Review: Deadly Arrogance: Necromancer Tales #4 by M.J. May

Rating: 5🌈

Deadly Arrogance is the series finale that brings the journey of Necromancer Erasmus Boone to an exciting and happy conclusion.

I’ve been absolutely thrilled by this fantasy/paranormal universe of May’s since the first Perfect Pixie novel, a series which introduced necromancer Erasmus Boone.

So it’s fitting that many of those characters play roles here in Boone and Franklin’s battle against a terrifying enemy. It’s emotional and wonderful to see each one, settled into their own lives and relationships, as they come together to fight and support their friends and own communities.

And May, who has created throughly villainous characters in the past, has exceeded herself here in crafting shadow bourne Tenzen Huxley, a seemingly unbeatable and immortal being. Huxley is an ominous figure whose role is one that’s always in the game, even when absent from the current situation. The enormous threat he brings to the couple and those around them is a real concern, no matter what else they are dealing with.

They are mentally, emotionally and spiritually under pressure and attack all the time and the reader, who’s intimately connected with them, feels that same overwhelming stress and suspense.

On top of Huxley’s magical threat to everyone, there’s a multiple murder investigation that requires the attention of both Franklin and Boone. It’s highly unusual, incredibly rare in its sheer scope of detail and complexity.

I won’t elaborate further because there’s many twists here that spin beautifully within the plot. The story is highly suspenseful, compelling emotionally, and has some truly heartbreaking scenes.

And yes, it does end happily with everyone in attendance. I absolutely love it.

And there’s a new connected series on the horizon. Thrilled about that too!

Check out all the books below if you’re new to this universe. Read them in the order they are written. Enjoy them! Highly recommended!

Cover design by cheriefox.

Perfect Pixie Series

Perfectly Imperfect Pixie

Perfectly Perfect Pixie: Peaches’s Story

Perfectly Charmed Pixie: Parsnip’s Story

Perfectly Perplexing Zombie: Wendall’s Story

Purrfectly Peculiar Pixie: Phlox’s Story—finale

Perfectly Petite Shorts: Short Stories from the Perfect Pixie Series M/M

Necromancer Tales Series: Spin-Off from the Perfect Pixie Series

Deadly Lineage: Necromancer Tales Book I

Deadly Deception: Necromancer Tales Book II

Deadly Avarice: Necromancer Tales Book III

Deadly Arrogance: Necromancer Tales Book IV—End

Warlock Nikodemus Holland’s Book—Coming Spring 2026

Buy link

Book 4 of 4: Necromancer Tales

Blurb

Necromancer Erasmus Boone’s life is on hold—every shadow suspect, every trip outside his warded home a gamble. Afraid of bringing more attention to already wary necromancers, Erasmus has stopped hunting for his own kind. Unwilling to place an even larger target on his back, Erasmus has even delayed his own wedding.

Human homicide detective Franklin O’Hare wants nothing more than to be there for the necromancer he loves. Unfortunately, he’s neck-deep in not one but two separate multiple-body dump scenes. With little more than skeletal remains to go on, Franklin’s days are consumed with work, and his sleepless nights are spent wishing he had more time for his fiancé.

Waiting and wondering when Tenzen Huxley will make his move is physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Information regarding shadow borne is slim and little more than hearsay, and what is known is horrifying.

Will Erasmus and Franklin be ready when Tenzen finally makes his move? Is there truly any way to be prepared for the hell a shadow borne can unleash? Despite the support of powerful friends and family, Erasmus and Franklin desperately need to find a shadow borne’s weakness.

Sometimes, weakness comes from within, not without, and often, arrogance is the deadliest flaw of all.

Deadly Arrogance is the fourth book in the Necromancer Tales series and should be read in order. This series is a spin-off of the Perfect Pixie series and takes place in the same world but can be read as a stand-alone series. Deadly Arrogance is a m/m romantic fantasy mystery with an unusually sane necromancer just trying to make a living, a humble human detective attempting to keep his necromancer fiancé alive, an arrogant but redeemably overprotective warlock father, a questionably moral all-powerful djinn who may just get her scuttlebutt wish, a welcome Mississippi spring, and an ancient being who desires more power than any creature should wield and has decided a certain necromancer is key to satisfying that greed.

