Dead in the Shop (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Pudding crawls had become one of their traditions after one of their many Olivers had given up drinking. They’d supported him through Alcoholics Anonymous, and decided to create a way to celebrate without alcohol. Instead of reunions spent in one pub after the other, they […]

Dead in the Pond (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Bishan found it very difficult to force himself to do anything without understanding the reason. “Would you rather stay?” Yes. “Yes, but if I do it’ll make leaving harder the next time.” They hadn’t restocked his cereal yet. Bishan didn’t feel up to making something […]

Dead in the Garden (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Cinnamon. What did I just read? No matter how many times Valor read it, the cause of death didn’t change. His old schoolmate had been killed by inhaling cinnamon. It had been good for him. Valor didn’t know if he’d have grown into the same […]

Joy (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) “Are there, like… street signs or—” “He’s not from around here,” Nancy said to a guy at the counter who started laughing. “No, honey, just drive. The roads around here will bring you right through into the next town.” I put down the bin of dishes I’d been […]

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at the end of each day. Mostly, Lincoln had gotten loud, Jerry had gotten quiet, then said, “I love […]

Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) After reading a dystopia, I needed something more comforting to read. The first story is far and away my favorite. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, alcoholism, violence Hades is served with divorce papers, and so moves to the human realm. Told to find something to do with himself, […]

Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling Keith had investigated orgy sites where there had been twenty or more witnesses all standing and watching some victim being dismembered just because a cameraman was filming it. The presence of a camera implied fiction and a sense that some authority was […]

Hide and Seek (2022) Josh Lanyon Andy was already headed home–to the small Maine town where his great uncle has his small antique store, but when he arrives, things are made even worse: his uncle was in the hospital after being badly beaten during a break in. It makes Andy’s reasons for running home seem […]

There Will Be Phlogiston (2014) Alexis Hall (Prosperity) Anstruther Jones is the Phlogiston Baron. Wealth beyond imagine from ignominious beginnings, he wants to be accepted not because he admires society, but because he wants to find companionship. Lady Rosamond Wolfram is on the marriage mart because it is expected of her. She will catch a […]

Masters in This Hall (2022) K.J. Charles (Lilywhite Boys) Set in England in 1899. John Garland might not have had everything, like his uncle and his cousin, but he was respectable and had a job he was good at. Until it all came crashing down. Now he is heading to his uncle’s house in hopes […]

Lessons for Survivors (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England in 1919. Jonty and Orlando both survived the war–although not without scars. “It would prove to me that everything was back to normal. That the last five years hadn’t spoiled the world forever.” They walked on in silence, each with his thoughts. “Do you […]

The First Snow of Winter (2021) Joanna Chambers (Winterbourne) Set in England in 1814. Sam has returned to England missing both an arm and a direction for his life. And he doesn’t want the frivolity of the annual Christmas visit with his mother’s best friend. But his mother begs, so he remains. He does many […]

The Geek Who Saved Christmas (2021) Annabeth Albert Gideon Holiday loves Christmas. He loves all the holidays, but he especially loves Christmas. Paul Frost is the neighborhood grump. He doesn’t check the neighborhood Whatsapp group, and he doesn’t decorate for Christmas. But the neighborhood collections donations from people who drive through, so Gideon has a […]

Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones (2020) Ngozi Ukazu SQUEE! It’s makes me so happy! Publisher: First Second Rating: 9.5/10

Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey (2018) Ngozi Ukazu It’s like a hug! Only with hockey and bad language and drinking. Art from the comic blog. Publisher: First Second Rating: 8/10

The Holiday Trap (2022) Roan Parrish Greta has had it with her family. She may love them, but that doesn’t change things. “I know it’s Chanukah and I know your family, but I must introduce you to my friend Boundaries, and her best friend, Also Boundaries.” Truman needs to get away. “I left. Excuse me […]

All Lessons Learned (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Cambridge Fellows) Set in England and France in 1919. The war they said would end all conflicts. Only time would tell if that were true, that never again would Europe march into battle, but plenty of lives had been invested in trying to test the supposition, young men laid […]

Crown Court Killer (2022) Dahlia Donovan (London Podcast Mystery) Dannel and Osian are once again pulled into a murder mystery, when their friend (and defense soliciter) Wayne is accused of murder. “Barristers tend to specialise in certain areas of the law. They’re often brought in on complicated cases to handle matters in court.” Bradley spoke […]

Loud and Clear (2016) Aidan Wayne Another mental hug for me. Jaxon was getting the feeling that was his default way of coping with the world. Blanking himself out when things got tough. Jaxon used to do the same thing but with anger, till he’d gotten better ways to cope. If he wanted to do […]

Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper I just needed the mental hug. Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble was rough on my mental well-being. He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at […]

Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble (2022) Alexis Hall (Winner Bakes All) I should not have read this book. Main character with an undiagnosed anxiety disorder (that does get diagnosed), on-page panic attack, hospital stay due to panic attack, treatment plan for anxiety disorder discussed, emotionally unavailable parents, very graphic swearing, cyberbullying, religious and racial […]

The Doctor (2022) C.S. Poe (Magic & Steam) Set in alternate US in 1882. Gillian Hamilton has been caught. He has been exposed as Simon Fitzgerald, the Butcher of Antietam. And he is now on Blackwell’s Island at the Asylum for the Magically Insane. “Why are you helping a criminal?” Barrie wiped his nose again. […]

Proper Scoundrels (2021) Allie Therin (Roaring Twenties Magic) Set in England in 1925. Me: I really liked this first series that this book is a spin-off of. Obviously I should not read it. (Repeat time and again for author after author) Sebastian de Leon spent the past three years enthralled, and forced to do terrible […]

The Pride of Garnet Run (2022) Roan Parrish (Garnet Run) This is a Garnet Run story set between Best Laid Plans and The Lights on Knockbridge Lane that came out this fall. Cameron returned to Garnet Run after unable to work as a musician. He works as a barista because he never quite figured out […]

The Rivals of Casper Road (2022) Roan Parrish (Garnet Run) This is the fourth book in the Garnet Run series (actually the fifth, because there is a novella in there as well) and the characters from those stories all make appearances here. Every year, the residents of Casper Road have a Halloween house decorating contest. […]