Viewing

The excellent

Pinocchio – Guillermo del Toro.***** Amazon Prime Video. Weird and wonderful. About as far from Disney as you can get. Or any other retelling for that matter. Totally memorable.

My Policeman ***** Amazon Prime Video. Brilliant acting and direction. Sad but perhaps ultimately hopeful story of a love triangle in homophobic 50s UK. Tom, Patrick and Marion waste a lot of their lives which is maybe the main message. Stellar cast. Based on the true story of EM Forster. Would watch again. (And that’s infrequent for me!)

And the very good

Secret Life of the Safari Park Ch4.**** We really got to know some of the animals.

Art of Persia **** BBC Samira Ahmed. Fascinating but not quite as good as her Pakistan series because there was less interaction with local historians etc. This wasn’t explained but could have been due to language difficulties or even political ones.

Tabby McTat **** BBC Delightful animated version of the Julia Donaldson tale

Britain’s Human Zoos ****Ch4 Novelist Nadifa Mohammed explores the shocking history of the people the British brought to UK from the empire for entertainment and forensic science.  Fascinating and horrifying. I wanted a lot more information – maybe a whole series – so it loses a star. That’s down to the people who commissioned the programme, not the presenter or the material. The period covered also saw people with differences used as entertainment e,g. The Elephant Man, so it tells us something very unsettling about human nature.

Reading

The excellent

After Midnight by Blake Allwood***** Great contemporary mm version of Cinderella. Lots of action and angst and good characters in Dillon and Dominic.

Zenith by Eli Easton and RJ Scott***** A final gripping crime mystery for Gabriel and Tiber. This time it’s personal.

The Red Dragon of Oxford by Joy Lynn Fielding***** Lovely introduction to her Wings over Albion series. Reviewed for PRG in more depth.

Changes coming down and Changes going on by Kaje Harper***** Great story in two volumes about a threesome – a rancher, a hockey player and a cop. Superb characterisation including minor characters. Really gripping thriller elements.

Midwinter Marriage by KL Noone***** Only a long short story but so good I’ve saved it to reread next Christmas. Paranormal, mm, historical.

Heart of Stone by Johannes T Evans.***** Wow! Perfectly delicious story about a vampire with ADHD and an autistic secretary in late eighteenth century Birmingham.  UST unresolved until the final chapter. The period detail and the gripping romance element are fabulous. I’ve always preferred werewolves but this might convert me to vampires.

Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura***** Gorgeously detailed fantasy thriller which might will fail because it’s overpriced. Reviewed in more depth for PRG.

The Prince and the Ice King by Amanda Meuwissen*****Lovely and intricate mm retelling of Beauty and the Beast with addition of the myth of Kind Midas. Reviewed in more depth for PRG

The Family Man by AJ  Rose***** Excellent crime novel (FBI analysts on track of serial killer) with slow burn romance between team leader and new agent. Will look for sequels. Reviewed in more depth for PRG

And the very good

Candlenight by Phil Rickman**** I think this was a re-read though I didn’t realise until I reached the final chapters. Gripping supernatural thriller with an ambiguous ending. Incredibly good writing but it ends up as horror which is not to my taste.

Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin**** Interesting investigative journalism exploring the subject but I would have liked more about the far right online in countries other than US. They were only mentioned briefly.

A Stroke of Brilliance by Nazri Noor**** KU A good sequel to A Touch of Fever. Xander and Jack are a great couple and I love Lore, the AI. Will definitely continue with the series.

Rebel Dragon by Steve Turnbull **** Good introductory volume to The Dragons of Esternes which I will be following. (I’m currently reading vol 2) Kantees, as a slave, should not be riding Sheesha, but he seems to think otherwise.

Fill the Empty Spaces by Karenna Colcroft. **** Interesting exploration of grief. Slow burn romance with paranormal elements. Well written. Reviewed in more depth for PRG

My daughter’s dog likes to oversee reviews when he visits.

TV

Nothing five star but some really watchable stuff.

Mr Bates vs The Post Office: the real story **** (itvx) fascinating and horrifying

Malta: the jewel of the Med**** (Ch 5) Too much emphasis on the sea and not the inland history. Some  questionable assertions. The history goes back much further than they suggested. May not watch the next episode.

Paddington 2 **** Some delightful acting from famous actors makes this endearing and watchable.

Death in Paradise Christmas Special**** (bbc iPlayer) Formulaic but very pleasant comfort viewing! A new season starts this week.

Wild Scandinavia: **** (bbc iPlayer) Eye candy and gorgeous.

Vera Season 13**** (itvx) Good as ever.

Revenge: Our Dad the Nazi Killer **** (bbc iPlayer) An Australian programme: fascinating.

Books

I started with some of my Christmas presents – the first three of the five star reviews were gifts for which I was truly grateful.

Merrily’s Border by Phil Rickman***** The photos, mostly by John Mason, are superb in this companion to the Merrily Watkins series. I now want to re-read the series. Fortunately, I have it all in ebook format!

When Sorrows Come by Seanan McGuire***** Wonderful as always. The series has reached October’s wedding. I have no idea if there are to be more volumes but if not I shall be bereft.

What is a doctor? by Phil Whitaker***** Underlined and expanded on all we’ve heard from a pharmacist friend and read in Whitaker’s own articles in New Statesman.

Claw’d by Vin George***** A great sequel to Fang’d. This series almost converts me to vampires as a theme rather than werewolves though one of the main characters is both.

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain***** Starts with Ted’s husband leaving him and then follows him through his dream of becoming a drag queen. So glad this was great as I bought it for someone else for Christmas before reading it myself!

Then there were a number of excellent books:

Lessons in exposing a deadly alias by Charlie Cochrane.**** A short novel featuring the Cambridge Fellows solving a case. Delightful as usual with lots of period research. It was nice to return to the pre WW1 days with substantial appearances by Jonty’s parents.

Sheriff of the Creek by Sue Brown.**** Nice story in the collaborative Collier’s Creek series. JD and Ben have a romance but also some drama from Ben’s ex. However, I was disappointed in some of the other books in the series, by other authors – sweet but unmemorable.

Matrimonial  Merriment by Nicky James**** Not the thriller we’re used to but the run-up to the wedding. Interesting and amusing.

A touch of fever by Nazri Noor**** Rather zany mm romance incorporating magic users, mythical beasts, and a hidden city that visits various places in the world… I loved the concept and quite liked the main characters. Might follow the series. (Arcane Hearts)

Miracle by RJ Scott**** Book 7 in the very good Single Dads series. In this case it’s actually a single uncle… Some really gripping plot points but I wanted to know more about Arlo’s desire to study architecture and about Zach’s story (the actual dad) which I gather is only available in another series so I felt slightly cheated.

As usual I read some books for review purposes – I review regularly for PRG and Scott’s OWI. Some were excellent.

Ogres and other Dating Dilemmas by TJ Nichols.***** Fabulous addition to the Mytho series (book 8) which gives us new viewpoints of familiar events and lots of detail about Troy and Sean and their romance. I went on to buy and read Weddings and other One Night Stands**** Nice novella that alternates quite steamy sex with interesting dialogue and thoughts about adapting to different cultures.

Flashes by KL Noone *****Excellent and varied book of short stories and flash fiction many of them on fantasy or sci fi themes. 

And some ARCs were very good.

Voice and Transform by Sean Ian O’Meidhir & Connal Braginsky**** Well written and there was sufficient info for a new reader who hadn’t read the first two in the Nüwa Crossing series. Too much magic plus demons for me personally but it was reasonably exciting watching Theo and Robbie cope whilst growing their relationship over the course of the two books.

Spark and Tether by Lilian Zenzi **** Brilliant sci fi – though the prologue is unnecessary and in some ways spoils total engagement with the story so it loses a star.

Fanfic

I’m very behind on fanfic reading – possibly because of the reviews I’m doing. All I’ve managed is:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52719703 Mouselet’s Christmas Adventure by Small_Hobbit and other small additions to the Marylebone Monthly Illustrated. This is my comfort reading over the holiday season.

Various ficlets by another friend, kat_lair, writing on Dreamwidth. I have no idea whether or when these works will be transferred to her AO3 account (MistressKat) but she has been writing in Grimm, HP, and WoT. And other fandoms that don’t appeal to me as much.

We had whippets as houseguests for Christmas. Pippa, the fawn one, is an angel. Milo is high maintenance.

Viewing

I keep saying Christmas TV was rubbish – all repeats of things I didn’t want to watch first time around. Then I look back on my viewing…

Highly recommended if you can access them:

The Australian Wars ***** BBC  Afascinating and horrifying account of the wars between settlers and native Australians in the nineteenth century.Made in Australia with plenty of contribution, not least awesome presentation, from the ‘losing’ side.

Dr Who Christmas Special***** BBC Exciting introduction to the new incarnation of the doctor.

Vigil season 2 (BBC)***** A great follow-up to the first series – this time set in the middle east rather than on a submarine – but I kept expecting Rose Lesie to say ‘you know nothing…’

Vera: The Rising Tide (Christmas Special)***** ITVX  There’s a new series coming up. I really like the detective, and the locations are part of my childhood so appeal!

Petite Maman***** A delightful French film about love, grief and new beginnings. The twins who play the two girls in the story are brilliant young actresses. Available on All4 for about a month then can be bought or rented quite cheaply on Amazon. Highly recommended.

Also recommended though not quite as highly:

Dr Who Anniversary Specials (3 programmes)**** Nice to havenewstories featuring old friends as a December prequel to the Christmas Special.

Mog’s Christmas (Ch 4)**** I kept laughing out loud but think I actually prefer the book. Yes, it’s a children’s animated film but has plenty to amuse adults.

Shetland****BBC The new post-Jimmy look is interesting, with Tosh in charge but assisted by a detective originally from the island but recently from the Met.

Festive Pottery Throwdown**** CH 4 Nice, and very festive, but I think I prefer getting to know contenders over a few weeks. There’s a new series starting. I’m not usually into reality shows but this one teaches a lot about pottery and its social context as well as the art involved, which is fascinating quite apart from the competition.

I don’t currently mention things I don’t recommend but had to say:

Home Alone** This was my first viewing ever of the iconic Christmas film and I was bored stiff. 

Reading

I did a lot of reading. (Whilst the holiday season was pleasant, we didn’t go anywhere and didn’t do much. )

Highly recommended:

Cosy and chill by Jacke Keswick**** Lovely story about setting up a new store, mixed with magic. I was initially disappointed that it turned out to be Richmond in Surrey and not Richmond in Yorkshire but once I’d adjusted my mental map I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Also A Knight to Remember**** Introduces a new series about a security team. Grant**** is the first in the series. Excellent, and a relief from all the Christmas syrup. I’m looking forward to Rylan which is imminent.

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske***** Superb paranormal mm romance set in Edwardian London. Must read the sequel.

The Happiness Project by Suki Fleet***** Excellent novel exploring various ways to be different.

Also recommended:

Wolf Gift by TJ Nichols.**** Nice novella with a witch/shifter bonding. I must seek out the rest of the series. Wolf Heart**** was also good.

Rejoice Dammit by Kaje Harper**** and Where the Heart is.**** Two really nice novellas from a trusted author. A Midnight Clear also by Kaje Harper**** As usual, a common trope (second chance) made poignant and different by a great writer.

It’s Cold Outside by Suki Fleet (on their website)**** Sweet – I do hope we meet this pair, as half-promised, as adults. Light up the Dark  also by Suki Fleet**** Brilliant writing. Fascinating concept. I’d have liked more detail at the end about how the deception had worked but Cai and Nicky are a great couple and I loved the story.

Once upon a Christmas House by AD Ellis**** Nice Christmas mm romance, saved from over-sweetness by the suspense of the reality TV show competition. Well written.  I read a few more by this author but although they were readable they blurred, like so many seasonal stories.

The Ghost of Grape Lane by Mark Richards.**** Excellent seasonal short story in the Michael Brady series.

The Winter Spirit by Indra Vaughn.**** Excellent and ‘different’ Christmas ghost story.

And two I read as ARCs for more in depth review elsewhere: (I review for two review sites)

Ash Believes the Impossible by Kim Fielding**** Delightful mix of mundane and fairyland when Ash meets Clay

Yule. Tales for the Winter Solstice ed. Eno, Allingham and Tulio****. Stars are for the quality of the stories (mostly ff) but this is a very short book on sale at a very high price.

For fanfic, as usual, I’ve been reading Small-Hobbit’s contributions to the Marylebone Monthly Illustrated which place various talking animals in the world of Holmes and Watson. https://archiveofourown.org/works/52123444   is a Christmas Supplement and there is more delight to follow.

I started reading various Star Trek stories but abandoned them all.

Not a real hedgehog… This is a flat decorative paving slab in our garden after a particularly frosty night.

Nothing to report for viewing. We’ve been watching series that won’t finish till after November. I abandoned Jamie’s Five Ingredient Meals (Ch 4) after following two of the recipes and being less than impressed with the results.

Books:

Lots to recommend this month. I’ve been uploading stuff to my Kindle and going through it fairly methodically. I think I’m nearly at the end of the things I truly meant to read though there are still a couple of ‘book bundles’ lurking. I also did some review work and borrowed my usual number from KU.

Starting with Secrets by Jackson Marsh**** Not quite the usual five stars because it ends on a number of cliff hangers and I have had to borrow the sequel while the very complex plot is still fresh in my mind. Archer has been left a treasure hunt by his mother and godmother. It is meant for pleasure but attracts hostile actions and ends up with danger for all. Sequel: The Larkspur Legacy. ***** A thrilling and complex ending to a wonderful series that mixes mm romance and crime with historical research. And now I have to go back to the very beginning and read the Clearwater Mysteries.

A Wolf’s Resistance by TJ Nichols.**** Good WWII historical paranormal romance. Just a novella but worth reading and unlike a lot of this author’s work it’s a standalone.

When the law needs help by Jackie Keswick**** Nice trio of shorts about the ongoing investigations into crime by Jack and Gareth. They probably only make sense in the context of the Power of Zero series but I thoroughly enjoyed them so if you’ve read the rest, read these!

Little Magic by MJ O’Shea. Books 1-3**** Light mm romance but the magic is intriguing, with a focus on charmed food and instant transportation. The small town communities and all their inhabitants, magical and mundane, are lovingly developed.

Chance to be King by Sue Brown**** Plenty of angst in this romantic thriller. A film star and a writer meet when the star rents a cottage from the writer. But someone is the target of extreme hate. Hidden Mate by Sue Brown**** Second book in the Sapphire Ranch series about shifters escaping hunters with the help of their human mates. An exciting story about the sheriff who is a closeted shifter and his mate who heads the human team trying to protect everyone. Rogue Mate.**** Continues the story of Sapphire Ranch with a rogue wolf and one of Eli’s team.

Where Foxes say goodnight by Sam Burns**** Exciting and well written paranormal/thriller/romance, with a haunted house, a screen writer without a plot, and two brothers who need somewhere to stay.

Perfectly Imperfect Pixie by MJ May**** Delightful. I really cared about Phil and Sedrick and the magical world was very detailed and interesting. So I got the sequel: Perfectly Perfect Pixie****. This time it’s a vampire who falls for a pixie but the werewolves are still around. Exciting story and the world is beautifully thought out and developed.

Mandatory Repairs by Elle Keaton**** Well written romance with thriller elements set in the countryside. Max has ‘retired’ after making a fortune in the IT industry and wants to help his newly discovered half sister Robin. He meets Nash, a local, but they have to overcome threats from a mysterious source.  This is in the Collier’s Creek series by various authors and I now intend to read the rest.

Silence of the Missing by Rick Reed **** An excellent novel. Sam loses his first love, Jeb, when they are just thirteen. In the present day his husband Marc is missing, but Jeb may have turned up. This is a psychological thriller with an interesting and satisfying conclusion after lots of twists and turns.

End of the Line by Nicky James**** Intriguing story and romance. It took me a while to empathise with the MCs because I wasn’t sure whether they were going to turn out to be villains. However, I have now borrowed book 2 Lost at the Crossing**** Still great writing and a gripping story centred round an elective mute but I’m not sure I can cope with the amount of tension! The main characters of the books, a found family, are ‘rail riders’ in Canada.

The Blue Monsoon by Damyanti Biswas**** Nicely complex sequel to The Blue Bar with more murder set in Mumbai..

Please Tell Me by Mike Omer**** Exciting thriller. A psychotherapist is involved in helping to solve a case about a serial killer. There is a suggestion of mf romance for Robyn but this is not really the focus of the story though it does lead to her rescue when things go wrong. I didn’t foresee the ending so the various red herrings were well placed.

Parker’s Forbidden Mate by Blake R  Wolfe**** The amount of sex made it just a novella but quite a pleasant one. Parker finds a human mate. I think the series will do the same for his friends so probably won’t bother. (Read for reviewing.)

Comfort and Joy by Nicki Bennett**** Good Christmas short story (read for review purposes) with a lot of historical detail about nineteenth century English Christmas traditions, interwoven with romance between Marcus and his valet. Recommended for your Christmas list.

I also got round to some of the fanfic lurking on my computer. If you haven’t read any of Brumeier’s work, just dive in, regardless of fandom, on AO3, but for this month I want to recommend It Ain’t Paranoia**** which has a thriller element in an AU with John (Stargate Atlantis) as a TV investigator, and Spellbound**** with John and Rodney(SGA) in a magical ‘world’ which has sent me searching for the prequel.

I read quite a bit – and abandoned quite a bit too – in Teen Wolf and can only recommend Don’t Speak by fatale**** Stiles has been made aphasic by a hostile alpha group and the whole concept and how he and others dealt with it was fascinating.

An October apple crop opposite a friend’s house.

TV and films

Wheel of Time Season 2***** Amazon Prime.I hope they continue for the originally planned 8 seasons since I can’t see how they could finish the story in the currently committed three. So far from the books that I’m getting confused but it’s still splendid. The locations and costumes are superb and the story, though confusing at times, is intriguing. Sometimes when you know the book that isn’t the case, but here they’ve tweaked just enough to retain interest in what happens next.

Amazing Railway Adventures with Nick Knowles: Romania***** Ch 5. The presenter brings a really personal touch to his travel stories and visits some iconic places. I particularly liked this episode with Dracula’s castle, but all the series is worth watching.

The Tape ***** YouTube. We rewatched this delightful romance set in Cornwall. The director and the lead actors are friends which is why we watched it initially but it was really good.

Books

Highly recommended

Disrupted Engagement by Nicky James (V&D)***** I think this series just gets better and better. The character development is superb, and the cases that accompany the romance are nicely complex and always solved. However, I understand from her newsletter that the next volume will not have any police work in it which is a shame, even though I love the characters and will be interested in their wedding planning.

Equinox by Eli Easton and RJ Scott**** Another mystery for the sheriff and the man he is beginning to care for, this time involving wolves. Great follow-up to Solstice.

The Village Healer’s Book of Cures by Jennifer Sherman Roberts***** Excellent historical with paranormal elements and an unexpected (m/f) romance. Based around Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder.

Lightning Strike Blues by Gayleen Froese ***** Refreshing take on superhero theme. Hints of a happy ending for Gabe though there is no in-book romance. This was an ARC and I have reviewed it in more detail elsewhere.

Recommended

I followed Twist in the Tale on RJ Scott’s website, which had various authors writing short stories on the Halloween theme. I didn’t read them all – I tend to back away from horror, and from stories set in series I’m not familiar with, but enjoyed those I did read. There’s something for everyone but I think she’s taking the series down at the end of November so hurry! I must recommend: Heart-shaped Box by Suki Fleet.**** The story is exciting. It references and uses minor characters from Foxes but you don’t need to have read that.

Home Improvement by Tara Lain**** Basically just a nice romance but mixed with rock star problems of fame which made it interesting.

Morning Report by Sue Brown.**** A nice mix of angst and romance for ranchers Luke and Simon. Sue’s stories are mostly UK based so a ‘western’ series is a new treat. Hunted Mate by Sue Brown**** An excellent first book in what promises to be an interesting series, providing safety for shifters on Sapphire Ranch which, whilst set in America and on a ranch is not particularly ‘western’. The focus in on the shifters who are in danger and their human mates.  I intend to follow the series.

Alec by Kaje Harper**** This is an exciting romance/thriller in the Single Dads of Gaynor Beach series by various authors. I might try some of the others. The Rebuilding Year by Kaje Harper**** Why did I think I’d already read this? Great story with a lot of excitement though I could have done without the fire which is a personal trigger and not a criticism.

The Long Game by Ellie Thomas**** Beautifully written mm romance set in eighteenth century Britain, featuring  a Black protagonist and his extended family. Also A Marriage for Three by Ellie Thomas **** I bet Georgette Heyer would like to have written this! A regency romance with a difference. This was another ARC and a very welcome one.

Tinker’s Apprentice by Jordan Castillo Price **** Quirky novella with some unusual mechanical magic and strange ‘counterparts’ (soulmates?) called auxiliars.

Can’t fool me by Fiona Glass **** Fun short story which is a sequel to Ghosts Galore. Just right for Halloween. Free to download at https://www.prolificworks.com/author/fiona-glass

Out of the Shadows by Jamie Lynn Miller**** Nice story about a cop and an actor abused by his ex. The story explored the reasons people sometimes stay with abusers.

September fruit. A poor harvest this year – the blossom and the insects didn’t come at the same time!

Recommended viewing:

The Woman in the Wall BBC***** Excellent drama based around the people and communities involved in the Magdalen Laundries in Ireland.

DNA Season 2**** Enjoyable follow up to Season 1. BBC iPlayer

Into Death Valley with Nick Knowles. Ch 5. **** Fascinating.

BBC Proms especially Chineke with Akugbo playing Haydn’s trumpet concerto. Mostly on iPlayer. I won’t give the series stars because it really does depend on your tastes so check the programmes before watching.

Recommended reading: (a good crop for September – better than the pears)

Fiction:

Mr Mercedes by Stephen King***** for the writing but I didn’t personally like it and particularly hated the planned attack on a concert which mirrored, for me, the attack on the Manchester Arena so recently.  

Just Stay Away by Tony Wirt***** Gripping thriller where a young boy threatens the main character’s sanity. Amazon freebie when I got it but it’s cheap and it’s on KU.

Midnight in the Renaissance Elevator  by various authors ***** Excellent anthology centred round a misbehaving elevator at a writers’ con which inspired the collection. There’s a mix of heat, paranormal elements, etc. but the standard is consistently high and I can guarantee that you’ll enjoy at least the majority, whatever your personal tastes. However, I ought to warn you that Remi Varlow’s story is a teaser for a series and not just a story set in the ‘verse of a series so unless you know their writing and think you might continue, you could skip it. The anthology is sold in aid of a charity, The Trevor Project.

Woods of the Raven by Mary Calmes***** A small town witch deals with incursions by evil fae. Good use of myth and legend, and a nice slow burn romance.

Stone Heart by Jenn Burke***** A lovely ending to the gargoyle trilogy.

Magic Burning by Kaje Harper***** Superb addition to the Carnival of Mysteries series.

Gluttony and other hungers by TJ Nichols***** Bittersweet finale to the Mytho series though I believe there’s to be a spin-off novel about two minor characters. The focus here was mostly on the wedding (plus the hate crimes surrounding it) and was a fascinating look at cultural differences.

Speaking in silence by Jackson Marsh***** Excellent mystery for the Larkspur Academy men. This time, an earldom for Archer is at stake.

These Toxic Things by Rachel Howzell Hall**** Excellent crime story despite being written in present tense. Unusual main character who creates memory banks with holograms etc.

Roustabout by Morgan Brice (Carnival of Mysteries)**** A great addition to the series. Both MCs are also people with magical powers so it’s just that bit different.

Repairing Destiny by Geneva Vand**** Nicely told YA mm fantasy adventure involving a prince and his mate.  Reviewed in more detail for Scott Coatsworth.

Non-fiction:

The Fallen Stones by Diana Marcum**** (Non-fiction) Fascinating account of a journalist’s sojourn in Belize, writing about a butterfly farm that supplied the living butterfly exhibits worldwide. It was made more interesting in that it brought real life elements to Julie Bozza’s The Butterfly Hunter trilogy and NR Walker’s Imago series both of which I loved.

Factfulness by Hans Rosling**** (Non-fiction).Interesting explanation of why we get the wrong impressions about various world issues. I got more than an average score on the initial questions so maybe I’m not the target audience. For those I got wrong my guesses (which might still have been wrong) were mostly informed by more up to date data. The book was published pre-covid and pre the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the war in Ukraine.

In our August garden

I’ve been watching (other than news and sport)

Earth. BBC. **** Chris Packham presents a history of origins in David Attenborough style. Worth viewing.

Why buildings collapse BBC **** Frightening look at why some building collapse without apparent warning. The focus is on the apartments in Florida but the current situation with RAAC in UK makes it compulsive viewing.  

I’ve been reading a lot (the Brit summer didn’t happen) and can highly recommend the following:

Wrath and other Troubles by TJ Nichols***** Lovely (as usual) volume in the Mytho series. After the vote as to whether the paranormals are human…

Seeing through Shadows by Jackson Marsh***** Great addition to the Larkspur Mysteries – Chester (new character) and Frank Andino.

To love the dragon king by Antonia Aquilante ***** A new writer to me. Gorgeous mm fantasy romance with enough thriller element to counteract sweetness. This was an ARC but I’m very happy to promote it. I’ve reviewed it in more detail for Scott’s review site.

Defying Logic by Nicky James***** Excellent missing persons mystery in the Doyle and Valor series with Quaid and Aslan developing their relationship and their lives in the aftermath of the previous book. I don’t think it would be as good if not read in order.

Help Wanted by Marshall Thornton***** Nice addition to the series (Pinx Videos in LA). Javier is wrongly accused.

Solstice by Eli Easton and RJ Scott***** Will definitely follow the series! Sheriff and animal behaviourist investigate murder with help from a dog.

The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas***** Another new writer to me. Gripping crime story set in Mumbai. Will order the sequel when it comes out. Interesting to see similarities and differences between Indian and UK police (with their common origin).

Sapphire Water by Adam J Ridley***** This rounds off the series with the siblings getting jewels and having to deal with various paranormal problems. This time it’s a ‘lost’ half brother. It was good seeing all the characters again and watching the town develop. Satisfactory conclusion to the story arc.  

Stardust Wake and Jurassic Dark by Si Clarke. ***** Quirky shorts in the Starship Teapot ‘verse including how Lem got Spock!

Tracefinder: Contact by Kaje Harper. ***** Totally intriguing story about an undercover cop (Nick) and a guy with the ability to ‘find’ people (Brian).  The series continues with Changes**** and  Choices**** Well worth following the whole story.

Those Easter lambs grew up and are indistinguishable from their mothers apart from the fact that the mothers are shorn.

Just recommendations again, with one warning.

TV

There she goes. **** BBC iPlayer David Tenant in a fascinating series about  a family with a severely learning disabled child.

Umbrella Academy Season 3**** Netflix How dark can it get? And now we have to wait till 2024 and hope the actor/writer strike doesn’t make it even further away.

Books

The Butterfly Hunter boxed set by Julie Bozza**** Trilogy of novels plus a short story.A lovely mm romance set mostly in the Australian outback with elements of paranormal or at least a nod to Dreamtime stories.

Dead Souls by Ian Rankin.**** Gripping novel in the Rebus series – one I’d missed!

Power of Zero series by Jackie Keswick****

I’d read the first in this series and finally got to the rest!

House Hunt**** Jack goes UC re drugs, then gets kidnapped during investigation re break ins at Nancarrow Mining. Quite tense and complex.

Swings and Roundabouts **** More excitement for Jack and Gareth. Murder mystery in Sweden.

Dating Games ****  shorts set during the other novels

Apidae by Xenia Melzer**** Possibly the last in a great series about a detective who can communicate with insects, spiders, etc. .

Unstable Connections by Nicky James**** Discoveries re Juniper in the Doyle/Valor series.

Inevitable Disclosure by Nicky James***** Really gripping plot and the Doyle/Valor relationship is progressing nicely.

The Altered 3 by Anabelle Jacobs**** This finishes the story arc nicely. An interesting shifter mm trilogy.

The Distant Echo by Val McDermid**** It was weird reading something I watched on TV ages ago. Some differences – I think due to them wanting to give detective Karen Pirie a greater role in this first of a TV series.

Overdue and Occultism by Jamie Sands**** Sweet mm story featuring a witch and a ghost hunter in a haunted NZ library.

The Clockwork City by Shelley Adina **** Excellent addition to her steampunk universe, plus a murder investigation. An ARC read which I have reviewed for Scott Coatsworth

Luck of the Draw by Addison Albright**** Nicely told story of an arranged marriage but a bit short. Another ARC read with a review for Scott

The Untouchable Sky by Will Forrest* One star because it ended on a cliffhanger without ever having referred to a series. Quite an intriguing story about a young man who learns about his magic in adulthood after having been treated as insane. Included here as a warning. By all means read it if you’re happy to read the entire series.

I happily rewatched Casablanca, and saw a lot of the coverage of Glastonbury. Nothing else of note.

Books

A stand-alone non fiction book:

The Vanishing Triangle by Claire McGowan*** An absorbing look at crime against women in modern Ireland but it was rather repetitive. Written by a crime author rather than a journalist it was surprisingly poorly structured. Very thought provoking, and has broader implications for other countries too.

Some series:

I really enjoy good series, and find a great deal of pleasure in getting to know the characters, both major and minor, in detail, and being immersed in the location.

General fantasy

Empire of Grass by Tad Williams**** General fantasy. This volume hooked me into the universe just as much as book 1 but I resented the way it ended on cliffhangers for virtually all the main characters. Plus the sequel is priced higher for the ebook despite a font problem which had me nearly giving up with the first book which I had in paperback.

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett**** Fascinating magic and world building. There is a  sequel. This is not an mm series but there is a delightful ff pairing of minor characters which is treated as perfectly normal and adds to the pleasure of the story.

Series with mm focus:

Broadway Butchery by CS Poe***** Book 3 in the Memento Mori series. I find both Larkin and Doyle totally fascinating, and the mysteries are nicely complex as is their relationship. Highly recommended. .

Eruca by Xenia Melzer**** Good second investigation for this pair. Andy’s ability to communicate with insects is both helpful in terms of police work and devastating for him.

Elusive relations by Nicky James**** I am following this series set in Toronto about this couple of detectives in an enemies to lovers situation.  

Ellery Mountain series by RJ Scott****  There are ten books altogether and I have now read them all. It’s nice to follow multiple characters and get to know the town plus following the setting up of a retreat for veterans. Each story is ‘just’ a pleasant and well written romance but the series as a whole deserves four stars for the world building and the way even minor characters are developed so that the reader cares what happens to them.

Hidden Gem by Lissa Kasey. **** I like Lissa’s writing. This is an mm series. Worth wading through the mild bdsm to get the fascinating sci fi plot. I might read book 2 but suspect a lot of the story has already been covered, briefly, and it’s about minor characters from book 1 rather than more about the main pairing, which I liked.

Flowers bought to add cheer to a cool wet May.

I found my extensive lists were getting in the way of my writing, so will, for the time being, just entio things of real note.

Viewing:

Unforgotten Season 5. ITV . I had been sad to lose Cassie as the lead detective but thought her replacement was great. Jessie is an interesting character with her own set of personal problems and this helped develop Sunny’s character too. A strong plot with a clever ending enabled the series to branch out from the old formula which I thought was getting a bit tired.

Annika Season 1. BBC. Where Nicola Walker ended up after Cassie ‘died’ in Unforgotten! Interesting police drama with quite a lot of the main character, Annika, ‘speaking’ her thoughts to the audience which was a new ‘breaking the fourth wall’ departure for cop shows in my experience.  Nice locations from Glasgow out to the islands.

Reading

The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams. This is the first novel in the new series (The Last King of Osten Ard) set in the kingdoms familiar from Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. I’d read the bridging book, The Heart of What was Lost. I don’t think anyone who hadn’t read the first series or the bridge would have the slightest chance of understanding what was going on, but I was completely hooked and drawn back into the world. Simon, hero of the first series and now high king, is reaching the end of his reign but old problems are returning. Fabulous cast of well developed characters, and some superb world building. I really feel as if I’d been in Osten Ard. I have already bought book 2 – in ebook format this time. Book 1 was a requested gift, in paperback format, and the font was so small I had serious problems reading it but had to know what happened.