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: Secrets by Aleatha Romig

Series:	Web of Sin #1
Pub. Date:	Oct 30, 2018
Publisher:	Romig Works
Length:	312 pgs
Source:	Inkslingr PR

I was so excited to hear about a new dark romantic suspense from Aleatha Romig, as I love her dark and twisty stories. I won't say that this one is as dark as Consequences or as much as a mindfeck as Into the Light, but it was a dynamic story with lots of potential for danger and suspense going forward.

ARC Review: Sin and Ink by Naima Simone

Series:	Sweetest Taboo #1
Pub. Date:	Oct 15, 2018
Publisher:	Entangled
Length:	240 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

I was so excited about this new series by Naima Simone that I got super grumpy when outside obligations started interrupting my reading time. Seriously, I need to start marking off a couple hours of DO NOT DISTURB reading time on my calendar every other day. Especially for a hero this supercalafragilisticexpialadopeshit.

Audiobook Review: Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb

Series:	In Death #47
Pub. Date:	Sept 4, 2018
Publisher:	Brilliance Audio
Length:	13 hrs 44 min
Source:	Audible

It's hard to believe that we are at installment #47 of the In Death series, it feels like I just met Eve and Roarke yesterday! I don't know what I will do when this series comes to an end, it will definitely be a time of mourning!

ARC Review: Healer's Need by Rhenna Morgan

Series:	Ancient Ink #2
Pub. Date:	Oct 22, 2018
Publisher:	Carina Press
Length:	400 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Healer's Need is the second installment of Rhenna Morgan's dynamic new paranormal series, Ancient Ink. I have been totally into this series since picking up Guardian's Bond. I really like the unique aspect of the tattoos, almost with a Celtic flair, when combined with the magic and shapeshifting of our characters.

Review: You Belong to Me by Karen Rose

Series:	Baltimore #1
Pub. Date:	June 7, 2011
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	480 pgs
Source:	Library

Karen Rose has been on my TBR for such a long time... but I never quite knew where to start and was daunted by the back list, fearing that I would need to read from the beginning to understand what was going on. But I decided to just jump in here with the first in a mini-series (#1 in Baltimore series), but which is actually #12 in Rose's Romantic Suspense collection. I am happy to report that I was able to jump in just fine without feeling lost or not knowing who long-standing characters were. So if you are trying to get your feet wet in the Rose water like me, come on in, temperature is fine! And check out the character web below if you need to know how the characters for the Baltimore series intersect.

ARC Review: The Arrows of the Heart by Jeffe Kennedy

Series:	Uncharted Realms #4
Pub. Date:	Oct 7, 2018
Publisher:	Brightlynx Publishing
Length:	297 pgs
Source:	Author

It's no secret that The Uncharted Realms has been one of my very favorite fantasy romance series since its inception with The Pages of the Mind... and the series is still going strong with this fourth installment, The Arrows of the Heart.

ARC Review: Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

Series:	Fallen Empire #1
Pub. Date:	Sept 25, 2018
Publisher:	Ace Roc Books
Length:	400 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Phoenix Unbound is an exciting start to the new Fallen Empire series by Grace Draven, an epic fantasy romance sure to appeal to those who like to see a little romance with their Game of Thrones type stories. In true fantasy style, this story is not for the faint of heart. There are vile villians, abhorrent behavior and treatment of people, slavery, and a manner of forced activities that may be triggers to some.

ARC Review: Kill the Queen by Jennifer Estep

Series:	Crown of Shards #1
Pub. Date:	Oct. 2, 2018
Publisher:	Harper Voyager
Length:	480 pgs
Source:	Author/Publisher

Crown of Shards is the first installment of a dynamic new series by Jennifer Estep that I couldn't wait to get my grabby hands on... and let me tell you, this story did not disappoint! I can't wait for the next book to come out, but we will have to wait until 2019. 

Audiobook Review: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Series:	Crazy Rich Asians #1
Pub. Date:	June 11, 2013
Publisher:	Random House Audio
Narrator:	Lynn Chen
Length:	13 hrs 53 min
Source:	Overdrive/Library

This book is a little out of my typical genre, but the previews for the movie piqued my interest so I thought I would give it a shot. I didn't know quite what to think at first, but I warmed to the book as I got more into it and got invested in a few of the characters.

ARC Review: The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz

Series:	Jane Hawk #4
Pub. Date:	Sept. 11, 2018
Publisher:	Random House
Length:	480 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

The Forbidden Door is the fourth installment of the exciting and suspense-filled Jane Hawk series. I thought this was going to be the last book, but was uber happy to discover that there will be at least one more! The writing in this series is classic Dean Koontz - great action, suspense, a little sci-fi, and a corrupt government organization to rail against.

Audiobook Review: Lady of Light and Shadows by C.L. Wilson

Series:	Tairen Soul #2
Pub. Date:	Nov. 1, 2011
Publisher:	Audio Realms
Narrator:	Amy Cardy
Length:	12 hrs 45 min
Source:	Audible Romance

Lady of Light and Shadows is the second book in one of my favorite series - Tairen Soul by C.L. Wilson. I have been wanting to re-read this series for quite a while, and I'm so glad I've been able to start fitting it in by audio. This was one of the series that got me started on fantasy romance, and I so wish there were more of these types of books being written right now. I just love the genre... but I'm very picky! Luckily, C.L. Wilson is a master at her craft and draws us in with both engaging characters and fabulous world building.

ARC Review: When a Duke Loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath

Series:	Sins for All Seasons #2
Pub. Date:	Aug. 21, 2018
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	400 pgs
Source:	Publisher

When a Duke Loves a Woman is the second installment of the Sins for All Seasons series, which focuses on a band of bastard offspring who were left on the doorstep of Ettie Trewlove in the slums of Whitechapel. These members of the commoner class are being paired off one-by-one with a member of the nobility as we navigate the social issues between the class separation.

Audiobook Review: Borne to be Wilde by Eloisa James

Series:	Wildes of Lindow Castle #3
Pub. Date:	July 31, 2018
Publisher:	HarperAudio
Narrator:	Susan Duerden
Length:	9 hrs 53 min
Source:	Library

I have been enjoying the Wildes of Lindlow Castle, so I'm a bit surprised that this release slipped past my notice. Luckily, I snagged an audio copy from the library so I could squeeze it in because I was absolutely salivating over that cover!

ARC Review: Vox by Christina Dalcher

Pub. Date:	Aug. 21, 2018
Publisher:	Berkley
Length:	336 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Wow, well. This book is a big ol' DNF for me. And let me preface that by saying that I am not really religious. I'm not quite agnostic. I believe in a higher power, and I will attend church the 1-2x per year that I go home to visit my parents on holidays. But I'm not a habitual attender at organized religion, and I don't care what anyone else's religion is. I kinda find them all interesting after taking a theology class in college that delved into all kinds of historical religions and religious practices. To each their own is my belief, and no one religion should speak against another unless of course evil acts are being carried put in the guise of religion. Then it would be appropriate to speak against the group carrying out those acts, not the religion as a whole.

Audiobook Review: Spectacle by Rachel Vincent

Series:	Menagerie #2
Pub. Date:	May 30, 2017
Publisher:	Recorded Books
Narrator:	Gabra Zackman
Length:	9 hrs 25 min
Source:	RBDigital

Spectacle is the second installment of Rachel Vincent's dark fantasy series, Menagerie. This series has been a unique breath of fresh air, and totally different from what I was expecting at the outset of first book. This is a dark fantasy series, with some horror elements thrown in, so don't go into this series expecting a warm fuzzy read. It's gritty and shows the worst of human nature at times. But it's sure to draw you in and hold your interest whether you are reading in print, or listening by audio. These books will need to be read in order to follow the continuing story line, and this review may contain spoilers from the first book.

ARC Review: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Series:	Girl Meets Duke #2
Pub. Date:	Aug. 28, 2018
Publisher:	Avon
Length:	373 pgs
Source:	Publisher

The Governess Game is the second book in the Girl Meets Duke series by Tessa Dare. While it's the second in the series, I think it worked fine as a standalone, as I haven't yet read the first book. I think there is a little character crossover, and the characters are quite intriguing, so I will definitely be going back to read the first book, perhaps in audio.

ARC Review: Exile of the Seas by Jeffe Kennedy

Series:	Chronicles of Dasnaria #2
Pub. Date:	Sept. 4, 2018
Publisher:	Rebel Base Books
Length:	206 pgs
Source:	NetGalley

Exile of the Seas is the second installment of the Chronicles of Dasnaria series, featuring our lost princess, Jenna, the Imperial Princess of Dasnaria, and runaway wife of Rodolf, the vile and sadistic lord with eyes to the throne. The first book, Prisoner of the Crown, was a good, but heartwrenching read. But Jeffe really hit it out of the park with this second installment, I was totally captivated by Jenna's journey. So much so, that I found myself stretching this read out because I didn't want it to end!

Audiobook Review: Queen Takes Queen by Joely Sue Burkhart

Series:	Their Vampire Queen #3
Pub. Date:	June 26, 2018
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Narrator:	Cassandra Myles
Length:	9 hrs 11 min
Source:	Publisher

Queen Takes Queen is the third book in the reverse harem series, Their Vampire Queen. The series is getting progressively better, with the addition of new characters in each installment as our vampire queen grows in power with her harem.

ARC Review: Mission: Anaconda by A.D. Starrling

Series:	Division Eight #3
Pub. Date:	Aug. 28, 2018
Publisher:	Self-Pub
Length:	111 pgs
Source:	Author

Mission: Anaconda is the third book in A.D. Starrling's fast-paced romantic military suspense series, Division Eight. The series follows the covert operatives of Division Eight, a high level and secret military organization that is sent on tough and sensitive assignments around the world.