Review: The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards

 

The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards

Publication Date: March 24th 2026 by Park Row & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 368

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 2min

Narrator: Alana Kerr Collins

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Moonlight Runner was equal parts action, thriller and romance and completely riveting!

 

Ireland in 1918 is still recovering from World War I and there’s a rebellion against the British rule gaining momentum. Rynn Carmichael, works as a nurse to aid the soldiers still healing from their wounds. When Rynn overhears two British soldiers talking about apprehending gun runners that night, she rushes to the shore to warn her fiancé, Donal, knowing he’s probably involved despite telling her he’d have no part. It puts them all in grave danger.

 

From the first chapter the story was an action-packed read that I didn’t want to put down! I’ve read stories set Ireland during this period and have enjoyed learning about the events of this tumultuous time. The Moonlight Runner vividly depicts the danger and personal cost without making the story too gritty or depressing. There were friendships and romance, and one man that Rynn ends up counting on again and again. He was a charismatic presence!

 

This is a sweeping page-turner I wholeheartedly recommend!

 

I alternately read an e-copy and listened to an audio and recommend either version. This is the first time I’ve listened to Alana Kerr Collins and I thought her narration was fantastic! Her Irish accent sounded authentic to me, and she seamlessly performed all voices, male and female in a range of ages.

5 Stars

Book Description:

In the wake of the Great War, a young woman joins the Irish rebellion and risks everything for her country in this sweeping story of love, bravery and the relentless pursuit of freedom.

Ireland, 1918. In a world brutalized by the Great War and devastated by the Spanish flu, twenty-two-year-old Rynn Carmichael is suddenly pulled into the war of independence when Donal O’Reilly, the boy she has loved for most of her life, takes up gunrunning in support of the rebellion.

Raised in a small Irish village on the shores of Donegal Bay, Rynn is working as a nurse in a convalescent home for soldiers wounded in the Great War when she overhears a British officer gloating over the trap that has been set for Irish gunrunners bringing a boat full of smuggled arms ashore. Knowing that Donal must be involved, she rushes out at midnight to warn the incoming boat, only to find herself caught up in a terrifying and tragic series of events that take her from the glittering ballrooms of London to the narrow back alleys of Dublin as she and those she loves fight for their lives and their country.

Review: Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett

 

Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett

Publication Date: March 10th 2026 by Ace

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher  

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Single mother Josie has been barely scraping by since losing her partner, and now her rent has jumped yet again. Just when she’s convinced she’s out of options, a listing pops up for a nearby rental that, while definitely a bit shabby, has good bones, a welcoming feel, and most importantly, a price she can manage.

 

Meanwhile, Pax is doing everything he can to keep Number 5 Wayside Hotel running. The hotel is a sentient refuge for magical beings, but it has mysteriously run out of fuel, leaving it stranded on Earth. With its glamour flickering and its systems failing, Pax is desperate to find a solution before the guests become trapped far from home. Taking on human residents might be the answer, especially when the hotel reacts so strongly to Josie and her four‑year‑old son, Amos. But hiding the hotel’s magic from Josie is harder than he expected, and Pax doesn’t want to frighten away the sweet, worn‑down woman he’s unexpectedly drawn to.

 

Some of the Inn’s residents were quite unlikable, and I thought the cause of the hotel’s problems would be obvious. There were also some genuinely sweet, welcoming characters who immediately take to Josie and Amos, which added a lot of charm.

 

Both Josie and Pax carry deep emotional wounds. Josie struggles with feeling like she’s failing as a parent, a fear made worse by her overbearing mother‑in‑law. Pax, orphaned young, has never truly felt loved or chosen. Watching these two bruised souls slowly learn to trust, lean on each other, and believe they deserve happiness was touching.

 

I really enjoyed Magic and Mischief at the Wayside Hotel! It was cozy and magical, but it also had some emotional depth. Seeing Josie and Pax, two tired, bruised people, find comfort and love in each other was heartwarming. The romance wraps up nicely, but there’s definitely room for more stories at the Wayside, and I’d happily come back for another visit.

4 Stars

Book Description:

When a magical hotel appears smack-dab in the middle of the most unmagical of worlds, the last thing the residents expect is to fall in love.

Manager of the Number Five Wayside Inn and World Travel Hub, Pax Nomen has one of the easiest jobs in all the known universes, unless you count the occasional plumbing disaster. When Number Five Wayside gets stranded on a non-magical world, even Pax's trusty Wayside Handbook can’t help him. How is he going to “reboot” the hotel and keep it on its magical journey?

Josie LaChusia is a single mom experiencing debt, having parenting doubts, and tipping dangerously toward depression when an ad pops up on her phone that an apartment is available in a building she’s never seen before.

Pax needs a new guest to restart his hotel, and Josie needs a nudge to restart her life. In a building occupied by faeries, gargoyles, and a gnome with a bad attitude, two souls from very different places come together to create a home like no other.

Review: Family Lies by Karen Rose

 

Family Lies (San Diego Case Files #4) by Karen Rose

Publication Date: March 31st 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 513

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Kit McKittrick’s adopted sister, Akiko, is contacted by a woman claiming to know the truth about her birth mother. Thirty‑two years ago, Akiko was left as an infant at a firehouse and bounced through foster homes before finding stability with the McKittrick's. Akiko is eager to learn what this woman has to say, but Kit, as a homicide detective feels they should be cautious, so she and Sam accompany Akiko to the meeting place. When the woman, Mary Sherman, fails to show, they head to her home only to find her dead and come under fire themselves. Kit is injured and placed on leave, but there’s no chance she’s stepping away from the case. And of course, Sam, the department psychologist, is right there with her.

 

The slow‑burn romance between Sam and Kit has been simmering since book one, and things are finally getting serious. I enjoy their bond more as a deep partnership than a sweeping romance, their internal reflections about how grateful they are for each other started to feel repetitive, and I didn’t feel a ton of romantic chemistry. Their closeness works; the constant emotional commentary less so.

 

Family Lies was a fitting name for this mystery because Kit, Sam and Akiko discover layer upon layer of deceit in her past. The bodies and suspects pile up, and no one wants to talk. There’s danger around every corner and no one is safe!

 

This is book four in a series, and while this is a standalone mystery I think it’s best read in order because of the ongoing mystery arc that hasn’t been solved, the developing relationships and character growth. I look forward to the next book since there seems to be a lead in the ongoing mystery!

4 Stars

Book Description:

The fourth nerve-shattering installment of the San Diego Case Files from New York Times bestselling author Karen Rose sees Kit McKittrick’s sister caught in a maelstrom of deadly family secrets.

As an infant, Kit McKittrick’s foster sister Akiko was abandoned at a firehouse. Now 32, Akiko has received an unsettling phone call from a woman who says that she knew her birth mother but refuses to divulge any details except in person. Akiko is nervous but also thrilled at the prospect of finally learning about her blood relations.

Kit has a bad feeling about this and insists on accompanying Akiko to meet the woman. Sure enough, as they stand on Mary Sherman’s doorstep, shots are fired and Kit is hit...and inside the house is a corpse: Mary Sherman herself.

Although she’s on medical leave and forbidden to work the case, Kit cannot rest. With police psychologist Sam Reeves, she undertakes a covert investigation into the mysterious Mary Sherman. Was she Akiko’s birth mother? Why did she reach out after all these years? And who had a motive to kill her?

As more bodies pile up, Kit starts to put together the pieces of the frightening puzzle that is Akiko’s birth family, and she’ll come to wonder whether some secrets should stay buried after all.

Sunday Post #332

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

I didn't post last week because I was in Austin, Texas babysitting our grandkids while our daughter and SIL went on a little anniversary getaway. We left on Wednesday and came home on Monday. It was a lot of fun, but very busy. We got to see our granddaughter receive an award at school for problem solving. The award was a surprise for her. She was so happy to see us in the audience because she didn't think anyone would be there since her parents were out of town. 

While the kids were in school we traveled out to Fredericksburg on Thursday and New Braunfels on Friday to sightsee and explore. My daughter and husband came home on Saturday, so we were able to spend some time with them, too. 

Pioneer Memorial Library in Fredericksburg, TX

Gruene Dance Hall in New Braunfels, TX

Pepper (my daughter's cat) looking down on his servants as we watch Apollo 13

Red Cardinal by my daughter's house in TX

 

So excited to see the Red Cardinal because we don't see them in California.

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed in Texas: Busy City by la pauz

Puzzle 17 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Clam Talk by Hasbro (Charles Wysocki)

You should be able to see the 4 missing pieces. Bummer.

Puzzle 18 of 2026

Came home to everything blooming and so pretty here! We went on a hike today (Saturday) and it was gorgeous! I'll share more about that next week.

Read:

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews-5 Stars

The Price of Lemon Cake by Jennifer Ashley-3 Stars

Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams-5 Stars

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir-5 Stars

This is two weeks worth of reading. I didn't get to read *listen* to as much as I wanted to. This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026 and it delivered! I want to do a re-read soon! I can't wait for the next book! Her Last Breath was riveting and intense! We (my husband and I) just finished the audio to Project Hail Mary and loved it! I teared up a few times at the end! We want to go see the movie soon.

Received:

Meet Me in Italy by Brenda Novak

4/7/26

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

4/14/26

The Moonlight Runner by Karen Robards

3/24/26

Blaze Orange by Paul Doiron 

4/28/26

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, Park Row, and Macmillan Audio! 

How was your week?

Review: Half City by Kate Golden

 

Half City (Harker Academy #1) by Kate Golden

Publication Date: February 17th 2026 by Ace

Pages: 496

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Twenty-one-year-old Viv Abbott has been fighting demons alone ever since she watched her father murdered right before her eyes. She’s spent years carrying that burden alone, so when an invitation arrives from Harker Academy for Deviant Defense, a school for demon hunters, she’s stunned to learn she’s not the only one out there. The offer becomes even more suspicious when it comes from Reid, a Brood demon she has every reason not to trust.

 

Viv has always felt like an outsider among her family and friends, forced to hide the truth about her life and constantly missing out when hunting called. At Harker, for the first time, she finds people who understand her. The camaraderie is immediate, the friendships fast and genuine. But the safety she feels is short-lived. When one of her new friends disappears and the academy is attacked, Viv and her tight-knit group are thrust into a dangerous mystery. I loved this crew, quirky, loyal, and determined to uncover what happened. The romance was a slow-burn, chemistry-heavy enemies-to-lovers that I’m on board for.

 

Half City starts with a slower setup as the world and characters are introduced, but the moment Viv steps onto Harker grounds, the story hits its stride. The mystery surrounding the missing student and the escalating attacks unfolds with several surprising twists, leading to a thrilling, high-stakes conclusion. The book ends on a to-be-continued note. I’m eager to see where Viv’s journey goes next!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper.

Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.

She just also happens to be a demon hunter.

Ever since her father's murder, she's been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider. . . . Until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like her: Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she'll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.

But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about. Not when the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv's father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?

 

Review: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews

 

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying #1) by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: March 31st 2026 by Tor Books & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 480

Audio Book Length: 21hrs 33min

Narrator: Kristen Sieh

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Libro.fm | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Maggie grew up loving an epic fantasy series, reading and re-reading the two books released over and over eagerly awaiting the next book, but it’s never come. So, when she wakes up wet and naked in a medieval-like city it doesn’t take her long to recognize it as the setting of her beloved books: Kair Toren.

 

How did she get there? Did she have a mental break where this is a figment of her imagination? It seems all too real to her and if it is, she needs to make a plan of action because she’s been thrust into a pivotal place in timeline of the books. She knows what’ll happen and it’s devastating to this world. Maggie will use her knowledge to save Kair Toren and its inhabitants. Characters she’s grown to love using every bit of information stored from her countless reads. Some well-known and some new to her, each carving out a place in her heart, and mine! Of course, there’s a few cute, and fierce animals, and a slow-burn romance to root for! There were also a couple of plot twists I didn’t see coming!

 

I was amazed by Maggie’s sharp brain and her political maneuvering! Yes, she had knowledge from reading the books, but even when it was new to her, Maggie weighed the possible outcomes and came up with clever plans.

 

I absolutely LOVED This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me! I think it’s the most epic and ambitious fantasy plotline from Ilona Andrews to date and they knocked it out of the park! That ending! I need the next book!

 

I alternately read and listened to an audio copy and I recommend either version. Kristen Sieh is a new-to-me narrator, and I thought she captured the essence of Maggie’s character perfectly! She had a great range and performed all characters, male and female, a variety of ages and accents beautifully!

5 Stars

Book Description:

A page-turning, unforgettable fantasy set in a city peopled with ruffians, spies, malcontents and murderers. Experience out-of-this world adventure and dangerous politics as Maggie tries to survive waking up in her favourite fictional world.

A heart-pounding epic from No. 1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren. It’s a city she knows intimately from the pages of a famously unfinished dark fantasy series – one she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading, while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic and mayhem? Her encyclopaedic knowledge of the plot, the setting and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love – a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to return home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes – and attentions – of duelling princes, dukes and villains. This all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the ending she’s seen on the a cataclysmic war.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is the beginning of the most epic adventure yet from genre powerhouse writing duo Ilona Andrews. For fans of Samantha Shannon, Sarah J. Maas, Danielle L. Jensen and isekai portal fantasy.

Review: A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn

 

A Ghastly Catastrophe (Veronica Speedwell #10) by Deanna Raybourn

Publication Date: March 3rd 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Veronica and Stoker are drawn into a puzzling mystery when Detective Mornaday quietly seeks their help on a case he’s been ordered to abandon. Two deaths, one man drained of blood with twin puncture wounds, the other ruled a suicide, both trace back to an exclusive and secretive men’s club.

 

Whispers of witchcraft and Dracula swirl about, and while Veronica’s scientific mind remains open to every possibility, Stoker’s skepticism keeps them grounded. Their investigation soon attracts the attention of the Harpocrates Society, a gentleman’s club with an enigmatic leader whose nocturnal habits fuel the rumors. Detective Mornaday and J.J. are fun side characters, each helping to investigate in their own way.

 

A Ghastly Catastrophe was another delightful addition to the series. Veronica and Stoker work wonderfully together, both clever, determined and fierce. I love their playful back and forth and I’m happy the conflict comes from the danger of the investigations they tackle and no longer from their romantic relationship. I look forward to their next case!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Veronica and Stoker are practically dying for a new adventure but when their wish is granted, they find themselves up against a secret society and a darkly seductive duo in this landmark historical mystery from beloved New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

When the corpse of an entitled young man is found entirely drained of blood in a carriage next to Highgate Cemetery, Veronica’s interest is piqued. And then a second victim is found, his death made to look like a suicide, and Veronica and her intrepid beau, Stoker, know the hunt is on. The two men share one link: they were both members of a society so secretive that only a singular mention of it can be found anywhere.

Thirsty for more clues, Veronica and Stoker hear that a young Roma boy may know more about their first victim, but the only way to the boy is through an old acquaintance of Stoker’s, Lady Julia Brisbane. Lady Julia and her dashing husband, Nicholas, occasionally track down murderers and are only too happy to help. But as it becomes clear the secret society is a dangerous sect looking to entice immortality seekers, Veronica and Stoker find themselves ensnared by a decidedly more sinister couple.

The professed leader of the society claims to be a creature of the night; his partner practices witchcraft and they both fancy themselves emissaries of the otherworldly. Just as Veronica and Stoker get closer to learning the true purpose of the society and unraveling this macabre mystery, another body turns up, and they quickly discover they’ve gone from being the hunters to the hunted. . . .