I have to report on what I’ve been reading because I have nothing to report on the writing front. I think I went into a state of suspended animation while we went through the election squabbles and then that frightening business at the Capitol. I did watch some news, but mostly I read books in a variety of genres and watched a lot of British series on PBS.

Anyway, here’s my reading list for the last month or so:

Of Kings and Griffins (Tesha #3) by Judith Starkston
Published October, 2020 by Bronze Age Press

Beautifully written and well-researched, this third novel in the Tesha fantasy series never lets the reader down for a moment. The story is exciting, partly due to the brave and sometimes headstrong characters who take on great challenges. I’d start with book one of the series, but Starkston does such a fine job with backstory that Of Kings and Griffins does quite well as a standalone. From helping a frightening pair of griffins by teaching their blind babies to fly to dealing with a not-so-happy young king who despises any sign of magic, the imaginative plot twists kept me reading long past bedtime. I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Smothered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery by G.P. Gottlieb
To be released February 16th 2021 by D.X. Varos LTD.

G. P. Gottlieb’s cozy, Smothered, is an entertaining read with a very big cast of characters. I’m happy to say the author has provided a character list at the front of the novel for the reader’s convenience. Cafe owner Alene Baron is only one of many suspects in the murder of the gym owner next door, and almost everyone has a reason to see the awful guy dead. I did not figure out who the killer was before the end of the book. This is the second novel in the Whipped and Sipped series. I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley
Published August 25th 2020 by Viking Books for Young Readers

How often do I pick up a book written for the 8-12 age group? Not very often. In this case, the book was selected for the Sisters-in-Crime-Colorado book club and Fleur T. Bradley is a member author, so I put my youngster reading shoes on and opened this book to find fun characters and an intriguing murder mystery that I did not solve. I do love stories that bring a bunch of very different people to one location, in this case, a haunted location, to solve a mystery. I’m not surprised the book is getting a lot of great reviews.

Artful Evil: The Judas Files Book three by C. G. Harris
To be released January 28th by Hot Chocolate Press

If you have not read this Judas Files series by C. G. Harris, you’re in for a great time. I’ve read each of the three now, thanks to advance copies from the author, and find each novel gets better and more imaginative. It’s not a great thing to be in Hell where spontaneous firestorms can send inhabitants from their present uncomfortable state back to the horrifying and painful first days to start all over again. But those with bright minds, courage, and determination can move up in the ranks and earn privileges. Sounds like life on earth, right? Well, not quite. Dwellers in Hell aren’t good guys, even those like Gabe and his partner Alex who sometimes do good things, even if accidentally. The humor in this series is outstanding (but it’s not Erma Bombeck humor, so beware). I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I just started reading The Children’s Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin.