Welcome to the Historical Fiction Online forums: a friendly place to discuss, review and discover historical fiction.
If this is your first visit, please be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You will have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing posts, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

EMR's book list 2012

Keep track of what you read in 2012. One thread per member, please.
User avatar
Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5859
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Sun April 1st, 2012, 4:39 pm

I've read all of BE's books apart from the most recent two, and I don't remember any of the heroines being raped, they usually meditate or undergo hypnosis and find themselves going back in time. They don't usually get stalked either, although there's often a mean boyfriend or long-lost relative trying to stop the heroine finding out whatever it is she's trying to find out. I think one bf turned out to be a bit psychotic and shot her dog, but I don't recall any rapes. You're right about the ghosts though!
Currently reading "The Whitstable Pearl Mystery" by Julie Wassmer

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Tue May 1st, 2012, 7:21 am

[quote=""Madeleine""]I've read all of BE's books apart from the most recent two, and I don't remember any of the heroines being raped, they usually meditate or undergo hypnosis and find themselves going back in time. They don't usually get stalked either, although there's often a mean boyfriend or long-lost relative trying to stop the heroine finding out whatever it is she's trying to find out. I think one bf turned out to be a bit psychotic and shot her dog, but I don't recall any rapes. You're right about the ghosts though![/quote]
The Warrior's Princess. I liked the "old" part of the novel but the modern heroine annoyed me no end.
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Tue May 1st, 2012, 8:02 am

April 2012

39. The Bee's Kiss (Joe Sandilands, #5) by Cleverly, Barbara (4/5)
40. Tom-All-Alone's by Shepherd, Lynn (3/5)
This is inspired by Cherles Dickens' Bleak House. Never read the original but I don't see the point in rewriting it. It was k.
41. The Hanover Square Affair (Captain Lacey, #1) by Gardner, Ashley (4/5)
I'm hooked with this series. Our Captain Lacey has a past full of injustices, and a temper, but he is learning about himself and maturing. Love the way he can't let go of a mystery without solving it. Always the knight ;)
42. A Regimental Murder (Captain Lacey, #2) by Gardner, Ashley (4/5)
43. When Maidens Mourn (Sebastian St. Cyr, #7) by Harris, C.S. (4/5)
And so 4 days later.... :D I've calculated we won't see this baby before 2024... Another good book. :)
44. Trunk Music by Connelly, Michael (4/5)
45. The Kraken's Mirror (The Kraken's Caribbean, #1) by Betita, Maureen O. (2.5/5)
On the bright side I love this idea of a magical Tortuga a little out of time with 16th century pirates and microwaves and ipods. Probably inspired by old tv shows like The Fantastic Journey, the idea deserves 5 stars.
On the other hand, the character development is minimal. Emily really gets on my nerves the 1000th time she complains about her age-wrinkles-droopiness. Geez. And the way the story is told is sketchy and confusing.

46. The Night Season (Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell, #4) by Cain, Chelsea (5/5)
Great secondary characters. And I think the series wins when there is no part for that beautiful bitch of Gretchen Lowell like in this case.
47. The Glass House (Captain Lacey, #3) by Gardner, Ashley (4/5)
48. Concourse (Lydia Chin & Bill Smith #2) by Rozan, S.J. (3/5)
49. The UnTied Kingdom by Johnson, Kate (3/5)
First time I see an author censoring her characters. (Replacing swear words with a "_") :confused: Easy read but I can't see this novel ending there with an out of the character scene. Maybe she's planning a book 2?
50. Booked To Die (Cliff Janeway, #1) by Dunning, John (4/5)
The author is a bookseller and boy, he knows about books. He spends many pages at first showing this so the start is a little slow but still all those tips and facts are so very interesting for look lovers. At the end you want to collect good books more than ever. :D
51. The Bookman's Wake (Cliff Janeway, #2) by Dunning, John (5/5)
52. The Cold Dish (Walt Longmire, #1) by Johnson, Craig (4/5)
I like authors with a subttle sense of humor. There is going to be a new tv series next month based on these books. I bet they ruin them. To begin with the actors look too young... I plan to go on with the series.
Last edited by emr on Tue May 1st, 2012, 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

User avatar
Ludmilla
Bibliophile
Posts: 1346
Joined: September 2008
Location: Georgia USA

Post by Ludmilla » Tue May 1st, 2012, 1:10 pm

43. When Maidens Mourn (Sebastian St. Cyr, #7) by Harris, C.S. (4/5)
And so 4 days later.... I've calculated we won't see this baby before 2024... Another good book.
LOL! I thought the same. I'm expecting the next book to take place right where this one ended with Sebastian and Hero going to the country (perhaps he'll learn something about his father?). But I'm also hoping the author jumps ahead in time at some point.

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Wed May 2nd, 2012, 10:16 pm

[quote=""Ludmilla""]LOL! I thought the same. I'm expecting the next book to take place right where this one ended with Sebastian and Hero going to the country (perhaps he'll learn something about his father?). But I'm also hoping the author jumps ahead in time at some point.[/quote]

Noooooo I bet they are going to find trouble half way to the country house and it'll take them 2 years to get there :D :D :D
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Sun June 3rd, 2012, 8:07 pm

May 2012

53. The Coroner's Lunch (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #1) by Cotterill, Colin (4/5)
Dr. Siri is a delightful 15 years old in the body of a fearless 72 years old man who talks to ghosts and learns from his hero Inspector Maigret how to solve mysteries. Lots of fun.
54. The Splendour Falls by Kearsley, Susanna (4/5)
One of her old books being reprinted at last. A contemporary mystery in the lines of her Every Secret Thing. SK usually weaves together modern and historical tales but this time the old part is only about 3 pages. And it’s creepy to see King John through the eyes of a very much in love Isabelle.
Keeping the reader wondering about the crime(s) has a price: every one of them could be the killer. This goes in detriment of the romantic part since you keep suspecting them all. Overall a nice mystery.
The setting is Chinon, where Henry II died:

Image
55. Spirit of the Rebellion by Peterson, Debbie (3/5)
Difficult to say what bothers me more of this book. The feeling of a B movie with some bad actors just woodenly reciting their part? Those wrong premises like moving around historical documents in boxes during Tennessee’s summer? The lost chance to make the book a little scarier at first instead of giving us a heroine who just steps in a haunted house presenting herself to the ghosts? Oh, and no sex :0 lol It was K…
56. Thirty-Three Teeth (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #2) by Cotterill, Colin (4/5)
57. Death Without Company (Walt Longmire, #2) by Johnson, Craig (4/5)
"The place was packed as we flooded in, all the patrons freezing at the sight of an armed sheriff, two deputies, an Indian, and a construction worker; we probably looked like the Village People." **lol
58. Plague Child by Ransley, Peter (4/5)
Funny, only 1 month later and I've already forgotten most about this book...
59. The Firemaker (China Thrillers, #1) by May, Peter (4/5)
60. The Merchant's House (Wesley Peterson, #1) by Ellis, Kate (3/5)
Archeological mystery. Loved the historical story that runs at the start of every chapter. The modern part was very confusing with all the trillionth + 1 names... Oh and they keep drinking tea in every page, wow
61. Kindness Goes Unpunished (Walt Longmire, #3) by Johnson, Craig (5/5)
Sad story about this Sheriff who goes around followed by an entire tribe of Comanche ghosts. Love the series, how he can make you laugh and then cry in the next page. Very recommended series.
62. The Sudbury School Murders (Captain Lacey, #4) by Gardner, Ashley (3/5)
Not my favorite in this series because there were too many coincidences.
63. Disco For The Departed (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #3) by Cotterill, Colin (4/5)
64. Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Harris, Charlaine (2/5)
**mutters I really, really thought this was going to be the last book. I was hoping it was. But noooo, she had to write another filler. If you leave out the 200 pages of boring and useless filling this book is only a fattened novella with a last part that picks up and is better. But! It worries me how easily she contemplates killing a guy in her kitchen and no consequences. And where did all the good sex scenes go? When that vampire asks her "Are you simple?" while she keeps smiling I wonder...
Oh yah, I'll buy book 13 and read it because I want to know the ending. But this author has lost me as a reader in the future.

65. Tug of War (Joe Sandilands, #6) by Cleverly, Barbara (5/5)
As usual her Sandilands mysteries are something special. They don't have to be murders, his sidekick changes from 1 book to the next, although is most often a woman, and her description of the places really takes you there without exceding in words.
This time the mystery is about a man who comes back from the war some years later with no memory. "Do you know this man?" say the papers. And suddenly every woman who has lost somebody is his mother, his wife, his lover. Very sad. Simply wonderful.

66. Another Man's Moccasins (Walt Longmire, #4) by Johnson, Craig (4/5)
67. Son of the Morning by Howard, Linda (4/5)
Well, not bad at all. On the positive side Niall is so hot! There must be something in the water in Scotland :0 On the negative side she clears the board of problems in only the last 20 pages with a logic that has big holes in it. I mean if they can do "that" why don't they... uh? It's not Gabaldon but not a bad read.
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Sun June 3rd, 2012, 8:09 pm

June 2012

68. Rome: The Eagle of the Twelfth (Rome #3) by M.C. Scott (5/5) or (6/5) even
Wow.
Where do I begin? This is the 3rd book in the Rome series about Pantera, a Roman spy. At first I was a little annoyed because this story happens while Pantera is in Britain so he disappears for most of the book. But after a while it doesn’t matter because the tale is so good.
We follow the story of the 12th Legion through the eyes of a young man. It is Christian Cameron’s style, young man telling his story in first person, advancing in the army, fighting, making friends and losing them. They lose the Eagle that’s the symbol of their Legion and they set to recover it. By the end, I was crying with him and had forgotten about Pantera. Very moving book. Very recommended. Top read so far this year.

69. Anarchy And Old Dogs (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #4) by Cotterill, Colin (4/5)
70. Envy by Brown, Sandra (4/5)
Nice suspense book. I'm not running to get more of her older books but I'll definetely buy anything new from her.
71. The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1) by Fforde, Jasper (5/5)
"The marriage cannot go on. I declare the existence of an impediment!" WOOT! lol This was fun :)
72. The Piccadilly Plot by Gregory, Susanna (4/5)
73. Still Life With Murder by Ryan, P.B. (5/5)
"She walked toward him, still breathless, the hat in her outstretched hand. “You forgot this.”
“Nonsense.” He took it from her, tucking it under his arm with a smile. “A gentleman never forgets his hat.”
Uhu I'm in love :)

74. The Monkey's Raincoat (Elvis Cole, #1) by Crais, Robert (3/5)
I see in the other reviews that I'm not the only one who almost wallbanged the book after a vision of Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice :0 It was K but I think it'll feel more and more outdated with time.
75. Murder in a Mill Town (Gilded Age Mystery, #2) by Ryan, P.B. (4/5)
76. Rivers of London (Peter Grant, #1) by Aaronovitch, Ben (5/5)
The first part of the book feels like a normal mystery story with some ghosts thrown in. But then we meet Mother Thames. Oh boy. lol I love a good show of imagination. I had no idea London had so many rivers lol.
77. Death on Beacon Hill (Gilded Age Mystery, #3) by Ryan, P.B. (4/5)
78. Curse of the Pogo Stick by Cotterill, Colin (3/5)
I did like it but there was something odd with the way he tells this story. Not my favorite.
79. Murder on Black Friday (Gilded Age Mystery, #4) by Ryan, P.B. (4/5)
80. A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder (Inspector Singh Investigates #1) by Flint, Shamini (3/5)
81. Murder In the North End (Gilded Age Mystery, #5) by Ryan, P.B. (4/5)
82. A Bucket of Ashes (Gilded Age Mystery, #6) by Ryan, P.B. (5/5)
This series of novels narrate 6 mysteries (very good 1 to 3 and 6 while 4 and 5 lacked some subtlety) and one very sweet, very long, sad at times, romance. I can’t believe people had to wait 4 years to read the end of the love story in the last book. And it was a great final choral scene. Excellent series.
83. The Siege (Agent of Rome 1) by Brown, Nick (3/5)
Fine easy read but didn't rock my world.
84. Secret Thunder (Perigueux Family Series #1) by Ryan, Patricia (4/5)
Last edited by emr on Tue July 3rd, 2012, 7:54 pm, edited 3 times in total.
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

annis
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4585
Joined: August 2008

Post by annis » Tue June 5th, 2012, 2:15 am

Blast it! I seem to have been stuck in fictional ancient Rome and its imperial possessions for yonks (currently enjoying Lindsey Davis' Master and God) and was hoping to escape to another period, but now I've been tempted into doing that oh-so-easy Amazon clicky thing and downloading Eagle of the Twelfth for my Kindle, sigh ---

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Thu June 7th, 2012, 5:59 am

[quote=""annis""]Blast it! I seem to have been stuck in fictional ancient Rome and its imperial possessions for yonks (currently enjoying Lindsey Davis' Master and God) and was hoping to escape to another period, but now I've been tempted into doing that oh-so-easy Amazon clicky thing and downloading Eagle of the Twelfth for my Kindle, sigh ---[/quote]

lol Hope you like it ;)
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

User avatar
emr
Compulsive Reader
Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Sat August 4th, 2012, 12:18 pm

July 2012

85. Moon Over Soho (Peter Grant, #2) by Aaronovitch, Ben (5/5)
You can tell this author knows and loves the city of London and its history. The cover of these books, London represented as an island, are just perfect. I love his style.
86. Whispers Under Ground (Peter Grant #3) by Aaronovitch, Ben (5/5)
Oh this is so much fun. Next! :D
87. Regulated for Murder by Adair, Suzanne (3/5)
I didn't like her style of writing.
88. Empress of the Seven Hills (Rome, #3) by Quinn, Kate (5/5)
KQ is such a good storyteller that you don't want her books to end... and well... it doesn't :D This is obviously the fisrt part of more to come. Oh well... (Not much convinced by that last sex scene out of the blue but still great book)
89. Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1) by McCammon, Robert R. (5/5)
Excellent background, excellent characters.
90. First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Jones, Darynda (3.5/5)
Decisions decisions...On the negative side I've disliked Charley from page 1. She is rude, annoying and acts like a lunatic. The sex scene in public was embarrasing. The hot guys are mostly monosyllabic, as in Reyes only talks like 10 words in the entire book and 8 of them are "Dutch".
On the positive side... The basic idea isn't bad.. hmmmm... *scratches head* and that's it. Extra half star for the cover.

91. The Keeper of Lost Causes (Department Q, #1) by Adler-Olsen, Jussi (5/5)
Couldnt stop reading. First pages I could tell it was a translation but no idea why. Either it improved or I got used to the style. Already ordered book 2.
92. The Bookman's Promise (Cliff Janeway, #3) by Dunning, John (5/5)
Double story where he tells of Sir Richard Francis Burton traveling through the South right before the Civil War. Loved the diary extracts.
"We went on a journey once, deep into the lost kingdom of cotton. There, on a sunny afternoon in May, Burton might well have influenced the beginnings of our great civil war.
Might have, could have, maybe. Never mind that. What is real? What is certain? I shrug."

This character always make me want to collect more books. Oh my.

93. The Devil's Hearth (Fever Devilin, #1) by DePoy, Phillip (3/5)
Ooook unusual book. The parts about folklore in Georgia were quite good and interesting. You can tell the author knows what he's talking about. I'm googling the word hillbillies and omg all the pics fit in this book :D
94. Folly Du Jour (Joe Sandilands, #7) by Cleverly, Barbara (4/5)
BC is so good at painting the background for her stories the sense of time and space is just perfect.
In May 1927 Lindbergh landed in Paris in the middle of a crowd. Josephine Baker interrupted her actuation at the theatre to announce it and poeple clapped like cazy. Almost next door Louis Armstrong was playing... I loved to learn about Georges Simenon and Josephine.
The mystery part was bloodier than usual in the previous books but it kept me guessing to the end.

95. Strange Images of Death by Cleverly, Barbara (4/5)
I'm starting to think that all these mystery plots are almost secondary to the great cast of characters and the places the author chooses as background.. This one was something of a gothic with romance and danger for the young lady in the castle... Very good.
96. Agent 6 by Smith, Tom Rob (5/5)
Very sad ending for this series.
97. Death of a Dissident by Kaminsky, Stuart M. (4/5)
98. The Alchemist of Souls (Night's Masque, #1) by Lyle, Anne (3/5)
I was counting the pages left since page 20. No good is it? The book is well written, the adventure is nice, the characters likeable, but I guess this is intended for YA readers so it comes a little late for me.
99. Wings Of Fire (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #2) by Todd, Charles (4/5)
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

Locked

Return to “Member Reading Logs - 2012”