Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Twice Tempted (Night Prince #2)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 360

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Fated Folly

Spice Rating: 5

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges . . .

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her,and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover Vlad has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever--especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity . . .

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust--the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other, or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity . . .

Oh yes! This was exactly what I wanted from this series! The first book had me very frustrated by both Vlad and Leila’s behavior. Thankfully this book starts to break their behavior down and we actually see some growth from our characters. And while we don’t get a happy ending (there are two more books in this series), we get shades of happiness sprinkled in throughout the obstacles and pain. The big mystery really amps up in this volume and I cannot wait to see where this all goes.

Night Prince

#1 Once Burned
#2 Twice Tempted
#3 Bound by Flames
#4 Into the Fire

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies

Title: The International House of Dereliction

Author: Jacqueline Davies

Publisher: Clarion Books 2023

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 227

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Ten-year-old Alice is moving for the eleventh time.

She’s lived in so many houses, each more broken than the last, that home to Alice is nothing more than a place you fix and then a place you leave. After all, who needs a permanent home when you’re a whiz at fixing things?

But when Alice arrives at her new home, she can’t take her eyes off the house next door, the stately dark house that hulked in the dimming light. The once-grand mansion, now dilapidated and condemned, beckons Alice; it's the perfect new repair job!

As Alice begins to restore the House to its former splendor, she senses strange presences. Is there a heartbeat coming from the House’s walls? Is someone looking at her? Soon she realizes she’s not alone. Three ghosts have been watching, and they need Alice’s help to solve their unfinished business.

Will Alice be able to unravel the mysteries of the House and find her forever home . . . before it’s too late?

Apparently I really enjoy quirky and/or horror middle grade. Do not give me a straight coming-of-age story or a beautiful family story. I want weird characters and slightly fantastical and/or absurd situations. This one was such a lovely story involving a quirky family and a collection of lost ghosts. Alice grabbed me right away. I would have loved having Alice as a friend when I was 10 years old. I think our weirdness would compliment each other. I loved following her as she attempts to scratch her home improvement itch while also wrestling with the meanings of family and belonging. Such a cute little book with lots of atmosphere. Perfect for my fall reading.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Changeling King by Ethan M. Aldridge

Title: The Changeling King (Estranged #2)

Author: Ethan M. Aldridge

Publisher: HarperCollins 2019

Genre: Comics

Pages: 256

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

After years of pretending to be human, the changeling Edmund Carter has assumed his rightful role as Cinder, king of the World Below. But not everyone at the royal palace is happy about his return.

Meanwhile, Ed is adjusting to human life in the World Above. His birth family treats him with a kindness he never knew growing up in the Fay court, but Ed misses the sense of purpose he had as a knight.

When a mysterious new threat emerges in the World Below, Cinder must call on Ed and their older sister, Alexis, for help. But nothing can prepare them for the family secret that awaits at the end of their perilous quest.

And with this volume, we get a conclusion to the story of how Cinder and Ed find their places in the above and the below. Another great story with great characters. More great art to admire. And quite a cliffhanger to the end of this volume. But it was so incredibly enjoyable to read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge

Title: Estranged (Estranged #1)

Author: Ethan M. Aldridge

Publisher: HarperCollins 2018

Genre: Comics

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Edmund and the Childe were swapped at birth. Now Edmund lives in secret as a changeling in the World Above, his fae powers hidden from his unsuspecting parents and his older sister, Alexis. The Childe lives among the fae in the World Below, where being a human makes him a curiosity at the royal palace.

But when the cruel sorceress Hawthorne seizes the throne, the Childe and Edmund must unite on a dangerous quest to save both worlds—even if they’re not sure which world they belong to.

I cannot remember exactly where I heard about this particular comic, but it ended up on my holds list. I thoroughly enjoyed this twist on the fairy changeling story. We get a fun mix-up and a royal coup all in one volume. The art was colorful yet crisp. The character were a lot of fun and the action sequences full of suspense.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Things We Make by Bill Hammack

Title: The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans

Author: Bill Hammack

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2023

Genre: Nonfiction - Engineering

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer Reading TBR

For millennia, humans have used one simple method to solve problems. Whether it's planting crops, building skyscrapers, developing photographs, or designing the first microchip, all creators follow the same steps to engineer progress. But this powerful method, the "engineering method", is an all but hidden process that few of us have heard of—let alone understand—but that influences every aspect of our lives.

Bill Hammack, a Carl Sagan award-winning professor of engineering and viral "The Engineer Guy" on Youtube, has a lifelong passion for the things we make, and how we make them. Now, for the first time, he reveals the invisible method behind every invention and takes us on a whirlwind tour of how humans built the world we know today. From the grand stone arches of medieval cathedrals to the mundane modern soda can, Hammack explains the golden rule of thumb that underlies every new building technique, every technological advancement, and every creative solution that leads us one step closer to a better, more functional world. Spanning centuries and cultures, Hammack offers a fascinating perspective on how humans engineer solutions in a world full of problems.

J requested this one from the library and then had me read it. For the most part, I knew the information included in this book. This reads as a great introduction to the world of engineering. Hammack presents a variety of engineered items in a straight forward manner. He definitely has a way with words. There were tidbits of information here and there in the chapters that weren’t as focused on history. I learned more from the modern items than anything else.

Next up on the TBR pile:

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard

Title: 56 Days

Author: Catherine Ryan Howard

Publisher: Blackstone 2021

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 305

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER

No one even knew they were together. Now one of them is dead.

56 DAYS AGO

Ciara and Oliver meet in a supermarket queue in Dublin and start dating the same week COVID-19 reaches Irish shores.

35 DAYS AGO

When lockdown threatens to keep them apart, Oliver suggests they move in together. Ciara sees a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends. Oliver sees a chance to hide who—and what—he really is.

TODAY

Detectives arrive at Oliver’s apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?

After hearing about this book for the past two year, I finally put it on my shortlist and start reading. I was very annoyed by all of the characters at the beginning, but as the mystery began to unspool, I was hooked. Once we know of the dead body, even a few thoughts, I was desperate to finish the book and put all the pieces together. Oliver and Ciara we two very flawed, but interesting characters to follow. Amongst the various thrillers that I have tried, this was in the top tier. Thrillers still aren’t my favorite, but this particular book was a good one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Once Burned (Night Prince #1)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2012

Genre: Romance

Pages: 373

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5 (but with vampires)

After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all--but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Oh a whole series focused on Vlad! I was so incredibly excited to start this as he may just be my favorite character in the entire Night Huntress world. We get to see just how cold and calculated he can be in a variety of situations. He really frustrated me so many times throughout this book, but I loved every page of it. Leila came to be a great foil for our enigmatic vampire master. I loved the mystery element to this series. All of the Night Huntress books have that mystery element, but I really fell into this one. I was desperate to find a conclusion, but slightly annoyed to find a bit of a cliffhanger. Now I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.

Night Prince

#1 Once Burned
#2 Twice Tempted
#3 Bound by Flames
#4 Into the Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Menacing Manor by Kiersten White

Title: Menacing Manor (The Sinister Summer #4)

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2023

Genre: Middle Grade Horror

Pages: 272

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

After escaping from Edgaren’t and Dr. Jay, the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their friends arrive at Stein Manor Science Camp. They all work together to distract the friendly teenage camp director so they can explore and look for clues about where their parents might be.

Meanwhile, Theo and Alexander settle on a daring plan. They know exactly where Edgaren’t is going to be: coming for them, and the books. This time, they’ll be ready. This time, they’ll get answers. And this time, they won’t trust the adult in charge, which is easy enough when it’s enormous, lurking, unfriendly Mr. Frank. But as they get closer to opening the books and their parents’ histories, an unexpected foe is watching everything they do. . . .

Fake volcanoes! Real sea caves! Strangely modified frogs! Startling betrayal! And a lightning-struck manor! all combine for the electrifying penultimate Sinister Summer adventure.

Oh that was utterly delightful! I loved the ensemble within this volume. We get to see how many of the kids work tougher to solve the mystery of their parents’ disappearances. We get more clues and some perilous situations. The best part was the interplay between Essa and Mr. Frank. I love the twist on the classic horror stories. I cannot wait until January for the last book in the series. I hope that we get a satisfying conclusion.

The Sinister Summer

#1 Wretched Waterpark
#2 Vampiric Vacation
#3 Camp Creepy
#4 Menacing Manor

Next up on the TBR pile:

One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost

Title: One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2011

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 358

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more
than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift
from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving-leading to a personal favor
that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous
spirit.

Oh I really enjoyed this one! We get to see Cat and Bones at their best teamed up to take down an unusual ghost. I loved their leadership and banter with the other players. The ghost was significantly creepy and a big mystery to be solved. I loved the appearances by Ian and Spade and Denise. My biggest complaint is actually with the B plot featuring Don and the new head of the military unit Madigan. I really disliked how that just seemed to fizz out to nothing by the end of the book. I would have liked more a resolution.

Night Huntress:

#0.5 Reckoning ✓
#1 Halfway to the Grave ✓
#1.5 Happily Never After ✓
#2 One Foot in the Grave ✓
#3 At Grave’s End ✓
#3.5 Devil to Pay
#4 Destined for an Early Grave ✓
#4.5 One for the Money ✓
#5 This Side of the Grave
#6 One Grave at a Time
#6.5 Home for the Holidays
#7 Up from the Grave
#7.5 Outtakes from the Grave
#7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway
#8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Title: Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel #1)

Author: Connie Willis

Publisher: Spectra 1992

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 592

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

For Kivrin, preparing to travel back in time to study one of the deadliest eras in humanity’s history was as simple as receiving inoculations against the diseases of the fourteenth century and inventing an alibi for a woman traveling alone. For her instructors in the twenty-first century, it meant painstaking calculations and careful monitoring of the rendezvous location where Kivrin would be received.

But a crisis strangely linking past and future strands Kivrin in a bygone age as her fellows try desperately to rescue her. In a time of superstition and fear, Kivrin—barely of age herself—finds she has become an unlikely angel of hope during one of history’s darkest hours.

Another decent, but not my favorite book that we’ve read for the Nerdy Bookish Friends book club. I had heard of this book mentioned in sci-fi circles as an example of time travel fiction. I really wanted to love this book but ended up only enjoying it. The book starts out strong with a plot to travel back to the Middle Ages to explore. But, we know that something is going to go wrong. And it quickly goes wrong. I didn’t quite realize that this was going to be a pandemic novel. Those parts didn’t bother me. What did mother me was the parts that seemed to be unclear on what actually happened and the loose ends by the end of the story. I know that it’s the start of a series, but it really flew like Willis didn’t really know where she was going with the story. I found multiple logical inconsistencies that I just couldn’t love.

Oxford Time Travel

#0.5 Fire Watch
#1 Doomsday Book
#2 To Say Nothing of the Dog
#3 Blackout
#4 All Clear

Next up on the TBR pile:

Camp Creepy by Kiersten White

Title: Camp Creepy (The Sinister Summer #3)

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2023

Genre: Middle Grade Horror

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

After leaving the Sanguine Spa in pursuit of Edgaren't, the kids find themselves at a mysterious summer camp, Camp Creek. There are lake games and happy counselors, and there's even a tie-dye cabin. It's all very . . . normal.

But if Theo and Alexander know one thing, it's that normal doesn't always mean good. When everyone around her starts acting strange, Theo wonders if maybe the fumes from the tie-dye cabin are seeping into their brains, and she resolves to investigate what's really going on at Camp Creek.

The third book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White's Sinister Summer series continues the adventures of the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their aunt, who never saw a discount vacation destination she didn’t love.

If you are looking for a series that dupes A Series of Unfortunate Events is some clever ways, pick this one up! I absolutely adore this creepy mystery series. In this volume, we finally get to visit the summer camp full of strangely perky children and teens. And we get more insight into the larger mystery alongside hooking back up with some favorite characters. I adored seeing Wil being much more open and present with Theo and Alexander. A super fun adventure! I can’t believe that I didn’t catch the twist, but thoroughly enjoyed the reveal. On to the fourth book!

The Sinister Summer

#1 Wretched Waterpark
#2 Vampiric Vacation
#3 Camp Creepy
#4 Menacing Manor

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Duke in Disguise by Cat Sebastian

Title: A Duke in Disguise (Regency Imposters #2)

Author: Cat Sebastian

Publisher: Avon Impulse 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

One reluctant heir

If anyone else had asked for his help publishing a naughty novel, Ash would have had the sense to say no. But he’s never been able to deny Verity Plum. Now he has his hands full illustrating a book and trying his damnedest not to fall in love with his best friend. The last thing he needs is to discover he’s a duke’s lost heir. Without a family or a proper education, he’s had to fight for his place in the world, and the idea of it—and Verity—being taken away from him chills him to the bone.

