Tag: Scattered Thoughts Highly Recommended

Review:  Goddess Shifting (Shifter Lords Book 8) by S. E. Babin

Rating:4.75 ⭐️

Babin has done it again and written yet another new favorite in this fabulous series! With each new book and additional storylines, this character of Evie develops into someone who is stronger, more confident in her own abilities, and able to move forward with a future that’s full of potential for love and happiness.

A very hard fought battle, one that’s still ongoing here. 

Goddess Shifting sees Evie, with enormous support from her family and friends, make huge strides forward in healing the wounds and trauma from her past experiences, including her toxic relationship with Caelan. 

Rowan, her father and mother, Moira ( who honestly needs a side story or two), and now an adoptive Chimera baby who plays a new emotional element between Evie’s trauma and in the ongoing battles with other species targeting Evie. 

Rowan and Evie will go further in their journey, and this ends on a happy note. Love this story! It’s so well written.

Cover design by Covers by Christian

Shifter Lords (11 book series):

Shift of Heart #1

Shift of Morals #2

Power Shift #3

Shifting Winds #4

Shifting Resolve #5

Shift of Rule #6

Shift of the Wild #7 

Goddess Shifting #8 – April 14, 2026

Final Shift #9 – Aug 26,2036

Shift Happens #10 – 8/26

Shifting Allegiance #11 – Oct 6,2026

Buy link 

        Goddess Shifting (Shifter Lords Book 8)

    

Blurb 

When you strike a deal with the fae, make sure you read all the fine print…

After nearly draining herself to save Rowan, Evie has called off all training to get some much-needed rest. Once again, the universe has a field day with her plans.

Evie thought she was the last living female Chimera.

She’s wrong.

When a baby is dropped off at the shop, Evie has no idea how to react. As she searches for the parents, it quickly becomes evident the child is no human or fae. She’s full-blooded Chimera, meaning there are at least two others out there like her.

But why would they give her their baby? And why is Evie thinking about keeping her?

Talk about throwing a wrench into her already complicated life.

As Evie and her friends search to uncover the mystery surrounding the child, other forces swirl around them, attempting to unbalance Evie and derail everything she’s worked so hard for.

Once again, everything is changing, but Evie finally knows who and what she wants.

It’s time for a fae bargain, one Evie hopes will finally bring her into her destiny.

Will it be a happy ever after, or is this just the start of Evie’s final downfall?

Oliver Heber Books

Publication date

April 14, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

267 pages

Book 8 of 11

Shifter Lords

Review: Ghostly Force (Ghostly #10 by E.M. Leya

Rating: 4🌈

Ghostly Force was interesting for several reasons, the first being it let many of the other terrific characters play the main roles in the murder mystery investigations, allowing for character development and more independence of character exploration for each of these people. 

 

Our series main couple, Lance and Angus, end up sidelined due to a horrific event at the beginning of the story.  It basically takes both out of the plot for most of the time, especially Lance. Although there’s a very interesting dramatic side aspect to this that involves Angus and Betty that’s threaded throughout the plot. I wonder if that will have further impact going forward.

 

Lance’s brother, Jackson returns from his deployment with his ghostly friend, Kel. A new addition to the ongoing series since he’s here permanently as is Kel. 

The mystery is sad, and not very complicated. Two murders actually. Each has a realistic plot, and an unfortunate ending for the families that feels believable . 

Ghostly Force has Lance and Angus taking an important step forward in their relationship. And, indeed, Leya seems to be setting in motion so many elements for new aspects of the series, that I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next. 

This isn’t your typical high suspense plot but one based on character driven development and overall community dynamics, even though some characters are ghostly. 

Definitely recommend reading this!

 Cover Art by: Annabella Stone

 

Ghostly series:

Ghostly Awakening 

Ghostly Findings

Ghostly Envy

Ghostly Claus

Ghostly Target 

Ghostly Hostage 

Ghostly Death 

Ghostly Dilemma 

Ghostly Bother 

Ghostly Force 

Ghostly Grandma (coming soon) Ghostly Wedding (coming soon) Ghostly Canine (coming soon)

Buy link 

 Book 10 of 10: Ghostly 

Blurb 

When life explodes for Lance and Angus it’s up to Detectives Franks and Burns to find answers.

