84) Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

My Thoughts :

I really like this author and have enjoyed so many of her books over the years.  This one was on my wishlist quite a while until I grabbed it in a sale on Audible.  The last couple of days I have been listening to it as much as possible whenever I had time.  There was something about this one that made it very addictive even if, at the end, I didn't think it was a five star book.  Because while this was well written, unusual, exciting and definitely worth reading, I have to rate it against Rachel's other books and this one just doesn't reach that high standard.

A great concept.  One that may or may not of been done before but definitely has an unique twist to it.  I liked the idea from the beginning, even if I couldn't completely follow what the 'Reaping' was and what exactly happened (I think it was harder to follow via Audible).  Delilah was a wonderful character, like so many more from this author.  Strong, fierce and fearless.  Another character to admire and root for.

The first half of the book was very exciting and I was addicted but as things started to get into the end stage I didn't find the story as compelling.  For some reason it turned into what I had expected all along and the lack of surprise or a twist in the tale make me a little disappointed.  Also the book ended like it was a one off but looking around I see that this is at least to be a trilogy.  So now I am left unsure about my feelings for the book altogether.

Definitely worth reading, please don't let me put you off with my ramblings.  This was a great read and a nice audible.  There was some very good storytelling in this book and it was exactly what I expected from the author.  I look forward to seeing what the rest of this trilogy involves and what the author has in store for the Menagerie.

81) The Harvesting by Melaine Karsak

The Blurb :

It's all fun and games until someone ends up undead.

Layla Petrovich has spent her whole life running away from her hometown of Hamletville. Raised by the town's medium, and dubbed the "weird" girl for her fascination with swords, the last thing Layla wants is to go home.

But when she receives a desperate call to return just as a mysterious outbreak sweeps the country, Layla's instincts urge her to go. Good thing, because the dead are rising.

Layla, however, isn't entirely on her own. With her psychic powers growing, surely everything will turn out okay, right?

Not so fast. Just when Layla believes she might survive the apocalypse, a sinister and ancient force rises from the shadows to finish mankind for good.

Because the truth is, we were never alone in this world.

My Thoughts :

I don't know why I picked this book up.  Maybe I saw it recommended somewhere or it was just on sale at Audible.  However I come across it, I know I would have checked the ratings on Amazon and/or Goodreads which both show 4-5 star average reviews.  This confused me a slightly because while the first half of the book was really good, the second half went off into crazy, weird and desperation land and didn't seem to want to let go.

Things started off so well, a nice female character, strong, well educated with a nice background story you could relate to.  The fact that she just happens to know a thing or two about weapons is just an added bonus as soon as the zombies appear.  Which is still where the story was actually interesting, somewhat the usual thing but still keeping a bit of the unique.

Where did things start going pear-shaped?  I guess the New Years party.  I think anyone who has read the book will understand.  Because up until then it was all ok.  The story was keeping me hooked enough and even though there was a feeling of 'When will something else happen?' I wasn't quite expecting that.  What was that?  It was vampires, spirits and other things thrown in what felt like a desperate attempt to make the story go somewhere.  I got the feeling like the author had taken a break from writing and came back with a whole new idea that she just had to work into this story.  It was surprising and like someone switched films while you weren't looking.

However I am not saying it was that bad.  While the story suddenly became the 'second part' and changed all the rules and scenery, there was still something about it that kept me listening to the audio book.  Now if I had been reading this one I may have stopped reading but the audible kept going as I was walking along and I kept listening.  Things got very sexual, weird and violent (yeah even more than killing zombies) and the story got a wee bit confusing.  Yet all the time I wondered where the author was going with it all and also if she actually has a plan.

Which is why I am most likely, despite the semi bad review, going to try the next book.  I want to know what the author does next.  The ending was a total cliffhanger and while I know it won't keep me awake at night, I do need to know what happens next.  Not straight away, because there is some parts of this book that I still need to digest...but soon.  

62) The Cat, The Collector and The Killer by Leann Sweeney

The Blurb :

Jillian Hart and police chief Tom Stewart are enjoying peaceful, newly wedded bliss in Mercy, South Carolina, until a woman is found wandering the streets one night. She's in her night clothes, disoriented, and carrying a kitten in a tote bag. A search of the woman’s house reveals many more cats, a maze of cardboard boxes—and a dead man.

Although the evidence suggests the frail woman is the killer, Jillian doesn’t believe she’s capable of such a crime. The dead man had many enemies in town, which means finding the real murderer may prove to be its own cat and mouse game...

My Thoughts :

The Cat, The Collector and The Killer is the eighth installment in the Cats in Trouble Mysteries.  This is one of my favourite cozies to listen to and sometime last year I started the series and listened to all seven installments.  That meant I was waiting for a new part in the series for the first time.  So my anticipation and expectations were very high.  Which may be part of the reason why I didn't find this newest release to be as good as the previous books.

There was everything I have come to know, love and expect in this new addition and the story has progressed so nicely with Jillian and Tom now man and wife.  Some time has passed since the last book and I expected the couple to be more lovely dovey than they actually were.  They actually seemed to be more like friends who lived together.  There was hardly a married feeling despite the continuous references and reminders to them now being wed.  Maybe the author still needs to convince herself that she really got them to tie the knot?

Despite this slightly weird feeling about the new couple, I just felt the plot this time around wasn't very interesting.  There was definitely enough for me to keep listening but it wasn't as good as the previous books in the series.  The mysteries in the other seven books were much more compelling and made me wonder about various aspects of the characters, reasons and decisions.  This one fell a little flat and left me just wondering if the marriage has broken the series.

Of course I will be continuing the series and look forward to another installment.  After all every series has a book that isn't as good as the others.  Some will even think this is the best of the bunch.  It is only my view and I am sure the many fans of the series out there will love this book even if it felt a little off for me.  Definitely a series worth listening too and a must read for cat lovers!

54) Looking for Mr. Good Witch by Joyce & Jim Lavene

The Blurb :

A sea witch has been leaving bodies in her wake up and down the Carolina coast, baffling authorities who are finding drowning victims with no water in their lungs. The fin-icky female will continue to kill young male witches until she finds her perfect man—the one who survives her mating ritual—so she can live for another hundred years. And now coven hopeful Brian Fuller is about to be ensnared in her net.

Retired witches Molly and Elsie, along with the ghost of Olivia and her daughter Dorothy, need all the help they can get to stop the sea witch. Aided by a selkie and a crème puff–craving mermaid, they’re determined to keep Brian out of her murky clutches. But are they all about to get in over their heads?

My Thoughts :

It was sad to read this second book in the Retired Witches Mysteries and know that both authors have passed away in the last year.  They have written so many amazing cozy mysteries and I haven't even read half of them.  I even thought about not reading this one because I was sure there would be no third installment.  However there is a third part listed for release on Amazon so I decided to read this one asap.

Now I don't remember really liking the first installment and I can't honestly say I loved this second installment.  The content and concept is good but there is some kind of fluency missing that I am used to from this husband and wife writing team.  I often felt like the story jumped/had gaps and I also kept forgetting how old the witches are supposed to be.  It is a good series but this hasn't been one of the best.

The plot this time around was interesting and it kept me reading until the end but the ciffhanger ending made me glad that I checked to see if there was indeed a third installment.  Of course I will be checking out, what is most likely the last installment in this series but I have to say that the Missing Pieces series is much better.  Although I haven't read all there other books yet and may find another favourite.

One thing is for sure, even if this isn't my personal favourite, both writers had a gift and it will be greatly missed.  Make sure you check out there books.  Definitely one of the best cozy mystery writers!

51) Firewalker by Allyson James

The Blurb :

Janet Begay's Crossroads Hotel has attracted the supernatural from the day it opened. Witches, Changers, and a mouthy magic mirror have decided to make it their home. But a new, dark power is rising—this time inside Janet herself.

Her boyfriend, Mick, a sexy dragon shape-shifter the Navajo call a Firewalker, knows what terrifying magic is threatening to overwhelm Janet and her Stormwalker powers. He watches over her, ready to fight for her, to do anything to keep her safe.

But then a mysterious corpse is found near the Crossroads Hotel—and Janet becomes Sheriff Nash Jones' main suspect. Trouble is, even she can't be sure she didn't do it. Now Janet and Mick must uncover what really happened, and their investigation leads to the most perilous decision of their lives: Mick must choose between protecting his own people or guarding Janet, the woman he loves, from the many forces amassing against her.

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Stormwalker, and have been looking forward to continuing the series.  This sequel and second in the series has been on my Kindle for a while and it seemed like a good choice.  After all I have so many books on my Kindle and I need to start reading more of them.

Things started off good.  I could remember most of what happened in the first book within a couple of chapters.  The author didn't do a whole 'last time on...' but there was enough in there to remind me of what was what and who was who.  The concept is a good one with a nice interesting twist of dragons and witches amongst other paranormals.  The series unique and compelling but this installment didn't leave me wanting more.

While the beginning had me hooked the middle made me lose interest.  By the last quarter of the book I just wanted things to wrap up quickly and finish.  There wasn't any particular reason for my lack of love for the story.  It just all got a little strange somewhere along the way and the plot wasn't that interesting anymore.  What started off as a good strong story went a little all over the place and felt wrong.

I still see this series as one to keep reading.  I have felt this was about the second installment in a series on many occasions.  Then I have picked up the third part and been so swept away that I couldn't remember why I didn't enjoy the second book.  So the Stormwalker series is going to get another chance from me because it really shows promise.  There are some great ideas mixed up in this one with some great characters and some nice steamy scenes with a smoking hot dragon.

40) Fate of the Fallen by Ellery Adams and Elizabeth Lockard

The Blurb :

Welcome to Hope Street Church, where friendships are formed, fresh starts are encouraged, and mysteries are solved.

Cooper Lee and her friends in the Hope Street Bible Study Group are enjoying a glorious summer day in the park, complete with picnic, hiking, swimming, and a local bluegrass band. But Cooper knows that no good day goes unpunished, and when a man turns up dead in the nearby woods—and the sister of Cooper’s fiancé is named as the prime suspect—the group may have to trade in their prayers of thanks for pleas of divine intervention.

Cooper knows her future sister-in-law is innocent, so when the police arrest her for the murder, the Bible study group must step in to catch the real killer and prevent a grave injustice. Following a twisted trail of clues that leads to a hit-and-run driver, a homeless veteran, and a park full of suspects who may hold more secrets than solutions, Cooper must hold firm to her spiritual convictions before an innocent woman faces a conviction of a more earthly nature.

My Thoughts :

The Hope Street Church Mysteries have been a pleasure to read and the first four books were well written with great plots.  However this fifth book in the series, while enjoyable enough to read, lacked some serious skills which left me wondering if Ellery Adams really had any input in this book because I know from experience that she can write much better mystery plots.

So the story wasn't that bad and the plot wasn't too much of a stretch.  A day in the park, running into the sister of Cooper's fiance, having fun and then finding a body.  It all went like you expected with the main suspect being connected to the Bible Study group and them having to get involved to find the real murderer.  However there were huge clues, clues that were mentioned with great emphasis and they still weren't followed by the group.  

It was frustrating that a huge song and dance was constantly made about a certain tracking item but nobody, none of the clever mystery solvers, even thought about check it out in more detail. There were other things that stood out in this fifth installment and it had me mentally screaming at the characters to finally figure things out.  Especially with the authors plainly pointing out the obvious for the reader to see.  It went on for practically the whole book.  

Other than this difference to the mystery dynamic, I did enjoy the book.  It is  full of nice, interesting and unusual characters who constantly keep you entertained as a reader.   Despite the Church angle there is hardly any religious references in this cozy mystery with the aspect centered around a Bible Study group and their involvement in the mysteries.   So anyone who feels put off by the Religious series twist shouldn't be.  It is hardly there.

Well worth reading if you are a fan of Ellery Adams.  I am not sure how much she really offers to the series now that she has taken up a partner to write with but she invented the series and founded the basis so there is a lot of her work still in there.

I hope there will be at least one more book in the series and look forward to seeing how things pan out for Cooper.  I hope she gets a nice happy ending even if there is a murder mystery to solve while getting it.

34) A Watery Death by Joyce & Jim Lavene

The Blurb :

It’s the Fourth of July weekend in Duck, North Carolina and twenty-thousand visitors are on hand to enjoy the parade, the festivities – and learn about the murder of Captain Bill Lucky.
Lucky is the captain of the new gambling ship, Andalusia II, which is modeled after the famous ghost ship that haunts the small town on the Outer Banks.

Whispers of unusual sea creatures surround Lucky’s death. It isn’t the first time that mermaids have been seen in Duck, but it’s the first time one of them has been accused of murder.

Mayor Dae O’Donnell has her hands full with setting up the parade, convincing her friend Trudy she shouldn’t call off her wedding, and getting her shop, Missing Pieces, ready for the summer crowd.

Dae doesn’t ask to be involved in Lucky’s death, but she can’t ignore it. If someone from the sea isn’t his killer, who is? And will he or she strike again to lay the blame on the town’s watery visitors?

My Thoughts :

This book was picked for me to read by a book friend as part of a little 'Pick it for me' reading challenge we are having each month.  A Watery Death is the seventh installment in the Missing Pieces cozy mystery series that I have been throughly enjoying up until now.  I have to start this review by saying that this was my least favourite of the bunch and it makes me sad to think that this could have been the last.

I really liked the concept of this series, being able to touch items and see their past and being able to find items by touching the owner.  There were lots of possibilities and the authors even spread their wings a little by adding some ghost like aspects and some other psychic twists.  However this seventh story took a huge leap from the small little paranormal going-ons by jumping to mermaids.  Something that definitely wasn't on the cards as far as I could tell but if it was coming I didn't expect right now.  As mentioned, it felt like a huge leap.

The location and characters still felt nice and welcoming but there was more off in this book than just the appearance of some mermaids.  Dae was a little annoying, for the first time I can remember and the whole thing with her grandma felt a little off too.  The mystery was weak and wasn't as compelling as the previous ones plus I found the ending/reveal to be too late and too quick.

Despite the less than raving review I have to say I did like the book and enjoyed reading it.  Mainly because I have always been fond of the series as a whole.  Unfortunately the wife of this writing couple passed away and I am not sure if there will be another Missing Pieces story to bring the series to a proper end.  It would be a shame to see the series finish on this book but obviously it is understandable.  I do hold out hope of one more release, maybe there was already an eighth installment written or the husband will finish the series himself.

Whatever happens, this is a lovely cozy mystery series and well worth reading.  I have enjoyed all the books I have read by this writing team and look forward to reading more of their books and hope the husband will continue writing.

Edit : I just found out that Jim Lavene passed away a couple of days ago.  As least they are together again! The cozy mystery genre has lost two of the best!

31) Latte Trouble by Cleo Coyle

The Blurb :

It's Fashion Week in New York City -- and Clare's shop, the historic Village Blend, is the location of a prestigious insider's party for loyal customer and iconic designer Lottie Harmon, who is about to launch a collection of coffee-inspired accessories aptly named Java Jewelry. But the event, which is attended by the city's most zealous fashionistas, goes terribly wrong when a customer is poisoned and dies from cyanide in his latte.

A barista, who coincidentally was recently dumped by the victim, is arrested and charged with murder. But Clare knows in her heart that her employee is innocent and begins to investigate the people surrounding the enigmatic Lottie Harmon. When Clare uncovers a scheme to blackmail one of Lottie's business partners and then that partner suddenly turns up dead, she knows that there is trouble brewing.

My Thoughts :

For some reason I thought I was much further into this series than I really am.  This is only the third book but it feels like the fifth or the sixth.  Is that a good or a bad sign?  I am not sure.  The series is very well established and already boasts fifteen installments so this is obviously a good series.  Or is it?

This third installment was a little slow going for my liking.  The murder happened quite quickly but the investigation dragged on and on with little progress.  It wasn't until the last chapter or two that everything suddenly took shape and was revealed.  Maybe I missed the signs but I would have never figured out the motive before hand.  Now the killer I had picked up on pretty early,,,well at least I had my suspicions but the link between the two failed me.

While this kind of murder mystery has a nice surprising end with a twist in the tale there is no actual way for the reader to enjoy the sleuthing because it isn't helping you solve the mystery before protagonist.  Which is half the fun of reading cozy mysteries.

Anyway, this wasn't bad.  If you can get past Clare's coffee snobbish rants and encyclopedia moments then you can really enjoy the book for what it is.  A nice mystery with a lovely theme and a bunch of characters that are getting more and more interesting as the series progresses.

I will be checking out the next book sometime soon.  The audio versions are definitely worth listening to if you are a fan of audio books.  The narrator does a great job and does some nice voices for the characters.

28) A Fatal Chapter by Lorna Barrett

The Blurb :

While out walking Sarge, her sister’s bichon frise, Tricia is led by the agitated dog to a man lying in a gazebo. She’s startled when she recognizes Pete Renquist, the president of the Stoneham Historical Society, who appears to be suffering from cardiac arrest. When Pete later dies in the hospital, the discovery of a suspicious bruise and a puncture mark on his arm suggests he may have been murdered.

Haunted by Pete’s enigmatic last words to her, Tricia begins to consider who had a motive to kill her friend. Did Pete take his flirting too far, only to have a jealous husband teach him a lesson? Or did he discover something in the town’s historical records that his killer wanted kept secret? Tricia is determined to get to the bottom of things before someone else becomes history…

My Thoughts :

The Booktown Mysteries have been a joy to read and I was really looking forward to reading the latest installment after reading the previous eight books practically one after the other.  However A Fatal Chapter wasn't the best of the series so far and wasn't up to the usual standards.  Maybe it was the lack of the Bookstore or it could have been the not so exciting mystery but this ninth book in the series wasn't the best of the bunch so far.

This may not have been the best installment so far but it is the book that sees some new additions in the form of a couple of babies.  It is also the book that finally confirms who I thought was the owner of the mysterious company that is buying up all of Stoneham.  If that isn't enough there is finally some closure as far as Bob is concerned.

However on the other hand Tricia moans a lot.  I was getting a little fed up of her going on and on about the bookstore and the insurance not paying up yet.   It was pretty annoying. The mystery isn't very compelling and the author makes a dramatic ending that happens extremely quick and at the last moment.

My trip to Stoneham wasn't as nice as the previous visits but it was still worth reading.  The series has always been good and of course there is always going to be one that doesn't make you go wow.

27) Breach of Crust by Ellery Adams

The Blurb :

Ella Mae LeFaye’s delicious pies are still drawing long lines—as well as the attention of Beatrice Burbank, president of the Camellia Club, a philanthropic organization comprised of high-society Southern ladies from the charming and affluent town of Sweet Briar, Georgia. To ensure the success of their centennial dessert cookbook, Bea hires Ella Mae to teach the tasty tricks of her trade to the club’s members at their annual retreat. Eager to work on new recipes for customers with food allergies and dietary restrictions, Ella Mae readily agrees.

But when Ella Mae finds Bea’s body floating in Lake Havenwood, she wonders what she’s gotten herself mixed up in. Someone certainly wanted Bea to eat humble pie, and the retreat offers no shortage of unsavory characters, including Ella Mae’s longtime nemesis, Loralyn Gaynor. Ella Mae definitely doesn’t need magic to tell her she must find the killer before someone else gets panned.

My Thoughts :

I will start off this review by saying that I really love this cozy author.  She has some amazing paranormal cozies under her belt and also some great regular cozies too.   I have enjoyed all of her books so far and I actually have a couple more of her books on my to be read pile that need my attention.  However I picked this one to read first because I have always enjoyed the series.

This time around I have to say I wasn't as impressed as I have been with the previous books.  I wasn't too happy with how the last installment ended but this latest release (which comes out next week) wasn't my favourite so far.  There was a severe lack of the magical and a very dragged out mystery that wasn't very exciting.

While I did enjoy reading more of Ellery Adams work I have to say that the Charmed Pie Shoppe Mysteries are not turning out to be what I hoped.  The first few books were excellent but now the series seems to be taking a weird turn.  Despite having a lovely ending, some lovely characters and a nice location, Breach of Crust fell short of my expectations and I feel sad having to write not so positive review.

A nice read but not as good as some of Ellery's other books.  Make sure you check out this installment if you have been following the series.  Maybe I didn't enjoy it but that doesn't mean nobody else will.  Also make sure you check out some of the books by this author.  She can write a great cozy and they all prove that.

24) Cat Trick by Sofie Kelly

The Blurb :

A group of Mayville Heights’ business people hope to convince the Chicago-based company, Legacy Tours, to sell a vacation package in their town. Legacy Tours partner, Mike Glazer, grew up in Mayville Heights, but it seems he’s not the same small-town boy people remember. Everyone seems to have an issue with the opinionated loudmouth Mike has become—until someone shuts him up for good.

When Kathleen and her cat, Hercules, discover Mike’s body near the boardwalk, she can’t help but get involved in the investigation—even if it might torpedo her relationship with Detective Marcus Gordon. Now, with a little help from Hercules and Owen, it’s up to Kathleen to make sure the killer is booked for an extended stay in prison before some else takes a permanent vacation.

My Thoughts :

I have spent a good two weeks trying to listen to this audio book.  The series is on my reading challenge for this year and I have been enjoying the audio versions.  However as I mentioned before I changed jobs and don't have a long commute anymore.  So I have less time to listen to a book.  Now I try and listen to it at home as well but it just isn't the same.  So it has and is taking me longer to get audios finished.

This is the fourth book in the series and wasn't the best so far.  I figured things out pretty early on and it was actually quite obvious.  I enjoy the characters and location a lot so I could over look the easy and pretty boring plot this time around but I really hope the next installment has a bit more excitement and is also more compelling.

The magical cats angle was feeling less magical this time around too.  Any cat can meow when you ask them something and they will run away and get into trouble anywhere.  So this book didn't really impress me.  I could ask my cats any question and decide that their actions are a response and interpret it to mean whatever I want.  Hercules and Owen are fun but they also need to up their game.

A nice series that is more cute than magical.  This one wasn't the best of the bunch so far but I am hopeful the next one will be.  Well worth listening to but I do find the narrator could speed things up a little.  I feel like she talking a lot slower than other audio narrators.

23) The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum by Kristen Weiss

The Blurb :

When Maddie Kosloski’s career flatlines, she retreats to her wine-country hometown for solace and cheap rent. Railroaded into managing the local paranormal museum, she’s certain the rumors of its haunting are greatly exaggerated. But a new ghost may be on the loose. A fresh corpse in the museum embroils Maddie in murders past and present.

With her high school bully as one of the officers in charge, Maddie doubts justice will be served. When one of her best friends is arrested, she’s certain it won’t be.

Maddie grapples with ghost hunters, obsessed taxidermists, and the sexy motorcyclist next door as outside forces threaten. And as she juggles spectral shenanigans with the hunt for a killer, she discovers there truly is no place like home.

