Vanessa’s Comments (group member since Jun 15, 2017)

Vanessa’s comments from the Read, Reading, Planning to Read and More group.

Doug.. I love the premise of the Palace of Rogues series. I love how the owners met and started the boarding house. If anyone hasn't read this series, it's very good. I love that the couples are intelligent and work things out. All of the couples are different, and there are lots of repeat characters who live at the boarding house. The house has rules where the residents have to be in at a certain time or the door will be closed and locked and must have dinner all together a couple of nights a week. I also love the humor.

Demetra that sounds like an interesting series.

Has anyone here read Benedict Jacka's new series, "An Inheritance Of Magic"? I really loved his Alex Verus series and I wondered if this series was as good.

I finished "Marsh Madness" the, (I can't believe it), 28th book in the Miss Fortune series. I love this series and I'm so grateful that I took a chance on it so many years ago. This story has Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie investigating for an older couple who operate a B&B where one of their guests has died from anaphylaxic shock supposedly from some thing they served him. Desperate to prove themselves innocent despite a very incompetent sheriff, and medicas l examiner, it doesn't look good. This ends on a slight cliffhanger, not pertaining to the case, but there is one nonetheless.

Sorry to hear that about your sister, TINNGG.

Thanks for adopting those dogs who need a family Doug. So sorry for your loss.
I finished on audio "Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret ". These are such fun reads. Thanks to whomever recommended the first book, "Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone".
I listened to a new to me author Michelle Gagnon's novel "Killing Me". The book starts out with the MC Amber Jamison's thoughts as she is captured by a serial killer. Eventually she is rescued by a woman all dressed in black, wearing a ski mask, and weilding a cattle prod. Ski mask wants Amber to wait 5 minutes and then call the police, but Amber is having nothing to do with that and she makes her take her with her back to civilization. (As much as you can get in rural eastern Tennessee). This tale rolls from there, apparently ski mask tracks serial killers and is very good at it.
Amber decides to leave Tennessee and head west. She ends up in Las Vegas, and that adds a whole compliment of characters. The storyline keeps you guessing and you aren't really sure who is the serial killer and who is the one trying to prevent more killings. It's a twisted and unique novel. It seems to be the start of a series because it has a series title, An Amber Jamison Novel.

Dorsey... I have read almost all of her BDB and spin-off series. I read her Bourbon King's and only a couple of Fallen Angels. I just never got back to them. I had the first firefighter book but I just couldn't get into it.

Happy there is a shorter book out in the Earnest Cunningham series called "Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret".

Happy... I listen to books on my phone & I pop ear buds in @ home so if I go down to the basement or outside I don't lose the story. I take my phone of course and when I'm working in the yard I use an arm band, it's just more convenient than stuffing my phone in a pocket.

Dorsey.. I meant Nalla's book, stupid auto correct put Bella.
I actually liked the Prison Camp books. The books after the prison break are a bit discombobulated IMHO. So far I have read pretty much everything that Ward has put out. I still think that her BDB books are her best.

I finished the 5th book in the Glass and Steele spin off The Glass Library series, "The Lost Ledgers". This is set in the 1920's and the male lead is the son of the couples in the G&S books. He does contract work for Scotland Yard and generally investigates crimes involving people who possess magic. This, just like the original series, is a really slow burn romance. Five books in and they're finally kind of getting together. Like in the original books , there is a certain female character who, under the guise of keeping him safe, is blocking their romance as much as she can. I like this series as much as I did the original.
On audio, I finished "Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect". This is the second book in the Earnest Cunningham series. written by Benjamin Stevenson. In this book Ernie wrote all about the murders in the first book and finds himself on a train with a cast of mystery writers, various publishing people, and some fans of the well known writers. This series is written in first person and it's like you the reader are standing there or that you are in Earnest's head. There are lots of cheeky comments, and sniping from his fellow writers, and of course murder. These are murder mysteries that don't take themselves too seriously but you have Agatha Christy's Poirot kind of banging around in the back of your mind. These are fun, lighter murder mysteries.

Dorsey did you like Bella's book? So many don't. I haven't read it yet and I'm one of the few here that still read the BDB. The only thing that I don't like is that Ward has to mess with the already established couples. I say find another way to write a book J.R.

I have been listening to an interesting series. They are a small town romance, too many times the couples break up over stupid things where you could have solved them with a heart to heart talk. These are pretty good at bringing out the root causes and letting the couples work on their own inner demons with a frank discussion. They are the Dream Harbor series and the first book is "The Pumpkin Spice Cafe" by Laurie Gilmore. These are a great palate cleanser after a couple of seriously twisted and dramatic stories.

melindeloo.. I hate when I hurt me! I hope that you feel better soon.
I have been listening to the second book in the Dream Harbor series by Laurie Gilmore. These are light romances set in a small New England shore town. They're cute and easy reads.

i just finished "You Can Kill", if you like twisted murder mysteries, well thought out characters, and diabolical serial killers, this is a fantastic addition to the Laurel Snow series. I loved it. I missed out on the ARC because I didn't realize that the book was coming out.

Not sure if many here read this series but, Rebecca Zanetti's Laurel Snow series's 4th book came out today. "You Can Kill". This is an outstanding series, lots of realistically creepy characters and a romance at the core. The first book is "You Can Run". The main characters are excellent and the side characters run the gamut from nice to psychotic. Great series!

Doug I hope that you feel better.

Dorsey... I so sorry for your loss. Cancer sucks! I hope that you are feeling better. I hope that this group/ place gives you some respite.
I've been listening to a new to me author, Irina Shapiro. I listened to her Tate & Bell Mystery series. There 2 books out currently, with one out on the 22nd. The first book is The Highgate Cemetery Murder. This is a historical detective series and is well written.

Also, one of the hard cover books that I haven't donated is my copy of Memoirs of a Geisha.

I'm with you Lisa, I love historical walks. I like hiking, but I like it better with a purpose.

I want to be you folks. I would love to go to Japan and/or Nepal. Have a wonderful time both of you! Kristi are we going to be able to view your pictures as you upload them again?

Doug.. A couple of months ago I listened to the Palace of Rogues book and I too have an ARC for The Beast Takes a Bride. I really enjoyed the premise of these stories.
I'm on the last of the Sins For All Seasons series book 6, Beauty Tempts The Beast. These are by Lorraine Heath and the series revolves around a family of Bastards who make a good life for themselves and their romances with people of the ton. One aspect that I really love is that each family member gives back to their community in a way that pertains to their businesses. Good characters who have instant attraction and even though there is a separation of the couples, they talk it out and resolve their differences. The next series I'd about the heroine of the last book's brothers.

Hello and welcome. I'm sure that we have way more reccs that you have time! Glad that you stepped out of the shadows.

I just finished The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal on audio and I thought that it was great. Jodi Taylor writes fantastic characters and this was no exception. I never really thought about that particular (non) relationship, but it was a good read filled with action and some great revenge. You get to see them at home and on the job. The story mainly is about Lady Amelia Smallhope and her family. Pennyroyal is a coworker, companion, instructor, butler, (he has 12 certificates), and a friend. We have seen them in both the Chronicles of St Mary's, and the Time Police series. and it was great to get to know them through this story. I hope that this will be a series and not just a stand alone novel.

HappyBookWorm... I can't imagine having to move back in & finding crazy cabinets and a redesigned house. Good Luck!
We worked from sun up to sun down in constant motion. Many items were thrown out, donated, and like I said placed @ the street for people to take for free. My sister & I constantly cleaned and on Thursday we had a service come in and do the carpets. We had to stay in a hotel that night. Some of his bigger furniture was left to "stage" the house and luckily the new owner wanted it. (It was beautiful stuff but way too big for any of our homes). That saved us some time. My Dad lives in Maryland with my sister now. He hopes to get into an assisted living place, but he is still down the list for the nicer ones. Its a big adjustment for all of them, especially because he still refuses to wear his hearing aids and can't hear things like the refrigerator alarm because he didn't close the door. My sister has to be on him all of the time to take his meds. His dearly departed wife told him that he couldn't possibly take all of his meds at the same time because they might react with each other, so he spreads them out during the day, & takes his night meds all at the same time, sometimes hours afterwards he took his morning meds. He's a wreck & we doubt that he will be able to be on his own ever again. Now he wants a motorized 3 wheeler bike. I'm really not sure that he can do that.

On audio I am still listening to Lorraine Heath's "Sins For All Seasons" series. It is quite good, the main characters talk and argue and are treated as equals. Each book is about a member of the Trewlove family and their "true love" which is someone of the aristocracy. Each family member is a bastard of a member of the Ton, and each has made their own way in life and acquired a reasonable fortune. They also give back to their community which is a really nice touch.

Some of us read the first book, Killers of a Certain Age, and I just saw that the second book in this series by Deanna Raybourn will be released on March 11, 2025. It's called Kills Well With Others. I really liked the first book and I like Raybourn's historical series.

YAY! Kristi that's fantastic news!! I am so glad for you both. After the shock, you must be so happy!

HappyBookWorm... Last month I had an "emergency" run down to my father's house in Georgia. (I live in Connecticut). My sister had been there for a 1.5 weeks already. we took all of my Dad's things, packed the vital stuff up, donated and threw out the rest. Cleaned the house from top to bottom and left 4 days later. My Dad failed a competency test and the Dr. was going to pull his license. Most of his problem is that he refuses to wear his hearing aids and guessed at the questions and answers on the test. So this has been a long way of telling you that I can feel your pain. When I returned home, I started emptying out cupboards, my freezer, and some closet items. I swear that I'm not leaving a mess for any relative when I'm gone. It was incredibly hard, and we had already removed lots of items from his house because my step-mom had died 2 years ago and he donated and gave away a lot of her things. One thing, never underestimate the power of placing items in the front yard for others to take for free, LOL!!
Are you moving back into your house that burned? If so, how are you dealing with that? Hugs to you for all of the hard work to come!

I picked up one of Lorraine Heath's historical novels in an audible sale and realized that the book was a spin-off of a series that I hadn't read. The series is Sins For All Seasons, and the first book was excellent, Beyond Scandal and Desire I liked this couple because they talked, there was a reason for her to be mad and so they split for a short period of time, but here are always HEA'S. These are steamy and usually have a slow build up to the passionate side of things, but there usually is an instant attraction on both sides. These are very well written and because I do them on audio, the narrator has to be very good too. (Kate Reading).

On kindle, I am making my way through Lindsay Buroker's Legacy of Magic series. I'm currently on book 5 Wrenched.