Category: Book Review

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

This is a slow and thoughtful novel, with steady pacing. It portrays Jane Austen as the witty, wry woman we expect from the tone of her novels- but with a vulnerable side. Make no mistake, though- Cassandra Austen is the focus of the novel (and not just because she’s the narrator). A sort of amalgam between Elinor Dashwood and Fanny Price, Cassy is endlessly self-sacrificing for her family, especially her sister. Hornby does a great job of giving all the characters a realistic tone and demeanor (Cassy’s selflessness is at times humbling and inspiring, and at times maddeningly martyr-ish both […]

Posted June 11, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

The Rebel Princess by Judith Koll Healey

The second in the Alais Capet duology, this book was slightly more difficult to get into. The sense of urgency was somehow lacking until the final third of the book, when stakes turn deadly. I suppose it’s partly because we don’t get introduced to Alais, who is cunning and observant, as well as blessed with a ‘second sight’ ability. The story follows the build-up to the first (and very bloody) Christian-on-Christian crusade, though dates are fudged a bit to lend tension. Alais doesn’t really have a central part in the intrigue, but she functions as a sort of detective, motivated […]

Posted June 4, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

I was hoping we’d get an expansion of themes, but it was basically the same struggles as the first book, amplified. There was also less of an ensemble presence than I would’ve preferred, but I shouldn’t be too surprised by that given the first book is almost entirely Delilah’s POV. It was still a good story and still engaging, so I’ll continue on with the series.

Posted May 28, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

I enjoyed this sequel, all the more so for its being set in 1591. There’s advancement of plot, further deepening of the MC’s relationship, and development of characters. The book is chunked into three sections and to be honest, Philippe and the time at Sept-Tours was by far my favorite. It just seemed the most growthful, and brought together some lovely threads. The other 2/3 was not bad, but felt a bit like marking time. I was miffed that Mary Sidney was turned into a plot device, after being given potential as a character (they forgot about her entirely in […]

Posted May 21, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

I don’t often re-read books, as usually the change in my age and circumstances, and the book no longer being new and surprising, makes it a less enjoyable read the second time around. This was not so for Menagerie. Even knowing the characters and remembering most of the plot, this re-read of it was engaging, emotionally moving, and entertaining. And I bought Spectacle right away, because I need to continue on this incredible story! Original review: My love for The Menagerie runs deep. So deep that when I realized (after reading) it’s the first in a series, I was thrilled. […]

Posted May 14, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 2 Comments

Ardently by Caitlin Williams

This Pride & Prejudice retelling posits the question: what if Darcy had moved on after his first (disastrous) proposal to Lizzie Bennet? Because it’s a retelling, the character of Darcy at the start of this book is closer to his disposition at the end of Austen’s classic: he is no longer quite so proud and disdainful, and he’s willing to trust a bit more easily. We also get a more mature and refined Lizzie and- because nothing past Ch 36 of Pride & Prejudice happened in this retelling- a few changes to the Bennet family. In all I thought […]

Posted May 7, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal

This is a very sweet Regency fantasy. I enjoyed the system of illusion magic art (glamour) and how it was woven neatly into mostly historic Regency details. It’s very Austenesque in that it has shades of Sense and Sensibility (though Mrs. Ellsworth is more of an amalgam of Austen biddies). Jane is a likable character and her sisterly relationship rings true. There’s a bit of a love triangle, frustratingly, the resolution of which seems a bit rushed. But aside from that, it was an entertaining read with a sweet romance.

Posted April 30, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

I originally read this in summer 2014 and re-read it in anticipation of watching the new TV show based off the trilogy. I needed to finish the trilogy, but enough time had passed that I’d forgotten most of the first book. I’m delightedly surprised that my original review still stands: The protagonist is no-nonsense and practical, and it’s great fun to see her deal with many curveballs in her boldly honest way. The romance is steamy- and I don’t often say that, so here it’s a huge compliment- and not explicit at all. The are some lightly gory bits, but […]

Posted April 23, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

Outlander Kitchen: To The New World and Back Again by Theresa Carle-Sanders

Another lovely and thoughtful compilation of recipes from Carle-Sanders! I didn’t like this one as well as the first, I think because I wanted more of the history of each dish. However, there’s a very large amount of recipes here, and they’re varied (most are veg-rich and adaptable to GF, DF, and/or vegan). As with the first Outlander Kitchen cookbook, each is accompanied by the passage (from the Outlander series and the spinoff short stories) that inspired it. Some of these recipes are more labor intensive, reserved for entertaining and holidays, but most of them are straightforward and should be […]

Posted April 16, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 0 Comments

The Dead and The Dark by Courtney Gould

I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads, and started reading it on Thursday night. I finished it Saturday morning. So that tells you a bit about how compelling of a story it is. I highly recommend it! There were several things I enjoyed about it, and only a few things that gave me pause. Since I’m a salty wee dragon, I’ll start with the things that frustrated me: There are moments in the story where the author seems to forget the physical placement of people- a character is laying down and within a few words they’re peering through […]

Posted April 9, 2021 by bethwyrm in Book Review / 2 Comments