The Boxing Baroness

     

The Boxing Baroness
By  Minerva Spencer

ISBN: 9781496738097
384 Pages
Available in Paperback, Audio CD, Audible Audiobook, and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: Semi-Graphic Death, One brief attempted Suicide mention

Synopsis:

Of questionable birth, but made for greatness, the Regency-era heroines in Minerva Spencer’s thrilling new historical romance series possess both clever minds and unusual skills that enable them to go head-to-head—and heart to heart—with the best of men, including those of the ton . . .

Magnetic and educated, Marianne Simpson has the manner of a lady and the looks of a lover, not a fighter. Neither of which explains her occupation as a boxer in her uncle’s circus, Farnham’s Fantastical Female Fayre. Nonetheless, when St. John Powell, the exquisitely handsome Duke of Staunton, begins turning up at her shows, she finds herself dangerously distracted by the powerful peer’s mysterious presence. With her safety at stake, Marianne’s days in the ring are numbered. But how long can she fight her attraction to the man the ton calls Lord Flawless?

St. John Powell doesn’t just want Marianne Simpson, he needs her … to rescue his brother, who is being held for ransom by a treasonous English baron—the man all of Britain knows as the Rake of Rakes. No matter how little Marianne wants to see her duplicitous ex-lover, the man responsible for the humiliating nickname the Boxing Baroness, St. John must convince her. Even if it means climbing into the ring with the beautiful boxer and taking everything she’s got . . .

My Thoughts:

The Boxing Baroness is mainly the story about a young woman, Marianne Simpson, who lost her mother at a young age and was raised by her uncle at his circus. As she neared adulthood, she was trained as a boxer and became one of the circus' acts. She is known by the moniker the "Boxing Baroness" due to an ugly incident in the past that severely tarnished her reputation, where she had been tricked into marrying her lover Baron Strickland, believing the marriage to be legitimate until it was discovered that he had already secretly married another a year before her nuptials. She returned to the circus and went on with her life. Then one day after her fight, she was introduced to the Duke of Staunton, who had recently been coming to see her act. The duke sought her out because he had received a letter from Baron Strickland, who had been reported deceased in a fire a year prior. The letter offered information on his own missing brother, who had been assumed killed during a military operation. The apparently undead (but not in the supernatural way) baron demanded that Staunton bring Marianne to him in France if the duke wanted to save his brother. After much coercion and a bit of manipulation, Staunton convinces Marianne to accompany him to France to meet with the baron.

What follows is a story of romance, mystery, and suspense - with several parts well etched into history. Shortly after the protagonists arrive on the continent, Napoleon escapes his exile from Elba and marches on Paris. So mixed in with the unfolding series of storylines about the resurrected baron, Marianne's complex background, and her growing relationship with the Duke of Staunton, is a peek at what life was like for the French during that chaotic 100 days of war. This was very interesting to me, as a former study of both French and History. I don't often see historical fiction books set in this time period, and never have I read one that delved so much into Napoleon's legacy and his relationships.

The Boxing Baroness has plenty of twists and turns and isn't too predictable to be engaging, unlike many "mystery" books that I read. Yes, I was able to figure out some of the big reveals long before they happened, but other parts did surprise me a bit. Within the narration the author's scenic descriptions paint a detailed picture of several different settings, such as the circus, a dreary castle, and many different views of the French country. At its core, this book is a romance novel, and there are many "steamy" bits that are definitely NSFW,  but there is so much else going on in the pages that it doesn't feel cliché.

Marianne and Staunton are both well crafted characters, with interesting backgrounds and moments of growth. In addition to the lead roles, The Boxing Baroness features a colorful selection of side characters that are equally appealing. The friends present on their trek to the continent are funny and likable. I particularly liked Cecile, who it turns out is the protagonist in The Dueling Duchess, the second book in this series - so brb while I add that to my reading list. Even the "villain-type" characters are depicted well, in such a way to have reasonable motivations yet still be appropriately bad. According to the author, some of the characters are based on actual historical figures - though other than for Napoleon and the other members of the royalty mentioned, I would call the connections tenuous at best. For example, there was a woman known as the "Boxing Baroness" around this time period, however her actual name was different, she had no known connection to anything having to do with either boxing or a barony (though she was mistress of an Earl for a bit), and her story ended quite differently.

