Her Majesty's Royal Coven by Juno Dawson

Title: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

Author: Juno Dawson

Publisher: Penguin 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR - Buddy Read Discussion

If you look hard enough at old photographs, we’re there in the background: healers in the trenches; Suffragettes; Bletchley Park oracles; land girls and resistance fighters. Why is it we help in times of crisis? We have a gift. We are stronger than Mundanes, plain and simple.

At the dawn of their adolescence, on the eve of the summer solstice, four young girls--Helena, Leonie, Niamh and Elle--took the oath to join Her Majesty's Royal Coven, established by Queen Elizabeth I as a covert government department. Now, decades later, the witch community is still reeling from a civil war and Helena is the reigning High Priestess of the organization. Yet Helena is the only one of her friend group still enmeshed in the stale bureaucracy of HMRC. Elle is trying to pretend she's a normal housewife, and Niamh has become a country vet, using her powers to heal sick animals. In what Helena perceives as the deepest betrayal, Leonie has defected to start her own more inclusive and intersectional coven, Diaspora. And now Helena has a bigger problem. A young warlock of extraordinary capabilities has been captured by authorities and seems to threaten the very existence of HMRC. With conflicting beliefs over the best course of action, the four friends must decide where their loyalties lie: with preserving tradition, or doing what is right.

Oh goodness! We picked this book hoping for a accessible and lighter read after some heavy choices. It was a much easier read, but one that was loaded with a lot of interesting questions and topics. Right away I picked up on the dichotomy between HMRC and Diaspora. We get some great conversations about race and privilege that harken back to many criticism of Third Wave Feminism. I’m looking forward to discussing the topic deeper during our discussion. We also get some great pieces about identity in general. I loved Niamh and Leonie so much as they try to navigate the intersections of their past and their present. I loved seeing how these two women were still supportive of all their coven sisters even when there were disagreements. I was rooting for both of those women to really come into their own throughout this story. The story itself becomes super fast-paced in the last 1/3 of the novel racing to a final confrontation. I did not quite see the ending playing out like it did, but was really enjoying the story. This volume leaves off on a very big cliffhanger, so beware. I will most definitely be picking up the next one once it’s released.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

• #1 Her Majesty’s Royal Coven

• #2 The Shadow Cabinet

• #3 untitled

Next up on the TBR pile:

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

Title: Ariadne

Author: Jennifer Saint

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Unread Shelf Project RC - March (Biography - heehee)

Ariadne, Princess of Crete, grows up greeting the dawn from her beautiful dancing floor and listening to her nursemaid’s stories of gods and heroes. But beneath her golden palace echo the ever-present hoofbeats of her brother, the Minotaur, a monster who demands blood sacrifice.

When Theseus, Prince of Athens, arrives to vanquish the beast, Ariadne sees in his green eyes not a threat but an escape. Defying the gods, betraying her family and country, and risking everything for love, Ariadne helps Theseus kill the Minotaur. But will Ariadne’s decision ensure her happy ending? And what of Phaedra, the beloved younger sister she leaves behind?

I absolutely had to get this book when it showed up in the Book of the Month selections. But then I let it languish on my shelves for a year. Finally picked it up this week and dove into this retelling of Ariadne and Phaedra’s stories. We start slowly, setting up the world on Crete and the family dynamic. I found the first part of the book to be a little slow. Once Ariadne is left on the island, I sped through the rest of the pages desperate to see how the story ends. Saint does not disappoint in giving us a Greek myth told from a feminist perspective. There’s nothing ground breaking here, but we do get a good story full of interesting characters. The writing isn’t quite as strong as Madeline Miller’s Circe, but I still found it very compelling and clear. I enjoyed my trip back to ancient Crete and Greece even if I always wish for a much happier ending for the female characters.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vicious (Villains #1)

Author: V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor 2013

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 368

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

A book club friend insisted that I pick this one up and she was right! I absolutely loved this story of two friends who become extra ordinary and then attempt to navigate their worlds. I immediately fell for the oddball character of Victor. I really wanted him to find his place in the world and get away from the strange pull of Eli. Alas, we know that those two will spend the entire book pulled together, but also at odds with one another. What follows is a cat and mouse game as they each try to get the drop on the other while also dealing with new friends and enemies. I loved how we go back and forth in time to understand exactly what happened between Victor and Eli and how it is affecting the current time. Sydney and Michell were great additions and I was definitely intrigued by Serena and her power. I sped through the book desperate to see how it ended. Of course we get a bit of a cliffhanger, but that just means that I need to go pick up the second book in the series soon.

Villains

• #1 Vicious

• #2 Vengeful

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

Title: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1)

Author: Harper St. George

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 316

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - July (Set in a different country)

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

We get the classic trope of a man courting/engaged to a sister. In this case, we quickly meet August and follow her as she visits England and encounters a mysterious man in a boxing ring. Of course that man is our male lead. The story then follows the twists and turns of their budding relationship and ends with the classic HEA. This book wasn’t anything surprising or new; I predicted just about everything in the pages. But sometimes, that’s just perfect for my reading. I wanted to pick up a comforting romance without too much angst and this was a great choice. I’m definitely going to be reading further into this series.

The Gilded Age Heiresses

• #1 The Heiress Gets a Duke

• #2 The Devil and the Heiress

• #3 The Lady Tempts an Heir

• #4 The Duchess Takes a Husband

Next up on the TBR pile:

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

Title: I Capture the Castle

Author: Dodie Smith

Publisher: 1948

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pages: 408

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - August (Chosen By Friends)

I Capture the Castle tells the story of seventeen-year-old Cassandra and her family, who live in not-so-genteel poverty in a ramshackle old English castle. Here she strives, over six turbulent months, to hone her writing skills. She fills three notebooks with sharply funny yet poignant entries. Her journals candidly chronicle the great changes that take place within the castle's walls, and her own first descent into love. By the time she pens her final entry, she has "captured the castle"-- and the heart of the reader-- in one of literature's most enchanting entertainments.

I was gifted this book during a Christmas exchange as the person who gave it told me that it was her favorite book. Somehow I had never actually read this one. After finishing, I feel very meh about this one. I found Cassandra to be at times so very naive and at other times too old for her age. I was intrigued by the book in the first half, but then the neighbors show up and Cassandra becomes a completely different person. I was not a fan of the personality switch. She become such a whiny girl and treated her family so badly. I got to the end of the book and felt very meh about this one. After thinking about it a bit more, I might have loved this book at aged 15, but as a 40 year old woman, I’m not quite a huge fan.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Parable of the Sower (Earthed #1)

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Publisher: 1993

Genre: Scifi

Pages: 345

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Unread Shelf Project; Read Shelf RC - September (A Book that Represents the Reader You Want to Be)

Lauren Olamina and her family live in one of the only safe neighborhoods remaining on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Behind the walls of their defended enclave, Lauren’s father, a preacher, and a handful of other citizens try to salvage what remains of a culture that has been destroyed by drugs, disease, war, and chronic water shortages. While her father tries to lead people on the righteous path, Lauren struggles with hyperempathy, a condition that makes her extraordinarily sensitive to the pain of others.

When fire destroys their compound, Lauren’s family is killed and she is forced out into a world that is fraught with danger. With a handful of other refugees, Lauren must make her way north to safety, along the way conceiving a revolutionary idea that may mean salvation for all mankind.

We choose this book for my sci-fi and fantasy bookclub after a few difficult books. Ooops! Looks like we picked another difficult book. I had previous read Kindred and was really interested to read other Butler works. I completely understand why she wrote that book. I am more confused about why she wrote this book. Right away we are hit with a very depressing story featuring a young woman who survives and creates a religion. And somehow we have to contend with a very detached style of writing. We never really see Laura truly get horrified by the events in the story. On the other side, I did definitely have visceral and a dramatic reaction to the events. I even took a break after the big events right in the middle of the book. I picked it back up and finally finished the story and immediately just sat back and took a minute. It was a rough story full of graphic events. After thinking, I was impressed with Butler’s skill at creating an entire world that feels so prescient to today’s world. I see the importance of this book. But ultimately, I have a huge issue with the religion piece of this book. I’m still struggling with Laura’s push to create a new religion. The presumption that religion is a good thing stopped me and almost made me stop reading this book. I will be attending an online book discussion on Sunday. Really looking forward to hearing what everyone thought about the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Title: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise

Author: Ruth Reichl

Publisher: Penguin 2006

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 364

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Unread Shelf RC - Food/Cooking

GARLIC AND SAPPHIRES is Ruth Reichl's riotous account of the many disguises she employs to dine anonymously. There is her stint as Molly Hollis, a frumpy blond with manicured nails and an off-beige Armani suit that Ruth takes on when reviewing Le Cirque. The result: her famous double review of the restaurant: first she ate there as Molly; and then as she was coddled and pampered on her visit there as Ruth, New York Times food critic.

What is even more remarkable about Reichl's spy games is that as she takes on these various disguises, she finds herself changed not just superficially, but in character as well. She gives a remarkable account of how one's outer appearance can very much influence one's inner character, expectations, and appetites.

One of my book club selections for September and a book that has languished on my shelf for years. Unfortunately, I think it probably should have stayed there. I really enjoyed Reichl’s Save Me the Plums and hoped I would encounter the same fun and relatable woman in this earlier work about her job as a food critic. Instead, I feel like we get a very out-of-touch upper class woman intent on showing the common people the joy of food who actually shows us just how snobby many people (herself included) are when it comes to food. I am no stranger to good food and really enjoy tasting new flavors and expertly crafted dishes. But I realize that that’s not an everyday reality for most people (even me). Sometimes you just have to eat. Not everyone can be catered to and pay for a $100+ meal for one person. After about the fourth chapter, the book got really repetitively. I just ended dreading having to come back to this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Jackaby by William Ritter

Title: Jackaby (Jackaby #1)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2014

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 299

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

I bookish friend recommended this to me a few weeks back and I grabbed it for something a little lighter than my other current reads. This was absolutely the delightful romp that I needed this week. We are thrown into a new city with Abigail and fall into employment and potentially life-calling passion with Jackaby. I immediately fell for every single one of the characters and couldn’t wait to see where this story went. Donald was a particular favorite of mine. He must appear in every single book in this series. Back to the plot, we get a string of mysteries Jack the Ripper style murders that may or may not be supernatural in nature. We meet a wide range of characters that may or may not be supernatural. And through it all, we see a friendship forming between Abigail and Jackaby with witty banter and silly asides. I sped through this book not wanting it to end. Delightful! I can’t wait to pick up the next in the series. A word of caution: the murders in this book are very gruesome and terrifying. Be warned.

Jackaby

• #1 Jackaby

• #1.5 The Map

• #2 Beastly Bones

• #3 Ghostly Echoes

• #4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile:

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

Title:Through the Woods

Author: Emily Carroll

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 2014

Genre: Comics; Horror

Pages: 208

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page.

Already revered for her work online, award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll’s stunning visual style and impeccable pacing is on grand display in this entrancing anthology, her print debut.

This volume caught my eye on the library shelf and I checked it out immediately. This short collection of horror stories hit the spot for me. I wanted something a little fun, a little terrifying, with lots of twists and turns. Just the art gives the reader a tremendous sense of dread. I was completely terrified, especially with the last story. A lovely creepy collection that I am glad that I found randomly.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

Title: Daisy Darker

Author: Alice Fenney

Publisher: Flatiron Books 2022

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart. Now after years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in her crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. When the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

But at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide goes out and all is revealed. As seen on the TODAY show and picked by Book of the Month, Daisy Darker's family secrets and Alice Feeney's trademark shocking twists will keep readers riveted.

Another book that I somehow skipped right up to the top of the holds lists and snagged in ebook form. I dove in just knowing that some of my favorite podcast hosts were recommending it. Again, I purposely didn’t read the summary to go into the story blind. We dive into the story and right away know that Nana’s birthday party is not going to go well at all. The murders start and they don’t let up until the end of the book. This book is a sorta retelling of And Then There were None by Agatha Christie. In fact, a character mentions that Christie’s book is her favorite. Even though this is a sorta retelling, it felt fresh and interesting. I sped through the pages just waiting to see who would be revealed as the murderer. The twist came and I was floored for a few minutes. Definitely an entertaining read for a few nights.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey

Title: Just Like Home

Author: Sarah Gailey

Publisher: Tor Books 2022

Genre: Horror

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

“Come home.” Vera’s mother called and Vera obeyed. In spite of their long estrangement, in spite of the memories — she's come back to the home of a serial killer. Back to face the love she had for her father and the bodies he buried there, beneath the house he'd built for his family.

Coming home is hard enough for Vera, and to make things worse, she and her mother aren’t alone. A parasitic artist has moved into the guest house out back and is slowly stripping Vera’s childhood for spare parts. He insists that he isn’t the one leaving notes around the house in her father’s handwriting… but who else could it possibly be?

There are secrets yet undiscovered in the foundations of the notorious Crowder House. Vera must face them and find out for herself just how deep the rot goes.

CW: Body horror, murder, torture

Somehow I snatched up an ebook copy of Sarah Gailey’s newest creation from the library, jumping ahead of almost everyone to read. I purposely did not read the summary to go into the story completely blind. I wanted to just experience the story as it unfolds as Gailey intended it to be. I dove in and was immediately creeped out by the house and the mystery surrounding the family. Vera wasn’t the most sympathetic character and yet I felt that she was oddly compelling to follow. I was immediately interested in the secrets that she was keeping and the ways that those secrets would come out. As the book progressed, I felt like we are getting sucked down into a bottomless hole. I didn’t know where we were going to end up. And by the 80% mark, I was completely scared at how the story was going to end. The story ends up taking a turn into straight horror and specifically body horror. It was the scariest book that I’ve read in quite awhile. I might even have nightmares after this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Into the Windwracked Wilds by A. Deborah Baker

Title: Along the Saltwise Sea (The Up and Under #3)

Author: A. Deborah Baker

Publisher: Tordotcom 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When the improbable road leaves Avery and Zib in the land of Air and at the mercy of the Queen of Swords, escape without becoming monsters may be impossible. But with the aid of the Queen's son, the unpredictable Jack Daw, they may emerge with enough of their humanity to someday make it home. Their journey is not yet over; the dangers are no less great.

We continue on with Avery and Zib’s journey on the Improbable Road. Or more accurately, their journey after losing the Improbably Road. We finally get more information about Crow Girl’s past and specifically her making. And we get to meet some great new characters. The mosasaur was an intriguing “monster” lurking the sea. The Queen of Swords was suitable mercurial and cruel. But my favorite was Jack Daw. I loved seeing his interaction with the other characters and especially his explanations for the inner workings of The Up and Under. It looks like Jack Daw will continue with our misfit band for at least a little while. I am very excited to continue reading this series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

Title: The Stranger Diaries

Author: Elly Griffiths

Publisher: Mariner Books 2019

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 338

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Clare Cassidy is no stranger to murder. A high school teacher specializing in the Gothic writer R. M. Holland, she even teaches a course on him. But when one of Clare’s colleagues is found dead, with a line from Holland’s iconic story “The Stranger” left by her body, Clare is horrified to see her life collide with her favorite literature.

The police suspect the killer is someone Clare knows. Unsure whom to trust, she turns to her diary, the only outlet for her suspicions and fears. Then one day she notices something odd. Writing that isn't hers, left on the page of an old diary:

Hallo Clare. You don’t know me.

Clare becomes more certain than ever: “The Stranger” has come to terrifying life. But can the ending be rewritten in time?

I heard about this one from a book recommendation list from my library. They described it as a spooky mystery with lots of atmosphere. There was definitely some atmosphere and a few spooky scenes, but that’s really it. The book just didn’t live up to what I was expecting it to me. I wanted to be very creeped out by the book. I wanted the potential haunted school and study to be more of a thing. I wanted something more to be made of the old ghost stories. In the end, this was a very boilerplate murder mystery involving a stalker. I wasn’t that excited when we get to the end. Clare was an okay narrator to follow. Georgie tended to be very annoying and naive in her narration. Understandable given her age, but still not what I wanted to read. And Harbinder was just so incredibly surly all the time that I didn’t really want to attempt to connect with her. A middle of the road mystery.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers

Title: A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Monk & Robot #2)

Author: Becky Chambers

Publisher: Tordotcom 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 152

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

After touring the rural areas of Panga, Sibling Dex (a Tea Monk of some renown) and Mosscap (a robot sent on a quest to determine what humanity really needs) turn their attention to the villages and cities of the little moon they call home.

They hope to find the answers they seek, while making new friends, learning new concepts, and experiencing the entropic nature of the universe.

Becky Chambers's new series continues to ask: in a world where people have what they want, does having more even matter?

A lovely continuation of the explorations of Sibling Dex and Mosscap. This time we get to see Mosscap interact with a variety of humans and learn about different settlements. I loved seeing Mosscap get a bit of distance from the forest and move into more settled areas. My favorite section was actually the small chapter set on the coast. We get to learn more about the current state of the world as Dex explains how humans on the coastlines live. I was fascinated. And though it all, they discuss life and identity. I can’t wait until the next volume of their journey to the city.

Monk and Robot

• #1 A Psalm for the Wild-Built

• #2 A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Title: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Author: Gabrielle Zevin

Publisher: Algonquin Books 2014

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 260

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

A. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. He lives alone, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. But when a mysterious package appears at the bookstore, its unexpected arrival gives Fikry the chance to make his life over--and see everything anew.

Definitely not my book. I should have known that anything labeled “sweet” was probably not going to appeal to my reading tastes. I was interested with the first two chapters, but then things went downhill immediately. Too many cutesy coincidences. Too many sweet interactions. Too many heartwarming conversations. I was rolling my eyes throughout the entire book. Curmudgeon characters are not my thing. I dislike when terminal diseases are used to pull at the heart-strings. I was not a fan of the weird time jumps. Overall, I very much disliked this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Title: City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1)

Author: Victoria Schwab

Publisher: Scholastic 2018

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 285

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil -- and herself.And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.#1 NYT bestselling author Victoria Schwab delivers a thrillingly spooky and action-packed tale of hauntings, history, mystery, and the bond between friends (even if that friend is a ghost . . .).

A lovely blend of spooky and friendship. Right away, we’re dropped into Cassidy’s world of ghosts; We don’t get all the answers in this volume, but we certainly start to uncover the secrets. With Jacob and some new friends, we get a bit more information about living in the world between the living and the dead. I loved the entire setup of Cass’s family right down to the cat Grim. Once we get to Edinburgh the story starts moving quickly and doesn’t let up. I loved the various locales and descriptions. I do so wish to visit Edinburgh at some point in my life. I would love to see the Old Town and the Castle. And maybe I will see some ghosts while there. There are definitely some great spooky scenes involving lots of child ghosts and the Raven. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

Cassidy Blake

• #1 City of Ghosts

• #2 Tunnel of Bones

• #3 Bridge of Souls

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3)

Author:Sarah J. Maas

Publisher: Bloomsbury 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 705

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything―and everyone―she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers―both magical and political―and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

Goodness! That was a chunker of a book. There was so much packed in this volume of the series. I almost would have liked to see this book split into two volumes. I kept hurtling along the plot adding in more and more elements of the larger game. Overall, I enjoyed the story and loved seeing how the fight against Hybern ended. I loved the portions about Feyre and Rhys connecting and coming into their partnership as High Lord and High Lady. I was less enthused by Nesta and Elain. A lot of their story seems to move very slowly and be very drawn out in the pages. Some cuts would have been nice. It was loads of fun to see all the people arrive at the final battler (sorta like that whole scene in The Two Tower, so good). I especially loved the inclusion of the Weaver, the Bone Carver, and Bryaxis. Fascinating to see them as they really were. And obviously we have now set up the next book in the series. I enjoyed this volume even if it took me what seemed like years to read it.

A Court of Throns and Roses

• #1 A Court of Thorns and Roses

• #2 A Court of Mist and Fury

• #3 A Court of Wings and Ruin

• #3.5 A Court of Frost and Starlight

• #4 A Court of Silver Flames

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dark Wild Night by Christina Lauren

Title: Dark Wild Night (Wild Seasons #3)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS. BUT WHAT DIDN’T HAPPEN IN VEGAS SEEMS TO FOLLOW THEM EVERYWHERE—Book Three in the sexy, fun New York Times bestselling Wild Seasons series that began with Sweet Filthy Boy (the Romantic Times Book of the Year) and Dirty Rowdy Thing.

Lola and Oliver like to congratulate themselves on having the good sense not to consummate their drunken Las Vegas marriage. If they’d doubled-down on that mistake, their Just Friends situation might not be half as great as it is now.

…Or so goes the official line.

In reality, Lola’s wanted Oliver since day one—and over time has only fallen harder for his sexy Aussie accent and easygoing ability to take her as she comes. More at home in her studio than in baring herself to people, Lola’s instinctive comfort around Oliver nearly seems too good to be true. So why ruin a good thing?

Even as geek girls fawn over him, Oliver can’t get his mind off what he didn’t do with Lola when he had the chance. He knows what he wants with her now…and it’s far outside the friend zone. When Lola’s graphic novel starts getting national acclaim—and is then fast-tracked for a major motion picture—Oliver steps up to be there for her whenever she needs him. After all, she’s not the kind of girl who likes all that attention, but maybe she’s the kind who’ll eventually like him.

