Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Bound by Flames (Night Prince #3)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 342

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR; Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

The climactic third novel in New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost's Night Prince series finds Vlad and his newly turned bride, Leila, at odds with each other—and vulnerable to the one vampire powerful enough to end the Dark Prince's reign . . .

Play with fire, pay the price

Leila's years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn't learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin . . .

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn't like Vlad to feel fear, but he does . . . for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad's greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad's love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both . . .

Oh that took a turn! I was not expecting the twists and turns in this volume of the series. This book has nonstop action from page one until the end. And there is some serious disturbing action in this one. Definitely not for the feint of heart. Even I cringed during a few scenes. But on the other side of the book, we get to see so much growth between Vlad and Leila. I was desperate for them to really start to understand each other and come together. One more book in this series to see how this chapter of their story ends.

Night Prince

• #1 Once Burned

• #2 Twice Tempted

• #3 Bound by Flames

• #4 Into the Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Kingdom of Prep by Maggie Bullock

Title: The Kingdom of Prep: The Inside Story of the Rise and (Near) Fall of J. Crew

Author: Maggie Bullock

Publisher: Dey Street Books 2023

Genre: Nonfiction - Business

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Fall TBR

Once upon a time, a no-frills J.Crew rollneck sweater held an almost mystical power—or at least it felt that way. The story of J.Crew is the story of the original “lifestyle brand,” whose evolution charts a sea change in the way we dress, the way we shop, and who we aspire to be over the past four decades—all told through iconic clothes and the most riveting characters imaginable.

In The Kingdom of Prep, seasoned fashion journalist Maggie Bullock tells J.Crew’s epic story for the first time, bringing to life the deliciously idiosyncratic people who built a beloved brand, unpacking the complex legacy of prep—a subculture born on the 1920s campuses of the Ivy League—and how one brand rose to epitomize “American” style in two very different golden eras, and also eventually embodied the “retail apocalypse” that rocked the global fashion industry and left hollowed-out malls across the country.

A random library pick that I thought might be something I would enjoy, but ultimately, this book fell a bit flat for me. Overall I think this account felt a little too long. We spend so much time setting up the entire concept of J. Crew and then linger over the details. I might have liked this more as a long-form article than a full length book. Or maybe I just wasn’t as invested in the J. Crew brand as a reader that would have really loved this one. I never really bought into the J. Crew brand as a teen or college student. And now I’m very much in homeschool mom chic. Oh well.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

Title: Arsenic and Adobo (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mysteries #1)

Author: Mia P. Manansala

Publisher: Berkley 2021

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 307

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Summer TBR; Unread Shelf; BOTM Cleanout

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She's tasked with saving her Tita Rosie's failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she's the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila's left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

Oof! I had hopes for a fun cozy mystery with some food talk. And that’s what I thought I was getting in the first chapter. But then, things got very repetitive, silly, and seemingly lacking of emotion. I was interested in the food talk, but then the food talk became an every other paragraph thing. How many times do we need the same foods described in detail? I did not. If you would have removed the repetitions, almost 40% of the book would have disappeared. As it stands, the food descriptions just felt like padding. Beyond that, I was annoyed by the seeming incompetence of detective and even of Lila. There wasn’t enough actual amateur detective work. And don't get me started on the fact that Lila and all the main characters seemed to not care at all that people have died. I thoroughly disliked this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Islands of Elsewhere by Heather Fawcett

Title: The Islands of Elsewhere

Author: Heather Fawcett

Publisher: Rocky Pond Books 2023

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Not many kids have an island in their backyard, but suddenly, the Snolly sisters have three. They’re staying at Granddaddy’s seaside property for the summer, which includes the mysterious Fairy Islands: Fairy, Little Fairy, and Ghost. The people in Misty Cove call them “in-between places,” and say they’re full of magic—a magic that gets inside you.

But ten-year-old Bee Snolly doesn’t believe in magic—she just wants to help her ill Granddaddy. And if she and her sisters can unravel the mystery of the Fairy Islands in time, they may discover a long-buried secret that could help them all.

Very cute little middle fantasy featuring three very different sisters and a family mystery. I loved watching Bee, Hattie, and Plum play and fight and ultimately come together to help their family in any way they can. There’s definitely a level of quirkiness to this family and it comes through in every page. Is Fawcett capable of writing of book that doesn’t include quirky characters? I don’t think so, but those quirky characters were just what I needed for an easy read today. I sped through this book desperate to find out the mystery of the Fairy Islands and hopeful that Granddaddy would be okay. A very cute little story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cruel Seduction by Katee Robert

Title: Cruel Seduction (Dark Olympus #5)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Romanceopoly - City Lane (Fantasy that doesn’t involve magic)

Spice Rating: 8

Aphrodite has never flinched at getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, and she's not about to start now—even if that means marrying Olympus's enemy number one, the new Hephaestus. She has a wicked plan to keep her deadly new husband off-balance, seducing the one person he seems to care about most in this world: Pandora, a woman as beautiful as she is sweet.

Two can play the seduction game, however, and Hephaestus is all too happy to put his new wife in her place. Her ex, Adonis, seems like he'll do the trick. It doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous in the way of fallen angels, either.

The only problem with using seduction as a weapon? Hearts are all too quick to get involved. With Hephaestus and Aphrodite trading venomous strikes that feel a whole lot like foreplay, lines become blurred and emotions entangled. But a broken heart may be the least of their worries. With unrest in Olympus reaching new heights, these bedroom games may have deadly consequences for themselves, their city, and everyone they've come to love.

My biggest complaint about this book… it needed to be longer. We get a great setup with Eris’s forced marriage to Theseus alongside the complications of Pandora and Adonis. We get the larger storyline of the barriers failing and new player trying to take over Olympus. I was all for slowly untangling this mess and watching characters find themselves and each other. And they do, but the ending really seemed rushed to me. I wanted to sit with some of the revelations a bit longer. I wanted to see how the polyam groupings worked in everyday life, not just in the bedroom. I wanted more from these characters. The review is pretty negative, but I did really enjoy reading the book. I loved getting more insight into some of the characters that we’ve briefly encountered. Theseus was my favorite. I loved learning his story and seeing him finally become his own person and find love, in very unexpected places. I cannot wait until the next Dark Olympus book in January.

Dark Olympus

• #0.5 Stone Heart

• #1 Neon Gods

• #1.5 Hades and Hades

• #2 Electric Idol

• #2.5 Zeus and Hera

• #3 Wicked Beauty

• #4 Radiant Sun

• #5 Cruel Seduction

• #6 Midnight Ruin

• #7 Dark Restraint

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Title: The Bodyguard

Author: Katherine Center

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 309

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Spice Rating: 4

She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he goes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong?
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

This book had been on my random TBR shortlist for awhile now. I had heard that it was good contemporary romance that was mostly closed door. That last part is probably why it say on my TBR for as long as it did. I’m usually not a fan of mostly closed door romance, but I picked this one up and was pleasantly surprised. The book is much more on the rom-com side of romances with a quirky meet-cute and more misses than hits. Everyone knows that Jack and Hannah should be together except for Hannah. It takes her the entire book to get there, but it was a fun journey. I did wish that we had less of Hannah’s coworkers, especially her ex Robby, and more of Jack’s family. And I’m always hoping for a bit more spice. Overall, I did enjoy this contemporary romance for what it was.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Timeline by Michael Crichton

Title: Timeline

Author: Michael Crichton

Publisher: Alred A. Knopf 1999

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 489

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Set in War other than WWI or WWII

In an Arizona desert, a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates. Halfway around the world, archaeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the headquarters of a secretive multinational corporation that has developed an astounding technology. Now this group is about to get a chance not to study the past but to enter it. And with history opened up to the present, the dead awakened to the living, these men and women will soon find themselves fighting for their very survival—six hundred years ago.

Somehow the Nerdy Bookish Friends group picked two medieval time travel novels back to back. It’s going to make for an interesting discussion I think. I can’t say that really enjoyed either one of the books, but I might have enjoyed Timeline a bit more than Doomsday Book. Like all Crichton novels, this one takes a while to get going, but then we are dumped into pretty decent non-stop action. I was okay with the larger storyline and the intrigue associated with ITC. I was even okay with the “twists” that I saw coming a mile away. My biggest problem with this book were the characters. They were terrible. The only one that I actually like was Marek. The rest are whiny people that I cannot believe are competent professionals. And don’t get me started on the “romance” between Kate and Chris. Terrible! Makes absolutely no sense and really does Kate a disservice as Chris is the whiniest of the bunch. Despite not liking the book, I’m looking forward to discussing with my online book club. We always have great discussions about books!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Up from the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Up from the Grave (Night Huntress #7)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 372

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)

The Grave Ends Here.

Lately, life has been unnaturally calm for vampires Cat Crawfield and her husband Bones.  They should have known better than to relax their guard, because a shocking revelation sends them back into action to stop an all-out war...

A rogue CIA agent is involved in horrifying secret activities that threaten to raise tensions between humans and the undead to dangerous heights.  Now Cat and Bones are in a race against time to save their friends from a fate worse than death...because the more secrets they unravel, the deadlier the consequences.  And if they fail, their lives--and those of everyone they hold dear-- will be hovering on the edge of the grave.

And we come to the end of the main series with this volume. (I know that there is a #8 and #9, but those are earlier books retold from Bones’ perspective. Not the main storyline.) I was so glad to see a happy-ish ending for Cat and Bones. After everything they have gone through, it was nice to see them gain some semblance of peace. Even if that peace was hard fought and comes with some additional strings. I loved the main mystery of this volume, but could have done with some retooling of the side characters. Tate and the boys just seemed to be thrown in there. And I’ve never been a fan of Cat’s mother at all. I still think it was a terrible decision to make her a vampire. She should have just died. This volume didn’t have as much romance as I would have liked, but we still get a few scenes between Cat and Bones. I want to read the last two novellas/short stories, but I’m still deciding on whether or not to read the Bones books.

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 The Other Half of the Grave

• #9 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Once & Future Vol. 5

Title: Once & Future Vol. 5: The Wasteland

Author: Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain

Publisher: BOOM! Studios 2023

Genre: Comics

Pages: 160

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

WIt’s the day before Christmas and the Kings all converge on Excalibur, each determined to be the true ruler. Chaos arises! What if no one has the strength to take the sword? Will there finally be peace after so much conflict, or will an unexpected figure claim the throne? Rituals, bombs, and battles ensue, while the final fate of Mary, Rose, Bridgette, Merlin, and the rest awaits! The incomparable Kieron Gillen (The Wicked + The Divine) and Dan Mora (Detective Comics) deliver the long-awaited conclusion to their Hugo Award-nominated mystical modern take on Arthurian legend! Collects Once & Future #25-30.

And so the story ends! I have loved this series from the beginning and so glad that we have a definite end to the story. All the different threads come together for an epic all-out battle for control of Britain. We get conclusions for all of the characters, but Galahad’s ending was my favorite. Justice for Galahad! We also get a few more nods to classic myths and stories. Overall, I really loved this reimagining of the King Arthur story. Kieron Gillen is definitely one of my favorite modern comic book writers.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lore Olympus Vol. 4 by Rachel Smythe

Title: Lore Olympus Volume 4

Author: Rachel Smythe

Publisher: Del Rey 2023

Genre: Fantasy Comic

Pages: 416

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

“I don’t always get to do as I please.”
 
The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first.
 
But that’s easier said than done. 
 
Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can—like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera—he still feels lonely and adrift.
 
Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone’s dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods. 
 
Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.
 
This edition of Rachel Smythe’s original Eisner-winning webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Oh I am obsessed with this series! I just love this fresh take on the Hades and Persephone story. Even more than their story, all of the side characters really make it the best ensemble story. In this volume, we get to see much much more from Hera and Zeus as well as meet Ares. I love how the story has organically been told. It doesn’t feel like the reveals or forced, but naturally come to light because of conversations between characters. I cannot wait to see what happens. And when exactly are Hades and Persephone actually going to own up to their feelings?

Next up on the TBR pile:

Cinders by Michelle D. Argyle

Title: Cinders

Author: Michelle D. Argyle

Publisher: MDA Books 2010

Genre: Fatnasy

Pages: 172

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER

Cinderella's happily-ever-after isn't turning out the way she expected. With her fairy godmother imprisoned in the castle and a mysterious stranger haunting her dreams, Cinderella is on her own to discover true love untainted by magic.

I was sucked in by the tagline “a dark Cinderella tale.” And while we do get some shades of that, this book was mostly boring. I couldn’t seem to care about any of the characters. Even the villains were lackluster. And I wasn’t excited by the trajectory of the storyline. Mostly I read this and then was glad to delete it off my kindle app.

Next up on the TBR pile:

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

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: