Tag: A MelanieM Review

Review: Last Boss Farm: The Stranger Problem 2 by Beatrix Penrose 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

  

“The World System has a Legendary Villain. The Legendary Villain has quit.”

Just a beautiful little story. Multiple important characters and storylines being woven together within a short time frame, each dealing with deep themes and emotional issues. 

All within 42 pages. 

Once again, the World System has sent out a visitor to the Farm. This time it’s Sera of Velmoor , a World Class Hero. Her mission is to evaluate the farm and check/perhaps bring back Edric, the first hero who came and stayed, refusing to leave. 

 But once Sera arrives, much like the others, things and plans change. 

There are some lovely surprises, exploration of the farm and the way the new creature, Lorn, is introduced, is also a metaphor for larger aspects of life around them. 

Even the smallest of details and developments are gems here, in the many languages that the guests speak and the hints to their personal journeys, the reader’s imagination remain intrigued.

A wonderful story and highly recommended. 

 

Last Boss Farm (3 book series):

Last Boss Farm #1

The Stranger Problem #2

The Conditions #3

Love the covers.

Buy link

        Last Boss Farm: The Stranger Problem

    

Blurb 

The System sent a Hero to retrieve him. She stayed for a week. The Vael stayed permanently.

Malgrath the Undying is fifty-nine days from the World System’s Policy Committee vote on his KEEPER classification. The sanctuary is functioning. The slimes are contained. The Domestic Competency bar is at C+.

Then the System dispatches Sera of Velmoor — Sable-class Hero, level 41, and the one person most likely to actually bring Edric home.

She arrives thorough, efficient, and ready to file an accurate report. The problem is that accuracy, in this case, keeps pointing in an inconvenient direction. There are three creatures rated Thriving. The cave trolls built a drainage system she can’t fault. A retired Legendary Villain is leaving food at the tree line every morning for something large and injured that is watching from the forest.

The something large and injured is watching back.

The Stranger Problem is the second book in the Last Boss Farm series — a LitRPG cozy fantasy about a Vael who came down from the mountains in winter, a Hero who filed a very inconvenient witness statement, and a sanctuary that keeps accumulating residents nobody planned for.

The geese remain unkillable. The System has invented a rank called C++. Things are, on balance, fine.

April 21, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

42 pages

Book 2 of 3

Last Boss Farm

Review: The Corpse Whisperer (Corpse Whisperer Book 2) by H.R. Boldwood 

Rating: 4⭐️

Necromancy, yes, zombies normally no. So I’m surprised that I’m so invested with this series and growing cast of characters.

Allie Nighthawk is a young woman who was born into a family of maternal ghost whisperers, a gift that increases generationally. 

She recently returned to her home town of Cincinnati, reclaiming her family home, rescuing a bulldog, reacquainting herself with her elderly neighbor, and working paranormal cases for the CPD. 

The last book ended with the death of her police officer partner, a character everyone, including the reader, was fond of. It showed that Boltwood isn’t afraid to eliminate her characters if she feels that the story or overall series arc calls for it. 

In a universe where zombies are more powerful and evolving, and there’s a deeper heinous design behind their evolution, it makes sense that those around Allie will be in constant danger, and some will fall. 

Part of the terrific and, at the end, moving part of this book, focuses on Leo Abruzzi, a zombie-bitten gangster who Allie has been charged with keeping safe until he can testify.  The relationship between Leo, Allie and Nonna, Allie’s elderly neighbor, turns into a real heartwarming tale. Then one of sorrow. 

The aspect of the book I’m not quite connected with is Leo, her new partner, his spineless relationship with the news reporter who hounds Allie’s life, and the reporter herself. This dysfunctional three way dynamic is absolutely irritating to read, and when you think about a cop dating a reporter during a high security event and she’s got instant connection with him and knowledge. And not Allie or Leo is telling their Chief despite their knowledge about a leak. 

Well, know that’s where I start skimming over scenarios .

I’m hoping this works it way out in the future books. Because it’s annoying. 

The hidden past isn’t so hidden anymore from the book’s final paragraphs. Something to anticipate!

Still terrific story!

Cover art by Dar Albert at Wicked Smart Designs

The Corpse Whisperer series: 

The Prodigal 

The Corpse Whisperer 

Sworn 

Torn

Whisperer Rising 

Buy link

        The Corpse Whisperer (Corpse Whisperer, the Series Book 2)

    

Blurb 

If you raise deadheads, you’d better be able to put ‘em down.

Nobody said it was pretty. But in this day, when vampires aren’t just for breakfast anymore, and the dead are disposable pawns for necromancers, someone has to ante up. Looks like I won the lotto.

Imagine my delight.

You should thank me, really, because the world is batshit crazy.

When the zombie population spikes and no one knows why, it’s up to me to solve the mystery. But there’s a hitch. I’m stuck babysitting Leo Abruzzi, a zombie-bitten gangster who’s turning state’s evidence. But the mob and a powerful necromancer will stop at nothing to take us down.

The Corpse Whisperer is a 2019 Imadjinn award finalist and H.R. Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the Thomas More College Bilbo Award for creative writing.

Review:  The Prodigal (The Corpse Whisperer #1) by H.R. Boldwood

Rating: 4⭐️

Although listed as the first book in The Corpse Whisperer series, The Prodigal is considered by its author the prequel to the series. Its actual introduction to the corpse whisperer, Allie Nighthawk. 

These are my first books I’ve read by Boldwood so it’s my introduction into her writing as well as the universe of Allie Nighthawk. 

Allie is a ghost whisperer, someone who can raise the dead and equally important, put them back into the grave. In a world where zombies have been on the rise for the last few years, her talents are in demand. But the pay gap between the damage caused by the zombies and their destruction is seeing her bank account empty.

That’s got her heading back to Cincinnati, where she has a house and a past. 

There Allie’s got a rough landing into a situation where she’s in need of revenue, law enforcement is leery of her help, and the zombies are not behaving like normal. 

I really enjoyed this. It’s short but the characters, including Headbutt the Bulldog, are interesting and layered. And there’s a past darkness following Allie that seems to be a huge part of the series that is hinted at by the end of the book. 

It’s an entertaining read and sets the foundation for the series. A definite winner. 

Cover art by Dar Albert at Wicked Smart Designs

The Corpse Whisperer series: 

The Prodigal 

The Corpse Whisperer 

Corpse Whisperer Sworn 

Corpse Whisperer Torn

Buy link

 Book 1 of 5: Corpse Whisperer, the Series 

Blurb 

The Prodigal is a 2021 Imadjinn Award finalist, and H.R. Boldwood is a Pushcart Prize nominee and winner of the Thomas More College Bilbo Award for creative writing.

Murder. Mayhem. Zombies. Just another day in my hometown.

Welcome to my world—I’m Allie Nighthawk, a flat-broke zombie hunter with more attitude than cash. When I roll back into Cincinnati, I’m hoping for a fresh start. Instead, I land knee-deep in not one but two murders, a mess of mayhem, and more zombies than you can shake a machete at.

The good guys? They might not be so good. And the blast from my past? Yeah, he’s back—and not exactly bringing flowers.

Now I’ve got to juggle the walking dead, the maybe-not-so-living, and the very real chance I won’t get out unscathed. But hey, it’s all in a day’s work when you’re me: the Corpse Whisperer.

Oliver Heber Books

Publication date

March 18, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

188 pages

Book 1 of 5

Corpse Whisperer, the Series

Review:  Magic Can Bee Deadly: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 2) by Sarah Noffke

Rating: 4⭐️

There are many elements that I enjoy about this story. Noffke takes us further outside the town’s boundaries and introduces the reader ,as well as the two main characters, to a variety of different places and magical personalities. Some good and some not so benign.

New information is revealed about the circumstances surrounding Ella Bloom’s birth as well as the mystery behind Malcolm Fawkes’ closing of The Gloaming. Hints and clues, notes from a powerful agency, all leading towards a frustrating path for Ella and Malcolm.   This and the storyline of the book is excellent. Really interesting. 

But there’s small aspects of the story that made it equally questionable.  Early on , the author used an ethnic slur for a certain nomadic culture (substituting a “i” for a “y” doesn’t change name identity) for a someone who was clearly a Romani/Romany seller in the festival. That stood out immediately and it really surprised me that it was used. 

Another thing is a secondary male character that feels as though it’s being pushed into play as a potential romantic role for Ella. Those around her keep hinting at her being open to those who want to care for her. Insert romantic relationship trope here. 

However,  this guy has his mother running his life for him. His mother is actually setting him up on dates, and he’s going through with them because he’s sorry for his mother’s and basically has no spine. But sure, let’s get right on that romantic bandwagon, ugh. There’s so many flags here with him., Unfortunately , I believe that the author has written him into some sort of hero role. Time and the series will see if that’s true. 

I certainly hope not.   I rather she end up just taking his herd of goats. They seem to like her better. 

I had no idea this author was such a prolific writer and this is my first series that I’m reading authored by her. So I don’t have a lot to go on to know how she handles her characters and storylines. 

With these several things aside, I do think that Magic Can Bee Deadly is a terrific urban fantasy mystery story. The murder mystery is a good one, the investigation entertaining and detailed, and the town continues to evolve with new otherworldly folk and magical creatures. That’s intriguing! 

Moving forward!

Ella Bloom Mysteries (10 book series):

Dying For Magic #1

Magic Can Bee Deadly #2

Blue Blood, Black Magic #3

Verses and Curses #4

Raining Cats and  Curses #5

Half-Baked Curses #6

Signed, Spelled, Delivered #7

Murder Spelled in Thread #8

Spelled For Choice #9 – June 19,2026

Born For Magic #10 – July 24,2026

Buy link 

        Magic Can Bee Deadly: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 2)

    

Blurb 

The only thing sweeter than honey, is revenge.

When magic returns to Gloamington, the town holds a Spring Awakening Festival. It should be an opportunity to celebrate. Instead, it becomes the perfect stage for murder.

When the mayor is found dead at the festival, Malcolm Fawkes and Ella Bloom find themselves hunting a killer among the celebrating crowd. The sheriff calls it an accident but the great detective knows better.

The mayor had more enemies than friends.From the baker whose dreams he crushed to the beekeeper he battled, everyone had a reason to want Mayor Estes gone.

As magical races flood back to town demanding permits, properties and long-lost treasures, Ella and Malcolm race to uncover the truth. But in a town drunk on newly returned magic, where honey flows through everything and old grievances run deep, nothing is what it seems.

Can Ella and Malcolm catch a killer before it’s too late? Or will the sweetest revenge claim another victim?

Magic Can Bee Deadly is the second book in the enchanting Ella Bloom Mysteries.

One-Twenty-Six Press

Publication date

October 17, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

277 pages

Book 2 of 10

Ella Bloom Mysteries

Review; Earp & Chandra (Sundance, #2.5) by C. P. Rider

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Earp & Chandra is an excellent novella in the Sundance universe. It establishes the characters of Jedidiah Earp, a 70 year old Gila monster shifter full of regrets, and his ex-assassin partner for the night, Chandra Smith, a hyena Alpha in her 20’s but as fearsome a predator as they come. 

They are hunting for poachers in the desert territory of their pack and the story unfolds in an unexpected direction. 

It’s not exactly a standalone as many of the characters around them are the main characters from the Sundance series and this fits perfectly into the slot between stories.

But as providing further depth and insight into these remarkable characters and their own stories? It’s a fascinating read and great story .

I love every single bit of this and each interaction between Chandra and Earp, so fun, moving in their own way. 

A definite favorite here. 

Cover design by The Book Brander

Related to:

Sundance series 

Buy links to the book/series:

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comThe Sundance Series (5 book series) Kindle Edition

Online Book Clubhttps://onlinebookclub.orgEarp & Chandra: (Sundance, #2.5) by C.P. Rider

Blurb 

A SUNDANCE SERIES NOVELLA

Seventy-year-old Gila monster shifter Jedidiah Earp has spent decades perfecting two skills: biting first and asking questions later. The desert scrub around Sundance, California, is his domain, and he knows every rock and ridge like the back of his scaled claws.

Chandra Smith is an entirely different kind of predator. The alpha hyena shifter may only be in her late twenties, but her years as an assassin taught her everything about tracking enemies—and making them vanish without a trace.

When paranormal poachers start hunting in their territory, the cantankerous old lizard and the lethal ex-killer form an unlikely alliance—and friendship. What begins as a simple mission to eliminate the traffickers becomes something neither expected: the discovery that the strongest bonds aren’t always forged through blood, and that sometimes family finds you in the most unexpected places.

EARP & CHANDRA can be read as a standalone adventure or as part of the Sundance series. It takes place betweenSUMMONED (Book Two) and SABOTAGED (Book Three)

VC Group, LLC

Publication date

April 21, 2020

Language

‎English

Print length

110 pages

Review:  Under The Hat  (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow #2) by Sara Bourgeois 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed Under The Hat more than the first story. The author is really defining her characters and the unique universe of Calderon Hollow here so we get a real sense of the nature of the town, and the magical strength of the powers of the families who live there.

Blythe Fairfield has made her choice to live in the house, accepting the magic and learn her role, whatever it may be. But the unstable Veil and shifting perspectives of the townspeople make it hard for Blythe to get a better sense of them and her new community.

I really liked how the different relationships are evolving here, between Blythe and the magical family on the other side of the ancient power feud, and even more so, between her and the Sheriff who “knows” instinctively that there’s something about her and the town that he can’t see or be involved with but also realizing it’s no less true. 

The details, the history behind the old feud, the darker aspects of the town, it’s slowly getting revealed. 

And it all gives depth to her and the series. 

Just terrific. Great storytelling. 

Highly recommended. Love the author.

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow (4 book series)

If the Hat Fits #1

Under The Hat #2

Hat Out of Spell #3

Hat Trick #4

Buy link

 Book 2 of 4: Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow 

Blurb 

Blythe Fairfield chose to stay in Cauldron Hollow. She’s not sure the town has chosen her back.

Her relationship with Sheriff Paine Wilder is in ruins. Her bank account is worse. The only job she can find is running a cash register at the local grocery store, where her boss is a conspiracy theorist, her customers include a woman who screams about paying for eggs, and the one friend who made it all bearable keeps talking her into things she shouldn’t do.

Then a reclusive prepper turns up dead on his rural property, and Blythe finds more than a body. Buried beneath the man’s unfinished root cellar is a book of spells that should not exist, magic that breaks every rule Blythe has been taught to follow. She can’t leave it for the police. She can’t destroy it. And she definitely can’t stop thinking about what’s inside.

Someone killed a man for this book. And Blythe just brought it home.

Review: Dying For Magic: A Paranormal Cozy Mystery (Ella Bloom Mysteries Book 1) by Sarah Noffke

Rating:  4.5⭐️

Dying for Magic, the first in the Ella Bloom Mysteries by Sarah Noffke, introduced me to another terrific author.  I throughly enjoyed everything about this book and characters and anticipate diving into the rest of the series.

The characters and storylines, multiple plots, are very well developed and intriguing. And the more the story progresses, the better the exploration of the world becomes and the history of the Magic of the town of Gloamington.

I think the element I love best is that both of the main characters are enigmas. Ella Bloom, hired to become the 6-month assistant to the town’s favorite detective, has a past life full of questions and no answers. 

And she arrives to find that the older gentleman she’s been hired to assist, Malcolm Fawkes, a renowned paranormal detective, has no memory of her or his past life.

So author Noffke builds a narrative around two people, and several animals, who have memory issues.  All while struggling with daily tasks like identifying the local community citizens, and conducting a murder investigation that the police sheriff has tabled . It’s funny, compelling, believable, and absolutely engaging watching these two people build a friendship on such a shaky but shared experience. 

I can’t think of another book or series quite like it. 

I’m highly impressed and recommending this. And quickly going forward with this series. 

Ella Bloom Mysteries (10 book series):

Dying For Magic #1

Magic Can Bee Deadly #2

Blue Blood, Black Magic #3

Verses and Curses #4

Raining Cats and  Curses #5

Half-Baked Curses #6

Signed, Spelled, Delivered #7

Murder Spelled in Thread #8

Spelled For Choice #9 – June 19,2026

Born For Magic #10 – July 24,2026

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 10: Ella Bloom Mysteries 

Blurb 

Ella Bloom can see magic no one else can, and it’s leading her straight to a killer…

When Ella accepts a mysterious job in the picturesque town of Gloamington, all she wants is six months away from the noise of the city and a quiet place to call home. Instead, she finds herself assistant to Malcolm Fawkes, a renowned paranormal detective with no memory of hiring her—or much of anything else.

When magic that only Ella can see leads her to a murder, she discovers Gloamington isn’t the quaint small town it appears to be. Five years ago, it was a magical haven until something went terribly wrong. Now the town’s dormant wellspring—the Gloaming—is stirring again, awakening with Ella’s arrival.

With a reluctant Malcolm by her side, Ella must navigate a web of secrets, suspicious townspeople and her own mysterious connection to Gloamington’s magical past. Someone in town is willing to kill to keep magic buried forever. Ella’s unusual abilities make her their next likely target.

The Gloaming is opening once more. Could Ella Bloom be the key to everything?

Dying for Magic is the first in an enchanting mystery series from the creator of the blockbuster Beaufont universe.

One-Twenty-Six Press

Publication date

September 30, 2025

Language

‎English

Print length

262 pages

Book 1 of 10

Ella Bloom Mysteries

‎

Review:  If the Hat Fits (Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow #1) by Sara Bourgeois 

Rating: 4⭐️

I love this author’s Haunted Ranch Mysteries series, so while I was waiting on the next book in that series to be released, I noticed that she had started another series, different location and perspective on a similar type of female character. 

The author has a real fondness for older women starting over. I can get behind this.

The Haunted Ranch Mysteries series has the beauty of the Arizona desert and the unique nature that enhances the atmosphere and fantastic storytelling. 

I’ve yet to find a similar surrounding landscape here that has the same feel or that is so striking that it acts as a compelling backdrop.  

So it’s a nondescript setting that depends heavily on character development and storytelling. Luckily, it delivers on both accounts. 

Where certain characters in other series are stereotypical personalities, here Bourgeous takes them outside of the usual configuration into something interesting.

The sheriff and townspeople all have characters that surprise the reader with their depth of personality and the growth they exhibit during the story. This continues throughout the series. 

The overall magic system is one that is slowly evolving and being defined as each situation arises, and it’s an unusual one that envelops the entire town. 

There’s an ancient witch family feud, a cat familiar, and of course, a sentient house, to go along with the main character of Blythe Fairfield, a woman who is restarting her life after divorce.

The language is one of someone quietly reviewing their past and present options, no panic but a sense of resolve to make things work. You immediately understand Blythe, the circumstances that brought her to Caldron Hollow, and the thought processes as each event comes her way. However, increasing wild each one is. 

It ends with Blythe staying true to her values, at the beginning of her journey and a long way to understanding what’s ahead. The author has started to set much in motion but there is so much more that’s needs a foundation or exploration, especially with regard to the town and witch families. 

I’m definitely going forward with the series. And recommending this. Great read!

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow (4 book series)

If the Hat Fits #1

Under The Hat #2

Hat Out of Spell #3

Hat Trick #4

Buy link

 Book 1 of 4: Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow 

Blurb 

Welcome to Cauldron Hollow!

Sometimes the worst day of your life is just the beginning.

Blythe Fairfield has officially failed at adulthood. Divorced. Fired. Broke. When she inherits Gallows Gate House in the small town of Cauldron Hollow from her allegedly unhinged great-aunt, she decides it’s a temporary stop. Renovate. Sell. Leave.

Then her cat starts talking.

Cauldron Hollow isn’t just quaint. It was founded by two rival witch families. The Stoneharts stayed. The Tallowmeres were driven out.

Guess which family Blythe belongs to.

Between a house that hums with old magic, a violet streak suddenly appearing in her hair, and a snarky familiar named Pippin who keeps saying “Obviously,” Blythe barely has time to process her new reality before she stumbles over a dead body behind Merlin’s Diner.

The victim made enemies. Unfortunately, Blythe just made the suspect list.

With the town’s frustratingly handsome sheriff watching her every move and a killer determined to protect their secrets, Blythe must decide whether she’s still running from her inheritance or finally ready to claim it.

Turns out, if the hat fits… you might have to wear it.

If the Hat Fits is the first book in the Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow cozy mystery series. Expect humor, heart, magic, and a clean read with no swearing or explicit content.

Cauldron Hollow is an alternate universe to Coventry. You’ll see hints and shadows of our original wicked witches, but this book and series can be read and enjoyed on their own.

March 9, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

207 pages

Book 1 of 4

Wicked Witches of Cauldron Hollow

Review:  Operation Fuego: PNR/Special Forces/Military MM Fiction (Operation Volcano Book 3  by Annabella Stone

Rating: 4.5 🌈

“OPERATION VOLCANO IS BASED OFF THE OLD IRISH MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF FIONN AND THE FIANNA.

Magic, legends, and a brotherhood who’ve been waiting for their High King!”

Annabella Stone writes vividly and meticulously about those who have fought and brotherhood of soldiers, the tight loyalty of the unit and their commitment to each other in her many terrific military series.

But this is my favorite. Stone’s Operation Volcano series combines her Special Forces military forces storytelling with a mirror realm of mythological Irish warriors , two sets of believable soldiers and tight brotherhood of warriors who find their hearts love. Their Grá Croí. One from each side who will battle for the other.

This is a military action story and these men, whether they are soldiers, snipers or a Hound of Fionn, see action on the battlefield. Guns and swords, teeth and bombs, bloody and realistic in its scope and its ability to convey the sounds and chaos of battle. 

Reaper, Number four of the Special Forces unit, has been hiding a deeply personal secret, one that has scarred him physically and emotionally. An abusive relationship from his recent past. 

So during his team’s stay in Tír na nÓg, when Hound of the High King of the Fianna, Cian Mac Dian Cecht, tells Reaper that he’s his Grá Croí, or fated mate, that’s the last thing Reaper wants to hear. 

All the ways these two come together, the struggles, the respect, and the long journey to love is such an amazing read. It includes battles, naturally, a new paranormal aspect for Reaper that I hope is more fully explored in the future, and hints for the next couple coming forward.

It’s richly told, full of fantastic details, especially in the great halls of Fionn, when the the smells of venison hangs heavy over the whole room, the sounds of music and the drums send the blood rushing, and the reader is transported into another world. 

Just incredible.

Don’t miss out on the Irish Guide and the information the author has on the characters and series at the beginning.

A fantastic book, grand series and one I’m highly excited to recommend. 

Cover Design By: Golden Czermak

Operation Volcano :

  • Operation Magma #1
  • Operation Caldera #2
  • Operation Fuego #3 – Reaper’s story 
  • Operation Strato #4 – Sept 30,2026

Buy link

        Operation Fuego: PNR/Special Forces/Military MM Fiction (Operation Volcano Book 3)

    

Blurb 

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒, 𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑓𝑎𝑡𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒!

A warrior from the past. A SEAL running from his. And a bond that can destroy them both.

US Navy SEAL Michael “Reaper” Rodriguez has faced down terrorists, survived ambushes, and cheated death more times than he can count, but nothing prepared him for the ancient warrior who just declared him his fated mate.

Hound of the High King of the Fianna, Cian Mac Dian Cecht, has been waiting centuries to find his Grá Croí. Now that he’s found him, he isn’t about to let a little thing like Reaper’s stubbornness stand in his way.

“Our courting will become the songs of the bards and the legends of the Seanchaí.”

With the full moon just days away, Reaper and Cian must navigate a minefield of ancient grudges, modern threats, and their own damn pride.

The clock is ticking.

“You can fight it all you want. But you’ll lose, or we will both die when the full moon comes.” 

Reaper doesn’t believe in fate, and Cian doesn’t do rejection, but when their worlds collide—one steeped in modern warfare, the other in myth, legends, and magic—their connection becomes a battleground neither wants to escape.

Magic, Legends, and the bond of the Grá Croí.

Publisher

Embers Romance LLC

Publication date

April 30, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

306 pages

Book 3 of 4

Operation Volcano

Review:  Midlife Demon Hunter (Forty Proof 3 by Shannon Mayer

Rating: 2.75⭐️

I tried. I tried really hard. And I’ll get around eventually to writing my review for Midlife Fairy Hunter, book 2.

But this book, Midlife Demon Hunter is where I stop. With the series and the author. 

I’m done. 

And it’s not because there’s not some good elements here or creative aspects of the storytelling. But at its foundation, there’s some very problematic things that, imo, will keep me from going forward. 

They circle around how the main character of Bree, her perspective on ageism and gender, and her relationship with men. Specifically the men in her life here in the series. 

She’s in her forties but acts as though she’s someone who is in her sixties or seventies, viewing herself as elderly. Yet also excuses the “flirtatious/jump their bones “ way she interacts with men as due to her “hormones” acting up as though she’s in heat. Which is honestly offensive. Normal healthy (whatever you choose it to be) sexuality doesn’t seem to be part of the narrative here. 

Don’t get me started on that poor gay werewolf. That’s another issue here. 

Additionally, Bree is someone who, no matter what a man has done to her, against her, she’s excused their behavior and actions. This includes some really reprehensible actions. There’s three men, each of them have currently lied to her, been abusive physically and or mentally, and are involved in shady activities. But she’s highly aware and hot for them, physically engaging with them.

Here, Cody, who disappeared for a week without any communication (as has another one, Crash) reveals he’s the person responsible for her despicable ex-husband’s knowledge of the otherworld, which he then used to strip Bree of everything she had. But oh no, Bree says it’s not Cody’s fault. Even absolving Cody of his  abusive behavior towards her because he’s related to her ex. 

All this while cuddling. Just no. 

Between the ageism, the excuses for abusive behavior and seemingly continuous support of patriarchal values (Crash , the Fae blacksmith “saves” a female character by making her his slave), this is a series, character, and author that I can’t go forward with.

The problematic outweighs the good here. 

That might not be the case for everyone but it is for me. 

There are many other authors and series that have the same elements but without the issues I’ve found here. I’m working my way through those. 

The Forty Proof Series (9 book series):

Midlife Bounty Hunter #1

Midlife Fairy Hunter #2

Midlife Demon Hunter #3

Midlife Ghost Hunter #4

Midlife Zombie Hunter #5

Midlife Witch Hunter #6

Midlife Magic Hunter #7

Midlife Soul Hunter #8

Midlife Vampire Hunter #9

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        Midlife Demon Hunter: A Paranormal Women’s Fiction Novel (The Forty Proof Series Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Goblins and ghouls and magic, oh my! Hang tight to your britches, this laugh out loud adventure is about to light you up!

Ousted from the Hollows Group, the shadow world has officially taken notice of me.

With loan sharks sniffing around and knocking on my door, I need to figure out how my ex-husband pushed all his debt onto me, because it stinks of black magic and back alley dealings.

Until I can get some answers there, I distract myself with a new job—working for a goblin. The job is as simple as hiding some paperwork for him. Only . . . someone else wants what he gave me. And they are playing dangerously dirty to get what they want.

Throw in a lovesick bigfoot, a siren going through menopause, a demon next door, and two hot guys vying for my attention, and you’ve got my life in a nutshell.

Well, that is if you don’t count on Robert showing up and saving my bacon again. Which he has to, because this time . . .this time I’ve really put my foot in it.