KJ CharlesCríticas

This book does a good job of setting the characters and foundation for the series. The relationship starts sailing rocky but its so worth the follow.
If you need any trigger warnings he has an amazing page on his site that lists the page and type of warning without spoilers. I will say if you aren't a fan of the *ahem* scenes they are fairly easy to skip with out missing any of the story. That said most of them are short and fun while being well placed in each book as they pop up (and its fun to see how the dynamic changes and gets more comfortable as they go). Its well worth the read and will be getting a revisit from me in the future

Loved seeing Crane and Stephen run around and solve this one. Out of the 3 i think i enjoyed the hunt in this one the most. I would agree that the ending was a bit short but the extra twists and actually seeing them work together was fun to see. They are getting closer but still somehow have secrets to solve betwixt each other. A great follow up to the first book½

As the 3rd book it was fun and ended in a way that was well in the style of the book. There was a lot going on and was a tad easier to track as an audio book. That said i love his works and this had the tall tale mark of how his series have that rebellious flourish at the end. If you've read you know what I mean. The fights between them are frustrating in good way (MAKE THEM TALK PLEASE is what you'll be shouting I'm sure of it). Its a good balance of all the build ups and wrapping up the plot. I do wish there were more.

3.5 Stars

An apt ending to this historical trilogy!!

Mark is basically an investigator, and he wants to help his friends Clem from An Unseen Attraction and Nathaniel from An Unnatural Vice as dead bodies steadily keep piling up. It’s all connected to a wanted, but unknown, person. What’s at stake is a missing earl and his inheritance, and there’s somebody who doesn’t want the truth to come out.

As Mark discovers that the enigmatic femme acrobat Pen is the one he’s seeking, Pen makes it crystal clear he wants to live his carefree life without out the millions of rules and constraints it would mean to claim his birthright. However, hiding who he is only puts him in more danger.

This had some different sexual identity themes to it which brought a new conflict that’s not often seen in historicals. As Mark and company get closer and closer to narrowing down the suspects, one wonders how Pen will ever reconcile keeping true to himself and fulfilling his obligations should they prevail.

The romantic progression was too fast for my liking, but I loved the propriety and the upper vs lower class dynamics with a great shout out to supportive and fiesty sister Greta! Overall, a satisfying conclusion to this 3 book story arc where comeuppance is delivered, and everyone gets their happy ending!

3.5 Stars

Charles consistently delivers on this connected trilogy as the search for a missing heir continues.

Here, the story is passed onto Clem’s friend Nathaniel, who is trying to find a lost earl in order to financially help Clem maintain his livelihood. Nathaniel’s search brings him to a charlatan’s door, and though Nathaniel knows he’s a fraud, he can’t help but be repulsed and intrigued at the same time by the enigmatic Justin.

When men of ill repute come looking to get what they perceive as their just reward for finding the missing earl, it puts everyone in danger and reveals an even greater conspiracy behind all the secrets.

This had a nice mix of enemies to lovers, touching on the social divide and its barriers, along with some very explicit covert smexy. I’m still not a huge fan of historicals but as always, Charles makes a strong case for them, and I will concede that she does quite the excellent job - so much so, I’ll forge on ahead and finish this trilogy off!

3.5 Historical Hearts! - Team review with Adam!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a historical MM connoisseur but Charles’s Magpies series is one of my favorites, and I’ve been wishy washy over what next to read of this author’s and instead of diving right in, I’ve avoided them all until now.

To say the least, I’m charmed, especially titillated by the idea that the rest of this trilogy is planned to come out this year and features one couple - all of which greatly appealed to my quirky preferences.

As per the blurb, this stars Will Darling, a somewhat hardened young fellow who’s been down on his luck having returned from the war and instead of being embraced, has had a hard go of it. When he falls into a fortuitous inheritance of his uncle’s bookstore, the last thing he’s prepared for is to be embroiled in a treacherous push pull by what seems like the military and a secret society - both hell bent on getting a hold of some very nebulous but sinister knowledge of his uncle’s that may or may not benefit mankind (depending on whose side one is on). Now Will is very practical, and just because someone demands something without due cause or adequate explanation, doesn't mean he’ll automatically comply even if he had a clue as to what everyone was making such a fuss over.

When a stranger becomes friendly and offers his help, Will can’t help but be persuaded to accept the generosity from sophisticated handsome Kim Secretan, who has plenty of his own secrets and a hidden agenda as well.

There’s no doubt Charles can write a tangled tale. Points towards making Will an upstanding character for he’s no slouch. At times, I questioned his belief that all men should play fairly and honorably which often got him into certain sticky situations, but the man is not a pushover, and though he doesn't hold any high opinions for the government, aristocracy, or scary faceless bullies, Will knows what’s good and just and he won’t be forced into anything untoward if he has any say about it!

So yes, Will is played and betrayed, and the story is fast paced with twists and turns providing plenty of mystery, a bit of suspenseful action, and a slow development of the attraction between him and Kim that results in some nice (lite dirty) smexy!

The main conflict is technically resolved, but the overall story arc remains to be further explored. There’s a fragile truce between scrappy Will and idealistic Kim at the end of this first installment, and I’m intrigued by their dynamic and am saving rating stars for what I hope will be an even bigger payoff that’s sure to come in their future adventures (and definitely, the feels) that hopefully await them!

Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review

4 Hearts! - Team review with Adam!

Although I liked the first installment, this second entry brings more of everything - suspense, action, mystery and intrigue, and thankfully, romance!

This is not a standalone, so please check out [b:Slippery Creatures|52237989|Slippery Creatures (The Will Darling Adventures #1)|K.J. Charles|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1587519719l/52237989._SY75_.jpg|77319427] first!

Last we saw Will and Kim, they had thwarted the secretive society The Zodiac, and both think they’ve mainly come to an unsaid agreement with the nefarious group to avoid the other and move on. Will and Kim have also moved on by enjoying each other, so much so that Will thinks it’s the start to something very good, but Kim suddenly off and disappears with basically no promises or reassurances.

Two long months pass with nary a word, and Will shouldn’t be bothered. He shouldn't be hurt but nonetheless, he is. Just when Will thinks his life has gone back to the normal tedium of being a bookshop owner, Kim shows up at his door with not much explanation but instead, with a plea for help with his next undercover mission. Not surprisingly, Will’s the sort to never say no to a good cause, and it doesn’t particularly help that he’s bored out of his skull. Pair it with possibly putting a stick in Zodiac again, and Will’s all for watching Kim’s back as Kim tries to get evidence on Zodiac’s mysterious leader. Plus, it’s always a good thing when these two can spend some more quality time together, and it’s quickly understood that despite the separation, their attraction to each other has only intensified.

Assuredly, this was faster paced than the first book. Once the primary dilemma is set in motion, the story pulls the reader along, especially when Kim is still keeping secrets, and Will is damn tired of him doing so. However, what Kim suspects is quite the shocking reveal and again, how the problem unravels and spirals out of control, forces these two to work in sync which was fabulous to witness.

So, if you’re looking for a continued evolution of romance between opposites Will and Kim, with plenty of cultural shoutouts to the roaring 20’s, this MM historical will work a treat! There‘s definitely some complexity here as Will knows there’s a social divide between himself and Kim, and he wonders how he’ll fit, if ever, into Kim’s glamorous life. Will also feels he’s making all the concessions (because he is), and he’s angry and resentful that he’s the only one with his heart on his sleeve with no reciprocity to be seen. One finally gets to see beyond Kim’s indifferent mask that hides a man weighed down by guilt and obligation, his personal demons compelling him to play his cards close to the vest. Kim plays the martyr well, often feeling undeserving of any love or affections, especially from Will. The deeper depths explored between these two was much appreciated, and additional props to the fabulous female cast who hold their own against their male counterparts!

This ends again with the main conflict resolved, making me even more curious as to how Charles will wrap up this trilogy. Will and Kim have made the first few tentative steps towards a commitment, and I look forward to them foiling the bad guys as par for the course, all the while ultimately getting their well deserved and long awaited happy ending!!

Thank you to the author for a copy in exchange for an honest review

4.5 Stars!!

I don’t know what that was, but I sure as hell liked it!

First you have Lord Crane. He’s an arrogant scoundrel but a reluctantly honorable one at that. Upon his father and brother’s death, he grudgingly returns home from exile to settle their affairs - affairs that were often mired in depravity and cruelty. Because of their horrific past discretions, he finds himself a target by familial association as multiple magical attempts are made on his life.

Enter Stephen Day. Don’t be fooled by his small size. He may be short in stature but not short in power and hard truths. Though his family was horribly devastated by the late Cranes, he too, is honorable and just, and is determined to uncover who has placed such a powerful hex on the youngest Crane.

So these two resignedly pair up. As threats continue to knock on Crane’s door, Day must work faster to unravel the twisted, complicated web, where it seems more than one person wants a piece of his lordship. Soon they both realize the other is more than what’s seen on the surface, and they fight and then embrace their attraction while danger presses upon them at every turn.

Richly imagined world building, this was the perfect historical paranormal made that much better by the commandingly, uber sexy Crane and the scrappy, underestimated, practitioner Day. Add in superb writing that tells of taut plotting, intense action, sharp banter, and excellent UST, and you get a near unputdownable fast paced read. Crane and Day ultimately discover a deeper, more binding connection, making for a literal combustible joining as they realize that together of course, they’re more than apart. I am obviously caught by these two, and I hope to be equally impressed with the rest of this series. Wish me luck!

“He was frightened, and, once he recognised that, he realised he’d been frightened for a very long time, at a level so deep he hadn’t known it. One of the people he most loved had become a murderer, and he’d never trusted anyone again.”

They were students at Oxford, they were shining bright, clever and brilliant. There was friendship, there was love and longing. (Of course, they staged a play. Of course, it was Shakespeare.) Everything was so lovely and beautiful – on the surface, that is.

“He’s determined to make a reputation as the rudest man in Oxford.”
“No determination required. It’s effortless.”

Then there was a murder that was never solved, a murder that destroyed lives and loves and friendships.

This book is not really about the whodunit, it’s about the trauma, about living with loss of many things, about grief and a web of secrets and lies. (It also has a bit of romance and a possibility of second chances.) There is a smooth readability to the writing, and something very humane between the lines.

Ten years after the murder, one of them decides to investigate. Jem is an unlikely amateur sleuth – poor and broken. But he is stubborn, he is still clever, he can see patterns and think. And he is tired of being frightened. “That was a foul thought, planning to trap his friends into admissions, but they weren’t his friends any more, and one of them had murdered Toby.”

Ugly, foul things come to the surface. Yes, of course they do. Everyone’s emotional turmoil was very well written, I flew and flew through the last chapters. I hope the characters will heal and find peace. I really liked Jem, I’d like him to have many more evenings by the fire with his rediscovered friends, making tea and toasted cheese.

I got this for free via NetGalley.

I really wanted to like this book more and once Jem returned to Oxford and was in the same place as Nicky, I did find myself enjoying the story. Unfortunately, the first half of the book was a bit of a slog for me as I kept accidentally comparing it to two books I'd read recenlty(ish) that made big impressions on me.

First - the flashback scenes reminded me of Maureen Johnson's Nine Liars and not in a good way as I did not like that book very much. Though Nine Liars takes place at Cambridge instead of Oxford, and in a modern setting, Death in the Spires shared the same feeling of someone who didn't quite fit in with their friends who were prettier than them, richer than them, and probably in love with someone else. All of these things were parts of Nine Liars that I did not care for.

Second - I had the misfortune of starting this book not long after I finished reading RF Kuang's Babel, which is set in Oxford, though not at quite the same time. I absolutely loved Babel and it wrecked me so completely (I ugly cried quite a lot toward the end) that Death in the Spires was never going to measure up.

However, once we got out of the flashbacks and the settings changed a bit, things improved. I really think the second half of the book shines and the way the mystery unfolds is pretty satisfying. I do think I would have liked this better if I hadn't read Babel so recently, but I did. I'd probably recommend this, though.

A raunchy M/M romantasy in 19th England when the dispossessed wastrel son of an earl returns from exile to take over a property not so much encumbered by debt as by malign magic and finds himself dependent on the son of a family his father and brother ruined. And likes it. Mostly. Except for the death magic parts. This pair spend a bit of time circling each other, then read signals and blast ahead.½

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in The Doomsday Books series. I borrowed this on audiobook from my library.

Thoughts: This was a very cute and heartwarming historical fiction with a heavy romance theme to it. There is a well done story about smugglers woven in as well, so there is a good plot woven into the romance. This was well written and humorous and full of wonderful characters. I found it highly entertaining.

The story switches POV between Gareth and Joss, who have been meeting up at a pub to "hang out" as London and Kent. Then Kent (Joss) tells London (Gareth) he won't be in London (The city) much longer and they part ways. Shortly after Gareth's father dies and Gareth is expected to take over the country estate. Little does he know that the man whose company he enjoyed so dearly is running a smuggling chain in the same area his father's estate is in. When Gareth ends up being put into a situation where he needs to testify in court against Joss's smuggling sister, a whole bunch of antics ensue.

This was an incredibly fun read. All the characters are well done, even the side ones. It's certainly a colorful group of family members on both Joss's and Gareth's sides. Joss and Gareth make a sweet (and steamy) couple and I loved watching them navigate all the crazy situations their families get them in to. The added plot around smuggling was well done and integrated very nicely with their love story.

This is a male/male romance and the sex scenes are pretty descriptive, just something I like to call out for those who don't enjoy explicit sex scenes. There is also some violence in here; people getting beaten, etc.

I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was excellent. I would highly recommend listening to this if you enjoy audiobooks.

My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this. It was a very fun historical romance between two male characters. There is a well done plot here to enhance the romance. There are also a ton of fun characters in here and I enjoyed the setting. I plan on reading the next book in the Doomsday Books at some point.

K.J. Charles' Death in the Spires offers a solid example of one of my favorite mystery sub-genres: a queer, Oxford-based mystery set in the early 1900s. It has an interesting mix of central characters: five men, two women. The men range from very wealthy children of the peerage to a scholarship student acutely aware of the many ways he doesn't meet privileged Oxford norms, and another wealthy student, this one black, who can't blend in despite his wealth. The women both attend one of the non-degree-granting female colleges affiliated with Oxford at that time. One is wealthy (the twin sister of one of the men); the other is not.

The narrative moves between two timelines. There's the past part of the plot: this interestingly mixed crew spending time together at Oxford until one of them is murdered. The death remains unsolved and has broken all ties among the remaining six. In the present, we learn that all of the remaining six are hounded by those obsessed with the unsolved murder. Letter writers have suggested solutionsand made accusations. For several of the six such letters have also been sent to those who have the power to quickly alter the survivors' live for the worse—employers and a fiancee to be specific.

The gay male romance at the center of the novel satisfies. It's of the X only has eyes for Z, who only has eyes for Y with a freighted sexual relationship developing between X and Z. And those who appear welcoming and those who appear condescending are not necessarily what they seem.

I am very much hoping that this will be the start of a series. I would love to spend more time with these characters—especially as their renewed present day relationships develop.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

1905. Ten years after the murder of Toby Feynsham, one of the 'Seven Wonders' of Oxford University, Jeremy Kite, receives another anonymous letter accusing him of the murder, resulting in losing his job. He decides to finally find out the truth of that night.
An entertaining and well-written historical mystery with its varied and interesting characters.

I forget how this one ended up on my library wish list, but Natalie's recent raves about it and others in the series compelled me to finally borrow it. I listened to it on audio, and the narrator was very good.

This first in the series introduces Will Darling, a veteran of the Great War, who has inherited a bookshop from his uncle. He is unknowingly in possession of a dangerous secret that various groups, including some anarchists and the War Office, would like to get their hands on. The whole messy business brings Kit Severton into his orbit, a seeming wastrel of an aristocrat, but one who might be able to help. And to whom Will is attracted.

I really enjoyed this historical "thriller"/queer romance. The writing is good, the plotting is well done, and the dialogue often very humorous. I'm looking forward to picking up the next one.

3.5 stars½

I guess anything claiming to be an homage to Georgette Heyer is not going to be something I want to read, so I should have known better going in. My bad!

you gotta be kidding me.

3.5*. This was A HISTORY LESSON and also FUN and SWEET. I love when queer historical fic is well-researched, and not dependent on our inevitably-distorted ideas of what (f'rex) 1875 London was like for queer men of color. The characters are affected by their milieu and the bigger political issues of the day, but they're also hot and I believe they are into each other, yanno?

This works well as a novella, which is not something I say often --- it's not common for a short piece to have the exact right amount of plot and character development, without feeling stretched or squashed. Still, I'd happily read three times as much. More Lawless & Pandey Investigations, please?

Cute, fun, surprisingly high body count! Will definitely keep reading these.

Nothing groundbreaking, but pretty enjoyable. (Initial feeling was 4*; a week later, it's more of a 3*.) I liked the relationship talk more in this one than the others; felt more invested both Kim and Will than I had in the previous books. I did think the book was going to end, and then... a whole other climax happened. It was unsubtle and unnecessary and changed one of the culprits from a massive asshole into a cartoon villain. Whatever!

Whew, this is more on the porny end of the spectrum than I was expecting. Not really my jam but well written and very readable. A few nice twists. Not that into the main characters, but will definitely seek out Charles' other book(s?) about the detective.

Fast fun read, nothing particularly shocking. I tend to prefer my romance novels with more plot anyway.

Honestly I found the end a bit silly, but I appreciate that it was written that way on purpose. Very enjoyable fast read.

Another brilliant romance from KJ Charles with endearing but fascinatingly imperfect lead characters, villains you love to hate, and brilliant dialogue.½