strange and random happenstance

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

Back in the before times, 2019 to be exact, someone, and I wish I could remember who so I could profusely thank them, asked me if I had read Jacey Bedford's Rowankind series. I had not and promptly bought the first book, Winterwood. And then the weirdest thing happened, Jacey Bedford emailed me. This never happens. This weird synchronicity where you buy a book and then out of nowhere the author emails you. Well I had magic to thank for that, Regency Magic! Jacey had heard about Regency Magic from Heather Rose Jones, the author of the Alpennia series who had participated in Regency Magic previously in 2016 and again in 2018. Jacey's Rowankind series had just been completed in the fall of 2018 and was wondering if I was interested in reviewing the series for Regency Magic. Um, of course I was! And on August 25th DAW set me the trilogy. Why do I know that date so specifically? Because another weird occurrence happened, one might even say it was a strange and random happenstance. On August 30th Carnival Row dropped on Amazon. The wonderfully Noir Steampunk show starring Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne enthralled me, but the character of Sophie Longerbane played by the actress Caroline Ford keep triggering something in my mind. I knew her from somewhere and IMDb wasn't helping. And that's when I put two and two together and realized she was on the cover of Jacey's books as Ross Tremayne! A fact that Jacey confirmed with the photographer shortly thereafter. All this just goes to show that it was fate all along that I'd pick up this series and fall in love with this wonderfully off the wall series with pirates, I mean privateers, and magic and Fae and goblins and history and I swear, just pick it up and be swept away by Ross's adventures. Because as fate has decreed, and by fate I mean DAW, I happen to have an extra copy of Winterwood and will be giving it away on Instagram this month!

Question: When did you first discover Jane Austen?

Answer: I was very late to the party. We had to do Northanger Abbey at school and though I didn't hate it as much as I loathed Dickens, I don't think it was taught very well. It took me a while to get over the way literature was presented in school. I didn't read Pride and Prejudice until I was in my early thirties. And then, of course, there were various movie or TV adaptations. It might have been the BBC version with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehrle that reminded me to read it again. It seems to be shown pretty regularly, I did like the 2005 Matthew Macfayden film. There were some superb moments. The country dances were authentically sweaty and the Bennett farmyard suitably muddy. I loved the scene where Mum and the girls are lounging about and somebody sees Darcy approaching. The panicked flurry to tidy up both themselves and the room is manic and then by the time Darcy walks through the door they are all sitting primly as cool as cucumbers. Lovely.

Question: What do you think Jane Austen would think of her impact with so many literary offshoots, from parody to pastiche?

Answer: I think she'd be quietly amused by most of it, though probably a bit perplexed about the zombies.

Question: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Answer: The story ideas and the characters come from my own head, but the worldbuilding accretes as I dig deeper and deeper into the history of the period. I can't say that my inspiration comes from any one source. I have a mish-mash of images floating around in my brain that eventually gel into something tangible. When I'm researching, I tend to dip in and out of history books, and I spend a lot of time on Pinterest, collecting pictures of everything from costume and ships to pots and pans and to architecture. It all comes together gradually. The characters and the situation tend to come first and the worldbuilding second. But then the worldbuilding affects the story, too, so it's all interdependent. Even while I'm writing, I'm still researching to add authentic detail. You can't be sloppy on the history just because the story contains magic. It took me ages to research who commissioned the red coats for the British Army, and then to find out where they were made (and by whom). Goblin tailors in my book, but I needed to do the research to achieve verisimilitude, and write about a little Goblin sweatshop in London's East End.

Question: What makes the early 19th century mesh so well with magic?

Answer: It's a really interesting period: the Napoleonic Wars, George III's madness, the Industrial Revolution, bread riots, the age of sail, the echoes of the French Revolution which really put the wind up our politicians. They are frightened of the common people rising up, especially any of them imbued with magic. It's easy to slide magic into such turbulent times. For instance, in my Georgian trilogy (Winterwood, Silverwolf, and Rowankind) we eventually meet George III in the last book, and discover that his madness has a magical origin. Since no one really knows the actual cause (I believe Porphyria has been discounted, now) it's quite easy to offer a logical magical explanation.

Question: The world building and system of magic varies greatly in the regency fantasy genre, how did you go about creating yours?

Answer: I wish I could tell you that I had it all worked out in advance, but I didn't. It grew organically because my heroine, Ross Tremayne, a cross dressing privateer captain, ended up on the high seas, almost by accident, when she eloped with Will Tremayne in one of her father's ships, a lovely tops'l schooner. Will died in an accident so as the book opens Ross has been widowed for four years and she's captaining the ship in Will's stead, supported by a crew of barely reformed pirates. They have letters of marque from the Crown to hunt down and capture (or sink) vessels supplying the French. Ross has weather magic, but her natural element is the land rather than the ocean, and so she's pulled in two directions. Her land-magic develops when Ross first encounters the Green Man and the Lady of the Forests, and realises that her newly discovered younger brother, originally believed to be half-Rowankind, is really half-Fae. This lets me bring in elements of British folklore and magic: wolf shapechangers (don't call them werewolves, they hate that!), kelpies, hobs etc. Land magic. Though my books are set in 1800 - 1802 (the long regency) I don't do balls, and my characters are a million miles away from the ton. They are mostly dealing with problems while keeping clear of the law.

I use settings suggested by my historical research. I have Ross, Corwen and some of the crew being chased through a deserted off-season Vauxhall Gardens by a pack of Hellhounds conjured by the villain, Walsingham. I've used a lot of authentic detail for that (with the help of detailed contemporary maps) and then when they escape to their row-boat on the Thames, they have to run the currents under London Bridge - which was like going over a waterfall with a six-foot drop, as the 'starlings' protecting the bridge piers, narrowed the river channel. I really enjoyed writing that scene.

Question: If you had to choose between writing only period literature or only fantasy literature, which would win?

