eyes.2c Reviews

The Great Revolt: A mystery set in Medieval London (A Brother Athelstan Medieval Mystery #16)   by  Paul Doherty  'The Great Slaughter', that's how Athelstan refers to the Peasants Revolt of 1831. Wat Tyler, John Bull, the Upright men, the Earthworms, plots and counterplots, all are grist for the mill in this latest mystery that sets Athelstan's brain afire and heart pounding. Brother Athelstan has been called away from his flock at an untimely hour to Blackfriars Monastry to solve a murder. Athelstan fears for his parishioners of St Erconwald's. Many are deeply mired in the revolt and Athelstan wants to protect them. At Grefriars he finds a slain brother, Alberic, who has been investigating the possible canonization of Edward II, the current king's great grandfather. Secrets of this past are trespassers upon the plots of now. Aspects of the revolt Brother Athelstan describes recall  scenes from Dantes Inferno or the pictures of Hironymous Bosch....

Once Upon a Moonlit Night: A Maiden Lane Novella   by  Elizabeth Hoyt Let's face it. I love the Maiden Lane series, so any offering will get an automatic 4 star plus rating from me. 'Moonlit Night' does not disappoint! This time the main story is paired with 'The Prince and the Parsnip' or how to uncover the heart of the matter. Hippolyta Royle fascinated me right from when we first met her in Dearest Rogue. Even her name is interesting, and she's always seemed a little mysterious. She becomes  involved with  the Ladies Syndicate supporting the St Giles Home for Unfortunate and Foundling Infants. Then in the Duke of Sin, Montgomery decides he will blackmail her into marrying him. The indomitable Bridget Crumb, housekeeper extraordinaire come to the rescue there.  Thwarted, Montgomery later kidnaps her! What a beastly man he is! But Bridget again handles the situation and Hippolyta escapes across the moors, although this time pursued by the D...

The Duke of Daring (The Untouchables Book 2)  by Darcy Burke I never seem to tire of the 'girl dressed as a boy' trope. Why? That picture or idea of a girl going against the mores of the times and discovering a new freedom is exhilarating, particularly when set in times where women were segregated and socialized into given roles. What harsher critic can there be than the 'ton' doing their damnedest to harness the maidenly energies of young woman into their 'proper' places and roles. Lucinda Parnell is  a  fiercely independent woman. A perennial wallflower who's closest friends are of a similar ilk. Having discovered that she has no dowry left, no access to funds, Lucy determines to make her own way, to get off the marriage mart roundabout. She conceives of a scheme to earn enough money to make a modest home for herself and her grandmother. To fund it all she turns to the method by which her father had lost her dowry--gambling! And it's...

A License to Wed: Rebellious Brides   by  Diana Quincy Such an utterance is definitely a sigh worthy moment! And there are many times for sighs, oohs and ahhh's peppered throughout this second 'Rebellious Brides' entry.  The circumstances and events surrounding Quincy's new series, so wonderfully started in Spy Fall with Cosmos Dunsmore and aeronautics Marie Lamarre, continues with more excitement and verve! The love of Will  Naismith  and  Lady Elinor Dunsmore  spans years, deep misunderstandings, dangerous situations and feelings never forgotten. Elle loved Will for as long as she could remember. On the night of her eighteenth birthday (1796) that love is consummated with consequences that spread into the uncertain future and the war between England and France. Six years later during the peace, Will goes to Paris as part of his position for the crown, The Razor, an English spymaster. It's here he finds Elle, whom he'd believed dead. And sh...

Grayling's Song   by  Karen Cushman Hannah, Grayling Strong's mother, a wise woman is bewitched. As it seems are all the country's other enchanters. Having been magically rooted to the ground she is slowly turning into a tree. On top of that Hannah's  grimoire (spell book) disappeared.  Grayling is her mother's only hope. She must seek out others and try to find the answer. The trouble is that after years of being denigrated by her mother, Grayling is afraid of her own shadow. However, set forth she does. On her quest she is accompanied by a shape changing mouse Pook's attempts at shape changing are more often than not fraught with disaster. A lively and often humorous journey ensues. Grayling and Pook search for answers and find that magic is not the only answer. Heaps of action and mystery, Karen Cushman has once again turned in a stellar novel that both provokes and charms. A NetGalley ARC ****

MacLean's Passion (Highland Pride #2)   by  Sharon Cullen What a great read!   Maggie Sinclair breaks all the rules! A highland hellion raised by her brother, schooled not in traditional womanly arts but sword fighting, cussing and beer drinking. Disguised as a lad, Maggie fought at Culloden iand s imprisoned by the English in Fort Augustus. Fortunately her masquerade holds. She and we dread to think of her fate if her gender had been discovered! Maggie avoids detection by clinging to the shadows of her cell. That is all jeopardized when she's joined by another Scot, the injured Colin MacLean. Colin is painfully aware that he isnnow his clan's chieftain, his brothers having been slain during the battle before his very eyes. His  sorrow over their deaths rather than his runs deep. Nursed through a fever by his cell companion, Colin manages to escape the dreaded fortress and takes the lad with him. Only on the journey does he discover she's a lass. And wha...