The Serpent in Heaven by Charlaine Harris

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:  

"Felicia, Lizbeth Rose’s half-sister and a student at the Grigori Rasputin school in San Diego—capital of the Holy Russian Empire—is caught between her own secrets and powerful family struggles. As a granddaughter of Rasputin, she provides an essential service to the hemophiliac Tsar Alexei, providing him the blood transfusions that keep him alive. Felicia is treated like a nonentity at the bedside of the tsar, and at the school she's seen as a charity case with no magical ability. But when Felicia is snatched outside the school, the facts of her heritage begin to surface. Felicia turns out to be far more than the Russian-Mexican Lizbeth rescued. As Felicia’s history unravels and her true abilities become known, she becomes under attack from all directions. Only her courage will keep her alive."

When I heard that the next book in the Gunnie Rose series was going to be about Felicia, I was delighted because that meant Lizbeth got to keep her HEA with Eli, and all of us readers got to read more in this world.  

This book was on the shorter side, I devoured it, I really enjoy Felicia and her inner monologue. She is clever and I felt that as written she acted her age. I think Charlaine got this unusual teenager's thoughts correct. The reveals as the mystery goes along works and the unveiling of Felicia's background and her abilities as a mage seem reasonable. The blurg says that only her courage will keep her alive, but I disagree, I say it's her cunning and her years of experience living on the edge in Mexico that keep her alive. 

The support cast is pretty big in this first book of Felicia's but if you have read other books in the series it's easy to keep them straight. It may be more difficult if you start the books with this one. The ending is satisfying, we get resolution to the immediate troubles of the day as well as a better understand of Felicia and her extended family. Threads are there for other books and I look forward to spending time with her again. 

5 Stars. Eagerly Anticipating Next Book 

Final book in my #SIAM Wicked All Night By Jeaniene Frost

 

January is almost over and I am ending the month with the third and final book in the Night Rebel series. I'm happy to report, yes I can read a series in a month! (#SIAM) 

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!

Like book two, I did the audio version of the book and if you ask me to rate the narration I give it a 5, I think Talia Gilbert does a wonderful job with all the different voices and accents. 

As far as I know, this book wraps up Ian and Veritas/Ariel. This book was a fast listen and again we get scenes with other characters from the Night Huntress Universe.

Overall this three-book series would have worked better for me if Veritas had been in stasis for a larger portion of her life. I say this because she says she is nearly 5,000 years old. I had a very hard time reconciling her age and experience with her behaviors and lack of knowledge. She is very gullible. Good thing her dad kept raising her from the dead. You can say it's due to her first time experiencing love with Ian, but that falls flat for me. Now if she'd been in a coma for like 4,800 of the years, then it makes much more sense to me. 

I like her brother, he came in clutch in the series, because unlike Veritas and other characters, he is able to read people (people and supernatural characters). Marie the Queen of the Ghouls also continues to be an excellent character. 

Okay, I'm going to leave the review on that positive note!  

#TheSundayPost Last Sunday in January!

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

We are on the cusp of February. How was your January? We have a few days left if there is anything you'd like to do to button up your month or end it with a bang! Tomorrow I get to attend a cooking demo at my local library. The cooking demos always fill up fast so I set a reminder earlier this month so I didn't forget to register the moment registration opened. 

Later today the last post for the #SIAM will be posting it's the final book in the Night Rebel series Wicked All Night.  I enjoy participating in these #SIAM a trilogy of three books is really manageable for me!

What else am I talking about this week?  We will be starting February

and I have a non-fiction book to share- 

Plus a 5 star book by Charlaine Harris

Peace Talks Book 16 in the Harry Dresden Files

 

"When the Supernatural nations of the world meet up to negotiate an end to ongoing hostilities, Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, joins the White Council's security team to make sure the talks stay civil. But can he succeed, when dark political manipulations threaten the very existence of Chicago--and all he holds dear?" (from Goodreads) 

You wanna see magic in our mundane world? Look no further than the wizard that is Jim Butcher. Sixteen books into the series and I'm still excited to see what happens next. I'm still worried about all my fictional friends making it through the night. This book doesn't resolve some big problems happening in Harry's world, but it does give me the emotional growth I've been waiting for out of Harry. 

This book is chockful of the supernatural, but it takes place in Chicago and all my favorite characters are included which I really prefer over the books that have been centered in Faerie. One of the reasons I so enjoy this series is because humans are right in the thick of it the stories and that we see wizards, vampires, werewolves, etc. are injured and even die. There are consequences even in the midst of magical powers. 

If I had read this when it came out, I'd be so bummed that when I finished it I needed to  wait for Battle Ground  to be published--but lucky for me, and for you if you are reading the series now we can read it right away! 

5 Stars

The Devil Downtown by Joanna Schupe

I picked up this book because it was my book club's January selection. I have heard many great things about Joanna Shupe's writing so I was happy to have a push to read one of her books. This is a historical romance as you can see from the swoony cover. 

NOTE: I don't mind the cartoony romance covers that are currently popular, but as someone raised on Johanna Lindsey, this cover worked for me. 

This book is the third book in the Uptown Girls series, in it we get some scenes with Justine (our MC) and her sisters who were the main characters in the other two books. You don't need to have read any other books to enjoy this one, but if you like Romance or Historical Romance, you will most likely enjoy the other two books.

This is my first time reading Joanna Shupe's work and I get why she is award-winning.  This book takes place in the 1890s in New York City. Justine comes from a wealthy family but she is an advocate for women and children. A Feminist in the best sense of the word. She tracks down deadbeat dads and tries to get them to support their families. She does this in a system that doesn't think men should have to take care of their own children and who don't see women as equals.  She is a force to be reckoned with in this story.  The male lead is Jack Mulligan, a top-tier rough-around-the-edges character. The main conflict to their becoming a couple is that Jack is a gang leader in NYC. 

I'm not one for gang-related romance, but in the context of late 19th Century New York, it's more tolerable. It's clear throughout the book that if Justine and Jack are to find a HEA together one of them needs to give up their current livelihood. It is obvious which one of them needs to make better choices, the tension throughout the book lies in how we get to the right conclusion, and this is done very well.  

Joanna Schupe makes sure that Justine clearly consents as the romance unfolds, and I loved that while Justine was a virgin, she wasn't ignorant about sex or about pleasuring herself. 

5 Stars

 

Wicke Bite #SIAM Review Day! Did I like book two better than Shades of Wicked? Read on to find out!

 

Happy #SIAM review day!  Today I'm sharing my thoughts on Wicked Bit  by Jeaniene Frost --along with other participants in Anne's Read Along

Here is the schedule of the review posts where you can read everyone's review of this book. There is always a wide range of opinions! 

Jan 8:    Shades of Wicked              –  Review from Carole @ Carol’s Random Life in Books

Jan 22:    Wicked Bite                        –  Review from Robin @ Books of My Heart

Feb 5:       Wicked All Night             –   Review from Anne @ Books of My Heart

If you recall my review of Shades of Wicked from earlier this month, you'll know that the main character Veritas was not my favorite. I liked her in earlier books, but this series is told from her POVmaking her the main focal point of the books. Overall book one in the Night Rebel series was a 3 for me. 

SPOILERS AHEAD-

Wicked Bite wasn't available to borrow from my library in any form, and I didn't want to buy a kindle or paperback copy, so I used an audible credit to listen to the book. The reader for this book and the Night Huntress series is Tavia Gilbert. I like her interpretation of the accents for this book series and I think listening to her act out the book as opposed to me reading it did enhance my enjoyment of the book. 

This book being the second in the three book series, was all about managing expectations. There would be some things resolved but also there would be cliffhangers and I reminded myself--Dagon isn't going to die--he is going to keep popping up. 

What I liked about the book:

1. Action packed plot.

2. Veritas/Ariel has a family member--I'm hoping he is decent part of book three.

3. Veritas/Ariel accepts her dual nature. Thank goodness!

What is not my favorite: 

A secret betrothal.

Also the characters keep almost getting killed because they are being foolish, either by not questioning what they are being told or not listening to themselves. If at some point someone said: "We should stop relying on our physical prowess and magical abilities and start using our brains more then we'd stop getting into so many dire situations." Then I'd be super happy! 

What I'd love to read:

Veritas and Ian go on vacation and Ashael is dog sitting Silver who meets another demon dog at the dog park!

#The Sunday Post -- Second Book in my #SIAM Coming Later Today

  

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme 

I hope you are having a nice January so far, on the weather front, we've had a mild January with very little snow,but we did get a bunch of rain on Wednesday.  It was the kind of rain that makes me grumble and say, "too bad this isn't snow, snow is less wet." 

This month I'm working on cleaning drawers, cabinets, and closets. I highly recommend spending a little time when you can go through the stuff you own to see what you want to keep and what you can get rid of, when you free up space it feels so good!  Speaking of that I need to update my Bookish resolutions to include reading one or two books off my bookshelf each month and then giving away those books. I have quite a few books on my bookshelf that are watching me download ebook after ebook while they collect dust! 

How about you? Do you have a lot of physical books? 

And here are books I'll be talking about this week- 

This is the second book I'm reading for #SIAM! 

Before This New Year Gets Away From Me, Let Me Share My Bookish Resolutions!

 I'm joining Because Reading's Bookish Resolutions Challenge for 2023. You can still join via this link. 

You pick what you are resolved to do in 2023 as far as books go.  Here are the rules that Berls and Michelle put together:

Rules:

1. Create between 5 or more resolutions related to books/book blogging/writing (there are examples below but you can make up your own)(you can have as many resolutions as you would like, there is no limit) 
2. Create a signup post and add it to the Linky on this post (sign up before Feb 28th)
3. Since this is a year-long challenge we ask that you pick goals with some longevity. Pick a goal that will take you no less than 6 months to complete.
4. Once your goals are set you cannot change them.
5. Three times a year we will have an update to see how you are doing. March 1st, June 1st, and September 1st. The last update will be the wrap-up post.
6. For each goal you complete, you get one entry into the giveaway that will be in our wrap-up post on December 31, 2023

 I've tried to make my goals for the year simple for me so that I am able to stay on track. 

Resolution  1:  Read/Listen to one non-fiction book each month (this is done for January, yay!) 

Resolution 2:   Read 60 books in 2023

Resolution 3:  Read and review 1-2 Netgalley books each month

Resolution 4:  Post all my reviews on Goodreads, not just here--

Resolution 5: Go to at least one book signing in 2023 (In Person) 

Okay that's all I am ready to hold myself accountable for 2023. I think these resolutions are manageable and fun- 

How about you? Any Bookish Resolutions for 2023? 

#bookishres2023

Pies and Prejudice This Month's Cozy Mystery Book Club

 

I really, really enjoyed Ellery Adams' Secret, Book and Scone society. This series is an earlier series by the same author, Pies and Prejudice is the first book in that series. I picked up this book to read because it's the January 2023 selection for the Cozy Mystery Book Club. 

On Tuesday, January 31st, you can watch the live stream where Angela and Ben will talk about the book and all of us Cozy Mystery Book Club in the comments where we chat and share our thoughts and hot takes on the cozy of the month-- 

I listened to the audio version of this book. I stumbled a little in my listening because a few southern accents seemed very over the top to me, I don't know if that was on purpose or not.  The mystery and the whodoneit of this book are good.  The pie-baking talk is nice and if you enjoy a slueth who actively tries to figure out the murder, this book fits that bill. 

The book includes a high school nemesis and for me, that is a trope I don't enjoy.  Our MC has moved back to Georgia after she catches her husband of 7-years cheating. She was in New York City during her marriage and during that time she didn't speak to her mother at all. This really didn't make sense to me throughout the book. She doesn't speak to her mom for 7 ye but comes home with just the clothes on her back and her dog when she catches her husband in flagrant delicato with not one but two women, but her mom redoes a place for her to stay and her mom and her aunts fun a business for her --the Charmed Pie Shoppe. The text for me didn't make it clear why she and her mom wouldn't have spoken. There isn't a big enough riff. 

The book has light magical realism and is pretty standard cozy until the very end. The book ends with reveals that move it from magical realism to contemporary fantasy. Depending on how large a part magical beings play in book two, this may or may not appeal to you. Will I read the next book in this series?  First I need to read the rest of the books in the Secret, Book and Scone Society series because I loved the first book and want to return to Miracle Springs, NC. Once I have caught up on that series, I plan to check out the synopses for the second book in this series in order to decide if it's a book I'd enjoy or if I should check out Ellery Adams other series. 

3 Stars for Pies and Prejudice and 5 stars for writer Ellery Adams. 

I'm Almost Completely Caught Up on Everything Ilona Andrews has Published.

 

I look at the Innkeeper Chronicles as being Sci-Fi Cozy Mysteries. On the one hand, I can't believe I read the first book in this series, Clean Sweep, and then didn't continue on--thank goodness I found my way back to this series.  I could read about the goings on at the Gertrude Hunt every day. It is such a great blend of what I like in a cozy mystery series and what I love in paranormal/fantasy all mushed together with Ilona Andrews's wonderful world-building and well-rounded characters. 

On to the reviews of books one and two in the series. In the first book we meet Dina who is an Innkeeper, but not a regular Innkeeper, her BnB caters to aliens from all over the universe. The thing is, no one on Earth can know that aliens travel to and from the earth all the time. Turns out Earth is a hub from which you can travel to many different worlds. Dina's job is to protect her guests and make sure earth people don't know about aliens.  We quickly met Sean and Arland. Sean is a werewolf who was born in the USA but his ancestors are from another planet and we met Arland who is a vampire. Vampires in this series are more like super-powerful humans than your classic vampire can't have kids and drain people to death type. I could go on and on because this story is so expansive, but I don't want to bore or spoil you. 

This series has elements of cozy mysteries in these ways:

1. Overarching mystery regarding the backstory of our MC. Her parents are missing

2. Dina has a cozy companion, her deceptively cute dog.

3. Dina runs a BnB that is historically old and she loves to garden. The Inn has a name- Gertrude Hunt- How Cozy is That~

4. A community of quirky recurring characters. 

5. Light romance 

6. Dina does sleuthing to figure out why various people were killed or how to stop a killing.

Here is a link to Ilona Andrews website if you want more info on the series. I highly recommend you add this to your TBR pile asap!