Answer: I'm not sure I could separate the two. It's true that Regency Romance is my guilty pleasure (I love a Bridgerton-type book) but I don't think I could write something that was just historical. I would end up bringing fantasy and/or adventure into it somewhere. And ditto, if I set out to write a fantasy, it would have elements of history in it, whether it was Georgian or generically medievaloid. I'm currently writing a YA fantasy book that takes place in the modern world and in the lands of Faerie. There are historical aspects to it. My most recent published book, The Amber Crown is set in an analogue of the Baltic States in the 1600s.

Question: Be honest, have you ever dressed up in Regency clothes just to pretend for a moment you are in the past?

Answer: No. I can pretend without the clothes There were some try-on costumes in the Jane Austen Museum in Bath when I went there for research, but they were so obviously easy-on reproductions that I hadn't the heart. I was hoping to have a go at getting into a genuine period dress with its ties and pins (not a real historical one, but one made to the same pattern at least) however these were elasticated so a bit disappointing. I take my hat off to the people who do proper costuming, using real historical patterns and ensuring all the detail is authentic. I can sew, but I don't have much time for it these days.

Biography:
Jacey Bedford is a British writer of science fiction and historical fantasy. She is published by DAW. Her Psi-Tech and Rowankind trilogies are out now. Her latest book, The Amber Crown, came out in January 2022. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, and have been translated into Estonian, Galician, Catalan and Polish. In another life she was a singer with vocal trio, Artisan, and once sang live on BBC Radio4 accompanied by the Doctor (Who?) playing spoons.

Jacey's Social Media:
Website
Blog
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpennia, Carnival Row, Caroline Ford, Georgian, Heather Rose Jones, Jacey Bedford, Pinterest, Pirates, Pride and Prejudice, Regency Magic, Ross Tremayne, Rowankind, Sophie Longerbane, The Amber Crown, Winterwood

Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes
Published by: Avon Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 350 Pages
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The official patter:
"From #1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn and television pioneer Shonda Rhimes comes a powerful and romantic novel of Bridgerton's Queen Charlotte and King George III's great love story and how it sparked a societal shift, inspired by the original series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, created by Shondaland for Netflix.

"We are one crown. His weight is mine, and mine is his..."

In 1761, on a sunny day in September, a King and Queen met for the very first time. They were married within hours.

Born a German Princess, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was beautiful, headstrong, and fiercely intelligent... not precisely the attributes the British Court had been seeking in a spouse for the young King George III. But her fire and independence were exactly what she needed, because George had secrets... secrets with the potential to shake the very foundations of the monarchy.

Thrust into her new role as a royal, Charlotte must learn to navigate the intricate politics of the court... all the while guarding her heart, because she is falling in love with the King, even as he pushes her away. Above all she must learn to rule, and to understand that she has been given the power to remake society. She must fight - for herself, for her husband, and for all her new subjects who look to her for guidance and grace. For she will never be just Charlotte again. She must instead fulfill her destiny... as Queen."

I am literally more excited for this book and the accompanying series than I am for the new season of Bridgerton.

The House on Prytania by Karen White
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
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The official patter:
"A woman is haunted - both literally and figuratively - by ghosts of the past in this second novel of the Royal Street series by New York Times bestselling author Karen White.

Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she's spent enough time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are definitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this world. And not all of them are benign.

But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan's long-lost sister, Nola has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when the tempting - yet firmly unavailable - Beau, wanting to mete out justice to those he blames for Sunny's kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks her to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the reason for Nola's bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael's powerful family was behind Sunny's disappearance and that Michael is the key to getting information the police won't be able to ignore - if Nola is willing to risk everything for which she's worked so hard.

Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn't realize until it's almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house - a startling revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake..."

Always listen to the ghosts. Always.

The Prodigal Women by Nancy Hale
Published by: Library of America
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 875 Pages
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The official patter:
"Rediscover the sensational 1942 bestseller that unveiled the Jazz Age as women lived it.

Ranging from posh Beacon Hill to go-go New York City to stately Virginia, a sweeping coming-of-age story of three women's lives, loves, and ambitions in the 1920s, '30s and '40s.

Set in Boston, New York, and Virginia, The Prodigal Women tells the intertwined stories of three young women who come of age in the Roaring Twenties, not flappers and golden girls but flesh-and-blood female protagonists looking wearily - and warily - at the paths open to women in a rapidly changing world.

Leda March, "frantic with self-consciousness and envy and desire," is the daughter of poorer relations of a prominent Boston family and an aspiring poet torn between an impulse to conformity and the pursuit of personal freedom. Betsy Jekyll, newly arrived with her family from Virginia, becomes Leda's closest childhood friend, bringing a beguiling new warmth and openness into the New Englander's life. But Betsy soon abandons Boston to land a job at a fashion magazine and enjoy life as a single woman in New York before falling in love with - and marrying - an abusive, controlling man. Betsy's older sister, Maizie, a Southern belle idolized by the two younger friends and pursued by numerous men, grows tired of "running around" and fatefully looks for happiness in marriage to a turbulent artist.

When The Prodigal Women was published in 1942, its uncompromising portrayal of women's shifting roles, open sexuality, and ambivalence toward motherhood made it a succèss de scandale, spending twenty-three weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Now Library of America restores Nancy Hale's lost classic to print with a new introduction by Kate Bolick exploring how the novel measures "the gap between what liberation looks like, and what it actually is.""

A look at the truth of the Jazz Age as written at the time and restored to us by Library of America.

The Nightingale Affair by Tim Mason
Published by: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
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The official patter:
"The New Victorian Detective Thriller from the Author of The Darwin Affair.

Tim Mason's gripping new novel finds Inspector Charles Field hunting a ruthless serial killer who is terrorizing Florence Nightingale and her nurses in Crimea in 1855. But when the main suspect turns up dead, Field determines the case is closed. Or is it? Twelve years later in London, amidst the turmoil surrounding the expansion of voting rights, Field discovers a woman's body, mouth covered by the killer's signature embroidered rose. Did Field suspect the wrong man before, or is he dealing with a copycat? Either way, with his own family now at risk, he must race against time to stop the killer before more bodies turn up.

Populated with real figures of the day, from Benjamin Disraeli to Florence Nightingale herself, The Nightingale Affair offers vivid details, surprising twists, and an unforgettably creepy villain. A stand-alone novel, perfect for fans of Charles Finch's Victorian detective stories."

A serial killer targeting Florence Nightingale? Yes please!

Sepulchre Street by Martin Edwards
Published by: Head of Zeus an Aries Book
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Kindle, 380 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"How can you solve a murder before it's happened?

'This is my challenge for you,' the woman in white said. 'I want you to solve my murder.'

London, 1930s: Rachel Savernake is attending renowned artist Damaris Gethin's latest exhibition, featuring live models who pose as famous killers. But that's just the warm-up act...

Unsure why she was invited, Rachel is soon cornered by the artist who asks her a haunting favour: she wants Rachel to solve her murder. Damaris then takes to the stage set with a guillotine, the lights go out - and Damaris executes herself.

Why would Damaris take her own life? And, if she died by her own hand, what did she mean by 'solve my murder'?

There are many questions to answer, and the clues are there for those daring enough to solve them...

Rachel Savernake faces her most puzzling murder yet in this glamorous gothic mystery from the winner of the CWA Diamond Dagger. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Richard Osman."

I mean, armchair detectives that we are, our blood runs hot at the idea of being asked to solve a murder by the victim themselves right?

Playing It Safe by Ashley Weaver
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
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The official patter:
"The third in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, Playing It Safe is a delightful World War II mystery filled with spies, murder, romance, and wit.

As the Blitz continues to ravage London, Ellie McDonnell - formerly a safecracking thief, but currently determined to stay on the straight and narrow to help her country - is approached by British Intelligence officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is to travel under an assumed identity to the port city of Sunderland and there await further instructions. In his usual infuriating way, the Major has left her task as vague and mysterious as possible.

Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a note clutched in his hand. Ellie's instincts tell her that the man's death is connected in some way to her mission.

Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary, and a case that leads them to a possible Nazi counterfeiting operation. With bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie's resourcefulness and Major Ramsey's fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences - for England and for their own lives."

I don't generally read WWII books, Ashley Weaver is the exception.

No One Needs to Know by Lindsay Cameron
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
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The official patter:
"When an anonymous neighborhood forum gets hacked, the darkest secrets of New York's wealthiest residents come to light - including some worth killing for - in this gripping suspense novel from the author of Just One Look.

It was all confidential. Right up to the moment when it wasn't.

UrbanMyth: It was lauded as an alternative to the performative, show-your-best-self platforms - an anonymous discussion board grouped by zip code. The residents of Manhattan's exclusive Upper East Side disclosed it all, things they would never share with their friends or their spouses: secret bank accounts, steamy affairs, tidbits of juicy gossip. The same people who, as parents, go to astonishing lengths to ensure that their children gain admission to the most prestigious boarding schools and universities. So when a "hacktivist" group breaks into the forum and exposes the real identity of each poster, the repercussions echo down Park Avenue with a force that none could have anticipated.

And someone ends up dead.

Is the murderer Heather, the outsider who would do anything to get her daughter into the elite's good graces and into their even better schools? Norah, the high-powered executive failing to balance work with the emotional responsibilities of motherhood? Or Poppy, whose perfect-on-the-outside façade conceals more than her share of secrets?

Each of them has something to hide.

Each of them will do anything to keep secrets hidden.

And each of them just might kill to protect their own."

Seeing as I live for the gossip and fighting on my neighborhood Facebook group, this book was written for me!

This Is the Way the World Ends by Jen Wilde
Published by: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 272 Pages
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The official patter:
"Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Hazel Wood are cordially invited to spend one fateful night surviving an elite private school's epic masquerade ball in Jen Wilde's debut thriller, This Is the Way the World Ends.

As an autistic scholarship student at the prestigious Webber Academy in New York City, Waverly is used to masking to fit in - in more ways than one. While her classmates are the children of the one percent, Waverly is getting by on tutoring gigs and the generosity of the school's charming and enigmatic dean. So when her tutoring student and resident "it girl" asks Waverly to attend the school's annual fundraising Masquerade disguised as her, Waverly jumps at the chance - especially once she finds out that Ash, the dean's daughter and her secret ex-girlfriend, will be there.

The Masquerade is everything Waverly dreamed of, complete with extravagant gowns, wealthy parents writing checks, and flowing champagne. Most importantly, there's Ash. All Waverly wants to do is shed her mask and be with her, but the evening takes a sinister turn when Waverly stumbles into a secret meeting between the dean and the school's top donors - and witnesses a brutal murder. This gala is harboring far more malevolent plots than just opening parents' pocketbooks. Before she can escape or contact the authorities, a mysterious global blackout puts the entire party on lockdown. Waverly's fairy tale has turned into a nightmare, and she, Ash, and her friends must navigate through a dizzying maze of freight elevators, secret passageways, and back rooms if they're going to survive the night.

And even if they manage to escape the Masquerade, with technology wiped out all over the planet, what kind of world will they find waiting for them beyond the doors?"

Gossip Girl goes Escape from L.A.! 

I'm Not Supposed to Be in the Dark by Riss M. Neilson
Published by: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
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The official patter:
"From the author of Deep in Providence comes a paranormal young adult romance that follows a teen convinced that her best friend-turned-enemy is possessed by a ghost, perfect for fans of White Smoke and Twilight.

Seventeen-year-old Aria Cayetano dreams of ghosts. She used to see them too, but thanks to a special tea brewed by her grandfather, Aria's connection to the spirit world has been severed. Until a decades old rosebush suddenly dies across the street, convincing Aria that something supernatural is happening in her neighborhood.

She aches to investigate it, but the rosebush sits on her ex-best friend Derek Johnson's front lawn, and she can't question him because he hates her now. Aria doesn't know what drove them apart years ago, but she does know Derek's been acting strange for weeks, sneaking out in the dead of night to who knows where.

Then, days after the rosebush dies, Derek begins speaking to her again. At least Aria thinks it's him. Until she discovers there's a ghost inside of Derek that will take his life if it doesn't find what it's searching for.

As Aria and Derek race to uncover the mystery, another kind of magic takes them by surprise: love. But Aria has to decide how far she's willing to go to save Derek, especially when helping the ghost means tapping into whatever the tea has buried inside of her.

Bone-chilling and spellbinding, I'm Not Supposed to Be in the Dark is an alluring ghost story that's about exorcising the past to find a future to believe in."

Always here for a good ghost story!

To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
Published by: Del Rey Books
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Paperback, 528 Pages
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The official patter:
"A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy - and quickly finds herself at odds with the "approved" way of doing things - in the first book of this brilliant new fantasy series.

The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations - until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon's egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit - a person in a unique relationship with a dragon.

Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising - and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglish dragon school on the mainland. If she cannot succeed there, her dragon will be killed.

For a girl with no formal schooling, a non-Anglish upbringing, and a very different understanding of the history of her land, challenges abound - both socially and academically. But Anequs is smart, determined, and resolved to learn what she needs to help her dragon, even if it means teaching herself. The one thing she refuses to do, however, is become the meek Anglish miss that everyone expects.

Anequs and her dragon may be coming of age, but they're also coming to power, and that brings an important realization: the world needs changing - and they might just be the ones to do it."

Indian boarding schools via Game of Thrones. 

Our Hideous Progeny by C.E. McGill
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
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The official patter:
"Historical fiction with a dark twist in the spirit of Circe, Ariadne, and Mexican Gothic, Our Hideous Progeny is a brilliant revisiting of Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein that unfolds with a fresh, provocative, queer twist.

It's 1853 London, and former medical student Victor Frankenstein has been missing for years. Inspired by his brilliance and daring, his great niece Mary Saville and her husband, Henry, are determined to follow in Victor's scientific footsteps. Both are intelligent and determined, yet they lack the reputation necessary to be recognized among the British Empire's most renowned paleontologists. Though Mary is admired for her sharp mind, her fierce tongue and Henry's gambling addiction hinder endorsement by their peers.

But after uncovering clues to her great uncle's disappearance, Mary devises a plan to realize her ambitions. Like Victor Frankenstein did long ago, she and Henry will create life. No one will be able to ignore their achievement - the scientific community must accept them if they succeed.

When they construct their Creature, Henry's ambition soars, yet Mary finds herself contemplating disturbing questions - and unexpected feelings - she cannot ignore. As Henry's desire for fame grows, Mary must decide how far she will go to protect this Creature - the hideous progeny - she has grown to love."

A Mary Shelly twist worthy of Penny Dreadful!

The Department of Truth by James Tynion IV and Martin Simmonds
Published by: Image Comics
Publication Date: May 9th, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 520 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Cole Turner has studied conspiracy theories all his life, but he isn't prepared for what happens when he discovers that all of them are true: the JFK Assassination, Flat Earth Theory, Bigfoot, Mothman, and so much worse. One organization has been covering them up for generations, controlling the narrative for what they claim is the greater good. What is the deep, dark secret behind the Department of Truth - and will learning it destroy Cole's life from the inside out? The first three arcs of the critically acclaimed series by Eisner Award-winning writer James Tynion IV (Something is Killing the Children, The Nice House on the Lake) and art Martin Simmonds (Dying is Easy) are collected here for the first time in deluxe hardcover format. Experience...The Complete Conspiracy. Collects The Department of Truth #1-#17."

Love James Tynion IV and quite enjoyed Martin Simmonds's art on Dying is Easy. So this is a must buy.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ashley Weaver, Bridgerton, C.E. McGill, James Tynion IV, Jen Wilde, Julia Quinn, Karen White, Lindsay Cameron, Martin Edwards, Moniquill Blackgoose, Nancy Hale, Queen Charlotte, Riss M. Neilson, Tim Mason

Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis
Published by: Stephanie Burgis
Publication Date: Octover 4th, 2021
Format: Kindle, 307 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

When her parents lost everything and promptly died Elinor Tregarth and her two sisters had to rely on the kindness of their relatives. But no one household could be expected to take on three penniless orphans so they were separated across the length and breath of England. Elinor ended up at Hathergill Hall to be a dogsbody to her cousin Penelope. Penelope under normal circumstances is hard to deal with, leading up to her debut she's a nightmare. She is making everyone, in particular Elinor, suffer. But Elinor never knew there'd be a breaking point but the tantrum Penelope throws when she hears her mother's friend Mrs. De Lacey isn't coming would destroy anyone's resolve. It's the fashionable thing for all young ladies to have a dragon, to be nothing more than an accessory, an inanimate object on one's shoulder. So of course Penelope's father got her the best dragon money can buy. Though poor Sir Jessamyn Carnavoran Artos has a nervous disposition and Penelope's treatment of him breaks Elinor. She snaps at her cousin and flees Hathergill Hall with Sir Jessamyn, her meager belongings, and her four shillings and sixpence she has diligently saved. Only to be promptly run over by a carriage, losing all her savings to dirty ditchwater. The carriage belongs to one Mr. Cornelius Aubrey, who is a scholar and dragon expert, so he instantly is more interested in Sir Jessamyn than Elinor, his companion is Mr. Benedict Hawkins, who hopes to be Penelope's future fiance, as his father lost all his money in the same scheme that wiped out Elinor's parents. For the first time in Elinor's life she thinks, if only she could be the type of girl to attract someone like Benedict Hawkins, or if she'd admit it to herself, Benedict Hawkins. The four travelers spend the night in a local inn. Before she falls asleep Elinor wishes she could be rich and beautiful, like Mrs. De Lacey, she could win the heart of Benedict and be able to care for Sir Jessamyn as he deserves. And that's when something magical happens. But everyone knows dragons can't do magic! Yet the next day Elinor is glamoured to look like Mrs. De Lacey and she has to put on the performance of a lifetime to save herself, her sisters, and her heart. If only fairy tales could come true.

I have always strongly identified with Elinor from Sense and Sensibility, so to have a similarly named capable young woman as the heroine of Scales and Sensibility, I couldn't be happier than Sir Jessamyn with a plate full of pheasant. Everything about this book just brought me joy. My love of dragons, happily ever afters, the Regency, house parties, revenge, true love, wait, I'm going a bit William Goldman there... This book at first sounded a little absurd, not that I don't like absurdity, but a world with dragons and no magic? I thought maybe it wouldn't work. But Stephanie Burgis does such a credible job grounding her fantastical tales. Everything makes sense with her worldbuilding. With her Harwood Spellbook "British" society being run by women was historically linked to Boudica. Here the way dragons were discovered was more along the lines of Mary Anning and her hunt for a living fossil. In the last two years I have become more than a little Mary Anning obsessed, I've even read The Essex Serpent twice as well as watching the miniseries to follow Cora Seabourne's desperate attempts to follow in Mary Anning's footsteps. Therefore a world in which a living fossil, a dragon, without magic, without anything other than just being a reptile that is named a dragon makes such sense. Of course there turns out to be more to Sir Jessamyn than meets the eye, but the point is, I loved this realistic grounding. What's more the whole financial scandal that lost Elinor and Beneidct's families their fortunes, The Great Brazilian Bubble, was common with banks and investments during the time period and had a real world counterpart, the South Sea Bubble, which, while earlier, was used to great effect in Andrea Penrose's Regency novel, Sweet Revenge and therefore makes me link the Regency more with the scandal than perhaps it ought. As fairy tales always have their grounding in reality, being written to teach a lesson that would otherwise go unheeded, so does fantasy. And really good fantasy builds it story on a bedrock of truth, and that's what this book is and does, now I need to go find me a dragon, because I now know they're out there.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Benedict Hawkins, Cornelius Aubrey, Dragons, Elinor Tregarth, Fairy Tales, Mary Anning, Mrs. De Lacey, Regency Magic, Scales and Sensibility, Sir Jessamyn, South Sea Bubble, Stephanie Burgis, The Essex Serpent

Frostgilded by Stephanie Burgis
Published by: Five Fathoms Press
Publication Date: September 18th, 2020
Format: Kindle, 28 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Perhaps it was folly to think that she could juggle her in-laws, her students, and her anniversary all during the holidays, but no one could say that Cassandra Harwood wasn't ambitious. Of course they might call her foolish as well. But she is determined that after two years of helping her with the school and putting her first over his own job that her husband, Rajaram Wrexham, will have the best anniversary possible. Of course it's not like their wedding anniversary which is public knowledge. No one's supposed to know she compromised her future husband at Cosgrave Manor two years ago. So it's a "secret" anniversary. Yet it seems as if every single person within the walls of Thornfell has something Cassandra has to help them with. It's almost as if they're purposefully trying to delay her. And the the ancient fey in the woods has to get in on it too. Is it just the holidays that have gotten everyone worked up? Because the stress of her in-laws alone, whom she is convinced hate her and blame her for Wrexham not living up to his potential, is enough to break her. Every single obstacle is just one more thing to make her question if it's all worth it. But by the end of the night she will learn how much it truly is worth.

Frostgilded is just a wonderful little coda to the Harwood Spellbook. Nothing big, nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering happens, we just get to see a day in the life of Cassandra running the Thronfell College of Magic, but turned up to eleven because it's the holidays. It's a final goodbye. All these characters we've come to love over the previous five volumes all make an appearance. But it's not maudlin or mawkish. This isn't like some prime time TV stunt, this is just a slice of life where you get to see this amazing life these people have built together. The school is chaotic but thriving, the students are happy and value their headmistress, and they all love and care for each other. This is so evident in the end when it proves that everyone was purposefully waylaying Cassandra so that Wrexham could surprise her with the perfect anniversary. She was just too harried until the very end to see that all these people she had brought together had come together to give her something back. It's just a big hug and an aw of an ending. More series should end like this.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Anniversary, Cassandra Harwood, Chosen Family, Compromised, Cosgrave Manor, Frostgilded, Harwood Spellbook, In-Laws, Magic, Rajaram Wrexham, Regency Magic, School, Stephanie Burgis, Thornfell College of Magic

The Night Flowers by Sara Herchenroether
Published by: Tin House Books
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In 1983, deep in New Mexico's Gila National Forest, the bodies of a young woman and two children were found. Who were they? How did they get there?

Thirty years later, two women find themselves drawn to the cold case. Librarian Laura MacDonald begins her own investigation as a way to distract herself from breast cancer treatments and becomes consumed by her search for answers. Jean Martinez is a veteran detective determined to keep working cold cases for the Sierra County police force even as her family begs her to retire. With only fragments from dusty case files and a witness who doesn't want to remember, this unlikely duo is determined - no matter the cost - to uncover the truth behind the murders. And with their help, the woman in the woods is finally able to tell her story on her own terms and summon the power to be found.

The Night Flowers - a haunting debut thriller written with pulse-pounding precision and a deep understanding of the psychology of violence and the tenacity of those who combat it - announces the arrival of Sara Herchenroether as an exciting new voice."

People obsessed with solving cold cases for the win!

The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Published by: Little Brown and Company
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A copycat is recreating murders by a famous killer from The Women's Murder Club's past - and the Murder Club's destruction as his goal.

Detective Lindsay Boxer put serial killer Evan Burke in jail.

Reporter Cindy Thomas wrote a book that put him on the bestseller list.

An obsessed maniac has turned Burke's true-crime story into a playbook. And is embellishing it with gruesome touches all his own.

Now Lindsay's tracking an elusive suspect, and the entire Murder Club is facing destruction."

Oh yes, the past coming back to haunt them in this fabulous series!

The Daydreams by Laura Hankin
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A deliciously entertaining novel about the stars of a popular teen show from the early 2000s - and the reunion special, thirteen years after their scandalous flameout, that will either be their last chance at redemption, or destroy them all for good.

Back in 2004, The Daydreams had it all: a cast of innocent-seeming teenagers acting and singing their hearts out, amazing ratings, and a will-they-or-won't-they romance that steamed up fan fiction forums. Then, during the live season two finale, it all imploded, leaving everyone scrambling to understand why.

Afterward, the four stars went down very different paths. Kat is now a lawyer in Washington, DC. Liana is the bored wife of a famous athlete. Noah, the show's golden boy, emerged unscathed and is poised to become a household name. And Summer, the object of Noah's fictional (and maybe real-life) affections, is the cautionary tale.

But now the fans are demanding a reunion special. The stars all have private reasons to come back: forgiveness, revenge, a second chance with a first love. But as they tentatively rediscover the magic of the original show, old secrets threaten to resurface - including the real reason behind their downfall.

Will this reunion be a chance to make things right? Or will it be the biggest mess the world has ever seen? No matter what, the ratings will be wild."

We all still hunger for details from old shows, especially those on Disney or Nickelodeon, view this as the next best thing.

Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards
Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The last show has ended, but the nightmare is just beginning.

Tonight, Riverview Theaters is closing forever, the last remaining business in a defunct shopping mall. The moviegoers have left, and Jo and her six coworkers have the final shift, a shift that quickly takes a dark turn.

First a stranger arrives with a chilling accusation. Then the power goes out and their manager disappears, along with the keys to the lobby doors and the theater safe, where the crew's phones are locked each shift. The crew's tension turns to terror when Jo discovers the dead body of one of her co-workers.

Now their only chance to escape the murderer in their midst is through the dark, shuttered mall. With its boarded-up exits and disabled fire alarms, the complex is filled with hiding places for both pursuer and pursued. In order to survive this night, Jo and her friends must trust one another, navigate the sprawling ruins of the mall, and outwit a killer before he kills them all."

Because I can't be the only one who loves horror stories set in abandoned malls right?

The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji
Published by: Pushkin Vertigo
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A hugely enjoyable, page-turning classic Japanese mystery with an ingenious conclusion from the author of The Decagon House Murders, translated into English for the first time.

Don't miss this beautifully constructed, highly entertaining and atmospheric murder mystery - its propulsive plot makes for a compelling, page-turning read.

As they do every year, a small group of acquaintances pay a visit to the remote, castle-like Water Mill House, home to the reclusive Fujinuma Kiichi, son of a famous artist, who has lived his life behind a rubber mask ever since a disfiguring car accident.

This year, however, the visit is disrupted by an impossible disappearance, the theft of a painting and a series of baffling murders.

The brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada arrives to investigate. But will he get to the truth, and will you too be able to solve the mystery of the Mill House Murders?"

Remote castle-like local, art theft, murder, and a rubber mask? That adds up to a thrilling whodunit.

The Edinburgh Mystery edited by Martin Edwards
Published by: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Paperback, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the Highlands to the borders, the bustling cities to the remote isles in cold seas, the unique landscapes and locales of Scotland have long inspired writers of the very best Golden Age mysteries. Beginning with the adventures of Sherlock Holmes from Edinburgh-born Arthur Conan Doyle, this new collection includes the ingenious scientific mysteries of Anthony Wynne, the dark and sardonic work of Margot Bennett and contributions from neglected yet brilliant authors such as Scobie Mackenzie and R. T. Campbell."

I just finished a highland mystery and need more, thankfully Poisoned Pen Press is here!

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Stolen Necklace by Lorenzo Carcaterra
Published by: Bantam
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 288 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Nonna Maria, "one of the most charming amateur sleuths ever created" (Tess Gerritsen), sets out to clear her goddaughter's name and uncover the checkered past of an unidentifiable victim in this transporting mystery from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lorenzo Carcaterra.

Nonna Maria has a lot on her plate - and it's not just fresh pasta. Two crimes have rocked the sun-drenched island of Ischia, and once again, the island's denizens have called upon the espresso-brewing, sage-counsel-giving sleuth.

A wealthy woman alleges that a valuable necklace has been stolen from her hotel room. The necklace, she claims, has been in her family for decades. She blames one of the young women working on the cleaning crew as the most likely suspect - a young woman who turns out to be Nonna Maria's goddaughter. She takes the heat, but privately she proclaims her innocence.

Nearby, the body of a woman is found on a curved road near the borough of Barano. The woman is not known to anyone on the island. She has no purse, no identification. The one potential suspect is a young friend of Nonna Maria's who drove by the area that very night and thinks that he might have hit something - a pothole, or an animal, or maybe the woman in question.

It turns out that this woman has a history on the island, having left Ischia decades ago. But why did she return, and more important, who killed her? Like the links of a beautiful, missing necklace, it's up to Nonna Maria to string together the clues and solve these two mysteries before death comes to Ischia again."

Oh, the mysteries HAVE to be linked now don't they? Of course I'm not telling, you'll have to read to find out!

The Bride Wore White by Amanda Quick
Published by: Berkley Books
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A psychic desperate to escape her destiny - and a killer - finds her future in the coastal town of Burning Cove in New York Times bestselling author Amanda Quick's latest novel.

Being Madame Ariadne, Psychic Dream Consultant, wasn't Prudence Ryland's ideal gig, but it paid well which was reason enough to do the work - until she realizes that her latest client intends to kill her. But Prudence, a master at reinvention, finds a new job and home as far away as possible and is finally able to relax - which turns out to be a big mistake. Letting her guard down means being kidnapped and drugged and waking up in a bloodstained wedding dress in the honeymoon suite next to a dead man. With the press outside the hotel, waiting with their cameras and police sirens in the distance, it's obvious she's being framed for the man's murder. Prudence knows who is responsible, but will anyone believe her?

