Darlene's Digest

Head On by John Scalzi My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is the second Lock In novel I've read and I enjoyed it immensely. The combination of police procedural and near-future SF worked very well, and the snappy dialogue and sharp writing made it all a great weekend read. In Lock In we were introduced to the Hadens. Victims of an illness that leaves them fully conscious yet "locked in", unable to move independently, technology has offered a solution of sorts with the Threeps, mechanical bots the Hadens can rent or own and transfer their consciousness into the machine. Chris Shane (and we still don't know Chris' gender...which is fabulous!) is partnered with the non-Haden but delightfully snarky Leslie Vann in the Haden Affairs division of the FBI. They're investigating the death of an athlete during a Hilketa match, a violent game only played by mechanically outfitted Hadens. As Hadens lose some of their federal benefits and prot...

When I was a child, #MemorialDay meant the start of summer. Now I'm an adult and it means so much more to me because I know people who died in service to our country, fighting to protect our nation. Take a moment this holiday to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day. Remember that the freedoms we enjoy this weekend, and all year long, to swim, to gather, to have outdoor concerts, to hike in the national parks, came at a cost. At the start of summer we should always recall those who gave their lives, the "last full measure of devotion" to keep us free.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate My rating: 4 of 5 stars Our library has a program called "Sizzlers" where they take selected bestsellers and put them at the front of the circulation desk. They have a short check-out period and the idea is you can get lucky if you've been on a waiting list, or see a book you heard about. It was the latter for me. I've seen this one on the bestseller lists for a while, as well as bookclub lists and was intrigued. Once I started reading this tale of a family torn apart--based on real events--I couldn't take my eyes away. In the early 20th century, babies, toddlers and young children were stolen from their families in the South and resold through adoption scams. It only worked because the families they were taken from were poor, uneducated, and fighting well-bribed officials. The novel is wrenching in its depiction of child abuse and the horrors of a criminal syndicate of kidnapping and murder ...

Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is one of those classics I've always meant to read, and finally did. It's no wonder it's been around for 200 years and is still enjoyed. Some early 19th c. novels suffer from too much exposition and not enough action, but Frankenstein delivers a philosophical polemic on what it means to be human and the dangers of science divorced from ethics, with a healthy dose of horror and gore. Mary Shelley deserves the title Mother of Science Fiction. View all my reviews

The Writers Alliance of Gainesville was featured on the Ilene Silverman show, a local production that's also available on YouTube. My segment begins at 9:20, and I was darned glad I'd gotten a haircut earlier that day. Also glad I didn't have spinach in my teeth. Anyway, check it out and discover what the North Central Florida writing community is up to these days.

Someone to Care by Mary Balogh My rating: 5 of 5 stars *Le sigh* There is no feeling quite the same as closing a book and realizing there's a happy smile on your face because you enjoyed it so much, but hated to see it end. We need a word for it. Mary Balogh is always one of my favorite authors, but with this fourth Westcott tale she brought me catnip: Older protagonists, second chance at love, adults with real adult problems who deal with these problems as adults do, Regency era, and interesting secondary characters. Viola Kingsley was once known as Lady Westcott, Countess of Riverdale, until she learned her lying, dead scum of a supposed spouse was already married (See Westcott #1, Someone to Love ). Now plain Miss Kingsley with three illegitimate children, and grandchildren, Viola has been trying to hold it together and rebuild her life. She thinks she's doing OK until a man from her past--Marcel Lamarr, Marquess of Dorchester--sees her al...

