#Review - Legends of Ash and Dust Kate Cowan #YA #Fantasy

Series: The Fearless Saga Book # 1
Format: Kindle, 312 pages
Release Date: January 24, 2023
Publisher: Kate Cowan
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy

They forged her into a weapon.

Now, she is the last.

Aerona was raised by legends. The Shae Warriors are the closest thing this world has to the supernatural: fearless warrior monks who train their entire lives to protect the realm. Or, they were: until the massive Red Wolf Army attacks, slaughtering them all in a single night.

Now, brokenhearted and defeated, Aero is the last Shae. Tasked with protecting Niran, the prince her people were caring for, she journeys to his home in the Golden City with one thing in mind: revenge.

Nothing is as it seems in Niran’s home, the Palace of the Golden City. Aerona’s enemies are lurking around every corner, the Emperor is blackmailing her into becoming his assassin, and an ex-Shae librarian is convinced that Aero holds a long-forgotten power hidden inside of her.

Caught between two worlds, Aerona must kill, spy and betray to discover what her people hid from her… even if it means unlocking the magic this world has long been starved of.

Kate Cowan's Legends of Ash and Dust is the first installment in the authors The Fearless Saga series. Aerona was raised by legends to be a weapon after she was abandoned by her mother. The Shae Warriors are the closest thing this world has to the supernatural: fearless warrior monks who train their entire lives to protect the realm from all threats. They have sealed themselves off for the past 14 years since war between the realms. But after Prince Niran of Dothor is found by Aero close to the Shae sanctuary, it brings the harbinger of bad things to come. 

Niran clams that he is the only survivor of a brutal attack by a group of rogues and wild-men called Red Wolves who also slaughtered a local village where he was supposed to meet a possible marriage match. To make matters worse, shortly after she is marked to become a full fledged Shae Warrior bound to protect Prince Niran, the Red Wolf Army, led by a man named Ahaza, attacks the Shae sanctuary slaughtering everyone except for Aero and Niran. Ahaza believes he knows Aero.

Now, brokenhearted and defeated, Aero is the last Shae. Tasked with protecting Niran, the prince her people were caring for, she journeys to his home in the Golden City with one thing in mind: revenge. Nothing is as it seems in Niran’s home, the Palace of the Golden City. Aerona’s enemies are lurking around every corner, the Emperor is blackmailing her into becoming his assassin, and an ex-Shae librarian is convinced that Aero holds a long-forgotten power hidden inside of her.

It appears the Shae have kept many secrets, but Aerona does not realize that until she starts her journey to restore the Shae. Caught between two worlds, Aerona must kill, spy and betray to discover what her people hid from her even if it means unlocking the magic this world has long been starved of. Nothing is as it seems, everyone has an ulterior motive, and trust is almost nonexistent. Everyone keeps secrets, but the right price will lead to betrayal. To discover the truth, Aerona must look to the past for answers and discover what she truly is and why she is being hunted.

*Thoughts* I honestly believe that there are people in this world who would complain if there was too much sunlight, or too much night. I don't care if a supposed white person is writing a story about what appears to be an Asian inspired world and main characters. If you are going to claim the author can get away with it because of white privilege, then you are a racist who should probably stop reading and writing reviews. It is the same complaint I hear when I man writes from the point of view of a female main character. If you don't like it, don't finish the book, or the series. 

Also, we can complain about editing errors all we want to, but unless we are going to take jobs as editors, or writers, then maybe we need to keep our opinions to ourselves. The only thing that matters to me is the entertainment value of the story which this was, especially the final chapters of the book when things really get ugly for Aero and she has to learn the hard truth about why she is being hunted so aggressively.

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#Review - The Last Dragon King by Leia Stone #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Kings of Avalier # 1
Format: Kindle, 288 pages
Release Date: September 29, 2022
Publisher: Bloom Books
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Genre: Fantasy / Romance

Eighteen-year-old Arwen Novakson has magic, but just barely. So, when the Dragon King announces his search for a wife, Arwen knows she won't be in the running, as the king needs someone who has enough dragon magic to produce a strong heir. But, much to her shock, when the magic sniffers visit her small village, they command her to present herself at the king's castle as a possible wife.

This should be a dream-come-true opportunity for Arwen, but before going, she learns a terrifying secret about the strength of her magic, and if the king ever discovered the truth, he would have every reason to kill Arwen himself. Protecting herself becomes more and more challenging as her magic and her feelings for the king grow. Especially as she must watch him court other women.

Arwen can't help but fall for the charming, empathetic Dragon King, but she knows being together would put everyone in danger—herself, the king, anyone with dragon magic. With a magical war brewing, Arwen must decide how much she is willing to risk and how much she is willing to sacrifice for love.

Leia Stone's The Last Dragon King is the first installment in the authors The Kings of Avalier series. Each of the books in this series will feature a King, the women he falls in love with, as well as a happy ending. 18-year-old Arwen Novakson lives in Cinder Village with her mother and younger sister. Ever since her father passed away, Arwen has been the hunter-gatherer of the family. In this world, there are Humans, Dragonfolks, Elves, Fae and Wolves. 

It is not unusual for mix-breeding to take place which leaves offspring with diluted magic. Cinder Village falls under the control of Drae Valdren, the Last Dragon King due to the fact that his Queen died in childbirth leaving no heirs when he's gone. On the day of her biggest kill and right before May Day where all single boys and girls get together to hopefully find love, she's shocked to find that the kings army turns up in her little town, a town the king never visits.

Apparently he's searching for a bride someone who wields enough magic to carry an heir to full term. This should be a dream-come-true opportunity for Arwen, but she soon learns a terrifying secret about the strength of her magic from her mother. Arwen is likely the most dangerous person around with magic that can cause irreparable damage to Drae, and if the king ever discovered the truth, he would have every reason to kill Arwen himself. 

Thanks to her mother's dark secret, Arwen tries to run from being found out. Needless to say, she doesn't get very far. She's topped by Regina Wayfeather, Captain of the King's Guard, and Arwen's idol, as well as Drae Valdren who demands that she be subjected to testing. But, much to her chagrin, when the magic sniffers discover that she does, in fact, have powerful magic, they command her to present herself at the king's castle in Jade City as a possible wife.

Chosen to travel to Jade City along with other women of the Kingdom, Arwen is decidedly not like them. Not at all. Instead of all the pretty dresses, and all the parties, and intermingling, Arwen would have loved to have been chosen to work with her hero Regina Wayfeather. The fact slowly comes out that Arwen comes from a line whom were enemies to Drae's family thought to have all been executed. If is treason to even be alive. But Drae needs an heir to save the dragon folk and the magic that is slowly fading.

Arwen finds herself trying to protect herself from being charged with treason, and possible death. Protecting herself becomes more and more challenging as her magic and her feelings for the king grow. Especially as she must watch him court other women. Arwen can't help but fall for the charming, empathetic Dragon King, but she knows being together would put everyone in danger—herself, the king, anyone with dragon magic. With a magical war brewing, Arwen must decide how much she is willing to risk and how much she is willing to sacrifice for love.

*Thoughts* As I said above, this is a series which features a Dragon, A Fae, an Elf and of course, a Wolf. Each of their stories can apparently be read as standstone's even though they all face the dangers from the Nightfall's army who wants to destroy them. This story has vibes of The Selection, and The Bachelor to name 2 of hundreds. The story moves slowly for the most part, but there are action scenes and battles that will keep the ardent reader happy to continue to the end. Wasn't a fan of the MC telling the FC that he would marry another and then choosing to sleep with others in order to be able to provide heirs. Thankfully, this is a gook with a happy ending. 

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#Review - A Karma Girl Christmas Jennifer Estep #Fantasy #Romance

Series: Bigtime #3.5
Format: Kindle, 61 pages
Release Date: September 24, 2011
Publisher: Jennifer Estep
Source: Jennifer Estep
Genre: Urban Fantasy

It's Christmas time in Bigtime, New York, but society reporter Carmen Cole isn't in the mood to celebrate since her husband, Sam, has to go on a business trip and might not make it home for the holiday. But Carmen has plenty to keep her busy, since she moonlights as Karma Girl, a member of the Fearless Five superhero team.

On Christmas Eve, Carmen, as Karma Girl, is assigned to guard toys, clothes, food, and more that are intended for needy children and their families. But an ubervillain also has his eye on the toys and plans to steal and then sell them to the highest bidder. Carmen will have to use all her empathic powers just to stay alive, not to mention make sure Christmas is a happy one for all the kids who are counting on her. It's all in a night's work for a superhero ...

A Karma Girl Christmas, by Jennifer Estep, is a novella set in the world of the authors Bigtime series. The story apparently takes place right after Jinx, the third book in the series. It's Christmas time in Bigtime, New York, but society reporter Carmen Cole isn't in the mood to celebrate since her husband, Sam Sloane aka Striker, has to go on a business trip and might not make it home for the holiday. But Carmen has plenty to keep her busy, since she moonlights as Karma Girl, the rookie member of the Fearless Five superhero team. 

