I finished a couple of books yesterday ~ I'd been slowly reading Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence Book 1) by Max Gladstone over the past two weeks. The world in the book is complex with magic, gods, gargoyles, and law firms. It's definitely not this world which made the presence of vodka, cigarettes, and business cards rather anachronistic. I may continue on with the series at some point. "A god has died, and it's up to Tara, first-year associate in the international necromantic firm of Kelethres, Albrecht, and Ao, to bring Him back to life before His city falls apart. Her client is Kos, recently deceased fire god of the city of Alt Coulumb. Without Him, the metropolis's steam generators will shut down, its trains will cease running, and its four million citizens will riot. Tara's job: resurrect Kos before chaos sets in. Her only help: Abelard, a chain-smoking priest of the dead god, who's having an understandable crisis of faith. When Tara and Abelard discover that Kos was murdered, they have to make a case in Alt Coulumb's courts?and their quest for the truth endangers their partnership, their lives, and Alt Coulumb's slim hope of survival. " ** I enjoyed Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore which is a historical romance set in Victorian era England. I'll happily read more in the series. (Adult content) "England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke.... " Regards, Kareni

I too have a hard time remembering how Lies Sleeping ended. Here's a review that might jog a few memories ... or not! (Read the comments, too.) From SBTB ~ BOOK REVIEW Lies Sleeping by Ben Aaronovitch Regards, Kareni

A free short story that I enjoyed ~ Sinew and Steel and What They Told by Carrie Vaughn @Robin Mand @6packofun, have both read books by this author. ** And a bookish post ~ Got Series Fatigue? Try These 10 Standalone Fantasy Novels! Regards, Kareni

@Maus ~ I enjoyed reading your post. I hope that you and your children will have a great experience this summer. I look forward to reading the Pioneer Trek memoirs of Auntie Maus.... Regards, Kareni

Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Under Fire by Henri Barbusse "The original translation of one of the first World War I novels—at first criticized for its harsh realism but now celebrated as a classic. Set in early 1916, Under Fire follows the point of view of an unnamed foot soldier in a squad of French volunteers on the western front. It combines soaring, poetic descriptions with the mundane, messy, human reality of soldiers living in their own filth. Gradually, names and features are given to the men who emerge from the mud, from the dignified leader, Corporal Bertrand, to the ebullient Volpatte and the obsessive Cocon.Intermingled with details of how the men navigate daily life in the putrefied atmosphere of the trenches is a political, pacifist argument about this war and war more generally. Caught up in events they cannot control, the soldiers go through their daily routines: foraging for food, reading letters from wives and mothers, drinking, fighting in battle, and, in harrowing scenes for which the novel is noted, discovering dead bodies in advanced stages of decomposition. Through it all, they talk about the war, attempting to make sense of the altered world in which they find themselves.Under Fire (originally published in French as Le Feu) drew criticism at the time of its publication for its brutal detail, but went on to win the Prix Goncourt, a prestigious literary award that Henri Barbusse—a World War I soldier who wrote from vivid, painful experience—shares with renowned authors such as Marcel Proust and Marguerite Duras. Here, the original translation by William Fitzwater Wray, which first appeared in 1917, captures both the intensity of the story and the essence of the era. A glossary is also provided. " Regards, Kareni

Some bookish posts ~ 7 Books With Reality-Bending Settings https://electricliterature.com/7-books-with-reality-bending-settings/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CYS - 021120&utm_term=BookRiot_CheckYourShelf_DormantSuppress Why Is Historical Fantasy Great for Romance? by Constance Sayers https://frolic.media/why-is-historical-fantasy-great-for-romance-by-constance-sayers/ The Cover Story: Why You Rarely See British Cookbook Covers on American Shelves British cookbooks covers are innovative and distinctive. So why do U.S. publishers change them? BY CHARLOTTE DRUCKMAN https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/british-vs-us-cookbook-covers-article?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Today in Books&utm_term=BookRiot_TodayInBooks_DormantSuppress SIX NONFICTION BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ THIS FEBRUARY https://crimereads.com/februarys-best-crime-nonfiction-2020/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CYS - 021820&utm_term=BookRiot_CheckYourShelf_DormantSuppress Regards, Kareni

I also recently finished Hello Forever by Sarina Bowen which is a contemporary romance; I enjoyed it. (Adult content) "A basketball game changed both their lives.When they were only teenagers, Axel and Caxton were caught making out in the woods at church camp. And afterward, Cax disappeared from all the youth group activities.Six years later, Axel is astonished to spot his first love’s face in the crowd of a college basketball game he’s watching on TV—at a school which has just offered him a job. It’s a thousand miles away, in a tiny rural town. But suddenly, he can’t wait to get there.Cax can’t believe his eyes when Axel appears in the same Massachusetts town where he now lives. And he’s still just as drawn to Axel as ever. But he can’t let himself go there again, because loving Axel will mean giving up everything else he holds dear. Both men have so much to lose. But as far as their love is concerned, it's Hello Forever." ** I also enjoyed the historical romance novella Transformation by Kim Fielding. (Adult content) "Orris Spencer is an abomination. At least that was what his father said in 1886 before banishing him from their Fifth Avenue mansion and sending him across the continent to Oregon. Now Orris must try to find a place for himself on his brother’s farm. His studies did little to prepare him for pioneer living, and when he’s called on to help protect the livestock from a predator, he’s not at all certain he’s up to the task. Then he meets Henry Bonn, a strange and intriguing man who lives in a cabin in the hills. Orris’s attraction to Henry may not be an abomination—but it may prove to be a greater danger than banishment." Regards, Kareni

Last night, I finished a new book Kingdomtide by Rye Curtis. This was an interesting and relatively quick read; it had many dysfunctional characters and an abundance of merlot ... much merlot ... megaliters of merlot. I have a few quibbles with the book blurb, but here it is anyway ~ "The sole survivor of a plane crash, seventy-two-year-old Cloris Waldrip is lost and alone in the unforgiving wilderness of Montana's rugged Bitterroot Range, exposed to the elements with no tools beyond her wits and ingenuity. Intertwined with her story is Debra Lewis, a park ranger struggling with addiction and a recent divorce who is galvanized by her new mission to find and rescue Cloris. As Cloris wanders mountain forests and valleys, subsisting on whatever she can scavenge, her hold on life ever more precarious, Ranger Lewis and her motley group of oddball rescuers follow the trail of clues she's left behind. Days stretch into weeks, and hope begins to fade. But with nearly everyone else giving up, Ranger Lewis stays true until the end. Dramatic and morally complex, Kingdomtide is a story of the decency and surprising resilience of ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances. In powerful, exquisite prose, debut novelist Rye Curtis delivers an inspiring account of two unforgettable characters whose heroism reminds us that survival is only the beginning. " And here is a link to an author interview ~ US Represented: Interview with Rye Curtis, Author of Kingdomtide Regards, Kareni

Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry by W.B. Yeats "The spirits of Ireland come alive in this nineteenth-century collection of stories, songs, and poems selected and edited by Nobel Prize winner W. B. Yeats. Lose yourself in these supernatural tales of mischievous fairies, changelings, mysterious merrows, solitary leprechauns, shape-changing pookas, wailing banshees, ghosts, dangerous witches, helpful fairy doctors, and massive giants! W. B. Yeats compiled sixty-four works from numerous Irish authors including William Allingham; Thomas Crofton Croker; William Carleton; Letitia Maclintock; Lady Wilde, mother of Oscar Wilde; and Yeats himself, resulting in a comprehensive and definitive collection. Each section features an introduction from Yeats to enlighten readers on the background of its mythical subjects and their role in Irish life and culture. Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry includes “The Fairies,” “Frank Martin and the Fairies,” “The Priest’s Supper,” “The Stolen Child,” “The Soul Cages,” “Far Darrig in Donegal,” “The Piper and the Puca,” “A Lamentation for the Death of Sir Maurice Fitzgerald,” “The Black Lamb,” “The Horned Women,” “The Phantom Isle,” and more. " Regards, Kareni

Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ The Theory of the Leisure Class By Thorstein Veblen "This scathing critique of America’s preoccupation with wealth and status in the Gilded Age continues to resonate more than a century after it was first published According to economist Thorstein Veblen, the leisure class produces nothing, contributes nothing, and creates nothing, yet exercises a peculiar control over American society. The shallowness of their interests—from fashion to sports to entertainment—endows the practice of “conspicuous consumption” with an undeserving air of respectability. Veblen deploys a razor sharp wit to expose the pretensions of the idle rich and their disastrous influence on the national character. From ruthless business practices to the plight of women in a male-dominated culture, The Theory of the Leisure Class tackles difficult subjects with sophisticated analysis and a vibrant literary style that influenced the work of authors including Edith Wharton, Henry James, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. A must-read for students of American history and anyone concerned about economic inequality, Veblen’s classic treatise is timelier today than ever. " Regards, Kareni

That ["Every woman he pays to meet him, he tells us, is desirous to kiss his lips; our boots too are desirous, but of quite another part of him, for quite another purpose."] is indeed wonderful! Thanks for the chuckle. Regards, Kareni

Over the weekend I finished several books. Stars Beyond (Stars Uncharted Book 2) by SK Dunstall I enjoyed this; however, the Linesman series is still my favorite Dunstall work. Here's the blurb, but one should definitely read the first book in the series before reading this. "The crew of Another Road are back, closer than ever to the biggest score in the galaxy. . . if they can stay a step ahead of the Justice Department agents and Company men tracking them.An engineer with a fondness for weapons. A captain with no memory. An obsessive genemodder who loves to tinker. Meet the crew of Another Road.Josune, Roystan, and Nika have escaped the company thugs trying to kill them. They've gotten a new spaceship to replace The Road (after it was blown up underneath them). And their new ship is armed to the teeth with dangerous weapons, courtesy of Josune. All that's left to do before they head out to find the legendary lode of transurides is to restore Roystan's memory. To do that, they need to collect the genemod machine Nika has ordered.But first, they have to shake off the Justice Department agent and the Companies tracking them.It should be easy. They've done it before. What could possibly go wrong?" @mumto2, have you read this yet? * * I also finished the historical romance A Wicked Kind of Husband (Longhope Abbey) by Mia Vincy; this had some amusing dialogue that had me laughing aloud. I'll definitely be happy to read more by this author. (Adult content) "It was the ideal marriage of convenience…until they metCassandra DeWitt has seen her husband only once—on their wedding day two years earlier—and this arrangement suits her perfectly. She has no interest in the rude, badly behaved man she married only to secure her inheritance. She certainly has no interest in his ban on her going to London. Why, he’ll never even know she is there.Until he shows up in London too, and Cassandra finds herself sharing a house with the most infuriating man in England.Joshua DeWitt has his life exactly how he wants it. He has no need of a wife disrupting everything, especially a wife intent on reforming his behavior. He certainly has no need of a wife who is intolerably amiable, insufferably reasonable … and irresistibly kissable.As the unlikely couple team up to battle a malicious lawsuit and launch Cassandra’s wayward sister, passion flares between them. Soon the day must come for them to part … but what if one of them wants their marriage to become real?" ** I also enjoyed reading/browsing Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces: A Mixed-Media Portrait Workshop by Jane Davenport though I did not do any of the projects. I did take away some ideas. "Drawing and Painting Beautiful Faces is an inspiring, mixed media workbook on how to draw and paint beautiful, fashion illustration-style faces. Author Jane Davenport is a beloved artist, and popular international workshop instructor known by her students and fans for her effervescent, enthusiastic, happy and encouraging style.In this book, she guides you step-by-step through the foundations of drawing a face, developing harmonious features, creating smooth skin tones, playing with bright colors, shading, highlighting and so much more. This book is full of new techniques to engage and inspire your imagination." Regards, Kareni

@Neginand @Lady Florida., thank you for the good wishes. Still sniffling here.... ** Today only, free for Kindle readers ~ Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas De Quincey "A timeless memoir of drug addiction from one of the leading intellectuals of the Victorian ageAt first, Thomas De Quincey found opium to be a harmless pleasure. A twenty-year-old intellectual living in nineteenth-century London, De Quincey took laudanum sparingly, spacing out his doses so their effect would not be dulled. But after years of casual use, intense stomach pains caused him to rely on the drug more and more, until he was taking opium daily, and living in a world divided between hallucinatory bliss and aching physical torment. De Quincey’s account of his addiction made him a celebrity. His rhapsodies of hallucination influenced generations of authors, from Poe and Baudelaire to Jorge Luis Borges, and warned countless readers of the dangers of drug dependency. " Regards, Kareni

Lent? Opposite of borrowed. Regards, Kareni

Once in a while, I do. It's frequently a Tom Lehrer tune particularly if I've recently listened to one of his CDs. Thank you. Me, too! Regards, Kareni