Sometimes seeing what’s right in front of us takes a great leap of faith. And sometimes a dark wild night in Vegas isn’t just the end of a day, but the beginning of a bright new life…

We finally get to Oliver and Lola’s story and I ended up being a bit disappointed. I had loved Oliver from the first scenes with him in the first book. I wanted to see him get his great romantic story. I loved the first 60% of this book. I understand Lola’s hesitation and Oliver’s need for communication. The steamy scenes were super steamy and thoroughly enjoyable. But then Lola has her freakout and I was so incredibly disappointed in her behavior and actions. I wanted her to be better. By the end of the book, Oliver and Lola get back to together, but I really wanted to see more from their relationship. I even wanted to see more of Lola’s career scenes. It like this book was about 50 pages too short for me.

Wild Seasons

• #1 Sweet Filthy Boy

• #2 Dirty Rowdy Thing

• #3 Dark Wild Night

• #4 Wicked Sexy Liar

Next up on the TBR pile:

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Title: Firekeeper’s Daughter

Author: Angeline Boulley

Publisher: Henry, Holt and Co. 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 496

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother Levi’s hockey team.

Yet even as Daunis falls for Jamie, she senses the dashing hockey star is hiding something. Everything comes to light when Daunis witnesses a shocking murder, thrusting her into an FBI investigation of a lethal new drug.

Reluctantly, Daunis agrees to go undercover, drawing on her knowledge of chemistry and Ojibwe traditional medicine to track down the source. But the search for truth is more complicated than Daunis imagined, exposing secrets and old scars. At the same time, she grows concerned with an investigation that seems more focused on punishing the offenders than protecting the victims.

Now, as the deceptions—and deaths—keep growing, Daunis must learn what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go for her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.

I finally got around to reading this one for our book club selection and it was not quite what I was expecting. And yet, I really really loved it! We open with Daunis navigating life between her the two sides of her family. We dive right into Daunis’s life and then start to unravel her identity. I loved how Boulley mixes native words into English to recreate Daunis’s actual speech. I learned so much about Ojibwa culture and life in modern America. Just those portions created a beautiful book. And then, we get the larger mystery revealed in big bursts. I was on pins and needles waiting to see how everything would play out. I ended up speeding through the book in just a few days. It was emotional and hopeful at the same time.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Palace Papers by Tina Brown

Title: The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil

Author: Tina Brown

Publisher: Crown Publishing Group 2022

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 571

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

“Never again” became Queen Elizabeth II’s mantra shortly after Princess Diana’s tragic death. More specif­ically, there could never be “another Diana”—a mem­ber of the family whose global popularity upstaged, outshone, and posed an existential threat to the Brit­ish monarchy.

Picking up where Tina Brown’s masterful The Diana Chronicles left off, The Palace Papers reveals how the royal family reinvented itself after the trau­matic years when Diana’s blazing celebrity ripped through the House of Windsor like a comet.

Brown takes readers on a tour de force journey through the scandals, love affairs, power plays, and betrayals that have buffeted the monarchy over the last twenty-five years. We see the Queen’s stoic re­solve after the passing of Princess Margaret, the Queen Mother, and Prince Philip, her partner for seven decades, and how she triumphs in her Jubilee years even as family troubles rage around her. Brown explores Prince Charles’s determination to make Camilla Parker Bowles his wife, the tension between William and Harry on “different paths,” the ascend­ance of Kate Middleton, the downfall of Prince An­drew, and Harry and Meghan’s stunning decision to step back as senior royals. Despite the fragile monar­chy’s best efforts, “never again” seems fast approaching.

Tina Brown has been observing and chronicling the British monarchy for three decades, and her sweeping account is full of powerful revelations, newly reported details, and searing insight gleaned from remarkable access to royal insiders. Stylish, witty, and erudite, The Palace Papers will irrevoca­bly change how the world perceives and under­stands the royal family.

Wow! That was quite a chunker that I didn’t quite realize until after I started reading. Before starting this book, I knew some about the royal family, but definitely would not call myself a royal watcher in any sense. Once diving in, I learned so much about the family. It’s fairly funny that I thought this would either be complete takedown of the family or a glowing portrait of them. It is neither. In fact, we get to see all the ups and downs of the family. In turns, I felt outrage at the obtuseness of the various royals when it came to how their actions hurt others. But I also felt sympathy toward them for the trials they endured, especially the outlandish attacks from the press. I now have a much more complete picture of the various royal family members.

Next up on the TBR pile: