Category: Paranormal adventures,

Review:  The Witch’s Wolf ( Fated Destinies Book 1)  by Heather K. Carson

Rating: 3.5⭐️

Spoilers ahead. 

While I enjoyed this book, it’s not without some issues. Here’s the good things about The Witch’s Wolf and those elements I thought were less well executed. 

Spoilers ahead. 

The characters are engaging. A two person perspective until the very end , when a third is unexpectedly introduced, it’s easy to see each character in their mindset(s) and how they are handling the various, often chaotic, situations. 

Sage, the oldest sister is only vaguely gendered until further into the story. I’m not sure why some readers have problems with this.  What is more important is the lack of world building and personal history of both characters. I’m not sure if this is intentional on Carson’s part and will be addressed further in the future books, but its lack is a hole that’s felt here. Especially where their father is concerned. 

Further aspects I found explored or otherwise not well executed surround the characterizations, especially the main characters. 

Sage’s character as well as that of her young sister, Coral,  lived for their entire lives in a sterile, rigidly governed and controlled environment that constructed a false history of the world built on narrative necessary to control its inhabitants. 

But when dangerous events prompted them to flee outside the city, and to a place where they find a new truth and life among those who are like themselves, do they feel deeply traumatized, as one might, by the fact that their previous lives were total lies? That everything they knew was false? Not really.

I kept waiting for a believable, grounded response from Sage, a emotional breakdown or show of shock that she’d been living in a life of lies. And  not getting any believable responses. 

The author did write her other emotional responses in scenes and events that felt credible. But there should be a detailed depth of understanding to get that energy and emotion throughout her personality and character from start to finish. At least not without the necessary narrative explanation here for her storyline. 

Then there’s Maddock, the brother to the crazy Alpha. Maddox is the fated mate to Sage. His inner wolf is treated like a separate entity, an element I’ve seen before, and it works pretty well here.  A interesting but under-explored storyline is the plot of the pack has always been lead by a 3- sibling male line. But due to a “self-inflicted” tragedy, this pack no longer has one, and is failing. 

This storyline should have been more a part of the book but instead it was shoved down and only mentioned rarely. 

Instead the drama was between Maddox and his “broken” drunk Alpha brother. It’s a nonsense plot because as any reader can see , that Alpha is the villain and should be dealt with by the very beginning. So the conflict that goes on nonsensically for 481 pages with this “made up conflict “ well its not realistic within the storyline.  It’s become an element that removes the reader instead.

It does end on a cliffhanger. And introduces the voice of the younger sister, as she’s got the next story. 

My thoughts ? It’s enjoyable.  It’s got faults but the characters are fun enough that I’ll probably be going through to the next story. 

But it’s on my TBR list. And that’s a pile. 

Like the cover.

Published by Blue Tuesday Books Cover Design by Fay Lane

Fated Destinies (3 book series)

The Witch’s Wolf #1

The Broken Mate #2

The Alpha’s Curse #3

Buy link

 Book 1 of 3: Fated Destinies 

Blurb 

Fate doesn’t exist.
But try telling that to the growling wolf shifter who thinks I’m his mate…

This is not my week.
Or month.
Or year.

My now-ex-boyfriend cheating on me with my best friend?
I’d get over it eventually.
Pretentious chefs who looked down on me because I never went to culinary school while I was raising my little sister?
Screw ‘em.
Finding out my sister has Lycan wolf DNA and I have hours to get her out of the city before she’s locked away in a government research facility?
I definitely didn’t see that one coming.

To save my sister’s life, we take off in the middle of the night following cryptic instructions from our late father to what was supposed to be the toxic wastelands.

Imagine my surprise when we stumble into a fairy tale civilization of wolf shifters where magic is real and a frustrating, but ruggedly handsome pack enforcer has serious plans for me.

The big, bad, and hungry wolf thinks I’m his fated mate and he’s not taking no for an answer.

That’s just the icing on the metaphorical cake.
But this isn’t some magical bedtime story.

Real danger exists in the Cerberus pack. There’s a poison in the ranks. Shifters are leaving. My sister isn’t safe.

And a blood-thirsty Alpha murders anyone that challenges him.
Which I may–or may not–have accidentally done…
Did I mention today is not my day?

Each book in the Fated Destinies series is a full length novel told in dual POV where the main hero and heroine get their HEA. This steamy series offers spice without sacrificing the plot. Warning: These books do end on a slight cliffhanger once the individual plots are resolved. Scroll up now and start reading to find out how these fated destinies are interwoven into the overall series.

Tropes:

  • Humor
  • Grumpy/Sunshine
  • Growling Alpha Males
  • Touch her and die
  • Spicy M/F
  • HEA
  • Fated mates
  • Slow burn
  • Publication date: March 1, 2023
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 481 pages
  • Book 1 of 3: Fated Destinies

Review: Breaking Badger (Honey Badger Chronicles, #4) by Shelly Laurenston

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Books 4 through 6 (to date) focus in on Max’s childhood friends and basketball teammates. These females are also dangerous honey badgers and have been a part of a tight knit group of friends that have run their own small time operations since their school days. It been Max, Streep, Mads, Nelle, and Tock. Through crime and punishment (often with Charlie as backup and safety for the younger girls). 

This is Mads book, and along with the other teammates, get hooked up with the Malone brothers, Keane, Finn, and Shay ,Siberian Tigers, who are searching for the people who killed their father. These Tiger shifters are also related to Max, Stevie and Charlie  as Nat, their younger sister turns out to be half honey badger and a half McKilligan.  Complicated relationships introduced as well as some awkward dynamics  during the last fantastic story .

Laurenston weaves tightly packed, violent action scenes and densely layered storylines into developing new found family bonds and growing group relationships. The “Black Malones” tigers start out emotionally stunted and reactive yet during intense interactions and small one to one conversations, each Malone exhibits surprising emotions and hidden depths. 

And while the focus is on Mads, and her interactions with her awful family and the growing one with Finn, the strengths of this series, the MacKilligan sisters (Charlie, Max and Stevie) still have impactful moments and roles to play here. 

As do others. So many new and familiar characters here , beautifully detailed and engaging in their own personalities. It just one more reason I can’t get enough of this series. 

There’s an overall plot and mystery that seems to be going through the next section of books. It’s a really great one. I can’t wait to see how it’s explained. 

Remember these books are gory, violent and murderous. Blood and body parts everywhere. FYI.

Highly recommended. 

I really like the covers for the series. Great work. Eye catching and character related. 

Honey Badger Chronicles:

  • Hot and Badgered #1
  • In A Badger Way #2
  • Badger to the Bone #3
  • Breaking Badger #4
  • Born to Be Badger #5
  • To Kill a Badger #6

Buy link

 Book 4 of 6: The Honey Badger Chronicles 

Blurb 

It’s instinct that drives Finn Malone to rescue a bunch of hard battling honey badgers. The Siberian tiger shifter just can’t bear to see his fellow shifters harmed. But no way can Finn have a houseful of honey badgers when he also has two brothers with no patience. Things just go from bad to worse when the badgers rudely ejected from his home turn out to be the only ones who can help him solve a family tragedy. He’s just not sure he can even get back into the badgers’ good graces. Since badgers lack graces of any kind . . .

Mads knows her teammates aren’t about to forgive the cats that were so rude to them, but moody Finn isn’t so bad. And he’s cute! The badger part of her understands Finn’s burning need to avenge his father’s death—after all, vengeance is her favorite pastime. So Mads sets about helping Finn settle his family’s score, which has its perks, since she gets to avoid her own family drama. Besides, fighting side by side with Finn is her kind of fun—especially when she can get in a hot and heavy snuggle with her very own growling, eye-rolling, and utterly irresistible kitty-cat . . .

“Filled with high-octane action, some serious snark, and a plethora of humor.. the resulting madcap adventures are sure to please series fans.”

—Publishers Weekly 

  • Publisher: Kensington Books
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: August 31, 2021
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 370 pages
  • Book 4 of 6: The Honey Badger Chronicles

Review:  Ride Or Die (The Body Shop Book 5) by Hailey Edwards 

Rating : 4.75⭐️

Ride Or Die wraps up this fantastic series with mythical battles, high stakes, epic magical revelations, and an absolutely satisfying ending for all the characters. 

The Body Shop series has followed Frankie and her adopted siblings, the Mary’s as they call themselves after the official ‘house of horror’ they were forced to live as children, they’ve come through perilous events and horrific experiences that’s seen them come out more powerful individually and as a found family. 

From one where Frankie was the one who provided and held everything together to a family that worked together as a unit for a common purpose.  The character development and plotting was even, strong and often compelling. And Edwards didn’t leave any character behind in bringing relationships and old friendships forward as things went further into new developments. 

Kierce sacrificed himself for Frankie and now she’s going to save him. It’s time for revelations, god comeuppances, and the final showdown. And some real surprises. 

Dis Pater is shown to be even worse than thought to be. But the biggest bad is a well crafted evil, multi dimensional villain who’s horrific in his clarity of vision.  

It’s reasonable and believable and makes this credible that’s there’s a cost of defeating him.  It wouldn’t have made sense otherwise. Or been in keeping with the types of magical powers and abilities that were used by all of the characters here. 

In the end, we get a sense of how the characters are in their lives and how they feel going forward. It’s contentment and happiness. And that makes The Body Shop a well written, highly compelling and satisfying series, one I’m happy to recommend. 

Love the covers. Every single one.

Cover by Damonza

Illustration by Marouane Hs

The Body Shop – series complete: 5 books:

Fair Market Value #1 

Amber Gambler #2 

Midnight Auto Parts #3 

Cheater Slicks #4 

Ride or Die #5 – series finale 

Buy link

        Ride or Die (The Body Shop Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Kierce sacrificed himself to save Frankie, and now it’s her turn to rescue him. Whether he wants her to or not. That means venturing into Abaddon, the land of the dead, and hoping she can locate him within its shadowed depths before Dis Pater notices his favorite toy is missing. But Dis Pater isn’t the only deity she has to fear.

Frankie’s father has learned of her journey down to his domain, and he won’t take no for an answer when he welcomes her into his home. As if one MIA parent materializing wasn’t bad enough, her mother arrives with her own emotional baggage in hand. Forget the perils of traversing the underworld. Navigating this family reunion just might be what kills her.

  • Publisher: Black Dog Books
  • Publication date: September 16, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 241 pages
  • Book 5 of 5: The Body Shop

Review:  In A Badger Way (Honey Badger Chronicles, #2) by Shelly Laurenston

Rating: 4.5⭐️

A 6 book series, stories 1 through 3 focus on the foundation family of the three MacKilligan sisters.  All three have the same criminal loser and absentee father a honey badger shifter who goes finds female companions like he does trouble, often leaving behind his children (from different mothers). Who then have to deal with his problems as adults. 

The first book centers around the oldest, Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan, a wolf/honey badger shifter who has been the caretaker for her sisters since her mother died.  Now they’ve settled into a sort of normality (for them) in a bear shifter neighborhood in a rental house. And Charlie’s got a bonded relationship with a grizzly bear shifter. 

But all the events in that book sets off a ripple effect that continues here in Stevie’s story. Stevie is the youngest, and the one who has the most issues. She’s brilliant, a certified genius. She’s got mental health issues, starting with extreme anxiety and depression that can cause her to spiral and lose control of her shift.  A concern when she’s a honey badger/tiger shifter hybrid.  The weird mixture of her father’s genes adds to her ability to do some pretty spectacular stuff. 

And for , honestly , some of the best scenes in the book, as well as in the last. 

Laurenston plays with the juxtaposition of how superficially Stevie’s perceived against the reality of what Stevie actually is. Or is capable of. This happens over and over. With multiple people. And I love it. That expectations are often wrong when taken on a simplistic level. 

Of course, this is the MacKilligan sisters, so we get all three and their often hilarious dynamics, fast paced and brutal action, and powerful scenes with full on snarky, clever, and often engaging dialogue. 

Shen, the Panda bodyguard who’s the love interest is vastly different and great in his unique role. He grows throughout the book and into the next. 

If I had an issue, it’s that Stevie kept making excuses for the father, a vile being.  I hope it doesn’t take six books to bring him down. 

This is a definite pleasure to read. And one I’m happy to share. 

Honey Badger Chronicles:

Hot and Badgered #1

In A Badger Way #2

Badger to the Bone #3

Breaking Badger #4

Born to Be Badger #5

To Kill a Badger #6

Buy link

        In a Badger Way: A Honey Badger Shifter Romance (The Honey Badger Chronicles Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Petite, kind, brilliant, and young, Stevie is nothing like the usual women bodyguard Shen Li is interested in. Even more surprising, the youngest of the lethal, ball-busting, and beautiful MacKilligan sisters is terrified of bears. But she’s not terrified of pandas. She loves pandas.

Which means that whether Shen wants her to or not, she simply won’t stop cuddling him. He isn’t some stuffed Giant Panda, ya know! He is a Giant Panda shifter. He deserves respect and personal space. Something that little hybrid is completely ignoring.

But Stevie has a way of finding trouble. Like going undercover to take down a scientist experimenting on other shifters. For what, Shen doesn’t want to know, but they’d better find out. And fast. Stevie might be the least violent of the honey badger sisters, but she’s the most dangerous to Shen’s peace of mind. Because she has absolutely no idea how much trouble they’re in . . . or just how damn adorable she is.

  • Publisher: Kensington Books
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: March 26, 2019
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 418 pages
  • Book 2 of 6: The Honey Badger Chronicles

Review: Brew Diligence (Maya’s Blog’s Book 2) by Lara McKenzie

Rating: 5⭐️+

“I’ve had some revelations since moving into my own place: 

-Living alone means no witnesses to my weirdness, which is empowering until you accidentally flood the kitchen while making noodles.  Fairy lights are an emotional support infrastructure.  -There is no middle ground between I am thriving and I just organised my socks by emotional damage level.  -There is no such thing as too many mugs.”

From Maya’s Blog, readership is now climbing up to the millions. 

When we last saw Maya, she’d left her abusive family and finally gotten the one room apartment that she had wanted, decorated with fairy lights and a coffee mug. Safe. But Gary the Grim Reaper who had helped saved her from the serial killer was missing, presumably because he violated his own laws. 

Brew Diligence, a book of endless quotable sentences and incredibly moving moments, follows the same perfect format and flow of the first book. Maya, our brave woman barista continues to blog about her experiences to her followers who became her friends and family. 

From 5 to millions, chapters of her moving forward, overcoming some huge challenges with hilarious stories and enormous amounts of pain and anxiety. And bravery. 

Now she and her friends who are also her colleagues are in the midst of the fight to free Gary the Grim Reaper from his prison sentence for helping her escape from the serial killer. 

Gary, another fabulous character, is missing not from the story but from the hole he left behind in the close relationships he formed. Plus his ghost cat, too, who left behind, is ruling the apartment at Maya’s. 

There’s so much trauma and emotional scars here in this story. It’s balanced by the author’s carefully crafted humor and sensitivity to the subject matter and scenes.  Hilarity and horror. Love and hate. Death and rebirth.  

Despair and hope.  It’s brilliant and brutal that all these things exist within this universe, these characters and their stories. 

Is this really only the second book? Surely not.  I’m astonished at the fact that this is so amazing on every level of excellence. 

Yes, highly recommended. If I had more stars in the rating, they’d be there. So many stars!

Love this so much! Including the covers. 

Cover Illustration Main image by Manuka Madushan, Digital Illustrator.

MAYA’S BLOGS:

Espresso Yourself #1

Brew Diligence #2

Uncharted Grounds #3

Flat White Flag #4

Little Bean #5 (coming soon)

Buy link

        Brew Diligence: A Paranormal Comedy with Heart (Maya’s Blogs Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Just as Maya thinks she can relax into recovery and a budding romance with a demon general, the afterlife throws her a curveball.

The Grim Reaper who saved her wasn’t just locked away—he was erased from existence.

What starts as a rescue mission quickly becomes a masterclass in magical bureaucracy, inter-realm politics, and one seriously unhinged plot twist.

Join Maya as she blogs her way through enough supernatural shenanigans to short-circuit reality.

  • Publication date: June 23, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 304 pages
  • Book 2 of 4: Maya’s Blogs

Review: A TOUCH OF MURDER (Touched Book 1) by E.M. Leya

Rating: 4🌈

E.M. Leya writes the terrific Ghostly romance mystery series and this is the first in her new paranormal murder mystery series, Touched.

The main characters , located in the small town of Hidden Falls , WA, are Barrett Whitestone, 34, PD detective skeptic and Adam Wrecker , 32,a psychometric psychic. That’s someone who can , by touch, sense events and experiences from an object they have been given. 

A missing girl brings the two men together and the cosy nature of the small town dynamics repeatedly makes repeated visits necessary in various ways. 

One aspect of this story that’s out of the usual box for this author is the graphic depiction of violent SA, torture and murder of the victim here. I suspect that, given the circumstances surrounding the psychic gift of Adam Wrecker that this will be a reoccurring issue.  

I feel this series and story should have trigger warnings associated with it given those elements.  FYI. 

Leya is creating a new cozy mystery atmosphere for her series by introducing a full cast of townsfolk and shopkeepers, police officers included. It’s a tiny town that counts on tourism. But most cozy mysteries don’t have such raw material as part of their storylines. 

There’s a sweet, slow burn romance between the two characters but countered by the graphic horror of the victim’s death. 

For me, the other seems jarring here. I get that it helps authenticate Adam as a psychometric, but it’s out of “character “ for the rest of the narrative.   If this was a harder type of story with characters who are hardcore, a romance with an edge , and  darkness, then I’d expect this aspect of the novel. 

But with donuts, small towns communities dynamics and cozy spaces, along with the occasional slow burn sweet kisses, it other feels out of place. 

Adam comes across as very believable in his gifts. The slow investigation of the culprits and frustrations of the small police force also seems real and credible. 

A Touch of Murder is a good start to a new series. I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for us next. 

 Cover Art by: Annabella Stone

Buy link

 Book 1 of 1: Touched 

Blurb 

Officer Barret Whitestone loves the small town of Hidden Falls. After all, he grew up there. He takes his job of protecting the people seriously, and so when a case brings him to Touched, he’s sure he has just met the biggest fraud and charlatan in town. With a murder case to solve, he doesn’t have time to waste with someone he’s sure is taking advantage of a grieving family.

Adam is a psychometric—a person who has the rare ability to sense an object’s history through touch. But unlike most others with his gift, he can’t turn the ability off. He’s used to people not believing him, but when it comes to murder, he knows he can help identify a killer.

With pressure from the town, Barret humors Adam. At first, he’s convinced he’s wasting time and energy, but when what Adam tells him starts to match with the evidence, he can’t help but believe there may be something to Adam’s ability.

Forced to put their differences aside, the two slowly piece together what happened to a missing woman. Navigating through a confusing case while searching for evidence that can be used in court, they’re both determined to bring a killer to justice and learn to trust each other along the way.

  • Publisher: E.L. Publishing
  • Publication date: August 31, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 290 pages
  • Book 1 of 1: Touched

Review:  Hot and Badgered (Honey Badger Chronicles, #1) by Shelly Laurenston

Rating: 4.75⭐️

“‘So let me sum up-we’ve got one vote for total annihilation and one vote for forcing them to join the hockey team. Am I correct?’ “Yes, “ both females replied.”

Author Shelly Laurenston, who’s quoted above from this hilarious and highly entertaining book, has written many popular novels and series, none of which I’ve read until now. After reading this, I’m going to start through this writer’s inventory like a cat in a catnip patch.  I’m mean there’s a porcupine scene that can have me giggling in crowded places just thinking about it. 

You don’t have to have read any preceding books or series to understand what this is about. It’s so great, the characters are so vividly written, the plotting and locations are written with detail and a eye for creativity that makes this a book that you can’t put down and full of characters that are rich in family love while being absolutely crazy and dangerous. 

I’m talking about the MacKilligan shifter family of honey badgers, which spans the world. From their base in Scotland to the USA where the MacKilligan sisters are, and further out, this wild, often criminal family is the most enduring, entertaining and enterprising group of shifters I’ve met in a long time. 

The core group is the three sisters of the MacKilligan family, oldest Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan who is a honey badger/wolf hybrid, then followed by Max “Kill It Again” MacKilligan who is all honey badger and perhaps psychopathic killer, and finally the younger sister, the unstable uber brilliant genius who has certain mental health issues, Stevie. Stevie who’s honey badger and tiger.  A found family with an absent loser criminal father who has repeatedly gotten them into deep debt and international criminal troubles and with their hybrid status a lack of respect and support elsewhere. 

They have been brought up learning to take care of themselves, fighting for their lives in every way possible. I’m talking arsenals. 

They, due to criminal shenanigans by their father once again, end up meeting with a grizzly bear shifter family. The Dunns, a triplet set of siblings into protecting and honey. 

Honestly, it’s fabulous. There’s an entire bear shifter town that’s amazing. I want to go there.  There’s jackals, a shady wolverine pal sort of, and more relatives than anything. 

It’s hilarious, imaginative, the action sequences and battles are fierce! Bloody fun and paranormal wild in the extreme. 

But the core family love is locked in, the family dynamic is believable and compelling. And the dialogue is sparking intelligent and downright entertaining while also making the reader understand the characters and what’s driving them emotionally. 

Honestly, why am I so late to all this? 

Another 3am in the morning read and fabulous finish. Highly recommended! 

Honey Badger Chronicles:

Hot and Badgered #1

In A Badger Way #2

Badger to the Bone #3

Breaking Badger #4

Born to Be Badger #5

To Kill a Badger #6

Buy link

        Hot and Badgered: A Honey Badger Shifter Romance (The Honey Badger Chronicles Book 1)

    

Blurb 

The “hot and humorous” debut of the action-packed shapeshifter series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Pride novels (USAToday.com).

It’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly shifter Berg Dunn’s hotel balcony. Definitely they don’t usually hop up and demand his best gun. Berg gives the lady a grizzly-sized t-shirt and his cell phone, too, just on style points. And then she’s gone, taking his XXXL heart with her. By the time he figures out she’s a honey badger shifter, it’s too late.

Honey badgers are survivors. Brutal, vicious, ill-tempered survivors. Or maybe Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is just pissed that her useless father is trying to get them all killed again—and won’t even tell her how. Protecting her little sisters has always been her job, and she’s not about to let some pesky giant grizzly protection specialist with a network of every shifter in Manhattan get in her way. Wait. He’s trying to help? Why would he want to do that? He’s cute enough that she just might let him tag along—that is, if he can keep up . . .

  • Publisher: Kensington Books
  • Publication date: March 27, 2018
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 434 pages
  • Book 1 of 6: The Honey Badger Chronicles

Review: License to Curse (The Merlin Mysteries, Book One) by Kim Richardson 

Rating: 3⭐️

I have written and rewritten this review several times.  And finally decided to try and keep it as concise as possible. 

This was a DNF multiple times for me for many reasons but ultimately I finished it and enjoyed it. But I won’t be going further with this series. 

Main issues revolve around the characterization and plot issues. Things and elements that repeatedly occur throughout the story or seem to be a part of the main character makeup which makes any credibility of a magical law enforcement officer impossible. 

Arcane witch Rhea Morven is a newly credited Merlin. That’s a Magical Enforcement Response League Intelligence Network. Basically they’re the magical law enforcement agents who police the paranormal world. Rhea’s got a sketchy family history and wildcard powers. And she’s a newbie. But still an agent with a badge. 

And she’s sent out to an equally sketchy town, Gallows Gate, where a fellow agent disappeared and 3 teenagers have gone missing. 

Should be a great mystery and law enforcement storyline. 

However, author Kim Richardson gives little insight or foundation into the political structure or powers here. So instead of the Merlin coming into town as a powerful magical force or police officer, there’s nothing to this aspect of the plot. 

The agency has given no resources and dumped her. Might as well be a civilian. And she’s whiny. When the Council (and parents) blame her for certain crimes/events that have happened in her absence and without an investigation, she immediately agrees she’s a failure. She’s been there one day. 

People refuse to listen or talk to her. Fine. Off she goes. No procedure. What training? Zero credibility as a Merlin for me as a reader. 

Rhea’s personality too is lacking. Absolutely gullible as written, especially for a trained agent and magically powerful person. Rhea who listens to the person who’s got “big bad Villain“ stamped on their forehead while suspecting the person who’s saved her repeatedly and reeks of ancient great being.  Let’s do that. 

While there are some funny moments and engaging characters, like the ghost who’s attached to the dilapidated house that called the local Merlin office/ home, they’re swamped by scenarios and situations that are frankly eye-rolling. 

The narrative continues to grow less credible as events unfold that the reader recognizes aren’t well developed mysteries but rather easily explained events.  But the author keeps insisting that Morven can’t have the intelligence to guess immediately who and what is going on. 

Example: The previous Merlin who was investigating several cases disappeared ten days ago. Now a new body of a man has been discovered. Looks like he’s been there a while. Week, maybe ten days . Oh no! Whoever could it be? Not like there’s a missing person or something. SMH. 

Then in the dramatic climax and battle, a character turns into a well used trope. Why not. No foundation laid but ok. 

For me this became a kitchen sink paranormal narrative, with little cohesion thrown together with some likable characters but not enough to make me go forward. 

Read it if you’re a fan of this author. 

Cover design by Kim Richardson

The Merlin Mysteries:

License to Curse #1

Witch on Probation #2 – Oct 31,2025

Magical Misconduct #3 – Nov 30,2025

Buy link:

 Book 1 of 3: The Merlin Mysteries 

Blurb 

First day on the job? Missing teens. Dangerous magic. Zero backup.

I’m Rhea Morven, rookie Merlin agent, walking magical anomaly, and proud owner of a cursed bloodline no one trusts.

My first case dumps me in Gallows Gate, a hidden town full of secrets, politics, and creatures that bite. The assignment? Find three missing paranormals before the town tears itself apart. The twist? They’re not just anyone. They’re the children of the ruling council.

Now I’m stuck navigating vampire egos, witch rivalries, and suspicious council members who’d rather see me fail.

Good thing I’ve got a sharp tongue, a dangerous kind of magic, and a very low tolerance for bullsh*t.

Also, there’s a broody shifter with eyes like gold and a tendency to save my life. Not helpful for focus.

They sent me here to fail, but I’m not leaving without a fight.

Love found-family, magical suspense, and snarky witches who bite back? Welcome to The Merlin Mysteries, where a cursed bloodline meets a case from hell.

  • Publication date: July 22, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 281 pages
  • Book 1 of 3: The Merlin Mysteries

Review:  Shift of Morals (Shifter Lords Book 2) by S.E. Babin

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Shift of Morals was another good story, fast paced and action packed. There are new terrific characters, added fascinating story threads, and further exploration of this character’s back history and traumatic experiences that led to this situation and her evolving physical status, whatever it may be. 

I liked Shift of Morals better than Shift of Heart. Evie is growing more multi dimensional and relatable as she faces ever greater challenges and personal dangers. Especially when her worst enemy comes to town. 

Highlights are scenes that include Seymour, the sentient venomous flycatcher plant with major personality, and more fantastic magical powerful elements, especially those of plants where they exhibit the ability to move and think for themselves. Toxic plants are everything!

I’m still not sold on shifter lord, Caelan. He’s still a bit problematic, especially when the author has such other strong good male characters available. Caelan is still being reactive, obsessed, secretive, non communicative, violent. And a bit dimwitted at the end. 

Sigh. Why, why do authors love to write these main characters so much?SMH. 

Still, so terrific writing and elements here. Heading forward! 

Check it out! Especially if urban fantasy or paranormal romance is your thing.

Cover design by Covers by Christian

Shifter Lords :

Shift of Heart #1

Shift of Morals #2

Power Shift #3 – Oct 26,2025

Shifting Winds #4 – Feb 10,2026

Shifting Resolve #5 – March 31,2026

Shift of Rule #6 – May 26,2026

Shift of the Wild #7 – July 28,2026

Buy link

 Book 2 of 7: Shifter Lords 

Blurb 

What do you get when you mix one hot shifter, one angry god, and an absolutely zero chance of keeping things low-key? 

A whole bunch of trouble, that’s what.

Life was so much simpler when Evie’s problems consisted of picking the perfect peony. Now she’s got the gods on her tail and shifters trying to sniff out her secrets.

Then there’s the smoking hot Shifter Lord who has never once thrown a party, hiring her for all kinds of pack events and doing his best to convince her to trust him. But he has an agenda of his own, and Evie is far too smart to let her guard down.

On top of that, there’s a new god in town, one who’s way too good at identifying bloodlines and scenting out lies. She’ll have to dig deep and muster up some of her rusty acting skills to escape his notice, while trying to keep her identity hidden from the rest of the world so intent on finding her.

And if that wasn’t enough, someone is trying to kill her, and they’re getting close to succeeding.

Surviving will require placing her trust in the unlikeliest of allies and deciding just how long she can keep pretending she’s only a demure little florist who has an unfortunate black thumb for drama.

Evie is still a florist. Still a fraud. And still trying to pretend she’s not falling in love.

  • Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
  • Publication date: September 2, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 256 pages
  • Book 2 of 7: Shifter Lords

Review:  Shift of Heart (Shifter Lords Book 1) by S.E. Babin

Rating: 4.25⭐️

S.E. Babin is an author I’ve read before with mixed feelings. Some series I’ve really connected with and others not so much. 

Shift of Heart, the first in Babin’s Shifter Lords paranormal romance series, is one I’m excited about and currently enjoying. 

The description of this book drew me in but, now headed to the next book in the series, I feel that it’s a bit misleading. And needs clarification to begin with on an element that should come with trigger warnings. 

Here’s the lead in.

“In-hiding hedgewitch florist by day. Powerful demigoddess by blood. Shapeshifting immortal by accident.”

That last bit? No accident but a horrifying assault, vividly captured, and for some, as it’s a reoccurring part of the story and a traumatic experience for the character, a element I think should have a trigger warning.  Assault and potentially death. FYI.

Onto the other aspects of Shift of Heart.  The world building is one that’s being assembled as part of the process of storytelling. So we don’t know how humans and nonhumans cohabitate separately as well as they do. Especially as humans aren’t supposed to know about the paranormal beings. And readers just get an understanding of otherworldly politics and governance as events happen. 

It’s a characters that make the story. Especially the found family that exists around the main character of Evie Quinn, a Flouromage who runs a flower shop with her best friends, a vampire, a banshee, and a dryad. With a main goal of being successful while trying to stay hidden from the horrors she’s fled from. As well as her Mother. 

The best friends, are beautifully crafted. Each one has a unique personality as well as fascinating otherworldly qualities due to their species and history. And they’re all very close to Evie. They know her secrets, her past. 

For me they are fantastic and support the story even when I feel that the author has Evie being self destructive and close to a TSTL character. 

Most of that is due to her involvement and interactions with the Alpha of all Shifters in her area.  Toxic relationship is how most people would describe it. 

Although it’s a staple of some romance tropes. Outlooks are changing. 

The Alpha is all “everything/everyone is mine” rawr! If I don’t like it or get it. Let’s destroy it.  So of course, things around Evie are destroyed. 

He fixes it. She tries to or pays for it. Pattern says that it continues. 

To be fair. Caelan, the Alpha, recognizes that there is a problem with his approach. And her friends and a mentor are the ones who will tell Evie that she’s jeopardizing herself and them in this situation. 

But it’s that relationship and story so it’s going to continue on this path. If you find it as frustrating as I did be warned. 

What is worth continuing forward is the multiple mysteries, the mythology and the interwoven relationships between the gods, current events and the characters. That’s intriguing and suspenseful. 

And it’s got me fully engaged in the series and process, and this group of characters. 

Check it out! Especially if urban fantasy or paranormal romance is your thing.

Cover design by Covers by Christian

Shifter Lords :

Shift of Heart #1

Shift of Morals #2

Power Shift #3 – Oct 26,2025

Shifting Winds #4 – Feb 10,2026

Shifting Resolve #5 – March 31,2026

Shift of Rule #6 – May 26,2026

Shift of the Wild #7 – July 28,2026

Buy link

 Book 1 of 7: Shifter Lords 

Blurb 

In-hiding hedgewitch florist by day. Powerful demigoddess by blood. Shapeshifting immortal by accident.

After a terrible divorce left her blindsided, all Evie Quinn wants is a relaxing girls’ trip to Scotland, not a fight for her life with a Chimera shifter—an ancient, secretive enemy with the power to shapeshift into anything with a pulse.

Surviving the attack is a plus, but her goddess mother drops a bomb on her: Living will change everything.

And…it does.

Now she’s hiding out in a small town running a popular flower shop, doing her best to resist the urge to gnaw on raw meat every chance she gets, and badly pretending she’s the same ol’ lovable hedgewitch she always was.

Except, spoiler alert: She’s not.

When a foraging trip reveals a dying shifter in the woods, Evie breaks all the rules to heal him and vanishes before he wakes up. Cue immediate panic when that dangerously attractive shifter walks into her shop a few weeks later, and she finds out he’s the Alpha of every single shifter in the state.

Eep.

Fortunately, he’s only looking for a florist, not Evie. Not yet. But divine magic brews in the skies, and the wild gods are on the prowl, searching for the source of a long forgotten ancient magic they sense stirring once again.

As Evie’s secrets claw their way to the surface, she realizes she may have to team up with the one man who can save her life.

If he doesn’t destroy it first.

For fans of dangerous supernatural tension, enemies-to-lovers romance, and reluctant heroines, Shift of Heart is the beginning of a dangerously addictive and magical new series. 

  • Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
  • Publication date: July 29, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 278 pages
  • Book 1 of 7: Shifter Lords