tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59483624302562691982024-03-25T19:07:16.236-07:00eyes.2c Reviews...stepping through worlds, dancing across wordseyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.comBlogger1967125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-31375838797259378782024-03-25T19:06:00.000-07:002024-03-25T19:06:18.340-07:00“Jasper St. Vincent, the Duke of Montford, had a talent for sin.” <p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Damned-Duke-Drop-Dead-Dukes-ebook/dp/B0C9VSXKTH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DVM0KM7E2PRU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LT6IkuessJKFal33riCyKMfEgz0fNQ7h9Ld3z9tHvUM.dq4WirmDDQc5SS_qNgMyNrPQEKZLUjc55DuToXyC-kk&dib_tag=se&keywords=damned+if+i+duke&qid=1711344899&sprefix=Damned+if+%2Caps%2C418&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Damned If I Duke</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Damned-Duke-Drop-Dead-Dukes-ebook/dp/B0C9VSXKTH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DVM0KM7E2PRU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LT6IkuessJKFal33riCyKMfEgz0fNQ7h9Ld3z9tHvUM.dq4WirmDDQc5SS_qNgMyNrPQEKZLUjc55DuToXyC-kk&dib_tag=se&keywords=damned+if+i+duke&qid=1711344899&sprefix=Damned+if+%2Caps%2C418&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Drop Dead Dukes #2)</a> by Anna Bradley </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️💫</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJfHTggHVQjBWhVLSArrPquN5OEjSLTInBphnmmyEbqTyoRb_8w8flQQhclM1KcdJj30gTZT7BSm99Lp86axQFTyE9uN9t0GCZ1wGlNvwCBCKee85JQOmx8oF-iMFUtZtWeeHRV3sVottIDcCMAFVEaVraraflDoZ2680gomQ_UeTQeUlD2j1QHH7sDH9/s500/IMG_1079.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJfHTggHVQjBWhVLSArrPquN5OEjSLTInBphnmmyEbqTyoRb_8w8flQQhclM1KcdJj30gTZT7BSm99Lp86axQFTyE9uN9t0GCZ1wGlNvwCBCKee85JQOmx8oF-iMFUtZtWeeHRV3sVottIDcCMAFVEaVraraflDoZ2680gomQ_UeTQeUlD2j1QHH7sDH9/s320/IMG_1079.jpeg" width="198" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">As neat an opening line as to be had.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">There’s more than a surfeit of tension between the main characters, </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none; color: #454545;">Jasper St. Vincent </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">and Miss Prudence Thorne. </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;">Added to the mix is a wicked ex-mistress, Lady Selina Archer, causing trouble.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Then there’s Jasper who just doesn’t feel women can be trusted. Selina certainly can’t!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Prior to this story Jasper’s been a bit of a swine gambling with an older gentleman at a ball last season, who couldn’t afford the stakes that Jasper had proposed in his usual careless drunken state. The older gentleman it turns out was Prue’s very upright father who of course sells part of his estate to pay off most of his debt. The balance will be paid after he sells the family home, Thornewood. </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A terrible outcome, especially for Prue. She’s come to London as the guest of her friend the Duchess of Basington to find a husband wealthy enough to pay off the last of her father’s debt.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">When Prue sees the chance to apply a bit of blackmail to keep Thornewood she does. Jasper still hasn’t comprehended the damage he’s done because, let’s face it, he’s so self centred. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">When he realizes, it’s too late.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I loved his grandfather who called him to account. Jasper’s grandfather is also quite taken with Prue.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">It all worked out after convoluted complexities. The main characters are forced into a marriage of convenience. Naturally it all goes awry at the celebration ball. Of course!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">It turns out Prue is a bruising rider, a sharp shooter, and wants to learn to fence. Which she does much to Jasper’s dismay and anger. (Reminds me a bit of scenes in Heyer’s These Old Shades)</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Jasper storms off after telling Prue she was free to do what she wanted. Golly Gosh! and Oops!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Both characters miscommunicate and misunderstand each other.They keep bungling everything, which might be construed as somewhat endearing</span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;"> but is totally frustrating to this reader.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The part where the horse bolted was great! Read it and find out!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">There’s also more than the required glances and heavy breathing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-60549505973575214112024-03-25T18:48:00.000-07:002024-03-25T18:48:06.385-07:00Another intriguing romance/mystery from the inimitable Amanda Collins.<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Governesss-Guide-Passion-Ladies-Scandalous-ebook/dp/B0CFL3SH4L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D4PK7995W6BT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bjurK4HH90OfU9NGLjFsgA.oNUh9HamHvUVsmGPDlOXC9fe4AiO0bcnCSv8URklbl8&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+governess%27s+guide+to+passion+and+peril&qid=1711405709&sprefix=Governess%27s+gu%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A Governess's Guide to Passion and Peril</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Governesss-Guide-Passion-Ladies-Scandalous-ebook/dp/B0CFL3SH4L/ref=sr_1_1?crid=D4PK7995W6BT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.bjurK4HH90OfU9NGLjFsgA.oNUh9HamHvUVsmGPDlOXC9fe4AiO0bcnCSv8URklbl8&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+governess%27s+guide+to+passion+and+peril&qid=1711405709&sprefix=Governess%27s+gu%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Ladies Most Scandalous #4)</a> by Manda Collins </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwqeGPByU2Y4ARFXbf2byCwqI2bpxpQx55R3VT7sQM7o0adoqKEIVJiNGvIMKuitRkkrjVd8AtDWRGpj6rVY7g9eoPpESHt8cqwBEVwAtlN4sHuNklPcM2Wshh-_32ThXOfGbq2cdfet0cKvNLZzBE3a6G1pS1eGfrPMTb0xInt1LqGdaV3zcRQUpbatj/s500/IMG_1078.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwqeGPByU2Y4ARFXbf2byCwqI2bpxpQx55R3VT7sQM7o0adoqKEIVJiNGvIMKuitRkkrjVd8AtDWRGpj6rVY7g9eoPpESHt8cqwBEVwAtlN4sHuNklPcM2Wshh-_32ThXOfGbq2cdfet0cKvNLZzBE3a6G1pS1eGfrPMTb0xInt1LqGdaV3zcRQUpbatj/s320/IMG_1078.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">When Jane Halliwell’s father, a high ranking diplomat, committed suicide due to his gambling debts Jane was shocked.</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> Jane and her mother returned to England from Rome, unable to endure the ostracism they experienced from the diplomatic community. That included Lord Adrian Fielding, who’d been in and out of their home in Rome, and for whom the young Jane had conceived a crush.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">With no funds to support them Jane’s mother had fled to a cousin in Scotland. Jane stayed in London determined eventually to make her way as a novelist </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Now, five years later, Jane is working as a governess in the home of a diplomatic friend of her father’s, Lord Guilford. Guildford’s wife was not pleased and made Jane’s life difficult, treating her as a servant. Jane meets Adrian again </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">at a symposium on roses being held at the Guilford's home.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Disaster strikes. Jane discovers Lord Guilford's body in his study. He’s been stabbed.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Now it seems other diplomats whose deaths has been put down to natural causes may have been murdered.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Jane joins forces with Adrian and Detective Inspector Eversham, agreeing to act as hostess for the symposium guests, in order to puzzle out the mystery of who’s been murdering the diplomats.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The Duke of Langham, Adrian’s brother, and his wife Poppy, also a friend of Jane’s, arrive to give assistance.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A fast paced who dunnit with a rekindled (sort of) romance nicely filling the gaps between murders.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Forever ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-15221825791171614562024-03-25T17:59:00.000-07:002024-03-25T17:59:42.711-07:00Red headed triplets! Shall the ton be shocked?<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sincerely-Duke-Say-I-Do-ebook/dp/B0C1X71KRM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CSEI73C4W004&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.P1f594nidNONQRnVgghPB5PryYNwPV2Zf6WFQexbd-HK6o0cxsqxxCPmWvGCntmgQzD2piKL_zOvcJno6P2e4-L_8FIZ8W7G52DNVhST1gw.25xjDLcaz2q0K3bXvrwD2dbkNxGNW7TF5iwDGv5XkBI&dib_tag=se&keywords=sincerely+the+duke+by+amelia+grey&qid=1711343432&sprefix=Sincerely%2Caps%2C368&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Sincerely, The Duke</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sincerely-Duke-Say-I-Do-ebook/dp/B0C1X71KRM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CSEI73C4W004&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.P1f594nidNONQRnVgghPB5PryYNwPV2Zf6WFQexbd-HK6o0cxsqxxCPmWvGCntmgQzD2piKL_zOvcJno6P2e4-L_8FIZ8W7G52DNVhST1gw.25xjDLcaz2q0K3bXvrwD2dbkNxGNW7TF5iwDGv5XkBI&dib_tag=se&keywords=sincerely+the+duke+by+amelia+grey&qid=1711343432&sprefix=Sincerely%2Caps%2C368&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Say I Do #2)</a> by Amelia Grey </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEZp_ufmn2qzNY1iJCTaJ6jazC-D2Xkdk6_0jNNUMPKzlJ5MB9AjYFCV80lUBX1UHKB7bdHVmkB50H1RVW3Ad_XlCvCMXNxVPxesYHZ7-7gryFd4yNkpJOAdIz_1gQatRLwv_gZf_z8Xr7O3RxK-eNRALIS_0aoLb6Azee6eRPIujJhDGBEKz4QO0rLyX/s500/IMG_1077.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEZp_ufmn2qzNY1iJCTaJ6jazC-D2Xkdk6_0jNNUMPKzlJ5MB9AjYFCV80lUBX1UHKB7bdHVmkB50H1RVW3Ad_XlCvCMXNxVPxesYHZ7-7gryFd4yNkpJOAdIz_1gQatRLwv_gZf_z8Xr7O3RxK-eNRALIS_0aoLb6Azee6eRPIujJhDGBEKz4QO0rLyX/s320/IMG_1077.jpeg" width="196" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">An interesting plot. Three sisters, triplets, all with red hair and green eyes. The eldest, Edwin, had promised her dying her father to have her sisters introduced to society and married.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Meanwhile up in London, Roderick Cosworth, the Duke of Stonerick, (Rick to his friends) </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">promises his mother to finally marry and beget an heir. He chooses a name from his mother’s list of eligible parties. Yes, one Edwina Fine. The duke who’s nearly insensible with a fever on this occasion totters off and forgets all about that decision.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">That is, until his peace and quiet is shattered by a disturbance in the entryway between a feisty red headed lady and his butler. </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">It’s his intended Fiona, paying a call to see if the offer is a hoax or true.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Rick as you can imagine has forgotten all about what happened with his mother. What with having been struck down by this mysterious recurring fever for a time. Looking at the note Edwina produces he recognizes his writing, and after some thought, declares it’s all above board.