strange and random happenstance

Winterwood by Jacey Bedford
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
Format: Paperback, 424 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Ross Tremayne hasn't seen her mother since Ross eloped with Will. What happened that night on the docks was because of her mother. Ross's father had promised Ross a ship, and she and Will took the Heart of Oak. It belonged to them. Her mother saw it differently. Seven years is a long time to hold a grudge and life doesn't turn out as you expect, just ask Will, dead these three years. Yet Ross comes to her mother's deathbed. She felt compelled to stand before the woman who called her a pirate's whore and prove once and for all that the woman who bore her no longer has power over her. Turns out the dying lady had a few surprises left aside from insulting Ross's sartorial choices. Not only is Ross's brother Philip dead in a duel, she bequeaths Ross a winterwood box, an inheritance and a curse in one. As Ross and her right hand man, minus a hand, Hookey, attempt to leave Plymouth, word has gotten out that Redbeard Tremayne is back and the Kingsmen are looking for "him." Their escape blocked they head back to the family home in hopes of "borrowing" some horses, only to find the house engulfed in flames and her mother's remaining rowankind servant, David, in need of an egress as well. The only place the three travelers can escape to is the dangerous Okewood. There the Green Man and his Lady hold sway. But they seem in a giving mood. The Lady imparts Ross's mother's biggest secret, David is actually Ross's half-brother. As for the winterwood box? That was forged in the time of Good Queen Bess to enslave the rowankind by taking away their memories of their homeland. It is Ross's destiny to right this ancient wrong. But there are forces in the Mysterium who want to stop Ross at any cost. The mysterious Walsingham is working with her brother Philip, who is very much alive, to retrieve the box for themselves. And they aren't playing by the rules. But Ross isn't fighting this battle alone, her loyal crew, the Fae, Will's ghost, and a mysterious man named Corwen are all willing to help her. But at what cost?

Growing up in the eighties, girls were basically told they fit in one of two categories, princess or tomboy. But as we all know no one fits perfectly into any category. Because I wanted to be a princess but also wanted to be a pirate. And if I was forced to choose I would have chosen pirate, obviously a subcategory of tomboy much like horse girl was a subcategory of princess. My mother was very much against me ever becoming a horse girl. Which brings me to Winterwood. I love this book. I love this book so much I can barely form my thoughts. But what I love most about this book is that it shows that a girl can dress elegantly and perform magic and meet the Fae while also being a pirate, the scourge of the high seas. Ross doesn't let anyone categorize her which is why it's hard to categorize this book. Yes, Winterwood is Historical Fantasy, but it's so much more, it's like Jacey Bedford looked at all the different kinds of Regency Magic that exist and thought, but why can't I have it all AND the kitchen sink? And that's what this book and this series is. It's everything! Sure there's Austen, but there's also Du Maurier with heavy Jamaica Inn vibes. Do you want high Fae fantasy? Well that's here too? Do you what a wolf shapechanger? That's here too, but be careful never to call him a werewolf, he is definitely not moon called but does kind of have a Geralt of Rivia vibe. So yes, this is over the top, this is magnificent, but I don't want you thinking it's just all fluff. Because with the plight of the rowankind and also how the society controls magic through the Mysterium, we're getting deeper issues of free will and the fight for equality. The rowankind's plight mirrors the abolition of slavery that was growing steam at this time in England. As this book is set in 1800 it was still seven more years until the slave trade was abolished, and make note, the trade alone was abolished, not the owning of slaves, that took until 1838. But the rowankind are an interesting conundrum. Their magical origin and their status means fight for their independence relies almost solely on Ross's shoulders. A task she doesn't take lightly. But it's a worthy fight that will play out over the course of this trilogy.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Abolition, Corwen, Daphne Du Maurier, Fae, Geralt, Heart of Oak, Historical Fantasy, Hookey, Jacey Bedford, Jamaica Inn, Jane Austen, Pirates, Princess, Regency Magic, Ross Tremayne, Rowankind, Tomboy, Winterwood

Rowankind by Jacey Bedford
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: November 27th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 473 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

When freed many of the rowankind took the Fae's offer to return to their homeland, Iaru. Yet there are those that stayed behind in Britain. They have made lives for themselves and have no desire to return to a homeland that they've never known. The humans though don't feel safe. They have treated the rowankind worse than slaves for hundreds of years and now those slaves have the power to fight back. And they are. In retaliation the humans are killing the rowankind. Reports of mass executions happening all over the country have reached the ears of the Fae and they want to take revenge. But Ross and Corwen beg the Fae council to let them attempt a diplomatic approach first before razing all of Britain. A major problem though is in educating the Fae that the world has changed. They have cloistered themselves in Iaru for so long they don't understand that being King isn't as powerful as it once was. The King has to answer to Parliament and they have to answer to the people. This will not be an easy fix and yet the Fae expect it to be. They expect Ross and Corwen to just walk up to the King and get him to make his subjects behave. In order to stop more bloodshed the couple are willing to attempt the impossible. And it really looks like it shall be impossible, George III isn't well, and the reason shocks Ross when she discovers it, the King has magic. Magic he isn't using. Much like Corwen's brother denying his wolf half, the King is denying his magic and it's making him very ill. Yet once contact is made Ross really hopes that they can reach some sort of agreement. But the Fae think they are taking too long and start demonstrating what they are capable of. If the populace was scared of a few rowankind with not much magic how are they going to feel about the Fae turning their beer into water and bringing about a blight to their crops? If everyone would just behave and trust each other for one minute perhaps everything will work out and Ross and Corwen can have their happy ending. Perhaps.

Rowankind doesn't really bring anything new to the table with regard to this trilogy but it does satisfactorily tie up all the loose ends. And there are many, from rescuing missing men to reinstating Gentleman Jim on his island. And there is also much politicking. Because the merging of two worlds, with magical citizens living in a nonmagical world, needs policies. There need to be laws to protect their rights and their bodies from harm. And it's a sad day when fictional Fae end up having more rights than many people do today. But that's just the world we live, and proves once again why I want to live in books and in particular this series. But while the politics do take center stage along with several notable politicians of the day, that's not all this book is about. We get one last piratical adventure, another shooting of London Bridge, a final Walsingham showdown, some more family drama, and lots of happily ever afters. Because this is fantasy and that means the good prevail, the bad fail, and everyone gets to sail off into the sunset. Plus there's just this wonderful message of the healing powers of love and that love is love. Ross is able to find love again even though she thought she never would after the death of her husband Will. Her brother David finds love with a rowankind servant Annie. Her brother-in-law is able to tame his beast due to the love of his partner Roland. Her Aunt Rosie reunites with her lost love Leo. Even the servants get in on the love with her maid Poppy marrying Yeardley. And, now that I think about it, this whole series is about finding your family, those who you love with your whole heart and soul. You don't have to be related by blood, I mean look what Ross had to do to her brother.... It's about finding your tribe. Be they pirates or pixies, when you find your people the world is so much better because they are there for you in good times and in bad and most importantly, they will fight for you and even help you burying the bodies. So here's a shout-out to all my family, I love you like I love books, and you know how much that is.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Britain, Corwen, Execution, Fae, Family, George III, HEA, Jacey Bedford, London Bridge, Love, Magic, Pirates, Politics, Regency England, Regency Magic, Ross Tremayne, Rowankind, Silverwolf, Trilogy, Winterwood

Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: January 6th, 2015
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

The disappearance of children has traditionally fallen to the Folly for two reasons, the Fae and dark magic. The Fae and changelings are actually real, and well, dark magic, it's dark for a reason. Which is why Peter is off to Herefordshire. Two eleven-year-old girls, Nicole Lacey and Hannah Marstowe, just walked out of there respective homes one night and didn't return. Nightingale would like Peter to check in on an old colleague in that area, Hugh Oswald, to make sure Hugh can be ruled out as a suspect. The idea that the sleepy old wizard could have kidnapped two rambunctious preteens is laughable to Peter, so one possible theory eliminated, Peter makes himself known to the local investigation team and offers up his help to see if this case might be designated "falcon." With the rise of magic and the police's desire to never use that word supernatural cases are now earmarked as "falcon" to help everyone's delicate sensibilities and to stop the public at large knowing about magic. The country is gripped by the case and the press frenzy is fierce which means that Peter has to step carefully. And for awhile it looks like he will be nothing more than another body on the ground, aiding the police with their inquiries until the girls' cellphones are found. The batteries have been fried. But fried in a very specific way that Peter recognizes as he's lost so many phones in the same manner. Magic fried the phones. But they weren't fried where they were found. So that means there might be a crime scene with vestigia, an imprint of the magic used, and this is the first concrete lead the police have had. Peter is hesitant to declare the case as falcon, he thinks it might be more falcon adjacent, until more and more evidence piles up proving that he is indeed the one man for the job. It would be helpful if Nightingale could come and lend a hand but with Lesley's betrayal the Folly cannot be left unattended, due to that mysterious door in the basement that Peter still hasn't uncovered the secret to. But cavalry arrives in the from of Beverley Brook, a genius loci, who might have ulterior motives for helping, and they involve Peter and getting him to admit there's something between the two of them. Finding the missing girls might be easier than finding out what being Beverley's boyfriend would be like.

Foxglove Summer is a hot mess, with neither word bearing more weight than the other. First, would it kill England to have air conditioners? I mean, how do they survive? Do any cars have cooling features? Because seriously, I thought the majority of the characters might just drop dead due to heat exhaustion. And reading this on a suspiciously hot week did add some verisimilitude, which I could have done with a little less of if I'm honest. Yet one can't really complain about a book that successfully drags you into it to such an extent that you're complaining about fictional weather, so therefore the mess becomes the important part. I just don't know what was going on here. You expect some sort of Broadchurchian mess with the disappearance of children with all the town being suspects and Peter arriving late and playing catch-up, but this was a hot mess, and I'm no longer talking about the weather. Instead of the plot shoring up as the investigation progressed it got more convoluted. That's not how it's supposed to go! I even had a hard time distinguishing between the Lacey and Marstowe families, not surprising giving some of the later obvious reveals, but I should have at least been able to keep the two girls straight and who had the magical unicorn friend and who didn't. But it all merged together in a giant ball of confusion. And here's the thing, Ben Aaronovitch could have saved it in the end and he obviously chose not to. I'm now going to spoil some things, so if you have delicate sensibilities, much like those who don't like to speak the word magic, look away now. So at the end it's revealed that it is the Fae, that there is a changeling involved, and Peter does a hostage swap using himself as collateral assuming that Nightingale will rescue him. Firstly, Peter's naivete that the Fae live on another plain of existence is sheer stupidity for someone so smart, but I will forgive him, he's been through a lot. But after Peter is rescued, the book just ends. Which leaves SO MANY questions unanswered. Why did the Fae take the children in the first place? I mean, yes, it could have been the whole changeling angle, but then why didn't they keep Hannah? What are they going to do with the original Nicole? How did the original Nicole get magical powers? Why did the "gates" to fairy cause the ground to be acidic and grow foxglove? Was the Fae's kidnappings related to the felling of the trees? If not, how can they make sure this doesn't happen again? And would it have killed them to have included a map? I mean, I think the only question I felt was answered at the end of this book was why it was dedicated to Terry Pratchett. Which means The Hanging Tree better start out with some answers.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ben Aaronovitch, Beverly Brook, Broadchurch, Changling, Fae, Falcon, Foxglove Summer, Heat, Herefordshire, Kidnapping, Lesley May, London Calling, Magic, Nightingale, Peter Grant, Spoilers, The Folly, The Hanging Tree

Rowankind by Jacey Bedford
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: November 27th, 2018
Format: Paperback, 473 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

When freed many of the rowankind took the Fae's offer to return to their homeland, Iaru. Yet there are those that stayed behind in Britain. They have made lives for themselves and have no desire to return to a homeland that they've never known. The humans though don't feel safe. They have treated the rowankind worse than slaves for hundreds of years and now those slaves have the power to fight back. And they are. In retaliation the humans are killing the rowankind. Reports of mass executions happening all over the country have reached the ears of the Fae and they want to take revenge. But Ross and Corwen beg the Fae council to let them attempt a diplomatic approach first before razing all of Britain. A major problem though is in educating the Fae that the world has changed. They have cloistered themselves in Iaru for so long they don't understand that being King isn't as powerful as it once was. The King has to answer to Parliament and they have to answer to the people. This will not be an easy fix and yet the Fae expect it to be. They expect Ross and Corwen to just walk up to the King and get him to make his subjects behave. In order to stop more bloodshed the couple are willing to attempt the impossible. And it really looks like it shall be impossible, George III isn't well, and the reason shocks Ross when she discovers it, the King has magic. Magic he isn't using. Much like Corwen's brother denying his wolf half, the King is denying his magic and it's making him very ill. Yet once contact is made Ross really hopes that they can reach some sort of agreement. But the Fae think they are taking too long and start demonstrating what they are capable of. If the populace was scared of a few rowankind with not much magic how are they going to feel about the Fae turning their beer into water and bringing about a blight to their crops? If everyone would just behave and trust each other for one minute perhaps everything will work out and Ross and Corwen can have their happy ending. Perhaps.

Rowankind doesn't really bring anything new to the table with regard to this trilogy but it does satisfactorily tie up all the loose ends. And there are many, from rescuing missing men to reinstating Gentleman Jim on his island. And there is also much politicking. Because the merging of two worlds, with magical citizens living in a nonmagical world, needs policies. There need to be laws to protect their rights and their bodies from harm. And it's a sad day when fictional Fae end up having more rights than many people do today. But that's just the world we live, and proves once again why I want to live in books and in particular this series. But while the politics do take center stage along with several notable politicians of the day, that's not all this book is about. We get one last piratical adventure, another shooting of London Bridge, a final Walsingham showdown, some more family drama, and lots of happily ever afters. Because this is fantasy and that means the good prevail, the bad fail, and everyone gets to sail off into the sunset. Plus there's just this wonderful message of the healing powers of love and that love is love. Ross is able to find love again even though she thought she never would after the death of her husband Will. Her brother David finds love with a rowankind servant Annie. Her brother-in-law is able to tame his beast due to the love of his partner Roland. Her Aunt Rosie reunites with her lost love Leo. Even the servants get in on the love with her maid Poppy marrying Yeardley. And, now that I think about it, this whole series is about finding your family, those who you love with your whole heart and soul. You don't have to be related by blood, I mean look what Ross had to do to her brother.... It's about finding your tribe. Be they pirates or pixies, when you find your people the world is so much better because they are there for you in good times and in bad and most importantly, they will fight for you and even help you burying the bodies. So here's a shout-out to all my family, I love you like I love books, and you know how much that is.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Britain, Corwen, Execution, Fae, Family, George III, HEA, Jacey Bedford, London Bridge, Love, Magic, Pirates, Politics, Regency England, Regency Magic, Ross Tremayne, Rowankind, Silverwolf, Trilogy, Winterwood

Winterwood by Jacey Bedford
Published by: DAW
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2016
Format: Paperback, 424 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Ross Tremayne hasn't seen her mother since Ross eloped with Will. What happened that night on the docks was because of her mother. Ross's father had promised Ross a ship, and she and Will took the Heart of Oak. It belonged to them. Her mother saw it differently. Seven years is a long time to hold a grudge and life doesn't turn out as you expect, just ask Will, dead these three years. Yet Ross comes to her mother's deathbed. She felt compelled to stand before the woman who called her a pirate's whore and prove once and for all that the woman who bore her no longer has power over her. Turns out the dying lady had a few surprises left aside from insulting Ross's sartorial choices. Not only is Ross's brother Philip dead in a duel, she bequeaths Ross a winterwood box, an inheritance and a curse in one. As Ross and her right hand man, minus a hand, Hookey, attempt to leave Plymouth, word has gotten out that Redbeard Tremayne is back and the Kingsmen are looking for "him." Their escape blocked they head back to the family home in hopes of "borrowing" some horses, only to find the house engulfed in flames and her mother's remaining rowankind servant, David, in need of an egress as well. The only place the three travelers can escape to is the dangerous Okewood. There the Green Man and his Lady hold sway. But they seem in a giving mood. The Lady imparts Ross's mother's biggest secret, David is actually Ross's half-brother. As for the winterwood box? That was forged in the time of Good Queen Bess to enslave the rowankind by taking away their memories of their homeland. It is Ross's destiny to right this ancient wrong. But there are forces in the Mysterium who want to stop Ross at any cost. The mysterious Walsingham is working with her brother Philip, who is very much alive, to retrieve the box for themselves. And they aren't playing by the rules. But Ross isn't fighting this battle alone, her loyal crew, the Fae, Will's ghost, and a mysterious man named Corwen are all willing to help her. But at what cost?

Growing up in the eighties, girls were basically told they fit in one of two categories, princess or tomboy. But as we all know no one fits perfectly into any category. Because I wanted to be a princess but also wanted to be a pirate. And if I was forced to choose I would have chosen pirate, obviously a subcategory of tomboy much like horse girl was a subcategory of princess. My mother was very much against me ever becoming a horse girl. Which brings me to Winterwood. I love this book. I love this book so much I can barely form my thoughts. But what I love most about this book is that it shows that a girl can dress elegantly and perform magic and meet the Fae while also being a pirate, the scourge of the high seas. Ross doesn't let anyone categorize her which is why it's hard to categorize this book. Yes, Winterwood is Historical Fantasy, but it's so much more, it's like Jacey Bedford looked at all the different kinds of Regency Magic that exist and thought, but why can't I have it all AND the kitchen sink? And that's what this book and this series is. It's everything! Sure there's Austen, but there's also Du Maurier with heavy Jamaica Inn vibes. Do you want high Fae fantasy? Well that's here too? Do you what a wolf shapechanger? That's here too, but be careful never to call him a werewolf, he is definitely not moon called but does kind of have a Geralt of Rivia vibe. So yes, this is over the top, this is magnificent, but I don't want you thinking it's just all fluff. Because with the plight of the rowankind and also how the society controls magic through the Mysterium, we're getting deeper issues of free will and the fight for equality. The rowankind's plight mirrors the abolition of slavery that was growing steam at this time in England. As this book is set in 1800 it was still seven more years until the slave trade was abolished, and make note, the trade alone was abolished, not the owning of slaves, that took until 1838. But the rowankind are an interesting conundrum. Their magical origin and their status means fight for their independence relies almost solely on Ross's shoulders. A task she doesn't take lightly. But it's a worthy fight that will play out over the course of this trilogy.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Abolition, Corwen, Daphne Du Maurier, Fae, Geralt, Heart of Oak, Historical Fantasy, Hookey, Jacey Bedford, Jamaica Inn, Jane Austen, Pirates, Princess, Regency Magic, Ross Tremayne, Rowankind, Tomboy, Winterwood

An Imporbable Season by Rosalyn Eves
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"For fans of Bridgerton, a Regency romance by Rosalyn Eves about three young women, their big dreams, and a London Season gone awry.

When Thalia, Kalliope, and Charis set off to Regency London for their first Season, they each have clear goals - few of which include matrimony. Thalia means to make her mark among the intelligentsia and publish her poetry, Charis hopes to earn her place among the scientific elite, and Kalliope aims to take the fashionable ton by storm. But this Season, it doesn't take long for things to fall apart. Kalli finds herself embroiled in scandal and reliant upon an arranged marriage to redeem her reputation, Thalia's dreams of publication are threatened by her attraction to a charming rake, and Charis finds herself an unexpected social hit - and the source of a family scandal that her heart might not survive. Can this roller-coaster Season find its happily ever after?

An Improbable Season is a voicy, swoony regency drama about falling in love - with another person, with new opportunities, and with yourself."

I am here for all things Regency!

Penelope Goes to Portsmouth by M.C. Beaton
Published by: Blackstone Publishing
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 179 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A dead employer's legacy of five thousand pounds has allowed spinster Hannah Pym to resign from housekeeping and find adventure traveling the English countryside by coach. But adventure soon finds Miss Pym in the form of runaway brides, spirited heiresses, and international refugees, who give her an opportunity to test her expert matchmaking skills.

In the coach to Portsmouth, Miss Pym faces her most difficult matchmaking challenge yet. The lovely Miss Penelope Wilkins, daughter of a rich merchant, would be the perfect match for the handsome Lord Augustus, a nobleman whose fortune is almost depleted. She would be, that is, if the two were at all compatible.

Though strikingly beautiful, the too-practical Penelope seems to stand on quite the opposite cliff from the carefree Lord Augustus. But when the undaunted Miss Pym enlists their help in untangling an intrigue - and Lord Augustus steals an astounding kiss from the shocked Penelope - Miss Pym is convinced that her matchmaking expertise will soon bridge any chasm between the reluctant lovers."

How glad I am that these books are finally being published stateside, but how sad I am that my mom isn't here to enjoy them.

An American Beauty by Shana Abe 
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Amidst the opulent glamor and vicious social circles of Gilded Age New York, this stunning biographical historical novel by the New York Times bestselling author of The Second Mrs. Astor conjures the true rags-to-riches story of Arabella Huntington - a woman whose great beauty was surpassed only by her exceptional business acumen, grit, and artistic eye, and who defied the constraints of her era to become the wealthiest self-made woman in America.

1867, Richmond, Virginia: Though she wears the same low-cut purple gown that is the uniform of all the girls who work at Worsham's gambling parlor, Arabella stands apart. It's not merely her statuesque beauty and practiced charm. Even at seventeen, Arabella possesses an unyielding grit, and a resolve to escape her background of struggle and poverty.

Collis Huntington, railroad baron and self-made multimillionaire, is drawn to Arabella from their first meeting. Collis is married and thirty years her senior, yet they are well-matched in temperament, and flirtation rapidly escalates into an affair. With Collis's help, Arabella eventually moves to New York, posing as a genteel, well-to-do Southern widow. Using Collis's seed money and her own shrewd investing instincts, she begins to amass a fortune.

Their relationship is an open secret, and no one is surprised when Collis marries Arabella after his wife's death. But "The Four Hundred" - the elite circle that includes the Astors and Vanderbilts - have their rules. Arabella must earn her place in Society - not just through her vast wealth, but with taste, style, and impeccable behavior. There are some who suspect the scandalous truth, and will blackmail her for it. And then there is another threat - an unexpected, impossible romance that will test her ambition, her loyalties, and her heart...

An American Beauty brings to vivid life the glitter and drama of a captivating chapter in history - and a remarkable woman who lived by her own rules."

I'm a bit Gilded Age obsessed at the moment...

Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
Published by: Kensington
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Set in the City of Light and starring Julia Child's (fictional) best friend, confidant, and fellow American, this magnifique new historical mystery series from the acclaimed author of Murder at Mallowan Hall combines a fresh perspective on the iconic chef's years in post-WWII Paris with a delicious mystery and a unique culinary twist. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear, Marie Benedict, Nita Prose, and of course, Julia Child alike!

As Paris rediscovers its joie de vivre, Tabitha Knight, recently arrived from Detroit for an extended stay with her French grandfather, is on her own journey of discovery. Paris isn't just the City of Light; it's the city of history, romance, stunning architecture...and food. Thanks to her neighbor and friend Julia Child, another ex-pat who's fallen head over heels for Paris, Tabitha is learning how to cook for her Grandpère and Oncle Rafe.

Between tutoring Americans in French, visiting the market, and eagerly sampling the results of Julia's studies at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, Tabitha's sojourn is proving thoroughly delightful. That is, until the cold December day they return to Julia's building and learn that a body has been found in the cellar. Tabitha recognizes the victim as a woman she'd met only the night before, at a party given by Julia's sister, Dort. The murder weapon found nearby is recognizable too - a knife from Julia's kitchen.

Tabitha is eager to help the investigation, but is shocked when Inspector Merveille reveals that a note, in Tabitha's handwriting, was found in the dead woman's pocket. Is this murder a case of international intrigue, or something far more personal? From the shadows of the Tour Eiffel at midnight, to the tiny third-floor Child kitchen, to the grungy streets of Montmartre, Tabitha navigates through the city hoping to find the real killer before she or one of her friends ends up in prison...or worse."

I love the new direction Collen is taking with her writing, cozy yet historical.

Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust is the second book in Mindy Quigley's delectable Deep Dish Mystery series, set in a Wisconsin pizzeria.

Newly single pizzeria owner Delilah O'Leary is determined to keep her restaurant afloat in the picturesque resort town of Geneva Bay, Wisconsin. To boost her bottom line, she sets her sights on winning the hefty cash prize in the town's annual "Taste of Wisconsin" culinary contest. In her corner, she's got her strong-willed, "big-boned" cat Butterball, her wisecracking BFF, her cantankerous great-aunt, and a nearly-flawless recipe for Pretzel Crust Deep-Dish Bratwurst Pizza. But while Delilah and her team have been focused on pumping out perfect pizza pies, her ex-fiancé has cozied up to a new squeeze, juice bar owner Jordan Watts - Delilah's contest rival.

When one of Jordan's juice bar customers is poisoned by a tainted smoothie, Delilah lands deep in the sauce. Accusations fly, suspects abound, and a menacing stranger turns up with a beef over some missing dough. Between kale-juicing hipsters and grudge-bearing celebrity chefs, Delilah must act quickly before another one bites the crust."

Just saying, the way to win a "Taste of Wisconsin" culinary contest is cheese, cheese, and just when you think you've added enough cheese, you add some more.

The Last Remains by Elly Griffiths
Published by: Mariner Books
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The discovery of a missing woman's bones force Ruth and Nelson to finally confront their feelings for each other as they desperately work to exonerate one of their own in this not-to-be-missed Ruth Galloway mystery from USA Today bestselling author Elly Griffiths.

When builders discover a human skeleton during a renovation of a café, they call in archeologist Dr. Ruth Galloway, who is preoccupied with the threatened closure of her department and by her ever-complicated relationship with DCI Nelson. The bones turn out to be modern - the remains of Emily Pickering, a young archaeology student who went missing in 2002. Suspicion soon falls on Emily's Cambridge tutor and also on another archeology enthusiast who was part of the group gathered the weekend before she disappeared - Ruth's friend Cathbad.

As they investigate, Nelson and his team uncover a tangled web of relationships within the archeology group and look for a link between them and the café where Emily's bones were found. Then, just when the team seem to be making progress, Cathbad disappears. The trail leads Ruth a to the Neolithic flint mines in Grimes Graves. The race is on, first to find Cathbad and then to exonerate him, but will Ruth and Nelson uncover the truth in time to save their friend?"

I love Elly Griffiths Magic Men series and I have got to start the Ruth Galloway mysteries one of these days...

The Notorious Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud
Published by: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The now notorious outlaws Scarlett and Browne are back in their second death-defying adventure - and this time it's not just their own lives on the line....

Albert and Scarlett are a formidable pair. With his ability to read minds and her way with a weapon, no bank can keep them out and no jail can keep them in.

But their notoriety may have spread a bit too far. Now old enemies from Scarlett's past and a sinister new threat from Albert's world are boxing them in - and holding their friends hostage.

To win their freedom, the outlaws Scarlett and Browne are charged with pulling off an impossible mission.

And the clock is ticking . . .

Fans of Jonathan Stroud's The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne won't want to miss their next adventure."

After adoring Stroud's Lockwood and Co. series I am so excited I have this new series of his to dive into!

In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"New York Times bestselling author T.J. Klune invites you deep into the heart of a peculiar forest and on the extraordinary journey of a family assembled from spare parts.

In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots - fatherly inventor android Giovanni Lawson, a pleasantly sadistic nurse machine, and a small vacuum desperate for love and attention. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They're a family, hidden and safe.

The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled "HAP," he learns of a shared dark past between Hap and Gio - a past spent hunting humans.

When Hap unwittingly alerts robots from Gio's former life to their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe. Gio is captured and taken back to his old laboratory in the City of Electric Dreams. So together, the rest of Vic's assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country to rescue Gio from decommission, or worse, reprogramming.

Along the way to save Gio, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?

Inspired by Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, and like Swiss Family Robinson meets Wall-E, In the Lives of Puppets is a masterful stand-alone fantasy adventure from the beloved author who brought you The House in the Cerulean Sea and Under the Whispering Door."

I think we also have to mention Philip K. Dick too right? I mean, "Electric Dreams."

A Sleight of Shadows by Kat Howard
Published by: Gallery / Saga Press
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Return to Kat Howard's Alex Award–winning world begun in An Unkindness of Magicians, a secret society of power-hungry magicians in New York City.

After taking down the source of the corruption of the Unseen World, Sydney is left with almost no magical ability. Feeling estranged from herself, she is determined to find a way back to her status as one of the world's most dangerous magicians. Unfortunately, she needs to do this quickly: the House of Shadows, the hell on earth that shaped her into who she was, the place she sacrificed everything to destroy, is rebuilding itself.

"The House of shadows sits on bones. All of the sacrifices, all of the magicians who died in Shadows, they're buried beneath the foundations. Bones hold magic."

The magic of the Unseen World is acting strangely, faltering, bleeding out from the edges. Determined to keep the House of Shadows from returning to power and to defeat the magicians who want nothing more than to have it back, Sydney turns to extremes in a desperate attempt to regain her sacrificed magic. She is forced to decide what she will give up and what she will lose and whether what must be destroyed is not only the House of Shadows, but the Unseen World itself.

World Fantasy Award finalist Kat Howard has written a sequel that asks how you have a happily ever in a world that doesn’t want it, where the cost of that happiness may be too much to bear."

Why do I love evil magic so much?

That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams
Published by: Amulet Books
Publication Date: April 25th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stunning YA fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Justina Ireland, about a Black girl (and sword expert) fighting a Fae uprising in Shakespearean London.

Sixteen-year-old Joan Sands is a gifted craftswoman who creates and upkeeps the stage blades for William Shakespeare’s acting company, The King's Men. Joan's skill with her blades comes from a magical ability to control metal - an ability gifted by her Head Orisha, Ogun. Because her whole family is Orisha-blessed, the Sands family have always kept tabs on the Fae presence in London. Usually that doesn't involve much except noting the faint glow around a Fae's body as they try to blend in with London society, but lately, there has been an uptick in brutal Fae attacks. After Joan wounds a powerful Fae and saves the son of a cruel Lord, she is drawn into political intrigue in the human and Fae worlds.

Swashbuckling, romantic, and full of the sights and sounds of Shakespeare's London, this series starter delivers an unforgettable story - and a heroine unlike any other."

Fae? Shakespearean London? Sold!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Brittany N. Williams, Colleen Cambridge, Elly Griffiths, Fae, Gilded Age, Jonathan Stroud, Julia Child, Kat Howard, M.C. Beaton, Mindy Quigley, Regency, Rosalyn Eves, Shakespeare, Shana Abe, T.J. Klune, Wisconsin

The Dead Don't Drink at Lafitte's by Seana Kelly
Published by: NYLA
Publication Date: April 13th, 2021
Format: Kindle. 350 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Whomever said dating a vampire would be easy obviously wasn't a werewolf. Because Clive's coterie of vampires look down on Sam. In their minds she's so far beneath their master that they welcome his ex with open arms when she shows up on their doorstep. A doorstep to a house Sam's stuck in while her apartment and business are being rebuilt. Thankfully the ex isn't actually there to rekindle their romance, she's there to stage a coup. The Master of New Orleans wants Clive eliminated, the only problem is they didn't count on Sam. She saves Clive's life and realizes she might have more power over vampires than they'd be comfortable with. But her newfound powers will have to wait, this was a declaration of war and Clive will not let this stand. As the Master of San Francisco he can't leave his city unprotected, so he calls in some favors and heads on down to The Big Easy. But he can't be certain that his vampires haven't been compromised. How many are still loyal to him and how many are using Sam's presence as an excuse to grasp the brass ring? So Clive calls in another favor. Someone capable of guarding Sam when he must rest. Someone who happens to be deadly with the merest glance. He calls in a gorgon. Stheno is the perfect body guard. Not only is she good at decorating Clive's New Orleans home with statues of their enemies, she's someone apart from the politics of vampires whom Sam can talk to and, more importantly, share a meal with, because vampires sure don't know how to feed the living let alone feed a werewolf with a high metabolic rate. But thankfully that's what the many restaurants in New Orleans are there for! That and to provide a distraction from all the vampires who might want Clive dead. There's not just the Master of the city, but the ancient St. Germain who prefers to wield power from the shadows and is taking an unhealthy interest in Sam. Sam has a lot of danger to face if she wants to make it back safely to San Francisco, but thankfully she has a passel of new friends and an entire pack of werewolves who've got her back.

As someone who reads and watches a lot of media involving vampires there's one thing I can't stand, and that's vampire politics. Sure, you could hate their brooding nature and how possessive they are, but thankfully for every story that does this there's another that pokes fun at it. And yet vampire politics for some reason rarely get lampooned. The reason The Dead Don't Drink at Lafitte's really spoke to me is because it switched direction about a third of the way through the book. Before Sam and Clive left for New Orleans I was completely dreading reading this volume because it looked like it was going to be nothing but vampire politics. And then all of a sudden it wasn't. All of a sudden it was more about the city and the life of New Orleans and Sam's world opening up while the vampires were off doing their own thing or sleeping the day away. And what it celebrated most of all about New Orleans was the food. Having a heroine who has a metabolism that just won't quit meant that she not only ate tons of food, with many courses, but that it was lovingly described. I would have gladly beaten up someone for a beignet at any time while reading this book. And now I just realized a problem while writing this review, I'm thinking about beignets again... So I will now try to wrench my brain away from the beignets and talk about my new favorite character, who also happens to love food as much as Sam, Stheno. Stheno is a gorgon. And she is my new BFF. I'm sorry, you can't have her, she's going to hang out with me on a couch and eat tons of food. She's funny, she's surly, and she and Sam just get each other. They have a dark and quirky sense of humor that meshes well. The introduction of Stheno really takes the whole series to a new level because Urban Fantasy shouldn't only be about werewolves, vampires, and the fae, though so much is. Stheno firmly establishes the other creatures within Sam's universe and I am here for it.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Beignets, Fae, Food, Gorgon, New Orleans, Sam Quinn, San Francisco, Seana Kelly, Stheno, The Dead Don't Drink at Lafitte's, The Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar, Vampire Politics, Vampires, Werewolves

Smoke Bitten by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 17th, 2020
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★ 
To Buy

Things have been rough since the witches, but that's nothing new. Things are always rough for Mercy. Yet Adam has always been there to share the load. Now he's remote and has shut down their mating bond. Mercy needs to find out why but at the same time she's scared as to what this could mean. Perhaps he doesn't want her anymore as his mate what with trouble always showing up on her doorstep. The newest trouble being their neighbors. They have died of an apparent murder-suicide. Only Mercy knows this couldn't be the case, especially once she sees a bite on the husband's arm. A bite that looks like it could be from a jackrabbit. When Mercy and Adam go out in search of this jackrabbit they come across two additional unsettling discoveries; there are unknown werewolves in their territory and the vampire Wulfe has taken to stalking Mercy as his new hobby. Though Wulfe turns out to be the least of their concerns, which in itself is concerning, because he saves Mercy from the effects of the jackrabbit's bite. She has no doubt that Wulfe's quick actions combined with her weird reactions to magic are the only things that saved her. And her survival has pissed off her attacker. So the pack congregate and formulate a plan. A plan that is having to constantly be reformulated and intensified as the threats and the imminent danger get closer and closer. If only Mercy was sure everything would be all right with Adam at the end of the day this fight would be so much easier; but Mercy's life isn't easy.   

At this point it's getting hard to write reviews about Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series because I feel like there's nothing more to say about how much I love them without repeating myself. This series is hands down the best female driven urban fantasy series out there. Period. Every March I can't wait to get my hands on the newest book in Briggs' universe always wondering what creature will be the big band this time around. Because Briggs does tend to concentrate on a specific threat, Vampire, Fae, Werewolf, Witch, they rotate as the ultimate evil with occasional surprises thrown in. What makes Smoke Bitten so different is that instead of addressing just one big bad Mercy is addressing them all, showing not just the depth and range of Briggs' storytelling abilities to juggle many plot points but also underlining how complicated Mercy's life has become as protector of her plot of land. This makes Smoke Bitten feel not just a more ambitious book, but a more fully rounded book. You can't just pick and choose one crisis to deal with at a time, life isn't that accommodating. Therefore it feels like Mercy has grown up, she's able to handle it all, and in the end she saves the day as she always does, but never without sacrifice and never without her friends by her side. Friends, from Bran to Zee to Wulfe, who be they enemy or throne in the side, feel like my family.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adam, Big Bad, Bran, Evolution, Fae, Magic, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, Smoke Bitten, Urban Fantasy, Vampire, Werewolf, Witch, Wulfe, Zee

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
ARC Provided by the Publisher
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 8th, 2016
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

The Fae have an interesting way of showing their displeasure. They disappeared into their reservations and have slowly been letting their more dangerous monsters into the world just to hint at what they could do, given the motivation. One of those monsters happens to be attacking the Cable Bridge which spans the Columbia River, right smack in the middle of the Colombia River Basin Pack's territory. Mercy and Adam's pack. The pack stops the troll, at the cost of the bridge, but luckily not at the cost of any lives. It is obvious that the Fae need to be brought to heel, and at just the right moment Tad and Zee walk back into Mercy's life perhaps with the answer. They have brought with them a young boy Aiden. Or at least Aiden was young once before the Fae and Underhill took him and played with him for perhaps centuries. He is now Fire Touched, but more importantly a link to Underhill. If there's anything the Fae want above all else it's to reestablish their link to Underhill and it's magics. The Fae want Aiden and Mercy has Aiden. Perhaps an agreement can be reached? But the Fae never play fair and attempt to take the boy by force, but Mercy has pledged the pack's protection, even at the risk to their own lives. Yet Aiden himself is dangerous and therefore negotiations are eventually opened. As Mercy and Adam journey into the realm of the Fae they will be lucky to survive whatever underhanded tricks might be headed their way, but a successful outcome could be a boon to all.

I feel like I've started my reviews for the last few Patricia Briggs books talking about the harsh realities of long running series and how some of the books just won't be as good as others. You're being judged against your best and therefore if you stumble, well, your book might be a higher rating for another author, but not for you. And it's not that I haven't liked continuing on these adventures with characters I view as my friends, I just haven't enjoyed the ride as much with these last few forays. The apex for me in recent years was 2011's River Marked. The reason that this book stands out is because the narrative was streamlined. There are a lot of characters inhabiting Mercy's world, some have even gotten their own stories or series, so it's hard to get them all in on the action. With Frost Burned, Night Broken, and now with Fire Touched, Briggs seems determined to bring everyone by the Hauptmans house just to say hi. This is making the books unwieldy, with these drops ins compromising the time in the book that should be spent on plot development. I would rather the story have a solid groundwork than have Mercy baking brownies for the pack with orange oil. Between the knock down drag out fights and Fae politics, I didn't feel as if there was actually anything to this installment.

In fact, my major grip over the recent books is the increasing time spent on pack politics and Mercy's unsuitability as a mate for Adam. Firstly, I think Mercy has proven time and time again that she is more than capable of being the Alpha's mate of the Colombia River Basin Pack. Isn't that basically what every book is? Showing her suitability? Therefore to have these politics brought up again and again, it is really starting to fray my nerves and try my patience. When it was decreed in this book that there would be no more pack political infighting about Mercy I quite literally shouted for joy. The biggest hurtle in my enjoyment in these recent installment had been removed, and quickly replaced with Fae politics. I mean seriously? I feel like Mercy, can I never catch a break? To finally remove the politics only to have OTHER politics fill the void? Ugh, you have got to be kidding me. I feel that this is some kind of punishment. At the end of Fair Game when the Fae basically declared war on humanity, I was really excited to see how it would all play out. I was hoping for all out war and bloodshed. I should have taken into account that I was thinking from a very human perspective. The Fae don't operate in expected ways; and therefore, the politics have taken over.

Here's the thing about me and politics. I don't like them. I avoid them at all costs. And not just governmental politics, oh no, even petty academic politics drive me round the bend. Some of the worst moments of my life have to do with getting my BA in Theatre and the weekly tech meetings we had that were never about what we needed to do and all about the politics of the department. I was once literally brought to tears. As for governmental politics, well, yes, I am paying attention at the moment because this is an election year, but if this wasn't the case I'd be attempting to bury my head in the sand. Now why would I want to read about politics give how much I hate them? The answer is that I don't. As for otherworldly politics? I want to read about them even less. The politics have taken over this series and if this doesn't change I seriously don't know what I'm going to do. There wasn't really a plot, there was no suspense, and if it wasn't for the last forth of this book nothing would have happened at all. Yes, a book CAN be all about politics. Should it? Not if you want me to read it. And of course, I know this book wasn't written just for me, but I'm sure there are people out there with the same aversion to politics as me who just want a cracking good story.

And yes, that means I want a story. I want a plot. I want some sort of narrative that combines what is bound between the two covers into a whole. I don't want politics, fight scene, politics, fight scene, politics, fight fight fight. I am not a fan of the big budget movies because I do not want to watch a three hour fight. I remember all my friends going on and on about how good the second Captain America movie is. So I watched it; and I hated it. In fact hate might be too weak a word for my feelings. All that movie was was one action scene after another. The first Captain America movie was more my style, a period superhero movie with an actual plot. But the thing is, plot is becoming less and less important in this age of spectacle. This is why I have given up on Marvel movies. In fact almost any "blockbuster" movie in general. Mad Max: Fury Road... Mad Eliza: Where's the Plot. Fire Touched felt like it wanted to be a blockbuster movie opening up on the big fight scene that decimated the Cable Bridge. If you think I tune out watching a fight, I tune out even more reading about a fight, because something in me just doesn't care to visualize it. Something in me just doesn't give a damn. I always think of that Eddie Izzard bit when he's talking about car chases in books... it's not that they don't happen, it's that they rarely work.

The redeeming factor of this book is that more mystical aspect of the Fae: Underhill. Underhill is that most interesting of places. This is the only mystery of the book, and that's because the whole place is a mystery, shifting and reshaping itself like a living breathing entity. The journey Mercy, Adam, and Aiden undertake in this realm focuses what was hundreds of pages of politics and pugilism into a story I was interested in. Fae politics are boring, which almost seems impossible given how fascinating the Fae and their world can be given the right writer. This is what the whole book should have been! A journey taken through fairy to mend the rift between the magical and non-magical worlds so that we can move beyond the politics and onto something new. The whole book could have been this epic quest, heck Tolkien got a whole trilogy and then some out of a similar quest. Save the world by journeying through strange lands! The moment I think that this whole series clicked for me was the first time Zee brought Mercy to the reservation and in her coyote form she accidentally slipped into Underhill and was there in that mystical realm. This was a magical moment for me, realizing a had found a new series I loved. For a few minutes I found that initial love again and most of the flaws of this book were forgiven, if not forgotten. Hopefully.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adam, Captain America, Coyote, Eddie Izzard, Fae, Fights, Fire Touched, Frost Burned, Mad Max, Mercy Thompson, Night Broken, Patricia Briggs, Politics, River Marked, Underhill, Werewolves, Zee

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
ARC provided by the publisher
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 3rd, 2015
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Charles can count the people he loves and trusts on one hand. One of those people is mortal and is dying. Charles has known Joseph Sani for most of Joseph's life. He has seen him grow up, have a family, but it was too much to be around to see him decline. Though the time has come to face this hardship, to say goodbye. Charles and Anna set out for Arizona to visit Joseph and his family. The Sani's have made a name for themselves breeding Arabian horses and Charles plans to buy a horse for Anna for her birthday. But Charles encounters trouble in the Sani household. Joseph's dad is a werewolf and has been petitioning for his son the be changed, against Joseph's wishes it might be said. Hosteen views the argument still open until the day Joseph is in the ground and instantly harasses Charles on the subject. Yet this ongoing argument is put aside when Joseph's daughter-in-law is attacked by a powerful Fae and his grandchildren are almost killed. Charles and Anna look into the attack and come to the conclusion that a very powerful fairy is on the loose and children are in danger and it's up to them to stop it.

A new Patricia Briggs book is always a time to celebrate. To me she is the best writer currently of urban fantasy, the one who fills the hole in my heart left by Joss Whedon. Her books are the epitome of comfort reads, a time set aside to curl up with a good book, a cast of characters you love, and a warm blanket, with the world slipping away as you are drawn into the current mystery. And my, have I missed Anna and Charles! Having two years of Mercy back to back was lovely, but there's something about Anna and Charles that I just connect to. Not hearing from them in three years was hard to bear, like a friend who you've lost touch with. That incident in Boston, then nothing till now. Thank you for finally having the time to catch up with me.

The problem facing long running series is that you can get in a rut, you can get formulaic, and then Cousin Oliver happens. So far I continue to find Briggs's series both fresh and exciting, but there is something more compelling about the Alpha and Omega series. Yes, it could be that compared to Mercy it's newer and has less then half the books, but what I think it is is the way the series is set up to follow their story as they go to other locations then being confined to the Tri-Cities or Bon Temps or even Stars Hollow. Sometimes a change in scene is necessary to keep a story vibrant. I like how we start out and they're snug in their home then something happens and Anna and Charles are dispatched to the scene. Seattle, Boston, now Scottsdale! Plus with each location change we get a new set of characters to mingle with the old, providing a nice blend of the familiar and the strange.

But with each change in location we get a change in focus, and here, well, the focus was too much of the equine variety. I find it odd that in quick succession I have read two books that are very focused on horses. As I said in that other review, I've never been a horse person, but that doesn't mean that books featuring horses are a bad thing, they just have to be handled right. Daisy Goodwin's The Fortune Hunter handled horses right, in that she didn't become overly detailed and wrote the horses as characters so that you could connect to them. Goodwin did it right, Briggs did it wrong. I know Briggs is a horse enthusiast in the extreme, you can get that from her writing even if you didn't already know this, but she wasn't able to tamp down that enthusiasm to make horses accessible to those who aren't of her ilk. At one point in the book Anna gives up trying to figure out all the jargon spewing out of Charles and I think that if one of the characters in your book can't even keep up, well, you lost your readers a long time ago.

So much horse talk had a detrimental effect on the pacing of the book. At the beginning it was OK, the horses added atmosphere, but about three quarters of the way through the book when the bad guy is "caught" and everyone just pushes the horrors they've faced behind them and they all trot off to the horse show the book hits a deadly lull it can't recover from. There's still a quarter of the book left, so you know that something is going to happen, there's going to be a twist, but after a few hours with Anna and Charles in the bleachers at the horse show I couldn't care less what that twist was. This is right about the time Anna gave up too I might add. Yet it kept going. And going. And more horses. And yeah. I've been to state fairs, I've been to Dairy expos, I've been to events like this and never in my life did I think they could be written in a way that bored me almost literally to tears. All forward momentum left the book and I thought I'd be trapped with those creepy horse slash pageant kid combinations for all eternity. I never want to read about horses ever again.

But I really don't ever want to read about those creepy little kids that are dressed like western themed pageant kids, pink rhinestones and all, riding their horses. Shudder. Yet this version of children is just one of many, seeing as children are a big theme in this book. I was OK with Anna pressuring Charles about them having a child, this didn't seem out of place. The evil fairy that was the book's Big Bad and was kidnapping children for nefarious reasons, really really creepy and spooky and kept the plot ticking right along until the horses came and trampled all over it. And then the book shifted. Yes, there was a creepy kid vibe from the evil fairy but to couple that with this weird objectification of the children at the horse show? It went too far into the creepy. Add to that that Anna and Charles thought this was cute? Um, no. This kind of objectification leads to evil people preying on children. So in a book about bringing this kind of evil, though in immortal form, to justice while at the same time condoning cultural practices that can result in drawing the attention of evil... no. Just no. Yes, life is all about compromise, but let's compromise about having children or recovering from abuse, finding a middle ground where we can live with life's horrors, not finding a middle ground where the horrors are allowed to flourish.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Anna, ARCs, Arizona, Charles Cornick, Children, Daisy Goodwin, Dead Heat, Fae, Horses, Joss Whedon, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, The Fortune Hunter, Tri-Cities

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 11th, 2014
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Mercy might be facing the worst monster she has come up against, her husband Adam's ex-wife, Christy. Christy's having a little problem with an over amorous ex of her own and she decides that the only safe place for her is with her ex and his pack. In fact, thinking things through, she might just want to be by Adam's side on a more permanent basis again. This delusion of Christy's rankles Mercy, but she knows that her and Adam are one and Christy is no threat to their love. So the only thing to be done is grin and bare it while solving Christy's problem with as much haste as is seemly. Of course things get complicated when Christy's stalker isn't your run of the mill human... but that's not something unusual in Mercy's world.

The problem with long running series is you reach a point that if you don't go back and re-read the earlier volumes there's something missing when you pick up the new book. Whether it's a running joke that has started to fade in your memory or if it's just that you're starting to mix up the characters, there's a point when you need to go backwards to keep going forwards. And I really need to go backwards for a little while. I'm still enjoying the books and the characters, but there's just something missing. I feel like I'm losing my connection to Mercy and I don't want this to happen. Of course the opportunity to sit and re-read seven books is a luxury I haven't had the time for yet, but I think I really need to make the time.

The aspect I love of Briggs's writing is that she won't stick to tropes. If there's a convention, instead of going the party line, she'll subvert it. Sometimes this works perfectly, and sometimes if doesn't. If I seriously have to read about yet another kidnapping in this series I might just go crazy. I mean, quite literally, can one person or one group of persons be kidnapped this much? Because it is in almost every single book now and it's getting really old. Though all my worries were more on the ex-wife showing up. With Christy arriving in the Tri-Cities and ostensibly making a play to get Adam back I was worried that it would play out like every ex-wife trope in every book, movie, or television show ever. Thankfully I was wrong.

Instead of being a typical threat, as in making a rift develop between Mercy and Adam, she is a threat because of her stalker. I am so glad, firstly, that Briggs didn't try to put a wedge between Mercy and Adam and that there love is as strong as ever, but secondly, I loved that it was Christy bringing the threat. So not only was she unwelcome but she was also a danger. Yeah, she's a really bad ex-wife and it makes me smile. But in how the pack and Adam treats Christy it shows the strength of their characters. Instead of just fobbing her off and telling her to save herself they decided to help her. To rise above all the crap and still view someone as family and worthy of help, that just makes me love all these fictional people all the more. Though I will qualify that I don't want to be in their pack because seriously, I don't think I could survive the day.

As I've said before what is helping this series in it's longevity is that instead of like in the earlier books when the threat would alternate between the Fae and the Vampires Briggs is bringing "others" into the mix. We already have had the appearance of Coyote, a mythological figure that turns out to be very real in this and previous installments. But here we get a God! And not just a nameless faceless God without motive, we get a God we can understand and feel sorry for. To make evil somewhat sympathetic or at least understandable is a great feat, and Briggs does it flawlessly. But then again, this is a woman who was able to make a walking stick perhaps one of my most favorite characters in a book ever, so should I be surprised with what she can do with real "people"? No, I shouldn't.

But there's a part of me who now has to play devil's advocate. With all of the Mercy-verse, I'm including Charles and Anna's series too here, how long can it really last? Charles and Anna are able to switch it up with different locations and characters in each installment, but Mercy is at the mercy (haha) of being with her pack in the Tri-Cities. How much longer can this go on without becoming stale? Because truthfully, while I love the cast and the pack there's a threshold of how many kidnappings I can take, hint, we've already passed it; and there's only so much pack politics I can take before I get bored. The little switch ups she tried to add, like having Adam's POV, haven't really worked. So while we don't get a new Mercy next year, maybe that's a good thing and will give Briggs time to think about the long term and how to keep this series fresh and exciting. Long live Mercy (as long as the quality is maintained)!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Coyote, Exs, Fae, Gods, Kidnapping, Mercy Thompson, Night Broken, Patricia Briggs, Tri-Cities, Vampire, Walking Stick, Werewolves

Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse Book 10) by Charlaine Harris
Published by: Ace Hardcover
Publication Date: May 4th, 2010
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Challenge: Fantasy
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Sookie is slowly healing, but she has had enough. She will no longer be as peppy or as perky. In fact, she could even get herself a little hit list going if she bothered, Eric's direct boss being number one on that list. But what with Amelia moving out and Claude moving in, it looks like the Fae War wasn't the end of the fairies in her life. Plus, the Weres have noticed that there are other fairies prowling the woods behind the Stackhouse property. As Sookie opines, wasn't the sealing of the worlds meant to take care of all these pesky fairies? Of course a corpse then ends up on the property, Sookie's house being a magnet for all kids of trouble. But she has little time to think of who could be planting bodies on her property line when two more vamps show up sharing the same blood as her. Eric's sire, Ocella, returns with a Romanov in tow. Being around the three spins Sookie around, and she doesn't know which way is up. Plus Eric's sibling, Alexi, he's not exactly right in the head, more of the mass murderer sensibilities. If it wasn't for Sookie's respite with Hadley's child Hunter and helping Bill find his own sibling to heal, she might just go crazy.

In the latest installment of the beloved Southern Vampire novels we have a book almost veering out of control. Starting unlike any other in that months elapse in a matter of pages, we then proceed to slog through a book with no plot. There is much character development and back story and little vignettes with different variations on family. From human blood, to fairy blood, to vamp blood, Sookie sure has a lot of "blood relatives" out there. If it wasn't for the hilarious and horrifying Alexi, I don't really think this book would have had any umph to it. I try to think about it and my mind is almost blank, not an impression that an author wishes to leave. With the series continuing on I think we need to have an end in sight. There's only so many more people left that can die and soon Bon Temps could be left unoccupied. I just hope that come this time next year Charlaine will have a plot in mind. But as a final note, the thing that bothered me most. Sookie felt herself not whole until she had an orgasm. So, apparently, despite all that she's been through, she didn't feel herself whole until Eric helped her come. Ah... ok, interesting... I thought it might have been the absence of pain and being able to function, and yes, pleasure is important, but still, I felt it a little crass.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Bon Temps, Charlaine Harris, Eric, Fae, Faries, Ocella, Reading Challenge, Romanov, Sookie Stackhouse, Southern Vampire Series, Vampire Bill, Werewolves

Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson Book 5) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 30th 2010
Format: Hardcover, 342 Pages
Challenge: Shifter Challenge 2011, Horror and Urban Fantasy
Rating: ★★★
To Buy
Zee's son Tad calls Mercy with worry over a mutual acquaintance. Phineas helped Mercy exonerate Zee with the loan of a book from his store awhile back, so the least she owes him is to check up and return the book. Instead of relieving Tad's fears, Mercy gets a bad feeling. But it's late and she heads home. Things with Adam are going well. She's learning to like the connection they now have, even if the constant feeling of the pack is a bit unnerving. A bit unnerving amps up to a real problem when out bowling someone in the pack plants bad thoughts in her head and a young child is almost hurt. But almost hurt is nothing compared to actually hurt. Samuel has tried to kill himself. Too long in the world and burying too many friends, he has tried to take his life and his wolf half has decided to take over. But the expected massacre of a werewolf without the human half in control does not happen. Sam seems remarkably on top of it... so perhaps if Mercy can just stay away from the pack for a few days so they won't report Sam to his father for execution she can sort this all out. And with the self imposed exile from Adam, she worries she's hurting him, when really she is just trying to protect Sam. As is the case with Mercy, things never go as planed. Instead of everything getting easier, everything gets harder. She looses Gabriel, her garage assistant, because his mother worries about the risk of werewolves, plus, it doesn't look good when a reality bounty hunter show shows up with a fake warrant for your boyfriends arrest with guns loaded.

One thing is clear. There's someone out to get her, and she has a feeling it has to do with Phineas' book, which can mean only one thing. Fae. Soon her home is torched and Adam is wounded. His lack of strength leads to the members of the pack who have been messing with Mercy to make a power play that goes wrong. But the one thing that is made clear is who the real threat is. Turns out it's not just fae, but a Fairy Queen. She wants the Silver Borne. It should have revealed itself through death or fire, but it remains hidden. So the Queen has taken matters into her own hands, or more aptly, hostages. She has kidnapped Gabriel and will make an exchange for the Silver Borne. Mercy agrees to the trade, even if she's not sure the book is the Silver Borne, and other nonsensical restrictions the Queen places her under in order to secure Gabriel and Phineas' safety. Turning to Zee they find a ray of hope. Ariana. Phineas' grandmother, the maker of the Silver Borne and Samuel's lost love. Working through all their difficulties, they head to the Queen's secret liar in Underhill and attempt to get back that which was stolen. But once you're in the land of the fairies, nothing is as it seems and you're playing by their rules. Rules they like to twist to their advantage. Here's hoping when they get out it's the same century.

My least favorite book in a long time in this series. First, let me get the tiny rant off my chest. Again with the kidnapping!!! Ok, rant done, mini rant shall not return till the next kidnapping... River Marked perhaps? Now as to why I didn't feel that "connection" with this book. To me, it took too long to delve into the fae plot while spending too much time on werewolf pack politics. Plus once we get to the fae we're in Underhill and have lost any real sense of how these characters work in the real world. The series works because it's our world, only different. It has an inherent plausibility to it that was lost the second they went into fairyland. It's like Mercy inadvertently ended up in a Tolkien story. But whereas this took us too far away from reality, the reality tv show crew took us too far into reality. It made it too "now." Which is why I've always disliked the references to Buffy. It's too current. Scooby-Doo is more a part of our shared cultural heritage, whereas Buffy is a show for fringe groups and has a cult following, ie, the readers of this book series. It was just too all over the place, lacked coherence, and with a depressing subplot. I hope River Marked gets back on track, because I don't want my new favorite series to go off the rails!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Buffy, Fae, Mercy Thompson, Patricia Briggs, River Marked, Samuel, Scooby Doo, Silver Borne, Underhill, Werewolves, Zee

Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Book 3) by Patricia Briggs
Published by: SFBC Science Fiction Book Club
Publication Date: 2008
Format: Hardcover, 710 Pages
Challenge: Fantasy
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy (different edition than one reviewed)

Never be in debt to a fairy. Never say thank you to a fairy. But most importantly, when you borrow something from them, just do what they tell you, nothing more. Mercy did a little something "more" and now has a debt to pay off. The fae have been sequestered in their own little camps ever since they came out a dozen or so years earlier. Whether it was for their protection or ours is a matter for debate. The fae are a secretive lot, not trusting the police or government. So when a killing spree happens in the Walla Walla Reservation, they aren't likely to turn to the police. They'll police there own. But sometimes it's good for a little outside help. This is where Mercy comes in. She knows enough to keep her trap shut. Plus there was that whole "favor." Also, in human form, but even more so in coyote, she has remarkable smell, which most fae lack. After persuading the rent-a-cop on duty who works for the BFA (Bureau of Fae Affairs), O'Donnell, Mercy is let into the reservation. Cookie cutter houses in perfect rows that surely are an illusion, or so her nose is telling her. From crime scene to crime scene she is led as she tries to sort out the various smells to find the one link. But her nose does tend to lead her into trouble and she stumbles past the glamors and sees the sea. The faries higher ups, the Grey Lords, are not going to like this one bit. And neither does Mercy, she can't figure out why the murders are happening. What is there link besides the person who killed them?

Things don't start to look up for the fae when Zee is arrested for the murder of O'Donnell, the reservations guard. Zee won't suffer in prison like other fae, seeing as he has an affinity for the substance that harms most, iron. Despite Zee's protestations that Mercy is done with this case, that she can't stick her nose into fae business anymore, she's not one to listen. She's a very nosey coyote, especially when her friends are at stake, despite the Grey Lords ruling that Zee is the fall guy. Soon she's embroiled in anti fae groups with an Arthurian nut Tim and has attracted a fae artifact to her, the walking stick comes and goes as it pleases, but if she wanted to have lots of sheep, she's all set. But maybe this loyal stick is a clue. What if the other victims were also guarding objects of power? Objects that held magic so great that they are a danger. Magic that not even the fae can do anymore in this waning world. Objects they will do anything to get back and to silence Mercy about. But in a world filled with the supernatural, sometimes it's just the plain natural that can do the most damage and can ruin your life. Just when Mercy had sorted through her feelings about Adam and Samuel, everything changes by the violent act of one human being.

The magical masquerading as the everyday. That which is normal posing the greatest threat. This book just completed my love of Mercy Thompson and became my favorite book in the series. The intermingling of fairy tales and myth becoming real, but in the most dangerous and threatening of ways. Fairy Tales are real. Just that thought sends chills down my spine. I love the idea that these simple bedtimes stories are really warnings. We see, more than before, how much power the fae have at their disposal and how nice they have been playing, without killing children and eating their bones, which many, I'm sure, want to do. There is more of an old world, mythic feel. The vampires, for the most part, just keep themselves to themselves with their little herd of sheep that feed them. The fae are an entirely different situation. They have been exposed to the world for a long time. Exposed in a way they controlled, just as the werewolves are trying to do. As meek and magicless. They spend everyday hiding what they are. And now, being attacked, they lash out and show their might. But their artifacts are even more dangerous. Because while the fae just protect them. When a power hungry human gets his hands on them, it shows that humans and their greed and avarice are far more of a threat than the fae are. Because the fae, while hiding their "monsters" are still known to be something "other" not far below the surface. Whereas a human as a monster... it just makes it that bit more scary. There's no way for Mercy to sense magic or otherness. There's no way for her to protect herself. What Mercy goes through and how she deals with what happens has made me connect to her on a new level. Seeing beneath her bravado, giving her vulnerability makes her more relatable. More like me, though I have never been through what she has on a human level. I've never had men fighting over me, which thankfully is resolved in this book on the flirty end of the spectrum, to the horrors of the attack at her garage. But I have had moments of panic and despair, and tearing down a little of her armor has made her a little more human.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 2 comments  

Labels: Fae, Fairies, Fairy Tales, Mercedes Thompson, Mercy Thompson, Murder, Patricia Briggs, Reading Challenge, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla Fae Reservation, Zee

Artemis Fowl: Artemis Fowl Book 1 by Eoin Colfer
Published by: Miramax
Publication Date: April 2001
Format: Paperback, 277 Pages
Rating: ★★★
To Buy

Artemis Fowl is in a dire financial situation, his father is missing and his mother has suffered a mental breakdown, while the Fowl fortunes have dwindled making them (gasp) millionaires. But the conniving boy genius has thought of a fool proof plan to get the Fowls firmly ensconced back in the billionaires club. Artemis, along with Butler and Butler's wrestling loving younger sister, Juliet, are going to con the fae. Step one is easily accomplished, getting one of the fae's personal books that has all their cultural and magical knowledge. Step two takes some time, but it doesn't take long for a boy with a mind like Artemis' to crack the book's code using a little bit of imagination with a little Egyptian hieroglyphics and a lot of computer skills. The final step takes even longer, waiting for the right time and place...but eventually they find a fairy low on power and kidnap her to hold for ransom. Because Artemis' end goal is he just wants the Leprechaun's gold...and not that gold of legend, but the LEP squad's ransom fund. Because the fae have not been hiding underground wasting their time living in the past. Oh no! Shalali carrying and pot o'gold toting fairies are a thing of the past. They've got the newest in technology with everything from computers to strap on wings. They are techno fairies in the extreme, with Foaly, their centaur, as their one stop IT squad. The fairy that Artemis happens to capture is none other than Holly of the LEPrecon division of underground police. She's the squad's first female officer and she's got to do her best. So getting captured is not exactly something that will keep her employed for long, especially after that night's incident in Italy with the troll. Luckily her boss, Commander Root holds a soft spot for Holly and he and Foaly make it their goal to get her back safely. The stakes set, the two parties converge on Fowl manner outside Dublin. This is a simple hostage negotiation like any other, only with fairies. Each side tries to one up or out smart the other, but in the end can they both get what they want? Will they work together or back-stab each other? And can Artemis really do what has never been done by any mortal before?

As other reviewers have aptly stated, this is Die Hard with fairies. Take away all the magic and it's a very simple hostage plot. Now add back in the techno savy fairies and you have a book that took me a really long time to get into. My problem was I really like Artemis and his evil machinations, but the fairies just pissed me off. There is so much time spent on the minutiae of the fairies' gadgets that you don't really get to like or know the characters for a long time. Plus for a society that is so technologically advanced they spend way to much time harping on the destruction that the "Mud People," aka humans, wreak on the world. Isn't it all the cars and computers and electronics that cause this destruction...the same things the fairies are using IN ABUNDANCE under the Earth's crust? Hypocritical much? I think unless these are run differently than our gadgets then the fairies are just as much to blame...and please Eoin Colfer, do not take this as an invitation to explain in even more detail pointless fairy techobabble!

I picked this book up in anticipation of the new Hitchhiker's book that Colfer wrote. I was going to a signing of his (you can read all about how that went here), and I wanted to be mildly informed of his other works. Plus I really wanted to see what kind of writer he is and how his style might lend itself to Adams' writing style. I think it might work...I probably will pick up a few more books in this series down the road too, after I read And Another Thing. Because despite almost putting down this book several times, once the hostage standoff started I began to enjoy myself, which I didn't think I would. While the technojargon got to be too much, the characters did become interesting. The fairies kind of went from overly annoying to more just there, but the humans, fascinating! Artemis is so complex. He's such a wounded traumatized genius with parental issues. I kept thinking he was of a Joss Whedon ilk, the likes of Warren Meers or Fray's twin brother. I'm really interested to see how he matures and what kind of evil genius he becomes...extremely evil or Dr. Horrible evil? Plus the "files" indicate that his ways are not quickly mended. Bring on the evil!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:16 AM 3 comments  

Labels: And Another Thing, Artemis Fowl, Book Review, Butler, Commander Root, Die Hard, Dublin, Eoin Colfer, Fae, Fairies, Foaly, Fray, Holly, Joss Whedon, LEPrecon, Shalali, Warren Meers