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Merissa (14068 KP) rated Veil of Mists (Seven Deadly Veils #2) in Books
Feb 26, 2024
VEIL OF MISTS is the second full-length book in the Seven Deadly Veils series and we return to Miranda and her world of paranormals. We begin with her in New Mexico and then travel to France. All the old crew are there, but we also meet the Vampire High Council, who are desperate to get their claws into Valadon.
While I enjoyed this story, I wasn't fully gripped by it. It has multiple layers and deceptions, as well as three or four stories going on simultaneously. While some may prefer it this way, I found it distracting and wanted to skip over parts (Bastien and Josette having s3x for example.)
The (sort of) love triangle between Remare, Miranda, and Valadon is still going on and full of miscommunications that had me rolling my eyes. Some things are blown up out of proportion, while others are just swept under the carpet.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book but I didn't feel as though it moved the series forward much. I still recommend it if you like all of the above and want a richly detailed and intricate saga to keep you entertained for hours.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 14, 2024
While I enjoyed this story, I wasn't fully gripped by it. It has multiple layers and deceptions, as well as three or four stories going on simultaneously. While some may prefer it this way, I found it distracting and wanted to skip over parts (Bastien and Josette having s3x for example.)
The (sort of) love triangle between Remare, Miranda, and Valadon is still going on and full of miscommunications that had me rolling my eyes. Some things are blown up out of proportion, while others are just swept under the carpet.
On the whole, I enjoyed this book but I didn't feel as though it moved the series forward much. I still recommend it if you like all of the above and want a richly detailed and intricate saga to keep you entertained for hours.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 14, 2024
Merissa (14068 KP) rated Sea Glass and Fireflies in Books
Apr 29, 2024
SEA GLASS AND FIREFLIES is an emotional second-chance historical romance.
Elsie and Charles were childhood friends, on the brink of something more, when Charles left, promising to write frequently. This dwindled off and Elsie was courted by Gabriel, also a friend to them both. The story starts on what should have been Elsie and Gabriel's wedding day, as she prepares to live with her uncle for a while, to try and work through her complicated emotions over the loss of Gabriel at sea. Once there, she reconnects with Charles, but is she reading too much into it?
This was a page-turner that kept me gripped from the very beginning. As a reader, you can feel Elsie's emotions and all the confusion she is working through. I do wish I'd have had some from Charles' side, but that made the ending all the more satisfactory.
Well-written, with lovely descriptions throughout, and with a smooth pace, this book was a delight to read. It is the first by this author I have read, and I look forward to reading more by her in the future. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 29, 2024
Elsie and Charles were childhood friends, on the brink of something more, when Charles left, promising to write frequently. This dwindled off and Elsie was courted by Gabriel, also a friend to them both. The story starts on what should have been Elsie and Gabriel's wedding day, as she prepares to live with her uncle for a while, to try and work through her complicated emotions over the loss of Gabriel at sea. Once there, she reconnects with Charles, but is she reading too much into it?
This was a page-turner that kept me gripped from the very beginning. As a reader, you can feel Elsie's emotions and all the confusion she is working through. I do wish I'd have had some from Charles' side, but that made the ending all the more satisfactory.
Well-written, with lovely descriptions throughout, and with a smooth pace, this book was a delight to read. It is the first by this author I have read, and I look forward to reading more by her in the future. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 29, 2024
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2603 KP) rated Death Washes Ashore in Books
Apr 30, 2024
Death of a Gladiator
One morning Clark Thomas is awakened by a text from one of the detectives in town requesting his presence at a crime scene. The body of Connor West has washed up on the local state beach. Connor was the star of one of the local tourist attractions, a gladiator themed dinner and show.
Even after Clark is warned away from the case, he can’t help but dig into Connor’s life and his work at the Gladiator Games Dinner Show. With a face from his past as his way into the lives of those Clark wants to interview, can he figure out what happened?
I had an issue with how Clark got involved in the mystery here, but I put that aside and kept reading. The mystery was good with several strong suspects and twists along the way to a logical climax. I appreciated how Clark went about things in the climax, too. We also got to know him and a couple of characters better, although I feel like we have many who hardly had any page time. The writing could have used polish in several spots, but most of the time it was fine. There is a little advancement on the cliffhanger from the previous book, but we’ll have to keep reading to see where it goes next. Overall, this is a fun second book in the series.
Even after Clark is warned away from the case, he can’t help but dig into Connor’s life and his work at the Gladiator Games Dinner Show. With a face from his past as his way into the lives of those Clark wants to interview, can he figure out what happened?
I had an issue with how Clark got involved in the mystery here, but I put that aside and kept reading. The mystery was good with several strong suspects and twists along the way to a logical climax. I appreciated how Clark went about things in the climax, too. We also got to know him and a couple of characters better, although I feel like we have many who hardly had any page time. The writing could have used polish in several spots, but most of the time it was fine. There is a little advancement on the cliffhanger from the previous book, but we’ll have to keep reading to see where it goes next. Overall, this is a fun second book in the series.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2603 KP) rated Welcome Home to Murder in Books
Jan 17, 2025
Retired From the Army Doesn’t Mean the End to Dead Bodies
Tessa Treslow left her hometown in Idaho as soon as she graduated from high school. She’s now spent over twenty years in the army and is ready to retire. Since she still doesn’t know what she is going to do with the rest of her life, she agrees to return to New Oslo for an extended visit. While reuniting with her parents and aunt, she senses that there is something they are keeping from her. But she learns more in the more horrific way when she and her aunt find a dead body in the garage her aunt runs. The police, in the form of Tessa’s high school boyfriend, feel that her family has the perfect motive. Can Tessa figure out what really happened?
This series debut has been on my radar for a while, and I’m glad I finally got to pick it up. It has some twists on the familiar cozy tropes, and I enjoyed those. There is a depth to the characters I appreciated, and I also liked that we got details about Tessa and the others over the course of the book without any data dumps. The mystery had a few pacing issues in the middle, but overall, it was good with plenty of red herrings and a logical climax. I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tessa can find in her hometown.
This series debut has been on my radar for a while, and I’m glad I finally got to pick it up. It has some twists on the familiar cozy tropes, and I enjoyed those. There is a depth to the characters I appreciated, and I also liked that we got details about Tessa and the others over the course of the book without any data dumps. The mystery had a few pacing issues in the middle, but overall, it was good with plenty of red herrings and a logical climax. I’m looking forward to seeing what else Tessa can find in her hometown.
Dad Next Door (Crimson Club #5)
9.0
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Moving into my first house is step one in starting my new life. Next is setting up my contracting...
Age Gap Found Family Contemporary MM Romance Series
Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated Riding Pine in Books
Nov 12, 2025
super low angst, but super good!
Independent reviewer for Neon, I was gifted my copy of this book.
There is a bit at the front of this book, and I don't usually read those notes but I'm glad I did. It sets the tone of the book beautifully!
Ben lands the job of Slappy, beaver mascot for the Bloomburg Aspens hocky team. he isn't supposed to tell anyone. But he and Lukas are already hooking up, and he doesn't want any secrets. What can go wrong??
And, my dear peeps, is the sum of the angst in this book! What will happen if anyone finds out that Lukas, of said hockey team, knows who the top secret mascot is??
It is SUPER low angst between Lukas and Ben. Super hot chemistry between them. Super sweet as they keep getting together. Super super SUPER!
I loved this book, I really did. I think that note gets you into the mind of Ms Neill when she wrote this and I feel a bit . . .I dunno . . .closer to her. . .maybe?? She is right though, the world has gone to pot. And books like this make it a little bit better, so thank you, Ms Neill!
A short review, but one that needed reigning in before it ran into 6 pages!
5 full and shiny stars, but honestly, I'd give more if I could!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
There is a bit at the front of this book, and I don't usually read those notes but I'm glad I did. It sets the tone of the book beautifully!
Ben lands the job of Slappy, beaver mascot for the Bloomburg Aspens hocky team. he isn't supposed to tell anyone. But he and Lukas are already hooking up, and he doesn't want any secrets. What can go wrong??
And, my dear peeps, is the sum of the angst in this book! What will happen if anyone finds out that Lukas, of said hockey team, knows who the top secret mascot is??
It is SUPER low angst between Lukas and Ben. Super hot chemistry between them. Super sweet as they keep getting together. Super super SUPER!
I loved this book, I really did. I think that note gets you into the mind of Ms Neill when she wrote this and I feel a bit . . .I dunno . . .closer to her. . .maybe?? She is right though, the world has gone to pot. And books like this make it a little bit better, so thank you, Ms Neill!
A short review, but one that needed reigning in before it ran into 6 pages!
5 full and shiny stars, but honestly, I'd give more if I could!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Merissa (14068 KP) rated Hashtag Holidate in Books
Nov 25, 2025
HASHTAG HOLIDATE is a standalone story set in the Made Marian world, with plenty of mentions of the Marian family to make you feel at home.
Adrian is an influencer who travels from place to place, hoping to make it big with his 'Twelve Holidates' feature. Maddox is the owner of a four-generation hardware store, who dabbles in photography, and has his roots set firmly at home. So, yes, these two are opposites from the very beginning, and even more so if you count the grumpy/sunshine vibe too.
This was an easy, well-paced read that has lots of tension between the two MCs. They obviously get together, which leads to steamy times. I don't say this very often, but while I enjoyed them together, I loved the snark and tension more.