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Edwina informs him of her stipulations for the marriage. She wants her two sisters to attend the coming London season. She neglects to say they are triplets. (Due to fears about superstitions and rumours that infect society’s thinking)</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">The Dowager Duchess has been reading about the veracity of superstitions (all very negative) at her ladies meeting. She’s perturbed enough about the red hair and green eyes. Triplets might be a step too far. That point is not mentioned.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">It just seemed to me that what might have been an intriguing plot was sidetracked by inanities, Edwina’s over bearing stubbornness, and a disappointing chemistry between the two main characters. The zing just wasn’t there.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">I actually like the Duke better than Edwina. I appreciated how he handled her sister Eileen, even though he was suffering the dratted fever that persisted, and Edwina thought he’d drunk too much brandy. I shake my head!!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Still Edwina and Rick resolve the challenges between them and move on to have their HEA.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A <span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">St. Martin’s Press</span> ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-37899709766900218052024-03-25T17:48:00.000-07:002024-03-25T17:48:00.603-07:00From Duchess to Dowager Duchess in a split second!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Duchess-Scandalous-Ladies-London-ebook/dp/B0C9JK852R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WD2FHDONJSAS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rSBZajPZlT-_v-5xpZevHswt8EGKFUwq33YcZbBSZF4SaJMf4rhmZGyVKsoBthdx7MZzZGB6jeXYs4eu3s2qOBwzVUBqIWH5WfhKhX1cA0WW_3BJfbvaEnvzZBw3gpAbCGW1toQ-tJWXp2wKAiGbD7rQhkIDwAcDJBBObprs6O-yjbwWdAbzIldDtPK3l4GF9kWan6VbBVlrOFI16p9ZJDPBeL5jqAz6aqoc6UmPBf8.U9m3zHwvUQJTy4I-9Ly9vcN9DpMRVpVyoliRptav25k&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+duchess+sophie+jordan&qid=1711343250&sprefix=The+duchess+jor%2Caps%2C538&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Duchess</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Duchess-Scandalous-Ladies-London-ebook/dp/B0C9JK852R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WD2FHDONJSAS&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.rSBZajPZlT-_v-5xpZevHswt8EGKFUwq33YcZbBSZF4SaJMf4rhmZGyVKsoBthdx7MZzZGB6jeXYs4eu3s2qOBwzVUBqIWH5WfhKhX1cA0WW_3BJfbvaEnvzZBw3gpAbCGW1toQ-tJWXp2wKAiGbD7rQhkIDwAcDJBBObprs6O-yjbwWdAbzIldDtPK3l4GF9kWan6VbBVlrOFI16p9ZJDPBeL5jqAz6aqoc6UmPBf8.U9m3zHwvUQJTy4I-9Ly9vcN9DpMRVpVyoliRptav25k&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+duchess+sophie+jordan&qid=1711343250&sprefix=The+duchess+jor%2Caps%2C538&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (The Scandalous Ladies of London #2)</a> by Sophie Jordan </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGdSWn3kS4IdaCREsvY_FT36WCKgL5EVw1uRjMabMomJSaokhhypeFx4i93lM029DWLS5QT5oVetlFPzlapVCb28VaRLEd46zGIYXOqTjLHrO_Iw0Qkm-fQfo_CV_aMOWVGkUgge7KcG3HJy1f7vhx6jk98drIX81UVNBo0CiDmjnJnhfTwll0j1XCO42/s500/IMG_1076.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGdSWn3kS4IdaCREsvY_FT36WCKgL5EVw1uRjMabMomJSaokhhypeFx4i93lM029DWLS5QT5oVetlFPzlapVCb28VaRLEd46zGIYXOqTjLHrO_Iw0Qkm-fQfo_CV_aMOWVGkUgge7KcG3HJy1f7vhx6jk98drIX81UVNBo0CiDmjnJnhfTwll0j1XCO42/s320/IMG_1076.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Valencia, the Duchess Dedham, was relieved when her husband fell down the stairs and died. No loss as the man she’d married was very different after his accident, often brutally so. She’d waited eleven months as the grieving widow and was looking forward to being out and about in society. Unconcerned at that moment that the family solicitors had finally found an heir—in remote Wales. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Valencia ignored this fact, determined to put of her bereavement clothes and enjoy life, beginning with an attendance at Vauxhall. Floating down the river on her father’s yacht ended in disaster when she went overboard. Rescued by a stranger on a passing barge full of revellers, all male, was both a relief and discomforting, especially with regard to her rescuer, and her dampened dress. Never mind, she’d never see them again.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Imagine Valencia’s shock when the very next day the new Duke’s mother and a gaggle of six sisters descended upon her, informed her of her new status as Dowager Duchess, and took over her household without a by your leave. Bedlam descended, all without the Duke.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The Duke, arriving later, annoyed with his family, took one look at Valencia and realized she was the lady he’d rescued from the Thames, and lusted after. In a fit of pique, he asked her to leave. He threw her out of her home. Valencia has nowhere to go but the dowager house in the remote wilds of Yorkshire, far from everything and everyone she knows. Valencia is stunned.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Valencia understands that the Duke’s sisters will have a hard time being accepted by the ton. Their dreams would come to nothing. No Duke from Wales would be able to stop their disappointment. The heartlessness of the ton was well known. Rhain realizes his sisters will be eaten up by the ton. They will be ignored and laughed at. He has to do something. He asks Valencia to bring them up to scratch. In return he will buy a house in London for her and increase her stipend.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Then there was the Rhain’s cousin, the affable Dewey (also from the barge!)</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> Valencia was suspicious of him. Something was off. She was even more wary when she discovered him in a room with her maid. This was the man Rhain intended to oversee his properties while he went back to Wales.</span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.28px;">I really enjoyed the first three quarters of the book, then it all went awry in the last quarter. Too many surprises revealed. The </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.280001px;">characters just felt all over the place and disconnected. What was a pleasing buildup fell away. The inclusion of her father stepmother at the end might be setting up for the next book, but it was </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17.280001px;">a</span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"> slightly offsetting note.</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;">I liked Valencia. I liked Rhain, the new duke and his siblings. I appreciated Valencia’s terror at the hands of her husband. I understand her fear of the house party and her encounter with the dastardly Lord Burton.</span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;">Much to recommend in this intriguing “enemies to lovers” plot, and parts to puzzle over.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;">I must say I was rather drawn to the cover.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">An </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Avon and Harper Voyager </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-21661623258149701282024-03-16T02:14:00.000-07:002024-03-16T02:18:05.032-07:00Hooked...but…!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Enforcer-Guard-Book-ebook/dp/B0CVZ5WQY7/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2DVPQFOZCXYZ7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.88k7ae-F1Zlpq-rrPhG0RYyffZQhOjO4akokEHCpu8jgNT2PszRGKL6y1B_A4pcR.FPVUTiXhCnvdY3X0dgH58NW5Oa4cLX0cSSYiKx8oyFU&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+dukes+enforcer&qid=1710561610&sprefix=dukes+enf%2Caps%2C472&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Duke's Enforcer</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Enforcer-Guard-Book-ebook/dp/B0CVZ5WQY7/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2DVPQFOZCXYZ7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.88k7ae-F1Zlpq-rrPhG0RYyffZQhOjO4akokEHCpu8jgNT2PszRGKL6y1B_A4pcR.FPVUTiXhCnvdY3X0dgH58NW5Oa4cLX0cSSYiKx8oyFU&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+dukes+enforcer&qid=1710561610&sprefix=dukes+enf%2Caps%2C472&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Duke’s Guard #8)</a> by C.H. Admirand </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDc4aaFWz1TUOKBoG1NXVhlWpCMbVtpttdy2USihdtIZt56CaVa12wJeV3hR8NkjuordyHUa9Svcg6ej_taKf9GzXLFjAwkkgqEwhlLBZBELVTguOmnSpEdUg9FUnzmHFbstDoiGCSLzEv3r_LWIblnNG4ZAA9IUfQt30IYPskmCY_gpqBorE5VmacvRWA/s500/IMG_1074.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDc4aaFWz1TUOKBoG1NXVhlWpCMbVtpttdy2USihdtIZt56CaVa12wJeV3hR8NkjuordyHUa9Svcg6ej_taKf9GzXLFjAwkkgqEwhlLBZBELVTguOmnSpEdUg9FUnzmHFbstDoiGCSLzEv3r_LWIblnNG4ZAA9IUfQt30IYPskmCY_gpqBorE5VmacvRWA/s320/IMG_1074.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">My guilty pleasure continues, but sadly I was not as enamoured of the Duke’s Enforcer as I have been other titles in the series. I love the Guards but the storylines have become somewhat repetitive the last several times.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">You know, hero with a backbone of steel and a heart of gold rescues a damsel in distress from a really bad situation. In this case it’s Darby Garahan who falls in love with the much terrified young woman, Miss Aimee Anderson. Down on her luck, Aimee has answered an advertisement to work as a milliner, only to find she’s destined for a brothel. After rescuing Aimee, Darby proposes marriage to save her. The marriage is strewn with boulders of self doubt and it’s our hero’s job to cast the rescued damsel’s fears out. The marriage is a work in progress. Of course there’s more!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Despite my quibbles, despite the well worn plot, I must admit I just can’t stop reading any new additions to the series.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-57904611363408543122024-03-16T01:53:00.000-07:002024-03-16T01:53:23.842-07:00Romance and tension!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Soldiers-Impossible-Love-Night-Blackhaven-ebook/dp/B0CTVLTDZ6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24OM8DYXQP266&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4as4xZG5wc_cCjQm1ravH6ev4hNxcaF-h36zxYoOpFqPOknvy_WExX9jvxuOykg_9ALzRC8Ril3cEMiKzaxCkOBl8ye52yXTUYggtTdifTNifZCv-Oa1tlt7e2Z6K-AD5v2VWhM0wa5ie0Q_b9EEQKQXs9Mo6Ukat6d7qBEMxiiljLYweTkDqv3wtWlGFSDi9HVZBR5cu4x_e1piCfHZgw13Sn_2JTire4OyfeQm4Yw.Y0Czxs8BHGZIfIdEZrSvr6rD7j7eNSzl-WA0ywryHbY&dib_tag=se&keywords=soldiers+impossible+love&qid=1710233566&sprefix=Soldiers+impo%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Soldier's Impossible Love</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Soldiers-Impossible-Love-Night-Blackhaven-ebook/dp/B0CTVLTDZ6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24OM8DYXQP266&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4as4xZG5wc_cCjQm1ravH6ev4hNxcaF-h36zxYoOpFqPOknvy_WExX9jvxuOykg_9ALzRC8Ril3cEMiKzaxCkOBl8ye52yXTUYggtTdifTNifZCv-Oa1tlt7e2Z6K-AD5v2VWhM0wa5ie0Q_b9EEQKQXs9Mo6Ukat6d7qBEMxiiljLYweTkDqv3wtWlGFSDi9HVZBR5cu4x_e1piCfHZgw13Sn_2JTire4OyfeQm4Yw.Y0Czxs8BHGZIfIdEZrSvr6rD7j7eNSzl-WA0ywryHbY&dib_tag=se&keywords=soldiers+impossible+love&qid=1710233566&sprefix=Soldiers+impo%2Caps%2C362&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (One Night in Blackhaven #3)</a> by Mary Lancaster </span></p><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b8trjx8KiWqgd89nNCc8X0hik9jl0ouGCsFpfwUm1nM3Pl_NG0FsCY7mi-KVImuruZUwYYwXwXEZxT27616m0m68mWYEmYDsov5vxAPJl70ib8ibl_D4hNSfHVUtwx6gg3Cnu_HKTRumqZpqdImMunM5qqNWDpH7F5K41vyu6qmvH1XJXZP8kBI3_MVr/s500/IMG_1073.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7b8trjx8KiWqgd89nNCc8X0hik9jl0ouGCsFpfwUm1nM3Pl_NG0FsCY7mi-KVImuruZUwYYwXwXEZxT27616m0m68mWYEmYDsov5vxAPJl70ib8ibl_D4hNSfHVUtwx6gg3Cnu_HKTRumqZpqdImMunM5qqNWDpH7F5K41vyu6qmvH1XJXZP8kBI3_MVr/s320/IMG_1073.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">I wanted some light historical romantic reading. This was just the ticket!</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">A soldier, a survivor of Waterloo, Major Roderick Vale, is plagued by dreams and strong reactions to loud noises. He meets one of the daughter’s of their</span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"> neighbor, the Earl of Braithwaire, Lady Helen Conway, at the local Blackhaven Assembly Rooms Ball.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Vale’s just ended an affair with a wealthy widow, Meg Maven (from trade). She’s been planning on using marriage to Roderick as her entree into high society. That’s nowhere on the Major’s radar. He’s already ended the relationship. </span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Meg won’t take no for an answer.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">She sets her sights on Helen who has helped Roderick.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">There is more to Helen than meets the eye. One shouldn’t underestimate her.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Suffice it to say we have the evil widow making trouble, the young innocent exploring her feelings, the injured soldier trying to heal, families concerned about their siblings, and so much more.</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">An intriguing romance that does more than satisfy .</span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></div><div style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Dragonblade ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p></div>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-52454818033199192572024-03-16T00:31:00.000-07:002024-03-16T00:31:12.236-07:00Dark times in Germany!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Book-Bonn-Novel-ebook/dp/B0C8JC8Q8B/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3FPHBE0CY84LU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BT8EMAoHi94bAtSII5-9_tAhea4rVjjAHF3NvhuqhD8qHo0mfg443iHOKKXvdK5jwW4YUlMBhgc0gtd3hNHguTQM8gqt-JLUvxbF3dUQlba8z0bKnyMlnYomxiz7E33bKG6KqvM9-0GbYjH7GdxjahAyE7V_gzMFttnsB9mmOg2vjF55l4kVUKXak75QJu1hoNCavNb6fztoW5DJOWwpUw.B03mzWFZEBNsPrh0FXA14GlGDA8YL-sRHlVKvwkGC04&dib_tag=se&keywords=lost+book+of+bonn&qid=1710564120&sprefix=lost+book+of+bonn%2Caps%2C394&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Lost Book of Bonn</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Book-Bonn-Novel-ebook/dp/B0C8JC8Q8B/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3FPHBE0CY84LU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BT8EMAoHi94bAtSII5-9_tAhea4rVjjAHF3NvhuqhD8qHo0mfg443iHOKKXvdK5jwW4YUlMBhgc0gtd3hNHguTQM8gqt-JLUvxbF3dUQlba8z0bKnyMlnYomxiz7E33bKG6KqvM9-0GbYjH7GdxjahAyE7V_gzMFttnsB9mmOg2vjF55l4kVUKXak75QJu1hoNCavNb6fztoW5DJOWwpUw.B03mzWFZEBNsPrh0FXA14GlGDA8YL-sRHlVKvwkGC04&dib_tag=se&keywords=lost+book+of+bonn&qid=1710564120&sprefix=lost+book+of+bonn%2Caps%2C394&sr=8-1" target="_blank">: A Novel</a> by Brianna Labuskes </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqAedVF1SDUMUA9eacgpOA7IlFpg4xo9yxvJ4BVUg12gcS38BA_fT_8NFcmydLNvPaBHGoatTYgQge3MBP1K4nUlMcvu_gC6pX8BfWIiPkRZC2g304EjyMXObdEHksGymvREkkqvxhZHSCCVQfcg1k90Gx1hVCLS3MFal1ZNYiYHNRvRkBnmcnHQaxiwb/s500/IMG_1072.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqAedVF1SDUMUA9eacgpOA7IlFpg4xo9yxvJ4BVUg12gcS38BA_fT_8NFcmydLNvPaBHGoatTYgQge3MBP1K4nUlMcvu_gC6pX8BfWIiPkRZC2g304EjyMXObdEHksGymvREkkqvxhZHSCCVQfcg1k90Gx1hVCLS3MFal1ZNYiYHNRvRkBnmcnHQaxiwb/s320/IMG_1072.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Gripping story about sisters who lived in Bonn just before WWII.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Annalise the older loved to hike and party with her friends in a group called the Edelweiss Pirates. Later they took more and more subversive action against the ruling Nazi party</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;">Christina, the younger sister liked to follow rules. She became a member of </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bund Deutscher Mädel, promoting young Aryan women who followed rules, who fit in, who presented the ideal woman who embraced her place in the social fabric.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Widowed Emmy Clarke is a librarian who’s sent to Berlin in 1946 to look through the acres of books seized by the Nazis. Many are valuable. The scope of looting by the Nazis is phenomenal. Here she meets Major Wesley Arnold, part of the Monuments Men team.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Emma chances upon a book on her first day that has an inscription, beginning “to Annelise” ending with Eitan.” Emmy senses a deeper story behind the inscription. Emmy is inspired to see if she can find out more about these people.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">The story moves from one character’s viewpoint to another’s —Annelise and Christina, Both interspersed with Emmy’s search in 19476.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">What it tells us is that not all people are the enemy and that when they stood together they might prevail. The story of the Aryan women married to Jews who protest against their husbands being detained and held in the Jewish community center on Rose Street, awaiting transportation, is harrowing and admirable.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Such a sensitive novel about evil times that aren’t as cut and dried as we would wish.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">A superb read!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A William Morrow ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-44051950808657484412024-03-11T03:41:00.000-07:002024-03-11T03:41:20.954-07:00A cold case missing person inquiry resurfaces!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0C8JBHH1H/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?ie=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x9vg-0XuT_l6vWkVBFm3Jndm-m_2SV6_bEzqq5k7ndI.rzv0jJw5DriaeDgSNgQhHunExAN6H3MKjpTyI3Isdc8&qid=1709697267&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> by Nicci French </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ7Jqrt_1ui_qZoV67IIc7mDtXUWQ3_fhab_13gVrWkH7nlNSWWRO39zIV8zQrgyCSMDXDL4Fcav3nBuF6D3RpHqw87GL1cpb7iJE9zwDU3-2RcxrcM1_PxYr0gpHyZcOoOW34Ikq06XZp5DROlj83ZPZICekoDflMLOrrPu_A4EpFGqwSOkjRfg-r0fe/s500/IMG_1071.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJ7Jqrt_1ui_qZoV67IIc7mDtXUWQ3_fhab_13gVrWkH7nlNSWWRO39zIV8zQrgyCSMDXDL4Fcav3nBuF6D3RpHqw87GL1cpb7iJE9zwDU3-2RcxrcM1_PxYr0gpHyZcOoOW34Ikq06XZp5DROlj83ZPZICekoDflMLOrrPu_A4EpFGqwSOkjRfg-r0fe/s320/IMG_1071.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">1990 December, Etty Salter walked to a family friend’s barn where they were holding a fiftieth birthday party for her father Alec. She was looking for her mother Charlie. Etty is concerned. She looks everywhere and finally contacts the local police.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Charlie never arrived. Her children never saw her again</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A few days later Duncan Ackerley disappeared and was found in the river against a buoy. Suicide was the verdict. The general consensus is that Duncan murdered Charlie and then killed himself.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Now, thirty years later the case is being looked at again. Police procedure had not been followed and basically mistakes—many missteps had happened </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Now it’s 2022 and Detective Inspector Maude has been asked to reopen the case. Difficulties arise with lost evidence and files, and the attitude of the local police</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Another deadly occurrence happens that’s possibly linked to the 1990 case. The woman who was clearing out the Slater home because the family was putting Alec into care, (he has dementia) dies in a house fire</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Are the three connected?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">A very readable mystery that sucked me in. The reveal at the end is a surprise</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Another deft mystery from the partnership that is Nicci French.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A William Morrow ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-66756232729933158852024-03-10T22:58:00.000-07:002024-03-10T23:06:23.297-07:00Forbidden love<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Bride-Novel-Natasha-Siegel-ebook/dp/B0C7TXZ8ZG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NHT44XW44UOF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FaRnyfsdneQRvy4sLf9Mpg.eWmVnOVzdofR_N6vS2xgQCW1tYq8K6juE3Pcc8QLuGg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+phoenix+bride+natasha+siegel&qid=1710136066&sprefix=Phoenix+bride%2Caps%2C585&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Phoenix Bride</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Bride-Novel-Natasha-Siegel-ebook/dp/B0C7TXZ8ZG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NHT44XW44UOF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FaRnyfsdneQRvy4sLf9Mpg.eWmVnOVzdofR_N6vS2xgQCW1tYq8K6juE3Pcc8QLuGg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+phoenix+bride+natasha+siegel&qid=1710136066&sprefix=Phoenix+bride%2Caps%2C585&sr=8-1" target="_blank">: A Novel</a> by Natasha Siegel </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9MDhXn4SnNri3DTDrSt4IX_OqOlYtH5c2ClCbO8auDYNN8XR0jXgOHWKCTFwHExqSGS1l0EvekX7OwAOFBbKysh4cCMSxzmjpwUvZgz2WEPYhgWoQRIhFwYLbaHIlby5i88h6Nr_IfLtojYxrZGFt_yATSQi3m_7efJsFk3XVlkhTXbgjugLwqMrPwk3/s500/IMG_1070.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9MDhXn4SnNri3DTDrSt4IX_OqOlYtH5c2ClCbO8auDYNN8XR0jXgOHWKCTFwHExqSGS1l0EvekX7OwAOFBbKysh4cCMSxzmjpwUvZgz2WEPYhgWoQRIhFwYLbaHIlby5i88h6Nr_IfLtojYxrZGFt_yATSQi3m_7efJsFk3XVlkhTXbgjugLwqMrPwk3/s320/IMG_1070.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Don’t get me wrong, I love a good historical novel. When I first picked this up I just wasn’t in the mood, for something quite as deep. So I read a few lighter novels and then returned. I’m so glad I went back. The story has it all, illicit love, tragedy and rebirth.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I loved the sound premise to this story. Set in 1666 London. Time of the Restoration of the Stuart monarchy and King Charles. Cecilia Thorowgood’s husband has died of the plague. Cecilia is distraught. She’s suffers various doctors paraded before her trying to cure her of melancholy. David Mendes is a physician come Portugal, now living in a Jewish neighbourhood in Aldegate. </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">He has been asked to treat Cecilia. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">The story extends into a burgeoning friendship between Cecelia and David, </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Cecilia’s increasing fear of entrapment, a </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">proposal of marriage from her sister’s husband’s nephew, her growing love for David, his fear of the harsh opinions of others (with good cause) all overshadowed by the Great Fire of London, when lives will be reshaped from the crucible of terror, just not in the way expected.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">A </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Penguin Random House</span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;"> ARC via NetGalley. </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-29551581910875496202024-03-04T20:58:00.000-08:002024-03-04T20:58:10.089-08:00A missing child!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Noble-Scheme-Imposters-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9S3BM3J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EA8CRJ64T49O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WnO0C9Me_TFXQKiwgQREXtDLyYiLlN709Se3zgms0ke87ObPi9pcoXPBHsQ7Jv0EtV-pTyrANBMmclzbZJVmGNCtoB6oD_Bg6K-GRhzBWrI.QrPqXqZlmx69Q6C43SV5WUY6E0nSNoajs0WCue9sKUg&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+noble+scheme+roseanna+white&qid=1709610966&sprefix=Noble+scheme%2Caps%2C687&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A Noble Scheme</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Noble-Scheme-Imposters-Book-ebook/dp/B0C9S3BM3J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2EA8CRJ64T49O&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WnO0C9Me_TFXQKiwgQREXtDLyYiLlN709Se3zgms0ke87ObPi9pcoXPBHsQ7Jv0EtV-pTyrANBMmclzbZJVmGNCtoB6oD_Bg6K-GRhzBWrI.QrPqXqZlmx69Q6C43SV5WUY6E0nSNoajs0WCue9sKUg&dib_tag=se&keywords=a+noble+scheme+roseanna+white&qid=1709610966&sprefix=Noble+scheme%2Caps%2C687&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> Imposters #2)</a> by Roseanna M. White </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPK4qmb9JnK8DGwHrdolKo4PSPWdNJJuu6XwYliI2118eGd0DgYbgnI9VCtPoCaGotJJLoj2VZJ5jM68V-csZi0VeJrKAwoHZ6VJ4eBwtZTbYK21nVnwVzUiwlS_ey1tt4gcDGIMbcoPK4ZYMLViBO0-6aCqSS9LxPAQXrRUOZLfgaVhu8wwZtTItuU2K/s500/IMG_1068.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPK4qmb9JnK8DGwHrdolKo4PSPWdNJJuu6XwYliI2118eGd0DgYbgnI9VCtPoCaGotJJLoj2VZJ5jM68V-csZi0VeJrKAwoHZ6VJ4eBwtZTbYK21nVnwVzUiwlS_ey1tt4gcDGIMbcoPK4ZYMLViBO0-6aCqSS9LxPAQXrRUOZLfgaVhu8wwZtTItuU2K/s320/IMG_1068.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-size: 17.3px;">Interestingly I’d been thinking about the previous book in this series not so long ago. Then this title popped up.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What was it that stayed with me? </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The background that had Imposters Inc. birthed perhaps? </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Belonging to the top echelons of Edwardian English society, Lady Marigold and her brother Lord Yates, Earl of Fairfax, upon their father’s death find that he had spent all their funds and more on the joyous thrills he had surrounded himself, and them with.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">To finance the menagerie at The Towers they begin an investigative agency, very exclusive, called The Imposters Ltd.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">One has to be prepared for the overt faith perspective underlying this tale. Themes of forgiveness, love, integrity and anger feature strongly. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Lady Marigold marries Sir Merritt Livingston. Their honeymoon over, work now beckons. Thankfully Merritt has no objections to joining the Imposters in their mission.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The group have been called on to solve the problem of a missing child who was kidnapped from the train near Ludgrove. Only the wrong child was taken. Not Lord Wilfrid’s son Horace, but his poorer cousin Sidney. The boys are very similar in looks and are often mistaken for each other. Being boys they’re not adverse to playing pranks. This time their mischief has gone awry. A ransom note for eighty thousand dollars has been received. Lord Wilfred refuses to pay. After all it’s not his son in trouble! Sidney’s parents, the Harts, are desperate and ask for help from the Imposters.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Whilst the search is going on Gemma and her husband Graham Wharton, an architect, have been estranged since their son Jamie was killed in a car accident whilst Graham was driving. A journey Gemma had begged him not to take. Graham is angry with God. Gemma refuses to forgive Graham Jamie’s death. Now they must put their differences aside to help with the investigation.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A complicated plot, and problems within the group, has the Imposters well and truly testing their investigative powers.</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A Bethany House ARC via NetGalley. </p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-74515933508659509722024-03-04T20:36:00.000-08:002024-03-04T20:36:42.721-08:00Dark days of the past haunt and beckon.<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Berlin-Letters-Cold-War-Novel-ebook/dp/B0CBH3L4H4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CUHRSH6EBUN6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WF_4cxsDO-oRXc8YhAojIEox3Be0SMDDrD69ZV7BS2Ek9zWM8ucSg9WsLTEhhCMoDlNel-Mtx5Fyth-O0cJZLa_-0Rfd7qs1ofsB2hXUc5Ovdc22wdQSNxkQLBKtype3K-WilErd0ywXz7gmRk1tc-fqsRJ-O9BEaDU31qFIcUR17yf90sDYKAMffok9FaoMW7AIgUe_5iyJGsVRNycZRkeqwcRaw4h-kVqrlfReU0I.cC_pqDBvTccKx1opqzod-UQ7HgOom4OTRmOm_KavNJc&dib_tag=se&keywords=Berlin+letters&qid=1709612732&sprefix=berlin+letters%2Caps%2C402&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;">The Berlin Letters</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">: A Cold War Novel</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">by Katherine Reay </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASztNhbpsGLGMAG4YoRCoBzqKiF9F1KgGZ8RU5Tpz6zoPFq7KB4SQzGFZch4SC8peckhyphenhyphenZlAFJ6sUq7UeyXgQ_4UIhTY09HlBe5pS1mma0KuVi3Of3j9kXpjkauOQrta-L6mWuciIj4gbM3qxtYl-h5hCWedqQX-1JPj0O2XhgKUhtatdsaHDzywiHNyH/s500/IMG_1067.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhASztNhbpsGLGMAG4YoRCoBzqKiF9F1KgGZ8RU5Tpz6zoPFq7KB4SQzGFZch4SC8peckhyphenhyphenZlAFJ6sUq7UeyXgQ_4UIhTY09HlBe5pS1mma0KuVi3Of3j9kXpjkauOQrta-L6mWuciIj4gbM3qxtYl-h5hCWedqQX-1JPj0O2XhgKUhtatdsaHDzywiHNyH/s320/IMG_1067.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17.28px;">Improbable? Possibly not. When the wall dividing Berlin went up, the world gasped. When the wall came down the world was ecstatic.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Luisa Voekler is a baby when the wall interrupts lives. Her mother, Monica, throws Luisa across the razor wire to her grandparents. Monica attempts to follow, climbing through the wire. At the last minute she is noticed by the guards.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Luisa’s father Harris is a successful journalist in East Berlin, a true believer, a product of the benevolent state. </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">It’s only years later he becomes a subversive.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Her grandparents take Luisa and flee to the states. It seems there is something about her grandfather that made him an asset to those there. He’s an expert cryptographer. Luisa’s grandfather taught her from a child to decipher riddles and codes. She even had to solve codes to find her birthday presents.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">When older, Luisa trains with the CIA as an agent but she’s suddenly moved from that program working on budgets and now as an analyst. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">She stumbles upon letters that have envelopes with a symbol she recognizes. Hints left by her grandfather when they played at solving encryptions.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Luisa realizes her father is alive, detained by the Stasi, about to be transported to a prison far away. She goes to go to Berlin to bribe guards and obtain his release. Dangerous as it is, she’s compelled to do what she can. Anything could go wrong.</span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.28px;">I found the ending, although </span><span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.28px;">heart stopping, just a tad </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.280001px;">to</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.28px;"> pat. </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">An </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">exciting </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.28px;">Cold War thriller, set in places I recognize. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Harper Muse ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-41325077093382746522024-03-04T20:18:00.000-08:002024-03-04T20:18:33.994-08:00Avoiding a marriage!<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Charlotte-Always-Gets-Her-ebook/dp/B0C9ZLPY1S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=309NI82UKDT4U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZEDlEkimN0zkFnO8mFbORxWMrB4KRo89BqBGV3pq5EpjCsdq_IoBQFFAM2edM_zD8BWwHS6psGFSTLXifjo95TXIWXhN0qHgMDptjmGoQaqCALNw4SSslhhP1Wl1LnCnu32aX39KQB1Yuo9BhPkgrBZSj74_5k0_1SLNTKPIoY_Z7_NKNWHUhkp-NMD0ddSZmrRIAn1t8he0SY8C9War11pObiOiHvGLbpAq6NtBc8g.qEBod_Cq1LszK3N4HyBw0FemIUH3WcDJeM8Aj-5kdb8&dib_tag=se&keywords=lady+charlotte+always+gets+her+man&qid=1709597677&sprefix=Lady+Charlotte+%2Caps%2C605&sr=8-1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0077ff;">Lady Charlotte Always Gets Her Man</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> by Violet Marsh </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdUtGILTfPJ7x0Wd7G_NGQQvSJcDoOIzwRca-cVtXhEqW5lhUa5jcRNXNYAYg4dBXOsb5d5Ky2hFqd4jH1tEj4TDErux4kzTfMO0ikNuob9DLuOTCZFkYy6BUnqCgXDaKwEGPSF_mo6XKeuqaT2hvBAzed4kHixAPB-5shZXKSET-1lwq-iHhATH069Nv/s500/IMG_1066.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEdUtGILTfPJ7x0Wd7G_NGQQvSJcDoOIzwRca-cVtXhEqW5lhUa5jcRNXNYAYg4dBXOsb5d5Ky2hFqd4jH1tEj4TDErux4kzTfMO0ikNuob9DLuOTCZFkYy6BUnqCgXDaKwEGPSF_mo6XKeuqaT2hvBAzed4kHixAPB-5shZXKSET-1lwq-iHhATH069Nv/s320/IMG_1066.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Parrots, monkeys, a wicked duke soon to be a fiancé, and the solid, reliable younger scholarly brother of said duke who is more than he seems. No wonder my mind was all a whirl whilst reading this.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Lady Charlotte Lovett’s more a restricted doll living in a guilded cage. Everything (and I mean everything) had to be just so. Charlotte’s parents have decided to marry her to the Duke of Hawley despite his previous two wives both having died in “tragic” accidents. He’s a bully and more. Her parents see it as a step in their march to influence and power.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Lady Charlotte is made of sterner stuff. She’s working on a plot towards freedom.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Charlotte’s mother runs a literary salon. Charlotte takes that idea and inveigles her cousins to let her invest in their coffeehouse, The Black Sheep. Here she’ll run a variation on her mother’s salon for those of all genders wishing to converse and argue the point about politics, literature, the sciences, whatever, in rooms adjoining the coffeehouse.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">All she has to do is have Hawley confess to wrong doing in front of witnesses. Make no mistake, Hawley is depraved and sinister.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The “how” is the big question...and that becomes the stuff worthy of the best dramatic theater.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A fun read with more serious matters underlying the whole.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A <span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Forever (Grand Central Pub.)