Nixed in New Orleans by Kristen Painter [Review]

Nixed in New Orleans (A Frost & Crowe Mystery #4) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 10, 2025

A Frost & Crowe Mystery
1. Lost in Las Vegas
2. Wrapped Up in Christmas
3. Mystified in Music City
4. Nixed in New Orleans - Paperback | Kindle
5. Nightmare at the North Pole

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Jayne Frost
1. Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case

Nocturne Falls
1. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When an old friend reaches out to Sinclair Crowe, he and his wife, Jayne Frost, head to New Orleans for what they think will be simple visit before they finally make the journey back to the North Pole. They’re looking forward to some fun and great food.

But things in the Big Easy are about to get downright difficult when a sudden death and a shocking incident threaten Sinclair’s friend’s reputation. It’s pretty obvious things are not as they seem, but digging deeper means putting themselves in danger.

Can Jayne and Sinclair find justice for all those involved without getting nixed in New Orleans?

Thoughts on Nixed in New Orleans: Jayne and Sin are heading to New Orleans and...things take a turn while they're there. Which isn't unexpected, exactly, given what these two have dealt with in the past, but this was supposed to be a relaxing trip where Sin got to visit with an old friend and Jayne got to sample some delicious New Orleans food before the two of them headed back to the North Pole to wait on the arrival of their wee one.

Then a friend of Sin's friend (and someone the couple have recently met) commits suicide and both Jayne and Sin have reservations about it actually being suicide. So they quietly start looking into it. Because that's what they do.

Complicating things are some local break-ins and a little case of blackmail. On the plus side, Birdie manages to pull some strings (because that lady is CONNECTED!) and soon Jayne and Sin are meeting with the local police chief to help put the pieces of this case together.

A little danger, some shifty individuals, more than one excellent meal, and two supernatural individuals who can't let injustice lie. 

Mystified in Music City by Kristen Painter [Review]

Mystified in Music City (A Frost & Crowe Mystery #3) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 18, 2025

A Frost & Crowe Mystery
1. Lost in Las Vegas
2. Wrapped Up in Christmas
3. Mystified in Music City - Paperback | Kindle
4. Nixed in New Orleans
5. Nightmare at the North Pole

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Jayne Frost
1. Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case

Nocturne Falls
1. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jayne Frost and husband Sinclair Crowe are off on another adventure, this time to Nashville, aka Music City, to pay a royal visit to one of the Santa’s Workshops toy stores. Once that’s done, they’ll have a little time to sightsee and play tourist.

Which they do. Until something rather peculiar happens in the Country Music Hall of Fame that leaves Sinclair feeling all shook up.

Suddenly, they have a new mystery to solve. And time is ticking for Sinclair. Even a necromancer can only take so much.

Can Jayne and Sinclair get to the bottom of things before it’s too late?

Thoughts on Mystified in Music City: Taking place a couple of months after the holiday events in Nocturne Falls, Jayne and Sinclair are now making a visit to Nashville. While they're technically there to visit the toy store and spread some goodwill, Sinclair's DELIGHTED to be spending time indulging in his love of all things Elvis (which is slightly less than his love of all things Jayne, but STILL).

As you might expect, things don't go exactly as the happy couple planned. Mostly because a restless spirit needs a little help figuring out who ended him. Seeing as how said spirit remembers very little of his last moments, Jayne and Sin have to work to piece together what happened and figure out who the guilty individual might be.

A little country music love (on Sin's part), a whole lot of food enjoyment (on Jayne's part), more than a few suspicious folks, some deep diving, some intuitive leaps, and a whole lot of Elvis impersonating. It's always fun spending time solving crime with Jayne and Sin!

Wrapped Up in Christmas by Kristen Painter [Review]

Wrapped Up in Christmas (A Frost & Crowe Mystery #2) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 16, 2025

A Frost & Crowe Mystery
1. Lost in Las Vegas
2. Wrapped Up in Christmas - Paperback | Kindle
3. Mystified in Music City
4. Nixed in New Orleans
5. Nightmare at the North Pole

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Jayne Frost
1. Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case

Nocturne Falls
1. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Princess Jayne Frost and Prince Consort Sinclair Crowe have been called back to Nocturne Falls for Christmas so that Jayne can help out at the short-staffed Santa’s Workshop.

Being back means seeing some old friends, but also finding new trouble that Jayne just can’t stop thinking about. Are the random break-ins really someone trying to ruin Christmas? Because as Santa Claus’s niece, that feels personal to her.

But when the real reason for the break-ins gets unwrapped, Jayne decides to do everything in her power to put an end to the problem.

Too bad it might also mean the end of her.

Thoughts on Wrapped Up in Christmas: Jayne and Sinclair are back in Nocturne Falls to help at the toy store during the Christmas season and THINGS are afoot. Some of those things are decidedly Christmassy and some are VERY MUCH NOT.

On the Christmassy side, Jayne is filling in for one of the workers at the toyshop so they can deal with a family emergency. It isn't hard for her to fall into old work routines and spend time with her friends in Nocturne Falls. She and Sin have a sweet camper to go home to at night and all the sweets she can handle.

On the non-Christmassy side, a series of break-ins around town have the NFPD stumped. As a whole, the break-ins bother Jayne and Sin because who would want to ruin Christmas? As an official North Pole delegate (and Santa's niece), Jayne isn't keen on anybody experiencing a bad Christmas. So she straps on her detecting cap and she and Sin start investigating.

