The Home Edit Life by Clea Shearer, Joanna Teplin

 I have a feeling that the hard copy or ebooks have more pictures that go along with the book but I didn't feel like I was missing anything by listening to the audio. I do like the Home Edit philosophy of "editing" your house rather than wholesale getting rid of everything (especially books - though, even as a bibliophile and former librarian, I do believe even those should be culled every 5 years or so). This was an okay book but after awhile, hearing about how Clea and Joanna organized for various (mostly celebrity) clients got a little old. The tips were very nice though!
The narrator was fantastic and did a wonderful job injecting tone and enthusiasm where appropriate.

Three stars

This book came out September 15th, 2020

Audiobook from Overdrive

Opinions are my own

The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston

 There is a reason I have heard more than one person on the Smart Podcast, Trashy Books talk about their love for this book. The world building is amazing. The sisterhood of the women warriors in this book. Also amazing. There were some rough spots in the story but overall I tore through this book as fast as I could. 
The book opens with the startling realization that our heroine, Kera, is dead. Or... she was. She was killed by the pimp she confronted in an alley while he was shaking down his girlfriend. But somehow, she's still alive(?) in a place she doesn't recognize and surrounded by people who seem to want to kill her. When she starts to fight back (being former Marine and all), she suddenly realizes that she's much, much stronger than she used to be. But what the heck is going on? And who are these women claiming to be Crows, saying she's now one of them?
Vig knows what's going on. After all, he's the one who prayed to Skuld (a Norse goddess) to save Kera by making her a Crow. See, he knows about the Crows because he's from the Ravens, another of the nine Norse clans. And, while we're told that the Ravens and Crows are enemies from way back, we usually see them cooperating with each other. Which is good since Vig and Kera are setting up for a fine romance. Too bad there are some people trying to bring the Big Bad into this dimension and the Crows and Ravens are on point to help bring her down.

Three and a half stars
Followed by the Undoing
This book came out March 31st, 2015
Opinions are my own

Reread as audiobook from Libby August 2023

White Hot by Ilona Andrews

In the first book of this series, we learned that first-person narrator Nevada Baylor is keeping a secret. She has the type of magic that lets her know when people are lying. When this book opens, she is helping to solve the mystery of a missing girl by putting her own identity in danger. Also putting her in danger? Helping an animal mage she met in book 1 revenge the death of his wife. Nevada will be pulled back into the vicinity of Connor "Mad" Rogan who she was trying desperately hard to avoid. The man makes her burn but he just doesn't seem human.
A nice addition to the series but I find I really like the audiobook narrator. Will try to find book three that way.

Four stars
This book came out May 30, 2017
Follows Burn for Me
Followed by Wildfire
Audiobook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own

Reread July 2022, September 2023

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

As a detective, Nevada Baylor usually goes after divorce cases or insurance fraud. But she's now being forced to go after a rogue fire starter. A very, powerful fire starter. Who's also sort of hot. But is an egomaniac. 
Also after Adam Pierce? Connor "Mad" Rogan. He is known for killing. A lot of people. He also has a lot of magic, one that can be used sort of like telekinesis. Nevada doesn't feel like she has a chance; her magic is just the ability to tell lies. What can she do against two such powerful men?
With so much world building (people have magic, there are different types of magic, how the families with magic work, etc.), there isn't a ton of room for building characters. We learn more about both in later books but I wish there had been just a little bit more to connect to.

Four stars
This book came out October 28, 2014

Followed by White Hot
Audiobook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own

Reread as Audible book I own July 31, 2022, September 2023

No Offense by Meg Cabot

There are a lot of tropes that I am not enjoying these days and one of them is definitely the bumbling amateur detective. I like amateurs well enough but not the ones who are hindering police investigations by trying to do their own sleuthing so I wish there had been a bit more in the blurb explaining that Molly was going to be one of those characters. This book has all of the trademark Cabot adult contemporaries though with a slightly dingy but professionally-proficient heroine and somewhat more long-suffering hero. However, the characters aren't as well defined as some of her other books (excepting the parts where Molly as a modern day librarian.) And what I loved about her "Boy" series (which did require a lot of suspension of belief) was the comedy. This book definitely did not have that. It was a pleasant read but more on the innocuous end than delightful.
I'm guessing the attorney general, John, who has never had a long-term relationship and the local news reporter, Michelle (sp? I listened to the audio), will be in future books. Perhaps with each other.

Three stars
This book came out August 11th, 2020

Follows No Judgments

Followed by No Words
Borrowed as an audiobook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own