Emily and the Dark Angel by Jo Beverley

Title: Emily and the Dark Angel (Renfrew/Kyle #4)

Author: Jo Beverley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 273

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seasonal Series - Read while Eating Ice Cream

Emily Grantwich lives quietly with her crippled father and eccentric aunt, managing the family's land, until the fateful day she walks down the main street of Melton Mowbray and is showered with Poudre de Violettes, thrown by a lady of loose morals at the handsomest man Emily has ever seen.

He is Piers Verderan, known by many as the Dark Angel. His friends lay the blame for his scandalous ways on his troubled past. No decent woman should be seen in his company, but Emily must dutifully manage her father's estate-which Verderan's land adjoins.

Soon Emily learns that the Dark Angel is very dangerous, especially to her sanity and her heart...

Another great Regency romance. I really fell for Piers Verderan in the last book and couldn't wait to see more from him. I immediately fell for Emily but over the course of the book, I really wanted to see a bit more fire from her. Her character progressed over the course of the story, but I was still left wanting more from her. On the other hand, I really loved Ver so much!

Renfrew/Kyle

#1 The Stanforth Secrets
#2 Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
#3 The Stolen Bride
#4 Emily and the Dark Angel
#4.5 If Fancy Be the Food of Love
#5 The Fortune Hunter
#6 Deirdre and Don Juan

Next up on the TBR pile:

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Title: Stalking the Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper #1)

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson 2016

Genre: YA Horror

Pages: 337

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Share a Tea; Library Love; Seasonal Series - Book from YA series

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

A lot of book bloggers I follow have read this and loved it, so I put it on my short TBR. Fate stepped in and put it in my face on the featured books shelf at the library. I had to get it. I proceeded to devour this book in just a few days time. I loved the fictionalized account of Jack the Ripper complete with gorey details and some great new characters. Audrey Rose is a treat. I loved seeing a young woman wrestling with her love of fine things and her love of dissection and the medical sciences. So great! And Thomas is just perfect as her foil. The characters really have a Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes feel to them without making the book too derivative. I really enjoyed this volume and hope to grab the second on at the library soon.

Stalking Jack the Ripper:

#1 Stalking Jack the Ripper
#2 Hunting Prince Dracula
#3 Escaping from Houdini

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stolen Bride by Jo Beverley

Title: The Stolen Bride (Renfrew/Kyle #3)

Author: Jo Beverley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 274

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seasonal Series - Set in Summer

When Beth Hawley journeys to Lord Wraybourne's castle to help young Lady Sophie Kyle prepare for her wedding, she has to share her carriage with two unexpected travelers, the rakish Sir Marius Fletcher, who is stranded after his curricle overturns, and an unidentified elderly woman, found unconscious in a wrecked carriage.

As the date of Sophie's wedding draws near, Beth realizes some mysterious shadow from the past seems to haunt the bride and groom. The elderly woman, suffering from memory loss, may hold the key. Beth turns to Sir Marius for help, but her efforts are thwarted at every turn as she encounters a most unlikely villain-while her only ally seems to have his mind set more on romance than the danger at hand...

This volume is a great addition to the series. I loved seeing the continuation of Randal and Sophie's love story even if I wanted to knock their heads together every few pages. But beyond them, I really loved Beth and Marius's story and even the introduction of Ver. I especially can't wait for Ver's story in the next volume. The big mystery wasn't hard to figure out, but I still appreciated the story and call back to previous volumes.

Renfrew/Kyle

#1 The Stanforth Secrets
#2 Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
#3 The Stolen Bride
#4 Emily and the Dark Angel
#4.5 If Fancy Be the Food of Love
#5 The Fortune Hunter
#6 Deirdre and Don Juan

Next up on the TBR pile:

How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush by Emmy Abrahamson

Title: How to Fall in Love with a Man Who Lives in a Bush

Author: Emmy Abrahamson

Publisher: Harper 2018

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 231

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Reading Assignment; Modern Mrs. Darcy - In Translation; Seasonal Series - Read by the pool

Vienna: famous for Mozart, waltzes, and pastry; less famous for Julia, a Swedish transplant who spends her days teaching English to unemployed Austrians and her evenings watching Netflix with her cat or club hopping with a frenemy. An aspiring novelist, Julia’s full of ideas for future bestsellers: A writer moves his family to a deserted hotel in the dead of winter and spirals into madness! A homely governess loves a brooding man whose crazy wife is locked up in the attic! Fine, so they’ve been done. Doesn’t mean Julia won’t find something original.

Then something original finds Julia—sits down next to her on a bench, as a matter of fact. Ben is handsome (under all that beard) and adventurous (leaps from small bridges in a single bound). He’s also sexy as hell and planning to shuffle off to Berlin before things can get too serious. Oh, and Ben lives in a public park.

Thus begins a truth stranger than any fiction Julia might have imagined: a whirlwind relationship with a guy who shares her warped sense of humor and shakes up the just-okay existence she’s been too lazy to change. Ben challenges her to break out; she challenges him to settle down. As weeks turn to months, Julia keeps telling herself that this is a chapter in her life, not the whole book. If she writes the ending, she can’t get hurt.

My mom picked up this book at a free library event and thought I would like this quirky story. Unfortunately, most of it just fell flat for me. I was intrigued by the storyline. I loved the character of Ben. But... the writing was very juvenile. Choppy sentences. First person narration that read more like a blog post than a book. I don't know if it has something to do with the translator, or that's really how the book is written. All I know is that I kept having to stop reading with thoughts like "Is that really the sentence you want to put into print?" Some may like this little book, I didn't.

But what if the ending isn’t hers to write?

Next up on the TBR pile:

Smoke and Iron by Rachel Caine

Title: Smoke and Iron (Great Library #4)

Author: Rachel Caine

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Share-a-Tea; I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Book on the go

The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making...if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.

I snagged this volume off my library's Lucky Day shelf. So incredibly excited to read this one. I was in from page one and sped through the entire book in just a few days. I loved the varying narrators to give a bigger picture of the characters. Khalila has become my favorite character in the entire story. Her quiet strength and leadership is just amazing. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that this wasn't the end of the series. I have to wait who knows how long until the final volume is this great series.

The Great Library

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Ghostly Light by Juliet Blackwell

Title: A Ghostly Light (Haunted Home Renovation #7)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Berkley 2017

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 315

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Read a book you're sure you'll love

When her friend Alicia hires Turner Construction to renovate a historic lighthouse in the San Francisco Bay, Mel Turner can’t wait to get her hands dirty. Alicia plans to transform the island property into a welcoming inn, and while Mel has never attempted a project so ambitious—or so tall—before, she’s definitely up for the challenge.

But trouble soon arises when Alicia’s abusive ex-husband shows up to threaten both her and Mel, and later turns up dead at the base of the lighthouse stairs. With no other suspects in sight, things start looking choppy for Alicia. Now, if Mel wants to clear her friend’s name, she’ll need the help of the lighthouse’s resident ghosts to shine a light on the real culprit...

Another great cozy mystery. I love that this one was set on an island in a lighthouse. Such a great setting. And Alicia has become a great side character. In fact, one of the reasons that I really love this series is all the great side characters. Love this story. Can't wait until Blackwell writes another one.

Haunted Home Renovation

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beneath the Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire

Title: Beneath the Sugar Sky (Wayward Children #3)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 174

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Share-a-Tea; I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Hyped Series

Beneath the Sugar Sky, the third book in McGuire's Wayward Children series, returns to Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children in a standalone contemporary fantasy for fans of all ages. At this magical boarding school, children who have experienced fantasy adventures are reintroduced to the "real" world.

When Rini lands with a literal splash in the pond behind Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children, the last thing she expects to find is that her mother, Sumi, died years before Rini was even conceived. But Rini can’t let Reality get in the way of her quest – not when she has an entire world to save! (Much more common than one would suppose.)

If she can't find a way to restore her mother, Rini will have more than a world to save: she will never have been born in the first place. And in a world without magic, she doesn’t have long before Reality notices her existence and washes her away. Good thing the student body is well-acquainted with quests...

A tale of friendship, baking, and derring-do.

Still so in love with this series and the worlds McGuire has created. I love that we finally get to see Confection and Sumi's story gets to continue. Plus we get to visit Nancy and are introduced to new characters. Such a great adventure story. I devoured this one in less than two days. I just couldn't help myself. This volume was great, but what I really want is more of Christopher's story. I really hope we get to see more soon.

Wayward Children

#1 Every Heart a Doorway
#2 Down Among the Sticks and Bones
#3 Beneath the Sugar Sky
#4 In an Absent Dream
#5 Come Tumbling Down

Next up on the TBR pile:

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

Title: Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children #2)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor 2017

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 190

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - Twins; I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Fantasy Series

Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you've got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

All through the first book in this series, I wondered about the history of Jack and Jill. Thankfully McGuire wrote an entire book just about their story and it was truly horrifying. I loved the world of The Moors and the cast of characters that live there. The Master and Dr. Bleak are great villains in a world of villains. I loved reading through the twins's story and ultimate expulsion back to our world. Such a great slim novel.

