I hit a great productivity groove this past month! It's amazing how much you can get done when your cats insist on waking you at 6 AM every morning. And your spouse is on another continent for 3 weeks. Okay, I guess I missed him. And I do love the cats, even when they are … Continue reading June Wrap-Up & July Goals
Book Review: Luck of the Devil (Reckless Damned #4) by Lark Taylor
Read my reviews of previous books in the Reckless Damned series: Devil’s Mark (#1) | Devil May Care (#2) | Deal With the Devil (#3) Though this review is being posted long after the book launched, that’s because I’m fighting a backlog of reviews, not because I didn’t immediately dive into this series finale the day it was … Continue reading Book Review: Luck of the Devil (Reckless Damned #4) by Lark Taylor
Book Review: Brick and Brass (Hammer and Fist: Lextalion #2) by Jennifer Cody
Read my review of the first book in the Hammer and Fist: Lextalion series, Sledge and Claw I optimistically decided on my own that this series was a duology. Of course, this meant I got to about 85% through the book and panicked because I could tell the major storylines were nowhere close to complete. … Continue reading Book Review: Brick and Brass (Hammer and Fist: Lextalion #2) by Jennifer Cody
Book Review: An Embrace to Hearten Me (Magi Accounts #3.5) by Michele Notaro
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Magi Accounts series: Our Hearts That Tie Us (#0.5) | The Scars That Bind Us (#1) | A Kiss to Revive Me (#1.5) | The Shackles That Hold Us (#2) | A Date to Impress Him (#2.5) | A Purpose That Restores Us (#3) | A Holiday to Sustain Us (#3.4) This side … Continue reading Book Review: An Embrace to Hearten Me (Magi Accounts #3.5) by Michele Notaro
Book Review: DragonRider (DragonKin #1) by S. Rodman
Rodman hooked me on this urban fantasy setting within the first pages of the book, using quick, subtle details to set up the broad scope of the secret fantasy elements without resorting to direct explanation. Once Kirby arrived at the castle and learned the true reason for his presence, I knew I was in for … Continue reading Book Review: DragonRider (DragonKin #1) by S. Rodman
Book Review: Take the Plunge by Colette Davison
Limited new ways exist to start a novel, regardless of genre, and contemporary fiction is even more constrained in options. “Waking up hungover and handcuffed to my best friend’s little brother while stranded in the middle of the woods” is pretty unique, especially when for the beginning of a contemporary romance instead of, say, a … Continue reading Book Review: Take the Plunge by Colette Davison
Con Report: StokerCon 2023
Funny story: I don't actually read horror. I can do hauntings and serial killers and a little bit of cosmic dread, but overall, being uncomfortable isn't relaxing for me. I also don't write horror (though this might eventually change since I actually come up with some pretty decent ideas). However, I do publish with a … Continue reading Con Report: StokerCon 2023
Book Review: A Gentle Way to Love (Ways to Love #1) by Abrianna Denae
I joke that I read polyamory romances because you get more relationships for the price of one, but the reality is that I truly enjoy the intricacies that can develop out of the traditional storyline arc when three (or more) people are involved. The general premise of this book was entirely novel to me, as … Continue reading Book Review: A Gentle Way to Love (Ways to Love #1) by Abrianna Denae
Book Review: Underdog (In Vino Veritas) by L.A. Witt
Read my reviews of previous books in the In Vino Veritas series: Wildfire by Garrett Leigh | Counterpoint by J.E. Birk | Unmanageable by Leslie McAdam Read my reviews of the previous series set in the same world, Vino & Veritas. This book has the feel of elements of an opposites-attract romance, but differing circumstances in life don’t necessarily … Continue reading Book Review: Underdog (In Vino Veritas) by L.A. Witt
Book Review: Pretty F*cked (Pretty Broken #4) by J.R. Gray
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Pretty Broken series: Pretty Obsessed (#1) | Pretty Toxic (#2) | Pretty Wreck (#3) The conflicting relationship between Iris and Cas has been the unaddressed through line between each of the previous books in this series. And now that we’ve covered the other members of Pretty Broken, it’s … Continue reading Book Review: Pretty F*cked (Pretty Broken #4) by J.R. Gray
