Grim and Bear It by Juliette Cross

We've been watching Clara Savoie and Henry Blackwater dance around each other for most of this series. Finally, the two will get their own story. In the last story, we learned that Henry has some sort of odd magic. He is raising his younger brother as a result of a contentious relationship with their father.
Clara has had a crush on Henry forever and finally makes her move. The two get together but there are external forces at play here when Henry's father is arrested after being found at the scene of a murder. Henry would rather not help him but does so anyway and Clara is pulled into the mystery as well.
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series but the rest were a little less closed door than I would have liked. I wanted to finish the series though and am generally glad that I did.

Three stars

This book came out May 9, 2023

Follows Resting Witch Face

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Resting Witch Face by Juliette Cross

There are trigger warnings at the beginning of this book and they are accurate. I hadn't been enjoying the violence in this series but really wanted to read the story of Jules and Ruben. It was fine but there was a lot of woe-is-me from Jules because she broke up with Ruben and a lot of I'm-the-best-boyfriend-ever-with-no-missteps from Ruben. She is a super powerful witch who doesn't even get to save herself.

Her work is about to come to fruition. Jules has been campaigning to get the werewolves on the witches council (which also includes vampires) and is enjoying some success. Now she needs to take it to a higher power. But her ex-boyfriend is the one who is coming with her and she's not excited.

Ruben, on the other hand, is delighted. It's been twelve years since they broke up and it's time for him to claim his fated mate.  

Two and a half stars 

This book came out October 31, 2022

Follows Always Practice Safe Hex

Followed by Grim and Bear It

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Always Practice Safe Hex by Juliette Cross

This is a series with a lot of "alpha male" archetypes but Gareth, though a reaper, may be the alpha-est of them all. And, while that is not my favorite character type, I can usually enjoy a book as long as the other person in the relationship can hold their own in terms of character. Livvy, unfortunately, did not. Gareth's personality took up so much of the book that I feel like we didn't get to know Livvy except as the one who needed saving. She is supposed to be an equal partner in the ... marketing contest?... but didn't seem to contribute much at all other than to be in a swimsuit.

Definitely hoping that Juliette fares better in her story. 

Two and a half stars 

This book came out May 24, 2022

Follows Walking in a Witchy Wonderland

Followed by Resting Witch Face

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Walking in a Witchy Wonderland by Juliette Cross

Short stories in between the books published so far in the Stay a Spell series. If you haven't read the books in the series, I would start with them first. 

Bewitch You A Merry Christmas

Evie is trying to help a man who has been hexed by a witch with a sense of humor but Matteo and Alpha are resenting the time she's spending "not with them." 

Rockin’ Around The Hexmas Tree

The sisters and their beaus are doing a Yankee Swap for Christmas but Isabel and Devraj end up with an ornament that is more than it appears. 

Jingle Bell Jock

JJ and Charlie are friends. Nothing more. But when it looks like Charlie is hooking up with another man, JJ finally makes his move. 

You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grim

Lavinia meets Gareth, a Grim. They inspire strong feelings in each other that will be resolved in the next book of the series.

Jingle Spells

Nico and Violet sit for Evie and Matteo's triplets. Getting through the night may just prove to them they are ready for some pups of their own.

Three stars

This book came out October 5, 2021

Follows Witches Get Stitches

Followed by Always Practice Safe Hex

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross

When she was sixteen, Violet Savoie's aunt predicted a true love for Violet. It is many decades later and the man hasn't turned up yet. However, two years ago she had a really hot night with werewolf Nico Cruz. But it was just the one night. He did find her later but they ended up having a pretty good friendship and what promises to be a heck of a good business partnership once the tattoo parlor opens. And especially once Violet perfects the spells that she wants to weave into the tattoos she gives to supernaturals.

Nico has a plan too. He wants Violet to be his forever. If she can figure out how to help him tame his wolf, even better. But he's not the only one interested in the respite Violet's magic might bring and his past may come back to haunt both he and Violet. 

The ending was a bit odd. It was set up to be a big fight and... well. Hm. I liked the second book in the series better but I think regular readers won't be disappointed.

Three stars

This book comes out July 20th, 2021
Follows Don't Hex and Drive

Followed by Walking in a Witchy Wonderland

ARC kindly provided by the author and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Don't Hex and Drive by Juliette Cross

In the last book in the series, we got a glimpse of Devraj Kumar. He was enlisted by another vampire to help get ahold of a precious book. We learned that he is a Stygorn, a particular type of vampire warrior, who roams the world helping others. Usually for a buttload of money. In this book, we find out pretty early that he is also a Bollywood star. A real people-person. The exact opposite of Isadora Savoie who prefers tending to her gardens and visiting the animals in a nearby shelter. There, she uses her powers as a witch, a Conduit who can convey healing and growth, to work with the animals, making them happy and sometimes extending their lives by a little here and there. So she wants nothing to do with Devraj after he accidentally hits her with his car while she’s on her bike. But he just keeps coming around. And he is so very hard to resist...
Devraj doesn’t want to settle down but a single interaction with Isadora has him struggling with that decision. He knows that he can use her help when a band of vampires start grabbing women off the streets and using them for their own nefarious purposes (almost all is off-page with some description of one woman’s injuries.)
This book, since it was dealing with a slight more realistic issue than the first book, didn’t have as much of the fun of that book. It was still a good book and I might have enjoyed it a bit more if I hadn’t liked the first one so much because of its playfulness. I am really enjoying seeing older heroines though (Isadora is (gasp!) thirty-seven).

Three stars
Follows Wolf Gone Wild

Followed by Witches Get Stitches
This book come out September 8th
ARC kindly provided by the author and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Wolf Gone Wild by Juliette Cross

Evie Savoie is known as being a powerful hex breaker but the Savoie sisters don’t usually deal with werewolves. That’s why she’s Mateo Cruz’s last hope. He hasn’t been able to shift for months and now his wolf, Alpha, is making himself very well known, something that doesn’t usually happen. Someone has put a powerful hex on him that he hasn’t been able to break. But something about even just being around Evie makes his wolf quiet so Mateo asks her to spend several hours a day with him so that he can finish his metal sculptures. Evie uses the time to work on some art of her own though she is keeping it fairly quiet.
The actual story of the hex, I thought, ended up being a little thin but the overall fast and fun plot kept me reading.

Four stars
This book came out January 14th, 2020
Followed by Don't Hex and Drive
Opinions are my own