Making Love (2017) Aidan Wayne Aphrodite Agency was open to all magic and fae creatures, but it wasn’t as though humans could walk through their doors to request a match. And they deserved love just as much as anyone else. Carla loved to work with humans, knowing that she would help them find matches even […]
Candy Hearts (2020) Erin McLellan (So Over the Holidays) Because I wanted all the positivity and self-acceptance of this story. Benji was over it. Over the dating scene. Over unsatisfying sex. Over the romantic-industrial complex called Valentine’s Day. Well, actually, he wasn’t over it at all, but he was trying to be. He was trying […]
Vincent’s Thanksgiving Date (2014) R. Cooper Just wanted a comforting romance. He didn’t understand why other people found silence so uncomfortable when it had never bothered him. But every time he was quiet for too long he could see people start to wonder what was wrong with him. Then he’d get cold and his palms […]
Gumption & Gumshoes (2013) Alex Kidwell Chinchilla shifter. I wanted to shift. I didn’t often, because seriously, what would be the point? None of us did. Personally, I was just really hooked on the opposable thumbs thing that I had as a human. But right then, I wanted to be smaller. I feel like I […]
Agents of Winter (2022) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) Martin’s dietitian would be glad as well. Evidently, his comment at his last appointment of ‘I currently weigh more than I did prior to the incident’ did not paint a good picture of Martin’s long-term health management skills. Martin was sent home with an entirely new […]
An Unnatural Vice (2017) K.J. Charles (Sins of the Cities) Justin stayed upstairs until he heard the door shut. Some people would call it flagrant physical cowardice to leave a twelve-year-old girl to deal with a large enraged man, and those people would be absolutely right, but Justin would have bet the house that Nathaniel […]
An Unseen Attraction (2017) K.J. Charles (Sins of the Cities) Look me in the eyes, boy! had been a constant refrain at school, but they said the eyes were the windows to the soul, and Clem didn’t feel comfortable peering into people’s windows. Rowley had thought at first the beast had no name; it had […]
Execution in E (2020) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown) “If you don’t want me to see your fingers crossed behind your back,” she pointed to his semi-transparent hand visible through his semi-transparent torso, “you should dial up your density.” Ty reminded her of the husband in one of those twisted domestic suspense novels with “Girl” in […]
Fatality in F (2019) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown) I don’t recognize all the varieties. I know tulip.” She pointed at the familiar red cup-shaped blossom and then at a frilly red bloom. “That’s chrysanthemum. And these,” she lowered her head to inhale the subtle sweetness of several perfect, red, urn-shaped buds, “Roses, of course. What’s […]
Killing in C Sharp (2018) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown) Ghost Hunting Adventures reigned notorious for both its physicality and the amount of profanity that had to be bleeped out. “Some versions say Maja was the choice from the jump. Long and short of it, the baroness tricked Maja into going to the construction site where […]
Death in D Minor (2917) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown Mysteries) “Thank you, Miss Brown,” Hank said. “Doctor Brown,” she corrected. “Oh, that’s right, you do have some sort of degree in, what is it, music?” “A Ph.D. From Yale.” “You must forgive me, Doctor Brown. I believe I mentioned before I don’t pay much attention […]
Murder in G Major (2016) Alexia Gordon (Gethsemane Brown) “I’m Gethsemane.” “A nice Biblical name.” “Grandmother’s idea. Father wanted to name us all after Nobel laureates. Mother just wanted the names to be pronounceable with no unnecessary apostrophes.” (M)y career plans don’t include a scorched earth policy. I want to leave on a high, not […]
Color of You (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) “His voice was just so flippin’ gorgeous,” I said, sighing a little. “I’ve never heard an amber voice. It was smooth and flowed like blues music.” Sound-to-color synesthesia. When you look a certain way, a lot of men expect you to behave the part. Society had […]
Sweet & Sour Spells (2023) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) The previous books in the series were fine. I kept reading because I was curious about the characters, and the stories were a nice escape. It’s not that this one was bad, but I ran into more copy editing errors that threw me […]
Merlin in the Library (2018) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) A very brief story from Martin’s POV, set a couple of weeks after his return. The previous day had been bad on the pain scale, leaving him with little appetite. Now, under the persistent ache, he found himself to be hungry. He would have to […]
His Quiet Agent (2017) Ada Maria Soto (The Agency) Comfort reread. His supervisor sighed. “Agent Drams, no one knows who you are.” “We’re a black budget government agency. No one is supposed to know who we are.” Arthur looked over at The Alien. It was a Go Away sign, but it was a very specific […]
A Carriage of Misjustice (2020) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Adam and Robin are married, but since their wedding was during the school year, they’re putting off their honeymoon. Which is good because Robin is requested for a secondment in Hartwood, which means Robin and Pru will be staying at a hotel for the duration. A […]
Old Sins (2019) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Back from vacation, Robin and Adam are trying to decide about wedding plans, and taking Campbell for a walk, when they hear a shot and discover a dead dog. This not a common occurrence, and the difference between gun laws in the US vs UK is fascinating. “Somebody […]
Two Feet Under (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Adam has just started as deputy headteacher at a new school when Robin is called out for a murder–this time at an archeology site. “It’s not one of those routine ‘found a body; we’re pretty sure it’s from the time of Cromwell, but we have to call […]
Jury of One (2015) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Adam and Robin are now an item, living together although Robin still hasn’t sold his flat. Then Robin is called to a secondment to investigate a murder in a nearby town, where the locals are tied up in a serial slasher case. Robin said having to explain […]
The Best Corpse for the Job (2014) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Needed a cozy series, and nothing new was working for me, so I went back to this series. Adam is part of a group interviewing applicants for the headteacher position in his school. Back again. Same classroom, same panel, same anticipation of death by […]
Hottie Scotty and Mr. Porter (2016) R Cooper Why reread? Because Scotty is so very sweet and kind. He picked up Becks to give nervous, overprotective Bobby a break from watching over her all the time, before taking Bobby’s hand for the walk home. Scott didn’t get any more time to think about it, because […]
The Lies of Locke Lamora (2009) Scott Lynch narrated by Michael Page (Gentleman Bastards) I read this in 2007, about a year after it was published. It’s dark, which is one of the reasons why I never got around to reading the sequels (the primary reason being because I only had them in hardback). Locke […]
A Sinister Revenge (2023) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell) Set in Europe and Great Britain in 1889. Her eighth book opens with Veronica and Tiberius searching Bavaria for Stoker, who ran off after discovering Veronica had a husband–one who was apparently not dead as she thought he was. I feel like this was an excellent way […]
Liar City (2023) Allie Therin (Sugar & Vice) No one knows where the empaths came from. All people know is they have to be touching you to read you–and that they are all pacifists, unable even to defend themselves. Because the real empath she knew wouldn’t be doing shots with rich workaholics; he’d be lecturing […]
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies (2022) Misha Popp (Pies Before Guys) Honestly, it’s been almost two weeks and I’m still not certain how I feel about this book. Daisy Ellery has a dog, a pie truck, and the magic that runs in her family. Unfortunately, Daisy’s magic seems to have turned dark, allowing her to […]
Dead in the Shop (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Pudding crawls had become one of their traditions after one of their many Olivers had given up drinking. They’d supported him through Alcoholics Anonymous, and decided to create a way to celebrate without alcohol. Instead of reunions spent in one pub after the other, they […]
Dead in the Pond (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Bishan found it very difficult to force himself to do anything without understanding the reason. “Would you rather stay?” Yes. “Yes, but if I do it’ll make leaving harder the next time.” They hadn’t restocked his cereal yet. Bishan didn’t feel up to making something […]
Dead in the Garden (2018) Dahlia Donovan (Grasmere Cottage Mystery) Cinnamon. What did I just read? No matter how many times Valor read it, the cause of death didn’t change. His old schoolmate had been killed by inhaling cinnamon. It had been good for him. Valor didn’t know if he’d have grown into the same […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1812 Phoebe’s betrothed’s forceful whisper was as loud as her soft-spoken question, but she bit her tongue. She wondered what her tongue would look like after they’d spent a lifetime together. Maybe one day she’d bite it in half. She ached to break […]
Joy (2017) C.S. Poe (A Lancaster Story) “Are there, like… street signs or—” “He’s not from around here,” Nancy said to a guy at the counter who started laughing. “No, honey, just drive. The roads around here will bring you right through into the next town.” I put down the bin of dishes I’d been […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1811. “Em.” Lord Durnham watched as his sister ushered her children out the door in front of her with disbelief. “I don’t understand . . .” He caught Charlotte’s eye as she waited for Ned to go through first, and Charlotte stared straight […]
Jericho Candelario’s Gay Debut (2018) R. Cooper He and Jerry had argued once, in their way, about the difference between Lincoln working for his dream and doing what he loved, and why Jerry might be tired at the end of each day. Mostly, Lincoln had gotten loud, Jerry had gotten quiet, then said, “I love […]
Nearly a Lady (2011) Alissa Johnson (Haverston Family) Set in Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. “What the devil would I do with a London season?” “Find a husband, I imagine,” was Gideon’s reply. It only served to mystify her further. “What the devil would I do with a husband?” “Obtain long-term financial stability,” Lilly told […]
The Eidolon (2023) K.D. Edwards (Magnus Academy) This story occurs in parallel to The Hourglass Throne, the third book in The Tarot Sequence. We discover what happened to Max, Quinn, and Anna when they were kidnapped by Lady Time. I truly have no idea if you could read this story without having read the Tarot […]
Bitter, Sweet, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) The third book finds Cassie settled into her life in Maine, even though her daughter is still struggling to fit in to a new school and make friends. She also preparing for the fall festival the town is putting on–which is run by the […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812. After witnessing the murder of her father, Giselle Barrington flees back to London. She cannot give into her grief, for she has to find someone to take the information she holds. (H)e’d be looking for the document he had killed her father […]
The Hound of Justice (2019) Claire O’Dell (The Janet Watson Chronicles) When I read it, I was drawn into A Study in Honor despite the fact it was really not the kind of book I enjoy. The same is true this time. Janet Watson is settling into her position at Georgetown–although she isn’t yet cleared […]
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) After reading a dystopia, I needed something more comforting to read. The first story is far and away my favorite. Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, alcoholism, violence Hades is served with divorce papers, and so moves to the human realm. Told to find something to do with himself, […]
Bread, Coffee, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) Cassie is settling into running her bakery and living in Maine, but her daughter misses her friends back in Georiga–and Cassie’s ex has decided to come north and try and take Aurie back. One think I like about this series so far is that […]
Grilled Cheese and Goblins: Adventures of a Supernatural Food Inspector (2018) Nicole Kimberling Keith had investigated orgy sites where there had been twenty or more witnesses all standing and watching some victim being dismembered just because a cameraman was filming it. The presence of a camera implied fiction and a sense that some authority was […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Allies (2017) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Lily managed to escape from her father, which led to reuniting with her mother, but now knowing her father, she and Sebastian are working to stop him–any way they can. She is also returning home to visit the family she grew up […]
By the Pricking of My Thumbs (1968) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) We first met Tommy & Tuppence at the end of the Great War. Mr. Beresford had once had red hair. There were traces of the red still, but most of it had gone that sandy-cum-grey colour that red-headed people so often arrive at […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Revelations (2016) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Book two finds Lily wanting to learn more about her family. Also, her cat decides to imbue himself with magic. Returning to her patch of sunlight and pile of papers, she was horrified to find Sir Kipling licking the clay fragment. “Stop […]
Butter, Sugar, Magic (2022) Jessica Rosenberg (Baking Up a Magical Midlife) Cassie wasn’t happy, exactly, but that doesn’t mean she wasn’t thrown for a loop when she discovered her husband was divorcing her. Max, her father and my husband of almost twelve years, decided out of the blue he was moving out and we had […]
Love, Lies, and Hocus Pocus: Beginnings (2016) Lydia Sherrer (The Lily Singer Adventures) Lily Singer is a wizard. She didn’t learn this until she went away to college, but she quickly acquired a mentor, and even a friend who was a witch (much to the chagrin of her mentor, as the witch is her nephew). […]
N or M? (1941) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) It’s 1940 and both Tommy & Tuppence feel useless. “Well, come on, out with it. Nothing doing?” “Nothing doing. They don’t want me in any capacity. I tell you, Tuppence, it’s pretty thick when a man of forty-six is made to feel like a doddering grandfather. […]
The Gorgon Agenda (2023) Lisa Shearin (SPI Files) I seem to have forgotten much of the previous book. But now I check the publication date, I bought it a the end of March 2021, so, yeah, that explains it. The Aegis–the mythical shield with Medeusa’s head head embedded in the center, has been stolen from […]
Partners in Crime (1929) Agatha Christie (Tommy & Tuppence) A set of intertwined Tommy & Tuppence short stories. A Fairy in the Flat A Pot of Tea The Affair of the Pink Pearl The Adventure of the Sinister Stranger Finessing the King The Case of the Missing Lady Blindman’s Buff The Man in the Mist […]
Hide and Seek (2022) Josh Lanyon Andy was already headed home–to the small Maine town where his great uncle has his small antique store, but when he arrives, things are made even worse: his uncle was in the hospital after being badly beaten during a break in. It makes Andy’s reasons for running home seem […]