WHAT ARE WE READING & REVIEWING IN AUGUST 2024?

WHAT ARE YOUR READING PLANS FOR AUGUST 2024?

(No problem...lock yourself in the bathroom and refuse to come out until you need more books)

Carol's Mountain of Books for August
🌹 -★
46/46
🌹I'd Know You Anywhere- Laura Lippman - 4★ - (Friend #1)
🌹Why Kings Confess - C.S. Harris -4.5★ (England) - (Group Read) (2)
*****************************************
🌹Wrenches, Regrets, & Reality Checks - L.A. Witt- 4.5★
🌹General Misconduct - L. A. Witt -4★
🌹In Too Deep - Kate Sherwood -4★
🌹Not Until Noah - Lisa Henry -4.5★
🌹Right as Raine - Lucy Lennox -4.5★
🌹Can't Say Goodbye - Eden Finley -4.5★
🌹Don't Mess with the Ex - D.J. Jamison -5★
🌹Something About You - Riley Hart - 4.5★
🌹Something about Us - Riley Hart -5★
🌹Bishop, Blue Collar Daddies - Jacki James -4.5★
🌹The Intern - Serena Akeroyd -★ (no rating)
🌹Prescription for Love - Aimee Nicole Walker -5★
🌹What We Do What We Do in the Dark - Michelle Hart -2.5★
🌹Nothing Special - Casey Cox -4★
🌹Unscathed - Luna David -4.5★
🌹Waiting For Daddy - A. W. Scott -4.5★
🌹His Christmas Crush - A.W. Scott -4★
🌹Embracing The Storm - Carly Marie -5★
🌹Agrippa My Heart - JP Sayle -5★
🌹Pretty 'N Peak - Reese Morrison - 5★
🌹The Geek Jock Switch - Joe Satori - 4.5★
🌹Kitchen Sink Dom - Tanya Chris - 5★
🌹Chicken Soup Dom- Tanya Chris - 5★
🌹Upsy-Daisy Dom - Tanya Chris - 5★
🌹Champagne Charades - Leighton Greene -5★
🌹Taming Tristan- Leighton Greene -5★
🌹Worth The Fight - Kate Hawthorne -5★ (27)
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🌹First Lie Wins - Ashley Elston - 4★
🌹Kill For Me, Kill For You - Steve Cavanaugh -5★
🌹The Return of Ellie Black - Emiko Jean - 5★
🌹When I'm Dead - Hannah Morrissey - 4.5★
🌹Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens - 4★
🌹Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo - 5★
🌹The Good Girl - Mary Kubica - 5★
🌹The Nightmare Man - J. H. Markert- 4.5★
🌹Mister Lullaby- J.H. Merkert - 5★
🌹A Gift for Dying - M. J. Arlidge -5★
🌹Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris -4.5★
🌹Listen for the Lie - Amy Tintera -5★
🌹Homecoming - Kate Morton -4.5★
🌹A White Room - Stephanie Carroll -3★
🌹Murder Road - Simone St. James -3.5★
🌹Charlotte Gray - Sebastian Fauks - 2★
🌹The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear - Walter Moers- 5★ (17)

First Lie Wins - Ashley Elston - (Louisianna)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4★
Evie Poter quickly realizes her latest job has become more personal and dangerous than planned. Evie Porter is not even her real name and conning folks is indeed her game. Ryan Sumner is the mark she's got her eye on and making him fall for her in a whirlwind romance is her game this time. Ryan isn't a saint by any means. Ryan has a trucking business on the side that moves black-market goods. All seems to be going well for Evie until she meets a woman who is dating one of Ryan’s friends and introduces herself as Lucca Marino...which is Evie’s actual name. When imposter Lucca dies in a car wreck and the police question Evie and Ryan since they were the last to see her, an old outstanding warrant shows itself for Evelyn Porter's arrest. This is more than strange since there should be no history to produce this. At this point Evie begins to suspect that her job is actually a test from her employer, Mr. Smith, who was unhappy after she failed her last assignment, and this time the stakes are much higher. To keep herself from going to jail, Evie must pull in every favor she has accumulated during her career to outwit Mr. Smith, but she will have to first decide if she can trust Ryan or if she has to run if she wants any hope for a future. Mixed in with the current happenings are flashbacks that go back ten-years earlier in which Evie remembers committing a petty theft at the country club because she was desperate for cash to pay for her mother’s cancer treatments. This happened while she was still in high school. This is where I became a bit confused, and the story began to bog down slightly. Seems that she was at this time, somehow connected with a Mr. Smith, and now a plethora of side characters are introduced. This book is advertised as "a savvy thriller with intrigue and momentum from the first twist of Lucca’s arrival right up until the final showdowns". Evie is an engaging character and anything but predictable and the story was good, but I didn't especially find it to be a page-turner.

Waiting for Daddy - A.W. Scott
Coleman Ranch Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/Ranch Life/Daddy/little
4★
Atticus and Sean had met 5-years ago in a restaurant/bar. After a wild, sexy night spent together, Atticus awoke the next morning to find that Sean was gone...gone back to his father's ranch that he thought he would never go back to, but his father's death had changed all that. The years went by, and life went on...Sean on the ranch and Atticus as a doctor...but they could never forget one another or that night. Atticus had worked before as a hand at the Coleman Ranch, and he felt he simply HAD to return to the only place he had ever felt welcomed and accepted. He didn't know that Sean was the owner now, but fate allowed them to find one another again and to see if they could really have what they both still wanted. Neither of them could let go of the memories surrounding that one monumental night or that special someone. They both wanted another chance of a future together. When plans that Seans father had had for the ranch and didn't tell anyone about before his death, go all wrong...they had to discover a way to possibly fix it. This entire group of men on the ranch came up with a pretty ingenious plan. The whole story bordered on the "fairly unlikely to happen, at least so easily", but it was a warm and sweet story that had a happy ending, promising a future of more "warm and sweet, happy endings" in the reminder of the Coleman Ranch series. Sometimes you just have to dismiss all those unlikely happenings and disbelieves and just go with "it feels good and right".

Unscathed - Luna David
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
4.5★
Maddox goes to the local BDSM club looking for a Daddy Dom, and he finds Lachlan. Lachlan had once rescued him from a high school prom that was going to go wrong if his classmate's plans had come fulfillment years ago, 7 years ago, to be exact...and the slight age difference didn't mater then and it certainly doesn't matter now. Maddox learns that Lachlan is a Dom and best of all, he's available and willing to take on a 'boy". Their families knew one another from running in the same social circles so everything is right on track. Seldom do we get a story that goes so perfectly right. If you're looking for a story with a lot of heat, you won't find it here...but if a sweet daddy/boy relationship about establishing boundaries and getting to know each other first to have a solid foundation is something you're interested in... you'll find it here.

Four Seasons In Rome – Anthony Doerr
4****

Subtitle: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World

This is Doerr’s memoir of a year he spent as a fellow at the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The award came with a studio in which to write, an apartment, and a stipend. And, of course, the experience of a year in Rome. It also came at a time when his wife had recently given birth to twins. Undeterred, Anthony and Shauna set off for Rome with four-month-old twin boys, who were not yet sleeping through the night.

I was completely delighted by this memoir. I have no children, but have witnessed the absolute exhaustion brought on in new parents by days (weeks? Months?) without adequate sleep as they try to care for a newborn. Caring for two simultaneously? And yet …

Doerr and his wife managed to find some time for themselves (thanks to a great babysitter), to explore some of Rome’s less-well-known treasures and even to venture in the Umbrian countryside for some “alone time.” He recounts his efforts to write, his explorations of the city and surrounding area, his neighbors, his struggles to learn and speak serviceable Italian (asking for “grapefruit sauce” was a highlight!), and the experience of all new parents as these small bundles slowly become independently mobile and show signs of the individuals they will become.

The Good Girl - Mary Kubica - (Minnesota/Illinois)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
This is a psychological thriller that focuses on the abduction of a young teacher. Mia Dennett comes from wealth, and that made her a perfect target. Chicago Police Detective Gabe Hoffman is assigned to lead the official search and soon finds himself becoming increasingly attracted to Mia’s mother, a British woman in her early 60s. The story switches between the past and present and is told by several of the characters; Mia’s mother, Eve and her abductor, Colin; and Gabe, the detective. Mia was set free after many months of living in the woods of Minnesota with her captor. She has a kind of amnesia that her psychiatrist says, allows her to block out parts of what happened to her. Gabe is still trying to track down the truth about what happened to her, while her mother is desperately trying to find her daughter that she believes is buried underneath Mia’s apathy and confusion. We follow the abduction itself through Colin’s words and discover the odd bond that developed between the captor and the captive in time they spent together. My husband is a retired police detective, and he say that that truly often does happens in real time. The author did a wonderful job of telling this story. She has made the characters engaging and mostly likeable, allowing for the story to move along smoothly. The only thing I found a bit hard to believe was that the Chicago Police Department, one of the busiest organizations in the United States, if not the world, would have the man power or the time to assign a single, high ranking detective to one single case for months on end with no end in sight...but then stranger things have happened and money does speak loudly in a language entirely of its own. The story more than earned the 5-star rating in spite of this unlikely happening.

We Do What We Do in The Dark - Michelle Hart
Genera: F/F Romance
2.5★
A lonely young woman has an affair with a married female professor at her college. The college was mostly a commuter school, so on most nights and weekends about two-thirds of the students simply disappeared to off campus establishments, their own homes, or the homes of fellow students. Our leading character here, Mallory Green, didn't have a car or much of an interest in bars or mingling with the other students. Mallory described herself as feeling both "claustrophobic and isolated"...a feeling which she had been more than familiar with most of her life. This novel is supposed to "record and observe the coming-of-age of Mallory Green". I think she missed the boat here. Mallory had previously had a post–high school gap year because of her mother's death. I at first found this next bit odd, but then thought well maybe it was something that a young person on their own without any parental guidance might actually do...Mallory chose her college from her memory of the name on a sweatshirt that one of her classmates had worn in kindergarten! I thought after that mature decision that this girl is one brick short of a wheelbarrow full. Then to top that off she has an obsessive relationship with a professor whose husband is out of town for a year. Mallory has known she was gay since childhood, but this is the first time she has acted on it. None the less, the mentor... "The Woman"...we never know her as anything other than "The Woman"...seems to have more to do with managing a personality that's filled with isolation and misery and occasionally meanness, than it does with being gay. “I have slept with other women, yes. But I’m not like you. We are alike in many ways, but not that one,", "The Woman" tells her. In fact, the other woman...the female professor, tells Mallory that she had always planned to get back together with her husband as soon as he comes home. I wondered if he knew or cared what "The Woman" had been up to while he was gone??? Mallory asks her how they could be alike, though actually she already knows. “You and I," we do what we do in the dark and then we deal with it all alone.” . I'm wanting this to be over at this point...but refuse to just stop reading. I started this and I'm going to finish it if it kills me! This is the first F/F romance that I have read in a long, long, long time. I generally avoid them like the plague because most of the characters generally end up coming across as disillusioned "air heads"...or "gigantic explosions" looking for somewhere to spread their destruction". I'll give it 2.5 generous stars...after all no one forced me to read it, or to continue to read it, and I knew how it was going to be.... but hey...it fit a challenge category. I like my guys, so I'll happily stick to my M/M romances. At least no one in one of them has enrolled in a college they saw on a 20-year-old sweatshirt.... yet

Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon
Book on CD performed by Bahni Turpin & Robbie Daymond
3.5***

From the book jacket: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window and I see him.

My reactions:
This YA romance had some significant serious issues to discuss. Can love (even teenage love) conquer all? Yoon certainly makes a good case.

I really liked Maddy (Madeline Whittier). She’s intelligent and mostly serene. She’s come to accept her very limited world and hasn’t really “missed” what she can’t have. Until now, of course. Olly is more complex and guarded. His family situation is fraught with drama and it’s understandable that he’d want to keep some things to himself. Still …

What starts as messages taped to windows, and progresses to texting and IM-ing, must inevitably lead to meeting in person. Each of these teens has some significant issues to deal with on their own, and sharing their struggles brings them closer together. They come to trust in and support one another in a very nice, somewhat naïve way. Of course, things can’t possibly go smoothly for these star-crossed lovers.

There were some things that bothered me in the plot, mostly dealing with the reality of how things might happen. But I was willing to go along for the ride because I really liked both Maddy and Olly. I guessed the big secret ahead of the reveal, but still liked how Yoon handled it. And I liked the way these teens interacted with one another and their families.

Bahni Turpin and Robbie Daymond do an excellent job of voicing the audiobook. They really brought these teens to life for me. I’m glad, however, that I had the text handy, which includes a number of illustrations which just don’t translate well to audio format.

Kill for Me, Kill for You - Steve Cavanagh - (New York)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
Amanda's 6-year-old daughter was kidnapped and murdered causing her husband to be, so grief stricken that he committed suicide. Ruth was brutally attacked in her home, and as a result she believes that every man with blue eyes that she sees, is or could be, her attacker. Farrow is a detective that wants to work these cold cases...the ones that no one else wants anything to do with. Both women want revenge on the man that destroyed their lives. I was in hopes that the characters having suffered so much would be ones that I would really want to root for but none of them were particularly likeable...perhaps it was due to their past circumstances. I did really like the characters of Detective Farrow and his partner, Hernandez. They worked well together and seemed to care about the victims as more than "just a case to solve"...and were excellent at their job. This is the third book that I have read by this author, and it certainly won't be my last. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the story would take a different turn. His stories have all had this development making them thus far, interesting and filed with just enough twisted plots and tension to satisfy any Mystery & Suspense or crime story enthusiast.

His Christmas Crush - A.W. Scott
Genera: M/M Romance/Christmas
4★
It was a warm, cuddly story as all of Allie Scot's stories seem to be. The only reason it received 4 stars instead of 5 was because it was just too darn short. I knew that it wasn't a long book when I bought it, but I love this author's work, and her characters are so darn sweet...and there was no exception to that rule here. Within the little over 100 pages, we have one loving family that loves their son and welcomes his best friend into their home no matter what his sexuality is... one beautiful snowy Christmas...almost insta-love...best friend’s and best friend's handsome brother...and a steamy romance that is totally sweet. Trevor’s older brother Noah doesn't realize it, but he is going to get and give the best Christmas present ever. Thank you, Allie, for another fantastic story.

Bishop (Blue Collar Daddies) - Jacki James -(Texas)
Blue Collar Daddies Series Book #6
4.5★
This is the last book (#6) in the Blue-Collar Daddies series. We meet Bishop, who isn't really looking, but wouldn't say "no" to finding a boy of his own. The last thing he expected was for that boy to be his best friend's little brother, Rory. Bishop owns and runs an auto repair shop so when Rory's car breaks down on the way to make the most important delivery of his career, (he's a fantastic cookie baker), Bishop comes to the rescue of both his career and Rory, himself. Now Rory only has to convince the "big Papa Bear" that he is not a kid anymore. He has a career that he loves and knows what he wants in life. I loved this story with Rory's business about to take off and Bishop trying to fight his attraction, (but not too hard), to the man he sees before him. Bishop eventually shows Rory that he doesn't want to boss him or own him...he only wants to love him...and won't object at all if Rory wants to call him "Daddy". Bishop did everything that he could to support Rory's dreams and success. One thing that has aways been good about this series is that we don't lose track of previous characters. It was great to see all the other boys and Daddies making sure that Bishop was good for Rory and that his priorities were right. This was an easy read with a warm feeling and so easy-to-understand the intentions on the part of both men. This story...actually the entire 6 books in the series, were on the "vanilla" side of a BDSM-DDLB dynamic that came together perfectly.

The Intern - Serena Akeroyd
An M/M Workplace Standalone
Genera: M/M Romance
This is the first M/M Romance, or any book by any other genera, that I couldn't bring myself to give a rating to. I know that there are probably many folks out there that read it and found this to be their "cuppa tea"...It just wasn't mine. I didn't like any of the characters and found myself early in the story losing patience with them. They appeared to hate their jobs...their life discissions...something in their lives... and took it all out on one another. I am an avid fan of MM romances, so my interest was piqued by the description of this one...plus it was a new book for me, as well as a new author. Going into this book I found myself having a really hard time with almost every aspect of the characters actions and reactions.... especially the way they spoke to and treated one another. A little of this is tolerable in a story...but it seemed to never end. It was obvious where the plot was going. I tried to keep reading because I hate to give up on a book. I own, and have read, literally hundreds of M/M Romances...but I have never read one that I couldn't find something to like. I do have to say that I am an exception in my opinion of this book compared to most of the other reviewers I read both before reading it and afterwards. Most folks gave the book fairly high praise. I have never written a book, but I have a friend that has, although she does it for fun and never tries to be published...they're just her "special babies", so I know the work and the heart that an author puts into these creations. I know that everyone doesn't and can't like the same things...there wouldn't be enough to go around...so if you are an M/M romance addict...please don't just take my opinion about it...give this book a try.

White Fragility / Robin DiAngelo
3.5 stars

The author is a sociologist and, for a couple of decades now, has been hired to train employees of companies on antiracism. DiAngelo explains that there is a difference between prejudices (held by individuals) and racism (institutions and society). In The U.S., Canada, and Western Europe where the bulk of people are white, we are raised in racist societies, and there is no way to get away from that. What we can do, though, is challenge it. Be aware of those racist tendencies that will and do happen within ourselves, and challenge it. If someone points out something racist that you’ve said or done, don’t get defensive; this what she defines as “white fragility”, and it shuts down any further conversation.

This was interesting and I don’t doubt what she’s said. It is very difficult to face your own racism and prejudices. There were many things in the book that were repeated multiple times, but in a lot of cases, it’s helpful to have that repetition, especially with such a difficult subject when people want to deny. I will read more on the topic.

I'd Know You Anywhere - Laura Lippman - (Maryland)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4★
I wasn't sure at first that I was even going to like this story. Actually... I found that it started out slow showing us seemingly unimportant and boring facts about the victim's life, who is now an adult and the mother of two children. We learned that the family had returned to the U.S. from London, and then Eliza gets that first of several letters from Walter, the man who kidnapped her and held her hostage for a month while she was a teenager. What is with these victims and their abductors fascination with one another? That's when the story started to get interesting. Each chapter that had a current exchange between them, or a flashback to Walter as a young man with or without Eliza, hooked me into the story. I wanted to know what he had done, and I wanted to know the why, but Eliza's background???, not so much. It was Walter... the "so-called" serial killer that held my interest. The POV also altered in each and every chapter making the story a bit confusing at times keeping up with who was speaking. When all the secrets and truths come out in the end during Eliza's and Walter's final meeting with only jail cell bars between them, I was just...disappointed. I have to admit that the story was interesting and well-written, but I wanted and had expected more. There was a lot leading up to this moment and when it finally happened, it felt...well, rushed. No details I was hoping for about Walter and his past were ever given and the story went on and on about Eliza's children's school problems...but no real details about the main character. I gave the book 4 stars for the reasons already mentioned and I would recommend the book to Mystery & Suspense fans. The author writes very well, I enjoyed the story but just thought there were things that needed to be known that were missing.

Embracing the Storm - Carly Marie - (Tennessee)
Genera: M/M Romance/Age & Role Play
5★
This is Grayson and Spenser's story but a lot of the characters from Carly Marie's Undisclosed Desires series are a big part of it. I love when that happens and it reminded me that I own all the books in that series, and they just might all be calling me for a reread. Spencer is the long-lost brother of James, and there are appearances from Travis and Caleb, as well as Logan, Aiden, and Trent. This was so sweet, as is the other fore mentioned books. Spencer and Grayson are married with 2-kids, also from another of the books. They have been together for years, and while they have a natural D/s relationship, they don't really have any really defined kinks... or so Spencer thought. Turns out Grayson has been having some thoughts on that subject for quite some time and it's all about to come roaring out. It was good to see that Spencer didn't freak out...his reaction was genuine. He needed to think about it for a while...of course they both had questions, so both he and Grayson sought the advice of their friends who all had boys in the lifestyle...some were "little's" and one was even a cute puppy that calls himself "Curious". It seems that Spenser was going to find himself the "Daddy" to a dragon...not one of the most common kinks...but doable. He did find some things, actually about twelve boxes full of "things" that were sure to please his "dragon boy", online...you can find ANYTHING online today, so I wasn't surprised. once he did, he realized that as long as he was meeting Grayson's needs, and he and Grayson were happy, everything else was A-okay and he realized that he found all that rather sexy. Grayson was so sweet and adorable and genuine in that he was discovering this all too. I hope that Carly Marie keeps the characters in this series and the related books alive and learning new things for a long, long time. If she'll write them, I'll buy them.

Everything, Everything – Nicola Yoon
Book on CD performed by Bahni Turpin & Robbie Daymond
3.5***

From the book jacket: My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla. But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window and I see him.

My reactions:
This YA romance had some significant serious issues to discuss. Can love (even teenage love) conquer all? Yoon certainly makes a good case.

I really liked Maddy (Madeline Whittier). She’s intelligent and mostly serene. She’s come to accept her very limited world and hasn’t really “missed” what she can’t have. Until now, of course. Olly is more complex and guarded. His family situation is fraught with drama and it’s understandable that he’d want to keep some things to himself. Still …

What starts as messages taped to windows, and progresses to texting and IM-ing, must inevitably lead to meeting in person. Each of these teens has some significant issues to deal with on their own, and sharing their struggles brings them closer together. They come to trust in and support one another in a very nice, somewhat naïve way. Of course, things can’t possibly go smoothly for these star-crossed lovers.

There were some things that bothered me in the plot, mostly dealing with the reality of how things might happen. But I was willing to go along for the ride because I really liked both Maddy and Olly. I guessed the big secret ahead of the reveal, but still liked how Yoon handled it. And I liked the way these teens interacted with one another and their families.

Bahni Turpin and Robbie Daymond do an excellent job of voicing the audiobook. They really brought these teens to life for me. I’m glad, however, that I had the text handy, which includes a number of illustrations which just don’t translate well to audio format.

A White Room - Stephanie Carroll - (Missouri)
Genera: Historical Fiction
3★
This is a story that touches on several controversial topics of that early era and frankly they frustrated me more than entertained me and some just made me down-right angry. I had to keep saying "it's just a story...it's just a story"...but then went right back to thinking, "this is what women used to have to endure and smile while doing it!" I believe that the author did a fantastic job in the beginning of building the story...but there were a few things that I thought...hoped were not actually the way things were for women of any station in that day.... the medical info parts...and how the man is always right and never the blame for anything. The town our leading lady character found herself in was probably typical of the day...everybody knows everyone's business this caused a few more unbelievable issues...and that was acceptable, but then the story rapidly progressed to an unlikely stage of events and then unfortunately just morphed into an unsatisfactory conclusion....at least for me. However, I gave it 3-stars because there were some excellent parts of the story...some real positives. The writing about the rooms was done beautifully. I can't say that I didn't like the book, and I'm sure that others will find the story much more captivating that I did.

The Swimming-Pool Library
Alan Hollinghurst
3/5 stars
This is a coming-of-age story before AIDS of a young man who is gay and the relationships he has with his lovers and friends. Well written but a little long! 1988.

Murder Road - Simone St. James - (Michigan)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense a bit of Paranormal
3.5★
We have a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and horror with this one. We first encounter Eddie and April who are newlyweds as they're trying to figure out who really murdered Rhonda Jean... the hitchhiker they tried to save and take to the hospital. They’re stuck in the small town of Coldlake Falls, Michigan, (see my note at the bottom of this review) ... and soon find that it is generally thought to be a ghost that is killing hitchhikers. Getting to following Eddie and April through this mystery was fun...plus we got to see how their relationship and their secrets, they seemed to have a lot of secrets, played out. Now...the ghost. We eventually find out who she is...or "was" as the case may be, later on in the story. As a living human being she was awful...mean..., vindictive...so it was no surprise that she wasn't any different now that she's a ghost. For some reason, she is now killing hitchhikers. Her actions made no sense to me, but it did make a fairly interesting storyline, but I kept wondering why she didn't just kill people that were like the person who killed her? We did eventually find the answer to that question. I also thought it was interesting how the murders all took place and what happened afterwards. I really like this author and believe I have read everything she has written...and I did like this one, just not s much as some of the others. If you like ghost stories and mysteries with a little fright and a little romance combines you will find this one fill the bill.

Note: Don't go looking for Coldlake Falls, Michigan...it apparently doesn't exist on any Michigan map that I saw. I was excited to think that it might. I have lived in Michigan going on 47 years. There is a COLDWATER, Michigan, located in Branch County, about 45-minutes from where I live in Battle Creek, but alas, no Coldfalls. I asked "Mr. Google" and Coldwater was the only city that even sounded like it...that came up. I'm a bit sad...as I thought I was going to be able to take a side-trip and see where my story had been based. Bummer!

