Sharon Shinn - Archangel

And so it came to pass...
Through science, faith and force of will, the Harmonics carved out for themselves a society that they conceived of as perfect. Diverse peoples held together by respect for each other and the prospect of swift punishment if they disobeyed their laws. Fertile land that embraced a variety of climates and seasons. Angels to guard the mortals and mystics to guard the forbidden knowledge. Jehovah to watch over them all...
But an age of corruption has come to the land, threatening their peace and placing the Samarians in grave danger. Their only hope lies in the crowning of a new Archangel. The oracles have chosen for this honor the angel named Gabriel, and further decreed that he must first wed a mortal woman named Rachel.
It is his destiny and hers. And Gabriel is certain that she will greet the news of her betrothal with enthusiasm, and a devotion to duty equal to his own.
Rachel, however, has other ideas...

Comment: I had this book in the pile since 2010. One of those situation in which some books are left behind because I felt I might like it so much, that anticipation alone was half the journey. But now that more than 15 years have gone by, I want to get to books that have been in the pile too long and, voilá.

In Samaria, humans and angels co exist in relative harmony, all under the watchful eye of the God Jovah. Gabriel has been chosen years ago to be the next Archangel, something that will happen in a few months, but Raphael, the current Archangel, doesn't seem inclined to let go of power... still, Gabriel needs to fin his Angelica, the woman destined to help him, but when he does find her, she is nothing like he imagined, in the sense that she doesn't cower, doesn't settle and is even determined to free all children from slavery. How can they work together when a marriage between was designed by God and didn't take into consideration their feelings? Or is it that God really knows all His children?

This was an interesting fantasy, clearly based or inspired by the Bible. But the goal is not to preach about its contents in disguise, in case someone thinks this is an adaptation meant to help readers see the light. The characters here might be based on known names and the plot might have several similar and familiar elements, but the author really used her imagination to come up with an interesting society and a lot could be seen everywhere today, fantasy aspects apart.

The base of the plot is one we can see in plenty of other fantasy books: a certain divinity sees all, and determines pairings that "are meant to complement" each other, which is how angel Gabriel and human Rachel become predestined even though they don't seem to be in the same page. Still, both gain something from their pairing and I anticipated that their individual wishes would really match up at the same time their romance certainly would.

Obviously, this wasn't as easy due to their personalities and visions of what was to be done. Life in Samaria isn't fair to everyone and there is a certain group that is marginalized and enslaved and this will be a subject that will affect everything else for it is the starting point that leads to other issues. I thought the political and social issues present in this book weren't too heavy and exaggerated in regards to how the characters behaved. With this I mean to say I'm glad we didn't have the "bad guys" POV nor pointless violent/humiliating scenes. I think the pictured presented was balanced enough for me.

In a way, the plot and the main subjects kind of developed in a predictable way and the more philosophical issues such as the belief in God being necessary to sustain oneself and what kind of limits are there really if we think He is not there... I think these things were interesting food for thought subjects and made the story feel more than a disguised romance of convenience.

However, if there is one detail that I felt wasn't done as well as I wanted was precisely the romance. I liked both Gabriel and Rachel as individuals and how they really stood for the things they thought were important, but as a couple, their relationship was too subtle and under developed. I don't mean they should have been intimate right away or anything like that. It's really the romance part. Or, better, the lack of it! The fact they were a couple and married so soon was not the issue, but the author certainly didn't seem that it would matter for us to see their relationship improving and developing.

I guess this might be related to the author's style (although I haven't read anything else by her) and to the moment in which this was written, which was the late 90s, and perhaps fantasy then didn't have to include the type of content one expects from it in general? Just wondering aloud.... Still, I think if we could have seen Gabriel and Rachel become closer would have helped and for me, personally, would have made the book even better.

I liked reading this book, it was unique, that is a fact, but I can see how it might seem "dated" to some readers nowadays. I can't say I feel that eager to read the others in the series, some are continuations, others are prequels... I think I prefer to maintain my good impression of this one.

Grade: 7/10

Grace Burrowes - A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor

Lord Julian Caldicott is summoned by his estranged mother to search for old love letters she has misplaced. Julian soon realizes the letters along with other items of sentimental value have been stolen. The thief is preying on wealthy women, purloining mementos both dear and scandalous. If the missing items become public, many reputations will be ruined, including the duchess's.
Julian embarks on the investigation despite having no clues, too many suspects, and his distant and difficult mama at the center of the whole intrigue. In the midst of these frustrations, Julian's ducal brother takes ship for France, adding more duties to his lordship's already full plate. Before Julian can bring the culprit behind the thefts to justice, he must first come to terms with old betrayals that could yield new and deadly fruit.

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Lord Julian series by Grace Burrowes, following the investigations of Lord Julian, war survival and heir to a dukedom.

