Review: Bones in the Begonias by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Bones in the Begonias by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Doreen Montgomery lives with a menagerie of animals in Kelowna, British Columbia after a split with her husband of 14 years. She hopes to get her life back on track instead she gained notoriety after finding a body and helping to solve a cold case with Corporal Mack Moreau. Now she just wants to get on with life and garden whist building the friendship she has with Mack. Instead when she starts to care for his mother's begonias she finds more bones and despite Mack's intention to work it out on his own she can't resist solving it. The question is can she solve it whilst keeping the details quiet from the incorrigible Nan who seems to run a book on pretty much everything!

This was a charming mystery that certainly kept me hooked as we followed the clues with Doreen as she solved this new murder. I loved the easy friendship between Doreen and Mack which gave lots of promise of something in the distant future but was mostly about friendship and support. Nan and the animals were very real as you read it and I could feel and imagine everything as it was happening to her. Well written I loved this story and was almost sad when she worked out who it was. I can't wait to read the next one.

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Review: Her Highlander by Alice Wilde 4 of 5 stars

Her Highlander by Alice Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Once the King is dead Annalise discovers she is key to unleashing dark magic upon the world and so after a sham marriage she runs away with three very beautiful shifters (Roan, Li and Ero) to Scotland and Roan's clan to try to get an army to get her kingdom back.

This contains some very dramatic moments that showed Annalise learning of the world outside her rather limited upbringing and having lots of adventures with her constant protectors. I loved the slightly fractious relationship between the three shifters and their unwavering devotion to Annalise. There were parts of the story that got a little monotonous where the same bit was told more than once from a different point of view but overall it was a very nice story to read. Clear and well written it was easy to understand as long as you can tolerate the occasional repetition. This is a very slow burn reverse harem series.

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Review: Blood Bond by Shannon K. Butcher 5 of 5 stars

Blood Bond by Shannon K. Butcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Justice woke up 10 years ago naked and with no idea who or what she was. Since then she is a sort of prisoner following a compulsion across the country doing whatever she is made to - both good and bad. Ronan is a Sanguinar and has to find the blood left behind by an ancient magical race or else he will stave to death. Justice saved his live weeks ago and he has craved and dreamed about her ever since. Evil is closing in on the Sentinels and their stronghold - can Ronan get Justice's trust, free her and save the stronghold?

I loved this story which had the right level of drama, action, sensitive moments and serious plot. I loved the complex layers in the relationships between Justice, Ronan and even the compulsion that drives Justice. They all had unique features and nuances. Well written it was easy to understand and empathise with the characters (both the good ones and the bad ones). I think you can read this story even if you have never read a story in the series.

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Review: Code Black by Tina Moss 4 of 5 stars

Code Black by Tina Moss
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sera Benenati is a reporter on a gossip magazine and also an unregistered supernatural. and doe everything she can to hide her fire wielding abilities. Determined to make it onto a real newspaper she starts to track a string of paranormal murders in Buckhorn Arizona she is convinced she'll get a scoop but when torn flesh, bitten and battered bodies are part of a crime scene she may have taken on more than she bargained for especially when she ends up being a target too. Can sexy shifter and special agent Talon Rede work out the murderers before Sera becomes the next victim?

This was a great story with lots of drama and excitement all centred around Sera. The intertwining of the relationship between Sera and Talon as well as the good guys and the bad guys mixed into the mystery of the murders and their reason was well done and enjoyable to read. A great start to the series which promises good things going forward.

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Review: Wrathful Wonderland: A Reverse Harem Retelling by Eva Chase 5 of 5 stars

Wrathful Wonderland: A Reverse Harem Retelling by Eva Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this second book in the Looking Glass Curse series Lyssa is stuck in Wonderland and has to stay there until a new route home is found for her. During this time the Queen starts to imprison townsfolk until she has Lyssa and all of the Spades in custody. With the help of the Hatter who is being more mad these days, Chess going missing a lot and the White Knight revealing some very dark secrets will Lyssa evade capture and rescue those imprisoned or end up losing her head?

I loved this book which explained a lot of the questions that came to my mind in the first book (although it did give me a few new ones too). It gave some great details about the world Lyssa is now in, the history of it, the main characters and some great insights into the three guys and their personalities. It was all clear and easy to understand and the ending is a definitely cliffhanger so I definitely NEED to know what happens next and what Lyssa does about it.

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Review: Extinction 6 by Hosein Kouros-Mehr 5 of 5 stars

Extinction 6 by Hosein Kouros-Mehr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a dystopian book set in the future where oil drilling has accelerated global warming to a frightening extent which was set of both famine and another world war. Greedy corporations are doing everything they can to profit from the situation and Google has a project team called Titan to try and find a safe way of providing the power the world needs without causing anymore damage. Can they find a solution before the sixth mass extinction takes hold and life either disappears or has to abandon the Earth?

I loved this book and the way it connected very well into many of the themes and possibilities we can see glimmers of today. So much of it was easy to imagine that this book could be used as a cautionary tale of what might or could happen if we are not careful with the world we live in and the technology we are starting to develop today. Well written and a great concept I really enjoyed this book. It definitely is the kind of book to make you stop and think about a few things. This book had a few connections back to the previous book by this author although it can definitely be read on it's own.

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Review: 1973: The Seven Book Three by Sarah M. Cradit 5 of 5 stars

1973: The Seven Book Three by Sarah M. Cradit
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

By 1973 the 7 Deschanel siblings are coming into their own lives and personalities more and are scattered across the family properties in New Orleans. Charles has a character change and agrees to marry a woman who he doesn't love and Augustus is concentrating on work until an employee turns his head. Colleen seems to have been led astray and is ignoring her better judgement and Evangeline enrols into college but then lives a second life that no one else anticipates. Maureen discovers there is much more to her strange ability that anyone every thought and it might cost her soul. Elizabeth is just her usual anguished self as she knows how events will unfold for all of them and wants to do something to change it for them. How will the family fare as they discover some secrets, lies and fates that they cannot escape.

This was full of drama and intrigue as the 7 siblings explored their world, their skills and their personalities. I can already see how the development of each of hem fits in with the main series around the Deschanel family. Well written and clear/easy to understand it was very enjoyable and helped me to both understand the characters more and the year that is covered in this book. Recommended for anyone who read the main series about the family or has read the previous books in this series.

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Review: Arsenic in the Azaleas by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Arsenic in the Azaleas by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Doreen Montgomery was left high and dry after her divorce from her husband and finds herself at her Nan's dilapidated old house. She now has only her beloved basset hound Mugs and her Nan's pets Thaddeus an African grey parrot with a colourful vocabulary and a large cat called Goliath to distract her. Looking forward to this new start she is dismayed when Goliath and Mugs find a human finger in the back garden which is closely followed by the rest of the body when the police start to dig. With Nan as a prime suspect Doreen starts to stumble across clues which drives Corporal Mack Moreau to distraction.

This was a great story with lots of different streams of story as Doreen went from crisis to crisis and clue to clue. I loved the way the story was woven into the stream of her discovering where she had moved, discovering herself, learning about her Nan and following clues to try and crack the case that she was in the middle of. Well written it was really enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next chapter in Doreen's new life.

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Review: The Hansel and Gretel Curse by Margo Ryerkerk 4 of 5 stars

The Hansel and Gretel Curse by Margo Ryerkerk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On their 17th birthday Hansel disappears with a mysterious and wicked witch who steals the will power of humans in order to turn them in slaves. Gretel is determined to rescue him and either leave with him or die trying. Stefan's kingdom is currently under an evil force as an evil witch is poisoning the royal family and the country as a whole so he determines to try to bring her to justice. Not an easy task as an enchantment only allows one soldier in to the forest at a time. However it becomes apparent he does not have to fight this battle alone when he meets Gretel who becomes he unlikely partner and ally. Can they overcome all the obstacles and trials as well as untangle the romantic feelings they are developing for each other. Can thy outsmart the witch and free Hansel?

This is a charming spin on the Hansel and Gretel fairy-tale featuring a witch and a slow burn love story. I enjoyed the way the story developed and the relationship development for the characters which ended up being both determined and sweet. Well written it was very enjoyable to read.

