Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

December 8, 2024

Guilt and Ginataan by Mia Manansala

It's time for the annual corn festival in Shady Palms, Illinois, and the owners of the Brew-ha Cafe are gearing up for the opening weekend. Known for the second biggest corn maze in the state, the festival draws crowds from all over the Midwest. After their booth sells out early, Lila, Adena and Elena decide to have a contest to see who can finish the corn maze first, but the fun comes to an abrupt end when they discover a body near the center of the maze.

A new mystery featuring the residents of Shady Palms. The aunties and Lola Flor don't appear in this story as much as in previous stories in the series, although there are still recipes at the end. Lila and Jae's sweet relationship continues to grow. Recommended for fans of cozy mysteries, especially those featuring food.

An example of ginataan, a sweet or savory Filipino dish cooked in coconut milk

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

December 7, 2024

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

In 1939, Odile Souchet lands her dream job, at the American Library in Paris, where she finds the place she is meant to be and the friends she has been seeking. But the city is on the brink of war and when the Nazis occupy Paris, the staff at the American Library is determined to remain open and fight the Nazis with the power of books. Forty years later in a small town in Montana, a teenage girl strikes up a friendship with her reclusive neighbor, a French widow.

Another book that makes me proud to be a librarian. The novel has a dual timeline, one set during World War II and the other in 1980s Montana. Personally I found the World War II sections more interesting, since the 1980s parts have a lot of teenaged angst. Based on fact, the story honors the librarians who worked to protect the staff, the patrons and their collection. The American Library still exists today. Librarians are bad-ass - never forget it. My favorite quote: "the Nazis shot a librarian? That's like shooting a doctor!"

Recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction set in France.

The original American Library in Paris

Those Opulent Days by Jacquie Pham

December 2, 2024

Those Opulent Days by Jacquie Pham

Four school friends from wealthy families met at an exclusive French boarding school in Vietnam. Three are Vietnamese, one is French. When they were in school, they snuck out one night to visit a fortune teller who predicted that one of them would end up dead at a young age. As adults, they live aimless dissipated lives of wealth and privilege. Then the fortune teller's prediction comes true, and one is found dead - is one of the others the killer?

Full cast audio recording told from several POVs. Although it is a mystery on the surface, the story is more about the racial and class tension that existed in the 1920s in Vietnam (aka French Indochina, aka Ah Nam). I knew very little about this time and place in history, so I learned something, which is one of the reasons that I read historical fiction. Strong contrasts between the lives of employers and servants, rich and poor, French and Vietnamese. There are many trigger subjects, including drugs, alcoholism, sexual abuse, murder (a lot of murders), violence against women, addiction, and hopelessness and depression. Sensitive readers should be aware that the story is quite intense at times. Recommended for readers who want to learn about lesser known history, especially the dark side of history.

A mansion in Saigon from the 1920s

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

November 30, 2024

Lazarus Man by Richard Price

When a five story apartment building in Harlem collapses, there are a lot of questions: how did this happen? Why did it happen? Who is missing? How will this affect the survivors? And mainly, how did a man survive being buried in the rubble for two days, yet escape with minimal injuries, and how will it change his life?

Price writes literary fiction and I have read some of his previous books such as Clockers and Lush Life. Based on reviews, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy his latest book, since some readers complained about the slowness of the story and the POVs of multiple characters. A lot of readers seemed to be expecting suspense or an action story, but that's not what Price writes. Once I started reading, I read over half the book in a single day (it's really remarkable how much you can read during the commercials while watching an NFL game). Characters are imperfect, thoughtful, and well-developed. Will appeal to readers of literary fiction, especially Colson Whitehead's Harlem novels or James McBride's fiction.

Brownstones in Harlem

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

 November 25, 2024

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

Tao is a traveling fortune teller, roaming the countryside in her wagon with her mule Laohu. She tells what she refers to as small fortunes: what day will the cow have her calf, what day is the best to go fishing, who will the barmaid go to the dance with. Once she told a "large" fortune that had dire consequences, and someone she loved ended up dying. Since then, Tao has vowed to tell only small harmless fortunes. But when two mercenaries and later a baker end up joining her on her travels for their own reasons, Tao learns that family and home can be whatever you choose them to be.

