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gmw · 03-02-2019, 11:25 PM

I read Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer. It's set in the same world as the Cecelia and Kate books by Patricia Collins Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, but this book is about an orphan who comes into the employment of Lord and Lady Schofield (Thomas and Kate) as a footboy. Obviously targetted at younger readers than the first books and not a lot in it for adult readers, but it was an amusing way to fill a couple of hours (it's only short). 3/5.

I had glanced through my books so far this year and had been surprised to find 3 x 5/5 scores already (that score gets reserved for books I consider quite special). Maybe I was feeling too smug as a result, because now I've hit my first two "didn't finish" for the year...

The Sweet Life by Sharon Struth. This was a freebie from Kobo (for going VIP), and their freebie selection is rarely very inspiring so I didn't have high hopes when I picked this as what seemed the best of a poor choice. This was not the author's first novel so I think the politest thing I can say here is that this was not for me.

The Man in the Queue by Josephine Tey (Elizabeth MacKintosh) writing as Gordon Daviot. (Edit: Book also known as Killer in the Crowd.) This is the very first of the Inspector Alan Grant stories. I got two chapters in and I just couldn't make myself read any more. So pompous, so instantly unlikeable. I jumped to the back and skimmed the last pages to find out whodunit. I do intend to try some other books by Tey, it's not uncommon for first books to be problems, I just usually prefer to start at the start.

03-02-2019, 11:25 PM	#28128
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I read *Magic Below Stairs* by Caroline Stevermer. It's set in the same world as the Cecelia and Kate books by Patricia Collins Wrede and Caroline Stevermer, but this book is about an orphan who comes into the employment of Lord and Lady Schofield (Thomas and Kate) as a footboy. Obviously targetted at younger readers than the first books and not a lot in it for adult readers, but it was an amusing way to fill a couple of hours (it's only short). 3/5. I had glanced through my books so far this year and had been surprised to find 3 x 5/5 scores already (that score gets reserved for books I consider quite special). Maybe I was feeling too smug as a result, because now I've hit my first two "didn't finish" for the year... *The Sweet Life* by Sharon Struth. This was a freebie from Kobo (for going VIP), and their freebie selection is rarely very inspiring so I didn't have high hopes when I picked this as what seemed the best of a poor choice. This was not the author's first novel so I think the politest thing I can say here is that this was not for me. *The Man in the Queue* by Josephine Tey (Elizabeth MacKintosh) writing as Gordon Daviot. (Edit: Book also known as Killer in the Crowd.) This is the very first of the Inspector Alan Grant stories. I got two chapters in and I just couldn't make myself read any more. So pompous, so instantly unlikeable. I jumped to the back and skimmed the last pages to find out whodunit. I do intend to try some other books by Tey, it's not uncommon for first books to be problems, I just usually prefer to start at the start. Last edited by gmw; 03-02-2019 at 11:30 PM.