92. Wild Life by Opal Wei (eArc: Jan 24, contemporary rom, rom com in the right way!, Taiwanese-Canadian MCs,MMC has anxiety/panic attacks) Mini-Synopsis: A cancer researcher bullies her way on to the private island of former C-pop star-aspiring wildlife rescuer after he accidently ends up with a slide crucial to... Continue reading

98. Resonance Surge by Nalini Singh (SFR/PNR WW/AM, Bear Changeling/ mentally scarred Psy) Mixed feelings…wasn’t enjoying the book…took a 3 week break & enjoyed the ending? Wrong mood? Hmmm. CWs: murder, child abuse, serial killer, non-conventual medical procedures, ableism Mini-Synopsis: The tortured and skittish sister of powerful Psy, Theo Marshall,... Continue reading

73. Twisted by Laura Griffin (RS, WM/WW, cop/FBI agent, co-workers, age difference, past trauma: parental loss, child abuse) Allison’s friends actually check on her! Cw: serial killer, assault, guns, knives, grief, workaholism, mentions of rape, pedophilia, stalking. 74. Scorched by Laura Griffin (RS, WM/WW, SEAL/Bone expert, on-the-run & 2nd chance).... Continue reading

56. The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman (Regency, Mystery,). Widowed Lady Adler has returned to town, and promptly discovers a body. CWs: murder, racism, sexual harassment, guns, grief. 57. Ana María and the Fox by Liana De La Rosa (1860’s UK Hrom, Mexican FMC/Black-Scottish MMC) Loved the sisterly... Continue reading

40. Wild Things by Chloe Neill (UF, 9, WM/WW) Magical threat to shifters and hidden magical peoples. Shifters are so messy emotionally. CWs: murder, violence, gore, magical coercion, kidnapping, prejudice 41. Blood Games by Chloe Neill (UF, 10, WM/WW) Oof, past allegiances & choices are tested as big political changes... Continue reading

Thank god for authors with rich backlists and lots and lots of audiobook offerings. In march I finished the Rockton/Casey Duncan series that I have previously reviewed and then moved on to catch up on the audios of Haley Edwards Black Hat Bureau series. I read a ton of Haley... Continue reading

Genre: Mystery/Thrillers with Romantic Elements. Tropes: found family, small town, new start. Main Characters: Casey Duncan, Chinese/Filipino/Scottish Canadian, former police detective with a killer secret. Eric Dalton, White, wilderness-born sheriff of secret small town in the Yukon. Series CWs: Guns, murder, mutilation, medical procedures, sex work, slut-shaming, kidnapping, rape, beatings,... Continue reading

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (CIAG 12, WM Québécois detective) . Up way too late but I needed to finish it and then cry myself out. Ooof (CWs: murder, manipulation, suicide, coercion, abuse, racism, sex work, drug use, police abuse). In this installment Gamache continues to reckon with his... Continue reading

The Heroic Hearts Anthology series reminded me of how engrossing it can be sink my teeth (heh) into a new urban fantasy universe. Based on the short story I read I wanted to read more. The short story: Silverspell by Chloe Neill. A Katana wielding Vampire princess & An Alpha... Continue reading

Last year when this came out I put it in my mental wish-list...but I just wasn't going to plunk down full price for a collection of short stories where I was only likely to read 2 of the stories. Thankfully one of the libraries I used finally bought the audio... Continue reading

12. The Nature of the Beast of Louise Penny (CIGM #11, WM Quebecois, CW: Child Death, Serial Killer, Child killer) I am going to let this book sit with me a bit. I don't feel ready to jump into the next because of what wringer the residents of Three Pines... Continue reading

Ivelisse Housman is the daughter of my childhood best-friend. It has been a joy watching her pitch this story on Twitter to holding her book in my hand. I loved noticing little way Housman included hints of her Puerto Rican that heritage in a fantasy setting like the way she... Continue reading

Oooooooooh ooooh. Wow. This books so many things so well. It upends some our most beloved characters once more and opens them and their hurts in deeper ways. Bad I knitted and speed listened to the last hours of this book I was riveted, tense, wounded and blown away. Just... Continue reading

After the way The Beautiful Mystery ended, I desperately needed the next book. However all my libraries had long waits for the ebooks and digital audio copies. Hoopla to the rescue! My local library only recently started offering Hoopla access, so I stuck my earbuds in, downloaded the book, and... Continue reading

8. The Hangman by Louise Penny (CIGM #6.5, WM Quebecois Detective, short story) One of the final episodes of the TV adaptation's season used this story for its plot and honestly there wasn't much to this beyond what they adapted. Just sort of flat. (CWs: Murder, suicide, grief) Continue reading

A murder in an isolated monastery, bring Gamache and Beouvoir to the cloistered community where glances, silences and the smallest of tremors are magnified into blaring communication. I was spoiled for a major character conflict in this book and it made it so hard to read as I saw it... Continue reading

A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (CIAG #7, WM a Québécois detective). Oops belatedly realized I missed a short story. This story seemed crowded with suspects, left me feeling sad. Cw: addiction, murder, gaslighting, past trauma: emotional abuse Jean-Guy and Peter are both spiraling in this book but... Continue reading

After the devastation to Three Pines after the last book where one of its most prominent citizens and beloved recurring character ends up accused of murder by Gamache and his team, it is no surprise that the book starts elsewhere but what is a surprise is that Gamache and many... Continue reading

Miles Brown is a second-generation rockstar who falls hard for the lead singer for their new opening band. Harlow Martin's band is on the verge of breaking out and stepping out of her Metal-God Dad's shadow and the last thing she needs is to have people thinking she sleeping her... Continue reading

3. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny ( CIGM #5 WM Québécois detective) Utterly wrenching. Greed, fear and secrets combine to into an evil brew that tears into the fabric of Three Pines (CWs : murder, homophobia, past trauma: wars, genocide, war crimes) This book was heart-wrenching and painful as... Continue reading

Bear with Me by Mae Marvel My second book of the year was a #shopmyshelves choice. I got this free novella by Mae Marvel, the pen name for the writing duo of Ruthie Knox and Anne Mare ( who used to write as Mary Ann Rivers) as newsletter freebie. A... Continue reading

Kate and Curran are deep into renovating their new home on the Carolina coast, a fresh start for all of them after leaving Atlanta and all its claims behind them. But nothing is never that simple, Kate, Curran and Conlan might be in a new city but they can’t leave... Continue reading

I don't usually articulate my reading goals beyond, read things that enjoy but inspired by Suzanne of Love in Panels's post without further ado: via GIPHY My reading goals: — read more MG books (job-related) — listen to more non-fiction ( keep buying it just to listening to them! —... Continue reading

Looking back nearly every book I read this year involved crime, whatever the genre it was romance, science fiction or mystery. We all know that cozy mysteries are a thing, and while some of these were cozy, others were more aptly described as thrillers. The comfort in these were the... Continue reading

December reading is like much of the past year. Full of romantic suspense and books by much trusted authors like Nora Roberts, Ilona Andrews and Molly Harper. I have also begun what will likely be my next binge author, Louise Penny whose Armand Gamache mysteries have completely charmed me. 111.... Continue reading