I opted to read The Boxing Baroness in both a physical (e-book) and audiobook formats. Which meant reading the e-book quietly at night, listening to the audio while driving in the car, and at some points following along in the book WHILE listening to the audio. I have read a lot more books via audio recently and I have to say this - the audio narration done by Clare Staniforth is superb. Her voice is clear, the accents used are well placed, and the pacing is perfect. For many audiobooks, I have to speed up the timing a little to make them easier to listen to, but that was not needed with this one.

In conclusion, if you like reading steamy romance with a good mystery included, I would absolutely recommend The Boxing Baroness. If I'm being honest, I can't remember what put this book on my radar. I think it might have been one of the suggestions on the NYPL summer reading list, or a "related title" suggestion on another book I read. But, whatever it was, I am glad that it was suggested to me, because this was a very enjoyable read.

Parent's Guide:

This is not a book for kids. There is quite a bit of violence and sexual content.

The Dish Dog

     

The Dish Dog

By  Peter Davidson

ISBN: 9798351893662
324 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

Someone is operating the largest stock market insider trading scheme in the history of the United States, that is making millions of dollars in illegal profits. Whoever it is has access to secret information about numerous major corporations before the information is made available to the general public. Perhaps it is a nationally-known radio or TV host of a financial program, a financial journalist, or maybe even a Pulitzer Prize winner.

The perpetrator of the insider trading scheme has hidden their identity and covered their tracks through layers of elusive actions that all seem to lead nowhere. But, the perpetrator may not have planned on a brilliant FBI forensic accountant, Dr. Kimberly King, doggedly leading the investigation to uncover their identity and to put them out of business.

My Thoughts:

The Dish Dog is a whirlwind tale told from a few different perspectives. It opens with a thirty-something busboy, Harley Ross, receiving a letter from the mysterious "Emerald Investment Strategies" with a hot tip on a stock to buy to make loads of money. These missives come sporadically and nobody knows who is behind the elusive investment newsletter, but they always pay out. Another narrator is the secretive stock tip sender. However the highlight character of this book is Dr. Kimberly King, known as K.K. to her peers. K.K. is a forensic accountant for the FBI, and has been tasked with investigating this case of potential insider trading and market manipulation. 

And so we get to follow K.K. on her first major investigation, as she follows leads to try to suss out who exactly is behind Emerald Investment Strategies. She has to struggle to get information from participants like Harley, who are reminded with every newsletter that "loose lips sink ships." At the same time, we get to learn more about the EIS prodigy, including how they have operated for so long without being caught, and why they are doing what they do. The adversaries travel around the country (sometimes further) trying to stay ahead of each other and intrigue abounds. Will K.K. crack the case and become a successful forensic accountant? Will EIS get their happily every after? Will Harley be stuck as a busboy forever?

When I started reading The Dish Dog, I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to feel about it. First of all, the setting and topic was something that I am mostly unfamiliar with. I've traded penny/partial stocks here and there, but pretty much everything I learned about the stock market was from playing Wall Street Kid on the Nintendo as a youth.  That's actually the first video game I ever beat, which probably says a lot about how boring I was as a child. But I digress. As expected of a book focused on the stock market and financial crime, there were a lot of numbers. And I mean a LOT. At some points, my dyslexic brain had to take a pause, or re-read a portion multiple times.

Another reason I was unsure about this book is that while I have read other books that I would consider light thrillers and enjoyed them, mystery and thriller are not my go-to genres. Mostly because I always figure out the twist or surprise reveal before it happens. (And indeed I did.) So the non-favored genre choice combined with the unfamiliar setting - not to mention the abundance of numbers - could have been a recipe for disaster. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised. It did not take too long for the story to pull me in and it kept me invested - pun intended. ^.^

Overall, The Dish Dog was an enjoyable read. Despite figuring out the reveal before it happened, the story that gets you to that point was entertaining, and the characters were mostly likable. (I'm still on the fence about the dentist...)

The Dish Dog was released on January 30, 2023 and is available at Amazon. I received a complimentary copy from the author Peter Davidson in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Parent's Guide:

This book is complex, but the story is interesting. There isn't any real questionable violence, or any adult themes that would be seen as controversial - other than in the crime sense - but it is a mature topic. The setting could be seen as real world relatable for much older kids, especially those interested in finance or criminal investigation. I would consider this book as upper teen friendly in complexity and entertainment value.

The Anatomy of Ghosts

    

The Anatomy of Ghosts
By  Andrew Taylor

ISBN: 9781401302870
412 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audible Audiobook, and on Kindle
Trigger Warning: Violence, Death, Suicide, SA/R, Ethnic Slurs

Synopsis:

1786, Jerusalem College, Cambridge

The ghost of Sylvia Whichcote is rumored to be haunting Jerusalem ever since student Frank Oldershaw claimed to have seen the dead woman prowling the grounds and was locked up because of his violent reaction to these disturbed visions.

Desperate to salvage her son's reputation, Lady Anne Oldershaw employs John Holdsworth, author of The Anatomy of Ghosts -- a stinging account of why ghosts are mere delusion--to investigate. But his arrival in Cambridge disrupts an uneasy status quo as he glimpses a world of privilege and abuse, where the sinister Holy Ghost Club governs life at Jerusalem more effectively than the Master, Dr. Carbury, ever could.

And when Holdsworth finds himself haunted--not only by the ghost of his dead wife, Maria, but also by Elinor, the very-much-alive Master's wife--his fate is sealed. He must find Sylvia's murderer, or else the hauntings will continue. And not one of this troubled group will leave the claustrophobic confines of Jerusalem unchanged.

My Thoughts:

Anatomy of Ghosts, the book that took twelve years to read. No, seriously. This book was the first ARC that I ever won from the LibraryThing early reviewers platform when I started reviewing books in 2010. I won a physical ARC and I was so excited to read it. It came in the mail right before we left on a trip to go visit my parents for the holidays, so I brought it with me to give me something to do on the 3 and a half hour drive. Sometime during the next few days, the book disappeared. I was pretty sure that I left it in my mom's car, but she insisted that she couldn't find it. Mind you, this was before the book was even published, so I could not easily get another copy. So I shelved the review, sure that the book would resurface eventually. Time went on, my youngest ended up being way more hands on than expected, my mental health took a nosedive, I dealt with nightmare house situations, I lost my home to a hurricane flood, the covid pandemic hit - you know, life happened. The book was forgotten. Then in early 2022, I was visiting my sister and I spotted the ARC on her bookshelf. My mom found it at some point and sent it home with her assuming it was one of her books (which it obviously wasn't, but nobody in my family will turn away a free book...). I have no idea how long she had it. But I finally was able to reclaim it. At which point I attempted to read it, but gave up very fast. I was not in the same headspace that I was when I first received it, and the content was really dark. I feared that this book would become my second official DNF. But after some reflection, I refused to let that happen. So back in September, on a whim, I checked out the audiobook from my library, and FINALLY completed the read.

Now, as for the content of the book itself - the premise was interesting, but I struggled getting into it each time I attempted the read. The writing is good, but the pace starts out very slow.

The driving plot of The Anatomy of Ghosts is an attempt at personal redemption for the main character, John Holdsworth, who experiences financial struggles and then loses his wife. He is hired by Lady Anne Oldershaw, who learned of him from knowledge of his book "The Anatomy of Ghosts", to attend to her son Frank. Frank has seemingly lost his wits after seeing what he claims is the ghost of a friend's wife. Lady Anne hires Holdsworth to both counsel her son and convince him that ghosts aren't real, and also to organize her late husband's library. With nothing else going on, and no other place to go, Holdsworth accepts her offer and travels off to the fictional setting of Jerusalem College in Cambridge, to investigate the ghost matter.

What follows is a story of conspiracy, intrigue, upper class secret societies, and murder. The narration is done in such a way to create lots of suspense, and there are plenty of twists and turns - which I appreciated because I'm disappointed when books are predictable. At points, Holdsworth finds himself questioning his own reality and wondering if the ghosts are, in fact, really there. The gothic imagery used to describe the college helps to support the overall feel of the story, reinforcing the dark vibes. This works well because the events occurring within the story are also very dark, and in some instances psychologically disturbing. This book has descriptive depictions of murder, sexual assault, and other questionable content; and is not for the faint of heart. 

Despite the mystery, and the abundance of lore, the book still fell flat. None of the characters were really likable, and honestly, in this day and age with how the world is going around us, hearing more tales of rich white men abusing their power with no repercussions is just mentally exhausting.

Overall, The Anatomy of Ghosts was an interesting read, but it takes time to get into and because of the slower pace you may have to really like the genre or have a connection to the setting to maintain interest. It wasn't so bad that I wanted to abandon the read, but some days I just wasn't eager to pick it up and continue.

Parent's Guide:

This is not a book for kids. Much older teens, maybe. The content is dark and at times quite disturbing.

Séances are for Suckers

  

Séances are for Suckers (Eleanor Wilde Mystery #1)
By  Tamara Berry

ISBN: 9781496719621
304 Pages
Available in Paperback, Hardcover, Audiobook, and on Kindle

Synopsis:

When something goes bump in the night . . . it’s most likely a plumbing problem. But fake medium Eleanor Wilde is happy to investigate and cleanse your home of spectral presences—for a fee. Hey, it’s a living . . .

Ellie has an ailing sister to care for and working as a ghost hunter who doesn’t believe in ghosts helps cover the bills. When she’s lucky, it also pays for the occasional tropical vacation. On her latest job, though, she may be in for some genuine scares.

The skeptical, reserved, and very rich Nicholas Hartford III has flown her all the way to his family’s ancestral estate in England—supposedly haunted by a phantom named Xavier. Nicholas thinks it’s all just as much a crock as Ellie’s business is, but his mother is sure that Xavier is real, and he’s willing to employ Ellie if she can put a stop to the nonsense. But when an actual dead body appears—and subsequently disappears—at Castle Hartford, she’ll have to apply her talent for trickery and psychological insight to solve a flesh-and-blood murder.

My Thoughts:

The premise behind Séances are for Suckers was really interesting to me. The main character Ellie is a "medium for hire", except she is not really a medium. In fact, she wholly disbelieves in all things supernatural. Instead she solves her clients' problems with logic and practicality, plus a lot of smoke and mirrors. This allows for some good bits of humor. And several jabs at spirit workers. Not in a super hurtful way as much as a sarcastic way, but they are there.

Ellie is very likable and you feel for her situation with her siblings. It's rather sad what she is going through with her sister, and the end - while expected - is heartbreaking. But in a way it's also uplifting. Nicholas is also fairly likeable, despite his dour attitude and his severity. The interactions between the two add a more profound degree of depth and personality to the characters. The relationship between Ellie and Nicholas starts of as one of mutual distrust, but as it develops, it turns into something thoroughly entertaining, and by the end they are quite a pair. I did find the slightly intimate exchanges odd at first, but mostly because it felt like at the beginning of the story they were setting Ellie up to be interested in Thomas.

It seemed to be that Séances are for Suckers started out kind of slow. There were a couple of laughable scenes at the beginning, but still I found it hard to get truly interested until about one third of the way into the book. But by the halfway point, the action had picked up and I was completely drawn in. The first half took me a week to read, where the second half took a few hours. I didn't want to put it down. Like, really - I was almost late for work because my alarm went off right as I was about to start Chapter 24 and chapter 23 ended very much as a cliffhanger so I did not want to stop reading.

I was extremely pleased to find that the story was not super predictable. Typically, I figure out the "solution" to the mystery pretty early on, but Séances are for Suckers had me guessing for quite a while. In the end I was half right about the culprit, but completely off about the motive. I appreciate any book that can stump or surprise me and this one definitely did. And honestly? I was relieved. I would have been really sad if it had turned out that the main villain was who I had initially suspected.

