Review: Archangel's Eternity by Nalini Singh

 

Archangel's Eternity (Guild Hunter #18) by Nalini Singh

Publication Date: May 5th 2026 by Berkley

Pages: 448

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

Archangel’s Eternity was a beautiful, heartfelt finale to a series I’ve loved for years. From the moment Elena the Guild Hunter met Archangel Raphael, their sparks, clashes, and undeniable chemistry set the tone for an epic romance, and this last book honors every step of their journey.

 

Across the series they’ve battled monsters, faced devastating losses, and navigated the treacherous politics of the Cadre. Here, though, they step into the most meaningful chapter of their lives. The external drama is lighter, a few archangel conflicts and the fragile mental state of another, but the emotional depth is rich. Much of the story centers on Elena and Raphael embracing change, surrounded by the people who’ve become their family.

 

I especially loved how Elena’s memories of those she’s lost remain fresh. Her grief and love coexist, and she finds a way to let those memories shine in this new beginning.

 

I was genuinely sad to see this series end, but Nalini Singh closes it with such grace and warmth that I finished the final page with a full heart and a huge smile.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Elena and Raphael return for the hauntingly poignant conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s genre-defining Guild Hunter series.

A thousand years.

It’s been a millennium since Elena’s fateful first meeting with Archangel Raphael. She has survived war and loss, experienced beauty and cruelty. But no matter what, she has always held on to her mortal heart, as she and Raphael have held on to each other. Passionate and vibrant, they’ve built a life that has stood the test of time, growing ever stronger with each turn of the sun.

But change is coming—of a magnitude they could have never imagined—and it will forever alter the trajectory of their existence.

Even as they grapple with the cataclysmic shift in their personal lives, the Cadre of Ten, which has maintained a hard-won peace for centuries, begins to simmer with dangerous fault lines. The specter of madness looms in one archangel, the promise of war burns between two others, and in darkness far from mortal and immortal eyes stirs an ancient, slumbering power.

Suddenly, the future is terrifyingly uncertain . . . at the very moment that Elena and her archangel need to protect a treasure infinitely more precious than eternity.

 

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: Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

 

Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

Publication Date: October 21st 2025 by Ace

Pages: 288

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Asil has been an integral part of the Alpha & Omega series and a favorite character from the beginning.  So, I was thrilled to get what I thought was a collection of unrelated short stories with him as the main character. I was happily surprised to discover Blind Date with a Werewolf melded previous short stories with additional new ones to make a whole cohesive story with Asil at the center!  

 

A little backstory: Asil, a powerful old wolf, with a sad history, originally came to Bran (head of the North American werewolves) when his control over his wolf was waning. He requested Bran end him before he lost it. However, Bran refused and instead put Asil to work sending him to take care of problems within individual packs, which gave him purpose again, but happiness? Maybe not.

 

Here in Blind Date with a Werewolf, an anonymous party has decided Asil shouldn’t be alone over the holidays and so has “gifted” him with five blind dates. Let the fun and spilling of blood begin! I loved every minute!

5 Stars

Book Description:

When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series.


Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.

Dear

We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!

Sincerely,
Your Concerned Friends

Review: The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews

 

The Inheritance (Breach Wars #1) by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: August 10th 2025 by NYLA

Pages: 280

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Ten years ago, interdimensional gates opened up all over the world and monsters spilled out. The Earth paid a heavy price, but when those gates opened some humans started registering magical gifts called “Talents”.  Now these Talents go into the gates into the “Breach” to mine out special resources to help in the fight against these alien forces.

 

Ada Moore is a Talent working for the government as an Assessor, going down into the gates to look for valuable resources before they shut the gate down. As a single mother of two, she needs the health insurance and other benefits, so she braves the danger and so far, it’s paid off. However, her mission with combat team Cold Chaos, something goes horribly wrong, and she’s stuck with only the team’s German Shepherd, Bear. Ada’s determined to get out and back to her kids, though. Her time in the breach is filled with danger, discovery and change! I loved Bear, her sweet and fierce companion!

 

Right away I was rooting for Ada! She’s a relatable, normal mom, trying to get by and do the best for her two kids, but she’s also resourceful and smart! Her Talent is a special, complex one! I won’t say more.

 

Back up top, the leader of Cold Chaos, Elias McFeron, a powerful combat Talent, is trying to find out what happened after the news of the mission gets back to him. Going back down to retrieve the fallen is his priority.

 

I was so excited to pick up The Inheritance, but I waited until I had a chunk of uninterrupted time because I knew I’d want to read it straight through once starting! Ilona Andrews never fails to deliver an exciting, page-turning adventure with complex, relatable characters! While this storyline does wrap up, there’s so much more to come and I’m eager for the next book!

5 Stars

Book Description:

We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy. Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be.

Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.

She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.

The future of humanity depends on it.

Review: Fated by Benedict Jacka

 

Fated (Alex Verus #1) by Benedict Jacka

Publication Date: February 28th 2012 by Tantor Audio & Ace

Pages: 302

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 33min

Narrator: Gildart Jackson

Source: Library Lend

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

I’ve been wanting to start the Alex Verus series for a long time, and it did not disappoint!

 

Alex Verus is a magic mage who can see into the future, see how different choices will play out, but being burnt by other dark, and mercenary mages has made him cautious.

 

Alex keeps to himself, under the radar of the magic Council and other mages, but he becomes much sought after when different factions need his help to open a powerful relic. Not a safe situation at all!

 

Loved Fated! It was a rich, interesting world created, yet the worldbuilding is worked in so that it didn’t drag the pace down. I’m a sucker for the underdog kind of character, and Alex fits that to a T. He has powers, yes, but it’s through his cleverness and learned experience that he prevails. I love his moral compass and the friends that he’s come to care for: Luna, Arachne, and Starbreeze. I already have my hold in for the next book!

 

This was the first time listening to Gildart Jackson and I enjoyed his performance of all voices! 

5 Stars

Book Description:

Enter a “gorgeously realized world”* and meet a mage destined for greatness in the first novel in the national bestselling Alex Verus series.

Alex is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London that caters to clientele who can do much more than pull rabbits out of hats. And while Alex’s own powers aren’t as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future—allowing him to pull off operations that have a million to one chance of success.
 
But when Alex is approached by multiple factions seeking his skills to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever’s inside must be beyond powerful. And thanks to his abilities, Alex can predict that by taking the job, his odds of survival are about to go from slim to none....

Review: Winter Lost by Patricia Briggs

 

Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson #14) by Patricia Briggs

Publication Date: June 18th 2024 by Ace

Pages: 416

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Mercy Thompson continues to be my all-time favorite UF series, so Winter Lost was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024! This is book 14 in a series that’s best read in order. If you haven’t read this series yet, go grab book one and start reading! The audios are a fantastic way to experience the series!

 

Winter Lost picks up with Mercy still dealing with the effects of the Soul Taker from the last book. Mercy’s worried, but so are Adam and the Pack, however this is put on the back burner when her brother, Gary shows up in trouble. To find a solution they must travel to Montana in an epic winter storm and find a lost/stolen artifact. They end up at a lodge with a varied group of guests as they search for the artifact before it’s too late for Gary and the world. I’m being vague so as not to spoil anything.

 

In this installment while Mercy and Adam tackle this immediate problem there seems to be a few brewing in the background: Bonarata being the most troubling one, IMO.

 

One of the things I love most about this series is the relationship between Mercy and Adam. They continue to be a united, powerful force against all that comes at them. I also love the bits of humor; the friendships and the intricate world of magic and creatures Briggs has created. The story was action-packed, full of danger and riveting! Of course, now I can’t wait for the next one!

5 Stars

Book Description:

Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must stop a disaster of world-shattering proportions in this exhilarating entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

In the supernatural realms, there are creatures who belong to winter. I am not one of them. But like the coyote I can become at will, I am adaptable.

My name is Mercy Thompson Hauptman, and my mate, Adam, is the werewolf who leads the Columbia Basin Pack, the pack charged with keeping the people who live and work in the Tri-Cities of Washington State safe. It’s a hard job, and it doesn’t leave much room for side quests. Which is why when I needed to travel to Montana to help my brother, I intended to go by myself.

But I’m not alone anymore.

Together, Adam and I find ourselves trapped with strangers in a lodge in the heart of the wilderness, in the teeth of a storm of legendary power, only to discover my brother’s issues are a tiny part of a problem much bigger than we could have imagined. Arcane and ancient magics are at work that could, unless we are very careful, bring about the end of the world. . . .

Audiobook Review: My Life as a White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland

 

My Life as a White Trash Zombie (White Trash Zombie #1) by Diana Rowland

Publication Date: July 3rd 2012 by Brilliance Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 9hrs 5min

Narrator: Allison McLemore

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

My Life as a White Trash Zombie was unexpectedly good! I was a little hesitant that I’d like Angel being that she’s a self-described loser and drug addict. However, not only was this a zombie story, but it was also a story of positive personal growth, and a mystery. Angel is a smart cookie who had a rough start in life. I’m eager to see her take charge of her life and happiness and excel!

Angel wakes up in the ER told that she was saved from an overdose, but the flashes of memory she has doesn’t match up with the account she’s been given. Also, when Angel leaves the ER she’s given a note and instructions to show up and start work at the coroner’s office or be reported to her parole officer which would likely result in her going back to jail. A threat that motivates her to comply.

Angel’s job sounds like a nightmare for someone with a notoriously weak stomach, but there are some surprising revelations as she settles in. Also, there’s a string of murders where the corpse has been left decapitated.

My Life as a White Trash Zombie was a “page-turner”! A story I didn’t want to stop listening to! I listened to the story straight through and was tempted to continue with the next story, but it was getting too late! Allison McLemore’s performance was perfection! I loved her Southern accent, and her comedic timing was excellent! There wasn’t as much laugh-out-loud humor as I thought there’d be, more ironic, dry humor that worked well with this story.

I listened to the story for the read along I’m participating in hosted by Anne @Books of My Heart and we had a fun online chat about the book today (Sunday)! I’m not sure I’ll be able to hold off until next month to read the next one!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Angel Crawford is a loser.

Living with her alcoholic deadbeat dad in the swamps of southern Louisiana, she's a high school dropout with a pill habit and a criminal record who's been fired from more crap jobs than she can count. Now on probation for a felony, it seems that Angel will never pull herself out of the downward spiral her life has taken.

That is, until the day she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers being in a horrible car crash, but she doesn't have a mark on her. To add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her there's a job waiting for her at the parish morgue—and that it's an offer she doesn't dare refuse.

Before she knows it she's dealing with a huge crush on a certain hunky deputy and a brand new addiction: an overpowering craving for brains. Plus, her morgue is filling up with the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey—just when she's hungriest!

Angel's going to have to grow up fast if she wants to keep this job and stay in one piece. Because if she doesn't, she's dead meat.

Literally.

Audiobook Review: Magic Tides & Magic Claims by Ilona Andrews

 

Magic Tides & Magic Claims (Kate Daniels: Wilmington Years 1 & 2) by Ilona Andrews

Publication Date: July 10th 2023 by NYLA

Pages: 158 (Magic Tides) 240 (Magic Claims)

Audio Book Length: 12 hrs 21 mins

Narrators: Hillary Huber & Michael Glenn

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

I was thrilled to find out we were getting more stories in the Kate Daniels world! Magic Tides and Magic Claims are the newest installments. Kate Daniels is one of my all-time favorite UF series! Ilona Andrews is such a talented writing team, so I was all smiles diving back in!

With Magic Tides Kate and Curran have moved to Wilmington to get away from the Pack and have a more normal kind of life for their family.  They wanted a place where no one knew them, their powers, their history. Of course, when someone is in trouble Kate can’t deny help. Especially when it’s their son Conlan requesting the aid for one of his friends. The friend’s cousin has been kidnapped by The Red Horn, a nasty criminal gang. When Kate finds out the details she decides to go and get him back. The father, Tom, is more than a little skeptical of Kate’s abilities, but has run out of options. However, his opinion changes as he sees Kate in action. And, oh boy, was it fun to see Kate in action again! Even when she’s embarking on a mission on the fly, she’s still several steps ahead of any opponent.

Magic Claims makes it evident that Kate, Curran, and Conlan won’t be able to stay under the radar, or avoid the responsibilities that come with the power they have. They all feel such a duty to those in need and both were born to lead. With Magic Claims, there’s an evil power demanding tribute from the town of Penderton in the form of human sacrifices. The deadline is coming for another payment, so the leaders reach out to Kate and Curran to help. Another exciting story and the end hints at more stories to come. I’m so excited!

f you haven’t read the Kate Daniels series, you need to drop everything and start it! You’ll love Kate, a smart badass heroine and her Beast Lord hero! The plots are riveting, with action, mystery, danger and romance! I’m so happy to get anything more in this world!

There’s been one narrator for the series up until these two novellas. She was the voice of Kate to me, so of course I was worried to find out there would be a new narrator. When Hillary Huber was picked (I was part of the group voting) I was ecstatic because I knew Ms. Huber would make a fantastic Kate! Love her rich voice, gravelly voice, and her comedic timing is perfection! She’s taken on the role splendidly! Michael Glenn, a new-to-me-narrator, slipped right into the role of Curran and made him come alive in all his alpha glory! I highly recommend the audio! I listened at my usual 1.5xs normal speed. 

5 Stars

Book Description:

In Book #1, MAGIC TIDES, Kate, Curran and their son, Conlan have left Atlanta, vowing to keep a low profile, and are settling into a new city and new house…but some things never change! Magical mayhem is about to erupt when Kate undertakes the rescue of a kidnapped youth, while Curran guards the home front.

It should be a simple retrieval, but with monsters on land and sea, Kate’s got her work cut out for her. Still, she's never let her blade dull or her purpose falter. And that low profile? It’s about to wash away with the raging tides!

In Book #2, MAGIC CLAIMS, Kate and Curran have just settled into their new home and their “low profile,” when a local businessman approaches them with an offer they can’t refuse. A mysterious evil has spawned in the nearby forest and is holding a defenseless town hostage. The “ransom date” is rapidly approaching.

It’s exactly the kind of fight the Lennarts can’t resist, not for the prize the town offers, but for the people who will surely die if they ignore it. If they succeed, they’ll be rescuing an entire community and can build a strong new base for their family and the Wilmington Pack. If they fail...well, fail is a four-letter word.

Nothing comes without a price. Now Kate must decide if she has what it takes to pay it.

Audiobook Review: Hexed by Kevin Hearne

 

Hexed (Iron Druid Chronicles #2) by Kevin Hearne

Publication Date: April 19th 2011 by Brilliance Audio

Pages: 296

Audio Book Length: 8hrs 52min

Narrator: Luke Daniels

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★½

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

My Thoughts:

We pick up pretty much right after the events of Hounded and again Atticus is dealing with multiple problems: witches, nasty Bacchants, two men, a priest and a rabbi demanding to see Atticus’ rare books, the Morrigan, Brighid, and the police. It’s not as confusing as it sounds and Atticus, with his trusty hound Oberon, deftly handles all of it!

 

So many laughs, many from Atticus’ exchanges with his best friend Oberon, his faithful Irish wolfhound, several with the widow Mrs. MacDonagh. Love her!  Granuaile helps in a few tricky spots with the police as she continues her Druid training, and Atticus deals with his attraction to her. I have mixed feelings on Granuaile this second time through.

 

I re-read *listened* Hexed for Anne's @Books of My Heart read-along (you can sign up HERE) and it was just as good as the first time! Again, I ended up listening to the whole book in a 24-hour period of time. I forget how much I loved this series! Clever, laugh-out-loud funny, and action-packed! Never a dull moment and such a good time! Looking forward to the next one!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Atticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn't care much for witches. Still, he's about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they're badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.

With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence, and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor's rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.

Audiobook Review: Hounded by Kevin Hearne

 

Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne

Publication Date: April 19th 2011 by Brilliance Audio

Pages: 336

Audio Book Length: 8hrs 6min

Narrators: Luke Daniels

Source: Purchased

Rating: ★★★★

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

I re-read Hounded for Anne @Books of My Heart’s read-along (you can sign up HERE) and it was just as good as the first time! Listened straight through in one day. My original review was posted on The Readers Den, the blog I used to post on back in 2014.

Thoughts: It's funny how your reading tastes change over the years. I'm no longer a pure romance junkie, but tend to gravitate to mystery/thrillers with a bit of romance and Urban Fantasy. Since writing the review below I've read a lot of UF since first reading, and The Iron Druid Chronicles continues to be one of my favorites nine years later.

Original review posted January 14, 2014:

I’m first and foremost a romance junkie any genre I read usually must contain some amount.  So it was shocking to me that I enjoyed this so much when there isn’t any! I credit that to the highly entertaining and quick-witted Atticus O’Sullivan!

Atticus O’Sullivan may look like he’s twenty-one but in reality his age is over two thousand. He’s last of the Druids, trying to live a peaceful life running a New Age book and tea shop. Unfortunately, he’s had an age long feud with the Celtic god, Aenghus Og over a magical sword and this god is ready to take what he thinks is his.

 

Hounded was entertaining and fun.  A definite must for any Urban Fantasy fan or just anyone who loves a great story!  Witches, werewolves, vampires and Celtic mythology factor in heavily, and you’d think this would be overwhelming, but the story is fast paced with just enough information to keep you clued in without slowing the story down.

Atticus is a clever and thoughtful hero, who always seemed to be several steps ahead of any opponent like a strategic game of chess.  Loved his encounters with Emily the witch!

There’s lot of witty humor and laughs, and it was a treat being in Atticus’ head. Oberon, his loyal best friend and dog was also quite funny with his obsessive love of sausages and French poodles. 

There is no romance *sniff* BUT there is a hope and a hint (maybe?) of something to come.

I listed to the audio version of Hounded, which I highly recommend! Luke Daniels was an excellent narrator! 

 4 Stars

Book Description:

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power—plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish—to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Review: Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs

 

Soul Taken (Mercy Thompson #13) by Patricia Briggs

Publication Date: August 23rd 2022 by Ace

Pages: 352

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

You’d think after thirteen books the Mercy Thompson series might have lost some of its shine, but not so! I was riveted from page one! Wulfe, the vampire obsessed with Mercy, has gone missing and Marsilia, head of the seethe, insists Adam and Mercy find him, or else. However, it seems he isn’t the only one gone. Lots going on here and there’s some information revealed about Sherwood that had me shocked! I don’t want to spill anything more about the plot, just to say it was sooo good!! I love the way Mercy thinks ahead, always strategizing. Still, she doesn’t pick up on everything and who could blame her with so much happening? Of course one of my favorite things about the series is Mercy and Adam’s relationship. They’ve had a few bumps over the course of the series, but they form a united front for anything that comes up against them and their passion for each other comes through loud and clear!

The Mercy Thompson series is my all-time favorite UF series! I’ve read and re-read it multiple times, so Soul Taken was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022. When I got the ARC of Soul Taken, I set aside all my other books and read it and I’ve already ordered the audio version to re-read, and a physical copy for my shelf, so as you can guess I highly recommend it! This is very much a series you need to read in order to appreciate all that is going on, but boy are you in for a treat if you haven’t started it! The audios are fantastic with Lorelei King narrating, her voice has become Mercy to me! Her comedic timing is excellent, and she performs all voices: accents, male, female, etc., superbly! Perfection!

5 Stars

Book Description:

The vampire Wulfe is missing. Since he’s deadly, possibly insane, and his current idea of “fun” is stalking me, some may see it as no great loss. But, warned that his disappearance might bring down the carefully constructed alliances that keep our pack safe, my mate and I must find Wulfe—and hope he’s still alive. As alive as a vampire can be, anyway.

But Wulfe isn’t the only one who has disappeared. And now there are bodies, too. Has the Harvester returned to the Tri-Cities, reaping souls with his cursed sickle? Or is he just a character from a B horror movie and our enemy is someone else?

The farther I follow Wulfe’s trail, the more twisted—and darker—the path becomes. I need to figure out what’s going on before the next body on the ground is mine.

