A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers

 

Jenny Timmons has been surviving by being a con artist for as long as she can remember, "inheriting" her mother's once-thriving seance "business" upon her death. Unfortunately, she also inherited Miss Crane her landlady, who gave her an ultimatum; Jenny either steals from her wealthy clients or can become one of her girls. But Jenny had a plan, one last heist and she could leave Miss Crane's behind, unfortunately, Miss Crane set her up and as she's leaving her final victim's home she's arrested. Facing the gallows for a murder she didn't commit she knows she has no options left so is more than a little surprised when an elderly gentleman, Mr. Lockhart, pays her bail and hires her to perform a fake seance to calm the nerves of his distraught employer Mr. Pemberton who recently lost his bride to an apparent suicide. When Jenny arrives at Somerset a sprawling estate on the coast she quickly realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew as the handsome Mr. Pemberton wants to "hire" her services himself to find out who murdered his bride. The longer Jenny is at Somerset the more she is certain that Lady Audra was murdered and that everyone at Somerset had a reason to want her dead.

I read a lot of murder mysteries, especially period mysteries. Over time I've really stopped reading them outside of a handful of authors because it began to feel like every single solitary book was the same plot with different characters. And to be honest for the vast majority of this book I was going to write it off as just another mass-produced period mystery with a romance. Up until the last maybe ten chapters this review was going to be very short and sweet and essentially say "highly entertaining if you need something to do for a few hours but I wouldn't actually pay for it." And then those last ten chapters hit and Myers pulled the rug straight out from under me!

As I said for the most part this really is a cookie-cutter period mystery. Girl has a crappy life, but she's tough and resilient and even though she finds herself way out of her normal realm she is completely capable of handling this situation because if we've learned anything adversity breeds clever capable women, and if clever and capable isn't enough she also has the hot, rich guy who is falling in love with her. Like I said most of this book is standard fare for this genre. It's not until you get to the reveal of the killer that this goes from absolutely predictable to "Holy hell what!?" Myers created the perfect game of Clue and just when you are positive you've narrowed down your six players to just one and you are sure it was Col. Mustard in the dining room with the candle stick you find out that there was a seventh player there the whole time that you never even saw. And the thing is Myers somehow juggles all of these players brilliantly. Everyone in Somerset has a reason for wanting Lady Audra dead, so you've got multiple lines of inquiry and these little side dramas that really all play into the actual killer's motive without feeling confusing or overwhelming. Which is in my opinion the mark of a good mystery writer. 

The romance in this doesn't overwhelm the main story either which I was truly grateful for. It's also a believable and gradual building of mutual trust and respect over the course of the book. 

Jenny is a great character as well. She has her hang-ups and insecurities but given her life story and her young age they are overlooked, understood or forgiven. Gareth (Mr. Pemberton) is a great love interest as well as an interesting character. His background is explained just enough so we can understand him but his story never overpowers Jenny's. 

One kind of odd compliment but I think it needs to be said; you absolutely feel the passage of time when reading this. A huge pet peeve for me is when a book is supposed to take place over the course of a week but it feels like it was only a day or vice versa. It's a weird thing to nit-pick I know but I appreciated how she found ways to incorporate the passage of time. 

The only reason this is four stars instead of five is I've read three or maybe four books in the last six months or so that had a similar premise. This is the best one out of those books for certain but there are only so many times you can read about a young girl in London during the spiritualist movement who somehow gets tangled up in a murder and ends up marrying a Baron, Earl, Rich Guy. Actually, it would be quite nice to read a book where the girl doesn't marry the Baron, Earl, Rich Guy. Especially since this book centers around women having virtually no rights during this time frame whether they were rich or poor. 

Overall, while appearing to be a very generic period murder mystery Myers throws out a completely unpredictable twist at the end. Even without the twist though the book sucks you in from page one and keeps you interested with a complicated plot of long-lost heirs, unrequited love, and the complete lack of control women had over their lives. This would be perfect for fans of the Sebastian St. Cyr series.

And as always thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the eArc, this review has been left voluntarily.

The Cursed and the Broken by Chloe Hodge

 

Kitarni has spent her whole life being ostracized by the other witches in her village. Being a wielder of fire and blood magic her peers fear her and because of their fear, she has tried to keep her head down so as to not cause issues for her mother and younger sister Eszter. However, after Kitarni and a handsome stranger come across the ritually mutilated body of a fellow witch in Dark Woods, near her home. Kitarni knows that to keep her family safe she'll have stand up against those who have made her life hell if she wants to protect her family from the Cultists who are murdering witches looking for the one who's blood can resurrect the Dark Queen. Little does Kitarni know that it's her they are looking for and just to add insult to injury the very same day she discovers she's the reason her fellow witches are being murdered she also discovers that the handsome yet infuriating man she met in the Dark Wood is actually her betrothed and also the only guarantee of an army to protect her family. As Kitarni comes to terms with the devastating direction her life has taken she realizes that she will have to rely not only the very magic that kept her apart from her fellow witches but a man she'd rather set on fire than wed to keep the people she loves safe. 

Given some of the comments about Gothic architecture taking root in Hungary at the time as well as some other things such as clothing descriptions, lack of indoor plumbing, etc I think it's safe to assume that this book takes place in about the 12th to 13th century Hungary. So why everyone talks like they are living in 21st century America is absolutely beyond me. And one of the main reasons this was knocked down to three stars. The use of the term Asshat is really when this started getting annoying. I could for the most part overlook some of it but c'mon asshat? Really? What makes this even more difficult to overlook is this is a story that could have been easily written in the 21st century. It's not gonna stretch my imagination too far to believe that there's a coven of witches hanging out in Hungary right now. But the use of 21st-century phrases in the 12th or 13th century, really anywhere doesn't have to be Hungary is a complete suspension of belief that ruins the story, it's like a splash of cold water. 

Hodge does a good job of incorporating the romance between Kitarni and Dante in such a manner that it doesn't overshadow the main plot of the story. While I did find the sex scenes to be a bit awkward (if Kitarni "crashed" her lips against Dante's one more time I was going to lose it) they were incorporated at points in the story where it made sense. That being said there are only so many times I want to read how hot one of the characters is, especially when it seems every single sentence starts with or ends with something to the effect of "I was trying really hard not to notice how hot he was." No, you obviously weren't or I wouldn't be reading about it for what feels like the millionth time. 

I did enjoy Kitarni's character for the most part. I found many of her insecurities to be relatable and I was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't a wishy-washy character. There are some moments of indecision but for the most part, Kitarni knows exactly who she is and what she wants. Dante was pretty great as well. He's ridiculously supportive of Kitarni and that's always a plus in a love interest. 

Overall, while I felt the execution of the story was excellent with relatable and interesting characters this wasn't a book that really held my attention. There were just too many times when I didn't picture Kitarni in 12th or 13th century Hungary but in 21st century America. However, I do feel that for fans of Sarah J. Maas this book would be right up your alley!

As always I'd like to thank BookSirens for the eArc of this book, this review has been left voluntarily.

Spy x Family vol. 4 by Tatsuya Endo

 This has to be so much fun to write! Honestly, it's just so heartwarming and positive that after this week The Forgers were the answer to my need to escape into something that felt like a warm hug and this volume couldn't have fit that description more!

Since Anya has received her first star Yor and Loid decide to reward her with a dog. This isn't just any reward though Anya is certain that if she has a dog she can become friends with Damian and her "dad's" mission will be a success thus ensuring world peace! So during their family outing, the Forgers' have a mission to find a dog! Loid is called away almost immediately though, there's a plot to kill Minister Brantz using dogs. Not just any dogs though, these ones have undergone the same experiments Anya did. As Loid rushes to save the day Anya and Yor keep on the hunt for a dog, Anya however, runs off and unfortunately stumbles upon the very same terrorists that Loid is searching for!  Just as Anya thinks she's done for one of the dogs the terrorists have trained for their assassination attempt saves her and she discovers that this isn't just any dog, he has a very special power, and thanks to that power Anya knows that only she can save her Papa and World Peace! But will she be able to make it in time!?

Anya is a tiny little badass and yet it's still kind of sad. She will do anything to ensure Twilight's mission succeeds because she desperately wants to stay with Loid and Yor, so she puts herself at risk time and again. I just want to hug her! Yor is amazing as well, her Mom instincts kicked in full throttle when she took on the role of Anya's Mom and it's so beautiful and endearing. Especially since she wants to be the best Mom/Wife she can be. Loid is still in denial a bit that he at the very least adores his little family if not full-on loves them but I think he'll come around soon. 

Overall, if I could give this volume ten stars I would because you really can't go wrong with the addition of a family pet in a story like this!

The Ancient Magus Bride Vol. 1 by Kore Yamazaki

 Chise has not had the easiest life, her mother died when she was young and she's been passed around by family members ever since. They all think she is just a little weird as Chise can see things the rest of us cannot, she has always seen this ability as a curse and when a trafficker approaches her to literally sell herself Chise goes for it. It cannot possibly be worse than the life she's already led. Little does Chise know that the person who will purchase her is one of the last mages on Earth and Chise herself is a truly rare being a Sleigh Beggy with the ability to become a witch. The other thing she doesn't know is that Elias plans on making her his bride!

If you watched the anime you'll know that this is by far one of the most beautifully animated/drawn series. The art is just simply breathtaking. There are scenes both in the anime and the manga where everything is just so detailed that you absolutely want it to be real. I am more than positive that there are quite a few people who have centered their "cottage core" aesthetic around the art from this series, it's just that well done. 

In terms of the story, I love that we only get a tiny bit of Chise's background at a time. I think that many authors would want to have justified her being okay with taking part in what amounts to a slave auction right off that bat because well, slave auction. However, I appreciate that Yamazaki choose not to here, I'd much rather watch her heal from her past and learn of it through that process than just be bombarded right away with what will be a sad story. I also love Elias and especially his chibi version! 

My favorite part of this volume has to be meeting the dragons though, it's such an important conversation to have in terms of death and Yamazaki does a truly wonderful job at addressing a difficult conversation with beauty and dignity. 

Overall, just a fantastic series that I've been looking forward to reading for quite some time!

My Top 10 books so far this year - Edited

 

Can you believe it!? Just four books away from hitting 150 for the year! In honor of this pretty amazing achievement, if I do say so myself, I've updated my top ten books for the year! Let's see how many survived from the first top 10 way back in March! 

And again these are in no particular order!

There was no way this one was not going to make the list. Still one of my favorite books of all time!

The Fervor is officially out for purchase now and if you haven't read this exceptional story yet I can't recommend running out and grabbing a copy more!

Another one that made the list again. I really should be updating this with the last one in the series, but I still haven't read it yet. I kinda don't want to finish it, this has been such a fantastic series I don't want it to end. 

This book has piggy bombs what more can I say!? Honestly, just good bloody fun and an interesting take on the classic Seven Samurai!

The Siren Queen is a hauntingly beautiful tale truly one of the best books I have ever read, not just of the year. 

I just love this series! Land of the Dead is a solid addition to this hilarious series featuring Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde, this one is a nod to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein featuring a mad scientist who has figured out how to bring people back from the dead!

A beautiful story about the people that brought us stories. This was such a heartfelt and wonderful look at the lives of the people who wrote the fairy tales that we know and love that I cried a little bit at the end. 

If I could pick one book to read like I'd never read it before it would be this one. An amazing fantasy adventure book full of magic, jinns, and assassins it is absolutely unputdownable!

For me there is nothing better than a book that simply defies classification. Crime Writer is 100% that book. Part murder mystery, part thriller, a little bit of romance, some fantasy, and a perfectly incorporated story of introspection Crime Writer is an absolute must-read!

This season's break-out anime is just as adorable in its manga form! The daily life of the Forger Family is the warm hug we all need after a very bad day. One of the few manga/anime series that has universal appeal if you aren't watching/reading this yet I suggest you get on it!

The Royal Tutor by Higasa Akai - A light hearted version of Assassination Classroom!

 

My local library didn't have book one so I'm really glad I've already watched this anime or I probably would have been a tad lost here!

In this volume the princes get a taste of what it is like to live outside of the palace, we meet the King, and Prince Leonhard must either pass his test with sixty points or become ineligible to even compete against his brothers for the crown!

This is one of my favorite series and one of my favorite volumes because like Assassination Classroom Akai addresses an important topic; not everyone learns the same way. And no I don't mean the whole visual vs auditory learn thing. I mean that a problem placed in certain contexts becomes easier for a learner to understand. In this case, Leonhard can barely do math at all but once Heine uses food (specifically torte) to have him solve math problems he catches on rapidly. That seems incredibly silly but it really is an important aspect of learning that too many children are not introduced to until later in life. 

I really enjoy the relationships between the Princes as well, in this volume we get to see more of their interpersonal dynamics on a one-on-one scale as well as in the group. They are so dedicated to each other and as a parent that is absolutely heartwarming to see. If one of them has a problem they all pitch in to help even if they aren't always helpful they appreciate each other for at least trying. And we also get to see what about their individual personalities rubs the other brothers the wrong way and that is again nice to see as well. No matter how dedicated the siblings are they are not always going to get along and that should be represented in a realistic manner. Akai does an excellent job of showing that in Chapter 11; the fact that Bruno and Licht get into a huge fight over something small is so incredibly realistic if you have children or siblings. 

The Character design in this one is amazing as well, while each brother has their own unique look when you are introduced to the King you can really see a resemblance that isn't just the artist making an "older" appearing version of the brothers. They look like a real family that shares genes! 

Overall, a fantastic series and I'd recommend it for fans of Assassination Classroom who are looking for something that is a little bit more lighthearted, and let's be honest doesn't make you cry for a month in the end. Fans of Ouran High School as well it's got that coming-of-age vibe minus the romance of course. 

Happy Pride Month!!

 

As the proud mom of the most handsome (transgender) son on the planet, I'd just like to wish everyone the most amazing Pride Month and remind everyone that they are absolutely loved!