Review: Stealing Midnight

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Review: Stealing MidnightStealing Midnight (Beneath the Veil, #4) by Tracy MacNish
Series: Beneath the Veil #4
Published by Zebra on January 1, 2009
Genres: Historical
Pages: 415
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: I ended up enjoying this book much more than I expected! Some parts were a little slow, but I enjoyed the relationship between Aidan and Olwyn and the different gothic tone of the book.

THE STORY: Olwyn Gawain’s father buys bodies from resurrection men to conduct his investigations. One night a man in his thirties is brought to Olwyn’s home, and she is immediately drawn to the man who appears to be in perfect condition — other than being dead. When her father begins his study, the two discover that the man is alive. When her father wants to continue his experiments, Olwyn escapes from her home with the unconscious man. When he awakes, Aidan Mullin isn’t sure what has happened and who this unworldly woman is. Aidan lies about his identity and is tempted by Olwyn. Olwyn, however, soon discovers the life that Aidan is hiding from.

OPINION: This is a gothic historical with a sense of mystery, drama, and some horror. The writing is different than might be expected because of its subgenre. The story is dark at times, although there is beauty and love between Aidan and Olwyn. The story is melodramatic, and I loved it because it feels so appropriate for the gothic tone of the book.

Olwyn could have been a caricature of an innocent who has been mistreated by her father, but there was something strong and fresh and real about her character even though she feels unworldly and somewhat out of time. She immediately is attracted to the “dead” man who is brought to her father. His presence gives her the strength to break free from her father, and it is so lovely that she accepts that their relationship will be limited and temporary and yet does not shield herself from him. She is the star of this book, and I might have found Aidan annoying in other circumstances, but she makes him more heroic.

Aidan is torn between his developing love for Olwyn and his obligations to the woman he is betrothed to. The situation is complicated, and I appreciated that the author takes the story seriously even as things become even crazier — which readers of gothic novels might expect. There is a beautiful handfast scene that is romantic and lovely. There are some interesting questions raised about consent dealing with Aidan which is not often explored in romance. I don’t want to give away the plot points, but it is explored in subtle ways throughout the book.

The secondary characters in this book are also well-developed (which might be expected as they are part of a series) and yet it was done in a way that didn’t make me feel like I missed something by not reading the prior books in the series. Even the villains are incredibly interesting. There is something really wonderful in how Olwyn develops a relationship with the women in Aidan’s family and how that helps with the resolution of the story.

For the right reader, this is such a good book. The book asks more from its readers as the language and plot might be offputting for some readers. For me, the gothic nature of the book was what I loved most.

WORTH MENTIONING: I was saddened that the author apparently stopped writing after this book. I would have loved to read about Aidan’s brother.

CONNECTED BOOKS: STEALING MIDNIGHT is the fourth book in the Beneath the Veil series. This book can be read as a standalone. I hadn’t read the previous books and didn’t feel like I needed to do so. Both the parents and the grandparents have books, and their stories have some relevance here, but I got all the information I needed here.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Band Sinister

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Review: Band SinisterBand Sinister by K.J. Charles
on October 11, 2018
Genres: Historical
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION: This book was uneven for me. There were some parts that I really enjoyed and then other parts that I thought were deadly dull. I did enjoy the writing, which felt gothic, especially in the beginning, and the banter between the characters.

THE STORY: Guy and Amanda Frisby live quietly after their mother caused a scandal. Their neighbor is Philip Rookwood, who is the talk of the country town. He and his friends are at Rookwood Hall, where rumors of a hellfire club where orgies are going on. When Amanda is injured in a riding accident, she must stay at Rookwood Hall to recover. Guy must stay with her as well to protect Amanda from Rookwood’s disreputable crew. Soon, however, Guy learns that Rookwood’s friends are different than he expected and that he can’t stop thinking about Philip.

OPINION: This book was difficult for me to rate because I liked the different characters and seeing their relationships, but ultimately, so many characters and motivations just diminished the relationship between Philip and Guy. I really didn’t buy their romance. It seemed more like a sexual dalliance than a relationship. Or perhaps it is just the difference in the experience without really understanding Philip. I think there was too much going on so the main relationship never really got time to gain complexity especially because this is a shorter novel. It was fine, but I wanted more depth in the relationship between these characters.

At the same time, I loved the gothic feel of this book. I thought there were so many nuanced characters in this book that I wanted to know more about them and was disappointed in the quick resolution. This might have been a better book as the first in a series.

WORTH MENTIONING: There is more than one romance afoot in this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BAND SINISTER is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: Hold

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Review: HoldHold (Hold, #1) by Claire Kent, Zannie Adams
Series: Hold #1
Published by CreateSpace on January 2, 2023
Genres: Futuristic
Pages: 180
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION: Okay read. Mostly sex that wasn’t very sexy at all. I wanted to know how they resolved the story because the situation was so intriguing. I didn’t really see much about a relationship, though, until a quick resolution in the epilogue so this was an okay one-time read, but clearly not my type of book.

THE STORY: Riana is convicted of a minor crime but sentenced to life on a prison planet. The prison planet is a free for all where only the most dangerous — survive. She is told that her best chance for survival is to find the toughest man and offer herself to him in exchange for protection. Riana immediately decides on Cain, who happens to have a private cell with a bathroom. Any man who could have such accommodations must be tough. So Riana seeks to make a deal with Cain to survive.

OPINION: This novella was a little darker and more brutal than I like in my stories generally. Most of the book is pure sex and mere survival with little to no personal relationship between the main characters. I thought the story felt appropriate for the location, but all the softness is at the end, and that’s not what I like in my stories. For readers who like lots and lots of sex in their stories and don’t particularly care about the softer things, this story is well constructed. It feels appropriate, and I understand the characters’ motivations. This is not a bad story, but perhaps the prison sub-genre is just not for me.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a novella-length story.

CONNECTED BOOKS: HOLD is the first book in the Hold series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: Diamond Fire

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Review: Diamond FireDiamond Fire (Hidden Legacy, #3.5) by Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy #3.5
Published by Avon Impulse on November 6, 2018
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 160
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Definitely not as intense or as compelling as the books in this series, this novella really introduces Catalina as her own person in the series and provides a foundation for her own books. The novella is funny and makes me smile.

THE STORY: Catalina Baylor is looking forward to her sister Nevada’s wedding. Then her sister’s future mother-in-law unexpectedly asks Catalina to meet with her. Catalina is told that the family’s traditional tiara is missing and Catalina is asked to find it without letting Nevada know. Catalina agrees to search which is complicated by Rogan’s family who are prime suspects. At the same time, there is also a bride to pacify, and it also seems that someone is out to commit murder.

OPINION: Like the other books in the Hidden Legacy, this novella has a combination of humor and action. This novella doesn’t have a romance (except for Rogan and Nevada’s wedding). Instead, it is an introduction to Catalina’s voice. It is really a prequel to Catalina’s trilogy and closure to Nevada’s trilogy.

The plot was good for a novella (lacking the depth and complexity of the novels), but what I really loved about this story was learning more about Catalina, her magical talent, and what problems she faces. Catalina is still a teenager in this story, and by the end, her trajectory toward her adult life seems clearer.

WORTH MENTIONING: Nevada doesn’t make an appearance here except through others’ observations of her.

CONNECTED BOOKS: DIAMOND FIRE is book 3.5 of the Hidden Legacy series. The novella operates as a transition between Nevada’s trilogy and Catalina’s trilogy. While it is better to read the series in order, this book can operate as an entry point for new readers who want to continue with Catalina’s story.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: The Love Hypothesis

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Review: The Love HypothesisThe Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Published by Berkley on September 14, 2021
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 383
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: This book is fun and light, like cotton candy. Even the “serious” storyline is really fluff because it lacks complexity. I liked the book, but I probably won’t remember it in a year. That being said, the book is perfect for someone looking for a fun rom-com.

THE STORY: Olive Smith is a STEM field Ph.D. candidate at Stanford. When Olive realizes that her best friend, Anh, is perfect for the guy that Olive is casually dating, Olive decides to help their romance along. Olive knows that Anh won’t make a move even after a breakup because of Anh’s loyalty to Olive. So Olive tells Anh that she has already moved on and is dating someone else. When Anh shows up at the lab when Olive is supposed to be on a date, Olive grabs the first guy she finds and asks him to kiss her. The man agrees, and Olive soon finds out that she has been kissing, Adam Adam Carlsen, a young brilliant professor, and a total jerk. Surprisingly, he also agrees to keep up the fake relationship facade telling Olive that he could benefit as well. There is an expiration date for the ruse, but Olive can’t help but find that the fake relationship feels more real every one of those days.

OPINION: I thought this was a sweet romantic comedy. Hazelwood’s writing style is witty, charming, and engaging, and her characters are lovable, relatable, and full of personality. Rather than presenting a traditional alpha male lead who bulldozes his way into Olive’s life, Adam is respectful, supportive, and willing to listen. Overall, this book is delightful and left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It’s the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day, and it is a fun and lighthearted read that made me laugh and smile. The secondary characters and their romances made me smile as well. This book also has some grumpy/sunshine vibes as Olive teases Adam out of his being too serious and makes him see himself more clearly which I really loved. I also really liked that Adam is so supportive of Olive’s work.

The negative to me is twofold. First, I really didn’t like the happy-for-now ending. I’m not sure that these two won’t break up in a year. This is true especially because we don’t really learn anything about these characters having a deep relationship. Instead, everything is funny and light. Even the serious items we learn are not really the stuff that sustains relationships. Second, the entire story was pretty shallow, and everything could be predicted from the start. There is a harassment story that was clear a mile away including how it would obviously be resolved. So while I enjoyed this book, it lacks the depth that would make me come back to re-read.

WORTH MENTIONING: The pumpkin spice drink wars made me laugh out loud.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS is a standalone book.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Wildfire

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Review: WildfireWildfire (Hidden Legacy, #3) by Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy #3
Published by Avon on May 25, 2022
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 405
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Another great entry in the Hidden Legacy series. The story gets deeper and richer with each book, and this book has some great action sequences. Nevada and Rogan’s story is just about done (with the exception of the transition novella), and it is clear things are shifting towards Catalina.

THE STORY: Things are changing for Nevada Baylor. As she is applying for her family to be recognized as an official House, she is becoming more known among those in the magic world. She now has more enemies and also some men who are interested in a strategic marriage. None of these make her current lover, Rogan, happy. Nevada isn’t happy either because her new client is Rogan’s ex-fiancée, whose husband has disappeared. Nevada and Rogan also continue their investigation into the large conspiracy attempting to upend the magical hierarchy.

OPINION: This is such a great series. Every book so far has managed to exceed my expectations. There is so much action, adventure, and heart in these books. I loved how the story managed to balance the romance, the suspense/action, and the humor.

We get to learn much more about the secrets of the Baylor family as those characters take on a larger role in this book. This book completes the trilogy about Nevada and Rogan’s romance and “mostly” resolves the overarching storyline. There are some loose ends, but the story is overall satisfying. It can be seen as the end of “Season 1” of the series.

One of the biggest developments in this book is that we get to know Nevada’s ruthless grandmother, Victoria Tremaine, who has been trying to abduct/take control of Nevada as Victoria is the last Prime in the House of Tremaine. There is such complexity to this character who could have been an evil caricature.

As Nevada and Rogan are together and in love, there are some complexities that are set as possible obstacles and dangers, but I really loved that I never questioned the depth of Nevada and Rogan’s relationship. The two really work things out in such an adult way. They talk about their challenges and never really doubt one another.

There is so much I love about this book. The humor is great. The book feels like it could be immediately put on film as there are great set pieces of action and humorous events.

WORTH MENTIONING: Some mysteries of the Baylor family’s magic talents are revealed.

CONNECTED BOOKS: WILDFIRE is the third book in the Hidden Legacy series. This book should be read in order because of the overarching storyline.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: White Hot

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Review: White HotWhite Hot (Hidden Legacy, #2) by Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy #2
Published by HarperCollins Publishers on May 30, 2017
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 416
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: This series is amazing. The second book picks up right where the last book left off without losing any of the zippy nature of the plot or the adventure with the big set pieces. This book feels like a blockbuster movie with big action sequences and I love it — especially because the romance heats up here.

THE STORY: Nevada, who has been revealed as a lie detector, takes on a new client for her detective agency. Cornelius, an animal Mage, wants to find out who murdered his wife. Immediately, it is clear that Primes and the Houses are involved in either the murder or covering it up — probably both. Her investigation also brings Mad Rogan back into her orbit after a couple of months apart. It is clear that this investigation again threatens their lives and is also connected with the plot that Nevada and Rogan foiled — in part — in BURN FOR ME.

OPINION: This book is perhaps not as shockingly amazing as the first one, which introduced the world, but I loved that it puts flesh on the relationships and the overarching story. Nevada and Rogan have met, and there is certainly an attraction between them. Now in this book, the question is will they have an intimate relationship?

This is a great followup to the first book because Nevada, and us, learn more about her powers. One thing I loved is how Rogan is so supportive of her. He believes in her and knows that she can handle just about everything, even as he wants to care for and protect her. Nevada also has to confront her new realities as a player in the magic world.

The book is fast-paced and filled with plenty of adventure in the same vein as I enjoyed in the first book. We get to see plenty of new powers that different magic users have. We also get to see again the great cast of characters and plenty of new faces that populate this world. My favorite character (other than Nevada and Rogan) is Cornelius, who is Nevada’s client and I loved his story (and I hope that he might yet have a happy ending one day).

I’m glad that I have come to this series after so many books have been written. These books are like popcorn. I just want more and more. Again, I finished this book and immediately turned to the next in the series.

WORTH MENTIONING: Although I loved the first book, as a romance reader, this one was a bit more satisfying (wink, wink!)

CONNECTED BOOKS: WHITE HOT is the second book in the Hidden Legacy series. This series should be read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: A Sinister Revenge

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Review: A Sinister RevengeA Sinister Revenge (Veronica Speedwell, #8) by Deanna Raybourn
Series: Veronica Speedwell #8
Published by Berkley on March 7, 2023
Genres: Historical, Mystery
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: I tore through this book. Launching from the conclusion of the prior book, this book brings together so many elements of what I love about this series: the relationship between Veronica and Stoker, a good mystery, and plenty of supporting characters that have their own stories. Loved this one.

THE STORY: After being apart from her partner/lover Stoker for several months, Veronica arrives in Bavaria with Stoker’s brother Tiberius to seek Stoker’s help. Tiberius has received death threats over something that happened years ago amongst the “Seven Sinners,” his group of friends. Now two of his friends have been killed, and the message sender suggests that Tiberius might be next. Not knowing why he and his friends have been targeted, Tiberius intends to assemble a reunion and include Veronica and Stoker to help reveal the killer. The only task is to find Stoker (who has been out on his own since discovering Veronica’s “husband” in AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTER) and convince him to join the hunt.

OPINION: I enjoyed this book so much after the tension of the prior book. Where that book was so hard on Veronica, this one felt flirty and fun even though Veronica and Stoker were dealing with their relationship for most of the book. That’s what I loved about this book. I knew that things would work out, so I just enjoyed the ride.

Another enjoyable portion of this book is learning more about Tiberius and seeing the relationship between him and Stoker develop. We also get to see more of the youngest brother Merryweather. I love the dynamic that is developing where Veronica is bringing this broken set of brothers together.

The mystery here is fun with lots of suspects. It reminded me somewhat of some of my favorite Agatha Christie mysteries — lots of suspects involving social events and plenty of deaths.

This is one of my favorites already, and I look forward to more in this series.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book resolves the conflict which ended AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTER.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A SINISTER REVENGE is the eighth book in the Veronica Speedwell series. The mystery here is self-contained, and thus this book can be read as a standalone. However, this book’s overarching relationship plot flows directly from the prior book in the series, and this series is much better to read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: Burn for Me

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Review: Burn for MeBurn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) by Ilona Andrews
Series: Hidden Legacy #1
Published by Avon on October 28, 2020
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 406
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: I loved this book! It felt fresh and exciting. The world-building was extensive, and yet nothing stopped while the world was revealed. This was such an exciting, fast-moving book that I finished it quickly and immediately picked up the next book in the series.

THE STORY: Nevada Baylor unwillingly takes on a case — to bring alive a powerful magic user. Nevada is then kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan, a very, very powerful Prime magic user who is on his own mission to find Nevada’s quarry. Nevada and Rogan end up reluctantly joining forces. The two are involved in a very dangerous situation — not only in finding the rogue magic user but also handling the attraction between them.

OPINION: This book is a wild ride. The story is action-packed and feels like it could be a movie. The world created in this book is detailed and vibrant. The world has a historical feel as the power in the world revolves around houses that have different powerful magical traits. There are rules and types of courtesies between these houses, and also, the rules don’t apply in the same way to the magical as it does to the non-magical.

I loved the characters. Nevada is a woman of tremendous power who is just learning who she is. I was totally on board for her journey where her magic which has been hidden, is not only exposed, but also she learns that her power is far beyond what she knew about herself. She also has a quirky family filled with distinctive characters. (Her sister ends up being a heroine in later books in this series).

Mad Rogan is powerful and damaged and an incredible hero. His story begins with him being completely without conscience or boundaries, and yet he has depths that Nevada begins to recognize — even as she runs from him. He has a journey of his own which makes both characters a joy to follow in their character development.

The focus of this book is the story, and the romance is certainly present, but this is not solely focused on the romance. It is a paranormal adventure with a serious romantic plot, but it doesn’t have a typical romance arc that is done here. I really care more about the romance in all these books, and I loved how Rogan and Nevada interact, but readers should not expect romance to be the main story here.

WORTH MENTIONING: The couple’s story here is not complete. There is a resolution in the immediate plot, but there are overarching storylines, including the relationship between Nevada and Rogan, that continue over the series. FYI there is no sex in this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: BURN FOR ME is the first book in the Hidden Legacy series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: An Impossible Imposter

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Review: An Impossible ImposterAn Impossible Impostor (Veronica Speedwell #7) by Deanna Raybourn
Series: Veronica Speedwell #7
Published by Berkley on February 15, 2022
Genres: Historical, Mystery
Pages: 334
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: This was a challenging book to read because the expectations I had were disturbed. I enjoyed that the author refuses to fall into an expected template of what these books should be. Readers might be disturbed from their comfortable expectations, but that makes the series more exciting to me.

THE STORY: Veronica Speedwell and her lover/partner Stoker are asked by Sir Hugo, head of the Special Branch, to investigate whether a long-lost relative of his goddaughter is a fraud. Jonathan Hathaway was believed dead after the eruption of Krakatoa. Sir Hugo has come to Veronica and Stoker because she knew Jonathan so he hopes that she will know whether the newly reappeared Jonathan is an imposter or not. Complicating the matter is that the man has no memory of his identity and has been injured, but meets the description of Jonathan. Veronica and Stoker go to the family estate to confront the possible imposter, but she also has to confront secrets from her past.

OPINION: This is a difficult book to review without giving spoilers because all the significant parts of the book depend upon the information that is revealed during the book. Because of this, I decided to just write a list of what I loved about this book:

*Veronica is personally challenged in this book as never depicted before.

*A new villain is born.

*This mystery has plenty of drama and twists and turns.

*Stoker and Veronica have some great relationship moments here — not all of them are good.

*I was surprised as my opinions of different characters changed and evolved throughout the book. The complexity of the characters in this book was well done.

*This book bothered me in many ways which I enjoyed as the author is challenging the readers’ expectations.

WORTH MENTIONING: Upon finishing this book, I immediately wanted to read the next. The book doesn’t end on a true cliffhanger, but the overarching storyline is at a significant point.

CONNECTED BOOKS: AN IMPOSSIBLE IMPOSTER is the seventh book in the Veronica Speedwell series. The mystery here is self-contained, and thus the book can be read as a standalone. However, overarching character development depends upon the continuing relationship between Stoker and Veronica, and this book is so much better if read in order.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars