Dark Water Daughter by H.M. Long

Dark Water Daughter is the first in The Winter Sea series by H.M. Long.  Some swashbuckling fun with pirates, privateers, storm singers, and ghistings (sentient trees often made into the figureheads for sailing ships).

Told from 2 points of view:  Mary Firth, the storm singer and Samuel Rosser, disgraced former Navy, now employed as a Sooth on a privateer vessel.

Storm singers can control the weather, and are highly prized by sailing ships that often enslave them. Mary is powerful, but has received no instruction and has little experience. Mary wants to find her mother, a legendary storm singer who has been missing for years.

The world building is successful and the story grabs your attention when Mary escapes hanging after having been misidentified as a notorious  highway[wo]man. Although she escapes the noose by calling a storm, she immediately falls into the hands of men who auction her off as a storm singer.

Dark Water Daughter is a nautical/magical adventure that has promise as a series.  It wasn't quite as satisfying as I hoped, but it was entertaining.  I plan to read the next book, Black Tide Son, at some point. 

Piratical Fantasy

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I've been catching up on the Cyrus Haven series by Michael Robotham and reading when I get tired in the garden.  Initially, I manage an hour or a little more before resting/reading and starting again, but the periods of work get shorter and the rests longer as the day goes on!  By the end of the day, it is mostly reading.

Catching up on reviews while it rains

The second in a series, The Wolf's Eye by Luanne G. Smith was slow and confusing initially.  It did get better, but still wasn't completely satisfying for me.

Witches, mages, and a vlkodnak (Czech for werewolf) curse. 

I read The Raven Spell by Smith in 2022 and thought it was good fun, but for some reason this one didn't resonate in the same way.

Thanks to NetGalley and 47 North.  

 

A Welcome Grave by Michael Koryta is the third book in the Lincoln Perry series that I've read recently.  

When Alex Jefferson is found tortured and murdered, the police come to Lincoln Perry.  At first, simply because Lincoln Perry had history with Jefferson.  As things progress, however, the case against Perry grows from curiosity to suspicion to the police wholeheartedly believing in Perry's guilt.

Perry must find a way to clear himself, but the set up against him continues to increase, making him look guiltier by the minute.  Jefferson's death was a revenge killing, but Perry and Joe, his partner, must discover the reason for such a terrible revenge intent on leaving Perry as a scapegoat.

A Welcome Grave kept my interest, and I've enjoyed all three books so far in this series.

305 pages                                                                                                                                             PI Mystery

I've read 6 stand alones by Catriona McPherson and enjoyed each one.  I haven't read any of her series books, but the psychological standalones keep me coming back.  

Deep Beneath Us did not disappoint. From the blurb:

"Tabitha Muir returns to her childhood home in the remote hills of Hiskith in Scotland after twenty years away. She's lost her job, her house, and custody of her son after a divorce, and thinks this must be rock bottom - but worse is to come. An unplanned explosion at the dam on the loch and the suspicious death of her beloved cousin Davey force Tabitha to confront her past demons."

And boy, does the Muir family describe  dysfunction.  I couldn't keep up with the twists, doled out like dominoes ready to fall.

I've scheduled my review for May, as the publication date is June.  Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House.

Psychological mystery                                                                                                                           341 pages

Can't play outside.  This rain hasn't let up for 3 days.

The Binding Tempest by Steven Rudy and The Satapur Moonstone by Suhata Massey

 

Another fantasy.  Interesting the way fantasy reflects all of the empires, wars, corruption, and colonialism from ancient history to contemporary problems.

from description:  "...three aging veterans and a band of young rogues, are all that can protect the failing republic from the return of an evil empire. Together, their only hope lies buried with the mysteries of the past and an ancient relic called the Tempest Stone."

I liked the characters and the individual problems that each faced as they eventually united to work against the return of an ancient evil.  The import and significance of the three older characters was a great deal of the charm of this book.

