My reading list for March

Finally had a meeting of the book club I belong to, and the three books chosen for March are:

Murder of Crows - Anne Bishop || Bitter Spirits - Jenn Bennett || A Study in Silks - Emma Jane Holloway

Can't wait to read them.  It's always nice to discover new authors, and I'm really looking forward to reading Ms. Holloway's titles.  Her cover art looks so interesting, and seriously, who can resist a little Steampunk ;-D

Recently finished Concealed in Death (ePub) and Oolong Dead (pbk), and will post reviews asap.  But until then,

Happy Reading

Coming Soon - Murder of Crows

After winning the trust of the terra indigene residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murders of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside's shape-shifting leader—wonders whether their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or of a future threat.

As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

Available in

ROC Hardcover

ISBN: 978-0451465269

On the 4th March, 2014, Murder of Crows will be available!   

Yippppeeeee!!  The countdown is on, and with less than 3 weeks to go before the second book in the 'A Novel of the Others' series is released I'm starting to get twitchy.  I can't wait.  I'm a huge admirer of Anne Bishop's - I even have an autographed bookplate! - and her first foray into the paranormal mystery genre, Written in Red, was a delightful read.

A Murder of Crows will take us further on Meg Corbyn's journey of self-discovery and her budding relationship with a certain grumpy wolf - and I can't wait to catch up with some of the fabulous characters that I fell in love with.   A 'must have' book to add to any bookshelf.  ;-P

Two new audiobooks

Been having a blah kind of week.  Sleep has been sporadic - thanks to 2 cats and local traffic - and this morning I would have been quite happy to stay in bed and go back to sleep for a few more hours, but I since it was 8am I thought I really should get up.

New Order for February

I just couldn't help myself, and ordered 3 new books from Book Depository (I really should get a discount card for all the books I buy there!)

Can't wait to get them in the mail next week.  Thought I'd better grab Twice as Hot by Gena Showalter as soon as possible - I've waited nearly 12 months for it to come back into stock - and I just couldn't go past Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy.  I love her Accidental series!

Finally, I couldn't go past another Tea Shop Mystery book, so I grabbed Oolong Dead.  This might fill in a few blanks I've had as I skipped books 9 and 10 to read The Teaberry Strangler, Scone & Bones, and Agony of the Leaves.  Turns out I missed a quite a bit ;-P

Yeah, Pre-Cuts on Sale!

Made time for a quick raid on one of my local quilting shops.  They're having 25% off pre-cut packs for the month of February, so I've been back twice so far to get some supplies for this years projects.

Mini-meltdown

Just a quick post today.  I was rudely roused out of bed this morning by a knock at the door.  Turns out that after 2 months, the tradesman who have been contracted by my landlord finally arrived to install the required handrails in the bathroom...d'oh!

Book Review: The Teaberry Strangler

The Teaberry Strangler
A Tea Shop Mystery, Book 11
Laura Childs

Published: Hardcover March, 2010 / Paperback March, 2011

Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, mass market paperback, 303p.
ISBN: 978-0-425-24020-5

The narrow cobblestone alleys of Charleston are bustling with shoppers looking for bargains on antiques, heaping bowls of crab chowder - and of course Theodosia Browning's delicious teas.  But when the clock strikes ten, the alleys clear, except for one body - discovered by a horrified Theodosia.  It's the strangled form of Daria, the map store's owner.

Many locals have shown interest in buying Daria's shop - but enough to kill?  Plus there's the customer hell-bent on getting his hands on a certain not-for-sale map.  One can hardly throw a scone without hitting a suspect.  Most alarming, however, is Detective Tidwell's theory: that the killer mistook Daria for Theodosia.  Because that would mean the killer's work isn't yet done...

I'm still feeling under the weather, but felt like adding another review.  Please forgive the abridged version below, but I just can't manage too long at the computer at the moment :-(

Okay, to read this book - which sounded so interesting online - I've skipped a few titles in the series, which was annoying at times when I realized that I'd missed some backstory in Theo and Jory's life.  I was surprised that Theo had bought her dream cottage (even if she was still waiting for the sale to go through) however, that was put aside when she was walking into the house and mentally placing her furniture here and there.  As I'm contemplating moving in the near future, it just struck me as exciting some how?

Review: Them Bones

Them Bones
Sarah Booth Delaney, Book 1
Carolyn Haines

Published: Nov 1999

Bantam, mass market paperback, 318p.
ISBN: 978-0-553-58171-3

Meet Sarah Booth Delaney...

an unconventional southern belle whose knack for uncovering the truth is about to make er the hottest detective in Zinnia, Mississippi... if it doesn't make her the deadest.

No self-respecting lady would allow herself to end up in Sarah Booth's situation.  Unwed, unemployed, and over thirty, she's flat broke and about to lose the family plantation.  Not to mention being haunted by the ghost of her great-great-grandmother's nanny, who never misses an opportunity to remind her of her sorry state - or to suggest a plan of action, like ransoming her friend's prize pooch to raise some cash.

But soon Sarah Booth's walk on the criminal side leads her deeper into unladylike territory, and she's hired to solve a murder.  Did gorgeous, landed Hamilton Garrett V really kill his mother twenty years ago?  And if so, what is Sarah Booth doing falling for this possible murderer?  When she asks one too many questions and a new corpse turns up, she is suddenly a suspect herself... and Sarah Booth finds that digging up the bones of the past could leave her rolling over in her grave.

This book was such a disappointment for me.  I wanted to like it - it sounded like such a great book - but the reality was that not only did Sarah come off as a scheming woman who could turn on the charm when she wanted something, but she had the audacity to blackmail and betray a friend for money.  I realise that she's trying to save her family's plantation, but that still didn't make her actions any more excusable. After a few pages I found that I just didn't care at all for Sarah.

A Random Question

What's the earliest you've gotten up to watch cartoons and what did you watch?

Book Review: Scones & Bones

Scones & Bones
A Tea Shop Mystery, Book 12
Laura Childs

Released: Hardcover - March, 2011.  Paperback - March, 2012.

Berkely Prime Crime Mystery, mass market paperback, 295p.
ISBN: 978-0-425-24664-1


A search for a missing treasure stirs up the waters of the Charleston social set in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Teaberry Strangler.

Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is lured into attending the Heritage Society's Pirates and Plunder show by her master tea blender.  Amid the gold earrings and doubloons, and antique skull cup with a huge diamond steals the show - and gets plundered by someone who murderes a history intern in the process.

Even with that on her plate, Theodosia still has to attend Charleston's Food and Wine Festival, where she's hosting a tea and cheese tasting - the latest culinary trend.  But as her thoughts keep drifting to the victim, Theodosia knows she'll have to whet her investigative skills to find the killer among a raft of suspects.

This recent offering had me feeling a little let down by a series that has so far been a joy.  The relationship dynamics between the characters is starting to get a tad stale.  There never seems to be any change between their interactions.  Delaine is a monumental pain, but everyone puts up with her because of her money-making/raising skills for local causes.  Theo even comments that she caves because its for a good cause.  Just once I'd like to see someone really put Delaine in her place (Nadine too) for all their gossiping and insensitive ways.

Book Review: Death by Darjeeling

Death by Darjeeling
A Tea Shop Mystery, Book 1
Laura Childs

Released: May 2001

Berkley Prime Crime Mystery, mass market paperback, 242p.
ISBN: 978-0-425-17945-1

Meet Theodosia Browning, owner of Charleston's beloved Indigo Tea Shop.  Patrons love her blend of delicious tea tastings and Southern hospitality.  And Theo enjoys the full-bodied flavour of a town steeped in history - and mystery ...

It's tea for two hundred or so at the annual historic homes garden party.  And Theodosia, as event caterer, is busy serving steaming teas and blackberry scones while guests sing her praises.  But the sweet smell of success turns to suspence when an esteemed guest is found dead - his hand clutching an empty teacup.  All eyes are on Theo... who is now trying desperately to save her reputation and track down the real killer.  If only she can make sense of it all - before someone else takes their last sip...

It was nice to go back to where it all started and finally see how all the characters were introduced.  I was surprised to find that the Indigo Tea Shop was already a budding success, and that our three main characters, Theo, Drayton and Haley, were already working together.

From reading her later books in the series, I was never quite sure of Theo's age (36yo), or whether Delaine had always been a part of the scene - she was, and is not one word different than she is in future books.  Where had Theo met Jory (have answer now), and where did Det. Tidwell, and his slightly adversarial relationship with Theo, come from.  I now have answers for all the questions I had regarding the nitty gritty of the characters.  Anal I know, but I do like to get all the facts about my series characters ;-D

Book Review: Dirty Magic

Dirty Magic
Prospero's War, Book 1
Jaye Wells

Released: Jan 2014

Orbit, paperback, 381 p
ISBN: 978-0-316-22843-5

Magic is a drug.

Careful how you use it...

The Magical Enforcement Agency keeps dirty magic off the streets.

But there's a new blend out there that's as deadly as it is elusive.

When patrol cop Kate Prospero shoots the lead snitch in this crucial case, she's brought in to explain herself.  But the more she learns about the investigation, the more she realizes she must secure a spot on the MEA task force.

Especially when she discovers that their lead suspect is the man she walked away from ten years earlier - on the same day she swore she's give up dirty magic for good.  Kate Prospero's about to learn the hard way that crossing a wizard will always get you burned, and that when it comes to magic, you should never say never.

This is at the grittier end of the UF genre.  There is no real romance, and the murder/mystery is more a police procedural than cosy mystery.  While I found the storyline to be an engaging prospect, I had more than a few problems loosing myself in this world.  Most importantly, I didn't really feel all that sympathetic with the main character, Kate Prospero - perhaps that was just my mood when I read it - but I just didn't click with her.  I found her brother, Danny, just got on my nerves no end as the perpetually brooding teenage stereotype, but then so did most of the secondary characters.  Kate's ex, the now very wealthy and influential John Volos, really peeved me off.  I know that she dumped him all those years ago, but when they interact, he seems to be projecting the whole 'hey, you dumped me...why?' vibe, but there is also a underlying aura of vindictiveness that creeps in from time to time that really put me off.  Especially when he reveals his expectations of Kate at the end of Dirty Magic.  He is quite the user, and doesn't see anything wrong with that.  If he is meant to be Kate's future romantic interest, than God help us because at the moment he is about as attractive as a slug trail.

I'm not sure whether I'll buy book 2, Cursed Moon, but perhaps if I read this book again in a few weeks I might see it in a better light.  I'm only giving it 3 stars because the world building was very well done, and the grungy urban setting was perfect for Kate's struggles.  Perhaps if the characters were fleshed out a bit more, and given distinct and unique personalities - they seem to fit in the same mold: grumpy, snarky, smart-arses - then perhaps I would enjoy the series more.

If you like Lilith Saintcrow's style, then this should be right up your alley.

Book Review: The Grendel Affair

The Grendel Affair
A SPI Files Novel, Book 1
Lisa Shearin

Released: 31 Dec, 2013

ACE, mass market paperback, 292 p.
ISBN: 978-0-425-26691-5

We're Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI.  Things that go bump in the night, 

the monsters you thought didn't exist?  We battle them and keep you safe.  But some 

supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us...

When I moved to New York to become a world-famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent.  I'm Makenna Fraser, a seer for SPI.  I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with.  I track down creatures, and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out.

Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city's subway tunnerls.  And th murderer's not human.  The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel - yes, that Grendel - shares his ancestor's hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards.  And with New Year's Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly.  Because if we don't find him - and the organization behind him - by midnight, our secret's out and everyone's time is up.

When the courier knocked on my door with my parcel I couldn't wait to rip it open.  And there, on top, was my very own copy of The Grendel Affair (TGA) and I just knew that this was the book to start with.  

Poor Dragonfly!

It's been raining on and off for the last 2 days, and when I got home today from shopping I found this poor fellow stuck to the concrete - the car tyres missed him by a couple of inches! - so  I rescued him and put him out on my balcony to dry off.  Must have worked as there was no sign of the dragonfly an hour later ;-D

Cosy Kick

New bookshelf.  Double sided - double the books ;-D

Hi there!  I've been on a Cosy Kick for the last week or so.  It all started when I bought a big cube bookshelf - so I could create a separate nook - and had to decant the books that were shelved all over the place in the new bookcase.  This led to me finding my long forgotten stash of cosy mystery books that had been pushed to the very back of the bottom shelf (with 2 more rows in front of it!) and not being able to resist reading a page or two... or 200 ;-D