Darlene's Digest

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin My rating: 5 of 5 stars It's clear why The Fifth Season won the Hugo Award in 2016. The combination of skilled writing and world-building keep the reader on her toes in a satisfying science fiction novel about the end of the world. It's a fabulous tale and I can't wait to see where Jemisin goes with her masterful storytelling. View all my reviews

The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly My rating: 4 of 5 stars Harry Bosch's life changes as he ages, but one thing remains the same, his commitment to getting the answers and solving the crime. Now that Harry's left the LAPD he's splitting his time between a smaller police department and private investigation. It's the latter that leads him to a possible missing heirs case, and the story unfolds with two side-by-side investigations. Longtime fans of Bosch will find this another satisfying entry in the long-running series, but it even works as a stand-alone novel. View all my reviews

Christmas in America by Holly Bush My rating: 4 of 5 stars As is usually the case with collections, I liked some stories more than others. I'm giving this one four stars primarily because of Donna Thorland , author of the Renegades of the Revolution series. Her bittersweet (to those of us who've read the books) Christmas story fills in a gap in the history of one of the recurring characters, incidents that were referred to but never clarified. The other tales were enjoyable, and in keeping with the season, but Thorland's offering really hit the mark. Her research and writing are outstanding. View all my reviews

The Chemist by Stephenie Meyer My rating: 4 of 5 stars I sometimes find myself out of step with other readers. Something everyone else loves leaves me feeling "meh", while I'll enjoy the hell out of a book that's getting less than stellar reviews. This seems to be one of those times. There were parts of The Chemist that seemed over-the-top and strained my credulity, but no more so than plenty of other thrillers I've read and enjoyed. And I liked the premise, a lot. A scientist with a particular set of skills works for a super seekrit government black ops agency. She is a torturer par excellence , known as The Chemist. But the chemist knows too much, and is on the run for her life, and when she's offered a chance to stop running she grabs it...and things get worse. There's a highly improbable (but sweet) love story, an intriguing cast of characters, and a high stakes, fast-paced action scenario. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many of the negative com...

Wild at Whiskey Creek by Julie Anne Long My rating: 4 of 5 stars Absolutely delightful friends-to-lovers tale. There were laugh-out-loud moments, and I didn't feel the conflict was too contrived, though it was clear to anyone who knew these two that they were slated to be together or miserable apart for all their lives. I also liked that there were no obvious villains and that most of the time these two acted like grown-ups. The theme of financial insecurity, where a family can be one car breakdown from homelessness was also handled sensitively. Ms. Long has made a graceful transition from writing fabulous historicals to writing fabulous contemporaries, and I look forward to her next novel. View all my reviews

Crosstalk by Connie Willis My rating: 3 of 5 stars I enjoyed it, but it's not going to be the book of Ms. Willis' where I grab fans of romantic comedy with science fiction and say "Read this, right now!" That would be Uncharted Territory . The characters and set up were interesting, but I felt Briddey was far too easily manipulated by Trent and others. Even CB, to a degree, moved and directed her actions and all of them kept information from her, limiting her ability to act. The length of the novel and the pacing contributed to Briddey's problems far too long as well. I kept gritting my teeth after the umpteenth selfish act by Trent and hoping Briddey would stand up and say, "No." I love Ms. Willis' novellas. She really shines in that genre and this would have been far more enjoyable, in my opinion, had it been a novella rather than a novel. View all my reviews

2 A.M. at The Cat's Pajamas by Marie-Helene Bertino My rating: 4 of 5 stars A sweet novel about some not-so-sweet characters, including a motherless little girl who desperately wants to sing jazz. There's also her absent father, the neighborhood that helps raise her, and two longtime friends dipping their toes into the murky waters of romanceland's familiar trope of friends-to-lovers. Then there's The Cat's Pajamas, a struggling nightclub with an over-zealous, code enforcing cop breathing down its neck. The habitues of the jazz club are a book in themselves, a father trying to reconnect with his musician son, some scheming to keep the club open, fake Cubans and more. I stumbled across this little literary gem at an indie bookstore, Mac's Backs in Cleveland. If nothing else, it's a good illustration of why we need bricks-and-mortar stores, where you can browse, wander among the stacks, and maybe walk out with an unexpectedly enjoyable read. View all my r...