One thing that personally didn't work for me was the use of hashtags at the end of each chapter. I skipped over them to get to the main story, but that's a me thing. I'm sure for others who follow the Insta/influencer lifestyle more, they were a fun feature.
Anyway, an easy Christmassy read that made me smile, and one I definitely recommend.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 25, 2025
Adrian is an influencer who travels from place to place, hoping to make it big with his 'Twelve Holidates' feature. Maddox is the owner of a four-generation hardware store, who dabbles in photography, and has his roots set firmly at home. So, yes, these two are opposites from the very beginning, and even more so if you count the grumpy/sunshine vibe too.
This was an easy, well-paced read that has lots of tension between the two MCs. They obviously get together, which leads to steamy times. I don't say this very often, but while I enjoyed them together, I loved the snark and tension more.
One thing that personally didn't work for me was the use of hashtags at the end of each chapter. I skipped over them to get to the main story, but that's a me thing. I'm sure for others who follow the Insta/influencer lifestyle more, they were a fun feature.
Anyway, an easy Christmassy read that made me smile, and one I definitely recommend.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Nov 25, 2025
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2603 KP) rated Murder at Chateau sur Mer in Books
Mar 7, 2026 (Updated Mar 7, 2026)
Was This Murder Political?
It’s July of 1897, and Emma is covering a polo match when she witnesses a strange scene – a young woman with a less than stellar reputation is insisting that she must talk to Senator Wetmore’s wife. The next morning, Emma is summoned to the Wetmore’s residence - Chateau sur Mer. The young woman from the day before is lying dead in their entry way. Emma has developed a reputation based on her past exploits, and Mrs. Wetmore wants Emma to investigate so that the whiff of scandal won’t haunt her family forever. But what is the victim’s connection to the wealthy family?
The book does a good job of putting us back in Emma’s world while also setting up the mystery. While there are great twists, I did feel a few things were rushed at the climax. Still, everything did make sense. I appreciated the updates we got on Emma and the other regulars, both real people and fictional characters. Speaking of which, I love how the two types rub elbows seamlessly. In fact, I was surprised to learn a couple I thought pure invention were real. Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end to find out the facts that support this fiction. As always, the summer setting gave me some relaxed vibes, and I felt like I was transported back in time. If you are looking for a fun historical series, this is one to check out.
The book does a good job of putting us back in Emma’s world while also setting up the mystery. While there are great twists, I did feel a few things were rushed at the climax. Still, everything did make sense. I appreciated the updates we got on Emma and the other regulars, both real people and fictional characters. Speaking of which, I love how the two types rub elbows seamlessly. In fact, I was surprised to learn a couple I thought pure invention were real. Be sure to read the author’s notes at the end to find out the facts that support this fiction. As always, the summer setting gave me some relaxed vibes, and I felt like I was transported back in time. If you are looking for a fun historical series, this is one to check out.
Curious Cameron (Secret Lives of Hot Twinks #1)
8.0
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I married my best friend. My gay best friend. I’ve flunked out of art college. I have a fresh...
Contemporary MM Erotica Romance Military BDSM
Merissa (14068 KP) rated Moonbound Bonds (Wild Divide #1) in Books
Apr 16, 2026
MOONBOUND BONDS is the first book in the Wild Divide series, BUT it is preceded by A Silence of Shadows (Whisperbound #1) and Moonbound Lies (Wild Divide #0.5). I didn't know and haven't read either of them, so I did feel as though I'd dropped into a story already half written.
It begins with Sable plotting her escape from Varro, the bond now broken due to Harken's bite. It's not necessarily that she doesn't want to be bonded to Harken, but more so that she's just spent the last thirteen years bonded against her will to Varro. So she tries to run, Sable and her little fox familiar, Trouble. They don't make it very far, but Harken is there to save the day.
Although their story starts partway through, I was gripped by the ongoing crisis and the characters that move it along so perfectly. Sable and Harken are perfect for each other. Sassy and overprotective - and I'll let you figure out which half is which!
I am loving this story and the characters, and can't wait to see more of them as Sable and Harken's story continues. A great read that I definitely recommend, but I do wish I'd read the others first.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 16, 2026
It begins with Sable plotting her escape from Varro, the bond now broken due to Harken's bite. It's not necessarily that she doesn't want to be bonded to Harken, but more so that she's just spent the last thirteen years bonded against her will to Varro. So she tries to run, Sable and her little fox familiar, Trouble. They don't make it very far, but Harken is there to save the day.
Although their story starts partway through, I was gripped by the ongoing crisis and the characters that move it along so perfectly. Sable and Harken are perfect for each other. Sassy and overprotective - and I'll let you figure out which half is which!
I am loving this story and the characters, and can't wait to see more of them as Sable and Harken's story continues. A great read that I definitely recommend, but I do wish I'd read the others first.
** 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; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 16, 2026