In this story Julian is invited by his mother to look for a few letters of hers which have disappeared. It just happens that she is attending a house party and her host, and friend, has also lost something. And, not surprising anymore, another guest also misplaced something, which means a thief is around or someone has a specific agenda in targeting these ladies. The question is, why, and why now considering the fact that if it as a blackmailing plan, nothing has been demanded. At the same time, Julian needs to deal with the fact his impression of his mother might not be as black and white as he sometimes remembers...

It is always rewarding to read these books, mainly because the main characters are likable and I want to see what happens next in their lives. The little investigation Lord Julian does is also an interesting mental exercise.

This story might not seem the most necessary in the big scheme of things because, honestly, not much really happens in terms of plot advancing. The books until now have all kind of added something else to the overall arc and this one seems to be a little less demanding, but I think the real gem here is in how this story helps us to peel off one more layer in Julian's personality. His relationship with his mother has been presented, until now, in a certain way, but perhaps not all is as it seemed.

I really like these psychological little things in these books, small details that might matter much from a certain POV, but if one sees from a different angle it can be very different. We have been given the impression that Julian didn't have a good relationship with his mother and the whole illegitimacy issue didn't help either, but it turns out that Julian's perspective might not be as impartial as it seemed when he gave opinion on my other things. I kind of liked where this went...

The investigation he embarks on seems very simple at first. Of course, it isn't so, but more than the mystery of who stole things, it is the way the need to do was constructed. It is true this series is not meant to be a complex crime master-plan but I would not guess, ever, the reason the thief stole things was the one we learn. I think the author might not be really taken into the right consideration when it comes to the mysteries planned and how they need to be developed. 

The stories aren't big, in terms of the number of pages, and that might make it seem as if not much is going on, but I think the author has a very direct and concise manner in her writing. Of course, on the other side of things, it does feel as if certain things didn't have to be as subtle as they are; I wouldn't mind if a few details were to made more clear and, along with it, certain situations were to be highlighted more too. For instance, the romance... although I suppose that if the book is to have so many more books, as it does, some things simply need to drag.

I had a good time reading this book and I am eager to get to the next and see what new adventure Julian will face now that his brother finally left for his European tour.

Grade: 8/10

Ilona Andrews - Sweep of the Blade

Maud Demille was a daughter of Innkeepers. She knew that a simple life wasn't in the cards, but she never anticipated what Fate would throw at her.
Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her daughter, Helen, had been exiled for the sins of her husband to the desolate planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud had spent a year and a half avenging his debts. But now all the debts are paid. Rescued by her sister Dina, Maud had swore off all things vampire. Except she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined.
Try as she might, she can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire.
To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is a powerful vampire House, and Maud knows that a woman who turned down the proposal from its most beloved son wouldn't get a warm reception. But Maud Demille never shied from a fight and House Krahr may soon discover that there is more to this human woman than they ever thought possible.

Comment: This is the 4th installment in the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews and it is focused on Maud, Dina's sister, as she travels with her daughter Helen to Arland's planet, to see if she can have a new life there with him.

Maud has had the experience of following her heart and becoming the wife of a vampire. Not everything was bad and she got her daughter, but the truth is that her life with her previous husband wasn't the partnership she imagined and things went on to become very bad. She is aware that Arland isn't the same type of person, but will she and her daughter be well received in his planet, by his family? She is willing to try, but she knows that if nothing goes according to plan, she has her sister to help, especially since it does seem as if the welcome she imagined to be polite if not warm, is actually stressful and complicated due to the fact Arland's family is hosting a wedding... but something isn't quite right...

As always, it was a great fun to read this story. These authors are consistent in their style and talent and whether one likes one book more than another, there is no doubt that the ability is there and easy to notice. I should say that this can be read as a standalone, but it is incredibly rewarding to read the whole series, and some references do make more sense that way.

This story also departs from the previous three one for it doesn't take place at Dina's Inn. This time, Maud travels to Arland's planet to see if she can adapt to his family and vampire life, as well as her daughter. In the previous book, Maud and Arland started noticing one another and circumstances brought them closer, but Maud had a previous marriage to a vampire and it didn't end well, even before her husband was killed. She is wary and this is to be expected, after all. Nevertheless, it is obvious these two would be a couple that would match, and the fun was in anticipating how well Maud would actually adapt.

As soon as they arrive, Maud has to face adversity, but nothing she can't handle. It turns out that all the experience she gained before, all the things she studied and improved on for her first vampire marriage, would end up being useful here too. I did like the fact Maud was a great heroine, vulnerable but also fearless and her behavior was conscious and considerate in her new environment. As an adventure, this story worked out pretty well, even if one thinks about how Helen had do adapt too.

I liked the cultural aspects too, because Maud was also afraid other vampires would not welcome Helen or that Maud would be seen as inferior somehow, but all the situations that led to her feeling worthy were not only due to others's words/actions, but through her own personal awareness. I suppose that being with the right people certainly helps, and it was certainly hopeful and exciting to see Maud gaining the trust and the gratitude of other members of Arland's family.

The romance is very subtle, it's all in actions, little things, small key scenes/moments. I think a bit more demonstration would be better, but the way things are developed, it is clear they have feelings for each other, and we can even say they aren't demonstrative people anyway, in terms of personality. It was also fun to know more about the vampires in this series, but in this regard, i do think the authors could have gone further in establishing or describing more by having interactions being more central.

All in all, another great story and I can't wait for the next!

Grade: 8/10

Cara Hunter - In the Dark

From the author of the massive bestseller CLOSE TO HOME, comes the second pulse-pounding DI Fawley crime thriller.
A woman and child are found locked in a basement room, barely alive.
No one knows who they are — the woman can't speak, and there are no missing persons reports that match their profile. The elderly man who owns the house claims he has never seen them before.
The inhabitants of the quiet Oxford street are in shock. How could this happen right under their noses? But DI Adam Fawley knows that nothing is impossible.
And that no one is as innocent as they seem ...

Comment: This is the second installment in the DI Adam Fawley series by Cara Hunter. I had read the first book in the series by pure chance, an impulsive choice at the library back in November of 2025, but it was a good read and I felt like reading the next one, at least.

In this story, the police team is investigating the case of a woman and her child, found in a basement, with clear signs of prolonged hunger and thirst.The house they are found at belongs to an old teacher, who has some sort of dementia, and investigating him reveals he divorced his wife fora younger woman, although both women are now dead. What is the connection between these people? How did the woman get locked in the basement? Who is the child's father? How could the neighbors not see anything? And does it seem that a woman missing for two years is also connected to this house?

The plot of this book was an incredible exercise in twists and discoveries. the author must have had a lot of fun thinking and plotting this story because I really could not see the big twist coming until the obvious moment it was revealed.

The story happens some time after the events of the first book, and there are some hints about what happened then, but not to the point in which a new reader would not understand. This plot is isolated from the other, but the police team is the same, so it is to be expected that many references are continuous or sequential about them and their personal lives.

The case investigated was actually very interesting and I did not see the twists coming, which made this story very refreshing, even though the secrets aren't that original or the characters acting on them that special or amazing. Still, the author was able to present this in such a way that the sequence of events and how things are shared to the reader make the surprises really well planned and timed. In terms of plot, I think this book was a lot more impactful than the first one.

I also liked the new insights into the main characters' lives and their behavior at home and at work. Some are clearly meant to be characters we look for and root for (like Adam, or officers Everett and Sommer) and others are meant to be the morally grey ones, such as officer Quinn. The juxtaposition of all these people and their respective personalities helped to sustain the story and strength of the characterization of everyone. I cannot say I liked them all, but I do feel interested in them and in what will be there for them in the next story.

However, in spite of the good elements, and even some better ones here than in the first installment, I did give the same grade to both books. I cannot pinpoint exactly what I feel could have elevated this more, considering how incredible some elements truly were, but perhaps the atmosphere wasn't always very likable or the characters didn't make choices I think would be consistent with other aspects of their personalities. I confess I wasn't fond of the plot device in which Adam and his wife actively participate in a specific situation related to the boy found with his mother in the basement. I understand why it matters for the characters as they further develop, but I didn't like the unlikeliness of this situation.

Still, this was a fascinating story and I read it in practically one day. I'm fully invested in reading the next too, when I can.

Grade: 8/10

Alexandra Vasti - Ne'er Duke Well

Peter Kent―newly inherited Duke of Stanhope and recently of New Orleans, Louisiana―must become respectable. Between his radical politics and the time he interrupted a minor royal wedding with a flock of sheep―not his fault!―he’s developed a scandalous reputation at odds with his goal of becoming guardian to his half siblings. For help, he turns to the cleverest and most managing woman of his acquaintance, Lady Selina Ravenscroft.
Selina is society’s most proper debutante, save one tiny secret: she runs an erotic circulating library for women. When Peter asks for her help, she suggests courtship and marriage to a lady of unimpeachable reputation. (Which is to say, definitely not herself.)
But matchmaking doesn’t go according to plan. Peter’s siblings run rampant on Bond Street. Selina ends up in the Serpentine. And worst of all, the scorching chemistry between Peter and Selina proves impossible to resist. For the disreputable duke and his unpredictable matchmaker, falling in love just might be the ultimate scandal.

Comment: I got curious about this book back in 2024, after reading AztecLady's review and feeling the story seemed very intriguing. I have, now, finally, gotten to it!

In this story we meet Peter Kent, who has just inherited a dukedom, and he wants this social improvement to help him get the guardianship of his half siblings Lucinda and Freddy. He is quite happy with his family's connection to the Ravenscrofts, namely to Selina, a woman he admires for her skill in dealing with social obligations and etiquette, something his young sister should benefit from as well. They conclude he should marry, to further prove his intentions towards his siblings are worthy, but it seems the ladies Selina finds for him, in spite of their incredible suitability, just don't work as well as he thinks Selina herself would do. It also seems this is something she things as well, thus is there any way for them to find a better option?

I think this was a very encouraging historical romance novel, for it was fun and captivating until the end, something recent historical romances seem to be missing, according to many reviews out there. I liked the fact this one worked out well and provided an interesting tale to read.

The main plot centers on Peter's intention of getting his siblings to live with him, and a huge difference in his hearing some time later being deferred sets on his status, behavior and the opinion of a man he feels he needs to impress. To achieve this, he seeks the help of those he is friends with, even though he is a duke who has been in America and has a very different perception of many things, that Tories  - like the man he wants to impress - see very differently. I can understand Peter's anxiety over this, after all a positive decision will mean he gets to his his family with him.

Therefore, many scenes are focused on presenting Peter in a good light but, of course, many other fun and silly things happen instead, which make it doubtful he will be seen well, but at the same time make the story feel funny and light. I think this balance was well achieved, actually, and I was never worried that things were going into too much silliness, as often happens in "light" romances. These scenes also helped to cement the idea that Peter and Selina would be a good match, although the passion they feel for one another was always a little too convenient and not as easily part of any organic development (to me).

In fact, the romance was cute as one would expect, and I liked it that we got to have scenes/situations in which the balance between them is made to be obvious. these two share a lot of interests and have common goals and ideas, so their romance also seems to be stronger. Such a thing is not always obvious and I liked it that the author took the time to set this up and to make it seem that as they got to interact, more layers were added to their relationship.

Another issue that take a place here, and which acts as an obstacle for why Peter and Selina don't become a couple sooner, is the fact Selina has an erotic publishing, part of a bigger brand in her twin brother's name. However, she has been doing this for two years and to society this would be scandalous, so she doesn't want this to be one more weight on Peter's chances of gaining guardianship because it's obvious the truth will be exposed sooner than later. I thought this to be a good element, perhaps not that easy to imagine, but still way better accomplished than similar things in other books.

It was also suggestive to have plenty of secondary characters being important in key scenes. I immediately imagined that so many people could be protagonists in following books, in seems there are two more after this one, but still many are left without a story, unless the next books have more than one romance being developed. I feel intrigued to try the next one, at least. One day.

Grade: 8/10

Gregory Ashe - Declination

Shaw and North are together. Finally. After eight years of knowing each other and loving each other and slipping past each other, they’ve finally told each other how they feel. Borealis Investigations is growing, and they have a major prospective client on the line. Everything is finally moving the way it should.
Until the night Shaw receives a phone call telling him that Detective Jadon Reck, his former boyfriend, has been attacked.
At the request of Jadon’s partner, Shaw and North begin an investigation into the attack. But nothing is at it seems. City police are working to cover up evidence faster than Shaw and North can find it, and the motive for the attack seems impossible to unravel.
When a conspiracy of dirty cops takes action against Shaw and North, the two detectives realize they are running out of time. They have to get answers about the attack on Jadon before they lose their own lives. But Shaw knows there are things worse than death. And one of them has come back for him, to finish what he started seven years before.
The West End Slasher has returned.

Comment: This is the third and final installment in the Borealis Investigations by Gregory Ashe, which concludes the trilogy. I'm glad I've read it, if only for closure.

After the events in the previous books, Shaw and North are finally together but they still need to deal with the consequences of the things that happened and the aftermath of how others reacted to their relationship now being romantic too. Things would go a lot easier too if Shaw could find a way to move on from his search for the Slasher, the killer who killed several gay guys and who has never been found. The man who was identified by the police never convinced him, but Shaw feels he needs to be sure, so when a new clue presents itself, they can't say no, especially since the clue is an attack on officer Jadon, who used to be Shaw's boyfriend. What is going on now, and what a mess the guys need to solve if they want to put an end to all the problems around them...

I will be brutally honest, finishing this book was an act of pure stubbornness, because I thought many times that I could simply not go on. The elements I didn't like much in the first book, which I hoped would be fixed in the second seemed only more obvious here, and I feel that the personal evolution of the characters and the improvement in their personal road was nil. To make it worse, this time the plot didn't convince me that much either.

I did like the fact the story had a goal, and that the Slasher case and investigation moved on and gave a conclusion to some loose threads, even if some were a little confusing at times. It's probably the only reason I gave this a positive note. The actual explanation is a bit weak, in my opinion, in the sense that the killer's motives were so ridiculous and due to weak manipulation but at least it made some sense in the big scheme of things.

The path to reach this point wasn't easy, however, and North and Shaw had a lot of situations to face before they were able to get on the right track. The reason is simple, they basically get countless distractions in between investigations and their personal drama, so my attention was so often lost that when they did something related to the actual Slasher plot, I probably missed a b«good part of it, in the midst of so many things that felt pointless to me.

Usually, this doesn't bother me much in other crime investigation novels, and at times it can even be fun/interesting to have stuff about the characters's romances and lives while we read about crimes, it can be a great overlap in terms of plot execution. Not here, though. For two books we've seen the cat and mouse game of North and Shaw walking on eggshells around one another for several reasons, although we could see they loved each other. Again, sometimes, this could be a wonderful detail and it would offer great sexual tension, but here it was actually more frustrating than heartbreaking.

These guys have a complicate story, no hiding from that, and I think it would have been necessary to have them star in more books before they could deal with all the things undone and unsaid before they can feel they are really in the right head space when it comes to love and stability in a relationship. It really didn't help me to picture this in a happy light when they endlessly banter about things that are supposed to make them seem endearing but that to me only read as tiring.

I suppose this is all a matter of personal taste, but I think this story in this style didn't work out. The crime investigation part, sure, it's doable and pleasant to go through, but the rest not really. I won't even get to the secondary characters, but let is be said that the majority were big disappointments. And, thinking about one in specific (Pari), even pointless.

Anyway, it's done and I'm sorry to say that I won't miss reading this story. Still, the guys got their HEA ad I thought that while this didn't happen in a way I can say was engaging, at least I had that as a fact and it would need to be enough. But, then the author had to include that last sentence and.... I'll simply stop here.

Grade: 5/10

Emily St John Mandel - Station Eleven

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.
Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

Comment: I saw this book at the library and remembered how much it had been praised and liked by many readers. I got curious and that was the only reason I decided to try it.

Years ago, a devastating flu killed the majority of the population, and the remaining ones had to adapt to a life without the commodities that have shaped people's lives in the recent decades, such as electricity and technologies. The survivors now live in a world where it is necessary to hunt and to collect things and where remembering the past can be both a need and a curse. Kristen travels with her friends in the itinerary symphony, stopping here and there to play music and to give people theater, just like when she was a young child part of a play, the very day the flu arrived in America. However, things change rapidly and safe places might not be anymore, and friendly faces might have moved somewhere else...

I didn't have many expectations about this book, only the awareness of positive reviews, because I had read another book by this author some years ago and I had not been totally convinced by it. Since this one has had way more ratings and praise, I figured that it would be a better story.

The plot is centered on a flu pandemic that kills most people in the planet at a very quick rate, and not that long after, the survivors need to adapt. This book came out in 2014, and I can see why some people might have thought life imitates art when a certain virus spread in late 2019 and after... Not everything is the same, of course, and the obvious difference is that in the book most people don't survive. I think the author did a good job to convey uncertainty and despair without it being cloying, or so unbearable as many other post apocalyptic worlds can be.

The story tells us the progress of Kristen and her troupe as they travel from place to place and how they see things change, sometimes from year to year. At the back of their mind there is always the hope things might go back to what they were before and perhaps one day cities will provide as they did before. For now, humans group together and try to deal with what happened as best as they can. I absolutely loved the fact this story never really highlights the most negative aspects of what a real situation like this would cause. I mean, some things are alluded, but there is no shock factor in seeing violent and inhumane things being described on the page.

With this said, the story isn't innocent not does it hide from the harsh facts;but it does present this in a more melancholic and almost philosophical way, which really appealed to me. I suppose for fans of "hardcore" apocalyptic worlds, this feels too tame, but I liked precisely that. In between the plot of the troupe, we get to have plenty of scenes from the "before" of several characters, and how they were in terms of personality and choices, and why some might have become who they are now. In some cases, it's really only a matter of characterization and comparison.

I liked the tone of the story and the fact that terrible things aren't waiting for everyone all the time. Yes, some sad things happen, some unfair ones, some avoidable... all things that make human choices be more or less valid, but I liked it that all characters were interesting and weren't all black and white. Even the villain, if we can use this word, is shaped by the past and the aftermath of the pandemic, not because it has always been a terrible person.

The end is one of hope, I think, because many people survived the only way possible, they tried to create small groups /communities in a way that can resemble order and peace just like the civilized societies used to be before the pandemic. Not all is easy to adapt to, of course, but I liked this idea that patience and hope can be half way to maintain sanity and structure to any rules and behaviors. The book isn't big but I think it was a good one to give food for thought, although sometimes perhaps a bit too simplistic. I also would have liked if more attention had been given to other people not just the ones we followed.

Grade: 8/10

Meg Shaffer - The Book Witch

Rainy March is a proud, third-generation Book Witch, sworn to defend works of fiction from all foes real and imaginary. With her magical umbrella and feline familiar, she jumps in and out of novels to fix malicious alterations and rogue heroes like a modern-day magical Nancy Drew.
Book Witches live by a strict code: Real people belong in the real world; fictional characters belong in works of fiction. Do not eat, drink, or sleep inside a fictional world, lest you become part of the story. Falling in love with a fictional character? Don’t even think about it.
Which is why Rainy has been forbidden from seeing the Duke of Chicago, the dashing British detective who stars in her favorite mystery series. If she’s ever caught with him again, she’ll be expelled from her book coven—and forced to give up the magical gifts that are as much a part of her as her own name.
But when her beloved grandfather disappears and a priceless book is stolen, there’s only one person she trusts to help her solve the case: the Duke. Their quest takes them through the worlds of Alice in Wonderland, King Arthur, and other classics that will reveal hidden enemies and long-buried family secrets.

Comment: This is the most recent book by Meg Shaffer, whose previous books The Wishing Game and The Lost Story were very appealing to me, especially the first one, which was really wonderful. Of course, I expected more of the same...

Rainy March is a book witch, meaning that she can travel to the fictional stories and deal with necessary things, such as if someone is interfering with how the story is supposed to go. Rainy is very dedicated and she wants to follow the rules just like her late mother, who used to be known as the best of the book witches. But with the same specificity of good outcomes when the rules are met, there are consequences if something doesn't go according to plan, and Rainy will learn her lesson when her new task sends her to a book in the Duke of Chicago series. The thing is, Rainy has always considered the duke to be her "book boyfriend" but everyone knows one of the main rules of this job is that one should not fall in love with a fictional character, especially if they need to work together to solve some mysteries...

I had a lot of hope for this book, not only because I had the experience of having enjoyed the other books by the author and kind of anticipating her style, but also because the plot seemed to hit on the perfect fantasy for a book lover, such as it is to think one could visit beloved stories.

The plot is divided into several sections, labeled as literary genres, starting with romance, then mystery, and so on. This was clever and a good indication of what type of situation the main characters would find, and I think all were suited for the situations presented. The plot focus on the idea that rainy and the fictional duke go on to solve some mysteries which turn out to have connections with other things and the more they discover, the more complex the story becomes. On the way, they fall in love.

I should say that, in regards to the other books by Shaffer I had read, the magical elements are, as it seems to be the pattern, not fully developed and explained. This can be tiring because I do like some sense in how certain things can happen. However, I think I accepted this element better here than in The Lost Story. Still, I must confess that, out of the three books, this is the one I liked less and my personal grades have gotten lower with each book, with The Wishing Game being an 8, The Lost Story a 7 and this now a 6.

Unfortunately, my biggest issue is that the romance element was incredible vague and too subtle, which means that felt poorly engaging. Then, the second section with the mystery aspects taking the focus was very confusing at times and, sadly, dull at others. I struggled to maintain my attention on what was happening and only when that section ended and new information was shared, did I feel things improved. Still, the somehow confusing scenes continued - along with the lack of explanations for some magical things - and I think the characters never got the depth I think such a story deserved. There are emotional scenes but the characters' attitude was often so all over the place that made it difficult to connect with them.

Then, another element I found a little poorly done was the whole jumping into books and so on element. I mean, as a possibility, this is great and whimsical and dreamy and who is the reader who never dreamed of such an idea? However, the choice of having Rainy and others going from this place to that and so on and never really making is special or memorable and almost only a prop for what Rainy was supposed to be doing for work, was a little disappointing. This element also reminded me too much of The Astral Library by Kate Quinn, a book with a similar premise and plot point, which I had read in July and that I graded low (4/10). The idea just didn't really convince me as I imagined, in either book.

Therefore, this book was good enough in terms of entertainment, it had good details but as a big picture it didn't seem that strong and, honestly, I don't think I'll ever re-read it, not even parts of it.

Grade: 6/10

Yrsa Sigurdardottir - The Silence of the Sea

An abandoned yacht, a young family missing - chilling crime from the queen of Nordic Noir.
The most chilling novel yet from Yrsa Sigurdardottir, an international bestseller at the height of her powers.
'Mummy dead.' The child's pure treble was uncomfortably clear. It was the last thing Brynjar - and doubtless the others - wanted to hear at that moment. 'Daddy dead.' It got worse. 'Adda dead. Bygga dead.' The child sighed and clutched her grandmother's leg. 'All dead.'
A luxury yacht arrives in Reykjavik harbour with nobody on board. What has happened to the crew, and to the family who were on board when it left Lisbon?
Thora Gudmundsdottir is hired by the young father's parents to investigate, and is soon drawn deeper into the mystery. What should she make of the rumours saying that the vessel was cursed, especially given that when she boards the yacht she thinks she sees one of the missing twins? Where is Karitas, the glamorous young wife of the yacht's former owner? And whose is the body that has washed up further along the shore?

Comment: After having read other books by this author and enjoying them, I've decided to try this one too, whose Portuguese cover intrigued me, as suggestive as it looks. 

In this story lawyer Thora is working for a couple whose son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters went missing from a ship that sailed from Lisbon to Reykjavik and that crashed into the harbor on arrival. It turned out that no one was on board when the police investigated so, what could have happened? Besides the family, there had been just three more people, the crew, and no sign of them either. Thora knows the chance of finding someone alive isn't very likely, but she still needs to follow the protocols to declare them dead, since the couple doesn't have much money and there's yet one granddaughter to take care of, the youngest one who stayed behind. As some clues become revealed about the ship's owners and what happened in it in the past, can this explain what happened to these seven people now?

Apparently, this is the last book in a series whose main character is Thora, the lawyer. I had no idea and didn't investigate properly but it seems the points in common would have been related to the character's personal life and not any cases she worked on, as I've seen happening with the books in the other series I've tried by the author, and that followed a similar pattern.

I was interested in this book because of the Portuguese cover, which seemed very creepy somehow, and added to the premise, this story felt more like possible horror than mystery, but I trusted the author would do a good job as she had done with the other books I had read. It was also intriguing to think this story was being linked to a real case, which might have been used as inspiration for this book. Besides, the idea of doing such a travel by ship seems both fascinating and weird, meaning, without more people as one would expect in normal circumstances.

Portuguese cover

The main intrigue was, of course, what happened to the people, since seven people left Lisbon and no one arrived in Reyjkavik. But, as the plot progresses, we start noticing that many other things, some seemingly more secondary than others, were also a bit too strange, such as why the family decided to travel by ship when they had all planned to go by plane, why such a small crew, what happened to one of them who had to be replaced at the last moment, and what might have happened, intentional or accidental, for no one to be found on arrival?

The story is told in alternated chapters, some from the main POV of Thora (in third person) in which we see what happens after the ship arrives and what procedures are done by the authorities, and the other chapters are mostly focused on AEgir, the son of the couple who contacted Thora, as he lets us know how the journey started and what went on until the two time lines finally connect. I think this tactic really worked here because we can still have suspense and doubts on what happened and the reasons why. 

Of course, some things are a little too convenient, but considering the big picture, i think the mystery was well planned and executed. I think a few details were a little fuzzy and not completely believable if we think about such a small group of people managing certain tasks, but once the revelations are shared, a lot makes sense. I think some of the twists at the end, namely two in specific were very well done, at least I think I've never fully considered those things as options. Although, to be fair, perhaps other readers might have thought so.

Perhaps another thing I can point out is that some explanations are a bit too easy (almost as if something had to be said) and there is a particular sequence of scenes that I've found wasn't done as well, when Thora discovers the actual set of events. It's great that we get answers but I think this part in specific was not as atmospheric as other things had been before. Still, what an adventure... if all mysteries could be explained as we wish...

Grade: 8/10

L.A. Witt - Own Goal

Eight seasons ago, Jarek Badura made the biggest mistake of his career, earning him the nickname “Joke.” He’s been fighting ever since to prove that season was a fluke, and he’s only just started to leave it behind, finally regaining some respect and securing his place as second line center.
But his team just made a new acquisition, and suddenly he’s linemates with the man who was the unknowing catalyst for his fall from grace all those years ago.
After seven long seasons, Hunter Michaud is done carrying his disastrously managed team. An unrestricted free agent, he startles the hockey world by accepting an offer elsewhere, signing with a team that works together and builds on each other’s strengths. And it doesn’t hurt that one of Hunter’s longtime idols is on the roster.
He just doesn’t realize how much his career is already intertwined with Jarek’s.
Or how much resentment is waiting for him in Pittsburgh.
Or how much chemistry is hiding under the ice between them.

Comment: One more book by this author which has characters who play hockey. This book has no connection to the other ones I've read this past July and June, but I thought I might as well get to it. I've also checked that the author wrote another book with this theme, seemingly not connected either, but that one doesn't seem as appealing to me.

In this story we meet Jarek Badura, who is finally feeling he is at the best moment of his career, and that happens mostly because he is in a team where everyone, between players and coaches and staff, seem to really want to work as a team. It also helps he has made real friendships, but his life takes a turn when the team announces the next player they signed up, who happens to be Hunter Michaud, the player he feels he almost destroyed his career for, even though he has no idea. Things start complicated, although Hunter is there to be a team player and not the star others might expect, but Jarek can't help see him through his younger player's eyes... still, such animosity has to give at some point. Will they discover they have a lot more in common than they imagined?

I had a good time reading this one, I think the author did a great job in sequencing things and in making them interesting. I think it's visible how much this story seems improved, in terms of hockey content, from the other ones. Not that I'm an expert, but whatever is shared here seems to be done with more confidence and it is a lot more detailed in relation to what had been used in the other books with the theme.

Some readers complained that the story took too long since we spend a lot of time with Jarek's thoughts about his "mistakes". The story is told alternately by Jarek and Hunter, so this isn't really a matter of pages, but of perception; Jarek's POV is quite set on what he thinks others will think of him if a secret he is hiding comes out, and Hunter's POV is certainly more about his new experience and trying to be part of this team. I liked it that both were out and no one seems to care much in what that means in regards to their hockey abilities (as it should).

I will agree that the perception of why Jarek's thoughts seem repetitive might not be that unlikely, though. He does spend a lot time thinking about what a terrible secret he has, and it gets to the point that, I mean, it really has to pay off, otherwise this would seem ridiculous. Well, the secret is quite serious, more than I imagined, and it does explain his fears and behavior. We might think we would not fall for the manipulation he was caught in, but, seriously, it would not be hard if one is as young as Jarek was when he did what he did.

Anyway, the dramatic issues weren't just props and I liked it that things were given proper meaning when necessary, but I confess my attention was on the romance, which took some time to be developed, a factor I liked, because it did give credence to the guys' feelings when they finally admitted they were attracted to one another. I don't think the romance part was that hard to accept because the tension between them and the common details brought them a lot closer too. So, I believed in them when they started thinking about love.

I liked both guys as individuals, and I liked it that we got to see them interact with their teammates so often, and in funny/special ways, reinforcing the friendship and the camaraderie. I think these things in sports are often only seen for publicity and it's almost as players don't see each other out of work, but I have to assume it's not so. We also see Jarek interact with his sister, but Hunter never really speaks to his family, I will assume due to geographical distance, but... it would have been nice. The fact they have a positive work place also gives credibility to the end of the story.

All in all, I had a great time reading this one. As I've said about the previous book, this is another one i'd re-read if I had the time in the future.

Grade: 8/10

Julie A. Richman - Reel love

The moment I laid eyes on Finn Parker's headshot, I knew that if this guy could act, I wanted him for the hero role in the film being made from my book, Fleeing an August Moon.
The tall, blond, and ruggedly handsome actor looked exactly like the picture I'd seen in my head the entire time I was writing the book.
The studio, however, had different thoughts on a leading man. Box Office crusher, Maverick Dailey, made it clear that he wanted the role. The producers, studio, and everyone involved were thrilled to score such a celebrity. Well, everyone except me.
And it's my vote that counts since, according to my contract, I get final say on casting. Maverick is amazing, yet I'm just not sure...
It certainly didn't help that Finn Parker and I seemed destined to cross paths. We ran into each other all over Hollywood. And the more time we spent together, the more the sparks between us flew. We had an intense chemistry, something I'd only ever read about in books like mine.
Which made me wonder, was I really falling for Finn or just living out a fantasy with a red-blooded, live version of my hot hero character?
It's easy to confuse fiction for reality in Hollywood. Everything is not as it seems in this town.
Not to mention, Finn's life would forever change if he landed the role. Which made me question how good of an actor he really was? Was he interested in me, or the role I had the power to give him?

Comment: I got this book for free from a site I have subscribed to several years ago. Each month a book is made available, all contemporary romances, and some seem interesting, others not as much. I thought the idea of a romance writer and the actor she meets when her book is about to be adapted might be interesting.

Francesca "Frankie" Simonelli has written a wonderful romance which has resonated with readers beyond the label is was sold for. Now, the opportunity to adapt it to the big screen is about to happen and actors are auditioning which is quite exciting for Frankie too. She even has the chance to be part of the process and while everyone seems to expect this to be a formality considering there's a big name indicated to be the protagonist, Frankie can't help but be drawn to Finn Parker, a not so known name. A chance meeting near the beach only solidifies this and they even seem to be come friends, but is Frankie feeling this because of how good an actor he is or because she likes him as Finn? And will Finn finally have his big break or will his feelings for Frankie cloud his goals?

I've started this story without many expectations, and only really thought it would be a good chick lit type of plot, with the usual tropes/situations. In a way, it was precisely so, but until a certain point, everything was being quite interesting and I thought that while it wasn't spectacular, it was quite entertaining.

For some reason, I could not connect with Frankie that easily, though. I can't explain it, after all she is a protagonist I should sympathize with right away, being her a writer of romance and enjoying books and such and being in Hollywood coming from Texas, which means she should feel a little out of place. Well, I thought this seemed to be happening at first, but then, among all the glamour of most scenes, she behaved in such a way that I just could not see it being that easy to be realistic. I suppose I wanted her to act with a bit more doubt in what she should be like in such a different place.

Finn I liked more and his thoughts on what it's like to be in a industry that demands a lot and presents an image of actors and then in real life not everyone has it easy as the movies and social media make it sound. I think his personality was very appealing and I liked how he was dedicated to the potential role, not knowing if he would get it. Perhaps his dealings with his family were a little under developed, considering some scenes towards the end.

As a couple, these two were fine enough but I liked it better when they were getting to know each other and in the process of thinking about the other as more than just a friend or someone to talk about in regards to the movie and how to deal with the glamour aspects of the events they had to attend. Once they got intimate, I just could not see the connection anymore, I cannot explain it well. I didn't see the vibe nor why they would make it in the long term. Although, considering there's a HEA, they will get to have one, of course.

The scenes related to the movie and the acting business, and how there are so many people involved in ways that never get to be obvious for the public, was both interesting and stressful because I could tell some kind of obstacle would happen for the protagonists. Well, this didn't happen as I imagined, but by the time this took place in the story, I wasn't as captivated by the plot and didn't really feel these subjects mattered that much for my enjoyment of the book.

In the end, reading this was good enough because there were some moments that gave me food for thought in regards to themes I don't really pay attention to, but thinking about the romance and the details I thought I'd like, it wasn't as great.

Grade: 6/10