Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman

Title: Falling for Her Bachelor (Palotays of Montana #1)

Author: Robin Bielman

Publisher: Tule Publishing 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 206

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Literary Escapes - Wyoming

When Navy firefighter Nick Palotay returns to Marietta to go on the bachelor auction block for a good cause, he expects it to be risk free. But when he needs someone safe to bid on him and his sister's best friend is coaxed into stepping up, Nick isn’t prepared for the effect Cassidy has on him. She sends his mind to all kinds of dirty places…places his battered heart can’t afford.

Freelance photographer Cassidy Ware is in waaay over her head. She’s always been Nick’s other little sister, but she’s all grown up now and just a glance from him leaves her hot and bothered. Still, she can stay immune to his charms and keep him at an emotional distance because she’s got an agenda, too. She’ll help the too-handsome Nick with his charitable deed, and, in return, he’ll help her keep an unwelcome suitor at bay.

A deal’s a deal, but when their “business transaction” turns into more pleasure than duty, can they walk away from each other without losing what matters most?

A cute little story of an off-limits romance. I really really liked Nick in this story, Cassidy a little less. I would have liked a bit more story in the in-between scenes. This could have been turned into a great full length novel. As it stands, I really did enjoy this story.

Palotays of Montana

#1 Falling for Her Bachelor
#2 Once Upon a Royal Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

Man-Eaters Vol. 1 and 2

Title: Man-Eaters Vol. 1

Author: Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Lia Miternique

Publisher: Image 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Adolescent girls can be real monsters. Maude is twelve, about the age some girls turn into flesh-eating wild cats. As her detective dad investigates a series of strange mauling attacks, Maude worries she may be the killer. Collects #1-4

A friend lent me these two trades because he thought I would like them. And boy did I! I love this feminist tale of female growth and empowerment. The storyline is thoroughly original and the characters are great fun. I sped through this volume and then had to go back and reread my favorite advertisements and extras. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Title: Man-Eaters Vol. 2

Author: Chelsea Cain, Kate Niemczyk, Lia Miternique

Publisher: Image 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 128

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Twelve-year-old, Maude, has a case of puberty-induced pantherism, a missing friend, a detective dad who thinks she may be a killer, a mom with a big secret, a unicorn hiding in her bedroom, and a plan to overthrow the patriarchy.

From the creative team that brought you the groundbreaking and Eisner-nominated series Mockingbird, this trade paperback collects the second arc of the unconventional coming-of-age tale―including the mental hygiene guide for girls, “WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME AND HOW CAN IT BE STOPPED?” Collects MAN-EATERS #5-8

Another great volume. I loved how the story developed in these issues. The mystery has deepened and Maude has became such a great main character. Love it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas with the Black Sheep by Natalie-Nicole Bates

Title: Christmas with the Black Sheep

Author: Natalie-Nicole Bates

Publisher: Books to Go Now 2014

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 44

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

It’s Christmas time, and Eriah Jameson has returned home to restart his family’s business. Due to his wild child past, no one is friendly or welcoming to Barrow Haven’s black sheep.

Aylin Myers lost her job when Eriah’s father took ill. She knows Eriah needs her help getting his business up and running again, but she doesn’t trust him. If he fails, she knows it will dishonor his father’s memory. And Aylin knows that at Christmas, it’s the right thing to help your fellow man—no matter how wretched he might be.

As Aylin gets to know Eriah, she sees a side of him Barrow Haven never saw. That perhaps the black sheep has changed for the better. Still, can she be sure this side of Eriah is real, and not just a facade he’s perfected over time to get his own way?

Decent little short story featuring a Holiday romance. In truth, I gave this three stars because it just didn’t seem like it was finished. There was way too much missing and unsaid in this story. I would have liked it better if it had been twice as long.

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Christmas Curse by Joan Gable

Title: My Christmas Curse

Author: Joan Gable

Publisher: 2013

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 160

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Rbook

Megan Blake has been cursed with bad luck every Christmas season for as long as she can remember. This December, in an attempt to make light of her Curse, Meg—a travel journalist—writes a daily Christmas column chronicling her past misfortunes. As Christmas and her trip home to Indiana near, Meg waits for her Christmas Curse to strike again. Or has it already, causing her father’s depression? In the meantime, her walk down memory lane is conjuring up startling revelations about her present.
She discovers that there is more to her mother than just being a parent. As Meg and her mom bridge their generation gap, can these two women help with her father’s depression? When she learns that Crush—the first boy she ever liked—will also be in Indiana for the holidays, she can’t help but wonder if he’s still single or happily married with children. Will Crush turn out to be as meaningless as her ex-boyfriends of Christmas past? Will her blasts from the past leave her questioning her future?

Another dud of a holiday romance for me. It was another free Kindle book so I shouldn’t be too upset. The characters really fell flat. I didn’t like Megan at all. And we didn’t get to spend much time with any of the other characters. I spent almost 3/4 of the book wondering when the story was going to get started. Slow and uninspiring.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Christmas Lovebirds by Rachelle Ayala

Title:Christmas Lovebirds (Have a Hart #1)

Author: Rachelle Ayala

Publisher: Lovely Hearts Press 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 314

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Melisa Hart has a soft spot for her brother Connor’s ex-best buddy, Rob Reed. Unfortunately, Rob slept with Connor’s girlfriend and is no longer welcome with any of the Harts.
Melisa lends her pet lovebird for a Christmas Toy Drive, but a mix-up brings her face to face with Rob and his lovebird. Melisa is drawn into a whirlwind romance with Rob and discovers he hasn’t told her the entire story.
Can two little lovebirds and Christmas cheer open Melisa’s heart to giving Rob another chance?

Oooooffff! This book was such a dud for me. Melisa was a very annoying main character. I just wanted to smack her so many times. The romance was okay but nothing very exciting. But my biggest problem with this book was the many many many many chapters about birds and bird care. I felt like I was reading a freaking veterinary pamphlet so many times. I was so incredibly bored. Judging by this volume, I suspect that the rest of the series is similar, just switching out the animals from lovebirds. I just couldn’t find myself enjoying this book at all.

Have a Hart

#1 Christmas Lovebirds
#2 Valentine Hound Dog
#3 Spring Fling Kitty
#4 Blue Chow Christmas
#5 Valentine Wedding Hound
#6 Summer Love Puppy
#7 Dog Days of Love
#8 Valentine Puppies and Kisses

Next up on the TBR pile:

Unexpected Gifts by Elena Aitken

Title: Unexpected Gifts (Castle Mountain Lodge #1)

Author: Elena Aitken

Publisher: Ink Blot Communications 2011

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 184

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Snowed in for Christmas…She only wants to ignore it. But he’s determined to show her everything the season has to offer…including love.
For Andi Williams, Christmas represents everything she’s supposed to have—and doesn’t. Running away to a remote mountain lodge seems like the perfect way to escape the season. And it would have been if it weren’t for the snow storm and a booking mix-up that finds her stranded. That is, until a rough around the edges, green eyed stranger offers a solution.

There was no way in good conscious that Colin Hartford could leave the woman with nowhere to stay. Especially on Christmas. He knows all too well what it’s like to be alone for the holidays. It isn’t long before Colin’s determination to enjoy the festivities he’s missed for so long sweeps Andi into the season of joy that she’s not so sure she’s ready for.

If Andi can allow herself to open up—just a little—she might finally have the chance to experience everything the holidays can really offer…including love.

Another fun Christmas book. I really enjoyed Andi and Colin’s story snowed in at the Castle Mountain Lodge. This is a sweet romance with a hint of heat in a few scenes. I wanted a bit more heat at times, but it was a good story. My only issue was the rushed ending. Doesn’t it seem like I’m always complaining about a rushed ending? That’s because it very negative trend. But I did really enjoy reading this little romance. I’m not sure I will continue with the series (mainly because I got this as a free book), but it’s a good series so far.

Title: Unexpected Endings (Castle Mountain Lodge #2.5)

Author: Elena Aitken

Publisher: Ink Blot Communications 2013

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 48

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Return to the beautiful, rustic and romantic Castle Mountain Lodge and catch up with Andi and Colin who prove that sometimes Unexpected Gifts have equally Unexpected Endings.

While I was reading the first book, I noticed that this short story was the follow-up. I tacked it onto the end of the first book. It was good, but I really really wanted more. Still a fun little read.

Castle Mountain Lodge:

#1 Unexpected Gifts
#2 Hidden Gifts
#2.5 Unexpected Endings
#3 Mistaken Gifts
#4 Secret Gifts
#5 Goodbye Gifts
#6 Tempting Gifts
#7 Holiday Gifts
#7.5 Accidental Gifts
#8 Promised Gifts

Next up on the TBR pile:

Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen

Title: Heirs and Graces (Royal Spyness #7)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2013

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 295

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Cloak and Dagger

London, 1934. Entrusted by Her Majesty the Queen with grooming Jack Altringham—the Duke of Eynsford’s newly discovered heir fresh from the Outback of Australia—for high society, Georgie now has the luxurious opportunity to live in one of England’s most gorgeous stately homes. But upon her arrival at Kingsdowne Place, Georgie finds herself in a manor full of miscreants, none of whom are pleased with the discovery of her new ward.

Then the duke announces he wants to choose his own heir and causes quite the hubbub. Somewhere along the way Jack’s hunting knife ends up in the duke’s back. Eyes fall, backs turn, and fingers point to the young heir. As if the rascal weren’t enough of a handful, now he’s suspected of murder. But while Jack may be wild, Georgie would bet the crown jewels it wasn’t he who killed the duke...

Still enjoying this series, but this volume was a slight disappointment. I didn’t love the setting, story, or reveal. I really wanted a more sinister plot and conclusion. I did enjoy some of the side characters especially the old aunties. The seances were a fun inclusion to the storyline. But Georgie’s interaction with the family wasn’t much fun. And don’t get me started on Belinda. She was definitely shoe-horned into the story. No thank you. I still enjoy the fun cozy mystery and will continue reading. Here’s hoping the next volume is better.

Her Royal Spyness:

#0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
#1 Her Royal Spyness
#2 A Royal Pain
#3 Royal Flush
#4 Royal Blood
#5 Naughty in Nice
#6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
#7 Heirs and Graces
#8 Queen of Hearts
#9 Malice at the Palace
#10 Crowned and Dangerous
#11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service
#12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

Title: A Hundred Summers

Author: Beatriz Williams

Publisher: Berkley 2013

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 369

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Literary Escapes - Rhode Island

Lily Dane has returned to Seaview, Rhode Island, where her family has summered for generations. It’s an escape not only from New York’s social scene but from a heartbreak that still haunts her. Here, among the seaside community that has embraced her since childhood, she finds comfort in the familiar rituals of summer.

But this summer is different. Budgie and Nick Greenwald—Lily’s former best friend and former fiancé—have arrived, too, and Seaview’s elite are abuzz. Under Budgie’s glamorous influence, Lily is seduced into a complicated web of renewed friendship and dangerous longing.

As a cataclysmic hurricane churns north through the Atlantic, and uneasy secrets slowly reveal themselves, Lily and Nick must confront an emotional storm that will change their worlds forever...

My favorite Beatriz Williams book that I’ve read so far. Like many of her books, this one starts out fairly slowly, setting the scene and the characters. But about 50% of the way through, suddenly the plot starts moving faster and faster until it comes to the big conflict. Loved this story so much. I love the setting on the fictional Seaview, Rhode Island and New York City. I could see the summer community and every single cottage and building. I immediately fell for Lily and was rooting for her throughout the book. She’s definitely too much of a wallflower in the beginning, but eventually she finds her strength. I loved the romance between Lily and Nick. At times, I wanted to slap both of them, but that’s kinda the point. Miscommunication, lies, and omission all created their situation and it’s up to them to untangle the problem. The last 30 pages was a bit rushed (would’ve loved to have spent a bit more time with the aftermath of the hurricane), but overall I really really enjoyed this historical fiction.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Christmas Layover by Robert Tate Miller

Title: The Christmas Layover

Author: Robert Tate Miller

Publisher: Entangled Bliss 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 252

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Literary Escapes - Colorado

The weather forecasters said the snowstorm would miss the eastern seaboard. They were wrong. When Ally Henderson’s flight from Southern California to get married in New York City for Christmas gets diverted to the tiny Midwestern town of Bethlehem, she’s desperate to get back in the air and back to the Big Apple. But with all the airports closed, she’s forced to rely on Midwestern hospitality to wait out the storm. And she soon learns that she has a storm of her own to weather. One that could shatter her life.

Living with a kind stranger is one way to spend a snowed-in Christmas, but when she meets the local diner owner, Jake, sparks fly. Only, Ally’s a big-city girl with big-city dreams, and Jake will always be a Bethlehem boy.

This one was a mixed bag for me. I loved the overall storyline of the diverted flight. I really enjoyed Ally and Jake. I especially loved the interactions between all the characters. Unfortunately the book had major problems. So many times, there were abrupt transitions leaving me confused and lost. I had to reread so many chapter sections to understand exactly what was going on. This story would definitely have benefited from another editing pass.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay

Title: A Christmas Bride (Chapel of Love #1)

Author: Hope Ramsay

Publisher: Grand Central 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 295

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Motif - Seasons; Literary Escapes - Virginia

'Tis the season in Shenandoah Falls and the first time Willow Peterson has been home in years. But she's determined to fulfill the wishes of her recently deceased best friend and restore Eagle Hill Manor to its former glory-all in time to host the perfect holiday wedding. She just has to get the owner of the historic inn to hire her. Unfortunately, that means dealing with Scrooge himself...

After the death of his wife, David Lyndon has a bah-humbug approach to Christmas. But as December counts down and the wedding planning is in full swing, it's harder and harder to stay immune to the charms of Willow, especially when he sees how much joy she brings his eight-year-old daughter. After a simple kiss under the mistletoe turns into something more, David is hoping he can turn the magic of the holiday season into the love of a lifetime.

Such a cute Christmas story. I loved following David and Willow’s story through conflict to love. Light and fluffy is just want I want to read during the holiday season. I loved the side characters, especially Poppy and Walter, but Natalie might have been the best. I loved the town of Shenandoah Falls. I’ll be continuing to read this series soon.

Chapel of Love:

#1 A Christmas Bride
#2 A Small-Town Bride
#3 Here Comes the Bride
#4 The Bride Next Door

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Title: The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

Author: Kim Michele Richardson

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 308

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: UnRead Shelf; Literary Escapes - Kentucky

The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything―everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter.

Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble. If Cussy wants to bring the joy of books to the hill folks, she's going to have to confront prejudice as old as the Appalachias and suspicion as deep as the holler.

Our book club selection for this month and a definite recommendation. I was immediately intrigued by the back story of the Pack Horse Librarians. I always love learning about the hidden stories from history. And this one is such a good one. From there, the reader gets the added storyline of the blue people of Kentucky. Definitely intriguing. Beyond the storyline, I didn’t know how I was going to enjoy Cussy’s narration of this story. After a few chapters, I got used to the style and it didn’t bother me at all. I think this would be a great book on audio. If the narrator was good, the storytelling would be great.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane

Title: The Upside of Falling Down

Author: Rebekah Crane

Publisher: Skyscrape 2018

Genre: YA Contemporary

Pages: 247

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

For Clementine Haas, finding herself is more than a nice idea. Ever since she woke up in an Irish hospital with complete amnesia, self-discovery has become her mission.

They tell her she’s the lone survivor of a plane crash. They tell her she’s lucky to be alive. But she doesn’t feel lucky. She feels…lost.

With the relentless Irish press bearing down on her, and a father she may not even recognize on his way from America to take her home, Clementine assumes a new identity and enlists a blue-eyed Irish stranger, Kieran O’Connell, to help her escape her forgotten life…and start a new one.

Hiding out in the sleepy town of Waterville, Ireland, Clementine discovers there’s an upside to a life that’s fallen apart. But as her lies grow, so does her affection for Kieran, and the truth about her identity becomes harder and harder to reveal, forcing Clementine to decide: Can she leave her past behind for a new love she’ll never forget?

Random Prime Reading selection from Amazon that I finally started and finished all in about 36 hours. It’s a sweet romance couched in a finding yourself novel with an outrageous beginning. I really enjoyed Clementine’s search for self and the colorful characters she meets along the way. I was fully on board the story all the way until the last 20 pages or so. I even forgave a lot of the YA cliches. It’s a sweet YA story, I’m okay with some cheesy lines here and there. The way-too-coincidental ending and reveal knocked it down a star for me. Just no… Otherwise, I really enjoyed this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Title: The Lager Queen of Minnesota

Author: J. Ryan Stradal

Publisher: Viking 2019

Genre: Literary Fiction

Pages: 353

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself.

With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home. . . if it's not too late.

Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up--will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family?

I really really enjoyed this one. But coming so soon after reading Stradal’s first book. Kitchens of the Great Midwest, I found myself comparing the two. I really enjoyed Diana and many of the side characters in this book. While rough around the edges, Diana is really someone who cares deeply for her family. Edith and Helen were less sympathetic and frankly interesting characters. I was very annoyed by their choices. Edith was selfless to the point of being harmful to herself, while Helen never seemed to care about anyone but herself. I get what Stradal was trying to do with the two sisters, but I was often annoyed. I was just hoping to get back to Diana’s story quicker. This sound very negative, but I really did enjoy this book. I was intrigued by the storyline and hoped for a satisfying conclusion. Thankfully, the ending has me tearing up. It’s not a “happily ever after” ending (that would have been too far-fetched for the characters), but we do get a satisfying ending. A definite recommendation.

Next up on the TBR pile:

What's a Rogue Got to Do with It by Samantha Holt

Title: What’s a rogue Got to Do With It (Rogues of Redmere #4)

Author: Samantha Holt

Publisher: Helstone Press 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 168

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Finishing the Series

Lewis Knight left behind his life as the son of nobleman years ago. The rough, scarred man is quite content to use his brute force and bad reputation to help the Earl of Redmere with his smuggling—a ruse to aid the war effort. Knight doesn’t care too much about the reasons behind the subterfuge, so long as he gets paid.
And stays busy enough to forget his past for good.
That’s not so easy, however, when he’s forced to return home. And thanks to the earl’s meddling, he’s accompanied by the woman who plagues his thoughts far too often…
Louisa has been too busy running her inn to think too much about the dark, brooding Knight. Even if she does steal the occasional glance at those broad shoulders. However, when a man arrives in Cornwall with lifechanging news and Louisa’s inn is threatened, she must investigate. With Knight’s help, she digs into this stranger’s past and stirs up more danger than she thought possible.
Now that Knight is driven to protect her, the barriers between them feel harder than ever to keep in place. Somehow, she keeps working her way under his unyielding exterior. But Knight knows he’s not worthy of a woman like Louisa—not while his past shadows his every move.

And we’ve now come to the end of the Rogues of Redmere series. Thankfully it ends well with an entertaining travel story featuring Knight and Louisa. I would have liked a bit more towards the end, but that’s usual with the romances I read. I did enjoy this coupling more than books two and three, so yeah! A decent short romance series that I finished this month.

Rogues of Redmere

Next up on the TBR pile:

Waiting for a Rogue Like You by Samantha Holt

Title: Waiting for a Rogue Like You (Rogues of Redmere #3)

Author: Samantha Holt

Publisher: Helstone Press 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 158

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Finishing the Series

He knows trouble when he sees it.
Fortunately, Drake likes trouble, especially when it comes in a particularly attractive package. While he and his crew of smugglers are waiting for their next job, Julianna makes a welcome distraction from the damned ache in his leg and the scars making his skin itch.
A shame Julianna doesn’t like him one jot then, not even when he rescues her and promises to bring her to her brother. She knows a rogue when she sees one and the last thing she needs is another man in her life telling her what to do. Not even her brother…
A brother who happens to be the face of the smuggling operation Drake partakes in. And a terrifying face at that. Knight is the muscle behind the crew, ensuring their cover remains in place so that they can help the war effort whilst making a pretty penny. Knight won’t be too happy when he finds out Drake has decided Julianna is a challenge he more than welcomes.
It’s a risk he’s more than willing to take.

So the third book in this series. I definitely liked Julianna more than Patience, but I wasn’t as fond of Drake as I was of Nathan. Overall, an enjoyable Regency romance, but not my favorite. I’m hoping that the last book in the series really draws me in.

Rogues of Redmere

#1 You’re the Rogue that I Want
#2 When a Rogue Loves a Woman
#3 Waiting for a Rogue Like You
#4 What’s a Rogue Got to Do with It

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crisis in the Red Zone by Richard Preston

Title: Crisis in the Red Zone

Author: Richard Preston

Publisher: Random House 2019

Genre: Nonfiction - Disease

Pages: 375

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

This time, Ebola started with a two-year-old child who likely had contact with a wild creature and whose entire family quickly fell ill and died. The ensuing global drama activated health professionals in North America, Europe, and Africa in a desperate race against time to contain the viral wildfire. By the end—as the virus mutated into its deadliest form, and spread farther and faster than ever before—30,000 people would be infected, and the dead would be spread across eight countries on three continents.

In this taut and suspenseful medical drama, Richard Preston deeply chronicles the outbreak, in which we saw for the first time the specter of Ebola jumping continents, crossing the Atlantic, and infecting people in America. Rich in characters and conflict—physical, emotional, and ethical—Crisis in the Red Zone is an immersion in one of the great public health calamities of our time.

Preston writes of doctors and nurses in the field putting their own lives on the line, of government bureaucrats and NGO administrators moving, often fitfully, to try to contain the outbreak, and of pharmaceutical companies racing to develop drugs to combat the virus. He also explores the charged ethical dilemma over who should and did receive the rare doses of an experimental treatment when they became available at the peak of the disaster.

After reading The Hot Zone awhile back, I knew that I needed to read this follow-up. Right away I was drawn into both the story of the 1976 outbreak and the the 2014 outbreak. I learned so much more about ebola and how we currently fight it. I was on pins and needles on every page just waiting to find out what happened and especially what happened to those identified. Preston skillfully weaves personal stories with science knowledge. Never was I confused about the science. I was right along with the ride on every page. This book is not for the weak heart. The descriptions are suitable gruesome and horrifying. This is ebola we are depicting. This was such a good read. Now I need to go back and read some of his other books, especially The Demon in the Freezer.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Monster of Elendhaven by Jennifer Giesbrecht

Title: The Monster of Elendhaven

Author: Jennifer Giesbrecht

Publisher: Tor.com 2019

Genre: Horror

Pages: 159

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Random TBR

The city of Elendhaven sulks on the edge of the ocean. Wracked by plague, abandoned by the South, stripped of industry and left to die. But not everything dies so easily. A thing without a name stalks the city, a thing shaped like a man, with a dark heart and long pale fingers yearning to wrap around throats. A monster who cannot die. His frail master sends him out on errands, twisting him with magic, crafting a plan too cruel to name, while the monster’s heart grows fonder and colder and more cunning.

These monsters of Elendhaven will have their revenge on everyone who wronged the city, even if they have to burn the world to do it.

Such a twisted little novella. Definitely not for the squeamish. I was drawn in by the cover and then by the very first chapter. I was completely sucked into the very strange world of Elendhaven and the mysterious figure of Johann. I thought this was going to be a Jack the Ripper style story, but then Johann meets Florian and we get a totally different story. I loved the inclusion of folklore and magic and just a touch of science. I loved not knowing what was going to happen next. I was hooked until the very last sentence. In fact I was so engrossed with the story that I read it in one sitting. Definitely the perfect read on a cold day.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Feed by M.T. Anderson

Title: Feed

Author: M.T. Anderson

Publisher: Candlewick Press 2002

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 236

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Teen, Top 100 YA; Dancing with Fantasy and Scifi - Satire

For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon — a chance to party during spring break. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who has decided to fight the feed and its ever-present ability to categorize human thoughts and desires. M. T. Anderson’s not-so-brave new world is a smart, savage satire that has captivated readers with its view of an imagined future that veers unnervingly close to the here and now.

Ooofff. This one really did not land well with me. I was immediately thrown off by the large amounts of slang through in. Are we trying to do a Clockwork Orange? IF so, it’s off putting. Beyond that, I could not stand any of the characters. I just didn’t care what happened to them at all. I did enjoy the world set-up and premise of the novel. It just failed when it came to all the characters. I get Anderson’s point, but seriously, I could not deal with any of the characters. Hard pass on this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

When a Rogue Loves a Woman by Samantha Holt

Title: When a Rogue Loves a Woman (Rogues of Redmere #2)

Author: Samantha Holt

Publisher: 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 190

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Finishing the Series

Notorious rogue, Lord Nathaniel Kingsley always tended to leap without thinking. Becoming a smuggler, adopting a sheep, getting engaged to Miss Patience Grey….
Patience has no need for a fiancé, or a husband. For once in her life, she wants to prove she’s just as good as a man and she does not need Nathaniel Kingsley getting in her way. With her brother injured, it is up to her to continue her family’s work…and that means tracking down a French spy and ensuring said spy will turn.
Unfortunately, no one believes she can do it alone. Which is where Nathaniel comes in.
Nate is happy to be of service. Why pass up the opportunity to repay an old friend, especially with a little intrigue along the way? Find the spy, play escort to Patience, return home to continue smuggling. Easy.

Another fun and fluffy romance for me. I’m not quite sure that I liked Nate and Patience more than Red and Hannah, but they were decent characters. I did like Nate a lot and getting to know some of the characters mentioned in the first book. At times, the characters do not act like Regency era people, but I’ll allow it. We’re not going for period accuracy here. It’s a bodice-ripper. And if that’s the criteria, I really enjoyed this one.

Rogues of Redmere

#1 You’re the Rogue that I Want
#2 When a Rogue Loves a Woman
#3 Waiting for a Rogue Like You
#4 What’s a Rogue Got to Do with It

Next up on the TBR pile:

Monstress Volume 4

Title: Monstress Volume 4

Author: Marjorie Liu, Sana Takeda

Publisher: Image 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 176

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Maika and Corvin make their way through a warped and lethal land in search of Kippa, who is faced with her own terrible monsters. But when Maika comes face-to-face with a stranger from her deep past, startling truths are uncovered, and at the center of it all lurks a dangerous conspiracy that threatens the Known World. Maika is finally close to getting all the answers she ever wanted, but at what price? With war on the horizon-a war no one wants to stop-whose side will Maika choose? Collects MONSTRESS #19-24.

This series just keeps getting weirder and weirder. I’m having a bit of trouble keeping all the different storylines/characters straight within this very complicated world. I did really enjoy following Kippa and her predicament. I’m certain that I will pick up the next volume, but my goodness, this series is intense.

Next up on the TBR pile: