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 Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes (2022) Cat Sebastian (London Highwaymen #2) 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 she married the duke in […]
A Queer Trade (2015) K.J. Charles (A Charm of Magpies World) “It’s the way of things. Burn your love letters, or have ’em put in the ground with you, or they’ll be tomorrow’s packing paper.” Hall gave a slightly rueful smile. “I put ’em aside for packing, when I notice, rather than foul use.” “Is […]
Another Place in Time (2014) Tamara Allen, Joanna Chambers, K.J. Charles, Kaje Harper, Jordan L. Hawk, Aleksandr Voinov “Office Romance” by Tamara Allen Set in 1920 in NYC Characters: Foster Wetherly, Casey Gladwin Rating: 7/10 “Introducing Mr. Winterbourne” by Joanna Chambers Set in London in 1821 Characters: Lysander Winterbourne, Adam Freeman Rating: 7.5/10 “The Ruin […]
The Mystery of the Spirits (2021) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter #5) I looked at Ferguson and offered a saccharine smile. “I guess I’m used to people telling me to shut up and therefore have to consolidate an entire religious movement that lasted nearly a century, heavily influenced by sensationalism and the mass casualties seen […]
Interlude (2021) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) “What brings you out to humble Durango?” “I was told we needed a vacation.” “He tries very hard to make it sound like a punishment.” Maybe it’d been selfish of me, but I’d appreciated her refusal to say there was anything deeper but the statement on the surface. […]
The Mystery of the Bones (2019) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter #4) “Life isn’t all about money, Seb.” “You can say that. You don’t have a hospital bill the length of a CVS receipt.” I’d been shot in May. That batshit crazy Pete White had nearly taken me out with an antique revolver, and all […]
The Mystery of the Moving Image (2018) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter #3) “I’m ignoring the sarcasm only because I’m incredibly turned on by you spouting random facts at me,” I answered. Calvin smirked. “I’ll remember that.” He’d been seeing a therapist for a few months now, but let’s be honest. It could take years […]
The Mystery of the Curiosities (2017) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter #2) I liked old black-and-white movies. They were easier to watch, what with never being overwhelmed by the mess of tones and colors blending into one another that represented modern cinema. “Sebastian. I can’t decide if you’re purposefully trying to get yourself killed, or […]
The Mystery of Nevermore (2016) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter #1) I was born with achromatopsia, which means I can’t see color. … Cones see color in bright light, rods see black and white in low light. My cones don’t work. At all. The world to me exists only in varying shades of gray, and […]
The Queer Principles of Kit Webb (2021) Cat Sebastian (London Highwaymen #1) Set in England in 1751 “I’ve already told you what I think. Paying the blackmailer is letting your father get away with it. I want to make him suffer,” Marian added with a degree of relish Percy found entirely understandable. This was so […]
A Power Unbound (2023) Freya Marske (The Last Binding #3) Set in England in 1909 Jack felt old and tired. Giving combat orders to young people while heavy with fatigue was like reaching for a guidekeeper: another habit he’d fallen easily back into. He didn’t like it any more than the other. Alanzo Rossi, Alan […]
A Marvellous Light (2021) Freya Marske (The Last Binding #1) Set in England in 1908 “You’ve been cursed, and you think this is a time to make jokes?” Blyth shoved his sleeve down again. “I’ve been cursed, so I’ll make all the jokes I please.” A chauffeur was not needed. Robin referred vaguely to friends […]
Viscounts & Villainy (2015) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #3) Set in 1925 in New York & England Yesterday’s cable from Geoffrey was checking whether I was returning to England for the Christmas social season or if I was dead and the title was his now. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Sebastian […]
Once a Rogue (2023) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #2) Set in 1925 in New York “Tomcat Lodge,” Sebastian read. “I’m not sure people come here to sleep.” “Not at all.” Wesley eyed it. “In fact, if I were going to imagine an inn where drunks could stagger from an illicit speakeasy and hire company […]
Proper Scoundrels (2021) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic #1) Set in 1925 in London & Paris “You’re his spitting image, you know.” Wesley’s brother had been too, all three of them over six feet tall with the same brown hair and gray eyes. Now only Wesley was left, and he couldn’t set foot in society […]
Subtle Blood (2021) KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures #3) Set in England in 1924 “I might have to buy one, actually, it was such fun. Shall we, Maisie? We can call her Suzy.” “Su— A Hispano-Suiza?” Kim demanded. “Do you know how fast those beasts go?” “We do now,” Maisie said. “I’d like a […]
The Sugared Game (2020) KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures #2) Set in England in 1924 “You’re Welsh,” Will pointed out. “You’ve got no room to talk about spelling.” “Nothing wrong with Welsh spelling, thank you,” Maisie said, with an edge on her accent. “Come off it. You put two ‘l’s in everything and don’t […]
Slippery Creatures (2020) KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures #1) Set in London in 1923 When Uncle William had died, Will remembered an ancient piece of lore about bees, and he’d cleared his throat and told the books, “He’s gone.” He’d been a working part in the State machine for years, a tool to be […]
Not Your Valentine (2023) Jackie Lau Helen is done with romance. And not unreasonably so. Charlie Kung broke up with me at a restaurant last Valentine’s Day, a break-up that practically everyone in the world witnessed. But everyone keeps asking her if she’s moved on, and it’s annoying, so the obvious solution is to create […]
Next of Kin (2022) Hannah Bonam-Young Chloe is on her own with her college degree and the desire to prove she can make it as a self-employed graphic designer. But all that is thrown into chaos when she receives a call from Child Protective Services. “The baby was premature. The doctor who called us earlier […]
Hudson River Homicides (2025) C.S. Poe (Memento Mori #4) The sender is still taunting Everett with corpses. Scrawled across the door in all caps with what was likely permanent black Sharpie was the message: PIN ME TO DETECTIVE LARKIN. And Larkin is struggling not just to stop the sender, but to deal with his own […]
Peter Cabot Gets Lost (2021) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #2) Set across the US in 1960 I read Tommy Cabot Was Here in an anthology years ago, and enjoyed it, but for some reason kept putting off reading the other two books that followed. This is the second, set a couple years later, and following […]
Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots (2022) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #3) Set in 1973 in New York City Daniel returned from the war a bit lost. His mother used her influence to make sure he spent his time sitting at a desk, as safe as it was possible to be. So he’s living in a […]
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #3) Leslie learned two valuable things about the fae that day. They were powerful and charming—and they ate children and puppies. Asil bowed his head to Bran’s anger. “That’s why you are the Alpha and I will do anything I can to never be Alpha again.” His […]
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #2) His grandfather had often told him that he tried too hard to move trees when a wiser man would walk around them. So often people got it wrong, treating their elders like children, people to be coddled and ignored. He knew better, and so did the […]
Think of England (2014) KJ Charles Set in England in 1904 A foreigner and a dandy, because while his shirt was impeccable and the tailcoat and tapering trousers cut to perfection, he was wearing a huge green glass ring and, Curtis saw with dawning horror, a bright green flower in his buttonhole. “The supply lines […]
Proper English (2019) KJ Charles Set in Shropshire England in 1902 “Er, are you thinking of moving to London?” “Absolutely not,” Pat assured him, and noted the tiny relaxation on his face. If she had been metropolis-minded, everyone would have expected her to set up household with her bachelor brother. They’d settled in Pat’s room, […]
Where Foxes Say Goodnight (2023) Sam Burns (Sleeping Foxes #1) Max has won awards and accolades for the semi-biographical story he wrote about his life with his grandmother, so it’s a bit of an unpleasant surprise to awakened the very next day by a lawyer on his doorstep with an NDA from the guy he […]
Something Spectacular (2023) Alexis Hall (Something Fabulous #2) I was somewhat hesitant to read this book as I thought it was Arabella’s book, and I’m not sure I can handle an entire book with her as the main characters (Bonny was difficult enough and that book wasn’t from his point-of-view) but this is Peggy’s story […]
Something Fabulous (2022) Alexis Hall (Something Fabulous #1) I struggled the first time I read this, partially because I was having a difficult time reading anything, and partially because I went into it thinking “historical romance” instead of “fantasy rom com”. This time I went in thinking fantasy rom com and I enjoyed it much […]
Blank Spaces (2016) Cass Lennox (Toronto Connections #1) “It’s not that I don’t like you. It’s more like I don’t know you.” “You’ve glared at me for most of lunch. That’s what I meant.” “Oh.” He went red again. “I thought you were being all pretentious and coming on to me or something, so I […]
The Missing Page (2022) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers #2) Set in Cornwall, England in 1947 Not knowing how to respond to that, as he could hardly accept a compliment bestowed on a version of himself that was twenty years out of date, he pasted on a smile. “The letter from the solicitor said the […]
The Ruin of a Rake (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series, #3) Set in London in 1817 “You ordered tea,” Courtenay said. “I like tea,” Julian responded. “You like sugary milk.” Courtenay, as if to demonstrate the point, poured about an inch of tea into Julian’s cup and then added a nearly equal amount of […]
The Lawrence Browne Affair (2017) Cat Sebastian (The Turner Series #2) Set in Cornwall, England in 1816 “Five servants quit,” Halliday said, tapping Lawrence’s desk in emphasis. Dust puffed up in tiny clouds around the vicar’s fingertips. “Five. And you were woefully understaffed even before then.” Five fewer servants? So that was why the house […]
Hither, Page (2019) Cat Sebastian (Page & Sommers #1) Set in England in 1946. Do you know, James, this evening I thought to myself: I would like to put paper stars and glass balls on a tree.” “I see you’ve reached the heights of depravity.” “I’d suggest going easy on this fellow. He had a […]
The Mistletoe Motive (2021) Chloe Liese There is a lot I love about this story: the ace rep, the female lead with ASD, the single point-of-view. Jonathan glances up and meets my eyes, his gaze speaking some cryptic language that I don’t. I hate that feeling. It’s old and familiar, and it never fails to […]
Mystery on the Menu: A Three-Course Collection of Cozy Mysteries (2023) Nicole Kimberling “This is Andrew,” Evelyn announced, waving her hand back as though I were some stray dog that had followed her home. “He’s the chef at the murder restaurant.” I pivoted and strode briskly into the walk-in refrigerator all the way to the […]
We Could Be So Good (2023) Cat Sebastian (Midcentury NYC #1) Set in NYC in 1958 Nick is a reporter at the New York Chronicle, I job he worked hard to get, and loves doing. So he finds himself annoyed to be working with the boss’s kid, Andy Fleming, who is now on the city […]
Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue (2023) Cat Sebastian (The Cabots #3.5) Set in North Carolina in 1953 This is a story about being injured. Billy was no prince when he was hurting, either. He always felt, idiotically, that giving in to pain was some kind of character flaw. He knew it wasn’t, he […]
You Should Be So Lucky (2024) Cat Sebastian (Midcentury NYC #2) Set in NYC in 1960 Eddie O’Leary made a mess of things when he reacted badly to being traded. Now his teammates hate him, the fans hate him, as far as he can tell everyone in NYC hates him. And now he can’t hit […]
The Soldier’s Dark Secret (2015) Marguerite Kaye (Comrades in Arms) Set in England in France in 1815 Jack struggles to deal with the things he saw during the way, not just the Battle of Waterloo, but before. Dammit! It had been two years. He should be over it by now. Or if not over it, […]
After Hours at Dooryard Books (2025) Cat Sebastian Set in NYC in 1968 Patrick has worked for Dooryard Books since Mrs. Kaplan picked him up and gave him a place when he was seventeen. He may have reconnected with his brother and best friend, Susan, after being kicked out by their aunt and uncle, but […]
Cry Wolf (2021) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #5) But loss was too complex a thing to always feel what you were supposed to feel. Fear is just your body protecting itself, Dr. Ripodi had said once. Just like pain exists to let you know something is wrong, fear is another message. Sometimes, though, the […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family #1) “He needs something to do. Something to accomplish.” Something, the marquess thought, that might lighten the shadows his brother attempted to hide behind a cheerful wit and careless smile. Being knocked unconscious by two small women was a degree better than being knocked unconscious by just […]
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #4) Park inclined his head slightly in that way of his that always made him look like some kind of benevolent god accepting a loving sacrifice. When Cooper tried the same he looked like he’d suddenly dropped food down his shirt. “It’s not you, it’s […]
Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #3) “(T)he book said no one should hike alone. What if you run into an animal?” “Then there’s a 50/50 chance we’re related.” Cooper felt the discomfort that had been prickling at the base of his skull since the market bloom across his skin. You […]
The Wolf at Bay (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #2) I love the opening of this book so very much. But I have quoted it every review I’ve done, so I’ll skip this time. But really, it’s the best. Ever since (learning of Cooper’s injuries) Park had been hyper-vigilant that Cooper was getting enough […]
The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf #1) Ava being Ava. He didn’t understand why she always sent a thousand little texts rather than put all the information in one long message. She didn’t understand why he used commas. “It’s a standing joke around the Trust that the real reason behind […]
Battle Hill Bolero, Audio Book (2017) Daniel José Older narrated by Daniel José Older (Bone Street Rumba #3) It’s almost over. Kia is back in town and now an Iyawo, Sasha and Reza have become friends, and Kia, Jimmy, Kris, and Redd–one of the ghosts from the Burial Grounds–have become friends. “Him and Damian and […]