Cozy Fantasy

 Of Owls and Oolong by Shari L. Tapscott 

This was cute, fast paced, and lighthearted. It has cozy mystery vibes but isn't a mystery. Kit inherits her great aunts cottage and tea shop and pet owl. But she must live there and run the shop for three years before she gets the fortune as well. There's just one problem, the owl isn't really an owl; he's a mage to accidentally turned himself into an owl and can't change himself back into a man. Also, Kit is a pixie, specifically a summer pixie which means her magic makes people happy. Her neighbor is a super hot high fae named Ash who just so happens to be the cousin of the man turned owl. They all work together, with the only other mage in town, but the only elf in town (who has unstable magic) and manage to get Rowan turned back into a man by the end of the book. Here comes problem number two. Rowan is hot. And now there is a love triangle. This is nothing new for Ash and Rowan because they have been competing for everything their entire lives. In fact, Ash dated Rowans former fiancee after Rowan "disappeared" but now she's engaged to someone else, but we don't know who, yet. This was cute and I would definitely consider reading not just more of this series, but more from this author in general.  

YA Adventure

 Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

I normally don't like a self-discovery or coming of age book, but this wasn't just coming of age; this had adventure! Celine and Brad used to be best friends. Then Brad started playing soccer and hanging out with the cool kids; Celine stayed weird. They fell out. Now, they are both up for a prestigious scholarship. The only thing is, they have to make it through two different camping trips to win the scholarships. And during the course of said trips, they realize that the reasons they fell out don't actually exist. They make up and then start making out. Celine takes a lot longer to come to terms with all of her personal baggage than Brad does and almost ruins things between them, but she does get there. The final day comes and Celine's personal hero, and the decider of the scholarships pulls her aside and tells her she didn't win one of the scholarships but she would like to offer her an internship; Celine is ecstatic. Brad does win one of the scholarships. Everyone is happy and they end the book together. It was cute and I will definitely be reading more from this author.   

Hockey Romance #1

 Game Changer by Rachel Reid

I had some of this spoiled because I have seen clips and edits of Heated Rivalry. After seeing those clips I can say that the casting was perfect and Rachel was horrible to write Scott as a blond. (Why would he be blond?) This was so cute. I loved that Kip was so charismatic and that everyone loved him. I loved how awkward Scott was when he first met Kip. And their conversation about it later, how Scott admitted to being interested in him, but didn't know what to do and just hoped Kit would figure it out! Kip being with him and being in love with him but also not being able to be fully with him was devastating. I'm glad that Kip was able to tell Scott what he needed in the relationship, and that his dad was so understanding about it. That conversation was so awkward and cute. While Kip wasn't pushing or forcing Scott to come out, it was exactly what Scott needed. I was glad he told his friends and that they were supportive and that his coach was as well. But the scene after winning it all, when he came out in spectacular fashion because he couldn't stand to not be celebrating with the person that he loves? Beautiful. And we got introduced to Ilya in this book. I can't wait to read the next book!  

No Plot

 Forged in Blood by Sadie Kincaid 

This book started out with promise and then it decided it didn't actually need a plot. We have a baby that has power so strong it can conjure fire from inside the womb of it's dead mother to protect itself. Said baby has its powers bound and then we fast forward. Ophelia is a 19 year old college freshman. She is beautiful and can't make any friends because she's weird; she likes to learn. She has jumped around from foster home to foster home and the miraculously they find a trust that has been earmarked for her college tuition, but only at one specific school. She doesn't make any friends there either. Except, she catches the eye of the three hottest guys in the school, and their mentor and the hottest professor on campus. The guys are vampires and the professor is their maker. Professor vampire daddy tells his vampire sons to torture her, make her life miserable, but don't bite her. Well, one of them decides he likes her. Then, they stop being mean to her and start caring for her. Then one tastes her blood and is addicted. Now she is bonded to one. The other two are jealous and want to bond to her as well, so they do. They literally spend the majority of the book in bed. We find out she is the last of the elementai and that she has control over all four elements and that's it. Then she gets with professor vampire daddy and their connection is so strong it breaks the binding that was placed on her as a baby. So now she's bonded to all four of them. And that's where the book ends. We get nothing about her learning to hone her powers, nothing about her trying to use them intentionally. Nothing. This could have been good, but it gave up plot for smut.  

(Are You Sure) YA Fantasy

 Spark of Fate by Tessa Hale

How in the world is the a YA book? Because it's NOT giving YA. She has five, yes 5, mates. All of the werewolves. She is also some kind of shifter, but we don't officially know what kind yet because she hasn't had her first shift. We think she's a were because they test her DNA and find out that her bio mom was from that pack, but they don't know who her bio dad is. Also, the book starts with her and her sister getting into a car wreck and her sister dying. Then her family moves basically across the country for a new start. Her dad gets a new job and is never home and her mom is hiding in her room, drinking. And now her mom hates her and wishes they had never adopted her. It gets so bad that when she gets sick her mom thinks she's faking it for attention and the pack alpha, and father of one of her mates, has to step in, which forces her dad to finally see how bad mom has gotten and get her some help. And she ends the book basically moved in with the pack. But again, how is this going to be a YA series? She is 17. With five mates. She has already gotten physical with two of them. This is entirely too grown to be YA.  I'm not sure if I want to continue this series or not.  

Hockey Romance

 Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn 

I do not like age gap so that was not great for me. Otherwise, I was a fan. Tristan is a professional hockey player and he's back in college trying to finish his degree so he has something to fall back on if hockey doesn't work out. Sebastian is his sociology profession. Nothing happens between them until the class is over. But once grades are submitted, they are very much on. Sebastian gives him time to come to terms with how he wants to handle things, but Sebastian is out and refuses to go back in the closet. Tristan introduces him to his family first, and that goes well. Then he tells his coach. Then his team. One of the members of his team that he's friends with confides in him that he suspected, because he is also gay. I expect that he will get his own book in the series. Sebastian is not a sports guy, but he becomes one for Tristan. I enjoyed this book and am irritated that I enjoyed it because I'm going to have to get Kindle Unlimited if I want to continue the series.   

YA Fairy Tale

 A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

It's giving Beauty and the Beast but make it war. Harper is acting as a lookout for her brother when she sees a guy kidnapping a girl. She goes to stop him and ends up transported to another world. While there she gets to know the kidnapper: Grey. She also gets to know the prince: Rhen. There's just one problem. Rhen has to make Harper fall in love with him in the next six-ish weeks to break a curse otherwise, he turns into a beast and the most likely dies. There are a couple problems. First, she is desperate to get home because her mom is dying. Second, she likes both Rhen and Grey. Third, the witch, Lilith, is doing everything in her power to stop them from being together without outright interfering. Fourth, there is a war coming. Well, Grey takes her home. She is able to say goodbye to her mom who promptly dies. Grey shows up injured and takes Harper as well as her brother and his ER doctor boyfriend back with him. Rhen turns into the beast. Harper is able to tame it because he loves her and remembers her. Grey takes Lilith to Earth and may or may not kill her. But Grey also finds out that he has a claim on Rhen's throne. And that's where the book ends. I enjoyed this and look forward to finding out how the rest of this plays out.  

Second in a YA Shifter Trilogy

 Scorched by Tricia Barr

 The audiobook narrators are really holding this series together. The nine thousand characters and shifting points of view are getting on my nerves. As are the constant mini cliffhangers for the end of every chapter. Plus, most of the characters get on my nerves. I understand that the majority of the characters are teenagers, but they are almost caricatures of teenagers they are so over the top. Myreen is now not only a mermaid, but also a harpy and a bear shifter. Kenzie has been accidentally dating a hunter and a vampire initiate while trying to help Laithe (and crushing on him) and trying to break the curse on Cole. Cole thinks the curse is still there because Myreen hates him, but that's just because she found out the truth from his dad instead of him. Juliette and Nick dated then broke up and are now back together, and she dated a wolf shifter while trying to get over him. Laithe has been discovered to be working against the vampire leader and now he's being punished. The military has taken over the school so they can be in charge of Myreen's training and Oberon has been kicked out because of his meetings with Laithe. Oberon, Laithe, and Kenzi's grandma are the only character's I actually like and they don't get enough screen time. Thankfully there is only one more book in this series. 

Stand Alone RomCom

 Love to Hate You by Jo Watson 

This was cute and fast paced. It was also pretty predictable at times. As soon as the kid was introduced it was obvious that she belonged to the one night stand turned boss turned neighbor. They had great chemistry, but he was a bit pushy for my liking. I did not like that Sera was willing to be friends with the mean girls that ran her out of her job once she was established in her new job. I would have never given them the time of day. Yes, everything worked out in the end. Yes, she was happier running the restaurant and coffee shop. Yes, she got the guy. But, the women she worked with literally bullied her into quitting her job. I will probably read more by this author. It was a cute, fluffy read.  

