Soul, Sylvia Turpin, George Bruiser Dumas, Rick LeFleur, Reach, Bobby, Misha, Charlie, Evan […]
Flight of Magpies (2014) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #3) Stephen stuffed his hands in the pockets of the topcoat that Crane had insisted on buying him for this chilly winter. It had been a great deal more expensive than Stephen, who accepted gifts with startling gracelessness, had wanted; a great deal cheaper than […]
Evergreen Chase (2021) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow #3.5) The committee selects promising trees years in advance and assigns someone to tend each one right up until it’s cut down. … “Wow, that’s more serious than I’d guessed. I thought someone just went for a walk and picked one out.” “No way. Other towns can do […]
A Case of Possession (2014) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #2) “And we must act in a civilised fashion in this country, you know.” … “Come with me to the office today, I want you in Limehouse. I’m going to call in some obligations and do a bit more work on Rackham’s affairs. Buy […]
The Magpie Lord (2013) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies #1) Merrick frowned. “Got to fight it, my lord.” “Fight what? Give me something to fight, and I’ll fight it—but how the hell do I fight my own mind?” Crane looked at the naked hostility in the other man’s face and posture, and strolled to […]
Unfit to Print (2018) KJ Charles Set in London in the late Victorian Prostitution and exploitation were words Vikram thought should be shouted aloud, along with poverty. Gil had spent his childhood here under his father’s carelessly affectionate eye. The old man might have played the fool, or the knave, with his housemaid, but he […]
Rag and Bone (2016) KJ Charles (A Charm of Magpies World) He gave it a cautious shake, heard the faintest rattle. A sealed jug, full of something. He could break the seal, prise off the wax, and have a look inside. Or he could find a rusty hatpin and jam it into his eyeball, because […]
The Lily of Ludgate Hill (2024) Mimi Matthews (Belles of London #3) Set in London in 1862 Much of the first part of this story takes place concurrently with The Belle of Belgrave Square. Lady Anne Deveril has spent the past 6 1/2 years joining her mother in mourning for Lord Arundell, as her parents […]
The Belle of Belgrave Square (2022) Mimi Matthews (Belles of London #2) Set in London in 1862 I discovered I started this story in January 2025, and then lost track of it until this past Friday. Julia Wychwood hates the season. She’s beautiful with a substantial dowry, but seemingly no offers. But she has her […]
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes (2022) Cat Sebastian (London Highwaymen #2) Set in London in 1751 The second book in the London Highwaymen series takes place concurrently with The Queer Principles of Kit Webb but from Marian and Rob’s points of view. We learn why Marian hates the duke (her husband) so much, why […]