Stitches and Witches / Nancy Warren

 

2.7 out of 5 stars 

Free Range Reading

I borrowed the audiobook version of this title on impulse, having read this first book recently. This one was neither better nor worse than that first volume—it kept me engaged in the investigation and I wanted to know the outcome. I am somewhat surprised, though, at how little progress Lucy has made in her private life. There's an obvious set-up for a love triangle between her, Rafe the vampire, and Ian the detective. Rafe has shown a teeny bit more initiative, but Ian would seem to be Lucy's preference. I don't think I will ever know, however, as I don't believe that I'll be proceeding any further.

As cozy series go, this one isn't bad, but it's not exciting my desire to continue. The vampires seem awfully tame (I mean, knitting!) and I prefer the menacing variety. Ian seems decent, but the man has had two books now in which to make an impression and hasn't really bothered. At this glacial pace, it will take more books than I have patience for to get a romance underway. Besides, the star-crossed romance of Florence Watt, one of the elder ladies next door, doesn't bode well for other relationships.

Perhaps if I was a knitter I'd be more enthused.

Dead Girls are Easy / Terri Garey

 

2.5 out of 5 stars 

Book 10 of the 2024 Read Your Hoard Challenge

I started this book, got distracted, then picked it up again today when I needed a book that didn’t weigh down my purse. Nothing like a paperback to keep you company in a waiting room. I added this to my TBR way back in 2016 and boy was my life different back then--pre-retirement, pre-Covid… So I'm not really surprised that I didn't like this book nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm not the same person who added this book.

I'd give it about 2.5 stars. It probably would have received higher marks if I'd read it back in 2016. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of good points about it. Nicki, the main character, has had a near death experience which leaves her with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts. Both of these things would give anyone pause, but Nicki has also become romantically involved with her ER doctor.

Not every phantom is friendly and Nicki is drawn into a neighborhood drama, being haunted by a murdered frenemy. There are stereotypes galore: more voodoo than I was interested in and a really stereotypical gay best friend. The grandmother of the deceased woman gets Nicki more enmeshed in the whole situation, leading to most of the action.

I have the next two novels in the series, so I must have really liked the descriptions of them. I'll give them an honest try, but I'm willing to bail if I don't find them better than this one. My dance card is too full to spend time on less than great books.

Accepting the Lance / Sharon Lee and Steve Miller

 

4.4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 520 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

It was with pleasure and sorrow that I picked up this installment of the Liaden Universe series. I love these books and am seriously grieved by the death of co-author Steve Miller. This volume resolves some long standing plotlines in fine style, but there are enough significant characters that there are always new issues to explore.

This is the tome in which the Department of the Interior gets its hash settled! Their own agents are sent against them, their machinations are side-stepped, and their final violence, although not fully avoided, is mitigated. No doubt there will be details yet to be resolved, but the worst is surely over.

Better, the clan of Korval seems to be stabilizing. Theo Waitley has willingly acknowledged her blood ties and names Surebleak as home. Daav and Aelliana have found new identities and pilot's licenses. Anthora is out of hospital and awaits her life mate's healing. Pat Rin, in his role as Boss Conrad, has received overwhelming endorsement from the citizens of Surebleak. Rhys has returned, badly wounded, from space to meet his new daughter and reunite with his partner, Droi. The clutch turtles have sent an envoy to liase with Surebleakeans and correct a defect within the planet. Even the crazy neighbour has been stabilized by the influence of the young Tree that was gifted to him.

The Elder Tree continues to meddle, heal, and guide the clan. Val Con has been wishing for a more lively clan home and it seems that he may get it. It is a joy to me to realize that I still have several books remaining in this beloved series. The trick now will be resisting the urge to read them too quickly, ending the journey too soon. Wish me luck with that endeavor as my ability to resist their siren song is weak.

Survival of the Richest / Douglas Rushkoff

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

I don't often quote scripture, but I've got to credit whoever wrote the first book of Timothy: the love of money truly is the root of all evil. When you have more money than you can ever use, continuing to make more and more while ruining the world seems more than a little evil to me.

This author is upfront right in the first chapter, letting the reader know that he is a Marxist, who was hired by a bunch of rich guys to help them make decisions about where to locate their doomsday bunkers and how to keep their security forces on their side after The Event (whatever that should turn out to be). Trying to improve the world around them didn't seem to compute—they were much more focused on leaving the rest of us outside their bunker walls.

The very wealthy seem to believe that money makes them somehow superior to regular people. They tend to be libertarian, wanting to go it alone with no responsibilities to other people or to society. I can understand the mindset to some extent: it is nice to have some independence in one's life. However, as much as they may believe they can separate themselves from the rest of humanity, one person simply cannot do all the things: mining, smelting, manufacturing, spinning, weaving, sewing, lumbering, building, mixing concrete, plumbing, electrifying, farming, etc. To get their bunkers built and supplied, they have already relied on a lot of other people. There is no such thing as complete independence. And, as we learned during Covid, being isolated doesn't benefit our mental health.

Then there are the weirdos who want to upload their consciousness to the cloud. I don't understand how this could be a good thing. I think it would be giving up all of the pleasures in life—eating, sleeping, having sex, even just walking in a forest or on a grassland. Smelling wet earth or your favourite food. Plus we would leave our brain structures behind and I doubt that we could feel emotions without those. I have zero desire to be stuck in some data bank somewhere unable to feel happiness, contentment, excitement or anticipation. I volunteer to stay behind to service the machines. When we get all the weirdos uploaded, let's just turn them off, shall we?

The biggest problem with the billionaires? They seem to believe that having billions makes them qualified to lead and that all solutions require technology. I hate to break it to the tech bros, but we already have what we need to make the world a better place. Try kindness and respect for others. Tone down our consumerist impulses and live simpler lives. I'm not anti-technology or I wouldn't be on Goodreads and other such websites, but I do try to limit my time on them.

The biggest problem that I see is a bunch of white men thinking that their interpretation of the world is the only one or the best one. Best for them maybe, but for those of us who want communities and meaningful lives, very unattractive. Unfortunately for them, the saying “Wherever you go, there you are” applies. No matter where they go, they take their essential human selves along. Humans are social primates so likely they won't go alone. There is no escaping humanity--it's built in. Resistance is futile.

Deceiver / C.J. Cherryh

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 519 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Eleven books in, and I am still enjoying this series very much. I do realize that there is always a dangerous chase combined with gunfire, but each time it fits with the other events of the book. Cherry writes very good pursuit scenes.

Bren has come into his own—a Lord in his own right, with a reputation as a dispassionate negotiator. He is reunited with Lord Geigi, who has returned from the space station to restore order in his district. The two men find themselves very much in accord with each other and the aiji-dowager. Will these three and their respective staff members be able to deal with the Marid clan? If they can do it without involving Tabini, he can deny knowledge of it and still reap the benefits.

As in the last couple of books, the heir-apparent, Cajeiri, gets his own POV chapters. He may only be almost nine years old, but he is mature beyond that. Sometimes he resents the necessity but he steps up when he can. He has trials imposed on him, namely two Assassin's Guild members selected by his father. They seem to have an attitude problem which he tries valiantly to remedy with limited results. For once, he is only tangentially involved in the biggest kerfuffle this time out. He is too smart for his own good, letting his occasional boredom lead him astray!

Cherryh leaves matters on a hopeful cliffhanger and I will definitely be reading the next volume before too much time has passed.

Lavender House / Lev AC Rosen

 

3 out of 5 stars 

Mystery Book Club 2024

True confession: I would never have picked up this book if it hadn't been chosen as a selection for my RL book club. It's never going to be a favourite, I don't expect to ever re-read it, and I doubt that I will read further in the Evander Mills series. Still, I am not unhappy to have read it.

This novel gave me an intimation of what it is like to belong to a persecuted minority. The constant need to be on guard, trying to hide your essential self, is exhausting and it's so easy to mess up. Evander (Andy) Mills came back from the war and opted to become a cop. He spends his spare time drinking and cruising the clubs for sexual encounters in the bathrooms. Until he gets caught in a police raid. Suddenly, he is unemployed, homeless and seriously considering suicide. He has internalized his society's hatred for gay men.

He is both intrigued and uneasy when he is approached by an obviously well-to-do woman to investigate a murder—of her wife. Andy gets to see what life can be like in a found family where everyone can be honest within their community about who they are and who they love.

My curiosity was engaged around the issue of how Andy was going to investigate the matter without his official status and connections. That's what kept me reading. So, intellectually kind of interesting, but I wasn't emotionally engaged. The book ended up feeling more like a vitamin pill rather than a delicious treat.

The Stainless Steel Rat Returns / Harry Harrison

 

3 out of 5 stars 

Book number 518 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Well this is goodbye to the Stainless Steel Rat. Despite the hopeful “until next time” on the final page, this was the last Rat book. It was published in 2010 and Harrison died in 2012. Slippery Jim was obviously a favourite character of Harrison's—he returned to Mr DiGriz eleven times!

Jim DiGriz is enjoying his illgotten gains on the pleasure planet Moolaplenty, when his agrarian relatives and their livestock arrive on his doorstep. Jim had devoutly hoped that he would never see another porcuswine (except as a menu item), but as he deals with this crisis he finds he must purchase the spaceship that his cousins and their critters arrived on and evacuate them to more suitable environs. He inherits the grumpy ship's engineer and accepts a pilot provided by his son James.

This unlikely conglomeration of people and porcuswine bumps from one problem to the next. Jim finds that he can still think and fake his way across the universe successfully, although his beloved Angelina must give him pep talks and nudge him along from time to time. With her support (and unspoken threats) they deal with whichever predicament confronts them.

You can see Harrison's sharp and humorous attitude toward the world. His style is perfect for making fun of governments, the military, and violence of all kinds. I found this novel a bit less focused than I could have wanted, as their sabotaged spaceship bloats along from planet to planet in search of intergalactic communications.

It is with fondness that I say, “So long, Slippery Jim DiGriz!”