May Reads
The Ogre Downstairs, by Diana Wynne Jones
A very early Diana, that has magical elements and is very much for middle grade readers. It is a Diana Wynne Jones book, though, so was still delightful. When Casper, Johnny and Gwinny’s mother marries ‘the Ogre’, they are saddled with not only a demanding step-father, but two extra brothers and none of them get along. When the Ogre buys two magical chemistry sets—one for each pair of brothers—the mayhem that ensues means that the new siblings need to bond to stay out of trouble with the Ogre.
The Unknown Ajax, by Georgette Heyer
Reread, of course. This is one of my favorites as the action, romance, and humor balance each other perfectly. And some of her very best side characters!
A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, by Sylvie Cathrall
This is the follow-up to A Letter to the Luminous Deep—one of my favorite books in 2024. This is a wonderful end to the duology where we get more of E. and Henerey’s true love and understanding. Action from their siblings who are looking for a new gate to find them, and just a jolly good time. Highly recommend both books.
Where Peace is Lost, Valerie Valdes
I loved Valdes’ Chilling Effect series of hilarious space capades. This one is a standalone and is more serious and has more romance that the other series. It was good. Her worldbuilding is very well thought out and her characters have a lot of depth. In this story, former elite warrior Kel, must help to save her new planet home from a dormant war-machine, which, in the process, might reveal her deeply held secret.
Hemlock Island, by Kelley Armstrong
A super scary horror set on an isolated island in Lake Superior during an early winter storm. It’s got the ‘stranger where they shouldn’t be’ vibe, supernatural elements, maybe a little eldritch something something, dark family secrets, and characters who you can’t help but root for. Perfect for horror fans.
The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow
Partially a retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet’s POV, and partially a story of Mary coming into her own. This book fell into the problem I have with so many P&P retellings—I know the book far too well. On the whole it was mostly a good read. The first full half was super slow, but it really picked up when Mary went off on her own. There were some liberties taken with the original storyline that was explained by Mary’s perception of things. However, some liberties were just not in character. My book club compatriots liked this more than I did. It is a very good retelling, I admit.
The Bell in the Fog, by Lev A.C. Rosen
This is the second book in the Evander Mills detective series. I really enjoyed the first, The Lavendar House. This one was very good too as we got to delve deeper into Andy’s history. Andy is a former police detective and he is now a PI after he was fired for being gay in 1950s San Francisco. He caters to the queer community, who haven’t yet learned to trust him. When an old lover comes to him about being blackmailed, Andy has to come to terms with his time in the Navy while uncovering blackmailers harming the queer community. I recommend this series highly.
The Ogre Downstairs, by Diana Wynne Jones
A very early Diana, that has magical elements and is very much for middle grade readers. It is a Diana Wynne Jones book, though, so was still delightful. When Casper, Johnny and Gwinny’s mother marries ‘the Ogre’, they are saddled with not only a demanding step-father, but two extra brothers and none of them get along. When the Ogre buys two magical chemistry sets—one for each pair of brothers—the mayhem that ensues means that the new siblings need to bond to stay out of trouble with the Ogre.
The Unknown Ajax, by Georgette Heyer
Reread, of course. This is one of my favorites as the action, romance, and humor balance each other perfectly. And some of her very best side characters!
A Letter from the Lonesome Shore, by Sylvie Cathrall
This is the follow-up to A Letter to the Luminous Deep—one of my favorite books in 2024. This is a wonderful end to the duology where we get more of E. and Henerey’s true love and understanding. Action from their siblings who are looking for a new gate to find them, and just a jolly good time. Highly recommend both books.
Where Peace is Lost, Valerie Valdes
I loved Valdes’ Chilling Effect series of hilarious space capades. This one is a standalone and is more serious and has more romance that the other series. It was good. Her worldbuilding is very well thought out and her characters have a lot of depth. In this story, former elite warrior Kel, must help to save her new planet home from a dormant war-machine, which, in the process, might reveal her deeply held secret.
Hemlock Island, by Kelley Armstrong
A super scary horror set on an isolated island in Lake Superior during an early winter storm. It’s got the ‘stranger where they shouldn’t be’ vibe, supernatural elements, maybe a little eldritch something something, dark family secrets, and characters who you can’t help but root for. Perfect for horror fans.
The Other Bennet Sister, by Janice Hadlow
Partially a retelling of Pride and Prejudice from Mary Bennet’s POV, and partially a story of Mary coming into her own. This book fell into the problem I have with so many P&P retellings—I know the book far too well. On the whole it was mostly a good read. The first full half was super slow, but it really picked up when Mary went off on her own. There were some liberties taken with the original storyline that was explained by Mary’s perception of things. However, some liberties were just not in character. My book club compatriots liked this more than I did. It is a very good retelling, I admit.
The Bell in the Fog, by Lev A.C. Rosen
This is the second book in the Evander Mills detective series. I really enjoyed the first, The Lavendar House. This one was very good too as we got to delve deeper into Andy’s history. Andy is a former police detective and he is now a PI after he was fired for being gay in 1950s San Francisco. He caters to the queer community, who haven’t yet learned to trust him. When an old lover comes to him about being blackmailed, Andy has to come to terms with his time in the Navy while uncovering blackmailers harming the queer community. I recommend this series highly.
