All hail the debut of a new recurring column of sorts, collecting reasonably short reviews of disparate books. A Banquet of Consequences by Elizabeth George While A Banquet of Consequences is not the best Lynley and Havers mystery I have read, it’s still great heaping loads better than the last one (Just One Evil Act). In fact, in my review of the latter, I wrote “I wanted … [Read more...] about Random Reads 3/29/17
Romance
The Sharing Knife: Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold: B-
From the front flap: In a world where malices—remnants of ancient magic—can erupt with life-destroying power, only soldier-sorcerer Lakewalkers have mastered the ability to kill them. But Lakewalkers keep their uncanny secrets and themselves from the farmers they protect, so when patroller Dag Redwing Hickory rescued farmer girl Fawn Bluefield, neither expected to fall in love, … [Read more...] about The Sharing Knife: Horizon by Lois McMaster Bujold: B-
A Royal Proposition by Marion Lennox and Harumo Sanazaki: C-
Before he died, the king of a vaguely European country called Castaliae drafted a will to reign in his son’s profligate tendencies. This will calls for the next would-be king to marry a woman of faultless virtue before he can ascend to the throne. Alas, that son is now dead too, and the new heir, Alastair, must also abide by the bizarre terms set forth by his predecessor. … [Read more...] about A Royal Proposition by Marion Lennox and Harumo Sanazaki: C-
Jack and the Princess by Raye Morgan and Junko Okada: B+
Karina, the 22-year-old princess of Nabotavia, is going to be returning to her home country soon and getting married to an aristocrat of her aunt’s choosing. Lonely and looking to enjoy her final summer of freedom, she attempts to befriend Jack, the new head of security for her uncle’s Beverly Hills residence and only other young person around. Jack’s resistant at first, owing … [Read more...] about Jack and the Princess by Raye Morgan and Junko Okada: B+
Married Under the Italian Sun by Lucy Gordon and Mayu Takayama: B-
When Angela—an actress who’s been playing a “dumb bimbo” called Angel for eight years—is jilted by her wealthy husband, she’s too weary to battle his lawyers and instead accepts an Italian villa for a divorce settlement. Upon moving to Amalfi, she meets Vittorio, the former owner who assumes a lot of negative things about her character, given the life she comes from, only to … [Read more...] about Married Under the Italian Sun by Lucy Gordon and Mayu Takayama: B-