Review: The Square Root of Summer - Harriet Reuter Hapgood

My heart is a kaleidoscope, and when we kiss it makes my world unravel . . .

Last summer, Gottie's life fell apart. Her beloved grandfather Grey died and Jason left her - the boy to whom she lost her virginity (and her heart) - and he wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral! This summer, still reeling from twin heartbreaks, Gottie is lost and alone and burying herself in equations. Until, after five years absence, Thomas comes home: former boy next door. Former best friend. Former everything. And as life turns upside down again she starts to experience strange blips in time - back to last summer, back to what she should have seen then . . .

During one long, hazy summer, Gottie navigates grief, world-stopping kisses and rips in the space-time continuum, as she tries to reconcile her first heartbreak with her last.

The Square Root of Summer is an astounding and moving debut from Harriet Reuter Hapgood.

Visit Harriet Reuter Hapgood's website for more information

Review:
The Square Root of Summer is a fabulous debut from Harriet Reuter Hapgood, it's a story about first love, friendships, family, grief and heartbreak and how a death in the family can have such an incredibly huge impact on every aspect of your life.

Last summer Gottie's life was pretty perfect, she was falling in love for the first time, her family was all together and she had a great set of friends but it all fell apart when her grandfather died. With the rock of the family gone her grandfather's death left Gottie, her father and her brother all devastated and while they were struggling to deal with their own grief they lost their connection to each other. If that wasn't bad enough the boy she was in love with walked out of her life at the same time and Gottie was left completely adrift. Now, a year on, Gottie is still struggling to cope, she misses her grandfather but she also misses her friends and what's left of her family because she's been so busy just trying to get through each day that she's pushed everyone away.

This story is beautiful, I loved the way it looks at grief and how it really shows the effect that it had on the entire family. Gottie's grandfather Grey is a huge part of the story even though he's no longer with them and I loved the words of wisdom that Gottie would remember every time she thought of him. I also really enjoyed the relationship Gottie had with her brother, even though he's slightly older than her they've always been close and him leaving to start university just made everything that much harder for Gottie to deal with. All of the friendships and relationships in this book just felt so real, Grey's death didn't just effect their family but had a wider impact because he was such a focal point for everyone he came into contact with. Gottie's best friend Sof has tried so hard to be a good friend but she was upset too and she's tired of being pushed away and ignored, it was heartbreaking to see how far apart the girls were but I loved seeing them rebuild their friendship.

Most of the story has a very contemporary coming of age feel to it but Gottie is a bit of a science geek and she sees the world in terms of numbers and physics equations which I really loved about her. Throughout the story we see regular flashbacks where Gottie feels like she keeps being pulled into wormholes and sucked back in time to the previous summer. It's up to the reader to decide whether she really has found a way to time travel or whether it's her way of coping with the memories that she is so desperately trying to avoid. I loved the ambiguity of it and the way Gottie tries so hard to explain what is happening to her in scientific terms when in reality it's just her brain's way of trying to process everything that happened.

I feel like I could rave on about this book for ages but I don't want to give away the entire plot so I'll stop here. I will say if you're looking for a quintessentially British story set in a sleepy Norfolk village in the height of summer then The Square Root of Summer is perfect. It's a heart warming and funny story about coping with death and finding a way to move forward and I loved every minute of it.

Source: Received from Macmillan in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Sun Kissed - Amanda Abbott

Mallory Baldwin is a model who specializes in not taking herself too seriously. She’s sarcastic, crass, and loves a good joke. She’s been on the brink of making it since she was thirteen, and after learning that yet one more major brand has passed her up for another, good news arrives in the form of a gift. Her pal, Antonio Rafferty, a hotshot investor, has decided to send her to his elite private dating island for free. Fun in the sun, along with plenty of sexy distractions, are exactly what she needs to take her mind off her slumping career.

Patrick Conrad has been playing hockey since he could walk. After signing with Detroit, an injury lands him on the bench after the best season of his career. So when his college buddy, Antonio, enlists him to help out as a deep sea fishing guide in a new brand new business venture for a few weeks, Patrick accepts. A little break in his routine will do him good.

Sparks fly when Mallory jumps into Patrick's life unexpectedly. Things heat up quickly, but they both desperately try to keep their identity from the other.

That is, until the paparazzi arrive.

The beach never looked so good . . .

Pushing the Boundaries, Sexy Singles Series:
(This is a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series)
Sun Kissed
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Pushing the Boundaries Series:
What Caroline Wants
What Piper Needs
What Emma Craves
What Gillian Desires (release date to be confirmed)

Visit Amanda Abbott's website for more information

Review:
Mallory needs a break, she loves her career as a model but is disappointed that after 10 years of hard work she still hasn't reached the level of supermodel and with her birthday fast approaching she's feeling a little down about it all. When her friend offers her a week long all expenses paid trip to his remote island resort she jumps at the chance, especially since it's a dating resort designed to cater to every whim of the rich and famous singles it hopes to attract. Mallory is more than ready for a week of no strings fun and nothing is going to stop her from enjoying every minute of it.

It's funny because I wasn't Mallory's biggest fan when she was a side character in What Emma Craves but I really loved her here. She's such a down to earth girl and even though she's a beautiful and world famous model she doesn't act anything like you'd expect her to. Mallory doesn't take herself too seriously, she likes to have fun and in attitude she's more like the girl next door than someone you'd expect to find on a catwalk. I love how nice she is and how she seems to have time for anyone, she's just as happy chatting with the bartenders as she is talking to the elite clientele.

Patrick is hockey player who was in the middle of the best year of his career before he was injured, now he's at a loose end while he heals up enough to get back on the ice. His friend was in desperate need of staff to help out at his island resort's first week and Patrick was happy to help. He's supposed to be there to captain the island's pleasure fishing boat but when he realises how short staffed they are he's happy to help out behind the bar too.

When they first meet Mallory assumes that Patrick is just a normal bartender, she doesn't follow sport and has absolutely no idea that he's famous in his own right. That doesn't bother her in the slightest though and she quickly starts to fall for his charms. Patrick has been let down by women in the past and is sick of worrying that everyone he meets is only interested in him because of his money so it makes a refreshing change to be with someone who knows nothing about it. To be honest he's never heard of Mallory before either, even though his fellow bartender has let slip that she's a model, so they're in the same boat really. These two fit really well together, they have fantastic chemistry but they also have fun together. We get to see them spending time together just hanging out and having a laugh which is something that always makes romances feel so much more realistic and believable.

I would have loved for this story to be longer, it was satisfying as it was but I loved them both so much and would have happily spent more time with them. Their romance does move forward very quickly, they're only on the island together for a week after all, but I still found it completely believable and I was rooting for them to make it. There was a moment when I worried we were going to get some unnecessary drama but thankfully both Mallory and Patrick are adults and they immediately discussed a situation that wasn't at all what it looked and it didn't cause a single problem. I can't even tell you how happy that made me!

Sun Kissed is the first book in the Sexy Singles series, a spin off from the Pushing the Boundaries series, so I have to admit I was expecting it to be a little spicier than it was, we still get plenty of smut but it seemed a little toned down here. That's not a bad thing though and I think I'm going to end up loving this series just as much, we've already met Charlotte and Antonio who are going to be the main couple in the next book and I'm definitely looking forward to their story.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Hades - Larissa Ione

A fallen angel with a mean streak and a mohawk, Hades has spent thousands of years serving as Jailor of the Underworld. The souls he guards are as evil as they come, but few dare to cross him. All of that changes when a sexy fallen angel infiltrates his prison and unintentionally starts a riot. It’s easy enough to quell an uprising, but for the first time, Hades is torn between delivering justice — bestowing or mercy — on the beautiful female who could be his salvation . . . or his undoing.

Thanks to her unwitting participation in another angel’s plot to start Armageddon, Cataclysm was kicked out of Heaven and is now a fallen angel in service of Hades’s boss, Azagoth. All she wants is to redeem herself and get back where she belongs. But when she gets trapped in Hades’s prison domain with only the cocky but irresistible Hades to help her, Cat finds that where she belongs might be in the place she least expected . . .

The Demonica Series:
Pleasure Unbound
Desire Unchained
Passion Unleashed
Eternity Embraced (Novella)
Ecstasy Unveiled
Sin Undone
Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 1)
Vampire Fight Club (Novella in the Supernatural anthology or as a separate ebook)
Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 2)
Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 3)
Rogue Rider (Lords of Deliverance book 4)
Reaver
Azagoth (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 1)
Revenant
Hades (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 2)
Base Instincts (Novella)
Z (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 3)
Razr (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 4)
Hawkyn (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 5)
Her Guardian Angel (Novella) (Demonica Underworld book 6, also part of the Masters and Mercenaries Crossover Collection)
Dining with Angels: Bits & Bites from the Demonica Universe (Short Story Collection & Recipe Book, Demonica Underworld book 7)
Cipher (Demonica Underworld book 8)
Reaper (Demonica Underworld book 9)

For more information visit Larissa Ione's website

Review:
I absolutely love Larissa Ione's Demonica series and I really miss the world and the characters so I'm thrilled that she's still writing the occasional novella for fans to dive into. Hades has made appearances throughout the series but he's never been a central character, mainly because Azagoth has kept him pretty much confined to Sheol-gra as punishment for something he did thousands of years ago.

Anyway, I was really excited to get to spend some time with Hades and I loved Larissa Ione's take on him, she's very, very good at showing her bad guy's softer side and she did this perfectly here. All Hades really wants is to be allowed to live his life in peace, he doesn't like being trapped in Sheol-gra but he knows he plays an important role and he would just like to be able to leave occasionally for a change of scenery. Unfortunately Azagoth is not someone who forgives easily and he's nowhere near done with Hades' punishment.

We've also met fallen angel Cataclysm in previous books, she was one of the angels who was tricked into helping Gethel, almost bringing about the apocalypse, and it cost her everything. Cat is currently living and working in Azagoth's home but she's desperate to win back her wings and will do whatever it takes to become an angel again. Unfortunately Cat's name suits her and she is a walking disaster area, pretty much everything she touches leads to trouble and no matter how good her intentions are she always ends up making things worse.

This novella was hilarious, Cat causes so much trouble for poor Hades even though all she's trying to do is help him. Azagoth was about ready to have a fit because of it and I think it's only down to Liliana's influence that both Cat and Hades even survived to the end of the book. The couple have fantastic chemistry, their relationship develops fairly quickly but I expect that in a novella and it never felt overly rushed in any case. My only complaint was that the uprising in Sheol-gra was dealt with a little too quickly and easily but that's a really minor issue that didn't bother me a great deal.

I miss this series so much and will happily take any opportunity to revisit it so I'm excited that I have a couple of novellas to go and I'm still hoping that Larissa Ione may decide to give us a few more full length novels too.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Linesman - S.K. Dunstall

First in a brand new thought-provoking science fiction series.

The lines. No ship can traverse the void without them. Only linesmen can work with them. But only Ean Lambert hears their song. And everyone thinks he’s crazy . . .

Most slum kids never go far, certainly not becoming a level-ten linesman like Ean. Even if he’s part of a small, and unethical, cartel, and the other linesmen disdain his self-taught methods, he’s certified and working.

Then a mysterious alien ship is discovered at the edges of the galaxy. Each of the major galactic powers is desperate to be the first to uncover the ship’s secrets, but all they’ve learned is that it has the familiar lines of energy—and a defense system that, once triggered, annihilates everything in a 200 kilometer radius.

The vessel threatens any linesman who dares to approach it, except Ean. His unique talents may be the key to understanding this alarming new force—and reconfiguring the relationship between humans and the ships that serve them, forever.

Linesman Series:
Linesman
Alliance

Visit S.K. Dunstall's website for more information

Review:
Linesman came highly recommended by Ilona Andrews (one of my favourite authors) so add that to the fact that I've been obsessed with stories set in space recently and of course I HAD to read it. I didn't know a huge amount about the story going in but what I found was unique and refreshing and I enjoyed every minute of it.

After discovering an alien technology humans have been able to adapt it to allow long distance space travel. Space ships access the 10 different lines and each of these lines is used for a different ship function, we don't know what all of the lines do but there is one for communications, one for travelling through the void, another controls the engines and a fourth keeps the ship's gravity in check. One thing all the lines have in common is that they need frequent attention and fine tuning to stay functional and there are only a small number of humans who have the ability to work them. As a level 10 linesman Ean is one of the top tier but his eccentricities have made him a bit of an outcast amongst his peers. Other linesmen tune the lines using their mental abilities but Ean finds he has to sing to them to make them do what he needs. Since Ean grew up in the slums and was initially self trained the others feel he is beneath them and they don't believe he is as powerful as they are.

When a mysterious anomaly is discovered in deep space most of the other level 10 linesmen are sent to investigate but Ean is kept home by his boss and instead forced to take over the day to day upkeep of the entire fleet. Ean initially sees this as another black mark against him but once the captains start to realise how skilled he is he soon finds himself in high demand. Then his contract is purchased by a wealthy and secretive business woman and Ean gets much closer to the Confluence than he ever dreamed possible.

I absolutely loved Linesman, Ean was a great character, someone with very little self confidence who suddenly finds himself amidst some of the universe's most influential people and even stranger they're actually listening to what he has to say. He's totally out of his element and has no interested in the political games that are playing out around him, all he really wants is a chance to study the lines and to use his skills to fix them. Ean really steps up when he's needed and I loved seeing how much his character grew throughout the story. There are lots of interesting side characters, some with questionable motives but also some who are surprisingly supportive of Ean. He's made some powerful allies but that has also gained him some equally powerful enemies and he's now walking a very fine line between both sides of a brewing war.

This story had me captivated from beginning to end, I couldn't wait to see how it played out and I was left desperate to get my hands on the sequel. This is a really strong debut from writing duo Sherylyn and Karen Dunstall and I'll be eagerly waiting to see where they take Ean's journey next.

Source: Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Fortune's Pawn - Rachel Bach

Fans of Firefly and Elizabeth Moon will lap up this action-packed military science fiction series. Welcome to the start of a thrilling new space adventure, starring female mercenary Deviana Morris . . .

Deviana Morris isn't your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. One of those is going to get her killed one day - but not just yet.

Not when she just got a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn't misnamed: it likes to get into trouble. And with a reputation for bad luck that makes one year as security detail on this ship equal to five years everywhere else - Devi knows she's found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn't give up its secrets without a fight, and one year might be more than even Devi can handle.

Paradox Series:
Fortune's Pawn
Honor's Knight
Heaven's Queen

Visit Rachel Bach's website for more information

Review:
Devi is a mercenary, she has trained hard and is one of the best at what she does but her goal has always been to become a Devastator, one of the elite band who guard the king. She has the skills but what she is lacking is years of experience in the field and now she's looking for a way to get accepted faster. When a friend tips her off that spending a year guarding The Glorious Fool will automatically qualify her dream role she jumps at the chance. Surely looking after one tiny trade ship will be a walk in the park for someone like her? It quickly becomes clear that all is not what it seems on The Glorious Fool though and it's not just her career on the line but also her life.

It took me a while to warm up to Devi, there is no doubt that she's a fierce warrior who is incredibly skilled with her weapons but she knows it and that makes her quite arrogant and full of herself. She isn't the easiest person to like in the beginning and I initially worried that she'd be an all talk and no action kind of girl but happily she proved me completely wrong on many occasions and she has all the skill she brags about and then some. Seeing her in action was quite something but it was slowly seeing her start to relax and warm up around the crew that I really liked. She has a nicer side it's just one she keeps hidden deep.

The crew of The Glorious Fool is quite an eccentric mix of humans and different types of alien species. Everyone seems to be keeping their own secrets and they all have very different strengths and abilities. Some are more trustworthy than others but you get the feeling all along that there is a lot going on under the surface and we're only just starting to dig into that. Rachel Bach has created a detailed society with a lot of different alien races, each with complex rules and customs. The story moves at a fairly fast pace and it definitely kept me interested from beginning to end. My main complaint was that the romance felt a little rushed and unbelievable, I liked the character that Devi was involved with but I think their relationship could have done with a slower burn. The ending more than made up for that though and I have a feeling that this series is going to go from strength to strength.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Ecstasy Unbound - Setta Jay

As one of the twelve Guardians, Urian has spent the last several centuries in a constant battle to keep the inhabitants of Earth’s Realms under control. Humanity has to evolve, hell beasts need to die, and Immortals need mates. But lately, Uri's mind is overrun with thoughts of when his sexy voyeur will find him again, watching him from the shadows, continuing their wicked game. All Guardians are forbidden contact with the little goddess and her brothers, but his need for her escalating, he finds it increasingly difficult to keep from pinning her down on the nearest surface and making her his.

Alexandra has managed to evade the Guardians and being cast out from the human Realm for centuries, ever since the Creators sent the Gods to sleep for their sins against humanity and banished all Immortals. Always sensing that she was needed on Earth, only once has Alex gone against her instincts and the price she paid will forever haunt her. It is for that reason she forces herself to stay away from the only male who has ever truly enticed her. The only one who has ever made her long for what she knows is dangerous.

In a desperate need to help her beloved brother, she will have to go to the enthralling Guardian, her dark obsession, and even though he will surely attempt to exile her, she won't go easily…

Warning: This book contains explicit and sizzling sex scenes with big dominant males. MFM, ménage, and light bondage.

Guardians of the Realms:
Hidden Ecstasy (Short Story)
Ecstasy Unbound
Ecstasy Claimed
Denying Ecstasy
Tempting Ecstasy
Piercing Ecstasy
Blinding Ecstasy
Divine Ecstasy

Visit Setta Jay's website for more information

Review:
When the gods nearly destroyed humanity in their greed and madness the creators banished them from the human realm into Tetartos where they will sleep until they are needed once more as a punishment for their crimes. A band of twelve immortal warriors now guard the realms, they are in charge of keeping the gods out and protecting the humans from the demons that try to possess them. As demigods Alex and her brothers should have been banished with the rest of the gods but they have spent centuries hiding on earth and living peacefully amongst the mortals, they even help the guardians by fighting demons so they have a fragile truce between them. The demigods and guardians don't mix but the guardians won't try to banish them as long as they're helping and not causing trouble. Alex knows she should keep well away from Uriel, as a guardian he would be forced to send her to Tetartos if they ever get too close but she can't resist the attraction she feels for him and she has taken to spying on him in his most intimate moments. Uri knows he should walk away from Alex but she is a temptation unlike any other and one day he's not going to be able to resist.

As the first book in the Guardians of the Realms series Ecstasy Unbound has quite a lot of world building and I have to admit I found it a little confusing to keep track of at times. There are lots of different types of immortal guardians, who all have slightly different abilities and there are a lot of names to remember so I frequently found myself having to backtrack to make sure I had everything straight. This is a common problem with first books in a series though and I think it will get easier as we go on when everything starts to feel more familiar. Setta Jay has put her own spin on the greek mythology used here and I'm curious to see where things go with the sleeping gods in the future. This is an erotic series so there is a lot of sex, right from the very beginning, but you'll get no complaints from me on that score because it's undoubtedly hot!

Alex and Uriel have been fantasising about each other for centuries, they play a game where Alex spies on him when he is with other women but they've never come into close contact or acted on the attraction that they feel. Everything changes when Alex's brother is in trouble, Uri is the only person she can think of who might be able to help her and she will risk anything to help Eric. When they finally come into contact for the first time the chemistry between them roars to life, in fact, it's much more than mere lust between them as they discover they are mates. Not only are they trying to deal with their newly found mating bond but Uri has to try and convince the rest of the Guardians that Alex and her brothers shouldn't be banished to Tetartos and that they should instead work together to help Eric and rescue a woman who has been kidnapped by their enemy.

There is a lot going on in this story and more than enough action to keep me interested. I also really enjoyed seeing Alex and Uri deal with their new bond and an emotional connection that neither of them were expecting, physically they have no problems with their new situation but it's going to take some getting used to their new mental connection and having the freedom to actually be together. I did feel that the mating bond was a little overdone, it just sent them a little too crazy (especially Uri) and I think it could have been dialed back a little. The mating ceremony was undoubtedly hot but it just seemed a little out of character that the two of them had only recently had a conversation about being an exclusive couple and Uri had told her how possessive he was but then he was willing to invite a third party to join in the official ceremony joining them together. I would expect a moment like that to be something more private between the two of them and I'd have rather had the threesome at a different point in the story but that's down to personal taste I guess and it didn't stop my enjoyment of the rest of the book.

There were two other things that did bother me though, one was the rather explicit rape scene and the way we got so much detail of the torture that poor Sam and the other captive women were put through. I think a fade to black at certain points would have been much more appropriate - I'm happy to read sex scenes but I have NO interest in rape ones. The other thing that bothered me is a slight spoiler so I'm not going to go into detail but it was to do with the way everyone was pressuring Sam to help Eric so quickly after she had been rescued. I guess I'll have to see how that plays out in future instalments to see whether it resolves to my satisfaction but I felt extremely uncomfortable about the way things were being handled and felt that the added stress was the last thing Sam needed after everything she had been through.

Ecstasy Unbound wasn't perfect but it was a good start to the series and I am keen to find out where things go from here. I liked the banter between the Guardians and there are already a few characters I think I'm going to really love when we get to their stories.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Hidden Ecstasy - Setta Jay

*FREE short story prequel to the Guardians of the Realms Series ~ Erotic Paranormal Romance*

Ever since the Gods were sent to sleep for their sins against humanity, Vane, the son of Athena has been avoiding exile to the Immortal Realm. He, his dark, brooding twin and their sister have spent their lives hidden amongst humanity on Earth. According to their sister’s cryptic powers they needed to stay there for a purpose they’d yet to find. As the centuries ticked by he grew restless, recklessly tangling deeper with a very dangerous female.

As one of the Guardians of the Realms it was Brianne’s duty to ensure that humanity evolved without being subjugated by more powerful beings. For too long she had succumbed to the lure of a powerfully seductive Demi-God that could never truly be hers, one that she should have exiled long ago. It was a secret that could cost her, cost them all, but the danger only added to her need.

Their desire was breaking all the rules…

Warning: This story is intended for a mature audience and contains explicit sex and a dominant male behaving badly. Enjoy!

Guardians of the Realms:
Hidden Ecstasy (Short Story)
Ecstasy Unbound
Ecstasy Claimed
Denying Ecstasy
Tempting Ecstasy
Piercing Ecstasy
Blinding Ecstasy
Divine Ecstasy

Visit Setta Jay's website for more information

Review:
Hidden Ecstasy is a free prequel short story to Setta Jay's Guardians of the Realms series, I liked it the first time I read it but it was the second time around, after I'd read the first full length book Ecstasy Unbound, that I really enjoyed it. Although it works as a prequel I think I just appreciated it more when I was familiar with the main characters.

This is an erotic paranormal romance series so that's something to bear in mind before you start reading. There is a lot of sex and from what I've seen so far I think it's going to push quite a few boundaries so you probably want to check the warnings in the blurbs before you start reading. If you like your men dominant and a little on the dirty side then I think you'll love this series though.

This prequel introduces us to Vane, his twin brother Eric and their older sister Alex. All three are demigods, children of the goddess Athena, and they have various powers and abilities. While most of the gods have been banished from the human realm Vane, Eric and Alex managed to stay behind and they spend their lives trying to protect humanity from the demons that walk among us. We don't get all of the background here, but there was definitely enough to give a taster of what's to come.

The first book focuses on Alex (although we still get to see more of both her brothers) but Vane is the one who really steals the show in the prequel and I hope we get a book about him and Brianna very soon. This couple have mind-blowing chemistry and I want to see them make the most of it! This is a good start to the series that left me keen to know more and I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy these books.

Source: Downloaded for free on Amazon Kindle.

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Review: Force of Attraction - D.D. Ayres

The only thing more powerful than fear is desire . . .

A seasoned K-9 officer with the police in Maryland, Cole Jamison has left her old life behind her. With a new home and a new partner-a protective canine named Hugo-Cole is ready for fresh challenges. A crucial position on an important drug task force is exactly what she wants . . . until she discovers her gorgeous, infuriating ex-husband will be the DEA agent in charge.

FORCE OF ATTRACTION

Agent Scott Lucca may be a pro when it comes to undercover assignments, but this job is daunting even for him. Posing as a happy couple on the dog competition circuit means he and Cole need to get a lot closer than they've been in years. Playing a live-in couple should seem like a walk in the park compared to tracking a brutal criminal, but suddenly nothing could be more dangerous than the passionate fire they've rekindled . . .

K-9 Rescue Series:
Necessary Force (Novella)
Irresistible Force
Force of Attraction
Primal Force
Rival Forces (2016)

Visit D.D. Ayres' website for more information.

Review:
After getting her heart broken by her undercover ex-husband Nicole left her old life behind her and she hasn't looked back. Now she puts all her focus into her own career and she loves working as a K9 officer with her dog Hugo. Unfortunately for Cole her latest assignment puts her in close contact with Scott and no matter how much she hates him for what he did to her she can't deny the attraction they still feel. Scott always regretted the way things ended between him and Nicole, he was so deep into his undercover assignment that he let their relationship break down and he wishes he could go back and do things differently. Now that he has a second chance to show Nicole how much he has changed he is determined to prove to her just how good they'll be together.

I always enjoy second chance romances and Force of Attraction was a great one. Nicole has changed a lot from the woman Scott was married to, she is much more independant and in control and the last thing she wants is to let Scott back and end up with her heart broken all over again. Scott is also different though, it took losing the woman he loved to make him understand just how much he had let her down and all he really wants is to win back her trust. The sparks start flying immediately but it takes a long time for Scott to break down Nicole's barriers and he really had to work hard to prove himself to her. I was really pleased that Nicole didn't give into him too easily, he had hurt her badly and it wouldn't have felt realistic if she'd just let him straight back into her life without pushing him.

One of the things I love most about this series is the dogs and they add plenty of humour in this book too. To investigate their case for the DEA Nicole goes undercover at dog shows with her K9 partner Hugo and Scott is posing as her supportive husband along with his dog Izzy. The two dogs cause plenty of mischief along the way but D.D. Ayres does a fantastic job of showing the working relationship between K9 handlers and their partners. These police teams do such amazing jobs and each book in the series so far has shown them in very different circumstances. The mystery and danger from the case they are working was well drawn out and kept me guessing until right near the end, the romance was hot and spicy and the characters were great. Force of Attraction is another winner and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Discount Armageddon - Seanan McGuire

The Price family has spent generations studying the monsters of the world, working to protect them from humanity – and humanity from them.

Meet Verity Price. Despite being trained from birth as a cryptozoologist, she’d rather dance a tango than tangle with a demon, and is spending a year in Manhattan to pursue her dream career in professional ballroom dance. That is, until talking mice, telepathic mathematicians, and a tangle with the Price family’s old enemies, the Covenant of St. George, get in her way . . .

Incryptid Series:
14 Jonathan Healy & Frances Brown Short Stories (Read for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
3 Alice Healy & Thomas Price Short Stories (Read for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
Discount Armageddon
Midnight Blue-Light Special
4 Antimony Price Short Stories (Read some for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
3 Istas and Ryan Short Stories (Read most for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
Half-Off Ragnarok
1 Sarah Zellaby and Arthur Harrington Short Story (Read for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
5 Verity Price & Dominic De Luca Stories (Read for free on Seanan McGuire's website)
Pocket Apocalypse
Chaos Choreography
1 Elsie Harrington Short Story (Short Story in the Shadowed Souls anthology)
Magic for Nothing
1 Aeslin Mice Short Story (Purchase though Seanan McGuire's Patreon Page)
Tricks for Free
That Ain't Witchcraft

Ghost Roads Series:
(Stories are set in the Incryptid World)
Sparrow Hill Road
Train Yard Blues (Short Story in the Coins of Chaos anthology)
The Ghosts of Bourbon Street (Crossover Short Story with Verity from the Incryptid series free on Seanan McGuire's website)
Last Call at the Last Chance (Short Story available via Seanan McGuire's Patreon Page)
The Girl in the Green Silk Gown

Visit Seanan McGuire's website for more information

Review:
Verity Price comes from a long line of cryptozoologists and has spent her entire life learning about the numerous types of cryptids (supernatural creatures) who live hidden amongst us. Her family used to belong to the Covenant of St. George but once they realised that not all cryptids are monsters and that they deserve the chance to live peacefully amongst us they parted ways with the organisation and set out on their own. Now the Price family focus on helping the cryptids stay hidden and making sure they aren't a threat to humans. Verity is more than capable of dealing with any troublemakers but she also has a lot of cryptid friends and allies. Unfortunately the Covenant would prefer to see all the cryptids exterminated and since the Prices decided to break ties with the organisation they've been considered enemies.

Verity would much rather pursue a dance career than spend her days dealing with monsters and she is spending a year in Manhattan to see if she can make it as a ballroom dancer. Unfortunately for her she runs into a member of the Covenant while doing her usual rounds checking up on the local cryptid population. Now she must try to convince Dominic that the Price family aren't really traitors and that not all cryptids deserve to be killed just for existing. If she can't persuade him in time then he could bring down the entire Covenant on her head and she'll be in a whole heap of trouble along with her friends.

I had so much fun reading Discount Armageddon, Seanan Mcguire has created a world full of weird and wonderful supernatural creatures from a colony of talking, highly religious mice (who reminded me of a cross between the clockwork mice from Bagpuss and the singing cockroaches from Joe's Apartment!), to telepaths, gorgons, ghouls and dragon princess with many more in between. Verity has an incredible amount of knowledge when it comes to the hidden supernatural creatures that most of us think only exist in myths and legends and she's very good at making sure they aren't a danger to the human population and helping them exist peacefully alongside us. She didn't choose the life she has but she takes her responsibilities seriously even when she's trying to make time to follow her own dreams too.

When cryptids start being attacked Verity is worried for her friend's safety and her first instinct is to blame the Dominic and the Covenant. When he assures her that he isn't behind the murders they agree to work together to figure out what is really going on in the city. I have to admit it took me a long time to warm up to Dominic, has his own reasons for working with Verity and I wasn't at all sure he could be trusted. His attitude is terrible in the beginning but he has been trained for most of his life that all cryptids are evil and can't be trusted so he gets a real shake up when Verity starts introducing him to some of the less frightening and more friendly ones she considers her friends. I'm still not 100% sold on him or the romance that has started to develop between him and Verity but I love the world enough that it didn't cause me a major issue and I'm hoping I'll like him more as we get to know him better. This is a series that I'm excited to continue and I'm looking forward to seeing what new creatures Seanan McGuire will throw at us next, I'm pretty sure she's not done surprising us yet.

Source: Purchased

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Review: The Dragon Conspiracy - Lisa Shearin

After solving The Grendel Affair, the agents have another SPI File to investigate . . .

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. We battle the real monsters of myth and legend, but this Halloween, we’re searching for diamonds . . .

A gala opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has attracted the upper crust of Manhattan—and thieves. A trio of vile harpies attacks the crowd and steals the stars of the exhibition: a colorful cluster of seven cursed diamonds known as the Dragon Eggs.

In the right mage’s hands, each stone can pack a magical wallop. Together they have the power to “cure” the supernaturals of the tristate area—but for many of those vampires and werewolves, that means turning into dust.

I’m Makenna Fraser, a seer for SPI. With the help of my partner, Ian, and the other agents, I have twenty-four hours to prevent total global panic, find the diamonds, and save the supernatural community. No biggie . . .

SPI Files:
Lucky Charms (Novella included in the Night Shift anthology)
The Grendel Affair
The Dragon Conspiracy
The Brimstone Deception
The Ghoul Vendetta

Visit Lisa Shearin's website for more information

Review:
When Mak and Ian are tasked with guarding a set of cursed diamonds known as the Dragon Eggs, at a gala night opening for the Metropolitan Museum of Art they should have known they were about to be in trouble. What they couldn't have guessed is that three harpies would show themselves in front of the humans present and escape with the dangerous jewels. Unfortunately the diamonds are dangerous and if SPI aren't able to recover them quickly enough they could be used to cure all of the supernatural creatures in the area and return them to their human selves. That might not sound like a major problem but what do you think would happen to vampires and shapeshifters who are hundreds of years old if time was able to catch up with their bodies? Yes, SPI is looking at a major supernatural disaster!

I absolutely loved the prequel novella Lucky Charms but there were a few teething problems with the first book The Grendel Affair. I like the world that Lisa Shearin has created and how she has included so many different supernatural creatures but the pacing was a little slow in the first book which made the story drag a bit. Luckily that wasn't the case in The Dragon Conspiracy and the story starts with a bang, in fact one of my favourite scenes from the book was the opening night at the museum and I thought it kept a fairly steady pace from there onwards. I really loved the addition of a gorgon to the cast of characters, Helena had a really interesting back story and considering what she has to do to stay alive I was surprised at how much I liked her character. It was also great to see Rake back in the mix again, his character intrigued me in Lucky Charms and I liked him even more here.

While I enjoyed this book more than the first one there were still a few things that bothered me, mainly the ever changing relationship between Mak and Ian. In the prequel there was some fantastic chemistry between them, I loved their banter and I had high hopes of a slow build romance between them. That chemistry fell a little flat in the first book but I was expecting it to pick up again here since Lucky Charms was written after The Grendel Affair but for some reason things seemed to a complete 180 in this book. For most of the story they were acting more like wary strangers than the friends and colleagues they'd been before, the banter was completely missing for a large chunk of the book and the chemistry has vanished too. It seemed like the author was throwing them both in different directions romantically and I found myself really disappointed by that, especially since we'd seen such a great build up between them previously. I know the romance isn't the main focus of the story and I definitely enjoyed the rest of the plot more than the previous book but there was definitely something missing here.

I do still love this world though and I'm hoping everything will come together in the next book. I'm not sure what to expect from the romance but I think I'm going to be going in with much lower expectations on that front, I do hope that we see the friendship and banter back between Mak and Ian though, even if we end up with no romance between them. This series has a lot of potential and I'm very curious to see what kind of supernatural creatures Lisa Shearin will throw at Mak next, she's been on a steep learning curve already but I expect she's in for a few more surprises.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Wickedly Magical - Deborah Blake

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one . . .

Barbara Yager loves being one of the most powerful witches in the world, but sometimes she’d rather kick back in her enchanted Airstream with a beer in her hand than work out how to grant the requests of the worthy few who seek her out.

But when a man appears with the token of a family debt of honor, Barbara must drop everything to satisfy the promise owed by her predecessor—and she isn’t above being a little wicked to make sure the debt is paid in full . . .

Baba Yaga Series:
Wickedly Magical (Novella)
Wickedly Dangerous
Wickedly Wonderful
Wickedly Ever After (Novella)
Wickedly Powerful

Visit Deborah Blake's website for more information

Review:
Wickedly Magical is a prequel novella for Deborah Blake's Baba Yaga series, and it does a good job of introducing readers to the world and whetting our appetites for the rest of the series. The author has put her own spin on the tale of the wicked witch Baba Yaga that many people have heard of from Russian fairytales. In this series Baba Yaga is not just the name of one witch, instead it's a title held by a group of powerful witches spread across the world, these women keep the balance and protect the borders between our world and the paranormal realm. Baba Yaga's aren't evil, they're just incredibly powerful and not afraid to use their magic to defend themselves and those they feel bound to protect. You definitely don't want to make the mistake of crossing one, however, if you can convince them you're worthy then they'll be a great ally.

There are three Baba Yagas in the US: Barbara, Beka and Bella. This novella introduces all three but is mainly focused on Barbara who will be the main character in the first book Wickedly Dangerous. I don't want to say too much about the plot but when Barbara is approached by a man claiming Baba Yaga owes his family a debt and asking her to help him get back his lost treasures she doesn't have much choice but to honour a promise her mentor made many years before.

I'm actually surprised by how much the author managed to pack into a 73 page story, she did a great job of introducing the three Baba Yagas and their companions, gave a good idea about the kind of magic they are able to perform and was able to wrap up a satisfying paranormal mystery. Wickedly Magical definitely did it's job of hooking me in and making me want to continue reading and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here. I have very high hopes for the series!

Source: Purchased

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Review: Slightly Married - Mary Balogh

Meet the Bedwyns . . . six brothers and sisters--men and women of passion and privilege, daring and sensuality . . . Enter their dazzling world of high society and breathtaking seduction…where each will seek love, fight temptation, and court scandal . . . and where Aidan Bedwyn, the marriage-shy second son, discovers that matrimony may be the most seductive act of all . . .

Like all the Bedwyn men, Aidan has a reputation for cool arrogance. But this proud nobleman also possesses a loyal, passionate heart--and it is this fierce loyalty that has brought Colonel Lord Aidan to Ringwood Manor to honor a dying soldier's request. Having promised to comfort and protect the man's sister, Aidan never expected to find a headstrong, fiercely independent woman who wants no part of his protection…nor did he expect the feelings this beguiling creature would ignite in his guarded heart. And when a relative threatens to turn Eve out of her home, Aidan gallantly makes her an offer she can't refuse: marry him . . . if only to save her home. And now, as all of London breathlessly awaits the transformation of the new Lady Aidan Bedwyn, the strangest thing happens: With one touch, one searing embrace, Aidan and Eve's “business arrangement” is about to be transformed…into something slightly surprising . . .

Bedwyn Saga:
One Night for Love
A Summer to Remember
Slightly Married
Slightly Wicked
Slightly Scandalous
Slightly Tempted
Slightly Sinful
Slightly Dangerous

Visit Mary Balogh's website for more information

Review:
Colonel Lord Aidan Bedwyn made a promise to one of his dying soldiers, a promise to protect the man's sister, and he takes his vows very seriously. He travels to Eve's home to break the terrible news but is surprised to find a strong and independant woman who has no need of his assistance. She is more than capable of running her household and she has a whole group of people who she can rely on for friendship and help.

Just as Aidan is about to leave, believing his duty to be fulfilled, he discovers that she may not be quite as well off as he first assumed. She may be mistress of her own home now but due to a clause in her father's will she is at risk of losing everything if she doesn't marry soon. Aidan had never intended to take a wife but in order to make good on his promise he offers Eve a marriage of convenience, they will be married in name only but Eve will no longer be at risk of losing her home and Aidan will be free to return to the war. Eve reluctantly agrees to Aidan's proposal but what starts as loveless union soon becomes something much more complicated when both of their families get involved.

I have to admit I was a little nervous about continuing this series after reading the prequel novels, the Bedwyn family is huge and I normally love getting to know groups of siblings, but they haven't always been the most likeable characters and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy their stories. Luckily for me Aidan is a brother we hadn't met before so I hadn't built any negative opinion of him before starting this book and now I'm a little less worried about continuing the series. I'm still not looking forward to Freyja's book but I think I'm going to like the others, even Wulf who previously had me worried has shown a bit of a human side.

I really loved both Aidan, he can come across as cold and standoffish until you get to know him but he's actually quite sweet under that tough exterior and I enjoyed seeing him out of his comfort zone when he started to develop feelings for Eve. Eve is a great character, she's not a conventional helpless woman in need of rescue, in fact she's rather strong willed and very capable of looking after both herself and the people she considers her family. She has collected quite a rag tag bunch of friends and family members and she is the glue that holds everything together. Of course there is one branch of her family who is keen to see her fail so that they can take everything away from her but even in that case she is doing her best to fight the situation. Eve and Aidan make a great couple and I think I'm going to end up liking all of the Bedwyn brothers.

Source: Purchased

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Review: A Summer to Remember - Mary Balogh

Kit Butler, cool and dangerous, is one of London's most infamous bachelors and marriage is the last thing on his mind. Desperate to thwart his father's matchmaking, Kit needs a bride . . . fast. Enter Miss Lauren Edgeworth . . .

A year after being abandoned at the altar, Lauren has determined that marriage is not for her. When these two fiercely independent souls meet, sparks fly - and a deal is hatched. Lauren will masquerade as Kit's intended if he agrees to provide a passionate, adventurous, unforgettable summer. When summer ends, she will break off the engagement, rendering herself unmarriageable and leaving them both free. Everything is going perfectly - until Kit does the unthinkable: he begins to fall in love. A summer to remember is not enough for him. But how can he convince Lauren to be his . . . for better, for worse, for the rest of their lives?

Bedwyn Saga:
One Night for Love
A Summer to Remember
Slightly Married
Slightly Wicked
Slightly Scandalous
Slightly Tempted
Slightly Sinful
Slightly Dangerous

Visit Mary Balogh's website for more information

Review:
I felt quite sorry for Lauren when I was reading One Night for Love, after all it wasn't her fault that the man she was about to marry already had a wife and being left at the altar would be rather humiliating for anyone! So, I was glad when I found out we were getting to read her story next and I think I ended up enjoying A Summer to Remember even more than the first book.

After having her heart broken Lauren has pretty much given up on the idea of love and marriage, instead she's decided she's going to remain a spinster and she's making plans to move forward with life on her own terms which I thought was incredibly brave of her. Before she moves to a little cottage of her own in the countryside somewhere she is facing one last season in London, blithely ignoring the gossips and playing the part of a perfect young lady because a friend is relying on her.

As the second son Kit never expected to inherit the family title and he's been happy with his carefree life able to do what he wants when he wants. Then the unthinkable happens and his brother dies and now Kit is faced with returning home to pick up the reigns as his father's heir and even worse be forced into an arranged marriage with the woman who rejected him so long ago. Kit may not have a choice about his duties but one thing he absolutely will not budge on is marrying Freyja, she chose his brother over him once and he's not going to let her come back to him now that she knows he'll inherit everything. So, Kit decides it's time to choose his own bride and on a dare from his friends he picks Lauren since she has a reputation as a bit of an ice maiden and he can never resist a challenge.

I have to admit I was fully prepared to dislike Kit from the moment he made the bet but thankfully he comes clean to Lauren about it very quickly. After discussing his situation like the adults they are Lauren offers him a deal, she'll accompany him home and pretend to be his fiance for the summer if he gives her a few weeks of adventure and passion before she settles down to a quiet life on her own. Kit is more than happy to agree but his plans soon change when he starts to fall for the fun loving woman who has been hiding behind her frosty facade.

I really loved both Kit and Lauren, their relationship builds slowly and was very believable and I enjoyed seeing Kit push Lauren out of her comfort zone. She had been through so much but she was tough as steel and I was really proud of her for the way she stood up for herself, particularly around Freyja. These two books have been a prequel for the Bedwyn Saga but I have to admit it they haven't really shown the Bedwyn siblings in a particularly great light. Freyja in particular is a nasty piece of work but her brothers haven't been much better and it's not really making me want to dive into the rest of the series. Friends keep telling me I'll be pleasantly surprised when I get to know them though so I'm going to give them a chance and if they end up being as good as the prequels then I'll have discovered a new favourite historical romance series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch

"I used to be a probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service, and to everyone else as the Filth . . ."

Meet DC Peter Grant. He will show you his city. But it's not the capital that you all see as you make your way from tube to bus, from Elephant to Castle. It's a city that under it's dark surface is packed full of crime. And of magic. A city that you never suspected . . .

Grant's story starts when he tries to take a witness statement from a man who was already dead. And takes him down a twisting, turning centuries' old mystery that reckons to set modern London on fire . . .

Peter Grant Series:
Rivers of London
Moon Over Soho
Whispers Under Ground
Broken Homes
Foxglove Summer
The Home Crowd Advantage (Short Story)
The Hanging Tree (2016)

Visit Ben Aaronovitch's website for more information

Review:
When probationary Police Constable Peter Grant is left to guard a murder scene nobody expects him to find a witness to the crime, especially not a one who also happens to be a ghost. Peter quickly gets recruited to a super secret police unit that was set up to deal with supernatural problems, his new boss is a wizard and Peter now has a lot of new training to do. Suddenly Peter finds himself caught up in a side to London that he'd never seen before, one where ghosts are probably the least unusual creatures he has to deal with and it isn't only humans who can commit murder.

Rivers of London is a fantastic start to the Peter Grant series and I can now completely understand why my friends have been recommending Ben Aaronovitch to me for such a long time. He is incredibly skilled at bringing London to life on the page and if you're even slightly familiar with places like Covent Garden you'll be able to picture exactly where Peter is throughout the story. Alongside the London we know and love the author has created a darker hidden world of magic and supernatural creatures and I think we've only just begun to scratch the surface of what's really out there.

The police procedural side to the story is very realistic and that just adds more depth to the story and makes the weird and wonderful parts feel so much more likely, you'll almost find yourself wondering if the author has stumbled across a world that the rest of us don't know about and is actually writing these books from experience. There is plenty of humour to lighten up the tone and I laughed a lot while reading the story. Peter is a great character, I love the way he's not the best at his job and is completely out of depth when he finds out that he is a wizard. He's much more interested in finishing work for the day and heading down the pub for a pint where he'll also try and chat up his friend and fellow PC Leslie than he is in trying to further his career path. I can't wait to see what Peter gets up to next & I'm looking forward to continuing this series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: In the Air Tonight - Lori Handeland

Four centuries ago, in a small Scottish village, three baby girls escaped the wrath of a witch hunter. Today, one young woman will learn about her secret history, her heart's destiny, and the sisters she never knew she had . . .

With her blue-black hair and dark eyes, Raye Larsen has never fit in with the Scandinavian community of New Bergin, Wisconsin. Being adopted is part of the reason she feels like an outsider, but what really sets Raye apart is her ability to see dead people. Everywhere. She's learned to keep her visions to herself . . . until she stumbles onto the ghost of a murder victim who needs Raye's help. Enter Bobby Doucet, a distractingly handsome homicide detective who has been tracking a killer all the way from New Orleans. Could this be the break in his case he's been looking for all along? Meanwhile, the deeper Raye gets involved with the case--and with Bobby--the closer she comes to unlocking the mystery of her own origins. What she discovers about herself could destroy everything she knows . . . and everyone she loves. Is finding the truth worth the risk?

Filled with dark magic, dazzling romance, and dire suspense, In the Air Tonight is the first book in a thrilling new series by New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland.

Sisters of the Craft Series:
In the Air Tonight
Heat of the Moment
Smoke on the Water

Visit Lori Handeland's website for more information

Review:
I have mixed feelings about In the Air Tonight, on one hand I had a lot of problems with the characters but on the other I liked the backstory of the three sisters and I am curious to see what happens next so I do think the series has potential.

I think my main issues were with Raye, I had sympathy for her for the way everyone treats her so differently in the small town where she grew up, but I struggled to understand her motives for staying in a town where everyone is so mean to her. It's not like she even had a good relationship with her father, in fact there was more than one occasion when I really wanted to shake some sense into that stupid, stubborn man. Raye was adopted and she's never quite fit in, with her dark hair she looks very different from the rest of the people in her very Scandinavian hometown. The fact that she has the ability to see ghosts just marks her as even more different, although that is a secret she has been keeping since she was a child and overheard her father threatening to send her back where she came from. Her father was horrible and apart from her best friend most of the people in her town weren't that nice either so why was she still there? It didn't help that she came out with some completely ridiculous things, you can have characters who are ditzy in a funny way but she was just cringeworthy at times. I was embarrassed on her behalf and laughing at her for all the wrong reasons half of the time.

I didn't mind love interest Bobby but he wasn't the best male lead I've ever come across. I did like his reaction to the town Raye lived in and I enjoyed seeing him struggle to come to terms with the supernatural but he wasn't quite enough to save the book and I felt like the relationship between him and Raye was really rushed and not particularly believable. I think what I would have loved was a slower build up between them and more time spent getting to know each other. I also wanted to see more time spent with Raye either rebuilding a relationship with her father (he did show a little potential towards the end of the book) or for once in her life actually standing up to him and walking away.

The supernatural side of the story was interesting, particularly finding out where Raye had come from and what had happened to her parents, but I wanted to see more of that. The pace was a little slow in the beginning but that evened out a lot towards the end and I have hopes that the next book will give us more details. I'm also hoping that since each book is going to be told from the point of view of a different sister I'll like the other characters more and find them easier to relate to than Raye. It's not that I hated Raye, I just didn't particularly love her either.

Overall I'd say that In the Air Tonight is a story that didn't quite live up to it's potential but that I do think the series could be about to get interesting. I'm going to give Heat of the Moment a try and I'm hoping it'll have more of the world building and less of the issues that this one had.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Two for the Dough - Janet Evanovich

Kenny Mancuso shot his childhood buddy Moogey Bues in the knee and then jumped bail. Now bounty hunter extraordinaire Stephanie Plum is on the case to track Kenny down.

Then someone finishes Moogey off, Kenny can't be found, twenty-four coffins are missing, and there's some ex-army heavy artillery roaming the streets. And Joe Morelli - the cop with more than a professional interest in her every move - is tailing Stephanie.

With a healthy disregard for the law, and an unhealthy dependence on marshmallow hot chocolate, Stephanie's a match for anyone - even Morelli. That is, until her eccentric grandmother goes AWOL and little pieces of corpses start to disappear . . .

Stephanie Plum Series:
One for the Money
Two for the Dough
Three to get Deadly
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums (Between the Numbers book 1)
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven on Top
Twelve Sharp
Plum Lovin' (Between the Numbers book 2)
Lean Mean Thirteen
Plum Lucky (Between the Numbers book 3)
Fearless Fourteen
Plum Spooky (Between the Numbers book 4)
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Sizzling Sixteen
Smokin' Seventeen
Explosive Eighteen
Notorious Nineteen
Takedown Twenty
Top Secret Twnty-One
Tricky Twenty-Two
Turbo Twenty-Three
Hardcore Twenty-Four

Visit Janet Evanovich's website for more information

Review:
Stephanie's latest skip should be easy to collar, local boy Kenny shot his best friend in the knee during an argument but it was only a minor incident and Moogey didn't even want to press charges so there is no need for him to do a disappearing act. Then, after Kenny misses his court date, Moogey is murdered and prime suspect Kenny falls completely off the radar. Not one to walk away from a case Stephanie becomes determined to track Kenny down but when her investigations lead her to a funeral parlour with a missing batch of caskets and then various body parts start going missing things get much more complicated.

This series is just so much fun to read, it's pure entertainment from first page to last and every book has me giggling the whole way through. I must be on my third read through of the early books in the series yet I never get tired of them. Stephanie is such a likeable character, she has a knack for finding trouble and she gets herself into the most ridiculous and crazy situations but I love her all the more because of it. The best thing about these books are the characters, Stephanie's whole family is brilliant but it's Grandma Mazur who steals the show in this book, she manages to cause even more trouble than Stephanie and that's really saying something. I love the things she comes out with and I could happily quote half the book in this review.

I also love the men in the series, Ranger is still pretty much a complete mystery at this point but I know from later books how brilliant he is and I'm looking forward to unravelling him a bit more. Morelli is fantastic and the chemistry between him and Stephanie is great, they have a very complicated history so she is very wary of trusting him but it's obvious he's more than a little interested and I'm enjoying watching their relationship develop.

I've been wanting to reread these books and catch up with the most recent releases (I think I got to about book 15 in my last read through) for a long time now so I'm glad to be reading the series with a group of friends. At one book a month this is going to be a very long ongoing project but I'm actually enjoying having at least one really funny and light hearted read to look forward to each month and I think having such a relaxed schedule is going to make it much easier to stick to. Roll on January so I can get started on Three to Get Deadly!

Source: Purchased

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