A Curious Beginning: A Vernoica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn

Review based on an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

This is one of those books that fall into the category of "I really wanted to like it..." I really did. I love the cover and I've heard very good things about the author. The plot sounded interesting as well: a young lady in late 19th century London is orphaned by the death of her aunt and decides to set off to continue world travels to study science, with the occasional fling along the way. But Veronica's plans are thwarted by her attempted abduction and the help of a mysterious German baron who apparently knows who she is (and her parents!) and offers to keep her safe. Veronica accepts the help in the hopes of learning more about her past/parents, and she is deposited with Stoker, an ill-mannered, angry, reclusive natural historian. Next Veronica and Stoker know, the baron is suddenly found murdered, and Veronica and Stoker choose to go on the run, hiding and seeking the truth.

Veronica Speedwell is apparently one of those beautiful ladies that every man must admire, and she has spunk to spare. Her character felt more like a caricature of a person than an actual person. She is steadfastly, annoyingly stubborn and insistent on repeatedly getting herself into trouble. I believe this was meant to show spunk, but it just felt immature and idiotic most of the time.

Stoker is supposed to be some sort of manly, gruffy gentleman-in-a-beast's-body sort of thing, which, again, was rather two-dimensional. In light of his actual personal history -- both his upbringing and what has happened since then -- his whole personality felt forced and intended to create attraction rather than a realistic character. I also found Stoker terribly annoying.

And worst of all was the relationship between the two. It was insufferable. If I actually knew these people in real life, I would probably need to remove myself from their vicinity ... as far as possible.

The bit characters were okay -- some were even intriguing. But with the book revolving around Veronica and Stoker and their forming relationship, I just found the whole thing rather boring and uninspired. I would probably recommend to people who enjoy those types of romance stories that are surface and obvious, with cliched tension and resolution. I didn't really think the mystery was much to speak of. It... just didn't matter to me.

Overall, TWO of five stars.

Arcadia (#3 in Advent Series) by James Treadwell

Review based on an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy received for free in exchange for an honest review).

I re-read the first two books in the trilogy in order to "prepare" for the third and final installation. I again enjoyed Advent and continued to be impressed with Treadwell's creation of the world we know so well, as affected by magic in a way that we could not predict. I love some of the people and non-peoples he created, and the depth he gave some of his characters.

I again particularly enjoyed Anarchy. I thought Treadwell did an excellent job of showing the chaos experienced by the reintroduction of magic in our world. I loved the new stories and new characters he introduced, and I liked how it all tied together in some way or another.

So I was a bit disappointed with Arcadia. Arcadia begins about a year and a half after Anarchy ends, so magic has been well-incorporated into our world, and we have well screwed ourselves almost completely trying to deal with it. It's a sort of post-apocalyptic story in that sense, which is definitely my speed. But then Treadwell focuses our attentions on a single small island off the coast of England and we don't really experience the chaos of the world. Not that that is a bad story, it's just not what I was expecting. After the development in Anarchy, I was expecting Arcadia to be a bit more... exciting.

Instead, we follow a ten-year-old boy who knows that he is likely to be the next (and last) "man" to die in his universe (the island), as a result of Them. If you have read the first 2 books, ****NOTE: THERE IS SOME SPOILER'ISH LANGUAGE IN HERE. IT'S NOT VERY SPOILER, BUT I DID HIDE IT ON SITES. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. it is clear rather quickly who They are. If not, I can imagine this might actually create some uncertainty that could have been interesting. For me, though, it felt like the first 50-60% of the book was just repetition of how boring life on the island is; how scared everyone is of Them; how likely it is that the main character is going to go off to Them anyway; how crazy his mom is; and how frustrating the rest of the characters are. Treadwell's gifted writing is still rather evident, but it was just a bit of a (long) lull.

That being said, when we MORE SPOILER>>>>  get to the mainland and see more of the after-effect of the introduction of magic, and especially when we arrive in the Valley, the magic (heh heh) of Treadwell's writing is fully exposed. I *loved* the Valley and I loved how uncertain and creepy that whole part is.

