Unclaimed (2011) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1841 Mark Turner has been knighted by the queen for his book on Chastity for men. That single event has made him a super star–despite all his best efforts not to be one. Why was it that men had to take every good principle and turn it […]
Unveiled (2011) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1837 Ash Turner has succeeded beyond what anyone might have imagined, and his final goal is taking the Dukedom from the family of his distance relative–turning the man’s children into bastards in the process. But Ash doesn’t care, because everything he does is for his family. (D)espite […]
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 […]
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867 Jane Fairfield has a serious problem–she has money and she is eligible, but she can’t marry–not now. So she has to do everything in her power to not marry, despite her fortune. Jane sashayed forward and took in the effect of her new gown. […]
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 […]
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1863. Minerva Lane has been hiding. Hiding from her past and her childhood, and even her name, going by another name, Wilhelmina Pursling. No one but her great aunts knows of her past, not even her best friend Lydia, whose dangerous secrets she’s held for […]
Steel’s Edge (2012) Ilona Andrews Charlotte has fled to the Edge to escape a marriage gone terribly wrong. The outrage swelled in her, mixing with hurt. Last night he’d kissed her before they fell asleep next to each other. This was the man she woke up to every morning? “Elvei, you realize, you’re telling me […]
Wildfire: A Hidden Legacy Novel (2017) Ilona Andrews This is the third book in the Hidden Legacy series. This was supposed to be a trilogy, but there are enough loose ends for at least another book. I could have done without the final bit with Victoria Tremaine, which felt more like a cliffhanger than this […]
Fate’s Edge (2011) Ilona Andrews On re-reading, this one I greatly preferred to the second book. First, although the main story is between Audrey and Kaldar (and Kaldar is a rogue, so of course I love him), they end up dealing with Gaston, and more interestingly Jack and George, and spending time with those two […]
Bayou Moon (2010) Ilona Andrews Following this immediately after finishing On the Edge helped clarify what bothered me about this story. I really like William in the first book. He’s odd, and he’s badly broken, but he is a good man who is fiercely protective of children. But he is definitely odd. And this book […]
On the Edge (2009) Ilona Andrews After reading their new series, I was struck with a desire to re-read The Edge series. Luckily, the eBook is available from the library, so I didn’t have to buy another copy to re-read it. Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the area between the magical and mundane lands, […]
White Hot (2017) Ilona Andrews Guess what? I DESPISE THIS COVER TOO. It’s TERRIBLE. I tells you nothing about the story except that there is boinking. BLETCH. OK, enough. How about the story? The story is good! Things are even more complex, and not just between Nevada and Rogan. The cabal that attempted to destroy […]
Burn for Me (2014) Ilona Andrews I STILL DESPISE THIS COVER. Avon? THIS COVER IS HORRIBLE. No, really. It’s been what, three years, and I STILL HATE THIS COVER. Especially considering the proposed cover. But this review is not for me to rant. Well, not completely anyway. Nevada Baylor is owned by MII, the investigative […]
Passionate Minds: Emilie du Chatelet, Voltaire, and the Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment (2006) David Bodanis In France (and Europe) ~1706-1749 Unless you are a geek or a mathematician (or perhaps astronomer) you probably have never heard of Emilie du Chatelet. Not because she lacked achievements, but because she achieved those things as a […]
Sacred and Profane (1987) Faye Kellerman Peter Decker is trying to decide if being in love with Rina Lazarus is reason enough to take up practicing orthodox Judaism. He has become close with her sons, but chafes against the strictures and wonders if he truly has faith. There was an easy way out. He could […]
Shores of Desire (1997) Tracy Grant Set in Scotland and Europe in 1815 There are actually three primary characters in this story: Robert, Emma, and the War with Napoleon. Emma was used to dealing with everyday injuries, wounds from fights and falls and accidents. Save when Allan had been invalided home, his wounds already neatly […]
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 […]
Magic Breaks (2014) Ilona Andrews Book seven of the Kate Daniels series. Yes, I did sit on this book for more than two years before getting around to reading it. Mostly because I wasn’t up to re-reading the entire series. I’ll tear through a series, one book after the other, but knowing that to really […]
Gunmetal Magic (2012) Ilona Andrews This is Andrea’s story–a continuation of “Magic Mourns” and Magic Slays and occurs parallel to events in “Magic Gifts“. It’s really book 5 1/2 of the Kate Daniels’ series. Andrea is working with Kate at Cutting Edge Investigations, and trying to avoid Raphael–the bouda who was her mate and who […]
Magic Mourns (2009) originally published in Must Love Hellhounds This is Andrea and Raphael’s story–well, the first part of it anyway. (The second part is the book Gunmetal Magic) Andrea is attempting to cover for Kate while she is recovering from events in Magic Strikes. Unfortunately, the people who call Kate don’t trust anyone else, […]
Magic Bleeds (2010) Ilona Andrews Book four finds Kate waiting for Curran, having made him dinner as he specified–except he doesn’t show up. While she’s tending to her broken heart, she gets called to deal with what sounds like a bar fight that got out of hand. Who the hell would attack the Steel Horse […]
Magic Burns (2008) Ilona Andrews A magic flare is coming, and everyone from the lowliest witch to gods is looking to take advantage of the increased magic. Kate, as an associate of The Order, is being run ragged, but when she comes upon a lost girl in search of her mother, she takes the young […]
Kitty and the Silver Bullet (2008) Carrie Vaughn Cormac is in the clink. Kitty and Ben are trying to settle into the new pack of two. Then everything comes crashing down when Rick shows up asking Kitty to help him overthrow the supernatural power structure in Denver, followed by a call from Kitty’s father that […]
A Perilous Undertaking (2017) Deanna Raybourn Set in London in 1887. The second Veronica Speedwell mystery finds Veronica and Stoker preparing for an expedition–until their benefactor breaks his leg tripping over his giant tortoise. This leaves both cranky with each other until a new mystery is dropped in their laps. Veronica is summoned to the […]
A Curious Beginning (2015) Deanna Raybourn Set in London in 1887 This had been on my wishlist for awhile, because although I found her other series vaguely annoying (both not so annoying that I didn’t read multiple books) this seemed right up my alley. As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, Veronica […]
Dead Heat (2016) Patricia Briggs The fourth book in the Alpha & Omega series, and I think the end of my Patricia Briggs re-read binge. One of the things I particularly like about this story is the interaction between the kids. “Shut your piehole, punk kid,” Max said, thumping her on the head with the […]
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs The third Alpha & Omega book finds Charles overcome by increase in killings he needs to do now that the werewolves have come out in public. I takes awhile for Bran to be convinced that this is harming his son. Asil left Bran alone with his thoughts then, because if […]
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs The second book in the Alpha & Omega series takes place not long after the events of the first book. Bran has decided that the werewolves are going to come out to the public, and he is meeting with the European wolves–not to ask them opinion, but to see if […]
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs One of the things I particularly like about this book (and spin-off series) is that we get to spend time with both Bran and Asil. Bran didn’t reply, just spun himself slowly, around and around on the little stool in the corner of the room. In his hothouse, Asil trimmed […]
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 […]
Magic and Manners (2016) C.E. Murphy Set in alternate Regency England, with magic. First, I really liked the magic and world-building. Magic is stigmatized in England, worked only by the lower-classes who are useful to the crown in warfare. The new Mrs Dover marked no complaints about a home where the tea remained mysteriously hot […]
The Escapement of Blackledge (2016) Mary Robinette Kowal Set in alternate Regency London The Duke of Blackledge does NOT want to attend his coming-of-age birthday party, however, his mother is insistent. But there is only so much he can take, so he escapes to his laboratory where he works on his automatons, only to find […]
The Summer of the Danes (1991) Ellis Peters Set in Wales in 1144. This story is quite different from others in this series. Like the first, it is set in Wales, but instead of a peaceful search for a saint, there is a possibility of a fight between brothers and then invasion (by the Danes […]
The Potter’s Field (1989) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. The war between King Stephen and Empress Maud continues, and raiders have attacked East Anglia, sending the residents and the local Benedictines fleeing. The novice Sulien Blount is sent back to Shrewsbury both to escape the raiders and to consider whether he truly wants […]
The Heretic’s Apprentice (1989) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. William of Lythwood has returned from his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in a coffin. He died of illness on his return home, and his attendant Elave has brought his body back to his family. However, a visiting cleric raises doubts as to whether […]
The Confession of Brother Haluin (1988) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1143. Brother Haluin came to the abbey as a novice, and as a brother did penance beyond what it was believed he owed. But there are some born to do penance by nature. Maybe they, lift the load for some of us who […]
The Hermit of Eyton Forest (1987) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1142. The 14th Brother Cadfael book sees the Civil War still causing problems, and sees further reversals between the two contestants for the throne. Back at the Abbey, Cadfael has a new helper, another young novice. “Yes, I should think he might do […]
The Rose Rent (1986) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1142. The 13th Brother Cadfael mystery revolves around a property that had been donated to the Abbey by a widow, with an unusual stipulation. One white rose from that bush in her old garden, to be delivered to her on the day of Saint Winifred’s […]
The Raven in the Foregate (1986) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141. The 12th Brother Cadfael mystery finds a new priest come to the local parish–a priest sent by bishop Henry of Winchester. Although he is educated and pious, it soon becomes clear that he is not well suited to being a parish priest. […]
An Excellent Mystery (1985) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141. The town of Winchester has been destroyed in the war between Maud and Stephen, and the people–as well as the Benedictine brothers and nuns–have scattered across the country to wherever they can find refuge. Two monks arrive at the Abbey of Saint Peter and […]
The Pilgrim of Hate (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1141 The 10th Brother Cadfael novel finds the Abbey preparing for the celebration of Saint Winifred, and pilgrims arriving in hopes of a miracle. This celebration is a reprieve from the civil war that has been tearing up the country for three years. I […]
Dead Man’s Ransom (1984) Ellis Peters Set in England and Wales in 1141. The civil war continues to tear through England, reaching back towards Shrewsbury, where Hugh and the local sheriff are sent off to fight against the Earls of Chester and Lincoln as well as a marauder from Wales. When the sheriff is taken, […]
The Devil’s Novice (1983) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1140. The 8th Brother Cadfael mystery beings with a discussion of taking on of two oblates–youth given by their father’s to the abbey. One youth is an infant, the other an older teen. It’s a reminder of just how different things were that the idea […]
The Sanctuary Sparrow (1983) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1140. The seventh Brother Cadfael mystery begins with a mob howling for the blood of a young man chased into the abbey, seeking sanctuary. They claim a man has been killed, and want vengeance. The abbot holds no truck with violence in the sanctuary, and […]
The Virgin in the Ice (1982) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139. It is winter, and along the border with Wales, this time can be deadly, especially for the poor or travelers caught unaware. When bandits leave a Benedictine brother for dead in the cold, Brother Cadfael is called to come help, due to […]
The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1139. I found I hadn’t purchased book four, so I skipped to book five of the Brother Cadfael series. Brother Mark has gone to Saint Giles, to minister to the lepers there, and Brother Cadfael misses his former assistant, but does get to […]
Monk’s Hood (1980) Ellis Peters
One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1138. I enjoyed the second book as much as–if not more than–the first. Civil War is come to Shrewsbury as Maud and Stephen battle for the throne of England. (I actually had to go back and peruse She-Wolves, to see is Maud was mentioned […]
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters Set in England and Wales in ~1137. I picked this up on sale–and by accident. I’d confused Ellis Peters with Peter Tremayne (whose real name was Peter Berresford Ellis, so it’s not that ridiculous of a mistake) and so picked up a bunch of these books when […]
To Charm a Naughty Countess (2014) Theresa Romain Set in England in 1816 I wanted to love this story. Instead, I just liked it, despite often feeling irritated at times. Michael Layward, the Duke of Wyverne has learned that his estate is out of money, and no one is willing to extend him credit any […]