A sweet and heartwarming cozy fantasy in the same vein as Legends and Lattes, or The Spellshop, although I thought both of those novels had more developed characters and stronger plotlines. Leong's novel is like a palette cleanser when you need a break from heavier fantasy fiction or genres. Recommended for readers of fantasy, cozy mysteries, or romantasy.

Tea leaf fortune telling, Tao's favorite method of fortune telling

Babylonia by Costanza Casati

November 22, 2024

Babylonia by Costanza Casati

Semiramis is an orphan from an Assyrian village when the king's half-brother plucks her from obscurity and chooses her to be his wife. She travels with him to the capitol city and is soon swept up in court intrigue and national politic, and she has to fight to stay one step ahead of her enemies.

I loved Casati's novel Clytemnestra so I was stoked to read her new book. While I found the story of Semiramis to be fascinating, I didn't love it quite as much as her previous book. Readers of historical fiction will enjoy learning about a lesser known but still powerful queen.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Statue of Semiramis

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

November 13, 2024

Hard Time by Jodi Taylor

The Time Police's three most unusual trainees, Luke, Jane and Matthew (aka Team 236, aka Team Weird) return for an adventure that requires their unique skill set. At least one corporation is running illegal time travel excursions for tourists, and the conventional methods used by the Time Police to apprehend the perpetrators have failed. So Commander Hays send out her unconventional team to do their thing.

As much as I enjoy the original Chronicles of St. Mary's series, I think I enjoy this spin-off series more. There is still the wacky humor and adventures of the disaster magnets of St. Mary's, but within a military setting. So far, not as dark as the original series became in later books, probably because of the three main characters here. Fans of sci fi with a strong shot of humor will enjoy the Time Police series.

The former Battersea Power Station, home base of the Time Police at some point in the future, silhouetted on the book cover

The Twilight Queen by Jeri Westerson

November 6, 2024

The Twilight Queen by Jeri Westerson

Will Somers, jester to Henry VIII, is back to investigate another murder, this time at the request of Queen Anne Boleyn. When a dead courtier is found in the queen's apartments, Will suspects a conspiracy aimed at discrediting the queen.

The second book in Westerson's historical mystery series featuring Will Somers. As the king's jester, Will moves among the courtiers and has direct access to the king and queen, and no one questions his presence. A mixture of fictional and real characters, I enjoyed this second installment more than the first book. Will's dog Nosewise also appears in the story. It should appeal to readers of historical mysteries, especially those set in Tudor England.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A supposedly contemporary portrait of Anne Boleyn, but there is a similarity in many of the portraits of the time - portraits of Henry VIII's sister Mary look very similar. There is some dispute about what Anne actually looked like - the only thing her contemporaries agree on is her sparkling dark eyes.

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

October 29, 2024

The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

Collum is a farm boy who grew up dreaming of the court of King Arthur and his Round Table. When he finally get the chance to travel to Camelot, he is dismayed to discover that King Arthur died two weeks earlier. His court is in disarray, and the remaining knights are not at all what Collum expected.

A retelling of the legends of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, all rolled into a single narrative of knights, magic, and adventures. The story slowed down about 2/3 of the way in and the narrative could have been tightened up. The backstories of the characters were the most interesting parts. Recommended for fans of Arthurian legends and historical fantasy in general.

King Arthur and the knight of the Round Table

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

October 29, 2024

I Will Ruin You by Lincoln Barclay

A teacher's act of bravery puts him in the crosshairs of a former student intent on blackmail, plus exposes him to unexpected fallout from a number of sources.

