3-3.5 stars

Mind of the Phoenix by Jamie McLachlan caught my attention because of the cover and as soon as I read the summary I decided this book was what I was looking for and I am glad I took a chance on this one.

McLachlan grabbed my attention from the very beginning of this book as she pulls you directly into the middle of a tough situation for the main character, Moira. Moira is a powerful empath and because she killed her master, she is currently close to death in prison. When she is presented with an opportunity to save herself – at least for the time being – she decides to take it.

First, I want to say that McLachlan created an interesting world in this book. Empaths are common enough but they are considered slaves to those in power. McLachlan also adds a historical feel to this story by setting it in the 1900’s which I loved. It created some constraints that I think added a layer to this story that perhaps wouldn’t have been there if this were set in a different time.

I liked Moira as a main character. She has had a tough and interesting life and because she is an empath, she was owned by a pleasure house prior to being in prison. She also happens to have some abilities as an empath that she hasn’t necessarily advertised which gives her a bit of an edge when she is presented with an opportunity to help a detective work to solve some murders that are happening to the Elite.

Moira’s partner in working to solve the mystery is Keenan Edwards. Initially he is pretty standoffish and restrained. Don’t get me wrong, he has some secrets and he isn’t necessarily broadcasting his story to everyone but as Moira begins to work with him, little pieces of who he is start to break through the cracks of the image he puts out to everyone and I honestly wish we would have learned more about him. I am hopeful that if there is another book, we will get to learn more about Keenan and his past. I feel like there is a good story there.

One of the things I enjoyed was the banter between Moira and Keenan. As they begin to work together, they definitely do not trust each other and with that, they don’t hold their tongues when they have something to say. Moira isn’t bashful and Keenan isn’t afraid to face her head on. While at first their interactions are somewhat distant and show that they barely tolerate each other, as the story progresses, it is clear their thoughts about each other change.

The mystery of the Phoenix and what is going on is what helps to drive the story forward. Because the story isn’t resolved within this book I am hopeful there will be another book to delve more into the story of the Phoenix and what the vendetta against the Elite is. I thought McLachlan did a wonderful job with this book and I look forward to more from this author. If you are looking for a fantasy with a historical bend and a bit of a mystery, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

The Alpha’s Temporary Mate is the first book of the Fated Match series that I have read and I’m glad I requested it. I will be definitely going back to read the first two books of this series as I enjoyed this one and found myself pulled into this world of paranormals looking for love.

Chloe Donovan works for the matchmaking company Fated Match and she has met her biggest challenge in Kieran Clearwater. Kieran is the Alpha for one of the largest werewolf communities and is known as a playboy. He has no real desire to settle down but in an attempt to show his pack there’s nothing to worry about, he has contracted them to find him a fake girlfriend that he can bring to their pack retreat and show the pack leaders things are fine.

Chloe is a great character. She has been around for a while but she has an approach to matchmaking that makes you realize there is more to this for her than just the success. She wants the people she matches to be happy and stay together and so far in her career she has been pretty successful. When Kieran asks for something temporary it goes against everything she believes Fated Match is there for and she strongly declines to help him. Unfortunately (or fortunately…depending on how you look at it) for her, Kieran doesn’t just take no for an answer and goes above her head. When he gets the answer he wants, Chloe is stuck with the challenge of figuring out just who would be able to be a temporary mate for him.

As Kieran evaluates the women that Chloe finds for him, he realizes none of them are what he is looking for. In addition to that, most wouldn’t be able to stand up to the leaders of his pack and he desperately needs this woman to be able to hold her own when with the pack and eventually he comes to the conclusion that Chloe is that woman. When Chloe finally agrees to Kieran’s plan, her world gets turned a bit upside down.

Chloe and Kieran are interesting characters. Chloe hasn’t had an easy life as an orphaned witch. She has never had a sense of family and it is clear to Kieran that this is something she has missed. Despite this, she has made her life a success and as she comes to realize, her family consists of the friends she has made during her time with Fated Match. I loved Chloe’s personality – she was tough and willing to face a challenge head on. She fought for what she wanted and the only time I saw her falter in this was when she was faced with Kieran’s past.

Kieran was the perfect mix of tough, sexy, and vulnerable. He has his own reasons as to why he is the way he is with women and he has put up some pretty big walls to avoid getting hurt again. As he gets closer to Chloe and learns more about her, he is drawn to her and has a hard time fighting the attraction. He knows that if he wants anything with Chloe, he is going to have to share some of his secrets with her and trust her not to wreck him.

I loved seeing these two characters knock down each other’s walls and build a relationship. This book had a great mix of character development and romance as well as a great story. I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books by Victoria Davies. If you are looking for a great paranormal, check this one out when you can!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Castle of Sighs by Jennifer Murgia is book two of the Forest of Whispers series and if you haven’t read book one, you should consider checking it out. Murgia wrote a story about witches and magic while also tying in a bit of history to create something that had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next.

When this book opens, Rune is staying at Pyrmont Castle and taking care of two orphans who were left after the witch hunt. As she settles in, Rune feels a pull to certain areas of the castle but as she begins to dig into the secrets of the castle, her mother, and Mathilde she finds out the secrets might be more than she is ready to handle.

I don’t want to say too much about the actual story as I don’t want to ruin it for anyone but I will say that Murgia creates a wonderfully creepy atmosphere in this book. The way Murgia revealed the secrets added to the creepiness of the castle and I loved all of it.

One of the things I liked in addition to the story was the growth I saw in Rune. She has definitely faced some dangerous situations and each time she does, she becomes stronger. Her ability to face things she doesn’t necessarily want to face is something I like about Rune and she does this throughout the entire book.

Laurentz has a role to play in this book and I loved that we were able to learn more about him. His secrets are revealed once Rune begins to dig and I thought Murgia tied everything together in a way that not only made sense but kept the story moving. Laurentz wants to protect Rune but he knows she needs to find the answers she is searching for.

So I’m hopeful this review isn’t too vague and gives you a sense of how well done this series is. Murgia does a wonderful job of creating a story that has solid characters and a great, atmospheric feel to it. If you are looking for something that will have you wondering what the real story is throughout the book, definitely check this series out. Murgia weaves together a story that has wonderful writing and an interesting plot which kept me turning the pages to find out what was coming next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!

Review to come

4.5 stars

These Shallow Graves is the first book I have read by Jennifer Donnelly and I mean it when I say, it will not be the last. I loved everything about this book. The cover and the actual pages are beautiful (There’s a MAP), the characters are fantastic, and the mystery…while I guessed what was going on, I didn’t care. Donnelly created a story that yanked me in from page one and wouldn’t let me go until I finished and knew what was going to happen.

Jo Montfort comes from a well-known family and has grown up surrounded by riches and rules. As a member of the elite society of New York City, the only thing that is expected of her is that she not embarrass her family name and she marry well. The thing about Jo is she wants more than that…one of the things she wants is to be able to write – preferably a newspaper reporter like Nellie Bly.

When tragedy strikes her family, Jo is thrown into a situation she never expected to face. As she digs more and more into the death of her father, Jo is introduced to people and danger both of which would get her into a lot of trouble if her mother and uncle knew what she was up to. I loved seeing her do what she wanted to in order to find out more. I have read many books about this time in our history and every time I hear how condescending men were to women (they couldn’t possibly have a brain or want to use it for more than discussion about weather and parties) it makes me cringe and appreciate the things I am able to do.

As Jo digs, she meets a guy named Eddie. At first it was clear he saw her as an opportunity to advance at the paper but when he learns more about Jo, he finds himself drawn to her. The challenge for these two as they start to have feelings for each other, is that they are from different classes in society and definitely not allowed to do any of the things they have been up to. Both romantically as well as journalists. I liked Eddie – he has a past and as his secrets are revealed he becomes more than just the guy who will help Jo.

Coming from different classes, it was interesting to see the way they viewed each other and how they came to realize just how different they really were. From a relationship perspective, I loved seeing them realize the differences and try to figure out how they could even make their relationship work…or if they should.

There are a number of secondary characters that add to the story and I have to say, the timeframe that Donnelly set the story in was the perfect framework for this book. If you are looking for a good mystery with solid characters and a page-turning story, definitely check this book out when you can.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!