When a peer of the realm is found beheaded at Bloody Bridge Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin is compelled to investigate. When this murder has ties to an enemy of Sebastian’s the memories dredged up make it difficult for Devlin to separate his wanting to pin this murder on Lord Oliphant and the truth behind who is the murderer. C.S. Harris weaves an intricate mystery to create a story that is very hard to put down.
I read the first few books in this series initially but then used a credit to pick up the audio book and never turned back. Narrated by Davina Porter whom some of you may know from narrating the Outlander books, she brings an award worthy performance to the reading of these mysteries. Fluidly voicing multiple characters she makes it easy for the reader to immerse themselves in the story.
Yes, the mysteries are thrilling but what really sets these novels apart is how the reader gets to know Sebastian, Hero and the other characters inhabiting these novels. The Sebastian from book 1 is not the same man as the first time father and husband to hero in book 10 and those nuances of his character and depth of feeling makes every clue revealed to have hidden meaning to both the reader and how what he finds out may reflect on his character. I, like Hero, find myself falling in love with this character. He’s flawed, but as with most great fictional characters, those flaws make the man.
One interesting thing of note in this novel is the introduction of Jane Austen and her brother as central characters in the mystery. Society is a twitter reading Jane’s anonymous novel at the same time as Sebastian is seeing similarities between her characters and the people he is investigating for this grisly murder. It adds an element of humor and interest to this very somber tale. It’s the first time this author has created this type of hook, and I really enjoyed how different it made the story feel.
This has been a series that I’ve slowly listened to over the past couple of years and I still have quite a few of these novels to go as there is currently 16 books in the series. I recommend them whole-heartedly but believe that in order to really enjoy the nuances of the story and these characters the reader would benefit from reading them from the start and in order. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I finally managed to get a good bit of reading in during my break from work over the last 10 days. I did also stream some shows with my husband. I know last week I talked about Bridgerton, but over New Years my husband and I streamed Ted Lasso on Apple TV. Such a funny and heart warming show. If you have that service you should give it a try. Now back to my reading materials.
This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.
JUST FINISHED
I read Motion, Space, and Time back to back over two days. The first two books being cliffhangers. I have been reading some books I’ve had stored on my kindle and Motion was one of those. Luckily I was able to find Space and Time at the library and didn’t have to wait to borrow the e-books. This was a really good series! Technically she has them listed as books 4,5,6 in the Hypothesis series, but these can be read separately from books 1-3 which have different characters. I love how her characters are flawed and real rather than being these perfect individuals that none of us can dream of being. These were good and I totally recommend them.
JUST STARTED
I’m about half way through this novel and it’s really good! It’s rare when you can’t count on Nora Roberts to deliver a good story. Her pace and pattern of the story is familiar but I’m enjoying it a lot and can’t wait to get back to it.
What book did you read over the holiday and what will you be reading as we head into our new week? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
I can’t wait for this year to be over, but it wasn’t all bad. I read some great books, but then I also read some that just missed the mark. So, when I was tagged by this young teen from Manchester, England who writes the blog Hundreds & Thousands of Books I thought this tag would be a good way to celebrate some great books and not so great books in a truly awful year. BTW if you haven’t checked out Hundreds & Thousands of Books and you’re a YA fan, you need to get over there and check her out!
Now, I do need to give props to the creator of this tag.
As with most of these, there are rules to follow. I only mention them in case you want to join in and answer these questions yourself!
Tag at least 4 people- ( I am going to actually break this rule and open it up to anyone who would like to join in!)
PART ONE: THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR 2020
Name a book you were really excited to read:
I had received this book at a book convention and was curious. Nalini Singh writes paranormal romances but A Madness of Sunshine was said to be a straightforward mystery. How would this author change genre’s? Would she do it well? Let’s just say that I was not disappointed but then I wasn’t overly excited by it either. If you’d like to read my review, click HERE.
Name a book that started out really well and then….
What happens when you’re introduced to the heroine and you really like her but when you meet the hero you just go “huh”. Well, I really, really didn’t like the hero Dominic in this novel and had a tough time getting past that feeling.
My world went on hold the second week in March when I got sent home to work from home and well, I’ve never gone back. I’m still working from home.
Name a book that had an unexpected plot twist.
I had enjoyed this author’s previous novel The Dinner List but it had in no way prepared me for the emotional turmoil I’d be in reading In Five Years. Talk about twists and turns. Read my review for a short insight into this novel but I still don’t give away any secrets, except to say that I did like this book. Click HERE to read that review.
Name a book that felt like nothing happened.
This novel actually had a lot of things going on, but since it centered around an old folks home it had a very slow pace. There were a LOT of emotional traps in this slow pace so it’s not that nothing happened it just moved a little more slowly than my usual books. I also really enjoyed the change in fictional scenery. Click HERE to read my review.
Name a book where two main characters were separated.
Considering I read a lot of romance novels and Urban Fantasy this was a tough one to answer. I had to go with interpreting this question as two characters who were emotionally distant and came up with this novel. These two characters were married and where having difficulties. They separated briefly, but of course, resolved everything and got back together. I liked this novel too! LOL. If you’d like to read my review please click HERE.
PART THREE: THE WORLD TRIES TO REOPEN AND BEGINS THE SECOND WAVE…
Name a book where the characters made a bad decision.
This novel just had all sorts of problems for me. Most of all was our heroine pretending to be the “nanny” to stay with her child and the hero a stodgy Duke. I just really didn’t care for how this novel was written. If you’d care to read my review please click HERE.
Name a book with an impatient, overly eager character.
I really struggled with this one and finally settled on this novel. It’s the political intrigue that created a feeling of impatience though, not really the character.
Name a book in which the character’s goals change midway.
Our main character Josie is pretty self-centered. She wants to make it big in musical theater, but when she takes a chance on it life throws her a curve and she has to adjust her priorities. This was a very different sort of coming of age novel. Not my favorite of the year, but it was interesting. If you’d like to read my review please click HERE.
PART FIVE: THE END & LOOKING FORWARD
Name a book whose sequel you really anticipated or are anticipating.
I LOVED the first book in this series and whereas I still liked this one, it didn’t live up to the original. Read my review HERE.
Name a book whose sequel was better than the original.
I read a LOT of series and I’m going back through last year and I can’t come up with a sequel better than the original. However, in some series a book #3 or #4 may be better than the first because the characters are more developed and I’m more all in on where the author has taken that character. This novel was that for me.
Every book in this series is better than the book before. This is an all time favorite series of mine to date. Click HERE to read my review.
Name a book you read just to finish it despite your dislike of the novel.
I am trying so hard to pick authors that I like to read because this year I’ve really struggled to immerse myself in a story. I did recently re-read a novel because I was hoping I’d like it more the second time. I didn’t. I do really like the author but she’s hit or miss for me now.
This is an older novel of this author’s and to be fair I’ve read two of her’s recently that I really liked. Then read a third and disliked it too, so there’s that. 🙂 If you’d like to read my review of this novel click HERE.
Now, I’m supposed to tag 4 other bloggers, but instead of putting someone on the hook I’ll leave the choice up to you. If you’d like to do this tag, please feel free! I would like to be tagged in your post so I can read through your own answers.
Librarian and spy Irene, her new Fae assistant, friend and Detective Vale, and her lover and dragon Prince Kai have had repeated attempts upon their lives. When those attempts escalate to include kidnapping they must do everything to find out who’s responsible, including unlocking secrets that could change their lives forever.
The above synopsis is a bit short but is the gist of the novel. What it leaves out are all of the murder attempts, escapes, and revealing conversations. The only certain thing for Irene is that she doesn’t want anything to happen to those she cares for and she’ll upend multiple world to keep them from harm.
The Dark Archive is not fluff or filler in the storyline of Irene’s life, instead we find out some of the delicious details that we’ve been dying to know. How is Kai’s standing in his family, does Silver’s niece really want to be a librarian or is this just part of a Fae plot, and who are really Irene’s parents? We have been leading up to some of these answers for quite a while and whereas I like a good adventure as much as the next reader I was getting tired of being led by a carrot through multiple books. In The Dark Archive, we finally find out the answers and unfortunately that leaves me little to talk about in this review. What I can say is that this novel was interesting, it was filled with multiple twists, and Irene and Kai’s relationship seems to include a lot of feelings that Irene may be slightly uncomfortable revealing. After all, she is a spy and needs to keep some things close.
If you’re a fan of this series you’re not going to be felt let down by this novel. Finally, you’ll receive some of the answers you’ve been looking for, but unfortunately this series is not wrapped up yet. Or is that fortunately? Hmmm. In any case, this is not the end for Irene, Kai and her friends. There are more secrets yet to be revealed!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.
I’ve been on vacation since last Wednesday and I’ll admit that I had a few books lined up to read. I got sidetracked by a Kristen Ashley jag last week, but I’m back on track reading an Arc of a book that comes out on Tuesday. However, yesterday I was sidetracked again by binge watching Bridgerton on Netflix. Has anyone else watched this? My husband even liked it! Of course, he’s a bit of a romantic and there was quite a bit of nudity but it was seriously well done. I would love to hear your thoughts, but I’ll get back to my post about what I’m reading, not watching. LOL.
This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.
JUST FINISHED
If you love fast paced, action packed fantasy novels with kick booty heroines then this series is the one you need to read next. Threshold of Annihilation is the third book in the series and just as good as the first two. You will need to set aside time to read this on a day long binge because once your start the action does not stop. You will want to read it straight through from start to finish. I did.
JUST STARTED
The pace of this book has thrown me off a bit since it’s much slower than the last few novels I’ve read. I need to sit down and immerse myself because this is a series I enjoy and I know I’m not giving it the time needed to really get into the story. I’m just at the start so it’s too soon to tell if it’s as good as the previous novels.
Now that you know what books I’ve been reading please share! Are you reading a holiday story? Or a happily ever after? Please share in the comments.
Without sounding like I’m on repeat, Friday is January 1st, the start of a new month and a much needed and wanted new year. Since I’m not re-capping the horrors and highlights from 2020… yet, I’ll just get on to the books I’m looking most forward to being released next month.
#5 MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK RELEASE
This novel set in 14th century England is a mix of fantasy and reality. I’m looking forward to reading how this author brings those fantasy elements to life in this Wild Swans re-telling!
Synopsis:
Where there is wealth and power, there’s always someone willing to do anything to take it.
England, 1381: Delia’s idyllic life as daughter of an earl is shattered when her father dies and his wife accuses Delia’s seven brothers of treason and murder. The youngest is only ten years old, but this doesn’t stop the guards from hauling them off to the Tower of London. There they await a grim fate, as child-king Richard II is executing anyone who poses a threat to his throne. Delia is their only hope for pardon and freedom.
Sir Geoffrey did not expect his first assignment as captain of the guard to be the arrest of boys so young. He dutifully imprisons the brothers, but he can’t ignore the sense, rooted in personal experience, that injustice and treachery are at work.
Determined to rescue her brothers, Delia secures a position as a seamstress for the queen. Her quest is all but impossible as the executions continue. Sir Geoffrey offers to be her ally, but should she trust him in a court where everyone has an agenda?
From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a tender retelling of “The Wild Swans,” where the virtues of loyalty and love face a harrowing showdown with power and fear.
I don’t know why I haven’t read the previous novels in this series, but I love Jill Shalvis and there’s something about this synopsis that makes me think this will be the perfect escape from reality.
Synopsis:
When Maze returns to Wildstone for the wedding of her estranged bff and the sister of her heart, it’s also a reunion of a once ragtag team of teenagers who had only each other until a tragedy tore them apart and scattered them wide.
Now as adults together again in the lake house, there are secrets and resentments mixed up in all the amazing childhood memories. Unexpectedly, they instantly fall back into their roles: Maze their reckless leader, Cat the den mother, Heather the beloved baby sister, and Walker, a man of mystery.
Life has changed all four of them in immeasurable ways. Maze and Cat must decide if they can rebuild their friendship, and Maze discovers her long-held attraction to Walker hasn’t faded with the years but has only grown stronger.
The first book in this series made me an instant fan and I can’t wait to read Enjoy the View and catch up on my favorite characters from Moose Springs, Alaska. These novels are rom-com’s with a lot of heart and the characters are nutty, gritty, and genuine. Sarah Morgenthaler is a new find and an author you want to share with everyone.
Synopsis:
Former Hollywood darling River Lane’s acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River’s going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.
Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.
Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that’s a big if. The wildlife’s wilder than usual, the camera crew’s determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton’s job tougher, but there’s only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it’ll take all of Easton’s skill to get them back home safely…and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.
I really enjoyed this author’s previous novel Tweet Cute which put her on my radar for her next book release. Also a YA novel, this plot is reminiscent of Parent Trap or at least a cousin to it. What secrets would be revealed if you found out you had a long lost sister?
Synopsis:
When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.
But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.
When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents ― especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.
The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby’s growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.
But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.
For those of you who know me well, it won’t come as a surprise that Ilona Andrews newest release is my #1 pick for the month. This writing duo never disappoints and I’ve so been looking forward to Julie’s story!
Synopsis:
Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.
Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.
If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything.
One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard.
The eleventh installment in the Jane Yellowrock series finds Jane and her crew anticipating the visit from the European vampires when revenants start popping up around New Orleans killing masses of humans and providing a great distraction for Jane, Eli, and George. Investigating why these newly risen vamps have rose after having their heads cut off when buried uncovers a mystery that is centuries old and ties directly back to those soon to be visiting vamps. Cold Reign shows the evolution of Jane’s power, her growing love for her family and boyfriend, and the peace she has created with her inner beast.
I have tried to tell people why I love this series so much and I don’t think I do a very good job of it. It’s hard to describe how book 11 is so much better than book 1-3 and how the author found her groove with this character. When people see this kick butt heroine on the cover of the novel it’s easy to think that it’s all action and no plot. It is certainly a high octane story, but each plot have subtleties that tie each book together. That Jane’s every emotion has nuances that harken back to the early novels when she was a loner and lived only on surface emotions. The fact that this loner has built a family and found love, all while living in the same body as a dominant panther spirit who wants to show her and everyone else who’s in charge.
Having read Faith Hunter’s Soulwood Series first, I was always curious about what happened between Rick who is a featured character in Soulwood, and Jane. Cold Reign does delve into the past and answers a lot of questions. It also brings resolution to that story line, at least up to this point. I enjoyed how having Rick in the picture brought Jane’s emotions to the front, but not in the direction you’d think. It made her claim George and his reaction is priceless.
This novel is again a fast paced, action-adventure, emotionally driven piece of fiction. Going from my every day life to this story was like driving a Honda daily and being given the keys to a Maserati. You can’t help but hit the gas pedal and seeing how quickly you can get to 100. If you’ve not read this series, consider this me giving you the keys to the car. You need to hit that gas pedal right now. You won’t regret the ride and may enjoy the wind in your hair. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
The last weekend before Christmas and I was tucked away reading. Yes, reading! LOL. I actually had a Kristen Ashley book I needed to finish because the book was released last week and you know what? I really liked it which started my reading a couple other books of hers. I haven’t been this proliferate in quite some time. It felt good, honestly. Well, let’s get to it!
This post originated over on Book Date, so thanks for the idea and letting me continue on the discussion about what books I am reading.
JUST FINISHED
I read the second novel in this series first and was ecstatic that this author went back to her roots. The Dream Team series is a spin off of the Rock Chicks and so much fun!
JUST STARTED
Here’s the thing. I had this one on my Kindle and since I was reading Kristen Ashley I decided to pick this one up. For me, it’s a series that’s had it’s ups and downs, but this is the last book and they were resolving the underlying storyline (which I’d almost forgotten what it was), so I thought since I had just read two books that I really enjoyed I’d start this one. I didn’t hate it, but it had elements of her current writing that I’m not too fond of , the biggest being too much sex and not enough story!
My next book will definitely not be a KA novel. LOL. I think three in a row is too much, but I seriously enjoyed two out of the three!
Now that you know what I’ve been up to, what book have you dusted off and dug into?
After Lottie successfully set up their friend Evie and Mag, the rest of the Dream Team has been shying away from their hook-ups. Ryn Jansen doesn’t have any interest in Boone Sadler despite their obvious attraction to each other. She’s been let down by men before and isn’t willing to trust that he’ll be any different. When he shows up with information that her ex sister-in-law has been conning her out of money she’s upset for two reasons. She got conned by her family, but also Boone butted into her business! Despite his good reasons, Ryn is not happy but this time he isn’t giving up. When a bad guy kidnaps her for info, Boone becomes all alpha male claiming her as his, determined to get to the bottom of her kidnapping and to protect her with his life.
I did not read the first book in this series, Dream Maker, before I read Dream Chaser, but I certainly went to my kindle and downloaded it immediately upon finishing this novel. It was so much fun! The Dream Team series is a spin off of the Rock Chick series, one of my favorites. These novels were about fun, friends, and yes their alpha men, but the heart in these books make them easy to read and love. Dream Team was exactly the same, a return to the hay day of Kristen Ashley writing. Or at least when I liked her writing more.
What can I say about these characters? The Dream Team are strippers but like Julie Roberts in Pretty Woman, these strippers are only doing it for the money, not because they enjoy stripping. Like the Rock Chicks before them, there is an underlying plot running between the novels, so while I didn’t read Dream Maker first, if you have that chance, I’d read them in order. Also, I liked Dream Maker even more than I did Dream Chaser. Ryn has a family who takes advantage of her, taking her money, keeping her from pursuing her own dreams. Boone with his direct approach helps her come to terms with them.
As with KA’s more recent novels, Dream Chaser has some hard core sex scenes, but you know what? She did a lot of fade aways in this series too. It was a good blend of showing some action and not giving too much. Or at least it was to me. I like a story with my romance and I found it in this novel. In fact, this is why I started reading Dream Maker immediately upon finishing. This book took me back to why I had initially liked Kristen Ashley so much. Let’s hope she continues in this vein, or at least that there are a LOT of books in this series.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest.
Poppy Redfern is sent out on her first solo assignment with the London Crown Film Unit to produce a short film about the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) and the heroic Attagirls who flew those missions. When one of the pilots dies in a training exercise while her crew is filming and then the next day another girl dies, Poppy and her American Fighter- Pilot boyfriend Griff realize there may be a killer loose and they set out to investigate. Set against the backdrop of World War II, Poppy Redfern feels like an old fashioned, black and white, who dunnit, and I couldn’t help but cast Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart in the leading roles.
On old fashioned mystery was just what I needed to transport me to a time when DNA, CSI, and high tech equipment didn’t exist. Poppy reminded me of a girl Friday, but one who could smell deceit as well as a good story. I really enjoyed the naive qualities Poppy portrayed, a tribute to the time she lived in as well as her own morals. Her dogged resilience in the face of the man’s world she lived in made me like her pluck. I also enjoyed Griff’s good ole American portrayal of WWII pilot and found their relationship to be sweet and fitting to a book of this style.
The historical elements of this novel while not too detailed did ring true. The author gives a nice salute to the Attagirls, young women whom I didn’t even know existed. This era of women doing the job’s that required doing during this time of war is fascinating. It makes me want to spend an hour or two on my laptop researching the facts that supported this story. Tessa Arlen did a good job painting a picture without getting mired in the dry facts, romanticizing these women and weaving the mystery of two of their deaths.
I really enjoyed this novel. Yes, it was simple, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t smart. It just had an air of innocence that reminded me a bit of an old episode of Superman before the onset of special effects. If you love an old fashioned novel, then the Poppy Redfern series should be on your TBR. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!
The Reading Chick 
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