Overall, I quite enjoyed reading this book. Once you get past the lull at the beginning, it is an engaging read and it keeps you guessing up till the end. Once I clear a little more of my reading list, I absolutely plan to get the next book in this series so I can find what is in store for Ellie after everything that happened in Séances are for Suckers.

Parent's Guide:

Séances are for Suckers certainly has some dark parts. There is a LOT of death and macabre things in this book. Mystery and thriller loving older teens may enjoy it, but it is absolutely not for the weak of heart or stomach and has imagery that probably isn't the best for the younger crowd.

My Dad Is a Russian Spy

 

My Dad Is a Russian Spy
By Candy Berg, Illustrated by Isabela Flores de Moura

ISBN: 9781614339304
33 Pages
Available in Paperback and on KindleKindle

Synopsis:

A young girl decides her dad is a Russian spy. Follow the clues to see if you come to the same conclusion!

Breakout author Candy Berg has something for kids and parents alike in My Dad Is a Russian Spy.

Enjoy your family reading time and practice some spycraft yourself with every re-read.

My Thoughts:

My Dad Is a Russian Spy is a charming little kids book that follows a little girl who believes that her dad may be more than what he appears to be. To be specific, she suspects that he is, in fact, a Russian spy. The story is clever and will definitely speak to kids who love mystery, as it plays up to the concept of kids with overactive imaginations and the childlike love for discovering things and having adventures.

According to the information provided by the publisher, My Dad Is a Russian Spy is targeted at kids between the ages of 5 and 14. I feel like, for all ages in that window, there are some things that work and others that do not. For a pre-teen or young teen who reads on level, this book seems like it would be too simplistic. It would be an easy silly read, but at 184 words in the entire story, the word count is really low for an age group that should be reading chapter books. For a younger child, say 5-8, the word count is okay, but some of the words and concepts are probably significantly beyond comprehension. I understand adding new words to vocabulary, but words like "surveillance" and "interrogation" are a bit advanced for young readers and would require explanation. A parent could be reading rather than the child, but sill, would the child understand? Some of the phrases used fit into that category as well, like mention of a "safe house" or a "sleeper agent". There are adults who couldn't even tell you what a "dead drop" is. Does that phrase really belong in a book designed for a 5 year old?

Let's talk art. Because the truth is that the art can make or break a kids' book. The art in this book is done in a lovely watercolor. It is vibrant and very intricate, while at the same time not overwhelming in detail. The full page illustrations are definitely appealing to the eyes and would draw in the reader.

The accompanying text is a simple bold type Serif font. Honestly, I wish that more writers and publishers would get in the habit of using San Serif style fonts, as they are easier for those of us with dyslexia to follow. (And yes, I understand the irony that most of my blog is in a Serif font. For the longest time I could not figure out how to change the font without going into html coding. Now that I know how, I am working on it, but it has to be done post by post and I am doing it slowly as I have free time.) I will say, the font used has decent kerning (spacing) and is a decent size, so it was easy to read on my computer screen. I cannot speak for the Kindle format because the ARC did not load correctly in my Kindle app - the words did not appear in the pages where they should have.

My overall takeaway is that My Dad Is a Russian Spy is a cute book with a lot of potential for kids who love mystery, but it could have used a bit more polish to make sure that it was age appropriate in concepts and vocabulary.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of My Dad Is a Russian Spy from Entrada Publishing in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Parent's Guide:

My Dad Is a Russian Spy is by definition a children's book, but I stand by what I say above. I feel like the pictures would be appealing, but the ideas would go over the heads of the youngest and it would be too easy of a read for the older. Perhaps it would sit best with those around 7-8, but with most kids past that point, you may run the risk of them seeing it as a "baby book".

A Secret Scottish Escape

 

A Secret Scottish Escape
By  Julie Shackman

ISBN: 9780008455774
340 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Synopsis:

When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery…

When Layla’s fiancée has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.

Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…

My Thoughts:

If you like soap opera level drama and the kind of chaos that you get by watching things like Maury, then A Secret Scottish Escape is probably made for you. The book opens in a depressing fashion and includes lots of trauma. Unfortunately, the pacing is way slower than it should be which makes the story hard to get into. Despite being important enough of a plot device to be mentioned in the synopsis, the Mask character was not introduced until the book was over halfway done. (There is such a thing as TOO much exposition.) Yet somehow, the ending felt rushed. The pace of the latter portion of the story was okay, but it was not consistent with the first 2/3 of the book so it felt wrong. For example, the kiss was random and forced.  I mean the girl who second guesses everything else she does in the book thought he could be a potential murderer earlier that same day and as soon as the issue was cleared up she was in his arms ? The lethargic, and then erratic, pacing of this book resulted in me taking way longer to read it than a book this length usually takes. Every time I set it down, it was hard to motivate myself to pick it back up.

Another reason for this is that there is a painful overuse of adjectives. Simply put, the book is too wordy. The plot of A Secret Scottish Escape is promising, but the unnecessarily excessive adjectives are distracting. On the flip side, the story's location and setting descriptions are beautiful. You can can definitely close your eyes and see imagery of the club, and get a vibe of what the countryside looks like. But then at other times, all the words included are still not enough. Despite the overabundance of adjectives in other places, the writer chooses to describe Mask's scar multiple times, and the EXACT same way every time.

One more issue that I had was that the characters are warm at best and not overly likeable. Layla, the lead character is what can only be described as a paragon. Her family and friends have to constantly remind other characters and you, the reader, about what a good, kind girl she is. The writer has her on a pedestal in the way that a person does the lead character in self insert fanfic when the character is them and they want everyone to know how perfect they are. Well, in spite of these constant reminders of her perfection, in reality she is a nosy neighbor who whines a lot and has bad judgement.

And then you have the supporting characters, who are all just... meh. But what bugged me most about them was the valuation put on the characters. I get that in the real world not everyone is great, but for a book that looks like it is trying to be about a strong woman, it REALLY speaks negatively about women.  The book opens with Layla's fiancé dying in the arms of another woman. While the woman is vilified, Layla is merely upset with the man that betrayed her and he continues to linger in her thoughts. Her mom is labeled the as evil while the man she had an affair with is almost immediately forgiven, encouraged to rejoin the friend group, and practically welcomed into the family . And her best friend is essentially portrayed as unstable and having commitment issues. Layla defends the Mask character regardless of the fact that she does not truly knowing anything about his person even after it is suggested that he is possibly a murderer on the run. A female journalist is described in a negative manner and the source of her story (another woman) is portrayed as absolutely insane.  Even all the minor plot driving side characters that Layla is able to manipulate to do her bidding "against the rules" are women. All throughout the book the men seem above reproach while the women, lead character excepted, range from extremely flawed to the devil incarnate. Had I not known better, I wouldn't have believed that this book was written by a woman.

A Secret Scottish Escape is narrated solely from the viewpoint of the lead character Layla. I feel like it would have definitely helped this book if there had been multiple narrators to give different perspectives. But even then, I don't know how much it would have helped, as the writing style is the flaw. The pacing, the abundance of adjectives, and the "gotcha" rushed ending can all be accounted for by the fact that the writer was originally a journalist. It reads more like the work of a sensationalist writer than a novelist. Remember when I mentioned self insert fanfic? I feel like this book is definitely guilty of being a self insert novel. Layla is also a journalist, and doesn't want you to forget it. A lot of the unnecessary filler revolves around her writing, and how the glorious world of freelance writing is so fulfilling that she wouldn't give it up even if she was so financially set that it wasn't necessary. Yet despite how glorious the world of freelance writing is to her, she has no qualms with mocking and degrading a young writer who is merely trying to establish herself in the same field. Which is just another reminder of how completely un-perfect the lead character really is, and also of how the writer clearly seems to want to place her above other women. Sadly, these quirks made the book an unappealing read.

I received a complimentary copy of A Secret Scottish Escape from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions stated are mine. The book is currently available available on Amazon.

Parent's Guide:

A Secret Scottish Escape talks about sex. A lot. It also focuses a lot on death. Personally, I feel that this is an adults only book. 

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche
By  Maria Llovet

ISBN: 9781950912407
144 Pages
Available in Hardcover and Kindle/Comixology

TW: Blood, Suicide

Synopsis:

From the artist of the bestselling Faithless series...comes Eros/Psyche.

La Rosa's female boarding school is paradise for young girls...but only if you follow the rules. Because, if you disobey them, you can end up expelled, or even worse, dead.

Sara and Silje are two students learning the rules of the school, which includes classes by day...and the casting of curses and spells by night. A love develops between the two, which is tender, but threatens to break under the weight of the dark secret society within La Rosa.

My Thoughts:

The artwork in Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche is stunning. The artist is an established graphic novelist with a very distinct style that is lovely. The color palate works really well to give the story an appropriately dark feel. The story, on the other hand, is a little lacking.

The premise is very promising. Magic, mystery, secret societies. What's not to love? Except, when you get down to it, there is little of what was promised. The story has inadequate exposition to actually see many of these things beyond minor allusions. In fact, it has a shortage of dialogue at all, making it jerky and hard to follow at times.

There is mystery around the school. That is made clear from page one. But all the mystery that you see seems to revolve around new students arriving and then getting the "white uniform" and being removed, in a very Survivor "voted off the island" format.

As far as the magic? I didn't see it. The synopsis mentions casting curses and spells by night. But the only seemingly witchy reference you actually notice is that the students are always collecting different herbs. Everything else they do is mundane things like making necklaces or collecting bird eggs. 

The relationship between Sara and Silje, the two main characters, is extremely subtle. It is sweet and isn't graphic or over the top. The use of plants growing to represent different stages of their friendship and developments in the story was really interesting. 

The ending felt very "M. Night Shyamalan plot twist"-ish. That's not always a bad thing, and in this case it worked well to tie it all together and wrap it back around to page one, but it still left as many questions as it answered. Overall, despite it's flaws, it was an enjoyable read.

I received a complimentary digital ARC of Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. This graphic novel book is a collection of all 5 volumes of the comic (despite the fact that the Goodreads page has it marked as #1-#4). It is currently available for preorder and will be released on October 12, 2021.

Parent's Guide:

Maria Llovet's Eros/Psyche, while not overly complicated, is confusing and not for the faint of heart. There are scenes with blood - as well as a suicide - that make it not really child friendly. There are also several images of nudity. I would recommend this book for upper level teens who like gothic art and sapphic love stories.

Agent of Artifice

Agent of Artifice
by S. Evan Townsend

ISBN: 9781937593186
302 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle


Synopsis:

In this sequel to Hammer of Thor, the story of the adepts continues as told by Michael Vaughan. On the surface, Michael Vaughan looks like an ordinary guy - he has lots of money and loves chasing women. Appearances can be deceiving though. In reality, Michael is a rouge adept sent on a mission to assassinate Fidel and Raul Castro in Havana. Using spells, he is able to infiltrate the enemy bases but things don't go according to plan and he is caught. His talisman is stolen from him, leaving him in a weakened state, fighting for his freedom and to reclaim his life.

My Thoughts:

Agent of Artifice has an abundance of colorful Cuban imagery and historical insight. It paints a picture of life on the streets of Havana in the mid 1950s. As with Hammer of Thor, the historical images are greatly detailed, but there is a good balance of fantasy as well, so the "non-fiction" elements aren't really overbearing.

The main character is an everyday Joe, so to speak. He shows his flaws in a manner that makes him seem more human and likable. In fact, all of the characters have their own well developed personality and traits. You get a feeling for who the characters are and the interactions between them are believable.

This book is a non-stop action movie in text format. Vaughan takes you on a trek from Cuba to the US and back again, with never a dull stop along the way. There are plenty of well written battles and a ton of other action packed scenes involving poker games and character relations.

One thing that was noticeably different in this sequel was how the time line of the events was handled. In the first book in the series, everything was done in a linear fashion, while in Agent of Artifice, the story jumped around, having "flashback" moments and then coming back to the present. Often, this can be confusing, but I think it was handled well. There were very few moments where I got confused with the order of events or which characters were present in the current time and place.

Overall, I thought that this was a great story. Agent of Artifice is an exciting adventure that you will not want to put down until the end. It is a worthy sequel to Hammer of Thor, with plenty of action and intrigue to keep you on the edge of your seat. I can't wait to see what is next for this series.

I was contacted by the writer and given a free copy of Agent of Artifice in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Parent's Guide:

Agent of Artifice, like it's predecessor, is an excellent read for the older youths, like high school and college students. It is a good clean book - full of action but devoid of graphic violence and foul language. The writing is complex and younger kids would find themselves lost in the detail and historical descriptions and probably be bored easily.

Hammer of Thor

Hammer of Thor
by S. Evan Townsend

ISBN: 9781937593049
380 Pages
Available in Paperback and on Kindle


Synopsis:

The humans like to think they are in control, while really, they are manipulated and controlled by magic users who live among them, known as adepts. The adepts see the rest of humanity as below them. No government can control them and no authority can stop them. Some adepts are good, while others are evil. All are powerful. Many adepts use ancient relics called talismans to increase their power. The most powerful talisman in the world is The Hammer of Thor. When Hitler steals it from its rightful owners, the Valkyrie, an American adept called Francis Kader is reluctantly drawn into the effort to retrieve the Hammer from the Nazis. He sets out on a journey that leads him to a confrontation with Thor himself. What can this adept do to defeat an immortal god?

My Thoughts:

Hammer of Thor is a treasure of historical and cultural insight. It brings forth images of life in America and Europe during World War II. It gives intelligent and well researched descriptions of the technology that was available at that time, in a serious yet somewhat humorous manner. The historical images are greatly detailed, but there is a good balance of fantasy as well, so the "non-fiction" elements aren't really overbearing.

The characters are interesting and make you want to like them - even some of the bad guys. To be honest, I was rooting for Morgan. Each character had it's own well developed personality and traits. Often in books with as many characters as this one has, they become a blur at a point and you forget who is who beyond the main three or four. This was not the case here. Each character had enough distinct and memorable traits that it was easy to distinguish who they were when they returned after several chapters' absence.

There is a plethora of action to keep you on your toes. Kader hops from continent to continent throughout the book and never seems to see an uneventful moment. The battle scenes are well written, and you can imagine the actions unfolding in front of you, like you are watching a movie. Even the less eventful scenes are detailed in such a manner that you feel involved.

Hammer of Thor is a non-stop adventure from beginning to end. It sets the bar high and does not disappoint. There is action and intrigue, and it always leaves the reader guessing. With many books, I figure out the ending long before I get there, but with Hammer of Thor this was not the case. Every turn was a surprise.

I was contacted by the writer and given a free copy of Hammer of Thor in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Parent's Guide:

Hammer of Thor is an excellent read for the older youths, like high school and college students. It is a good clean book - full of action but devoid of graphic violence and foul language. The writing is complex and younger kids would find themselves lost in the detail and historical descriptions and probably be bored easily.

Two Reviews and a Giveaway!!

This week, I am dedicating my blog to a somewhat new writer - Mr. S. Evan Townsend.  This year has been a busy year for Mr. Townsend, with the release of Hammer of Thor back in the summer, and the sequel, Agent of Artifice, which goes on sale tomorrow! This week, I will be sharing my opinion on both books - Hammer of Thor on Tuesday and Agent of Artifice on Thursday.

I will also be giving away a SIGNED copy of Agent of Artifice! How do you get a chance to win? Easy.
Be a follower the blog on GFC - one entry.
Comment on this post - one entry.
Comment on each of the reviews after they go up - one entry each.
Tweet about the contest and the reviews - one entry each (max of three).  Tag @PB_Goddess in tweet.
Like Paperback Goddess Blogs on Facebook - one entry.

That is a possible eight chances to win! The last day to enter the giveaway will be Friday, November 18th, 2011. One winner will be chosen at random from all entries received, and will be notified by the following Monday. Remember to leave an email address to be contacted at, and check back Monday to see the winner posted on the blog!