All posts by Kelly S

Paranormal, Review, Suspense, Thriller, Vampire, Witches

#Review – Cursed by a Vampire (Immortal Hearts of San Francisco #7) by Susan Griscom

Leave a comment

Cursed by a Vampire (Immortal Hearts of San Francisco Book 7) by [Susan Griscom]

Living with the DeMarco vampires has been a lifesaver for Ari. However, as a human, he’s always felt inferior; has always wanted to be turned, while his vampire friends have refused his one wish.

And then he meets Abella, and suddenly he isn’t sure what he wants anymore.

Abella is also human, although she too is familiar with vampires. Her grandfather is one. The half-witch who cursed her is a vampire. She’s learned to live with both her grandfather and the curse; was content with her life.

Until she meets Ari.

Now she’s living a nightmare, because falling in love could lead to Ari’s death, thanks to her curse.
What will these two ill-fated humans do?

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Cursed by a Vampire, a tale you want to get lost in…

When you are a human and death is inevitable, what do you do? What path do you take?

Ari is one of the DeMarco family but is only human.

Abella lives with her vampire grandfather, but like Ari, she is only human.

These two cross paths and then fireworks explode! At first, they hate each other but are incredibly attracted to each other. There is a gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, push and pull between these two that is more than just your typical love story. Keep it casual?! Yeah right! I mean, I have followed Ari through this entire series and even I know that I wouldn’t be able to resist Ari!

I swear that each time I read one in this series, I think to myself that this is my favorite. Well, this is no different. I really do think Cursed by a Vampire is my favorite. There were several times that I felt like we were coming to the peak of the story and things were going to start wrapping up, and I would feel sort of let down. But in true Susan Griscom fashion, she threw us a curveball and I was like, “holy hell, I did not see that coming!” I said this on several occasions. I just love it when the twists keep coming and then wraps up with an incredible surprise!

Yes, this one…this one right here is my absolute favorite in the Immortal Hearts of San Francisco series! A must read!

Susan Griscom

Sign up for Susan Griscom’s newsletter: http://www.susangriscom.com/newsletter.html

Susan’s Website: http://susangriscom.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susan-griscom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SusanGriscom

Coming of Age, Fantasy Romance, Instant Love, NA, Paranormal, Review, Shifters, Standalone, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary, Witches, Wolves, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR23 – #Review – Between the Pines by Jennifer Daniels

Leave a comment

Between the Pines by [Jennifer Daniels]

On her eighteenth birthday, Sloan Remson thought it would be just like any other day. She went to school, was excused early to get her driver’s permit, then was taken out for a nice lunch by her mother.

Waking up the next morning was an entirely different story. Shivering and in the middle of the clearing up the road and being warmed by a wolf should have scared Sloan stupid. Instead the beautiful snow-white wolf was calming and gave her peace.

Jump seven years into the future, and after several beers with her BFF Mary, once again Sloan finds herself alone in the middle of a clearing. But this time with the handsome Fletcher Remington watching over her. They were friends throughout school and she’d had a secret crush on him for as long as she could remember. Within a few minutes of catching up, secrets are revealed. After a quick mind-dive from Mary, who also happens to be a witch, Sloan finds out Fletcher is a wolf and that he is her mate.

How can Sloan be anyone’s mate when she can’t even shift into the one thing she should be able to? She is a supernatural dud who is in love with a snow-white wolf. Let the adventures begin.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

One can really start questioning their self, especially when they sleepwalk and wake up in the clearing between the pines…with a wolf. However, the second time this happens, she wakes up with Fletcher watching over her. These two have been friends since they were little, but nothing ever came of it. Ultimately, the more these two are together, the stronger the pull is between the two.

Between the Pines was a really sweet, YA/NA fated mates story that did have a sweet happily ever after. The relationship evolving between Sloan and Fletcher is very cute and the fact that they are learning with each other is super adorable. Chivalry is not dead, folks!

I feel that some parts of the book were rushed and not enough explanation in some areas. There was a sort of restlessness that I felt waiting for some turbulence to happen that would really push our MC, but it wasn’t quite as grand as I expected. I wish it was a bit longer so that we could learn more about the other characters’ pasts and to possibly give the antagonist a bigger part. Overall, this was a cute read.

**********Spoiler Alert***************

There are a few things that I felt needed more explanation and the reason why I am giving this 4 stars, instead of 5. A lot of familial secrets are uncovered and Sloan finds out that her father is a wolf. This was kept from her for her entire life. I was a little confused by this because she knew of her mother and her BFF being witches, so I am not really sure why her father being a wolf, and a high-ranking wolf at that, was being kept from her. Sloan really just sort of “went with it”. She questioned things to herself but there were never any real explanations. So, the entire time I waited for something really crazy to happen so that this would eventually be uncovered, but it never did. Additionally, when Sloan and Fletcher bonded, it was discovered that they are the King and Queen of all the wolves. Things were then very rushed and I think some of the “meat and potatoes” of the story were missed.

An image posted by the author.

Contemp. Romance, Review, Suspense, Thriller

#Review – Resolute Justice by Leslie Marshman

Leave a comment

Resolute Justice by [Leslie Marshman]

Will a stand-up sheriff toss the rule book in order to deliver justice?

Between hunting human traffickers and solving her father’s murder, Sheriff Cassie Reed’s hands are full. So, despite her attraction to Tyler Bishop, finding his runaway missing niece isn’t a priority. Besides, the charming PI’s penchant for bending rules exasperates the by-the-book cop. But when a leak in her department brings Cassie under suspicion, joining forces with the tantalizing rebel is her only option.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Team MEAT AND BEER!

Small town with big problems…The book starts out with quite the punch. We get to see how Tyler’s tale weaves himself into the small town of Resolute. While Tyler starts the hunt for his missing niece, he and Sheriff Cassie bump heads. The Sheriff has a lot on her plate and Tyler comes walking into town wanting her to break the rules. Um, NOPE! Not our Sheriff Cassie. While she is stubborn and headstrong, she starts to struggle thinking with her head instead of her heart. There are quite a few bumps in the road when the Texas Rangers pop in and throw a stick in their operation. Cassie and Tyler, who are opposites in ever way possible, work together to find these missing girls and put the bad guys to bed.

The story was very well written and while we all know that these two are going to end up together, it was fun watching these two grow on each other. Their banter back and forth made for some lightheartedness during some really crazy times in the book. I rooted for Cassie and Tyler the entire time and was not disappointed with the outcome. However, I am team MEAT AND BEER! Read it and you will know what I mean, LOL!

An image posted by the author.

Award-winning suspense author Leslie Marshman is (finally) putting her psychology degree to good use, getting inside the heads of her characters and figuring out what makes them tick. She writes novels that feature kick-ass heroines, the heroes who love them, and the bad guys who fear them.

Leslie called Denver home until she married a Texan without reading the fine print. Now she lives halfway between Houston and Galveston and has learned to embrace the humidity. Her household includes two miniature poodles named Harley and Davidson, and a three-legged box turtle named Stumpy. If she’s not at her computer making things up, you’ll probably find her camping at a lake, a fishing pole in one hand and a book in the other.

Fantasy, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Suspense, Vampire, Western Romance, Witches

#Review – Blood Bounty (Charmslinger, Book 1) by Liza Street

Leave a comment

Blood Bounty (Charmslinger Book 1) by [Liza Street]

Gracie Boswell’s got a charmed bullet, a brand new posse, and a pack of outlaw vampires to kill.

The tiny town of Penance has a big vampire problem—and charmslinger Gracie Boswell aims to be the solution. A whole nest of vampires makes for a mighty fine bounty, though, and Gracie is far from the only charmslinger angling for the job. When a charming local layabout and an old competitor elbow their way into Gracie’s posse, she’s forced to at least pretend to play nice…but trust is scarce in the west, and smart bounty hunters always sleep with one eye open.

But Gracie doesn’t have much time to watch her fellow bounty hunters—Penance’s vampire nest is bigger and more organized than anyone suspected, and there’s at least one traitor in the town’s midst. Soon, Gracie finds herself in the unenviable position of leaning on her posse…and at least one of them isn’t what he claims to be.

USA Today best-selling author Liza Street continues to thrill with a brand new western gothic series of outlaw vampires, sinister fae, and good old-fashioned treachery. Pick up Blood Bounty for a wild ride through the dark and dangerous west!

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Wild West Vampire Bounty Hunter…what more could you ask for?!

If you are a fan of Westerns and “things that go bump in the night”, you should absolutely give the Charmslinger series a chance. I love the idea of the Old West having Vampires and such. I randomly found a recommendation for this on Facebook and was instantly hooked when I read the blurb. Just like in the olden days, for the most part, bounty hunters were frowned upon because they simply found people for money. It is no different in this story. But add another twist to it because our MC, Gracie Boswell, is a human bounty hunter that slings witch charms. They have helped her more times than not and she just keeps her distance from the people that have nothing better to do than look down on her. She is the one that keeps their little towns and lives safe.

She comes across a wanted poster for a nest of vampires that are wreaking havoc on Penance with a great bounty. Money that could help change her life. She goes to Penance to get more info and to start the hunt but ends up with a posse that is very different than she is. She has worked alone for so long that she has an incredibly difficult time working with the posse but it turns out, she is going to need them.

The story started out a bit slow for me but I think that it needed to in order to get a really good feel for the world and the characters. As you get further into the story and things start to pick up, you will get to the point where you can’t stop turning the pages. This nest is intriguing and these vampires are not similar to the ones that have been used over and over in other stories. This series definitely has my attention and I am looking forward to reading book two to see what other trouble Ms. Boswell can get into.

Liza Street

Liza got her start in romance by sneak-reading her grandma’s paperbacks. It wasn’t long before she started writing her own series. Now she’s a USA Today bestselling author who spends her time writing about shifters with fierce and savage hearts.

FREE BOOK! Join Liza’s mailing list to get a copy of Fierce Heartbreaker, as well as more free, exclusive content and updates on sales and new releases! To join the mailing list, copy and paste this link into your browser: https://lizastreetauthor.com/free-book

Fantasy, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Shifters, Suspense, Witches, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR23 – #Review – Don’t Cry Over Spilled Potions (Which Village, Book 3) by L.C. Mortimer aka Sophie Stern

Leave a comment

Don't Cry Over Spilled Potions (Which Village Book 3) by [L.C. Mortimer]

For fans of Buffy, Charmed, and Hocus Pocus comes a story about second chances and new beginnings.

Don’t cry over spilled potions.

Once upon a time, I was in love.

My husband was stolen from me before I was ready, but I found him again.

Now he’s back.

He’s here with me in Which Village, but he has no memory of the past and no idea that the two of us were inseparable.

When a foe from his werewolf days threatens to tear us apart, Stanley and I have a choice to make, and it’s not going to be an easy one.

Don’t Cry Over Spilled Potions is the third book in the WHICH VILLAGE series. This book features female main characters who are middle-aged (or fast approaching it) and who have magical powers.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Excellent finale for the Which Village series! I absolutely love this series and Don’t Cry Over Spilled Potions is no different. Jaden and Stanley’s love story is one that against all odds should continue. Now that Jaden has her husband back we get to experience what exactly Stanley is and has been going through….absolute hell. People are tricky and sneaky, but to find out you are something you are not feels like a curse. It is almost like Jaden and Stanley have to meet again. Neither know much about the other but both feel the connection. Is that connection going to be enough to save them? That’s the question, my friends. “The curse of the werewolves is a nasty one.” Both, Jaden and Stanley, have to deal with their own feelings of self worth and wondering if they are good enough. But when push comes to shove, true colors shine bright! If you are looking for something that is a bit different from the normal witches, werewolves, and things that go bump in the night, you need to read this series!

L. C. Mortimer

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.

Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Shifters, Witches, Wolves, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR23 #Review Once Upon a Curse (Which Village, book 2) by L.C. Mortimer aka Sophie Stern

Leave a comment

Once Upon a Curse: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Which Village Book 2) by [L.C. Mortimer]

Once upon a curse…

Once upon a time, Which Village was a great place to live. At least, that’s what people tell me. Now, even though the witch who cursed the moon is dead, the town still seems to be under some sort of hex.

What’s causing the strange problems that are happening in Which Village?

Who is the mysterious stranger who has appeared in town?

And most importantly, am I ever going to figure out the secrets my mother left behind?

Once Upon a Curse is the second book in the WHICH VILLAGE series. This book features female main characters who are middle-aged (or fast approaching it) and who have magical powers.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Magic, curses, and spells…oh my! And I can’t forget about floating pies. There are floating pies, ya’ll!

Magic comes with a price and Jaden is experiencing it firsthand. The story picks up a year after book 1. This chapter in the journey also gives us a better view into Eliza’s life, which I love! Things in Which Village have settled down, but Eliza has been putting her heart into a new annual festival in hopes of bringing some tourism in that will help celebrate magic and the paranormality that is Which Village. Jaden is getting antsy because she is not getting anywhere with finding anymore clues from her mom’s testing and research, plus she isn’t getting any closer to finding her dead husband. Things go awry when someone from the deep dark past shows up and definitely throws some crazy spells around.

One of my favorite things about this series so far is the quirkiness of the stories. It’s funny, heartwarming, and has a bit of a thriller vibe too. The story moves fast so you experience many emotions and feelings pretty quickly. Oh, and Jaden’s character is made to be real. She is going through life with the same emotions and thoughts that many of us do. She is sooooo relatable and one of my favorite characters. I can’t wait for the next book because I can’t imagine what other twists and turns we will come across.

L.C. Mortimer

L.C. Mortimer was raised on a small farm in Kansas, which sparked her interest in going off the grid. Learning how to can, garden, and become self-reliant were all important parts of her upbringing. After pursuing her degree in English Literature, Mortimer traveled the country with her husband, living in Hawaii, Maryland, and everywhere in between. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found stocking up on canned goods for the zombie apocalypse.

Review, Romantic Comedy, Writers on the River Attending Author

#Review Accidental P*rnstar by Cindy Tanner

Leave a comment

Accidental P*rnstar by [Cindy Tanner]

My college career was going great…Until it wasn’t.
I lost my job, scholarship, and apartment in a trifecta of crap luck.

The last thing I want to do is run back home to my parents with my tail tucked. As luck would have it, my old roommate, Mason Davis, has a compelling—if slightly unorthodox solution—to my financial dilemma.

His suggestion?
A live stream feed of me enjoying a little steamy fun with HIM. The smoking hot guy I’ve fantasized about countless times before. Surely, a tenacious bookworm like me can figure out how to let go of her inhibitions for one night.

After all, going viral is a good thing… right?

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

If it could happen, it did happen. For Jules, this girl has had a bad run of luck and it just won’t stop coming. Seriously, when it rains it pours. But sometimes, things happen for a reason. Even if there are a ton of follies and shenanigans along the way. Jules has a plan, a good solid plan but sometimes, you have to just let go. She has been given an opportunity to really let her inhibitions go, she really does some soul searching. She and Mason, the super hottie that she lives with, again, become really great friends. They try to keep things in the friend zone but everyone else around them can see what is happening.

Jules is extremely relatable as many of us have had those crazy days, sometimes weeks, where nothing seems to go right. The only difference is, I haven’t been propositioned to make steamy videos…have you?? LOL! These characters are very likeable, and the storyline will keep you smiling, laughing and saying OMG and WTF many times. But let’s not forget about the super fun steamy scenes too. The perfect mixture for a great story! I highly recommend!

Cindy Tanner

Cindy Tanner loves pizza, reading, and dreams of one day retiring to a mountain cabin with her family and getting a pet donkey. When she isn’t on TikTok watching videos of fainting goats she is probably at her desk working on the latest project, chauffeuring her son, or getting distracted by one of her dogs.

Anthology, Fantasy, Paranormal, Review

Rituals & Runes: A Limited Edition Collection of Magical Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Tales (Charmed Magic Collections) #Review #Anthology

Leave a comment

Rituals & Runes: A Limited Edition Collection of Magical Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Tales (Charmed Magic Collections) by [C.D. Gorri, Bella Roccaforte, C.A. King, Gina Kincade, Elvira Bathory, Rebekah R. Ganiere, Piper Stone, Patricia D. Eddy, J. C. McKenzie, J.E. Taylor, Terri A. Wilson, Ariel Dawn, Serenity Rayne, Cara North, Cara Wylde, Calla Zae, A.L. Kessler, Mia Bishop, Solo Storm, Scarlett West, Madison Granger, Roxy Matthews, N.D.T. Casale, Melissa MacKinnon, Elizabeth Jones, Jude Cocaigne, Melissa Bell, Jordin Thiele, Andie M. Long, Silvana G. Sánchez, Bethany Shaw, Brianna Ganiere]

The runes are cast, the rituals prepared. Now it’s time to break the rules…

Fall under the spell of swoon-worthy supernatural heroes and magical heroines in fantastical worlds filled with dangerous adventures and epic romances.

Witches, Wizards, Shifters, Vampires, Demons, Devils, and other mythical creatures prowl the pages of this limited edition collection of paranormal romance and urban fantasy tales.

Scroll up and secure your copy of BRAND NEW, unforgettable stories from your favorite USA Today bestselling authors and exciting up-and-coming talent before it’s gone forever!

★★★ Authors Featured in Rituals & Runes ★★★

C.D. Gorri & Gina Kincade
Bella Roccaforte
C.A. King
Elvira Bathory
Rebekah R. Ganiere & Brianna Ganiere
Piper Stone
Patricia D. Eddy
J. C. McKenzie
J.E. Taylor
Terri A. Wilson
Ariel Dawn
Serenity Rayne
Cara North
Cara Wylde
Calla Zae
A.L. Kessler
Mia Bishop
Solo Storm
Scarlett West
Madison Granger
Roxy Matthews
N.D.T. Casale
Melissa MacKinnon
Elizabeth Jones
Jude Cocaigne
Melissa Bell
Jordin Thiele
Andie M. Long
Silvana G. Sánchez
Bethany Shaw

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Review of Raven Sorceress by Bella Roccaforte

The Raven Sorceress is a great story full of life altering magic. Truly incredible.

Aisling gets a text, that one text that puts a million different things into motion. Her father always taught her to be prepared, think on her feet, and always be able to defend herself. She never thought this day would come. While she is working through the clues and trying to figure out why people are after her, she meets Ferg. But he is no regular person. He promises to take her to her father and answer many, many questions. The longer she and Ferg travel, the more questions she has especially about the prophecy. No matter what anyone says or does, she finds that fate has brought her exactly where she is supposed to be, and that the prophecy will unfold. Aisling is the Raven Sorceress and has incredible power. The best part is the that the prophecy isn’t exactly what it seems and packs quite the twist to this story. Oh, and the ending! I can’t even begin to tell you about the ending. Actually, I won’t tell you about the ending. You need to read this to understand where I am coming from with. You won’t be sorry.

Fantasy, Mystery, Paranormal, Part of a Series, Review, Shifters, Witches, Wolves, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR23 #Review A Hex a Day (Which Village, Book 1) by L.C. Mortimer aka Sophie Stern

Leave a comment

A Hex a Day: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Novel (Which Village Book 1) by [L.C. Mortimer]

A hex a day keeps the werewolves away…

My mom is dead.

At 34 1/2 years old, this shouldn’t bother me nearly as much as it does, especially considering the fact that we haven’t spoken in years.

But she’s my mom.

And it bothers me.

I make my way to her home as quickly as I can. She lived in a little town in the middle of nowhere, but as soon as I start working my way through her estate – organizing the chaos in her raggedy little cottage, sorting through her financial documents – strange things start to happen.

Suddenly, I wonder if I really knew my mother at all.

Suddenly, I wonder if her death was really an accident.

The town where she lived is full of mystery and chaos, and it doesn’t take long for me to realize that my mother’s killer is still out there – and that I might be their next victim.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

A Hex a Day. Why wouldn’t you want to give this book a try. Once you pick it up, you won’t be able to put it down. Never a dull moment!

“All I knew was that whatever was about to happen was going to change everything I knew about magic. Forever.”

Jaden’s story is incredible and will keep you on the edge of your seat. This poor girl loses her husband and soon thereafter, her mother. Just like any “normal” family, Jaden and her mother had their issues, but they still loved each other very much. Jaden hadn’t seen or spoken to her mother in years and decides to try and get to know her mother while going through the estate. This is when things really get wonky. Jaden arrives in Which Village and immediately recognizes that things are a bit different. The homes are a bit different, the people are a bit different, the evening is a bit different. As she is told her mother’s killer is still out there, she finds that her mother isn’t who she thought she was and that she was dabbling in things that others didn’t like. This is where my favorite twist comes in! I never saw it coming and was speechless. The more answers she gets, the more chaotic things get.

“Life truly was a journey, and sometimes the only way through the fire was straight through.”

Pure craziness at times. However, like a true heroin, she is able to solve one mystery, but I still have so many questions. Because of this, I can’t wait to dive into the next book in this series. I have questions and I demand answers!! LOL! A must read!

L. C. Mortimer

Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Paranormal, Review, Sci Fi, Writers on the River Attending Author

#WOTR23 #Review Catnapped by the Catman: An Alien Abduction Standalone Romance (Interstellar Protections Agency Book 1) by Jade Waltz

Leave a comment

Catnapped by the Catman: An Alien Abduction Standalone Romance (Interstellar Protections Agency Book 1) by [Jade Waltz]

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Ok, first I have a question to ask. Do you prefer dogs or cats? LOL!

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from today, it’s that if I wanted loyalty, I should’ve gotten a dog. No matter how much I loved Loki, he was still a cat who could only serve himself. One thing was for sure: I wasn’t going to trust a feline ever again.”

Well, let me tell you something. When you are catnapped by a catman, trust is very difficult. However, when aliens and space travel are involved as well as a damned good explanation from the catman, it is extremely difficult not to fall head over paws for him!

Sarah is a single woman who has had poor luck with love in the past but absolutely adores her cat, Loki. One thing she was not prepared for was for her cat to make a deal with an alien cat to kidnap her. There were so many “miscommunications” that it was hard not to chuckle at their entire exchange. Once Sarah realizes she has been kidnapped and aliens do exist, she starts to try and figure out what her next steps are. Sarah and the catman cannot communicate so they are both fumbling around, which is super cute and adorable. The way that the catman and Loki banter back and forth is hilarious, but both ultimately have Sarah’s best interest at heart. Ultimately the point of kidnapping/catnapping Sarah is to save some of her friends and others that are traveling into an area where they could be attacked. I did expect there to be some more action but the action actually takes place away from their ship. Other than that, this story had a lot of funny moments, tons of banter, and a super sweet romance with a few really hot moments (bow chicka bow wow). I cannot wait to see what the next book unravels!

Jade Waltz