Soldier Series #5

 Wicked as Seduction by Shayla Black 

Finally, somebody in this series has some sense! Trees is the only person that 1) has a nickname that is believable and relevant and 2) has and brains in his head. However, I do NOT like an age gap so he gives up points for that. This overlaps with the previous book but from Tree's perspective. He is getting Laila to safety while Zy is finding the mole. It's lust at first sight for him, but she is very wary. She slowly warms up to him. But, she is still determined to use herself as bait to lure out whoever is after her sister, and therefore whoever captured Kimber. He's not having it. The book ends with the team on a mission to capture the head of the cartel, but when the get there he's not there and Laila is alone at Tree's house and his house has just been breached. And he is fully in love with her and freaking out about her being captured. I enjoyed this more than the previous books because Trees is not only good at his job, he's a good man, and a logical man. I am looking forward to the conclusion of this series.  

Crime Series #10

 Black Notice by Patricia Cornwell 

The science is still the best part of this series. Especially since this one was a little far fetched. Not the murders, those were entirely plausible; the travel is what was unbelievable this time. Kay and Morino ended up in France because of this case. Not because of their work with with the FBI task force. They had been communicating with Interpol and one of the agents paid for them to come, out of his personal account. Then, because Kay isn't handling Benton's death well, she slept with him and then immediately gave him the cold shoulder. Girl needs some therapy. Also, Lucy was working undercover and the op went bad. Then, they are all back in Virginia and Kay gets attacked by the killer in her own home, but luckily she had an acid solution within easy reach and was able to throw it in his eyes. It compromises some evidence, but at least she's alive. Lucy shows up and almost shoots him when he's not an active danger to Kay and now she's on leave. Lucy also needs some therapy. And the killer has a genetic condition that makes him grow hair all over his body so he calls himself the werewolf, but in french because he's from France. Also, we had a new police chief or someone and she hated Morino and gave him a new job, but that didn't last long because she got killed by the werewolf and her boss moved Morino back to the detective squad. This one was a bit much, but the science is still fascinating.     

First in a YA Shifter Trilogy

 Shifted by Tricia Barr

3* is probably being generous and has more to do with the skills of the audiobook narrators than the authors. First, there are approximately 9,000 characters and they all get their own chapters. Second, most of the chapters end of mini cliffhangers (what was I going to do? and then he just left...). Third, the succeeding chapter would not pick up where the previous one left off; instead it would transition to a different characters point of view. So, we have Myreen who on the one day she decides to break the rules, she becomes an orphan. Now she goes to a super secret shifter school because surprise, she's a mermaid. And not just any mermaid, but a siren. And also, the siren from the prophecy which means she is the only person that can kill the leader of the vampires. Oh, and her best friend is a selkie but the shifters don't like selkies because they use magic so bestie can't go to the super secret school. And when she gets to the school the two hottest boys both are interested in her. One, because he's a mermaid and a seer and he had a vision about them together. The other because he's a dragon and his dad (the head of the military) told him to get close to her and find out if she's really the girl from the prophecy. Also, dragon guy has a curse on his whole family that they can't fall in love because it will be unrequited. So he's super hot and cold with her. And the rest of mermaid's hate her. Also, her new bestie is a phoenix but she can't shift until they get attacked and that makes her shift because she wants to protect her friend. This book is ridiculous. There is so much drama and angst. I rolled my eyes so hard so many times.  

Asian Mythology

 Black Water Sister  by Zen Cho

I love mythology so this was right up my alley! There was a lot going on in this book and it was a little hard at first; you had to give it time to build. BUT! once the characters and the lore were established it was great. We were finding out things with Jess. There were times where I thought I knew where the story was going and I ended up being completely wrong. I don't normally like a story where the focus is on the main character finding themself, but that was secondary to the mythology so it wasn't horrible. I liked how Jess helped the Black Water Sister find peace and move on. I did not like the ending; we don't know how Jess's family reacted to her coming out. There was this huge build up to it, and then we get nothing. I love learning about other cultures and their belief systems, so this was really interesting.