Wasn't as crazy about the steampunk elements inserted.  The novel is derivative in many ways (except for the steampunk elements), but it is difficult to avoid using the fantasy tropes that have been so well established over the years.

The Binding Tempest:  The Luminescence Saga Book One.   

NetGalley/MysticHawk Press

Fantasy.  June 1, 2021.

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry #2) was just as good as The Widows of Malabar Hill, and just as good as everyone said it was!

I listened to the audio book narrated by Sneha Mathon and was so engrossed I finished it more quickly than intended.  You know how you feel when someone interrupts you when you are in the middle of a good book?  It was all I good do to smile at my husband when he came home--and he brought dinner!  

Historically, the width and breadth of British control over so much of Indian society was surprising.  That the British influenced royal marriages and under certain circumstances took over guardianship of royal children was something I was unaware of.  

I was surprised that Cyrus presented a problem in this book, as I thought that was dealt with in the last one.  Other than that, I was completely engaged with the plot.  I'm going to try to resist moving on the The Bombay Prince for a while.  That is already  proving difficult, as wondering  what challenges  Perveen meets next is testing my will power.

Audiobook.  Narrated by Sneha Mahon.  

A little Romance.

Fantasy: The Theft of Sunlight by Intisar Khanani and Warrior's Ransom by Jeff Wheeler

 The Theft of Sunlight is due out on March 23.  I reviewed it early here, intending to post a reminder in March.  So this is the reminder.  :)

Intisar Khanani never disappoints me.

Jeff Wheeler is another of my favorites in the fantasy genre.  I adored the Kingfountain and the Harbinger series by Wheeler.  Warrior's Ransom is "The First Argentines #2."

Somehow, I missed the first book in this new series.  I'll probably go back and pick it up at some point.

I enjoyed it, but not nearly so much as the earlier Kingfountain and Harbinger books.  That said, missing the first book in "The First Argentines #1" series may have had something to do with it.

All three series are related to the Kingfountain books (my favorite) which are great fantasy fun and adventure.

Read in February.

NetGalley/47 North

Fantasy.  May 18, 2021.  Print length: 363 pages.  

Defending the Galaxy by Maria V. Snyder and The Blacksmith Queen by G.A. Aiken

 

Defending the Galaxy, the final book in the Sentinels of the Galaxy trilogy by Maria V. Snyder, offers another fun and exciting adventure.  Snyder is able to take a pretty odd and fantastical premise  involving the terra cotta warriors and turn it into a multi-planet  space conspiracy full of suspense.  

Begin with Navigating the Stars, then try Chasing the Shadows so you have all the characters and the background. 

Likable characters, the Q-net, and a courageous attempt to save the galaxy. :)

Purchased.

YA/Science Fiction.  Dec. 2, 2020.  Print length:  407 pages.

Funny, bawdy, farcical, with a lot of bloody incidents,  The Blacksmith Queen is...well, I'm not entirely sure how to classify it.  Parody/Fantasy?  Fun!

Keely is a big, strong woman who loves her hammer, her forge, and  her family.  She has a sunny personality and likes and gets along with everyone--with the exception of her sister Gemma, who ran off and became a nun.  

The humor of this brawny woman blacksmith and her sister the nun (with a secret) and their constant arguments, their strange family, the Centaurs, dwarves, and demon wolves--kept me grinning.  Oh, and there's an evil sister whose machinations endanger everyone.

It is a fantasy that has danger and suspense, and yet is full of rude humor, arguing siblings, and strange allies.  The Blacksmith Queen seems intent on overturning many of the fantasy tropes, retaining the sense of danger in spite of all the silliness.

This is a love it or hate it book.  The first chapter made me think I would abandon it, but I'm so glad I didn't.  All the brawling, messy, ridiculousness I would have missed!  Definitely over-the-top, but I had a great time reading it.

Kindle Unlimited

Fantasy/Parody/Camp.  2019.  Print length:  304 pages.

A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier and Spiteful Bones Jeri Westerson

A Dance with Fate , book 2 in the Warrior Bards series, was a success for me.  

From description:  The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

Darker than the first novel as Liobhan is treated ill as a bond servant and Dau is denied adequate care.  Dau's older brother Seanan is a nasty piece of work.

Now waiting for the third book!

Read in June;  blog review scheduled for Aug. 16.

NetGalley/Berkley Publishing
Fantasy.  Sept. 1, 2020.   

Perhaps the penultimate novel in this series about Crispin Guest, the London Tracker.  :(

An odd couple, a body interred in a wall, a precious relic, a murder and further threats all woven in together as Crispin attempts to discover the guilty party.  His own life has both satisfactions and potential problems.

I've enjoyed this series since the first book, and I'm sorry that the author is planning to end it.  I do understand her reasons, but I will miss the intriguing mysteries and the well-developed and evolving characters.   Westerson plans to end the series with the next book.

Read in June;  blog review scheduled for Aug. 16.

NetGalley/Severn House

Medieval Mystery.  Sept. 1, 2020.   
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I'm not sure what his deal is, but Edgrr is becoming a computer problem.  OK...he takes up half or more of the chair--I can deal with that.  But his desk browsing truly annoys me, and he's fast and persistent. 

Hush by Dylan Farrow, Dead Wicked by Helen H. Durrant, and Trust No one by Debra Webb

From description: In the land of Montane, language is literal magic to the select few who possess the gift of Telling. This power is reserved for the Bards, and, as everyone knows, the Bards have almost always been men.

Seventeen-year-old Shae has lived her entire life in awe of the Bards—and afraid of the Blot, a deadly disease spread by ink, which took the life of her younger brother five years ago. Ever since, Shae fears she’s cursed. But when tragedy strikes again, and her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger—a weapon used only by the Bards—Shae is forced to act.

Language as a curse and a weapon sounded fascinating!  Unfortunately, the book doesn't live up to the concept. It feels as if the author rushed through to get to a certain point, but by rushing, failed to establish ample world-building, character development, and motivation.

I won't be looking for the next book.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Fantasy/YA.  Oct. 6, 2020.  Print length:  364 pages.  

Dead Wicked is the 10th book in this series by Helen Durrant, and I have not read any of the previous books.

From description:  DETECTIVES CALLADINE AND BAYLISS HUNT FOR A VICIOUS KILLER

The fist victim is found on waste ground. His tongue has been cut out and stuffed down his throat.

Then another body is found dumped in a lake up in the hills. The same gruesome murder method is used.

And guess who the detectives’ new boss is? The incredibly difficult Stephen Greco.

A TWISTED KILLER . . . AND A WICKED TWIST

Meanwhile Ruth Bayliss’s personal life is falling part and someone is targeting local businesses with ransomware.

The prime suspect is a criminal Calladine thought he’d seen the last of.

WHO’S THE SERIAL KILLER AND WHO’S NEXT ON THE LIST?

I think not having read the previous books kept me from enjoying this one as much as some other readers.  I didn't have the feeling of reconnecting with various characters which is often a crucial element of liking a series book.  

This isn't to say I didn't enjoy it, I did like the characters.  The villain was fairly easy to spot early on, and eventually DI Calladine's suspicions prove true.  Predictable, but if I'd had a relationship built on previous books, I might have liked it better.

NetGalley/Joffe Books
Police Procedural.  July 2, 2020.  

Trust No One by Debra Webb  is a complicated case of revenge and secrets.  It is also the beginning of a series featuring Detectives Kerri Devlin and Luke Falco.

from description:  A double homicide and a missing woman lead a detective to unearth disturbing secrets in this gripping thriller from USA Today bestselling author Debra Webb.

It’s the worst possible time for Detective Kerri Devlin to be involved in an all-consuming double-homicide case. She’s locked in a bitter struggle with her ex-husband and teenage daughter, and her reckless new partner is anything but trustworthy. 

Although I did not like the prologue, the book eventually pulled me in.  There are a few things the reader knows from the very beginning, thanks to the voice of the missing wife which appears every so often, but keeping track of all the connections that branched out with every interview the two detectives conducted kept me deeply involved as I read.  