Review: The Diamond in the Rough (Beyond the Veil Book 10) by KM Avery

Rating: 4.75🌈

This is one of the best written, and often times hardest to read series and universe because of the topics and complexity of damaged histories of the main characters here.

I often start with saying that the readers must read the trigger warnings for each novel as well as for the universe that Avery has created and continues to explore in such horror detail.

Here bad things happen, often to children. First by disease, the Arcana virus which acted like a plague, transformed the World’s population, reducing its numbers drastically. Some remained human, others were transformed into fantasy or horror beings. Vampires, elves, werebeings of all kinds, orcs, ghouls, the virus , if the human survived, became whatever the Arcana provided. Adults or children. Didn’t matter. And the human race terrified acted accordingly.

Beyond the Veil is divided into mini-series where different characters have their own stories told while adding to the overall series world view and theme that’s being presented. They interact and sometimes the same events happen in different perspectives.

Now it’s Rayn’s turn. Rayn, a death witch, who was rescued from an horrific situation was first introduced in Ward’s series (The Boy in the Locked Room #2). It’s book 10, Rayn has had time to grow up, adjusting to their powers and life outside the cage and hospital. (Trigger warnings).

Avery does an excellent job in relaying a character without any social skills, or understanding of how some situations work. Rayn’s lack of knowledge and inability to understand the signals given feels believable and honest. And Raj’s reactions to Rayn are part of a whole picture that has to be assembled the more they interact. A neat feat.

One person pov, it’s fascinating to see how Rayn has matured but still is learning how to use and manage their magic and various powers.

I love seeing Hart here, in his role as partner with Raj. He’s still my favorite. The mystery, while good, doesn’t have as much of a complex role as Rayn’s development and growth with those characters around the agency and with the investigation. It’s more of a personal journey, which I really enjoyed and thought was really exceedingly well written.

And certain aspects are left open enough for the investigation to continue further.

Amazing series and fantastic characters. One of the best paranormal group of storylines I’ve read. Certainly one that has the most impact on current events.

Highly recommended.

Beyond the Veil Series

💀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 (10-12)

The Diamond in the Rough

The Rut in the Road (coming 2026) The Rock and the Hard Case (coming 2026)

💀Dan’s Story (13-15) Coming 2026-2027

Buy link

Book 10 of 10: Beyond the Veil

Blurb

My life has been… rough. I spent most of my childhood in an asylum, and I’ve spent the better part of the last six years trying to deal with the fact that everything I touch tells me something about the last person who owned it, the person who made it, and sometimes several people in between.

It’s exhausting, and I hate it. I will do pretty much anything to avoid doing it, in fact.

Until a six-four, golden-eyed FBI agent walked through the door and dropped literal diamonds into my hands. Well, a diamond necklace. And he asked me to tell me everything I could about who’d owned it, who’d given it to her, and so on.

I guess I have to learn how to control my abilities fast, or a murderer might go free.

And I might lose my chance to impress the FBI agent who haunts my dreams.

An M/M paranormal romance.

December 19, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

396 pages

Book 10 of 10

Beyond the Veil

Review: Façade (Knight & Daywalker Book 2) by Sam Burns

Rating: 4.5🌈

Sam Burns is an auto buy/read author for me, a consistently excellent writer whose stories never fail to engage my imagination as well as my heart.

Knight & Daywalker is another fantastic hit of a paranormal/urban fantasy trilogy from Burns with one last novel to go.

In Façade, the second book in this series, Burns moves her characters into new territory, exploring new powers, expanding their relationships, and diving further into their respective backgrounds to bring them and this series into a broader and richer world and with a darker mystery to investigate.

