Darlene's Digest

The One In My Heart by Sherry Thomas My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was an interesting change of pace for Thomas, who normally writes excellent Regency romance. There was a nod to her first novel as we follow one of the descendants of that romance into his own story. This could have been subtitled "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous with Abandonment Issues", and the difficulty in relating to the overly accomplished, wealthy and beautiful H&H kept me from giving it five stars. Nonetheless, it handled the classic "fake relationship" trope well, and the characters' lives were interesting. The exploration of mental illness, particularly depression, also brought depth to the story. There were enough intriguing secondary characters that we can hope for more contemporary romance from this accomplished author. View all my reviews

I've just returned from a few days on the road as I accompanied my dear husband to one of his annual conferences. For me it was an opportunity to edit. I find sometimes that being out of my normal environment helps stimulate either the editing or the writing, and since our hotel wasn't near anything interesting, it helped keep my bottom in the chair and my fingers on the keyboard. One editing trick I use for the final pass is to turn on the "Reveal Codes" function. It's amazing how many extra spaces, open quotes and other editing woes can leap out at you. I also read dialogue aloud, and see if it sounds real or not. Finally, I change the font, another good way to catch typos and problems. No editing process is perfect but I always enjoy the sense of accomplishment when I've done a final pass before sending it off to a prospective publisher.

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another entertaining story set in Midnight, Texas, a town that's a lot like Mayberry--if Mayberry had vampires, witches, weres, angels, assassins and things that go bump in the night. We're still in the Sookie Stackhouse universe, but with characters who lead much more mundane and ordinary lives, eschewing vampire and were politics (for the most part) and keeping to themselves. But now something is drawing people to the crossroads at Midnight to commit suicide. The residents have to figure out what's amiss, hide a few bodies, and some will make life decisions long overdue. I recommend reading the other books first, but it easily stands on its own. View all my reviews

I'm packing for my first Romance Writers of America conference in San Diego and I've learned from experience to use a packing list before big and/or important trips. You don't want to pack a gown for the Rita and Golden Heart Award Ceremony only to find out you left your evening pumps in the closet at home! The iPad is fully charged, my ereader is full of good books for the long flight, and I'm ready to rock-'n-roll with the other writers. I also left my dear husband detailed instructions regarding the adorable, but not-quite-housetrained dachshund puppy. I predict Dodi will be getting plenty of cuddles from her dad, and I have complete confidence he can handle any small mishaps. I'm especially confident because I've got the baby gates blocking her access to most of the rugs. For updates and pictures, I suggest following me on my Instagram account where I'm darlenemarshallauthor . There will also be Twitter updates with the hashtag #RWA16 and #RITAGH...

Troubleshooter by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another solid Tim Rackley novel, this time featuring biker gangs and a truly convoluted mystery. Rackley's back with the US Marshal's office, and his nickname of "Troubleshooter" is apt and earned. I'm looking forward to reading the next Rackley novel, and Hurwitz is climbing up my "auto buy" list, right alongside Lee Child, Robert Crais, Thomas Perry and Stephen Hunter. View all my reviews

Stiletto by Daniel O'Malley My rating: 5 of 5 stars "So, yes," Odgers said firmly, "we are going in. We are the troops of the Checquy, we are trained, we have supernatural powers, and we have big fucking guns. This is what we do." It's mad scientists vs. the supernatural in a fight to the death! Or at least it was for centuries. Now the Checquy (Britain's really, really secret service) is feeling out a detente with The Grafters, the European scientists who scoff at the notion that there were things Man Was Not Meant to Know. A delegation is sent from the scientists to London, and Odette Liliefeld and her young brother Alessio are as much hostages as diplomats as they feel out the Checquy. Odette's handler/guard, Pawn Felicity Clements will have to overcome her own visceral hatreds and mistrust to keep Odette safe, or kill her if commanded to do so. Rook Myfanwy Thomas is back, but isn't the protagonist. Once again O'Malley has written dy...

“It is brave of you to uproot yourself and come to a new land, Mrs. Stephenson.” “My goodness.” Amanda looked at the captain and thought about it for a moment. “I never considered myself a brave person, Captain Roberts. I am excited about seeing a new country. And America is wonderful, a land of freedom and great opportunities! Mr. Freneau’s poetry says it so well! ‘Honor to those who first designed, this chain of States to bless mankind.’” -- CAPTAIN SINISTER'S LADY The Fourth of July is just a date on the calendar in other countries, but in the United States of America it's Independence Day, a day celebrated with fireworks, music, patriotic speeches and, if you're in this part of the country, plenty of cool, refreshing watermelon (usually followed by a seed-spitting contest). Do like Amanda Stephenson does in Captain Sinister's Lady , embrace the concepts that made our country great, while always working vigilantly to make out country even better.

Her Every Wish by Courtney Milan My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another winner from Ms. Milan, this time with a simply adorable tale of a young woman striving to better herself, not by marrying a marquess, but by starting her own business. Daisy is everything we want in a heroine--plucky, brave, determined, and not willing to settle for less than her due in love or in success. Crash is a great hero, and an unexpected one. At first he comes across as a ne'er do well, light hearted and not serious about life or Daisy. But the more we get to know him, the more we realize how much deeper he is. He's a mixed race bastard in Victorian England, and finding his spot in society will take his own brand of hard work and determination. The secondary characters also shined, and I especially adored the aunties. But there was an appearance by a heroine of a previous Milan novel who makes the reader re-think what a HEA is, and how one achieves that. Can't wait for more from this talented autho...

... as they rose from the table Justin asked Julia to join him in his study. He did not seat himself behind his desk, but instead perched on the edge, and watched her for a moment, a different silence from that used on [ redacted for spoiler(g) ]. Nonetheless, Julia's hands were clasped in her lap as she looked up at her father. "Julia." He hesitated, and she braced herself for a long overdue lecture on her hoydenish ways. "Julia. I am so thankful you are safe. If I live to be one hundred, I will never be able to express to you how much it meant to me to find you alive and unharmed in that cabin." This was so far from what Julia expected that before she realized what was happening, tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her father pulled her into his sheltering embrace as she clutched his lapels and sobbed into his jacket. "Oh, Papa, I was so afraid," she sniffled after soaking his shirtfront. "I was so afraid that you and Mama would be ashame...

“You underestimate the will of the American people, Doctor,” he poked his finger in the air for emphasis. “When you push us, we push back. Hard. John Bull cannot bully America into surrendering now any more than you could 40 years ago. Have you already forgotten the lesson of Fort McHenry?” He rummaged in his desk and pulled out a tattered newspaper, much folded and creased. “My mother sent this to me with the letters, a newspaper from home. A Mr. Key wrote a poem about the battle, Doctor, titled ‘The Defence of Fort McHenry’. Look here–‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’. That’s America, Charley!" --- SEA CHANGE   (High Seas, book 1) June 14 is Flag Day, the day the United States honors our nation's star spangled banner.  If you've got a flag, fly it proudly!

Hot in Hellcat Canyon by Julie Anne Long My rating: 4 of 5 stars Another winner from Julie Anne Long as she moves from historicals to contemporaries. Scenes made me laugh out loud, and the characters came alive with all the color and personality we've come to expect from this talented author. There were two things that stopped me from giving it five stars, much as I loved the story and the writing. The first is, I have a hard time with a contemporary romance where characters who are sexually active hop into the sack without any discussion of birth control or use of condoms to prevent disease. Carried away by passion the first time I can buy, but repeated sex acts without protection makes me twitchy. The second thing is a personal pet peeve, although it used to be an industry standard: I don't like head-hopping where the scene shifts point of view between characters in the middle of the action. However, Hot in Hellcat Canyon is an excellent summer read, hot like a June afte...

Trust No One by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 4 of 5 stars A novel of political corruption, murder and secrets. Seems especially appropriate during this election cycle. View all my reviews

Duke of Sin by Elizabeth Hoyt My rating: 5 of 5 stars He's mad, bad, and definitely dangerous to know. Valentine Napier, Duke of Montgomery, has been haunting the Maiden Lane series as a villain--deadly, a kidnapper and a spoiler, which makes reading his own story that much more delicious. Val specializes in blackmailing the aristocracy, but his prim housekeeper, Bridget Crumb, is hiding intriguing secrets of her own and Val will uncover them. We've followed these characters through the series, and while Duke of Sin is a standalone novel, it's best enjoyed in conjunction with the other books. Characters weave in and out, and motivations become clearer. I enjoyed this book immensely, as I have all of the Maiden Lane novels, and I look forward to the next one. View all my reviews

