Audio: The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

By: Charlotte Nicole Davis

Narrated by: Jeanette Illidge

Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-01-19

Language: English

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Fantasy

Most review seems to be user gentler words, but, no. This is dark world.

This is a shitty world. I do not really learn much about it and I would have liked more. War came. Now there are ghosts and evil men eating ghosts around. There are the rich and those without shadows (why, how?!). And poor people sell their daughters to brothels, there they are marked and used up until thrown out when they are too old. Some parents think they are better off, some just need money. But they are still made into whores.

And one day 5 run away after one of them kills a customer on her first night on the job.

Oh and there are these guys that mentally torture you too cos it is not enough you have to whore, but you are also mentally tortured cos they find it funny.

Yes, I would have liked to learn more about this world. And yes, I did feel they were too lucky. Everyone and their grandma was after them. Their pics were everywhere. They could not even go outside without covering their faces cos they were branded, but still they manage to stay away from the law. A bit too far fetched for me.

They also go all banditas and start to rob people. And sure the people have it coming, but it does change from women escaping to more let's rob people and rich people suck.

The end is actually a semi good one, I was worried when I saw that it is a series. But you can leave them sort of for now, but yes they are not actually safe, just sort of. I like that. Cliffhangers are just so evil.

As for the girls, we are in Aster's head and she is angsty. I wish there was more Clem, cos she does not seem to dwell that much and she should. Violet was mean girl not mean girl at all, and I find myself liking her. Tansy and Mellow are just there.

An interesting start. I do wish more explanations, but more books are to come.

Narration.

A good narration, she made distinct voices of the girls and their voices fit them.

The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls—they know their luck is anything but. Sold to a “welcome house” as children and branded with cursed markings. Trapped in a life they would never have chosen.

When Clementine accidentally murders a man, the girls risk a dangerous escape and harrowing journey to find freedom, justice, and revenge in a country that wants them to have none of those things. Pursued by Arketta’s most vicious and powerful forces, both human and inhuman, their only hope lies in a bedtime story passed from one Good Luck Girl to another, a story that only the youngest or most desperate would ever believe.

It’s going to take more than luck for them all to survive.

Short Movie review: Set it up

Two corporate executive assistants hatch a plan to match-make their two bosses.

Director: Claire Scanlon

Writer: Katie Silberman

Stars: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu

1h 45min | Comedy, Romance  /Netflix

I did not have high hopes, but this was actually better than   I expected.  It gave me a few laughs, I liked the characters and the actors.

Recommend or not?

Sure why not!

Down among the sticks and bones by Seanan McGuire

Kindle Edition, 190 pages
Published June 13th 2017 by Tor.com
Series: Wayward Children #2
Fantasy novella
Own

Wohoo, free!! Thak you TOR.

I Liked book 1, and I liked this one. This one happens before book 1, and I had honestly forgotten what happened in that novella.

Jacqueline grows up a princess, Jillian grows up a tomboy, and they both start to chafe at the roles given by their parents. They are twins, yet so different.

Jack and Jill went up a hill, and all fell apart...

I liked where they ended up, it was dark. There are doors, and all those lost children around the world, might have fallen through those doors. And the other side is not always or ever pleasant.

Great novella! I need more

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Paperback, 163 pages

Published May 2nd 2019 by Granta Books (first published July 27th 2016)

Translator: Ginny Tapley Takemori 

Fiction

Library

This was short, short is glorious! I finished it in no time at all! Seriously, that is all I want in books these days.

Keiko is considered strange by her family, and she has donned the mask of convenience store woman and takes traits from those who work there. I'd say she ha a diagnosis, maybe Aspergers. She tries to be "normal". But friends think she should get married, others think it is weird that she still works as the store. She should get a real job. While I was all, step back people! She loves her job, and not everyone wants to spend their life with someone else.

The book has no chapters, it is a constant stream.

Some of the words on the cover just makes me go all wtf, critiques calling the book sexy? I mean what? The book is tragic and at the same time, well she loves it so why should the rest care.

