Bee Sting Cake (Greenwing and Dart, #2)

Bee Sting Cake
by Victoria Goddard
Rating: ★★★½
isbn: 9781988908014
Series: Greenwing & Dart #2
Publication Date: January 1, 2017
Pages: 305
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction
Publisher: Underhill Books

Magic is out of fashion. Gambling is merely illegal. Neither law nor common sense has ever stopped anyone in Ragnor Bella from making-or breaking-their fortunes at the table, at the racetrack, and especially at the Dartington Harvest Fair.

With Mad Jack Greenwing's only son Jemis finally back from university, this year's betting is bidding fair to be the stuff of legend. Jemis assumes the speculative glances are for his inherited notoriety (and, perhaps, his adventurous first weekend back in town), and is determined to do nothing more than a little light wagering at the Fair. Perhaps one footrace. The odds on his placing are remarkably high-but the real bets are whether he makes it to the starting line at all.

Lost heirs. Botanizing dukes. Riddling dragons. High Gothic melodrama. And all that's just to get his name in the race.

Thanks again go to Tannat for bringing this series to my attention.  It’s not without flaws, but it’s a delightfully fun read in spite of them.

The two biggest flaws, up front, are incredibly poor copyediting, leaving some sentences in need of decipherment, and a few purely nonsensical, and a brand new paperback copy that was so poorly perfect bound that I had at least 3 pages fall out as I read.  They’re print on demand, but I have quite a few other POD books and none of them fell apart on first read or subsequent re-reads.

I know there are smaller flaws in the story itself, but I can’t really bring them to mind; I read for enjoyment, and enjoyment is what I got out of this book.  Sinking into it after a particularly bad day of rehab was exactly the antidote I needed to distract me from the pain in my leg and my eggplant coloured – and shaped – foot.  So, you know, bonus points for that.

I particularly like the way the author strung the resolutions to the differing plot lines throughout the book, and of the story lines, the one concerning the bees was my favourite.  The introduction of Jemis’ university roommate, Hal, was welcome and I liked the chemistry between Jemis, Hal and Mr. Dart (Perry).  I loved that there was a significantly reduced volume of sneezing, but would have appreciated even more a likewise reduction in the wallowing – Jemis needs to get over it.  All of it.

I’ve ordered the third book, and I’m looking forward to continuing the series, although I feel like it’s inevitable that there will be a book about Jemis facing Lark, which I plan on skipping.  Hopefully it will be better constructed that this one.