The Princess Knight by G. A. Aiken

The focus of this book is Brother Gemma. Although it's hard to call her "brother" at the beginning of the book because she feels abandoned by her god and is hardly worshiping him. In fact, everyone thinks that she's drinking like her cousin. However, when someone (not Beatrix!) starts attacking religious sects (starting by slaughtering almost all of the peace monks), Gemma is not especially excited about helping but she saddles up along with her squire Samuel, her sister Ainsley who Gemma and Keeley seem to always forget, and two of the Amichai Laila and Quinn. Quinn is a thorn in Gemma's side though he is definitely a good fighter.

First, they travel to Gemma's past to visit the place where she trained and the other War Monks. There, we learn a bit about why Gemma is the way she is as well as more about the politics of the War Monks. We also get to meet Ragna, another War Monk; one who is even more dedicated to the cause than Gemma. She is the one who ultimately gives Gemma a list of sects to pick up including temple virgins, witches, divine assassins, war priests, a truce monk, and a nun (the Abbess Butcher). Oh, she also gets back her horse Kriegszorn. The one she lost in battle and had to raise (battle monks tend to win battles by bringing the dead back to life.) So what if he's only half normal horse and half rotting corpse? It's her horse!

We do get to see Queen Keeley (who gained such love from me in the first book that I had trouble switching over any to Gemma) and how she's building her kingdom. There are glimpses of Beatrix and what her evil plan is ultimately going to be. And then, a brief glimpse at some special guests who are going to be in the next book.

Definitely start with the first book in this series. This is an Aiken book through and through with characters that go so far beyond zany that you have to love them because they are so well-definied in their own brands of crazy. The beginning was actually a little slower than some Aiken books but it picked up nicely.

Scarred Earth Saga #2

Four stars

This book comes out November 24, 2020

Follows The Blacksmith Queen

Followed by The Heretic Royal

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Reread as ebook from Libby February 2024

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

Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe

The description of this book from the 2019 NPR Book concierge made this book sound fun and the cover is delightful so I requested this book from my library. I did NOT regret it. With sly humor (I giggled at more than one depiction of Pokko) and beautiful pictures, readers will adore the story of Pokko's whose parents' "biggest mistake" was giving her a drum. 

Five stars
This book came out October 1st, 2019
Hard copy borrowed from library
Opinions are my own

Holiday for Two -- Anthology

All Through the Night by Maggie Robinson

Carrie Moore is an assistant for a famous mystery writer (think Jessica Fletcher on copious amounts of gin.) But she has failed in her latest mission - to make it onto the ferry with Christmas dinner before a snowstorm settles in. And now she's stuck with the mystery writer's nephew in the blinding snow. But a snowstorm might be the perfect time for a personal assistant and an English viscount to spend a little time getting to know each other
A little slow in places and a big bunch of insta-love but I finished it. 

Two and a half stars
While it Was Snowing by Elyssa Patrick

I usually like a novella where the characters have a past. It means that there will be some basis of a relationship that might make sense. In this case, Felicity and Harry's families have been friends for years. Now, Felicity is ready to take things to the next level. But Harry is scared. And a virgin. He's not sure that changing their relationship is going to be good and he accidentally rejects her harder than he means too. Luckily (for him), a snowstorm traps him in the cabin and the two are forced to face each other and what their future could be.
This story was fine but just fine. I didn't connect to either character or have any real faith in their HEA (even though we were shown it in an unusually-long-time-later epilogue.

Two and a half stars

This book came out December 9th 2013

Kindle ebook

Opinions are my own

Beyond Compare by Candace Camp

 I loved listening to the first book in this series and immediately ordered the rest of the series through PaperBackSwap.com. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I didn't like it as much because it wasn't audio or if this book was just harder to connect to but it took me a LONG time to finish this book. 

Kyria Moreland is incredibly beautiful but still unmarried. Rafe McIntyre is a friend of her sister's husband. American and incredibly attractive, Kyria is intrigued. She gets to spend more time with him when a mysterious box is sent to her family's house and the courier dies practically on the doorstep. His last words? Kyrie.

Bullets, knife fights, and kidnapping ensue. But it does go on a little bit long with not as much movement in the romance as there is in the mystery. 

Three stars

Follows Mesmerized

Followed by Winterset

This book came out April 4th, 2004

Hard copy I didn't keep

Opinions are my own

Ship of Fools Cathy Yardley

 High school sweethearts Ren and Rachel broke up. Well, he broke up with her and broke her heart. His parents explained to him that it would be too hard to be across the country and maintain a relationship especially since they would both be in school. And he listened.

Ten years later, Rachel needs a favor that only a billionaire (or a billionaire’s kid) can help with. So she calls Ren. And he uses the opportunity to try and get back in her good graces. But Rachel isn’t really happy about that. She decides to give him one week to figure out his whether or not he can fit her into his life. But will Ren crack under the pressure from Rachel adding to the pressure he’s already under from his parents?

I felt like Rachel was a little harder than she needed to be and Ren was just a little too perfect but it was a overall a fast and fun book.

Three and a half stars

Follows Playing Doctor

Book borrowed from Audible Escape

This book came out September 30th, 2018

Opinions are my own

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