Cookies and Clairvoyance by Bailey Cates

Title: Cookies and Clairvoyance

Author: Bailey Cates

Narrator: Amy Rubinate

Series: #8 in The Magical Bakery series

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Berkley (August 27, 2019)

Source: Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Baker Katie Lightfoot serves up enchanted delicacies and tracks down a malicious murderer in the newest installment of this New York Times bestselling series...

Hedgewitch Katie Lightfoot is juggling wedding preparations, a visit from her father, and home renovations on top of her long hours at the Honeybee Bakery, where she and her aunt Lucy imbue their yummy cookies and pastries with beneficial magic. But when firefighter Randy Post is accused of murdering a collector of rarities, and his prints are on the statue that was used to kill the man, Katie steps in. 

Randy is not only Katie's fiancé's coworker, but also the boyfriend of fellow spellbook club member and witch Bianca Devereaux. Bianca and Declan are both sure Randy is innocent, and so is Katie. However, to prove it she'll have to work with ornery detective Peter Quinn again—and this time around he knows she's more than your everyday baker.

My Thoughts: Another great installment of this series!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Honestly, I didn't care for Katie's attitude this time around. I know her circumstances with her trying to finish the carriage house and planning her wedding and running a business and helping clear a friend's name kind of justifies her being grumpy. However, she was unnecessarily snarky to Declan who was super understanding and kind to her when a spell backfired changing her magical life. With that said, in the past I was on the fence about Declan because I didn't think he fully supported Katie and her magic. In this book I was completely in his corner because he proved he accepted her with everything in her life. 

The mystery was pretty good with multiple suspects, and I liked that Katie did her best to solve the mystery without the aid of her magic. The ending was satisfying but we'll have to wait another book for a wedding to happen. Also, poor Conal! 

I listened to this book as I've listened to all of the previous books and once again Amy Rubinate did a great job narrating. I'm so used to her as Katie I don't know if I could get used to another voice by this point. Her voice work for the other characters are just as good especially Conal's. 

In a Nutshell: I love this series and I can't wait for to get to the next book!

Troublemaker by Linda Howard

Title: Troublemaker

Author: Linda Howard

Narrator: Tanya Eby

Series: #1 in the Go-Team

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: William Marrow (May 10, 2016)

Source: Audiobook borrowed from the library, Own the kindle copy

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: For Morgan Yancy, an operative and team leader in a paramilitary group, nothing comes before his job. But when he's ambushed and almost killed, his supervisor is determined to find out who's after the members of his elite squad--and why. Due to worries that this unknown enemy will strike again, Morgan is sent to a remote location and told to lay low and stay vigilant. But between a tempting housemate he's determined to protect and a deadly threat waiting in the shadows, keeping under the radar is proving to be his most dangerous mission yet.

The part-time police chief of a small West Virginian Mountain town, Isabeau "Bo" Maran finally has her life figured out. She's got friends, a dog, and a little money in the bank. Then Morgan Yancy shows up on her doorstep. Bo doesn't need a mysterious man in her life--especially a troublemaker as enticing and secretive as Morgan.

The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he's hiding from something. But discovering the truth could cost Bo more than she's willing to give. And when Morgan's cover is blown, it might just cost her life.

My Thoughts: An explosive beginning that grabbed me from the start coupled with a hero worthy of the title Book Boyfriend.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So, I loved Morgan Yancy. There I said it. No takesies backsies. Howard created an amazing ex-military special ops hero that could rival Suzanne Brockmann's Troubleshooters men. I only wish we would have got more about his job. Maybe showing him on a mission rather than starting the book state side after finishing up a mission. Even with him on death's door and recuperating couldn't detract from his appeal. As a matter of fact, his recouperation and subsequent rebuilding his strength and stamina made him more appealing. He hated being so unhealthy and unable to even get to the toilet without assistance, but it made him more "real". In so many books we see chest beaters and the "I'll fix everything for you" alpha men so seeing a strong virile man vulnerable and at his weakest was refreshing. However, Bo was mostly unlikable. Her saving grace was her relationship with her dog, Tricks, and Tricks herself was amazing. I love dogs and am so happy Tricks had such a big part in this book. 

Somewhere along the middle the suspense aspect fizzled while Morgan's recouperation and rehabilitation took center stage. The synopsis really highlighted their "intense heat" but honestly it seemed it felt more all of a sudden with Bo "innocently" licking the frosting off her cupcake and Morgan's mind went straight to the gutter. Oh, Bo was certainly not intending to be provocative, but TBH a woman just knows what the licking of anything (be it frosting, ice-cream, popsicles etc.) in front of a man (regardless of if there is attraction or not) looks like to a man. Since she was not characterized as being naive this particular scene stuck out as not being very authentic.

I did like the additional storyline of a young married couple whose marriage imploded in a public way and the asshat husband of the couple (the offspring of the richest man in the area who always had daddy bail him out of everything) took things too far and the day was saved by Morgan (who recovered sufficiently by that time.) I thought the end of the book brought back the suspense of the beginning but perhaps not fully realized as I ended up not fully invested in the suspense part of the story. I really think it took a backseat to the characters and their budding relationship.

The audio version was narrated by Tanya Eby. I really enjoy her narrations and this one was good as well. Her voice for the men was well done and her voice for the women didn't squeak out while I listened to the audio at 2x's the speed.

