Issola by Steven Brust 4/5 stars
Vlad and his friends face up against the Jenoine, the enemies of the gods, which ends in a bittersweet reward. Brust's world building is superior, and his characters real and likable. The plot, while a bit convoluted at times, is engrossing, humorous, and even a bit emotional. Another great addition to Vlad's chronicles.
Audio Books Completed:
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer 4/5 stars
This light Regency romance/mystery was both well-written and well-researched, as are all her novels. The plot was, while predictable, enjoyable and the characters nicely fleshed out.
The Lighthouse by P.D. James 4/5 stars
Dalgliesh is called to a private island to investigate the death of a famous novelist. The story is, as always with James, well-written with excellently drawn characters and a solid plot.
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett 5/5 stars
The witches travel to Genua, an adventure in itself, where they must face off with a fairy godmother who wants things to be too perfect. Laugh-out-loud fumy, memorable, and even moving at times, this is a Discworld novel not to be missed.
Mr. Wray's Cash Box by Wilkie Collins 3/5 stars
This short melodrama, by one of my favorite Victorian novelists, was sweet and well-written, but lacked a deep enough story line to be memorable.
Not My Blood by Barbara Cleverly 4/5 stars
A young boy finds the dead body of his teacher and runs away to Scotland Yard detective Joe Sandilands for help. This is the tenth in a series, and my first Sandilands mystery, but I was easily able to work out the personal dynamics. The novel was gripping from the beginning and had an eerie and believable plot. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will certainly read more by Cleverly.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett 4/5 stars
Brutha meets his god, Om, who is currently stuck in the body of a tortoise, and discovers that much about his religion is desperately wrong -- and just as desperately needs righting. Pratchett excels at a mix of humor and the thought-provoking.
2019 Stats:
This year I read 55 books and completed 62 audio books, quite a bit more than 2018. My goal for 2020 will be 52 books read, not counting the audio books. Main points of the year: I discovered Elly Griffiths and devoured her Ruth Galloway series, and began a reread of Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series (working my way up to the ones I've not yet read). Here is the link to my Year in Books on Goodreads
