Monday
I finished three books over the weekend ...
CITY SPIES by James Ponti 5 stars
MURDER AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS by Andrea Penrose 4 stars
CAUGHT IN TIME by Julie McElwain 4 stars
And I started three more books yesterday.
Currently reading A SENSE OF DANGER by Jennifer Estep 1st of 2 in Section 47 series.
A SPY . . . My name is Charlotte Locke, and I’m an analyst for Section 47, a secret government agency that tracks terrorists, criminals, and other paramortal bad guys who want to unleash their abilities on an unsuspecting mortal world. I have a magical form of synesthesia that senses danger and uncovers lies—making me a stealthy operative. I’m trudging through another day when one of Section’s cleaners—assassins—takes an interest in me. I don’t need my synesthesia to realize that he is extremely dangerous and that he will do anything to achieve his goals—even if it means putting me in the line of fire.
. . . AND AN ASSASSIN... I’m Desmond Percy, one of Section 47’s most lethal cleaners. I’m also a man on a mission, and I need Charlotte Locke’s skills to help me keep a promise, settle a score, and kill some extremely bad people. Charlotte might not like me, but we’re stuck together until my mission is over. Still, the more time we spend together, the more I’m drawn to her. But at Section 47, you never know who you can trust—or who might want you dead.
Published 2020; 367 pages. For Spy vs Spy September.
Started ENGINES OF EMPIRE by R. S. Ford. 1st of 2 in Age of Uprising fantasy series.
The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, and their responsibility is to keep the gears of the empire turning. It’s exactly why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs to the far reaches of the nation. Conall, the eldest son, is sent to the distant frontier to earn his stripes in the military. It is here that he faces a threat he could have never seen coming: the first rumblings of revolution. Tyreta’s sorcerous connection to the magical resource of pyrstone that fuels the empire’s machines makes her a perfect heir–in theory. While Tyreta hopes that she might shirk her responsibilities during her journey one of Torwyn’s most important pyrestone mines, she instead finds the dark horrors of industry that the empire would prefer to keep hidden. The youngest, Fulren, is a talented artificer, and finds himself acting as consort to a foreign emissary. Soon after, he is framed for a crime he never committed. A crime that could start a war. As each of the Hawkspurs grapple with the many threats that face the nation within and without, they must finally prove themselves worthy–or their empire will fall apart.
Published 2022; 607 pages.
And FREEDOM & NECESSITY by Steven Brust & Emma Bull. Stand alone historical fantasy.
It is 1849. Across Europe, the high tide of revolution has crested, leaving recrimination and betrayal in its wake. From the high councils of Prussia to the corridors of Parliament, the powers-that-be breathe sighs of relief. But the powers-that-be are hardly unified among themselves. Far from it... On the south coast of England, London man-about-town James Cobham comes to himself in a country inn, with no idea how he got there. Corresponding with his cousin, he discovers himself to have been presumed drowned in a boating accident. Together they decide that he should stay put for the moment, while they investigate what may have transpired. For James Cobham is a wanted man--wanted by conspiring factions of the government and the Chartists alike, and also the target of a magical conspiracy inside his own family. And so the adventure begins...leading the reader through every corner of mid-nineteenth-century Britain, from the parlors of the elite to the dens of the underclass. Not since Wilkie Collins or Conan Doyle has there been such a profusion of guns, swordfights, family intrigues, women disguised as men, occult societies, philosophical discussions, and, of course, passionate romance.
Published 1997; 590 pages. This is a re-read for me. I've wanted to re-read it for a LONG time now and perhaps now is the time. It's an epistolary novel - told entirely by letters. I really loved it when I read the first time but it is very densely told and I think one picks up more of the story if read again.
Since I've hit my Goodreads reading goal of 100 books, I'm hoping to start reading some of the epics I've been wanting to get to. And next week will be a big release week including the honkin' huge new Robert Galbraith.
The weekend was fine. Got my hair cut ... too short. I don't like it very much but it will grow.
I don't have sprints to run tonight, just to watch. I should be receiving some yarn for possible Christmas presents after work today so it would be nice to get started perhaps. Depends on how the day goes. Maybe just some reading.
Have a good day
Much love,
PK the Bookeemonster
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