Full disclosure, I actually read the second book back in 2020 not realizing it was book 2 of the "series". When I finished this book, I immediately went to look for book 2 and while reading the synopsis of book 2 (The Woman Left Behind) I felt it sounded really familiar and after some digging through my library past borrows, I found I did indeed read it 2 years ago. I failed to notate it in GoodReads (which I've remedied now) and I also failed to review it. It's way too late to go back and do that now but as a side note I remember the suspense was intense almost all the way through and the heroine was a badass (or became one at the end.)

In a Nutshell: A good book by Linda Howard with an amazing hero, a wonderful dog, and a lukewarm heroine. I, of course, will continue to read everything she writes and has written.

Feline the Love by Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Title: Feline the Love

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace

Series: #2 in the River's Edge Shifters series

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Surrendered Press (August 6, 2020)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: An M/M MPreg Shifter Romance

Sometimes love arrives with a purr...

Omega cat shifter Leo needs to get out of city life. He’s sick of people trying to rescue him when he shifts. He’s no domesticated animal—he’s a cat shifter descended from lions for goodness sakes. If only he hadn’t been saddled with a recessive gene that made him the least fierce of his clan...and sent him running to the big city.

A city he now loathed.

It seemed that a move to the country was in order.

Alpha human Ron loves his job as the Deputy of Riverview Township, even with his annoying boss, but he needs more out of life than just his career. If only he had figured that out sooner, back when he still turned a few heads. Now he was just The Deputy and no one looked at him as a potential anything.

Ron’s life is turned completely upside down when Leo moves to town, taking over a fixer upper that was barely standing. There’s just something about Leo that has him wanting to both protect and help him.

Feline the Love is a sweet with knotty heat M/M shifter mpreg romance featuring a cat who finds more in Riverview Township than just a new home, a human who discovers there is an entire world he never knew about, a real estate bargain that very much isn’t one, two men who finally find their place in the world, true fated love, and an adorable little baby. This is the second book in the River’s Edge Shifters series brought to you by the co-writing team of Lorelei M. Hart and Aria Grace and can be read as a stand-alone.

My Thoughts: I very much enjoyed this book and both heroes so much.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Another instance of me not doing great on doing my reviews this year so I never did one on book 1 in this series. In this series we have short paranormal books with unconventional shifters set in the Omegaverse. In the first book there was a bunny shifter. In this book we have tabby cat. 

Leo is one of our heroes. A tabby cat shifter who purchased a rundown property in the small town of River's Edge. I adored Ron (not a fan of the names of the heroes in this book especially after the first book's heroes Jase and August.) He's an adorable deputy who loves his job. The romance was really good. Although the series really relies on more of a fated mate trope, we did get to see them fall in love by them spending time together a little while before they fell into bed. The sexy times were spicy but not overly so. The humor of the story made me laugh. Multiple times someone suggested the tabby should be neutered. As the tabby was Leo, it made me laugh quite a bit.

In a Nutshell: A short book but well written. I liked this one as much, if not a little more, than the first. I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

Baby from Frost by Ashe Moon

 

Title: Baby from Frost

Author: Ashe Moon

Series: #3 in the Dragon Firefighters Series

Genre: M/M Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Ashe Moon (September 14, 2021)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Fleeing from his dangerous dragon family, half-human omega Raka finds himself unable to control his desires for Delos, the winsome ice dragon alpha he hired to escort him across the frozen sea. But falling in love was never part of the escape plan. To protect them both, Raka vanishes from the flaming wreckage of their ship, leaving Delos behind with a broken heart—not knowing he's carrying the alpha's child.

After seven years, Delos’s icy heart shows no sign of thawing. On an away mission for his dragon flight brothers, he unexpectedly finds the omega he can’t forget. His resentment is matched only by his enduring need for Raka, but the omega is in hiding, unable to leave his library sanctuary. It’s clear they can’t have a second chance together—but then there’s Raka’s son, the boisterous little boy who looks so much like Delos. The child needs an alpha to teach him how to be an ice dragon—can Delos open his heart and become the daddy he was meant to be?


Baby From Frost is the third book in the Dragon Firefighters mpreg series. It expands on characters and the story introduced in the previous books, and while it can be enjoyed as a standalone it’s recommended you read the others first. This book features ice dragons, second chances, a secret child, an industrial fantasy setting, pregnancy and dragon eggs, toddlers, family moments, friendship and loyalty, love in a library (shhh!), light drama, and, as always, a happily ever after.

My Thoughts: Another good installation to the Dragon Firefighter series.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I've been remiss in my review writing, so I haven't reviewed books 1 and 2 in this series so here's a bit of thought about the series in general. It's written is if they are historical romances but there are very little clues as to the timeframe. There are no modern vehicles (cars, planes, etc.), the fighting of the fires is very primitive (buckets being hauled), and dragons are common. The series is set firmly in the Omegaverse and to my knowledge thus far in the series, dragons are the only shifters in this world. The dragons have classifications based on their elemental affinity. Altair and Rainor (from books 1 and 2 respectively) are both Fire Dragons. Delos is an Ice Dragon.

With that said I've really enjoyed this world Ashe Moon has created. I like the idea of a hodgepodge of dragons creating a family (called a dragon flight.) They, of course, are more openminded than most and have expanded their circle to include human mates and they don't feel Omegas are less of a person than someone else. This theme of Omegas being lesser than, let's say, an Alpha is a common occurrence within the Omegaverse no matter who is writing the book (at least in my experiences with the sub-genre.)

