Frost Burned, Audio Edition (2013) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King This wasn’t one of my favorite Mercy stories, although I still like Ben’s continued climb from being a complete jerk to someone who remains troubled but is trying to become a decent human. Mostly I think it’s the vampires that are the problem here. […]

One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1138. There is war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud, over who is the rightful ruler of England, and Stephen has come to Shrewsbury to flush out some of Maud’s strongest supporters. After the battle, and the hanging of those seen as traitors […]

River Marked, Audio Edition (2011) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King Mercy and Adam are getting married. But Mercy’s mother is about to drive her over the edge. “Butterflies and balloons,” I told Adam. “She wants to release butterflies and balloons. Two hundred balloons. Gold ones.” “I expect she’s trying to get Monarch butterflies if […]

Silver Borne, Audio Edition (2010) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King This story has one of my favorite arcs–Samuel’s falling apart and how hard his wolf works to keep him alive. “What have you done with Samuel? Is he all right?” Pale ice blue eyes examined me thoughtfully. “Samuel? I’m pretty certain he’d forgotten I […]

Fair Game, Audio Edition (2012) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham I do like this series, and this book, even if this book has a serious lack of Asil. Asil left Bran alone with his thoughts then, because if he stayed, Bran would argue with him. This way, Bran would have no one to argue […]

A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters Cadfael is a brother at Shrewsbury abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Unlike most of his brethren he came to his calling late, having spent his younger years as a Crusader–and perhaps also an adventurer. Nothing troubled his peace but the necessity to take himself indoors […]

The Ruin of a Rake (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series) Set in London in 1817 Lord Courtenay’s reputation is a rake and a libertine is well-deserved. He drank and gambled and whored and ended up spending his fortune. But the death of his sister–after her complete ruin–and his love for his nephew have complicated […]

The Lawrence Browne Affair (2017) Cat Sebastian Set in Cornwall, England in 1816 Lawrence Browne, the Earl of Radnor is mad. He’s driven away most of his staff, and the local vicar is worried about his stability. “Five servants quit,” Halliday said, tapping Lawrence’s desk in emphasis. Dust puffed up in tiny clouds around the […]

Bone Crossed, Audible Edition (2009) Patricia Briggs narrated by Lorelei King This book still has difficult parts, but not as difficult as the previous book, so I wasn’t skipping this time. I feel like I’m being overly picky about the narrators, but I think it’s partially due to the fact that these stories have a […]

Hunting Ground, Audible Edition (2009) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham I feel so picky. I don’t dislike Holter Graham as a narrator, and I enjoy him slightly more than Loreli King, but 1) he still mispronounces the Marrock and 2) this is the book with the European wolves coming to the US, and I […]

Iron Kissed, Audio Version (2008) Patricia Briggs I almost skipped listening to this book, but instead I just skipped through the very distressing parts. This is a very good story, but a very difficult one. Publisher: Penguin Audio

Cry Wolf, Audible Edition (2008) Patricia Briggs narrated by Holter Graham It makes me feel bad to admit it, but I much prefer Holter Graham as a narrator to Lorelei King. She just doesn’t have the range for male voices that other female narrators do, and the Mercy Thompson series has too many male characters […]

Rag and Bone (2016) KJ Charles (Rag and Bone) This is set after Flight of Magpies and continues the story started in A Queer Trade. Crispin Tredarloe is trying to learn the right way to be a practitioner, instead of a warlock, like he was trained. But it’s difficult unlearning everything he has been doing […]

Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson, Audio Version (2014) Patricia Briggs narrated by Alexander Cendese and Lorelei King Flailing around for something to listen to, I decided that I’d listen to the Patricia Briggs short story collection and then go from there. This collection has very few Mercy stories in, and several […]

Hamilton’s Battalion: A Trio of Romances (2017) Rose Lerner, Courtney Milan, Alyssa Cole Set in the Americas in 1781 and 1820 This is three stories with some overlapping characters, including Alexander Hamilton, who appears at least in the background of each story. PROMISED LAND by Rose Lerner Rachel ran away to join the army as […]

It Takes Two to Tumble (2017) Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks) Set in England in 1817 Ben Sedgwick is happy being the vicar of Kirkby Barton. He is engaged to the girl who has been his best friend since childhood, and he feels comfortable about his calling. He might not want to, but when he […]

Lost to a Spy (2018) Sharon Cullen Set in Scotland in 1567 I picked this up when I saw it on sale because I thought the premise was interesting. Ladies in waiting can’t help noticing more than they let on. After so many years at the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, Emma Howard sees […]

Flight of Magpies (2014) K.J. Charles (A Charm of Magpies) The third book of the Charm of Magpies series finds Stephen and Lord Crane struggling to come to terms with Vaudrey’s desire to leave England and Stephen’s dedication to his job–a job that offers little remuneration but a lot of danger. Crane had promised he […]

After the Wedding (2018) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. This is the second book in the Worth Saga, and is the story of the second Worth sister, Camilla. Camilla went to live with her uncle because she feared poverty, and the rift this caused with her older sister meant that when her uncle […]

A Case of Possession (2014) K.J. Charles (A Charm of Magpies) The second Charm of Magpies books finds Stephen and Crane the subject of blackmail. Crane, being an Earl, would be fine ignoring the blackmailer, but Stephen, being poor, could easily be arrested for their relationship. But then they suddenly have a much larger problem–giant […]

The Magpie Lord (2013) K.J. Charles (Charm of Magpies) One for sorrow Two for joy Three for a girl Four for a boy Five for silver Six for gold Seven for a secret never to be told Eight for a letter over the sea Nine for a lover as true as can be Lucien Vaudrey […]

A Queer Trade (2015) K.J. Charles (Rag & Bone) This is a short story I picked up because I liked another series of hers I read, and the idea of an historical fantasy was worth checking out. Crispin Tredarloe is a practitioner. He is also going to be in a great deal of trouble. His […]

The Red Heart of Jade (2006) Marjorie Liu Mirabelle Lee lost the love of her life as a teenager. Since then, she’s become the archeologist she had dreamed of becoming as a child, and is now in China helping uncover ancient mummies and artifacts. Dean Campbell lost the love of his life as a teenager–the […]

Shadow Touch (2006) Marjorie Liu Artur Loginov is an ex-Russian mobster with the gift (or curse) of psychometry–he gets impressions and information from touching objects. He works for Dirk & Steele, which fronts as a private investigation agency, but is far more than that. Elena Baxter works as a volunteer in hospitals, which gives her […]

Tiger Eye (2005) Marjorie Liu Dela Reese creates weapons–beautiful knives and swords–as well as other art, with her gift of metal working. While browsing a market in Beijing, a woman sells her a puzzle box–and almost immediately someone threatens her. Two thousand years ago Hari was made into a slave by the Magi–mostly used over […]

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 […]

Cat o’ Nine Tales, Audible Version (2013) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam This is the audio collection of the stories set in Jane Yellowrock’s world. It has many–but not all–of the stories in Blood in her Veins. “WeSa and the Lumber King” “The Early Years” “Cat Tats” “Kits” “Haints” “Signatures of the Dead” “First […]

An Unsuitable Heir (2017) K.J. Charles (Sins of the City) Set in London in 1873 Mark is a private enquiry agent. He and his mother came to England, fleeing Poland after his mother got in trouble one too many times for her anarchism. Through the lawyer who often defended his mother, he came to know […]

An Unnatural Vice (2017) K.J. Charles Set in London in 1873 This book follows–and in some cases overlaps–An Unseen AttractionClem’s brother is dead, his heir has been made a bastard, and now Clem’s friends are trying to keep Clem’s cousin from throwing him out of his home by searching for another possible heir–the children on […]

An Unseen Attraction (2017) K.J. Charles (Sins of the City) Set in London in 1873 This is a MM boinking book. Clem Tallyfer is the keeper of his brother’s lodging house in London. It’s how he makes his living–surviving on the sufferance of his brother. He’s also different, and that makes things even more difficult. […]

Bewitching Benedict (2017) C.E. Murphy I really enjoyed CE Murphy’s Magic and Manners, so when I saw she had a straight-up historical romance, I put it on my wish list, and then got a surprise when Tania got it for me. Set in the late 1700s (Many of the male characters fought in the Napoleonic […]

Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs This is the fifth book in the Alpha & Omega series. Bran has not yet returned from helping to rescue Mercy from the vampires in Europe–he claimed he wanted to visit Samuel in Africa–leaving Charles in charge on Bran’s pack and the wildlings–the older werewolves and those on the edge […]

Shores of Desire (1997) Tracy Grant Set in Europe in 1815 Robert Lescaut is a French colonel and spy, who has come to Scotland to try and discover who killed his wife–a woman he believed was a Scottish Blair. Emma Blair is tired of the feuding between the Blairs and Lauders, so when Captain Robert […]

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 […]

