88) Body on the Bayou by Ellen Byron

The Blurb :

The Crozats feared that past murders at Crozat Plantation B&B might spell the death of their beloved estate, but they’ve managed to survive the scandal. Now there’s a très bigger story in Pelican, Louisiana: the upcoming nuptials between Maggie Crozat’s nemesis, Police Chief Rufus Durand, and her co-worker, Vanessa Fleer.

Maggie, inexplicably tasked with being Vanessa's Maid of Honor, quickly discovers why everyone else refused the assignment when the Bridezilla hands her a long list of duties — the most important of which is entertaining Vanessa’s cousin, Ginger Fleer-Starke, a mysterious woman with dangerous secrets. But just days before the wedding, Ginger’s lifeless body is found on the bayou behind Crozat Plantation and the Pelican PD, as well as the Crozats, have another murder mystery on their hands.

There’s a gumbo-potful of suspects, including an ex-Marine with PTSD, an annoying local newspaper reporter, and Vanessa’s own sparkplug of a mother. But when it looks like the investigation is zeroing in on Vanessa as the prime suspect, Maggie reluctantly adds keeping the bride-to-be out of jail to her list of Maid of Honor responsibilities.

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the series debut, Plantation Shudders, and had this book on my pre-order list as soon as it showed up on Amazon.  Unfortunately I got behind with my reading and didn't get to it straight away and then when I did start it I kept having to put it down as I couldn't concentrate or didn't have enough time.  I was enjoying it but with life throwing other things at me I just wasn't getting far.

Finally I finished this one and have to say that I really liked it.  It wasn't as good as the debut but it was still a great book.  The mystery kept me guessing and there are some wonderful characters involved in the series.  This time around it seems they got a little crazier than I remembered them to be but it all made for good reading so I don't care one bit.

Some of the plot was a little annoying in a way.  The whole wedding debacle was slowly getting on my nerves but I wasn't the only one.  Even Maggie had had enough and I felt it brought us a little closer.  Sometimes the Bo angle frustrated me but I think that was intended.  After all there is nothing like a romance problem to keep people reading.

All in all this series got off to a great start and is continuing to shine in this second installment.  I can't wait to read part three and hope that there are many more Cajun Country Mysteries to come.  I will definitely be picking them up and checking out what Maggie gets mixed up with next and how things progress with her guy and all the other wonderful characters in her life.

86) Pressed to Death by Kirsten Weiss

The Blurb :

Perfectly pressed. Perfectly proper. Perfectly deadly.

Paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski thinks she has the perfect paranormal exhibit for the harvest festival—a haunted grape press. But before she can open the exhibit, she’s accused of stealing the antique press. And when her accuser is found murdered, all eyes turn to Maddie.

Solving the crime is the last thing on Maddie’s mind, but her mother insists she investigate. Does her mother have a secret agenda? And why has the local charity, Ladies Aid, seemingly gone gangster?

In this light, cozy mystery, haunted houses, runaway wine barrels, and murder combine in a perfect storm of chaos. Facing down danger and her own over-active imagination, Maddie must unearth the killer before she becomes the next ghost to haunt her museum.

My Thoughts :

Sorry for the silence.  I had to go on a business trip and it was all very short notice and not a lot of internet.  Also didn't get to read much either!  However I did finish this book before I left but I just didn't get a chance to write about it.  So after nearly two weeks I am finally able to write a little about the book. Not much though, because I realised now that this one doesn't release until next year!  For some reason I thought it released this month so I was a little premature with reading this and don't want to give anything away!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum, and was really looking forward to the next installment.  However I have to say straight away that this sequel, although good, wasn't as good as the debut.  I can't really put my finger on why but there was something that didn't sit right the whole time I was reading it.

Once again there was an interesting enough mystery.  It was a little far fetched but the plot was ok and kept me interested.  The whole Ladies Aid angle seemed a little unnecessary but it gave the reader a chance to get to know some of the characters better and added some strength to the story.  I really was annoyed with the Mason plot.  It may have added another mystery to the story but in my honest opinion it was too soon in the series to go that route already.

