The first book in an entertaining historical romance series. I liked all the books very much--they are well-written with interesting characters. The aThe first book in an entertaining historical romance series. I liked all the books very much--they are well-written with interesting characters. The author chooses to endow her heroines with strong wills and force of character while at the same time, accurately portraying the societal limitations imposed upon them during the period. (This is especially true for her book "The Countess Conspiracy.") I'm a latecomer to Courtney Milan's books but have very much enjoyed all of them. They are enjoyable reads, and she is always quite clear in her author's notes as to the historical accuracy of what she writes. The series overall gets 4 stars....more
The debut novel in a series is always difficult to fairly evaluate. The author has to describe the setting and introduce the characters, and, oh by thThe debut novel in a series is always difficult to fairly evaluate. The author has to describe the setting and introduce the characters, and, oh by the way, plot a murder or two as well. So, while I might give a lower rating to a debut novel, that doesn't mean I won't read another book or two in the series before making a final judgment. And that's the case for the Gaslight Mystery series debut novel. I liked the setting, and I liked the characters. I did think the pacing was a bit sedate, but part of that is the fact that it's the introductory novel. The series has promise--it's an interesting period and location (NYC in the 1890s), and the fact that the series is 26 books and growing indicate its popularity. I am definitely going to give book #2 a try.
This is a difficult-to-place genre of a book, which I really enjoyed). A group of middle-aged female assassins are retiring, but someone is trying to This is a difficult-to-place genre of a book, which I really enjoyed). A group of middle-aged female assassins are retiring, but someone is trying to kill them, and they have to "unretire" long enough to fend off attempts to kill them while trying to figure out who has ordered the hit. The book alternates between the past lives of this squad and the present. It's a technique that generally annoys me since it breaks up the narrative thread and results in a choppy story, but I didn't mind it in this case because the author is skillful enough to interweave the threads of past and present seamlessly, and both story lines are interesting enough to keep the reader engaged. Part mystery, part thriller (without a lot of gratuitous dead bodies so common in the thriller genre), and part revenge fantasy for older women, this was a hoot to read and was a very enjoyable story. (The author also writes the Lady Julia Grey series and the Veronica Speedwell series.) I think this is a standalone book, which is a shame, because I certainly would love to read more about the idiosyncratic characters in this book!...more
This is the debut novel of the author (and full disclosure: the author was my son's favorite high school English teacher). Reading this novel is like pThis is the debut novel of the author (and full disclosure: the author was my son's favorite high school English teacher). Reading this novel is like peeling an onion--you think you know what's happened and what's going to happen, but then you peel off a layer of the story and another layer appears, giving a different angle and additional depth to the story. The story takes place in Seoul and is about a search for identity and belonging and what those two words mean to a person who appears to have both but has neither and to a person who thinks they have neither but actually has both. The journey by the main characters is a journey of continuing revelation about the façades people erect about themselves and others and what happens when those façades are torn away. This is a stunning debut novel, and the themes of identity and belonging are universal and resonate, no matter the setting. I can't wait to read the author's next book, and I highly recommend this one! ...more
I have really enjoyed all of Michelle Moran's books that I have read, but this one is one of my favorites. Of course, it helps that I love reading aboI have really enjoyed all of Michelle Moran's books that I have read, but this one is one of my favorites. Of course, it helps that I love reading about ancient Egypt. This book is about Cleopatra's daughter, Selene, and what befell her after Octavian conquered Egypt. The descriptions of Egypt and Rome during Selene's time period were fascinating, and even more interesting were the machinations and power struggles surrounding Octavian, involving not only his advisers but his family members as well. I liked this book so much that I ordered a hardback copy of it (I originally read it on my Kindle). Any book that I willingly add to the already large amounts of clutter in my house definitely deserves a place of honor!...more
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