Im binging a number of new paranormal cozy mysteries at the moment and this is one of the better ones.
Jenna St. James’ Witch in the Woods series already has 35 released books ready to read for new readers which is fantastic. And each is a quick and well plotted story at around 170 pages so they just fly by.
James has also delivered engaging characters and an intriguing setup in a “hidden from normal people“ island that is inhabited by those who are paranormal beings or have parents who are.
Shayla Loci, a 45 year old law enforcement agent is returning home after being away for years working with a paranormal federal agency. Her strange parentage is highly unusual and huge part of ongoing narrative of the series.
She’s a terrific central figure here, and meshes well with all the town folk who have reoccurring roles and become important characters in the series. Especially the new sheriff and his preteen daughter.
There’s mystery and murder. And many developing relationships that bring up past issues and historical events.
The story keeps a fast pace and provides enough insight into the town’s history and new characters that my interest never waned.
Career-driven witch, Shayla Loci, is about to turn forty and is ready for a change. When she retires from capturing criminal supernaturals for the government, she figures her days of chasing bad guys are over. Little did she know her new job as the game warden on Enchanted Island would thrust her right back into harm’s way…and she wasn’t even officially on the clock yet! But when Sheriff Stone enlists her help to find out who killed an island resident, Shayla readily agrees.
Between sorting through alibis, gathering clues, and mentoring a wayward teenager on how to be a witch…Shayla’s life is hectic. If only her estranged dad–the King–wouldn’t insist she take her bodyguard, Needles, with her everywhere she goes. Just when Shayla believes she’s identified the killer, a new threat emerges…leaving her to make a snap decision that may cost her her life.
This new paranormal cozy series with a twist on midlife discovery will leave you guessing and hungry for more!
A first book by this author, I thought Leahy did a good job with many aspects of the story and world building.
The plot of a escaped woman soldier ending up on a planet where there’s several other cultures at war , including one that has and continues to systematically obliterate one of planet’s “animals “, the Tigras. Different planetary cultures she comes into contact with approximate earth religions with zealotry and magical rituals associated with them.
Leahy does a excellent job layering each city/tribe with their own individuality, and even with an abundance of characters, it’s not hard to separate out each smaller personality in the supporting role from another one from a different culture.
The battle scenes, the weapons, all well defined and varied. Same for the ship Jeena Garza arrives on.
If you are hearing a “but” here, you are correct.
My main concern or issues are with the two or perhaps, one character here.
🚩Trigger warnings for torture, multiple S.A., child death, which occurs during Jeena Garza’s capture and long imprisonment by the enemy during the prologue.
Jeena has undergone unbearable torture, physically traumatic and emotionally devastating experiences. Ones that are so severe, so damaging that those who have suffered from them along side her didn’t survive. Yet, upon escaping, she’s able to accept touch and have sexual relations months later. She was “hurt, went a little mad “. But she’s fine now.
Absolutely not believable. And establishing the sort of behavior that seems to disavow what happened to Jeena in the prison does an incredible disrespect to the reality of survivors of SA no matter that she’s a fictional character.
Past that, the relationship between Sampson the Tigra and Jeena also felt equally rushed and not well defined. He’s actually absent for a period of time during the story, which leaves a development “hole” for the relationship and plot lines. They are friends until suddenly they aren’t.
Everything works here but the characters themselves. They need better definition and layering.
There’s 2 more books to the series. Read this and those stories if you find it interesting.
Elite soldier Jeena Garza crash-lands on the desert world of Ararat, desperate to escape the trauma of war and her recent imprisonment. She wants solitude. A place to disappear. To forget and to be forgotten.
Instead, she finds Samson — a tiger-like beast feared for its ferocity. But Samson is different. Gentle. Intelligent. Maybe more than just an animal.
As ancient prophecies stir and buried secrets rise, Jeena is thrust into a battle for a world she doesn’t understand — and a destiny she never asked for. To save him, she’ll raise a forgotten people, topple an empire, and awaken something lost for eons.