While the paranormal aspect of the series is still a little 'up in the air' I found that this time it wasn't as well written.  I liked the whole idea but there wasn't much of the paranormal to deal with and it was all circumstance.  The murder mystery was readable and nice and cozy but I expected something better after the debut book.  This one seemed like it was patch worked together from many ideas without having a clear decision on how it would look in the end.

I still want to keep reading this series.  There are some great cozies out there and there are always room for more.  Especially paranormal ones.  I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with for book three and hope that she finds another interesting story to base a murder mystery and paranormal mystery on.  Maybe less drama and more stability is needed but for now I am happy and will keep reading.

85) Otherworld Chills by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Embrace the obscure. In the final installment of the Otherworld anthology series, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong once again opens the gates to the Otherworld. This collection of rare and never-before-published novellas and short stories brings the clever wit, dark twists, and intense suspense Otherworld readers have come to expect. Favorite characters return, secrets are revealed, and several important storylines reach their conclusions.

My Thoughts :

Once again there is another collection of tales from the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.  Once again I rush around hoping to get a copy because I really miss this series and love this author.  While I usually hate anthologies this is an exception to the rule because the stories are all by Kelley, are all from the Otherworld and are all short stories.  No this isn't just a bunch of really short stories these are stories that actually have chapters because they are so long.  This is a book you can get your teeth stuck into and enjoy.  This author gives the fans the good stuff.

BRAZEN

This story is all about Nick.  The threat of Malcolm is topic of the story but the romance aspect seemed to take front stage most of the time.  This one was a little flat and a poor choice for the first story in the collection.  I spent the whole story just hoping that things will get better because this one, while not boring, wasn't exactly exciting either.  Nice to see things from Nick's perspective but sadly not as good as the other stories in the book.

CHAOTIC

A tale about Hope and Karl and how they met. It felt familiar and I had the feeling throughout the story that I have read it before somewhere.  Maybe I have.  Despite that 'I've been here before' déjà vu I still read the story until the end.  It was action packed and interesting but not the best of the bunch.

AMITYVILLE HORRIBLE

I really like Jamie so this one was one of my favourite stories.  Being tricked into taking part in a haunted house reality show, the necromancer manages to find more ghosts that expected.  With Jeremy around for support it was a great read.  I like their relationship and combined with the ghostly mystery I was hooked.  Creepy and definitely putting the chills into the book title, this was definitely my favourite of the bunch.

SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD

A vampire story.  It seems the author tried to cover every character or at least every Otherworld supernatural.  Cassandra and Zoe were always around somewhere but they never really got to tell a story like the other women. However this still wasn't their chance.  The story was the shortest of all and disappointing.

OFF-DUTY ANGEL

You can't have an Otherworld collection of stories with one about or featuring Eve Levine.  She is one of the well known and prominent characters in the series and it was a done deal about her being in here somewhere.  However the story wasn't the best of the bunch and not my favourite about her.  It was ok but I wouldn't have missed the story, although I would have missed Eve, if this one had been left out of the book.

THE PUPPY PLAN

So I am very sure I read this one before somewhere and skipped most of this story.  A tale about Elena and Clay's twins and of course, as the title suggests, a puppy.  A nice read and one that all fans of the series will appreciate.  It is always great to check in with Elena and Clay. They really made the series and nearly everything revolved around them.

BABY BOOM

The other characters that took up a lot of the series is Paige, Lukas and Savannah.   So it was a nice surprise to have this story come in at the end.  A good story and a good end to the book.  It's all about pregnancy and may not be the best plot but it was a nice read and I loved catching up with them all.

All in all this is a nice book that fans will appreciate and enjoy.  I really would prefer more full length books in the series but I know that this is most likely never going to happen.  It also sounds like this is the last time any of the characters will be seen again.  Such a shame but it was an amazing series and one I will be re-reading sometime soon.

82) Dangling by a Thread by Lea Wait

The Blurb :

Hermit Jesse Lockhart lives alone on King’s Island, three miles east of Haven Harbor, Maine, where he’s created a private sanctuary for the endangered Great Cormorants. But when a wealthy family wants to buy the island and Jesse’s cousin Simon petitions for power of attorney to force him to sell, Jesse is the one who becomes endangered.

Mainely Needlepointer Dave Perry, who befriended Jesse in the VA hospital, rallies the group to his defense. Angie Curtis and the ravelers stitch “Save the King’s Island Cormorants” pillows and sell T-shirts to pay for Jesse’s legal counsel. But tragically, on a visit to the island, Angie and Dave find Jesse dead. Now the search is on for a common thread that can tie the murdered man to his killer . . .

My Thoughts :

It hasn't been a good month, reading wise.  Despite having some great reads lined up and a huge selection of books on my to be read pile, I am constantly struggling to read as fast as I usually do.  Distracted or just busy, I am not getting enough read quick enough.  I hope that as Winter comes along I will be more prone to curl up in bed and read.  Especially if they are books like Dangling by a Thread.

I have really enjoyed this series so far and couldn't wait to start this fourth installment.  Not much time has passed story wise since the third book, Thread and Gone.  Angie is still in Haven Harbor and things are going well.  So well that she is thinking of staying longer than the six months she has promised.  Unfortunately this book also sees Angie getting involved with another murder investigation but once again there is a great location, some interesting facts and a nice plot.  I enjoyed it as much as the previous books.

However there were some little minor problems I had with this installment.  One thing was that I can't believe it has only been three months since Angie arrived back.  A lot has happened and this is the fourth book and therefore fourth murder investigation.  It seems all a little too much in such a small amount of time.  Also I find the whole premise that Angie is only staying for six months completely unnecessary.  She has had the house signed over to her, gets a pet, is running the business, getting involved in everything and can even carry her gun because the laws changed.  Does the author think we are stupid?

This time around I also had a problem with how the characters spoke to each other.  It is hard to explain but there were so many conversations that sounded sarcastic, unsure, a little nasty...Sometimes it felt like there was a tone that wasn't all nice and friendly even when the characters involved have been great friends.  Especially between Angie and Dave but also with others.

All in all I am still loving this series.  I may have figured out who the murderer was before everyone else and I did think the ending was a little too quick but I enjoyed it and look forward to more.  I really like the little needlepoint references and history at the beginning of each chapter and only wish there were some pictures attached to them as they are hard to imagine.

Well worth checking out if you are looking for a nice welcoming cozy series.  This fourth part in the series may have had, in my opinion, a few little bumps but it was still a great read and continues to be a good well though out and well written series.

80) The Witch and the Dead by Heather Blake

The Blurb :

When Darcy moved to Salem, Massachusetts, she never expected her life to change as drastically as it did. But within a short time, the Enchanted Village has become her home, its mystical residents have become her family, and As You Wish, the personal concierge business formerly run by her Aunt Ve, has become her calling. Still, the time has come for change—and for Darcy to move out of Aunt Ve’s house.

Darcy’s belongings are stashed in Aunt Ve’s garage, alongside a mess of memories, forgotten possessions, and, to both Ve and Darcy’s horror, a pile of old bones. It turns out they belong to Ve’s long missing second husband. Now Darcy must unpack old secrets to solve a cold case—and make sure her aunt isn’t looking at a spell behind bars.

My Thoughts :

The seventh Wishcraft Mystery was a wonderful, compelling and satisfying a read as the previous six books in the series.  Everything I have come to know and love about the Wishcraft books was there and the story continues to make me excited and happy about the next instllaments.  Darcy and the other characters that make this series a joy to read were all out in force and it was spellbinding and magicial.  I enjoyed it all.  I love it all.

Murder and mystery once again finds its way to Salem and once more Darcy is given the task of finding out who the killer is.  This case is a little more close to home when the body is found in her Aunt Ve's garage but as things progress it is clear that the secrets surrounding this mystery are not Ve's.

Once again I was sucked into the lovely little village atmosphere, the unique magical elements and the on-going story.  I enjoyed every moment even if I did, at times, find it hard to keep track of who was who in the case.  With so many characters, a long break between books and trying not to mix this series up with Heather's other amazing Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series, It is easy to have some moments of 'huh...'

I can't wait for more.  I love everything there is about this and I am really happy that things are progressing the way they are.  I am also continuously intrigued by the on-going story and the little cliffhangers and secrets that are unveiled in each installment.  Well worth checking out even if don't like cozies and also worth checking out if you aren't a paranormal fan.  This series is just too magical not to try!