A little winter elf magic, donuts that make Jayne swoon, present-buying, food-eating, and a fair amount of investigative leaps to get to the bottom of this potential holiday mishap. That said, this is a dangerous situation Jayne and Sin have stumbled into and it's going to take some quick thinking to get out of it unharmed. *thumbs up*

The Vampire's Cursed Kiss by Kristen Painter [Review]

The Vampire's Cursed Kiss (Shadowvale #2) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 13, 2025

Shadowvale
1. The Trouble With Witches
2. The Vampire's Cursed Kiss - Paperback | Kindle
3. The Forgettable Miss French
4. Moody and the Beast
5. Her First Taste of Fire
6. Monster in the Mirror
7. A Sky Full of Stars

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Shadowvale isn’t your typical small town America. The sun never shines, the gates decide who enters, magic abounds, and every resident bears some kind of curse.

Vampire Constantin Thibodeaux was cured of his sun "allergy" when he moved to Shadowvale. Now he runs the local bookstore, which is really just a sideline to filling his own library. Books, unlike people, are far more forgiving of his prickly nature. But he doesn’t care if people don’t like him. He is who he is. And he’s happy. Well, he’s content. Okay, he’s…fine.

Sprite and all around party girl Andromeda Merriweather loves her carefree life – or at least she did until her sister cursed her into a magical time out. Thankfully, she’s just been set free by a totally hot, but kind of grumpy vampire. Too bad this handsome grouch now holds the key to her freedom, something she’ll only get if he agrees to abide by the rules of her curse.

Constantin isn’t interested in the terms and conditions Andromeda gives him, until he needs her to be his temporary girlfriend to shut his brother up. Then Constantin agrees. But what happens after a surprisingly fun evening creates brand new problems for both of them. Sure, two opposites can attract, but will that attraction last? Or are they both too cursed to give love a chance?

Thoughts on The Vampire's Cursed Kiss: It's been a while since I've spend some time in Shadowvale and hoo-boy is this a fun place. It has all sorts of supernatural individuals and all sorts of supernatural shenanigans going on.

This time around, Constantin is up. He's uptight, a little broody, and kind of withdrawn from the world. Well, as much as someone can be withdrawn who owns a popular bookstore in the center of town. Still, a broken engagement has left its mark on him and he's absolutely not interested in finding romance or a relationship or having anything to do with anyone who could potentially hurt him. Which works just fine, thank you, until he unleashes a little chaos into his life in the form of one cursed sprite.

Andromeda is...well, she's a party girl who doesn't always think of how her actions might hurt those around her. One hurt too many and her sister cursed her into a book and (after a little time had passed) Constantin is the lucky vampire who released her. Lucky for him, of course, because Andromeda shakes him out of his rut and has him daring to want things he'd closed his heart off to.

A catty (not literally) ex, complicated family dynamics (for both of them), a deep love of books, a vampire who desperately needed to step outside his comfort zone, and a lady who had to lose what was important to her before she realized how much she loved it. GOOD TIMES!

Down by Kirsten Weiss [Review]

Down (The Witches of Doyle #3) by Kirsten Weiss
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: June 2, 2024

The Witches of Doyle
1. Bound
2. Ground
3. Down - Paperback | Kindle
4. Witch
5. Fey
6. Fate
7. Oak
8. Stone
9. Stream
10. Unbound
11. Harvest of the Witch

Kirsten Weiss
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A shamanic witch and a poet, Lenore retreats into the world of books to escape reality. And why wouldn’t she? For Lenore, reality includes seeing ghosts and forecasting death. It also means Connor, the handsome policeman with an eclectic taste in reading.

But when her friend dies under suspicious circumstances, she can’t hide anymore. And she’ll have to talk to Connor about more than books. Because the two will need to work together to find the killer… before the killer finds Lenore.

As she tracks a murderous adversary through the woods and streets of her mountain home, an otherworldly menace grows. This introverted witch may be her small town’s only hope.

Thoughts on Down: Things are coming to a head for the Bonheim sisters in their ongoing struggle against the fae who has cursed their family line. This time around, it's Lenore's turn to end up tangled in a dangerous situation. She's trying to figure out who killed her friend, while searching for the Rose Rabbit and doing her best to stay out of the killer's crosshairs. On top of all that, she's also dealing with her power being a little off. Not in a big way, but it's a little more unpredictable than it normally is.

As if all that's not enough, the sisters are running against the clock since Karin has a wee one on the way and they all expect the fae to do what she does best when it comes to expectant Bonheim women.

Yeah, Lenore has a lot going on. Throw in an unexpected inheritance, a potential relationship with the policeman she's been crushing on forever, and ghosts who are acting outside the norm and she has more than her fair share of things to deal with. On the upside, she has her sisters and their combined magic and a whole lot of grit and determination.

The Bonheim triplets are in deep and they're doing what they have to do to keep themselves and their town safe. GOOD STUFF!

Ground by Kirsten Weiss [Review]

Ground (The Witches of Doyle #2) by Kirsten Weiss
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 31, 2024

The Witches of Doyle
1. Bound
2. Ground - Paperback | Kindle
3. Down
4. Witch
5. Fey
6. Fate
7. Oak
8. Stone
9. Stream
10. Unbound
11. Harvest of the Witch

Kirsten Weiss
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jayce Bonheim is on the sheriff’s radar, and not in a good way.

The most reckless of her triplet sisters, Jayce is determined to turn over a new leaf. No more wild partying. No more love-em-and-leave-em relationships. Not when the man she’s loved since forever is finally a part of her life.

But when someone leaves a dead body in her pickup, her resolve to become the sensible sister is tested.

Caught in a web of love, murder, and magic, can Jayce clear her name and discover who is behind the curse that holds her family and town in its thrall?

Thoughts on Ground: Oh my goodness, Jayce has a lot she's dealing with. After being accused of murder previously (but beating the rap OBVIOUSLY since she didn't do it), she now has another dead body popping up around her. And given everything that went down before, the sheriff is all too happy to have Jayce in her crosshairs. I might be exaggerating a little about that, but Jayce does have to answer questions AGAIN about a body and that's no fun.

To complicate things even further, she and Brayden (the widower of the body found previously) are exploring a potential relationship since his wife is, you know, not around. While they really were only friends while he was married, people are still giving them the stink eye because this thing happened pretty quickly. To be fair, Brayden has been on Jayce's radar forever, but she steered clear since he WAS married.

No lie, these Bonheim triplets lead complicated lives.

With the sheriff sniffing around her, Jayce realizes she needs to do some digging to figure out who really did the deed before she gets arrested for real. So she digs. She asks questions. And while all this is going on, the sisters are still trying to figure out how to break the family curse. That's a pretty big deal since none of them want to die tragically in the near future.

A stolen truck, a dead body, sisterly bonds, magic that is going a little haywire, a man who is willing to risk everything for his witchy love, and a lady who is working hard to live life to the fullest and keep her family safe. Also, WHOA THAT THING THAT HAPPENED AT THE END. Yikes!

Bound by Kirsten Weiss [Review]

Bound (The Witches of Doyle #1) by Kirsten Weiss
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 28, 2024

The Witches of Doyle
1. Bound - Paperback | Kindle
2. Ground
3. Down
4. Witch
5. Fey
6. Fate
7. Oak
8. Stone
9. Stream
10. Unbound
11. Harvest of the Witch

Kirsten Weiss
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Bound by magic, bound by love, bound by murder…

In a family with two witchy sisters, Karin’s lack of magic stings. But when she finds a body in flighty, big sister Jayce’s coffee shop, a dark enchantment begins to unravel. And Karin and her small town will never be the same.

As Karin works to untangle the murder, the knottier the mystery of her mountain home becomes. Why are hikers vanishing in the nearby woods? Why are some people cursed with bad luck and others with good? And what is Jayce’s handsome new lawyer hiding?

With her sister’s fate hanging by a thread, Karin must untangle the truth. And death stalks ever closer…

Thoughts on Bound: There's more to the town of Doyle than Karin and her sisters thought. And this is considering the triplets are witches and use magic regularly. Well, Jayce and Lenore use magic regularly. Karin isn't quite as blessed in the magic department. Except maybe she actually is.

Regardless, Doyle if filled with beautiful townsfolk and hikers go mysteriously missing every seven years.  Which Karin and the sisters don't realize until it's pointed out to them. With their aunt sick and Jayce as the #1 suspect in a murder investigation (seriously, Jayce has weird bad luck in that regard), the triplets have a lot on their hands. Then Karin's aunt drops a bombshell about a family curse on them and things get even more complicated.

Which means it's probably not the best time to get the flutters whenever Jayce's new lawyer shows up. But Karin does just that. As it turns out, Nick has his own connection to Doyle and they start unraveling what's going on a piece at a time. And kissing. Because of the flutters, you know.

A curse that stretches back through the years, jealousy, heartache, missing folk, mysterious woods, a man who wants answers, and a woman who is beginning to see what's around her. No like, I like these sisters, their abilities, and their strange town. *thumbs up*

Soul Kissed by Erin Kellison [Review]

Soul Kissed (Shadow #5) by Erin Kellison
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 26, 2024

Shadow
1. Shadow Bound
2. Shadow Fall
3. Shadowman
4. Fire Kissed
5. Soul Kissed - Paperback | Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st review)
Shadow Touch
1. Shadow Touch

Erin Kellison
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The great mage Houses battle for control of magekind as the modern world plunges into Shadow...

When a fatal plague sweeps through magekind, no one born with Shadow in their blood is immune to its ravages. At the mage Council's bidding, Cari Dolan, scion of her House, and Mason Stray, an outcast seeking refuge for his young son, are tasked with identifying the fiend responsible.

Together, they track the killer with Cari’s rare aptitude to see into the past, while Mason uses his craftsman’s gift of ingenuity with magic to protect her. Trust is nearly impossible between them, but both remember a breathless moment long ago, when things could’ve been different.

As they grow ever closer to their quarry, Mason and Cari cannot deny their growing connection and the desire burning between them. But a true partnership is hopeless. She is a daughter of wealth, privilege, and power, while he has been forced to make dark deals with magekind to merely survive.

Beset by dangers on every side, the hunt leads them into the darkest of futures, between fractured alliances and growing fear. The fae creep ever closer to crossing into the mortal world. And Cari and Mason are at the center of the tumult. Will their incendiary union be their salvation…or their doom?

Thoughts on Soul Kissed: The Dark Age is coming and there are those (like Kaye) who want to work with the Light to keep things from going totally ballistic and then there are the others (the powerful houses) who are planning on ruling over their own personal fiefdoms in a way that will likely not benefit humans. Cari is caught somewhere between. At least at first. When the plague takes her father and nearly kills her, she's suddenly the head of Dolan house and that comes with...intricacies.

Thanks to her surviving the plague, she's also tapped (by Kaye) to head the investigation on where it came from. Paired with her? Mason Stray. Who survived the plague for reasons that have nothing to do with a hearty constitution and everything to do with his uniqueness amongst magekind.

And, yes, Mason is unique. He's also a worried father who is willing to do anything to keep his son safe. Including pairing up with Cari, who he had a moment with years ago and who is now the head of a very powerful house. Considering he's a stray, things are a little tense when they start out.

Dark power, rogue angels, alliances, powerful fae, death (and also Death), familiar faces, dangerous times, a man who will cross any line to see his son survive, and a lady who has a slew of secrets suddenly revealed to her. *thumbs up*

Candle & Crow by Kevin Hearne [Review]

Candle & Crow (Ink & Sigil #3) by Kevin Hearne
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: August 12, 2024

Ink & Sigil
1. Ink & Sigil
2. Paper & Blood
3. Candle & Crow - Hardcover | Kindle

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
The Iron Druid Chronicles
1. Hounded

Oberon's Meaty Mysteries
1. The Purloined Poodle

Kevin Hearne
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Al MacBharrais has a most unusual job: He’s a practitioner of ink-and-sigil magic, tasked with keeping order among the gods and monsters that dwell hidden in the human world. But there’s one supernatural mystery he’s never been able to solve: Years ago, someone cast twin curses on him that killed off his apprentices and drove away loved ones who heard him speak, leaving him bereft and isolated.

But he’s not quite alone: As Al works to solve this mystery, his friends draw him into their own eccentric dramas. Buck Foi the hobgoblin has been pondering his own legacy—and has a plan for a daring shenanigan that will make him the most celebrated hobgoblin of all. Nadia, goth queen and battle seer, is creating her own cult around a god who loves whisky and cheese.

And the Morrigan, a former Irish death goddess, has decided she wants not only to live as an ordinary woman but also to face the most perilous challenge of the mortal world: online dating.

Meanwhile, Al crosses paths with old friends and new—including some beloved Druids and their very good dogs—in his globe-trotting quest to solve the mystery of his curses. But he’s pulled in so many different directions by his colleagues, a suspicious detective, and the whims of destructive gods that Al begins to wonder: Will he ever find time to write his own happy ending?

Thoughts on Candle & Crow: Sigil agent Al MacBharrais has A LOT going on. So much. The guy is cursed, dealing with gods and other supernatural beings who like to push the boundaries of what they're allowed to do, and the possibility of ever retiring is just a pipe dream thanks to that aforementioned curse. And yet he's making things work.

He has Buck and Nadia, the Morrigan and Gladys and they're managing to keep on top of things. Sort of. I mean, sure, Nadia is probably starting a cult and Gladys is something that scares the other gods into toeing the line and Buck is a hobgoblin with all the quirks and pranks that come along with hobgoblinry and the Morrigan has a tendency to eat the eyes of people who cross her, but they're managing.

And Al? He's figuring things out. One step at a time and all that. He's getting closer to figuring out who cursed him and that particular journey has him crossing paths with a seer who gives him answers to the vexing trafficking problem he's run across back home. Which, in turn, is tangled up with an unpleasant man from Manchester. Seriously, Al has A LOT going on.

That said, this was a very satisfying end point. Al gets answers. Buck gets direction. Nadia finds her happy place (almost literally). The Morrigan redefines herself in a rather unexpected way. And Gladys...well, Gladys is a lady even the gods don't want to cross and she's happy with that.

A little danger, good whisky, gods and monsters, some very good dogs, magic, curses, the power of belief, and one aging sigil agent who's ready to start the next phase of his life. GOOD TIMES!

Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison [Review]

Fire Kissed (Shadow #4) by Erin Kellison
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: March 17, 2024

Shadow
1. Shadow Bound
2. Shadow Fall
3. Shadowman
4. Fire Kissed - Paperback | Kindle
5. Soul Kissed

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st review)
Shadow Touch
1. Shadow Touch

Erin Kellison
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Kaye Brand is outcast from magekind, selling her magic to the highest bidder. She lives in wealth, conjuring faefire for humans to glimpse their future in her flames. But she's spending herself as fast as she spends money. Her power is precious in an uncertain world, and avaricious forces will do anything to control it...

Jack Bastian is a soldier of the Angelic Order. Centuries old, he knows the violent chaos that magekind can wreck upon humankind—he has beat it back with sword and shining purpose many times before. With the new rise of Shadow, those with magic in their blood grow strong and bold once again, the ancient Houses coming together to plot a dark takeover.

He has no choice but to hire Kaye—with her blazing beauty and undeniable gifts—to infiltrate magekind and discover their secret plans. And it seems she'll do anything for a price.

But Kaye isn't going back for money. It's time to confront her fear, even if it takes the form of the most ruthless and powerful mage there is—Ferrol Grey. As a teen, she was betrothed to him but chose to run away. To save herself while others perished. As a woman in full possession of her power, she'll face him once again, steal his secrets, and make things right…even if she must cooperate with an infuriating and beautiful angel to do it.

War is inevitable between the defenders of the Order and magekind. For Jack, mage-born Kaye is off limits, no matter how scorching the impossible attraction between them. And yet, in the coming darkness, beset by danger and desire, everything is about to change...

Thoughts on Fire Kissed: We're back in a world where Shadow is starting to spread over everything and danger is lurking around every corner. Practically. This time around we have an outcast mage and an angel who's not nearly as uptight as some of the other angels. Actually, it might be more like Jack is just...tired? Maybe? He's seen a lot in his long centuries and he now he sees war against the mages as inevitable. As it turns out, Kaye might be the only way the Order can gain an edge on the mages and he's planning on using her to do just that.

HA. Yeah. Kaye isn't great at letting people use her. She survived something that would have killed most anyone else and it shaped her in ways Jack and the rest of the Order don't understand. Well, Jack comes to understand it, but only after he sees the side of Kaye she usually keeps hidden from everyone.

Let's just say these two are complicated even after they figure out what they mean to one another and leave it at that. No wait. I can't leave it. These two...they have steam and sparks and all those other things, but they're in a precarious position and circumstances force them both to make difficult choices.

MEANWHILE...more and more Shadow is leaking into the world, Kaye and Jack uncover how more wraiths are being made even though the source has been cut off, things are chaotic and tense all over, and someone has to figure out how to make everything work as the world is crumbling around them. There's a lot going on and YESSSSS. So good.

Shadowman by Erin Kellison [Review]

Shadowman (Shadow #3) by Erin Kellison
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 11, 2024

Shadow
1. Shadow Bound
2. Shadow Fall
3. Shadowman - Paperback | Kindle
4. Fire Kissed
5. Soul Kissed

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st review)
Shadow Touch
1. Shadow Touch

Erin Kellison
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Journalist Layla Mathews is determined to break the story about the Segue Institute—and what really goes on there—even if it kills her. Her desperate search for elusive answers takes her into haunting peril and into the arms of an enigmatic man.

Following a lead to a dockside warehouse, she ventures deep into diabolical darkness where she discovers a forge, a hammer, and an uncanny iron gate that whispers promises of everything she’s ever hoped for…if she will just open it.

Through the portal, an abomination slips into the world, leaving a trail of blood and violence as it hunts Layla. She has no choice but to turn to Segue for help, learning that the old, renovated hotel sits on the brink of the shadowlands, where ghosts, wraiths…and a mysterious, but strangely familiar, dark lord of the fae bide.

The secrets hushed in Segue’s ballrooms, corridors, and research lab prove more terrifying than anything she suspected. But she finds hope in a cry in the night…and seduction in the shadows that once frightened her. She discovers that love transcends all barriers, even time, and its power may be their salvation.

Thoughts on Shadowman: The Shadowman (aka Khan in this book) was the catalyst for the wraiths finding a way into the world and he's been looking for his love (Kathleen) ever since they were parted. After finding out she wasn't in heaven with the angels, he started crafting a gate that would let him enter hell so he could bring her back.

Except...as it turns out Kathleen wasn't in heaven because she'd managed to find her way back to earth. As Layla. Layla might not have Kathleen's memories of her time with Shadowman, but she's drawn to him. And she's been chasing the wraith story since she first heard about them. Which, as it turns out, puts her in the path of Khan and leads her to Talia and, well, it's almost like she's in the exact place she's meant to be in at the exact right moment.

On Khan's end, it doesn't take him long to realize the truth about who Layla is, but his dereliction of duty and the gate he crafted and a host of other issues keeps getting in the way of them being together. Plus, you know, Layla needs to come to terms with the past before they can really be together-together. Throw in a demon with a little case of blood-lust and Shadow doing its thing and THINGS HAPPEN.

A family reunion (of sorts), a dangerous escapee, a lady looking for answers, fae (who love their sly tricks and wicked cajoling), a powerful man who is determined to find his love, and buckets of danger that keeps everyone on their toes. A solid ending to a good series!

His Darkest Desire by Tiffany Roberts [Review]

His Darkest Desire (The Cursed Ones #2) by Tiffany Roberts
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 20, 2023

The Cursed Ones
1. His Darkest Craving
2. His Darkest Desire - Paperback | Kindle

Tiffany Roberts
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A cursed goblin sorcerer. The human female he’s waited an eternity for. A secret that could tear them apart.

A quaint cottage in a Scottish forest seemed the perfect place for Kinsley to start anew. But when a tragic accident leaves her isolated and dying, her new life is over before ever beginning.

Until a dark, mysterious being emerges from the night gloom and offers to save her—for a price.

With no other choice but death, she accepts. She awakens to find herself bound to an ancient, powerful goblin who is equally terrifying and intriguing. He’s terse, demanding, brooding.

Despite that, Kinsley is drawn to him, captivated by his sinful crimson eyes, craving his every wicked touch.

But what will happen when he discovers the truth? What will happen when he learns that Kinsley cannot fulfill their pact?

What will happen if she lets this goblin claim her heart along with her freedom?

Thoughts on His Darkest Desire: It's been a while since I read book 1 in this series (in fact, it wasn't even a series at the point I read it) and HOO-BOY do I remember how much I like these dark, dangerous supernatural men and the women who fall hard for them.

This time around we have Vex and Kinsey. He's a sorcerer with maybe a little bit of baggage and a a curse that keeps his tethered to his realm. She's a (mostly) human lady who ends up in his world after a harrowing accident and gets a crash course in the supernatural world. Vex is high-handed, arrogant, and kind of a jerk when Kinsey first meets him. Honestly, that's to be expected given that he hasn't had much interaction with any being other than his Wisps for along, long time.

What I'm saying is that Vex and Kinsey get off to a bit of a rocky start.

That said, Vex isn't totally heartless. He's sharp and powerful and dangerous, but he listens and soon he's worming his way into Kinsey's affections. As it turns out, she's digging into his, as well.

Curses, a dark past, danger, magic, a goblin with a chip on his shoulder, and a lady who isn't about to give up on the male who captured her heart. *thumbs up*

Crossroads Magic by Tracy Cooper-Posey [Review]

Crossroads Magic (Witchtown Crossing #1) by Tracy Cooper-Posey
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: February 25, 2024

Witchtown Crossing
1. Crossroads Magic - Paperback | Kindle

Tracy Cooper-Posey
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

I’m just an ordinary, middle-aged woman, and my life is falling apart…
When did I become such a cliché? I’m divorced, working a crappy job, living on next to nothing, and wondering how it all went so wrong.

Then it goes even more wrong. My grown daughter turns up after not speaking to me for two years, with stunning news of her own, and to cap it off, I’m summoned to a tiny, isolated hamlet in northern New York called Haigton Crossing, where my mother has lived for decades.

Haigton Crossing looks like a throw back to another time. For such a small place, it is stuffed full of secrets. The people there are different, including the town’s doctor, Benedict Marcus. And Haigton Crossing is way, way too small to host a murder….

Thoughts on Crossroads Magic: There's a lot going on here and, well, I'm here for it. Anna is a middle-aged, divorced woman with adult children, a crappy job, and an ex who can pounds rocks because I really don't like what he did to her to drive her to the point she's at (frankly, I'm hoping VERY HARD that he gets what's coming to him down the road because his actions were SUPER NOT COOL and I'm a big fan of karma.)

So. Anna's in a low point, her daughter shows up after a couple years of estrangement, and Anna gets called to the small town (not even a town, really, more like a hamlet or something even smaller) her mother lived in to deal with her sudden death. With Ghaliya (her daughter) in tow, she sets out to see what needs to be done.

As it turns out, Haigton Crossing is a odd place inhabited by colorful characters. As Anna attempts to investigate her mother's death, she comes face to face with a world she didn't know existed. Or maybe she did know, but didn't realize because her mother was smack-dab in the middle of it and some of that had to have impressed on Anna a little. Regardless, her eyes are opened in a big way and everything changes for her pretty quickly.

A small (but not necessarily as close-knit as you might think) town, a little magic, a mystery Anna is determined to uncover, a daughter who needs support, a doctor who plays his cards close to the vest, and a lady who is discovering who she is when she's called to Haigton Crossing and has the world open up around her. *thumbs up*

Gray Dawn by Hailey Edwards [Review]

Gray Dawn (Black Hat Bureau #10) by Hailey Edwards
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 31, 2024

Black Hat Bureau
1. Black Hat, White Witch
2. Black Arts, White Craft
3. Black Truth, White Lies
3.5. Black Soul, White Heart
4. Black Wings, Gray Skies
5. Gray Witch
6. Gray Tidings
7. Gray Court
8. Gray Seas
9. Gray Days
10. Gray Dawn - Paperback | Kindle

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

In this tenth and final installment of The Black Hat Bureau series, Rue races the clock to find her little moth girl before it’s too late. As much as she wants to believe that Clay will protect Colby, he isn’t himself when he’s under the director’s thrall. And the director would toss a loinnir back like a shot of pure magic if he got his hands on her.

As if Rue doesn’t already have enough heaped on her plate, Luca is spreading her poison west in a twisted game of take-out roulette. Now Rue must decide if saving one life is worth sacrificing the dozens of innocents Luca will kill if Rue doesn’t make stopping her the top priority.

As the director, Rue ought to put her agents’ lives and the Bureau’s purpose above her own, but Colby is her child and—right or wrong—Rue would burn down the world to save her.

Thoughts on Gray Dawn: I have a notoriously hard time finishing up series I adore because I really REALLY don't want to end my time with characters I've come to like more than a little. So when I say this ending is both bittersweet and utterly glorious, keep that in mind. (But mostly hold the "utterly glorious" part up to examine.)

RUE AND ASA AND COLBY AND CLAY AND OMG I'M SAD TO SAY GOODBYE BUT BOY DID YOU GUYS GO OUT WITH A BANG. Not a literally bang, thankfully, but all the little threads got tied off and I AM DEEPLY PLEASED.

When last we visited with the crew, Clay had been betrayed by the magic that animates him, Colby was unintentionally moth-napped, Aedan is playing heir to a terrible queen, Rue and Asa (and the rest of the Bureau) are trying to get ahead of the poisoner, and...I don't even know. There's a lot. I mean, Rue is not only dealing with all this, but also a lot of deep-rooted familial things that are MESSED UP.

Now she has to figure out how to save Colby (because there's no way she's letting her little girl deal with things on her own), bring Clay back to himself, stop the poisoner before they reveal the existence of paranormals to humans, and keep her wicked grandmother from taking out her upsets with Rue on Aedan.

So much happens and it's so good and BITTERSWEET, my friends. My heart eyes are strong and I'm so very very happy with how things turned out for all of them.

Fairy Queen by J.L. Bryan [Review]

Fairy Queen (Songs of Magic #7) by J.L Bryan
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 13, 2023

Songs of Magic
1. Fairy Metal Thunder
2. Fairy Blues
3. Fairystruck
4. Fairyland
5. Fairyvision
6. Fairy Luck
7. Fairy Queen - Paperback | Kindle

J.L. Bryan
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Darkness has fallen over the enchanted, dreamlike realm of Faerie. There's figurative darkness as the ruthless Queen Mab makes war to enforce her rule over other magical Folk. There's also literal darkness as the Hauntlands grow rapidly, turning the once sunny and fun wild places into dim, spooky ruins inhabited only by a few ghost Folk and zombie cows.

Yep, things are looking dark as Aoide the Lutist, her bandmates, and the rest of the Folk face threats that could destroy their world and all who live there.

On Earth and in Faerie, the former members of the Rioting Zebras, the teen garage band that became global superstars with a little “borrowed” magic, each follow a different path. Jason, Erin, Mitch, and Dred confront personal mysteries and supernatural danger as they approach the end of the adventure they began long ago, when they first discovered magic, and it changed their lives forever.

Thoughts on Fairy Queen: It's been a while since I last dipped my toes n Faerie and spent time with Erin. Jason, and the crew (both human and otherwise), so it was a TRIP to head back in and get immersed in the balloon animals and tiny monsters and BAG BAD FAIRY QUEENS WHO ARE NOT VERY GOOD RULERS AT ALL DESPITE HOW OFTEN THEY SCREAM ABOUT HOW GREAT THEY ARE TO EVERYONE.

So. Yeah. Erin and Jason. Erin found out the truth about her heritage and faked her own death on Earth (technically she didn't fake it, but it got faked all the same) and is trying to find herself in Faerie. Except things are a little dark in faerie right now and it turns out Erin can't walk away when there's something she can do. It's actually pretty noble and all that and she steps into the role she needs to step into with good intentions, but she was very much manipulated into that position and NOT COOL, MAN. Not cool at all.

On the plus side, her cat is pretty awesome and philosophical and I dig that.

As for Jason, he's busy back on Earth trying to keep his family safe, failing in that, ending up in Faerie, meeting up with the original owners of the faerie instruments he stole, and...you know what? The guy had a lot going on. Throw in a power-hungry queen and a fae-crushing war and, well, THINGS HAPPEN.

A lot of punny word play, a not-so-fun war, rebel contingents, scheming elders, magic, mayhem, music, and a magnificently philosophical cat. Overall, it's a solid ending to a fun series.

Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck by Mandy M. Roth [Review]

Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck (Grimm Cove #5) by Mandy M. Roth
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 14, 2022

Grimm Cove
1. Cloudy with a Chance of Witchcraft
2. Hexing with a Chance of Tornadoes
3. Spellcasting with a Chance of Spirits
4. Starry with a Chance of Nightshade
5. Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck - Paperback | Kindle
6. Wind with a Chance of Wolfsbane
7. Prince with a Chance of Darkness

Mandy M. Roth
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When Detective Drest Bright meets his newest charge, sparks literally fly. There is no denying the instant attraction he feels for Rachael Frankenstein. But she’s off-limits, and he knows as much. Her family has been a thorn in the side of the Nightshade Fae Hunters for over a hundred years, and they aren’t about to let him run off into the sunset with her without a fight. But if it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’ll get because this lovestruck Fae will do anything he can to be with his mate again.

Thoughts on Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck: It's Drest's turn to fall madly in love and have some very terrible things keep him from his lady-love and I AM HERE FOR IT. Seriously, these two have a rough go of things and it takes them a long time to find one another after circumstances fling them apart. A long time.

But Grimm Cove has a way of drawing the right people to it at the right time and Drest and Rachael end up where they need to be. Eventually.

Before that, however, they have the type of forbidden love that is frowned upon by Drest's higher-ups. And then there's the whole thing that happened with Rachael's family. Basically, it's messy and complicated and Drest didn't necessarily make the best choices when it came to their relationship, but he (and Rachael and their kiddo) paid an excessive amount for said forbidden love.

In other words, their relationship had a lot of ups and downs and a really big pause that gutted both of them. Yet they ended up finding one another again and defeating some bad guys and THINGS WERE GOOD.

I'm really enjoying the Frankenstein (and related family) arc and the wealth of possibilities opening up in Grimm Cove. *thumbs up*

Starry with a Chance of Nightshade by Mandy M. Roth [Review]

Starry with a Chance of Nightshade (Grimm Cove #4) by Mandy M. Roth
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 13, 2022

Grimm Cove
1. Cloudy with a Chance of Witchcraft
2. Hexing with a Chance of Tornadoes
3. Spellcasting with a Chance of Spirits
4. Starry with a Chance of Nightshade - Paperback | Kindle
5. Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck
6. Wind with a Chance of Wolfsbane
7. Prince with a Chance of Darkness

Mandy M. Roth
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Detective Stratton Bright is a man with many secrets. He came to Grimm Cove on the hunt for monsters created by a madman. Not only is he a Fae who is duty-bound by birth to protect those who cannot protect themselves, he’s got a personal stake in the matter. Now, after years with no leads, the monsters have resurfaced at the same time a new arrival comes to town—a woman Stratton finds himself oddly drawn to. Is it just a coincidence or are the events related? And if so, what could the monsters possibly want with her?

Thoughts on Starry with a Chance of Nightshade: No lie, I was not a huge fan of book 3 (for reasons that likely had more to do with me than anything, but let's move on, shall we?), but Stratton and Astria's story hit it out of the park for me. I feel like we got STORY this time. So much story. Plus new characters, new ongoing issues (of the slightly non-dead variety), and a whole lot of Grimm Cove shenanigans.

But let's start at the beginning. Stratton and Astria. He's an immortal fae who does a very good job at hiding who and what he is from the locals. She's a woman on the run who's distanced herself from everyone she loves in order to keep them safe.

Hold up. That's not the beginning. That's more the end. When we first meet Stratton, he's tangled up in a gruesome case potentially involving the Frankenstein family. Astria makes him feel wildly protective, but she's barely more than a baby at the time and circumstances have them flung apart (which is good since Astria needed a chance to grow up) and separated for a fair amount of time. Years later, since bad luck (of the paranormal-ish variety) seems to follow Astria around, she's taken the drastic step if going full-loner to keep her family and friends safe.

Things happen, monsters are created, secrets are uncovered, Grimm Cove calls everybody to it when it's time for those secrets to be revealed, Stratton and Astria eventually figure things out, and there are more couples being lined up for the future. After all, Astria had several friends who are on their way to GC!

Solid story, a whole lot of monsters, and a couple who grew into each other. *thumbs up*

Snowbound with the Winter Lord by Cara Wylde [Review]

Snowbound with the Winter Lord by Cara Wylde
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: January 4, 2023

Purchase Links: Kindle

Cara Wylde
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Nora
I was looking forward to a cozy writing retreat with my best friend, at a cabin in the mountains, but when a snowstorm hits and the roads become impracticable, I end up alone, in the middle of nowhere. And then the power goes out, there’s no signal, and I hear a knock on my window. With a candle in hand, I look outside, and there’s a blue-skinned man with antlers staring back at me.

Velyan
I never liked the world of humans. I like it even less when I must leave my home behind and I end up in the middle of a vicious snowstorm, and the nearest shelter is a cabin that’s occupied by one of them. I ask the human woman to let me inside, and she answers by blocking all entrances. I soon realize my short exile in the human world is not going to be made easy by the bright-eyed, curvy beauty who denies me everything I crave.

Thoughts on Snowbound with the Winter Lord: Heh. An unexpected snowstorm that strands a human woman with a fae lord on the run. Things are quick and dirty (once she gets over the shock of finding out what he is) and I am here for it.

I mean, a winter lord who packs a lot of oomph in the magical department and who will do a whole lot for the people he believes in. Seeing how Velyan's fascinated by Nora despite her freak out over him the first time she lays eyes on him, she's one of those he's willing to go to extreme lengths for.

Fast, steamy, a fair amount of danger (for both of them), and a whole lot of snow. *thumbs up*

Gray Days by Hailey Edwards [Review]

Gray Days (Black Hat Bureau #9) by Hailey Edwards
Format: ebook
Source: provided for review
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: September 29, 2023

Black Hat Bureau
1. Black Hat, White Witch
2. Black Arts, White Craft
3. Black Truth, White Lies
3.5. Black Soul, White Heart
4. Black Wings, Gray Skies
5. Gray Witch
6. Gray Tidings
7. Gray Court
8. Gray Seas
9. Gray Days - Paperback | Kindle
10. Gray Dawn

Hailey Edwards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

The Black Hat compound is rubble on the ocean floor, the director hasn’t been seen since the explosion that demolished his life’s work, and old enemies have decided it’s open season on the remaining agents. Oh. And Arden has decided now is a great time for a surprise visit to force a confrontation with Rue.

Between holding the Bureau together, searching for her grandfather, and babysitting Arden, Rue has her work cut out for her. But her distraction allows her to be blindsided by a loss that fractures her very soul. Betrayal is a familiar sting for Rue, she barely feels it anymore, but this time? She might not survive it.

Thoughts on Gray Days: Never a dull moment with Rue and crew, amirite?!?! I mean, not only is the lady shouldering the responsibilities of the Bureau, she's also trying to figure out if her grandfather really perished in the explosion that took down the compound while dealing with a kind of terrifying (and pretty much sentient) book that is attempting to sink its claws as deeply into her as it can AND she has the whole issue with Aedan and how she REALLY doesn't want him left in her grandmother's clutches.

In other words, there's a lot going on.

AND THEN...well, let's just say there's some nasty poison (and a poisoner) she needs to track down, her father and his issues she needs to deal with, and a whole lot of behind the scenes things with the Bureau that keep interfering with the other stuff. Seriously, Rue and her people are stretched thin and things are only going to get worse with the way this book ended. *cries quietly in the corner while the world spins on around me*

So, yeah. There's a lot going on, but BOY is it good reading. Rue is digging in and looking for solutions and I AM HERE FOR IT ALL.

Death Dates the Oracle by Kristen Painter [Review]

Death Dates the Oracle (Nocturne Falls #15) by Kristen Painter
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 6, 2023

Nocturne Falls
1. The Vampire's Mail Order Bride
2. The Werewolf Meets His Match
3. The Gargoyle Gets His Girl
4. The Professor Woos the Witch
4.5. The Witch's Halloween Hero
4.6. The Werewolf's Christmas Wish
5. The Vampire's Fake Fiancée
5.5. The Vampire's Valentine Surprise
6. The Shifter Romances the Writer
6.5. The Vampire's True Love Trials
7. The Dragon Finds Forever
8. The Vampire's Accidental Wife
9. The Reaper Rescues the Genie
10. The Detective Wins the Witch
11. The Vampire's Priceless Treasure
12. The Werewolf Dates the Deputy
13. The Siren Saves the Billionaire
14. The Vampire's Sunny Sweetheart
15. Death Dates the Oracle - Paperback | Kindle
16. The Vampire's Former Flame
16.5. The Witch's Christmas Catastrophe

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Jayne Frost
1. Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case

Kristen Painter
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.

Eamon Underwood isn’t what you’d call a social butterfly. In fact, he avoids people altogether, outside of his job at his uncle’s funeral home, where Eamon is the mortician. For him, being around the dead is easier than being around the living. Mostly because of his very curious gift that enables him to see just how long a person has left to live. That knowledge makes personal interaction far too difficult.

Until he meets Troula Kouris. And sees…nothing.

Troula comes to Nocturne Falls to join her crazy-cat-lady aunts as an oracle, one of the rare descendants of the original Greek oracles. She’s been preparing for it all of her life. Unfortunately, just before she leaves for Nocturne Falls, she gets an ominous prediction that leads her to believe becoming an oracle could be fatal. Or maybe the real danger is the darkly handsome neighbor who lives next door.

When Troula and Eamon make a curious connection that leads to romance, it seems the fates want them together, despite the risks. Can a little orange kitten really solve all of their problems? Or will it all end in a catastrophe?

Thoughts on Death Dates the Oracle: We have new supernaturals in town and MAN they have some things they have to work through. Of the supernatural variety, I mean. Eamon's gift is not so great and it's pretty much made him into a hermit so he interacts with as few people as possible because seeing how long someone has left to live? Not fun IN THE SLIGHTEST.

On Tru's end, she's dealing with trying to decide if she wants to go through with the ritual that will bring her into her power. Thanks to her mom's sudden death years earlier, she has some reservations. Throw in a fortune teller's prediction that sends her spinning and she's on the fence about what she wants. The fact her next door neighbor could be danger the fortune teller spoke about AND that Tru finds him wildly attractive just muddles her even more.

Yeah, there's kind of a lot going on here. We have cats, cats, and more cats. The potential for romance between Eamon's uncle and one of Tru's aunts. A few familiar faces. A little danger. A not-so-great supernatural gift. A witchy gathering. And...well, romance between Eamon and Tru that might have to end before it even begins.

MAN, I like spending time in Nocturne Falls!