Wayward Children

#1 Every Heart a Doorway
#2 Down Among the Sticks and Bones
#3 Beneath the Sugar Sky
#4 In an Absent Dream
#5 Come Tumbling Down

Next up on the TBR pile:

Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Give Up the Ghost (Haunted Home Renovation #6)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Obsidian 2015

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Yellow on cover

San Francisco millionaire Andrew Flynt wants to sell his Victorian mansion, but ghostly music, the squeaking of a long-disappeared weathervane, and an angry ghost keep running off potential buyers. After a famous psychic is called in, she informs the Flynts that their multi-million-dollar renovations to “update” the home have left its resident ghost extremely agitated. So contractor Mel Turner is engaged to track down and replace some of the original features of the house.

But when the beautiful psychic is found stabbed, it appears someone had a very human motive for murder. Now Mel must use her ghost whispering gift to uncover the secrets of the haunted house on the hill, and her sleuthing skills to catch a killer.

Another fun mystery! I really love Mel and this story was a good one. The mystery of Flora and Chantelle had some interesting twists. And the subplot involving the housewife added another fun layer. I loved checking back in with Caleb and Stan and Luz and all the rest of the fun characters. The only thing I didn't enjoy: Mel and Graham's relationship. Blergh.

Haunted Home Renovation

Next up on the TBR pile:

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Title: Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tor 2016

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 173

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Popsugar - LGBTQ+ Protagonist; What's in a Name - Shape; Seasonal Series - LGBTQ+ Characters

Children have always disappeared under the right conditions; slipping through the shadows under a bed or at the back of a wardrobe, tumbling down rabbit holes and into old wells, and emerging somewhere... else.

But magical lands have little need for used-up miracle children.

Nancy tumbled once, but now she's back. The things she's experienced... they change a person. The children under Miss West's care understand all too well. And each of them is seeking a way back to their own fantasy world.

But Nancy's arrival marks a change at the Home. There's a darkness just around each corner, and when tragedy strikes, it's up to Nancy and her new-found schoolmates to get to the heart of things.

No matter the cost.

This slim book is just so incredibly beautiful. I know it's cliche to say that a book is beautifully written, but in this case it's true. I loved devouring every single word of this story. I loved how McGuire dumps the reader into the story without much introduction and world building. Instead we are left to figure out the situation along with Nancy. I was fully immersed from page one. I loved it and can't wait to pick up another book in this series.

Wayward Children

#1 Every Heart a Doorway
#2 Down Among the Sticks and Bones
#3 Beneath the Sugar Sky
#4 In an Absent Dream
#5 Come Tumbling Down

Next up on the TBR pile:

Chimera by Mira Grant

Title: Symbiont (Parasitology #3)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit 2016

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 488

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Finish a Trilogy

The outbreak has spread, tearing apart the foundations of society, as implanted tapeworms have turned their human hosts into a seemingly mindless mob.

Sal and her family are trapped between bad and worse, and must find a way to compromise between the two sides of their nature before the battle becomes large enough to destroy humanity, and everything that humanity has built...including the chimera.

The broken doors are closing. Can Sal make it home?

Such a great conclusion to this trilogy! I was so deeply invested in Sal and her fellow chimera. I couldn't wait to see how everything ended. Who would live? Who would die? What other surprises would we encounter along the way? I loved that we got to see less of Dr. Banks (seriously didn't care for him) and more of Fang and Fishy and Sherman. I loved the excerpts from diaries and autobiographies. I loved how most of the story focused on Sal as a narrator, but we did get some fun interludes featuring Sherman. Loved this series!

Parasitology

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed by Jo Beverley

Title: Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed (Renfrew/Kyle #2)

Author: Jo Beverley

Publisher: Signet Eclipse 1988

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Seasonal Series - Second Book

Even if the handsome, debonair Lord Wraybourne is only marrying Jane Sandiford for her fortune as she suspects that does not diminish the powerful sway her betrothed seems to hold over her. The Sandiford Heiress has lived a sheltered life and is known for being stuffy, so her passionate responses to her fiancé's attentions catch her by surprise.

As confused and mortified as she is by her own emotions, Jane is even more scandalized when the dread Whisperer, the scourge of polite Society, rasps unspeakable vileness into her ear. And she is troubled by the news that someone is assaulting young women ?of the middling class? in the streets of London. Yet she remains unaware that an adversary closer to home schemes to sabotage the relationship between Lord Wraybourne and his betrothed?

