A set of Sherry Thomas books – Claiming the Duchess, Beguiling the Beauty, Tempting the Bride, and Ravishing the Heiress – Late 19th century historical romances. I liked them enough to read the set about the related characters, but didn’t like them enough to keep the author on my check-out-her-other-works list.
reread – Edge of Worlds and Harbors of the Sun by Martha Wells – finishing up the Raksura series.
Frostgilded by Stephanie Burgis – a short story in the Harwood Spellbook series – a treat for her Patreon and which will be released to the public soonish, if I remember correctly.
Documenting Light by EE Ottoman – Wyatt is struggling with a sick mother, underemployment, and stronger and stronger feelings about their gender and how its expressed. Wyatt finds an early 20th century photo of two men and wants to know more about it. Wyatt asks a local historian, Grayson, to do some research on it. Grayson is trans and has lost most of his family because of it. Can they help each other? A lovely romance story. Part of its premise (that I may be misunderstanding) is that historians and others shouldn't assume that historical documents and photos are necessarily het/cis just because.
best of month – The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner – I’m rereading the series to be ready for the latest, and last book in the series, Return of the Thief, which is being released in October. YAY! It’s also a giant, compared to the others–480 pages.
There will be Phlogiston by Alexis Hall – alternative universe, roughly late 19th century about two aristocrats and a rich-but-from-the-gutter industrialist (kinda) who find love. I didn't feel this was as strong as many of Hall's other books. I doubt I'll ever reread this one.
The e-ARC (electronic advanced reviewer copy) of Accepting the Lance by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller was released, with official publication occurring later this year. The latest story in the Liaden Universe, we get updates on a bunch of ongoing story threads. Yay!
The sequel to Mapping Winter, The River South by Marta Randall was released. This time the protagonist is Iset Kievesdaughter (yep), who was left in the care of the guild when Kieve took off into the wilderness. She's not been treated well, and suddenly people start trying to kill her. One of Kieve's comrades, who owes her, decides to help Iset. Interesting story with an ending that I didn't foresee.
I then read books 2 and 3 of Sharon Shinn's Uncommon Echoes series: Echo in Emerald and Echo in Amethyst. The second book starts near but before the end of the first and focuses on a minor character from the first book. Chessie was abandoned by her father and her mother died young. After her guardian died, she headed to the capital city. She's made a life for herself as an errand-runner and, through her echoes, a bar maid and a laborer, respectively. No one realizes that the echoes are not just friends as they have a little autonomy and Chessie is able to change bodies to allow them to speak (echoes don't ever speak). She ends up entangled with Lord Dezmen who is investigating the killing of a noble in the city.
In the third book which is also almost contemporaneous with books 1 and 2, we follow Hope and Elyssa. Elyssa is the original, daughter to a western lord. The western provinces have been agitating for autonomy for years, but the fate of Lady Marguerite (book 1) has brought everything to a boil. Lady Elyssa is bored and bitter, ignored by her parents except that she might bring an advantageous marriage. She's tortured her echoes for years, and one has actually become sentient. I really expected a different ending, and spent some time trying to figure out how everyone could end up happy.
Diane Duane has released the second novella in the Tale of the Five, The Landlady, during her run-up to finishing/releasing The Door into Starlight. This one focuses on Segnbora and her new duties as head of her family. Meanwhile there's several kids and at least two locations for the large, polyamorous household.
I then read another novella (I think) by Lindsey Davis called Vesuvius by Night. I'm actually sorry that I read this. I didn't feel it was up to her usual standard, and, as you might imagine, it's not a happy ending. The main character is related to Falco.
A Conspiracy of Kings by Megan Whalen Turner was next. In this book, Sophos, the heir to Sounis, is kidnapped during a civil war. He has to decide whether to stay where he ends up, somewhat happy, or try to take the kingdom from the rebels.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller put out a second novella/novelette, "Shout of Honor". It's a side story with characters whose story they thought could be told in the novels, but there just wasn't quite room. It involves an Xtrang ambassador and a mercenary captain. Quite good!
I'm currently reading Thick as Thieves.
I read books 3 and 4 of Rosemary Kirstein's Steerswoman series: The Lost Steersman and The Language of Power. It continues to enthrall, and I *really* want book 5. Rowan continues to hunt for answers which is leading her to a greater understanding of her world and the 'wizards'.
I read an advanced review copy of By Demons Possessed by P.C. Hodgell. I am amazed at how these books just flow together. It will be very interesting when the series finishes to go and read the entire saga of Jamethiel.
Based on a recommendation, I picked up E.E. Ottoman's The Craft of Love about a silversmith who meets and falls in love with a seamstress. Both own their own businesses. Historical fiction.
I next read The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie. It was very interesting although I didn't glom onto any of the characters like I have in her other books. It's patterned after Hamlet and a Norse saga. The characters aren't straight out of the play, but you can figure out the analogues. There's also a big rock. A sentient rock which can do magic in a limited fashion, maybe.
Sharon Lee and Steve Miller put out a chapbook, Fortune's Favors. It's mostly a novella about a "Luck" who finds his way to a Low Port establishment (orphanage) that we've seen before. In addition, there's a short story about Daav, Aelliana, and Kamele. Yeeeee!!!!
I then ripped through The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner. Twisty and turny with marvelous characters. I'm both dreading and looking forward to the publication of the last book in the series in August 2020--The Return of the Thief. I'm now debating between A Conspiracy of Kings and Thick as Thieves OR A Storm of Locusts by Rebecca Roanhorse. Hmmm.