Queen Elizabeth II was seated in St. Edward’s Chair so long ago that her character defined the monarchy, not the other way around. Her reign began when the British Empire was dissolving and departing, and the young were too worshipful of the welfare state, Philip Gibbs lamented in The New Elizabethans (1953), his assessment of […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/the-palace-papers-tina-brown-pinckney/
Those of us who find it strange that a country should be deeply shocked by the death of a ninety-six-year-old woman must remind ourselves that it is a crime in England to let your thoughts dwell on the death of the monarch. The Treason Act of 1351, still in force, makes clear that this most […]
Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/10/20/the-two-elizabeths-fintan-otoole/
The Hob & Hound Pub by Seana Kelly is the fourth audiobook in the Sam Quinn urban fantasy series featuring Sam Quinn, newly married werewolf & book nerd owner of the Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar. She and Clive, her vampire husband, are on honeymoon where Sam can’t shake the feeling she is being watched….
The Hob and Hound Pub
by Seana Kelly
Series: Sam Quinn #4
Narrator: Samantha Desz
Length: 10 hours and 9 minutes
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Rating: 
Heat Level: 
Narration: 4 cups Speed: 1.3x
’m Sam Quinn, the newly married werewolf book nerd owner of the Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore and Bar. Clive and I are on our honeymoon. Paris is lovely, though the mummy in the Louvre inching toward me is a bit off-putting. Although Clive doesn’t sense anything, I can’t shake the feeling I’m being watched.
Even after we cross the English Channel to begin our search for Aldith—the woman who’s been plotting against Clive since the beginning—the prickling unease persists. Clive and I are separated, rather forcefully, and I’m left to find my way alone in a foreign country, evading not only Aldith’s large web of hench-vamps, but vicious fae creatures disloyal to their queen. Gloriana says there’s a poison in the human realm that’s seeping into Faerie, and I may have found the source.
I knew this was going to be a working vacation, but battling vampires on one front and the fae on another is a lot, especially in a country steeped in magic. As a side note, I need to get word to Benvair. I think I’ve found the dragon she’s looking for.
Gloriana is threatening to set her warriors against the human realm, but I may have a way to placate her. Aldith is a different story. There’s no reasoning with rabid vengeance. She’ll need to be put out of our misery permanently if Clive and I have any hope of a long, happy life together. Heck, I’d settle for a few quiet weeks.
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Ah, Paris, the city of love… but Sam keeps gets the feeling she is being watched, and that feeling persists when they cross the English channel in their search for Aldith the vampire plotting Clive’s demise. Kelly pulled me right in from the chess set Sam spies in a shop to the plot against the Fae.
It seems the magic of Fae is seeping into our world and destroying their lands. Sam accidentally stumbles upon the cause, or at least she thinks she has. Then there are Aldith and her henchmen. This trip is anything but romantic as the danger mounts and Sam and Clive battle for their lives and those of the Fae kingdom.
This is such a fun series. I quite enjoyed this time away from the Slaughtered Lamb Bookstore & Bar. We have met Gloriana, the Fae Queen, previously, but if Sam doesn’t solve the problem, she may send forces here. Did I mention the Dragons? Aldith is horrible and needs to go. You’ll need to discover why for yourself. There are vampires and then there are bloodsucking villains.
We are really seeing Sam come into her own and to trust herself. A lot of the steps they took were based on her gut feelings or intuition. Of course Clive and his unwavering support help.
I love Sam and Clive’s relationship and we see it strengthen as they must learn to trust when all is not what is seems. From dragon caves to mist and dungeons, the author gives us an action-packed tale with battles, twists and plenty of excitement.
Samantha Desz gives voice to Sam and the other characters. Her narration enhances both the story and the characters. The story itself works wonderfully in this format. I am looking forward to the next story in the series.
Amazon | Audible
The Hob & Hound Pub by Seana Kelly delivered as Sam & Clive travel abroad on their honeymoon while tracking down his enemy. #UrbanFantasy #SamQuinn #AudiobookReview #audiobook #SamanthaDesz #TantorAudio
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Seana Kelly lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two daughters, two dogs, and one fish. When she’s not dodging her family, hiding in the garage and trying to write, she’s working as a high school teacher-librarian. She’s an avid reader and re-reader who misses her favorite characters when it’s been too long between visits. She’s represented by the delightful and effervescent Sarah E. Younger of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency
Samantha Desz is a classically trained actor with extensive theater experience. She also is an experienced voice actor, working on a variety of long form voice-over projects. Samantha has a passion for learning about different cultures and lifestyles. She’s lived around the US and in London, England, called New York City home for nearly twenty years, and is currently living in the Midwest.
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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/09/the-hob-hound-pub-by-seana-kelly.html
When Peyton arrived at Calumet Castle for a summer job, she had only a vague idea of what to expect. She knew of her wealthy employers and that her progressive ideas and choice of career made her a target for the social circles but little else. It came as a huge shock to find herself working alongside her childhood best friend, Patrick, and in turn, they were both shocked at how much their three-year absence from each other had changed them. Rekindling her relationship with Patrick, navigating new feelings for him, rediscovering her faith, trying not to anger the staunchly old-fashioned housekeeper of the castle, and doing her actual job give Peyton a busy and conflicted summer to contend with.
Peyton’s Promise is the third novel by Susan Mathis in her Thousand Island Gilded Age Series. Set in the Thousand Islands, on the St. Lawrence river, these stories take the setting and make it a palpable part of the story being told. Peyton’s Promise is no exception, describing the sights and homes of the area with beautiful depth and recreating what it might have been like in the early years of the 20th century when the area was a popular destination for many of the wealthy elite in society.
Mathis is adept at weaving historical figures into her fiction and has done so in this story with the Emerys. Calumet Castle’s owners function as the mostly absent champions of Peyton’s work, an upholsterer beyond her apprenticeship. Mathis always includes a brief note to explain the real history she has included, with details about the families, their homes, and more about the area.
Peyton’s Promise has a similar feeling to the other Thousand Island stories. Readers will find enjoyment and take comfort in returning to the beloved landscape and having the experience of revisiting a favorite vacation location. The storyline moves quickly with an internally conflicted heroine, a love interest that seems too much at odds to ever succeed, and a rival antagonist that seems on the cusp of bringing disaster more than once. This book is truly wonderful and difficult to put down! The pacing has readers engaged from start to finish. Additionally, the amount of detail included about the Islands is just enough to encourage some further research. They are perfect for a light read for those that love a Christian historical romance novel.
Pages: 291 | ASIN : B09N6J5X6M
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/27/peytons-promise/
In Building High Trust CommUNITY: Lessons Learned from the Past and the Year 2020, authors Pamela Shockley – Zalabak and Sherwyn Morreale bring forth issues affecting society, how the past has influenced current events, the status quo, building communities, and living in harmony. The authors passionately write about a myriad of topics that affect the average citizen, as they offer solutions to some societal problems. This insightful book is profound and will encourage readers to develop a stronger value for all life and instill a sense of unity in themselves. The authors write using simple language, phrases, and words that are easy to comprehend as they hope to reach readers of all ages.
There is plenty of history discussed in this book. The history aspect is my favorite part of the book as the authors point out past historical events’ impact on shaping our future. Pamela Shockley – Zalabak & Sherwyn Morreale write about the tragedy that was the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the civil war, the great depression, and the January 6 Insurrection, among many other events. I enjoyed going through the analysis by the authors as it provided me a different perspective than I had previously seen. The authors are not just great at narration but also great at explaining even the most complex subjects in a manner that the average reader can grasp.
Building trust takes work. The authors discuss why most people do not understand the magnitude of trust in communities despite them thinking they are trustworthy. I love that the authors take their time in explaining trust as a virtue and how a dependable community is appealing. Chapter two has everything one needs to understand trust and why it matters. The explanations they give are short but deep enough to make one identify with the discussion.
I appreciate the authors for talking about their first-hand experiences when discussing certain subjects. Through their eyes, I understood why inequality is still a significant issue in the world and why vices like racism, nepotism, and prejudice are still rampant. In addition, the lack of access to basic needs like healthcare and education is still a crisis even in the world’s biggest democracy is something to be concerned about.
What I enjoyed most about the authors’ writing is their ability to direct the reader tword reflection on their daily experiences. In addition, I appreciate the author preaching about love, kindness, and compassion even amidst the pandemic and the chaos witnessed.
Building High Trust CommUnNTY is an educational book about politics, economic conditions, and these things’ impact on US citizens. Readers learn how to build trust, be organized, and practice self-reflection, among other things, in the most demonstrative approach.
Pages: 192 | ASIN : B0BDFPQJ77
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/27/building-high-trust-community/
This historical fantasy story is set in the first century AD, where Brittania is at constant war with Gaul. The protagonist, Catrin, is a Celtic warrior who has a difficult romantic decision to make when her secret Roman lover, Marcellus, refuses to join her as her king in Brittania. She can either live without him in her homeland or live with him in Rome as his scorned foreign mistress.
I enjoyed the depth of Catrin’s character and how her bravery manifests throughout the story. She is a strong female protagonist that reminds me of Lagertha’s character in the TV show Vikings. Catrin has a wicked half-brother, Marrock, who is a powerful sorcerer who will stop at nothing to destroy her. I reveled in Marrock’s character probably just as much as Catrin’s character. I enjoy a good villain and I think that it’s the villain that really sells a fantasy story, to me anyway. Catrin has no option but to join forces with former enemies. The dramatic turn of events throughout the novel is unpredictable and makes it difficult to choose when to put the book down. I was always interested in seeing how Catrin was going to handle the next twist.
As the fourth book in a series, the action relies on the considerable backstory to make sense of the plot. Tanner does make an effort to fill in the details to get the reader up to speed. I think this book is better as a continuation of an epic rather than as a standalone story, but if you don’t mind missing a few details you’ll still find plenty to enjoy in this novel. The best part of this book, for me, is the way the action is set amongst real-life history and well-known legends. The story fits within the lore of King Arthur and mystical Druids, giving this novel an authenticity that many fantasy stories lack.
Skull’s Vengeance is an evocative and gripping fantasy adventure that long time fans of the series will heartily enjoy. This is a fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of epic fantasy that are looking for a bit of history infused in their fantasy lore. Skull’s Vengeance has well-defined characters, a deep backstory and a well-drawn plot. I think it’s best suited to adult readers who don’t mind some graphic violence and sex scenes.
Pages: 402 | ASIN: B0BC2GCFGG
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/27/skulls-vengeance/
The War Years follows the story of Harry, the proprietor of a small, run-down restaurant. As the book starts he’s miserable and he has every right to be. He lives in a future where the world has been ravaged by a deadly virus and people have seemingly worthless inoculations forced upon them. The United States as we know it has fallen and all that is left appears to be a ragtag collection of small struggling settlements. In these settlements food is scarce, corruption is high and everyone is forced to contribute to the “war effort”. A war that cost Harry his beloved brother. No one seems very clear about where exactly the war is or why they are fighting it. It is against the “savage Arabs” and that’s about it. Harry’s eyes are slowly opened when he comes into contact with a strange viscous fluid and he begins to question the stories he has been told. What follows is a thrilling journey where Harry and his ragtag team of allies try to uncover the truth and discover what is going on in their weird little town, and the world at large.
I had not read the first book, but this did not hamper my enjoyment of The War Years at all. The events of the first book and the proceeding years have been hidden away in the book by the authorities, so we uncover the mysteries at the same time as Harry. I’m sure some reveals would hit harder if I’d read the first book but it never slowed me down.
The book reads like a more dystopian version of 1984; if that’s possible. Much like in Orwell’s masterpiece Harry lives in an autocracy where he is repeatedly told everything is okay, despite the rather obvious evidence to the contrary. People are swept up in a form of hyper nationalism that makes no sense to Harry, or the reader. As Harry slips further into his paranoia he in fact becomes saner whilst everyone around him seems increasingly insane. This transition was utterly fascinating to me and was very well executed in the book. It seems clear that Samuels has much to say about the current state of affairs in the world.
Despite its dystopian future setting The War Years seems all too possible after the events of recent years. The War Years is an excellent dystopian thriller that fans of observant and intellectually-invigorating mystery novels will enjoy.
Pages: 452 | ASIN: B0B57SPPX1
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/27/we-are-them/
Let’s Talk! Learning to bowl, is a beautiful story that follows young Harper who has a very special best friend named Emma who happens to also be autistic. Their latest adventure takes them to the bowling alley where they learn to bowl with their new friend Jerry, who is in a bowling league. While learning to bowl, Emma sometimes takes her face mask off and, because Harper is the greatest friend, she takes on the role of educating Coach Phil on how Emma understands what we are asking of her by communicating with flash cards. Which leads to everyone having a great time at the bowling alley, and another successful adventure for the friends.
This is a sweet picture book that shows how children can be amazing role models that promote inclusivity and understanding of people with special needs. The story is perfect for the developing reader who is ready to take on longer sentences and new vocabulary words. The illustrations by Blueberry Illustrations are incredibly adorable, vibrant and wonderfully shows each character’s emotions. I feel it gave the story such warmth and charm.
I enjoyed learning about the author at the end of the book and I can tell her background in working with special needs children is very near and dear to her heart, and that passion shines throughout her book. I loved how she included some of the mannerisms children with autism exhibit. This makes them seem natural and like nothing is different or strange about them.
Lets talk! Learning to bowl is a fantastic children’s book that will educate readers while promoting diversity and inclusion.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0B8BLVS1L
Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/09/27/lets-talk-learning-to-bowl/