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Here we are into the third entry into the Bewitching Mystery series. So what's Maggie into this time? The murder of an Amish ladies' man, one who's married and has young kids, at that. She also has struggles with her love life and is overcoming her fear of the "unknown" and becoming more adept at using her gift.

<u><b>May contain minor spoilers of previous books.</b></u>

A few times throughout this short book (246 pages), I felt like throwing in the towel. After reading the first book, I really felt this was a series for me. One that I connected with and would be able to read book after book. Sadly it has not panned out this way. Mostly because of the main character, Maggie O'Neill, who I really liked in the first book. While there's nothing inherently wrong with her, I cannot relate to her and I don't like her too much either. She's rather a dull fish. Also, some of her thoughts feel forced, especially the "humorous" kind, which might be a big part of why I'm not liking her anymore. Well, whatever it is exactly, she's just not quite working for me. Though now that she's using her gift more, this may liven her up in the future, I don't know. The other thing is her presumptions, or rather the one presumption about the "relationship" between Marcus and Liss she's had since the first book. Where she ever got that idea in her head, I haven't a clue, but at least it was resolved by the end of this book. On the up side, she wasn't as dumb as in the previous book, [b:A Charmed Death|512386|A Charmed Death (A Bewitching Mystery, #2)|Madelyn Alt|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1175403627s/512386.jpg|1182867]. All the other characters in the series I like and feel really add to the series, with maybe the exception of Tom, who is very closed-minded and basically just irritates me as a modern woman. I suppose a character who is that way is needed, and he is making some strides in opening his mind to new and frightening (to him) things, but I don't get Maggie's attraction to him; it just has not come across in the three books I've read. As for Maggie's other love interest, Marcus, while he's definitely way (way, way, way, way, <u>way</u>) more interesting than Tom, and I'm going to flip this, but I totally don't understand Marcus's interest in Maggie. I cannot think of anything that would intrigue him about her. I honestly can't, other than she's nice. A nice, boring, girl-next-door-type. Well, I guess that's something. So, the mystery.... Surprisingly, it seemed very minimal in this installment and the baddie very easy to figure out since there wasn't many, or any, other suspects. Still, it was tied up pretty neatly and made some sort of sense.

At the beginning of every book there is enough of a recap of characters and what's been going on so each book in the series can easily be read by itself, and not necessarily in order. While that is nice for a new reader or one who has gone a long time inbetween books, it makes for a repetitive nature if read too closely together, so I think it'll be a while before I pick up the next entry.
  
The Eagle and the Fox (A Snowy Range Mystery #1)
The Eagle and the Fox (A Snowy Range Mystery #1)
Nya Rawlyns | 2015 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Mystery
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Eagle and the Fox (A Snowy Range Mystery #1) by Nya Rawlyns
The Eagle and the Fox is the first book in the Snowy Range Mystery series.

The story is about two adult males, a young girl, and her secret boyfriend. The two adult men, Josiah and Marcus, have known each other for years, but only to 'grunt' to each other as they pass by in the store that Marcus owns. Pet is the young girl that Marcus keeps an eye on, like an adopted uncle. He took her on to save her, but you'll need to read the book to find out what he was saving her from! And Kit is her secret boyfriend, a mysterious figure that we don't actually learn much about.

Once Josiah and Marcus start talking, things move at a pretty pace for them. Not only do they have their feelings for each other to contend with, but they also have the problems with Pet, plus the trouble in town that is happening.

I found this book to be very well written, with no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading flow. The characters are well rounded and well suited to the story. This story is a definite mix of romance and mystery. It defies being in just one genre. It is finished off for this story, but the ending is definitely left open for it to continue. Looking forward to book two to see where it will go next.

If you like a bit of mystery with your romance, then I can definitely recommend this book/series.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Superluminary
Superluminary
Olivia Rising | 2018 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Superluminary (Powered Destinies #1) by Olivia Rising
Superluminary is the first book in the Powered Destinies series, and it is a LONG book.

We start off with Christina as she goes through her transition to become Mascot, with the devastating aftereffects. Then we meet up with Sarina, who transitions to become Dancer. Finally, we meet Andrey, who is Radiant. From the blurb, I somehow expected Christina, Sarina, and Radiant to be in contact with each other. I was very much mistaken. Although we hear from all three, none of them meet until Christina and Andrey meet towards the end of the book. Sarina and Christina don't meet at all.

There are headers before each chapter that you simply MUST take notice of. They tell you who is speaking, where, and when. It isn't always necessarily in date order, and it isn't always one of the three main characters speaking. I'm not quite sure why we get into the heads of so many of the other characters, as it detracted from the main storyline. As it is at the moment, there was no need to hear from Samael, or Kid, or any other.

This is a very character driven story, with plenty of action and intrigue. This is the first book in the series, so it does end of a cliffhanger. I am intrigued to know where it will go, as there are so many twists and turns, and you are not quite sure who are the 'good guys' and who are the bad.

For a very different book on superheroes, villains, and mere mortals, then I have no hesitation in recommending it.