A well written book (novella, wohoo). it made me want to read more by this author

Keiko Furukura had always been considered a strange child, and her parents always worried how she would get on in the real world, so when she takes on a job in a convenience store while at university, they are delighted for her. For her part, in the convenience store she finds a predictable world mandated by the store manual, which dictates how the workers should act and what they should say, and she copies her coworkers' style of dress and speech patterns so she can play the part of a normal person. However, eighteen years later, at age 36, she is still in the same job, has never had a boyfriend, and has only few friends. She feels comfortable in her life but is aware that she is not living up to society's expectations and causing her family to worry about her. When a similarly alienated but cynical and bitter young man comes to work in the store, he will upset Keiko's contented stasis—but will it be for the better?

Joint Discussion: Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop

Hello all! Carole  and I will be discussing "Etched in Bone" by Anne Bishop. I am in red and Carole in purple.

Author: Anne Bishop

Narrator: Alexandra Harris

Title: Etched in Bone

(The Others #5)

Genre: Paranormal, UF, Fantasy, & romance

Published:  March 7th 2017

Pages: Audiobook

After a human uprising was brutally put down by the Elders—a primitive and lethal form of the Others—the few cities left under human control are far-flung. And the people within them now know to fear the no-man’s-land beyond their borders—and the darkness…

As some communities struggle to rebuild, Lakeside Courtyard has emerged relatively unscathed, though Simon Wolfgard, its wolf shifter leader, and blood prophet Meg Corbyn must work with the human pack to maintain the fragile peace. But all their efforts are threatened when Lieutenant Montgomery’s shady brother arrives, looking for a free ride and easy pickings.

With the humans on guard against one of their own, tensions rise, drawing the attention of the Elders, who are curious about the effect such an insignificant predator can have on a pack. But Meg knows the dangers, for she has seen in the cards how it will all end—with her standing beside a grave

Holy meatsticks, is that Cyrus human the stupidest human in the universe? Yes he was evil, but also so dense, wtf man those are predators, you do not cut yourself and then swim among sharks.

He is an idiot!! I don’t know why (well I do know why) they wouldn’t just eat him the first time he messed up. 

So I get that they wanted to observe him, but then the rest should have taken care. Protect the weak!

Yess. I get wanting to observe him, but within 5 secs he was already causing issues. So his chances should’ve been done. 

Just eat him and that effing creepy kid of his. Gods below and beyond how much I hated him. He was just so, I wanted to shake some sense and fear into him and then let him become dinner.

Yesss. I felt so bad for the little girl. Awww. :( 

She is better without her stupid family, maybe she will stand a chance then. Let the rest rot. I could talk about how stupid Cyrus is all day long

Me too. I hated him! Hopefully she will be able to become a good person and an addition to society. I felt bad for Ciara, but I wanted to shake her. Maybe she’ll be okay now. But ugh. 

She was messed up, I felt sorry for her, he really did a number on her. Honestly, at times I worried that he had fathered her children too. I would totally have thought that of that asshole.

OMG I WAS HAVING THOSE WORRIES TOO! I wouldn’t doubt it. I guess we’ll never really know. He was terrible to her and to everyone. Especially women. How did such a strong and smart woman raise such a monster of a boy??? And how did he survive up to now?

He did seem to have the luck of a devil, and he was sure good at assigning blame to others.

True and that is what made him scary. He had luck and good at spinning webs of lies and blame. 

Ugh him. But ok, I will tryyyy and move away from him. I did have the same feeling as I had when I read these. This felt like an odd way to end the series. This felt like it should have been a previous books and then the world would break apart. I can see that this is meant to heal things, but still after the epic 4th book this felt strange.

It is hard to move from the ass since they made him such a strong story point. But yes, I did feel this was odd feeling. Like sometimes it felt like it should’ve been an earlier story, but then it felt like it was meant to be the last book of this story line. After so much time of battling bigger issues, this jerk seemed like small fry. However, it was fitting because we got to see Meg be stronger after everything. Limited cutting, using the cards, and even being able to save herself. She isn’t the little scared lamb of earlier books. 

Yes, I feel the same, but still weird. Also, I loved the howling and everything before sure brought out the emotions in me. It was so much. Poor Meg.

Awww ya. I was making the narration go faster because I wanted to see what happened. I was SO worried at the end there! 

Same, even though I had read it! And now you see why I am SOOOOOO sad that she might not write more in this world. I love this world. I will read about other places just please pleas, more!

Yessss, I want more too. Even though I am slightly bitter that we really won’t get more of Symon and Meg. I grew to adore them. I hated (annoyed more so) at the beginning. Wah! But honestly...I’ll take what I get from this world. Lots of stories to be had. 

I hear you, I felt the same when I read the books, but when I listened I loved them, but then I had had time so ;) It takes time!

And as always, excellent work by Alexandra Harris. I bow to you.

Yesss love, love, LOVE the narrator. She is amazing. More please!

Can you believe we listened/read 5 books and liked them?! Freaking liked them! Cos you know us and one great book a year, lol.

We’ve been so lucky! I was worried since I didn’t really care for book 1 but then I switched to the audio train and I’ve liked them so much more. 

Yay :D And as you know there are 2 more, one about no one we know and one about Bennett. But before that I guess we should try something boring again, sigh, it has been quite the ride.

Yes, probably save them for the new year ;) Give us some gold for 2020. Hahaha. IDK I am going to miss our little community. 

This is an amazing world. I am glad I gave them a go. And so should the rest of you!

100%! You should try at least the first two books. I promise you’ll get addicted. 

Agreed!

So, your pick?

Oh snap! Pressure is on *turns on ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen*

Mowuahahahahahhah

We got this!

The end?

The end

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last few of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson

Kindle Edition, 128 pages

Published October 3rd 2017 by Tor.com

Series: Molly Southbourne #1

Sci fi

Own

This was weird, short and so good!

Molly is attacked, again and again, all through out her childhood. All by kids that look like her, and as she age, they age. Which of course was so very interesting and I needed to know why. Yes this novella was so strange.

All through out good, well written and intriguing. The end did loose some steam, but endings are hard, and this one was very open too.

The rule is simple: don't bleed.

For as long as Molly Southbourne can remember, she's been watching herself die. Whenever she bleeds, another molly is born, identical to her in every way and intent on her destruction.

Molly knows every way to kill herself, but she also knows that as long as she survives she'll be hunted. No matter how well she follows the rules, eventually the mollys will find her. Can Molly find a way to stop the tide of blood, or will she meet her end at the hand of a girl who looks just like her?

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

This predates the Bridgerton books and deal with their neighbors, back in the olden days.

Cecilia goes alone to the Colonies to find her brother in the middle of a certain war. Instead she ends up caring for his friend Edward.

I liked Cecilia, she had lost her friend, her cousin was an ass and she set out alone. And sure telling people that she had married Edward was not the best thing to do. But it was the only way they would let her near him. And to continue, well it was the only way to learn of her brother.

And since they fall in love all is forgiven.

Eward was a cutie!

Good good. I am makin it short today

With her brother Thomas injured on the battlefront in the Colonies, orphaned Cecilia Harcourt has two unbearable choices: move in with a maiden aunt or marry a scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He's unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecilia vows that she will save this soldier's life, even if staying by his side means telling one little lie...

I told everyone I was your wife

When Edward comes to, he's more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out six months of his memory, but surely he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecilia Harcourt is—even if he does not recall her face—and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he'd always assumed he'd marry his neighbor back in England.

If only it were true...

Cecilia risks her entire future by giving herself—completely—to the man she loves. But when the truth comes out, Edward may have a few surprises of his own for the new Mrs. Rokesby. 

Mass Market Paperback, 374 pages

Published May 30th 2017 by Avon

Series: Rokesbys #2

Historical romance

Own

Audio: The Unkindest Tide by Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Robinette Kowal

Series: October Daye, Book 13

Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-22-19

Language: English

Publisher: Audible Studios
Uran fantasy
To review

My first Toby in audio! And omg, yes it worked great! I did feel like the last book was a filler, but this one was great, was it the audio? Maybe, or maybe because things started to happen again.

The Sea witch are calling all selkies to a final judgement, and in the last book Toby's daughter became one. So stakes are high.

Let's get back to the audio thing. I really enjoyed Robinette's narration. I might not have been the fondest of Tybalt, but then I guess I pictured him in another way (sexier *cough*) and now he was just so old timey, but hey I even grew to like it, because it is Tybalt after all. And the Luideag was very rough sounding, but still she almost brought tears to my eyes at one point. She put in so much emotion. All the feels. And Toby was just right. SO yes, great narration.

Back to the story. The selkies are scared. Duchess Dianda is in trouble when her brother comes sniffing around. Toby is in danger, as always (and omg, poor Toby!). I am disliking her daughter now, I get it, sure be angry, but Gillian is just cruel, so cruel.

A lot is happening and I could not stop listening. I have no idea how many hours I listened to today, it was a lot I tell you. A lot! I will definitely do the next on in audio. Everything is even greater in audio.

Hundreds of years ago, the Selkies made a deal with the sea witch: they would have the sea for as long as she allowed it, and when the time came, she would call in all their debts at once. Many people assumed that day would never come. Those people were wrong.

When the Luidaeg—October "Toby" Daye's oldest and most dangerous ally—tells her the time has come for the Selkies to fulfill their side of the bargain, and that Toby must be a part of the process, Toby can't refuse. Literally. The Selkies aren't the only ones in debt to the Luidaeg, and Toby has to pay what she owes like anyone else. They will travel to the fabled Duchy of Ships and call a convocation of the Selkies, telling them to come and meet the Luidaeg's price...or face the consequences.

Of course, nothing is that simple. When Dianda Lorden's brother appears to arrest Dianda for treason against the Undersea, when a Selkie woman is stripped of her skin and then murdered, when everything is falling apart, that's when Toby will have to answer the real question of the hour.

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

November 19th: Thanksgiving post: What are you thankful for this year?

I am thankful for that S's daycare is really nice and she likes it there. That is all that matters. Her speech had exploded and she even draws figures now.

I am also thankful that the people on my side are nice too ;)

I am thankful for only working 6h per day! Hehe, thank you work for letting me do that.

I am thankful for the house we are building

Carole's Monday: This son of York by Anne Easter Smith

Author: Anne Easter Smith 

Title: This Son of York

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: ebook

Publication Date: November 10th 2019

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my honest and unbiased opinion)

Richard III. A man. A king. A legend.

He ruled England for only two years, but the legacy of Richard III remains both fascinating and divisive.

From his childhood in the intensely loyal and close-knit York family to his rise as a thoughtful but troubled ruler, This Son of York is a passionate and deeply personal account of the life of Richard III. A man who loved his family and his country. A king who struggled to overcome the challenges not only of a turbulent time but his own human frailties. A legend whose true life is only now coming to light.

Inspired by the discovery of Richard III's grave and its revelations, award-winning author Anne Easter Smith brings together her decades of intense research, five celebrated novels on the Wars of the Roses, and her sustained passion for Richard III in this culminating book on the last Plantagenet king.

Been an eon since I read a book by this author and this came out about Richard...so I couldn't resist giving this a try.

This follows Richard from childhood until his death on the battle field. This is inspired by the discovery of Richard's grave recently, so we get to have little glimpses of the team who uncovered the body. 

I have always been back and forth about Richard. I never believed he was the monster that is portrayed but was he a saint? Absolutely not. He was a man of his time for sure, but I don't really believe he killed his nephews...but did he know the truth? Probably. Who knows? 

The author is really good and I enjoyed the other book by her. I really must read more. She has such a way of bringing these characters to life and absorbing you into the story and the drama. She makes these characters complex and human. Love it!

Even though I have my doubts about Richard, I really enjoyed his story here. She didn't butter him up to be a hero or a villain. He felt real to me and this version is my favorite of him. I did even pity him at the end there. Poor guy. Lost everything. He was so disrespected in his death. Darn that Henry. BUT you can understand why Henry just wanted to bury him and forget about him. 

At first I wasn't a huge fan of the glimpses of the modern day uncovering of his grave. As we did get closer to the end I appreciated it then. 

Overall, I really did like this story. I was completely absorbed into the story and our characters. Richard felt so real and this was my favorite version of him. This is a must-read if you have any sort of interest in the War of the Roses. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.  

Resistance is Futile - Jenny T.Colgan

There will be spoilers, cos I am upset.

Paperback, 343 pages
Published June 2nd 2016 by Orbit (first published May 28th 2015)
Sci.fi
Own

Connie's smart. She's funny. But when it comes to love, she's only human.

As a brilliant mathematician with bright red hair - Connie's used to being considered a little unusual. But when she's recruited for a top-secret code-breaking project, nothing can prepare her for working with someone quite as peculiar as Luke.

I feel this was a bit false advertising, I mean look at that cover, Kinsella says it was funny and romantic. Well, I will bloody well tell you now, there is no HEA. I repeat, there is no HEA, oh and he dies. He bloody well dies.

Yes, I feel liked I hope and thought something then wtf.

Ok so a bunch of smart people are put in a "dungeon" to figure something out.

Stuff happens.

Connie falls for Luke

And he dies

Wtf.

I hate this book

Booooooooo

Audio: Warrior of the Altaii - Robert Jordan

Narrated by: Michael Kramer

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-08-19

Language: English

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Fantasy

For review

My phone never messes up, but this time, sigh, this audio listen was a mess.

See it started with a torture scene, and I thought, well this is strange, but ok it was Jordan's first book. maybe he meant to throw us in in the middle of things. Throughout I did feel that I had missed something, but it worked.

Then there came a foreword, and chapter 1 forward. And I realised that something had gone horrible wrong. And now I did not do it all over, I already had gotten my impressions. To actually do it from the beginning actually made me think less of the main character! Weird right!

So, maybe I will review the Second Part first:

Second part (my bad!)

This is not WoT level, but I can see how he honed his skill with this one and tried a few things.

I am not sure I like Wolfgar having a little harem or whatever, what is the deal with that?

Jordan has the best battle scenes, wow, I mean the best part of this book were the battle scenes!

This book would have been better as a series, now it worked, but everything happened fast and I was all, but then what? 

First part

Ok, so Wulfghar is an idiot, I am glad I read this last. First he just lets that stuff go, ok so everyone lets that stuff go, but this new slave, who is then free is still beaten for days to get to know the culture or something like that. A beaten slave is someone who might turn on you in the end, and they should all rise up.

Which leads me to, I do not like the Altaii. "Wipe them out, all of them." Yup, that is how I feel about them. These are not good guys.

Also he is a idiot, who mouths off like that? Omg, man, calm down! He is not a leader.

Final thoughts.

I have such mixed feelings, I liked the book so much more when I had not read the first 30% or something.

But it was interesting to try to spot things that would later evolve into WoT.

Narrator.

His female voices, just no, they were not that good. He made them very dark, His male voices were obviously better then.

Draw near and listen, or else time is at an end. The watering holes of the Plain are drying up, the fearsome fanghorn grow more numerous, and bad omens abound. Wulfgar, a leader of the Altaii people, must contend with twin queens, warlords, prophets, and magic in hopes of protecting his people and securing their future. Elspeth, a visitor from another world, holds the answers, but first Wulfgar must learn to ask the right questions.   

But what if the knowledge that saves the Altaii will also destroy them?  

Audio: Thirteen doorways, wolves behind them all by Laura Ruby

Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan

Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins

Unabridged Audiobook

Release date: 10-01-19

Language: English

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical fiction /YA/ghost

I read this blurb (not this one), and expected something entirely else. More horror in the orphanage, so ok, it was not a walk on roses, but I thought it would be worse. Now there were even good times.

Frankie and Toni is left at an orphanage by their father. He has a new wife (asshat!), and no place in his home for them. They grow up there and he visits twice a month, until he does not. His new wife was a piece of work.

Frankie is the sensible one that tries to be good.

Toni is the one that likes to flirt with the boys, even though they are not allowed too.

The nuns are strict, WWII starts. Family drama.

And then there was the ghost, ok so this was really weird. At first I was more interested in Frankie's story, but then there ghost took more and more space and I liked her more. A young woman hanging around, wondering why, whispering to orphans and slowly we learn her story. And it is a sad one.

So yes, I did feel that the story would have worked great without the ghost. And I also feel like the story would have worked great with just the ghost, as it is now we have both, and sure that works too.

Narration

I liked her ghost voice for Pearl, it fitted great.

The ghost part had this other feel to them and that did work great for the story. It felt more ghostly.

When Frankie’s mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary - just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That’s why Frankie's not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket.

Now, Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans - two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive.

And as the embers of the Great Depression are kindled into the fires of World War II, and the shadows of injustice, poverty, and death walk the streets in broad daylight, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America - every minute of every day spent wondering if the life she's able to carve out will be enough.

I will admit I do not know the answer. But I will be watching, waiting to find out.

That’s what ghosts do.

TMST

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

November 12th: If you hosted a dinner for authors who are the six authors you would invite (alive or deceased)?

Oh this is hard!!!!

Jane Austen, I would like to see how she was in real life and I am sure she would have some witty and cutting remarks. As long as not they were directed towards me!

Brandon Sanderson, mostly cos how the heck does his brain work?! He is writing like a million things at once

Douglas Adams, I think he would be amusing at the table (hopefully)

JRR Tolkien, OBVIOUSLY! And I think he would like me being Finnish, even if I hardly can speak the language.

Rachel Aaron, I just love her heartstriker books so because of that.

Anne Bishop, The Others. 'nuff said

I just realised this is a very spec fic table! Maybe I should have thrown in a tragic Bronte too

Carole's Monday: Trailing the Hunter

Author:  Heidi Eljarbo

Title: Trailing the Hunter

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, & Fantasy

Pages: ebook

Publication Date: October 30th 2019

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the author/publisher for my unbiased opinion)

1661 in Norway.

Clara Dahl has made a decision. She has seen the dread and sorrow witch-finder Angus Hill has caused in her hometown and sets out to find him. Her goal is to fight the wrongful and wicked misconceptions about witch hunting. But the witch-finder’s influence is strong. How can she warn the villagers of something they don’t understand?

Clara’s heartfelt desire is to protect and rescue the women who are in danger without causing more harm. As Clara develops secret plots to thwart the plans of the notorious witch-finder and works to help the villagers, she finds friendship and the possibility of true love.

I didn't know this was technically book 2, but it works as a standalone and you really don't have to read the other one. This caught my eye right away. First, by the cover. Second the summary. 

The story follows Clara Dahl. She has seen the onslaught and sorrow the witch-finder, Angus, has caused. She decides it is time to end this and find the man. However, his influence and power is larger then she originally thought. She wants to protect and rescue the women who are in danger.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but then I was hooked and read this in a couple of sittings. I had to know what was going to happen! I was soooooo worried about everyone.  

Darn that witch-finder and his partner! Evil, evil men. 

I liked Clara a lot and bless her heart. All she wants is to help people and teach kids. I was worried about her and all the women. So scary that any woman could be accused and arrested. Doesn't matter...rich, poor, old, young. Anyone is suspect especially if a woman shows any sort of spirit. How no one can see this and understand this blows my mind. If everyone stood up against these terrible men and women then none of the tragedy would happen! 

Loved Christian too. I was a wee bit suspicious of him at the beginning, but I didn't trust anyone to be honest. 

There was a sprinkle of romance here, but it didn't take over the story which I liked. It's not the focus and there are much bigger things at stake so I'm glad it was just in the background. 

LOVE, LOVE that cover!!

Overall, this was a good read. I enjoyed it even though I was scared for everyone and suspicious of everyone at the same time. I am curious about the other book. I recommend this if you are looking for a good historical with a touch of fantasy and romance. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.