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 […]
Skin and Bone (2019) TA Moore Here’s the problem: I still don’t like Javi. Half the time he didn’t like himself much. If he had a pet, he wouldn’t want it to be intelligent enough to understand his failings. Sorry, but being aware that you’re a complete asshole doesn’t excuse being a complete asshole. Be […]
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 […]
In Farleigh Field (2017) Rhys Bowen Set in England in 1941 Farleigh Place is the ancestral home of Lord Westerham, and is now also home to the Royal West Kents as they prepare to be sent to the front. But even they are surprised when the body of a soldier is discovered on the grounds. […]
Damaged Goods (2018) Talia Hibbert Laura Burne is married to an abusive bastard. So she’s left him, and planning to have her child on her own, to keep The Bump safe, and has returned to the place she felt safe and happy as a teenager: Beesley-On-Sea. Samir Bianchi has remained where he grew up (even […]
The Mystery of the Curiosities (2017) C.S. Poe Sebastian and Calvin are making their relationship work. It’s hard for Calvin whose family won’t speak with him now, which is exacerbating the PTSD he won’t admit he has, but Sebastian is doing his best to make Calvin feel loved. And Calvin does his best to deal […]
Devil’s Daughter (2019) Lisa Kleypas Set in England in 1877 This is a sequel to Devil in Spring, which I really liked, and enjoyed Hello Stranger so this ended up on my wish list. Phoebe, Lady Clare married her childhood best friend and love, even knowing he would make her a young widow. Now that […]
The Mystery of Nevermore (2016) C.S. Poe Sebastian Snow runs an antique shop, has an in-the-closet copy boyfriend, and achromatopsia–he can’t see color and has other vision problems due to that. When he finds a body part in the floorboards of his store, he’s drawn into a mystery, initially against his will, but later with […]
For Better or Worse (2017) R. Cooper There are several things that make this story interesting. First, Javier is a gray ace / demisexual. Second, a great deal of the story takes place in the heads of the two men. Thirdly, the problems between the two (specifically their lack of a relationship) is due to […]
Bone to Pick (2017) TA Moore I don’t know what I wanna read. I think a mystery. How about re-reading this one where I loved the dog? Cloister Witte is ex-military and currently a sheriff K9 deputy. Cloister lives for Bon, his dog. “I buy you shit, Bon,” he told her. “Good shit, but you’d […]
Untouchable (2018) Talia Hibbert Hannah made a huge mistake several years ago, which cost her a career and child care. Since then she’s been working minimum wage jobs and hating her life. But when a guy she grew up with needs a nanny, his brother recommends Hannah. “So, just to be clear,” she said slowly, […]
Proper English (2019) KJ Charles Set in England in 1902 Patricia Merton is looking forward to the shooting party in the country. Now her brother’s wedding is over, she is going to have to decide what to do with herself, because remaining in the home she grew up just isn’t going to work. But she […]
A Girl Like Her (2018) Talia Hibbert The nice thing about romance series is that it’s really ok to read them out of order, since you know you’re getting a HEA and there are only small details to possibly spoil, not the outcome. I read the third book, and decided I really wanted to read […]
Love for the Spinster (2019) Kasey Stockton Set in England during the Regency period Freya’s life changed dramatically when it was discovered that her mother was her father’s second wife–and his first wife was still alive. (M)y father had nailed the coffin closed on any chance of a reputable match when his marriage to my […]
That Kind of Guy (2019) Talia Hibbert Zack has lived his life in Ravenswood, and has earned his reputation as a slut. But after his mother’s illness, and his subsequent depression, he’s been reevaluating his life–including why he had so many sexual encounters he didn’t actually want. (N)ecessity was the mother of every skill Zach […]
These Old Shades (1926) Georgette Heyer I finished some good books, which left me unsure what I wanted to read next, so I turned to a favorite, These Old Shades. It’s an historical romance where the heroine is pretending as a boy, the hero is a horrible person to is believed beyond redemption, and there […]
Footsteps in the Dark (2019) L.B. Gregg, Nicole Kimberling, Josh Lanyon, Dal MacLean, Z.A. Maxfield, Meg Perry, C.S. Poe and S.C. Wynne Entrée to Murder by Nicole Kimberling Twelve Seconds by Meg Perry Reality Bites by S.C. Wynne Blind Man’s Buff by L.B. Gregg A Country for Old Men by Dal Maclean Pepper the Crime […]
The Holy Thief (1992) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1144. The 19th Brother Cadfael book. Geoffrey de Mandeville, Earl of Essex, is dead. The war rages on, but the Abbot of Ramsey was able to return and assess to damage to his abbey. He then sent out members to call for the return of […]
Uncommonly Tidy Poltergeists (2017) Angel Martinez Taro has to make a confession to his family–and he’s afraid they’re going to freak out. He’s won the biggest power ball in history, and is going to keep it a secret from everyone but them. He is also, after buying his parents a vacation home and setting up […]
The Leopard King (2016) Ann Aguirre This was the book I ended up reading after I finished the Brandywine Investigations series, which I really enjoyed. I opened several books, and nothing piqued my interest, so I ended up with this. At the end of chapter one it was clear this was going to be a […]
Family Matters (2018) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) This is three stories set in the same world as the previous book, Open for Business: Books, Bulls, & Bacchanals, Midwinter Dancing, Pack Up the Moon Books, Bulls, & Bacchanals is Dionysus’ story. After an evening spent with his family, Dio decides he needs to find something to […]
A Dangerous Collaboration (2019) Deanna Raybourn Set in England in 1888 My opinion of Deanna Raybourn’s books, is that they are perfectly fine. There is nothing wrong with them, but I don’t love them the way one would expect me to, considering they are historical mysteries with a strong female lead. So I requested this […]
Open for Business (2016) Angel Martinez (Brandywine Investigations) Mythological beings. M/M romance. Murder and mystery. That noise? Those were a bunch of my buttons being pushed all at the same time. This is three separate stories. Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses, No Enemy But Time, and Dragons, Diamonds & Discord. Canines, Crosshairs & Corpses Hades (that […]
Seance on a Summer’s Night (2018) Josh Lanyon Artemus Bancroft has returned to Green Lanterns, the home where his aunt raised him after his parents died, but he’s not quite sure why he’s there, aside from a cryptic request. Come as soon as you can, Artie, Aunt Halcyone had written. The situation has spiraled out […]
Point Blank: Five Dangerous Ground Novellas (2017) Josh Lanyon This is a collection of five novellas, featuring Taylor MacAllister and Will Brandt, agents for the Department of Diplomatic Security. Dangerous Ground (2008) Six weeks earlier, Taylor was shot during an investigation. Now, as Taylor is preparing to return to work (desk duty), the two have […]
Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara Cooper is (again) recuperating, having had his leg badly broken in their last adventure–the one that got Park suspended for a month. They are still hiding their relationship from the BSI, but neither is sure if that will work once they are both back at work together. Every […]
The Wolf at Bay (2018) Charlie Adhara After solving the serial killer case four months previous, Cooper and Park have become partners at the BSI–and partners in the other sense as well, but neither of them is capable of talking about how they feel about each other. “That depends on just because what. Just because […]
The Wolf at the Door (2018) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Agent Cooper Dayton was transferred from the FBI to the BSI after a werewolf attack. The job of the BSI is to deal with werewolf crime–and keep the existence of werewolves from becoming known to the general public. The public could never know about […]
High Stakes Trial (2019) Mindy Klasky Sarah has been indicted for the murder of the judge for whom she worked, and her boss has disappeared off the face of the earth, leaving her with a temporary security head who uses dog breeds as curses. Sarah has been seeing Chris, the head of the local sphinxes […]
Law and Murder (2017) Mindy Klasky The second book finds Sarah preparing for the trial of the vampire who attempted to kill her–but it seems that her status in the supernatural world still isn’t set, and that may well affect the trail–and Sarah’s life. “Legend says Sekhmet’s retainers invented beer to keep her calm. For […]
Fright Court (2011) Mindy Klasky (Magical Washington) Sarah Anderson has been bouncing from job to job for years now, while her best friend is settled down with a rewarding job and what seems to be a perfect family. But Sarah’s first night on the job she discovers that nothing on the Night Court is as […]
The Summer of the Danes (1991) Ellis Peters Set in England in 1144. Cadfael and Brother Mark travel to Wales, to meet with (and support) two new bishops. But they end up caught up in an unexpected fight: Prince Owain Gwynedd and his brother Cadwaladr. “Brothers have been the ruin of Welsh princedoms through all […]
A Geek Girl’s Guide to Justice (2016) Julie Anne Lindsey The third book in the Geek Girl Mysteries finds Mia trying to handle being CIO for her grandmother’s company, co-owner of her favorite game, head of IT for Horseshoe Falls, and organizer of her sister’s baby shower. Then two problems hit: a friend of her […]
A Geek Girl’s Guide to Arsenic (2016) Julie Anne Lindsey Three months ago, Mia Connors was suspected or murder (and internet malfeasance) and proving her innocence led to unfortunate consequences and an interest in the agent who was investigating her. Now one of her fellow Rennies has died at her feet, and it’s laid suspicion […]
Hell & High Water (2014/2018) Charlie Cochet Dexter Daley’s career in the human police force is over–he just doesn’t know it yet. After testifying that his partner shot a unarmed teenager Therian in the back, he’s put on leave, and then beat up by his fellow officers. Eventually, he’s sent to THIRDS, the human-therian unit […]
Ravensong (2018) TJ Klune That’s it. I’m out. Gordo Livingstone was made the witch of the Bennett pack when he was a child. Then, his pack abandoned him and he was left completely alone–even by the boy he thought he loved. This book happens before, during, and after the events of Wolfsong, giving us Gordo’s […]
Family Man (2017) Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton After three failed marriages, Vincent “Vinnie” Fierro has started wondering whether he family and religion are why he has denied to himself so adamantly that he might be interested in guys. Trey Giles is working his way through school, one class at a time, while holding down […]
The Darkling Thrush (2012) Josh Lanyon I’ve read a lot of Josh Lanyon books in the past year, and I adored most of them. This is a fantasy M/M romance and… I didn’t much care for it. Colin Bliss is in London for an exchange program to get work experience as a librivenator. But all […]
A Modest Independence (2019) Mimi Matthews (Parish Orphans of Devon) Set in England, Egypt, and India in 1860 Solicitor Tom Finchley has worked his way up from nothing. He craves security, which is why he puts up with a job that often leaves him feeling uncomfortable, since the men he represents aren’t always good people. […]
The Haunted Heart: Winter (2013) Josh Lanyon This isn’t really supernatural; it’s a ghost story. But I didn’t have a better category for it. Flynn Ambrose is living in the house he inherited from his uncle on Pitch Pine Lane while he sorts through the antiques and other items collected over a lifetime. I said, […]
Secrets in the Mist (2016) Anna Lee Huber Set in England in 1812 Ella Winterton has spent the past four years dealing with loss and grief and anger. The deaths of her mother and brother sent her father into an alcoholic decline, and being jilted by the man she thought she loved while still in […]
Wolfsong (2016) TJ Klune (Green Creek) Ox was twelve when his daddy told him that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road. Joe talked and talked and talked, but Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years. […]
Castaway Dreams (2012/2016) Darlene Marshall Set in the Atlantic ocean and England in 1817. Alexander Murray is returning home after serving for years as a naval surgeon. The war brought advances in surgery and medical techniques, some he’d experienced firsthand, but it was time to catch up on those other innovations uncovered by his brother […]
Criminal Past (2018) Gregory Ashe What. The hell? The previous books needed an editor to a level that was annoying, but not insurmountable. This book? Holy shit–it was all over the place, and none of it was good. First and foremost in the bad: Out of nowhere, we suddenly have chapters–as in more than one–of […]
Skin and Bone (2019) TA Moore (Digging Up Bones) Oh Cloister. You deserve to be treated well. Damnit. Cloister had been more than happy to make a fool of himself over Javi the last few months, up until he decided to see what would happen if he screwed everything up instead. He couldn’t even remember […]
Bone to Pick (2017) TA Moore (Digging Up Bones) Cloister Witte is a K9 deputy. He also has a problem with authority and recurring nightmares from his childhood. He was tanned the color of whiskey, and his hair was wet and honey streaked, dripping onto his shoulders. Ink scrawled up over his ribs, but the […]
How to Be a Normal Person (2015) TJ Klune This is a silly and utterly ridiculous story. It also had me laughing ridiculously on multiple occasions. The Internet was vast and had men with disproportionately large testicles. Gustavo Tiberius isn’t normal. He was not a firework. Or, if he was, he was those black snake […]
Scandal Never Sleeps (2015) Shayla Black and Lexi Blake Gabriel Bond is burying his best friend. Power and wealth has always been his, and he and his friends learned to wield that power from a young age. But that didn’t stop Mad from dying, and it isn’t going to stop someone from trying to frame […]
Reasonable Doubt (2018) Gregory Ashe Ugh again with the editing issues. Somers freaks out when he discovers a twelve minute phone call that Hazard will make a couple chapters later. Years ago my husband and I watched Fight Club and Snatch, and after that we joked about only watching a movie if Brad Pitt got […]
Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure (2019) Courtney Milan Set in England in 1867. Miss Violetta Beauchamps had worked for the same family her entire life, managing their properties. For decades, the reigning Toggerts had praised her diligence, her book-keeping, her careful work. The latest Mr. Toggert had promised her a pension if she worked for him […]