Flynn Knight has multiple problems ahead of him, new friends and neighbors to explore and help get settled, along with maybe bf/business partner, Davin Byrne to sort things through with. Plus he’s got his scary kitty of unknown origins, to feed.

How Burns beautifully develops the new storylines alongside the evolution of the characters growth in their relationships and powers is a joy to read. This is a great read and one I couldn’t put down until it was finished.

And that teaser at the end? That intro into the first chapter of Masquerade? How I want that book right now!

Low spice romance, high adventure, fantastic characters and amazing storytelling.

Highly recommend this book and the series. Read them in the order they were written.

Knight and Daywalker – a planned trilogy:

Smokescreen #1
Façade #2
Masquerade #3 – April 2,2026

Same universe as

THE FANTASTIC FLUKE-complete ❤️

The Fantastic Fluke

Fluke and the Faithless Father

Fluke and the Faultline Fiasco

Fluke and the Frontier Farce

Fluke and the Fantastic Finale

Content Warning: gruesome deaths described in detail, violence, fraught parental relationships, serial killer & kidnapping (prior to book, off-page).

Buy link

Façade (Knight & Daywalker Book 2)

Blurb

Flynn Knight has a million things to do. From the mundane, like helping his new friends open the restaurant next door, to feeding his cat—a near full-time job. Then there are the unexpected things, like trying to find out about his father’s people, now that one has tried to kill him.

When someone adds yet another attempted assassination to the mix, the only thing he knows for sure is that he can’t hide in his back office until everything blows over.

Right?

No, of course not.

Besides, if he’s in danger, then so are his friends, and he can’t have that; he’s attached. Especially to his new business partner, Davin Byrne, the world’s weirdest vampire, who has dark secrets of his own.

Façade is second in a new series set in the Fantastic Fluke universe. It settles Flynn into his new life with his friends and family, begins to explore the slow burn romance plot, and continues the main overarching plot, which will complete in book three, Masquerade.

date

November 23, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

258 pages

Book 2 of 3

Knight & Daywalker

Review: The Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries) by K Sterling

Rating: 4.25🌈

The Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries) by K Sterling really improved upon the previous story and those characters here, especially Lord Smoak who, along with his Park Ranger lover have important roles here and show huge character developments or make that revelations.

The Moon Murder Mysteries is evolving into a group of powerful characters that Demi Sun God/anthropology professor Lennox “Nox” MacIlwraith, and his mate, Agent Nelson, along with Merlin, one of their magikal found family of witches, hellhounds, and medics is gathering together, book by book to help him fight the darkness.

Sterling’s is a rich tapestry of Irish mythology, Celtic lore and language as well as literature . She then matches this with the deep historical context of the American mountain culture and tapping into the world of the paranormal and ancient traditions for a dark, compelling mystical tale.

It can work too well as it does here with the Wolves of the Ossery, a horrific element that needs further foundation as well as exploration to due justice to such a uniquely powerful piece of this narrative. Its introduction is detailed and memorable. Dark and damaging. And pieces of it, history and their culture pops up in the story in various ways. But there’s no resolution, no insight into what happened to them.

What Sterling crafts so beautifully is a mystery. Here with visions from the Oracle (another story and person brought into the circle), is used by Nox and Parks Service investigator, Agent Silas Shelby to locate a mysterious man they believe will be killed soon if they don’t help him, Tighe Ossor.

Silas was featured heavily in the previous story, Dead Air, which was about the Ranger, Niall, and the demon, Cenn, aka Lord Smoak. Here, Lord Smoak becomes the character who is worthy of the name. Here, his character evolves to become the overwhelming threatening force with its own agenda, something that we didn’t see before in his and Niall’s book.

Other characters are showing signs of their own new powerful abilities and adaptations as new threats emerge.

The instant connection between Silas and Tighe Ossor is believable, intimate and even mystical. So the reader is eager to see how this relationship develops between them. I would liked to have had actually less sex and more time spent with them getting to know each other, especially as Tighe is so much a man “out of time “.

The Night Vision suffers from having too much of a narrative agenda to get through and not enough pages with which to get it done throughly and with all the storylines well developed.

Sterling has offered up fantastic content and ideas here. So much to think about and take into consideration. Just the idea of the emergence of a new god, its evolution and what it means for the universe and other realities is mentioned here.How much control does that god have over its own creation?

That’s just a small part of the story.

The villain is barely a part of the book. Blink twice and you will miss him. A dramatic moment and what’s highly anticipated about it is glossed over, but it’s there. One sentence.

This is a small narrative suitcase that’s bulging with all important storyline things, the sides are separating as stuff is trying to fall out. But even more is needed.

It ends on a sort of cliffhanger. Which will lead to an explosive start I’m sure to the next in the series.

We’re on the journey of an evolution of a god that started with the first trilogy, now he’s gathering his set of warriors.

I can’t wait to see what happens next.

No, not one is a standalone story.

Definitely recommend. But there’s many trigger warnings for multiple reasons. Read them.

Great covers.

Cover art by @KillerLaurent

Moon Mysteries 1 – 3 (first series)

Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder Mysteries sequel series)

Back in the Hunt #1

The Tides of March #2

Dead Air #3

The Night Vision #4

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Night Vision: A Nelson & MacIlwraith Mystery (Moon Murder …

Blurb

A vision of a corpse in a stream. A man with a heart too wild and a soul too pure for this world.

Parks Service investigator, Agent Silas Shelby, isn’t supposed to chase prophecies. But when an oracle named Tony shows him the skull of a man he’s never met, obsession takes hold. The trail leads him to Tighe Ossor—a descendant of ancient warrior-hunters hiding in the Appalachian wilds.

Tighe walked away from his brutal pack to live free, only to be hunted by a necromancer bent on power. To protect him, Silas must rely on anthropology professor Lennox MacIlwraith, Agent Nelson, and their magikal found family of witches, hellhounds, and medics.

Together, they must outwit dark sorcery before the oracle’s vision comes true. But with destiny, danger, and desire colliding, can Silas save a man fate has already marked for death?

The Night Vision can be read as a standalone but it includes numerous spoilers for the rest of the series and the original trilogy.

* [ inserting note of my own: imo not one of these complexly interwoven books can be read as a standalone story. Why this author and others seem to be adding this comment to blurbs for their series as a standardized note is puzzling, especially considering taken on their own merits, essentially all the characters foundation and the world building is lost without each others story ]

Publisher

Bawdy Books

Publication date

November 20, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

201 pages

Review: The Goblin in the Sink (Groom and Doom Book 2) by Hailey Edwards

Rating: 3⭐️

The Goblin in the Sink (Groom and Doom Book 2) by Hailey Edwards is a good example of how a series can lose their initial momentum with the second book and all plot potential.

That seems to be a frequent element with some of Edwards writing in her various series. She can strike hot and the entire series is excellent all the way through or the first is promising but falters as it progresses.

Here it’s the later. The first novel had so many interesting moments and potentially intriguing characters that I wondered how Edwards’ next book was going to move the various plots and mysteries forward.

Then the 2nd book releases and the choices made for the characters and plot just end up frustrating and unlikely thought out from multiple standpoints.

Let’s have dragons but deny them the very characteristics and abilities that make them so powerful and memorable so that the villains can act without fear of retaliation for the majority of the story. They might as well be Guinea pigs.

Until boom, suddenly, dragons act sorta like dragons. Or one does. Kinda.

However, it’s turning the main character of Ana Sartori into a person who suddenly puts her own needs above the safety of others, even in the face of overwhelming danger and extreme stupidity. Where it’s clear to everyone it’s a highly threatening trap to do certain things, ones where she’s going to knowingly bring friends into a situation where they might not even survive, but she says , yep let’s go. SMH.

It’s the equivalent of that commercial where there’s choice to go for a garage with swinging horror equipment or a running car and the teenagers choose the garage. It’s like that. Over and over.

Oh no, do you think it’s a trap, trick. I just led my friend who’s now being tortured. Oh no. Wait I knew that was coming.

It’s a constant SMH from a main character who starts coming off as incredibly self absorbed and TSTL.

So it’s barely a 3. And not going forward.

I enjoyed Edwards last series. And I’ll check out the others. But this is a pass.

Groom & Doom (3 book series)

The Vampire in the Potting Shed #1

The Goblin in the Sink #2

The Mermaid in the Shot Glass #3

Buy link

The Goblin in the Sink Drain (Groom & Doom Book 2)

Blurb

Everything Ana Sartori knows about herself, and her father, is a lie. Or so the Walsh clan would have her believe. Their claims are convincing, the details too vivid to dismiss outright, but she can’t imagine her father as the villain of her story.

Carmichael Sartori is a lot of things. Ruthless. Merciless. Pitiless. But alphas aren’t known for being pushovers. Ana knows pack law is brutal for a reason, and her father enforces the rules with tooth and claw to protect his people. Including her.

But the more time she spends with the Walsh clan, the wider her eyes open to the possibilities of what an alpha could be, what a pack should be, and it makes her wonder if the Walshes are right about other things. The only way for Ana to be certain is to face her father. She’ll have to throw herself to the wolves and hope she makes it out alive with her answers.

Black Dog Books, LLC.

Publication date

October 31, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

150 pages

Book 2 of 3

Groom & Doom

Review: Shifting Winds (Shifter Lords #4) by S.E. Babin

Rating: 4.75⭐️

This was an excellent read. The fourth book in what I believe is a seven book series, Babin packs so many important series elements and shocking moments into this book, jamming a multitude of various character’s storylines, relationship dynamics, and unexpected events together to make this story a memorable, explosive dramatic and extremely compelling book.

Evie and Caelin’s relationship is one that still stands out as one of powerfully compelling fragility. Each of them has their own unique powers as well as responsibilities and deeply rooted secrets that make any type of permanent connection between them almost untenable. Never more is this made clear than here as events escalate.

But Evie’s friends are ongoing challenges and their own personal relationship issues. Ones that her choices are making an impact.

It’s one thing after another. One dramatic moment that arises when you least expect it. And the author folds every single piece of information and plot effortlessly into the whole, using mythology and fantasy and the richness of the location to bring the characters and wildness of this story to life.

That ending was so satisfying and intense. Which makes me want more immediately!

There’s a bit of a mystery left unanswered that will be carried over to the next book. I can wait for it to be released.

Highly recommended. Grab them up and read in the order they were written.

This is a series that I find absolutely amazing. A winner!

Cover design by Covers by Christian

Shifter Lords series:

Shift of Heart #1

Shift of Morals #2

Power Shift #3

Shifting Winds #4

Shifting Resolve #5

Shift of Rule #6

Shift of the Wild #7

Buy link

Shifting Winds (Shifter Lords Book 4)

Blurb

Everything’s a mess. The gods won’t stay out of her business. And Evie? All she wants is a little peace or drowning by bottomless margaritas.

Evie should be basking in the afterglow after her romp with the Shifter Lord. Instead, she’s dodging his increasingly aggressive courtship rituals like a runaway bride carrying dynamite. Not because she doesn’t care about him, but because she’s keeping big secrets.

Cernunnos has decided to retire. On the surface, totally fine. Except … Daddy Dearest wants to hand Evie the keys to the fae kingdom, and he’s been dropping in with divine homework and cryptic warnings about the future.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Caelan is hinting at forever, the Council is sniffing around, searching for answers about Donovan’s untimely demise, and Cliona keeps dropping by, hinting she wants a mother-daughter relationship, while conveniently forgetting she tried to kill Evie a few months ago.

The cherry on top? After a split-second decision to swallow the World Tree seed to keep it out of Chimera hands, Evie is now a bridge to other worlds—a power she has no idea how to use, but one that everyone covets, leaving her to ask the most important question of all…

Who can she trust?

And who wants to take her out for good?

Publisher

Oliver Heber Books

Publication date

November 4, 2025

‎English

Print length

264 pages

Review: Little Bean: A Paranormal Comedy with Heart (Maya’s Blogs Book 5) by Lara MacKenzie

Rating: 5⭐️

Little Bean brings Maya’s Blog to a close, with tears, drama and, yes, more growth and more hopeful happiness in the future for her and her growing family and friends.

Maya’s undergone so many dramatic changes from the broken abused human who started a blog she wasn’t sure anyone would want to read to a paranormal being herself with readers in the millions from many realms (it’s listed at the top of every chapter). She’s documented her journey, her fears and the challenges, every milestone and every step backwards. Her successes and her failures.

And each one has been one that’s had resonated with me, deeply, with this remarkable character that the author has framed out in this great blog format.

There’s side stories about women who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. And the organization that offers them and their children more than just food and shelter.

It’s about recovery, healing, and the ability to accept help to move forward when needed. It’s emotional magic and it’s honestly so hard to put into words, what it means to read this series and reach the end.

I’m not ready. Truly I’m not.

So I’ll leave you with this small piece at the end.

From Maya to her readers as she writes as she thinks about what comes next, just one tiny bit.

“You’re allowed to take up space. You’re allowed to want more than survival.

You’re allowed to fall apart and rebuild yourself into something new.

You’re allowed to be scared and brave at the same time.”

I can’t even get past the rest without going back and starting over. With tissues.

Given the current state of our world, especially for women, this character and series hits hard. An emotional gut punch, book by book.

Laughing, crying, recovery, loss, and renewed strength to move forward.

It’s a series I never expected when I first started reading. New author and format. But it’s one that’s stuck with me and it’s been a great read and source of comfort.

Now I’m passing it along to you. It a special kind of treasure, something to share with the next person who you think might be want a special voice in their lives.

The cover has a tag, An Umbrafore novel, which might possibly promise more novels to come in this chaotic universe. I can always hope.

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 – series finale

Buy link

Little Bean: A Paranormal Comedy with Heart (Maya’s Blogs Book 5)

Blurb

Maya Draven thought marrying a shadow demon warlord was the craziest thing she’d ever do. She was wrong.

As she faces escalating attacks from hate groups, Maya discovers that having a hybrid baby doesn’t make her vulnerable—it makes her dangerous.

And Maya is about to face her biggest challenges yet.

This is the explosive conclusion to Maya’s journey from anxious barista to fierce mother, where she proves that sometimes the best response to people trying to silence you is to speak even louder.

Publication date: November 2, 2025
Language: English
File size: 2.6 MB
Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited
Screen Reader: Supported
Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Print length: 322 pages
Page Flip: Enabled
Book 5 of 5: Maya’s Blogs

Review: Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Selena ,with her dog, Copper, has fled an abusive relationship after the death of her mother. Broken and desperate with dollars to her name, she’s bought a train ticket and traveled days to a small desert town of Quartz Creek in search of an aunt she barely knows.

Kingfisher’s novel pulls us immediately into the character of Selena, as it’s her voice that’s telling her story. Quietly contained, tense, and worried as we watch through her eyes, her journey to a town so dry , so small that there’s nothing to see when she’s deposited at her final destination with her few belongings and gentle old lab, Copper.

We’ve no idea exactly how broken Selena is or how horrific a relationship and past she’s fled. That is slowly revealed throughout the narrative as she starts to find her own way and new foundation in this quirky community.

Snake-Eater by T. Kingfisher is a richly woven, beautifully written tale of a broken woman who finds in small dusty desert town full of secrets, small Gods both frightening and dangerous and some benign a refuge and home, along with a found family. People who are ready to support her, give her comfort and the space she needs to recover and develop her own strengths.

It’s a remarkable journey. Full of humor, compassion, joy and yes, horror.

All the characters are remarkable in their design and detail, human and otherwise. The mythology and mystical elements are incredible.

And I appreciate that even in the “horror “ aspect of this tale, there is a grey area attached to the “villain” here. Yes, its actions now are wrong but all the characters can see their origin came from a very different place. I really like having a broader perspective on subjects like this. Nothing is ever black and white.

T. Kingfisher or author Ursula Vernon is a writer whose work is quietly thoughtful and insightful. Her love for this desert and its beauty is apparent here, it flows through the landscape of the narrative in every sentence.

As does her approach to life and wildlife. Roadrunners are indeed far more than the cartoon characters would have you believe. Authors notes are a delight. Check them out.

Highly recommended. Both author and book.

Exquisite cover that carries major themes of the story.

Cover design by Logan Matthews Cover illustration by Tristan Elwell

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comSnake-Eater: Kingfisher, T.: 9781662525094

Blurb

From New York Times bestselling and Hugo Award–winning author T. Kingfisher comes an enthralling contemporary fantasy seeped in horror about a woman trying to escape her past by moving to the remote US desert—only to find herself beholden to the wrath of a vengeful god.

With only a few dollars to her name and her beloved dog Copper by her side, Selena flees her past in the city to claim her late aunt’s house in the desert town of Quartz Creek. The scorpions and spiders are better than what she left behind.

Because in Quartz Creek, there’s a strange beauty to everything, from the landscape to new friends, and more blue sky than Selena’s ever seen. But something lurks beneath the surface. Like the desert gods and spirits lingering outside Selena’s house at night, keeping watch. Mostly benevolent, says her neighbor Grandma Billy. That doesn’t ease the prickly sense that one of them watches too closely and wants something from Selena she can’t begin to imagine. And when Selena’s search for answers leads her to journal entries that her aunt left behind, she discovers a sinister truth about her new home: It’s the haunting grounds of an ancient god known simply as “Snake-Eater,” who her late aunt made a promise to that remains unfulfilled.

Snake-Eater has taken a liking to Selena, an obsession of sorts that turns sinister. And now that Selena is the new owner of his home, he’s hell-bent on collecting everything he’s owed.

Review: Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs

Rating: 5⭐️

Blind Date with a Werewolf by Patricia Briggs has been described as a terrific novel written in as several short stories. I absolutely agree and I loved it.

The premise of the stories centers around an ancient werewolf, Asil, one who lost his beloved mate in a long past traumatic event that has continued to haunt him. His current pack mates in Montana have decided to take him on a series of 5 blind dates, via various dating apps, at Christmas time, to pull him out of his increasingly violent behavior and depression.

He’s even a Muslim who doesn’t celebrate Christmas as Asil will often remind his friends. So each short story is one of Asil’s dates. It begins with a open email, or text, that starts with

Dear Asil. It then outlines the date, the app they choose from, the parameters of the date and sign it Merry Christmas, Your Concerned Friends .

The dates have a huge range from floral arrangements to kitties to ghostbusters and more. But that doesn’t even touch the surface of what the author has in store for Asil and the reader.

It’s actually startling complex, often horrifying, well written and beautifully played out, with each story constantly evolving and reflecting back into Asil’s life.

By the time we reach the end tale, the pieces are falling into place, the drama is charged full of suspense and chaos, and that epilogue is so satisfying and heartwarming that I read it twice.

This is why Patricia Briggs is a highly recommended author. Grab up this new book and enjoy!

Contents:

Asil’s first date:

“Unappreciated Gifts”

Asil’s Second Date:

“Must Love Cats: Aftermath”

Asil’s Third Date:

“Asil and the Not-Date”

Asil’s Fourth Date:

“Dating Terrors”

Asil’s Fifth Date:

“Scheherazade”

“Epilogue”

Except from

“Alpha and Omega” by Patricia Briggs

Cover illustration Daniel dos Santos Cover and endpapers designed by Judith Lagerman

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.com › shop › dealsBlind Date With A Werewolf

Blurb

When the deadly werewolf Asil is gifted five blind dates by some anonymous “friends,” his reclusive life will never be the same, in this enthralling novel in stories from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series.

Includes two all-new stories as well as three previously published stories.

Dear Asil:

We are worried about you. A werewolf alone is a sad thing, especially at Christmastime. So we have a challenge for you: five dates in three weeks. We have taken the work out of it and connected you with five people from online dating sites. You should also know that we have informed the whole pack and instigated a betting pool. Have fun!

Sincerely,

Your Concerned Friends

Publisher: Ace
Publication date: October 21, 2025
Language: English

Review: Borrowed Amulet (Splintered Realms, #1) by Jilleen Dolbeare

Rating: 3.25⭐️

I should have remembered why I didn’t finish the original Splintered Realms series before I picked up this book. In fact, I didn’t make it past book 2 there. And I’m stopping here.

I do like Jileen Dolbeare overall but find I need to be selective about what books or series of hers to read. I just read a prequel book that was terrific and I’m getting ready for the series finale of a paranormal romance thriller that’s highly recommended she’s co-authored with Heather G. Harris.

But her Splintered Realms series just continues to be one that has too many issues. That of problematic characters and plots with storylines that are nonsensical, given the characters status and current events or just seem forced into the plot for the sake of drama itself.

This one is based off history and events that happened in the previous series. A death has already happened. The main character, a dragon rider, is grieving . She’s supposed to be older here but acts younger. Merlin, that Merlin of King Arthur’s Court, is an unpleasant character but not a complete bad person.

The actual story is a bit of a mess if you’re not familiar with the universe and background already set down in previous novels.

But it’s the actions of the main character that I find actionable here as written by Dolbeare. I’m not sure why she’s not thinking a reader will listen and look at this whole woman and wonder why the lack of development.

Granted she’s grieving and yes, Merlin was deeply cruel in his comments. All true. But past that, her dragon is very young and inexperienced in his own way.

Then comes a young dragon mage, who has zero experience because she’s been totally isolated in Scotland, beloved, and given to an equally untrained wanna-be rider.

Megan and Merlin decide to go after the eminently powerful Big Bad Mage with his own dragon who was responsible for her hunny’s death. Guess who they take with them?

Oh no what could possibly go wrong?

That’s a SMH scenario. And of course, it ends in a cliffhanger that anyone could see coming. When a author has her characters who are supposed to be seasoned mages act with all the instincts of first year grade students going into battle with kindergarteners, it destroys any credibility that they have. Including that plot line.

So I’ll try to remember that it is the Splintered Realms series I’m not reading.

If you are a fan, I’ll leave it to you.

Cover Designer: Covers by Christian

Splintered Realm Series

Borrowed Magic: Book .5

Borrowed Amulet: Book 1

Borrowed Chaos: Book 2*

Borrowed Trouble: Book 3*

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Book 1 of 3: Splintered Realms

Blurb

Megan’s world has shattered. The love of her life is gone, leaving her hollow and consumed by grief. In the midst of this despair, one venomous remark from Merlin—yes, that Merlin—sends her over the edge, pushing her into a reckless new purpose: bounty hunting across the Splinters of reality with her red dragon, Goch.

One target fuels her obsession: Mordred and his dragon. It’s the only thing keeping her from drowning in sorrow. But the hunter’s guild has left Mordred’s bounty up for grabs, and it’s already claimed lives. Worse, as a realm walker, Mordred’s impossible to track across the splinters, driving Megan mad with frustration and leaving her too much time to think.

Out of options, she grudgingly teams up with Merlin. Powerful, legendary, and hard to ignore, he should be the perfect ally—except she loathes him with the fire of a million burning suns. Then Mordred makes a move, reaching out to both of them.

The hunt is back on, but Merlin’s shadowy past is catching up, turning an already dangerous mission into a deadly gamble. Can Megan capture Mordred, survive Merlin’s demons, and make it out alive? Or will her pursuit lead to her ultimate downfall?

Enjoy this urban fantasy adventure with an older heroine, a slow burn enemies to lovers romance, dragon riding, and tons of action!

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