Tag: urban fantasy

Review:  Bloodlust Bites (Charley Underwood Book 1) by Luanne Bennett

Rating: 2⭐️

And I’m out. Honestly I tried so hard to like this series and main character because it had so much potential, but in the end,  the story, plotting, and overall poor character development just sunk it.

I’ll take it issue by issue, starting with the least interesting part , that of the plot elements and total story reveal early on.  

I guessed at how all the various elements of this story came together to point to the main villain and his nefarious plan at around the 45 percentage point.  But the author herself gets several characters to actually tell a small group the exact details of the storyline, the mystery, the villain, at the halfway point. So it’s a done deal. Just a matter of bringing him down. 

For the rest of the book. Mystery solved.

Next. The biggest problem is the characters. Most are of the cardboard type. One dimensional. No layers , no history and very little details or any real reason to care for them. That’s the majority of the cast. One gets hurt or killed. It’s not a big deal because they are, for the most part, underwhelming and interchangeable.   Only a few stick out, and that’s due to how often they appear throughout the book and their names. Like Dog, the werewolf bartender.  But that’s all you really know about him. 

The main character, Charley, is problematic is multiple ways. For me she’s a prime example of a TSTL character. She’s constantly doing things that are highly “stupid” , that is the word used in the book, in that both she, her circle of friends, and the reader know are traps, running into scenes where she’s outnumbered, or the villains or baddies are waiting for her. She’s either told herself it’s a ‘dumb or stupid” idea, her friends or even frenemies have told her it’s a bad idea. So, over and over, she goes through and does it. And yes, gets hurt , needs to be saved, and often gets others hurt too.  Watch her repeat this pattern while asking yourself why you are still reading this book.

TSTL.  Extremely frustrating to read about. And gives me little reason to invest in the character. 

The magic and her lack of training, the nasty coven and that entire aspect of the story is full of flags and issues. But I’ll table those because the main character has so many herself. 

Finally the romance.  We don’t have much of any relationship history or romance development between Charley and the vampire Samuel. But instantly they are in love, committed and Dog is so happy for them. After a few minutes in the alley and a couple of times where he steps in and helps her out?  Where is the relationship dynamic? Even instant love romances have more of a connection than this one does. 

Add everything above and I barely got through the book. It was a struggle.  So I’m definitely not going forward .

If you’re a fan of the author, then you might want to consider reading this. 

I’ll leave it up to you. 

Cover design Damonza.com”

The Charley Underwood series -complete 

Bloodlust Blues 

Bloodlust Bites 

Bloodlust Curse 

Bloodlust Shadows

Buy link

        Bloodlust Bites: An addictive and action-packed urban fantasy (Charley Underwood Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Welcome to Crimson, Georgia. I’m Charley Underwood—witch, bar owner, and accidental demon hunter.

Crimson isn’t a regular town. With vampires, shifters, and humans living side by side, tensions always run high. I try to keep the peace, and most of the time nobody gets hurt. Most of the time.

Right now, Crimson is one bite away from all-out chaos.

A dangerous new wolf is stirring up trouble. A sexy vampire is on the hunt, with a gun full of sunlight bullets. And thugs from Atlanta are threatening my friends.

As if that wasn’t enough, my magic is running wild. One second it’s throwing bad guys through windows, the next it fizzles out to nothing. There’s only one way to get it under control—by taking lessons from Crimson’s terrifying old-school coven of witches.

I need to get a handle on it fast. Way out in the woods, someone is attacking young women, leaving them bitten and bloody. Is it a stranger or one of our own?

When police pin the attacks on one of my bartenders, it’s clear that none of this is random. Someone is coming after me and the people I love.

I’ll do anything to protect my crew. Even strike a deal with a vicious old enemy.

Because when I see what I’m fighting against, it’s clear I need all the help I can get.

  • Publisher: Second Sky (August 9, 2024)
  • Publication date: August 9, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 300 pages

Review:  Strike It Witch: The Smokethorn Paranormals Series Book 1 by C.P. Rider

Rating:4.5⭐️

“Thanks for your concern, but I don’t need your protection. I have a mystical cat, an unprincipled gnome with a violent streak, and I have my magic.” Betty Lennox

In my quest for writers and books with new approaches to their main characters and the tropes I enjoy reading, this is a great new find that I can’t wait to share. 

Although the author is a popular writer, C.P. Rider is new to me. The Smokethorn Paranormals is the first series I’ve read by Rider and all its characters and elements have struck a chord with me.  

Starting with the main character of Betty Lennox, a grief torn earth witch, living in a 19 ft Airstream trailer in the paranormal seniors’ trailer park she inherited from her mother.  Betty’s curvaceous, dark-haired reflective of her Mexican heritage, and trying to leave her desert hometown of Smokethorn, California.  But she has to honor her mother’s wishes and legacy and find the right earth witch to buy the property. 

From the paranormal senior citizens in living in the trailer park, beautifully realized and hilariously depicted in a number of scenes, to the desert area around her, the location feels fresh and authentic. A vibrant new world for a series and group of extraordinary characters. That extends to the town itself. 

Rider’s Betty Lennox is a woman so consumed by her loss that she doesn’t even realize how it’s caused her to become stuck in life, a kind of limbo.  Unable to move forward however she tries.  It’s a powerful portrayal of love, loss and grief.  And magic. 

For it’s magic or its absence that a clear sign of loss and grief. 

Betty’s friends, one of whom is a retired necromancer in her eighties, Ada, 

Cover design by The Book Brander”

The Smokethorn Paranormals Series :

Strike It Witch #1

Any Which Wolf #2

Wicked Witch of the Wolf #3 – May 31,2025

Buy link

        Strike It Witch: The Smokethorn Paranormals Series Book 1

    

Blurb 

“Thanks for your concern, but I don’t need your protection. I have a mystical cat, an unprincipled gnome with a violent streak, and I have my magic.”

Betty Lennox is an elemental witch on a mission to leave her desert hometown of Smokethorn, California, for good. But first, she needs to sell the property she inherited from her mother to someone who, among other things, doesn’t mind living in a paranormal seniors’ trailer park in a town where it’s so hot in summer that the local demons head back to Hades to cool off.

She’s also running low on cash to keep up the protection spell on the park. When she’s offered a job to procure a cursed grimoire, one so dangerous the local coven won’t touch it, she takes it. Even though the job comes from a vicious wolf alpha who won’t rest until she’s dead.

To get the grimoire and keep her soul, she’ll have to lean on her partner—a magic cat named Fennel—Cecil, a homicidal garden gnome, a graveyard demon, her retired necromancer best friend, and her second-least favorite bartender in town, who also just happens to be the wolf alpha’s son.

If they can manage to work together without killing each other, Betty just might survive.

For fans of urban fantasy with a side of slow-burn romance.

  • Publisher: VC Group, LLC (October 30, 2024)
  • Publication date: October 30, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 264 pages

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

Rating: 5⭐️

What an outstanding book. A full out rollercoaster fantasy thriller. Laura Hignett just decided to take all the writing tropes, including science fiction, paranormal, Supernatural and mythological elements, add on some mystery thriller material and romance and stuff to go boom, and you have The Wolf Vs The Witch. 

This book finally answers the question what happened to Daphne, what’s in her head, and that’s a fantastic story thread in itself, but still manages to keep this aspect of the series and her character still a bit of a mystery that will flow into the next book. 

Hignett’s characters are deeply damaged and traumatized by events in their lives. So we get a Mwf who’s not dealing well with her exposure, her shifter identity, and the clash of opposing traumas from her own past life.  She’s a mean drunk and Dwayne the chaos goose and her enabler Alpha, got his own issues.  

There’s no scenario, no character that Hignett doesn’t focus on or make a real believable mess of, no matter what situation they’re in or the danger they are facing. 

That includes Romeo, his coven, and a new character, his step sister, as well as Daphne, all of whom are chasing down Christopher the powerful witch threatening the world.

There’s no way I’d describe the incredible, somewhat terrifying, often bizarre and always fabulously violent journey that follows, all the way to Greece.   It’s got battle scenes, mythological creatures, and great moments. And twists too. 

Just a superb story. And that epilogue sets up what will be a momentous tale that I can hardly wait to read when it’s released. 

If you love strong women characters, great storytelling, and compelling situations. This is the series for you. 

Highly recommended. 

Book Cover by Atra Luna Graphic Design

Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth:

The Wolf Vs The Vampire #1

The Wolf Vs The Warlock #2

The Wolf Vs The Shifter #3

The Wolf Vs The Witch #4

The Wolf Vs The Monster #5 – May 15,2025

The Wolf Vs Santa: A Little Christmas Mystery

Buy link

        The Wolf Vs The Witch: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth

    

Blurb 

“I can’t open up. Don’t you understand? I’m literally a box. If I open up to anyone, this whole world could be destroyed…”

My worst fear has come to pass. A vicious, sadistic witch has seen the darkness inside me, and he wants it for himself. Christopher Jupiter – the man responsible for the Great Suffocation, the reason why thousands and thousands of my people are dead – he saw the evils. And he wants them.

He’s not a powerful witch, but he’s smart. Too smart. He already knows what he needs to do to crack me open. Now, it’s a deadly race against time to find the artefact he needs so I can destroy it.

But I can’t do this by myself. How can I stop Christopher, if I can’t even tell Romeo what is inside of me?

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

  • Publication date: March 15, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 404 pages

Review:  Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7) by Annabel Chase

Rating: 5⭐️

Dead Heat really escalates the overall danger that’s been created and implies that the many serious threats towards Lorelei and her found family are more imminent and deadly. 

There are a boatload of plot lines here, from an incubus bartender with a strange mark on his chest that needs a bit of investigation to a new visitor in need of a place to stay, and as always, The villainous Corporation wanting Lorelei and sending its minions after her.  But of course, there’s more, and it’s Kane, her demon boyfriend, who might be in trouble. 

Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7) by Annabel Chase superbly increases the level of danger, suspense and chaos for all the characters going forward. Chase has brought Lorelei into the Fairhaven fold, made her its guardian, and given her a found family of vampires, assassins, witches, werewolves, ghosts and the odd paranormal beings.  Even a human sheriff and demon boyfriend.

And now the largest threat is to the very people and things she came there to avoid happening and having.

Great job and story.

I’m reading two books at a time. And I’ve heard that Half Dead #8 ends on a cliffhanger and Dead End #9 isn’t released yet. So I’ll wait until both are available and then read right through. 

Until then, this is one amazing series. Binge them or just read them one by one. Fab stuff. Great character development and plotting. A true winner.

Cover by Trif Designs, which has changed to reflect the fact that the word has gotten out that Lorelei Clay is a demigod. So great touch with that head halo/crown addition. 

Crossroads Queen series:

Dead to the World #1

Dead of Night #2

Dead Last #3

Dead Wrong #4

Dead Weight #5

Play Dead #6

Dead Heat #7

Half Dead #8

Dead End #9 – April 17,2025

Buy link

        Dead Heat (Crossroads Queen Book 7)

    

Blurb 

It isn’t easy being the liminal deity of a multirealm crossroads, as Lorelei Clay can attest. There are the typical issues, of course, like a wayward god stumbling into Wild Acres, and then there are the more pressing ones…

Like an incubus who wakes up with a mysterious mark on his chest and a timer on his life.

And the demon with an urgent message for Kane.

And the mysterious flying monsters with vengeance in their hearts that threaten the peace and tranquility of Fairhaven.

And last, but definitely not least, a visit from The Corporation’s latest minion, who might finally make Lorelei an offer she can’t refuse.

Don’t miss Dead Heat, Crossroads Queen, book 7. For fans of quaint small towns chock full of vampires, fae, witches, werewolves, mage assassins, ghosts, and the clueless humans they protect

Review:  Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3) by Helen Harper

 

Rating: 5⭐️

Ok I read this at 3am in the morning  because I’d just finished Star Witch with its shocking ending and had to rush here to see what happened. 

Whew! 

What is it with this trend of authors killing their main characters? This is the third book in a row and series where this has been a major element.  Not sure my heart is ready for more at this point.

But this sets up Ivy for several new stages in her life. A new romance with Winter, who’s all in now, especially after losing her and getting her back. Because Ivy definitely was dead but was brought back. 

And Ivy can now see and communicate with the dead. And a livelier, albeit dead, group has never been seen. Or heard than here. 

She’s asked for help to find a missing person, which leads her into a serial killer case involving dead witches and a threat to her friends and lover. 

Harper leans into the intimate details of Ivy’s new relationship with Winter, who has resigned from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, blaming the Order for Ivy’s death, even though she was resurrected.  But he’s struggling, and so is she in the new dynamic, a very realistic scenario.

Comedic relief in this story comes in many forms, sometimes it’s with the ghost who demands Ivy’s attention , with an outdated idea of attitudes towards women and the world. Or , in a scene that still has me giggling, it’s Ivy herself, attempting to enter through a second story window.  I’ll not spoil it, but needless to say, I’ve reread this scene several times. 

The story is harrowing, funny, well executed , full of several layered plot lines that are balanced and compelling. From a tight investigation into various murder mysteries to the intimacy of their personal relationship, the book continuously weaves both together until it reaches a great conclusion. 

Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3) by Helen Harper is a fantastic book. In many respects it feels like it could be the series finale as it beautifully ties together so many characters storylines and gives them a great ending.  I was so happy when I was done. 

There is another story, a holiday novella to read, which I’m onto next.

Ivy is a character who I wish there were more of in the books I read. She’s outside of the main character norm and I absolutely adore her.  The series is terrific and the characters around her just as compelling.

A must read.

Cover by Yocla Designs. an accurate representation actually . She’s a fantastic character.

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic:

Slouch Witch #1

Star Witch #2

Spirit Witch #3

Sparkle Witch #4 – a holiday novella 

Buy link 

        Spirit Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 3)

    

Blurb 

If anyone appreciates what it means to be dead to the world, it’s Ivy Wilde.

Barely recovered from her brush with necromancy, Ivy is flung once more into a world of intrigue, adventure and potential death and disaster. It’s not her fault – it just so turns out that she’s now the only person in the entire world who can communicate with the dead. And they’re a chatty bunch with a list of demands. 

When the ghosts offer information about a witch-hating mass murderer in return for Ivy’s help, she has no choice but to get involved. She might be getting herself into more trouble than she realises though – and that’s even before she’s dragged to Sunday dinner so she can meet Winter’s family…

This is the third book in The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic series.

  • Publication date: August 23, 2017
  • Language: English
  • File size: 1.9 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage: Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • Screen Reader: Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Word Wise: Enabled
  • Print length: 288 pages

Review:  Play Dead (Crossroads Queen Book 6) by Annabel Chase

Rating: 5⭐️

This series just keeps getting better, and breaking my heart in places in the process. Over characters that I never expected to care about. 

Chase’s gifts in crafting storylines that are layered in ways that are so deceptive to the reader’s mind and imagination that by now we should know better than to assume anything or have any expectations for anyone. 

Because Chase is almost guaranteed to turn or twist what we think we know around into something totally unforeseen or shockingly horrifying. Or great. I dunno. 

The mythological world of characters and creatures that’s being brought into Fairhaven, through the portals or another mysterious manner, is ever expanding. It’s a fabulous series element that it’s not limited to one culture or any kind of supernatural world element, but multiple pantheons, gods, and their respective realms are coming into play. 

The Corporation is still a big bad and their minions are an ever present realistically visualized threat. What a well crafted horror they are. 

The Wild Hunt is a main event here and its arrival sets off a chain reaction of events including one I didn’t expect, one that saw me crying. Who knew. 

Lorelei is dealing letting her inner circle of friends into her secrets, renovating her crumbling castle, making sure her ghosts and visitor are safe and well, happily doing whatever.  While the Hunt comes in to cause trouble. 

A fantastic read, great character development, marvelous storylines, and the Wild Hunt was an imaginative new element to introduce.  

Another must read series and auto buy author. 

Cover by Trif Designs, which has changed to reflect the fact that the word has gotten out that Lorelei Clay is a demigod. So great touch with that head halo/crown addition. 

Crossroads Queen series:

Dead to the World #1

Dead of Night #2

Dead Last #3

Dead Wrong #4

Dead Weight #5

Play Dead #6

Dead Heat #7

Half Dead #8

Dead End #9 – April 17,2025

Buy link

        Play Dead (Crossroads Queen Book 6)

    

Blurb 

In Fairhaven, there’s no rest for the wicked, the weary, or anyone in between.

The Wild Hunt is on its way to town, commanded by a ruthless leader who leaves only destruction in his wake.

Meanwhile, the Castle has opened its doors as a sanctuary for an unexpected and unwelcome visitor, which puts a damper on Lorelei’s budding relationship with resident demon prince of hell, Kane Sullivan. Even worse, the houseguest brings another hunting party to town, one that Lorelei has been careful to avoid. 

As the threats escalate and secrets are revealed, Lorelei must come to terms with a moment of truth she never anticipated—if she can survive the hunt.

Play Dead is the sixth book in the Crossroads Queen series.

  • Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC (June 20, 2024)
  • Publication date: June 20, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 282 pages

Review:  Star Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 1) by Helen Harper

Rating:  4.75⭐️

Star Witch is a deceptively read, a book that looks to be a very quirky paranormal take on the popular tv survivor shows but with witches as contestants.  Throw in a murder mystery or two and a reunion of lovers, and this is a fabulous quick mystery thriller with a romantic couple involved in the investigation. 

That’s not enough? Then the author decides to add in another hidden storyline that darkens the entire aspect of the novel, throwing the whole plot, the future of everything and everyone into jeopardy.  

Then , boom. Gives us a scene that will change everything. For all the characters. Forever.  

Never saw it coming. Just shocking.

It was at 2am in the morning when I finished this. But with that ending I had to go immediately to read the next book, Spirit Witch, to pick up the events that will occur. 

You’re going to want to do the same.  Outstanding series. And the characters are amazing, starting with  Ivy Wilde, a FMC we definitely need more of. She’s fine with her looks, including the fact she’s full figured, her clothes are worn jeans and comfy  shoes, and she’s not the tallest person out there or the most energetic. But she’s perceptive, kind, inventive and good at hiding exactly how intelligent and talented she’s always been.  I adore her. And the characters around her, including her maybe suitor, Raphael Winter.  And her snarky familiar. 

Run to grab up this series and books. Read them in order for character and plot development. Each is about 20 so chapters long but beautifully written and well crafted. They go quickly.

 Highly recommended.

Cover by Yocla Designs. an accurate representation actually . She’s a fantastic character.

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic:

Slouch Witch #1

Star Witch #2

Spirit Witch #3

Sparkle Witch #4-a holiday novella 

Buy link 

        Star Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 2)

    

Blurb 

Lights. Camera. Inaction. Ivy Wilde, the laziest witch in the West, is still entangled with the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment. That’s not a bad thing, however, because it gives her plenty of excuses to spend more time with sapphire eyed Raphael Winter, her supposed nemesis. And when he comes knocking because he needs her to spy on the latest series of Enchantment, she jumps at the chance. Hanging around a film set can’t be hard … or dangerous … right?

  • Publication date: July 10, 2017
  • Language: English’s
  • Print length: 334 pages

Review: Amber Gambler (The Body Shop Book 2) by Hailey Edwards

Rating: 4.75⭐️

Amber Gambler really was a revelation for me. Where I might have been slow to connect with the universe and the relationships here, maybe even understanding the main character of Frankie Mary as much as I should, this story now immediately has me committing to them, and this series. I’m all in. 

It picks up after the shocking events of Fair Market Value.  The Mary’s are dealing with the emotional and physical damage of the deep betrayal of someone who they thought was a friend. Frankie’s recovering, missing Kierce who’s left to heal his wounds as well as trying to find the right mental state to heal herself from the trauma of Lyle and his son, Harrow. 

There’s Carter’s awful storyline left hanging to bring in here, plus Josie and Matty’s own emotional wounds. 

With all that going on, a ghost comes to Frankie in his need. His granddaughter is missing and he needs Frankie’s help to find her.  

Edwards story is so compelling in that it’s complex and emotional nature allows the author to explore the tragedy of those children who were failed by the society, social care system, or even their own families.  Whether it’s the Mary siblings and their horrific experiences in their foster care system or for the missing girls and abandoned kids Frankie finds along the way, this is a raw, tragic and deeply personal element here. 

Frankie is undergoing physical and psychological changes as well, changes she’s not understanding, something she’s hiding from her family.  

Kierse and his companion crow, Badb , a great character who’s both comedic relief and mysterious being, are back as powerful entities. Kierse is also the potential romantic partner and is more multidimensional. I’m absolutely team Kierse, especially considering the events the play out. Harrow continues to be that toxic personality that everyone regrets. 

Carter is a marvel. She’s quickly becoming a great new surprise as a layered individual who can deliver a new facet of her personality when it’s time. 

As Frankie works with Carter and Kierse to find the missing child, the narrative builds a compelling emotional journey with Edwards creating multiple threads that connect murder mysteries , numerous mythological gods and legends , entwined with deeply intimate personal experiences and characters histories. 

Characters now become more flawed, more complex and wounded. Believable because they’re grounded by revealed histories and ,now, shared trauma, that we too have been a part of. Especially that devastating dramatic event that ends  the book. 

Amazing storytelling by Hailey Edwards. A absolute treasure of a story and cast of characters. 

A must read. 

Great cover art both for storytelling and characters. 

Cover by Damonza 

Illustration by Marouane Hs

The Body Shop series:

Fair Market Value #1

Amber Gambler #2

Midnight Auto Parts #3

Cheater Slicks #4 – Dec 25,2025

Other linked series:

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

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

Buy link

        Amber Gambler (The Body Shop Book 2)

    

Blurb 

The other family business at The Body Shop is slow after word gets out that Frankie had clients die—cease to exist?—on her watch. Considering they were dead to begin with, she understands why the news shook the spirit community’s faith in her, but it’s a hard hit to her bottom line.

When a spirit appears in her office, ready to sign a contract, she’s eager to please. Until she learns why he wants to hire her. He heard about her clients’ deaths, yes, but he also learned Frankie was instrumental in bringing their killer to justice.

The spirit’s human granddaughter has gone missing, and he wants Frankie to find her before it’s too late. Frankie’s no detective, but her schedule is wide open. The job is to save the girl, but with so many gods and monsters prowling the streets of Thunderbolt these days, she’ll be lucky if she can save herself.

  • Publisher: Black Dog Books, LLC. (September 19, 2024)
  • Publication date: September 19, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 306 pages

 

Review:  The Wolf Vs The Shifter (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth Book 3) by Lauretta Hignett

Rating: 4.5⭐️

The Wolf Vs The Shifter (The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth Book 3) by Lauretta Hignett is a great terrifying book.

It simultaneously gives the reader more insight into multiple characters but starts to move all of the major characters into new stages where you can see the ultimate danger and darkness coming for them. 

We learn who Myf, there is a thrilling dramatic scene at the end where several plots crash together into one chaotic mess and battle. 

Great elements here that make this exciting , or disturbing if you think about it, are Dwayne, the goose chaos god and his dalliances with the Fae Princess, and how they have enormous roles here.  Myf, our closet hiding enigma gets her big reveal. And the vile polar bear Alpha gets his comeuppance, finally.

Hignett doesn’t forget to write in the small emotional moments that make the reader remember that there are many children and vulnerable innocent individuals whose lives are at stake in the outcome of the events here. Not just a part of the Hidden City but a small orc child in danger. 

Then the reader sees that the narrative continues to explore all aspects of  Daphne’s life, both as the paranormal child social worker and as that as yet unknown entity that hasn’t been revealed. 

Romeo and gang is here but recovering from the recent events. 

It’s a grand story, scary and serious. Sets the tone for the next one in the series. 

I’m highly recommending this author and series. So creative and well written. 

Book Cover by Atra Luna Graphic Design”

Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth:

The Wolf Vs The Vampire #1

The Wolf Vs The Warlock #2

The Wolf Vs The Shifter #3

The Wolf Vs The Witch #4

The Wolf Vs The Monster #5

The Wolf Vs Santa: A Little Christmas Mystery

Buy link

        The Wolf Vs The Shifter: The Hidden City Supernatural Sleuth

    

Blurb 

The hunt begins…

I’ve been on lockdown in the Hidden City for weeks now. Everyone thinks I’m hiding from the Alpha because I disobeyed his orders one too many times. And, well… I have. He’s coming for me; I know that.

But he’s also coming for Myf, my mysterious agoraphobic pantry-dwelling Welsh friend, and I can’t let him take her. She’s hiding a dangerous secret — one I need her to share with me so I can protect her.

It might be too late. The Alpha is coming, and I’m not ready to face him.

And the worst part is, he’s not coming alone.

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

  • Publication date: January 15, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 263 pages

Review:  Slouch Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 1) by Helen Harper

Rating:  4.5 ⭐️

My must read/auto buy list is growing. Put Helen Harper on there right now.  Every series I read from her just makes me appreciate her writing more .

Here’s another. And it’s due to the awesome main female character. 

That is 27 year old Ivy Wilde, someone outside the normal FMC outline in every conceivable way, from her outlook on exercise ( just no, she loves her plumpish short figure), avoidance of healthy habits and binging her favorite series.  She’s got magic but uses it on her terms. 

I love it when someone writes a woman character who’s not a crowd pleaser, an extrovert or someone who’s just wildly gorgeous.  Nope here we get a witch determined to be that kind of girl whose goal is to be an underachiever. Stay on that couch, eat those Cheetos, chat with your cat, be a part time Taxi driver and do the minimum each day to get by. Woohoo. It’s actually all in the title. 

Slouch Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 1) by Helen Harper. I so love her. 

Ivy’s life changes when she’s mistaken for her out of town roommate, and ends up magically bound to Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. Winter works for Arcane Branch, an investigative service for the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. None of which holds any real value for Ivy who wishes Winter and them gone.

What follows is a marvelous story about two hugely opposite personalities forced to work together on an epic case until the bond wears off.  It’s a funny, magical, thoughtfully crafted mystery about people, power dynamics, and expectations. 

The humor is everything. There’s scenes where I reread them just before bedtime so I could giggle myself off to sleep. Cats! 

If you’ve consorted with cats, been owned by one, then be prepared to howl at the cats here, especially Ivy’s familiar Brutus. 

But the investigations, especially as they start to let Ivy reveal so much about herself and her own recent experiences, are what power this fantastic novel. 

It finishes with a solid ending to this investigation but an open question as to whether the partnership between Ivy and Winter will resume or be over. 

Luckily there more released books to devour and I’m immediately heading forward.   Highly recommending this fabulous female character and author. 

Don’t miss out on Ivy Wilde and her familiar, Brutus.  They are musts!

Cover by Yocla Designs. Close but a accurate representation would be nicer. She’s a fantastic character. Let’s put her on that cover. 

The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic:

Slouch Witch #1

Star Witch #2

Spirit Witch #3

Sparkle Witch #4

Buy link 

        Slouch Witch (The Lazy Girl’s Guide To Magic Book 1)

    

Blurb 

Hard Work Will Pay Off Later. Laziness Pays Off Now. 

Let’s get one thing straight – Ivy Wilde is not a heroine. In fact, she’s probably the last witch in the world who you’d call if you needed a magical helping hand. If it were down to Ivy, she’d spend all day every day on her sofa where she could watch TV, munch junk food and talk to her feline familiar to her heart’s content.

However, when a bureaucratic disaster ends up with Ivy as the victim of a case of mistaken identity, she’s yanked very unwillingly into Arcane Branch, the investigative department of the Hallowed Order of Magical Enlightenment. Her problems are quadrupled when a valuable object is stolen right from under the Order’s noses. 

It doesn’t exactly help that she’s been magically bound to Adeptus Exemptus Raphael Winter. He might have piercing sapphire eyes and a body which a cover model would be proud of but, as far as Ivy’s concerned, he’s a walking advertisement for the joyless perils of too much witch-work. 

And if he makes her go to the gym again, she’s definitely going to turn him into a frog.

  • Publisher: (June 8, 2017)
  • Publication date: June 8, 2017
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 290 pages