Tag Archives: Paranormal

A book that has elements of fantasy, science fiction and/or horror.

Review: Munro

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Review: MunroMunro (Immortals After Dark, #18) by Kresley Cole
Series: Immortals After Dark #18
Published by Valkyrie Press on January 25, 2022
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 432
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Loved, loved, loved this book. Cole has the amazing ability to give each hero and heroine exactly the story they need. Fun, adventurous, and deeply emotionally satisfying. This book not only is a great story in itself but moves the IAD series forward in new ways.

THE STORY: Munro MacRieve has been captured by warlocks who seek to make his wolf captive to them. Munro resists all efforts by the warlocks to make his wolf appear until they bring him his fated mate, Kereny “Ren” Codrina. When she dies, Munro seeks a way to change time to find his mate again. Ren then finds herself kidnapped by Munro on her wedding day. But this human woman has no intention of surrendering to the immortal and instead seeks to find her way home.

OPINION: This was a wonderful book. Not my favorite in the series, but the exact book I needed today and the perfect book for Munro. After the break in the series for the last couple of years, I worried that Cole would not return to form. Instead, this book is on fire and the overarching story is still moving forward in amazing ways.

Munro has been foretold to have a harridan for a mate. And Ren is just lovely in this book. She is strong and independent and is not taking any guff from Munro from the moment they meet. The story begins with what readers of the IAD series already know and yet what happens immediately after might be the most heartbreaking scene in the series. In fact, this book was an emotional rollercoaster: ones I wept at, ones I wanted to read through spread fingers in anxiety, ones that made me laugh, and ones that were heart satisfying that I felt so warm and comforted.

Munro gains tremendous depth here. In comparison to Will, Munro seemed too nice, too perfect. This book so neatly sets out that Munro has his own scars from his past but also from his brother’s story. Feeling responsible for Will for years has taken its toll on Munro even as he seems the “happy” and “carefree” twin. Everything about Munro’s story with his mate push on Munro’s pain and weaknesses — which makes this book so good. I loved Munro as a character — especially as he interacts with other male characters who have shared parts of his journey.

I am so impressed with how Cole can write a story that is so of the world and yet feels fresh and new. In preparation for this book, I re-read the entire series and this book did not feel like any other in the series. That is why Cole is a master in this genre.

Readers of the series might wonder how and why the story is returning to this story after Sweet Ruin and Wicked Abyss and the Dacians books which seem to blow the IAD story out into a bigger universe. And the question also was — why give the preview of this story in MacRieve and then write a bunch of books in the middle. This book answers that question. Indeed, this book needs all of the prior books to make this story work. Nothing is wasted and it makes perfect sense that this book comes at this point in the overarching story. The revelations in this book also change and alter many of my expectations of where the stories of the characters are going. Good stuff!

Now to wait for the next book in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: There are some good twists for fans of the series. To avoid spoilers, I won’t mention which characters make appearances, but enough do to make any fan happy.

CONNECTED BOOKS: MUNRO is the eighteenth book in the Immortals After Dark series. The romance here is self-contained but this series has an overarching storyline that cannot really be appreciated here. A reader should just start at the beginning or at least read MACRIEVE.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

 

five-stars

Review: Last Guard

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Last GuardLast Guard (Psy-Changeling Trinity, #5; Psy-Changeling, #20) by Nalini Singh
Published by Berkley on July 20, 2021
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 384
Goodreads
four-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: Singh does “damaged” heroes and heroines better than almost anyone. How two people who to the world (and themselves) appear different find the person who brings wholeness and acceptance to one another. Combining the ongoing drama of the overarching storyline with the deeply personal connection between these two made this an immensely satisfying read.

THE STORY: Canto Mercant, mysterious and fiercely loyal, approaches the cold and dangerous Payal Rao about the collapse of the PsyNet. In joining forces, the two also confront their own pasts and the weaknesses of mind and body. Canto has remained a hidden part of the Mercant family, rejected by his own father, as his spinal injury communicated imperfection and weakness during Silence. Now that Silence has fallen, the “imperfect” must be brought out of the shadows.

OPINION: The inclusiveness of Singh’s Psy-Changeling world always takes my breath away — optimistic and never heavy-handed, the world is deeply imperfect but there are good people working to correct the flaws. (At the same time, there are plenty of evil forces out to create chaos).

I loved the sweet and fierce relationship between Canto and Payal. The deep acceptance between them. While there have been similar relationships between “broken” people, this one has its own unique qualities that have echoes of other stories but is also quite different. Different challenges, different personalities. Each couple approaches their challenges in different ways which keep these stories fresh and interesting.

The story builds upon the prior stories in the Psy-Changeling universe in new ways raising new challenges to the world. At this point in the series, I wonder how Singh will possibly be able to resolve all these issues, but I have faith because Singh so beautifully gathered the strands in the first “season” of the Psy-Changeling world.

Canto is one of my favorite heroes now. He’s got his own quirks, but his intense loyalty to Payal and his willingness to serve as Payal’s “knight” and let her shine may be a precursor of the female “alphas” whose stories are yet to be told.

WORTH MENTIONING: Lots of cameos from characters from the Psy-Changeling & Trinity series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: LAST GUARD is the fifth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. The Trinity series is a direct spin-off of the Psy-Changeling series and thus this book can also be considered the twentieth book in that series. The romance here is self-contained, but the overarching plot is a continuation of the story in the Trinity series and is much better when read at least as part of the Trinity series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-half-stars

Review: Guild Boss

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Guild BossGuild Boss by Jayne Castle
Published by Berkley Books on November 16, 2021
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 304
Goodreads

 

FINAL DECISION: This book was just fun. An action-adventure paranormal sci-fi futuristic mystery. The conflict here is external concerning the plot so the romance just felt sweet and enjoyable. Loved the strong characters — and who can resist a pizza-eating dust bunny?

THE STORY: A return to Harmony, a colony of earth now cut off where people have various psychic powers interacting with the alien world. Lucy Bell disappears into the tunnels under the city and is rescued by Gabriel Jones, one of the Guild Hunters. While Lucy insists that she was drugged and kidnapped, people believe that she got drunk after a party and wandered into the tunnels. The incident ruins Lucy’s reputation in her profession and months later when Gabriel comes back into her life, she is working as a guide on a studio tour. Now the Guild Boss of Illusion Town, Gabriel reconnects with Lucy as the two discover what happened the night Lucy disappeared.

OPINION: This book was deeply satisfying for me. It was light and fun (although there is a serious storyline — it’s not a comedy). It had a fun action-adventure vibe that I needed right now. I admit to being a huge Arcane fan and love whenever connections to that series come up. In this book Castle leans into the connection which was gratifying.

Nobody writes the “corporate” romance better than Jayne Ann Krentz (aka Jayne Castle) and this book moves the Guild more towards a polished organization. As someone who reads all three of Krentz’s different time periods, this book just felt like a great synthesis of all of them. The reveal of the significance of the book’s title was fun and just lifted the story with a little comedy.

I loved Gabriel who is put in his place by the strong Lucy. Their relationship has real equality, and there is chemistry and Castle always has great dialogue that builds a great relationship. These two are obviously meant for one another and much of the conflict is external involving the mystery, but it works here.

The only reason that this isn’t a perfect 5 star for me is that frankly there are other Castle books from this series that I love better. This one was really good, enjoyable, a rollicking adventure, and hit both the tone that I wanted and also had some great nostalgia.

I’m so glad that Castle is back writing this series and look forward to more.

WORTH MENTIONING: Gabriel is definitely one of those Jones for fans of Jayne Ann Krentz’s Arcane series. For fans of that series (who may be disappointed that Krentz abandoned the storyline in her contemporary romantic suspense), some of the past storylines are picked up here.

CONNECTED BOOKS: GUILD BOSS is the fourteenth book in the Harmony/Ghost Hunters series. The book can be read as a standalone although a new reader will need to catch up on some of the worldbuilding rules. This book is also connected with the Arcane series (which spans all three of Castle’s noms de plume — Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, and Jayne Castle).

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

Review: All the Colors of Night

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Review: All the Colors of NightAll the Colors of Night (Fogg Lake #2) by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake #2
Published by Berkley on January 5, 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Paranormal
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable contemporary suspense with a lot of paranormal talent dropped in. Krentz is always at her best when she incorporates paranormal into her works. I’m glad she is back to this mode.

THE STORY: Sierra Raines, an antique expert, has had some employment problems after a false accusation. She uses her psychic talent in her professional and has taken on being a go-between in the dealing of paranormal objects. North Chastain is referred to Sierra as he needs help to track down an object to help save his father. North works for the secretive Foundation, using his psychic abilities. The two end up in Fogg Lake as the area is connected with the Chastain family’s past.

OPINION: My favorite part of this book was the paranormal mystery. I liked the characters, but the focus of the story is clearly on the “suspense” aspect. I wanted more time and concentration on the characters, but it is clear that Krentz has decided to move away from her earlier “romance” focused books. That is a shame because those books are amazing both as romance and as suspense. In this book, the characters always seem shallower and as a result, I’m less interested in their story. Their love seems based primarily on being involved in this case.

Now that I’ve gotten that complaint, I did enjoy this book quite a bit. Krentz always has a good combination of suspense and humor. The story remains quickly moving and on the lighter side of suspense books. I really liked that Krentz has brought her paranormal storylines back into her contemporaries.

So while I liked this book, it lacks the depth and memorable characters that I loved in Krentz’s book from the 1990s and early 2000s.

WORTH MENTIONING: The end of this book sets up the next book in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ALL THE COLORS ON NIGHT is the second book in the Fogg Lake series. While the romance here is self-contained, there are characters and a mystery that continues from the first book, so it is better to read that one first. The book also has references to Krentz’s Arcane series. It is not necessary to read those book, but plenty of Easter Eggs for fans.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

 

four-stars

Review: Archangel’s Sun

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Archangel’s SunArchangel's Sun (Guild Hunter, #13) by Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter #13
Published by Berkley on November 24, 2020
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 368
Goodreads
four-half-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: This was definitely not a pairing that I expected, but it worked so well. Titus is sweeter than I expected with him playing the long-suffering brother of four sisters. Sharine is a woman who is finding herself with a vengeance, reconciling her past, and showing the strength that she lacked in the past. Loved these two and enjoyed being reoriented to the aftermath of the archangelic war.

THE STORY: In the aftermath of the archangelic war from the last book, the new version of the reborn continues to threaten the continent of Africa. Titus is a powerful archangel, but he cannot stop the scourge alone. Instead of the warrior help he thinks he needs, he is sent the Hummingbird, an unworldly angel known as a great artist. Sharine has only begun to find herself after emerging from her broken mental state. The two must join forces to prevent the reborn from overtaking the world.

OPINION: This book is a lovely mature story with characters who have led full lives. That gives this book depth and interest. This book had the feeling of a woman’s journey. It is Sharine who is the focus here. She is finding herself after being the beloved Hummingbird who is vague and not of the world because her mind was broken. Here, she is rediscovering herself, dealing with the heartaches of her past, and building a new life and purpose for herself.

Titus is an archangel who has enjoyed life and then is quickly devastated by an angel he did not expect. Titus is amazingly loyal and strong, but there is an incredible sweetness to his relationship with Sharine. These two have strength and I enjoyed their interaction.

The aftermath of the war is not a pleasant place, but this book has more hope and comfort than I expected. Indeed, while there are still bad secrets, this book feels much lighter after all the death and destruction in the prior two books.

I also enjoyed that his book marks a change in the series as we get a whole new cast of characters whose stories can be told in future books. That bodes well for the series continuing.

WORTH MENTIONING: Raphael and the Seven are not main characters here, they only make small appearances.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S SUN is the thirteenth book in the Guild Hunter series. The romance here is self-contained, however, the world and the characters assume familiarity with the other books in the series. Do yourself a favor and start at the beginning.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley which was used to prepare this review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-half-stars

Review: Alpha Night

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Alpha NightAlpha Night (Psy-Changeling Trinity, #4; Psy-Changeling, #19) by Nalini Singh
Published by Berkley on June 9, 2020
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 368
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: A fast-paced, action packed entry in the series. I was amazed by the end to realize that only a few days had passed. Loved the alpha heroine queen and her devoted knight. The only negative is that is hard getting to know another changeling group. Hopefully, we will have all the main characters of the Trinity series soon so that every book is not a new group.