What started off as a celebration ends in an explosion that will change lives. Lance and Angus just wanted to welcome Jackson back to town, but the night is a catastrophic failure when everything goes wrong, leaving everyone wondering what happened.

With people dead and many others injured, it’s up to Detectives Franks and Burns to put the shattered pieces back together and figure out how an evening out ended in tragedy for so many of Fairway’s residents.

This case is personal, and Franks will do all he can to find answers and bring justice for those he is closest to.

E.L. Publishing

Publication date

April 12, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

262 pages

Book 10 of 10

Ghostly

Review: Magical Midlife Madness (Leveling Up #1) by K. F. Breene 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

“A woman starting over. A new house with an unexpected twist. A cape wearing butler acting as the world’s worst life coach.”

I found this urban fantasy tale totally charming, with its laugh-out loud moments, endearing characters, and wonderfully mysterious plot.

Breene’s series about a divorced woman who takes a chance on a new life by accepting a job in a place she vaguely remembers from her childhood is a brashly funny, often revealing tale of a woman remaking her life, even as her own world view of what’s real is turned inside out. 

Jessie is a marvelous character, believable, relatable in her emotions as she navigates the challenges she faces after her divorce from a cheating husband, with no real plans for her life or a place to go. And the job she finds herself doing places her back in a small town where she visited as a child, one with fuzzy fond memories and dreams of strange things.

How I love everything about her, the other characters and the many strange situations Jessie finds herself in.  Ivy House, the magical weird structure that’s revealing its secrets reluctantly, is richly detailed and mysterious. As is its inhabitants, Mr Tom, or intriguing members of the community like the alpha Arden, who’s constantly being told to reevaluate his position on women by Jessie, each one has staying power both within the narrative and with the reader.

Jessie and all the others demonstrate personal growth and self development as she discovers what the town and Ivy House is about, as her potential role, if she decides to accept it.

A fantastic story, great characters, and a journey I’m happy to follow. 

A winner!

Leveling Up (13 book series):

Magical Midlife Madness #1

Magical Midlife Dating #2

Magical Midlife Invasion #3

Magical Midlife Love #4

Magical Midlife Meeting #5

Magical Midlife Challenge #6

Magical Midlife Alliance #7

Magical Midlife Flowers #8

Magical Midlife Battle #9

Magical Midlife Awakening #10

Magical Midlife Rescue #11

Magical Midlife Rogue #12

Magical Midlife Conclave #13 – Nov 12,2026

Buy link

 Book 1 of 13: Leveling Up 

Blurb 

A woman starting over. A new house with an unexpected twist. A cape wearing butler acting as the world’s worst life coach.

“Happily Ever After” wasn’t supposed to come with a do-over option. But when my husband of twenty years packs up and heads for greener pastures and my son leaves for college, that’s exactly what my life becomes.

Do-over.

This time, though, I plan to do things differently. Age is just a number, after all, and at forty I’m ready to carve my own path.

Eager for a fresh start, I make a somewhat unorthodox decision and move to a tiny town in the Sierra foothills. I’ll be taking care of a centuries old house that called to me when I was a kid. It’s just temporary, I tell myself. It’ll just be for a while.

That is, until I learn what the house really is, something I never could’ve imagined.

Thankfully forty isn’t too old to start an adventure, because that’s exactly what I do. A very dangerous adventure that will change my life forever. I have a chance to start again, and this time, I make the rules.

February 16, 2020

Language

‎English

Print length

316 pages

Book 1 of 13

Leveling Up

Review: Vision & Venture: The Glyphwright Chronicles – Book 4 by Jeremy Fabiano

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Reading Jeremy Fabiano’s The Glyphwright Chronicles is like coming home, to a cosy warm village that feels like a somewhere you feel safe and comfortable, happy and wanted. Where the people are those you’ve gotten to know, the shops are now familiar, and when the carriages spot the turning wheel of the mill and the lights of the town on the return road home, your heart is just as filled with joy as that of the characters. 

The author rarely makes a single error in his series of two journeymen glyphwrights as they’ve become first friends, now partners, who have found themselves together with their fiancé or wives, friends and family members in a community that values them and their contributions. 

Vision & Venture picks up right after the events of the last story. Marcus and Felix are buying the building that will house their families, sister Rose, visitors, their businesses and warehouse as well as sales front. 

It’s a heartfelt narrative that brings both sides together, the science behind all the various aspects of the magic or technology each character has and the real power of community that Fabiano continues to grow here. We meet new people and shops, get ingenious new ideas and devices, and, of course, a dramatic challenge that each person here must face in their own way.   It’s realistic, engaging and the engineering and technology is incredibly interesting. And it’s always fiercely connected with the people who are working on it and with it. 

That’s what’s really exciting. There’s no separation of human elements from the technology or magical aspects of their work. They make mistakes, recognize when they need to go in another direction. 

In other words, this feels so relatable and we can really connect with each of them. 

The only misstep I could see was with Felix’s mother, who has been deeply abusive emotionally to him for years. His father has been reconnecting with him, without saying anything to his mother. But there’s an entire dramatic scene here where his mother changes her “attitude “ about his future wife, job, partner, in an emotional outburst. It’s very nice to see and have that happen. But is it realistic to think that after years of mental cruelty and emotional abuse she’s immediately going to be a different woman? I don’t think so.  That’s a child’s wish for everything to be okay, for things to be normal. A golden fairytale glow. 

But maybe that’s what the author is going for. The golden glow of the hearth, the warmth of the fire and the joy of friendship at the end of the day. A cozy little town at the end of the road. 

We will leave it there. And enjoy Vision & Venture: The Glyphwright Chronicles – Book 4 by Jeremy Fabiano for the heartwarming tale it is. 

Two more books to go. I’m there for all of them. 

 Cover design by Jacqueline Sweet Design

 Glyphwright Chronicles (4 book series):

  • Ashes & Anchors #0.5 (Erasmus’s backstory)
  • Ink & Intent  #1
  • Wards & Measures #2
  • Trades & Treaties #3 
  • Vision & Venture #4
  • Glyphs & Merit #5 – 
  • Legacy & Succession #6

Buy link

 Book 4 of 6: The Glyphwright Chronicles 

Blurb 

Marcus and Felix have a building to fix up, a best friend preparing for his Master certification, and a wedding that’s already taking on a life of its own. For the first time, everything feels like it’s falling into place.

Then the Guild rejects all four of their advancement applications. Instead of explanations, the Guild throws them into a public test against a real food shortage with real consequences.

Millbrook bets their food supply on them anyway.

Now they have to prove their methods work at scale, under full Guild scrutiny. Everything they’ve built depends on what happens next.

A cozy fantasy with LitRPG progression, found family, community trust, and the discovery that sometimes the people who believe in you are the ones you didn’t know were watching.

Pour yourself something warm, settle into your favorite reading spot, and discover that building a future is harder than saving a kingdom.

April 8, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

394 pages

Book 4 of 6

The Glyphwright Chronicles

Review: Penny For Your Thoughts (Shadowy Solutions #5) by Nicky James

Rating: 4.75🌈

Penny For Your Thoughts is the fifth book in Nicky James fantastic series , Shadowy Solutions. It’s a series that quickly became a hit with me, surpassing the original series it’s connected with, that of Valor and Doyle.  I feel parts of Valor and Doyle became repetitive, although Aslan is a huge hit with me.

But the complexity of the dynamic between Tallus Domingo and deeply damaged PI Diem Krause, each with a legacy of parental violence, family domestic abuse, and childhood trauma. But one who carries the deepest visible scars as well as the emotional traumatic memories. Ongoing pain and PTSD.  That’s Diem, who has tremendous anger issues and anxieties as well as substance abuse problems. 

Over the course of 5 novels, James has built up, albeit slowly and realistically, a hard won relationship between these two very different men. It’s been compelling to watch and read about as Diem fights with his demons, and both have to devise ways to make their lives work for themselves. 

Even here, Diem has to make the decisions about his use of alcohol and cigarettes, even as his father and family life has the greatest impact on his life. 

I’m not sure if James is finishing the series with the story or not. I would be happy if this was the finale.

It’s got a terrific storyline. All the crossover characters are here from Valor and Doyle in meaningful scenes. Aslan, Fox, Quaid, Costa and Kitty Lavender.

Then there’s Darcy Gingrick, Echo, and Baby the snake, that actually gives both Tallus and Diem as touching family, of sorts. Especially, Darcy, what an incredible element he turns out to be. 

This is one of my favorites of the series. And if it’s the finale, I’m absolutely satisfied with how everyone is left at the end. 

There’s an extra bonus story, The Baby Visit, linked at the end of the book.  Don’t miss out on this one. Sweet bonus and intimate window into a favorite side character. 

Highly recommended. 

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow Designs

Same Universe:

Valor and Doyle (8 book series)

 Shadowy Solutions (5 book series):

Skeletons in the Closet #1

Power of the Mind #2

Reading Between the Lines #3

A Breath of Life #4

Penny For Your Thoughts #5

Buy link

 Book 5 of 5: Shadowy Solutions 

Blurb 

Diem never thought he would have a steady boyfriend and enough cases to keep his business in the green. He never thought his nana would live to be ninety-three.

Life is, dare he say, good?

He could do to drink less, and he still needs to quit smoking, but he’s getting there.

He’s happy.

In love.

If he could manage his stress, life might even turn out to be… great?

But then Tallus arranges dinner with his parents, where Diem faces questions about commitment and weddings and a weekend bonding trip with a stepfather he doesn’t know.

And a resident of Nana’s nursing home ends up involved in a twisted version of a grandparent scheme, so Diem agrees to investigate. The police clearly aren’t doing their job.

It’s all downhill from there.

The case somehow leads to Diem figuratively adopting the most obnoxious teenager imaginable. A boy whose troubled life reflects Diem’s past. A boy who is deeply entwined in a con far more complex than he realizes.

One misstep tips their hand. The hunter becomes the hunted. Diem and Tallus—and their unfortunate sidekick—are in a race against the clock, desperate to nail the person responsible before he skips the country… or seeks revenge.

So much for reducing stress.

Amidst the chaos, Diem finds himself bonding with his petulant rescue-teen. Diem is nobody’s role model, but the boy’s incessant questions open Diem’s mind and heart to things he never thought possible.

Things that make him think that maybe life could be… amazing.

*This is the fifth installment in the Shadowy Solution series. It is a same-couple mystery series with mental health rep, size difference, and a sassy vs surly dynamic. The series should be read in order for full enjoyment*

March 26, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

461 pages

Book 5 of 5

Shadowy Solutions

Review:  This Guy (Wood Hollow Book 1) by Lane Hayes 

Rating: 4.5🌈

Lane Hayes has written narrative gold with her Vermont based Four Forest town’s universe, and I’m not talking maple syrup, although I won’t be surprised if this factors in eventually. 

First off, there was the 6 book fabulous series, The Elmwood Stories, which was written about NHL hockey players who found themselves in the small town of Elmwood, where they found love, happiness and established a hockey base for kids and players for the summer. It built slowly but surely over 6 novels and we started meeting people outside of town, including those from Wood Hollow, and the mill. 

Well, it’s Wood Hollow’s time! The town has begun its own restoration and become a great charming place to live, with the mill’s prosperity being a huge part of this.

Silas, a veteran NFL player who has come to the end of his career, is facing a difficult time in his life. Divorced, a career that has ended, and no idea how to go forward, the pressure sends him to his friend’s rental property in Wood Hollow, Vermont, for a break. 

His next door neighbor is Cooper, who is a bisexual divorced father of two children, and the manager of the Wood Hollow lumber mill. Cooper is a hometown man, who loves his community and his family. And isn’t prepared for the handsome football player he rescues from a snowstorm.

This Guy is an excellent romance and start into a new series in this universe. The men are relatable, their struggles are written in a way that makes them feel real and understandable. The pressures each of them are facing, whether it’s Silas from his ex-wife’s new publicity with her own relationship or, perhaps even more realistic, Cooper’s personal struggles with his dynamics with his ex-wife and the way they both feel about their separation from their children. 

Here’s what I find so well written by Hayes. There’s no demonizing of anyone’s ex’s here. Any potential for a traumatic event? It’s handled by communication, like adults, without involving the children. Thank you.  Same goes for Silas and his ex wife. They remain friends and understand why they didn’t work out as marriage partners. 

I know I shouldn’t have to point this out, but honestly, it’s rare enough that I see it in my stories that I point it out when I see it.

The children are beautifully animated and feel true to their ages. Adore them. 

That dramatic moment? Fabulous! Heartwarming and perfect for the couple and as a family we have come to love. 

I can’t wait for the next story to come out. I love this entire world that Hayes is creating! 

Highly recommended!

Cover Design by Sleepy Fox Studio

Four Forest towns  of Vermont Universe – see note below 

The Elmwood Stories (6 book series)- I love this series ❤️ it mentions the lumber mill and introduces the Four Forest towns. It’s hockey meets Vermont small town ❤️.

Wood Hollow Series:

This Guy #1

Sweet Something #2 – TBR summer 2026

Four Forest area of Vermont are : Wood Hollow, Elmwood, Pinecrest, and Fallbrook. The Elmwood Stories ❤️ series is complete

Buy link 

 Book 1 of 1: Wood Hollow Stories 

Blurb 

The football star, the lumberjack, and a small-town love story…

Silas

Not to sound dramatic, but I can’t decide if I’m a hot mess, a has-been…or both.

There’s nothing quite like being in the spotlight at my lowest point. I could use a break from LA and my agent—just for a little while.

But Vermont in the middle of a blizzard? Probably not a great idea. However, the sexy lumberjack who lives next door is a sweet surprise. And so are his kids and the town.

I like this place. I could be happy here…at least till my new season begins.

Cooper

My time is split between work and fatherhood. That’s it. Boss and Dad. Maybe that’s why the football star is a breath of fresh air. Silas is funny, charismatic, and cool.

My kids love having a celebrity living next door. And me? I can’t remember the last time I felt quite so alive.

Yes, I’m well aware this isn’t going anywhere. Our worlds are just too different.

Too bad, ’cause this guy feels like the real thing.

This Guy is an MM bisexual, single dad, small-town romance featuring a football hero, a sexy lumberjack, and some neighbor-friendly shenanigans.

date

March 25, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

304 pages

Book 1 of 1

Wood Hollow Stories

Review:  Relentlessly Vengeful Ghost (Mafia Bound Book 5) by K.M. Neuhold 

Rating: 4.5🌈

I have the feeling the Neuhold is wrapping up the series with book 6, so Relentlessly Vengeful Ghost is the penultimate story to start bringing the main series plots to a close and get all the Moretti family brothers or those who are famiglia happily mated and the crime clan successfully going forward. 

There’s many in this trope of Mafia crime family romance fiction, often it’s involving a fantasy or paranormal element. Here it’s straightforward and simple. It’s crime, their romantic partners are often those who have been greatly damaged by another criminal gang or person, and they are often as dangerous as the Moretti family member who comes to love them. 

There’s a lot of fun, D/s  relationships with most of the Moretti family being the sub in the dynamic. The author creates with each relationship, a great story, a heartfelt albeit intriguing dynamic, and always a fascinating plot that makes compelling reading.

Ghost, a young man who has “died” at the hands of the Sleepless Reaper gang, but was revived by doctors at the ER. Now, without memories of his former life, he’s vengeance and his mission is to annihilation of the gang that preyed on him and others. 

Alessio is the Moretti who is thought of as easygoing, a bit too much maybe. But that’s a just a role he plays in an organization full of big, talented and extremely brutal players. 

Then he encounters a thief in his penthouse and everything changes. 

I loved this book. The twists. The way the characters show growth and the ability to make real decisions and progress as adults. 

There are trigger warnings mentioned. Read them. 

All my other favorite characters are in here, not to the extent I’d want but it’s not their book. It’s Ghost and Alessio’s. And it’s terrific. 

Lots of dead bodies, bad memories, kinky sex, hot men, great dialogue, and those Moretti family . Including their partners. 

Fabulous! Highly recommended. Read them as they are written. It helps to understand how they all come together. 

Next up is Lorenzo Moretti, the head of the family. And the family. He’s left with a heartbreaking story here. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.

Cover Designer Natasha Snow

Mafia Bound (6 book series):

Deadly Little Sparrow #1❤️

Beautifully Savage Butterfly #2

Unhinged Little Angel #3 ❤️

Desperately Delicate Viper #4

Relentlessly Vengeful Ghost #5 ❤️

Devil in Armani #6 – Nov 6, 2026

Buy link

 Book 5 of 6: Mafia Bound 

Blurb 

I didn’t know the house I broke into belonged to a mafioso, and now my revenge arc is a lot more complicated.

7 years ago, I died. Nameless, forgotten, left in a ditch after an overdose. I don’t know who saved me or why. God? Satan? A good Samaritan whose name I’ll never know? It doesn’t really matter.

I don’t know who I used to be. My name, my past, they were buried. But somehow, I’m still here.

I’m not the only one the Sleepless Reapers have used and abused, but I will be the last, if I have anything to say about it.

I don’t need the attention of a mafioso. Even if Alessio is fun to play with, and even more fun to make beg. But I don’t have time for his devotion or his pretty, breathless pleas.

I have a score to settle, and I can’t rest until every last Sleepless Reaper is six feet under.

Alessio makes me feel something other than hatred for the first time that I can remember. He makes me hope one day I might be more than a ghost driven by vengeance. He can’t pull me out of the darkness, but maybe we can keep each other company in the shadows until all our demons are exorcized.

Review :  Kiss My Ash: A paranormal fantasy with chaos and heart (An Umbrafore Novel) by Lara McKenzie

Rating: 5⭐️

“Grief is a squatter. You can’t evict it or reason with it, and it keeps touching your things.”

This is a story I want to share, underline, have quotes made into bumper stickers, and just absolutely love. 

But it’s not an easy story to read at times. It’s emotionally draining, raw, heartbreaking, funny, full of truth and tragedy, and for many women who are struggling with their bodies, trauma, and grief, this story can only be described as a tale of recovery and healing. 

Lara McKenzie always manages to balances darkness with humor in her writing, and that’s especially true here in Kiss My Ash.

Charlotte Marelli, ex-lawyer, now owner of a supernatural coffee shop in  the realm of Umbrafore. Charlotte is a character we’re familiar with if you’re a reader of the connected series, Maya’s Blogs, written in the similar style.

Charlotte has been a wonderfully steady force in the lives of many beings around her but here it’s Charlotte who is in need as her life begins to shatter. 

Careful to keep complete control of her life, reasons for which become apparent as the story develops, her past life begins to invade her current situation and her physically changes of perimenopause and hot flashes are making her everyday life even more difficult. 

This is truly such a powerful read as Charlotte’s struggles through her tragic history, current dangers and watch as she grows into a survivor and warrior. 

A remarkable book that’s relevant, quotable, and heartfelt.  I highly recommend both the author , Kiss My Ass, and Maya’s Blogs too. 

Cover Illustration by Mansitha.

Side story. Related to

Maya’s Blogs (5 book series)

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comKiss My Ash: A paranormal fantasy with chaos and heart (An Umbrafore Novel) eBook …

Blurb 

Forty-seven, perimenopausal, and armed with a lethal wit, ex-barrister Charlotte Marelli runs a supernatural coffee shop. 

Her small and carefully controlled life shatters when someone from her past reappears just as her no-strings-attached relationship becomes complicated. 

Thrust into a web of surveillance and old traumas, Charlotte must unravel a conspiracy tied to her own kidnapping, forcing her to decide whether trusting anyone is worth the risk of being broken again.

February 2, 2026

Language

‎English

Print length

312 pages

Women’s fantasy fiction, fantasy fiction, 

Kiss My Ash contains depictions of: Mild PTSD and panic attacks  Past captivity and human trafficking (not depicted on page)  Alcohol as a coping mechanism  Death of a parent  Trauma responses  Menopause and perimenopause experiences  Violence and threats of violence (non-explicit)  Please, take care of yourself.

Note; written for neurodivergent readers, with shortish chapters, accessible prose, and minimal filler.

Review:  Death’s Rival (Jane Yellowrock Book 5) by Faith Hunter 

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Death’s Rival was a fantastic read! It’s a chilling thrill a minute, a plague that threatens vampires, a powerful enemy with old ties to Jane’s history, and new characters who I absolutely adore. 

Did I mention I love this book? And there’s traumatizing moments and betrayal too! I mean, it’s got everything. 

One thing I really love is the addition of the Younger brothers, who form not only Jane’s first personal team but her own second foundation of a “family” outside of Molly. They start to act as a her needed buffer at times,when possible, between her, and the paranormal power struggles constantly present. 

This also is the beginning of a long process of series reveals about the overall story threads and major plots being uncovered that center around Jane, MOC Leo, and the New Orleans territory. 

Incredible storytelling, so exciting and satisfying. Highly recommended! Read them in the order they are written. 

I wish I knew more about the artist who created the series covers because I really love them. Consistently great.

Jane Yellowrock (15 book series): 

Skinwalker #1

Blood Cross #2

Mercy Blade #3

Raven Cursed #4

Death’s Rival #5

Blood Trade #6

Black Arts #7

Broken Soul #8

Dark Heir 9

Shadow Rites #10

Cold Reign #11

Dark Queen #12

Shattered Bonds #13

True Dead #14

Final Heir #15

Buy link

        Death’s Rival (Jane Yellowrock Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…

For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane. But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey.

Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.

Review:  Raven Cursed (Jane Yellowrock Book 4) by Faith Hunter 

Rating: 4.5⭐️

Raven Cursed brings both aspects of Jane’s background and cultural heritage together in a truly momentous and compelling story. It sets in motion important elements that won’t surface in the series and for certain characters until books further on in this series. Yes, I’m farther ahead now. Just behind in my reviews. Binging will do that. 

Jane continues to develop her skills and abilities, while exploring her Cherokee roots and lost memories, ones that are extremely traumatic for her. 

Each book is so layered and complex with Hunter weaving patterns of multiple stories together that she’s building towards an even more powerful dark whole picture. There’s witch Molly, and Molly’s sister Evie’s unhinged behavior, and Molly’s important family members each with magical abilities and roles to play. 

Plus there’s also the ongoing Rick/Bruiser potential for romance and intriguing aspects because Beast has her own perspective on mating that’s not always aligned with Jane’s. She has no use for monogamy and is basically a creature of solitude. 

There’s new African weres as well.

Jane’s constant struggle with guilt and issues with her own role is my biggest issue here, other than the waffling over Ricky, who I’m not a fan of. Even in areas where she is obviously not the fault of the problem but assuming the burden anyway. 

This does get old. But I will say this odd behavior is given an explanation further in the series as well as other aspects of her personality. The author pulls it all together. 

Each book serves as a reference and meaningful building block for the series and character. Leo’s planning in depth, and there are many other things involved that can be overlooked here. I’ve double backed a couple of times already. FYI. 

Enjoy the fantastic battle scenes, the weapons, the paranormal elements and creatures. The characters are developing and evolving. 

Love this so much!

I wish I knew more about the artist who created the series covers because I really love them. Consistently great.

Jane Yellowrock (15 book series): 

Skinwalker #1

Blood Cross #2

Mercy Blade #3

Raven Cursed #4

Death’s Rival #5

Blood Trade #6

Black Arts #7

Broken Soul #8

Dark Heir 9

Shadow Rites #10

Cold Reign #11

Dark Queen #12

Shattered Bonds #13

True Dead #14

Final Heir #15

Buy link

        Raven Cursed (Jane Yellowrock Book 4)

    

Blurb 

The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock.

But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry mast vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It’s a good thing she’s worth every penny.

Publisher

Ace

Publication date

January 3, 2012

Language

‎English

Print length

377 pages

Book 4 of 15

Jane Yellowrock