Can't Wait Wednesday: Three Missing Days (Pelican Harbor #3) by Colleen Coble

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 Three Missing Days (Pelican Harbor #3) by Colleen Coble releasing April 6.

About the Book

The third book in a riveting new series from USA TODAY bestselling romantic suspense author Colleen Coble.

A shocking murder.

Chief of Police Jane Hardy plunges into the investigation of a tragic local murder, but everything in her personal life is unraveling.

Her son’s arrest.

Jane’s son is accused of manslaughter, and she has to decide whether or not she can trust her ex, Reid, in the attempt to prove Will’s innocence—and whether she’s going to trust Reid with her heart.

Three missing days.

With the recent discovery of her mother’s whereabouts, Jane learns not only that her mother stole something vital all those years ago but that she drugged Jane so she wouldn’t be able to remember. What happened in those three days could change everything.

It all started with one little lie. But the truth is finally coming out.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Review: Lethal Outbreak by Lisa Harris & Lynne Gentry and Collision Course by Elizabeth Goddard

With so many good books on my TBR list and it seeming to grow daily, I've been trying to find the time to squeeze in some more reading time and have finally found an extra thirty-ish minutes a day right before bedtime. During this time, I've been reading a lot of short stories, novellas, and trying to make a dent in the copious amounts of boxsets I have. Depending on my mood, I've been going back and forth between romantic suspense, rom-coms, and speculative fiction. 

I've read two of the stories in the Dangerous Deceptions boxset and thought I'd share my review for them today. This boxset has been disbanded, but Lethal Outbreak is available to purchase by itself and I'm sure Collision Course will be soon, as well.

Lethal Outbreak by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry

A prehistoric virus has just been discovered in Tibet and has already infected a village. It's highly contagious and spreading fast. Virus hunter Aiden Ballinger has taken a sample of the virus to DC to study it but someone with a sinister agenda wants it for a bioweapon and is doing everything in their power to steal it, even going so far as killing for it. Can Aiden and epidemiologist Rachel Allen stop them before this becomes a worldwide pandemic?

This was an incredibly thrilling read that filled me with so much anxiety and had me feverishly clicking through the pages. The characters were dealing with an extremely time-sensitive issue, so the intensity was high and the danger just kept escalating. The romance felt a little rushed to me but other than that, I greatly enjoyed this exciting suspense.

4 stars

Amazon / Goodreads

Collision Course by Elizabeth Goddard

FBI Agent Reg was on a high-profile case when he was in a motorcycle accident that wiped out part of his memory. Sidelined from his job with a TBI, he's back home with his grandmother for the time being. PI Nicole is working on an art theft case and eager to get it done so she can work the new lead she has on her dad's murder. Reg and Nicole cross paths when they're targeted by a gunman. They both have enemies who want them dead, but which one of them is the bad guy after?

From the very first chapter, this story puts you right in the middle of the action. A lot was going on, which made for an exciting, yet chaotic read. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance either, but it was a compelling read, nonetheless. I was eager to find out who the actual target was and why.

3 stars

Goodreads

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman

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 The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman, a dual timeline that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was such a riveting read.

About the Book

Can a Legacy of Sadness be Broken at the Menger Hotel?

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Young widow Hedda Krause checks into the Menger Hotel in 1915 with a trunk full of dresses, a case full of jewels, and enough cash to pay for a two-month stay, which she hopes will be long enough to meet, charm, and attach herself to a new, rich husband. Her plans are derailed when a ghostly apparition lures her into a long, dark hallway, and Hedda returns to her room to find her precious jewelry has been stolen. She falls immediately under a cloud of suspicion with her haunting tale, but true ghost enthusiasts bring her expensive pieces of jewelry in an attempt to lure the ghost to appear again.

In 2017, Dini Blackstone is a fifth-generation magician, who performs at private parties, but she also gives ghost walk tours, narrating the more tragic historical events of San Antonio with familial affection. Above all, her favorite is the tale of Hedda Krause who, in Dini’s estimation, succeeded in perpetrating the world’s longest con, dying old and wealthy from her ghost story. But then Dini meets Quinn Carmichael, great-great-grandson of the detective who originally investigated Hedda’s case, who’s come to the Alamo City with a box full of clues that might lead to Hedda’s exoneration. Can Dini see another side of the story that is worthy of God’s grace?

Book Beginnings

The tour ended where it began - in the courtyard of the Alamo, the fortress bathed in white lights, flags snapping in the night sky. Standing still after the nearly four-mile walk, Dini Blackstone felt the chill. The Victorian-esque costume she wore to lead the two-hour walking Alamo Haunting Spirits Ghost Tour of downtown San Antonio gave little warmth.

Friday 56

"Your story about going to Paragon Treasures, I'm afraid, isn't going to do your case any good." He opened his notebook and proceeded to read off a list of names, looking up as he finished. "No record of you, Mrs. Krause."

What have you been reading lately?

Review: The Solstice Countdown (SPI Files #7) by Lisa Shearin

About the Book

As an agent of Supernatural Protection & Investigations (SPI), I know that evil doesn’t take a vacation, but this time it made an exception and followed me on mine.

I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI, and I’m taking my boyfriend, goblin dark mage Rake Danescu, home for the holidays to meet my family.

Weird Sisters is a small town in the North Carolina mountains that was built on a network of ley lines that magnify psychic and paranormal energies. It doesn’t show up on Google Maps, was named after the three witches in Macbeth, and the first word of the town name perfectly describes most of its human and supernatural citizens.

A stranger has come to town, bringing with him a dormant source of primordial evil. Soon, magically gifted locals start vanishing, and the power of the ley lines is turned against us, cutting us off from the outside world and any source of help.

For a town and its people steeped in magic, and my family sworn to protect both, it’s a race against time to use a local winter solstice phenomenon to free the town from its prison. But first, I must trust a father I’ve never known to fight and defeat an awakening evil that’s existed since the beginning of time. If we fail, and it is unleashed, the world will not survive.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

The Solstice Countdown was another excellent addition to the SPI Files.

This has been such a great urban fantasy series and, just like the previous installments, this book definitely brought the laughs, along with lots of action and life-or-death moments. It was just an all-around great read.

I loved visiting Mac's hometown of Weird Sisters, meeting the residents, and getting to know Mac's family. They were such an amusing set of characters. I'd love a spin-off series featuring them. I imagine it would be so much fun!

There were some very exciting, and game-changing, events that happened here and I'm eager to see where things go in the next one. If you're a fan of urban fantasy, I highly recommend this series. Start with the first one and you'll be hooked.

Four Stars

Can't Wait Wednesday: No Unturned Stone (The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #2) by David James Warren

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 No Unturned Stone (The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone #2) by David James Warren releasing April 6.

About the Book

“The One Rule Is, Don’t Mess With The Past”

But he did, and now ex-detective Rembrandt Stone is reaping the devastation of ignoring those words when he traveled back in time to solve the one case that had haunted his dreams.

Yes, he solved the crime. Yes, he saved lives. But Rembrandt returns to find the unthinkable has happened and his life has shattered.

There’s only one answer: break the rule again. Go back in time once more, fix what went wrong, save what went right, and yeah, in his spare time solve another brutal crime.

But it’s not so easy to change time, especially when time turns you into a target. And of course there’s the strong possibility if he goes again, he’ll never get back.

Get ready for your mind to be blown in Book 2 of the time-travel suspense series, The True Lies of Rembrandt Stone.

The continuing adventures of Rembrandt Stone from the creative minds of James L. Rubart, Susan May Warren and newcomer David Curtis Warren, writing as DAVID JAMES WARREN.

What upcoming release are you eagerly anticipating?

Review: Soulless (Parasol Protectorate #1) by Gail Carriger

About the Book

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

Soulless had been languishing on my TBR list for way too long and I'm so glad I finally read it. It was so much fun!

The world building was great. I love a steampunk setting and when you add supernatural elements, I'm even more stoked. Here we have vampires, werewolves and ghosts. They're not hiding in the shadows, but are very much known to the public and are a vital part of society. The vampires in this book are very interesting and rather different from what I'd previously read. They group together in “hives” and have a somewhat bee-like structure to their society. It's all very intriguing. The werewolves and ghosts were pretty much what I expected them to be though.

Alexia was a hilarious and all-round fun heroine to read about. She always had a perfectly-timed witty or sarcastic comment for everything. Her and Lord Maccon were perfect for each other. Their banter was entertaining and their chemistry was off the charts! And I can't forget to mention Lord Akeldama. My favorite character, he definitely stole the scene every time he showed up.

I'm very eager to check out book two to see what happens next.

NOTE: This is not a clean read. It does contain some extra steamy scenes.

Four Stars

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Solstice Countdown (SPI Files #7) by Lisa Shearin

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 The Solstice Countdown (SPI Files #7) by Lisa Shearin. This is one of the most fun urban fantasy series I've ever read, so I was ecstatic to get my hands on this newest installment.

About the Book

As an agent of Supernatural Protection & Investigations (SPI), I know that evil doesn’t take a vacation, but this time it made an exception and followed me on mine.

I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI, and I’m taking my boyfriend, goblin dark mage Rake Danescu, home for the holidays to meet my family.

Weird Sisters is a small town in the North Carolina mountains that was built on a network of ley lines that magnify psychic and paranormal energies. It doesn’t show up on Google Maps, was named after the three witches in Macbeth, and the first word of the town name perfectly describes most of its human and supernatural citizens.

A stranger has come to town, bringing with him a dormant source of primordial evil. Soon, magically gifted locals start vanishing, and the power of the ley lines is turned against us, cutting us off from the outside world and any source of help.

For a town and its people steeped in magic, and my family sworn to protect both, it’s a race against time to use a local winter solstice phenomenon to free the town from its prison. But first, I must trust a father I’ve never known to fight and defeat an awakening evil that’s existed since the beginning of time. If we fail, and it is unleashed, the world will not survive.

Book Beginnings

For a welcome change, I was doing what normal people did for the holidays.

I was going home to visit my family for Christmas and bringing my boyfriend to meet them.

That was where 'normal' screeched to a crashing halt.

Friday 56

Agnes Millicent Fraser, matriarch of both the Fraser family and the town of Weird Sisters, had decided what she was going to do, and no one with a lick of sense was about to change her mind.

What have you been reading lately?