Book Reviews / DNF Reviews1880s / class-difference / Con / con-artist / Duke / England / erotic photograph / historical romance / Late Victorian / London / medium / mentorship / spiritualism4 Comments
Dear Julia Bennet, Your book, set in 1888 London, sounded like something I would enjoy so I took a chance and bought it. The story starts with a séance. The titular heroine is a “medium” while the hero, Alex (a duke), has a passion for unmasking con artists. He is ... more >
Book Reviews / C Reviews1880s / Aboriginal / accountant / Artist / Australia / Brindabella Secrets series / Historical / mixed-race hero / POC / self discoveryNo Comments
Despite their growing attraction, both Peter and Elizabeth have secrets that will come between them. New South Wales, 1887 Peter Rowe’s life is in the city, but his soul is in Australia’s southern tablelands – a place he’s never seen. Taking the new land manager’s position on the thriving estate ... more >
B- Reviews / Book Reviews1880s / Australia / Brindabella Secrets series / class differences / class-difference / forced-marriage / HistoricalNo Comments
New South Wales, 1885 When Alice Ryan wakes to find thugs surrounding her cottage, on the hunt for her no-good brother, she escapes into the surrounding bush. It is wealthy landowner Robert Farrer who finds her the next morning, dishevelled, injured, and utterly unwilling to share what she knows. With ... more >
B Reviews / Book Reviews1880s / Angel / fanfic / Fantasy / friendship / Late Victorian / London / murder mystery / queer characters / Shapeshifter / Sherlock Holmes24 Comments
Dear Katherine Addison, Your steampunk fantasy novel, The Goblin Emperor, was my second favorite book of 2014 (my favorite being Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel). The Goblin Emperor held a tinge of melancholy, but also of hopefulness, and the balance of the two made the reading experience an ... more >
B- Reviews / Book Reviews1880s / 19th century / European-Historical / Finland / Historical / kisses only / novella / working class2 Comments
Two people. An impossible task. A traitor in their midst. Sofi’s mother desperately needs medicine, and Sofi will do anything to get it—including a one-month stay at the Brunberg mansion in Helsinki, the capital. There she’ll spend her days at the Kangas Tailor Shop, knitting silk stockings and other items ... more >
A Reviews / Book Reviews / C Reviews / C- Reviews1880s / child abuse / Hawaii / martial arts / mentorship / ninjas / rape survivor / sword / unrequited-love / Victorian England / virgin14 Comments
Trigger warnings: Note: I asked Janine to join me for this review and it turns out we had Thoughts. Many, many Thoughts. So many that we’ve split this review into three parts. You can find the earlier parts of our discussion below. –Jennie PART ONE PART TWO Janine: Did the ... more >