Regina

Though this turns from fast-paced action to courtroom drama, it's probably - so far - my favorite of the Mercy for Hire series.
With this kind of ending, J.S. Morin is leaving me gobsmacked - once again. This seems to be a quite common occurrence with his stories, though, and I'm not complaining. :-p

I simply love the new addition to Team Esper: Wesley Wesley makes a hilarious client/sidekick and dials the team's shenanigans up to 11!
This is a great first book in this new story arc, and I can't wait to read more about Esper, Kubu, Tiffany, and now hopefully Wesley, taking on the Cult of Ra.

And here I thought mission #5 was my favorite of the series...
Well, let's just say that Morin dials it up to 11 in ‘Walk Like a Magician', and Esper definitely cements her status as a badass not to be trifled with. Holy cannoli!
And I'm happy to see that Wesley Wesley seems to have a regular place on the team now! :)

I'm sorry to say that I'm really struggling with this book.

First of all, it was not what I expected from the title and the blurb. I was expecting a lighter read, by the time I hit 50%, I found it rather depressing and decided to quit for now.
I may have to come back to this at another time. Right now, it's not the book for me.
(Disclaimer: This is the first book by this author I have read, so I had no idea what to expect.)

The disjointed timeline - being told the story mostly in flashbacks - makes it difficult for me to get into the story. It's something I struggle with in other books, too, so this is most probably not the book's problem but my own. :)

I also found it hard to connect with the characters, especially Will. I don't see what's so great about this guy, except maybe the easy banter in the early days? I can appreciate that, enjoying just that sort of banter with my fellow geeks, but aside from that, I haven't learned much about him (halfway through the book) that would make me care for him.

Another thing that bugged me - though it's pretty much always hit-or-miss for me - is the use of geek- and fandoms. When it works for me, it's awesome, but somehow Firefly-fanfic-like AURA (“Captain Hot Pants”, anyone?) fell kind of flat for me.

On the other hand, I did like the writing, there were absolutely beautiful and touching passages, so it irks me even more that I couldn't connect with this book.

Nice introduction to Vi and Cali, looking forward to reading more about those two!
Bonus point for calling the pony Thelwell. <3

Cute, short YA story.
I'd like to read more books in the Rumor Has It series.

(Could use a bit more proofreading, though...)

The Wedding Photo is another cute and charming read by Laurie Baxter.

I liked both Katie / Katherine and Bryan as main characters, and I think they work well as a couple (at least after some growing up...).

If you enjoy feel-good, light-hearted rom-coms, this novella might be right up your alley.

Let me get the usual disclaimer out of the way first: I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read - and liked - books in J.S. Morin's Black Ocean series as well as the series Angels of Sins, co-written with Matt Larkin.
Shadowblood Heir, venturing into a different genre - urban fantasy, not paranormal, mind you -, brings the same snarky style as the Black Ocean books, plus numerous pop culture references, as well as an interesting and likeable cast of characters.
Though I am usually not a big fan of first person POV, Matt's is an interesting head to live in, and it's fascinating to see the world through his eyes and experience the ensuing weirdness along with him.

I would definitely read more books set in this universe - no matter if they were sequels, prequels, or unrelated to this story.

Recommended for fans of Tanya Huff's “Smoke” series, provided you don't insist on a token resident vampire.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Matt Lee, Shadowblood Heir. It had a nice ring to it. Then again, Matt Lee, Plagiarist Burglar, had a certain panache as well.”

“It's not rocket science, so we'll be working outside your comfort zone.”

“Let's just say that you aren't likely to be eaten by any grues.” <3

Fun sequel to “On the Buckle”, in which we not only get to know the two- and four-legged folks at Winterlight better, but also gasp meet the family - Vi's, that is.
Drama, emotions, hilarity and whipped cream ensue...
Looking forward to the next book in the series!

I believe I have mentioned it before in reviews of other books by Kathryn R. Biel: I simply love her characters! They usually don't have it easy, they all have their baggage, and they occasionally mess up - but they feel real, and I can't help but keep rooting for them.

Rio and Ian are no exception. And even if I sometimes felt like a slap upside the head might have been in order for one or the other, their hijinks kept me up way past a reasonable bed time, I just couldn't put the book down.

Cute and short setup (ha!) for Piper and Myles's story, set during “Be Careful It's My Heart”. Looking forward to reading more about these two!

Fitting conclusion to the story arc that started in On the Buckle (or even Cold Backed), with Vi finally returning to her roots in Long Island and discovering a lot more than she bargained for.

Personally, I enjoyed the return of Ms. “Scissorhands” and her part in the story.

There is the usual snark, emotions running high, lots of action... And while the four-legged members of the cast are not as much at the forefront, this time, I still enjoyed the loving and realistic description of all things cat-, dog-, or horse-related.

What a cute quick read! I'm a sucker for YA rom-coms, anyway, and I liked both Sam and Natalie - they make a cute couple.

Bonus points for references to The Princess Bride and She's All That. :)

I only wish not every nerd rom-com would compare the hero to Clark Kent (though that's a personal pet peeve of mine and does not otherwise detract from the story ;) ).

There are so many little details I loved about this book and the two very different “fake boyfriend” stories.

Robyn, Sidney, Will, and Perry are all interesting protagonists, though I found it much easier to root for Robyn and Will than for Sidney or for Perry (whose ego probably needs its own ZIP code).

As weird and quirky as they all might be, the characters still feel real, and while I'd personally very much prefer to celebrate Chrismukkah with Robyn's family, I couldn't help watching with a sort of cringing fascination how events unfolded (or rather unraveled) at Sidney's parents' mansion.

4.5 / 5 “my kind of quirky” stars

I'm usually not the biggest fan of paranormal in general and vampires in particular. But I am very much a fan of chick-lit with a twist, so Love Bites fits that bill nicely.

This story is well-written, with enough twists and turns and some juicy red herrings to keep me intrigued until the end. There is a nice balance between the darker themes (yes, there's blood, occasionally lots of it) and the typical chick-lit ingredients like romance (of course!), witty banter between the friends and some laugh-out-loud moments.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but I pretty much put all the others on my wishlist, so...

This is the third book in the series, though the first book in the series I have read. And even though I'm missing the whole “Previously on Saints & Spies...” I still get the gist of who's who and the story works for me as a standalone.

Molly and Zachary are relatable protagonists, though I wouldn't want to be in either one's shoes... I love Jordan McCollum's characters, and her plotting and ability to keep her readers on the edge of their seats is impressive.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable - if intense! - read, and I'm happy with how it all turned out.

I'm actually looking forward to reading the first two books in the series, to get the full story - and the full impact of both Molly and Zachary's families :).

What a wonderful addition to the Ponderosa Resort series!
It probably doesn't do the story justice when I say that I expected no less from Tawna Fenske - but it is once more that perfect combination of flawed but swoon-worthy main characters, a little heartbreak and lots of laughs, well-meaning meddling family and friends, and twists and turns aplenty on the way to the HEA... <3
More please!

What a swoon-worthy “second chance meet cute” (is this a thing?) by one of my favorite small-town romance writers. <3

I'm not much of a historical romance reader (yet?), but this was a fun foray into this sort-of unfamiliar subgenre.

The Duke may not be what I'd call devilish, but he's a rather serious and even - dare I say it? - stodgy fellow. He can brood and glower with the best of them, but deep inside, he's just a big softie. ;)
Outgoing, playful Georgie is pretty much his total opposite, but they make a good match, and IMHO they deserve each other (which I mean in the nicest possible way!).

Side note: I couldn't help picturing Colin Firth as the Duke in question, and that made the story really come to life for me. :)

The series name pretty much says it all: this is a sweet meet cute - I only wish it would have been longer. I'd have liked to spend more time with Sylvie and Everett.

Of the four books in the series I have read so far, this is my favourite. I really liked the main characters, especially the hero (and after reading the author's note it became quite obvious to me why :D), and I felt the Chesterfield crew got a bit more attention than in previous books.

I also liked that the story was built around a heist, following all the planning and plotting was a lot of fun.

4.5/5

This is the first book by Laura Hayden I have read, but I will definitely check out her other books now!

Cute short story, possibly most enjoyable for fellow Whedonites (or for people who are at least mildly appreciative of anything Whedon :).

Charming meet-cute novelette - with puppies!

Brooke and Hayden make a great couple - and throwing rescue pups and kitties into the mix as well as cameos by the Casserole Patrol and other Wishful favorites doesn't hurt. At all. :)

5/5 Fluffernutter stars

I love the idea of the hopeful romantic, and Tessa is a wonderfully weird, funny, and messy heroine who handles her emotional baggage a lot better than I would. :) Kip is a swoon-worthy if less-than-perfect and somewhat complicated hero who complements her nicely.
And, not to forget, there is the merry band of the Soaring Bird “family”, who sometimes steals the scene (I'm looking at you, Steve! And you, Adam!)

The poetry is beautiful, and like the story itself, hits me right in the feels.

Not necessarily recommended for reading in public - and if you are anything like me, you might want to have plenty of tissues at hand...

Entertaining YA superhero/vigilante story!

I love the characters, I like the writing, and definitely all the snark, though I was a bit surprised how brutal and bloody things got at times. But I'm a pretty squeamish reader and not the target audience, so...
Still, I want to read the next book in the series!