For Better or Worse (2017) R. Cooper Everyone in town things Javier has a secret lover–because a guy that handsome and fit couldn’t possibly be single. His mother and his aunts called him “choosy.” His sister and cousins thought he was full of himself for not wanting to go out with their friends. The people […]
Band Sinister (2018) KJ Charles Set in England in the early 1800s A lot of us are struggling right now, so this is a good time for comfort reads. If you’ve read Georgette Heyer’s Venetia, you’ll be familiar with this story: younger sibling is hurt and has to stay at manor of notorious (and wealthy) […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812 Miss Phoebe Hillier has been prepared to follow her father’s dying wish and marry Sheldrake, but when he tells her he is ending their betrothal and leaving the country she is as much relieved as she is horrified. “No. I’m . . […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1811. Charlotte Raven was rescued as a child, and although she leads a somewhat unorthodox life, she tries very hard to be the perfect lady for Lady Howe, who saved he from the stews. This always surprised her, Catherine’s willful habit of seeing […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1812. After reading Death Below Stairs I wanted to re-read a favorite of mine that also features a woman working as a cook in historical Britain. Every time I read this I love it a little bit more–there is just so very much […]
Play It Again (2019) Aidan Wayne Dovid and his sister Rachel are YouTube stars. They actually make their living from it, first becoming famous after Rachel recorded Dovid ranting about how he hated it when people didn’t pronounce his name correctly. But he also spends time going to schools and talking abut bullying because that’s […]
Work for It (2019) Talia Hibbert (Just for Him) The world is making me feel out-of-sorts, so I decided to re-read a book I very much enjoyed. The first time around I read this book before the rest of the series (this is essentially the last book) so re-reading it after having read about the […]
His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) It hasn’t been that long since I read this, but I really wanted to revisit it, and it was actually better than I had remembered, since I picked up more details the second time through. Arthur Drams is an analyst for The Agency. He may have […]
Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez Between writing up posts on some of my favorite books and just needing something light and happy to read, I decided I needed to re-read Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists. This is such an adorable story AND it’s an Ace romance, which is even more lovely. Taro has something to tell […]
Jackalopes and Woofen-Poofs (2017) Angel Martinez This story splits between Jason and Alex’s point-of-view. Most of the 77th has to go to State Paranormal to face an inquiry as to the events of the previous book, where an arcane working was destroyed in the hopes it would stop the attacks by the feral dust bunnies […]
Feral Dust Bunnies (2017) Angel Martinez This is one of my favorite stories in the collection. Alex Wolf is a member of the 77th. His partner is a giant lizard of unknown origin, but his own origin might be odder. “Are you all right, sweetheart?” Mom stopped on her way past his room with a […]
These Old Shades (1926) Georgette Heyer I finished some good books, which left me unsure what I wanted to read next, so I turned to a favorite, These Old Shades. It’s an historical romance where the heroine is pretending as a boy, the hero is a horrible person to is believed beyond redemption, and there […]
Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant Set in Europe in 1813 Adam Durward was sent to England to live with his aunt when both of his parents were killed in India. Always an outsider, he still fell in love with the girl next door–Caroline. “You look like no Englishman,” he said. Adam stifled a groan. No, […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener Set in England in 1812. Miss Phoebe Hillier was bethrothed to Sheldrake at the insistence of both their families. But when Sheldrake breaks their engagement, she feels relief more than anything else. She had all but accepted the anger and the frustration as constant companions, but Sheldrake cutting her […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener Set in London in 1812. This is my favorite book in this series–and I like the other two books quite well. Giselle Barrington has seen her father murdered for the secrets her carries. She manages to escape back to London, but does not know who she can turn to, […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener Set in England in 1811. Lord Edward Durnham works for the crown in secret, and has been asked to look into gold being smuggled to France. Edward is also somewhat of an ass. (W)hy is she staying with Miss Raven and not you?” Edward laughed. “Apparently I’ll figure it […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson Set in Scotland Trying to figure out what I wanted to read next, I remembered I had a new Alissa Johnson, but couldn’t remember which book in the series came first, so I picked one, started reading, and realized this is the one I’d read. Perhaps I’ll just read […]
Swordspoint (1987) Ellen Kushner I have no idea what brings it on, but I’ve been in one of those moods where I read a few paragraphs of a book, decide I’m not in the mood for it, and try something else. As is typically, I have to resort to something I know I love, so […]
Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant Set in Spain and England in 1813 Adam Durward has used his ability with languages to move throughout Europe, gathering information. He also investigated issues in England, including the problem of exploding canon. Caroline Rawley has known Adam since they were children. Once they were best friends, then things changed […]
Small Vices, Audible Version (1997) Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This is, hands down, one of my favorite Spenser books. It’s a story that puts Spenser’s complexity right up front, as the client he is hired to clear is an unlikable career criminal. “Just don’t get romantic on this one,” Jackson said. “Ellis […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener Set in England in 1812 The third (and sadly, it seems) book in this series. Phoebe and Sheldrake’s engagment came at the insistance of their families, which is why despite her many misgivings, Phoebe acquiesced. “Sheldrake?” She peered at the man taking up most of the small space. “Good […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener Set in England in 1812. Giselle Barrington has spent her life following her father around Europe, collecting folklore and working secretly for the Crown. She’s developed her own strange passion: food, recipes, and cooking. “What do you do with the recipes?” The woman looked genuinely interested now. “I’m compiling […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener Set in England in 1811. Charlotte Raven was rescued by Lady Howe from life as a chimney sweep–a life for which she had finally grown too large. Her past, and her gratitude towards Lady Howe create a young woman who will do what she can to help those in […]
The Countess Conspiracy (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867 And this, this is my favorite story in this series. There was nothing shameful about the figure Sebastian was pointing to, not unless one harbored an irrational hatred for bar charts. “Don’t worry,” Sebastian told Violet’s niece. “I’ll try not to seduce you on […]
A Kiss for Midwinter (2012) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1863. Lydia was a secondary character in The Duchess War and this is her story–how she found true love despite her past. Dr Grantham also appeared in The Duchess War, although far less than Lydia, but he is still interesting even in those brief […]
Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant Set in Spain and England in 1813 Still out of sorts and not sure what I’m in the mood for, I went for something completely different: historical mystery/romance. I think one of the things I particularly like about Tracy Grant’s stories is that the children are an integral part of […]
A Matter of Magic (2010): Mairelon the Magician (1991) and The Magician’s Ward (1997) Patricia C. Wrede Kim has been living on the streets, hiding the fact she’s a girl, and living by her wits as best she can. When she is offered a small fortune to check out the wagon of a traveling magician, […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener Set in London in 1812 Phoebe Hillier has been jilted. Consider that it was a match that was forced upon her by her father on his deathbed, she isn’t as distraught about this as she could have been, but for many she will be ruined–obviously something must be wrong […]
Dark Angel (1994) Tracy Grant Set in Spain and England in 1813 Adam Durward was orphaned at a young age, and although his parentage has made things difficult in some ways, he has managed to create a good career for himself. Caroline Rawley was a childhood friend of Adam Duward, but her marriage to Jared […]
The Countess Conspiracy (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. I really REALLY love this story. And I loved it just as much if not more the second time through, since I was just waiting for the awesome bits. There was nothing shameful about the figure Sebastian was pointing to, not unless one harbored […]
Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (2013) Agatha Christie From The Thirteen Problems (1953) The Tuesday Night Club The Idol House of Astarte Ingots of Gold The Bloodstained Pavement Motive v. Opportunity The Thumbmark of St. Peter The Blue Geranium The Companion The Four Suspects A Christmas Tragedy The Herb of Death The Affair at […]
Small Vices (2002) written Robert B. Parker narrated by Burt Reynolds This audio book was my first exposure to Robert B. Parker. I was doing mind-numbingly dull lab work, and audio books kept me from losing my mind, so I was willing to try almost anything. I fell in love almost instantly. Spenser is hired […]
A Caribbean Mystery (1964) Agatha Christie This has always been my favorite Miss Marple mystery, probably because I got to watch part of it on TV, with Jameson Parker as Tim Kendal, which is important, because I was a HUGE Simon & Simon fan. (And I just now realized that Brock Peters played Dr. Graham!) […]
A Caribbean Mystery (1964) Agatha Christie (Miss Marple) This was my first Miss Marple, and remains on of my favorites. This is Miss Marple at her fluffiest and most dithering, yet still able to cause action to be taken. And still a product of her time. “Sex” as a word had not been mentioned in […]
The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side (1962) Agatha Christie This is probably the Miss Marple mystery that has embedded itself most firmly in my mind. There are so very many thing from here that randomly pop up. Out flew the web and floated wide; The mirror crack’d from side to side; ‘The curse is […]
4:50 from Paddington (1957) Agatha Christie Mrs. Elspeth McGillicuddy is taking the train from London to visit her friend Miss Marple, when she looks into the windows of a passing train and sees a woman being throttled–she alerts the conductor, the station master, and the local police, but–strangely–no body is discovered. Her curiosity piqued, Miss […]
A Murder Is Announced (1950) Agatha Christie Next up on my Miss Marple reading binge was A Murder is Announced. The residents of Chipping Cleghorn are startled when their weekly paper has a strange personal announcement: ‘A murder is announced and will take place on Friday October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m.’ And […]
The Thirteen Problems (1928, 1929, 1930, 1933) Agatha Christie (Also published as The Tuesday Club Murders) I read several stories in this collection, but not all, so I don’t think I’d previously read this collection as is. After dinner seems a good time to sit around and discuss crime, and see how clever everyone is, […]
The Body in the Library (1942) Agatha Christie Colonel and Mrs. Bantry are quite shocked to discover a body in their library–a very young blonde body. The Colonel calls the police, but Mrs. Bantry knows better, and calls Miss Marple. Again, like Murder at the Vicarage, I noticed that much of the story seemed timeless. […]
Small Vices (1997) Robert B Parker On the trip to get my grandmother, as I was driving alone I wanted a book to listen to, to help me stay awake and coherent. I grabbed Small Vices, read by Burt Reynolds to keep me company on the trip. I really do love this book, and I […]
Small Vices (1997) Robert B. Parker Okay, so I didn’t totally resist, but I’ve limited myself to just Small Vices, which is one of my favorite Spenser books. Small Vices was my introduction to Spenser. It is also the reason I have some small affection for Burt Reynolds. Back when I worked in a lab, […]