A Brush With Shadows by Anna Lee Huber

Overview:

July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage has set foot in Langstone Manor. Though he has shared little with his wife, Lady Kiera Darby, about his past, she knows that he planned never to return to the place of so many unhappy childhood memories. But when an urgent letter from his grandfather reaches them in Dublin, Ireland, and begs Gage to visit, Kiera convinces him to go.

All is not well at Langstone Manor. Gage's grandfather, the Viscount Tavistock, is gravely ill, and Gage's cousin Alfred has suddenly vanished. He wandered out into the moors and never returned. The Viscount is convinced someone or something other than the natural hazards of the moors is to blame for Alfred's disappearance. And when Alfred's brother Rory goes missing, Kiera and Gage must concede he may be right. Now, they must face the ghosts of Gage's past, discover the truth behind the local superstitions, and see beyond the tricks being played by their very own eyes to expose what has happened to Gage's family before the moors claim yet another victim...

My Review:

This is the sixth book in the Lady Darby Mystery series.  It takes place only a week after the events in the previous book, As Death Draws Near, and I really like that.  It bothers me when a year or more passes (setting-wise) in a series because it makes me feel like I have missed a lot.  I have a whole post coming up about that so I won't go into a lot of detail here but because this book takes place immediately after the last one, it feels like a more smooth continuation and I enjoy that.  

In this book, Sebastian is forced to return to his childhood home and face his past which gives us more insight into his character.  He is very closed-mouth about it to Kiera - almost insultingly so - and it was nice to finally be able to learn a little more about it.  I know they have only been married three months but still, he seems to almost want to hang on to the bitterness and that can get a little annoying.  

The story developed nicely and at a good pace and the characters were well done.I also enjoyed the atmospheric details Huber put in that made the setting feel like a character in and of itself which helped to further the story along without getting in the way.  I will be interested to see if Kiera and Sebastian return to Langstone Manor due to a specific event that took place at the end, and if so, how the characters will interact with each other. 

There was one other event that happened at the very end which made me roll my eyes out loud and groan.  I obviously won't say what because I don't want to give away any spoilers but it nearly ruined what was otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable book but I guess I'll have to wait at least a year for the next book to see what happens.

Have you read this series?  What do you like/dislike?

Why Kill the Innocent by C. S. Harris

Overview:

London, 1814. As a cruel winter holds the city in its icy grip, the bloody body of a beautiful young musician is found half-buried in a snowdrift. Jane Ambrose's ties to Princess Charlotte, the only child of the Prince Regent and heir presumptive to the throne, panic the palace, which moves quickly to shut down any investigation into the death of the talented pianist. But Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, and his wife Hero refuse to allow Jane's murderer to escape justice.

Untangling the secrets of Jane's world leads Sebastian into a maze of dangerous treachery where each player has his or her own unsavory agenda and no one can be trusted. As the Thames freezes over and the people of London pour onto the ice for a Frost Fair, Sebastian and Hero find their investigation circling back to the palace and building to a chilling crescendo of deceit and death . . .

My Review:

*THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THIS SERIES*

This is the 13th book in the Sebastian St. Cyr series and probably one of my least favorites so let me go through it and explain why.

The first thing right off the bat may seem nit-picky but it was the first thing that struck me and that is the cover.  I understand that the cover is black and white because the setting takes place in the deep freeze of winter and there is a massive snow storm but that isn't what bothers me.  Rather, it's the scale of Sebastian compared to the trees.  He seems so small and like he was just Photo-shopped into the picture and it just seems really off to me.  I know, I know - that shouldn't matter but for some reason it really does.

Second (stop reading here if you haven't read the one before this!!), I thought that the death of Hero's mother would be addressed in this book and it wasn't, other than to say it had taken place four months previous and Hero was still in full mourning attire.  Really?  It was such a major event and there were circumstances that needed to be explained but it was almost like it didn't happen at all.  There was one very tiny scene that hinted at something but nothing we didn't already suspect anyway so that was very disappointing.

Third, the story seemed to just go in circles and things that were given heavy emphasis ended up not really mattering.  I 

I also didn't like that Gibson, Alexi, the Earl of Hendon, and especially Tom and Morley were basically non-existent in this book. I want to see more of a story line with Gibson and Alexi because they seem to be completely stalled and almost cardboard cutouts used as fillers and I don't like that.  They are all interesting characters and their arcs need to start developing more.

Finally, there had been heavy emphasis in previous books about Sebastian's parents and that story line seems to have been completely dropped now.  There was one small conversation Sebastian had that gave a small clue but again, nothing developed out of it.  It almost feels like Harris doesn't know where to go with it so has just let it fade away.  

I don't want it to seem like I hated the book.  I didn't - and in fact finished it in only seven hours but it just wasn't on par with all the other ones. I want more about Sebastian's parents, the other characters, and Hero's mother.

Have you read this book?  What did you think?

New Release Tuesday - April 3, 2018

Here are some new releases today.  They are all part of long-running series that I have been reading and I will be going after work today to pick them up, especially Why Kill the Innocent by C.S. Harris.  That is my favorite series by far!

I have been a fan of Anne Perry almost since she began her writing career and even had the chance to meet her at a rare book signing several years ago.  I must admit, I got a little bored with the characters so I fell way behind on the series but I want to get back into it again.  I definitely enjoy the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series over the William Monk series and it is since Perry is starting a new series with Daniel Pitt (Thomas and Charlotte's son), I definitely need to catch back up.

I have only read the first one in the Gaslight Series but I really enjoyed it, though it moved a little slowly for me.  Murder in the Bowery is the 20th installment in this series and while I'm not in a huge rush to continue on with it, I'm happy to know that with 19 more books in the series, I definitely wont't be running out of things to read for a good long while.

What are you reading this week?  Let me know in the comments of any suggestions you have.  I'm always on the lookout for new authors!

Sleeping Giants - Book One of the Themis Files by Sylvain Neuvel

Overview:

 A girl named Rose is riding her new bike near her home in Deadwood, South Dakota, when she falls through the earth. She wakes up at the bottom of a square hole, its walls glowing with intricate carvings. But the firemen who come to save her peer down upon something even stranger: a little girl in the palm of a giant metal hand.
 
Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved—its origins, architects, and purpose unknown. Its carbon dating defies belief; military reports are redacted; theories are floated, then rejected.
 
But some can never stop searching for answers.
 
Rose Franklin is now a highly trained physicist leading a top secret team to crack the hand’s code. And along with her colleagues, she is being interviewed by a nameless interrogator whose power and purview are as enigmatic as the provenance of the relic. What’s clear is that Rose and her compatriots are on the edge of unraveling history’s most perplexing discovery—and figuring out what it portends for humanity. But once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, will the result prove to be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction?

My Review:

In this book, we follow the members of a top secret team led by Rose Franklin as they put together the pieces of a metal giant and try to figure out what it's purpose is, how it got here, and who originally built it.  

This isn't normally my type of genre but that was the main reason for starting our own book club and while I didn't hate it, it wasn't my favorite, either.  I thought the characters were well done and even though facts are sparingly doled out, I felt I knew enough about them to make a connection which is - to me - the most important aspect of any book.

I did not like that the story was told in an interview style because you keep bouncing from one character to the next and that is distracting and takes one out of the story completely.  It also told the story in such a way that you were learning of events after the fact instead of being right in the middle of the action which would have had a greater impact.  

I enjoyed the concept of the story more than I thought I would but I just couldn't get past the style in which it was written.  I am a firm believer in the "show don't tell" rule because it is the best way to immerse the reader in the world you have created.  The author took a big risk in telling the story in this way and while it probably works for those who are a fan of this type of genre, it didn't really do it for me.  

That being said, it isn't a bad book and if you are really into the sci-fi type genre, or are looking to get into it, I would suggest picking this one up.  Maybe find it at your local library before you invest in purchasing it to see if it is something you enjoy.  

Have you read this book or series?  What are your thoughts?

April Selection:  The Collection by Lance Charnes

New Releases March 25-31

Here is a short list of some new releases that are out this week.  Some of them are series that I have wanted to start but haven't for one reason or another, and some are new authors to me.

The following list is in no particular order:

What's on your list?

Also, be sure to check back on Friday where the new book club the fam and I started will be discussing our March selection:  Sleeping Giants.  If you read the book, make sure you join in!  We'll also be announcing our April pick.

Barnes and Noble Book Club

I received an email from Barnes and Noble a few days ago where they announced that they are starting a nationwide book club.  I find this intriguing but am very skeptical.  Their tagline, as you can see, is "...bringing readers together to discuss some of the greatest books being published."  In my opinion, that is a very subjective sentence.  Who determines what the "greatest books" are?  Critics?  Readers?  Publishers?  It reminds me of the Oscars where the superhero movie that breaks box office records never wins because it isn't considered "serious film making" whereas the "artsy, deep, and intellectual" movie that no one has ever heard of takes home the coveted title.  If you love those types of movies, please don't be offended but it just isn't my thing.

For me, reading is an escape from reality.  We get bombarded day in and day out with news and tragic stories and I don't want to then go home at the end of the day and read the same type of thing.  I think a lot of people feel that way, as well because I hear it all the time.

I think a nation wide book club is great idea but will they include genre books like mystery, sci fi, YA, romance, horror?  From their tagline, it doesn't seem likely in which case, they are leaving out a huge section of the population.  I hope they do but I am not holding my breath.

To that end, my fam and I decided to start our own book club.  Each month, we will take turns picking a new book and will be discussing it here on my blog.  We found it easier that way since we all live in different states but it also opens up the discussion to everyone who reads my blog.  There is no specific genre and since we all like different things, it will be fun to open our literary horizons and read something we normally wouldn't consider.

The first book we are reading is Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel.  If you would like to participate in our club, all you have to do is read the book and come back here on March 31 to join the discussion.

New Release Tuesday - March 6, 2018

Here's a few books released today that are definitely on the top of my list:

1. 

2.  

3. 

4.  

Anna Lee Huber is most definitely the first one that I will pick up because I absolutely love this series and I wait impatiently for each new installment.  

Brad Meltzer is always a good choice for modern thrillers.

I haven't read Bill Pronzini yet but the series seems intriguing and I'll have to pick up the first one, The Bughouse Affair.

Laura Childs is a great cozy author and this series also includes delicious recipes.

I'm sure there are plenty of other new releases today but these are the top of my list.  What's on yours?