Agrippa My Heart - JP Sayle - (England/Italy)
Destination Daddies Series- Season 2
Genera: M/M Romance/Daddy/little
5★
"Big" Patrick and "little" Patrick both need a good "Daddy". Wayne, the "Daddy" that Patrick currently has, is a living, breathing, nightmare. He only thinks of himself and shows no "Daddy" qualities what-so-ever. Patrick doesn't know what he's going to do, but he does know that he's getting away from Wayne. The "Daddy" care is only a small part of the D/b relationship...most is about allowing Patrick to escape from the stress of the outside world...escape from pressures of his demanding job...now he's leaving this relationship and wondering if maybe it was better than nothing at all. Patrick had once had a bad experience on the Cuff’d app, so he is reluctant to trust anyone new...but he sees that the club is offering an all-expenses paid D/b holiday at a hotel owned by one of their members... Akker. Akker thinks he might be looking for a boy to look after, if he has the time. His management work for his family's hotel chain means that he’s abroad a lot...currently he's mostly in Italy, so starting a relationship of any kind isn't easy. He saw Patrick on a recent short trip to England, and decided to approach him through the Cuff'd app, and they start to really connect. The connection, as well as the attraction is crystal clear, but Akker goes slow, knowing Patrick has fears. They want to meet, so since Akker is providing not one, but two rooms for the Cuff'd contest he talks the club into letting him manipulate the competition to bring Patrick to the hotel...thus to him. They soon realize they are perfect together, but there is one obvious problem...they do live in two different countries. There is nothing sweeter than a good "Daddy" who loves and takes care of his "boy", and Akker does it beautifully. He takes all the stress out of Patrick’s life while meeting all his needs, including making sure Patrick believes in himself. They are seriously hot together, but there’s a connection and emotion between them that makes the story so much more. A little tension is caused by the reappearance of Wayne... Patrick’s abusive ex-" Daddy", but as it should be, Akker steps up and takes care of that...also beautifully. If you are a fan of this part of the M/M Romance genera, you will really enjoy this sweet, sexy story with a protective, loving "Daddy" and a seriously cute "Boy".

China Dolls – Lisa See
Digital audiobook narrated by Jodi Long
4****

This work of historical fiction begins in 1938. Three young women – Helen Fong, Grace Lee and Ruby Tom – meet just as the World’s Fair is set to begin on Treasure Island. They’re from different backgrounds but all are drawn to the glamorous Forbidden City nightclub by their dreams of success. World War II will soon interrupt their career paths, and their friendship will suffer, but they will endure. See follows the young women through the war years and includes an epilogue set in 1988.

I really enjoyed this book. I was in vested in these young women and their aspirations. While my background is different from theirs, we share the push/pull of traditional culture (and the expectations that result) vs the desire to see our dreams fulfilled. I loved, also, the detail See included from costumes to scenery to social issues – these elements really took me back to this era and culture.

See invented her heroines and the majority of characters, but includes a number of actual performers / entertainers of the time period. She did extensive research, including many in-person interviews with now elderly past performers on the “Chop Suey Circuit.”

Jodi Long does a marvelous job of narrating the audiobook. I admit, however, that I sometimes didn’t pay close enough attention to which character was narrating which chapter. (See does state the character at the beginning of each chapter.) Until I got used to the constant changing of point of view, I found myself occasionally confused. That was my fault, not Long’s narration.

Nerve – Dick Francis
3***

This mystery/thriller opens with a bang, as a jockey shoots “himself, loudly and messily, in the center of the parade ring at Dunstable races.” Our protagonist, Rob Finn, is a fellow jockey who witnesses this horrific event. Rob is just starting his career and hasn’t had many good mounts, but he begins to win and captures the attention of trainers, owners and a local journalist with a popular television show on racing. But just as he is getting to the top of the field, things begin to go sour. His reputation in tatters, he is on the brink of despair when he thinks on his fellow jockeys and the troubles they’ve endured in the past year or two. Is someone sabotaging jockeys? Who? And Why?

Francis crafts a compelling psychological mystery. Finn is tenacious and determined. He’s also smart in the way he goes about ferreting out information to build the case against an unlikely perpetrator. I do not know much about steeplechase racing, but Francis gives enough detail to educate me without boring me. Some of the race scenes were quite thrilling; I almost felt as if I were jumping those fences right along with Finn and Template (the horse he was riding).

I came late to the Dick Francis fan club, but I’m glad I finally arrived.

Alex / Lauren Oliver
2.5 stars

This is a short story in the Delirium series, focused on Alex. In this dystopian world, love is made to not exist once teenagers get to a certain age, but some have been rebelling. They’ve had to run away. Alex is trying to run and gets caught while the girl he loves, Lena, manages to get away. This tells what Alex went though.

I think I only remember the premise of the world because it wasn’t too long ago I read one of the other books in the series. So unfortunately, it really didn’t recap much of what was going on. And it was so incredibly short, so there is not really a chance to get invested in Alex’s story.

A Chef on Ice / Sebastien J.M. Kuhn
3.5 stars

Sebastien was living in Australia and his dream was to get to Antarctica, so he jumped at the chance to apply for a job as a chef on the icy continent. He actually goes back and forth a few times via cooking jobs (except for the first time, the rest were all with the same tourism company), and a portion of the book is back in Australia (where he brought back an idea of something he cooked during his for Antarctic job, and started a booth at various farmers’ markets in between Antarctic seasons). The tourism company he later worked for was based out of South Africa, so he headed there a few times, as well.

This was good. There was more off-Antarctica than I’d expected, but it did tie in somewhat (though I was initially disappointed in this). I feel like this might be of more appeal to foodies. I am not one, but in addition to his travel adventures, the author does describe a lot of the food he cooked, as well; not only that, there are recipes at the end of the book. There were pictures included, but I was reading an ebook on a black & white Kobo; would have loved to see those pictures in colour!

Wrenches, Regrets & Reality Checks - L. A. Witt
Wrenches Wars Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
I was surprised to see that this is apparently part of a short series of stories that is set in the same location and in the same garage as the book, Normal Enough that was written by Marie Sexton. I wasn’t aware of this when I bought it, but since I liked both these authors, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story at all. It is a short, sexy and sweet romance tale. Reggie’s auto garage is part of a reality television show that auto shops compete against one another. The TV network has four regularly featured garages. For some reason, the network wants to remove this particular garage from the series. Since Reggie had a great lawyer negotiating his contract back before the show started over four years ago, there is only one way for the network to legally get out of the contract. Reggie has to refuse to do a spin-off reality show offered to him by the same network. Seemed like a 'no-brainer" to me if he wanted to continue to do the show. He needed to stay with it as his garage need the income to stay afloat. Reggie also has a secret that may not remain so for long... he's a closeted gay man. It only gets worse when the network sends a "sacrificial lamb" to offer Reggie a dating show similar to "The Bachelor". In their defense the reader learns that the network has no idea what they are about to stir up. Wes is one of the producers of "Wrench Wars" and finds that he is the unlucky man selected to propose the idea of a dating show to Reggie. Unknown to each of them, they have both been "behind the scenes" interested in the other for years, each having no idea whether either man was gay. Wes is not happy about being forced into this position because if Reggie refuses to do the dating show, his garage will be cut from the show and both he and Wes will be unemployed, meaning that they will no longer be able to see and look longingly at each other, even if from a distance. Wes and Reggie come up with a plan guaranteed to surprise the network executives that are trying to destroy both of their careers. In the process, they discover that maybe they don't need the network, the show, or the money, they just need each other. This story is a short read that doesn't have a lot a lot of angst or heavy dialogue. It’s a great story about a "David" winning a battle over a "Goliath" with the help of his sexy lover.

Prescription for Love - Aimee Nicole Walker - (Georgia)
Road to Blissville Series Book #7
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
I really loved both of these guys, but the star of the show was "Grammie". I loved this dear lady...she says what she thinks and cares not one iota if they like it or not. Tucker and Trent have had a date before and they seemed to have great chemistry...that is until "the restaurant", Trent's parents had money and Tucker's didn’t, which made him insecure. The date didn’t end very well, and Trent left. For a while. Tucker thought he was gone for good. But neither of them forgot the other. Tucker sees Trent again at the "Adoption Day for Animals" event, and Trent is determined to make Tucker see and remember just how good they were together. With a little bit of Grammie's meddling, they have a date that went much better. Trent has one of the most toxic set of parents imaginable. I would have happily killed them both and hid the bodies!!!, They almost destroyed everything that Trent had worked so hard for with Tucker. I felt bad for both of these guys...but thought that they would be okay...but how long would it take? Luckly, they realized that all that mattered was how they felt about each other. Neither gave up...and they were determined to make a go of it. It's a great romance story, with fun and really sweet characters...along with 2 cats and Grammie.

The Nightmare Man - J.H. Markert - (Connecticut)
Genera: Horror
4★
I love horror stories, so the essence of the story was perfect for me. There were a couple of things that I found would have made the book a little more "user friendly". There was an implied sexual assault that never was resolved... it was just left hanging out in "left field". In the beginning the horror level was very strong... "something ancient and horrifying had been unleashed". That alone let us know that something unnerving, something unexplained...something we didn't want to be alone with, was going to appear soon...but "soon" didn't happen soon enough and the suspense and expectation began to take its toll by the second half...."Stop!!! Too much...OVERLOAD"!!! The ending was better.... but the "mastermind" behind everything just didn't come across as completely believable or have the expected "BIG BAD WOLF" qualities that we were led to believe was coming from the first part. The story told us in so many words that it couldn't be that person, and then it IS that person. None of the characters were given all of the correct information, but there weren't enough clues given to start with, for us to begin to suspect or guess, who it might be. Small things that probably don't amount to "a hill of beans", but things that most mystery fans like to play with along the way. Overall, I'd have to call it an interesting and entertaining story for anyone that is a true fan of horror. It's one of those books that you just keep promising yourself just one more chapter and I'll stop...no, you won't.

In Too Deep - Kate Sherwood
In Too Deep (Sherwood) Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
This is the extended version of the short story, In Over His Head. It's also where we first met Aiden and Cade. Since I read the short story first, I was anxious to see how these boys’ relationship began, grew, healed, and flourished. If you have not read, In Over His Head, then suggest that you don’t, since the entire story is here without losing the big reveal that is exposed in the short story. Aiden and Cade were about as opposite as two people could ever be. one was rich and one was poor...one introvert and one extrovert, one popular one lonely, one set of amazing parents and one set of loser parents, the list goes on and on. You wonder how it was even possible for two such different people to meet, let alone form any kind of a relationship, but with much work and determination Aiden and Cade give love a chance. Most of the story is spent watching Aiden come up with creative ways to get Cade to notice him. He has to have a ton of self-confidence to take that much initial rejection. It was humorous as well as sad. Aiden was such a great guy and it didn’t matter what anybody thought but it mattered a great deal to Cade. Cade's parents were alcoholics, non-working, welfare recipient parents who spent more time trying to hold Cade back than allowing him to move up and out of the dirt and poverty that he was born into.
Learning how Cade got himself into college was an eye opener for Aiden. For Aiden, college was handed to him, just like his car and his credit card. It was just there and expected. Cade didn’t have that and struggled allowing Aiden to know just how different they were. When they finally move forward, you are just so grateful and happy to see that Cade is able to get beyond his past and create a life with Aiden. But, be prepared because after all that, it goes downhill fast. I didn’t like Aiden's mother, not even after she finally came around at the end. The ending is basically the story that takes place In Over His Head. That would be the main reason I would recommend not reading the short story first. The story is filled with emotions and drama, both good and bad, and triumph over tragedy. A great read with a little darkness before the sun finally shines.

Pretty 'N Peak - Reece Morrison - (Oregon)
Destination Daddies Season 2
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM/ Gender fluid
5★
We get to go back to the Meadowlark Lodge with Jamie and Sebastian and the guys we met in the previous books. Although we are learning about a new couple in each book it's great to return to the familiarity of that location, and Jamie is always hilarious. Although it isn’t the primary theme in each book, Cuffd is the app that launches all these destination connections.... so, we have some old friends and some new acquaintances. I really liked the character of Austin throughout the entire 484 pages of this story. He had given up being a Dom after his last disastrous relationship with his last sub, Cam. He has since been left questioning everything about himself. Plus, his job, that he always said he loved, is draining the very life and spirit out of him. Then at the event at the Meadowlark Lodge a blessing in disguise waltzes into his life...Mateo. Mateo is so new to the entire scene as well as being an "in the closet" gay man, that he has no idea where to even begin...but he was the winner of The Cuffd Destination prize, and he was going to enjoy it to its fullest. He doesn't even think ...much about his large Hispanic Catholic family in the small rural town of Woodburn just down the valley from the very gay-accepting city of Portland, Oregon. From what he's seen by watching porn he thinks he might be interested in a "Daddy/boy" relationship, along with pain and impact play. The connection between Austin and Mateo, is instant, but Austin has made it clear that he was in no way looking for a partner or a relationship, but just being a partner for this weekend only...so why do both men keep imagining a life with the other after their brief and life-altering weekend? I should also mention that Austin is mostly blind, has depression that was made worse by his last "boy", Cam...so he doesn't need just a partner...he needs an understanding, special partner and Mateo fits the bill in spades. Both men see one another after the weekend is over and begin to explore what they each want...which is quite different on Mateo's part...but Austin is so very, very understanding and extremely helpful. This book focuses A LOT on impact play. Although Austin does learn to be cuddlier and definitely spoils Mateo...who later starts going by the name Teo, with "special" gifts that isn’t anywhere near the predominate theme here. There is way more hard impact play than usually appears in "Daddy/boy" books, and it is a really, really, really long book, but you feel like you know both men well by the end. I'm happy that I bought it...and happier to have read it.

Pretty 'N Peak - Reece Morrison - (Oregon)
Destination Daddies Season 2
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM/ Gender fluid
5★
We get to go back to the Meadowlark Lodge with Jamie and Sebastian and the guys we met in the previous books. Although we are learning about a new couple in each book it's great to return to the familiarity of that location, and Jamie is always hilarious. Although it isn’t the primary theme in each book, Cuffd is the app that launches all these destination connections.... so, we have some old friends and some new acquaintances. I really liked the character of Austin throughout the entire 484 pages of this story. He had given up being a Dom after his last disastrous relationship with his last sub, Cam. He has since been left questioning everything about himself. Plus, his job, that he always said he loved, is draining the very life and spirit out of him. Then at the event at the Meadowlark Lodge a blessing in disguise waltzes into his life...Mateo. Mateo is so new to the entire scene as well as being an "in the closet" gay man, that he has no idea where to even begin...but he was the winner of The Cuffd Destination prize, and he was going to enjoy it to its fullest. He doesn't even think ...much about his large Hispanic Catholic family in the small rural town of Woodburn just down the valley from the very gay-accepting city of Portland, Oregon. From what he's seen by watching porn he thinks he might be interested in a "Daddy/boy" relationship, along with pain and impact play. The connection between Austin and Mateo, is instant, but Austin has made it clear that he was in no way looking for a partner or a relationship, but just being a partner for this weekend only...so why do both men keep imagining a life with the other after their brief and life-altering weekend? I should also mention that Austin is mostly blind, has depression that was made worse by his last "boy", Cam...so he doesn't need just a partner...he needs an understanding, special partner and Mateo fits the bill in spades. Both men see one another after the weekend is over and begin to explore what they each want...which is quite different on Mateo's part...but Austin is so very, very understanding and extremely helpful. This book focuses A LOT on impact play. Although Austin does learn to be cuddlier and definitely spoils Mateo...who later starts going by the name Teo, with "special" gifts that isn’t anywhere near the predominate theme here. There is way more hard impact play than usually appears in "Daddy/boy" books, and it is a really, really, really long book, but you feel like you know both men well by the end. I'm happy that I bought it...and happier to have read it.

All Quiet on the Western Front / Erich Maria Remarque
3 stars

World War I at the Western Front. This is told from the POV of a young German soldier (Paul, 19-years old) who joined to fight alongside his friends. Although the soldiers are German, there isn’t really any way to tell that beyond their names (until the end of the book), as the “sides” of the war aren’t obvious. It’s simply the life of the soldiers in the trenches (and when Paul is home on leave for a short time, which was also quite difficult for him). The book was originally published in 1928 in German; the author was a soldier himself, so I imagine much of it are actually things he saw and/or experienced.

I’m rating it ok. I found parts of it a bit vague as to what was going on, but maybe it was just because I periodically lost interest. Obviously, given what the book was about, there were some tough things going on.

Blood of My Blood / Barry Lyga
3.5 stars

This is the 3rd in a trilogy, YA horror. I will try not to give away much from the first two books. 17- (or 18-) year old Jasper (Jazz) Dent is the son of notorious serial killer Billy Dent. Jazz has spent his entire life trying to prove that he is not (nor will not be) like his father (despite his father trying to mold him to continue on in his footsteps!). Jazz was mostly raised by his grandmother. At this point in his life, he has a best friend in hemophiliac Howie, and a girlfriend, Connie. Jazz has, in fact, been trying to help the police find and capture his father. At the start of book three (this one), all three of Jazz, Howie, and Connie, are in precarious positions. I’ll leave my summary there.

I listened to the audio (as I believe I did for the first two books). I had a harder time “getting into” this one and had to rewind a few times to hear things I’d missed. I would have liked to have more of a recap of what had happened in the previous books; I guess a bit of one came a bit further into the book, but at the start of the book, things were moving quickly, but I couldn’t remember much of what had happened up to this point. There were a couple of twists in this one. I’m pretty sure I rated the first two higher (though, on average, this one is also highly rated by others).

Scourge by Gail Z. Martin
4 1/2 ****

What a fast read, all 500+ pages, and I am surprised that I am the only one on LT that is reviewing it so far. This book centers on the city of Ravenwood where monsters are running amuck and randomly killing the townsfolk. Ravenwood is set up like a medieval city, with a Lord Mayor, Guilds, a port, and there is even room for Wanderers (similar to Gypsies) and Below, an underground City. And I read it and enjoyed it, and I'm not even into monsters as a plot point!

We begin with three brothers, Corran, Rigan, and Kell, who are born into a family and therefore Guild of undertakers. In this realm, the trade one is born into is the trade one assumes as an adult, so apprenticing does not enter into the picture. Part of what the undertakers do when they prepare the dead includes painting sigils on the bodies to honor their life, and easing their spirits into the afterlife. One night as Rigan is going about his work, he realizes that the spirit of the young woman is manifesting as a ghost and telling her story to him.

The oldest brother, Corran, who has assumed the head of household designation after the death of first their father, then their mother, at the hands of the various monsters, is taking up a secret and highly illegal position as a hunter of the monsters that are terrorizing Ravenwood because the guards are not keeping all the townsfolk safe. And the youngest brother, Kell, collects the bodies with the dead cart and keeps them all fed.

All of this is against the backdrop of the Lord Mayor Machison, who seeks to maintain his hold on power with the help of a shadowy bloodwitch; both are under the employ of the Crown Prince of the kingdom. Trade negotiations are taking place and Machison wants the Guilds indebted to him while keeping the different ambassadors of the other cities constantly looking over their shoulders.

There were days when I read this book that I almost clocked out of work early to open it and see where the next adventure was going to take place. And then there were sections that became too bogged down in details (like Machison's court intrigues and the brothers' constant fighting against monsters, getting hurt, then getting healed). I realize that much of it advanced the plot, but the repetitive nature could have been remedied a bit. Still, as someone who likes my fantasy realms monster free, I thought their use in this book was spot-on, and the interplay between the three brothers was very well done.

>35 threadnsong: I have read and own everything she has EVER written as Morgan Brice. She was the first M/M Romance author I had ever read, and boy did she ever get me hooked! I have read her Deadly Curiosity series and the Spells, Salt and Steel series that she co-writes with her husband, Larry Martin. They are supernatural but also fall in the M/M Romance side. I started the Night View series but so far there has only been 2 books, and it's been years now. Great review for one of my all-time favorite authors.

Ninth House - Leigh Bardugo - (Connecticut)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Horror
5★
Academic brilliance, family connections, donations, or just plain old fashion good luck... none of these things had anything to do with why Galaxy “Alex” Stern... a high school dropout and low-level drug dealer, received admission to Yale. Nope... Alex got into the prestigious University because she can see dead people. A Yale dean who is a member of Lethe, one of the college’s mysterious secret societies, offers Alex a "free ride" if she will use her spook-spotting abilities to help Lethe with its mission...that of overseeing the other secret societies’ occult rituals. In the universe the author has created, the “Ancient Eight” secret societies, (Lethe is the Ninth House), are not just "good old boys" breeding grounds for the CIA, CEOs, Supreme Court justices, and on and on...they are the owners of actual magic. Societies within societies such as "Skull and Bones" performs prognostications by "borrowing" patients from the local hospital, opening them, and examining their entrails. "St. Elmo’s" specializes is "weather magic", useful for commodities traders; "Aurelian", specializes in unbreakable contracts; and "Manuscript" goes in for the glamours, or “illusions and lies,” helpful to politicians and movie stars. All these rituals attract ghosts. It’s going to be Alex’s job to keep the supernatural forces from embarrassing the magical elite by releasing chaos into the community...all while trying desperately to keep her grades up. Alex describes it:“Dealing with ghosts was like riding the subway: Do not make eye contact. Do not smile. Do not engage. Otherwise, you never know what might follow you home.” Then a murder sets in motion a plot filled with drug deals, drunken assaults, corruption, and lots and lots of cover-ups. Loyalties are stretched thin and soon begin to dissolve. Perhaps the deepest of all are the ambitions and anxieties that had once powered and undermined the entire "Yale experience" for these secret societies operating in the dark but showing another side in the daylight began to crumble. Alex may have more reason than most to feel like an imposter. She knew that anyone who had spent time around these "golden children" of the Ivy League will likely recognize all her self-doubts. With an aura of both enchantment and authenticity, this author has composed a readable novel that hopefully as left the door open for several equally compelling sequels.

Not Until Noah - Lisa Henry - (Australia)
Star Crossed Series Book #1
Genea: M/M Romance/ Male Nanny
4.5★
I like Lisa Henry as an author, so I wasn't too surprised how much I enjoyed this story...up to a point and why it received 4.5 stars instead of 5. Noah was so sweet and trusting. He had been hired to be the nanny to the 8-year-old daughter of a very famous movie star. No... this was not a particularly unique storyline, but the characters were fantastic and totally made the good things extra special, and on the other hand made the things that you just so wished you had the power to stop or change, extra heart breaking. I adored Noah. He was such a kind, caring, loving person. Then movie star, Carter who was so down to earth, grounded, trying to find a balance between being a good dad and a famous celebrity. Noah fit into their family right away, he belonged there...and of course it didn't take long before he and Carter are drawn to each other. The build up to them becoming friends and that developing into more was not only perfect but also believable. The story is not super steamy, they don't spend half the story in bed...they took trips and interacted with Emerson, Carter's daughter...they swam and talked in the pool... two men getting to know one another and hoping that it just might turn into something else. Their stolen moments and nights together were perfect for the story, very sexy, very intimate, and very, very real. Their first kiss was worth the entire story. The reader will find themselves being sucked into their life. Emerson was the most adorable 8-year-old girl, and her relationship with her dad...and with Noah and with her aunt, was sweet and totally what an 8-year-old would do. However, if you've read enough of these kind of books, you know that the things that Carter was hiding; the day-to-day struggles of him being a closeted gay man...having to play a straight man and try to fend-off the demands of the movie's producer to pretend...to date his sexy, slutty female co-star...along with his developing feelings for Noah, was a disaster going somewhere to happen and was soon going to explode, making Hiroshima look like a 4th of July sparkler . I only wished there was a little more at the end letting us know how everything played out. I felt the resolution was a little rushed and not much of a resolution, hence my reason for the 4.5-star rating. Overall, in spite of a few small things, it was an enjoyable story.

Out Of the Dust – Karen Hesse
5***** and a ❤

Hesse can say so much in so few words. This is an extraordinary work of fiction, written entirely in verse.

It tells the story of a family during the Oklahoma Dust Bowl of the Depression. It's an emotionally evocative story of growing up in the harshness of poverty and tragedy. A wonderful book.

This was a Newbery award winner for children's literature. I first came across it when I was providing "study hall monitoring" for a local all-girls middle school. I couldn't stop reading it, and have recommended it to many people, and two of my book clubs.

Never Knowing - Chevy Stevens - (Canada)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4★
The story is about a Canadian furniture refinisher who gets so much more than she ever bargained for when she thinks it's a great idea to search for her birth mother the day before her wedding. Right away I thought, who actually does something like that? Obviously, Sara Gallagher. Sara has never been comfortable with her adopted family. Her adopted mother is loving and kind, but her relationships with her adopted father and her two non-adopted sisters is rockier. So, she decides that she wants to celebrate her wedding to Evan, the handsome man who shares a daughter, 6-year-old Ally with Sara...by trying to track down her birth mother...the mother who gave her away when she was a baby. Right away Sara learns that the art-history professor who calls herself Julia Laroche is actually her birth mother. So why is she demanding that Sara stay far away from her and why did she change her name from Karen Christianson? Sara soon discovers that her mother is the only woman to survive an assault by a serial killer known as the Campsite Killer... can you count to nine? ...the assault occurred exactly nine months before Sara’s birth. “I was born in fear,” she says. She should have left well-enough alone. She soon finds that her troubled past history is the least of her problems. News of Karen and Sara's link to the "Campsite Killer" quickly leaks onto a gossip blog and spreads like wildfire bringing Sara’s father (“You can call me John for now”), racing into her life in several ugly and uncontrollable ways. This is the man who’s murdered 30 people and until now had no idea he even had a daughter...but he’s eager now to form a relationship with her...of course while trying not to allow himself to be recaptured. Now he makes a lot of even more impossible demands and threatens to kill again if Sara doesn’t meet every single one of them. Worse yet, the mounting pressure leaves her feeling more and more that she is like her father the serial killer. A fairly good story...until the very end where it felt that it went "off the rails", and most folks won't particularly like the character of Sara...but still a very worthwhile read.

The Geek Jock Switch - Joe Satoria
Shaftdale Daddies series
Genera: M/M Romance//Daddy-little
4.5★
The story brings together two sweet men; Carter and Grayson, who both deserved to get exactly what they wanted. Though they didn't know it a first meeting...they wanted each other. Carter wants to be a "Daddy" and Grayson wants to be a "little"..."Daddy" Carter's "little". Seems it should all work out well for them both. An event at the library where Carter works, brings them together again. They had gone to high school together but didn't have much interaction with one another. Although they lived in the same little town, they hadn't kept in contact after graduation. The library's "Readathon" was the perfect event to bring them back to one another. I thought that the build-up between the characters was a bit slower in the story than in most of this author's books, which I believe I own or have read every single one of. That's not in any way a complaint. It just seemed to me that the characters began to discover the things that they had in common and what they each wanted from a relationship a bit slower than most of the others. In this story the progression of the attraction that was taking place between the two guys was natural, easy, and believable as well as being so very, very sweet... but once they get to the "steamy" parts...this story really "grows wings" and takes off...and you simply don't want it to end. This series doesn't necessarily need to be read in any order since many of the characters make reappearances, which I like....at lot! I hate getting to know and liking someone then never seeing them again. Thanks Joe, for allowing all these sweet men to come back again and again. In this one we see a lot of Owen and Jonny from book #1. None of the books in this series are very long, that's the reason it didn't receive a 5-star rating...but these books are some of the sweetest stories you will ever have the privilege of reading. Thanks again, Joe.

Thornyhold
Mary Stewart
4/5 stars
Gilly Ramsey inherits a home from her cousin and Gellis, an herbalist and decides to live there. The neighbors call it the witch's house. Gilly who is shy and a loner and she opens up to a young boy and his father. A sweet story! Books Off My Neverending Reading List

General Misconduct - L A Witt - (Japan/ Okinawa)
Conduct Unbecoming Series Book # 1
Narrator: Greg Boudreaux (Hoopla)
4★
After a frightening attack in a gay bar Aiden takes the advice a friend who is also a military policeman about how to explain his facial injuries so that awkward questions won't be asked about him being in a gay bar. He wasn't taking any chances even if the military wasn't asking as many of those questions as they had in the past. Aiden takes his friend's advice to say he fell on rocks while hiking at Haji Falls. To make his story somewhat true, he goes to the falls where he encounters Connor, another American. From Conner's haircut, Aiden knew that he diffidently wasn't military. It’s just a chance encounter, but one that throws them both into a tailspin with the amount of chemistry flowing between them...but neither one was sure that the other was gay. It was fun to watch these two trying to figure that out and the questions that bringing it up produced. Both of them were adults... Aiden was 24 and, in the Navy, while Connor was 20 and in college getting a degree with 2 years yet to go. Of the two of them, Aiden was the experienced one, while Connor had never, until now, met anyone he wanted to be with, which made their encounter, all the more special. Aiden knew that he had to move slow, and Connor was okay with that. There was so much mutual satisfaction with them just talking and being with one another. They were happy...then Aiden learns that Connor’s father is one of his commanding officers that he reports to daily. In spite of how much he loves Conner, Aiden finally bends under Conner's father telling him that their relationship could/would end his military career...Aiden believes him and that causes him to make the biggest mistake of his life. I knew what the solution to their problem would be and luckily... so did Aiden...eventually. Be prepared for your heart to twist into knocks while you wait for Aiden to see what that solution was. It's a well-done story about young love that is so powerful it will take your breath away... but will make you truly believe that many times first love can be forever love. Once again, Greg Boudreaux did a magnificent job giving the characters voice and so many emotions.

When I'm Dead- Hannah Morrissey - (Wisconsin)
Black Harbor Series Book #3
Genera: Mystery & Suspense Thriller
4.5★
One girl is gone, two more brutally murdered. As medical examiner Rowan Winthorp examines the corpse of Madison Caldwell, she recalls memories of her life in Black Harbor. Madison had been Rowan's daughter Chloe's, best friend. Madison had been found strangled. All Rowan's attempts to contact Chloe have failed. Rowan soon realizes that Chloe also is missing. I hadn't read the first two books relating to the characters of this small backwater Wisconsin town ...but maybe I should have before this one. The story is alive with gruesome twists, strange happenings, and menace from everywhere. There are characters like Libby Lucas...the strange teenager who dabbles in taxidermy and harbors several secrets related to the murder. The same can be said for the neighborhood Casanova, Reeves Singh who had been Madison’s boyfriend. Alex, Chloe’s father, who is a veteran homicide detective in the Black Harbor Police Department, is angry as he charges into the investigation of his daughter’s disappearance. The investigation takes an unsettling and twisted turn when we learn that Chloe was being bullied by Madison and may have had actually had an affair with her drama teacher, Mark Cutler, who by the way is also missing. Both Rowan and Alex are reflecting more now on the recent changes in Chloe’s personality...changes that they had previously pretty much ignored. Then another teen victim raises the possibility of a serial killer. The more that Rowan and Axel dig, the more creepy characters are revealed on the pathway to the grisly solution. While the crime subject here packs a chilling and totally believable hit...I wasn't entirely convinced about the high level of anxiety and deep soul-searching of the parents. It seemed to have been how they thought they were expected to behave and feel but totally lacked both the reality and the depth that any parent... or any other normal human being would have felt when confronted with the level of extreme violence that this serial killer displayed.

Good Night, Irene – Luis Alberto Urrea
Book on CD performed by Barrie Kreinik, with an afterword narrated by the author.
5*****

This book of historical fiction is based on the life experiences of Urrea’s mother, who served as a Red Cross “Donut Dolly” during World War II.

Urrea gives us two main characters – Irene and Dorothy (Dot). These young women were each compelled to join the Red Cross and serve during World War II either because they were running from an untenable situation or seeking to avenge a deep loss. Meeting during training and paired in the Rapid City, an Army “deuce and a half” truck, specially outfitted as the combat version of a food truck, they become colleagues, fast friends, and each other’s support system. They endure hardship and rationing, strange foods (or no food), exhausting schedules, bad roads, and poor accommodations. They soldier on in support of the troops. No matter their own aches and pains, sorrows or irritations, they put on a brave smiling face to bring a little bit of “home” to the front.

There are a number of wonderful supporting characters, including “Rusty” Penny, Garcia, and Handyman. And several real combatants make appearances as well, including Gen George Patton. Urrea also brings the European theater to life with vivid descriptions – of war-time England, the forests of France and Germany, bombed villages, the horrors of a concentration camp, and the sights, sounds and smells of a field hospital.

I have read many books by Urrea, so I knew he could write, but I was almost speechless at the end of this book. Whatever you do, do NOT skip the author note at the end where he relates how it took him some twenty years to come to grips with and write this novel as a testament to his mother’s experiences. This is truly a love letter to his mother.

The audiobook is masterfully narrated by Barrie Kreinik. She really brings these women to life. The author note at the end is narrated by Urrea, himself, which added to the impact of what he related.

Mister Lullaby - J.H. Markert - (Connecticut)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
This author is quickly becoming one of my favorites for the mystery & suspense genera. This is the third of the books that I have read and would highly recommend them to anyone that enjoys a good mystery with a mix of the paranormal. Can't go wrong with that! The town we visit in this one, has an abandoned train tunnel which has been associated with strange happenings for well over on a century. Events range from disappearances to murders to sightings that have no explanations at all. It has become an irresistible draw for the local kids to dare one another to enter and run through it. The town finally had it bricked up, but that dark, heavy and unexplained presence can still be felt. At the start of the story, we see that a bizarre double murder near the entrance of the tunnel has taken place. No one seemed really surprised even though it had been several years since anything like this has happened near the abandoned tunnel. The story moves on between the past and the present with the present killings and the past complexity of happenings...and none of it is anything that you may have expected...some of it is totally unimaginable by any sane person. The author has filled the story with memorable characters, including chainsaw-wielding "Simple Simon", a mentally challenged man who is much more than he seems and has especially strong connections to a dreamworld known as "Lalaland"...I believe I have been there a few times myself:) You will never forget the "Lullaby Express," a bus that is driven by our title character, "Mister Lullaby". The bus takes a bizarre bunch of really strange characters...some that are even known to be killers...on a particularly strange quest. He is a great character, and his narrative is one of the major highlights of the book. The entire story is a blend of folklore, thriller, fantasy and horror that is very nicely balanced, and melts into a slow build-up that more than highlights the finish...or is it? We'll have to see what comes next. Whatever it is I'm ready.

Right as Raine - Lucy Lennox -(Colorado)
Aster Valley Series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance
4.5★
We visit Aster Valley, Colorado, a small town in the heart of the Rockies just far enough away from Denver to be off the beaten path. It's a defunct ski town that still manages to charm the people who come to visit, and many choose to stay. FYI: There is a prequel short story to this one that you may want to look up, Winter Waites, but it isn’t necessary to read it before Right as Raine. You'll have no problem understanding the characters or the storyline here. Reading the sequel before will just give you some background info and you will meet some of the other colorful guys around town, as well as the two guys featured in this book. Both Tiller and Mikey, have a lot to work through. They are both openly gay, but it is amazing how a family who is supposed to love you, can still manage to make you feel terrible about yourself. Even the football coach, Coach V, was openly, over-the-top hostile. Maybe this will be the last book that he's in... we can only hope. In spite of the obnoxious family and the hostile coach, I really did enjoy this book and can’t wait for more. These two guys are absolutely adorable and so easy to become totally invested in. Tiller is an openly gay NFL wide receiver and Mickey is a personal chef and an assistant to Tiller. For better or for worse, he's also the coach’s son. Tiller and Mickey getting together or having any type of a relationship seemed like a really bad idea going somewhere to take root, but what starts out as a seemingly forced friendship quickly turned into much, much more, in spite of how everyone wanted to deny it or wreck it. It's a really good story...as if we could expect anything else from this wonderful author. Even though it sounds like it, this is not a sports romance...one of the main characters just happens to play football. It's a story with a lot of good feels.

Kitchen Sink Dom - Tanya Chris - (Massachusetts)
Hell's Bedroom series Book #1
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM/Human Trafficking
5★
Possible Triggers: Human Trafficking:
I own, have read, and thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have encountered written by Tanya Chris...so I wasn't surprised that I liked this one too. I believe that Cash and Harrison may be my favorite Tanya Chris couple...but I still have 2 more books in the series to go. Both characters are absolutely lovable, but Cash stole my heart. There's just something about him. I wanted things to work out between him and Harrison. Of course, there's plenty of "steamy fun" between these two, as well as some kink thrown in. Hell's Bedroom is a BDSM club. Isn't that a catchy name? However, that's not all this first book in the series is about. Harrison has a missing person to locate.... a missing person that turns into much more. So, now we have a steamy romance and a solid mystery. What starts out as Harrison and his client, then someone recruited to help, that turns into someone he can be attracted to and then turns into someone else to help. and then another someone after that until now we have the whole "Scooby-Doo Gang" along with Cash's cat, "Mr. Moo" and "Greta", that Cash thinks is a hamster that lives in the wall, that is actually a rat that Cash feeds cheese to...but you can't convince Cash that she's not a hamster. The case these characters were working on was far from being anything to be taken lightly, but we met a lot of terrific characters that I hope we see much more of in future books. As the first book in a new series, this author has certainly set a high expectation for whatever she plans to give us next, and I can't wait to meet the next "Hell's Bedroom" couple.

