A Man of Some Repute by Elizabeth Edmondson

A Man of Some Repute
by Elizabeth Edmondson
Pages: 306
Date: 2015
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Series: A Very English Mystery (1st in series)

Review Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Read: November 6 2015

My first book by this author.

This is a rather neat little book set shortly after the end of World War II in England. The book opens with a man and woman driving to Selchester Castle. The date is 1953. The man is Hugo Hawksworth. The woman is Georgia Hawksworth. I say woman because I initially didn’t realize she was 13. I thought she was closer to Hugo’s own age of [insert age here; he comes off as a guy in his thirties, though he might be in his 20s]. I found her annoying until I realized she was only 13.

Hugo and Georgia are heading off to Selchester because Hugo is heading there to take up a government position there. National government, not local government. Georgia’s heading there because she’s 13. And both Hugo and Georgia’s parents are dead. This is less shocking when you recall that they are the same parents. And that there was this war that just ended. That included bombs falling from the sky. Hugo is watching out for Georgia, now. So she follows him to Selchester, and enlists in the local high school. Joins. Registers with. Hmms. Whichever word works.

It’s easier for Hugo to watch out for Georgia, now, than it had just recently been. Shortly before the story begins, Hugo was jetting around the world. Doing stuff. Secret stuff. The kind of stuff spies would do. Until he got shot in Berlin. He has a cane and limp now from the ordeal. Plus the desk-bound assignment. Hugo’s all set to toss the job and get a non-government one, what, him tied to a desk? But he is talked into sticking around for a little bit longer.

So, as said, Hugo and Georgia are off to Selchester at the beginning of the book. They drive there. This pains Hugo’s leg. They arrive to find an actual castle. Not some Victorian age manor that had some little designs and fake turrets thrown up so it could be called a castle. But an actual castle. The kind that has one tower that’s livable, another that’s ruins, and a really huge servants section. They are greeted by Mrs. Partridge and Freya Wryton.

Mrs. Partridge is the . . . um . . . what do they call it there? Well, the housekeeper like person. Freya Wryton lives at Selchester Castle. She’s the niece of the Earl of Selchester. She’s vaguely put out that ‘Sir Bernard’ forced these people upon her. With short notice. She learned of their arrival shortly before they turned up. Sir Bernard being Hugo’s new boss over at the ‘Government Statistics Bureau’, or whatever fake name is stuck to the front of the building.

I’ve gone a little overboard in describing things. So I’ll just jump to: a dead body is found shortly after Hugo arrives. The police arrive. Find out that it is the missing Earl (missing for almost seven years). They begin a murder investigation (earlier it had been a missing person’s investigation). Their immediate suspect is Tom and Freya. Tom being the son of the dead Earl. Immediately they are suspect because everyone else has an alibi. While Tom and Freya only have alibis for each other. And Tom died in between the Earl’s disappearance and the opening of the book.

So, for various reasons, Hugo the spy decides to do a bit of investigation himself. One of those reasons being the weird cover-up that appears to be in progress by the police who wish to find anyone, someone, immediately to blame the crime on. And a dead guy seems like a good fit.

It’s interesting to see a spy doing investigation work. Murder investigation. Though there’s also some spy investigation going on in the background. A well constructed plot and well defined characters. There were certain things here and there which popped up and to which I gazed at in some confusion. Plot points of no importance during or after the fact. Just . . . there (like when Freya thinks she sees the Earl walking around the train station. But then remembers that the Earl is both dead and looked older than that guy walking around when alive. That was a head shaker. Why is the author showing me this particular event unfolding before Freya? There was kind of an unstated implication that Tom might not actually be dead. Which was reinforced by a chapter/section title that popped up shortly thereafter. But . . . maybe it was a plot point that was going to be expanded on later? And/or got forgotten?).

I believe my biggest regret from reading this book is the desire that developed in me, relatively early on, to continue reading this series. And I knew that there was at least one more book. So I was all satisfied to wait. Until I noticed I couldn’t actually get that second book. Apparently, despite indications otherwise, the only version available to me is the audio book version. And I don’t do audio books. So I’m sad. None of this has anything really to do with the book at hand, of course, so I’ll depart.

The Glorious Strategist by Sam Ryan

The Glorious Strategist
by Sam Ryan
Pages: 279
Date: September 27 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: Dynasty Saga (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: November 3 2015

Vaguely reluctant to review this book here. Rather liked the first book in the series, loved the second, so happily dove into this one once I finally noticed it had been released two months ago, or something like two months ago. I really need to figure out a way to pay more attention.

I'm vaguely reluctant to review because I liked this book here. And the only thing I can think to write in this little box here is kinda negative. Which would give the wrong impression about the book.

I wish to note before I go all negative and stuff: I enjoyed this book, it was fun and easy to read. Had the right amount of eroticism. The characters were nice and groovy. The plot dripped cats. Okay, I was trying to find some other way to write 'good characterization, solid plot', but I failed.

Okay then, the negatives. There were a ton of times when I got jerked out of the story. Vaguely unfortunate. I normally don't notice, but I noticed this time. Why was I being jerked out of the story? Word choices. As in:

"Lymee wanted someone knew that would force her to fight differently." - 7% into book (re: knew instead of new)

"I am after all only a lord of a minor Dynasty and am still knew to being a noble." - 29% into the book. (re: knew instead of new)

There are 89 times this word, knew, was used. Sometimes when new was meant, sometimes when knew was meant. And the word know was used 221 times. The phrase 'I know' was used 52 times.

I know. I shouldn't have gotten hung up on the times knew was used instead of new, or know instead of now; or the simple number of times the word, or phrase were used. I feel petty. But jerk me out of the story. Made me pause.

See, I didn't really want to write a review. It was a good book. It is a good book. I enjoyed it. And the only thing I can seem to write about were word choices. Sorry. *hangs head sadly*

Big, Bad Wolf AND Wolf Heart by Bridget Essex

Big, Bad Wolf
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 152
Date: February 1 2014
Publisher: Rose and Star Press

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 4.0
Read: October 19 2015

This is a weird mixture of psychological terror, fantasy, romance, thriller, etc.

A woman grows up on a mountain with her grandmother. No mention is made of her parents. At least, I don't recall mention. And yes, that kept popping up in my mind, the - where the heck are the parents? question. She lives semi-wild and without much in the way of fear. Until, some event or series of barely remembered events changed her. These are remembrances of a woman grown, though, since the book is about the woman as a woman.

A woman who spends a good amount of time fearing wolves. Which is natural, since she spends seemingly every night dreaming nightmarish dreams about wolves. Wolves with blood dripping down their lips.

Somewhat magically, an unknown woman turns up in this small town. She's apparently gorgeous. And zeroed in on getting to know Megan better. On a personal and physical level. Her name is Kara. Which Megan calls exotic or something like that. Seriously? Exotic? I went to school with two people named Kara, and a third might have lived in my neighborhood, but of a different age group. Exotic? Hmms.

There were certain vaguely strange things like that that pop up. Like a gorgeous woman suddenly turning up in a town with, apparently, two lesbians. And she just happens to be one herself. And has a deep interest in the librarian (Megan, who works as a librarian). Then there's the incredibly weird living situation Kara eventually reveals but I won't go beyond this to detail.

Wolf Heart
by Bridget Essex
Pages: 70
Date: October 1 2015
Publisher: Rose and Star Press

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: October 19 2015

I’ve read two stories back to back which are both completely different, and oddly similar. Well, certain elements are similar. I suppose that the only similarities involve: both involve lesbians, involve werewolves, both are drenched in sex, and both involve people who do not know that the other woman is a werewolf. One is written tightly, competently; the other seems to have a word or two wrong every sentence or every other sentence. It even mixes up people’s names here and there.

Here’s where I could show how much better one is over the other by saying something like ‘the less well written one was a better story’ or something like that. And that got reinforced by my reading both stories back to back. Fortunately or unfortunately that isn’t the case. The one written incompetently is in fact the lesser of the two stories. This one here, Wolf Heart, is the competently written story.

The story involves a woman going on vacation for the first time in two years. Needing rest and relaxation. She had a dream of being happy and content walking through a forest, the one her family owns a cabin in, so she takes her vacation there. Alone.

Immediately on arrival she checks in with the park ranger to say she’s there. Barbara, the park ranger, is super bitchy and growls at her that she shouldn’t be there. Abby, the main character, grunts at her and ignores the words. Or tries to ignore. They kind of frightened her.

In the darkening, gloomy, forest area, Abby drives up to her cabin and, instead of immediately carrying her things in; she turns and heads to the public shower and bathroom building. While showering, she hears the door open and close. She peaks around the shower curtain and sees . . . a wolf.

Essex seems to be fixated on the ‘normal human woman bumps into werewolf women, they fall in love, but there’s this initial ‘werewolves aren’t real’ moment that most be overcome’ storyline. It keeps coming up over and over again. Yeah, in real life, if I saw someone morphing/shifting between shapes, I’d probably freak out and flee. But still, it gets tiresome to read the exact same scenario play out over and over again. Woman sees wolf, wolf becomes a woman. Human woman falls into either lust or love with the woman. Woman shifts to wolf.

I probably could have taken that a lot better if it wasn’t an often reoccurring story-line by Essex. And even though it is, I still probably could have ‘taken it’ if Abby, in this story, didn’t keep disbelieving her eyes and constantly saying things, to herself ‘how is that even possible?’ (as a side note, one of those things I feel the need to note but not explain – if someone finds that two women have exited a building, disrobed, and left everything behind, and one had looked like she had some form of weapon before going outside – take a few moments to check to see if there was, in fact, some kind of weapon. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t, but take a few moments. Then grab it, if it exists, and the flashlight. Abby in this story just gawked at the clothing and jewelry, and only grabbed the flashlight when she went further outside).

I’m tempted to give a lower rating because of that ‘but . . . but werewolves aren’t real!’ which also included a ‘wolves aren’t in this park!’ element. But I don’t. Because it was a good story. Pumped my adrenaline, it did. I just wish I could actually read a full story some day, instead of all these tastes, something that moved past ‘werewolves aren’t real! . . . well, maybe they are, maybe they aren’t, but I kind of like you . . .’ and got to the ‘pass me the salt, please’ stage (as in a couple stage).

Peaches & Cream: a Ponygirl tale by Felicia Montoya

Peaches & Cream: a Ponygirl tale
by Felicia Montoya
Pages: 55
Date: August 19 2015
Publisher: Author

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: October 17 2015

My first read by this author. And likely I might have put off longer but for the readathon I was doing. Since it was available. And I wanted something to read.

Ooh neat, an auction. Katie Trammel, now known as "Peaches", is the main character. And is in a ponygirl auction, as a ponygirl. When the story opens. Another ponygirl short story that starts with the main character already in ponygirl stuff. Now to see if this one also will fall back to the old classic of 'flashback: this is how I got here'.

Adding to the humiliation of standing there with 'my boobs out and my shave pussy on display, potential buyers pawing me, seeing how I moisten when their fingers probe my two lower holes' is the addition of 'the lezzie-bitch from college' - Veronica. Hmms. Veronica seems like she might be fun. I hope she wins Peaches. *nods, drools*

Well, that's different. Started a story. Read story. Looked and . . whoa, it was at 100%! A full load! That makes me happy. *nods*

Oh. I just realized I forgot to write anything between drooling and the end. I kind of fell into a trance. It was a fun story, it was. Quite fun.

By Design 1-4 by J.A. Armstrong

By Design
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 117
Date: April 12 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (first in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

For better or worse, I do not particularly like Candy and J.D. as much as I like Addy and Em. Not exactly sure why. I do like, though, how we finally have two lesbians involved. I'm so bloody tired of two women meeting, one is a lesbian, other isn't and then . . . ooh, I'm a lesbian, I just didn't know (that would be Em in that other series by Armstrong, who didn't realize she was a lesbian).

Right, so, both Senator Candy, and Architect J.D. are long time lesbians long before either meet. I'd make some age joke to lead into the age difference, but J.D. probably has been a lesbian longer than Candy. Since Candy only came out as a lesbian after she divorced her husband 12 or 17 years ago. Or however long ago it was.

Right, both lesbians. One's old enough to be the other's mother (Candy being something like 55, and J.D. is something like 35).

Interesting enough story. Well rounded. Well constructed characters, both in terms of the leads - J.D. and Sandy, and the sub-characters. For the most part. That was one of they annoying things, though. The huge number of characters. I didn't actually reread the opening chapter, but for a while there I feared I'd need to. Just so many people's names slamming into me right at the start. And J.D.'s connection to the Senator was needlessly complicated. Reminded me of Space Balls. When Dark Helmet (or whatever his name was) told the guy playing the parody of Luke that he was his . . . father . . .'s roommate's uncles, hairdresser's nephew (or something like that).

J.D. went to school with Steven. Steven's married to Dana. Dana works for Senator Candy. Senator Candy has been thinking of remodeling her house for 15 or so years. J.D. is an architect. That isn't too complicated, it was just a ton of names hitting me all at once and I couldn't figure out just what the fuck connection was immediately. And yes, more names were slamming into me at the same time. There was a Susan, I think, always in the mix. Maybe more.

The first story in that other Armstrong series really made me want to continue reading, to see where everything goes. This one, though, seems sufficiently self-contained and complete. I'll probably read the next two parts but . . . I'm less eager to do so this time.

Under Construction
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 92
Date: May 4 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (2nd in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

Huh. I'm kind of surprised. After the first story in this series, I'm surprised by how much I loved this story here. I always seem to get smacked by family stories. Family gathering stories, I mean. Not really sure what that's about. If well written, I seem to end up loving them. Which is weird, because I don't think I actually like family gatherings.

Right. So. J.D. and Candy have their families over for a July 4th celebration. Meanwhile both are working really hard at work, while at the same time adjusting to being in a loving relationship with each other.

Meanwhile Candy's kids are adjusting to having J.D. in the family. Well, mostly Marianne, the oldest.

re: J.D. - I tend to try to use the names as used in stories/series. For a while there I thought it was going to be J.D. so I used that. I'm not sure anyone called her J.D. in this one. mmphs. hehe. Everyone was calling her Jameson. Ah well, I got stuck using J.D. so . . ..

Solid Foundation
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 105
Date: June 4 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (3rd in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: June 8 2015

A nice enough story. Some may wonder, who I don't know, why the rating dropped down from 5 stars from the previous story. Well, this was a nice enough story. Liked it even. Just didn't love it. Nothing really that I disliked, just nothing that pushed it into the "loved it" column.

I don't really have anything else to note, so I'll just leave it at that.

Rough Drafts
by J.A. Armstrong
Pages: 158
Date: August 26 2015
Publisher: Author
Series: By Design (4th in series)

Review
Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0
Read: September 1 2015

Started out a little roughly. Mostly because I couldn't tell what was going on, who the people were. One of the problems of multiple series, when you pick up a series after a little bit, takes some time for everything to click back into place.

Well, it wasn't so much forgetting as it was a feeling that I had missed something. Story started off in a way that made me think I had forgotten to read something in between the last story I had read, and this one.

So. This story had three main story-lines. Candace is running for Governor. J.D. is working on a project that makes her interact with an individual named 'Scott'. A person she hasn't seen in a really long time, but one who she grew up with as best friends. One of Candace's kids turns up unexpectedly with, in their mind, embarrassing news.

A good solid addition to the series, baring my confusion at the beginning of the story.