Monday, October 13, 2025

Review: Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

 
Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne

Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne
Publication Date: October 7th 2025 by Canary Street Press & Harlequin Audio
Pages: 352
Audio Book Length: 8hrs 
Narrator: Vanessa Johansson
Source: Publishers
Rating: 
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Snow Kissed was a sweet, feel-good story! Part women’s fiction, part romance with characters facing real life challenges. I loved how positive Holly was and how she chose to try and look for the best in both people and a situation. She could’ve been bitter and vindictive towards her ex but chose the high road. That’s not to say that she didn’t have moments where she wanted to be, though.
 
You'll want to mark this one for holiday season! Snow Kissed had Hallmark holiday romance vibes with a picturesque winter wonderland! All the magic of the season came through with the smell of pine, hot chocolate, twinkle lights, family and friends. Themes of grief and forgiveness and focusing on what’s important. A pure delight!
 
I alternately read and listened to an audio copy and can recommend either version. Vanessa Johansson has a pleasing voice, and I thought she did well with both male and female characters, young and old bringing them to life with appropriate emotions. She seamlessly switched between characters, making it easy to distinguish between them.

4 Stars


Book Description:

'Tis the season for a little white lie…

Christmas has always been single mom Holly Goodwin Moore’s favorite time of year. The twinkly lights on the tree, the cookies in the oven, the snow on the ground. But she’s just not feeling it this year. The wedding in her ex’s family is almost here, her daughter, Lydia, is bursting at the seams to be a flower girl…and Holly couldn’t be dreading it more. She told a little white lie about having a new boyfriend as her plus-one, hoping to save face. She needs a date for the wedding…and she needs it now.

Ryan Caldwell wants to be free this holiday season. So even he isn’t sure how he landed in Shelter Springs, looking after his niece, Audrey, with his estranged father down the road. But when he meets Holly, she makes him want to belong for the very first time. So they make a he’ll be her date if she’ll help him give Audrey a true Christmas to remember while her mom is away. 


Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Audiobook Review: Sharp Force by Patricia Cornwell

 


Sharp Force (Kay Scarpetta #29) by Patricia Cornwell
Publication Date: October 7th 2025 by Hachette Audio
Pages: 400
Audio Book Length: 10hrs 54min
Narrator: January LaVoy
Source: Publisher
Rating: ½
Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Librofm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:
Kay and Benton are called to investigate when two people have been brutally attacked, one dead and the other severely injured. From the descriptions it seems that it was another attack by The Phantom Slasher, a serial killer who’s been terrorizing the area for the last year.  The killer stalks, surveilling by high tech means using a ghostly hologram to terrify his victims before closing in and killing them.
 
It’s been fun getting back to the Kay Scarpetta series since the reboot back in 2021! I’ve been reading every installment since then and loving them! The usual relationships and reoccurring conflict are part of the draw: Maggie Cutbush, the character we all love to hate, is infuriating as usual. The governor is something else, too! Kay and Benton have acquired a new enemy with connections in high places. Dorothy crossed a line I wouldn’t have easily forgiven. Marino as usual was a lot of bluster, shooting his mouth off, but this series wouldn’t be the same without him.  Fun every time Lucy foils Dana Deletti! Merlin, Lucy’s cat that Kay seems to care for much of the time is one of my favorite kitty characters!
 
Sharp Force was suspenseful and spooky in places! The serial killer’s MO was frightening, and I fear his methods utilizing tech might be rooted in real life. It’s a frightening prospect if true! The conclusion was clever and satisfying! I look forward to the next one!
 
I listened to the audio version with January LaVoy narrating. She’s one of my favorites and I love her performance of Kay, easy and calm in the face of all that comes at her. Her performances of all the characters, Marino, Dorothy, Benton and Lucy are all spot on, too! I highly recommend the audio version!

4.5 Stars


Book Description:

NO ONE IS SAFE FROM THE SERIAL KILLER
NOT EVEN SCARPETTA...

During the early hours of Christmas morning, chief medical examiner Dr Kay Scarpetta receives a chilling call. The Phantom Slasher has struck again.

The serial killer has terrorized Northern Virginia for months. His pattern is to stalk with a sophisticated technology that enables him to invade his victims' homes and watch their every move. They wake up to a ghost-like hologram before being murdered in their beds.

Scarpetta is summoned to Mercy Island, the site of a notorious psychiatric hospital where two people have been brutalized, one of them from Scarpetta's past. It soon becomes apparent that she could be next . . .


Sunday, October 5, 2025

Sunday Post #312

 


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!

It's been a rainy, cold week here perfect for reading, puzzling and having a fire! I had to work again today (Saturday) but it was a quiet day at the hospital. 

A field on my walk.

Starla napping

The cats weren't happy with the cold and rain!


Puzzle Completed: 1000 Piece-Eclectic Treasures from Galison

Puzzle Completed: 500 Piece Garden Party from Rifle Paper Co.


Our daughter invited us to Cancun over the coming holiday weekend, so we leave Thursday and come home Sunday. Just a short trip and I would've been okay staying at home, but I wanted to see them before our trip to Italy. We're going to be gone for a good portion of November. 

Read:

Ghost Business (Boneyard Key #2) by Jen DeLuca
Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs
A Moment's Shadow (Verity Kent Mysteries #8) by Anna Lee Huber

System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries #7) by Martha Wells
Hot For Slayer by Ali Hazelwood
Chaos Rising (Edge of Collapse #0.5) by Kyla Stone

Ghost Business (Boneyard Key #2) by Jen DeLuca-2 Stars
Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs-5 Stars
System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries #7) by Martha Wells-4 Stars
Hot For Slayer by Ali Hazelwood-4 Stars
Chaos Rising (Edge of Collapse #0.5) by Kyla Stone-4 Stars

My favorite read of the week was Blind Date with a Werewolf! Love Asil! I had two books that were disappointing. I was hoping to enjoy Ghost Business since I really liked the first book, Haunted Ever After, but I really didn't like the MMC. I was more disappointed over A Moment's Shadow because it's been a favorite historical mystery series from the beginning. The continuing story arc has been playing out for at least five books and IMO it was time to move on. I was hoping it would happen here. Instead, we got a cliffhanger. Not sure I'll continue the series. System Collapse was a little confusing at first because of the timeline, but with Murderbot it's bound to be fun and action-packed!
The novella Hot For Slayer was such fun! I recommend the audio which is part of Kindle Unlimited. Chaos Rising, another novella, was an exciting end-of-the-world type of scenario. The e-book is available through Kindle Unlimited but I borrowed the audio through Hoopla.

Received:


Two Kinds of Stranger (Eddie Flynn #9) by Steve Cavanagh
Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth

Thank you to Atria Books and St. Martin's Press! I actually won a print ARC copy of Two Kinds of Stranger on Instagram this week, too!

Instagram:

Thank you to @annaisalwaysreading !





How was your week?




Thursday, October 2, 2025

Giveaway: 2 Romance Books!

 My last giveaway ended, so here's a new one! I'm trying out Giveaway tools for the first time. 

Ride with Me by Simone Soltani & Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith

Ride with Me by Simone Soltani  
Mr. Nice Spy by Tiana Smith

Fill in the Giveaway Tool below for a chance to win. Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Good luck!