StokerCon 2023 Schedule
I was supposed to be at StokerCon in Denver in 2022, but unfortunately, it occurred less than 2 weeks after the only time I came down with a certain illness. Therefore, I'm thrilled to return this year for the first time since 2019 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I'm incredibly excited to see a lot of … Continue reading StokerCon 2023 Schedule
Book Review: Rapture by E.M. Lindsey
I figured out pretty quickly that my reading tastes don’t necessarily run to the typical mafia romance conceits, in which the suave, capable mob guy swoops in to save (in whatever capacity) the other main character. However, I was more than willing to take a chance on this subgenre in the hands of one of … Continue reading Book Review: Rapture by E.M. Lindsey
Book Review: Savior Complex (Wild Heart Ranch #3) by Kelly Fox
Read my reviews of previous books in the Wild Heart Ranch series: Sworn Enemy (#1) | Good Behavior (#2) In a series that has multiple ties between the books but which the author also kind of wants to offer as a stand-alone, it can be difficult to set the scene for readers. Fox solves the problem here … Continue reading Book Review: Savior Complex (Wild Heart Ranch #3) by Kelly Fox
Book Review: Pole Position (Lights Out) by Charlie Novak
I’m jumping into this multi-author shared world series in the “middle,” starting with this book, since I was privileged to receive an advance copy from this author. I’m not much of a sports romance reader unless it’s hockey or rodeo, but I found that F1 racing hits that same sweet spot of being a team … Continue reading Book Review: Pole Position (Lights Out) by Charlie Novak
May Wrap-Up & June Goals
I did so well in May! I wrote! I read! I adventured! Not as much of all of those as I would have preferred, especially since the day job ate me for the solid week before I left on my vacation at the end of the month, but I suppose we can't have it all. … Continue reading May Wrap-Up & June Goals
Book Review: A Mage’s Guide to Wicky (R’iyah Family Archives #3) by A.J. Sherwood
Read my reviews of the previous books in the R'iyah Family Archives series: A Mage’s Guide to Human Familiars (#1) | A Mage’s Guide to Aussie Terrors (#2) As much as I love the main trio that has been the focus of the first two books in this series, Wicky is such an enjoyable secondary character that … Continue reading Book Review: A Mage’s Guide to Wicky (R’iyah Family Archives #3) by A.J. Sherwood
Book Review: This Will Hurt II by Cara Dee
Read my review of the previous book in this duology, This Will Hurt I. The first book in this set didn’t end on an explicit cliffhanger so much as a hinge moment in these main characters’ lives. I adore being an advanced reader for this author, but the downside was definitely the wait between installments … Continue reading Book Review: This Will Hurt II by Cara Dee
Book Review: What They Deserve (Desires: New Beginnings #3) by E.M. Denning
Read my reviews of previous books in the Desires: New Beginnings series: What He Learns (#1) | What He Finds (#2) I’ll be honest; I didn’t love Jade after meeting them as a secondary character earlier in this series. In retrospect, I’m not even sure I can tell you why. Jade certainly did not “owe” anything to … Continue reading Book Review: What They Deserve (Desires: New Beginnings #3) by E.M. Denning
[out of office]
Book reviews are on hiatus for a week, and my next monthly wrap-up & goals post will be a few days later than usual. Because I'm going on vacation! The spouse and I are hitting the high seas, accompanied by our Atlanta friends. Funny story: close to 15 years of friendship, and we've never actually … Continue reading [out of office]
Book Review: Heaven’s River (Bobiverse #4) by Dennis E. Taylor
Read my reviews of the previous books in the Bobiverse series: We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (#1) | For We Are Many (#2) | All These Worlds (#3) The previous three books in this series work as a complete trilogy, but life doesn’t stop when the curtain closes. The versions of Bob that we’re most familiar with … Continue reading Book Review: Heaven’s River (Bobiverse #4) by Dennis E. Taylor