The Spymaster’s Lady (2008) Joanna Bourne You’re getting the alternate cover here, because I really don’t care for the cover that came with my version. In fact, I hesitated to read the book because the (other) cover made the book seem like something that wasn’t particularly for me. I was wrong. This book was for […]

Wild Card (2014) Lisa Shearin This short story is an introduction to Lisa Shearin’s Raine Benares series. I fully admit that despite being elves and goblins and not set in this world, I like it. Probably because it was a PI story, so the world building gets to take second place to the mystery. But […]

Cursed Moon (2014) Jaye Wells Book 2 in Prospero’s War finds Kate Prospero and the MEA (as well as the BPD) trying to keep calm in a city in a magical uproar for the coming Blue Moon. She is also struggling with her guilt over the events in the previous book, and her worry about […]

Charming (2013) Elliott James I almost gave up on this. I read the short stories and enjoyed them, but a third of the way in, the story still wasn’t doing it for me. Again, it was wanting a sense of accomplishment and a curiosity as to how things turned out that kept me reading, and […]

The Dragon Conspiracy (2015) Lisa Shearin This is the second book of the SPI files, and a fun romp. But is also has a few things that are quite different from other books in this genre. Such as this: Starting a romantic relationship with Ian and having it go bad would make our time at […]

Owl and the Japanese Circus (2015) Kristi Charish This wasn’t a throw-across-the-room bad book, but also wasn’t good. Owl is a former archaeology grad student who was manipulated and forced out of her program. She is also selfish and irritating and self-absorbed. Her only good quality is her cat, who senses and attacks vampires, but […]

Seeress of Kell (1991) David Eddings The conclusion of the Mallorean is a lovely wrap-up, but that also makes it somewhat frustrating. All the ‘i’s are dotted and ‘t’s crossed and everyone who wasn’t already married and in love ends up so by the end of the book. That’s not to mean there aren’t lots […]

Sorceress of Darshiva (1989) David Eddings This isn’t particularly one of my favorite of his book, but there are still fun parts, such as their meeting with Senji. After about three hundred years of argumentation, it suddenly occurred to the disputants that Senji was not merely talented, but also appeared to be immortal. In the […]

Demon Lord of Karanda (1988) David Eddings The third book of the Mallorean finds our heroes meeting Zakath, the emperor of all Mallorea. As with Urgit, the meeting has unexpected results, and again, Garion discovers that the Anagraks are not all he was expecting. Brador cleared his throat, fought for a moment with one of […]

King of the Murgos (1998) David Eddings < The second book of the Mallorean finds Belgarion once again on the road with companions (including my favorite, Silk) but not all those who went on the first quest are allowed on this one, which causes some grief, and will come up again in later books. And […]

Guardians of the West (1987) David Eddings I’ve been sick, so I’ve been craving comfort reading, hence my re-reading of the Mallorean. This book starts with Errand, who is living in the Vale with Polgara and Durnik. Errand is a strange child, which is unsurprising giving his early upbringing. Like the previous series, there is […]

Foxglove Summer (2014) Ben Aaronovitch When dealing with the law, having a mysterious past is contraindicated. I love this series so much. We return again to Peter Grant, police constable and apprentice wizard. He is still trying to deal with the results of the last case he worked–the one where his co-apprentice and friend Lesley […]

The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After (2006) Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer The third Cecelia and Kate book comes ten years after their Grand Tour. Both have offspring that seem to get into as much trouble as their mothers did when they were younger, and some of the children seem to be showing […]

How to Catch a Wild Viscount (2009) Tessa Dare This story is currently free, and for that price it wasn’t a bad story. But I can’t say it was my thing, either. Cecily Hale has been in love with Luke for years, but after Luke came back from war, he’s a changed man who seemingly […]

The Grand Tour: or the Purloined Coronation Regalia (2004) Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer We last saw our heroines married and getting ready to start their Honeymoon Grand Tour, or travel across Europe, which begins with the trip across the Channel. “Don’t fret,” Thomas told him, in what I thought was a most unfeeling […]

Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (1988) Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer I had somehow managed to forget how marvelous this story is. Kate and Cecy are two young ladies in Edwardian England–where there is magic. Kate has been sent to London for her Coming Out during the Season, while her cousin […]

The Devil You Know, Audible Version (2006/2007) by Mike Carey and narrated by Michael Kramer I fear I am becoming an audio book snob. All my recent favorites have been full of British accents (few of which are posh, which makes it all the better). I read the Felix Castor series years ago, and had […]

Gunmetal Magic (2012) by Ilona Andrews Started the audio version and just couldn’t get into it, so switched over the the ebook version. I read it a little slower this time, and overall it was a good book, however, this time around I found myself a little disappointed in the ending. It seemed just too […]

Gunmetal Magic Audible edition (2012) by Ilona Andrews and narrated by Renée Raudman It’s quite possible that we have become spoiled by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, who narrates Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series, but neither of us could really get into the audio version of Gunmetal Magic. The narrator wasn’t horrible or anything, but I didn’t […]

Enchanters’ End Game (1984) David Eddings And the final book of the Belgariad. Here we find Garion and Belgarath and Silk in Gar og Nadrak, which is one of the most fascinating places in his world building. The Nadraks don’t much care for their god, and have a disconcerting take on women, but unlike the […]

Castle of Wizardry (1984) David Eddings Book four of the Belgariad finds Garion and his companions with the Orb, and needing to make their way back to safety. We discover who Garion really is, and what the future has in store for him. There are some marvelous passages in this book. Such as this bit […]