Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Review: Water Horse (The Nightmare Saga #1) by Katie Hanna

About the Book
A girl on the run. A rancher with a shadowed past. An immortal bent on magical domination.

Meg O’Shea just wants to escape the nightmares that have chased her across the Atlantic. After breaking out of the Colorado State Lunatic Asylum, Meg finds refuge in marrying a local landowner… but her new husband has his own ranch-load of problems.

George Calhoun is a rancher, not a detective. When one of his cowboys is murdered, he’s thrust into an unfamiliar world of danger and deception. Throw in a failed first marriage and a new wife with plenty of secrets of her own, and George is in way over his head.

Sigurd Mahres has one goal: to rule the world through nightmares. But his key source of power has just run off to the Wild West…and gotten married. To hunt her down, Sigurd calls on a reluctant ally: a band of Irish water horses freshly arrived in the Colorado mountains.

In this deadly chess game, the winner must unlock the secrets of the new magic seeping into the Wild West… before that magic consumes them all. If you love ancient Irish legends and rip-roaring Western adventures, you won’t want to miss Water Horse.


MY THOUGHTS

I absolutely loved this book! It’s one of the best I’ve read this year. The prologue instantly hooked me, and I was engrossed in this fascinating story until the very last word. I enjoyed the writing style. I was pulled right into the story, and the real world faded away. The worldbuilding was superb. Familiar, but so much more. Magical and terrifying and exciting.

I’ve never read anything like this. It’s an excellent mix of fantasy and western combined with Irish legend. I’m not usually a big fan of westerns, but I loved this one. It’s such a unique take on one, and I enjoyed every second of it.

The characters were intriguing and three-dimensional. The good guys were easy to like and root for, and the bad ones fit the role of villain to perfection. I liked the fact that there were three different POVs. And I loved that they were each so distinct. When I had to stop in the middle of a chapter to tend to real life, I was able to identify the narrator almost instantly, which isn’t usually the case, especially when they’re written in first-person POV.

I can’t say enough good things about this book. If you’re looking for a unique historical fantasy that will keep you glued to the pages, you’ll love this story. I highly recommend it!

I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.

FIVE STARS

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: My Lucky Charm (Holidays With Hart) by Courtney Walsh

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. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. 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. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over in the meantime.

This week I'm featuring My Lucky Charm (Holidays With Hart) by Courtney Walsh. This was such a fun and sweet romance! I really enjoyed it. 

About the Book
A humiliating break-up leads to an impulsive New Year’s Kiss with a complete stranger.
What could possibly go wrong?


It’s no secret that I love life. And Dr Pepper. But also, I love a challenge. . .

So when the coach of the Chicago Comets gives me the opportunity to help their star player, newly traded to their team, acclimate to life in Chicago, I'm all in.

I have to be. After my last job went up in flames, I have something to prove.

It turns out that the player, Grayson Hawke, is the rudest, most off-putting, reclusive guy I’ve ever met.It also turns out that he is the beautiful stranger I kissed on New Year’s Eve.

I can do this job. I can do this job. I can do this job.

And I can. Really well.

I can make Gray’s life easier, show him all the reasons to fall in love with this city, and in the process, hopefully completely forget that the amazing kiss ever happened.

How hard can it be? We’re total opposites anyway.

I love people . . . and all their stories. Gray loves hockey . . . and nothing else.

I love to talk. Gray only stares.

I’m happy-go-lucky. Gray’s all work and no play.

There’s just one problem. The more time I spend with Grayson Hawke, the more I start to see that underneath his bristly, standoffish exterior, he’s nothing like the man everyone thinks he is.

And suddenly, all the reasons for keeping my distance, staying professional, and not falling for someone again. . .are impossible to remember.

My Lucky Charm is a grumpy/sunshine, sweet hockey romance with all of the sizzle but none of the steam. It's the second in the Holidays with Hart series, but My Lucky Charm can be read as a stand alone.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday
I've never kissed a stranger in my life.

Friday 56
"Okay. So. Story time." She's over-gesturing, which reads as nervous, and I wonder what Eloise has really gotten me into.

What have you been reading lately?

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Can't Wait Wednesday: Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

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 Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright releasing April 9.

About the Book
In 1910, Effie James is living a dream for two. Her younger sister is harboring a secret that has left timid Effie determined to fulfill her daring sister's grand plan of seeking out adventure in their small Iowa town. When a British gentleman arrives, disrupting their peace with efforts to find the wife many claim lived her final days at the now abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue, Effie is thrust into intrigue she couldn't have prepared for. But what she finds inside will forever link her to the scandal staining the house's walls and to a woman whose secrets promise a curse.

A century later, Norah Richman is living out her late-twin's dream of running their great aunt's bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue--a place Norah believes nothing good can come out of after her sister's abduction and murder thirteen years ago. Her first guest is a crime historian and podcaster, and Norah resolves to stay far away from the charming and enigmatic man--until another guest is found dead. As they dig deeper, something sinister unfurls that will reveal an ominous unknown far greater than the possibility of death itself.

What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?

Monday, March 11, 2024

Review: The Gorgon Agenda (SPI Files #8) by Lisa Shearin

About the Book
A planet-killing weapon, sinister sisters, and immortal monsters.
All in a day’s work for the agents of SPI.


I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigations). I knew SPI protected some of the world’s most dangerous relics, but I didn’t know our draconic founder, Vivienne Sagadraco, kept them in a vault deep below Manhattan.

Until the most lethal relic of all was stolen.

The Aegis is the shield once wielded by Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. The center of the Aegis contains the head of Medusa, making it the ultimate weapon. All who look on it or its reflection are instantly turned to stone.

Old enemies and new adversaries have descended on New York—and one of them now has the Aegis:
Tiamat—Babylonian goddess of chaos, and Vivienne Sagadraco’s sister
Stheno and Euryale—Eight-foot-tall, snake-haired gorgons, granddaughters of the Titans, and Medusa’s sisters
The Sisterhood of Medusa—An ancient gorgon military order
The Cabal—A supernatural terrorist organization

Those behind the theft have declared war on humanity, with a hatred that was millennia in the making, and a heist that was centuries in the planning.

Our mission is simple yet impossible: Retrieve the Aegis and save the world. But we can’t do it alone. We’ll need our friends, family, and some unexpected new allies if we’re to stop this ancient evil once and for all


MY THOUGHTS

Fairy tales are fairy fact.
Magic exists. Monsters are real. Fighting the forces of evil is a full-time job.

What a wild ride! This was intense right from the get-go. Danger seemed to be coming from every direction. An old enemy returned with some seriously powerful and scary backup. The final clash had the potential for world-ending consequences.

I was so nervous for these characters. The odds were stacked against them, and I didn’t see a solution where they’d come out unscathed. I was turning the pages as fast as possible, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

I don’t want to say too much because of spoilers, but wow! This was an excellent addition to the series! I’m so eager for the next one. If you’re an urban fantasy fan, you’ll love this series. Be sure to start with book one, and you’ll be hooked.


FOUR STARS

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Book Beginnings, First Line Friday, & Friday 56: The Gorgon Agenda (SPI Files #8) 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. I'm also linking up with Carrie at Reading is My Superpower for First Line Friday. 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. Freda is taking a hiatus right now, but Anne over at My Head is Full of Books has taken over in the meantime.

This week I'm featuring The Gorgon Agenda (SPI Files #8) by Lisa Shearin. This is a really fun urban fantasy series. 

About the Book
A planet-killing weapon, sinister sisters, and immortal monsters.
All in a day’s work for the agents of SPI.


I’m Makenna Fraser, seer for SPI (Supernatural Protection & Investigations). I knew SPI protected some of the world’s most dangerous relics, but I didn’t know our draconic founder, Vivienne Sagadraco, kept them in a vault deep below Manhattan.

Until the most lethal relic of all was stolen.

The Aegis is the shield once wielded by Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war. The center of the Aegis contains the head of Medusa, making it the ultimate weapon. All who look on it or its reflection are instantly turned to stone.

Old enemies and new adversaries have descended on New York—and one of them now has the Aegis:
Tiamat—Babylonian goddess of chaos, and Vivienne Sagadraco’s sister
Stheno and Euryale—Eight-foot-tall, snake-haired gorgons, granddaughters of the Titans, and Medusa’s sisters
The Sisterhood of Medusa—An ancient gorgon military order
The Cabal—A supernatural terrorist organization

Those behind the theft have declared war on humanity, with a hatred that was millennia in the making, and a heist that was centuries in the planning.

Our mission is simple yet impossible: Retrieve the Aegis and save the world. But we can’t do it alone. We’ll need our friends, family, and some unexpected new allies if we’re to stop this ancient evil once and for all.

Book Beginnings / First Line Friday
Did you ever get the feeling you were being watched?

Friday 56
Knowledge was the ultimate weapon. Always had been, always would be. You could have the biggest army and the best weapons, but without accurate knowledge of your enemy, they'd only do you so much good.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: Leave the Lights On (True Crime Junkies #5) by Christy Barritt

About the Book
First the lights go out . . . then they die.

The body count is rising. Six murder victims. The only connection? An X carved into the dead person’s chest. When the family of one of the victims asks the Artic Circle Murder Club to investigate, the team dives into their toughest case yet.

Stopping the murders isn’t the team’s only challenge. When Duke McAllister sees his teammate Andi Slade dodging the cops, he knows she must be in deep trouble. But Andi isn’t the only one on her team on thin ice. Trouble seems to be following them all.

With more murders making the headlines, the threat level reaches an all-time high. The end game has begun. The clock is ticking, and disaster looms near. Will they stop the killer before the deadly grand finale? Or will the lights go out one final time?


MY THOUGHTS

This was another exciting and hard-to-put down book by Christy Barritt. This whole series has been great, but this is the most suspense-filled and fast-paced one of the bunch. At one point, I could hardly catch my breath; the danger was imminent, and I didn’t know how they were going to get out of the situation unscathed.

The Arctic Circle Murder Club is called in to help solve a perplexing case in Anchorage. Seven people have been murdered in the past twelve days. One of the only things they have to go on is the fact that the killer cuts the power to the victim’s house before killing them. The victims don’t seem to have anything in common. They’re all from different social standings. They're of different ages and ethnicities. What’s the connection? What’s driving the killer to commit these murders? The Lights Out Killer had the whole town on edge and living in fear, and that fear seeped through the pages and kept my anxiety high.

This series is perfect for anyone who enjoys a fast-paced, character-driven thriller. While this book could technically be a standalone, I’d still recommend starting with book one. There’s a lot of history between these characters, and some ongoing mysteries from the beginning play a big part here. There’s quite a bit of development in one of those mysteries. There’s still some questions, but I was happy about the progress. And while I wouldn’t classify the ending as a cliffhanger per se, I’m very eager to see where things go with the Arctic Circle Murder Club next.

FOUR STARS

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Can't Wait Wednesday: Never Fall Again (Gossamer Falls #1) by Lynn H. Blackburn

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 Never Fall Again (Gossamer Falls #1) by Lynn H. Blackburn releasing March 12. 

About the Book
Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.


What upcoming release are you eagerly awaiting?