Review: Fair Market Value (The Body Shop Book 1) by Hailey Edwards

Rating: 4⭐️

“Forgot to feed your goldfish before your untimely demise?

Need to jot down a Will?Say a Goodbye?See the Grand Canyon?

Then Come On Down! Located on Downing Street, in Savannah, GA,one mile from the scenic Bonaventure Cemetery -The Body Shop”

A intriguing cover and woman necromancer as a main character were the first details about Fair Market Value (The Body Shop Book 1) by Hailey Edwards that grabbed my attention.  Plus I hadn’t read anything by this writer yet, and that’s always a plus.

Then there’s that premise. Rent a body. Unfinished business? Necromancer Mary Frances Talbot, Frankie as she’s known, runs a body rental business out of her family’s auto repair shop in Savannah, Georgia.  Tip toeing the legality of the Necromancer laws, she’s trying to make sure her siblings, who have their own paranormal stories and needs, stay safe and have a home. 

The personal stories for the Mary family (how they got their name for instance) is horrific and well written. Their backgrounds are truly disturbing and scenes/nightmares are threads that continue to make an impact on the story and their current situation in various ways.  Plus each sibling represents a different paranormal species which I thought was a very different element to include.  Frankie is a necromancer, Josie is a dryad, and brother Matty is a Oneiros. 

One thing I struggled with was the world building. I had no sense of structure, magical, political, or historical, to put this story into context. There’s references to a Necromancer Committee and Laws but Edwards doesn’t lay out the foundation knowledge for the universe this is being played out in. Turns out,after research ,all this author’s series are set in the same universe but you have to be a reader of those books to be set up here. 

Anyway, there no heat but a potential romance with a ex love now detective, Samuel Harrow of the Savannah Police Department. When one of her “rentals” isn’t returned on time and becomes part of a crime, they reconnect.

The mystery or mysteries as they begin to add up are good ones. But the really interesting elements are the  ghostly personalities who are “family “ or friends, how much they are part of Frankie’s life, and the twists that pop up in the dramatic moments at the end. 

Edwards appreciates historic cars and writes them with care into the story. It’s the same with other fine detail aspects of this novel. The siblings, Josie and Matty have strengths and individual poignancy layered between them. The dynamic between them is beautifully balanced and heartwarming.  I can’t wait to see how this family develops further.

And the tension between Frankie and Samuel, which was left at an awkward place. 

A definite recommendation and now onto the next book in the series. 

The Body Shop series:

Fair Market Value #1

Amber Gambler #2

Midnight Auto Parts #3

Cheater Slicks #4 – Dec 25,2025

Other linked series:

The Potentate of Atlanta (6 book series) – this is set within The Potentate apparently 

The Beginner’s Guide to Necromancy (9 book series) in Savannah 

Buy link

        Fair Market Value (The Body Shop Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Forgot to feed your goldfish before your untimely demise? Need to jot down a will? Say a goodbye? See the Grand Canyon? Then come visit us at The Body Shop, where unfinished business is our business.

Mary Frances Talbot—Frankie—is a necromancer, probably. Hard to say since she never met her parents. She can see the dead, talk to the dead, and a few other things that aren’t strictly legal. It’s fine. No worries. As long as she doesn’t get caught.

The whole not getting caught thing was going well until Samuel Harrow blew back into town wearing a Savannah Police Department uniform. He might be a witch, but he hates magic. He’s not a fan of Frankie either. Which explains why he’s her ex.

When Frankie’s less than legal side gigs result in dead vampires, she knows she’s in trouble. Big trouble. And that’s before Harrow offers to help. With him waving a Get Out of Jail Free card in her face, Frankie doesn’t have much choice but to accept.

But that doesn’t mean she has to forgive. She’ll certainly never forget him breaking her heart or turning her over to the police or… Yeah. They were doomed from the start. Something tells her this investigation will be too.

  • Publisher: Black Dog Books, LLC. (April 18, 2024)
  • Publication date: April 18, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 266 pages

Review:  Sun and Stone (Elementally  Yours Book 5) by F.N. Manning 

Review: 4.5🌈

Sun and Stone is the finale story for F.N. Manning’s terrific paranormal romance series about a group of elemental mages getting their branding (think magical acceptance from each of their own magic elements) and finding love in the process. Often with other mages or paranormal characters. 

The series started with a series mystery and wrapped it up within a couple of books then went on to tell stories with characters from the university of magic that’s a prominent location. 

But Sun and Stone might be my favorite. The characters are older, and when the story opens up, Perry is leaving the building where his magic is checked and reviewed for potential and power levels. At his later years, he knows he’s running out of time to become a mage and that his now  limited magic will be locked soon. And he’s devastated. 

These early moments connect the reader into Perry’s broken heart so quickly 

Elementally Yours (5 book series)

The Frost Or The Bite #1

Strikes Twice #2

Bold As Brass #3

Where There’s Smoke #4

Sun and Stone #5 – finale 

Buy link

        Sun and Stone: M/M Paranormal Romance (Elementally Yours Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Can love outshine magic when time runs out?

Perry has spent a lifetime chasing magic, but the clock is ticking, and he’s still not a full-fledged wizard. As his window to earn elemental stone power closes, he’s struggling to imagine a life without magic. But when he bumps into a kind stranger and meets Fynn Callahan, everything changes.

Once a lover of sun magic, Fynn shows Perry that it’s possible to move on and build a new life. And the more Perry gets to know the cheerful graphic designer with a sweet tooth, the easier it is to believe he’ll be just fine—especially if he winds up in Fynn’s arms.

But something strange is happening with Fynn’s powers. If they get to the bottom of what’s wrong, then Fynn will get another chance to gain magic. But if only one of them can become a caster, is their relationship doomed? 

Will Perry find a way to keep his magic and his man, or will he lose both forever

  • Publication date: March 23, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 186 pages

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

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Honestly, still thinking about the rating because the book and female character is so strange but I’m getting into it,as weirdly great as it is. 

And she and the world is plenty different. Mostly it’s her, Daphne, she’s plenty different, with two voices in her head, enough trauma to fill several oceans, and deadly skill sets that are still being revealed. Along with her pasts that were spent in other realms, alien hellish ones as a lost child. 

There’s the suspicious deadly brain Daphne, absolutely bloodthirsty. Then there’s heart Daphne, naive, obsessive, wanting to think better of others (even though she knows that they are evil).  The conflict between these two is constantly ongoing and a real conversation.

Yes it takes time to get into this mess of a character and her situation but stick with it, she and the book is worth it. 

Because the surprises will come nonstop as well.  

Hignett does an excellent job with such a complicated character like Daphne, a wolf shifter who’s so severely traumatized by the years of abuse and sheer brutality of wandering through alien realms as a small child trying to escape and get home that her personality seems splintered. Or is it?

Each new encounter show the reader more of who she might be, whether she’s valiantly trying to make it through the day as a paranormal social worker, climbing over drugged vampires, and dealing with cranky co workers, or just barely staving off the darkness and nightmares of the past that constantly threatens her sanity. And it’s terrifying.

From her hair that used to be brown, but has become lavender upon her return to the human world.  Then there are here friends who have followed her to Philadelphia. 

A goose, Dwayne who’s a God of Anarchy, a sort of grandmother a renowned “Countess Ebadorathea Greenwood, world class villain sorceress maybe, for starters. 

Plus she’s on a mission of revenge after she gets settled in her new job, helping the unwanted, the troubled supernatural children of The Hidden City of Philadelphia, where those who are unwanted or considered trash go. 

I got more and more convinced of her and the raw tragedy of those around her. That’s there something so frightening about her that she’s become a walking daily affirmation, trying to keep herself positive, and often failing. 

Daphne has become a fascinating puzzle of a great character. I can’t wait to see what she brings to the future and The Hidden City next. 

Highly recommended. 

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 Santa: A Little Christmas Mystery

Buy link

        The Wolf Vs The Vampire: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth

    

Blurb 

Everyone thinks I’m sweet and innocent… but I’m the one who ate the big bad wolf.

I’ve been searching for a place that feels like home my whole life, and I think I’ve found it. I’m in the big city, on a mission to save vulnerable supernatural kids — just like I used to be — in my new job as an Otherworld Child Protection Caseworker.

Because after our magical apocalypse, there are a lot of kids that need saving. I just need to avoid Romeo Zarayan, the Lord of Shadows and heir to the Jupiter fortune.

He’s also the Warlock who murdered my Aunt. One day, when I’m strong enough, I’ll get my revenge.

When one of my clients — a girl with strange-smelling blood — goes missing, the hunt takes me a little too close to the Warlock for comfort. If I want to save my client, I’ll have to set aside my quest for vengeance and work with him.

But if I get the chance, I’ll kill him.

If he doesn’t kill me first…

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

Connected Universe and crossover characters:

The start with 

🔹Imogen Gray series: 

Immortal Ghost (freebie prequel novella) Immortal 

Immortal Games 

Immortal World 

Immortal Life 

Immortal Death 

🔹Then follow Sandy in the 

Foils and Fury series 

Oops I Ate A Vengeance Demon Dancing With The Vengeance Demon 

Dating With The Vengeance Demon Dying For My Vengeance Demon 

🔹Then go on with Prue’s story with the 

Blood and Magic Series. 

Bad Bones 

Bare Bones 

Broke Bones 

Blood & Bones 

Burned Bones 

Bitter Bones 

🔹Head on into Chloe’s series, 

The Waif in the Wilds. 

The Waif in the Wilds (freebie prequel novella) Vicious Creatures 

Fractured Gods 

Ravenous Beasts  

Savage Daemons 

Duck Duck Motherf* cker (freebie epilogue novella in Dwayne’s POV)”

“🔹And then Daphne’s story in the 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 Santa: A Little Christmas Mystery

🔹And detour into a Paranormal Woman’s Fiction series. 

Susan, You’re The Chosen One 

It’s Called Magic, Susan 

Susan, Break The Curse! 

You Can’t Fight A Prophecy, Susan

Review:  One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers Book 2) and series by Rachel Aaron

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Things to get out of the way. Is there romance. No. A kiss maybe. That’s it. Dragons? Yes, fantastic ones, a ton! Action scenes and flying! Spirits and ghosts? You bet! A expansive magical world that’s getting more complex and dangerous by the storyline and twists galore.

I’m honestly way ahead in the series because I can’t stop reading them , a real benefit when you have a complete series before you. But this one absolutely begins to develop the feeling of a grander arc and mystery at play. 

Yes, Bob the Heartstriker’s seer , among others, has been plotting. 

——-

Ok. As I said I read ahead. And unfortunately I’m stopping with the reviews, for this and the other books. 

The reason why is I’m devastated. 

Perhaps this is why you don’t read series out of order. Because I absolutely fell in love with Julius and Marci. Through all five books, I emotionally invested my time and heart in their journey and love for each other. 

In each book, the author creates powerful storylines that allows them to develop and the universe redefine itself and them, taking us through some shocking heartbreaking moments, truly awful, crushing and cruel times. Yes, I was ugly crying.  These are scenes that live in my head. 

But by the time and end of the finale, and another moment of monumental horror and loss, Last Dragon Standing, it had a great ending. Fantastic. Loved it.

So why not just review it. 

Because, tbh, I read a ton of books and it took me a while to realize and remember what Aaron then did with these characters in the following series. 

And not for any other reason than to give one new main character, a ghostly teacher, a barely secondary character at that.  Forever changing the ending of that first series and the fate of the couple who finally got their HEA. 

Just no. 

While I get characters and books belonging to the writers who create them, I think readers should be able to have a certain amount of belief that they will treat them better. Sure characters die, but a great writer uses it as a way to drive the story forward, a deep aspect of the plot. Not as a prop or replaceable character. As it is in The DFZ. Any new character could have been added to fill the role. Careless and devastating.

So I’m done with the universe, connected series and this author. Too many other writers to explore. 

Just my thoughts.

Cover Illustration by Anna Steinbauer, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron.

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

Buy link 

        One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers Book 2)

    

Blurb 

After barely escaping the machinations of his terrifying mother, two all-knowing seers, and countless bloodthirsty siblings, the last thing Julius wants to see is another dragon. Unfortunately for him, the only thing more dangerous than being a useless Heartstriker is being a useful one.

Now that he’s got an in with the Three Sisters, Julius has become a key pawn in Bethesda the Heartstriker’s gamble to put her clan on top. Refusal to play along with his mother’s plans means death, but there’s more going on than even Bethesda knows. Heartstriker futures are disappearing, and Algonquin’s dragon hunter is closing in. With his most powerful relatives dropping like flies, it’s up to Julius to save the family that never respected him and prove once and for all that the world’s worst dragon is the best one to have on your side.

One Good Dragon is book #2 of an urban fantasy set 90 years in the future featuring a kind protagonist, a kick-ass female mage, her ghostly magical cat, and even more dragons than book 1!

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (August 1, 2015)
  • Publication date: August 1, 2015
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 487 pages

Complete connecting series 

Series Information from the author:

All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order. 

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

The DFZ Trilogy :

Minimum Wage Magic 

Part-Time Gods 

Night Shift Dragons 

DFZ Changeling Trilogy :

By a Silver Thread 

With a Golden Sword 

To the Bloody End

Review:  The Vampire’s Delicious Fae (Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala Book 2) by Michele Notaro

Rating: 4🌈

I absolutely enjoyed this fantasy romance of miscommunication resolved between an ancient vampire and a green fae, both of which have their own families to share.  

It’s a sort of fantasy With Eight You Get Eggrolls, but with drama, plants, and mate bonds. 

Anton and Keryth were both very great characters and wonderful together, quickly figuring out why they were so drawn together (fated mates).  It wasn’t the normal fast paced relationship I expected in a fated mate story. I loved the way Notaro let them go down a slower path than an immediate step into a full blown love match. Each has a family to consider and those kids (young and old) were part of the bigger picture (and discussions) as they grew together.

Ker’s children are a more well known group (from previous stories) than Anton’s with the exception of Jed, Anton’s youngest. 

The full found family Ker and  Keryth’s young sisters Alsira, Gemma, Saranor, and Zellya, and Anton has his fledglings Phaeron, Beshiro, Katja, Jedediah. Then there’s one more youngster who becomes a major character and storyline here. 

All played out while a series or universe drama /mysteries is going on around them, including them in its horror. 

There is one book left in this trilogy and I can’t see how the huge overall plot is tied together within that book.  It’s just that big. 

But the author already has another series coming to follow this one, about the vampires. Which makes sense because vampires are the focus of the ongoing mystery and arc plot. 

So I expect a switch in locations and characters. What fun! And more crossovers as well. 

Looking forward to the final book in this series and the next series.

A definite winner. 

Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala (3 book series):

The Witch’s Grumpy Dragon #1

The Vampire’s Delicious Fae #2

The Dragon’s Devoted Defender #3 – March 17,2026

Buy link 

        The Vampire’s Delicious Fae (Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala Book 2)

    

Blurb 

I hate vampires. Well, just one in particular. But I do kinda love how his eyes follow me whenever he’s around… Sigh.

Step One: Find a hot vampire. Check.

Step Two: Get the hot vamp to drink from me. Check. 

Step Three: Try to forget his stupid face. Ugh. This one’s impossible to check. F my life. Sigh. 

Anton is beyond frustrating. He was so sweet when we first met, and I’d thought we had a real connection. But then he had to ruin everything with his big mouth and jerky face. Ugh.

I can’t get him out of my head. Even when I’m beyond angry at him, I still feel a pull to be near him. A pull I can’t seem to ignore.

And when my entire world gets turned upside-down, I can’t help but reach for the ancient vampire and hope that together, we can conquer anything that’s thrown at us… anything that’s coming for us.

The Vampire’s Delicious Fae is Book 2 of the MM urban fantasy series, Brinnswick: Tales From Gauhala. It follows a new couple in each book with a guaranteed HEA. It takes place in the Brinnswick world in the far away country of Gauhala and brings a whole new cast of characters, so you don’t need to read the other series first. But don’t worry, there will absolutely be some cameos along the way.

  • Publication date: March 27, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 360 pages

Review:  Draken the Rules (Blackhaven Manor Book 13) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4🌈

Draken the Rules is a sweet, sexy paranormal novella in Arden Steele’s long running fated mates Blackhaven Manor universe.  

It’s a quick read and I really enjoyed the characters, especially as Arden added another dragon shifter to the universe who a total powerhouse! 

Up until now, we had only the original dragon siblings acknowledged and now we know that there are others out there. Fantastic expansion of this series and universe.  Also intriguing little toy , a fabulous tiny dragon that used blood magic to animate it.  Was it sentient or not? Could have used an entire story on it alone. 

Minor drama that was easily removed but the couple was adorable and Itri Lockwood , Storm dragon shifter , morally grey magic item dealer needs a series. Especially now that his mate has decided to work with him. 

That would be great!

Another recommendation!

Check out the full list below.

Blackhaven Manor:

  • Purrfect Harmony #1
  • Night and Fae #2
  • Dragon It Out #3
  • Grin and Bear It #4
  • Pixie Little Liar #5
  • Dead Over Heals #6
  • Silent Knight #7
  • Pain in the Ice #8
  • Walking a Tight Rope #9
  • Royally Flocked #10
  • What The Hex? #11
  • Dewitched #12
  • Draken the Rules #13

Sequel/adjacent  series:

Hunter’s Hollow:

  • Angels and Anarchy #1
  • Beauty and Bad Blood #2

Buy link

        Draken the Rules (Blackhaven Manor Book 13)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Hell Week. 

For Arlo Eichen, the annual Heritage Festival is less of a beloved tradition and more of a weeklong exercise in patience. The crowds are insane, the chaos is overwhelming, and the sense of entitlement is off the charts. So, when an honest-to-the-gods storm erupts inside one of the ballrooms? Just another day at Blackhaven Manor.

Until he sets eyes on the source of the storm. 

Six-and-half feet of brooding, lightning-throwing dragon shifter, Itri Lockwood has a bad-boy reputation and a temper as short as his patience. And he doesn’t take kindly to threats against what’s his—especially when it comes to Arlo.

Mixing business with pleasure was never part of the plan. He came for a distraction, but now he’s juggling a coveted artifact, a deal gone sideways, and a mate who went from an unexpected temptation to a primal obsession.

Itri might be able to control the storm but keeping Arlo out of trouble…

That’s going to take a miracle.

  • Publisher: Peccavi Press (March 27, 2025)
  • Publication date: March 27, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 144 pages

Review: Calling Chaos (Demon Bound, #3) by Grae Bryan

Rating:3.5🌈

Grae Bryan’ Demon Bound series has been fantastic to date, matching the damaged, dark Russian mafia brothers with an assorted cast of demons who were an unlikely found family of demons, each watching and waiting to be summoned. 

The Koslov family history is deeply disturbing, criminal as you’d expect, and horrifically terrifying for those raised inside its core. The author did a fantastic job capturing this emotional trauma and layering it into each brother in a different way, and how it impacted their stories and relationship with the demons they summoned. 

Yes, the intensity and complexity of Ivan and Nix hasn’t been matched. My favorite!

So when their cousin, the highly introspective Cooper, gets the next story and summoning of a demon we’d met, I was curious. 

 Calling Chaos is a good book but it feels separate from the rest of the series. Bryan gives us scenes that have occurred before, but now we have them from the perspective of this couple and these characters. That’s amusing. 

And while we are given a general glimpse into what a painful background Cooper must have had, there’s been no foundation laid out in the series for him or his character before. So while Chaos becomes a vital part of the series and wildly entertaining dangerous being, Cooper remains more of a one dimensional person.  Someone who reacts with Chaos, has tons of sex with him, and as we know will bond with him. 

There’s a “save me “ element that comes out of nowhere and goes away with equal impact. It’s there for just that.  So the reader believes in it just as much. 

The ending sets up the next story and series finale which I’m really excited about. That should bring everything together. And the scariest demon yet. 

So the best part of Calling Chaos is actually Chaos.  There’s small scenes here and there where he’s the chaos demon you want and expect. I wish we had more of that.  Or a better defined and fleshed out Cooper. 

Cover designed by MiblArt.

Demon Bound:

🔹Wrecking Havoc #1 (Kai and Sascha) 

🔹Inviting Bedlam #2 (Nix and Ivan)

🔹Calling Chaos #3 (Chaos and 

🔹Unleashing Mayhem #4 – Sept 30,2025 / finale 

Buy link

        Calling Chaos (Demon Bound Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Cooper didn’t mean to summon a demon. He may be a hacker for the Mafia, but he’s not exactly brave or adventurous by nature. He was only trying to do a small, easy job for his terrifying boss and then get back to not leaving the house for days on end. Only now that the demon’s here, promising to be Cooper’s friend for as long as he needs one, Cooper might just be lonely enough to let him.

Chaos knew it was finally his time to get summoned. No more being stuck in the boring Void, no more hanging out with the same three dull demons. It’s time for madness and mayhem and answering to no one but himself. Except Chaos doesn’t expect his newest summoner to be quite so…timid. And sweet. And willing to cater to every single one of Chaos’s many wants and whims. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stick around for an eternity or two. 

Now Chaos just needs to convince his new friend that it really isn’t all that scary to be mated to a demon, even one who loves to play with fire. 

CALLING CHAOS IS A HEATED MM PARANORMAL ROMANCE. IT FEATURE A LONELY, SOCIALLY ANXIOUS HACKER AND THE WILY, WICKED, AND SLIGHTLY FERAL DEMON WHO WANTS TO PLAY WITH HIM FOREVER. IT ALSO CONTAINS “IT’S JUST PRACTICE” BEDROOM LESSONS, MAFIA MEETINGS GONE AWRY, AND THE JOYS OF STEALING YOUR NOT-BOYFRIEND’S HOODIES.

  • Publication date: March 28, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 248 pages

Review:  Sun and Stone (Elementally  Yours Book 5) by F.N. Manning 

Review: 4.5🌈

Sun and Stone is the finale story for F.N. Manning’s terrific paranormal romance series about a group of elemental mages getting their branding (think magical acceptance from each of their own magic elements) and finding love in the process. Often with other mages or paranormal characters. 

The series started with a series mystery and wrapped it up within a couple of books then went on to tell stories with characters from the university of magic that’s a prominent location. 

But Sun and Stone might be my favorite. The characters are older, and when the story opens up, Perry is leaving the building where his magic is checked and reviewed for potential and power levels. At his later years, he knows he’s running out of time to become a mage and that his now  limited magic will be locked soon. And he’s devastated. 

These early moments connect the reader into Perry’s broken heart so quickly that when he collapses into a stranger’s arms, weeping, we get it.

It’s a heartbreaking moment. 

But as the stranger introduces himself and offers Perry comfort, a sweet, unexpected friendship is struck up between them. For Flynn knows exactly what Perry is feeling as he’s been forced to accept the reality about his magic as well.  

As the men explore the possibility of a relationship between them , revealing their past experiences and dashed hopes,  author Manning writes a story that gives us two wonderful characters growing stronger together and a romantic connection to root for.

There’s a dramatic twist or two. A villain who isn’t much of a surprise but a great ending that’s absolutely satisfying and is also a fantastic way to see the series out. 

Highly enjoyable and my favorite couple of the series. 

A winner. 

Elementally Yours (5 book series)

The Frost Or The Bite #1

Strikes Twice #2

Bold As Brass #3

Where There’s Smoke #4

Sun and Stone #5 – finale 

Buy link

        Sun and Stone: M/M Paranormal Romance (Elementally Yours Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Can love outshine magic when time runs out?

Perry has spent a lifetime chasing magic, but the clock is ticking, and he’s still not a full-fledged wizard. As his window to earn elemental stone power closes, he’s struggling to imagine a life without magic. But when he bumps into a kind stranger and meets Fynn Callahan, everything changes.

Once a lover of sun magic, Fynn shows Perry that it’s possible to move on and build a new life. And the more Perry gets to know the cheerful graphic designer with a sweet tooth, the easier it is to believe he’ll be just fine—especially if he winds up in Fynn’s arms.

But something strange is happening with Fynn’s powers. If they get to the bottom of what’s wrong, then Fynn will get another chance to gain magic. But if only one of them can become a caster, is their relationship doomed? 

Will Perry find a way to keep his magic and his man, or will he lose both forever

  • Publication date: March 23, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 186 pages

Review:  Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron

Rating: 4.5

After finishing Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series, I had to return to see how it all started. Before the DFZ was sentient, when dragons were outlawed, and the Lady of the Lake , the Algonquin herself was a highly manipulative, deadly spirit and Detroit was rising up again from all her destruction and under her authority. 

This is another wild, strange and fabulous ride.   Told in five instead of three books. 

It’s centered in Detroit, the non-sentient DFZ, and its focus is the powerful and numerous Heartstriker dragon family, in particular its youngest and smallest dragon, Julius.  Julius, a constant source of disappointment and anger to his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has been sealed into his human form and sent off to the DFZ to prove himself a true dragon or else. 

Julius the Good Dragon, which isn’t a compliment to dragons, is such an engaging character. The only one of his many siblings who is an anomaly in his personality, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, just loves gaming and people. 

Marci, a mage from Las Vegas, ends up in the DFZ after fleeing from some sort of terrible situation that leaves her without a home. 

These two are incredibly great characters and together they are the beginnings of a fabulous series arc and the basis for I’m betting the magical creatures and world building of the DFZ. 

Another hugely important character is Bob, the Heartstriker seer and Julius’s oldest brother.  We meet more siblings , each letter according to the clutch they hatched (?) in.  Bob being one but not the only oldest remaining child of Bethesda.  She’s not a good mother or parent FYI. 

I love Aaron as an author, the magical system is beautifully conceived, and it’s expanding to fit  this ever growing imaginative new universe.  Not even the established spirits themselves know what’s happening, or what the world is capable of doing.  Truly a gonzo magical fantasy.

But it’s also a very powerful story of empathy, emotional empowerment, and quiet bravery. Whether it’s on a human or dragon’s level. 

Julius deciding to be himself or Marci’s grief, or other characters stepping forward to help others. 

So many aspects of Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1) by Rachel Aaron to love and appreciate, storylines and characters, relationships and themes. 

This author is a must read and these connected series as well. Highly recommended. 

Love the covers .  

Cover Illustration by Anna Steinbauer, Cover Design by Rachel Aaron.

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

Buy link

        Nice Dragons Finish Last (Heartstrikers Book 1)

    

Blurb 

The start of the series that won back-to-back RT Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Awards!

As the smallest dragon in the Heartstriker clan, Julius survives by a simple code: keep quiet, don’t cause trouble, and stay out of the way of bigger dragons. But this meek behavior doesn’t fly in a family of ambitious magical predators, and his mother, Bethesda the Heartstriker, has finally reached the end of her patience.

Now, sealed in his human form and banished to the DFZ–a vertical metropolis built on the ruins of Old Detroit–Julius has one month to prove he can be a ruthless dragon or kiss his true shape goodbye forever. But in a city of modern mages and vengeful spirits where dragons are considered monsters to be exterminated, he’s going to need some serious help to survive this test.

He only hopes humans are more trustworthy than dragons…

Winner of the 2015 Audie Audio Book Award in Fantasy!

  • Publisher: Aaron/Bach (July 13, 2014)
  • Publication date: July 13, 2014
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 287 pages

Complete series 

Series Information from the author:

All of my series set in the Detroit Free Zone were written as self-contained stories. You don’t have to have read any previous DFZ books to enjoy the newer ones. But for those who want to see the world grow, here’s a list of all the DFZ books in chronological order. 

Heartstrikers :

Nice Dragons Finish Last 

One Good Dragon Deserves Another No Good Dragon Goes Unpunished 

A Dragon of a Different Color 

Last Dragon Standing 

The DFZ Trilogy (This series) Minimum Wage Magic 

Part-Time Gods 

Night Shift Dragons 

DFZ Changeling Trilogy 

By a Silver Thread 

With a Golden Sword 

To the Bloody End

Review:  The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman

Rating: 4⭐️

I was looking for something to read that wasn’t fae or trial themed so that fantastic cover for The Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance by Lauren Palphreyman pulled me right in.  New author and apparently a new series or duology, terrific!

And yes, I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book.  I feel that Lauren Palphreyman really captured the Highlands of Scotland, the wilds and beauty of the region through scenes and descriptions so well. And then to intertwine the Clans of Scotland with werewolves or Shifter packs and include mythology and kingdom wars, it’s a very compelling story.  And the political landscape isn’t just about the shaky Wolf clans but their history with the human kingdom as its own wars are being played out. 

On this background, the author is writing a larger story about a woman, Princess Aurora, who’s kidnapped by an Alpha and taken to the Highlands. 

Aurora, or Rory as she is called is a delightful character, one of tremendous strength and perseverance. She’s a woman who can emotionally and mentally evolve from a tightly controlled princess into a woman who decides her journey is transformative instead of that of one of being a victim. 

 On the male characters side, Callum is the main protagonist and romantic lead but instead I found the morally ambiguous Blake to be the far more interesting character.  Callum was forever “running” off to somewhere important to the narrative leaving Rory behind for the moment and events to come.  

Blake’s background and character, however, manipulative and dubious, is just that much more intriguing than that of Callum, imo. And there’s the Wolf King, Patrick, who is a non-entity here. He’s got one purpose, as an antagonist for the main characters and then he’s done until the next book. 

The world building could be better explained or developed. It’s an alternate universe. But what’s the time frame? A 17th century type of story. Not sure. There’s a difference between a author who vividly describes a location , whether it’s a natural setting or parts of a castle, and an actual world building with cultural elements, religious traditions, political traditions and history. And so far the latter is missing here. 

The relationship between Rory and Callum is more of one of self discovery. I really didn’t buy the idea that Rory loved Callum, honestly, he’s just too much a Golden Retriever in wolf’s clothing.  He’s the boy next door you date but then leave when you go to college. 

The book ends on a really interesting note. And sets up the multiple conflicts and storylines for each character. For me , it’s still all about Blake. 

I can’t wait to see what happens next. 

A definite recommendation . 

Love the cover.

Cover Design by: Damonza

The Wolf King series:

The Wolf King #1

The Night Prince #2 – March 31,2025

Buy link: 

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Wolf King: A Fantasy Romance – Books

Blurb 

When a princess is kidnapped by an alpha, war rages between the humans and the wolves. But soon, forbidden attraction starts to grow. . .

Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?

An adult fantasy romance for fans of romantasy, werewolves, forbidden romance, and enemies to lovers

Content Warning: Contains strong language and sexual situations.

  • Publisher: Lauren Palphreyman (September 14, 2023)
  • Publication date: September 14, 2023
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 468 pages