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare My rating: 4 of 5 stars Absolutely delightful addition to the Spindle Cove/Castles Ever After series. I feared the book would lose me after the hero did something exceedingly stupid, but the author kept the story going in just the right way. That's the difference between a journeyman and a master when it comes to romance writing. Scandal is certain to delight Ms. Dare's legion of fans, and can be read as a stand-alone by anyone wanting to check out this always satisfying author. View all my reviews

The Year of the Crocodile by Courtney Milan My rating: 4 of 5 stars There were some great laugh-out-loud lines in this short piece set in the Cyclone storyline. The cross-cultural, take-no-prisoners attitude of the future in-laws is every couple's nightmare, but it was handled with style, humor and panache. Ms. Milan's move into contemporary romance continues to satisfy. View all my reviews

Unquiet Land by Sharon Shinn My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sharon Shinn offers outstanding fantasy worldbuilding, and her stories are a pleasure to read because the characters seem so grounded and human, even when they have enhanced abilities. In Welce there are primes who are connected to the "elements": Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood, Soul. We've had stories dealing with Air, Fire and Water, and now we get torz or Earth, people who are connected to the soil and rock. Leah Frothen has returned home after many years abroad, some of them spent as a spy for Welce. Now she's anxious to spend time with the daughter she gave up, a child who doesn't know her birthmother exists. Shinn's characters, especially the women, deal with issues that resonate in the real world. It's not always about finding a magic ring or pulling a sword from a stone. Sometimes, the story is about people who make difficult life decisions that have consequences. I highly recommend her novels...

A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas My rating: 4 of 5 stars An entertaining twist on the Sherlock Holmes legend. What if Holmes wasn't who we thought he is, but instead was a woman, constrained by Victorian society and mores, but possessing the same keen mind and abilities? Thomas presents us with a tantalizing new series, where Holmes is teamed with Mrs. John Watson and together they work to unravel a series of mysterious deaths. We're introduced to a number of characters in this first novel, some familiar, some new, and I found the entire experience quite satisfying. There's a hint of a romance, and I wondered if there would be a Mr. Adler in Miss Holmes' future adventures to keep things interesting. View all my reviews

Before we celebrated US-style Thanksgiving in Florida (the Spaniards celebrated Thanksgiving with the Timucua Indians at St. Augustine long before those latecomer Pilgrims set foot aboard ship) we had cane grinding in the autumn to share the work and feast with friends: As the shadows lengthened, the men began gathering around the tables like wasps drawn to sweet fruit, cozying up to their women and trying to talk them out of some of the food before the feast officially began. Ma Ivey ruled her dirt yard like an empress and wasn’t above slapping a reaching hand with a wooden spoon when they drew too close. Finally though, the last of the cane was put through the mill and the syrup cooked down, and as the night sky filled with stars the feast began to a chorus of tree frogs and crickets serenading the workers. They lined up before the platters of roast pig and venison, quails, turkey, and doves. Even a possum or two joined the potatoes in the smoldering coals. There was fish stew a...

Nemesis Games by James S.A. Corey My rating: 4 of 5 stars Mark Twain famously said that a writer's job is to take characters and "chase 'em up a tree and throw rocks at 'em." James S.A. Corey's figured out how to do this, and dazzle us with science too. In the penultimate Expanse novel he takes his four protagonists, separates them, and throws them all into danger that just gets more and more intense. It was nice seeing the crew of the Roci away from James Holden, and the set-up for the final book was excellent. There's not much more to say at this point, because if you're not reading the series from the beginning it's hard to explain. On the other hand, if you are reading from the beginning it's a special pleasure to get some of the backstory and character development on the rest of the crew. Amos is now my favorite character. I'm very much looking forward to the final novel. View all my reviews

Mockingbird, Vol. 1: I Can Explain by Chelsea Cain My rating: 5 of 5 stars I want to thank all the internet trolls who get hysterical over girls in comics. Had they not gotten their knickers in a twist I might not have discovered this wonderful, feminist, funny collection by Chelsea Cain. I'm looking forward to re-reading this slowly and leisurely when the final volume pulls it all together. The salty tears of the sad, sad trolls just make it all that much better. View all my reviews

