What Else I Read/Listened to in November 2015

Audio Books:

Cursed Moon by Jaye Wells - This is the second Prospero's War

Novel that I have listened to.  I love the characters.  Kate Prospero is a great strong female character who has demons of her own to overcome.  She is supported with a great team of Magic Enforcement colleagues.  Add a past love to the mix and the tension and danger just keep ramping up.  A fun book to listen to or to read.

Depth by Lev A.C. Rosen – This is a interesting mystery set in a

New York that has flooded as the water around the world got higher.  Now people live on the top floor of building that are flooded in the lower floors.  Simone Pierce is a complex and interesting character.  A Private Eye in New York she starts on a case that seems simple and just gets more and more complex.  There is betrayal, theft, murder and a hunt for the unusual.  Great characters and a nice mystery.  There are issues of friendship and trust added to the plot.  The world building is interesting with a new take on what happens if all the ice melts.

Books:

A Call to Duty (Book 1 of Maniticore Ascendant) by David

Weber and Timothy Zahn - A interesting story about how Manticore came to be the power they are in the Honor Harrington series.  This can be an introduction to both series but I really think fans of the Harrington series will be the main audience.

The Cowboy's Christmas Family by Donna Alward - A sweet Christmas story with two adorable twins. There is something that is holding both Maddy and Cole back. I saw the solution to Maddy's problem before it happened but it did not spoil the story. I like Alward's books. She does not disappoint and again she has written a really nice feel good romance,. I think I see the hook for the next book. If so it should also be a really good one.

A Pain in the Tuchis (A Ms. KaplanMystery #2) by Mark Reutinger -Rose and Ida are at it again. There is a dearth at the 

Jewish Home. Rose takes a a hand when foul play is suspected and the plot moves form there. Our detectives are senior citizens with a lot of life experience which they do not mind putting to work solving cases. This is book two in the series. There are some new characters and we learn a little more about the characters. There are quite a few Jewish words worked into the plot. I found them interesting even though they sometimes slowed the story down. The solution to the mystery was a big surprise to me. Fun story and great addition to the series.

Controlled Burn (Boston Fire #2) by Shannon Stacey – A nice love story filled with interesting characters.  Rick Gullotti keeps being told he is not the marrying kind.  Jessica Broussard has lived her life doing what her Father wants.  That changes when Jessica decides to go meet the grandparents on the other side of the country.  Things do not work as she expected and Rick is a big part of the reason.  Turns out being the marrying kind just needs the right two people.  Rick and Jessica are very strong main characters and a great cast of well-developed secondary characters supports them.  While this is book two it works as a stand-alone.

Reunion at Cardwell Ranch (Cardwell Cousins #4) by B.J. Daniels – Finally the last Texas Cardwell falls in love and stays in Montana.  If course he did not expect to fall at all and he really did not expect it to be with a cat burglar.  Look for the usual from Daniels’.  A lot of danger, an adventure, great characters and romance.  A nice ending to the Cardwell Cousins series.

A Call to Arms (Honorverse: Manticore Ascendant #2) by David Weber, Timothy Zahn, Thomas Pope – Travis Long was the main character in the first book in this series and once again we follow him into danger.  This series is a prequel and backstory for the Honor Harrington series.  I found parts of it a little slow and don’t think it would hold anyone’s interest unless they were a fan of the Honor Harrington series.  For fans it is a interesting look at Manticore before it became a star power.  The lead up to that is a the heart of the plot.  Somethings are settled but much is left to be revealed.

The Pirate’s Tempting Stowaway (the Dukes of War #6) by Erica Ridley – This is a novella and a fairly quick read.  The main characters are from two of the previous books.  Captain Blackheart and Clara Halton move from side character the stars of their own romance.  There is adventure, romance and danger as the two work toward their own HEA.  It can stand alone but will be much better if you have read the other books in the series.