Category: Urban fantasy series,urban fantasy mystery

Review:  Way of the Wolf (Magnetic Magic Book 1) by Lindsay Buroker

Rating: 4.25⭐️

I’m constantly on the lookout for a strong FMC and storylines that are outside of the popular types and novel trends I’m seeing everywhere these days. 

Lindsay Buroker is among those authors (ones I’m just now discovering) who are writing about older female characters that have been through challenges in their lives, divorces, losses, dysfunctional families and relationships. Lost jobs or in situations where they’re often making do with the economy , their skill sets, and getting by as best they can.  Some have kids , young or in the case of the FMC here, two older sons who are living elsewhere. 

In other words, female characters who are extremely relatable and relevant for many readers. 

Luna Valens is a 45 yrs old divorced woman, with 2 grown children ,who’s been the Property Manager of the Sylvan Serenity Housing in Seattle, Washington for over 20 years. She’s also a werewolf who hasn’t shifted for 25 years. On purpose. 

The novel opens with Luna carrying a toilet across the parking lot of the building complex where she’s getting ready to replace a renter’s toilet herself. The scene immediately gives the reader a full picture of who Luna is, tough, aware, dry observations about her own life and the way she is aging. Even the dull senses she’s has due to the fact she’s been drugging the shifter aspect of herself into non existence. 

Buroker lends the character authenticity even as she’s giving us a mystery about the woman lugging the heavy weight around the parking lot with a lot more ease than any human can handle.  It brought me instantly into the story and Luna Valen’s character. 

 For me the female characters are the best part of the story. Luna, her mother, who’s absolutely fierce, the idea of packs as a matriarchal line, are all amazing storylines. 

Duncan, the werewolf treasure hunter, is a little more problematic as a character. His continued use of “My Lady” , while explained later, is something I find annoying.  He just doesn’t have the same energy as Luna does.

But Bolin the intern does, he’s amazing. I’d love to see him as a full non romantic player here . From his intriguing history to his personality, he’s fantastic. 

Definitely moving forward with the series and this terrific character. 

A winner.

“Book cover by Deranged Doctor Design”

Magnetic Magic :

Way of the Wolf #1

Relics of the Wolf #2

Kin of the Wolf #3

Quest of the Wolf #4

Curse of the Wolf-July 11,2025

Buy link

 Book 1 of 5: Magnetic Magic 

Blurb 

You can only escape your destiny for so long…

It’s been more than twenty years since tragedy prompted Luna Valens to walk away from her pack. 

Scarred by her past, she’s done her best to lead a normal human life. Thanks to a potion that suppresses her magic, nobody around her has a clue that she’s a werewolf.

Until…

Her potion supplier disappears, her family reestablishes contact, and a mysterious werewolf with a metal detector and a penchant for calling her my lady saunters into her life.

As if all that weren’t enough, someone from her past is trying to kill her. Someone dangerous. 

To survive and figure out what’s going on, Luna will have to once again embrace her power. But, after so long, will she be able to summon the wolf? 

~

A contemporary fantasy series for those enjoy second-chance stories, slow-burn romance, and werewolves with a sense of humor. Pick up Way of the Wolf today!

  • Publisher: Lindsay Buroker
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: January 3, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 228 pages
  • Book 1 of 5: Magnetic Magic

Shifters and werewolves suspense, shifters and werewolves thrillers, paranormal romance thriller, urban fantasy suspense, 

Review:  The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) (Guides to Villainy and Love Book 1) by Tiffany Hunt

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Two immediate thoughts about this remarkable story. One, I absolutely love it. Secondly,  book two in the series isn’t going to be released until next year, so if you’re a reader who finds that hard to take, wait! Don’t read this yet. Because, much like me, are end of this book, you’ll be craving the next one.  And knowing we have a long wait ahead. Argh!

That said, what a fabulous tale this is. Hunt is another writer I discovered via this series and whether it’s her ingratiating characters, smart, snarky dialogue and humor, or just plain great storytelling, I was invested from the beginning. 

I love stories that  switch up the perspectives. It’s the villains who are the main (and magnificent) characters. And the well written women who are supposed to be the damsel in distress but aren’t. Instead, they’re women who are intelligent, strategic, and powerful in their own right. A equal. And morally grey partner to the villain in her story. 