Someone to Love by Mary Balogh My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another winner from Ms. Balogh. I like to return to early scenes in her books to study how she sets up her characters, revealing little bits and pieces of them. This is another example of excellent writing craft, but more importantly, it's a darn good story. Anna Snow is an orphan, but she has a decent life. The orphanage where she was deposited as a young child isn't luxurious, but it's not Dickensian either. Her fees were paid by an unknown benefactor, and now that she's grown she's a teacher at the institution. But one day she receives a life changing letter from a solicitor and nothing is ever the same. Can money buy happiness? Does status and privilege make one's life better? Avery Archer might know. The Duke of Netherby is intrigued by the dignified young woman whose life intersects with his when Anna's true identity is revealed, and nothing for him will ever be the same. I especially enjoyed th...

Image via  Wikipedia Thank You. I wanted to take a moment today to say "thank you" to the veterans. It is because of their service in the armed forces that I get to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Have a meaningful Veterans Day.

“Possum hangin’ in the tree, Raccoon on the ground; Raccoon say, you stingy rat, Shake them ’simmons down!” Julia paused in her singing and frowned down at the spoon stirring through the cake batter. “Possum hanging in the tree?” Where had that come from? “Goodness, I’m becoming countrified!” She chuckled, looking out the kitchen window at the activity in the yard. Rand was doing the morning chores in preparation for their trip to the Iveys’ farm. For a moment she watched him as she stirred, indulging herself in a fantasy that theirs was a normal marriage, two people on the Florida frontier, making a new life together. But it was as much a fantasy as singing raccoons. -- Smuggler's Bride It's that  time of year! The farmers market is full of bright orange fruit, mouth-puckering sour if you eat them too soon, but perfect for eating and baking when they're nice and ripe. Here's my annual posting of the recipe for Smuggler's Bride Persimmon Cake: SMUG...

League of Dragons by Naomi Novik My rating: 4 of 5 stars A satisfying conclusion to an excellent series, but I think, like many fans, I'd want to know what happens next. However, I respect the author's saying this is the final book, and we can leave it at that. View all my reviews

Saint's Blood by Sebastien de Castell My rating: 5 of 5 stars Darn you, de Castell, you killed off one of my favorite characters and made me cry ugly! And yet, I couldn't put it down. I was worried I'd be worn out by all the mayhem visited on the Greatcoats, especially the First Cantor, but you kept the momentum going with a great tale of religion, politics and law. The ending was bittersweet, particularly the extra bit at the end after the acknowledgements. Oh well, that's why I keep tissues on hand when I read really good books. Thank you. View all my reviews

For This We Are Soldiers: Tales of the Frontier Army by Carla Kelly My rating: 4 of 5 stars I enjoy Carla Kelly's Regency romances, but I really like her tales set in the American West. Her depth of knowledge of the period, her eye for detail, all of it combines with excellent story-telling to make for a great reading experience. This collection of tales from the frontier isn't a romance collection, and three of the stories appeared in the (also excellent) Here's To the Ladies , but it's a good purchase for her fans. I hope Ms. Kelly continues to bring us tales from the frontier army, a milieu she handles better than any other romance author today. View all my reviews

Revenge in a Cold River by Anne Perry My rating: 3 of 5 stars I've been a fan of this series since Face of a Stranger , but I found the ending on this latest William Monk mystery strangely unsatisfying. It felt rushed, and the reader is left practically dangling after the very well done action at see climax. But any Monk novel that reveals more of the detective's hidden past is a must-read for fans, and I enjoyed that aspect of the novel very much. View all my reviews

As many of you know, I've been working hard since Amber Quill Press closed. I edited and re-released three of my earlier novels as ebooks at Amazon  and Smashwords . I've been shopping the manuscript of WHAT THE PARROT SAW, and hope for good news on that front. But in the meantime, I'm still writing. I'd started work on a novel that has possibilities, but yesterday I made the tough decision to set it aside for now at 10K words in, and try a different project. Book #1 was frustrating me because I couldn't figure out enough of the characters' goals, motivations, and conflict, and when the author can't finger the GMC it's time to re-think it. Debra Dixon's classic Goal, Motivation, and Conflict  is often referenced by romance writers, and it's become somewhat of an industry bible for good reason. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to write a novel, in any genre. In the past I've sometimes had to get 1/3 into my manuscript before I knew ...

Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another excellent entry in the Expanse series, with an ending I totally did not see coming (but should have). Corey takes to heart Mark Twain's advice about chasing your characters up trees and throwing stones at them. The crew of the Roci are in it again, this time when they're sent to be mediators in a conflict between squatters and corporations on a newly uncovered habitable planet. The analogies to the Wild West and the American Frontier are drawn in broad strokes. It's the farmers vs. the ranchers, the settlers vs. the railroads and banks, pick your favorite and it's worked in there. The only thing that kept this uber space opera from five stars was the feeling that it could have been trimmed. After a while, you can get burned out on all the danger and violence and favorite characters in jeopardy. But it's still one of the best science fiction epics available today and I highly recommend this series. ...

Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell My rating: 5 of 5 stars More swashbuckling yumminess featuring the greatest fictional swordfight since Inigo Montoya fought The Man In Black. I can't imagine why someone would read this before Traitor's Blade , so let me just throw out there that you should read the first of The Greatcoats novels before picking this one up. Knight's Shadow continues to ask tough questions about whether Right Makes Might and the role of people who stand up and say, "Hold on, that ain't right!" It's a philosophical as well as adventurous story, and should appeal to fans of Dorothy Dunnett, Terry Pratchett, Alexandre Dumas, Rafael Sabatini and Raymond Chandler (The Venn diagram of the fan groups who would enjoy this story should be very interesting.) I eagerly look forward to reading the next book in the series. View all my reviews

"Your eyes are the smoky bronze of coffee, rich and deep. It settles in your belly and warms you from the inside out. Hot, and able to get a man up in the mornin’, and keep him up all day. Without coffee, the day is dull, flat, lifeless. But with that first taste of the stimulatin’ brew, you know you can face anythin’. It makes your heart beat a little faster, and the colors all seem sharper, the air brighter." -- Smuggler's Bride It's #NationalCoffeeDay (Seriously? As if every day is not coffee day?) and I've already celebrated with a few cups of my favorite morning roast. If you're one of those who just can't face the day without that stimulating brew, be like Rand Washburn and raise your cup to coffee!

Sustained by Emma Chase My rating: 4 of 5 stars How do you reform a rake? Throw a plot moppet at him, or in the case of Jake Becker, six of the little darlings. Jake's living the good life as an up-and-coming defense attorney in D.C., on his way to making partner. Sure he defends low-lifes and spoiled brats, but he's good at it, he's handsome, he's buff, and he can get all the women he wants and ensure they're gone the next morning. Then he has his pocket picked and meets Chelsea McQuaid, a young woman caring for her orphaned nieces and nephews, and his life will never be the same again. I liked the dialogue and the depiction of the children, and the plot crisis was pretty much exactly what I expected it to be, but it was handled well and the writing was fast paced and on point. The first person narration makes it harder for us to get a full vision of Chelsea, who had her life completely upended by her new responsibilities. Jake could walk away from the situation...

Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell My rating: 5 of 5 stars A swashbuckling delight, sure to thrill fans of Dumas, Sabatini, and people who know that even though Basil Rathbone plays the villain, his sword work is what you want to watch in the film. I loved the world building. Falcio Val Mond is a Greatcoat, one of the former king's magistrates, trained to sing the law and dispense justice in the king's name. But now the Greatcoats are in disgrace, scattered throughout a kingdom where the rule of law has been supplanted by the rule of venal, greedy men. De Castell does a masterful job of creating flawed but very human characters in Falcio and his companions, and the echoes of The Three Musketeers chime throughout the narrative. The fight scenes in particular are wonderfully done, and worth studying for craft and choreography. I look forward to the further adventures of the Greatcoats, reveling in this grand fantasy with larger than life characters. View all my revi...

I started my fifth year with Reading Pals , a volunteer organization that matches adults to young readers needing some assistance. We spend an hour a reading books together, and it's one of the highlights of my week. My pal this year is a young man in the 3rd Grade, and Jackson (not his real name) is already a veteran of the program, being matched with a pal last year as well. I usually have little girls as my Reading Pal, so it'll be fun and different having a boy. I try not to be stereotypical when it comes to gender roles, but having two sons, four brothers, and a husband, I know how most eight-year-old boys think. I anticipate more fart jokes in my future. I also spent a few minutes with my Reading Pal from two years ago, who's now a poised young lady almost ready for middle school. We talked a bit about books she read this summer, and she asked if I would pass along my Smithsonian Magazines to her. I used to give her my copies each month and I'm pleased as punc...

Thieving Weasels by Billy   Taylor My rating: 3 of 5 stars I'm conflicted about this novel because there were parts I enjoyed, the snappy writing in particular, and parts that bothered me. I wanted to root for the hero, who truly had a hellish childhood (and given the circumstances of the book, his family was doing its best to ensure a hellish adulthood), but his moral slides bothered me a lot, especially the casual thefts. I think it will appeal to teenage boys, and that is what got it three stars instead of two. Any book that gets teenage boys reading gets a star, even when there are morally ambiguous protagonists. View all my reviews

Abaddon's Gate by James S.A. Corey My rating: 5 of 5 stars Captain James Holden's life would be pretty good, if only the dead man would stop talking to him. I can't say who the ghost is because of spoilers, but fans of the Expanse novels know that his insistence on interrupting Jim at the most awkward times, like when he's trying to just take a leak...well, it can't be good. And it's not. Holden has enemies he's not aware of, and alien life forces more vast and dangerous than he can contemplate. But it's not all about him. This is space opera! Huge ships traveling vast distances, conflicts both military and personal, truly existential questions of morality, humanity, religion and redemption. It's got it all, and it's a hell of a page turner. As much as I enjoyed the first two novels, I couldn't put this one down. I loved the discussions of responsibility and morality, and I enjoyed the human touches, the heroes and villains who were neith...

“A sail, Cap’n! Three points off the starboard bow!” Jack shaded his eyes and he could see it now, a schooner rigged fore-and-aft. This wasn’t a good sign, since schooners were the favored vessels of— “Pirates!” the lookout yelled. “It’s the Zephyr !” “Damnation,” Jack said to himself. It would be just his luck that out of all the pirates in the Caribbean, his ship would come across the Zephyr . The schooner was also flying Cartagenan colors. No doubt the Zephyr carried a letter of marque from the fledgling republic, full of official seals and ribbons, and about as meaningful as a parrot’s chatter. Jack knew this since he had a similar letter of marque. “Cap’n, he’s signaling he wants to parley,” the lookout called. The Zephyr’s gunports were closed, and she looked innocent enough. Plus they had the advantage of the wind while the Jade was on a lee shore. “Haul back, Mr. Rice. We shall see what Captain Sinister wants.” “That pirate’s name is Captain Sinister ? What kind of a name i...

We were blessed to have our previous dachshund, Yofi, for 16 wonderful years. You can find older posts in this blog where I refer to Yofi as "my muse" because she'd sleep in my office, and tolerated my reading my manuscripts aloud to her. She'd also help me break through sticky plot issues. We'd take long walks, and this freed up my mind to explore new directions with my writing. Sometimes I feared I was rushing her home to get to my keyboard, and I had images of her flying behind me like a wiener dog shaped kite. Now we have Dodi, nine months old (picture) and settling into her routine. Today on our walkies I suddenly saw a whole new direction which includes pirates  for troublesome Book #9, and I knew where I needed to go with this story. It's good to have my muse back again.

Exile for Dreamers by Kathleen Baldwin My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another excellent "Stranje House" tale, a sequel to A School For Unusual Girls . The first book was about an academy for girls who didn't fit into their neat little cubbyholes in Regency England, girls who had "abilities" that scared their families, or who liked to study engineering, or take long runs every morning. Their fed-up families would send them to Miss Stranje's school, known for its strict discipline and draconian measures. What the clueless families didn't realize is Miss Stranje's school takes these unusual girls and hones their abilities in service to the King and the fight against Napoleon and England's enemies. This second novel focuses on Tess, who suffers from dreams that come true, and who fears her life will end in madness as it did for her mother and grandmother. Tess also harbors a tendre for Lord Ravencross, the brooding and wounded neighbor whose estate...

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead My rating: 5 of 5 stars Sometimes, fiction is the best way to handle the horrors of history. It can bring to life an era, a place, in a way that involves the reader differently than the cold facts of non-fiction. The Underground Railroad is one of the best books I've read on the evil that was the age of slavery in the United States. I live in a former Confederate State and we're still dealing with the aftermath of the "peculiar institution", peculiar because after a point it was unique to the South, and the slave owners and lawmakers fought hard to keep it alive. Whitehead's novel incorporates elements of magic realism in the form of an actual underground railroad with cars and conductors and tracks, but this winding tale of Cora, who escapes from her life of bondage, incorporates details of the true Underground Railroad and the men and women who ran to freedom. It also focuses on Ridgeway, a slave hunter who become...

The Hating Game by Sally   Thorne My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved it. A classic rom-com updated for today, with great dialogue, characters who breathe life into the story, over-the-top situations and lots of fun times. It's always a pleasure to see a debut author take off like this. Kudos to Ms. Thorne, and I eagerly await her next novel. View all my reviews

The Guns of Empire by Django Wexler My rating: 4 of 5 stars I've been engrossed in Wexler's series from the first, since it draws parallels from Napoleon's campaigns and I wanted to see where it would end up. But the parallels only go so far, since this is a fantasy novel and the characters don't match up to history. However, in this book we're introduced to the Duke of Wellington stand in, we have an analogy to the Russian Campaign, and we see the Vordan Army advance on its goal of seizing power from the Black Priests. It's a real page turner and there are multiple storylines and characters to keep track of, but it's a satisfying entry into the series. Lives are lost, loves are revealed, and there's a great build-up to the final book at the end. I'm eagerly looking forward to see how the story plays out. View all my reviews

Saga, Volume 6 by Brian K. Vaughan My rating: 5 of 5 stars So romantic! So wonderfully on point! So bloody! *Le sigh* The latest volume of Saga brings much of the story full circle as our "Romeo and Juliet" hero and heroine, and their daughter Hazel, find much of what they've been seeking. There are still crises and issues to be resolved, and threats hanging over them, but this volume was one of the most satisfying of a very satisfying series. There's a focus on the healing power of love and romance, and romance novels once again play a role in the narrative. I enjoyed seeing Hazel become more of a person too. Up until now she'd been an occasional narrator of her backstory, but I'm liking her as a child capable of action and agency. If you haven't been reading Saga, you must start with Volume 1. Really, I insist. The story, art and characters are so awesome you don't want to overlook a single bit of it. View all my reviews

Misbehaving by Tiffany Reisz My rating: 4 of 5 stars A fun, sexy romance with laugh out loud moments and lots of steamy action. Bea reviews sex toys for a living, but she needs a helper for a book review. Enter the man from her past, the one who got away. Over a wedding weekend (with a funny, very much in love couple) these two will rediscover the joy of sex, over and over and over again. Recommended for anyone who's been wanting to check out a well written, erotic romance. This is a great starting point for exploring the field. View all my reviews

It was a strange morning. Now that I've got  three books in my backlist available again ( Captain Sinister's Lady, The Bride and the Buccaneer, Smuggler's Bride ) and I have What the Parrot Saw under consideration by TPTB, I started work on Unnamed Book #9. Kind of like the unnamed Tropical Depression #9, but my book won't be called "Ian" or "Hermine". Anyway, I started to jot notes on the as yet unnamed hero and heroine for Book #9. Spent a good hour working on personality traits, location notes, what the MacGuffin is, etc. Then the diva dachshund disturbed me with her tennis ball. One must obey the doxie directives, so I got up to toss the ball a few times and (ha!) wear her out. After about the fourth squeaky ball event, I found myself thinking about a totally different novel. One I'd thought about a few years ago. One that linked to my other Regency Pirate books ( The Pirate's Secret Baby, Castaway Dreams , etc.) Suddenly, I knew what...

First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another winner featuring the Chicago Stars, a sassy heroine, a funny (and smart) hunk of a hero and some mystery too. SEP gives good banter, and the give-and-take between Coop and Piper shines. She's a private detective, he's a former quarterback who owns a successful nightclub, and together they make the sparks fly even as they insist they can't stand one another. There are even cameos by the heroine of the first Chicago Stars book and a certain tough sports agent. It's good to see Ms. Phillips back with a new offering, a fun, sexy, and witty read. View all my reviews

"They lined up before the platters of roast pig and venison, quails, turkey, and doves. Even a possum or two joined the potatoes in the smoldering coals. There was fish stew and slow-cooked turtle, gator tail and fresh bass, and plenty of home-brewed ale and scuppernong wine to wash it down." --SMUGGLER'S BRIDE Late summer in North Central Florida is pretty awful, with 98% humidity matching the 98F temps, but there are a few compensations. You can sneak off to the springs and dip yourself in wonderfully cool water, and you can eat grapes while you tube down the river. This is the season is when mounds and baskets and trays of scuppernong and muscadine grapes show up at the farmers market, and the U-Pick sites do a brisk business. I keep a bowl of these lovelies on the counter and snack all day on them. I'd be tempted to make them into jam but they never last long enough. They're perfect just the way they are. Soon the weather will turn cool, even here. So ...

Wintertide by Linnea Sinclair My rating: 4 of 5 stars I very much enjoyed An Accidental Goddess and was intrigued to see there was a prequel setting up more information about the society in that novel. Where Goddess was SF, Wintertide is pure epic fantasy, but quite well done. The protagonist is a classic young person on a quest, but it's always a pleasure to see a woman in that role for a change. I figured out what was happening with the love interest from the scene with the flower chain, but it was still a satisfying read. I especially liked how she wasn't dependent on her lover to complete her quest. A good, solid story with interesting characters, perfect for a long plane ride. View all my reviews

Tell No Lies by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 3 of 5 stars This was good, but it wasn't keep-me-up-all-night-reading good. I couldn't buy into the villains having the skills to pull off as much as they did, and it was too over the top. But the premise was solid and the characterization, especially the probation counseling group, was very well done. View all my reviews

The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz My rating: 4 of 5 stars A true Southern Gothic tale with deeply buried family secrets about incest, sexual assault, race, the origins of the family fortune, and bourbon, of course. For bourbon is the southern drink of choice for generations, and while it's a part of celebrations, it's also been behind family tragedies as well. The Bourbon Thief begins with a beautiful woman, a one night stand, and a stolen bottle of rare bourbon. The thief begins to tell her tale, unraveling a skein of deception and drama through a long night fueled by bourbon. I liked it, a lot, but there were moments where I rolled my eyes over the lack of clarity between characters. One or two grown-up conversations might have staved off a great deal of heartache, but that wouldn't have made for a very good story. View all my reviews

Illusion Town by Jayne Castle My rating: 3 of 5 stars Jayne Castle Harmony world books are comfort reads. You're there for the Dust Bunnies and for the exotic location, and protagonists who are pretty much the same protagonists in each book--she's afraid of intimacy, he's buttoned up in some fashion or very logical and unemotional. This one is set in a Las Vegas doppelganger, a favorite setting for Ms. Castle in her Jayne Anne Krentz books as well. It has the glitz, the glamour and the dark side of a gambling and entertainment haven built on over-the-top illusion. It has a Vegas style quicky wedding with a "We did _what_ last night?" morning after, and a mystery that brings back characters from previous novels across the Krentz/Castle/Quick spectrum. This one was rather heavy on the exposition, but I may have felt that way since I'm such a longtime reader. Would I buy another one? Sure. But new readers may want to start with some of the earlier Harmony book...

Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye My rating: 5 of 5 stars Ever read a Victorian novel where you wished the heroine would just pick up something sharp and stab the evil people beleaguering her? Me too. Enter Jane Steele, who doesn't tolerate pedophiles, wife beaters or rapists and makes her displeasure known with extreme prejudice. She's a fan of Jane Eyre (while seeing some of the flaws in poor Miss Eyre's choices) and has to make her own way as a governess for a rather unusual household in the English countryside. I thought it was delicious, and I read it in one afternoon. There was intrigue, and intriguing characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll look for more of Ms. Faye's novels after enjoying Jane Steele View all my reviews

It's almost time for MidAmeriCon II, the World Science Fiction Convention . I'll be moderating two panels this year and I'm looking forward to a lively program: Writing Erotica Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00, 2208 (Kansas City Convention Center) Erotica might be said to be created to stimulate or sexually arouse the reader or viewer. We ask what the difference is between erotica and pornography, what the place of erotica is within the sf community and its works. We might share the odd tip as to what makes good -- or bad -- erotica. Adult Content. Not for Children. Rachael Acks, Christie Meierz , Belinda McBride, Jeffe Kennedy, Darlene Marshall (M) The "One True Love" Narrative Trap in Young Adult Fiction...and How to Smash It! Saturday 10:00 - 11:00, 2503A (Kansas City Convention Center) True love in YA fiction has been a mainstay of the genre, but life is rarely that simple, especially for teens...even fictional teens! Why do we fall into this trap? Authors share thei...

“Watermelon!” Jack said. “I don’t believe I have had any yet this season.” “What is it?” Sophia said, and the Reavers and Jack stared at her. “You ain’t never had watermelon?” Tom piped up. “No. It is a melon? But how do you eat it?” she said, eyeing the large chunks of fruit. “Show the lady, Tom.” Martha laughed. Tom grabbed a chunk off the middle of the plate and dived in headfirst, snapping off a sizable piece, chewing it with delight, and then spitting the seeds out the door. “You are joking,” Sophia said to Jack. “No, that’s how you eat watermelon. You learn this and soon you will be a real Floridian.” He was grinning at her and reached for his own slice of melon, and never one to resist a challenge, Sophia wiped her hand on her table linen and picked up her own slice. The juice ran down her fingers but she managed to bring it up to her lips without too much trickling down her sleeve. She took a bite and there was an explosion of sugar in her mouth, and a cooling sensation from t...

Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh My rating: 4 of 5 stars This novel is best enjoyed by fans of the long running series, and the author makes a point of mentioning that. Allegiance has a story within it, but is also a way of updating the reader on all the various pairings and developments that have occurred in the Psy-Changeling universe, sort of a "Where are they now?" with a mystery alongside it. It also sets the stage for a new character universe with the next generation of Psy/Changeling/Human interaction and I look forward to reading those books as well. View all my reviews

I have another novel I'm tweaking for re-release this autumn. Smuggler's Bride  was one of my first books, and it has a special place in my heart. This one is my piney-backwoods Florida Cracker novel and it was especially fun to research and write. I even learned how to cook a possum! I'm dusting off the manuscript, doing a little nip-and-tuck on the editing, and then it will join Captain Sinister's Lady and The Bride and the Buccaneer in ebook format. More on this as it develops!

City of the Lost by Kelley Armstrong My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was different, refreshingly so. Imagine an isolated community, almost a desert island (though it's in the remote Yukon Territory of Canada) where people who need to disappear, can. Some are victims. Some are perpetrators. All must escape their old lives, and, for a price, a certain mysterious corporation can make it happen. Casey needs to get away. She's already killed one man--the book stars with that sentence--and now her past is catching up to the police detective. But when she gets to Rockton she finds her professional skills are the real reason she's there. Someone's killing people, and the sheriff--the only native of the town--needs more help. This was a quirky mystery with interesting sociology overtones, and I found it a real page turner. I haven't read Ms. Armstrong's supernatural novels, so I came to this one with no expectations, and I found it a solid, satisfying mystery novel with ...

Last Shot by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another solid Tim Rackley suspense offering, this time with a complicated antagonist who could be Tim's shadow. The story starts with a prison break and the US Marshal's office is called in, with "Troubleshooter" Rackley on the job. It was amusing and poignant to see his home life with his active and into everything toddler son, especially since the series has focused so much on Rackley's tragic family circumstances. And this book is all about family. The escaped con has an agenda, and his purpose is slowly revealed over the course of the story while a little boy's life hangs in the balance. Rackley is driven to find the fugitive, but the two of them are sides of the same coin--highly skilled ex-Special Forces. I found the story engrossing, and once again, it could have been ripped from the headlines in its take on corrupt Big Pharma companies. I would suggest readers start with Kill Clause , the first Rack...