One radical bookseller

All Verity wants is to keep her brother out of prison, her business afloat, and her hands off Ash. Lately it seems she’s not getting anything she wants. She knows from bitter experience that she isn’t cut out for romance, but the more time she spends with Ash, the more she wonders if maybe she’s been wrong about herself.

One disaster waiting to happen

Ash has a month before his identity is exposed, and he plans to spend it with Verity. As they explore their long-buried passion, it becomes harder for Ash to face the music. Can Verity accept who Ash must become or will he turn away the only woman he’s ever loved?

I picked up the series on the recommendation of a ton of internet friends. And while I didn’t absolutely love the first book (didn’t quite buy the romantic connection), thankfully this book more than made up for the shortcomings. I really fell for Ash and Verity. We get to see two people that have created a found family from struggle and are desperate to maintain that family. Usually I am not a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope, but this one worked. It felt authentic to me. At the same time, we get to see two character struggle with their own issues. The biggest point that I really loved was the fact that they communicated with one another! Loved it so much! Now I’m excited to read the conclusion to this trilogy of romances.

Regency Imposters

#1 Unmasked by the Marquess
#2 A Duke in Disguise
#3 A Delicate Deception

Next up on the TBR pile:

The First Bright Thing by JR Dawson

Title: The First Bright Thing

Author: JR Dawson

Publisher: Tor Books 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Author with Same Name Town as You

Ringmaster — Rin, to those who know her best — can jump to different moments in time as easily as her wife, Odette, soars from bar to bar on the trapeze. And the circus they lead is a rare home and safe haven for magical misfits and outcasts, known as Sparks.

With the world still reeling from World War I, Rin and her troupe — the Circus of the Fantasticals — travel the midwest, offering a single night of enchantment and respite to all who step into their Big Top.

But threats come at Rin from all sides. The future holds an impending war that the Sparks can see barrelling toward their show and everyone in it. And Rin's past creeps closer every day, a malevolent shadow she can’t fully escape.

It takes the form of another circus, with tents as black as midnight and a ringmaster who rules over his troupe with a dangerous power. Rin's circus has something he wants, and he won't stop until it's his.

A friend at the bookish retreat recommended this new novel from an Omaha author. I finally got it from the library and dove straight in. I adored the world created in this fantasy novel. Apparently, I really enjoy fantasy novels set in circuses… This one was populated by an interesting array of circus inhabitants. We get to see how they have all created a family in the midst of a strange and changing world. I loved the idea of the Sparks and their various abilities. We get to see how some have used their powers for good while others have used their powers to hurt others. I loved connecting all the dots between timelines and characters. I wasn’t surprised by the big twist, but felt that it was an earned reveal. The last few chapters are really nonstop action. Thankfully we get a satisfying conclusion to the storyline. Such a great debut! I will have to see what the author writes next.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Deep by Nick Cutter

Title: The Deep

Author: Nick Cutter

Publisher: Gallery Books 2015

Genre: Horror

Pages: 394

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

A strange plague called the ‘Gets is decimating humanity on a global scale. It causes people to forget—small things at first, like where they left their keys, then the not-so-small things, like how to drive or the letters of the alphabet. Their bodies forget how to function involuntarily. There is no cure.

But now, far below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, deep in the Mariana Trench, a heretofore-unknown substance hailed as “ambrosia”—a universal healer, from initial reports—has been discovered. It may just be the key to eradicating the ‘Gets.

In order to study this phenomenon, a special research lab, the Trieste, has been built eight miles under the sea’s surface. But when the station goes incommunicado, a brave few descend through the lightless fathoms in hopes of unraveling the mysteries lurking at those crushing depths…and perhaps to encounter an evil blacker than anything one could possibly imagine.

Absolutely horrifying! This was a masterpiece is laying out suspense and dread over the course of the entire book while still giving us some extremely creepy moments throughout. This is not the book if you are squeamish at all and/or do not like body horror. We all know that something is seriously wrong on the research station even before Al and Lucas begin their descent. And it just keeps getting worse. The book reminded me a lot of Event Horizon or even Sphere. We have to parse out what is real and what is imagined. But in the end, does it really matter? I absolutely was creeped out by this book (which does not happen very often at all). Definitely going to be having a few nightmares from this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker

Title: The Keeper of Night (The Keeper of Night #1)

Author: Kylie Lee Baker

Publisher: Inkyard Press 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 393

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf: BOTM Cleanout

Death is her destiny.

Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can.

When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth to care for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death…only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task—find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons—and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.

The premise and start of this book really sucked me in. I wanted a horror-ish telling of Japanese mythology. For the first couple of chapters, I was completely in it. But then, once Red and her brother actually arrive in Japan, the story basically stops. We get huge passages of slow-moving prose with lots of annoying whining. And the romance! Completely ridiculous and so not a romance. I hated it. I tried to look past those issues, but ultimately I just couldn’t find myself enjoying this book.

The Keeper of Night

#1 The Keeper of Night
#2 The Empress of Time

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

Title: Beautiful Country

Author: Qian Julie Wang

Publisher: Doubleday 2021

Genre: Memoir

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Refugee

In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive.

In Chinatown, Qian’s parents labor in sweatshops. Instead of laughing at her jokes, they fight constantly, taking out the stress of their new life on one another. Shunned by her classmates and teachers for her limited English, Qian takes refuge in the library and masters the language through books, coming to think of The Berenstain Bears as her first American friends. And where there is delight to be found, Qian relishes it: her first bite of gloriously greasy pizza, weekly “shopping days,” when Qian finds small treasures in the trash lining Brooklyn’s streets, and a magical Christmas visit to Rockefeller Center—confirmation that the New York City she saw in movies does exist after all.

But then Qian’s headstrong Ma Ma collapses, revealing an illness that she has kept secret for months for fear of the cost and scrutiny of a doctor’s visit. As Ba Ba retreats further inward, Qian has little to hold onto beyond his constant refrain: Whatever happens, say that you were born here, that you’ve always lived here.

Our August choice for book club and it just wasn’t my thing. Very rarely do I really enjoy a memoir/autobiography. They often fall a little flat for me and sometimes become very repetitive. This one started out interesting highlighting a life experience that is very different from my own. But… I found that Wang does not do enough self-reflection and commentary about her early life in America. We see many family members making terrible choices without commentary. Wide swathes of peoples are painted with a large brush, exactly what Wang argues is her own experience. I wanted to see a bit of self-reflection with her own biases and prejudices. We don’t get too much introspection. And then the book just ends. The last chapter does a bit of fast-forwarding to her later life, but it just felt unfinished in my mind.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Break Your Glass Slippers by Amanda Lovelace

Title: Break Your Glass Slippers

Author: Amanda Lovelace

Publisher: Andrews McMeel 2020

Genre: Poetry

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR

amanda lovelace, the bestselling & award-winning author of the “women are some kind of magic” poetry series, presents a new companion series, “you are your own fairy tale” the first installment, break your glass slippers, is about overcoming those who don’t see your worth, even if that person is sometimes yourself. in the epic tale of your life, you are the most important character while everyone is but a forgotten footnote. even the prince.

Friends at the bookish recommendation gave this book title to me as something I would enjoy. And I really did enjoy this! Lovelace’s slim collection of poetry is a mix of fairy tale retellings and autobiographical poems. The style and topics are very much in the same vein as Nikita Gill’s writings. I really love her stuff and Lovelace’s came close to it, but not quite surpassed Gill’s poems. I enjoyed these poems but as a collection, they were very slim. I wanted a bit more depth and reflection. But, I think I do need to read to rest of the volumes in her collection.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Happily Never After by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Happily Never After (Night Huntress #1.5)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 106

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

Isabella Spaga is about to reluctantly walk down the aisle with Mr. Dangerously Wrong…but not if dashing vampire Chance has anything to say about it. As a favor to Bones, Chance has come to derail this wedding of beauty to the beast. Now if only he can keep his hands off the bride. From New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress world, it’s the wedding of the season…that everyone wants to miss.