A Scot in the Dark (2016) Sarah MacLean Set in London in 1834. Alec Stuart has become the Duke of Warnick, even though he wants nothing to do with the Dukedom–or England. Seventeen dukes, if he were honest, Bernard supposed— all dead. All within the span of a fortnight. It was a turn of events— […]

Dukes Prefer Blondes (2016) Loretta Chase Set in London in 1822. Lady Clara Fairfax is this season’s popular beauty. But she’s turned down multiple marriage proposals, never quite sure of what she wants. Raven Radford is the grandson of a duke, but as his father became a barrister and married a divorcee, he is most […]

Forever Your Earl (2015) Eva Leigh Set in London in 1816. Eleanor Hawke runs one of London’s scandal sheets, and one of their favorite subjects is Lord A–d, a notorious rake. Daniel Balfour, Earl of Ashford, is searching for his best friend, Jonathan Lawson, who returned from the war a changed man. He is trying […]

Die for Love (1984) Elizabeth Peters The third Jacqueline Kirby book finds Jacqueline headed to New York for a romance conference (it was the only thing she could find to let her escape Nebraska for awhile). Why do I like Jacqueline? “You can have this when I’m finished, if you like.” “Really? Oh, that’s really […]

Into the Darkness (1990) Barbara Michaels Meg Venturi’s grandfather is a renowned jeweler, and his death leaves her his heir. But Meg has tried to escape the business and her past, including the deaths of her parents that led her to being raised by her grandparents and becoming the sole heir. It wasn’t until after […]

Devil May Care (1977) Elizabeth Peters Ellie is heading to VA to housesit while her Aunt Kate heads on a short vacation. But after Kate leaves, a series of strange events leads her to wonder if something supernatural is happening in the house. First, Ellie’s fiance is awful, and you can see the whole thing […]

A Pressing Engagement (2016) Anna Lee Huber Set in Scotland in 1831 This is a short story, but you should think of it as an outtake from the novels, rather than a stand-alone story you could pick up to read if you are unfamiliar with the characters or want to see if you like the […]

Mortal Arts (2013) Anna Lee Huber Set in Scotland in 1830. Alana and her sister and family are setting up in Edinburgh, because Alana is pregnant again, and the local doctor is a quack, and they want her to have access to better care. Their journey–slow as it is with Alana’s carriage sickness–is interrupted with […]

Into the Fire (2017) Jeaniene Frost The fourth and final book in the Vlad and Leila series finds them trying to undo the links that Leila has to Mircea the necromancer–links that look as if they can only be undone by death. This becomes an even bigger problem when the necromancers discover they can use […]

Bound by Flames (2015) Jeaniene Frost Third book in the saga of Vlad and Leila finds them still searching for Vlad’s enemy Szilagyi. It also finds Leila again kidnapped and tortured. I really didn’t care for how many times Leila was traumatized by Vlad’s enemies over the course of this series. I think reading the […]

Twice Tempted (2013) Jeaniene Frost Leila is living with Vlad, but quickly comes to discover that as much as she loves him, she cannot live with him not loving her. One of the things I particularly like is the history that the various vampires have seen. the Knighthood of the Temple of Solomon had secret […]

Once Burned (2012) Jeaniene Frost Leila was electrocuted as a teen. “So let me get this straight,” Auburn Hair said, drawing the words out. “You touched a downed power line when you were thirteen, nearly died, and then later, your body began giving off electric voltage and your right hand divined psychic impressions from whatever […]

The Admiral’s Penniless Bride (2011) Carla Kelly Set in England in 1816. Sally Paul is a paid companion. Because she works for older women, she is frequently looking for work, and when she goes to take a job in Plymouth, she discovers the women has already died. This leaves her with nothing, and nowhere to […]

You’re the Earl That I Want (2015) Kelly Bowen Set in England in 1818. Heath Hextall never expected to inherit the Earldom. His only goal had been to increase his family wealth. He needs a wife to take care of the things he doesn’t have time for, so he asks one of his best friends […]

The Cryptographer (2015) Alice Wallis-Eton Set in England in 1813. Irritating is, I believe, the best description for this story. There were parts of it I really liked (which is why I finished it) but greater parts were annoying and unnecessary. Aster Tanner is a young woman making her living in a world that makes […]

Delicious (2008) Sherry Thomas Set in England in 1892. This was a fun story–and one full of loving descriptions of food. It also has main characters who are middle aged (30s may not sound middle aged nowdays, but it would have been at a time when most people died in their 50s and 60s.) Verity […]