My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

 

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

Publication Date: September 17th 2024 by Berkley 

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Amelia needs a date for her cousin’s upcoming wedding. She’s worked hard to get to where she is in life with a career she loves (an accountant) and she isn’t searching for romance. However, she’s tired of the pitying glances and fielding her family’s questions about why she’s still single. An unexpected run in with Reginald Cleaves provides the perfect solution.

 

Reginald is running from The Collective, a vigilante vampire organization hunting him for a century old crime. He runs into Amelia, and she provides him a cover. Her proposition to play her boyfriend in all the events leading up to her cousin’s wedding is no imposition since he’s already fascinated by the organized and stunning CPA!

 

Reginald was a character! He cracked me up! Amelia was a sweetheart, too, and I loved these two together. I had to laugh at some of her cluelessness regarding the whole vampire thing. Loved the interactions between Amelia’s dad and Reggie.

 

My Vampire Plus-One was whacky and fun with a bit of danger, adding a bit of excitement! A pure delight!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

Review: Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

 

Haunted Ever After (Boneyard Key #1) by Jen Deluca

Publication Date: August 13th  2024 by Berkley & Penguin Audio

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 51min

Narrators: Jeannie Sheneman

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Cassie moves to Bonyard Key, Florida after her search for an affordable house in Orlando doesn’t work out. Also, she now feels like an outsider to her original friend group when they’ve moved onto marriage and kids while she remains single. It quickly becomes apparent that the ghost hauntings the town is famous for are real, and one of those ghosts seems to inhabit her cute, historic cottage. She’s freaked out, but with the help of Nick, the town’s coffee shop owner, Cassie starts to get used to the idea. It becomes clear that her ghost has a few things to clear up.

 

Nick is used to the ghosts in Boneyard Key, after all he’s a descendant of the “Founding Fifteen” the group of families that originally settled there. Nick has an affinity with ghosts and so he helps introduce Cassie to the oddities of the town and show her some of the wonderful things about living there.

 

I enjoyed this romance with a side of paranormal mystery! It was easy to figure out most of what was going on and I did wonder at how Cassie and Nick didn’t sooner, but I had fun “exploring” the town, getting its history as they sorted things out. Cassie and Nick had some relationship hangups they had to get over on their way to a HEA. It was a low romance drama read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

 

I alternately read and listened to an audio copy of Haunted Ever After and can recommend either version. Jeannie Sheneman did a wonderful job with all voices, male and female, brining each character to life. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed. 

4 Stars

Book Description:

It's love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing… and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

About the Author

Jen DeLuca was born and raised near Richmond, Virginia, but now lives in Arizona with her husband and a houseful of rescue pets. She loves latte-flavored lattes, Hokies football, and the Oxford comma. Her novels, Well Met, Well Played, Well Matched, and Well Traveled were inspired by her time volunteering as a pub wench with her local Renaissance Faire.

Review: Dane's Mark by Lora Leigh

 

Dane's Mark (The Breeds #33) by Lora Leigh

Publication Date: February 6th 2024 by Berkley 

Pages: 288

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Katy’s heart was broken eight years ago when she overhears Dane Vanderale, the man she thought she had a connection with, say that Katy could never be part of his world. Katy had already had feelings of abandonment and not feeling good enough after being left by her mother and with the remaining family begrudgingly taking her in. Working in the local diner, she thought she struck up a friendship that felt like it could turn into more with Dane, but after hearing those words she’s crushed. Soon after Graeme Parker, a Bengal Breed, extends an offer of training and employment for Tech-Corp, and she leaves with him immediately.

Eight years later, Katy’s back in Broken Butte, New Mexico to oversee the Tech-Corp’s new facility there. She’s risen in the ranks and has grown in confidence. She now has friends and support, and Graeme is like the father she’s never had. But being back in Broken Butte brings back some of those bad memories and of course she’ll be running into Dane.

Much of the book is centered around the romance between Katy and Dane, why they have such a strong attraction if Katy doesn’t trigger the mating bond in Dane. This is a back and forth and Graeme knows the answer to this and for reasons I couldn’t understand doesn’t share it with Katy or Dane. I also didn’t understand why Katy didn’t question her origins when she’d have these episodes of adrenaline flooding her system and Graeme, a Breed, was the one to help her learn to control them. Also, I was irritated that Dane pulls a stunt that hurts Katy all over again and the thing is just swept under the rug without much of an apology. I get that a lot happened in the end, but come on. 

There were characters gunning for Katy, an attempt on her life but that was just kind of swept away, too. I feel like it would’ve been a more interesting thread to pursue and include than just having the story on this whole mating business.

I haven’t read the previous books and I do feel like I would’ve enjoyed the story more if I had some prior experience with the world and characters, but it can also be read as a standalone. I will say that even with these niggles the story was entertaining, and I did want to find out how it all turned out. 

3 Stars

Book Description:

A new kind of Breed is faced with what happens when destiny and desire collide in the latest novel in the highly charged series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh.
 
A decade ago Katy Chavos was a proud misfit who had her heart broken, crushed by a man who drew her close with one breath and pulled away the next. He left a mark she’s done everything in her power to erase. But when Katy’s job brings her back to the hometown she couldn’t wait to escape, seeing Dane again awakens something inside her that won’t be tamed....
 
Dane Vanderale isn’t like other Breeds. As a hybrid he’s stronger, more primal, and more determined to hide it. He’s also certain that Katy is not his mate—not that that stops him from wanting her with every part of his soul. He knows he hurt her deeply and he intends to make things right, but she is dead set on keeping him at arm’s length.
 
Despite their painful history, Katy can’t deny the intense attraction she still feels for Dane. And before long, it will be impossible for either to deny the truth that has been in front of them all along....

Review: Bride by Ali Hazelwood

 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Publication Date: February 6th 2024 by Berkley

Pages: 416

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Misery Lark, the daughter of a powerful Vampyre, is called upon to serve as a “Collateral”, a guarantee of peace between the Vampyres and the Werewolves, but instead of just residing with the enemy, she’s to marry the Alpha of a powerful pack, Lowe Moreland.

Tensions are high between Humans, Vampyres, and Werewolves, with casualties on all sides, but this isn’t the only reason Misery agrees to this arrangement. Misery’s foster sister has gone missing and Lowe Moreland’s name has come up in her search for her.

Misery was so wickedly fun with her clever, ironic humor, and big heart! And Lowe was everything you want in an Alpha: protective, caring, and lethal!

I’ve enjoyed Ali Hazelwood’s contemporary romances, so I was excited and more than a little curious about her venture into paranormal romance.  Bride features all the fun features in shifter/vampire stories: mates, primal instincts, and supernatural abilities! This marriage of convenience between opposing sides/species was sort of a fantasy Romeo and Juliet without (thankfully) all the horrid tragedy! I loved everything about this slow burn romance! Misery and Lowe were deliciously hot together! Bride does not disappoint!

5 Stars

Book Description:

A dangerous alliance between a Vampyre bride and an Alpha Werewolf becomes a love deep enough to sink your teeth into in this new paranormal romance.

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

Audiobook Review: The Inheritance by Nora Roberts

 

Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts

Publication Date: November 21st 2023 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 419

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 51min

Narrator: Brittany Pressley & Nora Roberts (intro)

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Loved Inheritance! Sonya’s story grabbed me from the start, with her ruined engagement, to how she came to inherit the historic mansion on the coast of Maine. It sounded so gorgeous, with its grand library, breathtaking views of the ocean and a widow’s walk! It’d be hard to refuse even with the ghosts that seem to inhabit the place. Sonya finds out there’s a tragic history, the brides in her family have died soon after marrying. A dark presence laid a curse down long ago that needs to be broken.

 Nora Roberts weaved a captivating tale complete with characters to love and hate. Parts were spooky with unexplained happenings in the mansion, but Sonya had backup and support with her best friend, Cleo, her mother, and the hunky lawyer, Trey. They all are on board with investigating the past and eliminating any threat to the future.

The story stopped at an interesting part, and I was surprised. At first thought that maybe my copy was cut short, but then figured out it was a to-be-continued/cliffhanger sort of ending. I eagerly await the next installment!

Brittany Pressley, one of my favorite narrators, performed each character with a distinct voice, some with accents, and delivered with emotion that brought the characters to life! I completely recommend the audio version! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Inheritance is the first in The Lost Bride Trilogy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts―a tale of tragedies, loves found and lost, and a family haunted for generations.

1806: Astrid Poole sits in her bridal clothes, overwhelmed with happiness. But before her marriage can be consummated, she is murdered, and the circle of gold torn from her finger. Her last words are a promise to Collin never to leave him…

Graphic designer Sonya MacTavish is stunned to learn that her late father had a twin he never knew about―and that her newly discovered uncle, Collin Poole, has left her almost everything he owned, including a majestic Victorian house on the Maine coast, which the will stipulates she must live in it for at least three years. Her engagement recently broken, she sets off to find out why the boys were separated at birth―and why it was all kept secret until a genealogy website brought it to light.

Trey, the young lawyer who greets her at the sprawling clifftop manor, notes Sonya’s unease―and acknowledges that yes, the place is haunted…but just a little. Sure enough, Sonya finds objects moved and music playing out of nowhere. She sees a painting by her father inexplicably hanging in her deceased uncle’s office, and a portrait of a woman named Astrid, whom the lawyer refers to as “the first lost bride.” It’s becoming clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle to be solved if there is any hope of breaking it…

Connect with Nora Roberts:

Website | Instagram | Facebook 

Audiobook Review: Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

Silver Nitrate by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publication Date: July 18th 2023 by Random House Audio

Pages: 323

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 3min

Narrator: Gisela Chipe

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Montserrat and her friend, Tristán befriend Abel Urueta, an aging film director who hasn’t made a film since his last horror flick stuttered and died before being finished. Since then, he claims because the last scene wasn’t finished, the spell that had been woven into the film wasn’t completed and everyone involved with the film was then cursed. With Montserrat a film engineer and Tristán an actor, Abel thinks they’re the perfect candidates to finally finish the last scene and nullify the curse.

 

Montserrat becomes immersed into the history of the Wilhelm Ewers, the screenwriter and occultist, now dead, partly looking for clues to keep them safe and partly fascinated by the man. After the three of them complete the scene crazy stuff starts happening to them as it seems they’ve re-awakened a dark power. 

Silver Nitrate started off slow, with the history of Montserrat and Tristán’s friendship, and a lot of detailed Mexican film history related. There’s a bit of romance, unrequited for most of the story, that fell a bit flat for me.

 

Even though the story is labeled as horror, I wouldn’t say it’s a scary. I was entertained and invested in seeing how it would all turn out, hoping Montserrat and Tristán would survive the evil pursuing them.

 

I enjoyed Gisela Chipe’s narration. Her subtle Spanish accent was well suited for the characters. I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

3 Stars

Book Description:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Daughter of Doctor Moreau and Mexican Gothic comes a fabulous meld of Mexican horror movies and Nazi occultism: a dark thriller about the curse that haunts a legendary lost film--and awakens one woman's hidden powers.

Montserrat has always been overlooked. She’s a talented sound editor, but she’s left out of the boys’ club running the film industry in ’90s Mexico City. And she’s all but invisible to her best friend, Tristán, a charming if faded soap opera star, though she’s been in love with him since childhood.

Then Tristán discovers his new neighbor is the cult horror director Abel Urueta, and the legendary auteur claims he can change their lives—even if his tale of a Nazi occultist imbuing magic into highly volatile silver nitrate stock sounds like sheer fantasy. The magic film was never finished, which is why, Urueta swears, his career vanished overnight. He is cursed.

Now the director wants Montserrat and Tristán to help him shoot the missing scene and lift the curse . . . but Montserrat soon notices a dark presence following her, and Tristán begins seeing the ghost of his ex-girlfriend.

As they work together to unravel the mystery of the film and the obscure occultist who once roamed their city, Montserrat and Tristán may find that sorcerers and magic are not only the stuff of movies.

Review: Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

 

Bittersweet in the Hollow (Bittersweet in the Hollow #1) by Kate Pearsall

Publication Date: October 10th 2023 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

In the little town of Cabal Hollow, Linden James, and her family run The Harvest Moon Diner, where they cook up delicious comfort food. But the James women also have special gifts that extend beyond the ability to make special tonics and teas. Linden can read the emotions of others, registering them as a particular taste. One year ago, she revealed her gift to Cole, her best friend and beau, causing a rift which led to a series of events that Linden still can’t recall. The only thing she does know is they found her after she’d gone missing one night and then turned up with a head injury.

Now a year later, one of Linden’s friends goes missing but her story doesn’t have a happy ending. Who murdered Linden’s friend and why? Linden’s last conversation with her has her questioning her own disappearance. Now snippets of memory start returning, and Linden starts to wonder if it wasn’t just an accident that had her barely surviving her misadventure in the woods.

I adored the James’ women and was fascinated by their powers! They were a close-knit, loving family, sometimes it was tough love, especially in the case of Gran, but there was no doubt they had each other’s backs. This is a small point, but I loved their names! They were fanciful but also a bit old-fashioned: Linden, Rowan, Sorrel, Juniper, Odette, Salome, and Zephrine.

Oh, this was sooo good! I don’t read much YA anymore, but I loved Bittersweet in the Hollow! Kate Pearsall’s writing was magical, bringing Cabal Hollow and its inhabitants to life! A dreamy, lush small mountain town with plenty of secrets! The mystery had me glued to the pages, and there’s a few to unravel! Spooky and tense in places! There’s a bit of a second chance romance, as well! Linden’s story and the mystery wraps up, but there’s a second story coming. I can’t wait! A definite recommend!

5 Stars

Book Description:

In this beautifully dark and enthralling YA, four sisters with unusual talents investigate a mysterious disappearance in their secluded Appalachian town. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls!

In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets.

Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions--and a haze of nightmares that suggest there's more to her story than simply getting lost.

Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year's events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn't make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder.

As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what's hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth--about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family--she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

About the author:

Kate Pearsall is a creative thinker, an award-winning copywriter, and a storyteller. She has a degree in business and public relations and has written for magazines and newspapers. Her debut novel, Bittersweet in the Hollow, was inspired in part by a childhood listening to her mom’s stories about growing up in the Appalachian Mountains and visiting family in West Virginia. 

Connect with Kate Pearsall:

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

Review: The House on Prytania by Karen White

 

The House on Prytania (Royal Street #2) by Karen White

Publication Date: May 9th 2023 by Berkley & Penguin Audio

Pages: 400

Audiobook Length: 14hrs 8min

Narrator: Sophie Amoss

Source: Publisher & Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Nola is still working on renovating her Creole Cottage in Louisiana thinking that the spirit of Beau’s grandfather and Jeanne Broussard have moved on. Unfortunately, Beau’s grandfather is still there along with a malevolent presence. Nola knows there must be something still holding Beau’s grandfather there, but with the appearance of Beau’s long-lost sister that issue gets sidelined. But not for long.

I really like Nola and along with her I wanted to know why the spirit of Beau’s grandfather, and his mother, Adele was still hanging around when Sunny was found. There’s also the matter of the evil spirit also lurking.  I love all the side characters in this series, Jolene, Nola’s best friend particularly! She cracks me up so much with all her Southern sayings, like “Never iron or fry chicken naked” her need to monogram everything for everyone, even their dog Mardi, her driving, and her constant efforts to bring Nola’s style up to par. Efforts Nola mostly tries to evade, but reluctantly appreciates. Nola and Jolene’s friendship is one of my favorite things about this series!

The ongoing messy romantic situation, with a Beau involved with someone else while there’s a clear attraction between Beau and Nola, would usually bother me, but somehow, it’s tolerable here. It’s part of the reason I keep reading on, and the fact that it isn’t the main feature of this story. The mystery, the ghosts, Nola’s friends, and progress in renovations make this story captivating. I love the setting of historic Louisiana and the subject of restoring old homes. I wish I was there in person to see it as it happens (yes, I do realize this is a fiction, haha)!  

This is a series where it's best to read in order. This mystery wraps up, but there’s an ongoing story arc and the relationships that make me eager for the next one!

I alternately listened and read an e-copy. Sophie Amoss’ performance bring the characters to life, and I love her Southern accents! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed. I recommend either format.

4 Stars

Book Description:

A woman is haunted--both literally and figuratively--by ghosts of the past in this second novel of the Royal Street series by New York Times bestselling author Karen White.

Nola Trenholm may not be psychic herself, but she's spent enough time around people who are to know when ghosts are present, and there are definitely a few lingering spirits in her recently purchased Creole cottage in New Orleans. Something, or someone, is keeping them tethered to this world. And not all of them are benign.

But with the sudden return of Sunny Ryan, Beau Ryan's long-lost sister, Nola has plenty to distract her from her ghostly housemates. Especially when the tempting--yet firmly unavailable--Beau, wanting to mete out justice to those he blames for Sunny's kidnapping, asks Nola for a favor that threatens to derail her hard-won recovery and send her hurtling backward. He asks her to welcome Michael Hebert back into her life, even though Michael is the reason for Nola's bruised heart. Beau is convinced that Michael's powerful family was behind Sunny's disappearance and that Michael is the key to getting information the police won't be able to ignore--if Nola is willing to risk everything for which she's worked so hard.

Torn between helping Beau and protecting herself, Nola doesn't realize until it's almost too late why the ghosts are haunting her house--a startling revelation that will throw her and Beau together to fight a common enemy. Assuming Nola can get Beau to listen to what the spirits are trying to tell him, because ignoring them could prove to be a fatal mistake...

Review: When She Dreams by Amanda Quick

 

When She Dreams (Burning Cove #6) by Amanda Quick

Publication Date: May 3rd 2022 by Berkley

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Maggie Lodge hires Sam Sage, a private detective to help to find the person trying to blackmail her employer, the woman behind the Aunt Cornelia advice column. Their quest takes them to the glamorous town of Burning Cove, the hot getaway destination of the rich and famous and where Maggie runs into a dangerous man from her past. Sam and Maggie may butt heads a few times at the start of their investigation, but they quickly come to respect each other’s strengths and talents as they get to know each other, and an attraction builds between them.

As with the previous stories, there’s a bit of a paranormal element. Lucid dreaming for Maggie and Sam with his uncanny intuition.

The Burning Cove mysteries are delightfully entertaining!  The 1930s time period is vividly portrayed: art deco, dressing up for dinner, dancing and cocktails, and old Hollywood glamour. Danger, thrills, and romance made for a fast addictive story, easy to fly right through. When She Dreams is book six in the series, but each book can be read as a standalone with a unique mystery and romance.  

4 Stars

Book Description:

Return to 1930s Burning Cove, California, the glamorous seaside playground for Hollywood stars, mobsters, spies, and a host of others who find more than they bargain for in this mysterious town.

Maggie Lodge, assistant to the reclusive advice columnist known only as Dear Aunt Cornelia to her readers, hires down-but-not-quite-out private eye Sam Sage to help track down the person who is blackmailing her employer. Maggie and Sam are a mismatched pair. As far as Sam is concerned, Maggie is reckless and in over her head. She is not what he had in mind for a client, but he can’t afford to be choosy. Maggie, on the other hand, is convinced that Sam is badly in need of guidance and good advice. She does not hesitate to give him both.
 
In spite of the verbal fireworks between them, they are fiercely attracted to each other, but each is convinced it would be a mistake to let passion take over. They are, after all, keeping secrets from each other. Sam is haunted by his past, which includes a marriage shattered by betrayal and violence. Maggie is troubled by intense and vivid dreams—dreams that she can sometimes control. There are those who want to run experiments on her and use her for their own purposes, while others think she should be committed to an asylum.
 
When the pair discovers someone is impersonating Aunt Cornelia at a conference on psychic dreaming and a woman dies at the conference, the door is opened to a dangerous web of blackmail and murder. Secrets from the past are revealed, leaving Maggie and Sam in the path of a ruthless killer who will stop at nothing to exact vengeance.

 

Photo Credit: Marc von Borstel

About the author:

Amanda Quick is a pseudonym for Jayne Ann Krentz, the author, under various pen names, of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. There are more than 35 million copies of her books in print. She is also the author of the Ladies of Lantern Street novels and the Arcane Society series.

Review: The Book of Cold Cases by Simon St. James

 

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James

Publication Date: March 15th 2022 by Berkley & Penguin Audio

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher & Purchased Audiobook

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Shea is a medical assistant by day and true crime blogger at night. Her enthusiasm is partly motivated by her past, Shea was girl A, the one that got away from an abduction when she was nine years old, an event that still haunts her. When Shea has a chance meeting with Beth Greer, the infamous suspect in the Lady Killer murders, a case Beth was tried and acquitted for, she impulsively asks her for an interview and Beth agrees.

The Book of Cold Cases was a story that pulled me right in as what really happened in the past was slowly revealed. It was atmospheric and creepy in spots as the otherworldly made their presence known and shared their own horrifying revelations.  I love the thought of a true crime blogger as I am a Forensic Files, true crime show junkie, and delving into cold cases, trying to hunt down evidence to figure out what happened appeals to me.

The characters were flawed, but likable, IMO. One was morally questionable, but I still could understand why they did what they did, and I even felt it was a bit justified and for the greater good when considering everything.  There was a bit of romance, which always pleases me, especially when I want some well-deserved happiness to come a character’s way.  Simone St. James, in the stories I’ve read from her, usually includes some romance even though it’s just a small portion of the story. I enjoyed how it all turned out and can’t wait for the next Simone St. James!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In 1977, Claire Lake, Oregon, was shaken by the Lady Killer Murders: Two men, seemingly randomly, were murdered with the same gun, with strange notes left behind. Beth Greer was the perfect suspect--a rich, eccentric twenty-three-year-old woman, seen fleeing one of the crimes. But she was acquitted, and she retreated to the isolation of her mansion.

Oregon, 2017. Shea Collins is a receptionist, but by night, she runs a true crime website, the Book of Cold Cases--a passion fueled by the attempted abduction she escaped as a child. When she meets Beth by chance, Shea asks her for an interview. To Shea's surprise, Beth says yes.

They meet regularly at Beth's mansion, though Shea is never comfortable there. Items move when she's not looking, and she could swear she's seen a girl outside the window. The allure of learning the truth about the case from the smart, charming Beth is too much to resist, but even as they grow closer, Shea senses something isn't right. Is she making friends with a manipulative murderer, or are there other dangers lurking in the darkness of the Greer house?

A true crime blogger gets more than she bargained for while interviewing the woman acquitted of two cold case slayings in this chilling new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel.

Review: Archangel's Light by Nalini Singh

 

Archangel's Light (Guild Hunter #14) by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: October 26th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 400

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Aodhan and Illium have been the closest of friends for centuries.  Since they were little angels, toddling around they formed an immediate attachement and were inseparable, but recovering from a dark time in Aodhan’s life threatens their bonds. Illium has resigned himself to accept the changes in their relationship. Aodhan seems like he’s pulled away emotionally, and maybe now even physically as Aodhan is offered the position of second to Archangel Suyin as she rebuilds the lands of her people in China. There’s a lot of work to do with all the evil and destruction Lijuan’s rule left, so Raphael sends Illium to help.

At the start of this story there’s a tension and distance between the Illium and Aodhan. It was palpable and I could feel the heartache between them, but I was hopeful that with Illium being sent to help with the efforts in China, it would force them to face their problems and sort things out. To call these two best friends would definitely understate the intensity of their relationship. The story flipped back and forth between the history of their friendship and the present and I was so happy to get glimpses into the past that showed so many important moments together. Some of the stories were so moving showing not only Illium and Aodhan’s connection and past, but their bonds with Raphael and the other members of his Seven.

Illium and Aodhan’s relationship and past were absorbing, but that wasn’t the sole focus of the plot. Archangel Suyin is trying to establish her stronghold and it quickly becomes apparent Lijuan’s space will not do. Too many bad memories, too much possible evil lurking and so they decide to relocate. All this takes work and preparation seeing as the lands are dangerous to travel with still laden in places with Lijuan’s deadly fog and who knows what else. They discover a human settlement empty, like all the inhabitants just vanished without taking anything with them, so Illium and Aodhan must stay and solve the puzzle while Suyin’s people get on their way.  I was happy to be rid of Lijuan, but she’s like a bad rash that lingers! I wonder what’ll happen with the newest discovery.

Fans have been waiting a long time for Illium and Aodhan’s story, and while it’s an epic love and delivered, IMO, it’s not what you’d probably expect from a typical M/M romance. There is a passionate magnetism between them, and anyone looking on probably could’ve figured it out, but I it took a while to register with them. To understand exactly why there were such heart wrenching emotions between them. It was moving and powerful and I thought well done!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Nalini Singh returns to the world of the Guild Hunters for the most highly anticipated novel of the beloved series—a love story so epic it’s been half a millennia in the making…

Illium and Aodhan. Aodhan and Illium. For centuries they’ve been inseparable: the best of friends, closer than brothers, companions of the heart. But that was before—before darkness befell Aodhan and shattered him, body, mind, and soul. Now, at long last, Aodhan is healing, but his new-found strength and independence may come at a devastating cost—his relationship with Illium.

As they serve side by side in China, a territory yet marked by the evil of its former archangel, the secret it holds nightmarish beyond imagining, things come to an explosive decision point. Illium and Aodhan must either walk away from the relationship that has defined them—or step forward into a future that promises a bond infinitely precious in the life of an immortal…but that demands a terrifying vulnerability from two badly bruised hearts.

Review: Claimed by J.R. Ward

 

Claimed (Lair of the Wolven #1) by J.R. Ward

Publication Date: July 27th 2021 by Gallery Books

Pages: 525

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Lydia Susi heads the Wolf Study Project and is disturbed when some of the wolves show up sick and poisoned. Lydia suspects the owners of a big new hotel on the edge of the reserve’s property, and she aims to stop them. Meanwhile, her director has been behaving oddly and now he isn’t even showing up at work. The WSP has been operating on a shoestring budget and they need to hire a new handyman. With the director MIA Lydia takes it upon herself to hire Daniel Joseph, the handsome and mysterious drifter.

Claimed wasn’t anything I expected. I kept trying to figure out what was going on, where the plot going, and it seemed to take forever to get anywhere. Yes, it’s a mystery of sorts, but that it wasn’t front and center, and I didn’t feel like there was a sense of urgency to solve it from Lydia or that she was in any kind of immediate danger. It seemed to be more of Daniel and Lydia getting to know each other, and slowly, very slowly falling for each other.

There isn’t any paranormal in much of the book, even though it’s part of a series named “Lair of the Wolven”.  There wasn’t anything shapeshifter/wolven to the plot, other than natural wolves in the preserve, until the very end.  I was surprised by the reveal, I thought it’d be the other way around.

I was thrown by the addition of the Black Dagger/Xhex chapters not really getting the connect to what was going on. Yes, the labs, but I think it’d would’ve been fine to leave out the BDB part. Honestly, it was a little distracting and took away from the main story, but maybe that’s because I haven’t kept up with the BRB series. Maybe someone who’s been reading every book from the BDB might understand the connections and feel differently.

With all that said, Claimed managed to hold my attention enough to finish it even though it’s a long book (525 pages), and I have no problems with pulling a DNF if I’m not enjoying the story. I wouldn’t say this ended in a cliffhanger, more a “to be continued” sort of situation. I was left with a lot of unanswered questions by the end. Hopefully, we get a more focused plot and answers in the next book, which I plan on reading.

3 Stars

Book Description:

A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?

Review: Last Guard by Nalini Singh

 

Last Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: July 20th 2021 by Berkley Books

Pages: 384

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The PsyNet is sick, and the Ruling Coalition are aware, but they’ve never really considered a crucial part of its foundation: The Anchors. These Anchors are a big part of what’s been keeping it stable, but they’re all stretched to capacity. Canto Mercant, an Anchor, realizes their error and seeks out another powerful Anchor, Payal Rao, to form a coalition with other Anchors to find a solution. Canto doesn’t realize Payal is the girl from his broken past. A girl he’s spent years searching for. They cared for each other in a dire situation, and the bond created from the experience is deep. Now meeting again as adults there is an undeniable magnetic pull between them, an instant attraction.

Loved all the bits with the bears! Canto was basically claimed as a member of those misbehaving, lovable bears. And the Mercants, so fiercely loyal!  Ena Mercant, the powerful matriarch, supposedly Silent, had a big savage heart ready to fight tooth and nail for anyone in their circle!

Last Guard grabbed and held my attention from the first page! I enjoyed the romance between Canto and Payal, but all the side conflicts: the Anchor issues with the PsyNet, the struggle to keep it from collapsing and Payal’s ruthless family and her constant need to be on guard kept me on the edge of my seat! I had to read on to see what would happen! Absolutely loved this installment, and while Canto and Payal’s story came to a satisfying conclusion, the survival of the PsyNet still remains in question, so I can’t wait for the next story!

5 Stars

Book Description:

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to a world devastated by change in her award-winning Psy-Changeling Trinity series, where two people defined by their aloneness hold the fate of the Psy in their hands…

Termed merciless by some, and a robotic sociopath by others, Payal Rao is the perfect Psy: cardinal telekinetic, CEO of a major conglomerate, beautiful—and emotionless.

For Canto Mercant, family and loyalty are everything. A cardinal telepath deemed "imperfect" by his race due to a spinal injury, Canto cares for the opinions of very few—and ruthlessly protects those he claims as his own. Head of intel of the influential Mercant family, he prefers to remain a shadow in the Net, unknown and unseen. But Canto is also an Anchor, part of a secretive designation whose task it is to stabilize the PsyNet. Now that critical psychic network is dying, threatening to collapse and kill the entire Psy race with it.

To save those he loves, Canto needs the help of a woman bound to him by a dark past neither has been able to forget. A woman who is the most powerful Anchor of them all: Payal Rao. Neither is ready for the violent inferno about to ignite in the PsyNet…or the passionate madness that threatens to destroy them both.