Not Your Ex's Hexes by April Asher

For most of her life, Rose Maxwell had been assumed to be following her grandmother to be the Prima Witch, a force in the supernatural world. In the first book of the series, it was discovered that her sister, Violet, is actually the most powerful of her triplets, it just came in late. And Rose... was relieved. Now, however, she's not really sure what she's supposed to be doing with her life. So she's trying to figure it out. Unfortunately, she misfires on her first foray and ends up neeeding to do some community service with the local veterinarian. Too bad he's her former one-night stand. The one she wouldn't mind repeating. 

Damian is a half-demon who tried to make his father proud until the night he accidentally broke a girl's heart and she hexed him. He wants to love Rose but is afraid of what will happen. And his old life still keeps calling and trying to drag him back in.

I didn't connect with Rose and Violet as much as I did with Violet and Lincoln and that's okay. I just didn't see her growing as much as Violet did and there were a few more glossings-over that were fine but could have been played out a little more. 

Three and a half stars
This book comes out February 7, 2023

Follows Not the Witch You Wed

Followed by Not Your Crush's Cauldron

ARC kindly provided by MacMillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Bad Mormon by Heather Gay

Like a lot of other Housewives of Salt Lake City fans, I really related to the brash new star, Heather Gay. She tries to be there for her friends (doesn't always do it in the right way), she's always wanting the tea, and seems down to have a great time. While what we see may not actually be her authentic self, it sure seems like it is and it's something that normal viewers can relate to. Her book is the same way. We get to see Heather's life growing up in the Mormon church (or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and how she struggled between wanting to be a good Christian but also having real human urges and feelings. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out February 7, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Gallery Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Encore in Death J. D. Robb

Big time star Eliza Lane has fulfilled her dreams and is living her best life; even returning to the play that made her a star, this time as the mother. She is throwing a party to celebrate but it soon turns into panic when her husband, Brad Fitzhugh, big time star himself, dies. 

Dallas and Peabody are thrown in among the bright stars, many of whom have secrets to hide, some of them decades old. But is the motive for this murder rooted in the past or the present? And who really was the intended victim? 

There were a lot of red herrings and unexpected twists in this story. I was very much reminded of a particular Agatha Christie mystery which I won't name because I think there are hints to the ending of the story. Some of the red herrings were dealt with a little too quickly but overall I really enjoyed this addition to the Dallas series.

Four stars

This book comes out February 7, 2023

Follows Desperation in Death

Followed by Payback in Death

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

January 2023 Rereads

No Nest for the Wicket by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #7

This book came out May 8, 2006

Follows Owls Well that Ends Well

Followed by The Penguin who Knew too Much

Audiobook from Audible

The Penguin who Knew Too Much by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #8

Three stars

This book came out August 7, 2007

Follows No Nest for the Wicket

Followed by Cockatiels at Seven

Audiobook from Audible

Cockatiels at Seven by Donna Andrews

Meg Langslow #9

This book came out July 8th, 2008

Follows The Penguin Who Knew Too Much

Followed by Six Geese A-Slaying 

Audiobook from Audible

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai

Four and a half stars

This book came out October 18, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 3, 2023

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Mastered By Love by Stephanie Laurens

Royce Varisey, Duke of Wolverstone, has spent the greater part of his life as Dalziel, master spy. But now his work is done and his father is dead. He has to go back to the home he was thrown out of and take over. But when he gets back, he finds that Minerva Chesterton, his mother's ward, has transformed into Wolverstone's chatelaine. Royce is immediately attracted, but is frustrated when she doesn't seem to return his feelings.

Minerva has always loved Royce, but she knows that he has to marry soon which will break her heart. She is willing to stay on at Wolverstone but then she is going to go live her own life.

Unfortunately, Royce's last spy doesn't believe that he has given up the chase and is going to work to ensure that he is never captured.

Four stars

This book came out July 28, 2009

Follows Edge of Desire

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Something About her by Rachel Higginson

Dillon's brother Ezra has decided that he wants her to be the new executive chef at his least successful restaurant. She's not at all sure that she's ready to be in charge but this might be her one shot. Besides, her friend Vera's brother Vann sort of goads her into it. Then he rescues her when her car battery dies. And then when she needs help taking charge in her own kitchen. He's there. 

And I liked that about Vann? What I didn't like as much? Same thing as Book 2 in this series. There's a lot of concentration on the fact that Dillon was sexually assaulted and then it's all taken care of in a few sentences. It was better in this book but still fixed rather fast. Overall, still a good read.

Three stars

This book came out February 26, 2019

Follows The Problem with Him

Ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Problem With Him by Rachel Higginson

A sous chef in a popular kitchen, Kaya Swift is pretty certain that she is one day going to be a head chef. If only Wyatt Shaw, the head chef, weren't such a hardass. And if only he weren't so darn hot.... But he's the head chef and in charge of her. Kaya thinks they have a hate-hate relationship but it might be that Wyatt sees them differently. She loves being a chef and knows that her time at Lilou, one of the best restaurants in the city, is coming to an end. She is ready for the next step in her professional career but there is the possibility of something good with Wyatt.

I didn't love the end; would Wyatt know about Kaya's job for 3 weeks before she does? That's just... ick.

Four stars

This book came out June 26, 2018

Follows The Difference Between Us

Followed by The Something About Her

Ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own