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Sweet Possession (Nights Series #5)
Sweet Possession (Nights Series #5)
A.M. Salinger | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'm not liking Luke and Ash!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 5 in the Nights series, and you should AT LEAST read book 4, Sweet Obsession before this one, this is a continuation of Ash and Luke's story.

I LOVED books one through three, but four and now five, have been a bit of a let down. Maybe I just don't like Luke and Ash, you know??

This has a little bit of a story, thrown in with some hot and steamy stuff, and a lot of Luke being a total twat of an idiot thinking about what he thinks Ash needs. And rather than talking to Ash, he runs. Much like Cam did when Gabe says those three little words.

I loved that Ash could make the famous Luke Rutherford lose his cool and totally let himself go and take from, and indeed GIVE to, Ash, what they both really need.

Loved that we get an appearance from Gabe and Cam, and Ethan and Joe.

I dunno WHY these two books didn't quite work for me, I really don't and you KNOW how much it pains me not being able to word the feelings!

BUT!! In book 3, I saw something going on between the two guys who own the company Gabe works for. THEIR story is next, and I cannot wait to read it!

So, I'm sorry, but...

3 stars (but please keep these coming!)

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
TO
The Outlaw Takes a Bride
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Can an outlaw find love and happiness when his life is nothing but a lie?




Springtime in Colorado, 1885. Johnny Paynter is accused of a murder and flees towards his brother’s ranch in Texas. Although when he arrives, he finds his brother Mark dead! Folk in town think that Johnny is Mark, and Johnny doesn’t correct them. He begins to start a new life as Mark and things go rather well. Until he finds out that Mark has a mail order bride on her way to Texas. Deciding that there is nothing else to do, he takes Sally as his wife and continues life as Mark Paynter. With a relationship founded on lies, how can it survive?




The foundation of any relationship should be founded on truth and honesty. If it isn’t, there is much turmoil working through the mess. But there is always hope, the Lord can heal the hurt and His mercies are new every day. We can always begin again. I have enjoyed both books that I have read by Susan Page Davis now. The Outlaw Takes a Bride is a western romance, with really good Christian principles. She reminds us that we should strive to live an honest life, but even when we mess things up, the Lord is there to forgive and restore what has been broken. This book is action packed with bandits, touching and romantic, and an overall good read!




I received a free digital copy of The Outlaw Takes a Bride from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
  
Bound (The Nevermore Series #2)
Bound (The Nevermore Series #2)
Shannon Mayer | 2016 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
"My name is Mara, and I want desperately to become a mother."

All of my dreams were dashed when the world was promised hope but instead became a place of danger, death . . . and monsters.

Nevermores - a human, but feral and lethal creature with a thirst for flesh, have arisen from the ashes of human hope. Now co-inhabitants in this new world, I am gaining ground in my understanding of them just as I am forced to face a new threat from the local militia.

Led by a man with a taste for torture and a love of suffering, Sebastian and I are confronted with the seemingly impossible obstacle of escape. Caged and kept from our allies, our opportunities for freedom dwindle.

There is only one way to save us both. I am forced to unearth and embrace the dark side of my heart. I must decide who is the more dangerous enemy; the Nevermores or what remains of mankind.

I am bound to fight as though I am one of the monsters I hoped I’d never become.

This is one of those books you don't put down till it's finished and hate all interruptions. I love it so different to any of the other books I read. They have such a unique love amongst the chaos around them. I sobbed at the loss of the little one it was heartbreaking to read. Finished on a bit of a cliff hanger but who doesn't love a good cliff hanger. Untill book 3....
  
Marked by Blood (The Marked #2)
Marked by Blood (The Marked #2)
Rinna Ford | 2020 | Paranormal, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
215
Kindle
Marked by Blood ( The Marked book 2 )
By Rinna Ford

Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments

An accursed child of earth and fire, bathed in blood on the darkest of nights…

The supernatural society lives by two laws.
Don’t tell humans about their existence.
Don’t mix the races.

Rule number one is easy enough to follow, but rule number two...well, it’s a lot harder than it seems for someone like Emelia. Her mother being caster and her father, a dragon shifter, makes her the exact thing that the Council has outlawed against. Persecuted and hunted for what she is, she has no choice but to go on the run.
Now with the help of her shifter mate, Xander, Emelia is searching for the only person that can help her in her greatest time of need. But she soon learns that the help she sought really isn’t the help she needs and that her hopes and dreams don’t matter when fate has other plans.
With peace slipping through her grasp, will Emelia be able to thrive in the chaos, or will she succumb to its darkness?

This was definitely a very good second book! I got a little bored of her constantly reminding us that xan was her mate and her dragon! But it was a good read and suddenly got very hot and heavy! Emelia definitely has got more dangerous and more kickass! Recommended to all reverse harem fans!
  
Puzzling Ink
Puzzling Ink
Becky Clark | 2020 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Using Crossword Puzzles to Catch a Killer
Quinn Carr has had to return home and take a job at the local diner. If only her passion, creating the crossword puzzles for her local paper, paid her more. One night as Quinn is closing down the diner, she finds the last patron slumped over dead in the corner booth. When the police determine he was murdered, they arrest Jake, the diner’s owner. Now Quinn has to keep the restaurant running while also figuring out a way to clear her boss. Can she do it?

This book sets the stage for a fun new mystery series. Quinn is a bit unusual in that she has recently been diagnosed with OCD, something we don’t usually see in the books I read. It was handled well. I also loved Quinn’s relationship with her parents. The mystery got sidelined at times with Quinn trying to run the diner. I was interested in both stories, but I do prefer strong mysteries in the books I read. There is a good mystery here, with plenty of suspects and motives. A few key pieces of information were introduced a bit abruptly, and one key element of the plot was never quite resolved, but the majority of our questions are answered, including the who and the why. Fans of crossword puzzles will enjoy the one that Quinn creates over the course of the book. Additionally, there are two fun sounding recipes at the end of the book.
  
The Shadows
The Shadows
Alex North | 2020 | Thriller
9
9.0 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own, and any quotes are taken from the ARC and may be different in the final published copy.

While I have "read" audiobooks for years now, this is the first one I was given to review. Let me catch my breath before starting. Wow! OK. Wow! That needed to be said.

Alex North's "debut" novel, The Whisper Man, was a 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Mystery & Thriller. When I finished reading it, I immediately added his second book, The Shadows, to my must-read list.

The narrators of The Shadows are Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan. The combination of North's writing and Arterton and Heffernan's narration provides a story that feels as if the narrators are the characters themselves, sitting by a fire, retelling North's story, and not merely reading the story. It is their narration that helps North bring the listener down the rabbit hole and ending up questioning everything they thought was true. I needed to reread sections to see how I could have gotten everything so wrong.

North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name. According to Goodreads, this is Arterton's first narration. While Heffernan has narrated a few novels, he writes mostly for film and TV but also wrote Driver For The Dead, his first comic book series.

This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 7/14/20 and updated on 8/24/20.
  
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Merissa (12934 KP) rated The Poison Keeper in Books

Jun 11, 2021 (Updated Jul 18, 2023)  
The Poison Keeper
The Poison Keeper
Deborah Swift | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, History & Politics
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE POISON KEEPER is the first book about Giulia Tofana, a real historical figure, known for her poison Aqua Tofana which could both heal and harm. In this book, we grow with her from a young woman - chomping at the reins and not liking the constrictions placed upon her by her mother, to a strong woman with an agenda and life of her own with extremely difficult circumstances.

I cannot tell you the amount of research that must have gone into this book! There is just so much. Incredible details of clothing, hair, jobs, places, you name it. Also, you find out about the pomanders used, plus other 'recipes'. All of which help to draw you into an intriguing story. There are hints of a possible romance between Giulia and Fabio but only hints.

Make no mistake, Giulia Tofana is a killer. She provides the means, knowing full well what she's doing, even if she doesn't actually do the deed herself. However, after reading her story, you will understand just why she did it. She is a figure from history I have always been interested in, and this story helped to bring her alive.

The first in a series, I now have The Silkworm Keeper on my To-Be-Read list, and I can highly recommend this book.

** 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!
Jun 11, 2021
  
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Merissa (12934 KP) rated Huntress (Angelbound Offspring #7) in Books

May 27, 2021 (Updated Jul 26, 2023)  
Huntress (Angelbound Offspring #7)
Huntress (Angelbound Offspring #7)
Christina Bauer | 2021 | Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
HUNTRESS is the penultimate seventh book in the Angelbound Offspring series and I would absolutely recommend you read it as part of a series. While it is Huntress and Gage's story, parts of Kaps and Mack's are also mentioned.

First of all, I loved how we went back in time to when Huntress was a child. I thought the world-building was brilliant and I loved hearing about the Honeycomb Hall. Doofus - I'm still wondering about though! And what happened to the other novices and familiars? Hmm. As for Gage and his Crew, I love them all. Each with their own distinct personality, they made me smile throughout the story.

As with every Christina Bauer book, the characters are outstanding. The overall story arc is present and intriguing, whilst the nitty-gritty gives you information and details about the characters that you never even knew you needed until you had them. The story is told from both Huntress and Gage's point of view, with the chapters clearly titled so you know which is which before you start reading.

Huntress was a perfect addition to the series and now I'm waiting on tenterhooks for Gage! I really want to hear about things from his perspective. A brilliant story and 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 the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 27, 2021
  
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Merissa (12934 KP) rated Fighting the Lure (Fighting for Love) in Books

Jan 19, 2024 (Updated Jan 19, 2024)  
Fighting the Lure (Fighting for Love)
Fighting the Lure (Fighting for Love)
Katherine McIntyre | 2024 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
FIGHTING THE LURE is part of the multi-author Fighting for Love series, and I am in love and want more!

Sam left home ten years ago, leaving her parents and younger sister behind. When she tried to contact Nina, she was shut down. So Sam disappeared out of their lives, leaving a younger Ames wondering where her crush had gone. Time moves on and Ames moves to a new city and a new gym, and wouldn't you just know it...

Hot and intense - I loved every word, every thought, and every scene. The connection between Ames and Sam is instantaneous. Sparks fly, my friend, think fireworks. BUT it wasn't all about getting hot and heavy. There was so much more to these two. They connected on every level, not just the physical.

So many characters that I enjoyed reading about, and I'm really hoping Brooks and Emmit have their own stories. I may just have to check out the other books in this series! I also hope Nina gets her HEA! I think she deserves one after being lied to for all these years. Plus, she lives so far away from Ames now! 😄

A great read that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Another jewel in Katherine McIntyre's crown!

** 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!
Jan 15, 2024