THE STORY: Selenka Durev is an alpha wolf who meets Arrow Ethan Night and instantly knows that he is her mate. Selenka’s pack is in danger as the Architect continues to make plans to disrupt the fragile peace of the Trinity Accord and build an empire for herself. Ethan believes himself damaged and operating on borrowed time before his mind becomes a weapon that must be destroyed. An mating between two strangers who have both been betrayed is difficult. There is something different about Ethan that the two must investigate while getting to know one another.

OPINION: Enjoyable entry in the Trinity series. This was an interesting combination of personalities. Selenka and Ethan were definitely not what I was expecting. Having a female alpha changeling was great with different issues. I especially liked that Selenka is definitely just as ruthless as an alpha as Lucas and Hawke but gives the alpha role a different twist. (Valentin is the softie of the group — but bears). Ethan is a different Arrow than what we have seen before as well. Singh is expanding and breaking her own constructs which only makes this series more compelling and complex with every book.

Ethan’s condition kept me interested to the end and I was not expecting what the resolution was. It was surprising and yet completely obvious once I knew the ending. Singh did a great job planting clues and yet not giving the game away.

My only slight disappointment/complaint is that once again we are introduced to another new group — BlackEdge. I’m hoping that now that we have three packs, the books will begin to explore more deeply the characters and dynamics we have already been introduced to. Much of each of these books in the Trinity series has to take time to introduce the particular dynamics and characters which is understandable but keeps this spin-off series from really rising to the levels of the original. Let’s have some more BlackEdge, BlackSea or StoneWater characters!

WORTH MENTIONING: There are some cameo appearances by beloved characters from the original cast, but they are only cameos.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ALPHA NIGHT is the fourth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity Series. It is also the nineteenth book in the Psy-Changeling series. A reader could pick up the series at the start of the Trinity series. While the story here is mostly self-contained and the romance is completely self-contained, there is so much world-building and background that a newcomer to the series might spend a lot of time trying to catch up.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

four-half-stars

Review: The Vanishing

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Review: The VanishingThe Vanishing (Fogg Lake #1) by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: Fogg Lake #1
Published by Berkley on January 7, 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Romantic Suspense
Pages: 294
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Most of my favorite Krentz books have paranormal elements. This book is a return for Krentz to romantic suspense with paranormal elements and this book has an energy that reminds me of some of my favorite books.

THE STORY: Due to an incident years ago, some Fogg Lake residents have paranormal abilities. Catalina Lark, who uses her abilities in her job as a private investigator, is trying to discover what has happened to her best friend who has disappeared. Catalina ends up joining forces with scientist Slate Trevelyan. Catalina and Slate discover that her friend’s disappearance is connected with a murder she and Catalina believe they saw as teens — the murder that no one else believes occurs.

OPINION: I really enjoyed this one. Catalina and Slate were a good match and I really liked that the romance was serious in this one rather than only a small portion of the story. The book does have an overarching mystery and there is still more to be discovered in future books which is the structure of Krentz’s recent series.

I liked the interaction between Catalina and Slate. They definitely had a northwest character vibe to them which was cute. I really liked these two. Krenty definitely knows how to write idiosyncratic characters and I liked the quirks of these two. There was plenty of danger and suspense to keep the plot moving.

This was an easy read and while the immediate mystery was resolved, there is more left open to set up the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: Lark and Trevelyan are familiar names to readers of Krentz. While it is completely unnecessary to read other books of closely or distantly related people, it is clear that all these books take place in the same universe.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE VANISHING is the first book in the Fogg Lake series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Dragon Reunion

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Review: Dragon ReunionDragon Reunion (Dragon Hearts 8) by Carole Mortimer
Series: Dragon Hearts #8
Published by Carole Mortimer on 1st November 2019
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 110
Goodreads
three-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable little story that gives a view of everyone’s happy ending with a new story about a familiar stranger that comes to the Pendragon home. Insta-love with almost no character development, but I liked it anyway.

THE STORY: Maddox Wilder unexpectedly ends up in Wales and is drawn to the Pendragon Castle where he meets a strange family and a young woman, Carys Evans. There is something very familiar about the Pendragon brothers, but Maddox and Carys are intensely attracted to one another. Maddox has secrets and maybe some things to learn about himself.

OPINION: This was a fun story. The setup is pretty predictable for those who have read the series. Man sees woman and instant attraction between them ends up with them as mates.

The nice thing about this one is that there is a stranger who arrives at the family castle. I thought this story worked better as an organizing device than others in the series.

There isn’t much to the story between Maddox and Carys as their attraction and “love” is instantaneous. Rather, this is a story hanging on who Maddox actually is.

A simple and non-complex story, but I found it enjoyable for an easy read.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a nice little story to close out the series. We get to see all the couples and get some update on them as part of the story.

CONNECTED BOOKS: DRAGON REUNION is the eighth and final book in the Dragon Hearts series. It’s better to read this book as part of the series because there are lots of characters and situations that only make sense if the other books are read.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

three-half-stars

Review: The Widow of Rose House

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: The Widow of Rose HouseThe Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on October 8, 2019
Genres: Historical, Mystery, Paranormal
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

 

FINAL DECISION: Enjoyable historical romance combined with a ghost story. While the book had some parts that dragged, overall, I thought this was a good story with interesting characters. I wanted to read more of the Moore family.

THE STORY: Alva Webster returns to New York after the death of her estranged husband as the notorious widow. She intends to build a life for herself by renovating a dilapidated house and using it as the subject of a book. But when her plans are derailed by tales of ghosts that haunt the house, she ends up working with Samuel Moore, a scientist and inventor, who takes up investigating what is haunting the house. Samuel also is intrigued by Alva even as she wants to avoid any entanglements. As the two get closer and search for the secrets of Alva’s house, Alva’s own secret past threatens her plans for the future.

OPINION: This book is an interesting combination of a Gilded Age historical romance, a mystery, and a ghost book with the attendant thriller and suspense aspects. I thought the combination of these genres worked really well. I never felt that the story was out of balance. I enjoyed all aspects of the story.

I liked the relationship between Alva and Samuel. Alva has been grievously injured by her marriage and she treats Samuel pretty poorly because of it. Indeed, if I have a complaint, it is that Samuel is way too accommodating to Alva. She leads Samuel on knowing his feelings for her. I also thought that her insistence on handling her past problems herself was pretty idiotic. The inability to ask for help is not strength but a weakness.

But apart from that, I really loved when Alva and Samuel’s relationship was working. He is adorable and there was such fun and sweetness in their interactions.

The book had some really interesting parts. I thought that parts were repetitive and the book dragged somewhat when Alva is dealing with her past. But the parts with Alva and Samuel together were lovely. I also thought that the ghost portions themselves were suspenseful and scary without being too graphic. The portions of Samuel and Alva doing investigations of the origins of the ghosts in the house also introduced readers to a variety of well drawn characters.

And ultimately, it was the strength of the characterizations which made this book for me. I not only really enjoyed Alva and Samuel, but also Samuel’s family and other more minor characters that help with the investigation.

I thought the ghost story portion was well done and certainly was rooted in real trials of the time.

WORTH MENTIONING: I really want to read the stories of the other Moore siblings (including Henry).

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE WIDOW OF ROSE HOUSE is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

 

four-stars

Review: Archangel’s War

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Review: Archangel’s WarArchangel's War (Guild Hunter, #12) by Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter #12
Published by Berkley on September 24, 2019
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 478
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Fabulous book that was with action and heart from the first page to the last. Singh just gets better and better. Highly recommend!

THE STORY: Beginning immediately after the events of ARCHANGEL’S PROPHECY, this book reveals what has happened to Elena and Raphael after they attempted to defy fate in making Elena a blank vessel for Raphael’s power.

OPINION: This is a book where it is infinitely better to stop reading reviews and just get to the book.

Just about everything that can be said is a spoiler, so my comments will remain general.

I loved the scope, the action, the romance, the heart of this book. It fulfills all the promise of the prior book. It is a long book, but it never drags and I can’t imagine any moment, any scene, any character that could have been excised. I loved every moment and immediately went back to re-read whole sections.

Singh is a master of these complicated multi-character worlds and this book brings the entire scope of the series to New York. The threads of the story are multifaceted and it manages to be amazingly fulfilling to those who have committed to the series. Singh knows her characters inside and out and each one sparkles on the page.

This book had high stakes and it was better than I could have wished.

This book was the best new book I have read this year. It was such a great reading experience, I can’t imagine that any other book will be able to top it.

WORTH MENTIONING: I wish these books were available in hardcover.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ARCHANGEL’S WAR is the twelfth book in the Guild Hunter series. This series should be read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars