What We're Reading in June

Hi. Joanna here. It's a great line-up this month.

Andrea/Cara first up:

I’m a sucker for historical mysteries, especially ones that ihave arcane books involved in the plot. So when I happened to read a blurb on this, I couldn’t resist. But before I go on, I have a confession to make: I’ve been madly scrambling to finish a project, so haven’t had quite as much time for reading as usual. So I’m not all that far along in this book, but am liking it enough to recommend it. 

The Burnable Book. Here’s the lead blurb on the cover flap: In Chaucer's London, betrayal, murder, royal intrigue, mystery, and dangerous politics swirl around the existence of a prophetic book that foretells the deaths of England's kings.

Maybe you can see right away why I was hooked. The author, Bruce Holsinger, is a professor of Medieval History, and already the ambiance of London—from the court intrigues to the stews—is really well-done. The style is a little edgy, but I’m liking the main protagonist a lot. A friend of Geoffrey Chaucer, and fellow poet, John Gower has been asked to find a stolen book that may bring down the monarchy. If you’re looking to immerse  yourself in London of Richard II, come join me in turning the pages!

And, with a wonderful, comforting set of books, Mary Jo:

When I'm deep into writing a new book, I often reread comfort books because I know I'll enjoy them and there isn't the stress of hunting down new books and maybe not finding something I like.  So--currently rereading Jayne Ann Krentz romantic suspense novels.  I love her Arcane series, where characters have paranormal, psychic type abilities that are both blessing and curse.  WHITE LIES is a particular favorite, where the heroine can always tell if someone is lying.  This is a decidedly mixed blessing.  <G>

But my current reread is the Dark Legacy duo, COPPER BEACH and DREAM EYES.  JAK seldom does families, but the heroes of these two books are brothers, which is fun.  Sam Coppersmith, hero of Copper Beach, is the lab guy who is a genius at manipulating crystal energy.  When paranormal book finder Abby Radwell needs help, she is sent to him and sparks fly.  Quite literally. <G>

The second book features brother Judson Coppersmith, who is more the hands onm head-cracking sort.  He's depressed because of a recent case that went disastrously wrong, so brother Sam sends him to help Gwen Frazier, a dream reader and Abby's close friend.  Gwen's mentor and friend has been killed by paranormal means, and she and Judson start looking into it.  There is also a large gray cat named Max that needs a home now that Gwen's friend is dead.  A good cat always improves a story.  <G>

I suspect that the original plan was to have a third book about Emma Coppersmith, the sister, and I even know who she'd be paired off with.  (Think Romeo and Juliet.)  JAK switched to books that didn't have paranormal elements and I'm sorry that Emma's story wasn't written, but the first two are good fun. JAK writes with a sleek economy of words that looks effortless, but surely isn't. I can return to her worlds over and over again. Luckily, she's written a lot of books to help me through my deadlines!

I, too, read JAK when I'm in a writing crunch. And reread. And go back in again.

Next up, Susan, with a quirky-based-on-True-Crime:

For the last month or so I've been grazing along my bookshelves and baskets of books (I do love a nice big basket filled with books) -- reading a chapter or two of this, of that, not quite finding the thing to rivet my attention. Until I found Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart -- saw it on the table in Barnes & Noble and loved the cover design straight away.

Based on the real life story of the three Kopp sisters and their encounter with organized crime around 1915 in New Jersey, the novel's central character is Constance Kopp, a tall, protective spinster who accidentally (literally) stumbles upon a crime ring, stands up to it to protect her sisters and their rights, and learns to give rein to the strong woman within. The real Constance Kopp became deputy sheriff in her county, and the fictionalized version of her life--and that of her sisters--is fascinating. The story is warm, funny, fast-paced, historically accurate, with a quirky and authentic voice that beautifully evokes the early 1900s, and I loved the character of Constance--tough, loving, with secrets slowly and intriguingly revealed. Amy Stewart, a skilled nonfiction writer, applies that skill very nicely to fiction with Girl Waits With Gun. It's also perfectly set up for a sequel, which I will definitely look for!  

 

Anne offers us a mixed bag of delights.

I've always had a soft spot for western historicals, and recently I picked up Jo Goodman's  THE DEVIL YOU KNOW on the recommendation of a friend. I really enjoyed it. The story starts when a young girl finds a man near to death, after having been dragged across country a good distance.  Complex characters and a good, engaging story made me head out to glom Jo Goodman's backlist, starting with the book before this one, THIS GUN FOR HIRE.

Romance Writers of Australia has listed the finalists for their annual RuBY (Romantic Book of the Year) awards.

(P.S. -- Joanna breaking in to add that Anne's on that list. So cool.)

I'd read a number of these already —both Kelly Hunter books (What A Bachelor Needs and Pursued by the Rogue) because she's an autobuy for me. And Madeline Ash's YOU FOR CHRISTMAS, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Madeline has also been shortlisted for the RITA this year (her first time) so keep an eye out for her.

Elizabeth Wein -- CODE NAME VERITY. This isn't a romance, and is, I have to say, pretty grim in places, but also un-put-downable. WW2 from the point of view of two women, one who's dropped into occupied France as a spy, and the other, her friend who is a plane mechanic and pilot. 

Pat brings us MIDNIGHT CROSSROAD by Charlaine Harris.

Pat says: I’ve just got around to reading the intriguing opening for Charlaine’s latest spooky series.

MIDNIGHT is about to be made into another TV series with a huge cast of characters, none of whom are exactly what they seem. They’ve seemingly gathered together by accident in a small Texas town, although knowing the author’s predilections, I doubt anything is by accident. But in this first book we learn a little about the witch who can sometimes cast spells if she’ll just focus, a psychic con artist who really is a  bit psychic, a vampire who is more energy sucker than blood, and the list goes on.

What little violence occurs is very abrupt and brief and well-deserved, so even I could handle it. There are wee touches of romance, none of which really come to fruition—yet. There’s a murder mystery and various other incidents to keep the motor running, but mostly, it’s Charlaine’s downhome warmth and characterization that keeps the pages turning. Weird, huh?

 

Nicola says:

This month I’ve been reading crime: The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah.

I’ve always been a fan of Agatha Christie’s novels and this is Sophie Hannah’s rebooting of Hercule Poirot, back to solve a fiendishly complicated and fascinating murder. It’s always hard to follow in the footsteps of a hugely successful and popular author and even more so to adopt their characters, but I really enjoyed this story.

It’s very faithful to Poirot’s character, it has plenty of humour and an interesting sidekick in Catchpool, the Scotland Yard Inspector who plays the foil to Poirot’s brilliance. I find plotting tricky and admire authors who can distract you with twists and turns and red herrings and then resolve it all cleverly at the end. A real page-turner for me and fun for fans of old-style crime fiction. I'm now reading more of Sophie Hannah's books.

 

Me -- I've finally taken my first Terry Pratchett science fiction book from the TBR pile. It happens to be Monstrous Regiment, the story of a small town barmaid who joins the army to find her soldier brother. You know the drill ... She cuts her hair off, takes the shilling, and marches away. If not with stars in her eyes, at least with no idea what the greater world is like.

What a wild ride. How beautifully written. Funny. Wise. Thank you Terry Pratchett. This is obviously the first of many of your books I'm going to grab. Why did it take so long?

 

 

What have you been reading lately that has brought you joy, surprised and delighted you, impressed you?

One commenter, chosen at random, gets one of my books -- your choice.

 

 

 

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Comments

[Mary Jo Putney]

Joanna--Terry Pratchett is actually fantasy, not science fiction. The fact that you're vague on the difference is probably why you hadn't discovered him yet. Some people have the SFF gene, others don't. (I discovered mine in grade school.) But now that you've found Sir Terry, you have wonderful good times ahead!

[Vicki L.]

Love JAK! Such a comforting reread....books for all moods. But I too mourn no story for Emma. I really did want that one to get written. But I guess she wasn't getting paid to write any more "woo woo" in the Contemporary line.

I haven't read anything spectacular this month. I did read a series by Jerri Corgiat that I was interested enough in to find all the books for.

The books definitely kept my interest but when you think about the book/characters later on..... I went, huh?????? That seems highly unlikely.

Mostly I was western romance reading binge All the Linda Lael Miller books in the the Mckettrick series (late 1800's to current), as well as the Stone Creek ones. Totally enjoyed rereading them.

[Helen]

Hi All

I have just finished a book called The Horseman by Charlotte Nash and it was a fabulous read set in The High Country of Victoria Australia a new to me author but it won't be the last :)

Have Fun
Helen

[Sonya Heaney]

I finished Madeline Hunter's The Wicked Duke recently, started Louise Allen's The Unexpected Marriage of Gabriel Stone as soon as it arrived in the mail today, am also reading Once a Soldier, and am anxiously awaiting a certain book named The Summer Bride. :)

It seems a little crazy for us here in Australia to put Regency romance up against rock star romance for an award!

[Mary T]

I just finished A LIFE OF BARBARA STANWYCK: TRUE STEEL 1907-1940 by Victoria Wilson. A huge book (1000 pages??) heavy on documentation. I like biographies but I found myself skipping ahead at times with this one. Although there was a lot of showbiz history included (which was interesting) it still seemed at times to be a very dry read. Sometimes there can be a little too much detail. Didn't know a lot about Ms. Stanwyck's personal life. Fasacinaing lady.

After that I wanted something a little lighter, so I chose a re-read by Joan Smith - PERDITA. She is one of my go to authors when I want something light and funny. It's a story of two ladies who are mistaken for prostitutes. Despite that, it is a clean read and (I think) very funny.

[Minna]

Well, recently I've read Tempting the Dragon By Karen Whiddon and Enchanted Warrior By Sharon Ashwood. Right now I'm reading through Caryn Moya Block's Siberian Volkov Pack and Shadow Walker Tribe series.

[Lillian Marek]

I've been reading "The Remaking of the English Navy by Admiral St. Vincent" by Charles Arthur. It isn't exactly a page-turner (I think it was a doctoral dissertation) but I needed the information for an idea I'm working on.
But for pure pleasure I've been reading "The Black Madonna" by Stella Riley, historical fiction about the English Civil War period. Marvelous characters, rich detail, and long enough so I don't keep feeling as if things are being skimmed over. Wonderful book.

[Janice]

I just finished Make Me by Lee Child, a Jack Reacher book. This is the only multigazillion-selling series I bother with anymore because Child still comes up with new premises, though I think he's begun to run a bit thin. Mary Jo's new book came yesterday so I will probably read that today. I have been reading old old trads by Helen Tucker and Sylvia Thorpe because I've been in the mood for romances that are more story than sex. Mostly I've been reading nonfiction about the War Years and the 1950s, with the odd Barbara Metzger or Marion Chesney on my Kindle for bedtime reading. Right now it's Miss Westlake's Windfall.

My sense is that we do not mention here books that did not (or will not) hold our interest long enough to finish, but there have been a bunch of those as well.

[Joanne Bourne]

I'm a big fan of JAK myself. Comforting reads, wonderful to slip into when my mind is busy and I can't concentrate.

I haven't read much Western Romance. Elizabeth Lowell has been a great pleasure to me. The MacKenzie/Blackthorn books are the ones I remember best.

[Joanne Bourne]

Hah. Interesting setting. (Okay. I've been watching Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries so I am in the mood for all things historical Australia.)

[Joanne Bourne]

Australia ... Regency Romance / rock stars. No predicting.

I had not heard of the Louise Allen book. I see she won the RoNA Rose Award 2015

Love Madeline Hunter. She's written some of my all time favorite Medievals.

[Joanne Bourne]

I admire Joan Smith for her tight, skilled writing. A great stylist.

I started admiring her way back in the good old high days of Regency Romance. Berkley seems to have released some of her titles as mysteries.

[Joanne Bourne]

Caryn Moya Block's Siberian Volkov Pack

I will keep an eye out for those. I'm always looking for a good shape shifter romance.

[Joanne Bourne]

That's very much the way I feel. Some fine books are just not for me, at least not this minute. I put them back on my shelf and resolve to try again in a month or a year.

When I go out of my way to mention a book in WWR, it's been special to me.

Some months I have to throw up my hands for WWR and say -- "I've been so busy I haven't read Anything At All!"
Or "I kept trying books and couldn't settle down into anything."
(Thought that's nearly always my fault when you come right down to it.)

I have not read the Lee Child's Jack Reacher books but I am resolved to do so as soon as I have a free minute. I get so many reccs for them and now one from you ...

[Anne Gracie]

The Victorian High Country was the setting for the movie THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER, if you ever saw that one. Beautiful country.

[Nancy]

I read and reread all of JAK, Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle. Read the Lost Lords.
Started the Survivors Club by Balogh. Then I have another batch of books on the KINDLE where I just finished some of Patricia Rice's books.
I read quickly.

[Andrea Penrose]

Yeah, me too!

[Helen]

Hi Joanne

This one is not historical it is more a Rural Romance with so much going one :)

Have Fun
Helen

[Karin]

I do love JAK-one of the first romance authors I ever discovered.
I have (still!) been reading old Regencies by Charlotte Louise Dolan and Paula Marshall. The latest Paula Marshall read was "The Devil and Drusilla", and has one of my favorite pairings, the rakish and handsome, or in some cases disreputable and misanthropic hero paired with a clever, spinsterish heroine that for some reason he cannot resist.
And I was happy to find that same pairing in a free book I found on Amazon! It's called "To Save A Sinner" by Adele Clee, and I consider it quite a find. It's got some of that old fashioned Regency flavor, but a bit more spice added. It's not easy to find a decent read among the many free and cheap offerings by new authors, but I noticed Clee is British, which may explain the lack of language usage and historical bloopers. At least I didn't notice any clunkers! I'll be following her and looking for more books.

[Jenny]

I have just finished reading GIRT, The unauthorised history of Australia by David Hunt, and found it fascinating. I must say, most of what is in the book never figured in any of my Australian History lessons as school. One of the most interesting facts I found out was that in England everything a woman owned passed to her husband upon marriage, as we know. But in the colony of New South Wales a convict couldn't own land or trade licences, so where a free woman married a convict, she owned all such property. As there were so few women, and so many men, she had her pick of the bunch (and if he didn't measure up she could trade him in on a better model!!). If you are wondering about the word Girt - it is in the fourth line of our Australian national anthem "our land is girt by sea".

[Margaret]

I want to second one of Anne's recommendations: Code Name Verity is a phenomenal book. Definitely NOT a romance in the HEA sort of way, but a wonderfully rewarding read that left me feeling better educated about WWII as well as damp from a good cry. Slightly happier but equally rewarding and enlightening: Everyone Brave is Forgiven, by Chris Cleave, which I just finished, and Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller, which absolutely blew me away. Now I'm happily rereading Eloisa James Essex Sisters' books, so as to better absorb her new companion guide and novella.

[Joanna Bourne]

You say, "I read quickly" as if this were not a Good Thing. *g*

I read some stuff quickly, some slowly. But the books you mention that I've read, yes. Mostly I read through them with some speed. I like the experience that way.

[Joanna Bourne]

Some nice recommendations. And I know you're not the only one to like that particular story pairing. I love it myself.

Goes right back to Heyer. Black Sheep is like that.

[Joanna Bourne]

And here I was thinking ... "How do I tell her she's misspelled 'grit'?"

How strange to think that the 'wild frontier' of Australia in the convict days was in the forefront of women's rights.

[Joanna Bourne]

That sounds like a wonderful line up. (takes notes)

I have not yet read the Eloisa James Essex Sisters books. I will remember to put them on my list. She's always a great read.

[Laura]

I am actively switching my writing focus from historical romance to historical cozy mystery, so I am reading any cozy I can get my hands on write now.

Girl waits with gun sounds fascinating!

[Karin]

How fascinating that women could end up in such a position of power! I enjoyed reading "The Fatal Shore" and GIRT sounds like a great read too.

[Janice]

Lee Child doesn't have to be read in any order because he skips through Reacher's timeline - some are contemporary, others set in Reacher's past - but if I were you I'd start with the first one, Killing Floor.

Child did an interesting thing in that while most are written in third person, some are written in first person. I have liked the third person ones better but maybe that's just me.

Not everybody likes Reacher, but I do. I'm not sure I'd want him around on a permanent basis, but then, that's not an issue with him :)

[Joanna Bourne]

Ooooh. I like the 'writing books out of chronological order' thing. I do this myself.

I'll also be interested to see the writing of characters from both First Person and Third Person.

[Joanna Bourne]

I'm trying to think of titles of good historical cozy mysteries. I know I've read some but my mind just refuses to cooperate.

Related, perhaps, are the not-so-much cozy mysteries of Deanna Raybourn, CS Harris, and Anne Perry.

[Sarah Webber]

I just finished Jill Shalvis' Sweet Little Lies, which I enjoyed. She creates such fun communities. And then book nineteen in Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple mystery series set in England in the 1920's, Anthem for Doomed Youth. I love Daisy and Dunn continues to be very creative in creating new situations with corpses for Daisy to trip over with their murders to solve. Next is Once a Soldier. But I also love JAK, especially her dust bunny books.

[Janice]

I wouldn't call them cozies, but have you tried Anna Dean or Rose Melikan? 18th century, Georgian/Regency era.

I do like a good historical mystery but it has to convince me that the characters could be people of their day. Some I have read recently have convinced me that their authors looked up facts and read history of the period, but they have nonetheless inserted modern heroines, as if all of history was just CGI. I know it sells, but I find it disappointing; I want to be swept away into 1816 or 1938 or 1944, not 2016 :(

[Joanna Bourne]

Me too. I want to go to the time period when I read historical fiction. I want to see it in all its complexity.

For that matter, I want to go to the exotic place when modern fiction is based in some interesting unfamiliar world, whether it's New York City, Scotland, Bolivia, or small town Georgia.

[Joanna Bourne]

I keep meaning to read Carola Dunn and yet I never quite get around to it. (joanna puts Dunn AGAIN on her Find This list.)

[Kareni]

I read and re-read a hodgepodge of books this month.

— Sarina Bowen’s Bittersweet was an enjoyable contemporary.
— a re-read of a favorite historical romance novella: The Governess Affair (The Brothers Sinister) by Courtney Milan
— a re-read of Mary Balogh’s historical The Secret Mistress and a first read of her Longing.
— a re-read of Ishmael (Star Trek: The Original Series) by Barbara Hambly and a first read of The Captain’s Daughter (Star Trek: The Original Series) by Peter David.
— I read a very short literary work that has been highly praised. It was an easy read and the Australian setting was of interest; that said, it did not speak to me, and I’m bemused at all the praise it has garnered. Springtime: A Ghost Story by Michelle de Kretser
— I re-read A Solitary Man by Shira Anthony and Aisling Mancy which is a male/male romance. I’d caution prospective readers that this book deals with the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation.
— a re-read of Patricia Briggs’ Blood Bound
— the contemporary romance Fly With Me (A Wild Aces Romance) by Chanel Cleeton which had me crying at one point.
— several novels and novellas in the male/male romance Glasgow Lads series: Play It Safe, Playing to Win, Play On, and Playing for Keeps.

[Joanna Bourne]

Sounds like a great momnth of reading for you. Very productive.

I'm slowly working my way through Patricia Briggs. Having gotten to one of hers recently, but you remind me to do so.

And I just recently read Milan's Governess Affair on my kindle, driving down from Maine. Isn't it splendid? I will have to use it in next month's What We're Reading.

[Kareni]

Yes, the Governess Affair is excellent indeed. Enjoy your reading of the Patricia Briggs' books; my favorites of hers are the Alpha and Omega series but I've enjoyed all of her books.