As a fan of Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s Assistant to the Villain series, I was quick to pick this up. Its similar only in that the villain is the main character (a dashing, dark magical lord) and that the relationship between the Dark Lord, Kaz, and his Lady, Arabella, is a very similar, fully developed one of growth, understanding and trust. It’s their fantastic dialogue and fierce dynamic, combining all their own strengths and hidden fears as well as magical abilities that will eventually combust into a new hot full partnership. 

But not until they have a strong understanding and connection with each other. That’s the key here. Respect, trust and understanding of each other. Remarkably adult thinking. 

There’s plenty of bloodshed, and violence. He’s a villain. But also there’s plenty of villainous deeds done by “the good guys “. Including her family.

There’s interesting mythology that’s just getting started and will grow into the next book. A dark mystery too. 

And a dragon!

But it’s Lord and Lady Blackrose ( yes, there are black roses, they bite) who make the story. They are an outstanding villainous couple. I love them and will find it hard to wait until next year to see what happens next!

Highly recommended!

 

Guides to Villainy and Love:

  • The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) #1
  • The Dark Lord’s Guide to Honeymooning (And Other Villainous Deeds) – Feb 10,2026

Buy link

        The Dark Lord’s Guide to Dating (And Other War Crimes) (Guides to Villainy and Love Book 1)

    

Blurb:

Perfect for fans of Assistant to the Villain, but darker and spicier.

In this riotously funny dark romantasy, a conflicted villain and his unstoppable bride form the realm’s most chaotic alliance.

“What’s mine, stays mine.”

Step One: Kidnap someone cute.

Step Two: Force her into marriage.

Step Three: Try not to get feelings.

When Dark Lord Kazimir Blackrose kidnaps Lady Arabella for a forced marriage, he expects an obedient, trembling bride. What he gets is a knife to the throat and a furious woman with her own terms. He may need her heroic bloodline to achieve ultimate dominion, but she’s not about to make this easy for him.

Arabella has already survived her father’s tower prison and a lifetime of being treated like property. Being abducted by the realm’s most notorious villain is just another Tuesday. If she must be married to the infuriating (and infuriatingly attractive) Dark Lord, she’ll do it on her terms: freedom within his fortress, hands strictly to himself, and complete honesty about his plans.

But when his plans go awry, Kazimir faces his most terrifying challenge yet. He must actually date his own wife. Between magical training sessions, playing golf with the eyeballs of his enemies, and aphrodisiac dinners gone spectacularly wrong, his villainous seduction plans are failing at every turn.

As they navigate magical explosions and jealous exes, they discover a far more terrifying prospect than war or magical catastrophe:

They might actually be falling for each other.

This dark and sexy fantasy romance is perfect for readers who love:

  • A morally gray antihero (who stays that way)
  • A strong heroine who embraces her dark side (she doesn’t need rescuing, thanks)
  • Touch her and die
  • Hilarious, wicked banter and sizzling spice
  • One bed/forced proximity
  • Kidnapped bride/forced marriage
  • Dark humor

Review:  For Whom The Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn 

Rating:  5✨⭐️

It’s taking me a while to review this as I adore it so much.  I’m not familiar with Jaysea Lynn’s TikTok comedy/drama skits that launched these characters prior to the Covid lockdown but I’ll have to seek it out because these beautifully realized characters, especially Lily in her journey through the afterlife and Hell, are ones that make a memorable impression on the reader.  

For Whom The Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn is incredibly moving in its depiction of one woman’s journey through trauma to healing, recovery and the discovery of love, self worth and a found family. All in the afterlife. 

I can’t even begin to describe how powerful and inspiring this book is. It’s also funny, dark, sexy, and truly beautiful. 

Lily dies of cancer. Then her story begins. But what her life was like when she was alive, that a slow reveal throughout the narrative. In bits of memory flashing into her mind as she navigates her new journey through her afterlife and adventures in Hell. Which is another outstanding element here. 

Everything, the mythological world and religions are represented differently than typically imagined. It’s one I think is incredibly rich and unique in its variety and depth of knowledge. 

The characters of Lily and Bel, as well as Sharky, how they develop and grow, as individuals and as a family is stunning. It’s written so emotionally and powerfully that these are characters that will just inhabit my heart . As will so many others here. 

Yes, I’ve ordered the special hard back edition already. It’s that book for me. 

Highly recommended. There’s some trigger warnings. Read them. This does deal with some traumatic situations and events, though they are mentioned throughout as memories. 

Interior design by Meryll Preposi

Maps: Jamie Noble Frier at The Noble Artist

Buy link

For Whom the Belle Tolls (Hell’s Belles, 1)$16.48Amazon.com

Blurb 

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAYBESTSELLER!

From Hell’s Belles BookTok sensation Jaysea Lynn comes a hotter-than-hell romantasy about love, magic, and found family in the Afterlife, perfect for fans of Sarah A. Parker and Callie Hart.

They told her to go to Hell.

She went, but on her own terms.

Lily isn’t exactly thrilled with her arrival in the Afterlife, but what awaits her there is more fantastical than she ever could have imagined: Deities wait in line at the coffee shop. Fae flit between realms. Souls find ways to make death a beginning.

As she explores the many corners of the Afterlife, Lily finds herself surprisingly drawn to a place most people would avoid at all costs: Hell. Armed with years of customer service experience and pent-up sarcasm, Lily carves a job out for herself amongst Hell’s demons, sending souls to their rightful circles with more than a hint of sass.

Lily’s expectations are subverted every day in Hell—especially by Bel, a demon general with a distractingly sexy voice. The two meet by chance and form an immediate, deeply healing friendship, but the undeniable heat between them threatens to combust.

Meanwhile, something stirs beyond the boundaries of their world, threatening to destroy everything they’ve known and everything that could be…unless they fight like Hell to stop it.

This debut novel from BookTok sensation Jaysea Lynn invites you to lose yourself in a world where love ignites in the unlikeliest of places, magic defies the rules, and the Afterlife proves more thrilling than anyone could imagine.

  • Publisher: S&S/Saga Press
  • Publication date: January 28, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 640 pages
  • Book 1 of 1: Hell’s Belles

Review:  Heart of Chaos (Chaosborn Book 1) by Madeleine Eliot

Rating: 4.75✨⭐️

As a reader who discovered dragons and dragonriders by way of Anne McCaffrey’s magical Dragonriders of Pern series, I’ve been on a never ending journey to find more stories to fall in love with.  New authors who have just as much imaginative pull and creative depth as those tales of Pern, those dragons , their Weyrs , and of course, Lessa, the young woman who became the first dragonrider I fell in love with. 

Let’s be honest, dragons will always rock!

Nothing can capture me , on every level, like a beautifully imagined dragon. Or dragon shifter. Or the duo-spirit dragon shifter that Madeleine Eliot has created for her Chaosborn series. Stunning work. 

I fell hard for this series in one book. 

 Thankfully, there’s no academy or school format here. There’s a rescue of a young woman who has the ability to bond with a dragon. 

But then how the dragons bond differs wildly from the other books from there. 

It’s mystery upon mystery. The dragons are powerfully portrayed, as are the Drage they bond with.   There is a darkness that is hidden and a threat to both dragons and earthly realm. That’s just begun to be explored. 

In fact much of this is history foundation being laid down, a lot of it based on Norse mythology which is fascinating. 

And even more moving and emotional, it’s Elsa’s life from abused indentured slave to bonded Drage. That’s a thrilling story and it’s one I will absolutely reread every so often. Especially before the next novel comes out. 

Very imaginative, extremely engaging characters and fascinating stories. 

A wonderful find and winner. 

Cover clipart by Viktoriia Ihnatovets @ArtCreationsDesign 

Map design by Lindsey Staton

Chaosborn trilogy:

Heart of Chaos #1

Soul of Fire #2 – Dec 12,2025

Buy link 

        Heart of Chaos (Chaosborn Book 1)

    

Blurb 

To master Chaos, she must first survive it.

Eisa’s life is one of pain and cruelty. Living in servitude, she grapples daily with an illness for which there is no cure and abuse at the hands of the man who has owned her since she was a child.

When Arik, the silver-eyed second-in-command of the king’s dragon-bonded warriors, makes her a deal she can’t refuse, Eisa finds herself hurtling toward a destiny she never would have chosen.

Desperate to free her loved ones, Eisa agrees to travel to the desolate wasteland in the south, to bond a dragon to her soul, and to become one of the legendary Drage.

As long as the Chaos doesn’t kill her first.

Heart of Chaos is the first book in the Chaosborn trilogy, an adult romantasy filled with dragon shifters, Norse lore, and spicy romance.

  • Publication date: May 1, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 399 pages
  • Book 1 of 2: Chaosborn

Review:  The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9) by KM Avery

Rating: 5🌈

The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9) by KM Avery is an outstanding piece of work by Avery in a series full of great novels.  

The Past in the Present, Beyond the Veil book 9, finishes Seth and Elliot’s journey and inter-series trilogy. 

Seth Mays and Elliot Crane have slowly made themselves into a couple, with Seth just now moving into Elliot’s home on the reservation and Seth working on his firefighter credentials in Shawano, Wisconsin.

Then a shattering phone call from a Sheriff’s Office in Staunton, Virginia , involving his estranged parents, saying his mother has been murdered , and his father is missing, presumably dead.  Noah, Seth’s young brother has been held for questioning in connection with the deaths. The nightmare of Seth’s past is back and he’s got to go back to a place where he promised himself and Noah  he would never have to return. Home. 

The Past in the Present is a haunting, complex, and deeply moving story. It’s dark, layered with the characters past, horrific damaged history, fully immersed in their current tumultuous lives and relationships, and folded into the twisted ways the Arcanavirus settled into certain parts of the country and communities. 

It brings Seth and Elliott’s relationship into a more intimate and complete sense of balance between them, letting Elliott see firsthand what Seth (as well Noah) traumatic adolescent upbringing was like and what they endured before they escaped their father and family. It’s a horror story at times and the author’s note of trigger warnings at the beginning should be read. 

This is also an excellent labyrinthine mystery about the current murder investigation, Seth’s family, wills, and an extreme religious sect. This aspect of The Past in the Present brings in our favorite elf agent, Val Hart (Elliot’s best friend) and his new FBI boss, Tiger shifter, Raj, who will figure in the next series group. 

It’s both a psychological mystery and action horror thriller. A well thought out story of two individuals who have overcome their differences and fears to become a true couple and have a stronger relationship. And it’s one man’s story to work through his personal demons and struggles with self worth and find peace in himself and his own new life. 

I can’t imagine a better story or journey for Seth than the one Avery had written here. It’s just that exceptional. 

Each story often sends me back to reread a certain moment in the series that made me realize how amazing the characters and each element is. 

And now to wait on Rayn’s voice. Highly recommended. 

Series couples to date (not standalone):

Ward’s story (1-3): 

The Ghost in the Hall 

The Boy in the Locked Room 

The Skeleton Under the Stairs. 

Hart’s story (4-6): 

The Dog in the Alley 

The Bones in the Yard 

The Elf Beside Himself 

Seth’s story (7-9): 

The Turning of the Tables 

The Badger in his Burrow 

The Past in the Present 

Rayn’s Story (10 +) (coming 2025-2026) 

Buy Link

        The Past in the Present (Beyond the Veil Book 9)

    

Blurb 

Everything was finally going well. I had a job I liked, a man I loved, and a future we were building together.

And then the past came back to haunt me—and now I have to go back to the house in Appalachia where my parents had made my childhood a living hell. Where Noah and I had been broken, over and over, as the people who were supposed to love and protect us tried to turn us into something we weren’t and would never be.

It was a place I’d never wanted to go again.

But I now I have to. Because the parents I never meant to speak to again are dead, and Noah’s fingerprints were found all over the kitchen.

I didn’t know why Noah went back, what had happened to my parents, or whether my psyche was going to make it through a trip back to middle-of-nowhere rural Virginia. Or my relationship. I’d finally managed to convince Elliot to give me a chance, and he was about to find out about a lot of skeletons in a very deep, very dark closet.

I could only hope that he’d be willing to help me bury the bones.

Book 3 in Seth’s Story

  • Publication date: June 27, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 370 pages
  • Book 9 of 9: Beyond the Veil

Review:  How to Entice a Fiend (VRC: Vampire Related Crimes Book 6) by Alice Winters

Rating: 4.25🌈

It’s been a while since I’ve read this series, but quickly became reacquainted with the universe and characters and where we left off with their stories and the drama that was going on.

Mads, the UK council member with a mysterious backstory, and Ender ,the damaged vampire who has a deadly mission yet a responsibility for a younger vampire, Rylee, he clearly adores, is a very interesting couple.  

This story and their roles has so many layers to it that their relationship develops really quickly, far too easily, given each man’s trauma and pasts to fully reach the levels of trust it goes into here. I wish their timelines and story length had more longer so they could have better chemistry and development.

All the other couples are present. Claude is hilarious as always. Rylee the young vampire ward of Ender’s is amazing, as is her dynamic with him and those around her. Like Orin and Finn. 

Things go explosive. Fight scenes and fast paced moments of suspense. And , in a wonderful ending, Winters goes for a more believable HFN ending rather than HEA. There’s still too many loose ends still to be pulled together for this to happen. 

How to Entice a Fiend (VRC: Vampire Related Crimes Book 6) by Alice Winters is another exciting book in an excellent paranormal series from an auto buy author. 

A definite winner. 

Cover design by Natasha Snow Designs

VRC: Vampire Related Crimes :

How to Vex a Vampire #1

How to Elude a Vampire #2

How to Lure a Hunter #3

How to Save a Human #4

How to Defy a Vampire #5

How to Entice a Fiend #6

Buy link:

        How to Entice a Fiend (VRC: Vampire Related Crimes Book 6)

    

Blurb 

Mads

As a member of the vampire council, being tasked with keeping an eye on a few people shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Wrong.

The moment I meet the VRC, I realize how very wrong I am. It’s fascinating how in a group filled with ancient beings, the only reasonable one is the human. Definitely not the grumpy vampire… or the other grumpy vampire… and don’t get me started on the eye-searing clothes the bubbly one wears.

And that’s when I run into Ender.

Well… run is probably the wrong word. It’s more like he accidentally saves my life, joins me for a fun torture fest from some guy who woke up on the wrong side of the bed, and then ends up fleeing through unknown territory with my naked body slung over his shoulder.

Is there a better meet-cute than all of that?

Probably not, as long as we ignore the real reason I’m here.

Ender

Keeping Rylee safe is the only thing I should care about. So then how is it that I find myself being pulled along by Mads, a member of the council that I’ve sworn to get rid of? He’s charismatic, charming, and really far too suspicious, but our paths merge as I fight to end an injustice that started hundreds of years ago.

Mads is making me realize that maybe there is more to my life than becoming a martyr for people who seem to think I’m the bad guy. While others see me as a monster, he sees who I really am.

And I will do anything to keep him from the danger he’s been drawn into.

Review:  Magic & Misdeeds (Starry Hollow Witches Book 11) by Annabel Chase 

Rating: 4.5 ✨🪄

I dearly love this series and wish the last 9 books came in a box set much like the first 10 books did, as it makes binging them so much easier. 

Each novel is approximately 19 chapters or give or take, so it’s easy to read one or two books a day. And they blend together beautifully, with each one picking up from the events of the previous story.

What I love about this is that they can be enjoyed on multiple levels. Chase has crafted terrific murder mysteries that Ember gets involved with , and the investigations are intriguing and often lead to a conclusion that’s surprising and satisfying. 

But it’s the personal relationships and dynamics that drive the series and make the characters so strong and compelling.  Each story and book reveals more about Ember, the Rose family and including the seemingly rigid Aunt Hyacinth. 

Even the familiar dynamics, like those between Ember and Raoul, aren’t the same as those I’ve come to expect from other writers and fantasy universes.  It’s just different and that makes me take even closer note on everything else in this series.

Love it. And binge reading it way too quickly. 

A highly recommended book and series to be read in the order they are written in. 

Starry Hollow Witches series:

Box set 1-10:

Magic & Murder, Book 1

Magic & Mystery, Book 2

Magic & Mischief, Book 3

Magic & Mayhem, Book 4

Magic & Mercy, Book 5

Magic & Madness, Book 6

Magic & Malice, Book 7

Magic & Mythos, Book 8

Magic & Mishaps, Book 9

Magic & Maladies, Book 10

—-

Magic & Misdeeds (Book 11)

Magic & Monsters (Book 12)

Magic & Misfits (Book 13)

Magic & Misfortune (Book 14)

Magic & Marriage (Book 15)

Magic & Midnight (Book 16)

Magic & Mirrors (Book 17)

Magic & Mistletoe (Book 18)

Magic & Mutiny (Book 19) – finale 

Buy link:

        Magic & Misdeeds (Starry Hollow Witches Book 11)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Starry Hollow, where spells were made to be broken.

When a gaming tournament comes to Starry Hollow, everyone is thrilled with the influx of tourists–until a player ends up dead. Meanwhile, Ember makes an important discovery in connection with her mysterious ancestor and the Rose family deals with a visit from an old relative who gets under Aunt Hyacinth’s skin, which means everybody’s tip-toeing on eggshells to avoid her wrath. Thanks to the many distractions, Ember fails to notice that Raoul is involved in something over his furry head.

Can Ember stop the madness and identify the killer before the end of the tournament or will it be game over? 

Magic & Misdeeds is the eleventh book in the Starry Hollow Witches paranormal cozy mystery series.

  • Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: December 6, 2019
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 208 pages

Review:  The Wolf Vs The Monster: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth by Lauretta Hignett

Rating:  5⭐️

What a fully immersive and jammed packed story The Wolf Vs The Monster turned out to be.  I was thinking this might be the last book but instead Hignett ramped up the suspense, the plot lines, gave us high action, white knuckle anxiety for our main characters, including multiple anonymous villains, unforeseen events and situations, magical powers and creatures, and a new teenage vampire I absolutely fell in love with. 

This book is a fantasy Toad’s wildest adventure ride with a cliffhanger ending and every single part of the story is fabulous. 

Plus a certain character gets a long overdue comeuppance. 

And other things, huge plot points are revealed here too. 

So it’s absolutely satisfying and that cliffhanger will lead to an amazing story.  So I’m excited to read this next book. 

The Wolf Vs The Monster: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth by Lauretta Hignett might be my favorite story of the series so far.  It’s extremely well written, the characters and tightly packed narrative is perfectly balanced, and that ending really adds to the overall momentum here. 

Love it. And it’s a highly recommended book. 

Book Cover by Atra Luna Graphic Design”

Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth:

The Wolf Vs The Vampire #1

The Wolf Vs The Warlock #2

The Wolf Vs The Shifter #3

The Wolf Vs The Witch #4

The Wolf Vs The Monster #5 

The Wolf Vs The Shadow Fae #6 – July 15,2025

The Wolf Vs Santa: A Little Christmas Mystery

Buy link

        The Wolf Vs The Monster: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth

    

Blurb 

Sometimes it’s hard to tell who the real monsters are…

A strange creature attacked Romeo last night. A huge beast unlike anything anyone has ever seen in Philly before – an alien monster with natural armor, organic high-tech weaponry, and poison dripping from its limbs.

My intuition is screaming at me. It’s telling me the monster is not here for Romeo.

It’s here for me.

The Wolf Vs The Monster is book five in the Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth, a hot new Urban Fantasy series by bestselling author Lauretta Hignett.

  • Publication date: May 15, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 320 pages

Review:  Onyx: A Twisted Fairy Tale (Inkbound Book 2) by Shannon Mae

Rating: 5⭐️

And with a literal turn of the page, Mae has landed us in the fairy tale world of Peter Pan, Tinkerbelle, and Captain Hook with this second book as Harmony Fallowell, best friend Molly, and falcon Fetch leaping out over the edge of the page of the Kingdom of Alabaster just as the darkness was closing in. 

It’s a splashdown into some familiar territory with wonderful creatures and fantastic twists! 

Mae keeps moving the overall theme of getting Harmony back to her original kingdom in time to save it from the evil sorceress, letting her required knowledge and skills return as this journey continues. She is getting magically more powerful as she gathers the necessary items to complete her quest. ,As is Molly who’s undergone devastating events and is emerging from them a different, stronger woman, shifting into her own style and strengths.  And there’s Fetch,Harmony’s  feathered companion to add excitement to each adventure and adversarial moments. 

It’s hard to say anything more about the characters due to their unique roles in this book. And the many twists in this storyline. 

Onyx: A Twisted Fairy Tale (Inkbound Book 2) by Shannon Mae is the middle book in this trilogy so the author starts tying up a few of the characters stories.  This aspect of Onyx makes for a really satisfying read and leaves one feeling great for several reasons, while still leaving the reader with the impression of suspense and excitement as Harmony is left with a companion tumbling off another page into the next kingdom and trilogy finale. 

If you are a fan of these amazing covers like I am, you will have peaked at the last one, Inked in Emerald, and know exactly where she’s landed! Absolutely perfect. 

I can hardly wait for this one to be released! 

See you there. Clicking my heels. 

Highly recommended. But they must be read in the order they are written. 

Cover by HiJinks Ink Publishing

Inkbound trilogy series:

Inked in Ashes #1

Inked in Onyx #2

Inked in Emerald #3 – Sept 23,2025

Buy link 

        Inked in Onyx: A Twisted Fairy Tale (Inkbound Book 2)

    

Blurb 

One fairytale down, one pirate-infested nightmare to go…

Molly, my ever-loyal falcon, Fetch, and I barely survived evil wizard Relyk and escaped Alabaster, only to get cannon-bombed into our next story. 

Literally. Peter Pan and Tinkerbell swoop in with a rescue, whisking us off to Neverland. At first, it’s all glitter and good times on an island straight out of a daydream…until they mention a magical clock they’ve been hunting.

The same clock I need to fulfill my destiny.

So we do what any desperate main characters would do—we steal their boat and vanish into the night to get a jump on finding the clock. Too bad we sail straight into the hands of pirates.

And here’s the real kicker: Their captain is the man I’ve been dreaming of since childhood.

The twist? He’s not charming. He’s not kind. He’s not even remotely sane.

He’s the most dreaded pirate of all time.

And he thinks I’m a boy.

Now we’re tangled in secrets, trying to blend in, plotting yet another escape—until I find out the man of my dreams is after the same enchanted clock. The one he stole from Peter Pan a decade ago and lost to a massive, man-eating crocodile…along with his hand.

With reluctant alliances, sea monsters, and an unholy attraction to an even unholier pirate, this story might end with a bang or me walking the plank.

  • Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing
  • Accessibility: Learn more
  • Publication date: June 10, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 369 pages
  • Book 2 of 3: Inkbound

Review:  Magical Midlife Mom Boxed Set: Books 1-4 by DM Fike

Rating: 4⭐️

Magical Midlife Mom series is a low heat, high action urban fantasy series that has the first four novels available in a box set for a great binge read.  Which, of course, I did, after having given book 1 a try. 

A middle aged single mom of a teenage girl, living in the Pacific Northwest, is just trying to get by. Melissa Hartley has worked her way up to become the respected office manager of a IT company, her daughter is doing well in high school, and she owns her own home, small as it is.  Then everything changes. 

The author, DM Fike, has a great ear for mother/daughter dynamics as well as the ability to create that same energy in a relatable, engaging dialogue that feels realistic. 

Listening to Melissa and her daughter, Regan,banter and argue, whether it’s about school or the magic that’s happening in their lives, it’s exactly what you’d expect from that relationship. 

Even if in parts I absolutely was frustrated by the choices that Melissa made or how she, as a character, wasn’t ruthless enough, I had to think about if it was the writer or the actions. And I believe it’s the character’s actions, in which makes Melissa real enough but a puts me a little disconnected from her because I’m getting frustrated with her and her character “flaws”. 

The otherworldly characters are good but because they’re less well known, they don’t have the same level of character development that Melissa, Regan, their friends and Melissa’s mother have. All those characters? Feel drive by their emotions and life choices. 

Very little of the fantasy world does with the exception of the sirens does. 

So the Magical Midlife Mom series has 5 books out with what I believe is the finale novel due out shortly, Mom Seals Her Fate.

If you’re looking for a fast paced, humorous, low heat fantasy series, this is one to check out. The main characters are out of the typical fantasy series, the feel believable in their mother/daughter dynamic and their journey together is one to cheer  for. 

A definite recommendation!

Love the covers. 

Cover design by: Avalon Labs LLC”

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comMagical Midlife Mom (6 book series) Kindle Edition

Blurb 

What would a single mom do to protect her only daughter from a hidden world of dangerous, magical fae? 

I love my smart, kind, and funny daughter. We may not have much, but we get along without any of the normal teenage drama.

Or at least we did, until my daughter got curious about her biological father.

Now our world is falling apart. A handsome client threatens my employment. A monstrous black wolf shows up on our doorstep. A mysterious masked woman begins stalking us.

And that’s not mentioning the fae.

I didn’t expect to have a midlife crisis involving magic, but it doesn’t matter. I may be just a single mom, but I’ll do anything to protect my daughter.

Even if it kills me.

Join Melissa Hartley as she goes on a magical journey only a mother could take. For readers of Paranormal Women’s Fiction who like strong female protagonists, witty banter, and a hint of romance. 

The Magical Midlife Mom Boxed Set contains the following 4 books:

Mom of the Chosen One, Book 1

Mom on a Quest, Book 2

Mom in Shining Armor, Book 3

Mom’s Last Stand, Book 4

Books not included in the set:

Mom’s Worst Nightmare #5-new release

Mom Seals Her Fate #6 – Aug 14,2025

  • Publisher: Avalon Labs LLC (April 15, 2025)
  • Publication date: April 15, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 1224 pages