The Queen of Ieflaria by Effie Calvin

Princess Esofi of Rhodia has been engaged to the heir of Ieflaria since she was three years now. But when they were both of marriageable age the Crown Prince Albion died, about three months ago when the story opens. But Ieflaria needs help and Esofi can't go home so she offers to marry the new heir. Who turns out to be the Crown Princess Adale. Generally, royalty is not allowed same sex marriage (the dynasty, you know) but this situation seems to be different. And Adale seems to be... different as well. Albion was gentle and being reared to be king, taking interest in politics and the happenings around the country. Adale is more concerned with riding horses and drinking than she is of the affairs of rulers and gods. But she's going to need to care because the dragons which had been beaten back for centuries are growing more bold. And she needs to move quickly because her cousins have traveled far to try and convince Esofi that either of them would be a better mate than Adale.

An interesting world in a first story. I had heard about it from several different podcasts and was intrigued. I wish there had been a little more romance and a lot fewer names but it's a nice start to a new series.

Four stars

This book came out February 19th, 2018

Followed by Daughter of the Sun

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Hadley Donavan can't believe that this is her life. She is handling a big event, one that will help her keep her job with an event company, when she is ambushed by her best friend's twin. While Web is a perfectly nice man, Will seems hell-bent on ruining her life. Their anger explodes into a passionate kiss in a coat closet which is interrupted by Will's ex who immediately steps out to start spreading rumors. And that's the end of Hadley's job. Now she's going home for her sister's wedding with no boyfriend, no job, and her dreams of making it in the Big City shattered. But she doesn't want her family to know so she's lined up Web to come and be in a fake relationship.

Will knows that Hadley is a gold digger. She is Just Like his ex pretending to be interested in Web until she can get her hooks into the family billions. When Web gets food poisoning the night before he's supposed to leave, Will takes his place - this will be the perfect chance to see what she is really like. 

The last Big Misunderstanding should have been left out. The rest of the story was perfectly fine, maybe the relationship was a little fast but otherwise a good story. And then.... blergh. 

I do hope that Web gets a story one day because he seems like a good dude. 

Three stars

This book came out August 26th, 2020

Follows The Schemer

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

A village vicar may be privy to some of the community's juiciest secrets. In this case, Reverend Leonard Clement at least seems to know everyone in town. He is a little bit older and believes himself to have a good grasp on humanity (at least better than his wife, Griselda, who is younger than him). He describes the goings on in St. Mary Mead which is generally a quiet village, still regrouping after the war. Into town has come a new artist, Lawrence Redding. He is very handsome and is painting several of the women in town which causes some of the gossip mongers to be all atwitter. One of those women is Lettice Protheroe, the daughter of the local Magistrate, Colonel Protheroe. He practically explodes. But that is no surprise as the Colonel is known to have quite the nasty temper. He  has sentenced many men to jail and is currently on the hunt to find out why the church's offering plate is short. It is a surprise that the man is killed in the vicar's study, shot with Lawrence Redding's gun. Redding immediately admits to the murder. So does the Colonel's wife, Anne, who the vicar found in a torrid embrace with Redding.

But Miss Marple, a spinster in town doesn't quite believe that that can be true and she sets out to find out what really happened.

The first Marple story and it's a humdinger. It sets up Jane Marple as a student of human nature who is able to take her observations of living in a small village and extrapolate the information to the world at large. 

Four stars

This book came out in October 1930

Followed by The Thirteen Problems

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Life's a Witch by Amanda M. Lee

As usual, there's a lot going on in Bay Winchester's world. First, her great aunt Tillie's sister is in town stirring up trouble. There's always been bad blood between the two and time doesn't seem to have diminished their animosity toward each other. Bay and her cousins are doing all they can to avoid their family and all of the fighting.

Getting out of the house is easier when there's a dead body and the local sheriff and the FBI (well, Bay's boyfriend, Landon) are asking Bay for help. The body is that of a local teen who leaves behind a mother and sister. His sister seems especially miffed at him. 

As usual, there are some shortcuts in this story and things that don't necessarily make sense but still a fun story and regular readers will enjoy.

Three stars

This book came out November 1st, 2015

Follows Witch Me Luck

Followed by Charms & Witchdemeanors

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Hot Zone by Jayne Castle

When the book opens, Sedona Snow is being rescued by a dust bunny from a hidden underground lair. While pushing past the armed guards, Sedona discovers she has a new talent and a new pet (now named Lyle). Thank goodness since when she gets out, she finds that she's been gone for six weeks. And her MC husband has moved on. Rumors abound and that she is unable to find work until moving out to Rainshadow island. I loved that previous characters weren't shoehorned into the story. Sedona and Cyrus were able to find their own way. 

For his part, Cyrus is the Guild boss of the newly formed Rainshadow Guild. He's something of an unknown quantity. He's part of the powerful Jones family and, of course, has an off-the-charts, unusual talent. And he falls into insta-lust with our heroine. 

This book moved so past and had so many parts, I feel like I should have been irritated. But most of Castle's books move like that that it wasn't completely unexpected. It was part of the formula, even the "bad guy" was easily identifiable and probably will be for other regular Castle readers. And to be honest, I wouldn't read this book out of order in the series.

Three and a half stars

This book came out August 26th, 2014

Rain Shadow #3, Ghosthunters #11

Follows Deception Cove

Followed by Siren's Call

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus May 2024

At Bertram's Hotel by Agatha Christie

Miss Marple is on vacation in London. Her nephew Raymond has provided her with two weeks at Bertram's Hotel. When she was a girl, Miss Marple had spent a week there and she wanted to see if it were the same. Curiously, it is. It is just the same. But there is something wrong here, if only she could put her finger on it. 

Also at the hotel is the well-known Bess Sedgwick. She's survived a plane crash, a car crash (or two), being thrown from a horse twice. She's been married several times and had one daughter. Feeling that her love of danger would be detrimental to the child, Bess left her daughter with the girl's father who subsequently died. The daughter, Elvira, was then raised by a guardian. She is now nineteen years old and also staying at Bertram's Hotel. While her guardian believes she is naive and innocent, readers find out that that may not actually be the case.

I kept thinking of the 2007 BBC version of this story . It did not completely align with this story so I kept getting the storylines confused. The original was better and made more sense.

Three and a half stars

This book came out in 1965

Follows A Caribbean Mystery

Followed by Nemesis

Borowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

No Choice But Seduction by Johanna Lindsey

Katey Tyler has lived in a small town filled with older people her whole life. Both of her parents have passed away and, having some money, she has taken a maid and decided to travel the world. On her voyage to England, she catches the notice of Boyd Anderson but tells him that she is married. She certainly doesn't want to tie herself down at the beginning of her adventure! So, they get to England and she doesn't expect to see him again. However, she hears an odd noise one night and discovers a girl, Judith Malory, tied up. Katey releases her and is on her way to London to return Judith to the Malory family when Boyd bursts in (being the girl's uncle) and immediately decides that Katey must be the kidnapper.

It goes on from there but most of the story is Judith begin kidnapped and then Katey discovering a surprising connection to the Malorys. I wish there had been more of a relationship built between Katie and Boyd especially since the age gap is so wide.

Three stars

This book came out June 17th, 2008

Follows Captive of My Desires

Followed by That Perfect Someone

Hard copy borrowed from library

Opinions are my own

Reread November 2022