Kelly reviews Alpha Night by Nalini Singh

TITLE: Alpha Night
SERIES #: Psy-Changeling Trinity #4
CHARACTERS: Ethan Night & Selenka Durev’
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
NARRATOR: Angela Dawe
RUN TIME: Hours & Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: June 9, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her breathtaking Psy-Changeling Trinity series with a mating that shouldn’t exist…
Alpha wolf Selenka Durev’s devotion to her pack is equaled only by her anger at anyone who would harm those under her care. That currently includes the empaths who’ve flowed into her city for a symposium that is a security nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match.
Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn’t an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he’s loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf.
Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka’s wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka’s new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death…

REVIEW:
Oh man, Ethan Night tried hard to knock Judd Lauren (Caressed by Ice) out of my #1 place for favorite character. But never fear Judd you are still my favorite, but it was so close.
Alpha Night tells us the story of Russian Wolf Alpha Selenka Durev and Arrow Ethan Night. I loved Selenka and Ethan together (and for those who complain about instant love….. TOUGH!!!). Both Selenka and Ethan could have never imagined what the future would hold for them from just one meeting. From that one meeting they both learn to trust and rely on each other.
We also get a more insight to the ongoing threats that have been plaguing the world since the end of Silence.
This was a great story and I loved listening to this audiobook. Angela Dawe is amazing!! I am in total awe of her talent for being a narrator. Her ability for so many voices is just WOW!! If you are looking to try an audiobook this series is a perfect one to start on. Nalini writes epic stories and Angela brings those characters to life!! I am excited about the next installment in this series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kimberly reviews The Last Secret by Rick Mofina

TITLE: Their Last Secret
CHARACTERS: Janie & Emma
AUTHOR: Rick Mofina
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/28/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Some mistakes can never be forgotten—or forgiven.

Janie Klassyn was only fourteen years old when she made the blood pact with her friends. She could never imagine she was setting in motion the horrifying crime that would tear her peaceful prairie town apart.

Twenty years later in California, school counselor Emma Grant struggles to keep her past buried. But when she finds a note on her car threatening to reveal her secret, it becomes harder to keep up the deception. Even her teenage stepdaughter suspects that Emma is hiding something. Now, with her celebrated true-crime author husband digging into a decades-old murder case for his next book, and a suspicious accident involving someone who’s been following her, the perfect life Emma’s built is crumbling, forcing her to take desperate steps to save it…

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts WOW What a read. This reminds me of the original writings I read of Mofina when I first stumbled upon him.

Some things we do as kids are best forgotten but what if our past finds us? That is the concept of this book.
Emma has a past but when her husband wants to write a story about what happened all those years ago, not having a clue it involves his wife, secrets are revealed.

This story takes you in a whirlwind of emotions, including disdain for Emma’s husband.

Not a book to be missed by Mofina. Can’t wait for the next one!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly reviews Always By My Banshee by Molly Harper

TITLE: Always Be My Banshee
SERIES #: Mystic Bayou #4
CHARACTERS: Cordelia Canton & Brendan O’Connor
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi & Jonathan Davis
RUN TIME: 7 Hours & 11 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: April 7, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Audible Original

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The latest Mystic Bayou novel from Audie Award-nominated author Molly Harper will have you swooning with passion and wailing with laughter!
Cordelia Canton is on a top-secret assignment: travel to Mystic Bayou and use her powers as a touch-know psychic to learn more about the mysterious artifact that’s been pulled from the rift site. She’s partnered with Brendan O’Connor, a rare male banshee whose tall, dark, and broody good looks are a major distraction. Before long, it becomes clear that the artifact they’re studying is sentient – and brimming with supernatural power. Can they harness its magic in time to stop the secret forces conspiring to steal it?

REVIEW:
Another excellent installment in the Mystic Bayou series! I just love Molly Harper’s writing. She always has some way of turning anything into snark and sass. I really enjoyed Cordelia and Brenden’s story. These two were a riot of fun. With the whole one can see the past and one can see the end issue thrown in.

Amanda Ronconi & Jonathan Davis do an amazing job yet again in bringing the characters of Mystic Bayou to life. While I normally don’t like two narrators I have grown to love this story being told by the two of them.

I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series! Because the Goatman is out of the stall.

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kelly reviews Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet

TITLE: Starbreaker
SERIES #: Endeavor #2
CHARACTERS: Tess Bailey, Shade Ganavan and the crew of the Endeavor
AUTHOR: Amanda Bouchet
PUBLICATION DATE: April, 28, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Audible | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES
Captain Tess Bailey and Shade Ganavan are still the galaxy’s Most Wanted, and with revolution in the wind and the universe on the brink of catastrophic war, the situation couldn’t be more desperate. Despite the Dark Watch scouring the known sectors for them, rebel leaders have handed the crew of the Endeavor a delicate and dangerous mission: break into Starbase 12 and free renowned scientist Reena Ahern. She’s the only one who stands a chance of tipping the odds in their favor for the first time in decades.
BUT PULLING OFF THE IMPOSSIBLE IS WHAT THEY DO BEST
The clock is ticking. But as their attraction builds and secrets are revealed, Tess and Shade must decide if they trust each other enough to execute this impossible prison break. They could change the course of history, but they’ll be risking everything… They’ll just have to tackle one crisis at a time.

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts Friendships will be tested
Enemies with surprises up their sleeves
Secrets revealed
Resolves will grow stronger
Freedom in the balance

Starbreaker is the second installment of Amanda Bouchet’s Endeavor trilogy (yes, you need to read book one Nightchaser first). Starbreaker picks up shortly after the events of book one end and brings us deeper into the world of the Nightchaser’s, the Dark Watch and the universe as a whole. We learn a great deal more about Tess and her history. We also learn a lot more about the events that have brought them to where they are today and the battle that has to be fought soon.

This was a great follow up to Nightchaser. I really enjoyed reading this book and getting back with these characters. Amanda does a great job of making you fall in love with each of her characters. Tess and Shade are a great team and I am looking forward to seeing them grow. There is action, excitement, surprises, suspense and love all wrapped up in this story.

If Jax doesn’t get off his duff soon I might have to jump into the story and slap him.

I am so excited for the final book in this trilogy. I can’t wait to see how everything turns out. If you are a SciFi fan or a fan of Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Series you need to get this series!!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Edelweiss, Netgalley & SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kimberly reviews Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh

TITLE: Cross Her Heart
SERIES #: Bree Taggert #1
CHARACTERS: Bree Taggert
AUTHOR: Melinda Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/17/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.

For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.

Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.

REVIEW:
This is a new series by an author I have heard a lot about so I decided to try it. And I am so glad I did. Now I get it. The writing of Leigh is great. She pulls you in right away.

Bree comes back to her hometown and is immediately pulled into an investigation that she doesn’t think the police are handling correctly. And she has to team up with Matt who just happens to be the suspects be3st friend. So of course he has an ulterior motive.

I can’t wait to read the next in the series. And I think I may need to go back and read some other books by Melinda Leigh.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly reviews Cross Her Heart by Melinda Leigh

TITLE: Cross Her Heart
SERIES #: Bree Taggert #1
CHARACTERS: Bree Taggert & Matt Flynn
AUTHOR: Melinda Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: March 17, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A homicide detective’s violent family history repeats itself in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of murder, secrets, and retribution.

For more than twenty-five years, Philadelphia homicide detective Bree Taggert has tucked away the nightmarish childhood memories of her parents’ murder-suicide…Until her younger sister, Erin, is killed in a crime that echoes that tragic night: innocent witnesses and a stormy marriage that ended in gunfire. There’s just one chilling difference. Erin’s husband, Justin, has vanished.

Bree knows how explosive the line between love and hate can be, yet the evidence against her troubled brother-in-law isn’t adding up. Teaming up with Justin’s old friend, former sheriff’s investigator and K-9 handler Matt Flynn, Bree vows to uncover the secrets of her sister’s life and death, as she promised Erin’s children. But as her investigation unfolds, the danger hits close to home. Once again, Bree’s family is caught in a death grip. And this time, it could be fatal for her.

REVIEW:
Bree Taggert has to return to her hometown to once again face a violent death in her family. Once Bree returns to town she finds that she can’t just sit back and let the local police handle the investigation. Bree will team up with Matt Flynn (who just happens to be the prime suspects best friend).

But will Bree be ready for all the secrets and lies she is about to uncover?

Another great story by Melinda Leigh! Cross Her Heart is the first book in her new Bree Taggert Series. I am very excited to see where this series goes. It was fun to see a few familiar names from past series also. I am already looking forward to book two See Her Die (September 1, 2020).
If you are looking for a good suspense read I would highly suggest that you pick up a copy of Cross Her Heart.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kimberly reviews The Hunt For History by Nathan Raab

TITLE: The Hunt For History
CHARACTERS: Historical Characters
AUTHOR: Nathan Raab
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/10/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
On the Trail of the World’s Lost Treasures—from the Letters of Lincoln, Churchill, and Einstein to the Secret Recordings Onboard JFK’s Air Force One

Nathan Raab, America’s preeminent rare documents dealer, describes his years as the Sherlock Holmes of historical artifacts—questing after precious finds and determining their authenticity—and he shows us what the past can tell us about the present.

A box uncovered in a Maine attic with twenty letters written by Alexander Hamilton; a handheld address to Congress by President George Washington; a long-lost Gold Medal that belonged to an American President; a note that Winston Churchill wrote to his captor when he was a young POW in South Africa; paperwork signed and filled out by Amelia Earhart when she became the first woman to fly the Atlantic; an American flag carried to the moon and back by Neil Armstrong; an unpublished letter written by Albert Einstein, discussing his theory of relativity.

Each day, people from all over the world contact Nathan Raab for help understanding what they have, what it might be worth, and how to sell it. The Raab Collection’s president, Nathan is a modern-day treasure hunter and one of the world’s most prominent dealers of historical artifacts. Most weeks, he travels the country, scours auctions, or fields phone calls and emails from people who think they may have found something of note in a grandparent’s attic.

In The Hunt for History, Raab shares some fascinating stories about his professional exploits: spotting a letter from British officials that secured the Rosetta Stone; discovering a piece of the first electric cable laid by Edison; restoring a fragmented letter from Andrew Jackson that led to the infamous Trail of Tears; and locating copies of missing audio that had been recorded on Air Force One as the plane brought JFK’s body back to Washington. Whether it’s the first report of Napoleon’s death or an unpublished letter penned by Albert Einstein to a curious soldier, every document and artifact Raab uncovers comes with a spellbinding story—and often offers new insights into a life we thought we knew.

REVIEW:
As a fan of history I couldn’t wait to read this book. And I am so glad I got to. I have never heard of Nathan Raab but I will be looking into him more now. I found the information he has really fascinating. So much rare and informative documents and artifacts.

I loved the writing style of Raab. I found myself sharing some of the information with others without even realizing I had retained the facts.

I actually think I will buy the hard copy so we have it for generations to come.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly reviews A Heart Of Blood And Ashes by Milla Vane

TITLE: A Heart of Blood and Ashes
SERIES #: A Gathering of Dragons #1
CHARACTERS: Maddek & Yvenne
AUTHOR: Milla Vane
PUBLICATION DATE: February 4, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents’ murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king’s daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones—because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own…

REVIEW:
Maddek is out for vengeance and nothing will stand in his way. That is until he meets an unlikely ally. One that will test everything the Maddek knows and feels. Nothing will ever be the same for Maddek.

Yvenne has been looked away for all her life. But now she is free and she is determined to take what is rightfully hers. In order to do that she will need the help of a very reluctant ally that would rather her dead.

What a great first book in Milla Vane’s new A Gathering of Dragons series. I really enjoyed reading this book. Milla does a great job building a world full of very strange creatures, magic and the people that live in this world. I really enjoyed the case of characters too. I am already looking forward to the next installment in this series.

If you are looking for a great read that is filled with stubborn warriors, strategic queens, lies, betrayals, magic, hope and romance you need to put add this book to your need to read list!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kimberly reviews Hero’s Haven by Rebecca Zanetti

TITLE: Hero’s Haven
SERIES #: Dark Protectors #11
CHARACTERS: Haven & Quade
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/21/20
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’s her darkest fantasy. . .

After years of struggling, Haven Daly has finally accepted that she’s nuttier than a fruitcake. Why else would she see visions of a beautiful but tormented male every night . . . and actually believe she can talk to him, even feel his touch? But thanks to those dream journeys, she can paint images nobody else on earth can duplicate. In each brush stroke, she captures the blatant masculinity and raw desire in his eyes that promise he’s coming for her…and soon.

She’s the light that keeps him going. . .

Quade Kayrs has already suffered a lifetime of pain and torture. Completely isolated, he kept his sanity thanks to one beautiful female, a vision with kind emerald eyes. In the end, her soft voice led him out of hell. Now, naked and alone, he’s in a strange world that bears little resemblance to the one he left behind. All he knows is Haven. All he wants is Haven. His final mission? To protect her from the evil hunting them both—whether she likes it or not . . .

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts Dark Predators!!!! REBECCA ZANETTI!!! Two of the best things to yell when you are talking paranormal authors and series!

Boy as much as I love Quade (and who doesn’t love Rebecca’s guys?) I really liked Haven in this story. I loved she was so independent but broken. But it works with Haven. Something about her makes you want to be her friend. Makes you want to stand behind her and whisper in her ear… “You can do this. Go for it.” And clap as she does.

Now about Quade! He is a typical Zanetti guy. He is alpha and a bad-ass but yet you cheer for him.

I would say… DO NOT START HERE! This series can not really be read as a stand alone. But then if you go back and read the first one you will not be able to put this series down. But then I would say “Lucky you” for getting to read this series without having to wait between books!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly reviews Archangel’s War by Nalini Singh

TITLE: Archangels War
SERIES #: Guild Hunters #12
CHARACTERS: Elena & Raphael
AUTHOR: Nalini Singh
NARRATOR: Justine Eyre
RUN TIME: 15 Hours & 39 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: September 24, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | Kindle | BN | Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | IndieBound

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Wings of silver. Wings of blue. Mortal heart. Broken dreams. Shatter. Shatter. Shatter. A sundering. A grave. I see the end. I see. . .
The world is in chaos as the power surge of the Cascade rises to a devastating crescendo. In furiously resisting its attempts to turn Elena into a vessel for Raphael’s power, Elena and her archangel are irrevocably changed. . .far beyond the prophecy of a cursed Ancient.
At the same time, violent and eerie events around the world threaten to wipe out entire populations. And in the Archangel Lijuan’s former territory, an unnatural fog weaves through the land, leaving only a bone-chilling silence in its wake. Soon it becomes clear that even the archangels are not immune to this deadly evil. This time, even the combined power of the Cadre may not be enough. . .
This war could end them all.

REVIEW:
5+ Hearts Sometimes you read a book and just have no idea how to write a spoiler free review (long dramatic sigh). So here it goes.

Archangel’s War picks up shortly after the major cliffhanger of Archangel’s Prophecy (book 11, I would highly, highly suggest reading this series in order). We learn the fate of Elena and Raphael and nothing will ever be the same. There is an epic battle with Lijuan for the future of the world. Not everyone will survive this battle.

I loved this book. I love this series. I love that Nalini has that ability to write such amazing characters that I get way to invested in. Raphael and Elena are amazing together even after 12 books I do not get tired of seeing these two grow.

I listened to this book on audio and love every second of Justine Eyre reading to me. I love her talented voice and ability to make each and every character their own. I look forward to her reading me the next books.

I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. Fingers crossed that it is Illium or Aodhan or Illium and Aodhan :D.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Penguin Random house in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased a copy of this audiobook and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kelly reviews The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot

TITLE: The Last Sister
SERIES #: Columbia River #1
CHARACTERS: Zander Wells & Emily Mills
AUTHOR: Kendra Elliot
PUBLICATION DATE: January 14, 2020
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Twenty years ago Emily Mills’s father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed.
Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night—until an eerily similar murder brings it all back. It also brings FBI special agent Zander Wells to the Oregon logging town. As eager as he is to solve the brutal double slaying, he is just as intrigued with the mystery of Emily’s and her sisters’ past.
When more blood is shed, Zander suspects there’s a secret buried in this town no one wants unearthed. Is it something Emily and Madison don’t know? Or aren’t telling? And Tara? Maybe Emily can’t bear to find her. Because when Tara disappeared, she took a secret of her own with her.

REVIEW:
Nothing stays buried forever and secrets have a way of coming back to haunt the living.

When a double murder of a local couple the FBI is called in due to the nature of the crime. Zander and Ava show up in the small town of Bartonville to lend a hand and find out if was a hate crime. Once they start turning over stones an avalanche of issues start falling around them.

Zander finally gets his book. I think that there is more to Zander’s story and I hope Kendra has plans on telling it. I have loved Zander since we first met him in Vanished (book one of Callahan & McLane Series).

The Last Sister was a great book and had me turning the pages and not wanting to set this book down. There were many twists and turns throughout the whole book that Kendra Elliot had me on my toes wonder what was going to be next.

So excited already for book #2 The Silence & #3 (no title yet) make sure to check out Kendra Elliot’s website for all updates on her series {https://www.kendraelliot.com/books-by-series/}

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Kelly reviews The Rise Of Magicks by Nora Roberts

TITLE: The Rise of Magicks
SERIES #: Chronicles of the One #3
CHARACTERS: Fallon Swift
AUTHOR: Nora Roberts
NARRATOR: Julia Whelan
RUNTIME: 14 Hours & 3 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: November 26, 2019
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her younger years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined to save even those who have been complicit with this evil out of fear or weakness—if, indeed, they can be saved.
Strengthened by the bond she shares with her fellow warrior, Duncan, Fallon has already succeeded in rescuing countless shifters and elves and ordinary humans. Now she must help them heal—and rediscover the light and faith within themselves. For although from the time of her birth, she has been The One, she is still only one. And as she faces down an old nemesis, sets her sights on the enemy’s stronghold, and pursues her destiny—to finally restore the mystical shield that once protected them all—she will need an army behind her…

REVIEW:
The Rise of Magicks is the final installment in Nora Roberts Chronicles of the One trilogy. This was a great ending to a wonderful trilogy. I laughed, I cried (a lot, have tissues) and I cheered. So many good things happen in this book that I can almost forgive Mrs. Roberts for the bad things. I loved this series so much. From the very start of the first book I was hooked. Yes, there were times when the stories where a little slow but Nora was building a beautiful and complex world.
I let the wonderfully talented Julia Whelan read this whole series to me. I loved how she was able to bring the characters to life for me. If you are an audiobook fan and are looking for a great trilogy written by a great author and a fabulous narrator you need to pick up this series.
This whole trilogy may have not come out in 2019 but it was one of my favorite reads/listens for the 2019 year! I hope that we get to see these characters and this world again in the future. I would like to know how they are faring in the new world.

Disclaimer:
I received a purchased copy of this book from Audible.com and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.