Soliloquy in Blue

Manga and Book Reviews by Michelle Smith

Historical Fiction

Random Reads 2/17/23

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Bellfield Hall by Anna Dean The year is 1805. Dido Kent, unmarried aunt, is summoned to Bellfield Hall by her niece, Catherine, to look into the disappearance of Catherine’s wealthy betrothed, Richard Montague. Soon after her arrival, a woman turns up dead in the shrubbery. Dido makes inquiries into both matters while getting to know the residents and her fellow … [Read more...] about Random Reads 2/17/23

Jackaby, Books 1-4 by William Ritter

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Jackaby I’ve seen this series described as “Sherlock meets Doctor Who,” and that is pretty apt. It’s January 1892 and our plucky British narrator, Abigail Rook, has just arrived in New England and needs employment. No one is hiring except for the eccentric investigator, R. F. Jackaby, who is looking for a new assistant since his previous one is “currently waterfowl.” Jackaby’s … [Read more...] about Jackaby, Books 1-4 by William Ritter

Vagabond, Vols. 1-3

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By Takehiko Inoue | Published by VIZ Media (first VIZBIG edition) One of my goals for this Manga Moveable Feast was to finally read some of Vagabond. I've been collecting the VIZBIG editions since they started coming out, which means there were ten of these on my shelf (with their spines forming a group portrait) unread. Now that I finally have read some of Vagabond, I've … [Read more...] about Vagabond, Vols. 1-3

A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee

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From the back cover: Mary Quinn leads a remarkable life. At twelve, an orphan and convicted thief, she was miraculously rescued from the gallows. Now, at seventeen, she has a new and astonishing chance to work undercover for the Agency. It is May 1858, and a foul-smelling heat wave paralyzed London. Mary enters a rich merchant's household to solve the mystery of his lost … [Read more...] about A Spy in the House by Y. S. Lee