Drowned Country is the direct sequel to Silver in the Wood – indeed, it could almost be described as the other half of the story. It shares with it the dense, green atmosphere that feels almost more real than the real world, as well as the charm and humour of the characters. It is also absolutely impossible to discuss without spoiling Silver in the Wood terribly, because it starts where that story ends. Really, do … Continue reading Drowned Country by Emily Tesh →
Who’s That Earl is a light, fun, Regency romance that felt like snuggling down under a warm blanket. It is gleefully tropey. Jane Quayle, cast out by her family, makes her living writing wickedly erotic novels under a pseudonym. As if one pseudonym wasn’t enough, she also pretends to be her own secretary under a second pseudonym. She does all of this in a neglected Scottish castle in the company of two neurotic dogs and … Continue reading Who’s That Earl by Susanna Craig →
TW: rape I really wish I could write a full review of The Lion’s Den and how utterly fantastic it is, but to do so would require spoiling a lot of the book and I want readers to go in fresh. When I picked up this thriller I thought it would be a locked-room mystery set on a yacht with fancy people murdering each other, which sounded fine. It is not that at all. Despite … Continue reading The Lion’s Den by Katherine St. John →
I love the Kat Holloway series. Not only is it cracking good reading, start to current installment, but it’s become one of the gifts I reach for when someone I know is experiencing bereavement and mourning. This is a very short list: the books have to be transporting and diverting to give the person a respite from the exhaustion of grief, with enough heft to be engaging, but not so much as to be nonstop … Continue reading Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley →
Dragon Unleashed is a lovely and tender romance between two people who often feel misunderstood by the world around them. Unfortunately, the rest of the details outside of the romance are depressing as all get out. It’s not a fun world to be in and as a result, I did frequent skimming during the chapters that didn’t focus on the hero and heroine. Before we get into it, I do want to answer the biggest … Continue reading Dragon Unleashed by Grace Draven →
Bronze Gods is a steampunk mystery/urban fantasy by married couple Ann and Andre Aguirre (writing as A.A. Aguirre). I loved the world and the main characters, but I was disappointed by the mystery. The plot is very simple in essence but very complicated in detail. James Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko are inspectors with the Criminal Intelligence Division. They have to work together to stop a series of murders. They have been partners for three years, … Continue reading Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre →
I thought it would be fun to check out an older romance that has been mentioned on the site and in comments for years but never had its own review. People, Breath of Magic, first published in 1996, is completely bonkers and while it has definitively not aged well, it has a certain dreamy charm. While I usually try not to recap the whole plot, buckle up, because this plot deserves some serious recapping. Spoilers … Continue reading Breath of Magic by Teresa Medeiros →
Content warning: References to child abduction, the sexual abuse of children, and sexual exploitation generally. It is all referred to in fairly vague terms and is not depicted on the page, but there is a lot of upsetting back story. There is also a subplot that hinges on infidelity. The Road to Ironbark is two stories in one. At the tail end of the Gold Rush, Aurora Scott, a respectable widow with a less than … Continue reading The Road to Ironbark by Kaye Dobbie →
I was ready to adore this book. It has an age gap between the two leads, one of them is a movie star, and the blurb gave me Notting Hill vibes. Seriously, check out this blurb: Movie star Jessica Lambert is in danger of burning out. Returning to London for the premiere of her latest film, she’s recognised everywhere she goes. When she runs away through the streets of London, she’s taken in by the … Continue reading Finding Jessica Lambert by Clare Ashton →
While reading My Darling Duke, I realized that as much as I rail against the popularity of magic peen as a plot device, magic cooch is not an improvement. Kitty Danvers and her group of wallflowery friends are veterans of multiple unsuccessful marriage market seasons in London. Kitty is a world-weary twenty-three, and with her hopes for a husband and children fading, she and her friends decide to be “sinful.” For Kitty, that means claiming … Continue reading My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid →
