Billionaire for the Night by Venus Ray, Stacy-Deanne

Look. I get that short stories are hard. You have to put together a story and draw people in quickly. But it also makes it a LOT harder to turn around assholes for the readers. And James is an asshole. He's rich and handsome and the worst stereotype of the two. There's no discernible reason why Kelly would agree to help him out. With 41 pages, there is no room for redemption. And the next book in the series is another couple so we'll never see more. 

One and a half stars

This short story came out May 29, 2021

Followed by Billionaire Takes the Bride

Ebook from Kindle

Opinions are my own

Murder in the Third Act by Sonia Parin

Oh, this is a relief to return to the Evie Parker books that were part of the earlier series; the last book made me wonder if I should stop reading the series. 

Evie's grandmother is finally here, insisting that everyone call her Toodles. Though a wealthy woman, she doesn't stand on formality. In fact, it's driving the dowager countess a little crazy. But, when a murder happens, the two bond together in trying to beat Evie to the solution.

Evie doesn't want to deal another death. Especially one that happens to one of her house guests. Not at her house, thank goodness, but later, during the third act of a play run through. A play that has some decidedly familiar characters and interactions. 

Four stars

This book came out October 4, 2019

Follows Murder at the Seaside Hotel

Followed by Murder and a Christmas Gift

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

New Witch on the Block by Louisa West

Running from her abusive ex-husband, Rosemary Bell just wants to lay low and raise her daughter, Maggie. She doesn't have a car nor any money, really, but she's found an inexpensive place in a quiet town where her husband isn't going to find her. Just a quiet life is all she needs. Definitely not a woman who seems out to get her. Nor a man who seems to believe she is a witch. And his bride. 

The foundation is a little thin and the characters aren't really rounded out but there's a charm to the story and it's nice to read about an older (not old) woman coming into her own.

Three stars
This book came out June 30, 2020

Followed by Jealousy's a Witch

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Spy x Family, Vol. 7 by Tatsuya Endo

The Forger family is becoming even more tight-knit with Yor even considering making her latest assignment her last now that her brother seems to be all grown up. We get a large section of Loid trying to connect with the opposition's head (Damian's father) and not succeeding. Anya's last chance to stay in the same group as Damian is coming up. Loid is given some vacation time that just happens to coincide with the trip that Yor is taking to protect the last of a family that someone is trying to wipe out. 

Four stars

This book came out June 4, 2021

Follows Vol. 6

Followed by Vol. 8

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Have I Told You This Already? by Lauren Graham

Lauren Graham is a gifted actress and writer. These essays cover a variety of topics including her work on the Might Ducks television series, stories her father told her (that may not have been completely true), and her time during COVID. Like her other books, this one is quick, witty, all about herself, but doesn't really go deep into any topic. Still, highly enjoyable.

Four stars

This book came out November 15, 2022

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Sparks and Landmarks by Trixie Silvertale

There's good news and bad news when Mitzi wakes up to a fire next door. The good news? She gets out with her life. On the other hand, somebody else didn't. It gets worse when she finds out it's the judge who sentenced her father to jail. Sure, the man has lots of enemies but Mitzi's father is nearby. And he has another connection to the building that makes it even more likely that he is the arsonist. 

It will be up to Mitzi and her ghostly grandmother to figure out what is actually going on.

We get some movement with all of the characters which is nice. 

Three stars

This book came out January 28, 2020

Follows Wings and Broken Things

Followed by Charms and Firearms

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

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