75) All The Little Liars by Charlaine Harris

The Blurb :

Aurora Teagarden is basking in the news of her pregnancy when disaster strikes her small Georgia town: four kids vanish from the school soccer field in an afternoon. Aurora’s 15-year-old brother Phillip is one of them. Also gone are two of his friends, and an 11-year-old girl who was just hoping to get a ride home from soccer practice. And then there’s an even worse discovery—at the kids’ last known destination, a dead body.

While the local police and sheriff’s department comb the county for the missing kids and interview everyone even remotely involved, Aurora and her new husband, true crime writer Robin Crusoe, begin their own investigation. Could the death and kidnappings have anything to do with a group of bullies at the middle school? Is Phillip’s disappearance related to Aurora’s father’s gambling debts? Or is Phillip himself, new to town and an unknown quantity, responsible for taking the other children? But regardless of the reason, as the days go by, the most important questions remain. Are the kids still alive? Who could be concealing them? Where could they be?

With Christmas approaching, Aurora is determined to find her brother…if he’s still alive.

My Thoughts :

A decade after the last installment in the Aurora Teagarden series, Charlaine Harris has delighted and surprised us all with a new story!  This ninth book in the series starts a few weeks after the last book finished but the author manages to bridge the ten years difference very well making this one feel more up to date but not too advanced.  Aurora is as pleasant and inquisitive as always and all the regular cast of characters are either mentioned or play a part in the story.  All The Little Liars was a reunion and an update of sorts and it was a wonderful read.

I have read and enjoyed every single book in the Aurora Teagarden series and then, like all of Charlaine's other books, I read them again via Audible book.  So when I saw All The Little Liars pop up I couldn't believe that fans of her series were being so blessed!  It was always a little annoying how the series ended.  A nice happy cliffhanger but not the place I felt it should have been left.  Thankfully it seems many more readers of the series also had the same attitude and the author managed to make something happen.

The mystery was a complicated one that wasn't too confusing but mostly mind-boggling.  This is just the way Harris does things.  A great twisted plot that keeps you guessing until the end.  You may think you know what has happened but you really only get there when the amateur sleuth does.  The author does a great job of keeping the reader hooked and offers up a good amount of information to keep you in the know and not confused or overwhelmed.  This series is one of the best cozy mysteries out there and it shows even in this new release years after what we thought was the end.

So many things could be said about the plot and I could write a lot more about the story.  However I don't want to give away all the surprises to fans who have been waiting for this new addition or spoil things for anyone who haven't gotten this far into the series yet.  All I can say is that it was worth the wait.  All The Little Liars was not a disappointment and I read it all in a few hours.  I was completely and utterly hooked from the first chapter.

Now I hope that there will be more Aurora books.  It would make me really happy to have a few more stories but maybe one more would be enough.  However if there aren't any more I could handle it.  After all this ninth book was a surprise I wasn't expecting and am very grateful for.  I wonder if the author has plans for any other of her series to get new installments. I wouldn't mind catching up with Lily Bard or Harper Connolly but for now I will just say thanks and well done for All The Little Liars.

74) Death by Pumpkin Spice by Alex Erickson

The Blurb :

Bookstore café owner Krissy Hancock would rather spend Halloween serving pumpkin goodies than wearing costumes with Pine Hills’ wealthiest at Yarborough mansion, especially when the soiree shapes up to be more trick than treat . . .

As if a run-in with an old flame and a failed marriage proposal weren’t enough to horrify Krissy for one night, a woman is found strangled to death in a room filled with ominous jack-o’-lanterns. All signs suggest a crime of passion—but when the hostess’s jewelry disappears, malevolent intentions seem way more likely . . .

With the estate on lockdown and a killer roaming the halls, Krissy must help Officer Paul Dalton investigate each nook, cranny, and guest for answers—while also confronting a few demons of her own. Someone has lots of skeletons in the closet, and Krissy better tread lightly to expose them . . .

My Thoughts :

Well it seems my reading slump is over and my reading is back on track again...if not a little behind.  So it was only natural that instead of picking up one of the many books that have been on my to be read pile for ages that I went to the review books and picked up the one that releases next.  Death by Pumpkin Spice is the third book in the Bookstore Cafe Mysteries and I was looking forward to reading the new installment after enjoying the first two so much.

Unfortunately while this was nice, easy and quick read I have to say it wasn't as good as the previous two books in the series.  While the story was set in the right time of year and fits into the whole Halloween holiday that is soon upon us, that was one of the only things Death by Pumpkin Spice really had going for it.  Actually I felt a little disappointed by this one.

While the murder mystery plot wasn't a bad one and kept me guessing, the majority of the book took place at a party in a house that I had a hard time visualizing and had nothing to do with the bookstore cafe.  The idea wasn't a bad one but it was totally different to the previous books in the series and felt wrong from the beginning.  The rushing around, being allowed to help and the relationship woes were all a little over the top sometimes and I couldn't keep track of the time frame of the story and wasn't completely convinced that the other guests wouldn't have made more of a ruckus.

I didn't enjoy Death by Pumpkin Spice as much as the previous books but I am still hopeful for the series.  Maybe the author thought it would be good to have a change of scenery or she wanted to try something a little different.  However I missed the Bookstore and Cafe setting, I was sad that Krissy's cat wasn't around as much and I was hoping to get to know the regular characters a bit better.  Also the love triangle was bleh and Krissy putting herself down all the time was annoying.

All this said, I want to read more.  Every series has its ups and downs and despite having some problems with this installment I still liked it enough to keep reading and I still want to read more.    This is a nice cozy series that is still finding its feet but has a lot to offer.  Worth trying and giving a chance to!

72) Paint the Town Dead by Nancy Haddock

The Blurb :

Leslee Stanton Nix—aka “Nixy”—thought moving to small-town Lilyvale, Arkansas, would be about as thrilling as watching paint dry. But keeping up with her retired Aunt Sherry and her troublemaking housemates—collectively known as the Silver Six—has proven to be as exciting as it is exasperating.

To kick off the grand opening of their craft shop, the Handcraft Emporium, Nixy and the Silver Six invite Doralee Gordon to teach a gourd painting class. Doralee’s spirit gets squashed when her ex-husband crashes the class with his new fiancée, but things really get messy when the bride-to-be later turns up dead. Now it’s up to Nixy and the Silver Six to use their melons to find the killer—before someone else gets painted out of the picture...

My Thoughts :

It hasn't been a very productive couple of weeks in regards to my reading.  I have been in a bit of a slump and hopefully this wonderful book has pulled me out of it!  Because this is the first book I have managed to read in the last two weeks.  Nothing else has interested me, nothing else could grab me and I certainly couldn't be bothered to pick up anything else to read.  However when I realised that this second book in the new cozy mystery series by Nancy Haddock was out I suddenly felt like reading again.  Once again this author has brightened my day!

Now I know Nancy from way back when!  She wrote an amazing vampire series that I miss terribly!  So when her new cozy mystery series came out last year I was eager to start it and I remember enjoying it so much that I wanted to get a sequel a lot faster than the author can write!  Now that sequel is here and I nearly missed it.  I feel ashamed to say that even though I had it on pre-order it managed to get past me and lay in wait for a couple of weeks.  It was however worth the wait and I spent a nice few hours in bed curled up with it.

I needed a few chapters to get my head around all the characters.  After a year it is normal to have forgotten who is who.  Especially if you read a lot of books.  Once things were back into place I could start enjoying this wonderful sequel in a very unique and well thought out series.  It took a few chapters to get to the murder mystery but I have to admit that I was actually more interested in Nixy and everyone else anyway and enjoyed the chance to hang out before the sleuthing started.

What else can I say without giving the whole plot away?  I can only recommend you try this series out!  It's a great cozy mystery and has so many cute and interesting things going on.  This book even saw the arrival of some fascinating pets (even though as an Amber and as a cat person....well it was weird being the dog!) and of course the whole craft shop angle is not only fun but inspiring. I can't wait for more and look forward to visiting this lovely town again and finding out more about the secrets it holds and the people within it!

71) Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night…

My Thoughts :

I haven't read much the last couple of weeks and I haven't even got an audio book on the go either.  So I needed a book to read that I knew would grab me and keep me hooked and I knew just what book to pick.  Immortal Nights is the twenty-four book in the Argeneau series and was, just like every installment that came before it, a pleasure to read.

Fans of the series will know that the immortals are not really vampires but the descendants and survivors of Atlantis.  The nano technology they have in their blood keeps them healthy, young and can heal nearly any injury.  Lovers of the series will also know the rules the Immortals follow and how hard it is for them to find a life-mate.  If you have read any of the books you will know that the general story repeats with all this information.  Boring?  No!  The author makes each story feel new, and unique while the story is always individually tailored to the immortal and life-mate who are the center of each installment.  It is a recipe that has worked all these years and one that doesn't seem to be going bad any time soon.

This time around we get to follow Tomasso's tale which is nicely entwined with that of Dante, his twin brother.  His story was told in the previous installment and the on-going story continues with Tomasso and joins up with Dante's.  The on-going story slowly progresses in Immortal Nights and there is even a nice cliffhanger but the general plot doesn't make too much headway which means more Argeneau books to come.  I can't wait for the next part of the story and look forward to another romantic, action packed paranormal delight.

Lynsay Sands has a gift and hopefully she will keep using it.  This series has come a long way and I hope there is still a lot more to go.  The Argeneau's are entertaining, exciting and inspirational.  I love delving back into their world and always hate to leave it.  Hopefully the wait for number twenty-five won't be a long one and it won't be the last one.

70) A Story To Kill by Lynn Cahoon

The Blurb :

Former English professor Cat Latimer is back in Colorado, hosting writers’ retreats in the big blue Victorian she’s inherited, much to her surprise, from none other than her carousing ex-husband! Now it’s an authors’ getaway—but Cat won’t let anyone get away with murder…
The bed-and-breakfast is open for business, and bestselling author Tom Cook is among its first guests. Cat doesn’t know why he came all the way from New York, but she’s glad to have him among the quirkier—and far less famous—attendees.

Cat’s high school sweetheart Seth, who’s fixing up the weathered home, brings on mixed emotions for Cat…some of them a little overpowering. But it’s her uncle, the local police chief, whom she’ll call for help when there’s a surprise ending for Tom Cook in his cozy guest room. Will a killer have the last word on the new life Cat has barely begun?

My Thoughts :

I have been enjoying the Tourist Trap Mysteries a lot so when I saw that the author, Lynn Cahoon, had another series coming out I couldn't wait to try it.  A Story To Kill may have a not so spectacular cover but the contents definitely make up for it.  It seems that the author has managed to come up with another interesting and unique cozy series with another set of great characters to get to know.

At first, I will admit, things didn't seem like they were going to be that good.  The couple of chapters were a little off and while I can see what the author was trying to do, it just left me a little confused.  If I hadn't already read her Tourist Trap Mysteries, I may have just given up on this one within the first few chapters.  The jumbled information, leaving important information for later and the general mystery about Cat's circumstances was not welcoming.  Luckily I kept going because the rest of the book was worth it.

Now the plot was a little twisty but the story was well thought out and I managed to follow it with no problems.  I have to say I had a inkling who the murderer was but it was fun to go through the paces and get to know Cat, her friends and the other characters.  Also there was always a hint of a much bigger mystery which actually turned out to be a cliffhanger.  Even though I was already interested in more from this series I have to say this sealed the deal for me and I knew I would be back for more.

It is a shame that this book didn't get a nicer cover,  I don't usually focus on covers when I write reviews but this one really doesn't do the book justice and doesn't even give you a feel for the great story hidden inside.  This was a great cozy mystery and it deserved a better cover with more effort.  This looks like some kind of stock photo off the internet.

Anyway, well worth checking out.  Great debut in the new series and I am looking forward to more.  The author manages to change her style a little and make A Story To Kill feel completely different to her other series.  Actually it felt like she has evolved her style which made this book feel more mature and somehow better than her other series.  Can't wait for more!

69) Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

The Blurb :

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight …

My Thoughts :

It is a great week in the reading world because the newest installment in the Elemental Assassin Series was released.  Unraveled is the 15th book in the series and there can be no way that this series will ever get boring.  I don't think I could ever give any book in this series a bad review.  This has got to be one of my all time favourites and I don't think I ever want to see this one end.  Ever.

Another installment filled with the characters I have come to know so well and love.  Once more there is a great plot with the on-going story developing, twisting, evolving and making progress.  Gin has been through so much and her strength and determination continue to leave me in admiration of her even if she is only a character in a book.

The story this time around focused on the revelations made in the previous book and even though Gin gets that little bit closer to finding out the truth, once again it is snatched away from her.  She does get some answers but there are always more questions.  However the progression isn't boring or annoying. You just find yourself even more invested in Gin's future as well as all the others who are along for the ride.

Jennifer Estep does it again.  She really can't stop this series from being amazing.  I dread the day it will end and only take comfort in the fact that I can then finally read the whole series again.  Yes I could do that now but it isn't done yet.  It isn't over.  It won't be over until the assassin of Ashland puts away those knives forever.  Hopefully it will a while.

One of the best Paranormal Urban Fantasy series out there.  Unique, exciting and compelling this is a must read, a pre-order and a devour in one sitting kind of series.  I look forward to the next installment and anymore that come along.  I also can't wait for anything else this author releases.  She has a talent and style that I can't get enough of.

68) Spells and Scones by Bailey Cates

The Blurb :

When the bookshop next to the Honeybee Bakery hosts a signing for a Savannah radio celebrity's new self-help book, magical baker Katie Lightfoot is happy to provide some delectable desserts. A big crowd has turned out for the event, curious about the book (and maybe to sample some goodies), but the final chapter comes too soon for the author when she is found dead at the event.

The prime suspect is Angie Kissel, a former witch whose familiar was once Katie’s own terrier, Mungo. Katie is at first hesitant to help, afraid of losing the little dog who has become so important to her. But after a little nudge from Mungo himself, Katie decides to try to conjure up the real killer—before Angie gets served...

My Thoughts :

The sixth book in the Magical Bakery series was a pre-order of mine that I nearly forgot about.  Only when I was deciding on which book to read next did I come across this one hidden amongst everything else on my Kindle. Suddenly all my other reading commitments and deadlines went out the window and I had to start the latest installment in this magical cozy mystery series.

I wasn't disappointed, much.  There was a severe lack of magic, in my honest opinion.  I expected much more in the way of spells and general development in the magical aspect of the series.  However this book was more about sleuthing and I felt the paranormal twist wasn't as present as it could or should of been.  My opinion and maybe not one that other readers will agree with but for me it just wasn't enough.

However the plot was good, the mystery interesting and the development of the characters and the on-going storyline was excellent.  There were some nice surprises as well as some interesting twists with the end of the book bringing things to a nice happy conclusion.  Hopefully this wasn't the last book but if it was then I wouldn't be too sad.  Although I do believe that Katie has many a more stories to tell and it would be nice to keep visiting her and everyone else in this lovely magical series.

A must read for any paranormal cozy mystery lovers but definitely something that both paranormal and cozy fans will enjoy and appreciate.  Cute but not too soft. Yummy but not too over the top.  Serious without being too dramatic.  I really love this series and look forward to more reads from this author.

63) City of the Lost : Part One by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Casey Duncan once killed a man and got away with it. Since then she’s become a talented police detective, tethered only to her job, her best friend, Diana, and the occasional evening with her sexy, no-strings-attached ex-con lover, Kurt. But then Diana's abusive ex finds her again, despite all Casey has done to help her disappear. And Casey’s own dark past begins to catch up with her. The two women need to run—and Diana’s heard of a place where they won’t be found, a town especially for people like them…

My Thoughts :

I won't spend a lot of time on this review because this just the 1st of 6 parts in the City of the Lost.  For some reason this book is available as a whole novel but priced pretty high but there are the lower priced six installments on Kindle which I have chosen to read through.

This first installment sets the story.  You learn all about Casey, her past and her current situation.  You also get to know about Diana her best friend.  A woman who has gotten herself into a bad place and wants to runaway.  There is also Kurt, the lover that Casey may actually have feelings for but doesn't want to admit it.

How things will progress is something that will certainly be revealed in part two and part one has already done a great job of getting me hooked.  I love this author and even though there hasn't really been a paranormal aspect revealed yet, I still can't wait to read more.  The novella/short story collection may not appeal to everyone but this was a quick read and I will be reading the next part very soon.

61) Grave Visions by Kalayna Price

The Blurb :

If you want to hear voices from the dead in Nekros City, you call Alex Craft. She's a Grave Witch with reasonable rates and extraordinary powers, who specializes in revealing the secrets of the dead. But now she's the one fighting to keep her own secret. She's not human—and her newly discovered heritage is causing havoc for her both in the human realm and in Faerie. But her status as an unaffiliated fae also makes her an ideal candidate to investigate a new street drug that has surfaced in several of the spaces between the human and fae worlds.

This glamour-infused drug causes hallucinations that turn real—at least for a while and often with deadly consequences. Searching for the source of this drug—and its purpose—lands Alex front and center in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

My Thoughts :

It has been a long wait for the fourth Alex Craft installment.  Actually it has been so long I missed the release.  After all this time I hoped I wouldn't be lost and that I would remember at least something of what had happened in the previous books.  Luckily this series is so unusual and unique that it wasn't difficult to remember all about Alex and her visions and situation.  Anything I may of forgotten and needed to know was quickly brought up in the story.  The author did a great job of getting the story back on track and the reader into the story again.

Was it worth the extra wait?  Yes.  I am not a lover of the fae or any series with fae but this one is good.  Very good.  The whole Grave Witch angle is just too interesting to ignore and the brutal but interesting plots are well written and compelling.  Grave Visions reminded me why I loved this series so much and gave me a Paranormal Urban Fantasy boost that I needed.

If you haven't tried this series yet then I really recommend giving it a try.  Fans of the series who may of, like me, forgot about it during the long absence of anything new, should get a copy of this fourth installment asap and enjoy!  Oh and there is a fifth book coming out next year!  Rejoice!!  Hopefully this series is here to stay and will be more of a regular occurrence.

58) A Toxic Trousseau by Juliet Blackwell

The Blurb :

Even the most skilled sorceress can’t ward off a lawsuit, and Lily is not at her enchanting best with her hands full as the temporary leader of San Francisco's magical community. So after her potbellied pig Oscar head-butts rival clothier Autumn Jennings, Lily tries to make peace without a costly personal injury case.

But any hope of a quiet resolution is shattered when Autumn turns up dead. As one of the prime suspects, Lily searches for a way to clear her name and discovers a cursed trousseau among Autumn’s recently acquired inventory. Lily must deal with a mysterious dogwalker and spend the night in a haunted house as she delves into the trunk’s treacherous past. She’s got to figure out who wanted to harm Autumn fast, before the curse claims another victim…

My Thoughts :

The Witchcraft Mysteries are an old favourite of mine and I can't believe this is already the eighth installment!  Juliet Blackwell is one of the best Paranormal Cozy Mystery writers and this series, as well as her other, have been keeping me happy for years!  I really look forward to the books and A Toxic Trousseau was one of my favourites so far in the series.

It seems things are heating up in the series and there are a few things that happen in this latest installment that are obviously setting the scene for things to come.  Maybe the next book will tie everything up and see the series coming to an end but I really hope it is just the beginning of the storm to come.  Fans of the series will have a squee moment next the end and right at the end a wow moment.  Also right from the beginning there is a certain mystery regarding a satchel that doesn't get explained completely but offers some interesting twists to the story as a whole.

Dog lovers will be happy with this book because they four legged pooches are everywhere.  There is also some great history tidbits and of course a very exciting mystery, a haunted house and Oscar shenanigans!  Everything that I have come to expect and enjoy from the series and this author with some wonderful characters and a lovely location.

Well worth reading if you like your cozies to have a paranormal twist.  Also worth reading if you just like cozies or witches.  There is something for both here.  Can't wait for the next installment!  It should be very very interesting if all that happened in the last few chapters of a Toxic Trousseau is anything to go by!