The Spine View – My Life as a Bibliophile

Starter Villain by John Scalzi

The cover is what piqued my interest in Starter Villain, the latest book from John Scalzi. At first pass, the story appears to be a lighthearted, frivolous tale that is served with a side of buffoonery. Upon closer inspection, Scalzi is actually taking a sartorial view into all things capitalism.

The protagonist, Charlie, is a down on his luck teacher struggling to make ends meet. He has been living in his father’s house, with his cat, since before his father’s death. He does not seem to have many prospects at the moment.

This all changes with the death of his billionaire uncle. He soon finds out he has inherited his uncle’s entire estate, including the title of Villain. Along with this title, he also inherits, a secluded island, high tech security in the form of talking dolphins and let’s not forget the talking cats who have had him under surveillance for several years.

While his money problems have been solved, he now has a whole host of others. Like being the target of other Villains who want to wheedle, bribe and/or cajole billions from him. Did I mention they also might want him dead? He finds he has to negotiate the land mines that are now his life with the help of his uncle’s assistant and his cat.

There are several laugh out loud moments in this book. Couple the humor with great dialogue and the insightfulness into corporate/billionaire idiotic, and dare I say, asinine behavior, it made for a highly entertaining read.

I highly recommend this to readers who appreciate a creative and humorous story about modern day capitalism. An entertaining read, for sure and I enjoyed the laugh I got at modern-day foolishness.

I received a free copy from the publisher, via Net Galley in exchange for my honest review.

All That Glitters by John Anthony Miller

Rating: 5 Stars Pub Date: 13-Mar-2023

This WWII thriller, by John Anthony Miller, is an edge of your seat kind of story about a female spy, working for French Intelligence, who is given a near impossible task. I immediately fell into this one and was captivated by the outstanding story telling of the author.

Camille is the heroine of the story. She along with her partner, Roger, in this operation are tasked with stealing industrial grade diamonds from a vault in Belgium. There is one catch, the Germany army has already invaded Belgium and the town in which the vault is located will shortly be overrun by Germans. These diamonds are not only highly valuable, but of the highest importance to the war effort since they are being used for advanced technologies. It will be a race to see who can get there first.

Camille and Roger beat the Germans to the vault, but only barely. They know that the German army is already in the city and hear them getting closer. It will not be long before they reach their location. They work quickly to open the vault and remove the diamonds. As they are making their escape the Germans arrive and Roger is killed. Fortunately, Camille is able to get away with the diamonds; however, her escape car is damaged by the gun fire and she is forced to abandon it along the roadside in a rural part of Belgium.

She must now find another way to get out of Belgium and to England, the final destination of the diamonds. To do so she needs to contact her handler, Nichols, in Paris. Fate seems to be smiling on her when she runs into Dr. Lucien Bouchard, a physician that once saved her life. With his assistance and the help of others in the French Resistance, she heads for Paris where the diamonds will be rerouted to England. However, there are others nefarious players, i. e. the Gestapo and a German spy who is married a high ranking French Official, who also want desperately to have the diamonds.

The plot is full of surprises and unexpected players. In addition, two other things are worth mentioning about the plot. First, is the complexity., There were lots of moving parts and everything had to work just right for Camille to achieve her goal. Also, the romantic development between Camille and Lucien added a lot of depth to the plot, and characters, that made the story realistic which, in turn, caused me to become further invested in the outcome.

Then the danger of what she, and later Lucien, were attempting took my breath away at times. I felt like at any moment some little something, or twist of fate could happen, and all would have been for nothing. This made the tension almost unbearable at times. Whether you call it “nail biting” or an “edge of your seat” suspense, this expertly executed story is one that will stay with me for a long time.

In summary, All That Glitters is much more than your average thriller. It also a story about love and redemption among other things. It will appeal not only to lovers of Thrillers, Historical Fiction, and Romance, but also to a more general audience that enjoys a complex plot and memorable characters. I highly recommend this to everyone.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Last Time We Loved by Christine Miles

Rating: 4 Stars Pub. Date: 28-Sep-2021

There are so many good things about this story, Last Time We Loved by Christine Miles, that stuck with me after I finished reading. Written with great plot tension and solid characters, it is one of my favorite stories in this genre I have read recently. Mostly because the story went well beyond the second chance troupe. Definitely much more than your usual fluffy romance and well worth the reading.

Ten years ago, David’s parents were killed in a tragic car accident that left his younger sister paralyzed and in a wheelchair. At the time, he was in college devoting all his energy to music and his girlfriend, Alyson. He abandoned all of that, including Alyson, and became an architect to be able to support his sister Rebecca.

Alyson has tried to move on since David and has become a successful businesswoman with a florist shop that specializes in weddings and parties. The only man in her life currently is her dog and she likes it that way. That is until David, the only man that ever mattered to her, walks right back into her life.

This is definitely a slow burn story. The tension between David and Alyson was palpable. I get that both David and Alyson were traumatized, in different ways of course, after the accident and while I didn’t always agree with their actions, especially David, I could at least see their side of the story. Therefore, there was a lot of hurt that Alyson had to work through before she could forgive David.

The plot was fast paced and the subplots really helped move things along. I thought the drama about Alyson’s floral business and David’s decision of a career path change added to the story. In real life things don’t happen one at a time. In my experience, changes always seem to come in waves and the fact that multiple things were happening at once gave the story creditability.

I liked all the characters in this story. I had a lot of empathy for them, especially David and Rebecca. The tragedy they suffered was so heart wrenching. The author did an outstanding job showing the reader the emotions of the characters and this added a lot of depth to them. The minor characters, though not as fleshed out, also worked well and were an enhancement to the story. The author put a lot of thought behind the characters and it showed. All the characters had a purpose to the story and it all appeared seamless.

Not only is the book a great second chance story, it is also about being able to forgive and the, sometimes necessary, sacrifices one makes in life and ultimately being true to oneself. I recommend this book to those readers who love a complex and thoughtful second chance story. In addition, this would make a great book club choice because of all the themes this book touches on.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

His Christmas Bride by Lara Van Hulzen

His Christmas Bride, by Lara Van Hulzen, is a feel good second chance romance story set in the picturesque town of Marietta, Montana. It has all the necessary ingredients of a magical love story.

Lucas has always loved the town of Marietta and has fond memories of his visits there. He feels it would be the perfect place to get married. He and his fiancée, Vanessa, come back to the town looking for the ideal spot to have a dream wedding. Vanessa finds this ideal setting in the Tanner ranch.

Erin Tanner, and her father, run the ranch. It has not been easy and there are bills piling up and repairs that need to be done. Despite that she has loved Lucas since her teenage years and it is breaking her heart to watch Lucas get married to someone else, Erin puts her feelings aside for the financial benefit of the ranch.

As the wedding plans proceed forward and Lucas has to interact with Erin more and more. He discovers that he has feelings for her. To complicate matters, Vanessa is starting to show another side of herself and Lucas is questioning his choices.

Even though this is the third book in the series, it works well as a stand-alone and I was able to jump right in. The plot was executed nicely and there was enough excitement to keep my interest. I especially liked that the story, while fiction, was totally believable.

Another aspect that made me enjoy this story is the characters. As with the plot, they were believable and well rounded. I was able to quickly identify with the characters, especially Erin, and I became invested in her story and wanted to see everything work out for her.

This is the prefer book for those readers that love a holiday romance with a HEA. It has all the feels and I am hoping to read the other books in this series soon.

I received a free electronic copy in exchange for my honest review.

Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher

There is not much better than a good romance except maybe one involving a witch and Not Your Ex’s Hexes by April Asher was filled with all the witchy goodness I could want. The second book in the Supernatural Singles series, this book was funny, flirty, and oh so good.

Rose is one of the Maxwell triplet witches. She was trained to be the next Prima on the Council until recently when she stepped down. Now trying to find a new life for herself, she runs afoul of Damian Adams, a sexy half-demon veterinarian, when she attempts to steal a horse she thinks is being abused. Her punishment? Community service hours at the aforementioned vet’s animal rescue.

Soon sparks are flying between these two and they agree to be F-buddies. Yeap, friends-with-benefits, no strings attached and no commitment because the hunky half demon vet has been hexed by his Ex. But, as we all know, the heart wants what the heart wants.

This book has a solid plot with a few twists that keep my interest. So good, it only took me a couple of days to read this one. I loved the banter between the two main characters and Rose’s names for Damian, like Mr. McGrumpy Pants, had me laughing out loud. As an animal lover, the fact that part of the story involved animals was an unforeseen bonus.

The character development was solid and I loved learning more about Rose and getting enough of Damian’s history that I understood his actions and why he was a grumpasaurs. Even the minor characters, such as Damian’s brother Julius, were well thought out and added to the story.

The only negative thing is, I have to wait to read the next book! I hope the author does not make me wait long. This was delicious and I need more soon!

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a bit more edge to it and it works well as a stand-alone. Also a great choice for that summer vacation reading list.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

The Minister’s Wife by John Anthony Miller

I was first drawn to The Minister’s Wife, by John Anthony Miller, because I was intrigued by the idea of a woman spy during the Revolutionary War. I love books that highlight strong women in unusual circumstances and this book delivered. I need more books like this!

Abigail, the minister’s wife, has just returned to Philadelphia from New York with her new husband. She comes home to find, in her absence, the city has been captured by the English and the redcoats are everywhere she looks.

However, some things have not changed. Ian Blaine, her former lover, still lives in the city and when he is accused of being a traitor to the crown old feelings begin to rise in her. Though he is able to prove he is innocence, the English are watching him closely, especially the English Commander Duncan.

Soon it becomes obvious that Ian still loves Abigail and he just can’t stay away from her. As Abigail is pulled into the web of patriot spies, there are lies and deceit that abound that will threaten both her and Ian.

This story is full of twists and turns you will not see coming. The plot is fast paced and the suspense was almost unbearable at times. I was on the edge of my seat with worry about Ian and Abigail being caught. They took far too many chances, in my opinion, and it made my heart skip a beat every time they took an unnecessary risk. Then the dramatic ending just sealed my love of this story.

Not only did I got caught up in the drama of the story early on, but it was also the character of Abigail that made me really love this book. She was so brave. She knew she was taking big risks; yet, she found the courage to do what she thought was right.

The type of suspense, and the characters, in this book are what I feel makes a good story great. Perfect book for fans of Historical Thrillers. I also think it will appeal to those Romance readers who enjoy a story that is not all fluff and has a bit of bite to it.

I received a free copy in exchange for by honest review.

To Each This World by Julie E. Czerneda

To Each This World is a hard Sci-Fi novel. A great story filled with political intrigue, mystery, adventure and imaginative world building. A great find and glad I read it.

The main character Henry, is the Arbiter, the most important individual on New World. His main responsibility is being the go between Humans and the Alien species called the Kmet. Humans have entered into a pact or Duality, as it is called, between the two species.

The Kmet have given some technology to humans and the use of Portals that allow space ships to transit long distances in the blink of an eye. However, everything could be in jeopardy when a probe reaches New Earth with a message that a seed ship, sent centuries earlier, has arrived at its destinations and the humans there are prospering.

The Kmet on the Portal is beside itself. It insists that the other humans be rounded up and returned to New Earth before the Divider finds them and destroys them. As the Arbiter, Henry must assist with this task. Yet, he has many questions, and foremost is who is the Divider and why are they dangerous.

This book is one of the most original I have read in a while. I loved that the author presented Aliens as Alien. Nothing like humans and hard to understand, not only in speech but in motive. It felt plausible and the pacing was perfect. Yet, in the end it was the characters and the world building that made it such a good book.

There is just one negative for me, the writing style, which made the story hard to follow at times. I also struggled at first to get invested in the story. However, the characters of Henry and Killian were just so well developed and I fell in love with them and it made it up for so much.

Despite my one grip, if you are a Sci-Fi fan and like a more traditional story then this is a book for you. It is well worth being at the top of your TBR list.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Crime Through Time by John Anthony Miller

A Crime Through Time reads like a cold case murder mystery. The story line bounces between the mid-19^th century and the 1950s in Normandy. If not for the setting, this plot could have been something straight out of the crime drama 48 Hours. A totally engrossing read.

In the past, an artist’s model was murdered not far from the studio of Jean-Pierre, a French painter known for his use of light. Then an attempt is made on the life of Elsie Lyon, the wife of a wealthy and ruthless Paris businessman, while she was leaving the same studio after a portrait sitting with the artist.

In the present (1956 Normandy, France) Zelie Girard has just inherited a house with 3 cottages, two of which are rented, from her mother-in-law, along with a mountain of debt. Not sure what she is going to do, Zelie starts to go through her late mother-in-law’s things. In the attic she finds a series of paintings that could be valuable. Her interest is peaked and she sets out to discover more about the paintings and the artist. What she uncovers is much more than she bargained for.

This book is highly atmospheric because the author did an outstanding job with the descriptive prose. The attention to the details of the settings made it easy for me visualize each scene. It is one of the reasons I was deeply invested with the outcome.

Another aspect of this book that had me captivated were the great characters. Some of them I loved and some I loved hating. The characters were definitely fully developed and I had no problem understanding their actions and motivations from the prickly and arrogant detective to the young postwar widow. In addition, the cast was varied and this added a richness to the story.

The pacing was good and the clues where doled out slowly as the story unfolds. Despite the clues, I never figured out who the murderer was. I thought I was paying attention. However, I was totally surprised in the end. The ending was not as all what I expected and yet it felt right.

A Crime Through Time is perfect for fans of cozy mysteries and lovers of historical fiction. It would also make a great book club selection. Highly recommend that you put this on your TBR list.

I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Violet Made of Thorns by Gina Chen

Violet made of Thorns is full of suspense, dark prophecy, and court intrigue with a serving of enemies-to-lovers on the side. There is also plenty of magic in this story and prophesies that spell doom. If you like your fairy tales on the darker side, this is the book for you.

Violet is a young Seer working for the King. She is one of only a few in the world and her talents are highly sought after. However, she didn’t receive proper instruction on the use of her gifts and though the visions and dreams are easy enough, there are other things her magic is capable of that she has yet to discover. Of course, there are people who wish to exploit her youth and lack of knowledge.

The King being one of those that will use her for his own ends. He frequently asks Violet to lie about what she sees or does not see. The latest lie is about Prince Cyrus’s upcoming engagement, even though he has yet to secure a bride.

Also, there is a dark prophecy surrounding Prince Cyrus. The prophecy Violet has, or says she has, could have dire consequences for both herself and the realm. Ultimately, the choices she and Cyrus make will determine the fate of everyone.

There was a lot of tension between Violet and Cyrus. I get the resentment that the Prince felt toward Violet. He cared about her but didn’t like her being a tool for his father to use as he desired. I felt that resentment was a little misplaced. However, it did allow for the tension between them and this enhanced the plot.

What I didn’t get was the hot to cold thing that was going on between the two. One minute they were making out and the next the claws were out. This part of the story felt like it needed further polish. In addition, I would have loved just a little more character development for Cyrus. His character was not as rounded as Violet.

The plot was interesting and it moved nicely along. Though, I was not a fan of the ending. It was a bit rushed and left too much unanswered for me. Yeah, I get that it is the first book in a series. Even taking this into account, the ending was not as organic as it could have been. In short, I wanted a bit more of an ending. One more chapter would have been nice.

Despite the few minor complains I had, I liked this story a lot. I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what will happen next. If you enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale, this book should be on your TBR list.

I received a free copy, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This book was a joy to read. The prose was hauntingly eloquent. At its heart, this is a coming-of-age story that will touch you in unexpected ways. Hands down the best book I read so far this year.

For a brief period of time, in their grade school years, Sam and Sadie are best friends. They connect over their love of video games and then have a falling out. Years later, a chance meeting when they are in college reunites them. They, along with Sam’s college roommate, form a software company and a friendship that will be the most rewarding thing and the most hurtful thing in their entire lives.

It has been a long time since a book touched me this deeply. I felt like I was peeling away layer upon layer of text to reach the core of these characters that I fell in love with. This is not one of those books that you can read quickly and then jump right into the next. Definitely no fluff here. The story is subtle and yet also complex. It is life and the characters felt as real as any I have ever encountered.

This is the perfect book for fans of A Gentleman in Moscow and A Man Called Ove. I have already recommended this one to my friends and a highly recommend it to you!

I received a free copy from the published, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.