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zombeesknees's reviews
991 reviews
Playing It Safe by Ashley Weaver
4.0
German infiltrators and counterfeiting and espionage, oh my! Lady locksmith, former thief, and current secret agent Electra McDonnell leaves London -- which is suffering the bombardment of the Blitz -- and travels to the seaside city of Sunderland on Major Ramsey's orders to insinuate herself into a group that may include German conspirators, in search of a plate being used to forge official paperwork.
Ellie gets to get her spy on, calling upon her old skills as a pickpocket and safecracker while she dodges danger and her growing chemistry with Ramsey. Moving our heroine out of her familiar setting, away from her safety net of family and friends, where her only truly trustworthy ally is the ever-infuriating, ever-handsome Ramsey, adds a nice layer of tension to the proceedings, and Weaver gives us several exciting sequences that propel the story to its breakneck, breathless conclusion. Of all of the Electra novels thus far, this one is definitely the most action-packed one.
The B-plot involving Ellie's quest for the truth re: her father's murder and mother's guilt or innocence also turns a dramatic corner, setting the stage for Book 4 -- which I'm already impatient for. Can't wait to see what Weaver has in store for our intrepid gal next!
Ellie gets to get her spy on, calling upon her old skills as a pickpocket and safecracker while she dodges danger and her growing chemistry with Ramsey. Moving our heroine out of her familiar setting, away from her safety net of family and friends, where her only truly trustworthy ally is the ever-infuriating, ever-handsome Ramsey, adds a nice layer of tension to the proceedings, and Weaver gives us several exciting sequences that propel the story to its breakneck, breathless conclusion. Of all of the Electra novels thus far, this one is definitely the most action-packed one.
The B-plot involving Ellie's quest for the truth re: her father's murder and mother's guilt or innocence also turns a dramatic corner, setting the stage for Book 4 -- which I'm already impatient for. Can't wait to see what Weaver has in store for our intrepid gal next!
The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver
4.0
Electra McDonnell returns to butt heads (and exchange sparks) with the cool and taciturn Major Ramsey, and I am *delighted*. (Weaver sure is drawing out this sexual tension between her two leads, but I just *know* it's gonna be real satisfying when these two stubborn idiots finally admit they've caught The Feels for each other.)
ANYWAY, the core story involving secret cameras, secret spies, and the impending Blitz is a solid one, and kept me turning the pages at a rapid clip. I think I managed to devour the entire book in three sittings, but if I'd actually had any time off from work I would've done it handily in one. Weaver has a gift for writing easy-to-read, compelling, fast-paced stuff. And the sense of time/place was both masterfully crafted and satisfying to sink into.
While the ending did feel a bit *too* quick/easily wrapped up, there were enough thrilling moments to make it enjoyable, and leave me looking forward to book three. A very solid series thus far!
ANYWAY, the core story involving secret cameras, secret spies, and the impending Blitz is a solid one, and kept me turning the pages at a rapid clip. I think I managed to devour the entire book in three sittings, but if I'd actually had any time off from work I would've done it handily in one. Weaver has a gift for writing easy-to-read, compelling, fast-paced stuff. And the sense of time/place was both masterfully crafted and satisfying to sink into.
While the ending did feel a bit *too* quick/easily wrapped up, there were enough thrilling moments to make it enjoyable, and leave me looking forward to book three. A very solid series thus far!
Marrying Off Morgan McBride by Amy Barry
4.0
This is the second book in Barry's McBride series, and I remain thoroughly charmed. I've taken to describing this series as "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers -- but with less problematic consent issues!" to my customers/friends.
Barry has a real knack for creating colorful characters (Junebug remains SUCH a stellar hellion) and slathering on the romantic tension until we, the audience, start screaming, "JUST KISS, YOU IDIOTS!" It can be infuriating watching the leads get too caught up in their own heads/own issues to recognize what's staring them right in the face, but those conflicts are done SO WELL, too. Barry really makes it understandable why her hero and heroine aren't immediately skipping off into the Happily Ever After horizon; she makes them, and us, really work for adn earn that HEA, dadgummit!
"Morgan McBride", like the "Kit McBride" book that came before it, is a pretty fast read that I very much wanted to finish in a single sitting. Now that it's over, I'm already impatient for the next installment in the series, about the pretty boy of the family, Beau. (And I sincerely hope the final book is all about Miss Unrepentant Matchmaker herself, Junebug!)
Barry has a real knack for creating colorful characters (Junebug remains SUCH a stellar hellion) and slathering on the romantic tension until we, the audience, start screaming, "JUST KISS, YOU IDIOTS!" It can be infuriating watching the leads get too caught up in their own heads/own issues to recognize what's staring them right in the face, but those conflicts are done SO WELL, too. Barry really makes it understandable why her hero and heroine aren't immediately skipping off into the Happily Ever After horizon; she makes them, and us, really work for adn earn that HEA, dadgummit!
"Morgan McBride", like the "Kit McBride" book that came before it, is a pretty fast read that I very much wanted to finish in a single sitting. Now that it's over, I'm already impatient for the next installment in the series, about the pretty boy of the family, Beau. (And I sincerely hope the final book is all about Miss Unrepentant Matchmaker herself, Junebug!)
A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber
4.0
I confess that the last couple of installments in the Lady Darby series felt a little flat for me, but I'm very pleased to report that this one was a return to form. Most of that was due to Huber anchoring a significant portion of the story in the conflicted emotions at the heart of the Sebastian/Lord Gage/Kiera/Henry relationships. The fraught dynamics between the ever-disapproving Lord Gage and his sons (one of whom is illegitmate and a longheld secret) and daughter-in-law are juicy and worth plumbing, and Huber really dives into them in "Illusion". I'm very interested in seeing how things continue to develop in the next book or two, with the corners that were turned in this one.
Huber's historical details also really shine in "Illusion" -- I was halfway through the book before I recognized the allusions to a particular historical figure re: one of the novel's new characters, and enjoyed much conspiratorial chuckling to myself as further clues were peppered in and my suspicions were confirmed.
All in all, "A Fatal Illusion" isn't one to recommend to brand new readers. Too much previous knowledge of the characters and relationships is needed to fully appreciate this book. But for longtime fans, this is a really solid outing for Kiera and Sebastian, and further proof that marriage and parenthood has yet to dull them (either as investigators or as compelling characters).
Huber's historical details also really shine in "Illusion" -- I was halfway through the book before I recognized the allusions to a particular historical figure re: one of the novel's new characters, and enjoyed much conspiratorial chuckling to myself as further clues were peppered in and my suspicions were confirmed.
All in all, "A Fatal Illusion" isn't one to recommend to brand new readers. Too much previous knowledge of the characters and relationships is needed to fully appreciate this book. But for longtime fans, this is a really solid outing for Kiera and Sebastian, and further proof that marriage and parenthood has yet to dull them (either as investigators or as compelling characters).
Get a Clue by Jill Shalvis
2.25
Honestly not sure why I kept reading/even finished this one? I picked it up because the set-up sounded promising and trope-y, but it just didn't live up to that potential. The way Shalvis kept referring to the tattooed Latino guy as "thuggish" and the Latino woman as "exotic" (who was also hypersexualized in behavior and dress and the maid of the establishment) really rubbed me the wrong way, and the "accent" of the Scottish character made me cringe inwardly more than once.