On Christmas Eve, Carmen, as Karma Girl, must guard the toys and donations for needy families being held at Oodles o’ Stuff, a shopping center and neutral ground for supers on both sides of the coin. But an ubervillain named The Mintilator also has his eye on the toys and plans to steal and then sell them to the highest bidder.  He’s a D-grade ubervillain whose arch-nemesis is aptly-named Halitosis Hal. His status as a less-than-feared ubervillain actually works in his favor, too. He’s able to steal some pretty nifty gadgets from the truly bad bad guys and he plans on using them to steal the toys from the needy and dispose of Karma Girl once and for all.  

Carmen will have to use all her empathic powers just to stay alive, not to mention make sure Christmas is a happy one for all the kids who are counting on her. It's all in a night's work for a superhero. 

*Thoughts* This is a must-read for fans of Estep's Bigtime books. For those who haven't read them, this story is a stand-alone and you won't have any trouble keeping up with the characters. This was sent out as a thank-you to the author's followers. One of these days, I need to finish the second and third book in this series! 

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#Review - Cocktails & Chloroform by Kelley Armstrong #Historical #SyFy

Series: A Rip Through Time # 2.5
Format: E-Book, 136 pages
Release Date: December 31, 2023
Publisher: Subterranean Press
Source: Publisher
Genre: Historical Fiction / SyFy

For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the body of Victorian housemaid means overcoming endless obstacles. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlor maid, Alice. Mallory’s plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice’s attention. Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety—and naturally curious—Mallory follows.

Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suit coats. But nothing here is what it seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory’s boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy.

Cocktails & Chloroform, by Kelley Armstrong, is a novella in the authors A Rip Through Time series. For modern-day detective Mallory Atkinson, being trapped in the buxom 19-year old body of housemaid Catriona Mitchell in Victorian, Scotland, means overcoming endless obstacles. She is employed by Dr. Duncan Gray, an undertaker often employed by the local constabulary’s office. Mallory ends up helping to solve cases using her 21st century knowledge, but without revealing too much that could change the future. 

Dr. Gray also assists Detective McCreadie in his police investigations. She is now officially an undertaker’s assistant, but continuing her maid duties until they can hire someone for that position. Her current challenge is winning over the suspicious young parlor maid, 12-year-old Alice. Mallory’s plan starts with teaching the girl to make Molotov cocktails, which is a perfectly valid science experiment and not at all a desperate ploy to gain Alice’s attention.

Before the lesson can begin, though, Alice receives a letter that has her slipping off in the night. Concerned for her safety—and naturally curious—Mallory follows. Mallory finds Alice at what seems like a simple dance hall, watching young men and women flirting and whirling in pretty dresses and dapper suit coats. But nothing here is what it seems, and what starts as a simple surveillance exercise turns into a full-scale spy mission with Mallory’s boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, at her side. 

Before she can Alice out of trouble, she is kidnapped and ends up in a human trafficking ring. Before the evening is done, those Molotov cocktails are probably going to come in handy. While it would be best if you understand this world, and series from the beginning, I think this novella reveals just enough information for you to enjoy this story. My curiosity is about how the author is going to resolve getting back to her own time, and whether Cat has taken her place. We shall see!

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#Review - The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent #Fantasy #Romance

Series: Crowns of Nyaxia # 1
Format: E-Book, 480 pages
Release Date: December 5, 2023
Publisher: Tor Publishing/Bramble
Source: Publisher
Genre: Fantasy / Romance

The first book in the Wall Street Journal bestselling Crowns of Nyaxia series by Carissa Broadbent. Filled with heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue– perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night, by Carissa Broadbent, is the first installment in the authors Crown of Nyaxia series. In the world of Obitraes, humans living in this world are prey, pests, or both. The vampires who rule this world bow to the Goddess Nyaxia who has decided that every 100 years, the three great houses, House of Night, House of Shadow, and House of Blood, will provide participants in a game that there can only be one winner. When the Kejari takes place, people from all over Obitraes can participate. 

The contestants have to go trough five trials over the period of four months to win. The winner will be granted one wish by Goddess Nyaxia, the mother of all vampires. The House of Night is divided into two rival vampire clans: the Hiaj and the Rishan vampires. Oraya has been chosen for greater things. Vincent, the Vampire King of House of Night, found Oraya when she was eight years old. He called her his little serpent because she doesn't back down from any fight, especially when she is hunting vampires who prey on humans. 

He has trained her to survive in a world that even vampires can't stand the sight of each other, and there have been rebellions squashed by Vincent, including one that left Oraya an orphan. For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart. Oraya's only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. 

To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival. A rival who belongs to the Rishan clan. Everything about Raihn Ashraj is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown and her greatest competition. He even has one of his best friends, Mische, along for the competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him. But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. 

And Raihn may understand her more than anyone but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love. Oraya is a character who is delightfully complex. She is shown to be caring and desperate to make a change, yet her fierce ambition is limited by her weakness as a human. He relationship with Vincent is both curious and puzzling. The puzzling part is how she didn't put two and two together and figure out why Vincent was so focused on her. 

The positive for Vincent is that he truly wants Oraya to win so that she can be powerful like him, and that means giving her tools like a poisoned knife and healing to keep her alive. Her relationship with Raihn is even more complex because he is supposed to be the enemy. The enemy who is ready to challenge Vincent and take away his powers. To make things even more maddening, is that apparently I am the one that I know that found the final chapters discombobulating. 

The story is going along, the end of the games is coming to an end, it is down to two expected participants, when suddenly, it was like an entire different story was taking place within this story. Chapters 50 thru 56 seem to have been written to take place after whoever wins the Kejari. The other curiosity of this story is that all of the powerful vampires have wings, and the contestants can go anywhere they want, as long as they are back inside when the the night turns to day. It is fair to say that trials and tournaments done right peak my interest greatly. That being said, I wish the author can explain the brutal ending to the story to me before I search for the sequel to this story!

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#Review - This Cursed Light by Emily Thiede #YA #Fantasy #Romance

Series: The Last Finestra (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: December 5, 2023
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Romance

The highly-anticipated sequel to the epic romance hailed as one of the best fantasies of the year!

When the gods make the rules, the players must choose: Sacrifice their love to save the world, or choose love and let it burn?

Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can't rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren't finished with them yet. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.

Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight--a growing darkness that's consuming her mind--and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on?

When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world's last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory?

In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all. 

This Cursed Light, by Emily Thiede, is the second and final installment in the authors The Last Finestra series. While the first installment was mostly through Alessa's perspective, Dante gets his fair share of the story this time around. Six months after saving their island from destruction and almost losing Dante, Alessa is ready to live happily ever after with her former bodyguard. But Dante can't rest, haunted by a conviction that the gods aren't finished with them yet. Brought back to life by Alessa, Dante's powers are missing. And without his powers, the next kiss from Alessa could kill him.

Desperate for answers, Dante enlists Alessa and their friends to find the exiled ghiotte in hopes of restoring his powers and combining forces with them to create the only army powerful enough to save them all. But Alessa is hiding a deadly consequence of their last fight--a growing darkness that's consuming her mind--and their destination holds more dangers than anyone bargained for. They and our motley crew of fonti (and Adrick), strike out for the continent to see if they can find the missing Ghiotte, cure Dante and help prevent another impending apocalypse. 

 

In the mysterious city of the banished, Dante will uncover secrets, lies, and ghosts from his past that force him to ask himself: Which side is he on? When the gods reveal their final test, Dante and Alessa will be the world's last defense. But if they are the keys to saving the world, will their love be the price of victory? In This Cursed Light, Dante and Alessa face their most daunting challenge yet when the Gods demand they prove their worth by choosing the ultimate sacrifice to save humanity, once and for all.

 

*Thoughts* I have few complaints about this book, except the ending. So much tension and effort is put toward preparing for an inevitable battle with Crollo, that I was more than a little disappointed the fighting scenes weren’t longer. Alessa was clearly having issues in the beginning and middle of the book, but instead of trying to understand them and manage them, she just hid everything or brushed it off as nothing. After finding a people who were lost, and Dante reuniting with people he thought he has lost, they had to face a life or death choice thanks to two petulant Gods, Dea & Crollo who make Alessa choose her path. While there is a brief choice one of the characters has to make in order to save another, it was nice to see all of the character play a part in what happens, which includes Adrick and Kaleb who play games with each other throughout the book. 

One

Every day, Dante’s body betrayed him.

So he punished it.

Sweat stung his eyes, blurring the ruddy-faced dockworker across from him and the crowd boxing them into the narrow alley.

Dante beckoned with a flick of his fingers, and his opponent raised two meaty fists.

The guy’s opening swing was hesitant. Weak. Not worth dodging.

No one hit as hard as they used to.

A quick jab, a few more insults, and the brawler responded with more energy.

Finally.

Jab. Parry. Land a hit. Dodge. Swing again.

Dante ducked a blow to his face, allowed one to his ribs. Took a few, landed more. He could have knocked the guy flat in minutes, but then it would’ve been over. No fun in that.

“Referee’s here!” The cook swung ten-year-old Addie onto his shoulders for a better view, but she didn’t have much to do. The other guy bowed out a few minutes later, waving off the crowd’s friendly ribbing, and the dockers resumed their work, rolling barrels and hefting crates in better spirits for the brief distraction.