It doesn't seem likely that rumored crime boss Luther Pell or his associate, Jack Wingate, believe her seemingly outrageous claims of being a target of a ruthless vendetta. In fact, Prudence is convinced that the mysterious Mr. Wingate believes her to be a fraud at best, and at worst: a murderer. And Jack Wingate does seem to be someone intimately familiar with violence, if going by his scarred face and grim expression. So no one is more shocked than Prudence when Jack says he'll help her. Of course, his ideas for helping her involve using her as the bait for a killer, but Prudence feels oddly safe with Jack protecting her. But who will protect Prudence from her growing fascination with this enigma of a man?"

A psychic!?! This series keeps getting better and better!

The Castle Keepers by Aimie K. Runyan, J'Nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan
Published by: Harper Muse
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Paperback, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history.

1870. After a disastrous dinner at the Astor mansion forces her to flee New York in disgrace, socialite Beatrice Holbrook knows her performance in London must be a triumph. When she catches the eye of Charles Alnwick, one of the town's most enviably-titled bachelors, she prepares to attempt a social coup and become the future Marchioness of Northridge. When tragedy and scandal strike the Alnwick family, Beatrice must assume the role of a lifetime: that of her true, brave self.

1917. Artist Elena Hamilton arrives in Northumberland determined to transform a soldier's wounds into something beautiful. Tobias Alnwick's parents have commissioned a lifelike mask to help their son return to his former self after battle wounds partially destroyed his face. But Elena doesn't see a man who needs fixing - she sees a man who needn't hide. Yet secrets from their past threaten to chase away the peace they've found in each other and destroy the future they're creating.

1945. Alec Alnwick returns home from the war haunted but determined to leave death and destruction behind. With the help of Brigitta Mayr, the brilliant young psychoanalyst whose correspondence was a lifeline during his time on the Western Front, he reconstructs his family's large estate into a rehabilitation center for similarly wounded soldiers. Now Alec's efforts may be the only chance to redeem his family legacy - and break the curse on the Alnwick name - once and for all."

I KNOW you want to find out about the curse, but I'm here for the man in the mask.

The Thorns Remain by JJA Harwood
Published by: Magpie
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Paperback, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the Sunday Times bestselling historical fantasy author of The Shadow in the Glass comes a tour-de-force of faerie bargains, perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue, Mexican Gothic, and Ten Thousand Doors of January.

A dance with the fae will change everything.

1919. In a Highland village forgotten by the world, the young people who remain after war and flu will soon head south to make something of themselves.

Moira Jean and her friends venture to the forest for a last night of laughter before parting ways. Moira Jean is being left behind. She too planned to leave once - but her lover died in France and, with him, her future. The friends light a fire and dance. But, with every twirl about the flames, strange new dancers thread between them, music streaming from the trees.

The Fae have joined the dance.

Suddenly Moira Jean finds herself all alone, her friends spirited away.

For the Fae feel left behind and forgotten too. Led by the darkly handsome Lord of the Fae, they are out to make themselves known once more. Moira Jean must enter into a bargain with the Lord to save her friends - and fast, for the longer they spend with the Fae, the less like themselves they will be upon return. If Moira Jean cannot save her friends before Beltane, they will be lost forever...

Bewitching, threaded with Highland charm, and sparkling with romance, this fairy tale will carry you away."

I'm always here for a tricksy faerie bargain!

The Devil's Glove by Lucretia Grindle
Published by: Casa Croce Press
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Kindle, 348 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Northern New England, summer, 1688.
Salem started here.

A suspicious death. A rumor of war. Whispers of witchcraft.

Perched on the brink of disaster, Resolve Hammond and her mother, Deliverance, struggle to survive in their isolated coastal village. They're known as healers taught by the local tribes - and suspected of witchcraft by the local villagers.

Their precarious existence becomes even more chaotic when summoned to tend to a poisoned woman. As they uncover a web of dark secrets, rumors of war engulf the village, forcing the Hammonds to choose between loyalty to their native friends or the increasingly terrified settler community.

As Resolve is plagued by strange dreams, she questions everything she thought she knew - about her family, her closest friend, and even herself. If the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be felt far beyond the confines of this small settlement.

Based on meticulous research and inspired by the true story of the fear and suspicion that led to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, The Devil's Glove is a tale of betrayal, loyalty, and the power of secrets. Will Resolve be able to uncover the truth before the town tears itself apart, or will she become the next victim of the village's dark and mysterious past?"

Always here for Salem. ALWAYS!

Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
Published by: Henry Holt and Company
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"#1 New York Times bestselling author of Firekeeper's Daughter Angeline Boulley takes us back to Sugar Island in this high-stakes thriller about the power of discovering your stolen history.

Perry Firekeeper-Birch has always known who she is - the laidback twin, the troublemaker, the best fisher on Sugar Island. Her aspirations won't ever take her far from home, and she wouldn't have it any other way. But as the rising number of missing Indigenous women starts circling closer to home, as her family becomes embroiled in a high-profile murder investigation, and as greedy grave robbers seek to profit off of what belongs to her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry begins to question everything.

In order to reclaim this inheritance for her people, Perry has no choice but to take matters into her own hands. She can only count on her friends and allies, including her overachieving twin and a charming new boy in town with unwavering morals. Old rivalries, sister secrets, and botched heists cannot - will not - stop her from uncovering the mystery before the ancestors and missing women are lost forever.

Sometimes, the truth shouldn't stay buried."

For all those like me wanting more after reading Firekeeper's Daughter!

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
Published by: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: May 2nd, 2023
Format: Hardcover, 560 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia - where the truth isn't what it seems.

Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera's lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process - and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming - which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group - known as "Arrivalists" - who may be fomenting revolution.

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized - and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth."

Shakespearean horror?

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amanda Quick, Angeline Boulley, Jja Harwood, Justin Cronin, Laura Hankin, Lorenzo Carcaterra, Lucretia Grindle, Martin Edwards, Natalie D. Richards, Rachel McMillan, Sara Herchenroether, Yukito Ayatsuji

Spellcloaked by Stephanie Burgis
Published by: Five Fathoms Press
Publication Date: February 3rd 2020
Format: Kindle, 18 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

As a young woman Honoria Fennell was an ambassador to the elves. The atrocities she witnessed when she was at their court have haunted her all the days of her life, as has the love she found there, a married elf, Sylvana, who, if the affair was discovered, would have faced the brutality of her husband. That secret is what actually brought about her fall from the Boudiccate. Not many people know what happened at Thornfell College of Magic, only that since that time Honoria has sequestered herself in Cosgrave Manor deep in the elven dales. She has sent the staff away, as for her husband? He left of his own free will. Theirs was, after all, only a marriage of convenience. She is disgraced and alone. Her ambitions of protecting Angland from the tyranny of the elven court is no more. But at least Sylvana is safe. Or at least she hopes so. Honoria can't be sure her blackmailer didn't enact her threats before she was no longer able to. And then a figure steps out of the dales, a figure that asks piercing questions. A figure that has the ability to pierce her heart.

Because of her iron backbone and unwavering stances on the Boudiccate, Lady Honoria Cosgrave has been the antagonist of the previous volumes of the Harwood Spellbook. Therefore it's an interesting conceit to take a rather unlikable character, strip her down, all the way, take away the wealth, the privilege, the position, and make her not just relatable but worthy of her happily ever after. You can understand where she's coming from but what I find truly interesting is that Honoria had a dream, she wanted to protect her people and Sylvana, but she forced herself to work within the system. That is why I think she took such a strong dislike to Cassandra Harwood. Cassandra didn't play by the rules and in Honoria's world that just isn't how it is done. Yet times change, attitudes change, circumstances change, and Honoria realizes that "she had never allowed herself to dream hard enough." That right there is where this story got me. Make your dreams big. Make your love possible. Change the world! We all know if could use some help.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Angland, Blackmail, Boudiccate, Cassandra Harwood, Dream, Elven Dales, Elves, Harwood Spellbook, HEA, Lady Honoria Consgrave, LGBTQIA+, Regency Magic, Spellcloacked, Stephanie Burgis, Thornfell College of Magic

Moontangled by Stephanie Burgis
Published by: Five Fathoms Press
Publication Date: February 3rd 2020
Format: Paperback, 71 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

After a fraught beginning Thornfell College of Magic is thriving. The school is opening it's doors for a night of dancing and magic. The first ever class plans to dazzle their guests with a demonstration of their magical abilities after a ball under the stars. As for the school's top pupil, Juliana Banks, she has other things on her mind, other things that she is avoiding through denial and hard work. What's really on her mind is Caroline Fennell. Caroline and her have been secretly engaged for quite some time. Caroline has been trying to establish herself as a politician so they have sacrificed their own happiness for the moment to achieve their happily ever after down the road. But ever since Caroline's cousin Honoria fell from power in the Boudiccate Caroline's letters to Juliana have seemed cold and restrained. Is their love in danger? Now that Caroline no longer has her cousin's protection might she view Juliana as a liability as well? All these thoughts are racing through Juliana's head as her classmates primp her in an effort to show Caroline just what she's missing. The problem is, Caroline knows exactly what she's missing. She hasn't stopped loving Juliana, she's been distancing herself from her in an effort to not let the taint of Honoria's crimes effect her. Because if there's one thing Caroline can see clearly it's that Juliana is thriving at Thornfell. She has new friends and is excelling in her studies. How can Caroline force her to keep their betrothal when there's this whole new world at Juliana's feet and Caroline's prospects have been destroyed? Why force her fiance to stick to the plan when the plan is no longer possible? It would be better to just have a clean break. Both women are willing to do anything for the love of their life, but it will take a dangerous confrontation with a fey to get them to bare their hearts.

Moontangled is a short and sweet love story based around a tragic misunderstanding. It's basically Stephanie Burgis's The Gift of the Magi by way of Emmet Otter. Because, let's face it, Emmet Otter is the perfect retelling of The Gift of the Magi once you realize that Emmet's mother is totally selfish and didn't need that dress. And yes, this review has gone off the rails but I think I can get it back on track. Caroline and Juliana are both willing to sacrifice that which is most important to them to make the other happy. Sure it's not watches and hair or washtubs and tools, but they love each other so much that they are willing to do whatever it takes to make the other person happy all without grasping at first that all that matters is each other. As Doc Bullfrog says, "it appears to me that what you needed was each other." Their love is true because they are willing to sacrifice their own happiness for the other's. Thankfully though neither needs to sacrifice anything because all that was needed was open communication. All people get in their heads too much. They overthink and overanalyze to the point where they've worked themselves into a corner. They think they know the truth because how could they not after they've spent countless sleepless nights working through all the permutations of how things could go in their head. And who among us hasn't been derailed by things going differently than we imagined? Even getting to the point where we're not sure what we've said in actuality or in imagination. But thankfully in Caroline and Juliana's case they have fey intervention. The centuries-old fey guardian of the Harwood woods has vowed to watch and keep Thornfell safe. As she had experienced heartbreak she knew she had to protect the hearts of the inhabitants of Thornfell as well and therefore she staged an intervention and the truth did will out. Caroline and Juliana will have their happily ever after after all.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Ball, Boudiccate, Caroline Fennell, Doc Bullfrog, Emmet Otter, Fey, Juliana Banks, LGBTQIA+, Magic, Misunderstanding, Moontangled, Politics, Regency Magic, The Gift of the Magi, Thornfell College of Magic, True Love