strange and random happenstance

The Deception of the Emerald Ring by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: November 16th, 2006
Format: Paperback, 464 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Letty and Mary Alsworthy are as different as two sisters can be. At a frizzy haired five foot, Letty will never be like her statuesque sister. And she would NEVER run off in the middle of the night for a midnight elopement with Geoffry Pinchingdale-Snipe. She might try to stop the elopement with all good intentions, but never elope herself. Until fate intervenes and she's the one being spirited away in the night to a rendezvous with a certain member of the peerage. Geoff, being Geoff, marries the sister whose reputation he inadvertently ruined. He might see her as a conniving and manipulative upstart who took her chance when the opportunity afforded itself, but at least his obligations to the Pink Carnation mean that he can hare off to Ireland and put some space between his broken heart and his unwanted bride. Practical Letty for once doesn't know what to do. She's been the one who has always taken care of her family and has never had a spot of bother. Now she's married to a man who has vanished and he hasn't let her explain what really happened. A little drunk, she gets the first packet out of London to follow Geoff to Ireland thanks to Miles and Henrietta spilling the beans as to where Goeff went. But an unwanted wife in England is a completely different situation to an unwanted wife in Ireland interfering with his mission to thwart a French and Irish alliance. Begrudgingly taking Letty into his confidences with one Pink Carnation, Jane Wolliston, and one parasol wielding pyromaniac in the making, Miss Gwen, they all try to muddle through for the good of England. But add a dangerous cousin on the prowl for Geoff's title, Lord Vaughn, who's every word has double and triple entendres, and evidence that the Black Tulip is at it again, things might be trickier than anyone thought. Can this all be untangled and England saved? Because maybe fate intervened for a reason and Letty is the sister Geoff should have been wooing all along. But back in the present Eloise has an even more pressing problem. Can she get a certain Colin Selwick to call her and set up a date?

The Deception of the Emerald Ring is itself very deceptive. Whenever I think of the Pink Carnation series as a whole it never makes the cut as a favorite, and then I re-read it and realize how much I love it. I start to question my entire ranking of the series and as of this moment while I write this review it might even make my top ten books of 2021 because I adored re-reading it so much. This book tricks me every time into thinking that it's not as good as it is. I should have learned by now having read this book as many times as I have. Also, I seriously have no idea how many times I've read it. Because of other reading commitments during the year long Pink Carnation Read Along and the fact that I was once again underestimating it and not really looking forward to picking it up The Deception of the Emerald Ring didn't make it off my bookshelf until the day before the Zoom meeting. And while I had intended to shotgun the whole book in day, I found myself so drawn into the book I wanted it to last for days. So the Zoom meeting came and went and I was still reading. And now I think I'm going to read all the books AFTER the meeting. Because I've read all these stories before it's not like a book club meeting where you're feverishly trying to finish before time so you can discuss it. No, the meeting gave me further insights into the story so that when I was reading it I picked up on these new nuggets of information. I got to thinking about the implications of donning trousers, the practicalities versus the amorous. I got to enjoy Lord Vaughn showing up and just taking over every scene he was in. And I finally got to see the Black Tulip plot line form into a more logical garden plan. To not have just one sadistic spy, but sadists working for a criminal mastermind makes more sense that the Marquise ever did. She mistook Turnip for the Pink Carnation! I'm sorry, but anyone who could think that doesn't deserve to be a criminal mastermind. A pawn though... Totally suited for a pawn.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Book Club, France, Geoffry Pinchingdale-Snipe, Ireland, Lauren Willig, Letty Alsworthy, Pink Carnation Read Along, Regency Romp, The Black Tulip, The Deception of the Emerald Ring, The Pink Carnation, Zoom

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
Published by: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Judy I. Lin's sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

I used to look at my hands with pride. Now all I can think is, "These are the hands that buried my mother."

For Ning, the only thing worse than losing her mother is knowing that it's her own fault. She was the one who unknowingly brewed the poison tea that killed her - the poison tea that now threatens to also take her sister, Shu.

When Ning hears of a competition to find the kingdom's greatest shennong-shi - masters of the ancient and magical art of tea-making - she travels to the imperial city to compete. The winner will receive a favor from the princess, which may be Ning's only chance to save her sister's life.

But between the backstabbing competitors, bloody court politics, and a mysterious (and handsome) boy with a shocking secret, Ning might actually be the one in more danger."

It's like Tea Dragons meet a Cinder/Hunger Games mashup! YAS!

Evil in Emerald by A.M. Stuart
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Craving a change of pace, Harriet Gordon, joins a local musical theatre production but when a fellow cast member is brutally killed, Harriet and Inspector Curran must turn the spotlight on murder in this all-new mystery from the author of Revenge in Rubies.

Between working at her brother’s school and typing up Inspector Robert Curran’s police reports, Harriet Gordon has little time for personal pursuits and she has been enjoying the rehearsals for her role in the Singapore Amateur Dramatic and Musical Society’s latest production - Pirates of Penzance. But Harriet quickly discovers tensions run deep within the theatre company and when the leading man is found murdered, suspicions abound, exposing scandalous behavior as well as some insidious crimes.

Inspector Curran once again turns to Harriet for help with this difficult case, but his own life begins to unravel as a mysterious man turns up on his doorstep claiming to know more about Curran’s painful past than he himself does. And after the one person he has always counted on delivers him some devastating news, the line between his personal and professional life begins to blur. Now, more than ever, Curran needs Harriet’s steadfast assistance, and when another cast member meets a violent end, Curran and Harriet will have to close in on a killer determined to make this case their final curtain call."

Oh, as any mystery lover knows amateur dramatics lead to murder!

Danger on the Atlantic by Erica Ruth Neubauer
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In Agatha Award-winning author Erica Ruth Neubauer’s third wanderlust-inspiring historical mystery, young American widow Jane Wunderly, there are worse fates than adventuring aboard a transatlantic liner with the only man who could change her mind about romance. Unfortunately, her first-class itinerary has an unexpected - and deadly - addition waiting just below deck...

Atlantic Ocean, 1926: Voyaging from Southampton to New York, self-reliant Jane is determined to prove herself a worthy investigator on the stately ship - even awkwardly going undercover as the fashionable wife of her magnetic partner, Mr. Redvers. Few details are known about the rumored German spy the duo have been tasked with identifying among fellow passengers, but new troubles unfold once wealthy newlywed Vanessa FitzSimmons announces the sudden disappearance of her husband at sea...

Miles Van de Meter, the man Vanessa rushed to marry in Monte Carlo, has allegedly vanished into thin air along with his luggage. Redvers guesses the shifty heiress may be weaving tall tales for fun between flutes of champagne, yet Jane isn’t convinced - not after the stunning murder of a trusted acquaintance sends them into uncharted waters. Facing two dangerous mysteries and a boat load of suspects, Jane must navigate a claustrophobic quest for answers before the culprits can slip from her grasp on land…or, worse, ensure she and Redvers never reach their destination."

Gotta support local Wisconsin authors!

The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nola Trenholm is hopeful for a fresh start in the Big Easy but must deal with ghosts from her past - as well as new ones - in this first book in a spin-off series of Karen White's New York Times bestselling Tradd Street novels.

After a difficult detour on her road to adulthood, Nola Trenholm is looking to begin anew in New Orleans, and what better way to start her future than with her first house? But the historic fixer-upper she buys comes with even more work than she anticipated when the house’s previous occupants don’t seem to be ready to depart.

Although she can’t communicate with ghosts like her stepmother can, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who is able to - even if he’s the last person on earth she wants anything to do with ever again. Beau Ryan comes with his own dark past - a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina - and he’s connected to the unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole cottage Nola is determined to make her own...whether the resident restless spirits agree or not."

And I gotta support all Team W members!

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Susan Hill
Published by: The Overlook Press
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the newest installment of Susan Hill’s electrifying crime series, Simon Serrailler finds himself in devastating new territory as a sophisticated drug network sets its sights on Lafferton. In A Change of Circumstance, the eleventh book in Susan Hill’s acclaimed crime series featuring the enigmatic detective Simon Serrailler, Hill yet again raises the stakes.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Serrailler has long regarded drug ops in Lafferton as a waste of time. The small-time dealers picked up outside the local high school can’t or won’t turn in any valuable names, so they’re merely given a fine and the trail runs cold.

But when the body of a twenty-two-year-old is found in neighboring Starley, the case pulls DCS Simon Serrailler into the underbelly of an elaborate drug operation that moves narcotics from the cities into the suburbs and right down to villages. The foot soldiers? Vulnerable local kids like Brookie and Olivia, whose involvement gives Simon a bitter taste of this new landscape. It’s a harsh winter in Lafferton, and with struggles both at home and on the job, DCS Serrailler soon learns that even the familiar can hold shocking surprises...

Dark, page-turning, and rich in mood and character, Susan Hill’s A Change of Circumstance lands brilliantly as another gripping entry to the Serrailler canon, sure to enthrall fans and newcomers alike."

I am ALWAYS up for a new Susan Hill!

Tales of the City Volume 1 by Armistead Maupin
Published by: Ablaze
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 1332 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A Classic of LGBTQ Literature that has become a cult sensation.

San Francisco, late 1970s.

At 28 Barbary Lane, Anna Madrigal runs a boarding house. She welcomes people who have nowhere else to go: the misfits. This matriarch is known for her unending kindness and her superb marijuana crop.

Enter Mary Ann Singleton, a prudish, naive, young woman who escaped her dull Ohio hometown for San Francisco. She settles in with her other fellow tenants: Michael "Mouse," a personable young gay man, Brian Hawkins, an incorrigible Don Juan, and Mona Ramsey, a young hippyish bisexual.

Little does the group know that they will soon form a dear family together. This is the beginning of a humorous, heartfelt saga, between the summer of love and the appearance of AIDS, in the city of sexual freedom."

I LOVE the Tales of the City books and I just adore the retro style of this graphic novel approach.

How to Be a Wallflower by Eloisa James
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: March 29th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestseller Eloisa James, a new Regency-set novel in which a heiress with the goal of being a wallflower engages a rugged American in a scorchingly sensual, witty wager that tests whether clothing does indeed make the man - or the wallflower! A perfect companion story to Eloisa's My American Duchess.

Miss Cleopatra Lewis is about to be launched in society by her aristocratic grandfather. But since she has no intention of marrying, she visits a costume emporium specifically to order unflattering dresses guaranteed to put off any prospective suitors.

Powerful and charismatic Jacob Astor Addison is in London, acquiring businesses to add to his theatrical holdings in America - as well as buying an emerald for a young lady back in Boston. He’s furious when a she-devil masquerading as an English lady steals Quimby’s Costume Emporium from under his nose.

Jake strikes a devil’s bargain, offering to design her "wallflower wardrobe" and giving Cleo the chance to design his. Cleo can’t resist the fun of clothing the rough-hewn American in feathers and flowers. And somehow in the middle of their lively competition, Jake becomes her closest friend.

It isn’t until Cleo becomes the toast of all society that Jake realizes she’s stolen his fiercely guarded heart. But unlike the noblemen at her feet, he doesn’t belong in her refined and cultured world.

Caught between the demands of honor and desire, Jake would give up everything to be with the woman he loves - if she’ll have him!"

A perfect companion piece to my Regency Romp!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Magic Steeped in Poison, A.M. Stuart, Armistead Maupin, Eloisa James, Erica Ruth Neubauer, Graphic Novel, Judy I. Lin, Karen White, LGBTQ, Regency Romp, Singapore, Susan Hill, Tales of the City, Tea Dragon

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Published by: Modern Library
Publication Date: 1813
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

The leasing of Netherfield Park by a young single gentlemen of fortune makes Mrs. Bennet's day. For she is determined on one of her daughters marrying him. Who cares if nothing is known of the man, the desirability of the man is set by liquidity and location. Luckily for this nervous mother of five Mr. Bingley does seem inclined to fulfill her deepest desire as he starts to fall for her eldest, Jane. But he brings with him such a haughty friend, Mr. Darcy, who becomes notorious for snubbing her second daughter, Lizzy, at the local assembly by not dancing with her. "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." Lucky for Lizzy she sees it as a narrow escape from this proud man whom is now nothing more than an anecdote in her mind and roundly snubbed by all the townsfolk. But in trying to secure Mr. Bingley for Jane Lizzy is again and again thrust into the path of Mr. Darcy and little does she know that against every instinct he is falling for her. He has "been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty women can bestow." Though he isn't the only one who has unwanted and unsolicited affections for Lizzy. Lizzy's odious cousin Mr. Collins arrives on the scene to try to secure her hand. A hand she will never give to him no matter how much it would solve the problems her family might face in the future. There is one she might give her hand to, a Mr. Wickham, who has recently arrived and enlisted in the army. He is an amiable type who has a tragic past, made more tragic by the actions of one Mr. Darcy. But can Wickham be trusted? He sees the town doesn't like Darcy and that suits him just fine. Could someone so calculating be right for Lizzy? And can she juggle all the men in her life with what her heart really wants for herself and her family? Or will she make all the wrong choices and end up a spinster with a battered heart? Only with time, travel, and much heartache will her future and her happiness be decided.

Pride and Prejudice is the one book by Austen I go back to the least. This might seem odd because I think the majority of her fans would rank this as her best novel, and I do agree from time to time, though my rankings are very fluid. The reason I don't go back to it as often as the other novels is that Pride and Prejudice is rare in that, to me, it is the only book written by Austen that has a pitch perfect adaptation. I am of course referring to the 1995 miniseries adapted by Andrew Davies and starring a soaking wet Colin Firth. Therefore I take joy in that which takes a backseat in the miniseries when I re-read it. And for me that is Charlotte Lucas. Oh how I adore Charlotte and in more than any part of Pride and Prejudice Lizzy's incredulity of why Charlotte would be induced to accept the hand of Mr. Collins just pisses me off. Lizzy is an unrealistic romantic and sees by the example set by her parents that one should only marry for love. In this period of time this is totally unrealistic. When Mr. Collins is rejected by Lizzy he is entirely right in saying that she may never get another offer of marriage. Especially with a war on, young eligible men weren't growing on trees, and add to that that Lizzy is virtually penniless she has very unrealistic expectations. Yes, this is a love story with our hero and heroine overcoming each others faults, but seriously, if any of us readers were sent back to that time period we'd more than likely be in Charlotte Lucas's shoes and should be lucky to have her pragmatism. She's twenty-seven, a perilously old age for a woman entering the marriage market, from a large family, and has not much hope of having much money when her parents die. An eligible young man arrives, yes he's silly, but he has a very secure position, an inheritance which will eventually be in the same village as her parents, and the ear of a very influential lady. She also probably sees that through flattery she can control him. What's more is that IF Charlotte's advice had been followed by more characters in this book there would have been a lot less heartache. Here's to Charlotte, the voice of reason!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adaptation, Andrew Davies, Charlotte Lucas, Colin Firth, Fine Eyes, Jane Austen, Jane Bennet, Lizzy Bennet, Marriage, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Collins, Mr. Darcy, Mr. Wickham, Pragmatic, Pride and Prejudice, Regency Romp

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: October 26th, 2004
Format: Paperback, 390 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Annabelle Peyton is desperate. But not desperate enough to become the mistress of Simon Hunt. She is coming to the end of her forth and final season and unless she marries well her family will be ruined. Her brother won't be able to continue his education and maybe she would be better off becoming the mistress to a well heeled member of the aristocracy. Simon Hunt is far from the aristocracy but he is well heeled and if Annabelle is to become anyone's mistress it will be his. Ever since he took a liberty with her during her second season, stealing a kiss in the dark, he has been unable to forget the penniless beauty. But this penniless beauty has taken a drastic step to improve her marital prospects, she has made friends. Why did it take her so long to reach out to her fellow wallflowers? The American Bowman sisters, Lillian and Daisy, are delightful if sadly looked down upon for being Americans, and as for the stammering Evangeline Jenner, she needs someone to just listen to her problems with her overbearing family. The four of them make a pact. They will help each other make the match they need and seeing as Annabelle is the most desperate, she will be their first project. Marcus, Lord Westcliff, is having a three week long house party that the Bowmans can wrangle an invite to. This will be the perfect opportunity to entrap a husband. Because let's face it, Annabelle is desperate, and she is willing to compromise herself, but in such a way that marriage is the only option for the unwitting male. She will be dressed in the finest clothes thanks to Lillian and Daisy, who have more clothes and pocket money than they know what do to with, and all three of her friends will help her choose her mark. The only problem is that Simon Hunt happens to be the best friend of Lord Westcliff and he sees what she is about. He doesn't want her to marry, he wants her to be his mistress. But when Annabelle falls prey to an accident and Simon starts to spend more time with her he wonders, does he really want her as his mistress or as his wife?

I know it might be an odd first reaction, but mine was, why can't we save our families through marriage anymore? Yes, it's very draconian selling yourself to the highest bidder, and love matches only happen in books, rarely in real life, but why can't selling yourself for money in the particulars of this hypothetical discussion still be a reality? Because I want to make it clear, I'm not talking prostitution or being a kept women, I'm talking about marriage and a nice big purse and hopefully an ancestral pile and at least the financial strains of life are lifted. One can fantasize about that right? Moving beyond my trying to get my finances in order by marrying a member of the aristocracy, I loved The Buccaneers vibe of this book. And yes, I'm talking about the 1995 miniseries adaptation of Edith Wharton's unfinished novel. But just the beginning episodes when Nan, Virginia, Conchita, and Lizzy were still happy and carefree and not trapped in miserable loveless marriages. There was such a spirit to these characters in the miniseries that easily translates to their counterparts in this book. Only here that happiness is trapped and allowed to remain. Who wouldn't want to revisit the world of The Buccaneers if you could avoid all the misery that follows? I recently rewatched it and I wanted the light and happiness to persist and here it does. This is now my jam. This right here, and Lillian and Daisy are my buccaneers! And I know I can't be the only one who drew another miniseries conclusion while reading this book. Let's face it, Simon Hunt IS Richard Armitage as John Thornton in North and South. The timing is just right! And if it wasn't planned? Well, then Lisa Kleypass has precognition. It's that simple. But what I love about the idea of this North and South vibe in this book, aside from Richard Armitage, is that it takes the book to another level. It's not just about wallflowers making the perfect match, it's also about prejudices and how society was changing and how the aristocracy, the world so many of these young women have been brought up to, is dying and there are different ways of looking at the world. They just have to have their eyes opened, like Annabelle has.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Annabelle Peyton, Edith Wharton, Friends, John Thornton, Lisa Kleypas, Marriage, Money, North and South, Regency Romp, Richard Armitage, Secrets of a Summer Night, Simon Hunt, The Buccaneers, The Wallflowers

Portrait of an Unknown Lady by María Gainza
Published by: Catapult
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times Notable author María Gainza, who dazzled critics with Optic Nerve, returns with the captivating story of an auction house employee on the trail of an enigmatic master forger.

In the Buenos Aires art world, a master forger has achieved legendary status. Rumored to be a woman, she specializes in canvases by the painter Mariette Lydis, a portraitist of Argentinean high society. But who is this absurdly gifted creator of counterfeits? What motivates her? And what is her link to the community of artists who congregate, night after night, in a strange establishment called the Hotel Melancólico?

On the trail of this mysterious forger is our narrator, an art critic and auction house employee through whose hands counterfeit works have passed. As she begins to take on the role of art-world detective, adopting her own methods of deception and manipulation, she warns us "not to proceed in expectation of names, numbers or dates...My techniques are those of the impressionist."

Driven by obsession and full of subtle surprise, Portrait of an Unknown Lady is a highly seductive and enveloping meditation on what we mean by "authenticity" in art, and a captivating exploration of the gap between what is lived and what is told."

So yeah, I almost went to graduate school at a prominent auction house because I'm obsessed with art forgery.

A Bride's Story Volume 13 by Kaoru Mori
Published by: Yen Press
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 184 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"With a camera in hand, Mr. Smith and his entourage finally arrive at a fishing village by the Aral Sea. Upon arrival, they find the twins, Laila and Leily - to their great surprise! To celebrate their nostalgic reunion, the twins and their new husbands host a delectable banquet!"

I love this series more than I can say.

A Swirl of Shadows by Andrea Penrose
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Kindle, 394 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A traumatic personal crisis has left Lady Arianna bedeviled by guilt and questioning whether she has lost her nerve. Saybrook and her circle of friends can’t seem to help rekindle her fire. Even a challenge from Lord Grentham, Britain’s shadowy head spymaster, to undertake a vital mission to Russia in aid of her old friend, Tsar Alexander, fails to spark any interest...Until Grentham mentions that Arianna’s half-brother has gone in her place and may be in mortal danger.

Arianna is furious. She only recently discovered that she had a sibling when her father’s illegitimate son was recruited to play a small role in their previous mission. Resentful of the minister’s attempt to manipulate her emotions, she still refuses to be drawn back into the fray.

But when the murder of a mysterious Russian baroness in London entangles her friend Sophia in the byzantine intrigue surrounding a stolen Imperial medallion and a legendary curse that may topple the Tsar from his throne if it’s not recovered, Arianna finds she can’t turn her back on family and friends - especially as the tensions within her closeknit circle are threatening to fray the bonds of all she holds dear.

And so Arianna and Saybrook - along with Sophia - head off to St. Petersburg, where dangerous deceptions and duplicity swirl beneath the sumptuous splendor of the Imperial Court. An American adventuress, an old nemesis, a possible traitor within their own allies...Suspects abound - treachery is everywhere, and when her brother goes missing, Arianna know that for her and Saybrook to have any hope catching the cunning conspirators, she’ll have to learn to trust herself again. But the clock is ticking..."

When planning my Regency Romp I was overjoyed to find out that this series was continuing on on the Kindle. I seriously thought it ended at three books!

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds
Published by: Tordotcom
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Paperback, 192 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Marion Deeds's Comeuppance Served Cold is a hard-boiled historical fantasy of criminality and magic, couched in the glamour of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.

Seattle, 1929 - a bitterly divided city overflowing with wealth, violence, and magic.

A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.

The widowed owner of a speakeasy encounters an opportunity to make her husband’s murderer pay while she tries to keep her shapeshifter brother safe.

A notorious thief slips into the city to complete a delicate and dangerous job that will leave chaos in its wake.

One thing is for certain - comeuppance, eventually, waits for everyone."

Miss Fisher and magic!?! Where has this been all my life!

A Sunlit Weapon by Jacqueline Winspear
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the latest installment of the New York Times bestselling series, a series of possible attacks on British pilots leads Jacqueline Winspear's beloved heroine Maisie Dobbs into a mystery involving First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

October 1942. Jo Hardy, a 22-year-old ferry pilot, is delivering a Supermarine Spitfire - the fastest fighter aircraft in the world - to Biggin Hill Aerodrome, when she realizes someone is shooting at her aircraft from the ground. Returning to the location on foot, she finds an American serviceman in a barn, bound and gagged. She rescues the man, who is handed over to the American military police; it quickly emerges that he is considered a suspect in the disappearance of a fellow soldier who is missing.

Tragedy strikes two days later, when another ferry pilot crashes in the same area where Jo’s plane was attacked. At the suggestion of one of her colleagues, Jo seeks the help of psychologist and investigator Maisie Dobbs. Meanwhile, Maisie’s husband, a high-ranking political attaché based at the American embassy, is in the thick of ensuring security is tight for the first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt, during her visit to the Britain. There’s already evidence that German agents have been circling: the wife of a president represents a high value target. Mrs. Roosevelt is clearly in danger, and there may well be a direct connection to the death of the woman ferry pilot and the recent activities of two American servicemen.

To guarantee the safety of the First Lady - and of the soldier being held in police custody - Maisie must uncover that connection. At the same time, she faces difficulties of an entirely different nature with her young daughter, Anna, who is experiencing wartime struggles of her own."

I CAN NOT get enough Maisie Dobbs and I am glad that others must agree with me as they keep getting written!

The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich
Published by: Atria Books
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich returns with the launch of a blockbuster new series that blends wild adventure, hugely appealing characters, and pitch-perfect humor, proving once again why she’s "the most popular mystery writer alive" (The New York Times).

Lost something? Gabriela Rose knows how to get it back. As a recovery agent, she’s hired by individuals and companies seeking lost treasures, stolen heirlooms, or missing assets of any kind. She’s reliable, cool under pressure, and well trained in weapons of all types. But Gabriela’s latest job isn’t for some bamboozled billionaire, it’s for her own family, whose home is going to be wiped off the map if they can’t come up with a lot of money fast.

Inspired by an old family legend, Gabriela sets off for the jungles of Peru in pursuit of the Ring of Solomon and the lost treasure of Cortez. But this particular job comes with a huge problem attached to it - Gabriela’s ex-husband, Rafer. It’s Rafer who has the map that possibly points the way to the treasure, and he’s not about to let Gabriela find it without him.

Rafer is as relaxed as Gabriela is driven, and he has a lifetime’s experience getting under his ex-wife’s skin. But when they aren’t bickering about old times the two make a formidable team, and it’s going to take a team to defeat the vicious drug lord who has also been searching for the fabled ring. A drug lord who doesn’t mind leaving a large body count behind him to get it.

The Recovery Agent marks the start of an irresistible new series that will have you clamoring for more and cheering for the unstoppable Gabriela Rose on every page."

This sounds like a fun Lara Croft like adventure from Evanovich.

Suicide Kings by Stephen Blackmoore
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Paperback, 224 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The seventh book of this dark urban fantasy series follows necromancer Eric Carter through a world of vengeful gods and goddesses, mysterious murders, and restless ghosts.

Family is murder.

When Eric Carter helps a friend with a deadly ritual that could determine the fate of the most powerful mage family in Los Angeles he steps into the middle of centuries-long feuds with people who make the Borgias look like the Brady Bunch.

Eric's just fine with the murder, soul eaters, and death magic. He's just having trouble adjusting to being brought back from the grave.

If he's not careful, somebody's going to put him right back."

I mean seriously, I CAN NOT be the only one saying that the model for Eric Carter on the covers HAS to be Richard Armitage. I mean, he looks SO MUCH like Richard Armitage it's spooky. Especially in the latest Harlan Coban adaptation.

Purses, Curses and Hearses by Colleen Gleason
Published by: Oliver-Heber Books
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Paperback, 274 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jacqueline Finch is a lifelong book lover, which is why it was a literal gift from the Universe when she inherited Three Tomes Bookshop at the ripe old age of forty-eight.

But she’s had a few adjustments to make along the way, including the fact that her bookshop seems to be a haven for literary characters to come alive…and to stick their noses into things that aren’t any of their business - including Sherlock Holmes’s landlady, Mrs. Hudson, who is constantly bickering with the dour housekeeper from Rebecca, Mrs. Danvers.

And then there are the three old ladies down the street, whose resemblance to Macbeth's Witches Three cannot be ignored.

Nevertheless, Jacqueline is happy in her new life and everything seems to be going well…even when she discovers that Dickens’s the Artful Dodger has come to life at Three Tomes Bookshop.

Why Dodger is here and what problem he’s meant to solve for some real-life person is the question - but in the mean time, Jacqueline has to figure out how to keep the light-fingered pickpocket from dipping his hands into her customers’ pockets and purses!

She manages to keep Dodger under wraps until a young woman bursts into the shop claiming her husband is trying to kill her. Jacqueline springs into action, but it turns out the threatened young woman wants a specific kind of assistance that Jacqueline has no idea how to provide…the sort of assistance not found in books...

Things get even worse when Cinderella shows up at the shop and the Artful Dodger falls for her...and neither of them have any intention of returning to their books in a timely manner - if ever.

Jacqueline’s got her hands full, but with the help of the three crones and her two best friends, she’s determined to muddle through...somehow."

If you're a fan of literature, do yourself a favor and come read this Fforde-esque story.

This Book Is Not for You! by Shannon Hale
Published by: Dial Books
Publication Date: March 22nd, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 40 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From New York Times bestselling and Newbery Honor - winning author Shannon Hale and award-winning illustrator Tracy Subisak, comes a zany picture book that pokes fun at overly gendered notions of "boy books" and "girl books" and celebrates the pleasure of a good book.

Stanley’s thrilled for bookmobile day - until the old man at the window refuses to lend him the story he wants, all because it features a girl. "Girl books" are only for girls, the book man insists, just like cat books are only for cats and robot books are only for robots. But when a dinosaur arrives at the bookmobile and successfully demands a book about ponies, Stanley musters the courage to ask for the tale he really wants - about a girl adventurer fighting pirates on the open seas. By speaking up, Stanley inspires the people, cats, robots, and goats around him to read more stories outside their experiences and enjoy the pleasure of a good book of their choosing."

I am so glad that Shannon Hale has written about what she often talks about with regard to books, and that's the absurdity that books are targeted to specific genders. There's no denying the truth of it, but the deeper truth is, if you want to read it, if you enjoy it, it's YOUR book, not a boy or girl book! Stop making reading of any kind a "guilty pleasure." There should be no guilt!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Bride's Story, Andrea Penrose, Colleen Gleason, Jacqueline Winspear, Janet Evanovich, Kaoru Mori, Maisie Dobbs, María Gainza, Marion Deeds, Regency Romp, Richard Armitage, Shannon Hale, Stephen Blackmoore

The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: January 5th, 2000
Format: Kindle, 1053 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Daphne Bridgerton is just Daphne. Being raised with a bevy of boys she's everyone's best friend and no one's romantic ideal. Sure she's had a few annoying suitors, but no one to whom she could see herself marrying. Enter Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. He is best friend to her brother Anthony and a confirmed rake. Simon's background makes him unwilling to marry and father a child because of his own bleak upbringing. Therefore doing the season in London might be his version of hell as all the ambitious mamas throw their daughters at him. He needs protection. What he needs is Daphne. A smart girl willing to enter into a fake relationship with him. He wouldn't be the only one to benefit from this arrangement. The idea is that this will raise Daphne's stock among the men of the ton and at the end of the season she will break off their engagement and she will have her pick for her future husband. The ruse starts off surprisingly well, after they are seen together Daphne awakes the next day to a room full of suitors clamoring for her attention. This has NEVER happened before. But there is a problem they didn't foresee. Simon realizes he doesn't like all these other men plying their troth to his Daphne. Since when did she become his Daphne!?! He could never give her the life she wants, a family of her own. He will NEVER have children. His line ends with him. So when he and Daphne are compromised, he is will to die rather than force her into a marriage that could never be what she wants. He and Anthony meet at dawn, but Daphne is there, Daphne agrees that she could live a life with him, a life without children if he just lives. Yet what would happen if she were to realize it wasn't a matter of Simon being unable to have children as just being unwilling? That would mean their marriage is built on a lie and how can that be a marriage? How can they build a life together with a cloud hanging over them? Maybe they would have all been better off if Anthony had killed Simon.

As I write this it's six months since Bridgerton first aired and I have yet to watch it because I wanted to read the books first and as you can imagine the success of the show created quite a demand at my local library so it took six months to actually get a loan of the first three books. So all I knew going into the books is that Regé-Jean Page has a very nice ass and that there is a rape. So I wasn't prepared for how fun and witty the book is. I just adore the whole Bridgerton clan and their clamorous family activities! This of course has made me even more excited to watch the show, but I am determined not to start until I know the identity of Lady Whistledown, because I have heard tell that this happens in the show sooner than in the books. But my delight in this book aside, the fact is the rape is something to that needs to be discussed. I don't know why but I was under the impression this series was written far earlier than it was having a vague idea it was written in the eighties. I'm guessing this misconception came about on my part because I didn't think a more modern romance would feature a rape in the context of a marriage. Mores and morals are constantly shifting and what we view as acceptable is always changing. While rape is never acceptable, the older the book the more prevalent it's used as a plot point, that's just the way it is. So to have Daphne force Simon just felt wrong. Moreso because it really didn't need to happen. At all. Daphne and Simon get to this breaking point in their marriage after only a few weeks of knowing each other and being wed. The reason it happens is a combination of lack of knowledge and a lie of omission. Daphne doesn't know the first thing about sex and Simon phrases his unwillingness to have children as an inability to have them. I just felt that if the two of them had waited and talked things out they would have reached the same conclusion that they both want a family and children without Daphne forcing Simon. But force him she does and therefore no matter how fun this novel is it will also always be tainted. Also I would like to point out to Simon that there were better methods of contraception than the pull out method, which is only 78% effective. And condoms did exist, though that one would have been harder to explain to a naive wife.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bridgerton, Children, Contraception, Daphne Bridgerton, Duel, Julia Quinn, Lady Whistledown, Lies, Rape, Regé-Jean Page, Regency Romp, Simon Basset, The Duke and I, The Duke of Hastings

The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig
Published by: NAL
Publication Date: December 29th, 2005
Format: Paperback, 453 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

After her brother was revealed to be the Purple Gentian, that most elusive of spies thwarting those Frenchies, Henrietta Selwick thought her life would return to normal. Almack's, balls, being seen at all the right parties, and having her brother's faithful best friend, Miles Dorrington, at her elbow, preferably with a glass of lemonade. But while everyone else gets to engage in espionage she's been forced onto the sidelines once too often and she leaps at the chance to correspond in code with the Pink Carnation, Jane Wooliston, her cousin by marriage. Because, while her brother Richard and his new wife Amy are "technically" out of the spying game, opening a spy school in your house kind of defeats the purpose, and having something little, even if it's these letters and her contact in the ribbon shop, it makes Henrietta feel special. But she fails to realize how special she is, and not just to Miles, but to a deadly French spy with the name of the Black Tulip. Hen is that most coveted of clues, the little sister to the Purple Gentian, and perhaps a link to the Pink Carnation. But who could the Black Tulip be? That spy has been out of action for so long that when a murder is committed behind Lord Vaughn's house the War Office goes into a tizzy at the calling card left behind. Could this spy actually be Lord Vaughn? That slippery and seductive fellow with silver snakes on his waistcoat who has just returned from a long sojourn on the continent? If he isn't said spy, then why is he so fascinated with Hen? But spies are only one thing Henrietta has to deal with. Miles seems not as Miles like lately. It all started with that mysterious Marquise de Montval, she of the blue black hair and flawless beauty, despite her age. Miles has been seen once too often with her, even if he was seen through the shrubberies by a not very well concealed Hen and entourage... They thought the green clothing would help to camouflage themselves. But could Hen's irritation with Miles be more of a romantic nature? Does she stand a chance against this Marquise or should she just resign herself to being killed by the Black Tulip? Meanwhile, back in the present, Eloise is put off and turned on by a certain descendant of the Purple Gentian named Colin. Boys, no matter what time period, are such an annoying mystery, it's so much easier dealing with deadly Napoleonic Spies with flowery names.

The second book in Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation series sees us leaving the shores of France and venturing into that most dangerous of territories, the London ton at the height of the season. I grudgingly admit, even to my friend Marie whose favorite book in the series this is, that when I first read it it was not my favorite, despite being more like a Jane Austen story than the previous installment, dealing less with espionage and more with friendships. I felt the ending and the reveal of the Black Tulip lacked something and was on the verge of French farce. But if the reveal didn't sit well with me, as Lauren recently revealed, it didn't sit well with her either. The Marquise was too ineffectual to actually be the Black Tulip. Thankfully Lauren was able to rectify this in later installments and therefore my reservations have been removed. Because if there is one truth universally acknowledged by fans of the Pink Carnation series it's that Miles and Henrietta are everyone's favorite couple. Those ginger biscuits, that floppy lock of hair, Bunny the Bunny, they all hold a revered status among us fans that they almost verge on holy relics. But to me, the joy in this book lies within all the subtle characterizations of their friends on the periphery, friends who eventually stepped forward and got their own stories. But besides Hen's two best friends, Penelope and Charlotte, who make their first appear, there are three characters without whom this book would mean nothing to me. Those three characters are Turnip, Lord Vaughn, and the Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Turnip is a true fop with his over the top embroidered waistcoats. A man who is not afraid to show his allegiance to the Pink Carnation and whose attire leads him into a spot of bother. Lord Vaughn, ah, you seductive, enigmatic man. You are only looking out for yourself and I love you for it and for the images of James Purefoy in Regency garb you bring to mind. You literally steal every scene you are in. Finally, last but not least, because I don't want to be harmed, The Dowager Duchess of Dovedale. Scourge of the ballrooms and impudent young men. She is a force to be reckoned with. My favorite scene? While at a fancy dress ball she confiscates Penelope's spear from her Boadicea costume and uses it to poke people with. Pure, priceless, and wonderful.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: French Spies, Henrietta Selwick, James Purefoy, Jane Austen, Lauren Willig, Lord Vaughn, Miles Dorrington, Pink Carnation, Regency Romp, The Black Tulip, The Masque of the Black Tulip, Turnip Fitzhugh

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.

In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect - a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases - a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea’s surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth’s mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she’s not looking, and she could swear she’s seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn’t right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?"

An old case, a true crime blogger, a possibly haunted mansion with a possible murderer? Oh yeah!

Nine Lives by Peter Swanson
Published by: William Morrow,
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"If you’re on the list, someone wants you dead.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Eight Perfect Murders comes the heart-pounding story of nine strangers who receive a cryptic list with their names on it - and then begin to die in highly unusual circumstances.

Nine strangers receive a list with their names on it in the mail. Nothing else, just a list of names on a single sheet of paper. None of the nine people know or have ever met the others on the list. They dismiss it as junk mail, a fluke - until very, very bad things begin happening to people on the list.

First, a well-liked old man is drowned on a beach in the small town of Kennewick, Maine. Then, a father is shot in the back while running through his quiet neighborhood in suburban Massachusetts. A frightening pattern is emerging, but what do these nine people have in common? Their professions range from oncology nurse to aspiring actor, and they’re located all over the country. So why are they all on the list, and who sent it?

FBI agent Jessica Winslow, who is on the list herself, is determined to find out. Could there be some dark secret that binds them all together? Or is this the work of a murderous madman? As the mysterious sender stalks these nine strangers, they find themselves constantly looking over their shoulders, wondering who will be crossed off next..."

I mean, you NEED to know if the crimes are connected now don't you?

Give Unto Others by Donna Leon
Published by: Atlantic Monthly Press
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover
To Buy

The official patter:
"Brunetti is forced to confront the price of loyalty, to his past and in his work, as a seemingly innocent request leads him into troubling waters.

What role can or should loyalty play in the life of a police inspector? It's a question Commissario Guido Brunetti must face and ultimately answer in Give Unto Others, Donna Leon's splendid 31st installment of her acclaimed Venetian crime series.

Brunetti is approached for a favor by Elisabetta Foscarini, a woman he knows casually, but her mother was good to Brunetti's mother, so he feels obliged to at least look into the matter privately, and not as official police business. Foscarini's son-in-law, Enrico Fenzo, has alarmed his wife (her daughter) by confessing their family might be in danger because of something he's involved with. Since Fenzo is an accountant, Brunetti logically suspects the cause of danger is related to the finances of a client. Yet his clients seem benign: an optician, a restaurateur, a charity established by his father-in-law. However, when his friend's daughter's place of work is vandalized, Brunetti asks his own favors - that his colleagues Claudia Griffoni, Lorenzo Vianello, and Signorina Elettra Zorzi assist his private investigation, which soon enough turns official as they uncover the dark and Janus-faced nature of a venerable Italian institution.

Exploring the wobbly line between the criminal and non-criminal, revealing previously untold elements of Brunetti's past, Give Unto Others shows that the price of reciprocity can be steep."

My mom was a real big fan of Donna Leon.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
Published by: Dutton
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking - and writing about - her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

Twenty-four-year-old New York bookseller Naomi Ackerman is desperate to write a novel, but struggles to find a story to tell. When, after countless disastrous dates, she meets Caleb - a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all her quirks - she thinks she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. Then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene.

Upon learning that Rosemary is not safely tucked away in Caleb’s homeland overseas, but in fact lives in New York and also works in the literary world, Naomi is threatened and intrigued in equal measure. If they both fell for the same man, what else might they have in common? The more Naomi learns about Rosemary, the more her curiosity consumes her. Before she knows it, her casual Instagram stalking morphs into a friendship under false pretenses - and becomes the subject of her nascent novel.

As her lies and half-truths spiral out of control, and fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to untangle, Naomi must decide what - and who - she’s willing to sacrifice to write the perfect ending."

Tricky when you live becomes your work!

Dark Sun by Melissa Marr
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Kindle
To Buy

The official patter:
"A new Wicked Lovely spinoff series begins with Urian - son of the former Dark King and the fated Summer Queen, Thelma Foy. After the Summer Queen claimed the throne that should have been his mother's and a lowly advisor claimed the throne that was his father's, Uri is done hiding. The Dark Summer Prince is ready to claim one - or both - of the thrones that should rightfully be his.

When Urian discovers Katherine hiding in the desert, he thinks finally has the ally - or general - he's needed...whether or not she agrees.

Katherine has spent her life aware that her bloodlines aren't as mortal as those around her. When one of the creatures she's been told to hide from discovers her in the desert, she decides to protect her human family by finding her place in the world of the faeries. She can't trust Uri, but she feels drawn to him in a way she never imagined.

Secrets are revealed. Peace is threatened. And neither family ties nor accidental love can keep the balance between the courts now."

Why did NO ONE inform me we were getting more Wicked Lovely!?!

The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the teahouse....

Miss Charlotte Pettifer belongs to a secret league of women skilled in the subtle arts. That is to say - although it must never be said - witchcraft. The League of Gentlewomen Witches strives to improve the world in small ways. Using magic, they tidy, correct, and manipulate according to their notions of what is proper, entirely unlike those reprobates in the Wisteria Society.

When the long lost amulet of Black Beryl is discovered, it is up to Charlotte, as the future leader of the League, to make sure the powerful talisman does not fall into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is most unfortunate when she crosses paths with Alex O’Riley, a pirate who is no Mr. Darcy. With all the world scrambling after the amulet, Alex and Charlotte join forces to steal it together. If only they could keep their pickpocketing hands to themselves! If Alex’s not careful, he might just steal something else - such as Charlotte’s heart."

And now I can't stop thinking about a pirate Mr. Darcy...

When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
Published by: Doubleday
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A mythic love story set in Trinidad, Ayanna Lloyd Banwo's radiant debut introduces two unforgettable outsiders brought together by their connection with the dead.

In the old house on a hill, where the city meets the rainforest, Yejide’s mother is dying. She is leaving behind a legacy that now passes to Yejide: one St Bernard woman in every generation has the power to shepherd the city’s souls into the afterlife. But after years of suffering her mother’s neglect and bitterness, Yejide is looking for a way out.

Raised in the countryside by a devout Rastafarian mother, Darwin has always abided by the religious commandment not to interact with death. He has never been to a funeral, much less seen a dead body. But when the only job he can find is grave digging, he must betray the life his mother built for him in order to provide for them both. Newly shorn of his dreadlocks and his past, and determined to prove himself, Darwin finds himself adrift in a city electric with possibility and danger.

Yejide and Darwin will meet inside the gates of Fidelis, an ancient and sprawling cemetery, where the dead lie uneasy in their graves and a reckoning with fate beckons them both. A masterwork of lush imagination and exuberant storytelling, When We Were Birds is a spellbinding and hopeful novel about inheritance, loss, and love's seismic power to heal."

Here for the ancient and sprawling cemetery.

The Ravenous Dead by Darcy Coates
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 304 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"USA Today bestseller and rising queen of atmospheric horror Darcy Coates returns with a ghost story that will haunt you long after the final page.

Keira, hired as Blighty Graveyard's new groundskeeper, lives surrounded by the dead. They watch her through the fog. They wordlessly cry out. They've been desperately waiting for help moving on - and only Keira can hear them. But not every restless spirit wants to be saved.

Sometimes the dead hate the living too much to find peace.

As Keira struggles to uncover the tangled histories of some of the graveyard's oldest denizens, danger seeps from the darkest edges of the forest. A vicious serial killer was interred among the trees decades before, his spirit twisted by his violent nature. He's furious. Ravenous. And when Keira unwittingly answers his call, she may just seal her fate as his final intended victim."

Atmospheric horror is the best horror! It's ALL about the atmosphere!

Memory's Legion by James S.A. Corey
Published by: Berkley
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For the first time, all of the short fiction set in James S. A. Corey's New York Times bestselling Expanse series is available in this collection - including a brand new novella.

Contents:
Drive
The Butcher of Anderson Station
The Churn
Gods of Risk
The Vital Abyss
Strange Dogs
Auberon
Memory's Legion"

If, like me, you hate having to track down all the short stories and novellas that are part of a universe you love you are going to NEED this book!

Under the Golden Sun by Jenny Ashcroft
Published by: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Jenny Ashcroft's Under the Golden Sun follows a soul-searching young woman who takes a leap of faith and discovers a place to call home and someone to share her heart.

England, 1941. The world is at war. London is under siege as the German blitz pounds the city without warning, without mercy. Rose Hamilton did her part as a member of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force until she was unfairly discharged following a tragic loss. Working as a secretary on a Devon farmland, Rose is out of harm’s way, but she needs to contribute to something greater than herself to truly recover.

Answering a newspaper advertisement for a companion to accompany an orphaned child to Australia, Rose becomes enchanted with four-year-old Walter Lucknow. Shy, imaginative, and kind, the boy lost his parents and has been living in near seclusion with his elder great aunt. As heir to a wealthy Australian cattle station, Walter must return to his homeland and his mother’s family.

Leaving her own family - and fiancé - Rose braves the long, dangerous voyage across Pacific waters where war is imminent to see Walter safely home. But upon arrival, Rose learns the truth about Walter’s relationship to the Lucknows and the land he’s supposed to inherit, a truth that haunts the boy’s Uncle Max, a wounded pilot scarred inside and out. And as Max opens his heart up to Walter, Rose is drawn to the man’s strength and compassion, finding herself torn between returning to England and staying with the child and man she’s grown to love."

I feel like there just aren't enough WWII stories set in Australia. 

The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten
Published by: St. Martin's Griffin
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 512 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ellen Alpsten's stunning novel, The Tsarina's Daughter, is the dramatic story of Elizabeth, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who ruled Russia during an extraordinary life marked by love, danger, passion and scandal.

Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and his wife, Catherine, a former serf, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the envy of the Russian empire. She is insulated by luxury and spoiled by her father, who dreams for her to marry King Louis XV of France and rule in Versailles. But when a woodland creature gives her a Delphic prophecy, her life is turned upside down. Her volatile father suddenly dies, her only brother has been executed and her mother takes the throne of Russia.

As friends turn to foes in the dangerous atmosphere of the Court, the princess must fear for her freedom and her life. Fate deals her blow after blow, and even loving her becomes a crime that warrants cruel torture and capital punishment: Elizabeth matures from suffering victim to strong and savvy survivor. But only her true love and the burning passion they share finally help her become who she is. When the Imperial Crown is left to an infant Tsarevich, Elizabeth finds herself in mortal danger and must confront a terrible dilemma - seize the reins of power and harm an innocent child, or find herself following in the footsteps of her murdered brother.

Hidden behind a gorgeous, wildly decadent façade, the Russian Imperial Court is a viper’s den of intrigue and ambition. Only a woman possessed of boundless courage and cunning can prove herself worthy to sit on the throne of Peter the Great."

I am TOTALLY obsessed with the Russian Imperial Court!

The Great Passion by James Runcie
Published by: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication Date: March 15th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From acclaimed bestselling author James Runcie, a meditation on grief and music, told through the story of Bach's writing of the St. Matthew Passion.

In 1727, Stefan Silbermann is a grief-stricken thirteen-year-old, struggling with the death of his mother and his removal to a school in distant Leipzig. Despite his father's insistence that he try not to think of his mother too much, Stefan is haunted by her absence, and, to make matters worse, he's bullied by his new classmates. But when the school's cantor, Johann Sebastian Bach, takes notice of his new pupil's beautiful singing voice and draws him from the choir to be a soloist, Stefan's life is permanently changed.

Over the course of the next several months, and under Bach's careful tutelage, Stefan's musical skill progresses, and he is allowed to work as a copyist for Bach's many musical works. But mainly, drawn into Bach's family life and away from the cruelty in the dorms and the lonely hours of his mourning, Stefan begins to feel at home. When another tragedy strikes, this time in the Bach family, Stefan bears witness to the depths of grief, the horrors of death, the solace of religion, and the beauty that can spring from even the most profound losses.

Joyous, revelatory, and deeply moving, The Great Passion is an imaginative tour de force that tells the story of what it was like to sing, play, and hear Bach's music for the very first time."

James Runcie is Bach (I'm sorry I couldn't help myself) with a new, non-Granchester book!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Caitlin Barasch, Darcy Coates, Donna Leon, Ellen Alpsten, India Holton, James Runcie, James S.A. Corey, Jenny Ashcroft, Melissa Marr, Peter Swanson, Simone St. James, Wicked Lovely

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean
Published by: Avon
Publication Date: March 30th, 2010
Format: Paperback, 397 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Lady Calpurnia Hartwell was bound for spinster seating from her very first season. Sure she had the dowry. But that only attracted a certain type of gentlemen. And besides saddling her with an absurdly Shakespearean name her parents also made her believe in love matches. Oh, to be loved. Like her sister is. It's been a decade since Callie's first season an her sister has made a love match before the season is even underway. Callie should be happy. Instead she is sad and soon to be drunk. She's been on the shelf for so long even her brother is encouraging her to not be such a stickler for the rules of society. Therefore Callie does what comes naturally to her, she makes a list. Lists are sensible. Lists are good. Lists are what women on the shelf make when they've reached the end of their rope. She lists nine things that would shock polite society. Sure, some of them might easily ruin her, but isn't it time to live a little? Isn't it time to shoot a gun, attend a duel, dance every dance, and be passionately kissed. She decides that she will tackle the kiss first. Only her inebriated mind could make her believe this is a good idea. At a ball during her first season she fell irrevocably in love with the Marquess of Ralston, Gabriel St. John. He spent a few minutes talking to her before moving on to an assignation in a hedge maze. Those few minutes were enough for her to fall in love with a man who was already making a name for himself as a rake. Seeing him and his paramour for the first time in life Callie was jealous of another person. Therefore if she's to experience her first kiss she wants it to be him. It doesn't matter if it will ruin her for all others because she is sure there will never be any others. She is rather scandalized when she is taken to his bedroom. But she has come this far, she will not turn back. When Ralston realizes that it is not his current mistress but Lady Calpurnia Hartwell who has entered his room he decides to take the upper hand. He will give her the kiss she desires but she in turn must help his sister, an illegitimate Italian, come out in society. Callie's approval will give Juliana legitimacy. Callie agrees. But that kiss changes everything. For both of them.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is based on the clever conceit that Callie has written a list of nine things that she wishes to do were propriety not an issue. The conceit is clever because the list acts as an outline. Callie's HEA cannot happen until everything is completed, including a duel. So it's a nice way to pace out the narrative. Plus they don't happen in a specific order so it's a little like roulette, which rule will she break next? Though the problem with Callie's list is that literally every time she draws a line through an item she's drugged by Ralston's kisses. I mean, this is a romance so you expect the sexy time, but does the sexy time have to be so repetitive? Each item means that the sexy time has arrived, and each time it's basically the same with them going a little further until Callie is well and thoroughly compromised. The drugging kisses, the laving of some part of her anatomy with word usage that reminds me more of a cat, the nipple play, all of which seems meant to prove that Ralston is really into satisfying his partner, which means he can't be entirely a reprobate right? I'm just saying that they needed a little variety in their sex life... At least they were both very enthusiastic I guess. But the sexy time for me isn't what this book is about, it's about Callie coming into her own. Like Callie I feel like I have spent so much of my life being "their" version of me that I sometimes don't know who I really am. And by "their" I mean the whole world at large, for Callie it's the ton, for me it's largely family. And don't get me started on when people talk to you with "why are you so..." Maybe I wasn't that way until you thrust your expectations onto me? Maybe I should make a list? What also hit unexpectedly hard was Callie talking about being put on the shelf. How she was so high up there and so alone. It wasn't just the fact lack of coupledom that made this hit the mark but Covid. We have all collectively been on the shelf for two years. We aren't going to public houses or fencing clubs of heaths for duels, we're home on a high shelf hiding out from the rest of the world. I think when this pandemic is over we all need to take a leaf out of Callie's book and make ourselves a list and find out who we really are. Rake an added bonus.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Compromised, Covid, Duel, Expectations, HEA, Lady Calpurnia Hartwell, Love By Numbers, Marquess of Ralston, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, Regency England, Regency Romance, Sarah MacLean, Sex, Ton

The Season by Sarah MacLean
Published by: Orchard Books
Publication Date: March 1st, 2009
Format: Hardcover, 343 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Alex, Vivi, and Ella are about to have their first season. The gowns have been made, the hair has been coifed, and Almack's awaits! But seeing as they are hiding in an alcove behind a large potted fern to get out of the din of the ballroom, their opinion on the marriage market is quite obviously in direct opposition to most of their fellow debutantes. Opinions Alex has voiced loudly and often to all who will hear, despite all her etiquette lessons telling her to be a delicate flower. These three girls are opinionated, headstrong, curious, intellectual, bookish, and above all, have no desire to be reigned in by marriage. And despite ample parental examples that love exists, only Vivi believes that she will find "The One." But then the most curious thing happens, Alex notices a man with very attractive hair. Who knew hair could fall attractively across broad shoulders? What's more shocking is that the hair in question belongs to Gavin Sewell. Gavin, who recently became the Earl of Blackmoor after the sudden death of his father. Gavin, who has always been palling around with her and her three older brothers her entire life. Gavin who is like another brother to her. She shouldn't be thinking about Gavin's hair in this way. But it's like something has been awaken in her and she's even jealous when he dances with the odious Penelope! Who is this person she is becoming? Gavin will not interfere with her plans to remain unattached no matter how many times her mother threatens a second season if Alex doesn't find a husband in her first. But then the famous Worthington dinner party changes everything. Alex sees that her parents have created a different kind of society around themselves. They aren't like the rest of the ton. They believe in talking about more than the cut of a dress or who was seen with whom. But more importantly, there was an almost kiss between her and Gavin. An almost kiss that later becomes a real kiss. Alex is falling for Gavin, only she becomes aware that Gavin's suspicions about his late father's death might be closer to the truth than he could have ever imagined. Alex will have to save Gavin from a similar fate if they are to get their happily ever after.

The Season is a very solid entry for younger readers into the Regency era. In fact I'm rather surprised that a series didn't arise from this single volume. There was definitely the setup and the storylines to continue, but Sarah MacLean moved onto adult romances and hasn't looked back. And perhaps that's a good thing, because while I enjoyed this book it was very much a "first book." There is so much potential on these pages that brim with witty dialogue that you can't wait for her to evolve. To pick what works and what doesn't, which is why I can't wait to read her next book, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake. I want to see how she's grown. I want to see what became of her potential, and given the success of her proceeding books, she has definitely found what works for her. Here it's all just beginning, more a pastiche than a voice of her own. The Season is very much Bridgerton meets Jane Austen. We have Alex's three overprotective brothers, just like Daphne had, and oodles of Austen, most obviously seen at a certain picnic scene. But beyond these basic building blocks there are sparks of genius. The dialogue rings so true and is just so fun that you almost want the characters to be talking constantly. It reminded me of the very best in Gossip Girl banter, and seriously, I don't know exactly why my mind went all XOXO, but there it is. Maybe it's just that I could see Rufus fixing waffles for all the elaborate breakfasts? I also have to applaud our heroines for not acting like they are in a horror film. These are all Final Girls y'all! But the pedant in me had to find things that got under my skin. Because there are a few glaring historical inaccuracies that while pushing the narrative forward could have been rewritten to not annoy the hell out of me. There is no way that Gavin, an unmarried family friend, would have been an acceptable chaperone for Alex. Oh, and as for Alex, her dress was entirely wrong to be presented at court. And don't get me started on the fact that constables didn't exist in 1815. If that and Blackmoor's name had been changed I would have been fully here for the book. As for why Blackmoor's name? When I read it I read it as Blackamoor, and that's not a good thing. That is very archaic and racist. Names are important people! So let's just stick with Gavin. I don't think Gavin could offend anyone...

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alexandra Worthington, Bridgerton, Earl of Blackmoor, Gavin Sewell, Gossip Girl, Jane Austen, Marriage, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, Regency, Regency Romp, Sarah MacLean, The Season, True Love

Run, Rose, Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
Published by: Little, Brown and Company
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 448 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From America’s most beloved superstar and its greatest storyteller - a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.

Every song tells a story.

She’s a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her.

She’s also on the run. Find a future, lose a past.

Nashville is where she’s come to claim her destiny. It’s also where the darkness she’s fled might find her. And destroy her.

Run, Rose, Run is a novel glittering with danger and desire - a story that only America’s #1 beloved entertainer and its #1 bestselling author could have created."

I don't think I've ever seen anyone's name ABOVE James Patterson's. Technically it is alphabetical, but more importantly, it's Dolly!

The Summer We Forgot by Caroline George
Published by: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Caroline George once again transports readers with lush, evocative prose, leading them to ask the question: what happens when we can't even trust ourselves?

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven't spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers...and even fewer memories.

No one remembers - or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends begins to suspect that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they must try to recover their memories as quickly as possible...before the history they can't remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another...or if they can even trust themselves.

Some memories are better left forgotten.

Darby and Morgan haven't spoken for two years, and their friend group has splintered. But when the body of their former science teacher is found in the marsh where they attended camp that summer, they realize they have more questions than answers...and even fewer memories.

No one remembers - or no one is talking.

The group of reunited friends suspects that a murderer is stalking the coastal highway 30A, and they are desperate to recover their memories as quickly as possible...before their history they can't remember repeats itself.

Everyone has a secret.

As tensions rise and time runs out, Darby and Morgan begin to wonder if they can believe one another...or if they can even trust themselves."

Summer camps mysteries here we come!

Who Took Eden Mulligan by Sharon Dempsey
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"'They're dead. They're all dead. It's my fault. I killed them.'

Those are the words of Iona Gardener, who stands bloodied and staring as she confesses to the murder of four people in a run-down cottage outside of Belfast.

Outside the cottage, five old dolls are hanging from a tree. Inside the cottage, the words "WHO TOOK EDEN MULLIGAN?" are graffitied on the wall, connecting the murder scene with the famous cold case of Eden Mulligan, a mother-of-five who went missing during The Troubles.

But this case is different. Right from the start.

Because no one in the community is willing to tell the truth, and the only thing DI Danny Stowe and forensic psychologist Rose Lainey can be certain of is that Iona Gardener's confession is false...."

A horrific new crime perhaps connecting to a cold case? It's my catnip!

Far to Go by Noel Streatfeild
Published by: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 160 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Margaret Thursday, the unforgettable heroine of Thursday's Child stars in this classic children's adventure from Noel Streatfeild, the beloved author of Ballet Shoes.

When Margaret Thursday lands a role as a child actress at a well-known London theatre, becoming famous almost overnight, news of her success reaches her bitter enemy, the matron of her old orphanage.

Margaret knows that Matron is set on revenge, but she keeps her head held high, focusing on the play. But Matron's evil plans are well prepared, and Margaret is going to need her wits about her - and the help of her friends - if she is to escape unharmed..."

My mom would have loved all the Noel Streatfeild reissues that have been coming out.

The Mammoth Adventure by Philippa Gregory
Published by: HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Princess Florizella may live in a classic fairy-tale world, but she's no ordinary princess...

This third volume in The Princess Rules series sees the feisty princess take her baby brother and best friend, Bennett, on another round of adventures together.

Can they rescue their new-found friend the sea serpent from a travelling circus? And hold back the pirate, Five-fathom Freida. Or will Florizella's worst fairygodmother prove that in a fairytale world, you really do have to be careful what you wish for?..."

Have I mentioned lately how much I love that Philippa Gregory is doing kids books?

A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A romantic YA fantasy perfect for fans of Erin A. Craig and Margaret Rogerson, about two people who find themselves competing for glory - and each other's hearts - in a magical fox hunt.

When Margaret Welty spots the legendary hala, the last living mythical creature, she knows the Halfmoon Hunt will soon follow. Whoever is able to kill the hala will earn fame and riches, and unlock an ancient magical secret. While Margaret is the best sharpshooter in town, only teams of two can register, and she needs an alchemist.

Weston Winters isn’t an alchemist - yet. He's been fired from every apprenticeship he's landed, and his last chance hinges on Master Welty taking him in. But when Wes arrives at Welty Manor, he finds only Margaret. She begrudgingly allows him to stay, but on one condition: he must join the hunt with her.

Although they make an unlikely team, they soon find themselves drawn to each other. As the hunt looms closer and tensions rise, Margaret and Wes uncover dark magic that could be the key to winning the hunt - if they survive that long.

In A Far Wilder Magic, Allison Saft has written an achingly tender love story set against a deadly hunt in an atmospheric, rich fantasy world that will sweep you away."

This book might just win my favorite book cover of 2022 award.

Lost Worlds and Mythological Kingdoms edited by John Joseph Adams
Published by: Grim Oak Press
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea to Journey to the Center of the Earth, from the fabled island of Avalon to the lost oasis of Zerzura, from The Land That Time Forgot to the golden city of El Dorado, storytellers have long imagined what exists beyond the edges of the map.

The need to seek and discover the unknown is embedded in who we are, no matter the culture or era. To celebrate this sense of wonder, award-winning editor John Joseph Adams has gathered together some of the best Science Fiction and Fantasy writers working today, collecting adventure and mystery in this spectacular anthology. With original contributions from Kate Elliott, Tobias S. Buckell, Dexter Palmer, E. Lily Yu, Jonathan Maberry, and a dozen more, there are short stories sure to enthrall every reader.

Explore the rich tradition begun centuries ago with this all-new compilation full of imagination and delights. What lies beyond the edge of the unknown? Only you, brave reader, can find out.

Featuring new tales by today's masters of Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Tobias S. Buckell
James L. Cambias
Becky Chambers
Kate Elliott
C.C. Finlay
Jeffrey Ford
Theodora Goss
Darcie Little Badger
Jonathan Maberry
Seanan McGuire
An Owomoyela
Dexter Palmer
Cadwell Turnbull
Genevieve Valentine
Carrie Vaughn
Charles Yu
E. Lily Yu"

I really can't pick an author whose story I am most excited for. Just look at the roster!

Crowbones by Anne Bishop
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 8th, 2022
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In this engrossing and gripping fantasy set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Others series, an inn owner and her friends must find a killer - before it’s too late....

Crowbones will gitcha if you don’t watch out!

Deep in the territory controlled by the Others - shape-shifters, vampires, and even deadlier paranormal beings - Vicki DeVine has made a new life for herself running The Jumble, a rustic resort. When she decides to host a gathering of friends and guests for Trickster Night, at first everything is going well between the humans and the Others.

But then someone arrives dressed as Crowbones, the Crowgard bogeyman. When the impostor is killed along with a shape-shifting Crow, and the deaths are clearly connected, everyone fears that the real Crowbones may have come to The Jumble - and that could mean serious trouble.

To “encourage” humans to help them find some answers, the Elders and Elementals close all the roads, locking in suspects and victims alike. Now Vicki, human police chief Grimshaw, vampire lawyer Ilya Sanguinati, and the rest of their friends have to figure out who is manipulating events designed to pit humans against Others - and who may have put Vicki DeVine in the crosshairs of a powerful hunter."

Just the titled gives me a frisson of anticipation.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Allison Saft, Anne Bishop, Caroline George, Dolly Parton, James Patterson, John Joseph Adams, Lost Worlds and Mythological Kingdoms, Noel Streatfeild, Philippa Gregory, Sharon Dempsey, Summer Camp