Murder's a Witch by Danielle Garrett

When Holly Boldt's boss is killed, she's worried that all of her own secrets will be revealed. The fact that she's an exiled witch working in the human world already makes her life fraught with danger. She's still allowed to practice some magic but making potions... well, that's kept on the sly. But she generally likes her life and Beechwood Harbor is starting to feel like home. So she's trying to stay on the DL, living her life at the manor with other supernaturals including a vampire and a shifter while working at a coffee shop. The day that she ports in behind and finds a body surrounded by broken peppermint bottles is the day that she starts to worry about her place. She's not a suspect, but her close friend is.
A nice start to a new series. I'm glad that it doesn't seem like there will be a love triangle.

Four stars
Followed by Twice the Witch
This book came out August 9th, 2016
Borrowed this as an audiobook from the library
Opinions are my own

Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Oh man. I was SO excited for this book and when I saw that my library had an audio version, I was even more excited.  I LOVE when authors, especially celebrities, read their own books. This is not a new conceit, gathering tweets to make a book. And these are positive tweets! Both for the morning and the night! And it's Lin-Manuel Miranda! But listening to a bunch of tweets gets really tiring after awhile. And listening to one, or two, or even ten at a time, ruminating on them and enjoying them takes a really. long. time. 

I believe that I would have given this a higher rating had I read the book rather than listening to it and urge others to do the same.

Two Stars

This book came out October 16th, 2018

I borrowed this as an audiobook from the library

Opinions are my own

Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

Bianca von Hasenberg has done more than enough for House von Hasenberg. She married a monster who changed her in ways no one should have to suffer. But she now uses her differences, the differences she can never tell anyone for fear of being a medical experiment for the rest of her life, to enhance her information network. Also working for her? Woman who were in similar positions until Bianca saved them. Their gossip keeps her in the know, both for her family and for herself. Since her husband died, she has also become a security expert while tucking away money for herself. It is all of her skills that make her think she can save her brother when he is kidnapped. Of course, she was targeted at the same time but that doesn't worry her as much. Nor does the fact that someone is setting her up to be the fall guy for her brother's disappearance. Too bad her path is further complicated by one of her father's security guys, her former love, Ian.
I hadn't finished the first book but my library book was about to expire so I listened to this one and didn't feel like I had missed anything. Mihalik managed to add enough of the first book for backstory but without the info dump.

Four stars
Follows Polaris Rising
Followed by Chaos Reigning
This book came out October 1st, 2019
Borrowed this as an audiobook from the library
Opinions are my own

What a Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken

Gwenvael the Handsome has been sent by his sister-in-law, Annwyl, to follow up on a rumor that people are plotting against her because she is about to give birth to half-human, half-dragon twins. But that means he has to go to the North and talk to the Reinhold. The man has an offspring that is known as the Beast. Gwenvael is shocked to discover that the Beast is actually a woman, Dagmar Reinhold. And she refuses to help him unless he helps her first. So they'll have to travel together to help to save not only the children but basically the world.
Gwenvael is beyond conceited but Aiken is amazing at making him very likable even through that. And Dagmar is intelligent. Definite shades of Laurenston at her best.

Three stars
This book came out September 1st, 2009
Follows About a Dragon
Followed by Last Dragon Standing
Audiobook from library
Opinions are my own

About a Dragon by G.A. Aiken

Taliath is in a loveless marriage. And she was sent there by a goddess. A goddess who would know exactly how much the people of the town she's in would hate her. Her skin is different, her ways are different, and, well, she's a witch. That has made them especially grumpy. Grumpy enough that they are going to hang her.
Briec the Mighty is strangely drawn to this... human. She has magic but that isn't why he wants her. At least, he doesn't think so. It's the fact that she argues with him. It makes her intriguing. And not a little hot. So he saves her from the villagers and claims her life. But then she disappears and his heart hurts. Luckily, this is a romance and he will find her again.

Three stars
This book came out December 1st, 2008
Follows Dragon Actually
Followed by What a Dragon Should Know
Audiobook from library
Opinions are my own

Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken

Sibling rivalry can be deadly and never more so than between Annwyl the Bloody and the brother who has tried to kill her since her father brought her to their home when her mother died. Annwyl is one of the few who is willing to stand up against her brother's tyranny.

Dragons have little use for the affairs of humans. Fearghus the Destroyer is one such dragon. He hasn't been seen for years for just that reason. But when he sees Annwyl being attacked by a group of men, and fending them off, he decides to step in. Nursing her back to health, this dragon is intrigued by the human. But she isn't quite as enamored as he is. Well, she is intrigued by his brain. But her body is more in love with the warrior who is teaching her how to fight.

When I found out that this author is Shelly Laurenston, I immediately grabbed this book. And it is the same- kooky, a little loose with details, but an overall fun ride.

Three stars

This book came out September 1st, 2008

Followed by About a Dragon

Audiobook from library

Opinions are my own

Reread as as hard copy of mine March 2021, Audible Plus January 2024

Iron Kissed by Patricia Biggs

Mercy's mentor Zee has called her in to help solve a series of murders. The victims were all fae so the human police haven't been brought it. Mercy quickly determines the killer but is shocked when Zee is arrested for the man's death. He is obviously not the killer but the Gray Lords are willing to let him take the fall in order to have it cleaned up quickly. The acceptance of fae by the humans is imperative and having one person go down is not beyond their plans.
But Zee belongs to Mercy. Whether or not he wants her to investigate, she's going to. And this book ends with a rather graphic seen and some discussion of what happens in the aftermath of rape. I am so glad that I read this book even though I listened to the rest of the series because there is at least a bit of space between the book and the brain that sometimes isn't there if you are absorbing a book through your ears. I haven't personally had the experience but, from the outside, it seemed like an eloquent description of what a victim has to wrestle with.

Four stars
Follows Blood Bound
Followed by Bone Crossed
This book came out January 82 2008
Ebook borrowed from library
Opinions are my own

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Mercy agrees to help her vampire friend Stefan by being a witness when he goes to warn a vampire that he is encroaching on the local seed (not sure of spelling). But what they find is something far worse than a regular vampire. Shut out from the investigation at first, Mercy suddenly becomes the only one that can save the world.
I don't love love triangles. And to throw in someone else is just even more frustrating. And there still aren't a lot of women in this series which makes it hard to identify with (basically there's Mercy, then a bitchy werewolf named Honey and the head of the vampires, Marsilia -- not exactly shining examples of womanhood.) I'm giving the series a couple more books but am not interested in a series that drags out the will-they-won't-they.

Three stars
Follows Moon Called
Followed by Iron Kissed
This book came out January 30th, 2007
Opinions are my own

Panic Broom by Sara Bourgeois

Brighton is ecstatic. Six months (or so) after the last book and she's dating the man of her dreams, in fact, he's just proposed. Too bad there are shenanigans afoot. Well, if you can classify zombies as shenanigans. It seems that her fiance's family has been dabbling in dark magics and have caused a worldwide epidemic (is that the word for zombies?).
This book, like the others in this series, is short so it's light on story and character development but it's pretty fluffy and fast to read.

Three books
Follows A Clean Sweep
Followed by Sweep-Stakes
This book came out July 10th, 2019
Audiobook from library

Your One True Love by Layla Hagen

One of the last unmarried Bennett siblings, Daniel is the only main character in the series who doesn't even pretend to want to stay single. He knows that his family is trying to get him hooked up back up

with Caroline Dunne, his college sweetheart and he's all for it. He knows that they both made bad decisions that lead to them breaking up but that doesn't mean that they both aren't smarter, wiser, and in a better place to maybe make a relationship work.
Caroline isn't as sanguine. Yes, she's still attracted to Daniel but the last time they broke up, she didn't just lose him, she lost his whole family. And since her mother died last year, she wants those connections.
I do like that the obvious Big Misunderstandings aren't the ones that Hagen goes for but there are still always at least one last issue that we have to read through.

Follows Your Fierce Love
Followed by Your Endless Love
Book borrowed from Library
Opinions are my own

Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Going to be honest, I never would have looked at this book (because of the title) if one of my podcasts (I can't remember which one) hadn't recommended it. But it is really quite charming.
Dr. Sloan Copeland has twin girls and, when their nanny disappears without a word, she finds herself in a bind. One that Rafe Whitcomb can help fill. He loves being a nanny but after his last family moved to Australia, he thinks that the life might not actually be for him. But meeting Sloan and her girls has him rethinking.
Weatherspoon actually does a good job of the boss/employee dynamic and it helps that it's a one-to-one connection. But Rafe taking care of Sloan? Feeding her, filling her tank, helping with chores. Super hot.

Four stars
This book came out September 26th, 2018
Opinions are my own

Your Fierce Love by Layla Hagen

Clara Abernathy grew up in foster and group homes. She's not anxious to lose the ties she has to the Bennett family through her best friend and former boss, Nate. Even if Blake Bennett is the hottest guy she knows. But she is also reluctant because her new boss is looking for any gossip he can get about the family and he's pressuring her.
Blake is reluctant to date, especially after one of his exes blabbed about his sister's divorce. But he can't stay away from Clara.
I really appreciated that the Big Misunderstanding wasn't the obvious one. Actually, that got cleared up pretty quickly though it did create a bunny trail in the story that didn't really need to be there. An okay book in the series but not my favorite.

Three stars
Follows Your Alluring Love
Followed by Your One True Love
This book came out July 29th, 2017; published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Opinions are my own

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson might have been raised in a town of werewolves but she is not one of them. Instead, she shifts into a coyote and may have some magic as well. Unfortunately, her ability comes from her father's side, a man who was killed before she was even born and his family wasn't interested. Her mother is nice but flighty so Mercy ended up with foster parents who were better able to understand a child who sometimes changed into a canine.
Her life has been fairly quiet lately. She bought a mechanics shop from a goblin and has been making a living. But a teen boy turns up in her shop. He's a recently turned werewolf and accidentally brings trouble to her door. Trouble that has her killing two werewolves and then fighting to save the Alpha of the pack next door as well as his kidnapped teenage daughter.
There was a lot of world building in this that kept us from getting to know Mercy and there were very few well-developed women but I'm hoping later books in the series will correct that oversight.

Three stars
Followed by Blood Bound

This book came out January 31st, 2006

Opinions are my own

Dirty by Kylie Scott

Lydia Green is sent a rather graphic video of her fiance just before the ceremony is supposed to start. So what does a woman, recently moved to the area with no friends or family at the wedding, supposed to do? She does the sensible thing and runs. Wearing the fancy underwear which was supposed to tempt her fiance (ha!) and her wedding dress, she whisks past the flower girl and makes it over the fence in the backyard, through a small window and into the bathroom and shower of the house behind.
Vaughan Hewson doesn't expect to hear any noises coming from his shower when he turns it on and he is even more startled to realize that it's a woman. A now soaked woman who can't stay in her wet wedding dress so she's sitting in his kitchen with great lingerie displaying an amazing rack. He failed at being a rock star but the lifestyle sure taught him how to roll with the punches. Even one this big. And when Lydia's ex-fiance and in-laws try to start blaming her for what happened? Vaughan wades into the fray. Lydia punches her ex? Vaughan knows the deputy and helps back him off.
This is a super fun and fluffy book where the focus is on the couple and even though the relationship and character building is a little shallow, it was still a fun read.

Four stars
This book came out April 19th, 2016
Audiobook borrowed from library
Opinions are my own

A Clean Sweep by Sara Bourgeois

A ghost hunting team has come to Coventry. The local witches couldn't tell them not to come so they've hired Brighton to be their official minder. They give it a pretty name but she's going to make $3,000, more if she can get them to leave in a week. Brighton is fine with that but she soon learns that the team knows more about her house than she does. And then one of them ends up dead. She doesn't need this on top of the fact that Thorne is investigating the murder but somehow dodging her calls.
None of the Wicked Witches of Coventry books are very deep and this is no different. If you are looking for a well- or tightly-plotted mystery, this is not going to be the series for you. But fast, fun, and fluffy? Bourgeois has you covered!

Three books
This star came out June 28th, 2019
I got this book from the library
Opinions are my own

Holding Out For Harper by Gabrielle Ashton

Harper Brown and Sebastian Hastings have had a contentious relationship since... forever. Sebastian even had Harper moved from his assistant to working with his brother Josh so that they wouldn't have to interact every day. But now there's been a series of events that have happened at the same time that mean that Harper and Sebastian have signed papers to pretend to be in a relationship for the next six months.
This is a romance so, of course, they also fall in love. And the whole relationship part of the story was quite cute. I just didn't like the OTT drama at the end; I don't mind that kind of drama in stories but build up to it.

Three stars
This book came out July 18, 2019
Book from the library

Broom with a View by Sara Bourgeois

Brighton stumbles onto another body. This time, it hits even closer to home as the woman is her brother Brody's fiancee and it may be that Brody will be considered a suspect, especially since the woman seems to be the victim of a serial killer so the FBI is now involved.
Also jolting her life at the moment? The builder who is fulfilling the terms of a contract her Aunt Maude set up 30 years ago for a new garage. The man is BUILT and the women in town are all attracted. He seems to have eyes for Brighton though so that's a third man now after her.
Her relationship with Thorn is shaky and she doesn't know why but at least Remy seems to be coming back to himself.
Like the other two books, you'll need to understand that this is a short book that is fast, fun, and really fluffy. Plot points are introduced and never followed up on. And Brighton isn't really developing as a character. You'd think that, after centuries of witches being able to hide their powers, she'd get that it would be a good thing to do but she tells, well, basically everyone what she is. I've enjoyed the stories so far and allowed for character development being limited by length but she is getting a little TSTL. Hopefully the next book helps her figure it out.

Three books
This star came out May 13th, 2019
I got this book from the library
Opinions are my own

Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston

One of the things I tend to do in terms of self-care is to re-read books. It doesn't really matter what books, it is just nice to know that I don't have to read every single word because I know the story pretty well already. And romances are a particular favorite because the definition for a book to be in this genre is that it will end happily. I have been big on audiobooks lately because it means that I can get other things done (a LOT of cleaning) while still enjoying the book


Sara Morrighan has had a rough life. She was attacked by a mountain lion when she was 8. The same attack killed her father. Then she was sent to live with a grandmother who was more strict than loving. She had to rely on her friends Mike and Angelina to find acceptance and love.
Well, until Zach Sheridan showed up in town. He knew at first glance that she was going to be for him. And when she finally discovers his secrets, one that includes her, it's going to be interesting to see if they end up being a perfect match.

I like Laureston's later books better but it was amazing to see how much world building she put in even this first book of her shifters series.

Three books
Followed by Go Fetch!
This book came out October 1st, 2006
Audiobook from my local library

Reread as Audible Plus book January 2024