Can't Wait Wednesday: Spiders From Mars (Sylvia Stryker Space Case #4) by Diane Vallere

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Spiders From Mars (Sylvia Stryker Space Case #4) by Diane Vallere releasing May 5.

About the Book

When Sylvia Stryker’s mentor is jailed for a crime Sylvia helped commit, she jumps on a plan to break him out. Her inspired rescue mission attracts attention from a covert branch of federation intelligence who may have their own agenda. But when a high-profile prisoner is murdered inside the jail where Neptune is held, offers of help evaporate like water on a dry planet. Neptune is moved to a penal colony on Mars where he’ll fulfill the duration of his life sentence mining rocks in sub-zero temperature.

There’s only one way out: prove Neptune is innocent. But is he? Sylvia knows better than anyone that Neptune will cross lines other people won’t. Without knowing what transpired in the prison, she can’t know if he’s complicit or not. Sylvia uses her sleuthing skills to solve a locked room mystery . . . while knowing the truth may keep Neptune locked up forever. 

Why I Need It

This is one of my favorite cozy mystery series. When I saw that a new one was coming out I got super excited. There's nothing quite like a cozy set in space! It's so unique and quite funny too! I can't wait to see what these characters are up to now!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: Magic for Nothing (InCryptid #6) by Seanan McGuire

About the Book

Improbable, adjective:
1. Not very likely to happen; not probable.
2. Probably not a very good idea anyway.
3. See also “bad plan.”

As the youngest of the three Price children, Antimony is used to people not expecting much from her. She’s been happy playing roller derby and hanging out with her cousins, leaving the globe-trotting to her older siblings while she stays at home and tries to decide what she wants to do with her life. She always knew that one day, things would have to change. She didn’t think they’d change so fast.

Annie’s expectations keep getting shattered. She didn’t expect Verity to declare war on the Covenant of St. George on live television. She didn’t expect the Covenant to take her sister’s threat seriously. And she definitely didn’t expect to be packed off to London to infiltrate the Covenant from the inside…but as the only Price in her generation without a strong resemblance to the rest of the family, she’s the perfect choice to play spy. They need to know what’s coming. Their lives may depend on it.

But Annie has some secrets of her own, like the fact that she’s started setting things on fire when she touches them, and has no idea how to control it. Now she’s headed halfway around the world, into the den of the enemy, where blowing her cover could get her killed. She’s pretty sure things can’t get much worse.

Antimony Price is about to learn just how wrong it’s possible for one cryptozoologist to be.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

Not gonna lie, Antimony has never been my favorite Price sibling, so I wasn't really looking forward to a book from her POV. I actually started Magic for Nothing a few years ago and then set it aside about thirty percent into it because Annie was really getting on my nerves. But I thought I'd give it another chance because it's such a fun and interesting series. And I missed it. Plus, the newest book, number nine in the series, follows Sarah and I'm super curious what it's like inside the mind of a Cuckoo. But to get there, I need to read Annie's books first.

Did Annie still irritate me? Yep. But I just embraced the fact that she's got a prickly personality. That it's just a part of her character and I was able to really enjoy the story a whole lot more. And, I've gotta admit, somewhere along the way she really started to grow on me. By the end, I understood her a lot better and could see where she was coming from. Plus, she had a lot of personal growth.

There's some massive fallout from the stunt Verity pulled at the end of Chaos Choreography and Antimony has to clean up the mess her sister made. Because she doesn't look like the rest of the women in her family, Annie's tasked with infiltrating the Covenant of St. George to find out what they're planning for North America and her family. I'll just say that things get complicated real fast.

The stakes have never been higher. Annie's cover could be blown at any time. The tension was off the charts and I couldn't reach the end fast enough. This was another stellar work from Seanan McGuire. I'm anxious to get my hands on the next book.

NOTE: This book does contain some strong language. 

4.5 Stars

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: Take a Chance on Me by Becky Wade

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring Take a Chance on Me, the prequel to Becky Wade's upcoming series.

About the Book

When baker Penelope Quinn steps in to help her brother’s family through a medical crisis, she’s forced into close proximity with charming Air Force fighter pilot Eli Price.

Penelope has one iron-clad dating rule—she does not date airmen. Months ago, she relaxed her rule with Eli and immediately lived to regret it. After a long deployment, he’s now back in Misty River and, to her dismay, she finds him just as tempting as always.