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Review: Oblivion Heart by Nazri Noor 5 of 5 stars

Oblivion Heart by Nazri Noor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dustin Graves is on a rare night out but everything goes wrong when over 100 people drop dead at the pop diva's concert they are attending. The people who died started bleeding from their eyes and ears but it becomes apparent that it does not affect those who are not completely human so Dustin and his companions survive. Soon Dustin has to cope with a bloodthirsty imp, grizzled scion and a strange man with many strange tattoos. Then Mammon (the demon prince of greed) calls in the favour from Dustin.

This was a great story featuring lots of different sorts of supernatural being and the darkling mage Dustin coping with move evil in the world. I loved the story in this book and the way it developed in order to push Dustin to use more of his powers in an inventive way as he battled evil from n unexpected source. Plenty of twists and turns this story had me hooked all the way through so that I was both heartened when the story ended in a good result but also quite sad that I had reached the end of the book. Well written I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

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Review: Revik: A Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.1 by J.C. Andrijeski 5 of 5 stars

Revik: A Bridge & Sword Prequel #0.1 by J.C. Andrijeski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Since being pulled out of a Nazi prison in 1942 seer and infiltrator Dehgoies Revik by 1974 had become a senior lieutenant of the Rooks (also known as the the Org) working for Galaith. Then a mysterious female seer comes looking for him in Vietnam and makes him realise that he is really just a slave working for the Dreng. Having been a bad guy for so long can he start to remember what it really is to be good?

This story focuses on Revik and what happened to him before he meets Allie. It had a good level of detail in the relationships between Revik and the others in the organisation with added a welcome insight into how things were and why they behave the way the do towards him in books in the series. It was nice to get an insight into his life and the events which would have had some effect on his personality and skills. Well written and easy to read.

Please note this is a prequel to the Bridge & Sword series and does not need to be read before diving into the series for real.

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Review: Test of the Dragon: a Dragon Riders of Elantia Novel by Jessica Drake 5 of 5 stars

Test of the Dragon: a Dragon Riders of Elantia Novel by Jessica Drake
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You would think it is simple from now on - get a piece of the Dragon God's heart, take it to the Forge of Derynnis, get the god's favour and get him to destroy it once and for all. However it is not so simple for Zara and Lessie as they need to secure the future of their people, evade Salcombe and evade the Dragon God's will. But when she is finally there will the price she will have to pay be enough to break her?

Wow - another action packed instalment of the saga of Zara ans Lessie and their battle to save their people and beat those who want the Dragon God's power. There were moments of danger, drama and action as well as times when she explored her emotions and feelings towards people. Everything was clear and easy to understand. The story in this book concludes in a moment of high drama and I just need to know what happens next - it's going to be torture waiting for the next book to be written.

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Review: Sufferance by K.E. Osborn 5 of 5 stars

Sufferance by K.E. Osborn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tremor is a prospect in the Defiance MC Club but is also in love with Neala (Lala) - however she is the Torque the Club President's little sister he and has basically told him to stay away from her. So he feels he has a choice - the Club or her? There is also some betrayal on the way - can they all survive it and can he get the girl he loves as well as the patch he desperately wants?

Wow - there were so many twists, turns and lots of drama in this story. Granted there were times I wanted to bang some heads together and try to make sense prevail but they did eventually get with the program! The betrayal was definitely a surprise in several ways but that in itself was charming and a welcome antidote to some misconceptions. Well written and a great read it was perfect for anyone who likes sassy women and strong men who are not afraid to show emotion.

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Review: Unmasked by Dale Mayer 5 of 5 stars

Unmasked by Dale Mayer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lacey has always been obsessed with Pompeii in Italy and gets the chance in a lifetime opportunity to go there as a photographer on her cousin's archaeological dig there. Sebastian is the manager there and never expected to find her as intriguing as he does which is magnified exponentially when he sees what she is able to do. Images from the past rise in front of her and she uses her artistic ability to document them. However strange events start happening which is both intriguing and very scary when it starts to consume her. For Sebastian it brings back memories of the worst dig of his life and he can see history repeating itself. Can he protect the team, friends and especially Lacey before everyone dies like last time?

This was a great paranormal story that included lots of details of Pompeii, folklore and supernatural beings. I loved the way the story developed and the suspense built as Lacey and Sebastian both fought their own battles in order both work out and come to terms with what was happening and the potential for a relationship between them. I loved the twists and turns in the story and most of them I didn't see coming. Well written and very enjoyable you can read this stand alone and don't need to have read any of the other stories in the series.

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