Ultimately, I felt that the end was a bit of anti-climax as well, but I also felt that Treadwell did a very good job of wrapping up... much. (but not all) All in all, I still definitely recommend the book as part of the trilogy.  It is worth completing the trilogy and, overall, the trilogy is a great one. I like that it is involved and hearty and satisfying.

So, overall, FOUR of five stars. Thanks to NetGalley for the copy!

Death Before Decaf: A Java Jive Mystery by Caroline Fardig

Free copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I felt that this was an "okay" cozy mystery. While I did not particularly enjoy the romantic aspect because I felt that it was a little cliched and clunky, the mystery itself was interesting and novel.

In the book, Juliet Langley has returned to her college town to work for her old crush and former co-worker, the now-owner of local coffee shop Java Jive. Juliet has returned because her life and career have crashed and spectacularly burned after a horrible relationship with an apparently horrible person has ended.

Given Juliet's experience both at Java Jive and in the food industry, her old crush and one of her best friends Pete makes her manager. Juliet, however, does not appear to remotely be a people-person and immediately pisses off pretty much everyone in her employ. This is only made worse when the chef turns up dead.

Juliet is, of course, a prime suspect. In order to try to clear her name, she delves into amateur sleuthing. With the help of a local college professor who seems perhaps much more sinister than at first glance and, of course, Pete, Juliet slowly works through a list of culprits as more people end up dead and Juliet begins to get death threats herself.

So that's the set up and it's a good one. I generally liked the characters and I especially liked Seth (the professor). I did not particularly like that, rather than tale responsibility for her anger issues, Juliet simply called her temper the Red Headed She Devil (Juliet is a red-head)... it was too cutesy and lame as an excuse for her poor people skills. And I did not particularly like the cliched and, somehow, also clunky romantic triangle between Juliet, Pete, and Seth that is rather unsatisfying in the end (though this is a series, so surely there is more to come).

But as I say, the mystery itself was fun and it was a good, quick read for a cold night. I would recommend to "cozy mystery" fans, especially if someone were looking for a softly-steamy romantic one with a fiery protagonist. Overall, THREE of five stars.

Witches Protection Program by Michael Phillip Cash

Book received for free from publisher in exchange for honest review; thanks to NetGalley!

This was a decent supernatural action-adventure book with some interesting characters and a creative plot.

Wes has spent his life being second to all in his family, struggling to prove that he deserves the Rockville family name as a police officer under his father's directorship. Unfortunately, on his first assignment, he makes his first huge mistake, resulting in an escaped prisoner and embarrassment to the Rockville family name. Without giving Wes a second chance, his father transfers him to a different department for his last chance in the force.

With all the pouting, grunting, and moaning to make a 13-year-old teenage girl proud, Wes goes to his new boss. There, Wes discovers that not only are there witches in the world, but they are separated into two factions (the wicked willas and the good davinas) and infiltrate every aspect of every-day-living (including hollywood and the tabloids). Grumbling every step along the way, Wes accompanies his new boss Alastair to meet an old davina Junie, who expresses her concern over what appears to be a huge willa plot.

Enter Morgan Pendragon - heir to a multi-billion dollar cosmetics corporation currently run by her aunt - and the story is on its way. Morgan is an apparent davina who is doing nothing more than just trying to stay under the radar; unfortunately, her aunt wants her to hand over the rights to run the company and Morgan does everything in her... power... to avoid doing just that. However, because of what Junie knows and Alastair/Wes suspect, Morgan will soon have to confront her aunt and her wishes, face to face.

The plot is fast, the pace is well done, and the story is fun. I liked Alastair and Scarlett (the aunt's #1 protege) in particular - they were very well written and not quite as... predictable as the others. I also thought some of the minor characters were nice additions -- Jasmine and Wu to name a couple -- and I liked some of the less conventional mini-sub-plots that Cash (author) threw in there.

What I didn't love as much were the often-stilted conversations, the over-stereotypical behaviors of many of the characters (Morgan and her aunt, in particular), and the incredibly immature, unbelievably whiney and snarky Wes who was, unfortunately, the main character of the story.

Fortunately, Wes does show some growth throughout the book and ends up much more mature and respectful by the end of the book -- which I do think was the point.

Overall, a fun, fast read that I'd recommend to anyone who felt that the plot was right up their alley. I expect this to be a series based on how it was set up, and I would definitely be curious to see how it continues!
THREE of five stars

7 Minis! From romance to sci-fi, from 1 star to 4.5!

Cloud Atlas

I particularly enjoyed the New Seoul section (LOVE the way Mitchell wrote the concept of a corpocracy!). And I wasn't as thrilled w/ the Hawaii after-the-fall section. But, overall, a very satisfying and enjoyable read! Mitchell is clearly a master at enveloping his reader in the setting in which he's writing ... in a book that covers 6 completely different eras and perspectives, this challenge was nevertheless met with apparent ease. I can't wait to see the movie now! It's waiting for me at the library :) And I can't wait to read more Mitchell!
FOUR of five stars


The Golem and the Jinni

Just a beautiful written tale. It's about a golem (generally, a mass of clay made into human'ish form for the purpose of serving its master, usually for a brief, intense, and muscle'y task) who finds herself master'less almost immediately after being brought to life, while on her way to New York at the turn of the century. This is one "half" of the book -- what and how Chava (the golem) do in a small Jewish community in Manhattan. Around the same time, a jinni (genie), named Ahmad, is brought back to existence by a clueless Syrian in a small community, also in Manhattan. And of course they 2 meet. Amid their stories and challenges, including the one that may challenge their very existence, we get a little mythology and a little history of the 2 and the others who impact their lives. It is not fast-paced, but it is well-paced. It never seems to slow really, just keeps on going. It was a very complete and satisfying read and I'm glad I finally got to it!
FOUR of five stars


The Phantasmagorical Astrarium Compendium

which I received from NetGalley (for free in exchange for an honest review)... Ugh. Almost immediately, I began reading sentences to my husband, who begged me to stop because it was so bad. I got to about 5% and he asked why I was still going, and I said I thought I owed it at least 10% (it's ~400 pages.. I had it in Kindle format, so I'm not sure how many pages, exactly). It just... it's one of those books where every 3rd sentence (on average) ends in an exclamation point. Seriously. It was almost impossible to take it seriously. It also had .... I really didn't see the originality in it. It purported to be original, and it sounded interesting, but it pulled (way) too much from other classics and... well, at 10% I just couldn't anymore.
ONE of five stars


Paper Magician

Another great disappointment. I did finish this one (and it read quickly enough)... it just was... blah. It was incredibly predictable and cliched, even while attempting to do something different (a paper magician -- one who uses magic via paper).  So.... yeah. Ready to move on...
TWO of five stars


From Notting Hill with Love Actually

I know some people really enjoyed this (including a good friend of mine!), but I couldn't do it. I understand the concept was that the main character is obsessed w/ movies, but McNamara took it too far and made too little story up herself. The characters are flatter than 2-dimensional, and if the ooooooobvious love interest grins one more time.......... argh. So Yeah. Couldn't.
ONE of five stars


Queen of the Tearling (audio version)

great book! (though I did listen to it on audio, as mentioned, and I think the reader deserves a lot of the credit... I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much as a self-read book?) I found myself often moved by the story, and the characters have been richly drawn and compelling. I'm very much looking forward to reading the 2nd - Invasion of the Tearling! (and I also can't wait to see the movie, starring Emma Watson!)
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars


Bellman and Black

I also really enjoyed this. Glad that I had read the reviews criticizing it for not being just like Thirteenth Tale (which I loved)... it isn't just like it. It's a completely different book and, in most ways, a completely different kind of book. But Setterfield is still an excellent writer and I really enjoyed it. EsPECially once the whole "Bellman & Black" bit takes off (about halfway through). Probably surprisingly, I was somehow newly inspired in my own ... erm, desires that resemble B&B (no spoilers -- but, for those who've read it, not the macabre aspect of it all ;))
FOUR of five stars

The Night Parade by Kathryn Tanquary

Review based on advanced reader copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What I think I enjoyed most about this book is the imagination that went into it. This is something I would like to recommend to my friends' children (only because I don't yet have my own!) because it's smart and thoughtful and ultimately has a good message without feeling preachy.

Saki (middle-grade) is forced to spend several days during her precious summer vacation in the village where her grandmother lives, preparing for the annual Obon ceremony (honoring the dead), rather than with her friends in her big-city Tokyo. She is, as expected, sullen about the retreat, spending the time with her family, and being without good signal on her cell phone. Looking for any way to have some real fun during this antiquated ritual time, Saki agrees to go with several local kids (typical troublemakers) to her family's property and dishonors it in an attempt to prove both her bravery and her coolness. Saki unknowingly invokes a death curse and opens the door to the spiritual world.

In the nights that follow -- the nights of the Night Parade -- Saki is guided by various spirits, meets good and evil spirits, and learns a lot about the village, the importance of the rituals and honor, and herself.

I thought Saki was written beautifully. She is a complex character, accurately depicting that pre-teen/teen angst, apathy, anger, care, and innocence all at once. She is frustrating and endearing and ultimately tries to do the right thing. I like that the path was not easy, that things were not always what they seemed, and that little efforts made big differences, both good and bad.

The book is pretty and soft and gentle, while addressing big and hard and deep issues. It is not fast paced, but it is steady and consistent throughout. And, as I said, ultimately, I think the things that Saki learns throughout her experiences in the book are great things. And I think the book pulls off an impressive feat by merging Japanese legends, universal truths, and difficult physical and emotion lessons with a beautiful, creative, and imaginative background, populated by a unique array of friends and foes.

I would definitely recommend (and give!) to smart middle and high schoolers open to something beautiful and thought provoking, and to anyone looking for the same!
(and a beautiful cover to boot!)
FOUR of five stars.

Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye by Tania del Rio

Review based on free copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was just what it purported to be: a quick, fun, quirky story about Warren the 13th and the All-Seeing Eye. It is populated with classic fairy-tale characters, including a quirky, sweet, smart (though not terribly smart), and relatable main character; the imaginary or non-imaginary but definitely weird and quirky side-kick and/or best friend; the missing or dead parents; the oblivious relative caring for the protagonist; the evil pointy villain who only shows her true evil'ness to the hero; and a mystery with supernatural implications.

Immediately, I liked Warren - the 12-year-old sole bellhop to the Warren, the hotel that has been owned and run by every prior Warren up to him. Because his father died when Warren was 7, he has to wait many years before he can officially take over. Meanwhile, his lazy uncle has taken over and the place has fallen into complete disrepair. Warren is completely likable. Even though he may have yellow ringlets and a toad-like face with weird spaced out teeth... he's charismatic, hard-working, and optimistic. I immediately trusted him and his perspective, and I immediately wanted for him to overcome the nasty step-mother and the eventual evil villain.

Overall, I thought del Rio did an excellent job of juxtaposing the characters one from another -- perhaps the characters were a little stock and two-dimensional, but for a middle grade modern "fairy tale," it was just right.  I love the sheer oblivion and laziness of the uncle, the questionable character of his new best friend, and the creep-factor of Paleface.

The plot moved quickly with a lot of fun, crazy things happening. The heros were in just enough fixes with just enough uncertainty to keep the plot moving. I enjoyed the variety in location, and I appreciated the type and amount of outside factors used throughout. The only thing I didn't *love* was every part of the resolution.  Parts of it were great and fit in well, but I though that just 1 or 2 bits were perhaps a bit too... convenient. (no spoilers!) I also LOVED the illustrations.

Overall, a great middle grade book that I will DEFinitely purchase for my friend's 12-year-old male son (or his 7-year-old sister!).
FOUR of five stars.

I Am Sophie Tucker: A Fictional Memoir by Susan Ecker & Lloyd Ecker

Review based on ARC.

Sophie Tucker was undoubtably a fascinating person. She seemed to know anyone who was anyone... from Al Pacino to Arthur Conan Doyle to ... well, herself! And this fictional memoir seemed intriguing. I didn't know much about Tucker going into it -- more a recognition of the name than anything else. But I thought it sounded intriguing... a murder mystery, an insider's look at early Hollywood (or, at least, earlier...), the world of Vaudeville.... ok, sign me up!

And... it delivered. to some degree. So, fictional memoir. What was I expecting? I don't know, something more akin to Devil in the White City, I guess... a sort of novelization of real events. An adding of thoughts and emotions -- a researcher's best guess -- and maybe that's what this was. But it seemed a lot more fictional than that. It *felt* like someone was creating a whole persona for a real person. Which just felt weird. It felt like someone had decided THIS must be Sophie Tucker's *real* personality -- her behind-the-scenes personality.  And.... it was unsettling to me.

It felt surface. It felt false. It felt over-simplified. Like, rather two-dimensional. And,  I understand the authors did an inordinate amount of research, and had scrapbooks and many items of Sophie's own words to pull from... so perhaps Sophie was really just a two-dimensional person? Seems far-fetched. Much more far-fetched than the so-called "life and times of Sophie Tucker."

And that was my other complaint. Eyebrow-raising, inward gasping, behind-the-scenes reveals? meh. I get that this was a long time ago, and our standards are different now... but it still felt like this fictional character was going from "hey hey, listen to this CRaaaaay-zee story about me!" to yet another and another... nothing felt organic or ... well, real.

Buuut.... It was Interesting. It was somewhat satisfying to read about that time from a so-called insider's perspective. It was ok. I didn't love Sophie; I didn't hate her. I didn't really feel that particularly strongly about anyone except for her first husband.

As for the others... were they husbands? It felt like a lot was left out. How did she meet her 3rd husband? What happened? How did they break? What about the 2nd .... how did that become, er, formal? (did I just miss that altogether?) So yeah, it was the organization. The organization needed work. And as a result, the story suffered.

But it was ok. And if you're really interested in Sophie Tucker's life, from an arguably inside perspective... check it out.  The memoir is pretty consistent from beginning to end, so if you don't like the first few chapters, then you won't like it. If you do, you will.

Overall, three of five stars.

People I Want to Punch in the Throat by Jen Mann

Review based on ARC.

I really really enjoyed the first few chapters of Jen Mann's snarky take on the world of suburbia. And I should have read the subtitle more closely to really understand that the whole book was going to be about suburbia, but I didn't realize that. And why is that relevant? Well, after about half the book, it started to just feel like a singularly focused rant, with examples of how horrible her co-moms are. Which, yes, is definitely entertaining! But also gets to be a little draggy at times.

So yes, this is I think what people call humor essays. You know, sort of like what David Sedaris does. But focused on, as I said, suburbia and the horrible people who live there who are raising their horrible children. At least, to hear Mann talk of it. And not that I doubt her, but she seems almost to have a vendetta against these horribly misdirected moms.

But she's funny. Definitely witty and smart and funny... and biting and at times cruel. She's dealing with a segment of the population who seems to just not "get it" when it comes to well-roundedness or alternative approaches to child-rearing or... well, a lot of things.

And you can see by this review that I just sort of had a hard time figuring out how to review it because she's funny. But it gets tiring after a while. And as quickly as I read the first half, I slowed down and dragged a bit on the second half.

So my recommendation? Read the first half for sure. And if you're not tired at that point, keep reading. She'll make you laugh and probably make you question a few things about how you do things. And she may annoy you just a little (for me, her constant referral to "the Hubs" was distracting and kind of lame, but I accept that that's probably what she actually calls him in real life? er.....), but she'll entertain you while she's doing it.

So yeah, I recommend it. For sure. But know that you might not finish it. But it's okay because it's just essays and when you're done, you can be done. :)

It's a high three-and-a-half stars, so earning 4 on sites w/o halves.

The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

Review based on ARC (NetGalley) - originally via publisher contest.

I'm a pretty big fan of the One for the Money series by Evanovich, so I was excited to hear she'd begun a new series involving a tough heroine who is a highly trained FBI agent.

I'm a pretty big fan, I say, but I don't think that Evanovich's writing is "high literature."  So I'm not coming into this with heightened expectations as far as the writing is concerned.  I like the One for the Money series because we can't take Stephanie Plum too seriously, because Stephanie Plum doesn't take herself too seriously, and because she finds herself in all kinds of awkward, entertaining, humiliating, and interesting situations.  They're fun and quick reads.

I know nothing of Lee Goldberg... far as I was concerned, I was reading an Evanovich.  And I also didn't know that this was the Second in a series until rather near the end of the book.  This was just the first I'd heard of this new series, and yes please! I'd love a free copy to review!

So all of that is to essentially say that I don't really know what went wrong here.  It's not terrible at all.  Really.  But it's not particularly good.  There isn't that spark that Evanovich has in her Plum series.  It's just kind of blase meandering from one high-action, high-stakes heist in one country, to another high-action, high-stakes heist in another (or, sure on a plane in mid-air...).  Right?! It sounds interesting!  It sounds like you're going to read this fun and engaging book, a step or two up from Plum, about a badass FBI chick and her quarry, flying to fun and dangerous places, doing fun and dangerous things.  And technically that is this book.

But, I don't know, it just kind of fell flat.  The humor that works so well with Plum didn't work for Kate O'Hare, the tension that works so well with Joe Morelli just didnt' work for Nicholas Fox.

But it wasn't bad either.  There was a lot of activity, a lot of punching, some interesting new plot-twists, some interesting new characters (I like the peripherals a bit), and it went pretty quick.  And I commend the authors for writing a 2nd in a series that was not so dependent on the 1st that I constantly felt like I was left out of the inside jokes or plot... As I say, I didn't even realize this was a 2nd in a series until near the end.

So, overall, I'd recommend to fans as Evanovich-Lite.  This'll get you through to the next Plum release, but it's not going to be your new favorite... you're definitely going to want to go back to Plum.

THREE of five stars.

Anarchy by James Treadwell

Review based on ARC

((bounced excitedly in her seat))

I IMpatiently awaited the arrival of Treadwell's second novel, Anarchy.  I mean.  Impatiently.  I regularly google searched and scoured websites looking for a hidden contest to get an early copy.  And my efforts were rewarded!  Thank you NetGalley!

I have often thought about Advent since I finished reading it and reviewed it.  It was a chance finding... a book I picked up from the library on a whim.  And I loved it.  And I gave it 4 stars and I've often wondered if... perhaps I shouldn't have rated it higher?  Any book that makes me think so much about it.... but I haven't changed that review because, well, because I believe the review that lands on my review is the best review from me - contemporaneous and not hindsight-affected.

Nevertheless, I looked for Anarchy with eagerness.  And it did not disappoint.  Treadwell just writes a beautiful story - it feels like actual literature - but then there's the fantastical element.  This is where we broach my actual favorite genre... magical realism.  (well, okay, it's tied with gothic literature).  And Treadwell does it well.

Here is an author who does the interweaving of three stories - a type of story-telling that seems to be heavily used of late.  But he did it well.  He does it all well.  He sets up a story that is foggy and etherial and forces its reader to be patient... and forces its reader to slow down and enjoy it.

And I did.  I'm just not going to say more about the actual plot and goings on.  I will say, read Advent first.  If you HATE advent, I highly doubt you'll like Anarchy.  If you HATE magical realism and fantasy, just don't try it.  But if you're willing to give it a shot, these are the books that deserve your efforts.

FOUR AND A HALF of five stars

The Pure Gold Baby by Margaret Drabble

Review based on ARC.

Perhaps my expectations have risen too high.  Or perhaps this is just another book that... had so much potential but just did not meet it.

As you'll read in every other blurb or review, Jess is an anthropology student with a bright career ahead of her.  She has an affair with her married professor and "finds herself" pregnant... er, I mean, she got pregnant.  Although that's not an altogether surprising result of having an affair with a member of the opposite gender.... I'll at least give them that this was in the 60s.. in London.  So, okay, she finds herself a single mom and .. I guess it makes sense to become a free-lance writer to keep her kid fed rather than continue on an anthropology career.  Sorry, I'm just a bit confused because I know actual free-lance writers and on the whole their money situation is neither good nor steady.  But they do it because they love the writing and there's potential for the future.  Conversely, staying in a career-oriented educational program seems like a smart decision.  I have friends who went to law school w/ little babies and kids (and, yes, no dads). and sure it's hard but.... anyway, I digress.

Jess' baby Anna is the pure gold baby.  Sunny, happy, and developmentally delayed.  And so dubbed the Pure Gold Baby.  The book spans 50 years, to the present, and we get to watch as Jess and Anna struggle (well, Jess struggles...) with every day life -- jobs, friends, men.  So yeah, it's one of those kind of books that just goes on, without a plot per se -- no real climax -- just character development and ongoing life.

And as I've said before, in order for those books to really impress me, they have to ... well... really impress me.  They have to be really well done (e.g., Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart).  And Drabble's was fine, it was good, the writing was good, but it wasn't great.  So it got kind of boring... and kind of directionless.  And while I did keep reading and I was glad to have read it... and I thought that Drabble added some interesting perspectives and history about women's libbing... it didn't blow me away.

I'll agree with some of the other reviewers that perhaps the narration from Jess's friend was just a bit too detached.  She was privy to more, er, inside-knowledge than you might expect (thoughts and emotions) for a non-omniscient 3rd person perspective, but it was still just a little too cold, unemotional, and.. well, detached, for my tastes.

So overall, a good book.  If you're looking for something that has some history, some women's strength undertones, some discussion on developmentally disabled ... pick it up.  But it's not a blow-me-away book.

THREE AND A HALF of 5 stars..

All is Fair by Emma Newman

Review based on ARC.

I received this review from NetGalley dot com; thanks to Angry Robot Ltd for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I requested this book because the cover is engaging and reminded me of another book I wanted to read, though I couldn't quite place what it was.  It soon became apparent -- I have the first book in this series on my bookshelf.  Nevertheless, with early reviewers, time is limited, so I read the third without having read the first (or the second).

Fortunately, it is an interesting enough book, with a background that is not overly complicated, so I was able to read this third without ever really feeling lost in the plot.   True, I did not know who Max or his Gargoyle already were; true, I did not know who Cathy was or how William got to his place of power by trickery; true, I did not know who had already died or how, but the information was presented to me, a new reader of the series, without an overly simplistic "here's what's already happened" backdrop or an overly complicated or presumptuous inside-references.

Instead, it was as though I were dropped into the middle of a mystery, and through conversation and memory, was able to piece the rest together.  Each of the stories were interesting and, rather than leave me with the sense that I'd already gleaned all from the series that I needed to by reading the third book, it made me want to go back and read the first two, to get that more in depth experience of the events that I now undertand have already occurred.   In other words, well done!  I liked this third enough to want to read more Newman -- whether something already published, or something yet to be published.

A quick synopsis:
This story takes place in the Nether (a faerie-run world otherwise like ours) and in Mundanus (it's like muggles... the non-magic people or people not in the nether live in the "mundane" world -- i.e., mundanus).  William has taken the throne of Londinium (the Nether-London), which makes Cathy the Duchess.  What we gleaned from the prior books is that William seems to be a pretty good guy, but controlled by a pretty evil faerie, and that Cathy is a headstrong girl who wants to change the corruption and evil in the Nether.  Cathy was attacked in book 2 (presumably), and William is told it is one household who has done so.  William therefore wins the seat of Duke in a duel that he wins by murdering someone who had previously  believed to be his friend.  Cathy attempts to feel nothing romantic toward William, her husband, at the beginning of the book, but begins to realize as the book progresses that she needs his support to accomplish what she wants to accomplish.

Max the arbiter and his gargoyle (where his soul is housed) continue to investigate who or what is behind the murder of a series of wizards and the corruption in London.  Max and the gargoyle work with Cathy, who is an insider now given her new position as Duchess to attempt to discover the truth.

Cathy's friend Sam, from Mundanus, has lost his wife and finds himself in the care of Lord Iron, which unsurprisingly puts Sam in the position of accepting an offer from Lord Iron which ends up being more than Sam himself anticipated.

With a quick plot, interesting characters, and an element of mystery, Newman brings the reader fully into her tale, and eager to find out, "what next!"

Recommended for readers looking for a quick urban fantasy read with dark intentions, a touch of insanity, and a subtle love story.  FOUR of five stars.