WWW Wednesday (30)

Today I’m participating in WWW Wednesdays hosted by Sam of Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are…

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Cozy mysteries, cozy mysteries, cozy mysteries… such sweet, easy escapist reading. I’ve been breezing through them and fully enjoying the ride (more or less).

Only the Lonely is Book 1 in a new series; a spin-off from the Aisling Grimlock Mysteries. While the world isn’t entirely new to me, the aspect covered in this series is, and Izzy is a very interesting heroine. I’m looking forward to figuring out the leading lady of the Death Gate Grim Reapers series.

Isabella “Izzy” Sage spent her formative years on Belle Isle in Detroit, playing next to the gate that separates the living from the dead as her parents drew a paycheck from the grim reaper council.

Then the impossible happened, tragedy struck, and Izzy found herself an orphan. Her grandfather took her away and raised her among the Bruja in New Orleans, although her heart always longed to return to the gate … which felt so much like a part of her.

Now, as an adult, Izzy has worked her way up to gatekeeper status and she’s back in the place her childhood ended. She’s the one in charge now … although things don’t go how she hoped. On her very first day, the gate is breached, and the wraith that crosses over is not only murderous but enhanced.

Izzy wants to be in charge, but the local reaper council needs help so they send back-up in the form of a magical reaping family.

The Grimlocks are loud, boisterous and used to a good fight. The men are also handsome, something Izzy doesn’t want to acknowledge, even when the flirting gets out of control. In addition to all that, they’re also protective, and whether Izzy wants it or not, they’re going to infringe on her territory if they think they can keep her safe.

The past might be haunting Izzy, but she can’t look forward to the future until the danger is behind her. Those around her know more than they’re letting on, and the magic she’s been trying to hide is about to take over.

The fight is on … and Izzy is loaded for bear.

Recently Finished

I was sooo looking forward to this book. The premise intrigued me, I’d seen good reviews of it and it sounded like just the kind of crazy mystery/ history/ mythology mash-up that I’d love. However, I really struggled through it. In the end, I skimmed about half and definitely won’t be continuing the series.  

Barnabas Tew is a private detective struggling to survive in his trade in Victorian London. Fearing that he is not as clever as he had hoped to be, he is plagued by a lack of confidence brought on in no small part by his failure to prevent the untimely deaths of several of his clients. 

Matters only get worse when Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead, is referred to Barnabas by a former client (who perished in a terribly unfortunate incident which was almost certainly not Barnabas’ fault). Anubis sends for Barnabas (in a most uncivilized manner) and tells him that the scarab beetle in charge of rolling the sun across the sky every day has been kidnapped, and perhaps dismembered entirely. 

The Land of the Dead is in chaos, which will soon spill over into the Land of the Living if Barnabas – together with his trusty assistant, Wilfred – cannot set matters to right. Pulled from his predictable (if unremarkable) life in Marylebone, Barnabas must match his wits against the capricious and dangerous Egyptian gods in order to unravel the mystery of the missing beetle and thereby save the world.

Up Next

I started the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries last year and loved book 1. I’ve been meaning to get back to it for a while now and did just that earlier in February with book 2. I won’t keep this series waiting in the wings again, it’s too good. Book 3 will be my next read.

A sinister phone call in the middle of the night throws tearoom owner, Gemma Rose, straight into the heart of a new murder mystery–this time with her friend, Seth, arrested as the key suspect! The grisly killing in the cloisters of an old Oxford college points to a bitter feud within the University–but Gemma finds unexpected clues popping up in her tiny Cotswolds village.
Meanwhile, her love life is in turmoil as Gemma struggles to decide between eminent doctor, Lincoln Green, and sexy CID detective, Devlin O’Connor… whilst her quaint English tearoom is in hot water as she struggles to find a new baking chef.

With her exasperating mother and her mischievous little tabby cat, Muesli, driving her nutty as a fruitcake–and the nosy Old Biddies at her heels–Gemma must crack her toughest case yet if she is to save her friend from a life behind bars.

These are the stories filling my days at the moment.

What about you? Have you read any of these? What are you enjoying today?