Book Review: Doing Time (Wayfair Witches #12) by A.A. Albright

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Cozy Paranormal Mystery
Length: 250 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: December 9th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When Wanda kills Baldrick Berry, there’s only one place for her to go: Witchfield Prison.

Being an inmate isn’t much fun – not when Wanda’s the one who arrested a lot of of the prisoners in the first place. And not when two prisoners have died in mysterious ways. Even Witchfield itself has some secrets to be solved.

But when an angry little dog comes to haunt her, Wanda begins to realise that Baldrick’s death wasn’t quite as simple as it seemed.

Wanda must navigate prison life, deal with an angry ghost, and find out the truth. At the same time, she’s discovering new and frightening aspects to her power, and trying to understand her confusing feelings for Will.

WE’RE BACK.

I love this series. It is light, it is an escape, and it fun to enjoy Wanda’s journey.

This is another quick read that left me with enough mystery to keep the pages turning. I am very particular to one side of this love triangle and while I don’t mind the other, I am waiting with baited breath to know if I will be on the right side of this in the end.

I like that there seems to be another bigger arc for the characters and I can’t wait to see how things shake out.

Easy recommend if you’re looking for something new and that has great writing and wonderful dynamics.

Overall audience notes:

  • Cozy Paranormal Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, false imprisonment

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Book Review: Pier Pressure (Deadlights Cove #4) by B. Perkins and Aimee Vance

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Paranormal Romance
Length: 418 pages
Author: B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
Publisher: Revel Books
Release Date: May 20th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lysander Theroux has always been ordered around by his mother and head of the Deadlights Cove witch Coven, Ostara. In the best interest of the Coven, he puts his ego aside, glad he at least has an escape from the crushing pressure in his band, The Lost Talisman.

Maisie Douglass has been living a double life for years. Abovewater, she uses a fake name in town to hide her true identity. Underwater, she plays the dutiful heir to the throne, the eldest daughter of the overbearing Ronan, King of the Sea Nymphs.

When their controlling parents announce they’ve both arranged marriages for their children to increase their magical powers — Lysander to a bear shifter, and Maisie to a demon — they’ve finally gone too far.

Together, Lys and Maisie will pretend to be in a serious relationship so their parents will back off the whole arranged marriage thing — simple enough, right?

True to the town’s history, nothing ever goes to plan.

THIS SERIES MAKES ME HAPPY.

Another win for Deadlights Cove. I loved Lysander and Maisie!!! The dash of forbidden romance worked so well between these too. I felt the connection from the get-go and those fiery kisses set me ablaze. There were great character arc building moments and I loved seeing Lysander and Maisie both stand up for themselves and for the right to choose what they wanted to do with their lives. It was swoony, the perfect level of heated, and the rush of action at the end was the perfect capstone.

I love this entire town and every single character. There’s humor and heart and I laughed many times as I devoured each page of this romance. As someone who usually says I’m not a paranormal fan, this is the exception and I need everyone who feels the same to try this series too!! You won’t regret it!!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Rom-Com
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 2 open door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: near death experiences, new drowning

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Book Review: Wing and a Miss (Deadlights Cove #3) by B. Perkins and Aimee Vance

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Paranormal Romance
Length: 324 pages
Author: B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: February 4th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Dr. Selene Flores spent the last 13 years in Boston creating a life outside of Deadlights Cove. Successful practice, her own condo, and a lackluster social life. When Mayor Orion calls in a debt, her life is turned upside down.

Ryker, supernatural bounty hunter and mercenary, is injured on his way back from tracking down the demon-witch causing chaos in their world. The wound should be impossible for an ancient magic-wielding dragon shifter, yet it’s not healing with magic, and Selene is the only witch medically-trained who might be able to help him.

Only problem is, Selene has been avoiding Ryker since their one-night stand on Halloween.

The two are forced to put their differences aside when chaos strikes again, impairing the magic in Deadlights Cove and beyond. Who better to continue the hunt for the culprit than the one witch who doesn’t rely on her magic?

Except there’s no way in Hel that Ryker is letting Selene take over his job. Not alone.

Follow Selene and Ryker’s story, along with the quirky band of local misfits, in Book 3 of the Deadlights Cove series, Wing and A Miss. While each book follows a different couple, the Deadlights Cove series is best read in order, starting with Smoke Show.

NEW SERIES FAVORITE.

I have highly enjoyed every book in this series, but Wing and a Miss is my new favorite. It hit a new level of perfectly placed banter and with a grumpy protective hero? SIGN ME UP.

Even though Selene and Ryker started off a one night stand (which yay for me was off page prior to the book) they built their relationship from that and I was very much connected to seeing them fall in love. There were so many good moments between them. The snarky taking care of you scenes, to the cabin in the woods, to every other stolen time they got. LOVED it all.

The over arching plot continues to keep my attention too. I like that it adds the action and intrigue while the romance stays at the fore front. This book are a lot of fun. I like that they make me laugh, swoon and sit on the edge of my seat. There’s multiple other couples I can’t wait to get books for!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3 open; low-med explicit
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, kidnapping

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Book Review: The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Ashley Poston
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 28th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she can’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead . . . but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

GREW ON ME.

I spent the first 30-40% of this book wondering if I had made a mistake in picking it up. Not that it was bad, just thinking it might not be for me? It was a tad slow and I wasn’t sure when the romance was going to come into play.

BUT. I ate some of my words because past that point I fell in love with so much of this book. There were beautiful conversations surrounding loss, grief, and life. My heartstrings were pulled continually as these characters wrapped themselves around my heart. The power that words have over us is incredible and many of these statements weaved there way into me.

The romance was so sweet!!! The paranormal ghost aspects played out exactly as I hoped (blessed be or I might have thrown my book at anyone who told me I should read it). I thought Florence and Ben clicked. The chemistry was undeniable and the slow burn of watching them get to know each other was precious.

Lots to love about this one. It made good on the hype surrounding it and I look forward to future books by this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Paranormal Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, grief depiction, bullying (mentioned)

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