Queenswood by Kathleen Schwab

July 16, 2026

Queenswood by Kathleen Schwab

Angus is the High Prince of the Faerie world, destined to become king. He is dismayed when a seer tells him he must find a bride among the mortals, since the fae bloodlines are so weak they are no longer able to produce heirs. Angus finds an acceptable bride in Rhiannon, a girl from a noble family destined to become a nun before he abducts her. But many of his courtiers and the fae are not accepting of his human queen and displeased with his choice, and they plot to take his throne.

This story isn't sure what it wants to be: is it historical fiction, a romantasy, a mythological epic? Adventure, fairy tale, coming of age story? There are also overtones of the Snow White story. I think the author tried to incorporate too many ideas into one book, when maybe she should have written one book about Angus and Rhiannon, and then a follow up book about Angus' struggles to hold onto his kingdom. The moral of the story is that the fae world is a dangerous place for both the fae and humans. Not terrible, but it certainly wandered around. Beautiful cover art. Will appeal to readers who are into atmospheric reads with heavy world building.

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

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

June 26, 2026

Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

After the publication of his third book, Ernest Cunningham and his fiancee Juliette are seeking a bank loan to open a detective agency. But when they arrive at the bank for their appointment, they learn that rather than discuss a bank loan, the bank manager wants Ernest to take on a new case.

Another locked-room mystery in the Ernest Cunningham series, this time set in a bank. All of the mysteries follow the rules of the Golden Age mysteries, such as not introducing a new character who turns out to be the villain late in the story, and a parlor-type reveal at the end. This one was really twisty, with ten suspects and ten thefts. The characters are quirky, there is a lot of dry humor, and the ending is unexpected, although it took a long time to get there. I did think the center of the book dragged. Will appeal to fans of Knives Out or Glass Onion.

Valet by J. P. Lacrampe

June 26, 2026

Valet by J. P. Lacrampe

Cy is a VALET, an AI-controlled robot assigned to be the personal assistant to Grayson, the 35 year old son of the the owner of AI+, Cy's creator. Grayson grew up with Cy and Cy's current assignment is to find Grayson a wife or at least someone who will look after him so his family doesn't have to. This is harder than it sounds since Grayson is something of an oddball. The longer it takes, the lower Cy's success rating drops. If it falls below a certain level, not only will Cy not be eligible for an upgrade, he will be farmed out for parts. Worse yet, Grayson's sister Charlotte, the company CEO, is working on a deal to sell the family corporation to a competitor.

It's impossible to turn on the television or computer these days and not get bombarded with ads for AI, and generally speaking, it's pretty annoying (no, I don't need AI to write an email for me, summarize an article, or tell me how to invest). Set in the not-too-distant future, AI and robots haven't exactly taken over society but humans are dependent on them for everything. The takeover plot is silly and you know from the start that it's not going to work. You can't help but love Cy, who is devoted to his human "brother" Grayson and Grayson's dog, a golden retriever named Sasha III who is a clone of Grayson's childhood dog (non-spoiler alert: Sasha III is fine at the end of the book). The real question here is what makes us human and what makes us a family. I did want to slap Cy's friend Larry by the end of the book. Will appeal to readers who enjoy the quirky fiction of Kevin Wilson or Augusten Burroughs.

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

The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery

July 15, 2026

The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery

On the eve of the return of Halley's Comet in 1910, Stephen Pike arrives to take up a position as a footman at a country house called Tithe House, located on a peninsula known as World's End. World's End off the coast of Cornwall is a tidal island, which means that when the tide comes in, the peninsula is cut off from the mainland and becomes an island for up to 18 hours until the tide goes out again. Stephen also learns that his new employer is an eccentric who believes that the comet's tail is bringing poisonous cyanide gases that will kill off all life forms. He has all the doors and windows boarded up, and issues orders that all guests, residents and staff are to sequester themselves in their quarters until morning when the noxious vapors will have passed. But after what was otherwise a quiet night in the sealed up house, the staff and the family wake up to discover that one of them has been murdered in the night. And not by the comet. Because of his criminal background, Stephen is quickly singled out as the likely culprit. He realizes he has to discover the murderer and solve the crime unless he wants to find himself back in prison or worse.