</span> ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-15668158225703497292024-03-03T22:12:00.000-08:002024-03-03T22:12:54.623-08:00Trading places!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Novel-Lex-Croucher-ebook/dp/B0C1X8CJ4W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RO9IUH89MMZR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WC9jj1i0c8sNMbWiS6fXSiySkX50w4zXE1MO09wwYN3GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.dYEdLanGVParDCQq1AegK2JP-ZmvObYGFEBRm2SnyYQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=trouble+lex+croucher&qid=1709500257&sprefix=Trouble+lex%2Caps%2C593&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Trouble</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Trouble-Novel-Lex-Croucher-ebook/dp/B0C1X8CJ4W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RO9IUH89MMZR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.WC9jj1i0c8sNMbWiS6fXSiySkX50w4zXE1MO09wwYN3GjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.dYEdLanGVParDCQq1AegK2JP-ZmvObYGFEBRm2SnyYQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=trouble+lex+croucher&qid=1709500257&sprefix=Trouble+lex%2Caps%2C593&sr=8-1" target="_blank">: A Novel</a> by Lex Croucher </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IqimRaTRtgDLL7ER6xCqEyYspwKB-D2K2VAceuIzdMr4fwesX2qMXUzYc3XMu2MwQhSb0r8DpuWwCf9y5GnN_TOhO2MImyVxgfnaWpUuLB8qB8y58Kczm83kZWDqgmHVoM7HNPyb2LES4iQ-sUJXm-cV1ERsioaNlS3mQh4sGWIVvy5lbNAFYzJCOwaK/s500/IMG_1065.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IqimRaTRtgDLL7ER6xCqEyYspwKB-D2K2VAceuIzdMr4fwesX2qMXUzYc3XMu2MwQhSb0r8DpuWwCf9y5GnN_TOhO2MImyVxgfnaWpUuLB8qB8y58Kczm83kZWDqgmHVoM7HNPyb2LES4iQ-sUJXm-cV1ERsioaNlS3mQh4sGWIVvy5lbNAFYzJCOwaK/s320/IMG_1065.jpeg" width="209" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Emily Laurence is a fighter. When her father dies, she and her mother and sister realize they have very little in the way of assets. Emily doesn’t take their change of fortune lying down. </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Troubled and determined, Emily </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">fights to keep them all going, taking a job in the mill, whatever it takes. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">When her sister Amy lands a job as a governess she’s happy for her. Amy falls ill before she can take up the position so Emily swaps identities with her sister and presents herself to her employer as Amy. After all, how hard can it be?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">So Emily who can’t relate to children, and knows nothing about teaching, finds herself posing as a governess to two young women, Grace Edwards who has the same sort of illness as Amy, and Aster who refuses to be governessed. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Ah well, Emily just lets Amy read and talk about her beloved books and Aster stays in her room with plenty of drawing supplies.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">It’s a strange household. There’s Captain Edwards, with some sort of scandal in his past, and the servants who are even more peculiar. What’s more Emily seems to get into arguments with the Captain at the drop of a hat. How he hasn’t dismissed her is beyond her.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Emily helps herself to a couple of trinkets, drinks too much at the Rose and Crown (the Village Inn) and meets a stranger, Charles, who will pay her for any information she can dig up about the Captain. A chance to make money for her invalided sister and mother! She takes the opportunity!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">It niggles at her, and when Charles brings pressure to bear Emily is truly conflicted and worried, because by this time she’s come to appreciate the Captain, her charges and the household’s servants</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Whoa! a galloping read with misunderstandings and conflicted moments on every page!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I am loving Lex Croucher’s writings. Her books are wonderfully different, her characters bouncing with energy, and Emily is definitely a mouthy one! Well read!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">St. Martin’s Press </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-9392234053606067892024-03-03T21:58:00.000-08:002024-03-03T21:58:52.458-08:00Dark and vengeful!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Scream-Sins-Simon-Westow-mystery-ebook/dp/B0CJ9JKGDR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HVF8S1GK7B8P&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.c4e1EiBRQJjzCPQGBDrSZLjWuSU6b_khNWzMTAuC3cQWPpFBD9_3RUN1H6Ue5gRq_F_nrY-ZM-KMrW618fn0mqgjxJUAzc-ba7NVgrRl_0RenCF61VFuYE9GW2RjfCOj4y5_zL_TxMhVwDZ8-rBwslYlybo9_UELc_LfjcBkXOe_Eq6kHnRd8gpYGch_yMDDWllpbtmd68DlNWYK2tWJ_eIcq2guVbUsG8jn1FwG4Nk.INS_dQIBR2KhRXyXIN8v4dpe11cUsPyx3QhDeUwa39U&dib_tag=se&keywords=scream+of+sins&qid=1709465999&sprefix=Screams+of+sins%2Caps%2C539&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Scream of Sins</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Scream-Sins-Simon-Westow-mystery-ebook/dp/B0CJ9JKGDR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HVF8S1GK7B8P&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.c4e1EiBRQJjzCPQGBDrSZLjWuSU6b_khNWzMTAuC3cQWPpFBD9_3RUN1H6Ue5gRq_F_nrY-ZM-KMrW618fn0mqgjxJUAzc-ba7NVgrRl_0RenCF61VFuYE9GW2RjfCOj4y5_zL_TxMhVwDZ8-rBwslYlybo9_UELc_LfjcBkXOe_Eq6kHnRd8gpYGch_yMDDWllpbtmd68DlNWYK2tWJ_eIcq2guVbUsG8jn1FwG4Nk.INS_dQIBR2KhRXyXIN8v4dpe11cUsPyx3QhDeUwa39U&dib_tag=se&keywords=scream+of+sins&qid=1709465999&sprefix=Screams+of+sins%2Caps%2C539&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Simon Westow #6)</a> by Chris Nickson </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcAmyGy56ybuWZ5CccmMMN2x3Az9eBKDJoDTgNzFMUvvzBquFiesJK618GvIkzhrM45uK102AIErOaDZc9Zrwk004fqfxuZ6MTrLQotPivUE2pe_0yIVvm0CX0jZRUId6kZ5f1d5qjkW23581zvPr9TsuIYiWJzHEhs91lSabjHbZ_gzid5I_QADXissf/s500/IMG_1064.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="319" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcAmyGy56ybuWZ5CccmMMN2x3Az9eBKDJoDTgNzFMUvvzBquFiesJK618GvIkzhrM45uK102AIErOaDZc9Zrwk004fqfxuZ6MTrLQotPivUE2pe_0yIVvm0CX0jZRUId6kZ5f1d5qjkW23581zvPr9TsuIYiWJzHEhs91lSabjHbZ_gzid5I_QADXissf/s320/IMG_1064.jpeg" width="204" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Wow! Chris Nickson once again transports us back to 1824 Leeds. Atmospheric and stark reality color every page.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Simon Westow (the thief-taker) has a new client, an ex cavalry officer, and son of one of Leeds most notorious magistrates, who’s proving to be evasive and high handed. He wants Simon to find some stolen papers of his dead father’s but will give him no clues. It turns out others are on the trail and the dead bodies begin to stack up.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Something dark is happening in the lanes and alleyways of Leeds.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Jane has befriended a young girl, Sally, in whom she sees herself at that age. Sally feels protective of the children who live on the streets. In particular one small girl, Emma, who doesn’t quite seem like the others. Jane and Sally discover she and her sister were grabbed from a park when they hid from her governess. Emma was released because she was too old. Harriet, all of four, was deemed suitable.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Both Simon and Porter the Constable are shocked. They will become more so. Power and money are at work.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Sally comes more into the picture as Jane decides to only help when Simon really needs her. Her relationship with Simon has not been the same since he intervened in her planned revenge. </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Jane hasn’t really come to terms with Simon’s actions. She’s become more distant from the family.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Nickson’s portrayal of life on the streets for the forgotten and lost children is harsh and unforgiving.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Street justice is paid out for some of the child snatchers.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">This latest novel in the Simon Westow arc has endings for some and new promise for others.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">I was captured by events as they unfolded, horrified on many levels, and constantly admired Nickson’s ability to capture the terror of situations his characters faced and the driving search for justice and revenge they sought.</span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.280001px;">A</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.280001px;"> challenging topic brought into the light, revealed by the power of the very talented Nickson’s pen.</span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Severn House ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-16343307123498216972024-03-02T16:42:00.000-08:002024-03-02T16:42:05.489-08:00Finlay takes on Atlantic City!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finlay-Donovan-Rolls-Dice-Novel-ebook/dp/B0C1X7LZ3S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3U78FOIHNRGPX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RNSBmZ0pLWSZSoemrtyiok-jVf-geDIxoyRlsCpSG3xDzXN5NjXfJ9xy85knUmCw_ULYyGUMUxYhjg_WhaD8P1JO8lGuF2JQPlGEIVf85RcbIKQjAJ_CbYiJec-jWyt0NZBH2tEJLiu6A4CftvIj9Xqsut4HHYGT1DfvM9rVVajVVKe1e4hDcyhkdgeNqFLehDP55Yp9HFlRgjEdgDpBU6AVCS6-G8Ge6C6c-1hJv3U.aZyyzhWVjBMsVuyCbwpJ_a4ESK3M2wnhBb6S3SornzM&dib_tag=se&keywords=finlay+donovan+rolls+the+dice&qid=1709328355&sprefix=Finla%2Caps%2C558&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finlay-Donovan-Rolls-Dice-Novel-ebook/dp/B0C1X7LZ3S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3U78FOIHNRGPX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.RNSBmZ0pLWSZSoemrtyiok-jVf-geDIxoyRlsCpSG3xDzXN5NjXfJ9xy85knUmCw_ULYyGUMUxYhjg_WhaD8P1JO8lGuF2JQPlGEIVf85RcbIKQjAJ_CbYiJec-jWyt0NZBH2tEJLiu6A4CftvIj9Xqsut4HHYGT1DfvM9rVVajVVKe1e4hDcyhkdgeNqFLehDP55Yp9HFlRgjEdgDpBU6AVCS6-G8Ge6C6c-1hJv3U.aZyyzhWVjBMsVuyCbwpJ_a4ESK3M2wnhBb6S3SornzM&dib_tag=se&keywords=finlay+donovan+rolls+the+dice&qid=1709328355&sprefix=Finla%2Caps%2C558&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Finlay Donovan #4)</a> by Elle Cosimano </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYYCursgx_Thm7xpgbiUOFrTirrbO_W0Gh6ywhnEAsHaH1t2ZYNwRjNrI2xGTym2sfA8a-aV1qRODkkSNOElKohrjAlzuSIOg3prUe5NrnoTLTKl39F-YlxDAqNruyV-BRWKOxdUGmWsKAa36g7ao-0-Uguc9qp0ZUB6E1SwIj_cJHWC2EB9gXea4MAcD/s500/IMG_1063.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLYYCursgx_Thm7xpgbiUOFrTirrbO_W0Gh6ywhnEAsHaH1t2ZYNwRjNrI2xGTym2sfA8a-aV1qRODkkSNOElKohrjAlzuSIOg3prUe5NrnoTLTKl39F-YlxDAqNruyV-BRWKOxdUGmWsKAa36g7ao-0-Uguc9qp0ZUB6E1SwIj_cJHWC2EB9gXea4MAcD/s320/IMG_1063.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">How can you not enjoy the roller coaster ride that’s Finlay Donovan’s life. Pursued by a loan shark, her Aston Martin, a gift from the Russian for the mob, stolen, presumably by said loan shark, she’s constantly tripping over dead bodies. Then there’s staving off a jealous husband who just doesn’t get it, whilst melting into a puddle whenever hot Detective Nick Anthony comes her way. On top of that her nanny/</span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">business partner, </span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Vero’s childhood sweetheart, Javi is missing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Finlay and Vero decide to quietly slip off to Atlantic City to get both back.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">What was supposedly a quiet, quick trip for these two turned into a family gathering with Finlay’s mother, her children, her ex-husband Steve, crashing the party. What else could go wrong? Well Nick turned up with his partner Charlie, along with Finlay’s FBI sister and her new girlfriend. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Is there anything else?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Oh, how about a couple of dead persons of interest in a room at a high rolling casino.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Life is just one action packed, high octane scene after another. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Meanwhile Finlay’s supposed to have pages from her new novel with her agent. Parts of Finlay’s Atlantic City ventures inform the pages, with her agent salivating at the developments. There’s the promise of a TV series on the horizon. Finlay’s not convinced.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Another stunning, fun packed episode in Finlay’s life. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">An exhilarating read and I’m totally exhausted!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A St. Marin’s Press ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-509259334283954822024-03-02T16:29:00.000-08:002024-03-02T16:29:09.718-08:00Jack Taylor returns!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Galway-Confidential-Jack-Taylor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C8WX1Q4R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LU8XCZRGGG2C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Sf7M3yp7u_xvhbHg9gpDJVgnIEYdJhvOWx5J4vg23-nGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.6oU6vGQzLYrB_7w1NJ0P1rJkOZIy4VEtKMeas8S7By4&dib_tag=se&keywords=galway+confidential+ken+bruen&qid=1709241069&sprefix=Galwa%2Caps%2C636&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Galway Confidential</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Galway-Confidential-Jack-Taylor-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C8WX1Q4R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1LU8XCZRGGG2C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Sf7M3yp7u_xvhbHg9gpDJVgnIEYdJhvOWx5J4vg23-nGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.6oU6vGQzLYrB_7w1NJ0P1rJkOZIy4VEtKMeas8S7By4&dib_tag=se&keywords=galway+confidential+ken+bruen&qid=1709241069&sprefix=Galwa%2Caps%2C636&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Jack Taylor #17)</a> by Ken Bruen </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1zxn_eojwg9clsMHN_CCQFs1byeiTWgC-9RxlpzIR2FsanfKDuw7N_TbqW5X5WGjPwNa884bWoB7dKdmd8obRW5TNAppf-p5FtCLFmqRjWsp03kRcqwlAQ4CaB_jKtR-baBekhXcDxc6tjYeD1rvUWJu3KXBpN_n2Gu0efFqasE4zd_CueWlnQ_PFJn7/s500/IMG_1062.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi1zxn_eojwg9clsMHN_CCQFs1byeiTWgC-9RxlpzIR2FsanfKDuw7N_TbqW5X5WGjPwNa884bWoB7dKdmd8obRW5TNAppf-p5FtCLFmqRjWsp03kRcqwlAQ4CaB_jKtR-baBekhXcDxc6tjYeD1rvUWJu3KXBpN_n2Gu0efFqasE4zd_CueWlnQ_PFJn7/s320/IMG_1062.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Ok, I never tire of Jack Taylor. Hard bitten, alcoholic ex Guardia turned detective, who lives around the edges, alternating between kindness, generosity, driven intent, all whilst shrugging his shoulders at the world that passes him by. He’s totally outrageous. A mostly cynical, Jameson drinking, hard living, all softened by his easily accepting Irish charm.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Jack’s been in a coma for the last eighteen months. The world has passed him by. He’s essentially missed Covid, the English Parliament destroying itself, Liz Truss and her shortest reign as Prime Minister in history, the craziness of Brexit, the war in Ukraine—all whilst he was non compus mentis.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Now he’s being asked to find out who’s killing nuns.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Oh, and who’s setting homeless people alight?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Welcome back, Jack! The world has been a poorer place with you out of action.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Bruen’s conversation style, hard hitting language, softened by the occasional poetic voice is a treat.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">So love Jack Taylor novels!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Oh, and my reading images always default to actor Iain Glen. He’s seared into my mind as Jack.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A <span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">W.W. Norton</span> ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-64512655444520707642024-02-28T12:36:00.000-08:002024-02-28T12:36:02.870-08:00Murder most foul!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: var(--accent-color) !important; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Highgate-Cemetery-Murder-completely-historical-ebook/dp/B0CP1951XC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=L6YDJR2FFBDK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fEHV6e1tQpL8o1NDxHEWHGIBmYVquu1Xsy2dFSVlMC6mUYik4hFozrjUrd0rYYSvL0Ev7sWJz6EutXX3lnlto_qW_nJ3SG99vgYueNEUz1I.8aSesYIFCi0WITCG3TG8VXUkhftbljZV32QDoBAa2AU&dib_tag=se&keywords=shapiro%2C+irina+the+highgate+cemetery+murder&qid=1709104006&sprefix=Highgate+cemetery+murder%2Caps%2C452&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Highgate Cemetery Murder</a></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Highgate-Cemetery-Murder-completely-historical-ebook/dp/B0CP1951XC/ref=sr_1_1?crid=L6YDJR2FFBDK&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.fEHV6e1tQpL8o1NDxHEWHGIBmYVquu1Xsy2dFSVlMC6mUYik4hFozrjUrd0rYYSvL0Ev7sWJz6EutXX3lnlto_qW_nJ3SG99vgYueNEUz1I.8aSesYIFCi0WITCG3TG8VXUkhftbljZV32QDoBAa2AU&dib_tag=se&keywords=shapiro%2C+irina+the+highgate+cemetery+murder&qid=1709104006&sprefix=Highgate+cemetery+murder%2Caps%2C452&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (A Tate and Bell Mystery #1)</a> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 16px;">by Irina Shapiro </span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrw5sULRNL-VEZFQqr8KceFLIHt44tvertzlA9CHx2Eb0-4jyES7V2SrWVn8LDmhVpm7s096XMvMQ0d9EOXyUb2hkN03NJFeJCl_f9cuprYDA1CxSq_4D1BRU73bQAnWsgQnLyVrw5TUKISmQg1RLSTML2GHxPGHVTHWPFf-iIPQVYYX7l50NGf2t6BWV/s500/IMG_1061.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrw5sULRNL-VEZFQqr8KceFLIHt44tvertzlA9CHx2Eb0-4jyES7V2SrWVn8LDmhVpm7s096XMvMQ0d9EOXyUb2hkN03NJFeJCl_f9cuprYDA1CxSq_4D1BRU73bQAnWsgQnLyVrw5TUKISmQg1RLSTML2GHxPGHVTHWPFf-iIPQVYYX7l50NGf2t6BWV/s320/IMG_1061.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A murder screams from the newspapers headlines. Not only because it’s bizarre, but it garners even more attention when the victim’s identity is revealed. A young society heiress, the Honorable Miss Adelaide Seaborne, daughter of the Viscount Dalton and granddaughter of the Earl of Caledon. Adelaide did not die easily.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Up until Inspector Sebastian Bell is put on the case the young woman’s been dismissed as a doxy, not worth police time. </p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Sebastian’s superior tasks him with solving the murder yesterday. He’s beginning to suspect his days with Scotland Yard might be numbered. Sebastian has been taking opium to counter a personal sorrow. Now he’s been given an unsolvable case. He’s toying with the idea of applying to the Pinkerton Agency as an investigator. A move to America is looking more and more attractive.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Gemma Tate was a nurse during Crimea. No stranger to death and more. When she receives the news that her twin brother, a journalist, was killed in an accident, crushed by an omnibus she’s bereft.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">However on perusing Victor’s notebook she begins to suspect he was murdered, and that it’s related to the graveyard killing.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">These two unlikely characters, Bell and Tate join forces to find the killer.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A dark mystery set in Victorian London. Atmospheric and urgent. The dénouement is shocking.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rereading parts whilst considering my review I actually upped the stars from 4 to 5</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">After all who doesn’t love a tragic, occasional opium seeking hero trying to drown his memories in whatever release afforded, as he attempts to solve cases with integrity and diligence.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">And by the same token, our heroine has faced unimaginable hours on the war front and given very little in the way of thanks or acknowledgment once home. Finding her brother’s killer gives her purpose.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">An excellent pairing of characters. I’m looking forward to more from these two.</p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="caret-color: rgb(69, 69, 69); color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Storm ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-65008793784195598922024-02-27T21:06:00.000-08:002024-02-27T21:06:09.649-08:00Verity Lark, misunderstood and misconstrued!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Larks-Conceit-Verity-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CLYLT51W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MT8D5PID23UN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VAfMYmfGA2LkCMWXyhahFnbBYp0pwrp_Q8Cf-zIfIKDn3cS7FTqiiPvwKRnrVmui0vy-kPbkhr9EkC6xG4RV5w.fTY9RsNoFJoke9p94PvOfugBIOoP-o2THoOUwvodmDc&dib_tag=se&keywords=lark%27s+conceit&qid=1709096286&sprefix=Lark%27s+%2Caps%2C324&sr=8-1" target="_blank">A Lark's Conceit</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Larks-Conceit-Verity-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B0CLYLT51W/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MT8D5PID23UN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VAfMYmfGA2LkCMWXyhahFnbBYp0pwrp_Q8Cf-zIfIKDn3cS7FTqiiPvwKRnrVmui0vy-kPbkhr9EkC6xG4RV5w.fTY9RsNoFJoke9p94PvOfugBIOoP-o2THoOUwvodmDc&dib_tag=se&keywords=lark%27s+conceit&qid=1709096286&sprefix=Lark%27s+%2Caps%2C324&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Verity Lark Mysteries #3)</a> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">by Lynn Messina</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkEpwMjb-t3ofyj1AFvkNzrG87NpmcQ5QM1T6r_JcuYQwQ3Jozk0XHm0wlofn0gw9lNK_zzG8JZTmyhGmfbmXd7H38nTvToH_okWFdHGsvG8ZYHpT_8B_p7T5ShOj3y0Xc_xXCg8zSz2zX0psHuXDJg8jLlhzddvy90u6EGCq6JlPZ6hoRag_TCRcTrzf/s500/IMG_1060.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkEpwMjb-t3ofyj1AFvkNzrG87NpmcQ5QM1T6r_JcuYQwQ3Jozk0XHm0wlofn0gw9lNK_zzG8JZTmyhGmfbmXd7H38nTvToH_okWFdHGsvG8ZYHpT_8B_p7T5ShOj3y0Xc_xXCg8zSz2zX0psHuXDJg8jLlhzddvy90u6EGCq6JlPZ6hoRag_TCRcTrzf/s320/IMG_1060.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">Ah Verity! A whirlwind of disguises, a master of the impossible, of quick thinking, and of supreme confidence in her own powers of deduction.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">No-one really sees her except Freddie and Delphine. No-one can match her except Colson </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Hardwick.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">We hear more of her time as a child with Freddie and Delphine, matching wits with the wicked headmistress, the Wraithe. We hear of the Dowager Duchess of Kesgrave hand in Verity’s past. Meanwhile Verity’s still musing about her half brother, the Duke of a Kesgrave.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Verity is enjoying matching wits with Coulson, wondering what she’d do if he offered to make her his mistress. After all she is the </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">illegitimate daughter of the </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">great courtesan, La Reina!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Meanwhile Coulson has a target painted on his back having been reavealed as a British spy who helped bring down Napoleon. The French immigrants in England are many. Anyone amongst them could be a threat. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">How to flush them out, particularly as someone attempted to kidnap Verity out of her bedroom! More fool them! Then we find that Colson has had a number of attempts on his life. All evidence and supposition leads to the French Embassy, more so when Verity narrowly misses being hit by a plummeting body from a window there.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Suicide … or murder!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Verity has her hands full and her feelings disrupted with this investigation, Colson’s puzzling overtures, and Kesgrave’s attention. And then there’s the Dower Duchess! What a to do!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">I had my hands full, gasping out loud, sudden fits of laughter, and struck by Verity’s supreme shortsightedness where Colson is concerned.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Book Whisperer ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-35878970212028890892024-02-25T23:22:00.000-08:002024-02-25T23:27:39.206-08:00Dangerous rumors!<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rumor-Game-Novel-Thomas-Mullen-ebook/dp/B0C1X7FHM6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2K532MTRGJFVG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.O75TD4liPSelW7bqhtmRyGmnar0yyPreOzTj85Xd_gIg5ihEZd2bAAFuL-kIETbRfkjpV5IBTQjHp61hSRrCtnon83DAsiW4B_DZ83kIO32H_ej86sY5ANvjMDEAcAM5s5Ssx0hsMLH1DXQvKEaRvPdNK1QX8_ckHvtCXWYI8CUqyQik1xBAQ3ovjktZINEmP9nVt9f2mIDiRFAYF2OHS2VJEVqlOymjNIHlhGotDGS7zsvI_k17G_EbTs_dHwlMxMV68U5gZvNXcRGekuH5wBFjJYOw6juyt0ngr7GJIPc.xNNfu3mx0CacRA41WH0SEGq73cAnnvH_BKpKsv--wVM&dib_tag=se&keywords=rumor+game&qid=1708924793&sprefix=Rumor+%2Caps%2C671&sr=8-2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #005eff;">The Rumor Game</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> by Thomas Mullen </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_Z8ZglmPZ72x_7bTO_fffTp0kyfMBvSQfA8dNRoG_jjEyaYYgGAdQnX-JxguLiHswMrh2KvCPwQjrDgTOQ-AXrJHIJ_74acKTCvGeSTVPiLiy7kojp3mM4cB_kJeH9Lk0R97swy3_ZP0jh3V3-XzcznW6ODigUMVwdNxbRF1IaobFP1HdReWLd2lQsRf/s500/IMG_1058.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_Z8ZglmPZ72x_7bTO_fffTp0kyfMBvSQfA8dNRoG_jjEyaYYgGAdQnX-JxguLiHswMrh2KvCPwQjrDgTOQ-AXrJHIJ_74acKTCvGeSTVPiLiy7kojp3mM4cB_kJeH9Lk0R97swy3_ZP0jh3V3-XzcznW6ODigUMVwdNxbRF1IaobFP1HdReWLd2lQsRf/s320/IMG_1058.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">Fascinating story built around the Nazi groups, fascist groups, and other anti Jewish groups in Boston during World War II, including the Christian Front organization.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Told through the eyes of Jewish journalist Anne Lemire and FBI agent Devon Mulvey. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">“</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: none;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Anne wrote for the Rumor Clinic, the weekly Star column she’d managed to create for herself after weeks of persistent calls and a few connections. The idea behind the Rumor Clinic was to identify and disprove the many harmful rumors floating around town, some of them spread by deliberate Axis propaganda to weaken resolve and others just random bits of hearsay mixed with fear, ignorance, and bigotry.”</span></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Incidents are building, fuelled by </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">rumour, and subsequent resentment from blue collar workers about Jews and African Americans supposedly taking their jobs in a munitions factory (untrue.) This, together with the anti semitism of certain Catholic priests, the same sentiments amongst many of Boston police force, and the increased mugging of young Jewish people walking home, weaves a dark tale.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Anne wants to expose fascists and corrupt organizations. Dangerous! Devon is investigating a sudden death. Their paths connect.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Feelings of helplessness, the entanglement of family relationships, of trying to bring untruths to the public awareness—a public that mostly didn’t want to know, pervade.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Challenging and enlightening. Disproving falsehoods and exposing rumors is not easy.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">St. Martin’s Press </span><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-67955223989398544852024-02-16T19:14:00.000-08:002024-02-16T19:14:06.258-08:00A serial killer in Whitechapel!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Lamplight-Patrice-McDonough-ebook/dp/B0C6FW2HCM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._LDmeC_dL8xEOUbjWmzsH4HAXxBiMdA2CmpecnLr62Y2ZJBU-YONCz5UjUELVWtrT8Bi4BzaeqcgbqHFNrj5AGGNWwnLYs7NpYcrcjce14ADqdtsrbo4MbNP6L3LV2R-G8iQ_Akc5-XVNASn1TzG3KiTWPk6cvJTDEKbq7_yqgAd9WdC4yZ9Tj6xMPkcOoyswndRdzEN4VYA-zI7vD_cpsAL9CwK23klwF5qjx5YFAs.OYQb_lmRa-gGRDWzr0Fe-UfDCHUypH1UOXs8QM6sXts&qid=1708123289&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Murder by Lamplight</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Lamplight-Patrice-McDonough-ebook/dp/B0C6FW2HCM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._LDmeC_dL8xEOUbjWmzsH4HAXxBiMdA2CmpecnLr62Y2ZJBU-YONCz5UjUELVWtrT8Bi4BzaeqcgbqHFNrj5AGGNWwnLYs7NpYcrcjce14ADqdtsrbo4MbNP6L3LV2R-G8iQ_Akc5-XVNASn1TzG3KiTWPk6cvJTDEKbq7_yqgAd9WdC4yZ9Tj6xMPkcOoyswndRdzEN4VYA-zI7vD_cpsAL9CwK23klwF5qjx5YFAs.OYQb_lmRa-gGRDWzr0Fe-UfDCHUypH1UOXs8QM6sXts&qid=1708123289&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (A Dr. Julia Lewis Mystery #1)</a> by Patrice McDonough </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTzKqJH4VqJQ596bz_xzXZohhhAntH8MbdSRco0ioDUOAnMa0tRRLytrsDC7WP8o6jLRIJk4yuBbSJFFURpyodfSheTuIIlR5PLvbphkbaeseRDC2McSRnczN42ol_HNi2FzHFZ25-egj5tzfQaHU7PsjALG5IWdenIrNZ3GLW7opuhB2OTUKHuaYTS8j/s500/IMG_1056.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTzKqJH4VqJQ596bz_xzXZohhhAntH8MbdSRco0ioDUOAnMa0tRRLytrsDC7WP8o6jLRIJk4yuBbSJFFURpyodfSheTuIIlR5PLvbphkbaeseRDC2McSRnczN42ol_HNi2FzHFZ25-egj5tzfQaHU7PsjALG5IWdenIrNZ3GLW7opuhB2OTUKHuaYTS8j/s320/IMG_1056.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.28px;">A feisty female doctor, and an emotionally wounded Crimean soldier, now a Detective Inspector with Scotland Yard. A serial killer stalking victims in Victorian London, seemingly centered around the Whitechapel area. Targeted, mutilated victims who all have to have some sort of link but what it is has Detective Inspector Tennant and his constables floundering, playing catch-up. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Dr. Julia Lewis and Tennant first meet over a body and an autopsy. All clues point towards a Whitechapel connection but the clues are mired in nursery rhymes. </span><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">The perpetrator taunts the Inspector with Notes written in purple ink. Along the way he targets Dr. Julia!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">McDonough</span> gives us a more than thorough background look at life for the ordinary person at this time (maybe too much) Cholera and typhus are rampant, work house conditions disgustingly rabid, and the lives of those living in these areas less than sanitary.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">With these living conditions somehow central, with more victims appearing, the doctor and the inspector race to find the killer. What do the victims have in common?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.280001px;">Inspector Tennant has his superior, Chief Inspector Clark, demanding the impossible. It seems he feels Tennant was foisted upon him. Tennant and his men are run ragged trying to solve the murders and keep their chief happy. Well, keep Tennant in his position also.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The end was totally surprising!</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I’m looking forward to more from this debut author.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Kensington Books ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-8926147331390434652024-02-16T18:54:00.000-08:002024-02-16T18:54:25.276-08:00Accused of murder!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Murder-Librarian-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C4J6WW7B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JJJNJ0FH89Y0&keywords=once+upon+a+murder+samantha+larsen&qid=1707713274&sprefix=Once+upon+a+murder%2Caps%2C471&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Once Upon a Murder</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Murder-Librarian-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0C4J6WW7B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JJJNJ0FH89Y0&keywords=once+upon+a+murder+samantha+larsen&qid=1707713274&sprefix=Once+upon+a+murder%2Caps%2C471&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Lay Librarian Mystery #2)</a> by Samantha Larsen </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMG5vwM1SSDmjqBxGn7qLmpbzpu2o4zS5vQpOte4zy9afHpxcYKkhRlSCYfhLUT6u86bKj_v3tk6BGLhgx-uMVYp3QGj4kEpWK_1SD4plkqxbt1kg8fQbTd72J3ckhS3jnE0KO-CP47ovIQv1z-OSOvF5wHexcazYma3aKmFhfuGClSc2ewZuKP3gGue1Z/s500/IMG_1055.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="330" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMG5vwM1SSDmjqBxGn7qLmpbzpu2o4zS5vQpOte4zy9afHpxcYKkhRlSCYfhLUT6u86bKj_v3tk6BGLhgx-uMVYp3QGj4kEpWK_1SD4plkqxbt1kg8fQbTd72J3ckhS3jnE0KO-CP47ovIQv1z-OSOvF5wHexcazYma3aKmFhfuGClSc2ewZuKP3gGue1Z/s320/IMG_1055.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Lively, pirate playing governess, forty year old Tiffany Woodall, who’s the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort is in love with Indian Samir Lathrope. He’s the bookshop owner and constable in the village of Mapledown. Tiffany is also teaching the six year old Duke using unusual and quite joyful methods. I’m in love with her wonderful joie de vivre.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">However their relationship is strained when Tiffany becomes the suspect in the murder of ex footman and altogether womaniser Bernard Coram, and Tiffany is arrested.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Not only that Tiffany discovers that Samir has been married for the last ten years. His pregnant wife Evie turns up in the village long enough to have the baby and depart, leaving Tiffany literally holding the baby.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">To cap it off, Samir is accused of murdering Bernard. A trial date is set and Tiffany must do all she can to have Samir acquitted.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Interesting fact emerges about how the common folk went about divorcing. The husband would sell his wife at a fair.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A somewhat cozy 1784 Georgian Mystery with heaps of charm and plenty of action.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Crooked Lane ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-39450876170137885262024-02-12T12:41:00.000-08:002024-02-12T12:41:00.703-08:00Alaskan noir!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Village-Dark-Iris-Yamashita-ebook/dp/B0C56R4Y87/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YBXNN14DNX4X&keywords=village+in+the+dark+by+iris+yamashita&qid=1707609553&sprefix=Village+in+the+dark%2Caps%2C555&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Village in the Dark</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Village-Dark-Iris-Yamashita-ebook/dp/B0C56R4Y87/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YBXNN14DNX4X&keywords=village+in+the+dark+by+iris+yamashita&qid=1707609553&sprefix=Village+in+the+dark%2Caps%2C555&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Cara Kennedy #2)</a> by Iris Yamashita </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyBOXPS4bobJUa-HcaRK_GCg4wH6VeQQwdNxHM8jeECRreZespqtyzVZWlwBZUKcXXxZf3SUtSro1-bCe-tZZc-fIqLp2SEWQPz9OJpWvknX2Tyh8frglIOepW8NQRbbiTKiOCFhaJ3HS68XRGwviuZRzqec877td_cpgV3-g6RVyNxbjRKaFToZV__fu/s500/IMG_1049.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGyBOXPS4bobJUa-HcaRK_GCg4wH6VeQQwdNxHM8jeECRreZespqtyzVZWlwBZUKcXXxZf3SUtSro1-bCe-tZZc-fIqLp2SEWQPz9OJpWvknX2Tyh8frglIOepW8NQRbbiTKiOCFhaJ3HS68XRGwviuZRzqec877td_cpgV3-g6RVyNxbjRKaFToZV__fu/s320/IMG_1049.jpeg" width="212" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Cara Kennedy is a hardened detective in a remote Alaskan village. She’s grieving. Bones had been found, presumed to be her missing husband and son. She buried them. Only now that question is moot. Was it an accident or murder. Cara has their bodies resumed. That is the beginning.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Three POV’s to the tale merge, Cara’s, Mia Updash from the remote village of Unity,</span><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> and Ellie Wright, owner of the Cozy Condo Inn at Point Mettier.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I found the plot strung out. I lost interest but kept plodding on. The latter half picked up, chillingly so. Damage done however, and Village in the Dark just didn’t recover from my first impressions. I was left with too many uh’s! </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Despite the fabulous setting and gritty overtones I just wasn’t won over.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-36890477717223605802024-02-11T21:52:00.000-08:002024-02-11T21:52:01.527-08:00Lady of disguise<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Disguise-Dericott-Tale-Book-ebook/dp/B0CD3QGG56/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39YURY5X711EK&keywords=lady+of+disguise+melanie+dickerson&qid=1707604333&sprefix=Lady+of+disguise%2Caps%2C414&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Lady of Disguise</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Disguise-Dericott-Tale-Book-ebook/dp/B0CD3QGG56/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39YURY5X711EK&keywords=lady+of+disguise+melanie+dickerson&qid=1707604333&sprefix=Lady+of+disguise%2Caps%2C414&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Dericott Tale #6)</a> by Melanie Dickerson </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzrQwUWujIWnJjsMgCVsq11MhlCuRz2h4o0NFZwkEGcxCLdznCccRvipj8Mbyozq1Q6YLtAepBRXHv07DGkYb7PXuRGSVUrsyJ-mJ2xMmvXT7ehmYYM6D7NnA3Sc7tZvDWWnmbUi6OpToqbU8cMcJ0RyCf7BsbybHFQaJQntEeaV7cqkjywjuN8Bf8_S4/s500/IMG_1048.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzrQwUWujIWnJjsMgCVsq11MhlCuRz2h4o0NFZwkEGcxCLdznCccRvipj8Mbyozq1Q6YLtAepBRXHv07DGkYb7PXuRGSVUrsyJ-mJ2xMmvXT7ehmYYM6D7NnA3Sc7tZvDWWnmbUi6OpToqbU8cMcJ0RyCf7BsbybHFQaJQntEeaV7cqkjywjuN8Bf8_S4/s320/IMG_1048.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Set in 1388, the Middle Ages, a tale of errant knights, an innocent maiden, with robbers, thieves, a giant and a wicked uncle, all thrown into the melting pot.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Eighteen year old Louisa Lenton didn’t want to marry the rich older men her miserly uncle kept presenting her with. Now he’s turning his eyes and plans towards her twelve year old sister, Margaret! Louisa has to break free, and find the hidden Viking gold their father had always talked to save them both. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Having grown up hearing about the giant and his Viking treasure up in Scotland, Louisa disguises herself as a boy and sets off to track down the treasure, the key to their freedom.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">That’s when she meets a young, disillusioned knight who ignores the fact that Jack’s really a girl. He’s determined to protect her.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">Off they go, Sir Charles Raynsford armed with his sword and knightly integrity, Louisa with her faith in Jesus, her prayers, and her goodness. Of course she keeps escaping bad situations by the skin of her teeth. The various people they meet include a widow making a pilgrimage to Canterbury (to my mind a character who could have been straight from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales). She’s by herself and of course the ever knightly Charles includes her in his protective orbit.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">The tale is supposed to be based on Jack and the Beanstalk. I think the connection is somewhat tenuous. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;">A slightly otherworldly read where goodness naturally triumphs.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 17.280001px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Thomas Nelson ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-63784692829558979782024-02-10T22:12:00.000-08:002024-02-10T22:12:08.804-08:00So delightful!<p><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; color: var(--accent-color) !important; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kamogawa-Food-Detectives-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B0C5V9H3J2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNLF04AGX3P8&keywords=Kamogawa+Food+Detectives&qid=1707603017&sprefix=kamogawa+food+detectives%2Caps%2C365&sr=8-1" target="_blank">The Kamogawa Food Detectives</a></span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kamogawa-Food-Detectives-Novel-Book-ebook/dp/B0C5V9H3J2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UNLF04AGX3P8&keywords=Kamogawa+Food+Detectives&qid=1707603017&sprefix=kamogawa+food+detectives%2Caps%2C365&sr=8-1" target="_blank"> (Kamogawa Food Detectives #1)</a> by Hisashi Kashiwai </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZTU5v64_clcWjwRZoc2HhyBePrVS0GeHXi0HrGLkVrCjbTL68sOdQTa9soCqQGMi4HFJWb7vd_PCoZ6t5iLZ8QSzQN8wsI7Rd3zRDeMMeO67LnCP8z9F6l0i62RBth2P_8Gz-iogi5kVL1m45vrbRzQBgsYgqJBqxQYmJ_wdJbACBU17qcW1XFu0XfNz/s500/IMG_1047.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="337" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAZTU5v64_clcWjwRZoc2HhyBePrVS0GeHXi0HrGLkVrCjbTL68sOdQTa9soCqQGMi4HFJWb7vd_PCoZ6t5iLZ8QSzQN8wsI7Rd3zRDeMMeO67LnCP8z9F6l0i62RBth2P_8Gz-iogi5kVL1m45vrbRzQBgsYgqJBqxQYmJ_wdJbACBU17qcW1XFu0XfNz/s320/IMG_1047.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Talk about food for the soul! An out of the way, humble diner in Kyoto that serves up the most wonderful traditional Japanese meals. The place is not easy to locate. There’s no signs or directions. You really have to want to find it. Nagare Kamogawa and his daughter Koishi run the small eating house. Nagare is the chef, Koishi waits tables. On the detecting side of the business, Koishi takes down the information for people who are searching for how a particular dish from their memory is cooked. Nagare is the detective. All the client has to go on is a one line advertisement in the Gourmet Monthly magazine. At the end of each case Koishi and Nagare ask their client to pay into an account how much their solving of the case was worth to them. Nagare cooks the dish the client has sought.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">People come to find the dish their mother might have cooked, the meal they remember as a child with their grandfather, a myriad of unusual requests.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The dishes are sublime. I’m spending an inordinate amount of time looking them up (in my own cookbooks and online) The dishes are served on designated plates and types of pottery ware from all around Japan. I’ve also been looking some of those up in my fav. Japanese tableware shop.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">This is just such a wonderfully encouraging read. You can feel the texture of the dishes arrayed, almost taste them. The color and movement, the descriptions of places I’ve visited are so evocative. Swoon worthy! The people find understanding, warmth and friendship. Some return.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A startling, yet humbly sumptuous read that made me long for such a place.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Putnam ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5948362430256269198.post-66259494362198370752024-02-10T21:54:00.000-08:002024-02-10T21:56:09.989-08:00Death and vengeance!<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fox-Wife-Novel-Yangsze-Choo-ebook/dp/B0C2MX9J7R/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TBXSIKDQOJ5L&keywords=the+fox+wife+by+yangsze+choo&qid=1707613869&sprefix=Fox+wife%2Caps%2C540&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody;"><span color="var(--accent-color) !important" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 17.28px; text-decoration-color: var(--accent-color) !important;">The Fox Wife</span></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">: A Novel</span></a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"> by Yangsze Choo </span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpxBDAWkvQDWE9dXHhpo-pUBtRmlOlsEqHZSj8xbfhlL1unEYstYE4jVA4KH8l5MQ1uZFmJUYBEll_GWRpkJ48KL5hQIeXJdp8xC5UWtbVfsbU-2LGnajMqbuKGBSY08dw2pM2sZYakGivCfENL-xvr661pJq1jcXBNRRqcMl6-6RAvLND7CjiSzIJRrI/s500/IMG_1046.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpxBDAWkvQDWE9dXHhpo-pUBtRmlOlsEqHZSj8xbfhlL1unEYstYE4jVA4KH8l5MQ1uZFmJUYBEll_GWRpkJ48KL5hQIeXJdp8xC5UWtbVfsbU-2LGnajMqbuKGBSY08dw2pM2sZYakGivCfENL-xvr661pJq1jcXBNRRqcMl6-6RAvLND7CjiSzIJRrI/s320/IMG_1046.jpeg" width="208" /></a></div><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">There’s a lot to recommend in this tale. The fascinating background of 1908 Manchuria, mythical characters such as the fox gods, in particular Ah San meaning “snow” who is seeking vengeance for the killing of her daughter, and Detective Bao Gong who can detect when someone lies. He’s seeking the identity of a courtesan who was found sitting dead in the snow and smiling. He believes a fox is involved. He has a history with the fox gods, tricksters or something more?</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">The story of these two slowly intertwines as both travel with others to Japan. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">A moving story, beautiful in its execution. Here the slowness meanders to the heart of the matter. Second chance romance is in the offing.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">I burned with anger over Ah San’s daughter’s cruel death.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;">Just love the cover btw. So simple yet evocative, reflecting the tale.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleTallBody; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.28px;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">A Henry Holt ARC via NetGalley. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17.3px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-size: 17.28px;">Many thanks to the author and publisher.</span></p>eyes.2chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680638479663738794noreply@blogger.com0