Short and Sweet Book Reviews #34 - Sunrise Crossing by Jodi Thomas, Snowfall on Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne, 'Tis The Season by Jennifer Gracen

Sunrise Crossing by Jodi Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yancy Grey has been a character in the Ransom Canyon from the time he stepped off of the bus after getting out of prison and became the caretaker for a group of senior citizens. Now in book four he gets his HEA. There a mystery person who comes into his life. It is interesting how he reacts to having someone who loves him and he loves in return. It is a very nice sweet relationship that has no guarantee for either one. There are two mysteries in the book. Yancy is the only main character from previous books in the series. Look for two more to intertwine their lives with Yancy and Ransom Canyon. A really good addition to the series. I hope we see more of the main characters in Sunrise Crossing in future books.

Snowfall on Haven Point by RaeAnne Thayne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Andrea Montgomery has had a rough time but she is putting her life back together (We met her in the last book when a starker came to town and found her). Sheriff Marshall Bailey is having a tough time. When someone tried to run him down he ended up with a broken leg and having to stay home. Of course Andrea is the one asked to look in one him, a task she would just as soon skip. Don't you know it is a set up for a great romance but not one that runs smooth. At first there is Marshall's really bad attitude. Then there are Andrea'a fears and the danger stalking Marshall. That leads to more complications than any one needs. A good addition to the series using two characters we have met before.

'Tis the Season by Jennifer Gracen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Harrisons are a interesting family, very wealthy but that is not bringing a lot of happiness to Charles, the eldest. This appears to be book three in the family saga. The other two brothers have found their HEA. Charles's sister is still looking. Charles finds his in an unexpected place with someone who he has known for two years. I enjoyed the story but did think they talked the relationship to death before finally getting together. A nice fun love story.

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Stacking the Shelves - July 30, 2016

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

I hit the audio books at the library this week.  I have been reading so much I decided to rest my eyes a bit.  Even so I also added to ebooks.  Fatal Deception and Fatal Mistake by Marie Force are the next ones in the Fatal series.

On the audio side I got

Fair Game by Patricia Briggs - This is one of my favorite series and I read the book when it came out.  Enjoyed visiting with Charles and Anna again.
Possession by Kat Richardson - Another series I have followed.  This one is out of order but I am not having any trouble following the story.
Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B. Ross - I listened to another one in this series.  Miss Julia is a little over the top but she is a fun read.
Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore - Started this one but it did not hold my attention.  I sounded like fun but that just did not come through.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 33 - First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Fatal Affair by Marie Force

First Star I See Tonight by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Piper Dove and Cooper Graham are two interesting and fun characters. Piper is living her dream but when Cooper sees her following him that dream just might not ever come true. Can a detective and a retired football quarterback find anything in common. Of course they can and you can count on Phillips finding a way for it to work. There is the trademark Phillips fun dialog, interesting situations and visits with previous characters from the series. A great addition to the series and a lesson on following your dreams.


Fatal Affair by Marie Force
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Marie Force just released a new book in this series and people kept raving about it. I looked and book one was free on Amazon so I downloaded and started reading. I was hooked and realized why everyone loved the series. There are two very interesting main characters and a great cast of secondary or supporting characters. The plot is well though out and kept me guessing. While this is a mystery it is also a romance. The two main character connect after not seeing each other for six years. Everything is not smooth sailing and that just adds to the tension. A great start to a series that I will continue to follow.

After reading Fatal Affair, book one of the Fatal series, I purchased Fatal Justice, book two, Fatal Consequences, book three and the novella Fatal Destiny book 3.5.  Each  picks up where the last one left off.  I am still hooked on the series and will continue buying and reading until I get to the end.

Book Beginnings and The Friday 56, July 28, 2016

I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on your book stack and join the fun.

The Beginning:

"There it was. Just the way Brenna Lamont had left it: Benevolence, Washington, in all its small-town glory."

Page 56:

"I though you were staying in a hotel for the night did you change your mind?"

From Sweet Surprises by Shirlee McCoy. This is a book I received from Amazon Vine this week. I haven't started it yet but it does look good.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 32 - Star Cruise: Outbreak by Veronica Scott. Rogues by Amy J. Murphy, Warrior Wench by Marie Andres

Star Cruise: Outbreak by Veronica Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love slow burn romances and the one in Star Cruise: Outbreak has just the right pace to feel real. Emily and Jake have something of a shared past and when they meet again working on the luxurious interstellar cruise liner Nebula Zephyr they find that there is an attraction. There is a medical mystery on the ship and the two have to work closely to find a solution. A very well done addition to the Sectors SF Romance series. One of the nice things about this series is the fact that each book is very different and each book is a stand alone with only faint hints about previous books.



Rogues by Amy J. Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rogues follows Erelah, Jon's sister, with just brief glimpses of Jon and Sela. There are some new and interesting characters as well as Erelah's old enemy in a new form. This one is really a middle book as it does not resolve anything. It does set up the action in the next book. I like the story line. Jon and Sela are great characters and Erelah adds another interesting character to keep the story going. There is the hint of a romance for Erelah. The relationship between Jon and Sela is still my favorite part of the books. Start with book one in the Allies and Enemies series for the most reading enjoyment.


Warrior Wench by Marie Andreas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Warrior Wench is not a person but a space ship. That ship is full of great characters many with their own backstory. That and world building are a big part of the story. There are plots within plots as the Warrior Wench travels on different missions. There is a lot of action and some mystery with the characters. Don't look for a resolution to the story. The end is a bit of a cliff hanger.


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Short and Sweet Book Reviews #31 - Assassin Queen by Anna Kashina, Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis, Lady of the Star Wind by Veronica Scott

Assassin Queen by Anna Kashina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All of the key players are here in the final book of the Majat Code. Kara has been marked in the last battle with the Kaddim Brothers and that is at the heart of this final battle. That mark can turn her to the other side and there does not seem to be any way to stop that from happening. I loved how every character on the good side worked so hard to win that final battle and how everything turned out to be for the best for every characters. There is a lot of action, tension and danger in the book. It all weaves into a wonderful ending for everyone. Start at the beginning for maximum enjoyment of this interesting and different series.


Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a re-issue of the Path series by Francis. I loved it the first time I read it and loved it even more this time. Reisil is such a strong character. No matter what happens she does not let it get her down. All of the back story and world building are part of the story line and never interfere with the flow of the story. While there is a conclusion to the plot in the book it is easy to tell that Reisil has much more of a story to tell. There is action, adventure, a little romance, betrayal and an all around good story line to keep interest high.


Lady of the Star Wind by Veronica Scott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sandy and Mark are two great characters who make a choice that will change their lives. They have a history but it is 20 years in the past. There is a lot they have to work out and they have to do it in a very different world from the one they know. This is very different from previous Sector Romances. It is a very interesting mix of fantasy and scifi. Look for outstanding world building, great characters, and a romance that spans over 20 years.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews #30 - The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie, Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt, An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards

The Summer Bride by Anne Gracie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have followed the Chance Sisters since their first book and have wondered how Gracie was going to give Daisy an HEA like her sisters. Unlike the other three sisters Daisy is not a lady and never will be. What she has always been is a wonderful fashion designer and in The Summer Bride she finally get her dream, her own store. What else she gets is a very handsome man who wants her for his bride. It is great fun to see what happens after that. A really great ending to the Chance Sisters series. It can be read as a stand alone but for maximum enjoy start with book one, The Autumn Bride.


Once Upon a Moonlit Night by Elizabeth Hoyt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hippolyta Royle has a problem. She has been kidnapped and will be forced into marriage if she does not get away. Enter Matthew Mortimer. When Hippolyta does escape Matthew gives her a ride in his coach helping her get away. From there on it is a fun story full of mixups and finally romance. Hippolyta is very rich and Matthew just became the owner of an estate full of debt. A match made in heaven if only they two can get on the same page. This is a novella with very well developed characters and great action. A must read of Maiden Lane fans and a good place to start if you are new to the series.


An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Set in 1818 An Untimely Frost is the first book in a new series. Richards did a great job of integrating the history of the time with the back story of the main character while keeping the mystery at the heart of the story front and center. I loved the fact that the main character was a very strong woman who could fake it until she make it using her skills as a actress in her new career as a Pinkerton Operative. Look for a character who is mostly in the background and whose backstory is mostly a mystery. That is a set up for the two to work together in future stories. A very good start to a new mystery series set in a interesting and dangerous time.

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Stacking The Shelves - July 22, 2016

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

From The Library:

Going Dark by Linda Nagata
The Kasari Nexus by Richard Phillips
Luna New Moon by Ian McDonald

From Amazon Vine for Review:

Sweet Surprises by Shirlee McCoy

Purchased from Amazon:

Fatal Affair, Fatal Justice, Fatal Consequences , Fatal Destiny, (The Fatal Series) by Marie Force

Book Beginnings and The Friday 56 - July 22, 2016

I'm linking up with Rose City Reader for Book Beginnings and Freda's Voice for Page 56. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Pick the closest book on your book stack and join the fun.

The Beginning:

"Midnight. The witching hour some say. Since it was 12:07 A.M. and I was standing over a dead body, I had to agree:

Page 56:

"Stop," he commanded the vehicle. The sound of squealing tires filled my ears, and I was suddenly thrust forward with the momentum of our skid and ultimate stop."

From Awaken Me Darkly, An Alien Huntress Novel, by Gena Showalter. This is the first book in the series. I purchased it quite a while ago when it went on sale for 2.99. It is still in my TBR pile but I have to say I do love the beginning.

Short and Sweet Book Reviews #29 - Six-Gun Showdown by Delores Fossen, Cowboy Untamed by Vicki Lewis Thompson, Into Dust by B.J. Daniels

Six-Gun Showdown by Delores Fossen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A must read if you have been following the Appaloosa pass Ranch series. We finally get to the end of the Moonlight Strangler mystery as Paige comes back from the dead and Jax has to keep her safe. She let everyone believe she was dead after her attack to protect Jax and her son. There are a thrill a minute and enough suspects to keep you guessing. There is even a nice HEA for Jax and Paige.

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Cowboy Untamed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grady is another member of the Thunder Mountain Brotherhood. We met both Grady and Sapphire is the last book and saw a immediate spark ignite between the two. Six weeks have passed and Grady is back to help Sapphire with her art show to support the nonprofit pet shelter. Grady is ready to rumble but Sapphire has decided no more romances with artists. Can Grady change her mind. Maybe with the help of a gray cat he names Grandolf. The cat does steal the show and adds some fun to the story. This is part of a series but works just fine as a stand alone.

 Into Dust by B.J. Daniels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cassidy is another daughter of Buck and Sarah Hamilton. Jack Durand is part of the mystery from Sarah Hamilton's past. When they meet more of the puzzle that is Sarah is revealed. What is very different in this book is what happens to Jack and Cassidy when they start to learn the truth about Jack's father and Cassidy's mother. Look of a very different ending to their love story. I knew more about the past with this book but there is a whole lot more to be revealed. This is part of a series. It can stand alone but is much better if you read from book one.

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