May26

SUNDAY POST – 26th May, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.

Thank you everyone for your kind concern regarding the family’s illnesses last week. I’m delighted to be able to report that everyone has managed to make a full recovery, though Mum is still feeling very washed out. But it’s a huge relief that it wasn’t worse. And I didn’t catch Himself’s nasty cold, either.

The presentation on Nonsense Verse that I gave at the Swanbourne Poets’ meeting on Monday went off okay. Though I messed up at the end, as I’d muddled the timings and therefore didn’t give everyone enough time to write, which was a shame.

The writing is still going well. I’m still managing to keep my momentum going with writing Conclave of Dragons, the fifth book in the Picky Eaters’ series. And I’m also working on an adaptation of Picky Eaters into an audio presentation with my son, which is a lot of fun. I’m on track for May to be the month with my biggest writing wordcount since I got sick in March 2021.

I haven’t been out much this week. Tuesday and Wednesday were wet – Wednesday, in particular, the rain just kept pelting down. But Thursday, Friday and Saturday were lovely and sunny.

I keep threatening to bother the weeds in the garden, which have been allowed to thrive undisturbed since I got sick in March 2021. As a result, the garden has gone feral, as you can see from the photos. We are replacing the potting shed, which has rotted out, so we’ll need to do something about the jungle-like vegetation, although right now I’m considering the phrase ‘rewilding’ with some affection… To be honest, I a bit overwhelmed by it all. I thought I’d share the photos and chart our progress in reclaiming it over the summer. Or the summer and autumn. Or the next couple of years…

Books I’ve read this last week:

AUDIOBOOK – Demon Born Magic – Book 2 of the Ella Grey series by Jayne Faith

In her battle against demon assassins, Ella Grey pulled too much power and it nearly killed her. To save her, Damien and Deb had to cut Ella off from her magic. Desperate to rescue her brother from the vampires but powerless to help him, Ella must find a way to control the reaper that’s nearly gnawed through her soul and get her magic back.

When madman and necromancer Phillip Zarella offers her a solution, it’s too tempting to pass up. But making a deal with the devil always has consequences. And worse, Ella discovers that her brother is the prize in a tug-of-war between Zarella, tycoon Jacob Gregori, and the all-powerful mages. She needs every advantage she can scrape together, or she’ll lose her brother forever.
I’m really enjoying this urban fantasy series. Ella is a sympathetic, nuanced protagonist and I like that she’s driven by a sense of responsibility towards her younger brother. This twisty plot had me listening later into the night than I should to discover what happens next. 9/10

An Intrigue of Witches – Book 1 of the Secret Society Mystery series by Esme Addison

Thirty-year-old Black woman Sidney Taylor is a talented early American historian, working in fast-paced Washington DC, with her eyes on promotion. She’s also currently persona non grata. Who knew that making an inconvenient historical discovery would see her stuck at her desk, shuffling paper?

So when she receives an anonymous and very cryptic invitation to visit historic small-town Robbinsville, North Carolina and hunt for a missing archaeological treasure – with a million-dollar pay out at stake – it’s one she can’t refuse. Besides, her beloved grandmother lives in Robbinsville, and it’s been too long since she’s paid her a visit. Soon, Sidney’s on an exciting treasure hunt, following two-hundred-year-old clues that lead her ever closer to the artefact she’s searching for. But what is the artefact? And why is Sidney starting to feel like she’s at the heart of a terrifying conspiracy she doesn’t understand?

The answer blows Sidney’s world apart, plunging her into a dark, glittering world of secret societies, ancient bloodlines, witches and magic, linked to an ages-old conspiracy that could destroy the very principles upon which America was founded.
This is a real roller-coaster plot that starts off more as a series of historical clues to puzzle out, before the paranormal aspect begins to surface. I really like Sidney, who is a sympathetic and clever protagonist. And Addison does a great job of weaving actual myths and historical personalities into her thriller. Review to follow.

Stolen Pieces by S.K. Golden

Ex-con artist Bee Cardello is going legit. Divorced from her mafia boss husband, she is determined to stay on the straight and narrow. So, when ex-hubby Charlie steals $37. 5 million from a dangerous kingpin, who puts out a hit on Bee and her ten-year-old son Oliver, she finds herself pulled back into the life she’s worked so hard to escape.

Part of that old life being one Adam Gage – an old flame and all-round sexy badass who Charlie’s now employed to keep her and Oliver safe . . . well, that’s what he tells her. Bee has been in this game long enough to know that everyone is in it for themselves, and she’d be stupid to trust Adam . . . again.

When Oliver is snatched from right under their noses, rather than risk losing him forever, Bee gathers her old team, dusts off all her old grifting tricks, and comes out of retirement to get her son back!
This is a suitably twisty plot with all sorts of double-crosses and violent exchanges going down over Charlie’s daft impulse to steal an insane amount of money from an underworld boss. Bee has to pull out all the stops to try and prevent her whole family from being murdered. Review to follow.

AUDIOBOOK – Red Angel – Book 4 of the Bo Blackman Boxed Set series by Helen Harper

With the dust still settling from the brutal attack on the Agathos court and Rogu3’s school, Bo Blackman is forced to live with her newfound status as a celebrity. She’s still determined, however, to track down those responsible – and to solve the mystery of Tobias Renfrew, the daemon billionaire who disappeared over fifty years ago. Her investigations will lead her to places as far removed as a military base and the sinister Black Market.

One thing is for sure – once Bo’s done, nothing will ever be the same again.

This series is now really in the groove – nothing quite beats the sense of familiarity and nuances you get from a well-written, established series as the plot rolls forward. I enjoyed touching base with Bo again, but also appreciated how the secondary characters are also changing by the events that rain down. The heart of this one is a grim tale of greed and betrayal. And there’s a shocking twist right at the end that’ll have me tucking into the fifth book in the series before too long. 9/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of AUDIO NETGALLEY arc Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Book 1 of the Tomes and Tea Cosy Fantasies by Rebecca Thorne

Can’t-Wait-Wednesday featuring Hera by Jennifer Saint

Sunday Post – 19th May 2024

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

May25

Castellan the Black and his Wise Draconic Tips on Life #BrainfluffCastellanthe Black #WiseDraconicTipsonLife #PickyEaters

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Dogs don’t make particularly good eating, so avoid them where possible unless you’re particularly peckish. However if you are suitably starving to the point that you don’t want to go chasing them down, calling to them in Humanese can sometimes lure them in closer. For some reason, dogs actually befriend humans.

Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.

May24

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY AUDIO arc Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea – Book 1 of the Tomes and Tea Cosy Fantasies series by Rebecca Thorne #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #CantSpellTreasonWithoutTeabookreview

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I absolutely love the current slew of feel-good fantasy and this offering clearly was leaning heavily into that sub-genre, so I requested it and was delighted to get hold of an audiobook.

BLURB: Reyna and Kianthe dream of opening a friendly book shop together, serving the very best tea and cakes. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters – all complemented by love and good company. But Reyna is an elite bodyguard to a vengeful queen, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives behind seems . . . impossible. Yet they flee to Tawney, a town nestled in the icy peaks of dragon country. There, they open the bookstore they’d always wanted.

What follows is a tale of mishaps, mysteries, dragons, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. Through it, these two women will discover what they mean to each other – and their world.

REVIEW: Initially, I found the very strong similarity to Legends & Lattes a bit disconcerting, but it didn’t take too long for the differences between the stories to surface. CSTWT is far more invested in the relationship between the two main characters, who both equally feature throughout the story. Whereas Legends & Lattes, especially in the first half of the book, is mostly about Viv.

I like how CSTWT features the vulnerabilities of each young woman and how that has impacted their ongoing relationship. We see them working through the challenges presented to them and how each of the adventures affects both of them – there is nothing Teflon-coated about these two. Although it was interesting to note that in the emergencies that happened, they didn’t ever seem to fight together – it was either one or the other that stepped up. However, I did find the banter between them, given they’re living together, was a little OTT though I did like the punning. And they didn’t have much in the way of filters when it came to flirting in front of other people. I was very relieved that Thorne kept us out of their bedroom.

They seem to be reasonably financially stable throughout – this isn’t about a fight to establish a new business with a tight budget. The problems facing them tend to be far bigger and dangerous, such as a psychotic queen and vengeful dragons. I didn’t mind the bigger stakes with the cosy backdrop – after all, fantasy generally provides life-threatening danger to its protagonists. While I don’t think it is in the same league of Legends & Lattes, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will happily seek out the sequel in due course. Recommended for fans of feel-good fantasy adventures. While I obtained an arc of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

May22

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – 22nd May, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog CWC #WOW

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Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:

Hera by Jennifer Saint – release date 23rd May 2024

#Greek gods #feisty heroine #Greek myth retelling

BLURB: The enthralling tale of a powerful Greek goddess maligned in both myth and ancient history, as told by Sunday Times bestselling author Jennifer Saint.

When Hera, immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, helps her brother Zeus to overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side.

As they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera suspects that Zeus might be just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed.

She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?

Often portrayed as the jealous wife or the wicked stepmother, this retelling captures the many sides of Hera, vengeful when she needs to be but also compassionate and mostly importantly, an all-powerful queen to the gods.
I absolutely love a powerful Greek myth retelling and over recent years, I’ve read some amazing stories that have really stayed with me. See my reviews of The Silence of the Girls, The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and then there’s David Hair and Cath Mayo’s fabulous Olympus trilogy –Athena’s Champion, Oracle’s War and Sacred Bride . The one I’m still working through is Claire North’s amazing Songs of Penelope – see my review of House of Odysseus. So when I saw this one, I couldn’t resist. Here’s hoping it is another compelling and memorable retelling to join the above.

May19

SUNDAY POST – 19th May, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog #SundayPost

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This is part of the weekly meme over at the Caffeinated Reviewer, where book bloggers can share the books they’ve read and share what they have got up to during the last week.

Last weekend, the family had planned to get together to commemorate my sister’s birthday for the first time since her death at Christmas. However Mum and Dad and my sister and her husband all came down with Covid after a get-together the previous weekend. And then Himself got sick, battling a ferocious cold, including several serious nosebleeds. It’s the third cold he’s had this year and by far the worst – to the extent that he had to take time off work, which he hardly ever does. Fortunately, he’s now over the worst of it. Oscar has also been unwell with an upset stomach – I hate it when family are ill.

We were lucky to have Eliza stay over last weekend, in readiness for the family get-together that never happened. She is a real poppet. We had a lovely day on Saturday, so took her out to Highdown Gardens, which is where the photos were taken. That is a handkerchief tree, which looks amazing when in flower.

This week, I’ve been cracking on with my current WIP, Conclave of Dragons, the fifth book in the Picky Eaters series. It’s been a struggle to get back to writing since Christmas but at long last, I’m feeling more like the old writing me. I’ve also been working on a presentation about Nonsense Verse that I’ll be giving tomorrow at the Swanbourne Poets’ meeting. The last time I did anything like this was back in 2018, when I was a Creative Writing tutor at Northbrook College – so I’m a tad nervous.

Books I’ve read this last fortnight:
A Letter to the Luminous Deep –Book 1 of The Sunken Archive series by Sylvie Cathrall
A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.
This one starts quite slowly, so if you’re struggling with the opening chapters my advice is to persevere as the pace picks up and it’s a memorable and thoroughly enjoyable read. 10/10

Claws and Contrivances –Book 2 of The Regency Dragons series by Stephanie Burgis
Passionate, idealistic Rose Tregarth may have been invited into her uncle’s remote home in the heart of Wales as an act of kindness to a poor relation, but it doesn’t take her long to realize that her newly-met family members are eccentric, creative, deeply lovable – and in need of all the help they can get. If the crumbling medieval walls of Gogodd Abbey aren’t to collapse around their heads at any moment, someone will have to step up and take charge of the situation. Fortunately for all of them, Rose has never lacked in determination.

Add in more and more mysteriously appearing little dragons and a threatening new neighbor who could easily star as the villain in one of her aunt’s fabulous Gothic novels, and Rose is soon up to her ears in plots and schemes to save all the people and beasts she’s come to love…with the help of a sweet, baffled dragon scholar whom Rose has swept into a fake betrothal – for purely practical purposes, of course.

With her fierce, loyal heart, Rose is more than ready to take care of everyone around her, dragons and humans alike. However, it may take an act of true magic to clear her eyes to the future – and the gentleman – she desires for herself.
At present, historical adventures featuring dragons and a splash of romance is my literary catnip. And Burgis does a wonderful job of ticking all the boxes when it comes to providing a thoroughly enjoyable, page-turning experience. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Dark Harvest Magic – Book 2 of the Ella Grey series by Jayne Faith
We Demon patrol officer Ella Grey is all about saving the ones she loves, even as she fends off the reaper that’s trying to eat her soul. When a witch in her best friend’s coven is murdered, Ella must set aside her own battles to take down a supernatural assassin. She’ll only have one chance because her best friend Deb is next on the hit list.

But Ella didn’t count on the dark and powerful magic that brought the assassin to life–or the man behind the assassin. It’s a nightmare beast sent by none other than tycoon Jacob Gregori, and he aims to kill Deb and every last witch in Lynnette Leblanc’s coven. It turns out Lynnette is dabbling in the same dark magic that Jacob covets. And that’s not the only surprise Lynnette has in store for Ella.

To have any hope of saving Deb and the other witches, Ella will have to wield magic so rare and powerful it could kill her.
This entertaining urban fantasy adventure gave us more of an insight into the being busy consuming Ella’s soul. As well as some extremely nasty beings targeting people she loves. I’m thoroughly enjoying this series and am looking forward to tucking into the next book reasonably soon. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – Burn Me Deadly – Book 2 of the Eddie LaCrosse series Alex Bledsoe
Above Angelina’s Tavern in down-and-dirty Neceda you’ll find the office of Eddie LaCrosse, a freelance sword jockey who, for twenty-five gold pieces a day, will take on any task short of murder for hire. Eddie’s on his way back from a routine investigation when his horse almost runs down a half-naked blonde in serious trouble. Against his better judgment, he promises to protect the frightened young woman, only to find himself waylaid by unknown assailants and left for dead beside her mutilated body.

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Eddie isn’t the kind of guy to just let something like this pass. But who killed Laura Lesperitt? Eddie’s quest for payback leads him to a tangled mystery involving a notorious crime lord, a backwoods dragon cult, royal scandals, and a duplicitous femme fatale who has trouble keeping her clothes on. As bodies pile up, attracting the unwelcome attention of the king’s guards, Eddie must use all his wits if he hopes to survive . . .
This intriguing detective noire series in a swords and sorcery setting is a thumping good read. Eddie is just the right mix of tough and violent, yet with an instinct for protecting those unable to defend themselves. And this clever story unexpectedly features a mythical creature, which was the icing on a very well written cake. 9/10

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies – Book 1 of The Vacation Mysteries by Catherine Mack
Ten days, eight suspects, six cities, five authors, three bodies . . . one trip to die for.

All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series―is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life―the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life―Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker―and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly―theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?
I thoroughly enjoyed this one, which manages to give us something a bit different in a very crowded genre. It’s just a shame my poor old Kindle so badly mangled the footnotes – next time, I’ll get hold of the audiobook. 9/10

AUDIOBOOK – A Royal Witch – Book 7 of the Beechwood Harbor Magic Mysteries Boxed Set by Danielle Garrett
There are several new roommates in the Beechwood Manor, and one of them is a royal witch.
Literally and figuratively. Unrest in a haven-ally magical kingdom leads a foreign princess into hiding and the Supernatural Protection Agency deems the Beechwood Manor as the perfect safe house—and Holly, her perfect guardian.

But with Holly’s business taking off and a new apprentice under her wing, a royal babysitting detail is the last thing she needs. Besides, the spoiled princess is adamant she can take care of herself. So who could blame her if her supervision is a little lax?

When tragedy strikes, the bratty royal’s problems land at the manor’s front door and it’s going to take all hands on deck if the paranormal roomies hope to make it out alive.
I’ve not only grown really fond of Holly over the last seven books – but I’m also invested in the rest of the regulars who live at Beechwood Manor. Garrett has once again managed to produce a nicely twisty plot with sufficient change to keep the series fresh, without upsetting the dynamic. And that’s harder to pull off than Garrett makes it look. 8/10

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
This book looks like a light, humorous rom-com. It isn’t. It is actually exploring what happens to us when we have the option to reject partners quickly and easily. While this is clearly an important and pertinent subject – it wasn’t what I thought I was getting. 6/10

AUDIOBOOK – Dark Jenny – Book 3 of the Eddie LaCrosse series by Alex Bledsoe
Freelance sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse is in the wrong place at the wrong time while conducting an undercover investigation on the island kingdom of Grand Bruan. When a poisoned apple kills a member of the queen’s personal guard, Eddie becomes the prime suspect in the murder. He must do some fast talking to keep his head attached to his shoulders. While trying to clear his name and find the real killer, Eddie becomes embroiled in a nasty political scandal. Someone is trying to ruin Queen Jennifer and doesn’t care who is killed along the way.

The more Eddie digs, the more twisted the lies become, until Eddie finds himself caught between two opposing armies. The fate of the entire kingdom lies in his hands. Murder, betrayal, and magic—just another day on the job for Eddie LaCrosse.
This is a nifty and rather dark retelling of the King Arthur story. Once again, I sat up late and listened spellbound to this one as I didn’t want to put it down. Such clever plotting and a wonderful protagonist… 10/10

AUDIOBOOK – He Drank, and Saw the Spider – Book 5 of the Eddie LaCrosse series by Alex Bledsoe
After he fails to save a stranger from being mauled to death by a bear, a young mercenary is saddled with the baby girl the man died to protect. He leaves her with a kindly shepherd family and goes on with his violent life.

Now, sixteen years later, that young mercenary has grown up to become cynical sword jockey Eddie LaCrosse. When his vacation travels bring him back to that same part of the world, he can’t resist trying to discover what has become of the mysterious infant.

He finds that the child, now a lovely young teenager named Isadora, is at the center of complicated web of intrigue involving two feuding kings, a smitten prince, a powerful sorceress, an inhuman monster, and long-buried secrets too shocking to imagine. And once again she needs his help.

They say a spider in your cup will poison you, but only if you see it. Eddie, helped by his smart, resourceful girlfriend Liz, must look through the dregs of the past to find the truth about the present—and risk what might happen if he, too, sees the spider.
I don’t often listen or read books back to back – but discovered that this one was about to become unavailable on the Audible Plus Catalogue, so I tucked straight into it. Once more Eddie becomes enmeshed in a twisty plot stretching back sixteen years. Worse – he’s on holiday with his ladylove, Liz, when the past comes back to bite him… I’m in mourning as there are no more Eddie LaCrosse or Tufa books. If you enjoy gritty tales told with plenty of panache and skill – go looking for Bledsoe’s books. He really, really should be far better known. 10/10

My posts last week:

Castellan and His Wise Draconic Tips on Life

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

Can’t-Wait-Wednesday featuring Elusive – Book 2 of The Scarlet Revolution by Genevieve Cogman

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies – Book 1 of The Vacation Mysteries by Catherine Mack

Hope you, too, had some brilliant books to tuck into and wishing you all a happy, healthy week😊.

May18

Castellan the Black and his Wise Draconic Tips on Life #BrainfluffCastellanthe Black #WiseDraconicTipsonLife #PickyEaters

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When smitten by a pretty young queen, gone are the days when you invited her Sire over to your lair and showed him your hoard, before even speaking to her. Nowadays, you need to take time getting to know her. With fewer queens around, they can afford to be choosy.

Castellan the Black, mighty dragon warrior, features in my Picky Eaters series. All proceeds for the duration of the publishing life of Picky Eaters, first book in the series, are donated to mental health charities. The second book, Flame & Blame, and the third book, Trouble With Dwarves, are now available.

May17

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc The Husbands by Holly Gramazio #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #TheHusbandsbookreview

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I thought the premise was quirky, with plenty of scope for humour. I’ve been reading a bit more contemporary romance recently and the cover encouraged me to think this would be a light frothy read with loads of laughs.

BLURB: When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem—she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years.

As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?

REVIEW: I hate it when a blurb and book cover have me thinking this is one sort of book – when it’s actually something quite different. And that’s what happened here.

I opened this one up expecting a funny, frothy read full of laughs and the inevitable happy ending we tend to get in romance literature. The prose is fluent, the dialogue works and the setting is vividly depicted – in fact I think that is Gramazio’s strength. I’m not so sure about the characterisation, which is a bit unfortunate as romances are allll about the characters. Indeed, as the story wore on, I found myself increasingly less sympathetic towards Lauren. Her behaviour towards the constant stream of men appearing from her attic got steadily worse as the book progressed. So that by the end, I frankly hated her. I got that this magical attic is supposed to be a parable for online dating sites and modern romance, but the message was hammered home very hard.

Though there were a few funny moments that I could visualise, overall I found this to be a fairly bleak read. Lauren’s behaviour became increasingly unhinged and even her lovely dependable neighbours ended up having a darker side, which I didn’t find believable.

Part of my frustration with this one, is that it’s been poorly marketed. It isn’t remotely fluffy and while I’m reluctant to say too much about the ending because I don’t want to Spoil it – it wasn’t the romantic happy-ever-after I was led to believe was part of the deal. Particularly after reading the taglines on the cover. If I had known it was a critique on modern dating practices with some dark warnings thrown into the mix as to what happens to us when we can swap our partners for all sorts of trivial reasons – I wouldn’t have touched it with a bargepole. As it happens, I think it’s an important message and one that’s delivered with punch in a memorable story. But this wasn’t the book I was looking to read. Recommended for fans of quirky contemporary tales that step outside the typical romance genre. While I obtained an arc of The Husbands from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
6/10

May15

Can’t-Wait Wednesday – 15th May, 2024 #Brainfluffbookblog #CWC #WOW

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Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week’s Can’t-Wait offering:

Elusive – Book 2 of The Scarlet Revolution series by Genevieve Cogman – release date 23rd May 2024

#historical fantasy adventure #feisty heroine #vampires

BLURB: Revolutionary France is full of blood and bite as vampires plot for power.

Eleanor, once a lowly English maid, is now a member of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel, know for their daring deeds and recusing aristocrat vampires from the guillotine.

This time, Eleanor and the League are investigating the disappearance of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, the notorious French statesman and diplomat. But they soon uncover two vampire parties feuding for power and learn Talleyrand’s disppearance is part of a bigger, more dangerous scheme that will throw France into bloody chaos.

Elusive is the second book in the Scarlet Revolution trilogy, set during the turbulent French Revolution, and featuring all of Genevieve Cogman’s trademark wit and fast-paced plotting. It’s perfect for fans of The Invisible Library series, Kim Newman and Gail Carriger.
I’m really, really looking forward to tucking into this one. I loved Cogman’s wonderful Invisible Library series – see my reviews of The Invisible Library, The Masked City, The Secret Chapter, The Dark Archive, The Lost Plot and The Untold Story and completely blown away by the first book in this series – see my review of Scarlet. Is anyone else looking forward to reading this one?

May14

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies – Book 1 of The Vacation Mysteries series by Catherine Mack #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #EveryTimeIGoOnVacationSomeoneDiesbookreview

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This time around it was that very catchy title which caught my attention. Having recently been blown away by the fabulous Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz – I was keen to find another clever, quirky whodunit. Would this one tick that box?

BLURB: All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series―is that too much to ask?

Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life―the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life―Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case.

Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker―and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly―theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

REVIEW: I’m very aware that getting access to arcs is a huge privilege – but these days, I do find my heart sinking when I open up my Kindle and find the digital arc has been taken from the paperback version, rather than the ebook. And the reason it makes a difference, is that the headers and page numbers necessary in a paperback get muddled up with the text on my Kindle, causing a major distraction. Usually, I suck it up without making a fuss. But this time around, there was another layer of distraction – because Mack also sprinkled footnotes throughout after the style of the late great Terry Pratchett. And footnotes are something else my poor old Kindle doesn’t cope with very well. I think some of them were quite amusing. But as they turned up at least a couple of pages after the sentence or passage being referenced and Life is too short to flip back to refresh my recollection, given there were over 200 footnotes. So I gritted my teeth and powered through the very disrupted text, but I can’t deny that it impacted upon my enjoyment.

That said, I liked Eleanor. Punchy and feisty, she initially seems quite comfortable being a best-selling crime novelist. I found it endearing that she didn’t take herself, or her profession, too seriously. But as the story unfolds, we learn her apparently offhand attitude to the world is a veneer stapled on to hide some major emotional wounds. She and her sister unexpectedly lost their parents when teenagers – and they both had to grow up fast in order to survive. Eleanor also had a particularly traumatic love affair, where she was badly betrayed by someone who she’d trusted and cared deeply about. Worse, the man in question is still in her life – in fact, he’s inextricably caught up in her success, whether she wants him around or not.

She’s now celebrating ten years of having been published and is working on the tenth book of the series. And the Publicity Department at her publishing house has pulled out all the stops and put together a book tour in Italy. She is being accompanied by several other crime authors and a selection of some of her most committed fans, who won a competition to be able to also take part in the tour. But almost from the first, things start going badly wrong…

We have a satisfying pool of suspects alongside Eleanor, as first another member of the group is convinced he’s being targeted. But Eleanor gradually comes to believe she is the actual victim as various members of the group come under attack.

What sets this one apart, is Mack’s willingness to strip away the fourth wall and talk directly to her readers about the mechanics of how a successful crime novel works. As an author, I didn’t find the details revealed particularly jarring as I’m aware of the ploys being used to keep the pages turning. It was a refreshing spin – I particularly appreciated Mack’s discussion of Agatha Christie’s books.

I got to the denouement at the same time that Eleanor realises who the culprit is and found I was thoroughly rooting for her. All in all, this is an enjoyable, well-executed murder mystery with lots of charm – though I’d recommend the audiobook as apparently the footnotes are far more successful in that format. While I obtained an arc of Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
8/10

May10

*NEW RELEASE SPECIAL* Review of NETGALLEY arc A Letter to the Luminous Deep – Book 1 of The Sunken Archive series by Sylvie Cathrall #BrainfluffNETGALLEYbookreview #ALettertotheLuminousDeepbookreview

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That absolutely stunning cover caught my attention – and then I read the premise and decided to give it a go. Would I enjoy this gentle-looking adventure told through letters and journal entries?

BLURB: A beautiful discovery outside the window of her underwater home prompts the reclusive E. to begin a correspondence with renowned scholar Henerey Clel. The letters they share are filled with passion, at first for their mutual interests, and then, inevitably, for each other.

Together, they uncover a mystery from the unknown depths, destined to transform the underwater world they both equally fear and love. But by no mere coincidence, a seaquake destroys E.’s home, and she and Henerey vanish.

A year later, E.’s sister Sophy, and Henerey’s brother Vyerin, are left to solve the mystery of their siblings’ disappearances with the letters, sketches and field notes left behind. As they uncover the wondrous love their siblings shared, Sophy and Vyerin learn the key to their disappearance – and what it could mean for life as they know it.

REVIEW: This ultimately intriguing story starts quite slowly. But what really had me breaking off several times while reading, is the grief both Sophy and Henerey express for their siblings. I found this quite difficult to read, given that I lost my own much-loved sister only four months ago.

That aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this epistolary tale where the story unfolds through letters and journal entries. The correspondence between the two sets of siblings, both before and after the major accident gives a very clear indication of the different characters. E, in particular, is extremely well depicted. She clearly struggles with acute anxiety, which is discussed by herself and her sister and we get a clear insight into how it impacts on her life. I found these passages poignant and absolutely believable.

The language in the letters is more than a nod to 19th century prose, with the formality and use of longer words. I was very comfortable with the style and thought it fitted well with the post-apocalyptic world, in which civilisation had to pick itself up when the highly technical flying habitats for some reason all failed together and ended up crashing into the sea. This planet is largely covered by sea, so people now mostly live in cramped accommodation tethered to atolls or small islands. Though E. lives beneath the waves in Deep House, where she and her brother and sister were brought up in the dwelling designed by their brilliantly clever mother.

The descriptions of the sea life, both flora and fauna, is vivid. I like that we are treated to E.’s lovely poetic evocation of life beneath the waves and also Sophy’s more scholarly view of the lifeforms. And in amongst Sophy and Henerey’s sadness, is a drive to try to work out exactly what happened to their lost siblings, hence their mission to sort through their papers and correspondence to discover what they were thinking and feeling right up to the time they disappeared. However, other events intrude on this investigation – Sophy finds herself undertaking a dangerous and ground-breaking exploration of a particularly deep part of the ocean. And bit by bit, we start to learn that something else has been going on – something that goes back to Sophy and E’s mother.

I found myself reading far later than I should as the pace steadily picks up in the final quarter of the book, as many of my previous conclusions about what is going on are suddenly upended. It’s cleverly done and a warning – this book ends on a doozy of the cliff-hanger. I’ll definitely be wanting to read the next one. This deceptively gentle-seeming story has hooks that have left me thinking a lot about this one since I put it down. Very highly recommended if you’re looking for an otherworldly fantasy story with a difference. While I obtained an arc of A Letter to the Luminous Deep from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
10/10