Another solid psychological thriller from Lincoln Barclay, told through several POVs. After a fast beginning, the story slows down but the author winds in all the threads at the end. It gives a different look at the fallout that those involved in thwarting violence can experience. Sensitive readers should be aware of some difficult subjects, including drugs, school violence, and sexual abuse. Fans of Harlan Coben or Lisa Jewell will enjoy Barclay's latest book.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

October 22, 2024

The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich

The mighty red is many things: the river, the local high school football team, history, sugar beets. Crystal works as a trucker, hauling sugar beets from farms to the local processing plant. She named her daughter Kismet, hoping for a better future for her. At least two boys are in love with her, Hugo and Gary, and want to marry her. Kismet, meanwhile, has plans to go to college instead. 

I have an on and off relationship with Erdrich’s writing. I have loved some of her books and a few I really disliked. This one is somewhere in the middle. The first half of the book was really slow - the second half was better. There are many themes:  guilt, shame, resentment, destruction of the land through farming and mining, parental relationships, crimes and passion. I know a lot more now about sugar beet farming than I did a few days ago. Not her best effort. Fans of Erdrich’s writing will still want to read it.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A sugar beet, one of the villains of the story

Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson

October 20, 2024

Courting Dragons by Jeri Westerson

Will Somers, professional fool to Henry VIII, navigates the intrigues of the Tudor court. His job is to learn the weak points and secrets of the courtiers, to entertain Henry. But Will has a secret of his own: he is hiding his bi-sexuality, which would be an affront to Henry and would cost Will his job if Henry found out. When someone attempts to blackmail Will, instead of finding the blackmailer at the meeting place, Will finds a dead body.

The first book of a new series by the author of the Crispin Guest historical mysteries. Not as engaging as Westerson's other series, maybe because there is more emphasis on Will jumping in and out of the beds of various members of the king's household of both sexes. Well researched and historically accurate regarding politics and events with fictional characters mixed with real people. The next book in the series comes out in November so I will read that one before I make my final judgment about this series. For fans of historical fiction set in the Tudor period.

Drawing of Will Somers

Old God's Time by Sebastian Barry

October 19. 2024

Old God's Time by.Sebastian Barry

Tom Kettle is a retired detective living in a small town on the Irish Sea. Two young detectives come to visit him to talk about reopening a case from ten years earlier. Their visit stirs up old memories for Tom, about his wife and children as well as his career.

DNF at about 40%. I loved Barry's earlier book Days Without End, but this one just dragged. The narrator on the audiobook seemed flat. Disappointing, not recommended.

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

October 18, 2024

The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

Constance Haverhill travels to the seaside as a companion to Mrs. Fog who has just recovered from influenza. Since she is still convalescent, most of the time she leaves Constance on her own. Constance soon meets a young woman named Poppy Wirral who rides a motorcycle and sweeps Constance into her circle of friends.

Part of the problem that I had with this novel is that I had just finished reading four really excellent books (The Women, Forgotten on Sunday, The God of the Woods, and The Song of Achilles), and this one didn't compare to any of those. Another part of the problem is that it was just a silly premise: a group of young society women in 1919 who rode around on motorcycles when they weren't going to tea dances or picnicking with eligible bachelors. There were a lot of characters and the story got bogged down somewhere in the middle. Took me forever to get through it, and I gave up and started skimming. I read and enjoyed the author's previous book Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, but this wasn't her best effort.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Motorcycle with sidecar, circa 1919

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

October 18, 2024

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Achilles, hero of Troy, was the son of King Pelleus and the goddess Thetis. At his birth, there was a prophecy that he would be the greatest of the Greek warriors, the best of the Greeks. As a boy, he meets Patroclus, an exiled prince who comes to live at Achilles' father's court. They grow up together and are educated together by the centaur Chiron. When war with Troy breaks out, they travel together to Troy, where Achilles fulfills the prophecy that he is the greatest Greek warrior, but comes to realize that Patroclus is the best of the Greeks.

A retelling of Homer's Iliad, the story of Achilles and the Trojan War, told from the viewpoint of Achilles' companion Patroclus. It's unknown if they were lovers or just besties, but Miller portrays them as both. I really enjoyed the author's previous book Circe, but I think I loved this one more. If you enjoy retellings of mythology or fairy tales, try Costanza Casati's novel Clytemnestra or A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes - the "heroes" don't come off so well in those versions as they did in the Iliad. Recommended for readers who enjoy Greek mythology or fantasy fiction.

Patroclus and Achilles in bronze

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

October 15, 2024

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The Van Laar family own a large swath of land in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York, where they employ many of the local residents to run their exclusive summer camp. The camp is mainly for the children of their wealthy friends. But when their daughter Barbara goes missing from the camp, panic erupts immediately, because she isn't the first Van Laar child to go missing.

There were around 800 holds on this at the library, so I was skeptical about whether it would be worth the wait, but it totally was. I never went to summer camp, but if it was anything like this, I probably would have hated it. That said, this was a really enjoyable book as well as a quick read that kept me turning the pages. Good storytelling, interesting characters with many different viewpoints, and a dual timeline with two linked mysteries. The reader gets the backstory of many of the characters, which helps explain their actions and motivations. Many of the female characters could have been a little stronger, a little smarter, but they were a product of their upbringing and the time they lived in. The 1970s were a time when women were just starting to break out of the stereotypes of the 1950s and 1960s (aka the dark ages). Even when I graduated from high school in 1971, there were three acceptable career path for women who were college educated: teacher, nurse, or secretary, and those were only acceptable until you got married and had a family. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good story.

Pan, the god of the woods, source of the word panic

Forgotten on Sunday by Valerie Perrin

October 13, 2024

Forgotten on Sunday by Valerie Perrin

Justine works as a nursing assistant at an assisted living facility in her small town. She loves her job, and her favorite resident is Helene, an elderly woman with dementia who rarely speaks. But when they are alone, Helene sometimes tells Justine about her life, and that she spends her days at the beach, waiting for her husband and daughter. Justine writes down the story for Helene's family, for when she is gone. Helene's family visits regularly but many of the residents wait in vain on Sundays for a family member or friend to visit - they are forgotten on Sunday. But lately, someone at the facility has been calling the residents' families, telling them that their loved one has passed away. But when the family arrives, they find their family member alive and happy to see them. 

I unexpectedly loved this character-driven story, with its parallel timelines and interwoven stories, and themes of family secrets and lost loves. Valerie Perrin is a celebrated French author whose novels have been translated into 30 languages, although this was the first time I read anything by her. Highly recommended for readers of literary fiction.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Keller Croft

October 8, 2024

We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Keller Croft

In the 1970s disco scene in London, 100+ year old vampire Nicola spots Amber and knows she is her soulmate, and that she has to have her. She'll do anything for Amber, including killing Amber's husband. For her part, Amber adores the way Nicola makes her feel special. But will she feel the same way 50 years later?

Grrrl power! Usually vampire novels feature dark smoldering broody guys, but this one is about the girls who hunt the night. Imagine being trapped for eternity with someone you don't even like anymore, who will kill you if you try to leave, and you can't even ghost them because they can always find you. Vampires, toxic female friendships, disco - what's not to like?? This character driven story was part of my seasonal reading for the spooky season, recommended for readers who enjoy horror in general and vampire books in particular.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

A 1970s era disco

The Women by Kristin Hannah

October 5, 2024

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Frankie McGrath grew up in a wealthy family on Coronado Island, California. Her father always preached the importance of service to one's country, but when Frankie volunteers for Vietnam as an Army nurse, her socialite parents are horrified and go to great lengths to hide Frankie's service from their friends. Frankie faces the horrors of war, but when she comes home, she is not prepared to face the scorn of her fellow American or the shame of her family.

Let's get one thing straight right away: women have gone to war as long as their have been wars. They were nurses, cooks, laundresses, ambulance drivers, clerks, spies, and yes, camp followers. Women have stood behind their men, reloading their guns for them, or fighting right beside them. All of the men in the book who claim there were no women in Vietnam were not paying attention. There is only one veteran in the book, a World War II veteran, who honors Frankie for her service, saying that he is alive today because a nurse like Frankie saved his life in France. It wasn't until two television series aired, China Beach and MASH, that Americans realized what these wonderful women did, and were ashamed of how they treated the men and women who returned home from the Vietnam War.

The government was just as bad, offering few services to the men returning from Vietnam, and absolutely none to the women veterans. PTSD was unknown at the time, as were the dangers of chemicals like Agent Orange, which caused high rates of cancer and miscarriages in veterans. In addition, the women veterans had to fight to have their fallen women comrades' names included on The Wall. There are now eight nurses honored on The Wall.

This is a wonderful book about the nurses who served in the Vietnam War. The author's previous book The Nightingale is about women on the homefront in France during World War II, also spectacular. I highly recommend both of these books to readers of historical fiction, literary fiction, or women's fiction.

The Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington DC near the Vietnam War Memorial, aka The Wall - it's a Pieta of three nurses and a wounded soldier - there is a third nurse kneeling behind the three figures that you can see in this photo

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez

October 1, 2024

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez

In 1904, construction begins on the Panama Canal. But not everyone is in favor of building the canal, particularly the local people whose lives are being uprooted in order to make way for the canal.

Historical novel about the building of the Panama Canal, told from several viewpoints: the Americans in charge of the project or who travel to Panama for other reasons, local people whose lives are affected by the canal, and workers from other countries. The canal divides the country physically but also divides the characters emotionally and psychologically. While the subject is interesting the story was slow moving and I found the ending to be unsatisfying. There were a lot of characters and very little character growth or resolution to their situations. This was one of my choices for Hispanic Heritage Month. Disappointing. Recommended only for readers who read only historical fiction.

The Panama Canal

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

September 30, 2024

The Hitchcock Hotel by Stephanie Wrobel

Alfred invites his five closest college friends to spend the weekend at his Alfred Hitchcock themed hotel, free of charge. Alfred has always been a huge Hitchcock fan and collects Hitchcock memorabilia. But something bad happened during their senior year of college (maybe more than one something), and Alfred has waited 16 years to exact his revenge.

This had a good creepy vibe, great for the season: an old house in a college town, converted to a boutique hotel and filled with movie memorabilia, a creepy housekeeper who is always lurking about, plus an aviary full of crows behind the house. All the characters have secrets in addition to being morally bankrupt. There are a couple of good twists that I didn't see coming. I read the author's previous book (Darling Rose Gold, based on the Blanchard case), which had its own squirm factor. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock and psychological suspense will enjoy Wrobel's latest novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Alfred Hitchcock with a Thanksgiving turkey - this photo is referenced several times in the book

Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman

September 28, 2024

Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman

Ever since her bestselling romantic suspense novel was published, fans of reclusive author Veronica St. Clair have been clamoring for the author to write a sequel. When editorial assistant Agnes Corey loses her job at the publishing house that published the novel, she secures a position as the author's assistant to help her write a sequel. Little does she know that the job will open up a window into her own life story.

When I was in high school, I was a huge fan of Victoria Holt's gothic novels. The cover and description reminded me of those books (in fact, at least one is referenced in the text), but this one is no where near as well written or engaging. It's a book within a book, a trope which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. There are too many dreams that repeat the same thing, too much falling asleep in the bathtub. The plot is really slow moving and the characters are unlikeable as well as confusing. All the narrative threads are jumbled together at the end in a confusing heap, with the characters proving to be exceptionally stupid. It was a slog to get through, and a good editor should have deleted at least 25 pages. It will appeal to readers who are big gothic fans - maybe.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I remember this being one of my favorite Victoria Holt novels

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

September 27, 2024

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

In the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea, Arthur Parnassus, magical adult and caretake of a group of magical children, petitions to adopt the children in his care, rather than just supervise the group home where they live. With his partner Linus Baker, they work to thwart the bigoted government agency that is attempting to force their beliefs on the world by gaining control of one particular magical child: Lucifer, aka Lucy, spawn of Satan, age seven.

While I loved revisiting the characters from the first book, there is a certain amount of lecturing here, with more emphasis on politics. In addition to being a fantasy, it is also a parody of the current issues on gay and transgender rights. A certain percentage of the population believes that anyone who is different from them, is a lesser life form and not entitled to the same rights as a human being. Gorgeous cover art. It's still worth reading. Recommended for fantasy readers everywhere.

A phoenix, like Arthur

Diamond Dust by Russ Swain

September 17, 2024

Diamond Dust by Russ Swain

After borrowing $10,000 from a loan shark and realizing he had no way to repay the loan, Russ Swain decided to put his artistic skills to good use and forged a pile of $20 bills that were so good even the Secret Service had a hard time detecting them. After his life crashed down around him, Swain used his talent to rebuild his life.

Who doesn't love a good Mormon book? A lot of information about what makes U.S. currency unique (who knew there was silk in the paper or that the surface has a slight grit to it), as well as how to counterfeit a $20 bill. Will appeal to readers of true crime, general nonfiction, and do-it-yourself.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Example of a counterfeit $20 bill

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

September 15, 2024

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

In a little coffee house on a Tokyo side street, there is an urban legend that visitors who sit in a certain chair can time travel and meet someone from another time in their life. But it's risky: there are rules and conditions, and the most important rule is that you only have as much time as it takes for a cup of coffee to grow cold. If you don't drink the coffee during that time period, there are dire consequences. Knowing this, a number of regulars at the cafe are still willing to take the risk.

A short book with an interesting concept about being able to time travel yet not change anything in the present. Slow moving, character driven with the characters' lives and stories being intertwined. All of the characters have some regret or something left undone that they want to correct if possible. Some readers have complained about the quality of the writing, but that may be due to the fact that the book is translated from the Japanese. There is a certain amount of repetition of the rules and limitations that wasn't necessary after the first time. Overall, I was left with a feeling of sweet sadness, which I didn't need at the time. I also felt disappointed - I thought the story could have been a lot more.

Tokyo

The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard by Michael Callahan

September 14, 2024

The Lost Letters from Martha's Vineyard by Michael Callahan

After being nominated for an Academy Award, starlet Mercy Welles suddenly vanished without a trace from Hollywood. Sixty years later, Kit O'Neil and her sister are cleaning out their late grandmother's house on Martha's Vineyard when Kit comes across photos of her grandmother that look suspiciously like the missing actress.

I didn't love this as much as many other readers have. I thought this was going to be a really good end-of-summer read, and I usually love books about old Hollywood, but something about this one didn't sit right with me. Maybe because it was written by a man, and he was fixated on what the women in the story look like, especially whether they are slim or frumpy or the kind of woman a man (like him) wouldn't look at twice. Also, there are a lot of familiar over-used tropes, like the struggling unknown actress who is suddenly nominated for an Oscar and catapulted to stardom, the wealthy dysfunctional family, the pile of family secrets in the attic that somehow no one else has discovered, among other things. The story is also overly long and the plot drags. Although billed as a mystery, there isn't much mystery and a lot more romance. Recommended for readers of romantic suspense.

Many thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

Martha's Vineyard

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

September 9, 2024

The Fragile Threads of Power by V. E. Schwab

After the battle for control of the four Londons and Kell's loss of his powers, Kell and Delilah have roamed the world in her ship, returning regularly to visit Red London where Kell's brother Rhy is now king. The city is thriving with peace, prosperity and magic. But not everyone is happy with that, and a group calling themselves The Hand are working to sabotage the peace of the kingdom. Meanwhile, in White London, magic is dying out and the new queen is desperate to restore magic to her kingdom.

A return to the world of Schwab's beloved Shades of Magic trilogy, with a new story line featuring many of the beloved and despised characters from that series. The White London sections are less interesting than the Red London plot line, but I am assuming the author is setting up another book focused on White London. The audiobook is narrated by four different narrators which helps to differentiate the various threads and POV's. It would be helpful to read at least the first book in the trilogy before tackling this one to get an idea about the characters. Recommended for readers of high fantasy.