The Western Star (Walt Longmire #13) by Craig Johnson

The Western Star by Craig Johnson

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Disjointed. Ended with many plotlines left hanging. Included, as a villain, someone who 'obviously' has been around a while in the series but who I had no bloody clue who that individual was. No foggy idea.

Not very transgender friendly. (view spoiler)[including the part wherein he kept calling the woman by male pronouns; and the part where he mockingly asked 'did you kill her because she was able to be female and you weren't?' (hide spoiler)]



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The Lady Most Likely... by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James and Connie Brockway

The Lady Most Likely... by Julia Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book involves a roughly week long rural party in . . . I believe the Yorkshire area of England in 1817. The party occurs right after the end of the season – which, in itself, is different from the norm in books I’ve read – I’ve read books that have rural parties pre-season, and season parties, but I’ve rarely read a book where a party took place after the season ended – as the ‘better’ people are heading back to their rural hide-outs, I mean estates.

The reason for the party: Hugh, an Earl (Earl of Briarly), has informed his sister, Caro, that he wants her to put together a list of women for him. Women he could marry (well, obviously, just marry one but …). She informs him that the season just ended, and also that she’s confused for he never pays attention to society, doesn’t care about being proper or his seat in Parliament or any of that stuff, so what gives. He . . . etc. etc., point is that a man wants a wife, asks for help from his sister Caro, and their female friend Georgina. A party is then held at the Finchley (sp?) estate (Carolyn is married to a guy with the last name or estate name or title name of Finchley).

The first part of the book follows the first woman on the list, the most attractive woman of the season. Gwen. Also follows another man who hasn’t spent a lot of time looking for a wife, though he seems more interested, than Hugh, in his position in life, and being proper and stuff. He is also an Earl. Something like Earl Charteris. Charteris is at the party because he is a family friend and he’s there with his unmarried sister.

The first part was written by Julia Quinn, an author I’ve read before and generally enjoyed. For the most part. I liked the story shown, and the characterizations. I rated it 3.88.

The second part of the book is written by Connie Brockway and follows a Captain Oakes (sp?), who had been invited to the party by Caro as a potential love interest for her widowed friend Georgina. The other main character in this section is Kate, the second woman on the ‘Hugh’s list of women to court’.

Part two was a decent enough story until certain events occurred that I couldn’t stand and I had to stop reading. I just can’t stand men manhandling women, and I’m not talking about the Captain’s need to keep grabbing and carrying Kate around without first asking her permission (I’m more talking about him locking her in rooms without her permission). I gave this one a rating of 1.80.

Third part of the story finally follows Hugh as lead character, and Georgina. Another decent-ish story, though it includes several tropes I can’t stand and refuse to stomach in romance books: 1) woman says ‘no’; 2) man continues whatever he was doing that caused the woman to say no, pays no attention to it at all; 3) woman enjoys whatever man was doing.

I do not really give a fuck if the man is rough, gentle, or whatever. But why do we even need this dubious consent mixed into the story? For fuck sake, the no came after Georgina herself, without any persuading, stripped naked to go for a swim in a pond – knowing Hugh was nearby and probably would also join her in a skinny dip. And suddenly she’s saying no to him when he kisses her? Because they are in public? I hate her for her stupidity, and I hate him for forcing himself onto her when she said no. Still, actually completed this section and stuff. Part three rating: 2.80.

Overall: 3.88 + 1.80 + 2.80 = 8.48/3 = 2.83.

July 22 2018




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This Wicked Gift (Carhart 0.5) by Courtney Milan

This Wicked Gift by Courtney Milan

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I loathed the main male character from beginning to end. LOATHED. He was described in such a way that in any other book he’d be a villain or a source of . . . satiric humor. Satire-ic. Bah.

The woman? The main quality about her that I disliked was . . . that she was interested in this jackass. Otherwise she was a great character. That’s a massive thing to overcome, though, liking this miserable piece of shit – that male lead character.

Right, so, this is a 100 something prequel to a series I’ve not read yet. It stars people that made me add a shelf – though I’d thought I already had that one. Instead of the normal ‘rich-rich’ that most English historical fiction feature (or, at least, ‘titled-titled’), this book actually featured two people who can be called poor (or working class; technically the lead male character talked about himself in such a way that he sounded like he had the worst lowest of the low jobs on earth and was in hell – except the job in actuality was more middle class – professional class, but whatever, didn’t pay a lot and didn’t require an advanced degree. Jackass McJackass (his name is not in the book description; it’s not, but it is something like ‘Jonathan Q. Smith’) works as a finance guy for a titled person – one of whom will feature in the series proper (Carhart).

Jackass fancies a particular woman – that woman is the female lead in this book. Figuring he’s a piece of shit, working a hell job, and has no future, he mostly ignores her when he’s in her store (she runs a bookstore/lending library for her ailing father). Also because of the aforementioned believe that he, himself, is shit, he decided to ‘take advantage’ of the woman because obviously she’d not want anything to do with him otherwise. So he blackmails her/coerces her. She . . . has lusted after him for a long time, finds his methods and actions pathetic, in a sad way, and . . . fucks him (not because of being blackmailed, but because she’s horny – this is part of what I meant in my status updates that the man was melodramatically doom and gloom and had a virgin fetish (more in the ‘oh god I’ve ruined her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’ way, than in a ‘must fuck all virgins’ way); while she’s all ‘I was horny, I wanted to fuck, fuck you and your virgin fetish/ruined what’s-so-call-it, I’m no lady looking to land a titled man; nor am I servant whose reputation can be blackened to the point of being unable to secure work; etc. etc.etc.’).

I fear I’ve gone too far down a particular path. I just found the lead male character so loathsome that he is overwhelming my ability to think in a rational and coherent manner. Not loathsome in a ‘bad boys are hot’ way, but loathsome in ‘I’m a shit, a large turd, I know this, my life will always be like this, so I’ll act like it . . . poorly’* way.

‘*’ – even when he tries to act poorly, he is loathsomely rotten at it. The guy is a massive loser . . . who is handsome . . . enough for the lead female character to become tongue tied around him. At least until he opened his mouth and revealed he’s a jackass mcjackass. Whereupon she handily handled him. Handily.

Right, so, horrible loathsome book.

Rating: oh. I did not remember I rated this 1.75 stars until just now. So, apparently that’s the rating I gave. 1.75 stars.

June 10 2018




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Unraveled (Turner #3) by Courtney Milan

Unraveled by Courtney Milan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is a weird situation for me to be in for two reasons:
1) Smite was never the character I’d warmed to or wanted anything to do with;
2) This book here involve Smite in the lead male POV . . . and I liked this specific book best of all in the series.

Smite Turner, of no title, is the middle child – when his brother (Ash), at the tender age of 14, ran off to India to make his fortune, Smite took over as guardian to the youngest brother (Mark). This is not a young adult book nor is there much in the way of flashbacks to younsterdom. I’m not sure if Smite’s age is ever given, though I expect he’s somewhere in his thirties.

At some point between being the son of a mill owner (father), insane religious zealot (mother), and the start of this book, Smite both spent time on the streets of Bristol and time in high class schools (Eton and . . . I believe Oxford). Unlike his eldest brother, or for that matter his youngest, Smite never had a title added to the beginning of his name – neither from being born (you know, inherited titles), nor through other means. Other means include through the court (Ash got to become a Duke by having the children of the present Duke declared illegitimate, and he was the next in line); or there . . what’s the word used? Well, the Queen liked Mark’s book so much she Knighted him. Smite? Didn’t care about those things. He got a law degree and became a magistrate in Bristol.

The book opens with Smite on the bench hearing cases, though the book does not start from his point of view. No, it starts from the point of view of the female lead character. Miranda Darling (I forget her age, I had her in my mind as being 20, but she might be . . . closer to 24). She’s in a wig and dress that alters her appearance and has a fake name. She’s there to perjury herself. It’s not something she wants to do but has to do – as she has an agreement with the ‘Patron’ who is both the criminal head in the poor area of Bristol, and the giver of justice to that area.

Smite, as those who have read the series up to know would have been informed before now, remembers everything. Miranda was in court before now – and Smite recognizes her despite the different name and appearance. He stops her from actually perjuring herself and warns her.

So, as I mentioned in another review for this series, this is a different type of series. The lead male is a law trained judge. He has the blood of titled people (somewhere back in the past), and is the brother of a Duke, though he wasn’t born into the branch that serves as the heir family. Gah, I’m wording that badly. He’s from the business/professional class. And the female lead is from the working class (daughter of actors).

There are no ballrooms visited, no dances, no young girls giggling over ‘the ton’, or watching the ‘dandies’ do stuff. No, there are instead people who work for a living going about their lives. Granted the prior book in this series also had this touch, though there the fella had a title. So this is a different type of historical fiction. At least for those set in Britain in the 19h century (this one takes place . . hmm, 1843 I believe).

Right, so. One thing leads to another and . . . shockingly Miranda becomes Smite’s mistress. That particular branch can get hinted at and/or feared in other books, but rarely actually gets used.

They learn to like each other and stuff. As expected when one of the characters I a mistress and the other is ‘putting her up’ as a mistress, graphic sex occurs.

Rating: 4.5

June 29 2018




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Unclaimed (Turner #2) by Courtney Milan

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Mark Turner pulls into the main point of view male character in this book. Previously a major character in the first book; and a briefly mentioned person in the short story between this book and the first book in the series.

In that first book, Mark is shown writing a book about chastity. With a title something like ‘A Practical Guide to Chastity for Men’. Between that first book and the start of this book here, that guide has been published, been read and loved by the Queen – which resulted in Mark being knighted.

The book, unexpectedly for him, has made him vastly popular and famous. He cannot go anywhere in London without a crowd of men and women (yes, despite the book being called ‘for men’ women have read it as well) hounding him with adoration. This is the start of the book – watching him walk across the street in London being hounded. The book then turns to him trying to flee to the countryside to think about a job offer he has received.

Watching him cross the street, and the person actually in the point of view position at the start of the book, is Jessica Farleigh. She’s watching him with a man named Weston nearby. Weston, you see, has made a wager, or bounty, or something like that. He wants Mark’s reputation ruined (for reasons, mainly because they are up for the same job). Jessica is going to take Weston up on his offer. She needs the money, see, so she can ‘retire’ to the countryside.

Retire? Well, for the last seven years Jessica has worked as a courtesan. A prostitute by any other name. A woman who fucks for money. Jessica cannot stand being a courtesan any longer and would do anything to stop being one, including ruin the reputation of Sir Mark Turner. By seducing him. And having proof of his ‘fall’.

And so the action turns (or, in a way, returns) to Somerset in the south west of England, in a little village there named something like . . . well, I cannot recall. Shipplet or something like that. Mark’s there in the old family home. Jessica is there as Mrs. Farleigh – widow.

Mark, to his own disappointment, finds that his reputation preceded him. They know about him in the tiny village and wish to worship him. A the same time, the same villagers have given the opposite reaction to the other stranger amongst them – they treat Mrs. Farleigh with disdain and try everything they can to keep the ‘dangerous woman’ away from the ‘saintly chaste’ Mark.

Mark, though, is intrigued from the start by Jessica. Less because her clothing is scandalous (not so much if worn in London, but definitely so worn in the country – too . . . exposed she be). Partially because of her displayed with when she didn’t know she could be overheard (the Vicar had pulled her aside to try to push her away, to make her leave the village square while Mark was there – their words, unbeknownst to them, though, echoed – and Jessica was quite witty). Mostly, though, Jessica intrigued Mark because of a flinch. The Vicar, see, had basically groped Jessica (okay, put his hand quite near her massive breasts (the size of her breasts are important to the story (nods)) – and the touch made Jessica flinch. A woman wearing ‘scandalous’ clothing but flinching at the touch of a man? Intriguing. She is not what she seems.

Jessica, recall, is there to seduce and ‘ruin’ Mark. I mention, so I can note that the villagers spend a lot of time trying to keep them apart . . . because of their perceptions of her, and their adoration of Mark. She takes matters into her own hands, though, by appearing at his cabin one day. When it was pouring rain. And she’d forgotten a coat, umbrella, or shrew. Her clothing might have been scandalous for the village, but her appearance when Mark opened the door? Well, nothing was hidden – the reader learns of this as Mark takes in her visible-beneath-the-wet-but-basically now see-through clothing. And other visible attributes.

This . . . seduction technique by Jessica actually backfires. Badly. Jessica knew other courtesans had tried, and failed, to ‘tame’ the ‘virgin’. But . . . well she wasn’t thinking clear enough; she was under tight time constraints. Mostly due to her ever dwindling bank account, but partially due to Weston’s hounding letters.

Mark and Jessica then procced to circle each other. Once Jessica admits certain things (and no not everything), Mark begins to court her.

Things proceed.

Many barriers stand in the way of happiness, though. Enemies to overcome. Reputations to . . . get around. Job offers to be thought of.

Rating: 4.25

June 28 2018




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Unveiled (Turner #1) by Courtney Milan

Unveiled by Courtney Milan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It is difficult to write a review for this book now for an important reason:
- immediately after completing it I started reading the short story that appeared between it and the second book in the series. There might have been minutes between the end of one and the start (I’m referring to reading, though the series does follow a chronological order).

So, some of the easy things I can mention:
1) this is the first book I’ve read by this author that was not part of Brothers Sinister series (or, in other words, this is the fifth book, and 8th overall work that I’ve read by this author, counting short stories (and not counting the book and short story I read after reading this one).
2) This book takes place roughly around 1837 and ends roughly around 1840.
3) Set in southern England. Which I say because part of the book is set in Somerset, which is in South West England; while part of the book is set in London, which is in South East England.
4) The book is sexually graphic.
5) The people involved, the main characters I mean, are in their 20s.

This is an odd book in its way. A good many historical fiction romances tend to involve titled people and/or people of that blood. This one does as well, don’t get me wrong. It has the heir to a Dukedom and the daughter of a Duke as the circling main characters. Except…

The lead female character works as and calls herself a nurse. And when asked, gives a name other than her own. As far as the future Duke knows, his love interest is a servant. A relatively high ranked one that appears to hold herself well, and be well respected by others in the household, but still a servant. There are reasons for this. I’ll get to them.

And the future Duke? It’s true that the blood in his veins, to put it bluntly, is of a ‘higher class’. His, hmm, which one was it? His grandfather was either a Duke or an Earl. I believe a Duke. That grandfather’s son (hmm, I think there might be more generations involved) married a wealthy but ‘common’ woman. Ash Turner grew up, partway, as the son of a mill owner (father), and a religious zealot who descended into madness mother). Partway because the father died, and the mother gave away their money – an ancestor married for money, but by the time Ash reached adulthood, that Turner money was gone. He had money, but he got it himself, made it himself, doing something in India. By being a businessman.

So, while he is – now – the heir to a Dukedom, he wasn’t always. Oh, he was somewhere in the line, but there were people in between him and being a Duke, a lot of people. Which he removed. The current Duke, you see (and all of this occurred before the start of the novel, and is known by the reader fairly soon afterwards, well the Dukedom part), married for love. His mistress. Of no special class or status. His parents, the Duke of the time, ejected her from the family, but couldn’t dissolve the marriage.

That Duke, still living, later remarried. He and his Duchess had three children – two boys and one girl. All of whom are adults, and living, at the start of this book. As is that current Duke. So how did Ash become the heir apparent? By going to court and pointing out that the Duke is a bigamist, that the children are illegitimate. He turned them into bastards (literally, in the ‘a person born of parents not legally married to each other’ way).

So – the book opens with Ash and his brother Mark riding horses toward the estate in Somerset that probably will become his (the current Duke’s children have been declared illegitimate, and another court (same court?) has allowed Ash to make an examination of the accounts, but Ash has not been formally named heir – that’s one of the main things in this book, one of the main conflict points, the illegitimate children fighting Mark’s attempt to be named heir to the Duke; and to pass a law legitimizing them – making them unbastardized).

Once Ash and Mark arrive, they find the servants standing around outside to be reviewed. Ash catches sight of one of them in particular and tells Mark that she’s his (or words to that effect). That’d be . . . I forget the name she used, Miss Lowell?, but she is also Lady Margaret, or was until Ash made her a bastard.

Going back to the current Duke’s children attempting to fight to pass a law (which apparently is possible) legitimizing them – Margaret is there as her father’s nurse under an assumed name to act as a spy – to find something, anything, to use against Ash. To fight against him being officially named the heir.

And so the two circle each other. One is the daughter of the highest ranking hereditary title in the British Isles (outranking Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron); the other is attempting to become named heir to that same dukedom. These are not commoners, though one comes more from the business class background, and the other is holding herself out as being a servant . . . and if she and her brothers fail to get a particular law passed she’ll remain what Ash made her – illegitimate, a bastard, someone who would have to find work as a servant or the like.

