TV and films

The one I love:

Vera season 6*****

The watchable:

Woodstock: Three Days that defined a generation**** Interesting. My generation but I think we were on our honeymoon at the time – at any rate, we missed even mentions on the news!

George V: The Tyrant King**** Fascinating look at the life of a rarely mentioned monarch.

The Teacup Poisoner **** Another programme about Graham Young the psychopathic serial killer, or just possibly a re-watch

Teacher with Tourette’s**** Interesting and I hope her career goes well

True Lies *** (again) Once the novelty and suspense have worn off, the film loses its sparkle. Try telling my husband that.

Novels

The highly recommended:

Master Wolf by Joanna Chambers ***** (Capital wolves bk 2) Werewolves in historical Edinburgh. Delicious.

Nightvine/Shadebloom by Felicia Davin***** The Gardener’s Handbook 2 and 3. Gorgeous trilogy which mixes fantasy, politics and lgbtq themes.

Spellbound/Starcrossed by Allie Therin***** Rory and Ace with magic in 1920s Manhattan – look out for Wonderstruck in 2021!

Romantic Renovations by Blake Allwood **** a TV reality show plus skulduggery. Very readable.

Moonstone by K-lee Klein**** Stone Magic bk 1 Tattoos and magic. Nice story and I might buy the sequel.

Echoes of Blood by Fiona Glass**** Liverpool vampires. A slightly dark story, outside my normal reading. Very well done.

The readable:

Don’t make a sound by TR Ragan *** Unmemorable thriller centred round a disfunctional US family and their partial memories.

Paper Girls by Alex Smith*** Humdrum UK police procedural.

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths*** Another humdrum UK thriller. Merely having a detective of colour is not enough…

Meet me in Cocklebury Bay by Nicola May*** Nowhere near as good as the first because it lacks the novelty and suspense but I’ve bought the third so will read it.

As Big as the Sky by Amy Aislin*** nicely written but ultimately unmemorable mm romance.

Summer with the country village vet by Zara Stoneley*** Basically boring romance (chicklit?) with a lot of repetition/padding.

Work for it by Talia Hibbert*** Another sweet but unmemorable mm romance set in a small English town during the elderflower harvest.

And the dire:

Edinburgh Twilight by Carole Lawrence* Poor writing and research. It began to be obvious that this was an American author with a sketchy understanding of Scottish culture.

Short Stories:

None this month

Abandoned books:

The Herring Seller’s Apprentice by LC Tyler – a boring whodunnit

A Light Amongst Shadows by Kelly York – it didn’t seem worth wading through present tense

Trust No-one by Debra Webb – a prologue that gives away part of the ending put me off

Stealing the Crown by TP Fielden – an odd concept with crime in Buckingham Palace.

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin – too much forced humour

Fanfiction

The Hawk and the Wolf by Fledhyris***** Loosely based on Supernatural and Ladyhawk, with echoes of various mediaeval books and shows. Lovely writing though I would say that as she’s my daughter. https://archiveofourown.org/works/25004080

Perpetual Motion by esteefee***** SGA/Sentinel fusion in an alternate universe. Probably accessible to anyone with the faintest idea of the characters and the concept. https://archiveofourown.org/works/23990572