While it is a contrived plot, especially the way connections also lead to Devlin's family, it was certainly an engrossing labyrinth of an experience.  I look forward to more of Devilin and Falco.

Kindle Unlimited/Thomas & Mercer
Police Procedural/Thriller.  August 1, 2020.  Print length:  427 pages.

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It is hot here, and I'm still staying home.  Reading.  A lot.  Reviewing.  Not so much. 

A lot of the books I've been reading won't be published for months, but I'll tell you that I loved the new Jane Casey, Sherry Thomas, Val McDermid, and M.R. Carey books!

Underneath the bird feeders, I've been leaving the sprouting sunflower seeds. I even like the buds, but best are the blooms. :) 

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier, Beach Read by Emily, AND Becoming Duchess Goldblatt!

I enjoyed Juliet Marillier's Blackthorn and Grim trilogy, and even made the comment in my review of the final book,  that I'd like to see more about the Swan Island Warriors--and here it is!

Marillier's prose is easy and elegant, and I was quickly caught up in the lives of the characters.  Escapism?  Yep.  Warriors, bards, spies, a mission involving a missing harp required for the investment of a new king, myth, magic, and otherworldly creatures.

The story is told through the voices of the three main characters:  Liobhan, Brocc, and Dau.  The three are training and hoping for places with the Swan Island Warriors.  

Although they have not completed their island training, the three are chosen for a mission because each has qualities that would be useful.   

I love a good story and found myself entertained and involved in The Harp of Kings.  Ready for the next book!

Purchased.
Fantasy.  2019.  Print length:  464 pages.  

Beach Read sounded interesting even if it isn't my typical choice.  

From description:  A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

So, yeah, not much about the beach.  At all.   Not a fit for me, although I did finish it.  The premise has so much potential, but the result was a lackluster experience for me.

NetGalley/Berkley Pub.
Romance?  May 19, 2020.  Print length:  361 pages.  

Of course, I liked Becoming Duchess Goldblatt.  I follow her on Twitter.

I must admit, however, that I will dutifully forget much of this book in favor of the imaginary creation.  I quote the Duchess frequently and believe in her fervently.  She amuses, amazes, scolds, celebrates, and praises her readers.  Her Grace delights me time and time again.  

Having never been much of a follower of celebrities (or politicians), it came as a surprise to me that I joined the multitudes who worship Her Grace.  

"Search your heart.  If you can say you did your best today, you may have popsicles for dinner."

 "I'm trying to be quiet and gather strength to be a voice of encouragement for you loons, who somehow need me and somehow found me." 

"As a fictional utopia, Crooked Path doesn't have any police to defund.  Much like heaven, this town is run by librarians in sensible shoes who make house calls."

Enough said.  Enjoy.

NetGalley/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Memoir.  July 7, 2020.  Print length:  240 pages.

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho

Order of the Full Moon Reflected in Water by Zen Cho (author of The Sorcerer to the Crown).  A novella, and a strange one at that. 

From Description:  A bandit walks into a coffeehouse, and it all goes downhill from there. Guet Imm, a young votary of the Order of the Pure Moon, joins up with an eclectic group of thieves (whether they like it or not) in order to protect a sacred object, and finds herself in a far more complicated situation than she could have ever imagined.

The description captured my imagination.  I was not familiar with the term wuxia novel, so in case you aren't yet familiar with the term either:  

Wuxia (武俠 [ù. ɕjǎ]), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. ... They often originate from the lower social classes of ancient Chinese society.

There is a handsome bandit, a homely bandit, a quixotic young nun on a mission, humor, and an unexpected twist.  In fact, most of this novella is unexpected.  And fun.  And maybe should have been longer?

Read in March.  Review scheduled for June 7.

NetGalley/Macmillan Tor/Forge
Wuxia novella.  June 23, 2020.  Print length:  176 pages.

Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa, The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot, and Out of Body by Jeffrey Ford

 Night of the Dragon, the final installment of Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox trilogy, follows the little band of heroes to the final conflict with evil.  Hoping against hope to stop the Master of Demon's plan, Yumeko, Tatsumi, Reika, Okame, Daisuke, and the little ghost maiden Suki  embrace the challenges and put their lives on the line for the chance of saving the world.

I love the characters.  I loved the first two books.  This final book, however, deals more with the battles and monsters than with the characters.  I'd be interested in the percentage of time spent on battles vs time spent with characters who have made the trilogy so much fun for me.   The purpose was, perhaps, to increase suspense, but for me, it became simply frustrating.  I quit caring about how many heads and limbs were lost and just wanted to get on with the plot.  Even the appearance of the silent game player that gave a late twist to the plot...didn't quite feel right.

So, if you've been following Shadow of the Fox, you will want to read this to discover a number of secrets revealed and how our charming band of hopefuls end up.  You may not agree with my opinion of too many lengthy battles.

NetGalley/Inkyard Press
YA/Fantasy.  March 31, 2020.  Print length:  384 pages.  

 The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot is the first in her new Columbia River series.  I really enjoyed Elliot's Mercy Kilpatrick series and was pleased to find another series that might keep my interest.

I don't usually listen to audio books, but I did listen to this one while doing mundane chores.  It kept me entertained, and I did a lot more  mindless tasks than I intended.  It was certainly a different experience from reading.

Small town in Oregon, a young black man hanged and his white wife savagely stabbed to death, a weird connection (or two or three) to a murder 20 years previously.

The main character Zander Wells is from a previous series that I haven't read.  A second book is scheduled for this year, and I will probably listen to it as well.  And dust, mop floors, do laundry, do baseboards and ceiling fans, etc.  :)

Kindle Unlimited
Mystery.  January 2020.  Print length:  328 pages.

I rarely read novellas, but I've recently read two, The Order of the Pure Moon Reflecting Water by Zen Cho (which I've scheduled closer to publication) and Jeffrey Ford's Out of Body.

From description: "Jeffrey Ford returns with Out of Body, a new horror story about a small-town librarian whose sleep paralysis becomes something much more."  

OK.  A rather dull librarian experiences out of body episodes that introduce him to the mysteries of the night world.  Murders, vampires, a serial killer, and other strange experiences.  

I was slowly drawn in to this one, mostly because I had no idea what to expect and still don't know what to say about it.

Strange, but not really my thing.

NetGalley/Macmillan, Tor/Forge.
Horror? Fantasy?  May 26, 2020.  Print length:  175 pages.

I'm slowly making my way through two nonfiction books:  The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and Growing Old by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas.  

Anthropomorphzed Books by Johnathan Wolstenholme found here 

The Canary Keeper, The Killing Fog, and No Quiet Among the Shadows

The Canary Keeper by Clare Carson is a historical mystery set in the mid-1800s, full of atmospheric descriptions and historic detail.  I was particularly interested in the connections to the Franklin Expedition because I had a reading itinerary several years ago that focused on books connected directly and indirectly to the Franklin Expedition and Arctic exploration.   There was also a look at the fur trade, the abuses and prejudices against indigenous peoples.  

A murder, a false accusation, and an escape to Stromness in the Orkney Islands of Scotland.  

Kindle Unlimited

Historic Mystery.  2019.  Print length:  416 pages.

The Killing Fog (#1 in the Grave Kingdom series) by Jeff Wheeler.  

I loved Wheeler's Kingfountain series and enjoyed his Harbinger series, as well.  This new series, however, didn't engage me in the same way.  

A lot of possibility and a strong beginning, but the characters lack the depth and interest of those in his previous series.  The rush into the plot left no time to appreciate either the characters or the world situation.

Disappointed, but will give the next book in the series a try.

Kindle Unlimited

Fantasy.  March 1, 2020.  Print length:  212 pages.

No Quiet Among the Shadows by Nancy Herriman is a historical mystery set in San Francisco.  

A glimpse of the husband Celia Davies thought was dead, the murder of an investigator, seances, and women and wives who are troublesome committed to asylums.  Some intriguing avenues for a mystery.

This is the third in this series, but I haven't read the first two books.  Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had.

NetGalley/Beyond the Page Publishing
Historical Mystery.  March 3, 2020.  Print length:  264 pages.

 Blind date with a book

The Last Passenger, Origami Man, A Conspiracy of Bones, and the Demon Door series

 

The Last Passenger is the third in the prequels for Finch's Charles Lenox series.  It has been interesting to read these books about the young Lennox, who wants to establish himself as a detective since I've liked the plots and characters in the original books with the mature Lenox.  

The series is one of my favorite historical mystery/detective series, and I enjoyed the latest book as well.  Young Charles Lenox is encouraged by his mother to marry, and Charles is a desirable husband--except for the fact that he continues to pursue a career as a detective, which is not highly thought of in his social class.  

Inspector Hemstock seeks Charles' help when the unidentified body of a young man is discovered at Paddington Station, and Charles is eager to be involved with the Scotland Yard investigation.

As usual, there are many historical details that add to the plot, the characters are well-developed, the writing is excellent, and the mystery intriguing.  

Read in Oct.  

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Historical Mystery.  Feb. 18, 2020.  Print length:  304 pages.

Gibson Vaugh, legendary hacker and former marine, returns in a fifth installment of this series by Matthew Fitzsimmons.  He is also a wanted fugitive living in the Caymans when Tinsley, assassin and the man who killed Vaughn's father, draws him into a dangerous new situation.

The threat is ominous, and Tinsley needs Vaughn's help, but as important as the terrorist threat is--can Tinsley be trusted in a truce to prevent the disaster?  

Dan, Jenn, and George join Gibson in the hunt for the details that would help them prevent the deaths of millions.

The first book (The Short Drop) is my favorite, but I've enjoyed all of the books and the team of characters involved.  

Read in Oct.

NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer
Thriller.  Feb. 18, 2020.  Print length:  316 pages.

A Conspiracy of Bones in the latest Kathy Reichs book featuring Tempe Brennan.  Although I've been reading this series for years, this isn't the best, which doesn't mean that it won't hold your attention.  

Temperance is recovering from neurosurgery for an aneurysm, her new boss holds a grudge, someone may be stalking her, and in general, life had been difficult for Tempe.

She gets mysterious pictures of a body with most of  his face and his hands missing and no identification.  Who sent it?  
Her new boss is determined to push her out, but Tempe gets into the morgue and views the body.  She disagrees with the new coroner about several things and begins investigating on her own.  (The savaging of the body is the result of feral hogs, and just recently a woman in Texas was killed by hogs.  They truly are fearsome creatures.)    

Teaming up with the cantankerous and acerbic Slidell,  Tempe sets out to identify the body, and then to look into the Dark Web at conspiracy theories spouted by the repulsive Nick Body, and into a possible connection to missing children.

There is an interesting afterword about how Reichs came up with elements of her plot, but I had no trouble believing in the feral hogs detail as they are prevalent everywhere in the South and have been moving north as well.

NetGalley/Scribner
Mystery.  March 17, 2020.  Print length:  352 pages.


The Sand Prince was nothing to write home about, but...in spite of being unsatisfied with much of it,  I continued with the second book, The Heron Prince, and I liked it much better.  So--moving on to books 3 and 4, The Glass Girl and The River King was easy.  After making my way through the first half or so of The Sand Prince,  I enjoyed the rest of entire series.  

I've been busy with so many things lately--Christmas stuff (such a long list of Christmas stuff--from gifts and wrapping, to recipes and grocery shopping), stitching, reading, everyday chores, feeding the birds, making tentative friendship with a raccoon who has been visiting at night. 

Even in our subdivision, we have occasional night visits from raccoons and possums.  I think our visitor is young, more curious than frightened, he approaches me with such a quizzical look on his face.  Much better than the wild creatures like bears and mountain lions that visit other areas!   And at least we have had no feral hogs in our neighborhood, although there are plenty down at the camp in the country.   They make a mess of fields and crops, which is bad, but they are dangerous as well.  And ugly!  

The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl by Theodora Goss

I loved the first book in Theodora Goss's trilogy about the Athena Club.  The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter was original and fun as Goss introduced the reader to a unique view of literary characters like Mary Jekyll and Diana Hyde (evidently Dr. Jekyll had offspring), Beatrice Rappacini, Justine Frankenstein, and Catherine Moreau (the puma woman for Dr. Moreau's island) and connects them to Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and the Baker Street Boys.

The second book European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, however, was too long and often slow, but there were some great moments here, too.

I liked The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl better than the second book.  The same flaws have persisted throughout the series plus an influx of characters who appeared in European Travel, but I did enjoy this one.

from description:  Mary Jekyll and the Athena Club race to save Alice—and foil a plot to unseat the Queen, in the electrifying conclusion to the trilogy that began with the Nebula Award finalist and Locus Award winner The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter.

This trilogy doesn't work as well without all of the background in the first book.  If you like a good mash-up and literary characters who take on lives of their own, try the first book and get a fresh view of some literary classics.  :)

NetGalley/Saga Press
Suspense/Fantasy.  Oct. 1, 2019.  Print length:  448 pages.  

The Bone Ships by RJ Barker and The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen.

The world-building in RJ Barker's The Bone Ships:  The Tide Child #1 is original and bold.  Barker has created a new world, full of detail, history, and culture for this series.  

In the world of the Hundred Isles, ships have been built from the bones of sea dragons--white, gleaming ships, equipped with corpse lights.  But there are also black bone ships, captained and crewed by condemned criminals.  And Joron Twiner finds himself on Tide Child, a black ship, in retaliation for killing the son of a powerful official in a duel.

Joron Twiner presents an intriguing protagonist as he gradually grows from an angry, depressed, nineteen-year-old and begins to question the rules and history of his society.  I found this particularly interesting as the growth is slow and not readily accepted as Joron clings to the traditions he has been raised to accept.

Lucky Meas takes command of the Tide Child from Joron and not only allows him to live, but gives him second in command.  Lucky Meas has been Shipwife (captain) of one of the most famous of the bone ships and has become a legend for her courage and skill in battle.  How did she become condemned to a black ship?  Whatever the reason, Meas is a leader and she is able to get both ship and crew into shape through force of will.

Meas, Joron, and the crew of the Tide Child are in search of the last sea dragon and the attempts to protect it or kill it.

 (At the end, there is an appendix ranks in the Fleet and the Hundred Isles that (in my opinion) should have been at the beginning to help the reader adjust to this new world.  Definition of the bern, berncast, Fleet ranks, etc. would make entering the world easier.)

I had not read RJ Barker before, but as soon as I finished The Bone Ships (knowing it would probably be a year's wait before the next in the series comes out), I ordered Age of Assassins, the first in Barker's Wounded Kingdom trilogy.  Which lets you know how much I liked the book and the author.  I literally put my Kindle on large print and walked while reading--mostly inside because adding the heat index to 98 degrees made walking outside too damn hot.

Read in August; blog review scheduled for Sept. 2.

NetGalley/Orbit Books
Fantasy/Adventure.  Sept. 24, 2019.  Print length:  512 pages.

The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen.  When a body is found on the beach of the small island of Arum, the question arises: natural death, suicide, murder?

DI Lena Lorezen is sent to investigate by a boss she doesn't trust.  The victim was the head of a children's home, and the investigation leads to links to the past.  

Not a bad mystery/police procedural, but the romance of Lena's reconnection with her youthful boyfriend felt like the author was trying to include a romance for a target audience.

Read in July; blog review scheduled for Sept. 2.

NetGalley/Amazon Publishing, UK
Police Procedural.  Print length:  240 pages.