Petty Treason by Madeleine Robins

Still dealing with the ramifications of Point of Honour, alternate-Regency era inquiry agent Sarah Tolerance is approached by an associate of a former client (who had, in fact, hired her to investigate the first man) to clear his sister of her husband’s murder. The deceased husband, we soon learn, had many unsavory habits, and may have been involved in treasonous plots.

I enjoyed it a lot, but not as much as Point of Honour. For one thing, a number of the twists and reveals were telegraphed long before they should have been, and for another, the main plot didn’t have as much of a personal impact on Miss Tolerance. Like others, I also have a problem with the ending.

( spoiler )

Despite that, I really liked the books, and am deeply saddened that the third book will never be finished.

manga: Vampire Knight Vol 8

Review at Manga Bookshelf.

Short version:  Women are not possessions.  Thank you.

ETA: Prepare for massive spam today, as I am determined to catch up with 2009 before 2010.

manga: Fruits Basket Vol 23 (end of series)

As much as I love this series overall, I really do think it should have been a few volumes shorter. This volume was mostly “what they’ll do next,” and most of it seemed rather unnecessary. Or at least, like it could have all been told in a lot less space.

There was one thing, though, that really bugged me.

( spoilers )

King's Blood by Judith Tarr

A sequel to Rite of Conquest, but operating largely independent of it, this is a historical fantasy about two sons of William and Mathilda, William Rufus and Henry, and Edith (later Mathilda), who became Henry’s wife when he became king. I found Rite of Conquest enjoyable if not stunning, and entertaining despite the revisionist history. This, though, I was rather “meh” about.

William and Henry are both pretty whitewashed, and the romance between Edith and Henry, which is delivered as Epic True Love, is literally based on “I fell in love with you when we had sex without knowing each other’s names.” There was also way too much “those nasty Saxons were killing England with their icky Christianity, but the Normans will save England by invading and reestablishing awesome pagan ways.” Though nowhere near to the degree of that one Marion Zimmer Bradley book I read, and without the severe “the only way to make a maligned mythic woman look good is to demonize the ‘good’ mythic woman” thing.

manga: Tsubasa ch 230-Epilogue (end of series)

Clamp I have a row of 4 Sakura* plushies glaring at you very very sternly

( Spoilers would break your brain if I bothered with many actual plot details-and a poll! )

*Overkill? Probably. But they were so cute and cheap at A-Kon!

manga: xxxHolic ch 186-195

( spoilers )

manga: Claymore ch 96-99

( spoilers )