This is where having read this book, a short story, and another book before writing a review becomes problematic. I know I liked the book. I know that I, mostly, enjoyed the book. But it is difficult, now, to give a more detailed listing of my feelings/emotions/thoughts on the book.

Rating: 3.75

June 28 2018



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Unlocked (Turner #1.5) by Courtney Milan

Unlocked by Courtney Milan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Except for cameo’s there are no actual Turner’s involved in this story. The story includes two people who appeared in the previous book - Lady Elaine Warren and . . . I forget her name, Lady Cosgove? The one in the prior book who had a reputation as being bitchy/catty/etc. Lady Elaine, in turn, is the one known for her loud laugh.

This is a short story, which I wasn’t 100% sure about when I started reading. I should probably mention that I’ve been reading this series in the omnibus edition, so one book/short story follows the next without my ability to carefully mark how far I am in the book, or . . . other stuff. Not a huge issue.

This specific book stars, as in POV character stars, Lady Elaine Warren (of a very good family), and Evan Carlton, Earl of Westfield.

Of the three works in this series I’ve read so far: this one has the people with the highest pedigree. It’s true that the prior one involved the Duke heir and an offspring of a Duke (with Duke being the highest hereditary title in the British Isles), but the heir wasn’t Duke yet, in that book, and had a business-class background (though his grandfather or further back had titled blood) and the Lady, the Duke offspring, was illegitimate. In the second book in the series – the lead female, while a Vicar’s daughter, is also a courtesan/sex-worker, and the lead male is a knight (albeit second in line to a Dukedom – his brother still, by that point, hadn’t fathered a child).

Lady Elaine, despite being ‘of a very good family’ has spent, what is it now, something like 11 seasons in London. At this point she’s basically a spinster, though her mother keeps bringing her out for all to see at balls and the like.

Earl Westfied, for his part, has spent the last 11 (10?) years wandering Europe and climbing mountains.

They knew each other, though, when Elaine was in her first season, and Westfield was 19. Westfield, you see, was quite taken with Elaine – her massive bosoms (what, he mentioned it repeatedly), and her laugh that showed her strong passion and vitality. Being 19 and stuff he wanted to make sure Elaine noticed him. So he teased her. To the point that he killed her vitality – she made her the laughingstock of society because of her laugh.

He knew what he had done and couldn’t fix it. So he fled to Europe.

Elaine, for her part, would have cut herself off from society but her mother loved going to balls and the like and . . . Elaine is there for her mother. Especially since the second most laughed at person in society is her mother, who doesn’t seem to realize she’s the butt of everyone’s jokes (she’s laughed at because she ‘apes’ men by being quite scholarly and spending lots of time researching and talking about astronomy).

So – the Earl is back now and wants to, at the very least, apologize to Elaine, and if possible court her. Elaine, naturally, figures he just wants to laugh at her more. The Earl’s attempts are undermined by his childhood friend, previously briefly mentioned, Lady Cosgrove (whatever her name is, it is something like that).

Interesting enough story. Short. Kind of . . . bland.

Rating: 3.50

June 28 2018




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Talk Sweetly to Me (Brothers Sinister, #4.5) by Courtney Milan

Talk Sweetly to Me by Courtney Milan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Stephen Shaughnessy, who appeared in the prior Brothers Sinister work as someone needing to be saved (though somewhat barely making an appearance in the story), stars in this shorter work. With him in the starring role is Rose Sweetly. I’m fairly certain Rose hasn’t appeared in this series up to now. Both have POV’s.

Stephen, as those who might remember from the prior book, is a newspaper columnist with a column titled ‘Ask a Man’. This story here adds 4 novels to his writing career. To add to his relatively disreputable reputation, gained, I mean, from being ‘the man’ columnist for a women’s newspaper, is the part where he’s Irish, Catholic, and known to be something of a ladies man. The player reputation (aka Rake), is probably the easiest for him to ‘handle’, normally. Irish? Catholic? Writes for a women’s paper? In 1882, London, those three things are negatives.

“My father was a stable master,” he told her. “My mother was a seamstress. I’ve done very well for myself, but don’t imagine that I’m one of those gentlemen who look down on you.”

Stephen meets Rose through the odd little accident of living next to her. About two doors down. Actually, to be exact, he lives two doors down from Patricia, Rose’s pregnant married sister. This is why Rose is there – to ‘take care of’ Patricia while her husband, a Naval Doctor, is on assignment.

Stephen, from the first, is intrigued by Rose. Rose, for her part, is flustered by Stephen. Also, there are certain reasons for not wanting his attention. Which I’ll get to later.

In addition to being a helper for her sister, 20 year old Rose actually has a job, a paying job. She’s a computer. A term I’d first heard when I read that nonfiction book that later became a movie I still haven’t seen (referring here to Hidden Figures). A computer is someone hired to do the mathematical calculations for a scientist. They are the kind who tends to be able to do advanced math in their heads. Rose works as a computer for an astronomer.

Right, so, the reasons why Rose doesn’t really wish to receive Stephen’s attention. Many reasons, like how Stephen has that rake reputation and the like. Mostly, though, there’s the part where Stephen, in addition to being Irish, Catholic, etc. etc., is white. Rose, you see, is not. White. She has dark skin, you see, black skin. As does her sister and her sister’s doctor husband (the author notes at the end make mention of things like this – one of the interesting tidbits, to me, was how, by 1882, ‘Britain had probably trained at least as many black doctors as there were dukes.’ And yet, so many historical fiction romances works seem fixated on matching up people with dukes – and yet I almost never see black doctors in historical romances – almost as in never, except here where the husband of a main character’s sister is one, though he makes only a very brief appearance in this novel).

Right, so – much of the book involves a growing attraction between the two main characters, mixed with Rose’s awareness of her position and what the result might be of a union with Stephen (Black, Irish, Catholic children running around).

I liked the story, for the most part. I liked the characters. Story was kind of short, though.

Rating: 3.77

June 17 2018



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The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan

The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This book is both the sixth work I’ve read in this ‘Brothers Sinister’ series, and the sixth work I’ve read by this author. The book is listed as being 4th in the series – I didn’t read the series out of order, the other two works were short stories.

This book stars Frederica ‘Free’ Marshall’ and Edward Clark. Both of whom have points of view in the book. Free has previously appeared in the series and is the daughter of the main characters in the prequel short story (‘The Governess Affair’), and the sister (half-sister, they have different fathers) of Oliver Marshall, the lead male character in ‘The Heiress Effect’. Clark, nor any relative of Clark, has not previously appeared in the series.

There were aspects of this book, from the description and from mentions here or there, which lead me to be somewhat reluctant to read this book. Yet, when I finally did, I found it quite enjoyable. Riveting even. I rather enjoyed both main characters, Free and Edward Clark, though it really seems to be more of a Edward story, though Free both has a point of view, and seems to ‘come out on top’ in most situations with Clark.

‘For reasons’, Edward Clark, not the name he was born with – that’d be Edward Delacey, has spent a good portion of his adult life living . . . elsewhere. To the point that Edward Delacey is about to be declared legally dead, due to . . . um, being missing? For about 7 years. There are reasons for that being important – Edward Delacey, see, is supposed to be the new Viscount Claridge, his father having died about nine months before the start of the story. With Edward being declared dead, his brother James would take over the estate and title.

Edward’s back in England now, though, but not to reclaim his life, nor claim the title. His brother can have that. No, he’s back because he’s been informed by an old friend, Patrick Shaughnessy, that Stephen Shaughnessy (Patrick’s brother) is being targeted and is in trouble. Edward is back to try to help Stephen.

Stephen Shaughnessy writes a column called ‘Ask a Man’ in a newspaper that has the motto of ‘By Women, For Women, and About Women’. That specific newspaper is owned by the other main character in this book, Free Marshall.

Edward works out what’s going on, and decides that the best method of ‘dealing with’ the issue is to insert himself into the newspaper organization. Though, admittedly, he came to that conclusion after having spotted Free and finding her intriguing. So there’s that added bonus of being able to be near her, while also attempting to help Stephen.

Edward openly admits, to Free, that he’s a scoundrel, a forger, a . . well, a bunch of stuff. He admits this as he’s talking with Free about joining together in a partnership of sorts to help defeat the forces against Free. Edward is interested in doing so more for the revenge possible to him in doing this – and doesn’t otherwise give a damn about Free – at least that’s what he tells Free.

They slowly begin to work together, with certain reluctance on Free’s part. They both develop unexpected feelings for the other.

Stuff happens. Graphic sex occurs. The world is saved for another day, so to speak.

Gah. At some point I was going to make mention of the fact that this story takes place in 1877. I forgot, I did. Mmphs.

Rating: 4.76

June 17 2018




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The Rogue Not Taken (Scandal & Scoundrel, #1) by Sarah MacLean

The Rogue Not Taken by Sarah MacLean

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fun, exciting, arousing, humorous book set in 1833 about the daughter of an Earl falling for the heir to a dukedom. That seems to sound right, dukedom? Eh, whatever.

Complications, though:
1) The daughter of the Earl, Sophie Talbot, despises aristocrats, the ton, nobs, the top-tier – for many reasons;
2) That Duke heir, currently going by Marquess of Eversley, or more specifically ‘King’, has vowed to never marry;
3) The Talbot daughters, Sophie being one, are the ones society mocks, makes fun of, and finds great fun being snide to. Again, for reasons;
4) King has a very bad rake reputation – the kind that involves ‘ruining’ (a very popular word in the book, well more ‘ruination’) those about to marry.

The book is hilarious from beginning to end. The romance is great – it’s an odd kind of enemies to lovers. Odd because, as noted, Sophie wants nothing to do with those with titles; and King wants nothing to do with respectable relationships and love. Which isn’t why the start off as enemies, but lays the foundation – King is like the model and reason why Sophie hates the aristocrats, vain, pushy, thinking only men count and women have just one path, and they are expected to be happy about it (looking for, securing a husband, pushing out babies) – actually scratch that last part, since King never plans to marry; in turn, King has this delusion that Sophie is trying to trap him into marriage – just like her older sister did – trapping a different Duke.

I’m being weirdly vague. Let’s get more detail.

The Talbot’s have spent a lot of time and energy over the ages being miners (at least the Talbot’s father and grandfather). And have become fabulously rich from it – to the point that papa Talbot ended up being created a brand new Earl. Thrusting the family into the titled class. So they enter the marriage market (when they reach the right age) beautiful, rich, titled (well from a titled family), and . . . not blue-bloods, not ‘one of us’ (hence my comments earlier about the Talbot daughters and how they are seen in society – scandals -> luckily for everyone involved, the daughters just love their new place – and popping up in the scandal sheets, the gossip columns. At least all of them but for Sophie. Who hates it. Everything about it. She was ten when she was thrust from being the daughter of a rich man, but without the responsibilities of titles, into the responsibility of having to live up to society).

The book opens with Sophie at a party. It’s a theme party – the hostess has some Japanese fish that she just loves, so is hosting a . . . Chinese dress up party (‘no one knows what the Japanese are like, but China is so close, they are the same!’). Sophie hates it. The hostess, Lady something or other (it’s not important) spots Sophie and invites her to wander out and look at the fish. Sophie leaps at the chance to wander away from the party. Whereupon she finds well the book description says what happens (that description, by the way, isn’t the best I’ve seen). Sophie, the ‘quiet’ Talbot daughter makes a scene with all eyes on her, mocks the upper crust, which turn their backs on her.

So Sophie decides to leave – and doesn’t want to have to deal with her relatives, so wanders outside, thinking about how to leave. And is almost hit in the head by shoes. Then a man climbs down the outside of the mansion and lands next to her. That would be King. Escaping a woman’s room. And an Earl who is yelling at him. And so Sophie and King meet. And this is kind of where the enemies thing starts – Sophie has one of King’s shoes and holds it hostage, wanting King’s help in leaving. King refuses and walks away without his shoe.

Sophie, through various means, ends up pretending to be a footman (yes, dressed up in livery and pretending to be a boy), hanging off the back of a carriage. Heading to Mayfair (where her family lives). Only the trip seems longer than expected. And . . oops, the carriage wasn’t actually going that direction.

Somewhere along the way Sophie and King bump into each other again. Sophie keeps attempting to either leave on her own, or get King’s help. King keeps thinking Sophie is trying to trap him into marriage. And keeps helping her even though he initially had decided not to – though that actually causes Sophie problems in certain situations, but let’s move on, eh?

As noted – hilarious book. And there was a quite interesting and even riveting sex scene. I have a tendency to skim those parts – especially like here when we are talking about a heterosexual book, but I found myself reading every word. Weird, eh?

I’ve never read a book by this author before. I plan to immediately acquire the next book in this series (maybe all of the books in his series . . nah, just the next book).

Rating: 5.5

May 11 2018



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A Night Like This (Smythe-Smith Quartet #2) by Julia Quinn

A Night Like This by Julia Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I'll be quick, just a little note. Possibly more later. Possibly.

I spent the entire time reading this book, at least if you look at my status updates, noting to myself and others that I wanted to DNF the book after every page (or every other page). Then I end up rating this book 3 stars. Am I overly generous? Do I never give ratings worse than 3 stars? Of course not. No, the things I despised were relatively minor, but seen in both main characters (the man, Daniel, was overly pushing and demanding, kept grabbing people by their arms/wrists, and kept forcing himself onto a woman (who was 'beneath him', marriage wise, as in she wasn't the type to be acceptable for marriage); the woman, Anne, kept repeating to herself how unacceptable she was (that wasn't the issue I had), while, at the same time continuously melting into Daniel (that was the issue, though, oddly enough, that 'redeemed' the man to a certain extent, as there is every indication that Daniel would have pulled back and not continued his advances if he hadn't seen/heard 'something' from the woman (she did say please kiss me, and the like) - as an aside, it's good she did say stuff, there are way too many evil assholes out there who 'see something in their eyes' or body language or whatever that screams that the woman wants it - even if what they are seeing is their own imagination)).

Right. So. I had issues with both main characters. I had issues with Daniel in the prior book, and had issues with him here. He is a full on Earl, not heir, or in line, but an Earl. He spent 3 years in exile because of a series of stupid events likely to not have occurred if he wasn't drunk, and he injured his friend in a duel . . . and he still seems very immature no that he is back in England. At least he seemed that way to me. That's another reason I was having trouble continuing to read this book.

Still, I saw these things and the made it harder to read the book, but not impossible. Basically, what I'm saying, is that neither main character were characters I really wanted to spend time with. Yet I did. Then somewhere around 55% things morphed a little and my thoughts started to change. Then the final section of the book was this mad dash action type thing that was thrilling and edge of the seat type stuff, so . . . the book didn't redeem itself so much as the issues I had with it were reevaluated. And so . . . gave it 3 stars on Goodreads.

Rating: 3.33

May 6 2018



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Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith, #1) by Julia Quinn

Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’m quite tempted to rate this book higher than I have. Though it’s a question of rating it 0.25 stars more than I have, or not – but that raises the rating on Goodreads from 4 stars to 5 (since I’m thinking of rating this either 4.50 or 4.75).

Right, so. I’ve now dipped into three series by this author. All of which are connected to each other. The first series I dipped into, oddly enough, is also one that I’ve only read one book by – both because there were no other books in the series when I started; and because, when more books (1 more) appeared, I . . . wasn’t feeling happy with the author and the book itself didn’t look that interesting. I mean, the concept from the beginning – the underlying theme, is lying (reminder: I’m not talking about the book this review appears on, I’m referring to the second book in the Rokesbys series).

Right, that’s a muddle, let’s try that again.

I’ve dipped into three series by Quinn. First series I tried was the Rokesbys series, a prequel series to the Bridgertons series. Loved the first book, but haven’t read any other Rokesbys book. Then I read . . . most of the Bridgertons books – all 8 of them. Most because I had to DNF one of them. Bridgertons being about, unless I confused myself, the generation of marriageable adults that came after the generation in Rokesbys.

This book here, the book this review is supposed to be about but hasn’t been yet, is a side series instead of a prequel or sequel series. As in, the events in this series takes place during the same time period as the events in the Bridgertons series. Barely, but still. This specific book here, chronologically, slides in-between book 7 and book 8 of the Bridgertons series. About three years, if I were to base this on the age of Gregory instead of dates since I don’t remember the actual dates, prior to book 8 (Gregory’s book).

Gregory and Colin make cameos in this book. Oddly, and I only really recalled it now – but Gregory got talked about a lot – invited to a party, was a member of that party, was talked about as a potential husband material . . . but didn’t really appear in this book. Colin, on the other hand, was never talked about – at all – yet had an important scene in the book. There might have been another Bridgertons pop up in this book, but I don’t recall any. The very old woman who feels free to say whatever she wants, but whose name now escapes me (Lady . . . Ddd . . d . . D something), also plays a somewhat important role in one (or two, but it’s connected) scenes.
The story is about … I hate when book descriptions fail to include the main character’s names in them. Bah. Honoria Smythe-Smith is the lead female character (and yes there are two points of views in this book). Honoria comes from a large family, just like the Bridgertons (I do not recall if an exact number was mentioned for Honoria’s family), but Honoria is like Gregory and Hynacith – near the end of the line (or the end), but unlike those two, she doesn’t have anyone nearish her own age. So she both experiences a large family and . . . being lonely in a large home – what with her older siblings off doing their own thing. She does ‘pester’ on of her siblings, though – mostly because he’s close enough in age, roughly 5 years, that she can try to do stuff with him. Unfortunately Daniel wants nothing to do with ‘Bug’. And would have nothing to do with her but for her persistence and the empathy of Marcus, Daniel’s friend from Eton.

Marcus, Earl . . . something or other, comes from a very small family. There’s him and . . . . there’s him. His father got his mother with child (don’t worry, they were married at the time), and when the mother died when Marcus was . . . 5? some suggested the father marry again to increase the number of potential heirs. Father, though, gazed upon his son and found him intelligent enough and stuff. And had no desire to reenter the marriage market and heaven forbid actually deal with another wife. He was content with just the one child. Not that he talked much him until the kid was about 12, whereupon the kid was mostly off at Eton anyway – so father and son rarely saw each other. Mother and son, while mother was alive, were also in favor of the stand-offish parenting style.

The book begins with Marcus meeting Honoria and her family, through brother Daniel – and being, basically, made a member of their family. That’s the prologue.

The actual story starts off with Honoria caught out in the rain in Cambridge, and being helped, temporarily, by an Earl – Marcus. They are still . . . friendly-ish, but they haven’t spent much time near each other for the last three years – ever since ‘that thing with Daniel’ occurred.

Marcus and Honoria reconnect. Etc. Etc. Honoria is in her third season and is determined to find a husband before the end (well, during it, the season hasn’t started yet). Her mother isn’t much help, though, because she’s become withdrawn these last three years – though there’s every indication that she was like Violet Bridgertons for her other children.

Those who have read the Bridgertons series will recall that the Smythe-Smith put on music recitals – and that plays an important role in this book as well. Well, it would have to since Honoria is a member of the performing quartet.

Marcus is strong, muscular, ‘with money’, and ‘highly titled, plus he doesn’t appear to be beast like (though no one seems to call him handsome, just not beast like). Oh, and he’s shy-ish and doesn’t like parties, crowds, London, or the ‘season’. He spends the book near Honoria . . . for reasons.

I rather enjoyed this book from, mostly, beginning to end. I was a little concerned, though, when the beginning didn’t see that humorous to me. Since the reviews seemed to indicate that this was more of a comedy than a romance book ()+––––––+

Dang it. My word processor just died. mmphs. Now I have to actually write in the box here on Goodreads. Though I was able to get the review up to now. mmphs.

Where was I? Book was said to be funny. I didn't see it at first. But was funny, eventually. There's a medical issue that crops up - I liked how that was described and even found humor there. As is somewhat normal, I kind of just skimmed along when the sex turned up - I do not, in general, enjoy reading the really long sex scenes this author writes, though there might occasionally be funny moments - more often there are . . . potential moments of me wishing to not continue reading due to the . . . stuff . . . let's move on.

I liked the side characters, for the most part, especially Iris and Sarah from the Quartet. Though I had trouble telling the parents apart - Honoria's, Iris's and Sarah's (were all of them there? I'm not even sure, though I know . . . um . . at least two mothers were involved in the story).

Rating: 4.50

May 3 2018



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On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgertons, #8) by Julia Quinn

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I mentioned in the previous review I did for a Quinn book that there were reasons for why it took me two years to get around to reading the last two books in this series. Well, I’ll mention specifically for this review the part where I haven’t exactly ‘loved’ the Bridgerton male leads. And Gregory hadn’t exactly impressed me in prior books (I believe he is a ‘kid’ in all prior Bridgerton books but for his nearest sister’s book, the previous book in this series, and the first book in the Smythe-Smith series where Gregory is still in college but is same age as lead female in that book).

Then the prologue, which I think I read two years ago, didn’t exactly lead me to scream ‘MUST READ NOW!’ No, it screamed ‘back away and flee’. Several reasons, I’ll just note: I do not like reading ‘prologues’ that take place in the future, and the rest of the book leads up to it (then moves past it . . . eventually). I do not like it in books, on television or in films.

No matter. Eventually I got around to reading this one, and, oddly, found it to be near the top of the Bridgertons books. Eh, don’t go by me though, I do not think other readers feel same way.

Right so. Gregory starts off the book . . . let’s skip the prologue. The book starts off with Gregory being told that he needs to do something with his life. Get a job, settle down. Something. Be serious about his life. Gregory promises to do so and has a vague feeling that he will, in fact, find his match – he’s a romantic, see, and expects to find ‘his love’ – who he’ll immediately recognize at first appearance, and both of them will feel it, feel the love. Well, he did have 6 older siblings (and 1 younger) make love matches, so . . . he’s been trained to be a romantic.

Naturally Gregory finally finds love at a party immediately after being told he needs to ‘grow up’. Gregory is beyond happy. He’s found his one. She . . . barely acknowledges him. ‘She’ being Hermione Watson. The woman with Watson, Lady Lucinda Abernathy, lets Gregory in on some secrets and tries to help him. Doesn’t seem to work.

Meanwhile the female lead of the book is . . Lady Lucinda Abernathy. She rather loves her best friend Hermione, but she’s spent her life in her shadow. Everyone wanders up and instantly falls in love with Hermione and only pays attention to Lucinda if they remember that friends might help ‘get’ Hermione.

There’s humor, blackmail, love, mistakes, etc. etc. throughout the book. And some rotten guardians (and siblings, Lucinda’s brother, who she appears to rather like, is a complete asshole to her – okay, maybe not that, but he’s a spineless fuck who doesn’t give a fuck if his sister actually has a season and stuff – just goes along with the guardian’s plan to marry off his sister, despite brother now being the titled person and the head of the family, but fuck responsibility, right? Pft. Guardian is their uncle, to just round things off.

Right, so, where was I? I liked the book. It good.

Rating: 4.75

May 3 2018




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It's In His Kiss (Bridgertons #7) by Julia Quinn

It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There are two reasons it took me roughly two years to read this book despite already owning it for those two years: 1) my ratings for the Bridgertons series kept going down to the point I’d DNF’d the previous book; 2) Hyacinth didn’t really look like a character I wanted to read.

Strange what happens, eh? I rather enjoyed Hyacinth. And her friendship with . . . again I’m bad with names, but the really old woman who speaks her mind in this series: Lady . . . Dangerfield or whatever.

Hyacinth has been around for a while – season wise, without getting married. She’s had proposals, less and less as the years went by, but she’s had some. None, though, were from anyone she fancied. Hyacinth is generally . . . liked well enough by the rest of the ‘season’ people, but also described, mostly behind her back, as . . . well, the word isn’t used, but basically a shrew. Or, a young version of that woman I labeled ‘Lady Dangerfield’ above because I can’t recall her name. She’s attractive enough, but not a beauty, is intelligent . . . and knows it. Has something of a hyper-need to know everyone’s business. Etc. etc.

Because of reasons I won’t get into, Gareth St. Clair, the male point of view, is something of an outsider. He’s heir to a title, I don’t mean that, I mean he kept himself apart from others. He’s the kind who is, at least rumored, to prefer spending time with Opera singers instead of ‘the ton’. There’s reasons for that. Okay, I’ll mention: Gareth’s father loathes him, and when Gareth learned why, he rebelled.

Gareth and Hyacinth (gah that’s going to be annoying to keep typing that name I can’t remember how to spell) meet not because Gareth wants to reform himself, or because he decided to crash a ball and seduce one of the ton (‘ton’ – the upper class people who go through ‘seasons’ coming out and looking for husbands/wives through balls/parties/etc.) – because he doesn’t do that, he doesn’t seduce ‘proper’ young women, he goes for improper (not marriageable). No, the two meet because Gareth is related to that old woman whose name I can’t remember, who is also friends with Hyancith. They meet when Gareth goes to his grandmother (great?) on a visit and finds Hy there (I do not recall Hy getting any nicknames in the book). One thing leads to another and . . . no a romance does not bloom, no a friendship erupts. Kinda. They are friendly with each other (also, they first meet at one of those Smythe-Smith music things, I forgot that; though Gareth did, accidentally, bump into Hy when she was reading to Lady D), but not romantically interested in the other. Until . . . they are.

I liked the book. I liked how it broke down. I can’t remember if this is the book where the male lead did something detestable, which made me lower the rating, or if that occurred in a different book. Mmphs. That’s what I get for taking so long to write review, and reading so many Quinn books in a row.

Rating: 3.75

May 3 2018




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DC Comics: Bombshells, Vol. 1: Enlisted by Marguerite Bennett

DC Comics: Bombshells, Vol. 1: Enlisted by Marguerite Bennett

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I had originally attempted to read this story through the individual comic issues, but gave up after the first or second issue. Reading the collection of 6 issues reminds me that I cannot judge anything off of one issue.

In theory there’s an interesting possible story here – looking at Superheroes (mainly female) back during WWII, many of whom (all?) are modeled on superheroines and supervillains operating in modern times. In practice? Eh. It isn’t really what the people behind this comic did. They just took modern heroes/villains, and shoved them back in time. Including side characters like that Amanda Weller (whatever her name is). Some of whom actually existed back then, some didn’t – some could have based on what they are and how long they might live, some couldn’t have and still be here in their modern form.

I mean, like, for example, Wonder Woman was around in WWII – both literally in real world terms (first appearance of Wonder Woman in the comics: 1941), and in story terms (depending on the origin story, Wonder Woman has been around since WWI, WWII, or relatively modern times. So having Wonder Woman, the actual one not someone modeled on the concept, operating in World War II is doable. And reading the comics that feature Wonder Woman, read like the Wonder Woman movie – except instead of WWI, stuff is happening in WWII. Oh, and, apparently, Wonder Woman is quite friendly with Mera (who later gets called Aquawoman in the comic issues).

And . . . I’ve lost the plot already. Mmphs. The idea I wanted to note was that some of these people could have been operating back in WWII, but that isn’t the point of the series, apparently. The point is to take people from ‘our’ time, and shove them back in WWII time. Like Zatanna, Harley Quinn, Supergirl, Batwoman, Maggie Sawyer, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, Poison Ivy. And have them be basically themselves. Instead of having them be similar and/or parents of them. Well, there’s the ‘Joker’s Daughter’ one, but . . . I’m not really sure who she’s supposed to be.

Just like my review, actually more so than my review, the story line is confusing and disjointed. On the one hand, the story keeps being interrupted so other characters could suddenly have the focus; on the other hand when the story shifts back to a specific character, the story seems determined to be as weird as possible. Like, Batwoman is introduced as being a baseball player playing in the female league while ‘the men’ are off at war; and a vigilante . . . who wears the same costume as the baseball player; the police act as if they wish to ‘question’ Batwoman but do not know who she is as both wear masks. Except . . . . you’d think it wouldn’t be that hard for police to know where and how to contact a baseball player/team/team manager/etc. Then again, it is play acting since Batwoman actually is dating the police in the form of Maggie Sawyer (see, lesbian action! See implied lesbian sex! Etc etc). Except, that baseball story line was there and gone again in like three seconds. Then a weird spaceship like thing (okay, some kind of early helicopter, but still) lands on Batwoman’s roof. And . . . Batwoman is recruited to join the Bombshells, being led by the same woman who formed Suicide Squad in a different universe. Then . . . several other people are visited . . . and when we return, Batwoman is in Berlin, being a spy. As herself. That story line is relatively straight forward, albeit disjointed. Other story lines? Super disjointed and confusing.

Like the one where Supergirl and her twin sister (seriously, I can’t tell Kara and Kostanri (however her name is spelled) apart) join the Soviet air force. I know the Soviets are supposed to be seen as evil and stuff, but there were some good people here and there. And turning the Night Witches, the female piloted air force, into evil harlots is just wrong. Just . . . mmphs.

I’ve read stories wherein Superman landed on Soviet controlled land. This one just happens to have that, but it being Supergirl land there. But . . . the Soviets decide to see Supergirl as a traitor and evil and must die . . . instead of using her for their own objectives? I . . what?

Bah, my brain is kind of messed up, this review is messed up.

All the story-lines are super weird and confusing. Like when Harley Quinn finally turns up. She appears to be sane and working in a hospital. She talks to a patient who used to be her colleague. Then Quinn’s eyeball grows to three times normal, and she rips her clothing off, dances around singing and beating up people and flying randomly to France. WTF? Quinn’s a chaotic character, but there’s usually something more to her actions than random insanity. Though it might sometimes look like random insanity.

So – Supergirl’s story line is fucked up; Quinn’s is random insanity; Zatanna is super powerful but . . . ‘trapped’ by circumstances – her story line is fucked up more by the circumstances than anything else; haven’t mentioned it, but Wonder Woman’s story line is also fucked up (seriously, at some point she ends up in prison because the allies wanted to kill some prisoners and WW wouldn’t let them). Individually fucked up story lines, and together a disjointed mess.

On the positive side, there are both lesbian superheroes and Jewish superheroes in attendance – sometimes at the same time. Talking about Batwoman and Zatanna here.

I read this collected volume in one sitting while ‘wasting time’ before a movie. For what it is, and what I used it for, it entertained me. Story line was too annoying, though, for me to continue the series. If series continued, no clue if it did.

Oh, one last thought – getting back to my inability to tell Supergirl apart from her sister – that happens a lot in this collection. Too many of the characters look the same/similar to other characters. Like I could have sworn Harley Quinn was one of the other baseball players since one of them looked like her, but that doesn’t correspond to her storyline. Then Batwoman runs into another Harley Quinn like person but . . . again not her. And there were times I found it hard to tell Supergirl/supergirl sister and Maggie Sawyer apart. Other times I had trouble telling Zatanna and Catwoman apart. Bah, my poor eyesight? The art itself? Pfft, don’t know, probably my eyesight.

Rating: 3

April 27 2018




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Devil's Bargain by Andi Marquette

Devil's Bargain by Andi Marquette

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A somewhat odd story about a young woman named Sarah who has undertaken a quest to recover the family gold. And who enlists the help of those she never should have been near - for relatively obvious reasons, since they do what was expected, double-cross her and 'kill' her. That's actually the start of the story - Sarah being stabbed 'to death'.

A short story set in an unnamed period of time, though it is 'obviously' the Age of Sails, so . . . 1700s?, and includes pirates, and the like. It also involves fantasy creatures. Meet, also, at the beginning - when the nearly dead Sarah is confronted by yet another pirate-y looking person, albeit a female one this time. Who offers Sarah a deal - a 'Devil's Bargain'.

Where-upon . . . well, the story is too short to tell too much more. It is an interesting historical/pirate/vampire story. There is a tinge of romance, but it is not a romance story. Certain things hint at lesbianism, but I'm not certain I can even really call it lesbian fiction. For various reasons.

I enjoyed the story, at least.

Rating: 3.89

April 7 2018



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Berlin Hungers by Justine Saracen

Berlin Hungers by Justine Saracen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

*I received this book from Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for an honest review*



This is a good solid story set mostly just before and during the Berlin airlift operation in 1948-1949. Actually, it starts on VE day (victory in Europe), which occurred three years earlier in 1945. And the book ends slightly after. So – mid-20th century book with most of the action taking place in Berlin (with moments here or there elsewhere, like various places in England for training and the like).


Gillian Somerville is happy enough that the war in Europe is over, but not about two things in particular (well three tings) – men keep trying to kiss her (or do), she’s still trying to ‘get over’ the fact that her parents died in the blitz, and her job kind of went away. Her job as a pilot with the ATA – her only way to fly during the war was with the Air Transport Axillary, which, as the afterword put it, had the pilots who were unsuited for the RAF (for various reasons, including, most importantly for Gillian – gender). Gillian had been one of the 168 female pilots (vs 1,152 male pilots), but the service was being disbanded. In November 1945. Hold on, it’s May 1945. Hmms. Well, I assume VE day lead to a winding up of operations, though I do not specifically see anything on-line about it.


Right, sorry, got distracted. Gillian had been a pilot with the ATA, ferrying planes around – sometimes into Germany, sometimes with bullets and stuff in the air, but was not a member of the RAF (which she gets reminded when she boasted of her service to an actual RAF fighter pilot). But her time with the ATA ended when the war ended, and she needed work. So, looking around, she decided to join the WAAF as there was a chance she’d still get to be near planes. And she was right – after training, she finds herself in Germany working as an air traffic controller – guiding planes by way of radar.


Before turning to the other point of view in this novel, I insert the part where several characters are included in this book because of Gillian. Betsey – meet in WAAF training, seemingly constant companion there and then in Germany; Mrs. Base Commander (Mrs. Horwick), who had a rather direct and intimate impact on Gillian’s life; various pilots, like Jack Higgins, Nigel Katz, and Dickie Collins; and . . . um . . random other military personnel.


So – that’s one of the main points of view. Gillian is British, in the female version of the military, spent the war ferrying planes, has no living relatives due mostly to the actions of the Germans, and now works as an air traffic controller in Germany. But Gillian isn’t the only point of view the book – no, there’s also Erika.


Like Gillian, Erika has lost most of her family. And, just like Gillian, Erika’s parents died as a direct result of German action (Gillian’s parents died in the bombing of London; Erika’s parents died before the war in a concentration camp – because they were not the right kind politically, as in, they were Social Democrats). Unlike Gillian, Erika had been married at some point, though her husband also is dead now. He was a pilot for the German air force. As the action in the book starts – the Russians move in and occupy Berlin. With drastic and horrible results. Especially after Erika moved out of hiding for reasons I don’t recall now and was spotted by Russians, and raped. Not all of Erika’s interactions with the Russians were so violent and disgusting; several even helped her at various times in the book.

Erika spent the book attempting to survive. Working whatever jobs she could find. Doing whatever it took to survive. And her sections pulls into the storyline several important side characters: Hanno the son of Gerda (her friend and her husband’s former lover), Gerda, Wilhelm, Henrich, and Charlotte (oh, and a bunch of people here and there with some importance – like the two Russians, one of whom was in the Sniper book, at least I think she was, though not a main character in that book, who were friendly with Erika and – at different times and occasions, interacted with both Erika and Gillian as the book unfolded). Immediately after the war ended, Erika, Gerda, Hanno, and Wilhelm lived in the same apartment building and in the nicest apartment (eventually); later Erika, Gerda and Hanno moved from the Russian sector to the British and moved into Charlotte and Henrich’s apartment. I know I’m forgetting people. Hmms. I mention all of that more for my own memory purposes, to remind myself who is who, and how they know each other.


Right, so, the book follows along as Gillian lives her life in the WAAF and Erika struggles to survive as a starving German in Berlin. Eventually the two meet. I’m digging deep into my brain, but I just can’t recall how they meet. Shesh. I’m recalling scenes from the book – Gillian says she’ll put in a word with the base to help Erika get a job; Gillian, Nigel, and either Dickie or Betsey run into Erika cowering in a doorway but that was after Gillian helped Erika. Oh, right – if I recall correctly, Gillian, while still stationed somewhere else in Germany (not Berlin), took a trip to Berlin to visit. She went with Nigel on one of his flights into Berlin. While there the two wander and visit the black market. Whereupon the two unconnected story lines merged . . . for roughly 3 seconds (heh, slightly more, but roughly that), when Gillian bought a plane Erika was selling. Neither expected to see the other again, but they did keep bumping into each other – first with Gillian running into Erika again at the Berlin airport, after Gillian transferred there. At that time Erika was working as a runway . . . um . . paver/constructor/digger person.


That’s how the book bounced. A lot of action from one or the other point of view, and the two women rarely saw each other. Just occasionally bumping into each other – that is until they became friends . . . then more. Whereupon . .. they continued rarely seeing each other. They didn’t keep away from each other by choice, just the circumstances of the situation. So this was a slow burn because of circumstances romance. Though, being the 1940s, the fraternization policy, the homosexuals being illegal issue (lesbians less so, though not exactly acceptable I the military), there would have been a need to take things slow anyway (counter to this: the other female-female relationship in this book (I’ve rewritten this review so many times I don’t even remember now if the hints I dropped are even still in this review: Gillian learned why she had issues getting romantic with men from her time spent at that other German airport, the non-Berlin one (she learned she liked kissing women more than kissing men)), that was entirely sexual, and by no means slow burn; course, it also wasn’t a romance so . . ..).


Books like this have a tendency to think that the need to include everything. Like, there’s a trial going on in Nuremberg where Germans were being tried at the same time the action in this book took place. Some books would think – ooh, I need to include that. In person. Is Important Historical Fact. And there was a way that the author could have had a character there in person to get a front row seat. I liked how the author didn’t take that approach though. It was an important moment in history, and it was mentioned, even debated, but the book didn’t take a long-winded detour with some random unknown person suddenly ‘in on the action’ (unlike, say, ‘The Sniper’s Kiss’ book, where a random unknown to history person seemed to run into every one of importance during her time on earth). Right, concept badly worded by me. Hopefully coherent enough. Oh – there was two points strenuously pointed out in this book: the trials were multilinguistic and required translators; Erika, who actually came from a location much closer to Russia than Berlin, specifically Russia. Heh. They were ‘Volga Germans’ – ‘ethnic Germans who colonized and historically lived along the Volga River … southeastern . . . Russia. And therefore could have worked as a translator between Russians and Germans at the trial. Instead she ‘just’ used her Russian knowledge with Russians in Berlin.


Solid book, though there was at least one issue I found vaguely confusing: Gillian mentioned that she made 2/3rds of her male co-workers in her post-war job, and her response to the situation was just a shrug, and a comment that that was just the way it was. That’s life. Which I just nodded at, because, sure, 1940s . . . that’s the way it was. Then I read the afterward, and later looked up some stuff and reminded myself of what I’d read in the afterword. Gillian made the same amount of money when she worked for the ATA (at least since 1943, I forget if there was a mention of when Gillian started working with them). Sure, she made less than men when she transferred to the WAAF, but she did have experience ‘being equal’ for at least 2 years. Just shrugging at the situation and saying ‘it is what it is’ or words to that effect, seemed . . . out of character somehow.


Right, so, likeable book. Enjoyable. Readable.


Rating: 4.33


March 20 2019


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Casa Nostra by Chris Sarracini and Nick Kilislian

Casa Nostra by Chris Sarracini

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


*I received this book from Udon Entertainment and Netgalley for an honest review*

This is an annoying book from beginning to end. From the super slow snail pace, to the many times flashbacks interrupted the story; to the many times some random scene would suddenly occur and there’d be no explanation or the sudden change in plot line until much later. Biggest problem, though? The art was such that I had trouble telling the characters apart. This ‘matched perfectly’ with the text that liked being vague about who was who and what was going on. Like how the book opens with a prologue, some unnamed ungendered narrator talking about papa the criminal. Long after the fact we learn that the narrator is 26, a woman named Claire, and half-Italian, half-Japanese.

Story: A graphic novel set in 1933, mostly in Indiana, with occasional trips elsewhere, like into Chicago.
As noted, the story opened with someone telling about the first time they heard their father's name. Not that the reader knew the narrators name until much later. Nor did the reader actually learn the father’s name (unless it was in some section I couldn’t read). Narrator, Claire, had something of a tough upbringing, tough childhood I mean. What with the criminal father, and having the police routinely stop by to beat up her mother to try to get her to tell where father was. Not that she ever did talk

After that beginning bit, we get to 'I'm 26 now and still wonder if he is still robbing banks' (not an exact quote - it's hard to get the book to work on my system, so I can't really get back to get exact quote). So the 'meat' of the story starts when the narrator is 26. We still didn't know gender by the time the book moved to 'present time' (1933). Though the book description had me assuming that we were learning about the daughter of this bank robber. Assumption was correct. Narrator is 'Claire' and female.

Claire, with four other women, runs a 'safe house' where criminals hide from the law. They’ve been doing it a while, and set things up with the Chicago Syndicate. So the criminals know not to break the rules (don’t touch the women; turn over firearms; etc.) or the Syndicate would get them (not that all criminals obeyed – I mean, we are talking about criminals here). Things were going well enough with Claire and the safe house until the ‘golden boy’, Capone’s favorite guy Rizzo, started to go insane and kill women. And the Syndicate wanted to stay at the safe house. Naturally Claire wanted no part of it and naturally she couldn’t’ say no. And naturally things didn’t go well. What with Rizzo having a history of going around being a serial killer and killing women.

There's a lot of backstory in this book, by the way. Even after we got to present day, we still had bits of the past being spilled on the reader. Not my favorite thing to have happen.
One of the problems with the book is that the art makes it hard to tell who is who. Like, somewhere along the way one criminal kills another - I could tell the two apart because one was fat. A cleaner came and cleaned. Then . . . some story about a man killing a woman (this would be Rizzo and some random woman, though the reader doesn’t know this at the time, learns after the fact). Just . . there. Is that the cleaner? Claire the narrator? Didn't know immediately because all the women look the same (for the most part, okay, not really, but it isn't easy to tell them apart), and the men aren't that distinctive either. More impressions of men and women than exact representations. So, I couldn’t always tell what was happening because I couldn’t always tell which characters were doing stuff (seriously, I’m not just saying that – the woman in the snuff piece? Looked like Claire – at least to my poor eyes; or at least close enough to possibly be sister or mother). I couldn’t tell what was going on despite this being a graphic novel - and I could literally see them doing stuff. But . . . which vaguely Italian looking guy is this? The one I already meet? Someone else? Which vaguely mixed race woman is this? Claire? One of the other women who work in the safe house? Some completely different woman? As could be seen from my description of the beginning - the text itself doesn't help matters. Since I didn't even know the narrator's name or gender for a good portion of the time until we finally got to 'the present' (of 1933). Sooo hard to tell what's going on.

This happens several times. 'This' being random scenes suddenly interrupting the flow of the story. Giving information about a new character. Quite annoying and quite breaking the flow of the super slow, very very slow story. This thing was on snail time.

Tough story to tell what was going on – more because I literally couldn’t tell the characters apart. There are large pieces of the story I am unclear on because of that factoid, though I know/picked up the major pieces.

An okay story, I suppose. Just . . . difficult to read.

Rating: 2.6

March 5 2018




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The Countess Conspiracy (Brothers Sinister, #3) by Courtney Milan

The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I kind of burned myself out reading roughly 12 to 13 books by one author in a row, so slipped over to a book I already owned but hadn’t read yet (owned because I bought the whole series in one package) – referring to this book here.

And you know what I found? That book that lead me to needing a respite from a particular author featured a titled guy from the late 17th century named Sebastian. And my did I loathe that man. LOATHED. ‘I’d never read another book with a man named Sebastian loathed.’ So I started reading this book here, and . . . the lead male character’s name is Sebastian. Heh. Mmphs.

This is the third full length book in this series. There’s been several shorter works I’ve read previous to this one – one is a generation before that follows the parents of several of the later works characters, and another involves a friend of the first book’s lead female character. I didn’t particularly like either shorter work, but I have, in general, liked the longer works – or that was what I was thinking before I started this book here. Two things worried me about this book before I started – I liked the idea of Violet Waterfield seen in prior works, but wasn’t sure I’d want to read a full length work about her, and, more importantly, I had glanced at . . . well, nothing, the prior book ends with the start of this one from a different perspective of the same scene – more importantly, Sebastian, the Sebastian of this series, seemed too depressing to follow in a full length work (shesh, Sebastian’s are depressing, aren’t they? Well this one and that one in Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls series).

But, as noted, I needed to read something, I owned this book, so I read it. And, oddly, it turns out I’m quite happy that I did (which bodes well for the next book, one I find myself even more reluctant to read; maybe the more reluctant I am to read a book before I read it, the more I’ll actually like it once I actually read it?)

Well, as I noted, this book starts with the end of the prior book (not literally, there are scenes after this one in that other book, heck, I’m not even sure if it was at the end portion of the book that this scene occurred, just that the scene did occur in the prior book). The scene involves Sebastian giving a speech about . . . I don’t remember exactly now, it wasn’t Violets, because that’s a later speech, hmm . . . amoebas? No, again, later . . . well, something about sexual reproduction in plants. Several characters from the series are in the audience – of importance to the prior book, that includes Oliver, and, of importance to this book, that includes Violet Waterfield. The scene shows an audience watching with both fascinated attention and horrified attention. And with Violet on the edge of her seat. Scene concludes with Sebastian telling Violet to fuck off. Or words like that.

Sebastian, you see – and it is quickly revealed in this book, has cracked under the strain. The prior books have shown how the other characters view him, and his ‘place’ in society – the scandalous jokey rake who has been making many advanced contributions to the science profession. Here we see that it had always been a lie (somewhat, shown in the book why it is ‘somewhat’). For, you see, the scandalous science theories, the speeches given, the science papers submitted and published in prestigious publications were all . . . actually authored by Violet Waterfield. Women, you see, just didn’t work as scientists. So . . . .. Mind, Violet tried hard to get her papers published in her own name, but . . . well, woman name on cover as author, no one would even glance at the papers. Then Sebastian, who was already Violets friend (and who had loved, at least lusted after, Violet since he was something like 8), put his name on to see if they’d get published with a man’s name there as the author. Fame and fortune followed.

This book is about the struggle Violet had trying to become a working scientist – trying to deal with a horrible marriage – trying to live, to breath. While also about the struggle Sebastian had trying to be taken seriously by people like his brother, trying to live a lie, trying to . . . get Violet to return some of his love. This is, in its way, a quite depressing book. Lots of struggling going on by super rich, titled people (Violet being a Countess, I forgot to mention; Sebastian is the younger brother, so he has no title himself but does have money to do whatever he wants in life).

Despite words I use, or any impression I might have given up to now – I rather enjoyed this book. A lot more than I had expected to do so. To a certain extent the book is more about Violet coming into her own as a person, but there is a real romance going on between Violet and Sebastian as well to be seen. And read.

Rating: 3.75

February 21 2018



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The Heiress Effect (Brothers Sinister, #2) by Courtney Milan

The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This work is my fourth that I’ve read by this author, though only second full length novel. It is also the fourth in the same series – Brothers Sinister.

For those who like the concept of reading ‘commoners’ with commoners in historical fiction . . . well, I’d need to know your specific definition of commoner. Otherwise – the lead male character is the son of a farmer and a governess; while the lead female character . . . it is not clear where her parents fell in society as both were dead before the start of this story – though I believe neither were of the titled set. 1) there were/are titled people in this book, though the ones with the most scenes are more ‘enemies’ than friends or ally’s (the lead male character, Oliver Marshall, is related to a Duke, but he’s barely in this book – seen once or twice in passing; and, well that’s two); 2) while the son of commoners, the kind without the right to vote, Oliver also is a ‘Duke’s bastard’ – his biological father was a Duke, though he never thought of that guy as his father, instead thinking of Hugo Marshal, the man who raised him, as his father.

The story takes place in 1867, and Oliver’s chief mission in this book, or at least his stated mission, is to expand the voting franchise. While Jane’s stated mission (Jane being the, as yet unnamed, lead female character) in the book is to be as annoying as possible so that people would be less desirous of asking for her hand in marriage – as her uncle wishes (awkwardly stated – he wishes for her to marry)). Jane’s managed to keep getting invited to parties, fewer than might otherwise be the case, because she’s the ‘heiress’ of 100,000 pounds. (Pounds of what? That’s what they call the currency).

Just like in the first full length work I read by this author – the main and secondary characters were quite well created and interesting to be around. The story mostly takes place in Cambridge, but does feature a few scenes in London and Nottingham.

Oh, and there’s a ‘neat’ little side story involving Jane’s sister and her, Emily’s, own romance. With a man not normally encountered in Historical Fiction set in England in the late 1860s. I mention both to make note of it, and because I’d failed to mention that Emily is the reason that Jane’s trying to ‘ruin’ her chances at marriage. For, you see, Emily has a guardian who allows Jane to be around, with the understanding that she’s to find a husband and presumably then move off with the husband. Jane needs to be near Emily because she has a condition that inspires ‘quacks’ to do horrible things to her like burn her or send electric charges through her body – and Jane wishes to be near to bribe them to leave Emily alone (the guardian, Uncle Titus, is ‘all for’ anything to get Emily better – including burning and the like).

Um. Hmms. Romance, humor, politics . . . hmms. Stuff occurs, it’s entertaining to watch the ‘stuff’ occur.

Rating: 4.75

February 9 2018



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