Book Review: Puma by Jorie Spencer

Puma
Author: Jorrie Spencer
Publication: Samhain Publishing (August 1, 2009)

Description: Callie, a cat-shifter, is a loner by virtue of the puma that lives inside her. After a job gone bad, her very human need for contact sends her in search of the only family she has. Callie finds her foster sister in a disturbing living arrangement.

The truth is more dangerous than Callie imagines. And Dev's need to protect the vulnerable is as strong as Callie's own.

My Thoughts: This urban fantasy stars a cat-shifter named Callie. She's left her work tracking down rogue shifters and decides to try to find her foster sister.

When she locates Ruth she learns that she is under the control of a Minder. Callie had never heard of Minders, humans able to control people's behavior. 

Callie learns that her sister is under the control of a young Minder named Scott and in the care of Dev who is another of Scott's people. Scott has good intentions. He wants his people to be happy and healthy, but he's been influenced by the stronger members of his pod and goes about things the wrong way.

Dev has cared about Scott since he was his mentor in Big Brothers. But Scott's habit of "pushing" Dev has almost broken his mind. 

Callie, who hasn't spent much time as a human recently, is confused by the situation she encounters when she locates her foster sister Ruth. She only knows that she cares for her sister and Dev and wants to get them away from all Minders. 

She and Dev begin a relationship which helps Dev break out of Scott's control. But he still feels a need to protect Scott. Callie isn't sure if that is Dev's own feelings or something Scott imposed on him. And neither is Dev.

This was an interesting urban fantasy story with a woman who has a difficult relationship with her puma other self and who encounters a group she's never heard of but knows she doesn't like. 

I bought this one August 1, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Atonement Sky by Nalini Singh

Atonement Sky
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity (Book 9)
Publication: Berkley (July 15, 2025)

Description: The hunt for a stealthy predator takes a damaged J-Psy to the heart of falcon territory in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh…

Justice-Psy Eleri Dias knows the end is near for her, her mind one step away from fatal psychic exposure. In the short time that remains, she is determined to atone for an act of omission that has haunted her for a long, cruel decade. But that decision not only means facing a powerful changeling wing leader, but also putting herself in the path of a serial killer.

Falcon wing leader Adam Garrett is fiercely protective of his family and his clan. After losing his parents as a teenager in a shocking act of malice, Adam has no forgiveness in him for the J-Psy who betrayed him, betrayed them, at the most painful moment of his life. But the evil that stalks his territory will allow him no respite, forcing him once more into contact with the J he has never been able to forget.

Everything that could’ve been between Eleri and Adam was lost years ago, a shimmering promise crushed. As they work to uncover a monster, the moment of reckoning looms ever closer. Soon, there may be no more time left for either atonement...or love…

My Thoughts: ATONEMENT SKY was another excellent story in an excellent series. J-Psy Eleri Dias has one last goal before she succumbs to her mind's disintegration. She wants to catch the notorious serial killer known as the Sandman who has developed a fixation on her and keeps sending her letters. 

However, doing so will take her to the Arizona desert and a meeting with falcon that she met when she was an apprentice in her trade. Adam Garrett if the wing leader of his clan and has hated Eleri for years. Her mentor lied during the case trial of the murders of his parents, and the murderer got off with the official verdict of an accidental death. Adam blames Eleri for not stepping in and contradicting her mentor.

This ill feeling is complicated by the fact that the two of them were destined to be mates. But the years have changed both of them. Silence has fallen and the Psy are hanging on by a thread. And Eleri has had her mind worked on so much by her keepers that she is almost completely emotionless. 

This story was engaging. I loved the relationship that grew between Adam and Eleri. I liked the focus on the winged clan. I also liked the way many of the different groups managed to work together to solve a problem plaguing the Psy and the humans. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Captivated by Nora Roberts

Captivated
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Therese Plummer
Series: Donovan Legacy (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (August 22, 2023)
Length: 7 hours and 46 minutes

Description: First in the Donovan Legacy series, Captivated is a spellbinding novel of the ordinary magic found in extraordinary love from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts.

Screenwriter Nash Kirkland is in Monterey, California researching witchcraft for his latest script and finds himself enchanted by Morgana Donovan, who claims she comes from a family of magical practitioners. Skeptical of anything he can’t explain, and wary about trusting his feelings, Nash nevertheless finds his growing desire for Morgana nothing short of supernatural.

My Thoughts: Very successful scriptwriter Nash Kirkland is in Monterey researching his next script. He is noted for his horror films. This time he's interested in witchcraft and hears the Margana Donovan is a witch. 

Morgana Donovan comes from a family of hereditary witches. At first, she's amused when he comes to her to do some research on witches. Then, she becomes irritated when he doesn't believe that she is a witch and thinks she's running some sort of elaborate scam. 

Despite their differences, Morgana falls in love with him. Kirk doesn't believe in love either. His very difficult childhood with an absent mother, an overly religious grandmother and many stops in foster care have made him a solitary person who doesn't trust in love. 

When he finds himself falling in love with her, Kirk immediately jumps to the conclusion that Morgana has cast a love spell on him and instigates a terrible fight. Still, this is a romance and things do work out.

The story is filled with Roberts's trademark loving family and intense romance. 

I bought this one from Chirp May 12, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Dragon's Dedication by Marie Johnston

The Dragon's Dedication
Author: Marie Johnston
Series: Peridot Dragon Shifter Brothers (Book 2)
Publication: LE Publishing (January 19, 2023)

Description: Cricket

I was born and raised in Las Vegas, so I thought I’d be the last girl to say “yes” in an impulsive Vegas wedding. But I met Maverick at a wedding reception, the one where my ex was marrying my boss. I was vulnerable, Maverick was the hottest guy I’d ever seen, and he was nice. Even more, he was interested. I’m sure I won’t regret marrying a stranger who can make my toes curl by just looking at me.

