Billionaire Romance #4

 Pushing His Luck by Kira Archer 

This was fine, but I didn't enjoy it as much as books 1 and 3. Chris needs to be insured so he can keep running his business. Charley is a risk assessor. Only one problem, she got fired and is now trying to start her own business, but she didn't tell Chris that from the beginning. No, they had been on adventures and had already started sleeping with each other when he found out from his assistant. So, Charley calls her cousin Izzy who gets her a plane ticket and she goes home. Chris is 10 minutes too late getting to the airport to stop her. They don't talk for a while and then Charley gets a call from his assistant to set up the risk assessment presentation to the board. She goes over everything and then says she wouldn't recommend him for coverage. The board is in an uproar. She leaves but all of the couples from the previous books are there blocking her from getting in the elevator. Chris comes out and tells her he quit but is keeping a bunch of shares so he can still be involved and that he recommended the board hire her as the company risk assessor. Oh, and regardless of if she takes the job or not he wants to be with her. The epilogue is three years in the future and she still hasn't agreed to marry him, and he's fine with it either way. I was just a bit uninspired by this couple.  

Bodyguard Series #5

 Belong to Me by Shayla Black 

At least this book had a plot and they remembered it throughout the entire book. Tara is an FBI agent and this is her very first field assignment. She is going undercover in a BDSM club to 1)find the ring leader and bring him down for sex trafficking and 2)to save the agent that was sent there first and who is missing. She and her partner go to a different DBSM club to get trained on how to be a believable Dom/Sub relationship but he is not doing well. Logan is assigned by the club to be her trainer. There's only one problem: Tara and Logan dated in high school, he took her virginity and then broke up with her. Turns out, he was the only to find his mom murdered and when he got home there was a note from the killer on his pillow telling him to break up with Tara or she would be next; so he broke up with her. Now, 12 years later they are reunited. He is still in love with her. Through the training she comes to trust him again and he tells her the truth about what happened. Her fiance shows up at the club and watches them together. They get into a fight and she ends the engagement. Logan gets another note from the killer but immediately tells Tara about it - he learned his lesson. They go undercover at the club and his friend Xander shows up to help since he used to work there. Logan finds the missing agent and sees on the video that the ringleader is none other than Taras' step-father, Adam. Logan kills Adam. Tara and Logan end up together. This was better than the previous books in this series, but I am definitely having more fun being irritated than I am with the actual story.  

Hockey Romance #5

 Role Model by Rachel Reid

I LOVED this book. It was very similar to book 1, but had the humor of books 2 and 4. Troy gets traded to the worst team in the league after a video from practice comes out with him confronting the star of his original team about being a rapist (there was an anonymous post that came out describing what he did). The league backs their superstar and trades Troy as punishment. The problem is Troy has spent so much of his life hiding that he doesn't know how to open up or even be himself so it's a very rocky start with his new team. Enter Ilya. As the team captain he tries to help Troy with his transition and they become friends. Enter Harris. He is the social media manager for the team. He is also openly gay. Troy and Harris get off to a bad start because Troy is so awkward, but they eventually become friends because Harris is the only person Troy feels comfortable around. Ilya takes Troy to Scott and Eric's bar and afterwards Troy comes out to Ilya. Ilya also comes out to Troy. Ilya realizes that Troy likes Harris and starts working to give them time together. Wyatt is back, but he's not as big of a role as he was in book 3. Troy slowly starts apologizing to people he needs to and he slowly starts coming out. On a plane ride there is engine trouble and they all think they are going to die and that night is the first time Troy and Harris hook up. Troy, still awkward, can't handle it and makes things worse. But, he also can't not be around Harris so they decide to be boyfriends but in secret while Troy figures out his life. Harris even takes Troy home to meet his family. Troy decides he wants to come out on Pride Night and has Harris help him make the announcement. He calls and tells his mom beforehand. His dad shows up unannounced before the game and Troy comes out to him after his dad goes on a diatribe about how he needed to support the rapist. Troy makes his coming out post on social media and at the game the arena is so supportive of him. Also, the rapist got arrested because some of the women came out publically. Troy also proclaims that Harris is his boyfriend. There is also a really cute dog. Also, Ilya gets into a fight with the rapist (before he gets arrested) because he said something derogatory about Shane. I adored this book and can't wait to read the next one!  

Royal Romance #2

 Cheeky King by Nana Malone 

For a cute little romance, this was a bit intense. It picks up almost exactly where the first book left off. Sebastian is now king (almost, they still have to have the funeral and his coronation). He and Penny aren't together and neither is doing well. He decides exposure therapy is the way to go and moves her to is detail. That doesn't work; they are both miserable and struggling to keep their hands to themselves. The vote about acknowledging the royal bastards goes fine but Lucas is still not out to the public yet. Penny's dad discovers that the King was poisoned. Penny get attacked by Ashton, Sebastians cousin but she doesn't tell him about it. She quits her job and goes back to New York. She moves in with Lucas and works on her painting. Sebastian finds her and shows up, but immediately has to leave because Ashton has been found. Sebastian exiles him to an island off the coast of Greenland and freezes his accounts so he no longer has access to any money or the lifestyle he is accustomed to. Sebastian goes back to New York and he is waiting at a gallery, which he set up to show Pennys' paintings. They go back to his apartment, where all of this started, and Robert (Pennys ex who she caught kissing her brother) shows up and holds them a gunpoint. Turns out, he is a bastard from the kings older brother who abdicated the throne. He wants the throne and is planning on killing Penny and Sebastian to get it. But, the guys from Blake Security show up when their guards don't respond to their check in and they capture Robert who Penny shot in the arm. Sebastian and Penny get married and the book ends with Lucas meeting a woman who is running away from the wedding. This sets up the next couple really well and I am looking forward to more from this series.  

Paranormal Bully Romance #7

 Heartless Sky by Susanne Valenti, Caroline Peckham 

This book pissed me off because what do you mean I'm giggling and having a good time and then it's going to end like that? Everyone is in The Burrow with the rebels. Max is still obsessed with Geraldine and she is interested in him but doesn't feel like she can break her engagement to Justin. Seth is in love with Caleb and makes a move, but Caleb is awkward and things end up being uncomfortable between them. But, Caleb has the idea to make Seth stay in the room with him because he needs to be near his source. They have the plan to close the shadow rifts to remove Lavinia from her power source but while closing the first one Caleb bites Lance to save him and Lance bites him back, making them a Vampire Coven. Seth is jealous of their new bond. I'm not sure how Seth made such a turn around as a character because I love him now. Lance is power shamed and nobody hardly looks at him at all which makes his relationship with Darcy hard. To keep everyone up with their studies they have school and Lance is teaching the twins, heirs, and their friends. He snaps right back into professor mode and cracked me up. Xavier finally becomes the Dom of his pack. Darius' mom and Geraldine's dad get married after the twins command the stars to end her marriage to Lionel. We learn that Lionel killed his older brother for his position. We also learn that he is not as strong and powerful as he makes everyone believe, and that Lavinia can control with with the shadows - particularly the shadow hand she gave him. Lionel and Lavinia have a shadow child, but the heirs kill it. This upsets Lavinia but Lionel is relieved because it was a weird spider creature with Darius and Xaviers' faces. Darius and Tory are happy, but he's not telling her about the bargain he made with the stars and that he's going to die. They get married when he finally tells her. Lance gets over himself and declares his love to Darcy publicly and they get their divine moment. Now that they are Mates he is no longer power shamed. Then there is the big fight. Seth, Caleb, and Max go to the Acrux house to save their families but get captured instead and their power is being used to fuel a shadow rift. Catalina (mommy Acrux) and Hamish (daddy Grus) die at the end of the battle instead of being captured by Lionel. Darcy was cursed by Lavinia at the end of the last book and she turns into a Shadow Beast and kills people. Once she discovers this during the big battle she runs to the mountains to keep everyone safe. Lance makes a bargain with Lavinia for 3 moon cycles to free Darcy from the curse. Lionel rips the wings off of Xavier so he's in dire straits. Geraldine was attacked by Beast Darcy and she is in bad shape. And Lionel manages to kill Darius. Tory is the only one left and she's emotionally damaged. The climax of this was STRESSFUL and I'm so nervous about what comes next!   

