Rebecca Warren

I was drawn to this book’s cover, and the premise seemed interesting. Unfortunately, it ended up being a rehash of different tropes and, ultimately, a disappointment.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Most of the suspense novels that I read fall closer to the thriller genre. So, it was a nice change of pace to read a more psychological book than action-oriented. The theme that all actions (good and bad) have consequences that still affect us decades later is brought to life by the juxtapositions of the lives of Christina, Zari, and the other women that fill the pages. If I had to use one word to describe this book, it would be 'haunting.'

I was hoping that the long build-up in King of Ashes would pay off. Did it ever! This book is aptly named because a storm hits the main characters, and none of them are left untouched by the fallout. It was a curveball I didn't see coming, and it has been an incredibly long time since that has happened.

Spider's Bite is what you'd expect from an Urban Fantasy assassin's tale. Crazy characters, powers, and a whole lot of gore. This book would have been five stars for me, except for the cringe-worthy, predatory attitude Gin has towards Donovan.

The running theme of the Mercy Thompson books is that there are consequences for everything. While recovering from the end of Iron Kissed, the events of Blood Bound come back to bite Mercy. Quite literally, given that the vampires are gunning for her this time. She's not quite back to the sass level from the first two books, but she's getting there, and I hope her mom (and her pretty pink gun) get more screen time in future books.

The Black Beast of Belleterre does not hide that it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and is all the better for it. Instead, it embraces reimagining the fairytale in Victorian England.

It's fun to go back and read earlier books from a favorite author. Sometimes it's a reason to be grateful that the writer has changed their style, but not in this case. Stephanie Laurens' debut novel is a light-hearted romp through Regency England.

Poor Aria cannot get a break. I think after the events of this book, she will refuse to ever go on vacation again. Last time, she fell off a mountain, and now she is stuck in the Keys during a hurricane. Fortunately, she has Jake to come to her rescue while causing some chaos of his own. This is an action-packed thrill ride that I would have given five stars to except for the yo-yo effect of the push away - pull together aspects of the romance.

King of Ashes has a severe case of 'First Book Syndrome.' Introducing and maneuvering the main cast into position for Queen of Storms takes up the majority of the book. Thankfully, with the revelation of some of the political plotting at the end, Queen of Storms looks like it will be off to a good start.

The Way of the Brave puts the suspense into the Romantic Suspense genre. Unlike most of the books in the genre, this one does not have a human antagonist. Instead, the characters face off against the unforgiving Mt. Denali. Orion and Jenny are forced to face their past together in Afghanistan while weather traps them on the mountain. While the book got very technical on the ice climbing information, it was an enjoyable read and sets the stage nicely for Jake and Ham’s books.

When a book starts out with a wet dream, I always get leery of reading further. Fortunately, this book didn’t go entirely downhill. It was a bumpy ride, but at the end of the day, it’s a decent story, but Charley’s attitude annoyed me.

While still good, I did not enjoy this book as much as the first two in the series. This entry in the Mercy Thompson series has more angst and less sass than the previous two books. A large part of this heaviness is caused by the weight Mercy is feeling as Zee is accused of murder, and the love triangle she is embroiled in finds a resolution.

Ruby Jane is a roller coaster ride of a finale for the Montana Marshalls. There are joy and sorrow, makeups and breakups, and heroes and villains. We finally have answers to questions first raised in Knox, and the Montana Marshalls series comes to a fitting conclusion.

This book is a slow, plodding tale, especially in the beginning. No one has a happy story, and we get to learn those tales in painstaking detail. Fortunately, this book keeps you guessing till the end and picks up the pace about halfway through.

Highland Sword takes the Royal Highlander trilogy out on a high note. Morrigan and Aidan's repartee and slow-burn romance are fun to watch reach fruition. The overarching plot plots from Highland Crown and Highland Jewel wrapped up nicely. For those who have read their other books, references to older books are a welcome reminder that they all take place in the same world.

Honestly, I am torn about this book. I wavered between three and four stars, but it ultimately came down closer to a three. It feels like an intriguing basis for an urban fantasy series, but at the same time, the world is not fleshed out. It's action-packed, but light on details and some of the known details don't make much sense. More time on the backstory and less on the action would have made all the difference to me.

Blood Bound is the second book in the Mercy Thompson series and builds on the great foundation of Moon Called. Tensions are high, the danger is real, and the sass is splendid. Exactly how I like my urban fantasy.

Another Beauty and the Beast retelling has found it's way to my bookshelf. I'm a sucker for this type of book, but Bella and the Beast is an excellent addition to the collection. Bella and Miles are an engaging take on the fish out of water heroine and disfigured hero coming together to find love.

Juwell is an outcast that is ignored by his family and failed out of the army. Eunice feels like an outcast and unable to live up to the expectations of her family and people. This story is as much about accepting ourselves and others as it is a love story.

It's been years since I read this book. With a new entry in the series on the shelf, I felt that it was an excellent time to start re-reading the series. This book starts the series out with a howl and introduces a great protagonist.

Wyatt was the hardest of the Montana Marshalls books for me to get through. It’s a roller coaster ride of hockey, fight scenes, anxious hospital rooms, and politics in addition to relationship ups and downs. Mikka was an adorable addition to the cast, and it was nice to get more insight into Gerri and York’s characters. Unfortunately, Wyatt and Coco never really meshed well as a couple for me.

Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale because it is the one where the couple's love doesn't happen at first sight. I am always interested in reading an author's take on the classic tale and how they see the couple coming together. I read several glowing recommendations for this book and was excited to give it a try. Unfortunately, my only thought as I closed the book was, "What a waste of potential."

Reviving the Commander is a beautiful story about love after loss and hope in whatever circumstances you find yourself. While the story starts slowly with the backstory for the land and various character's introductions, the story hits it's stride and keeps a steady pace through to the end. If you are looking for a romance starring a couple past their "prime" and a clean read, this book is for you.

I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'm supposed to be reading my sister-in-law's newest book right now, but I'm not in the right frame of mind for reading suspense. (Sorry, Suze!) I finally decided to scour my bookshelf for a funny, slightly ridiculous romance and landed on this book. I have to say I pretty much got what I wanted.

It makes me feel like a bad fan when I have to say that I did not enjoy a book by one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, that is the case with Highland Jewel. Jim and Nikoo made Edinburgh in 1820 come alive, but Maisie, Niall, and their relationship never clicked for me.