As far as this book goes, I've wondered what Delos's deal was. Brooding, self-isolated, more interested in Alchemy than personal interactions are what makes up Delos. Now we find out why. Raka was the deal. I like a brooding hero for sure and Delos fit the bill. I wish there was a more substantial reason Raka was in hiding. Unless the conflict is carried over from this book to the next the entire reason Raka couldn't be with Delos to begin with was a moot point. Nothing happened with that storyline. The romance was sweet, and the sex was spicy (library sex anyone?) I wish the relationship had more oomph though. As I mentioned since the entire reason Raka and Delos couldn't be together was not substantiated within this book there was no conflict or added intensity other than what was in Raka's head making me a bit miffed because Delos suffered alone for 7 years for no reason.

I really like Shen (a Thunder Dragon) and am glad he was introduced as now all 3 dragons in the flight are mated. I wasn't ready for the series to end. 

In a Nutshell: I'm hooked. I cannot wait to read the next book to see where the series goes.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Title: An Alpha Bear for Lucian

Author: Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar

Series: #1 in The Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginnings

Genre: M/M Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Surrendered Press (February 27, 2022)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Aspen didn't know you could accidentally become Alpha of Den, but that's exactly what he just did.

Apha bear shifter Aspen was ready to begin his new life in the big city. He has a job lined up, a lease signed, and his truck packed. All he has left is to get there. Too bad that's easier said than done because his truck picked the middle of nowhere to break down--alongside a bear den's land of all places. When Aspen seeks permission to spend the night, he plans to keep his head down and just mind his own business and he does, until he hears the scream that changes everything.

Omega bear shifter Lucian hated his den. No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't the den he hated as much as it was the leadership. Wehen the Alpha he had most of his life died, he crossed his fingers the new one would bring their den into this century. He didn't--the alpha was not only old-school, but also cruel. When rumors of an alpha bear seeking refuge until his truck is repaired reach him, Lucian forms a plan. If he can convince the shifter to take him when he leaves, he can escape this horrible life. 

Sneaking out to find the new bear sounded like a great idea, until Lucian gets caught. His den Alpha is a strike first kind of guy, and strike he does. Lucien knows better than to scream, it only makes the punishment worse, but scream he does, the pain too much to hold inside. A flurry of furm, teeth, a dead Alpha, and the scenting of his fated mate leaves the visiting shifter a their new Alpha.

So much for best laid plans.

An Alpha Bear for Lucian is the first book in the anticipated Bruin Ridge Bear-Ginning series, a sweet with knotty hear M/M Mpreg Shifter Romance by the popular writing team of Colbie Dunbar and Lorelei M. Hart. It features an alpha bear thrown into a role he is woefully unprepared for, an omega whose plans for the future very much did not include being his den's Alpha Omega, a pack on the verge of collapse, the challenge that changes everything, true love, fated mates, and of course an adorable baby. If you love your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, and your mpreg with heart, download your copy of An Alpha Bear for Lucian today.

(synopsis courtesy of GoodReads)

My Thoughts: This was a darn good book with a great balance of love and conflict.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: It's been a while since I finished this book (3 weeks ago) so I don't necessarily remember every little detail, but I do remember how I adored these characters. I'm so character driven that if I can connect with the characters, I'm sure to love the book even if the plot is weak. In this instance I don't think the plot was weak either, but I was so wrapped up in Aspen and Lucian I might not have noticed. Grant also gets special consideration from me as well. He's a great friend to Lucian. 

The whole dynamics of the Den was very interesting when Aspen took over after the death of the previous alpha. There was some set-in tradition and refused to accept the new path Aspen was taking the Den and the ones who were happy about the changes were mostly Omegas who were considered less than in the hierarchy of the Den. Aspen never planned on being the leader of a Den, ever, but he ends up being great at it. 

In a Nutshell: I'm certainly invested in the future of the Bruin Ridge Bear Den and the shifters living there. I am really looking forward to reading more about them.

Mountain Lion by Terry Bolryder

 

Title: Mountain Lion

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #4 in the Bear Haven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Bolryder (October 12, 2015)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: This sexy shifter is never giving up...

Mountain lion shifter Wyatt Reynolds has finally found something to fight for. Life has been a bit lonely for the tall, sexy cowboy on his upscale Montana ranch, but he never found the right woman to settle down with. Until a small, mysterious person walks into his office one day, hidden under bulky men's clothing and needing his help.

Valerie knows not to trust men. After being raised in the remote Montana mountains with a terrible father that sold her to the highest bidder because of her rare blood, she has written men off forever. When she comes to Wyatt looking for a job, all she wants is a place that's safe, quiet, and will allow her the freedom to finally live a life of her own. But what she doesn't realize is that a tall, ripped cougar shifter might be enough man to give a woman ideas.

Though they start as friends, Valerie is starting to get sexy thoughts about Wyatt that she never intended, and Wyatt seems to feel exactly the same way. But even as friends become lovers, Valerie's dark past remains a constant threat. The men who want her aren't giving up, but neither is Wyatt. Anyone who threatens this mountain lion's mate is going to see his claws.

Book 4 of the Bear Haven series or can be read alone as a satisfying standalone!

My Thoughts: What a great conclusion to a good series!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: While I thought this series had some ups and downs it truly ended on a good note. Wyatt was an incredible hero. He was patient and kind when Valerie needed someone to show her not all people or shifters are bad. Val came to Wyatt's ranch bruised and abused. Over the following weeks she healed and became more confident. Their relationship was a sweet progress of friends becoming more. When they became lovers those scenes were spicy and well written. 

The length of the book (and all of the books I've read by Terry Bolryder really) is just too short to get deep into character history/development or to get a full on amazing romance that a 300+ page book would allow. They often rely on insta-love and use a fated mate trope to accommodate the quick I Love You's. I always mention insta-love in my reviews because I don't really like it and prefer slow burns where I can actually see them falling in love rather then having them "BOOM" in love. In most cases insta-love would be a negative but with Terry's work I just take it as it is and enjoy the books for what they are. So, with that said, this book was a little different. The book was a bit longer than the rest of the books in the series with 50 pages more than the first two and 30 more than book 3. It made a difference. We ended up with a longer courtship and a bit more background information. Another 150 pages would have given us even more but for the length of 165 pages this was a really good book. Wyatt and Val had some great moments together and the suspense was pretty good as well. I wish the tension would have played out a little longer though, as it was wrapped up pretty quickly. 

At the end of this series we're left with a feeling of completion with all 3 McAllister brothers and their neighbor, Wyatt, finding their mates but the author opened up a new hero for us with Jace, a rare weretiger, and an interesting shifter policing "organization" led by dragons I'm looking forward to reading more of. 

In a Nutshell: I'm honestly so thrilled with this book and I'm really happy I discovered Terry's work and I'm totally binging in her books. I can't get enough!

Wild Bear by Terry Bolryder

Title: Wild Bear

Author: Terry Bolryder

Series: #3 in the Bear Haven series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Terry Bolryder ( September 27,  2015)

Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Book 3 in the Bear Haven Series! 

Maverick McAllister is as wild as they come. Born in the wilderness and closely attuned to his bear, nothing has made him happier than the untamed land surrounding Bear Haven ranch. That is, until a curvy, sassy woman shows up to tempt him. And all too soon, the rugged bear knows exactly what he wants-- his mate.

Harmony has tried to make it as a musician in the Big Apple, but despite her best efforts, nothing has worked out. And though she's happy for her two friends that are now happily mated to larger-than-life McAllister cowboys, she can't help but hope that there's something good waiting for her as well. And maybe that something good is in the sexy, dominant Maverick.

The chemistry between Mav and Harmony is undeniable, and every time they are together the room heats up like a firestorm. But as sexy as Maverick may be, he might be too wild to tame. And no matter how badly Maverick wants to keep Harmony forever, he'll have to show her that he's ready to love, even if it means bringing out the man inside of him that's been hidden a long time.

My Thoughts: What an improvement over book 2. I loved it.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Maverick's book was so good. He was more animal than human and preferred to live in his bear form out in the woods rather than as a man with clothing restraints. His background explains why this is and his character is actually deeper than every other character I've read by Terry Bolryder thus far. He's really pretty charming in his own way and even though he doesn't try to be funny he is. His entire thought process is innocent as an animal's would be without the devious intentions that unfortunately are found in many humans. As a matter of fact he often refers to others as human and doesn't consider himself even part human. Harmony is his complete opposite and I liked how she appreciated him for who he was and didn't expect him to change. He did a lot of growing up in this book and I absolutely loved him. 

The romance felt quick but when you factor in the H and h met months ago it wasn't as insta-lovey as the first two books in this series. Although it did wrap itself in an almost fated mate type of situation I wasn't unhappy with it. Mav was a bear. He thought as a bear. In his mind he gave himself to Harmony as her mate and she was his. The End. As an animal it was simple. Humans make things more complicated and he honestly didn't know if he was capable of being human enough to actually love Harmony as a human loves their partner. 

There was conflict, a bit of suspense, epiphanies, and a big bear of a man who finally figured out humans sometimes need the help of other humans.

In a Nutshell: My very favorite book by Terry Bolryder so far. I loved this book.

Midnight Frost by Jennifer Estep

 

Title: Midnight Frost

Author: Jennifer Estep

Series: #5 in the Mythos Academy series

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Kensington Books (July 30, 2013)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis:  Here we go again …

Just when it seems life at Mythos Academy can’t get any more dangerous, the Reapers of Chaos manage to prove me wrong. It was just a typical night at the Library of Antiquities — until a Reaper tried to poison me. The good news is I’m still alive and kicking. The bad news is the Reaper poisoned someone else instead.

As Nike’s Champion, everyone expects me to lead the charge against the Reapers, even though I’m still hurting over what happened with Spartan warrior Logan Quinn. I’ve got to get my hands on the antidote fast — otherwise, an innocent person will die. But the only known cure is hidden in some creepy ruins — and the Reapers are sure to be waiting for me there … 

My Thoughts: Another installment of the never-ending battle between good and evil.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything In Between: So, the thing with this book, or rather Jennifer Estep's writing in general, it is a bit repetitive. Reapers attack. A bunch of kids training to be warriors kill most of them. Rinse. Repeat. Don't get me wrong. That doesn't make this a bad book. There are enough new additions between slightly different scenarios and new characters being brought in that the book has enough of a difference between it and it's predecessors to keep us interested. I have to admit though I am glad there is only one more book in this series though. I'm ready for this story arch to end. Last year I read the first book in her spin off series and enjoyed the newness of the new setting and new characters but even it is still all about a bunch of kids battling Reapers. I'm honestly not sure how long Estep can continue with this same theme with the same bad guys.

With that said I did like the forward movement Gwen had in her life by finding a cousin and learning more about her own dad who was an unknown to us and really to her. I liked Rory and Rachel (but then I already met them when I read the first book in the spin off series last year) and really liked the Colorado setting. I liked the return of Logan even though it was almost at the end of the book. I also liked how Gwen was coming into her own person. She has learned to be just as much of a warrior as the Valkyries and Amazons and has stopped doubting herself. 

In a Nutshell: I enjoyed this book a lot and even though I'm ready for this series to come to an end I'm still looking forward to reading book 6 and the conclusion to this chapter of the Mythos Academy.

Due or Die by Jenn McKinlay

Title: Due or Die

Author: Jenn McKiinlay

Series: #2 in the Library Lover's Librarian Mystery series

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Berkley (March 6, 2012)

Source: Purchased

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Answering tricky reference questions is excitement enough for library director Lindsey Norris. Until a murder is committed in her cozy hometown of Briar Creek, Connecticut, and the question of who did it must be answered before someone else is checked out--for good.

My Thoughts: A good cozy with interesting characters. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I'm partial to books with a library setting so this series is right up my alley. An added bonus was to have a group within the book actually discussing books. I loved this. I've read books in the past with the same theme, yet no books are really talked about during the course of the book. It's quite frustrating really.

I thought the murderer was fairly easy to figure out, but most cozies aren't super difficult to figure out the whodunit. It would have been nice if more red herrings had been thrown in rather than one giant glaringly easy to see red herring the author used. It is sad when a mystery book has the reader more interested in the personal relationships between the characters than the actual murder plot. Of course, the murdered victim was only introduced briefly, and we definitely were not supposed to like him. For once I'd like a cozy mystery introduce us to a lovely person that we cared about and then bumped them off. Would this go against the cozy code? Probably.

I liked how Lindsey's potential relationship with Sully is moving forward and it's really sweet. However, I disliked her flippant attitude with going on a date with the new guy in the book because it's super obvious Lindsey and Sully are going to be together. Some might argue the author's way of ensuring we know Lindsey and Sully are supposed to be together is a bit clunky and lacks finesse but when an author spends more time on their characters, I spend more time enjoying it. Tis the life of a character driven reader. Plot becomes secondary (don't hate on me LOL). Anyway, back to the topic of introducing someone new as a potential match to Lindsey creates an unnecessary love triangle and I am not a fan of those (one of the reasons it's taken me so long to read past the 8th Hannah Swensen book by Joanne Fluke to tell the truth.) I hope the books don't continue with adding more love interests as the series progresses because I'm really wanted to read more of them and would have to shelve them on principle.

In a Nutshell: Of course, I'll read the next book. Potential love triangle aside...there are books, crafts, a library, an adorable puppy named Heathcliff (whom I forgot to mention until now), and a hawt man named Michael Sullivan. Yep, I'm hooked.

Awaken the Darkness by Dianne Duvall

 Title: Awaken the Darkness

Author: Dianne Duvall

Series: #8 in the Immortal Guardian series

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Dianne Duvall (July 10, 2018) Audio published by Tantor Audio (July 10, 2018)

Source: Library find via Hoopla

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: He awakens encapsulated in dirt with no knowledge of how he came to be there. Riddled with injuries, he can remember neither his past nor who he is. Nor can he remember what he is. But surely no mortal man could survive being buried deep beneath the earth. All he knows with certainty is that the soothing voice and presence of the woman moving around above enables him to endure the agony of his wounds. And he will do whatever it takes to be with her. When Susan first sees the old two-story house for sale, such warmth and longing fill her that--against all reason--she makes an offer. It will take years of hard work and money she frankly doesn't have to fix up the place. So she can't explain why she bought it. She also can't explain what compels her to spend hours one night, digging in the basement until she unearths a man. A man who still lives and breathes despite having been buried alive. A man whose intense brown eyes glow amber with pain, declaring him far more than ordinary. Susan knows she should keep her distance. He has no memory and possesses gifts that would make most fear him. But as the two work together to unravel the mystery of his past, she finds herself drawn in by his teasing nature and tender touch . . . Contains mature themes. 

My Thoughts:  I just love this series. This one heavily relies on past books in the series so although the premise is fully explained the full impact of what the characters have gone through (specifically Stanislav and Yuri not to mention Seth) it is best to read this series in order with the short novellas as well.

With this one we really hadn't had much time to jump on the Stanislav bandwagon as both he and Yuri were introduced only mid series, but I liked the way his book was handled. The continuing story arch connecting the last 2 books is all but paused while Stan's story played out, but I was ok with this.

The romance part of this book was pretty typical of this series. Both Immortal Guardian and their love interest are thrown together with a whole lot of action and turbulence and the I love you's are quick but satisfying. There were some minor battles within the book but not as many (or as epic as the ones that occur in previous books) but because this book is about Stan and his amnesia this too is ok.

Once again Kirsten Potter does an amazing job narrating. With Immortals from all over the world I fully believe all of her accents and will always listen to these books providing I can get them all easily from my library system.