I finally tracked down some of the novellas for the Night Huntress series. This one involves a vampire that we briefly met in the first volume of the series. And yea! I was excited to see a little story involving him and his new lady love. We get a fun short story full of action and adventure and some truly terrible villains that were definitely deserving of their fates. Very cute addition to the stories. Now I need to track down some of the later stories…

Night Huntress:

#0.5 Reckoning
#1 Halfway to the Grave
#1.2 The Other Half of the Grave
#1.5 Happily Never After
#2 One Foot in the Grave
#3 At Grave’s End
#3.5 Devil to Pay
#4 Destined for an Early Grave
#4.5 One for the Money
#5 This Side of the Grave
#6 One Grave at a Time
#6.5 Home for the Holidays
#7 Up from the Grave
#7.5 Outtakes from the Grave
#7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway
#8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Vampiric Vacation by Kiersten White

Title: Vampiric Vacation (The Sinister Summer #2)

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: Delacorte Press 2022

Genre: Middle Grade Horror

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

After leaving Fathoms of Fun, the kids are on their way to the next odd summer destination their aunt has chosen for them. This time, they find themselves dropped off at the Sanguine Spa in the “little Transylvania Mountains.” There they meet the owners: Mina, her mysterious little sister, Lucy (who is extremely pale, can’t go in the sunlight, and has an affinity for hanging upside down from the ceiling), and their intimidating guardian, the Count.

When the Count sends all the children in the spa on a scavenger hunt, the Sinister-Winterbottoms use the excuse to snoop around and discover that this spa may be more than just eerie—it might also hold clues to what happened to their parents. When Wil starts to show vampiric symptoms, the twins resolve to investigate what’s really going on at the Sanguine Spa.

The second book in the Sinister Summer series continues the adventures of the Sinister-Winterbottoms and their aunt who never saw a discount vacation destination she didn’t love.

The library finally got the rest of this series for me to enjoy. I loved the first one and couldn’t wait to dive into the rest. The series reminds me a lot of A Series of Unfortunate Events with the mix of spooky and absurd happenings. We get another adventure, this time at a spa that may or may not be inhabited by vampires. We get more of the overall mystery and some clues along the way. And throughout everything, we are delighted to be following Theo and Alexander as they keep each other safe, along with occasionally making sure their sister Wil doesn’t walk off a cliff. I loved the play on the vampire myths and the story of Dracula in particular. There was a line early on about lawyers and suites that made me laugh out loud. I think the boys would really enjoy reading this series after me.

The Sinister Summer

#1 Wretched Waterpark
#2 Vampiric Vacation
#3 Camp Creepy
#4 Menacing Manor

Next up on the TBR pile:

Wrapped Up in You by Jill Shalvis

Title: Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #8)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 348

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

It’s love. Trust me.

After a lifetime on the move, Ivy Snow is an expert in all things temporary—schools, friends, and way too many Mr. Wrongs. Now that she owns a successful taco truck in San Francisco and an apartment to call home, Ivy’s reinvented life is on solid ground. And she’s guarded against anything that can rock it. Like the realities of a past she’s worked hard to cover up. And especially Kel O’Donnell. Too hot not to set off alarms, he screams temporary. If only his whispers weren’t so delightfully naughty and irresistible.

Kel, an Idaho sheriff and ranch owner, is on vacay, but Ivy’s a spicy reason to give his short-term plans a second thought. Best of all, she’s a tonic for his untrusting heart, burned once and still in repair. But when Ivy’s past intrudes on a perfect romance, Kel fears that everything she’s told him has been a perfect lie. Now, if only Ivy’s willing to share, Kel will fight for a true love story.

And we have come to the end of the Heartbreaker Bay series, or at least I assume it’s the end. I can’t actually find the two short stories that I haven’t read and I don’t think Shalvis has written any more with these characters. So we finally get a story featuring Ivy after being name dropped for the last few books. She gets a decent story involving Caleb’s cousin Kel. I did enjoy those two together, figuring out how to deal with their family dramas and learning to open up to each other. The overall action plot line wasn’t my favorite in the series, but it did add to the overall story. I did wish to see a bit more time between Ivy and Kel before they engaged in a relationship. I’m a sucker for tension and this book left me wanting more. But it was a fun breezy read for the week as I finish this series I started at Christmas last year.

Heartbreaker Bay

Next up on the TBR pile: