Rivers of London: The Fey and the Furious (2020) Ben Aaronovitch, Andrew Cartmel, Lee Sullivan I find the comics for this series frustrating. I found the story interesting, but the execution wasn’t all I wanted it to be, I mean, why precisely, were the fey doing all this? It didn’t make a lot of sense […]
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park are trying to buy a house. Well, Oliver is looking at houses and Cooper is horrified at how much money Oliver wants to spend. So what do you think of this place?” Park asked. Cooper bit his lip. “What do […]
Lady Mechanika Volume 2: Tablet of Destinies (2016) Joe Benitez, Marcia Chen, Martin Montiel I am very much enjoying these books. Lady Mechanika has mechanical appendages, but has no memories of how she got them, or of her life before that time. So she lives as best she can, often accompanying adventurers (because her limbs […]
Mating the Huntress (2018) Talia Hibbert Luke Anthony is a werewolf. Chastity Adofo comes from a family of Huntresses, although she herself is forbidden to hunt. twenty-five years ago, on the day of Chastity’s birth, some batty old oracle had rocked up to the delivery room and told her parents— in typically dramatic fashion— that […]
False Value (2020) Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London) The 8th Rivers of London book. It’s been two years since the last book about Peter (although there have been comics) and although I was impatient, I didn’t mind, because my assumption was it was taking a long time so he could get it right (rather than […]
Trick of the Light (2009) Rob Thurman (Trickster) I had not read this book in years. It’s been on my list of books to purchase as ebooks (since I only had the paper book) but it never went on sale,so I finally broke down and bought it. Then I worried it wouldn’t be as good […]
Lady Mechanika Volume 1: Mystery of the Mechanical Corpse (2015) Joe Benitez, Peter Steigerwald Lady Mechanika has spent a great deal of time trying to discover where she came from–who replaced her arms and legs with mechanical appendages–and why? Every time she things she’s found a clue as to her past, the person (or creature) […]
Mooncakes (2019) Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu Nova Huang lives with her grandmothers and helps out at their store. She’s also an apprentice witch who hasn’t yet left home for an apprenticeship. Tam Lang was Nova’s childhood friend whose family never stayed in once place for long, but she’s back now because there’s something unpleasant in […]
Known Devil (2014) Justin Gustainis (Occult Crimes Unit Investigation) Alas, the end of the Occult Crimes Unit Investigation series. Just three books, but they’re fun ones. Stan and Karl are taking their coffee break when a pair of elves attempt to hold up the diner where they are having their coffee. What makes no sense […]
Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper has spent the past several months recuperating, and being taken care of by Oliver, who has been on suspension (both the result of Cooper’s visit home to see his father and brother). Every official communication was carefully uninterested about the private lives of their […]
The Wolf at Bay (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper Dayton and Oliver Park and working things out as partners for the BSI, but Cooper isn’t quite sure how things are working out on the personal front. Neither seems capable of talking about how the feel, and both have a lot they need to […]
The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Agent Cooper Dayton discovered the existence of the supernatural in the worst possible way–by almost being killed by it. Werewolves were not just in books and movies, cartoons and games. They were real and they had “come out” five years ago to governments around […]
The Alpha and His Ace (2015) Ana J. Phoenix This is a cute little potato chip of a story. What it does a very good job of is explaining Ace and that different Aces have different wants and needs, and a general “don’t assume”. There was also some general silliness. ”What are the ups?” ”I […]
Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez Between writing up posts on some of my favorite books and just needing something light and happy to read, I decided I needed to re-read Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists. This is such an adorable story AND it’s an Ace romance, which is even more lovely. Taro has something to tell […]
The Gentleman’s Guide to Getting Lucky (2019) Mackenzi Lee This is not a boinking book, although it is a book about boinking. Henry “Monty” Montague and Percy Newton are mostly over the events of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, and are beginning their lives together, except that they haven’t yet done it yet, […]
Dim Sum Asylum (2017) Rhys Ford Roku MacCormick is part of the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division, and things are not going well for him. He lost his love and his daughters, and there is nothing in his life anymore but following in his mother’s footsteps and trying to be order to a deeply disordered place. […]
Evil Dark (2012) Justin Gustainis I am enjoying my re-read of this series. Pretend that there’s a file folder somewhere, a big, thick one, labeled Real Bad Ideas. There’s at least three things I can think of that belong in there – inviting a werewolf for a moonlight stroll, telling a witch she’s got a […]
All the World’s an Undead Stage (2018) Angel Martinez The final book in the Offbeat Crimes series. This completes Carrington Loveless and Erasmus Graham’s story arc, as well as the overall story arc o just WHY is everything so weird in Philadelphia. We also get resolution for other characters, including Vance. “He has seemed more, […]
Jackalopes and Woofen-Poofs (2017) Angel Martinez This story splits between Jason and Alex’s point-of-view. Most of the 77th has to go to State Paranormal to face an inquiry as to the events of the previous book, where an arcane working was destroyed in the hopes it would stop the attacks by the feral dust bunnies […]
Feral Dust Bunnies (2017) Angel Martinez This is one of my favorite stories in the collection. Alex Wolf is a member of the 77th. His partner is a giant lizard of unknown origin, but his own origin might be odder. “Are you all right, sweetheart?” Mom stopped on her way past his room with a […]
Skim Blood and Savage Verse (2017) Angel Martinez Carrington Loveless is my least favorite character in this series, but on a second read-through, I have a little more compassion for him, since his parents are pretty awful. How could he have even thought about not celebrating his thirty-fifth birthday? Especially if it meant it gave […]
The Pill Bugs of Time (2016) Angel Martinez What do I love about this story? “Should get an Odo bucket,” Vikash murmured. “A what?” Kyle chuckled into his coffee. “Seriously, Carr? You never watched Deep Space Nine? My problem with this story is that I really hate time-travel stories. Time travel, dystopia, hard SF. REALLY […]
Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters (2016) Angel Martinez I started several books and immediately dropped them, so since this series has been in the back of my mind, I decided to re-read, even though it’s been less than a year since I first read it. Kyle Monroe was a normal cop until a run in […]
Black Dog Blues (2014) Rhys Ford Kai Gracen makes his way in the human world as a Stalker–someone who kills the inhuman monsters that crossed over when the world merged with Underhill. Being elfin in a world of humans, following the war between the elfin and humans isn’t easy, but it’s his life, and one […]
The Night Raven (2018) Sarah Painter (Crow Investigations) Lydia Crow has returned to London for a bit, after a case she was investigating turned uglier than expected. But she liked being on her own, and doesn’t want drawn back into the family, yet she turns to Uncle Charlie for a place to stay, which draws […]
A Matter of Disagreement (2018) EE Ottoman I’m not quite sure how I feel about this book. It’s historical fantasy, set in a France like land, with some of the trappings of historical France and England, but there is also magic. “The use of magic to animate. You see, it is commonly believed that only […]
Undeading Bells (2019) Drew Hayes It’s almost time: Fred and Krystal’s wedding day is almost here! Geez, Freddy, all those old movies you love, maybe work some classic action flicks in there occasionally. I’m more or less a parahuman secret agent and long-time loner on the verge of settling down with someone I really love, […]
Deadly Assessments (2018) Drew Hayes The fifth Fred the Vampire Accountant book finds Fred dealing with a challenge to his fitness to lead a clan–and as a vampire. However, the vampire sent to evaluate Fred is not anything like he expected. “That, in my view, is your fundamental problem,” Deborah continued. “You are kinder than […]
The Fangs of Freelance (2017) Drew Hayes The fourth Fred the Vampire book. My name is Fredrick Frankford Fletcher, and I am an accountant by trade. Also, I’m a vampire. Yes, I probably should have led with that second bit, but to be honest, the accountant part factors far more frequently into my daily life […]
Bloody Acquisitions (2016) Drew Hayes A vampire clan has moved to town, and this in no way bodes well for Fred. “You know, Fred, there are some interesting tales coming out of this city. Stories about one of our kind who’s like no other. They say he brokered a peace with the therians, courted an […]
Grilled Cheese and Goblins (2018) Nicole Kimberling Keith Curry is a food inspector for NATO’s Irregulars Affairs Division (NIAD). He may carry a mage gun, but most of the time his tools are thermometers and glasses that allow him to see the supernatural. This book is six interlinked stories. “Cherries Worth Getting” “Cookie Jamboree” “The […]
Undeath & Taxes (2015) Drew Hayes The second Fred the Vampire Accountant book is also collection of five novellas, and also an utter delight. Learning about the parahuman world, through virtue of my own death, hadn’t been nearly as disturbing to me as learning there were whole sections of laws, tax codes, and deduction options […]
The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant (2014) Drew Hayes I’ve read quite a few new releases recently, so I’ve been interspersing them with books I really liked and wanted to re-read. Hence, returning to The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant. I recorded my journeys in […]
Hard Spell An Occult Crimes Unit Investigation (2011) Justin Gustainis Stan Markowski is a Detective on the Scranton Police Supernatural Crimes Investigation Unit–they investigate crimes involving witches and vampires and other supernatural beings. Cops on the Supe Squad spend as much time investigating crimes committed against supes as we do on crimes with a supe […]
Marriage, Love and a Baby Carriage (2016) C.S. Poe Theodore Reinhart’s convention in San Diego is not what he was expecting. I was attending a singles’ convention for special people like me to find their forever penguin partner. But after I paid the attendance fee, got a hotel room, and booked my flight, I found […]
Burn Bright (2018) Patricia Briggs The first time I read this book (right after it came out) I was unable to rate it, because I couldn’t decide quite how I felt about it. Something seemed off to me, but I couldn’t place precisely what it was. This book still feels off to me, and I’m […]
Dead Heat (2015) Patricia Briggs Despite the lack of Asil, I do love this story. The Arabians might not suit you; they don’t suit everyone. They are like cats: vain, beautiful, and intelligent. But you deal well enough with Asil, who is also vain, beautiful, and intelligent. Charles receives a call from his friend Joseph–who […]
Fair Game (2012) Patricia Briggs This is the third Alpha & Omega book. Bran brought the wolves out into the light of the day, and Charles’ life has become a living hell. Any infraction that makes werewolves look bad is a death sentence–and the alphas keep pushing that duty onto Charles. Bran was still ranting. […]
Hunting Ground (2009) Patricia Briggs This series is working well as I try to figure out what new-to-me book I want to read next. Bran is going to make the existance of werewolves known to the general public, but he’s trying to make the announcement as easy as possible for those wolves outside of the […]
Cry Wolf (2008) Patricia Briggs Anna was rescued from her abusive pack in Chicago, and is now mated to Charles Cornick–the son of the Marrok. But she is still try to deal with the abuse she suffered in Chicago while learning to trust Charles. Unfortunately, troubles won’t wait for Charles to recover from the injuries […]
Alpha and Omega (2008) Patricia Briggs Reading slump. Went through a lot of books before I decided this was what I would be good reading. This novella is the start of the Alpha & Omega series, with Charles (the Marrock’s younger son) and Anna, an Omega werewolf who was changed against her will. There is […]
Mainly by Moonlight (2019) Josh Lanyon Cosmo Saville is a witch–a fact he’s hiding from his soon-to-be husband. But when Cosom discovers that someone put a love spell on John Joseph Galbraith, he insists the spell be removed–even if it causes the wedding to be called off. And to make things worse, the business meeting […]
Gunpowder Alchemy (2014) Jeannie Lin Set in China in 1850 It has taken me a really long time to read this; it’s been my lunch-time reading book, but I don’t always read at lunch, and after lunch I walk and listen to either an audiobook or podcasts. So–maybe I’ve been reading this for a year? […]
Among the Living (2006) Jordan Castillo Price (PsyCop) Victor Bayne’s partner is retiring. Maurice was a sixty-two year old black man who had a lot more gray in his hair at his retirement party than he’d had when I first met him. We’d never been close in a way that some partners at the Fifth […]
Sympathy: MM Romance with a Hint of Magic (2009) Jordan Castillo Price This is a M/M romance short story. Apparently, broken characters are my catnip. It’s been two years since the accident. Anthony Potosi has had to learn to walk again, and to attempt to regain at least some of what that loss took from […]
Snake Agent (2005) Liz Williams Detective Inspector Chen is in charge of crimes that stretch into Heaven and Hell (obviously, far more cases involve Hell over heaven) and as an occult practitioner whose patronage of the goddess Kuan Yin affords him a measure of protection when he has to travel to Hell. Unfortunately, his recent […]
Sapphire Flames (2019) Ilona Andrews Nevada’s arc ended with Wildfire. Catalina’s story started there, then moved on with the novella Diamond Fire, and this is her first novella. It’s…. fine. I liked spending time with Catalina and her family. I appreciated that Nevada was being kept out of the way and gave up control of […]
Charmed and Dangerous: Ten Tales of Gay Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy (2015) edited by Jordan Castillo Price “Dim Sum Asylum” (2015) by Rhys Ford “Swift and the Black Dog” (2015) by Ginn Hale “A Queer Trade” (2015) by KJ Charles “Magically Delicious” (2015) by Nicole Kimberling “Everyone’s Afraid of Clowns” (2015) by Jordan Castillo […]
Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds (2018) Brandon Sanderson I am super conflicted. I absolutely adored the first two Legion novellas. They were quite different from anything else, and they were action packed and lots of fun. This third novella was a problem for me from the start. First and foremost, it was released […]
The Rook (2012) Daniel O’Malley This was on sale last week, and when I saw it, I immediately wanted to read it again. This is a book that gets better each time I read it, because I think about the different aspects of the story. First, I adore the various thoughts about human nature. the […]