City of Dragons

I loved Kelli Stanley's "Nox Dormienda" that was set in Roman Britain but frankly, I picked this title because I thought that the subject sounded interesting - I never even connected the author's name. I will now keep track of her books.I read this one in two days - with time out for beading. "Nox Dormienda" had a male protagonist and this one has a female - thirty-three-year-old Miranda Corbie, a private investigator, Spanish Civil War nurse and former escort - and yes that mostly means prostitute. Miranda is attempting to get home but didn't plan on getting stuck in the crowd celebrating the Chinese New Year with a Rice Bowl Party. Nor did she plan on having a young man fall dying at her feet - Eddie Takahashi is Japanese American in a Chinatown that hates the Japanese for what has been done in China - hence the Rice Bowl Party. Even with no one paying for her to investigate his death, Miranda can't help herself and attempts to discover what happened to cause his killing. This is a noir look at San Francisco in 1940 as the world is fighting tyrants and America hasn't yet entered the war. Some of this was new to me but I had my mother to ask about that time. I liked Miranda even with all of her smoking and drinking. Her mental pain became clear as the book went forward. I'll look forward to the next in this series.

"Except the Queen" by Jane Yolen and Midori Snyder is a wonderful fantasy about being exiled in a strange land. Sisters Serana and Meteora are member of the Seelie Court of the Fairy Queen when they discover that Her Highness has mated with a mortal man and born him a child. The fact that the Queen has had sex with a mortal and they inadvertantly tell this secret; gets them banished from the Greenwood and into the mortal realm. Once there, they find that they have lost all of their magic and their eternal youth and are now old, fat women. They are seperated from each other in this confusing land and each ends up taking care of a tormented young person who is not what they seem. This fantasy read quickly and excitedly. I'm ready to read more fantasy again; but then Jane Yolen has always been one of my favorites!

I'm finishing my first needlecase and enjoying doing the tubular peyote. Now I have to do circular peyote for the top and bottom. The weather is slightly warmer and life is good right now.

Reading while waiting for warmer weather

Will spring ever come? Will the snow ever melt? We're up to 80 days with over an inch on the ground.Good thing I have more books waiting for me to pick up this afternoon.
I started reading "Death Without Tenure" by Joanne Dobson and then discovered how topical it was when a college professor killed three of her fellow professors over tenure. Karen Pelletier is hoping to become tenured until the head of her department's senior faculty decides that the Native American professor, Joe Lone Wolf, should get that tenure instead of Karen - regardless of the fact that Karen has published tons and Lone Wolf has nothing. When Lone Wolf is found murdered, Karen comes under suspicion. Her boyfriend, Lieutenant Charlie Piotrowski, is serving with the reserves in Iraq and her daughter is in Nepal and her sister has dumped her Altzheimer afflicted mother on her during this time of stress.I loved the fact that Joe Lone Wolf turned out to be Frankie Vitagliano from Brooklyn and Karen ended up having a great-great-grandmother who was full blooded Native American!
"Rescuing Olivia" by Julie Compton started out pretty good and really was keeping my interest but then we seemed to get a little too much into the Robert Ludlum school of international thugs. Anders and his girlfriend, Olivia, have just spent the day at the beach in Florida and are on their way home when a car forces them off the road. Their helmets have been stolen and Olivia hits her head and ends up in the hospital. Her wealthy father accuses Anders of "killing" his daughter; there's a massive cover-up. The story ends up in Africa and I'm not buying any of it.
"Bellfield Hall" by Anna Dean reads like a Jane Austen book only it's a mystery. Dido Kent has been asked to join her niece, Catherine, at Bellfield Hall after her fiance leaves his home on the night of their engagement ball.When a young woman is found murdered in the shrubbery the next afternoon things don't look good for this wedding to take place. Book was OK but not really great.

Domino Pattern

This latest Timothy Zahn book in his Quadrail series is sort of like a locked room mystery or the Agatha Christie "Murder on the Orient Express". People/beings are being murdered aboard an alien space "train" that doesn't make any stops for about eight weeks. The Spiders who control the Quadrail have very strict security in place and use all sorts of devices to make sure that no weapons or poisons or biotoxins can be brought aboard and yet someone has discovered a way around these restrictions.
Frank Compton and his companion, Bayta, are on board and because of their association with the Spiders, must figure out who is causing the damage to the Spiders security and to lives. I enjoyed this book and it set the series up for a big sequel.
I've also been reading a book by Linnea Sinclair that I'd set aside a couple of years ago when I was reading nothing but her books. This one is "Down Home Zombie Blues". This time around I'm enjoying it.
I've been beading quite a bit and just got some wooden needlecases to do some tubular peyote stitch on them - maybe some Christmas presents. I'm enjoying learning this stitch and I'm also mastering the odd count peyote! Whoo Hoo!

Reading and beading the winter away

I seem to be reading a lot of supernatural/paranormal authors these days. I've really enjoyed Devon Monk's books dealing with Allie Beckstrom. Allie is a very powerful witch who's use of power makes her lose her memory - pity, because she's got a very hot male witch she's fallen in love with several times. Ms. Monk has created a very detailed world involving witches, ghosts and evil.
Maria Lima's books involving Keira Kelly have brought me another strong female character who I've been enjoying. Keira's family is a big clan of magical beings who have moved from Texas - where Keira stayed to Canada. Her boy friend is a vampire. I know this all sounds too strange but Ms. Lima has made it work. Her world reminds me a little of the one Tanya Huff created for "Enchantment Emporium"
I just finished Faith Hunter's new Jane Yellowrock novel "Blood Cross" and really enjoyed it. Jane is a skinwalker who can become a mountain lion and has been hired by the vampires of New Orleans to hunt a rogue vampire.
I read the book Ann Aquirre wrote as Ava Gray-"Skin Game" and was sort of put off by the rough sex angle but I liked the characters and after reading the chapter provided of the next book, I admit I'm intrigued.
Tried the new Jasper Fforde book and only made through 100 pages before giving up. The same with the new Peter May - not one of the Chinese series, but a new one set in the online Second Life game. Just not my cup of tea.