The Midnight Line by Lee Child My rating: 4 of 5 stars A classic Reacher tale, which is always a treat. There's not much more to say by Book #22. Either you're a Reacher fan, or you're not. If you've never experienced the Jack Reacher books (and for the love of heaven, please don't think those Tom Cruise films give you the full story!!!) start with book 1 and work your way through them. View all my reviews

Lady Of The Glen: A Novel of 17Th-Century Scotland and the Massacre of Glencoe by Jennifer Roberson My rating: 4 of 5 stars A "Romeo and Juliet" style telling of the events leading to the massacre at Glencoe at the end of the 17th century. It's of particular interest to readers who want to know more about the Jacobite Rebellion and events that led up to the defeat at Culloden. I read this when it was first published, and the re-read was in anticipation of a trip to the Highlands this summer, including a trek to Glencoe. Roberson does an excellent job of bringing the land and its inhabitants to life. View all my reviews

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin My rating: 5 of 5 stars If you like tv shows like Scrubs, Grey's Anatomy , or go all the way back to M.A.S.H and St. Elsewhere , you'll enjoy this debut novel. I happen to be quite fond of medical fiction that displays lots of (literal) blood and guts and involves flawed characters with moments of brilliance. This is a novel about 21st c. women juggling careers and family, about friendship, and ultimately, about betrayal and redemption. Zadie and Emma are BFF's with successful careers: Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. They've survived together, weathering tragedy and love affairs, but now a secret from their past threatens to upend their world. There was so much I loved about this book! The brilliant cover, toddler Delaney's dialogue (I hope it's based on a real child and that she never loses her magical conversation quirks), the husbands, and most of all, t...

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn My rating: 5 of 5 stars I luuuuuurve Veronica Speedwell! Unabashedly sexual, going boldly where few Englishwomen dared, the equal of her enigmatic partner, she's the Victorian heroine I didn't know I needed! This third book is delightful with its Egyptian artifacts skulduggery, interesting characters and a glimpse at Stoker's troubled past. I loved it and I look forward to more Veronica in my reading future. I do recommend readers start with the first book and read them in sequence to get the full appreciation for Miss Speedwell and her no-holds-barred life. View all my reviews

Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh My rating: 4 of 5 stars It was a refreshing change to read about a blue-collar hero and a rich heroine (even though she supports herself as a teacher), but what I really appreciated about this book was how well drawn the secondary characters were. Each person who appeared on the page seemed very real and not just a plot device, from the BFF to the siblings of the H&H. The New Zealand setting was also a nice change for a North American romance reader, confirming my desire to see the hunky Kiwis in their native habitat in my future travels.[g] View all my reviews

The Sins of Lord Lockwood by Meredith Duran My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of the best historicals I've read this year. We were introduced to Lord Lockwood in Duran's debut novel and readers wanted to know his backstory. Why was he so mysterious? Why was he estranged from his wife? We get the story here and it takes a strong stomach to read the details of Liam's missing four years. What I loved about this book was the deep characterization. The motivations and goals were shaped by trauma and very real issues, not lame big misunderstandings. The resolution of dealing with the villain was especially elegant in its complexity and execution. Ms. Duran has been an autobuy for me from her first novel, and she brings her characters full circle with this latest effort. Her loyal readers will not be disappointed. View all my reviews

His Convenient Marchioness by Elizabeth Rolls My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoyed it. It was the kind of solid Regency I don't read enough these days, and I appreciated the older protagonists acting like the grown-ups they were. I especially enjoyed their being in love with their first spouses. This kind of "second chance at love" tale is harder to write than one where the protagonists have never been in love before and the author did a great job. There wasn't a lot of drama over big misunderstandings that could have been settled with one conversation, their self-doubts rang true and the problems were very real. Some of the secondary characters seemed just a touch over the top, but in general I not only was quite satisfied with this book, but I'm going to look for more in this series. View all my reviews

This Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong My rating: 4 of 5 stars The latest Casey Duncan novel hits the ground running and doesn't let up. In fact, I highly recommend picking up the other two novels first, as this would be difficult to read as a stand-alone without knowing the characters. Life in the off-the-grid community of Rockton is becoming more and more difficult to maintain. Casey's a good cop with good instincts as a detective, but she's still answerable to the powerful Committee that dictates who is sent to the wilderness town. Now she has a suspected serial killer on her hands and plenty of push-back from the Rockton residents. It was a fast paced page turner of a read, but I found myself struggling to remember details about some of the characters introduced in previous work. That's no an indictment of the author, more a reflection on my poor memory skills, but it still kept the reading experience to be five star. V...

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was my pick on an overwhelmingly busy holiday weekend and it was exactly the getaway-between-covers I needed. A "meet cute" romance with two engaging characters with interesting lives, lots of food-love, great BFFs and some real-world issues for an interracial romance. Alexa and Drew seem made for each other in so many ways, though neither of them can see it initially. They're high-powered people with intense careers engaging in a long distance romance (with a lot of flight time.) I enjoyed them very much, and I liked that the author didn't shy away from Alexa reminding Drew to check his privilege. The only thing that kept if from five stars was the lack of communication. There wasn't a clear reason why Drew couldn't seem to maintain a long term relationship and both of them danced around their relationship issues too much for my taste. But the ending was sati...

The manatee swam closer and bumped up against the boat, threatening to swamp it. Julia held on to the sides and rocked with the boat, but the manatee was not put off by the collision, and instead swam back a few feet and watched her placidly, looking for all the world like, well, like a large wet cow blocking her path. “Shoo, shoo.” Julia took off her bonnet and waved it at the creature. The manatee must have considered it an invitation, for it swam back to her and before she realized such a monster could move so quickly, snatched the bonnet out of her hand. Soon the calico was being chewed alongside the greens, a colorful sea salad. “Aaargh! Go away, you beast!” “Now, that’s not a polite way to say good morning, darlin’.” --Smuggler's Bride Today is #ManateeAppreciationDay , though I like to think in Florida we appreciate our official state mammal every day. Manatees are gentle creatures, a valuable part of our ecosystem. Sadly, their biggest threat is from humans, espec...

Hellbent by Gregg Hurwitz My rating: 5 of 5 stars Another non-stop roller coaster ride featuring "The Nowhere Man", Evan Smoak, and his unique still set. Part Batman, part Jason Bourne, Smoak dropped out of the blackest of black ops agencies and left behind his Orphan X identity. Now he helps people in desperate need when the call on The Nowhere Man. But the Orphan Program isn't done with Evan, and he's pulled back in when his mentor leaves him a mysterious package to protect. Orphan X has become my new favorite suspense series and I love how Evan tries to interact with regular people in the normal world, with limited success. When it comes to stopping the bad guys though, there's no one who can compare with The Nowhere Man. View all my reviews

The Infernal Battalion by Django Wexler My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Shadow Campaigns comes to a satisfying conclusion with The Infernal Battalion as the battlefield is filled with existential forces of good and evil for the soul of humankind. Secrets are learned, friends are lost, some old friends reappear--all the elements that make for a rousing good story. If readers are looking for a fantasy based on the Napoleonic wars rather than the overdone medieval milieu they'll enjoy The Shadow Campaigns . The world-building is satisfying and the battle scenes are mapped out so well you can practically see them from overhead. Highly recommended for fans of military fantasy. View all my reviews

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas My rating: 5 of 5 stars Lisa Kleypas is one of my autobuy authors for historicals, and I enjoyed her contemporary romances as well. Ever since her debut she's been releasing well-researched, satisfying stories and with Hello, Stranger she continues to hit the mark. I especially enjoyed the blood-and-guts aspects of the heroine, Dr. Garrett Gibson, performing surgeries. Kleypas' extensive research into Victorian medicine was fascinating. I look forward to the next Ravenel novel and all future stories by Ms. Kleypas. View all my reviews

Dr. Murray rose and reached up to the railed bookshelf attached to the bulkhead over his desk, his hand resting on a thick volume. “Take this with you, Miss Alcott. Study it. You will find it useful.” It was a worn copy of John Woodall’s The Surgeon’s Mate , and Charley took it, clasping it tight to her bound bosom. “I have heard of this book but my father did not have a copy. Thank you so much, Dr. Murray!” He looked at her steadily. “I am not gifting you with this volume to make you happy, Miss Alcott. I am hopeful that the solid medical advice and common sense for treating men at sea will keep the numbers you kill to a minimum.” -- Sea Change I spent a day of research and fun in New York City recently thanks to my darling son, who knows his mother very well. Instead of doing the usual tourist things (been there, done that, got the Statue of Liberty hat) he arranged a visit to the library of the  New York Academy of Medicine. The NYAM is an amazing facility and ...