Maverick

I saw Cricket, and I wanted her. I knew exactly what she was going through at her ex’s wedding since my own ex immediately mated someone else. There’s only one issue. Two, really, thanks to Cricket’s overprotective brother. My new wife doesn’t know I’m not human. I’m a dragon shifter who has to live with his clan—far away from Las Vegas. And Cricket will either have to accept me, or pay the price, while keeping her brother blissfully unaware. I’m sure I won’t regret marrying a lovely human I met and had to have.

My Thoughts: This paranormal romance is the middle book in a trilogy. Cricket is trying to quietly leave the wedding of her ex and her boss when she literally runs into Maverick Peridot. Maverick is in Las Vegas to get over the surprise mating of his ex immediately after dumping him. 

Cricket was born and bred in Las Vegas. After her parents' deaths when she was eleven, she was raised by her older brother who is now a driven pediatrician who is still very close with her.

After a whirlwind courtship, Cricker finds herself married to Maverick. He hasn't yet mentioned that he is a dragon shifter who has to return to his small town in Minnesota where the rest of his clan and his two siblings live. 

She needs to accept his secret and officially become his mate or one of them will have to die. She agrees to go home with him even though she knows she will miss her brother. And, once she sees him shift, she will keep his secret since his shifting is just one more intriguing part of the man she has fallen in love with. But there is someone in the town who doesn't want their mating to go on. This being has her own vision of the future and a mated and happy Maverick isn't part of it. 

Matters come to a head and Maverick's sister has to battle this other person to the death. Unfortunately, this is the moment that Cricket's brother arrives in town to check up on his sister's happiness. Now he is in the position of having to mate or die. 

This was a light and entertaining romance. I liked both main characters and am interested in reading the other two books in the trilogy to find out Maverick's brother and sister's stories. 

I added this one to my TBR pile December 31. 2024, when it was Free via BookBub. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: The Tiger Next Door by Elva Birch and Zoe Chant

The Tiger Next Door
Author: Elva Birch & Zoe Chant
Series: Green Valley Shifters (Book 2)
Publication: Zoe Chant (September 1, 2018)

Description: What’s more stubborn -- fate, or a five-year-old?

Tiger shifter and businessman, Shaun always wanted to spend more time with the child his ex-wife took away from him -- but he wasn't expecting her to abandon five-year old Trevor and force Shaun to move to the tiny town of Green Valley. It’s bad enough that Shaun doesn’t know the first thing about being a father -- now suddenly he’s the father of an unpredictable shifter child.

Hawk shifter and preschool teacher, Andrea knows better than to fall for Trevor’s father -- no matter how good he looks with a colander on his head. But the electricity between them is impossible to resist, and when the lights in his house go out, the sparks that fly aren’t only in the fuse box.

Abandoned by his mother, all that Trevor has ever asked for is love and stability, and Shaun is determined to give that to him at any cost. Even if it means denying that the hot next door neighbor is his destined mate.

The Tiger Next Door is a sizzling shifter romance set in the small town of Green Valley, with secret shifters and second chances.

My Thoughts: This cute paranormal romance stars a businessman who gains sudden custody of his young son and goes to live with him in the town of Green Valley so that he can continue to attend his beloved preschool. 

Shaun, who is a tiger shifter, thinks the move will only be temporary. He isn't expecting to fall in love at first sight with his son Trevor's preschool teacher Andrea who happens to be a hawk shifter. Things are complicated when his son makes him promise not to fall in love with Andrea.

Andrea's inner hawk has recognized Shaun as her mate too. But she's worried that he will soon be leaving. So Shaun and Andrea begin an affair that they keep secret from Trevor. The premise of the affair is that she is teaching him about home improvements for his house. 

Meanwhile, Shaun is questioning his life choices and contemplating a career chance while dealing with a preschooler who is shifting to a lion when he gets stressed. 

This was a nice story with interesting characters and cute kids. I enjoyed the small town setting and the paranormal elements. 

I bought this one January 17, 2024, at BookBub for $.99. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Truth or Dare by Jayne Ann Krentz

Truth or Dare
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Whispering Springs (Book 2)
Publication: Berkley (September 28, 2004)

Description: Zoe is an interior designer with a unique sense of style. But even more uncanny is her sense of what's going on under the surface, the secrets a house can hold. At the moment, though, Zoe isn't concerned about a client's space. She's more worried about what's going on in her own house in Whispering Springs, Arizona, where she lives with her new husband, private investigator Ethan Truax.

After a whirlwind courtship and a dangerous adventure, they've gambled on commitment, hoping that their powerful attraction can help them learn to live together despite their utterly opposite personalities. But newlywed life is suddenly interrupted when a shadowy figure from Zoe's past shows up in Whispering Springs, and her closest friend is put at terrible risk. For Zoe and Arcadia Ames share a shocking secret. And as they seek to protect the truth, they must join together and, with Ethan's help, accept a very dangerous dare.

My Thoughts: This sequel to LIGHT IN SHADOW continues the romance between Zoe and Ethan and also features a couple more romance. Bonnie and Singleton are edging their way to a romance but he's not sure she's ready after the death of her husband and is busy protecting his heart while helping Ethan. Arcadia and Harry are also edging their way to romance. 

This time the focus is on Arcadia's problems. Her ex-husband, supposedly dead, is eager to find Arcadia and get back the "insurance policy" that she kept when she disappeared. He did try to murder her which gave her ample reason to change identities and run. Now, he seems to have found her, and he wants to eliminate anyone around her who might help her. That puts Ethan in the crosshairs. 

I loved the way Zoe and Ethan's relationship is progressing. He's still afraid that she will want to end their hasty marriage but is gaining some hope from the gifts she gives him to keep him safe. From ultra-high SPF sunscreen to a keychain that is also a whistle and a flashlight, he takes her gifts as a sign that she cares about him. 

Zoe is afraid that Ethan will never be able to accept her psychic gifts and she doesn't want another marriage where she has to hide her real self from her husband. She's also concerned that her stay at the mental institution and the drugs they fed her might have done damage to her psychic gifts. She keeps entering rooms and seeing psychic spiderwebs that threaten to engulf her. She's afraid that she really is going crazy. 

But love triumphs and the bad guys get what they deserve in this engaging romantic suspense title. 

I bought this one upon publication, read it, and added it to my Keeper shelves. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Sweetwater and the Witch by Jayne Castle

Sweetwater and the Witch

Author: Jayne Castle
Narrator: Barbara Rosenblat
Series: Harmony (Book 15)
Publication: Recorded Books (September 20, 2022)
Length: 9 hours and 1 minute

Description: Welcome to the world of Harmony, where—despite its name, things are anything but—danger lurks just beneath the surface in this new novel by New York Times bestselling author, Jayne Castle.

If there's something Ravenna Chastain knows, it's when to end things. And after she almost winds up the victim of a cult that believes she's a witch, it's easy to walk away from her dead-end career, ready for a new start. But where to find a job that would allow her to use her very specialized skill set? The answer is clear: she becomes a matchmaker.

But even a successful matchmaker can't find someone for everyone, and Ravenna considers Ethan Sweetwater her first professional failure. After nine failed dates, Ravenna knows it's time to cut Ethan loose. But Ethan refuses to be fired as a client—he needs one final date to a business function. Since Ravenna needs a date herself to a family event, they agree to a deal: she will be his (business) date if he will be her (fake) date to her grandparents' anniversary celebration.

What Ethan fails to mention is that attending the business function is a cover for some industrial espionage that he's doing as a favor to the new Illusion Town Guild boss. Ravenna is happy to help, but their relationship gets even more complicated when things heat up—the chemistry between them is explosive, as explosive as the danger that's stalking Ravenna. Lucky for her, Ethan isn't just an engineer—he's also a Sweetwater, and Sweetwaters are known for hunting down monsters...

My Thoughts: Working as a profiler for the Federal Bureau of Psi Investigation proves to be a little more dangerous than Ravenna Chastain had anticipated. After being kidnapped by a cult that wanted to burn her as a witch, she decided to make a career change. 

Now a matchmaker in Illusion Town, she only has to deal with finding matches for covenant marriages for her clients. But Ethan Sweetwater isn't the sort of client the business is looking for. He is a member of one of the premier families on Harmony with talents that reach back to the old world of Earth, but his strong talents and inclination to secrecy makes it hard to find a perfect match for him. 

Ravenna wants to fire him, but Ethan demands his final contracted date, and he wants it to be with her. This has some positives for Ravenna too since she needs to find a date to her grandparents' anniversary party. Agreeing to "fake" date him to give him some pointers on his dating techniques should be a simple exercise. However, his ulterior motives put both of them in the crosshairs of a man who wants Sweetwater dead before he can expose his connection with Vortex. 

And Ravenna has an enemy of her own who wants her dead. Both Ethan and Ravenna find themselves beset by a variety of enemies. But Ethan's biggest problem is convincing Ravenna that their "fake" dates should lead to a real covenant marriage. 

Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, the story moves along at a quick pace. The banter between the two takes on a new life when the story is heard rather than read. And there is a lot of banter...

Fans of Harmony and dust bunnies will also like getting to know Harriet who has a penchant for collecting pens. 

I bought this one at an Audible sale. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Love Bites by Cynthia St. Aubin

Love Bites
Author: Cynthia St. Aubin
Narrator: Stella Hunter
Series: Tails from the Alpha Art Gallery (Book 1)
Publication: Tantor Audio (March 29, 2022)
Length: 8 hours and 15 minutes

Description: A girl's gotta eat—and so do her three cats. Recently divorced art history grad student Hanna Harvey has just fibbed her way into a job as the assistant to dangerously drool-worthy art gallery owner Mark Abernathy. For Hanna, working in the field she desperately loves provides the perfect opportunity to begin putting her life back together. Soon her cheese budget is in the black and her feline life partners are no longer eyeing her like a six-foot can of Fancy Feast.

But when her boss's lady friends start turning up dead, Hanna finds herself in the crosshairs of a murder investigation. Even worse, hunky homicide detective James Morrison fears hers might be the next body he discovers.

With the "help" of the gallery's quirky cast of resident artists, Hanna will have to hunt down the truth about Abernathy's dark secret—before it hunts her.

My Thoughts: Hanna Harvey is in a bad patch. She's recently divorced and can't find a job. In order to find something to support herself and her three cats, she's willing to embellish her resume quite a bit. As a lover of art and art history, she thinks she'd be great as an assistant in an art gallery.

Mark Abernathy, gallery owner and hottie, offers her a job as his assistant. She can't wait to organize his chaotic office and help with the quirky artists who are resident in the gallery. From a misogynistic guy who's the best-selling artist to the quirky guy paints portraits of animals to the nearly blind old lady who also paints, Hanna has a lot to coordinate.

Hanna doesn't need to draw the attention of police detective James Morrison who's sure her boss is a serial killer. However, bodies of women Abernathy dates do keep turning up. 

I listened to the audiobook of this title. The narrator really bought all the characters to life. I loved the personality of the quirky Hanna and the mysterious Abernathy. Hunter did a great job with the pacing of the story too. 

I bought the Kindle copy and added this Audible Plus title. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Wicked Enchantment by Anya Bast

Wicked Enchantment
Author: Anya Bast
Series: A Dark Magick Novel (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley (January 5, 2010)

Description: First in a new series from the national bestselling author of Witch Fury.

When the Summer Queen of the fae orders Aislinn Finvarra to act as a guide for a half-incubus who is known to possess dark magick and sexual power, she must protect not only her heart, but her very life.

My Thoughts: This fantasy is the first in the Dark Magick series. Aislinn Finvarra is a resident of the Summer Court ruled by the Seelie Summer Queen. She is ordered to be the guide for Gabriel who has come from the Unseelie Court and is petitioning for entry into the Seelie Court. 

Aislinn isn't interested in the Unseelie incubus who has a well-known reputation for seducing women. She is just getting over being jilted by a lover who was just using her in his quest for higher status in the court. Aislinn has been growing bored in the court which emphasizes social events and gossip. She has a Secret.

Gabriel also has a Secret. He has been ordered by the Shadow King to seduce Aislinn into joining his court. The Shadow King claims to have no ill will toward Aislinn but Gabriel doesn't know what he intends for her. Gabriel thinks his task will be easy. After all, he's had centuries seducing women. But Aislinn is a challenge. 

The world building is interesting in this story. The fae have all been rounded up and imprisoned by the Phaendir who are a race of druids. They are mortal enemies of the fae. There are mixed views among the Phaendir. Some are content with keeping the fae imprisoned. While others especially Gideon, a viewpoint character, want the fae all killed. 

There is a book and three talismans that have the key to ending the fae's imprisonment. Aislinn has inherited the book from her father. Because only the Queen practices magic in the Seelie Court, Aislinn has never been taught to use her own magic. The draw of learning her magic is one of the lures Gabriel uses to seduce Aislinn to the Unseelie Court. 

Meanwhile, Gideon is determined to recover the book and the one talisman that has found its way into Piefferburg - the fae prison. And the fae who want to be free are searching for the two talismans they don't already have, and which are somewhere in the human world. 

The main focus of this story - besides the smoldering romance between Gabriel and Aislinn - is the quest to defeat the Shadow King who wants Aislinn dead. 

Favorite Quote:

Dressed head to toe in black, wearing Doc Martens, a pair of faded jeans, and a long coat over a thin crewneck sweater that defined his muscular chest, he seemed to possess every inch of the hallway he tread. He walked with such confidence it gave the illusion he took up more space than was physically possible. 

I bought this one January 12, 2010. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Sweet Starfire by Jayne Ann Krentz

Sweet Starfire
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Lost Colony (Book 1)
Publication: Purple Papaya LLC (December 14, 2012)

Description: Telepathic skills define the Harmonic people and without the gift of telepathy, Cidra will remain an outsider forever. She must discover the secret that will allow her mind to commune with others.

Teague Severance is the ultimate delivery man...he will deliver anything if the price is right. Mysterious, tough and dangerously sexy, Teague is trouble in more ways than one but he has an honorable reputation for fulfilling a contract.

Cidra approaches Teague with a business proposition…transport her safely to the rough outback of the Stanza Nine system. With a ship designed for cargo, not passengers, Teague reluctantly agrees to the job. Certain it won't be a problem because Cidra isn't his type, he soon discovers that he is wrong. The passion that flares between them puts both of their lives in jeopardy.

My Thoughts: This science fiction romance stars Cidra Rainforest and Teague Severance. Cidra was born among the Harmonics in the Stanza Nine system but she isn't a telepathic Harmonic herself. Determined to find the secret Ghost relic that will turn her into a Harmonic, she contracts with Teague Severance who is a Wolf and a courier pilot to take her with him when he makes his deliveries to other planets. 

Teague is intrigued by this beautiful fake Harmonic but that doesn't mean he wants to share the small living quarters on his courier ship with her. When she prevents his COD cargo from being stolen, he decides to take her along to Renaissance to deliver it.

Renaissance is a very green planet where most of the plant and animal life want to eat humans. It is very different from the serene environment where Cidra was raised. And the flora and fauna of Renaissance isn't the only thing that is trying to kill them. An old rival of Teague's named Racer would also like the package Teague is trying to deliver and would really like Teague dead. 

Stranded on Renaissance, Teague and Cidra discover both a Ghost safehold and an alien ship complete with monsters that will make them both rich if they can only survive and find their way out of the jungle. Teague and Cidra fall in love as they travel and survive together. But learning to trust each other might be the stumbling block to their relationship. 

This was an entertaining story. I love the romance between Cidra and Teague. I also enjoyed the worldbuilding which posits colonists from Earth shipwrecked on dangerous planets and needing to rebuild their society and technology to survive. 

Favorite Quote:

"I want to be one of them. All my life I have been trained in the ways of the Serene path. Surely I have some Harmonic sensitivity in me. I was born to the Harmonics. Yet tonight I used the ways of a beautiful dance to hurt someone else."

I bought this one recently as a Kindle copy of a book I already have in my collection in print. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: My Roommate Is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

My Roommate Is a Vampire
Author: Jenna Levine
Publication: Berkley (August 29, 2023)

Description: True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean...

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

My Thoughts: Cassie Greenberg needs a new apartment. She's being evicted from her current place. When she sees a Craigslist add about a guy looking for a roommate for only $200 a month, she suspicious, but she's also desperate. 

Frederick J. Fitzwilliam needs someone to help him fit into modern society. He's a vampire who has recently awoken from a 100-year curse. He's also dealing with a mother who really, really wants him to marry the vampire of her choice. 

An artist who creates with found materials and who works a few part-time jobs doesn't seem like a good match for a man who is out of his time, but they are immediately attracted and the attraction grows as they exchange notes and learn more about each other. 

This was a cute romance with engaging characters. 

Favorite Quote:

So I said the first thing that popped into my head. "Are you...curious about kissing?"

Probably a stupid question, given what I'd found on my laptop. But he looke surprised all the same. His eyes snapped to mine. "What makes you think that?"

I huffed a laugh. "Your browser history."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh

Resonance Surge
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity (Book 7)
Publication: Berkley (July 18, 2023)

Description: Where are the broken? That is the propulsive question that unleashes a world of secrets in New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s Resonance Surge . . .

StoneWater bears Pavel and Yakov Stepyrev have been a unit since birth, but now Pavel’s life is veering in a new direction, his heart held in the hands of Arwen Mercant, a Psy empath—and the only man who has ever brought Pavel to his knees.

This is it. A point of irrevocable change. For Pavel . . . for Arwen . . . for Yakov . . . and for another pair of twins whose bond has a far darker history.

A low-Gradient Psy, Theodora Marshall is considered worthless by everyone but her violently powerful twin, Pax. She is the sole person he trusts in their venomous family to investigate a hidden and terrible part of their family history—an unregistered rehabilitation Center established by their grandfather.

Places of unimaginable pain designed to psychically wipe minds, leaving the victims shells of their former selves, the Centers are an ugly vestige of the Psy race’s Silent past. But this Center was worse. Far, far worse. And now Theo must uncover the awful truth—in the company of a scowling bear named Yakov, who isn’t about to take a Marshall at face value . . . especially a Marshall who has turned his dreams into chilling nightmares.

Because Yakov is the great-grandson of a foreseer . . . and he has seen Theo die in an unstoppable surge of blood. Night after night after night . . .

My Thoughts: This seventh book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series stars Yakov Stepyrev and Theodora Marshall. He a changeling bear; she's a Psy. He had a wonderfully secure and loving childhood; she was repeatedly tortured by her grandfather. 

Yakov has had recurring dreams about a woman in danger for years. When he meets Theo he immediately recognizes her as the girl and also recognizes that she is his mate. Theo is in Russian to look at a Center started by her grandfather to do medical experiments. When she gets there, she gets flashbacks that let her know she was once an experimental subject there. 

Theo is severely damaged by the treatments her grandfather demanded in order to make her into his tool. She has a low-level telekinetic power that he has maximized to make her an assassin. She thinks that she chose to do those things and is almost crippled with guilt. She was also left with a rage that overcomes her and makes her a danger to herself and others. 

With a serial killer hunting slender, blue-eyed, blonde-haired victims, Yakov is determined to keep Theo safe and help her on her mission while convincing her that they have a future together. This made for an emotionally intense story.

While the larger problem of the disintegrating psy-net was upfront for the hero and heroine, it was in the background and seemingly no closer to resolution in this episode. 

I enjoyed this one and loved the relationship between Yakov and Theo. I have a major crush on the Russian bears. 

Favorite Quote:

"I have no idea how to dance."

A sudden grin that lit up his face and made her stomach flip in an unsettling way that somehow wasn't unpleasant. "No bear has ever let lack of knowledge or skill stop them from dancing."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Bigfoot and the Librarian by Linda Winstead Jones

Bigfoot and the Librarian 
Author: Linda Winstead Jones
Series: Mystic Springs (Book 1)
Publication: Sorin Rising LLC (September 16, 2019)

Description: Something in the Water?

Marnie Somerset’s new job at the Mystic Springs Library seems almost too good to be true. Yes, the small Alabama town is populated with more than its share of odd people, and she did have a flat tire on her way into town and hallucinate Bigfoot crossing the road, which made for less than a stellar start. But the library is fantastic, her new house is charming, and the hot local writer keeps crossing her path.

Clint Maxwell is drawn to the new librarian, even though he knows getting involved with someone from outside Mystic Springs would be a very bad idea. Marnie’s not a Springer, and she won’t last long in a town awash with magic. Still, when she’s threatened he feels compelled to protect her. Is she meant to be his? Is this the woman he’s been waiting for?

My Thoughts: Marnie Somerset is looking for a new start. She's recently lost her job at the Birmingham Public Library and broken up with her boring boyfriend. When she sees an ad for the Mystic Springs Library, she's ready for adventure. 

She wasn't expecting to have a flat tire on her way to town and see Bigfoot cross the road ahead of her though. Bigfoot isn't the only strange thing about Mystic Springs. Most of the people are strangely unwelcoming. However, the library is fantastic, her new house feels like home right away, and the local writer is interesting even though he writes horror. 

Clint Maxwell has always lived in Mystic Springs. Even when he goes out on author tours, he tries to not be away for more than ten days at a time. Clint has a secret: he is one of the few remaining Bigfeet. If he's gone too long his magic diminishes. Other residents of the town are witches, warlocks, werewolves. All have different opinions on whether or not Mystic Springs should join the greater world and let the magic spread or become another Brigadoon and withdraw from the world. 

Marnie is a librarian. Her go-to is to do research and read books. She finds one about the search for Bigfoot and emails the author. She doesn't expect the author to show up in town wanting to film Bigfoot for a new cable television series. The new arrival is a modern-day Mr. Darcy but not nearly as interesting to Marnie as Clint who is a much more rugged type.

Things heat up when Marnie learns that the former librarian, whose house she's living in, was murdered for her role in the debate about the town. It looks like she had hidden something that might tip the scales one way or the other and some of the residents are determined to find it whether or not Marnie gets in their way.

This was an entertaining paranormal romance/urban fantasy. It begins a series. 

Favorite Quote:

Many of her peers disdained Mr. Darcy and said his kind was out of fashion, but not Marnie. She'd always been a bit out of step, had accepted that about herself long ago. Who wanted to be like everyone else? Not her. She'd read Pride and Prejudice at an early age, and had always imagined Darcy as the perfect hero. Maybe in reality he'd need some work. but all in all...yummy.

I bought this one for $.99 from a BookBub email on March 16, 2022. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Marked by Moonlight by Sharie Kohler

Marked by Moonlight
Author: Sharie Kohler
Series: Moon Chasers (Book 1)
Publication: Pocket Books; First Edition (December 26, 2007)

Description: She doesn't know what bit her...

Seemingly overnight, Claire Morgan has transformed: the normally mousy schoolteacher is now bold, and her behavior is truly wild. Her eyes gleam silver. Suddenly she's a self-confident femme fatale with a libido that just won't quit. After an impulsive makeover, she's even...dare she say it?...sexy. Is Claire going insane?

Then brutally handsome stranger Gideon March tells her she was bitten by a werewolf, and Claire figures he's the insane one. Sure, she was attacked by a nasty dog in a back alley, but this guy stalking her says he's a member of an underground society of lycan hunters -- and his mission is to kill her immediately.

When Claire finally realizes she really is a lycan, there's no turning back -- because by now Claire and Gideon are bound by a hungry passion. If they can't break the curse by the next full moon, Claire's soul will be lost forever and Gideon will be forced to terminate his prey -- a woman dangerously close to devouring him, heart and soul.

My Thoughts: Claire Morgan is a high school English teacher who is bitten by a werewolf when she tries to track down one of her favorite students who has missed school for a few days. Gideon March is a lycan hunter and has been since his mother who was recently turned killed his father and was killed by another hunter. 

Gideon knows that he should execute Claire before the full moon comes and turns her into a killer, but for reasons he can't quite articulate, he decides to help her track down and kill the alpha of the pack member who bit her. At least, that's the plan once he can convince Claire that she actually was bitten by a werewolf and will become one herself at the next full moon.

Claire recognizes some changes in herself. First of all, the newly silver eyes aren't what she usually sees when she looks in the mirror. Also, her appetite especially for meat increases yet she doesn't gain any weight on her 5' 2" frame and is in fact getting more muscular. But the biggest change is that she has stopped being the wimp her abusive father trained her to be all her life. 

Gideon has his work cut out for him as he tries to convince her that the changes that are happening are because she was bitten. He is also dealing with a change in attitude. He's no longer sure that killing the newly bitten is the right course of action. Maybe some of them can be kept from becoming killing machines. 

This was an entertaining paranormal romance with interesting characters. It hit a bunch of the romance tropes in an engaging way. It is also the first book in a series set in the same world -- LA with a paranormal side. 

Favorite Quote:

"After you kill him, the curse will be broken."

At this, Gideon hesitated, his hand hovering over her foot. "If he's the alpha, yes."

"Alpha?"

"Each pack has one alpha and every lycan can be traced back to the alpha, wither through birth of infection."

"So if you kill the alpha, the rest of the pack will become human again?"

"No." His eyes cut directly to hers. "Only those who aren't damned."

I bought this one March 9, 2008. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: Come the Night by Susan Krinard

Come the Night
Author: Susan Krinard
Publication: HQN; Original edition (September 30, 2008)

Description: The Great War has ended

And Gillian Maitland is to marry a werewolf of her father's choosing--ensuring the purity of their noble bloodline. Still, she can't forget Ross Kavanaugh, the American whose forbidden touch unleashed a passion she'd never known. And when Ross returns unexpectedly to England, he's no longer the man she remembers, but a hard-boiled ex-cop who harbors a dark secret.

The discovery that they have a son makes Ross even more determined to prove his worth to Gillian, despite being merely a quarter werewolf. Then a mysterious spate of murders casts him under a pall of suspicion, and torn between duty and desire, Gillian knows she must drive Ross away. Even as their hunger for each other grows by the hour...

My Thoughts: This urban fantasy from 2009 hits a lot of the major romance tropes. First of all, it is a secret baby story. Gillian Maitland met Ross Kavanaugh while nursing during World War I. They had a brief affair, but she broke it off when she learned that he was only one-quarter werewolf and unable to shift. Gillian had been brainwashed by her father that only a full werewolf was an acceptable mate in order to keep the bloodlines pure.

The second trope is that this is a paranormal romance. Werewolves are the creatures featured. Gillian's father Sir Avery is planning to hold a Convocation of European werewolves. He wants to find an acceptable, purebred mate for Gillian. However, Gillian's son wants to find his father and hops an ocean liner to New York to meet him. Ross didn't know about Toby and Toby found him by snooping in his mother's diary.

Toby and Gillian's brother trick Ross into returning to England with them hoping that he can save Gillian from following the path her father has dictated for her life. 

Of course, the third trope is the Big Misunderstanding which causes Gillian and Ross not to trust each other. The villain of the piece does all he can to continue the confusion since he wants Gillian for himself and Ross out of the picture or dead. 

This was an interesting title that went on a bit longer than it would have needed to, in my opinion. I could have done with less of the werewolf politics though I didn't like the reference to Hitlet that made its way into the story. I also thought that the misunderstanding went on too long with Gillian waffling between following her heart or following her father's dictates. 

Fans of werewolf paranormal romance or urban fantasy would enjoy this one. 

Favorite Quote:

To reach out, to touch her, to hold her again... God, he would have given his life to make things the way they'd been in London.

I bought this one January 28, 2009. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs

Wild Sign
Author: Patricia Briggs
Narrator: Holter Graham
Series: Alpha and Omega (Book 6)
Publication: Penguin Audio (March 16, 2021)
Length: 11 hours and 23 minutes

Description: Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham must discover what could make an entire community disappear - before it's too late - in this thrilling entry in the number one New York Times best-selling Alpha and Omega series.

In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It's as if the people picked up and left their possessions behind. With a mystery on their hands and no jurisdiction on private property, the FBI dumps the whole problem in the lap of the land owner, Aspen Creek, Inc. - a.k.a. the business organization of the Marrok's pack.

Somehow, the pack of the Wolf Who Rules is connected to a group of vanished people. Werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are tasked with investigating and soon find that a deserted town is the least of the challenges they face.

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

My Thoughts: This sixth in the Alpha and Omega series has Anna and Charles traveling to Northern California to look into the disappearance of a town that just happens to be on land owned by Leah, Bran's mate and Charles' step-mother. 

They discover that the town, now empty, was once populated by white witches. They also discover from the local sasquatches that the area is one they avoid because of some ancient evil that lives there. The more they explore the deeper they get into trouble. Anna's musical ability provides a link for the ancient being to grab a hold on her. And clues in the empty town lead to a nursing home staffed by black witches who are sucking the magical power from other witches they are holding prisoner. Since one of the prisoners is a man Charles has been looking for after he discovered that he led a very large child trafficking ring which turned the children into empty husks, Charles feels that the man is getting what he deserves. 

When he learns that the black witches have made a deal with the Singer in the Woods, the need to kill that entity becomes even more necessary. But how does one, even one as formidable as a werewolf, kill a god?

When Anna is kidnapped to bring her to the Singer in the Woods, Charles and Tag and Leah who has run from Montana to California have a battle on their hands. Luckily Bran is on the way with a sword made by the Dark Smith which has already killed one immortal if they can just survive until he gets to the fight. 

A quick visit from Coyote helps to seal the deal too.

This story gave a look at Leah's past and at her relationship with Bran and made an unsympathetic character through all the earlier books more understandable and maybe more likeable. I love watching Anna grow into herself and love watching how her relationship with Charles is changing both of them.

Urban Fantasy fans will enjoy this new episode in a great series.  

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Ruby Fever by Ilona Andrews

Ruby Fever
Author: Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy (Book 6)
Publication: Avon (August 23, 2022)

Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews is back with the newest book in the exciting Hidden Legacy series—the thrilling conclusion to her trilogy featuring fierce and beautiful Prime magic user Catalina Baylor.

An escaped spider, the unexpected arrival of an Imperial Russian Prince, the senseless assassination of a powerful figure, a shocking attack on the supposedly invincible Warden of Texas, Catalina’s boss... And it’s only Monday.

Within hours, the fate of Houston—not to mention the House of Baylor—now rests on Catalina, who will have to harness her powers as never before. But even with her fellow Prime and fiancé Alessandro Sagredo by her side, she may not be able to expose who’s responsible before all hell really breaks loose.

My Thoughts: RUBY FEVER concludes Catalina Baylor's arc of stories and is an action-packed thrill ride from the first page to the last. 

From a missing exotic, endangered and very expensive spider in their offices to a final all-out attack by Arkan who wants them all dead problems are showing up on all sides. When a Prince from the Russian Imperium arrives, it adds still more complications. And when Alessandro's evil grandfather tries again to sell him to another House and his would-be fiancée arrives, it doesn't help.

But the biggest issues are the murder of the Speaker of the Texas State Assembly and the near-fatal attack on Catalina's boss Linus Duncan who happens to be the Warden of Texas. With LInus comatose, maybe permanently, the office of the Warden becomes Catalina's responsibility with the Speaker's Death being one of the biggest problems. 

However, the Arkans misuse of the Osiris serum which he stole and has been selling to Prime families is also a big problem. He has tweaked the formula, but it still kills one in five of those who take it. Those who survive suddenly have Prime magical abilities but no training in their use. Still some families are willing to try it on their duds and less powerful House members. 

The story was fast-paced and gave most of the characters we've come to love in earlier books in the series time on center stage. I really like Catalina both in her relationship with her family and in her relationship with Alessandro. 

Fans of the series won't want to miss this story.

Favorite Quote:

Clearly, there were two teams in this vehicle: Team Facts and Team Facts Be Damned.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Wolf Moon by Nora Roberts

Wolf Moon
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Emily Foster
Publication: Brilliance Audio (April 4, 2015)
Length: 2 hours and 58 minutes

Description: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a novella about the call of the moon—and the life-changing power of love.

Simone's European hiking excursion is cut short when she is brutally attacked by a wolf-like creature in the Piedmont Mountains of Italy. When she awakens from the attack, she finds she has been changed in inexplicable ways and settles into an isolated lifestyle. While she is ever hopeful for a cure, she is also acutely aware that she may never be the same again.

Then Gabe Kirby walks into her life. Her desire for him is beyond human. As Simone risks breaking all of her own rules for a chance at happiness with Gabe, she begins to realize that he may be more than the love of her life—he may be the one to help her find the cure.

My Thoughts: This story begins with 17-year-old high school graduate Simone hiking solo through Europe which had been a dream of hers even before her parents died and she was taken in by relatives who never made her part of the family. She's attacked on an isolated trail in Italy and wakes up a werewolf.

The story moves eleven years into the future. Simone has been trying to discover a cure for lycanthropy since she was attacked. She has also built a business selling lotions and potions that she makes with all natural ingredients. she lives way out of town and doesn't make friends. It is a hard thing to do when you turn into a wolf three days a month. Her only companion is her well-trained dog. 

When her dog is injured, she takes him to the vet who isn't the older man she has worked with before but his young, handsome nephew Gabe Kirby. The two are instantly attracted, but Simone has some big secrets that she's never shared with anyone. She is also really busy researching and trying to develop a cure that will make her human again.

Gabe is very persistent, and he's a veterinarian who may be able to help Simone if she can ever bring herself to share her secret with him. I liked the romance between the two of them. Each of the main characters were well-rounded and engaging people. I also liked the happy ending.

This story was first published in an anthology called Moon Shadows in 2015.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Luna Rising by Sara Snow

Luna Rising
Author: Sara Snow
Narrator: Meg Price
Series: Luna Rising (Book 1)
Publication: Self-Published (April 17, 2020)
Length: 3 hours and 54 minutes

Description: Xavier Blackwood is the man every girl at my college dreams about at night, myself included, but I'd never let anyone know that.

Standing at 6'8" with steel grey eyes, he's a walking dream, but he's also a world-renowned a-hole.

Who would have thought that one night, after dragging myself home after doing double shifts at the diner, I'd be jumped by three men...only to have Xavier come to my rescue.

Oh yes, Xavier bloody Blackwood saved my life...but the thing I saw, the creature that ripped those men to shreds, wasn't the Xavier everyone knows

He was a wolf, a demon, a creature from myths, and it was the most amazing sh*t I've ever seen until he attacked me, too, and knocked me out

Humans who learn about the existence of werewolves have to die.

There are no exceptions

The werewolf Xavier saved me, but now, I am condemned to death.

To make things worse, both Xavier and Axel claim I am their mate. This can't be good.

My Thoughts: This story is the first in a YA paranormal fantasy series. It stars new college student named Ruby. She's on her own and hoping that college will better her life. She meets a potential new friend in Natalie.

She's only in school for two days before she is attacked leaving her job at a diner and saved by Xavier Blackwood. She'd seen him around campus and would have been attracted to him if he wasn't so sure of himself. Besides, school is her priority. Boys are a very distant second. 

She wakes up and finds out that she has seen werewolves. In fact, Xavier is one. And humans who see werewolves are killed. But for some reason, Ruby is saved even though her life is changed. She can't just go back to her normal life. 

Ruby soon finds out that Xavier is her fated mate. This bites because werewolves never take human mates. It goes against all the rules set by the Council. To make matters more complicated, she also appears to be the mate of Axel who is the alpha-to-be of another pack that really hates Xavier's pack. 

Confusion reigns! But Ruby and Xavier do become closer and she's resigning herself to being his mate. Then she's kidnapped by unknowns. And the story ends...

This is only part of the story which I find annoying. There is no resolution to any part of the story. Natalie is sure that Ruby isn't an ordinary human, but what is she? How can Ruby be the mate of two different werewolves? Who kidnapped her and why?

People who want to get sucked into a five-book series and who love over-the-top teen drama and angst will enjoy this beginning. It is all available as part of the Kindle Unlimited program.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book & Audio Review: Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews

Bayou Moon
Author: Ilona Andrews
Narrator: Renee Raudman
Series: A Novel of the Edge (Book 2)
Publication: Ace (September 28, 2010); Tantor Audio (September 28, 2010)
Length: 492 p,; 15 hours and 32 minutes

Description: The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny…

Cerise Mar and her unruly clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands between the state of Louisiana and the Weird. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect number one.

But all is not as it seems. Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge—and Cerise’s life. William, a changeling soldier who left behind the politics of the Weird, has been forced back into service to track down a rival nation’s spymaster.

When William’s and Cerise’s missions lead them to cross paths, sparks fly—but they’ll have to work together if they want to succeed…and survive.

My Thoughts: This was a very interesting and suspenseful fantasy/romance. William is a great character. He had always been alone, having been abandoned at birth by his mother, and raised in what was essentially a prison and trained to be a weapon. He is a changeling and, while he knows something of what humans expect, his own instincts are those of his wolf. 

Cerise is the strong leader of her family. She is the one who has managed the money and also managed to keep everyone fed and clothed. When her parents disappear, she is ready to do anything to get them back but human enough to know the emotional costs. She is attracted to William but reluctant to invite him home with her because she knows how hard her family can be on outsiders.  William is also attracted to her. They have trouble connecting because they each misread the other's signals.

The book was filled with fascinating characters. The villain - Spider - was the worst kind. He could commit any kind of atrocity with no regrets because he felt has cause was just. That is creepier than someone who is insane or evil. Many of the members of Cerise's family were also unique and interesting characters. I am especially fond of Kaldar who is always talking, arranges the marriages, and can do magic if someone will bet him before he tries.

This is not a story for the faint of heart. A few of the atrocities who were associates of the Spider will be appearing in my dreams for a while. This aspect is enhanced by the audiobook experience. But if you like action and adventure, and a well-told tale, you can't go wrong with this story. I recommend it to lovers of paranormal fantasy.

Favorite Quote:

When sarcasm flies over a blueblood's head, does it make a sound? No, I guess not.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.