In a Nutshell: Yep, I'm hooked. I've been binge reading these books. If you know me, you know this isn't how I operate. I get bored easily and will fall off of a particular series fairly quickly. 8 books and counting it hasn't happened yet and I'm not sure if it will anytime time soon. 

Fire by Kristin Cashore

 

Title: Fire

Author: Kristin Cashore

Narrator: Xanthe Elbrick

Series: #2 in the Gaceling Realm series

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Firebird (October 5, 2009) 

Source: Library Find

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. The young King Nash clings to his throne while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. The mountains and forests are filled with spies and thieves and lawless men.

This is where Fire lives. With a wild, irresistible appearance and hair the color of flame, Fire is the last remaining human monster. Equally hated and adored, she had the unique ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of innocent people. Especially when she has so many of her own.

Then Prince Brigan comes to bring her to King City, The royal family needs her help to uncover the plot against the king. Far away from home, Fire begins to realize there's more to her power than she ever dreamed. Her power could save the kingdom.

If only she weren't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.

My Thoughts:   After completely loving the first book in the series I had very high expectations of this book and I'm sad to say I found this book a bit boring. Although it's the second book in the series it's technically a prequel. I'm not sure if that's why I didn't like it as well or because Fire just wasn't Katsa. I thought Fire, as a heroine was *meh 🤷‍♀️.

I chose to listen to this book whereas I read the ebook when I tackled Graceling. There was a lot of dialog that happened in people's minds because of Fire's ability and Xanthe Elbrick's Fire mind voice was, well, dull. Hypnotic but not in a good way.

I didn't care about any of the characters like I cared about Katsa and Po. The only character I seemed to care about was Fire's horse, Small. It was interesting to see King Lec's beginning though. The next book is back in the same time as Graceling and about Po's niece Bitterblue so I'm looking forward to it.

In a Nutshell: I will read the next book but I'm not sure if I'll listen to it or actually read it on my kindle. I don't think the audio enhanced my experience for this book.

The Unexpected Millionaire by Susan Mallery

Title: The Unexpected Millionaire

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Catherine Carr

Series: #2 in the Million Dollar Catch series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Silhouette Desire December 5th 2006 (audio version March 22nd 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.)

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Millionaire Kane Dennison's first mistake had been carrying an injured Willow Nelson inside his home, which, as a rule, was off-limits. Of course, she'd needed his help, but his one kind gesture had her believing he was a nice man. He wasn't.

His second mistake had been surrendering to passion after warning Willow to run away. Because a woman like her deserved better than a one-night stand. She believed in soul mates. He trusted no one--needed no one. And not even Willow was going to change him!

My Thoughts: What a gem!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I loved this book. The heroine was quirky and optimistic. The hero was brooding and emotionally unavailable (until the right woman came along anyway.) The plot was a little thin and a longer book could have developed some of the storylines better (like the family dynamics between Willow, her 2 sisters, her dad, etc.) This is a straight forward contemporary romance with no suspense, no miscommunication, no love triangles....and I liked it so much for not trying to be something it wasn't. Sure it could have been longer. The love could have developed over a longer period or time. Willow's character could potentially grate on some people's nerves as she's quite quirky in her sense of humor. The sex happened very quickly and was pretty explicit (as Silhouette Desires are known for....the Harlequin Temptations were their doppelgänger...all which were replaced by the Harlequin Blaze line...essentially....all of which featured a lot more explicit sex than other category romance imprints.) None of those things took away from my enjoyment. The epiphany of Kane's love did happen almost off page (not quite but it would have been nice had we seen him literally brought to his knees prior to his declaration to Willow.) He groveled but perhaps not nearly enough for me to bump this book up to a 5 star read. Even though this book is practically 14 years old it didn't feel dated at all. Major plus! Just a side note...I really hate this cover.

The narration was done well and I was able to listen to Catherine Carr's voice at 2Xs the speed without difficulty. I would listen to another book narrated by her but I'm not sure I would purposely seek out a book she reads outside my comfort book zone just because of her narration.

In a Nutshell: I honestly find more diamonds with Susan Mallery books than I do coal. I really liked this book and will definitely read the rest of the series. I'd also recommend this book to my friends who like to read the occasional category romance and ones who read them habitually. 

A Merciful Truth by Kendra Elliot

Title: A Merciful Truth
Author: Kendra Elliot
Narrator: Teri Schnaubelt
Series: #2 in the Mercy Kilpatrick series
Genre: Mystery, Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Audible Audio (June 6 ,2017)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Raised by a family of survivalists, FBI agent Mercy Kilpatrick can take on any challenge—even the hostile reception to her homecoming. But she’s not the only one causing chaos in the rural community of Eagle’s Nest, Oregon. At first believed to be teenage pranks, a series of fires takes a deadly turn with the murder of two sheriff’s deputies. Now, along with Police Chief Truman Daly,
Mercy is on the hunt for an arsonist turned killer.

Still shunned by her family and members of the community, Mercy must keep her ear close to the ground to pick up any leads. And it’s not long before she hears rumors of the area’s growing antigovernment militia movement. If the arsonist is among their ranks, Mercy is determined to smoke the culprit out. But when her investigation uncovers a shocking secret, will this hunt for a madman turn into her own trial by fire?

My Thoughts: While I think the first book was a little better I'm enjoying reading about Mercy Kilpatrick and think Kendra Elliot is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine.


The Good, the Bad, and Everything in Between: So, I liked this book a lot but the plot didn't work as well for me as the one in the first book. In this book we not only have preppers, who were the subject of the first book, but we also have militia members. In my head the mindset of the preppers in the first book were a similar to the militia in the second book. There are fundamental differences between the two and the author did a good job of covering them but even from the beginning of book one I thought the preppers were a bit cultish and some of them were even extreme which reminded me of militia. A while back I read Die Trying by Lee Child which was a great book featuring a militia. The reason I bring this up is because that book outlined a leader far superior to the leader of the militia in Elliot's book. He was recruiting but there was no focus on training the recruits. This group would have been doomed from the beginning because the leader wasn't as strong of a leader as the one Lee Child developed. This, of course, is just my opinion and if you've read both books I'd love to hear from you.

In addition I found the identity of the militia leader a bit of a stretch as no one recognized him, not even his own family. There are arguments to be made on why his own family might not have recognized him and I agree there are some possibilities on the lack of identifying, primarily he hadn't seen his family since 1980-ish. I get it, but with the combination of his identity and his questionable leadership, just the idea of him pulling off what he did made this book not quite as good for me as the first.

The progress of Mercy and Truman's relationship is still slowly growing. While I think this is a good thing because I really hate insta-love, it feels as if Truman is a lot more invested in their relationship than Mercy. She continues to hold back, refusing to give everything she can to Truman to support their relationship. Although this drives me nuts it does show Mercy's vulnerability. Her long estrangement from her family and the difficult interactions between them when she finally came home  put her in a delicate emotional state. She longs for her family connections but her loner existence for so much of her life made her reliant on only herself. Trust comes slowly for her and this is where the relationship between her and Truman flounder a bit.

Once again I listened to the audio version of this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription. Teri Schnaubelt continues to narrate and as I mentioned in my review of A Merciful Death she does an Ok job. Not wonderful but not terrible. I find these books easy enough to listen to so I'm going to continue the series on audio but will no longer mention my thoughts on the audio itself going forward.

In a Nutshell: While many of my points seem negative the actual tension and suspense of this book was top notch and Elliot's writing is really engaging and I'd encourage someone who likes Rom/Susp or even just mysteries (as the romance is not as prominent as the mystery aspect) to pick this series up.

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Title: A Bad Day For Sunshine
Author: Darynda Jones
Narrator: Lorelei King
Series: #1 in the Sunshine Vicram series
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (April 7, 2020)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Sheriff Sunshine Vicram finds her cup o’ joe more than half full when the small village of Del Sol, New Mexico, becomes the center of national attention for a kidnapper on the loose.
Del Sol, New Mexico is known for three things: its fry-an-egg-on-the-cement summers, its strong cups of coffee—and a nationwide manhunt? Del Sol native Sunshine Vicram has returned to town as the elected sheriff--an election her adorably meddlesome parents entered her in--and she expects her biggest crime wave to involve an elderly flasher named Doug. But a teenage girl is missing, a kidnapper is on the loose, and all of it's reminding Sunny why she left Del Sol in the first place. Add to that trouble at her daughter’s new school and a kidnapped prized rooster named Puff Daddy, and Sunshine has her hands full.

Enter sexy almost-old-flame Levi Ravinder and a hunky US Marshall, both elevens on a scale of one to blazing inferno, and the normally savvy sheriff is quickly in over her head. Now it’s up to Sunshine to juggle a few good hunky men, a not-so-nice kidnapping miscreant, and Doug the ever-pesky flasher. And they said coming home would be drama-free.

My Thoughts: I love Darynda Jones and her humor so much and to have another series by her makes me fan girl squeal!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: This was a good start to a new mystery series by one of my favorite authors. Chock full of her trademark humor despite some serious topics. I was a little apprehensive of a new character and I'm a little on the fence of if she fully pulled it off. Please don't interpret that as me saying Sunshine was a bad character. She wasn't but she was a little too much like Charley Davidson in personality. She's a wise cracking smart ass with constant comebacks and the banter between her and pretty much everyone is very Charley. There are some major differences though #1 being this is not an Urban Fantasy. Sunshine isn't supernatural. There are no supernatural people in this book. I just wish Sunshine would have been a complete different character but I guess if you take away the humor you just wouldn't have a Darynda Jones book.

There was an interesting amount of sexual tension between Sunshine and her childhood crush Levi. There is a huge backstory between these two and I have suspicions on what's going on. I'm really looking forward to learning more and absolutely HATE I'm going to have to wait for, like, a year to read more. I need to know now!

In this book Sunshine has to find a missing teenage girl who looks an awful lot like her own daughter, Ari. I thought the investigation part was good but I'm not sure there were enough clues for us readers to figure it out. I'm not upset by this as I would never really read a Darynda Jones book for the mysterious plots. There are quite a few sub-plots peppered throughout the book as well. It didn't overwhelm the main plot at all and I enjoyed the side mysteries of the missing rooster and the missing deputy.

The audio book was narrated by Lorelei King who seems to do all of Darynda Jones' books. I like her so much but I'm up to my elbows in books all being narrated by her and the characters are blurring even though some of the series are so completely different. If I only did one series at a time this would never be a problem but I get most of my audios from the library so when I get them I listen.

In a Nutshell: I'm super excited for this new series and can't wait for the next one!

Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs

Title: Silver Borne
Author: Patricia Briggs
Narrator: Lorelei King
Series: #5 in the Mercy Thompson series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Penguin Audio (March 30, 2010)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, never knows what the day - or night - may bring in a world where "witches, vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters live beside ordinary people" (Booklist). But she is about to learn that while some secrets are dangerous whose who seek them are just plain deadly...

Mercy is smart enough to realize that when it comes to the magical fae, the less you know, the better. But you can't always get what you want. When she attempts to return a powerful fae she previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down.

It seems the book contains secrets - and the fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him lest his own father declare Samuel's life forfeit.

All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she may not have many more...

My Thoughts: Another good installment of the Mercy Thompson series. I bought the e-book but chose to borrow the audio from the library. I love listening to Lorelei King and tend to enjoy everything she narrates.

The Good: While I really like Mercy I really think, for me anyway, Samuel's storyline stole the show for me. What a turn of events and I liked the notable difference in characteristics between Samuel and Sam, his wolf. Although there was not a large forward movement in Mercy and Adam's relationship I did like the information we learned about the pack/mate bond between them. I just hope Mercy and Adam become an epic couple like Kate and Curran. They have all the chemistry. I'm just hoping Briggs does them justice.

The Bad: Why are almost all the women in this series proving to be bitches? Mercy is the only one who seems consistent in character. Sylvia, Auriele, Mary Jo...yes even Mary Jo who should be a little bit more courteous since Mercy saved her life in the last book. As I mentioned earlier I did think Samuel's story took more of my attention than Mercy's did but I am not sure about the way his reason for, well, being can about. I don't want to give too much away but it felt very quickly wrapped up for a major storyline.

In a Nutshell: I still love this series and will definitely listen to the next one. I wouldn't recommend this book to newbies to the series as there are incidents that have happened in previous books that are not only mentioned in this one but understanding Adam and Mercy's tiptoeing around their relationship will make more sense if the books are read in order.

The Honey-Don't List by Christina Lauren

Title: The Honey-Don't List
Author: Christina Lauren
Narrator: Patti Murin and Jon Root
Series: Stand-Alone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (March 24, 2020 )
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Carey Douglas has worked for home remodeling and design gurus Melissa and Rusty Tripp for nearly a decade. A country girl at heart, Carey started in their first store at sixteen, and—more than anyone would suspect—has helped them build an empire. With a new show and a book about to launch, the Tripps are on the verge of superstardom. There’s only one problem: America’s favorite couple can’t stand each other.

James McCann, MIT graduate and engineering genius, was originally hired as a structural engineer, but the job isn’t all he thought it’d be. The last straw? Both he and Carey must go on book tour with the Tripps and keep the wheels from falling off the proverbial bus.

Unfortunately, neither of them is in any position to quit. Carey needs health insurance, and James has been promised the role of a lifetime if he can just keep the couple on track for a few more weeks. While road-tripping with the Tripps up the West Coast, Carey and James vow to work together to keep their bosses’ secrets hidden, and their own jobs secure. But if they stop playing along—and start playing for keeps—they may have the chance to build something beautiful together…

My Thoughts: I really like Christina Lauren's books but I thought this one wasn't quite as good as my experiences with some of the others I've read.

The Good, The Bad, and the Stuff in the Middle: The Laurens team does a great job of creating interesting characters and I liked Carey but not nearly as much as James. I thought Carey was so far into the Tripp's lives she justified all their bad behaviors but doesn't cut James the same slack. She mentally complains about pretty much everything James does and sees all his mannerisms as negative. It wasn't until they had to work closely together on the book tour she really discovers who James is and how terrific he can be. Carey occasionally got on my nerves by being Ok with how she was being treated by Melly. Rusty had my sympathy through most of the book because I couldn't see even one redeeming quality in Melly. Oh and not to draw parallels where there really weren't any but I kept seeing Chip and Joanna Gaines as the Tripps. Probably because they too are a couple who have hit remodeling TV shows but this was really all in my head and not from the authors writing of the characters in this book.

I think at one point we were supposed to feel for Carey because she had a medical condition she was living with which is one of the reasons she claimed to stay with the Tripps so long. For the insurance. I understand needing medical insurance as much as the next person but to dedicate a decade of her young life to a screaming shrew like Melly is crazy. There are other jobs with insurance out there.

The romance was Ok except it relies on the miscommunication trope to add conflict when there was enough conflict between the relationship of our four characters; Rusty, Melly, Carey, and James. I also hated that Carey finally got a backbone but used it on James instead of Melly. Man I hated Melly. The intimacy between Carey and James was done really well but I wish more focus could have been on building their romance rather than the destruction of Melly and Rusty's marriage.

The audio of this book was great. I love when multiple narrators work together to enhance the experience. Both Murin and Root are new to me narrators and I would listen to more with them. I was able to listen to the book at my regular speed of almost 2Xs without Murin making Carey sound like a chipmunk.

In a Nutshell: Although this wasn't my favorite Lauren book I did find myself thinking about it for days after finishing which was a good thing. This is why I ended up giving it an extra half point for a rating. I will definitely read more books by this writing team even though I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book over Josh and Hazel's Guide for Not Dating or My Favorite Half-Night Stand. I think those books are superior to this one.