My Thoughts :

The Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum is the debut book in a new series with the same name.  It is a bit of a mouthful but it fits the book completely so who am I to complain?  The cover is very cute and it was definitely one of the reasons I wanted to try this book.  The promise of a paranormal cozy mystery was the biggest pull though and I have to say that is where this book failed slightly.

So much paranormal talk in the title and to be honest there could have been more.  Maybe the author is working up to it or maybe she didn't want to be too in your face from the beginning but I felt a little cheated on the paranormal aspect.  Sure the museum is kind of paranormal and spooky but it wasn't until the end that something really happened ghost wise and it was too little too late.

On the other hand this was a good cozy and despite there being less paranormal than I expected I really liked the concept.  The characters were nice enough and I enjoyed getting to know them and the mysteries in this first installment were well written and had some nice twists.  I certainly want to check out more of this series when more become available.

Well worth checking out but don't expect too much supernatural for now.  I think there will be much more in future books and it will be very interesting to see what happens with the museum and everything else in Maddie's life.  A good start to what could be a very nice cozy series.

22) Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

The Blurb :

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

My Thoughts :

Fire Touched is the ninth installment in the Mercy Thompson series.  I have been following this series pretty much from the beginning and have enjoyed the unique concept and exciting stories but this latest addition wasn't my favourite.

While there were enough werewolves around and quite a bit of excitement and action, I felt that the coyote was unusually absent this time around.  The Fae have never been an area of the supernatural that I have found interesting but Patricia Briggs has always managed to keep me hooked despite my non interest of this topic.  This time however it was too much for me and while I tried to look past the deep involvement of the Fae, it still left a bad taste.

Also this is turning into a series that needs a 'Previously, on...' prologue chapter. While it is obvious that after nine books there is a lot of information involved in this series, it is getting harder and harder to remember everything that happened.  Especially with a year wait between each installment.  A year I spend reading many other books and not having time to re-read the whole of this series again.

There is a lot of good stuff in this book though.  A lot of content that any fan of the series will be happy to read.  However for me it wasn't the best of the bunch and it lacked a certain something that the previous installments had.  There was certainly no wow factor and not even a cliffhanger.  This could have been the end for all I know.

A definite must buy for fans and a story that any Mercy lover will enjoy.  Just be prepared to not like this one as much as the others.

21) Home for the Homicide by Jennie Bentley

The Blurb :

Avery Baker was a big city textile designer, until she inherited her aunt’s old Maine cottage and found her true calling—home renovation. But she never expected her latest job would come to such a bone-rattling dead end...

For Avery and her husband Derek, renovating the Craftsman Bungalow was like stepping back in time. The quaint old home was just as its original owners had left it—from the beautiful butler’s pantry to the surprisingly exquisite ribbon tile. But it’s the attic that yields the most heart-stopping surprise.

In a discreetly hidden antique crate, Avery finds a clue to a decades-old missing persons case. As Avery works on the house and delves deeper into the sinister story, it becomes clear that someone very crafty wants the Craftsman home’s secrets to stay that way!

My Thoughts :

I have so many books to read and I am way behind on my review book reading but I started this one the other week when I thought I had time to read and then I had guests etc etc and this one got forgotten.  The Kindle was actually dusty when I picked it up so I was determined to finish this one and not start one of the other books that I should of been reading.  After all it seems this is the last book in the series.

The Do-It-Yourself Mysteries have been lovely to read.  I have loved the characters and location throughout the series and the mysteries have been well worth reading.  I wouldn't say that this seventh installment was one of the better ones but it was interesting enough and had some nice twists.

It is is a shame to see this one end.  I would have liked to have at least one more installment.  This didn't feel like the end at all and I really enjoyed the concept.  I wonder if the author will do what many other writers have done and self publish or maybe this was supposed to be the end.

Anyway, if you like a good cozy and you enjoy home renovation then you will love this series.  I have to say I am not a big Do-It-Yourself person but this series is certainly inspiring and I really liked the houses they worked on and even ended up looking the styles up online.

16) Graveyard Shift by Angela Roquet

The Blurb :

The Inferno has Evolved…

Lana Harvey is a reaper, and a lousy one at that. She resides in Limbo City, the modern capital of the collective afterlives, where she likes to stick it to the man (the legendary Grim Reaper himself) by harvesting the bare minimum of souls required of her. She’d much rather be hanging out with Gabriel, her favorite archangel, at Purgatory Lounge. But when a shocking promotion falls in her lap, Lana learns something that could unravel the very fabric of Eternity. If the job isn’t completed, there could be some real hell to pay.

My Thoughts :

This book has been on my Kindle for a long time and at some point I came across it cheap (if you own the Kindle version already...) on Audible and got that version too.  I hoped I would get to listen to it before I would get to read it.  Well I was right about listening to it but it still took me quite a while to get to the audio version.

I have to start by saying that Graveyard Shift wasn't what I expected.  That isn't a bad thing, I just had a different vision in my mind after reading the blurb.  The concept was good, well thought out and different.  The characters were nice and I didn't hate the story but there was something a little confusing about the intricate world the author had built and the story felt a little too Young Adult which I am sure it wasn't.

Graveyard Shift was a nice start to a series and I am definitely going to check out the next book in the series at some point.  However this first installment didn't leave me eager to grab the next part or leave me with any anticipation for another tale.  If this had been it I would have been ok with it.  Maybe that will change as the series continues.

The narrator for the audio version did a good job but I did noticed a few edits here and there which, if this hadn't of been cheap or had been bought ages ago, would have made me want to ask Audible for my money back.  I will be checking the next part out via Audible though but mainly because I always try and keep listening to a series if I start it on Audio.

Not a bad book, an ok read with a lot promise.  It will be interesting to see what happens next and I hope the author keeps doing her religious based quotes at the beginning of each chapter because I really enjoyed them.  Some of them really made me think.

14) Copycat Killing by Sofie Kelly

The Blurb :

Everyone thinks their cats are special—but Owen and Hercules have powers that go far beyond an adorable look or an irresistible purr. Along with their owner, librarian Kathleen Paulson, they have an uncanny instinct for solving crimes...

It's been raining cats and dogs in Mayville Heights. The small town's been deluged, and now the local artists' co-op is on the verge of flooding. Kathleen has been up all night helping her friends move their creations to the safety of the upstairs studio.

The artwork survives, but when controversial mask maker Jaeger Merrill is found drowned in the co-op basement, Kathleen questions whether the death was accidental. After she discovers the artist was using an assumed name, she realizes she can't actually assume anything about him. With the help of handsome detective Marcus Gordon—and her cats' extraordinary powers of detection—it's up to Kathleen to unmask a killer.

My Thoughts :

The Magical Cats Mystery series has been on my shelves for years.  I managed to read the first two books somewhere along the way but the series has been constantly ignored.  Attempts at getting back into the series have been foiled by review books and addictions to other series.  So when I saw this one on Audible I knew what I had to do.  It was time to get back to the kitties and Audible once again helped rescue me!

I will start off by saying I love the concept, I love the characters and the location is quite nice but the Magical Cats angle, isn't, like the series name would make you believe, a big factor in the story or plot.  Sure the kitties have some 'powers' but I didn't really associate them being a big part of the mysteries this book covered and the solving of the crimes.  It was a cute little twist but not as prominent as I expected or remembered it to be.   So to conclude the cat concept is a little disappointing but maybe in later books it gets more paws on...

However despite the lack of kitty sleuthing I did enjoy the story and plot.  There were actually two murder mysteries with one being an older case and the other happening in the present time line of the story.  The plot was well thought out and both mysteries were nicely tangled into the on-going story and general cast of the series.  A good cozy read and a series that is definitely worth checking out.

The Audible version was a delight to listen to although there were times where I thought the narrator was a little slow.  It wasn't annoying or anything but I did think she could have told the story a little faster.  On saying that, I am looking forward to the next installment and will be keeping to the Audio versions because otherwise I fear I will never catch up with this series.