Crime Series #16

 Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell 

Almost every single guess I made about this book was wrong. This book starts out with Jack Fielding in a morgue and I was super confused because he quit his job like 2 books ago. Turns out, Kay has left South Carolina after the death of Rose and the fallout with Merino and now she's working at the chief medical examiner in Boston. And she brought Jack with her. Her new Rose is efficient, but he's no Rose. Benton calls Kay and tells her to come to New York, they have a case and a victim and he will only allow Kay to examine him. Oscar is the suspect in the death of Terry, his girlfriend. But, Oscar believes he's being followed by the government. The only guess I was correct about was that Oscar wasn't the killer. He was right, he was being followed, but not by the government. He was being followed by the lead detective on the case who it turns out was a serial killer, but we don't know that until the end. During the course of the investigation we discover that Terry was emailing with "Scarpetta" and those emails made Kay out to be a monster. Because of that, of Terry's hero turning out bad, Terry started a gossip site called Gothem Gotcha, and her main target was Kay. We found out after all was said and done that she got information from Pete's therapist. But, a worm imbedded in a picture of Marilyn Monroe took down the site; Lucy never formally admits to any knowledge of that, but she does tells us how the picture came about. The detective was messing around with Terry and then killed her. He also killed the widow who worked for her on the website because she saw him at a pet shop engaging in animal cruelty. He tries to kill Lucy, but only gives her a flesh wound. He takes Kay and Jamie Burger hostage and Pete shows up. While Pete is trying to find a way to save them Lucy manages to crawl out of the bathroom and kill him. But, Lucy isn't the name on the gun registration and she can't legally carry in New York so Pete fudges the crime scene to keep everyone safe. I was CONVINCED that Dr. Marilyn Self was involved somehow. And I was convinced that Medical Examiner in New York was involved; she was but only indirectly - she's lazy not guilty. I had no idea that Terry was behind the website or that the detective was the one pretending to be Scarpetta. I didn't like him, but I never suspected him. Also, Lucy and Jamie start developing a relationship in this book. I'm not sure how I feel about that since Jamie is 15 years older than Lucy. This kept me on the edge of my seat!  

Percy Jackson is Back!

 The Chalice of the Gods by Rick Riordan 

I love Percy Jackson; the books are always fast paced and full of adventure. The stakes are high but not unattainable. Percy and Annabeth are planning for their future, which is New Rome University. But, Percy needs three letters of recommendation to get in. The only problem is that they can't be from teachers, they must be from gods. This means that Percy has to complete three new quests to get said letters, and he has to ask the god BEFORE completing the quest otherwise it doesn't count. Enter Ganymede, cup bearer of the gods. The Chalice of the Gods has been stolen and he needs it back before Zeus holds a party, which could be tomorrow or next year - you never know with Zeus. They start out at a game room and get turned into 8 year olds, but Annabeth saved them with a baby chicken. Then, Percy has to clean a staff for Iris, which if he had asked before hand could have also counted, but he didn't so it doesn't. In order to clean the staff he has to go to  a special river and the god there gets super mad a Percy and tries to drown him which causes Percy to explode which cleans the river but also scares the god. On the plus side, it also cleaned the staff. Then, Iris tells them they have to go meet Gary. Turns out, he is the god of old age. He challenges Percy to a wrestling match and it's not going well until Percy gives him a hug. Like, a literal hug. Percy embraces old age and that ends the wrestling match; Gary gives him back the Chalice. Now, Percy has to sneak it into Mount Olympus which he manages to do with a little help from Athena. The Chalice is returned and Ganymede gives Percy a blank piece of paper - he gets to write his own letter of recommendation and it will magically add Ganymede's name to the end. Also, we find out that Sally and Paul are pregnant. That was confusing me to because in the Trials of Apollo they have already had the baby so this timeline threw me off. This was everything you have come to expect from a Percy Jackson book and I ate it up!  

College Romance #1

 The Deal by Elle Kennedy

This was adorable! I was giggling and kicking my feet constantly. I LOVE a fake relationship. Hannah and Garrett have a philosophy class together. She passed the midterm, he didn't. Justin is also in that class. Hannah likes Justin but he hasn't noticed her. Garrett, being the captain of the hockey team, needs to stay eligible. He convinces Hannah to tutor him for the makeup midterm and in exchange he will pretend to date her so Justin will notice her. But, it turns out he starts developing feelings for her and she for him. He helps her recover from the trauma of her rape. She helps him deal with his relationship with his abusive father. Then, his dad stops her and tells her to break up with him or he will cut him off. She doesn't want him to give up on his hockey dreams so she ends things. They are both miserable. Then, how shows up to the winter showcase to support her, but they don't get back together. She tries to start up a conversation with a guy and he blows her off. She talks to Justin and tells him she was interested but not anymore. He tells her that Garrett put a no contact order out on her, which is why everyone has been avoiding her. She shows up to practice, marches into the locker room, and confronts him while he's in the shower. She finally tells him about the conversation with his dad and he tells her about his trust fund, which he got access to on his 21st birthday, which was like a week or so ago. They make up and get back together. This was so cute and I can't wait to read the next one!  

YA Fantasy #2

 Vanish by Sophie Jordan 

Parts of this book were a bit repetitive, but for the most part this was very fast paced. It picks up right where book 1 left off. Jacinda, Tamra, mom, and Cassian are heading back to the pack. But then Will's family of hunters is in their way and trying to stop them. Tamra finally manifests and she can make mist which hides the and erases memories. They get away and get back to the pack. The alpha, Cassians dad, gives them minimal punishment because now he has two trophies, a fire breather and a new hider. Jacinda is doing her best to forget Will, but it's not working. She even kisses Cassian, but then feels bad because she doesn't like him and she feels like she's betraying Will. Then Will shows up, but everyone who knows him pretends like they don't and they treat him like a lost hiker. Cassian takes her to where they dropped his "unconscious" body and she finds out the mist doesn't work on him, that he never forgot about her, and then she makes him promise to get his family to stop coming this way. But, she can't stop her feelings for him and they agree to meet up in 2 weeks. She is being followed by Cassians' sister, Miriam, and she is there when Jacinda goes to look for Will. He doesn't show up and they get caught, mostly because Miriam can't control her fear. Will breaks her out but Miriam refuses to come. She goes home to tell them about Miriam and the alpha decides to 1) banish her mom and 2)to clip her wings. Cassian steps in and offers an alternative, they bond. During the ceremony Jacinda tells him it's not real and he says for now. Then, she and Tamra decide to run away when she's supposed to meet up with Will again. Cassians' cousin catches them but Cassian is there to fight him off and help them. The four of them decide to go together to rescue Miriam. Along the way Jacinda tells Will about the bonding but that all it means is she can sense Cassians emotions, not that she loves him. The book ends with them staking out the compound where Miriam is being held. This was great and I can't wait to read the third and final book!  

Dark Romance Book 4

 Need You Now by M. O'Keefe 

This was dark, but not near as dark as the previous books; it was practically tame compared to book 1. Rosa is out of prison and avoiding Marco. She is working at a diner when Bates shows up. He wants to pay his debt to her but instead she ends up getting fired. Carissa shows up at her apartment and offers her money, which she turns down. Rosa gets a job as a waitress at a strip club. Bates shows up at Marcos' apartment and gives him the address. He shows up and it is not a happy reunion ;there is a lot of hurt on both sides. But he keeps showing up and they start to rekindle things. He even introduces her to Ariella. Then, her brother (a literal skinhead, neo-nazi) shows up and starts to make a scene. Marco is there and beats him up in the parking lot and Rosa runs because that's what she does. She calls Simon and tells him she needs to get in contact with Bates. She shows up at Marcos', tells him her plan, and together they go to Bates. She tells him she wants her brother and father taken care of as the debt he owes her. They both end up in prison and she and Marco get their happily ever after. This is supposed to be the last book in the series, but it feels unfinished. We don't get any closure for or about Carissa. I didn't love this series, but I wanted another book to make it feel complete.  

YA Sci-Fi

 Visitors by Orson Scott Card

This series solidifies why I don't like sci-fi. There were times I found myself re-reading passages, not because I wasn't paying attention but because the science behind time travel was confusing me. Rigg, Umbo, Param, Ovelinko, Loaf, and Leaky all survive. Rigg made a copy of himself and Noxon survives (sort of). Umbo managed to reunite Loaf and Leaky, but she can't handle a facemask so he stops her from getting it. He also saves her second child, Square, but he saves him before she has him so she doesn't want anything to do with him. Loaf, on the other hand, is an active father, or as active as he can be. Square takes a facemask and they learn that getting a mask as a child is better and has no consequences unlike getting one as an adult. Param and Umbo get married. Noxon and Ram Odin take some of the mice and manage to get back to Earth where they meet Dr. Wheaton and Deborah. She is blind and he has been raising her since her parents died in a car crash. Noxon falls in love with her. They go back and save her family then Deborah goes back to Garden because she wants eyes and she wants to get a facemask. Meanwhile, Noxon, Ram Odin, and Wheaton go to the other planet when they discover that it's not Earth that does the destroying. They find two planets, make a jump, and end up with 20 ships. They divide the ships up and come up with a plan to build wallfolds on both planets. They are able to stop the planets from discovering the technology necessary to attack Garden, thus saving the planet. Noxon returns to Garden with Deborah. Rigg decides he is going to travel though the different walls and times and he will eventually settle down. Param and Umbo decide to kidnap her mom and exile her so she doesn't kill them and they become Queen and King in the Tent. I'm glad I finished this book, but I'm also glad I'm done with this series.  

YA with a Moral

 Teenage Waistland by Lynn Biederman, Lisa Pazer

I do not like coming of age and finding yourself books and that is what this was. We follow Marcie, East, Char, and Bobby as they go through a clinical trial for the lap-band for teenagers. We see that they all realize their actions impact others in both good and bad ways and we watch them deal with the consequences of those actions. I didn't really like any of the main characters. Marcie was mean but her heart to heart with her step-sister was beautiful; it helped her heal and their relationship at the end was wonderful. East was the most sympathetic character and at the end we find out that her procedure didn't work but she still lost the most weight because she healed her relationship with her family, particularly her mother, and they were able to support each other. I couldn't stand Char and even when we found out about her real backstory I had empathy for her, but I'm not completely convinced that my opinion of her changed. Bobby was the easiest to understand. His feelings of being forced into a life he didn't want to uphold the family legacy were eminently relatable. I am glad he was finally able to talk to his Dad and find joy in his own life. The idea that you have to find and treat the root cause and not just the symptoms is something that everyone, including myself, needs to remember.  

Middle Grade Fantasy

 The Hidden Kingdom  by Tui T. Sutherland 

I started reading this series to see if my nephew would like it. I think he's a little too old for it now, but it is definitely something I would recommend. This is fast paced and action packed. The dragons of destiny are now on their way to the kingdom of the RainWings so Glory can find her parents. But when they get there they discover that many of the negative stereotypes are correct and that nobody knows who their parents are because they put their eggs in the same place. Glory does realize that an afternoon nap in the sun helps to recharge her and she doesn't need to eat as much because of the energy from the sun. They also learn that at least 12 dragons have gone missing and hardly anybody notices or cares. They have a queen rotation; anyone that wants to be queen can be queen for a month. They find out that there is some kind of monster killing dragons; turns out it's the NightWings; they have a hidden kingdom underground in RainWing territory. They travel to the IceWings and meet one of the queen candidates, but while she is kind she is also vapid. Glory challenges the current queen for the throne and there is a contest; they are tied 2-2 and one of the new friends Glory made gets injured during the final challenge. Glory and the oldest queen discover they are related and she, who is the rightful queen concedes the challenge and the throne to Glory so she can make plans to rescue the missing dragons. But, they find out that one of the dragons of destiny is gone and that's where the book ends. What I like about this series is that while it might end on a cliffhanger it also wraps up each individual story while keeping you interested in what happens next.  

Middle Grade Adventure

The Curse of the King by Peter Lerangis 

This was very fast paced, easy to read, and full of action. This picks up where the previous book left off. Jacks dad starts the process to adopt Cass. Aly is with her mom, then she gets hospitalized and they go to her. Jack and Cas have been fine because they have part of the Loculus of Healing and they use it to help Aly. They come up with a plan to draw out the Massa and end up finding another Loculus, but they can't get it because the statue of Zeus comes alive and attacks them. They end up back on the island and Brother Demetrous tells Jack he is the king of the prophecy and then they give him challenges to prove it. Jacks' mom helps them as best she can, and we find out she joined Massa because the other group put a kill order on her. Marco comes back into the fold because he starts to realize Massa is bad. Cas finds out he has a sister. The statue followed them to the island and flips a switch that opens a crack to start to bring back Atlantis. They manage to shut off the switch, but not before Aly falls into the crack with the statue. This sets things up for the next book nicely.  

History

 Queens of the Crusades by Alison Weir 

This is one of those books that would have been better consumed as a physical book than an audiobook; I wanted to annotate and take notes. This was dense and filled with information. My key takeaways: Henry II is horrible! He kept Eleanor of Aquitaine pregnant, cheated on her constantly, and made her raise one illegitimate son.  Then he had an affair with the betrothed of his 3rd son. Eleanor was a saint for putting up with him. Henry II's 3rd son, Richard becomes king and he relies heavily on his mother for support. He and Berengaria have no children and he names his younger brother, John, is successor. John is horrible. At 33 he marries Isabella who is younger than 12 because he's obsessed with her. They get their marriage annulled and he marries another Isabella. In addition to being a creep he was hotheaded and kept invading places and losing allies. When he dies his oldest son, Henry, becomes king as a child and Isabella is NOT the regent. Henry III, grandson is Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his wife Eleanor were reckless and spent money frivolously. They were constantly asking people for loans. His oldest son, Edward, great grandson of Eleanor of Aquitaine, becomes king and he marries an Eleanor. He kept her pregnant (18 pregnancies but not all survived) and kept her with him on his crusades. Three of the kings of the crusades relied heavily on Eleanor of Aquitaine, and even during her grandsons' rule she continued to be an important figure. All roads lead back to Eleanor of Aquitaine.  

YA Korean Mythology

 Last of the Talons by Sophie Kim

This was spectacular. I enjoyed every minute. I love a book steeped in mythology and if I get to learn about a new culture, or a new aspect of a culture, all the better! Lina is not just a teenage assassin, she is THE teenage assassin. She is the Reaper. She is also a thief. She is sent to an abandoned temple to steal a tapestry. But this pisses off the Pied Piper so he kidnaps her boss thinking this will upset her and she will come to him. Only, she hates her gang boss and her only concern is getting to her little sister. But, the Pied Piper takes her to his realm and gives her a bargain: she has 14 days to kill him or at the end of those days he will kill her. She agrees. Her first attempts is unsuccessful and he gives her kitchen duty. Then, he takes her on a dinner date and tells her some of his backstory. They are falling for each other, but she is fighting it. I LOVE ENEMIES TO LOVERS! She finds the resistance and joins them thinking it will help her with her goal to kill him. But, the leader of the resistance catches them kissing and tries to kill her. She makes it back to the palace, barely, and the healer is able to save her. Then we get a WHO DID THIS TO YOU! Once she wakes up he calls off the bet and they work together to end the resistance. It works, mostly because she now has the power to turn part of her body into a snake. He gets her sister and brings her to his realm to protect her then he agrees to let her old gang boss go and make him think that she's dead so she can get her revenge, which is book 2.  This sets up book 2 beautifully and I can't wait to read it! 

Hockey Romance #4

 Common Goal by Rachel Reid 

I liked this so much more than the previous book, and I normally don't like age gaps. However, the younger partner was 25, almost 26, so it wasn't near as irritating as it could have been. This was also much funnier than book 3, on par with book 2 for humor. Eric is going through a lot; he's been divorced for a year, he's about to turn 41, he has decided to retire but is putting off announcing it, and he has decided to stop ignoring the fact that he is bisexual. The only issue is that he is very quite, reserved, and has no idea how to pick up men. Enter Kyle. He works at the same bar as Kip, has a huge crush on Kip, and befriends Eric to the delight of Scott and Kip. Eric confides in Kyle about his bisexuality and Kyle offers to take him out to help him ease into picking up men. The only problem for Kyle is he thinks Eric is attractive and he wants to be the guy to go home with him. They decide that Kyle is going to be his instructor in all things male and they start hooking up. Then, they both catch feelings but Eric keeps pushing them away because of the age gap. At Kyles' urging he comes out to Scott and because he is just a genuinely good person Scott is so happy for him. Eric also tells Scott about retiring; Scott doesn't react near as well to this. His last game is bittersweet; they lost during the playoffs, at an away game. But, Eric and Scott buy the bar together and let Kyle make changes. Eric and Kyle travel and Eric explores his photography. Also, we get the Scott and Kip wedding in this book! I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one!  

YA Mystery

 Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco 

I wanted to like this but I never connected with any of the characters. I had three possible suspects for Jack and was proven correct with one of them. But, that was the only reason I kept reading. My guesses were: her uncle (accused and arrested but eventually freed), Thomas her crush (nope, just helping her and flirting), and her brother (guilty!). She suspected her dad, but he wasn't on my list. I was surprised that her brother was doing the killings to try to bring their mother back from the dead, five years after her death. Then he died by electrocution when he did the experiment incorrectly. I will not be reading any more of this series.  

Kids Magic and Adventure

 Serafina and the Splintered Heart by Robert Beatty 

I did not like this near as much as book 1. Serafina spends the book as a ghost. She has to talk through Rowena, who is now good. They, together with Braden and Waysa work to stop Rowena's dad, who is a misshapen creature now. They end up trapping him in the cloak and burying it. Obviously, Serafina rejoins her body and is whole again. I can understand why younger readers like this book and I originally picked up this series to see if my nephew would like it; he's now too old for it but I also wouldn't recommend it to my niece either.  

Bodyguard Series #4

 Surrender to Me by Shayla Black 

This at least had a plot, and it wasn't pregnancy. But it still pissed me off. Kata gets shot at, at her place of work. Hunter steps up to do bodyguard duty since he wants to spend time with his wife. Yep, they got married in Vegas. The issue is he's dominant and wants her to be submissive without really listening to or taking what she wants into consideration. So much so that her sister writes up divorce papers. He is still an active duty SEAL so he gets called out of the country for a lead that doesn't pan out. Then, her mom ends up in the hospital and her step dad (and the cause of all of her issues) doesn't care except that she cook for him now that she's home. Hunter takes both of them to his dads' house. Then, they realize that she isn't the target, he is. It's his commanding officer. He kills him when he is threatening her. Then he gets deployed for six months. When he gets back his brother drops him off at a random house and Kata is waiting for him. While he was gone she spent time with a female dom and learned about the life so she could please him. I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes during this book.  

Emotionally Dark YA

 Chaos Theory by Nic Stone 

This was very fast paced and consumable but not at all what I thought it was going to be. This was emotionally dark which I was not expecting. Shelbi only has one friend, her cousin. But, when she returns Andys' cellphone to him after seeing where he was in a car crash, now she has two. Then, they become more than friends. But, his life starts falling apart when he catching his mom, who is running for Senate, in the middle of having an affair with his ex-girlfriends dad! To make matters worse, he and said ex had gotten pregnant and their parents made her have an abortion, regardless of what she wanted, and he can't handle the guilt of that. He also has a drinking problem, which stems from the abortion. When Shelbi shows up on the day he finds out about the affair he kicks her out and tells her he doesn't want to see her. But, Shelbi has problems of her own and this makes her spiral. She starts cutting again and takes some pills. She ends up in the hospital. He apologizes, but then it's time to leave for college. The book ends with it being almost Thanksgiving Break and them making plans to see each other. This was very real, which is not my preference. I like more cutsey, more rom-com.  

YA and Magic

 Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore

This was better than some of the other books in this series. Bitterblue and some of her advisors go to Winterkeep for negotiations. However, she gets flung out of the boat by a wave and gets captured. We think she is dead for a long time, then we realize she is being held captive in the attic of the president. Giddeon realizes he's in love with her now that she's gone and she realizes she feels the same. Meanwhile, Lovisa, the daughter of the president, is trying to upset her parents and finds out that they are keeping the Queen captive. She manages to break her out and they escape together. They reunite with the advisors and accuse the president of kidnapping. Meanwhile, the president and her family have been living with another important political family because Lovisa burned down the house during her escape. The president has a bonded fox, Adventure, who helps orchestrate her death, to protect Lovisa. Her dad shows up and tries to blame everything on his (now) dead wife, but that doesn't work and he gets arrested. Lovisa decides to testify against him and that seals his fate. Also, they find her uncle, he has been hidden in a cave at their summer house, and they rescue him. Bitterblue and Giddeon get engaged and go home. Some of the previous books were a struggle to get through, but not this one.  

YA Adventure and Magic

 The Necromancer by Michael Scott

This series is so insanely fast. From book 1 to this book has been one week.The Flamels decide Josh needs a second magic so they take him to Prometheus and he gets fire magic. This is after Sophie has been kidnapped by Scattys twin sister. She gets rescued and they all, including said twin, venture to Prometheus. He gives Josh fire magic. Then, John Dee and Virginia Dare, who have teamed up, get Mars to possess Josh and he comes to them. Once there Dee tells Josh he is going to give him a power that even Nicholas doesn't have: necromancy. Josh agrees and tries to summon a really bad lady; he doesn't know that Dee and Dare are going to sacrifice him to her. But, Sophie and company show up right on time and Scattys twin sacrifices herself to send the bad lady back to her prison realm. Josh picks Dee and leaves Sophie and that's where the book ends. I can see how this series is appealing to younger readers, but between the pace and the actions of the twins it irritates me.  

YA Paranormal Romance Prequel

 Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout 

I didn't realize this existed so I read book 1 before this which spoiled the ending. Dawson is an alien and he falls for the new girl in town, Bethany. She finds out he is an alien and takes it surprisingly well; the other aliens do not. Then, they get attacked by the bad aliens and both end up dead. I would have been devastated had I read this book first. Instead, the emotional impact was negated by me knowing the outcome. 

Dark YA #2

 Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh 

This stressed me out; not as much as the first book but still quite a bit. Johnny is recovering from his surgery and has no way of getting in touch with Shannon who is in the hospital because of the beating from her father. Johnny calls Joey, no answer. Johnny finally figures out what's going on and he is not okay. He tries to get his parents involved and they seem like they want to help but don't or can't. The police are finally involved; her mom has a restraining order against her dad. Darren, the oldest brother is back to take care of everyone but it's much harder than he realizes. Also, he is making things worse because of his own experiences with the foster system. He and mom both forbid Johnny from seeing Shannon; that doesn't go well and once he's cleared to drive he takes her to and from school everyday. Joey is in and out of the house and on some serious drugs. Then, her dad shows up. He makes sure everyone is in their rooms and disappears downstairs. Shannon calls Johnny and he helps her escape then he gets her three younger brothers out of the house. Luckily, mom was looking at the front door instead of dad and she helps cover any noise he makes; he promises to come back for her and she says "save my babies" then he takes everyone to his house. Once he gets everyone settled he's about to go back to try to help her and his dad tells him there has been a fire. They both get there and the house is a wreck and Joey is in terrible shape thinking Shannon and the boys are in there. Johnny comforts him and takes him home. Darren shows up at the Kavanaugh house and he gets comforted too. Johnny's parents get guardianship of Shannon and the boys and they help Joey get into rehab. The funeral is heart-wrenching; Joey and Darren at the only ones on their mom's side of the family and they ask Johnny and his rugby friends to help them carry her casket then Joey leaves for rehab. Johnny fully recovers and is cleared to play. He not only makes the U20s, but he also makes the national team. He is gone for about a month, but calls and writes Shannon constantly. On the day of his big international match they go to the pub and watch him and she wears one of his game worn jerseys. The book ends with him back home, them reunited, and him deciding to finish off school before going pro; he decided he needed to be a kid just for a little longer. This sets up the next book really well.   

Not Quite Cozy Mystery

 Aunt Dimity Digs In by Nancy Atherton 

It was fine, but this series is more Scooby Doo than true cozy mystery. Lori and Bill have had twins. He gets help finding a nanny and she's wonderful. But, there is an issue in town that Lori gets roped into; the pastor has let an archeology professor and his students use the old school house and the town busybody is upset because she's worried it will interfere with her festival. Another problem is that the nanny is interested in the professor, but she worries about what he will find and how that will impact things. Only, we discover that he realizes that the dig site is bad and he has no plans on staying, except for the nanny. Her issues is that her family farm is the site of an actual Roman burial ground and she promised her father she would keep this a secret. She ends up telling the professor and he doesn't say anything about it. The students leave. The festival goes on as planned. It was fine, but I didn't really care what happened to any of the characters.  

Crime Series #15

 Book of the Dead by Patricia Cornwell 

I did not like this as much as some of the previous books. We start in Italy with a dead tennis star. Then we have a dead little boy in South Carolina. Kay and Pete are on the outs. Benton has proposed and that sends Pete into a tailspin. He has a new girlfriend and she is bad news. We have a funeral home attendant who goes outside the bounds of propriety and ends up dead. And we have Dr. Self, the TV and radio psychologist from a previous book. It turns out that the killer is the son of Dr. Self and the Italian medical examiner. She was a minor when they were together and had the child. He joined the military and came back changed. He also had a relationship with Petes' current girlfriend; the dead little boy is their child. There was a lot going on in this book and while all of the story lines were completed, it felt too convoluted at the end. Not the strongest book in the series.  

Billionaire Romance Book 3

 Scotland or Bust by Kira Archer 

I liked this better than book 2. I'm not a fan of dating the boss, but I do like a fake relationship and in the end the banter won out. Nicole breaks up with her boyfriend, quits her job, and decides to move to England. She uses a bunch of her savings to get a first class ticket and ends up seated next to Harrison. When the land he finds out that his assistant has quit and offers her the job. The catch is that she will have to live in a castle with him, and help him prepare for the Outlander Tours his parents company is hosting. She sees no issues with that and agrees. Enter his granny. When Nikki gets lost in the middle of the night and ends up in the wrong bedroom, with Harrison. His entire family barges in, not realizing that she's there and he lies to Granny and tells her they are engaged so she will stop disparaging Nikkis' morals. All of his friends show up for the soft opening and more shenanigans ensue, many involving Granny, and more involving the local pub and their betting board. In the end, they end up together and they split time between New York and Scotland. It was cute and fast paced.