Review: Cackle

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This is a quirky read about Annie, who is 30 years old, newly single, a serial monogamist, needing validation and lacking self esteem. I felt bad for Annie at first, she's immersed in a relationship thinking marriage is on the horizon, only to be blindsided by the opposite. We've likely all been there, some of us more than once.

Audiobook Review: In a Badger Way by Shelly Laurenston

Series:	Honey Badgers #2
Pub. Date:	March 26, 2019
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Charlotte Kane
Length:	13 hrs 43 min
Source:	Hoopla

Shelly Laurenston's honey badgers are a ridiculously good time - and whether you are reading or listening to them, they can't help but make you smile. It's hard to believe this is only the second book in the series, because these seem like beloved characters that have been around for a while.

ARC Review: Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh

Series:	Psy-Changeling #18 Psy-Changeling Trinity #3
Pub. Date:	June 4, 2019
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	416 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

I don't think I've ever read a bad, or even mediocre book in the Psy-Changeling series, or by Nalini Singh in general. The Psy-Changeling Trinity series has been extra interesting as we navigate the alliance among the Psy, Changelings and Humans. I have enjoyed expanding into some of the different changeling groups... but also loved coming back to our favorite wolf pack with this latest installment, Wolf Rain.

ARC Review: Shadow Warrior by Christine Feehan

Series:	Shadow Riders #4
Pub. Date:	June 4, 2019
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	432 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

The Shadow Riders is such a unique series that I feel refreshed and get sucked in every time I pick up one of the books. With all the travel I've been doing, I was stoked to get to this one in the line up right before a hellish day of delayed flights and being squeezed into the tiny rows and uncomfortable seats of turbulent airplanes.

ARC Review: Dragon Fire by Juliette Cross

Series:	Vale of Stars #3
Pub. Date:	April 30, 2019
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	289 pgs
Source:	Author

 

Oh Man, I just love the way Juliette Cross does a growly dragony alpha male. I got interrupted reading this one due to things going crazy at work... so I actually restarted it this morning on my flight to New Orleans so I would get the full effect of Kieran Moonring from start to finish. It totally made my early morning flight go by in a blink.

Audiobook Review: Shadow & Ice by Gena Showalter

Series:	Gods of War #1
Pub. Date:	Oct. 23, 2018
Publisher:	Harlequin Audio
Narrators:	Melissa Moran Leo Barnabas
Length:	14 hrs 48 min
Source:	Hoopla

Shadow and Ice is a fun and action-packed new series from Gena Showalter, that has lots of room to grow as we move forward. The Terra (Earth) realm has been invaded by immortal warriors who have come to fight for dominance and the spoils of the All War. So this series is part paranormal, part science fiction, and part steamy romance!

ARC Review: Memoirs of a Dragon Hunter by Katie MacAlister

Series:	Dragon Hunter #1
Pub. Date:	Aug. 28, 2018
Publisher:	Forever
Length:	384 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Let me start out by saying that I am a big fan of Katie MacAlister - I absolutely loved her Dragon Septs series/world. So this book is a bit of an anomaly for me in that I could not bring myself to like it, no matter how hard I tried. And try I did, I would not let myself DNF this one. But not every book works for me, and this one was a miss in several areas.

Audiobook Review: Chosen by the Vampire Kings by Charlene Hartnady

Series:	The Chosen #1
Pub. Date:	May 22, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Tatiana Sokolov
Length:	12 hrs 19 min
Source:	Publisher

This is my first read by Charlene Hartnady, even though this book has been on my TBR for a bit. I'm not a fan of serials, so I was happy to see that it was released as one book in both print and audio. It's been a while since I've read a new vampire book, and I was pleasantly surprised by this one. 

Audiobook Review: Grigori by Lauren Smith

Series:	Ash and Fire #1
Pub. Date:	April 24, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Lucy Rivers
Length:	7 hrs 42 min
Source:	NetGalley

Grigori is the first book in Lauren Smith's Brothers of Ash and Fire series. It was my first time reading this author, and I was pleasantly surprised. This series follows three brothers who are centuries old... dragon shifters!!! Woo Hoo! You know how I feel about dragons. 

Audiobook Review: The Shadow King by Heather Killough-Walden

Series:	The Kings #7
Pub. Date:	April 10, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Antony Ferguson
Length:	6 hrs 25 min
Source:	Publisher

The Shadow King is the 7th book in the Kings series, which revolves around 13 paranormal kings of various supernatural species. These are quick reads that really work well as a binge series, and I find that I am having a hard time remembering some of the earlier books after waiting a few years between the first books and these last few. I do think this series is a candidate for the re-read pile though, so I will definitely look to binge them one day in the future.

ARC Review: Dark Challenge by Christine Feehan

Series:	Carpathians #5
Re-Release Date:	June 26, 2018
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	400 pgs
Source:	Publisher

I have been trying to get caught up on Christine Feehan's backlist for a while now... but she is so prolific that I don't think I will ever catch up. (And that's a good thing seeing as I like her writing.) I happened to be notified about the re-release of Dark Challenge, and it coincided with where I was in the Carpathians series, so I jumped at the chance for a review copy. I have been curious about Julian for a while, and I was glad to dive into his story.

ARC Review: Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

Series:	Psy-Changeling Trinity #2
Pub. Date:	June 12, 2018
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	430 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Ocean Light is the second book in the Psy-Changeling spinoff series, Psy-Changeling Trinity, which focuses on the alliance (and its members) among the Psy, Changelings and Human Alliance. Instead of focusing on the races separately, we now are working toward a more integrated society with the signing of the Trinity Accord. Silence has fallen for the Psy, and they are attempting to make inroads into the human race as they have learned that, much like the empaths, they are necessary for the health of the PsyNet.

ARC Review: Shadow Keeper by Christine Feehan

Series:	Shadow #3
Pub. Date:	May 29, 2018
Publisher:	Berkley Romance
Length:	400 pages
Source:	NetGalley

Oooh lawd. Christine Feehan has me over here fantasizing about shadows! Did that one just move? The Shadow series and the uber yummy Ferraro Brothers, will have you looking a little harder the next time you see a shadow move across your field of vision. Shadow Keeper is the third installment of the Shadow series, and I would encourage you to read them in order. While each story has its own arc, it will benefit you to have some of the back story from earlier books. Plus, the whole series has been great so you won't regret investing the time.

Audiobook Review: Half-Blood Dragon by K.N. Lee

Series:	Dragon Born #1
Pub. Date:	April 24, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Mary Sarah
Length:	3 hrs 35 min
Source:	Publisher

Pirates and dragons and mermaids, oh my! How could I resist such a fantastic tale? This was my first read by K.N. Lee, and I like where she is going with the premise of this series.

Our heroine, Rowan, is a half-blood dragon. Not enough dragon blood to have scales or transform, but enough to have some strength and magical ability. Though I was confused on whether the magical ability came from her human side or her dragon side - that was a bit murky. As a half-blood, our heroine feels the sting of prejudice from everyone around her, and people easily believe the worst when she is accused of killing the crown prince.   

Audiobook Review: The Unseelie King by Heather Killough-Walden

Series:	The Kings #6
Pub. Date:	March 20, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Antony Ferguson
Length:	6 hrs 51 min
Source:	Publisher

Man, it's been four or five years since I've read the earlier books in this series and I couldn't for the life of me remember what happened in those books. I probably should have went back and re-read at least the last book, but I was being optimistic. Luckily, I was still entertained even though my memory failed me.

Audiobook Review: Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston

Series:	Honey Badgers #1
Pub. Date:	March 27, 2018
Publisher:	Kensington Tantor Audio
Narrator::	Traci Odom
Length:	433 pgs 13 hrs 14 min
Source:	Publisher

Hot and Badgered by Shelly Laurenston is the first book in a fun new paranormal romance series, the Honey Badgers, featuring three certifiable sisters and a diverse cast of paranormal characters. 

You don't find many honey badgers in the shapeshifter world of romance, so I was glad to have something a little different here. And the honey badger family in this series are nucking futs, much like their real honey badger kin. They are high strung, anxiety-ridden, vicious, obstinate, and largely unconcerned with others lives besides their own (and their close family). All of the sisters in this family are POC for those readers looking for a little diversity in their romance.

Audiobook Review: Untouchable Darkness by Rachel Van Dyken

Series:	Dark Ones #2
Pub. Date:	Feb. 27, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrators:	Chris Chambers Hollie Jackson
Length:	8 hrs 12 min
Source:	Publisher

I tried really really hard with this book. I gave it 6.5 hours of my life - that's 80% of the audiobook. But I was really forcing it for most of the book. I think that this writing style just does not work for me. It's very abrupt and almost jarring at times. The transitions threw me out of the story... and I can honestly say that after listening to most of the book, I barely know what the storyline was. I felt like this was more of an outline of a story than an actual full story.

Audiobook Review: How to Date Your Dragon by Molly Harper

Series:	Mystic Bayou #1
Pub. Date:	Jan. 23, 2018
Publisher:	Audible Studios
Narrators:	Amanda Ronconi Jonathan Davis
Length:	6 hrs 33 min
Source:	Audible Romance

I thought this story was just as cute and fun as all get out, but that is kinda what I expect from Molly Harper. I can't wait for the next books in the Mystic Bayou series to see what the magi are getting up to down in the Lousiana swamp. 

This book is an Audible Original - so the print copy has yet to be released. But I encourage you to listen to the audiobook if you are able. The narrators did a great job... but I really really liked the female narrator Amanda Ronconi. She did a great (and believable) Cajun accent, probably the best I have heard in an audiobook. I wish she had narrated the whole book just to have continuity, but Jonathan Davis didn't do a bad job either.

Audiobook Review: The Dark Ones by Rachel Van Dyken

Series:	The Dark Ones #1
Pub. Date:	Jan. 30, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrators:	Chris Chambers Hollie Jackson
Length:	7 hrs 1 min
Source:	Publisher

The Dark Ones is the first book in a series of the same name by Rachel Van Dyken that features a diverse cast of paranormal characters including vampires, werewolves, sirens and fallen angels. 

Our heroine is named Genesis, a human whose number has been called to go and serve immortal society. The way Genesis was raised has given her an inferiority complex, and you really wanted to shake the spit out of her hateful mother. But this results in Genesis arriving before the immortals wholly ignorant of her role and what is expected of her. She adapted fairly quickly and took things in stride without freaking out, which was commendable. 

ARC Review: Bring the Heat by G.A. Aiken

Series:	Dragon Kin #9
Pub. Date:	Aug. 29, 2017
Publisher:	Kensington/Zebra
Length:	416 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

This is another book from my blogger shame pile... another one that got caught up in my moving transition between New Orleans and Tucson. But I'm kinda glad that I waited on it now because it really helped lighten my mood this week while I've been trying to read and not die of the plague (thanks to all those germ harbingers of doom that you pick up on an airplane). 

It seems like its been a long time since I've read a Dragon Kin book. I had no problem remembering our heroine, Branwen the Awful, but I couldn't seem to place our hero, Aidan the Divine. That didn't really matter in the long run as Aidan is the typical egotistical dragon, he thinks he's the GOAT (greatest of all time) and its up to our heroine to bring him back down to earth. I like it when the pretty boy and/or intelligent dragons have been paired with the Cadwaladr females, who are big tough fighting machines. Branwen definitely takes after her mother, Ghleanna, and is a renowned warrior known in all the realms. I like the mix of ridiculous and relatable and felt like Branwen hit both of those marks. She and Aiden definitely kept me entertained.