At first I was very confused about how this book connected with the first book that I read in this series. But then I realized that Lord Ashby was the connector. Okay so I group loosely connected but different stories in each volume. While I enjoyed Jane and Sophie as characters, Lord Wraybourne's wasn't the most interesting male protagonist. I wish he had been a bit more fleshed out. At any rate, it was a typical fluffy Regency romance. It was a nice quick enjoyable read.

Renfrew/Kyle

#1 The Stanforth Secrets
#2 Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
#3 The Stolen Bride
#4 Emily and the Dark Angel
#4.5 If Fancy Be the Food of Love
#5 The Fortune Hunter
#6 Deirdre and Don Juan

Next up on the TBR pile:

Symbiont by Mira Grant

Title: Symbiont (Parasitology #2)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit 2015

Genre: Sciences Fiction

Pages: 518

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Blue on Cover

The SymboGen designed tapeworms were created to relieve humanity of disease and sickness. But the implants in the majority of the world's population began attacking their hosts, turning them into a ravenous horde.

Now those who do not appear to be afflicted are being gathered for quarantine as panic spreads, but Sal and her companions must discover how the tapeworms are taking over their hosts, what their eventual goal is, and how they can be stopped.

According to the author, this series started out as a duology, but during the writing of these volume, she expanded it to a trilogy. For the most part, I really enjoyed this volume. Sal is a great character. And all the side characters are super fun and interesting in their own rights. I really enjoyed the storyline. I loved the adventure with Sherman. But... there were a few times that I wanted the book to go just a little faster. Don't worry. I will be picking up the third book to read soon.

Parasitology

#1 Parasite
#2 Symbiont
#3 Chimera

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Anomaly by Michael Rutger

Title: The Anomaly

Author: Michael Rutger

Publisher: Grand Central 2018

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Share-a-Tea; Seasonal Series - Cool Drink

If Indiana Jones lived in the X-Files era, he might bear at least a passing resemblance to Nolan Moore -- a rogue archaeologist hosting a documentary series derisively dismissed by the "real" experts, but beloved of conspiracy theorists.

Nolan sets out to retrace the steps of an explorer from 1909 who claimed to have discovered a mysterious cavern high up in the ancient rock of the Grand Canyon. And, for once, he may have actually found what he seeks. Then the trip takes a nasty turn, and the cave begins turning against them in mysterious ways.

Nolan's story becomes one of survival against seemingly impossible odds. The only way out is to answer a series of intriguing questions: What is this strange cave? How has it remained hidden for so long? And what secret does it conceal that made its last visitors attempt to seal it forever?

My June selection from Book of the Month. I picked it to get away from the dysfunctional family and Gone Girl-esque books that are the usual offerings. This one sounded like a fun spooky thriller with strains of Indiana Jones and Ghosthunters. Thankfully the book delivered all that I hoped for and was a very fun and enjoyable read. The first three chapters were a bit slow, but once the expedition hit the canyon, everything sped up dramatically. I immediately fell for the motley crew of characters and their approach to the mystery of Kincaid's Cave. By the time the halfway mark arrived, I was speeding through the pages on edge just waiting to find out what was going to happen next. Very creepy I must say. And I love the slightly ambiguous ending. Could there be a sequel in the works?

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Crown by Kiera Cass

Title: The Crown (The Selection #5)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen 2016

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 250

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Great Love Story

Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected.

A fitting end to The Selection series. I really fell for Eadlyn and her story. Turns out that I did predict the ending of the series, but that's okay. I still enjoyed my reading of it. Plus we get to check in with all the other characters from the series along with meeting some new characters. Definitely an enjoyable series.

The Selection:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Title: The Heir (The Selection #4)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen 2015

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Four or More Books

Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story...but as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she’s always thought.

For this volume, Cass thankfully moved the storyline ahead to write Eadlyn's story. I was unsure of the princess when we first met her, but I grew to like her over the book. Again, I figured out the ending (or at least I think I have) before the rest of the storyline was set up. And yet, I enjoyed reading the volume so much. I loved experiencing another Selection but with a twist. Can't wait to finish out the series.

The Selection:

Next up on the TBR pile:

Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

Title: Happily Ever After (The Selection #3.5, #4.5)

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: HarperTeen 2015

Genre: Young Adult

Pages: 387

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - 24 Hours

Meet Prince Maxon before he fell in love with America, and a girl named Amberly before she became queen. See the Selection through the eyes of a guard who watched his first love drift away and a girl who fell for a boy who wasn’t the prince. This must-have companion to the Selection series includes all four novellas as well as exclusive bonus content.

This was an interesting mix of some Selection short stories and series extras. The First two stories were prints from the other short story collection. I've already read those. But then, Cass added some interesting new stories. We get Amberly's story which I wasn't a super fan of. We also get Marlee's story; much more interesting to me. And we get some fun "Where are they now" passages. Overall, a nice companion to the series.

The Selection:

#0.5 The Prince
#1 The Selection
#2 The Elite
#2.5 The Guard
#3 The One
#3.5 The Queen
#4 The Heir
#4.5 The Favorite
#5 The Crown

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stanforth Secrets by Jo Beverley

Title: The Stanforth Secrets (Renfrew/Kyle #1)

Author: Jo Beverley

Publisher: 1989

Genre: Regency Romance

Pages: 312

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR

Though the widowed Chloe Stanforth loves her house by the sea, a series of puzzling incidents has left her unsettled and anxious to find a new home. Her situation is complicated by the arrival of her husband's cousin, for whom she has long harbored a deep and guilty attraction.

Back from the war, Justin Delamere hopes he can finally woo Chloe, until he suspects her guilty of treason-and murder. Can he trust the woman he's always desired, and can Chloe surrender her most private secrets to the man who controls her freedom and now her heart?

I needed a fun Regency romance series for this month and I think I have found it. Apparently the copies I have of this series are the reissues from the 2000s. The series was originally writing in the 1980s and 1990s. I started with #2 according to release date, but #1 according to chronology. At any rate, I really enjoyed this fun story of espionage and romance. Justin and Chloe were a fun couple. I will definitely be picking up the next in the series.

Renfrew/Kyle

#1 The Stanforth Secrets
#2 Lord Wraybourne's Betrothed
#3 The Stolen Bride
#4 Emily and the Dark Angel
#4.5 If Fancy Be the Food of Love
#5 The Fortune Hunter
#6 Deirdre and Don Juan

Next up on the TBR pile:

Parasite by Mira Grant

Title: Parasite (Parasitology #1)

Author: Mira Grant

Publisher: Orbit 2013

Genre: Sciences Fiction

Pages: 502

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Pile; Share a tea; Seasonal Series -- Set in the real world

We owe our good health to a humble parasite -- a genetically engineered tapeworm developed by the pioneering SymboGen Corporation. When implanted, the Intestinal Bodyguard worm protects us from illness, boosts our immune system -- even secretes designer drugs. It's been successful beyond the scientists' wildest dreams. Now, years on, almost every human being has a SymboGen tapeworm living within them.
But these parasites are getting restless. They want their own lives . . . and will do anything to get them.

Why did I leave this book sitting on my shelf for this long? I loved Mira Grant's Newflesh series and couldn't wait to read this newer series, but somehow it just got shoved to the back. I finally picked this one up and holy cow! I love love loved it! Love Grant's mix of science and fiction. In this series, we follow a seemingly normal girl on her journey to find out what's really going on in the world. Had my suspicions about what was really going on and it turns out I was right. And yet, I didn't care. I was along for the ride and loved every minute of it. I'm ready to read the next in the series!

Parasitology

#1 Parasite
#2 Symbiont
#3 Chimera

Next up on the TBR pile:

Home for the Haunting by Juliet Blackwell

Title: Home for the Haunting (Haunted Home Renovation #4)

Author: Juliet Blackwell

Publisher: Obsidian 2013

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Pages: 312

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Seasonal Series - Spring Colors on Cover

San Francisco contractor Mel Turner is leading a volunteer home renovation project, and while she expects lots of questions from her inexperienced crew, she can’t help asking a few of her own—especially about the haunted house next door…the place local kids call the Murder House.

But when volunteers discover a body while cleaning out a shed, questions pile up faster than discarded lumber. Mel notices signs of ghostly activity next door and she wonders: Are the Murder House ghosts reaching out to her for help, or has the house claimed another victim?

Now, surprised to find herself as the SFPD’s unofficial “ghost consultant,” Mel must investigate murders both past and present before a spooky killer finishes another job.

Another great cozy mystery book from Juliet Blackwell. I really really enjoy this series so much. Mel and her various acquaintances are such great characters. This volume was another fun adventure for Mel and her growing ghost-busting business. I do wish the book had bit more ghost activity, but overall I still really enjoy this.

Haunted Home Renovation

#1 If Walls Could Talk
#2 Dead Bolt
#3 Murder on the House
#4 Home for the Haunting
#5 Keeper of the Castle
#5.5 A Haunting is Brewing
#6 Give Up the Ghost
#7 A Ghostly Light

Next up on the TBR pile: