City of Stairs / Robert Jackson Bennett

 

4 out of 5 stars 

I am finally finished this book! It was a very good book, but so many things got in my way as I tried to finish it. Other books, with urgent due dates. Family events which required my presence. Events which I had signed up for and truly wanted to attend. Even regular household maintenance, which requires my attention much more frequently than I desire. I have much more sympathy now for the people who complain that it takes them a long time to read a book. They are absolutely right—it is difficult to properly appreciate a novel when you can only read it in bits and snatches.

I have very much enjoyed Bennett's latest two novels and I can see where this earlier work was a training ground for their production. He is very skillful at creating original and somewhat menacing environments for his characters to navigate. City of Stairs explores the nature of colonization from both sides the question, conquerors and conquered. It poses interesting possibilities concerning divinity, it's limitations and requirements.

I recognize that this is a very good novel and my star rating matches this belief, even if I didn't actually get the full benefit of it. That is my unfortunate fault, being distracted as I was. Will I finish the trilogy? If I can find a lull in life that provides the unbroken time, I will definitely pick up the next volume.

Trace Elements / Jo Walton and Ada Palmer

 

3.77 out of 5 stars 

This is a collection of essays which I wish I could have taken more time over. But library books have due dates and I've found myself in quite a traffic jam of library books recently. Ideally I would have read one or two essays and paused to digest them before moving on. As a result, I got much more out of the first half of the volume, when my mind was fresher.

If you're a writer, you have probably thought about many of the concepts discussed in these essays, and if you're a reader, you have at least felt some of the boundaries of genre when you've rubbed up against them. Walton and Palmer discuss the author-reader contract: what we as readers expect from each genre and what the author is “contractually obliged” to give us. Fantasy gives us swords and horses, while science fiction gives us lasers and robots and mysteries produce a body, some clues, and a detective. The author may deliver a surprise that subverts the expectations or produce an extremely proficient product according to specs. ”We might compare such novels to gymnastics, in which the mystery with a deeply original structure is like a uniquely choreographed floor routine, while the formulaic mystery is like the athlete doing a specific vault, fun because we are watching a master of the art perform a set of formulaic motions with outstanding excellence."

Experienced readers of a particular genre have acquired a feel for the order of events and the pacing of that genre. When switching genres, you must adjust your expectations until you have enough experience to know what to expect and how to enjoy it. A committed romance fan may not know what to make of a hard science fiction novel, and may bounce off it, not because the SF novel is bad, but because the novice reader is unfamiliar with the conventions of SF. This is one of the reasons that reviewers of literary fiction give poor reviews to SF literature—they haven't the right reading history to be able to properly appreciate it. Once you've read a certain amount in a genre, you get a feel for which details are important and which you should not get hung up on. For example, faster-than-light space travel is often present in SF and you must accept it rather than demanding an explanation if you are to enjoy the novel it appears in.

I remember when I first began to try cozy mysteries. They have particular conventions (no gore, lots of personal details of everyday life, often a sub-plot of romance) with which I was unfamiliar as a reader of Scandinavian noir. With each cozy that I finished, I knew better what to look for and came to like the genre better. Now, many books later, I have a soft spot in my heart for a well written cozy.

The authors don't stick to SF&F. There was a chapter on manga and anime, which was a new subject to me. So far I haven't picked any flowers in that garden. However, the chapter on the romance genre was extremely well done, explaining the mechanics required of authors quite clearly. I found the concept of romances being based on economic issues particularly intriguing. The authors also point out that this genre is aimed at women, hence its denigration by the elite literary reviewer. (Just as SF&F is downgraded as being aimed at “geeks and nerds.”)

The authors have also finally provided an explanation that makes sense to me of the difference between fantasy and magical realism. One big difference between genre fantasy and magical realism is that the genre fantasy contract promises that the consequences of the fantastic element will be deep and significant, consistent through the world, while in magical realism the fantastic element will not affect the larger world and serves mainly as an allegory to help character(s) undergo character development.
If nothing else, I am glad to have this distinction cleared up!

Platform Decay / Martha Wells

 

5 out of 5 stars 

Book 8 of the 2026 Read Your Hoard Challenge

Barish-Estranza is the gift that just keeps on giving. Murderbot is on a mission to retrieve some humans being held on an enormous torus-style space station, while dodging B-E flunkies. The torus is split into lots of sections, each with its own governing corporate body and security. Murderbot and Three have a plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy. As Murderbot says, you can't trust humans to behave in sensible ways.

We quickly learn that Murderbot has a new mental health module. This module queries regularly, asking how our bot is doing. Murderbot is also attempting to be more honest with itself and its clients. The combination of these two factors were amusing to me. Plus, Murderbot is still trying to calibrate its risk assessment module.
Risk assessment just hit the roof.
I'm not sure I like having risk assessment be more accurate. It keeps scaring the shit out of me.

The book has a familiar pace and tension to the plot. However, I felt like there was a little magic missing from the secret sauce. I haven't yet identified the change for sure, but it might have to do with Murderbot's internal dialogue. It felt like there were fewer parenthetical comments than in previous books. I also feel like Murderbot is either less angry or maybe more in touch with other emotions. It's evolving and I'm resisting change? Don't get me wrong, I still loved it, but it may take another repetition or two until I come to terms with this installment.

In the acknowledgements Wells states that “It's been another hard year,” perhaps an indication of why this book feels different. It has been three years since the last Murderbot offering, so she also thanks her audience for “still being there.” Where else would we be, Ms. Wells? You've created a beloved character. I hope this year is a better one for you.

Excellent Women / Barbara Pym

 

5 out of 5 stars 

2026 Re-Read

This was the very first Barbara Pym novel that I ever read and it completely sold me on her. I ordered as many of her books as my local bookshop had available. What a treat to revisit this delightful novel.

There were so many details that I missed on my first pass. Of course, I had no idea who Archdeacon Hoccleve was, when he appeared in Mildred's local church to give a Lenten sermon. Now I can appreciate this character from Some Tame Gazelle showing up again here.

I had also forgotten Everard Bone's mother's hatred of birds:
"I eat as many birds as possible," said Mrs. Bone when we were sitting down to roast chicken. "I have them sent from Harrod's or Fortnum's, and sometimes I go and look at them in the cold meats department. They do them up very prettily with aspic jelly and decorations. At least we can eat our enemies."
My youngest sister would thoroughly approve, having had a bird phobia all of her life and delighting in eating them!

This time, I took more notice of the number of men buzzing around Mildred, our excellent woman. First there is her clergyman friend, Julian, who takes her absolutely for granted. Then there is Rocky Napier, the downstairs neighbour, who is fighting with and separating from his wife. He is willing to be charming to get Mildred's household assistance. There is William, the civil servant and brother of Mildred's former roommate. They lunch occasionally and platonically. Plus, there is Everard Bone, the anthropologist that Mildred meets via the Napiers.

Julian's engagement to Allegra Grey startles everyone—apparently everybody in the church assumed that he would eventually marry Mildred. So the evening when Mildred finds both Julian and Rocky in her livingroom for tea, and the two men start to resent each other's claim on her attention, is hilarious. She retreats to the kitchen sink to get away from them, and when that isn't enough, she goes downstairs and washes the Napiers' dishes.

Pym was such a sharp observer of people, just as Mildred is. I love her spinster characters and feel like I am one of them.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me / Ilona Andrews

 

4.5 out of 5 stars 

I follow the Ilona Andrews blog and I have watched this novel progress from a wishlist item to a freshly published work. If you have read the Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series, you will be aware of the Baylor family's fondness for Asian media. It reflects the interests of these authors. When they began working on Maggie, they were guided by isekai, a sub-genre of Japanese high fantasy fiction. According to Wikipedia, in isekai the main character is a person transported to another world, gaining powers or importance that they did not have in the previous world.

Maggie wakes up, cold, wet, and naked, in the world of her favourite fantasy novel. She has read it so many times that she feels somewhat at home in Kair Toren. It quickly becomes evident that she can be killed but is rapidly resurrected and soon is fine again, her new special power. Plus, she realizes that her encyclopedic knowledge of this fictional world can give her a big advantage. She plunges into action, starting to assemble the found family that Ilona Andrews heroines typically acquire.

Shame on me, to doubt the magic of the Andrews team, but when I first perused the ideas and snippets about TKWNKM on the blog, I doubted. I thought this might be a vanity project that misjudged the loyalty of the Book Devouring Horde. Boy, was I wrong! I picked the book up late in the evening, thinking I'd get a few pages in, just to see what it tasted like. At midnight I had to fight myself to put the book down and go to bed, dammit. I was well and truly hooked.

Never have I been so happy to be wrong! I adore Maggie and which woman wouldn't be delighted to have either Everard the Sleepless Duke or Lord Doran Arvel dancing attendance on her? (Honestly, I feel like Doran is an upgraded version of Arland Krahr from the Andrews' Innkeeper Chronicles.) Because I follow the authors on social media, I was prepared for a cliffhanger ending, but the nature of it was mindblowing! Book two is underway, thank the Aspects!

My first reading was a library book, but I now know that I must own a copy. This will require numerous rereadings. How wonderful.

A Ghastly Catastrophe / Deanna Raybourn

 

4 out of 5 stars 

This installment of Veronica Speedwell pleased me very much. Deanna Raybourn’s cheeky tone is perfect. Fans of her Lady Julia series will be delighted to have that woman and her Nicholas Brisbane make an appearance to help with the investigation. Veronica appears to be taken with the couple, so it seems that the two storylines may be merging.

Raybourn has previously written a gothic novel with hints of vampirism (The Dead Travel Fast). Her research from that novel serves her well as Veronica and Stoker debate whether revenants are a thing and if their current case involves one. Stoker is an emphatic NO to both questions but Veronica is more willing to entertain the possibility.

There are some grand lines. The reporter J.J. loses her job and declares, “I shall have to live on stale crusts and cheese stolen from mousetraps. I will be forced into degrading work like prostitution or standing for Parliament." (Many Canadians feel similarly about our House of Commons.)

Later, Veronica and Stoker find the body of a wealthy American after breaking into his home. Veronica explains why they must not report the murder. “Once news of Von Hilsing's death is known, the press will descend like vultures. Our British newspapers are bad enough, but just consider, dearest--"
"The Americans," he said hoarsely. His face had gone very white, and he slumped into a chair. "It will be awful. They will accuse us of terrible things and they shall do so ungrammatically."

Raybourn, as a Texan, can get away with twitting her countrymen in this fashion. The names she uses have purposeful similarities to characters in Bram Stoker's Dracula, providing another layer of amusement for fans of that novel. Thoroughly entertaining and worth the wait.

The Keeper / Tana French

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Just when Cal Hooper thinks that the village of Ardnakelty has become home, the death of a young woman changes everything. It turns out that Rachel Holohan is well liked, despite her relationship with Eugene Moynihan, the son of the local big man. Tommy Moynihan is used to running things the way he wants them and is willing to use his connections to make life miserable for those who don't cooperate.

The village is divided on many issues, but prominent is this book are those pro and con the Moynihans and on whether Rachel was a murder or a suicide. Cal is part of this community now and his background as a detective (and his role in the two previous books) means that his friends are expecting his involvement. The teenager, Trey, that he has been mentoring, is ready to poke her nose into it, determined to make Tommy pay for his role in Rachel's death.

Cal finds himself explaining to Trey and to his farmer drinking buddies that killing Tommy won't likely prevent the developers from pursuing their plans to scoop up farm land and build some enormous complex of some kind. They've got to be strategic—Tommy has to be alive and capable of scuppering these plans.

French writes a very atmospheric and tense story here. The mystery is less “who done it" and more the mystery of the human condition. Cal and Lena have different ideas of what to do and who to involve. It unexpectedly causes some emotional distance between them. Cal's immediate neighbour and frenemy, Mart, is used to being the leader of whatever is going on. Lena intensely dislikes Mart and wants nothing she knows to help him. If you've ever lived in a small community, you will recognize the undercurrents in Ardnakelty. Long standing grudges and prejudices still shape the present debates. Habitual patterns are hard to disrupt. Politicians are used to being obeyed promptly.

The ending here, while not completely happy, is at least comfortable for Cal, Lena, and Trey. French has wrapped things up to the place where I believe that she is done with Cal. It remains to be seen what she chooses to write next. Sign me up, Ms. French. I'll be waiting.

Crowbones / Anne Bishop

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Anne Bishop is a mysterious woman. There is next to no information about her online, something that is difficult to achieve these days. Why was I being nosy, you ask? I wanted to know what kind of person is writing the fiction that I am enjoying. The two series in the World of the Others feature women who are very naïve and, through their rather innocent way of looking at the world, attract the favourable attention of the fearsome Others.

The relationship between humanity and the Others ranges from uneasy to hostile. Neither side knows enough about the other and shitty humans keep messing up the lines of communication and cooperation. Some of the terra indigine have short tempers (and long memories), but it is undoubtedly the humans who get too uppity for their own good, rather like a stone age tribe taking on a nuclear power. Human hubris is the bane of their existence.

Vicki has survived a horrible marriage to a brutal man who convinced her that she was completely unattractive, unintelligent, and incapable of doing anything worthwhile. Of course we, the readers, and the Others and Vicki's friends don't see her that way, but programming like that is difficult to overcome. Vicki is easily panicked by critical or loud men, retreating into anxiety attacks at moments when she would be much better off keeping her wits about her. However, she is kind and supportive to her staff of Others. They recognize her worth and her human friends soon realize they can recruit these powerful entities to help to keep her safe.

If I have any frustration with this book, it is that Vicki hasn't made more progress towards better self-esteem by the book's end and this appears to be the last volume of the series. The illogical human assumption that they can ignore the Others is also annoying. It makes for an interesting study of prejudice (by both populations) but is a rather simple equation, what with belligerent humans always being the cause of conflict. I came out of it frustrated by the tribalism that I see all around the real world.

MaddAddam / Margaret Atwood

 

3.75 out of 5 stars 

Book number 541 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

Oh Margaret, tell us the story of Zeb and his brother Adam. Tell us how Zeb came to be with God's Gardeners. Give us hope, oh Margaret, that we may survive in some shape or form!

Ten years after publishing Oryx and Crake, Ms. Atwood produced the last volume of this dystopian world. The Crakers, who we met in that first volume, become an integral part of the community, along with MaddAddamites and former members of God’s Gardeners. Most humans have been swept away, leaving this little group isolated and vulnerable to attack by a pair of Painballers (convicted killers).

A young Craker named Blackbeard becomes intrigued by the humans, especially Toby. Jimmy the Snowman is very ill and unconscious, so Toby has been recruited by the Crakers to tell them the tales of Oryx and Crake. And the tale of Zeb, who interests them very much. Toby is fond of Zeb and this is her excuse to learn about his life.

Atwood gives us a backstory to the previous volumes. We learn about the relationship between Zeb and AdamOne and Zeb's adventures before joining God's Gardeners (in book two). Is this important in a world where humanity is phasing out? It is significant to Toby, so it was interesting to me too.

I continue to appreciate all the detail in this world. As Atwood has said, all of it has a basis in fact. Amazing and disturbing, but put together logically and believably. One reviewer of her autobiography said that Atwood’s father was an entomologist and she learned from him to observe humans as if they were interesting insects. I get that vibe strongly from this book.

Whose Body? / Dorothy L. Sayers

 

4 out of 5 stars 

2026 Re-Read

It has been nine years since I first met Lord Peter Wimsey and it has been an entertaining acquaintanceship. Knowing him better, as I do now, I am impressed by how much of his character is shown in this very first adventure. We quickly become familiar with Mervyn Bunter, who is a friend as well as the valet to Peter. In the beginning, Sayers gives their relationship a rather Jeeves and Wooster flavour, but this doesn't last long. Wimsey is not the happy fool that Bertie Wooster is and Bunter is not the all-solving Jeeves either. Instead, they are quite the team.

We also meet Charles Parker of Scotland Yard, Peter's friend and accomplice in investigation. Another educated man and of a steady disposition, he is the ideal partner in crime fighting. However, it is Bunter who cares for Wimsey when he has a session of PTSD, having served in the war with Peter. It is he who calls the Dowager Duchess, Wimsey's mother, when such an occurrence indisposes him. She is a delightful character, calm, quick witted (when dealing with unexpected church donations and proposed speakers for a nonexistent bazaar), kind (when dealing with a deaf old woman in need of care), and she does it all with a twinkle of humour in her eye.

In all, this is a good introduction to Lord Peter Wimsey and I am glad to have revisited it. I am bumping my rating up to 4 stars, knowing as I do how much enjoyment I have derived from Ms. Sayers' creation.

The Little White Horse / Elizabeth Goudge

 

5 out of 5 stars 

Book 7 of the 2026 Read Your Hoard Challenge

I've had this book in my personal collection for decades, but hadn't read it for decades. It was one of my favourite books as a tween and I read it many times back then. I've been meaning to revisit it for ages and finally took the plunge.

I was once again enchanted from the first pages as I renewed my acquaintance with Maria Merryweather and her guardian, Miss Heliotrope. I was thrilled as she first spotted the little white horse of the title from the carriage that was bringing her to the village of Silverydew.

As a much older adult, I see assumptions made in the book that don't really fit me now. Maria is an aristocrat and it is assumed that she is princess of her domain. There is the overwhelming message that those of blue blood should be in charge (and that they are naturally good at it). Maria is very much a Mary Sue character, facing very few real challenges which are very easily overcome. Mind you, this is a tale for children, not for critical adults.

I was a horse-crazy girl as well as a bookworm and I read every book that I could get my hands on that might feature a horse of any kind. This book reminded me about that girl and her joy in both pursuits. My rating of 5 stars reflects my continued love of this childhood favourite.

Once Upon a River / Diane Setterfield

 

4 out of 5 stars 

This book was a good surprise to me. My mystery book club has a tendency to choose books that bore me, but this one is much more elegant than our usual choices. It's difficult to decide <i>exactly</i> when it takes place, but the general era is provided by the means of transportation: horses, trains, and boats (Victorian era). It's boats that grab most of the attention, as the river referenced in the title is to all intents and purposes a major character in the book.

Like a river, the action is a little meandering. Yet it all eventually comes together, tributaries combining to give us clues to the mystery. The “big" mystery is the little girl at the centre of the tale. Rescued, seemingly drowned, from the river by a seriously injured man. Restored to life in a mysterious way. Claimed or desired by many. Her existence is at the core of the plot.

This novel doesn't really conform to what I expect from the mystery genre. Appropriately, it is more like a tale told in a tavern. And that is exactly what happens to it—it is told and retold and tinkered with in the inn known as the Swan. This inn is where the action begins and the major players return to it repeatedly. Nevertheless, there are mysterious happenings during the tale. Setterfield ladles out the details slowly but steadily, letting the reader anticipate where things are headed. If you're like me, some of your assumptions are correct and others are proven false.

No police or detectives in sight, no one searching for forensic clues, this is a gentler kind of mystery. There is tragedy, there is violence, but the overall impression I received was that of gentleness and goodness conquering those negatives. All done in lovely writing. 

Aliens on the Moon / Thomas King

 

4 out of 5 stars 

This is quintessential Thomas King. Aliens have landed on the moon, but lots of people just plug away at their boring little lives. Richard lives rent and utility free in his sister's condo, but he spends his time complaining about the things he doesn't have, avoiding getting a job, and trying to figure out how to snag a rich girlfriend. His sister, in the meantime, is running a “retirement community” Autumn Leaves and trying to figure out how to get her Amazon account unlocked when there's no number to call. Until she is visited by a customer service representative who informs her that she hasn't been buying enough. Now she is on probation and will get locked out again if she doesn't “meet expectations.”

Other characters include a resident of Autumn Leaves who makes an escape back to her house while on an organized shopping trip. Her son, who is experiencing difficulties with his new car's unreliable battery. If you don't drive it every day, it automatically drains. The car salesman is hating the game of golf and being hated by both his wife and his mistress. There are lots of characters, but they all eventually connect in some fashion.

The characters are King's stock in trade. Richard, when not trying to sell himself to a rich woman, is trying to render himself invisible. He speaks as little as possible. He is analogous to Jeremiah in Sufferance, who doesn't speak for the whole book, despite being the main character. Jeremiah, however, has made a job for himself, creating grave markers at a residential school, while Richard actively avoids doing anything useful.

King also loves to lampoon capitalism. The Amazon situation is a case in point. Darby decides to solve her problem by ordering every month and then returning it all, ad infinitum. Brilliant! Likewise, Autumn Leaves is a miserable place to live because the amenities are constantly being eroded to provide more profits for shareholders.

All the time, people blame all kinds of things on the aliens. Who aren't even on Earth. Who haven't even been visible. Because no one is keen on taking responsibility for the bad times or choices in their lives. This book is not for those who need a tight plot or a neat outcome. King is just writing a commentary on modern life and isn't concerned with those details. I liked it a lot, but I adore Thomas King's writing.

The Queen Who Came in From the Cold / S.J. Bennett

 

4.25 out of 5 stars 

If you are a fan of espionage fiction, this is your jam! It begins on the Royal train, where Princess Margaret is accompanied by a most unsuitable lady in waiting. This woman drinks far too much, seems dumber than a sack of hammers, and has brought an extremely disagreeable chihuahua along. Of course it is this unreliable witness who is looking out of a train window at just the moment that a couple of men are disposing of a body. It takes some time to get her story sorted out, but the Queen knows just who to ask to narrow down the location. 

Her Majesty and her assistant private secretary, Joan, undertake an investigation, culminating in a Russian defection which intersects with the Queen's Royal Tour of Italy aboard the royal yacht. As I learned in an earlier volume, Joan is romantically involved with the head of MI5. Bennett writes a tense, propulsive plot, worthy of Ian Fleming or John Le Carre (both of whom are mentioned as authors of books being read by a courtier and Prince Phillip).

At first it is a moral quandary—the Queen cannot be seen to assist in a defection nor can the royal yacht be used to achieve it. But Her Majesty is a very moral woman and she cannot enjoy her tour while knowing that two people will be killed because it doesn't suit her to help them. Her worry as the events play out is palpable. 

An enjoyable entry in this imaginative series.  

The Science of Weird Shit / Chris French

 

3.5 out of 5 stars

I chose this book in an attempt to understand a quirk of my own psychology, namely my reluctance to read novels featuring ghostly phenomena after dark. I read considerable amounts of paranormal fiction. In fact, I delight in characters who are vampires, werewolves, or powerful witches. I can read these without fear because I truly don't believe that they are real, but ghost books freak me out! What's the difference? I've come to the conclusion that it is the result of several very vivid dreams about dead relatives that have shaken my skepticism, leaving me feeling like these people actually visited me. I didn't find the dreams scary, but I guess the prospect of meeting ghosts who don't have my best interests at heart is the source of my fear.

As the author points out, belief in the paranormal involves emotions. Rational evaluation requires leaving the majority of emotion out of the equation. This is not always possible for me (and, I imagine, for many other people). Important people in my life have been killed in tragic ways and I cannot separate my experience from my thoughts about them, leaving me vulnerable to really wanting to believe in life after death. I sometimes think that my prefrontal cortex is a skeptic, but my amygdala is a believer. It's a source of dissonance. I think I will have to continue reading ghost stories only during sunshine hours.

I appreciated the author's final pages, where he describes the zetetic outlook: a suspension of judgement and a willingness to explore these concepts. I would like to explore this mindset. In the end, I agree with Mary Roach, who writes at the end of her book Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife, “The debunkers are probably right, but they're no fun to visit a graveyard with.”

The Princess Bride / William Goldman

 

4 out of 5 stars 

I bought this book from a school catalogue back in the 1970s and owned it for a few years. I enjoyed it a lot back then, but gave it away at some point. The last time I read it was in 2013, as part of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project and I must have been in a cranky mood, because I remember wondering why I had liked it so much during school.

This time around, I chose to read this novel because of another novel. In Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series, Kate's favourite book is The Princess Bride. Curran reads it while they are courting and some key phrases become catch phrases for the couple. Curran often responds to Kate with “As you wish" and they both call things “Inconceivable.” I started to wonder what was wrong with me during my last experience of this book.

This time around I rediscovered my pleasure in the story. Once again, I was able to smile along with Buttercup, Westley, Humperdink, Vezzini, Inigo Montoya, and Fezzik. It felt good to renew my acquaintance with them all.

You Can Scream / Rebecca Zanetti

 

3.3 out of 5 stars 

Who needs enemies when you have a sister….pardon me, half-sister….like Abigail Cane. Laurel Snow may be an FBI Special Agent, but that doesn't give her permission to lock up her psychopathic half-sister. Abigail has killed their father and is facing prosecution. Laurel is unsure why Abigail did it, but she is keeping her distance.

The trouble is that Abigail is weirdly fascinated with her sister and has a way of manipulating her way into Laurel's life. On the steps of the court house after Abigail's first appearance, a sniper attempts to kill her and is foiled by a bullet-proof vest. But was he aiming for Abigail or Laurel? Laurel's boyfriend, Huck, isn't taking any chances—he is determined to keep Laurel safe.

Zanetti writes a tense, fast paced thriller. This is not my usual genre, but I've been reading this series for 5 volumes now and will read more when they are published. Laurel is an interesting character, not neurotypical and struggling to understand the emotions of those around her. At least she seems to have sorted out her own feelings by the end of this outing.

The Once and Future Sex / Eleanor Janega

 

3.75 out of 5 stars 

Wow, although many things have changed for the better, many of the current misogynist ideas about women have their roots in Medieval times. I think that the guy who wrote the <i>Malleus Mallificarum</i> (the Hammer of witches) would be warmly received by the Manosphere's Andrew Tate. They both seem to hate women and resent that the only way to procreate involves both sexes.

Men of Medieval times used Classical texts and Church teachings to declare that women were weak of will and always interested in sex. These beliefs were used to justified their control of women. This outlook shows up today as the controlling, abusive men we read about in the news today who lose their tempers and their minds and go on shooting rampages. Our current sexual assault trials still put the victim on trial, rather than the criminal. We still live in Medieval mindsets in many ways.

Today, the story seems to be that it's men who are sexually voracious. See Harvey Weinstein or Jeffrey Epstein. In actual fact, Medieval men were castigated by the Church for sex that would not lead to pregnancy or for the violation of days of self-restraint. I think men and women are actually pretty evenly matched when it comes to libido. 

The author disproves the modern idea that women in the workforce is something new. Women were very involved in work for economic gain in Medieval times. We may not know many of their names, but women have been wage earners for a long time. We maybe haven't come quite as far as we thought! 

A very interesting view of women's history. 

Wild Country / Anne Bishop

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

Bishop has taken a slightly different tack with this series. In her original Others series, she stuck with the same characters for all five books. In this second series, we stay in the same world, but each book seems to have a different character focus. There is overlap, but the focus shifts. Both approaches have advantages and I have enjoyed both of them.

In many ways, this is the fantasy version of the science fiction genre's First Contact trope. Humans must learn to coexist with the Others. Unfortunately, it seems there are always humans who don't want to follow the rules or think that the rules can be negotiated. And, as Louis Armstrong said, “Some folks, if they don't know, you can't tell them.” After all the times that the Elders have thinned the human herd, you would have thought that people would have received the memo! Humans are nothing if not stubborn.

Having said all this, I have peeked ahead, and the next book returns to Vicki DiVine and her lodge, the Jumble. I look forward to visiting Vicki again.

Ain't Nobody's Fool / Martha Ackmann

 

3.5 out of 5 stars 

Dolly Parton is a force of nature who cleverly disguises herself as a blonde bombshell. I really admire how she overcame multiple obstacles like being raised dirt poor, being ridiculed for her ambition, being relegated to the role of “girl singer," and the general prejudice of the country music industry against women, especially those with unique voices.

It's difficult for me to relate to the poverty that Parton grew up in. Her song Coat of Many Colors is literally taken from her life, growing up in the Smoky Mountains. Dolly patiently endured what she had to and jumped on every opportunity that presented itself. Her determination to make something of her life and willingness to work herself hard resulted in the woman that I admire today.

Blessed with a pure but unusual voice, Dolly has defied conventional wisdom to become an icon. Her self-awareness led to her stage appearance: blonde bouffant wigs, heavy makeup, and tight clothes. But behind this façade lurks a shrewd woman who knows her own worth (and it has nothing to do with her bra size). She was fortunate to find Carl Dean, the love of her life, early on and have his support for 60 years. Carl eschewed the limelight, leaving that entirely to his wife. (Rumour has it that when she wanted to go out with him incognito, she left the wig and makeup behind and was rarely recognized.)

Dolly went through some frustrating years before she became the philanthropist we currently know. She freely admits that she made mistakes when she neglected to listen to her internal voice. But Dolly wasn't in it just for the money—she wanted to be able to take care of the people she cares about. Her theme park, Dollywood, wasn't a vanity project. Its purpose was to supply jobs and economic support for the community she grew up in. Her other concerns include women's health, education, and literacy (her father was limited by an inability to read and write). Her program to supply books to children is well known. This is what money is for, my friends, and I salute Ms. Parton for knowing and acting on it.

The tone of the book is more academic than I expected. It's not as conversational as I would have preferred, but it was still very readable. It is thoroughly footnoted and many obscure little factoids about people in Dolly's life are fascinating. In short, there is much more to Dolly Parton than meets the eye. Don't make the mistake of dismissing her as a dumb blonde!

No Fond Return of Love / Barbara Pym

 

4 out of 5 stars 

I am very much enjoying my year of reading Barbara Pym. This novel completely charmed me through the antics of the characters.

Paula Bryne in her book The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym says, “Barbara Pym's male characters are more often than not shifty, feckless, selfish and self-dramatising, relying on excellent women to solve their difficulties.” The man in question in No Fond Return of Love, Alywin Forbes, absolutely embodies this description. His wife has left him and though they aren't yet divorced, he keeps drifting from woman to woman (when he's not sneaking around in order to avoid them).

Alywin's brother, Neville, may be a supposedly celibate priest, but he also has abandoned his duties at Easter because of an unfortunate young woman (Miss Spicer) who has apparently fallen for the handsome clergyman. Like his brother, he chooses avoidance rather than dealing with his problems. Another non-excellent man.

Dulcie Mainwaring has recently been jilted by her fiance and has attended a publishing conference to distract herself. The attractive Alywin faints during his presentation, attracting her attention. She also meets Viola Dace, the purported reason that Alywin's wife left him. Dulcie and Viola become friendly and share a morbid interest in all things Alywin.

I think all women can recognize Dulcie and Viola in ourselves and our women friends. We cringe a bit when Barbara Pym lays it out before us, but who hasn't figured out the schedule of someone we're interested in and lurked in a likely spot to “casually bump into" them? If you haven't, you're a better person than I am!

A thoroughly entertaining comedy of manners.

Murder on the Marlow Belle / Robert Thorogood

 

3.75 out of 5 stars 

This installment of the series was an improvement over the last one in my opinion. The preceding volume annoyed me because of Judith's insistence on doing her own thing and completely ignoring the policewoman's wishes. Now Tanika, the policewoman in question, is on notice for not following proper procedure and she lets the trio know that their actions could make her lose her job. (And Tanika still has an elderly parent, a small child, and a useless husband to support.) It was Judith's lack of care for someone who had treated the older women well and involved them legitimately in the investigation that stuck in my craw. In this outing, the women try to stay out of the crosshairs while simultaneously figuring out who the murderer is. Judith is still very single minded, but she attempts to give Tanika some cover.

This was my airport/plane reading material and it was ideally suited to that use. The various characters surrounding the murder victim were varied and well defined. The victim himself had so many enemies that the reader has plenty of clues and motives to sort out. Thorogood provides one unexpected situation that suddenly changed my perspective and really added to the drama. And there was plenty of personal drama as the characters are largely members of a theatrical society. 

The last three chapters surprised me greatly and the last few sentences guaranteed that I will be reading the next book when it is published! 

Protector / C.J. Cherryh

 

4 out of 5 stars 

Book number 540 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project

What's a birthday party without some plotting, planning, and an assassination attempt? Cajeiri is turning felicitous nine and he is excited to be visited by three human children who he knew during his two years in space. Everyone is surprised when one of Bren's friends, now a ship captain, accompanies the kids, along with two security officers.

As usual, there are machinations taking place in the planetary capitol. Cajeiri's parents are at odds, staff has been changed, and it is no place for visitors. Bren and the Dowager agree to take the children to Great Uncle Tatiseigi's estate in the country. Even there, they cannot be assured of safety, despite what seems like a battalion of Guild members accompanying them. At least the children get one trail ride in before the shit hits the fan. Tatiseigi amazes everyone by seeming to enjoy the presence of the youngsters.

Cajeiri may only be nine, but he has matured. He is less bratty (though still stubborn) and much more responsible. The safety of his friends is uppermost in his mind. He may tell them a little more than the adults would be comfortable with, but he is protective. Thankfully, he has an entire crew of adults who are determined to keep them all intact.

Likewise, Bren takes fewer chances in this volume. His worst mishap is a cut on the cheek. There are no dramatic chase scenes, just a lot of distracting the enemy while the birthday group gets where they are going. Bren and Jase make a good team. There is more political manoeuvring than fleeing from danger this time around.

This book represented a very short period of time, so it didn't include the actual birthday party. That, it seems, will be part of the next volume.

Sleeping Murder / Agatha Christie

 

4 out of 5 stars 

”It really is very dangerous to believe people. I never have for years.”

I am a ninny and I paid far too much attention to Giles and Gwenda, neglecting Jane Marple! Ms. Christie used the young couple's investigation to divert my focus, just as she used Arthur Hastings in the Poirot novels. I am far too easily led.

It was certainly obvious that this final Marple volume was written well in advance. The version of Jane Marple depicted here is not nearly as frail and limited as she is written in At Bertram's Hotel and Nemesis. She actually has the ability to run up a set of stairs to prevent disaster and to be pulling weeds in the garden. That made things feel a little out of joint, but I was kind of happy to be reminded of the earlier depictions of a twinkly, impish older lady.

I can't believe that I have now read all of Agatha Christie's novels! I appreciate my friend Christine for organizing the project and the Appointment with Agatha group for their company on the journey. It has been proposed that we start over at the beginning and I think I will enjoy a repeat of the experience.