* I received a copy of this book with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies
Liane Moriarty | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
9
8.6 (97 Ratings)
Book Rating
Diverse intersection of characters. Amazing build up of tension. Who done it based in the OZ Suburbs. (0 more)
I can't think of any other than I wish I read the book first! (0 more)
A perfect example of a who done it with added school politics!
Okay, so a small confession...
I may have watched the TV series before this book and didn't know it was actually a book before Nicole Kidman and Reece Witherspoon brought the rights.
I loved the TV show and the book certainly didn't disappoint.
It was quite relevent for me too ATM as my son is about to start reception class and I can certainly imagine all the different school politics that go on!
This book was hard to put down and whilst on holiday of managed to read it in a couple of days.
It delivered everything I want in a book and more.
(This bear in mind with me knowing what does actually happen as I had seen the series already). To read this for the first time without seeing the show I can imagine locking myself away and calling in sick to work to keep reading.
I loved the pace, tone and voice of the book and how it switched between each character and how they thought and felt.
As a mother I identified with all of the main characters at one point of another as their lives all intersect around a fatal event which occurs at a fundraising Trivia Night.
You know this from the outset, and I really enjoyed the comments from all the secondary characters throughout the chapters too.
They really did help set the scene and tension in the build up to the big event.
I loved this author so much I've already brought and started reading another one of her books and will likely be buying them all!
  
Swiped By My Dad’s Best Friend (Thrust Into Love #1)
Swiped By My Dad’s Best Friend (Thrust Into Love #1)
D.J. Jamison | 2021 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
SWIPED BY MY DAD'S BEST FRIEND is the first book in the Thrust Into Love series and is unashamedly sweet and sexy. This book belongs in the warm and fuzzy section as there is only a little bit of angst and a helluva lot of smiles!

Coop doesn't want to be in college but he doesn't want to disappoint his dad either. This leads to two very unhappy people who drift further apart. Trace is an old friend who was accused by Coop's dad of having an affair with his wife. So that makes for a very messy situation when they meet for the first time - and Trace doesn't do messy!

Think again, Trace! Because it turns out he does do messy where Coop is concerned. He will stand tall and help his boy, no matter what. And I loved every word! These two are fantastic together. I really felt for Coop who tried to please so many people but felt like he was coming apart at the seams. And Trace, bless him. He is prepared to do anything for Coop.

This book sped by and I finished it way too soon. I was completely engrossed in their relationship. The good thing for me is that it is the first book in a series so that means there is much more to come. Simon's turn next, and I can't wait!

A brilliant book that I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 20, 2021
  
The Unexpected Santa (The Sin Bin #5)
The Unexpected Santa (The Sin Bin #5)
Dahlia Donovan | 2017 | Romance
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Unexpected Santa (The Sin Bin #5) by Dahlia Donovan
The Unexpected Santa is the fifth book in The Sin Bin series, and this story focuses on a particular holiday, which you can guess by the title. Scottie is one of the Sin Bin members that I have always had trouble warming up. He is brash, obnoxious, and is more than happy to throw his own pity party - drink included. With stalker tendencies, and an amazing ability to sulk when things don't go his way, I wasn't 100% sure about reading this book. However, after seeing how Gray dealt with him in Akash's book, I was willing to give him a go.

I'm glad I did!

Now, don't get me wrong - Scottie is still a big pain in the posterior! He has a lot of learning to do, and I think that Gray is just the one to help him. In the meantime, Gray has promised that he will look out for the twins, and will protect them from everyone and everything - even Scottie. In turn, the twins help tone down some of Scottie's rough edges, as even he can't be awful all the time. With the twins and Gray on his case, Scottie doesn't stand a chance. He just doesn't realise it yet. He is just what Gray has been looking for, and in return, Gray will give Scottie everything he needs. In turn, I'm hoping that Scottie will become a character I can read about without giving myself eye-strain as they involuntarily roll so much.

With seasonal cheer from two Christmas grumps, this book is an unexpected delight, and a wonderful addition to The Sin Bin series. No editing or grammatical errors disrupted my reading flow, and the pacing was smooth throughout. With enough to satisfy and yet still keep you wanting more, I have no hesitation in recommending this book or the series.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Champions: at fire&#039;s end (Champions #1)
Champions: at fire's end (Champions #1)
Charlotte Jain | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Champions: at fire's end (Champions #1) by Charlotte Jain
Champions: at fire's end is the first book in the Champions series, and we hit the ground running with the first chapter from Hermes' point of view as the scene is set over why the flames are here, and why they will live in children. After that, we jump 18 years to Kyle, the bearer of the blue (water) flame. We find out that he and April (red/fire bearer) have known all along what their purpose in life is, and have Hermes and Themis to guide them. Now, this is where it got a bit confusing for me. It sounded at the beginning that all the flames had to fight each other, with only one winner. Then we find out that Kyle and April are "battle partners". Kyle has the noble notion of finding the other two flames and helping them grow into their powers so that it becomes a fair fight, which still doesn't explain how the pairing is going to work. Kim and Noah are found, but you don't really learn much about them. With different points of view, time disappearing, and honestly not knowing whether Kyle was paired up romantically with either Kim or April at any given time, plus other things, this book quickly became mystifying.

The premise is a good one - after all, who doesn't love a good Greek mythology story in a book? It was the execution of the idea that let it down. I have given this story 3-stars because it was intriguing enough for me to finish it, and I think the premise and the series has a lot of potential. This may be a series where it is in the final book that everything becomes clear. I don't know. What I do know is that this book will appeal to some, and not to others. Personally, I enjoyed it, even if I was a bit lost!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas | 2018 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
More time with beloved characters (2 more)
Got to find out more about side character backstories
The development of Feyre's sisters and their post-Cauldron struggles felt realistic and honest
No real point or feeling to the plot (4 more)
3/4 of the way through the book, still not sure what the point is
The sudden decision to write from multiple perspectives in this book (as opposed to just Feyre's) felt cheap
It's a Christmas story that was released May 1st, which was a strange publishing choice
After all the excitement in the precious book, the pace of this one was too slow
Not as exciting as previous installments
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved the third book in the series, but it just wasn't as good. It felt as though the author was maybe forced to publish the next installment of the series even though she didn't have a fully fleshed-out story yet.

While I enjoyed learning the characters' backstories, I was not a fan of how the author switched character perspectives each chapter. It was tedious to keep up with at times, and felt like a forced way to introduce the backstories. In the last installment, the backstories we heard were drawn out by plot and circumstance, which helped drive the story as we learned relevant info at relevant times. In this book it felt as though the revealing of character info was gratuitous, almost an excuse to avoid developing an actual plot.

Speaking of plot, the story was slow (in part because of continually switching between so many character perspectives during the same stretches of time), and because for most of the book nothing important or exciting happens.

The cover art was gorgeous. The dust jacket is absolutely beautiful. But, this is largely a Christmas or winter solstice story, and might have been more aptly published in late fall or closer to the holiday season, rather than the beginning of May.

I would still love to see more books in this series, but only if future installments see a return to the action and intrigue of the first 3 stories.
  
Relentless (Somerton Security #2)
Relentless (Somerton Security #2)
Elizabeth Dyer | 2018 | Romance, Thriller
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Relentless (Somerton Security #2) by Elizabeth Dyer
Relentless is the second book in the Somerton Security series, and this time we are dealing with the big boss man himself, Ethan Somerton. This book does follow on from book one, so I would definitely recommend you read them in order, just so you get the most enjoyment out of them!

Ethan has a hard job to do - he needs to go undercover for a cartel, which could (most likely) get him killed. However, he is prepared to do that if it means he is giving a friend he thinks of like a brother a chance at living. They may have a friend on the inside though, as someone has been leaving tips for the various security forces, trying to help. Parker's program says one person, but Ethan is convinced it is someone else. Someone who sets his blood on fire, but has more walls than he does, and with very good reason. With a little bit of stubbornness and luck, they may just have a way forward.

This book is raw and gritty, and makes no bones about it. Ethan and Natalia have a hard time of it, both of them needing to trust the other, when trust is the hardest commodity to come by. I loved catching up with Parker and Georgia, and seeing how they are making it work, even when they are so different. Ethan is a tough man, but he certainly has found his match in Natalia. She has gone through things no one should, and survived.

With no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, this book was a brilliant read, and I certainly look forward to reading more in this series. I really need to know what happened at a certain time with a certain someone ;) If you like #Romance #Suspense, then I can pretty much guarantee you will love this series. Absolutely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
Mercy (Forever #3)
Mercy (Forever #3)
India R Adams | 2018 | Contemporary, Mind, Body & Spiritual, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mercy (Forever #3) by India R. Adams
Mercy is the third book in the Forever series, and it IS a series so I would definitely recommend starting with Serenity. Trust me, so much goes on inside these pages, you would be lost otherwise.

Now then, where do I start? First of all, this is a long book. So whatever you do, make sure you have stocked up on supplies. That includes a box of kleenex, enough chocolate to last you a week, plenty of drinks, and let your family know you will be indisposed for the foreseeable future, until you've finished reading. Because once you start reading, you will be lost. I promise you that. The first chapter had me crying! That is how quickly I was sucked back into Serenity's world and the situations she was dealing with. Some pleasant, some not so pleasant, some downright horrible.

As this is a long book, you can be sure of plenty of things going on. There is never a dull moment, but whether it is happiness or sorrow you are feeling, your emotions will never be far away. There is danger and suspense, building up to an epic climax that will blow you away. There is a twist here that I never saw coming. I sort of hope this is the end to one part of it, but knowing how Ms. Adams' works takes me to places as yet undiscovered, I guess I will have to wait and see what comes next. Whatever it is I can imagine, will only be a whole load better!

With no editing or grammatical errors to disrupt my reading, I was completely engrossed with this story. This book defies genres and situations. It is hard to put into words, so you will just have to read it for yourself. One thing I can promise is that you won't regret it.

Such a good book, a fantastic series, and highly recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!