Audio Review: Cursed Luck by Kelley Armstrong

 

Cursed Luck (Cursed Luck #1) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: April 13th 2021 by Tantor Audio

Pages: 364

Audio Book Length: 12 hrs 20 min

Narrators: Carly Robins

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Kennedy Bennett and her two sisters come from a long line of curse weavers and Kennedy’s specialty is uncursing valuable objects and then reselling them. When she’s approached by Aiden Conolly, a luck worker, to uncurse the infamous Necklace of Harmonia, they butt heads, and she refuses to work for him.  However, when Kennedy’s sisters are kidnapped and the evidence points to it being related to Aiden’s request, she hunts him down and they team up to find her sisters. Kennedy and Aiden quickly get over their differences and form a complimentary team and there are hints of an attraction growing between them.  

This was a fun magical story! I’ve seen a few reviews calling it a cozy Urban Fantasy, and I totally agree with that description. It reminded me of the The Guild Codex series by Annette Marie in that it’s a lighthearted adventure/mystery with a lot of silly humor. Urban Fantasy-Lite in a way. I thought the magical world Ms. Armstrong presented was an original and interesting concept: humans with a variety of magical talents based on Greek Mythology. I will say that I did get a little lost on some of the roots because there are so many variations of names in the Greek Mythos, but I just went with it, and it didn’t hamper my enjoyment of the story.

The mystery wraps up, but the relationship between Kennedy and Aiden is just starting with a possible romance to come. Kennedy is left with a “souvenir” from this caper, and I wonder how it will impact the story going forward. I look forward to the next story!

Carly Robins narrated the story, and I thought her voice represented Kennedy perfectly. Fun and sarcastic, she had great comedic timing! I’d like to continue the series by audio with her as the performer. I listened at 1.4x normal speed.

4 Stars

Book Description:

Kennedy Bennett comes from a long line of curse weavers. For centuries, her family has plied their trade in Unstable, Massachusetts, a quirky small town that’s welcomed paranormal practitioners since the dawn of spiritualism. Kennedy has recently struck out on her own, opening an antiques shop in Boston, where her speciality is uncursing and reselling hexed objects.

Then Aiden Connolly walks into her life with an offer she really should refuse. The scion of a wealthy family of luck workers, Aiden has a scheme to get his hands on the most famous cursed object of all: the mythical Necklace of Harmonia. He’s not the only one after the necklace, though. And he’s not the only one looking for a curse weaver to fix it. Kennedy’s sisters are kidnapped, she finds herself plunged into the underbelly of the magical world where even Aidan soon finds himself in over his head.

Review: Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

 

Wild Sign (Alpha and Omega #6) by Patricia Briggs

Publication Date: March 16th  2021 by Ace Books

Pages: 368

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The Alpha and Omega series is one of my all-time favorites! It’s one of those series you just know you’ll re-read over and over and relish!  This is a series that is best read in order, and if you haven’t started it, go now, and get the novella prequel! You’re in for a treat!

Bran sends Charles, Anna and Tag off to investigate when a whole off-the-grid sort of community disappears from Northern California and there are hints that supernatural forces were at work.

I’ve loved Anna and Charles together from the beginning since they mated on sight and had to sort out the rest as they went along. It just so happens they ended up being perfectly matched, complimenting each other and bringing out each other’s strengths in the very best way!

Leah, Bran’s mate, has been a pretty unlikeable character thus far.  Even with her appearances in the Mercy Thompson series, she was mostly hateful, but the last two books, this one especially has shed some light on her history and motivations, which has changed my views on her greatly!

There’s also a lot of Sherwood Post’s history connected to this story which I found very interesting. Tag was a fun addition, getting to know him better was a treat.  

As usual, from the first page I was addicted! Mystery, danger, and characters I’ve grown to love had me fully invested all the way through! And OMG, that ending! I can’t wait for the next Alpha and Omega! Also, the next Mercy Thompson because I bet Sherwood Post’s revelations will be a part of the next installment!

5 Stars

About the book:

Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham must discover what could make an entire community disappear — before it's too late — in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.

In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It's as if the people picked up and left everything they owned behind. Fearing something supernatural might be going on, the FBI taps a source they've consulted in the past: the werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham. But Charles and Anna soon find a deserted town is the least of the mysteries they face.

Death sings in the forest, and when it calls, Charles and Anna must answer. Something has awakened in the heart of the California mountains, something old and dangerous — and it has met werewolves before.