The horrors of this book are once again an homage to those created by Lovecraft himself, and I continue to find absurd joy in heroes that would have completely pissed him off. At this point, I am thoroughly enamored by both Whyborne and Griffin, and Hawk continues to impress with their excellent character development. The … Continue reading Review: Stormhaven (Whyborne & Griffin #3) by Jordan L. Hawk
Review: Threshold (Whyborne & Griffin #2) by Jordan L. Hawk
This book was an excellent follow-up to the first in the series, proving that Hawk is now comfortable with their world and their characters. We leave behind the Lovecraftian city of Widdershins for a company town in the Appalachian mountains, haunted by creatures who are both horrifying and unique. The relationship development between Whyborne and … Continue reading Review: Threshold (Whyborne & Griffin #2) by Jordan L. Hawk
Review: Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin #1) by Jordan L. Hawk
I picked up the first book in this series because I'd heard good things about it from readers who also enjoyed the stories in K.J. Charles' Charm of Magpies world. They were spot-on in their recommendation, and I'll also throw in my hat that fans of either series will enjoy the other. Once you get … Continue reading Review: Widdershins (Whyborne & Griffin #1) by Jordan L. Hawk
Review: The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles
This intertwining collection of "short stories" are a blast to read, and I love the idea of a Holmes and Watson style pairing working together in the occult realm. This is definitely a case where the author's notes at the end enhance the coolness of what I just read, and shows how the author's research … Continue reading Review: The Secret Casebook of Simon Feximal by K.J. Charles
Review: Love Around the Corner by Sally Malcolm
Disclaimer: I received an electronic version of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have a soft spot for contemporary romance stories that have evolved with the times. So many relationships begin with the partners meeting online these days (my own included) that more traditional "meet-cutes" almost start to feel … Continue reading Review: Love Around the Corner by Sally Malcolm
Review: “A Queer Trade” and Rag and Bone (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles
This connected short story and novel take place in the world of A Charm of Magpies. A reader will get the most of these stories after reading the initial trilogy and Jackdaw. This story looks at yet another side of the magic world established in the trilogy A Charm of Magpies. Crispin and Ned are … Continue reading Review: “A Queer Trade” and Rag and Bone (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles
Review: Jackdaw (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles
I thoroughly enjoy this historical fantasy world, and I'm so glad that it extends beyond the initial trilogy. Part of what I loved most about this book in particular was seeing this world through new eyes, by a person who is neither magic nor cushioned by wealth and privilege. I was not expecting to see … Continue reading Review: Jackdaw (A Charm of Magpies World) by K.J. Charles
Review: Between the Lines by Sally Malcolm
Disclaimer: I received an advanced electronic copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. This book is set in the same world (and town) as the author's previous book, Perfect Day. It is not necessary to have read that book first, but it puts certain events into perspective. Otherwise, Theo and … Continue reading Review: Between the Lines by Sally Malcolm
Reviews: “Interlude with Tattoos,” “The Smuggler and the Warlord,” and “Feast of Stephen” (A Charm of Magpies short stories) by K.J. Charles
The following short stories are part of the Charm of Magpies series, an historical fantasy-romance world by K.J. Charles. They are best read as companions to the main trilogy. Lucien Vaudrey, or Lord Crane, has seven magpie tattoos. This is presented in the first book of the trilogy, and only part of what makes him … Continue reading Reviews: “Interlude with Tattoos,” “The Smuggler and the Warlord,” and “Feast of Stephen” (A Charm of Magpies short stories) by K.J. Charles
Review: Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies #3) by K.J. Charles
I found this series right before the previous publishing company it was being published with folded. I was devastated, because it meant waiting months until I could finish the trilogy. Luckily, it was absolutely worth the wait. The conclusion to this trilogy brought together much of the story and plot elements from the previous books, … Continue reading Review: Flight of Magpies (A Charm of Magpies #3) by K.J. Charles
Reviews: “Song for a Viking” and “Wanted, an Author” by K.J. Charles
The following stories are available for free on the author's website and cannot be read as stand-alones. They are lovely follow-ups to the novels referenced in the reviews. "Song for a Viking" takes place immediately after the novel Think of England and is best read with the ending of the book in mind. I enjoyed this … Continue reading Reviews: “Song for a Viking” and “Wanted, an Author” by K.J. Charles
Review: Wanted, a Gentleman by K.J. Charles
Happy 500th blog post to me! Thanks for hanging out with me. I was initially unsure whether I wanted to read this book, despite my previous enjoyment of all of the author's works. However, a quiet evening at home when I knew I was falling ill demanded comfort reading, and this book was the perfect … Continue reading Review: Wanted, a Gentleman by K.J. Charles
Reviews: “A Confidential Problem” and “A Private Miscellany” (Society of Gentlemen short stories) by K.J. Charles
The two following reviews are of content freely available on the author's website as supplemental material to the Society of Gentlemen series. Neither can be read as stand-alone, but are best enjoyed following a read of the full series. "A Confidential Problem" is a lovely deleted scene that shows David Cyprian and Silas Mason, two … Continue reading Reviews: “A Confidential Problem” and “A Private Miscellany” (Society of Gentlemen short stories) by K.J. Charles
Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston
Let's start with the title: I would love to find out the author's original title for this work, but what is was published under makes no sense and smacks of interference on the part of a publisher's marketing department (though the cover is absolutely gorgeous). Which is a shame, because this novel was a delight … Continue reading Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnston
Review: “Marine Biology” (San Andreas Shifters short story) by G.L. Carriger
Cute story that was short and sweet. I’m not a huge fan of the “insta-love” trope in romances, but you can hand-wave it away here as a werewolf mating thing. Getting some background into the characters that I adore in The Sumage Solution was nice, however. The plot aspect of this story felt a bit … Continue reading Review: “Marine Biology” (San Andreas Shifters short story) by G.L. Carriger
Review: The Sumage Solution (San Andreas Shifters #1) by G.L. Carriger
Part of me is kicking myself for letting this book sit unread on my Kindle for so long. The rest of me thinks there must have been a method to my madness, because now I only have an agonizing 2 weeks to wait until the sequel is released. Luckily, I have a prequel short story … Continue reading Review: The Sumage Solution (San Andreas Shifters #1) by G.L. Carriger
Review: Think of England by K.J. Charles
If you've ever watched Downton Abbey and thought, "This show could use more espionage, blackmail, and murder," this is the book for you! What I especially enjoyed about this book is that it is primarily a mystery/thriller with an excellent romance subplot. But more importantly, the romance subplot informs and adds to the tension of the … Continue reading Review: Think of England by K.J. Charles
Review: “The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh” (Society of Gentlemen short story) by K.J. Charles
This short story acts as a sort of prequel to the Society of Gentlemen series, filling in the background for one of the established parings in the full trilogy. It can be read as a stand-alone. My favorite part of this story is card game of "strip poker," though Ash and Francis are playing a … Continue reading Review: “The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh” (Society of Gentlemen short story) by K.J. Charles
Review: A Gentleman’s Position (Society of Gentlemen #3) by K.J. Charles
Though I was correct in my guess that the final book in this trilogy would involve the relationship between Lord Richard Vane and his valet/spymaster David Cyprian, I wish this series had ended with more of a bang. The political intrigues in the first two books extended far beyond the arenas of gentlemen's clubs, so … Continue reading Review: A Gentleman’s Position (Society of Gentlemen #3) by K.J. Charles
Review: A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) by K.J. Charles
First of all, this can't be read as a stand-alone. You absolutely have to have read the first book in this series, A Fashionable Indulgence, to understand a significant portion of the larger plot. That being said, this is not a detraction to the book. In fact, I spent a lot of time admiring the plot … Continue reading Review: A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) by K.J. Charles