The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: The Only Good Indians

Author: Stephen Graham Jones

Publisher: Gallery 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme

Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

I really really enjoyed the plot of this horror novel. I loved the underlying folklore and myth and the very really horror experienced by the characters. But everything else about the book really annoyed me. I couldn’t get over the very strange writing style. Sort of a cross between a Noir Detective Novel and Stream of Consciousness? The end result is that I had trouble following what was happening on any given page. And we’re thrown straight into the story without getting to know the main characters before the terror starts. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the characters. Should we be rooting for them to overcome or get what’s coming? I was just confused through most of the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Title: Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 385

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance

WHEN STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head-and realizes she is his wife . . .

BECOME LOVERS . . .

Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles-the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be-and so much more . . .

DESIRE IS THE ULTIMATE DANGER

When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth-that the Ghost is her husband-the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

Another very satisfying historical romance. I am really enjoying this series so much! Hoyt has crafted great characters, steamy scenes, and great mysteries in every book. I really did enjoy Margaret and Godric (more than Hero and Griffin!). I enjoyed encountering some of our previous characters again and seeing where they are now. (Seriously Lord Caire has an adorable daughter named Annalise? I couldn’t handle the cuteness!) I was hoping that Godric turned out to be a more interesting character than we had previously encountered and I was correct. I can’t wait tor read the next book.

Maiden Lane

#1 Wicked Intentions
#2 Notorious Pleasures
#3 Scandalous Desires
#4 Thief of Shadows
#5 Lord of Darkness
#6 Duke of Midnight
#7 Darling Beast
#8 Dearest Rogue
#9 Sweetest Scoundrel
#10 Duke of Sin
#10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night
#10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve
#11 Duke of Pleasure
#12 Duke of Desire
#12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Del Rey

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Monthly Theme - May

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

I absolutely loved Moreno-Garcia’s latest work, Mexican Gothic, and was extra excited that Girly Book Club chose this one for September’s book. It’s a very different book, but still such an amazingly told story. This is a fantasy/fairy tale-esque journey. Casiopea immediately grabbed hold of my heart and didn’t let go. I wanted to see everything good happen to here but knew that there would be danger along the path. Thankfully she was a protector/guide of sorts with a Mayan god of death. I loved seeing how they both changed and grew while on the journey. And the last setting in the underworld was a perfect way to conclude the journey. I loved learning more about Mayan stories and myths as well as more modern Mexican culture. Highly recommend.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Title: The Jane Austen Society

Author: Natalie Jenner

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD 2020

Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people―a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others―could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

I listened to this one on audio (read by Richard Armitage!) and it was a delight. I enjoyed getting to know these delightful characters, all who love Jane Austen. Following their stories was interesting, but my favorite parts were every discussion about Jane Austen, her stories, and her characters. I wanted to see more of those conversations as the characters’ lives progressed. Adaline and Benjamin were my clear favorites, although Frances was also amazing. I just wanted to see all everyone get a happy ending. I was annoyed by the choice Adam made and Mimi’s relationship. But I guess those stories also ended well. The ending was very rushed (like usual), but the ending did leave me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Challenge 2020.png

Next up on the TBR pile:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Title: Take a Hint, Dani Brown (Brown Sisters #2)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Avon 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf is secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

The easy lay Dani dreamed of is now more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

Definitely better than the first book in terms of characterization. Dani is much more interesting and exciting character than Chloe. I really enjoyed her relationship with Zafir throughout the book. And Zafir was a great leading man. Their banter was delightful and kept me coming back for more. On the flip side, there were a few deficiencies. I needed more steamy scenes. There were hardly any at all in this volume! A travesty! And I would have liked to have seen more of Gigi. Still a nice fun contemporary rom com for my week.

Brown Sisters

#1 Get a Life, Chloe Brown
#2 Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Holdout by Graham Moore

Title: The Holdout

Author: Graham Moore

Publisher: Random House 2020

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It’s the most sensational case of the decade. Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar real estate fortune, vanishes on her way home from school, and her teacher, Bobby Nock, a twenty-five-year-old African American man, is the prime suspect. The subsequent trial taps straight into America’s most pressing preoccupations: race, class, sex, law enforcement, and the lurid sins of the rich and famous. It’s an open-and-shut case for the prosecution, and a quick conviction seems all but guaranteed—until Maya Seale, a young woman on the jury, convinced of Nock’s innocence, persuades the rest of the jurors to return the verdict of not guilty, a controversial decision that will change all their lives forever.

Flash forward ten years. A true-crime docuseries reassembles the jury, with particular focus on Maya, now a defense attorney herself. When one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, all evidence points to her as the killer. Now, she must prove her own innocence—by getting to the bottom of a case that is far from closed.

As the present-day murder investigation weaves together with the story of what really happened during their deliberation, told by each of the jurors in turn, the secrets they have all been keeping threaten to come out—with drastic consequences for all involved.

A very readable murder mystery / thriller / court room drama. I actually read half of it in one setting. The story really does pull the reader along and I needed to see what happened next. I was interested in the overall mystery and needed to find out the identity of the killer. I wondered about the second murder but was actually less interested in that. I wanted to find out Rick’s secret more than anything. The ending felt rushed and I wasn’t so excited about the reveal of Rick’s killer. I really wished that it had been something more sinister. I did enjoy the glimpse in the various juror’s lives, but wanted a bit more on that aspect. Overall a fun light read for a strange a week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Title: Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians #1)

Author: Kevin Kwan

Publisher: Anchor 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 546

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

Hmmm… I wasn’t that excited about this one at all. I like the overall plot line, but the characters and writing style bothered me. The writing often switched perspective and was very juvenile at times. The descriptions of the settings were very interesting and lush. But when we focused on a character and especially dialogue, the writing style started to fall apart. The pages did not flow like I was expecting. Many of the characters were a bit boring and I just didn’t want to read about them. Lastly, I felt a little weird and icky reading about people who have more money than they know what to do with. It was very tone deaf at times.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen

Title: Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (Royal Spyness #13)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

I was so excited when Darcy announced out of the blue that we were flying to Kenya for our extended honeymoon. Now that we are here, I suspect he has actually been sent to fulfill another secret mission. I am trying very hard not to pick a fight about it, because after all, we are in paradise! Darcy finally confides that there have been robberies in London and Paris. It seems the thief was a member of the aristocracy and may have fled to Kenya. Since we are staying in the Happy Valley—the center of upper-class English life—we are well positioned to hunt for clues and ferret out possible suspects.
Now that I am a sophisticated married woman, I am doing my best to sound like one. But crikey! These aristocrats are a thoroughly loathsome sort enjoying a completely decadent lifestyle filled with wild parties and rampant infidelity. And one of the leading lights in the community, Lord Cheriton, has the nerve to make a play for me. While I am on my honeymoon! Of course, I put an end to that right off.

When he is found bloodied and lifeless along a lonely stretch of road, it appears he fell victim to a lion. But it seems that the Happy Valley community wants to close the case a bit too quickly. Darcy and I soon discover that there is much more than a simple robbery and an animal attack to contend with here in Kenya. Nearly everyone has a motive to want Lord Cheriton dead and some will go to great lengths to silence anyone who asks too many questions. The hunt is on! I just hope I can survive my honeymoon long enough to catch a killer. . . .

Another Georgie mystery. It was pretty decent, but not the best in the series. I did enjoy the change in scenery to Kenya. Unfortunately the relations between the natives and Europeans was a bit much. I understand the time period, but I I wasn’t really excited by all of the commentary. The murder mystery was interesting, but then the reveal is much too quick. I would have liked a bit more discussion and resolution. And there was a decided lack of grandfather and Claire. I need more in the next book.

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
#13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
#14 The Last Mrs. Summers

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hike by Drew Magary

Title: The Hike

Author: Drew Magary

Publisher: Penguin Books

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects.

On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the “Producer,” the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path.

At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary’s novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival.

What an incredibly weird, amazing book! I started the book on the recommendation of a podcast and did not read more of the summary. I had no idea what I was getting into and that’s the best way to approach this book. I read the first two chapters and was completely sucked in. I was completely on the path with Ben facing the trials and tribulations as he did. The middle section involving a fellow traveler was a bit slow, but thankfully things pick up quickly after that encounter. Genuinely strange book about a journey. I loved it!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Title: The Poet X

Author: Elizabeth Acevedo

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook; Monthly Theme - September

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

Another amazing book by Elizabeth Acevedo. If I was a 14 year old girl, this may have been my favorite book read for the year. It’s such an amazing coming-of-age story featuring a multidimensional young woman. I loved reading every page of this book. It’s a beautiful story with a lot of heart. I definitely liked this one more than Acevedo’s Clap When You Land and I really liked that one also. Just a beautiful story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell

Title: The Last Curtain Call (Haunted Home Renovation #8)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Mel Turner can’t resist the chance to bring the Crockett Theatre, a decrepit San Francisco Art Deco movie palace, back to life. But there’s a catch for Turner Construction: Several artists are currently squatting in the building, and they aren’t the only ones haunting the once-grand halls of the historic theater.…

When one of the squatters is found dead, the police department has a long list of suspects to investigate. Meanwhile, Mel and her fiancé, Landon, are remodeling an old house for themselves, and Mel finds being on the other side of a home renovation project more challenging than she expected.

When Mel discovers that the former owner of the Crockett Theatre died under mysterious circumstances, and that there just might be a connection to the ghost haunting her own attic, the case takes a new turn—one that could bring down the curtain for the last time.

Yeah! I’m so excited that Juliet Blackwell wrote another Haunted Home Renovation book. I really enjoyed this series and Mel’s world of construction and ghosts. (Although, I must admit that I enjoy Lily’s series more than Mel’s.) This volume is a delight with the theater setting. I enjoyed the ghostly mystery involved. I was less enamored with the human murder and the human characters. Too many shifty people in this book. And I’m still not convinced that Landon is the best choice for Mel. (Seems to echo my uncertainty with Lily and Sailor) Overall I did really enjoy this book.

Haunted Home Renovation

Next up on the TBR pile:

Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland

Title: Deathless Divide (Dread Nation #2)

Author: Justine Ireland

Publisher: Balzer + Bray 2020

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 553

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler: Get out of town, stay alive, and head west to California to find her mother.

But nothing is easy when you’re a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to a protected village called Nicodemus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880s America.

What’s more, this safe haven is not what it appears—as Jane discovers when she sees familiar faces from Summerland amid this new society. Caught between mysteries and lies, the undead, and her own inner demons, Jane soon finds herself on a dark path of blood and violence that threatens to consume her.

But she won’t be in it alone.

Katherine Deveraux never expected to be allied with Jane McKeene. But after the hell she has endured, she knows friends are hard to come by—and that Jane needs her too, whether Jane wants to admit it or not.

Watching Jane’s back, however, is more than she bargained for, and when they both reach a breaking point, it’s up to Katherine to keep hope alive—even as she begins to fear that there is no happily-ever-after for girls like her.

Yes! This was such a great follow-up to Dread Nation! We fall right back in with Jane and Katherine but time and circumstances have changed situation. I loved seeing what was happening out west after spending the first book in the east and in the middle of the country. I loved that we retained a few of the favorite characters and even added some new ones. I was along for the ride from page one. The book may not have ended with a happily ever after, but it definitely had a resolution to one of the big storylines. Loved every second of this series.

Dread Nation

#1 Dread Nation
#2 Deathless Divide

Next up on the TBR pile:

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power

Title: Burn Our Bodies Down

Author: Rory Power

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2020

Genre: Young Adult Horror

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - June

Ever since Margot was born, it's been just her and her mother, struggling to get along. But that's not enough for Margot. She wants family. She wants a past. And she may have just found the answer: A photograph, pointing her to a town called Phalene. Only, when Margot gets there, it's not what she bargained for.

As soon as they see her face, everyone in town knows who Margot belongs to. It's unmistakable--she's a Nielsen. And when a mysterious girl who could be Margot's twin is pulled from a fire, Margot realizes that her mother left Phalene for a reason. But was it to hide her past? Or was it to protect Margot from what's still there?

The only thing Margot knows for sure is there's poison in their family tree, and their roots are dug so deeply into Phalene that now that she's there, she might never escape.

I was so incredibly excited for this book. I absolutely loved Wilder Girls and hoped that this would be another great horror novel. Instead, this book just dragged and dragged with whiny characters and no real direction. I was thoroughly bored for the first 70% of the book. I could not connect at all with Margot and really despised her mother. Even after showing up in Phalene, I was completely bored. The entire relationship, or non-relationship, between Margot and Tess was completely thrown in for no real reason. I just didn’t get it. And then we get to the last section of the book and everything went weird, but not in a good way. I love good gore horror, but this just seemed like a giant punch in the gut. Nothing was nuanced or interesting. The book ended and I just didn’t really care.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Title: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #1)

Author: Roseanne A. Brown

Publisher: Balzar + Bray 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 480

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a heart-pounding course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

I absolutely loved the premise of this one. I loved the focus on West African myths. I loved the world building in this one. I just could not get behind the characters and the plotline. The characters are so incredibly whiny. They are directionless for most of the book. And then for the last strike, the two main characters fall in love in an instant. I just cannot with the silly young adult romance. Once we get into the story, the constant secrets and betrayals just felt super boring and predictable. I got to the end of the book and it just wasn’t worth it to me. I think I’m down with the series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt

Title: Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane #4)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2012

Genre: Romance

Pages: 385

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance; GR Random

A MASKED MAN . . .

Winter Makepeace lives a double life. By day he's the stoic headmaster of a home for foundling children. But the night brings out a darker side of Winter. As the moon rises, so does the Ghost of St. Giles-protector, judge, fugitive. When the Ghost, beaten and wounded, is rescued by a beautiful aristocrat, Winter has no idea that his two worlds are about to collide.

A DANGEROUS WOMAN . . .

Lady Isabel Beckinhall enjoys nothing more than a challenge. Yet when she's asked to tutor the Home's dour manager in the ways of society-flirtation, double-entendres, and scandalous liaisons-Isabel can't help wondering why his eyes seem so familiar-and his lips so tempting.

A PASSION NEITHER COULD DENY

During the day Isabel and Winter engage in a battle of wills. At night their passions are revealed . . . But when little girls start disappearing from St. Giles, Winter must avenge them. For that he might have to sacrifice everything-the Home, Isabel . . . and his life.

Yes! We are back to another great and steamy historical romance. I absolutely adored Isabel and Winter as main romantic characters. They have such a great feisty relationship and I was here for every single second of it! The steamy scenes were definitely worth the wait. I was all in for their dance around each other until they consummated their relationship. Beyond them, I loved the background storyline dealing with the missing girls. I love how this series has another story along with the main romance. My only issues was Lady Margaret. She was just a bit too naive and flighty for me in this book. I hope her and Godric’s story is better than the bit we saw in this book.

Maiden Lane

#1 Wicked Intentions
#2 Notorious Pleasures
#3 Scandalous Desires
#4 Thief of Shadows
#5 Lord of Darkness
#6 Duke of Midnight
#7 Darling Beast
#8 Dearest Rogue
#9 Sweetest Scoundrel
#10 Duke of Sin
#10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night
#10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve
#11 Duke of Pleasure
#12 Duke of Desire
#12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Naked Sun

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher:

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 257

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi/Fantasy; Ebook

A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. On the beautiful Outer World planet of Solaria, a handful of human colonists lead a hermit-like existence, their every need attended to by their faithful robot servants. To this strange and provocative planet comes Detective Elijah Baley, sent from the streets of New York with his positronic partner, the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve an incredible murder that has rocked Solaria to its foundations. The victim had been so reclusive that he appeared to his associates only through holographic projection. Yet someone had gotten close enough to bludgeon him to death while robots looked on. Now Baley and Olivaw are faced with two clear impossibilities: Either the Solarian was killed by one of his robots--unthinkable under the laws of Robotics--or he was killed by the woman who loved him so much that she never came into his presence!

I loved this one! In the last book, we got to see the culture on Earth and Baley started to see what lay beyond. In this book, Baley travels to another world and gets a whole new perspective. I loved the change of setting and the expansion of the book universe. Plus we get more information about the state of the universe and the relationship between the various planets. The murder mystery itself was sufficiently interesting, but was used to illustrate the larger problems facing humanity. So so good!

Next up on the TBR Pile:

Scandalous Desires by Elizabeth Hoyt

Title: Scandalous Desires (Maiden Lane #3)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2011

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Perpetual - NPR Romance

CAN A PIRATE LEARN . . .

River pirate "Charming" Mickey O'Connor has lifted himself from the depths of the slums to be the king of St. Giles. Anything he wants he gets-with one exception. Silence Hollingbrook has been haunting his dreams ever since she spent a single night in his bed.

THAT THE ONLY TRUE TREASURE . . .

Once Silence was willing to sacrifice anything to save the man she loved. Now a widow, she's finally found peace when Charming Mickey comes storming back into her life with an offer she can't refuse. But this time she won't be the only one paying the price for his sins.

LIES IN A WOMAN'S HEART?

When his past comes back to torment him, Mickey must keep Silence safe from a merciless enemy, while wrestling with the delicious hold this widow has on his heart. And in the face of mounting danger, both will have to surrender to something even more terrifying . . . true love.

A better story than number two, but still not as good as number one. I loved Temperance and Lazarus. I didn’t really love Hero and Griffin. Silence and Michael are a much better character, but I must say that there were parts of their characters that I still did not love. Michael was a bit too arrogant even after he fell for Silence. I just was annoyed by his alpha male attitude. But I did enjoy their romance and the underlying conflict with the Vicar. All told, it was a good romance and I can’t wait until the the next volume in the series.

Maiden Lane

#1 Wicked Intentions
#2 Notorious Pleasures
#3 Scandalous Desires
#4 Thief of Shadows
#5 Lord of Darkness
#6 Duke of Midnight
#7 Darling Beast
#8 Dearest Rogue
#9 Sweetest Scoundrel
#10 Duke of Sin
#10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night
#10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve
#11 Duke of Pleasure
#12 Duke of Desire
#12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Title: My Sister, the Serial Killer

Author: Oyinkan Braithwaite

Publisher: Anchor 2019

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 240

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Korede’s sister Ayoola is many things: the favorite child, the beautiful one, possibly sociopathic. And now Ayoola’s third boyfriend in a row is dead, stabbed through the heart with Ayoola’s knife. Korede’s practicality is the sisters’ saving grace. She knows the best solutions for cleaning blood (bleach, bleach, and more bleach), the best way to move a body (wrap it in sheets like a mummy), and she keeps Ayoola from posting pictures to Instagram when she should be mourning her “missing” boyfriend. Not that she gets any credit.

Korede has long been in love with a kind, handsome doctor at the hospital where she works. She dreams of the day when he will realize that she’s exactly what he needs. But when he asks Korede for Ayoola’s phone number, she must reckon with what her sister has become and how far she’s willing to go to protect her.

I really enjoyed this book until the last chapter. I was along for the increasing tension as the story moves on. I wanted to know more about the history of the sisters and their family and the coma patient. I was hoping that actions would be confronted. But the story did not end the way I wanted it to end. And more importantly, the ending felt incredibly unfinished. Not ambiguous (I don’t mind those ending), unfinished. I would have liked to see an actual resolution to anything in the story. I disliked the ending, but I think that Braithwaite did an amazing job creating such atmosphere in just a few pages.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding by Rhys Bowen

Title: Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Royal Spyness #12)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 299

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

If only Darcy and I had eloped! What I thought would be a simple wedding has been transformed into a grand affair, thanks to the attendance of the queen, who has offered up the princesses as bridesmaids. Silly me! I thought that withdrawing from the royal line of succession would simplify my life. But before Darcy and I tie the knot in front of queen and country, we have to find a place to live as man and wife...

House hunting turns out to be a pretty grim affair. Just as we start to lose hope, my globetrotting godfather offers us his fully staffed country estate. Mistress of Eynsleigh I shall be! With Darcy off in parts unknown, I head to Eynsleigh alone, only to have my hopes dashed. The grounds are in disarray and the small staff is suspiciously incompetent. Not to mention the gas tap leak in my bedroom, which I can only imagine was an attempt on my life. Something rotten is afoot--and bringing the place up to snuff may put me six feet under before I even get a chance to walk down the aisle...

Finally we got back into some good Georgie mysteries. I loved the central mystery to this book. And as much as I was annoyed by Claire and Belinda in the past, I really enjoyed them in this volume. And we get Georgie’s grandfather returning. I loved the coming together of the family. Plus a new setting (and home) for Georgie and the reappearance of a talked about character. Really enjoyed this one, even if Darcy’s gaslighting still bothers me.

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
#13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
#14 The Last Mrs. Summers

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov

Title: The Caves of Steel

Author: Isaac Asimov

Publisher: 1953

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 276

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi; Monthly Theme - August

Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer.

The relationship between Life and his Spacer superiors, who distrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start. Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw. Worst of all was that the “R” stood for robot—and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!

J finally got me started reading Asimov again by showing me the preview of the new Foundations TV series. I must read the books first! I’ve already read I, Robot so I picked up the next book in the big chronology of Asimov’s books. This was a good old fashioned murder mystery set in our distant future. We get the intriguing world building of all of the Earthers living in giant metal cities while the Spacers live in open-air domes. The conflict between the two ways of living is clearly part of Asimov’s larger discussion about our future. The murder is intriguing and I loved how he gives you all the clues as to who done it, but the reveal is still dramatic and fun. But most of all, I enjoyed Asimov’s discussion of the differences between robots and humans, Earthers and Spacers, and medievalists and futurists. We get some great talks between characters. I am interested in seeing where this society goes in the next books.

Next up on the TBR Pile: