February 2024 Wrap-Up

  

The Jewels of Halstead Manor (Ladies of Devon #1) by Kasey Stockton

4 of 5 stars. Review to come. This was the Pick it for me book for February and I liked it so much I read the next 3 books in the series. Only one left to go and I'll have completed the whole series.

 

Great North Road by Peter F. Hamilton

2 of 5 stars. This ended up being a DNF for me. Unfortunately it felt too long and I didn't care for any of the characters.

 

Thicker Than Water (DCI Logan #2) by J.D. Kirk

4 of 5 stars. This was a good second book in the series. I'm liking the characters enough to continue on.

 

 

 

 The Lady of Larkspur Vale (Ladies of Devon #2) by Kasey Stockton

4 of 5 stars. Review to come. 

 

A Deadly Education (Scholomance #1) by Naomi Novik

4 of 5 stars. Review to come.

 

Mysteries of Thorn Manor (Sorcery of Thorns 1.5) by Margaret Rogerson

3 of 5 stars. It was fun to revisit Thorn manor and these characters.

 

Yule Be Sorry (Beaufort Scales #2) by Kim M. Watt

3 of 5 stars. This was another enjoyable book in this series. As I said before though, I usually enjoy these cozy mysteries more as a one and done thing and get bored with series of this genre. This one was really cute and if you like this sort of thing then I definitely recommend it, but I think two books are enough for me. Time to move on.

 

The Widow of Falbrooke Court (Ladies of Devon #3) by Kasey Stockton

4 of 5 stars. Review to come.

 

 

 

Everwild (Skinjacker #2) by Neal Shusterman

4 of 5 stars. This was an enjoyable reread. I had forgotten some of the details. I initially gave this 5 stars but this time around I'm dropping my rating to 4. 

 

Stones of Light (Threadlight #2) by Zack Argyle

3.5 stars. Review to come.

 

 

 The Recluse of Wolfeton House (Ladies of Devon) by Kasey Stockton

4 of 5 stars. Review to come.

 

 

 

The Snowman (Harry Hole #7) by Jo Nesbo

1 of 5 stars. Review to come.

Hickory Dickory Dock (Hercule Poirot #30) by Agatha Christie

4 of 5 stars

 

 

3.5 of 5 stars. This novella was predictable, but I still enjoyed getting the different perspectives of each neighbor. 

 

 

 

The Red House by George Agnew Chamberlain

3.5 of 5 stars. Review to come.

 

 

The Cabin on Souder Hill by Lonnie Busch

2 of 5 stars. Review to come.

 

 

 

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett

No rating yet, I'm still reading it. Review to come.

 

 

 

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

 

 

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Historical Romance
Content: Clean

 

Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village. . .and to her mother's tattered heart?

Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

 

This has got to be the most disappointing book I've ever read by Julie Klassen. Needless to say, this has now taken the place of The Apothecary's Daughter as my least favorite book by this author.

The biggest problem I had with this was that I didn't connect with the characters. While Alec was a nice person, I didn't find him all that attractive as a leading man because he was somewhat of a dandy and that didn't come across very masculine to me. I'm also used to reading about leading men who can stand up to bullies and Alec gets bullied in this book more than once by the town bullies. I did like the clever way he stood up to them eventually, but I just wanted to read about a character who could have done that from the beginning. He wasn't a child, he was a grown man and I wanted to read about a capable one. There were also the times when he didn't want to get dirty or do any sort of hard labor that were also turn-offs for me.

Then there was the leading lady, Julia. I didn't like Julia at all throughout most of the book. She was so immature. It took way too long for her to grow up and realize how stupid her selfish, vain, and reckless behavior was. Not that I didn't understand why she had issues, but I didn't enjoy reading this book with her as a main character. There were supporting characters that I would much rather have been reading about than the main characters in this book.

The plot of this book was sort of like Footloose in the regency era. It didn't work for me. The reason why dancing was banned in the town was based on one selfish woman's secrets. I'm calling her selfish, because this woman had something happen to her and then she decided that no one else could enjoy dancing because of it. Overall, this is just a really flimsy plot that was easy to puzzle out. There were no real surprises here, just annoying characters. 

I think if this had been any other author I would have overlooked some of the annoyances, but Julie Klassen has written so much better than this. This was the last of her published novels that I hadn't yet read, and even though this one was a disappointment, I will of course keep reading her other books as she publishes them.

Esrahaddon (The Rise and the Fall #3) by Michael J. Sullivan

  

 My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Mild language

 

A hero to some. A villain to many. The truth forever buried.

The man who became known as Esrahaddon is reported to have destroyed the world’s greatest empire—but there are those who believe he saved it. Few individuals are as divisive, but all agree on three facts: He was exiled to the wilderness, hunted by a goblin priestess, and sentenced to death by a god—all before the age of eight. How he managed to survive and why people continued to fear his name a thousand years later has always been a mystery...until now.

From the three-time New York Times best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan, Esrahaddon is the final novel in the Rise and Fall trilogy. This latest set of stories sits snugly between the Legends of the First Empire series and the Riyria books (Revelations and Chronicles). With this tale, Michael continues his tradition of unlikely heroes who must rise to the call when history knocks, demanding to be let in. This is the 19th full-length novel in a body of work that started in 2008 and spans four series.

 

This is the third and final book in the Rise and the Fall Trilogy. The trilogy that bridges together The Legends of the First Empire and The Riyria Revelations and Chronicles, and it's the one I've been waiting so long to read! Since I finished The Riyria Revelations series, I've wanted to read more about Esrahaddon. He was such an interesting character, and this book did not disappoint me. I loved everything about this book. I did think it started out a little slow, but when it got going it really grabbed me, and once I got to the last quarter of the book, it was impossible to put down.

As usual with a Michael J. Sullivan book, the characters were all great. I loved the goblins. I truly came to love Hekkebah, Niblick, and Mashie. They were such a pleasant surprise. I also enjoyed reading more about the gods, Uberlin, Trilos, and Muriel and some of the revelations about them, particularly Muriel.

There was so much unexpected humor in this book. I found myself giggling quite often as I read. Not only that, but it had me feeling all the emotions. The end left me wanting more, even though I had the full story. I had to go back and reread Esrahaddon's parts in The Riyria Revelations after I finished this.

“I’m not a philosopher, but I know that worth isn’t found in a sword or the skill to wield it. Worthiness comes from the heart, from courage in the face of adversity, from fighting a battle you know you can’t win with dignity.”

 

 

 

 

 

A Lost Ship in a Dark Grave (The Lyra Cycle #2) by Rene Astle

  

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera
Content: Strong language

 

Rule number 27: Don’t trust the weird Sisters.

Or maybe it’s don’t steal from gangsters. Either way...words to live by.

The Lyra is safe. And so is Alek Wa’s secret. His mission is over, and he can leave the ship. But he’s not sure he wants to. And when the Sisters of Elazir drop them into the Green Zone, Alek’s stomach sinks. The last time he was here, he fled with his life and barely got away.

Rebeka Mino isn’t happy to be in the Green Zone, ruled by gangsters and reprobates. She can survive it though — she’s been there before. But then things go from bad to worse: her ex shows up with a treasure map to a fabled ship.

With the Lyra back in working order, Tink has no desire to chase after mythical treasure ships. She wants life to get back to normal: odd jobs, the occasional salvage and tinkering in her engine room. But with her secret exposed and unwelcome guests, she doubts if things can ever go back to normal...and Alek Wa is still onboard.

When the gangsters start shooting, their only escape might be to find a lost ship in a dark grave. Can Alek outrun his past? Can Rebeka’s ex survive their reunion? Can they uncover the mystery ship and its treasure? Most importantly, can they get out with their lives?

 

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was looking forward to continuing with this book, but I have to say that this one was not as compelling to me. The story is hampered by too many of the same types of events repeating over and over. In the first book the Lyra is constantly tracked by another ship and they end up showing up everywhere. That continued in this book to the point that it got very old. Then, of course they decide to take on illegal cargo and they end up hiding it, just like the last book. I also wasn't crazy about the plot with the space archeologists and the hidden relics. It just felt very done before. So now I'm on the fence about whether I want to read book three. I'll think about it for a while before I decide. 

The Narrator by K. L. Slater

  

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller
Content: Strong language, Kidnapping, Psychological torture

 

What if the chance of a perfect life… put your daughter in grave danger?

Being a single mother is tough, but I’d do anything for my little girl Scarlet. I’d given up on my career as a voice actor when the call came, but suddenly I was the new narrator for a secret book from bestselling author Philippa Roberts, who has been missing for eight months. It was a lifeline for me and my daughter.

I hated that it meant leaving Scarlet with my ex in his perfect new home with his perfect new girlfriend. But I knew it was the right thing to do.

But as I start reading Philippa’s new novel, I start to wonder if it’s no coincidence that I’ve been chosen to narrate it. There’s something hidden in the pages of this book, I’m sure of it. Some clue to Philippa’s disappearance. And I don’t feel safe. I think I’m being watched. My room has been searched.

And then my ex’s girlfriend calls in tears and everything starts to click together. If I don’t find answers fast, I’ll lose more than my second chance. I’ll lose my daughter.

 

First off, I want to point out that the book description is very misleading. There are multiple things in the description that didn't happen in the book, or at least not the way they are described. I've never felt so lied to by a book description.

As for the book itself, it was suspenseful, but highly improbable. In the beginning I felt like I was reading something very dark. I was worried about what was going to happen to this lady that was kidnapped. I was picturing all sorts of terrible things. Then it took a different turn, one that was kind of absurd.

As far as the characters went, I mostly liked the main character, but I didn't care for any of the others. The main character's ex-husband was so despicable, I was grinding my teeth at one point, and her mother wasn't much better. I couldn't believe they were being such pushovers to this guy. Then there's the kidnap victim. She, at one point did something so dumb during this ordeal, that I found it unbelievable.

And that brings us to the whole kidnapping in general. WHY? I was very surprised at the twist in this book, and that's probably because there weren't enough clues given in the book to point me in that direction. I mainly don't understand why this person did all this. WHY? It didn't really make much sense. The motivation was flimsy for the ends this person went to.

Initially, I was going to give this 3 stars, but as I've thought about it more and more I've decided on 2.

A Winter by the Sea (On Devonshire Shores #2) by Julie Klassen

  

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Romance, Clean Romance, Historical Romance
Content: Clean

 

When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters are called upon to host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the sweet possibility of romance into their home.

Meanwhile, Emily Summers approaches a local publisher in hopes of fulfilling her dream of becoming an author. When he turns her down, his dashing competitor promises to consider her novel if she will first write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily accepts and begins researching with the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor from her past shows up at Sea View, leaving Emily torn between the desires she used to hold dear and her budding dreams for the future.

Return to the Devonshire coast with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges.

This is one of the books I was looking forward to reading the most at the end of the year, but I ended up not getting to it until January. This series is about sisters who move to Devonshire with their mother after their father dies. They've fallen on some rather hard times as a male relative has inherited their family home, so they end up buying a house in Devonshire and turning it into a guesthouse to make money. Even before the death of their father and the move they experienced other losses as well. 

There are two twin sisters in the family plus two older sisters and a younger one. The oldest is away living with an aunt for reasons I won't divulge because that would be a spoiler for book one. Book one focused mostly on one of the twins, and this book focuses mostly on the other. I liked that there were still parts about the other characters in the books. It felt rather episodic in nature, the way it switched from one character to another. This could also feel a bit like we were just skimming the surface of things at times as well, but overall I still enjoyed the way this was written. 

In the beginning this book felt a bit slow to me, but once it got going I couldn't put it down. The romance was full of longing and conflicted feelings, which made it fun to read, and it was hard to wait for Emily to get her first kiss from the man she loved. When it finally happened it was magic.

There's also the Duke and Duchess of Kent with their baby, the future Queen Victoria, visiting the town. This brought an interesting historical element to the novel, and I appreciated the author's notes at the end of the book about this visit and how it was based on real happenings. 

 

 

 

 

The Kickstarter for Drumindor by Michael J. Sullivan is live!

This is the long awaited fifth book in the Riyria Chronicles series.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/michaeljsullivan/drumindor-riyria-chronicles-5-hardcovers-deluxe-and-regular