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The MacKinnon’s Bride

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I found myself enjoying this historical romance more than I anticipated. Initially, it didn’t captivate me, as the story began on a rather unexciting note, but it eventually won me over. The book felt slightly longer than necessary since I deduced the identity of the traitor within the first few chapters. However, I grew fond of the main characters once they took center stage, with their interactions unfolding as expected. The secondary characters elicited varying levels of engagement from me.

When Laird Iain MacKinnon’s son is captured and delivered to the English by a traitor, the Scottish chieftain retaliates by abducting the daughter of the man detaining his son. His intention is to exchange the girl for his son’s return. Unexpectedly, after his son is returned, FitzSimon instructs Iain to keep the girl, claiming she is of no use to him. Page FitzSimon suspects Iain of deceit when he doesn’t send her home, yet deep down, she knows he isn’t at fault.

Two narratives are unfolding: the romance between MacKinnon and Page, and the tale of MacKinnon’s quest to confront the traitor who kidnapped his son.

This book is a tapestry of love, honor, suspense, and passion. I enjoyed both reading and listening to it, with the audiobook being particularly engaging thanks to Braden Wright, who vividly brings the characters to life. The Scottish accents are well-executed, although I’ve seldom heard one in person. The exchanges between Iain and Page are intensely passionate and often infused with humor. I would recommend this book to anyone fond of Highland warriors or simply looking for a compelling romance.

My rating: ⚝⚝⚝⚝

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A Stone Kissed Sea

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I enjoyed getting a chance to really get to know Doctor Lucien Thrax after having met him in earlier novels. This revealed a great deal about him as an individual while also giving us the chance to meet his Sire, Saba, and the other ancients who have made cursory appearances since the original Elemental Mystery novels. The characters have all become more textured and nuanced as the series has progressed giving more depth and life to the world they inhabit. Knowing that this is the last novel set in this particular world made it bittersweet.

Lucien has been working on a cure for Elixir for the past three years without any luck, though he has had a few breakthroughs in detecting usage. The elimination of Elixir is very personal to him due to a loss he suffered because of it, it has also caused him to build a wall around his heart. Dr. Makeda Abel is a human under the aegis of Katya who has been funding the work of Lucien into the Elixir problem. Katya has also been funding the research of Makeda into human blood diseases and their possible cures.

Katya decides that even though Lucien has been working very hard and is making her money he could use some help. Makeda is sent to collaborate with Lucien, even though he would prefer to work alone. Lucien for his part does not take it well and does everything he can to make things difficult for Makeda, and because she would prefer not to be there she does not immediately fall in line. Though both of them are brilliant they cannot see what is right in front of them.

Power, Passion, and Politics. These are three things which drive the vampires as well as the humans in all our stories. You get a healthy dose of all three here as things go from good to bad to worse and back to good again. There is some good action along with a few steamy scenes that are fairly tame, though still hot enough for most. I believe fans will be more than happy with how things play out here.

** I listened to this for my second go with this as I have for the previous books in the series. It is just as compelling when listened to as when you read it. The narrator is fantastic and gives voice and life to all the characters. Enjoy this both ways.

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Paranormal: The Old Woman’s Paintings

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This was an extremely short story that I still could not read in one sitting because it started out so dryly that I had to step back for a bit. While I thought the story itself was alright I could not and did not feel anything for any of the characters. The characters were little more than cardboard cutouts as far as I could see since they were very thin as far as personality. The language/dialogue is stiff and a little formal for what they are saying. I was not really pulled in at any point but wanted to see what was going to happen, though I had an idea of how things were going to end.

Four men meet at a restaurant to discuss a job that the boss has lined up. He did a job in a house that has a huge number of paintings and he believes they can get a big payoff from them. But they have no idea what they are really getting themselves into. One old woman should not be a problem for so many.

This was one of those books that you read and forget almost immediately. But the story is alright for what it is and I am willing to try some of the others to see how they are. While it did not work for me it might for someone else.

My rating: 🌟🌟

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Midnight Crossroad

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I had heard about this series but was not sure whether I wanted to read it or not because I had enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse novels so much. But what happened was that I ended up watching the television series and liked it so decided that I would give the books a try. They took a lot of liberty with the T.V. series as far as the characters, changing physical parameters and race as well as the storylines being different. This is still really good even if I had been prepared for it to be similar. the fact that you get a better feel for the characters as well as the town here is what makes reading the best way to enjoy a story.

Midnight, Texas is a town that has seen better days with a lot of boarded-up businesses and only a handful of full-time residents located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Highway. This is a pretty much dried-up western town. The town has attracted an eclectic group of people who have found a place where their secrets can remain that way. Into this tight-knit group moves Manfred Bernardo, a psychic who is more real than many suspects.

This first book mainly introduces the characters and who they are to each other as well as who they are to the community as a whole. The stage is basically set for everything that happens in the town and outside of it with these people who are anything but normal. The characters are fun and the town is quirky and you can’t help but love them and it.

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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All the Stars Look Down

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I really liked this duo and found myself lost in both of the stories, one with characters new to me and another with friends that I have missed. Because there are two stories I averaged the stars out to 4.25 for the book. I have never read Grace Draven before but definitely liked the tale that she has included in this book with characters who felt enough like people I found myself liking and would like to see more of in the future. Then there is Elizabeth Hunter who I have been reading and enjoying for a while with my favorite couple making a surprise appearance that made my holiday season.

‘Sunday’s Child’, 4 stars.
The story is based on Norse mythology and has an elf named Andor Hjalmarson who has been exiled for 1000 years for seducing one of the King’s favorite concubines. He is sent away to serve his exile as a helper to Saint Nicholas and in so doing finds someone that makes him feel far more than he ever expected.
Claire Summerland is special even though she may not know it. When she was a child she got to see something that all children wish for on Christmas Eve plus someone she never expected to see but which fades as she gets older. When Claire grows up she no longer sees the magic but does find a bit of magic that was lost to her.
This is a sweet story of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Enjoyable for all!

‘Lost Letters and Christmas Lights’, 4.5 stars.
Giovanni and Beatrice travel to Rome when a new mystery comes along and interrupts their Christmas. Bea is on the hunt for a journal written by a priest in the California missions to another priest in the Vatican. The journals hold the secret to growing grapes. But there is something even more about the letters than what meets the eye.
Fina Rossi was in charge of the library when Lorenzo first established it and Giovanni decided to keep her on after Lorenzo was no more. Fina and her son live there alone but she has been corresponding with a friend of Gio’s and wonders what he is really like. Zeno Ferrara works at the Vatican deep in the archives and has never considered leaving. Then he meets Fina and Gio’s offer of employment seems a little more tempting.
There is a little sweetness and a little heat in this matchmaking story that just happens to involve vampires. A great addition to the Elemental Mysteries series.

I think this is a nice holiday-themed book that will bring a smile to the face.

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Mercy House

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This is another of those authors that I am reading for the first time. One major peeve about this book is that it seems to have more pages than are needed for the narrative, though this is of course only my opinion. You get to know some characters better than others and I feel that the ones you get so much information on are the wrong ones. I wanted more about the couple who show up on such a crazy day as they walk. I was also not really sure about where this was taking place, it seemed to be both isolated and not isolated, never sure of which. Much of the action occurs in the first ten chapters with the remaining being filler with spots of activity.

There is never any explanation as to what happens to the residents or why. That seems like an important omission to me, monster, environmental or alien. I found only one error and that is the mistake in the name of the doctor on a couple of occasions.

Mercy House is a state-of-the-art retirement home that appears perfect on the surface. The truth however is far from this ideal picture shown to prospective residents and their families. These people get to see the lively residents who reside on the first and second floors but not those who cannot speak for themselves. Don and Nikki Laurel are on their way to drop Don’s mother, Harriet, off at Mercy House something she highly resents. When they arrive things seem great but as they make their tour and settle in to enjoy dinner, changes are brewing among those in attendance.

This was not very scary in and of itself. If you are afraid of old people or afraid of what they might do if given the chance then this could be terrifying. This did make me want to try some other work by this author and see what he has to offer. Do recommend.

My rating: 🌠🌠🌠

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Working for Bigfoot

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Working for Bigfoot by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was not what I had expected but was definitely a great way to highlight his time between major cases. The characters as usual are pretty interesting though some could have used a little more stage time to make them a real part of the story. I like that you get to watch the kid grow up and see his personality change as he laments the fact that he never gets to see his father even though he seems to care since he sends Harry. Reading and Listening was a great choice because I once again got to hear the fantastic voice of James Marsters as he brought everyone to life. There are three (3) novellas that define how much Harry can help anyone.

Harry is summoned to the woods to meet a new client and he is a bit wary since he has made a few enemies. He is surprised to find that the new client is a Bigfoot who goes by the name of Strength of a River in His Shoulders, River Shoulders for short. River Shoulders wants Harry’s help for his son, Irwin, who lives with his human Mom in Chicago and seems to be being bullied. Because the boy is innately magical it could be more than Harry expected.

‘ B is for Bigfoot’, takes place between Fool Moon and Grave Peril
Irwin is an 8-year-old boy who is big for his age with a mild-mannered personality that has gotten him attention from a pair of bullies. It turns out that the bullies are also Scions and are using Irwin to sharpen their skills. Harry helps Irwin learn to defuse such situations without doing something which would go against his morals.

‘ I was a teenage Bigfoot’, takes place circa Dead Beat
Harry uses a Bigfoot hunt to get into the woods in order to meet with River Shoulders. River Shoulders tells Harry that Irwin is ill but the children of Forest People never get ill, ever. Something has to be wrong and Harry needs to find out what it is and fix it.

‘ Bigfoot on Campus’, takes place between Turn Coat and Changes
River Shoulders has a dream that Irwin is in danger and once again calls on Harry to get his son out of trouble. Harry is happy to help him out but tells him that the price for his taking the job is that River Shoulders finally meet his son.
Irwin has met a girl and fallen in love, the good news is she loves him back, the bad news is that she is a White Court Vampire. The danger does not come from the girl however but from the outside and Harry and River Shoulders will need to work together to save the kids.

Perfect for the Dresden fan or anyone who likes urban fantasy. This can be read without having read any of the previous books since it does not reference any of them. But it does let you get to know our main guy. Enjoy





View all my reviews

Light kindled in the spreading cloud of fine dust, a flickering glow that spread with the cloud, sparkling through the full spectrum of visible colors in steady, pulsing waves. It was beautiful magic, which was rare for me. I mean, explosions and lightning bolts and so on were pretty standard fare. This kind of gentle, interrogative spell? It was a treat to have a reason to use it.

Working for Bigfoot, Harry Dresden
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The Hypocrisy of the British Royal Family

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This is a departure from what I write about but I had to get my thoughts down before they are scrambled.

I was always a little into the Royal family but never anything very big. Liked to see the weddings and when babies were born I was interested. But in 2016 when the possibility of an American joining the family became real I became much more interested. I had always been into Prince Harry because he appeared to be a real guy not your paper cut out Prince.

Earlier this month that American and her Prince were hounded out of his country by a racist, sexist and xenophobic media, which surprisingly included not only tabloids but their so called main stream media as well. They also seem to have been treated the same way by his family who worked behind the scenes to break his marriage or get them out. How could so many who claimed to love this man turn around and try to end his happiness?

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex requested that he be allowed to continue his royal duties part time and stop receiving the subsidy that all royals receive from a tax payer fund. They denied his request and essentially told him he had to give up supporting the Queen or keep doing things their way, including putting their lives and reputations into the hands of a media that has done nothing but vilify and hound them for 3 years. He refused to continue being the whipping boy for a media who has so much power they dictate terms to the Royal family, government and the country.

What makes them hypocrites is the fact that when Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge got married he was not only allowed to play at being a regular working guy, he was allowed to be a part time working royal and apparently collect tax payer money at the same time. He and his new wife did not become full time working royals until his little brother found someone to marry. This means that for 6 (six) years he was allowed to represent the Queen and country on an as needed basis. Why? And why was it denied to that little brother?Was it the fact that he was to popular or is it that Game of Thrones is not just a fiction but the way these people think.

This “family” is anything but since they are more than willing to throw their own out when the media or the public as told by the media tell them what to do. How can anyone live a life that’s about nothing more than making headlines for a country that treats you like nothing more than a side show.

Rant over and while the writing may not be eloquent, it is heart felt.

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Abducted

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Abducted
(Alien Mate Index #1)
by Evangeline Anderson

This was a fantastic start to a new series which is going to take you on a journey with new alien life that is closely related to our own. I have been reading this author since I found Claimed for free on Amazon and as I branch out to other works find that she can do no wrong for me. I love her vision of the alien hunks who have a soft spot for earth women and the worlds that she has populated our galaxy with. The best part is that it is not set in some distant future but is still within a time frame that is more or less contemporary.

Sarden de’Lagorn has come to the newly opened station circling Earth looking to find a female for trade. The Commercians have recently started cataloging the women available on the planet for their Alien Mate Index and he is the first customer. Zoe is having a very bad day, her crazy boss has thrown a stapler at her head and she is in the women’s room talking to her best friends on the phone when her life takes a turn she could not see coming.

Zoe finds herself naked and looking up at a man/male who looks a lot like the devil and being told that she has been bought and will never see Earth again. This does not sit well with her and she starts to plot her escape as soon as the shock wears off.

The story is told from multiple points of view which means you get a full view of everything that happens. There are some great pop culture references regarding movies and TV series. The characters have complex personalities which helps to draw you in. The new aliens are different from a lot that have been seen in the past. The world’s visited are familiar and yet still alien in how things are done and the ways that it looks.

If you liked the Brides of the Kindred then I do believe that this will be to your liking. If you have never read the Kindred than you cannot go wrong with trying out this series, it will make you want more. I highly recommend this series!

** Listened to the audible book this second time and enjoyed it but there were a few things that made it kind of annoying for me. This is read by Mackenzie Cartwright who I thought did a wonderful job of bringing both the male and female characters to life when she read specifically from Zoe’s viewpoint and William Martin who I found to be not so animated or diverse in his voicing of Sarden’s sections because he came off as reading in a monotone. Still think it is definitely worth taking time out for.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“And the ‘lock’ they put around your planet is what I believe you Earthlings refer to as an ‘ozone layer,’” said the proper butler voice, which seemed to be coming from the golden dragonfly. “Now that much of it has been removed and your planet has begun to heat, outside investors are free to harvest Earth’s females. Females such as yourself, who are most valuable because they have not bred with any of the other peoples of the known universe. This is why we dub you ‘Pure Ones’—because you have only the pure blood of the Ancient Ones running through your veins.”