“The Wolf wins again!” Addie crowed.

Dante held out his hand, pretending to wince when she slapped his palm. Not much of a victory when your opponent refused to fight.

“The ship’s getting closer, signor.”

He squatted to look her in the eye. “I told you to call me Dante.”

“And my uncle told me to respect my elders.”

“Elders?” Dante grimaced. “Could you see anyone on the deck?”

“Like a lady in a fancy dress?” She fluttered her eyelashes. “Maybe, but extra information costs extra.”

“So much for respecting your elders.”

“Only suckers work for free.”

“Fair enough.” He made a show of counting out four shiny coins and handed them over.

Addie recounted, just to be sure, before answering. “It was still too far away to see anyone, but I sensed there was a lady, and she was pining.”

“You sensed, huh?”

“Yup. And Signor Adrick said I’ll get a whole cake if I tell the bakers next.”

“A whole cake?” Dante feigned shock. “You better hustle.”

The kid skipped away to inform Alessa’s parents of her imminent arrival, leaving Dante alone in the late-morning chill.

He pulled up his shirt to check the damage: A few bruises. A shallow scrape. Nothing he couldn’t hide. Some of the bruises might even have been healing a bit faster than usual. Maybe.

No one knew for sure if his powers were gone forever. People weren’t supposed to come back from the dead, but he had. Maybe the rest of him could, too.

He shook out his arms, grimacing at a twinge in one shoulder. It had been easier to appreciate the burn of a good workout when it hadn’t lasted so long.

Pain, he didn’t mind. He could handle pain. Pain had been his only companion for years while he took dangerous work and brutal punishments to survive, relying on his healing powers to get him through it. It wasn’t pain that bothered him. No, it was the constant reminder that ever since Alessa had brought him back from the dead, he was alive but not whole. That was the itch beneath his skin.

Towlines snagged in his chest, pulling in opposite directions. She’d be back soon, and he missed her with an alarmingly fierce ache, but he could feel the Cittadella walls closing in already, trapping him inside a labyrinth of memories—the scent of astringent, the bone-scraping sounds of suffering during the months the building had served as a makeshift hospital after Divorando—and people everywhere, watching him all the time.

At the docks, he could breathe. Sometimes even sleep. The memories and nightmarish visions sent by Dea still chased him, but they had a harder time catching up.

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#Review - City of Betrayal by Victoria Thompson #Mystery #Historical

Series: A Counterfeit Lady # 7
Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
Release Date: December 5, 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Source: Publisher
Genre: Mystery / Historical

Elizabeth Bates's latest con just might change the course of history in an all-new Counterfeit Lady Novel from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson.

A year has passed since Elizabeth Bates ran her last con. Life has been simpler, although not nearly as exciting, but she has thrown herself into working to get the 19th Amendment ratified by thirty-six states to become the law of the land. Since every other Southern state has already rejected the amendment, it seems unlikely Tennessee will be an exception . . . but it's their only hope, so the suffragists descend on Tennessee for the final battle.

Elizabeth’s ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote—all skills she perfected as a grifter—have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands. She'll need to devise the perfect con or the suffragists' life's work could all be for nothing. 

City of Betrayal, by Victoria Thompson, is the 7th installment in the authors Counterfeit Lady series. A year has passed since Elizabeth Miles Bates ran her last con. Life has been simpler, although not nearly as exciting, but she has thrown herself into working to get the 19th Amendment ratified by thirty-six states to become the law of the land. 35 States have ratified, 8 have rejected it including every  Southern state. 

 

It seems unlikely Tennessee will be an exception but it's their only hope, so the suffragists descend on Tennessee for the final battle. Elizabeth’s ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote—all skills she perfected as a grifter—have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands. She'll need to devise the perfect con or the suffragists' life's work could all be for nothing. 

 

Elizabeth isn't alone. She has her husband Gideon Bates, her best friend Anna Vanderslice, who lost her brother to the pandemic 2 years ago, and Gideon's mother who spent some time in prison alongside Elizabeth working for the women's suffragist movement. Prohibition was recently put into place but that doesn't stop people who want to drink, and bribe others with drink. The two factions of the suffragist movement, separated by their approach to securing women's right to vote and the anti-suffragists are there in large numbers. 

 

The women are individually buttonholing one legislator after another, gaining and losing their pledges to take their sides, sometimes through drink and bribery. Whether or not anything in this book actually happened, the point is that ratifying a Constitutional amendment is not easy, especially when women who should want equal rights, fight hard against change. Regardless of your feelings, the 19th Amendment doesn't pass without the Republican party. This was not the most entertaining story, but historically important.

*Thoughts* In all, over 200 Republicans voted in favor of the 19^th Amendment, while only 102 Democrats voted alongside them. Regardless of the authors personal crusade, historians write that Woodrow Wilson, Democrat President, was very much against the 19th Amendment. He also believed that suffrage was the root of all evil. Wilson considered himself a moral president, and yet he did not believe that women should vote. He called himself a moral president, and yet he segregated the civil service in one of his first acts as President.

 

If you take one thing from this review, take this. Suffragists and anti-suffragists lobbied furiously to secure votes during that intense summer in Nashville. The ratification resolution passed easily in the Tennessee State Senate on August 13, but the House of Representatives was deadlocked thanks to the Speaker of the House who flipped to anti. When young Harry T. Burn of Niota changed his vote to support ratification of the 19th Amendment thanks to a letter from his mother, he broke a tie in the House of Representatives and made history.  

 

Carrie Chapman Catt (1859-1947) was president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). She came to Nashville during the summer of 1920 to support the efforts of Tennessee suffragists. Her leadership was a key factor in Tennessee becoming the "Perfect 36," the state that put the 19th Amendment over the top. There are hundreds of others who should be remember who works behind the scenes and should never be forgotten.

CHAPTER one

I knew it would be difficult, but I never dreamed it would be impossible," Elizabeth Miles Bates said, staring at the letter she'd been reading.

Her mother-in-law looked up from her knitting. "Are you talking about passing the amendment, dear?"

"Yes, I am. I'll never understand those people who are so dead set against allowing women to vote."

"What does Miss Paul's letter say? And I'm sure she doesn't say it's impossible."

Alice Paul was the leader of the National Woman's Party, the more radical of the two organizations that had been working for Woman Suffrage. Their demonstrations outside the White House had gotten many of their volunteers jailed. Elizabeth and her mother-in-law were among them.

"You're right, she doesn't say it's impossible," Elizabeth admitted, "but it is going to be nearly impossible. I thought that since thirty-five states have already approved the amendment, we could easily get the one more state that we need to make it the law of the land, but Miss Paul makes it clear that there is only one state left that might actually approve the amendment, and that state is Tennessee."

Mother Bates frowned. They both knew that almost every other Southern state had already rejected the amendment, and Tennessee was likely to join them. "Why is she so sure it comes down to Tennessee?"

"Since eight states have already rejected it, that leaves just five states that could approve it. We know North Carolina and Florida will never approve it, and the governors of Vermont and Connecticut have refused to call a special session of their legislatures even to vote on it. That means Tennessee is the only possible state left."

"If only we hadn't lost in Delaware," Mother Bates said sadly.

"That was such a disappointment. We were so sure . . ."

"Then we must be sure we will win in Tennessee. Is that what Miss Paul advises?"

Elizabeth looked down at the letter she still held. "Not exactly, but she is calling on all her volunteers to help in whatever way they can."

Mother Bates stopped her knitting needles and stared at Elizabeth. "Did she ask you to go to Tennessee?"

"Yes, she did," Elizabeth said with a sigh.

"That's a great honor. She knows how effective you've been in convincing legislators to vote for the amendment."

Elizabeth and Mother Bates had traveled to several other states to help lobby for the amendment. "Not in the South, though," Elizabeth reminded her.

"Then Tennessee will be the exception."

Elizabeth looked at the letter again. Miss Paul was quite eloquent in her praise of Elizabeth's ability to convince reluctant officials to support Woman Suffrage. If only she knew that Elizabeth's skills came from being raised by a con man to become a con artist herself. She could lie without blinking and charm even the most unappealing gentleman. When she had married Gideon Bates, she had thought her days of conning marks was over, but she had found her skills could come in handy in getting justice for people who could never get it any other way. She had used those skills several times to help her friends.

It had been almost a year since she'd run a con, though, unless she counted lobbying politicians for Woman Suffrage, which she probably should.

"I don't know what Gideon will say," Elizabeth murmured.

"What I'll say about what?" Gideon asked as he came into the parlor.

"Darling, I didn't hear you come home," Elizabeth said, jumping up to give him his welcome-home kiss. Mother Bates tactfully averted her eyes. "How was your day?"

"Boring as usual." Gideon was an estate attorney, so he rarely did anything exciting. "And don't change the subject. What is it you think I'll have something to say about and is that a letter you're holding?"

"It's from Alice Paul," his mother said helpfully.

Elizabeth sent her an exasperated look, which she ignored.

"Ah, I see. Where does Miss Paul want to send you now?" he asked, taking a seat on the sofa and pulling Elizabeth down beside him.

"Tennessee," Elizabeth said.

"In the summer? It gets awfully hot down there in the summer."

"It gets awfully hot in New York in the summer," Elizabeth countered.

Gideon shrugged. "I'm just warning you. Why does she need you in Tennessee?"

"Because it's our only hope." Elizabeth and Mother Bates took turns explaining the situation and how dire it now appeared.

"Does Miss Paul really believe Tennessee will approve the amendment?" he asked when they finished.

"We don't know, but I think we can all agree that they must," his mother said.

"I hope they know that," Gideon said with a grin.

"They will when we tell them," his mother said.

"We?" Gideon echoed.

"You can't think I'd let Elizabeth go to Tennessee by herself when I could help, too."

Elizabeth gave her a grateful smile.

Gideon frowned. "You need to know what you're getting into."

"We've done this before," Elizabeth reminded him.

"Yes, but not when it was down to the wire like this. Some of the other fights have been hard, but the Antis will bring out all their dirty tricks for this one," Gideon said, using the nickname for those who were anti-Woman Suffrage. "Politics can be an ugly business, and when so much is at stake, it gets even uglier."

His mother smiled a little. "Surely, you don't think those Southern gentlemen will do anything unpleasant."

"Oh no," Gideon said. "They'll be smiling very sweetly as they stab you in the back."

"But we have to go," Elizabeth said. "After all we've done for the Cause, we can't sit by now and just watch. What if we lose in Tennessee? I'd never forgive myself for not doing my part."

"I'm not saying you shouldn't go," Gideon said.

"And I'm very happy to see that you also aren't telling her she can't go," Mother Bates said with some satisfaction.

"I wouldn't dare," Gideon replied with a smirk.

Elizabeth knew her father had warned him that forbidding her to do something only guaranteed that she would do it. "Then we'll go."

"And I'm going with you, too," Gideon said.

"Do you think we need your protection?" Elizabeth said in surprise.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but I'm sure the Suffs can use some male help. Those legislators can be difficult to track down, and they go places that ladies can't go. As a member of the Men's Ratification Committee, I feel it's my duty to volunteer."

"What about your law firm?" Elizabeth said. "We don't even know how long it will take."

"Mr. Devoss will insist that I go when I tell him I'm needed to protect my mother."

"Gideon," Mother Bates scolded, but Elizabeth noticed her cheeks were pink. Mr. Devoss was very devoted to her mother-in-law.

"Do we know Mr. Devoss's stand on Woman Suffrage?" Elizabeth asked.

"I believe Mother convinced him to support it," Gideon said.

His mother glared at him, but he ignored her.

"Then he will certainly let you go to Tennessee," Elizabeth said. "It shouldn't take very long, should it? Surely only a few days. It will be a special session of the legislature and they'll only be considering the amendment."

"Do we know when it will be held?" Gideon asked.

"Not yet. Miss Paul isn't even certain the governor will call it. He's afraid if he shows he supports Woman Suffrage, he won't win his primary on . . ." Elizabeth glanced at Miss Paul's letter to verify the date. ". . . on August fifth, so it will be after that."

"Tennessee in August," Mother Bates said with a mock shudder.

"Another reason the legislators won't want to linger," Gideon said. "But won't they need people there ahead of time to get the legislators to pledge their votes?"

"According to Miss Paul, the Tennessee chapter of the Woman's Party is sending their members out across the state to find the men at their homes and get their pledges."

"So they'll know how many votes they have even before the session starts," Mother Bates added.

"What if they don't have enough?" Gideon asked.

"Then they'll start trying to convince those who wouldn't pledge or who seemed undecided to vote to approve," Mother Bates said.

"And keep those who did pledge to vote for it from changing their minds," Elizabeth said.

"No easy task, I'm sure," Gideon said. "Don't forget that very powerful forces are determined to stop the amendment from becoming law."

"How could we forget?" Elizabeth said. "The railroads and the whiskey men and the textile manufacturers. They're all afraid that if women get the vote, they'll want to end things like corruption and child labor."

"The whiskey men can't still be worried that women would insist on Prohibition since we already have it," Gideon argued.

Elizabeth smiled wisely. "It seems they're worried women will insist that the laws are enforced."

"Ah, I see," Gideon said. "But Tennessee was already dry for years before Prohibition."

"I hope you aren't too surprised to learn that law wasn't really enforced, either," his mother said.

"I can see I should have gone with you on these trips sooner," Gideon said. "I'm hopelessly naïve."

"Not hopelessly," Elizabeth said, patting his arm. "We'll make sure you're properly educated by the time we go to Tennessee. We have a few weeks, if the governor isn't going to call the session until after his primary."

"Maybe he'll schedule it for later in the year, when it will be cooler," Mother Bates said hopefully.

"Oh no, we want it as soon as possible so women have time to register to vote in the November elections," Elizabeth said. "Just think, they'll get to vote for a new president this year."

"But only if we can convince enough of those Tennessee gentlemen to support the amendment," Mother Bates said.

"I have every confidence that the two of you will succeed and all the women in America will be able to vote in the November election," Gideon said.

Elizabeth decided she needed to kiss her husband again, and this time Mother Bates didn't even look away.


Is there something good in the gossip column today?” Anna Vanderslice asked as she breezed into the Bateses’ library to find Elizabeth studying the newspaper.

Elizabeth looked up and smiled at her friend. "I'm sure there is, but I haven't gotten to the gossip column yet. I'm looking for some news about Tennessee."

Anna plopped down on the chair opposite Elizabeth's. "You don't think a New York newspaper will have news about Tennessee, do you?"

"Not usually, but the Tennessee primary election was two days ago, and the governor won his contest, so I'm hoping he'll call the legislature into special session pretty soon."

"That's right. I almost forgot. Are you still planning to go?" Anna asked, pulling off the gloves ladies were required to wear even in summer to protect their hands. Then she started fanning herself with them. "I asked your maid to get us something cool to drink. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. It's very warm today, although Gideon keeps warning me it will be much hotter in Nashville."

"You'll be too busy to even notice," Anna predicted. "I should go with you."

"I would love that," Elizabeth said, "but who would look after your mother?"

Anna sighed. "I know. I can't leave her. She's lost interest in just about everything. She won't even see her friends when they call. It's gotten even worse since my classes ended and I'm home all the time now. She is content to let me wait on her hand and foot. I don't know what I'll do with her when I go back to school in the fall." Anna was attending college, studying to be a teacher.

"Does she still . . . ?" Elizabeth started but caught herself.

"Does she still talk about David all the time?" Anna finished for her. "Oh yes. Sometimes I can hardly bear it."

David was Anna's brother who had died in the flu epidemic almost two years earlier. He had also been Gideon's best friend. "I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said.

"Yes, well, let's not dwell on that," Anna said with forced cheerfulness. "Did you find out anything about Tennessee?"

"Not a word, not even in the front section."

"Why would it be in the front section with the real news?" Anna asked with mock amazement. She was as involved in the Cause as Elizabeth was, having been imprisoned with her and Mother Bates as well. "Everyone knows that news about Woman Suffrage belongs in the women's pages."

"I thought maybe because it involved the governor and politics, they might put it in the front, but no, nothing."

"I'm sure Miss Paul will let you know as soon as she hears. And you can go on short notice since you don't have to . . ."

Elizabeth looked up in surprise when Anna stopped in the middle of her sentence. "Since I don't have to what?"

"Nothing," Anna said sheepishly, not quite meeting her eye.

That was when she realized what Anna had been about to say and why she hadn't said it. "Since I don't have children to worry about," she finished for her friend.

"I'm so sorry," Anna said quickly, obviously ashamed to have brought up the sensitive subject. Elizabeth and Gideon had been married well over a year with no hint of a baby, a lack Elizabeth mourned, albeit quietly.

"That's all right," Elizabeth said with a false smile. "I don't have children yet, so I should take advantage of that freedom. I just hope we have enough time to make our travel arrangements. The Woman's Party is low on funds, so I don't think Miss Paul will be wasting money on long-distance telephone calls or telegrams."

"Low on funds?" Anna scoffed, taking Elizabeth's hint to change the subject. "Won't Mrs. Belmont help them out?" The wealthy Mrs. Belmont was the main benefactor for the Party.

"I don't know, but Miss Paul also asked me for a donation when she wrote to invite me to go to Tennessee."

"She's always asking for donations," Anna reminded her.

"This one sounded a little desperate, though. I know she'll want to go to Tennessee herself so she can direct the volunteers."

"Yes, this is much too important to leave it to anyone else."

"Which is why I sent her some money," Elizabeth said.

"I'll send some, too, although it won't be much. Mother still refuses to understand that we need to economize since we don't have David to support us anymore."

"That's kind of you. I do wish you could go with us."

Anna smiled mischievously. "Yes, we could have a wonderful time with those legislators. Do you think we could run a con to get them to support the amendment?"

Elizabeth gave her a disapproving glare. "I should never have let you kill me." As part of a con, Anna had once pretended to murder Elizabeth, which had ironically saved Elizabeth's life.

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