I love a mystery set in an English country house. The characters are always guilty of something, not to mention eccentric, and the family here is no exception. Ex-con Stephen is young and naive and good-hearted, just grateful to have a job and wanting people to like him. His unexpected sleuthing partner is Aunt Decima, a foul-mouthed octogenarian who is easily the smartest person in the house and a fabulous character. She does not suffer fools gladly and has no qualms about dropping the f-bomb frequently. A cross between an Agatha Christie locked-room mystery and Downtown Abbey or Upstairs/Downstairs. Very enjoyable.

A tidal island with the causeway connecting it to the mainland underwater at high tide

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

July 12, 2026

The Devoted by Catherine Cho

Eunha is a Korean woman living in Hong Kong. Her father is a Dragon Head, the leader of one of the notorious Triad families that make up organized crime in the city. Although her grandmother tries to shield her from the Triads' influence, it's always there in the background. When her son is kidnapped, Eunha finds herself pulled into the Triads' sphere as she mistrusts everyone around her. Even marrying the love of her life comes at a cost.

An intense story that triggers a wide range of emotions from heartbreak to dread to anger to triumph. Told from Eunha's POV in two separate timelines, the story focuses on her growth and coming to terms with not being able to escape her past, that she has to seize control of her fate with both hands in order to secure the future that she wants for herself and her sons. Up until that point, she is more of a passive observer of life around her, reacting to the actions of the men in her life and doing as she is told. I would like to say that this is unique to her story but women all over the world living in patriarchal or male-dominated societies experience this. At times, I was as devastated as Eunha by the revelations about those she trusted and her realization that she couldn't trust anyone. Characters were well-developed and multi-layered. Themes include family, loyalty, forbidden love, betrayal, honor and revenge. If you're expecting Mafia violence a la The Godfather, this isn't that book.

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

The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

July 13, 2026

The Chateau on Sunset by Natasha Lester

After her parents are killed in a freak accident, 13 year old Aria is sent to California to live with her aunt, a former Golden Age actress who lives at the historic Chateau Marmont hotel in Los Angeles. Aria soon discovers the seedy side of the hotel and Hollywood, and is determined to help the young starlets being abused by producers and studio executives.

A retelling of the Jane Eyre story set in Hollywood. But the real story here is the Hollywood studio system, where powerful men expected aspiring actresses to trade sexual favors for movie roles. Although the story here is set in the 1950s and 1960s, unfortunately these abuses continue to the present day as demonstrated by the Me Too movement. The ending was a little too saccharine and unbelievable for me.

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

Hotel Marmont, Los Angeles, CA

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

July 9, 2026

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

Constable Peter Grant is just coming off his probationary period when he is assigned to one of the Metropolitan Police's special units, the one dealing with magical crimes. But he never expects his new assignment will lead him to the Thames family and their many offspring (tributaries?) as he follows a crime spree based on the Punch and Judy puppet story.

An urban fantasy set in modern London that is also a police procedural using a combination of policing and magic to solve crime. The mystery here is based on the traditional British Punch and Judy puppet show which most Americans are not familiar with, which may be a difficulty for readers who are not Anglophiles. The main character Peter is very likable, a mix of intelligent, naive and nerdy. There is a certain amount of geeky science as well as references to historical and cultural figures, and it helps if you are familiar with London since the action moves all over the city. Fans of the Harry Dresden, Discworld or Dr. Who series will enjoy this urban fantasy mystery.

Traditional Punch and Judy puppets - I hate puppets

Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle

July 5, 2026

Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle

Social media influencer and single mother Poppy Stringer has over 200,000 followers and posts constantly to her social media sites. To support her lavish lifestyle, Poppy has a secret side hustle as a modern day grave robber, stealing bodies by contract, mostly from funeral homes. But on the day her music idol is killed in a freak accident, Poppy receives a commission to steal his body from the city morgue. It seems straightforward enough, not to mention wildly lucrative, but things quickly take a bad turn.

Imagine that you finally get the chance to meet the guy who has been your musical idol all your life, but it turns out that he is nothing like you expect? For one thing, he's dead, and for another, he's on a killing spree. I worry about Chuck Tingle, I really do. What is going on in his head? What kind of childhood trauma did he experience to come up with the kind of stuff he writes about? This is a road trip of a very different kind, full of gore and horror set against the glittering backdrop of Palm Springs. At the same time, there is a a dark humor as Eddie shares unexpected bits of wisdom, like telling Poppy it's always a bad idea to meet your idols. Poppy realizes that she and Eddie are both influencers and have a deeper connection than she could ever expect. Real horror fans will get into this fast-paced novel.

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

Palm Springs, CA

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline

June 18, 2026

The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline

After touring Europe and the large cities of North America, celebrated conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker decided to settle down in a small town in North Carolina. They soon bought land, built a fine house, and opened a general store. Wealthy and educated, the only things missing from their lives were wives and children. They met Adelaide and Sarah Yates, a pair of sisters from a local family with a questionable history. Addie was fascinated by the brothers and immediately decided to marry Chang. She convinced her sister that marrying Eng was the only way to redeem past mistakes and the only way that Addie would be able to marry Chang.

Eng and Chang Bunker were the first pair of conjoined twins to find international fame. Born in Siam (now Thailand), they were the source of the now-obsolete expression Siamese Twins. Their lives were well documented, and the two sisters who married them were distant cousins of the author. Not only did Chang and Eng marry, they went on to father 21 children (!) between them. After their deaths, an autopsy determined that they were joined at the liver, and it would have been impossible to separate them during their lifetime. Today this type of surgery would have been possible and most conjoined twins are successfully separated. I highly recommend this fascinating look at two unique families and the times they lived in.

Chang and Eng Bunker

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

 June 11, 2026

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: with Notes by His Fool, Will Somers by Margaret George

Nearing the end of his life, Henry VIII's fool Will Somers sends a package to Catherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn Carey and very possibly Henry VIII. It is an autobiography that Henry wrote late in life, and Will has added comments to clarify or expand some parts.

This is a huge novel, over 900 pages, written from Henry VIII's POV, which certainly differs from actual historical sources. From Henry's viewpoint, it was always someone else's fault, never his, were someone took advantage of his kindly and trusting nature. Never once does he connect the dots and admit or realize that all of his problems were of his own making. At one point, Henry refers to himself as a "kind and gentle husband to all his wives," which is laughable at best and certainly delusional. He also couldn't figure out why none of the European princesses wanted to marry him after he beheaded Anne Boleyn.

One of my favorite parts was when he advised his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves (my absolute favorite of the six wives), that he is having their marriage annulled and she reacts with delight and grabs a pen and signs the documents immediately. Henry is stunned that she doesn't want to be married to a fine specimen of masculinity like him (25 years older than her, weighing 400 lbs., smelly from an oozing leg ulcer, vindictive if anyone crosses him - yeah, he's a catch all right). The cover art is a painting of a young Henry, which was pretty much how he saw himself his entire life.

I would have like more commentary from Will, since his remarks were frequently witty and demonstrated that while he loved Henry, he had no illusions about Henry's nature. Recommended for readers of historical fiction, especially Tudor fiction, who want a different perspective on Henry VIII.

A realistic portrait of what Henry VIII looked like late in life

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire

June 6, 2026

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McGuire

Nancy disappeared through one of the Doors to the Halls of the Dead long ago to become a living statue, but suddenly she has returned to the School for Wayward Children.  A darkness has come to the Halls and the living statues are dying. To save them and learn why they are dying, Nancy is forced to return to the school and seek help from her friends there.

Part of the Wayward Children series. I haven't read all of the books in the series but I have read enough of them to know the characters. While there was a strong start, the story sort of faded, and I got the feeling that this short book was more of a bridge between books. Like other books in the series, a major theme is finding a place where you belong. I liked Sumi calling out the Lord of the Dead for not taking better care of his people. Possible triggers are child death, murder, fratricide, grief, depression. 

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

Butterfly Games by Kelly Scarborough

June 2, 2026

Butterfly Games by Kelly Scarborough

At the insistence of her mother, 14 year old Countess Jaquette Gyldenstolpe unwillingly becomes a courtier at the Swedish royal court. She soon meets Prince Oscar, the son of the crown prince, and they are immediately attracted to each other. But everyone at the court engages in love affairs known as butterfly games, and the court becomes a dangerous place for Jaquette.

Years ago, I read the book Desireee by Annemarie Selinko (which I highly recommend), about the daughter of a French silk merchant whose first romance was with Napoleon Bonaparte (yes, that Napoleon), and after she marries one of Bonaparte's generals, she unexpectedly becomes the Queen of Sweden. Sounds like a made-up story but it's all true - Desiree had a fascinating and well-documented life. Her sister Julie married one of Napoleon's brothers and became the Queen Consort of Italy and Spain. Not bad for the daughters of a silk merchant.

So I was very interested in reading this novel about Desiree's son, Prince Oscar. But other than having a historical setting, this is a lot more imagined romance than history. Facts about Jaquette are sketchy at best. While they were acquainted at court and were friends, the only evidence of an affair is hints in letters by other courtiers. Also, the writing is awkward at times and does not flow smoothly. This is a first novel that would have benefited from an editor. Disappointing. 

Countess Jaquette Gyldenstolpe Lowenhielm

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C. L. Miller

May 26, 2026

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder by C. L. Miller

Following the death of her estranged mentor, a private antique dealer is invited to a weekend at a country home to value a collection of objects. But almost as soon as she arrives, she realizes that something is wrong, since all of the "antiques" appear to be cheap and obvious fakes.

DNF. I love a mystery set at an English country house (see the Heathcliff Lennox series by Karen Baugh Menuhin), so I thought this one would be a slam dunk based on the description. Country house? Art forgeries? A cast where everyone has something to hide? A goofy aunt? Sign me up.

But the characters turned out to be on the boring side and the writing was clunky - I found myself mentally correcting/improving the author's writing starting on the first page (the publisher needs to hire some editors). Even the cover was boring. Disappointing.

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

A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City by David Domine

May 25, 2026

A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City by David Domine

Two men, a gay couple, purchased an old Victorian house in the Old Louisville area of Louisville, Kentucky. Some time later, a body in a plastic tub was found buried in the house's wine cellar. Who was the man in the bin and how did he get there?

I read this for an online true crime book discussion, and after I read the book description, I remember seeing this case on one of the true crime shows (maybe Buried in the Basement?). Old Louisville is a historic district in Louisville that has an eclectic population, a mixture of old wealth, artists, gays, and homeless, living in historic houses and mansions, brownstones, and homeless shelters. The narrative in the book reminds me of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, with descriptions of Louisville, its history, the city's culture, and the author's life, in addition to the crime. Louisville is sometimes called Glitter Ball City since most of the disco or glitter balls in the country were manufactured in Louisville; also called Happy Birthday City, the City That's Not Too Busy, and Derby City. While I enjoyed it, readers expecting a straight true crime investigation will be disappointed.

Jamie Carroll, the murder victim

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

May 19, 2026

A Crown of Stars by Shana Abe

English actress Rita Jolivet is starring in one of the new motion pictures, but after she appears at the movie's New York premiere, a family emergency calls her home to England. She hurries to book passage on the first ship leaving New York and considers herself extremely lucky to be able to book one of the last available cabins on the Lusitania, especially when she finds both her brother-in-law and her agent are also aboard.

Almost everyone knows about the Titanic, but most people would be hard pressed to tell you anything about the Lusitania, Cunard's flagship liner. While Titanic sank due to a series of poor decisions and an unstoppable force of nature, the sinking of the Lusitania was a war crime. The ship was torpedoed by a German u-boat about a mile off the coast of Ireland in the middle of the afternoon. They were supposed to receive an escort of British destroyers to see them safely into harbor, but for some reason, the escort never materialized. Some historians maintain that the British prime minister knew that the Germans had threatened to sink the Lusitania but did nothing about it because he felt that was the only way to draw the United States into the war, due to the high number of Americans traveling aboard the Lusitania. There were British war ships in the area after the ship was torpedoed, but they did not go to the assistance of the survivors in the water because they feared that there were still German submarines in the area trying to draw them out to be torpedoed. Instead, the Irish fishing fleet as well as other private citizens went to the aid of the survivors, pulling as many as they could from the icy Atlantic waters, offering them shelter and basic necessities, and later collecting as many bodies as they could find.

The main character Rita Jolivet was a real person, as were many of the characters in the book. She was a rising actress in the new moving picture industry, and she survived the ship's sinking. The descriptions of the aftermath are horrendous. Highly recommended for readers of historical fiction.

The Lusitania

Rita Jolivet

Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite

May 18, 2026

Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite

Ship's detective Dorothy Gentleman is back for a new case, this time to solve a supposedly impossible mystery: the appearance of a baby on the interstellar luxury cruise ship the Fairweather. On Old Earth, babies were a common enough occurrence, but all the passengers on the ship have been modified to prevent such an event until they read their final port. So how did this happen, and more importantly, who made it happen? With the ship's limited space and resources, Dorothy needs to solve the mystery and make sure it doesn't happen again.