Homecoming- Kate Morton - (Australia)
Genera: Mystery/Historical Fiction
4.5★
What would you do if you discovered that everything you thought you knew about your family was a lie? When journalist Jess Turner-Bridges gets a call that her grandmother, Nora, is in the hospital after suffering a fall...Jess leaves her home in London to return to Darling House in Sydney, Australia. Nora, had raised Jess for the majority of her childhood, had fallen when she was climbing to the attic. Jess doesn't quite understand this. What possibly could her elderly grandmother have needed so badly that she couldn’t wait for her home aide to come an assist her? When Jess arrives at the hospital, her confusion is made even greater by Nora’s desperately saying over and over, “The pages"! “Help me.... He’s going to take her from me.” Jess is determined to find the answers to these strange utterances by her grandmother... the need to help and comfort her grandmother is almost more than she can bear. This soon leads her to find a copy of a book that Nora had evidently been reading entitled "As If They Were Asleep" by Daniel Miller. When Jess begins to read, she finds almost more than she ever wanted to. The book tells in glaring details the story of the shocking deaths in 1959 of Nora’s sister-in-law, Isabel and three of Isabel’s children and the disappearance and presumed death of Isabel’s baby. Jess didn't know anything about these deaths that were presumed to be a murder-suicide. She feels betrayed that her grandmother had kept this secret from her, and she immediately vows to do whatever it takes to learn more about her family. The author beautifully weaves together what Jess had learned from her sleuthing, segments from Daniel Miller’s book along with flashbacks from 1959 and moments told from Jess’s estranged mother, Polly’s perspective. At times the pacing is a bit confusing. While avid mystery readers will likely figure out what the "big twist" is long before it's revealed, the writing here produces surprises for even the sharpest of "armchair detectives". It's a slow-paced story but if you stick with it, you will be rewarded in spades for your patience.

Song for the Basilisk by Patricia A. McKillip
3 1/2 ***

I read this book a while ago and decided to re-read it. I remember being a bit confused the first time through, remembering only elements like a one-stringed instrument held by the player and a music school where one of the main characters teaches.

And on this re-reading, I'm beginning to see why it was confusing. Don't get me wrong: I love Patricia A. McKillip's writings and her books kept me going through many decades (now). But this one did not, and I think it's a combination of things.

Her writing style is beautifully descriptive and evocative of feelings and place. And she has wonderful women who play prominent roles. But. This book was about the deepest of evils and a ruler whose symbol was a basilisk, and who burned the ruling family out of their home. Which is how this book begins, from the eyes of the heir to this ruling family hiding in the ashes of the hearth.

But all this story is hidden and barely becomes a story until close to the end, and instead one catches glimpses of events that are very hard to piece together. When there is a story that finally unfolds, it is told with McKillip's abilities and images. But there is too much going on with evil and court intrigues and just outright vileness for there to be so little of a story and so much of atmosphere and ponderings and descriptions.

So, sadly, this one got this rating from this reader.

Gutenberg's Fingerprint / Merilyn Simonds
3.5 stars

The author collected some stories she’d written and decided to publish them in an old-style way: hand made paper and an old-style printing press where the type is set by hand, etc. This documents that procedure along with plenty of history of paper, ink, type, the printing press, and much much more. It also looks at how she (and her son) created the ebook, and the last chapters of the book talk about the history of ereaders and ebooks.

This was interesting. It took me back to my “History of the Book” class in library school when we did field trips to learn to make paper, then we later went to a printing press where we hand set the type and printed our names on our paper that we’d already made. The modern technology was also interesting to read about. It’s not fast paced or “can’t put the book down” kind of read, but it was definitely interesting to read about all those things.

Grave Sight - Charlaine Harris - (Arkansas)
Harper Connelly series - Book #1
Genera: Mystery & Suspense
4.5★
Arkansas socialite Sybil Teague and her lawyer, Paul Edwards, have hired Harper Connolly because of her unique talent for finding dead bodies. This is a skill that might make you want to avoid thunderstorms since it's something that Harper’s had since she was struck by lightning when she was 15. Once she serves the purpose she was hired for and locates Teenie Hopkins, who vanished with Sybil’s son, Dell, and confirms that both teenagers had been murdered, her employers join the rest of the folks in this Arkansas town, in regarding her "gift" with revulsion, ranging from mild to hostile. Harper wants nothing more than to get into her stepbrother, Tolliver Lang’s Subaru and drive far away from it all. Even the budding romance with deputy Hollis Boxleitner, who once used Harper’s "powers" to confirm that his wife Sally's death by drowning, was in no way an accident... can’t convince her to stay around. After the beating death of Helen Hopkins, Sally and Teenie’s recovering-alcoholic mom, Sheriff Harvey Branscom demands that the siblings stay in town, despite minor harassment by Vernon McCluskey, the owner of the motel where they’re stuck for however long the duration may be. Then there is more serious persecution from Scot Briscoe who is a high school student who is "irked", (his word not mine), by the crush that Dell’s sister Mary Nell has developed on Tolliver. Branscom’s so busy getting on Tolliver's case for a broken taillight that solving the murder cases themselves might be only way that the pair can get out of this town. Not a bad start for this short series... (There's only 4 books). You get a really good sense of what Harper is facing with the people who are afraid of her, those that are bigots and think her power is evil and her relationship with her brother/manager is REALLY suspicious. I didn't think the characters were as engaging as the ones in her "Sookie" series, but I liked Harper well enough as a character to give it a 4.5-star rating. If mysteries and the paranormal are your "thing"... then you'll probably like this story.

Chicken Soup Dom - Tanya Chris - (Massachusetts)
Hell's Bedroom series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM/Mystery
5★
Possible Triggers: BDSM/Human Trafficking
This is the second book in the "Hell's Bedroom" series. The story continues with the same characters and events from Book #1. I suppose that it might stand fairly well as a standalone, but the reader is going to have to struggle to some extent to understand the "why" and "how" of some of the events so, I'd still recommend reading the books in order, and there is still a third book in this series, one that I'm sure also follows this same pattern. I also would advise heeding the trigger warning in the blurb. I usually try to include trigger warnings at the start of a review of a book that contains them and there are some scenes in this story that could make some readers uncomfortable. I have liked these characters from the very first book and was interested in how things would work out for them. This is Arlo and Officer Brixby's story. Arlo, who was kidnapped in the first book and rescued by a group of Doms is in an "almost" relationship with Brixby, and it is all over the place while they try to figure things out. I understand Brixby's concerns but I think he's trying too hard to make things immediately perfect instead of letting things settle one thing at a time. He seems to forget that Arlo is an adult and can make his own decisions with or without his approval. Arlo is an amazing young man when we see his background and what he was rescued from. I had hope for them since I knew from reading this author's other books, that she would see that they got the happiness they so deserved. Thinking back at this couple's journey and the other books I've read, I have to say that this series is a bit different than what I've previously read by this author, but the reasons that I like and read her books is still solidly present in this series. These are some great characters, it's an emotional journey, and the stories are set in an intriguing world. I'm looking forward to the next book in this trio of books. I want to visit more with these guys.

Concrete Rose / Angie Thomas
4 stars

Maverick is 17-years old and waiting on a paternity test. When it shows he is the father, the mother walks out and leave the baby with Mav. The mother is not Mav’s girlfriend (that would be Lisa) and he wrestles with how to tell Lisa. Luckily, Mav’s mother helps out, more with advice than actually doing the parenting, and Mav turns out to be a good father. Mav’s cousin, Dre, encourages Mav to lead a clean life, but that’s hard to do when you are part of a gang and you sell drugs; not only that, what real job will pay what Mav needs to be paid to take care of himself and a baby and to also help his mom?

This was really good. A bit gritty, and you have to shake your head at the gang lifestyle and how that can seem so appealing. (At least I did, multiple times!) The book did talk about the “draw” of that lifestyle, as well (the money, the friends), but with regard to the friends, it seems to me the real friends are the ones like Dre, who realize that that life is ultimately not a good choice. It’s a tough world, but the humourous bits in the book are a nice relief.

The Jasmine Project – Meredith Ireland
3***

Jasmine Yap is getting ready for graduation and planning a move to a new apartment with her boyfriend, Paul. But her friends and family dislike Paul and feel Jasmine can do better. So, when Paul suggests they take some time apart over the summer the family hatches a plan to introduce Jasmine to boys who are more worthy of her and to help her find a sense of self-worth.

This was a cute rom-com with the family engineering a sort of Bachelorette competition for Jasmine’s affections. They identify three likely candidates and watch carefully to see which one she will pick. But …

Of course, the road to HEA is never without obstacles. But Ireland gives us reasonable (and interesting) responses from Jasmine, the “bachelors” and her family.

I really did like the dates Jasmine went on with these young men - beach picnics, batting practice, go-kart racing, movies, hanging out with friends, etc. And I also liked that Ireland gave several characters the moral fortitude to say, “Wait a minute … this isn’t right.” Finally, I liked that Ireland showed real growth in Jasmine’s character.

A Gift For Dying - M.J. Arlidge -(Illinois)
Genera: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
5★
Possible Trigger: Very graphic details of the murders
Kassie has a gift...or a curse, depending on how you look at it. She has the ability to look into someone’s eyes and see the "how" and the "when" of their death. These premonitions have led her to psychologist Adam Brandt when she is held by detectives after an encounter with someone in the street. Kassie is no stranger to the police having a string of offences to her name including theft, assault and drug use but Adam feels a connection to her and decides to try and help. He is not really convinced that she can do what she claims but he wants to find out more. He soon finds himself caught up in events of which he had never imagined. Meanwhile a serial killer is stalking and picking his next victims on the streets of Chicago, torturing and killing them in the most terrifying and gruesome of ways. It's been some time since I have read this author, but I always liked the writing style and the way the story is told... so I wasn't too surprised that this was one of those books that I didn’t want to put down. despite the graphic detail of some of the murders (which did make me wince a bit) I was addicted to it and desperate to find out what happened next. The Kassie character took some time to really feel anything for...she just had too much going against her that was her own fault. We "hear" the story from several different viewpoints...Kassie's, Adams's, the detective's and the killers. This did make the "picture" come together and make more sense. If you like fast paced, dark and graphic thrillers you will want to read this one...the ending is nothing short of incredible.

Something About You - Riley Hart - (Virginia)
Saint and Lucky series Book #1
Narrator: Sean Crisden
Genera: M/M Romance
4,5★
Grayson “Saint” St. Claire was single, successful and certainly not looking for any kind of relationship or commitment. He had lost his parents in a plane crash and had always thought that he was completely alone. is own father had always led him to believe this. He was beyond shocked when an email arrived telling him he had a grandmother in some small town in Virginia, way across the country from his home in California. Saint dismissed the summons and tried to put it out of his mind, then a month later he found himself sitting inside his Corvette at a gas station in that same small town, wondering just what had he been thinking coming here for a grandmother that he knew nothing about. Lucky Tyler Holloway lived in that small town leading a life in the shadow of his family. He lived in his parents’ basement and worked as a handy man, sometimes doing construction work on the side, Tyler accepted the common belief that he was a "golden boy" and a good soul as he was always there to help others. He dated occasionally and even though everyone in town was sure he would one day marry his best friend, but Tyler knew that wasn't true. A vacation trip to Mexico and a hot kiss with an even hotter man had confirmed what Tyler had known all along...he was different, definitely gay and probably bisexual. He had run away after that kiss, overwhelmed by its implications and unwilling to deal with the truth of it. When Tyler sees Saint across the street from the diner, he knows two things immediately: one, the man is hot, and two he, for some reason, is determined to hate him. Time and proximity have a way of wearing down even the most stubborn among us, and Saint and Tyler are about to feel it's over-powering effect. The grandmothers, Helen and Alice, were incredibly sweet and funny and Tyler's family was pleasant and accepting, only wanting the best for their son and Saint was "the best" in their book. The story is a journey of self-discovery for both men...one to understand his sexuality, the other to find that his sense of home. Anyone looking to escape into a tender, sweet, romance will find it in Something About You.

Don't Mess With The Ex - DJ Jamison - (Texas)
Rules We Break Series Book #2
Genera: M/M/Romance/Secret Husband
5★
Tucker and Laurie got married 20 years ago, but due to Laurie's family, they thought they had had their marriage annulled. When Laurie finds out that is not the case, and spurred by an inheritance battle with his family, he arrives in a spectacular way, trying to show Tucker how much he loves him and wants to fight for their relationship. A secret marriage that is used as a way to get an inheritance isn’t a new topic for authors to use, but in this one Laurie and Tuck turn it upside down immediately since Laurie tells Tucker right off and entices him with the idea of money that could be used for the small town of Granville. Laurie is like a marshmallow with legs. He's hurt and obviously dying to have the love of his life back and Tucker has never stopped loving Laurie. Their mutual pining worked, and they finally caved in. Laurie’s horrible, rich family are still trying their best to take Laurie & Tuck down. I hoped they'd just give up and go count their money. The two guys do have the love and support of Tucker's a wonderful family, all their friends, along with a needy dog. We have a "smorgasbord of deliciousness" in the end.

Upsy-Daisy Dom - Tanya Chris - (Massachusetts)
Hell's Bedroom series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance/BDSM
5★
One of the best parts of all 3 of these books was this group of BDSM practitioners who became friends.... or at least "better" friends. They not only developed a type of friendship but also formed a solid commitment to make sure that as long as they drew breath, they would do everything in their power to keep their shared kinks consensual and to provide a safe place for everyone that wanted to practice them. Over that common cause they bonded and eventually starting caring and watching out for one another while taking down a human trafficking ring, making the streets of Boston safer for everyone, gay or straight. A more than satisfying conclusion to the "Hell’s Bedroom" trilogy. The series has suspense, excellent writing and some really sexy characters. Tanya Chris is going to have to work really hard in order to top this one...but I'm sure she's on the job. (The strange book titles are all names for each of the 3 Doms and is mentioned only one time somewhere in the text. The names make perfect sense when you see them ... but you have to watch carefully for it.)

The Collector of Dying Breaths / M. J. Rose
3 stars

In the 16th century, Rene is a perfumer for Catherine de Medici. But even before that (and he continues on with his experimenting), he collected the dying breaths of people; the idea was that the person’s soul was in that last breath, and he hoped to find a way to reanimate that soul. Rene was continuing on the work of his mentor/father-figure. In addition, Catherine managed to convince Rene to also produce some poisons.

In the current day, Jac’s younger brother has also been continuing on this tradition of dying breaths, and Jac follows a trail to continue on after her brother dies. This bring her into contact with some… interesting people as she tries to find some of the ingredients that Rene might have used hundreds of years earlier. Jac also thinks she has been continually reincarnated and has been responsible for her love dying in more than one life, so she has pushed her current love away.

This was ok. It got more interesting at the end as things heated up particularly for Jac, but I found much of it unbelievable and slow-moving. It was interesting to read the author’s note at the end that indicated that Rene was Catherine’s perfumer; the dying breath theory was possible, but it’s not known if people thought that at the time.

Can't Say Goodbye - Eden Finley - (Australia)
Genera: M/M/M Romance
4.5★
The journey that Brady, Prescott, and Kit take so they can be together is frustrating at times...but it does reflect the reality of a venture like this. Two people, whether it's male/female, or any other combination of sexes, takes a great deal of patience and understanding, I can't imagine what trials adding a third to the mix would cause. Just because you’ve found “the one” ...or in this case "the two", doesn’t mean that everything will immediately work out and you will ride off into the sunset finding your "happy ever after". True love takes lots of effort, along with compromise, and sometimes you just have to give it a great deal more time. You can't help but love these three men and hope that their love for each other, even if it is so very new, will be enough. I didn't think that there was enough relationship building between the three of them, even though they had over 300 pages to build in. They were apart much of time and had really only started to communicate one on one, other than their meetings halfway through the story. It didn't seem like enough time for Preston and Kit to fall as much in love with Brady as they were with each other...and I wondered what the possibilities of this actually happening, really were. My husband says that it's just a story and that I "overthink" things. In spite of my "topping from the bottom" it was still a good story, but then, on recollection, I have never had a bad story from Eden Finley.

Charlotte Gray - Sebastian Faulk - (England/France)
Genera: War
2★
The story was off to a barely okay start with a wartime romance in London between a Scottish girl and an almost suicidal pilot who had somehow managed to have survived the Battle of Britain's most hectic days, which was in itself, interesting enough. The writing wasn't bad, but it just didn't have anything that kept me glued to the pages even when the story moved over to France. I more than likely wouldn't even have finished the book if it wasn't that it was for a challenge that I wanted/needed to finish. I surmised before I even got the book home that I was going to have trouble with it as it wasn't even a type of book that I would normally even borrow from the library. I know that it will undoubtably have great appeal to those that like war stories and wartime history, so please don't take my word or my rating for this one as the 2 stars only is a reflection of how I felt. If this type of literature appeals to you, give it a try.

Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World
Rosalind Miles
4/5 stars
Fascinating true stories of women's history! A great read!
Non-Fiction

Three Bedrooms, One Corpse / Charlaine Harris
3 stars

Aurora (Roe) has left her library job and is trying out real estate with her mother. As she fills in while her mom is running late, she shows a brother (Martin) and sister from out of town a large house… and they find the dead body of another realtor in one of the bedrooms! Meanwhile, Roe is very attracted to this older man Martin, and they start dating while the real estate agents in town are a bit nervous.

This was ok. I listened to the audio, and it started off well, but my mind did tend to wander, as it sometimes (often?) does with audios, so I definitely missed more than I would have liked to. I do think Roe did a really stupid thing at the end (but they often do in cozy mysteries – rather than going to the police with what they’ve discovered, they do something dangerous instead). I’m undecided if I should continue the series or not. I might try one more.

Something About Us - Riley Hart - (California/Virginia)
Saint & Lucky, Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
To get much out of this one you really need to read the first book, Something About You. I really enjoyed the entire story...watching Lucky and Saint navigate their way through their "new normal". Falling in love was easy but they found that while they still love ne another, there are challenges that come with the next step. They are trying to find themselves, Lucky needing to more than Saint. We saw Saint find himself in his first serious relationship and that's all-new ground for him. He's still grieving the loss of his grandmother that he only recently found, and he has a new realization of how much family he has missed out on over the years. Lucky had moved from the small Virginia town to LA with Saint, and he's in his first relationship with a man, trying to fit into a world that is a million miles from where he came from...not in actual mileage but in customs and feelings. Neither man is perfect, and they both make mistakes, but they are 100% perfect for each other. It's true that their relationship does need work, and I was glad to see that they knew that and wanted to work together. Their relationship was already so real...not all fairytales and sunshine. Although their struggles pulled at my heart at times it was well worth it. Another heart-felt, amazing read from Riley Hart.

Listen For The Lie - Amy Tintera - (Texas)
Genera: Mystery & Suspense/Thriller
5★
Lucy has gone home to Plumpton, Texas... it's her grandmother’s birthday and she wants to be there despite knowing that nearly everyone in town believes she murdered her best friend, Savannah, five years ago. Ben Owens, a true-crime podcaster, is also in town to interview Lucy’s family and friends about the murder of Savannah Harper, who was described as “just the sweetest girl you ever met.”. She died from repeated blows to the head. Lucy was found later covered in Savannah's blood, with no memory of what happened. She was...and is...someone that carries many secrets, and this has not made her popular with the people of this Texas town. When they speak about her, which seems to be often, they always point out that she was always violent, secretive, and difficult. Ben thinks there is more to the story than what he's heard, and he wants to tell Lucy’s story, not more small-town gossip. He has discovered new evidence and has coaxed some new interviews that causes the town's residents to begin to question if Lucy is actually guilty. In the meantime, Lucy and Ben draw closer and she knows that to have any future with handsome Ben she has to finally face the truth of her past and find who had murdered her friend. Most of the story is told from Lucy’s point of view, which lets us learn about her different "layers" and more of her story. Now we can begin to understand just how wrong everyone has been. The story dwells on and shows how harmful and hurtful the prejudices of any size town can be and how those who don’t fit society's mold or idea of what is right or acceptable, are often misunderstood and tagged with the wrong 'label". In today's world, information is available almost instantly in a variety of ways and means. This story reminds us that we must be very careful to sift through the layers and be sure we have found the truth before making judgements.

Champagne Charades - Leighton Greene - (New York/Connecticut)
Friends of Friends series Book #5
Genera: M/M Romance/some light BDSM
5★
This is a fun, very low-angst novella...just a tad over 100 pages. Tyler is a sub who was dumped by his previous boyfriend a few months ago. Now, he's seeing Damon, a "Dom-on-demand"...yes there is such a thing...who is also a good friend. One of Tyler's other friends, (from a previous book in the series), is getting married in New York on New Year's Day and Tyler doesn't want to spoil the wedding by causing any drama over his break-up. Damon and Tyler think they have the answer to how to avoid this by having Damon agree to pose as his ex, Shane, to keep things running smooth and all the attention on the groom who is also one of his good friends. What will happen when these two begin to hope their "fake boyfriend" scheme becomes more and Tyler's friends begin to become suspicious of this cover story? Love seems inevitable. I didn't think the scheme was all that necessary but I'm not writing the book, and it did make a good story. I have read several other books in this series...out of order as usual... and lots of other books by this author. I have never been disappointed, and nothing in this series has been the exception. All of Ty and Cooper's (the grooms), friends from the other books are present in this one. I loved seeing them again and how supportive they all are of one another. The BDSM theme in this book compared to some of the other books, is very light. Overall, it was just a warm, light-hearted, read.

Give Me a Sign– Anna Sortino
Digital audiobook performed by Elizabeth Robbins
4****

From the book jacket: Lilah is stuck in the middle. At least that’s what having a hearing loss seems like sometimes – when you don’t feel “deaf enough” to identify as Deaf or hearing enough to meet the world’s expectations. But this summer, Lilah is ready for a change. When she becomes a counselor at a summer camp for the deaf and blind, her plan is to brush up on her ASL. Once there, she also finds a community.

My reactions:
I loved this book. Sortino is Deaf and passionate about seeing diverse characters portrayed in the media. This is her debut novel.

Lilah and the other counselors at Camp Grey Wolf are in many ways typical teenagers. They are looking for opportunities for their future, trying different approaches to future success, testing their wings with a few months of independence from parents. They enjoy a variety of activities – music, dancing, art, reading, cooking – and are eager to make friends, and even have a romance. But they are also dealing with the obstacles posed by the disabilities they have.

While the experience at camp is eye-opening and refreshing for campers and counselors alike, Sortino doesn’t shy away from relating real difficulties faced by the Deaf. A scene at a fast-food drive-thru window is a perfect example. This really opened my eyes to the some of the challenges faced by the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

I listened to the audiobook, which was performed by Elizabeth Robbins. The irony of my listening to an audio version of a book about the Deaf was not lost on me. Robbins does a great job, and I liked the way the producers dealt with those cases where a deaf character missed vital information because she or he could not fully “hear” what was being said. (In the text version, Sortino inserts blanks to convey that information is being missed.)

The Relentless Moon / Mary Robinette Kowal
4 stars

This is the third in a series. Series summary: In the 1950s a meteorite hit the Earth and wiped out much of the US East Coast. It also caused extreme climate changes. Now in 1963, there has been a decade of of space travel and plans to send humans to the moon and to Mars to start colonizing there as the Earth becomes more uninhabitable. There are protesters, though, as everyone knows there will be only some who will be able to move to the moon or Mars – not everyone will get that opportunity.

In this book, the 3rd in the series, one of the original women astronauts, Nicole, leaves her politician husband (he is governor of Kentucky) on Earth to help set up the colony on the moon. It is difficult for both of them, as Kenneth has just announced that he will run for president; they also know that because Kenneth has a heart problem, he will never be able to leave Earth. In addition, it appears that someone is trying to sabotage these colonizing missions; the sabotage is happening both on the moon and on Earth. While on the moon, Nicole, with the help of some of her friends, try to figure out who it is and things heat up when their communication to Earth is cut off.

I really liked this one. The entire series is very good. I think I liked this and the 2nd one more than the first in the series. This one was longer than the others, but I also think there was more going on, including Nicole dealing with anorexia and a polio outbreak on the moon. There was rarely a moment when I wasn’t interested in what was going on.

The Mirror Crack'd by Agatha Christie
5*****

Yes, it's Miss Marple, and yes, "The Mirror Crack'd" is everything one wants from this feisty sleuth. It begins with an older Miss Marple being tutted over by her new caretaker, a certain Miss Knight, and a young housekeeper named Cherry from the nearby Development. So time has passed in Jane Marple's life, including the sale of Gossington Hall to a famous film actress; this Hall was the setting for "The Body in the Library" (the final mystery in this particular collection).

As Miss Marple gets used to modern life, including having to rip out her knitting more often than not, the sudden death of a neighbor during the welcoming reception at Gossington Hall by the film actress and her 4th (or was it 5th?) husband presents a sudden twist of fate. The neighbor was a bit of a busybody who helped organize the reception and was a huge fan of Marina Gregg, the film actress. To the point where she relayed a story about jumping out of a sickbed to shake Miss Gregg's hand and get her autograph many years before.

Miss Marple begins to take an interest in film magazines to understand Miss Gregg and her world, while her agile brain begins to wonder about her neighbor's death and the deaths of several other employees at Gossington Hall. She is helped along the way by Inspector Craddock and her friend, Mrs. Bantry. They provide a set of eyes and ears, not to mention the ability to travel and converse, with the people from St. Mary Mead, its new Development, and London in a way that Miss Marple cannot.

While the references to Miss Gregg's only son and his disabilities are jarringly out of date, the sleuthing is top-notch. The reference to Lord Tennyson's poem is apropos of the events during the reception, and our dear Jane Marple is finally able to put the pieces together to solve the mystery.

Nothing Special - Casey Cox - (Australia)
Narrator: Grant Cartwright
Genera: M/M Romance
4★
Darren and Benji have been best friends, for ten years...ever since college. Darren has been keeping a secret from Benji all that time...he's completely, head over heels, in love with him. Benji is struggling with writer's block while working on his "friends-to-lovers" novel. I loved the reason he had for this "blockage"...he ironically says that he doesn't see how anyone could be obtuse enough to not notice their best friend is in love with them. I thought "really Benji"? Open your eyes and look around you". - Darren decides that this is his "big chance" and volunteers to help him figure out the parts of the "friends to lovers" formula that he's struggling with. Of course, he also thinks that if that if it just happens to mean that Darren can finally get Benji to see how he feels about him and maybe return some of those feelings...all the better. As we readers of romance novels, especially M/M romance novels know, the path to true love is never easy. On the positive side, there is very little angst in the actual relationship...they also don't suffer due to miscommunications...but they do have issues that make it hard for them to open up to one another about their feelings. Insecurities and a secret that Benji is keeping about himself, that even he doesn't realize it is what he's doing, makes it hard for them to get to that level, but when they finally get there, it is so worth waiting for. There is a fun twist in the story that will break your heart even though you will know that it's coming.

Taming Tristan - Leighton Greene
Friends of Friends series Book #2
Genera: M/M Romance
5★
Seth Jackson is a good Dom and a good man in general. He makes no secret of the fact that he likes his hook-up's to be uncomplicated. When he's offered a bet with an amount of money that will change the life for the people that he loves more than anyone in the world... his sister and their invalid father. His sister is taking care of their father and trying to figure out how to continue her college education while keeping the "wolf from the door". The bank is threating to foreclose on the house and her tuition is coming up. All Seth has to do to win the bet is make Tristan Taylor knell for him, in public, at their club, by Valentine's Day. His Dad and his sister would be safe from the pending foreclosure....and his sister could still have enough left to pay for her college. Seth is a Dom that has never wanted any sub to ever knell for him that didn't want to, and he totally hates the whole idea as well as the people that instigated the bet... but how could he refuse? I really liked the character of Seth. Seth is used to getting his way. Men get on their knees for him all the time...but Tristan? This is an entirely new challenge. Tristan is good-natured, little bit of troublemaker with a cheeky grin, and a big heart...the kind of brat that drives men, especially Doms, crazy, and sometimes not in a good way. He's played a lot at the club with a lot of different Doms, but he's never played with a Dom that practices Primal play before. He's totally in and intrigued by the entire idea. With each session, Seth finds himself more and more entranced by what lies under Tristan's snarky exterior...but Tristan's been burned before, and his trust isn't easily earned. If Tristan finds out about the bet, it'll only prove his worst fears about all Doms will be true. Seth has so quickly fallen for the bratty, little cutie that he's tempted so many times to just tell him about the bet...and he's even tried to turn the bet down...but no luck with either of these options. The whole question boils down to if Seth can keep Tristan's love and keep the bet a secret...or will gambling with Tristan's heart destroy any chance of their new love to last? The ending is nothing but heartwarmingly spectacular.

Footsteps in Time / Sarah Woodbury
4 stars

Teenage siblings David (14) and Anna (17) crash their car and appear someplace unexpected. They are in a field of bodies and horses. It’s not long before they figure out they seem to have travelled back in time. Not only that, they ended up on a battlefield where they saved the life of Prince Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, who should have died in this fight with England. Lucky for David and Anna, their mother is a historian with a particular interest in 13th century Wales, so they know quite a bit about the time period. Due to their saving Llewellyn’s life, they are taken in and taken care of. Not only that, David is being trained to help out in this Welsh war. And Anna is a bit bored, since women aren’t really allowed to do much. But they make the most of it, though with David rightfully scared with a real war happening that it appears they are training him to help in!

I really liked this. I was thinking this was 2nd in a series, but it’s technically the first; I’ve just read the prequel already (I would actually recommend reading the prequel first). The time travel is really just the first part of the book, and after that, it’s primarily historical fiction (one of my favourite genres); ah, I guess the time travel does come up again a couple of times. 13th century Wales is definitely not a place nor time period I know much about, so that was definitely interesting. I also loved the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book – I did refer back to that a few times!

Morning Glory
LaVyrle Spencer
A young widow meets a man recently and invites him into her home and help raise her kids and work on her property. Will it work out or not? I enjoyed it! 1989

Worth The Fight - Kate Hawthorne
Giving Consent Series Book #3
Genera: M/M/M Romance
5★
We again meet the characters in this story that have appeared in the first two books... Worth the Risk and Worth the Wait, and like those two books, this one is beautiful, heartbreaking, and full of love and hope...and what most folks don't get...a second chance to do it right. Keith gets his second chance at life and love and at just being himself. Micah and Justin get their second chance at showing Keith just how good they all are together. The three of them get a second chance at being "everything" for each other. The love and life these three men end up with was totally "worth the fight" they had to go through in order to end up happy together. Overall...it was a wonderful book...part of an wonder 4 book series, so one more to go,

The Little French Bistro / Nina George
2 stars

Marianne and her husband are visiting Paris from Germany when Marianne heads into the Seine, planning to kill herself. Someone pulls her out. While Marianne is in the hospital, her husband heads home. Marianne recovers and stays in France, working at a cafe.

I was disappointed, as I thought the title was cute, but the book didn’t live up to it for me. I listened to the audio and this was boring. Slow-moving, not much really happened beyond some romances (not my thing). Oh, I do believe someone died. There were so many characters that (because I really wasn’t paying attention), I had no idea who they were or how they related to each other (except for a couple of them). I’d like to say I didn’t like any of the characters, but I probably didn’t hear enough to know if I might have had I been paying attention. From what I did hear, though, I didn’t like them. Weren’t there people cheating on other people? (I mean besides Marianne… not that her husband was a prize, either, but...)

Booked for Trouble / Eva Gates
4 stars

This is book two of a series. Librarian Lucy lives in a small town where the library is in a lighthouse and Lucy’s apartment is above the library. When Lucy’s mom (Suzanne) is visiting, Suzanne has a bad (very public) interaction with some people she knew back in high school. Later, Suzanne comes to Lucy’s book club, where both of those people also attend. Suzanne makes up with one of those people she’d earlier had a run-in with (Karen), but the next morning, Karen is found dead outside the library.

I really liked this. I love the library/lighthouse setting and I like many of the characters (though there were a number of unlikable characters, as well). Lucy does seem a bit innocent in her relationships, but even so, I like the two men who seem interested, though I might like one just a little more than the other.

The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear - Walter Moers (Germany)
Genera: Children's Fantasy
5★
My young book-loving neighbor who reads everything that contains print, received this from her grandmother, who supplies her with everything that contains print. She brought it to me and said "read this"...so...as I am accustomed to doing what nine-year-olds tell me to do...I did. I have since purchased a copy for my eight-year-old grandson's upcoming 9th birthday. He really needs another book:) His mother will likely want to kill me...but she won't since I "let her live" in spite of her teen-age years and my gray hairs that she is practically responsible for

This a fantasy adventure story about the adventures of a big blue bear as he travels through an extraordinary land that is filled with giants, trolls, hobgoblins, tiny pirates and giant evil spiders...I could have done without the spiders. Bluebear recounts his adventures of getting trapped inside a tornado, crossing a desert made of sugar, and even traveling to other strange dimensions. If that sounds ludicrous, that's because it is. The entire story is the height of ludicrousness...but it's so much fun...even for us "big kids". It's an adventure story that manages to be both exciting and a satire on other adventure stories. When Bluebear is about to die, and he is rescued at the last moment by a flying reptilian creature; "Deus X. Machina" or "Mac", for short. My old brain learned something new..."Deus ex machina" is a literary term that is sometimes used when the problem with a plot is suddenly solved by an unlikely occurrence. Now you have learned something today also...and my young neighbor is now using the term as much as possible in everyday discussions. If you are older than 12, you will probably find that the humor in this book is lot like Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s zany and satirical, usually making fun at literary things like "deus ex machina"...but it’s also so incredibly light-hearted and silly that it easily manages to work as just a fun tall tale that appeals to the hidden "child" in all of us. I loved meeting all the wacky, crazy characters that Bluebear encountered. I would recommend this if you enjoyed witty adventure stories, like the afore mentioned "Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy", or even "The Hobbit". If you're looking for a fun and unusual children’s book, although I’d say that this is more for older children since it does have some scarier bits...but if you’re looking for a fun, smart, and zany adventure story then "Bluebear" is your man...I mean, "bear".

Why King's Confess - C.S. Harris - (England)
Genera: Historical Mystery & Suspense
4.5★
Devlin's friend, Doctor Paul Gibson, happens to find a badly mutilated body and a severely injured woman. He asks Devlin to investigate. Devlin is warned off by his hostile father-in-law, Lord Jarvis, who is one of the most powerful men in Britain. Jarvis despises Devlin and hates him for marrying his daughter Hero. The feelings are mutual as Devlin has no love for Jarvis either. Maybe the fact that he once tried to have Devlin killed might contribute a lot to his feelings about the man. Despite of all this, Devlin does say he will investigate. Several times he is attacked and almost killed but manages to escape every time. Of course, he does...there's more books that he has to come and save people and the country. Murderers that attack Devlin is a common theme in each book in this series. Devlin does solve the case with the help of Paul Gibson, Hero and others. There were several different suspects, and I was not sure who the murderer was until the end. This was not my favorite of this series, but it was made more enjoyable because it was the group read for this month, so different folks had different ideas about the story.

My Mama, Cass: A Memoir
Owen Elliot-Kugell
4/5 stars
Wonderful biography of Cass Eliot by her daughter. Definitely for fans of The Mamas and the Papas! One Last Ruth Reichl Book and 8 Biographies

FYI This topic will remain up until September 4th.

Why Kings Confess by C.S. Harris
5*****

Another great book with great research on this period in history. Oh yeah, and Sebastian St Cyr is called upon to solve murders connected with the deposed French royal family. And Hero is about to have their child (always a danger, especially with the blood-letting and bland diet imposed on women by the accoucheurs of the time, always men). But I digress.

The initial murder and near-death wounding occur one night in late January in Cat's Hole, in the poverty-stricken district called St. Katharine's in London. Sebastian St Cyr is called by the constabulary to investigate the gruesome death of Damion Pelleton. Damion is a French physician and the son of the physician who performed the autopsy on the young Dauphin, son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Damion's companion, Alexandrie Sauvage, slowly regains consciousness and she, too, is a French physician with knowledge of easing childbirth. She also shares a part of St Cyr's troubled past during the Napoleonic Wars.

But these details come to light as the plot progresses against the backdrop of attempted peace negotiations between the French and English governments. After Napoléon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the French are looking to maybe bring the war to an end, but there are always players who seek an end to such negotiations. And St Cyr finds that both delegations have members who could be these detractors.

Part of what makes this story strong for me are the development of Hero's mother into a real character, and also the inclusion of the French Royal Family 20 years after the Reign of Terror. Central to the plot is Marie-Thérèse of France and her uncles, the Comte de Provence (later Louis XVIII) and the Comte d'Artois (later Charles X). Their lives become more than just an entry in a history book; they become characters in this murder mystery, with retainers, and interactions with St Cyr and details about their lives in exile.