The Program by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a new hero--Postal Inspector Owen B. Rutherford! Sure, he's no matinee idol, but when it comes to protecting our mail, he's the man! Dang, I had no idea what postal inspectors do for us. They're clearly the unsung heroes of the federal system. However, he's not the hero of The Program . Tim Rackley is back, with a shot at redeeming himself with the U.S. Marshal's program. This time it's undercover infiltrating a cult, and it's spooky how the cults suck people in. You can read this and understand how it could happen to almost anyone. Tim's got to walk a tightrope of staying in character while looking for ways to crack the cult open, but The Teacher, the leader, is very good at covering his tracks with legalities. It's a snappy read, and once again people who you don't expect to have much depth surprise you. I'm becoming a real fan of Hurwitz's work, and I intend to read more th...

Navy Maverick: Uriah Philips Levy by Donovan Fitzpatrick My rating: 3 of 5 stars I was doing some research and Commodore Levy's name popped up. I knew the general outlines of his story and as a youngster and adult read Juvenile biographies, but this was, naturally, far more comprehensive. Levy was a fascinating character, and his legacy of fighting anti-Semitism in the US Navy, ending flogging, and saving Monticello lives on. I would have rated it higher, but I didn't find it as engrossing as other biographies I've read. It wasn't the subject matter but the writing I fault. However, the book is a valuable addition for any writer dealing with naval matters during the early 19th c. View all my reviews

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson My rating: 4 of 5 stars I wanted to give this book five stars, but it didn't capture me the same way Major Pettigrew did. However, it's a moving, thoughtful novel about the beginning of World War I, the War to End All Wars. What the war ended was a generation of young men in Britain and Europe, along with a sizable contingent of ANZAC troops, and at the end, Americans. People went into the war in England blithely thinking it would be a short conflict, and no one could imagine the carnage by war's end. Simonson captures the joys and frustrations--mostly the latter--of small town English life as we see the conflict mostly unfold from the village of Rye. The petty squabbles, the backbiting and gossip and judging others, it's all on display. But there are also moments of beauty and joy, and good people doing the right thing. While Simonson's fans may feel a slight disappointment, The Summer Before the War is a book that d...

"...It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." --President Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address (November, 1863) The words still ring true and carry a deep meaning to all Americans. Today is Memorial Day, when we recall our honored dead and celebrate the freedoms we enjoy because of their sacrifice. I'll spend the day relaxing, taking a walk in the sunshine, going to the movies. But each time I see the flag flying outside my...

Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben My rating: 4 of 5 stars Without bragging (too much), I'm generally good at figuring out whodunnit. Not this time. Fool Me Once is a twisting, turning, roller-coaster ride of a book with characters who can't be trusted, long-hidden family secrets, and an obsessed military veteran who will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. I enjoyed it immensely, and I look forward to reading Coben's next novel. View all my reviews

Once Upon A Dream by Mary Balogh My rating: 4 of 5 stars I liked Eleanor Thompson in Slightly Dangerous , Wulfric's story in the Bedwyn Saga. She seemed sensible, but destined for spinsterhood. However, even confirmed single ladies may find they want someone to put a ring on it, when they meet the right someone. Eleanor meets that someone, a widower with two small children, one of whom schemes to marry her father off to Miss Thompson. This is one of Balogh's trademark gentle stories of good people finding their HEA. No pirates, no spies, no superheated drama, just people who don't want to be alone for the rest of their lives, especially when they meet the person who disturbs their thoughts and dreams. I'm glad we had this little addition to the Bedwyn Saga. It was like an after dinner mint, refreshing, and just the right size. View all my reviews

The Cold Between by Elizabeth Bonesteel My rating: 4 of 5 stars "Who run the world? Girls!" That truism is wonderfully apparent in the first Central Corps novel, The Cold Between . It's the women who propel action forward, saving the day, doing the tough jobs in engineering, command and security. Heck, the male protagonist is a pastry chef! Of course, that's not all Treiko Zajec is, and after what was supposed to be a one-night-stand, Commander Elena Shaw is drawn into his orbit as the two of them work together to uncover a mystery involving the murder of Elena's former lover. This is not a romance, but a science fiction with strong romantic elements, and it's a delightful throwback to the kind of hard SF we don't see enough of these days. I'm looking forward to more Central Corps novels, and seeing these characters in the spaceways again. View all my reviews