books

Fantasy Mystery Romance Comics Non-Fiction

DNF: Lost to a Spy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 […]

An Unsuitable Heir

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

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

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. […]

Cold Reign, Audio Edition

Cold Reign, Audio Edition (2017) Faith Hunter narrated by Khristine Hvam I’ve been working my way through the Jane Yellowrock audio books since 2014. It’s been lovely since it’s allowed me to keep the story and world current in my brain, so I didn’t feel the need to go back and re-read every time a […]

Shores of Desire

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

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

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

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

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 […]

Into the Fire

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

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

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

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 […]

You’re the Earl That I Want

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 […]

Delicious

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 […]

Nearly a Lady

Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson Set in England during the regency. Freddie Blythe and Lilly Ilestone have been barely surviving in Scotland after the death of Freddie’s father and the promise by Lord Haverston to care for his Freddie. Gideon and Lucien Haverston are trying to set their inherited estates to rights after discovering […]