The second adventure for Dorothy Gentleman, ship's detective on the luxury star liner Fairweather. I love the world that the author is creating and want to know more about life aboard the ship, the passengers, and how they all came together. Also about Ferry, the ship's AI who (sort of) controls everything aboard the ship. Dorothy's nephew Ruthie and his husband John are delightful characters (John is a master mixologist who mixes cocktails that evoke a certain time or place, such as a sunset on a summer evening, which would be nice, since most cocktails evoke poor decisions and regret). A quirky read but in a good way. Looking forward to more Dorothy adventures.

Also, can someone please tell me what port this ship leaves from? I want to book a stateroom right away.

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

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

May 11, 2026

Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi

Cleopatra never expected to be pharaoh but after the death of her older sister, she became her father's heir. After his early death, Cleopatra became pharaoh, ruling jointly with her half-brother. But she would face almost constant turmoil during her reign, as well as plots to overthrow her from those closest to her.

Most of what we "know" about Cleopatra comes from the writings of Josephus and Cicero, as well as writers who lived under Augustan rule, long after Cleopatra's death. From the start of her reign, Cleopatra was not popular with the Egyptian people, partly because she was a woman and partly because of the turmoil in Egypt at the time, which included famine, climate disasters, financial troubles, attempted coups by her siblings, and ongoing wars. Ruling jointly with first one of her half-brothers, and then her second half-brother, suspicion immediately fell on Cleopatra when both died under mysterious circumstances. Cleopatra was a patron of the arts and literature, tolerant of religious freedom, a capable administrator and commander of Egypt's military, but those contributions are largely ignored, and male historians focus on her love affairs (of which there were only two) and her physical appearance.

I didn't enjoy the writing style here as much as other books that I've read about women from ancient history (such as Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati or Pat Barker's Trojan women trilogy), I think because there was more telling than showing. There is a lot of description about what Cleopatra was wearing. But the eternal mystery surrounding Cleopatra's life will appeal to readers of historical fiction.

Note: there is an archaeologist who has been searching for Cleopatra's tomb for about 20 years. She thinks she has narrowed down the possibilities and is close to locating Cleopatra's resting place.

This is believed to be an actual depiction of Cleopatra from one of the temples. 

Life: a Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

May 7, 2026

Life: a Love Story by Elizabeth Berg

Florence Greene is 92 years old and has just been told that she is terminally ill, with only a few months to live. Widowed and childless, Flo has always known that she will bequeath everything she has to Ruthie, who lived next door while she was growing up. Flo begins to write Ruthie a letter to tell her about some of the things that she saves over the years, things that wouldn't seem important to anyone else, and why. Along the way, Flo also has some life lessons to impart.

A feel-good read about life, friendship, relationships, and forgiveness, and about enjoying your life, even if it isn't perfect (especially when it isn't perfect). Flo's memories are written in sections of a long letter, explaining about the small things that made her life so wonderful, even if someone looking at her life from the outside might not think so, as well as the importance of paying attention to small things. Recommended for readers of literary fiction.

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

Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano

May 1, 2026

Throne in the Dark by A. K. Caggiano

Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne is a blood mage, performing magic using his own blood. He is determined to lift the curse that has trapped his father Zagadoth the Tempestuous in a crystal for 23 years. But just when he completes the necessary ritual, he unintentionally imbeds the talisman in the body of a human woman named Amma, and finds himself forced to drag the painfully cheerful girl with him on his quest.

A grumpy/sunshine romantasy that reminded me of Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, with the cranky dark lord and perpetually cheerful thorn in his side that he has somehow gotten himself attached to. Like most fantasy novels, it took a while to sort out the fantasy world - it's complicated. A helping of mental sorbet after reading some darker shit.

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

The Librarians by Sherry Thomas

April 30, 2026

The Librarians by Sherry Thomas

When two of their patrons are murdered after a mystery game night, four librarians at a library in Austin, TX, are forced to band together to solve the crimes.

DNF at 25%. Being a librarian, I thought I was going to love this but it was disappointing, Characters have silly quirks but not for any specific reason (like one librarian talks with a Swedish accent but she's not Swedish and doesn't know Swedish). Disappointing.

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