#24 The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

This is set in the same universe as The Goblin Emperor but you don’t need to have read the previous book to enjoy this one since all the story is set away from court and only the main character in this book is in the previous one.  Celehar is a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead, with this gift he can “speak to the dead” to find out what might have killed them. It doesn’t always work if a body is older or cremated but he does very well with his power in helping the citizens of the city and trying to avoid religious politics.  There is a body found in a canal and Celehar finds out she has been murdered. She was an opera singer but not much liked by her coworkers.  This is a mystery to be solved and it is by the end of the book and along the way you find out more about Celehar and are left wanting more tales of day to day life.

 

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss

#25 Blue: In Search of Nature's Rarest Color by Kai Kupferschmidt

 I was surprised to be sent this ARC since I don’t review a lot of nonfiction, but it was a joy to read.  If you are interested in chemistry, art, or history then this book about the color blue might be up your alley. There is a lot of chemistry throughout the book as the author goes into detail about how certain paint shades of blue were discovered over the years. There is also a discussion about the blue and how the word is used in different cultures. It also goes over the chemistry of blue in flowers and animals. This is a translation from a German edition that came out a few years ago and I am glad it was made available to English readers.  This would be a great gift book for a science loving person in your life.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through Edelweiss