Midnight Taxi Tango, Audible Version (2016) Daniel José Older, read by the author The second Bone Street Rumba book is as much about Kia as it is about Carlos, and that’s one of the things I especially love about it. Kia is a teenage girl, bored with school, tired of being cat-called, and working for […]
The Dragon Conspiracy, Audible Version (2015) Lisa Shearin, narrated by Johanna Parker This is another audio book I finished earlier in the fall and forgot to review. The second SPI files book finds Makenna and Ian at a Gala opening at the Met, displaying a collection of rare gems that will soon be up for […]
Broken Soul, Audible Version (2014) Faith Hunter, read by Khristine Hvam I actually finished this a couple months ago, but forgot to review it. Oops! Leo has agreed to Jane’s exorbitant sum for security for the visit of the European Vampire council. Derek Lee has become Leo’s new Enforcer, and is having issues with some […]
Salsa Nocturna, Audible Version (2012/2014) Daniel José Older, read by the author As with his Bone Street Rumba novels, Daniel Jose Older reads his own work, and it’s totally great! This short story collection was published before Half-Resurrection Blues and features not just Carlos and Riley, but one of my favorite characters, Gordo. I keep […]
Shades of Milk and Honey (2010) Mary Robinette Kowal Set in Alternate Regency England ~1814. The first time I read this, it was immediately following a Guy Gavriel Kay book, and so this story suffered in comparison. Nothing against Mary Robinette Kowal, it’s just that Guy Gavriel Kay is that good. So searching for something […]
Shroud for the Archbishop (1995) Peter Tremayne Set in Rome in 664. The second Fidelma mystery finds Fidelma and Eadulf in Rome, where Eadulf is secretary to Wighard, Archbishop designate of Canterbury and Fidelma is to present various items to the Bishop of Rome. Again, Fidelma suffers culture shock as she sees the restricted rights […]
Absolution By Murder (1994) Peter Tremayne Set in England in 664 I’d read these years and years ago, and had been looking for the eBook versions to go on sale, but no joy, so I broke down and bought the first two ebooks. Sister Fidelma follows the Celtic Christian tradition, but more importantly to the […]
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, […]
American Gods (2001) Neil Gaiman This is a re-read, because I couldn’t figure out what I was in the mood to read, and as good as this story is, I knew it would suck me in almost immediately. Shadow is getting ready to leave prison. Ready to return to his old life. But his old […]
Moonlight & Vines (1999) Charles de Lint “Sweetgrass & City Streets” “Saskia” “In This Soul of a Woman” “The Big Sky” “Birds” “Passing” “Held Safe by Moonlight and Vines” “In the Pines” “Shining Nowhere but in the Dark” “If I Close My Eyes Forever” “Heartfires” “The Invisibles” “Seven for a Secret” “Crow Girls” “Wild Horses” […]
Brother to Dragons, Companion to Owls (1994) Jane Lindskold This is an unusual book, part fantasy, part science fiction. I generally dislike SF, but the fantasy elements are a bit heavier, and the story is mostly about Sarah–much of the technology takes place in the background until the end of the story. Budget cutbacks have […]
Black Arts, audible version (2014) Faith Hunter, narrated by Khristine Hvam I really enjoy listening to this series. The narrator does a good job with the story and the characters. In Black Arts the story begins with Evan Trueblood storming Jane’s house, demanding to know where Molly is. Jane doesn’t know, and it take her […]
Sabriel (1995) Garth Nix Sabriel is the daughter of Abhorsen–the Charter necromancer who puts the restless dead beyond the ninth gate. She has been sent outside of the walls of the Old Kingdom for her education, seeing her father in person only a few times a year, but seeing him in death more frequently, as […]
The Grendel Affair, Audible version (2013/2014) Lisa Shearin, narrated by Johanna Parker This is a really fun series. Mac Frasier has moved from her little town in the south to New York City, but instead of making it as a reporter, she’s now working for SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigations) when they discovered she was […]
Fire Touched (2016) Patricia Briggs And after finishing everything else, I went back to re-read Fire Touched. I actually really liked reading these one after another, because there were bits that I’d forgotten from previous books, that remained fresh in my mind. It added a bit of extra enjoyment, since I remembered why these characters […]
Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson (2014) Patricia Briggs Interspersed with the novels, I read the short stories in Shifting Shadows. Patricia Briggs is quite good at writing short stories, which is why re-reading is such a pleasure. Silver Fairy Gifts (previously published in Naked City) Gray (previously published in Home Improvement: […]
Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs The fourth Alpha & Omega book occurs before Night Broken. Charles takes Anna out to Colorado to meet an old friend. “Really?” said Joseph tentatively. “You don’t remember?” “Someone asked me not to,” said Charles. “And I told him I would oblige him. So no. I don’t remember.” And to […]
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs The third Alpha & Omega book takes place several years between River Marked and Frost Burned. After the werewolves became known to the public, Charles’ job became much more difficult, since infractions that were previously allowed to slide, now carry a death sentence–a sentence that in many cases Charles has […]
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs The second Alpha & Omega book takes place soon after the events in Cry Wolf (around the events of Moon Called.) Bran has called a meeting with the European wolves, to discuss the fact that he is bringing the wolves out into the public. Anna is still coming to terms […]
Night Broken (2014) Patricia Briggs Book 8 finds Beauclaire wanting his father’s walking stick back from Mercy. “Beauclaire knew that someone was going to have to take out Lugh. He was, apparently, girding up his loins to do just that when Da took care of it. That didn’t mean he didn’t swear vengeance.” Adam’s ex-wife […]
Frost Burned (2013) Patricia Briggs Book 7 finds Mercy adjusting to married life–and being a step mother. It also has Mercy attempting to discover what has happened to the entire pack, when they are kidnapped by rogue federal agents. This book has several scenes that have stuck with me, including Mercy throwing up on Kyle’s […]
River Marked (2011) Patricia Briggs Book 6 is Mercy’s wedding to Adam, and further problems with the Fae and other supernatural creatures. And their honeymoon. “Are we going to Portland?” I asked. “Or Multnomah Falls?” He smiled at me. “Go to sleep.” I waited three seconds. “Are we there yet?” However, on the good side, […]
Silver Borne (2010) Patricia Briggs Book 5 finds the Fae wanting an item back from Mercy–except that she’s not certain just what is is they want back, and also finds the pack using those bonds against Mercy. I stumbled back away from the truck, shaking and sweating in the night air, the fae stick in […]
Bone Crossed (2009) Patricia Briggs The 4th Mercy Thompson book follows immediately after the events in book three–actually it replays and finishes the scene that the third book closes, and I appreciate the way this scene plays out. Mercy had really awful things happen to her in the previous book, and it seemed like she’d […]
Iron Kissed (2008) Patricia Briggs This is probably the hardest Mercy story to read, but I read it, and cried like I always do. Samuel had learned to write before typewriters and computers rendered penmanship an art practiced by elementary school children. His notes always looked like formal wedding invitations. “Shoot,” he said, the word […]
Blood Bound (2007) Patricia Briggs This is the second Mercy Thompson book, and finds Mercy paying back her debt to Stephan that was incurred in the first book. Why couldn’t the people I cared about just need someone to fix their cars? I could do that. I especially like the end of this story, where […]
Moon Called (2006) Patricia Briggs And now comes the re-reading of the Mercy Thompson series. Here’s the back-cover blurb: Mercy Thompson’s life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she’s fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn’t exactly normal herself. I […]
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs This is the first full Alpha & Omega novel, and takes place immediately after the events in the novella. (And by immediately, I mean, the next day.) Charles’ Brother Wolf has claimed Anna as mate, but as Anna knows very little about being a werewolf, and absolutely nothing about being […]
Alpha & Omega (2007) Patricia Briggs (found in Shifting Shadows) The novella Alpha & Omega first appeared in On the Prowl, which I picked up only for the Patricia Briggs story. I recommend getting Shifting Shadows rather than that. That is not, by the way, the cover for either Shifting Shadows or Alpha & Omega, […]
Half-Resurrection Blues, Audible version (2015) Daniel José Older, read by Daniel José Older I admit I was slightly nervous about this audio book, since it was ready by the author. But I liked the book so much, I decided to give it a try. I had nothing to worry about. Michael and I listened to […]
The Far West (2012) Patricia C. Wrede The final book finds Eff grown up, but still unsure what to do with herself, even though she has come to terms with being a thirteenth child. Sometimes I couldn’t help thinking that the unluckiest thing about being a thirteenth child was having all those older brothers and […]
Across the Great Barrier (2011) Patricia C. Wrede The sequel to Thirteenth Child finds Eff coming to terms with her magic, and slowly discovering her dream–to travel the West, beyond the Great Barrier, studying the wildlife in that untamed area. Luckily for her, the events of the previous book have given her some leeway as […]
Thirteenth Child (2009) Patricia C. Wrede Eff’s twin brother Lan is a seventh son of a seventh son, and a natural magician. “Wow,” Dick said, looking after Papa and Lan. He looked back at me. “Does that mean you’re a natural, too? Because you’re his twin?” I stared at him. “I don’t know,” I said […]
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 […]
Blood Trade audible version (2013) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam I really like the Jane Yellowrock series, and I remain pleased with Khristine Hvam’s narration, especially her differentiation between Jane and Beast. Rating: 8/10 Published by Audible
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. This is another good book, but also not quite as good as The Countess Conspiracy. But it was good. “Is it something I said?” Jane asked. And if so, which sentence? Oliver makes many mistakes, but you know he’s going to do the right […]
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan .Set in England in 1863 Another re-read, and although good, I don’t love it as much as the Countess Conspiracy. But not for lack of trying on the part of the story. “I’ve never seen this before. And it’s really not my sort of thing.” For one thing, she […]
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 […]
A Fatal Waltz (2008) Tasha Alexander Set in 1891 This finds Lady Emily, Ivy, and others at a political house party–a party where the host is making it quite clear he will do everything in his powers to break Emily’s engagement to Colin. That was my least favorite part of the story–the whole Emily isn’t […]
A Poisoned Season (2007) Tasha Alexander Set in London ~1890 The mystery here involves the supposed son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and a thief who seems to specialize in articles once owned by the former queen. I do enjoy the dialog in this series. “And, Emily”—he grew serious—“if you ever…if Hargreaves doesn’t…if you […]
And Only to Deceive (2005) Tasha Alexander Set in England (and Paris) ~1889 The first time I read this book (soon after its publication) I didn’t like it. I felt it was more romance than mystery, and I wasn’t interested in reading a kissing book. Upon later reading, knowing what I was going to be […]
Rightfully His (1998) Tracy Grant Set in London, December 1822 The final book in the Lescaut Quartet picks up the story of Charlotte, the daughter of Daniel, the Marquis de Ribard, and the man who had been his secretary, Francis Storbridge, who had been in love with Charlie since he first laid eyes on her. […]
Shadows of the Heart (1996) Tracy Grant Set in Scotland, July 1817 The third book in the series (yes, I did skip the first book on this re-read, but may read it last) is about Robert Lescaut’s cousin Paul, who is the unacknowledged bastard son of the Marquis de Ribard. Paul manages to rescue a […]
Shores of Desire (1997) Tracy Grant Set in Midlothian, Scotland, March 1815 This is a re-read of an historical mystery/romance, because I wasn’t sure what I was in the mood to read, but most of what is at the top of my to-be-read list is books I can’t read during the week, because I’ll stay […]
The Last Watch (2009) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield The fourth book in the Night Watch series means I’m now ready to read the fifth book–finally! “A car’s not the right place for showing off to a girl— the bed’s for that. The consequences of a mistake there are more upsetting, but less tragic… […]
Twilight Watch (2003/2007) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield This may be my favorite book as a whole, although other books have stronger single stories. “We’re the ones who corrupt people,” the boss said bitterly. “Do you understand? We do it ourselves! Offer someone money once, twice . . . and the third time he […]
Day Watch (1999/2007) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield Although the first story in this book is probably my least favorite in the series (even though it’s good, I don’t like it) the second story might be one of my favorites. It seemed that the accepted thing among members of the Watches was for the […]
Night Watch (2006) Sergei Lukyanenko translated by Andrew Bromfield I really love this series, so it was time to re-read! “The common good and the individual good rarely coincide . . .” Sure, I know. It’s true. But some truths are probably worse than lies. He enjoyed life for its own sake, not for material […]
The Tokaido Road (1991) Lucia St. Clair Robson Set in Japan in Genroku 15, the Year of the Horse (1702) This story is based upon the real-life events of the revenge of the forty-seven ronin, expanded to follow the daughter of Lord Kiro’s outside wife, who has become a courtesan after her father’s forced suicide. […]