Recent Reads

Time to play catch-up. I've been doing a lot of reading recently, but there have been a few books that just didn't make it into their own posts. So, today's post is going to be a breakdown of my recent reads (that I liked; there've been a couple that will never see light of day on this blog, sadly).

The Books

The Stork by Wendy Delsol

This book offered an interesting take on the YA supernatural romance genre.  It leans a bit more toward the romance than the supernatural, which left me wanting a little. But, it's a trilogy starter, so hopefully future books will develop the supernatural side a bit more.  It's definitely worth developing, because this book had an original take.  The heroine is part of an ancient Nordic society of "storks," women who deliver the souls of unborn children to the appropriate woman.  That part of the book was highly engaging, well done, and definitely worth reading. Links: Wendy Delsol's webpage, including more books!

The Jewel of Gresham Green by Lawana Blackwell

I was looking for something light and fluffy to read at the gym, and this book definitely filled that spot.  It's satisfyingly wholesome, focusing on several heroines and set primarily in the small town of Gresham, England in the late 19th century.  The main characters meet their trials with grace and poise.  There are several relationships to follow: a long standing marriage that continues to be strong, a recent marriage already on the rocks and in need of renewal, and a budding relationship that gives both parties a second chance at love.  The villain is malevolent and easily hate-able; you'll long for poetic justice and dance a internal jig when you get it.  A sweet, quick historical read! Links: Lawana Blackwell's website.

The Agency: A Spy in the House by Y.S. Lee

Continuing by recent YA binge, this book turned out to be a great Mid-century Victorian mystery set in.  The premise is nice: Mary, an orphaned thief, is rescued from the nurse and taken in by a charitable girls school.  The school's goal is to provide girls with an education that will give them better options for providing for themselves than marriage or menial service.  The Agency is an organization secretly attached to the Academy and staffed by female investigators. The book is well situated in its period and leaves lots of promising story threads to continue throughout the series.  I'm definitely eager to get my hands on the next couple books. Links: Y.S. Lee's website, especially check out the extras section!