Eli’s spent months thinking about funny, feisty, creative Penelope. He once leveraged his focus and drive to become a pilot, his childhood dream. Now he's set on leveraging that same focus and drive in order to convince Penelope to give him one more chance.

This romantic prequel novella introduces readers to the quaint mountain town of Misty River and a brand-new series from Christy-winning author Becky Wade! 

Book Beginning

The hospital's electronic doors whooshed open as Penelope Quinn rushed toward the emergency room.

Friday 56

Herding cats had to be easier than coaching second grade boys' basketball.

 What have you been reading lately?

Review: Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (Exotic Pet-Sitter #2) by Heather Day Gilbert

About the Book

Exotic pet-sitter Belinda Blake is nervous about her new job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve, but it turns out that the care and feeding of wild carnivores may be the least dangerous part of the gig . . .
 
Pet-sitter Belinda Blake is no stranger to dealing with wild animals, but she’s wary when the owner of the Greenwich, Connecticut, preserve asks her to help out with her “fluffy darlings.” Her caution seems justified on her very first day, when she discovers a tour guide—dead, bloodied, and surrounded by wolves in the enclosure.

Was it death by predator or something more sinister? The body count rises, but something’s not adding up. As she gets to know the rescued wolves and wolf-dog hybrids better, Belinda realizes that her human colleagues are not above suspicion. With help from her own “pack”—her pregnant sister, Red the chauffeur/bodyguard, and hunky farmer Jonas—Belinda is hot on the killer’s tail, but if she doesn’t find him soon, he’ll do more than muzzle her to keep the truth from escaping.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

Belinda Blake and the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing was another fun addition to the series. It was a quick and fast paced read that flew by.

Belinda's nervous about her new pet-sitting job at the White Pine Wolf Preserve. She has a bad feeling about the whole thing, but she doesn't feel like she can turn it down. She needs the work. She hopes her fears are unfounded. But when she stumbles across a dead body in one of the wolf enclosures, she questions her decision to take the job and stay with it. Did the wolves kill the man or could it have been murder? Belinda's on the hunt to find out the truth.

The mystery was great. There were plenty of viable suspects with strong motives and suspicious attitudes. I had a pretty strong feeling about who the culprit was and was excited when I was correct in my assumptions. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, I highly recommend checking out this series. I'm excited for the next one.

Four Stars

Can't Wait Wednesday: Stay with Me (A Misty River Romance #1) by Becky Wade

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Stay with Me (A Misty River Romance #1) by Becky Wade releasing May 5.

About the Book
A mysterious letter alluding to a secret in her parents' past brings Genevieve Woodward back to her Blue Ridge Mountains hometown, but she's also in need of a break from a high-profile career that has left her dangerously burned out and concealing a powerful secret of her own. When she wakes inside an unfamiliar cottage to find the confused owner staring down at her, she can no longer ignore the fact that she needs help.

Sam Turner has embraced his sorrow and his identity as an outsider. The solitary, disciplined life he lives on his historic farm is the life he's chosen for himself. The last thing he wants is to rent his cottage to a woman as troubled as she is talkative. Yet, he can't force himself to turn her away right when she needs him most.

As Genevieve researches her family's history and her and Sam's emotions deepen, they will have to let go of the facades and loneliness they've clung to and allow light to illuminate every hidden truth.  

Why I Need It

Becky Wade is one of my favorite authors. As soon as I heard about Stay with Me, it moved right to the top of my want-to-read list. I didn't even read the synopsis. She's just one of those authors that no matter what she writes, I want it. But now that I have read the synopsis, I want it even more! What's in the mysterious letter? What's Genevieve's secret? I need to know!

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Love is in the Air Boxset

I'm so excited to share about the Love is in the Air boxset! Isn't the cover gorgeous?

About the Book

Love is in the Air (5 Contemporary Christian Romances)

All you have to do is look up.

This collection of five brand new romances is sure to send your heart soaring. Journey from Canada to Georgia and Colorado to Paris by way of Michigan as these couples find love is in the air. All they had to do was look up.

First Class Wrong Flight by Laura V. Hilton:
Candi Walker is excited to attend her former college roommate’s wedding. At least it’s a direct flight across the country and the potential of messing up is next to impossible…until she crashes into a handsome pilot. Now it’s a dream-come-true or her worst nightmare.

Alex Kuklewski has one last flight before he attends his stepsister’s wedding. Desperate to escape his tagalong ex-girlfriend’s clutches, Alex prays that his future wife would drop into his path. And she does. Too bad he and Candi aren’t headed to the same destination.

Emotional baggage on both sides exceeds the weight limit, and the flight to happily-ever-after seems grounded. What will it take for them to launch true love into the air?

A Castle in the Clouds by Candee Fick:
Aspiring romance novelist Miranda Scott has her head in the clouds and her nose buried in a book. Raised by a single mother, extravagant trips to castles overseas are only a fairy-tale…until a co-worker’s accident has her boarding a plane to teach creative writing on an all-expenses-paid school-sponsored trip. Family responsibilities kept Joshua Clark close to home, but it’s finally time for the history teacher to spread his wings. Hopefully his time chaperoning an overseas trip and seeing history in person will reveal what the next chapter holds.

However, falling in love surrounded by teenagers was never the plan.

Flying Into Love by Kathleen Rouser:
Unable to say no when others need her, Talia Sampson took on her deceased aunt’s advice column and the care of her special needs niece. Then new veteran, Ben Tanner, shows up unexpected on her doorstep. Hurt many times, he wonders where home is. Talia isn’t happy finding a hot-air balloon with him, but she treasures the old journal with it. Ben hopes restoring her family’s antique will please her, until he discovers a secret that shatters his trust. And Talia hates flying.

Will she trust God—and Ben—enough to go airborne?

To Gain Forever by Tanya Eavenson:

Karianne Bennett, small-town wedding coordinator, has always believed in happily-ever-afters. That is, for everyone but herself. Her fiancé’s alcohol-related death put an end to her own dreams and turned her career into a weekly reminder of all she’s lost. Hope comes when she adopts a retired service dog and a newcomer catches her eye.

Trey Scott has been fascinated with fireworks since he was a boy. If he can land the account for a hot-air balloon festival in an out-of-state town, he’ll be that much closer to achieving his lifelong goal. But his dreams never included a beautiful dog walker who also happens to be the stranger he’s been praying over for years.

Written in the Clouds by Kathleen Friesen:
A mysterious cloud formation, a nerve-wracking introduction for JR and Serena, an unexpected reunion for Jim and Blythe, a few traumatic memories, a pilot for the company plane, and another afraid of flying. Mix them together…and what in the world is God up to? Is it love at first flight?

Can love—for two generations—be written in the clouds?

You can preorder the book now for only 99cents! The price goes up after release so grab your copy now! Here's the link: https://books2read.com/u/3LDxaD

Short Story Review Roundup #1

I've read a few short stories lately and thought I'd share my thoughts on three of them with you today. I don't know if I'll make this a regular feature on the blog, but it's something that might make an appearance every now and then.

Ark by Veronica Roth - 3.5 STARS

Ark by Veronica Roth chronicles the last couple months before the world ends through the eyes of Samantha as she catalogs plant samples. At first this felt like a random collection of disjointed events in Samantha's life, but then when I started thinking about it as a sneak peek, a small snapshot into her past and present, I began to enjoy it a lot more. It was an interesting concept, a poignant read, that I wouldn't mind seeing fleshed out into a full series. It's short, for sure, but enjoyable.

Afterglow by Christy Barritt - 5 STARS

In Lantern Beach for their honeymoon, Grayson finds out that his new wife just might be a murderer. The Rachel he knows would never be capable of murder, but apparently there's secrets she doesn't want shared. As an investigative reporter, he vows to get to the bottom of it all and find out the truth about his wife.

Afterglow is another compelling and impossible to put down story from Christy Barritt. It completely held my attention and even after finishing it, I'm still thinking about it. I can't forget to mention the cameos from a couple of original Lantern Beach characters. Loved seeing them pop up.

The Last Days of Cordelia (A Beaumont and Beasley Story) by Kyle Robert Shultz - 4.5 STARS

Lady Cordelia Beaumont wakes up in an unfamiliar world and is told she's about to die. Shocked to say the least, Cordelia tries to figure out what's going on, but everything's different. Nothing makes sense. There's some similarities to her world, but nothing's right. Her magic is gone, her friend has no idea who she is, and places have different names. (London? What kind of name is that? Come on, it's called Talesend, duh!)

I was wanting a quick and fun read and this story fit the bill perfectly. It was great. An action packed race to find the truth and save Lady Cordelia from dying. It was clever and unique. And the Neverwolves were terrifying creatures. I'm very much looking forward to reading more in this series.

*At the time of posting, all of these stories are available in Kindle Unlimited.