I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
A Lady in the Smoke is a Victorian mystery written by Karen Odden. As the story begins, Lady Elizabeth Fraser is traveling to her family’s estate with her mother when their train crashes. Lady Elizabeth and her mother receive minor injuries, and spend some time recuperating at a local hotel. She becomes acquainted with Paul Wilcox, a surgeon who specializes in railway accidents. Read more
I love young adult books, and I love books set in the Victorian era. Coleen Gleason’s Stoker & Holmes series combines both of these elements, and adds a partnership between Bram Stoker’s sister and Sherlock Holmes’ niece. I have recently finished listening to The Spiritglass Charade, which is the second book in the series.
Mina Holmes and Evaline Stoker have already solved one mystery, but they are asked by Princess Alix for assistance with a rather delicate matter. A young aristocratic woman has been increasingly involved with spiritualism following the death of her mother and the disappearance of her brother. The princess fears that Miss Aston is being taken advantage of, because mediums are believed to be charlatans who take advantage of mourners. But of course, nothing is as is seems, and the two young women find the case to be far more complicated than it appears. Throw in evidence of vampires, and you’ve got an intriguing case that Mina and Evaline are determined to solve! Read more
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have always loved books set in 19th century England, so I was very excited to read These Vicious Masks. This young adult novel is a collaboration between debut authors Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas.
Evelyn Wyndham is a bright and lively young woman. One evening, she attends a party at a neighboring estate with her family. On the way, they see something quite extraordinary, and then at the party, they are introduced to their host’s brooding nephew Sebastian. The next morning, Evelyn’s sister Rose is missing from her bedroom. It appears that she left in a hurry, and perhaps under duress. Read more
I first found out about Rebel Mechanics on Goodreads, and I made a request through the library network. It was available in a digital edition, which was just great- three cheers for instant gratification!
Rebel Mechanics is a YA novel written by Shanna Swendson. This is a work of historical fiction, and takes place in an alternate New York City in 1888. In this world, America did not win the Revolutionary War, and is still a British colony. The aristocracy -magisters- use magic, which is forbidden to everyone else. The working classes are developing illegal mechanical devices to overthrow the colonial government. Read more
I bought the Kindle edition of Library of Souls on release day back in September, but I had a backlog of books to review. I had the opportunity to purchase the Audible edition at a discount because I already owned the Kindle edition. I didn’t have anything to listen to in the car/house, so Library of Souls moved to the top of the queue.
Library of Souls is the third novel in Ransom Riggs’ Mrs. Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series. The books do need to be read in order, so if you have not read the first two books, please be aware that this review might contain spoilers for the first two books. Read more
I found The Secret Rooms on Amazon when I was looking up books about the late Victorian/Edwardian era. From there, I looked it up on the library network. I was pleased to discover that there was a copy at my town library; I didn’t even have to make a request and wait for it to be sent!
The Secret Rooms was written by Catherine Bailey, and is subtitled “A True Story Of A Haunted Castle, A Plotting Duchess, & A Family Secret”. Belvoir Castle is the centerpiece of what was once one of the largest estates in England. Catherine Bailey finds herself visiting Belvoir as part of her research for a book about the Great War. While combing through the correspondence, she finds that there are three gaps. The 9th Duke had devoted his life to meticulous record keeping. In fact, the 9th Duke passed away in one of the rooms designated as the archives, and after his death, the rooms were closed for almost seventy years. The only conclusion is that the gaps are intentional, but what could the 9th Duke have been trying to hide? Read more
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading Gregory Funaro’s Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read the sequel- Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum. Before I begin, I’d like to mention that you should really read the first book in the series before reading Aquaticum. Funaro does an excellent job with exposition at the beginning of the book, so the savvy reader can glean the basics of what happened in Odditorium. But the plot twists and big revelations in Aquaticum are so much more meaningful if you have read Odditorium. Read more
The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior was an impulse purchase. I have some of author Jennifer McQuiston’s other books on my Kindle, but I haven’t had a chance to read them yet. I also enjoy following her on Facebook. I was at the grocery store- of all places- when I spied The Spinster’s Guide to Scandalous Behavior on an endcap with some other new release books. Well, much to my surprise, the book just hopped right into the cart!
This is the second entry in the Seduction Diaries series, and features Lucy, the younger sister of the protagonist from Diary of an Accidental Wallflower. As the story begins in 1853, Lucy receives her late Aunt E’s diary. But wait, there’s more- she also receives the key to Aunt E’s home. Lucy’s first season is approaching, and she wants no part of the endless social obligations. She sees the cottage as an opportunity to live the life that she wants to live; one that does not revolve around finding a husband with a title.
Lord Thomas Branston is prepared to buy the cottage from Lucy. Her father assures Thomas that there will not be any problems, and that there will be a quick and uncomplicated sale. There’s one unexpected catch: Lucy was not consulted about this, and insists on seeing the house for herself before agreeing to sell it. Read more
Behind the Shattered Glass was my first experience with Tasha Alexander’s delightful Lady Emily mystery series, so when I received the opportunity to read The Adventuress, Lady Emily’s newest adventure, I was very excited because I love stories set in the Victorian era, and I love mysteries.
In The Adventuress, Lady Emily and her husband Colin find themselves on the Cote D’Azure as the guests of the Wells family, whose daughter is engaged to Emily’s childhood friend the Duke of Bainbridge. As the story begins, the celebration is disrupted by the discovery of a body; a member of the party has been found dead. His death is ruled a suicide, but Lady Emily is suspicious of this; why would a chap who seemed generally happy with life choose to kill himself in his friend the duke’s room? Read more
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My town library has a section of books for sale for $1 apiece. On a recent trip, I saw four- that’s right- FOUR Deanna Raybourn books on the shelf. Her Lady Julia mysteries had been on my radar, so I was very excited to find four them in like-new condition. I have a rather large to-read pile, and before I had a chance to read them, I received an opportunity to read an advanced copy of Raybourn’s newest book, A Curious Beginning.
I was ridiculously excited about this, and I absolutely devoured the book. A Curious Beginning introduces us to Veronica Speedwell. As the story begins, Veronica is burying her last remaining guardian. This sets off a chain of events including but not limited to: a ransacked cottage, an attempted abduction, a rescue by an German baron who claimed to know her mother, and her introduction a gentleman named Stoker. When the baron is found murdered, Veronica and Stoker must flee before they are implicated for the crime. Read more
"You Have Your Hands Full!" 