She was forged as a weapon
He was born a beast.
Together they will change a world and challenge man’s place in the galaxy.
I find Casey Blair to be a wildly imaginative writer. She’s incredibly inventive in her ability to craft a variety of detailed magical systems and then have her fantasy characters use those systems their magic. In beautifully plotted scenarios that capture our own imagination and connect us to the universe she’s building.
Liris, the main character and sole voice of the story, is a brilliant desperate woman. She’s been essentially “locked” away for her entire life, trapped into training that’s a literal dead end.
This is the story of her escape. How, by the force of her courage, desperation and self control, moves to change the world. And her magical power.
The other characters, especially the important spellcaster Lord Vhannor, is still a bit of a mystery here. I do wish this had been a two person POV instead. I think that extra character detail and depth of vision would have made this even better.
But there’s so much exploration to lay out and depth of world building to achieve that I could see that a single person perspective would be a good way to achieve that.
The relationship between Liris and Vhannor is fairly quick and straightforward (an example of where the 2-person POV would be helpful) but given Liris’ personality understandable. Also this is a “spicy” book, more so than some of the author’s other works. Yes, there’s sex scenes.
The second story belongs to another character from this book. So this seems to conclude their main romance.
I’m highly recommending this, great plot, fantastic storytelling and a strong woman character.
However, the magical system is a rich mixture of elements that takes time to build up throughout the story and with each character. It’s highly effective but not an aspect that’s rushed.
Looking forward to the next book.
Cover art by Kateryna Vitkovska, 2023.
Cover design by Miblart, 2024.
Hardcase design by Liz Heaven of Raven Pages Design, 2024
Liris has always been too dangerous to be allowed freedom. Now she’s the universe’s only hope.
Liris has been trapped training as an elite spy her whole life. But when her elders try to sacrifice her to further their own interests, she escapes through a secret portal—only to land right in the hands of Lord Vhannor, the most dangerous spellcaster in the universe.
Vhannor has dedicated his life to defending the universe from world-devouring demons, and Liris, with her unique knowledge of an ancient spell language, jeopardizes his mission. But when she uses it to help him close a demonic portal before it can destroy all life in that dimension, he’s forced to acknowledge he needs her by his side.
As they race between dimensions to fight their mutual enemies, they discover a plot that will leave every remaining realm in the universe at the mercy of demons. But to stop it, Liris will have to rely on the man whose icy gaze sees right through her… and when even her own people betrayed her, how can she trust Vhannor to stand by her when she risks the whole universe?
The Sundered Realms is a steamy romantic epic fantasy in a world where being a huge nerd about language makes you incredibly epic at magic. This is an action-packed story about an interdimensional combat ambassador heroine and the most dangerous man in the universe devoting all his attention to making her unstoppable.
Honestly, it had me at a librarian who’s going to restore a magical library. I’m in.
I kept hearing a certain librarian saying “I am a librarian “ as I was reading the story. And being completely delighted by such whimsical fantasy creatures as neglected tiny free libraries who hopped on their stakes like wooden puppies when seeing new books. The joy flew off the page and made these little decrepit boxes full of life and wonder. They became one of my favorites here.
Among so many offerings found in the abandoned Misty Mountain Library’s shelves, and now alive characters of the books that live on the shelves. Tiny dragons and knights, amongst them.
All waited for years for someone to return to help them.
Ah what a journey and a struggle for librarian Nyssa to get the library to forgive and accept her. And then another battle with the town that the old library up the mountain is as magical and beautiful as anything else around.
This is an imaginative, fantasy story that has so many great elements to it. Storybooks and their characters come to life, a library that has feelings and has been not just neglected but hurt. And a librarian returning home.
It’s not perfect. There’s several things that need more attention or exploration of their history to feel complete. Mostly it’s the secondary human characters who come off as one dimensional , especially when the little free magical libraries are so small and lively that they are more credible, adorable, and funny. I want one.
The second novel features a one of the characters from the books that were waiting for the librarian when she came up the Mountain. He’s quite the personality. Looking forward to reading his novel.
Beautifully illustrated and rich in detail. I love these covers.
At the Misty Mountain Library, stories don’t just sit on shelves—they leap right off the page.
When Nyssa returns to the magical library she adored as a child, it’s not quite how she remembered it. A wild magic storm has brought the books to life, leaving her to repair the library while wrangling tiny dragons, even tinier knights, a grumpy demon lord, and so much more.
With the Tales and Tomes Festival just around the corner, Nyssa needs the library ready for its grand reopening or it might disappear for good. But with the story spirits causing playful chaos, and the townsfolk convinced it’s haunted, she’ll need help bringing the magic back.
Roan, a wandering adventurer, takes the job expecting danger but instead finds himself charmed by the library and by Nyssa. As they prepare for the festival, they’ll learn that restoring the library isn’t just about fixing what’s broken, it’s about building something new, together.
Legends and Librarians is a cozy fantasy full of found family, whimsical magic, and the warm feeling of discovering where you truly belong.
Impurrfect Magic (Unfamiliar Magic Book 1) by Paula Lester belongs to that new trope of books where a older woman makes a drastic change in her life, finds her way to magic, mysteries and a feline companion, one who’s often her familiar.
It’s a cozy magical mystery story with cats. And this type of book is hugely popular among readers and writers.
And I’m reading a lot of them.
Impurrfect Magic (Unfamiliar Magic Book 1) by Paula Lester is cute, short and easy to read. The characters don’t have much depth to them and the location of Aurum Falls is descriptively unclear, and there’s no real foundation laid down for the town, characters, and even storylines.
Things just happen like a kid blindly knocking over dominoes. Which when it comes to murder investigation, crimes, and any kind of element that needs detailed support and evidence, this is likely lacking.
The former middle school science teacher decides to ask questions about the murder with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. Even when she knows the sheriff, is newly back in town, and doesn’t even know what her uncle was involved in. It’s not a whole picture of her that makes sense.
Nor is anything that comes afterwards.
It all comes together quickly with some magical energy that is puzzling.
Anyway, if you’re not going to stop and think about it too closely, it’s a quick fun read.
Never trust a bossy kitten—especially when she comes out of a secret room.
When Ivy Patterson traded her chaotic life as a middle school teacher for the quiet charm of her uncle’s produce market, she never expected her return to Aurum Falls would lead to murder, magic, and a feisty feline companion.
But when her grumpy Uncle Vincent is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Ivy discovers a hidden world she never knew existed—a secret room, a magical kitten named Tabby, and a family legacy steeped in dark magic.
Armed with only her wits, latent magical talents, and a determined familiar, Ivy must uncover the truth behind her uncle’s death while managing a quirky small-town produce market. With danger lurking behind every secret, she’ll need to learn to embrace her imperfect magic—or risk losing everything she holds dear.
Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries with a magical twist, Impurrfect Magic is a spellbinding tale filled with humor, heart, and a dash of supernatural sleuthing.
I will admit that I’ve struggled with this book and rating because I’ve enjoyed so much of this story and characters. It’s got really interesting elements and the makings of a terrific fantasy tale of a young woman who is trying to find her way of service in a tumultuous magical world.
And in many cases it does work. The writing is descriptively detailed, rich in elements and emotional imagery. It’s magical in many respects.
Author Blair sets out a terrific foundation of a kingdom of rulers that’s based around service, an intriguing idea. And it opens up as the fourth daughter of the ruling family is about to enter the ceremony to determine the course of her career and life’s path of service to her family and people of Istalam.
Let’s just say the ceremony doesn’t go as planned. And Princess Miyara finds herself with another life journey in store for her.
One that ends in a small tea shop in the city of Sayorsen which sits on the edge of a cataclysmic event that separates an entire realm of unstable magic. Here Miyara finds her way to her true self, and it’s a beautiful thoughtful and deeply caring journey.
Miyara’s new life involves her working with people of various backgrounds, cultures and traditions, all new to someone of her previous status. As she grows stronger and adapts to her new life, finding new friends of all kinds, witches included, political and social changes start to happen.
Casey Blair’s story incorporates important such elements such as the need for societal change, highlighting the impact of racism, exploitation, environmental degradation, and the importance of service. All that through Miyara, her development, her role in the community and with the family. And her dedication to becoming a Tea Master with the beautiful magical tea ceremony, dragons , and more.
Is it perfect? No there a few odd phrases that don’t make sense here, especially when spoken by a Princess who for most of the story has trouble remembering that “court language “ isn’t common for the type of person she’s trying to portray now.
Here’s a quick example.
“I laugh, a little hysterically. “Thank you for not telling me I’m batty.”
In a strange mystical magical kingdom that sentence and use of batty, especially from a palace princess, feels so much very out of place.
Strange bits of narrative weirdness that jar the reader out of the story.
However, the whole plot and character is marvelous. And as someone who has read ahead, I can say that book 2 is even better.
A definite winner. And another recommendation! A cozy fantasy adventure with a complete set!
Love these covers.
Cover design by Hampton Lamoureux of TS95 Studios
Tea Princess Chronicles:
A Coup Of Tea #1
Tea Set and Match #2
Royal Tea Service #3
Short story sequel:
Saiyana’s Challenge: A Story of the Tea Princess Chronicles
Tales from a Magical Teashop: Stories of the Tea Princess Chronicles
A complete, bestselling cozy fantasy series available to binge now!
“There will always be work for those who know how to listen.”
When the fourth princess of Istalam is due to dedicate herself to a path serving the crown, she makes a choice that shocks everyone, herself most of all: She leaves.
In hiding and exiled from power, Miyara finds her place running a tea shop in a struggling community that sits on the edge of a magical disaster zone. But there’s more brewing under the surface of this city—hidden magic, and hidden machinations—that threaten all the people who’ve helped her make her own way.
Miyara may not be a princess anymore, but with a teapot in hand she’ll risk her newfound freedom to discover a more meaningful kind of power.
A Coup of Tea is the first book of the Tea Princess Chronicles, a cozy fantasy series full of magic tea, found family, and lifting people up even when the odds seem impossible.
Autumn Dawn and her series, The Convergence, starting with Bramble Burn, was a top recommendation on a fantasy list so I picked it up based on similar themes and recommendations.
What I found both delighted and disappointed me in terms of character development and plot design.
Let’s start with the positive aspects of this story. Which are primarily related to the design and detail of Bramble Burn Park itself.
The premise is that at some point in time our world and that of the Fae Underhill world merged, violently. From the geological landscape to actual buildings, there was an explosion of activity as physical changes, actual melding or melting of structures, happened, leaving our world forever changed.
One mage leaves her family and farm to go buy a cheap abandoned city park from the mayor and officials, the Bramble Burn Park. A park so dangerous, so overrun, and inhabited by unknown creatures that evolved from the merge that no one enters in. One she intends to remake and make her own.
That gorgeous, mystical cover is the tree home that tree mage, Juniper, first makes in the forest. And mysterious, eerie, Bramble Burn, with all its distinctive features, wilding areas, and imaginative creatures, is a highlight of the story.
Too bad the author leaves it behind and tosses it away for another storyline altogether. Anyway, the park and Juniper’s resolve to make it her own, is the best part of the story.
This includes her magic and the obstacles that come as she slowly builds up the frame around the park. And her living structures made from trees.
The author really does an excellent job in making this park as intriguing, horrifying, and beautifully alive right from the beginning. And Juniper as well. From her perspective, she’s revealed to be increasingly powerful, someone who chooses to be alone in her woods, territorial and masterful in her pursuit of her goals.
That’s where the author had me. Until she didn’t.
The not so great aspects of the story.
The romantic aspects of the book and the relationships.
Bring on the dragons and werewolves.
Spoilers ahead.
The plot turns from Juniper needing to make Bramble Burn hers within a time frame to dragon father, dragon sister, bratty brother who might be dangerous, and a human, enabling suffocating mother full of flags.
It gets so much worse.
Author Autumn Dawn reveals that Juniper is a “fertile female “ half dragon, therefore she is a catch or highly regarded female for both werewolves and dragons for her abilities to breed.
Her werewolf, blink and he’s in love with her and asserting his mate bond over her, to a newly arrived dragon, both thrilled with Juniper’s fertility.
At this point I’m wondering what happened to the character I was reading at the beginning of the story. That strong woman is reduced to a breeder, complaining about a brother who is attacking her ( mom is excusing him) and complies with accepting the werewolf because he’s nice.
There’s a strange new plot that introduces a bunch of characters that has nothing to do with the original story. Takes them away from the park. The author decides to immediately wrap up what was originally a complex issue, leaving huge threads unexplained or just left out.
Juniper, the powerful tree mage who wanted to just work with her Forrest now ends up mated, marriages, with twins.
What?
So once again, I’m floored that an author went totally south with her character, world and plot development.
It was if she decided halfway to change everything but without any notice, explanation , or foundation.
So I’m not proceeding with either author or the series.
Cool cover though.
COVER DESIGN: Autumn Dawn
The Convergence:
Bramble Burn #1
And a bunch more books each with a different character apparently.
It’s been thirty years since the Convergence, when the dimensions aligned and combined Earth and the world of Gwyllon, known in human mythology as “Underhill”. Elven castles and ancient ruins sprouted on vacant lots and merged with existing buildings, twisting into new structures. Roads and rail systems reformed, and after the rioting, starvation and death, agriculture sorted itself and food began to flow. A new government formed of elves and men arose, a society of human tech and elven magic. Cell phones and frost giants, race cars and elven steeds, dungeons and dragons…
And everywhere, monsters.
Tree mage Juniper was twenty-three, a child of the new generation. When she found a source of magic buried in an abandoned park, she made a deal with the city. If she can stabilize the park’s wild magic, she’ll own it…if she can survive. Now she has to clear out magic spawned monsters, deal with a werewolf suitor and survive her bloodthirsty dragon uncle. She’s going to have to dig deep to subdue Bramble Burn Park.
Hot but sweet romance. Does not contain explicit sex scenes.
[Amazon notes it’s similar to the Kate Daniels series. No. Absolutely not. Amazon needs to stop making comparisons. ]
Another fantastic new book, series and author! Starting with that great cover, The Itsy Bitsy Liar (Once Upon A Rhyme Book 1) by Abigail Manning is a fabulous read, a fairy tale story with a twist of a cursed young woman who can only tell lies but ends up with the prince, being a beloved Queen who saves the day.
Manning’s characters, especially the young woman, Lacey Arachne, who was cursed to tell only lies as a child to prevent her from telling people her father was framed for a crime. Now an adult, we see how she (and her mother) have adapted to her curse in practice and how she’s been able to get through life with it. She’s intelligent and adaptable. And working as a Lady’s maid.
Through a complex process, she and her Mistress end up together at the castle in a contest for the hand the Prince. But they’ve switched places and Lacy is pretending to be Evie with disastrous consequences.
The story and romance that follows is smartly crafted. It involves one of friendships, communication, plotting and several wonderful twists.
The characters are all very engaging and fully formed. And Evie, a terrific friend and character gets the next story.
I’m thrilled to have found this and to be able to share it.
What if the itsy bitsy spider could only weave a web of lies?
Lacey Arachne has been cursed since she was a child to only speak lies and wants nothing more than to keep it unknown. As a common handmaiden, she’s learned how to navigate her twisted words fairly well. But that all changes when her mistress makes her switch places with her in the prince’s bride competition.
Unable to refuse her mistress’s plans, Lacey is forced to play the role of a noble and compete in a competition she has no interest in winning. Well, at least that’s the lie she tells herself after she meets the charming Prince Carlex…
With the punishment for impersonating a noble being death, Lacey must blend in with the other competitors at all costs. But how does a bold-faced liar avoid standing out amongst scrutinizing eyes? Especially when her childhood enemy certainly doesn’t seem keen on letting her go unnoticed… Can Lacey untangle herself from the webs she’s crafted? Or will she be doomed to fall with the coming storm?
“‘So let me sum up-we’ve got one vote for total annihilation and one vote for forcing them to join the hockey team. Am I correct?’ “Yes, “ both females replied.”
Author Shelly Laurenston, who’s quoted above from this hilarious and highly entertaining book, has written many popular novels and series, none of which I’ve read until now. After reading this, I’m going to start through this writer’s inventory like a cat in a catnip patch. I’m mean there’s a porcupine scene that can have me giggling in crowded places just thinking about it.
You don’t have to have read any preceding books or series to understand what this is about. It’s so great, the characters are so vividly written, the plotting and locations are written with detail and a eye for creativity that makes this a book that you can’t put down and full of characters that are rich in family love while being absolutely crazy and dangerous.
I’m talking about the MacKilligan shifter family of honey badgers, which spans the world. From their base in Scotland to the USA where the MacKilligan sisters are, and further out, this wild, often criminal family is the most enduring, entertaining and enterprising group of shifters I’ve met in a long time.
The core group is the three sisters of the MacKilligan family, oldest Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan who is a honey badger/wolf hybrid, then followed by Max “Kill It Again” MacKilligan who is all honey badger and perhaps psychopathic killer, and finally the younger sister, the unstable uber brilliant genius who has certain mental health issues, Stevie. Stevie who’s honey badger and tiger. A found family with an absent loser criminal father who has repeatedly gotten them into deep debt and international criminal troubles and with their hybrid status a lack of respect and support elsewhere.
They have been brought up learning to take care of themselves, fighting for their lives in every way possible. I’m talking arsenals.
They, due to criminal shenanigans by their father once again, end up meeting with a grizzly bear shifter family. The Dunns, a triplet set of siblings into protecting and honey.
Honestly, it’s fabulous. There’s an entire bear shifter town that’s amazing. I want to go there. There’s jackals, a shady wolverine pal sort of, and more relatives than anything.
It’s hilarious, imaginative, the action sequences and battles are fierce! Bloody fun and paranormal wild in the extreme.
But the core family love is locked in, the family dynamic is believable and compelling. And the dialogue is sparking intelligent and downright entertaining while also making the reader understand the characters and what’s driving them emotionally.
Honestly, why am I so late to all this?
Another 3am in the morning read and fabulous finish. Highly recommended!
The “hot and humorous” debut of the action-packed shapeshifter series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Pride novels (USAToday.com).
It’s not every day that a beautiful naked woman falls out of the sky and lands face-first on grizzly shifter Berg Dunn’s hotel balcony. Definitely they don’t usually hop up and demand his best gun. Berg gives the lady a grizzly-sized t-shirt and his cell phone, too, just on style points. And then she’s gone, taking his XXXL heart with her. By the time he figures out she’s a honey badger shifter, it’s too late.
Honey badgers are survivors. Brutal, vicious, ill-tempered survivors. Or maybe Charlie Taylor-MacKilligan is just pissed that her useless father is trying to get them all killed again—and won’t even tell her how. Protecting her little sisters has always been her job, and she’s not about to let some pesky giant grizzly protection specialist with a network of every shifter in Manhattan get in her way. Wait. He’s trying to help? Why would he want to do that? He’s cute enough that she just might let him tag along—that is, if he can keep up . . .
S.E. Babin is an author I’ve read before with mixed feelings. Some series I’ve really connected with and others not so much.
Shift of Heart, the first in Babin’s Shifter Lords paranormal romance series, is one I’m excited about and currently enjoying.
The description of this book drew me in but, now headed to the next book in the series, I feel that it’s a bit misleading. And needs clarification to begin with on an element that should come with trigger warnings.
Here’s the lead in.
“In-hiding hedgewitch florist by day. Powerful demigoddess by blood. Shapeshifting immortal by accident.”
That last bit? No accident but a horrifying assault, vividly captured, and for some, as it’s a reoccurring part of the story and a traumatic experience for the character, a element I think should have a trigger warning. Assault and potentially death. FYI.
Onto the other aspects of Shift of Heart. The world building is one that’s being assembled as part of the process of storytelling. So we don’t know how humans and nonhumans cohabitate separately as well as they do. Especially as humans aren’t supposed to know about the paranormal beings. And readers just get an understanding of otherworldly politics and governance as events happen.
It’s a characters that make the story. Especially the found family that exists around the main character of Evie Quinn, a Flouromage who runs a flower shop with her best friends, a vampire, a banshee, and a dryad. With a main goal of being successful while trying to stay hidden from the horrors she’s fled from. As well as her Mother.
The best friends, are beautifully crafted. Each one has a unique personality as well as fascinating otherworldly qualities due to their species and history. And they’re all very close to Evie. They know her secrets, her past.
For me they are fantastic and support the story even when I feel that the author has Evie being self destructive and close to a TSTL character.
Most of that is due to her involvement and interactions with the Alpha of all Shifters in her area. Toxic relationship is how most people would describe it.
Although it’s a staple of some romance tropes. Outlooks are changing.
The Alpha is all “everything/everyone is mine” rawr! If I don’t like it or get it. Let’s destroy it. So of course, things around Evie are destroyed.
He fixes it. She tries to or pays for it. Pattern says that it continues.
To be fair. Caelan, the Alpha, recognizes that there is a problem with his approach. And her friends and a mentor are the ones who will tell Evie that she’s jeopardizing herself and them in this situation.
But it’s that relationship and story so it’s going to continue on this path. If you find it as frustrating as I did be warned.
What is worth continuing forward is the multiple mysteries, the mythology and the interwoven relationships between the gods, current events and the characters. That’s intriguing and suspenseful.
And it’s got me fully engaged in the series and process, and this group of characters.
Check it out! Especially if urban fantasy or paranormal romance is your thing.
In-hiding hedgewitch florist by day. Powerful demigoddess by blood. Shapeshifting immortal by accident.
After a terrible divorce left her blindsided, all Evie Quinn wants is a relaxing girls’ trip to Scotland, not a fight for her life with a Chimera shifter—an ancient, secretive enemy with the power to shapeshift into anything with a pulse.
Surviving the attack is a plus, but her goddess mother drops a bomb on her: Living will change everything.
And…it does.
Now she’s hiding out in a small town running a popular flower shop, doing her best to resist the urge to gnaw on raw meat every chance she gets, and badly pretending she’s the same ol’ lovable hedgewitch she always was.
Except, spoiler alert: She’s not.
When a foraging trip reveals a dying shifter in the woods, Evie breaks all the rules to heal him and vanishes before he wakes up. Cue immediate panic when that dangerously attractive shifter walks into her shop a few weeks later, and she finds out he’s the Alpha of every single shifter in the state.
Eep.
Fortunately, he’s only looking for a florist, not Evie. Not yet. But divine magic brews in the skies, and the wild gods are on the prowl, searching for the source of a long forgotten ancient magic they sense stirring once again.
As Evie’s secrets claw their way to the surface, she realizes she may have to team up with the one man who can save her life.
If he doesn’t destroy it first.
For fans of dangerous supernatural tension, enemies-to-lovers romance, and reluctant heroines, Shift of Heart is the beginning of a dangerously addictive and magical new series.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 