L. Williams

Another excellent book

Revisado: 04-20-25

Really love the cast of characters Addison has created and especially appreciated the friendships between Thara Celehar (who really doesn’t understand how to accept friendship without questioning if he deserves it) and Anora Chanovar and Iäna Pel-Thenhior. My only comment is that I might have done better reading the book than listening to it. The narrator is excellent, but I had a difficult time distinguishing between characters with similar names. I think reading the names on a page would have cemented them better in my brain. Perhaps next time, I’ll toggle back and forth between Audible and Kindle.

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Sparks & Bainbridge get better and better

Revisado: 03-31-25

Another excellent entry in the best historical fiction series of the 21st century. Absolutely don’t miss it. If you haven’t read the others, you must start with the first book and follow the duo’s adventures from the beginning. I promise you’ll fall in love with Gwen and Iris and the marvelous supporting cast as they face trials and triumphs together. One last note, Allison Montclair is the pen name of Alan Gordon. I don’t think I’ve read another man who has written women and female friendship so perfectly. Enjoy!

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Sound effects ruined it for me

Revisado: 03-03-25

I know others will feel differently, but I found the sound effects immensely annoying (the ice cream truck music was a particular low). Since I’m sensitive to sounds, this may not impact others’ enjoyment. Decent story set up for a sequel. Obnoxious MC. Narrator was very good.

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Rollicking space heist adventure

Revisado: 02-28-25

What rollicking good fun. The MC is a hacker and con-artist from our solar system on the run in a part of space where humans are pretty rare. She ends up working for a barely legitimate repo company - a nice set-up for space “heists” and found family interactions. It reads mostly like a stand-alone, but not every plot thread is resolved so it’s set up for more adventures. The style reminded me of so many other books/authors at points without feeling derivative: Douglas Adams for the absurdity, Terry Pratchett for the humor, CK McDonnell’s Stranger Times books for the workplace vibe. It’s not even approaching hard sci fi but if you want laugh-out-loud funny and enjoy the other authors/books mentioned, give it a go.

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Better than average “cozy” fantasy

Revisado: 02-27-25

There’s a lot to like in this book (magic, tea ceremonies, baby dragons, a cozy cottage, and found family). I especially appreciated a MC who’s genuinely on the path to taking her fate into her own hands. That she does it with grace, poise, cleverness, and compassion was a big plus. I also enjoyed her character growth as she recognizes how much she still needs to learn about others’ struggles after her sheltered, pampered upbringing. One of the best parts of the story centers on the unlikely group of friends she gathers around her. Less successful was the slow-burn romance (which is largely ancillary to the action). Despite the romance’s slow progress (no spice), I never understood their bond. Finally, the book’s social justice POV is integral to the story. I didn’t have a problem with it, but sometimes the MC belabors a point. I found that a bit tiresome. She’s not wrong (at least as far as the plot of this book goes), but the preachiness did take me out of the story at times. Still, a heartwarming book and a solid start to the series.

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Guy Gavriel Kay never disappoints

Revisado: 02-07-25

Among the best of GGK’s books, A Song of Arbonne bears many of his hallmarks: exceptional world-building, compelling characters, a mesmerizing story, and satisfying twists. What makes this audiobook a cut above some of his others is narrator Euan Morton. A singer himself, his versions of the troubadours’ songs are hauntingly beautiful. Highly recommended.

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Excellent Story of Found Family in Space

Revisado: 09-09-24

For those who have read book 1, this one is equally good. If you haven’t already read the first book, pick up Cascade Failure first. I’ve haven’t fallen in love with characters this much since the Murderbot series.

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For the love of books

Revisado: 07-24-24

This lovely novella was written in 1917 but you would never know. It could easily be historical fiction written this year. Its gentle, folksy charm translates as well in 2024 as it did more than a century ago. If you like low-stakes road stories (it reminded me a little bit of A Psalm for the Wild-Built), are passionate about the power of books to uplift the human spirit and make the world a better place, and aren’t averse to a book written by a man that nails the essence of female empowerment, you can’t go wrong with Parnassus on Wheels. Now looking forward to its sequel, The Haunted Bookshop.

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Good light short book

Revisado: 06-29-24

I had a little trouble assigning stars here. While the mystery isn’t very complex, this story of found family and women rising above society’s expectations is still a diverting look at an interesting time and place. I’d say the story is a 3.5 and think it would’ve benefited from more character development . I do look forward to reading more by the author, though, especially if she does a deeper dive into medieval Alsace.

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Loved it!

Revisado: 06-25-24

The Time Police series gets better and better! And this is possibly an unpopular hot take, but overall I like it better than the St Mary’s series (and I say that as a history nerd who has learned a lot from the many wonderful places and times St Mary’s has visited). I think my ambivalence stems from how I feel about Max, who was so seriously broken and self-sabotaging in many of the books, I found her a hard protagonist to like. In this series, I’ve loved the character growth of, well, everyone, and especially the development of Team Weird’s dynamic.

I was also very happy to see the (brief) appearance of Lady Stanhope and Pennyroyal. I read that there’s a short story coming out about my favorite duo, and I’m here for it. These are two of the best characters Taylor has ever created. She relies a lot on bumbling and misadventure whether it’s “those weirdos at Saint Mary’s” as the Time Police would put it, or their own Team 236 or Mikey. While this is one way to drive a plot and keep the hijinks and laughs coming, I love the competent efficiency of the bounty hunters. More please!

POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD
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I’m curious to see where Taylor takes the hinted-at love triangle among Time Police officers going forward. I’m not even sure what team I’m on, but I care about all these characters in ways I wouldn’t have expected. So bring on the next adventure.

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